This year’s selection of children’s books features stories with universal themes, cute dogs and reindeer, superb illustrations, and iconic Irish settings, says Emmet Arrigan

Now that the championship has kicked off, or thrown in, in earnest you can almost hear people thinking about the All-Ireland final. Winners. Losers. And most of all, tickets.

Long before the ethos of the GAA club became a marketing stick to gently beat us over the head with, one man from a small parish in West Mayo had a vision of how he could best combine his passion for a sport he loved and improve the lives of those in his local community.

Donegal's Yvonne Bonner has rounded out her first season down under by winning her club's goal of the year award.

Esther N McCarthy has a distinctively Buy Irish theme in her picks this week.

Esther N McCarthy spots some cute Christmas decor and coos over copper this week.

Mayo’s Cora Staunton looks set to star for the Irish Banshees as the Australian Football League Europe’s Euro Cup comes to Cork IT on Saturday.

The ongoing Mayo ladies football row, which saw eight members of the Carnacon club withdraw from the Mayo panel, has brought claim and counter-claim from the players, manager Peter Leahy and the Mayo LGFA, which has backed the manager at all times.

By now it’s among the reliable All-Ireland final traditions that somehow never die. Camogie’s answer to Up for the Match — the annual audit of how things stand with coverage of women’s sport.

Is the threat of discrimination still real for gay people in Ireland, despite being the first country in the world to ratify marriage equality by public vote?

The Galway senior ladies football management have hit out at the appointment of Gerry Carmody to referee their Connacht final meeting with Mayo on Sunday.

Esther N McCarthy eyes up textiles, ceramics, and some fabulous artwork

Mayo boss Peter Leahy says he will speak to Cora Staunton about her inter-county plans for 2018 after his side’s Lidl Ladies NFL Division 1 final against Dublin on Sunday.

Carnacon 0-15 Mourneabbey 1-10: The perfect send-off.

After captaining Carnacon to a sixth All-Ireland senior ladies club football title at Parnell Park today, Cora Staunton said "I can go now" on her Australian adventure this week.

The big events are coming thick and fast for Cora Staunton.

Dublin’s Noelle Healy was named as the 2017 TG4 senior Players’ Player of the Year at the annual All-Stars banquet on Saturday night.

Mayo Ladies Football legend Cora Staunton has been getting grips to Aussie Rules.

It’s a Friday night in Breaffy House Hotel outside Castlebar and downstairs, a wedding is in full swing.

With the benefit of hindsight, Sarah Tierney looks back on it now with a sense of perspective.

Staunton ends Cork’s seven-year streak

X Factor finalist Mary Byrne has been included as one of the contestants on this year’s Celebrity Operation Transformation.

Eithne has always wanted to achieve things young. She was first published aged 11, receiving £20 for a poem. At 21, she joined The Sunday Times, but took a break after a year to live in Paris and write.

The Waterford footballer's childhood idol was Steven Gerrard.

Mayo manager Frank Browne remains “reasonably confident” that footballer Cora Staunton will commit to a 23rd season of inter-county fare.

The 2017 Lidl National League was launched today at the Lidl Headquarters in Tallaght with players and managers attending, but the main topic of conversation concerned arguably one of the greatest ever Ladies Footballers, Cora Staunton

WITH an excerpt in the New York Times, a place in Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club and with it now being named Amazon’s book of 2016, Colson Whitehead’s latest novel The Underground Railroad arrives with a silo of hype and a bar set particularly high. Thankfully, the New York writer more than manages to meet these high expectations with a powerful, relentless novel that is tightly wrapped around a gripping story.

Dublin 2-10 Mayo 1-12: Dublin manager Gregory McGonigle has vowed to buy Dean Rock a few pints after his charges squeezed into a third successive TG4 All- Ireland Ladies SFC final.

There’s a more robust hue to the maroon jersey this year thanks in no small part to the appointment of former Mayo coach Kevin Reidy, to the Galway helm.

Downton Abbey fans upset that the show is bowing out will be pleased to hear that the Dowager Countess may again appear on screen.

Your spoiler-free guide to tonight's TV.

DEALERS OLD AND NEW

Check out our spoiler-free guide to what to watch on TV tonight.

From Downton Abbey to Paddington Bear, Hugh Bonneville enjoys mixing it up, writes Susan Griffin.

TG4 ALL-IRELAND LADIES SFC QUARTER-FINAL:

Mourners who gathered in “sadness, shock, and revulsion” for the funeral of a murdered Co Offaly man were asked to check in on elderly or vulnerable neighbours.

If asked to name a famous ladies footballer the chances are your response will be Cora Staunton.

Breaking Bad, Gatsby and Game of Thrones have all inspired baby names in the UK this year, while the desire not to be seen as a “Kate copycat” had led to a decline in the popularity of royal names, according to website BabyCentre.

Youghal 0-14 St Gabriel’s 0-09

Poacher turned gamekeeper, wrapping up in a nutshell the current standing of the Kerry ladies’ football team.

Hollywood star Paul Giamatti is joining the cast of Downton Abbey for the Christmas edition of the period drama.

TESCO HOMEGROWN LADIES' NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINAL:

Gerry McLoughlin talks theatre, thrills and why women will get naked for a cause. Colette Sheridan reports