A trip to Athlone, the geographical heart of Ireland, left Eoin Edwards able to indulge his passion for all things historical.

The €13 million sale agreed of East Cork’s Castlemartyr Resort to UK buyer Martin Shaw could prove fortuitous: business sources say interest is picking up for a major new biotech employer for a sizeable portion of the Amgen pharma site in Carrigtwohill east of Cork city, which was moth-balled after a major infrastructural investment and land-buying spree almost a decade ago.

A DIP in water quality because of last summer’s heavy rain is being blamed for a downturn in the amount of Irish beaches receiving blue flag awards.