A round-up of today's other stories in brief...
Renewed appeal for missing couple
Gardaí in Cork have issued a renewed appeal for information on a couple who vanished without trace 16 years ago yesterday. The file on Conor and Sheila Dwyer from Fermoy remains open and the case continues to baffle gardaí.
The couple, who were both in their 60s, lived at Chapel Hill, Fermoy. They were last seen at a funeral at St Patrick's Church, Fermoy on April 30th, 1991.
Some days later gardaí were notified that the couple were missing.
Gardaí are now appealing for any information in order to provide answers for relatives of the missing couple.
Flatley baby boy leaves hospital
The Riverdance star Michael Flatley and his dancer wife Niamh carried their newborn baby boy from Cork University Maternity Hospital yesterday to a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce for the short journey home to Castlehyde near Fermoy. They told reporters they were looking forward to settling in to Castlehyde with their son, who was born just after lunchtime on Thursday weighing eight pounds.
Michael said the couple were overjoyed following the birth of their son and excited at the prospect of family life. "I am the happiest man in the world."
The child's name has not yet been revealed.
Donegal gardaí learn Polish
Almost a dozen gardaí from various parts of Donegal have been undertaking a "basic Polish" language course in Letterkenny Vocational School for the past month.
One of the students Sgt Christy Galligan said the course will make it easier for them to communicate with the local Polish community which numbers about 3,000.
The course will last 10 weeks and participating gardaí will then have the option of progressing to a higher standard of the language.
Revival of marine pilgrim route
The Spanish ambassador José Carvajal, and the naval training ship the Asgard II will today take part in ceremonies to mark the revival of a medieval sea and walking pilgrimage from Dingle, Co Kerry, to the Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela.
Twenty-nine Kerry pilgrims will leave Dingle on a fully-crewed Jeanie Johnston replica Famine ship accompanied by the Asgard II at about 4pm. They are expected in La Coruña on Sunday.
The Féile na Bealtaine arts festival will be launched on the Jeanie Johnston today.
The proceedings begin early this morning and include Mass.
Ambassador de Carvajal will unveil a plaque at the spot traditionally known as the Spanish pier.
In Spain the west Kerry town was known as "el Dingle de Santiago", he said.
The camino de Santiago to the supposed burial place of the apostle at the tomb of St James the Elder in the cathedral in Santiago was one of the most popular pilgrim routes, reaching its peak in the 12th century and outdoing Jerusalem and Rome.
Dingle was one of the few Irish towns with a church of St James, and the parish priest of Dingle was one of only a handful in Ireland authorised to stamp a pilgrim's passport.