The Government is to seek an explanation from the Cork County Board, amid concerns that the decision not to allow the Liam Miller tribute match take place at Pairc Ui Chaoimh may have broken the conditions of a grant paid towards the stadium’s redevelopment.

Christmas came early for Crystal Swing star Derek Burke, after he enlisted the help of Santa Claus to propose to his long-term girlfriend.

An audience of millions on the Ellen DeGeneres show, live from Hollywood in Los Angeles, provided an unforgettable experience for family group Crystal Swing.

Tim O’Connor returns from the kitchen with a pot of tea and two slices of currant cake before being drawn to a stack of sheets piled on the living room table.

Dervla Burke’s Wedding at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Lisgoold, Co. Cork.

Just one more day till Dervla Burke, one third of popular Cork group Crystal Swing, gets married — and her mother has gone on air to reveal what she really thinks of her future son-in-law.

The judge sentencing a man who is charged with having thousands of images of child pornography at a house in Cork five years ago said he must have regard for the profound psychiatric illness of the accused.

The three board members who resigned from Limerick’s troubled City of Culture team are amongst the many people warmly welcoming the appointment of an acclaimed figure in arts education to salvage the troubled programme.

Mike Fitzpatrick has been confirmed as the interim head of Limerick City of Culture today.

The Government have been partially blamed for causing the crisis at Limerick’s City of Culture due to a delay in funds going to projects and amid calls for the arts minister to intervene.

An agricultural contractor who feared for the lives of himself and his family fired two shots into the air from his shotgun when a car arrived in his yard following reports another family were coming up to sort him out.

International conferences generated just over €7m worth of business for the Cork region last year.

One of the most sage pieces of advice offered to RTÉ head of sport Ryle Nugent was that if he survived the first 10 years without people liking or disliking his rugby commentary, he might just make it. On the eve of his 15th season behind the mic, he evidently succeeded.

Two men are facing trial on charges of stealing €10,000 worth of oak trees from the property of Charles Colthurst of Blarney Castle.

A rugby club’s team-building weekend, featuring sports psychologists and nutritionists, was jeopardised when an unscheduled cup match was drop-kicked into Sunday, but after a legal scrum the match was kicked out again — by court order.

Junior Certificate students whose classmate died suddenly on Monday night will be allowed to start this afternoon’s Irish exam late so they can attend his funeral.

Irish people around the globe are being invited to come home in 2013 as part of the country’s biggest ever tourism drive, the Government claims.

A TEENAGER donned a gorilla suit and played the drums in his school yesterday to spread a little happiness.

AN Irish soldier has been deployed to Haiti as part of a major UN mission to help the stricken nation prepare for the impact of the hurricane.

MORE than 80 tonnes of government aid including blankets, water tanks and tents have arrived in earthquake-ravaged Haiti.

A Government consignment of more than 80 tonnes of emergency humanitarian supplies has arrived in Haiti, Minister of State for Overseas Development Peter Power confirmed today.

IT might have been a little too close for comfort at the finish, but nothing could detract from Na Piarsaigh’s achievement in winning through to their first Live95fm Limerick Senior Hurling Championship final at the fourth attempt in the Gaelic Grounds yesterday.

HE was called an urban terrorist, and his name featured on a banner hanging from a plane over Croke Park.

A DREAM has come true for a peninsula community which raised more than €250,000 to launch an inshore rescue service.

BERTIE AHERN formally submitted his resignation as taoiseach to President Mary McAleese yesterday after almost 11 years in charge of the country.

By expressing admiration for interviewers who listen and develop conversations, Bill O’Herlihy might have been talking about himself. The TV Personality of the Year spoke to Michael Moynihan.

THE GAA is to look into upgrading Gaelic Park in New York, through the development of an all-weather pitch and the installation of floodlighting.

TOMORROW is a huge day for the Canning family from the Portumna club in Galway with Joe and Ollie in line to create their own bit of history by winning All-Ireland hurling medals at minor and senior level respectively.

Limerick 0-15 Dublin 0-12

LIMERICK minor hurling team manager Tim O’Connor acknowledges that they may be carrying a heavy weight of expectation into tomorrow’s Munster final showdown against Cork as 21 years have passed since they were last crowned champions.

Brendan Larkin

THE Government hasapproved the biggest shake-up of Ireland’s diplomatic representation since the foundation of the State.

US investigators have found no further sign of anthrax in the office of a man killed by the disease since traces were found on his computer keyboard and in the nose of a co-worker, health officials said.

A 63-year-old man was in hospital in the United States tonight with pulmonary anthrax - but officials in Florida sought to calm fears of a bio-terrorism attack.