But imagine, in the context of what we saw late last year in Japan, had Ireland gone and won those hosting rights.

By playing number two to John Hume, Seamus Mallon may not get the place in history he deserves, writes Fergus Finlay

Fianna Fáil is back down to just one candidate in Limerick County after Cllr Eddie Ryan withdrew from the ticket - just twelve hours after he was added.

A question mark hangs over Labour's participation in the general election in Kerry after an announcement by Cllr Terry O’Brien, former mayor of Tralee and Kerry that he has decided he will not run.

Michael D mastered the speech of protest the better to deliver it from the palace balcony, writes Gerard Howlin

I joined the Labour Party as an ordinary member in my early 20s, and I’ve been a member now for not far short of half a century.

Eager presidential hopefuls are promising everything, from rail lines to handing ministers their P45s to dressing up as Hollywood icons to entertain foreign dignitaries.

A new western park in Kerry’s county town will be “a quality site” and will not be rushed.

Dear Sir,

A couple of weeks ago I wrote here that the public policy system in Ireland has always been misogynistic, writes Fergus Finlay. 

Ask Philip Orr about his Leinster days and he recalls the confusion.

The annual Ring of Kerry charity cycle is gearing up for a phenomenal 35th year.

We weren’t just ending the conflict, we were also putting in place arrangements to replace the Anglo-Irish Agreement, writes then junior minister Liz O’Donnell

They publish the state papers of 30 years ago around this time every year.

Today is the 25th anniversary of the last winter poll — unless you’re a meteorologist and count the last two general elections, held in February, as winter votes.

A leading Fianna Fáil TD has has objected to comments made by his party colleague that those behind Ireland’s failed Rugby World Cup bid “couldn’t organise a piss up in a brewery”.

World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper has hinted that Ireland’s timing hasn’t been right as the country finds itself ranked behind “two masters of the universe in terms of putting on major world events” in the race to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The IRFU has doubled down on its doubts over South Africa’s suitability to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with the union continuing to push for answers on aspects of the technical review which last week recommended the Rainbow Nation.

The battle for supremacy over the Springboks will extend all the way to the pre- and post-match functions at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, writes Donal Lenihan.

Ireland’s 2023 World Cup bid committee has come out punching in support of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s assertion that their challenge to host the tournament is still very much alive.

Problems with venues, IT services, and a lack of experience were major contributing factors which have left Ireland’s dream of hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup in tatters.

A “desperately slow” process to redevelop Belfast’s Casement Park won’t speed up should Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup bid fail.

Two weeks ago Munster and Irish rugby had a harsh commercial reality underlined. 

Ireland's hopes of hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup have been dealt a blow as South Africa has been recommended for the job, the tournament's organising board has announced.

Philip Browne doesn’t do extremes of emotion or hyperbole.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar travels to London this morning to meet the British Prime Minister Theresa May.

Crouch, pause, touch, engage... and, hopefully, do enough hand-shaking, grinning for the cameras, and small-talk to drive us over the line.

They decided to devote it all - all of the resources they inherited - to buying every election they possibly could, writes Fergus Finlay

There are genuine reasons for concern over Brexit’s impact on Ireland’s bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, writes Paul Rouse.

Leo must go on. He must risk events, prove his capacity to handle them... convince of his credibility, writes Gerard Howlin

The Government yesterday agreed to formally underwrite an approximate €320m to host the Rugby World Cup in Ireland in 2023.

More than 70 teenage boys are looking for new schools in the autumn after the fee-paying Cistercian College told parents it is to close.

Opinion polls in the welter of accusations over whistleblowers are not a reliable guide to the outcome of an ensuing election, warns Gerard Howlin.

There was definitely a hint of regret for Pat O’Malley that she hadn’t been able to fulfil other ambitions, writes Victoria White.

Primary care centres need to become the place of first resort. They need to be open seven days a week, writes Fergus Finlay

Proposals by the energy minister, Dick Spring, to compel the ESB to buy gas from the Kinsale gasfield at uncommercial rates were described as “hopelessly illogical” by the country’s most senior civil servant.

Ireland is in the final stages of competing to host the 2023 World Cup which could provide as much as a €2bn economic boost and a television audience of 4bn.

Rare images of Tralee in the 1860s, believed to be the earliest-ever of Kerry’s county town, will form part of a two-day conference to explore the complex and “eventful” 800-year-old history of the Anglo-Norman settlement.