Europe has dithered for decades over whether or not to unify its armies, says Andreas Kluth

Ian Bailey still lives under the shadow of a crime he has never stood trial for here, but was found guilty of in absentia in France. He now writes verse to battle a fear of extradition he tells Michael Clifford.

It is well passed the stage when lip service is being paid to this very pressing issue.

Labour's Brendan Howlin has called on French president Emmanuel Macron to reconsider opposition to an extension of three months or longer.

Locals of Tenneville, about 150kms south of Brussels joined with a small invited delegation from Meath to unveil the restored memorial which now has most of the Latin inscription translated in both English and Irish.

Unlike other icons who have appeared on the front of Life magazine, Ferdinand Waldo Demara was not famed as an astronaut, actor, hero or politician, writes Tim Holmes.

French President Emmanuel Macron has fired a warning shot at Boris Johnson ahead of their meeting in Paris.

Eoin Edwards hit the road to Ulster, and the Lakeland County of Cavan, for a taste of Downton Abbey-style hospitality.

DS7 Crossback trades on its heritage and lives up to the expectations on many levels. but there are downsides. The ride is not the magic carpet experience we once loved and expected to see again, writes Declan Colley

Entertainer Sylvester "Sil" Fox, aged 86, appeared before Judge Michael Walsh at Dublin District Court today. A trial date was set.

Timothy L O’Brien says describing Donald Trump’s racist baiting of four new Democratic congresswomen of different ethnic backgrounds as ‘strategic’ gives him too much credit.

France will not sign up to the European Union’s trade deal with the Mercosur group of South American countries at any cost and it remains to be seen whether Paris will eventually back it, French ministers have stated.

A mother of three who died in tragic circumstances in Mayo last week was a strong, kind and loving woman whose priority in life was the welfare and happiness of her beloved young sons, her funeral service has heard.

Ireland head coach Noel McNamara has been forced to make two changes for tomorrow's World Rugby under-20 Championship match against Australia.

It is time to bring an end to a crime that is “neither a mystery nor a legend”.

Ian Bailey's solicitor, Frank Buttimer, has said Mr Bailey will not be attending the trial in France for Sophie Du Plantier's murder.

An English pensioner has been refused bail after he was charged in connection with the seizure of €2.5m worth of drugs at a house in Gormanston, Co Meath.

Cork Constitution celebrated their second All-Ireland League Division 1A title in three years following an impressive 28-13 final victory over Clontarf at the Aviva Stadium.

Cork Con's clash with Clontarf is live on RTÉ 2

Regular readers will be familiar with my views on the club game in this country and the role it can still play for professional players at either end of the rugby spectrum.

Cork Constitution are through to their fourth successive All-Ireland final next Sunday in the Aviva Stadium where they will face Clontarf after a deserved win over Trinity at Temple Hill yesterday afternoon.

Your Sunday rugby round-up.

Cork Constitution are through to their fourth successful All Ireland Final next Sunday in the Aviva Stadium where they will face Clontarf after a deserved win over Trinity at Temple Hill yesterday afternoon.

The French President Emmanuel Macron has insisted that the EU would not abandon Ireland, no matter what happens with Brexit.

Phuong Nguyen, 40, with an address at Templeview Row, Clarehall, Dublin allegedly caused more than €50,000 worth of damage during the incident on Monday.

There was no doubting the satisfaction Joe Schmidt took from the heights Ireland scaled against France last Sunday, and yet the Kiwi coach wasn’t slow in pointing out how the collective performance fell off a cliff towards the end.

Over 5,500 tickets have been sold for the game at Musgrave Park, which kicks off at 7:15pm on Friday night.

Keira Knightley tells Gemma Humphreys about her latest role in a little-known tale of post-war civilian life in Germany.

The Aftermath sees Keira Knightley star as Rachael Morgan, the wife of a British colonel living in 1946 post-war Germany.

Dinner on the Orient Express and a private cinema are some just of the highlights at Glenlo Abbey, writes Louise O’Neill.

The presence of players in the squad who grew up playing both GAA and rugby is a reminder of the changes in Irish society over recent decades, writes Paul Rouse.

This delicately poised Test series in Australia represents the best possible preparation Ireland could have hoped for a year out from the World Cup, writes Donal Lenihan.

Senior gardaí are giving politicians specific security advice on coping with threatening phone calls, personal security, worker risk assessments, and constituency office defences amid heightened fears they could be attacked by the public.

It might be a good omen but, for the first time since they arrived in France on Saturday, there was warm sunshine and pool weather yesterday for the Irish U20 squad as they recovered from the bruising encounter with the hosts the previous night.

The prospect of a shock victory was but a false promise when Ireland took a 12 points lead into the break in the opening match of the World Rugby U-20 Championship in Perpignan.

Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway have only 50/50 chances of facing Toulon next Saturday as Munster's injury list continues to rise.

From Eddie Jones’ crass comments to World Rugby’s removal of assistant referee Marius van der Westhuizen, there has not been a dull moment in the build-up to Ireland’s bid for Grand Slam glory at Twickenham.

It was a time when nothing else mattered. An entire season’s toil and effort distilled into a handful of knockout schools’ cup matches, all geared towards making the final on St Patrick’s Day.

It is difficult to gauge what Presentation Brothers College Cork will have learned from this disturbingly one-sided Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final at Musgrave Park yesterday.

Ireland captain Rory Best has declined the opportunity to explain his decision to attend the rape trial of his Ulster and international team-mates Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding.

Christy Ring doesn’t often spring to mind on Six Nations weekends, but the great one’s remark about the GAA being half-dressed without a strong Tipperary could be easily tweaked for France, such is its importance to rugby as another championship dawns and Ireland make the trip to Paris unburdened by the terror of old.

PBC Cork 48 Ard Scoil Ris 3... Presentation Brothers College Cork will be included in the quarter-final draw of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools junior cup after a facile win over Ard Scoil Ris at Musgrave Park today.

PBC Cork 25 Castletroy 8: Two late tries helped power Presentation Brothers College Cork, the holders, into the quarter-finals of the Clayton Hotels Munster Schools Senior Cup when they overcame a strong challenge from Castletroy College.