Jazz aficianados can add a new date to their festival calendar with the news that the Viking Triangle in Waterford City is to host its first ever jazz weekend next month.

FRANK Flannery is an influential guy. He has been one of Fine Gael’s leading power-brokers for over 30 years, even though he never held elected office, serving instead as an administrator and strategist.

THEY like their barnstorming number eights in Rockwell College, and Luke Cahill appears to have all the weaponry in his arsenal to follow in the footsteps of Denis Leamy and Paddy Butler.

Tipperary manager John Evans and his Laois counterpart Sean Dempsey have named their sides for Sunday's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier at Semple Stadium (throw-in 3.30pm).

Meath 2-14 Laois 0-10

Laois manager Sean Dempsey has stuck with the same team which drew with Meath last weekend, for Saturday's Leinster SFC quarter-final replay at O'Connor Park in Tullamore (throw-in 7pm).

FOLLOWING the debacle of last year’s embarrassing Leinster championship exit to their fierce local rivals Kildare, Laois football was at a crossroads.

DUBLIN make five changes in personnel as well as a couple of positional alterations for their NFL Division 1 clash with Mayo at McHale Park, Castlebar.

CORK captain Graham Canty has been passed fit to play for Cork and resumes his centre-back position for Sunday’s NFL showdown with Fermanagh at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

A €20 MILLION theatre building will light up during performances using dramatic technology which features in the Beijing Olympics.

Following a misfiring evening against Longford last weekend, Laois forwards Ross Munnelly and MJ Tierney have been dropped to the substitutes bench for tomorrow's GAA Football All-Ireland qualifier against Down in Portlaoise (throw-in 7pm).

WATERFORD coach Davy Fitzgerald has made two changes from the side that defeated Offaly last Saturday for Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Wexford in Semple Stadium.

Laois minor star Donie Kingston will make his senior championship debut for the O'Moore men on Saturday night against Longford at Pearse Park, throw-in 7pm.

PAUDIE O’SULLIVAN, younger brother of full-back Diarmuid, will make his first start in this season’s League when Cork take on Galway in the semi-final at the Limerick Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.

CATHAL RYAN, son of the late Ryanair founder Tony Ryan, has died a mere couple of months after his father.

Laois 1-13 Wexford 0-13, Croke Park

Dublin 2-19 Dubs Stars 0-10

Today will see Ballyboden clubman Stephen Hiney pull on a Dublin jersey for the first time since July 2005, as the capital side take on the Dubs Stars in the annual end-of-year clash.

ARMAGH have made two changes for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland Ulster SFC final clash with Donegal at Croke Park.

Laois manager Mick O'Dwyer has made four changes to his side for Saturday's All-Ireland second round qualifier against Tyrone in Portlaoise (throw-in 5.30pm).

LAOIS GAA chiefs were was meeting in emergency session late last night in a bid to resolve a tug-of-war battle between the senior and U21 football management that is threatening to spiral out of control.

LAOIS football chairman Joe O’Dwyer has supported the county’s U21 football manager in a disagreement over the release of his players for senior duty against Offaly last weekend.

Offaly go from favourites to underdogs today as they take on last year's Leinster runners-up, Laois, in the provincial quarter-final at Croke Park today.

Laois boss Mick O'Dwyer has handed All-Ireland minor medallist Colm Begley his debut for Sunday's Leinster quarter-final clash against Offaly at Croke Park.

ALL-IRELAND hurling champions Kilkenny are taking a leaf out of Clare's book and will not finalise their team for Saturday's quarter-final replay at Semple Stadium, Thurles until just before the start.

FAR FROM TROUBLE, a full brother to top-class hurdler Bannow Bay, proved the star of the show at Fairyhouse last night when making a successful debut for owner JP McManus and trainer Christy Roche in the Bumper.