Prominent republican Thomas "Slab" Murphy is to launch a fresh legal challenge to prevent his trial at the Special Criminal Court for alleged revenue offences.

The trial of prominent republican Thomas ‘Slab’ Murphy, on charges connected with alleged revenue offences, looks set to begin in May, the Special Criminal Court heard today.

Prominent republican, Thomas 'Slab' Murphy, appeared for the first time at the Special Criminal Court in Dublin today on charges connected with alleged revenue offences.

A 27-year-old man has died in hospital from injuries he sustained in a road accident over the weekend.

Commemorations to mark the 25th anniversary of the IRA hunger strike are continuing across the North today.

SINN FÉIN'S current electoral strength was in no small measure helped by 10 republican hunger strikers who died in the Maze Prison 25 years ago, party leader Gerry Adams acknowledged yesterday.

The British government was told to hang its head in shame tonight after Irish republicans held a commemoration at the former Maze Prison to 10 IRA and INLA prisoners who died on hunger strike.

Republicans were tonight preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the death of IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands with a number of events throughout Ireland.

THE home of top republican Thomas “Slab” Murphy was searched yesterday as part of a massive security operation to smash a multi-million euro smuggling racket on both sides of the Border.

Undercover security operations in Northern Ireland have been intensified amid fears of a bombing backlash by former associates of jailed Real IRA boss Michael McKevitt, it emerged tonight.

Sinn Fein has demanded that the Irish Government lodge a complaint with its British counterparts after British army helicopters entered the Republic in Hackballscross, Co Louth today.

An ex-garda has pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to harassing his former girlfriend and making over 2,200 pest phone calls to her.