It's been quite a week for sport.
Katie Taylor is a professional world champion, there were Ireland squad announcements in football and rugby, a massive departure from Irish domestic sport in Simon Zebo, FIFA's "The Best" Awards, and even a bit of national scandal down in Kilkenny.
Unfortunately though, much of the week centred on the sentencing of Tom Humphries and the fall-out from his two and a half year sentence.
Our editor Mick McCarthy wrote this on a day the justice system and society in general failed a young woman who had been the victim of sexual abuse.
There's So Much Shame To Go Around As Tom Humphries Sentenced
One of the more important aspects of the Tom Humphries case is the fact that he was acting a mentor and part-time coach to the girl in Camogie when the abuse began. This case is a wake up call to all sporting organisations on the dangers of access of adults to children.
Gavin Cooney spoke to the GAA's National Children's Officer Gearóid Ó Maoilmhichíl to discuss what safeguards the association have in place to prevent this happening in the future.
GAA Respond To Issues Raised By The Tom Humphries Case
Philly McMahon
Philly McMahon's autobiography "The Choice" is proving to be one of the books of the year. In it, he discusses openly his relationship with his brother, growing up in Ballymun. His brother, unfortunately, succumbed to addiction and would sadly die in 2012.
McMahon tells the sad story of how he even became Philly McMahon, when first he was Philip Caffrey, as PJ Browne wrote about this week.
Philly McMahon Opens Up About Why He Changed His Name
George Hamilton:
George Hamilton has been the voice of Irish soccer for over 30 years. In a brilliant interview with Gavin Cooney, he opens up about surviving heart surgery in 2011, learning under the greats at the BBC, his first World Cup final, and his legacy as a commentator.
'You Hope The Impression You Leave Is A Smile On Their Face, Saying 'Yeah, He Was OK'
Mags D'Arcy:
Why can't we make it so that parents don't have to choose between sons and daughters?
Isn't it time the GAA, the Camogie Association and the LFGA get together and make sure that clubs and counties can play on the same day in the same venue in both men's and women's Gaelic games. Wexford's double All-Star Mags D'Arcy certainly thinks so, as she told Maurice Brosnan this week.
'It Boggles The Mind A Little Bit Why We Can't Collaborate Together'
David Fairclough:
For those who remember Liverpool's David Fairclough, the title of his book won't come as much of a surprise. "Supersub" made the number 12 jersey famous long before squad numbers. In the book, Fairclough reveals an incredibly tetchy relationship with Bob Paisley, which he tells Gavin Cooney about in a sit down interview about his book.
"He Was Never Great At Man-Management" - David Fairclough On His Differences With Liverpool's Greatest Manager
Goalkeeper Jerseys of the 1990s:
90s fashion can be probably defined by two things. Baggy and colourful. Nothing took these two aspects of fashion to the extreme more than the goalkeeper jerseys of that decade. Mikey Traynor took us on a wonderful trip down memory lane this week.
A Tribute To The Magnificently Mental Goalkeeping Jerseys Of The 90s
The best of Gift Grub:
For no reason at all, an office conversation turned into Gavin Cooney listing the best Gift Grub sports songs this week, but we won't complain. Some of these had been long forgotten!
Ranking The Greatest Sports Songs To Feature On Gift Grub
Ballyragget:
A national scandal in Ballyragget may have done wonders for the game of hurling, as Mark Farrelly found out this week.
