THE thoughts of two grief-stricken families were with each other yesterday as they buried three young car crash victims and prayed for another passenger injured in the same accident who remains in a serious condition in hospital.

Two former TDs, both well-known publicans, have died, it emerged today.

I HAVE just eaten a wonderful bowl of lightly mashed new season strawberries sprinkled liberally with castor sugar and anointed with cream.

The family of murdered Iraq hostage Ken Bigley including his mother Lil and his wife Sombat, were in Liverpool today for a memorial the service at the city’s Anglican Cathedral.

Several Irish politicians are to attend a memorial service for murdered British hostage Ken Bigley in Liverpool today.

HUNDREDS of Dubliners signed a book of condolences in honour of murdered hostage Ken Bigley yesterday.

A book of condolence is to be opened in Dublin in honour of the British hostage Kenneth Bigley who was killed in Iraq.

Ken Bigley made a frantic bid to escape his captors shortly before being executed, sources in Iraq and the United States said today.

The Foreign Office today refused to discuss reports that Iraq hostage Ken Bigley managed to escape briefly before being recaptured and beheaded.

AFTER a career spent working across the globe and a life punctuated with heartache, Kenneth Bigley hoped Iraq would be his last posting before he settled into happy retirement at a new home in Bangkok.

About 200 anti-war protesters held a sombre meeting tonight calling for the withdrawal of coalition troops from Iraq.

The relatives of Ken Bigley gathered at family home today from where they made their first heartbreaking plea to save his life.

The brother of British hostage Ken Bigley said today he was looking into reports that a new Iraqi militant group had intervened to help negotiate the engineer’s release.

THE family of Ken Bigley last night pleaded with his kidnappers to show the engineer mercy and release him.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tonight called for the release of British hostage Kenneth Bigley.

An Irish politician today offered to travel to Iraq to campaign for the safe release of British hostage Kenneth Bigley.

A MUCH-LOVED traditional musician who brought joy to many people during his long life was laid to rest in his beloved Sliabh Luachra, yesterday.