November 3 is National Sandwich Day.

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If you are longing for a taste of simple Spanish food you’ll need to head away from the main drag — off into the back streets and out into the villages in the wooded hillside.

A record temperature was recorded in France yesterday when, in Carpentras, in the south-eastern Vaucluse département, the mercury hit 44.3C, breaking the previous record of 44.1C set in Montpellier and Nîmes in August 2003.

I lived near Ibiza’s national park and I didn’t even know it

This morning I saw a buzzard drifting across the blue sky above my home in West Cork and marvelled at how gracefully and effortlessly it was carried on the upper air.

Carolyn Moore explores the wonderful treasures this old Spanish city has to offer.

Ciara McDonnell meets the Irish designers making waves on the sartorial world stage

Spanish public officials are working towards the addition of new flight routes from Ireland to the southern province of Andalucia, the region’s minister for tourism and sport has announced.

What is the best-value wine in the world? The answer I give to this question may surprise you — sherry.

Broadcaster and psychoanalyst, Michael Murphy, will bring his evening of reflection: ‘Stories, Poetry and Dreams to the Triskel, Christchurch next week and ahead of the event, Colette Sheridan talks to him about his work, his books and his outlo.

Hillwalking in Ireland is a joy but there is something particularly special about the south of Spain with its year-round clear skies and its easy access from Irish airports, writes Dan McCarthy

A 19th century incenses storage box from Japan shows a monkey holding a peach; while another is in the shape of a lute.

Hot metal, cool stools, fluttering butterflies and expensive wild leather furniture, crafted by hand. All part of this week’s list from Esther N McCarthy.

ONE of the big draws on the programme for Cork World Book Festival, which opens Tuesday, Apr 23, will be Aidan Higgins: A Writer’s Life, a tribute to his contribution to literature.

Irish woman set up horse trekking company in Malaga and adapted to rural custom, says Richard Fitzpatrick

Twelve months after hurling was showcased in front of NFL fans before Superbowl XLVI, an exhibition game of Gaelic football will be played during half-time of a La Liga Primera Division game in Seville next Monday.

The European Tour have confirmed that next month’s Andalucia Masters at Valderrama has been cancelled.

DUBLIN-BORN designer Zoë Jordan’s new collection is inspired by Amelia Earhart, who said: “The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers”.

Conor Dwane

The inhabitants of a Spanish village painted blue for the filming of 'The Smurfs' movie have voted to keep their houses the vivid shade, instead of returning to traditional white.

SHANE LOWRY got his first look at a US Open course set-up at Congressional County Club yesterday having admitted he was taking a leap into the unknown.

THERE’S passion aplenty round Peter and Anna Warburton’s west Cork heartland.

THOUSANDS of babies disappeared over a 40-year period in Spain, stolen from their mothers and handed over for adoption by the state and the Catholic Church.

IRELAND’s north west region is celebrating its status as Europe’s leading golf destination for next season.

RORY McILROY and Padraig Harrington will continue their single-minded chase for major glory by doing things their own special way next season.

SHANGHAI to Sherkin, a contrast that would make one’s head spin.

WHEN Tiger Woods won the 2000 Open Championship at St Andrews by eight shots, hardly an eyebrow was raised in surprise.

WORLD number three Lee Westwood pointed to the luck of the draw after he got the worst of the conditions in the first round at St Andrews.

PAUL McGINLEY eased much of the pain of a five-month lay-off from competition by moving into contention after two rounds of the Andalucian Open in Spain.

IF there is one thing that captures the Spanish soul for us foreigners it’s flamenco.

AS Alice in Wonderland said, things gets “curiouser and curioser” and she was “so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English”.

LAST WEEK we headed off to London with a group of teachers from the cookery school. We were on our school tour, a fact-finding mission to check out and experience the London food scene. It’s amazing what can be crammed into two days when you are on a mission.

THE La Cala Resort in Mijas, Málaga has been voted the best golf resort in southern Spanish region of Andalucía by a panel of industry experts.

OFF the back of one of the wettest summers on record, the momentum for those booking a short break in the sun this winter is as strong as ever.

Truckers angry over soaring fuel prices blocked roads across Spain, disrupting supplies of food, petrol, car parts and other goods.

Irish former US collegians Peter O’Keeffe and Niall Turner came up short on their respective bids for major tour cards this week.

IT WAS another hot morning at the Cortijo El Jabali and the jay birds wuz stealin’ the cherries.

THE YOUNG brigade are having the better of matters in recent times on the European Tour.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has warned that even local knowledge might not be enough to help him claim back-to-back European Tour titles.

RAIN in the mountains of Andalucia while it was glorious weather in Ireland.

THE other afternoon, we drove to Trevélez, the highest village in Spain, and then walked higher still.

PRECIOUS water is exported from the dry lands of Spain in millions of cubic kilometres each year. We receive it in Ireland in, for example, tomatoes, which are probably 70% water.

WHEN the first flakes scudded past the window at lunch time, I thought they were almond blossom petals drifting on the wind.