BOD and Amy Inc: How the ‘happy, outgoing' power couple built a €12m business brand
It is a match that is etched into Irish rugby lore. On St Patrick's weekend, 2000, Ireland ran riot against France in Paris and Brian O'Driscoll announced himself to the sporting world with a hat-trick of tries. After each one, he celebrated by cupping his hands in the shape of an 'O'.
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Republic of Ireland to face Northern Ireland in World Cup of Darts quarter-finals
The Republic of Ireland will take on Northern Ireland in the quarter-finals of the World Cup of Darts after both countries marched into the last eight on Saturday. Irish pair Keane Barry and Willie O'Connor comfortably defeated unseeded Switzerland's Stefan Bellmont and Alex Fehlmann 8-3 to maintain their progress. They were never troubled at the Eissporthalle in Frankfurt, but can expect a much sterner test in Sunday's quarters. The North, represented by Daryl Gurney and Josh Rock, are fourth seeds (Ireland are eighth) and really flexed their muscles to swat South Africa aside 8-3 in the last 16. Earlier Hong Kong powered past Sweden 8-4, and Czechia beat Malaysia 8-3. A total of 40 teams entered the tournament. England - spearheaded by Luke Littler and Luke Humphries - are favourites to retain their title. They go up against Germany in Saturday's evening quarter-final session, with Scotland playing the Netherlands, Wales facing Philippines, and Argentina squaring up to Australia.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
‘It is everything. It is why I do this' – Tiarnán O'Donnell claims PR2 gold at World Cup regatta
In the two-and-a-half years since he accepted an invitation from the great Ireland pararower Katie O'Brien to switch from wheelchair basketball to rowing, O'Donnell (26) has excelled. He took silver in the PR2 single sculls in two World Cup regattas in 2024, and the 26-year-old today won gold in Varese, with a dominant performance. He was the one Irish representative at this regatta. 'Rowing is a much different sport (to wheelchair basketball). I think a little bit harder,' he told World Rowing. 'Finally I got a gold!' His family, gathered around him at the venue, cheered, and O'Donnell said the support they give is vital. 'It is everything. It is why I do this. Whether I get a bronze, a silver, or no medal at all, I do it for my family, so they can share this with me. It's really special,' said O'Donnell. He said he could hear the crowd cheering him as he rowed. 'You usually only hear them for the last five hundred metres, but because they're Irish you hear them from 1,000 metres away!' The PR2 is not a Paralympic or World Championship event. O'Donnell and O'Brien, who has been out of action this season so far, teamed up to take eighth place in the PR2 mixed double in Paris last year, and the Irishman hopes to compete in the PR2 double at the World Rowing Championships in September. '(The) A Final is always the goal. And if we are fast enough, hopefully, a medal.' After winning the preliminary race on Friday in a new personal best of eight minutes 41.8 seconds, O'Donnell said he wanted to set a new benchmark. 'The goal was 8:50 and I almost broke 8:40, so that's the goal [in the final],' he told Rowing Ireland. He set off at 45 strokes per minute and reached his goal with plenty to spare. His winning time was 8:36.61, over six seconds ahead of young scullers from Uzbekistan and Turkey, who took silver and bronze. ADVERTISEMENT The determined Irishman overcame the loss of his right leg to excel at sport using a prosthetic. 'I was diagnosed with a rare tumour when I was very, very young. I battled it for 15 years,' he told the Irish Independent last year. 'Eventually, I made the decision I was finished with fighting. We had tried every option. I made a decision to amputate it. It's the best decision I ever made.' He competed in a number of disciplines before his potential as a rower was spotted. 'I got a DM on Instagram from Katie O'Brien. She saw a photo of me at a blade-running [event]. She said 'I think you'd be great at rowing. You've a perfect body type for rowing, or whatever.' 'I didn't really consider it because I was playing international basketball at the time. She told me, 'come see me at the Irish Indoors (rowing championships) and see how I get on, I'll try and convince you'. She broke the world record that day! 'So I was, like, this girl is serious business. So I told her 'once I finish my degree, I will come rowing'. That's where the journey started.'
Irish Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Leinster drama, Lions star injury scare, fitness test ahead of URC Final
Leinster have scheduled a fitness test for one of the top players just hours ahead of their URC Grand Final clash with Bulls. Jamison Gibson-Park has been struggling with a niggle during the week and was scheduled to re-join full-training yesterday, Friday. Following not completing the session, Leinster have decided to give him a further test on the morning of the game. The scrum-half has started seven of the Blues' URC games this season and featured as a sub in another two while he was ever-present in the seven match Champions Cup campaign. Considered very much a key cog in the game plan, his hurry-hurry style has been seen as central to Leinster's being able to move bigger teams - and the Bulls are a big team - about the park while his experience has been a valuable foil for young out-half Sam Prendergast at both club and international level. Luke McGrath is on stand-by and will be promoted from the bench should JGP fail to make the 5pm kick-off game while Cormac Foley or Fintan Gunne are likely to be asked to sit on the bench. Should Gibson-Park be declared fit, Leinster would have nine Lions among their 13 Irish internationals in the starting line-up. Eight of those Ireland star are on IRFU central contact. Add the best All Black on the planet Barrett and Leinster's in-form but as yet uncapped Tommy O'Brien to make XV. Opposite this Jake White has picked a forward-oriented side which has six Springboks in the side albeit none of the big RWC the forwards on the bench look a decidedly weak unit compared to the international Ronan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Slimani, Snyman, Max Deegan it's ironic that South African rugby has revelled in the Bomb Squad notion, it is Leinster who actually have the heavyweights on the line - it has the ironic feel of somebody offering you an Irish whisky that's been made in talked up out-half Johan Goosen during the week and pointed out he was a teenage 'prodigy' but his career never panned is ability there but Rassie Erasmus hasn't touched him for eight years while scrum-half Embrose Papier is rated by Erasmus either and he hasn't been next nor year a Boks cap for six 'Boks stars in the back are just that, Willie le Roux and Can Moodie but an uncapped centre pairing in David Kriel and Harold Vorster are facing Ringrose and Barrett. Meanwhile Stephen Ferris, a noted harsh critic of Leinster in the past - perhaps their harshest critic - can't see Bulls having enough to cause a surprise. 'The reality is it will be a huge, huge upset if the Bulls come to Dublin and overturn Leinster and win. "That would make it five years in a row that Leinster have finished a season without a trophy. There is so much to play for. There are so many elements to this Final, it should be a fire-cracker of a game.'There's brilliant match-ups all over the pitch but I can't look any further than the front row."Wilco Louw, Johan Grobbelaar and Jan-Hendrik Wessels destroyed a World-Cup winning front row at Sharks last weekend - now they're up against expected Lions starter Andrew Porter as well as Dan Sheehan and Thomas Clarkson.'The Bulls are very set piece dominant. It's all about the scrum and big guys getting on top of the opposition, eking out penalties, getting good field position and trying to launch off it.' Beating Leinster wouldn't just be down to skill either, it would require a game plan and sticking to it when the heat comes on. 'They can't just give Leinster easy opportunities. It's going to be more about what's between the ears. 'The coaches will be trying to get the mental parity of their players right and to make sure they peak at the right time – to ensure they are not going through the motions but that the attention to detail is absolutely spot on. 'There are some key players for Bulls - Sebastian de Klerk for one, he is in fabulous form. Plus Johan Goosen at 10 who gives them that really strong kicking game and percentages as well." Former Ireland international Ferris is predicting the South African side won't be afraid of the 'three-six-nine' mantra. 'The thing about the Bulls is they are extremely efficient. Expect Bulls to take three points when they are on offer pretty regularly."They might only get three or four (tray-scoring) opportunities in a game - but they will take two of them, they have a high success rate. Leinster will have to sharpen up on their efficiency when they are in the right areas. 'The Bulls will be fully focused on trying to be physically dominant like they were last year, make impact tackles, back their defence and stop Leinster's big runners on the gain line and if they do that hopefully it will stem any flowing attack that Leinster might bring. "I see Leinster winning this by at least one score - I'd really like to see them lift the trophy.' Leinster (v Bulls, Croke Park, 5pm, Saturday, TG4, SuperSport, Premier Sports, Flo Rugby & Jimmy O'Brien, Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe, Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Thomas Clarkson, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (CAPT)Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ross Byrne, Jamie OsborneVodacom Bulls: Willie le Roux, Canon Moodie, David Kriel, Harold Vorster, Sebastian de Klerk, Johan Goosen, Embrose Papier, Jan-hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar, Wilco Louw, Cobus Wiese, JF van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Ruan Nortje (CAPT), Marcell CoetzeeReplacements: Akker van der Merwe, Alulutho Tshakweni, Mornay Smith, Jannes Kirsten, Nizaam Carr, Zak Burger, Keagan Johannes, Devon WilliamsReferee: Andrea Piardi (FIR, 55th league game).VERDICT: Leinster to win comfortably, Bulls don't have the bench to extend the game past the hour.
