In Short

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Three die in separate road accidents

Three young people have lost their lives in separate road accidents at the weekend. Their deaths bring the total number killed on the roads this year to 335.

James O'Leary (21), Rathnure, Co Wexford, died yesterday when the car he was driving struck a ditch at Clonroche near Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

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Grace Aylward (20) Mullinavat, Co Kilkenny, also died in a single vehicle collision. Her car struck a wall at Williamstown, Co Waterford, at around 2pm on Friday.

On Friday a 14-year-old boy, Tungi Olatungi, died when he was struck by an articulated lorry on his way to school in Co Kerry.

Gardaí at Abbeyleix, Co Laois, are appealing for witnesses to another accident, which has left a 17-year-old youth with serious injuries. He was walking from Abbeyleix towards Portlaoise on the N8 on Friday evening and was one mile north of Abbeyleix when a passing car and a truck were involved in a collision. The youth was struck by one of the vehicles and was seriously injured.

Polish man critical after assault

A 30-year-old Polish man remained in a critical condition in hospital last night after a serious assault in Co Kilkenny.

The man suffered severe head injuries in the attack, which took place on Main Street in Urlingford shortly after 1am. He was taken to St Luke's hospital, Kilkenny, before being transferred to Beaumont hospital in Dublin.

A Polish national was arrested just before midday in connection with the incident. Gardaí are appealing for witnesses.

Ahern warning on race riots

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern has warned about the "ghettoisation" of immigrants in Ireland, claiming that it could lead to race riots similar to France.

In an interview with the Sunday Business Post, Mr Ahern said that diverse cultural backgrounds would create innovation and creative thinking.

Travel expenses for tsunami service

The Government is to pay for relatives of the four Irish victims of the southeast Asian tsunami to attend a remembrance service in Thailand.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern has written to the four families offering them €5,000 each to cover travel expenses to the St Stephen's Day memorial.

The four Irish tourists killed in the disaster were Eilis Finnegan (27), Ballyfermot, Dublin; Lucy Coyle (29), Glenageary, Co Dublin; Michael Murphy (24), Blackwater, Co Wexford; and Conor Keightley (30), Cookstown, Co Tyrone.

To mark the first anniversary of the tragedy, the Thai government invited one member from each family to travel to the service.

The Government funding is aimed at allowing the family representative to be accompanied by a friend or relative.

MacMathúna to retire from RTÉ

Veteran RTÉ presenter Ciarán MacMathúna has announced his intention to retire after 50 years in public broadcasting.

Since 1970 he has been presenting the Radio 1 Sunday morning programme Mo Cheol Thú. Its last episode will be broadcast on November 27th at 8.10am.