It was shortly before midday yesterday when Eoghan Donnellan received the news he’d been waiting for. He was free to leave the National Spinal injuries unit at Dublin’s Mater Hospital – and thankfully able to walk out.

At the function to honour the February Rebel Óg monthly award winners, the senior camogie team from Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty, one of the judges, Miriam Murphy, told the members of the team present not to read this article today.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell was urged today to set up a specialist unit to combat gangland killers following the murder of a 64-year-old grandmother in Dublin.

Parents are refusing to send their children to a Co Longford primary school because of an alleged dispute between teachers which they claim is affecting their education.