Hands — first nights are all about hands. Hands for shaking, sweating, hugging, backslapping, pint-holding, but mostly clapping.

A top Cork City secondary school today opens a new pastoral care centre for its 1,000-plus students, providing counselling for everything from third-level courses to family breakdowns.

As John B Keane’s classic tragedy Sive returns to the Abbey stage, his family hope that two of his unseen plays will also be produced, writes Pádraic Killeen

Tensions were high yesterday as upwards of 55,000 students nationwide awaited their Leaving Certificate results. And it was no different for the 170 girls who queued from 8.30am in Christ the King Secondary School in Cork.

As Australian rugby still smoulders, Lions' hero Jonathan Sexton stepped into the cloistered calm of Adare’s 13th century Holy Trinity Church to marry his schooldays sweetheart, Laura Priestley.

Irish rugby ace Johnny Sexton admitted yesterday he’s got the jitters ahead of his wedding today.

A secondary school is refusing to comment on whether it has taken any further disciplinary action since suspending three schoolgirls following an organised fight which was posted on the internet.

The National Parents’ Council has commended the swift action of a school authority in disciplining girls involved in a fight which was recorded and posted on the internet.

John B Keane’s pub in Listowel remains the haunt of poets, storytellers and musicians, writes Dónal Hickey

“I miss him every day and when I wake up in the morning I think we’re going to be having our breakfast together. His presence is still here. I can feel him around the place.” — Mary Keane

DANIELLE BOYLE, one of 70 young people presented with a Gaisce Gold medal award yesterday, believes it has been the making of her.

Micheal O Muircheartaigh obviously has high hopes for his new four-legged friend. Upon retiring from his GAA commentary role last September, the Irish Greyhound Board announced that they would present him with a greyhound and the dog was handed over at a function in Shelbourne Park yesterday afternoon.

NOWADAYS more than ever before we need comfort food. So I’m going to devote my first column of the year to simple homely dishes guaranteed to warm and cheer the family when they traipse in tired and hungry from school or after a long day’s work.

TRIBUTES poured in last night for teenager Aoife Downey who was killed in a tragic sledging accident in Cork at the weekend.

DERVAL O’Rourke was clutching her silver medal close when she was greeted by friends and fans at Dublin Airport yesterday.

A SCHOOLGIRL’S inspirational homework assignment is about to land on the desk of the most powerful man on the planet.

Despite the fact that mutton is having a terrific revival in the UK, it is still very difficult to find mutton in Ireland, so use hogget instead (the name for more mature lamb between Christmas and Easter.)

A homeless man died from a drugs overdose days after being prescribed tablets by up to three different doctors, an inquest heard today.

A WEST Cork farmer has invited landowners and farmers from across the country to a mass rally at his property next Friday aimed at stopping the ESB running unwelcome overhead pylons through people’s lands.