Communities living next to rivers are on high alert amid warnings that the country’s major waterways could burst their banks today or over the weekend with the forecast of heavy rain.

THE attempt of members of Athlone Town Council to remove an exhibit from a local gallery should not be dismissed as an isolated case of parochial philistinism and should alert the public to the dangers of the Government’s plan to merge the boards of the National Library and National Museum

The councillor who tabled a motion in the chamber of Athlone Town Council requesting the removal of a piece of artwork from a gallery in the town has said that the piece is "offensive to those who served in the Defence Forces".

Longford artist Shane Cullen has said he is shocked by a motion from Athlone Town Council to remove his work from the Luan Art Gallery.

Athlone town councillors have kicked to touch a motion that a state-owned artwork featuring messages sent by hunger strikers to their families should be removed from the town’s modern art gallery.

Protesters are staging a demonstration outside this evening's meeting of Athlone Town Council, following the tabling of a motion to remove an art exhibition from the town.

A glass block, white space gallery on the banks of the Shannon at Athlone, which cost €3.5m, is completed ahead of its official opening date of Nov 29.

The tight-knit community of Rindoon Park and Hazelwood in Athlone was last night coming to terms with the tragic drowning of two-year-old Liam Keogh.

Up to 15,000 spectators are expected to turn out in the Midlands today, as the Waterways Ireland triAthlone takes place.

Anxious communities along the banks of the River Shannon were tonight bracing themselves for devastating floods after waters reached record heights.

ALISTAIR CRAGG last night delivered a lacklustre performance when finishing last in the 3,000 metres at the IAA Golden League Track and Field Meeting in Paris.

HUNDREDS of people on local authority housing lists turned down homes last year because the properties were not in the right area or were too small.

TOWN and county councils are skimping on investment in their local roads, Transport Minister Noel Dempsey claimed.

ATHLONE Town Council will decide today if it is to give the green light to a major €150 million development that has met with strong local objection.

AS surely as you will find a great woman behind any good man, lurking in the shadows of a successful politician you will unearth a superlative backroom team.