Goethe wrote in 1832, “I hate all bungling like sin. but most of all bungling in state affairs, which produce nothing but mischief to thousands and millions”.

In years to come when the history of Irish agriculture is being written, and downturns are being discussed, some will no doubt point to the bad winter of 2012.

Among the 1,715 University of Limerick students who celebrated their graduations yesterday was Dr Sindy Joyce, who became the first Traveller in Ireland to graduate with a PhD.

A posthumous award will be given to the family of the late Dolores O’Riordan.

Your morning headlines

The greatest threat to our planet is our belief that somebody else will save it. If we do not act now, then it will be too late and our fate will be sealed, writes Bob Geldof

A ‘tech corridor’ is emerging on Cork City’s venerable South Mall — the historic commercial boulevard is now to be bookended at the iconic 97 South Mall by fast-growing company Eventbrite, who may employ up to 100 employees there over the next few years.

Boomtoom Rats frontman and charity campaigner Bob Geldof has described Myanmar’s de facto leader and Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi as a “pig” and “handmaiden to ethnic cleansing”.

All the latest headlines this lunchtime.

Here's your morning news bulletin...

I am not sure if Ireland is unique in this regard, but our propensity for negativity and backbiting has to be seen to be believed.

Whatever 2018 has in store for Jarlath Regan, it will be difficult to top last year.

Many times during the recent exchanges between Bob Geldof and Dublin City Council on the heated issue of sharing the Freedom of the City of Dublin with Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Mr Geldof reminded us ad nauseam that he is a proud ‘Dub’.

Bob Geldof has urged Sinn Féin to "grow up" after claiming members made insulting comments about his decision to return the Freedom of the City of Dublin.

The Band Aid archive will be transported from London, where it had been in storage, to Dublin to be catalogued, preserved, selectively digitalised and exhibited.

Bob Geldof uses his celebrity as a battering ram, but he usually gets results, writes Michael Clifford.

Scottish Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Bob Geldof joined thousands of people who slept out in freezing conditions in Edinburgh to raise money to tackle homelessness.

Mrs Browns Boys, Bridget & Eamon, and Baz and Nancy going to see the Pope are some of the highlights on RTÉ for the Christmas period.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s Freedom of Dublin award could be rescinded tonight. City councillors are meeting to discuss calls to remove the honour she has held for 17 years.

Dublin will start removing the Freedom of the City from Myanmar's de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi today.

Bob Geldof once remarked that he was glad he had not been a fresh-faced rock idol in his youth. “I’m fairly lucky, in that I’ve always looked like shite,” he said. “If you were a pretty-boy pop singer, it would wreck you, growing older.”

He was a freeman of the city but he was also a slave to his conscience.

Aung San Suu Kyi has "duped" Ireland, Bob Geldof has said as he returned his freedom of Dublin in protest.

Latest: Bob Geldof has officially handed back his Freedom of the City of Dublin award.

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin...

Tommy Barker enjoys the right royal views from this grand, ground floor apartment in Crosshaven.

Tireless humanitarian and Chernobyl charity founder, Adi Roche, has received the highest honour from Royal College of Physicians of Ireland in Dublin.

Bob Geldof has delivered searing criticism of a number of world leaders, saying he is "sick of them".

The farce is that the increasing number of indelibly marked bodies are essentially the same, writes Gerard Howlin

Activist and rock star Bob Gelof was awarded an honorary doctorate at Trinity College earlier today.

Tributes have been paid to humanitarian and co-founder of Concern Fr Jack Finucane who has died.

The co-founder of one of Ireland's largest charities, Concern, has died.

Bob Geldof has said the European Union does not work. One of the highest- profile, celebrity pro-EU campaigners during the Brexit referendum, he said Brussels needs a radical overhaul.

US secretary of state John Kerry has warned of the risk to the peace process if there are changes to the border with the Republic on the back of Brexit.

Pixie Geldof has a song about her sister Peaches on her debut album. Not surprisingly, though, her sibling’s death isn’t something she wants to endlessly discuss in public, writes Ed Power