Plans have been drawn up for a €6.25m second phase of development at Spike Island in Cork harbour which, it is hoped, will drive visitor numbers there to 100,000 per year by 2020.

Mary O’Riordan looks at the long history of honey wine — aka mead.

1. All that Jazz

Deck the halls with boughs of holly — the countdown to Christmas is officially on.

New research shows that coach tourist numbers reached their highest level in recent years in 2014, when 369,000 overseas visitors opted to use this mode of transport to see Ireland — an annual increase of 26%.

Check out our guide to the best of tonight's TV.

Scaredy-cats of all ages are in for a frightfully good time over the next few days as Monday’s bank holiday, the mid-term break and Halloween merge into a week-long October horror-fest.

The rebranding, relocation and other costs associated with the restructuring of Shannon Development total €1m, new figures show.

When he moved to LA and made it big, hanging out with the likes of Robbie Williams, Mark Hayes expected a bit of begrudgery back home. But on his last visit to Cork, it was like a different city...

The Easter bunny has never been busier.Pól Ó Conghaile picks some of the best egg hunts around the country

Hoping for a repeat of last summer’s heatwave? From food to family, couples to city breaks, here are 10 top holidays at home for the year ahead.

The firm that operates Bunratty Castle and a host of other tourist attractions returned to profit last year.

China’s number one travel blogger is visiting Ireland potentially showcasing the country to tens of millions of tourists in the Far East.

It is now widely accepted that US president John F Kennedy would never have visited Limerick in 1963 were it not for the persistence of Mayor Frances Condell.

Calls have been made for three dolphins which have taken up residence in a Co Clare river to be left alone so they can return to the Shannon Estuary.

A judge has told a company director who stole a lifejac-ket from an Aer Lingus flight that jailing him was “foremost in my mind”.

Forty jobs are set to be created by an indigenous food firm after it secured planning permission for a commercial development in the tourist village of Bunratty.

The tourism firm that operates a host of high-profile tourist attractions, including Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, expects to break even this year after four years of combined losses totalling almost €700,000.

Looking for something creatively creepy to do this Halloween? Pól Ó Conghaile scours the country for a round-up of mid-term’s most macabre events...

Gardaí are continuing to question two men after a weekend gun attack in Co. Clare.

A pair of Irish 18th century portraits of Captain William Spaight and his wife Millicent Anne Studdert at Hegarty’s sale in Bandon next Tuesday.

Plans to develop a multimillion-euro themed adventure park adjacent to Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are generating a lot of interest, according to the chief executive of Shannon Development.

The chief executive of tourism firm Shannon Heritage confirmed yesterday that he is hopeful of the firm recording a net profit in 2012 after moving towards a breakeven position last year.

China’s Vice President Xi Jinping has called on enterprise leaders in Ireland and China to further expand business opportunities in both countries.

China’s vice president Xi Jinping will end his trade-boosting visit to Ireland today.

The Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has welcomed Chinese vice-president Xi Jinping to Ireland at the start of his three-day official visit.

China's Vice President Xi Jinping has landed at Shannon airport.

The future leader of the world’s most populous nation is due to get the royal treatment when he arrives on a three-day visit to Ireland today.

A Paris-based Cajun star and Devon folkies are among the attractions at Shannonside Winter Music Weekend, writes Nicki ffrench Davis

IF LIMERICK is a tale of two cities, its Radisson Blu is a tale of two hotels.

PLANS for a multi-million euro themed adventure park beside Bunratty Castle and Folk Park are being pursued by Shannon Development.

When Betsy came to Babysit by Elizabeth Dale, illustrated by Zoe Waring.

The 2011 Cannonball Run around Ireland has been officially started in Dublin this morning by Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

A MIX of drink and food with a strong dollop of Killinaskully humour is proving a winning summer cocktail with tourists and locals alike in Limerick.

ST PATRICK may have banished snakes from Ireland – but they are set to return to Bunratty Folk Park his national feast day.

A STRONG and vibrant Limerick city was essential for the rest of the region to do well in the jobs market and in attracting tourism, the chief executive of Shannon Development said yesterday.

HE has, over the last three decades, entertained an estimated one million people who dined at one of the country’s top visitor attractions.

THERE will be no school holiday this St Patrick’s Day for students at a village school in Bunratty.

The €40m redevelopment of Thomond Park has created additional capacity, corporate options and traffic problems. However, the one thing that mustn’t change is the stadium ‘feel’, says Michael Moynihan.

TALKS are believed to be at an advanced stage for the sale of one of the most famous pubs in the world, Durty Nelly’s, for a reported €12 million.

Gardaí are investigating a fire in Bunratty, Co Clare last night which destroyed an outlet of Avoca Woollen Mills.

The heads of the Belgian royal family today began a busy three-day state visit to Ireland which included several joint and separate engagements.