Work is at an advanced stage on producing what’s hoped will be the world’s finest gin, through a collaboration between a new distillery in West Cork, a number of Michelin-starred chefs and a French company which harvests rare citrus fruits.

Ronan O’Gara is still getting his bearings, and no surprise there.

The Munster and Ireland legend has already established an enviable reputation through his stints as an assistant at Racing 92 and Crusaders but he is assuming the role of head coach for the first time at La Rochelle where he will work under director of rugby Jono Gibbes.

Geraint Thomas shrugged off his third crash of the Tour de France as Caleb Ewan won stage 16 in soaring temperatures in Nimes.

A study placed the Irish-based budget airline in eighth place, with an average delay of 21 minutes per flight in 2018.

The Swedish word ‘flygskam’ means ‘flight shame’. I think of this word – the only Swedish word I know apart from Ikea — as I fly over Sweden, its million tiny lakes reflecting back up at me, on my way back from somewhere even further away.

CRIME and poverty rates in Cork, as well as waste management strategies, public transport and sustainability issues were among the indicators a €9bn German investment fund used, before deciding to spend €19m in a Cork city centre property investment, at the Webworks building.

A Limerick mother who trekked across northern Spain to help her cope following the sudden death of her son has penned a moving book about her journey.

A humid Saturday morning and clearly it is moving day in Lourdes. Dozens of buses clog the narrow streets of the town in the Pyrenees, hazard lights on as people are wheeled or carried from their hotels, others moving with a pep in their step as if the visit to the Marian shrine has uplifted them.

Damien Enright visited Ibiza to discuss a book he has written about the time he spent there between 1961 and 1965

It might be a good omen but, for the first time since they arrived in France on Saturday, there was warm sunshine and pool weather yesterday for the Irish U20 squad as they recovered from the bruising encounter with the hosts the previous night.

Donnacha Ryan has come a long way in a very short time, from Tipperary across the Pyrenees via Paris for a crack at joining one of rugby’s rarest breeds.

The word ‘organic’ has become almost magical, adding a sheen of quality and purity to just about everything. A good winemaker who goes organic should see an improvement in their wine quality but only if they were talented in the first place. Organic vineyards make up less than 3% of the world’s vineyards (Europe has around 8%, Austria can boast 15%) but this figure is growing. Yields will drop by at least 20% (and costs increase proportionally) but grape quality should definitely go up.

Eighteen climate scientists from the US and elsewhere have hit the jackpot as French President Emmanuel Macron awarded millions of euros in grants to relocate to France for the rest of Donald Trump's presidential term.

Back to southern France again this week, as I find myself enjoying the wines from here more and more.

Cork-born poet, Liam Ó Muirthile, was inspired by his journey along the Camino, writes Marjorie Brennan

Dan Martin is closing in on Ireland’s best overall result at the Tour de France since his uncle Stephen Roche won the race 30 years ago — but he will not emulate him by claiming the yellow jersey.

Ireland’s Dan Martin is one of just two Irish riders who will roll out of the German city of Dusseldorf this afternoon for the 104th edition of the Tour de France.

An Post Rás stage winner Eoin Morton has been handed the onerous task of leading the Irish national team into battle in this year’s contest which starts in Dublin on Sunday.

Organisers of the Tour de France will look to crack Team Sky’s stranglehold on the event with a challenging course that rewards aggressive riding, race director Christian Prudhomme declared yesterday.

An Irish adventurer dubbed the ‘lawnmower man’ has become the first person to fly from Ireland to Africa by paramotor.

Dan Martin gave the performance of his career on stage nine of the Tour de France yesterday on a incredible day where he climbed to third overall.

Dan Martin is eyeing up the next three stages of the Tour de France as potential days where he could make a real statement of intent.

Dan Martin took his best result of the Tour de France so far and moved into the top 10 yesterday on a day where Belgian Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team) took the race leader’s yellow jersey from the shoulders of overnight leader Peter Sagan (Tinkoff).

James Keoghan makes the discovery made by all pilgrims on the Camino — the more you walk the easier it gets.

The June Bank Holiday weekend always feels like the beginning of summer even if the weather is often rather mixed.

An Irish adventurer hopes to become the first person to fly from Ireland to Africa using a lawnmower-like engine strapped to his back.

A Cork man is aiming to achieve a new record, when he flies from Ireland to Africa this summer on a craft that is powered by a lawnmower engine.

Usually no more than a pitstop for flyers to Barcelona, Girona offers a storied history, wondrous architecture, and mouth-watering eats, writes Brian Canty.

Hannibal Buress has no problem pointing to the elephant in the room, he tells Richard Fitzpatrick

UK Athletics has found no evidence of wrongdoing by Mo Farah in the initial findings of its investigation into allegations of doping against his coach Alberto Salazar.

Nicolas Roche became just the third Irishman in history to be part of a win at the Tour de France when he helped ensure teammate Chris Froome’s overall victory on yesterday’s final stage of the race into Paris.

During WWII tiny French villages were used to help Jewish children escape the Holocaust. Caroline Moorehead, who discovered the little known story, spoke to Richard Fitzpatrick.

I have been rather neglectful of Australia in recent months so this week I want to focus on one of the great icon estates of Australian wine as a way of showing that there is more to this country than big blowsy Shiraz and Chardonnay.

Chris Froome survived a string of attacks on the 11th stage of the Tour de France yesterday on a day Joaquim Rodriguez claimed his second mountaintop victory of the race.