The bishop-elect of Kerry yesterday said he was “totally surprised” when Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown advised him of the appointment ten days ago.

A referendum to reverse the Supreme Court ruling allowing suicidal women to have abortions would give Irish people “the chance to re-establish what they wished for,” according to Catholic bishops.

A representative of the Catholic Church has told today's Oireachtas Health Committee hearing on abortion that it is not necessary to legislate for the X case.

Church leaders will give evidence today before a parliamentary hearing on plans to legislate for abortion in Ireland.

A teen groom, now a 41-year-old grandfather of three, was among six married men who were ordained deacons at the weekend.

Dunlop National Rally Championship leader Thomas Fitzmaurice will battle a strong overseas contingent at Sunday’s ALMC Rally in Meath and Louth.

A notorious appearance on 'The Late Late Show' was the beginning of the end for Padraig Flynn.

THE Association of Catholic Priests has called on RTÉ to explain why it proceeded with a defamatory broadcast against Galway-based priest Fr Kevin Reynolds despite the priest’s constant denials of sexual abuse.

A Galway priest who was wrongly accused by RTÉ's 'Prime Time' of fathering a child in Africa has returned to his parish today.

Like many things, PC is in the eyes of the beholder. Those who baulk at the term turn PC themselves if something is uttered which they find offensive.

The family of a priest who died in suspicious circumstances 25 years ago today are calling for an inquiry into his death.

ONCE again the Catholic church embarks on a great bureaucratic filibuster – now it is going to audit the abuse of children by church employees.

AN Australian man was sentenced to life in prison for murdering a teenager who was stabbed 133 times and then decapitated in an alcohol-fuelled argument.

An Australian teenager was stabbed 133 times by two drunks who then decapitated him and used the head as a bowling ball.

Two news helicopters covering a police chase on live television collided and crashed to the ground, killing all four people on board in a plunge that viewers saw as a jumble of spinning, broken images.

A parish priest in Co Sligo has been reinstated after allegations made against him were thrown out following an investigation.

A SLIGO parish priest said he was looking forward to resuming his duties after being targeted by what he claimed was an untrue allegation of abuse.

A Sligo parish priest said he was looking forward to resuming his duties after being tareted by what he claimed was an untrue allegation of abuse.

Tánaiste Mary Harney today revealed she had concerns and suspicions about the dealings of Dublin City councillors over controversial land re-zoning in the late 1980s.

Tánaiste Mary Harney will appear before the Mahon Tribunal into planning corruption for the first time today.

FIANNA FÁIL will not consider taking any action against the failure of TD GV Wright and Senator Don Lydon to disclose hefty donations to an internal party inquiry in the 1990s until after the planning tribunal has concluded.

AT the best of times, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern’s use of the English language can be perplexing.

FIANNA FÁIL will not consider taking any action against the failure of TD GV Wright and Senator Don Lydon to disclose hefty donations to an internal party inquiry in the 1990s until after the planning tribunal has concluded.

Former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop has told the Mahon Tribunal that he cannot explain discrepancies in his evidence about the alleged bribery of Dublin county councillors in the early 1990s.

Former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop is due to give further evidence to the Mahon Tribunal today about bribes he allegedly paid to several Dublin county councillors in the early 1990s.

Former government press secretary Frank Dunlop is expected to make fresh allegations about payments to Dublin county councillors when the Mahon Tribunal resumes today.

A FIANNA FÁIL senator is due to be named today as one of a number of politicians who accepted an alleged bribe in return for voting in favour of a controversial rezoning issue.

A Co Sligo priest has agreed to stand aside from his ministry pending an investigation into allegations of misconduct against him.

A parish priest in Sligo has stood aside from active duties following allegations being made against him, it emerged today.

THE latest name and shame list of tax defaulters includes the biggest tranche of bogus non-resident account holders to date, but the Revenue Commissioners said there were more to follow.

A new print of Ryan’s Daughter, the 1970 epic love story directed by David Lean is being screened by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles next month.

Families of those killed when a bomb exploded aboard Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie expressed emotions ranging from rage to scepticism to grudging acceptance of a €2.8bn settlement offer from Libya.