He's been co-hosting the Six One News and RTÉ's politics podcast Behind The Story, and next month takes the helm as the new presenter of Today on RTÉ Radio 1 - now journalist, author and presenter David McCullagh has just released his latest book, From Crown to Harp: How the Anglo-Irish Treaty was undone 1920-1949, a vivid historical tome that details Ireland's journey to becoming a republic.
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We asked David for his choice cultural picks...
FILM
It may not come as a complete surprise to my friends, but I'm really, really, really excited about the new Bruce Springsteen movie, Deliver Me From Nowhere. Starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce, and Jeremy Strong as his manager, Jon Landau, it tells the story of the recording of one of Springsteen’s greatest albums, Nebraska, and about the mental health crisis he found himself in as he made it. The clips I’ve seen so far look fantastic, and I’m really hoping the full film lives up to expectations.
MUSIC
Can’t claim to be a Swiftie, but I liked her new album, Life of a Showgirl, especially the title track, and her response to Charlie XCX on Actually Romantic. Even if Wood is a bit... direct... about her fiancée, overall I think its a great listen. Mind you, if I like the album, she’s probably missing her target audience...
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BOOK
Really enjoyed Eoin O’Malley’s new book Charlie vs Garret, about the Haughey-FitzGerald rivalry which dominated the 1980s, when I first became interested in politics. Some similar ground covered in a collection edited by Iain Dale, The Taoiseach – I have to declare an interest, I wrote the essay on Éamon de Valera, but there are plenty of other really interesting pieces. And for something completely different, I loved Donal Fallon’s The Dublin Pub: A Social and Cultural History, which is a great read with loads of interesting yarns, and great illustrations – even if it does ignore the greatest of all Dublin pubs, Byrnes of Galloping Green.
THEATRE
Really looking forward to Mark O’Rowe’s Reunion at the Gaiety – the reviews have been fantastic and the cast looks superb. Also looking forward to seeing The Dead at the Museum of Literature Ireland over Christmas.
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TV
We are big fans of Mick Herron’s Slow Horses books, and we’ve loved the TV adaptation – Gary Oldman personifies Jackson Lamb! Also looking forward to the second season of Obituary on RTÉ, a really good black comedy starring the superb Siobhán Cullen.
GIG
My next gig is Bob Dylan at the 3Arena. Saw him in the same place on the last tour, and he was mesmerising, despite hardly ever leaving the shelter of his piano. A legend is a legend, I guess... speaking of which, my prevous gig was Springsteen in the San Siro in Milan – a magical night. And my 43rd time seeing Bruce. No, I don’t have a problem...
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PODCAST
Now that I’m about to leave it, I have to give a shout-out to the RTÉ News podcast, Behind the Story, which I’ve been co-presenting with Katie Hannon and Fran McNulty. Fun and informative to work on, and hopefully fun and informative to listen to.
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TECH
My favourite app – by a country mile – is the one that shows me how much electricity our solar panels are generating. Even at this time of year it’s pretty impressive.
THE NEXT BIG THING...
I’m going to name one of the most impressive young historians I’ve encountered lately, Maurice Casey. His book Hotel Lux was superb, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next...
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From Crown to Harp: How the Anglo-Irish Treaty was undone is published by Gill Books
