An industrial school and Magdalene laundry in Waterford City and the people who lived in those institutions will be commemorated in word and performance next month as part of Imagine Arts Festival.

First Dates Ireland begins on RTÉ2 on Thursday at 9.30pm.

A new film about Dervla Murphy paints a fascinating picture of the 85-year-old travel writer, says Ellie O’Byrne

Against the wider trend, Longford-Westmeath is one area where the Government stronghold is likely to remain.

Looking for plans for the weekend? Here’s a list of what’s on and where.

While The Menu’s Teddy Bear still occasionally sends a card on the odd Christmas, it is many a long year since they have enjoyed a jorum let alone a cuddle.

War reporter Tim Butcher and Irish nomad Manchán Magan are among those telling their tales at the Immrama festival in Lismore, writes Orlagh Ní Arrachtáin

Check out the best shows and films to watch on TV tonight.

The Ennis Book Club Festival (March 7-9) is a reader’s delight. “Other literary festivals are about writing skills and getting published. Our workshops are different. One of our really popular events is called ‘Ten Books You Should Read’,” says chairperson, Ciana Campbell.

THE Performance Corporation is renowned for staging its theatre productions in adventurous places — in medieval dungeons, amongst sand dunes, even on a small rowboat. For its latest, most adventurous trick, it’s staging a three-day festival in Ireland’s only palace — Castletown House on the outskirts of Celbridge, Co Kildare.

Nick Cave veered from slow and pulsatingly beautiful to the raw and fiercely charged.

Riders, rebels, ramblers and rugby players are all in TG4’s autumn schedule unveiled in Dublin yesterday.

She was acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest designers, so why was Eileen Gray ignored by Ireland for so long, asks Manchán Magan

IN THAT traditional pre-Christmas lull on the TV front, most of the networks are holding their goodies for the holiday season, and only the reality show finals are causing a real stir.