Diverse and exciting writing talent has been shortlisted across 14 categories for the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards.

Until a deluge split the heavens at lunchtime on Sunday, many were increasingly inclined to believe rumours that Satan was spotted somewhere east of Shanagarry bearing a bagful of souls, his part in a Faustian bargain that saw the 2016 Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine bask in an utterly improbable mini-heatwave while the rest of the country took to the lifeboats.

A ladder builder in Scotland who thought he had won £10,000 on the lottery was "gobsmacked" to find he had scooped £10.3m.

The weather gods smiled down on the third Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine, as 8,000-plus visitors from more than 30 countries streamed through the gates of Ballymaloe House, in East Cork, over the weekend to watch Irish and international stars of food and wine strut their culinary stuff.

Reimagining the role of Irish women in the 1916 Rising opened several doors for Henrietta McKervey and helped her to develop her writing which has won her numerous prizes, writes Sue Leonard.            

Climate change makes extreme storms more likely, says scientist

Captain Blackadder: It’s the same plan that we used last time and the 17 times before that.

The late Brian Lenihan was remembered by family, friends and political colleagues at the launch of a book reflecting on his life and times.

THE excitement is really mounting, it’s just a week to this year’s Lit Fest at Ballymaloe, May 16-18.

When Betty Purcell was just two-and-a-half years old, her mother placed her in an orphanage.

It’s official. Amy and Brian really are our Kate and Wills.

Transition year students are the focus of the ‘Future is Food’ drive to promote Irish artisan foods, launched by the Taste Council of Ireland and Bord Bia.

Barack Obama’s pastry chef and the co-founder of the world’s best restaurant are among a galaxy of global culinary giants on the menu for a major national festival next month.

It was the biggest flare-up Croke Park has seen since Brian Cody and Anthony Cunningham got frisky on the touchline at the climax of this year’s drawn All-Ireland hurling final.

Writer Maeve Binchy’s death has prompted consideration of notables who might be described as our national treasures, says Barbara Scully

OH GOD.

PRESENTER Miriam O’Callaghan, who hosts RTÉ One’s New Year’s Eve Live show tonight, says viewers can expect a big star line-up.

THE Irish Examiner’s Fiachra Ó Cionnaith is the 2011 young medical journalist of the year.

THE silly season is in full swing.

THE first time I met Micheál Martin, I was certain he would become leader of Fianna Fáil.

THE Irish Examiner has collected another two awards for its investigation into suicide.

IRISH EXAMINER journalist Fiachra O Cionnaith was awarded top honours at the 2010 GlaxoSmithKline Medical Media Awards in Dublin last night.

THE trial and tribulations of the country were never a match for the loves and life of Ally McBeal, according to Labour leader Eamon Gilmore.

HOW sad that the last edition of Questions & Answers should have been spoiled by devoting the closing 10 minutes to a one-to-one puff piece with Brian Cowen.

For over 20 years John Bowman’s Questions & Answers programme has made a real contribution to political debate by allowing the public to have their say with politicians on the issues of the day.

IRISH Examiner journalist Claire O’Sullivan was last night named Social/Humanitarian Affairs Journalist of The Year at the Bord Gáis Energy National Media Awards.

PRESIDENT Mary McAleese’s daughter, Emma, stole the limelight from her mother when she claimed a top academic accolade at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) yesterday.

THE world of Irish rugby put aside thoughts of next Saturday’s Munster-Leinster match yesterday as it celebrated the life of the late Irish and Lions captain, Karl Mullen, who died last Sunday aged 82.

RTÉ’s Questions & Answers programme is about to bite the dust, as did Today Tonight and other similar programmes that rubbed the Fianna Fáil governments up the wrong way.

IT’S the end of an era — Monday nights will never be the same again for the country’s news junkies and political anoraks.

RTÉ is planning to cancel ‘Questions and Answers’.

MAKING a will is a socially approved of activity like taking exercise. I’m all for it. For other people. It may be irrational to believe that taking exercise or writing a will would kill you, but what about Jim Fixx, I ask you?

THE striking Writers Guild of America says lawyers could complete a draft of a proposed deal with Hollywood studios by today.

The striking Writers Guild of America says lawyers could complete a draft of a proposed deal with Hollywood studios by tomorrow.

I WISH to express alarm at RTÉ’s increasing propensity to dumb down real political debate and allow public service broadcasting become an arm of Government.

Striking American film and TV writers joined with actors, other union members and even tourists in Los Angeles for a last rally before contract talks resume next week with studios and producers.

CHIEF Mahon Planning Tribunal witness Frank Dunlop yesterday became a legal eagle.

Hollywood writers will go on strike today after last-ditch talks called by a US government mediator failed.

Every party into which cocaine is introduced helps to fuel a market that depends utterly on addiction and ruined lives.

The first results of the 2007 general election will be compiled overnight and released on RTÉ tomorrow morning.