Tributes were paid today at the funeral of the last survivor of the War of Independence.

Gangland boss John Gilligan spent the night in a special segregation unit after threatening staff in Portlaoise jail.

Three flat-screen TVs have reportedly been discovered during further searches of prisoners' cells at the maximum-security Portlaoise jail.

THE Holohan and O’Donoghue families clashed yesterday, both enlisting solicitors in a war of words over what really happened on the day Robert Holohan was killed.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday insisted Patrick Holland, who denies murdering journalist Veronica Guerin, would serve out his sentence in Portlaoise Prison.

A former IRA jailbreaker was today detained for further questioning by gardaí in relation to yesterday’s armed extortion attempt in Co Cork.

THE two men jailed for their part in the fracas that led to the death of Brian Murphy are expected to be put to work in the kitchen of the Midlands Prison.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell has told the Dáil that the availability of land will determine where and when Dublin gets a new prison.

THE British Government has promised to re-examine legal aid awards to some of the five men suspected of carrying out the Omagh bomb atrocity.

Relatives of those killed in the Omagh bomb atrocity were meeting government ministers today to discuss the forthcoming civil action against five people suspected of being behind the outrage.

UK ministers are meeting relatives of the Omagh bomb victims tomorrow to discuss the forthcoming civil action against five people suspected of being behind the atrocity.

THE Government may provide the families of Omagh victims with financial aid for their civil case against those allegedly behind the atrocity, it emerged last night.

The British government is to provide the Omagh bomb victims’ families with the £800,000 (€1.1m) they need to take those accused of the atrocity to court.

Real IRA chief Michael McKevitt started a 20-year jail sentence tonight, with prison authorities desperate to keep him apart from feuding ex-comrades.

The Real IRA have made a statement saying that "their war" will continue until a full withdrawal of British forces from the North.

THE gangland killing of a major heroin dealer in Dublin’s south inner city may have been over a drug deal gone wrong or a row over territory, sources said yesterday.

The Real IRA tonight pledged more violence even though an internal row left the organisation split.

The Real IRA terrorist group responsible for the 1998 Omagh bomb outrage tonight said it was to disband.

WRITS were served yesterday on three prisoners inside Portlaoise jail and two men in Dundalk in connection with the 1998 Omagh bomb outrage.

Lawyers for John Gilligan return to the High Court this morning in their legal bid to quash the punishment handed down to the convicted drugs smuggler, following an alleged assault on prison officer.

Lawyers for John Gilligan have asked the High Court to grant a judicial review into the conditions of his imprisonment at Portlaoise Jail.