When I came to Ireland I went to the Christian Brothers, which was quite austere, compared to London. There’s quite a full-circle poignancy about the fact that my son is the same age I was when I went to London. I probably think of it a bit poetically, but I feel there’s a special holiness or something about Ireland. It’s a spiritual feeling, like when you’re driving up by the Céide Fields, that you don’t get other places in the world. Gary Lydon stars in Of Mornington by Billy Roche, directed by Peter McCamley, at Wexford Arts Centre, April 2nd-4th, and Smock Alley Theatre, April 14th-18th.

In 2024-25, Leinster lost two matches from 18 in the league before sailing on to win the championship, beating the side that defeated them last week, Glasgow, in the semi-final. BKT United Rugby Championship, Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow, where Glasgow Warriors' Macenzzie Duncan goes over for a try. With the Champions Cup quarter-final on the horizon, Leinster’s season could implode or grow wings in both competitions over the next three weeks. It’s not uncommon in Leinster or Ireland that players can occasionally drift from the fundamentals of hitting 100 per cent every game. The plan is for a deep run in the Champions Cup and ultimately home draws in the playoff phases of the URC.

Three more children have settled cases against the HSE linked to their mother taking epilepsy drug Epilim during pregnancy as families call for redress for all affected. Also on Thursday the Department of Health said it will not publish an interim report from a public inquiry looking at regulation of sodium valproate, sold as Epilim and manufactured by Sanofi. OACS Ireland co-founder Karen Keely with her sons Harry, Lorcan, and Lee, at the 2024 announcement of the public inquiry into the prescribing of anti-epilepsy medication sodium valproate to pregnant women. However a department spokeswoman said the terms of reference “provide for the publication of the final report only". The terms do not prohibit publication of an interim report.

The Denver Summit FC starting lineup poses for a photo ahead of a 0-2 win at Gotham FC on Wednesday, March 25, 2026. Photo Credit: Denver Summit FCDenver, Colo.- After a great week on the East Coast, Denver Summit FC are confident going into their first ever home game, which will be a spectacle. The Match: Denver Summit hosts Washington SpiritWhen: Saturday, March 28th at 12 p.m. MTWhere: Mile High (Empower Field)TV/Streaming: The Spot 3 by Denver7 and CBS. Denver Summit FC midfielder Tash Flint celebrates scoring a second goal in the club’s first ever win, 0-2 at Gotham FC. Photo Credit: Denver Summit FCDefending Against Spirit’s Speed and OrganizationDenver was excellent at times at breaking out of Gotham’s high press.

'Important update' after emergency evacuation of Plymouth flats"I know how incredibly distressing and disruptive this is for everyone living there"View Image Evolution Cove in Plymouth (Image: Luke Pollard)Residents who have been evacuated from a housing complex in Plymouth face being away from home for up to eight weeks. In a statement shared on Facebook, Mr Pollard said: "I know that many people are concerned about the ongoing situation at Evolution Cove in Stonehouse, and so I wanted to share an important update. "Late on Friday, March 20, structural engineers confirmed that an immediate evacuation of the building was necessary due to safety concerns. "On Monday, March 23, a high-level meeting took place between Grey GR, Plymouth City Council, the Fire Service, and the Ministry of Housing. "Grey GR has committed to reimbursing costs for meals, necessary taxis, and incidental expenses for those currently in hotels.

One Gerry and two Johnnies in Durty Nelly’s bar in Prague last night. For the uninitiated, the words were a malapropistic play on the venues of Big Jack’s troops’ three match venues i.e. Two years on from the Euros, in 1990, came an even more momentous occasion with our World Cup debut. I had met popular Mullingar businessman Eddie Casey a couple of hours before the kick-off, and he was glowing after unexpectedly securing match tickets that afternoon. FootnoteIt’s not a word of exaggeration to say that the gut-wrenching – and did I mention totally avoidable?

The State-owned transport company is looking at redevelopment opportunities at Heuston and Connolly stations in Dublin. Photograph Nick Bradshaw / The Irish TimesState-owned transport group CIÉ is looking at redevelopment opportunities at both Heuston and Connolly stations in Dublin that could provide for new interchange arrangements between buses and trains as well as housing. In an interview with The Irish Times, CIÉ chief executive Stephen Kent said he has had conversations with the National Transport Authority (NTA) about an “intermodal opportunity” at Heuston. I know the NTA would have plans for looking at a potential bus interchange.”Kent also said the CIÉ group would shortly present “concepts” to Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien about developments around Connolly Station. Kent said CIÉ was working with property developers about proposals, including on housing, and there would also have to be dialogue with Dublin City Council.

In 2020, Matt Knaggs was told he would be in a wheelchair within five years after receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. This summer, he will embark on the 563km journey from Co Cork’s Mizen Head to Malin Head in Co Donegal for a Guinness World Record attempt. From Ohio in the US, Knaggs’ symptoms first began in 2019 and consisted of numbness, tingling and sudden weakness. He went to the nearest hospital, where a number of tests were redone and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). He decided to set up his own “positive” Facebook group called Running with MS, which now has over 1,100 members.

Chris Murray set up a plumbing contracting business in the UK that at one stage employed close to 10 people. Rose Murray worked as a psychiatric nurse in the UK. The Allenstown property was owned by Rose Murray between 2009 and 2017, according to the folio. The judgment mortgages are no longer registered against this property but remain on the Faughanhill one. Before she moved in, the late Margaret Murray “surrendered her council house, and handed it back to Meath County Council so they could reallocate it to whoever they wished”.

There are many challenges that come with growth but addressing most of them requires clearing one enormous hurdle in particular. If you can’t access the funding required, the growth ceiling gets a lot lower, especially if you don’t want to give up control of the business. “Preserving ownership is often a founder’s instinct,” says Ken Brady, head of debt and capital advisory at Grant Thornton. While bank lending remains central to most funding, access is getting more challenging. Ken Brady, head of debt and capital advisory at Grant Thornton“When traditional bank borrowing is no longer viable, business owners still have several ways to access growth capital without relinquishing control of their company,” says Brady.

Founded in Limerick in 2014, Metis provides financial planning and wealth management services to high-net-worth individuals, business owners and families, and currently manages about €700 million for clients. It is believed that the NFP Ireland deal values Metis, which also has an office in Dublin, at about €15 million. The company spokesman declined to say how much assets NFP Ireland manages or provides advice on for clients. The purchase of Dublin-based Doyle Pension & Insurance Management brings its total assets under management and advice to more than €1.3 billion. SYS Financial, founded by former Tipperary hurling star Tony Delaney, this week announced the acquisitions of two financial planning practices, BMC Financial Planning and Billy Phelan Financial Services.

Today though, I’m breaking out of my comfort zone for the benefit of The Irish Times’ readers, bringing you a semi-eggspert (sorry) guide to what’s on offer at the finer end of Ireland’s Easter egg market. Higher cocoa content will inevitably translate into higher costs, but perhaps it’s sometimes worth it? This year, the company has launched a Dubai chocolate egg, which will be a sure-fire hit with existing Dubai chocolate fans. Ashford Castle’s 2026 Easter Egg – €75Ashford Castle's hand-painted 2026 Easter eggIs this the most expensive Irish Easter egg? Containing 55 per cent chocolate, it easily has the highest cocoa content of the milk chocolate eggs we tasted.

Photograph: iStockOf all the rabbit holes we’ve gone down on housing, the vacant property narrative might qualify as the most pointless. The then government promised action in the form of a vacant property tax. But the idea that we have thousands of these vacant properties ready to be leveraged back into the system has been debunked time and time again. As you would expect, the rural vacancy rate was higher (5.4 per cent) while the urban vacancy rate was lower (2.2 per cent). But the vacant property narrative here, and the tax income that it can yield, falls into the category of something that sounds good, that will play well politically, but that actually delivers nothing.

Plans are being drawn up to levy other parts of the Government to pay for the overspend in Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton’s department. Photograph: Sam Boal/CollinsOther Government departments will be asked to bail out the Department of Education, which is facing another large budget overspend this year. The current projected overspend in the Department of Education is estimated at €600 million to €700 million this year. Last year the Department of Education required an additional €580 million; the year before that it was €1.09 billion. The department has highly robust financial and administrative control measures in place to ensure accountability for the money allocated to it,” the department said.

US president Donald Trump warned Iran that without movement from Tehran on an agreement, 'we’ll just keep blowing them away unimpeded'. Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesUS president Donald Trump extended a pause on threats to bomb Iranian energy plants by 10 days as Iran labelled Washington’s proposals to end nearly fours weeks of conflict as “one-sided and unfair”. The diplomatic impasse over the possibility of ceasefire talks has set the stage for another escalation in the Middle East war. “In the meantime, we’ll just keep blowing them away unimpeded.”He also said that taking control of Iran’s oil was an “option”, comparing it to the deal Washington made with Venezuela. Wave after wave of rocket and drone attacks from Iran and Lebanon sent Israelis rushing to their bomb shelters again on Thursday.