THE Special Criminal Court has heard details of the threats which were allegedly made by brothers, Wayne and John Dundon, against four members of the same family over an eight month period in 2010 and 2011.

Opening the prosecution case, Tom O’Connell SC said all of the threats were made after one of the alleged injured parties, April Collins, ended her eight-year relationship with Ger Dundon who is a brother of the accused men.

Wayne Dundon, 33, of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect has pleaded not guilty to a total of seven charges, while John Dundon, 30, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston denies two charges.

Mr O’Connell alleged that in September 2010 Wayne Dundon told Alice Collins he would have her sons, Gareth and Jimmy killed. On another date Wayne Dundon is alleged to have told April Collins if her mother visited her again she would be “leaving in a body bag”.

He is also alleged to have told her that her brother, Gareth, would not “make it past the gates of Limerick Prison” when he is released.

It is alleged that in April of last year John Dundon, while standing on the roof of a garden shed at April Collins’ home, told her he was looking for a place to bury her mother.

The trial is expected to continue until the middle of next week.

*For full coverage from the Special Criminal Court read the weekend edition of the Limerick Leader

DRAGON’S Den judge Bobby Kerr, Peter Ward of Country Choice and Sully from Cully & Sully will be the special guest speakers at the upcoming Foodies Expo in the Strand Hotel next week.

The expo is aimed at all food businesses, especially new food business start-ups or existing food businesses looking to expand or improve their current offerings and a large number of specialised food business suppliers and local food producers will be in attendance at the event.

“We are delighted to have over 30 industry experts exhibiting on the day and see this event as the ideal place for anyone looking to take the next step in the food industry as they will get the chance to meet those that can be instrumental in guiding them in the right direction,” said event organiser Brid Fox of Cater Care Ltd.

“Throughout the afternoon you will hear from a range of speakers from the food and hospitality industries who will give some useful tips and advice,” she added.

Key speakers will include Peter Ward of Country Choice and Sully from food company Cully & Sully.

Dragon’s Den judge Kerr will close the event by giving an insight into some of his inspiring experiences on the RTE show as well as his professional experiences.

Suppliers ranging from HACCP Experts, nutritional analysts, food packaging providers, marketing professionals and representatives from the Irish Patent Office will be in attendace in the Strand.

The event takes place next Wednesday, February 29, from 3-6pm.

For more information see {http://www.foodiesexpo.ie|Foodie Expo|Click here}.

The Limerick Leader is the most widely read newspaper across Limerick city and county.

In this special video report, we speak to people on the streets of the city who are amongst those who read the Limerick Leader regularly.

Pick up your copy of the Limerick Leader at your local newsagent and let us know why you read the Limerick Leader via {http://www.twitter.com/@limerick_leader|Twitter|@limerick_leader} or by emailing us {mailto:news@limerickleader.ie|email}.

The Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS 6 Nations on Saturday has been named and coach Declan Kidney has opted for an unchanged lineup.

Saturday’s match at the Aviva Stadium has a 1.30pm kick-off time.

Ireland Team

15. Rob Kearney (Leinster)

14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)

13. Keith Earls (Munster)

12. Gordon D’Arcy (Leinster)

11. Andrew Trimble (Ulster)

10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster)

9. Conor Murray (Munster)

1. Cian Healy (Leinster)

2. Rory Best (Ulster)

3. Mike Ross (Leinster)

4. Donncha O’Callaghan (Munster)

5. Paul O’Connell (Munster)

6. Stephen Ferris (Ulster)

7. Sean O’Brien (Leinster)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements

16. Sean Cronin (Leinster)

17. Tom Court (Ulster)

18. Donnacha Ryan (Munster)

19. Peter O’Mahony (Munster)

20. Eoin Reddan (Leinster)

21. Ronan O’Gara (Munster)

22. Fergus McFadden (Leinster)

]]> 1.3546528 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:33:34 +0000 http://www.limerickleader.ie/family_evicted_from_house_in_limerick_housing_estate_1_3546233

AN eviction took place yesterday in the estate of Fairview Crescent in Garryowen, the second repossession order carried out by Limerick City Council in an estate troubled by anti-social behaviour.

Gardai accompanied the official carrying out the court order repossession in Fairview Crescent this Tuesday. It was served on a woman who had lived in the house for more than ten years.

The woman had a number of children and had previously lived at addresses in the city. She moved into the house in 2001.

A court order was issued in July of last year to repossess the house, but a stay of six months was put on it. The order was granted for anti-social behaviour reasons.

A special meeting of Limerick City Council was recently told that up to 20 people had to flee from the estate after being the subject of intimidation.

This is the second eviction to take place in the estate, and Kieran Lehane, director of housing with the Council, who has just been appointed the new city manager, said that there were no further repossession orders pending.

“There has been an issue in relation to anti social behaviour in that estate,” he explained.

“The tenancy enforcement unit received complaints of anti-social behaviour and we try as much as possible to resolve those through dialogue, mediation and reconciliation between people, if we can at all. But if all of that fails, there are legal remedies available to the council.”

The house was secured after the eviction to prevent burglaries and damage to it. CCTV cameras have been installed in the area, which are being monitored by gardai.

Mr Lehane said that it was “still a matter of concern” to the council that residents had felt forced to leave the estate because of anti-social behaviour in Fairview Crescent.

He added that the repossession was carried out peacefully and stressed this action was a “last resort” for the council.

LOCAL rockers the Cranberries are set for a massive outdoor home-town show in Thomond Park in July.

The band are being lined up to play in the stadium along with another high profile international act, the Limerick Leader has learned.

Stadium boss John Cantwell confirmed that Thomond Park management have met with the Cranberries and “are working hard to make sure that they play here this year”.

“Negotiations are ongoing, but yes, we are on the same page - they want to play, we want them to play here, it is just a matter of finalising the details,” said Mr Cantwell.

The Thomond Park boss refused to elaborate further, but the Leader has learned the gig is set for mid-July and that the Cranberries are set to share the stage with another “world renowned” band.

Thomond Park are believed to have offers in with three high-profile bands and are close to finalising contracts for the gig, which they are promoting themselves.

They have previously worked with Aiken Promotions to bring Elton John, Rod Stewart, Pink, Bob Dylan and JLS to the stadium.

Mr Cantwell said that Thomond Park have a “great relationship” with promoter Peter Aiken and still hope to work with him this summer.

The Cranberries are currently on tour in America and were unavailable for comment. However, a publicist for the band said that although no date was finalised for a home town gig, the band would “love to play in Limerick and especially in Thomond Park”.

The Cranberries reformed in late 2009 after a seven year absence and played a short set at the Special Olympics opening ceremony in Thomond Park in June 2010.

They are set to release their sixth studio album Roses this Friday, their first since 2001’s Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.

The group are set to kick off a massive world tour in March which will take them from New Zealand, into Asia and across Europe.

THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick-based Irish Youth Choir, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year, is seeking new members.

The choir, who performed a stirring concert in St Mary’s Cathedral in front Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan last Saturday, is hosting auditions this week and next, and is seeking young singers from Limerick to join its ranks.

The choir will host auditions for singers aged between 18 to 28 in UL next Tuesday, February 28 from 5pm and 8pm.

Each summer the choir comes together for a week of intense rehearsals, before performing in various venues around the country.

The summer rehearsal course will be delivered by internationally respected conductor Greg Beardsell, who has conducted the choir since 2007, along with a team of Irish tutors and vocal coaches at UL.

The choir membership is drawn from 11 counties, including a large cohort of Limerick people, with many UL students joining the choir in recent times. Last year the choir realised a long held ambition to create a smaller chamber choir of 24 singers, selected from within its ranks of 100 members.

Pre-registration for the auditions are essential and application forms can be downloaded from www.irishyouthchoir.ie.

FORMER European Parliament president Pat Cox is one of hundreds of well known Limerick people whose pictures are included in a unique supplement carried free with the Limerick Leader this weekend.

All Our Yesterdays, a six-part series of collectable supplements offering readers a unique look into a 30-year treasure trove of archived photographic material, will be carried free with the Leader this weekend.

One very notable inclusion in the first of the series is a picture of a young Pat Cox, dwarfed by two towering - and two years older - fellow students, with whom he made up the school’s debating team in 1967. Mr Cox, who recently moved to Dublin after 18 years living in Cork, recalled his days on the Ardscoil Rís debating team with particular fondness and said his time in the school “was the key to everything else in my life”.

Together with Joe Whelan, Thomondgate, and the now sadly deceased John Ryan, of Shelbourne Avenue, Pat reached the county final of the Safety First Organisation debating competition in 1967 while he was just an ‘inter-cert’ student in the school.

“The two lads would have been two years ahead of me in school - part of which explains the difference in size,” laughed Mr Cox, who was raised on the Ennis Road.

“I have a very clear memory of it and for any child in the school to see themselves in the Limerick Leader meant great excitement for the family and neighbours and friends, so I can actually remember the original appearing in the paper,” he explained.

“In fact, Brother Victor O’Brien, who prepared the team, kept the photo in a scrapbook and when I was in Ardscoil last year they presented the actual cut-out to me which is a lovely momento to have,” he added.

Alan English, editor of the Limerick Leader, explained that the supplements “are not intended as a comprehensive history of that time, but they will give a real sense of what life was like here in days gone by” and said he expected them to become collector’s items in time.

MUNSTER head coach Tony McGahan is set to leave the province this summer to take up a post as defence coach with the Australian national team.

McGahan is reported to have informed the players of his intentions at after a training session earlier this week.

Queenslander McGahan is said to have been offered another one-year extension with Munster with the option of a further year, but has opted to return home to take up a new position with the Wallabies coaching team.

The news will come as a major blow to the province’s plans, with Munster having finished as top seed in this season’s Heineken Cup pool stage.

Queenslander McGahan joined Munster in February 2005 as defence coach and the following season, with his role expanded to backs and skills coach, the Aussie played a central role in Munster securing their first ever Heineken Cup title.

McGahan enjoyed further Heineken Cup success in 2008 when Munster triumphed against Toulouse and in 2009 he succeeded Declan Kidney as the province’s head coach. The squad to the semi-final of the Heineken Cup and victory in the Magners League that season. McGahan also led Munster to another Magners league success last May when they defeated arch rivals Leinster in the Grand Final played at Thomond Park.

This season, Munster have secured a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup against Ulster in April and remain strong contenders to claim a place in the knock-out stages of the RaboDirect PRO12.

Speculation has already begun as to how may succeed McGahan in the top job. Among those being mentioned as possible successors are former Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan, Munster forwards coach Anthony Foley, Edinburgh head coach Michael Bradley and Harlequins Director of Rugby, Conor O’Shea, Former Irish international O’Shea has, however, recently signed a new deal with Aviva Premiership side, ‘Quins.

THE trial of brothers John and Wayne Dundon has been adjourned at the Special Criminal Court to allow lawyers representing both men to review DVDs and documents which were disclosed by the prosecution last week.

This morning Wayne Dundon, 33, of Lenihan Avenue, Prospect, who wore a black shirt in court, pleaded not guilty to a total of seven charges when he was arraigned.

He is accused of making threats against four members of the same family on dates during 2010 and 2011.

He is also accused of intimidating a number two potential witnesses in the case.

When he was arraigned, John Dundon, 30, of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston pleaded not guilty to threatening two members of the same family.

Before the case was opened by Tom O’Connell, prosecuting, lawyers representing both men asked for additional time to review DVDs and documents which were supplied to them by the prosecution in recent days.

The three judge court also ordered that the governors of four prisons, including Limerick Prison, should be make available audio recordings of phone calls between Ger Dundon - a brother of the accused men – and one of the alleged injured parties.

Adjourning the trial until 2pm tomorrow, the presiding judge, Mr Justice Paul Butler, urged the lawyers in the case to “talk to each other” saying they have had months to prepare for the trial.

A large number of gardai, including Supt John Scanlan, from the Limerick Division were in court this morning.

THIS week the Limerick Leader and Chronicle officially launched a brand new style event for the city which is being run in conjunction with the Holman Lee Modelling Agency and Bella the Makeover Studio.

Style in the City which is the first event of its kind to take place in Limerick will celebrate the very best of the city’s fashion and beauty industry and is aimed at ladies of all ages.

Commenting at the launch of the event this Monday, the Limerick Leader’s managing director, Irene Hamilton, said that she was “very excited about the unique beauty and fashion extravaganza”.

“Limerick is a super city for ladies to spoil themselves in and this event will allow us to bring together the best that Limerick has to offer. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Holman Lee Agency and Bella Makeover Studio in launching this new venture and I look forward to a fabulous day out for the ladies of Limerick,” she continued.

Featuring in the region of 50 exhibitors ‘Style in the City’ will take place in the South Court Hotel on Sunday, April 29. “It is aimed at ladies of all ages - you could bring your grandmother, mother, sister and your daughter,” said Ger Lee of the Holman Lee Agency.

“There is something for everyone,” added Jean Maguire of Bella the Makeover Studio on Michael Street.

The event begins at 11am and runs until 6pm and admission is €10. Tickets can be purchased at the Limerick Leader office, 54 O’Connell St, Limerick.

LIMERICK has lost out in the competition to bring 1000 jobs to the city with online payments firm PayPal, the Limerick Leader has learned.

It is understood that the massive investment will now go to Dundalk instead.

PayPal already employs 1500 people at its European headquarters in Blanchardstown but reports at the weekend suggested the company was about to confirm a new customer support centre away from the west Dublin base. PayPal executives were shown a number of sites in the Limerick region by the IDA last year but locations in Dundalk were also scouted.

And an informed source told the Limerick Leader this Monday that the Mid-West has missed out.

“Limerick was never really in the running and ultimately the choice came down to either Dundalk or Berlin,” the source said.

Dundalk was seen as a more advantageous location as being “practically a part of Greater Dublin” and with a bigger pool of people with language skills critical for the new call centre.

LIMERICK City Council have teamed up with the Civic Trust and city traders to clean up Cruises Street, with a particular focus on chewing gum.

The council’s environment department recently acquired a new gum removal technology called ‘Gumpak’ which dissolves chewing gum using environmentally friendly techniques.

Paul Foley, Senior Executive Officer with Limerick City Council, explained that the technology is more cost-effective than previous machines which were hired to do a similar job.

“The objective is to improve the street scape and street surface on Cruises Street, particularly focusing on the removal of chewing gum,” he explained.

“We are engaging new technologies which are different to the machines we used before, effectively dissolving the gum into mini granules which are then brushed away,” he added.

A small hand held ‘lance’ with a 12 volt pump and backpack releases an environmentally friendly sugar based product that dissolves the gum, with the street to be subsequently steam cleaned. The whole process should take about six weeks.

“There is so much gum there at the moment that it should be noticeable when it is all removed,” explained Mr Foley.

“We are looking at some other gum initiatives as well for Cruises Street and we hope to roll this out to other streets once we get to grips with it here first.”

Mayor of Limerick Cllr Jim Long joined representatives of the City Centre Tidy Towns Group, Henry Street Gardai, Cruises Street traders and the Chamber of Commerce to launch the new initiative.

“We are very hopeful that this new technology will be of significant help to us in addressing the problem of chewing gum on the city’s streets,” said the mayor.

Limerick Civic Trust are to provide the manpower for the new cleaning initiative, which is hoped will aid the city centre’s bid in the upcoming Tidy Towns competition.

ONE of the most historic areas of the city is in line for a long-awaited upgrade following the acquisition of derelict buildings and plans to pedestrianise the street.

Several derelict sites in Nicholas Street have been purchased by Limerick City Council, which it is hoped will improve this “blighted” area.

City Hall now has an opportunity to transform this area, said Sinn Fein councillor Maurice Quinlivan.

“The neglect of a number of properties along Nicholas Street over a long number of years has been shameful. Developers who bought these properties with the intention of making a fast buck have contributed to a run down and neglected feel to the street,” he said.

Mayor of Limerick, councillor Jim Long, said there are a number of short and long term plans for the area, including an archaeological study on old properties, and the replacement of all lamp posts.

He has mooted that an area of derelict sites could be changed into a carpark to be used by tourists to King John’s Castle.

There are also plans to pedestrianise part of the street during daytime hours, and replace the paving stones.

But Cllr Long said the full two-year programme hasn’t been sanctioned by the council yet.

Funds for the works are expected to come from Bord Failte, the regeneration budget and capital funding from the Department of the Environment, he said.

In the meantime, a number of minor projects in the Nicholas Street area have been announced for the area to be completed before the end of March.

Cllr Quinlivan, who has campaigned alongside residents and traders in recent years for the area to be improved, said he is pleased that the plans are “progressing well”.

The works will include tidying up derelict sites, painting the area, planting flowers and erecting hanging baskets and replacing some fencing.

“Whilst most of these works are minor and somewhat superficial it will give a boost to people in the area that at last some work is commencing and the street is being reclaimed,” said Cllr Quinlivan.

THE AUNT of murdered Limerickman Shane Geoghegan has appealed for businesses in the city to display some of the clay figurines in memory of her nephew, as the tribute has been forced to move from Limerick City Council.

Aunt Margaret Walsh was the driving force behind the ‘Pitch for Shane’ installation, which saw over 20,000 figurines moulded by people throughout the world to show solidarity with the family, following the murder of 28 year-old Shane Geoghegan on November 9, 2008.

Tourists visiting Limerick who had lost loved ones during the 9/11 attacks were among those to show solidarity with the campaign, which is intended as a tribute to all innocent victims of violence.

She said the art installation was designed “to remember Shane in a positive way”, but the handmade designs had to be removed from Istabraq Hall in Limerick City Council last week as the venue is required for other civic functions.

“We wanted to keep his memory alive for the type of person he was. He was full of fun and was very inclusive. Some people took it very much on board and came back with magnificent sculptures,” she said.

Originally they planned to have 10,000 small sculptures in his memory, but this grew to 20,000 due to public support of the project.

She said the reaction to it had been “extraordinary”.

“Everyone that comes in, their first expression is wow’,” she said. “They look at it and stagger back and see what a wonderful tribute to the city it is, as well as Shane.”

As Shane’s birthday approaches next month, Ms Walsh is now appealing for local businesses in Limerick city to take as many figurines as they can and put them on display in a prominent location.

Speaking with Joe Duffy on RTE Radio One, she said the art display was a form of a “silent protest against violence”.

Asked by the broadcaster if the family are aware of the national revulsion at the murder of her nephew, she said: “We said what we had to say at the trial.”

Barry Doyle, 26, a father of three from Portland Row in Dublin was convicted of his murder, following a second trial. The original jury in last year’s trial failed to reach a verdict.

In the Central Criminal Court, Tom O’Connell, SC, prosecuting, said the Geoghegan family did not wish to make a victim impact statement as they felt “the crime speaks for itself.” The radio broadcaster also expressed his condolences to the family on this “tragedy”.

The unveiling of the Pitch for Shane project last year marked the third anniversary of his death.

“The project really captured the public imagination and so many people from different walks of life connected with it. We can hardly believe the support we received over the past year and thank all those who have contributed in any way especially the public in helping to make this a success.” The public can still light a candle in his memory online at www.limerickleader.ie

FIGURES released by the Department of Justice and Defence show that almost 1,900 items of contraband were seized from inmates and visitors at Limerick Prison over the past two years.

The items seized included drugs, alcohol, mobile phones, improvised weapons and cash.

Minister Alan Shatter revealed the figures in response to a parliamentary question which was submitted by Deputy Jonathan O’Brien.

According to the figures 1,884 items were seized at the Mulgrave Street jail during 2010 and 2011.

More than 15,000 items of contraband were seized at prisons across the country with only Mountjoy having more seizures than Limerick.

The figures show that almost 400 weapons have been seized at Limerick Prison over the past three years.

122 weapons were seized last year which was 70 less than the previous year when 193 were seized.

The weapons included improvised devices such as pieces of perspex or shivs.

Reacting to the figures, Minister Shatter said efforts are continually being made by prison authorities to prevent the flow of contraband into prisons across the country.

Measures such as the installation of nets over exercise yards, more vigilant observation of prisoners, enhanced CCTV monitoring and random cell searches are all being carried out.

“Random searches of cells and their occupants and searching of correspondence and other items have all intercepted significant quantities of contraband in recent years. Nevertheless, the Irish Prison Service recognises that constant improvements are required in this area,” he said in his written reply.

Separately, Gardai are continuing their investigations into a hoax bomb threat at the weekend.

A phone call was received at Dundalk Garda Station at around 7pm on Sunday from a caller who claimed a bomb had been left outside Limerick Prison.

A large area was sealed off but nothing suspicious was found during searches.