The Limerick Blogger: latest Limerick news and Limerick events

A company based out in the technologicial park in Plassey, -Advanced Innovations has secured a $29m (€20m) contract during a Government backed trade mission to the US. Minister Micheal Martin congratulated the firm and its 29 workers at the Technology Park in Limerick for securing such a significant deal. “The talent and the skills of the Limerick management and staff were the key to supporting this high tech deal which will see Advanced Innovations team up with American firm Nationwide Electronics to provide a radio ear tag for livestock in the US.”

“The Limerick firm will develop a tagging system that will be able to ensure that animals are healthy by remotely monitoring vital signs such as temperature. The system will use satellite technology and ensure that herds remain healthy.”"It is important to note that Advanced Innovations with its team in Limerick will be involved in all stages of the development of this product. It will manufacture and test the product before delivery to thousands of stockyards across the US.”

OUr man with the cam, tippryan’s video. filmed this morning at Perry square and Crescent.

Voters are being urged to attend tomorrows Dail debate on the government’s handling on the removal of Shannon Airport’s heathrow slots.

County Clare Mayor, Patricia McCarthy is urging the public to join with business and tourism representatives in Dublin tomorrow.

The Government have allocated three hours for debating the issue which flared up during the Dail summer recess when Aer Lingus decided to transfer the profitable Shannon to Heathrow route to Belfast as part of their expansion into Belfast International Airport.

It is hoped that members of the public will be present both inside and outside the Dail to make their views on the issues clear to the Government.

Former Fianna Fail Limerick West TD, Michael Collins, has pleaded not guilty today in the Circuit court to charges of obtaining a tax clearance certificate in 2002.

Collins, 66, of Whiteoak, Redhouse Hill, Patrickswell, represented Limerick West in Leinster House from 1997 until he retired before this year’s election. His nephew, Niall Collins, was elected to the constituency in May of this year.

After hearing the plea, the court was told that the trial is expected to take two days, and would hear evidence from at least 17 witnesses, eight of whom were Revinue Commissioners employees based at their offices in Limerick.

RTE News Online is reporting that Limerick East TD, Deputy Peter Power is one of those who will be called to give evidence in the case.

The case caused some consternation after a request to defer the trial until after the election was granted.

A male and female Garda have been injured while pursuing a car in O’Malley Park, Southill.

The officers gave chase in their patrol car after they spotted a car driving over a green area in the estate.

They were injured however when they collided with the car they were following and were both injured.

The driver of the other car subsequently escaped.

The Limerick Leader today reported a case of attempted child abduction on it’s front page, which is understood to have occoured as a 10 year old girl was making her way to school.

The child’s mother contacted the paper in the hopes that other parents would be vigilant after the incident happened last Friday.

At 0900 hrs, as the girl was making her way to St. John’s Girls school was shouted at by a man ordering her to “get into his car”as she passed the Garryowen Post office.

The car was described as a small black car and the man was said to be a foreign national.

Gardai at Henry Street took a statement from the Girl.

The unnamed mother told the paper that had the girl gotten into the car, it would have been hours before they knew anything. She also called on schools to call parents as early as possible if children did not show up.

The school is a five minute walk from the child’s home.

A 20 year old man has died after the car he was driving was involved in a collision with a truck on the N69 near Kildimo.

The crash happened at 1600 hrs and diversions were in place for several hours while the Gardai carried out their investigations.

The driver of the truck sustained serious, but not life-threatening injuries, and is currently being treated at the Mid-Western regional hospital.

Judge Carol Moran, at the circuit court today, lifted naming restrictions put on the media in the case of three teenagers who pleaded guilty to involvement in the arson attack on Gavin and Millie murray in September of last year.

Jonathan O’Donoghue, and John Mitchel, both aged 18, and Robert Sheehan, aged 17, will find out their sentence on 12 October after the judge adjourned sentencing.

Both Millie and Gavin made a brief visit to the courtroom during today’s sitting.

The court heard how two of the teenagers assembled a petrol bomb from an empty Lucozade bottle and pages from a magazine, while the third teenager acted as a lookout.

During her impact statement, Sheila Murray stated that she could not get over the guilt of getting only Millie out of the car and not Gavin. She said that had she gotten Gavin out, he would not have been so badly injured.

The two children receive daily treatment for their burns, and will continue to require treatment for the rest of their lives.

The Circuit Court also heard that they will never fully recover.

RTE News report

Things are a bit quiet on the news front so its time to add a few photos from around town… enjoy..

The old Statoil garage out at the entrance to Shannon banks has been an eysore for a few years. It has finally been taken over and is now an apple service station.. At least it cleans the area up a bit and the petrol prices are competitive enough.

Work underway (eventually) at Shelbourne park

The flyover under construction on the dock road near the cement factory roundabout

Everybody’s favourite whistling bridge is getting a paint job eventually.. Nice to see they are giving it the local colours… This started before the hurling final and is a bit slow getting done

Our new “Riverpoint” after years of photos of the riverpoint giong up, now its time for some of a way more important structure… Thomond Park rising from the ashes!! A nice touch to see a few Munster flags flying already from the top!!

and another, note the metal at the bottom of the picture, these are the metal thrusses being constructed to go at the top of the stand for support..

Three people, including one with a serious head injury have been hospitalised after a serious collision on the outskirts of the city this evening.

The two car collision occurred on a flyover on the Cork to Limerick road near the Raheen Industrial estate at approximately 1730 hrs

Latest reports state that the road has been closed and a Garda technical examination is underway.

Assistance from motorists who were in the area at the time of the crash is also being sought by Gardai