Chess mates compete Twelve Irish and American school children will compete in a chess tournament tomorrow as part of a cultural exchange.
Six children from a Californian chess school, run by Elizabeth Shaughnessy, originally from Rathmines, arrived in Ireland with their parents last week.
They have stayed with the families of the young Irish chess players, who are members of chess clubs in Greater Dublin run by the Russian-born Grandmaster Alexander Baburin.
The first chess matches took place on Saturday in Sandymount, and the Americans won every challenge. "My team are practising hard since," said Mr Baburin, "Now we know how good they are. But so far the exchange has been a great success." The Irish children will complete the exchange in July 2007, when they travel to California.
Maynooth Mary
A Kildare girl who featured in a Kerrygold butter advertisement was chosen as the 39th Mary from Dungloe at the festival's final night in Co Donegal, writes Eoin McGarvey.
Student Jennifer Halton, (19), from Maynooth, was thrilled when host Marty Whelan announced her as winner from the 14 participants late on Sunday night.
Jennifer wowed the 1,000 guests at the finale with a rendering of the Johnny Cash song Jackson. Her young brother and sister Lorcan and Pamela joined her on stage for her party piece.In the Kerrygold ad she played the waitress who served the Frenchman his breakfast.
Jelly hot indeed
Sweltering temperatures have brought a plague of jellyfish to Spain's eastern seashores, forcing holidaymakers to stay out of the sea, the Red Cross reported.
The unwelcome visitors have flourished thanks to a glut of plankton brought on by higher sea temperatures and a decline in natural predators like dolphins.
The Red Cross has treated more than 10,000 jellyfish stings this summer so far in the eastern region of Catalonia, a spokesman for the organisation said. - (Reuters)