TG4 soon to be available in Belfast

People in Belfast will soon be able to tune in to TG4.

People in Belfast will soon be able to tune in to TG4.

The service was introduced yesterday as part of an arrangement under the Belfast Agreement and follows close co-operation between the British and Irish governments' communications departments.

A transmitter on high ground a few miles outside Belfast will allow viewers in the city to access TG4 using their existing aerials.

TG4 chairman Pól Ó Gallchóir said the extension of the Irish-language channel to Northern Ireland was a very welcome development for the thriving Irish-language community there.

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Minister for Communications Noel Dempsey acknowledged the assistance of the British authorities in facilitating the service and thanked those responsible for its planning and installation.

Two men die after road accidents

Two men died yesterday following traffic accidents in Limerick and Longford, writes Fiona Gartland.

A 29-year-old man died after his motorcycle collided with a JCB digger at lunchtime yesterday at Ballylanders in Limerick. The man, who has not yet been named, was removed to the Midwestern Regional Hospital.

The 19-year-old driver of a car involved in an accident last Saturday died at Mullingar General Hospital yesterday afternoon.

The accident, at Ballyminnion in Longford, had already claimed the life of Sarah Murtagh (16), of Grian Ard, and seriously injured five other people.

The young driver of the car was taken to Mullingar General in a critical condition along with three other teenagers in his car.

The driver of the other car, a taxi, was taken to St James' Hospital with serious leg injuries, and his passenger was brought to Mullingar General with serious injuries.

41.7% watched Haughey episode

The final episode of Haughey, broadcast on Monday night on RTÉ1, captured an audience share of 41.7 per cent. This represents 562,000 viewers.

Assistant director of television programmes Mary Curtis said: "This documentary series appealed hugely to our viewers, a fact reflected by the consolidation of the audience figures over four consecutive weeks.

Woman sets herself on fire

A woman is in Tallaght hospital after deliberately setting herself alight in a Jobstown petrol station last night. The woman entered the petrol station on Fortunestown Road around 9.45pm, poured petrol over her head and set herself alight. She was taken to hospital with burns to her face, neck and head but was conscious.

Banish suicide taboo - councillor

The taboo of talking about suicide must be blown away, a suicide awareness conference was told in Dublin last night.

Cllr Aodhan O Riordain (Labour), who organised the public meeting on the issue, said people did not know how to react when a person took their own life.

"When something like this happens, people find it very difficult to talk to the parents and come out with any sort of meaningful condolences. They don't know what to say," he said.

Russian award for war veteran

A Dublin war veteran, who was decorated for bravery, has been granted funds to return to Russia more than 60 years after he served there.

Albert Acton, who joined the Royal Navy as an 18-year-old in 1941, will travel to Murmansk, where he worked to supply vital materials to the city.

Mr Acton will be revisiting Murmansk thanks to an €1,800 grant from the Heroes Return Programme.