Culture Minister Heather Humphreys has said the cost of the proposed Cork Event Centre could reach as high as €73m, leading to questions over the project’s credibility.

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin.

A family touched by tragedy hopes to help get Ireland’s first doctor-led air ambulance service in the air.

A small, dedicated group of people is fighting a successful battle against an invasive species which is capable of destabilising houses.

Victor Beamish was born in Dunmanway in 1903 and was one of the most decorated RAF pilots in the Second World War before he was killed in action in 1942. A Spitfire flypast at the Listowel event will honour him, writes Noel Baker

People in the Clonakilty area of West Cork were plunged into mourning yesterday following the death of a worker at the Clona Dairies plant in the town.

A 70-year-old man was terrified in his own home when a woman he knew called to his house and then let her boyfriend in to hold the pensioner captive by knifepoint.

A woman charged with falsely imprisoning and robbing a 69-year-old man at his home in Cork confessed to the crime yesterday.

Gardaí arrested a woman yesterday and charged her with falsely imprisoning and robbing a 69-year-old man at his home in Cork.

Motorsport: A spin midway through the final stage of Rally Sweden, the second round of the World Rally Championship denied the Irish pair of Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle (Citroen DS3 WRC) the opportunity of finishing sixth.

WITH the daffodils just popping up now among the anemones and snowdrops in its front drive, and under old chestnut trees, Woodville House is a River Blackwater treasure, and an early-season Munster market arrival.

Double Irish Forest Rally champion Owen Murphy (Subaru) used all his experience to beat Pádraig Egan (Semog Special) in the Munster Loose Surface Autocross at Ballinacurra, Midleton, yesterday.

Motorsport

Wheels within wheels — an appropriate new use has been found for part of the giant, old Cork Ford factory — it’s to host whizzing karts, on a brand new indoors track.

American tourist Sandy O’Neill Barnes and her family ‘blindly’ drank Ireland’s best-known porters. Guess which one they preferred? asks Louise Roseingrave

Munster sides landed three national titles from a possible four over a memorable weekend at Belfield.

Cork hurling manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy has admitted the county’s poor form is something of a worry to management.

Agri-food and drink, healthcare, ICT and med-tech companies are among those set to benefit from Ulster Bank’s €1.2bn fund for SMEs.

THE dead leave this world taking their stories to the grave.

The doors of one of Ireland’s most historic breweries — which closed in 2009 — will be thrown open to the public for a special interactive event that aims to tap into Cork’s great stout heritage.

Donal Riordan and William O’Driscoll had good wins in the Munster intermediate championship, beating brothers Anthony and Noel Gould respectively.

Darren Beamish enjoyed a Cork Harlequins debut to remember as he struck the only goal of the game to help the Irish Senior Cup champions see off Cookstown at a freezing Farmer’s Cross on Saturday.

The start of the 48th Annual Guinness Trophy brings a tangible touch of class to proceedings at Curraheen Park and it looks like the ladies could dominate the opening night.

THERE’S a sub-29 seconds run in Maureens Admiral and the make-up of tonight’s fifth race at Curraheen Park looks to provide an opportunity for Marie Lavin’s dog to prove such.

AN INDEPENDENT expert group has been set up to review staffing levels in Cork City Council and to make recommendations about further staff cuts.

MELVIN BEAMISH’S quick hands earned Bandon a famous 3-2 Irish Junior Cup victory over Cork Harlequins on Saturday.

IT’S been a self-declared republic for years, like.

DAVID O’MAHONY beat David Hubbard by a bowl of odds in the Champy Deasy Cup final at Grange on Sunday.

AN isolated lonely visitor to Limerick has found love by the Shannon.

Ireland Women 32 Scotland Women 8

IRISH U20 coach Allen Clarke has shuffled his deck for tomorrow night’s Six Nations clash with Wales at Dubarry Park, (7.35pm, RTÉ Two).

AS A gambling novice, after a day on a high stool in a city centre pub in Cork, ‘studying’ the form like a monkey with an abacus, I ended the day’s racing yesterday with a recession-busting total of €15.36.

BEAMISH and Crawford will no longer produce Miller products following a decision by SABMiller to end its contract with the Cork-based brewer.

IT SURVIVED famine, wars and recessions but there was anger on the streets of Cork yesterday after a boardroom decision to close the country’s oldest brewery.

AS Ireland’s oldest brewery, Beamish & Crawford in Cork city prepares to close its doors, some of its most loyal customers were mourning its loss.

EVEN in death the memory of one of Cork’s great characters lives on — in style.

THE Assembly Rooms, the Theatre Royal, the Athenium — all part of Cork’s musical folk memory and now, the focus of a remarkable thesis on the musical life of Cork from the middle of the 18th century to the middle of the 19th.

IRELAND finished third in the FIRA Women’s European Championship in Amsterdam after they drew 22-22 with France on Saturday.