"Time for tea! Don't be silly, you'll just have a little drop of tea. Just a teeny tiny cup. Ah go on, go on, go on. Go on! There's always time for a nice cup of tea." It's the gospel according to Mrs Doyle, the long-suffering and oft-brewing housekeeper in the much-missed comedy Father Ted.

Knickerless races, and other Olympic failures

Euros Notebook: For all the inevitable boorishness this has been a good-natured tournament

A Georgian-style house surrounded by fields makes a charming alternative to urban chain hotels, discovers Cathy Packe

A homely ambience is complemented by hotel-standard style and service at this elegant guesthouse, says Kate Simon

Two centenarians were recognised yesterday as the world's oldest siblings.

Briton returns to London after 18,000-mile trip – and apologises for being late

As it turned out, yesterday's Diamond Jubilee pageant was even more quintessentially British than anyone could have hoped for. Not because of the waving Royals and the vast crowds that turned out to see them. Not because of the seemingly endless sartorial permutations of the Union Flag. Not even because of all the limp sandwiches and bad cakes. All that was never in doubt. It was the weather that did us truly proud.

My heart goes out to republican-minded malcontents at this time. It must be dismal seeing the bunting go up in your street and have the papers gushing about how you should bake an Elizabeth sponge, when you regard the monarchy as a travesty that was outdated in feudal times. The great thing about being the citizen of an actual republic, yet resident in a kingdom with functioning royalty, is that you can marvel at the pomp and ceremony, completely free of inner conflict. You can – as I, an Irishwoman, did on Tuesday – hail a taxi and say "take me to Buckingham Palace" , without compromising your democratic values. Some of my English colleagues were full of contempt.

What we love, we're not sure about, we're buying and can't wait for...

Ron Paul, Mitt Romney's only remaining rival for the Republican nomination in the US presidential race, said last night he would stop spending money on the 11 remaining primary elections, prompting speculation that his campaign is, effectively, over.

Explore the outer edges of our island heritage

If you ask me...

1. Magimix