Cork Simon relies heavily on fundraising by ordinary people embracing the extraordinary time that is Christmas, writes John Tynan

Goresbridge proprietor Martin Donohoe believes the catalogue for next week’s Go For Gold auction of select eventing horses compares favourably to previous years, writes John Tynan

No Borders will combine real-life testimonies from refugees in Ireland with plays, poetry and music, writes John Tynan

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

It was an out-of-the-blue phone call from an American that led to a space observatory being built in Cork City. Nine years on, and the project is being applauded worldwide for its work with children, writes John Tynan

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Are sex robots the new sex toy, asks John Tynan

The director of show jumping for the Federation Equestre International, Capt John Roche, says he has no memory in his almost three decades with the organisation of a ground jury waiving faults accrued by a rider in a situation similar to that experienced by Cian O’Connor last Friday, writes John Tynan.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sees hundreds of non-sailors take to the waves, John Tynan reports

Tipperary’s Denis Lynch (All Star 5) also gets the nod from Ireland manager Robert Splaine.

Shane Kingston, aged 11, from Ballinora GAA, Cork. demonstrates his hurling skills for us and we’ve got to admit, they are pretty impressive.

Fraser Duffy was reasonably satisfied with his dressage on Fernhill Revelation in the CCI three-star class on the opening day of Tattersalls International Horse Trials yesterday, writes John Tynan.

Ireland show jumping manager Robert Splaine was in no mood yesterday for predictions regarding today’s Furusiyya Nations Cup Series opener in Lummen, Belgium, writes John Tynan.

Having finished third of the three teams in last year’s inaugural FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Ballindenisk, the Irish will be bidding for improvement this weekend, writes John Tynan.

Nineteen-year-old show jumper Bertram Allen is still on target to give Ireland its first World Cup title, lying in third place going into tomorrow's final competition in Las Vegas.

Bertram Allen’s philosophy heading into this weekend’s World Cup finals in Las Vegas is fairly straightforward: Do your best and see where it takes you, writes John Tynan.

Ireland manager Robert Splaine yesterday had one piece of advice for Bertram Allen going into next week’s World Cup final: Play your usual game, writes John Tynan.

Darragh Kenny was particularly enthusiastic yesterday about his prospects in tomorrow’s $600,000 Global Champions Tour class in Miami, writes John Tynan.

Cian O’Connor has been anonymous by his own standards for the past few months, but he gave a powerful reminder of his intent last weekend, when winning the World Cup qualifier at Live Oak International in Ocala, Florida, writes John Tynan.

“Some people used to think that a dragon ate the sun but it actually wasn’t, it was actually a solar eclipse.”

It was obvious that Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney was earnest when he promised the support of Government for Reaching New Heights, says John Tynan.

Cookery schools, river walks and wildlife parks — Kilkenny has a lot to offer, says John Tynan.

Want an investment for 2013? Try Hickstead Derby champion Paul Beecher, writes John Tynan

Niamh Shaw combines her interest in science and the arts in her play, That’s About The Size Of It, says John Tynan

By John Tynan

By John Tynan

Show jumper Denis Lynch will not represent Ireland in the Olympics, the Irish Examiner's John Tynan reports.

EQUESTRIAN: By John Tynan

HAVING never won an international class at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, Paul O’Shea yesterday went and topped the leaderboard in two contests yesterday , writes John Tynan.

At 67, Hoketsu has his sights set on a high ranking, writes John Tynan Equestrian Correspondent.

John Tynan, Equestrian Correspondent

John Tynan