Half a million tourists, dozens of heads of state, and the attention of the world’s media. If there were ever a headache for anti-terror forces, it’s the Olympics.

IT is good to see an anthology of short stories from a new Dublin-based publisher, and even better to discover that the anthology is not confined to Irish writers, nor does it claim to be the “best of” anything.

ON the morning I was to be married for the second time, I found myself going to my knees in the shower and praying: that my ex-husband would find love again ...” 

RICHARD BAUSCH’s last novel, Peace, was a major critical success, and years ago novelist Richard Ford championed him by writing the introduction to Bausch’s terrific book of short stories, Aren’t You Happy For Me?

Richard Ford Bloomsbury, €18.75;

Drama at Sedgefield saw the Compare Bookies Odds At bookies.com Handicap Chase declared void due to an incorrect flag being deployed, with all the riders in the race handed 10-day bans.

I’d be lost without music. My taste in music is wide and ever-expanding. 

Watchable is out to continue a fine season for his owner Philip Bamford in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup today.

Cork International Short Story festival kicked off at Triskel Christchurch last night with a reading from famed US writer Richard Ford.

1|literature|CORK SHORT STORY FESTIVAL

MUSIC NEWS: U2 caught us all by surprise earlier this week with the release of their new album, Songs Of Innocence, as part of a tie-in with Apple.

Champion-jockey Joseph O’Brien tasted success for the first time at the annual meeting on the beach at Laytown yesterday when partnering Sister Slew to victory for Gordon Elliott in the Marquees Nationwide Claiming Race.

Courses at West Cork Literary Festival offer guidance on all genres of writing and publishing, says Colette Sheridan

University College Cork has thrown a lifeline to the world’s most lucrative award for a collection of short stories.

Canada

Where Have You Been?

MASS MARKETFICTION

Richard Ford, at 68, admits that he has only a limited number of books left in him. He spoke to Declan Burke about what might shape them

OCTOBER on the horizon.

Keith Reveley has top chances for another profitable weekend as Jass heads the Cleveland trainer’s charge at Newcastle.

Richard Ford will have more than one reason to celebrate should Chabrimal Minster finally land Saturday’s totesport Eider at the third attempt.

Graham Wylie saw his colours carried to victory for the 33rd time this season as Kealshore Boy gained his first jumping success in the Parklands Golf Club Novices' Hurdle at Newcastle.

CORK bucked the national trend to record an significant increase in Christmas trade, according to figures released yesterday.

A DIRECTOR of Thomas Crosbie Holdings, owners of the Irish Examiner, was one of five luminaries to receive honorary doctorates at University College Cork (UCC) yesterday.

A DIRECTOR of Thomas Crosbie Holdings —which includes the Irish Examiner— is one of five key figures in the worlds of education, literature, business and philanthropy to be awarded honorary degrees at University College Cork next month.

Character Building booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive victory in the feature race of the day at Market Rasen.

Malcolm Jefferson’s Calatagan may have been the 14-1 outsider of the party in the £30,000 skybet.com Castleford Handicap Chase but he ran out a game winner of the two-mile test at Wetherby today.

Tom Greenway has been given a clean bill of health despite suffering concussion at Sedgefield on Tuesday.

HENNESSY Gold Cup fifth All In The Stars is set to make a quick reappearance in Friday’s Mears Group Chase at Cheltenham.

Trainer Ned Mitchell has one eye firmly focused on the John Smith’s Grand National next April after Garvivonnian proved his mettle over the Aintree fences in the totesport Becher Chase.

Best Mate’s connections received a timely boost before his imminent reappearance as stablemate Impek gained a deserved success in the Bonusprint.com Old Roan Chase at Aintree.

Richard Ford has issued an upbeat bulletin ahead of Forest Gunner’s run in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree tomorrow.

Murphy’s Cardinal could book his place in the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup with a good run at Lingfield on Saturday.

Forest Gunner produced an exhilarating round of jumping to make virtually all in the betfair.com Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree today.

Dancing Bay can make amends for his costly blunder last time by breaking his duck over hurdles at Warwick tomorrow.