Christmas came early for Crystal Swing star Derek Burke, after he enlisted the help of Santa Claus to propose to his long-term girlfriend.

An energy therapist who carried out a bizarre campaign of blackmail against his sister-in-law and her husband wrote an apology to them while remanded in custody for the past week.

The brave actions of four crew members of a Naval Service ship, which nearly sunk after an incident off Cork Harbour in 1962, are to be finally recognised.

Warm tributes have been paid to retired circuit court Judge John Clifford whose death took place on Thursday night at the age of 84.

An energy therapist got the idea from a sex addict patient to make up a story about his sister-in-law’s husband and he then set about a bizarre campaign of blackmail.

Today, April 7

Two men have been ordered to do 200 hours of community service after conspiring to swindle weekly jobseekers’ allowance totalling €3,824.

With a massive menu on offer, more than 5,000 people passed through Cork City Hall yesterday for the Cork/Kerry Food Forum with some of the region’s artisan food producers sharing their culinary delights.

Richard Fitzpatrick has been researching the life of a former Manchester United captain, Patrick O'Connell, who secretly had two wives - one in Dublin and the other in Spain

Fresh herbs can elevate the humdrum to the sublime, writes Joe McNamee. He asks four top chefs which herb is their favourite and how to best use it 

Doctors thought Dutch-born Johanna Canty was being an overprotective mother when she became concerned that her daughter, Petronella, might not be a typical clumsy toddler.

Three people have died after a siege in a Sydney cafe came to a dramatic end yesterday when armed police stormed the building.

I GOT a wonderful letter today beautifully hand-written by a woman who described herself as an octogenarian.

Tommy Barker visits a 1970s bungalow near Clonakilty that has been given a tasteful rebuild, complete with high-spec insulation and cutting-edge green building techniques.

The famous Teeling spirits dynasty is bringing whiskey-making back to Dublin after a near 40-year absence with a new €10m distillery.

A Cork pensioner living in Britain has said he is “overwhelmed” by the response to his call for somebody to spend Christmas with after spending nine years alone.

The jury at an inquest into the death of a toddler who fell from an upstairs window has urged the HSE to immediately publish the findings of an external review into the handling of the 999 call after the accident.

A teenager with a rare medical condition who minds her severely autistic younger brother and his assistance dog, Paddy, is Ireland’s Young Carer of the Year.

Cork-distilled Jameson whiskey has been one of the most successful brands ever taken over by Pernod Ricard, becoming the second largest brand in the drinks company’s cabinet.

A town council is demanding junior environment minister Jan O’Sullivan resign after she issued a directive ordering the dezoning of land in a suspected floodplain.

A man who lost two brothers to suicide has accused banks of contributing to the suicide crisis.

The heartbroken parents of the boy who died after being swept away in a flooded river have been told the fragrance of his short life will last forever.

Bishop of Cloyne William Crean has said his heart goes out to the family of a seven-year-old boy who died a day after falling into a flooded river near his home.

Galway and Cork were the big winners at the fifth annual Good Food Ireland Awards, with Aniar Restaurant in Galway scooping the top prize.

Distillery group Diageo is placing acquisitions in Asia Pacific “high” on the agenda to reach a target of increasing revenue from the region to a fifth of total sales.

A Junior Cert student was lucky to escape with his life early yesterday morning when he became bogged down in mud flats in an estuary as the tide was rising.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has turned the sod on a new €100m expansion of the Jameson whiskey distillery in Midleton, Co Cork.

Elliot Perlman’s historical fiction The Street Sweeper depended on Robert Nowak’s conversations with Holocaust survivors, says Caroline O’Doherty

SATURDAY

AS the value of Irish food and drink exports approaches a record €9 billion in 2011, the key contribution of Jameson Irish whiskey was recognised last night when it won the Bord Bia Food and Drink Export Award.

A LIBEL action taken by Wayne O’Donoghue, who was convicted of the manslaughter of 11-year-old Robert Holohan in 2005, has been settled in the High Court.

Des Bishop’s new book celebrates his father’s role as a loving parent despite a troubled past, Richard Fitzpatrick reports.

EXPLORING English, the well-thumbed short story collection for several generations of Irish students, has just been re-published.

A DESPERATE woman called a taxi driver and told him to “get me out of here” hours before her battered body was discovered in a pool of blood in her home.

A DAUGHTER of a murdered woman made an emotional farewell to her mother, who should have been celebrating her 58th birthday next Wednesday.

BIKERS have been urged to saddle up for a very special fundraising event to help Ireland’s beautiful conjoined eight-week-old twins.

A RAPE crisis centre chief has expressed concern over the ease of access to online pornographic images after a public servant downloaded over 15,000 images and files of naked children.

Management at Dawn Meats were set to meet SIPTU representatives at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) today to discuss job losses at the company’s plant in Midleton, Co Cork.

IRISH prisoners in British jails serve longer sentences than other foreigners because they are classed as British citizens.

GARDA Commissioner Fachtna Murphy has made changes in senior ranks of the force in the southern region.

Jameson Whiskey sales grew by 17% year-on-year, and volumes were up 10% in the first three months of the company’s financial year it was announced today.

Trish Deseine will be guest chef at Ballymaloe Cookery School for a one-day course on Monday, September 15. Tel 021-4646785; www.cookingisfun.ie.