Des O’Driscoll rounds up some of the latest news from the entertainment world.

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.

Róisín Maher is from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and is the artistic director and co-founder (with her sister Clíona) of the Finding a Voice concert series in Clonmel on March 6-8.

Martin Hayes doesn’t like to stand still. The fiddle virtuoso from East Clare has made it a hallmark of his career to seek out creative ideas from beyond his musical tradition.

Although Storm Ciara forced cancellation of the open-air event, EU Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan lifted spirits with a rousing speech at the formal handover of the European Capital of Culture title.

She’s been “dusted in Dior” and gowned by Gucci, but for her fourth Oscars red carpet walk, Saoirse Ronan could go sustainable.

A festival showcasing young orchestral musicians in Ireland was one of the first items on the agenda of the newly formed Irish Association of Youth Orchestras (IAYO) in 1994.

Leslie Dowdall is the former lead singer with In Tua Nua. Nowadays, as well as performing solo, she is a music teacher with Music Generation Wicklow.

Our regular contributors select their highlights of the year.

Our regular contributors select their highlights of the year.

The station’s director general Dee Forbes told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that it was “regrettable” to be in this position, but that her priority was to maintain public service broadcasting in Ireland.

The national broadcaster is selling off two artworks by Louis Le Brocquy, 'Táin' and 'The Massing of the Armies' which were commissioned by RTÉ.

Art song occupies a hallowed place in classical music. The combination of poetry and music, singer and pianist striving to enhance the poet’s text is considered by many the pinnacle of musical endeavours.

The Government has been called out for its “hypocrisy” for calling on the public to recognise the work of the national services while at the same time not paying the defence forces members “a comparable wage”.

Taylor Swift releases her new album Lover tomorrow.

Children will be spoilt for choice at the inaugural Kaleidoscope festival this weekend, writes Ciara McDonnell

Eighteen-year-old Kevin Jansson, like his peers at Presentation College, Cork, is embracing life after secondary school.

An event at the NCH will celebrate the life of late great tenor Frank Patterson, writes Cathy Desmond.

Wicklow-born songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Anna Mieke recently released her debut album Idle Mind.

Dublin-born composer and vocalist Jennifer Walshe, will launch her new album on Saturday at Horseshoe Harbour Bay on Sherkin Island as part of the electronic and experimental music festival, Open Ear.

The next Sunday Songbook singalong show at the Everyman features the tunes of Vera Lynn, writes Cathy Desmond.

Ireland's spoken word poet Natalya O'Flaherty has announced her debut headline show at The Sugar Club as part of Music Town 2019 in Dublin, April, 14.

Upon the release of The Gloaming 3 in February, it was announced that the beloved contemporary trad group would be taking a break for 2020.

WHEN the celebrated Russian violinist, Maxim Vengerov returns to the National Concert Hall in March, he’ll have company. Pairing with him in Bach’s double violin concerto will be a gifted young man from Kilkenny.

As the legendary Cork band get ready for their ‘last ever’ gig, Ed Power discusses their short-lived reunion with guitarist Sean O’Hagan.

An impressive debut EP and a deal with Virgin have marked the trio out as ones to watch, writes Ed Power.

Paul Dunlea is the first artist-in- residence for the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which takes place this weekend.

Ólafur Arnalds has provided the soundtrack for TV show Broadchurch but also has a clubbier outlet with Kiasmos. He performs in Cork and Dublin next week, writes Ed Power.

480 people from 68 different countries were granted Irish citizenship at a ceremony in Dublin today.

Why isn’t the name of trailblazing composer Ina Boyle better known? A Cork academic has published a book to help spread the word, writes Cathy Desmond

Today is International Jazz Day. To mark the occasion, Jonathan deBurca Butler asked some well-known fans and musicians about their love of the genre.

Listening, especially listening live, to a symphony orchestra moving through waves of music at full sail is to be borne by sound to another world, writes Gerard Howlin.

Unions at RTÉ have warned the broadcaster’s board that if the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is taken from its control, it will “be undermining its own strength and place in Irish society”.

One of the women felt the man trying to grab the bag from her shoulder. She got a terrible fright and screamed loudly “No, no!” but decided she wasn't letting go.

Tara Erraught is enjoying a blossoming international career. Fresh from her Met debut, she comes home to Ireland to play Susanna in the Marriage of Figaro. Cathy Desmond met the mezzo in Munich

There's also one more exciting announcement coming soon!

She’ll be playing all along so keep your eyes peeled.

As The Gloaming begin their seven-night sold out run at the NCH, they tell Ellie O’Byrne about the logistics of getting such a widely-dispersed group together

Like a man in a tuxedo on a nightclub dance floor, Nils Frahm stands bang on the border between contemporary classical music and electronica.

2018, the Year of the Dog.

When classical guitarist Susie Butler moved from Limerick city to rural north Cork she discovered, apart from the GAA, there were few activities available for children so she founded an orchestra.

Brian Kennedy has battled cancer and seen close friends go to the grave. He now appreciates life more than ever, writes Ellie O’Byrne.

I can’t remember the first time I heard Bob Dylan or Van Morrison or even Lightnin’ Hopkins, but I remember the first time I heard Dolores O’Riordan, writes Michael Clifford.

A raucous atmosphere filled the National Concert Hall last night as some of rock ‘n roll’s greatest rebels gathered to celebrate the 60th birthday of Pogues singer Shane MacGowan.