In hard times even Santa feels the pinch. That’s the message of “Santa and the Recession,” a timely new book for children written and illustrated in Ireland (where the recession is biting harder than most places).

Finding Jews in Ireland is not an easy task. Of Ireland’s 4.4 million people, only 2,000 or so are Jewish. But finding a menorah, the eight branched candle that celebrates Hanukkah – that’s a cinch.

Back home in Kerry to prepare for her wedding, and praying it won’t be a wet one. A waterlogged April Drew reports on a never-ending Irish problem: the incessant rain.

Colum McCann says he was devastated that Ireland lost out to France in the World Cup but that winning the National Book Award "did make up in some way for the defeat.”

Handball villain Thierry Henry has called for the controversial Ireland/France game to be replayed. The French star striker said a replay would be the "fairest solution" after his handball set up the goal which dumped Ireland out of the World Cup.

Oscar winning actress Charlize Theron will be spending lots of time in Ireland next year, as she’s down to play the lead female role in the film version of the Sebastian Barry novel “The Secret Scripture.”

Irish golfer Padraig Harrington has slammed the French team for the way they celebrated after Thierry Henry's hand ball helped them win their World Cup clash with Ireland.

Niall O'Dowd: Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, has spoken out on the need for Catholic and Anglican dialogue. That all sounds very reasonable, but Williams is head of the Established Church which stopped at nothing in its day to end Catholicism as we now know it. They made Pope Benedict's efforts to win over Anglicans look like a child's tea party. Today's Anglicans may well be saying why "can't we all get along" but their predecessors were utterly savage in their fury towards Catholics.

The Australian rules and Kerry Gaelic football star Tadgh Kennelly has said he has returned to Australia because Ireland is "on its knees" economically.

About 200,000 Irish fans from all over the world have joined a Facebook petition calling on FIFA for a replay of the France/Ireland match which ended in bitter controversy in Paris Wednesday night. France advanced to the World Cup finals through a disputed goal after star striker Thierry Henry blatantly handled the ball before setting up the winning score.

French soccer “star” Thierry Henry’s “hand of Gaul” go-ahead goal against Ireland in the World Cup qualifier has once again shown the need for the instant replay. American sports are no stranger to human error and bad calls that could have been solved by modern technology. Here’s a list of the ten of greatest blown calls in American sports history that could have been reversed with instant replay...

Zut alors! Even the French think we were robbed last night in the Stade de France. An online poll in the French newspaper Le Monde shows a staggering 80,657 French people (presumably) believe Ireland should be on their way to the World Cup.

Ambassador Rooney was on a visit to Kilkenny city Wednesday, November 18, home to the tomb of Obama's long lost relative, Bishop John Kearney. He said he has asked Obama to visit Ireland.

The U.S. wants the gardai (Irish police) to deliver James O’Gara, who stole $12,600 from a bank in the Bronx in April 2007. As he left the bank, he lost not just his gun, but also his cash.

Sting has been stung by Ireland, but in a very good way. The superstar rocker spoke to The Irish Times last week about his love of Ireland and Belfast in particular, where he lived for a few years in the 80s.

The Football Association of Ireland has lodged an official complaint with soccer's governing body FIFA over the controversial handball by Thierry Henry which dumped Ireland out of the play-offs for the 2010 World Cup. And the FAI has cited precedent for the game to be replayed.

Ireland's meteorologists are warning people to brace themselves for a long weekend of miserable weather.

The National Book Award for fiction for 2009 has gone to Irish author Colm McCann who lives in New York for his book "Let the Great World Spin." The book is set in New York in 1974 when a French tightrope walker Philippe Petit walked between the two towers of the Twin Towers, creating a massive publicity stunt.

Video replay. Two words that have come back to haunt FIFA, the international body who runs soccer. Because of the lack of it France are in the World Cup championship and Ireland are out.

Sean O'Shea: France is through to the World Cup finals after an incredible oversight by the referee, which allowed a Thierry Henry handball to go unpunished, which led to the winning French goal. With the goal, the French qualified on a 2-1 aggregate score

Sean O'Shea: Ireland is playing extra time against France after the Irish defeated the French in 90 minutes. Two periods of 15 minutes will be played followed by a penalty shoot-out if there is no further score.

A little girl, Ruby Ayoub, who would have been six this week, was buried in Dublin on Monday following her death from meningitis which doctors wrongly diagnosed as swine flu.

Father Francis Markey, 81, an elderly Irish priest based in Indiana, was released from jail on bail on Tuesday pending an extradition hearing later this week.

A Texas woman who fled to Ireland with her two children in 2005 is to attend an extradition hearing in Dublin on Wednesday, December 3.

This year the Boston Irish Film Festival present a unique multimedia event that takes you back to the early 1910s when pioneering screenwriter/actress Gene Gauntier and director Sidney Olcott of the Kalem Film Company blazed a trail from New York to Killarney—and into history.

American born artist Daniel Mark Duffy has been on the receiving end of a moral debate on modern Ireland. The artist’s provocative nude portraits have drawn both criticism and praise from all corners of Irish society.

Lonely Planet's best in Travel 2009 names the Clare cycling route in Ireland among the greatest alongside similar routes in Vietnam, Cuba, New Zealand and Australia.

Olivia Wilde’s star is firmly on the ascent. Best known for her recurring role in Fox’s “House,” the Irish American actress trained at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and chose her stage name in honor of Irish playwright Oscar Wilde. She talks about her Irish background, her pride in her heritage and her ultimate dream – the chance to make a film in Ireland.

This just had to be seen to be believed, as the Moulin Rouge in Paris hosted a Can Can dancer like none ever seen before - an Irish fan.

Not every boat was lifted by the Celtic Tiger economy. In "W.C.," the low key, but thoroughly likeable new Irish film by writer and director Liam O’Mochain, it’s the people who work unseen and underpaid who are his subjects.

There is a significant Irish presence on a Southern separatist group known as the League of the South that calls itself Anglo-Celtic and has been featured on the Glenn Beck show on Fox News. Now, The Huffington Post has attacked the group as racist and Beck for allowing them to appear on his show.

Travel to Ireland is on a downward curve this year. Tourism Ireland reports that “the first 10 months of 2009 have proven to be a very tough period for tourism to the island of Ireland, and for tourism worldwide.”

France coach Raymond Domenech is pleading for players to turn out in huge numbers on Wednesday night in the second playoff game against Ireland. His side leads 1-0 after the first leg "We need the support of the fans from the first to the last minute," Domenech said. "The fans have a real part to play."

Ireland face an uphill task in Paris on Wednesday but star midfielder Damien Duff thinks the upset can be achieved. The Republic trail 1-0 on aggregate after a Nicolas Anelka goal gave France victory in Dublin on Saturday evening. But Fulham midfielder Duff believes a shock win can be pulled off at the Stade de France.

Sean O'Shea: Ireland will travel to France on Wednesday night knowing their World Cup hopes hang by a fingernail. Yet they can pull off a huge upset.

News from the 32: Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Derry, Donegal, Down, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tyrone, Waterford, Westmeath, Wexford, Wicklow

The former president of the High Court, Justice Richard Johnson, has called for a referendum to reintroduce the recently abolished death penalty in Ireland.

There are barely enough priests to preach in Dublin's 199 parishes. According to Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, “We have 46 priests over 80 and only two less than 35 years of age. In a very short time we will just have the bare number of priests required to have one active priest for each of our 199 parishes."

A little Irish town has honored 10 of its citizens who served as U.S. soldiers buried in its tiny graveyard.

Sean O'Shea: The explosive reasons behind the brawl at the end of the Irish vs. France World Cup game in Dublin on Saturday have been revealed. After the game, French player Lasanna Diarra refused to shake hands with Irish player Keith Andrews and said ' F-- off Irish pr--- to him adding '"You're out," referring to the 1-0 first leg victory for France.

Robert Reynolds: Since Sarah Palin once famously said she didn't know whether Africa was a continent, we in the global Irish community are left to wonder whether she could have ever unscrambled the difference between England, Britain and the so-called United Kingdom. Alas, we won't have to wait too long for Palin's wit (?) and wisdom (?!). Her new book comes out Monday.

Sarah Palin releases her new book 'Going Rogue' this week, and judging by the reviews she really gets her Irish up. John McCain, the media, the Democratic Party, and the know alls in Washington all get it loud and clear from the former Alaska governor.

Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa were dealt a cruel blow when an unlucky Sean St. Ledger own goal gave France a 1-0 win at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night.

Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa were dealt a cruel blow when an unlucky Sean St. Ledger own goal gave France a 1-0 win at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night.

We are just hours away from the biggest soccer match that we have seen In Ireland for many a year. Ireland take on France in the first leg of the World Cup playoff at Croke Park, and if ever there was a need for an Irish crowd to inspire our warriors then today is the day.

Giovanni Trapattoni confirms ten of his team for the first leg of Ireland’s World Cup playoff against France at Croke Park on Saturday, but must make game time decision between McGeady/Lawrence.

Members of the Irish community gathered at a memorial Mass in New York Thursday to remember Sen. Edward Kennedy just over 12 weeks after his death. The senator’s son, Edward Kennedy Jr., Christine Quinn, Speaker of New York City Council, and Irish Consul General Niall Burgess were among those present.

Bridget English/ An American Student In Ireland: “You can tell Americans,” my Irish friend told me in the pub one night. “they look different, and not just the way they dress. It’s the features. Even if you put an Irish person in American clothes I could tell. And the teeth. Like you, you have very American teeth.”

There are few countries that celebrate a cozier, put-your-feet-up Christmas than Ireland. With its family-oriented culture and the legendary friendliness of its people, spending the holidays in Ireland is one of the most rewarding decisions you could ever make.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton played a major role in securing the release of Irish priest Fr. Michael Sinnott. The priest was kidnapped 32 days ago by a radical group of Islamic militants called the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.