Questions linger over how former Christian brother Edward Bryan, jailed last month for sexual offences, remained working with young offenders for so long - and whether it should have been handled differently, writes Noel Baker

Joe O’Donnell is coming home. Forty years after his last gig in Ireland, which was also the year he released his landmark album, Gaodhal’s Vision, the Limerick violinist and composer will perform with Shkayla as part of this year’s Cork Folk Festival.

Latest: The principal of a south side Dublin school says it would be "devastating" if its playing fields have been sold.

Parents and the principal of a school in south Dublin are battling to stop its playing fields being sold.

In one of the biggest shocks for many a year in the competition, an injury-time penalty put holders Christian Brothers College to the sword at Musgrave Park yesterday.

FACEBOOK boss, Mark Zuckerberg seems to have gone bonkers and given away all his wealth — $45bn (€41.37bn) on paper — to a foundation he has set up along with his wife, Priscilla Chan.

Anyone travelling to London next week shouldn’t miss the London Design Festival taking place across the city until the end of this month.

IF there is even a grain of possibility in the suggestion in the report to Government on the Clerys closure by Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash that, in economic terms, the State may well turn out to be the biggest loser as it might have to pay entitlements to former employees of the company then new legislation is required urgently.

BRENDAN MCCAHEY is from Co Monaghan, and won The Voice of Ireland last year. His latest single, ‘Safe and Well’, is out now, and his new album, To Where I Begin, is also on release.

Ireland’s favourite Australian was in Cork this weekend and Ray Meagher is as much a darn good bloke as Alf himself.

Since 1913, Glennon Brothers (www.glennonbrothers.ie) have been manufacturing high-quality timber products and is now the premier name in the Irish and UK timber processing industry.

Kya deLongchamps takes a look at stoneware faces only some brothers and fervent collectors could love.

‘Vogue’ has declared that the vice-like grip of skinny jeans could be slackening in favour of a looser, slouchier silhouette. Rachel Marie Walsh disagrees

The Catholic Church's counselling service, Towards Healing, has extended its opening hours today and tomorrow, in response to the publication of investigations into nine dioceses and religious congregations.

A 10-year-old boy was told by a priest to make himself less attractive so as not to be a target for sexual abuse, a royal commission has heard in Australia.

The Irish economy has taken a massive hammering over the past few years, but it will make a strong recovery, said Michael Smurfit.

Just 12 Christian Brothers have been convicted of child sex abuse despite allegations being made against 325 members of the order, a safeguarding audit has found.

Struggling DVD rental chain Blockbuster faces being broken up by Christmas after it formally went into administration today – for the second time this year.

Is Timberlake a bowsie, or brilliant? Popular opinion was split yesterday on the merits of his version of the classic song ‘The Auld Triangle’, but the musicians’ union gave the former N Sync man their backing.

Well-tended semi-d overlooking a green area in popular development is suitable on many levels, particularly as it has a large corner site, reports Tommy Barker.

FRANKIE WALSH was a high-scoring half forward on a magnificent Waterford hurling team but though his honours are great, they are not the whole man.

In the first of a five-day series on unemployment, we focus on the county of Waterford, which has suffered more than its fair share of job losses, writes Conor Kane

The verdict is in: Global warming is real and greenhouse-gas emissions from human activity are the main cause.

Popular style of house which has received an ongoing interest from buyers Tommy Barker reports

The Kieran Shannon interview

A REVITALISED President Barack Obama bluntly told America to reinvent itself and unite to survive in a fast-changing global economy powered by rising giants like India and China.

Robbie Williams hinted that Take That might be back for good as the recently reformed group picked up a prize at the Q Awards today.

DRIVING along Belfast’s Ormeau Road on my way home from work recently, I spotted the early autumnal scene which signifies the arrival of a new academic year.

TWO of Ireland’s leading pop and folk music stars who lost their lives last year have been honoured by their peers at the annual Irish Meteor awards gala.

Music fans are expected to line the streets today to bid farewell to folk legend Liam Clancy.

LEGENDARY folk singer Liam Clancy, once described by Bob Dylan as the “greatest ballad singer” he ever heard, died yesterday at the age of 74.

Katy Perry kicked off the MTV Europe Music Awards tonight.

SOME Christian Brothers who formerly served in St Joseph’s Industrial School, Tralee, are expected to be at the centre of a new Garda probe into sexual and physical abuse at the school.

THE Government is dizzy from all the U-turns. On Wednesday night Minister for Children Barry Andrews declined to appear on Vincent Browne’s news programme to discuss the report of the Commission on Child Abuse. Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe declined a similar invitation from Morning Ireland.

IT was difficult to understand why allegations of abuse should have come as such a shock to the Christian Brothers as child sexual abuse was a persistent problem, the Commission of Inquiry in Child Abuse found.

Victims of the horrific child abuse inflicted in State-run institutions feel empty and cheated by the nine-year inquiry, they said today.

Fireworks exploded over Sydney’s shimmering harbour today as the world’s first major city to ring in 2009 celebrated the end of a rocky year with cheers, beers and a sense of relief.

Tributes flowed in for Four Tops frontman Levi Stubbs, whose dynamic and emotive voice drove such Motown hits as 'Reach Out (I’ll Be There)' and 'Baby I Need Your Loving', after he died yesterday aged 72.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny today vowed to take a 5% wage cut in 2009 as an example to other public service workers.

THE European Court of Justice has ruled that a scheme run by beef processors to deal with overcapacity is not compatible with EU law and is a restriction of competition.

Brad Pitt today indicated he would add to his family of six children with a couple more.

IT was with mixed feelings that I read recent reports about the Christian Brothers handing over their schools to a new trust.