THE difficulties being faced by the GAA in the recession has been illustrated with Galway Football Board reporting a 50% drop in money raised through fundraising and a further 25% reduction in the amount received from sponsorship and commercial activity.

DURING the summer, the discovery of what some people believed was a sacred tree, in a church grounds in Rathkeale, Co Limerick, led to sensational headlines that set off a religious frenzy.

Jet skis should be registered with number plates and all users made to undergo training because of a surge in accidents, official investigators recommended today.

HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) bosses were awarded €1.23 million in bonus payments in 2006, yet a man could not get four hours of home help to keep his elderly mother out of a nursing home, a Dáil committee heard yesterday.

SOME of the world’s top shearers will be attempting to beat the Irish record of 20.3 seconds for shearing a sheep in the Clik Pour-on Speed Shear Challenge at the All Ireland Shearing Championships, in Clonbur, Co Galway, on Sunday.

MORE than 6,000 visitors are expected in the Co Galway village of Clonbur for the Clik Pour-on All Ireland Sheep Shearing Championships over the upcoming Bank Holiday weekend (June 2-3).

AN Oireachtas inquiry should be set up urgently to establish how Galway’s water supply was allowed to become contaminated by a harmful parasite, it was argued yesterday.

An elderly man has died after he was kicked by a horse in Co Galway yesterday afternoon.

THREE people were helped after the family of a 25-year-old man killed in a traffic accident donated his organs for transplant operations, an inquest was told yesterday.

Three people were helped after the family of a 25-year-old man killed in a traffic accident donated his organs for transplant operations, an inquest heard today.

MICK O’RIORDAN and Tom Ryan have been appointed joint caretaker managers of the Dublin senior hurling team pending the appointment of a team manager.

All-Ireland winners Mayo have been rewarded for another awesome year on the football field with 11 nominations for the Ladies All Star awards.