Cistercian College, Roscrea will face Gonzaga College in the quarter-finals of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup, following their narrow victories over CBC Monkstown and Castleknock College yesterday.

Artist Alexandra Trotsenko, whose fingers were hacked off in an attack, has started painting and drawing again with her prosthetic fingers.

Down and Wicklow booked Christy Ring Cup semi-final berths, while Derry and London, and Meath and Kildare will contest quarter-final ties next weekend.

With the second-largest economy due to outstrip the US by 2027, speaking Mandarin could become a necessity for our children, says Suzanne Harrington

ARTIST Alexandra Trotsenko, whose fingers were hacked off in a brutal attack, says her life has been turned around by RTÉ’s Joe Duffy and Liveline.

The art auction held yesterday in Blackrock, Dublin, raised over €60,000 for disabled artist Alexandra Trotsenko.

ARTIST Alexandra Trotsenko, whose fingers were chopped off in a vicious attack, cannot believe she survived her horrific ordeal.

A BURGLAR who cut a number of fingers from an artist’s hand and used knives on her “like a butcher” during a break-in has been jailed for 16 years.

A burglar who cut a number of fingers from an artist’s hand and used knives on her “like a butcher” during a break- in has been jailed for 16 years.

A burglar who chopped off the fingers of an artist in her Dublin flat has been jailed for 16 years by a judge who called the violent attack a "type of medieval barbarity".

A burglar who cut a number of fingers from an artist’s hand and used knives on her “like a butcher” during a break-in has had his sentencing adjourned at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

KERRY Group plc will continue growing and making acquisitions, adding to its reputation as a leading global food company, chief executive Stan McCarthy told the group’s AGM in Tralee, yesterday.

Gerry Adams has denied claims on WikiLeaks that he was an IRA leader and had advance knowledge of the infamous Northern Bank raid.

The government had “rock solid evidence” Gerry Adams was a senior member of the IRA as recently as five years ago, according to the latest US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks.

SINN FÉIN have been forced to deny their two most senior officials knew of the 2004 Northern Bank heist before it happened after leaked diplomatic documents said the Irish Government was “certain” of their involvement.

A man was remanded in custody today charged with a robbery and assault in which a woman had two fingers cut off.

A Dublin woman who believes her brother was killed by the IRA is fighting the General Election with the help of other victims of the terror group.

The new US Ambassador to Ireland will today hold talks with the Taoiseach at Government Buildings.

A free festival will take place in the Co Kildare town of Naas during the Ryder Cup, it was confirmed today, as fears mount over rip-off prices during the event.

UNUSUALLY for the representative of another country here, US Ambassador James Kenny has warned against an outbreak of what, realistically, would be the ‘rip-off Ireland’ syndrome during the Ryder Cup golf event next month.

The Minister for Tourism John O’Donoghue tonight appealed for businesses to use common sense when charging visitors during Ryder Cup week.

A PROBE ordered by the Government after it emerged the US transported Apache attack-helicopters through Shannon will not be widened to investigate whether prisoners have been flown through the airport.

Despite passenger numbers at Shannon Airport continuing to rise, it is to lay off 200 workers, writes Mid-West Correspondent Jimmy Woulfe.

The family of a Dublin man who was allegedly killed by an IRA member last year has met the US special envoy to the North and the US Ambassador to Ireland as part of their campaign for justice.

THE image of our Defence Minister Willie O’Dea levelling his big guns against the CIA defies credulity.

CIA AIRCRAFT using Irish landing facilities may be subjected to search inspections to make sure they are not involved in torture operations, Defence Minister Willie O’Dea revealed last night.

The Irish Business Against Litter group is seeking Government action to tackle the problem of chewing gum on Ireland's streets.

Peace activists involved in monitoring the US military use of Shannon Airport have refused to accept US assurances about controversial CIA flights using the Co Clare facility.

The US Ambassador to Ireland is to be asked to appear before an Oireachtas committee to discuss the controversial CIA aircraft that have been using Shannon Airport.

The family of a Dublin man allegedly murdered by a member of the IRA is meeting the US ambassador today to discuss their campaign for justice.

THE Colombia Three issue must not cause difficulties in relations between Ireland and America, US envoy on Northern Ireland Mitchell Reiss said yesterday.

The Colombia Three issue must not cause difficulties in relations between Ireland and the US, it was claimed today.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell yesterday rejected an assertion that CIA operatives would have the power to come to Ireland to interrogate people in secret.

THE lack of public debate on the latest treaty between Ireland and America, under which both countries have agreed closer co-operation in the investigation of crime, represents a blatant negation of the democratic process.

Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness said today he was concerned at the refusal by the US State Department to grant a visa waiver to a senior party representative.

Michael O’Farrell, Political Reporter

The Government has reportedly abandoned its plans to introduce consumer taxes on chewing gum, fast-food wrappings and ATM receipts despite the success of the 15c plastic bag levy.

AN Oireachtas Foreign Affairs committee will travel to the US later this year to lobby for permanent residency on behalf of illegal Irish immigrants. The political support follows a private meeting with the US ambassador to Ireland, James Kenny.

Thousands of illegal Irish immigrants may reportedly be given the right to stay in the United States under new proposals put forward by the Bush administration.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was pressured by the fathers of two Omagh bomb victims today to urge President George Bush not to entertain Sinn Féin or loyalist representatives in the White House next month on St Patrick’s Day.

The US Ambassador to Ireland has snubbed tomorrow's meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The plight of illegal Irish emigrants in the US will be the subject of a Dáil Committee meeting next week.

ONE of two cousins detained in the United States for two months after being caught without a valid visa described how they were transported by plane, shackled and surrounded by armed guards.