A round-up of today's regional news
Call for 'individual responsibility' on roads
The number of lives lost so far on Kerry roads is just two short of the total number for last year and the public have been warned to take extra care on the roads this bank holiday weekend, one of the busiest in the county's peak tourist season.
There have also been several cases of serious injuries in crashes on Kerry roads this year.
Yesterday Kerry County Council's road safety officer, Maria O'Regan - appointed last year after the county recorded 21 road deaths in 2006, one of the highest number of road fatalities in the country - strongly urged the driving public to take "individual responsibility".
Ms O'Regan said: "Members of the public often become caught up in blaming the roads, the environment and the Government for the destruction on our roads.
"It's about time we all step up and take responsibility for our own actions when it comes to road safety."
The simple fact was that "every time we get behind the wheel of a car we are responsible for ourselves and for other road users", she said.
Busy year for mountain rescues
Mountain rescue groups performed more than 200 missions in the last year.
New figures show that the Irish Mountain Rescue Association also dealt with 11 fatalities on Irish slopes and mountains during 2007.
Rescue volunteers put in more than 10,600 hours of service during 201 rescues and dealt with 23 cases of hypothermia. The association's Gerry Christie advised that "preparation is everything".
"Hypothermia doesn't just happen, it's generally the product of poor planning," Mr Christie said. "It's colder at altitude so a damp cotton T-shirt will conduct heat away from your body very rapidly."
Man dies trying to break in to own home
A man was found dead at his home in Louisburgh, Co Mayo on Monday evening.
Eugene Duffy (58) died following a tragic accident at his home, at Woodfield, Cregganbaun, just outside the town.
It is understood that he had locked himself out and had then attempted to gain entry to his own home through a window but had got himself trapped in the window.
His body was later discovered by a neighbour who raised the alarm before 8pm on Monday.
His body was removed to Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar where a postmortem examination is to take place.
Gardaí called to Kilmore Quay row
Gardaí had to be called to Kilmore Quay yesterday as Sea Fisheries Protection Authority officers tried to board a vessel to carry out an inspection. An allegation of assault against one officer is being investigated.
A 200-strong crowd gathered at lunchtime as three fishing vessels docked to unload their catches. As officers boarded a second vessel to check if catch quotas were complied with, the crowd started shouting abuse at them. It is understood one of the officers may have come in contact with a placard.
This follows a protest last week at the harbour after the skipper of a trawler refused a Naval order to go to Dunmore East.
Online database of Connacht gentry
An online database capturing the lives of the west of Ireland's landed gentry was launched yesterday by Minister of State Martin Mansergh.
The electronic archive records the landed estates and gentry houses in Connacht between 1700 and 1914.
The database, which charts more than 1,450 houses and 1,650 estates, will help researchers working on the history of the province.
It was set up by a team of researchers at NUI Galway led by Professor Gearoid O Tuathaigh. "For the first time ever researchers will have ready access to a comprehensive database of sources," said Mr O Tuathaigh.