Limerick mother Aine Laffan cooked up a New Year’s Day storm in her kitchen as she delivered her son Odhran on the kitchen floor.

Limerick mother Aine Laffan cooked up a New Year's Day storm in her kitchen as she delivered her son Odhran on the kitchen floor.

Five years ago, former Offaly and Westmeath footballer PJ Ward suffered an attack that ended his football career, cost him his livelihood, broke his body and filled him with panic and despair. Tomorrow, when he steps on stage at a bodybuilding event in Kilkenny, he will know that a long, emotional journey to recovery has been completed. He spoke to Jackie Cahill

Down 0-7 Donegal 3-15: Rory Gallagher wants Donegal’s established players to feel the heat from the next generation, and there were loads of positives for him to take from Saturday night’s emphatic league win in Newry.

Daughter of schoolteachers, Jane Talbot has always loved storytelling and folk tales, but she didn’t start writing until she got the idea for her debut.

Helen O’Callaghan speaks to parenting experts about being less than perfect with their own children and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

When Paddy McConigley was growing up kicking football for his local Fanad Gaels club at Triaghalough in north-west Donegal, little did he know where the wind on the gusty peninsula would take him.

Lawyers fighting the extradition of an Irishman who is alleged to be the "largest facilitator of child porn in the world" have told the High Court they are seeking the DPP’s reasons for refusing to prosecute him.

Enjoy the parade of sail during the Summer Swing event in Cobh.

Do you have a friend or family member who avoids social situations, to the extent that you’ve given up inviting them out? They could be suffering from social anxiety, says Elizabeth O’Neill as it affects one in seven Irish people

Coláiste Mhuire, Cobh 3-13 De La Salle, Macroom 1-11:

Ask Paul Durcan what swung the All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin in favour of Donegal and he will plump for what he terms his side’s "exceptional attacking play", but the goalkeeper was the lead character in the passion play’s seminal moment.

Cork SFC fourth-round replay: Clyda Rovers 1-11 Newcestown 1-9

Kevin Cassidy has described Jim McGuinness’ comparison of Dublin with Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea as "silly".

O’Donovan Rossa 1-14 Douglas 1-06

Two days after the 2005 Donegal SFC final, Jim McGuinness gathered Naomh Conaill’s panel together in the shadow of Davy Brennan Memorial Park’s stand in Glenties.

MANY seek it, most don’t have it, but Caolan Mulrooney had the X-factor.

THE college student whose body was found in Cork on Tuesday, five days after he went missing, will be buried tomorrow.

JOHN KENNEDY is back on a familiar journey. During the three years that spanned his spell as Clare senior football manager earlier this decade, Kennedy was well-accustomed to the trip from his north Kerry home to the west coast of the Banner County.

DR CROKES midfielder Ambrose O’Donovan is fit for Sunday’s Munster Club SFC semi-final against Kilmurry-Ibrickane after missing their quarter-final win over Ballinacourty with a back injury.

A PATTER of little feet is expected at a General Election candidate’s door imminently, but it won’t be his canvassing party.

THREE out of four young carers began their caring duties before the age of nine, a groundbreaking study has revealed.

KILMURRY-IBRICKANE boss Michael McDermott is optimistic long-serving attacker Odhrán O’Dwyer will be fit for Sunday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Tír Chonaill Gaels in Ruislip.

IRELAND is in the midst of a baby boom, with the highest number of births in more than a century.

Ireland is experiencing a baby boom with the highest number of births in more than a century, it was revealed today.

SEAN and Emma are the most popular Irish babies names for the second year in a row. There were 928 boys named Sean in the last year, 93 more than the second-most-popular name, Jack.

Sean and Emma were the most popular babies’ names last year, the second year in a row that they have been top.

THERE is a joke doing the rounds in Cork about having a few bob on both Liam MacCarthy and Sam Maguire residing on Leeside in late September.

IT’S a measure of Clare footballers’ recent problems that a league win over London last month stands as the pinnacle of their season.

IF you’ve never seen him play, then you will certainly remember his name. Odhran O’Dwyer has been around the block with the Clare footballers a good few years – he was there when John O’Keefe managed them.