Listening to Jimmy Magee comment on important, close matches is nothing less than a brutal form of torture. Once in Portlaoise we were locked up during a really close Leinster match between Dublin and Meath, which was being commentated on by the sublime Micheál O Muircheartaigh. The bould Micheál would be describing some attack as the teams were level when Jimmy Magee would interrupt with "And now we're off to Valderrama for an update on the Spanish Open that starts next Thursday".... Free article

More people are working in the 26 Counties than ever before. With increasing tax revenues the government has unprecedented funds to spend and invest in job creation, but how well is that money being spent, do we need to spend money at all and most importantly are the coalition's economic policies the right ones for creating jobs in the emerging high tech knowledge economy? Free article

Last week Councillor Toireasa Ní Fhearaíosa became the first Sinn Féin Mayor of Kerry. At 25 she is also Kerry's youngest Mayor to date. Sinn Féin Chairperson Mary Lou McDonald MEP has said that the election is "an indicator of the change that is sweeping through Irish politics" and that Ní Fhearaíosa is a "shining example" to young people who want to get involved in politics. Free article