WHEN Mark Thatcher went missing in the Sahara while taking part in an international motor race in Jan 1982, his ashen-faced mother, upset and distressed, appeared on television close to breaking down.

British prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s secret attempts to end the IRA hunger strikes are revealed in official documents made public for the first time today.

A NUMBER of protests passed off without incident just over 100 metres from the English Market during Queen Elizabeth’s visit to Cork.

Leinster supporters will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of new signing Isa Nacewa when the Auckland Blue lines out for the Classic All Blacks against Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Sunday.

Newcastle 25 Brive 19

A 23-year-old man has died after apparently being assaulted with a slash-hook in Sligo town in the early hours of this morning.

New Zealand prop Carl Hayman has confirmed he will join Guinness Premiership side Newcastle Falcons after the World Cup.

Struggling Newcastle have raided New Zealand to bolster their squad with Joe McDonnell, Mark Sorenson and Loki Crichton arriving at Kingston Park.

Republicans are marking the 25th anniversary of the death of hunger striker Joe McDonnell today.

I HAVE been asked on more than one occasion over the past fortnight why Ireland would undertake such a hectic schedule at the end of a long hard season.

New Zealand Maori 27 Ireland A 6

SOUTH African-born lock Greg Rawlinson has been called into the New Zealand squad ahead of their Tests against Ireland and Argentina.

DEFENDING champion, Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk), pipped former winner, Tommy Evans (IRC Usher Insulations) in the first stage of this year’s FBD Insurance Rás from Tallaght to Enniscorthy yesterday.

SINN FÉIN'S current electoral strength was in no small measure helped by 10 republican hunger strikers who died in the Maze Prison 25 years ago, party leader Gerry Adams acknowledged yesterday.

I WOULD request readers to light a candle in memory of men who measured up to the mantle of 1916.

Ma’a Nonu is the only one of Wellington’s five All Blacks to have been released for Wednesday’s clash with the Lions at the Cake Tin.

A FORMER IRA jail chief attacked for claiming the organisation blocked a life-saving deal to end the 1981 hunger strike last night declared: “The truth’s on my side.”

MUNSTER and Ireland hooker Frankie Sheahan faces an anxious wait in the battle to clear his name of a doping charge, after an independent Judicial Tribunal decided to postpone making a decision on the case until later in the week.

TOP rugby player Frankie Sheahan is a role model for asthmatics despite his latest brush with controversy, the Asthma Society said yesterday.

Leicester flanker Lewis Moody scored an injury-time try to edge England ahead in a thrilling Twickenham battle with the All Blacks at Twickenham.

New Zealand have named a 26-man squad for their three Autumn Test matches in Europe next month.

SATURDAY was an emotional day for Highfield rugby club.

Australia blew open the 2002 Tri-Nations title race, and retained the Bledisloe Cup once again, as Matt Burke rediscovered his kicking boots.

JONAH LOMU and his Wellington Hurricanes team-mate Tana Umaga have been dropped from the New Zealand squad named yesterday for the opening Tri-Nations clash of the season against Australia.

Jonah Lomu has been dropped from the All Blacks side for the opening Tri-Nations clash against defending champion Australia.

New Zealand’s selectors have made two changes to the starting XV for Saturday’s second Test against Ireland in Auckland.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said tonight there was "no possibility" of IRA weapons being conceded on unionist or British Government terms.

Republican hunger strikers 20 years ago raised their movement’s struggle against the British presence to a "moral threshold", Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams said today.