John Michael McDonagh is back with War on Everyone, which seems to be taking the title pretty darn literally as he tears up the screen.

Graham Dwyer was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Elaine O’Hara, leaders of seveal EU nations are to meet to discuss the emigrant crisis in the Mediterranean, ACDC drummer Phil Rudd could face up to 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to threatening to kill and possession of drugs and Happy Birthday Father Ted . These are some of the latest and most read news stories on irishexaminer.com this morning.

Graham Dwyer has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of childcare worker Elaine O’Hara, Karen Buckley’s family face an agonising wait before they can bring her body home and the €1m-plus stealth-like futuristic military vessel launched in Cork. Some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com this evening.

From Gerry Adams through Love/Hate, Irish Water and everything in-between,  Michael Clifford recalls the big stories of 2014

Mick Hannigan is at the helm of Indie Cork, the festival of independent cinema which has a strong emphasis of local talent, writes Colette Sheridan

New figures show that comedian Pat Shortt’s production firm, Short Comedy Theatre Co Ltd trebled its profits to €83,336 last year, resulting in accumulated profits jumping to €771,821 at year end.

Brendan Gleeson has revealed he was molested as a child by a Christian Brother who "dropped the hand" on him in primary school.

He’s the 2005 elephant polo world champion; he was Ireland’s first ever competitor in the Sumo world championships in Japan; he holds the world-record for the three-legged marathon in Cork, and founded the whacky Paddy Games.

It’s the home-spun box office draw of the year, grossing almost €1.5m in just over a month — but then it does have the Gleeson factor.

Calvary ***

John Michael McDonagh puts a gun-toting priest at the heart of new film ‘Calvary’, says Alan O’Riordan

Hollywood stars were shining brightly at this year’s Irish Film and Television Awards, with A-listers such as Colin Farrell and Michael Fassbender presenting and receiving awards.

Simon Delaney and Laura Whitmore present the 11th annual Irish Film and Television Awards on RTE One at 9.45pm tonight.

Irish comedian Dylan Moran has signed a deal with ABC studios in the US to create, write, and star in the pilot episode of a planned new series.

Accumulated profits at Co Roscommon actor Chris O’Dowd’s UK production firm last year increased more than seven-fold to £76,705 (€89,295).

Comedian Dylan Moran had a stellar year in 2012, with new figures showing accumulated profits at his British-based entertainment firm increased more than four fold to €1.2m.

IN 1993 Michael D Higgins, then Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, took the fateful decision to re-institute the Irish Film Board, the national film development agency, which had run briefly between 1980 and 1987.

The Vikings are back. Settlements have sprung up around Wicklow’s picturesque Sally Gap, and if you look closely, you might even find Gabriel Byrne among the Nordic hordes.

It was set in a spectacular €380m location and involved a 450-strong army of behind-the-camera personnel.

The nominees have been announced for the Rising Star Award at this year's Irish Film and Television Awards.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and they don’t come in a more unlikely shape than small-town Irish police sergeant Gerry Boyle.

RTE's hit drama 'Love/Hate' looks set to clean up at the 2012 IFTAs this year, with ten nominations announced today.

With Brendan Gleeson securing a Golden Globe nod for the phenomenally successful The Guard, the Irish film scene looks healthier than most other indigenous sectors and the closing credits for this feel-good story show no sign of rolling just yet, writes John Daly

TERENCE MALICK’S return to the fray was one of the highlights of 2011’s film year.

IT WAS the year that saw comedy-thriller The Guard become the most successful independent Irish film in our box office history.

'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and 'Drive' lead the nominations for the London Film Critics' Circle Awards.

SENATORS and TDs will get a chance to see Brendan Gleeson’s Golden Globe-nominated performance for themselves after being given free copies of The Guard for Christmas.

Brendan Gleeson has revealed that he is to play a vilified priest in a new dark comedy with The Guard writer and director.

John Michael McDonagh's comedy-thriller 'The Guard' is set to open the Los Angeles Irish Film Festival tomorrow night.

BRENDAN GLEESON is to play the role of a priest whose life is turned upside down by the public’s anger towards the Church and its handling of sex abuse scandals.

IT’S TOO soon to rush to declare Terence Malick’s The Tree of Life (12A) a masterpiece, but it is safe to say that there won’t be a more ambitious and thought-provoking film released this year.