News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

As the skier and surfer drifted off-shore, they were picked up by a Sligo Bay Lifeboat volunteer crew before noon on Dec. 27th.

According to the Lifeboat service, the two experienced surfers knew the best course of action was to call the Lifeboat instead of accepting assistance from other surfers, who were on the shore.
(Source: The Sligo Champion)

Tipperary

The closely knit communities of Holycross and Ballycahill were given the best possible seasonal present on Christmas Eve when it was announced at High Mass that a relic of the True Cross of Christ would be returned to the parish, in place of the one stolen from the historic Abbey back in October.

Rev Fr Tom Breen, PP of Holycross Ballycahill had to break news of the theft to heartbroken parishioners three months ago after armed and masked raiders cut the relics from the iron casing it was displayed it, beside the Altar in the Abbey. It made for a very disturbing period of time for the people of Holycross Ballycahill and for all those who came to worship in the ancient site of pilgrimage. The relic formed the centrepiece of the Abbey and helped make Holycross Abbey one of the most visited tourist sites in the country -the numbers visiting the Abbey actually increased since the theft with the total expected to top the 250,000 mark for the year.

However, Fr Breen was the bearer of good news on Christmas Eve when he announced that the Ursuline sisters in Blackrock had offered to donate a portion of their Relic of the True Cross to the Abbey as a replacement for what was so coldly and cruelly stolen.
(Source: Tipperary Star)

Tyrone

Residents in Dungannon, Co Tyrone, were evacuated from their homes on Sunday morning following the discovery of a pipe bomb in the area.

The viable device was discovered on Mark Street, Miltown, on Saturday afternoon. Army bomb squad officers were called to the scene and succeeded in making the device safe, RTÉ reports.
Residents have now been allowed to return to their homes and the area has been reopened to traffic, UTV reports.
(Source: Belfast Telegraph)

Waterford

A Well city man who lost his life when the vehicle he was driving was involved in a collision with another car at Kilcomb Cross, on the Dunmore Road, last week had been returning home from a funeral in Killea.

Johnny Widger, a 75-year-old pensioner from Summerhill Terrace, in the city, died at the scene of the two-car crash along with his beloved dog Spot who accompanied him everywhere.

Emergency services were summoned to the scene of the crash shortly after lunchtime last Wednesday last and despite their heroic efforts they were unable to save the life of the pensioner who was well known across the city and in particular the Ballybricken area where he walked with his canine companion.
(Source: Waterford News & Star)

Westmeath

A Ballinahown native wanted for trial to answer sex abuse allegations could be back in this country next week after being deported from Brazil to England on St Stephen's Day.

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Nster.com