Special guests over the years have included Ray Houghton, Sean Mulryan, Tommy Carr, John O'Mahony, Marty Morrissey and Dermot Earley, the new Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.

Ray Houghton Everyone remembers where they were when Ray Houghton stuck in the ball in the English net. Christy Moore even wrote a song about it! Houghton's goal against England at the 1988 Europaen Championships was the launching pad for Jack's Army to take the world by storm - a good manager, an even better team and the best supporters on this planet.

The cocktail gave Ireland a fresh confidence and, some would say, spawned the economic prosperity that followed in later years. For that goal alone and the subsequent 'screamer' against Italy at the 1994 World Cup, Ray Houghton has always held a special place in the hearts of football followers. He came to prominence at Oxford where, ironically, Jack Charlton went to see John Aldridge in action with the intention of signing him up for Ireland. When Big Jack found out about Houghton's Irish roots, he quickly snapped him up and the rest, as they say, is history. His club career included spells at Liverpool and Aston Villa at a time when Irish players were well represented at both clubs. A current television pundit on RTE and Sky television, he played a major role in helping secure the appointment of Givanni Trapattoni as the new Republic of Ireland manager. back to top >>

Sean Mulryan Sean Mulryan and Ballymore Properties are highly respected in the world of business and have become a household name right across the continent during the past decade. Sean named his company after Ballymore Eustace, where he lives with his wife Bernadine and their five children. He found the company in 1982 and now owns sites across Europe with an ever-growing property portfolio. The Ballinaheglish native from mid-Roscommon is also the sponsor of the Roscommon senior football team through his firm Ballymore Properties.

Indeed Sean Mulryan¹s firm displays the primrose and blue colours on its logo. In sporting circles, Sean is a self-confessed sports fanatic. His passion for GAA is no secret while he has shares in Sunderland FC in the Premiership. During the sportstar banquet, Sean revealed how he got Roy Keane and Niall Quinn sitting around the same table, the first time they had met face-to-face since Saipan. back to top >>

Tommy Carr The former Dublin player and manager was appointed manager of the Roscommon senior football team in late 2002. He guided Roscommon to the quarter-finals of the All-Ireland championship a year later. A well-respected figure in the GAA, Carr currently devotes some time to GAA analysis on RTE radio.

John O'Mahony The Ballaghaderreen native guided Galway to All-Ireland honours in 1998 and 2001. Ironically, Roscommon had beaten Galway in 2001 but O'Mahony and the Tribesmen gained revenge in the All-Ireland quarter-final in Castlebar. Appointed manager of the Mayo football team after the departure of Mickey Moran, O'Mahony will be hoping to build a new team after this year's qualifier defeat to Derry.

Marty Morrissey The Clare man announced his arrival on RTE television in 1992 when he famously quipped that there "wouldn't be a cow milked in Clare" after the Banner's Munster football championship success. A regular on RTE's coverage of big match days in Croke Park, Marty is one of the most well-known faces in Gaelic games.

Dermot Earley The former Roscommon footballer has moulded a successful career for himself in the army but he has never forgotten his Roscommon roots. He played a key role "behind the scenes" in Roscommon's All-Ireland minor success in 2006. A former Roscommon manager, Earley graced the fields of Ireland in the primrose and blue jersey, delivering many fantastic performances at midfield for his county.