On home ground, it is not surprising that there is a wave of expectation on Craig Breen to win the Discover Northern Ireland Circuit of Ireland Rally, round four of the European Rally Championship that gets underway in Belfast this morning.

Tommy Barker visits a 1970s bungalow near Clonakilty that has been given a tasteful rebuild, complete with high-spec insulation and cutting-edge green building techniques.

A 16-year-old Dublin boy, who wanted to be locked up so he could do the Leaving Certificate, had his wish granted today when he was detained by a judge for 16 months.

Cork driver Keith Cronin duly wrapped up his third British Rally Championship title with a measured drive through the six stage International Rally of Yorkshire, the final round of the series.

Three years ago Cork driver Keith Cronin set a target to win the British Rally Championship.

The weekend events north and south of the border provide an interesting contrast.

A strong finish from Malahide United gave them what was, in the end, a comfortable FAI Cup win over nine-man Blarney United at O’Shea Park last night.

BRITISH RALLY champion, Keith Cronin is not that accustomed to playing the percentage game, mostly because the Cork driver hasn’t been required to adopt such a role.

WITH the margin for error in both the Dunlop National Rally Championship and the Dulux Trade British series diminishing as both championships near conclusion, this weekend’s Dominic Quinn Body Repairs/Sligo Park Hotel Rally and Rally Isle of Man are of major significance to their respective title protagonists.

Irish pair, Keith Cronin (Cork) and his Limerick co-driver, Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi) have won the British Rally Championship triumphing on the final round, the International Rally Yorkshire.

NOT since 1974 has an Irish driver won the British Rally Championship, indeed in the entire history of the BRC, only Billy Coleman has managed to triumph.

Eugene Donnelly (Toyota Corolla WRC) has won the Todds Leap.com Ulster International Rally, a counting round of both the Irish Tarmac Championship and the British Rally Championship.

The opening leg of the Todds Leap.com Ulster International Rally in Antrim was a classic contest mixed with drama through the day's six stages, where the lead changed several times.

SITTING on the rocks in Ballylickey on the edges of Bantry Bay and gazing out into in the Atlantic Ocean, Keith Cronin could be forgiven for daydreaming.

Irish duo Keith Cronin and Greg Shinnors (Mitsubishi) have finished second overall in the Isle of Man International Rally today.

After a sterling performance on the opening stages where he carved out a strong lead Irish driver, Keith Cronin, partnered by his co-driver, Greg Shinnors ended the opening leg of the Isle of Man International Rally in second place.

ROUNDS of the Irish Tarmac, National and British Rally Championships take centre stage over three days beginning today with the former and the latter dovetailing on the Rally Isle of Man International.

Derry's Eugene Donnelly and his co-driver, Paddy Toner, in a Skoda Fabia WRC, have won the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Scotland.

IrishTarmac Championship leader, Eugene Donnelly in his Skoda Fabia WRC leads the Jim Clark Memorial Rally in Scotland after the conclusion of last night's six stages.

CORK Leaving Certificate student Anthony Leahy is today overcoming the heartache of deja vu, after losing the Thomas Crosbie Holdings All Ireland Schools quiz final by the exact same score for the second year running.

Irish driver, Keith Cronin has taken yet another sensational last stage victory in a round of the British Rally Championship.

Four Irish drivers are amongst the top ten at the overnight halt in the Carlisle-based Pirelli International Rally, the second round of the British Rally Championship.

Cork driver, Keith Cronin (Mitsubishi) made a superb start in his quest to win the British Rally Championship.

Lance Armstrong will not agree to a retest of six urine samples from his first Tour de France victory to determine whether they contain traces of EPO.

Eamonn Boland has won the Ulster Rally and clinched his inaugural Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

Wexford's, Eamonn Boland and co-driver, Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) are on course to clinch the Irish Tarmac Championship.

Derry driver, Kevin Lynch, co-driven by Francis Regan, powered his Subaru WRC to a start to finish victory on the Turkington Holdings Lurgan Park Rally today.

MOTORSPORT Ireland have stepped up their involvement in Rally Ireland and will actually promote the 2009 event that will kick start the World Rally Championship in late January. However, funding for the event has yet to be put in place.

Manx native Mark Higgins and his Letterkenny co driver Rory Kennedy, on board their Group N Subaru, hung on for victory at the Rally Isle of Man today.

MANX born driver, Mark Higgins and his Donegal co-driver, Rory Kennedy, in their Group N Subaru strengthened their grip on Rally Isle of Man through yesterday’s twelve stages.

Another good day for Manx native, Mark Higgins and his Donegal co-driver, Rory Kennedy, in their Group N Subaru, who extended their lead in Rally Isle of Man, a counting round of both the Irish Tarmac and British Rally Championships.

Fastest through the evening’s final and longest stage, Mark Higgins/Rory Kennedy (Subaru) have an overnight lead of 18 seconds over Guy Wilks/David Moynihan (Mitsubishi) in the Rally Isle of Man International.

There was a dramatic finish to the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland where Eamonn Boland (Subaru WRC) reeled in long time leader, Tim McNulty (Subaru WRC) to take his third straight victory in a round of the Global Group Irish Tarmac series.

Meath's Tim McNulty, driving a Subaru WRC, leads the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland, the fourth round of the Irish Tarmac series and also a round of the British Rally Championship.

THE first pair of quarter finals of the Thomas Crosbie Holdings All Ireland School Quiz took place last evening at the Hodson Bay Hotel, Athlone, when two tremendous contests ended with a mere two points separating winners from losers.

Irish driver Phillip Morrow and his co-driver, Daniel Barrett, in a Mitsubishi, finished fourth overall in the Carlisle-based Pirelli Rally, the first round of the British Rally Championship, today.

Lisburn’s, Phillip Morrow is the top Irish driver after the opening leg of the Carlisle based Pirelli Rally, the first round of the British Rally Championship.

Northern Ireland’s, Richard Cathcart (Mitsubishi) was the top Irish driver in the Jedburgh based Brick & Steel Border Counties Rally today, he finished third overall.

Wexford's Eamonn Boland and his co-driver, Damien Morrissey (Subaru WRC) lead the Circuit of Ireland Rally at the end of the first leg.

Ireland’s World Rally Championship top points scoring driver in 2007, Gareth MacHale (Ford Focus WRC), leads the entry for the Circuit of Ireland that begins on Friday, March 21.

Eugene Donnelly, one of the most successful drivers in Irish rallying has been forced to end his bid to land a record breaking fifth successive Irish Tarmac title.

Mark Higgins and co-driver, Rory Kennedy fashioned a superb comeback to take a final stage victory in the Galway International Rally, the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship.

A difficult day for both organisers and competitors of the safety First Galway International Rally, the opening round of the Irish Tarmac Championship where Tim McNulty/Eugene O’Donnell (Subaru) lead at the overnight halt.

IT’s easy to see just why Sebastien Loeb is the World Rally Champion, thousands of spectators had first hand experience over the weekend as he set a scintillating pace in the Murphy Construction Cork 20 International Rally.