Dublin's Andrew Scott has been announced as a James Bond villain for the next instalment of the franchise - we're not sure if he's playing an Irishman - plonking James Bond in South Armagh, for instance, might be a bridge too far for 007.
Here are five figures in Irish sport who would have made decent Irish Bond villains
1. Conor McGregor
He models himself on an especially slick, modern kind of Bond villain. The kind of villain who would have hosted Bond at his exclusive boat party or enjoyed a Cognac with him in the VIP lounge at a high class foreign nightclub. They'd have tossed philosophical bon mots back and forth at each other until closing time.
2. Ryan McMenamin
Not so much the principal Bond villain as the Bond villain's henchman, Ricey would run rings around Bond for half the film.
3. Ger Loughnane
A Bond villain who would loved throwing grenades, metaphorical and actual, at Bond throughout the film. The mind games would be a head-wreck for Daniel Craig's character to deal with.
4. Katie Taylor
More and more Bond villains are female. Katie would be the non-speaking fighting whiz sent out to disarm and sort out Bond by the coiffed Conor McGregor/Ger Loughnane type string puller who doesn't want 007 to get near him. After a few close shaves, Bond would squeeze past her.
5. Roy Keane
Had to be there. A brooding presence and a formidable foe. The only surprise is the Broccoli family haven't actually got in touch with Keane yet.
