Spike Island’s former inmates may not remember the island facility in a celebratory way but Irish tourism interests will surely celebrate the fact that the island was named, in St Petersburg on Saturday night, as Europe’s leading tourist attraction at the prestigious World Travel Awards 2017.

Fáilte Ireland has been urged to review its decision not to provide funding to Cork County Council for a major upgrade of facilities at Spike Island, which has been voted Europe’s leading tourist attraction.

Hundreds of metres of tunnels have been discovered at Spike Island, which have yielded up prisoners’ badges and a host of military equipment, including parts of coastal defence guns.

Spike Island, Ireland’s equivalent of Alcatraz, has been nominated as one of Europe’s leading tourist attractions in the prestigious World Travel Awards.

A tourist from Ecuador has been cited for inscribing the names of his son and wife and "2017" inside the ancient Roman Colosseum, police in Italy said.

One World Trade Center in New York City — rebuilt after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks — is to go green on St Patrick’s Day for the first time.

A ban on major road works in the heart of Cork City will come into effect within weeks in a bid to prevent chronic traffic congestion over the festive period.

Titanic Belfast has been named as Europe’s top visitor attraction at a prestigious World Travel Awards.

Pope Francis has blessed the eyes of a five-year-old Ohio girl who suffers from a rare genetic disease that is gradually robbing her of her sight.

We stood on a hilltop in Rome: a group of journalists from around Europe gathered in the Eternal City to see how it can look through the eyes of Google applications.

New York’s World Trade Centre at Ground Zero, the Big Wheel on Place de la Concorde in Paris, and City Hall in Tel Aviv are three of the latest landmarks to join the growing list of famous international attractions that will go green this St Patrick’s Day.

Rome has banned centurion impersonators who charge to scowl in photos around the Colosseum amphitheatre and frequently come under fire for their pushy tactics with tourists.

The Guinness Storehouse has been named 'Europe's leading tourist attraction' at an awards ceremony in Sardinia.

Six destinations on the island of Ireland have been named on a global must-see list for tourists.

Here's what to watch on a rainy Bank Holiday.

Pope Francis, presiding at the traditional Good Friday Colosseum procession, condemned the “complicit silence” about the killing of Christians.

Pope Francis entered the final busy days of Holy Week by acknowledging the exhaustion that priests like himself can feel — but made no mention of doctors’ warnings that he needs to mind his health by eating less pasta.

The homes of gladiators and country music are among the landmarks joining the global celebrations for St Patrick’s Day this year.

The Eiffel Tower in Paris is the most popular spot in the world to take a selfie, according to new statistics.

The Eternal City can wait. Whatever the charms of Italy’s capital city, when Peter O’Mahony returns to Rome this weekend, the visit will be all business for the Ireland back-rower, even if that means playing on the wing again, says Simon Lewis.

See what your heart rate looks like when you propose.

Redditor Sesipikai went to Rome recently with the intention of proposing to his partner.

Liz O’ Brien ticked off her continental bucket list with a Contiki ‘European Highlights’ tour in London, Paris, Nice, Monaco, the French Riviera, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Rhine Valley, St Goar, Munich, Edam and Amsterdam    

Robin Williams rejected a $600,000 offer to headline two Las Vegas shows two years before his death.

Morrissey has announced dates for his European tour.

London is the selfie capital of the world, according to social media analysis.

Italian prosecutors say they have arrested a former Silvio Berlusconi aide for allegedly helping a businessman convicted of Mafia association.

STAR classical vocal group Il Divo will make City of Cork Symphony Orchestra’s midsummer night’s dream come true when they perform together at a fully seated, five-hour event in Musgrave Park, on Saturday, June 21.

Biker culture came to the Vatican yesterday as Pope Francis blessed thousands of Harley-Davidsons and their riders celebrating the manufacturer’s 110th anniversary with a loud parade and plenty of leather.

A boy and a girl from Co Cork will have the honour of being the first Irish people to be confirmed by Pope Francis in a ceremony to be held in St Peter’s Square, Rome, next Sunday.

EVER wonder what showtime must have been like at Rome’s Colosseum? Cast your mind back to Ireland and Italy’s recent rugby showdown at the Stadio Olimpico. The Six Nations is as close as rugby gets to all-out gladiatorial combat: by the time the Irish and Italian teams were done tearing chunks out of each other, bruised and battered bodies were legion.

Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 young offenders including a Muslim girl at a Rome jail in an unusual take on a traditional Easter ritual by Latin America’s first pontiff.

As Pippa Middleton launches her guide to preparing the perfect party, Margaret Carragher reports on how Irish celebs entertain at home and away

Elton John is "doing extremely well" after a respiratory infection confined him to hospital.

Elton John has been hospitalised with a "serious respiratory infection."

As plans to erect a monument in Killarney to renowned humanitarian Mgr Hugh O’Flaherty progress, a trip to Rome is being organised for devotees of the war hero.

Celine Dion has been forced to cancel even more of her Las Vegas shows because of a virus.

After no big snowfall for 26 years, Rome is being hit by its second snowstorm in a week.

Italian police fired tear gas and water cannons in Rome today as violent protesters turned a demonstration against corporate greed into a riot, smashing shop and bank windows, torching cars and hurling bottles.

Protesters in Rome smashed shop windows and torched cars as violence broke out during a demonstration in the Italian capital, part of worldwide protests against corporate greed and austerity measures.