Festival season approaches, legends come to the Opera House, and a young Irish phenomenon continues to impact on UK telly, writes Arts Editor Des O'Driscoll.

Cork actor Eanna Hardwicke may have grown up with a Young Offenders star, but he is set to make a name for himself with a string of big roles, writes Esther McCarthy

The eagerly awaited TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, a documentary about much-loved rock star Phil Lynott and the story of how Ireland repealed the Eighth Amendment to name a few.

It’s been an iffy year for movies, but the year has been bookended by some true diamonds in the rough:

The box office success of the multi-award winning ‘The Favourite' last year contributed to Element Pictures recording post tax profits of €473,053.

She made her name as a TV and radio presenter, but Laura Whitmore is about to make her big screen debut, as actress and screenwriter, writes Esther McCarthy.

He then attended one of Sarah’s performances of Caitlin in Jez Butterworth's Ferryman during its run on Broadway.

Frankie Ross is director of operations for next week’s Fastnet Film Festival in Schull, Co Cork.

Writer and podcaster Jon Ronson will be in Ireland to talk about his immersion in the adult film industry, writes Ellie O’Byrne

From Poirot’s moustache to signed pages from the script of Star Wars: Rogue One , an upcoming auction at the Fastnet Film Festival is a potential treasure trove for film buffs.

Sally Rooney’s second book Normal People and Donal Ryan’s From A Low and Quiet Sea have been shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award, considered the most prestigious award for a novel open only to British and Irish writers.

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) have picked Cork’s Chris Walley in the Bafta Breakthrough Brit awards, marking him out as one of the most promising actors this year.

Your morning bulletin.

Black ’47, out now - Revenge thriller set during the Irish Famine. Hugo Weaving, Barry Keoghan and Stephen Rea star.

A gameshow filmed in Ireland will be part of a new unscripted original series line-up on streaming giant, Netflix.

It’s a fair bet there hasn’t been a man wielding a sword in the parish hall in Schull in a while — but sure enough, there was yesterday.

As the French film festival reaches its end, Helen Barlow looks at this year’s hits, misses and talking points.

Planning permission will be sought, this week, to redevelop a landmark building in a West Cork village, creating a home for an internationally successful film festival as final preparations are put in place for the event’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

David Puttnam, Jim Sheridan, and Lenny Abrahamson will be among the guests at this year’s 10th Fastnet Film Festival which will feature more than 400 screenings.

Domhnall Gleeson hopped at the chance to play a part in the new Peter Rabbit film, writes Esther McCarthy.

An award-winning Irish theatre director says that women in the industry “have suffered so much shit”.

Irish Equity has assured its members that the union will support them should they have any concerns regarding their treatment in the workplace.

As he gets ready to direct the next Star Wars, Colin Trevorrow must first battle the bad reviews for his current film, writes Esther McCarthy

Forget Shakespeare and “all the world’s a stage”. In Schull, the whole town is a flickering cinema screen.

Sunshine giving you that festival buzz? We've got the ultimate guide to some of the best festivals around!

Trust us, it’s exactly what you need for the week that's in it.

As 2017 gets under way, the Irish film industry is looking forward to another stellar year of new productions and international awards.