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#Insight

A specially curated collection of content highlights from across the Irish Examiner.

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>The 100 Best Places to Eat, 2026</p>

S food

Top 100 restaurants in Ireland ranked, showcasing best food, chefs and dining experiences

After months of careful planning and eating out, our food critics Joe McNamee and Leslie Williams reveal our inaugural list of the country’s finest restaurants

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Darina Allen: My recipes for a traditional Easter Sunday lunch — including roast lamb

<p>Michelle O’Flynn, Property / Development Director, O’Flynn Group, Michael O’Flynn, Founder and CEO, O’Flynn Group, An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, Minister for Housing James Browne John Coleman, CEO, LDA and Sharon Geraghty, chief of staff, LDA, at the LDA and the O’Flynn Group announcement of plans to deliver 542 new homes in Dublin. The new A-rated apartments are being delivered as part of Southwest Gate, a landmark residential scheme on the Naas Road in Dublin 12. Picture: Naoise Culhane</p>

development and construction

Bought for €115m by Michael O’Flynn 20 years ago, work now set to begin at Long Mile Rd site

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Caitríona Redmond: Simple supermarket swaps to save money

'This is a better site': Marina Market boss on his plans for a Cork events centre

S companies

'This is a better site': Marina Market boss on his plans for a Cork events centre

Meet the man tasked with getting to grips with Ireland’s maritime security

spotlight

Meet the man tasked with getting to grips with Ireland’s maritime security

Getty Images Portrait Studio Presented By IMDb And IMDbPro At The Intercontinental Hotel Toronto, 2025

Éanna Hardwicke: 'Growing up in Cork I never understood why we didn’t film more here'

Éanna Hardwicke’s latest role sees him bring one of the most notorious crimes in British and Irish history to the big screen. He talks to Esther McCarthy about what drew him to the true-crime thriller, Cork’s role in the ‘green wave’ in film and his mother’s influence

Sun, 29 Mar, 2026

Manon Gilbart: 'I wish endometriosis stopped at the agony of the physical symptoms'

Manon Gilbart: 'I wish endometriosis stopped at the agony of the physical symptoms'

To mark Endometriosis Awareness Month, Irish Examiner reporter Manon Gilbart offers a personal reflection on living with the condition, highlighting the deep impact it has had on her social life and hears from others impacted by it

Sun, 29 Mar, 2026

I'm Grand Mam: 'We were surrounded by Brits who weren’t as funny as us'

I'm Grand Mam: 'We were surrounded by Brits who weren’t as funny as us'

As they return with another uproarious live show, I’m Grand Mam’s Kevin Twomey and PJ Kirby Galang chat with Sarah Finnan about dating, dancing, and the joy of the stage

Sun, 29 Mar, 2026

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I spent a day with The Young Offenders filming a very Cork wedding — here's what I learned

As the Cork cult favourite returns for its fifth season this week, Esther McCarthy joins the cast behind the scenes as they shoot one of the show’s milestone moments

Sat, 28 Mar, 2026

I was healthy and had no symptoms but bowel cancer screening found a stage-two tumour

I was healthy and had no symptoms but bowel cancer screening found a stage-two tumour

Only one in four men takes up the first BowelScreen invitation. The simple test can be carried out at home and only takes a few minutes. Brendan Looney says doing it was the best decision he ever made

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Mick Clifford: The Cork TD riding high on the wave of unapologetic anti-immigrant populism

Mick Clifford: The Cork TD riding high on the wave of unapologetic anti-immigrant populism

Ken O’Flynn’s rhetoric, controversies, and political evolution highlight tensions around immigration, misinformation, and the rise of populist narratives, writes Mick Clifford

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

The Heimir Hallgrimsson interview: 'I’ve told them the future of Irish football is in their hands'

S The Heimir Hallgrimsson interview: 'I’ve told them the future of Irish football is in their hands'

Since November's Budapest bedlam, he's been far and away, but Hallgrimsson is locked and loaded now on next month's World Cup playoffs. In a rare one-on-one interview, he sat down with Irish Examiner football correspondent John Fallon.

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Oxford Street pedestrianisation

Michael Moynihan: Even this column won't stoop to 'Corkmaxxing' — it's beneath us

A city trying to establish itself as a home for cutting-edge industry needs to move past the knee-jerk nickname or slogan

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Cork comedian Kyla Cobbler: 'I’d given up on love — and then I found him at a comedy show'

Cork comedian Kyla Cobbler: 'I’d given up on love — and then I found him at a comedy show'

Five years after telling her first joke on stage, Cork’s Kyla Cobbler has quickly become one of the country’s most in-demand comedians. Kathy Donaghy meets her in the midst of her ‘Not My Lemons’ tour to chat discipline, sobriety and the power of women backing women

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

Germany, Group of hikers hiking on Zugspitze mountain

Gareth O'Callaghan: At 65, I’ve learned to stop chasing happiness and start living well

Gareth O'Callaghan on ageing, time, and why contentment — not happiness — may be life’s most valuable goal

Mon, 23 Mar, 2026

How Oscars campaigns really work: Inside the strategy behind wins like Jessie Buckley’s

How Oscars campaigns really work: Inside the strategy behind wins like Jessie Buckley’s

From Jessie Buckley’s triumph to Hollywood lobbying, the Oscars reveal a system shaped by strategy, spending, and storytelling

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

How an 1847 Choctaw donation to Ireland now funds students through UCC scholarship

How an 1847 Choctaw donation to Ireland now funds students through UCC scholarship

Historic act of generosity during the Great Famine continues to shape cultural ties and educational opportunities nearly two centuries later

Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

Podcast: The Soham murders and the death of Ian Huntley in prison

Podcast: The Soham murders and the death of Ian Huntley in prison

Journalist Enda Brady joins us to unpack why the case still resonates and what Huntley’s death means for the legacy of one of the UK’s most infamous crimes

Listen | Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

How To Gael: 'There’s no use learning Irish if you don’t care what happens to Ireland'

How To Gael: 'There’s no use learning Irish if you don’t care what happens to Ireland'

Guest editors of Weekend, How To Gael's Louise Cantillon and Doireann Ní Ghlacáin discuss friendship, Irish identity, live shows and why their latest series is tackling the question of a united Ireland

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

I was an English-speaking blow-in in the Gaeltacht — here's how I got a grá for the teanga

I was an English-speaking blow-in in the Gaeltacht — here's how I got a grá for the teanga

A native of Inis Mór, Megan Roantree knew she was different as a child — her parents didn't speak Irish. Here, she shares how the kindness of the Gaeltacht community nurtured her grá for the teanga

Tue, 17 Mar, 2026

From the Feis in Cork to Cabaret and Hamnet... Jessie Buckley's 14 steps to success

From the Feis in Cork to Cabaret and Hamnet... Jessie Buckley's 14 steps to success

From her early days in Killarney Musical Society, through stage and screen roles — and even an acclaimed album along the way — Esther McCarthy traces the steps that have brought Jessie Buckley all the way to Oscar success

Mon, 16 Mar, 2026

James Patrice in drag for a Mother’s Day campaign does not make me angry. I’m angry at men in suits

James Patrice in drag for a Mother’s Day campaign does not make me angry. I’m angry at men in suits

The declaration by certain men on the political right that James Patrice in a dress is somehow a threat to Irish motherhood would be laughable if it wasn't so stupid, writes Sinéad O'Moore

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026

Killeagh’s hidden spaceship: Inside Michael Fitzgerald’s recycled sci-fi film studio

Killeagh’s hidden spaceship: Inside Michael Fitzgerald’s recycled sci-fi film studio

Aerospace engineer Michael Fitzgerald transforms recycled materials into a sprawling sci-fi film set with global YouTube reach

Sun, 15 Mar, 2026

Iran US Key Oil Facilities

At risk: The key pipelines, terminals and refineries supplying world’s energy

Oil fields in countries including Iraq have cut back output as storage fills up. Qatar, a major supplier of liquefied natural gas, has shut down its exports as well

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

Kanturk: The community behind North Cork Creameries

Kanturk: The community behind North Cork Creameries

'In a small town it's personal because everyone knows someone working there,' — locals react to the proposed redundancies at North Cork Creameries processing plant

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

Rear View Of Silhouette Girl Standing At Beach Against Sky During Sunset

What scattering my mum’s ashes on a West Cork beach taught me about grief

When Jordan Lynch returned to West Cork to scatter her mother’s ashes, she hoped this next stage of grief might offer catharsis. Instead, she came face-to-face with the awkward, mundane practicalities of death

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

Pippa O'Connor Ormond: 'You can have it all — just not all at once'

Pippa O'Connor Ormond: 'You can have it all — just not all at once'

From modelling to motherhood and building one of Ireland’s fastest-growing beauty brands, Pippa O’Connor Ormond talks to Sarah Finnan about business, family life, and why delegation is the real secret to success

Sat, 07 Mar, 2026

The Smiths, Rolling Stones, Damon Albarn... Eight great gigs at the Savoy in Cork through the years

The Smiths, Rolling Stones, Damon Albarn... Eight great gigs at the Savoy in Cork through the years

With the Savoy in Cork recently re-opened, Des O'Driscoll trawls through the annals to look back at some of the greatest gigs at the venue through the decades

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

In conversation with Cillian Murphy: 'It takes months to become Tommy. It’s not just putting the cap on'

S In conversation with Cillian Murphy: 'It takes months to become Tommy. It’s not just putting the cap on'

With a milestone birthday on the horizon, Cillian Murphy has returned to one of his career defining roles. The Ballintemple man speaks to Des O’Driscoll about bringing ‘Peaky Blinders’ to the big screen

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Irish eyes in Minnesota hoping to smile for Patrick's Day after ICE unrest

Irish eyes in Minnesota hoping to smile for Patrick's Day after ICE unrest

The ICE operation may have receded, but the economic fallout from the violence seen in Minneapolis in recent months lingers. Its Irish community hopes to bring people together for its parades in March

Mon, 02 Mar, 2026

Ukrainians in Ireland: ‘Thousands of people my age are dying. We need a lasting peace’

Ukrainians in Ireland: ‘Thousands of people my age are dying. We need a lasting peace’

Four years ago, life changed forever for Ukrainians as Russia launched its invasion. Liz Dunphy spoke with three women living here who are hoping for peace

Mon, 23 Feb, 2026

'It’s a piece of heaven, isn’t it?': A West Cork rainforest and the mission to rewild it

'It’s a piece of heaven, isn’t it?': A West Cork rainforest and the mission to rewild it

A year before his high-profile purchase of The Park Hotel in Kenmare, Bryan Meehan quietly became the owner of a West Cork rainforest.

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Diary of an autistic prisoner: 'I only had two showers in four weeks'

Diary of an autistic prisoner: 'I only had two showers in four weeks'

An autistic man spent 27 days in overcrowded Cork Prison after residential placement collapsed and bail was refused

Sat, 21 Feb, 2026

Rosie O'Donnell: 'It was very strange to feel so at home in a new country. But I do'

Rosie O'Donnell: 'It was very strange to feel so at home in a new country. But I do'

Ahead of her show at the Cork Opera House, Rosie O’Donnell talks to Colin Sheridan about Trump, making Ireland home — and how she’s coping with the very Irish weather

Sat, 21 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: The city centre enters a new golden age after decades of change

Future Cork: The city centre enters a new golden age after decades of change

Cork has seen war and peace, boom and bust, and on more than one occasion the flat of the city has risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of total annihilation, writes Cónal Creedon

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026

'You wouldn’t do to a dog what was done to Marguerita. How could there only be five years given for that?'

S 'You wouldn’t do to a dog what was done to Marguerita. How could there only be five years given for that?'

Danny O’Donoghue, 43, was coming down off an alcohol and cocaine bender when he rammed into 8ft-high screened gates, that his then 21-year old niece, Marguerita, was standing behind

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

'I have no desire to go anywhere': Inside the enclosed community of Tyburn nuns in Cork

S 'I have no desire to go anywhere': Inside the enclosed community of Tyburn nuns in Cork

Officially known as the Adorers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Montmartre, the nuns form part of a cloistered Benedictine contemplative order dedicated to perpetual Eucharistic adoration

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Inside Dublin Zoo: Hippo eye surgery, orangutan birth and elephant herpes battle

Inside Dublin Zoo: Hippo eye surgery, orangutan birth and elephant herpes battle

Niamh McGill reveals the emotional highs and lows of treating hippos, elephants, penguins and primates at Dublin Zoo

Sun, 15 Feb, 2026

Ian Watson: Child killer and one of Ireland's longest serving prisoners dies behind bars

Ian Watson: Child killer and one of Ireland's longest serving prisoners dies behind bars

The death of Ian Watson revives questions about a brutal 1984 murder and a justice system once shrouded in silence

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

Fears of summer travel chaos as Cork Airport airspace closed for seven hours

Fears of summer travel chaos as Cork Airport airspace closed for seven hours

Air traffic control staffing shortages and industrial tensions raise concern over further airport closures during peak summer travel season

Sat, 14 Feb, 2026

UCC students commuting before dawn as housing crisis fuels daily parking battle

UCC students commuting before dawn as housing crisis fuels daily parking battle

Sky-high rents and a lack of public student housing are forcing UCC students into long commutes and daily parking stress

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Meet the Kenmare family who bought their hotel back from John and Francis Brennan

S Meet the Kenmare family who bought their hotel back from John and Francis Brennan

Patrick and Aileen Hanley tell Gemma Fullam how they brought Kenmare’s landmark Lansdowne hotel back to the family – and how two years on, they are still making it their own

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Graham Linehan court case

S Mick Clifford: Ireland should think twice before embracing the new left-right political divide

As culture wars intensify abroad, Ireland should resist importing polarisation, extremism and political certainties that corrode democratic debate

Sun, 08 Feb, 2026

I tried a professional decluttering service — a month later, is my kitchen still tidy?

S I tried a professional decluttering service — a month later, is my kitchen still tidy?

A professional decluttering service was called for when Jess Casey decided it was finally time to clear some of the mess that has built up in her home

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

Inside the final chapter of Cork’s Quay Co-Op restaurant and the movement it created

S Inside the final chapter of Cork’s Quay Co-Op restaurant and the movement it created

As the restaurant closes, the story of how the Quay Co-Op fed Cork’s counterculture and conscience comes into focus

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

I gave up alcohol for a month — here's how it impacted my sleep, health, and more

I gave up alcohol for a month — here's how it impacted my sleep, health, and more

Jonathan deBurca Butler enjoys relaxing over a pint at his local. It’s a simple habit woven into the fabric of his life. So how did he fare when he quit alcohol for a month?

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

A one-in-100-year flood does not mean a flood that happens once a century. It means a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Two such floods can occur in back-to-back years, or several can occur in a single decade

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Funeral of David Byrne

Platinum coffins and luxury cars: Vulgar displays of wealth by crime gangs eyed up by CAB

Platinum coffins, champagne, and luxury cars just some of the extravagances catalogued by gardaí

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026

The Regency Hotel attack at 10: Inside the moment Irish gangland entered a new era

The Regency Hotel attack at 10: Inside the moment Irish gangland entered a new era

Ten years after the Regency Hotel shooting, Cormac O'Keeffe examines how the Kinahan-Hutch feud reshaped Irish crime and policing

Thu, 05 Feb, 2026