The Department of Transport has unlawfully shortened the season available for boatmen to bring tourists and pilgrims to Skellig Michael island off the coast of Kerry, it has been claimed in the High Court.

Tourism interests as well as boat operators who ferry passengers to a Unesco world heritage site are dismayed at the refusal of the OPW to extend the visiting season there.

Another January afternoon out in Tallaght and the National Basketball Arena is throbbing, writes Kieran Shannon.

The eve of another cup final weekend and with it a sense of history about it for those of us steeped in Irish hoops, writes Kieran Shannon.

There is a sense of deja vu about all this.

The proposed closure of a high-profile coastguard station could be a matter of life or death for people at sea.

I AM distressed at the thought of Transport Minister Noel Dempsey contemplating the closure of Valentia coastguard station.

A WARNING was yesterday sounded that too much land is being rezoned for housing in some of Kerry’s picture postcard tourist areas, which do not have adequate services to support additional development.

A BRITISH couple whose stricken yacht was towed into Valentia, Co Kerry, late on Saturday night after being damaged in Atlantic storms yesterday described themselves as the “lucky ones”.