And how was your week? Do you even know what a week is any more?

Here's our handy digest of Cultural musts to keep you amused and engaged...

DUBLIN DANCE FESTIVAL GOES ONLINE

Like most arts festivals finding their feet in a pandemic climatic, the Dublin Dance Festival have taken their 2020 event online. DDF Digital Capsule, running 29 May – 7 June, is a virtual space to experience dance, via films, talks, essays, an augmented reality app and more. We're particularly looking forward to the Zoom event bringing Donal Dineen's Tiny Dancer DJ set for kids to living rooms across the globe. Find out more here. 

Oona Doherty features in the DDF Digital Capsule

SEANÓIRÍ NAOFA BY TAU AND THE DRONES OF PRAISE

Written and recorded by the Berlin/Ireland based ensemble - Shaun Rooney, former frontman with Dublin band Humanzi - in just a few hours, opened stringed tunings and a sprinkling of hurdy-gurdy give this tune a (dare we say it) raggle-taggle vibe - it's officially released on June 5th.

 

THE DALKEY BOOK PRIZE SHORTLISTS

The inaugural shortlists for Ireland's newest literary prizes have been announced - the inaugural Dalkey Literary Awards for Novel of the Year and Emerging Writer. The winner was to be announced next month at the 10th annual Dalkey Book Festival - the festival has been postponed, but the awards will proceed...

Between the two lists, you've got a perfect snapshot of the rude health of contemporary Irish literature.

The six books shortlisted for the €20,000 Novel of the Year prize are The Narrow Land by Christine Dwyer Hickey, Girl by Edna O'Brien, The Fire Starters by Jan Carson, Shadowplay by Joseph O’Connor, Night Boat to Tangier by Kevin Barry and The River Capture by Mary Costello.

The €10,000 Emerging Writer prize shortlist features Adrian Duncan for Love Notes from A German Building Site, Eleanor Fitzsimons for The Life & Loves of E Nesbit, Lucy Sweeney Byrne for Paris Syndrome, Nicole Flattery for Show Them A Good Time, Rónán Hession for Leonard and Hungry Paul and Sinéad Gleeson for Constellations.

The winners will be announced on Our suggestion? Read them all...

IMMA SCREEN

It's all about the virtual space right now... The Irish Museum Of Modern Art has announced a new series that celebrates film and video works from their formidable collection, making them available to view online. In coming weeks, audiences can view artworks by the likes of Helen Cammock, Phil Collins, Vivienne Dick, Kevin Gaffney and Isabel Nolan in their own homes. The first presentation is Sanctuary/Wastelands (1994) by Alanna O’Kelly, accompanied by a new interview with the artist - watch it now. 

A still from Sanctuary/Wastelands (1994) by Alanna O Kelly

LOUISE NEALON

Congrats are due to the 27-year old literary newcomer, who landed a six-figure deal for her debut novel, a coming of age tale entitled Snowflake, due to be published by new literary imprint Manilla Press in 2021.

As for those Sally Rooney comparasons, Element Pictures, who brought Normal People to the screen, have already snapped up the film rights - she tells all to Ray D'Arcy on RTÉ Radio 1 below...

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CHROMATICA BY LADY GAGA

The only sensible thing to do in the current climate is dance yourself silly, and Lady Gaga has kindly dropped the soundtrack for your summer staycation; following her jazz excursion with Tony Bennett and Oscar glory with A Star Is Born, Gaga's eagerly anticipated return to the pop realm is chock-full of serious bops, not least Rain On Me, her duet with Ariana Grande. Get learning those moves now.  

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WATCHMEN ON DVD AND DOWNLOAD

Already burned through everything on Netflix, Amazon Prime and RTÉ Player? Then time to visit (or even better, revisit) one of the year's absolutely TV highlights, the inspired and incendiary sequel to the classic graphic novel from writer-producer Damien Lindelof. Not a comics fan? It doesn't matter. Haven't read the original, or seen the movie? Doesn't matter either. This works as a compelling stand-alone epic in its own right. How good was it? We've finally forgiven Lindelof for the ending of Lost.

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SUNDAYS@NOON AT THE HUGH LANE

Refusing to be beaten by Covid-19, his year's Sundays@Noon concert series at the Hugh Lane Gallery will take place without any audience but will instead be streamed online! The concert series begins on Sunday May 31st at noon with husband and wife duo, Dublin-born violinist Gillian Williams and her husband, French cellist Arun Rao, known as Duo Chagall, performing works by Beethoven, Mozart, Colman Pearce as well as presenting the world premiere of Unequal Music, String Duo for Violin & Cello (2020) from award-winning Belfast composer, Stephen Gardner.

Gillian Williams & Arun Rao, AKA Duo Chagall

IF IT BLEEDS BY STEPHEN KING

The master storyteller has enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years, with the phenomenal success of both It movies and Mr. Mercedes and The Outsider burning up the small screen - now he's back with a new book gathering a quartet of novellas that confirm his literary powers remain undiminished - listen to RTÉ Arena's review below: 

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KEVIN PAINTS ON RTÉ PLAYER

In a new series for RTÉ Player, TV presenter, comedian, actor and now artist, Kevin McGahern adds a splash of paint to a good old fashioned conversation. Shot in his sitting room, Kevin attempts to paint an Irish celebrity's portrait, as they chat about life, love, work and adapting to change. A little bit Bob Ross, a little bit Jonathan Ross, Kevin Paints is the laid back chat show you never knew you needed. Watch it here...

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YEAH YEAH YEAHS STAY IN THE CLOSET

While we've been enjoying all the at-home sessions from musicians on lockdown, our favourite to date has to be this moment of madness from the Brooklyn art-rockers, lead by the mighty Karen O,  performing their tune Phenomenon - sure, what else are you gonna do on a Saturday night these days? 

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