Dan Sheehan: ‘The French don’t wish you bad. They’re just looking for a good game’
What a game to kick off the Six Nations and the Six Nations is so special,” Sheehan says. They’re just looking for a good game and they’re just excited to see a good match,” he says. Ireland's Dan Sheehan comes up against France's Uini Atonio and Francois Cros in last year's Six Nations match against France. [ France are the Six Nations team to beat despite Uini Atonio setbackOpens in new window ]“Yeah, it’s pretty tragic. So, it definitely put things in perspective, that rugby’s not the most important thing.”Asked if he had any dealings with Atonio, Sheehan said: “He’s always been the friendly character.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 19:31 UTC
Sam and Cian Prendergast to start for Ireland against France
Sam Prendergast and Cian Prendergast have been named in the Ireland team to play France on Thursday night. In all, there are seven changes to the starting XV, and eight to the matchday 23, for Thursday night’s Six Nations opener against France in Paris (kick-off 8.10pm Irish time). Joe McCarthy returns after missing the November Tests after a foot operation, with James Ryan shifting to a 6-2 bench. We have played at the Stade de France many times and it’s a terrific stadium with an incredible atmosphere. Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Michael Milne, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 18:53 UTC
Fraud conviction not the end of the road for Catherine O’Brien
Last month, in a Waterford courtroom, the past caught up with Catherine O’Brien. The Buttevant woman — the subject of Irish Examiner investigations for several years, including the podcast series Catherine the Fake — received a 25-month prison sentence for fraud. But this is not the end of the story. As Ann Murphy reports, a judgment ordering O’Brien to repay €300,000 to the estate of a now-deceased woman — who loaned her the money based on their friendship — has returned to focus. Ann Murphy joins the Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast today to discuss the case.
Source:Irish Examiner
February 03, 2026 18:35 UTC
Zulu king demands migrants leave South Africa
South Africa's Zulu king has sparked outrage after demanding that migrants leave the country following violent clashes near his home. Although the 51-year-old holds no formal political power, his words carry significant weight among South Africa's 12 million Zulus, who view him as a custodian of tradition and a powerful moral authority. The unrest erupted after anti-immigration campaigners accused Addington Primary School of giving priority to the children of migrants over South African pupils. Xenophobia has long plagued South Africa, with repeated outbreaks of violence against migrants over the past decade. South Africa's unemployment rate remains among the highest in the world, hovering at around 33 per cent.
Source:Daily Mail
February 03, 2026 18:29 UTC
Electric car sales in Ireland overtake petrol and diesel
The top selling electric car was the Volkswagen ID.4, followed by the Hyundai Inster 3 and the Kia EV3. TeslaTesla vehicles, usually ranking highly among most popular electric cars, were absent from the top 10 best selling new electric cars. Meanwhile, BYD, the Chinese company which took the crown as the world’s largest electric car manufacturer from Tesla, was the fourth best selling electric car brand in January with 716 new registrations. Ireland's electric car marketSIMI director general Brian Cooke said the year has started off “promisingly” for the new car market with electric cars, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids all seeing “significant growth”. “Their market share accounted for nearly two-thirds of new car sales in January, with the combined market share of traditional petrol and diesel cars falling to 33%.
Source:Irish Examiner
February 03, 2026 18:27 UTC
After the floods, Micheál Martin makes a raft of promises
Martin promised to hang it in Leinster House, as requested, to remind him of his promises to the people of Enniscorthy. Senior Ministers, including Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, meet today to assess the flooding situation and to discuss how the Government plans to tackle the matter. Meanwhile, the Coalition is to sign off on higher grants to assist flood victims at an incorporeal meeting today. PlaybookNo Dáil, Seanad or Cabinet meeting today as Leinster House largely remains in a post-bank holiday slumber. The commissioners will meet Minister for Finance Simon Harris and Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon while in Dublin today.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 18:21 UTC
Alicia Silverstone saves life of pregnant dog and her 12 puppies hours before scheduled euthanasia
Alicia Silverstone was instrumental in saving the life of a dog and her 12 puppies mere hours before her scheduled euthanasia at a San Bernardino animal shelter due to overcrowding. 'The day they were going to kill her, she happened to have her babies, which is kinda crazy,' marveled Silverstone. The A Merry Little Ex-Mas producer-star urged her fans to 'stop going to breeders, stop going to pet stores and just rescue.' Last Thursday, the National Film Registry announced they inducted the Golden Globe nominee's breakthrough 1995 film Clueless for preservation by the Library of Congress along with 25 other 'culturally, historically or aesthetically significant' works. Silverstone also devotes much of her time preaching the benefits of the plant-based movement through her blog, The Kind Life.
Source:Daily Mail
February 03, 2026 18:16 UTC
New model of care could reduce ADHD waiting lists for children
Photograph: CollinsA new model of care is needed to reduce waiting lists for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other neurodivergent conditions who are often “pushed to the back of the queue”, the Government Minister with responsibility for mental health has said. Minister of State Mary Butler described 2026 as a “pivotal” year for mental health, largely due to the forthcoming enactment of the Mental Health Bill. “And when you have somebody who’s involuntarily detained, they are ill, they’re very, very ill. About 50,000 people per year seek mental health support for the first time through EDs, some of whom do not receive timely treatment and leave. “Often in the evening times, non-consultant hospital doctors are doing their rotation in the emergency department and they may not be specialising in mental health,” she said.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 18:02 UTC
A powerful itch: Bulls using electricity poles for relief among 1,500 outages due to animals
A bull scratching itself was one of dozens of cases involving cattle and horses using ESB infrastructure to ease their itch, according to an internal log of incidents from November 2024 to October 2025. Photograph: GettySwans flying into overhead wires and bulls using electricity poles as scratching posts are among the more unusual causes of power cuts that have occurred around Ireland. It was one of dozens of cases involving cattle and horses using ESB infrastructure to ease their itch, according to an internal log of incidents from November 2024 to October 2025. Other animals implicated in power outages included squirrels, mice and rats, as well as one disconnection to remove a bee nest. Birds caused “a lot of damage” during one incident in Cratloe in Limerick, according to the log from ESB Networks.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 17:54 UTC
OpenAI’s ChatGPT push triggers senior staff exits
OpenAI is prioritising the advancement of ChatGPT over more long-term research, prompting the departure of senior staff as the $500 billion (€423 billion) company adapts to stiff competition from rivals such as Google and Anthropic. The changes at OpenAI mark an important shift for a group where ChatGPT emerged from a research preview in 2022 before igniting the generative AI boom. Led by chief executive Sam Altman, it is evolving from a research lab into one of Silicon Valley’s biggest companies. That means the company must prove to investors it will earn the revenues needed to justify a $500 billion valuation. Over the past year, other projects unrelated to language models have been wound down, one person said.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 17:46 UTC
Trump calls for Republican officials to ‘take over’ elections
“We should take over the voting, the voting in at least many – 15 places. The president’s claims of election fraud have been debunked over and over, by both independent reviews and Republican officials. A review of the 2024 election by the Trump administration that began last year had found little evidence of widespread voting fraud by noncitizens as of last month. Trump’s escalated remarks about elections come at a moment when Democrats have outperformed the GOP in a series of contests. Trump has made little secret of his interest in expanding the federal government’s role in administering American elections.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 17:44 UTC
Football chiefs to vote on drastic new measures to clamp down on time-wasting by goalkeepers and during substitutions
IFAB are to hold their annual meeting in Wales, where ballot on a proposal which would allow referees to countdown throw-ins and goal kicks. In circumstances where the official believes time-wasting is going on, they could susbequently give a five-second countdown with their fingers. Because, unlike outfield players, goalkeepers cannot be forced off the field, such behaviour can often give teams the opportunity to regroup. A proposal to ensure an outfield player would have to lead the field for 30 seconds when goalkeepers require treatment has been raised. The board will also vote on whether players can be permitted to wear jewellery, as long as it is covered by tape.
Source:Daily Mail
February 03, 2026 17:36 UTC
Prostate cancer: I had a medical to renew my driver's licence and discovered I had cancer
Prostate cancer: I had a medical to renew my driver's licence and discovered I had cancerSince Joe Coyle got his prostate cancer diagnosis, he’s used his love of the outdoors and leading hikes to urge men to get their prostate checkedJoe Coyle wearing his 'Get Your Prostate Checked' T-shirt on a hikeKathy Donaghy Today at 06:30A requirement that he do a medical to update his driving licence led to a prostate cancer diagnosis for Joe Coyle. Since then, he’s walked hundreds of miles to remind men of the importance of getting their prostate checked.
Source:Irish Independent
February 03, 2026 17:33 UTC
Walmart’s market value hits $1 trillion for the first time
Walmart’s market capitalisation has surpassed $1 trillion, putting the largest US retail chain in an exclusive club dominated by tech groups. Photograph: Brandon Bell/Getty ImagesWalmart’s market capitalisation has surpassed $1 trillion (€850 billion), putting the largest US retail chain in an exclusive club dominated by tech groups. Walmart’s market valuation remains well below the $2.6 trillion of Amazon market, the biggest company in ecommerce. Nvidia tops the list, with a market value of about $4.5 trillion, followed by Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet and Broadcom. Eli Lilly briefly joined the $1 trillion club last year but has slipped below the threshold over the past few months.
Source:The Irish Times
February 03, 2026 17:17 UTC
Teagasc hosts ‘Meat Matters’ food innovation event
Industry leaders, policy makers and researchers convened at the Teagasc Food Innovation Gateways event recently in Dublin. The event ‘Meat Matters: Shaping the Future of Fresh, Value-Added, and Meal Innovation’ brought leaders from across the meat and prepared consumer food sectors to explore future innovation opportunities in fresh meat, value-added products and meal solutions. Dr John Coreavy, founding director of Meat Technology Ireland (MTI), an Enterprise Ireland and industry co-funded technology centre, also gave a talk at the event. The programme featured contributions from industry, Bord Bia, Meat Industry Ireland, Government, and leading researchers, alongside panel discussions focused on innovation in fresh meat and on sustainable opportunities in value-added meats and meal solutions. Director of Teagasc, Professor Frank O’Mara, said: “As the national body for agri-food research and innovation, Teagasc plays a convening role in bringing together industry, research, and policy to address shared challenges and opportunities.
Source:Irish Examiner
February 03, 2026 17:13 UTC