Brady, Biden and Brexit ....three extraordinary days

It's been a remarkable few days. Two mornings ago, Rory McIlroy pulled out of the Olympics in Rio. Did anyone notice?

After all the brouhaha over whether he would compete for Ireland or Britain, his exit over concerns about the zika virus didn't cause that much of an upset. In fact, boxer Darren O'Neill, who had “cried tears and spilled blood” trying to qualify, said we were better off without him.

Why the lack of interest? Because the Republic of Ireland were playing Italy in the European Championships, trying to get into the final 16. And what a game it was, in that covered-in Stade Pierre-Maurpy in Lille.

As Britain faced into a poll as to whether it should stay in Europe or not, the Republic or Ireland was desperately trying to remain in the Euros.

And after a brave display against a second-string Italian team, Robbie Brady ensured that we would spend at least another weekend in France, and the visit of US Vice-President Biden to Ireland was relegated to an 'in other news' story.

We now faced France and revenge for a certain hand of Thierry Henry incident in the 2009 World Cup. Yesterday morning, everyone was on a high as the result of the football match from the night before was digested. Even the GAA had decided to reschedule its Leinster SFC matches in Croke Park, with those old reliables Dublin and Meath delayed to Sunday evening to accommodate Ireland's game against France on Sunday.

The irrestible force finally meets the immovable object – and the object moved.

Then, the irrestible force of the UK electorate created one of the greatest international shocks of modern times – voting to leave the European Union. McIlroy's exit was now in the ha'penny place. If he thought the Euros would drown out his announcement, he was well and truly forgotten about now.

His home base of Northern Ireland voted to remain in the Union, as the United Kingdom elected to depart the European project after 40 years, and the British PM, David Cameron, fell on his sword in scenes reminiscent of Margaret Thatcher's departure from Downing Street three decades ago.

In the week that marks the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, when the Anglo-Franco alliance took on the Germans, all is changed, changed utterly, as that much quoted poet of our Rising of a century ago, WB Yeats, stated. The terrible beauty is yet to be revealed.

Meanwhile, we hope that both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland remain in Europe, for another few weeks at least!