skip to main content

Culture 5 - your cultural highlights for the next seven days

Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga dance the night away in Joker: Folie à Deux
Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga dance the night away in Joker: Folie à Deux

BOOK: FIA & THE LAST SNOW DEER

Born under the same solstice sky thirteen years ago, Fia and her snow deer Solas have always had a powerful and unbreakable connection. But as Fia's village face a seemingly eternal winter, they turn their sights to Solas and an ancient prophecy that promises the return of sunlight and life, if the ultimate sacrifice is made... Eilish Fisher's verse novel for young readers, set in snowy pre-historic Ireland, is a tale of hope, kindness and the power of friendship, brought to life with stunning illustrations from Dermot Flynn. Eilis talks to Oliver Callan below... (Penguin, out now)

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences

ART: BRIAN MAGUIRE

This major new exhibition from the celebrated artist and human rights advocate spans two decades of work that spotlights Brian Maguire's repeated quest to draw attention to global injustices, war, and human rights. Focusing on a period of intense productivity for the artist, La Grande Illusion appraises Maguire’s activism in human rights and his efforts to document the shape-shifting nature of war with its far-reaching impact on the poor and our environment, showcasing large-scale paintings from projects in Juárez, Mexico, The Mediterranean, Aleppo, South Sudan, the Amazon, Arizona and Brazil. Make no mistake, this is a major show from a singular force in Irish art (Hugh Lane, Dublin, until March 2025)

FILM: JOKER: FOLIE Á DEUX

Struggling with his dual identity, failed comedian turned homicidal supervillian-in-the-making Arthur Fleck meets the love of his life, Harley Quinn, while incarcerated at Arkham State Hospital... For the eagerly-anticipated sequel to his Oscar-winning box-office phenomenon, director Todd Phillips reunites with leading man Joaquin Phoenix and invites global superstar Lady Gaga and Irish national treasure Brendan Gleeson along for what promises to be one wild ride... Oh and did we mention that it's a musical? (Cinemas nationwide)

MUSIC: CORK FOLK FESTIVAL

Now in its 45th year, the Saturday night act at this year's Leeside bash will be the legendary Paul Brady, playing the Cork Opera House, with festival veteran Frankie Gavin returning to the Opera House the following night with a new De Dannan set-up. In addition to concerts, the festival will feature an array of other events, including a Céilí, lectures, art exhibitions, traditional music sessions, and a trio of outdoor events: a singing tour of Cork City, a crossroads dance, and a food market at Emmett Place. A highlight of this year's festival is the launch of a new book, Reeling Down the Years, written by William Hammond and deep-diving into the festival’s remarkable history (Various venues, Cork city until October 6th)

EVENT: DISAPPEAR HERE

Take a trip to beautiful Ballyliffin in Donegal for the 7th installment of this lively Donegal film festival, showing more than 80 films as well as offering masterclasses and workshops aplenty. New Northern Irish cinema is definitely to the fore, with screenings of Paul Kennedy's thriller Dead Man's Money, Michael Henderson's documentary Lost Boys - Belfast's Missing Children and Rich Peppiatt's acclaimed Kneecap - filmmakers Kennedy and Peppiatt will join RTÉ Culture Editor Derek O'Connor for a moviemaking masterclass on the Saturday afternoon - find out more here (October 4th to 6th, Ballyliffin Co. Donegal)

Hear the Culture 5 every Friday on Aedín in the Afternoon on RTÉ lyric fm, from 1pm - listen back here.

Read Next