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Class game, feel for Limerick. I wish they'd won it, deserved it. Could have won only for a selfish decision by the Limerick forward (Ryan i think) at the end who was pulled for over carrying.

Great game of hurling, action packed, a Trojan perfomnace by nearly all men 1-15 on both teams, even if the skill level wasnt always of the  highest quality.

Dont worry just theorectical, not a real job just a project.

Just looking for advice, Im trying to specify welds for a stainless steel structure. I am using 300mm Stainless steel tubes to hold up a glass wall. There will be a glazing bars at 1m holding the glass in place.

What type of welds should be used to connect the stainless steel together. if you need any more info just let me know. Yes i am aware how huge the tubes are. At the moment Im looking at using Flux Cored Arc Welds, Anyone have any info on standards of welds for such a structure

In todays Indo!! Look out Bush could be coming to liberate us from Bertie and Fianna Fail after years of oppression and tyranny


THE property boom might be over, but Ireland could be on the verge of an oil and gas boom to rival the concrete economy of the last tenyears.

According to the Petroleum Affairs Division of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, there is at least 10 billion barrels of oil lying off the west coast Ireland - which has a current value of €450bn (€50 a barrel).

Added to gas supplies, energy exports have the potential to transform Ireland into a new Middle East.

"A recent regional assessment estimated resources in the Porcupine and Rockall Basins at ten billion barrels of oil. Estimates are based on comparisons with the geology of other regions with proven success," explained Helen Chandler, spokesperson for the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

In a recently publishedscientific report by thePetroleum Affairs Division,entitled Atlantic Ireland, it stated: "The potential shows volumes of over 130 billion barrels of oil and 50 trillion cubic feet of gas."

Most of these deposits have been pinpointed along anunderwater ridge known as the Atlantic Margin which runs parallel to the west coast of Ireland in a more or less straight line before arcing off towards Scotland and the North Sea onwards towardsScandinavia.

To date, the Atlantic Ridge hasn't let anyone down. The Dunquin gas field which is 200km off the coast of Kerry contains an astonishing 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 4,130 million barrels of oil.

Put into context, this alone would meet our gas needs - at present consumption levels - for the next 62 years.

Game against Kildare is only ovewr ten minutes and I'm already looking forward to this one. Gonig to book me flight now to get home. This is going to be savage. C'mon the Royals. 

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=72827

Metal band Akercocke were having their gig picketed by a Christian group. Whatever your opinion of this band (a load of sh1te, if you ask me) or the metal genre, this was enough to get Stephan Nolan on the case to include it on his TV programme Nolan Live. It just amazes me that in this day and age people are up in arms over this. Fair enough back in the 70's when we were a bit more naive and God fearing Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and the Sex Pistols genuinely scared people.

But today surely people would realise that metal music doesnt make people evil or grow horns. The worst it can do is make your teenager wear black clothes and dye their hair. Drug dealers have a more damaging effect on people yet Christian groups dont get out on the streets for that. They dont picket night clubs and disco's where theres fighting, drug dealing and under-age sex. But no its a funny looking guy with the long hair and the loud guitar thats ruining everything. Im not bashing Christians here i just want to point out that they're going after the wrong people.

Only heard the games on the radio, but in both football games the commentators were complementory of how both games were handled. Werent many cards dished out and play was allowed flow from what i heard. Was it good reffing or just timid games (sorry that should read "disciplined games")?



By the way the new referee uniforms look better, at least they have a choice now

THEY came, they saw and they conquered - together.

In a way, the Battle of the Boyne was fought afresh yesterday, and almost 350 years on, a victory was scored over intolerance and hatred.

We just didn't expect it to be quite this much fun.

Everyone who turned up to officially witness the sight of hell freezing over had a deep consciousness of what an historic occasion this was. But the buoyancy of spirits felt by everyone from the bus drivers and armed detectives to Bertie and Big Ian himself came as an unexpected bonus.

Perhaps it was the fact that we were there in the lush green countryside on a lovely morning in the month of May. But there was a warmth and lightness of spirits about, which could only be explained by the feeling of finally being freed from the shackles of mutual misunderstanding and mistrust embedded over the generations.

And it felt good.

Even the sight of an Orangeman walking around in his sash sparked no sense of outrage but merely was quite a novel attraction amongst guests from this side of the border.

There were 50 of them there yesterday from the Orange Order, the Royal Black Perceptory and the Independent Orange Order.

We'd better get used to them - because by the sounds of what Paisley was saying, they are going to become a bit of a regular fixture around here, once the €15m Visitors' Centre opens up as they're all keen to visit this part of their heritage.

The battle site forms part of the 'garden' of the house in the Oldbridge estate, formerly owned by the Coddington family. There's a cannon-ball in the design over the doorway of the main house - just in case anyone was in any doubt of the history of the place.

But it was more building site than battle site yesterday, with work well underway to refurbish and convert the house into the visitor centre.

There was heavy security in place, with metal detectors for guests, snipers positioned on the roof and the garda helicopter flying overhead, just in case.

Just after 11, having gotten the signal that his guests were on their way, Bertie appeared at the door of the main house and waited, kicking the stones in the driveway with his shoes.

Then the cavalcade came up the drive and Ian and Eileen Paisley had arrived.

With a warm handshake, the two men greeted one another - Ian with his hand on Bertie's shoulder and Bertie giving Ian's arm a little squeeze.

There couldn't have been a better occasion for Dr Paisley's first trip outside Northern Ireland as First Minister.

They went into the house and shortly after, came out into the courtyard to look at some of the paraphenalia on display. Bertie awkwardly picked up a cannonball. "How far would it go," he asked. About a mile, he was told.

Then they moved to admire a horse. "Ulster says neigh," whispered one media wag under his breath.

"Billy, you're far from home, boy," said Paisley - still eagle-eyed at the age of 80, having suddenly spotted Ulster reporter Billy Graham. "It's been a long journey," Billy replied.

"Do you want me to baptise you in the river," Paisley asked.

"I will if you get up on the horse," Billy retorted. The First Minister threw his head back and laughed.

Bertie gave his speech then. Our history is complex, he said. So was the battle fought on this ground. Catholics and Protestants had fought on both sides, he reminded us.

He invited Dr Paisley to join him in symbolically marking a new phase in our relations by planting a sapling nurtured from a walnut tree which stood at the site for 300 years - the same tree from which a bowl carved from the wood he had presented as a gift to Dr Paisley last October as they concluded the St Andrews Agreement.

Mr Paisley recalled a poem he had learned as a boy about those who fought on the "green grassy slopes of the Boyne" - but declared: "The days we are talking about are over and we must now look to the future."

He asked the Taoiseach to consider restoring the monument which commemorated the victory of King William. Paisley's gift to Bertie was a musket carried on the Catholic Jacobite side of the war. It was perfect - and still fires, or so we were told.

I would like to think of myself as middleground, but with a slight leaning to the left. I really haope Ireland doesnt go for the nuclear option. While it is reletively safe from explosions and leaks, it still will have an adverse effect on the surrounding ecology and local health.

When you think about wind power and other renewables, while they are not pefect at the moment, with continued development and investment will improve. They dont burn any fuels only requiring the wind to blow to create electricity.

I look out my back window and i see them and while they may disrupt the rolling landscape, its a lot more re-assuring to me to see them than to think that there is a nuclear reactor somewhere beyond the horizon.

And if wind turbines arent working out or get out dated, so what, just take them down, the only cost is financial. What if we did use nuclear power and in the future renewables become more efficent what do we do with our nuclear station and its waste. It cant be dismantled and recylced like you could a wind turbine.

I know nuclear has its positives but i just feel that once you go for it theres no going back, and the damamge it would do to the environment just isnt worth it.

Nicky Brennen said he's going to have talks with TV companies such as SKY and Setanta on the possiblility of PPV. Also RTE launched their Championship promo videos which can be viewed at www.rte.ie

Which players will we be talking about come this years All-Stars??
Any players you expect to be lighting up the stadia around Ireland this summer??
Who are the ones to watch in 2007??

Strange that the Div 2 football is getting more talk than this. cant wait for this game. Hopefully the Deice give the Cats a beating. Should be a great game, although on the form of the Cats i dont see them losing, even with out Sheff

but heres hoping.........

Sean Boylan is working as selector for Carlow with their new manger John Kearns. Best of luck Sean

Might as well start this thread now.

The Royals Vs The Rossies

Anyone know the venue/Date?

Cant see them using croke park again. Mullingar might be the best place for it.

Anyone know a station to listen to todays games online, none of the major broadcasters are doing them it seems.

I also notice on the GAA website it says that they are both on TG4. Yet when I check www.tg4.ie and www.tg4.tv there is no mention of the games been shown. can some one clear this up for me, hopefully i can get to see it live on the web on tg4.tv

What changes would you make, what would you do differently, what would be your attitude to things like Croke Park use, Pay for Play, GPA, Player welfare, grass root level issues, player transfers etc.

Ill post my own responce to this in a while

Wexford need to win by +8 points. A Meath win will see them top div 2B and avoid Monaghan in the semi's. But if Meath lose by less than 8 and Cavan beat Waterford (more than likely) Cavan go top. If we draw and Cavan win by +14 points, Cavan go top.

This weekends going to be interesting. but i expect a Cavan and Meath win.

Just want to say thanks to Olly Murphy for his efforts and the memories and the glory he has brought to Meath. He was one of the best forwards in the country from 1998-2001. Who'll ever forget the goals he got against the Dubs, Kildare, Cork.

But one that stands head and shoulders above the rest for me was "the clincher" against Westmeath in 2001. To score of his left in a congested goalmouth and practically falling over at the same time, and still place it in the top corner of the net, in the dying seconds of the game!!

Sadly injury robbed him of further glory in the green jersey over the next 5 years. But having said that and walk away with 2 All-Irelands, 3 Leinsters, 2 All-Stars is pretty impressive no matter who you are.

This is one of the games that will decide the top 2 of div 2B.


Any update on the score.It should be half time by now, of course RTE and Setanta havent bothered to update their site, 

This is looking like a class weekend of football and hurling. Wish they were all televised so I could veg out all weekend on the couch and watch each game.

Here are 3 games Im really looking forward to in the NHL
Cork v Wexford
Limerick v Dublin
Galway v Tipperary

And in the football I'd love to see these
Kildare v Louth
Donegal v Kerry
Cork v Mayo


Then theres Meath Vs Wicklow, want to see that aswell.

Dublins NFL game Vs Kerry could well be played in Croker depending on a request from DCC. And whether there'd be much interest from Kerry to travel up for the game.