Latest news with #CountyMonaghan
BBC News
16-05-2025
- BBC News
Disappeared: Fragments of human remains found in search for Joe Lynskey
Fragments of human remains have been found at a site that was previously searched for remains of Joe Lynskey, the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) has Lynskey, from west Belfast, is one of the Disappeared - a group of 17 people who were abducted, murdered and secretly buried during The Troubles in Northern tests showed that remains found at a previous search of Annyalla Cemetery in County Monaghan were not that of Mr Friday, the ICLVR said that information came to them "indicating another small area of interest within the confines of the cemetery", not another grave site. The State Pathologist has been notified and the remains have been taken away for technical Lynskey family have been informed of the development."We know only too well that the Lynskey family have had hopes raised before only to be bitterly disappointed and so, as ever, expectations have to be managed," Eamonn Henry, lead investigator of the ICLVR said."The process of identification could take some time and we will continue to offer the family what support we can."
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Clogher: Slieve Beagh wildfire 'extremely worrying', says councillor
A wildfire that has damaged a third of Slieve Beagh is "extremely worrying", a local councillor has Saturday, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said temperatures dropped overnight, "which has helped the situation", with two appliances remaining at Ballagh Road in Clogher.A warning is in place for wildfires across Northern Ireland this weekend and the fire service has urged the public to stay Gael Gildernew said the Slieve Beagh area has recently secured €6m (£5m) in funding, and locals "are very concerned" by recent developments. 'Devastation' Last month, Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin announced that the Irish government has made allocations from the Shared Island Fund, over the next five years, to develop Sliabh Beagh as an eco-tourism destination."People are worried about that and the possibility of where the funding is going to go," Gildernew told BBC News NI. The fire ignited on Thursday morning and fire crews have remained on the scene ever Friday evening, 50 firefighters with 10 appliances tackled the blaze on the County Tyrone/County Monaghan border."They currently have the fire out and they are just keeping an eye here, so that it doesn't reignite," Gildernew added."It's a beautiful area. People love it; and you have homes, you have farms, rural life going on." As a special protection area and special area of conservation, Slieve Beagh is home to the endangered hen harrier and intact blanket bog said wildlife and the habitat will be affected."There are birds nesting in the ground - it's going to take years for the area to come back to where it should be - or where it was at."I have seen the devastation from the fire myself and it's about a third of the Slieve Beagh area." 'Big tourism area' "This would be a big tourism area. There are lots of local businesses, but tourism would be a big thing," she added."The funding is to increase and improve tourism in the area, so that will have an impact on that - we will have to look at that."Birdlife and vegetation will take time to recover, she added."This is a cross-border fire, and I know on the Monaghan side there have been frantic attempts to move machinery out of the way." What is a special area? In Northern Ireland, a special area of conservation (SAC), external has increased protection under the Conservation Regulations protection is granted if the area contains special habitats or species that are at also aims to safeguard biodiversity at both national and international levels.A special protection area (SPA), external is also designated under the Conservation Regulations are important areas for breeding, over-wintering and migrating birds.
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- News.com.au
Best friends died holding hands in horror crash on way to school formal
Two teenage best friends died while 'holding hands' in a horror crash on the way to their school formal after the driver ignored pleas to slow down. Kiea McCann, 17 and Dlava Mohamed, 16, were being driven to prom by 61-year-old Anthony McGinn when the tragedy unfolded. The driver had been speeding on his way to the annual school event when he lost control of his BMW and smashed into a tree at 120km/ph, The Sun reports. Both girls tragically died side-by-side following the horror collision in County Monaghan, Ireland, in July 2023. Dlava's sister Avin, who had also been travelling in the car at the time, was injured. McGinn has now pleaded guilty to causing the girls' deaths by dangerous driving and causing Avin serious bodily harm. In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, Kiea's mum Teresa told how she 'trusted' McGinn to take her daughter to the leaver's ball. She said: 'When we got to the scene, Kiea was already gone. Her dad tried CPR on her. Nothing would bring her back. 'Kiea and her best friend were robbed of their lives. They were put side-by-side holding hands on the grass as me and my husband lay beside them.' Dlava's sister told how she feels guilty over the crash as she invited the teen to the dance with her. She said she did not learn about the pair's death for months due to her own injuries after 'everything went black' in the crash. Monaghan Circuit Criminal Court was told family friend McGinn had picked up the group from a pub in the town before heading to the ball. Front seat passenger Oisin Clerkin had asked McGinn to 'slow down' but the driver did not respond, The Sun reports. Oisin later told police: 'He was driving really fast and it scared me. 'None of the girls said anything. Kiea looked scared. I said 'Goodbye' to Kiea and I woke up in hospital.' The court was shown harrowing footage of Kiea and Dlava's final moments before McGinn collided with the tree. He later told police he had no idea what speed he was going at before the crash. The court heard McGinn was travelling at more than 90mph (145km/ph) in a 50mph (80km/ph) zone and hit the tree at 75mph (120km/ph). This prompted Kiea's dad Frankie to yell out in court: 'I'll never forget you, you f***ing b*****d.' Breffni Gordon, defending, said McGinn had apologised to the victims' families and was remorseful. He will be sentenced on May 14.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Third of Slieve Beagh damaged in wildfire
About a third of Slieve Beagh has been damaged due to a cross-border wildfire, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has said. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a report of a fire in Clogher, County Tyrone on Wednesday, which then spread into County Monaghan on Thursday. As a special protection area (SPA) and special area of conservation (SAC), Slieve Beagh is home to the endangered hen harrier and intact blanket bog habitat. Fifty firefighters with ten appliances are still tackling the blaze, but the NIFRS said it has been contained. The multi-agency response which is led by NIFRS is supported by NIEA and the Forest Service. All-terrain vehicles with portable pumps have also been deployed to bring the situation under control. This weekend an amber warning for wildfires has been issued for Northern Ireland. A yellow warning from the National Hazards Partnership, external is also in place on Friday but this will be upgraded for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Dry vegetation and brisker winds conditions create an ideal for wildfires to happen. In Northern Ireland, a special area of conservation (SAC) has increased protection under the Conservation Regulations 1995. The protection is granted if the area contains special habitats or species that are at risk. It also aims to safeguard biodiversity at both national and international levels. A special protection area (SPA) is also designated under the Conservation Regulations 1995. They are important areas for breeding, over-wintering and migrating birds. Weekend warning for wildfires issued for NI Fire crews tackle almost 300 wildfires in a week
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Third of Slieve Beagh damaged in wildfire
About a third of Slieve Beagh has been damaged due to a cross-border wildfire, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has said. The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a report of a fire in Clogher, County Tyrone on Wednesday, which then spread into County Monaghan on Thursday. As a special protection area (SPA) and special area of conservation (SAC), Slieve Beagh is home to the endangered hen harrier and intact blanket bog habitat. Fifty firefighters with ten appliances are still tackling the blaze, but the NIFRS said it has been contained. The multi-agency response which is led by NIFRS is supported by NIEA and the Forest Service. All-terrain vehicles with portable pumps have also been deployed to bring the situation under control. This weekend an amber warning for wildfires has been issued for Northern Ireland. A yellow warning from the National Hazards Partnership, external is also in place on Friday but this will be upgraded for Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Dry vegetation and brisker winds conditions create an ideal for wildfires to happen. In Northern Ireland, a special area of conservation (SAC) has increased protection under the Conservation Regulations 1995. The protection is granted if the area contains special habitats or species that are at risk. It also aims to safeguard biodiversity at both national and international levels. A special protection area (SPA) is also designated under the Conservation Regulations 1995. They are important areas for breeding, over-wintering and migrating birds. Weekend warning for wildfires issued for NI Fire crews tackle almost 300 wildfires in a week
