Gordon Wood played for Munster, as well as Ireland and the Lions, before he died, aged 50, in 1982. We’re really happy for him, but I see how hard all my kids work.’“I love what the game has given them. Photograph: Billy Stickland/InphoThat healthy reflection means Wood is ideally placed to offer a measured insight into Irish rugby. Ireland's Keith Wood scores one of his four tries against the USA in the 1999 World Cup. But then you look at the performance of the players he’s picked instead and it’s been extraordinary.

Sir, - In light of the EU’s recent claim that TikTok has breached regulations with its “addictive design”, it is worth asking why social media platforms are not required to display clear warnings about their potentially harmful effects. We already see health warnings on cigarettes, alcohol and other addictive products, yet nothing comparable appears when one opens an app such as TikTok, despite growing evidence of its impact on attention spans and wellbeing. If the EU recognises the addictive nature of these platforms, it would seem reasonable that they should have the same warnings that apply to other addictive products. A simple mandatory warning that appears when you open the app could at least acknowledge the risks and encourage more mindful use. - Yours, etc,EMILY PROUDFOOT,Blackrock,Dublin.

Photograph: Sally HaydenMany families reside in a single room and they all share a communal bathroom area. Photograph: Sally HaydenSweepers clear a drain in an alley. Photograph: Sally HaydenAs the city’s population expands, thousands of sweepers are under pressure to keep it clean and liveable. Photograph: Sally HaydenClose to the Sweeper Colony is an apartment block the city corporation provided to house 170 people involved in sweeping work. Young sweepers earn about 17,000 taka (€120) a month, which can go up to about 30,000 taka (€211) before retirement, they say.

There was no doubting the warmth in the huge ovation afforded Edwin Edogbo as he ran purposefully on to the pitch for his Ireland debut in the 70th minute of Saturday’s win over Italy. In the 80th minute Edogbo went for one of his trademark jackals after Caelan Doris had tackled Manuel Zuliani, quite legitimately it seemed, as the first man in. Edwin Edogbo made a big impact for Ireland after arriving in the 70th minute against Italy. Rónan Kelleher, Edwin Edogbo and Tadhg Beirne during the national anthems before Ireland's Six Nations clash with Italy on Saturday. I didn’t know they were going to do that, so that was pretty special as well.

With food prices escalating as they are, freezing eggs is one way to help your wallet – and the environmentPlanning to make pancakes this week? With food prices escalating as they are, freezing eggs for a year could even be an act of financial hedging. Alternatively, freeze milk in ice cube trays for popping straight into your hot drinks. Households could save about €60 per month, or €700 a year, by avoiding food waste, the agency estimates. [ Counting the cost of food waste: ‘People don’t have enough to eat not due to lack of production, but lack of access’Opens in new window ]Food waste contributes to climate change too, with greenhouse gas emissions from food production, manufacture, packaging, transport and waste warming our planet.

Widespread frost and some icy patches are likely on Monday night as temperatures are expected to dip. Photograph: Getty ImagesConditions are set to turn milder from Friday after what will be a “cold” start to the week, according to Met Éireann. Tuesday night is set to turn wet and windy as rain spreads towards the northeast, possibly turning to sleet with snow possible on higher ground. Rain will linger in the east and north for much of the day, Met Éireann said. Although current indications suggest further outbreaks of rain at the weekend, it will be milder with temperatures “rising above average”, Met Éireann said.

EXCLUSIVE: Man Utd consider shock Alexis Mac Allister transfer raid on fierce rivals LiverpoolManchester United would be interested in signing Liverpool's World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister if he became available this summerView 2 Images Alexis Mac Allister is wanted by Manchester United (Image: Ben Roberts - Danehouse/Getty Images)Manchester United are weighing up a shock raid on bitter rivals Liverpool for Alexis Mac Allister. ‌And it's understood Old Trafford bosses are keeping close tabs on the future of World Cup winner Mac Allister. Luring Mac Allister from Anfield to Old Trafford would be a huge task for United, due to the bitter rivalry which exists between the two clubs. Mac Allister joined Liverpool from Brighton in a £55m deal in 2023 and went on to help them win the Premier League title last season. Article continues belowRegarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, Mac Allister helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 following their thrilling win over France in the final.

The Republic of Ireland have been drawn in the same Uefa Nations League group as Israel. Photograph: Sam Barnes/SportsfileThe Republic of Ireland soccer team’s upcoming matches against Israel should go ahead and it should be possible for one of the games to be played in Ireland, according to Minister of State Timmy Dooley. However, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless said it makes “more sense” for the game to be played in a neutral venue. The FAI said it would fulfil the fixture but has not said whether it would be played in Dublin or at a neutral venue. I think the suggestion is now that [it is] played in a neutral venue, I think that makes more sense.

Honey Ross celebrated her first Valentine's Day with boyfriend Gav Murphy, after striking up a romance with the video producer last year. Gav has even mentioned his girlfriend's famous father on his gaming channel, most recently in a Q&A video in December. Prior to finding love with Honey, Gav was in a relationship with artist Clara Sinclair, with whom he adopted his beloved pet chihuahua, Coco. While Honey previously dated Zane Saz for several years, with the musician who appearing alongside her and dad Jonathan on Celebrity Gogglebox. While she said her thin pals were 'horrified' when they found out the sheer volume of unpleasant messages Honey receives.

Photo: APIreland has followed a number of other countries in advising citizens not to travel to Cuba unless it is absolutely necessary. The Department has fuel shortages and power outages are ongoing, with the challenges to the importation of fuel “compounding ongoing issues with Cuba’s national power grid”. Additionally medical care is currently limited with hospitals and clinics impacted by the fuel and power issues. Blackouts have become much more common in the country, while lengthy queues for petrol and basic goods are being reported. “d.Massive punishment is a crime.”The Department is advising Irish citizens to conserve food and water, and to keep their mobile phones charged.

Sir, – We are supposed to be trying to reduce carbon emissions in this country, but our Minister for Transport is actively working against that goal by scrapping the passenger cap at Dublin Airport. Motoring fuel taxes, including carbon taxes, more than double the price of motoring fuel, yet aviation fuel is hardly taxed at all. At the very least, aviation fuel should have carbon taxes applied at the same rate as motoring fuel. Isn’t it about time that air tourists started contributing, through carbon taxes (and rightfully, excise tax and VAT, as well), to discourage the casual use of air travel and its associated emissions and instead help fund projects to reduce carbon emissions in our State? Yet someone flying in or out for multiple leisure weekends away and causing far more emissions than the average motorist’s annual emissions, can benefit from cheaper airfares due to untaxed aviation fuel emissions.

Irish business activity this week features a mixture of full-year corporate results for 2025, fresh data on inflation and the labour market, and updates on housing, construction and travel. The former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta will give a speech at The Helix in Dublin City University on Monday. On Wednesday, building materials group CRH posts its full-year 2025 results, which will provide an update on construction and infrastructure activity in its main markets. The same day, the Central Statistics Office (CSO) releases its Residential Property Price Index for December, showing how house prices finished the year and providing an up-to-date read on the housing market. Company reporting continues on Thursday with an update from the airline group Air France-KLM, and Irish Residential Properties REIT will publish its full-year results.

Financial services body begins work on new SIA productsGovernment due to publish plans in the coming weeks setting out how it will seek to encourage investmentFinancial Services Ireland director Patricia Callan, Finance Minister Simon Harris and Financial Services Ireland deputy director Audrey Crummy launching FSI's new strategyJohn Burns Today at 06:30Financial Services Ireland has set up an industry working group to look at models for the Savings and Investment Accounts (SIAs) that could be offered to Irish consumers.

Under the terms of their visas, they are entitled to work 20 hours a week, and 40 hours a week outside of term time. The documents also asserted that many of the students concerned “frequently work more than the hours they are permitted”. “We should not be facilitating employers who wish to employ international students on low pay where those jobs could in some cases otherwise be filled by Irish students or workers. It is likely that wage suppression is caused by the availability of such lower skilled international student labour,” the papers said. Lawless said that he expected 50-60 of the 100 language schools currently operating would be accredited under the new scheme.

Owners should not sit back and expect their management company to do all the work. Photograph: GettyAs an owner of an apartment in a South Dublin development since the 1980s, I have, as a non-resident, always had a difficult relationship with the scheme’s owners’ management company (OMC). The owners’ management company (OMC) is established with the sole purpose of having the common areas vested in it, and taking ownership of and responsibility for the common areas. Your query refers to the management company in the third person, as if it is a separate entity from the owner, but it is not. Owners should become involved by putting themselves forward and becoming directors of the management company.