Foreign affairs minister Dermot Ahern has invited every ambassador based in the country to the match as his special guests to showcase a unique part of Irish culture and heritage.

With horseracing supposedly being the sport of kings, it might have been expected that the ambassadors would be at the Curragh for the Irish Derby. But the feedback Iveagh House was getting recently was that the foreign diplomatic corps were really taken by the clash of the ash and wanted to see it first hand.

Hence Ahern's invitation, and the take-up has been phenomenal, with over two-thirds of the embassies accepting the offer to enjoy the action between the Cats and the Yellowbellies.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that it has received an application for a grant of Euro35,000, through its 'Irish Abroad Unit', from the 'Hurling Club' of Buenos Aires to help with the upgrading of facilities at its grounds. The prestigious club was founded by Irish emigrants in 1900 and was primarily dedicated to hurling until the 1940s. The outbreak of the World War II made it impossible to source sliotars and hurleys, so hockey and rugby took over and hurling gradually came to a stop. However, the club maintains very strong Irish links - there is still a big Irish community in Argentina - and uses the shamrock as its crest.

It is understood the minister is looking "very favourably" at the application.