Ireland is poised to become an €8 billion ‘green energy’ hub on the back of a significant offshore windfarm project being planned for the north Irish Sea.

Laois 1-20 Westmeath 1-17: A second half goal from Cha Dwyer sparked a stirring Laois comeback as they ran out three-point winners over Westmeath in O’Moore Park.

A group of farmers in the north Clare market and heritage town of Ennistymon is frustrating attempts by German supermarket giant Aldi to build an outlet there.

A prisoner yesterday had four months jail added to his sentence after assaulting a prison officer with a slap across the face.

Irish Rail is being stymied in its plans to upgrade the €106m Western Rail Corridor, it has emerged.

CLARE county manager Tom Coughlan has recommended that councillors not proceed with a flurry of last-minute rezoning for housing in the Ennis area.

GAELECTRIC, the Dublin-headquartered renewable energy group, has signed an €18 million development deal with Chinese energy giant, XEMC which will result in three wind farms being built in the Midlands with the capacity to power nearly 7,000 homes.

CLARE County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission to a proposed €10 million wind farm in west Clare “brings into question the council’s commitment to its own Wind Energy Strategy”.

EVEN before his toes touch the water at the World Swimming Championships in Shanghai, Chris Bryan will have made history.

CLARE County Council has come under fire for giving the go-ahead to contentious plans for a €40 million hospital in Ennis.

IRISH renewable energy group, Gaelectric has secured planning approval for a €68 million wind farm development in Co Derry.

RENEWABLE energy firm Gaelectric is planning to invest more than €2 billion in America over the next six years.

Up to 30 construction jobs will be created after a Co Antrim wind farm received planning approval, it was announced today.

EFFORTS are continuing to resolve a stand-off between a community in Kerry and providers of a controversial telecommunications mast which has been given planning permission by An Bord Pleanála.

NEWBRIDGE College, Co Kildare, and the High School, Rathgar, Dublin, will contest this year’s final of the Thomas Crosbie Holdings All-Ireland Schools Quiz.

TCH All-Ireland School’s Quiz number 187 saw a very close win for Ard Scoil Phobal Beanntrai who won with a score of 96.

IT was another close call encounter in last night’s Thomas Crosbie Holdings All Ireland Schools’ Quiz.

THERE was a nail-biting finish to the TCH All Ireland Schools Quiz held in Bantry last night.

A RUPTURE or leak from the controversial gas pipeline on the north Mayo coast would cause massive casualties and countless deaths, a report claimed yesterday.