While the years of arduous training has given the O’Donovan brothers the edge to overcome mental challenges, they stress that they always try to inject a bit of fun into everything they do.

Double gold for Ireland was the climax of an historic weekend at the world championships in Bulgaria where Sanita Puspure and the O’Donovan brothers finally reached the top of the podium.

The first World Cup event of the rowing season began yesterday in Belgrade. Having wintered together in Australia and New Zealand, two Skibbereen double-acts now face very different challenges. Gary and Paul O’Donovan are on top of the world to be shot down, while Shane O’Driscoll and Mark O’Donovan must summon the appetite to survive the biggest test of their careers.

Paul and Gary O’Donovan’s bid to win another Olympic rowing medal is being jeopardised by a shortage in funding that has left the Skibbereen pair making do with a four-year-old boat.

Paul and Gary O’Donovan’s bid to win another Olympic rowing medal, in Tokyo in 2020, is being jeopardised by a shortage in funding that has left the Skibbereen pair making do with a four-year old boat.

Even small spots like Rossnagoose, on the edge of Skibbereen in West Cork by Abbeystrewery, can look out on wider global horizons than their elevated physical setting might normally allow.

A massive €56m investment in grassroots sports facilities announced by the Government this week will help produce and inspire a new generation of sports stars, Irish Olympian Lizzie Lee said.

Visitor numbers are expected to top 20,000 at the second coming of youth well-being and education movement Zeminar, which aims to equip Generation Z with the tools to deal with life’s challenges, writes Clodagh Finn

There’s a distinctive smell that signals the opening day of Puck Fair — a mix of horse manure, chips, and cigarette smoke — although this year some smokers have traded their cigarettes for vaping.

The stretch of water hidden behind Farran Wood rarely looked better than it did yesterday, the lake sparkling in a blazing sun as the National Rowing Championships took place.

The Irish senior rowing team are currently fine-tuning performances at a camp in Varese, Italy after a successful opening World Cup event of the season.

The 2017 World Rowing Cup series kicks-off in Belgrade tomorrow with most Irish eyes on the O’Donovan brothers, Paul and Gary in the lightweight men’s double sculls. The regatta has attracted rowers from 26 nations, with a number of Rio 2016 Olympic medallists competing.

Welcome to 2017. Already it’s better than last year simply because it’s not 2016, even if some of you are probably still a little fragile this morning.

The judge at the helm of the Garda Ombudsman has said GSOC has at times been “left adrift in a sea of legislative sludge without a paddle”, and looked forward to members of an Oireachtas committee “taking on the role of the O’Donovan brothers” and paddling the watchdog to clearer waters.

Good afternoon. Here’s all the news you need to know this lunchtime.

God an issue? Ask Audrey...

Up to 10,000 people are expected in Skibbereen, West Cork, tonight for the official homecoming party for Olympic rowing heroes the O’Donovan brothers.

The O’Donovan brothers “will have sponsors tripping over themselves” to be associated with Ireland’s latest Olympic heroes.

From Rio, Ewan MacKenna writes about Ireland's best hopes at an Olympic gold medal, highlight both of our rowing teams and their growing success.

AS I look out my workroom window the sun comes and goes in the yard.

WALKING is the flavour of the season.