In brief: Grieving sister swept to death

A woman scattering the ashes of her late sister was swept into the sea and drowned off the west coast yesterday

The woman, believed to be in her 50s, was with a male companion on a cliff path at Ballyconneely just after lunchtime yesterday when she either slipped or was blown into the sea as she attempted to scatter the ashes.

The man also ended up in the sea but was unable to get to the woman. He succeeded in swimming to shore and, assisted by a passer-by, alerted the emergency services.

It is understood the woman lived locally but was originally from Dublin. Gardai are not releasing her name until all relatives have been informed.

Sailors quizzed on missing guns

MILITARY and garda investigations are under way after an automatic pistol and ammunition went missing from a Navy ship.

The Heckler and Koch USP pistol, two magazines and 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition could not be found after a routine inspection of the ship's armoury on the LE Niamh.

The German-made pistol is the standard handgun in the Defence Forces and is carried by officers and ship boarding parties in the Naval Service. About 40 sailors now face questioning.

Suspect faces bomb charges

A 51-year-old man has appeared before the Special Criminal Court this afternoon charged with the unlawful possession of explosives.

Seamus Victory, of Kilcullen road, Quinsborough, Monasterevin, Co Kildare, was charged with the unlawful possession of explosives at a farmyard near Quinsborough on January 12. He was remanded in custody to appear on Tuesday.

Man in Kennedy stalker probe

A 41-year-old man has been accused of stalking Caroline Kennedy's daughter for two years and showering her with flowers, balloons and intimate messages.

In some of the more than 40 messages Naeem Ahmed sent to Tatiana Schlossberg, he called himself her husband, it is alleged.

He continued to send messages even after a warning from the Kennedy family's security firm.