As if Ireland's golden year of sport had not been good enough already, their cricket team are even getting in on the act.
The majority of the Lions rugby squad touring South Africa are Irish, following the success of the grand slam-winning national team, while Leinster have ended up the European club champions.
Now William Porterfield and Co have confirmed their place in the business stages of the World Twenty20, thanks to a six-wicket triumph over Bangladesh last night.
The O'Brien brothers, Niall and Kevin, performed heroically for the victors. Niall, the maverick wicketkeeper who was their batting hero when they stunned Pakistan at the 2007 World Cup, injured his ankle while Bangladesh were accruing their 137.
Yet he soldiered on and, batting with a runner, made a crucial 40. The platform was set for his brother, Kevin, three years his junior, to blast the men in green to victory at the ground of the county side, Nottinghamshire, for whom he recently signed.
Ireland have been demanding recognition from the cricket world for some time now. Ahead of yesterday's game, Porterfield, their captain, labelled it their "final", and they had a point to prove against the lowliest ranked Test side.
The ensuing victory will further their claim for permanent inclusion among the game's elite.
The next step would be to play Test cricket, and judging by their record against the Bangladeshis - the nation who were most recently admitted to that exclusive group - they are deserving of that. They also beat them over 50 overs in the Caribbean two years ago.
The gap separating them from the remainder of the Associate world has become a gulf. They were head and shoulders above the rest when they won the ICC World Cup Qualifier, in which the UAE were also playing, in South Africa recently.
Another victory against Test opposition should not go unrewarded.
pradley@thenational.ae
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
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The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
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Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
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Don’ts
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
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