The Irish economy is heading into recession a senior economist has warned, as official measures designed to defeat the Covid-19 outbreak hits the jobs-rich industries of tourism, hospitality, and retail.

There were early signs of Irish shoppers stocking up on hand sanitisers and bread just as official warnings about the spread of Covid-19 stepped up, according to the latest super- market spend figures.

Check your tickets!

Players are being urged by Lotto chiefs to check their tickets.

Yesterday’s announcement that Allianz has extended their sponsorship of the National Leagues to 2025 is not expected to impact on the proposal to push the football league into the summer.

Centra boss Martin Kelleher said the chain, supplied by Musgrave, plans to open 20 new stores this year to tap growing sales.

Ambitious goals will attract billions in investment, create thousands of jobs, and regenerate coastal communities, writes David Connolly.

Voters in Dublin Mid-West aren’t talking about immigration. They’re far more worried about housing, transport, and a little boy named Sam, writes Juno McEnroe

New research has found that the number of food staples fortified with folic acid in Irish supermarkets is continuing to decline despite its proven role in preventing severe birth defects.

World Vegan Day on Friday celebrates animal-free food and clothing. While researching vegan options in Cork city, the wide variety on offer — cappuccinos, lattés and hot chocolates, milk substitutes such as oat, coconut, and soya alternatives — suggests huge demand.

Grocery price inflation has eased but is still running above the official rate of inflation across the economy, a major survey suggests.

The jackpot was won last Saturday with a ticket sold in Innishannon, Co Cork.

Musgrave Group has promoted Noel Keeley, currently managing director of Musgrave Wholesale Partners, as CEO designate.

“It’s a disaster for the village,” is how the owner of Falvey’s pharmacy, Conor Falvey, summed up the fallout from the weekend fire in Douglas Shopping Centre that has forced its temporary closure.

A Cork City landmark premises, Finn’s Corner, and associated with four generations of the Finn family including former Irish and Munster rugby international Moss Finn, who’s a co-director, has been put up for sale, either as an investment or for new owner-occupier use.

Club championship fixtures will be played in Cork on the same days the county contests the All-Ireland minor football and U20 hurling finals.

The GAA is promising to investigate why some people hoping to buy tickets to this weekend's semi-final lost their place in the online queue.

A Tallaght man arrested following the looting of a Centra during Storm Emma last year has been sentenced to two years in prison with the final year suspended.

A man who wielded a sledgehammer as he took part in the looting of a local supermarket during the blizzards of Storm Emma last year has been jailed for 18 months.

Ian Galvin has returned to contact training giving Clare joint managers Donal Moloney and Gerry O’Connor an extra option in attack for Sunday’s Munster senior hurling championship tie with Tipperary in Cusack Park.

SuperValu owner Musgrave is eyeing the potential roll-out of a standalone coffee shop chain as part of its expansion plans.

The prices of Irish groceries rose by an annual 2.6% over the Easter period, the fastest since August 2016.

A primely set, corner investment property in the heart of Cork’s suburban Douglas village which once was the focus for an €8m bar and restaurant venture is for sale for €1.75m plus Vat, let to three tenants and earning €174,000 a year in rent.

Management at a busy service station has decided to close their external ATM due to "ongoing security issues".

Chia Bia, a health food company based in Tramore, Co Waterford, has become an industry leader in the supply of seed products to the Irish, European, and international markets.

The popularity and competitiveness of the Munster SHC should strengthen the GAA’s hand when they negotiate their next round of All-Ireland SHC deals, according to market expert John Trainor.

A Donegal shop owner who has been stockpiling custard creams and Heinz beans says the Brexit extension has put a spanner in the works.

A filling station in Co Derry has gone to great lengths to project its ATM after a spate of robberies on both sides of the border in recent times.

Ger Millerick has been named in a strong Cork hurling team to face Kilkenny in Wednesday night's "Kieran O'Connor Benefit Game" in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Details of the Cork County Board’s fundraising match for Kieran O’Connor were confirmed today — Cork hurlers will face Kilkenny in Páirc uí Rinn on Wednesday, March 27th at 7.30pm, with tickets priced at €10 (adults) and €5 (concessions).

WALSH Park in Waterford will host its first Munster SHC game in 23 years on May 12th, the provincial council has confirmed.

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime...

It’s hard to believe that one year ago today we were up to our eyes in snow, bread shortage and make-shift sledding.

A sperm whale found dead in a national park in Indonesia had nearly 6kg of plastic waste in his stomach — including 115 plastic cups; four plastic bottles; 25 plastic bags; two flip-flops; a nylon sack and more than 1,000 other plastic pieces.

Musgrave is ‘open’ to increasing the number of Donnybrook Fair stores but has stopped short of saying whether it wants to expand its newest subsidiary brand outside the greater Dublin area.

Cork chairperson Tracey Kennedy admits that trying to meet the demand for tickets from clubs for Sunday’s Munster SHC final against Clare has been challenging.

Ireland’s wine drinkers have fully embraced the big bold Malbec wines from Argentina but this week I’m recommending a couple of Pyros Wines from a valley you have probably never encountered before.

The Musgrave Group is planning a number of new in-store retail brands, some of which may also be expanded into standalone ‘high street’ brands at a later date.