The voluntary efforts of people in rural communities are to be celebrated at the 2012 Paddy Fitzgerald Memorial Awards in Dunraven Arms Hotel, Adare, Co Limerick, on Oct 14, with a €2,000 top prize.

A MAJOR row has blown up after the chairman of Limerick County Council was ordered to remove his official chain of office at a black-tie charity dinner.

BLANKET planning restrictions in place around the village of Adare were lifted yesterday when Limerick County Council unveiled four route options for a proposed bypass.

Horse racing enthusiasts in the south-west of Ireland will make their voices heard at the first Racegoers Consultative forum to be held tomorrow night.

THE Mid-West region is losing out because of a lack of strong political leadership and the overall net loss of almost 2,000 jobs in the region is staggering, according to IBEC Mid-West President, Liam Ryan.