A round-up of today's other stories in brief
€45,000 award for Irish composer
Irishman David Fennessy has been awarded one of this year's three Paul Hamlyn Foundation Awards for composers, writes Michael Dervan.
The award, valued at £45,000 (€52,240), is paid over three years. Fennessy, who is based in Glasgow, said: “I am greatly relieved to know that, over the coming three years, I will have this guaranteed income. Without the constant noise of the wolf scratching at the door, it will be easier to concentrate on making good work.”
Fennessy will be in Dublin today to give a talk before the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra's performance of Bartók's Concerto for Orchestraat the National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Terrace.
Robinson and McGuinness receive joint peace award
The North’s First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness were joint recipients of a Glencree Centre award for Peace and Reconciliation last night.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said he was “delighted” that the centre was recognising their “unique contribution” to “continued efforts to consolidate peace and security in Northern Ireland and across our shared island”
In their roles in the Stormont Executive they reflected the “spirit of partnership and co-operation” which Mr Cowen described as “defining thread of the agreement and the bedrock on which our cherished peace is built”.
Gardaí discover eight firearms in Kildare
Eight firearms were discovered by gardaí in Co Kildare yesterday after the alarm was raised by a member of the public.
Six shotguns and two rifles were discovered by gardaí on open ground near Straffan, Co Kildare. The weapons are to be forensically examined by the Garda Technical Bureau.
Gardaí from Kildare and the Harcourt Street special detective unit carried out the searches, which are expected to continue today.
David Andrews gets honorary fellowship
Former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews has been awarded an honorary fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland.
Dr Kathleen McGarry, senior fellow of the college, said: “David Andrews has been first and foremost a dedicated public servant with a social conscience who has distinguished himself throughout his long career.
“Ireland’s profile on the world stage was greatly enhanced during David Andrews’s tenure in office [as minister for foreign affairs].
“Following retirement from politics, he has maintained his interest in humanitarian issues and was appointed to the non-executive position as chairman of the Irish Red Cross Society.”