One time of the year seems to bring out the carnival spirit in the Irish more than any other: the seven short days between Christmas and New Years. Of course, this being Ireland, there are centuries old Irish traditions to follow too, if you want to spend your Christmas like a local, that is. Here’s Irish Central’s list of 10 Irish Christmas Traditions.

Handball villain Thierry Henry has called for the controversial Ireland/France game to be replayed. The French star striker said a replay would be the "fairest solution" after his handball set up the goal which dumped Ireland out of the World Cup.

A.J. Voelpel: Two games remain on the Notre Dame football schedule for 2009. Well, three if you count the “Consolation” Bowl sometime in December. The UConn Huskies enter South Bend on a three-game losing streak and have lost their last three road games (all to ranked teams) by a mere nine points.

Irish golfer Padraig Harrington has slammed the French team for the way they celebrated after Thierry Henry's hand ball helped them win their World Cup clash with Ireland.

The Australian rules and Kerry Gaelic football star Tadgh Kennelly has said he has returned to Australia because Ireland is "on its knees" economically.

About 200,000 Irish fans from all over the world have joined a Facebook petition calling on FIFA for a replay of the France/Ireland match which ended in bitter controversy in Paris Wednesday night. France advanced to the World Cup finals through a disputed goal after star striker Thierry Henry blatantly handled the ball before setting up the winning score.

French soccer “star” Thierry Henry’s “hand of Gaul” go-ahead goal against Ireland in the World Cup qualifier has once again shown the need for the instant replay. American sports are no stranger to human error and bad calls that could have been solved by modern technology. Here’s a list of the ten of greatest blown calls in American sports history that could have been reversed with instant replay...

Zut alors! Even the French think we were robbed last night in the Stade de France. An online poll in the French newspaper Le Monde shows a staggering 80,657 French people (presumably) believe Ireland should be on their way to the World Cup.

Ambassador Rooney was on a visit to Kilkenny city Wednesday, November 18, home to the tomb of Obama's long lost relative, Bishop John Kearney. He said he has asked Obama to visit Ireland.

The Football Association of Ireland has lodged an official complaint with soccer's governing body FIFA over the controversial handball by Thierry Henry which dumped Ireland out of the play-offs for the 2010 World Cup. And the FAI has cited precedent for the game to be replayed.

Video replay. Two words that have come back to haunt FIFA, the international body who runs soccer. Because of the lack of it France are in the World Cup championship and Ireland are out.

Sean O'Shea: France is through to the World Cup finals after an incredible oversight by the referee, which allowed a Thierry Henry handball to go unpunished, which led to the winning French goal. With the goal, the French qualified on a 2-1 aggregate score

Sean O'Shea: Ireland is playing extra time against France after the Irish defeated the French in 90 minutes. Two periods of 15 minutes will be played followed by a penalty shoot-out if there is no further score.

Irish dad Damien Gillan, a self-employed plasterer, has won $230,000 in the Northern Irish lottery.

This just had to be seen to be believed, as the Moulin Rouge in Paris hosted a Can Can dancer like none ever seen before - an Irish fan.

Sean O'Shea I wrote yesterday that Notre Dame will likely breeze by Connecticut and lose against Stanford. Now I'm not so sure.

Ireland face an uphill task in Paris on Wednesday but star midfielder Damien Duff thinks the upset can be achieved. The Republic trail 1-0 on aggregate after a Nicolas Anelka goal gave France victory in Dublin on Saturday evening. But Fulham midfielder Duff believes a shock win can be pulled off at the Stade de France.

French midfielder Lassana Diarra has issued a threat against Irish player Keith Andrews who has accused Diarra of refusing to shake hands with him and calling him "An Irish pr*** at the end of their World Cup game in Dublin.

I hate to say I told you so but four weeks ago when I said Charlie Weis had to go there was a storm of criticism around my head. When I suggested that Brian Kelly of Cincinnati was the likely replacement I was told that I was talking nonsense, including on the ESPN site. What are the odds of Weis keeping his job now?

Sean O'Shea: Ireland will travel to France on Wednesday night knowing their World Cup hopes hang by a fingernail. Yet they can pull off a huge upset.

One of Celtic FC’s most promising players has been forced to retire from football after suffering from a serious ankle injury.

Sean O'Shea: The explosive reasons behind the brawl at the end of the Irish vs. France World Cup game in Dublin on Saturday have been revealed. After the game, French player Lasanna Diarra refused to shake hands with Irish player Keith Andrews and said ' F-- off Irish pr--- to him adding '"You're out," referring to the 1-0 first leg victory for France.

AJ Voelpel: The Fighting Irish have grown a knack for taking naps for the first three quarters of football games. And when they wake up in the fourth, it’s always too late.

Ireland’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup in South Africa were dealt a cruel blow when an unlucky Sean St. Ledger own goal gave France a 1-0 win at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday night.

We are just hours away from the biggest soccer match that we have seen In Ireland for many a year. Ireland take on France in the first leg of the World Cup playoff at Croke Park, and if ever there was a need for an Irish crowd to inspire our warriors then today is the day.

Giovanni Trapattoni confirms ten of his team for the first leg of Ireland’s World Cup playoff against France at Croke Park on Saturday, but must make game time decision between McGeady/Lawrence.

Central defender Richard Dunne is in defiant mood ahead of Ireland’s crunch clash against France in the World Cup Playoff this Saturday in Croke Park.

AJ Voelpel: I semi-recovered from a 3-4 performance two weeks ago. I ended up going 4-3 against the spread, which raises my season total to 43-26 (60.4 percent). With every week, there was the birdie; almost predicting the Clemson-FSU game on the dot, and the (double) bogey; thinking for some unknown reason that the Irish were going to beat Navy by two Tds.

Irish coach Marco Tardelli has warned his World Cup hopefuls that they will need to be on full alert for the two legs of their playoff against France.

Irish golfing sensation Rory McIlroy will become a card carrying member of the US PGA Tour in 2010 as he sets his sights firmly on cracking the top ten in world golf rankings.

Padraig Harrington: To finish 25th was a disappointment as I really needed to win to give myself a chance of winning the Race to Dubai. I can see exactly what happened now as my short game was poor for the week and I was very hard on myself, which is exactly what I was like early in the year.

AJ Voelpel: Now that the Domers are playing only for their pride, it's time to cast a half interested eye on their next opponent, Pittsburgh.

Ipswich manager and former Irish international Roy Keane believes the boys in green can overcome Les Bleus when Ireland take on France in the two legged World Cup playoff on November 14 and 18.

Indy racing star Danica Patrick's got a crush on "Twilight" star Robert Pattinson. Asked who her dream guy is the Irish American said "My husband, of course." But then she added: "since I read the 'Twilight' books, the new vampire, Rob Pattinson, is pretty great, too. My dreams came true, though. My husband really is my dream guy."

Ireland were given a timely boost ahead of their World Cup playoff against France with the news that Damien Diff played a full ninety minutes for Fulham against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Peyton Manning, Super Bowl winning quarterback and three time NFL MVP, has revealed what makes him one of the greatest gunslingers to ever grace gridiron: the use of Gaelic!

AJ Voelpel: And for the third straight season, Notre Dame’s football season has become as irrelevant as a VCR. You know the Saturday’s game is a joke when Navy scores two points in the fourth quarter…and still wins.

WITH NEW VIDEO & PHOTO GALLERIES: The imminent announcement that Danica Patrick will join the Earnhardt team for a series of NASCAR races will make the blood boil for many of the traditionalists in NASCAR who believe women belong in the pit and not at the pit stop.

WITH NEW VIDEO & PHOTO GALLERIES: It is the biggest story in auto racing for decades. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made it clear that he wants Danica Patrick to join his NASCAR team, bringing about one of the greatest auto racing stories in American history and joining two legendary figures in the sport.

Don’t let the 23-21 final score fool you. This game wasn't even close. For the second time in three years, the Navy Midshipmen were able to defeat Notre Dame in South Bend.

For Irish woman Angela Nolan and English man Liam Adcock, Irish rugby was their true love. That was, until they met each other on Facebook. Now, both of their statuses read: “Married.”

Listowel man Tadhg Kennelly has announced that he will return to Australia to resume his AFL career.

Irish-trained Man of Iron has won the $500,000 Breeders' Cup Marathon.

Protests by Irish women's groups have knocked out boxer Mike Tyson. The former heavyweight champion and convicted rapist was scheduled to appear along with Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan Friday at "An Evening with Mike Tyson."

It seemed as if the first half of Notre Dame’s schedule was to be the most daunting. Turns out the second half is no cake walk either. But the Irish can’t think of Pitt, UConn or Stanford before they deal with those pesky Midshipmen of the Naval Academy.

Celtic won a point on the road in Hamburg in the Europa League but their chances of advancing to the next stage of the competition look slim.

Niall O'Dowd: Ted Kennedy Jr. will preside — and Irish tenor Ronan Tynan will sing in his first New York engagement since his controversial firing by the New York Yankees — at a memorial Mass for the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Andy Lee's (19-1) preparations for his fight against France's Affif Belghecham (19-3-1) on November 14 at the University Arena in Limerick are going to plan in New York.

AJ Voelpel: I had to cool off at some point. Does A-Rod hit a home run every time he’s up? I went 3-4 against the spread last week, bringing my season record to 39-23 (20-7 over the last four weeks). Of course, there was the birdie; predicting Oregon to beat USC by double digits, and the bogey; taking VT to smoke UNC on Thursday night.

Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien is happy with how Rip Van Winkle is faring ahead of the Breeders’ Cup Saturday, and is not as concerned over his horse’s foot complaint after seeing him work out on Wednesday.