From movies to music, fashion to food, our writers pick the cultural highlights of summer.

For classically trained composer Doyle, whose epic film soundtracks include Thor, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Carlito’s Way, happening upon Sgt Stubby prompted him to make Cork his home.

Some of the world’s biggest names in Hollywood are currently filming on these shores as a wave of movie and TV productions get underway.

Author Deirdre Sullivan and illustrator Karen Vaughan have won the Children’s Book of the Year (CBI) Award with the fairytale Tangleweed and Brine.

A FRIEND rang me the other day. Spitting teeth, she was, with fury. Reasonably famous, this friend, never mind in what sector of Irish life, but reasonably famous, writes Terry Prone. 

With the success of the Harry Potter series and David Walliams’s books, you might think writing for kids is easy. Think again, says Áilín Quinlan.

Your lunchtime news bulletin.

Cork was a big winner at last night’s Bord Gáis Energy Book Awards, as the critically acclaimed history tome Atlas of the Irish Revolution picked up the Best Irish Published Book of the Year.

Ireland has been named as one of the world’s ultimate storybook locations by the Lonely Planet.

It’s a small door, but it could lead to a big future.

Some great things to see and do this week. 

Des O’Driscoll with the latest entertainment news and events

Here's your lunchtime news bulletin.

According to IFTN.ie, the production team are look for someone who is "inquisitive" with both "academic and emotional intelligence".

The Arts Council is urging people to share the joy of reading with children this Christmas, writes Marjorie Brennan. Here, some of the well-known people backing the ‘Story for their Stocking’ campaign select the books that captured their imagination as youngsters

Eoin Colfer couldn’t resist setting the latest instalment of Iron Man in Ireland, writes Ed Power

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

Artemis Fowl author Eoin Colfer has written a play based on his oldest friend’s diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, writes Colette Sheridan

4/5

Crime — of the fictional variety — seems to be paying off for Ireland’s best-selling children’s author Eoin Colfer, with accumulated profits at his company topping €3m last year.

As Darren Shan releases the final instalment in his Zom-B tales, he tells Marjorie Brennan why he believes teenagers are reading as much as ever

Crime pays — at least the fictional kind — for Ireland’s best selling children’s author Eoin Colfer, as accumulated profits at his book firm topped €2.6m last year.

EOIN Colfer is on sabbatical in Dublin with his family. They moved from Wexford town to Monkstown a few months ago and, from cafes to theatres, are loving life in the big city.

Kilkenny hurling supremo Brian Cody is not in the habit of co-operating with the likes of Waterford and Wexford, but has made an exception to join in the south-east region’s bid to become European Capital of Culture.

Best-selling children’s author Eoin Colfer has been recruited by the South-East’s partnership of cities and towns to act as an ambassador for their bid to become the 2020 European Capital of Culture.

Once upon a time, a survey found most Irish children under five prefer reading and bedtime stories to watching TV, and that over half of Irish parents begin reading to their kids before they are six months old.

Here’s some newly released books that will appeal to the young book worm.

SATURDAY

Ireland’s best-selling children’s author, Eoin Colfer, enjoyed a boost from his major Disney movie deal last year with profits at his firm jumping by more than €155,000 to more than €1.82m.

Artemis Fowl creator Eoin Colfer was happy to switch to drama for a play in his hometown, writes Marjorie Brennan

Now in its ninth year, the Pampers UNICEF campaign has helped to eliminate maternal and newborn tetanus in 15 countries. 

Author Eoin Colfer said he and his family are considering their position in relation to the death of his father, who died from internal bleeding one week after an operation to remove his gall bladder.

From religious tomes to best-selling novels and personal faves, Mark Evans wants you to get voting.

A mix of the old and the new are among the books, plays, and films that young teens can study for the first Junior Cycle Student Award in 2017.

Books that tackle difficult contemporary or global issues and books that are whimsical and funny are all competing for a major Irish award.

Classical: Wexford Sinforia

The deaths at sea of nine Wexford lifeboatmen a century ago are commemorated by a concert this week says Jo Kerrigan

IF you’re not a big fan of fantasy and despair at all the wizards and dragons on TV, on film and in books, then you should blame John Ronald Reuel Tolkien. Or, go back 1,000 years and blame the unknown author of Beowulf, with its monsters and kings. Or, go back another two millennia and blame Homer’s epic tales of gods and heroes.

Crime pays — at least the fictional sort — for Ireland’s bestselling children’s author, Eoin Colfer as new figures show accumulated profits at his firm jumped 134% to €1.669m last year.