Firefighters in Cork city and county are to hit new heights — with the world’s highest mountain in their plans.

A superb amphitheatre, a terrific buzz and plenty of football action — no, not the Stade de France, The Courtyard off Sober Lane where hundreds gathered for a night of “oohs” and “aahs” and a result any of us would have taken yesterday morning.

Noticed how many celebs lately are “thankful” for their perfect lives on Instagram? It’s all because gratitude is the new mindfulness. Vicki Notaro gives the latest self-help trend a seven-day trial. 

SCOTLAND: Tailbacks were caused on a motorway yesterday “due to a dog taking control of a tractor”.

Barack Obama swapped “banter” with three young boys during his sightseeing trip to Stonehenge, their mother has said.

Mickey Rooney has left his modest estate to one of his stepsons, disinheriting his eight surviving biological children.

A Hawaii woman whose last name is 36 characters long has finally got it to fit on her driving licence and state identification card.

A Hawaiian woman was told to shorten her name because it wouldn't fit on an ID card.

Dublin Housewives star Danielle Meagher has entered the celebrity Big Brother House in the UK.

Want your girlfriend to be your wife? Get Zach Braff to ask her!

A 66-year-old man became the fifth person to die in marine tragedies this week when his body was discovered near his capsized boat in West Cork yesterday.

Negligence claims cost the HSE a massive €81m in taxpayers’ money last year — with €32m going on legal fees for those defending the state organisation.

FIANNA FÁIL leader Micheál Martin has paid tribute to the late Seán French, whose funeral took place yesterday.

GARDAÍ are conducting a massive investigation into the background of murder victim David D’Arcy to piece together why a “hard working and well-respected” man was shot dead in a gangland-style hit.

CHARITY St Vincent de Paul has rescued a man who ended up living in a car for four months after falling into financial difficulties.

Amy Winehouse has been hailed for performing a polished and sober UK comeback show recently.

STAFF at one of the biggest tourist attractions in Ireland are hoping to reunite a family with their long-lost photographs.

A WOMAN who repeatedly turned up at the home of Premiership footballer Rio Ferdinand has been convicted of harassment.

Coronation Street's Vicky Enwistle and Katy Kavanagh have been injured during a staged cat fight.

AMONG the hardship and disease in Haiti, small signs of hope emerge.

Vicky Entwistle reportedly quit ‘Coronation Street’ after a string of rows with producers.

Vicky Entwistle has quit 'Coronation Street' after 14 years.

Calum Best branded Janice Dickinson "crazy" after she tried to seduce him on 'Come Dine With Me'.

Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson was at the centre of a new row about insulting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown today.

A MAN stabbed to death suffered three “deeply penetrating wounds”, two of them seven inches deep, a court heard yesterday.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs can never see himself settling down - because he lacked good married role models when he was young.

Cerys Matthews has become the latest star to be voted off reality series ‘I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!’.

Lynne Franks has become the latest I’m a Celebrity contestant to be thrown out of the Australian jungle.

Coronation Street actor Bruce Jones, who plays resident layabout Les Battersby is to leave the show, ITV said today.

The family of a man stabbed by Italian football fans today told of their shock at the brutal attack.

A RISING star of Irish horse racing died in Australia yesterday with his mother at his side.

Muhammad Ali celebrated his 65th birthday last night watching his old friend Billy Crystal perform at Arizona State University.

Coronation Street bigmouth Janice Battersby has become Britain’s unlikeliest exercise guru after topping the fitness DVD charts.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani appeared today at the trial where a jury is considering whether admitted al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui should be put to death in connection with the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Architect William Walshe was tonight recovering from burns and lacerations after being caught up in the terrorist bomb attacks in London.

A CLOSE family friend of the Jehovah’s Witness woman who objected to allowing her infant receive potentially live-saving blood transfusions on religious grounds said she was “very upset” that the issue had resulted in a high-profile court case.

Coronation Street's third catfight of the year will see Cilla Brown and Janice Battersby at each other's throats.

A senior British Ministry of Defence official claims Dr David Kelly brought his public exposure upon himself.

Coronation Street has reportedly signed up a Bad Girl star to play Les Battersby's new love.

The toxicologist who examined David Kelly after his apparent suicide began his evidence to the Hutton Inquiry today.

One of the last people to see Dr David Kelly alive, his elderly neighbour, began giving evidence at the Hutton Inquiry today.

THE tragic final moments of Dr David Kelly’s life were spelled out in harrowing detail yesterday by those closest to him.