A man who has brought smiles to the faces of countless sick and deserving children was given a standing ovation by more than 250 guests as he was pronounced Cork Person of the Year.

More than 17,000 runners at today'sBelfast City Marathon stood in silence in memory of the spectators killed in the Boston bombings.

IT already regards itself as the ‘real capital’. Now Cork has launched a bid to become the country’s festivals capital.