News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

“Obviously it‘s a very serious matter to have a live railway with no barriers for pedestrians or livestock,” she said. “This is something that we are taking very seriously, and indeed the gardai are investigating it.



“It could have caused a very serious incident and we are just happy that nothing happened.”



Ms Cregan said the thieves would have needed a trailer because of the size of the gates, and the operation would have taken some planning. “It would have been quite a big job to remove these,” she said.



While Iarnród Éireann has been targeted before for copper cabling, they have not had steel gates, which would be much less valuable, stolen.



The company said it was possible thieves wanted the gates for their own use or to sell on for use again or as scrap metal.

Gardaí in Boyle and Ballymote are investigating the thefts.
(Source: The Roscommon Champion)

Sligo

A number of towns and villages throughout the county will share in a €25,000 pay out by Sligo County Council for their efforts in the county Tidy Towns competition.

The local competiton results are as follows: Best Kept Housing Estate A 1-30 Houses in Estate Overall Winner (€500): Hill Crest Park, Strandhill

Runner Up (€250): Culfadda Housing Association, Culfadda B 31-60 Houses in Estate

Overall Winner (€600): Gort na Sí, Coolaney

Runner Up (€350): Kiernan Ave, Collooney C 61+ Houses in Estate Overall Winner (€700): Ard Aisling, Tubbercurry

Runner Up (€450): Woodbrook Heights, Ballisodare

Best Kept National School Overall Winner (€300): Holy Family N.S., Tubbercurry

Joint Runner Up (€ 200): Mary Immaculate Girls N.S., Collooney. Joint Runner Up (€ 200): Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal, Ballymote

Best Kept Shop Front/Business

Overall Winner ( Plaque): Kennedy's Picture Framing, Tubbercurry

1st Runner Up (Plaque): Gormely's Corner House, Ballymote Best Kept Village/Town Overall Winner - Small Town (€1000): Tubbercurry, Overall Winner - Village (€900) Culfadda Joint Runners-Up (€ 800): Mullaghmore & Coolaney

A Special Merit Award was awarded to Hillview Drive, Ballymote Residents Association. A similr award went to St. Patrick's N.S, Calry, in recognition of their organic gardening project:

Special Merit Awards were given to Enniscrone Tidy Towns Committee and Ballinafad Tidy Towns Committee.

Tidy Towns grant scheme awards went to committees in Ballintogher, Ballisodare, Ballymote, Banada, Collooney, Coney Island, Coolaney, Culfadda, Easkey , Enniscrone, Grange, Keash, Mullaghmore, Rathcormac and Tubbercurry.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

The body of a man has been recovered from the sea in Co Clare.

The body is that of a man in his early 30s from Co Tipperary. A woman walking along the cliff at Chimney Bay, just north of Kilkee Bay, spotted the body floating face down in the water.

The alarm was raised and the Irish Coast Guard centre at Valentia Island in Co Kerry quickly mounted a search and recovery operation.

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Nster.com