A former aide to US president John F Kennedy with strong links to West Cork has wound up his 30-year philanthropic fund with a record €100,000 donation to a domestic violence support group.

It was apt that Killarney National Park should look its most blooming yesterday for an occasion to celebrate the life of someone whose family’s generosity led to its creation.

The US Ambassador to Ireland Daniel Rooney has resigned.

THE directors of Independent News & Media (IN&M) were paid €8.1 million last year, a 10% rise on the 2003 figure.