Luxembourg rocked ahead of Ireland friendly as striker controversially called up after domestic abuse conviction
Ireland's international friendly opponents Luxembourg have been drawn into a major controversy ahead of their match at home to the Republic next week with complaints over a call-up for striker Gerson Rodrigues after he was convicted of domestic abuse.
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Dublin Live
an hour ago
- Dublin Live
Carlow shooter named as local man, 22, who was facing firearms charges
The man who opened fire in a Carlow shopping centre before taking his own life has been identified. Detectives are now satisfied the gunman behind the horror incident on Sunday evening was Carlow man Evan Fitzgerald. Mr Fitzgerald, 22, was due to make a court appearance on 13 firearms and explosive charges later this week. He was due to have the book of evidence in the case presented to him at Naas District Court on Wednesday – which meant he was to stand trial in front of a judge and jury later this year. He was charged under anti firearms and explosives legislation and was facing up to 14 years behind bars if he was convicted. But the case against him cannot now proceed. Mr Fitzgerald was 22 and had an address at Portrushen Upper, Kiltegan, Rathvilly, Co Carlow, close to the border with Wicklow. It is about 27 kilometres from the Fairgreen Shopping Centre in Carlow Town, where he caused panic on Sunday evening. (Image: An Garda Siochana) We have confirmed that Mr Fitzgerald was on bail on serious firearms and explosives charges when he went to Fairgreen and opened fire. Sources tell us gardai now believe he did not intend to target anyone else in the incident – which officers now think was a gruesome public suicide. "He did not shoot at anyone else and we believe he did not want to. The shots he fired were not aimed at anyone," a source told us. The steel worker – who a court previously heard had a fascination with guns – was charged over an incident at Staffan in Co Kildare last year. Detectives from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau charged Mr Fitzgerald over the incident in which officers seized a German-made Heckler and Koch G3 assault rifle and an America Colt M1911 semi automatic pistol. A court heard the guns were seized following an intelligence-led operation into alleged firearms trafficking. Gardaí, including from DOCB and The Emergency Response Unit, conducted a controlled stop on a vehicle and seized the firearms and ammunition, the court heard. (Image: An Garda Siochana) Mr Fitzgerald, who was on bail, last appeared in court on May 7 and was remanded to this coming Wednesday. He was facing 13 charges. Two were for allegedly possessing the firearms at Ponsonby Bridge, Straffan Road, Co. Kildare on March 2 last year. He also faced two separate charges of possessing 22 rounds of .45 ACP calibre ammunition and 20 rounds of .308 Winchester ammunition on the same date and location. Mr Fitzgerald was also facing a further nine charges, all also allegedly committed on March 2 last year – but this time it is alleged they were committed at Portrushen Upper, Kiltegan, Rathvilly, Co Carlow, Mr Fitzgerald was alleged to have possessed: 23 rounds of Ammunition Suitable for use in Appropriately Chambered Rifles Sixty nine shotgun cartridges Four rounds for pistol and revolvers One round of .450" Calibre Bullet suitable for use in Large Bore Centrefire Rifles One magazine suitable for use in 7.62x39mm Calibre AK-47 rifles One magazine suitable for use in Tokarev Calibre TT-33 Pistols One Magazine suitable for use in Makarov Calibre PM Pistols The explosive substance of Potassium Nitrate, Sulphur and Charcoal (Black Powder) explosive mixture The explosive substance of Ammonium Perchlorate, Potassium Perchlorate, Sulphur and Magnalium. He had not yet entered any plea in the case and no evidence was heard at the May 7 appearance. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Colman Noctor: Using a sports psychology game plan to manage exam stress
In the heat of exam season, students will grapple with anxiety, self-doubt, and the pressure to perform. The stress can closely mirror the psychological battles faced by athletes competing at the highest levels. While sports psychology is used to enhance athletic performance, it also offers a rich toolkit of mental strategies that can boost academic performance and help students cope with intense pressure. From goal setting to visualisation, from self-talk to arousal regulation, the principles that help elite athletes perform under pressure can also be effective for students preparing for state exams. The connection between sports and academic exam performance might seem tenuous. One involves physical prowess, the other intellectual rigour. However, the psychological demands are strikingly similar. Athletes and students must prepare over extended periods, perform under pressure, manage expectations, recover from setbacks, and maintain focus over time. One of the core principles in sports psychology, a discipline founded by American Coleman Griffith in the 1920s, is effective goal setting. Athletes often break down long-term aspirations, such as qualifying for the Olympics, in to a series of smaller, manageable goals. Similarly, students can benefit from setting SMART goals: Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Rather than vaguely aim to 'do well in my exams', a student might set specific targets, like completing a past exam paper in a day or mastering a topic within three days. This approach can create direction and help sustain motivation, especially when the exam date is looming and they are feeling overwhelmed. Also, ticking off these mini goals from your to-do list can boost their sense of accomplishment, a key predictor of performance under pressure. Elite athletes use visualisation, or imagery, to mentally rehearse their performance before stepping on to the field. According to Canadian performance psychologist Terry Orlick, if an athlete can visualise themselves successfully executing a particular skill, that activates similar neural pathways to the ones used during the actual performance. For example, when golfer Rory McIlroy is standing over a crucial putt, he would have been encouraged by his sports psychologist, Bob Rotella, to visualise the previous putts he had successfully executed, rather than flood his mind with the ones that he had missed. For students, visualisation can be adapted in multiple ways. One technique could involve imagining sitting calmly during the exam, confidently answering questions, and managing time effectively. Another involves mentally rehearsing the steps needed to solve a complex problem. Visualisation is believed to not only reduce anxiety, but also improve recall and problem-solving speed. One of the central concepts in sports psychology is the relationship between arousal (a physiological and psychological state of alertness) and performance. The inverted-U hypothesis, first proposed by psychologists Robert Yerkes and John Dodson in 1908, suggests that performance increases with arousal to an optimal point, after which further arousal can be detrimental. For athletes, this means finding the right level of intensity. If they are too relaxed, they risk underperforming, and if they are too tense, they could freeze or make errors. The same applies to exams. Mild anxiety can sharpen focus, but excessive stress can cloud thinking and impair memory and concentration. Students can learn to regulate their arousal levels through techniques like controlled breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness meditation. These help to bring the body back to a state where performance is optimised. Positive affirmation Athletes often rely on self-talk to boost confidence and focus during competitions. Phrases like, 'I've trained for this' or 'I can handle this moment' can help them manage pressure and redirect negative thoughts. The same approach can apply to students who experience self-doubt. They, too, can use affirmations and constructive self-talk to build resilience. This technique can be used to counter negative inner dialogue, such as, 'I'm going to fail', which is common before exams. Replacing these thoughts with statements like, 'I'm prepared and capable' or 'I've done the work' can create a more self-supportive mental environment. This practice is not about naive optimism, but about reminding oneself of genuine preparation and real strengths. Elite athletes often use pre-performance routines to help focus and block out distractions. Like tennis players who bounce the ball before serving or a rugby kicker methodically stepping back to approach the ball, they're not just following superstition; they're engaging in a ritual that helps ground their attention and engage their muscle memory. Students can apply similar routines before study sessions and exams to enhance their performance. Perhaps a few minutes of deep breathing and organising of materials can help shift the brain in to 'performance mode'. Similarly, a pre-exam routine that incorporates controlled breathing can help maintain calmness and clarity. Another overlap between sports psychology and exam preparation is the ability to plan a response to inevitable adversity. There will be failures and setbacks in sports and exams. What distinguishes successful performers is not the absence of failure, but the response to it. Sports psychology interventions can make a crucial difference to performance, according to a recent review of the sports psychology literature by Italian scientist Dr Selenia di Fronso, from the Department of Medicine at the University of Chieti, Italy. One such intervention is promoting a growth mindset, where challenges and mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning rather than threats to self-worth. Reflecting on mistakes without ruminating and then adjusting your strategy to maintain effort are core aspects of athletic training and exam preparation. Adopting the mindset of an athlete does not mean treating exams as a battlefield or pushing oneself to the point of exhaustion. Instead, it involves intentional preparation, mental discipline, and practices like breathing and visualisation to manage high levels of arousal and gain clarity in stressful situations. Encouraging students to incorporate sports psychology techniques in to their academic routines is not just about memorising facts; it is about training their minds to handle pressure, stay focused, and perform at their best when it counts most. A day of rest Another metaphor from the sporting world is the importance of taking breaks. In any fitness regimen, rest days are crucial for progress. The brain is like a muscle: It needs to relax to refill. And, much like a muscle in your body that is being trained, it needs time to repair and grow back stronger. Many stressed students fail to see the value in rest periods and so will try to power through, even though they are unable to retain new information. Reminding them of the risks of over-training a muscle can help them to see the necessity of rest periods and ease the guilt sometimes associated with taking breaks so close to the exam period. Marathoners do not run five marathons the week before the race — they conserve their energy by doing shorter runs in the lead-up to the big day. In an era of rising academic stress and competition, the need for effective coping and performance strategies has never been greater. The field of sports psychology, which was once confined to the locker room, can also serve a purpose in the exam hall. By harnessing these principles, students are not only preparing for exams, they are also developing life skills that will serve them far beyond the first three weeks in June. If your child comes to you in a panic about the state exams, there may not be time to cover the whole curriculum. Still, there is scope to help them manage these acute, panicky feelings and remind them of the skill set used by elite athletes to keep the mind calm when the central nervous system is spiralling in to overdrive. I've used sports psychology tips with exam students in recent years, and many have reported that they found them helpful. Hopefully, your child will report the same once they reach the finish line. Dr Colman Noctor is a child psychotherapist
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
New Ireland call-up responds to Stephen Bradley's 'worst I've ever seen him' criticism
NEW IRELAND call-up Josh Honohan admits he did not have his best game against Galway on Friday after his manager, Stephen Bradley, criticised the performance. The Shamrock Rovers boss was left unimpressed by the 24-year-old's display in the 0-0 draw with Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson and assistant John O'Shea watching on at Tallaght Stadium. 'He was awful. That's the worst I've seen Josh,' Bradley said after the game. 'That's the worst I've ever seen him. I've watched him for Cork [City], obviously before we signed him, we signed him here. That's the worst I've seen him. He was extremely poor. 'It's not nice, but he's been brilliant for us. He's obviously got his call-up, deserved it. He's doing great, well done, but he was a million miles off what he has been in every aspect, and it's not good enough.' Honohan addressed the Hoops coach's comments when on Ireland media duty on Monday. 'The manager has been here for a good couple of years now, and a massive reason the club has been so successful is that the manager has set the standard in the club,' Honohan told reporters. Advertisement 'He does set high standards, he holds lads accountable, and when you do come off that standard, like last Friday, he holds people accountable, and that's the standard he has and that's the standard I have for myself. 'The other night, I didn't have my best game. But I'm just focused now on the next game after that, trying to improve and getting back to that standard.' Honohan denied that the presence of Hallgrímsson and O'Shea in the crowd had any influence on his display. 'No, I've said numerous times in the past that I treat every game the same, I didn't know the manager or John O'Shea was in the stand. I just focus on Galway. Like I said, as a team, we had an off day, myself, as an individual, I had an off day, but I wouldn't say that affected me at all.' In general, Bradley has been complimentary of Honohan and touted him for a place in the Ireland squad long before it came to fruition. But the former Cork City player was not necessarily expecting an imminent call-up and had booked a trip abroad for the League of Ireland's mid-season break. 'I was planning on going away to Malaga to get a bit of sun, but I'm not complaining, I'm delighted to be here,' he said. Honohan, who can play wing-back or centre-half, has attracted interest from clubs in the UK, owing to his recent performances for Shamrock Rovers both domestically and in Europe. Bradley also recently acknowledged that it would be difficult to keep hold of the in-demand star, and when asked about the possibility of a move, Honohan diplomatically said: 'I just want to become the best player that I can be.' It's fair to say the Carrigaline native has been a late developer, with his only club footballing experience so far coming on these shores. 'I never went to the UK, I've always been in Ireland,' he said. 'I played with Carrigaline United until I was 16, and I was lucky I had great coaching down there, and then, I went to Cork City, the academy, had brilliant managers there, and I think that is definitely something that helped me. 'Having versatility playing different positions, I was lucky enough to have brilliant managers and coaches to help me with that in the academy, and then I played with Cork and came to Shamrock Rovers last year, and the standards they set, the manager, and the rest of the staff there have improved me. 'The coaching I've had since I was young has always been at a really high level. I've never been to the UK, but I've never looked at it like it was a negative.'
