EVERY morning, Paul Howard and his dog set off from Dublin at 7am to drive to Avoca, where he spends the day writing.

A LONG-established, family-run pub between two of Cork city’s suburban sporting heartlands, rugby at Musgrave Park and soccer at Turner’s Cross stadium, has another claim to fame – it is the closest licensed premises to the grave of Fr Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance.

A man jailed for 10 years for his role in an armed burglary where a family was held hostage and robbed has brought High Court proceedings aimed at securing his early release from prison.

It's here!

AS Sir Humphrey Appleby understood, every political crisis, every scandal, no matter how noxious, offers opportunity if appreciated in the correct perspective. 

Quote of the week: “I understand that they feel like that is their body. I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host’.”

Campaigners opposed to redevelopment of the Moore St battlefield site in Dublin have been accused of harassing workers and illegally entering the grounds.

Twitter shares yesterday slipped after analysts at two firms downgraded the stock, citing a lack of confidence in the company’s direction and ability to capitalise on new products.

The Cabinet has agreed to appeal a High Court ruling that a number of buildings on Moore Street be classified as a national monument.

With news that the Cork Film Festival is shy €200,000 in funding despite the €2.5m it pulls in for the local economy, Clodagh Finn wonders if arts is unwisely being pushed to one side by the incoming government

An action aimed at halting an oral hearing for EirGrid’s application to erect approximately 300 pylons as part of the proposed North-South electricity interconnector has been dismissed by the High Court.

Enda Kenny said he takes responsibility for the appointment of John McNulty — but says he had no role in appointing him to the Irish Museum of Modern Art board.

Controversy is swirling around a prominent civil rights activist, with family members saying a local leader of America’s National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People has falsely portrayed herself as black for years.

For this observer there’s a sense of the 1968 US Presidential election about the forthcoming marriage referendum.

Heritage Minister Heather Humphreys believes specialist contractors are required to rid Killarney’s National Park of the invasive rhododendron plant. About €2.8m has been spent over the past 10 years trying to curb the plant’s spread.

Liverpool have another chance to chase a place in next season’s Champions League as they begin their UEFA Europa League campaign.

Here's our spoiler-free guide to the best shows on TV tonight.

ARTS Minister Heather Humphreys is reputationally dead-on-arrival. Her demise is less about dastardly deeds than the damning belief she was led by the nose. That impression was confirmed by her near incoherence when questioned by the media and her refusal to answer questions since. There is nothing so debilitating for a minister as a fool’s pardon.

The plain people of Ireland want plain English — and that’s official.

1. Lauren Bacall was a defining film star of the 40s with an incredible acting career spanning seven decades.

A British man and his American wife have been handed prison terms on charges of illegally trading in the personal details of Chinese citizens after they testified that they bought such information to help companies combat fraud.

Bar owner Rita Moynihan died last week at the age of 83, leaving a rich legacy, according to Dan Buckley

Republic of Ireland 2 England 1

Chinese authorities have formally indicted two corporate investigators, a Briton and an American, for allegedly illegally obtaining and selling private information.

As any Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO, MA (Oxon) worthy of his or her Leinster House access-all-areas pass will confirm, the best way to kill off persistent, difficult ideas is to exile them to the never-never land of consultation, to divert them up endless cul-de-sacs and, eventually, watch them drown in a quagmire of earnest, impractical reports or costings.

DID Enda Kenny not have a spare horse’s head to leave in the garda commissioner’s bed as a warning of his intentions?

The family which has owned a popular city pub for more than a century has built a micro-brewery in the basement and launched a range of craft beers and stouts.

BT Sport has apologised after ex-footballer and pundit David Ginola made a rude hand gesture during coverage of a Premier League game.

Motherwell 3 Celtic 1

Motherwell 3 Celtic 1

Motherwell 2 Celtic 1

Kelvin Wilson is hoping to be let off the hook when he appears at Hampden today to answer the charge of violent conduct following Celtic’s game against Dundee at Dens Park last week.

Hibernian 2 Motherwell 3

A COMPLETE and total poverty of imagination.

Motherwell 4 Inverness 1

There were global family ties at a weekend gathering where an extended clan celebrated the anniversary of their shared ancestors’ wedding almost 150 years earlier.

Jordan Keegan hit two stunning second-half strikes as Monaghan came from behind against fellow strugglers Dundalk at Oriel Park last night to claim only their second win of the season.

Derry City bounced back from their Setanta Cup disappointment with a comfortable 4-1 victory over Monaghan United in Gortakeegan last night.

A first goal of the season for captain David Cassidy saw Shelbourne come from behind for only their second win in seven games.

Veteran striker Jason Byrne struck in the 86th minute as Bray Wanderers snatched all three points at Gortakeegan.

Motherwell 0 Celtic 3

Champions Celtic showed six changes for their Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash with Motherwell at Fir Park.

Newly promoted Monaghan are still looking for their first Premier Division win after being edged out by UCD at the Belfield Bowl last night.