Mood as upbeat as tunes of the Artane Boys BandIt was more like Croke Park on Leinster Final day than a Fine Gael Ardfheis.Mon Apr 26 2004 - 01:00
How to find yourself on the streetThe Last Straw: It may be too early yet for definitive pronouncements about the smoking ban, but I think we can tentatively …Sat Apr 24 2004 - 01:00
Wanting to be heard not 'herded'Dáil Sketch: The divisions were clear but the language was occasionally confused on the second day of the citizenship debate…Fri Apr 23 2004 - 01:00
Rabbitte keen to score by using former soccer starsDáil Sketch: The term "political football" acquired new meaning on the first day of the Dáil's citizenship debate when Labour…Thu Apr 22 2004 - 01:00
Harney defends date of poll on citizensThe Tánaiste, Ms Harney, has defended the decision to hold the citizenship referendum the same day as the European and local …Wed Apr 21 2004 - 01:00
Penalty points system 'failure' to be queriedSenior gardaí will be asked to explain to an Oireachtas committee this week why the penalty points system appears to be a complete…Mon Apr 19 2004 - 01:00
Foul play ruled out in Galway charred body caseGardaí have ruled out foul play in the case of a man whose charred remains were found in a wood in Clarinbridge, Co Galway, at…Tue Apr 13 2004 - 01:00
The pants they need a-changin'The Last Straw: Like many of his fans, I'm still struggling to absorb the news that Bob Dylan has endorsed a line of lingerie…Sat Apr 10 2004 - 01:00
Art competition celebrates 50th birthdayThree-time winner Ruairí Quinn led the tributes to the Texaco Children's Art Competition yesterday, as one of Ireland's great…Sat Apr 03 2004 - 01:00
Sir Anthony finds the time to mix business and sportIn business as in sport, Sir Anthony O'Reilly is a disciple of the Corinthian ethos.Thu Apr 01 2004 - 01:00
Bookings at hotels lost due to banBorder areas: Hotels along the border have already lost functions to the North because of the smoking ban, a lobby group in …Mon Mar 29 2004 - 01:00
Dialects of CheltenhamThe Last Straw: It's a great meeting of cultures, CheltenhamSat Mar 20 2004 - 00:00
Dashed Irish hopes keep bookies' eyes smilingThere were 40 shades of green in Cheltenham yesterday, and those were just the tweed hats and jackets so beloved of the English…Thu Mar 18 2004 - 00:00
Bookies hoping for payback time at Cheltenham FestivalThe white flag is normally raised at the start of a horse raceTue Mar 16 2004 - 00:00
Bertie and FF try to convert to rugbyNot since Charlie Haughey won the Tour de France on the back of Stephen Roche's bike has a sporting victory been so cheerfully…Mon Mar 08 2004 - 00:00
Where the little green man appearsThe Last Straw: As fears about electronic voting continue to fester, it amazes me that nobody in the Government has yet mentioned…Sat Mar 06 2004 - 00:00
Adams ushers Kofi into 'oppressed by Brits' club Frank McNallyWhen Gerry Adams told delegates that republicans were "in a far better place than we were 10 years ago", he wasn't necessarily…Mon Mar 01 2004 - 00:00
Tributes paid to Moore as he receives Irish music awardThe great and good of the Irish music world gathered to pay tribute to Christy Moore last night when he became the inaugural …Sat Feb 28 2004 - 00:00
Ashes lend an air of contrition but Government not repentantDáil Sketch: Lent is a time for denial, as we knowThu Feb 26 2004 - 00:00
Banana skin time as Bertie votes for wrong choice of fruitsDáil Sketch: The Taoiseach chose the wrong metaphor yesterday when, assuring us that the Irish e-voting system would bear no…Wed Feb 25 2004 - 00:00
Vilification of carbohydrates gone pasta jokeFor those hoping to flip a new leaf after today's pancake splurge, there's no shortage of helpful advice from nutritionists.Tue Feb 24 2004 - 00:00
Deaths cast shadow on sunny spring day in cityThe aftermath: It was a lovely spring day, and the city had that special buzz that comes with a Six Nations rugby weekendMon Feb 23 2004 - 00:00
No need for an Irish fire drill as Welsh Dragon is easily extinguishedReports of Welsh rugby's resurgence appear to have been exaggeratedMon Feb 23 2004 - 00:00
Advice for love-hungry ' consumers'The Last Straw: It's Valentine's Day and the thoughts of people everywhere turn to loveSat Feb 14 2004 - 00:00
Defamation Bill proposals soon, says McDowellMedia conference Proposals for a new defamation Bill could be brought before the Government before the end of this year, the…Mon Feb 09 2004 - 00:00
Stadium decision 'an indirect result' of FOIThe decision to build a new national stadium at Lansdowne Road was "at least an indirect result" of the Freedom of Information…Mon Feb 09 2004 - 00:00
Makes you want to emigrateThe Last Straw: Nostalgia was rampant at the Planxty concert on Wednesday nightSat Feb 07 2004 - 00:00
Casual remark in 30-second call leads to actionIt was a throwaway remark in a 30-second phone call in 1996Sat Feb 07 2004 - 00:00
Lansdowne stadium plans unveiledFully covered seating and pedestrian walkways under the railway line would be among the features of a new Lansdowne Road stadium…Thu Jan 22 2004 - 00:00
Taoiseach baiter Pat Rabbitte stuffily derides Dail's newly sanitised scheduleDail Sketch: The Dáil was back early for statements on the European presidency, but the shortened holiday did not satisfy opposition…Wed Jan 21 2004 - 00:00
Italian scientists' red wine pill a sobering thought for drinkersITALY: For too long, the health benefits of wine have been offset by the drudgery involved in having to drink the stuff.Thu Jan 15 2004 - 00:00
Lifting the covers on 2004The Last Straw: January: Papers released under the 30-year rule reveal that in 1973, the government briefly considered introducing…Sat Jan 03 2004 - 00:00
Hostages' release brings joy to familyThe family of Mr Aidan Leahy were said to be "overjoyed" last night after hearing that his month-long captivity by bandits in…Mon Dec 29 2003 - 00:00
Reason for release of Irish hostage still unclearThe released Irish hostage, Mr Aidan Leahy, is due to arrive in Tehran today after spending almost a month in captivity in Iran…Mon Dec 29 2003 - 00:00
Bets are down as Charlie shows true coloursThere was a sobering start to the Leopardstown Christmas festival when, in the first race, connections of a horse called Santa…Sat Dec 27 2003 - 00:00
New home and new job timely gifts for DesA month ago he was homeless, unemployed, and living in a carWed Dec 24 2003 - 00:00
Cabinet split will not be physically possible in our new jetIt has no jacuzzis, no gold taps, and hardly enough room to swing a catTue Dec 23 2003 - 00:00
Snow unlikely on Christmas Day but it may fall over the weekendIt could be a white pre-Christmas in some parts of Ireland, but the big day itself seems likely to be grey as usualSat Dec 20 2003 - 00:00
Recess showers goodwill on all men and womenDail Sketch: It was the day before the Christmas recess and already a thin veneer of goodwill had settled on the House, like…Thu Dec 18 2003 - 00:00
Safety catch did not slip off Carthy's gun, expert saysBarr Tribunal: John Carthy discarded one of his last two shotgun cartridges because he "knew his gun" and understood that the…Sat Dec 13 2003 - 00:00
Wexford publican remains critical with head injuries after assaultA Co Wexford publican remained critically ill with head injuries last night after being assaulted near his pub early on Saturday…Mon Dec 08 2003 - 00:00
Sinners are one thing, Shinners anotherCount Sketch: DUP candidates sometimes preface their victory speeches with passages from the BibleSat Nov 29 2003 - 00:00
Unusual signs of life detected in backbenchersDail Sketch: The Dáil was debating an old, vexed question yesterday: the one about whether government backbenchers constitute…Wed Nov 26 2003 - 00:00
Waters to continue as 'Irish Times' columnistMr John Waters is to continue as a columnist with The Irish Times , following a meeting yesterday with the editor, Ms Geraldine…Tue Nov 25 2003 - 00:00
Campaigner alleges bin deadlockThe anti-bin charge campaign has reached a "stalemate" with the Dublin local authorities, in which non-collection of refuse is…Sat Nov 22 2003 - 00:00
Call of the corncrake takes Bertie's mind off horseplay in the DailDail Sketch: Nobody can accuse this Government of not being kind to animals. Its benevolence to horses is of course famousThu Nov 20 2003 - 00:00
Nurses cite unpaid overtime and exhaustion as reasons for quittingUnpaid overtime and inflexible working arrangements are among the main reasons nurses and midwives leave the Irish health service…Tue Nov 18 2003 - 00:00
Det Ahern to investigate the back-stabbing in Dail crime sceneDáil Sketch: The Dáil has witnessed a lot of smoke-and-dagger stuff lately, as the Taoiseach might sayThu Nov 13 2003 - 00:00
Kenny on his high horse over PunchestownDáil Sketch: Charlie McCreevy was a non-starter at Leinster House for the latest running of the Leader's Questions Handicap …Wed Nov 12 2003 - 00:00
Ahern takes tough stance to highlight book's worthIt's not often you hear the Taoiseach expressing extreme opinions about anything, but books are obviously an exception.Tue Nov 11 2003 - 00:00