By Jonathan McCambridge, Press AssociationViolence against women and girls is a “particularly difficult” problem in Northern Ireland, the region's Justice Minister Naomi Long has said. Northern Ireland remains a very patriarchal society, abuse of women generally is still accepted. Asked if violence against women was a Northern Ireland problem, the minister said: “I don’t think it is a Northern Ireland-only problem, but I think it is a particularly difficult issue in Northern Ireland in what we do have is a wider prevalence of violence against women and girls. “Northern Ireland remains a very patriarchal society, abuse of women generally is still accepted. “If it is called out by women the abuse that they take, whether it is online or in person, is extreme.

Brian Mooney answers a query from a parent worried about their daughter who has not applied to the CAO. Your expert guide to navigating the Leaving Cert and choosing the right study options at university and further educationWhat’s it like to eat, sleep, study and partake in extracurricular activities away from home? Sylvia Thompson went to Clongowes Wood College to see why parents are willing to spend €25,000 to send their child to a boarding school in 2026. And education columnist and guidance counsellor Brian Mooney answers a query from a parent worried about their daughter who is due to sit the Leaving Cert in June, but has not applied to the CAO. And you can, of course, read all the articles over the next few days here.

Scottie Scheffler has dramatically pulled out of this week's Houston Open as his wife Meredith prepares to give birth to their second child. Scheffler and Meredith welcomed their first child, son Bennett, in May 2024 and he has made several appearances at tournaments to celebrate his dominant father's victories. 1 has been runner-up at the Houston Open three times, including the last two years when he made it his final stop before going to the Masters. She eventually gave birth to Bennett a few weeks after Scheffler's second victory at the Masters and just before the PGA Championship. The couple survived going to separate colleges (rivals at that, with Scottie going to Texas and Meredith going to Texas A&M) and married in December 2020.

Snooker’s World Championship will stay at the Crucible after a landmark deal was struck between World Snooker Tour and Sheffield City Council. The agreement secures future of the sport’s flagship competition at its current venue until at least 2045, with an option to extend for another five years to 2050. This is the lifeblood of our sport and we cannot build something with the IP value of what the Crucible brings our sport. “Without the Crucible, snooker just doesn’t look the same for me, an old man at the end of his career. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “We have a deep cultural and sporting heritage here in the UK – sport, art and culture are the very best of us.

Sir, - Mark O’Connell goes into convincing detail to illustrate how Donald Trump is unfit for office (“Trump said something unexpectedly revealing in an old interview with Playboy”, Opinion, March 22nd). The International Criminal Court has issued a warrant for his arrest in relation to alleged war crimes. Israel has attacked Qatar, Yemen, Syria, Iran, Gaza and Lebanon without any serious parliamentary scrutiny or oversight. The checks and balances we assume are there to protect democratic institutions do not appear to work in Israel or the US. Sir, – Donald Trump says California governor Gavin Newsom would be unfit to become US president because of his dyslexia.

Iran has launched missiles at Israel after it ominously warned Donald Trump that it has 'special plans' for him and the US's allies in the Gulf, following the American president's threat to attack the nation's power plants. Iran appears to have made good on the threat, firing missiles at Eilat area in southern Israel, as well as the cities of Dimona and Yeruham. Meanwhile Iranian state television has boasted Trump 'backed down' in the war over fears of Iran's response to blowing up the country's power plants. On Saturday, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum demanding Iran reopen the partially closed Strait of Hormuz or face new strikes on key energy sites. Follow the latest updates on the US-Israel war with Iran

Video: Molly-Mae Hague blames toddler daughter Bambi as her sister Zoe says she 'couldn't be further away from wanting children' as she turns 30Zoe Rae revealed she and husband Danny feel far from having children, despite once expecting to be parents by 25. Sister Molly-Mae Hague joked her daughter Bambi may be the reason Zoe isn't considering kids anytime soon.

For the record, between 2012 and 2024, there were 25 decisions to prosecute conflict-related offences in Northern Ireland, six of which were against soldiers. As Arron Banks, the major funder of the Brexit leave campaign, said of his Remain opponents, a focus on “facts, facts, facts” does not connect with people emotionally. For those of us who worked to counter the amnesty, post-truth populism at times seemed impervious to pesky legal or empirical facts. It included a commitment to establish new human rights-compliant mechanisms to address the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict. He has worked extensively on addressing the past in more than a dozen post-conflict or post-authoritarian societies including Northern Ireland

Sacred Heart Clonakilty's Julie Finn scored a brace of tries in the final. An O’Donovan line break brought Sacred Heart close again, but Finn was denied her hat-trick as Ciara Kelly held her up over the line. Some brilliant offloading rugby brought them close again, but a likely Keelin McCarthy try was called back for a forward pass. These schools will meet again in the Junior Cup final after Easter with Sacred Heart looking to complete a treble double. Scorers: Sacred Heart Clonakilty: Tries: K McCarthy, J Finn 2, R Llewellyn, N Hilliard, L Sexton 3; Cons: R Twomey 3, L O’Donovan 2, S Fleming.

24/03/2026 - News - Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless TD following Cabinet sign off on the Student Accommodation Strategy. The National Student Accommodation Strategy for 2026-2035, published on Tuesday, lays out a plan to address the viability obstacles slowing down the pace of construction of purpose-built student accommodation. Thousands of on-campus student beds across Dublin remain unbuilt, despite having been granted planning permission, because of rising construction costs and a gap in Government funding. The key State strategy to tackle the crisis has been delayed by more than two years, having been originally announced in January 2024. This will reduce land-acquisition costs for the developer and guarantee access to student beds for the college.

Scottish comic Kevin Bridges is returning to Cork later this year for two nights at Live at the Marquee. Bridges will be joined by some of his comedy pals in Cork on July 17 and 18. Tickets (€76.25 / €65.70) will go on sale this Thursday at 10am through Ticketmaster.

Tom Harney honoured with Lifetime Achievement AwardThe Tullamore & District Chamber of Commerce proudly honoured Tom Harney of Harney Enterprises with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Chamber Business Awards, held last Friday night in the Bridge House Hotel. This year’s recipient, Tom Harney, was celebrated for a remarkable career defined by resilience, vision and a deep commitment to both enterprise and community. Tom Harney’s journey began in humble surroundings, where the values of hard work, family and perseverance were instilled from an early age. Beyond business success, Tom Harney’s contribution to Tullamore is deeply rooted in employment, opportunity and continuity. His contribution goes far beyond business success — it is about the jobs created, the opportunities provided and the legacy built within this community.

Man Utd handed Andoni Iraola blow as Premier League rival make first moveAndoni Iraola is one of the most in-demand managers heading into the summer, with Manchester United, Tottenham, Athletic Bilbao and Crystal Palace all interested in the Bournemouth head coachView 2 Images Andoni Iraola is in high demand (Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)Manchester United will face competition from Crystal Palace if they try to hire Andoni Iraola this summer. ‌Iraola is yet to make a decision on whether he will stay with the Cherries beyond the end of the season. FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! ‌Iraola is likely to be of interest to Athletic Club, who need to replace Valverde in the summer. Content cannot be displayed without consentJoin our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football.

The webinar will highlight the key benefits and innovations of white clover in grass-based production systems. Teagasc grassland researcher Dr Sarah Walsh will introduce new aspects of clover research. The optimum months are April and May for establishing white clover in swards through either over-sowing or reseeding. Discussing current nitrogen supplies and the delays caused by conflict in the Middle East, Mr O’Donovan said: “We expect the use of white clover to increase again in 2026. One of the new PBI innovations for spring 2026 is having a nitrogen use efficiency calculator available for beef and sheep farms.

Kenneth FoxOver 750,000 units of illegal medicines were detained by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) in 2025. Announcing the figures, the HPRA reiterated the serious health risks associated with sourcing prescription medicines online or through any unauthorised channels. In the 12 months of 2025, the most significant categories of illegal products detained included sedatives (27 per cent), erectile dysfunction medicines (14 per cent), anabolic steroids (12 per cent), diabetes/slimming (9 per cent) and analgesics (5 per cent). The remaining illegal GLP‑1 medicines detained were presented in other forms, including tablets, pens, and vials containing either powder or clear liquid. “Sourcing prescription medicines outside of a registered pharmacy and without appropriate medical supervision poses a significant risk to your health.