Storytellers and musicians donned ancient garbs and head-dresses for the Bealtaine fire festival.

The incident took place in an estate in Mullingar on Monday evening.

Judge Keenan Johnson described it as a tragic case that has left Thomas Maher "a prisoner in his own body" after the unprovoked, vicious assault.

Judge Keenan Johnson heard how gardaí were dispatched to the woman's home in Mullingar shortly after midnight and saw the victim in an emotional state and "bleeding heavily from the back of her head".

Two other men were injured in the incident at Ballynascarry, Finea

A local detective told Garrett Baker SC, prosecuting, that the young girl was 15-years-old at the time when she agreed to meet with the defendant, who was two years older.

On Monday, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys was told that the formulation of the State’s position on the case is “not as advanced” as previously hoped.

Temperatures are expected to climb from the low of minus 7 degrees recorded in the early hours of Thursday

Precious Moyo, 38, who lived at the Athlone Accommodation Center at Lissywollen, Athlone, Co Westmeath, was sentenced at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court on Tuesday.

The trial of Michal Luczak, a Polish national formerly with an address at Primrose Avenue, Jigginstown, Naas, Co Kildare, and now living in Skerries, Dublin, had been due to start on November 26th.

The EU Just Transition Area includes municipal districts in the counties Laois, Longford, Offaly, Westmeath, Roscommon and the Municipal Districts of Ballinasloe (Co Galway), Athy, Clane-Maynooth, (Co Kildare) and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (Co Tipperary).

The event in County Westmeath is a celebration of one of Ireland’s oldest traditions.

The mansion was the former home of the late racehorse trainer and gambler Barney Curley, who died in 2021