The Menu and his progeny have been burning the midnight oil in a flurry of green-tinged preparations for Lá Féile Pádraig and while the dye may have already run from his emerald-green undershorts, his smorgasbord of fine Irish foodstuffs to serve on the day should prove infinitely more rewarding.

Dublin’s TG4 All-Ireland ladies senior football winner Noelle Healy received the Croke Park Hotel Player of the Month award for September yesterday. And she hopes to add to her awards collection at tonight’s TG4 All Stars ceremony, writes Jackie Cahill

Ballygunner 0-29 Mount Sion 0-9 (Waterford SHC quarter-final): A 20-point blowout against the old enemy confirmed Ballygunner’s standing as the team to beat in this year’s Waterford senior hurling championship in Fraher Field on Saturday night.

Connacht paid the price for a shocking first-half display as they were beaten 21-8 by the Dragons in Newport.

It took a while in coming, but this was a more than decent start to the new Guinness Pro14 season for Leo Cullen’s Leinster as they emerged deserved winners over the Dragons.

Latest: Ryanair is calling on UK airports to enforce a two-drink limit after it was revealed the number of passengers arrested for drunken behaviour increased by 50% in the last year.

Munster centre Jaco Taute registered two first-half tries to put the Guinness PRO12 leaders on their way to 14 wins in 15 games following a bonus-point 45-17 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Irish Independent Park.

After spending the last few weeks focusing on loved ones, the January sales are a chance for shoppers to think about their own wishlist, writes Grainne McGuinness.

Cork 1-7 Dublin 1-6: A merited sixth consecutive All-Ireland senior title for Cork ladies and one that should not be tainted by an umpiring mistake that denied Dublin a first-half point.

While Freddie Mercury was unlikely to have been referring to cooing infants when he belted out ‘Radio Ga Ga’, the term is certainly fitting for Ireland’s only on-air expectant couple. 

Fat Chance is Louise McSharry’s tale of her troubled upbringing and life-affirming acceptance, writes Sue Leonard

Ulster 17 Dragons 15: A Paddy Jackson penalty two minutes from the end of the game catapulted Ulster to the top of the Guinness PRO12.

Broadcaster Ray D’Arcy’s wife Jenny is also his producer —so what are the challenges they face? Arlene Harris talks to to three couples about working and living together.

Beale 0-11 Listowel Emmets 0-10: Beale ended a 25 year famine when they defeated champions Listowel Emmets in Saturday’s North Kerry SFC final at O’Rahilly Park, Ballylongford.

Guinness Pro12

It’s Friday! Time to for our readers to share their Good News.

Ulster 23 Newport Gwent Dragons 6

Good news is always bound to give you that Friday feeling.

TWO weeks ago 62-year-old Co Wicklow grandfather David Lowen took out the Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, placed it on his turntable and listened to the sweet crackly sound of vinyl, revolving beneath an immaculately kept stylus. 

Benefits Street’s White Dee has managed to trick some of her Celebrity Big Brother housemates into believing she is British royalty.

WHEN Dee O’Leary’s then three-year-old son wandered away from her while she was paying for groceries and a sense of dread overcame her, the idea for an award winning business was born.

'Benefits Street' has been axed.

The Ireland U-20s played their way right back into contention in Pool B of the IRB Junior World Championship with a bonus point win over last year's runners-up Wales.

Graham Norton is joined by X-Men stars Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy, with music from Eurovision hopeful Molly on BBC1 at 10.35pm.

A major fundraising concert is to be held for a mother of two children who helped collect €1m for various charities but who now needs help herself after suffering a debilitating stroke.

FULL equality for gay, lesbian, and transgender people has been described as the last civil and human rights campaign. I support that proposition.

Thousands of Irish women have endured the trauma of forced adoptions, writes Conall Ó Fátharta

At college, Alan studied animation, but he wrote short fiction, too.

If it’s good enough for Colin Farrell, then it’s good enough for Dave Kenny. He joins a growing number of men and puts the downward facing dog to the test at an ashtanga yoga course.

An 80-year-old man told the High Court he felt he had won the Lotto and lost the ticket after reading his millionaire sister’s will.

An 80-year-old former factory worker has told the High Court that he felt like the man who won the Lotto and lost the ticket after he found out his late sister had left €2.7m to charity in her will.

The difference, or the interplay and the confusion, between public and private is a recurring theme for Jonathan Dee. He explains all to Declan Burke.

A thief has left an apology letter for a couple after stealing their alcohol for several years.

Leading health experts say obesity is costing the Irish economy more than €1bn every year.