AN elderly Irishman has drowned after falling from his boat off the coast of Cyprus, where he lived, it emerged yesterday.

Cypriot police confirmed that Thomas Terence Roberts (72) was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital in the resort of Ayia Napa on Friday.

Another man in the boat, David Parnell (54) also fell into the water but escaped unharmed.

Major drugs seizure in Kerry

GARDAI and customs officials seized 20,000 worth of drugs following a raid in Kerry yesterday morning. The cannabis was confiscated following a joint operation in Killarney. A man in his 20s was arrested under the Drug Trafficking Act, and was being questioned in Killarney garda station.

Terror ordeal for mother and son

THE home of a woman and her nine-year-old son was targeted twice in the early hours of yesterday morning. The two were treated for shock after a firework was pushed through the letterbox of their home in Derry.

While they were in hospital, the fire service was called to put out a fire in the home caused by a second attack.

Dublin rally over bed shortage

HUNDREDS of people gathered in Dublin city centre yesterday to protest at the lack of hospital beds available in the country. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, who addressed the rally, said it was time the government used public funds to improve the health system and deliver on the required 3,000 hospital beds.