News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Mr Maye, who has a reputation for thinking outside the box, said: “There is a lot to be done to revitalise the town centre but we have to start somewhere.”

The former Bridge House proprietor and the key figure behind the revival of Tullamore Show in the early 90’s said people needed to come up with new ideas to kick start the local economy.

Mr Maye is a member of the new retail committee, part of the Chamber of Commerce, which is charged with encouraging business into the centre of town.

The committee is chaired by Anne Starling and a number of initiatives are planned for the coming months.

These include a secondary schools competition aimed at selecting a suitable slogan to market Tullamore as a shopping and business destination.

Tullamore, like other towns the length and breadth of the country, has taken a huge hit during the recession and its main thoroughfares feature many closed premises.

“We’re in the middle of a recession like none other any of us has experienced,” said Christy Maye. He continued: “The fact is that if we all supported our local businesses and keep money in town it would make a huge difference to jobs and the economy.”
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

A man and a woman are being held for questioning in connection with a fatal house fire in Boyle, Co Roscommon.

A woman in her 30s was arrested and is being held at Boyle Garda Station.

Gardaí are continuing to detain a man in his 30s for questioning in connection with the fire, in which a five-year-old girl died on Monday.

Mari Connolly's father Richard and her two sisters, aged six and eight, escaped the blaze at Termon Road in Boyle.

Mr Connelly jumped from an upstairs window with the two girls in his arms and sustained serious back injuries.

The man is being held at Boyle Garda Station.
(Source: RTE News)

Sligo

A young man who paid compensation for the damage he caused to a fridge in a supermarket after he got into a row over chicken be bought was given "a chance" by Judge Kevin Kilrane at Ballymote Court.

Norman Monaghan, Cornmill Park, Ballymote, was summoned by Garda Patrick Naughton for committing criminal damage on March 22nd 2010.

The court was told that the defendant went into the supermarket. There was an altercation and he took items out of a refrigerator and threw them down.

Defending solicitor Ms. Karina Carty said there was €450 damage to the refrigerator. He had an addiction problem and over the summer he received treatment. He had held his hands up, was very embarrassed and paid compensation.

Asked why he damaged the refrigerator, Monaghan told Judge Kevin Kilrane that he got chicken that was out of date. He "basically got into an argument". In relation to his alcohol consumption, he attended meetings and was 100% clean for the last seven months.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

Sinn Fein’s Cllr Seamus Morris has backed a move by a cross-party Oireachtas Foreign Affiars Committee to have an independent international inquiry into the killing of a Ballinderry man in Bolivia two years ago.

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Nster.com