The departure of Michael Harty, who was elected an Independent TD in 2016 after running a successful ‘No Doctor, No Village’ campaign, now makes Clare an interesting one to watch.

This opener to the White Horse Guitar Club’s sold-out Cork Opera House concert set the high-tempo tone from which there was no going back.

The Government’s plan for growth over the next two decades will “kill” rural Ireland and walk the country into “economic and social imbalance”, a coalition of TDs has warned.

Joe Carey owns The White Horse venue which will host the Ballincollig Winter Music Festival in the Cork suburb from January 25-28. A keen musician himself, he is also a member of the White Horse Guitar Club and Jodavino.

Fine Gael TDs and senators will be whipped into voting in favour of a significant beefing up of Ireland’s drink-driving laws, despite concerns about the impact it could have on rural communities.

Unlike his first hustings, Leo didn’t read straight from his script, addressing the audience directly and lobbing in a few sly jabs at Simon, writes Lisa Hand

Simon Coveney’s campaign team have urged grassroots Fine Gael members to “turn” national politicians supporting Leo Varadkar, after two Clare TDs controversially backed his rival just hours after the Housing Minister visited their constituency.

June 7, 1944 was D-Day plus 1, writes Political Editor Daniel McConnell.

From rock ’n’ roll kids to real-life guitar heroes, dads who reignited their love of music in the corner of their local pub are set to perform the biggest gig of their lives tonight in one of Ireland’s most historic venues.

Housing Minister Simon Coveney has opened an early lead on his main rival Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar in the race to succeed Enda Kenny as Fine Gael leader and Taoiseach.

This week, the Irish Examiner Political Team — Juno McEnroe, Fiachra O Cionnaith, Elaine Loughlin, and Daniel McConnell — have endeavoured to pin down where support within the 73 members of the Fine Gael parliamentary party is likely to go once votes are cast.

We look at the top three contenders to be the next Fine Gael leader.

Political Editor Daniel McConnell looks at the top three contenders to be the next Fine Gael leader.

This week Paul Rouse tackles a subject dividing people for a number of reasons - hare coursing.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is facing mounting pressure to refund Irish Water customers who paid their bills, with growing calls for rebates from within Cabinet, as well as from many of his own TDs.

Fine Gael TDs are split on refunding water charges, with half of those contacted by the Irish Examiner in favour of giving the money back and a near identical number saying non-payers must instead be pursued.

A residential investment currently earning €378,000 a year in rent, from 24 modern housing units, is up for sale, less than a kilometre from Cork city centre.

The death has occurred of one of Cork City’s longest-practicing property professionals, developer, estate agent and keen historian associated with the ArCH Project with UCC’s History department, Joe Carey.

Traditionally, Clare has been Fianna Fáil country, with the party consistently taking at least two of the seats on offer since it became a four-seater in 1981.

There must be a general election in the air…..as TDs’ attendance for votes in the Dáil has dropped significantly in recent months.

The majority of TDs cost the taxpayer more than half a million euro each in pay and expenses in under four years, while TDs who are also ministers have received, on average, €631,000.

A pioneering music out-reach project is expanding into a free family festival on the banks of the River Lee.

Billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien’s legal action against the Dáil’s watchdog committee has been widely condemned across the political spectrum.

Accounting firm, Ernst & Young (EY) has received fees from the Central Bank totalling between €21m and €22m over the past two years.

The business model in place at Shannon Airport represents a race to the bottom that has resulted in the airport taking 100,000 passengers from Cork Airport.

One of the country’s top musicians will bring music into healthcare settings as part of a major music festival in Cork next week.