More news in brief.
Syndicate picks up €13m Lotto winnings
Members of a syndicate which won the recent €13 million Lotto jackpot yesterday picked up their cheque saying they wished to remain anonymous.
The syndicate from Co Galway, picked up their prize at the National Lottery headquarters in Dublin yesterday afternoon.
The winning ticket was a €12 "Quick Pick" bought on December 22nd at News 'N' Choose newsagent in Loughrea.
As they were picking up, their cheque one of the group recounted the story of the winning ticket purchase and how they found out they had won the big prize.
"That evening, I was at home when I checked the winning numbers on Aertel," one said. "I checked the first ticket, and I think we had a small prize, €5 or so, but I needed to check that again when I get home.
"Then I checked the other ticket and I called out to my husband, who was in the kitchen, we have three numbers. Then I called out again - we have four numbers. Then five. Then I shrieked, we have six numbers. I couldn't believe it.
"It's a load off our minds to come in here today, hand over our ticket and collect this cheque.
Woman rescued from kayak
Gardaí in Killarney last night said they were investigating an incident in which a young woman was pulled from the water after a kayaking incident on the foothills of Carrauntoohil
The woman, in her early 20s, was taken to Kerry General Hospital in Tralee. Initially her condition was understood to be critical.
The incident on the fast flowing Gaddagh River near Beaufort near occurred at lunchtime. She was believed to be with a college kayaking club when her craft overturned and she got into difficulties.
According to locals, the river was extremely swollen due to heavy rainfall over the past few days.
It has been a busy time outdoors in Kerry this Christmas with up to 600 people on St Stephen's Day alone climbing Carrauntoohil, Ireland's highest mountain, according to rescue services.
Argentinian ambassador dies
The Argentine ambassador to Ireland has died in a Buenos Aires hospital. Marcelo H Huergo died on December 27th, the Argentine embassy announced yesterday.
Mr Huergo (64) has been ambassador in Dublin since 2003, but had been in Argentina on medical leave since February. He underwent several bouts of surgery since he was diagnosed with a tumour, said the embassy's Chargé d'Affaires, Federico Urrutia.
Mr Huergo's posting to Ireland followed a 40-year career in the Argentine foreign service, much of it based in the US with a spell in Tunisia.
His posting in Ireland featured the unveiling of a statue in Dublin in honour of Admiral William (Guillermo) Brown, the Irishman who went on to found the Argentine navy.
Mr Huergo's wife Elvira accompanied him back to Argentina.
Teenagers held over attack
Three teenagers were arrested yesterday after an attack on a 29-year-old man who was found in an estate in Drogheda, Co Louth, with severe head injuries in the early hours of St Stephen's Day. Gardaí said the three, aged 15, 16 and 17, are being held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.