Tarquin Blake’s history of Irish castles charts beautiful buildings and a grant-aid culture that goes back six centuries, writes Tommy Barker

From Dracula to Fr Ted and Boyzone, we have devised some of the most brilliant, but often annoying, things on the planet, says John Daly.

I’M a great believer in serendipity, using it as a perfectly adequate substitution for hard work. The word means happy accident or fortunate mistake.

KILFINNANE AND CASTLE OLIVER LOOP

ROCK legend Jimi Hendrix’s first recording contract worth $1 and erotic audio and video tapes sent by Madonna to her old bodyguard have gone on sale in an online auction.