Why would anyone choose a poorly resourced, poorly supported home birth in Ireland when modern, fully-staffed hospitals are now available to everyone? Here’s why: in Irish hospitals labouring women are treated with something close to disdain.

The burden of responsibility on midwives when assisting at home births is too great for them to be on their own, a coroner has said.

A couple who prepared for what they hoped would be an idyllic home birth experienced a nightmare instead, an inquest has heard.

A LAVISH ball from the late 18th century was recreated in an Irish castle last night for a multi-million euro movie telling the tale of author Jane Austen’s own life.

A lavish ball from the late 18th century was recreated in an Irish castle tonight for a multi-million euro movie telling the tale of author Jane Austen’s own life.

A man stole a light aeroplane and threatened to crash it into the landmark Sky Tower in New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, before plunging the craft into the sea today, police said.

The father of a young woman traveller who died in an arson attack with 14 others at a backpackers’ hostel in Australia said he and his wife will be on a “memory trail” when they fly out today to take part in a special ceremony.

A drifter who started a blaze that ripped through an Australian backpackers’ hostel, killing 15 young holidaymakers, including a Limerick woman, was today sentenced to life imprisonment.

A backpacker who waited six months before telling police he saw accused hostel arsonist Robert Long standing over a burning bin on the night of the fire yesterday denied he was telling ‘‘a pack of lies’’.

Fire alarms at a backpackers’ hostel in Australia were switched off by one of the managers just weeks before a fire tore through the building, killing 15 young travellers, including Limerick woman Julie O'Keeffe, 24, a court heard.

A homeless fruit picker today pleaded not guilty to murder and arson charges linked to a devastating blaze that ripped through an Australian backpackers’ hostel, killing 15 tourists nearly two years ago.