Media

He at first refused to state where he had been in April 2001 and then remained evasive, refusing to explain where he had been while on leave at that time. By Colin Murphy, John Byrne and Vincent Browne

This column starts with a warning. It's entirely subjective. Objectivity has been kicked out the window. Sitting in Frankfurt airport last Sunday, trying to imagine what the German headline writers are saying about the World Cup draw (put the words Heidi Klum, uber-sexiness, Iran and banned in a short sentence) I got to listen to Bernard Dunne talking to Jimmy Magee. They were sitting in a little Franziskaner bar with pine from roof to ceiling and nothing on offer but mediocre tea and cold brioche.

On 1 November 2004, at the Dublin District Court, James McCartan was found guilty of assault causing harm contrary to section 3 of the Offences Against the Person Act. This apparently humdrum case attracted considerable media interest because McCartan had been charged as a result of breaking an opponent's jaw in the course of Gaelic football match.

The vilification of religious orders, such as the Christian Brothers and the Mercy Sisters, may have contributed to the scant media coverage the Nora Wall case received, writes Conor Brady

Swearing, drinking, stealing, mudslinging, fine backsides; Dermot Bolger came face to face with some real men on television this week

You can picture the meeting over at Morning Ireland HQ. "Right guys – we've been the most popular radio programme in the country for ages and nobody can get near us. It's not fair on our competitors to dominate with such flagrant ease, so we should give them a chance. Let's do something to lower our ratings."

The Irish Ferries story and Microsoft's tax breaks in Ireland show that capitalism still reigns.

Dai was sweating hard carrying the box up the hill, although it could not have been heavy. He kept it clasped close to his chest, leading the procession. Coming level with him, I saw it was not sweat but tears that were trickling down his cheeks.

Paul Gascoigne has quickly taken the baton passed on by George Best. He was talking, or slurring, to Sky Sports News this week about his "chlose pursonal frend" who had passed away and how he'd had a double brandy when Callum Best phoned him on the morning of the funeral. Scuffling with photographers hours after the interview where he first denied drinking, then admitted having a glass of wine with friends, then denied he'd even swallowed, Gascoigne ended up in jail for the night. Another woman-beating footballer's descent will be chronicled in public.

Fergal Keane examines Traveller issues as part of Traveller Focus week