News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

Antrim

Antrim has been jointly crowned Northern Ireland's first 'Safe Town' by Justice Minister David Ford.
Antrim and Ballyclare both achieved the impressive status on November 30 for their commitment to tackling domestic violence.


At the launch of the initiative supported by Women's Aid, Mr Ford presented certificates to the mayors of both towns.


The South Antrim MLA commented: "Domestic violence is a horrendous crime that has a devastating impact on victims and their families. 
“The efforts of both Antrim and Ballyclare in securing Safe Town status are to be applauded as this sends out a very clear signal that domestic violence will not be tolerated."


He added: "I am committed to ensuring that Government delivers a joined up approach to better protect victims of domestic violence and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions."
(Source: Antrim Guardian)

Armagh

A Lithuanian man has been hailed a hero for rescuing three south Armagh men recently from the choppy waters around Sligo Harbour.

Two weeks ago the three men, who are part of a Concrete Repair Specialist team, were carrying out repairs at Sligo Harbour when a freak tidal wave engulfed the pontoon on which they were working. 

The men were thrown overboard and into the treacherous waters.

Although all three were wearing life jackets, they battled to stay afloat as conditions in the ocean were extremely rough at the time.  Only the quick thinking of their fellow colleague, Lithuanian born, Vetas Matkevicute saved the men from almost certain drowning.

Having been working on the same site as the local men, Mr Matkevicute saw them fall into the water from his position on the harbour.  Realising the imminent danger, he immediately ran to their aid and threw ropes down.  Single-handedly he managed to successfully pull all three from the freezing water.

Thankfully, none of the men were seriously hurt or required hospital treatment, but the outcome could have been very different, as the Atlantic waters around Sligo Harbour are known to contain sharks from time to time.

The team’s boss praised Vetas’s intervention and branded him a hero for saving the local lads.
“Thank God he saw what happened and realized they were struggling,” he said.
(Source:crossexmainer.co.uk)

Carlow

Masked thieves threatened an elderly couple with a hammer in a terrifying break-in at their Carlow home.

Last Thursday, the thieves broke into a house in Monacurragh, Carlow and threatened the couple in their 70s while trying to remove a large safe from their house. 



They failed to get the safe out of the house and the couple were generally unharmed but left badly shaken by the ordeal.



Gardaí are searching for up to three culprits who may have been driving a dark-colored saloon car with a 05 TN registration.



In a separate case on Saturday, a man claiming to be a tradesman gained entrance to a pensioner’s house in Duggan Avenue.



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Nster.com