FILM: CORK FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL
The 37th edition of Cork’s annual celebration of cinéma français offers a tantalising line-up that includes Angelina Jolie in her first French-speaking role in Couture, several films based on famous French literary classics (including new adaptations of Albert Camus’ The Stranger, and Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables),.a tribute to the late Brigitte Bardot and a special screening and Q&A with Oscar Award-winning filmmaker, Régis Wargnier (The Arc Cinema, Cork City, March 2nd – 8th)
THEATRE: THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS
The National Theatre celebrate the centenary of Sean O’Casey’s masterpiece – the original Abbey production, lest we forget, caused an actual riot – with a new production of O’Casey’s revolutionary tenement drama directed by Tom Creed and featuring a choice ensemble cast that includes Catriona Ennis, Kate Gilmore, Thommas Kane Byrne, Kate Stanley Brennan and Mary Murray – the team talk to RTÉ Arena below (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, 27th February – 30th April 2026)
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
STREAMING: MAN ON THE RUN
After the break-up of the biggest band in the world, what comes next? Mixing ppreviously unseen footage and rare archival materials, the new documentary from Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) takes a journey through Paul McCartney’s life following the break-up of The Beatles and the formation of Wings with his wife, Linda, capturing McCartney’s transformative post-Fab Four era through an intimate lens (Prime Video, now streaming)
MUSIC: BILL CALLAGHAN
My Days of 58 is the new album from the prolific US singer-songwriter formely known as Smog; over the last three decades, he’s quietly created one of the great bodies of work in modern American music – for newcomers, give albums like Knock Knock, Apocalypse and Dream River a spin. His latest record does what it says on the tin, offering a snapshot of a 58-year-old wandering soul embracing domesticity, a warm bath of something resembling musical bliss (Now streaming)
BOOK: FINDING JOY
Dearbhla Mescal’s first book is a heartfelt collection of poems and musings that encourages readers to find joy in the ordinary moments of life. It’s a tribute to her experiences with cancer and journey to remission, offering a message of hope and positivity – something we all need a little more of. Apparently her son Paul is thinking of giving acting a go… it’s a bit of a punt, but we wish him all the best. Dearbhla talks to the Late Late Show below (Bonnier, out now)
Hear The Culture 5 every Friday on AedÃn in the Afternoon on RTÉ lyric fm, from 1 pm – listen back here