Gardaí in Co. Laois are investigating an armed raid at a Centra shop and filling station in Ballylinan.

THE equine world is focussed on the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby, which takes place at the Curragh tomorrow. But many of those in attendance will already have witnessed a thoroughbred derby of a different nature however, having gone to tonight’s battle football battle between Kildare and Laois.

A RECORD 208,000 people attended the three-day National Ploughing Championships which were held in glorious weather conditions at Cuffesgrange, Co Kilkenny.

A MAN was killed yesterday when his motorbike was in collision with a jeep in Co Laois.

Laois defender Darren Rooney's season hangs in the balance after he sustained cruciate ligament damage during the Leinster SFC final defeat to Dublin.

Passengers on a Bus Éireann bus could hold vital clues to the murder of Kilkenny postmaster Alan Cunniffe, it emerged today.

GARDAÍ say they are still actively probing the disappearance of a 22 year-old woman who was last seen 12 years ago today.

GARDAÍ who exhumed four bodies from a graveyard close to the home of a convicted rapist and murderer say they are satisfied that information they had received about an illegal burial, while incorrect, was reliable and was given in good faith.

SERIAL rapist Robert Howard grew up in the heart of the country, living in a tiny roadside cottage just a hundred yards up a hill from the village of The Swan.

Gardaí today called off their investigation at a cemetery in Co Laois.

A 38-year-old man has died in a collision between his car and a tractor in the Co Laois town of Ballylinan early today.

Irish heavy metal festival the Day of Darkness Metalfest will take place at Pedigree Corner outside the Co Laois village of Ballylinan on Saturday July 9.

KERRY produced the shock of the weekend in Division 1A of the Ladies NFL yesterday, with an eight-point victory over Mayo at Ballinrobe.

A PAIR of top Irish ploughmen hope to follow the example of Olympic gold medal winning showjumper Cian O'Connor and Waterford Crystal by winning the world championship in Derry over the next two days.

A 21-year-old man has been killed in a two-vehicle collision in Co Laois.