Friends of the missing San Francisco yachting tragedy sailors held memorial services in Ireland and the US at the weekend.

President Michael D Higgins is to visit Union Hall next month to meet with the families of the five trawler men who died when the Tit Bonhomme sank in mid-January.

The 12th century preserved heart of St Laurence O'Toole has been stolen from Christ Church Cathedral.

A HOLY shrine that normally contains a relic of St Brigid has been stolen from a church as worshippers prepare for the patron saint’s feast day.

Police from Ireland north and south will honour a fellow officer killed in floods in Co Wicklow.

IT is a diary entry no one would ever want to write.

THOUSANDS turned out last night for the removal of the tragic Co Wicklow Garda killed in Monday’s floods.

HUNDREDS of mourners yesterday attended the funeral of retired Eircom worker Martin Purcell, who was found dead in his flat in Wickham St in Limerick.

SENIOR gardaí in Limerick were in talks last night with the office of the DPP about charging a man in connection with the murder of retired Eircom technician Martin Purcell.

A MAN in his 30s was in custody in Limerick last night on suspicion of the murder of a father-of-two who suffered multiple stab wounds in a frenzied knife attack.

An Irish man who has died attempting to reach the summit of Everest did not know his wife had just given birth to a baby girl back home.

HUGE crowds queued for up to three hours to pay their respects to the former Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, Lieutenant General Dermot Earley, as his coffin lay in the garrison church at the Curragh yesterday.

PEADAR O’BRIEN, whose death has occurred in Dublin after a short illness, was one of the best known sporting journalists in the country.

A PRIEST who called for the immediate resignation of any archbishop or bishop who knew of clerical abuse was applauded by his congregation at Mass in Co Galway yesterday.

TRIBUTES were paid last night to a talented horse whisperer and breeder who died after falling from her mount during a race.

A FATHER and son will be buried side by side in Limerick today after they passed away suddenly at the weekend.

BRUCE Springsteen’s devastation at the death of legendary promoter Jim Aiken was revealed yesterday as the entertainment world turned out for his memorial service.

President Mary McAleese was one of the last people to visit top concert promoter Jim Aiken before his death.

TEARS flowed freely among mourners yesterday at the funeral mass of the young Kildare couple killed tragically in a house fire in the early hours of New Year’s Day.

THE heartbroken community of Clara came together in grief yesterday as they bid their final farewells to bus crash victim, 15-year-old Michael White.

The funeral is taking place of the Air Corp pilot who died in a plane crash on Thursday.