16/09/2016 BBC Newsline

Islamic State has been jailed for killing a local

Good evening, the headlines on BBC Newsline...

Arlene Arkinson's sister speaks of her pain as a search begins

I don't want to get my hopes built up. I fear at the same time that

it's not her. It's a knock-back. The family of a man who died

in a so called one punch attack say We are in Heaney country where there

is a last ditch effort to stop this landscape as the diggers roll in.

we'll be live from Belfast Cathedral Quarter as events get underway.

There seems to be an invasion of these long legged creatures -

The final bell sounds on Paddy Barnes amateur career

as the double Olympic medallist confirms he's going professional.

I'll have the full forecast just before 7pm.

A specialist forensic team has spent the day at the site of the latest

search for the missing teenager Arlene Arkinson in County Tyrone.

The 15-year-old was reported missing in 1994.

She was last seen in the company of the convicted paedophile

and child killer Robert Howard who died in prison last year.

Our northwest reporter Keiron Tourish is at the scene

of the search at Killen, near Castlederg.

As you can imagine it was a very emotional day for the family of

Arlene Arkinson. They visited the scene here a short time ago as those

searches continued. An agonising and all too familiar

sight for the family of Arlene Arkinson. Waiting in hope of some

news of the recovery of the teenager's body. It has been 22

years since the 15-year-old went missing in August 19 94. Each day

begins with the determination to find her and bring closure to this

Craddick case. -- tragic case. I just hope it is her for our family's

sake. 22 years is a long time. We will never give up hope. Never. A

specialist search team was brought in from England today to set a rural

location near the village of Killen just outside Castlederg. Police

sealed off a wooded area after a farmer alerted them. He noticed

disturbed earth. A mound of clay and stones behind a derelict house. It

looked to me like a grave. That's what it looked to me like. I don't

know if it is a grave or not at your not going to go onto it with a

tractor because it is all covered around with trees. But it is a mound

of earth with stones on it? A mound of earth and stones on it. Or

somebody has interfered with the ground. It hasn't been done with a

machine. It has been done by hand. The area is a mile from the house

where Arlene Arkinson was last seen alive 22 years ago. It is also close

to the road where the 15 year was spotted with the man suspected of

killing her, and Vic did Child rapist and killer Robert Howard who

died in prison last year # Convicted. He was acquitted of the

murder of Arlene Arkinson but the jury were not told of his previous

convictions. The people here have the thoughts of her family in

thought. Tragic. A long time for them to be suffering. I hope she can

be found and laid to rest for the family's sake after all this time. I

just want it all to be over and done with. We want her soul to rest. Just

tried to get on and rest. This has been a long time.

The family say these latest developments came completely out of

the blue and they are trying as best as they can to deal with them. They

say they have been greatly heartened why the community here and in

Castlederg and further afield. The family of a teenager killed

in a so called one punch attack say they don't think they'll

ever get justice. Jason McGovern had been on a night

out in Omagh four years ago. He suffered a fractured skull

which led to bleeding on the brain. Today, a County Tyrone man

who was sent for trial four times accused of the 19-year-old's

manslaughter was given a fourth month suspended sentence

for his part in an attack on Mr McGovern's friend

on the night he died. In a moment we will hear

from Jason McGovern's brother but first Lisa McAlister

was in court. Mark Donnelly from Greencastle left

Laganside courts a free man today with a four-month prison sentence

suspended for a year for fighting and making an affray in Omagh town

centre in the early hours Liam Williams suffered a fractured

jaw in an initial fracas outside the terrace bar with Mark Donnelly

and four of his friends. They also received suspended

sentences as did his girlfriend, who admitted providing him

with a false alibi, claiming It was a second confrontation around

five minutes later in the car park of this pub but Jason McGovern

sustained the injury He suffered a fractured skull,

which led to bleeding on the brain. Donnelly, who is now 24,

faced two trials for manslaughter. He always maintained

that he was innocent and was wrongly identified as being the man

who threw the punch which led Each time the jury was unable

to reach a verdict. Another trial had to be aborted

for legal reasons, while in June a jury was directed to find not

guilty when a prosecution lawyer said they were offering no evidence

on the manslaughter charge. Sentencing him, the judge accepted

he had shown genuine remorse and regretted his

involvement in event. Today's hearing marks the end

of legal proceedings connect to two events in Omagh on New Year's Eve

in 2012 with no one being held Jason McGovern was the youngest

of three boys and the main carer for his mother who suffers

from multiple sclerosis. His brother Niall has been telling

Lisa McAllister how he learned of the awful news that his brother

had died on a night out. I remember that morning it was New

Year's Eve morning. We had travelled to Galway and it was a long journey.

We had only just arrived and settled in the house and the phone rang and

it was dad who broke the news to me. It's unexplainable. The feeling that

comes over you. I've never felt anything like that before. Even now

looking back it is still hard to take in and hard to believe, the

type of person Jason was, that something like that could happen to

him. You are getting married. Yes, I'm getting married next year.

You're planning a day without Jason. He is not going to be there. Ack

when it all happened, Jonathan get married and P was planning his

wedding in the circumstances that we are and the trial was right before

their wedding and they were building up to the wedding worrying about the

trial and if it overran. You don't want to think about that. It is

supposed to be the happiest day of your life. That Christmas John and I

asked dad if I -- Jonathan had asked him if he would be his best man and

that was just before he was killed. Jason should be sitting here beside

me. There is somebody outside their Heaney is exactly what happened that

night. Do you have any faith that they will ever come forward or tell

the truth? I think if that person was going to tell the truth they

would have done it by now. I don't think they will ever. That is some

think they will have to live with. That is on their head. It is just

having someone take responsibility is what would mean a lot to us. I

don't think we will ever get that sense of justice. I think that is

what makes it even harder. We have lost Jason but nobody has taken

responsibility and that is hard to deal with.

A pedestrian was seriously injured on Dock Street in Belfast this

afternoon by a lorry. There are no further details at the moment.

You're watching BBC Newsline, still to come on the programme...

The unused equestrian centre - taxpayers have been footing the bill

for it but now there are hopes a new tenant can be found.

The major A6 road project looks like a done deal.

But artists and environmentalists are fighting a last ditch

battle to stop it running through the landscape which inspired

Work is due to start on dualling the road in a few weeks.

On Sunday artists will hold a protest poetry reading

in the Lyric Theatre, and there's the prospect

Here's our Agriculture and Environment Correspondent

After ten years of talking, they're breaking ground

A decade ago there was a row over this road.

It ran close to important habitat for overwintering swans.

It cut through a landscape immortalised by the Nobel laureate

I don't think of it as the Irish landscape. I figure that as a place

that I know. It is ordinarily and I can lay my hand on it and know it

and the words come alive. The upgrade will see a dual

carriageway from Randalstown to Around Toome, a route to the south

of the existing road was explored. In the end an option to the north

was chosen that skirts This is the site of the Heaney home

place and the new road comes close to it. It is about 50 metres away

down this road, close to where that big sign is. There will also be a

flyover here to carry this country road over the dual carriageway. The

road will be within 100 meters of garden.

of the contested route, once criticised by Heaney himself.

When he wrote his earliest poems looking across here he said it was

his favourite view in the whole world.

It is gridlocked at times and virtually impossible to cross

The 160 million euro upgrade will make it quicker and safer

The ?160 million upgrade will make it quicker and safer but opposition

to the chosen route has again galvanised

environmentalists and artists who say even at this late stage,

the Heaney landscape should be left intact.

Do you have two choose a place that has been dignified by our greatest

poet? I'll be content that people will come here to watch the

locations for game of thrones? Is that where we are placing our

imaginative level? Work is due to start in weeks and the authorities

believe they have got this one right. In that area you are through

Heaney country and environmentally delicate areas so the project we

have designed is very fitting. Ultimately the courts

may decide on that. The Necarne Estate in

Irvinestown once hosted But for the last four years

the equestrian facility leased by the Department of Agriculture has

been lying empty at The local council, which owns it,

is hoping a new tenant will come forward with ideas

to put it to good use. Our south west reporter

Julian Fowler has been These were the good times -

when three-day eventing at Necarne The 230 acre estate was bought

by Fermanagh council in the 1980s. It spent ?4 million creating

world-class equestrian facilities including arenas,

stabling and accommodation. The Department for Agriculture

leases the property but four years ago it moved its equine courses

to its college campus Since then, it has been largely

unused, but it has cost taxpayers Now this place is only used by local

walkers and runners, the big question for the council

is what to do with it. The council tried to sell or lease

Necarne three years ago, but it was withdrawn

from the market. Local people hope its future use

will benefit the community. From a health and fitness point of

view is unfortunately it is a great facility but that hasn't been used

for very much at all. Despite spending millions

on these facilities, the council says it doesn't have

to be for an equestrian use. It would be fantastic if it could

provide employment, perhaps if it provided tourism or education.

Perhaps an economic driver, take the company headquarters. There are lots

of opportunities. The council is also responsible

for the care of the listed castle and there are concerns

that its condition is getting worse. When I come down here I say a prayer

when I am walking here and I say please do not let the council that

this falls down on our watch. The Council says it will cost

significant sums to restore the castle but it will be removing

vegetation to try and ensure And it hopes a buyer will be found

to secure the future of this It's the biggest night of the year

for the arts - Culture Night. Concerts, dance shows,

theatre, talks and tours - they're happening in towns

and cities across Ireland north Some of the main events

in Belfast are about to start in the Cathedral Quarter and

Catherine Morrison is there for us. Yes, Dana. It is already busy here.

We have a wrestling ring behind us, a Roller Derby in front of us, it

could only be Culture Night. Things kicked off earlier with a massive

three VB 5000 lunch along Donegal Street. That is still going on. It

is proving very popular. -- feed the 5000 lunch. What does the evening

have in store for us? Mayhem, I guess! That is the whole thing about

Culture Night. You never know what is going to be around the corner. We

try and keep everything fresh, new and show everybody coming to Belfast

just how much the creative community had to offer. This is going to be

your biggest Culture Night to date. You are affecting 80,000 people. It

has been growing by 15,000 for the last couple of years, every year,

and we have prepared for that. That is what we are expecting this

evening. It is a mammoth task. The funding we have is going down every

year so this is the sort of thing under threat if we don't protect our

arts funding. All the organisations that take part in the event are

equally affected so already people are asking me where the carnival are

this year and they can't take part because they don't have enough money

to take part in Culture Night this year. Let us enjoy this year's

Culture Night. There will be something for everyone on every

street corner from musical performances to theatre and it is

all happening this evening. It goes on until 10pm. I hope they are

having a play there and it isn't serious!

Geoff Maskell will be here shortly to tell us if the rain will hold off

for all of those Culture Night events and talking about

the weather, particular weather conditions over the past year have

brought an explosion of a regular Autumn visitor the crane

Will Leitch has been find out why they're

This is just one of 60 species of daddy longlegs in Ireland. This year

there has been an explosion of them and it has been noticed at this

laboratory in Belfast. They are trying to find out how to do the

number of these insects that attack words. It is because it was a

relatively mild and wet winter. -- attack grasses and woodland. They

are coming into the summer we have had a relatively mild and wet summer

so we haven't had the hot weather that would kill these laugh I --

grabs. Not everything that we think is a daddy longlegs might be one.

Here are three of them. You might be seeing a big spider or something

harmless. These can be a bigger threat to farming but they posed no

threat to people. Tell that to people with real phobias of daddy

longlegs, making this time of year a challenge. It is such an irrational

fear because they are tiny. Their bodies are so tiny but they have

long legs and they tickle and it makes me shudder to think of them

coming at me. At this time of year there are so many of them. The way

they move, the noises they make and it is hard to kill them. They are

slow but the way they move is zigzagging so it is really hard to

catch them. Because of daddy longlegs will disappear as the

weather gets cooler. Make no mistake, they will be back next

year. Did you hear that, no threat to

people but they are not very nice! The final Bell has sounded on Paddy

Barnes amateur boxing career. He's been speaking to

Mark Sidebottom who joins me Mark, It won't prompt an exodus Donna

but a Michael Conlon announcement is imminent - he's talking shop

with several suitors. Both fighters were left pretty

disillusioned post in Beijing London struggled

to make the weight in Brazil. Confirmation that he's to turn

professional came earlier today. Having struggled to make the weight

in his final amateur fight in Rio, he was always going to consider his

options. His mind is now made up will stop I was talking to people

and they gave me a good offer and I am going to turn professional after

a long amateur career. He is yet to disclose what he will do but he is

due to side with a well-known promoter in England next week. I am

going to start as a flyweight and move up. Hopefully see what happens.

At 29, arguably the twilight of your career. Have you missed the boat?

No. I am not worried. Paddy Barnes hopes to make his professional debut

in Belfast before next August. The finest player in

Pro-12 rugby bar none. That's Scarlets coach Wayne Pivac's

assessment of Charles Piutau. Theyre in Belfast this

evening to take on Ulster. All black Piutau unruffled

by his star billing. I was coached a lot by Wayne and he

helped me a lot in my stages of my career. I am excited to catch up

with him after the game. How happy are you with the start to the

campaign? As a team we were a little bit disappointed in that not getting

five points but any win in this competition is crucial and we will

take that. The game live on BBC Two

the iPlayer from 7pm. The biggest day in the GAA's

football calendar beckons. Dublin and Mayo take centre stage

in Sunday's All-Ireland Final, and one of the finest teams

to come out of Ulster That's Downs granite men

who beat meath in a cracker A generation ago, supporters were

allowed onto the Croke Park pitch. Health and safety wasn't perhaps

quite what it is now, certainly for And when Ulster teams reached

the all Ireland stages, for the previous 23 years

they were sent back up the Down won the All Ireland

and 25 years later it's I'm really looking forward to it.

Most of all looking forward to meeting all of my former team-mates.

I remember on the corner of the pitch a ball of silence and a

massive red and black mass of flags. Great memories but once the lads

started the crowd erupted. The pitch invasion afterwards. What are the

thoughts going through your mind? Massive byes. Excitement. When you

start out as a child playing football it would be a dream. You

look to fulfil the dream and it was magical.

Back then, Greg Blaney was one of the finest to play the game.

25 years later and with a large room, Greg

Played seven lost none - can anyone halt Crusaders?

Tomorrow it's managerless Glentoran's turn to

They are under pressure and you always worry about that. They can

come out all guns blazing. Especially when there is a new

manager. We look forward to the challenge. It is a big challenge for

us down there. We have drawn and want a view in the last years but we

will give it our best shot. Kick-off at 8pm this evening.

Finally, disappointment for Ballymena teenager Katie Morrow.

The GB womens paralympic wheelchair basketball team has missed out

on a bronze medal in Rio losing heavily to the Netherlands.

Good evening. It is a weekend with a lot going on. We have an all Ireland

final in Dublin, a half marathon in Belfast, Culture Night,

conversations at Mount Stuart. It all kicks off with the rugby which

gets underway very soon. You need a ticket for that but you don't need a

ticket for Culture Night, it is free but what you do need is decent

weather. Do you know what? I think we will oblige. There have been a

fresh appeal to our weather today as we go through this evening and

overnight underneath those clearing skies, the temperatures in rural

spots could go down to five or six Celsius. That sets us up for a

decent September day will stop a little on the courtside to begin

with but as we go through the day it is going to be dry, bright and love

the sunshine gets to work, the temperatures will rise nicely with

daytime highs of 16 or 17 Celsius. Very much what we would expect for

this time of year. As we go through the afternoon we will see more in

the way of cloud bubbling up but that shouldn't ruin the party. It is

a perfectly dry and usable table stop on Saturday it is dry and

bright but the same can't be said for Sunday because on Saturday we

have had some protection from an area of high pressure. On Saturday

night that starts to fade away, opening the door for this next

weather front to work its way. That is the remains of a tropical storm.

It is going to be a wet and quite a windy day on Sunday. This is the

picture you're going to be waking up to on Sunday morning. That front

moving slowly across ringing 20 millimetres of rain to all parts. It

will last a couple of hours. Drier conditions behind it. Monday is

actually looking like quite a decent start to the working week.

Temperatures in the mid teens. It is only the runners to be disappointed

with this forecast, looking wet on Sunday but what ever you are doing

with your weekend, I hope you have a written good one.

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