IN THE depths of a mid- career slump, the great baseball player Babe Ruth was taken to task in public. Jimmy Walker, a New York politician, pointed some cutting remarks at Ruth when both attended a social function in Manhattan.

An incident I observed at a GAA event a few months ago reminded me of a practice I had heard about but never witnessed, writes Paddy Heaney.

"Why did 58,000 people turn up today, Bishop?" we wondered out loud after yesterday’s quarter-finals at Croke Park.

More than 80% of the public want wider access to abortion to be made available in Ireland; Brian Cowen said he never breached the public’s trust when he was taoiseach; More than 400 jobseekers were interviewed for just 60 positions at the country’s newest McDonald’s restaurant. Here’s this morning’s irishexaminer.com catch-up.

Success in a county like Longford

A 38-year-old Wicklow man has appeared at Bray District court today charged with the murder of Anne Shortall, a teacher has threatened to go on a hunger strike over proposed Junior Cert reforms, Cork’s St Patrick’s Street could soon see a car ban and Ed Sheeran has announced who he’ll be lining out with at Croke Park. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com.

Back in the day when I believed that politics could improve the lot of the common man, I used to be enthralled by the British general election, writes Paddy Heaney.

With a bit of luck and good sense, the St Patrick’s Day finals in Croke Park will soon be consigned to history. Starting next year, the GAA’s leadership wants to play the All-Ireland club finals on the second Sunday of December, writes Paddy Heaney.

I once read that the average American big-game fisherman spends $10,000 before he hooks his first marlin, writes Paddy Heaney.

First off, congratulations on your fine sports coverage in the Irish Examiner, even though we think at times there is far too much coverage of English soccer.

Earlier this week, in these pages, Paddy Heaney wrote about the Kerry football conveyor belt of talent — the headline, ‘Kingdom’s unique structure keeps them well ahead’, conveys the general spirit of the piece.

When outfoxed by superior coaching methods or tactics, Kerry have been swift to absorb lessons and make the necessary changes, writes Paddy Heaney.

Have you ever experienced something in your life that was so magical that you’ve come to doubt that it actually took place? It has happened to me only once, writes Paddy Heaney.

Every year provides an opportunity to reach a new height. Once you go past your prime, that’s it. You can never scale those summits again, writes Paddy Heaney.

Joe Brolly reckons county footballers are "indentured servants", writes Paddy Heaney.

Once a manager earns the name of being a dictator, he can cut all the deals he wants, writes Paddy Heaney.

Personal reflections from Irish Examiner sports writers, with some 2015 wishes and predictions to boot.

Unlike The Honourable Mr Justice Horner, a lot of people made a rushed judgment about Casement Park on Monday morning, writes Paddy Heaney.

I will never forget the day when I realised that the ordinary people of Ireland had completely lost the run of themselves, writes Paddy Heaney.

The Championship structure is unfair and hopelessly outdated, club players are treated disgracefully, and excessive demands are being placed on county footballers, suggests Paddy Heaney.

The scene in Dublin Airport was sad to watch yet it probably takes place every day, writes Paddy Heaney.

Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t help wincing ever so slightly when officials stand-up and preach about the virtues of the GAA, writes Paddy Heaney.

For the princely sum of €2.44, aspiring managers can discover the secret to Jim McGuinness’s success, reports Paddy Heaney.

Getting information out of South Armagh men isn’t easy.

Every self-respecting GAA fanatic should meet Weeshie Fogarty at least once in their lifetime.

If you asked 100 Tyrone supporters to name their first choice team for this year’s championship match against Donegal, you’re likely to get 100 very different answers back.

Black cards. Yellow cards. Red Cards.

The first thing you notice on meeting Mark McHugh is his build and size.

Kildare tore dreadful Armagh asunder to cement their place in the Division 2B final.

Eleven different London players got on the scoresheet as they dished out a 15-point thumping to Armagh at Ruislip.

THE GAELIC Players Association has hit back at columnist Paddy Heaney’s remarks in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, describing it as an “extraordinary attack”.

Ewan MacKenna on the controversial axing of Donegal footballer Kevin Cassidy

Take five Irish Examiner staffers and four of the paper’s analysts, stir vigorously and watch it come quickly to the boil. No simmering here as we look ahead to Championship 2011

THE issue of payments to inter-county managers will return to the top of the GAA agenda next month when Director General Páraic Duffy publishes a discussion document on the controversial matter.

Abused, bullied and harassed in Tyrone, Armagh and Derry, the skilful forward is a protected species in Down. Which might explain a few things, suggests Paddy Heaney

THE late Gerald Goldberg, Jewish Lord Mayor of Cork, lawyer and politician, was once asked rather pointedly by an interviewer if he had ever experienced prejudice in Ireland.

PADDY Heaney’s article (May 20 ) in relation to GAA referees proved an unfortunate foray into the worst of tabloid sensationalism from a paper that over the years has prided itself on its fair and balanced approach to all matters, and its extensive GAA coverage.

Armagh's Steven McDonnell and Galway's Ger Farragher have been named as Opel GPA Players of the League in football and hurling respectively, at the inaugural 2010 Awards in Dublin today.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kerry top the nominations for the Opel GPA Football Team of the Year with 11 Kingdom players shortlisted.

GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell has called on the Government to clarify its position in relation to the players’ grants as a matter of urgency, warning that an insistence that the GAA fund the scheme would be “discriminatory”.

The Gaelic Players Association have unveiled the nominees for the 2008 Opel Gaelic Players Awards for football.

IN letters (December 4) on the awful killing of the Pearson brothers of Coolacrease in Co Offaly, Fr Brian Murphy OSB and Paddy Heaney fly in the face of facts.

THE heading on my letter ‘Pearson brothers were killed a week after siblings attacked an IRA roadblock’ was not correct (December 3).

THERE has been a great deal of unfounded and ill-informed speculation resulting from the recent RTÉ Hidden History documentary on the Pearsons of Coolacrease.