Labour Party councillors who have jumped ship and resigned should not be allowed to run for the party in the next general election, a senior Cabinet minister has warned.

Texaco Children’s Art Competition, Cork Vision Centre

“I AM hollow inside. If you could tap my tummy it would be like a bodhrán,” actress Gerry McLoughlin says gaily of her post-cancer body.

It is with a very heavy heart that I write to you and ask that you reconsider the posters which you have installed in locations around the country, alarming visitors and residents.

The prospect of aerobics might usually have people running a mile in the opposite direction, but not in Limerick.

People clinging to Catholic beliefs by their fingernails have been told to look to Bono for hope.

A giant St Patrick led more than 4,000 colourful participants in Limerick’s parade.

The mayor of Limerick, Cllr Gerry McLoughlin, was among the many public figures who attended the funeral yesterday of Limerick journalist Arthur Quinlan.

It has been a miserable few weeks for those involved with the once mighty Shannon RFC.

In a historic ceremony last night, the first female Church of Ireland Dean of Limerick and Ardfert was installed at St Mary’s Cathedral in Limerick.

Mary Stratford’s first crime investigation was a traffic accident.

Gerry McLoughlin talks theatre, thrills and why women will get naked for a cause. Colette Sheridan reports

Former rugby legend Gerry McLoughlin has revealed he contemplated taking his own life after the break-up of his marriage.

The people of Limerick and Munster are not racist, French soccer star Gael Clichy tweeted yesterday.

Limerick’s image as the European City of Sport suffered a blow yesterday after Manchester City’s Gaël Clichy claimed he was subjected to racism in the city on Sunday night.

Former rugby great Cllr Gerry McLoughlin (Lab), on being elected Mayor of Limerick last night, showed he is not a Ross O’Carroll Kelly type when it comes to bragging about sporting achievements.

Several local authorities across the country have elected new mayors tonight.

Heroin is “rampant” in Limerick, according to a city councillor who revealed that he has used his own home to help addicts detox.

COLM TUCKER played his rugby the way he lived his life. He was earnest, committed, determined and like all successful sportsmen, certainly didn’t like to lose!

COLM TUCKER, a member of the Munster team that beat the All Blacks at Thomond Park in 1978 and a former Irish International and Lions wing-forward, passed away in a Dublin hospital last night.

Actress Gerry McLoughlin has enjoyed rehearsals for dual role as siblings in Declan Hassett’s play, says Jo Kerrigan

THE newly-elected Fine Gael mayor of Limerick yesterday warned the city would effectively be abolished by a Government decision to unite the city and county councils as one administrative body from 2014.

THE director for operations in the HSE West area said yesterday there was no possibility of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital’s A&E unit being closed at night-time due to a shortage of junior doctors.

AIB League champions Shannon will have their appeal against a €25,000 fine heard by the Irish Rugby Football Union in Dublin on Wednesday.

DETAILS emerged yesterday of the barrage of abuse launched at a top referee which led to a €25,000 fine being imposed on Shannon RFC following incidents after an AIL game in Limerick.

ANTHONY FOLEY, Munster’s Heineken Cup winning captain in 2006 and now a senior member of the management team, last night dismissed as “nonsense” media reports that there was unrest in the current squad.

THE local elections for Limerick City Council have shades of Germany’s ill-fated Weimar Republic.

FRANK McBREARTY Jnr was yesterday confirmed as a Labour Party candidate for June’s local elections — four years after he reached a €1.5 million settlement with the State for his framing for murder in Donegal.

AFTER their son was named as captain of the British and Irish Lions, Michael and Sheila O’Connell quickly kick-started their celebrations — with a quiet cup of tea.

UL Bohemians 6 Shannon 12

BETTER than winning the Heineken Cup, better than playing for Italy, better than playing for the Barbarians and beating the world champions.

CHILDREN who are out of control are being forcibly taken into care in an attempt to curb gang crime in Limerick.

MURDERED Limerick man Shane Geoghegan earned admiration on the rugby field as a Garryowen captain.

LIMERICK will feature on New Zealand prime time television next month as part of the build-up to the November 18 Munster v All Blacks game in Thomond Park.

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny had held private talks with Labour to try and help his party secure the mayoralty of Limerick, it emerged yesterday.

A BITTER internal row within the Labour Party in Limerick cost Fine Gael the mayoralty of the city last night when independent councillor John Gilligan was sensationally elected to the city’s highest office.

FORMER rugby international, Gerry McLoughlin, is to line out in the Labour colours for next year’s local elections, following a weekend selection convention in Limerick.

GARDAÍ yesterday arrested a teenager after two gunmen terrorised a Limerick community. They are looking for another man.

AN objector to the €40 million Thomond Park development will not appeal a decision of Limerick City Council yesterday to grant planning permission.

YOU’D never think so today but there was a time when Shannon and Garryowen were close allies! Legend has it that towards the end of the 19th century and for much of the 20th, Shannon were the junior partners and annually passed on the cream of their crop so that Garryowen could dominate the coveted Munster Senior Cup for years.

THE SURVIVING 22 Munster Rugby Lions - and the three Wallace brothers, Richard, Paul and David in particular - will be honoured at a corporate lunch at the Maryborough House Hotel, Cork, on January 27.

FIRST there was the rugby match, then the play, and now the book.

Eddie Cassidy

ANGRY rows broke out at two city council meetings last night as motions were passed calling on the Government not to release the killers of Garda Detective Jerry McCabe.