Gutsy Granny
A GROUP of men discovered in a Nobber woman’s farmyard got more than they bargained for after the 64-year-old locked them in until Gardai (police) came and arrested them.

After discovering the car in her yard, Ann Curtis wasted no time as she closed and padlocked the iron gates, trapping the men inside. The grandmother duped the men into thinking she was going to her house nearby to get the key to release them, but she actually contacted Gardai and members of her family.

On Tuesday, May 21, Curtis was returning home from her daughter’s house and met a car on her road traveling at speed which jammed on the brakes and stopped at her gateway. The driver asked about a castle and she told them the only castle around was Cabra Castle and gave them directions.

They went on their way and Curtis went into her home.  Her grandchildren said it sounded like the car had gone into the yard, and Curtis told them to stay inside and lock the doors while she went to investigate.

She saw a number of men and shouted at them, asking what were they doing.  One of the men shouted back, telling her she had given them wrong directions.

The quick-thinking lady then reversed out of the yard as fast as she could, got out of her car and closed the iron gate to the yard and padlocked it. “By the time I had the lock on, my legs were trembling. I didn’t even think that they might jump the gate. All these things only come into your head after,” she said.

“They used a lot of bad language and I told them to calm down. I said they shouldn’t be on my land stealing.”

The men denied stealing, and Curtis told them if they weren’t stealing she would go and get the key from her house and they “fell for it.”

She quickly rang the Gardai and family members.  Her daughter, Marie Stewart, was soon on the scene and parked her jeep in front of the yard gate.

Within minutes, her son and daughter and a number of neighbors had arrived and had the yard surrounded. When Gardai arrived a number of men were arrested.

Meath Chronicle

Beeping Fool

A CHEEKY motorist who beeped his horn at police before hitting the curb and ending up with his car in the middle of the road has admitted drunk driving.

Twenty-six year old Mark Montgomer, also known as Mark Galbraith, from Ballaghmore Heights, Coles Hill was fined £150 and disqualified from driving for 15 months.

Around 1:40 a.m. on April 27 police were on the Shore Road in Enniskillen, when they saw a car approaching along Ann Street.

As the Fiesta passed police it sounded its horn, and then police watched as the car hit the curb and  bounced back into the middle of the road.

Officers got a strong smell of alcohol from the defendant’s breath and he had to be helped when he got out of the car.

An evidential reading showed 89mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath – 54 in excess of the legal limit.

“So he beeped his horn at police then crashed the car?” asked District Judge Liam McNally.
Barry Lynam said his client had been at a birthday party and had also been taking medication, and the that his client had taken a reaction to the cocktail of alcohol and medication.

Fermanagh Herald

Cat Feeds Ducklings
CLARA cats are certainly one of a kind. A two-minute clip uploaded to YouTube last Thursday shows a mother cat in the Offaly town breastfeeding her own kittens along with three adopted orphaned ducklings.

The clip was recorded by RTE's Mooney Show, and inspired conversation on the radio as well.  Already the clip has attracted over 15,000 views.

One comment expressed understandable amazement that ducklings would suckle a cat, while a second called it "unbelievable" and another "not natural" but yet "amazing."
Others suggested that a mother's instinct supersedes all boundaries, and that the scene was "nature at its best.”

To see the video, go to YouTube and search for “cat breastfeeding ducklings.”

Offaly Independent

Circus Approval
NEWTOWNABBEY Borough Council has about-faced on the issue of circuses by voting to allow a Tom Duffy's Circus to perform on council grounds in June.

Earlier this month councilors voted to deny the circus use of the Loughshore Park and Sixmilewater Park in setting up its traveling show, with many councilors labeling the practice as cruel.

However, the circus asked the council to reconsider and invited councilors to visit and inspect the animals’ welfare, leading many members -- including Pat McCudden and Mayor Victor Robinson -- to change their vote.

Now the circus is due to perform at Loughshore Park in June after a close vote and some accusations from across the chamber of members changing their principles.

Explaining his change of heart, McCudden said: "On the last occasion I voted to deny the circus use of council grounds. However, since then I availed of visiting the circus as I thought it only right to see the other side of the story.  I'm not an animal expert but they did seem to be in excellent condition.

“I asked for assurances that these animals didn't do certain tricks, such as horses being made to walk on their hind legs and such, and they assured me that did not happen.

“Since the last vote I've had numerous calls with people saying they wanted the circus to stay, which is why I've changed my mind on the issue."

Robinson also indicated he'd visited and found the conditions of the animals very good.  "These animals are fifth or sixth generation in captivity. They were born in the circus,” he said.
However Billy Webb said the same argument was used to justify slavery.

“Many years ago black Africans were taken as slaves and their children and grandchildren went on to become slaves for generations. No one is saying the circus people are keeping animals badly necessarily, but that these animals being used for entertainment and doing unnatural acts is cruel,” he said.

A recorded vote on the matter saw 13 councilors vote in favor of the circus, and six voting against.

Ballyclare Gazette

Deaf Man’s Rage
A DEAF man who spat on staff and a customer at a Dublin supermarket because he was too drunk to be sold beer has been told by a judge that his disability was "no excuse.”

Emmett Mullins, 34, screamed and shouted on being told he was not being served, than spat in a security guard's face, as well as on another shopper.

Mullins, of Phibsboro, had pleaded not guilty to public intoxication and two counts of assault on Michael Bowes and Vaidas Zelba at Dunnes Stores, South Great George's Street, on March 8.
Zelba told Dublin District Court he was watching the CCTV cameras when he saw Mullins come in, "really drunk."  He went to the off-license, and Zelba radioed his colleague to say Mullins was not to be sold alcohol.

Bowes said he went and spoke to Mullins and told him he could not be served. "He didn't seem to understand me and started screaming and shouting and got really aggressive,” Bowes said.
Judge Michael Walsh convicted him of assault and drunkenness charges, but dismissed a charge of breach of the peace. He adjourned both cases to June 17.

Evening Herald