News from around the 32 counties of Ireland

An independent inquiry into the deaths of Madeleine and Lauren O’Neill in 2008 disclosed that in the last month of their lives, health care staff missed a number of opportunities to get the mother and daughter help - opportunities which could have saved them. At the time it was revealed how two months before her death Madeleine told her GP and a private counselor about having suicidal thoughts and had made a reference to “taking Lauren with her”.
(Source: Derry Journal)

Donegal

A rally fan killed after being struck by a competing car had been on the road for less than two seconds before the collision happened, an inquest has heard.

Richard O’Donnell, 18, from Jefferson Court in Strabane, died on June 14th, 2008 after being struck by a competing Ford Fiesta in Ballyare outside Letterkenny on the eleventh stage of the competition.

The inquest into his death at Letterkenny Coroner’s Court heard Mr. O’Donnell died after climbing over a gate onto the road from a field where he had been watching the rally. He was struck almost immediately by the car and his body came to rest 60 meters from the point of impact. The driver of the car, Elfin Evans, said in a statement that he had been driving between 90 to 95 miles per hour when someone suddenly appeared on the road. The man had his back to the car and he staggered across the road towards him. The car collided with a fence and ended up in a field following the collision.

A post mortem found he died from serious head injuries as a result of a road traffic accident. Dr. Katrina Dillon told the inquest there would have been a considerable degree of intoxication at the time of death.
(Source: Donegal Democrat)

Down

Two men from Co Down pleaded guilty last week at Tralee Circuit Criminal Court to charges relating to the theft of an ATM containing more than €230,000 from a bank wall in Castleisland, Co Kerry, last November.

Christopher Murney (24), Chapel Hill Road, Mayobridge, Co Down, and Thomas Wilson (29), Sea Patrick Villas, Banbridge, Co Down, had been sent forward for trial from the District Court in Killarney.

Both men last week pleaded guilty to four charges relating to the incident at Main Street, Castleisland, on November 13th 2010. Both were remanded in custody to appear for sentencing in Tralee on July 15th next.
(Source: Irish Times)

Dublin

X Factor judge Louis Walsh was interviewed by police on Friday over claims he sexually assaulted a man in a nightclub.

The 58-year-old pop manager met detectives after flying to Dublin hours after the allegations were made public.

He has denounced the claims as ‘completely unfounded and malicious’.

A source said: ‘Louis met police by mutual agreement, he did not meet them at a police station or at his home. He welcomed the chance to give his side of things and to start the bid to clear his good name.’

A 24-year-old single father claims Walsh groped him in the Krystle nightclub in Dublin on April 10.

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Nster.com