AS we all know, St Patrick’s Day was last week and we were all able to celebrate our Irishness once again. It’s a festival celebrated globally and we, the Irish, should be honoured to have a festival celebrated so universally.

Giovanni Trapattoni played the diplomat as he and his Republic of Ireland players were honoured at a civic reception in Montecatini this evening.

Giovanni Trapattoni tonight spoke of his humiliation at the latest match-fixing scandal to engulf Italian football.

The Heineken Cup will be paraded Stateside this week as part of Irish Week in San Francisco.