AFTER an entrepreneurial career spanning 66 years, businessman Michael Bowes has decided to retire from his current employment, heading up the Fernhill Hotel, on the edge of Carrigaline and 100 metres from where the new N28 road to Ringaskiddy is set to run.

Builder Stephen McCarthy of Astra Construction has built close on 2,000 houses, mostly around Carrigaline in south Cork since he started the firm in 1985. 

Things are wrapping up soon at Astra Construction’s steadily developed Forest Hill scheme on the edge of Carrigaline, where builder Stephen McCarthy has kept a crew employed and locals housed, over the past seven or eight tough years for the economy and society. 

How do you think Ireland and Europe will develop over the next few decades?

Strenuous exertions by a young man trying to kick-start his Honda scooter proved so onerous that gardaí arrived to find the scooter lying on its side and the driver lying beside it fast asleep and snoring.

Paschal Pape has apologised to Ireland’s Jamie Heaslip for kneeing him in the back during last weekend’s RBS Six Nations game in the Aviva Stadium.

Here are four players we think could have a breakthrough season in 2015.

Gone are the days when these A internationals were mere consolation prizes for those who missed out on Test caps. Tonight’s clash of Irish Wolfhounds and English Saxons at Musgrave Park represents a full-blown RBS 6 Nations audition, writes Simon Lewis.

Connacht announced new deals for half backs Jack Carty, Caolin Blade and John Cooney today.

Leinster have confirmed that flanker Rhys Ruddock suffered a broken arm in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash with Harlequins and will miss the Christmas period as a result.

"It's shown there are another tier of guys who can step up and do a job when required. There’s a lot of healthy competition in the squad.”

Simon Zebo is adamant that he never felt left out of the Ireland squad and said his sole focus when playing for Ireland against Australia on Saturday is to get the win.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has restored his heavy hitters to the starting 15 for Ireland’s final November series game, against Australia on Saturday.

Following straight after the sale of Dublin’s The Marker Residences, with 84 apartments and six commercial units for over €50m for Brehon Capital Partners/Midwest Holdings, agents Savills bring an adjacent Grand Canal Square 250-seat restaurant for sale, guiding €3.5 million.

A fantastic video of Leinster’s 22-18 victory over old rivals Munster at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday has emerged online.

A ban on property developers who are in Nama from buying back their own loans may eventually be lifted if the agency is still seeking to offload assets prior to being wound up in 2020.

Limerick's Na Piarsaigh booked a place in their second AIB Munster SHC Final in three years today.

There have been 12 planning permissions and alterations to grants of planning at the Forest Hill development — one of a select, very small handful of new home sites that have managed to stay open, building and selling, during the downturn.

Ireland U21 boss Noel King reckons more of his gems can follow Jeff Hendrick into the senior fold after he yesterday drafted in a dozen uncapped players for the upcoming friendly against Holland.

There was cup action all around the country this weekend as the cream of the crop in the men’s and women’s senior and U18s battled it out in the quarter-finals.

Ballinhassig 1-19 Bandon 1-15

Ballinhassig 2-18 Inniscarra 0-9

It was slated as the game of the championship between two of the campaigns pre-tournament heavyweights but in the end you’d have to wonder was the hype misplaced.

CRESCENT COLLEGE Comprehensive won the Bowen Shield after a seven-year gap with an exciting victory over PBC in an epic contest at Temple Hill.

HIS lack of sporting credentials were viewed with dismay when he took office but Irish sports officials are hoping that may work in their favour this week as they meet with Sports Minister Leo Varadkar, for the first time.

A construction firm boss says the completed stock in Cork is equivalent to just three months normal demand, writes Tommy Barker

A disabled first-time buyer used his compensation pay-out from a motorbike crash to snap up a block of flats at Ireland’s latest distressed property auction.

More than €10m has been raised through the third distressed property sale at the Shelbourne hotel in Dublin today.

A holiday apartment with a reserve price of just €20,000 is one of the potential bargains in the latest auction of so-called "distressed properties".

ALL season Ger Lyons had been hoping to win a Pattern race with Future Generation and his wish came through last night when the filly made most to land the Group 3 Desmond Stakes at Leopardstown.

MICHEÁL QUIRKE’S phone has been running a temperature since news of his retirement from the Kerry senior squad went public on Thursday night.

AT just 34 and with an All-Ireland semi-final already on his CV, Jason Ryan could be Gaelic football’s answer to Andre Villas-Boas — but his biggest lesson in management to date was one shared by Alex Ferguson, a man three decades his elder.

Astra’s Forest Hill development in Carrigaline, Co Cork, is attracting huge buyer interest.

THE timing of the Munster SHC final replay, the cost of tickets and the controversy surrounding the U21 grade were amongst the topics discussed at a stormy meeting of Cork county board this week.

BUILDER Stephen McCarthy’s company Astra Construction does exactly what he says he does on the large advertising billboard, entering his home turf of Carrigaline.

IN a weekend of surprises in the opening round of the Cork SHC, reigning Cork and Munster champions Newtown were beaten by a fired-up Erin’s Own side.

Sarsfields 2-23 Ballinhassig 3-8

NEPTUNE will have a hot reception arranged for DART Killester when they host the first leg of their NIVEA for MEN SuperLeague semi-final at Neptune Stadium tomorrow night.

WHEN the pennants hung from the roof of Neptune Stadium they spelled out the history of Irish basketball but, those days, the team that once ruled the roost survives on memories.