Proceedings between Bank of Ireland and former Irish rugby star Frankie Sheahan with his brother Joseph has opened before the High Court today.

Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy says his team have "worked very hard" on fitness since losing their relegation play-off with Clare.

New Wigan manager Owen Coyle had some harsh words for Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni yesterday as he was officially unveiled at the DW Stadium.

Manchester United have added another game to their mammoth 24,500-mile pre-season schedule.

The GPA could yet act on the behalf of the Carlow and Laois football panels as they have confirmed neither they nor the players were consulted about Friday week's All-Ireland round one qualifier.

Manchester United will start the 2013-14 season at League Cup winners Swansea.

Rob Kearney might not have felt like putting his best foot forward today as the Lions continued to prepare for Saturday's all-important first Test against Australia but he is experienced enough to know that after this midweek defeat by the Brumbies, it is essential for the main mission of the tour.

Derval O'Rourke has withdrawn from this weekend's European team championships, dealing a further blow to Team Ireland.

British and Irish Lions wing George North has been passed fit to face Australia in Saturday's opening Test at Suncorp Stadium.

Act Brumbies 14 British & Irish Lions 12 WARREN GATLAND had gone into damage limitation mode the minute the final whistle went at Canberra Stadium as his stopgap British & Irish Lions were turned over by a fired-up Brumbies outfit.

A 1,000-strong congregation burst into spontaneous applause last night after hearing heartfelt tributes to a mother and daughter brutally murdered at the weekend.

The husband of murdered Jill Meagher says the man who raped and murdered his wife is "unrepentantly evil".

A 13-year-old boy has been charged with second-degree murder over the death of his five-year-old half-sister after he told investigators he repeatedly struck her with wrestling moves imitated from TV.

North Korea has angrily denied a report its ruler used Adolf Hitler's memoir as a leadership guide, threatening to kill the authors of the report.

The head of the Irish Bank Officials Association claims that bonuses to senior executives are distorting CSO statistics which indicate rises for financial workers.

Shannon-based aircraft leasing firm GE Capital Aviation Services have bought 10 new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners for an estimated $3bn (€2.24bn) at list price.

Four counties have been warned they risk having funding withheld if they don't devise a managers' charter.

SUDDENLY, Jake White's prediction of doom for the British & Irish Lions should they lose Saturday's first Test against Australia possesses extra foreboding.

Human rights themes are again to the fore at the ICCL awards, writes Pádraic Killeen

The Treaty City is hoping for a financial bonanza if it lands the 2018 event, writes Jonathan deBurca Butler

THE first time I covered a sexual assault case I remember sitting in the court room and being stunned by the evidence — when I realised that I had experienced the same abuse that was being outlined by the victim.

Children with special needs face further cuts to resource teaching as the Government forces schools to cater for more pupils without increased staffing levels.

Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy says his team have "worked very hard" on fitness since losing their relegation play-off with Clare.

The West Cork region is "bleeding to death" due to Government cuts, protesters claimed yesterday.

The GPA could yet act on the behalf of the Carlow and Laois football panels as they have confirmed neither they nor the players were consulted about Friday week's All-Ireland round one qualifier.

A major security operation is being planned to prevent protests disrupting the election of the new lord mayor of Cork on Friday night.

Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have been found guilty of massive tax evasion in Italy.

The Seanad is in need of reform, but the bill launched last week demonstrates that reform is attainable.

A goalkeeper who was shot in the head during a match only realised he'd been hit by a bullet after finishing the match.

A serial sex offender has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of an Irish woman that outraged Australia's second-largest city.