Mayo’s chances of Connacht Championship success this summer received a big boost yesterday when All Star forward Cillian O’Connor made his first competitive appearance for 11 weeks.

Donegal businessman John McNulty is expected to take up his Seanad seat next week — on the same day Michael Noonan will deliver his budget to the Dáil.

Lavit Gallery, Cork

I urge readers to go to the Robert Ballagh Exhibition at the Crawford Art Gallery, Cork.

SEVEN decades are celebrated in Robert Ballagh’s exhibition ‘Seven’, which opens next weekend at the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork. UCD recently presented Ballagh with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature to celebrate his lifetime’s achievements in the arts, and the exhibition of 14 portraits coincides with his 70th birthday later this month.

Artist Robert Ballagh has revealed that thieves took around €10,000 in cash from his home just before Christmas.

St Brigid’s 1-12 Ballaghaderreen 0-06

St. Brigid’s completed a famous three in-a-row of AIB Connacht Club SFC titles as they got the better of Ballaghaderreen in today’s final in Castlebar.

Ballaghaderreen 1-09 Ballintubber 0-04

THE artist who designed the last wave of Irish bank notes before the euro was introduced said if he were to design a new currency for Ireland, the notes would be blank.

The artist who designed the last wave of Irish bank notes before the euro was introduced said if he were to design a new currency for Ireland, the notes would be blank.

Men have to stand up and speak out to end violence against domestic women and children, it was claimed today.

AN outstanding display from Mayo sharpshooter Cillian O’Connor helped ease defending champions Ballintubber through to the Mayo SFC semi-finals yesterday.

THE set designer of Riverdance is boycotting the show during its upcoming tour of Israel in an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people.

POET Seamus Heaney and artist Robert Ballagh went back to school yesterday to join a group of youngsters marking a special occasion.

JUST more than two weeks ahead of the second vote on the Lisbon Treaty, some of the country’s leading sporting, social, political and artistic figures have firmly pinned their colours to the Yes or No camps.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen is expected to meet with Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny and his Labour counterpart Eamon Gilmore tomorrow to discuss co-operation on the Lisbon campaign.

THE unveiling of Robert Ballagh’s, framed etched glass portrait of Patrick Pearse, inside the Sinn Féin rooms of Stormont, to the North’s Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, in the presence of Mr Ballagh and the public, resonates with an irony.

IRISH AMATEUR boxing president Dominic O’Rourke believes the future stars of Irish boxing will be on display at the National Intermediate Championships which glove off at the National Stadium tonight.

LEADING Irish artist Robert Ballagh is to sue the State over its failure to implement an EU directive which would earn artists a percentage when their work is resold.