D Thursday, October 22, 2009 METRO Pumpkin Master Jimmy Fitzsimmons sizes up Diana Donnellys offering ahead of the Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Virginia, Co Cavan, this weekend Picture: Patrick Bolger HOW DO MY PUMPKINS MEASURE UP? Womb transplants are a step closer SCIENTISTS believe thewill soon be able to carry out the first-ever successful womb transplant. The womb would be transplanted with a good blood supply which would last long enough to carry a pregnancy to term, offering an alternative to surrogacy or adoption for women whose wombs have been damaged by diseases such as cervical cancer. Richard Smith, gynaecological surgeon at Londons Hammersmith Hospital presented his latest research on rabbits at a US fertility conference. By MATT WILLIAMS Terrorist link catches up with tycoon Medication: McElhill with his daughter Fire-death father depressed A FATHER who killed himself, his partner and their five children when he set fire to their home was treated for depression two months before the fatal blaze, an inquest heard yesterday. Dr Michelle Mellotte told the second day of the hearing into the seven deaths in Omagh, Co Tyrone, in November 2007 that she had prescribed Mr McElhill anti-depressants nine weeks before the incident. He was really down and depressed, the doctor said. Firefighter David Canning told the court nothing in his career could have prepared him for the scene that greeted him when the seven charred bodies were discovered in a room upstairs. A MILLIONAIRE tycoon who spun a web of lies about his business and past terrorist links, was sentenced to 18 months in prison yesterday. Sean ONeill is likely to be deported back to Northern Ireland from the US af- ter he has served his time. The tycoons past caught up with him when police raided his Philadelphia home after his 17-year-old son acciden- tally shot dead a classmate during an un- derage drinking party, while he and his wife Eileen were away on a weekend break. They then discovered that ONeill had lied to obtain a green card, deceived of- ficials to get guns, an illegal silencer, and owed 200,700 in back taxes. Prosecutors estimated that he made 8.8million from construction, pub and restaurant businesses and his assets include 17 properties, a personal heli- copter and top of the range cars. In April he pleaded guilty to tax fraud, possession of an illegal firearm silencer and three counts of immigration fraud. Originally from Co Tyrone, ONeill, 49, pleaded guilty in 1977 to being a member of Fianna na hireann, a banned organisation, considered to be a youth wing of the IRA. He kept that conviction secret after moving to the US to start a new life. His lawyers, who portray him as a loving father and a philanthropic com- munity man, had said deportation to Northern Ireland would be sufficient punishment for his crimes. While awaiting his trial, ONeills daughter Risn, 23, was charged with drink-driving after an incident in which a 63-year-old grandmother was killed. She pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced next month. Night owls love to bargain shop NEW research by eBay revealed that 41 per cent of Irish people shop online at night. Ireland is leading the way in night owl shopping among its European neighbours, according to figures which show that DIY fanatics are the true night owls, with 100 per cent of DIY eBay.ie sales occurring at night. A high per cent of residential property hunters were also night shoppers. The study found the Irish need discounts of more than 37 per cent to feel they nabbed a bargain. index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html