More news in brief.
Woman's body found in Castlebar
A 47-year-old woman whose body was discovered in a house in Castlebar Co Mayo yesterday died of natural causes, a post-mortem has revealed.
A Garda spokesman said the woman may have been an English national.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy concluded the post-mortem at 8pm last night after the body had been found earlier in the day at Station Road in Castlebar.
Man refused bed in centre died
A man who was refused a bed in an addiction treatment centre was found dead on a Cork city street later the same night. The inquest into the death of Patrick Hurley (39), Mayfield, Cork, heard that he had tried a number of times to find a bed for the night after he was refused admission to the Bruree centre in Limerick on November 13th, 2007.
He was later found dead on Alfred Street, having taken a combination of alcohol and prescribed drugs.
The inquest heard Mr Hurley had been driven from Blarney, where he had been staying, to the Bruree centre where it was understood a bed had been arranged for him.
He was refused entry and despite waiting for an hour, failed to get in.
William Hurley told the inquest his son was looking forward to getting sober and starting a counselling course.
Cork city coroner Dr Myra Cullinane recorded a verdict of death by misadventure.
€3,000 fine over cruelty to pup
A man has been ordered to pay €3,000 to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals by Monday or face three months in prison.
Adrian Brazil, Clonad, Tullamore, Co Offaly, was convicted on Wednesday of cruelty after Tullamore District Court heard he had kicked a five-month-old pup and broken its leg.
Judge John Coughlan instructed Mr Brazil to have €620 in court yesterday; however, when this was handed over, he further ordered Mr Brazil to pay €3,000 to the SPCA or he would face a three-month prison sentence.
On Wednesday, the court heard how a neighbour's Labrador pup ran among Mr Brazil's hens when out for a walk with its owners. It was immediately called back but Mr Brazil "came through the gate in a rage, pulled on the pup with his boot and left him in a heap. He yelped and crashed to the floor."
The dog received treatment but was never the same again and was brought to a pound.
Dorset body that of Kerry man
A body found by a walker in a remote area of Dorset in England in February has been confirmed as that of Seán Wheatley from Kenmare, Co Kerry.
Mr Wheatley (41) left his home unexpectedly in December 2006, but had made contact eight months later before again disappearing.
Gardaí had handed a list of missing persons to the British police after they had failed to identify the body and DNA samples were also provided.