Met Éireann forecats sunny spells and showers with some falls of sleet and snow possible on Friday. Photograph: Cathal McNaughton/ReutersTemperatures are due to drop in Ireland this week, with frost and ice overnight in places and a chance of snow early in the New Year. Met Éireann said plenty of dry weather was due over the coming days with just some light showers at times along with the possibility of snow on Friday. The cloud will give way to longer sunny spells as the day goes on with highest temperatures of 5 to 7 degrees. Highest temperatures will be between 5 to 9 degrees.

Every day this week, our foreign correspondents will accept the challenge of finding the best meal possible in their city for the equivalent of €120. The concept of “the best meal available” is flexible and adaptable. For a reporter who spends more time in Westminster than any sane Irishman should, the “best meal available for €120 (£105)" usually means the best and most convenient political power lunch. It isn’t the best Italian restaurant in London, nor is it the poshest. Since then I have eaten at Osteria dell’Angolo with people from parties including Reform UK, Labour, the Tories and more.

Global Energy Group struck a deal to offload three of its companies, including the Port of Nigg energy facility and green freeport, to Mitsui of Japan in July. Apollo, the Aberdeen-headquartered energy engineering company, also remains part of the Global Energy Group portfolio. The period saw completion of Moray West Offshore Wind projects at Port of Nigg and the first pre-assembly project for the NnG offshore wind development off the coast of Fife. “Global is committed to continuing to build a sustainable energy business, investing significantly in both the onshore and offshore wind sectors. The board’s focus is to be a trusted partner for all onshore and offshore energy projects and assets, leading and supporting the energy transition through our combined engineering, construction, lifting, power, and project-management expertise.

The brother of missing woman Imelda Keenan says he will keep campaigning to find her “as long as I have breath in my body”. Gerry Keenan’s then 22-year-old sister was last seen on Lombard Street in Waterford City at about 1.30pm on January 3, 1994. As long as I have breath in my body, I am not giving up. Imelda took no belongings with her when she left the flat, and her credit union account was left untouched. He believes there are “two or three people who are keeping back the information” on what happened to his sister.

A comedian has revealed the moment her bag was stolen from underneath her feet while she was catching up with a friend in central London. Cally Beaton was enjoying a meal on Marylebone High Street when two brazen thieves swiped her bag. According to shocking new figures, thieves have stolen more than £5.5million worth of luxury watches, handbags and jewellery from Londoners in just 19 months. Meanwhile, officers retrieved three of 792 stolen watches and six of 727 stolen handbags during the 19-month period. The most common handbag brands to be stolen include Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci, while jewellery items from Cartier, Van Clef and Tiffany were those most frequently targeted by thieves.

“He urges us to refuse the temptation to look away, to name what is wrong, and to stand in solidarity with those wounded by injustice,” she said. “Sean Ross Abbey lies within this diocese,” said Ms Connolly. When the bishop speaks about refusing to look away, survivors hear that as a challenge. "For decades, what happened at Sean Ross Abbey was ignored. For survivors, hope looks like access to records, a proper and complete examination of the burial site, and acknowledgement of the lives lost at Sean Ross Abbey."

Meatloaf's chaotic tour of Ireland to air on RTEMullingar showband legend, Tommy Swarbrigg, will be front and centre of an RTE One documentary which airs on New Year's Eve and recounts the almost unbelievable story of the chaotic Irish tour undertaken in 1990 by one of the world's biggest music stars. 'Meatloaf: From Hell and to Connaught' tells the story of how Tommy Swarbrigg, in his role as a promoter, managed to persuade Meatloaf to come to Ireland to play in a series of venues across the country. There was also a famous gig in Belfast, where he stayed overnight in what was then the most bombed hotel in Europe, the Europa Hotel. The documentary will be a nostalgic trip down memory lane for anyone who grew up in the Ireland of the 1970s and 1980s when Meatloaf were at the height of their fame. 'Meatloaf: From Hell and to Connaught” airs at 6.30pm tomorrow evening (New Year's Eve, December 31) on RTE One TV and also on the RTE Player and is well worth a watch.

Nine Premier League January transfers that could happen including Man Utd and Liverpool dealsManchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City are among the Premier League sides plotting deals in the January transfer window, with West Ham also expected to be busyView 6 Images Antoine Semenyo is heading to Manchester City (Image: Robin Jones - AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)The January transfer window is just around the corner and it could shape the Premier League title race and relegation battle. ‌This year, the January transfer window runs from January 1 until 7pm on February 2, allowing plenty of time to do business. Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea were all credited with interest in Semenyo, but have backed off after City made progress in talks. Those negotiations have gone well and the 25-year-old is expected to join the Premier League title-chasers in the early weeks of January after netting eight goals in 16 league games. Nuno Espirito Santo will be backed in the transfer window and the ex- Wolves manager is turning to a familiar face.

Burly, tattooed inmates have been pictured reading romantic-fantasy novels beloved by millions of female fans worldwide, much to the delight of Aussies online. NSW Corrections Services shared photos on Facebook this week of men reading books from the 'romantasy' genre — a portmanteau of romance and fantasy. Titles included globally popular books such as Rebecca Yarros' Empyrean franchise and Sarah J. Maas' two series: Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses. 'When it comes to inmates, images of tough, tattooed men often come to mind. The corrections service said it recorded a 'huge surge in romantasy requests' in 2025 and that it was easily the most popular genre behind bars.

I don’t think anyone ever really thinks of you properly as a child the moment you become an eldest daughter. I had few dodgy relationships when I was young, [while] beginning to work out boys, and romantic and sexual relationships. Having written this book, I know that staying connected with people, having a warm and solid social base, keeps you alive. That’s really distressing for people, because that’s what they’re really holding out for – that it is the only way for a woman to be happy and fulfilled. ‘How the Female Body Works’ by Polly Vernon is published by New River and out nowAs told to Liadán Hynes

Portlaoise man Mark McCrory says his age will never stop him from taking on a challenge"I was 64 years of age when I ran my first half marathon. Although that was back in May 2023, I remember it like it was yesterday. Every part of my body filled with adrenaline at the sound of the kick-off whistle, and every doubt in my mind grew in silence as I got closer to the finish line. What transpired in between was a prime example of what can happen when you don’t let a number deter you from doing the things you want.

These issues are all evident in the Cork market also. According to the Sherry FitzGerald Price Index, annual price growth in Cork at the end of September 2025 stood at 7.7%, higher than the national average, 7.3%. According to estimations by Sherry FitzGerald Research, annual average housing demand across Ireland is 56,200 units per annum. Annual average housing demand in the South-West region is 7,290 units per annum out to 2036, with a significant proportion of this required in Cork. Picture: Larry CumminsThe housing market continues to grapple with significant challenges as we move into 2026.

Mr Martin and deputy leader Jack Chambers had heavily backed Mr Gavin, but he withdrew three weeks before the vote after it emerged he owed €3,300 to a former tenant in overpaid rent. Taoiseach Micheál Martin has been damaged by Fianna Fáil's disastrous presidential campaign. Mr O'Callaghan has a high profile and his tightening of immigration laws means he is never far from the news. Behind the scenes, some feel Mr Martin may agree to step down after Ireland's EU presidency ends. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from July 1st to December 31st, 2026.

Eleven told ‘fight for a world beyond Hawkins’ in final Stranger Things trailerBy Laura Harding, Deputy Entertainment EditorMillie Bobby Brown’s Eleven is urged to “fight for a world beyond Hawkins” in the final Stranger Things trailer. “Fight for the days on the other side of this, fight for a world beyond Hawkins. The fifth and final series has been divided into three parts. The franchise has since expanded into a play, titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow, as well as an upcoming animated spin-off, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. The final episode of Stranger Things will stream on Netflix on New Year’s Day.

A Mayo-based doctor has said “words cannot describe” the “anxiety, depression and safety concerns” migrant healthcare workers are experiencing in Ireland. In many towns across Ireland, Dr Rehman says, migrant doctors have formed private WhatsApp groups to help ensure their own safety. As a result, he and his family have stopped going out, an experience he says is common among migrant medical workers and is resulting in many of them considering leaving the country. Dr Rehman said incidents are reported to gardai, but many migrant healthcare workers have “lost trust” in the force. The health service relies heavily on migrant workers — according to the latest Government data, 43% of doctors obtained their first medical qualification in another country, with the largest cohort coming from Pakistan.