A round-up of today's other regional news in brief ...
Stay on inquest to allow HSE to give evidence
A coroner yesterday adjourned an inquest into the death of an Ennis woman to allow a representative from the Health Service Executive to give evidence in the case.
Sara Finn (19) took her own life on June 21st last after absconding from the acute psychiatric unit at Ennis General Hospital.
Solicitor for the Finn family Eugene O’Kelly asked Clare coroner Isobel O’Dea to adjourn the case yesterday to allow a representative from the HSE to attend.
Outside the hearing, Mr O’Kelly said: “We find it extraordinary that no representatives of the HSE, who were Sara’s carers at the time of her death, were not present or were not called to be present.”
Ms Finn’s body was found in the grounds of St Flannan’s College on June 22nd. Ms O’Dea adjourned the inquest to March 30th.
Limerick climber to be remembered
Irish mountaineer Ger McDonnell (37), who perished after his historic climb to the summit of K2 in the Himalayas, is to be remembered at an awards night in his native Limerick.
The Limerick man, the first Irish person to climb to the world’s second highest mountain, died with 10 other climbers after an avalanche during their descent from the summit on August 2nd last.
He had spent several hours trying to rescue a group of Korean climbers when he was swept away by an ice cliff that collapsed suddenly.
A native of Kilcornan, the late climber is among 12 people nominated for this year’s Limerick Person of the Year title.
Investment in Donegal urged
Former Granada television boss and Donegal native Sir Gerry Robinson has urged Donegal people abroad to return to the county and set up business there.
The 60-year-old millionaire businessman delivered his message in an online newsletter produced by Donegal County Council and e-mailed to almost 1,000 Donegal exiles across the globe.
He suggested that with high-tech communications making possible the location of certain businesses any where in Donegal, business people abroad could have a base in their home county.
Walsh named Mayo Man of the Year
Music promoter Louis Walsh has been named Mayo Man of the Year 2009.
The X Factorjudge was in Florida yesterday when news emerged of his selection for the award by the Mayo Association in Dublin.
The Kiltimagh-born impresario, whose management career successes so far include Girls Aloud, Boyzone, Westlife and Shayne Ward, was one of six nominees for the coveted award.
A spokesman for the association said yesterday Walsh was “extremely proud of where he’s from” and would make “a wonderful ambassador for Mayo”.