Dublin  - An armed gang escaped with up to 6.2 million euros (7.9 million dollars) in a raid on an Irish bank in central Dublin after kidnapping an employee and family members, including a five- year-old girl, police said Friday.

The six-strong gang forced the worker into a central branch of the Bank of Ireland in Dublin as they held his girlfriend, her mother and her five-year-old granddaughter at gunpoint.

Berlin - Irish budget airline Ryanair is to include four new European destinations, including Rimini in Italy, in its summer timetable from Germany's Frankfurt Hahn airport.

This increases to 50 the number of routes from Frankfurt Hahn, the airline announced Tuesday.

Ryanair had promised to increase its operations at the airport, situated approximately 120 kilometres from the city of Frankfurt, after the airport operator cancelled a proposed three-euro departure tax in January.

Dublin - Up to 120,000 people protested in the Irish capital Dublin on Saturday against the government's handling of the economy and the activities of the banks during the financial crisis.

The demonstration, one of the largest ever in the city, was called for by a number of Ireland's unions. State employees vented their anger over government cutback plans and the effect that the recession, which began late in 2008, is having on workers.

Dublin- There has been a swing towards a "Yes" vote to the European Union's Lisbon Treaty in Ireland with 51 per cent now in favour, according to a poll conducted by the Irish Times newspaper, published Monday.

The poll shows those in favour increased by eight points since November 2008 when the last Irish Times last poll was published. Just
33 per cent now say they would vote "No," a drop of six points since November's poll.

London  - Northern Ireland Wednesday embarked on the difficult path of settling its violent past with a reconciliation deal that would include a cash payment of 12,000 pounds (17,200 dollars) to relatives of the more than 3,000 victims of 30 years of violent strife between Catholics and Protestants in the province.

Cork, Ireland  - Anyone keen on a mystical getaway should book now for what could turn out to be a genuinely spooky break in Wicklow Head lighthouse on Ireland's east coast, about an hour's drive south of Dublin.

The octagonal, stone tower is one of 15 properties across Ireland, restored by the Irish Landmark Trust, which are available to the public as self-catering holiday accommodation.

Guests should however expect a wait of about one year owing to the popularity of the offbeat vacation venue.