So off we go again. It’s our year; take 30…

Ireland are confident their seven-day warm-weather training camp in Portugal will stand them in good stead for the heat and humidity they can expect during their World Cup campaign in Japan next month.

Leinster rugby coach Leo Cullen says they may be forced to send minders along to player nights-out, after last May’s end-of-season controversies.

Coach Gregor Townsend says Scotland are keeping a close eye on Ireland as both sides prepare for their opening weekend showdown at the World Cup in Japan next month.

Catch up on the headlines.

The economy is close to full employment and the last Census shows that there are 1.25m children under the age of 18 in the State. So how well is our childcare system able to cope? asks Joyce Fegan

The country’s latest floating plastic collector (or ‘seabin’) is to be installed in Howth harbour, on the north Dublin coastline, this week.

The big guns of Irish golf will contest this week’s BMW PGA Championship, the European Tour’s flagship tournament, at Wentworth.

When Diego Maradona slalomed through the English defence to score that wonder goal at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, RTÉ’s Jimmy Magee provided the memorable soundtrack to genius... “Different Class. DIFFERENT CLASS.”

Had Ulster won, it would have been a storyline squeezed for space by its subplots.

Brian O’Driscoll has declared himself fit for Ireland’s three-Test tour to New Zealand next month.

“Leinster’s first two tries from Sean O’Brien and Cian Healy stemmed directly from lost ball after an Ulster put-in”

Graeme McDowell denied he became “rattled by the pressure” in his Volvo World Match Play Championship final defeat by Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts at Finca Cortesin yesterday.

The GAA stars who passed up on soccer careers cross-channel

June 16, 2002 should have been a memorable date for Donegal supporters.

June 12, 1988.

By way of laying our scene for the new hurling championship, two conversations from the evening of May 6, shortly after the National League final.

What was the bravest coaching call, any sport?

I ARRIVE at the main door of the Senior College in Dun Laoghaire, a career woman, and mother-of-four. I am fresh-faced, wearing no make-up, apart from my lip-gloss, but slightly flushed, as I had trouble finding parking.

“I don’t want to blow him up in any way but from Day One, when he was born, he was very exceptional”