2015: How was it for you? - Eoghan O’Sullivan

Our regular arts writers select their highlights of the year. Today, it’s Eoghan O’Sullivan’s turn.

What were the three best events you were at during the year?

1. Tune-Yards at Vicar Street in March. It was a miserable day in Dublin, but Merill Garbus and friends brought the funk and the fun for a scintillating performance.

2. Sounds From A Safe Harbour: The inaugural festival in September was a little out there in places, but Lisa Hannigan’s performance with Aaron Dessner at Cork Opera House felt very special. They’ve since recorded an album, so expect that to feature on lots of end-of-2016 best-of lists.

3. Girl Band at The Pav in October.

I knew Girl Band were probably the best live band in the country, but having just released a sensational debut album, they exuded confidence as the Pav moved en masse to the torturous screams of one of the country’s most talented lyricists, Dara Kiely, who couldn’t be contained by a busted leg.

Best interview you did

I could talk all day to Conor O’Brien (right) from Villagers. It was a couple of days before the marriage equality referendum — and he was going to be playing the Opera House the day after the vote — so there was a tentative air around the phoneline. He’s such a smart guy and it’s great that he’s really found his voice this year.

Best book

Irish fiction dominated my reading list in 2015. Louise O’Neill’s Asking For It felt like the most important book that’s been released in years, and it lived up to the hype.

Anne Enright and Kevin Barry were at their respective idiosyncratic bests with The Green Road and Beatlebone, while Andrew Fox’s insightful Over Our Heads was the best short story collection I read.

Favourite film

Amid the sequels, reboots, and yet more superhero origin stories, Brooklyn stood out a mile, Saoirse Ronan leading a bright young cast of Irish talent in telling Colm Tóibín’s simple and singular tale with style and care.

Best TV

Fargo, in its second season, somehow ratcheted up the drama every episode.

Podcast choice

There were a few standalone podcasts that proved so powerful they stopped me in my tracks. Los Frikis from Radiolab is a shocking story of young punk rockers in Cuba and how they fought the law — and won — through tragic means. The Living Room from Love + Radio is more heartbreaking than any TV or film I’ve seen this year, as a peeping neighbour is drawn into tragedy.

Any other highlight?

Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly immediately felt like an important statement. Kendrick stands alone on top of the mountain.

Lowlight

Seeing the Pav (again) and the Savoy close in the past couple months has been a little disheartening. We need more venues in Cork, not fewer.

Looking forward to for next year

Altered Hours have been threatening to break out for years and the Cork psych-rock band might finally do it, with a debut album in January.