WITH the publication of the Cloyne report we can say, yet again, that the behaviour of the churches and the orders, and of previous governments and others thus far has left so much undone that needs to be done with regard to the honest appraisal of the realities, with regard to the nurture and protection of children and with regard to confronting this terrible behaviour pattern that has blighted so many lives for so long.

The poor old euro has been left bedraggled and in the gutter, haunted by flashbacks of Silvio Berlusconi’s notorious Bunga-Bunga parties attended by the likes of Karima el-Mahroug, left, nicknamed ‘Ruby the heartstealer’, where hedonism was very much the order of the day.

It’s called The Open — always has been and always will be

PETE MAHON last night hailed his side’s battling performance in their narrow defeat to Shakter Karagandy in Kazakhstan as the highlight of his long career.

LAWYERS for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange asked a court for a second time yesterday to block his extradition from Britain to Sweden for questioning over allegations of sexual misconduct, arguing the case was legally flawed.

IT has taken him time and by no means is he saying he has it down to a fine art, but Dublin’s Paul Flynn believes he has finally got the hang of being a wing-forward under Pat Gilroy.

WHEN the public address proclaimed Tipperary’s final substitute of the day in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, it took Brendan Cummins a few moments to register that he was the player to be withdrawn.

EVERY now and then Irish sports journalists of a certain vintage get wistful.

MUCH has changed since Munster last contested a Heineken Cup pool clash in this part of Wales.

TOMORROW, the Green Party celebrates. At a gathering in the Central Hotel in Dublin, members will raise a glass to 30-years-a-growing.

ARSENE WENGER has called on his Arsenal team not to let the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations detract them from delivering a match-winning performance against Everton today.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI was expressing quiet confidence that Ireland can beat Estonia over two legs to qualify for the European Championship finals when he added the caveat that football is an unpredictable game.

THE stats don’t get a chance to lie when it comes to Robbie Keane’s first term as an LA Galaxy player.

FOR 40 minutes of this excellent final at Buttevant yesterday, a shock result looked on the cards as unfancied Kildorrery led favourites Charleville by a point.

FORMER Leinster coach Michael Cheika has been fined €20,000, half of it suspended until June 2013, for his conduct on the night of the Amlin Challenge final when his Stade Francais side was defeated by Harlequins.

TODAY Ulster, tomorrow the world.

NORMAL service has been restored in Connacht.

WITH a swashbuckling second-half performance on Saturday evening, Down set up a repeat of last year’s All-Ireland SFC final by demolishing Antrim.

MICK O’DWYER however briefly, showed every one of his legendary 75 years in Aughrim on Saturday as the wind whipped at the snowy hair and the seamed face that had just watched Armagh knock his Wicklow charges out of the championship.

DURING last week’s pinking of Dáil Éireann, courtesy of Mary Mitchell O’Connor, one politician after another, one ex-politician after another, told us we shouldn’t be talking about the Miss Piggy episode.