I lunched last Sunday with a gargantuan guzzler and bon viveur who announced his plans to take a sleeping pill tonight and retire early. New Year’s Eve is funny.

The last original member of The Dubliners was buried yesterday in a funeral attended by hundreds of people, including family, friends and renowned names from the world of music.

Barney McKenna, banjo player with veteran folk group the Dubliners, has died.

A church leader called today for a new banking morality to end a process which has “driven hard-working people to the point of suicide”.