In Short

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

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

Shots fired at house linked to Limerick feud

A shooting incident at a Limerick housing estate in the early hours of yesterday morning is believed to be linked to an ongoing feud.

A number of shots were fired through the window of a house on Hyde Road in Prospect at 2.30am.

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Gardaí believe the incident is connected to a knife attack that took place in the same estate on Christmas Day.

A number of people, including young children, were in the house when the shots were fired early yesterday morning. Nobody was injured and gardaí believe a shotgun was used in the attack.

After forensic examination, gardaí have confirmed they believe the shooting is linked to a knife attack on a teenage boy on Christmas Day. The youth suffered minor injuries to his head and was treated at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Dooradoyle.

Nobody has yet been arrested in relation to either incident. Witnesses are asked to contact Roxboro Garda station on 061 214340.

January protest on Tara to go ahead

TaraWatch, the group campaigning against the construction of the M3 motorway close to the Hill of Tara in Co Meath, has said it intends to go ahead with international protests planned for January 8th, writes Tim O'Brien.

The group was responding to an Irish Times report that the prehistoric henge site at Lismullin was handed over to the contractor last week, clearing the way for an immediate start to the road works.

In a statement yesterday TaraWatch said: "The NRA were not supposed to hand over Lismullin until January 8th, but they have done it early to facilitate demolition over the holidays, when nobody is paying attention.

"We are going ahead with international protests planned for January 8th, and calling on our many supporters . . . to come out in support."

On the day of action demonstrations are planned for Stormont and the Dáil as well as pickets at Irish embassies in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US.

Pickets are also being organised in Australia, while a large demonstration is being planned for the Taoiseach's speech to the US Congress, expected to occur early in 2008.

PSNI investigates Newry beating

Police in Newry are trying to determine the motive for an attack on a man early yesterday morning, which left him hospitalised with head and facial injuries, writes Gerry Moriarty Northern Editor.

The man was walking along Talbot Street in Newry about 4.30am when he was set upon by four men. Police said he was beaten with an iron bar or wooden bat. His assailants made off in the direction of Cowan Street, according to the PSNI.

The injuries to the man, who is in his mid-20s, are understood not to be life-threatening.

Vandals target cars in Belfast

Seven cars were damaged in Belfast and Lisburn early yesterday morning in what appear to have been linked acts of costly vandalism.

The side windows of seven cars parked at seven houses were broken, the handbrakes released, and the vehicles rolled into garden gates, walls, a tree and a van to cause as much damage as possible. The incidents happened between 3am and 8am yesterday.