Ronan O'Gara has revealed how Munster players old and new laughed through the tears as they came to terms with the loss last week of Anthony Foley.

RONAN O'Gara has revealed how Munster players old and new laughed through the tears as they came to terms with the loss last week of Anthony Foley.

Ireland is famous for its traditions, particularly the overwhelming sense of connection and loyalty people still retain for their own community - be that a small village, a city, a county or even a province.

When Cusack Park stood for a minute’s silence at the Clare county final last Sunday, a man in front of me didn’t bow his head. Instead he shook it, while scrolling down his phone, scanning tweet after tweet making reference to the passing of one of the county’s finest ever sons.

As smash hit double acts go, European professional club rugby never saw anything quite like Anthony Foley and Munster.

Thomond Park has played host to many chapters in Munster’s storied rugby journey but pride of place remains the game against the otherwise unbeaten New Zealanders on October 31, 1978, an occasion that understandably claims pride of place in a new book ‘Where Miracles Happen - The Story of Thomond Park’, by Charlie Mulqueen and Brendan O’Dowd.

Romania were once a force to be reckoned with in rugby but it will be very difficult for them to spring a surprise against Ireland today, writes Donal Lenihan

On a week when Paul O’Connell worked wonders for the reputation of grizzled second-row forwards, another great presence in Munster rugby passed away peacefully after a long period of illness.

ust like her brother Anthony, Rosie Foley has always been a leader, captaining Munster and playing for her country. She even swam the English Channel last week ahead of the women’s rugby World Cup.

Anthony Foley wasn’t even a twinkle in his father’s eye when the family name hit the rugby headlines for the first time.

If the first two days of the Covestone Asset Management Sovereigns Cup were branded “champagne sailing”, yesterday was the cork being firmly shoved back into the bottle as fresh to strong winds took their toll across the 90-strong turnout.

A Dublin man has avoided a jail term for “a dirty little scheme” of fraudulently claiming more than €43,000 in social welfare over a four year period using his brother’s identity.

It has been a miserable few weeks for those involved with the once mighty Shannon RFC.

For Shannon, his job was to make life as uncomfortable as possible for me in the lineout by attacking my back, while Ginger McLoughlin was invariably placed in front of me to form a two-pronged assault.

COLM TUCKER, a member of the Munster team that beat the All Blacks at Thomond Park in 1978 and a former Irish International and Lions wing-forward, passed away in a Dublin hospital last night.

After his father’s tragic death, Brendan Foley followed his dream. His new book shows you how to find your ‘bliss’, says Margaret Carragher.

MOSS KEANE was the biggest, funniest man I have ever met. He filled whatever room he was in.

MUNSTER and Ireland stalwart Mick Galwey last night credited Moss Keane, who died yesterday, as one of the key inspirations behind the province’s remarkable European success in the professional era.

ANTHONY FOLEY, Munster’s Heineken Cup winning captain in 2006 and now a senior member of the management team, last night dismissed as “nonsense” media reports that there was unrest in the current squad.

THIS was supposed to be more about the occasion than the game. Yet what transpired was a contest that nobody could have anticipated.

While Munster’s 1978 history-makers still leave off their defeat of the All Blacks 30 years ago, their legacy cast a giant shadow over those who followed. Like Donal Lenihan.

First phase has ended for the latest Irish horror flick, Bog Body, and post-production will begin in Dublin in the New Year.

IN every sport, there are fair weather fans, those that simply jump on the bandwagon.

MANY fathers and sons will travel to Cardiff this weekend hoping for memories to last a lifetime.

YOU’D never think so today but there was a time when Shannon and Garryowen were close allies! Legend has it that towards the end of the 19th century and for much of the 20th, Shannon were the junior partners and annually passed on the cream of their crop so that Garryowen could dominate the coveted Munster Senior Cup for years.

REMEMBER the Siege of Limerick in 1690? Cromwell's army was on an all-conquering rampage through Ireland when it came to this fortress town on the banks of the Shannon with very high expectations.

You can't get moving these days in Belfast what with a galaxy of stars out on the streets making movies.

A man killed in a Dublin pub last year was wearing a bullet-proof vest and carrying a pistol when he got shot in the head, a murder trial at the Central Criminal Court heard today.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. This certainly rings true when applied to the finalists of the All Ireland League.

IRISH mobile phone users want to be given more information about free text services, according to a report published yesterday.

THE hard men of Irish rugby have swapped their Munster jerseys for mafia-style suits — all in aid of a worthy cause.