Leinster didn’t even need to send out their first team to do this damage — Cullen made 13 changes to the side that hammered Northampton Saints last week in the Champions Cup

The latest annual report by PIAB – the state body which assesses personal injury compensation – shows the number of applications increased by 0.8% to 33,371 claims.

Ireland’s oldest sailing trading ketch sets sail for Greenland tomorrow as part of a project marking the migratory route of the wild Atlantic salmon.

September 1, 1997. The day John Kiely began teaching in The Abbey was Conor O’Brien’s first as a student in the Tipperary town secondary school. Just as there was heartache for a young O’Brien in seeing Tipperary go down to Clare later that month, there had been for Kiely as a member of Tom Ryan’s Limerick panel against Wexford 12 months previous.

Here's your summer events guide for the month of July, including all things music, arts and ents.

IF you happen to be contemplating a global circumnavigation by yacht, there are not many better places to consider the fascinating journey than Foynes Island, Co Limerick.

The full-back's contract expires in November after the Rugby World Cup.

Some of their frontline players may have their feet up this weekend, but for those Leinster players in the RDS tonight, there’s a priceless opportunity to top up their credit with coach Leo Cullen.

Leo Cullen has named his team for Leinster's PRO14 clash with Benetton at the RDS Arena tomorrow night.

Live music: Choice Music Prize, Vicar Street, Dublin

If the Cheetahs thought they might get an easy run out against Leinster during the Six Nations, the South Africans were sadly mistaken.

Ultan Dillane, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Tom Farrell will line-out for Connacht after their Ireland call-ups.

To the charge that Harper’s Island in Cork Harbour, with its three points of contact to the ‘mainland’, is not an island, the rebuttal affirming its island status: The area is defined by its natural history and not its current structures, writes Dan MacCarthy.

So, no Jonathan Sexton to set the tone and dictate the tune.

There was a spell there when the old enmities inherent to the Munster-Leinster rivalry appeared to be buried beneath the bonhomie borne of Irish duties and Leinster’s dominance, so Saturday night was a return to the most bitter and biting of the good old days.

Nenagh CBS bounced back from an opening round loss to hand defending champions Ardscoil Ris a significant defeat in this group A Dr Harty Cup tie in Newport.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Here's your morning bulletin.

Des O’Driscoll looks at the latest entertainment news

Cork Constitution 26 Buccaneers 0: Gerry Hurley was thrilled to have participated in one of Cork Constitution’s most impressive Ulster Bank League performances of the season at Temple Hill on Saturday.

The development of a €180m motorway could have a “devastating” impact on Cork’s oldest 18-hole golf course unless major mitigation measures are put in place.

There was some degree of befuddlement in UCD earlier this week when Ross Byrne and Ross Molony found themselves being quizzed on the possibility of featuring in a Rugby World Cup in Ireland in 2023.

Thurles Sarsfields will meet Borris-Ileigh in Tipp final for first time since 1955.

There are differing views between residents and businesses in Little Island about the performance of the county council, but not when it comes to Glounthaune.

Cathal Barrett has been dropped from the Tipperary panel. The All-Star defender, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, is believed to have been omitted for a disciplinary breach.

Five years, eleven finals, ten trophies.

Joey Carbery and Darren Sweetnam have both moved on since starring for Clontarf and Cork Constitution in last year’s Ulster Bank League Division 1A final, but Andy Wood insists there will still be plenty of talent to savour as the sides contemplate another decider this Sunday.

Champions Thurles Sarsfields set down a marker for those aspiring to take their title from them when they romped to a 5-32 to 0-7 win over Carrick Swans in their opening game in defence of the Tipperary senior hurling title at Cashel.

It’s been 21 years but the names of Pat Whelan and Seamus Harty aren’t far from Trevor Hogan’s lips when the conversation strays back to the 16-year old kid who wandered into the Nenagh Ormond club at the onset of his rugby journey.

Table-toppers Lansdowne and defending champions Clontarf will have home advantage in the Division 1A semi-finals after a tumultuous final day in the Ulster Bank League.

An Bord Pleanála has given the green light for a piece of the €16m upgrade of the five-star Dromoland Castle in Co Clare.

Tickets, priced just €20, are on sale now.

A disagreement has emerged between Dromoland Castle and Lord Inchiquin, the direct descendant of Brian Boru, over plans to construct a new water source to serve the 180-year-old castle.

Saturday was an historic day for the Ulster Bank League as Joy Neville became the first female referee to take charge of a Division 1A fixture.

Awards for common injuries such as minor whiplash rose significantly since 2004, a report shows.

It is not clear how claims have contributed to increases in motor insurance premiums, says the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, as payouts have not risen significantly for years.

A small, dedicated group of people is fighting a successful battle against an invasive species which is capable of destabilising houses.

Consumers face higher insurance prices if “excessive” personal injury payouts — sometimes three times higher than those in England and Wales for similar injuries — are not tackled, a business group has warned.

Economic growth in Ireland was the main factor in a 6% increase in claims by people seeking compensation for personal injuries last year.