Holly Cairns of the Social Democrats was elected on the eighth count.

As her campaign team hit the streets of Ballydehob, West Cork, Holly Cairns could lay reasonable claim to having the country’s youngest canvasser on the job.

A former Stormont minister appeared emotional as he claimed he was “just one boy” against multiple attempts to “smear” him.

Fewer than 40% of eligible people have availed of the State’s free bowel screening service, it has emerged.

It was not as if Leinster put Ulster to the sword in a lively, if disjointed Guinness PRO14 derby at the weekend, they simply sliced and diced them!

Two or three people, now aged in their late 30s or early 40s, could hold the key to unlocking the 30-year-old mystery surrounding the fate of Philip Cairns.

The Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship went down to the final stage of the final round, the Glens of Antrim Rally, where fourth place was enough for Monaghan’s Josh Moffett to lift the crown after his only title rival, former champion Michael O’Brien, slid his Ford Focus WRC off the track towards the end of the final stage.

UCD 0 Cabinteely 1

Independent News & Media has reported that its group revenues are 2.2% down for the year to date, when measured on an annualised basis.

Knowing exactly what was required, it was a case of precision rather than pace that helped Cork driver Owen Murphy land his second National Forest title in three years as his fourth place points finish on the Glens of Antrim Rally secured the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship.

Motorsport: Three young drivers — Josh Moffett, Owen Murphy and Desi Henry — will battle it out in tomorrow’s Glens of Antrim Rally to become the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally champion.

Specialist technology firm First Derivatives has called its trading performance during the first half of its current financial year "robust", adding that full-year performance should be in line with forecasts.

It’s 50 years since the Fab Four played their first and last Irish show at Dublin’s Adelphi Cinema. For those who were there, says Ed Power, it’s like Yesterday.

The West Limerick Forest Rally, the opening round of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, ended with a dramatic final stage victory for County Down’s, Philip Morrow and co-driver, Johnny Hart.

THERE has been a lot of talk of evolution at Chelsea in recent months, but to see Frank Lampard and John Terry celebrating wildly in front of the Matthew Harding Stand at the end of this fortunate, hard-fought victory was to be reminded that some things never change.

Chelsea 2 Tottenham 1

Standing eight-tiers tall, covered in 900 delicate sugar-paste flowers and with its creator exhausted, the wedding cake took centre-stage at Buckingham Palace yesterday afternoon as the bride and groom celebrated with friends and family.

A TEENAGER who was trapped in front of an oncoming train pleaded desperately for help during a phone call with his father moments before he died.

WITH victory in the opening two rounds of the Valvoline Irish Forest Rally Championship, Cork driver Owen Murphy aims to continue the trend in Sunday’s third round, the Lismore-based Munster Moonraker Forest Rally.

Edinburgh 14 Cardiff Blues 21

Ulster’s unbeaten record in the Magners League came to an end at rain-soaked Murrayfield as David Blair’s drop goal put the seal on Edinburgh’s win.

Ulster 29 Edinburgh 21

BATTLING through wet and difficult conditions, reigning British Rally Champion, Keith Cronin, took an important and memorable victory in Rally Isle of Man, the fourth round of the Dulux Trade British Rally Championship.

A MAN who stabbed his ex-girlfriend and their young son to death had been arrested a week earlier by police for threatening to kill his family.

ULSTER got their first Magners League win of the season over a Scottish side and in the process took five points to make sure that they will stay ahead of Connacht and earn a Heineken Cup place next season.

THIS year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally will feature a demanding 18-mile night-time stage as the centrepiece to what is the second oldest rally in the world.

Scotland 6 Argentina 9

THREE penalties from James Arlidge were enough to earn the Dragons a valuable Magners League victory in Edinburgh.

ROB MOFFAT welcomes back leading points scorer Chris Paterson into Edinburgh’s starting line-up for the visit of champions Munster to Murrayfield tomorrow night.

Detectives investigating the disappearance of a schoolboy 23 years ago restarted an excavation at a golf course today after a new witness came forward.

A DIG at a Dublin golf course as part of the search for Philip Cairns, who has been missing for 23 years, is likely to continue into a third day.

A wooded area in a golf club is being excavated in the search for a schoolboy missing for 23 years, it emerged tonight.

Edinburgh 27 Leinster 16

RUA TIPOKI looks certain to return to Magners League action when Munster take on Edinburgh at Musgrave Park on Saturday (7.30).

ON to April’s Heineken Cupquarter-finals Leinster go, butwith a nervous stumble rather than a confident swagger.

EDINBURGH inflicted another dose of Murrayfield misery on Matt Williams as they kick-started their quest for the Magners League crown last night.

DANNY CIPRIANI put his England misery behind him as Wasps survived a sterling Edinburgh fightback in another Heineken Cup thriller at Murrayfield.

The first minister to quit the British government in protest at Gordon Brown’s leadership denied tonight he was part of a plot to destabilise the prime minister.

Scotland boss Frank Hadden will field his strongest side against Argentina on Saturday as he looks ahead to the World Cup.

Scotland have named uncapped trio Ben Cairns, Thom Evans and Moray Low in their 30-man squad for their summer tour to Argentina.

SARACENS’ director of rugby Alan Gaffney admitted his players’ faces were as pink as their shirts after the 40-29 defeat to Wasps that kept Ian McGeechan’s men on track for the Premiership play-offs.

Glasgow Warriors 23 Edinburgh 14

Edinburgh 38 Connacht 8