A 1,000-year-old perfectly preserved Viking sword has been found by archaeologists at the historic site of the former Beamish and Crawford brewery in Cork City.

A young woman is recovering in hospital after she was rescued from a Co Clare river by a member of An Garda Síochána.

From finding Viking bedding to discovering the remains of a red-haired man, the Wood Quay dig was one of the highlights of Dr Patrick Wallace’s life. His account of the project is a great read, says Noel Baker.

A city council has introduced proposals for tackling invasive alien animals and plants, which are estimated to cost the economy over €2m a year.

An infrastructure of people, ideas, and places built up in better times has been ground down, writes Gerard Howlin

Smoky coal is to be banned in towns across the country within three years.

Gardaí are investigating a number of incidents that happened in Galway at the weekend, including a stabbing, a robbery, and a serious assault that left a man in critical condition in hospital.

Our weekly guide to 'arts and cultural' events around Ireland.

TWO sites aimed at builders at East Cork’s Bailick Road come to market this month, one with agents Lisney, the other with DTZ Sherry FitzGerald.

The earliest Vikings settlers of 11th century Cork were recycling and land reclamation experts, and were trading with Europe, a major report on two of the city’s most significant archaeological sites has found.

An off-duty garda had a gun pointed at his head and was threatened as he foiled a robbery of a corner shop in south Dublin.

Workmen unearthed a burial site near Limerick’s King John’s Castle which may date to the 13th century.

Victoria White visits Istanbul’s Taksim Square and the takes the pulse of a country on the edge.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions expects that, despite Thursday’s promissory note deal, tens of thousands of people will still turn out for today’s anti-austerity march because of the anger that Ireland is still burdened with a €64bn banking debt.

The offices of Dublin City Council have been evacuated this morning, following the discovery of a suspicious package.

Dublin's Gay Pride Parade will take place in Dublin later when more than 25,000 people are expected to attend.

GOVERNMENT officials regarded Dublin Corporation’s behaviour over the development of Wood Quay as “ridiculous” and “paranoid”.

Thousands of protestors are gathering in Dublin ahead of a major demonstration against the Government's austerity measures.

Thousands of workers are expected to march through Dublin tomorrow as part of a national demonstration against Government cuts.

GARDAÍ were last night continuing to investigate an attack on the constituency office of Minister Noel Dempsey in which the building was daubed with a misspelling of word “traitors”.

DEAR David and Jack, I hope you don’t mind if I take the liberty of writing you an open letter.

Gardaí in Dublin are today appealing for witnesses after a cyclist was seriously injured following a accident involving an articulated lorry at Wood Quay.

DUBLIN’S chewing-gum black- spots have been named and shamed as the city council seeks a contractor to clean up the capital’s sticky problem.

Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny TD has paid tribute to Sean Loftus who passed away today at the age of 82.

Veteran activist and politician Sean Dublin Bay Loftus died today, aged 82.

Two drugs gangs were smashed and 80 suspected pushers arrested during a blitz on street level dealing in Dublin, gardaí confirmed today.

Dubliners will be asked tomorrow to help draw up a plan to keep the city’s waterways clean.

A Kildare father-of-two who sold heroin to an undercover garda in the city centre has been given a 18-month sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

GardaÍ in Dublin say they want to speak to a woman who witnessed a serious assault on the first day of Gay Pride Week last month.

THOUSANDS turned out at Dublin’s Docklands yesterday to bid farewell to a replica Viking longship which made the city its home for almost a year.

THE sky’s the limit, they say.

I BELIEVE it’s time for ordinary people to protest to the Government, or through the media, against the cultural vandalism threatening the ancient, sacred site of Tara.

A special 55c stamp celebrating the arrival of the Viking Warship in Dublin was issued today by An Post.

THE news of the discovery of a site of major archaeological importance in the Tara-Skryne Valley is exciting.

IN the run-up to the general election it’s perhaps timely to consider the appalling lack of respect for our heritage which has been continually displayed by the Government, in particular since 2002 when Martin Cullen and his successor Dick Roche held the Environment portfolio.

HUNDREDS of residents opposed to plans for a waste incinerator at Poolbeg are expected to show up at an oral hearing into the controversial project today.

Five people were taken to hospital in Galway suffering from smoke inhalation following a blaze in a city centre apartment block.

THOUSANDS took to the streets of Dublin over the weekend to mark the city’s Gay Pride celebrations.

THE recent media hype about how the country should honour the men and women of Easter week has developed into a political board game. Let us mark the 90th anniversary by saving the Irish Alamo.

I WAS delighted with the major conservation plan that the Heritage Council has announced to preserve what remains of the old city wall of Kilkenny.

THE National Graves Association welcomes the findings of the Shaffrey architectural and historical report regarding 16 Moore Street in Dublin where the leaders of the 1916 rebellion made their last stand.

THE painting on the wall is stylised and well executed and depicts suppertime at a traditional Traveller encampment. Next to it roars a space shuttle as it blasts into fiery orbit while, nearby, the rapper 50 Cent looks sassy.

"THEY paved paradise and put up a parking lot..."

Canadian born film director Patricia Rozema will be in Dublin for the 4th annual Lesbian Arts Festival aLAF.