Author Archives: Aaron McAllorum

904344409043445390434447-190434444

This afternoon.

Aviva Lansdowne Road Nua, Dublin 4

The announcement of Ireland’s entry into the ‘candidate’ phase of the selection process to determine the host for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. An all-island bid will compete against France and South Africa to host the championship.

Wedgie!

From Top: Taoiseach Enda Kenny and unidentified; Enda Kenny; from left: Enda Kenny, former Tanaiste and rugby international Dick Spring, Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness and Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross; Martin Mc Guinness, former Ireland Rugby International Brian O Driscoll, Enda Kenny and Dick Spring.

Rugby World Cup 2023: Ireland ready to stage a tournament ‘like no other’ (Irish Times)

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

ire-nz

For the weekend that’s in it.

January 20th, 1973.

Snatching a draw from jaws of yet another defeat to the all-conquering All Blacks.

When some of the goys played twice a week such was the demands of the amateur game at the time.

Paul MacWeeney reported:

The All Blacks can kick themselves all the way back to New Zealand for allowing Ireland to snatch a draw, with two penalty goals and a try to a goal and a try, six minutes from the end at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

Completley inflexable thinking cost Kirkpatrick and his team the glittering prize of becoming the first from their country to beat all four HOME countries on a single tour, and assuming that the captain is the final arbiter of policy once play has started,

Kirkpatrick, one of the greatest forwards of history, must shoulder much of the blame for not ending with a margain of at least 10 points.

Harsh.

Meanwhile..

Earlier that week,

tarf-report

The “good leg“.

Ireland v New Zealand (RTÉ Sport)

screen-shot-2016-10-27-at-10-51-42

The Irish Sun reports:

Katie Taylor has signed a professional deal with Matchroom Boxing.

SunSport revealed on Tuesday that the Bray puncher was on the verge of signing the dotted line, and that has been confirmed this morning.

In fairness.

Confirmed: Katie Taylor signs professional deal with Matchroom Boxing (The Irish Sun)

tea-in-the-supermarket

Two years ago the BBC reported on shocking working and living conditions in tea estates in Assam, India.

Helena Tubridy (above} wondered where Barry’s sources its tea.

And waited.

Via The Dublin Inquirer

Neither Barry’s Tea nor Lyons was willing to share the exact names of all the tea estates that they source from.

Lyons gets some from Kenya, some from Sri Lanka, and some from Assam, said Adam Fisher, the media relations manager at Unilever, which owns Lyons.

“We source from an array of tea estates and though it isn’t possible to give you the names of all of them Lyons is mostly sourced from East Africa, including Kericho,” he said. It is fully Rainforest Alliance-certified, though….

Barry’s Tea, which is not Rainforest Alliance-certified, didn’t provide a list either. It sources 90 percent of its tea from East Africa and 10 percent from India, said spokesperson Camille O’Flanagan. “We work with some of the most reputable tea estates in every region.”

*slurp*

Where Do Barry’s Tea and Lyons Get Their Tea From? (Dublin Inquirer)

The bitter story behind the UK’s national drink (BBC News)

delaney

Pat Hickey (left) and John Delaney

The OCI appointed Deloitte to conduct an independent review of the organisation’s governance arrangements last month.

The findings of the report are due for discussion by an OCI Executive Board meeting this week. That meeting could take place as early as tomorrow.

This report was requested on the back of the controversy over the alleged mis-selling of Rio Olympics tickets.

Report on governance of OCI has been completed (RTE)

Surprise as John Delaney steps down as OCI vice-president (Irish Times)

Previously: The Longest Head Start In Fugitive History

‘John Delaney Could Run Anything’

stream_img

With their silky skills.

Ahmed Soda (top), age 11, and his family moved to Belfast late last year, fleeing the war in Syria.

In January, Ahmed tried out for football at local club Patrick Sarsfields, and despite some early jitters, has settled into the game helping the club break a dry spell in local under-12 silverware.

Ahmed, from the besieged city of Aleppo, also picked up a hurley for the first time in June, and is a natural, according to coaches.

Send him back.

Earlier: Dan Boyle: Who Are We And Who Are They?

covershopify_1024x1024

Stuck for an early stocking filler?

Ciaran writes:

2016 may be the most grim year in living memory but here’s how to end it on a high. The Second Captains Sports Annual, Volume 2 is packed full of all the stuff that made the year memorable in a positive sense…yes, mainly Robbie Brady’s goals at the Euros. Check out the video [above] for a sneak peak but be warned, you may shed a tear...

Mmf.

Pre-order here

13735076_617970378363524_3013097326948914302_o

NO.

Where will they all sleep?

Ian Healy writes:

Myself and a few other expats (some featured above) in London are coming to run the Dublin Marathon on Halloween weekend and collect that sweet centenary medal at the finish line.

We met through a free fitness group called Project Awesome, which is inspired by the November Project in America.

There are groups in London, Bristol and Edinburgh and we meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week in London at 06:30 am so we decided to co-ordinate a workout on the Friday before the marathon (28th October). Surprisingly, Dublin City Council have given us access to use their space on Wood Quay

PA is all about the positive power of the mix of community, fun and fitness. We’ll be there at 06:30 and running a free workout until about 07:15, and we then always go for coffee and breakfast as a group afterwards.

People of all ages and fitness levels are welcome – I was a couch potato until I started going along back in November.

It’s a one-off event for now, but the aim is to find someone to run it long-term. If not, a few of us are moving to Dublin in the next year or so, and will happily set it up and lead it anyway.

Project Awesome Dublin Special (Facebook)

cuhv70exyaaqcwg-jpg-large

Lance Armstrong argues chats to Off The Ball’s anchorman Ger Gilroy, on Denis FM Newstalk tonight from 7pm.

Fight!

Listen here.

Meanwhile..

Retired rugby legend and career-long Brian O’Driscoll wingman Gordon Darcy, throwing some shade Paul Kimmage’s way in light of Dan Carter’s supposed sanctioned steroid use at Racing Metro.

Ruck!