News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

What's going on around Ireland

Antrim

A Former DUP MLA and councilor was left 'traumatized' after he and his wife were confronted by two males armed with a hatchet and a wooden pole in their Randalstown home.

Seventy-eight-year-old Wilson Clyde was one of Antrim's longest serving councilors, retaining his seat on the Council for more than 25 years. He also served nine years as an Assembly Member for South Antrim.

Both he and his wife were asleep at their home on the Groggan Road in the early hours of last Friday morning when the intruders broke in before fleeing in their victims' car. Police responding to the scene detained two teenagers, aged (17) and (19) a short distance away.
(Source: Antrim Guardian)

Armagh

Sinn Féin Slieve Gullion Councilor Packie McDonald has been contacted by a number of concerned residents from the Newtowncloughoge area regarding the issue of drug dealing, drug taking and alcohol abuse in the area.

Voicing the concerns of the community, Councillor McDonald said it was a developing trend which seemed to center around a public telephone box in the area where a lot of drug related activity is taking place on a regular basis.
(Source: Crossexmainer.co.uk)

Carlow

Well-known local jeweler Pat Bramley was hospitalized last week after a vicious armed raid on his shop in Carlow town.

Three men brandishing what appeared to be a gun, a large mallet and pepper spray entered Bramleys Jewelers on Dublin Street at around 10.35 am on Monday morning and subjected the staff to a terrifying attack.

The gang terrorized staff on the shop floor and in an office at the rear of the building before making off with thousands of euro worth of jewelery from the family-run business.
(Source: The Carlow Nationalist)

Cavan

Judge Sean MacBride told Cavan District Court that he would put every one of the drug dealers in his district behind bars. Kevin Murphy of 46 Dromore, Cootehill, was handed an eight-month prison sentence for having cannabis for sale or supply at Dromore, Cootehill, on November 3. The judge is intent on putting more dealers in jail.
(Source: The Anglo Celt)

Clare

Growing concern about the increase in absenteeism among nursing staff at Mid-Western Regional Hospital, Ennis Hospital has prompted calls for an official investigation into the causes of this long-running problem.

A Health Service Executive (HSE) report has found the level of sick leave is now running at 12 per cent amongst nurses in Ennis, almost four times the national target of 3.5 per cent and up from 9.43 per cent last September.
(Source: The Clare Champion)

Cork

A Cork man was arrested in connection with a robbery that took place in Limerick last Monday night. The man, who is believed to be in his forties and is from Knocknaheeney, was arrested along with another man who is from Clondalkin, Dublin.

The Garvey family, who live in Pallasgreen in Limerick, were terrorized in their home on Monday night by three masked men who smashed through a door to the house and then threatened the family with shot guns.
(Source: Cork Independent)

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