The Front Pages
‘Some say that he lives in a tree, and that his sweat can be used to clean precious metals. Some say that he’s terrified of ducks, and that there’s an airport in Russia named after him. Some say that his voice can only be heard by cats, and that he has two sets of knees.’ Well now, apparently, the mystery is over. The Sunday Times, have ‘revealed the identity’ of BBC tv show Top Gears The Stig. Documents point to a former Formula Three Driver, Ben Collins, as being the man who dons the white helmet and black visor.
Another headline in The Sunday Times is ‘Exam study to fuel new fees row.’ A new study has shown while people from wealthy backgrounds do better in their leaving certs than people from disadvantaged areas, both do equally well in their University exams. Critics claim that the abolition of fees has been like ‘a subsidy for middle-class families who had the means to send their children to grind schools.’ It is argued that reintroducing fees for wealthier families would lead to a more level playing field.
The Sunday Independent have ‘RTE’s Miriam and Pat accept days of “mega-bucks†are over’. The two stars have admitted that they will have to face pay-cuts when their current contracts expire. This comes in the wake of RTE’s managing director of radio Claire Duignan commenting that they will have to accept more “modest remuneration.†At his peak, Kenny was earning €900,000 a year, the equivalent of €17,307.70 a week or €2472.53 a day.
Tales of the Tabs
‘I wanted to be in Gorillaz, mum … not Jedward’ is a headline on page 33 of The Irish Mail on Sunday. Underneath is the ‘sensational’ story that a gorilla has been found in ‘the wilds of Africa’ boasting a similar style hairdo to the Grimes brothers. ‘Mountain gorillas are among the world’s most endangered species,’ they add.
In the Irish News of the World it is revealed that former Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan once tried to get high by smoking ‘the skin of a dead toad’. In a new book, author Ray Roughler-Jones claims, “Shane had been offered this so-called delicacy at a barbeque in Melbourne and swears by its groove-inducing effect.”
Ryan Tubridy wants to interview rapist Larry Murphy on the Late Late Show. “It’s not up to me if Larry Murphy comes on the show,†Tubridy said. “However if he’s put before me on the show, will I interview him? Of course I will – and I’ll give him a very thorough interview.â€
The Sports Pages
In The Irish Mail on Sunday’s pull-out The Title, FAI chief executive John Delaney claims that the organisation will wipe out its debt in 10 years. “Our debt to the bank is €38million at the moment,†said Delaney. “That’s what was revealed today and we are comfortable with that and so are the bankers.â€
In the same paper, Stephen Ireland claims that he would “rather win the league with Villa than the World Cup with Irelandâ€. He has reiterated his position that he will never again play for his country. Also in the Title, “Dubs are not good enough,†claims Dublin captain David Henry. “If you are realistic, it’s a team that’s building. It’s about performing to the best of our abilities,†he adds.
In The News of the World, Martin O’Neill has emerged as a shock contender for the Nottingham Forest job.  Current manager, Billy Davies, is currently at loggerheads with the Forest board over finances, and O’Neill is favourites with the bookies for the job, if Davies does indeed leave.
In The Observer, Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has revealed that he would very much consider playing for England if he received a call-up. “If one day the opportunity comes, obviously I would have to consider it very seriously,†he told Match of the Day yesterday. Wayne Rooney should miss Man Utd’s clash with Fulham with a stomach bug, while New Zealand fly-half is to miss eight weeks of rugby, as he is to undergo ankle surgery.
