Latest news with #Co Down
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
Murder victim was ‘beloved' father and grandfather, family say
A man who was killed in Co Down has been described by his family as a 'beloved' father and grandfather. The body of Stephen Brannigan, who was in his 50s, was found in a house in Marian Park in Downpatrick on Sunday afternoon. Police are investigating if his death is linked to an attack on a priest in the town, Fr John Murray. A 30-year-old man is being questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. In a statement, Mr Brannigan's family said: 'In the midst of our shock, pain and total heartbreak at the news of the brutal murder of our beloved dad, grandad, son and brother Stephen yesterday, we want to convey our sincere thanks to all those who have surrounded us with such love and care in the hours that have followed. 'We want to express our particular thanks to those who organised and gathered for the beautiful prayer vigil in St Brigid's Church in the town on Sunday evening. 'It means so much to us at this difficult time and reflects the very special people who make up the Marian Park and wider Downpatrick community.' The family said they wanted to convey their concern for Fr Murray, who remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital. The statement added: 'Fr John is highly respected by our family and by all in our community. 'It is so typical of his kindness that he was willing to reach out in trust to someone he believed was in distress, despite the obvious risk to himself. 'With so many others, we pray for his full recovery and thank him for his own prayers for us which he has conveyed through the priests of the parish. 'Stephen was known among his neighbours and friends as someone who was always willing to help out, ready to do whatever needed to be done for the good of others. 'Even the day before he died, he was tending the graves of friends and neighbours, as he did, almost every day, the grave of his late wife Dorenda, who died five years ago from cancer. 'Stephen faced many difficult issues in his life. We know his life was not perfect. But for us, he was our dad, our grandad, our son and our brother. 'His rock through all of this was Dorenda. We pray they will be reunited now in perfect peace and love.'
Irish Times
12-07-2025
- General
- Irish Times
Stork sightings on the increase in Ireland
This amazing bird, a Spanish stork, was seen at the seventh green, Bangor Golf Club, in early June. Michael Hatch, Bangor, Co Down There seems to have been quite a few sightings of white storks in Ireland this year during April, May and June, much more than any other year. White storks winter in Africa and fly to Europe to breed. The western population flies in over Gibraltar and breeds in Spain and parts of France. Those seen in Ireland overshot their destination and ended up here. There are no records of them nesting here and indeed their nests would be hard to miss as they build big nests on the roofs of tall houses and on prominent buildings in towns. Bluetit nestbox. Photograph: Sharlette Caplin We had a nest box in our garden in Terenure. I captured the last fledgling in this picture before it flew the nest in June. I am sending it in to you so that everyone can get pleasure from the image. Sharlette Caplin By providing bluetits with correctly positioned nest boxes, gardeners can encourage them into their gardens. They typically lay seven-11 eggs and feed the young with greenflies, caterpillars, spiders and other small insects. As each parent visits the box with a mouthful of insect food 500 times a day each during the height of the breeding season, gardeners are delighted with them. Once they fledge and leave the nest box, that's it – they are gone for the year. READ MORE Yellowtail caterpillar. Photograph: Gordon Gallagher I found this colourful creature on a leaf in our hawthorn hedge. Can you please help me identify it? Gordon Gallagher, Athboy, Co Meath Identifying caterpillars can be difficult. There are five instar stages of development as they grow, which may all differ from each other. The people at are generous with help and advice and they appreciate records being sent to them. This is the final caterpillar stage of the yellowtail moth, which is much more flamboyant as a caterpillar than an adult. The hairs can cause severe irritation if handled or eaten, so most birds leave it alone. Grasshopper. Photograph: M Corr What sort of grasshopper was on my window. How could it get there – can grasshoppers fly or was it one almighty hop? M Corr, Balbriggan, Dublin We have five species of grasshopper in Ireland and all of them can fly, although they don't do it very often. This is the field grasshopper – Chorthippus brunneus – a female, as the end of its abdomen is not turned up like the prow of a boat. Your excellent photograph shows clearly the sharply indented keel on the area behind the head. This distinguishes it from that of the common green grasshopper, which has parallel sides. Your image shows too the pegs on the underside of its back legs. It rubs these against a strong vein on the edge of the green forewings to produce the chirping 'song'. White spider. Photograph: Muireann O'Sullivan We spotted this unusual looking white spider in our garden this month in Cork. What is it called do you know? Muireann O'Sullivan, Caherlag, Co Cork Indeed, I do know what it is called. It has several names – the flower crab spider, misumena vatia and white death, a name that describes exactly what this spider does. This is a female, which is three times as large and much deadlier than the male. It normally sits motionless in white flowers, where it can't be easily seen, and ambushes insects that come to feed. When a visiting bee or butterfly sticks in its head to get a drink of nectar, this spider bites it just behind the head and immediately paralyses it with its venom. It then dines on it leisurely by sucking out its soft insides. Please submit your nature query, observation, or photo, with a location, via or by email to weekend@
