As the date of the Rising rapidly approached, this is what was happening behind the scenes 100 years ago this week

How this week 100 years ago was spent by the main players behind the Rising, based largely on observations of their movements by police.

1,000 Irish Volunteers answered the call and turned out across Co Cork on Easter Sunday, writes Niall Murray

How this week 100 years ago was spent by the men and women behind the Rising

There will be no ‘show time’ on Budget Day, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told a dinner gathering of business folk.

Would You Believe? The Tuam Babies, Sunday, RTÉ One.

As John B Keane’s classic tragedy Sive returns to the Abbey stage, his family hope that two of his unseen plays will also be produced, writes Pádraic Killeen

The Supreme Court judgment of the appeal concerning the role of the Labour Court, and the constitutional and legislative integrity of Joint Industrial Council agreements, highlighted the authority of article 15.2.1 of the Constitution.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny described the current economic conditions of the country as “what is in reality a temporary, hand-me-down, financial straitjacket”.

JOHN B KEANE lived a double life.

A new book exposes how, after a promising start, corruption became endemic in Irish political life, writes Colette Browne

Fianna Fáil is facing “an absolute hammering” in the forthcoming General Election according to Cork East TD Ned O’Keeffe, as new poll numbers showed a plunge in support.

Ernest Blythe was the Fine Gael (or Cumann na nGael) Minister for Finance in 1923.

FOR years the maxim of American business was: “As General Motors goes, so goes the nation.” Today there are fears General Motors is going bankrupt and this could have further enormous implications for the global economy. The whole thing emphasises the need for new political thinking in relation to the economy.

THE late writer, Hugh Leonard, received the traditional applause of the theatre world at his funeral mass in Dalkey yesterday at what mourners were told was his “final curtain call”.

DURING the week Bertie Ahern fell down a stairs and broke his leg. But the media was so preoccupied it hardly warranted a mention. The country has been reeling since the budget. Is that what happened to Bertie?

I AM appalled at the restrictions on medical cards for the over-70s.

QUESTION: Name the Olympian and Hollywood star who won a Tailteann Games medal in a pond in the Phoenix Park in 1924.

IT was disappointing recently to hear Pat Rabbitte on Morning Ireland flippantly dismiss the Taoiseach’s description of the roots and philosophy of Fianna Fáil as “a republican social party”.

NOW that the centenary of the Abbey has passed, may I say there has been far too much ambivalence and equivocation about the contribution made by Ernest Blythe to the national theatre.

THE re-partition plan presented to Ted Heath in July 1972 attracted more attention than any of the other documents released this week.

Ryle Dwyer analyses the events following Collins’ death

There are rumblings from Education Minister Noel Dempsey of the re-introduction of third level fees.