A round-up of stories from around the country.
Teenagers go free after beer keg prank
Three Co Cork teenagers who put a stolen beer keg in front of a train carrying over 400 passengers on the main Cork-Dublin line in "a stupid teenage prank" walked free from court yesterday after they were given the benefit of the probation act.
Ethan Bowles (16), Station Road, Buttevant; Shane Ryan (17), Waterhouse, Buttevant, and David Ahern (18), Velvetstown, Buttevant each pleaded guilty to causing €1,000 of damage to an Iarnród Éireann train and to endangering rail traffic on June 6th, 2005.
Bowles and Ryan also pleaded guilty to a third charge of stealing a €20 beer keg, Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Judge Patrick Moran said the "stupid teenage prank" could have had serious consequences but he noted that none had ever been in trouble before. He applied the probation act on condition they each donate €400 to the St Vincent de Paul.
No permission for SF memorial
A monument to the hunger strikers erected by Sinn Féin on land owned by Drogheda Borough Council was done without the permission of the local authority, according to council officials. The stone was erected in May near Grove Hill Gate which is a protected structure. When the issue was raised at a council meeting this week the party said it wanted a judicial review of the matter. In May the then mayor of Drogheda, Cllr Tommy Murphy (FF) said he had been asked by two Sinn Féin members if he would allow a monument to be erected and he decided in favour of the request without bringing it before the full council for consideration.
The council's protocol committee advised that in future all such requests should go before the full council. At the vote this week the Sinn Féin members declined to take part, saying they were seeking a judicial review.
Tourists find cash hard to come by
Tourists who run out of cash in a remote part of Co Donegal have to take a 30-mile return bus journey to the nearest ATM machine. Students of Irish from around the world studying at Oideas Gael in Glencolmcille are collected by special bus twice a week and taken to Killybegs to get money from a bank ATM.
Liam O Cuinneagáin, Oideas Gael co-ordinator and one of those supporting a campaign for an ATM in the village, said most people on holiday did not carry a lot of cash.
Taxi man jailed over cannabis
A taxi driver jailed for four years for having cannabis was told his wife and 13-year-old daughter would be raped if he did not repay a debt, Limerick Circuit Court has heard.
Anthony Terry, (32), Glasgow Park, Limerick, was sentenced to four years in prison for having cannabis worth €40,000 for sale or supply, at Drombana Co Limerick, on July 20th, 2005.
Yesterday, the court heard the father of five had borrowed €6,000 from a money lender two years ago. This rose to €15,000 after it was sold on to a drug dealer who threatened Terry's wife and child.
Judge Caroll Moran said he had to impose the four-year sentence despite having "sympathy" for the accused.