Interview: Jim Sheridan on why he took up the story of Sophie Toscan du Plantier
The director, whose five-part documentary series will be aired from today, believes that the story of the murder of the French woman in West Cork must be told again and again until justice is served
Classical Notes: OperaVision puts Europe’s young fans on the right track
Freeview streaming platform OperaVision showcases opera, music theatre and ballet from 28 theatres in 17 countries
Appetite for Distraction: our pick of home entertainment
Your weekly guide to the best TV shows, podcasts, movies and video games out there
Nadine O’Regan: Fishing for compliments at our own funerals
Jaws it ain’t, but a brush with an angry weever fish in the shallows of the Atlantic Ocean prompts some musings on mortality
Wine: Northern Spain’s fertile landscape
Spain has a hugely varied climate which produces complex and interesting wines
Chef’s Table: Comfort food for all
Wade Murphy of 1826 Adare in Co Limerick shares some of his favourite recipes that are hearty, elegant and perfect for eating in good company
The Middle East Crisis Factory: Why the struggle for democracy will eventually be won
Ten years after the Arab Spring and the subsequent cruelties brought upon the people of the Middle East, Iyad El-Baghdadi and Ahmed Gatnash argue that the region is a third of the way through its transition to democracy
I Couldn’t Love You More: A powerful novel that explores the love between mothers and daughters in a cruel society
Esther Freud was lucky: her unmarried Irish mother escaped 1960s Catholic Ireland, but the characters in her novel are subjected to the brutality of a judgmental and unforgiving society
Emer McLysaght: Take it or leave it, Father’s Day is not an issue
We don’t have to ban Father’s Day, we just have to realise it’s not for everyone and allow people to choose whether or not to celebrate
Rhythm Nation: Susan O’Neill picks the playlist
The singer-songwriter chooses that songs that have inspired her recently
Radio: How our bodies shape our world and how we take them for granted
Sinéad Gleeson and Sarah Perry are guests on Guide Books, a radio programme about how books can help us navigate life
TV review: Some uncomfortable home truths for Portillo on his trip through Irish history
Former Tory defence secretary Portillo learns about Home Rule, while Andrew Neil’s GB News proves to be an odd concoction straight from Bunker Britain
Design for Life: How do I stop gambling money I don’t have?
This week, Dr Sabina Brennan advises a reader on how to get out of a secret gambling habit could lead him into serious debt
Interview: Irish band Elgin on changing more than just their name
The band formerly known as the Young Folk say they have found the liberation required to explore all their musical impulses
In the Earth: Gruesome woodland horror has plenty of bark and bite
Ben Wheatley’s surprise lockdown film is one of the first movies to see Covid reflected in the horror genre, even if its roots don’t run so deep
Album reviews: Kings of Convenience, Dani Larkin and Maroon 5
The Norwegian act’s first album in 12 years, a debut outing from the Irish singer and a relatively sombre offering from the American popsters are under the spotlight this week
Michael Portillo plans new documentary about Irish Civil War
Former Tory defence secretary is to follow his recent successful forays into Irish history with an exploration of the bitter, post-Treaty conflict
Meet the Gallerist: Denise Donnelly of the Doorway Gallery
The owner of the Doorway Gallery in Dublin was determined to alter the general image of art galleries as elitist and pretentious
Removal of Toscan du Plantier family interviews will ‘not harm’ documentary, Sheridan says
The family of murdered French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier requested to be removed from the Irish director’s five-part documentary as they believe it is too sympathetic to suspect Ian Bailey
