In Short. . .

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Inquiry into suspicious death of man

Gardaí in Mullingar are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of an elderly man at Castle Street in the town.

The body of the 82-year- old was found at an apartment complex at around 5.00pm yesterday.

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The body remained in the apartment last night as the scene was preserved for technical examination. State Pathologist Marie Cassidy is due to carry out a postmortem.

Supt Padraic Rhattigan last night appealed to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the Castle Street area between last Friday and yesterday to contact Mullingar Garda station at 044-48915.

Cork folk festival in its 26th year

One of the oldest folk festivals in Ireland celebrated its 26th birthday in Cork over the weekend with over 300 musicians from 10 different countries, writes Olivia Kelleher.

The festival, which runs until September 11th, kicked off with a performance by Liam O'Flynn and the Pipers Call Band at the Everyman Palace. Other performers included Freddie White and Hungarian folk musicians Marta Sebestyen and Muzsikas. The line-up includes Carlos Nunez, the Galician master piper, at the Cork Opera House next Sunday, with local trad- itional band Sliabh Notes.

The Céilí Mór 2005 will take place on September 10th when 10 céilí bands and 10,000 dancers attempt a world record on South Mall.

Kerry music festival begins

Some of Europe's best known string players and chamber musicians will lead the eight annual Kerry International Chamber Music Festival over the next week, writes Anne Lucey.

For the third year running the Quince Quartet will form the core of the festival ensemble. They will be joined by a formidable group of string players.

The first of this year's public concerts begins in Dingle on Wednesday with Mozart, moves to Killorglin on Thursday for Mendelssohn. On Friday, the festival moves to Baile Bhuirne near the Cork- Kerry border and on Saturday it moves back to south Kerry.

Launch of book on Boyne bridge

The Old Drogheda Society marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Boyne viaduct railway bridge in Drogheda with the launch of a book on the history of the bridge on Saturday.

Perched 27.43m (90ft) above the high water mark, the viaduct has 18 stone masonry arches, foundations that go down 18.28m (60ft) in the middle of the river and has two limestone piers. The views of Drogheda and the mouth of the Boyne from it are spectacular.

Bishop urges solidarity with attack victims

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Connor offered solidarity with the victims of sectarian attacks at Masses in Ballymena yesterday, writes Can Keenan.

Dr Alan Harper was given standing ovations following his call for solidarity in the face of sectarian violence.

"I would very much like to see churchmen and political leaders, people who have status in the community, who are perhaps elected by the community to represent them, to find ways of modelling a respect for collaborative solidarity with one another," he said.

Indonesian child's mother found

The solicitor representing Irishman Joe Dowse and his Azerbaijani wife, Lala, yesterday said his clients were delighted that the natural mother of their four-year-old adopted son, whom they returned to an orphanage in Indonesia in 2004, had been found.

Gus Cullen said the Dowse family hoped that, following an assessment by Indonesian authorities, Tristan would be reunited with his mother.

Tristan had been in a legal limbo after the Dowses returned him to the orphanage saying the adoption had not worked out.

The Attorney General has sought to have the legal position clarified in a case brought to the High Court.

Move to protect 1916 building

A motion calling for 16 Moore Street - believed to be the last headquarters of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising - to be put on the list of protected buildings will be put before Dublin City Council tonight, writes Olivia Kelly.

The motion, proposed by Labour councillor Dermot Lacey, calls on the city manager to "proceed with all necessary steps" to have the building and any necessary adjoining buildings included on the list.

Council head seeks Labour nomination

The chairman of Meath County Council's planning and economic committee, Dominic Hannigan, has confirmed he will seek the nomination of the Labour Party in the newly created constituency of Meath East for the next general election.

A transport, health and communications consultant, he contested the local elections for the first time last year as an Independent.