"This weekend is about energy," declared Belfast North MP John Finucane, his delivery so wooden that a mid-priced Ikea shelf would be proud.
"Winter has officially landed in Sydney. Our summer has finally ended, with a bang. I'm overlooking the harbour now, and the waves! We don't really get autumn or spring. It lurches from one extreme season to another. You'd miss the mild, soft days."
As the dust settles on the demolition of the Murray house in Bohermeen, near Navan, Co Meath, it is hard to find someone in the town who has not seen the pictures of the flattened property or heard the story of the long-running planning debacle.
The flagpole at the front of a house, just a three-minute drive from the handful of shops and restaurants, has become an advertisement for the exploits of Heimaey's most famous son.
A remote Donegal parish and its Gaeilgeoir priest became near household names last year when the nation awoke on Easter Monday to learn St Mary's Church in Derrybeg had burnt to the ground overnight.
Ireland are Triple Crown winners for the 15th time thanks to a 12th consecutive win over Scotland, whose long search for success in Dublin will stretch into its 18th year before they get another chance to end their dismal record.
A lot of things come together for the perfect pour, including temperature and the cleanliness of lines. Bottom line? Yes, it's all better in Ireland. However, that's not to say there aren't some outstanding Irish pubs in the U.S., because there are.
McDonald's locations in the United States tend to be pretty staid and uniform in design, but head abroad and things start to change. While there are a few American McDonald's that don't feature the traditional golden arches aesthetic, in historic international cities, you'll frequently find the burger chain housed in beautiful old stone and masonry buildings - with only a small McDonald's sign offering any hint of what's inside.
When Desmond Courtney bought The Schoolmaster's House in Ireland's horse heartland in 2002, he turned it into a "bachelor pad". The civil engineer did most of the restoration of the property himself, with some help from friends. After nearly two decades of living there alone, a random reunification with his long-lost love Monica (née Barron) transformed his life and his Kildare home.
Targeting genetic screening for the condition to priority areas could help identify at-risk individuals earlier and avoid future health complications, experts say. Haemochromatosis symptoms can evolve over decades as high iron levels in the body cause damage to organs. Early diagnosis and treatment - such as regular blood donation to reduce iron levels - is key to prevent liver damage, liver cancer and arthritis.
Irish desserts are, in one word, resourceful. They have to be; in a nation that grappled for centuries with conflict, famine, and outright war, luxurious ingredients were not accessible to most people. Instead, the Irish turned to local ingredients like sea moss, apples, and an impressive array of dairy products to satisfy their cravings for something sweet.
The Irish government will give 2,000 artists unrestricted weekly stipends in a program officials described as a "recognition, at government level, of the important role of the arts in Irish society." After a successful three-year pilot, the Irish government made its basic income program for artists permanent. Similar pilots have been launched here in the United States, but they're supported primarily by the nonprofit sector.
Irish pubs have roots that go back to 10th-century Viking halls. And although we're talking about going so far back in time that precise dates and details can get a little sketchy, we do know there are a few pubs that opened not too long after that and are still in operation.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was filmed across Northern Ireland. While viewers experience breathtaking scenery through their screens, it threw up a host of issues for the cast and crew. "It's very, very rainy, and the sets were so muddy", says Dexter Sol Ansell, who plays Egg - "If you stepped in the mud and stood still for more than five seconds... you're gone. You've been submerged."
