A round-up of today's other home news in brief
Girl band Black Daisy win Eurosong final
An act described as "High School Musical meets Pink" has been selected as Ireland's entry in this year's Eurovision Song Contest,
writes
Eoin Burke-Kennedy.
The song
Et Cetera, performed by Sinead Mulvey and Limerick girl band Black Daisy, won last night's Late Late Show Eurosong TV special.
The pop rock tune, composed by Niall Mooney, Jonas Gladnikoff, Daniele Moretti and Christina Schilling, was chosen through a combination of regional jury voting and a public televote from a shortlist of six acts.
The six finalists performed on RTÉ 1 last night before an X Factor-style panel, composed of controversial US talk show host Jerry Springer, former Eurovision winner Linda Martin and RTÉ broadcaster Marty Whelan.
The partial return of jury voting reflects the change to the voting format at the finals in Moscow in May, when national juries will once again have a say in the outcome.
Mulvey and Black Daisy will perform
Et Ceterain the second Eurovision semi-final in Moscow on Thursday, May 14th. The 54th final takes place the following Saturday, May 16th.
Three held over double murder last month
Gardaí investigating a double gangland murder last month are questioning three people about the killings,
writes Conor Lally, Crime Correspondent.
Two of those being held are brothers from Ballymun, Dublin, whom gardaí believe are closely linked to the gang leader who ordered the killings.
The two men shot dead were Michael “Roly” Cronin (35), Ballymun, and James Maloney (26), from Dublin’s south inner city.
The two men and one woman arrested in Ballymun yesterday are being held on suspicion of withholding information. They are being questioned at Mountjoy, Coolock and Ballymun Garda stations under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Jury fails to reach rape trial verdict
A jury in the trial of a man accused of raping and threatening to kill a newly arrived fellow national has failed to reach a verdict at the Central Criminal Court.
The 32-year-old accused man, a Latvian national, had pleaded not guilty to three charges of rape, oral rape and threatening to kill a then 19-year-old woman near Dublin city centre on November 10th, 2007.
The jurors told Mr Justice Barry White that they could not agree on a verdict after almost four hours of deliberations. Mr Justice White remanded the man on bail and put the matter into the next sitting to see if the State will proceed with a retrial.
Suspended term for text message
An “exhibitionist” who sent naked pictures of himself by text to a 12-year-old girl and was also in contact with several of her friends has been given a one-year suspended sentence by Judge Patricia Ryan.
James O’Reilly (26), an unemployed electrician, Wheatfield Grove, Clondalkin left the schoolgirl “frightened” and “nervous” after sending her 11 pictures.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sending grossly offensive messages between January 24th-27th, 2005.
Not guilty of unlawful killing
A man has been found not guilty of unlawfully killing a middle-aged Sligo man three years ago.
The jury acquitted David McCabe (24), Cloonlara Road, Finglas, after deliberating for less than an hour after his trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr McCabe had pleaded not guilty to manslaughter of Kevin Durcan after an alleged single blow assault outside a chip shop on Parkgate Street on November 21st, 2005.
Stabbing sentence adjourned
A man who repeatedly stabbed a lifelong friend after a drink and drugs binge and called gardaí himself after leaving the man he believed he had killed alone in the flat for an hour has had his sentence adjourned.
Bernard Locke (36) rang his mother and various friends to tell them he killed his friend, Liam Doyle, before contacting gardaí who discovered on their arrival that the man was still alive.
Locke, Rathgar Road, Rathmines, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Doyle causing him serious harm. Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Locke in custody.
Man held over Scottish killing
The High Court has remanded in custody a Scottish man whose extradition is being sought in connection with a stabbing to death last November.
Mr Justice Kevin Feeney yesterday remanded Michael John Gorman (43) in custody to Cloverhill until next week when he is again due before the court. The Scottish authorities are seeking the extradition of Mr Gorman on charges alleging he and others stabbed to death Bernard Hagen (45) on November 6th at Johnstone Avenue, Clydebank, Scotland.