Áras an Uachtaráin hosts garden tea parties at this time of year, and one was held on 20 June. It welcomed 20 representatives from each of 24 of Ireland’s islands.

There was a dignified ceremony last week attended by 120 people for the funeral of the baby girl found dead in early May in a recycling centre in Co Wicklow.

It looks like a minority government soon or another General Election.

Irishman Steve Redmond, 47, became the first person in the world on Jul 14 to do the Oceans 7, modelled on the Seven Summits — climbing the highest mountain on each continent. He swam all 7 toughest channels of the world’s oceans from 2009 and it took 3 years to complete.