The Hot 100: Essential arts, fashion and food for the summer
L-R: Daniel Craig as James Bond, singer Billie Eilish, writer Doireann Ní Ghríofa
, June 18: Pixar animation set on the Italian Riviera, in which Luca (Jacob Tremblay) unwittingly befriends a sea monster.
, June 18: Thriller set against the backdrop of a viral pandemic. Reece Shearsmith stars, Ben Wheatley directs.
, June 18: Historical epic in which James Brooke (Jonathan Rhys Myers) defies the British Empire to establish his own kingdom.
, June 25: Body-swap comedy-horror starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton.
, June 25: Four teachers embark on a program of daily boozing to find out how it changes their lives. Mads Mikkelsen stars.
War, July 2: Time-travelling sci-fi in which Chris Pratt goes to war against aliens to save the planet.
, July 2 Sci-fi thriller set aboard a spaceship that descends into anarchy. Colin Farrell stars.
, July 8: The ninth installment of the turbo-charged franchise, in which Cypher (Charlize Theron) seeks revenge on Dom (Vin Diesel).
, July 9: Scarlett Johansson stars in an origins tale about the Marvel superhero Black Widow. Florence Pugh co-stars.
, July 9: Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci star as aging lovers coming to terms with dementia. Harry Macqueen directs.
, July 16: Basketball superstar LeBron James goes head-to-head with Bugs Bunny in this fantasy blend of animation and live action.
, July 23: The animated ‘Drac pack’ returns, with Brian Hull replacing Adam Sandler as Dracula. Selena Gomez co-stars.
, July 30: Exotic action-adventure starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson. Jaume Collet-Serra directs.
, August 6: Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain in David Lowery’s retelling of the Arthurian myth.
, August 6: Superhero mayhem as Margot Robbie leads Idris Elba and John Cena on a suicidal mission to a remote island.
, August 6: Matt Damon stars as a one-man army determined to rescue his daughter in France. Abigail Breslin co-stars.
, August 18: The Kurupt FM boys make the leap to the big screen and wreak havoc upon an unsuspecting Japan.
, August 20: Spin-off prequel from the GI Joe action series which offers an origins tale for Snake Eyes (Henry Golding).
, August 25: Scientist Hugh Jackman discovers a way to relive his past and goes searching for his lost love. Rebecca Ferguson co-stars.
, September 3: Marvel superhero and former assassin Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) tries to escape his past. Awkwafina co-stars.
, September 10: Biopic of the legendary soul singer Aretha Franklin, starring Jennifer Hudson.
, September 10: Psychological horror in which Florence Pugh discovers a disturbing secret about her husband Harry Styles. Olivia Wilde directs.
, September 10: Futuristic drama in which a man discovers his hallucinations are memories of a past life. Mark Wahlberg stars.
, September 17: Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi is adapted by Denis Villeneuve, starring Timothée Chalamet.
, September 30: A retired James Bond (Daniel Craig) is hauled back into the fray by his CIA buddy Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright). Christoph Waltz co-stars as Blofeld.
The Useless Project Virtual Flea Market curates a highlight reel of Ireland’s top artisan, sustainable and pre-loved retailers on Instagram and Facebook Stories.
Browse for goodies and support local business on the first Saturday of every month from 11 am. Insta: @theuselessproject.
Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode debuts its ‘phygital’ fashion week format. Expect a hybrid of video presentations from accredited couture maisons and exclusive ancillary content to share the most elite form of fashion design to the world.
Hosted by Cassidy Zachara and April Calahan, the Dressed podcast is a unique deep dive into fashion — past and present. Episodes range from the history of pockets to showgirl trousseaux and the elaborate costumes of Netflix mega-series .
MasterCraft Talks are peer-to-peer webinar sessions hosted by Design & Crafts Council Ireland providing designers and makers with the opportunity to gain insight from other makers and expert advice in areas such as government supports, e-commerce, social media and digital content. Advance registration required.
As dress codes relax to match our more fluid lifestyles, knitwear has found greater style clout. Enter Galway designer, Colin Burke, whose reimagining of the Irish geansaí embodies this perfectly modern mood. Architectural silhouettes meet heirloom sensibility for extraordinary high fashion fodder.
June 7 for outdoor dining; July, hopefully, for indoor dining. Last year’s reopening followed a comparatively benign lockdown unlike this year’s much more challenging affair — so anticipation of a summer of dining, outdoors and inside, is at fever pitch. Cork city in particular will be going all out with al fresco dining so let’s hope the weather gods are onside.
Welcome return for one of the hits of innocent pre-Covid days of 2019, with former Little Fox proprietor, Niamh Fox, and partner, Sam Gleeson, facilitating pop-up evening dinners in the barn space of the progressive County Clare pub with Keith Coleman and Aisling McHugh of Roots pop-up food collective first to the table.
potduggans.com
While the ever-popular Big Grill festival is not going ahead this year, a series of boutique pop-up food events masterminded by BG supremo, Andy Noonan, will keep the home fires burning with special guest appearances from the great and good of the live fire cooking world.
bastebbq.com
One of several picnicking options from Burren Smokehouse, starting at €10 and to be enjoyed in any of multiple scenic locations throughout the Burren and further afield, this one includes Moët et Chandon (750mls), two Galway Crystal champagne flutes, Burren Smoked Salmon, brown bread, butter, St Tola Goat’s Cheese Divine, Cooleeney Gortnamona Cheese, wooden cutlery and napkins — and a waste disposal bag.
burrensmokehouse.ie
GIY in association with Energia is offering 1,000 GROWBoxes worth a total of €45,000 free to families and communities across Ireland ahead of the first national Get Ireland Growing Day. The day itself features a massive online event encouraging all to get out in the garden and start planting.
getirelandgrowing.ie
Ellie Rowsell and her fellow Mercury Prize winners return with another collection of indie anthems.
Alt popster turned bestselling memoirist, Michelle Zauner, who wrote about the death of her mother in has a new record about celebrating the positives in life.
90s post-grunge singer returns with her first album in more than a decade.
Northern Ireland power-poppers mark their 25th anniversary of their debut LP, with a livestreamed show.
Rufus Wainwright reprises his acclaimed Judy Garland tribute shows with a live performance from Capitol Studios in Los Angeles — honouring what would have been Garland’s 99th birthday.
Shirley Manson, Butch Vig, and co roar back with another glittering collection of pop-grunge mashups.
The artist previously known as Marina and the Diamonds releases her fifth album.
Hotly-tipped British singer puts out a debut mixtape.
Dystopian pop star stages livestream performance of his new, climate crisis-themed album,
Chart-topping singer-songwriter details mental health issues.
Indie crooner with big Irish following releases his “most autobiographical” record yet.
Phoebe Bridgers' bandmate in supergroup, Boygenius, puts out a long-anticipated new solo LP.
Irish electro-pop duo, who have drawn acclaim for their mix of techno and trad.
Soul-jazz artist and former Cork Jazz Festival headliner returns with new LP.
Americana is tightly bound up in both Del Rey’s sound and persona — so how apt that she releases an album on July 4
Debut LP from Dublin rockers fronted by Bono’s son, Elijah Hewson.
Drumcondra rappers release second studio album.
Irish indie rockers emerge from ashes of the much-loved Little Green Cars.
Socially-distanced music festival at Palmerstown House Estate, Kill, Co Kildare ushers in the post-Covid era.
Angsty pop queen addresses the pressures of fame.
Laura Marling and Tunng’s Mike Lindsay forge ahead with quirky side project
Pop Idol winner covers Bat For Lashes, Solange, Robyn and others.
London dance collective return with third album
Conor O’Brien’s fifth album as Villagers is inspired by, among others, Flann O’Brien and David Lynch.
Cult singer-songwriter treats fans to first new long-player in five years.
Doubleday: Out August 5
The Cleverly family live a gilded life, blissfully unaware that their privilege is just one tweet away from disaster. Together, they soon discover how reputations can be obliterated with a click of a button.
Hachette: Out June 10
A tight-knit book club is left reeling after tragedy strikes their small seaside town. When a stranger arrives from London soon after, the club's members find their lives changing in ways they never could have imagined.
by Steve Cavanagh
Orion: Out July 5
An innocent man is arrested for the murder of a woman in Alabama. With his attorney missing and one foot on death row, it seems there is no hope for Andy Dubois. That is until a hotshot New York lawyer travels south to find the real killer, discovering that the small town's murder was just the beginning.
by Sinéad O’Connor
Sandycove: Out June 1
In this long-awaited memoir, the global icon tells the story of her life and decades-long career with brutal honesty. From growing up in a family falling apart to becoming a mother herself, join O’Connor on a look back on a life full of ridicule, rock and roll, and above all else, a passion for music.
Doubleday: Out June 3
This debut novel by Cork writer, Jamie O’Connell, takes place over the course of a single week in 2010, as the IMF lands in Ireland and Dubai seems to offer a glimmer of hope to many. When a young woman is found dead in the Dubai marina, however, the lives of six people collide. As the mystery surrounding her death is slowly uncovered, the city turns out to not be exactly as it seems.
Hachette: Out June 3
All Beth Sheehan wants is to settle down with her boyfriend, who convinces her to house sit in a remote new build in order to help them secure their dream home. However, strange things start to happen. As Beth’s drinking worsens, new friends turn out to be prospective enemies and a chilling secret is revealed.
by Sinead Moriarity
Sandycove: Out July 15
Parents no longer on the same page; a retired couple wondering where their 'second spring' has gone; and the complications of intimacy. Three couples find themselves on one therapist's couch in a novel that explores the hopes, disappointments, and awkward realisations of every couple out there.
by John Connolly
Hodder and Stoughton: Out July 8
When four people are butchered in Amsterdam, the men responsible try to escape to their homeland in Serbia. However, an assassin has come to Europe to hunt them down. Soon, there are five killers to be found and punished before they can vanish into the east. There is only one problem: the sixth.
Sandycove: Out June 17
In another Cork writer’s debut, Eimear Ryan tells the story of Beth, a young woman who comes of age in the shadow of her poet grandfather. Free to create a fresh identity for herself at college, Beth embarks on a secret relationship and a quest to discover the truth about her grandparents.
Bantam Press: Out July 22
A mother goes to pick up her young son from his first playdate but faces every parent's nightmare when she doesn't recognise the woman at the door and her son is nowhere to be found. As the news reverberates through a quiet Dublin suburb, whispers start to spread about the women most closely connected to the disappearance.
A fantasy series with some of the cutest critters you'll see on TV. The world has been affected by a condition where human babies are being born with animal characteristics. For instance, the main protaganist has deer ears and antlers, and his father is desperate to protect him from the nastiness of some people's backlash.
The Marvel onscreen universe continues to expand at an incredible rate, with this latest series taking Tom Hiddleston from the film version to reprise his role as the god of mischief. Owen Wilson features among the other familiar faces in the cast.
The fabby Frenchman who could get out of any jam provided ideal lockdown viewing last year. His ongoing quest for revenge gets eight more episodes.
Producers have a cast and set sorted, so the relaxation in travel restrictions means it's full steam ahead for the antics at the Majorcan villa. British tabloids suggest that the quest for 'diversity' will ensure several bisexual contestants in this year's series.
The unsolved murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork in 1996 has suddenly spawned several TV shows, including this three-parter from the streaming channel. Sky Crime also has a series on the way from director Jim Sheridan.
A reboot of the teen drama is a sequel of sorts, but it has moved with the times with more non-white and queer characters. We'll still get the familiar voice of Kristen Bell as narrator, but Blake Lively and co are old and irrelevant in their early 30s.
There may yet be a few twists in the Covid tale, but much of RTÉ's summer schedule should be taken up by the Olympic Games in Tokyo (July 23 to August 8); and Euro 2020 (June 11 to July 11).
Nicole Kidman had previously starred in an adaptation of Liane Moriarty's , and the Aussie duo team up again for the tale of a group of stressed-out city-slickers who head to a wellness resort.
At last, after 11 seasons, the long-running zombie show will shuffle to a welcome end with a final run of 24 episodes. It has been brilliant at times, but even avid fans recognise that the writing and characters had taken major dips in recent years.
The hugely popular Spanish drama also known as is another one coming to an end, with five episodes dropping at the end of the summer, and another five in December.
A major exhibition of animal-based art from both historic and contemporary artists.
Writers and musicians have recorded site-specific pieces that you can listen to around both cities via your phone. Tolü Makay, Lisa McInerney, and Fish Go Deep are among those who feature.
The literary strand of the city's Midsummer Festival features a walking tour with Lisa McInerney, while Eimear Ryan will read from her debut novel.
Bantry won't have the influx of musicians from around the world, but an online incarnation of the festival will take place, with performances streamed from participants' home countries.
The world premiere of Irish playwright Marina Carr's adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel is one of the main drama offerings at Cork Midsummer Festival. It will stream from the Everyman in Cork.
Another highlight of Cork Midsummer Fest, Doireann Ni Ghriofa reads from her much-lauded book from the Everyman stage in a project that also involves filmmaker Tadhg O'Sullivan and composer Linda Buckley.
Events will include a number of readings and interviews streamed from Bantry House.
A hugely important event for breaking new Irish films, the festival is one of the events that has made the most of the move to online.
A change away from its traditional August weekend slot will hopefully increase chances that Covid restrictions will be greatly eased. As ever, Spraoi's emphasis will be on outdoor street-based events.
After last year's ill-fated reign as European Capital of Culture, the western city will hope to steps towards normality again with a programme of late summer events. The 'blended festival' route will allow for online and live events.
True crime but with a twist, Jonquilyn Hill investigates the disappearance of eight-year-old Relisha Rudd from a Washington DC homeless shelter in 2014. But the series is really about systemic failure and a society where an eight-year-old could vanish without a trace, or a public outcry.
It's incredible that Channel 4’s original Big Brother turned 21 this year. Mariah Smith brings an American perspective to this history of reality TV — but it’s still a fascinating overview, taking in and the .
The wry documentarian applies himself to the audio format with a series of nuanced interviews with celebs such as FKA Twigs and Helena Bonham Carter.
New Order has just put out an excellent new live LP. So what better moment to delve into the troubled history of the Manchester electro-pop group, which rose from the tragedy of Joy Division and the suicide of singer Ian Curtis.
Greg Jenner brings a wry, if never quite wacky, perspective to history in this podcast from BBC 4.
The podcast equivalent of a slightly gushing power ballad, this earnest eight-part series sees Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen swapping life-lessons. There are even a few impromptu musical numbers (from Springsteen thankfully).
One for fashionistas, this 10 part podcast from Henry Holland invites celebs such as Paul Smith and Alexa Chung reflect on past looks — and what they got right and wrong.
A gripping chronicling of the downfall of shared-space start up WeWork and its charismatic if controversial founder Adam Neumann.
The chilling tale of disgraced blood-test start-up Theranos and its messianic CEO Elizabeth Holmes.
After the past 12 months, death has never been so visible in society. In Griefcast, Cariad Lloyd talks to comedians such as Adam Buxton, David Baddiel, and Aisling Bea about their experiences of loss.
