Columns - Irish Examiner

Tom Dunne

Tom Dunne is a music-lover extraordinaire who, as well as presenting radio and TV shows, can also be seen in the wild as the lead singer with Something Happens.

Tom Dunne: The late great Neil Sedaka felt like part of the family

My party trick as a child was to sing one of his tunes, and in later years I realised what a really great songwriter he was

Thu, 12 Mar, 2026

iHeartRadio Hot 99.5's Jingle Ball 2025 Presented By Capital One - Show

Tom Dunne: All cool dads should really go along to see Laufey

Laufey brings her jazz-tinged songs to Ireland this week. Expect a surprisingly young demographic at the gig

Wed, 04 Mar, 2026

Tom Dunne: Iain Archer is the ideal man to bring the Ivors Academy to Ireland

The former Snow Patrol member has written some brilliant songs through the years

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

Tom Dunne: U2 have suddenly woken up to the fact they have a lot to say

That energy, that sense of urgency, the sense of needing to say what simply must be said informs every track. It might have been War since we’ve last heard them so urgent

Wed, 18 Feb, 2026

Tom Dunne: You'd need a Wooden Heart not to be affected by some of those great sad songs

From Joy Division to Elvis hits, the sadness of some songs hints at the troubled minds of their creators

Wed, 11 Feb, 2026

Tom Dunne: Kinsale weekend allowed me immerse again in the brilliance of the Fab Four

I spent a joyous few days in Co Cork digging deep on the greatest band in the history of popular music

Wed, 04 Feb, 2026

Tom Dunne: He mightn't really be Britpop, but you should still let Robbie Williams entertain you

Robbie Williams has beaten the Beatles in terms of number one albums. Obviously, it's not a valid comparison, but the ex Take That man has made the most of his talents

Wed, 28 Jan, 2026

Virgin Megastore Hollywood Opening - After Party

Tom Dunne: Mark Kermode is spot-on about the brilliance of the Gang Of Four

The Gang Of Four were a hugely influential — and out there — band in the post-punk era

Thu, 22 Jan, 2026

Tom Dunne: 10 years on from the awful day we heard about Bowie's death

The hints were there in the Blackstar album, released a few days before Bowie's death in 2016

Wed, 07 Jan, 2026

Tom Dunne: Looking forward to the year ahead by looking back on The Ramones

Amid the significant anniversaries coming up in 1976, I'm particularly excited to dive in to The Ramones and the birth of punk

Wed, 31 Dec, 2025