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.

A former sweet factory is destined to add new vibrancy to Limerick city centre, it emerged yesterday.

Time magazine named German Chancellor Angela Merkel its 2015 “Person of the Year”, noting her resilience and leadership when faced with the Syrian refugee crisis and turmoil in the European Union over its currency this year.