As they get ready to play in Ireland, Chris Difford of Squeeze tells Richard Fitzpatrick about some of his favourite albums

Three decades later and still a vamp.

Not content with the success of Planxty, Dónal Lunny set about reimagining what Irish trad music could be. The band he created are still going strong, writes Ed Power.

In advance of The Blades’ first Cork gig in many years, Paul Cleary takes Richard Fitzpatrick through some of his musical milestones.

Joe Jackson rolled back the years with a brilliant gig at Cork Opera House, writes Des O'Driscoll.

As yet another new label is launched, Donal O’Keeffe raises a glass – and wonders if we’ll ever reach ‘peak gin’

In advance of his trip to Ireland, Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers looks back on his early days with The Specials, and tells Ellie O’Byrne about the musical subgenre he invented

Shane MacGowan’s girlfriend has revealed that ‘Fairytale of New York’ is the soundtrack to their life together.

A lifetime achievement award, a tour with his diverse ensemble, and a new TV series have ensured Dónal Lunny is as busy as ever, writes Ellie O’Byrne.

Cathy Desmond talks to Liam Byrne, who is to bring the sound of the viola da gamba to Kilkenny as part of the city’s arts festival.

Marjorie Brennan talks to Paul Bushnell, who used the success of The Commitments to secure a career in LA with the likes of Neil Young, Elton John, Michael Buble, and Phil Collins.

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Roz Crowley takes a walk down memory lane and looks back at the Mountain Dew, Ireland’s first ever rock festival.

As a promoter, Paul Charles has a reputation as one of the nice guys of the Irish music

Ahead of her visit to Ballymaloe, June Carter Cash tells Ed Power what it was like to grow up in such an esteemed family.

 

Offaly-born composer Amanda Feery won the Seán Ó Riada Composition Competition for this year’s Cork International Choral Festival and her piece will be performed on Friday in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. She is also working on pieces for Crash Ensemble and the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra.

The developers of the site where U2 recorded some of their albums have failed in their battle with Dublin City Council over a disputed Luas Red Line payment of almost €500,000.

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Richard Fitzpatrick selects the biggest reads of 2015 across the various genres

Ed Power talks to folk legend and farmer June Tabor who tops the bill at Triskel in Cork for a weekend of music from the ECM label

A country ranked 174th in the world, with a population of 165,000 and coached by a former Bognor Regis player has beaten India in qualifying for the World Cup.

In tiny Guam, a United States territory of less than 200,000 inhabitants in the North Pacific Ocean, a nation are finding their voice ahead of their first ever home World Cup qualifier on Thursday.

Described as a ‘regular cat’ — even ‘a soulful cat’ , Van Morrison is not one for interviews, so it was a coup for Clive Davis to land an interview with the media-phobic Maestro , exclusively for the Irish Examiner.

The TG4 Gradam Ceoil returns to Cork for a

Down Where the Spirit Meets the Bone

IN advance of her gig at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, Ed Power Dianne Reenes is as humble as ever, despite her Grammys and singing for George Clooney.

From Kate Bush to Mozaik, Donal Lunny has always pushed boundaries, writes Ed Power

The Lonesome Heart is Angry

Dermot O'Leary hosts highlights from a celebration of the Irish music tradition and its dialogue with Britain in the presence of the president of Ireland and the Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at the Royal Albert Hall on BBC4 at 8pm.

The Queen will bid farewell to the President Michael D Higgins today, drawing to a close an historic four-day state visit to the UK.

Martin McGuinness has heaped praise on Britain’s Queen for the way she influences the peace process.

President Michael D Higgins has hailed his “memorable” historic state visit to the UK as “so positive, so uplifting and so hopeful”.

Agnes Bernelle is remembered in Ireland as an artistic director of the Project Arts Centre, in its early days, but she played many more parts in an extraordinary life.

It's 40 years since Abba won the Eurovision. As Ireland chooses its 2014 entry, Suzanne Harrington looks back at the competition's most successful winners.

HE WAS one of the great statesman of the latter half of the 20th century. But Nelson Mandela was also a hugely significant cultural figure.

American singer Rhiannon Giddens will perform work by three African-American composers at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

Highlights of next week’s festival

The Voice Squad first performed together in 1985 and went on to sing at the Special Olympics in 2003. Their talents are still very much in demand.

Elton John is to undergo surgery after becoming ill with appendicitis.

Elton John is to undergo surgery after being taken ill with appendicitis and has cancelled a series of shows on his current tour.

The Rolling Stones provided the best-ever headline set in Glastonbury’s history, organisers said today.

A protest song written in celebration of the death of Baroness Thatcher’s death was performed at Glastonbury Festival today, just months after her demise.

All eyes will be on the Pyramid Stage tonight as The Rolling Stones make their Glastonbury debut.

Highlights include the season three debut of The Walking Dead and a new documentary on Margaret Thatcher's links with Ireland.