Seamus McGrane was recorded in a pub in Dublin in April, 2015, a month before the prince’s visit to Ireland, say Diarmaid Mac Dermott and Daniel Hickey

A Real IRA leader who plotted an explosion during the State visit of Britain’s Prince Charles two years ago has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court of directing the activities of a terrorist organisation.

Cork City manager John Caulfield hopes that last night’s FAI Cup second round blowout against Athlone Town at Turner’s Cross will provide confidence to the team as they seek to clinch the league title.

The holders and league champions-elect Cork City brushed aside the token challenge of Athlone Town to reach the last eight of the Irish Daily Mail sponsored FAI Cup at Turner’s Cross tonight.

“As individuals, we have the best players in the country,” declared Jamie Clarke last Saturday.

Sean Cavanagh is feeling the heat as he walks among friends and neighbours close to the fast-flowing boundary that divides Tyrone and Armagh, the River Blackwater.

Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge GC), Tim Rice (Limerick GC), and Colm Moriarty (Drive Golf Performance) lead the way on six under par after the opening round of the 107th Irish PGA Championship at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort.

Jazmine Sands is grateful for the occasional telephone call from Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, checking up on how she is doing, more than eight months after her baby girl passed away.

A year after the launch of the first National Maternity Strategy, key posts remain unfilled in the office set up to drive its implementation.

Kieran McGeeney believes the public put too much pressure on young players to make an instant impact at senior inter-county level.

Paul Dunne underlined his immense talent on the penultimate day of the Qualifying School Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona yesterday.

Having led the Irish challenge at the Qualifying School Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort outside Girona, Simon Thornton is in a real battle to make the cut heading into today’s fourth round.

Simon Thornton is best of the Irish after the opening two rounds of the Qualifying School Final Stage at PGA Catalunya Resort in north-east Spain.

It is a case of ‘Last Chance Saloon’ for all but two of the seven Irish golfers contesting this week’s Portugal Masters at Vilamoura.

Irish round-up Shane Lowry missed his target score for the day but was not unduly concerned with a one-over-par 72 Royal County Down as he began his bid to win a second Irish Open title.

After a disappointing first round on Thursday, Shane Lowry bounced back into BMW PGA Championship contention yesterday with a five-under-par 67 at Wentworth that leaves him the best of the Irish heading into the weekend.

Three men appeared before a sitting of the non-jury Special Criminal Court at the weekend, charged with membership of the IRA among other offences.

Golf returns to the Olympic Games next year after more than a century in the wilderness but a ceremony conducted on the fifth tee at Ballybunion over the weekend served as a reminder that the game has made a small contribution to Irish sporting success on the world’s biggest stage.

Dundalk’s Caolan Rafferty claimed the bragging rights after the first round of strokeplay at the Radisson West of Ireland Golf Championship at a windswept Rosses Point yesterday.

American Dustin Johnson denies he has had a drug problem but admits "drinking to excess" was an issue he had to address.

Russian Open: England’s David Horsey recovered from a front-nine collapse to force a play-off against Damien McGrane before pushing on to victory at the Russian Open.

Damien McGrane has played in two British Opens, but he could be on course to make his third appearance at Royal Liverpool in July after opening with a five under 66 in the Joburg Open at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington in South Africa.

Rory McIlroy overcome a stomach complaint to retain his lead entering the final two rounds of the 25th anniversary Dubai Desert Classic.

The only trouble Rory McIlroy experienced on a day he shot his lowest round in three years was finding the way out of the Emirates Club car park.

Former solicitor Thomas Byrne has been convicted of stealing €52m from the banks and defrauding 13 clients out of their houses or money.

The second week of the trial of former solicitor Thomas Byrne has heard further allegations of him defrauding clients, including an 91-year-old woman, out of their homes.

Damien McGrane might not have won the KLM Open on Sunday but his professional trajectory continues to be an example to Ireland’s budding tour stars — the poster boy for those who bite the bullet and take the PGA assistants’ route to the top.

Damien McGrane guaranteed his Tour card for next season with a share of third in the KLM Open, while rookie professional Kevin Phelan will next travel to Portugal in search of similar status.

Ireland's Damien McGrane defied the miserable conditions to card a superb 67 and set the clubhouse target in the third round of the KLM Open in Zandvoort.

Damien McGrane found one of the shortest routes around the shortest course on this year’s European Tour schedule to be trailing the leader by just one stroke on the first day of the KLM Open at Kennemer Golf Club, Zandvoort, the Netherlands.

A little over a week after the 2005 All-Ireland football final, this writer received an email from a fairly irate Kerry supporter.

At 31, Paul Graham found out he was adopted. Years later he found out more. Today he’s an angry man, writesDanielle McGrane

Despite his obvious disappointment, Pádraig Harrington could see a plus in missing the halfway cut in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.

Graeme McDowell looks set to end his recent poor form after shooting a two under par 69 on the opening day of the French Open on the outskirts of Versailles.

Shane Lowry is prepared to take one for the team this week as he gears up for what is potentially the biggest summer of his career.

Fractured femurs, punctured lungs, broken jaws, dislocated fingers and smashed collar bones are just some of the injuries Dr Conor McGrane has had to deal with during his six years in the role and you’d have to wonder what the lure of such a high-pressure job is.

Douglas’ Peter O’Keeffe showed again he is a talent worth monitoring after sharing top spot in the Munster PGA’s inaugural Morgan O’Donovan Perpetual Trophy at Monkstown GC.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer set about silencing any lingering Ryder Cup critics with a timely return to form on day two of the BMW Italian Open in Turin.

Rory McIlroy fired a round of 68 to lie just one shot behind leader Vijay Singh at the BMW Championship at the Crooked Stick course in Carmel, Indiana.