A round-up of other stories in brief.
Solicitors seek end to Donegal court delays
Solicitors in Donegal are planning a court revolt to force the Government into speeding up justice in the county, writes Paddy Clancy.
They are considering instructing clients not to show up in court unless they are guaranteed their case will go ahead. The proposed move follows a series of criticisms of the lack of support from the Department of Justice and the Courts Service for local efforts to deal with a logjam in the Donegal courts.
Just before his retirement in September, Judge John O'Donnell called for a second judge to be appointed to the county.
Then Judge Thomas Fitzpatrick, who is standing in until Judge O'Donnell's replacement is appointed, accused the Department of Justice of "abandoning" the court system in Donegal.
Last week, he had sharp exchanges with solicitor Paudge Dorrian over the backlog. Mr Dorrian urged the judge to "throw out" cases that were not being reached through administrative delays.
Limerick man (24) injured in shooting
A 24-year-old man was recovering in hospital in Limerick yesterday with gunshot wounds to his neck and leg after an attack in O'Malley Park at about 1am yesterday morning.
It is understood he was getting out of a car when a masked gunman opened fire. There were other people in the car but no one else was injured. The gunman fled on foot with an accomplice.
The injured man is being treated at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick for injuries which were described as not life threatening.
Galway festival to purchase big top
A big top capable of accommodating 4,000 people is set to become a permanent fixture at the Galway Arts Festival from next summer. The festival has secured €140,000 in funding from the Department of Arts to acquire a tent before next summer's 30th anniversary celebrations, writes Ciarán Tierney in Galway.
The tent will be similar in size to the hired big top which was used for seven musical shows in Galway last July. It will ensure the festival has a venue capable of hosting audiences which could not otherwise be accommodated in the city.
Posthumous awards for bravery
Two Cork men who lost their lives in the process of saving a drowning couple were remembered at a ceremony over the weekend where family members accepted bravery awards on their behalf.
Jonathan Herlihy (23) and Peter O'Keeffe (37) went to the assistance of a young couple in difficulty in the water at Owenahincha beach near Rosscarbery, west Cork, on September 3rd last. The couple made their way ashore on a lifebuoy, which the two men had brought out to them.
Jonathan's brother Chris and Peter's sister Gillian accepted awards from west Cork gardaí in recognition of their bravery.
Meanwhile, Donegal student Alan Gallagher (19) was honoured on Saturday night for his courage when he died trying to save his friend Niall Anderson (21) from falling over a cliff at Rossnowlagh, Co Donegal last year. His heroism was recognised when his family accepted the Irish Security Industry Association's national courage award.