It expects to grow this number to over 15 million units by 2022, shipping to more than 15 countries.

Yves Rocher, the French skincare company, ceased operations in Cork last year, transferring production to Brittany, with the loss of 60 jobs.

Fiann Ó Nualláin follows in the footsteps of the Fianna as he explores a province’s hills and vales.

Eirgrid is in discussions with Cork County Council officials to see if it is possible to use some or all of the proposed greenway between Youghal and Midleton to duct cabling for part of a €1 billion electricity interconnector between France and Ireland.

The Port of Cork is doubling the size of its customs building in Ringaskiddy due to the increasing likelihood of a hard Brexit.

Croke Park isn’t supposed to be a bundle of fun when three-quarters of the place lies out of bounds and the crowd can be corralled into a few sections of the Lower Hogan Stand.

Cathal O’Donovan owns the Skibbereen Bookshop in Co Cork. It sells books, schoolbooks, art and craft materials and stationery and is located on the main street of the west Cork town.

Three French lifeboat crew who died in a recent sea rescue will be remembered by a fleet of west-of-Ireland crafts setting sail from Galway for the Breton port of Lorient.

Here on the western coast of France (east of Roscoff), the temperature has climbed to 32 degrees for my holiday week!

As promised a few weeks ago, I’m giving over my column to the Loire Valley, a region I have holidayed in regularly since 1994.

Some of the cabling for the part of the €930m Celtic Interconnector, from France to Ireland, may run along the former Midleton-Youghal railway.

A cursory drive between Buttevant and Mallow showcased a side of Ireland we must tackle, writes Diarmaid Twomey.

The search for the missing plane taking Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala to his new team in Wales was called off for the night last night with authorities not expecting to find any survivors in the English Channel.

When we think of Champagne we tend to think of the big brand houses who spend fortunes every year on marketing so it’s easy to forget the smaller quality-conscious houses and growers plugging away in their wake.

As France awaits the Ryder Cup spectacle, Kevin Markham visits Le Golf National.

Des O’Sullivan looks forward to some of the exhibitions that are due to open in the coming weeks.

Dan Martin has got his Tour de France campaign off to the best possible start with a Stage 6 victory on the first hilly test of the race to Mur de Bretagne ahead of Pierre Latour (Ag2r) and Alejandro Valverde (Movistar).

Dan Martin has narrowly missed out on victory in stage five of the Tour de France.

Brittany Ferries is trying to help people who booked with Irish Ferries WB Yeats, but may not be able to accommodate many because they are nearly full for July and August.

As Easter approaches most of us are looking forward to a weekend of indulgence centred on chocolate.

EirGrid has identified new potential landfall locations on the East Cork coast for a proposed €1bn subsea power cable between Ireland and France.

A lifetime achievement award, a tour with his diverse ensemble, and a new TV series have ensured Dónal Lunny is as busy as ever, writes Ellie O’Byrne.

With France, it’s always about the known unknowns.

Emirates longhaul

With Michael Roddy’s Michelin guide to the best restaurants in hand, this made for the ultimate gastro tour. 

Irish film-maker Niall McCann has made a documentary on the Scottish label that gave us such indie heroes as Alex Kapranos and Arab Strap, writes Don O’Mahony.

Organisers have said that up to 50,000 people were in Bray today for the annual air show.

Chris Gunter says the Wales squad have no regrets over their celebrations at England’s Euro 2016 exit which were caught on video and leaked on to social media sites.

When the fates aligned all those years ago, it was engine trouble that brought Frenchman Youen Jacob to Baltimore.

It’s lights, camera, action for the media mini-hub of Dungarvan as the West Waterford town gets set to stage the biggest Celtic Media Festival to date.

Killarney, Co Kerry, has so many twins that it takes two large signposts on the town’s outskirts to list their names. However, a review says these sister arrangements, some of which go back 30 years, need to be on a firmer footing.

Yves Rocher looks set to cut its workforce in Cork by 50%, meaning at least 50 jobs could be lost.

Kya deLongchamps looks at the history of glazing and other specialist finishes on vintage and antique pottery and porcelain, and gives tips on identification.

In preparation for Dublin’s 2016 centenary year St Patrick’s Day parade, a series of workshops took place with young people around Ireland to discuss their hopes for the future. The result is an explosion of colour and imagination as the theme, ‘Imagine if…’, celebrates our national vision for the next 100 years.

Fast-changing Nantes has transformed itself into a lively, buzzing, spacious city that sparkles with creativity and a strong Celtic-meets-Gallic culture, writes Conor Power.

St Patrick’s Festival in Dublin will look to the future when it celebrates a 21st birthday next month.

In more than 30 years as a caddie to pros such as Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, Colin Byrne has seen more than his fair share of the world’s top courses but now the Irishman is lending his expertise to help guide golfers around them from a new vantage point.

A Corkman confessed yesterday to the unlawful killing of a French homeless man in Cork City last September.

One of France’s charismatic ministers has unexpectedly resigned after objecting to President Francois Hollande’s push to revoke citizenship from convicted terrorists with dual nationality.