A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Two investigations begin after car is hit by train outside Galway
Two investigations have begun into how a car was hit by a passenger train on the outskirts of Galway city yesterday.
A couple who were in the car survived the collision, which occurred when the 9.30am Dublin-Galway train was approaching a crossing at Murrough. Both the entrance and exit barriers were raised, and the car driver managed to reverse partially off the track before the train hit the front of the vehicle.
The train came to a stop farther down the track. The couple in the car were reported to be suffering from shock but sustained no injuries. None of the 170 passengers on the train, or the rail crew, were injured. Train services were curtailed to Athenry, Co Galway, for part of the day and the line was reopened fully yesterday evening.
Iarnród Éireann corporate communications manager Barry Kenny said that it appeared that the level crossing was left open by a previous user. The crossing is one of about 1,000 unmanned, and the track is normally checked by drivers before the barrier is raised. The barrier should then be lowered afterwards. Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Accident Investigations Unit are investigating the incident.
Charged with TB test interference
Two brothers have gone on trial charged with 100 offences relating to the alleged interference with the testing of cattle for bovine tuberculosis at their farm in west Cork almost two years ago, writes Barry Roche.
Maurice Power (49) and Gerard Power (44), Ballinadee, Bandon, Co Cork, pleaded not guilty to 10 sample charges at Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. Each accused is charged with 25 counts of introducing a substance into the body of an animal for the purpose of interfering with a TB test between March 31st and April 3rd, 2008.
Each is also charged with 25 counts of failing, as the owners of the animals, to prevent the introduction of a substance which would interfere with the TB testing.
Gun recovered in murder inquiry
Gardaí investigating the murder of a second-hand car dealer on a country road in Co Cork have recovered a rifle which they believe was used in the killing of the 42-year-old father of five.
Officers found the rifle yesterday afternoon during a search of land near where Pakie Hogan was shot on the Glen Road between Grenagh and Waterloo outside Blarney at about 3.45pm last Thursday.
A postmortem examination by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis confirmed Mr Hogan, a native of Rathpeacon on the outskirts of Cork city, died shortly after being shot twice in the torso. Mr Hogan was buried yesterday at St Senan's Cemetery in Tower outside Blarney.