Ireland

To continue their upward trajectory, Bemand, who has signed a new deal to stay with Ireland until the conclusion of the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup, has freshened up his squad and opted for a change of captain.

There are nine uncapped players in the 36-strong panel while winger Amee-Leigh Costigan, who captained the side throughout last year’s championship, and former co-captain Edel McMahon, are out.

The armband has been passed to returning back row Erin King, who Bemand believes is the ideal candidate to lead the green wave into a new cycle.

He said: “Erin embodies the Ireland player of the future of how she attacks training and how she is – honest, driven and a resilient player.”

The 22-year-old recently returned from the serious knee injury which forced her to miss last year’s World Cup and is relishing her new role.

King believes Ireland must target being competitive in both games against the top two and it is not an unrealistic goal.

They were well in the game at half-time in Cork last year when they trailed 7-5, only for England to blow them away in the second half to win 49-5.

At the World Cup in the summer, Ireland led 13-0 at the break before France came back with 18 unanswered points to progress to the last four.

“We know we are bridging the gap to the top two teams – France and England. They’ve been professional for a lot longer than us but the last few years of our professionalism is paying off now,” she said.

“Last year we held it to England for a good while so it would be great if we could compete for the full 80 [minutes] against them and get to get one up on France, we can definitely compete with them.

“With the squad we have, we can do things we’ve never done before. We just want to get going.”

The island is said to have more pubs per capita than anywhere in Ireland, and perhaps the British Isles. It also has a nightclub run by two OAPs that opens on demand

Every June, hundreds of teenagers descend on Pub Island.

The youth of Donegal leave their hilltop farms, hop on a ferry and head to this mythical land of pints and pork scratchings.

On the busiest days, when Coláiste Árainn Mhóir’s summer Irish course is in full, céilí-practising swing, hundreds of teenagers fill the island’s youth hostels, B&Bs and campsites. In the evenings, once lessons end, they head for the pubs.

The island, actually called Arranmore, is said to have more pubs per capita than anywhere in Ireland, and perhaps the British Isles.

Alongside the hordes of youngsters, the island’s 480 permanent residents, mostly sheep farmers and fishermen, sustain six pubs and an iconic nightclub that opens at midnight if the boozers close.

Smugglers is an institution on Arranmore, introducing generations of islanders and visitors to disco at its late-night parties. Opening hours are irregular.

Partygoers either check Facebook for a “disco this Friday” post or knock on the door at the witching hour and hope. The OAP pals who run it have been known to give in and open up.

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An unusual quirk of the island is its lack of police. That leaves plenty of scope for debauchery and no need to call last orders until everyone is done.

“The morning after is like D-Day,” one mainland resident told me, recalling teenage nights on the island before her group caught the ferry home, trying to hide seasick hangovers from parents waiting at the other end.

In the UK, the miserable state of the pub industry is well known. Rising costs and falling demand mean hundreds close each year. The Republic is faring little better. More than 2,100 pubs have shut since 2005, about a quarter of the total. An average of 112 close annually, rising to 128 a year between 2019 and 2024, leaving 6,498 licensed pubs.

Against this backdrop, I travelled to Arranmore to see why this Atlantic community is bucking the trend.

Before arriving, the ferry weaved through an archipelago of islands that narrowed the channel to a handful of meters, providing a view of the derelict Rutland. The once-booming island of over 1,000 was deserted when the herring fisheries collapsed, leaving a crumbly but intact high street. Although officially population-less, it is possible to rent a holiday home on the abandoned island.

Aaranmore hoved into view a minute later, a patchwork of fields dotted with sheep rising up on the hill above Leadgarrow port. The island’s main attraction is the lighthouse, which stands on the western cliffs above sea whipped into a deadly froth. It’s a striking scene, but one that requires a fair tolerance for cold and wind.

Unlike the main strip over in the east, which is protected from the worst of the weather. Here you will find the pubs.

My crawl began up the hill at the charming pods at Aaranmore Glamping, my home for the weekend, which came complete with an incredible sea view and a hot tub. From there, a short walk took me to Neilys.

The only inland pub, it has two sides. In winter, it serves locals dropping in for a quick drink after work. In summer, it caters to tourists with cocktails, craft beer and a pizza van.

Next was Early’s, closest to the ferry and opening onto the beach. A three-generation family business spanning 60 years, it is now run by sisters Kayla and Aisling, who recently took over from Jerry. It is the place for generous plates of food and a chat with the owners, whatever the weather. On quiet evenings, the refurbished band and darts hall sits empty while punters gather around the fire.

At 9.30pm, I made my way to Phil Bans, roughly 10m down the road. It was packed to the rafters with well over 100 people of all ages, many of them wearing football jerseys in support of the national team. Even Ireland’s eventual penalty heartbreak wasn’t enough to kill the good vibes in the cheery room.

Sadly, that was all the pubs I was getting for the night. Smugglers wasn’t opening, and the other pubs have given way to Phil Ban’s superior big-screen setup.

So how does a place support so many pubs?

Being a beautiful island with a lot of weather means many visitors come and are then pushed inside for a warming tipple.

But more than that, Aaranmore is just a very friendly place. In 2017, the community council wrote an open letter to the world, urging people to move there to stop the dwindling population from falling even further. Many, from across Ireland’s 80 million diaspora and beyond, answered the call.

It’s a place that’s used to people from all over coming and staying for more than a quick drink.

Book it

Pods at Aaranmore Glamping cost €150.00 a night.

The Aaranmore Ferry charges €15 for adults, €10 for students, and €7 for children.

Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill praised the “character” of his side in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw in Wales.

Both Wales and Northern Ireland lost their respective World Cup play-offs to set up the friendly that nobody wanted.

Jamie Donley scored a deserved opener but Wales hit back less than 60 seconds after the restart as Sorba Thomas tucked home.

Eoin Toal and Callum Marshall had chances to snatch victory, but it was the response to the equaliser which impressed O’Neill as his young side bounced back from the World Cup defeat by Italy with a solid performance in Cardiff.

“The team has good resilience because at the end of the day, as much as we sat deep and it was difficult for us to get out in the last 20 minutes, we still had an opportunity to win the game,” O’Neill, who also hit back at concerns over a conflict of interest with his dual role with Blackburn Rovers.

“To come away, with the age profile of the team and where the team is at this minute at time, and not be beaten here was a real positive.”

O’Neill added it was “a good night’s work for us” as he “asked a huge amount” of young players in a second half that was littered with substitutions, but Northern Ireland deserved their draw in Cardiff.

He handed a debut to 19-year-old defender Tom Atcheson, who plays under him at Blackburn Rovers, but Liverpool’s Kieran Morrison did not make his senior bow as O’Neill made eight substitutions.

“He’s a very young player. I think he’s shown up well in the camp all week,” O’Neill said on Atcheson.

“We would have liked to have got Kieran Morrison on the pitch as well at some point, but you wouldn’t have been able to do it without having to take a sub that you put on, off again, without asking someone to play in a position which was totally alien to them.

“Given the number of substitutions we made, we’re pleased with the response we got from the players.”

“The rugby community in Canberra is deeply passionate and holds a great appreciation for international touring teams, as we witnessed last year when the biggest GIO Stadium Canberra rugby crowd in 20 years packed the venue for the Brumbies’ thrilling match against the British & Irish Lions,” said Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh.

“The Wallabies are looking forward to playing their first Test match at GIO Stadium Canberra in 10 years – and their first ever against Ireland in Canberra – as both teams finalise their preparations for the eagerly-anticipated home Rugby World Cup.

“On behalf of Rugby Australia, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to ACT [Australian Capital Territory] Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry for their support of Test rugby during an incredibly exciting period for the game in our country.”

The sides will meet beforehand as Ireland make the trip to Sydney to begin their Nations Championship summer tour on Saturday, 4 July, before facing Japan one week later and rounding off in Auckland against New Zealand on 18 July.

Wales host Northern Ireland in a friendly on Tuesday, a match that nobody wants.

The fixture is having to take place because both teams lost their World Cup play-off semi-finals on Thursday, against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Italy respectively.

So, while the winners of those ties face each other in Zenica for a place at this summer’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, the losers must meet in Cardiff.

The game will provide fringe players with a chance to impress their bosses, Craig Bellamy and Michael O’Neill, who are understandably keen to stress the value of this encounter.

But for the fans and anyone else associated with these teams, this is a tough sell.

“For the supporters, it’s a complete dead rubber. It is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard – it’s pointless,” was the blunt assessment from former Northern Ireland midfielder Chris Brunt.

The reality, however, is that international football’s governing bodies have decreed the game must go ahead, whether anyone likes it or not.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson has called Portsmouth winger Millenic Alli into his squad for Tuesday’s friendly against North Macedonia in Dublin [19:45 BST].

The 26-year-old earns his first call-up to the senior squad and took part in training at Abbotstown on Sunday.

Alli began his career in England playing non-league before signing for Exeter City in 2024, catching the eye of Luton Town who spent £1.5 million to bring him to Kenilworth Road.

The Dubliner scored four goals in the final six games of last season, but the Hatters would suffer relegation to League One.

Despite falling out of favour, Alli was picked up on loan by Portsmouth and he has started all 14 games since his arrival at Fratton Park.

He has scored once in the Championship club’s bid to beat the drop and his performances have caught the attention of Hallgrimsson who brings him into the squad with others unavailable for Tuesday.

Midfielder Jack Taylor has left the squad for family reasons, while Sammie Szmodics has returned to Derby County to continue his recovery from a concussion sustained in Thursday’s World Cup play-off semi-final defeat on penalties by the Czech Republic.

That defeat in Prague saw the Republic of Ireland’s hopes of qualifying for this summer’s World Cup come to an end, while North Macedonia were beaten in their semi-final by Denmark, leaving both nations to face each other in a friendly.

Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 to boost their bid to reach a men’s World Cup for the first time since 2014, as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Poland, Turkiye, Kosovo, the Czech Republic and Denmark also won their European playoff semifinals.

Four-time champions Italy, who lost out in the playoffs for the 2018 and 2022 editions, travel to Bosnia on Tuesday for the final, knowing a win will send them to June and July’s tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Sandro Tonali blasted in superbly from the edge of the box in the second half of a nervous one-off semifinal in Bergamo on Thursday before Moise Kean made the game safe.

“We made life a bit difficult for ourselves, but in the second half we found our rhythm,” Italy coach and 2006 champion Gennaro Gattuso said. “Now we’re going to play this final. We know it’s difficult. The tension we feel will be felt by our opponents, too.”

Bosnia overcame Wales on penalties in Cardiff following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

Daniel James used his pace to score early in the second period for the hosts, and Karl Darlow then made a wonder save from an Ermedin Demirovic header. Edin Dzeko, 40, levelled late on in normal time.

Darlow saved again from Demirovic in the shootout, but Brennan Johnson and Neco Williams both missed.

Kosovo have never reached a World Cup, but are through to Tuesday’s playoff final at home to Turkiye after winning a wild game in Slovakia 4-3.

The Kosovans twice wiped out a deficit, and Kreshnik Hajrizi’s goal on 72 minutes proved the difference.

Ferdi Kadioglu’s second-half goal put Turkiye through after a tight 1-0 home win over Romania.

Kadioglu calmly netted on 53 minutes after Arda Guler’s magical assist at Besiktas’s stadium in Istanbul.

Romania’s 80-year-old coach Mircea Lucescu, who counts Turkiye among his former jobs, was left to rue Nicolae Stanciu hitting the post as the Tricolours missed the World Cup for the seventh straight edition.

Turkiye, third in 2002, have not reached a men’s World Cup since.

Viktor Gykeres bagged a hat-trick in Sweden’s 3-1 win over Ukraine in Valencia. Ukraine have not played at home since the Russian full-scale invasion more than four years ago, and miss out on another World Cup.

Graham Potter’s Swedes next take on Poland, who came from behind to defeat Albania 2-1 in Warsaw.

Arbr Hoxha pounced 42 minutes after Jan Bednarek’s mistake as Albania dreamed of moving closer to a first World Cup appearance. But record Poland scorer Robert Lewandowski equalised, and Piotr Zielinski won it in style with a goal from distance.

Gustav Isaksen scored twice in two minutes to help Denmark thump North Macedonia 4-0 and set up a meeting away to the Czech Republic, who needed penalties to get past Ireland in Prague.

Troy Parrott, the hero as the Irish made the playoffs at the end of November’s group stage, netted the opener from the spot, and an own goal summed up the poor Czech defence.

But the hosts pulled one back through Patrik Schick’s penalty and Ladislav Krejci’s late header to make it 2-2, prompted by a cagey extra time, with the Czechs prevailing in a shootout.

This year’s tournament, in North America in June and July, will feature an expanded 48 teams, meaning more nations have a chance to qualify.

Twelve European countries have already gotten through by winning their groups. The playoffs are made up of second-placed teams and sides who did well in the previous Nations League.

Bolivia beat Suriname, Jamaica edge New Caledonia to reach playoff finals

In FIFA’s intercontinental playoff games on Thursday, Bolivia rallied to beat Suriname 2-1 to qualify for the final qualifying playoff against Iraq.

Liam Van Gelderen put Suriname ahead in the 48th minute, but Moises Paniagua tied the score at the 72nd, and Miguel Terceros had the winning goal on a penalty kick in the 79th minute for the Bolivians, who are aiming for their second World Cup appearance.

The Bolivians have only previously played in the 1994 World Cup in the US. Suriname were looking to qualify for the first time.

Bolivia will play Iraq next Tuesday in Monterrey, with the winner qualifying for Group I with France, Norway and Senegal.

Elsewhere on Thursday, a first-half goal by Wrexham striker Bailey Cadamarteri gave Jamaica a 1-0 victory over New Caledonia and a place in the international playoff final against the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Reggae Boyz have only one World Cup appearance, at France in 1998. New Caledonia, from Oceania, saw their chance to advance to a first World Cup end.

Jamaica will face DRC next Tuesday at Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. DRC qualified for the playoff by defeating Nigeria in an African playoff.

The winner in Guadalajara will play in Group K in the tournament along with Colombia, Portugal and Uzbekistan.

FROM rooftop bars in South Africa to swimming pools in Marrakech and sundrenched terraces in Madrid – Sun Travel has found of the most affordable spots in the world’s best cities.

These 10 stays are the perfect places to rest your head while travelling around the world and they start from just £6 per night.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is the sixth best city in the world according to Time Out.

It has beautiful beaches and buzzy neighbourhoods, all set against the backdrop of the enormous Table Mountain.

When it comes to affordable places to stay check out Never@Home Green Point near Cape Town Stadium.

Along with private rooms and shared ones (including female-only), the hostel has a rooftop swimming pool, bar and chill-out lounge.

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The ‘cheap luxury’ beach resorts under 4 hours from UK with breaks from £75pp

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The CHEAPEST all-inclusive holidays in May half term – from £259pp and kids go free

A stay at Never@Home Green Point starts from £20 per night.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam sits at number 34 in the list of the world’s best cities with pretty canals and gabled buildings.

There are plenty of attractions to explore as well as lots of busy bars and cafes to explore.

Anyone heading to the city should take a look at Generator Amsterdam which is inside a former university building overlooking Oosterpark.

One of its most impressive rooms is the bar inside a former lecture theatre.

A bed in one of the dorm rooms starts from £15 per night.

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

With its enormous hilltop castle, winding Royal Mile lined with plenty of shops and of course, pubs – Edinburgh has been announced as the third best city in the world.

It’s easy to walk about on foot and those brave enough should hike up to Arthur’s Seat.

When it comes to where to stay, consider the Castle Rock Hostel which is right next to Edinburgh Castle with easy access to the Old Town.

It has plenty of communal spaces and is a perfect budget stay for Edinburgh explorers – a night in one of the dorms at the Castle Rock Hostel starts from £15 per night.

Osaka, Japan

Travelling to Japan is on the rise, and while flights there are likely to be expensive, staying there doesn’t have to be.

Time Out, which named Osaka as the 39th best city in the world, also said it’s the “undisputed street food capital of Japan“.

When looking for a base to explore and fill your stomach with delicious takoyaki and yakitori, check out Hotel Toyo Hostel.

It’s basic but offers private rooms and is in the heart of the city with stays from £10 per night.

Kraków, Poland

Nicknamed the ‘jewel of the Baltics’, Kraków is said to be ‘fairytale-like’ with its colourful buildings and grand squares.

The pretty city is filled with pretty gardens, parks, and for beer fans, you can get a pint for as little as £1.50.

Any guest that checks into Greg & Tom Beer House Hostel gets free breakfast, dinner and there’s even free beer hour starting from 9pm.

The hostel is three-minutes from the Main Square and rooms start from £10 per night.

Marrakech, Morocco

The 24th world’s best city is Morocco’s vibrant Marrakech where you can haggle in busy souks, take in history at the medinas and stop in traditional tearooms.

To get into the spirit of Marrakech, all the while saving pennies, check into the Equity Point Marrakech.

It’s a unique spa hostel with a swimming pool and even offers hammam and massages to guests.

It also has a relaxing courtyard area and a rooftop bar with views across the city.

One visitor wrote in their review: “The Pool, rooftop terrace, and rooms are amazing. I wish we stayed longer and i would definitely recommend it to anyone who is visiting Marrakesh.”

A stay here starts from £8 per night.

Dublin, Ireland

Closer to home is vibrant Dublin a city known for its charm, old boozers, and friendly locals.

It’s said to be the city for some of the ‘best nights out in Europe‘ so if you want to see it for yourself, head to Generator Dublin.

The hostel that has a mix of private rooms and shared dorms is near the Jameson Distillery and the famous Temple Bar.

Rooms start from £25 per night.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is hard to beat with the best of both worlds; coast and city.

Some of the most famous attractions include the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and with it being so hilly, taking the tram is a popular transport choice.

There are plenty of tascas too where you can dig into bacalhau (salted cod) and sip on sangria.

Goodmorning Solo Traveller Hostel is minutes from the city centre with plenty of communal spaces – some rooms even have balconies.

A stay here starts from £20 per night (a two-night minimum stay is required).

Buenos Aires, Argentina

There’s so much to do in the capital of Argentina from eating its world-class food to exploring the city’s vibrant culture.

Stewart Jackson, the Sun’s UK Digital Editor, who visited the city described it as a “brag-to-your-friends city break that is achingly cool and, once you’re there, incredibly cheap.”

Cocktails can be picked up from £4 and a 30-minute taxi journey can be as little as £3.

Affordability doesn’t stop with places to stay either – First Stop Buenos Aires Hostel is a budget-friendly hostel in the heart of the city.

The hostel offers a variation of rooms – some are private with adjoining ensuites.

A one night stay starts from £20 per night.

Madrid, Spain

Food, nightlife, culture – and just over two hours from the UK, Madrid should be top of your list for a city break.

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey even called it her “new favourite Spanish city.”

She said: “It feels more livable than other more tourist destinations, with an amazing food and drink scene.

“I mingled with the locals at Pez, where the only thing on the menu is huge sloppy pieces of tortilla chased with a cana (small beer) or tinto de verano for €2.50 (£2.16).”

Generator Madrid is just off of Gran Vía known as ‘Spanish Broadway’ and is a top pick thanks to its rooftop terrace with a bar, sunloungers and hot tubs.

The hostel holds social events too like yoga and DJ sessions and a night in one of the dorms starts from £6 per night.

For more on hotels – here are the very affordable hotels that are better than a five-star – by a holiday expert who’s visited more than 200.

Plus, the top travel mum influencer reveals her best cheap, family-friendly hotels.

BBC Sport NI’s Andy Gray

There’s no way of sugar coating it – losing Dan Ballard is a massive blow to Northern Ireland’s hopes of reaching a first World Cup in 40 years.

The Sunderland defender has been integral to the progress of Michael O’Neill’s young side and he has an impact in both boxes.

While he has always been a physical presence, his composure on the ball has also improved from playing Premier League football this season.

Excluding Kieran Morrison, who has only played in the cup competitions for Liverpool, losing two of his four Premier League players is awful luck for O’Neill, after Conor Bradley was sidelined with a knee injury in January.

Thankfully for NI, Ruairi McConville, who was also an injury doubt when the squad was announced, has played two sets of 90 minutes for Norwich City in the past week.

He will be an option for stepping in for Ballard and has impressed in his short international career to date, as will Oxford United’s Ciaron Brown and Bolton’s Eoin Toal.

Ireland: Osborne; Baloucoune, Ringrose, McCloskey, O’Brien; Crowley, Gibson-Park; O’Toole, Sheehan, Furlong, McCarthy, Beirne, Conan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

Replacements: Kelleher, Milne, Bealham, Murray, Timoney, Casey, Frawley, Aki.

Scotland: Kinghorn; Graham, Jones, Tuipulotu (capt), Steyn; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson, Williamson, Gilchrist, M Fagerson, Darge, Dempsey.

Replacements: Ashman, Sutherland, Rae, Craig, Bradbury, Horne, Rowe, Jordan.

Kelly: Let’s try and get to know you a little bit more away from the pitch. Firstly, I always like asking: what were you like as a youngster?

Nathan: If you asked my mam or dad, they’d say I was a headcase! I was just a bit itchy, I always had to move. I could never sit still and relax. I always had to do something. So they had to burn me out. I always wanted to be in the grass or playing football, just running around to drain my energy. I think I was hard work for my parents, I’d say it like that!

Kelly: It sounds like maybe it was quite a chaotic household. How many siblings have you got?

Nathan: I’ve got an older brother, a younger sister and a younger brother. I think it was just a constant battle of me trying to beat my older brother. It was just so hard because the age difference. We all had training at different times and they’d be running out of the house and you’d forget your boots or they’d be taking two cars in different directions. It was a bit of a carnage, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Kelly: Are you still close now?

Nathan: Ah yeah, of course. I talk to them more or less every day on the phone. Every chance I get to go home I will. My mam goes to every game – home and away. She watches them all.

Kelly: So she flies over? Are they still in Ireland?

Nathan: Yeah, they live in Ireland, so she flies over and she goes everywhere to be fair.

Kelly: Home and away?

Nathan: Yeah.

Kelly: That is some commitment!

Nathan: I know, I tell her, ‘listen, you don’t have to’ and she’s like, ‘no, I want to’.

Kelly: Not everyone’s got a son that’s a Premier League footballer though… I kind of get the appeal!

Nathan: Yeah, I don’t think that she watches the matches. I think that she just looks at me the whole game and sees what I’m doing. She’ll come after, ‘Why were you scratching your leg so much in the match?’ … ‘I don’t know. How do you know that?’

Kelly: Aw, bless her, that’s really sweet. How would your best friend describe you?

Nathan: I’d like to think that they’d describe me as the same lad I was growing up. The first thing that would pop in their head… they wouldn’t say I’m a footballer. I think they’d just say, ‘ah Nathan, he’s just a good lad like… he’s a bit of craic and he comes out when he can’ … but I don’t think that they’d look at me as a footballer, which I really enjoy. And it just means when I’m with them, I can just be myself and just enjoy being one of the lads.

Kelly: So if the manager gives you a day off, what would you do?

Nathan: It depends. If it’s a weekday and it’s good weather, I’ll play golf with a few of the lads here and we’ll get out in the sun.

Kelly: Are you any good?

Nathan: I’m all right. Listen, I can play. I’m not the greatest, but I’m not the worst.

Kelly: Who do you play with here?

Nathan: The group right now is me, Keane Lewis-Potter, Kris Ajer, Hakon Valdimarsson. It’s a good crew because we have a lot of players and we do a little Ryder Cup-style.

Kelly: Oh nice!

Nathan: So it’s staff v players.

Kelly: Wow!

Nathan: Yeah, because there’s a lot of players. We did that last year. We did 18 holes in the morning, we went for some lunch, and then we did 18 holes in the afternoon and it was really good fun. Players won, so thank God!

Kelly: Oh, that was my next question. Have you got any secret hobbies?

Nathan: I like cooking, so that’s something. When I cook, I think I just forget about everything. I’m just in my own little zone and my head kind of goes quiet, which is nice.

Kelly: Are you a good cook?

Nathan: It depends who you ask…

Kelly: If I was asking your girlfriend…

Nathan: Yeah, she’s actually saying: ‘Ah, you’re getting better at cooking!’

Kelly: That’s a bit patronising!

Nathan: Yeah, and I was like… ‘Does that mean I was bad?’

Kelly: Fair enough. What do people get wrong about you the most?

Nathan: Maybe I get a bit of stereotypical: ‘Ah, he’s just a footballer.’ Maybe they get that and then think, ‘oh, he’s actually pretty nice to talk to… he’s all right… he’s kind of relaxed… he’s chill’.

I always want to be just a good person as well. That’s important for me, just to be a nice person, a good person, a caring person. As much as I want to be the best footballer I can ever be, I also want to be the best person I can be and I think that’s something that I always strive towards as well.

Kelly: What’s the toughest moment of your career been? Has there been a tough moment?

Nathan: I had one game for Brentford against Wolves and I had two mistakes in the game. I gave away two goals, we lost 3-1 or something like that and I got battered off the Wolves fans because I’d just left Wolves and the fans had so much to go against me, so much stick. I was like, ‘oh my God, this couldn’t have got any worse’.

To be fair, that night Thomas Frank rang me and he was like, ‘listen Nathan, that’s probably the worst game you’ll ever have in your career’, and he’s like, ‘so it’s only up from here’.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities — and that’s where we come in.

St Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and it’s the one day of the year people really like to let loose and celebrate.

Every year on March 17, people all over the world outside of Ireland — but especially the UK — come out in hordes to celebrate St Paddy’s Day. We’re talking lively parades, a sea of endless green, and booze. Lots and lots of booze.

Whether you’re Irish by blood or Irish just for the day — you want to head to the best spots in the UK to ring in the festivities. And that’s where we come in.

It goes without saying that the capital cities of Belfast in Northern Ireland and Dublin in the Republic of Ireland are must-visits if you’re looking for the ultimate St Paddy’s celebrations, but for those of you who can’t make it all the way to Ireland — don’t worry, we got you.

We’ve compiled a list of the best cities in Britain where you can celebrate St Patrick’s Day this year, so whether you’re planning to head out with a group of mates or go on a solo adventure, make sure to give these spots a whirl.

Let the Guinness and the good times roll.

London

It’s no surprise London is on this list. The UK’s capital city hosts a massive St Paddy’s Parade every year, and this year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever.

March 15 will see the official parade weave its way from Hyde Park to Trafalgar Square, with Irish music, pageantry, dance troupes, floats, and marching bands on display, along with a free-for-all party in Trafalgar Square for the public to enjoy featuring live music, comedy, food and drink.

It’s not just the parade that’s a draw — the weekend closest to March 17 always sees a flurry of activity as London’s thriving Irish community comes out in full force — along with just about every other person looking for a fun time. The Guinness Open Gate Brewery has also recently arrived in the city, hosting a line-up of craic, comedy, and electric music.

Look no further than London for a truly epic time.

Birmingham

The UK’s second largest city is undoubtedly one of the best to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in. In fact, it was one of the first cities in the country to begin hosting St Patrick’s Day celebrations, with a dedicated parade for the day since 1952.

With endless welcoming pubs, restaurants and clubs, there’s no dearth of exciting ways to celebrate the Irish holiday in Birmingham.

While the city’s annual St Patrick’s Day Parade has unfortunately been cancelled once again this year, there’s still more than enough to do in Brummy to get the celebrations going.

Revellers can instead head to St Patrick’s Family Fun Day at the Irish Centre on March 15 which will see a host of activities and entertainment including live bands, music and plenty of food and drink.

Or you can just head down to one of the local pubs — because parade or no parade, St Paddy’s Day is always a rip-roaringly fun time in Birmingham.

Manchester

There’s no way Manchester wasn’t going to be on this list. The city is all set to host its Irish parade for Paddy’s Day on March 15 and revellers can enjoy foot-tapping live Irish music, mouthwatering food, drinks and much more.

Expect to see “plenty of bright costumes, lively parades, and fun events happening across the city”.

In fact, the 10-day Manchester Irish Festival has been running since March 7 and will go on till March 17, with the parade on Sunday being the event’s highlight.

Liverpool

Liverpool is another UK city that’s always a good time on St Patrick’s Day. Irish pubs, karaoke bars and top-class entertainment means if you’re in Liverpool, it’s going to be a hell of a time.

Those hoping for a more peaceful and religious St Paddy’s Day can make their way to Liverpool Cathedral which is Britain’s biggest.

The 10th Annual Liverpool St Patrick’s Day Parade will take place at the Old Irish Centre on March 17, Tuesday. The anniversary parade promises to be “the biggest and best yet — with music, dance, colour, and Irish pride filling the streets. Bands, floats, and community groups are all welcome, and the whole city is invited to join in the festivities”, as per the official website.

If David Nihill was a philosopher, his credo might be “I digress, therefore I am.”

Instead, Nihill is a comedian. Kind of. “I don’t know if I think of myself in those terms,” says Nihill, whose “Cultural Appreciation” special has 2.5 million views on YouTube. “I wouldn’t even call mine comedy specials.”

Nihill is a conversational storyteller who rarely even moves on stage. “I don’t know how to do performance,” he says, “but I do know how to talk.”

His current show, “Taking Tangents,” which takes him to Irvine, Pasadena and Los Angeles from March 13 to 17, is a wide-ranging collection of tales, with some material shifting from show to show. We’ll come back to it, but first, a few tangents.

Growing up in Ireland, Nihill, 47, struggled to learn, hampered by dyslexia — “I came in the lowest five percentile in the whole country of Ireland for spelling, and I didn’t even spell my name right on the test” — and an aversion to math. He was made to feel inferior because of his difficulties. “I was 100% in the ‘I am a moron’ category,” he says.

Nihill was shoved into a vocational program and most of his friends dropped out of school. He stayed in, but even when his father offered to buy him a Super Nintendo for certain math scores, Nihill fell short. His father bought it for him anyway, he says, “but I sold it and bought myself a motorcycle even though I was 15 and not legally old enough to drive.”

He finished high school and became a poorly paid, overworked apprentice electrician. That was enough to motivate him to go to college; there, he figured out how his brain worked and how to learn. He even developed a passion for reading: His last show, “Shelf Life,” wove in dozens of book recommendations.

During our conversation via video after a New York show, I’d ask one question, then follow Nihill as he ambled through his personal history. He started with a story about jumping off a cliff in Greece and shattering his leg — a part of “Tangents” — then going to Australia, before he stumbled into a master’s degree studying business back in Ireland (despite botching his application). A new friend there took him to his first-ever comedy show in Glasgow — there are even tangents within his digressions — before getting him a job with Enterprise Ireland, the government’s investment fund to boost Irish business overseas. That landed him in San Francisco, part of the “Cultural Appreciation” special. He left to pursue business opportunities in Mexico but, due to a hurricane, somehow ended up in Chile, spent a year wandering north toward America, and then scored an internship in Colombia.

Nihill is a conversational storyteller who rarely even moves on stage. “I don’t know how to do performance,” he says, “but I do know how to talk.”

(Jim McCambridge)

Eventually, Nihill’s story works its way to his current career, which began by accident. “It was never a dream or a goal,” he says. A friend in San Francisco had suffered a spinal cord injury and Nihill wanted to run a fundraiser, but dreaded public speaking.

That leads to a minor diversion, back to a college public speaking course in which Nihill was so terrified that he got drunk before his presentation and introduced himself “as an exchange student from Southern Yemen.”

In San Francisco, he started doing live comedy to overcome that fear. Meanwhile, his business background led him to see an opportunity and he created FunnyBizz, a company and conference where comedians help teach business leaders, like Kevin Harrington of “As Seen on TV,” how to use humor to communicate. The business bankrolled Nihill’s early days in comedy.

While Nihill has lived in America for years, most recently in Los Angeles, he remains passionately Irish, which shapes his shows in several ways.

In Ireland, “your nature is to just default to funny stories.”

He says American stand-up is about taking a topic and making it funny, aspiring for a five-minute joke-filled late night TV spot. Irish comedians say, “This thing happened to me and I think that’s funny. Let me just repeat it.”

The new show is named after “tangents” so that Nihill can go down different rabbit holes each night if he wants. “My head is always doing 60 different things,” he says, and he loves keeping his storytelling “free form and unfiltered,” whether he’s in a pub or on stage (or, apparently, in an interview).

The new show’s subjects will be familiar to Nihill’s fans: his parents, his foolish behavior (there are drunken college-age antics in a story that somehow eventually weaves in White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt) and Irish culture. “There are few countries that punch above their weight in social justice and social impact,” he says, and he always looks to draw connections with other cultures around the world. But the observations and connections he draws are new.

In New York, he added a bit about how 35% of Jamaicans have some Irish roots, quipping “imagine how fast they’d be without that” (in a nod to legendary sprinters like Usain Bolt). But for Nihill, that joke only works if it’s couched within the larger context of the cross-cultural connections, including the fact that Jamaican-born political activist Marcus Garvey drew upon the Irish independence movement for inspiration.

“There has to be some social value to doing it,” he says, although he’s quick to add his comedy isn’t overtly political. “My dad’s a teacher and that lives inside of me. Humor can be the ultimate tool for social activism. I am deliberately getting people to expand their minds in understanding these connections. I want comedy that makes everyone feel good and maybe learn something.”

Nihill on stage at Hollywood Improv.

(Jim McCambridge)

That “feel good” part is central: While he discusses his mother’s death from cancer last year, he leaves out a beautiful but poignant part of their final days together. “I’m deliberately avoiding that,” he says, because he wants to maintain an upbeat mood.

He digresses to tell me the story, however, and it’s literally longer than this entire article’s word count. “A very long answer to a very short question,” he admits, before swerving into a tale about back when his father had overstayed his visa in New York — it involves his dad being interviewed on CNN, getting into a bar fight and avoiding deportation because the immigration officer hailed from County Cork and Nihill’s dad burst into a song from there, earning him a six-month visa extension. The humanity of that scene “in contrast to a 5-year-old being dragged off to a detention center” may end up in a future Nihill show.

Nihill loves sharing the stories that come from observing and listening to people but says he doesn’t love the spotlight, which, he admits, makes comedy an odd career choice. He says he prefers telling stories to just a few people.

“With comedy, the best part for me is that before a show I eat half a chocolate bar and I leave the other half in the hotel room,” he says. “After the show, I get to finish it. That’s true happiness.”

All times GMT

Round 1

Ireland v England – Friday 5 February (20:10)

Scotland v Italy – Saturday 6 February (14:10)

France v Wales – Saturday 6 February (16:40)

Round 2

Italy v Ireland – Saturday 13 February (14:10)

Scotland v Wales – Saturday 13 February (16:40)

England v France – Sunday 14 February (15:10)

Round 3

Wales v Ireland – Saturday 20 February (14:10)

England v Italy – Saturday 20 February (16:40)

France v Scotland – Sunday 21 February (15:10)

Round 4

Scotland v Ireland – Friday 5 March (20:10)

Italy v France – Saturday 6 March (14:10)

Wales v England – Saturday 6 March (16:40)

Round 5

Italy v Wales – Saturday 13 March (14:10)

England v Scotland – Saturday 13 March (16:40)

Ireland v France – Saturday 13 March (20:10)