A man who claimed to have a grenade and threatened to kill three gardaí with it before assaulting them has received an eight-year jail sentence.

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses to a serious collision which has left a male motorcyclist in a serious condition in hospital.

Gardaí are investigating after a serious collision in Dublin this morning.

More than 80,000 pilgrims are due to attend the official closing ceremony of the 50th International Eucharistic Congress in Croke Park tomorrow.

THE GAA has asked patrons to buy tickets in advance of today’sAll-Ireland club finals to avoid possible queues.

AA Roadwatch has today advised hurling fans travelling by car to Sunday's All Ireland Senior and Minor Championship hurling finals that traffic restrictions will be in place in Drumcondra and the surrounding areas on the day.

MEATH attacker Stephen Bray looks certain to miss tomorrow’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Mayo, after his bid to have last weekend’s straight red card against Limerick rescinded was rejected by the GAA’s Central Hearings Committee.

IAN RUSH couldn’t settle in Italy; the Welsh striker said it was like living in a foreign country. But San Nicola — the patron saint of Bari — is, they say, a friend to travellers and up to 6,000 Irish soccer fans were certainly making themselves at home in the coastal city yesterday.

The Central Competitions Control Committee of the GAA has confirmed that Carlow and Westmeath have refused the option of playing the Christy Ring Cup final as a curtain raiser to the All-Ireland football quarter-final game involving Dublin in Croke Park.

A crash involving three cars close to Dublin city centre has led to serious traffic delays this afternoon.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern would save 640 calories a day — simultaneously taking a kilogram of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere — if in 2008 he took advice from a new commuters’ website and walked to work.

TICKETS for this weekend’s games in Croke Park are on sale through the GAA website www.gaa.ie and Ticketmaster outlets nationwide.

A 15-year-old repeat offender, who has a litany of convictions for burglaries, has been given a four month sentence for a trespassing offence.

LANSDOWNE Road seemed just a distant memory for fans as they travelled to the home of GAA on Dublin’s northside.

A chef who attacked his former boss with a kitchen knife and another man with a hammer following an evening of drinking will be sentenced next month by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

TICKETS for tomorrow’s Bank of Ireland Ulster football championship final will be on sale in the Croke Park area today.

TYRONE defender Eoghan Bradley has won his appeal over a straight red card which had threatened to wreck his season.

The GAA has reported that more than 30,000 tickets have already been sold for Sunday's National Football League finals at Croke Park.

DETECTIVES last night said they were making good progress in their investigation into Dublin’s latest gangland murder.

THE Limerick County Board last night appointed an interim manager following the departure of Padjoe Whelahan.

Thousands of hurling fans were descending on Dublin this weekend ahead of Sunday’s All-Ireland clash between Cork and Kilkenny.

TICKETS for tomorrow’s football championship qualifier double-header between Cork and Fermanagh and Galway and Tyrone, along with tickets for the Leinster SFC finals on Sunday, are on sale from the ticket office at the rear of the Cusack Stand from 11am until 7pm today.

TWO swans met unexpectedly in a Dublin doorway yesterday, leading to one of the most unusual arrests of a garda’s career.

The Leinster Council have revealed the ticket details for Sunday's provincial football fixtures at Croke Park.

Premier Division eircom league side Dublin City FC have launched a share issue scheme.

MARK VIDUKA yesterday pulled out of Leeds’ pre-season trip to Dublin – much to the disappointment of boss Peter Reid.

MAYO will head into the championship fray in Markievicz Park this evening without their inspirational captain Fergal Costello.

ALLIANZ National Football League final protagonists Laois and Tyrone have received massive boosts ahead of Sunday’s eagerly awaited pennant decider at Croke Park.

FORMER footballer of the year John Crowley has quit Bishopstown and returned to his native Glenflesk in a bid to recapture his form and fitness.

ENTRY to the AIB All-Ireland club championship finals in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day, will be

Dublin City Council is asking people affected by flooding in the Botanic Avenue area of Drumcondra to go back to their houses today if possible.

PADDY O'Leary and his wife Gertie tried to be brave as objects bobbed about in nearly two feet of water in their ruined home on Botanic Avenue, Drumcondra. They have lived there for the past 35 years.

Gardai have issued flood alerts for a number of areas in the east of the country and are advising motorists to allow extra time for journeys.

Motorists and commuters have been advised to allow extra time for travel this morning due to flooding in the midlands and eastern areas.

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