A farmer accused of breaking his neighbour's cheekbone in a row over a straying cow has been found not guilty.

The Citizens Assembly is being urged to convene to reform local authorities across the country.

The country's largest public sector union says a referendum is urgently needed to ensure Irish Water stays in State ownership.

A farmer accused of breaking the cheekbone of his neighbour in a row over a straying cow claims his land is constantly being overrun by cows, horses, sheep and even ducks.

Cobh Wanderers boss Michael Deasy vowed that his team will be back at Lansdowne Road after suffering penalty-shootout heartbreak in Saturday’s FAI Intermediate Cup final.

Labour leader Brendan Howlin has joined union representatives in demanding the acceleration of pay recovery as part of upcoming public sector negotiations.

A pub owner, dubbed Fr Ted character Pat Mustard after he was caught masturbating behind his bar, claims he was beaten up by a regular after the man was barred from his premises.

A couple has been awarded over €30,000 in damages against a neighbour who defamed them on Facebook.

The threat of industrial action at public libraries has eased after a national library merger plan was dropped.

A father of three who awoke from a drunken slumber to find a man allegedly performing a sex act on him has been jailed for six years after brutally attacking the man.

A Donegal man has been jailed for three years for the rape of a 14-year-old girl at a teenage disco when he was 15 years old.

Around 4,000 members of Impact and Siptu at Dublin City Council will now have to work one hour more each week after losing their “banking hour”.

Cork city and county councils say they are concerned about plans to amalgamate library services saying a one-size fits all approach may not be appropriate in such a large county.

A man with “superhuman” strength who had to be restrained by seven gardaí after going berserk has been found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Opposition is growing to the amalgamation of library services nationwide, with local councillors, Oireachtas members, and trade unions warning it will lead to the closure of branches in small rural communities.

A couple have finally been allowed to buy their 300-year-old Donegal cottage house after living in it rent-free for 16 years.

After a courtroom battle, a priest has been given more than a quarter share in a cottage that he shared with his gay partner.

The man charged with dangerous driving causing the deaths of eight people in Inishowen in 2010 has pleaded guilty.

Two one-day strikes are planned by South Dublin County Council workers later this month.

One of the country’s largest public service unions has warned the continued shift of roles from local authorities to central Government will eventually make it impossible to justify local taxes, including the property tax.

The HSE has been given 24 hours to explain why it took a medical card from a man with serious psychological issues and charged with the arson of his mother’s home.

A member of the Defence Forces appeared in court last night on explosives charges.

A man at the centre of the country’s worst ever car crash has been warned that his bail conditions will be revoked if he continues to breach his conditions.

Families of victims of one of the country’s worst ever car crashes are being hugely distressed by delays in a court case, a judge has warned.

Author of The Field, John B Keane, would have travelled to Co Donegal to hear the case of a family split by a contested will over a family farm, a court heard yesterday.

A judge has asked legal teams to “get their heads together” to allow one of Ireland’s most serious alleged dangerous driving cases to go ahead.

“Substantial” savings will be verified when the body charged with implementing the Croke Park agreement makes its second annual report next month, the leader of one of the country’s largest public sector unions has forecast.

Water charges will be more vehemently opposed than the household tax and a mass grassroots campaign will be launched on every estate, town and village in the country.

TWO elderly women died from carbon monoxide poisoning after a grill door on a cooker was left closed.

Kerry sharpshooter Bryan Sheehan and Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan took time out from preparing for their All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals to launch the 2011 MBNA Kick Fada competition today.

It has emerged today that some senior Council staff are entitled to up to 42 days' holiday per year.

THE administrators of Quinn Insurance hope to have identified a preferred bidder that will purchase the group by the end of the month, the High Court heard yesterday.

UP to €90,000 of funds from what are now cash-strapped local authorities was used to send union officials on trips around the world to train them for talks on the social partnership process.

A CRACK Garda marksman has lost a €38,000 damages claim against the state for injuries he suffered while honing his gun skills at a remote mountainous shooting range.

The GAA today broke new ground by launching the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship at a club venue for the first time, with players from all four provinces on hand to launch the 2010 campaign at Kerins O'Rahillys' clubhouse in Tralee.

National secretary of IMPACT, Peter Nolan, is today warning of significant disruption to public services throughout next year if the Government cuts public-sector pay.

World number one Tiger Woods has made a huge statement on the opening day of the JBWere Masters at Kingston Heath, Australia, tearing up the sandbelt course with a six-under 66 to sit level with James Nitties and 21-year-old South African Branden Grace.

THE Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has described as “utter nonsense” calls by IDA chief Barry O’Leary that wage cuts of up to 15% were required to restore competitiveness.

FEARS have been expressed that further cuts in school services for children with special needs may be in the pipeline after a review was ordered by Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe of how special needs assistants are allocated to schools.

Tim Wilkinson and Peter Wilson share the lead after a first day of the Australian PGA Championship curtailed by lightening.

A RUNAWAY snake spent a night in a Garda station after a late-night tangle with college students.

A Donegal man has been found not guilty of raping a teenage girl in his car over three years ago.

A doctor who examined a 14-year-old Donegal girl has told the Central Criminal Court that she "she wasn't sure she was definitely raped".