A FUND-RAISING campaign for children affected by the extremely rare Battens Disease reached new heights over the weekend.

SOME of the world’s best poker players as well as a host of hopeful amateurs gathered at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin for the start of the Paddy Power Irish Open.

THE RICHEST sporting event of 2008 in Ireland will play out this weekend. But instead of golf clubs or rugby gear it is more likely to involve stetson-wearing, cigar-chomping, coffee-swigging men and women who pride themselves on never breaking a sweat while “playing”.