A Killarney bar and guesthouse that made millions back in the boom (and which always had a good turnover) when sold and re-sold is now on offer for the price of a dormer home.

BOOKMAKER Ladbrokes yesterday acquired five of the 11 Cashman betting shops in Cork city and county in a deal believed to be worth close to €1.4 million.

THE Rathkeale willow tree stump which people claim projects an image of Our Lady is making global headlines.

A punter who smashed television sets in a bookmakers’ office, causing damage estimated at €17,835, in "several minutes of madness" after losing €2 on a bet has escaped with a suspended sentence.

The ISEQ index of Irish shares slumped to a close this evening dropping 123.72 points to 6853.41.

A crack cocaine addict who pointed a gun at a gardaí who arrived at the scene of a robbery and who later spat blood at a garda has been sentenced to 14 years in prison for four armed raids and other offences.

Shares on the Irish market gathered momentum this afternoon as ISEQ powerhouse Paddy Powers surged by €1.07 at €24.07 per share.

The Irish Council Against Blood Sports is hitting out at Paddy Powers bookmakers over apparently accepting bets on bull-fighting.

GARDAÍ are searching for a gang of masked raiders after they chased their getaway car at speeds of more than 100mph yesterday.

Two Dublin Sinn Féin members were convicted at the Special Criminal Court today on charges of IRA membership.

The names of three former Justice Ministers were on an alleged IRA document found by gardaí in the home of a Dublin man accused of IRA membership, the Special Criminal Court was told today.

Cork City supporters will be trying to spook Nantes into submission at this evening’s sell-out Intertoto Cup quarter-final return leg at Turner’s Cross (7pm).

IRELAND’S Mickey Harte is very much in the running for Eurovision gold, fans visiting the official contest website believe.

FORMER Formula One driver Eddie Irvine might be out of the fast lane, but he’s still wealthy enough to own a yacht, a helicopter, a plane and several Ferraris.

AND they’re off ... obviously not to Dáil Éireann but to Cheltenham for the real business of government.

IRISH punters will wager between €80 million and €100 million in betting offices over the three days of the Cheltenham racing festival, which starts today.

BRYAN ROBSON is the bookies' firm favourite to take over as manager of Ireland's soccer squad.