THIS year has seen the deaths of many cultural icons both here and abroad, among them music legends David Bowie and Leonard Cohen, novelist William Trevor, actor Frank Kelly, and the irrepressible TV star Terry Wogan.

THE death of William Trevor, one of the very greatest modern writers in English, leaves our world a poorer place.

Tributes have been paid to the late novelist William Trevor, who has passed away at the age of 88.

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

There was a lively traditional music festival in Killaloe and Ballina last weekend.

As Colm Tóibín appears on the famed BBC radio show, Richard Fitzpatrick looks at the selections of Irish stars who have already made the trip

IT is good to see an anthology of short stories from a new Dublin-based publisher, and even better to discover that the anthology is not confined to Irish writers, nor does it claim to be the “best of” anything.

DESRIBED by himself as ‘poor, friendless and joyless’ Anthony Trollope arrived in Ireland in 1841 to work as clerk to an Irish surveyor at a salary of £100 a year.

SEBASTIAN BARRY’S latest novel, his eighth (just published in paperback), opens with a bang: the World War II torpedoing of a ship carrying British officers to Africa.

Cork sculptor Séamus Murphy is the subject of a new film, writes Colette Sheridan.

The Arts Council has published the full list of nominees for the inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction.

After six years of hard work, a few months of cramming and at least one sleepless night, the class of 2013 finally took the first step on their Leaving Certificate gauntlet yesterday.

Though he won’t divulge details of his new novel, Kevin Barry does tell Colette Sheridan about some of the other literary irons he has in the fire right now

Higher Gossip

Christian Brothers College, Cork, staged a magnificent second-half fight back to claim a well-deserved victory over Crescent Comprehensive inyesterday’s final of the Kidney Cup at Dooradoyle.

CBC advanced to Sunday’s Barry Cup final with rivals PBC after an emphatic 25-5 win over Crescent College at Lansdowne yesterday.

Louise Verity

CS WHYTE

THE music will sound again this month in a remote village dance hall made famous as the Ballroom of Romance by author William Trevor.

Sue Leonard talks to Booker prize winner Anne Enright about her work.

Three Irish authors - Colum McCann, Colm Toibin and William Trevor - have been shortlisted for the world’s richest literary prize.

Four Irish novels have been nominated for the world’s richest literary prize, it was revealed today.

FOUR Irish novels have been nominated for the 2011 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.

Irish authors have missed out on a place in the shortlist for this year's Man Booker Prize.

THREE Irish writers are named in the long list for this year’s £50,000 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

LEADING figures in the literary world, such as Roddy Doyle, Colm Toibín, Fergal Keane and Michael Longley, will be among the personalities attending Listowel Writers’ Week, which opened last night.

LEADING figures in the literary world, such as Roddy Doyle, Colm Toibín, Fergal Keane and Michael Longley, will be among the personalities attending Listowel Writers’ Week, which opened last night.

John Banville’s Booker win is a triumph for artistic merit over popularity, writes Arts Editor Ian Kilroy.

THE organisers of the lucrative Frank O’Connor Short Story Award have criticised those short-listed for the €50,000 prize after only two of the six said they would turn up for the presentation ceremony.

Eight million euro has been donated by the American Ireland Fund to over 300 charities and community organisations throughout the country.

LEADING figures in the literary world, such as Roddy Doyle, Colm Tóibín, Fergal Keane and Michael Longley, will be among the personalities attending Listowel Writers’ Week, which opens tomorrow night.

SOME of the biggest names in literature are competing for the inaugural €50,000 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Prize, it emerged yesterday.

A Belfast novelist who scooped an award for his first venture into movie-making has been lined up for an appearance at the Foyle Film Festival.

A STORY of a Christmas turkey, a bank official and his curious son filled a sunlit square with golden memories in Mitchelstown yesterday.

WILLIAM TREVOR last night won the €10,000 Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award at Listowel Writers’ Week.

AWARD-WINNING Irish author William Trevor received an honorary knighthood in London yesterday in recognition of his services to literature.

Irish author William Trevor was receiving an honorary knighthood today in recognition of his services to literature.

Booker Prize winner Yann Martel today described his win as “like winning the lottery”.

WILLIAM TREVOR has been installed as 9-4 favourite for the Booker Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards.

The shortlist for the Booker Prize was unveiled today – and there was a surprise omission for author Zadie Smith.

Author Howard Jacobson was today picked out as an early favourite to win this year’s Booker Prize.