News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

A look at what is happening around Ireland

Attended by members of the families of both victims, more than 100 local people, members of the local council executive and town council and conducted by Monsignor Michael Cooke and Reverend Tanya Woods, the wreath laying service took place at the monument erected in memory of the victims at the spot where the bomb blast occurred four decades ago.
[Source: The Anglo Celt]

CLARE

A spokesman for Shannon Airport two weeks ago indicated that 2012 was likely to see the lowest passenger numbers there since 1988, almost a quarter of a century ago.

The final figure for 2012 isn’t yet available, but the figure in 1988 was 1.394 million, while it was 1.469 million in 1989, indicating that the 2012 figure is likely to be somewhere between the two.

This would represent a significant decrease on 2011, when over 1.6 million people used Shannon. The figures illustrate the calamitous decline seen at the airport, which saw a record 3.6 million passengers in 2007, before beginning a steep decline.
[Source: Clare Champion]

CORK

They brought out the big guns to kick-start the Gathering initiative in Cork on Tuesday, January 1.

A ceremonial 21-gun salute was fired at 1 p.m. from Spike Island in Cork Harbor — one of just two fixed national saluting stations in Ireland.

It was the first official Gathering event in Cork and was the first national ceremonial 21-gun salute fired in Cork Harbor in almost three decades — the last one marked the arrival of the Tall Ships.
[Source: Irish Examiner]

DERRY

Derry Magistrates Court has heard how a 23-year-old local man was so drunk when he tore a C.C.T.V. camera from outside a house in the Waterside that he was later seen putting the camera on the ground and “petting it.”

Peter Morrison of Heron Way was charged with theft of the camera, which was valued at $90 and criminal damage of the same.

The court was told that police were called to a house at Adelaide Avenue on April 11 last after the theft was reported by the householder.
[Source: Derry Journal]

DONEGAL

The first person to die on Irish roads this year has been named.

Patrick Gildea (39) from Glenties, lost his life when his jeep collided with a wall at Dooish between Ballybofey and Fintown just before 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

Mr. Gildea, who was known locally as “Packie,” was understood to be returning from a friend’s house in Ballybofey when the collision occurred.
[Source: Donegal Democrat]

DOWN

A man has escaped injury in a petrol bomb attack in County Down.

The incident happened at a house in Movilla Street, Newtownards, at about 10:30 p.m.  on Friday, December 28.

The device and a brick were thrown at the front window of the property. A window was smashed and there was scorch damage to a window sill.

A man in his 20s was in the house at the time but was not hurt. The local D.U.P. M.L.A., Jonathan Bell, described the attack as "wrong and abhorrent.”
[Source: BBC News]

DUBLIN

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