Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

 

As summer sipping gets into gear, dedicated researcher Joe McNamee checks out the best spaces for an outdoor libation

The bould Neidín is hardly a very wet week back from his winter sojourn in St Tropez and The Menu is saddling him up once more, this time for a gallop of the west coast to Knockranny House Hotel, for the Wine Producers’ Weekend (February 26-27). 

The French Riviera has long been the playground of the rich and famous. Darragh Murphy experiences the high life – but on a limited budget.

Wednesday, 3 pm, Gort. We are driving up to visit my sister in Sligo, and in keeping with time-honoured tradition, the sky suddenly drops out of its customary high position and lands on the bonnet.

Formula One driver Jenson Button and his wife Jessica Michibata were gassed in their sleep as burglars stole valuables worth over £300,000 (€425,000).

Green Property’s Stephen Vernon has swooped on one of West Cork’s loveliest spots, he tells Tommy Barker.

Ever wondered what it’d be like living life with a billionaire dad?

CORK airport, 2.30pm, and, as expected, the rain has travelled for hundreds of miles against prevailing winds especially to decant itself on top of my mother when she disembarks the plane.

Are Prince Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, considering remarrying, 17 years after their divorce.

Sinitta turned up at 'X Factor' judge Louis Walsh's house with a baby bump to mock Simon Cowell.

GIVEN the glorious weather of the past few weeks rosé wines don’t need much extra promotion from me as they are selling out everywhere.

Most parents would recoil in horror at the thoughts of backpacking by train with two toddlers in tow but Rory Fitzgerald found it a cheap and fun way to see Europe.

Eecentric multi-millionaire designer Karl Lagerfeld has revealed that his pet cat Choupette is cared for by three maids.

FLYING to your family holiday destination may have its advantages in terms of speed, but there’s a lot to be said for taking the scenic route by car.

FLYING to your family holiday destination may have its advantages in terms of speed, but there’s a lot to be said for taking the scenic route by car.

Former France footballer David Ginola had to be taken to hospital after crashing while skiing.

Usher and Tinie Tempah are set to mentor on this year's 'X Factor'.

Simon Cowell has masterminded the "toughest-ever" 'X Factor'.

SHE was once the object of millions of male fantasies.

THIS WEEK we feature lots and lots of salads, just what we all yearn for during this unexpected spell of beautiful weather. Recently chef and cookery teacher Barny Haughton from Bristol came to Ballymaloe Cookery School to do a whole morning on salads.

Mist rises over the golf and spa resort at Les Domaines de St Endreol, Golf and Spa Resort in the south of France. Above is the terrace restaurant at the development.

AUSTRALIA’S backup goalkeeper Brad Jones has had to leave the World Cup in order to be by the side of his four-year-old son Luca, who has been diagnosed with cancer.

THE Malév summer timetable features three new cities and additional services on established routes.

A JURY yesterday began the long-awaited task of deciding whether Diana, Princess of Wales, was murdered in an establishment conspiracy.

BUSES roll into the city centre full of drunken students — Junior Cert night has truly arrived.

Actress Penelope Cruz is in awe of U2 star Bono's charitable nature and has hailed him as her "hero".

BILLY TWOMEY yesterday capped a great weekend for Irish show jumpers, winning the grand prix at St Tropez.

Cork's Billy Twomey took the €10,000 first prize at the French Grand Prix in St Tropez this evening with the 13 year-old chestnut mare Anastasia III.

With her immaculately coiffed copper-coloured hair, designer jeans and obvious cosmetic surgery, Jamila M’Barek was every inch the high-class Riviera call-girl.

JOSE MOURINHO has denied giving an interview to Portuguese newspaper A Bola after it claimed the Chelsea coach had told police he had sent his dog to “St Tropez”.

It hardly takes a lot of effort to convince someone to go on a holiday in the south of France.

Johnny Depp has reportedly proposed to his long-term girlfriend Vanessa Paradis - an action allegedly inspired by their seven-year-old daughter's terrifying illness earlier this year.

Michael Jackson has slammed reports he has been dressing as a woman in St Tropez, France.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs recently hired a separate private jet to take his luggage from France to Rome, because there wasn't enough room for all his suitcases on one plane.

Screen beauty Penelope Cruz was in town for the premiere of her new film Volver.

Pamela Anderson will marry fiancé Kid Rock in a series of different locations, starting with a French ceremony this weekend.

Kid Rock and his new fiancée, Pamela Anderson, could be man and wife as early as next weekend, according to US reports.

Rap-rocker Kid Rock was stunned when he bumped into ex-fiancée Pamela Anderson in France earlier this month, because he realised he is still in love with her.

KEEP on the sunny side of life. While the summer weather may appear to be waning, the sunshine will be making a comeback on Saturday.

Pamela Anderson is to make an honest man out of Kid Rock.

PATRICK LICHFIELD, whose charm, royal connections and artistic flair made him one of Britain’s best-known photographers, died yesterday at the age of 66 after suffering a stroke.