News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Moane was detained after being stopped by police on the Tattymoyle Road near Fintona a short time later.(Source: BBC News)

Galway

The discovery of a skull pierced by an iron arrowhead as part of skeleton remains found in a shallow grave has sparked a murder mystery in a Galway village – 1,000 years after the gruesome assault!
Recent quarrying in an esker in the townland of Tisaxon, close to Newcastle, Athenry, revealed human remains exposed in the quarry face.

The archaeological work has just been completed by local archaeologist Martin Fitzpatrick of Arch Consultancy Ltd, who was funded by the National Monuments Service, which comes under the remit of Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan.

Excavation indicated that the burial was in a shallow grave and the body, which was that of an adult male aged between 17 and 25. The body was lying on its side and crouched rather than having been laid out.

A small hole in the skull was the only noticeable blemish in the skeleton that was otherwise in good condition.

Further examination by osteoarchaeologist Caoimhe Tobin revealed that the wound was inflicted by a small, socketed, iron arrowhead which had pierced the skull.

The arrowhead measured 4cm in length and was recovered from the interior of the skull. Preliminary analysis suggests it dates to the 9th or 10th century.

Also exposed were traces of an underground passage in another face of the same quarry.
(Source: GalwayBay Fm)

Kerry

Kerry jockey Bryan Cooper is leading the charge by being nominated at the upcoming Horse Racing Ireland Awards 2011. The Tralee native has been nominated for the National Hunt Award.

Son of trainer Tom Cooper, nineteen year old Bryan only rode his first winner in December 2009, but has risen sharply through the ranks and won the Claiming Professionals Jockeys' Title with a grand total of 36 winners last season.

The Galway Festival provided him with a notable success when Sarteano scored in the Latin Quarter Chase while he enjoyed a memorable evening at Kilbeggan in early August when booting home a fine treble for the Dessie Hughes yard, where he is now fully established. In recent weeks, Bryan won his first graded race aboard his father's Lucky William who took the Grade 3 Buck House Novice Chase at Punchestown.

This is the ninth year of the Horse Racing Ireland Awards, and the winners will as always be decided by the votes of the Irish Racing Media. The Awards recognize the human and equine excellence in the sport of horse racing where Ireland continues to achieve great success in the elite international arena. Simon Coveney, TD, Minister for Agriculture will be the Guest of Honor at this year's awards on Monday, December 12.
(Source: The Kerryman)

Kildare

An elderly Newbridge resident was terrorized by two men banging on his front door so loudly that they set off the house alarm, while a woman living elsewhere in the town was traumatized by having a man barge into her home and steal her purse after she answered the door.

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Nster.com