Dear Friends, We hope you enjoy some of IrishCentral's latest and most-popular stories! If a friend forwarded this to you and you are interested in receiving IrishCentral's newsletter directly, please click here to subscribe.    Irish crisis over cancer diagnosis for finance minister Brian Lenihan Monday, December 28, 2009, 3:55 AM The health condition of Ireland's Minister for Finance is the pressing topic in Ireland this week. Brian Lenihan has been the public face of the budget cuts that have slashed public spending but at the weekend he was in the news on a far more tragic matter when he was diagnosed with a very serious cancer. Full Story  Fifth bishop in sex abuse scandal stands firm Monday, December 28, 2009, 4:22 AM The Bishop of Galway, Dr. Martin Drennan, is standing firm against efforts to have him resign in the wake of the Dublin child abuse scandal, thereby creating a further crisis in the Irish church. Four bishops who served in the Dublin archdiocese during the period of the sex abuse have already stepped down, but Drennan, who is the fifth named in the recent Murphy report, has been adamant he will not step aside. Full Story  Gabriel Byrne says image of Ireland destroyed by church sex scandals Monday, December 28, 2009, 3:40 AM Irish Hollywood star Gabriel Byrne says that Ireland's friendly image in America has been blown away by the church sex scandal. Full Story  John F. Kennedy 'photo' crosses a line by TMZ Monday, December 28, 2009, 4:46 AM Niall O'Dowd: Gossip site TMZ has crossed a line by showing a photograph from the 1950s purportedly showing naked women on a pleasure cruise with the late John F. Kennedy. Full Story  Slash-and-cut Ireland recession plan may be 'right' for United States Saturday, December 26, 2009, 7:32 PM Niall O'Dowd: Is Ireland suddenly being seen as the nation with the answer to battling through the worldwide recession? The belief that the Irish have the right idea is taking root — but how ironic! For almost a decade, Ireland was the poster boy for the bloom-and-boom Celtic Tiger economy, which was the envy of the world. Then, it all came crashing down. Full Story  Has peace in Northern Ireland moved a step closer this Christmas season? Saturday, December 26, 2009, 4:19 AM Niall O'Dowd: Is Peter Robinson serious this time in his Christmas message that he does not want Northern Ireland ruled from London? As the political crisis over the devolving of policing and justice continues, Robinson has once again played the conciliatory card. Full Story  St. Mel's Cathedral fire destroys Irish national treasures Saturday, December 26, 2009, 3:42 AM Priceless artifacts, many of them well over a century old, have been destroyed in the fire that gutted St. Mel's Cathedral in Longford town on Christmas Day. Police are investigating the fire which gutted the 154-year old structure. Door to door inquiries are being carried out to see if any evidence can be gathered. Full Story  The top ten Irish power-brokers in the American media Saturday, December 26, 2009, 7:33 PM The press. They can make or break Presidents — and just about anybody else in Washington, the seat of power in American politics. But who are the Irish power-brokers in the American media on the cusp of a new decade? For the first time, we name them. Full Story  Irishman, 72, 'hopelessly in love' with 29-year-old Polish fiancée Saturday, December 26, 2009, 7:34 PM A 72-year-old Irishman in love with a Polish beauty more than 40 years his junior has been forced to delay their Christmas wedding after his beloved came down with the flu. “It’s heartbreaking, but we can wait a little while longer,” he said. “She could have her pick of a thousand men, but she chose me. She wouldn’t look at another man, not even if it was Rock Hudson. Full Story  Bono joins famous 'buskers' for charity performance on Dublin's Grafton Street Saturday, December 26, 2009, 2:35 PM WITH VIDEO: Dublin's busy Grafton Street came to a standstill on Christmas Eve when U2's Bono and a trio of superstar buskers gathered to give stunned holiday shoppers a once-in-a-lifetime treat. Full Story  Susan Boyle has 'not seen a penny' of her money so far, says brother Sunday, December 27, 2009, 5:44 AM Susan Boyle has not seen a penny of the millions she has earned, according to her brother Gerry Boyle, and is living on a $285 a week allowance. Her brother Gerry also revealed that burglars tried to break into her modest home over the Christmas holidays. Full Story  Sarah Jessica Parker 'loves' Hugh Grant Sunday, December 27, 2009, 5:18 PM Sarah Jessica Parker loves Hugh Grant. The Sex and the City actress stars alongside Grant in new movie Did You Hear About The Morgans? and admits she has been a fan of his films for years. Full Story  Thousands of music fans vote for best Irish and Irish-American albums of the decade Sunday, December 27, 2009, 6:01 PM One thing's for sure: The Irish LOVE their music! Thousands of votes have already been cast in IrishCentral's two polls: one for Best Irish Album of the Decade, and the other for Best Irish American Album of the Decade. We'll be taking your votes until the end of the year — but we thought you'd like to know how the contest is going so far... Full Story  Robert Pattinson replacing Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp and George Clooney as America's heartthrob Saturday, December 26, 2009, 4:58 AM Robert Pattinson is the man most women would like to kiss according to a new survey. When it comes to kissing they'd rather kiss Rob than swap spit with Brad Pitt. Full Story  Lindsay Lohan 'a changed woman' after visit to India Saturday, December 26, 2009, 9:24 AM Lindsay Lohan has returned from India “a changed woman,” her mother Dina Lohan says. Dina Lohan said Lindsay was humbled and moved by what she saw while filming a BBC documentary about human trafficking there. Full Story  Miley Cyrus says Dublin was her favorite gig on world tour Sunday, December 27, 2009, 5:55 AM Miley Cyrus' brother Trace says Dublin was his sister's favorite place to play on her world tour. Trace, whose band Metro Station opens for Miley, told fans that she was very impressed with how she was allowed to be herself in Dublin and how no one bothered her. Full Story  Charlie Sheen arrested on domestic violence charges Saturday, December 26, 2009, 3:56 AM Irish American actor Charlie Sheen, 44, was booked on domestic violence charges at the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado on Christmas Day. Sheen, son of actor Martin Sheen, was later freed on bail. Sheen reportedly threatened his wife, Brooke Mueller, with a knife in the incident, which led to his arrest. Full Story  Brian Kelly hires another Irish standout Chuck Martin Monday, December 28, 2009, 5:10 AM The Irish are coming back to Notre Dame. After hiring Brian Kelly, the first Irish Catholic coach since – well, George O'Leary who held it for five days, Kelly has now gone back to his roots by hiring defensive backs coach Chuck Martin away from Central Valley State University. Full Story  Urban Meyer should have told the truth about heart condition Sunday, December 27, 2009, 6:28 AM Sean O'Shea: Urban Meyer's decision to take a leave of absence and/or step down as Florida's football coach is the biggest shock of the college season. The fact that he has a serious heart condition was clearly covered up by Florida officials after he recently ended up in hospital for what they claimed was dehydration. Full Story   Slan (Farewell for now) Niall Niall O'Dowd Founder, IrishCentral.com 875 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10001 P.S. 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