The annual Listowel Writer's Week, founded by the late John B Keane and Bryan McMahon which takes place each year over the June Bank holiday weekend opened last night for its 49th year.

The Irish are obsessed with the weather — so it’s no surprise RTÉ is devoting a three-part series to the topic, writes Ailin Quinlan.

In this exclusive extract from Colm O’Regan’s new book, ‘Ann Devine Ready for Her Close-Up’, mammy and daughter tiptoe through the social niceties of the community meeting and ponder the fate of the bats.

The results are out and they are as we expected. Jack and Emily have topped the list as the most popular names in Ireland last year, as they have for the last decade.

I think I might have reached Peak Nomics. I’m in Stavanger in Norway hosting shows at a festival called KaKanomics which is about economics, writes Colm O’Regan.

Here's your morning news bulletin...

The comfort zone gets a lot of bad press. Why? The comfort zone is such a nice place. It fits us perfectly, says Colm O'Regan.

He told me casually but I think he knew this was a dynamite revelation. He knew life would never be the same again, in a very tiny way.

Office summer party season is here again, an event that blends two fun concepts - summer and parties - with a sphere that is utterly devoid of both fun and sunlight - the modern office.

Cork City needed extra-time before eventually seeing-off battling Wilton United to capture the Munster Senior Cup for the first time since 2008 at Turner’s Cross last night.

Colm O’Regan reckons if you have any kind of assets worth more than a fiddler’s fart, get your will done.

There’s no harm in wishing for a better year than the procession of misery served up by 2016, writes Jonathan deBurca Butler

Colm O’Regan helps shoppers with some handy tips for Christmas

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Colm O’Regan had run out of things to say about Irish mammies, hence his new book, a social commentary with a wry chuckle that describes the Irish tendency to self-aggrandise, reports Ed Power

Comedian and Irish Examiner columnist Colm O’Regan has joined up with Clean Coasts to remind people to pick up their litter after them on a trip to the beach.

Chris Donoghue co-presents Newstalk Breakfast from 7am to 10am. He is an ambassador for First Fortnight, a charity aimed at challenging mental health stigma, and will speak at Proclamation, a music and talk event on New Year’s Day in Christ Church Cathedral, as part of First Fortnight festival in association with NYF Dublin. NYF Dublin’s three-day citywide festival spans the new year period from today until January 1. See www.NYFDublin.com 

The Kerry branch of the Irish Hotels’ Federation (IHF) has asked all its members to make full refunds to people who made weekend accommodation reservations for the cancelled Killarney Festival of Music and Food.

Weekly freesheet The Cork News has announced last Friday’s publication was its final issue, and the paper is to close.

Gardaí have arrested a man on suspicion of selling illegal drugs in a Dublin nightclub outside which Anna Hick collapsed, Manchester Utd have entered the fray in the Raheem Sterling saga, Chris Pratt confirms Avengers appearance and A six-year-old wonder boy from Co Limerick has become the country’s youngest member of Mensa. These are some of the latest and most read news stories on irishexaminer.com this morning.

As New York storytelling club, The Moth, comes to Ireland, Richard Fitzpatrick learns the secrets to spinning a great yarn.

THE letterbox clanks. As is always the case, I gallop downstairs to see what the post brings. This, I think, is a feature of the self-employed. The lack of a buzzing office atmosphere means that the postman’s arrival is a big deal. What will today bring? Maybe I’ve finally won the million euro in the Prize Bonds?

Despite all the warnings, some of you will be unable to resist. Drink may have been taken, endorphins coursing in your veins, inhibitions lost. Before you know it, as your colleagues at the Christmas party stand nearby, aghast, you are dancing.

Rose of Tralee claim TV Twitter prize

THE Dublin-Cork train hadn’t left the station long when the Irish Rail announcer said that the WiFi was broken. He didn’t say the Wifi was broken. He said the WiFi was offline for the duration of the trip.

It leans outside against the wall of the back yard: the product of instinct, opportunism and about an hour’s proper physical labour.

The 60th annual Cork International Choral Festival took place at the weekend, with approximately 5,000 participants — the largest number it has ever had. Here are the results.

I MISS some things about big offices: The “paper jam in Zone D”, the colleague with the permanent sniffle, the awkward conversation with the boss when we both happen to be in the toilet at the same time.

I’m reading a self-help book: Crucial Conversations — Tools For Talking When The Stakes Are High. It’s the archetypal business management book.

They have changed our nappies, tended our scrapes, packed our school lunches, cured every ill with flat 7-Up and, in some cases, still wash our clothes.

Whisk her away from the daily grind with some great trips, treats and events, selected by Pól Ó Conghaile

Babytalk is Ireland’s first festival of expert advice for parents, says Margaret Carragher

She cooks, decorates, buys the gifts and cleans up. And she loves it, says Áilín Quinlan.

AND so this is Christmas, and what have you done? “NOT A THING” says you, “I thought I had more time”.

THE English comedian Patrick Monahan’s father is Irish and his mother is Iranian.

MUSIC NEWS: It’s become as regular as Christmas, so start your Facebook campaign to keep the X Factor winner off the seasonal number one slot.

I have confessed before on these pages to being a Twitter addict.

This is the week of Halloween night.