Legal action has been threatened by the Democratic Unionist Party over the decision to restrict the flying of the Union flag as pressure grew for violent protests to stop.

Renowned angler John O’Connell, believes this year’s salmon season has been the best in the province for 40 years.

Hell’s Kettle is hardly the most soft and fluffy of names for an organic farm, but that’s the name of the river that runs through Gavin Lynch’s organic beef and agro-forestry farm at Donard, near the Glen-of-Imaal in Co Wicklow.

O2 AND the Irish Rugby Football Union have renewed the sponsorship that will see the telecommunications giant remain as sponsor of the Ireland rugby team until 2016.

O2 has today extended its partnership arrangement with the Irish Rugby Football Union to 2016.

Dublin businessman John Hussey has been selected as the 124th president of the Irish Rugby Football Union.

The former Scotland and British & Irish Lions international full-back Andy Irvine will become Celtic Rugby’s first independent Chairman.

WHEN an Irishman living in Boston decided to withdraw some of his winnings from his Paddy Power online gambling account little did he know it would all end up in Fermoy District Court.

IRISH rugby boss Philip Browne believes the announcement yesterday of expanded free-to-air television coverage of the Magners League from next season is positive proof of a total commitment to the development of the sport in this country.

ON THE eve of his reappointment as Munster captain, Paul O’Connell has welcomed the decision to provide a guaranteed competitive climax to the Magners League campaign this season.

MUNSTER chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald last night expressed his support “in principle” to the inclusion of two Italian teams in the Magners League from the beginning of the 2010/11 season.

The Celtic Rugby Board have agreed in principle for two Italian teams to join the Magners League, it was announced today.

A JUDGE yesterday described a former Department of Defence engineer as “a neighbour from hell” and denied his appeal against a garda refusal to grant him a firearms licence.

NIALL O’DONOVAN yesterday spoke of his sadness in leaving Simon Best behind in a Bordeaux hospital as the Ireland squad prepared for the three hour train journey to Paris.

The new strategic plan for rugby in Ireland is aimed at raising the standard of the sport at all levels, according to the man who launched the scheme at Lansdowne Road.

More than 7,000 copies of a IRFU Strategic Planning Group’s Consultative Document have been downloaded from the IRFU web-site in the first week since the launch of the process.

LEINSTER last night insisted they were within a few days of appointing a successor to Matt Williams after former England full-back Jon Callard turned down the opportunity to coach the province.

Keith Grainger, the former Northampton Saints chief executive, will become the Celtic League's tournament director this afternoon.

Former Northampton chief executive Keith Grainger will take up his post as the new tournament director of the Celtic League tomorrow.

LEICESTER chief Dean Richards said he was “reasonably” satisfied with Austin Healey’s comeback performance after the England utility back starred in the Tigers’ 33-22 Premiership win over Sale at Welford Road on Sunday.

Irish Rugby Football Union committee member John Hussey has been appointed chairman of the Celtic League Association.

LORD of The Dance star Michael Flatley has decided to use some fancy legal steps in a $100 million counter-claim against Tyna Marie Robertson, the American woman who claims she was raped by him.