RTE UPDATE - News from Ireland, Jun 5 1999 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ---------------------------------------------- UPDATE - The email news service from RTE Online ---------------------------------------------- 05 June 1999 17:49 with Donnacha DeLong ON RTE UPDATE TODAY --------------------------------------------------------------- 1. RUC question five in connection with Portadown murder 2. Taoiseach's senior advisor resigns 3. Poll shows increase in Fianna Fail support 4. Funeral takes place of soldier killed in Lebanon 5. Pope arrives in Poland for 13-day trip 6. Scottish national questioned in connection with drugs and arms seizure 7. Man dies in Cork house fire 8. Sport - Irish beaten by New South Wales plus Ireland's Weather RUC QUESTION FIVE IN CONNECTION WITH PORTADOWN MURDER --------------------------------------------------------------- The RUC are questioning five people in connection with the murder of a 59-year-old woman in Portadown. Elizabeth O'Neill died when a pipe bomb was thrown through the window of her home at Corcrain Drive early this morning. The Loyalist Volunteer Force has denied that it was involved in the murder. But the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, has told RTE that he is not treating the paramilitaries' statement at face value. He said he had no doubt that an organisation was involved in the wave of bomb attacks across the north last night, although he declined to be more specific. The Church of Ireland Primate condemned the bombing and offered his sympathy to the family of Elizabeth O'Neill. Condemning all attacks in the town as further attempts to raise community tensions, Dr. Robin Eames appealed for calm. Speaking in Portadown, David Trimble said that sectarianism had been a significant factor in the incidents. It was a time for calm and reflection and not a time for people to "hug their grievances" as he put it. Elizabeth O'Neill was married, with an adult family. Her husband, who was in the house at the time, escaped injury. The murder has drawn widespread condemnation, with David Trimble describing it as an attempt to wreck the efforts to find a solution to the Drumcree crisis that must not be allowed succeed. The attack happened in the early hours in the mainly Loyalist Estate where the 59-year-old woman had lived with her husband in a mixed marriage for many years. A brick shattered her living room window, and was followed by a pipe bomb. It is believed that the victim was attempting to pick up the device when it exploded. The family was too distraught to talk this morning and local politicians were unanimous in their condemnation. [...] led by the area's MP, David Trimble, who said that the bomb was an attempt to derail the Drumcree proximity talks that should not be allowed succeed. First Minister Trimble altered plans to fly to Israel to remain in the North. Brod Rodgers of the SDLP said that the murder was the culmination of 11 months of intimidation of Nationalists in the town. As he arrived at the talks Brendan McCionnaith, of the Garvaghy Road Residents, said that the murder cast a shadow over their efforts. The fatal attack was one of a series across the North with a family living a few hundred yards away in the Portadown estate escaping injury. Other pipe bombs were thrown in Castlewellan Co. Down and in East Belfast, but no-one was hurt. The murder puts renewed pressure on the attempts to find a resolution to the Drumcree March crisis. Proximity talks between Orange Order representatives and residents of the Garvaghy Road are to resume in Belfast this morning. 6 hours of discussions ended without agreement yesterday. It is understood that the Orangemen have been in contact with the British Prime Minister's Office to express their concern at the way the talks are going. Frank Blair, who is chairing the talks has put proposals on the table, it is understood that he has suggested a parade down the Garvaghy Road this year, but a change in the route in future years. TAOISEACH'S SENIOR ADVISOR RESIGNS --------------------------------------------------------------- One of the Taoiseach's senior advisors, Mr. Paddy Duffy, has resigned following revelations that he was registered as a director of a firm of consultants which advised on the NTL buy-out of Cablelink. In a statement, Mr. Duffy said that he had had no involvement in the purchase of Cablelink, nor had he made any representations on anyone's behalf. It has been known for some time that Paddy Duffy was to leave his position in the Taoiseach's office at the end of the year. In his statement, he said that he had originally intended leaving at the end of last year but had changed his mind. However, at that time, he had entered discussions with Dillon consultants and had become a non-executive director with shares in the company, which he had subsequently returned. Mr. Duffy said that, as a result of misunderstandings on his part, he remained registered as director of the company, although when he briefed the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Enterprise to the contrary, he had genuinely believed he was not listed as one. Mr. Duffy said that he had no involvement in NTL's bid to purchase Cablelink. He said that, at all times, he and Dillon consultants had acted with the highest integrity. Acknowledging Mr. Duffy's resignation, the Taoiseach said that he regretted the circumstances, which had led to it. Mr. Ahern said that, in April last, he had asked his advisor about the matter, but had not been told by Mr. Duffy of his appointment as a non-executive director of Dillons. POLL SHOWS INCREASE IN FIANNA FAIL SUPPORT --------------------------------------------------------------- Fianna Fail look set to hold on to their seven seats in the European parliament according to an opinion poll published this morning. The MRBI survey in the Irish Times shows the party's support at fifty-one per cent, which is a five-point increase in support for the party during the past month. There has also been a rise in satisfaction with the Taoiseach and the Government. Support for Fine Gael at twenty-five per cent is up one. Labour is down four to eleven per cent and the Progressive Democrats are down three to just two per cent. FUNERAL TAKES PLACE OF SOLDIER KILLED IN LEBANON --------------------------------------------------------------- The funeral has taken place at Ballyhaunis in County Mayo of Private William Kedian, the 22-year-old soldier who was killed in a mortar attack in the Lebannon earlier this week. Thousands of people lined the streets as his coffin was borne on a gun carriage from the parish church to the nearby cemetery. President McAleese, the Minister for Defence, Michael Smith, and the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General David Stapleton, attended the ceremonies. The parish priest Canon Joe Cooney described Private Kedian as an idealistic young man who had given his life so that others could enjoy peace and freedom. He said that his town was immensely proud of him and extended its heartfelt sympathy to his grieving parents. Private Kedian was laid to rest with full military honours, colleagues from the first infantry battalion firing three volleys of shots over his grave. Private Kedian was fatally injured when a mortar shell fired by a South Lebanese militia unit exploded inside a United Nations post at Barasheet. http://www.rte.ie/news/1999/0605/1News/1News3A.ram POPE ARRIVES IN POLAND FOR 13-DAY TRIP --------------------------------------------------------------- Pope John Paul arrives in his native Poland this morning at the start of a gruelling 13-day trip that will be both a religious mission and a nostalgic return to his roots. The Pope's 20-city tour, his longest ever to Poland, begins in the Baltic port city of Gdansk, the birthplace of the Solidarity Union. Half a million worshippers are expected to gather for a late afternoon papal mass in the nearby resort town of Sopot and at least six million people are expected to attend papal masses during the visit. The Pope's itinerary includes visits to his birthplace in southern Poland, to a lake district where he used to holiday and to the graveyard in the city of Cracow, Poland's ancient capital, where his parents and brother are buried. SCOTTISH NATIONAL QUESTIONED IN CONNECTION WITH DRUGS AND ARMS SEIZURE --------------------------------------------------------------- A Scottish national is being questioned at Irishtown Garda Station in Dublin, in connection with the seizure last night of five-hundred thousand pounds worth of cannabis resin and three firearms. A woman who was also arrested was released early today. MAN DIES IN CORK HOUSE FIRE --------------------------------------------------------------- A man in his sixties has died in a fire at a bungalow in Castlemartyr, County Cork. The fire broke out at around half past one this morning. The man's wife was taken to hospital. The woman who died in a road accident in County Cavan yesterday has been named as Margaret McSweeney, aged 25, from Patrickswell in County Limerick. And the man who drowned off the Blasket Islands yesterday has been named as Barry Stanford from Ballyferriter. SPORT - IRISH BEATEN BY NEW SOUTH WALES --------------------------------------------------------------- The Irish rugby team was beaten 39-24 by New South Wales in Sydney early this morning, following a four-try blitz by Matt Dowling. This was their last match before next week's first rugby union test against Australia. Winger Dowling got his tries within the space of 27 minutes in the second half after the Irish had held New South Wales 13-10 at half-time. The Irish tries came from Conor O'Shea, Matt Mosttyn and Ciaran Scally. Eric Elwood kicked a penalty and 3 conversions. The Irish conceded six tries and scored only three at the Sydney Football Stadium in their second match of their four-match tour. On Monday, they had a 43-6 win over New South Wales Country. IRELAND'S WEATHER --------------------------------------------------------------- There will be clear spells at first, with showers chiefly in northern areas. Cloud will increase overnight as outbreaks of rain spread from the north. Lowest temperatures: 6 to 9 Celsius (42.8 to 48.2 Fahrenheit) in a moderate to fresh north to Northwest wind. Cloudy at first tomorrow with outbreaks of rain. Becoming brighter with sunny spells and occasional showers. Highest temperatures: 12 to 14 Celsius (53.6 to 57.2 Fahrenheit) with fresh and gusty northerly winds. ---------------------------------------------- UPDATE is a free 7-days a week service from RTE bringing you the latest news from Ireland. 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