Across:
8 Amused (amused = MEDUSA) criminal (= anagram indicator) from Greece with snaky dreadlocks (MEDUSA),
9 Cooperative (AMENABLE) is prepared to (A-BLE) cover workers (-MEN-) from academy (-A-) (AMENABLE),
10 Broody Sultan produces them (broody Sultan chicken produces EGGS) for horse (-GG-) in point-to-point (east + south = E-S) (EGGS),
11 Welsh neighbours (ENGLISHMEN), in a manner of speaking (ENGLISH-), shortly (d) return to health (on the ‘mend’ without ‘d’= -MEN) (ENGLISHMEN),
12 Childish foreign correspondent perhaps (PEN PAL) in 23 down (open) loses the head (o) (“open” without ‘o’ = PEN) with one of the gang (PAL) (PEN PAL),
14 Fabulous type (TERRIFIC) from Dandy? (TERRIFIC),
15 As forecast, really come down on (RAIN CATS AND DOGS) state (= homophone indicator) rules (rules = “reigns” = “rains” = RAIN -S) covering those in Kilkenny (CATS) as well as (AND) Staffordshire (DOG-) (RAIN CATS AND DOGS),
18 Medic’s business (PRACTICE) estimate (PR-ICE) covers what is witnessed in theatre (-ACT-) (PRACTICE),
20 Part of speech (VERB-) for a (-A-) pupil (learner = -L) (VERBAL), in a manner of speaking (VERBAL),
22 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) what jockey gets horse to do (“gallop” = “GALLUP”) going to post (post = “pole” = “POLL”) – reportedly (= homophone indicator) (GALLUP POLL) it’s a matter of opinion (GALLUP POLL),
24 March out of charmless (‘march’ out of ‘charmless’ = less = LESS) takeaway (take away = LESS),
25 Women (W-) close to his heart (‘his’ heart = -I-) nipped (nipped = -NDPIPE) out (= anagram indicator) (WINDPIPE) for a breather (WINDPIPE),
26 Bourne leaves subordinates (‘Bourne’ leaves ‘subordinates’ = sdiats = SADIST) with tormentor (SADIST).
Down:
1 Enthusiastic (eager = REG-AE) coming back (= reversal indicator) across great (-G-) (REGGAE) music (REGGAE),
2 The Wire’s (the wires = BUGS) neighbours have no heroin (‘neighbours’ have no/without ‘heroin’ = gbus = BUGS),
3 Relative of tea producer (CAMELLIA) has the hump (CAMEL-) with America city (-L-A) over institute (-I-) (CAMELLIA),
4 Joke (GA-G) about Kerryman at the end of (‘Kerryman’ at the end of = -N-) (GANG) shift of workers (GANG),
5 First person (ME-) getting connection (-TIE-) right (-R) (METIER) gets skilled work (METIER),
6 Trail (PATH-) lost (= anagram indicator) friend (friend = -FINDER) (PATHFINDER) in the scouts (PATHFINDER),
7 Short (FLEETING) brief? (FLEETING),
13 Drunk in Puerto Rico (national drink of Puerto Rico = PINA COLADA) produced type of cushion (PIN- cushion) for a business (business/company = CO-) car for the people (LADA- = “the people’s car) (PINA COLADA),
14 The sense (one of the senses = TASTE) to compliment a stewardess inside (‘compliment a stewardess’ inside = TASTE),
16 Father (Da = AD-) sent back (= reversal indicator) to academy (Royal Irish Academy = -RIA-) – it’s an involuntary move (-TIC) (ADRIATIC) from part of the Med (ADRIATIC is part of the Mediterranean),
17 Rare (NOVEL-) winner (1ST = -IST) (NOVELIST) – that’s one for the books (NOVELIST),
19 To damage (IMPAIR) one (I-) foreign politician (-MP-) is a breeze (-AIR) (IMPAIR),
21 Foolish figure (ASS-) first (1ST = -IST) (ASSIST) to help (ASSIST),
23 Some workshop encapsulated (some ‘workshop encapsulated’ = OPEN) what it means to be accessible to everyone (OPEN),
24 Cork’s (corks = LIDS) distiller releases litre (‘distiller’ releases ‘litre’ = disl = LIDS).