Antrim

Hundreds of mourners packed out First Antrim Presbyterian Church last week to remember Lyn Coburn, whose life was tragically cut short on Mother's Day, April 4.?Lyn (53), who was originally from Antrim, died during a violent incident at her home in Connor on April 3. Her son John was subsequently arrested and charged with her murder and remains on remand.?Despite the injuries he sustained in the terrible incident which claimed his mother's life, Lyn's youngest son Andrew stood side by side with her partner Ken at the entrance to the church.?Andrew suffered stab wounds to his stomach during the tragic altercation and he moved stiffly as mourners embraced him. Several cuts were also easily visible on his shaven head.
(Source: Antrim Guardian)

Armagh

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested in relation to a series of security alerts that wreaked havoc in a Co Armagh town. Detectives investigating a spate of hoax suspicious objects in Lurgan were questioning the teenager in custody last Friday. There have been more than 10 security alerts in the past few week across Northern Ireland — four of which have been in the Lurgan area. All of the alerts in Lurgan turned out to be hoaxes, but caused considerable disruption. The alert last week led to a number of people having to leave their homes, and St Francis' Primary School and St Paul's Junior High School were closed.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Carlow

A Crettyard cop has found himself at the centre of a huge manhunt in New York.??Richard Dormer, whose family still live in Crettyard, is heading up a mammoth investigation of a murder spree that has paralyzed New York. There are fears that a ‘Jack the Ripper’-style killer is on the loose after the bodies of eight prostitutes were found in scrub land in the Long Island area. ??Dormer, a Crettyard native, is the Suffolk County Police Commissioner and has found himself at the helm of the investigation.?Despite leaving Crettyard in 1958, the police commissioner’s family all still live in the area. Speaking to The Nationalist said he left school at an early age and went to work in a local mine. ?He also played one game of football for his county at senior level before emigrating to America on 25 March 1958.
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

A pensioner who caused criminal damage to the property of a neighbor was warned by Judge Sean MacBride at Cavan District Court that if he persisted in his behavior or threatened the injured parties in any way he would serve time in prison.

Larry Cunningham (74), Renaghan, Abbeylara, was sentenced to six months imprisonment suspended for two years by Judge MacBride for causing criminal damage to the property of Michael and Carmel McBreen at Cloncovid, Kilcogy, on June 3, 2009. Charges of causing criminal damage on other dates were taken into account.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

Clare

History enthusiasts the world over now have handheld access to Clare’s heritage sites thanks to an interactive application launched this week.  ?Clare County Council’s heritage information booklet has been converted into a free, downloadable iPhone/iPad application (app) for visitors to early Christian, medieval and Celtic ecclesiastical buildings in Clare.?The booklet Rian na Manach (Pathway of the Monks) – A Guided Tour of Ecclesiastical Treasures in County Clare was originally launched in early 2007 after an audit of more than 80 early Christian, medieval and Celtic ecclesiastical buildings. Many of the buildings included in the book are supported by text and photographs, whilst others are included only as mapped reference points.
(Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

The Cork Business Association (CBA) is welcoming the visit of the Queen and her husband Prince Philip to Cork saying that it will be a positive boost to the city’s tourism sector. “It will be a significant positive multi-euro tourism boost to our local economy not just at the time of the visit but longterm in years to come,” said CBA CEO, Donal Healy. “The international media and television coverage which the historic visit will attract will showcase and promote not only Cork city but the south west region to a worldwide audience.”
(Source: Cork Independent)

Derry

A 22-year-old man allegedly posed as a model’s agent and tried to get teenage girls to pose naked for him. Scott Joseph Tootill, of Meadowvale Park, Limavady, appeared at the local magistrates court charged with five counts of inciting a child to be involved in pornography between March 17 and April 14. He is further charged with arranging or facilitating the commission of a sex offence against a child. An investigating officer said police believed that Tootill set up a website and posed as a model’s agent called Sandra Green. He then allegedly used a social networking site to contact girls between 13 and 15 in the Limavady area and claimed he was a photographer working for the agency.
(Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

Last week, Bernard Muldoon saw the biggest calf he had ever seen, when a cow on the family farm delivered. And not long after that, he saw it again. Bernard, who works on his family’s small farm about three miles outside of Ballybofey, said a veterinarian delivered the two calves that were born on the farm last week by Caesarean section. The first weighed more than 72 kilograms and the second weighed 75 or 76 kilograms. The cows that delivered last week had been inseminated on the same day and were both due to deliver around March 10, 26 days earlier. Last week, one of the cows was experiencing difficulty.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down
Stuart Jess, 29, pleaded not guilty to one charge of child cruelty and one charge of causing the death of his son, Callum Thai Jess, on August 24, 2008. Jess, of Belfast Road, was once the British welterweight champion kickboxer. No details of his son’s death were given during the short hearing at Downpatrick
(Source: Down Recorder)

Dublin

Irish soccer star, Stephen Ireland’s partner, Jessica was in a bad car accident last week. She was rushed to hospital after the accident in the early hours of the morning and after two days of treatment, was allowed home to the couple's mansion in Prestbury. However, her condition deteriorated and she had to be re-admitted after taking a turn for the worse last Wednesday. A spokesman for the couple said: "It was a pretty bad smash and Jessica has got a lot of internal swelling and a cracked ankle. "She has had a series of scans to check for internal bleeding and possible organ damage. "Stephen is devastated but at the same time grateful it wasn't worse."
(Source: The Evening Hearld)

Fermanagh

Police in Fermanagh believe the prompt actions of a milk tanker driver prevented more serious injuries to a driver and front-seat passenger after a car crash near Derrylin last Sunday week. Michael Coyle from Newtownstewart County Tyrone hosed the contents of the tank over a burning car in which two young Cavan men were trapped and seriously injured following the collision. The men were taken to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen and later to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast. Both were described as stable last Friday.
(Source: Anglo Celt)

Galway

The Director’s Chair which was used by John Ford during the making of The Quiet Man in 1951 was donated by Ford’s Irish Godson, John Morris, to the Galway City Museum last week. Mr Morris, who lives in Spiddal, is the son of the late Lord Killanin who worked with Ford on a number of Irish projects including the filming of The Rising of the Moon in Galway city centre in 1957. Mr Morris has loaned the chair to the museum for a period of two years as well as donating other pieces of memorabilia from Ford’s time as a film-maker in Ireland.
(Source: GalwayBay Fm)

Kerry

More than 100 employees of a company at Castleisland in Co Kerry have called for intervention by the Government and the Labour Relations Commission to save their jobs.

US health insurance provider Aetna, which processes health insurance claims, told staff last month their jobs were at risk as it was reviewing its operations there.

The company said it was considering transferring the business conducted in Castleisland to other companies abroad.
(Source: Irish Times)

Kildare

The Kildare family who were at the centre of the terrifying ordeal of a tiger kidnapping last week are trying to put recent events behind them and get their lives back to normal.

An armed gang broke into the family home of An Post senior executive Liam O’Sullivan and his wife Mary at Fenor near Kildare town last Monday night. The family was held hostage for a number of hours before Mr O’Sullivan was forced present himself at work as normal and withdraw €100,000 in cash. Meanwhile his wife Mary was taken hostage and transported to a rural part of Dublin. The crime gang failed in their attempt to get cash when Mrs O’Sullivan managed to escape from the derelict house in Swords where she was being held and alerted gardai (police).
(Source: The Kildare Nationalist)

Kilkenny

A former Las Vegas poker dealer jailed for extortion in an elaborate hitman-for-hire scam will be extradited to the US within weeks to face similar charges. Egyptian-born Essam Eid was sentenced to six years in prison in the Republic for demanding 100,000 euro from a wealthy businessman's son in exchange for not killing him, his brother and their father. The 55-year-old had been hired on the internet by mother-of-two Sharon Collins, who used the alias Lying Eyes to find a hitman to kill her partner, PJ Howard, and his two sons, Robert and Niall, in 2006.
(Source: Kilkenny People)

Laois
A Garda (police) squad car was set on fire at Mountmellick Garda Station in the early hours Tuesday, April 12. Extensive damage was done to the car in the brazen arson attack on the grounds of the local garda (police) station. Speaking Tuesday Supt. Philip Lyons said he was treating it as a very serious offence. He outlined that the car was parked in a secure area at the back of the station overnight. At the time of the attack, the Mountmellick station was closed.
(Source: Leinster Express)

Leitrim

A man with an address in Elphin appeared before Ballyshannon District Court last Friday, April 15 charged with the cultivation of cannabis at Doonarah, Garvagh, Co Leitrim. Anthony McGarvey, Pallas Road, Elphin was arrested and charged following garda (police) searches of five properties in the south Leitrim area and a further property in Elphin, Co Roscommon on Wednesday, April 13. The raids resulted in the discovery of €84,000 worth of cannabis plants in a number of locations. Mr McGarvey is charged in relation to just one location.
(Source: Leitrim Observer)

Limerick

The grief-stricken families of murdered rugby player Shane Geoghegan and Michaela Harte were among an audience of over 3,000 people who listened to the Dalai Lama deliver a stirring message of compassion and forgiveness in the University of Limerick Sports Arena last Thursday. Shane Geoghegan’s mother Mary and brother Anthony, as well as Tyrone GAA manager Mickey Harte and John McAreavey, father and husband of Michaela Harte, who was murdered tragically in Mauritius earlier this year, listened intently as the 76 year-old Tibetan spiritual leader spoke for close to an hour about “infinite compassion” in an address called ‘The Power of Forgiveness’, after which he received a standing ovation.
(Source: Limerick Leader)

Longford

The jury at a Circuit Court trial against a Longford business man pleading not guilty to possession of child pornography heard evidence of a find of a substantial number of illegal images in a field outside Longford town. Thomas McNally with an address of 49 Foynes Court is before Judge Michael White facing two charges of unlawfully possessing child pornography at 49 Foynes Court on the 6th and 7th of February 2006
(Source: Longford Leader)

Louth

Presidential hopeful Senator David Norris visited Dundalk last Friday where he spoke at an All-Ireland Occupational Therapy Conference in the Fairways Hotel before being given a guided tour of the County Museum. Speaking to The Dundalk Democrat on his visit, Senator Norris said that mental health was a strong theme of his presidential election campaign and that he was delighted to speak at the conference as he believed occupational therapy was an “invaluable tool for helping those who are mentally unwell.”
(Source: Dundalk Democrat)

Mayo

The death of Swinford Garda Robert McCallion two years ago was at the forefront of Gardaí’s (police) thoughts as the country’s largest annual Garda conference last week in Westport.
The hazardous nature of dealing with dangerous driving and joyriders was high on the agenda as members of the Garda Representative Association (GRA) seek to ensure the safety and well-being of gardaí (police) in an increasingly challenging environment.
(Source: The Mayo News)

Meath

The family of young Ratoath jockey Peter Toole, who received serious injuries in a fall at Aintree last Saturday (April 9), are maintaining a bedside vigil this week as he remains in an induced coma. The conditional jockey was involved in a first-fence fall from Classic Fly in the John Smith's Maghull Novices Chase at the Grand National meeting last Saturday. Last Monday night, the young jockey was woken briefly from the induced coma and a CT scan came back negative, which was regarded as good news by his employer, trainer Charlie Mann.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Monaghan

A man serving a 40-year sentence for the 1985 murder of an unarmed garda (police) sergeant on Friday lost a High Court bid to be considered for remission. Noel Callan, of Cullaville, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, was 22 when convicted by the Special Criminal Court in December 1985 of the murder of Sergeant Patrick Morrissey (49) on June 27, 1985, following an armed robbery the same day at Ardee Labour Exchange in Louth.
 (Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Offaly

The level of thefts of copper and scrap metal was highlighted by Chief Superintendent Frank Moore at last Monday’s meeting of the Offaly County Council Joint Policing Committee. The meeting was told that overall crime in the county was down 11.9% last year, compared to 2009, with a fall of 22% in the Birr area and 7% in the Tullamore district. Burglaries were up 13.4% in Offaly, but were down 7% in the Birr area, and up 21% in the Tullamore area. Thefts from shops were down 4.1%, while those from the person were down 40% and those from the vehicle were down 31.6%.
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

Gardaí seized cannabis plants after searches in counties Leitrim and Roscommon last week. Seven premises - six in south Leitrim and one in Elphin, Co Roscommon - were targeted, and a number of cannabis plants were seized with an estimated street value of about €84,000. Two men in their 50s were arrested and are being detained in Carrick on Shannon Garda station under the provisions of Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996.
(Source: Irish Times)

Sligo

A west Sligo publican was ordered to shut his premises for nine and a half hours by Judge Kevin Kilrane at Sligo District Court after two youths, aged 15 and 16 were served alcohol in the pub on a night the licensee was away.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

Gardai (police) in Nenagh are investigating the circumstances of an armed robbery in Nenagh, (on 14th April). The robbery occurred at about 11.15am when two armed men entered a jewellery shop on Mitchell St, Nenagh. A shot was discharged during the robbery. The men left the scene without any property and got into a waiting car.
(Source: Tipperary Star)

Tyrone

A car belonging to SDLP canvassers has been the target of a petrol bomb attack in Coagh, County Tyrone. Several members of the group, working on behalf of assembly candidate Patsy McGlone, had seen someone removing SDLP campaign posters. The canvassers later discovered a smoking object under their car which was identified as a petrol bomb. Nobody was in the vehicle at the time.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Waterford

Once home to Nazi War criminal Pieter Menten, Comeragh House in Kilmacthomas offers a piece of history and a lot of grandeur for a property buyer with €3 million to burn. Set in 130 acres, this lavish home comes with five bedrooms, four reception rooms, three bathrooms, a separate three-bed visitor cottage and stabling. Currently owned by an English couple looking to downsize, its previous owner, a Dutch millionaire art collector, was the subject of many newspaper headlines.
(Source: Waterford News $ Star)

Westmeath

There was a large crowd in attendance at the 7th Annual Rehab Athlone People of the Year Awards in the Radisson Blu on Friday night last to see Ballinahown's Mark Rohan unveiled as the 2011 Athlone Person of the Year. There was a standing ovation for the paralympian, who has excelled in his sport of hand cycling, picking up World Championship gold medal last year. After winning the H1 Handcycling Roadrace, in Canada, Mark took home Ireland's first ever gold medal for paracycling.
(Source: Westmeath Independent)

Wexford

Gardai (police) have appealed for assistance as they try to trace a woman in her mid-60s who has been missing for more than a fortnight. Bridget Reddy was last seen near her home in New Ross, Co Wexford, on March 27th. The woman is described as being between 5ft 7in and 5ft 8in tall, of slim build, with red hair and glasses. Ms Reddy speaks with a slight English accent. Gardaí said it is unclear what she was wearing when she went missing.
(Source: The Irish Times)

Wicklow

A young butcher faces a life sentence after a jury found him guilty of murdering a shop owner with a knife. Anthony Farrell (20), of Marian Villas in Arklow, Co Wicklow, had denied murdering John Deasy at Brauders newsagents in the town in November 2009. There was no noticeable reaction from Farrell or members of the Deasy family as the unanimous guilty verdict was returned after just under four hours of deliberations by the jury last Friday.
(Source: The Wicklow People)