When the news hit my ears that singing sensation Sophie Ellis-Bextor had fallen in love with an Irish donkey, I immediately went to the phone to see if the donkey was one of my friends. The story of Sophie and the Irish donkey goes back to the filming of a music video in Kerry last September, when the delectable Miss Bextor fell for the charms of two local donkeys. In London, donkeys are about as scarce as hair on the head of Kojak. I don't believe that a woman like Ms Ellis-Bextor should be denied the opportunity to keep a donkey, if she wants a donkey. Miss Bextor could have 200 Irish donkeys and 200 Friesian bullocks grazing happily in Hyde Park, and nobody would notice the difference.

Only 18 per cent of secondary school students getting an hour of exercise a daySarah SlaterGender, age, time, cost and academic pressures are barriers to physical activity for post-primary school students, new data shows. The research shows that only 18 per cent of secondary school students are getting the recommended daily amount of physical activity of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Other findings show that rates drop sharply with age, with 20 per cent of junior cycle students being active daily vs just 14 per cent of senior cycle students. The findings are included in a University of Limerick survey into the physical activity of more than 20,000 students in post-primary schools in Ireland. The Active School Flag Post-Primary (ASFPP) Student Survey Report 2024 was part of a pilot project of the Active School Flag (ASF) initiative, which took place in 42 schools.

There was a decline in the number of organ donations and transplants in 2025, new figures released by the HSE have shown. The total number of transplants this year was down from 263 in 2024 to 202 in 2025, according to Organ Donation Transplant Ireland (ODTI). The organ donations used for transplants this year came from 68 deceased and 29 living organ donors. Kidney transplants were the most common procedure carried out in Ireland (140) followed by liver transplants (33), lung transplants (15), heart transplants (9) and pancreas transplants (5). This means adults are presumed to consent to their organs being donated unless they register their objection on the National Organ Donation Opt-Out Register.

“Ozempic Santa,” wrote Elon Musk on X last Christmas, posting a photo of himself, looking svelte, dressed in a red-and-white costume by a twinkling tree. Ta-da moments such as this have become more common as people shed pounds with GLP-1 weight-loss jabs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, which suppress appetite. Perhaps you are determined to eat less in the new year, feeling a mince-pie-induced tightness of your waistband? Some employers hope the impact of weight-loss drugs will be more significant. [ Body positivity fell from favour as soon as Ozempic brought thinness backOpens in new window ]“Recent work suggests the same is true with use of treatments like weight-loss drugs.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta says the club are prepared to ease their injury problems by “actively looking” at signing new players when the transfer window reopens next month. Arteta could be without as many as four defenders for his side’s pivotal Premier League match against Aston Villa at the Emirates on Tuesday. Arteta’s squad depth has been tested this season, with a number of players ruled out for significant spells through injury. Jurrien Timber missed Arsenal’s 2-1 victory against Brighton (Nick Potts/PA)And after spending in excess of £250million on eight new summer arrivals, the Spaniard has not ruled out further reinforcements in January. We will watch the last game back (against Villa) and I have a few ideas on things that we have to do better.

Juicy new details about how the world's biggest food company crumbled after its married CEO was caught having an affair with a female underling have been revealed. Freixe's main offense was having an undisclosed relationship with the younger female underling while promoting her to premier positions and boosting her pay. Though the mistress has not been named, their relationship was an open secret at the iconic chocolate brand, and there was widespread discontent among employees. Amid the internal chaos, Nestle saw its share prices tumble by more than 20 percent, as debt levels ballooned and sales growth stalled. Juicy new details about how the world's biggest food company crumbled under the weight of a scandalous office relationship have been revealed.

The Government is developing a new “early warning” system for child welfare checks, in the wake of the Daniel Aruebose case. Children’s minister Norma Foley said PPS numbers are being used to corroborate children’s records, as part of the wellbeing checks. Ms Foley said PPS numbers are being used to scrutinise the records of each child to “expedite the work”. This steering group is expected to complete its work by March 2026, with Ms Foley then set to consider recommendations from its final report. Ms Foley received a total of €3.2m in October’s budget to fund the wellbeing check programme.

Cork County Council is planning to undergo energy efficiency retrofits on its housing stock in 2026 and 2027, which may see massive savings for council tenants on their heating bills. In a report, he listed all the council houses that will get new doors, windows, insulation and new heating systems which will drastically cut down on the fuel bills its tenants will pay. There will be a total of 35 houses each upgraded at Dermot Hurley Estate in Youghal and Ard Aoibhinn, Cobh. In addition, there will be 25 retrofits at the council estate in Waterpark, Carrigaline and 17 at Cluain Ard, Fermoy. 'Spanners in the works'However, there are some "spanners in the works",, according to some county councillors, which are prompting some council tenants to opt out of the retrofitting scheme, which is optional rather than compulsory.

She often told me that the place would be mine someday and asked me to stay on to keep it going. When her Will was read, I discovered she had left the property to a distant cousin who visited occasionally but was not involved in the running of the land. He has now told me that he intends to sell the property and wants me to vacate within the next few months. In situations involving land, one option that may arise is a claim based on Proprietary Estoppel. A consultation with a solicitor experienced in this area will help you understand the strengths of any potential claim and ensure that all time limits are met.

Getting the balance right between sleep and exercise could play a crucial role in protecting against illness and early death, scientists say. Participants used consumer sleep trackers and fitness devices, allowing researchers to monitor sleep duration and daily step count. Even those who slept for seven hours took around 237 more steps than eight-hour sleepers. Meanwhile, 16.5 per cent averaged less than seven hours of sleep and fewer than 5,000 steps, a level associated with sedentary behaviour. The researchers also found that sleep influenced activity more than activity influenced sleep, suggesting poor sleep may be a major barrier to staying active.

NEW YORK, December 29, 2025, 03:05 ETMusgrave cut prices on SuperValu and Centra own-brand butter by up to 15% from Sunday. The Irish Times+1The 454g pack fell to €3.39 from €3.99, with 227g packs down to €2.09 from €2.39. The Irish Times+1Musgrave Group said on Sunday it cut prices on own-brand Irish creamery butter at its SuperValu supermarkets and Centra convenience stores by as much as 15%. ThejournalUnder Musgrave’s changes, all SuperValu and Centra 454g own-brand butter products now sell for €3.39, down from €3.99. The Irish Times+1Lidl confirmed it also reduced prices on its Dairy Manor own-brand butter, cutting the 454g pack to €3.39 and the 227g pack to €2.09.

A country cottage on C2.15 acres at Cloonfad, Tibohine has come on the market for €90,000. Auctioneer James Kilcoyne said he was delighted to bring to the market a great opportunity to acquire a three bedroom derelict cottage with haybarn. Standing on a very attractive large C2.15 corner site, the property also offers a great opportunity for paddocks or to renovate and extend. “Conveniently located to Ballaghaderreen, Castlerea and Ireland West Airport Knock, this residence, though currently in a derelict condition, offers immense potential for those seeking a restoration project with ample space and privacy,” said Mr Kilcoyne. There is also an option to purchase additional lands nearby,” said Mr Kilcoyne.

Revellers looking to celebrate New Year's Eve can expect cold conditions but dry spells in most areas with only a few outbreaks of rain or drizzle. Tuesday night will stay dry with clear spells expected, but the mercury is set to plummet to lows of -3C with fog or freezing fog developing in places. Temperatures will again fall below freezing, with Met Éireann predicting lows of -2C to 3C. Looking into next weekend, Met Éireann says it is likely to turn colder again, "but with high pressure nearby, many places will stay dry". "However, showers may spread from the north at times with the potential for some wintry precipitation," Met Éireann said.

Anthony Joshua in hospital after horror car crash as Eddie Hearn provides health updateBoxing promoter Eddie Hearn has provided a health update on Anthony Joshua after the heavyweight boxer suffered injuries in a fatal crash that killed two. View 4 Images Anthony Joshua was involved in a car crash in Nigeria (Image: X)Anthony Joshua is in hospital after suffering 'minor injuries' in a fatal car crash in Nigeria, which killed two people. Hearn understood that Joshua was OK and on his way to the hospital, but had no further information to give. ‌Anthony Joshua car crash LIVE: Updates as boxer pulled from wreckage of fatal smash READ MORE :An eyewitness told local newspaper Punch: "It was a two-vehicle convoy: a Lexus SUV and a Pajero SUV. ‌4 View 4 Images Anthony Joshua has been taken to hospital following a crash in Nigeria.

Two highly venomous snakes, housed in tiny tanks in a terraced house, are just two of the dangerous pets veteran reptile rescuer James Hennessy has been called to. This particular pair, a gaboon viper and a puff adder, were discovered by a landlord after his tenant left the country and his animals. Despite dogs needing to be licensed, in Ireland there is very little regulation around the ownership of dangerous animals by private individuals. Mr Hennessy said the public would be “massively” surprised if they knew the variety and number of exotic animals kept in homes around the country. The rest are registered in Co Down, and along with three ring-tailed lemurs there are 31 venomous snakes.