Centuries ago, drinkers in Andalusian taverns would protect their sherry from fruit flies by placing a slice of bread over the glass. When enterprising barmen started putting small servings of other food on the bread, tapas (from ‘tapar', the Spanish verb 'to cover') were born.

Fruit flies are less of a nuisance in Ireland (bar flies are a greater irritant) but tapas bars are no less popular. Here are three Village visited in Dublin.

Sean O'Rourke got it right in his evisceration of Kevin Dawson, RTÉ commissioning editor (factual programmes). His focus in his News at One interview was not on the hapless, inexperienced journalist, Justine Delaney Wilson, who was responsible for the High Society series but on the RTÉ executive who oversaw the series.

Rugby was invented by an Irishman and is derived from an archaic form of gaelic football called ‘caid', according to rugby author Ciaran Cronin. Cronin's new book, Ireland Rugby Miscellany, says that William Webb Ellis may have been born in Ireland because his father worked here at that time. Webb Ellis had many cousins living near Clonmel and, it was caid that Ellis demonstrated to his friends when he picked up the football in Rugby, England in 1823. 

Cardinal Seán Brady is quite a contrast to the other two surviving Irish cardinals.

He has none of the intellectual firepower of Cathal Daly. He has none of the arrogance or aloofness of Desmond Connell. There is a gentleness about him, a humility, a reserve, which is impressive. And there was a hurt to have been so publicly passed over when Desmond Connell was made Cardinal in 2001, a hurt now delightfully relieved by his recent elevation. Diarmuid Martin is likely to join him in the College of Cardinals soon, two votes for Ireland in the next Papal election.

Barry George, the man convicted of killing BBC presenter Jill Dando in 1999, has won an appeal against his conviction.

Lucinda Williams has announced an exclusive Dublin date at Tripod on Thursday 22 November. The American rock-folk-country singer-songwriter is touring to promote the recent release of West, her eighth studio album and the follow up to her Grammy-nominated album World Without Tears (2003) and her Grammy-winning albums Essence (2001) and Car Wheels On A Gravel Road (1998).

The 2007 French Film Festival takes place at the Irish Film Institute in Temple Bar Dublin from 13 - 22 November. The programme of films is described as 'a year of discovery' introducing new young talent, new landscapes and new stories, but also showcasing recent work from familiar names like Claude Berri, Audrey Tautou, Manoel de Oliveira, Alain Berliner, Jacques Rivette, and Claude Miller.

A man was shot last night in the Hyde Road area of Limerick. According to local sources, four shots were discharged at 10.50pm on the road by one of a gang of four youths. The injured man, in his mid thirties, was admitted to the Accident and Emergency department in Limerick's Mid Western Regional Hospital. The man's injuries are not life-threatning.

•    South Africa deserved to win but Argentina was the team of the tournament
•    The player of the tournament was Juan Martín Hernández, the Argentinean fly-half. But Bryan Habana was the most thrilling player to watch
•    Overall, disappointing rugby in the later stages but scintillating rugby from many of the “minnows”
•    Ireland the most disappointing team of the competition

By Brent Pope