A sports academy to support Ireland's elite athletes has been established in Dublin City University.
Up to 100 athletes will be offered places and the scholarships, and supports will be worth up to €10,000 each, including on-campus accommodation.
Initially the academy will focus on three sports - gaelic football, athletics and tennis, before introducing other sports in later years. Eighty-five of the academy places have been filled for this year.
Among those who have signed up are Conor Mortimer, Bryan Cullen, Fionnuala Britton and Mark Christie.
The programme will be funded by private donors and companies and will require €5 million over the next five years.
DCU president Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski said: "It's time that Ireland made a quantum leap in the training and development of top athletes to ensure that they can compete on a national and international level with the very best in the world."