Tributes have been paid following the death of a “tireless champion” of the arts in Cork, barrister Jane Anne Rothwell, who was chairwoman of Cork Midsummer Festival for the last five years.

The senior judge of the Central Criminal Court was praised in tributes from lawyers in Cork on the occasion of his last visit as a judge – and his own seven-word reply made his feelings clear about his forthcoming retirement from the bench: “There is nothing voluntary about my going.”

The planned construction of a criminal courthouse at Anglesea St, Cork, will create up to 170 building jobs.

KERRY publicans have confirmed that they will not enforce the smoking ban due to come into effect on March 29 and may yet decide to challenge it in the courts.

PUBLICANS in Kerry are to defy the Government’s smoking ban on January 1.