In Short

A round-up of todays other stories in brief...

A round-up of todays other stories in brief...

Firearms recovered in Garda raids

Firearms and weapons were recovered in Meath and Dublin last night as part of a Garda investigation into organised crime.

Gardaí recovered a handgun after they searched a house in Finglas. In a related incident gardaí seized a crossbow and a handgun after they searched a house in Navan. There were no arrests.

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Yesterday morning a man in his 40s was arrested in Ballymun, after gardaí recovered three sawn-off shotguns and two handguns.

A series of what gardaí have described as "significant" drug and firearms seizures in Finglas last week have been made under Operation Archer which was set up to target organised crime in Finglas.

Man arrested over shooting

A 27-year-old man was arrested in Waterford yesterday in relation to the shooting of a teenage girl in the city on Monday night.

Bridget Delaney (16) was shot as she tried to close the gates at the entrance to the Bilberry halting site at about 10.35pm on Monday. The girl was rushed to Waterford Regional Hospital where she underwent life-saving surgery.

The man was being held at Waterford Garda station where can be detained for up to 72 hours.

Five held over O'Hagan murder

PSNI detectives were last night questioning five men about the murder seven years ago of journalist Martin O'Hagan by the Loyalist Volunteer Force, writes Gerry Moriarty, Northern Editor.

Mr O'Hagan (51) was gunned down in Lurgan, Co Armagh as he was walking home in September 2001.

Death of Fr Michael Melvin

Fr Michael Melvin SVD, founder of television production company Kairos Communications, has died.

The priest passed away at St Vincent's Hospital, Dublin on Tuesday night, aged 61. He was the founder and director of Kairos Communications in Maynooth, which produced programmes such as Mono, a multicultural series for RTÉ, as well as documentaries and programmes for TG4.

Former orchestra conductor dies

The death has taken place of Vernon Handley, conductor laureate of the Ulster Orchestra, at the age of 77, writes Michael Dervan.

Tod Handley, as he was known in the musical world, was the orchestra's principal conductor and artistic director from 1985 to 1989, and was last year given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Classical Brits.

Pipe bomb not linked to killing

The discovery of a viable pipe bomb at Ronanstown, Dublin, is not believed to have been connected to the murder of Christopher McDonagh nearby, writes Conor Lally.

Garda sources said the origins of the device were unclear. However, detectives are working on the theory that it was left in the area by arrangement.

The device was found at 12.45pm by men carrying out work near an ESB substation at Greenfort Gardens, Ronanstown.

Meanwhile, five men arrested at an INLA pipe bomb-making facility in Dublin on Tuesday were still being questioned last night.

Bus drivers must pass new EU test

Aspiring bus drivers will have to pass a new practical driving test before obtaining a licence under new EU regulations which came into force yesterday, writes Paul Cullen.

The new rules require bus and coach drivers to have a new Driver Certificate of Professional Competence.

Anyone applying for a bus licence will be required to pass a further theory and practical test, in addition to the ordinary bus driving test.