Bemand extends stay as Ireland head coach through to 2029 World Cup
Scott Bemand has signed a contract extension to remain as head coach of the Irish women's rugby team until the 2029 World Cup. At last year's World Cup, Ireland qualified for the quarter-final stage following pool stage victories over Spain and Japan before being edged out in a thrilling quarter-final by France in Exeter. "It is a great privilege to sign on for another Rugby World Cup cycle with the IRFU and reaffirm my commitment and belief in the squad and programme moving forward," said Bemand. IRFU Performance Director David Humphreys said: "We're delighted to secure Scott's future for the next Rugby World Cup cycle at an important growth stage for our women's squad. Ireland will open the Six Nations away to England at Allianz Stadium on April 11 before hosting Italy at Dexcom Stadium on April 18.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:52 UTC
Bring back 'buzz' of knock-out hurling in Munster, says Hutchinson
Dessie Hutchinson would like to see the Munster senior hurling championship return to a knock-out format. The Ballygunner man doesn’t need to be told how The Déise have failed to get out of the Munster senior hurling championship in the six seasons it has been played on a round-robin format since 2018. “I love that buzz of going and playing a knock-out game,” said Hutchinson, who was recently announced the AIB senior club hurler of the year for the second time after his 2022 success. Last year, we won the first round against Clare in the Munster championship and three (sic, four) weeks later we were gone. In previous years, maybe we didn’t do that.”As Stephen O’Keeffe picked up a record fifth AIB club hurling team of the year selection, Hutchinson hailed his club-mate.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:51 UTC
Check out this leaked clip from the Tomb Raider shoot
HQAs we all know, the next person to have the honour of playing Lara Croft in a Tomb Raider screen adaptation is British Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner. This will be in a new TV series set to air on Amazon Prime Video. So far, we haven't seen almost anything official from it other than a promotional image, but now footage from the shoot has leaked online via the Daily Mail. We don't know exactly where this sequence fits into the TV series, but the Bluesky account Infinity Tomb Raider is sharing all the video footage and a batch of images that you can check out below. We don't know when the series will premiere, but considering that it's still not finished filming and also needs post-production, we probably shouldn't hold our breath for it to happen this year.
Source:Daily Mail
March 18, 2026 13:49 UTC
Frankie Óg Sheahan follows family path into another Munster Schools Senior Cup final
Frankie Óg Sheahan is continuing a proud family tradition as he lines out in another Munster Schools Senior Cup final on Wednesday. The PBC vice-captain’s father, ex-Ireland international Frankie, won his Senior Cup in 1993. Read More Join the Irish Examiner for livestream coverage of Munster senior cup schools rugby finals“My dad played rugby for Ireland, so that’s been a driving factor for me,” says Frankie Óg. This will be their fifth consecutive final, following two Junior Cup deciders with three Senior Cup showpieces. Rian McFarlane O’Shea from Presentation Brothers College alongside Jack Meaney from St. Munchins College ahead of the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Boys Cup final.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:46 UTC
Plans lodged for €18.5m boutique hotel at former bank on Cork’s South Mall
Plans to renovate a former Cork city bank into a hotel have been submitted to Cork City Council. Irish hotelier Shay Livingstone is seeking planning permission, through his company Cadcove Holdings Limited, to redevelop the former National Irish Bank building at No 71 South Mall into a 58-bedroom hotel. The proposal provides for the preservation and repair of the limestone elevation on South Mall, as well as the addition of a customer entrance and service entrance on Morgan Street. The building has been vacant since 2012, when Danske Bank/National Irish Bank closed its 27 Irish branches. Cork City Council is due to make a decision on the application by May 5, 2026.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:45 UTC
Spring sunshine and warmer temperatures in coming days
Spring sunshine and warmer temperatures in coming daysRhode forecaster Cathal Nolan has said the country can expect temperatures in the "mid-to-high teens" from tomorrow. In a post on social media, founder of the popular online forecast service, Ireland's Weather Channel, said spring sunshine will return with "settled weather" expected. 'Tomorrow (Thursday) will see beautiful sunshine countrywide, with temperatures reaching into the mid to high teens locally, with similar conditions forecast for Saturday as well. 'Settled over the weekend too, with a sunshine expected and temperatures above average for the time of year, but with a risk of some fog on eastern coastal fringes'. Met Éireann is forecasting similar weather conditions with temperatures expected to reach 16 degrees in the Midlands on Thursday and Friday.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 13:36 UTC
For peat's sake: We cannot afford to let the damage to our wetlands continue
Also known as bog moss, sphagnum moss comes in more than 20 different species, and that’s just those that are native to Ireland. Peat bogs’ vast stores of carbon are a major player in climate mitigation, and their role extends to adaptation too. The rain of late can serve as a reminder that we depend on peat bogs and other wetlands for flood attenuation. That horticultural peat moss is a product for which there are many alternatives makes it all even more perverse. Both the Citizen’s Assembly on Climate Change and the Citizens assembly on Biodiversity Loss called for extensive peatland restoration.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:33 UTC
Met Éireann forecast dry and sunny days as temperatures reach 17 degrees
Patchy rain and drizzle will clear later today before Ireland enjoys dry and sunny conditions tomorrow, according to Met Éireann. Thursday night will remain dry and mostly clear with temperatures dropping to between 1 and 5 degrees. Another dry night is expected on Friday with long clear spells, although cloud will move into the northwest later. Looking ahead to Sunday, some early sunny spells are expected in the east before cloud increases through the morning. Light rain or drizzle will develop in places, with more persistent rain expected in parts of Connacht and Ulster later in the day.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 13:23 UTC
Ireland name 36-player squad for Women's Six Nations
Scott Bemand has announced his squad for the upcoming Six Nations. Led by new captain Erin King, who missed last year’s World Cup in England with injury, it also includes Dorothy Wall who sat out the tournament for the same reason. Nine of those who featured in that run to the quarter-final stages are missing, including the experienced pair of Edel McMahon up front and Amee-Leigh Costigan on the wing.
Source:Irish Examiner
March 18, 2026 13:13 UTC
Timothee Chalamet faces war and bloody battles in Dune: Part Three trailer
Timothee Chalamet faces war and bloody battles in Dune: Part Three trailerBy Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment ReporterTimothee Chalamet returns as Paul Atreides amid scenes of intergalactic war and bloody battles in a first-look trailer for Dune: Part Three. The dramatic, war-ridden trailer was released by Warner Bros on Tuesday and opens with the Hollywood star, 30, in an embrace with his partner Chani, played by Zendaya. Spanish actor Javier Bardem will return as Stilgar for Dune: Part Three. But I must not die, yet.”The trailer ends with a dramatic clip of Chani running towards an unseen adversary, before fading to black. Dune: Part Three is set to be released in cinemas across Ireland on December 18th.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 13:11 UTC
This Working Life: ‘It has been interesting to see how much your status and self-perspective are tied up with your job’
This Working Life: ‘It has been interesting to see how much your status and self-perspective are tied up with your job’Writer, event organiser and former lawyer James Candon chats to Mary McCarthy about his involvement in business and the arts, and being married to a former MEPBusinessman James CandonIn conversation with Mary McCarthy Today at 06:30I was 17 when I went to study law in UCD in 1990. At school in Boyle, Co Roscommon, I was interested in science and biology, but I did not take up the CAO offer to study genetics in Queen’s as I was scared of maths.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 13:01 UTC
Primary Health Properties aims to deliver three Irish healthcare facilities in the next 12 months
The developments come as the healthcare property investor expands its footprint in Ireland, where it owns 28 assets valued at £341m (€391m), including the three projects under construction. Alan O’Connell, the managing director of Axis PHP, said the company expects to deliver multiple projects in Ireland in the near term. The Castlebar development includes a major extension to an existing facility, aimed at expanding capacity and delivering additional community-based healthcare services. The company is also progressing additional development opportunities in the market, with a pipeline of forward-funded Irish projects valued at around €60m. Irish assets delivered strong rental growth during the year, with rent review uplifts of 20.9pc, driven by inflation-linked leases.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 12:46 UTC
PTSB confirms Austria’s Bawag as potential buyer
PTSB has confirmed for the first time that Austria’s Bawag is in the mix as a potential buyer. At €2.94 a share, it is below where PTSB stock has traded for most of the period since a potential sale was announced and lower than where the shares closed on Monday. PTSB said it notes the (latest) recent media speculation and "confirms that Bawag is one of a number of parties participating in the formal sale process which was announced on 30 October, 2025”. The sale process is being managed by Goldman Sachs. The head of the Austrian lender outlined the bank’s interest in acquisitions, the Irish market and deals in the €1bn-to-€2bn range.
Source:Irish Independent
March 18, 2026 12:45 UTC
Trent Alexander-Arnold admits Liverpool frustration and says 'I know what I was getting into'
Trent Alexander-Arnold admits Liverpool frustration and says 'I know what I was getting into'Trent Alexander-Arnold moved into the quarter finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night as he helped Real Madrid cruise past Manchester City 5-1 on aggregateView 2 Images Trent Alexander-Arnold spoke after Real Madrid beat Manchester City (Image: TNT Sports)Trent Alexander-Arnold admitted he took extra pleasure in Real Madrid reaching the quarter finals of the Champions League because he was able to get payback on Manchester City. In many ways it was business as usual for Real, who have won six of the last 12 Champions League titles. Alexander-Arnold won the Champions League, two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, the Carabao Cup and the Club World Cup during his time at Liverpool. "It was nice to get one over Manchester City, they've snatched a few medals from me and Liverpool. You know going up against Manchester City is always going to be tough, so we're proud of the performance."
Source:Daily Mirror
March 18, 2026 12:34 UTC