Production crews from the UK arrived in Limerick yesterday to prepare to start filming a new TV blockbuster Nightflyers, whose creator, George RR Martin has also been responsible for Game of Thrones.

Ardmore Studios, Ireland’s largest and most famous film production facility, has been put on the market with early estimates suggesting the sale could fetch at least €10m for its owners.

Troy Studio has opened its doors at Plassey Technological Park, Limerick when more than 600 people were told of the wide range of job opportunities which the city’s new film industry offers.

A film studio is set to call “action” on Limerick’s €500m development plan, launched earlier this week.

The shooting of the hit series, Penny Dreadful, at Ardmore Studios, earned the company that operates the studios profits of €1.34m last year.

Pinewood Studios, linked with lucrative film franchises such as Star Wars and James Bond, has agreed a worldwide marketing deal with the new studios about to open in Limerick.

A local authority is expected to approve planning for a new film studio complex in Limerick tomorrow.

Heads of agreement signed with Troy Studios for Dell factory plan.

A €6m deal signed yesterday will see a major film studios set up in Limerick.

The green light is expected today for the creation of a new film production industry in Limerick, through a partnership between the city and Ardmore Studios. It will create more than 750 permanent jobs and could benefit the local economy to the tune of an estimated €80m yearly.

The distance between Hollywood and Limerick is set to get a whole lot shorter as plans for an international film studio based in the Treaty City leap ahead.

Up to 1,000 potential film industry jobs in Limerick are on hold over the stalling of talks involving a major studio, it was claimed last night.

Ardmore Studios is due to return to profit this year after securing two major productions including one led by Hollywood stars Michael Fassbender and Maggie Gyllenhall.

Having started her career with the Montforts, Cork singer Carol Anthony is now a dance music sensation and recently worked with Busta Rhymes, says Declan Cashin

THE end of filming of hit series The Tudors resulted in operating profits at Ardmore Studios declining by 41% last year to €386,094.

TOP rugby schools were hit with a stark warning last night from the chairman of the Irish Anti-Doping Unit that providing food supplements to adolescents was likely to lead to major health and injury issues for players in the long term.

HORSE RACING IRELAND (HRI) and Special Olympics Ireland have had their funding for core activities reduced by a combined total of €350,000 in the latest round of grants to the country’s national governing bodies (NGBs) for the Irish Sports Council.

ONE of retiring Camogie Association president Liz Howard’s more recent memories is of attending a social inclusion day organised by them in Dublin, which was attended by children from 27 countries.

LIAM HENNESSY, President of Athletics Ireland, and members of his board will meet with the Irish Sports Council today to set out procedures for the appointment of a Director of Athletics.

JUST over half of the population is highly active or fairly active on the sports field, running track or in the gym, research by the Irish Sports Council shows.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS have been hit hardest with e343,919 cut from their 2009 funding but with total funding amounting to e11.47m, budgetary cuts fell well short of the feared 8% when Government grants to sports’ governing bodies were announced by the Irish Sports Council (ISC) yesterday.

The Camogie Association is to break new ground with the hosting of its first ever Club Forum at Croke Park on Saturday, October 11.

JOHN TREACY has made his own arrangements to attend the Olympics in Beijing as the Irish Sports Council (ISC) moved to stave off any confrontation with the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) on the eve of the Games.

Sean Kelly has announced that he is stepping down from his role as executive chairman of the Irish Institute of Sport.

The Irish team for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing was officially announced by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen in Dublin today.

Irish Sports Council chairman Ossie Kilkenny has today rubbished the interpretation of a recent ESRI report, which sections of the media believed pointed towards a downturn in the participation rates in Gaelic Games.

The number of people taking part in gaelic games has gradually declined over the last 40 years, new research to be released today reveals.

ON WHAT was described by chief executive John Treacy as a proud day for the Irish Sports Council (ISC) the completion of the National Network of Sport Partnerships was announced at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham yesterday.

A record 1,135 anti-doping tests were carried out on Irish sports men and women last year, it emerged today.

ACCORDING to weekend reports, the Government is considering buying the Co Wicklow-based Ardmore Film Studios, which is partly owned by U2 manager Paul McGuinness and accountant Ossie Kilkenny.

CELEBRITY accountant Ossie Kilkenny has sold his British business to the London-listed Formation Group in a deal worth around €10 million.

Flyweight Conor Ahern got Irelands European Union Championships campaign off to a flying start with a thrilling 20-19 victory over England's Stewart Langley at the National Stadium in Dublin today.

High earners are twice as likely to play sport than those on low wages, it emerged today.

Ireland’s top athletes received a boost in their bid for glory at World and European level today through a €7m funding package.

Shelbourne are waiting anxiously for news on their future today.

THE FAI will seek more information from Shelbourne FC in relation to the club’s future plans.

Almost €2m in public money is to be spent on promoting equestrian sport this year, the Government announced today.

THE Irish Sports Council (ISC) aims to transfer its anti-doping programme to an independent agency by 2009.

Former GAA president Sean Kelly and Budget Travel chief Gillian Bowler will be among the members of the new London 2012 Olympics Task Force unveiled by the Government today.

IRISH athletics is on the brink of unprecedented levels of funding, with Irish Sports Council (ISC) chairman Ossie Kilkenny telling yesterday’s Athletics Association of Ireland (AAI) congress that the ISC is ready to respond to all objective approaches for aid now that new structures have been put in place.

AN air of expectation more so than optimism permeated the select group at the Equestrian Federation of Ireland’s (EFI) presentation of its jumping committee last Monday.

ROBERT SPLAINE was yesterday officially installed as the manager to the Irish showjumping team and he said his priorities were to stay in the Samsung Nations Cup Super League and to finish in the top five of September’s World Equestrian games, thus qualifying for the Bejing Olympics.

CHAMPION sprinter Gary Ryan has been entrusted with directing the development of Irish athletics for the next three years.

Clifton Wrottesley, Ireland's chef de mission at the Winter Olympics, has said his athletes "can hold their heads up high" after their achievements in Turin.

ACCOUNTANTS to the stars OJ Kilkenny & Co has been taken over by global auditing firm Mazars.

The Irish Sports Council today has unveiled a €6.17m package of investment into 18 different sports.

PAT HICKEY considered quitting as Olympic Council of Ireland president five years ago following a campaign to oust him from the role.

The new Abbey Theatre will be built in Dublin’s docklands as part of a revamp of several of the country’s leading cultural institutions, the Government confirmed today.