‘Deeply upset’ Drogheda United chair and Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne planning to dig in after US owners ask her to resign
Joanna Byrne and co-chairperson Ben Boycott with the FAI Cup following the Boynesiders' triumph over Derry City at Aviva Stadium in November 2024. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/SportsfileJoanna Byrne says she will not be resigning as a Drogheda United director and co-chair even though a statement from the club’s American owners Trivela confirmed they have asked the Sinn Féin TD to stand down from her position. The development comes exactly one month after Byrne - who is her political party's spokesperson on sport - claimed she was asked to step away from her position due to her comments calling on Ireland to boycott their Nations League games against Israel later this year.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 21:02 UTC
Thousands hit with parking fines as motorists caught out in city council car parks
Thousands hit with parking fines as motorists caught out in city council car parksFines have generated more than £110,000 for Gloucester City Council in the current financial yearView 2 Images Pictured is Longsmith Street Car Park in Gloucester. Parking fines have generated more than £110,000 for Gloucester City Council so far this year as of March 7, 2026. (Image: Carmelo Garcia/Gloucestershire Live)Motorists have had to pay out more than £110,000 in parking fines issued in Gloucester car parks so far this year. A total of 2,750 fines had been issued during the current financial year in Gloucester City Council-owned car parks. The cost of running these car parks is increasing every year and we have an issue with the Eastgate and Kingswalk.
Source:Daily Mirror
March 18, 2026 20:55 UTC
Government was advised that rent reforms carried ‘significant’ risk of evictions
The biggest shake-up of rent regulations in a decade came into force at the start of this month. Illustration: Paul ScottThe Government was aware there was a “significant” risk that its new rent legislation could lead to evictions, as landlords could kick tenants out for “economic” reasons in order to hike up rents to market rates. Lifting rent controls completely was ruled out as it would lead to “significant increases in rents for many tenants”, including putting some at risk of homelessness. “However, the risk of economic evictions motivated by landlords who wish to increase to market rents is a significant concern. The eventual rent reforms include a clarification that market rents cannot be reset following a “no fault eviction”.
Source:The Irish Times
March 18, 2026 20:55 UTC
Fights, explosions and familiar faces in Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer
Fights, explosions and familiar faces in Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailerBy Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment ReporterSpider-Man is met with faces from his past including Dr Bruce Banner, The Punisher and Scorpion in the action-packed first trailer for the upcoming film. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will see the teenage superhero, also known as Peter Parker, navigate his lonely new life after a spell was cast to make the world forget his real identity in order to save the universe. The trailer then cuts to Parker navigating his lonely new life, and in a voice-over he says: “Hi, my name is Peter Parker. MJ responds with a nod to the animated spin-off TV series, Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, and calls him a “friendly neighbour”. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be released in cinemas on July 31 2026.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 20:53 UTC
Athlone school named as county winners in Young Social Entrepreneur Awards
Drishika Gujjaru and Thamizhini Nalin Kumar Balaji, at front, with TY Class at Our Lady's Bower and representatives of Westmeath County Council and the Social Enterprise Exchange. Athlone school named as county winners in Young Social Entrepreneur AwardsWestmeath County Council has presented Our Lady’s Bower Secondary School, Athlone, with a €250 cheque in recognition of their achievement as county winners in the Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2025 awards. Gabrielle McFadden, Project Manager with Social Enterprise Exchange and organiser of the competition, outlined how the project also illustrates the value of sustained cross-sector collaboration. Cathaoirleach of Westmeath County Council, Cllr Aoife Davitt, congratulated the students, saying: “I am delighted to present this award on behalf of Westmeath County Council. The €250 prize awarded by Westmeath County Council as part of a region-wide commitment to supporting youth innovation, local enterprise development, and community-led problem solving
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 20:50 UTC
The key decisions hanging over Heimir Hallgrimsson’s squad announcement for Ireland’s World Cup play-off
Injuries and suspensions are forcing the manager’s hand for a tenure-defining campEight days to go until Prague. For Heimir Hallgrimsson, his players, and the thousands of Irish fans set to descend on the Czech capital, it’s all starting to feel very real. Ahead of Thursday’s squad announcement, we run through the various calls Hallgrimsson faces as he enters a tenure-defining camp.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 20:39 UTC
Newcastle blown away by Barcelona's stunning second-half salvo
Newcastle blown away by Barcelona's stunning second-half salvoBy Damian Spellman, Press AssociationRobert Lewandowski and Raphinha killed off Newcastle’s Champions League dream as Barcelona survived a first-half fright to book a quarter-final place in style. Anthony Elanga’s first-half brace had cancelled out Raphinha’s early opener and Marc Bernal’s close-range strike, but Lamine Yamal’s stoppage-time penalty opened the floodgates with Fermin Lopez, Lewandowski and Raphinha again doing the damage. Newcastle fell behind in calamitous circumstances when, after Malick Thiaw had slipped as he was turned by Yamal, Lewis Hall also lost his footing to allow Raphinha to play a one-two with Lopez before picking his spot. The Magpies levelled again five minutes later when Yamal’s ill-judged back-heel was picked off by Hall, who fed Barnes to cross for Elanga to slide home. The Pole doubled his tally with an emphatic 61st-minute finish after Yamal had bamboozled both Burn and Thiaw, and Raphinha rounded off the scoring after intercepting Ramsey’s woeful pass across his own goal.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 20:37 UTC
‘Staycations’ dip as Irish residents spend more time abroad in 2025
Irish people took more journeys abroad last year than in 2024, while the number of domestic trips, including so-called staycation holidays, dipped, new Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures reveal. Residents of the Republic made 15.1 million trips outside of the State in 2025, an increase of 11 per cent on the previous year. Holidays accounted for 60 per cent of overnight trips abroad last year, the figures showed, with 24 per cent of residents travelling to visit friends or family, and the remaining 9 per cent travelling for business reasons. Meanwhile, households took 3.1 million domestic trips within the State last year, an 8 per cent decline on 2024, the CSO said. The most popular foreign destinations for Irish residents in the fourth quarter of 2025 were within the 27 member states of the European Union, accounting for 8,929 nights, more than half of the total nights spent abroad in 2025.
Source:The Irish Times
March 18, 2026 20:30 UTC
Anthony Cunningham addresses speculation about his health
Former St. Brigid’s manager Anthony Cunningham has publicly addressed speculation about his health. However, he insisted that the speculation “was nothing further from the truth”. “It’s a bit of a shock when you hear that type of stuff. “I’d like to acknowledge all the concerned people who rang and contacted me to see if I was ok and wished me well. “I train, I work out, I try and do as much as I can.
Source:The Herald
March 18, 2026 20:28 UTC
Family of Enoch Burke evicted from Presbyterian Church in Co Armagh by police
Family of Enoch Burke evicted from Presbyterian Church in Co Armagh by policePolice were called after the fundamentalist Christian family turned up to confront clerics in Tandragee churchMembers of the Burke family evicted from Armagh church by policeMark Bain Today at 18:04Members of the family of Enoch Burke were evicted from church premises in Co Armagh last week after they attempted to confront the congregation.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 20:21 UTC
Newcastle blown away by Barcelona's stunning second-half
Barcelona 7 Newcastle 2 (Barcelona win 8-3 on aggregate)Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha killed off Newcastle's Champions League dream as Barcelona survived a first-half fright to book a quarter-final place in style. Anthony Elanga's first-half brace had cancelled out Raphinha's early opener and Marc Bernal's free-header, but Lamine Yamal's stoppage-time penalty opened the floodgates with Fermin Lopez, Lewandowski and Raphinha again doing the damage. Newcastle United's Lewis Hall (right) is tackled by Barcelona's Xavi Espart. The Magpies levelled again five minutes later when Yamal's ill-judged back-heel was picked off by Hall, who fed Barnes to cross for Elanga to slide home. The Pole doubled his tally with an emphatic 61st-minute finish after Yamal had bamboozled both Burn and Thiaw, and Raphinha rounded off the scoring after intercepting Ramsey's woeful pass across his own goal.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 20:14 UTC
Man United boss Michael Carrick backs England trio for recalls, insisting recent form should earn them places in pre-World Cup squad
They have yet to play under Tuchel who has hinted they are in his thoughts after insisting in August that there was no anti-United bias. ‘Every decision is an individual decision,’ said the England boss. Asked if he has spoken to Tuchel about a possible call-up, he said: ‘No, I haven't been in touch. For the boys, I'd love to see them picked for this one and obviously picked for the summer. ‘I think he's obviously trying to work towards getting back but just the back issue really, that's proving difficult.
Source:Daily Mail
March 18, 2026 19:55 UTC
Premier League club target flies to England for medical as he closes in on £35m transfer from PSV Eindhoven - with striker set to sign a five-year deal
Ricardo Pepi is heading to London on Wednesday night ahead of having his Fulham medical. PSV Eindhoven have granted the striker permission to travel after agreeing on a fee around £30.5million with bonuses and sell-on to follow. Pepi was photographed at the airport en route to London on Wednesday afternoon with his agent Jaime García, from Starting XI Player Management. He will agree a five-year contract pending a successful medical. The clubs have been continuing negotiations since January after the Dutch side rejected Fulham's offers for the USA international.
Source:Daily Mail
March 18, 2026 19:55 UTC
Liverpool handed perfect £60m transfer opportunity as price tag drops
Liverpool handed perfect £60m transfer opportunity as price tag dropsPlans are already underway for the summer transfer window with Liverpool linked with potential incomingsView 2 Images Inter are said to have cut their asking price for defender Alessandro Bastoni. (Image: Marco Canoniero, LightRocket via Getty Images)Liverpool transfer target Alessandro Bastoni might be available for approximately £40million this summer rather than the previously stated £60million price tag. Liverpool are among the numerous clubs linked with an interest in Bastoni, with Barcelona reported to have expressed their interest to the player's representative, Tullio Tinti, in recent weeks. Several English clubs could reportedly also emerge as potential buyers if he is keen to move to the Premier League. View 2 Images Liverpool are one of the teams to be linked with a transfer interest in Alessandro Bastoni.
Source:Daily Mirror
March 18, 2026 19:52 UTC
Two students die in ‘explosive’ outbreak of meningitis in UK
Students queuing for antibiotics outside a building at the University of Kent in Canterbury. Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA WireUK heath authorities are dealing with an “explosive” outbreak of meningitis in the Kent area where a total of 20 cases among young adults are being investigated. Two students have died during the outbreak, including 18-year-old Juliette Kenny, who was studying for her A-levels. The UK health security agency (UKHSA) said that, as of 5pm on Tuesday, some 20 cases of meningitis had been reported to it, up from 15 previously. On Tuesday, UK health secretary Wes Streeting said most students would not already be vaccinated against menB.
Source:The Irish Times
March 18, 2026 19:50 UTC