Arts and Culture

Father Ted star Pauline McLynn joins Coronation Street in new family running Rovers Return
Father Ted star Pauline McLynn joins Coronation Street in new family running Rovers Return
'The Driscolls do not arrive quietly, so expect big drama, explosive secrets and raucous knees ups galore.'

Wed, 06 Aug, 2025

'Bodhrán playing was seasonal': The incredible history of the traditional Irish drum
'Bodhrán playing was seasonal': The incredible history of the traditional Irish drum
Most people don't realise the bodhrán was relatively low-profile until broadcasts by Seán Ó Riada and the drum's inclusion in a John B Keane play led to a meteoric rise in popularity 

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Saipan film to get world premiere at major film festival next month
Saipan film to get world premiere at major film festival next month
The film about Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy is described as the definitive account of one of the most fractious fallings-out in the history of sport

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Cry Before Dawn: New awakening as veteran Wexford band hit the road again 
Cry Before Dawn: New awakening as veteran Wexford band hit the road again 
Cry Before Dawn play Cork and other centres this week as they release a new EP 

Tue, 05 Aug, 2025

Laethanta Saoire: A Gaeltacht Summer, by Louise Hegarty 
Laethanta Saoire: A Gaeltacht Summer, by Louise Hegarty 
In the final instalment of our series of summer-themed reads, Cork author Louise Hegarty contributes a short story set in the Gaeltacht 

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

Culture That Made Me: Cork DJ Shane Johnson picks his touchstones 
Culture That Made Me: Cork DJ Shane Johnson picks his touchstones 
The former Sir Henrys DJ includes Mike Pickering,  The Smiths, and Geoff Dyer among his selections 

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

Bob Vylan, CMAT, Fontaines... 10 talking points and highlights from All Together Now 2025 
Bob Vylan, CMAT, Fontaines... 10 talking points and highlights from All Together Now 2025 
All Together Now produced the goods again in Co Waterford with a mix of good vibes and great music 

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

'We need new curators': Cork ceramicist Charlie Mahon makes the case for crafts 
'We need new curators': Cork ceramicist Charlie Mahon makes the case for crafts 
As Cork Craft Month kicks off, Mahon says people creating in his discipline deserve more exposure  

Mon, 04 Aug, 2025

All Together Now review: CMAT steals the show on Saturday night 
All Together Now review: CMAT steals the show on Saturday night 
CMAT featured among the highlights of the second weekend night at All Together Now, Co Waterford

Sun, 03 Aug, 2025

All Together Now review: Fontaines, Wet Leg, Cliffords... six talking points from Friday night 
All Together Now review: Fontaines, Wet Leg, Cliffords... six talking points from Friday night 
Fontaines DC produced one of the highlights with a blistering set on Friday at All Together Now 

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Poetry review: The fine art of surprise
Poetry review: The fine art of surprise
The characters in this collection are portrayed with affection and empathy but their lives are never romanticised; there’s a darkness hidden beneath the surface of many of these poems

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Beginner’s pluck: Cork-born author Barbara Leahy
Beginner’s pluck: Cork-born author Barbara Leahy
Since leaving university, Barbara has worked full-time in admin — fitting writing in during evenings and at weekends

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Book review: Up in flames — a labour of love to history
Book review: Up in flames — a labour of love to history
'The Great Liberties Whiskey Fire' is a short but interesting read and must encourage others with a particular interest in an almost forgotten event to put pen to paper

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Book review: Fact and fiction intermingle, but this elegant novel is more than memoir
Book review: Fact and fiction intermingle, but this elegant novel is more than memoir
Bea and Lucy, the protagonists of Esther Freud's first novel, negotiate their teenage years in 'My Sister and Other Lovers'

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Demonstrators Holding Portraits of Khomeini
Book review: Downfall of last shah of Iran
One of the often-universal themes in this wonderful book is how autocracies that outstay their welcome are often replaced by usurpers far worse than they were

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Bob Vylan, Fontaines DC, CMAT... 15 highlights of All Together Now this weekend 
Bob Vylan, Fontaines DC, CMAT... 15 highlights of All Together Now this weekend 
All Together Now takes place at Curraghmore Estate, Co Waterford, from July 31 to August 3. Here are Eoghan O'Sullivan's tips on some of the best acts,  and the times they're on 

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025

Children's books review: Fresh tales well worth racing off to the bookstore to grab
Children's books review: Fresh tales well worth racing off to the bookstore to grab
Pet O’Connell rounds up a fresh selection of the latest children’s books, from the understanding of individuality, to stories from two Irish racing legends

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Gucci - Arrivals - Milan Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2023/24
How All Together Now headliners Fontaines D.C. rose to the top
Fontaines D.C. can anticipate a heroes' homecoming as they headline the opening night of All Together Now festival this weekend. Ed Power charts their rise to the top.

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Christy, Steve, History Of Sound... 15 films to watch out for in the coming months  
Christy, Steve, History Of Sound... 15 films to watch out for in the coming months  
There's a strong Irish presence in the movie highlights for autumn and winter, including two films with a strong Cork connection, writes Esther McCarthy 

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Author interview: Celebrating the Irish brothers who captured their moments in time
Author interview: Celebrating the Irish brothers who captured their moments in time
The Horgan brothers from Youghal, Co Cork, were pioneers in the fields of photography and cinema, leaving behind an invaluable chronicle of a formative chapter in our creative history

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

The Assassin
TV review: Why Prime Video's The Assassin is the perfect hate-watch
The show looks great, with sweeping views of Greek islands and Albanian coast-line. And here is the odd funny scene, probably by accident.

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Féile na Laoch 2025 (Festival of Heroes) which took place in Cúil Aodha, Co. Cork
Féile na Laoch pictures and report: All-night Ó Riada event in Cork hears rallying calls for Gaza  
The Féile na Laoch event in Cúil Aodha may have been a celebration of Irish culture and Irish heroes, but many of the artists also hit out at Israel's behaviour in the Middle East

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Digbeth Loc. Studios
Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to write next James Bond film
Kinght's other upcoming projects include Netflix’s Peaky Blinders film, which stars Cillian Murphy once more as hard-drinking gang leader Tommy Shelby

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025

Five For Your Radar: All Together Now, Inchydoney drama, Naked Gun...  
Five For Your Radar: All Together Now, Inchydoney drama, Naked Gun...  
Cork Craft Month is also under way 

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Stones In His Pockets review: Cork production includes appearance from Derry Girls star
Stones In His Pockets review: Cork production includes appearance from Derry Girls star
Stones In His Pockets is back in Cork for a run at the Everyman 

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Culture That Made Me: Arena presenter Seán Rocks 
Culture That Made Me: Arena presenter Seán Rocks 
RTÉ broadcaster Seán Rocks has died aged 64. Last month he spoke to the Irish Examiner about his cultural influences

Thu, 31 Jul, 2025

Billie Eilish Performs at The O2
Tom Dunne: Billie Eilish was fab in Dublin but the generation gap still exists 
Both myself and my daughter loved Billie Eilish at 3Arena, but not quite in the same way 

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Film reviews: Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson head up the newest Naked Gun romp
Film reviews: Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson head up the newest Naked Gun romp
Plus: Late Shift is an absorbing emotional rollercoaster; Heidi is an admirable plea for conservation

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

'It’s the kind of song you carry with you': Cork singer on the Collins brothers of WWI
'It’s the kind of song you carry with you': Cork singer on the Collins brothers of WWI
The song was released on Wednesday and is available on all major streaming platforms

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

'New chapter' for Slane Castle following death of Henry Mountcharles
'New chapter' for Slane Castle following death of Henry Mountcharles
Castle to host a contemporary art exhibition in September

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

Sarah Jessica Parker in possible conflict of interest over Booker longlisted author
Sarah Jessica Parker in possible conflict of interest over Booker longlisted author
Actor and book prize judge’s production company in process of developing novel by Claire Adam

Wed, 30 Jul, 2025

'What a sight to behold': All-night festival in Co Cork pays tribute to Seán Ó Riada
'What a sight to behold': All-night festival in Co Cork pays tribute to Seán Ó Riada
Féile na Laoch is a unique seven-yearly event in a field in Cúil Aodha that culminates with an orchestra playing Mise Éire as the dawn breaks 

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Revealed: The 13 authors in the running for the Booker Prize 2025
Revealed: The 13 authors in the running for the Booker Prize 2025
The ‘Booker Dozen’ features nine nationalities across four continents

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Liam Neeson on Pamela Anderson: 'Beautiful, sexy and funny — she's all that and more'
Liam Neeson on Pamela Anderson: 'Beautiful, sexy and funny — she's all that and more'
Seth MacFarlane, Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson talk about the upcoming fourth film in The Naked Gun franchise.

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Virgin Media Bafta TV Awards 2019 - Press Room - London
Cork star Fiona Shaw joins Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice remake
Plus the first look at the Bennet sisters with their mother.

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

The 97th Academy Awards - Vanity Fair Party - Los Angeles
'It was wonderful': Jenna Ortega on filming Wednesday in Ireland
The new season sees Wednesday return to the halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await.

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Josh Homme
Podcast Corner: Unpacking the theme music to some of your favourite shows 
An episode of Switched On Pop looks at some of those familiar tunes and jingles that open your favourite podcasts 

Tue, 29 Jul, 2025

Stones in His Pockets: Playwright Marie Jones on her hit work that's coming to Cork 
Stones in His Pockets: Playwright Marie Jones on her hit work that's coming to Cork 
The Kerry-set drama has had versions in almost 40 languages, the playwright  tells Colette Sheridan

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Laethanta Saoire: The Hand Of God, by Gary Grace  
Laethanta Saoire: The Hand Of God, by Gary Grace  
In the latest instalment of our summer-themed reads, Gary Grace offers a tale of an Irish man deciding to head off to Argentina to do some good deeds 

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Glastonbury Festival 2024 - Day Four
Michael Kiwanuka pulls out of All Together Now and other summer gigs with 'continued illness'
UK folk/soul singer's team cites the advice of doctors in announcing the decision, which includes a headline performance at this weekend's All Together Now festival

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Forest Fest review: Peter Hook and Teenage Fanclub among highlights of Day 2 
Forest Fest review: Peter Hook and Teenage Fanclub among highlights of Day 2 
A compact site added to the enjoyment of his day at the Co Laois festival 

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

'It’s massive for me': Cillian Murphy delighted new film will premiere in Cork 
'It’s massive for me': Cillian Murphy delighted new film will premiere in Cork 
Cillian Murphy's latest movie, Steve, is to get its European premiere at the Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival in Cork. He told Des O'Driscoll about the adaptation of Max Porter's novel, and the expanded film strand in the festival 

Mon, 28 Jul, 2025

Sam Gilliam: IMMA exhibition underlines impact of Irish visits on output of US artist 
Sam Gilliam: IMMA exhibition underlines impact of Irish visits on output of US artist 
Sam Gilliam represented the US at the Venice Biennale in 1972, and also spent time at an artist's retreat in Co Mayo 

Sun, 27 Jul, 2025

Cleo Laine, Britain's most successful jazz singer, dies aged 97
Cleo Laine, Britain's most successful jazz singer, dies aged 97
Versatile vocalist straddled jazz, classical, pop and musical theatre with four-octave range, and collaborated for decades with husband, John Dankworth

Sat, 26 Jul, 2025

Beginner’s pluck: Full-time writer Grace Flahive
Beginner’s pluck: Full-time writer Grace Flahive
Funny and heartwarming, 'Palm Meridian' novel portrays a realistic, yet not dystopian view of the future

Sat, 26 Jul, 2025

Books are my business: Tramp Press founders Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen
Books are my business: Tramp Press founders Sarah Davis-Goff and Lisa Coen
‘No better feeling in the world’ than discovering new authors

Sat, 26 Jul, 2025

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Music, film art, culture, books and more from Munster and beyond.......curated weekly by the Irish Examiner Arts Editor.

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