Size isn’t everything. Generations of Irish forwards have learned that much.

Ireland’s U20s are not about to shy away from talk of history.

Ireland U20 coach Nigel Carolan still believes ‘the championship is there for the taking’ ahead of tomorrow night’s crucial RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales (Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay, 7.45pm).

One imagines Nigel Carolan and the rest of his U20s management team have spent many an hour poring over footage of England’s opening Six Nations loss to Wales in Colwyn Bay this last two weeks.

U20 Six Nations: Wales 17 Ireland 15

On the same day two Southern Hemisphere products turned to Ireland for international rugby exposure, an East Cork 22-year-old was belting out the Star Spangled Banner to mark his debut for the US Eagles after slipping through the net at home.

A young East Cork rugby player chasing a dream of being in the professional ranks is poised to make his debut for the United States international side.

A man will appear in court today charged with the murder of Irish vet Catherine Gowing.

A man was charged in the UK tonight with the murder of missing Offaly woman Catherine Gowing.

Day 1 in the Pedal to Poland house: 6.15am alarm goes off and I roll out of bed to get ready for the long day ahead.

Environmental officers are today working to safely remove 40,000 litres of fuel from a stricken cargo ship which ran aground in rough seas off the coast of Wales, sparking the rescue of seven crew members.

Rescuers searching for six people missing in the Irish Sea have recovered a body.

SOME of Ireland’s top rugby stars wore black arm bands yesterday as they completed the Irish stage of the cross-channel fundraising cycle for Munster’s former fitness coach Paul Darbyshire, who died on Monday after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

IT’S been an extraordinarily busy few days. A royal wedding, an assassination attempt on Gaddafi, the Emirates match, Osama being the only Bin taken out on a bank holiday… And spare a thought too for FC United, whose astonishing rampage towards promotion (having been all but bottom in January) was thwarted by a late goal in the play-off final at Colwyn Bay.

A SECOND daughter has been convicted of the murder of their father in north Wales.

A TEENAGER broke down in tears yesterday as a jury found her guilty of murdering her father.

North Wales was rocked by an earthquake today, the British Geological Survey said.