The Lyric Feature, 7.00pm, RTÉ lyric fm

Brian O'Rourke was principal clarinet of the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra, (later the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland) from 1966 to 1992. He was also a celebrated soloist and chamber musician who ended his career as general manager and artistic doyen of the RTÉ NSOI. In these two programmes, he speaks to former RTÉ lyric fm producer, Ethna Tinney, He recalls his seasons at the Wexford Opera Festival and the Dublin Grand Opera Society and his clarinet work in operas by Rossini, Mozart, Verdi, Puccini and Prokofiev.

Today with Pat Kenny, 10.00am RTÉ Radio 1

Colm Tóibín's book of essays, New Ways to Kill Your Mother (just published by Viking) ranges from the importance of aunts (and the death of parents) in the English 19th-Century novel to the relationship between fathers and sons in the writing of James Baldwin and Barack Obama. In his essay on Tennessee Williams, Tóibín reveals an artist 'alone and deeply fearful and unusually selfish' and one profoundly tormented by his sister's mental illness. It's not all about mother, however, to paraphrase Almodóvar, as Tóibín looks at W.B. Yeats and his father, Thomas Mann and his children, and J.M. Synge and his relationship his mother. Also considered in the new collection is Roddy Doyle's memoir about his parents, Rory and Ita, in which we see Ireland 'reinvented' through the cataclysmic changes of the 20th Century.

Dan Hegarty, 11.00pm RTÉ 2fm

Bluesy rock combo The BellRays began life in 1991, and still hang out in Riverside, California, just east of Los Angeles, despite their success all over the USA and indeed in Europe too. And just to show you what we mean, this set was recorded at the Paleo festival, Switzerland.

The Lyric Concert, 8.00pm RTÉ lyric fm

Paul Herriott introduces the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet recorded at An Grianán in Letterkenny last November. The programme is as follows: Haydn: Quartet in D minor, Op.42; Schubert: Quartet in D minor, 'Death and the Maiden'. At 9.30pm, we can hear Spohr's Symphony No.6 in G, with the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana conducted by Howard Shelley.

Dan Hegarty, 11.00pm RTÉ 2fm

After being part of seminal Irish group Microdisney in the 1980s, Sean O'Hagan went on to form the melodic-with-added-value The High Llamas. Prolific and inventive, with knowing, quirky influences (Steely Dan anyone?), The High Llamas celebrate 20 years together later this year. Toinght, Sean O'Hagan chooses five cherished tracks by other artists.

Today with Pat Kenny,10.00am RTÉ Radio 1

TV cook and Aga expert Mary Berry speaks to Pat Kenny about her new book, simply entitled Mary Berry's Complete Cookbook. At 18, Mary trained at the Bath College of Home Economics, followed by a Paris cordon bleu course. In 1966, her first cookery book, The Hamlyn All Colour Cookbook was published and since then, Mary has published over 70 cookery books, selling over five million copies around the world, establishing her style as 'family food', with practical healthy recipes. Mary once hosted seven cookery series for Thames Television as well as several series for the BBC.

Arena, 7.30pm RTÉ Radio 1

Does marrying a soldier mean marrying the army? Joanna Trollope talks to Seán Rocks about her latest novel, The Soldier's Wife. Dan Riley is a major in the British Army. After a six-month tour of duty in Afghanistan, he is coming home to the wife and young daughters he adores. The outside world sees those reunions as a taste of heaven after months of hell. But are they? Can a man trained to fight adjust again to family and domestic life? And how will the family cope, if he can't?

The Singers Upfront, 7.00pm RTÉ lyric fm

Tonight's programme features the great Nat King Cole, a striking jazz pianist until he began to sing as well (he said rather modestly at the time that he merely wanted to provide some variety for night club customers). Then, graduating from his ground-breaking jazz trio to big orchestral arrangements, Cole enjoyed hit after hit with his relaxed and mellow voice, extending well into the 1960s. The programme features a selection of his music that once dominated the hit parade and is played regularly to this day, thankfully. Presented by Donald Helme. *Pic: - Nat King Cole*

Today with Pat Kenny, 10.00am RTÉ Radio 1

Pat speaks to Dr Faramarz Dabhoiwala about his new book, The Origins of Sex. The book focuses on the origin of modern sexual attitudes in the English-speaking world and how the permissive society arrived in Christian Europe. Also on the programme, music from Peadar Ó Riada, Martin Hayes and Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh.

Sunday Sport, 2.00pm, RTÉ Radio 1

The Six Nations clash between Ireland and Wales can be heard at 3.00pm.

Parlaimint na mBan, 1.15pm RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta

Díríonn an clár inniu ar mhná a raibh baint acu leis an gComórtas Eoraifís. Eurovision Song Contest presenters recall those heady nights: Cynthia Ní Mhurchú (1994), Mary Kennedy (1995) and Carrie Crowley (1997.) Hear the only song as Gaeilge to make it to Eurovision, Ceol an Ghrá, sung by Sandie Jones.

2.30pm, RTÉ Radio 1

An extended programme includes full coverage of the National Football League matches -Kildare v Tyrone (5.00pm) and Dublin v Kerry (7.00pm).

Opera Night, 7.00pm RTÉ lyric fm

Margaret Juntwait presents Donizetti's Anna Bolena with Anna Netrebko in the title role. King Henry VIII (Ildar Abdrazakov) has fallen in love with Anne's lady-in-waiting, Jane Seymour (Ekaterina Gubanova), leading to a tragic story of intrigue and execution. Marco Armiliato conducts the Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra, New York.

The Friday Concert, 8.00pm, RTÉ lyric fm

Paul Herriott introduces the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Litton live from the National Concert Hall for the following programme: Beethoven: Symphony No.8 in F, Op.93. This is followed by the Interval talk, Masterworks, given by the always interesting Tom Crann, beaming in from somewhere in the American mid-West presumably (he was once a full-time lyricfm presenter, in fact.) The concert concludes with Shostakovich's Symphony No.7 in C, or 'Leningrad' symphony, which the composer dedicated to the city of Leningrad. Completed on December 27, 1941, the symphony gained notable popularity in both Russia and the West as a symbol of defiance against Nazi totalitarianism - suffice to say that 25 million Soviet citizens lost their lives in World War II due to the German invasion.