It’s Swinford Railway Station on Friday, 31 July 1908. 

Poor construction standards and a lack of enforcement of building regulations are contributing factors to fatal house fires, according to the organiser of a forthcoming conference on sustainable building practices.

“Study now, pay later” models for higher education fees would lead to an “astronomical increase” in costs for students, the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said.

St Luke’s walls have witnessed more intrigue than a box-set of House of Cards, writes Michael Cifford

Teaching unions remain locked in talks in Dublin this afternoon as they consider the latest proposals on Junior Cycle reform.

A major conference on abortion is taking place in Dublin this morning.

Contented and writing the best songs of his career, Lloyd Cole really is a merry old soul, says Joe Dermody

1|festival|DUBLIN BEATLES FESTIVAL

Athletics Ireland publicly rolled out their High Performance plan for the next Olympic cycle at the Gresham Hotel yesterday with the vision of “more Irish athletes winning on the world stage” and a target of 24 medals being won at major championships between 2013 and 2016.

Tánaiste and Labour leader Eamon Gilmore is understood to be making contact with the party's TDs and Senators in the wake of another exit from the Parliamentary Party.

During the first half of the last century, 163 people were officially executed throughout the island — 149 in the 26 counties, and 14 in the North.

Dublin became a part of Hollywood yesterday when movie stars, directors, celebrities and fully paid-up members of the glitterati attended the European premiere of the new Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln in the city’s Savoy Cinema.

Changes to abortion laws will be debated in the Dáil in April, as independent and small party TDs introduce a motion this week calling for legislation to give effect to the X-case judgment.

PRESENTER Miriam O’Callaghan, who hosts RTÉ One’s New Year’s Eve Live show tonight, says viewers can expect a big star line-up.

“RTÉ was in total chaos at the time. It opened long before it should have.”

Perfect People

Rising food prices have pushed more than 70 million people into extreme poverty worldwide, according to the charity Gorta.

They’re the thirtysomethings who don’t just remember the 90s — they played in them. The landscape may have changed, but they haven’t gone away

Sinn Féin's annual pre-Dáil think-in is taking place this morning at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin.

THE Girlies will be out in force this week as the second Sex and the City movie is due to hit Irish screens tomorrow.

The ASTI has said that 90% of newly qualified teachers fail to get a full-time, permanent contract.

Westmeath GAA has been boosted with the news that the 2011 GAA Congress is set to take place in Mullingar it has been confirmed.

A top trade union leader today called on the Government to reignite the economy by focusing on green industries.

The general president of the BATU trade union will tomorrow seek a High Court injunction aimed at preventing his suspension from office.

FORMER EU commissioner and attorney general David Byrne said yesterday that he had absolutely no doubt that Bertie Ahern’s constituency office in Drumcondra was bought for the benefit of Fianna Fáil.

EBS Building Society today announced details of two free first-time buyer information days in Dublin.

Aer Lingus is not afraid of Michael O’Leary becoming a troublesome shareholder at future AGMs if his daring takeover bid fails, the airline said today.

More than 800 people were evacuated from two hotels in Dublin following separate fires overnight.

A garda who was murdered in a booby-trap bomb 30 years ago and his injured colleagues were today commemorated in a moving ceremony.

Former Health Minister Michael Martin today angrily hit back at claims by his department’s secretary general that he was aware of illegal nursing homes charges as early as 2003.

FORMER Junior Health Minister Ivor Callely was last night challenged to break his silence on the Travers report into illegal nursing home charges.

THE role of ministerial special advisers has come under intense scrutiny following the publication of the Travers Report.

IT’S just after lunch time on Friday, December 17, and Junior Transport Minister Ivor Callely is walking back to his office when he answers his mobile.

THE rebel yell could be heard clear across Dublin yesterday as the Cork hordes came, conquered and watched in triumph as Ben O’Connor lifted the Liam McCarthy Cup.

NUALA Hussey is a selfless mother who always manages to make light of what life throws at her.

Fine Gael are holding a special summit in Dublin this afternoon to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Cumann na NGaedheal.

TWO newspaper headlines caught my attention last weekend:

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE sufferers need to get treatment a lot earlier, if the stigma associated with dementia is to be reduced and their quality of life improved, experts said yesterday.

The Dublin Docklands Development Authority says U2’s Dublin recording studios are not worth retaining and have to be demolished to make way for a public walkway.