The death occurred in his native Limerick yesterday of Paddy Reid, one of the country’s most celebrated rugby players.

The sentence hearing of former Anglo Irish Bank directors Pat Whelan and William McAteer will take place on April 28 following their conviction on charges of providing illegal lending to the Maple Ten for a share support scheme.

A banking expert has told the trial of three former Anglo Irish Bank executives the €450m worth of lending to the Maple Ten was abnormal in several respects.