Under the light of the same North Star that guided the Vikings on their expeditions of conquest and terror over a millennium ago, Waterford came out in force on Saturday night to mark the start of 1,100 years since the city’s foundation.

Enda Kenny got a taste of what it’s like to mint your own money— away from the watchful eyes of the troika, but it was just a fleeting moment recalling times gone by rather than the way of things to come.

The final week of the inaugural 24-day Winterval festival in Waterford is under way, with thousands of visitors expected as the city goes into full festive mode.

Funding has been announced by the Government to upgrade one of the country’s oldest urban areas, which can trace its history back to 914AD.

Waterford company Zolk C was the first to enter the market with an electronic hand-held tourist guide, bringing heritage sites to life and is now turning its attentions to the lucrative North American tourism market, writes Trish Dromey.

THE house belonging to the parish of Mitchelstown, Co Cork, where former bishop of Cloyne Dr John Magee was spotted last week, was deserted yesterday, and his whereabouts are once again unknown.

In 2008, Bishop John Magee and his cohort asserted their commitment to child protection. After the release of the Cloyne report, his words seem insincere, writes Claire O’Sullivan

THE GAA has asked patrons to buy tickets in advance of today’sAll-Ireland club finals to avoid possible queues.

The Central Competitions Control Committee of the GAA has confirmed that Carlow and Westmeath have refused the option of playing the Christy Ring Cup final as a curtain raiser to the All-Ireland football quarter-final game involving Dublin in Croke Park.

A Co Clare traveller who killed his brother during an ``alcohol fuelled’’ fight is now suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, a court heard today.

A MASSIVE redevelopment and rebranding of Waterford’s Viking Triangle and an iconic pedestrian bridge connecting the Clock Tower with the city’s north quays are the centre-pieces of Waterford’s pitch to the Government under the Gateway Innovation Fund.

Tommy Barker is impressed by Cork’s largest ever apartment scheme.

TICKETS for this weekend’s games in Croke Park are on sale through the GAA website www.gaa.ie and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

TICKETS for tomorrow’s Bank of Ireland Ulster football championship final will be on sale in the Croke Park area today.

TYRONE defender Eoghan Bradley has won his appeal over a straight red card which had threatened to wreck his season.

TWO internationally acclaimed Limerickmen were last night given the thumbs down when the city’s first ever Hall of Fame was announced.

MONAGHAN make two changes from the team that defeated Derry for Sunday’s Allianz NFL Division Two final against Meath at Croke Park.

JUST days after their groundbreaking decision to co-operate with rugby and soccer, the GAA announced yesterday that they have agreed to change the dates of the 2006 All-Ireland finals at the request of European golfing authorities.

RICHARD HARRIS and Frank McCourt have achieved international recognition.

TICKETS for tomorrow’s football championship qualifier double-header between Cork and Fermanagh and Galway and Tyrone, along with tickets for the Leinster SFC finals on Sunday, are on sale from the ticket office at the rear of the Cusack Stand from 11am until 7pm today.

THE family home of one of Limerick’s busiest and best-known developers, the late Robert Parkes, is up for sale.