More than 20 canaries and three bird cages were plucked out of an aviary and the burglar who swooped for this unusual theft was sentenced to five months behind bars yesterday.

An accountant with the Irish Coursing Club was fired for involvement in a “cover-up” which allowed a former club CEO to spend funds on his own “personal lifestyle”, the Employment Appeals Tribunal has heard.

An accountant with a national sporting body was dismissed because of alleged “misappropriation of funds” and “falsification of accounts,” the Employment Appeals Tribunal has been told.

A PROJECT to help the local meat supply chain in the European Union to survive and thrive will be launched in Newmarket, Co Cork, later today.

A FATHER of four was killed on his way to work four years ago and yesterday at the High Court in Cork his family was awarded €425,000 in compensation.

HE has the reputation of almost being able to make a “squeeze box” talk and is now an ambassador for tourist haven Killarney.

THE European Commission approved a grant last week towards restoration of water quality in the Upper Blackwater in Co Cork.

TWO well-known gardaí serving in Cork and Limerick have been promoted to the rank of assistant Garda commissioner.

The first undercover pictures of the men accused of a £2m (€2.86m) race-fixing scam involving Kieren Fallon were released today.

THE NATIONAL Roads Authority (NRA) is to examine the safety of the Mitchelstown bypass after a head-on collision there on Monday afternoon led to the deaths of two men.

TIPPERARY CUP winner Ceannas Major, who was beaten by Tailteann Beam in the final of the Knockgraffon Cup last time out, got back to winning form at the Dungarvan meeting in Mount Rivers, Cappoquin, Co. Waterford yesterday when he won the Deise Cup.

MORE than one million people will have watched 30 girls from across the globe face the camera in pursuit of their dream of being named tonight as the 2006 Rose of Tralee.

SUE ALTMAN has won Irish hearts but now the American who scored 35 points for DART Killester against Carna Transport Mercy in their Superleague semi-final on Sunday wants to win a National Cup medal.

YOUR report states that no one was charged with the murder of Garda Richard Fallon (Irish Examiner, Dec 23).

THE Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, should resign following his unfounded allegations against Sinn Féin.

A 25-YEAR-OLD nurse has died in the hospital where she worked after her hair and clothes caught fire as she was trying to light a cigarette from a gas stove.