'Funkenmariechen', young majorette dancers, put their fingers in their ears as they hear the cannon cracking at the start of the carnival season, in Erfurt, Germany. (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

THINGS WE LEARNED

#REFERENDUM The Children's Referendum passed today, with 58 per cent of voters voting Yes and 42 per cent voting No. The news was roundly welcomed, although some No campaigners warned there could be a challenge to the result. Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said the referendum "never really took fire". Here's our liveblog of the counting and commentary as it happened.

#REMEMBRANCE DAY Taoiseach Enda Kenny laid a wreath at a Remembrance Day ceremony in Enniskillen today, while Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore became the first Irish Government Minister to attend a Remembrance Sunday event in Belfast. President Michael D Higgins also attended a Remembrance Day service, at St Patrick's Cathedral.

#IBRC The CEO of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, Mike Aynsley, was paid more than €600,000 in temporary allowances between 2009 and 2011, it has emerged. Chair of the bank, Alan Dukes, told Minister Michael Noonan that staff pay cuts at the bank were not pursued partly because of the difficulty in retaining and attracting staff.

#BBC The BBC Director General, George Entwistle, has quit over 'shoddy journalism'. He announced his resignation “in the light of the unacceptable journalistic standards” which allowed for the broadcast that led to Tory Lord McAlpine being wrongly implicated in the north Wales care homes abuse case.

#OPERATION YEWTREE A man in his 70s was arrested and later bailed today as part of the Jimmy Savile inquiry. The Cambridgeshire man was taken into police custody on suspicion of sexual offences before being bailed until a date in December. He was the third person arrested since the operation began.

THINGS WE LOVED

• While we are not condoning spoiling votes, we couldn't help but notice how much effort this person put into spoiling their Children's Referendum vote - even adding a little 'extra' for whoever opened it.

• Two gay King penguins have become parents at Odense Zoo in Denmark. After the keepers discovered the two males were partners, they later realised that they also wanted to stay with an egg. After a penguin egg was abandoned, the dads stepped in to look after the baby. They both incubated the egg, and now are parents to a month-old chick.

(Pic: Odense Zoo)

THINGS WE SHARED

• Could your bra save your life? According to Jessica Bruinsma, who wrote about her experience in The Guardian today, her bra certainly did lead to her life being saved after she suffered serious injuries after getting lost while hiking.
• There once was a day when it seemed like everyone in Ireland watched Fair City - remember Jimmy Doyle, Barry O'Hanlon and Nicola Prendergast? We've had a look at six vintage Fair City stars, and found out what they are up to now. Pizza Action!
• Cats love boxes. And this cat REALLY wants to get inside this cardboard Jaffa box. We salute its valiant efforts, but do wonder how much that hurt. (Via Buzzfeed)

(MrKissa88)

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