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 To Ireland’s great shame we learn that one of the first of two White-tailed Eagles (Haliaeetus albicillato) to fledge successfully from their nest in Co Clare, here in the west of Ireland, has been found shot dead in Co Tipperary.
A post-mortem examination carried out on this magnificent bird’s remains clearly shows it was killed by a blast from a shotgun cartridge, with between 45 to 50 pellets remaining in its body. The impact of the shot broke one of the birds legs and a wing, as well as causing damage to the main torso resulting in the bird being totally grounded, possibly for some days after the shooting, unable to walk and before actually dying both from malnutrition as well as its overall sustained injuries.
This particular bird, a young male eagle, was reared by a pair of White-tailed Eagles at a nest on Lough Derg, near Mountshannon, Co Clare, directly across the lake from the village of Portroe, Nenagh, Co Tipperary and successfully flew from its nest in July 2013 last. This bird was one of the first chicks born from the high profile reintroduction programme which began way back in 2007, with the release of young Norwegian eagles, as part of the White-tailed eagle reintroduction programme.
The diet of this bird is varied, but water-based birds, mammals and fish found close to the surface of water are its potential prey. During lean winter months it will feast on carrion such as dead marine mammals, dead livestock and has also been known to eat dead humans, but latter only out of sheer necessity.
The hatching of this bird, latter fully protected by Irish law, had marked a special day for Irish nature conservation and those many people who support such efforts throughout Ireland.
Gardaí at Nenagh are fully investigating the death of this ‘White-tailed Eagle’ and anyone with information should contact Nenagh Garda Station on Tel: 067-50450.
 Gardaí have arrested twelve people as part of their investigations targeting a specific organised crime gang involved in burglaries in the South East of Ireland. These arrests follow organised raids on dozens of houses and flats across several counties today, including Co Tipperary.
Thearrests are understood to have taken place as a result of “Operation Munster,” latter set up to target organised criminals suspected of carrying out burglaries in Ireland’s south east region.
In all, Gardaí raided over 40 properties across Co Tipperary and the neighbouring counties of Kilkennyand Waterford. Gardaí were backed up by armed members of the Regional Support Unit and Customs officers and seized property stolen which included jewellery, cash, electronic equipment and other items of value.
Also as part of the lead up to today’s operation a number of bank accounts, held by known gang members involved in crime, have been now frozen. It is also understood that Gardaí in recent days have recovered eight shotguns possibly stolen in the Clonmel area of Tipperary.
Of the 12 persons arrested (nine men and three women), two have been released without charge and two have been arrested on warrants and transferred to prison, while the remaining eight are currently being detained and questioned at various Garda stations under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
 One person has been arrested following a Garda drink-driving checkpoint set up in Thurles.
To date this year 152 people have been arrested for drunk driving, in comparison to 148 in the same comparative period last year.
Here in Thurles, 149 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, with 102 drivers being breath tested, resulting in just one suspected arrest.
The high visibility checks are understood to have been set up as part of a roads operation begun late last year called Operation Surround, where Gardaí have promised to conduct Mandatory Alcohol Testing (MAT) checkpoints, targeting intoxicated drivers particularly at weekends, throughout the country.
In Waterford, 612 vehicles passed through Garda checkpoints, with almost 400 breath tests conducted, resulting in one person being detained.
Checkpoints were also mounted overnight in areas of Kerry and Limerick, but no drivers were arrested on suspicion of drunk driving.
A Co Clare developer who was found guilty of raping a Brazilian woman, he had solicited to clean his house in Tipperary, has been sentenced to 7.5 years in jail, with the final 3.5 years of the sentence suspended, after a judge stated that he could not “buy himself out” of a custodial sentence.
The father-of-four named as Mr Thomas Egan, aged 47, of Cahermurphy, Kilmihil, Co Clare, paid over €10,000 in court, same to be forwarded to his victim, latter who has since returned to her native Brazil.
Mr Justice Barry White, noted that Mr Egan had previous to this event an“unblemished record” apart from a minor road traffic offence.
Mr Egan was originally convicted last May by a jury at the Central Criminal Court, of raping the 23-year-old woman at a house in Tipperary on July 5th 2010. Mr Egan had denied the charge of rape, but had admitted having sex with the woman, informing Gardaí that the act was consensual and that she had not shown any fear.
Mr Egan is understood to have approached the victim on a street in Gort, Co Galway and asked her to clean a house. They had travelled to the house in Tipperary in his car and he had set out a number of cleaning tasks for her to undertake.
Sexual advances then made to the victim left the woman afraid to say ‘no’ to him for fear it would make matters worse and afterwards the woman, having replaced her clothing, had asked him to drive her home. The following day, she made a complaint about the incident to Gardaí.
Defence Counsel put it to the court that the woman did not put up any resistance. He also stated that Mr Egan was prepared to offer further sums to the victim of €5,000 a year for three years, with the first payment to take place in December. The court was informed that Mr Egan would not be able to follow through on these additional payments if his circumstances were altered by his being sent to prison.
The judge directed that €50.00 given by Mr Egan to the woman, at the time of the offence, be sent to the St Vincent de Paul.
 A Tipperary dairy farmer, who stands accused of assault, may face even more serious charges, according to a Gardaí Sergeant attending Tipperary District Court.
Mr Pat Quirke with an address at Breanshamore has been charged with assault causing harm to Mrs Mary Lowry, a widowed mother of three and the former partner of Mr Bobby Ryan, whose remains were located in a disused slurry tank last year.
The 44 year old is also accused of burglary and the handling of stolen goods at Fawnagown, on December 3rd, 2012.
As stated, the alleged victim of this accused assault was the former partner of Mr Bobby Ryan, latter a father of two, who had been missing since June 3rd, 2011, having left his home shortly after 6:00am to go to work at Killough Quarry, close to Thurles.
Mr Bobbie Ryan was subsequently located by the now accused, who alerted Gardaí, following his discovery of human remains at Fawnagowen in April of last year. The accused had been leasing farmland from Mrs Lowry, whose husband Martin had died previously in 2007.
The hearing has now been adjourned until next May, while Gardaí await the directions of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on the matter.
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