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There’s been progress in arresting the female teenage drop-out rate from sport, but there’s a road to travel yet. Jacqui Corcoran got the views of some of those close to the conundrum

It can be difficult for mums on the go to find time to do their makeup. But all that’s needed is five minutes, writes Carolyn Moore.

GREAT books have the power to make readers stop in their tracks and rethink everything they thought they knew. 

There's a new Transformers film on the way, with director Michael Bay returning for a film called The Last Knight.

THE title of Sheila Bugler’s third book alludes to the fact that the crime novel is the adult version of the child’s fairytale Set in London, and featuring the dogged DI Ellen Kelly of Lewisham CID, All Things Nice is a police procedural rooted in the nursery rhyme that warns us boys are composed of slugs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails.

Midnight Special 4/5

TWO thousand, one hundred twenty-two people are living in a multigenerational starship, headed to Tau Ceti, 11.9 light-years from Earth.

Spectacular conditions made for a perfect end to Calves Week at Schull Harbour Sailing Club yesterday where lady skippers were the highlight of the prize-giving ceremony.

WITH just over three weeks to go before schools re-open, a Dublin mum of three has created an innovative fee collection system for schools — allowing parents to easily pay for an activity or event using text message, email or a dashboard if they don’t have a smartphone.

Sailing

The saga of the Taoiseach, the turbulent TD, his assistant/fiancee and her diamond ring is made for TV – except maybe it would be too far-fetched for a producer to consider, says Michael Clifford

After Wednesday’s weather spectacular in West Cork, light winds returned for the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week fleet for a three-hour race around the islands of Roaringwater Bay.

Chancellor George Osborne’s pet cat Freya had to be taken to the vet after being injured when she was hit by a car on Whitehall.

Spectacular conditions on Roaringwater Bay rewarded the 76 boats competing in Cork Dry Gin Calves Week yesterday as the race committee opted to bring forward the long race around the Fastnet lighthouse from today’s original schedule.

SAILING: A soft day marked the opening race at Cork Dry Gin Calves Week yesterday and with it, light to moderate winds and thundery rain just as racing ended.

This week's reviews in brief

The opening race of the Cork Dry Gin Calves Week saw 60 boats compete around the West Cork Islands yesterday in the first of four days of competition organised by Schull Harbour Sailing Club.

CAMILLA MACPHERSON

Jennifer Saunders has dedicated the Spice Girls musical to her daughters, after revealing they inspired her to write it.

The weather gods were not shining for the final series of races of the Kinsale YC Spring Series.

Easter Monday dawned overcast and breezy for the second week of the KYC Spring Series.

Liam Neeson has started dating again - 18 months after the death of his wife Natasha Richardson.

Comedienne Jennifer Saunders has successfully battled breast cancer, it was reported today.

Coronation Street star Samia Smith today gave birth to a baby girl, a spokeswoman for the soap announced.

A FORMER nightclub doorman accused of attacking his heavily pregnant girlfriend with a hammer while she was asleep said yesterday she was assaulted in a “terrifying” burglary gone wrong.

MORE than a decade after the release of the romantic comedy “Jack and Sarah”, new figures have revealed the two names remain top of the favourites list among Irish mums and dads.

ONE of the passengers aboard the Ryanair holiday jet forced to make an emergency landing after a loss of cabin pressure has revealed how his fellow passengers feared for their lives.

A dog bit the hand of the UK coastguard who went down a cliff in a bid to rescue it.

CONDITIONS were quite horrible for the final race of the PC Scaffold May Mid Week league at Kinsale, southerly winds of 20 knots gusting, a big swell, poor visibility and rain-like needles to compound the misery.

PAUL CARBERRY gave top weight Three Mirrors a superb ride to take the Tipperary Hurdle at Tipperary last night.

ONE of the star attractions at Fota Wildlife Park in Cork had double reason to celebrate this month.

Explorer Pen Hadow was today continuing his long journey home after enduring eight days alone at the North Pole, his wife said.

British Polar hero Pen Hadow remains stranded at the North Pole today, waiting to be picked up after setting a solo Arctic trekking record.

British Polar hero Pen Hadow remains at the top of the world today waiting to be picked up after setting a solo Arctic trekking record.

DESPITE light and variable winds and early tides, 85 boats raced in the Cove SC John McCarthy Motorpoint annual race from Cobh to Blackrock village on the outskirts of Cork City.

GLORIOUS autumnal conditions favoured the Royal Cork Offshore Day and, in a light to moderate south easterly breeze Class One sailed around the Cork Buoy, down to the Bullman Buoy off Kinsale and back to the finish at Roches Point.