The Irish Film and Drama awards celebrated its 15th year last night and boy, did it pull out all the stops.

Martin O’Neill has said he would be disappointed if James McClean was not feeling frustrated about his restricted game time at West Brom.

At the Irish team’s hotel in Castleknock yesterday, a few of the senior players told Martin O’Neill about how much of a challenge they think Saturday’s World Cup qualifier in Tbilisi is going to be — and the manager was delighted to hear of their concern.

A man who saved a young girl from a house fire has said it was a blessing he had left his bedroom window open so he could hear the shouts for help.

Children received an average of €570 for making their First Communion this year — with parents shelling out almost €850 on the day.

A court ruling, granting an international footballer and his fiancee legal recognition of their looming humanist wedding, is to be appealed.

His international exposure for this summer gathering was almost over before it got started but a fully fit Eunan O’Kane is prepared to play his part for Ireland on Sunday if required.

Parents must not reduce their child’s First Holy Communion to “an orgy of materialism with miniature brides”.

Cork were singing in the rain at the Coralstown Kinnegad grounds, producing a power-packed second-half performance to win the Littlewoods Ireland Camogie Leagues Division 2 title for a fifth time.

His season will end either in New York or Wembley but for this dilemma it’s natural for Eunan O’Kane to put club ahead of country.

Former Antrim stalwart Greg O’Kane believes many players have lost their pride in the jersey and need to be given a reason to want to play county hurling again.

Longford 4-10 Antrim 1-12: A second half goal glut sealed a first TG4 All-Ireland Ladies JFC title since 1997 for Longford at Croke Park.

A second-half goal glut sealed a first TG4 All-Ireland junior ladies football title since 1997 for Michael Bohan’s Longford at Croke Park this afternoon.

Ronnie Whelan is worried that Martin O’Neill has let himself short on goalscoring options should Shane Long get injured.

They started last night’s match in unison but as the friendly against the Netherlands progressed, it became evident Harry Arter and Stephen Quinn were battling against each other for a ticket to France.

Widow Louise James has asked friends to rally around her once again this week as she prepares to mark a month since the drowning tragedy that claimed five of her family at Buncrana Pier.

Republic of Ireland 2 Slovakia 2: If Friday against Switzerland was a night when the defence showed way, here was a game where all Ireland’s better play came at the other end of the pitch, with the novel strike partnership of Shane Long and James McClean both getting on the score sheet — albeit from the penalty spot — while Wes Hoolahan once again showed how vital he is to the team’s attempts to play a more creative brand of football.

Seven months on from his initial Ireland call-up, Eunan O’Kane finally has a senior cap to cherish and plans to use the springboard to further his Euro 2016 claims.

The sight of five coffins being carried up the steps of the Holy Family Church was beyond heartbreaking.

A woman who forced her way into a dog pound after trying to take back two dogs she had left in for rehoming has been ordered to pay €300 to the IPSCA.

It was Damien Duff, speaking earlier this week in Dublin, who floated the notion of Ireland perhaps ‘doing a Leicester’ at Euro 2016 — at least in terms of narrowing the gap with teams deemed to be their superiors, like group opponents Belgium and Italy.

Bournemouth 0 Everton 2: Roberto Martinez believes Everton are ready to finish the season with a bang.

Bournemouth 2 Man Utd 1: Michael Carrick held his tongue but it was impossible for the midfielder to disguise his frustration after Manchester United’s bad week turned a lot worse.

A former court clerk fined for threatening to kill a man he thought was having an affair with his wife has lost an appeal against his conviction.

As he serenaded his new team-mates with an initiation song after dinner last night, uncapped Ireland midfielder Eunan O’Kane could understand how the choice of ‘The Gambler’ by Kenny Rogers has resonance to his career.

Bournemouth 1 Leicester 1: Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri was delighted to see his side come through a stern test at Bournemouth after Jamie Vardy’s late penalty secured a point.

West Ham 3 Bournemouth 4: It has been a long time since the Premier League boasted a team that every neutral could have a soft spot for — not since the days of Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle perhaps — but Bournemouth are looking contenders to carry that mantle.

BOURNEMOUTH 0 ASTON VILLA 1:

Six years ago, Eunan O’Kane was just a statistic; another talented youngster dumped by a Premier League club and forced to return home with his pride and career in ruins.

Cork 3-10 Galway 2-4: Eimear Scally inspired Cork to All-Ireland Minor A Ladies Football glory in Thurles.

Fashion designer Don O’Neill; Cork-based Irish furniture designer Joseph Walsh; and art historian and author Nicholas Fox Weber were conferred with honorary doctorates at a ceremony in the Aula Maxima at UCC yesterday.

Deirdre O’Kane is back to stand-up after six years of TV and film acting —and her midlife crisis is

Barring a miracle of epic proportions on Saturday, Ireland’s strong historical connections with Bournemouth will be enhanced in the Premier League next season.

CBC Monkstown 18 CUS 11: Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup: Second-half tries from Sean Doyle and Ben Mahon were crucial as CBC Monkstown booked their place in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup quarter-final at the expense of CUS at Donnybrook yesterday.

Aston Villa 2 Bourmemouth 1: FA Cup Fourth Round: Villa Park had been tipped as a likely scene of a surprise yesterday and it did not disappoint. Just not in the way anyone anticipated.