Couleur France, the clear form horse on his second to the smart Sheamus at Fairyhouse, easily won the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle at the rainswept Tipperary track yesterday.

A man has been jailed for four years for setting a house in Dublin on fire to put "the fear of God" into a four-year-old boy who was asleep inside.

Aer Lingus proved at the weekend that it is as "fleet" of foot as it is in the air by taking the title of "fastest airline in the world", even showing a clean pair of heels to arch-rival Ryanair.

"I didn’t think we would have many winners this week, he was our banker", said Pat Flynn, after his Gusty Rock had landed the Family Fun Afternoon Maiden Hurdle at the final stage of the Tramore festival yesterday.

The Queen of England and the Duke of Edinburgh will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican today.

Ambulance crews in the Mid-west will meet tonight to discuss what action to take in protest at the reinstatement of a former colleague who pleaded guilty in court to spying on female colleagues.

An ambulance paramedic who admitted recording a female colleague in the staff toilet for his own pleasure has avoided a criminal conviction after a judge was told how he has put his life in danger saving the lives of others.

There was an extraordinary reaction from the public to yesterday’s meeting at Limerick, held to boost the Emergency Jockeys’ Fund and the stricken John Thomas McNamara and Jonjo Bright.

The Crafty Butcher, who was proving very costly to follow, finally got his act together for Ruby Walsh when taking the Holy Thursday Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

A HSE paramedic used his iPhone to spy on female colleagues in a staff toilet.

Tipperary 2-18 Dublin 1-11

The first American bishop criminally charged in the clergy sex abuse scandal was found guilty of a misdemeanour count of failing to report suspected child abuse, a conviction that extends the struggle of Catholic leaders to restore trust in the church.

Police documents about an IRA bombing that killed 12 people at a hotel in the North have disappeared, victims’ relatives claimed today.

THE remarkable 15-year-old Cavan twins Lisa and Leona Maguire have been all the rage in Irish ladies golf for several years and will represent Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup against the United States next month.

THE Dermot Weld-trained Anaverna earned a valuable bracket when making virtually all to land the Irish Stallion Farms Fillies Maiden at Wexford last night.

CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) today announced the successful sale of the second Bank of Ireland retail portfolio to the Layden Group.

The Irish Professional Snooker Championships are due to get underway in Dublin today after a 12-year absence from the calendar.

Alex Higgins makes another comeback bid when he competes in the Victor Chandler Irish Professional Championship in Dublin next week.

Defending champion Joe Swail will take on Martin McCrudden in the first round of the Irish Professional Snooker Championship in Dublin next month.

FR O’NEILLS reclaimed the East Cork Junior Hurling A Championship title in spectacular fashion at Killeagh yesterday when, after a final packed with thrills, spills and no little heartbreak, they withstood a ferocious late rally from Erin’s Own to finish on the right side of a 1-11 to 2-4 scoreline.

KILKENNY’S David Morris scored a comprehensive 8-2 victory over Nenagh’s Brendan O’Donoghue yesterday to retain his Irish Senior title in the Ivy Rooms Snooker Club in Carlow.

Australian coach Garry Lyon has named his 27-man squad ahead of the International Rules test series against Ireland Down Under later this month.

IF it’s all in the name, talented young Bulldogs’ defender Robert Murphy should feel right at home in Ireland when he arrives with the Australian International Rules team today.