Actress Simone Kirby has featured in several of the most acclaimed TV series of the past decade - Pure Mule, Love/Hate and Peaky Blinders, for starters - and is now making a splash on the big screen, following her breakthrough role in Ken Loach's film Jimmy's Hall. Earlier this year she popped up in her first Hollywood blockbuster, as The Mad Hatter's mother Alice Through The Looking Glass, while winning kudos for her roles in The Truth Commissioner and Notes On Blindness. Right now, she can be seen on Irish screens alongside Pat Shortt in The Flag and next year will appear in Steven, a biopic of The Smiths' lead singer Morrissey - she plays his mother. 

Film

A Date for Mad Mary. I haven't seen it yet but I'm really looking forward to it. It's based on the play by Yasmine Akram, who is the funniest person I know. And Darren and Colin Thornton, I hear, have made a brilliant job of it. Earlier this year I saw Room and I was reeling afterwards. I was so immersed in it; at every turn. Lenny Abrahamson got it so right.

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Music

Sligo band Indian have a new album out (Toads in a Butterfly Clothes) which I've been listening to in my car, and there are some great songs on that. And my most listened to for a while has been The Civil Wars - why did they have to split up? Also: The Frank and Walters gave me their new album at The Flag premiere the other night, so I'm looking forward to listening to that.

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Book

Ready Player One is the last book I read. It's great if you were around in the 1980's. It's a massive homage to films and video games of that time. Spielberg has just made a movie of it. Also just read Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children, which Tim Burton has released as a movie. Sometimes I'm dubious though, about watching a film of something, when I have such a clear picture of it in my mind.

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Play

I'm going to see The Seagull tonight as part of the Dublin Theatre Festival. I wish I had been able to see more. The line up this year looked great. Saw Mikel Murfi's one man show 'The Man in The Woman's Shoes' when it toured to the Tricycle in London. It was such a beautiful play. Mikel is one of the best storytellers out there.

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TV

House of Cards is great to binge on if you are on Netflix, and I loved Stranger Things. Also I'm watching The Night Of at the moment. John Turturro is perfect in it. Unfortunately it is lacking in leading female characters, but that aside I'm really enjoying it.

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Gig

I don't get to gigs much anymore. Long gone are the days when I'd pop round to Whelan's to catch a band. Or the Roisín Dubh in Galway. Reading bedtimes stories has replaced all that. In fact, the last big gig I went to was Radiohead when I was 8 months pregnant. There was some kicking going on that night.

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Art 

I think the gallery 126 in Galway is a great idea. It's is a voluntarily led, artist-run gallery that exhibits, and also does workshops and residencies. Anything that fosters new talent and encourages artists is a bonus.

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Podcast/Radio

Serial. Season One - if you haven't heard it you've got to. Also the Honest Actors podcast is good. Youngers actors might be encouraged by the bare-all nature of it. I believe it's just been funded for a second series.

As for radio, Fergal McElherron's third radio play is called Chopped Liver and has Charlene McKenna in it, catch it on playback here. 

Tech 

Uber. I know in Ireland Hailo is the cab app, but in London I'm so grateful for Uber - It's so quick and easy. Instead of standing in the street at night trying to hail a taxi. Drunk. Well, not that I have ever...

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The Next Big Thing 

Imogen Doel. I'm filming Resistance (AKA Rebellion Season 2) with her at the moment, and a few months ago I saw her for the first time playing Tranio in Taming Of The Shrew at Shakesperes Globe. She blew me away. Her comic timing is excellent.