News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

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Judge Tony Hunt said he could not recall anyone being “so seriously and tragically maimed as a result of a road accident.”

Martin Kearney (31) of Faranoo, Ballina was driving a high-powered BMW 3 series car with a 3.2-litre engine at more than 94 mph at 12:30 a.m. on September 30 at Drumiskabole (near Ballisodare), Sligo. He lost control turning off a main road and onto a slip road and the car skidded for 114 meters, the court heard.
[Source: The Mayo News]

MEATH

Tara's Natalya Coyle was officially confirmed as the first Irish female athlete to qualify for the Olympics in modern pentathlon when she will represent her country at the London 2012 Games.

The 21-year-old Meath athlete, who only started competing in the sport on an international level in 2009, will compete in modern pentathlon's centenary Olympic competition, but she will have to wait for her moment to shine as the women's modern pentathlon medals will be the last ones awarded at the London Games on Sunday August 12.
[Source: Meath Chronicle]

MONAGHAN

A Co. Monaghan man already serving a prison sentence for possession of firearms was charged with a new offence of having explosives in Northern Ireland in 2010.

Paul Maguire (26) of Drumleek South, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan was charged with possession of an improvised explosive device with intent to endanger life or to cause serious damage to property at Culloville, Co. Armagh on April 3, 2010.
[Source: Irish Independent]

OFFALY

A father of six has apologized to the community for stealing a priceless artifact from Boher Church.
Thomas Roche, Boyne Meadows, Edenderry was one of two men to appear before Judge Catherine Staines at Tullamore District Court last Wednesday morning charged with the theft of the irreplaceable shrine on June 1.

“I’m sorry for the distress I caused the community. It was a spur of the moment thing, If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t do it again,” said the 39-year-old when he was charged by Tullamore Garda (police officer) Linda Walsh with stealing the priceless item from the Church of St. Manchan earlier this month.
[Source: Offaly Express]

ROSCOMMON

A man has been jailed for 13 years for killing a five-year-old girl who died after he set fire to her house in Co. Roscommon.

John Lynch, originally from Sligo and with an address at Church View in Boyle, Co. Roscommon, also received two eight-year concurrent sentences for arson and causing serious harm.

Lynch, who has 17 previous convictions, including assault and possession of a shotgun, pleaded guilty to the three charges.

Mari Keane-Connolly (5) from Termon Road in Boyle died in the early hours of October 3, last year.
[Source: Irish Times]

SLIGO

Two 26-year-old men have been given until next October to come up with more money for a woman they assaulted in her car.

Sligo Circuit Court heard that the incident occurred in the middle of the day when the two men, Colm Morris, Knockarush, Boyle, and Thomas O'Connor, Arden Street, Edinburgh, both former students of IT Sligo, were drunk and abusive at Ballinode on September 23, 2009. The woman was in the area monitoring student behavior and was bringing them to a nearby housing estate.

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Nster.com