Keir Starmer’s Labour suffers seismic byelection defeat to Plaid Cymru in Wales
Loss of Welsh assembly seat in stronghold deals blow to prime minister’s leadership
Wales
Labour’s stunning byelection loss in Wales shows parties who cannot adapt will be crushed
UK politics is moving at speed, with voter loyalties shifting and atomising in unprecedented ways
Caerphilly by-election to test Labour’s grip as Reform challenges Wales’ traditional politics
If Nigel Farage’s party wins, it will buttress its claim to be on course to win the next UK election
Political Change Across Britain and Ireland - Identities, Institutions and Futures: Undoubtedly the UK is in trouble
Questions well posed here may be impossible to resolve, but they will consume the attention of a generation
The Irish Times view on Welsh politics: change in the valleys
Polls suggest there is a real opportunity for Plaid Cymru in next May’s regional elections
‘Our precious boy’: The stories behind memorial benches of Swansea promenade
A council-run scheme to put memorial plaques on benches gives an insight in locals’ lives lost
‘Something is shifting’: Wales is on the verge of a political earthquake
Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru looks set to battle Reform UK to end a century of Labour political dominance
Lack of tax powers renders Stormont a spectator in UK public spending debate
Patience of English taxpayers with Northern Ireland will be tested as Britain runs out of money
Occasion of Welsh language cultural festival ‘dramatic and emotional’
To get a sense of the scale of this event, imagine a Gaeltacht concoction of Aosdána, Electric Picnic and the National Ploughing Championships
‘It’s a big relief’: Number of top A-level grades in Northern Ireland rises marginally
Boys slightly outperform girls in terms of highest grades
Beers and cheers as Wrexham’s latest Hollywood sequel kicks off
In a Britain plagued by bad news, this modest Welsh town’s luck seems to be holding out
Don’t expect votes for 16-year-olds to change the world. It’s the 25-35s who are the rebels
As the Scottish independence referendum showed, young first-time voters can be surprisingly conservative
‘Over the years, I’ve lost a little sense of my calmness. I wish I were a little bit more patient or cool-headed’
David Cleary, director of MoLI (Museum of Literature Ireland), on the beauty of Adare, childhood holidays in Wales, and Limerick winning the All-Ireland
Oasis in Cardiff: This was emotional. For the Manchester-Irish diaspora, it’s like family
Nostalgia poured in not just from the set-list, but from the stadium screen visuals too
The truth behind the Normans and Ireland: ‘They abolished slavery’
Historians give their view on plans to mark the 1,000th anniversary of William the Conquerer and what was more an English than a French invasion
Republic of Ireland and fellow Euro 2028 hosts set for automatic qualification
Uefa executive committee set to rubber-stamp qualification process at meeting in Bilbao next week
Irish and British futures are codependent and entangled
Worldview: Running through contemporary debates is a battle between those who say reconciliation should come before constitutional change and those who argue for the reverse
Putting Wales First by Richard Wyn Jones: Thinking for Wales - An exciting read with global relevance
This vibrant book includes reflection on nationalism in small countries, as well as a compelling analysis of Plaid Cyrmu’s role in a changing Wales
Irish lorry drivers at risk of being stranded in British ports on Christmas Day, haulage body says
Stormy conditions and damage to ferry at Fishguard compound festive season challenges for hauliers as Holyhead port remains closed
Holyhead Port will remain closed over Christmas with ferries cancelled, operators confirm
Around 100,000 people will need to make alternative arrangements over festive period
‘Highly unlikely’ Holyhead Port will reopen as peak Christmas travel period approaches
Still unclear when ferries will resume sailings between Dublin and Holyhead as freight companies suffer extra costs and ferry services establish alternative routes
Minister hoping for best but planning for worst over Holyhead port damage
The port, through which much Irish-bound freight passes, was put out of action during Storm Darragh
Eileen Gleeson on facing Wales in Dublin: ‘The Aviva is in our soul, this is our home’
Tuesday’s Euro 2025 play-off second-leg against Wales at the Aviva has sold almost 25,000 tickets
Wales v Ireland: TV details, kick-off time, team news and more
Everything you need to know about the Euro 2025 playoff
Passenger killed and 15 people injured after two trains crash in Wales
‘Low-speed collision’ took place on Monday night near village of Llanbrynmair, close to a passing loop on single-track line
Aberfan disaster ‘seared in the minds’ of Welsh people as work continues to ensure it cannot happen again
On the anniversary of the 1966 disaster in which a school was buried by coal waste, politicians are working on a Bill to deal with safety concerns of legacy coal tips
‘I met Nigel Farage in the bar’: the vicar’s daughter who ‘liked to party’ and is now first minister of Wales
Eluned Morgan travels to Cork on Thursday for a bilateral with the Irish Government, but first she must learn a cúpla focail for her trip to the Áras
Cardiff’s football ‘Mona Lisa’ underscores the city’s long-standing ethnic diversity
The Welsh capital was a hub for immigrants a century before the Windrush generation landed in England
Slow travel allows you to escape the busy world: Here’s how to do it
Get away from it all by road, rail, ramble or sail in Ireland and farther afield
Tadhg Beirne on how he almost quit rugby: ‘I was thinking about going into real estate’
The Ireland player on how Wales revived his career, coping with constant pressure, and how he feels about retirement
New Welsh speed limit forces junior cycle race to alter route
Last September, Wales reduced the default speed limit in built-up areas from 30mph to 20mph
‘Humongous’ fort found in Wales may disprove theory of Celtic-Roman peace
Site, which has excited archaeologists, had been hidden until now beneath an enormous, overgrown field
First Minister of Wales Vaughan Gething resigns after months of turbulence
Resignation comes after four Welsh ministers stepped down in an apparently calculated move to force his hand
Greater investment in Irish language and Gaeltacht urged in budget
Lobbies propose €57m for increased Gaeltacht and Irish spending, including extra €26m for TG4
Reform UK’s ‘radical’ election manifesto sums criticised by spending analysts
Nigel Farage launches his party’s offering for the July 4th poll in Wales, upstaging Labour and the Tories
The deep problems facing Britain will continue to dog Labour
Weak central government that fails to deliver is making the nationalist case in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland stronger
Plaid Cymru leader sees Ireland as a template for an independent Wales
Ireland is a nation that has been able to map out its own destiny, says pro-independence Welsh party leader
Fractured Union. Politics, Sovereignty and the Fight to Save the UK: far-seeing and compelling
Insightful analysis of uncertainty of United Kingdom’s future under the pressures of devolution, inequality, regional dissatisfaction and Brexit
‘I don’t want a Welsh army’: Mark Drakeford on his love for devolution and republicanism, but not independence
The outgoing Welsh leader on Labour, the Tories and why the UK should not have a king
Uncapped Leicester flanker Reffell named in Wales squad for South Africa tour
He is joined by uncapped Cardiff number eight James Ratti in 33-man group for three Tests against Springboks in July
Gareth Bale says he’s fit and ready to go the distance for Wales
Captain plays down ‘niggles’ to focus on helping Wales to first World Cup since 1958
McWilliams focused on new campaign as Ireland prepare for fresh start
New coach accentuating the positive as Six Nations kick-off looms
Gordon D’Arcy: the red card ruined the match . . . What about the player's head?
Ewels was upright, clumsy and ran risk of a head collision in trying to stop offload
Scotland keen to express themselves and get the result in Italy
Ali Price hoping Scotland can ignite in their closing two games of the tournament
Ireland braced for tough assignment as they seek fourth successive win
Head coach Murphy makes a couple of changes to the team that beat Italy for England test
Wales quietly confident despite supreme French form
Dan Biggar hoping to shut down imperious halfback pairing of Ntamack and Dupont
Gordon D’Arcy: It is a fair question to ask now if rugby in Italy is sustainable
Italy’s presence should not be guaranteed if they cannot be competitive
England should still have enough to win even without Tuilagi
Jones’s team have the individual talent – they just need to plug it all into the mains
Manu Tuilagi’s influence on both sides of the ball a big boost on his England return
Centre set to play his first Six Nations game in almost two years against Wales in Cardiff
Eddie Jones hoping to unleash power of Tuilagi and Lawes in Welsh clash
England coach to assess if Tuilagi is fit enough to step up after appearing for Sale
Biggar steps into the limelight to land late winning drop goal for Wales
For Scotland a stirring victory followed by dispiriting defeat is a pattern all too familiar
No harm in imperfect display as Ireland swat Wales aside
Andy Farrell praises defence as the best part of Ireland’s game after nearly keeping clean sheet
Confident Ireland to build on autumnal promise and extend winning run
Wales can never be written off but variety of Irish attack game points to a home victory
Stephen Jones in bullish form as he stresses Welsh strengths
Wales backs coach confident defending champions will not lack for quality against Ireland
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Stardust
Inquests into the nightclub fire that led to the deaths of 48 people
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
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