theirishtimes--2020-06-19--Man (19) jailed for 2½ years for attacking youth with Stanley knife

A 19-year-old teenager has been jailed for two years for repeatedly attacking a teenager with a knife and slashing him across the face with the blade , resulting in the victim being permanently scarred .
Chindo Emeaugbor from Summerhill in Mallow , Co Cork he pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to the 17-year-old at Applegreen , Spa Square , Mallow on November 3rd 2019 .
Det Garda Aidan Long told the court that he was on duty on the night in question when the teenager came into Mallow Garda Station with his mother and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was bleeding heavily from a laceration from just below his left ear down to his chin and his clothing had been cut and his shoe sliced in the attack and he was highly distraught and traumatized , said Det Garda Long .
Gardaí arranged for the youth to get medical treatment and he was taken to hospital where doctors glued the facial wound and the youth later identified the culprit as a black male .
Det Garda Long said that gardaí harvested CCTV footage from the area and identified Emeaugbor and two others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ injured party in the back with a Stanley knife .
He said the top of the Stanley knife blade broke off when Emeaugbor stabbed the teenager in the back so Emeaugbor stopped and extended the blade out further and he proceeded to slash his teenage victim across the face .
He also continued attacking the youth , slashing his clothing and even slicing open his shoes in what was a frenzied and sustained assault which was fully captured on CCTV , said Det Garda Long .
He said that the attack happened after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over his mobile phone to him and when the youth refused , Emeaugbor produced the Stanley knife and began attacking him .
Det Garda Long said that after gardaí identified Emeaugbor from the CCTV footage , they went to arrest him at his home at Summerhill in Mallow only to discover from his mother that he had gone to the UK .
Gardaí established that he had booked a flight to Newcastle within two hours of the assault on the teenager but they learned he was returning to Ireland on January 3rd 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He was conveyed to Mallow Garda Station where he was interviewed at length and made full admissions but claimed the attack resulted from the fact that the youth owed him money after he had paid off a debt on the youth ’ s behalf .
Det Garda Long said that Embeaugbor had a total of nine previous convictions including three for possession of drugs and one for public order as well as some road traffic matters and confirmed he had never been in custody before .
He said the injured party had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of the attack and was endeavouring to conceal it by growing a beard but he remained deeply shaken by the frenzied attack .
Defence barrister , Donal O ’ Sullivan BL pleaded for leniency , saying that his client was abusing cannabis and cocaine at the time of the incident and said he expressed remorse for his actions at the very end of his interview with gardaí .
Mr O ’ Sullivan suggested that he suffered from a lack of maturity .
“ He ’ s a native of Mallow , his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his home – he ’ s a young fellow with a serious lack of cop-on and in dire need of some maturity , ” he said .
Judge Sean O ’ Donnabhain said Embeaugbor had committed “ a very nasty assault ” and the fact that he had used a knife and used it repeatedly to attack his victim were aggravating factors in the case .
“ This was a vicious frenetic attack , ” said Judge O Donnabhain , adding that he was still at a loss to understand what prompted Embeaugbor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he acknowledged his plea was a mitigating factor .
He said in all the circumstances he believed the appropriate sentence was one of two and half years but he suspended the final six months and backdated the two year term to January 5th when Embeaugbor first went into custody .

A 19-year-old teenager has been jailed for two years for repeatedly attacking a teenager with a knife and slashing him across the face with the blade, resulting in the victim being permanently scarred.
A 19-year-old teenager has been jailed for two years for repeatedly attacking a teenager with a knife and slashing him across the face with the blade, resulting in the victim being permanently scarred.
Chindo Emeaugbor from Summerhill in Mallow, Co Cork he pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to the 17-year-old at Applegreen, Spa Square, Mallow on November 3rd 2019.
Det Garda Aidan Long told the court that he was on duty on the night in question when the teenager came into Mallow Garda Station with his mother and sister to report the attack.
He was bleeding heavily from a laceration from just below his left ear down to his chin and his clothing had been cut and his shoe sliced in the attack and he was highly distraught and traumatized, said Det Garda Long.
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Gardaí arranged for the youth to get medical treatment and he was taken to hospital where doctors glued the facial wound and the youth later identified the culprit as a black male.
Det Garda Long said that gardaí harvested CCTV footage from the area and identified Emeaugbor and two others on security footage with Emeaugbor stabbing the injured party in the back with a Stanley knife.
He said the top of the Stanley knife blade broke off when Emeaugbor stabbed the teenager in the back so Emeaugbor stopped and extended the blade out further and he proceeded to slash his teenage victim across the face.
Clothing
He also continued attacking the youth, slashing his clothing and even slicing open his shoes in what was a frenzied and sustained assault which was fully captured on CCTV, said Det Garda Long.
He said that the attack happened after Emeaugbor had demanded that the youth hand over his mobile phone to him and when the youth refused, Emeaugbor produced the Stanley knife and began attacking him.
Det Garda Long said that after gardaí identified Emeaugbor from the CCTV footage, they went to arrest him at his home at Summerhill in Mallow only to discover from his mother that he had gone to the UK.
Gardaí established that he had booked a flight to Newcastle within two hours of the assault on the teenager but they learned he was returning to Ireland on January 3rd 2020 and arrested him at Dublin Airport.
He was conveyed to Mallow Garda Station where he was interviewed at length and made full admissions but claimed the attack resulted from the fact that the youth owed him money after he had paid off a debt on the youth’s behalf.
Det Garda Long said that Embeaugbor had a total of nine previous convictions including three for possession of drugs and one for public order as well as some road traffic matters and confirmed he had never been in custody before.
Permanent scar
He said the injured party had been left with a permanent scar as a result of the attack and was endeavouring to conceal it by growing a beard but he remained deeply shaken by the frenzied attack.
Defence barrister, Donal O’Sullivan BL pleaded for leniency, saying that his client was abusing cannabis and cocaine at the time of the incident and said he expressed remorse for his actions at the very end of his interview with gardaí.
Mr O’Sullivan suggested that he suffered from a lack of maturity. “He’s a native of Mallow, his family live there and it’s his home – he’s a young fellow with a serious lack of cop-on and in dire need of some maturity,” he said.
Judge Sean O’ Donnabhain said Embeaugbor had committed “a very nasty assault” and the fact that he had used a knife and used it repeatedly to attack his victim were aggravating factors in the case.
“This was a vicious frenetic attack,” said Judge O Donnabhain, adding that he was still at a loss to understand what prompted Embeaugbor to attack his victim so violently but he acknowledged his plea was a mitigating factor.
He said in all the circumstances he believed the appropriate sentence was one of two and half years but he suspended the final six months and backdated the two year term to January 5th when Embeaugbor first went into custody.


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--Castlerea: Man fired gun wildly, killing Colm Horkan before bullets ran out

The man who killed Det Garda Colm Horkan fired 15 shots from the garda ’ s weapon , hitting the victim four times .
Garda scene-of-crime examiners spent much of Thursday extracting spent rounds from surrounding walls and buildings on Castlerea ’ s Main Street , following the shooting which occurred just before midnight on Wednesday in the Roscommon market town .
Sources said the man fired the handgun wildly after seizing it from the 49-year-old detective .
The suspect , a local man in his 40s , was tackled and arrested at the scene by two gardaí from Castlerea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a patrol car .
“ The only reason they weren ’ t hit too was because he had used all the ammunition by then , ” a Garda source said .
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the shooting served “ no purpose ” and was an “ aberration ” in Irish policing .
There was “ no sign of a bigger picture , either organised crime or subversives ” , he said .
The suspect , who remains in custody , has a history of mental health issues and drug and alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castlerea Garda station for a period the previous day due to his behaviour , it is understood .
Det Garda Horkan was on an anti-crime patrol in the town on his own on Wednesday night when he encountered the suspect operating a motorcycle and acting erratically , sources said .
It is understood the garda got out of his car and engaged the man in conversation before a struggle broke out .
It is believed the garda did not draw his weapon and that the man may have wrestled it from its holster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 rounds , all of which were fired in short succession .
Det Garda Horkan , who lived in Charlestown , Co Mayo , had been appointed to plain-clothes duty a few weeks previously , having spent most of his 24-year career in uniform .
He is the 89th garda to be killed in the line of duty since the foundation of An Garda Síochána almost 100 years ago .
He attended the Garda Training College in Templemore in 1994 at the same time as Det Garda Adrian Donohue , who in 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ robbery .
Gardaí and emergency workers who attended the incident on Wednesday night tried to save Det Garda Horkan ’ s life but he died at the scene .
Castlerea parish priest Fr John McManus arrived and administered the Last Rites as emergency workers said a prayer .
A postmortem on the remains was carried out on Thursday evening by the State Pathologist .
The Garda has launched a full murder inquiry while the Garda Ombudsman has also opened an investigation , in line with standard procedure when a Garda firearm results in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspects of the Garda ’ s resources , tactics and policing methodology would be reviewed in light of the fatal shooting , there appeared to be unique characteristics to the crime that may not necessitate major changes in the Republic ’ s policing .
“ We ’ d have to think very carefully before we would change our policing tactics .
Our policing tactics are successful in that we enjoy the full support of this society , ” he said .
Det Garda Horkan is survived by his father and five siblings .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was “ a shock to us all ” .
“ As President of Ireland I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the garda , and to all those who have been affected by this tragedy , ” Mr Higgins said .

Det Gda Colm Horkan (43) has been killed in a shooting incident in Castlerea, Co Roscommon following a scuffle with a man in the town centre.
The man who killed Det Garda Colm Horkan fired 15 shots from the garda's weapon, hitting the victim four times.
Garda scene-of-crime examiners spent much of Thursday extracting spent rounds from surrounding walls and buildings on Castlerea’s Main Street, following the shooting which occurred just before midnight on Wednesday in the Roscommon market town.
Sources said the man fired the handgun wildly after seizing it from the 49-year-old detective.
Det Garda Colm Horkan: was on an anti-crime patrol in the town on his own on Wednesday night when he encountered the suspect operating a motorcycle and acting erratically.
The suspect, a local man in his 40s, was tackled and arrested at the scene by two gardaí from Castlerea station, who were passing the scene in a patrol car.
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“The only reason they weren’t hit too was because he had used all the ammunition by then,” a Garda source said.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said the shooting served "no purpose" and was an "aberration" in Irish policing. There was "no sign of a bigger picture, either organised crime or subversives", he said.
Suspect’s behaviour
The suspect, who remains in custody, has a history of mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse. He had been brought to Castlerea Garda station for a period the previous day due to his behaviour, it is understood.
Det Garda Horkan was on an anti-crime patrol in the town on his own on Wednesday night when he encountered the suspect operating a motorcycle and acting erratically, sources said.
It is understood the garda got out of his car and engaged the man in conversation before a struggle broke out. It is believed the garda did not draw his weapon and that the man may have wrestled it from its holster before firing it. The weapon holds 15 rounds, all of which were fired in short succession.
Det Garda Horkan, who lived in Charlestown, Co Mayo, had been appointed to plain-clothes duty a few weeks previously, having spent most of his 24-year career in uniform.
He is the 89th garda to be killed in the line of duty since the foundation of An Garda Síochána almost 100 years ago.
Gardaí at the scene in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, where Det Garda Colm Horkan died after being shot on Wednesday night. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
He attended the Garda Training College in Templemore in 1994 at the same time as Det Garda Adrian Donohue, who in 2013 was shot dead during a credit union robbery.
Last Rites
Gardaí and emergency workers who attended the incident on Wednesday night tried to save Det Garda Horkan’s life but he died at the scene. Castlerea parish priest Fr John McManus arrived and administered the Last Rites as emergency workers said a prayer.
A postmortem on the remains was carried out on Thursday evening by the State Pathologist. The Garda has launched a full murder inquiry while the Garda Ombudsman has also opened an investigation, in line with standard procedure when a Garda firearm results in death.
Mr Harris said while all aspects of the Garda's resources, tactics and policing methodology would be reviewed in light of the fatal shooting, there appeared to be unique characteristics to the crime that may not necessitate major changes in the Republic's policing.
“We’d have to think very carefully before we would change our policing tactics. Our policing tactics are successful in that we enjoy the full support of this society,” he said.
Det Garda Horkan is survived by his father and five siblings. President Michael D Higgins said his death was "a shock to us all".
"As President of Ireland I wish to express my deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the garda, and to all those who have been affected by this tragedy," Mr Higgins said.


theirishtimes--2020-06-18--Guidelines for how restaurants will reopen to be published

Guidelines detailing how restaurants can operate when they reopen at the end of the month are to be published by Fáilte Ireland on Friday morning .
Earlier this week the tourism body published guidelines for how pubs can reopen on June 29th , if they operate as restaurants .
Under that guidance , pubs and bars will be allowed to implement one-metre physical distancing in “ permitted controlled environments , ” rather than the current two-metre rule .
Pubs will be required to serve a “ substantial meal ” costing at least €9 , the guidelines state .
Physical distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintained between people seated at tables .
Customers will also have to be seated at a table except when using the toilet , paying and departing .
Customers will have to leave the premises after 105 minutes , with an additional 15 minutes between bookings to allow for the area to be cleaned .
Pre-booking will be encouraged as much as possible and a text may be sent to remind the customer to stay away if unwell .
Fáilte Ireland had published early guidance for how restaurants could operate during the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ observing the two-metre distancing rule .
Those guidelines included restaurateurs being asked to tell customers verbally what is on the menu , avoiding share plates , group tour sizes being reduced , and buffet-style services being avoided .
Adrian Cummins , chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland ( RAI ) , was critical of the delay in producing the final guidelines for the sector .
The industry group ’ s members had been left “ in the dark ” 11 days before the sector was due to reopen , he said @

Draft guidance was published earlier this month based on businesses observing the two-metre distancing rule. Photograph: iStock
Guidelines detailing how restaurants can operate when they reopen at the end of the month are to be published by Fáilte Ireland on Friday morning.
Earlier this week the tourism body published guidelines for how pubs can reopen on June 29th, if they operate as restaurants.
Under that guidance, pubs and bars will be allowed to implement one-metre physical distancing in “permitted controlled environments,” rather than the current two-metre rule.
Pubs will be required to serve a “substantial meal” costing at least €9, the guidelines state.
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Physical distancing of at least one metre should be maintained between people seated at tables. Customers will also have to be seated at a table except when using the toilet, paying and departing.
Customers will have to leave the premises after 105 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes between bookings to allow for the area to be cleaned.
Pre-booking will be encouraged as much as possible and a text may be sent to remind the customer to stay away if unwell.
Fáilte Ireland had published early guidance for how restaurants could operate during the coronavirus pandemic on June 9th, based on businesses observing the two-metre distancing rule.
Those guidelines included restaurateurs being asked to tell customers verbally what is on the menu, avoiding share plates, group tour sizes being reduced, and buffet-style services being avoided.
Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI), was critical of the delay in producing the final guidelines for the sector.
The industry group’s members had been left “in the dark” 11 days before the sector was due to reopen, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-06-20--Coronavirus: Ireland is set to almost fully exit lockdown by end of June

The vast majority of the Irish economy and society will reopen at the end of month as the country prepares to almost fully exit the lockdown imposed following the spread of the coronavirus .
The Cabinet met on Friday to sign off on a new roadmap which will see the majority of businesses reopen on June 29th .
From then places of worship , gyms , cinemas , restaurants , hotels , leisure facilities and hairdressers can reopen their doors alongside museums , galleries , theatres and concert halls .
All sporting activity , including close-contact sport , will resume @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
Funding of €70 million to help the sports sector reopen was also approved by Ministers .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stressed the public must now take “ personal responsibility ” as the State-imposed restrictions were lifted .
“ This means not entering a place if you see it is packed .
It means leaving somewhere , even if you are having a good time , if you have been there for too long .
It means exercising judgment and self-control for your own sake , but also for the collective good ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors , as well as bingo halls , arcades and amusement parks .
Choirs and music practice can also resume , but with strict social distancing and ideally outdoors .
Gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 200 people outdoors until July 20th .
This is later due to rise to 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors , although a further review will be carried out by the public-health team in the coming weeks .
Creches , childminders and preschools will be opened only for children of essential workers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers on a phased basis from late July .
All other children ’ s activities and venues will be reopened from the end of the month .
People will also be permitted to travel throughout the country , and travel to offshore islands can also resume .
Those planning to travel to different counties will be asked to “ acquaint themselves with the level of transmission of the virus in the relevant area ” .
There will be no specific number for gatherings in private homes but the public-health team has asked that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those over 70 will continue to be recommended , the roadmap states .
In its advice to Government , the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) said “ the risk of a large surge of infection remains ever present and Covid-19 will continue to be a threat to the world for the foreseeable future ” .
“ As the public-health restrictions are lifted and there are no longer detailed rules in place imposed by the State , everybody in society will now exercise their own judgment and take personal responsibility for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of infection to themselves and others in different situations.
” The existing ban on rent increases and evictions has also been extended until July 20th following Cabinet approval .
Minister for Health Simon Harris said that it was “ unlikely ” that there would be a return to the kind of restrictions previously put in place in March , while chief medical officer Tony Holohan said the NPHET would now begin to consider measures “ at a national level , or below national level ” should there be a spike in cases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same set of measures that we introduced in March , ” he said .
Mr Holohan said he did not believe the measures were being lifted too quickly .
“ We think it is appropriate for where we think we are in terms of the transmission of the disease , ” he said .
Mr Harris also said the National Screening Service would outline its plans for the resumption of routine cancer screening by the end of the month but that programmes would likely reopen on a phased basis over the summer .

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said on Friday that the Cabinet has approved the re-phasing of the roadmap to reopen Ireland’s economy and society. Video: RTE
The vast majority of the Irish economy and society will reopen at the end of month as the country prepares to almost fully exit the lockdown imposed following the spread of the coronavirus.
The Cabinet met on Friday to sign off on a new roadmap which will see the majority of businesses reopen on June 29th.
From then places of worship, gyms, cinemas, restaurants, hotels, leisure facilities and hairdressers can reopen their doors alongside museums, galleries, theatres and concert halls.
All sporting activity, including close-contact sport, will resume, including team leagues for adults and children. Funding of €70 million to help the sports sector reopen was also approved by Ministers.
READ MORE
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stressed the public must now take “personal responsibility” as the State-imposed restrictions were lifted.
“This means not entering a place if you see it is packed. It means leaving somewhere, even if you are having a good time, if you have been there for too long. It means exercising judgment and self-control for your own sake, but also for the collective good”.
Most music venues can open their doors, as well as bingo halls, arcades and amusement parks. Choirs and music practice can also resume, but with strict social distancing and ideally outdoors.
Gatherings will be limited to 50 people indoors and 200 people outdoors until July 20th.
This is later due to rise to 100 people indoors and 500 people outdoors, although a further review will be carried out by the public-health team in the coming weeks.
Preschools
Creches, childminders and preschools will be opened only for children of essential workers, however this will expand to include all workers on a phased basis from late July. All other children’s activities and venues will be reopened from the end of the month.
People will also be permitted to travel throughout the country, and travel to offshore islands can also resume. Those planning to travel to different counties will be asked to “acquaint themselves with the level of transmission of the virus in the relevant area”.
There will be no specific number for gatherings in private homes but the public-health team has asked that physical distancing be maintained.
Cocooning for those over 70 will continue to be recommended, the roadmap states.
In its advice to Government, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) said “the risk of a large surge of infection remains ever present and Covid-19 will continue to be a threat to the world for the foreseeable future”.
“As the public-health restrictions are lifted and there are no longer detailed rules in place imposed by the State, everybody in society will now exercise their own judgment and take personal responsibility for decisions that they make about the risk of infection to themselves and others in different situations.”
The existing ban on rent increases and evictions has also been extended until July 20th following Cabinet approval.
Minister for Health Simon Harris said that it was “unlikely” that there would be a return to the kind of restrictions previously put in place in March, while chief medical officer Tony Holohan said the NPHET would now begin to consider measures “at a national level, or below national level” should there be a spike in cases.
“It won’t be the same set of measures that we introduced in March,” he said.
Mr Holohan said he did not believe the measures were being lifted too quickly. “We think it is appropriate for where we think we are in terms of the transmission of the disease,” he said.
Mr Harris also said the National Screening Service would outline its plans for the resumption of routine cancer screening by the end of the month but that programmes would likely reopen on a phased basis over the summer.


theirishtimes--2020-06-20--Breast cancer genetic test is ensuring better outcomes for Irish patients, oncologist says

The increased availability of a genetic test for breast cancer is ensuring much better outcomes for women in Ireland with the disease and bringing major savings for health services , a senior oncologist has said .
The test provides two pieces of key information – the likely recurrence of cancer and the potential benefit of chemotherapy to a patient after surgery .
Tissue samples are sent to the US for analysis for 21 genetic markers – 16 cancer genes and five reference genes – which indicate if the disease could grow again or spread .
Results are usually returned within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was initially made available to almost 700 women in Ireland , and a national study showed 58 per cent of this group did not need chemotherapy , with extremely low levels of recurrence of the disease .
This was part of an international clinical trial led by Prof Janice Walshe , a consultant oncologist at St Vincent ’ s University Hospital in Dublin .
The latest indications from the Oncotype test in Ireland , especially with early-stage breast cancer patients , were outlined by Prof Walshe in a research paper to the recent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the paper , she looks back at 963 cases with the help of data analysis from senior registrar Dr Lynda McSorley and answered two questions : how did the test affect use of chemotherapy ?
And what were the financial advantages for the Health Service Executive ( HSE ) ?
The answers “ are impressive ” , she concludes .
Sixty-nine per cent of patients avoided chemotherapy – 846 of them would have been recommended that course in the past .
This resulted in a net saving to the HSE ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) of some €1.2 million .
Since 2011 , that would amount to some €5 million , Prof Walshe estimates .
But most importantly , she says , “ this is having a massive impact on women ’ s lives ” .
They are not being subjected to the toxic effects of chemotherapy such as hair loss , nausea and the onset of menopausal symptoms .
They are also less vulnerable to infection , a risk heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic .
Moreover , negative impacts on work and family life , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minimised .
About 3,000 breast cancer cases are detected in Ireland each year , of which about 70 per cent are at the early-stage .
Ireland was in 2011 one of the first countries to adopt the test for what is described as “ node negative ER positive HER2 negative ” , a form of early-stage breast cancer .
Node negative means it has not spread to the lymph nodes , which are part of the immune system .
Breast cancers that have oestrogen hormone receptors are called ER-positive while the absence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the tumour is denoted HER2-negative .
The success of the initial trial led to the test being made available from April 1st this year to women whose breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes , following approval from the HSE ’ s cancer programme .
However , private health insurance companies have yet to agree to cover the cost of the test .
The prognosis for women with node-positive breast cancer is worse than for women whose cancer has not spread to lymph nodes , because of “ greater ability to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one place in the body and spreads elsewhere .
Already , however , the test is showing a third of these women will not need chemotherapy and that proportion is likely to rise .
These cases are being evaluated in trials including one led by oncologist Dr Patrick Morris in Dublin ’ s Beaumont Hospital , which is “ already showing fantastic results ” , says Prof Walshe .
If these confirm efficacy among these patients too , the test supplied by DNA-testing company Exact Sciences will be available to more than 1,200 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test assigns a risk score between zero and 100 based on cancer recurrence .
Women who have a “ recurrence score ” in the low-risk range ( 0-10 ) are likely to get no benefit from chemotherapy and receive anti-hormone therapy only .
Those with a score in the high-risk end ( 26 and above ) are given therapy to block the oestrogen hormone , and chemotherapy .
The test is of particular benefit to women over 50 with breast cancer .
At a time when the country faced massive cutbacks in public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bold decision by then minister for health Mary Harney and Dr Susan O ’ Reilly ( then head of the NCCP ) which meant Ireland was among the first countries in the world to offer this novel test – which costs more than €3,000 – to private and public patients for free .
Until 2011 oncologists had limited tools to determine what treatment a patient needed .
More often than not , hormone treatment combined with chemotherapy and other treatment decisions were based on classic pathological features of the tumour , notably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient age .
The genetic test offers other significant benefits to women who avoid chemotherapy and there are other economic benefits that have not yet been examined , Prof Walshe says .
“ But patients are the best people to outline what these upsides are .
”

The test was initially made available to almost 700 women in Ireland and a national study showed 58 per cent of this group did not need chemotherapy. Photograph: Getty
The increased availability of a genetic test for breast cancer is ensuring much better outcomes for women in Ireland with the disease and bringing major savings for health services, a senior oncologist has said.
The test provides two pieces of key information – the likely recurrence of cancer and the potential benefit of chemotherapy to a patient after surgery.
Tissue samples are sent to the US for analysis for 21 genetic markers – 16 cancer genes and five reference genes – which indicate if the disease could grow again or spread. Results are usually returned within days.
The Oncotype DX genetic test was initially made available to almost 700 women in Ireland, and a national study showed 58 per cent of this group did not need chemotherapy, with extremely low levels of recurrence of the disease. This was part of an international clinical trial led by Prof Janice Walshe, a consultant oncologist at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin.
READ MORE
The latest indications from the Oncotype test in Ireland, especially with early-stage breast cancer patients, were outlined by Prof Walshe in a research paper to the recent American Society for Clinical Oncology annual conference.
In the paper, she looks back at 963 cases with the help of data analysis from senior registrar Dr Lynda McSorley and answered two questions: how did the test affect use of chemotherapy? And what were the financial advantages for the Health Service Executive (HSE)?
The answers "are impressive" , she concludes. Sixty-nine per cent of patients avoided chemotherapy – 846 of them would have been recommended that course in the past. This resulted in a net saving to the HSE's National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) of some €1.2 million. Since 2011, that would amount to some €5 million, Prof Walshe estimates.
But most importantly, she says, “this is having a massive impact on women’s lives”. They are not being subjected to the toxic effects of chemotherapy such as hair loss, nausea and the onset of menopausal symptoms. They are also less vulnerable to infection, a risk heightened during the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, negative impacts on work and family life, especially for women with young children, is minimised.
Node negative
About 3,000 breast cancer cases are detected in Ireland each year, of which about 70 per cent are at the early-stage. Ireland was in 2011 one of the first countries to adopt the test for what is described as “node negative ER positive HER2 negative”, a form of early-stage breast cancer.
Node negative means it has not spread to the lymph nodes, which are part of the immune system. Breast cancers that have oestrogen hormone receptors are called ER-positive while the absence of high levels of a growth-promoting protein in the tumour is denoted HER2-negative.
The success of the initial trial led to the test being made available from April 1st this year to women whose breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, following approval from the HSE’s cancer programme. However, private health insurance companies have yet to agree to cover the cost of the test.
The prognosis for women with node-positive breast cancer is worse than for women whose cancer has not spread to lymph nodes, because of “greater ability to develop secondaries” – where cancer starts in one place in the body and spreads elsewhere. Already, however, the test is showing a third of these women will not need chemotherapy and that proportion is likely to rise.
‘Fantastic results’
These cases are being evaluated in trials including one led by oncologist Dr Patrick Morris in Dublin's Beaumont Hospital, which is "already showing fantastic results", says Prof Walshe.
If these confirm efficacy among these patients too, the test supplied by DNA-testing company Exact Sciences will be available to more than 1,200 women a year in Ireland.
The test assigns a risk score between zero and 100 based on cancer recurrence. Women who have a “recurrence score” in the low-risk range (0-10) are likely to get no benefit from chemotherapy and receive anti-hormone therapy only. Those with a score in the high-risk end (26 and above) are given therapy to block the oestrogen hormone, and chemotherapy. The test is of particular benefit to women over 50 with breast cancer.
At a time when the country faced massive cutbacks in public expenditure, Prof Walshe believes it was a bold decision by then minister for health Mary Harney and Dr Susan O'Reilly (then head of the NCCP) which meant Ireland was among the first countries in the world to offer this novel test – which costs more than €3,000 – to private and public patients for free.
Until 2011 oncologists had limited tools to determine what treatment a patient needed. More often than not, hormone treatment combined with chemotherapy and other treatment decisions were based on classic pathological features of the tumour, notably size and grade, as well as patient age. The genetic test offers other significant benefits to women who avoid chemotherapy and there are other economic benefits that have not yet been examined, Prof Walshe says. “But patients are the best people to outline what these upsides are.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-20--‘It was worse when you can’t stop it, and it’s your sister’

Helen O ’ Donoghue ( 51 ) was four when her father started molesting her .
She was eight when he first raped her – at a bog near Thurles , Co Tipperary .
She was 11 when she became aware he was raping another sister .
She was 12 when she first tried to take her own life .
On the morning of her wedding , when she was 25 , he beat her so badly her faced was bruised and she had lost clumps of hair as she made her vows .
The sexual abuse continued into her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the time he was also abusing five of her other sisters .
On Monday , James O ’ Reilly of Killeens , Ballynonty , Thurles , was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to 20 years ’ imprisonment , having been convicted last December , after a five-week trial , on 58 counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault .
The court had heard horrific details of how he raped and abused his younger sister Christina and seven of his daughters in vans , sheds , bogs and fields over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starved and degraded throughout their childhoods , living in abject poverty despite O ’ Reilly making good money as a scrap and horse-dealer .
Ms O ’ Donoghue , the eldest sister , is speaking to The Irish Times on behalf of the women .
They are seeking a public inquiry into why numerous State actors apparently took no action while they , as children , were neglected , abused and deprived of their education .
They ask why a social worker ’ s investigation 23 years ago , after her sister Kathleen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual abuse she had suffered as a child , failed to save sisters still being abused .
And they want to talk about systemic racism , asking whether being Traveller children contributed to their being abandoned by the State and wider society .
Ms O ’ Donoghue names schools , social workers , the then Southeastern Health Board ( SEHB ) and a number of religious who , she says , saw the neglect but stayed silent .
She dealt with her abuse , she says , in the only way she could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Four years ago , the women broke that silence when they walked into Thurles Garda station and reported what had happened to them at O ’ Reilly ’ s hands , from the mid-1970s .
“ I was four when it started – touching and feeling .
We were living [ then ] in a horse-drawn wagon .
There would have been myself , Christina , my sister Kathleen ( 3 ) and my brother Jimmy , Lord rest him .
Margaret was the baby .
He raped me fully the first time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me out to Foley ’ s bog near Thurles.
” The family moved around the country .
“ We were always pulled up somewhere isolated , away from people .
He did that on purpose.
” She spent a total of three weeks in school - a week at one school in Dublin before her Holy Communion , and two weeks at another school in Dublin before her Confirmation .
Neither school questioned the short stays .
“ I never got no education .
I would have loved to go to school .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of , to bring me back to school .
I had to stay home and cook and clean , and mind the children and mind the horses .
And for his needs.
” The girls were never adequately clothed , often going without underwear , socks and warm clothes .
She made her Holy Communion a year late , with her sister Kathleen .
And while all the other girls wore white , they were in jeans .
“ Obviously we realised .
I felt sad really , just sad.
” For several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a field next to a national school in west Dublin .
No one approached the family to ask why the children were not in school , about their inadequate clothing , hygiene or why they were stealing food from bins .
“ We fed ourselves from dustbins , dumps .
We ’ d go into gardens and rob food from the dustbins .
“ He [ O ’ Reilly ] was always well-fed .
My mother would be peeling the potatoes for him and we ’ d rob the skins and go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I remember one day Dublin and me and Ka [ Kathleen ] were hiding in the ditch because we could smell the grub .
A woman was cooking dinner – bits of meat and cabbage and spuds .
.
.
She was throwing the leftovers out to the dog and me and our Ka , we just ran the dog and took the grub and ate it off the ground .
I thought it was a king ’ s dinner .
It was lovely .
I said to Ka , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We never had toys .
We never had Christmas .
We never had nothing like that .
I didn ’ t know I had a birthday until I had to get my birth certificate to get married.
” All the children , apart from her , were born in hospitals .
She recalls no public health nurse ever visiting the family .
PHNs and community midwives have been provided for in legislation , to promote healthcare to new mothers and children under five , since 1915 .
“ I was told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I shouldn ’ t be living , I was only a piece of shit , an ugly creature .
He told me no one would ever have me , ever love me .
“ I tried to commit suicide seven or eight times .
“ I knew about another sister being abused then .
I was 10 or 11.
” It is the only time during the interview she becomes tearful .
Asked if it was worse to witness her sister being abused , she says it was .
“ It was worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and it ’ s your sister .
We had to mind each other .
We didn ’ t know we could do anything about it.
” One sister became pregnant by her father at 16 .
“ No one asked her about it in the hospital .
No one cared she was only a child herself.
” A DNA test , confirming he was the father , was instrumental in his prosecution and conviction .
Sr Cáit Gannon , a social worker with the Sisters of Mercy in Tipperary , worked hard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her region .
She brought clothes and food to the family in the mid-1980s .
“ She would have seen the conditions we lived in , the way we were dressed , that we weren ’ t being fed , that we were living in tents with straw , ” says Helen .
Sr Gannon told The Irish Times she worked with up to 60 other Traveller families at the time in similar conditions .
Asked whether she should have reported the children ’ s non-attendance at school , she said Traveller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school at that time “ And the schools didn ’ t want them.
” She was unaware of the sexual abuse .
“ The parents always gave the impression the children were well-loved.
” Later , in the early 1990s , a named health board social worker visited the family “ maybe once a month ” .
“ She ’ d just sit at the fire with him having tea .
I would have been 18 or 19 .
.
.
She wasn ’ t there on our side .
I think she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she had checked on us .
I am angry about that.
” Around 1997 , her sister Kathleen O ’ Driscoll reported the rapes and abuse she had suffered to the Garda .
The sisters did not corroborate her reports , however , and the investigation ran into the ground .
Helen , then just recently married , feared if she came forward her husband would leave her .
“ If he left me I would have had to go back to the bog .
I couldn ’ t go back .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I had to protect myself and my family.
” On foot of Kathleen ’ s report , health board social workers visited three of the younger sisters at their primary school .
“ They were showing my sisters dolls , but sure we never had dolls .
They were asking about body parts , vaginas .
My sisters wouldn ’ t know what that was .
They didn ’ t understand .
“ They would have been in fear , told not to say anything.
” She believes if her sisters had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoken to by a social worker familiar with Travellers ’ lives , they might have been saved .
“ They took the wrong approach .
There should be social workers who understand Traveller language , and the ways of the Traveller.
” They had no one to turn to , “ either from the Traveller or the settled community ” , she says , adding they had little contact with extended family – unusual in the community .
She married in 1994 , escaping , and broke off contact .
When her sisters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had been raped and abused , she was shocked , angry , ashamed “ and guilty that maybe if I ’ d spoken out I could have saved them ” .
Seeing her father convicted was “ brilliant .
.
.
I never thought we would see justice .
Kathleen was proud as punch that we had stood with her , ” she smiles .
“ It was a big fear that the guards wouldn ’ t believe us , but they were brilliant the whole way though , they stood with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the justice without them , ” she says .
As children , however , “ We were thrown to the wind , left to live or die.
” She can not tell her children or grandchildren any happy , childhood memory .
“ All I did was beg and be beaten and molested and raped for years .
We never had nothing .
And all that time social workers , teachers , nurses , priests , nuns saw how we were living .
No one ever came to us .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are Travellers .
Settled people , mostly they looked down on us Travellers , thinking ‘ That ’ s the way they live – dirty , smelly ’ .
If we had been from a settled family , people would have noticed the neglect more .
They would have cared more.
” Mags Casey , co-ordinator of the Tipperary Rural Travellers Project which has been supporting the family , says for too long , too many have confused Traveller poverty with Traveller culture .
“ Travellers do not choose to live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be abandoned to it.
” The two Dublin schools , identified to The Irish Times by Ms O ’ Donoghue , could not be contacted by The Irish Times .
A spokeswoman for Tusla said the agency was “ retrieving any files regarding the involvement of child protection services/family support services with this family ” including from the former South Eastern Health Board and the HSE before the establishment of the agency .
“ Following a consideration of this material , the agency will determine what type of further review might be required.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment in time for this article .

Helen O’Donoghue: Her family were in wagons and tents next to a national school in west Dublin. No one asked why the children were not in school. Photograph: Alan Place
Helen O’Donoghue (51) was four when her father started molesting her.
She was eight when he first raped her – at a bog near Thurles, Co Tipperary. She was 11 when she became aware he was raping another sister. She was 12 when she first tried to take her own life.
On the morning of her wedding, when she was 25, he beat her so badly her faced was bruised and she had lost clumps of hair as she made her vows.
The sexual abuse continued into her late teens. She did not know at the time he was also abusing five of her other sisters.
READ MORE
On Monday, James O'Reilly of Killeens, Ballynonty, Thurles, was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court to 20 years' imprisonment, having been convicted last December, after a five-week trial, on 58 counts of rape and nine counts of sexual assault.
The court had heard horrific details of how he raped and abused his younger sister Christina and seven of his daughters in vans, sheds, bogs and fields over 23 years. They were beaten, starved and degraded throughout their childhoods, living in abject poverty despite O’Reilly making good money as a scrap and horse-dealer.
Ms O’Donoghue, the eldest sister, is speaking to The Irish Times on behalf of the women.
They are seeking a public inquiry into why numerous State actors apparently took no action while they, as children, were neglected, abused and deprived of their education.
They ask why a social worker’s investigation 23 years ago, after her sister Kathleen O’Driscoll reported the rape and sexual abuse she had suffered as a child, failed to save sisters still being abused.
Systemic racism
And they want to talk about systemic racism, asking whether being Traveller children contributed to their being abandoned by the State and wider society.
Ms O’Donoghue names schools, social workers, the then Southeastern Health Board (SEHB) and a number of religious who, she says, saw the neglect but stayed silent.
She dealt with her abuse, she says, in the only way she could – “by keeping silent”.
Four years ago, the women broke that silence when they walked into Thurles Garda station and reported what had happened to them at O’Reilly’s hands, from the mid-1970s.
“I was four when it started – touching and feeling. We were living [then] in a horse-drawn wagon. There would have been myself, Christina, my sister Kathleen (3) and my brother Jimmy, Lord rest him. Margaret was the baby. He raped me fully the first time when I was eight. He drove me out to Foley’s bog near Thurles.”
The family moved around the country. “We were always pulled up somewhere isolated, away from people. He did that on purpose.”
She spent a total of three weeks in school - a week at one school in Dublin before her Holy Communion, and two weeks at another school in Dublin before her Confirmation. Neither school questioned the short stays.
“I never got no education. I would have loved to go to school. Nobody ever came, that I know of, to bring me back to school. I had to stay home and cook and clean, and mind the children and mind the horses. And for his needs.”
The girls were never adequately clothed, often going without underwear, socks and warm clothes.
She made her Holy Communion a year late, with her sister Kathleen. And while all the other girls wore white, they were in jeans. “Obviously we realised. I felt sad really, just sad.”
Food from bins
For several years they were in wagons and tents in a field next to a national school in west Dublin. No one approached the family to ask why the children were not in school, about their inadequate clothing, hygiene or why they were stealing food from bins.
“We fed ourselves from dustbins, dumps. We’d go into gardens and rob food from the dustbins.
“He [O’Reilly] was always well-fed. My mother would be peeling the potatoes for him and we’d rob the skins and go out to the fire and roast them.
“I remember one day Dublin and me and Ka [Kathleen] were hiding in the ditch because we could smell the grub. A woman was cooking dinner – bits of meat and cabbage and spuds . . . She was throwing the leftovers out to the dog and me and our Ka, we just ran the dog and took the grub and ate it off the ground. I thought it was a king’s dinner. It was lovely. I said to Ka, ‘We’ll come back tomorrow’.
“We never had toys. We never had Christmas. We never had nothing like that. I didn’t know I had a birthday until I had to get my birth certificate to get married.”
All the children, apart from her, were born in hospitals. She recalls no public health nurse ever visiting the family. PHNs and community midwives have been provided for in legislation, to promote healthcare to new mothers and children under five, since 1915.
Emotional abuse was constant.
“I was told all my life I was worthless, I shouldn’t be living, I was only a piece of shit, an ugly creature. He told me no one would ever have me, ever love me.
“I tried to commit suicide seven or eight times.
“I knew about another sister being abused then. I was 10 or 11.”
It is the only time during the interview she becomes tearful. Asked if it was worse to witness her sister being abused, she says it was. “It was worse when you can’t stop it, and it’s your sister. We had to mind each other. We didn’t know we could do anything about it.”
DNA test
One sister became pregnant by her father at 16. “No one asked her about it in the hospital. No one cared she was only a child herself.” A DNA test, confirming he was the father, was instrumental in his prosecution and conviction.
Sr Cáit Gannon, a social worker with the Sisters of Mercy in Tipperary, worked hard to help the many Traveller families living in her region. She brought clothes and food to the family in the mid-1980s.
“She would have seen the conditions we lived in, the way we were dressed, that we weren’t being fed, that we were living in tents with straw,” says Helen.
Sr Gannon told The Irish Times she worked with up to 60 other Traveller families at the time in similar conditions. Asked whether she should have reported the children's non-attendance at school, she said Traveller parents did not want their children in school at that time "And the schools didn't want them."
She was unaware of the sexual abuse. “The parents always gave the impression the children were well-loved.”
Later, in the early 1990s, a named health board social worker visited the family “maybe once a month”.
“She’d just sit at the fire with him having tea. I would have been 18 or 19 . . . She wasn’t there on our side. I think she was ticking a box, to say she had checked on us. I am angry about that.”
Around 1997, her sister Kathleen O’Driscoll reported the rapes and abuse she had suffered to the Garda. The sisters did not corroborate her reports, however, and the investigation ran into the ground. Helen, then just recently married, feared if she came forward her husband would leave her.
“If he left me I would have had to go back to the bog. I couldn’t go back. I do deeply regret not backing Kathleen but I had to protect myself and my family.”
On foot of Kathleen’s report, health board social workers visited three of the younger sisters at their primary school.
“They were showing my sisters dolls, but sure we never had dolls. They were asking about body parts, vaginas. My sisters wouldn’t know what that was. They didn’t understand.
“They would have been in fear, told not to say anything.”
She believes if her sisters had been brought to another venue, examined and spoken to by a social worker familiar with Travellers’ lives, they might have been saved.
“They took the wrong approach. There should be social workers who understand Traveller language, and the ways of the Traveller.”
They had no one to turn to, “either from the Traveller or the settled community”, she says, adding they had little contact with extended family – unusual in the community.
She married in 1994, escaping, and broke off contact.
When her sisters came to her in 2016 telling her they had been raped and abused, she was shocked, angry, ashamed “and guilty that maybe if I’d spoken out I could have saved them”.
Seeing her father convicted was “brilliant . . . I never thought we would see justice. Kathleen was proud as punch that we had stood with her,” she smiles.
Philomena Connors, Helen O’Donoghue, Anne O’Reilly, Bridget O’ Reilly, Mary Moran, Margaret Hutchinson and Kathleen O’Driscoll: daughters of rapist James O’Reilly who was jailed for 20 years. Photograph: Collins Courts
“It was a big fear that the guards wouldn’t believe us, but they were brilliant the whole way though, they stood with us. We wouldn’t have got the justice without them,” she says.
As children, however, “We were thrown to the wind, left to live or die.” She cannot tell her children or grandchildren any happy, childhood memory.
“All I did was beg and be beaten and molested and raped for years. We never had nothing. And all that time social workers, teachers, nurses, priests, nuns saw how we were living. No one ever came to us.
“I do believe we were let down because we are Travellers. Settled people, mostly they looked down on us Travellers, thinking ‘That’s the way they live – dirty, smelly’. If we had been from a settled family, people would have noticed the neglect more. They would have cared more.”
Mags Casey, co-ordinator of the Tipperary Rural Travellers Project which has been supporting the family, says for too long, too many have confused Traveller poverty with Traveller culture.
“Travellers do not choose to live in poverty, and Traveller children must not be abandoned to it.”
The two Dublin schools, identified to The Irish Times by Ms O’Donoghue, could not be contacted by The Irish Times.
A spokeswoman for Tusla said the agency was “retrieving any files regarding the involvement of child protection services/family support services with this family” including from the former South Eastern Health Board and the HSE before the establishment of the agency.
“Following a consideration of this material, the agency will determine what type of further review might be required.” The HSE did not provide a comment in time for this article.


theirishtimes--2020-06-20--Castlerea in shock following killing of Det Garda Horkan

A wet patch of road on Main Street in Castlerea , Co Roscommon , yesterday marked the spot where Det Garda Colm Horkan had been gunned down late on Wednesday night .
The scene had been cleansed before the town was reopened yesterday at about 3.30pm but the evidence of what happened there , on a T junction where Main Street meets St Patrick ’ s Street , were clear to see .
A bullet hole marked the wall beside the front door of Mulligan Menswear .
Across the road the front window of Gannon Travel had been broken by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side of the junction another bullet hole was clear to see in a steel fence beside Boyle ’ s dental surgery .
John Mulligan , the owner of Mulligan Menswear , told The Irish Times of his “ absolute shock ” that Det Garda Horkan had been shot dead right outside his business .
“ Nobody could believe what had happened .
We ’ re a small quiet , rural town and to have something like this go on ... , ” he said .
“ At the start , word went out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down town and then 10 minutes later we heard somebody was injured .
Then there was speculation it was some guy buying drugs off a dealer or something and got shot .
It was really only the next morning that we heard that a garda was shot .
“ And then you realise it ’ s a man who had been working in the town for years , and that it was outside our front door ; that a guard was shot and there ’ s a bullet hole on our front wall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ God , when you think if it , a man went out to work and he never went home.
” Mr Mulligan ’ s family business was started by his father back in 1968 and only once in the half century since then has anything remotely as serious impacted the area .
On July 7th , 1980 , Garda Henry Byrne and Det Garda John Morley , who were based in Castlerea , were shot dead when they were responding to an INLA bank robbery in Ballaghaderreen , Co Roscommon .
A number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Det Garda Horkan brought back painful memories of the killing of father of three Det Garda Morley ( 37 ) and Garda Byrne ( 29 ) , a father of two whose wife was pregnant with their third child .
Paul Gaynor , a funeral director from Castlerea , spoke to The Irish Times as he brought floral tributes from local people and businesses to a wooden cross that had been erected to mark the spot where Det Garda Horkan had died .
“ Getting flowers to put here for him and for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it has meaning and it gives people a sense that they are doing something good for the family.
” He added that the nature of the killing and the fact the victim was so well liked had combined to create immense shock .
“ Colm was a nice , easygoing and respectful man , ” he said of the deceased detective , whom he met frequently as their paths crossed regularly due to their occupations .
“ He always went the extra mile to look after people .
Even if it went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ d spare an hour or two to stay on and help somebody out .
He was also good at reading people , he had a lot of experience and whatever happened he wasn ’ t expecting it .
“ He ’ s been known around here for 20 years because he worked here and in Ballaghaderreen which is the same [ Garda ] district .
We ’ ve seen nothing like this for 40 years .
”

People pray at a cross erected on Friday at the scene of the killing of Det Garda Colm Horkan in Castlerea, Co Roscommon. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins
A wet patch of road on Main Street in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, yesterday marked the spot where Det Garda Colm Horkan had been gunned down late on Wednesday night. The scene had been cleansed before the town was reopened yesterday at about 3.30pm but the evidence of what happened there, on a T junction where Main Street meets St Patrick’s Street, were clear to see.
A bullet hole marked the wall beside the front door of Mulligan Menswear. Across the road the front window of Gannon Travel had been broken by another bullet, while on the third side of the junction another bullet hole was clear to see in a steel fence beside Boyle’s dental surgery.
John Mulligan, the owner of Mulligan Menswear, told The Irish Times of his “absolute shock” that Det Garda Horkan had been shot dead right outside his business.
“Nobody could believe what had happened. We’re a small quiet, rural town and to have something like this go on...,” he said.
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“At the start, word went out on Wednesday night that there were shots down town and then 10 minutes later we heard somebody was injured. Then there was speculation it was some guy buying drugs off a dealer or something and got shot. It was really only the next morning that we heard that a garda was shot.
“And then you realise it’s a man who had been working in the town for years, and that it was outside our front door; that a guard was shot and there’s a bullet hole on our front wall... it’s just terrible. God, when you think if it, a man went out to work and he never went home.”
Mr Mulligan’s family business was started by his father back in 1968 and only once in the half century since then has anything remotely as serious impacted the area.
On July 7th, 1980, Garda Henry Byrne and Det Garda John Morley, who were based in Castlerea, were shot dead when they were responding to an INLA bank robbery in Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon.
A number of other locals said the killing of Det Garda Horkan brought back painful memories of the killing of father of three Det Garda Morley (37) and Garda Byrne (29), a father of two whose wife was pregnant with their third child.
Floral tributes
Paul Gaynor, a funeral director from Castlerea, spoke to The Irish Times as he brought floral tributes from local people and businesses to a wooden cross that had been erected to mark the spot where Det Garda Horkan had died.
“Getting flowers to put here for him and for the guards generally is important to people, it has meaning and it gives people a sense that they are doing something good for the family.”
He added that the nature of the killing and the fact the victim was so well liked had combined to create immense shock.
“Colm was a nice, easygoing and respectful man,” he said of the deceased detective, whom he met frequently as their paths crossed regularly due to their occupations.
“He always went the extra mile to look after people. Even if it went over his time on duty, he’d spare an hour or two to stay on and help somebody out. He was also good at reading people, he had a lot of experience and whatever happened he wasn’t expecting it.
“He’s been known around here for 20 years because he worked here and in Ballaghaderreen which is the same [Garda] district. We’ve seen nothing like this for 40 years.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-20--Thinking Anew: What does sin mean to you?

Before writing this piece , I asked a number of people what sin meant for them .
A journalist colleague said he found some forms of unkindness sinful .
Two of my fellow priests said that sin meant missing the target .
What is sin ?
The concept of sin only makes sense in the context of a relationship with a personal God .
Sin is the damaging of the integrity of our friendship with God .
And that also includes our relationship with other people and the world about us .
In tomorrow ’ s liturgy St Paul ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sin existed in the world long before the law was laid down .
The prophet Jeremiah ( 20 : 10-13 ) writes that the Lord has delivered the souls of the needy from the hands of evil men .
In the Gospel reading from St Matthew ( 10 : 26-33 ) , Jesus assures us , “ If anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men , I will declare myself for him in the presence of my father in heaven ” .
My sense is Christ is more interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Might it be possible that by placing an over-emphasis on law , rules and regulations , we are placing too much emphasis on the sin and moving away from mercy and empathy for the sinner ?
I ’ m reminded of an incident that happened my late mother : when baking a cake on a Good Friday , she absentmindedly tasted some ingredients .
She later phoned the local priest to know if she could receive Holy Communion later that day .
He said she couldn ’ t and that it would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a long time ago .
The unfeeling response to a woman trying to live her faith still troubles me .
But what does it say about the priest and the theology he had been taught ?
I find it more helpful to see sin as falling short of living up to the Christian ideal .
Sin is intrinsically linked to putting ourselves first and above everyone , including God .
Most of all it ’ s important to stress that God in his mercy is always ready to offer forgiveness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far stronger than the most persuasive seductions that come our way .
Remember , Jesus has died on a cross for you and me and the Holy Spirit is among us .
Everything to do with God is surrounded by mystery .
That does not prevent us from trying to say something about God , and how we damage our relationship with God .
I remember in theology class a lecturer saying that sin was the breaking of a relationship with God .
It has stayed with me .
Just as our faith @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one another , so too is sin the damaging of that relationship .
Breaking Bad is said to be one of the best TV drama series .
It ’ s the story of Walter White , a chemistry teacher , who is short of cash .
He gets into the drug trade .
Over the 62-episode series he moves from being a good person to being evil .
It is inevitable the choices he makes will lead to his doom .
The series charts how he destroys his relationships with those he loves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it is a tale about falling from grace .
White loses out on living a good or worthwhile life .
He totally relies on his own intelligence and cunning .
He causes untold damage to himself and those close to him .
Isn ’ t that exactly what sin is , a falling away from the grace that God offers us , the damaging of our relationship with God and others ?
When St Dominic founded the Dominican Order in the 13th century he insisted that the constitutions of the Order were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on sin is not at all the message of the Gospel .
Jesuit priest , Alfred Delp , who was murdered by the German authorities in January 1945 , wrote in prison : “ We believe more in our own unworthiness than in the creative impulse of God .
”

Before writing this piece, I asked a number of people what sin meant for them. A journalist colleague said he found some forms of unkindness sinful. Two of my fellow priests said that sin meant missing the target.
What is sin? The concept of sin only makes sense in the context of a relationship with a personal God. Sin is the damaging of the integrity of our friendship with God. And that also includes our relationship with other people and the world about us.
In tomorrow’s liturgy St Paul (Romans 5: 12-15) tells us that sin existed in the world long before the law was laid down. The prophet Jeremiah (20: 10-13) writes that the Lord has delivered the souls of the needy from the hands of evil men. In the Gospel reading from St Matthew (10: 26-33), Jesus assures us, “If anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my father in heaven”.
Sinner
My sense is Christ is more interested in the sinner than in the sin. Might it be possible that by placing an over-emphasis on law, rules and regulations, we are placing too much emphasis on the sin and moving away from mercy and empathy for the sinner?
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I’m reminded of an incident that happened my late mother: when baking a cake on a Good Friday, she absentmindedly tasted some ingredients. She later phoned the local priest to know if she could receive Holy Communion later that day. He said she couldn’t and that it would be sinful if she did. That’s a long time ago. The unfeeling response to a woman trying to live her faith still troubles me. But what does it say about the priest and the theology he had been taught?
I find it more helpful to see sin as falling short of living up to the Christian ideal. Sin is intrinsically linked to putting ourselves first and above everyone, including God.
Most of all it’s important to stress that God in his mercy is always ready to offer forgiveness to the sinner. And that’s far stronger than the most persuasive seductions that come our way.
Remember, Jesus has died on a cross for you and me and the Holy Spirit is among us.
Everything to do with God is surrounded by mystery. That does not prevent us from trying to say something about God, and how we damage our relationship with God.
Breaking Bad
I remember in theology class a lecturer saying that sin was the breaking of a relationship with God. It has stayed with me. Just as our faith is essentially a relationship with God and one another, so too is sin the damaging of that relationship.
Breaking Bad is said to be one of the best TV drama series. It’s the story of Walter White, a chemistry teacher, who is short of cash. He gets into the drug trade. Over the 62-episode series he moves from being a good person to being evil. It is inevitable the choices he makes will lead to his doom. The series charts how he destroys his relationships with those he loves.
I am struck by the fact that it is a tale about falling from grace. White loses out on living a good or worthwhile life.
He totally relies on his own intelligence and cunning. He causes untold damage to himself and those close to him.
Isn’t that exactly what sin is, a falling away from the grace that God offers us, the damaging of our relationship with God and others?
When St Dominic founded the Dominican Order in the 13th century he insisted that the constitutions of the Order were not binding under sin.
An over-emphasis on sin is not at all the message of the Gospel.
Jesuit priest, Alfred Delp, who was murdered by the German authorities in January 1945, wrote in prison: “We believe more in our own unworthiness than in the creative impulse of God.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--Funeral of Garda Colm Horkan to take place on Sunday

The funeral of Detective Garda Colm Horkan , will take place on Sunday in Co Mayo .
The 49-year-old garda @ @ @ @ @ Castlerea , Co Roscommon , late on Wednesday night will lie in repose at the @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday afternoon .
Det Gda Horkin ’ s remains will be removed from the @ @ @ @ @ to arrive at St James ’ s Church , Charlestown , Co Mayo for concelebrated @ @ @ @ @ , followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery .
Mourners will follow social distancing guidelines @ @ @ @ @ The national flag will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to Det @ @ @ @ @ ’ s silence will be observed at Garda Headquarters and at all Garda Stations around @ @ @ @ @ past members of an Garda Síochána are invited to attend .
At each Garda station @ @ @ @ @ parade in front of the station and will be brought to attention at 12 o @ @ @ @ @ minute ’ s silence .
The funeral will be live-streamed at mcnmedia.tv/camera/charlestown .

The hearse carrying the remains of Detective Garda Colm Horkan passes Ballaghadreen garda station on Friday. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
The funeral of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, will take place on Sunday in Co Mayo. The 49-year-old garda who was shot dead in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, late on Wednesday night will lie in repose at the family funeral home in Charlestown on Saturday afternoon.
Det Gda Horkin’s remains will be removed from the family home on Sunday morning to arrive at St James’s Church, Charlestown, Co Mayo for concelebrated funeral Mass at 12 noon, followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery.
Mourners will follow social distancing guidelines as per HSE guidelines.
The national flag will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect to Det Gda Horkan. One minute's silence will be observed at Garda Headquarters and at all Garda Stations around the country where current and past members of an Garda Síochána are invited to attend.
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At each Garda station, the station party will parade in front of the station and will be brought to attention at 12 o’clock to observe a minute’s silence.
The funeral will be live-streamed at mcnmedia.tv/camera/charlestown.


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--Man appears in court charged with murder of Det Garda Colm Horkan

A man has appeared before a special late night court sitting charged with the murder of Det Gda Colm Horkan , who was shot to death in Castlerea , Co Roscommon .
Stephen Silver , a 43-year-old mechanic with an address at Aughavard , Foxford , Co Mayo , has been charged with the murder of the 49-year-old detective last Wednesday .
The accused man appeared before Judge Alan Mitchell at Castlerea District Court late on Friday .
The court was told the suspect was arrested by Gda Helen Gillen at Castlerea Garda station at 10.17pm on Friday .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to common law ” to him one minute after his arrest , the court was told .
Gda Gillen , who was first on the scene in Castlerea along with Gda Aidan Fallon on Wednesday night , told the court that Mr Silver made no comment when the charge was put to him .
Mr Justice Mitchell remanded the accused in custody to appear before Harristown District Court , Castlerea , next Friday , June 26th .
Solicitor Gearoid Geraghty , for Mr Silver , asked the judge that any medical treatment required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in custody .
He added that the results of any medical evaluation should be made available to the defence , prosecution and the court .
Mr Justice Mitchell ordered that any medical treatment required should be made available .
He also instructed that the accused man should appear before the court next Friday via video link , with the agreement of Supt Goretti Sheridan and Mr Geraghty .
Mr Justice Mitchell also granted a request for legal aid .
Mr Silver was brought to the court by gardaí in a Garda van and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10.30pm .
As the brief court hearing proceeded , Mr Silver had his head bowed and in his hands and arms before addressing the judge as the hearing was almost concluded .
“ Absolutely unreal , unreal , I had no firearm on me , ” he said aloud in the court .
Mr Justice Mitchell told him he was legally represented and that anything he wanted to say could be relayed to his solicitor Mr Geraghty , who could then raise it with the court .
Det Gda Horkan , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the junction of Main Street and St Patrick Street in Castlerea just before midnight last Wednesday .

A man has appeared before a special late night court sitting charged with the murder of Det Gda Colm Horkan, who was shot to death in Castlerea, Co Roscommon.
Stephen Silver, a 43-year-old mechanic with an address at Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, has been charged with the murder of the 49-year-old detective last Wednesday.
The accused man appeared before Judge Alan Mitchell at Castlerea District Court late on Friday. The court was told the suspect was arrested by Gda Helen Gillen at Castlerea Garda station at 10.17pm on Friday. She put the charge of “murder contrary to common law” to him one minute after his arrest, the court was told.
Gda Gillen, who was first on the scene in Castlerea along with Gda Aidan Fallon on Wednesday night, told the court that Mr Silver made no comment when the charge was put to him.
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Mr Justice Mitchell remanded the accused in custody to appear before Harristown District Court, Castlerea, next Friday, June 26th.
Det Gda Colm Horkan was shot dead in Castlerea, Co Roscommon, on Wednesday night just before midnight.
Solicitor Gearoid Geraghty, for Mr Silver, asked the judge that any medical treatment required should be made available to his client in custody. He added that the results of any medical evaluation should be made available to the defence, prosecution and the court.
Mr Justice Mitchell ordered that any medical treatment required should be made available. He also instructed that the accused man should appear before the court next Friday via video link, with the agreement of Supt Goretti Sheridan and Mr Geraghty. Mr Justice Mitchell also granted a request for legal aid.
Mr Silver was brought to the court by gardaí in a Garda van and was walked into the court just after 10.30pm.
As the brief court hearing proceeded, Mr Silver had his head bowed and in his hands and arms before addressing the judge as the hearing was almost concluded.
“Absolutely unreal, unreal, I had no firearm on me,” he said aloud in the court. Mr Justice Mitchell told him he was legally represented and that anything he wanted to say could be relayed to his solicitor Mr Geraghty, who could then raise it with the court.
Det Gda Horkan, who was based in Castlerea Garda station, died at the junction of Main Street and St Patrick Street in Castlerea just before midnight last Wednesday.


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--No decision on when driving tests will resume, says RSA

No decision has been made on whether driving tests can resume on June 29th , the Road Safety Authority ( RSA ) has confirmed .
On June 6th Minister for Transport Shane Ross said he did “ see the possibility of truck , bus and motorcycle testing resuming in Phase 3 ” of the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on June 29th .
However the RSA said on Friday that it would be next week before a decision was taken on the resumption of any tests , aside from “ urgent driving tests ” for driving emergency vehicles , or medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drivers ” .
While these drivers have been facilitated in “ exceptional circumstances ” all other tests have been suspended since March 13th .
More than 56,000 learner drivers are now waiting on tests .
Of these 36,511 have completed their mandatory pre-test driving lessons with an instructor while another 19,817 had not taken all their lessons before the Covid-19 restrictions were introduced .
While test waiting times had reduced to below six weeks at the start of March , it is likely that applicants will be waiting significantly longer for a test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learners were waiting up to six months for a test when the waiting list reached almost 83,000 .
Mr Ross earlier this month said there were “ issues to overcome to recommence car driving tests ” .
These included maintaining social distancing “ as a car driving test means close contact in an enclosed space between the driver tester and the learner driver for periods in excess of 15 minutes ” ’ he said .
“ I can assure learner drivers that officials in my Department and the RSA are looking at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started again as soon as possible , ” he said .

The RSA said on Friday that it would be next week before a decision was taken on the resumption of driving tests. Photograph: iStock
No decision has been made on whether driving tests can resume on June 29th, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has confirmed.
On June 6th Minister for Transport Shane Ross said he did "see the possibility of truck, bus and motorcycle testing resuming in Phase 3" of the lifting of coronavirus restrictions on June 29th.
However the RSA said on Friday that it would be next week before a decision was taken on the resumption of any tests, aside from “urgent driving tests” for driving emergency vehicles, or medical professionals and “critical supply chain HGV drivers”.
While these drivers have been facilitated in “exceptional circumstances” all other tests have been suspended since March 13th.
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More than 56,000 learner drivers are now waiting on tests. Of these 36,511 have completed their mandatory pre-test driving lessons with an instructor while another 19,817 had not taken all their lessons before the Covid-19 restrictions were introduced.
While test waiting times had reduced to below six weeks at the start of March, it is likely that applicants will be waiting significantly longer for a test once the service resumes. In 2018 learners were waiting up to six months for a test when the waiting list reached almost 83,000.
Mr Ross earlier this month said there were “issues to overcome to recommence car driving tests”.
These included maintaining social distancing “as a car driving test means close contact in an enclosed space between the driver tester and the learner driver for periods in excess of 15 minutes”’ he said.
“I can assure learner drivers that officials in my Department and the RSA are looking at all available options to get car driving tests started again as soon as possible,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--Irishman (40) arrested after €1 million Netherlands drugs seizure

Dutch police have arrested an Irishman during a joint operation with An Garda Síochána targeting an organised crime group suspected of involvement in large-scale drug trafficking from the Netherlands to Ireland .
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Dutch Police engaged jointly in an intelligence led operation , targeting the group that includes a number of Irish nationals , who are suspected to be involved in large scale trafficking of cocaine .
Dutch police seized 16kg of cocaine during the search of a premises in Amsterdam .
The seized drugs have an estimated Irish street value of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ male was arrested and is in custody .
Members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau searched five premises in Counties Meath and Dublin as part of the same operation .
A motor vehicle , encrypted electronic communication devices and an estimated € 70,000 in cash was seized during these searches .
Assistant Commissioner John O ’ Driscoll said “ Today ’ s operation demonstrates the success that can be achieved through real time collaboration with our international law enforcement partners .
“ Through working together , we can effectively tackle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ongoing and further arrests are anticipated .

Dutch police seized 16kg of cocaine during the search of a premises in Amsterdam. The seized drugs have an estimated Irish street value of € 1.12 million. One 40-year-old Irish male was arrested and is in custody. Photograph: iStock
Dutch police have arrested an Irishman during a joint operation with An Garda Síochána targeting an organised crime group suspected of involvement in large-scale drug trafficking from the Netherlands to Ireland.
The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and Dutch Police engaged jointly in an intelligence led operation, targeting the group that includes a number of Irish nationals, who are suspected to be involved in large scale trafficking of cocaine.
Dutch police seized 16kg of cocaine during the search of a premises in Amsterdam. The seized drugs have an estimated Irish street value of € 1.12 million. One 40-year-old Irish male was arrested and is in custody.
Members of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau searched five premises in Counties Meath and Dublin as part of the same operation.
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A motor vehicle, encrypted electronic communication devices and an estimated € 70,000 in cash was seized during these searches.
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll said “Today’s operation demonstrates the success that can be achieved through real time collaboration with our international law enforcement partners.
“Through working together, we can effectively tackle transnational organised crime groups.”
Investigations are ongoing and further arrests are anticipated.


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--‘Dark cloud’ hangs over Castlerea following death of garda

Main Street in Castlerea , Co Roscommon has reopened following the death of local Detective Garda Colm Horkan but a “ dark cloud ” hangs over the town , locals say .
Madeline Carberry ( 78 ) was relieved to see Castlerea ’ s Main Street , where she has lived for 50 years , return to a form of normal activity on Friday afternoon .
“ I really was so sickened all day yesterday .
I just couldn ’ t believe it , I can see the Garda station from my own place , ” she said .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday when up to 15 shots were fired and the local Detective Garda Colm Horkan was killed .
It was only when she received a call from a friend the next day that she learned of the “ terrible ” events that unfolded .
“ I kept thinking is this real ?
Did this really happen ?
” The heavy rain that fell throughout the morning had subsided by late afternoon but butcher Michael Webb said an “ awful dark cloud ” will hang over the town for many years to come .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his daughters , he had no enthusiasm for a return to normal .
“ I feel kind of .
.
.
I ’ m not sure I want to do anything .
What can you do following something like this ?
” he asked .
A close-knit , market town , with a population of around 2,000 , Mr Webb said a broken shop window is “ big news ” in Castlerea .
“ You don ’ t ever expect this .
It ’ s a massive shock when this sort of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .
Despite the huge impact of coronavirus on lives and businesses , he believes the death of a much-loved garda will leave a more lasting scar on his community .
“ The way I look at coronavirus , that is going to end at some stage .
This is not .
This will always be remembered in this town , ” he said .
Castlerea , after all , has been here before .
Mr Webb said the community has been shaped by the murder of Detective Garda John Morley and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castlerea , who were killed responding to a bank robbery in July 1980 .
Such an occurrence might be forgotten in a large city , but the wounds will never heal in Castlerea , he said .
“ It happened 40 years ago but that is very fresh in the memory here .
We never thought we would see this day again .
It is not just sad for his family ; there are many families affected by this locally , ” he said .
A book of condolences was opened in garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Castlerea a trickle of mourners came throughout Friday to sign the book for the newly-promoted detective who kept them safe .
A retired Castlerea garda , who did not want to give his name , arrived down to pay his sympathies for the third former colleague killed during service .
“ The shock of it 40 years ago was so so hard .
When my wife rang me yesterday I thought it couldn ’ t be possible .
This couldn ’ t happen in Castlerea again , ” he said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m glad now I didn ’ t push them to go into the gardaí .
I would say it is harder to be a garda nowadays , ” he added .
When the shock and hype surrounding the moment dies down , it will be left to the local community to “ pull together ” and heal , according to Liam Scahill , owner of Scahill ’ s Expert & Household Store .
“ There is a great community spirit in Castlerea .
There an awful lot of people working for the good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
There is a “ great connection ” between the community and their local gardaí , in large part due to the GAA and voluntary groups , he said .
“ I think during the last couple of days the community has come out in complete support and solidarity with the gardaí and offered their condolences .
Castlerea has always been a “ very caring community ” , whose people will open their arms and help anybody out who needs help , he said .
It is not by chance that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new €2.6 million e-mental health hub , which was unveiled by the Taoiseach and Chief Executive of the HSE only a fortnight ago .
“ You can see it whenever there is an event for the church or sport or health or whatever there is always plenty of concerned people out to volunteer , ” he said .
That another garda belonging to this caring , quiet town has been killed in the line of duty is “ horrific and unfortunate ” , Mr Scahill said .
He added : “ This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to .
This would not be normal for Castlerea , but once again there is a dark cloud hanging over us .
”

Main Street in Castlerea, Co Roscommon has reopened following the death of local Detective Garda Colm Horkan but a “dark cloud” hangs over the town, locals say.
Madeline Carberry (78) was relieved to see Castlerea’s Main Street, where she has lived for 50 years, return to a form of normal activity on Friday afternoon.
“I really was so sickened all day yesterday. I just couldn’t believe it, I can see the Garda station from my own place,” she said.
Ms Carberry was sound asleep by midnight on Wednesday when up to 15 shots were fired and the local Detective Garda Colm Horkan was killed. It was only when she received a call from a friend the next day that she learned of the “terrible” events that unfolded.
READ MORE
“I kept thinking is this real? Did this really happen?”
The heavy rain that fell throughout the morning had subsided by late afternoon but butcher Michael Webb said an “awful dark cloud” will hang over the town for many years to come. Opening up his shop with the help of his daughters, he had no enthusiasm for a return to normal.
“I feel kind of . . . I’m not sure I want to do anything. What can you do following something like this?” he asked.
A close-knit, market town, with a population of around 2,000, Mr Webb said a broken shop window is “big news” in Castlerea.
“You don’t ever expect this. It’s a massive shock when this sort of thing lands on your doorstep,” he added.
Despite the huge impact of coronavirus on lives and businesses, he believes the death of a much-loved garda will leave a more lasting scar on his community.
“The way I look at coronavirus, that is going to end at some stage. This is not. This will always be remembered in this town,” he said.
‘Wound will never heal’
Castlerea, after all, has been here before. Mr Webb said the community has been shaped by the murder of Detective Garda John Morley and Garda Henry Byrne, both stationed in Castlerea, who were killed responding to a bank robbery in July 1980. Such an occurrence might be forgotten in a large city, but the wounds will never heal in Castlerea, he said.
“It happened 40 years ago but that is very fresh in the memory here. We never thought we would see this day again. It is not just sad for his family; there are many families affected by this locally,” he said.
A book of condolences was opened in garda stations across the country, while in Castlerea a trickle of mourners came throughout Friday to sign the book for the newly-promoted detective who kept them safe.
A retired Castlerea garda, who did not want to give his name, arrived down to pay his sympathies for the third former colleague killed during service.
“The shock of it 40 years ago was so so hard. When my wife rang me yesterday I thought it couldn’t be possible. This couldn’t happen in Castlerea again,” he said.
“I have two sons, and I’m glad now I didn’t push them to go into the gardaí. I would say it is harder to be a garda nowadays,” he added.
Community spirit
When the shock and hype surrounding the moment dies down, it will be left to the local community to “pull together” and heal, according to Liam Scahill, owner of Scahill’s Expert & Household Store.
“There is a great community spirit in Castlerea. There an awful lot of people working for the good of the community here,” he said. There is a “great connection” between the community and their local gardaí, in large part due to the GAA and voluntary groups, he said.
“I think during the last couple of days the community has come out in complete support and solidarity with the gardaí and offered their condolences.
Castlerea has always been a “very caring community”, whose people will open their arms and help anybody out who needs help, he said. It is not by chance that the town was chosen as the place for a new €2.6 million e-mental health hub, which was unveiled by the Taoiseach and Chief Executive of the HSE only a fortnight ago.
“You can see it whenever there is an event for the church or sport or health or whatever there is always plenty of concerned people out to volunteer,” he said.
That another garda belonging to this caring, quiet town has been killed in the line of duty is “horrific and unfortunate”, Mr Scahill said.
He added: “This is not what we would be used to. This would not be normal for Castlerea, but once again there is a dark cloud hanging over us.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-19--UCD school of medicine disassociates itself from professor’s views

The school of medicine in University College Dublin ( UCD ) has disassociated itself from views expressed by a professor who told an online alt-right interviewer that she wanted to “ debunk the narrative ” surrounding the coronavirus pandemic .
Prof Dolores Cahill , who chairs the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom Party , has been asked to resign as vice-chair of the scientific committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative ( IMI ) because of her claims .
The European Commission , which is a partner of the IMI , said the claims made by Prof Cahill in the interview could cause @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the interview , since removed by Youtube , she claimed that lockdown and social distancing were not needed to stop the spread of the virus , and that “ politicians and the media ” were using the pandemic “ as a fear-mongering propaganda tool to try and take away rights from people and to make them more sick and to force vaccinations on us ” .
More than 130 students , almost all from the UCD school of medicine , signed a letter saying the failure of the university to disavow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a silent endorsement ” .
A meeting to discuss the controversy was held on Thursday , after which the head of the school , Prof Michael Keane , told academic staff : “ The school of medicine , college of health and agricultural sciences , the Conway Institute and the university , continue to fully support the public health position taken by the Irish Government concerning Covid-19 .
“ This includes treatment for Covid-19 patients and societal restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
” Many UCD faculty staff and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of healthcare and research specifically relating to Covid-19 , Prof Keane pointed out .
“ The views expressed by Prof Dolores Cahill are her own .
They do not reflect the position of the school , college , institute or university.
” During Thursday ’ s meeting , those present discussed the academic freedom provisions in the Universities Act 1997.The view is understood to have been discussed that any move to disadvantage Prof Cahill would leave the university open to being sued .
Prof Cahill has not as yet commented on the controversy @

Prof Dolores Cahill: “The views expressed by Prof Dolores Cahill are her own. They do not reflect the position of the school, college, institute or university,” says Prof Michael Keane. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
The school of medicine in University College Dublin (UCD) has disassociated itself from views expressed by a professor who told an online alt-right interviewer that she wanted to "debunk the narrative" surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
Prof Dolores Cahill, who chairs the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom Party, has been asked to resign as vice-chair of the scientific committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) because of her claims.
The European Commission, which is a partner of the IMI, said the claims made by Prof Cahill in the interview could cause "significant harm" if taken literally.
‘Propaganda tool’
During the interview, since removed by Youtube, she claimed that lockdown and social distancing were not needed to stop the spread of the virus, and that “politicians and the media” were using the pandemic “as a fear-mongering propaganda tool to try and take away rights from people and to make them more sick and to force vaccinations on us”.
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More than 130 students, almost all from the UCD school of medicine, signed a letter saying the failure of the university to disavow Prof Cahill’s statements “acts as a silent endorsement”.
A meeting to discuss the controversy was held on Thursday, after which the head of the school, Prof Michael Keane, told academic staff: "The school of medicine, college of health and agricultural sciences, the Conway Institute and the university, continue to fully support the public health position taken by the Irish Government concerning Covid-19.
‘Spread of the virus’
“This includes treatment for Covid-19 patients and societal restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.”
Many UCD faculty staff and students are directly involved in the provision of healthcare and research specifically relating to Covid-19, Prof Keane pointed out.
“The views expressed by Prof Dolores Cahill are her own. They do not reflect the position of the school, college, institute or university.”
During Thursday’s meeting, those present discussed the academic freedom provisions in the Universities Act 1997.The view is understood to have been discussed that any move to disadvantage Prof Cahill would leave the university open to being sued. Prof Cahill has not as yet commented on the controversy.