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Irish Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Barry McGuigan on being 'angry at God' as he reflects on daughter's death
Irish boxing great Barry McGuigan has opened up on the loss of his daughter from bowel cancer in 2019. Danika McGuigan was 33 years old when she passed away, with Barry having been outspoken on preserving her legacy by talking about her. McGuigan picked up the WBA and lineal featherweight belts in 1985, after defeating Eusebio Pedroza by unanimous decision in London. The Monaghan native is now a promoter and famously promoted Carl Frampton before the pair's falling out in 2017. He also founded the Professional Boxing Association. Viewers of last year's I'm A Celeb may remember a profound moment when he spoke about Nika, with the 64-year-old becoming emotional when asked about her. Speaking to Off the Ball, McGuigan said: "I can't talk about it, because if I talk about it I get upset. "It makes you just angry with God. I can't really explain any more, I spent my life dedicated to God and I feel so let down and so sad by what happened. "My brother died of suicide at 34, my father died at 52, my sister died in '21 with breast cancer, we've had a horrific, dreadful, dreadful time. "You ask yourself when is it gonna end, when is it gonna stop? It's hard to believe in anything when you have had a tough time like that."
The Irish Sun
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Leinster fans all have the same complaint after seeing Jordie Barrett in team to face Zebre in URC fixture
THERE'S been a lot of eye-rolling from Leinster fans upon seeing Jordie Barrett getting a recall to the starting XV for their match against Zebre. One week ago Leo Cullen made what turned out to be a critical error by benching the All Black for their 2 The Kiwi's seven-month sabbatical will come to a close at the end of the season 2 The return of Ryan Baird to the team is the other aspect that jumps out Credit: @leinsterrugby Having been the province's standout player across his time in the country, he was still one of their better players on the day despite only being introduced around the 50-minute mark. So it's understandable that seeing him now deemed well able for a starting spot in what's likely to be yet another URC regular season cakewalk strikes as a serious misuse of his abilities. One supporter pondered: "I remember last week hearing Jordie Barrett isn't allowed to start X amount of games for some reason. "Yet he starts at home vs Zèbre with 1st place already wrapped up. Strange all together." Read More On Irish Sport In a similar vein, Alan added: "Now he starts Barrett, a week too late (facepalm emoji)." Lastly, Will commented sarcastically: "Jordie Barrett no doubt raring to go vs Zebre after getting a bit of a rest last weekend." Frustration amongst those of a Leinster persuasion hasn't just been limited to supporters online. Brian O'Driscoll Most read in Rugby Union Speaking on Off the Ball during the week, he vented: Shocking moment enormous brawl breaks out in rubgy league after 'horrendous hit' "Robbie (Henshaw) wasn't having a terrible day but what Jordie Barrett has brought to the club, the performances he has had, the punch he gives is another dimension to Robbie's game. That is the reality. "I thought he was very good when he came on and he gave that go forward and brought that huge physicality. "It is something that they are going to have to live with and the criticism is fair because I think they got it wrong. "I've seen so much written about hands being tied around playing both players together and it is a tricky one having two international centres and bringing in an All-Black centre. "But the reality is I think when it comes to semi-finals and finals, you have to pick your very best players in form. "What must he have been thinking while the game was playing on, thinking I am not out there and I could really be doing a job. "Are we saying that it would have been different had he been out there? We will never know, but play your best players. "He is a marquee signing. Don't bench him for semi-finals and finals, that makes no sense. "Is he playing better rugby than Robbie Henshaw at the moment? Yeah I think no one would disagree with that, including Robbie. "I don't think Robbie would have had any problem being on the bench knowing how Jordie has played recently. I think that was a mistake." PORTER HELD The The Ireland prop was eventually introduced for He said: "I must say Andrew Porter not starting for me doesn't make sense either. He is a 75 minute international regularly. "What he brings you in the loose is phenomenal. I am not saying that just because Cian missed the jump on the [Will] Freeman first try. "Play your best team up front. I have never been of that mindset around we need to be loaded for the second-half. "It is easy retrospectively to say they had 12 points to catch up in the second-half and it is a lot of work to do and they do win the second-half 19-10 or whatever it was but don't put yourself in that position in the first place. "Leinster have put teams out of sight a lot by playing their best team. "I am not saying they were going to do that against Northampton but I have never been a subscriber to holding back better players on a bench and I don't think I ever will be."
Scottish Sun
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Huge chart-topping music star reveals desire to buy naming rights to iconic Scottish football stadium
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SINGER Amy Macdonald has suggested she would like to buy the naming rights for a Scots football stadium -- with Partick Thistle's Firhill home at the top of her list. The "This is The Life" singer said she was interested in finding out how much it would cost to have her name attached to a football ground. 3 Amy Macdonald has revealed she is looking to buy naming rights for a football stadium Credit: Getty 3 The singer is eyeing up Partick Thistle's Firhill Stadium, currently sponsored by car buying platform Wyre Credit: Willie Vass 3 Macdonald's husband Richard Foster played for Thistle for two years Credit: Kenny Ramsay She told BBC Radio Scotland's Off the Ball that Firhill would be her preference because it is closest to her home in Glasgow and because her husband, ex-footballer Richard Foster, had enjoyed a successful spell there as a player from 2020 to 2022. Macdonald, 37, said: "I actually want to find out how much the stadiums are charging because I think it would be funny. "Just because then you could make something called the Amy Macdonald Stadium. "It's like, Ed Sheeran sponsors Ipswich Town. "Their shirt front, they've always got his albums on it." Asked what stadium she would like her name above, she replied: "I think it would probably be Thistle to be fair. "It's close by and Richard had a great time there and he actually still goes and watches them quite regularly. "It's probably the nearest stadium." Responding to the suggestion the ground could be called "The Amy Macdonald Firhill Stadium", she replied: "It's got a ring to it." Macdonald may have to wait for her number one choice as Partick Thistle's home is already sponsored by car purchasing platform Wyre. Amy Macdonald hosts pop-up show at Glasgow shopping centre The famous ground in the Maryhill area of Glasgow is currently known as the Wyre Stadium at Firhill, as part of a three year deal signed in 2023. However, if the singer-songwriter was to pursue her interest in sponsoring a football club, she would be joining a long line of musicians to show their support for the beautiful game. In Scotland, Wet Wet Wet famously sponsored the shirts of their hometown club, Clydebank FC, in 1993. In 2010, big hearted Dundee band The View became sponsors of their old football team, Dryburgh Athletic Under 11s, after it emerged the kids couldn't afford to buy new strips. The band all grew up on the Dryburgh estate and singer Kyle Falconer and lead guitarist Pete Reilly both played for the under-11 side as children. Then in 2018, Scots rockers Mogwai sponsored St Roch's Primary and Deaf School in Glasgow with home and away kits by featuring the band's name as well as the school logo embroidered on the front. Elsewhere, in 1999, DJ Fatboy Slim invested in his local side Brighton, with his Skint Records label logo emblazoned on the shirts, and in 2017 Jake Bugg signed a 10-month shirt sponsorship deal with his beloved Notts County. In 2018, The Libertines linked up with Margate FC to launch a new kit featuring the band's logo and in 2021, Ed Sheeran showed his support for Ipswich Town with a sponsorship deal that will run to the end of the current 2024-25 season. Macdonald, from Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, has just released her first single since 2021, "Is This What You've Been Waiting For". Last week she launched her new album and a European tour with a pop-up gig in Glasgow's Princes Square shopping centre. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
