IN Timoleague, west Cork, where the famous 13th century abbey overlooks the sea, there may be seen, these evenings, one of the most extraordinary displays of coordination and swarm behaviour in nature, a murmuration of starlings, says Damien Enright.

Peter Dowdall visits the famed island in West Cork and marvels at the range of plants on offer.

Gordon Elliott has given No More Heroes a perfect preparation and the imposing seven-year- old is fancied to land the RSA Chase at Cheltenham today.

After a frustrating series of five second-place finishes, interrupted only by a late departure when in contention in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at the Aintree festival of 2015, the talented Alpha Des Obeaux earned a long overdue return to the winner’s circle with a convincing victory in the Galmoy Hurdle.

The progressive Prince Of Scars caused an upset when landing the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday under a beautifully judged ride from Davy Russell.

Here’s a round up of some of the best festival line-up’s country-wide, from Ailin Quinlan.

The Tullow Tank is being prepared for next month’s Ryanair Gold Cup at Fairyhouse following a wasted journey to the Cheltenham Festival.

Flemenstar will make his long-awaited return in Saturday’s Webster Cup at Navan.

There may be a dictum that frowns on cheering in the press box, but the sight of Martello Tower persevering in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Chase was guaranteed to curry quiet favour among those tasked with covering these events. 

It has rained overnight. This I construe as good news for Djakadam, my Gold Cup fancy. 

Mags Mullins saddled her first Festival winner when Martello Tower came out top in a gruelling battle for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Mullins, what a day he enjoyed at Leopardstown yesterday, was on the mark again when Outlander proved a very impressive winner of the Grade 2 Nathaniel Lacy And Partners Solicitors’ Novice Hurdle, writes Pat Keane.

I’m off on my travels again today, heading to Doncaster for just one ride, Analifet, in a Grade 2 hurdle for mares, says Ruby Walsh.

Marito and Roi Du Mee filled the first two places in the Listed At The Races Chase last year and the pair clash again in the Tramore feature today.

Hurricane Fly, who has a tremendous record around this track, can land the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Lean Araig can shrug off an absence of 327 days and make a successful debut over jumps in the Supporters’ Club AGM Maiden Hurdle at Wexford this afternoon.

Check out today's horse racing tips from courses around Ireland and the UK.

Thomas McCarthy on a perceptive analysis of Eavan Boland’s work and an attempt “to put the layers of gold back into contemporary poetry”.

SPRING is sprung; the daffs are up.

I DON’T like to mention it in polite company, but my foundations are a bit exposed. The recent storm lashed at Portrane and made my Martello Tower spring leaks in more places than you could imagine. Eight buckets were deployed at the height of it, and we’re now in the check/replace/repaint phase.

BERE ISLAND WALK

“Ireland needs to grieve before we can move on.” That's the view of Lydia Kiernan, founder of National Grieving Day, which is taking place in Ireland and around the world next Tuesday, December 3.

AS the country prepares to go ‘Joyce mad’ on Sunday, Dave Kenny explains why he never shared his father’s love of Bloomsday

Dublin City Council is providing a Christmas tree recycling service at a number of locations across the city starting from today.

JUST as paintings “go into a wall” over time, as their owners become so used to them that they hardly notice them any more, so a once-dominant feature of the Irish coastline has become almost invisible.

SIX children and a woman escaped serious injury after their car plunged 20 feet down an embankment.

Six children and a woman escaped serious injury after their car plunged 20ft down an embankment.

IT’S all very well for you, so it is. You can sleep in on a bank holiday.

With its rural idyllic setting near the city, Bracken Lodge offers the best of both worlds, writes Rose Martin.

Everybody can’t win the race, but everyone can try.

During the world wars, some of the British towers were turned into observation and gun posts.

Tommy Barker says you can buy Belvelly Castle for €375,000.

Environmentalists are to stage a protest in Dublin today against what they say is the Government's inaction on climate change.

I THANK Terry Prone for bringing a broad smile to my face with her sexist rant about men and dishwashers (February 11).

History oozes from an unusual home, Tommy Barker reports