Man charged with murder of GAA star

A 32-year-old man has appeared in court charged with murdering James Hughes in Dundalk last weekend.

Shane Rogers of Deery Terrace, Inniskeen, Co Monaghan, appeared before Dundalk District Court this morning.

He is accused of carrying out the murder at Cluain Ard, Lis Na Dara, Dundalk on December 11.

Judge Flann Brennan remanded Rogers in custody to appear again in Cloverhill Court next Tuesday and directed that he receive medical and psychiatric attention.

Rogers was charged following a garda investigation into the fatal shooting of Mr Hughes, a father of three from Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Mr Hughes' friend Patricia Byrne, 21, and taxi driver Anthony Callan, 48, were injured in the gun attack.

Detectives said a lone killer fired a number of shots into the taxi as it pulled up outside Ms Byrne's house shortly before 4am.

It is understood the suspect is Ms Byrne’s ex-boyfriend.

The dead man was the former captain of Crossmaglen Rangers GAA team.

Witnesses told how he pleaded “please don’t kill me”, before he was shot in the neck and upper body.

A short time later a 32-year-old man presented himself at Carrickmacross Garda Station in Co Monaghan, where he was arrested.

The driver has since been released from hospital while the woman was transferred to St James’ Hospital in Dublin for surgery.

Her injuries are not life threatening.