Ireland suffered a 23-run defeat to world champions Australia in a rain-affected one-day international at Belfast.

Mo comhghairdeas to John Creedon and to RTÉ on a wonderful opening show, highlighting our magnificent west coast.

Watching the 10.00pm news on BBC One last night, I was aghast to hear that a fruit-stall trader in Greece had reduced the price of his cherries from €2 to €1.50 a kilo.

There was great excitement in Midleton on the Bank Holiday weekend. The Midleton Farmers Market was joyfully celebrating its 15-year anniversary.

Your coverage on page one, and two-page spread on pages six and seven of the Irish Examiner (April 6) was excellent writing by Eoin English.

Your report (July 15), suggests that Cllr Seamus McGrath of Fianna Fáil (and others), seem to be of the opinion that the Port of Cork’s container development plan for Ringaskiddy would be in order if the upgrade of the N28 was in place.

The Lavit Gallery is celebrating 50 years of promoting the visual arts, says Tina O’Sullivan

IRISH racing, which has been dragged through the mud since the Saturday of Listowel, reached a new low at Clonmel yesterday.

ADRIAN HESKIN added to his growing reputation when powering False Economy, backed from 7-1 to 5’s, to an easy victory in the opening maiden hurdle at Tipperary last night.

NEPTUNE are scheduled to travel to travel to Limerick tomorrow night to play UL Eagles in an eagerly-awaited Nivea for Men’s SuperLeague game.

Former Leicester Tigers hooker Gavin Hickie has returned to St Mary's College ahead of their season opener at home to Dublin rivals Clontarf at Templeville Road.

PAT Smullen proved himself in top form ahead of the Galway Festival when recording a double in the opening races on last night’s card at Wexford where Philip Rothwell took the training honours thanks to the victories of Eyeffess and Mount Welcome.

THE column by Peter Levy headlined ‘Beautiful city can teach Cork a lesson’ (County supplement, June 2) should be prescribed reading for all in the Cork City Planning and Development Directorate whose role, according to their own website is... “to develop an overall physical development policy for Cork City supporting economic growth, an acceptable standard of living and a satisfactory physical environment for living and working”.

JUST imagine, this wonderful country expended 51 million to find that “stupid old pencils” work after all.

THE Dermot Weld-trained Loyal Focus foiled a big gamble on Essex in the GPT Handicap at the first stage of the Galway Festival last night.

DAVY RUSSELL got off to the perfect start for the New Year when producing a magical piece of riding on Cloudy Bays in the featured Wilf Dooly Chase at Tramore yesterday.

NOW that Cork is the European Capital of Culture, is it too much to expect that the organising committee would spell our street names correctly?

The Irish Schoolboys will be looking to continue their unbeaten run in their Australian tour when they take on a strong Australian 'A' side in Sydney tomorrow afternoon.

The Irish schoolboys' rugby team secured their fourth victory of their tour to Australia when they beat a strong New South Wales Combined High Schools side 27 - 22 at Eastwood RFC in Sydney.

The Irish Schools rugby squad to tour Australia during August has been announced by the management.

Diarmuid Laffan will captain Ireland from blind side wing forward in the schools rugby international against Wales at Donnybrook on Saturday next (kick-off 6pm).