Kevin Barry, Jamie Heaslip, Donal Skehan and Andrea Corr are just some of the people shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards

As we stand helplessly on the brink of calamity for our nearest neighbour and collateral damage for us, let’s face some home truths

Vinny Browne is manager of Charlie Byrne’s in Galway, one of Ireland’s best-known independent bookshops.

It is unfair to blame the Pope for the historical treatment of children in all Western societies, writes Victoria White

An ill-informed minority cannot be allowed to jeopardise Ireland’s bid to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Seanad heard yesterday.

Des Breen looks at a landmark book which not only shines a light on the creativity of Irish artists and writers, but also on the philistinism of the nation.

A trial of a man accused of threatening to kill a garda collapsed yesterday, after a member of the jury allegedly told another juror, “it’s all corrupt”.

I still believe that the present government, despite making some choices I fundamentally disagree with, did a good job in the last five years, writes Fergus Finlay.

Some of the new forces in Irish politics will hammer out their programmes this weekend for the looming general election.

To gauge where cycling is at now, to establish how deep it is in the mire, it may be necessary to hold a stage of the Tour de France in front of a Late Late Show studio audience.

Dermot Bolger talks to Tony Clayton-Lea about his new book Tanglewood and how he believes that the introduction of free secondary education in the late 1960s was at the root of the 1980s burst of Irish creativity.

Will there ever be an end to the sort of the political teasing we are forced to endure? 

Readers here had austerity on their minds last year with Strumpet City the most borrowed book of adult fiction from public libraries, figures show.

We are now in a period of great confusion about Arsenal, as pundits — and many fans — wonder why it hasn’t yet gone wrong for them.

The discerning readers of Condé Nast Traveller magazine voted Kilkenny one of its top 10 of world’s friendliest cities recently, and if you visit during its festival period, you might even consider a mere top 10 is a bit unfair to the place.

The infamous bank guarantee scheme is the basis for a new play, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

THE attacks upon cyclists by grumpy old men are mounting.

THE ding-dong between the media and politics has been going on for nearly three weeks now, since Pat Rabbitte asked the question on Newstalk, “Where is this constant denigration of politics leading to?”

Four Angry Men host Olivia O’Leary wants the show to be informative and prescriptive, and not an unfocused pub-style rant, says Alan O’Riordan

TAKE some time to relax with a nice glass of wine in our bar or restaurant and enjoy a delicious pre-show dinner”, says the advertisement for a hotel package I’m led to when I try to book for Four Angry Men at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre on Nov 27th.

The announcement that Kerry Group will create up to 900 jobs in Kildare within three years provided the ideal backing for the estimated 20,000 farmers demonstrating in Dublin on Tuesday.

Electric Picnic is set to feature the Amnesty Stage for the first time, as well as the return of the Puball Gaeilge Irish language stage, it was announced today.

Every county is looking for inspiration off the bench

Kieran O’Leary talks Kerry, Crokes, tactics and travelling with Fintan O’Toole

It’s been a year where sportstars at home and abroad have again had plenty to say for themselves. Fintan O’Toole and John Riordan picked out their best offerings

He was a 19 year-old All-Ireland Senior football medal winner in 2010 but he hasn’t been able to run five yards for the last three months of 2011. Ciaran Sheehan reflects on a year of contrasts with Fintan O’Toole

Team boss David Power counted 53 people on the Tipp minor footballers’ bus to the All-Ireland final, but no passengers. He spoke to Fintan O’Toole about the Premier’s historic win.

Engage: The Rise and Fall of Matt Hampson.

HAVING been the better side for much of the second-half of yesterday’s SFC final, a five-point defeat was cruel on Castlehaven, the late penalty from Daithí Casey, followed by two Gavan O’Grady points, stemming their momentum.

TODAY

Eamonn Fitzmaurice and Fintan O’Toole argue both sides of the debate

Diarmuid O’Flynn and Fintan O’Toole argue both sides of the debate

Take five Irish Examiner staffers and four of the paper’s analysts, stir vigorously and watch it come quickly to the boil. No simmering here as we look ahead to Championship 2011

Diarmuid O’Flynn and Fintan O’Toole argue both sides of the debate

After Wednesday’s relative success, yesterday had the feeling of that difficult second album.

ONE of the most outstanding journalists of her generation, Geraldine Kennedy announced yesterday she is to step down as editor of the Irish Times.

ABOUT 3,000 book enthusiasts are set to descend on Ennis today for the fifth annual Ennis Book Club Festival.

A COHORT of independent candidates have banded together to form a political alliance which pledges to vote as a unit on four national issues if elected.

THE death of the 30th Dáil can allow rebirth of Irish democracy. An unnoticed aspect of Bertie Ahern’s tenure was the irrelevance of policy platforms within parties.

THE Irish electorate has a history of voting for “gombeen men and gombeen women” and “the wrong types”, controversial broadcaster Eamon Dunphy has said.

McGrath Cup Final

I’LL take Shane Ross, David McWilliams, and Fintan O’Toole seriously when they donate all of the profits from their books to Irish charities.

COMEDY and economics seem unlikely bedfellows but it’s a marriage the organisers of a new festival which kicked off yesterday hope will be a winner.

FLEETS of limousines rolling into Farmleigh to discuss other people’s hardship. Gated communities for failed developers. Huge pension funds for disgraced bankers. New phrases we all have to learn because we think they’ll tell us something about our fate – phrases like bond markets or bond spreads. And hard cheese for poor people.

I NEVER cease to be shocked by the waffle most ministers come out with most of the time on the airwaves.

The season is not long over and already there has been plenty of movement on the management merry-go-round ahead of 2011’s campaign, writes Fintan O’Toole.

Cork was doubly represented in the Croke Park finals of 1993, but though the minor footballers brought home the bacon, the graduation to senior level was poor. One of Cork’s forwards that day is determined to ensure the present crop of minors do better. Fintan O’Toole explains

For the once hurling-centric Éire Óg club, Sunday’s football finals – and the appearance of Daniel Goulding, Ciaran Sheehan and exciting minor Kevin Hallissey – offer a global platform to the strides the club has made with the big ball. Fintan O’Toole visited the Ovens-based club