The latest addition to our stellar team of rugby writers reflects on the ups and downs of a magnificent playing career — and reveals the reasons why he's chosen to move to Paris to kick-start his coaching career.

Today, inspirational teenager Dónal Walsh will be buried. This is an essay he wrote about how he dealt with his two crushing cancer diagnoses

A Fine Gael TD has revealed that pro-life activists have threatened to slit her throat and burn down her house.

It's a story familiar to GAA people all over the country. A stormy annual general meeting, members walking out, transfer applications handed in afterwards.

More than 300,000 people have left Ireland in the past four years. Tempting as it is, Ruairí McKiernan is prepared to stay to help make the country a better place

THERE are three reasons why a managed exit by Ireland from the eurozone is the most urgent economic priority. But first consider this reality.

DÓNAL Walsh will be buried today having fought two battles in his short life — one with cancer and one with our health service.

Paddy Power are today refunding all win and each way singles to customers who backed Ireland's Ryan Dolan for last night's Eurovision.

IF THERE'S a season for dieting then it has to be summer.

Leaflets criticising the TD who chairs the Dáil committee hearing opinion on legislating for the X case, and likening abortion to the Holocaust, are being sent to homes in Cork.

A calculator developed by a 12-year-old girl and her Irish father has become the number one-rated app worldwide on Amazon's Android App Store.

The eurozone is heading towards a break up unless there are moves towards much closer political and fiscal union, according to chief economist with State Street Global Advisers, Chris Probyn.

From an economic perspective, the most positive outcome of the treaty negotiations (ratified in 1922) was that the Irish Free State acquired full fiscal autonomy from the UK thereafter.

Founded four decades ago, its annual turnover is now €2bn.

Musgrave's two retail brands in the Irish market — SuperValu and Centra — are not only competing, but winning in today's tough economic climate.

Ireland will be able to maintain its current corporation tax code in the face of international pressure to prevent multinational corporations avoid paying their fare share of tax, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton said yesterday.

Ryanair has announced record annual profits of €569m for the year ending March 31.

Deposits in the Irish covered banks fell 0.8% in the month after the removal of the eligible liabilities guarantee scheme.

Forest owners are being urged to attend a series of public information meetings on the ash disease over the next 10 days.

Permanent TSB has reported a huge increase in new account openings since it launched its no-fee current account.

Coalition TDs have demanded to know if Alan Shatter has access to secret files on prominent politicians, journalists and public figures, as the controversy surrounding the justice minister continued to escalate.

The sleek white Lauren L yacht has become Cork's latest tourist attraction, and you have to admit, it definitely adds a touch of glamour to the place.

Yahoo said it is acquiring blogging service Tumblr for $1.1bn (€850m) cash, a bold bet by chief executive Marissa Mayer to revitalise the struggling internet pioneer by co-opting a web property with strong visitor traffic but little revenue.

Tensions between Germany and Hungary have flared over remarks by the countries' leaders, including references to Hitler's occupation of the eastern European country in 1944 and an irritated German government response condemning Hungary's allusion to the Nazi era as "deplorable derailment".

The value of Ryanair increased by more than €600m in one day's trading yesterday after the company reported stronger than expected results.

Permanent TSB has reported a huge increase in new account openings since it launched its no-fee current account.

Limerick's Division 1B defeat by Dublin won't be revisited despite the question of Paul Ryan's eligibility in the game.

Paul O'Connell has backed former Munster team-mate Ronan O'Gara to be a "great" coach after the fly-half announced he was retiring and taking a job on Racing Metro's backroom staff.

Rod Stewart said he was "over the moon" as he celebrated his 15th No 1 with a champagne toast.

ANDY McCluskey has mellowed.