While seated on the pews in the wood-panelled interior of Bandon Courthouse a few days ago, redemption arrived. Brian Hogan was back at the wheel.

A MARRIED father-of- two said “I’m very sorry for what happened” when charged with the murder of Deirdre McCarthy, a court heard yesterday.

A WOMAN who was jailed for three years earlier this week for dousing petrol over an 18-month-old girl appeared in court concerning a further five charges.

IT SOUNDS more like a war-zone than a seaside village in scenic Co Clare, but vandalism, anti-social behaviour and street drunkenness have escalated to such an extent that locals in Lahinch have sent out an SOS to the authorities.