Donegal trio Karl Lacey, Neil McGee and Michael Murphy are on the initial panel – 23 players will eventually travel.
Team manager Anthony Tohill said: “We are very happy with the panel that has been assembled and with the mood within the squad.
“Those who have trained with us have applied themselves diligently and are looking forward to the challenge of regaining the Cormac McAnallen Trophy.
“A number of other players were approached to join the training panel but were unable to do so due to injury and other commitments.”
“We’ve been training hard,” said Karl Lacey, “it’s great to be involved, and I’m delighted to have been asked by Anthony. It’s very competitive, 30 lads there, and every single one is training really hard. It’s a great opportunity to represent your country and play against professional athletes. So that’s what everybody wants, to try and make the final 23.
“For me, personally I have an actual tear in the meniscus ligament, and there’s cartilage damage there too. I’ve seen Ray Moran in the Santry Sports Clinic, and he’s said that it’s going to need keyhole surgery at some stage but that I can still play away with it and get through it with intensive rehab and physio.
“It’s holding up okay at the minute. I got through two sessions out of three at the weekend and I’m easing my way back into it. So far so good. I’ve done no more damage to it but I’ll have to get the keyhole surgery done at some stage.”
Ireland International Rules Preliminary Panel 2011: Stephen Cluxton (Dublin), Leighton Glynn (Wicklow), Rob Kelly (Kildare), Emmet Bolton (Kildare), Brendan Murphy (Carlow), Colm Begley (Laois), Kevin Reilly (Meath), Karl Lacey (Donegal), Neil McGee (Donegal), Michael Murphy (Donegal), Steven McDonnell (Armagh), Ciarán McKeever (Armagh), Danny Hughes (Down), Kevin McKernan (Down), Joe McMahon (Tyrone), Darren Hughes (Monaghan), Finian Hanley (Galway), Donal Vaughan (Mayo), Eoin Cadogan (Cork), Aidan Walsh (Cork), Patrick Kelly (Cork), Tomas O’Connor (Kildare), Eamon Callaghan (Kildare), Kieran Donaghy (Kerry), Darran O’Sullivan (Kerry), Tommy Walsh (Kerry/St Kilda), Michael Quinn (Longford /Essendon), Chrissy McKaigue (Derry/Sydney Swans), Zach Touhy (Laois – Carlton), Tadhg Kennelly (Kerry/Sydney Swans), Pearse Hanley (Mayo/Brisbane Lions)