Your Friday lunchtime news catch-up

Voting has begun as campaigners bid to make Ireland the first country to introduce gay marriage by popular vote, Paul O’Connell is set to say farewell to Thomond Park after tomorrow’s game, Six officers have been charged with the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore and Dwayne ’The Rock’ Johnson has officiated at a surpise wedding. Just some of the latest and most read stories on irishexaminer.com.

Fri, 22 May, 2015 - 01:00

Greg Murphy

TOP STORY

Brisk start to voting as country takes to polls

IRELAND

Non-stop express train from Cork to Dublin

Cork businesses have welcomed Irish Rail’s announcement that it is to provide a non-stop express service starting next Monday morning.

Noonan confirms banks will lower rates; warns them of Budget levy if they fail

Finance Minister Michael Noonan has confirmed banks have agreed to start lowering their variable mortgage interest rates from July.

SPORT

Limerick set for seasonal adjustment

Try this one on for size: Limerick — hurling’s best championship team? Bear with us. Name a team, any other team, who has undermined their league form come business time as much as the county this decade.

MOST READ: O’Connell set to say farewell to Thomond tomorrow

Reports indicate Paul O’Connell’s Munster career will come to an end when the current PRO12 campaign finishes, either tomorrow or next weekend.

WORLD

Islamic State captures another town

Islamic State militants have seized another town in Iraq’s western Anbar province, less than a week after capturing the provincial capital Ramadi.

MOST READ: Six officers charged in connection with Freddie Gray death in Baltimore

A grand jury in Baltimore has charged six police officers on homicide and assault charges after the death of Freddie Gray.

ANALYSIS

MOST READ: A year on, vastly different education reforms are agreed

Some six years after the idea of junior cycle reform was floated, there has finally been an agreement, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray

EXAMVIRAL

Watch how the bikini has changed over the past 120 years

Technically, the bikini may have been invented in 1946, but the video below shows us what women have been wearing at the beach since 1890.

MOST READ: People are sharing their #HomeToVote stories and it’s lovely

People have been sharing photos and updates of their travel plans as they make the journey home from Australia, England and even Kenya to exercise their democratic right and vote.

TECHNOW

New iPad may add stylus support and split-screen mode | http://t.co/8qy6nmkcIr (GM) #technews pic.twitter.com/mtIssH7OaL
— Irish Examiner Lifestyle (@IELifestyle_) May 22, 2015

MOST READ: New iPad may add stylus support and split-screen mode

Apple’s iPad Pro, its rumoured 12.9-inch tablet, could add a number of new features. Among them is stylus support and split-screen mode.

BUSINESS

One in eight Press Council complaints relates to children

The Press Council of Ireland has said that one in eight complaints it received last year related to children.

MOST READ: Large fall Irish in jobless rate may stall, experts warn

Unemployment may slip below 8% just ahead of the next general election, but the dramatic improvement is likely to stall because the huge numbers on Government activation programmes will likely keep the jobless rate at an elevated level, experts have warned.

LIFESTYLE

MOST READ: Nathan Kirwan’s amazing walk right back to happiness

Ellie O’Byrne meets a young man who is pushing the boundaries of disability by fundraising for an exoskeleton which allows wheelchair users to walk again — with and without support.

SHOWBIZ