As he watched his former Galway colleagues reaching the peak on All-Ireland final Sunday from the Croke Park press box in his brief as an analyst, there was plenty of mixed emotions for David Collins, writes John Fogarty.

As the Cork Jazz Festival turns 40, Richard Fitzpatrick asked a few familiar faces to share their fondest memories of the famous festival. 

It was his grandmother and father who instilled the value of money in Dublin entrepreneur Brian Lee — he insists those life lessons serve him well to this day as his Freshly Chopped health food brand expands throughout the country.

Economists such as John Fitzgerald have correctly questioned the merit of returning to pre-crash pay levels in the first place, the political system here seems intent on capitulation on that point, writes Daniel McConnell.

Once gossip takes the place of factual news you are marking time until your democracy collapses, writes Victoria White.

A senior Fianna Fáil TD has controversially claimed former taoiseach Brian Cowen and the late former finance minister Brian Lenihan “put country before party” in the decisions they imposed during the economic crash.

Leo may not get the job for being too interesting and Simon may not get it for not being interesting enough, writes Alison O’Connor

Several ministers in the Brian Cowen government including Cork’s Billy Kelleher and Batt O’Keeffe were physically attacked by angry members of the public as the economic crash engulfed the country, a new book reveals.

THE wise words — “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me” — neatly encapsulates the valuable lesson that there is really no such thing as a free education. 

The couple who became the latest to die on one of the country’s most notorious roads have been remembered as active members of their community.

Commemorations might be about the past, but many of the people attending the 1916 Rising parade were thinking of the future and of their children’s futures.

The first time I met furniture designer John Lee was some years ago when I was prowling around London’s 100% Design show, says Carol O’Callaghan.

Unknown heroes of the Irish Volunteers have been identified in graves in Glasnevin cemetery as part of a new commemoration.

Cosy up now and gather round, says Esther N McCarthy, because the days are shortening, the light is dimming and it’ s time to play inside.

Traffic tailbacks of several kilometres resulted as more than 500 people blocked a town centre in protest at the condition of its main street’s road surface and footpaths.

Esther N McCarthy on an inspirational exhibition celebrating furniture design.

FINAL DEBATE: Will the Galway management pay for ditching so much experience?

Irish creativity in craft and design is flourishing says Carol O’Callaghan and is in high demand internationally

John Lee reports from Seoul on a 20-year protest by ‘Comfort Women’ and a nation’s refusal to forget

PREPARING Garrycastle for a second Leinster club football final in three years in what could be his last game in charge would be enough to keep most managers occupied. But Anthony Cunningham’s been getting accustomed to multi-tasking since he his appointment as John McIntyre’s successor over the Galway hurlers in late October.

Thomas Codd and Murty Dempsey have been chosen to assist new Wexford senior hurling manager Liam Dunne for his first season in charge.

NEW Galway hurling boss Anthony Cunningham has dropped one third of the team which started the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford this year in a massive clear-out.

MATTIE MURPHY has been synonymous with Galway underage success since first getting involved in inter-county management in 1989.

HOW did Waterford recover from their Munster final humiliation?

WHEN Joe Connolly made his now famous All-Ireland-winning speech after Galway had bridged a 57-yr gap in 1980, it seemed to signal the end of what had been a hugely frustrating period for a county that is steeped in hurling history and tradition.

Two-time All-Star Joe Canning has been named at full-forward in the Galway team to face Dublin in Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final in Tullamore (throw-in 7pm).

The Galway hurlers will field a much-changed team for their Leinster Championship opener against Westmeath in Mullingar tonight (throw-in 7pm).

YOU could call Westmeath manager Brian Hanley a high flyer these days. A few weeks ago, having overseen the exploits of Liam Mellows in the Galway SHC in the morning, he was flown by helicopter to Dr Cullen Park in Carlow where Westmeath were taking on the home side in the Leinster championship.

GALWAY concluded their championship preparations when a late goal from substitute Eanna Ryan sealed a six-point win at Athenry on Saturday in a game which was played over three 25-minute periods.

GALWAY goalkeeper Colm Callanan is a glass half full character. While others would bemoan the injury crisis which has hit the senior hurling squad, Callanan puts a positive spin on how the creaking treatment room has worked for the betterment of the county’s young stars.

THIS is not the best of weeks to be an intercounty hurler in Clare and Wexford.

ONE thing Galway can’t complain about going into this Leinster final is a lack of games – in fact they have more big matches played than Kilkenny, three to one.

FIRST Croke Park, now Portlaoise.

FAIR play to both Offaly and Galway for producing the game of the championships in Croke Park last weekend.

A TOWN bypassed by the Celtic Tiger is preparing to fight for the right to be linked to the new M20 Cork-Limerick motorway.

THE two most important games this weekend, as far as the final stages of the league is concerned, are Kilkenny against Galway and Tipperary’s clash with Waterford.

FRANK CUMMINS is generally recognised as being one of the greatest hurlers of all time, certainly one of the greatest midfielders.

THIRTY years of failures and disappointment in the Fitzgibbon Cup were washed away as NUI Galway swept to success on their home turf in Pearse Stadium on Saturday.

NUI Galway 1-17 Waterford IT 1-16

NUI Galway 1-24 Limerick IT 1-23