Ideas for 2016: A year to paint a portrait

No selfie or Instagram picture can capture the essence of a person the way a painting can. Here, experienced portraitists give some pointers so you can have a go yourself

New innovators: Kalak Vodka

‘I created a vodka with taste, character, purity and smoothness,’ says Patrick Shelley

Prada profits feel the pinch of consumer slow down in China

Too many new stores and not enough new products have hurt the fashion giant

Ross O’Carroll-Kelly: ‘Why don’t you just tell Denis O’Brien’s solicitor that you’ll stop having Denis O’Brien Hair?’

“Make it a good letter,” the old man goes. “One of your specials. Lots of forthwiths and hereafters and whatnots. That should wipe the bloody well smile off his face.”

Ross O'Carroll-Kelly: ‘I’ve genuinely never seen Sorcha so angry . . .

. . . for something other than sleeping with her friends'

‘When you’re as rich as we are, you can believe in all sorts of rubbish. That’s why we’re all off gluten’

Listen up: ‘I suddenly feel like a man of substance, a man not to be trifled with’

Listen up: ‘Any week in which Honor doesn’t maim another student is a bonus'

The perfect handbags and their owners

Five people talk about the bags that quicken their pulses and hold their purses

‘They’re trying to turn this country’s elite schools into young offenders’ institutions, teaching metalwork and joyriding’

Roll out the cognac barrels

A new blend from the house of Hennessy celebrates 250 years in business

LVMH spirits sales beat forecasts in first quarter

‘Excellent start to the year’ at Louis Vuitton

Many Clouds shows class is now key in Grand National

Oliver Sherwood’s afterthought entry succeeds despite heavy handicap

Wounded Warrior to carry top weight for Irish Grand National

Connections of Fairyhouse favourite Gallant Oscar are keen on going for Aintree instead

Key cases in brief

‘The common touch? This is a girl who has to stick on the subtitles every time Imelda May is on the TV’

Joseph O’Neill and Irvine Welsh for Cúirt festival

Sara Baume and Colm Tóibín will also take part in this year’s literary event in Galway

Paula Meehan: the poet at 60

The Hennessy Hall of Fame poet looks back on her childhood and the path that led her to ‘stand up for the word’

#LFW: Paul Costelloe plays the Irish card on catwalk return

Work of seven young Irish fashion graduates opens in Soho carpark

Tony McCoy praises John Kiely for having Carlingford Lough ‘100% every time’

Carlingford Lough has a ‘live chance’ at Cheltenham Gold Cup, says Tony McCoy

Best dressed at Leopardstown

Paul Carberry looks to Apache Stronghold for birthday present

Veteran jockey’s best Grade One bet at Leopardstown is the Flogas Novice Chase

Mullins confirms Alvisio Ville will step up for Leopardstown Grade 1

Boston Bob and On His Own on course for Hennessy next Sunday

Poetry Now shortlist for best single volume by Irish poet

The five shortlisted writers for the award being given on March 21st have strong track records

‘You’re not Eliza Doolittle. You’re Eliza Saylittle. In fact, you’re Eliza Sayfockall’

New Irish Writing – Hennessy Literary Awards: Winners through the decades

The list of recipients and judges of the prize – now in its new home at ‘The Irish Times’ – reads like a kind of ‘Who’s Who’ of modern Irish writing

The latest Hennessy nominees

Eighteen writers chosen from entries submitted in the last 12 months in three categories: First Fiction, Emerging Fiction and Emerging Poetry

New Irish Writing comes to ‘The Irish Times’

The page founded by David Marcus, which launched the careers of many of our best known writers, has found a new home

Prendergast’s call on former apprentice pays off as Katie T romps home at Leopardstown

Foxrock obliges for local owner and may now be steered towards the Hennessy

Tandem is Weld’s hope for big handicap at Leopardstown on Sunday

Johnny Burke gets the chance to aim for Boylesports success

Eoin Duignan: Pagan Irish Cath Finntragha

Gemma Tipton’s cultural highs and lows of 2014

Patrick Scott’s early works, seen in his retrospective, cast a spell

ECB stimulus hopes a boost to investors

Mining stocks regain some momentum following increases in oil and metals prices

Hot trend at luxury Pinault group this season – executive departures

Owner tightens reins at group struggling for growth as consumers lose appetite for luxury labels

Boston Bob can claim glory in John Durkan Chase at Punchestown

Willie Mullins’ charge can see off Don Cossack and Lord Windermere in Grade One feature

Royal Caviar to prevail for Mullins at Fairyhouse

Trainer’s main focus will be cross-channel where Djakadam starts as favourite in the Hennessy

“This is a woman who stops talking to me for three days if I give the jacks a pre-emptive flush before sitting on it”

Baileys among world’s best-selling duty-free brands

Four Irish brands in global top 50 rankings for travel-retail sales

Obituary: Yves Carcelle, the executive who transformed Louis Vuitton

Empire builder who transformed brand from staid handbag-maker to global brand

Winifred Horan: Lost Girl Found

Trainer ‘accepts’ he was in breach of law over animal remedies, court hears

Judgment due next Tuesday on legal issues in unlicensed animal remedies case

Cracking rowing events in prospect at Trinity Regatta

Overseas flavour to competition as Reading Bluecoat set to take on Portora

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