DUBLIN, August 5, 2008 (AFP) - Ireland head coach Declan Kidney confirmed Tuesday he has recruited former Saracens and Munster rugby director Alan Gaffney as backs coach.

Australian Gaffney, who led Saracens to the European Cup semi-finals last season, will combine his Ireland role with a coaching position he recently took up at Leinster.

LONDON, August 3, 2008 (AFP) - An Irish climber was given up for dead by an experienced mountaineering friend Sunday, on top of nine confirmed victims of a chunk of falling ice on the world's second-highest peak.

DUBLIN, August 3, 2008 (AFP) - The Irish government is struggling to find a way out of its EU treaty crisis, with speculation that a second referendum could be possible in late 2009.

A majority of voters are against holding a second plebiscite, polls show, following the June 12 rejection of the European Union's Lisbon reform treaty that sent shockwaves across the 27-member bloc.

LIVERPOOL, August 3, 2008 (AFP) - Liverpool's roll-call of magnificent number sevens includes legends like Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish and Peter Beardsley - and Robbie Keane is determined to add his name to that list.

DUBLIN, August 1, 2008 (AFP) - Ireland's unemployment rate surged to 5.9 percent in July, the highest rate since April 1999, official figures showed Friday.

July's figure compared with a rate of 5.6 percent in June, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

LIVERPOOL, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - Robbie Keane hailed his arrival at Anfield as the start of a 'new chapter in my life' as he was unveiled as a Liverpool player on Tuesday.

The Republic of Ireland international has completed a 20.3 million pound (40.6 million dollar) four-year move from Tottenham to join the club he has supported all his life.

LIVERPOOL, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - Liverpool signed Robbie Keane from Premier League rivals Tottenham on a four-year deal, a statement on the Anfield club's website said Monday.

LONDON, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - Liverpool are set to sign Robbie Keane from Premier League rivals Tottenham within the next 24 hours, a source told AFP on Monday.

LONDON, July 28, 2008 (AFP) - Irish low-cost airline Ryanair said on Monday that net profit dived 85 percent during its first quarter compared with the figure a year earlier as the cost of fuel rocketed.

The group said the outlook for the rest of 2008 was 'poor' -- comments which along with the first-quarter earnings news prompted Ryanair's share price to tumble, dealers said.

THE CURRAGH, July 27, 2008 (AFP) - Irish master trainer Aidan O'Brien landed his 15th Group One success here on Sunday when Mastercraftsman won the top two-year-old race the Phoenix Stakes.