Ray Houghton has welcomed the decision of LA Galaxy to allow Ireland’s record goalscorer Robbie Keane to join up with the national squad in time for the prestige friendly against England at Wembley next Wednesday.

It was one of the signature deals of the boom.

Traffic and DART services at Landsdowne Road are back to normal this evening.

The Aviva Stadium in Dublin has won the British Construction Industry Award for best International Project 2011.

A drug addict caught with nearly €40,000 worth of heroin and a large haul of stolen property has been given a nine-year sentence.

THOMAS COOK IRELAND, featuring offshoot companies Panorama, Sunworld and Direct Holidays offer flights from Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Knock airports this summer.

Final preparations are well underway for the first-ever concert at the Aviva Stadium.

Gardaí in Dublin are appealing for witnesses to an incident in Dublin this morning in which overhead railway lines were destroyed.

About 150 angry football supporters have turned out in Dublin to protest against FIFA's controversial decision not to grant a World Cup play-off replay between the Republic of Ireland and France.

The GAA should jointly honour Michael Collins and Eamon de Valera to help banish the "bitterness and poison" of the Civil War, former GAA president Sean Kelly said.

There was intense security when the British Princess Anne today became the first member of the Royal Family to enter Croke Park in Dublin – the bastion of Gaelic sport.

Croke Park officials hope to give traffic jams the red card with a major plan to end congestion at the famous sports stadium, it emerged today.

Ireland manager Steve Staunton and the FAI chief executive John Delaney are set to meet Bobby Robson tomorrow to discuss his future role as the International Football Consultant to the Irish team.

A knife has been found close to the spot where a 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death earlier this month, it was revealed today.

The Irish Sports Council is providing the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) with €3.5m to develop the game at grass roots this year, it was announced today.

Wasps second row Simon Shaw has been given the green light to play in Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final showdown with Munster.

Ireland manager Brian Kerr will announce his squad for the forthcoming friendly against Brazil at a press conference in Jury’s Hotel in Dublin at 2pm on Monday, February 9.

GAA PRESIDENT Sean Kelly wants an end to ‘the farcical’ situation of suspended players being able to play games during the months of December and January.

Irish international Trevor Brennan celebrated Toulouse’s second European title, and declared: “Winning this tournament is special.”

I WAS not one bit surprised at the retirement of Roy Keane. I felt that he had lost all interest in the Irish cause, as was shown in his display at Landsdowne Road against Nigeria — Ireland’s final friendly before they left for Saipan. He showed no commitment that day and I think his antics in the Far East were a smokescreen.

WHAT better way to sell a concert than spread the rumour that you’re splitting up.

THE GAA’s President-elect has reiterated the fact that any decision on the use of Croke Park for the European Championships in 2008 can only be made by Congress and by no other individual or group.

The national stadium controversy moves ahead tomorrow as UEFA delegates arrive in Dublin.

PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS one — Fianna Fáil nil.

EXPECT next week’s political agenda to be dominated by a Punch and Judy show garnished by a generous helping of what we might call “hip replacement syndrome”.

Rod Stewart has rescheduled tonight's gig at Landsdowne Road to tomorrow night.

Ten-man Ireland survived constant Dutch pressure and are now virtually guaranteed a place in the World Cup play-offs after a Jason McAteer second half goal gave the home side the points against Holland.