#sport-ireland

#sport-ireland

"It's right up there with some of my proudest achievements," she says of the street art. "It's coming up seven years and even with the Dunfermline weather, it's still managed to stay on."

Next month marks the 15th anniversary of that surreal Sunday when James Horan made his first summer statement as Mayo manager. The start of a riotous, roller-coaster decade embracing seven All-Ireland finals, one draw, six defeats and an infinity of 'what ifs'.

Brian Cody's views on the media at large, or at least that wretched part of it tasked with covering hurling, were dim. Roughly similar in wattage to Bobby Knight.

INTO members warned the GAA that while they were not telling the organisation what to do, the Cumann na mBunscol competition is in INTO-run schools and teachers find it unacceptable for a major firm, which has investment links to Israeli weapons firm Elbit Systems, should be sponsoring an Irish children's competition.

I feel like my game's okay. The last week has gone well. Practice has gone well. But as we all know, that doesn't mean anything when you send out a first tee on Thursday.

Ireland are Triple Crown winners for the 15th time thanks to a 12th consecutive win over Scotland, whose long search for success in Dublin will stretch into its 18th year before they get another chance to end their dismal record.

"You are playing in front of a sold-out crowd at Allianz, you have just won a World Cup, and the next minute you are back playing over the road in front of a slither of the amount of people."

Gabriel Adebambo is on the hunt for a golden ticket to see Ireland in Prague on Thursday night, joining thousands of supporters making the trip.

The Irish government will give 2,000 artists unrestricted weekly stipends in a program officials described as a "recognition, at government level, of the important role of the arts in Irish society." After a successful three-year pilot, the Irish government made its basic income program for artists permanent. Similar pilots have been launched here in the United States, but they're supported primarily by the nonprofit sector.

Nathan Collins is having a good season. Captain of both Brentford and the Republic of Ireland, Collins is dreaming of Europe with his club and the World Cup with his country. Despite losing long-time manager Thomas Frank and strikers Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa in the summer, Brentford go into the weekend seventh in the Premier League.

Andy Farrell has unveiled the true extend of Ireland's injury issues ahead of the upcoming Six Nations as he issues a recall for Harry Byrne, Robert Baloucoune, Tom Stewart and Jeremy Loughman.

Connor Parsons of Bohemians, right, celebrates with teammates Dayle Rooney, left, and Patrick Hickey after scoring their side's first goal during the SSE Airtricity Premier Division match against Shamrock Rovers at Dalymount Park.

Gaelic games coaching is increasingly benefiting from a different perspective. Some time in the future, Shane Keegan can see the current Donegal manager Jim McGuinness taking charge of a League of Ireland soccer team. And in that future, there's a place for the current Limerick hurling coach Paul Kinnerk as a coach.

They say sport and politics don't mix. Last week's draw placing Ireland alongside the Israel national football team in the UEFA Nations League has been greeted with a shrug from officialdom.