2023 in review - Looking back on June in Louth
Five men charged with killing of Seán Rooney
6th June 2023
At the beginning of June a man was charged in connection with the fatal assault of 62-year-old Catherine Henry at her home in Bridge Street, Dundalk on Wednesday 24 May.
Luke Donnelly (26) of no fixed abode appeared before a special sitting of Dundalk District Court.
Gardai had launched a murder probe after Ms Henry was discovered dead following a fatal assault in her home in Bridge Street, Dundalk.
Mr Donnelly was arrested on Thursday 1 June on suspicion of murder, under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
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Lebanon’s military tribunal charged five men with the killing of Irish UN peacekeeper Seán Rooney in December 2022, a senior judicial official said.
Robert Nash was co-opted to Louth County Council, at a special meeting arranged to fill the vacancy that arose following the resignation of Cllr Maria Doyle.
13th June 2023
In June the Democrat reported that Louth County Council and its insurers have paid out over €10 million in compensation claims for accidents in public places over the past five years, according to new figures.
Compensation payouts for the years 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 came to a total of €10,011,141, according to data obtained by the Dundalk Democrat via Freedom Of Information request.
Cllr Sean Kelly was elected Cathaoirleach for Dundalk Municipal District, with Cllr John Reilly elected Leas Cathaoirleach at the Dundalk Municipal District Annual meeting.
Louth County Council is limited to what it can do to combat traffic congestion at Templetown Beach during busy periods, councillors were told at the Dundalk MD June meeting.
20th June 2023
Dundalk Circuit Court heard how a burglar told his accomplice ‘if they move - kill them’ after they’d tied up a married couple in their 80s during a break in at their home.
Stephen Daly of no fixed abode pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and two counts of false imprisonment arising out of the incident in the Rock Road area of Blackrock on April 23rd 2019.
The 30 year old also admitted a charge of burglary at an elderly woman’s home in Ard Easmuinn, Dundalk just days earlier.
The victim in the first burglary returned home from buying Easter cards, to find her alarm was activated and her bedroom had been ransacked after a rock was thrown through a window.
Local councillor John Reilly has branded 'disgusting' the illegal dumping of up to 40 bags of household rubbish on the Greyacre road.
27th June 2023
Dundalk was ranked the most littered town in Ireland after finishing bottom of the latest Irish Business Against Litter Survey (IBAL).
An Taisce, who carried out the survey on behalf of IBAL, deemed Dundalk to be “seriously littered” with just one site out of ten getting the top litter grade.
Two sites in particular, the clothes recycle bank and immediate environs on Castletown Road and the car park and adjacent wasteground, were highlighted as litter blackspots, meaning they were not just casually littered but subject to dumping.
A further €2 million has been approved by government for the 280 metre Narrow Water Bridge linking the Mourne Mountains to the Cooley Peninsula, it was announced in June.
Louth Fine Gael Senator John McGahon said that Cabinet Approval for the funding is proof that the project is on track for its estimated completion date.
A local man who applied for a false passport in his own name which was used by Daniel Kinahan, was remanded in custody, after he appeared before Dundalk Circuit Court last Friday on foot of a bench warrant.
The warrant was issued by Judge Dara Hayes on April 25th last when Seamus Walsh with an address at Mountain View Crescent, Dundalk failed to appear in court for the finalisation of his sentencing, for the sale of his passport to an unknown person after December 5th 2011.