IRELAND have moved into the top 20 of the world rankings for the first time in six and a half years.Giovanni Trapattoni's side have jumped up three places from 23rd to 20th in the latest standings, which were published yesterday.Ireland were in 14th spot

Irish eyes are smiling on Aston Villa at present. The club has a proud tradition of players from the Emerald Isle, most notably the likes of Paul McGrath, Steve Staunton and Ray Houghton, who earned hero's status for club and country in the 1990s. But th

At the end of yesterday, Darlington FC remained alive albeit on life support. Today, however, stories started to emerge which threaten to fragment an increasingly fractious fan-base as the matter of this club’s survival draws closer and closer to its den

And, let it be said, no less welcome. Since an international career rich in promise crashed and burned with ‘Grannygate’ all of five years ago, Irish football fans have long come to terms with the idea that they would never see Stephen Ireland in a green

Mr O'Riordain, who advised the previous government on the creation of NAMA and helped negotiate Ireland's bailout terms, was approached about the DAA chairman role last October by Transport Minister Leo Varadkar.He replaces David Dilger, who resigned las

He's an Italian who speaks pidgin English, but he is by far Ireland’s most popular man, especially after leading the Irish soccer team into the European nation’s championship finals next summer. When they face off against Spain, the World champions in Po