Tom Waits

Soundtrack of My Life: From Tom Waits to Van Morrison; I’m allergic to hope at the moment

The musician admits there was a low period before he began making his third album

An Irishman’s Diary

Jarvis Cocker’s wit is intact as he channels Leonard Cohen, but tunes are lacking

The Rubberbandit talks politics, podcasts, his new book, and angry men with Patrick Freyne

Lankum march to the beat of their own tune too: in all its anarchic glory

The late songwriter, who had mental health issues all his life, remains hugely influential

American artist sang candidly and sometimes disturbingly about his demons

At Swim-Two-Birds pays extended homage to the number 3 with three beginnings, three ends and a similar number of plots in between

Review: It’s so much fun that one slightly regrets the eventual arrival of the zombies

The director on fighting to make movies, climate change and teenagers who can save the world

The characters in Ursula Rani Sarma’s first musical, a collaboration with the Cork singer-songwriter called Evening Train, yearn to escape their small-town home

Time will tell about the quality of the films – but the programme does not disappoint

Big-name auteurs in Croisette line-up, but only four films by women in competition

About to have her first baby, Tanya Sweeney reflects on her youth and her late mother whose maxim was 'don't make me a gran'

Review: David Lowery’s film works its magic by treating its elder characters with respect

An Irishman’s Diary

House of Cards, new Coen Brothers movie, and a double bill of Orson Welles

From Susannah De Wrixon to Tommy Halferty’s Lifetime Group

This albun changed my life: The singer on the frightening and otherworldly Tom Waits

Donald Clarke predicts 2019’s Best Picture nominees. He was nearly half right this year

Young Irish fiction writers have made strides in recent years, and 2018 promises some fine debuts. Here six authors introduce their books

In conversation: Grace Dyas and Gary Gannon

Tradfest 2018: Everything you need to know - it promises an eclectic mix, with performances from Martha Wainwright, Shirley Collins, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill and many more

‘The Pogues’ Fairytale is now 30 years old. And on Christmas Day, the son of Tipperary who wrote it will be twice that age’

Senator Lynn Ruane and Niall ‘Bressie’ Breslin discuss bad dreams, tattoos and Jessica Fletcher

Translated from the original Gaelic (and other sources)

The Icelandic wonder’s ‘healed chest wound transformed into a gate’, apparently

Three years after he appeared set to retire, Donaghy still tormenting opposition defences

Jesca Hoop was once a Mormon, used to babysit for Tom Waits and is now living in Manchester thanks to Elbow. Here's a few of her life lessons

The singer’s finest songs demolish the caricature that he’s just a Daniel O’Donnell for Dart users. Indeed, if ever an artist was ripe for rehabilitation it is de Burgh

A new book asks music critics and fans that very question, and as you'd expect, the answers vary widely

Bikes are the heartbeat of northern Belgium – from leisurely tours to the toughest of tests

Fees can range from €5,000 up to the tens of thousands of euros for Irish artists

MICK FLANNERYI Own You *** Universal Music Ireland

Line-up also features Mick Flannery, Galway outfit We Banjo 3 and Roy Harper

After 20 years Druid Theatre Company is reviving ‘The Beauty Queen of Leenane’. Here its creator looks back

Inside Politics: Deputies are recalled almost three weeks early to debate appealing the EC decision

The distinctive green herbal liqueur made by monks is back in vogue