Two Irish sports stars who enjoyed successful years were absent from Sunday night’s RTÉ Sports Awards - though for very different reasons.

A position of ‘Chair in Creative Writing’ at University of Limerick — in memory of author Frank McCourt — has been advertised with a starting salary in excess of €100,000.

Beacon Lodge has a choice of engagements this month as trainer Clive Cox looks for some cut in the ground for his consistent performer.

One would not have imagined Exeter’s concluding Upton Lakes And Lodges Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle would have caused so much excitement.

STEVE Whiteley, a heating engineer from North Devon, hit the jackpot at Exeter when he landed a massive rollover Jackpot courtesy of 12-1 chance Lupita in the final leg.

THE National Assets Management Agency, in the first court application of its type, has secured multi-million euro summary judgment orders against three businessmen – Patrick Shovlin and hoteliers Patrick and Anthony Fitzpatrick – over unpaid loans to their companies by Bank of Ireland.

Atouchbetweenacara ensured the feature race of Cheltenham's April meeting remained in familiar hands as he ran away with the ESN Silver Trophy Chase.

Check our tips for selected courses from today's horse racing events across Ireland and in the United Kingdom.

HENRIETTA Knight is sending Calgary Bay down the Best Mate route by running him in the Anglo Irish Bank Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday.

IRISH AMATEUR boxing president Dominic O’Rourke believes the future stars of Irish boxing will be on display at the National Intermediate Championships which glove off at the National Stadium tonight.

Zaham will step up in trip to 12 furlongs for the first time on Sunday when he goes for gold in the Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot.

The British government today issued a new appeal for information about five Britons who were taken hostage in Iraq nearly two months ago.

A Co Cork doctor struck off after being found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to eight female patients today lost his High Court appeal against the Medical Council’s decision.

THE World Food Programme yesterday warned it may be forced to scale back vital aid flights for victims of the South Asia quake within days if it does not receive more donations.

Palace Episode is back in top form ahead of his step up to Group Two level in Sunday’s totesport.com Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket.

STAMINA will be at a premium at Warwick today and with Grattan Lodge having more staying power than the mother-in-law over Christmas, he is taken to land the feature totesport Classic Chase.

Two people were arrested today by detectives investigating the murder of a petty criminal who was shot dead more than two years ago in west Dublin.

On November 20, millions of people across Europe and America will be flocking to the cinema to catch the new Bond film Die Another Day - and they’ll witness one of the most spectacular and daring car chases in cinematic history.

Patrick Vieira has said the Football Association's video panel is in danger of turning referees into "penguins".