CINEMAS: SPLITSVILLE
Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino star in this spiky rom-com from real-life best friends Covino and Marvin. When Ashley (Arjona) asks for a divorce, good-natured Carey (Marvin) turns to his friends Julie (Johnson) and Paul (Covino) for support. Their secret to happiness? An open marriage - until Carey crosses a line that throws everything into chaos. Unpredictable, hilarious and unexpectedly tender, this is an absolute hoot from start to finish. (Selected cinemas nationwide)
MUSIC: PHOENO
Vocalist Adam Matthews and composer Liam Corbett began writing together while running through a quiet Phoenix Park during lockdown, turning isolation into creative fuel. Comfort in the Knowing, the Dublin duo's debut album, is a synth-driven alt-pop record crafted over six years in a bare-bones studio nicknamed "The Fridge". Exploring grief, hope, friendship and renewal, it pairs intimate storytelling with a widescreen sound (Now streaming)
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STREAMING: LEONARD AND HUNGRY PAUL
Two board-game-loving friends in suburban Dublin face grief, love and change as their quiet routines give way to a wider, more uncertain world.... Alex Lawther and Jamie-Lee O'Donnell star in this splendid adaptation of Rónán Hession’s understated 2019 novel. A gentle celebration of ordinary lives lived, it offers a welcome antidote to frenetic, splashy event TV - even if it does feature a Hollywood megastar’s voice! (All episodes now on RTÉ Player)
BOOK: ALL THEM DOGS
Things have changed since Tony Ward returned to town. West Dublin's gangland scene isn’t what it was: his mentor is dead and his best friend has gone straight. After five years keeping his head down, Tony is determined to re-establish himself. When the chance comes to work for top enforcer Darren 'Flute’ Walsh, it feels like a no-brainer - what could possibly go wrong? Dhamel White’s debut is a propulsive blast from a bold new voice in Irish fiction (Out now, John Murray)
THEATRE: THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY & JUNE
Love is a burning thing - and few burned brighter than Johnny Cash and June Carter. Directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff, this jukebox musical charts the soaring highs and shattering lows of a love story that defined an era. From stage to road, through triumph, heartbreak and redemption, it features hits aplenty including I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire and Jackson. Their son John Carter Cash talks to Brendan O'Connor below (31 March – 11 April 2026, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin)
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