Gardaí are to send a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions after arresting and questioning a former garda about the alleged rape of a young boy over 20 years ago, writes Barry Roche, Southern Correspondent.
Detectives arrested the retired garda at his home in Co Cork last week under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and brought him to Gurranabraher Garda station in Cork city for questioning.
The retired officer - who is married and in his late 50s - was held for up to six hours before being released without charge.
A Garda source confirmed that a detailed file will now be prepared on the matter for the DPP.
It's understood that the investigation was launched after a man in his 30s returned from abroad and contacted gardaí in his home town in Co Cork last month.
Astronomers to gather in Birr
Astronomers from all over Ireland will converge on Birr, Co Offaly, this weekend to look at, and talk about, stars, writes Liam Horan.
The annual Whirlpool Star Party, one of the main astronomical events in the country, will be based in Dooly's Hotel in the town.
They will be praying that the weather holds out for observing sessions on Friday and Saturday nights in the grounds of Birr Castle.
To ensure the best possibility of viewing, Lord Rosse, who owns Birr Castle, will turn off all the lights in the castle. There will be some trade stands, a tour of the Birr Telescope and new Science Centre, and an Astroquiz.
Theatre festival founder lectures
Constantin Chiriac, the founder-director of one of the most innovative world theatre festivals, will describe his experience tonight at the inaugural lecture in the Cork City Arts Office "Creating a Cultural City" lecture series.
In the 11 years since the Sibiu Festival started, it has attracted world-class theatre to this small town in Transylvania and has had a profound impact on the lives of the people that live there.
The public lecture, which is free of charge, will take place in the Millennium Hall of Cork City Hall at 7 p.m.
Church glass to be protected
A €60,000 project is under way to make safe a large area of stained glass in the Church of the Holy Rosary, Castlebar, Co Mayo, which was bulging and had become a danger to the public.
According to Canon Paddy Curran, the Parish Priest of Castlebar, some of the colourful panels, made by Meyer of Munich, which had been in place for 104 years, were in danger of collapsing. Following consultation with experts, it was decided to remove the entire east window and reinstall the panels using new lead lining.
Canal lock gate to be replaced
A 200-year-old oak lock gate on the canal running through the village of Clondra in Co Longford is to be replaced by a new structure this week by the Inland Waterways.
The gate served Richmond Harbour and is the last lock gate on the route of the Royal Canal. It will be replaced by gates made of steel panels.