"London is open. Our resilience, unity and defiance of those evil individuals who seek to harm us and destroy our way of life will never change."

They glided across the finishing line with ease, so much so that there wasn’t a ripple of a surprise when it was announced that hero brothers Paul and Gary O’Donovan, who captured the hearts of the nation with their Olympic rowing silver medal triumph, had won the Cork Persons of the Year Award.

The world is a better place because of the legacy left by jockey JT McNamara, described as “an absolute horseman”, by racehorse owner JP McManus.

We may not win the Euros, but we’re still leaving France with a medal.

Cross-channel ferry services have reopened following a fresh blockade at the Port of Calais which disrupted the bank holiday journeys of thousands of passengers.

A website has been launched in the hope of getting more people to use public transport and cut down on car travel in Cork City and county.

Clare County Council are to get €1.75m from the Department of the Environment for the redevelopment of the market area in Ennis.

Limerick City Council held its final meeting this evening after 817 years, ahead of being merged with the County Council on June 1.

The Government is being urged to raise the legal age for drinking spirits to 22 amid concerns youngsters bingeing on hard liquor will face serious health consequences in the future.

Despite the economic downturn, Cork County Council took in €101.8m in rates last year, up more than €10m on what it collected in 2008.

The Mayor of Toronto in Canada is in more hot water.

An explosion in Paris has killed two and left others buried in the rubble of an underground basement.

Kerry is celebrating a unique double after Killarney and Kenmare cleaned up in this year’s Tidy Towns awards.

A Kerry mayor has called on 'boy racers' to give lifts to people in isolated areas.

Comedian Russell Brand is to be a panellist on UK political debate show 'Question Time', sharing the stage with Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Victoria Beckham has led tributes to her husband David Beckham following his retirement from soccer.

Matthew McGrath won a silver medal at the London Olympics in 1908. In 1910, he shot a man in his home five times, recalls Ryle Dwyer

One in every 222 people in Ireland was the victim of a burglary during the first nine months of 2012 as the number of household break-ins increased by over 5%.

Northern Ireland's Health Minister Edwin Poots said it was a huge relief no-one was hurt after a blaze forced the evacuation of five floors of a major hospital in the North.

Andy Murray suffered more grand slam final heartbreak as Roger Federer ended Britain’s hopes of a first home men’s singles champion at Wimbledon for 76 years.

Britain’s Andy Murray made a fine start to his first Wimbledon final but Roger Federer had levelled the match at one set each when mid-afternoon rain arrived.

President Michael D Higgins has arrived in Cobh to mark the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking.

Unionists have stepped up their demands for the Mayor of Belfast to apologise or resign for refusing to present an award to an Army cadet.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) has condemned remarks made today by the Mayor of Naas, Cllr. Darren Scully.

Britain's capital was braced for its third night of rioting tonight as Scotland Yard beefed up its presence to deal robustly with looting thugs.

Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn will tomorrow meet Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore to discuss his dissatisfaction over the decision to name West Ham as preferred bidders for the Olympic Stadium.

Christmas travel misery began to ease in the UK today – a day late for Heathrow Airport’s boss who decided to sacrifice his 2010 bonus.

President Mary McAleese today begins a four-day official visit to Russia to build business links with the country.

LEGENDARY boxing commentator Bob Sheridan will be guest speaker at an event marking the first anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s visit to Ennis.

Over 1,800 cyclists took part in Ireland’s first ever closed-road mass participation cycling event in Co Clare today.

FINAL preparations are being made for a charity swim across an often treacherous stretch of sea between the Aran Islands and Doolin in Co Clare this Saturday.

TORY leader David Cameron entered Downing Street as British Prime Minister for the first time last night and said: “This is going to be hard and difficult work.”

THE Limerick diocese yesterday revealed how Bishop Donal Murray had informed senior priests in the diocese as far back as December 1 – just four days after the publication of the Murphy report – of his intention to resign.

LIMERICK’S 100ft tall floating metal Christmas tree, which was badly damaged in the recent floods after it was swept into the side of the Shannon Bridge, was refloated on the Shannon last night.

Scotland Yard chiefs were today studying allegations of large-scale phone-hacking by the News of the World.

AN ANTI-VANDALISM campaign in Limerick primary schools has led to a huge drop in stone attacks on the Bus Éireann fleet in the city.

THE first concerted political effort to restore the Cork to Swansea ferry service will begin today.

Parents and children in the Tallaght area will be the real victims of a political decision to relocate national paediatric services to the Taoiseach’s constituency, it was claimed today.

SHANNON Foynes Port Company (SFPC) confirmed last night that it had put in train an internal investigation process after unspecified allegations were made to the board.

CHELSEA have abandoned their search for a new stadium site and will now concentrate on raising the capacity at Stamford Bridge to 55,000.

A TRAINING centre for 3,000 teachers in the country’s Gaeltacht and all-Irish schools is still in the planning stages seven years after it was first announced.

Neans McSweeney

A waiver scheme for waste collection in Limerick City is set to be axed in January and up to 4,000 disadvantaged people could have to pay in full for rubbish collections.