The 64-year-old driver of the vehicle – originally from Glasgow – was arrested by Belgian authorities and a 30-year-old man in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, was also detained.

'Heart-cloven and split-minded’, Elizabeth Bowen’s upbringing gave her a special Anglo-Irish insight into culture and society — one which still resonates today, writes Patricia Laurence

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said that there will "always be a seat at the table" for the UK at the EU table.

The Thompson Bakery building on Cork city’s MacCurtain Street is not just a slice of local history — it’s almost the full sliced pan, spanning three centuries of heritage, and now visibly risen to renewed glories.

Below is a join-the-dots of some of 2020’s cultural anniversaries around Europe.

Moving on from being the mod who fronted bands such as the Lower Third, David Bowie released a strange yet enchanting debut album in 1967, and became something of a folky troubadour in 1969, but ultimately was proving to be something of a one-hit-wonder after ‘Space Oddity’.

An indication of what we'll see, and the new urban core vantage points, by the end of 2020 comes in this stunning timelapse video of a sunset over the city centre and River Lee

Christian Bale and Matt Damon tell Laura Harding about their roles in Le Mans ‘66, the tale of the men paid by Ford to take on the dominance of Ferrari in the motor-racing world

Robert Hume tells of the eccentric MP for Athboy, Co. Meath – born 300 years ago this month – who thought he was a teapot, and was afraid his spout might break off.

Against popular wisdom and flying a plane made from bamboo, wire and bike handlebars, a Co Antrim woman blazed a sky trail for aviation and for the independence of women, writes Bette Browne

The developers of one of Cork’s largest docklands projects has secured its first tenant - with more announcements in the pipeline.

Simon Lewis Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler may not have had the outcomes they wanted

It's not all research, deadlines and live broadcasts for RTÉ’s Maggie Doyle. For downtime, there’s nothing more she loves to do than to put on her pinny, whip out the food mixer and bake.

A 25-storey apartment tower is proposed for a Cork city centre site on Albert Quay.

Cork's first cycling maps have been unveiled ahead of national bike week.

Irish dance superstar, Michael Flatley, has recorded a special video endorsing his former chef's bid to become the directly elected Mayor of Clonakilty in West Cork.

THE presence of an important wetland habitat for migratory birds by the N25 road and a commuter rail line has generated the sales and marketing motto for Cork’s latest new homes development to launch this year: Harper’s Creek invites house hunters to “Come home to Glounthaune”.

The Cork piano is the fifth public piano to be installed at Ianród Éireann stations.

The charming town of Boulogne-sur-Mer has much to offer, but it’s the spectacular French National Sea Centre that makes it a must-see, writes Barry Coughlan.

Sorting out Cork people for ages.

"I’ve never been on an assignment anywhere near as stupid as this.”

DEAR England, I’m worried about you, writes Suzanne Harrington.

The regeneration of Cork’s docklands has stepped up another gear with work underway on a €125m office block on the northern quays which will be able to accommodate more than 2,250 workers by mid-2020.

Set up just 18 months ago, rapid-build firm Horizon has set its sights far and wide, writes Trish Dromey

Villarreal 2 Rangers 2

The Escape opens tomorrow Dominic Cooper and Gemma Arterton tell Helen Barlow about their new film in which they play a couple in a doomed relationship.

Seven people have been arrested in a British-Irish operation targeting a criminal gang suspected of smuggling Georgian nationals into Britain through Ireland.

The playing of a test match in Dublin last weekend between Ireland and Pakistan is a reminder that there is nothing inevitable in sport.

"I can't give guarantees on behalf of the Republic of Ireland but I cannot for a moment believe that they will want to put in place administrative systems which we don't put in place."

Blizzards are hitting parts of the UK, as freezing conditions and heavy snow cause deaths and wreak disruption.

Heavy snow has caused more misery for travellers overnight - with the wintry weather disruption set to continue during the morning rush hour in the UK.

Crabs, the armoured personnel carriers of the creepy-crawly world, fascinate children, writes Richard Collins.

A raucous atmosphere filled the National Concert Hall last night as some of rock ‘n roll’s greatest rebels gathered to celebrate the 60th birthday of Pogues singer Shane MacGowan.

The final series of the cross-channel drama can’t escape the shadow of Brexit, writes Gemma Dunn.

Virgil may have coined the phrase ‘Love Conquers All’ but it took Carol Drinkwater to reinvent it as a creative metaphor, writes John Rainsford

Lawyers acting for the man convicted of murdering Lin and Megan Russell in England in 1996 say they have new evidence of his innocence, including a "very detailed confession" to the killings from serial killer Levi Bellfield.

The landlord of a historic pub in England has described how a man "escorted from the premises" was the driver of a car which then crashed into the front door, injuring four people.

A "manipulative and deceitful" former public schoolboy turned sexual predator has been handed a 28-year extended sentence in the UK for raping two women and having sex with a 14-year-old girl.

James Berkery learned his craft in Cork, and is now making waves in London, writes Esther McCarthy

Almost two thirds of schoolchildren in England would not mind if social media had never been invented, a survey has indicated.