Arena

Mayflies is journalist, Andrew O' Hagan's new book set in a small working class town in 1980s Scotland, Tara Brady previews Ratched, a new horror drama series that tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched & Alan Titley recommends where to begin with Liam O Muirthile who was a poet, columnist & dramatist.

Actor Stellan Skarsgård's latest role is as a German soldier in The Painted Bird which follows a young Jewish boy during World War 2, The Long Balconies is a conversation between historian, Donal Fallon & songwriter, Brian Brannigan as part of MusicTown & album reviews with Zara Hedderman & Kate Brennan Harding, EV Carm, The Flaming Lips & Doves.

Inni-K joins Seán in studio with live music, ahead of Culture Night ‘Dublin: The Liminal Space’, film reviews with John Maguire & Aingeala Flannery, The Painted Bird, Savage & The Roads Not Taken & author Robert McCrum, Shakespearean is an examination of the life and works of the playwright and it is a look at the era he lived through.

Jenn Gannon retrospective on Goodfellas at 30, Dr Enrica Fererra reviews The Lying Life of Adults, by Italian author Elena Ferrante, Simon Cullen & music from Holding Patterns at the Fringe Festival & American singer songwriter & multi-instrumentalist Peter Broderick with music from his album, Blackberry.

Flautist Catriona Ryan, a new series will see the RTÉ NSO performing from this Friday at the National Concert Hall, Sophie Gorman reviews Donal Ryan's new book, Strange Flowers, Underwave from artist Bettina Seitz is an underwater exhibition in Sligo Bay, Rachel Breslin on where to begin with the music of Joni Mitchell.

Historian Roy Foster discusses his new book, On Seamus Heaney, which explores the life & work of the poet, Donald Clarke & Ruth Barton review the latest films, from Charlie Kaufmann's, I'm thinking of ending things, to Mulan to Les Misérables & Eithne Shortall reviews The Deceived.

An Arena special with Seán Rocks on the launch day of Galway International Arts Festival, Kay Sheehy with artists John Gerrard & Hughie O' Donoghue, Caitriona Crowe on First Thoughts Talks & conductor David Brophy on Vinyl Hours, Pan Pan Theatre's artistic director, Gavin Quinn & ceillist Adrian Mantu of contempo quartet.

Edel Coffey reviews much-loved author Zadie Smith's new collection of essays entitled, Intimations, echoes are always more muted is a new selection of visual artist Alan Phelan's unique screen photographs & a music video, see derryvoid.com & Peter Murphy recommends where to begin with the music of Tom Waits.

DruidGregory is an evening of plays by Lady Gregory - in a month-long tour of county Galway that begins at Coole Park, director Garry Hynes & actor Marie Mullen discuss, Chris Wasser reviews Away, a new science-fiction series about the first manned mission to Mars, Eileen Walsh on The South Westerlies & Emma Martin on Bird Boy at Dublin Fringe.

DBC Pierre, the man-booker debut winning novelist, joins Seán to discuss his fourth novel, Meanwhile in Dopamine City, Patrick Scullion chats about his alter-ego Rosa Tralee's upcoming shows at Dublin Fringe Festival & Jim Sheridan, Brenda Fricker & Billie Keane revisit The Field at 30.