Fota Island in Cork is back in the frame to host next year’s Irish Open.

YOU’RE going to Druid’s Glen, but neither of you plays golf?” was the response when we said we were going to the Wicklow resort for a family weekend in bleak January.

PAUL MCSHANE will captain the Irish team against Italy in Liege tonight, making it a doubly emotional couple of days for the Wicklow boy.

Tánaiste Mary Coughlan has said that Taoiseach Brian Cowen will make an announcement on his future as leader of Fianna Fáil later this evening.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen continued to consult with Fianna Fáil colleagues tonight in an effort to gauge whether he has enough support to lead the party into an election.

A no confidence vote in the Government was blocked tonight as Taoiseach Brian Cowen fought off questions over his leadership.

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen’s leadership of Fianna Fáil and the country hangs by a thread today with further revelations over his handling of Anglo Irish Bank and a senior minister signalling that the battle for the leadership is not over.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen warned opponents tonight that there was no vacancy in his office as he offered to sit down with disgruntled party colleagues over his under-fire leadership.

ANOTHER Anglo director was present at Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s controversial post-golf dinner with Seán FitzPatrick in July 2008, but Mr Cowen insists not a word was spoken about the bank’s declining fortunes.

Taoiseach Brian Cowen is expected to face Opposition questions on his contacts with disgraced Anglo Irish Bank boss Sean FitzPatrick as the Dáil returns from the Christmas break today.

THE Taoiseach faces a bitter Dáil showdown today over his dealings with disgraced Anglo chief Seán FitzPatrick as questions over the credibility of Brian Cowen’s version of events grew along with demands for a Garda intervention into the affair.

DOUBLE Major-winning John Daly is hoping 3 Irish Open organisers will pair him with triple Major champion Pádraig Harrington in Baltray after the American secured his best result in four years after finishing joint second in the BMW Italian Open in Turin.

THE Revenue Commissioners are ratcheting up anti-avoidance activity according to chairman Frank Daly, who was speaking at the Institute of Chartered Accountants conference in Druid’s Glen yesterday.

DERMOT Ahern yesterday accused the Taoiseach of “jumping the gun” by endorsing the Minister for Finance Brian Cowen as the next leader of Fianna Fáil.

THE screw tightened on Aer Lingus yesterday over its proposed Shannon/Heathrow service shutdown with a second senior Cabinet minister adding his voice to the growing opposition.

Ryder Cup team-mates Paul Casey and Thomas Levet have been selected by their respective captains as the wild cards for the Seve Trophy next week.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will this morning say that continuing economic growth will depend on maintaining industrial peace.

POSITIVE news on the jobs front continued over the weekend when the Irish Management Institute said firms hired more managers towards the end of last year.

IT’S that time of year again when we shake off the winter cobwebs and our major green fee-taking clubs prepare for an influx of golfing visitors from all over the globe.

Ireland and Britain have taken a 5-3 lead against Continental Europe after day one of the Seve Trophy in Druid’s Glen today.

Andrew Oldcorn’s hopes of securing a place in next month’s Seve Trophy were blown off course today in the Madeira Island Open.

Andrew Oldcorn today put himself in pole position to qualify for next month’s Seve Trophy in the Madeira Island Open.