An attempt is to be made this evening at the annual convention of the Mayo GAA to ban alcohol sponsorship logos from the Mayo inter-county jersey.

Guinness manufacturer Diageo is considering backing a ban on selling alcohol below the cost of duty and VAT – but denied any link between price and problem drinking, it was reported today.

North American brewer Molson Coors is to set up an Irish sales operation based in Co Kildare next month, creating up to 30 jobs by the end of next year.

The Premier League and Barclays today agreed a new three-year title sponsorship deal worth £82.25m to top-flight clubs.

WHETHER either the Beamish & Crawford brewery on Cork’s South Main Street or the Heineken Ireland brewery on the city’s Watercourse Road will still be in operation in two years time is a very real question as the news is digested that the Competition Authority won’t be stopping the takeover of Ireland’s oldest brewery by Heineken Ireland.

Beamish & Crawford will not be applying any increase to the price of any of their brands, it was announced today.

TULLAMORE Dew, the Irish whiskey brand owned by C&C, recorded a 20% increase in sales over the past 12 months, becoming the second-largest selling Irish whiskey in the world.

Newcastle today announced a multi-million pound drinks sponsorship deal with Carling.

SABMiller, the London-based brewing giant of South African descent, has been linked to a £6.5 billion (€9.5bn) takeover of Scottish & Newcastle, the British drinks group which owns Beamish & Crawford.

The Kaiser Chiefs have continued their rise to stardom with a record six nominations for the NME Awards announced today.

Rangers joined forces with Celtic yesterday to celebrate a new bumper sponsorship deal with Carling – and promptly ensured they would still receive that cash if they joined the Barclays Premiership.

BREWER Beamish & Crawford put pressure on rivals yesterday by announcing a price freeze for the remainder of the year.

Beamish and Crawford has extended a freeze on its wholesale prices in an effort to take more business away from Diageo.

United States brewer Coors today unveiled plans to launch a lower-alcohol version of the lager in time for Christmas.

Scottish & Newcastle is to put health warnings on its products as part of a drive to promote awareness of sensible drinking.

Brewing giant SAB Miller has said it had bought the Chinese brewing interests of Lion Nathan for an equity value of $71m (€58m).

THE Government last night warned brewers and publicans they will do serious damage to the tourism industry if they go ahead with a combined 15 cent hike in the price of a pint.

Coors Brewers have emerged as the driving force behind negotiations to set up a British Cup.

Interbrew, the Belgian beer giant which makes famous tipples including Stella Artois and Beck’s lager, today said thirsty drinkers helped grow sales by 4.5% in the first half of 2003.

Belgian beer giant Interbrew today said annual profits had fallen more than 10% after disposing of its Carling brewery in the UK.

ALCOHOL advertising is having a “damaging impact” on young people and should be restricted, a children’s group warned yesterday.

CELTIC chief executive Ian McLeod yesterday insisted manager Martin O’Neill was neither difficult nor evasive to deal with.

Celtic and Rangers have unveiled a three-year joint sponsorship deal with Carling worth up to £12m (€18m).

WORKERS in Beamish & Crawford’s new €7m bottling plant looking for a €170 pay rise are voting this week on a Labour Court recommended increase of €77 a week.

Elton John is the latest star to line up an intimate show with a pair of charity dates at a London theatre, it was announced today.

BEAMISH & Crawford is investing €7million to replace its bottling facility which packages its own stout brand name plus Miller Genuine Draft, Fosters and Carling for the Irish and Northern Irish market.

Rock act Manic Street Preachers are to play a tiny venue where they saw many of the heroes who inspired them, it was announced today.

Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay is going back to his roots by revisiting one of his old haunts to play in front of just 300 fans, it was announced today.

Grolsch says it's delighted Interbrew is selling Carling to US brewer Coors.

Belgian brewing giant Interbrew has sold Carling Brewers to US beer group Adolph Coors in a £1.2bn deal.

Barclaycard are the new sponsors of the FA Premier League.

Senior officials and directors at Premier League sponsors Carling are meeting today to decide whether to continue their eight-year association with English top-flight football.

Football's two warring governing bodies are to meet in Zurich today to try to hammer out a peace deal and get talks on changes to the transfer system back on track.