From left, Conor Mullin (12), Robert Mullin (7) and John Mullin (13) playing in Temple Bar while artists from Tradfest, the traditional music festival, perform an impromptu session. Tradfest runs from Januar 22nd-26th. Photograph: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Images of the day

KITE SPOT: Workers remove kites tangled up in electric power cables after the end of the kite-flying season, in Ahmedabad, India. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

Images of the Day

CANAL: Members of the gardaí at the scene where a homeless man was involved in an incident along the Grand Canal in Dublin city centre. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Images of the Day

ELECTION TRIGGERED: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (right) attends Áras an Uachtaráin in the Phoenix Park in Dublin to seek the dissolution of the 32nd Dáil by President Michael D Higgins, ahead of a general election scheduled for February 8th. Photograrph: Tom Honan

Dissolution of the Dáil

BRENDAN'S RAGE: Waves carry over Clontarf's sea wall and rush through a nearby rain shelter as Storm Brendan hits the coast road at Clontarf, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Storm Brendan blows over but risks remain

PHILPPINES VOLCANO: A resident tries to clean his car which is covered in ash after Taal Volcano erupted in Talisay, Batangas province, Philippines. Local authorities evacuated residents nearby on Sunday. Photograph: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Images of the Weekend

YOUNG SCIENTISTS: Alan O'Sullivan (left) and Cormac Harris and from Colaiste Choilm, Cork, whose BT Young Scientist and Technology project, 'A statistical investigation into the prevalence of gender stereo-typing in 5-7 year olds and the development of an initiative to combat gender bias' won this year's title BT Young Scientists of the Year. Photograph: Crispin Rodwell/The Irish Times

Images of the Day

CATHOLIC PROCESSION: A Catholic devotee is carried away after fainting while taking part in the annual procession of the Black Nazarene in Manila, Philippines. Photograph: Ezra Acayan/Getty Images

Images of the Day

CHINESE NEW YEAR: Qing Ying Chen (9) from Wicklow, Zhi Yuan Lin (8) from Kildare and Chu Fei Lin (7) from Dublin at the announcement of the programme for Dublin Chinese New Year Festivities 2020 which runs from January 24th to February 10th celebrating the year of the Rat. Photograph: Alan Betson

Images of the Day

FUNERAL AFTERMATH: An anxious woman shows a medic a picture of her missing brother as people queue to check whether family members are accounted for, outside the information office of a hospital in the Iranian city of Kerman, following a stampede at the funeral of Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Suleimani on Tuesday. The crush killed scores of people. Photograph: Atta Kenare/AFP/Getty

Images of the Day

DJ Larry Gogan, who's death was announced on Tuesday, January 7th, 2020, in the RTÉ 2FM studio in 2010. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Larry Gogan, 1938-2020: A life in pictures

SULEIMANI FUNERAL: Former Iranian Revolutionary Guards chief Mohamad Ali Jafari prays over the coffin of slain Revolutionary Guards lieutenant-general and Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani at his funeral in Tehran, Iran, on Monday. Photograph: Iran Supreme Leader Office handout/EPA

Images of the Day

People walk on the floating bridge at the Zaryadye park next to the Spasskaya tower of the Moscow Kremlin and the St Basil Cathedral. Photograph: Maxim Shipenkov/EPA

Images of the weekend

TRADFEST: Louise Mulcahy, Aoife Scott and Michelle Mulcahy, some of the artists involved in TradFest2020, launching the programme for the festival at Kilmainham Gaol, which takes place from January 22nd-26th. Photograph: Alan Betson

Images of the Day

Marian Finucane in the RTÉ radio studios in January 1980. Photograph: Pat Langan/The Irish Times

Marian Finucane 1950 - 2020: A life in pictures

AUSTRALIA FIRES: Harvey Keaton is presented with his firefighter father's posthumous honour for bravery after his death at the Green Wattle Creek fireground, Australia. Photograph: NSW RFS/PA Wire

Images of the Day

NEW YEAR'S BABY: Clare Lynch and Pero Pejoski with their daughter Nina Lynch Pejoska in the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins

Images of the Day

New York: A reveler celebrates New Year's Eve in Times Square in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., December 31, 2019. Photo : REUTERS/Jeenah Moon.

New Year's Eve

ALMOST THERE... The Custom House along the River Liffey in Dublin is lit up during rehearsals for the Liffey Lights, forming part of the New Year's Eve Festival in Dublin on Tuesday night. Photograph: Aidan Crawley

Images of the Day

The sky behind George's Quay in Dublin city centre as the sun set on Sunday evening. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the weekend

A frog on the leaf of a lotus after the rain at a pond in Lalitpur, Nepal. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Best pictures of 2019

OUCH: Jack Kennedy falls off Hardline during the Leopardstown Christmas Festival. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Images of the Day

SHOCK AND AWE: Capturing the atmosphere at the Leopardstown Christmas Festival which runs until December 29th. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the day

Outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre from the busking session on Christmas Eve with Glen Hansard. Photograph Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Christmas Eve busking and Christmas Day mass

Enjoying a Christmas swim at the forty foot, Sandycove, Co Dublin on Christmas morning. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times

Christmas Day Swim at the Forty Foot in Sandycove, Dublin

COOL CUSTOMER: A redbreasted robin sits on a branch in Wicklow in the morning. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Images of the Day

CALLING ANCESTORS: Jan Tetteroo, a druid from Annaghmore, calling upon ancient ancestors with his shaman drum on the Paps of Anu, to celebrate the winter solstice, in aid of Kerry Hospice Foundation Palliative Care. The sacred summits resemble a pair of breast-shaped hills, in the Derry Na Saggart Mountains close to the Cork-Kerry border. More than 200 people gathered to celebrate at the summit. Photograph: Valerie O'Sullivan

Images of the Weekend

Rower Sanita Puspure (left), winner of The Irish Times/Sport Ireland Sportswoman of the Year Award, with Outstanding Achievement winner, Mary Geaney. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Images of the day

CHERNOBYL CHILDREN: Trina Rooney welcomes Maryna Malinovskaya on arrival to Dublin Airport. A group of 30 children and young adults with special needs from the Chernobyl-affected region of Belarus arrived in Ireland for a two week Christmas rest and recuperation holiday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Images of the Day

BEEF IN THE CITY: Former Irish Farmers' Association president and now Construction Industry Federation director-general Tom Parlon, who happened to be passing at the time, chats with beef farmers protesting again over prices at St Stephen's Green, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Images of the Day

The Champion: Shane Lowry the British Open Champion. Photographs: Inpho.ie NOTE: One signed copy by Shane Lowry. Highest offer secures picture. Email offer to charityprints@irishtimes.com

Charity Prints from The Irish Times

EPIC LEGAL SAGA: Former journalist Ian Bailey leaves the High Court in Dublin on Monday. A judge endorsed a third warrant seeking his arrest and extradition to France over the 1996 murder of filmmaker Sophie Toscan du Plantier in Co Cork. Photograph: Damien Eagers/AFP/Getty

Images of the Day

CLAUS FOR CONCERN: Scuba divers dressed in Santa suits prepare to dive into water off Sandycove Beach, Co Dublin, to raise funds for the RNLI. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the Weekend

Playing captain Tiger Woods of the United States team and teammate Justin Thomas celebrate after defeating the International team during day two of the 2019 Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia. Photograph: Scott Barbour/EPA

Images of the Day

British prime minister Boris Johnson speaks after his Conservative Party delivered a ‘political earthquake’ in securing a sweeping general election win. Photograph: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

Winners and losers: UK election results

UK ELECTION: British prime minister Boris Johnson leaves after casting his vote with dog Dylan at Methodist Hall polling station in London. Photograph: Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Images of the Day

Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times

In pictures: Hozier live in Dublin - The best photos from a blistering show

GOBBLE GOBBLE: David McEvoy, of Termonfeckin Delicous Turkeys, with one of a handful of his free range turkeys that will avoid the Christmas cull and live to see the New Year, on his farm in Termonfeckin, Co. Louth. The small number of turkeys are held back to fill orders for later celebrations early in the new year. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Images of the Day

COURT APPEARANCE: Sr Irene Gibson, Carmelite Nun of the Holy Face of Jesus, leaving Skibbereen District Court carrying a Child of Prague statue, with Sr Anne Marie of the Holy Family Carmelite Hermitage, Leap, Co Cork. Photograph: Daragh Mc Sweeney/Cork Courts

Images of the Day

AFTER THE STORM: Colette McCaughey and Ciaran O'Donoghue with their terrier dog, Molly, at play on Donabate Beach, Co Dublin, under clearer skies after the passing of Storm Atiyah. Photograph: Tom Honan

Calm after the storm

Storm Atiyah makes landfall at Cromwell Point Lighthouse on Valentia Island, Co Kerry. Photograph: Alan Landers

Images of the Weekend

HATS OFF: Members of the 35th Air Corps cadet class celebrate at their commissioning ceremony in Baldonnel, Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Images of the Day

Children walk through a rainwater puddle in a flooded camp for displaced Syrians near the village of Killi in the north of the northwestern Idlib province. Photograph: Aaref Watad/AFP/Getty

Images of the Day

Photograph: Crispin Rodwell/The Irish Times

Rod Stewart live in Dublin: in pictures

PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS: US president Donald Trump with other leaders as he attends a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Plenary Session at the Nato summit in Watford, near London. Mr Trump called Canadian president Justin Trudeau 'two-faced' after footage emerged of him mocking the US president with other leaders. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Images of the Day

CHRISTMAS CEASEFIRE? Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald share some atypically merry banter at the switching on of the Oireachtas Christmas Tree lights at Leinster House in Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson

Christmas ceasefire at Leinster House?

A BRIDGE TO CHRISTMAS: Coloured lights indicate the festive season is drawing in, on Millennium Bridge over the River Liffey in Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Images of the Day

HORSIN' AROUND: Runners return as the day draws to a close at Fairyhouse Racecourse in Ratoath, Co Meath. Photograph: Alan Crowhurst/Getty Images

Images of the Weekend

Other Voices 2019. Photo Credit: Rich Gilligan

Other Voices Festival 2019

Dublin rap group Versatile - Casper Walsh and Alex Sheehan - on stage during their sold out show at the 3Arena, Dublin, on Saturday night. Photograph: Kenneth O'Halloran/The Irish Times

Versatile: Dublin rap group's sold-out 3Arena show in pictures

STRIKE: Kay O'Neill from Portlaoise and Marcus Mac Gabhann from Dublin take part in a students' climate strike outside Leinster House. Photograph: Crispin Rodwell/The Irish Times

Images of the day

Björk on astge at the 3Arena, Dublin, for her Cornucopia tour concert on Thursday, November 28th, 2019. Photograph: Santiago Felipe

Björk live in Dublin: In pictures

PANDA BABY: This image provided by the Berlin Zoo shows one of the two Panda cubs in Berlin, Germany. China's permanent loan Pandas Meng Meng and Jiao Qing are the parents of the two cubs that were born on August 31st. Photograph: 2019 Zoo Berlin via AP

Images of the Day

NO-GO ZONE: Tractors parked around St Stephen's Green during the second day of a protest by farmers over the price they receive for their beef. Photograph: Crispin Rodwell

Images of the Day

LUNNEY ABDUCTION: Luke O'Reilly (left) being taken from Virginia District Court in Co Cavan after he and three other co-accused men appeared there on charges relating to the abduction of Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin

Images of the Day

CRUELLEST CUT OF ALL? Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Cllr Emer Currie joke about while opening the redeveloped Mountview Shopping Centre at Whitechapel Crescent, Blanchardstown. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

The cruellest cut of all?

Black Arches or nun moth is a small Palaearctic moth. Photograph: SC Insect Photography

Images of the weekend

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Mary O'Connor from Women's Aid stands inside an art installation which bears the names of women and child victims of murder. The charity today released new figures on domestic violence and murder in Ireland. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Images of the Day

COLOMBIA: Demonstrators clash with riot police in Bogota, on November 21st during a nationwide strike called by students, unions and indigenous groups to protest against the government of president Ivan Duque. Photograph: Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty

Images of the Day

DELHI PROTESTS: Security personnel detain an Indian Youth Congress activist during a demonstration in New Delhi, India. Hundreds protested after the Indian government downgraded the Gandhi family's security cover. Photograph: Harish Tyagiepa/EPA

Images of the Day

SCULPTED LOOK: Alexandra Bimbo, a fifth-year student at St Michaels Holy Faith Secondary School, Finglas, Co Dublin, holds up a mask sculpture at the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals Annual Creative Engagement Exhibition at the National Indoor Sports Arena, Abbottstown, Dublin. The exhibition showcases arts produced by second-level students. Photograph: Robbie Reynolds

Images of the Day

FALL IN...ON THE TRIPLE: Cpl Christopher McMahon, from Dundalk, with his triplets James, Nicole and Emily (17 months), at Dublin Airport after his return from duty in Lebanon. He is one of of 232 Irish troops from the 114th Infantry Battalion serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) who returned. Photograph: Tom Honan

Fall in...on the triple

Connacht's Ultan Dillane claims a high ball against Montpellier in the European Rugby Challenge Cup Round 1. Photograph: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Images of the Weekend

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn meets Colin and mother after a speech at the University of Lancaster. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/Getty

Images of the Day

WORLD PREMATURITY DAY: Two-year-old Franklin Carroll from Lusk, Co Dublin, playing at the Rotunda Hospital during a celebration for World Prematurity Day. The Rotunda welcomed back all children born in 2017 who weighed less than 1500 grams at birth. Photograph: Robbie Reynolds

Images of the Day

FESTIVAL OF POLITICS: Senator David Norris joined actors dressed as Jesus Christ and an alien outside Leinster House, Dublin, to launch the Festival of Politics, which runs from November 21st-24th. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

Images of the Day

Legendary Irish stage and screen actor Niall Tóibín's handprints were taken in 2005 to join those of Maureen Potter, John B Keane and Anna Manahan outside the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. Photograph: Collins

Niall Tóibín: 1929-2019

BOOKWORM: Jack Siron (3), from Wicklow, in front of a bookish Christmas tree at the National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, for the launch of the Dublin Book Festival, running from November 14th to 17th. Photograph: Tom Honan

Images of the Day

UNREST CONTINUES: A still image from a social media video shows a police officer aiming his gun at a protester in Hong Kong. Photograph: Cupid Producer/Reuters

Images of the Day

A second World War Spitfire flies over the White Cliffs of Dover in Kent in a tribute to the fallen on Remembrance Day. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA

Images of the Day

VERY VERY FRIGHTENING: Lightning strike over the Mediterranean Sea during a thunderstorm near the town of Andratx, Majorca island, eastern Spain. Rainfall and hailstorms are expected to hit the island during the day. A total of 14 Spanish regions are on alert for heavy rainfall and strong winds. Photograph: Cati Cladera/EPA

Mediterranean lightning strike and other images from Friday

Broadcaster Gay Byrne, who died earlier this week at the age of 85 after a long illness. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Gay Byrne funeral: In pictures

Jockey Jack Madden with trainer Gordon Elliott's Great Danes Bert and Ernie at the 2019/2020 Meath National Hunt season launch for Fairyhouse and Navan racecourses at the Meath trainer's Cullentra yard. Photograph: Morgan Treacy/Inpho

Great Danes, wild fires and other images from Thursday

NATIONAL DRESS REHEARSAL: Bontle Ntsoaole of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Egle Sakalauskiene of the Lithuanian embassy, Nigerian ambassador to Ireland Dr Uzoma Emenike, Latvian ambassador Janis Silis and Moroccan ambassador Lahcen Mahraoui at the launch of the 2019 International Charity Bazaar of Dublin. Photograph: Fran Veale

Images of the Day

The winning photograph of the National Trust 2020 Handbook photo competition, showing a weathered pier over the salt marsh at Newtown National Nature Reserve on the Isle of Wight. Photograph: Les Lockhart/National Trust/PA Wire

National Trust 2020 Handbook photo competition

Christina Aguilera on stage at the 3Arena, Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Christina Aguilera live in Dublin: in pictures

HAND IN HAND: Geraldine and Patric Kriégel emerge from the Criminal Courts of Justice in Dublin after the sentencing of two boys for the murder of their daughter Ana. The two, known as Boy A and Boy B, were found guilty in June. Photograph: Alan Betson

Images of the Day

WALKING IN THE RAIN: An umbrella-wielding pedestrian during what's been a prolonged spell of wet weather, in Fairview Park, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan

Images of the Day

Gay Byrne arriving at the Point Depot, Dublin, by boat, for the opening of the Rothmans Sailing Irish Boat Show in 1991. Photograph: Eric Luke / The Irish Times

In Pictures: Gay Byrne - a life in broadcasting

WINDSWEPT: Wind-driven Atlantic waves crash against the cliff at Lamb's Head, Catherdaniel, Co Kerry. The spray travels some 200ft up the cliff face an curling over onto the land in the winds. Photograph Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the Weekend

Big voice, big wigs and workplace-inappropriate costumes: Cher on stage at Dublin's 3Arena on Friday night. Photograph: Aidan Crawley/The Irish Times

Cher live in Dublin: in pictures

One of the world's largest tall ships, the Libertad, arriving in Dublin Port for a five-day visit, carrying 289 crew. Owned by the Argentinian Navy, the tall ship arrived with the ship's band playing traditional Argentinian music before making her way to Sir John Rogerson's Quay. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times

Images of the day

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Kayleigh Towell and Chloe Layton pose as 'The Twins', ahead of Halloween events at Smithfield Square, Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the Day

FACE FACTS: Young scientists are pictured in Fota Wildlife Park at the launch of the Cork Science Festival. Photograph: Clare Keogh

Images of the Day

This picture was taken by my good friend and colleague Brian McMullan during one of 1970?s big riots in Ballymurphy. The army were firing tear gas and rubber bullets, and I stood with them to get a good photograph of the riot. As I walked back to Brian, I said, I hope you've taken a picture of that? I offered to take one of him in the same position but he replied, Do you think I'm stupid? Photograph: Trevor Dickson

Shooting The Darkness: Images of the Troubles

GENDER BALANCE: Atlas Ogunyemi (3), Caoimhe Byrne (2) and Estela Carvajal (11 months), participate in a children's fun festival hosted by the National College of Ireland's Early Learning Initiative, in which young children play, learn, dress up and hear stories in an environment free from gender expectations. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Images of the Day

Ice crystals on autumn blossoms, Annamoe, Wicklow. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times

Images of the day

Cork Senior Football Championship Final, Pairc Ui Rinn, Ballintemple, Co Cork: Barry O'Driscoll of Nemo Rangers lifts the trophy after victory over Duhallow. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/Inpho

Images of the weekend

Othmane El Goumri of Morocco, the Mens winner of the Dublin Marathon 2019 on his knees at the finish line after completing the course in a record time of 2 hours 8 minutes and 5 seconds. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

Dublin Marathon 2019 - In Pictures

New York Brassband kick off the 42nd Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend with a performance on Emmet Place. Photograph: Clare Keogh

Images of the day

Street artist 'Loretto' has depicted the British prime minister Boris Johnson and some of his ministers as the Beatles, in London. Parliament is yet to scrutinise Johnson's Brexit deal and while the deal remains paused a general election looms. Photograph: Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA

Images of the day

ESSEX TRUCK: Police at the scene where 39 bodies were discovered in a lorry container, in Grays, Essex, Britain. Photograph: Hannah McKay/Reuters

Images of the Day

STATE APOLOGY: Lorraine Walsh (left) and Vicky Phelan, who both contracted cervical cancer and now campaign for improved services to combat it, leave Leinster House on Tuesday after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar delivered a State apology for mishandling of cancer smear testing. Photograph: Tom Honan

Women vindicated after a Taoiseach's apology

SCARY MONSTERS? Ring-tailed Lemurs get into the Halloween spirit at Tayto Park in Dublin, ahead of the official opening of The Wicked Adventures at Tayto Park this weekend, a children's attraction for this time of year. Photograph Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times

Images of the Day

BIG HAIR: Jessie Knight of Carlow, styled by Kerrieann Ayres of Blake's hair salon, Carlow, at the Alfaparf Milano Hairdresser Awards 2019, now in its tenth year, at the RDS over the weekend. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Images of the Weekend

Tanya Mahoney styled by veronique Kuehn McConnell Angel hair and beauty at the tenth ALFAPARF MILANO Fantastic Hairdresser Awards 2019 at the RDS. Photograph Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times

ALFAPARF MILANO Fantastic Hairdresser Awards 2019.