Other regional news in brief
Man (36) on charge of manslaughter
An unemployed man has been remanded on bail after he was charged with the manslaughter of a woman whose body was recovered from the river Lee last year.
Greg Holt (36), c/o the Simon Community, Cork, was charged in Cork District Court yesterday with the unlawful killing of Marion O'Leary (54) at Albert Quay in Cork on October 18th, 2007. Originally from St Anthony's Road, Gurranebraher, Ms O'Leary had been living in hostels around Cork city for several years.
Judge Uinsionn Mac Gruairc remanded Mr Holt on his own bail of €5,000 to appear again on October 15th.
Short story festival opens
The Frank O'Connor International Short Story Festival has been officially launched in Cork at the Triskel Arts Centre.
The festival will feature workshops and readings from writers such as Ian Wild, Clare Wigfall, William Wall, Adam Marek, Rachel Trazies, Mary O'Donnell, Mary Leland and Wana Poon.
It runs until Sunday when the winner of this year's €35,000 award, Jhumpa Lahiri, will read from her winning book, Unaccustomed Earth, and be interviewed by Irish Times literary critic Eileen Battersby at the Millennium Hall.
Apprenticeship rules criticised
A District Court judge has criticised the Department of Education for requiring those who wish to do an apprenticeship to have a Junior Certificate or Fetac qualification.
Judge John Neilan was commenting in Tullamore District Court on a probation report which stated that an 18-year-old man was unable to do an apprenticeship because he had not done his Junior Cert.
He asked who in Government prevented it.
"It's bureaucracy . . . why put obstacles in people's way? In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, some of the country's best tradesmen left school at 13 and 14."
Seán Kelly, Kinnegad, Co Westmeath, faced public order charges. Judge Neilan said he was concerned that the rules prohibited him from getting on in life without going through "tricks and loops".
2 teens charged over brawl
Two youths arrested following a brawl outside a sitting of Limerick Children's Court on Tuesday were charged yesterday.
Christopher Gammel (18), Craeval Park, Moyross, Limerick, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named, face charges of threatening and abusive behaviour.
The 17-year-old is also charged with assaulting Garda Liz Galvin.
The 17-year-old is also charged with assaulting Garda Liz Galvin.