First published in Irish under the title GAFA, this novel was a 1996 National Oireachtas Literary Award winner. This English language version, translated by the writer, was published by him in 1999.

Poor Royston Brady! He's finding out the hard way that Fianna Fáil loves a winner, but doesn't have much time for those who fail to step up to the mark. Whatever "promises" were given to him about his election expenses, there's a clear precedent that the party only pays a certain amount, equally for all candidates. Anything over and above that is raised by the candidates themselves, with their own election campaign teams.

The very early Wednesday morning bin collections on Abbey Street in Ennis prior to October 1979 would, likely as not, wake you up. There was much clattering of bin lids and much chatter among the bin collection men. After October 1979, there was an added dimension to the noise. As they journeyed around the small streets of the market town, one of the young men would place himself in the centre of each street and shout loudly "Yang people of Ireland, I loff you".

Four centuries of Irish gold and silver craftmanship go on display this month in Cork. Brian O'Connell talks to silversmith Chris Carroll who has worked on everything from gold teeth to a solid gold palate

He's been publicly rebuked by Martin Cullen and got in trouble over remarks he made about refugees, but junior Minister Ivor Callely still plans to be Taoiseach. Why so confident? Because a soothsayer once said he was destined for high office. Interview by Katie Hannon

Hurt is a hard emotion to address. There has been so much of it around in the last week on numerous lesbian and gay websites and internet discussion forums. Sometimes the hurt is expressed as anger, hostility and attack, more often it is articulated as betrayal and bewilderment. Whatever form it takes the response to Pope John Paul's death has exposed the deep wounds he inflicted repeatedly on many lesbian and gay people throughout the world.

At fifty-five, Don Baker has no plans to stop playing Blues. Because it's hip, he tells Eoin Butler

For some months now the Government jet has been cruising along nicely on the wings of strong economic growth and kudos from its showdown with Sinn Féin and the IRA. Opinion polls show support for the government parties growing while the opposition parties lose ground.

The Údarás na Gaeltachta elections last weekend saw another important step forward by Sinn Féin. The party won their first seat on the Údarás when Gráinne Mhic Géidigh in Donegal took a seat formerly held by the the late Neil Blaney's Independent Fianna Fáil group.

Until the late 19th century, any Joe Soap could be made a cardinal or pope. Leo XIII got a bit more stringent, and said that Joe Soap would at least have to be ordained Fr Joe Soap once he had been so appointed. Then John XXIII said that he'd have to be made a bishop as well – but this after he had been nominated as cardinal or pope.