Monaghan republicans turned out for their annual prisoners' vigil on Christmas Eve. Some 50 members of Sinn Féin participated in the traditional show of solidarity, taking up positions on both sides of the busy Diamond area of the town. Free article

The new `Police' Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan has received over 700 complaints against the RUC in her first two months in office!! Free article

Sinn Féin Vice President Pat Doherty, Chairperson of the Assembly's Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee, welcomed Tuesday's CBI report calling for an extra £250 million to spent every year over the next decade on health, education transport and sewage in the Six Counties. He called for the Assembly to be goiven tax gathering powers and for Britain's war budget to be redeployed for reconstruction measures and for the development of the local economy. Free article

Rebel Heart, the latest drama by novelist and writer Ronan Bennett, a joint BBC/RTE production, has already annoyed unionist and British media sensibilities. Free article

On a cold but sunny afternoon, around 60 republicans from across Munster attended the 10th annual Packie Sheehy comemoration on Sunday, 7 January, at Ballysteen, County Limerick. Free article

South Dublin County Council has backed a Sinn Féin motion urging the Government to open talks, without preconditions, with the secondary teachers' union to solve the pay dispute. The Sinn Féin motion was tabled by Councillor Seán Crowe at Monday night's meeting. Free article

Sixteen brave hearts took to the Wicklow hills on Sunday last and sampled the kind of conditions that Red Hugh O'Donnell and Art O'Neill suffered after their escape from Dublin Castle in that bitter winter of 1592. The walk was organised by the Dublin former republican prisoners group, Tar Isteach. Unlike poor Art O'Neill, who died of his injuries and exposure in this bleak place, all 16 of our walkers survived a fairly tough time slogging it across heather and in places frozen bog. Free article