Tarquin Blake’s history of Irish castles charts beautiful buildings and a grant-aid culture that goes back six centuries, writes Tommy Barker

A disagreement has emerged between Dromoland Castle and Lord Inchiquin, the direct descendant of Brian Boru, over plans to construct a new water source to serve the 180-year-old castle.

Applegreen’s plans of expanding its motorway service stop network has received a blow.

As Game of Thrones returns to our screens, Vicki Notaro goes on a cinematic tour of Ireland, taking in everything from Harry Potter to Star Wars.

As Game of Thrones returns to our screens, Vicki Notaro goes on a cinematic tour of Ireland, taking in everything from Harry Potter to Star Wars.

Providing a prisoner who had carried out 150 attacks on staff with cake and minerals on his birthday and €65 for “a party” was described as outrageous by the president of the Prison Officers’ Association.

Plans by Supermacs supremo Pat McDonagh to repeat the success of his Barack Obama Plaza in Co Clare are in jeopardy.

An unusual entry to our Readers Picture competition caught our eye this week. A photo of the moment a man proposed to his girlfriend had us all asking - did she say yes?

A cargo plane has made an emergency landing at Shannon Airport this morning.

Dromoland antique fair is a good place to truffle for collectibles and quality items, says Des O’Sullivan.

More locally items of small antique furniture have emerged as a definite new trend.

The Australians’ attitude towards the International Rules series has again come under the spotlight with reports some of their players caused early morning disturbances in the team hotel in Clare.

Dromoland antique and art fair is one of the biggest of the year, writes Des O’Sullivan.

A High Court judge has refused to grant the 18th Baron of Inchiquin, Conor O’Brien, a mandatory order for the recovery of his 37 ancestral portraits that hang in Dromoland Castle Hotel.

By Ray Managh

THE chief executive of the American Ireland Fund confirmed yesterday that the fund had the most successful year in its entire history last year by raising $40 million (€28m) for Irish charities.

A RECEIVER has been appointed to two hotels in the Ennis-based Lynch Hotel Group, by Bank of Scotland (Ireland), putting around 100 jobs at risk.

An unknown number of jobs may be at risk after receivers were appointed to two hotels within the Lynch Hotel Group.

FIVE people, including a young child, were injured yesterday after two cars collided on the M18 motorway about six kilometres from Ennis, closing part of the route for two hours.

IN these recessionary times, the helicopter business has been hit hard.

THEY say you can take a white horse anywhere, but it seems Midleton horse trainer Dan Rohan can take his bay mare anywhere and win.

Lawyers for the head of the O'Brien clan, who this week secured judgment for €7.9m against a company controlled by businessman Denis O'Brien which reneged on a land deal, are now seeking to have the well known entrepreneur and other directors of the company made personally liable for the costs of the action.

The High Court has awarded €7.9m in damages to 18th Baron Inchiquin, and head of the O'Brien clan, against a company controlled by businessman Denis O'Brien over the repudiation of an agreement to buy lands at Dromoland estate in Co Clare.

Schools around the country face being left with no cleaners or caretakers as those positions will not be filled under the current ban on hiring, the Irish Vocational Education Association has warned.

WITH debts of almost €23m the Co Clare-based Lynch Hotel Group, which employs 450 staff, has gone into voluntary examinership and has been placed under the protection of the High Court.

A 60-year-old man has died in hospital from injuries he sustained while carrying out repair work at Dromoland Castle in Co Clare earlier this month.

Newlands’ Andrew Hogan defied 40 mph gusts to card a four-under par 67 and grab the silver medal for the leading qualifier in the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point.

Walker Cup hopefuls Simon Ward and Jonathan Caldwell will lead the chase for the East of Ireland Amateur Open at Co Louth on Saturday.

Almost 250 US soldiers spent the night in hotels in Co Clare last night following a technical difficulty with their aircraft.

BRIAN HASSETT kept his many supporters happy by partnering a double at his local Co Clare Hunt point-to-point meeting at Dromoland yesterday.

FANCY living like a lord on the banks of the River Blackwater? — then here’s your chance. Mallow Castle comes on the market this week with a €7 million-plus price tag.

IN Irish diplomatic circles there has been some talk in recent weeks about a phenomenon known as Post-Presidency Depression Syndrome.

IT was the day the stranded media kept George W Bush waiting until they were liberated by a Garda patrol crew from a traffic jam caused by an anti-war protest on the N18.

EU and US leaders have agreed to increase pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear programme following last week’s decision to resume construction of centrifuges which are crucial to building a nuclear bomb.

IN what has been hailed as a hat-trick of successes, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday brokered an agreement on the candidate to fill the pivotal role of president of the European Commission.

PRESIDENT George W Bush became the fifth US President to visit Ireland when he arrived into Shannon Airport last night.

TO say security was tight for today’s EU-US summit at Dromoland Castle would be an understatement.

IF Brian Boru himself had appeared in person, the assembled gawkers surrounding Dromoland Castle could hardly have been more surprised.

HI-TECH surveillance units, each costing €400,000, and designed to detect human footfalls at a range of 43km, will be deployed for the visit of US President George W Bush.

EVEN the manhole covers on the roads around Shannon Airport are deemed a security risk ahead of the visit by US President George W Bush to Dromoland Castle for the EU-US summit this weekend.

A TEAM of anti-terrorist police has been based in Ennis for the last number of weeks preparing for US President George W Bush’s visit at the end of June.

EU competitiveness ministers got a dressing down from European and US business leaders at a unique roundtable event in Dromoland yesterday.

US President George Bush will stay at Dromoland Castle, Co Clare when he visits Ireland in June, it was reported today.

IT’S that time of year again when we shake off the winter cobwebs and our major green fee-taking clubs prepare for an influx of golfing visitors from all over the globe.