Beautiful vistas surround an upgraded traditional farmhouse located on a craggy promontory deep in West Cork, writes Tommy Barker.

Cork County Council is providing specially-designed lifeguard stations on five beaches and a beach wheelchair service at another location.

Far from producing 'slow-motion running' lifeguards more focused on their looks, this academy will produce a steady stream of highly-trained rookie lifeguards equipped with an internationally-recognised qualification.

Welcome to Part I of The Munchies 2018, in which The Menu salutes some of the heroes and achievements of the culinary calendar. (Next week, Part II.)

There were a number of flakes of silver paint on the road, indicating where the car driven by Sean Collins hit cyclist Stefan Cooper from behind.

Three popular beaches have been forced to lower their coveted Blue Flag.

You are high, and dry, and almost hovering over the beach and the coastal views, at this seaside home in Tragumna, Co Cork, called none other than Beach House.

Small, perfectly formed and even more perfectly sited, is Lakeview — a pint-sized property with a recent price drop, on an acre, by reed-fringed Loughalla lake and tidal Lough Hyne in deep and delightful West Cork.

The percentage of septic tanks in Cork failing inspections has increased this year, with the worst failure rate in the west of the county.

West Cork’s Wild Atlantic Way may be beautiful, but according to tourists its public toilets are anything but a pretty sight.

It must be hard keeping up with the Joneses down around West Cork’s chi-chi Castletownshend. 

Beaches and marinas across the country are bathing in the warm waters of European approval — 86 of them have been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag status.

<B>Tommy Barker </b>says you can really get away from it all in splendorous isolation overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

A ban on swimming in one of Co Cork’s premier beaches has been lifted, much to the relief of local businesses relying heavily on tourism.

Swimming has been banned on one of Cork’s premier beaches as a result of excessive E.coli bacteria levels in the water.

Size: Sq m 65 (700 sq ft)

A number of the country’s best known beaches are expected to lose their Blue Flag status as a result of the devastation caused by recent storms.

Castletownshend and Castlehaven

Up to 14,000 people could be in danger of being cut off if gale force winds and flooding were to damage the only bridge leading into a town in Co Cork.

Two popular bathing spots have been closed in West Cork after the discovery of excessive E.coli levels.

As weather forecasts continue to suggest that 2013 will be the best summer the country has seen for years, four Irish Examiner writers profile their favourite beaches and hidden gems around the southern coastline.

Swimmers have been cleared to return to the water at four popular beaches in Cork after quality tests declared them safe.

Swimming has been banned at a former blue flag beach in Co Cork due to excessive E.coli levels while the public has been warned of “potential risks” at three other bathing spots, including two current blue flag beaches.

Cork County Council has defended the quality of its coastal bathing water, blaming a more stringent marking criteria and the wettest summer for 50 years on the loss of Blue Flag status on four beaches.

Cork, the country’s largest coastal county, has lost four of its blue flag beaches.