A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Judge protests over cold courtroom
A District Court judge objected to the freezing temperatures inside Roscrea District Court yesterday and informed all present she would not be proceeding with contested cases.
"There is no heating in this courtroom and I am not sitting for long," Judge Mary Martin said." I'm hearing nothing contested. I'm wearing a pair of gloves here."
She proceeded to hear details of arrests, charges and cautions with regard to charge sheet cases and also heard speeding and review cases before retiring to her chambers at 12.15pm to deal with family law matters.
Judge Martin also said court users were entitled to object at having to attend court in such conditions.
The courthouse was built about 1820 and was known as the Roscrea Petty Session House. It underwent a renovation in 1989. In 1999 a section of the building was refitted and refurbished.
Mayo council may honour Healy
Mayo County Council is to consider a proposal that the €30 million N5 Charlestown bypass be named in honour of writer and political commentator John Healy.
The late Mr Healy, a former columnist with The Irish Times, championed the rural west of Ireland in the 1950s and 1960s, at a time when it was plagued by emigration.
His best-selling book, No One Shouted Stop: The Death of an Irish Town(1965), made Charlestown famous and highlighted the economic malaise afflicting communities in remote and forgotten places.
Theatrical event to mark mart closure
The public is being asked to contribute stories and personal recollections to compile a unique theatrical event which will mark the closure of Kilkenny mart in May.
The Last Lot will be compiLed from these memories of the mart, which moves from the Barrack Street site to the new agri-retail site off the Carlow Road.
The inspiration for the event came from Mary Butler, Kilkenny's arts officer, who yesterday launched a public appeal for contributions from those with links to the mart which was set up by locals in 1956.
Ms Butler said a UK-based theatrical group, Talking Birds, would arrange the event using local artists, choirs and performers to mark the final sales at the mart in May.
• Anyone who wants to be involved can contact Ms Butler at 056 779 4138 or mary.butler@kilkennycoco.ie
Roscrea siege man charged in court
The man at the centre of a 30-hour siege in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, last August appeared at Roscrea District Court yesterday.
Jim Hourigan (51), with addresses at Rosemary Square, Roscrea, and South Circular Road, Limerick, was charged with making a false statement to gardaí stating that his home was rigged with electrical current and that he had cylinders of gas rigged to blow up, and that he would blow himself and his house up if he did not get what he wanted on August 23rd at Rosemary Square, Roscrea.
Mr Hourigan previously appeared on a charge of criminal damage on the same date at Rosemary Square. Judge Mary Martin adjourned the case to April 26th.