Ireland may have a slim portfolio of notable rock acts even for its size, but it more than makes up for it in the quality of stars it has produced. From the Brian Wilson-Jimi Hendrix hybrid that is Kevin Shields to the philanthropist/mystic storyteller Bono, Ireland has a rich history of powerful frontmen.

Nigeria and Ghana share many historical and cultural similarities with both sharing an affinity for similar cuisines, fashion, and music among others. Both Anglophone countries continuously engage in healthy competition to expose West Africa to the world.

Bray has always been a microcosm of the entire country of Ireland, from the many working-class areas dotted around the entire town, and in between such areas the middle to upper-class cul de sacs, with a somewhat passive knowledge of existence between each place. Of course, Bray has always had that unique, somewhat unexplainable character so unlike many other Irish towns, specifically on the east coast, that is so necessary to the story of the town and should always remain so.

When the great music Journalist Griel Marcus of Rolling Stone reviewed Bob Dylan’s tenth studio album, “Self-Portrait”, in the spring of 1970, he bluntly began his review with the now famous line so often associated with the album, “what is this shit?” Griel Marcus by all accounts spoke for the generation that kept such high expectations of Dylan especially after records like “John Wesley Harding” and “Nashville Skyeline”.

This week the Minister for Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science Simon Harris brought a proposal to cabinet on the return to campus for students this september.

It was not too long ago on a Sunday, that myself and a friend decided to embark on a cooking escapade. This, by all standards of food for 2 people, was going to be no ordinary food adventure: quite the contrary, no rustic pasta dish nor simple crusted John Dory bake for we fine few.

Leaving Cert: The Modernisation Begins

Riding hot off the success of his cut of  ‘Justice League’, Zack Snyder is back once again, though this time he is trading caped crusaders for hordes of the undead.

The Italian government has approved a plan to construct a new floor in Rome’s ancient Colosseum, enabling visitors to stand where gladiators had once fought in battle. The Colosseum was the biggest Amphitheatre in the Roman Empire, which hosted gladiator fights and animal hunts, among other events. The monument attracted 7.6 million tourists in 2019, making it one of Italy’s most prominent landmarks.

‘Until the End of the World’, can best be described in the words of the man who directed it, “the ultimate road movie”. It is most certainly, one of those ultimate adventures from start to finish, though in typical Wim Wenders fashion, nothing is ever as simple as the nostalgia laden longing for the road.

After 2020’s cancellation, the Eurovision Song Contest returned to our screens last week from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. It provided us all with a form of escapism from the pandemic we are still fighting. The Dutch government decided to use the contest as a trial event to allow people return to live events in the country after Covid, this meant that there were 3500 people permitted to attend each live show without having to wear masks; providing they tested negative before entering the stadium. As always, the voting in this year’s contest was intriguing and bizarre in some cases, but the voting system in Eurovision allows us to piece together a picture of the current gro-political environment in Europe.(as mentioned in this article-   ). In this article I will explore some questionable jury voting and how external political factors may be influencing how certain countries are voting. 

The opening of non-essential retail last Monday the 17th of May provided a sense of relief for many. Queues began early in the morning and snaked along streets and around corners as eager consumers braved the elements in search of some long awaited retail therapy. While many  waited in line for big retailers such as Penneys, Brown Thomas and Zara, a dedicated few waited in line for bookshops to reopen.