My life informs my writing.

Your daily, spoiler-free guide to what to look out for on the box.

The Special Criminal Court has fixed a date in 2015 for the trial of a Lithuanian national charged with possession of a handgun.

Around 9m cigarettes have been seized and four people arrested in a major operation involving Garda units and Revenue.

Four men have been arrested and a haul of nine million cigarettes intercepted by gardaí and customs after it was tracked coming through Dublin Port.

Cooley Kickhams are through to the senior championship decider following their 2-9 to 0-9 win over first-time semi-finalists O’Connells.

Garage owners, trying to compete with criminal gangs who supply cheaper illegal fuel along the border, are backing a voluntary independent fuel testing scheme.

Two men are to appear before the Special Criminal Court this evening charged in connection with dissident republican activity in the Louth - Meath area.

Four people have been arrested as part of a garda investigation into dissident republican activities in Louth and Meath.

One of the country’s leading providers of motorway services has applied for planning permission to build a major service station in north Cork, on the M8.

Firearms, ammunition and a quantity of drugs have been seized by gardaí during a raid on a derelict building in Castlebellingham in Co. Louth.

The Supreme Court has cut the €450,000 awarded to a 60-year-old Co Louth woman who underwent symphysiotomy in 1969.

A 60-year-old Louth woman will today learn if she is to lose any of the €450,000 awarded to her for undergoing a symphysiotomy in 1969.

IS there gold in the fields?

A Co Louth woman who was subjected to symphysiotomy during childbirth in 1969 has been awarded €450,000 for medical negligence.

A family-run Co Cork butcher’s shop that has produced food fit for a queen was honoured for its exceptional contribution to Ireland’s reputation as a top food producing country.

Two men have been rescued from house fire in Co Louth in the early hours of this morning.

ONE in four motorists are considering reducing their motor insurance coverage due to financial pressures, according to a survey.

A €7 MILLION service station has opened near Monasterevin, Co Kildare, which will provide services for motorists on the motorway linking Dublin with Limerick, Cork, Clare, Tipperary and Kerry.

Two brothers have appeared before Limerick District Court charged with possession of a machine gun.

Gardaí are investigating a burglary at a pharmacy in Co. Louth.

A 35-year-old woman and her 10-year-old son were killed in a crash in Co Louth this afternoon, while a 11-year-old girl was critically injured.

SIPTU have served strike notice on construction firm, Pierse Contracting Ltd.

Ireland's first official motorway service area will open today at Lusk on the M1 Motorway in Co Dublin.

THE National Roads Authority (NRA) is to spend €200,000 on signs to direct motorists to services in towns and cities in response to criticism over the lack of service stations and lay-bys on the country’s motorway network.

ANOTHER 40km of motorway were officially opened yesterday but, despite costing almost half a billion to build, motorists who need to spend a penny will have to hold on for some time more.

A TEENAGER who suffered head injuries in a car crash that resulted in the death of his 12-year-old cousin five years ago was awarded €550,000 in damages at the High Court in Cork yesterday.

Around 300 new jobs are to be created with the expansion of a leading forecourt retailer, it was announced today.

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for a Co Louth woman who was subjected to symphysiotomy during childbirth in 1969 to bring an action for medical negligence.

Gardaí in Louth are looking for at least three men in connection with yesterday's 'tiger' kidnapping in Co Louth.

THE victim of yesterday’s tiger kidnapping joined a Limerick priest in railing against Ireland’s increasingly violent gun culture.

Gardaí are investigating the abduction of a shopkeeper and his wife in Co Louth this morning.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a fatal road crash in County Louth.

A 37-year-old pedestrian has died after he was hit by a car on the M1 in Co Louth.

Army bomb disposal experts have carried out a controlled explosion on a viable device discovered in Co Louth this morning.

Around 500 jobs are expected to be created over the next year as part of a scheme to build motorway service stations on the M1 and M4.

IT will be today at the earliestbefore the sensational new 3 Irish Open champion, Shane Lowry,decides whether to turn professional immediately or to wait until after the Walker Cup match between Europe and the USA in September.

Two men are due to appear in court in the morning charged in connection with a gun and ammunitions seizure in Louth.

TWO people are due in court today in connection with an investigation into the suspected sale of firearms.

Two men were charged tonight in relation to the seizure of a firearm and ammunition in Co Louth.

The Army bomb disposal team carried out a controlled explosion on a suspect package discovered in Co Louth earlier today.

A security alert is underway in Co Louth after the discovery of a suspect package near a bridge in the village of Castlebellingham at around 12.30pm this afternoon.

TWO nursing homes owned by the same company are facing separate court actions this month over alleged breaches of care and welfare regulations.

Almost 150 jobs are to go at the Lakeland Dairy Group in the north-east of the country, it was confirmed today.