Deep breath: Alphorn blowers of the Oktoberfest orchestra play at the famous Oktoberfest beer festival concert in Munich earlier today. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

HERE ARE THE things you need to know as we round off the day in three easy steps.

THINGS WE LEARNED:

#GAFFS: It’s taken several years to wind its way through Leinster House but this afternoon the government launched the first national register of property prices in Ireland. The database gives information on the sale price of all residential properties purchased in Ireland since 1 January 2010.

#ANGLO: Finance Minister Michael Noonan has revealed that no-one knows exactly who audited the former Anglo Irish Bank in the financial year to September 2008. Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said it was “astonishing” that the auditors could not be identified.

#SLIGO: A man in his 20s has been charged with the murder of Eugene Gillespie, the 67-year-old man who was found in his home in Sligo eight days ago after suffering an assault during what Gardaí believe was an aggravated burglary.

#JILL MEAGHER: Thousands of people took part in a march in Melbourne today in memory of 29-year-old Irishwoman Jill Meagher. Her mother, Edith McKeon, thanked mourners for their support.

#THE PAST: Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has said Taoiseach Enda Kenny should stop raising the issue of whether he was ever a member of the IRA. The Louth TD said the allegation is “tedious” and an attempt by the government to distract from other issues.

#COOL FOR CATS: Galway fought hard but Kilkenny dominated today’s All Ireland Senior Hurling Final in Croke Park today, winning by 3-22 to 3-11 to retain the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Expect major celebrations on the streets of the Marble City tonight…

THINGS WE LOVED:

• Why don’t casinos in Las Vegas have mirrors? An architect who has designed some of the biggest casinos around the world explains to the BBC website the tricks involved in trying to get punters to part with their cash.
• An Iraqi man who lives in Iraq invited readers of Reddit to ask him any questions that they have about life in Iraq. It makes for interesting reading.
• This photo of an elephant swimming in an indoor pool at a zoo in Leipzig in Germany today is strangely calming:

(Image: AP Photo/Jens Meyer)

THINGS WE SHARED:

• Because it’s a Sunday evening and we’re all trying to pretend that the weekend isn’t coming to an end, here’s a video of a meerkat fighting the good fight as he tries (and fails) to stay awake.
• Remember the first time you ever ate ice cream? No, of course you don’t. But here’s a video of a bunch of kids tasting ice cream for the first time and their reaction:

(Video: STATUSCREATIVE/YouTube)

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