Gardaí in Limerick believe they may have foiled a major clash in an ongoing feud after four men were arrested outside the home of the chief witness in a recent murder trial.
The four were intercepted by armed gardaí outside the home of Mr Owen Treacy in St Mary's Park, Limerick, early yesterday.
It is understood that at least two of the men are related to some of those convicted last year of the murder of Mr Kieran Keane and the attempted murder of Mr Treacy.
Mr Treacy was the chief State witness in the high-profile trial of five men who were convicted of Mr Keane's murder as part of the feud.
The four men, who are associated with a gang in Ballinacurra Weston on the south side of the city, were arrested near Mr Treacy's home in the Island Field shortly before 1 a.m. yesterday.
Stand-off over memorial plan
A landlord, Mr Charles Baker, has said he is adamant that he will not withdraw his objection to a vesting order by Mayo County Council for land along the Moy river in Foxford.
The land is the proposed site for a memorial park in honour of the Foxford-born founder of the Argentine navy, Admiral William Brown.
The project is spearheaded by the Admiral Brown Society in Foxford in conjunction with Mayo County Council.
Mr Baker said that, while he was willing to talk to the council about the situation, he would have no choice but to follow a legal route if the local authority refused to acknowledge his ownership claim.
Mr Baker, who owns large sections of the fishing rights along the Moy, said he accepted that he was an absent landlord but said he had a huge commitment to the Moy and the development of fishing tourism in the region.
Last week the president of the Admiral Brown Society in Foxford, Mr J.J. O'Hara, called on Mr Baker to withdraw his objection to Mayo County Council securing the vesting order on the land.
He was joined in this call by a local Fine Gael councillor, Mr Joe Mellet.
The Mayo county secretary, Mr John Condon, yesterday acknowledged Mr Baker's right to object to the vesting order.
Religious from China in Mayo
A group of 100 Chinese religious, including priests, sisters and seminarians, are in Ireland to "get in touch with the roots of their Christian tradition".
This weekend the group will climb Croagh Patrick and visit Knock Shrine and Ballintubber Abbey, Co Mayo.
A Columban priest, Father Tommy Murphy, who is one of the organisers of the historic trip, said yesterday that the pilgrims were from all over China and were here to get in touch with the roots of Christianity and sources of energy in the Christian tradition.
He recalled that the Columban missionaries were founded for China in 1916 by Father John Blowick, professor of theology in Maynooth College and a native of Belcarra, Castlebar.
He added: "The Columbans sent hundreds of men to China with the Gospel. It is interesting and exciting that the descendants of those Chinese who received the faith are now coming here".
Castlebar plans riverside walk
A plan for a €1 million river walk which will enhance the town of Castlebar in Co Mayo has been announced by the local town council.
The proposal involves developing a walking trail from Lough Lannagh to the new N5 via the town centre along by the rear of historic Linenhall Street.
Work on the project is scheduled to begin early next year.