Culture | Books, Music, Theatre, Film & The Arts

Assessing Roger Casement - 'He was a very complex character'

Professor of Modern History at UCD, Diarmuid Ferriter joined Seán O'Rourke to talk about the complicated legacy of the 1916 leader Roger Casement.

Culture • 08 May 20

Watch: I Draw Slow cover Joni Mitchell's River

Dublin roots band I Draw Slow joined Today with Sean O'Rourke for a memorable take on Joni Mitchell's classic River - they're playing Dublin's Grand Social on December 21st.

Music • 07 Dec 18

Being New York, Being Irish: Glucksman Ireland House at 25

Glucksman Ireland House is an idyllic red-bricked bastion of Irish culture in New York. For a quarter of a century, it has fostered the study of Ireland, Irish American culture and the Irish diaspora as NYU's Center for Irish and Irish-American Studies.

RTÉ Radio 1 • 12 Nov 18

Seamus Heaney's family on his life and legacy

In August 2013, tributes poured in from all over the world for the late, great Seamus Heaney. The likes of Bill Clinton and Paul Simon shared their love for the poet and Nobel laureate.

Poetry • 05 Jul 18

Watch: Villagers perform A Trick Of The Light

Conor O'Brien of Villagers dropped by the Today With Sean O'Rourke studios to perform A Trick Of The Light, from their eagerly awaited new album, The Art Of Pretending To Swim, due in September.

Music • 28 Jun 18

Glenn & Ronan cover Ed Sheeran's All of the Stars

Glenn Murphy and Ronan Scolard posted a video on YouTube last year that went further than they could have ever imagined.

Music • 26 Jun 18

Celebrating Gay Community News at 30 - happy out

Exactly 30 years ago, the first edition of Gay Community News was published. This year, GCN celebrates three decades of bringing the concerns and issues of the LGBT community to light, making it one of the oldest free papers in the world.

LGBTQ • 19 Jun 18

Watch: Paddy Casey & Saoirse Casey sing Turn This Ship Around

Ahead of their date at the Bulmers Live in Leopardstown series, father-daughter duo Paddy Casey and Saoirse Casey joined Sean O'Rourke live in studio.

Music • 01 Jun 18

Summer books selected - your best beach reads

Bob Johnston from the Gutter Bookshop in Temple Bar and Dalkey and Louisa Cameron from Raven Books in Blackrock joined Sean O'Rourke to recommend some of their favourite summer reads.

Books • 31 May 18

Watch: Scullion perform Down In The City

Ahead of their latest Scullion Sunday event at Dublin's Sugar Club - the next one takes place on June 17th - the mighty Scullion performed Down In The City & I Need My Girl live in studio with Sean O'Rourke.

Music • 23 May 18

Ronan Farrow on breaking the Weinstein scandal

Farrow recently won a Pulitzer prize for his work writing for The New Yorker about the sexual abuse allegations concerning producer Harvey Weinstein.

RTÉ Radio 1 • 18 May 18

Watch: Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre perform Ringing The Bell

Acclaimed trad duo Zoe Conway and John Mc Intyre were live in studio on Today With Sean O'Rourke and they performed their song Ringing The Bell.

Music • 16 May 18

Watch: Anna & Elizabeth perform Mother in the Graveyard

Acclaimed nu-folk duo Anna & Elizabeth joined Sean O'Rourke in studio to perform their single Mother in the Graveyard.

Music • 10 May 18

Watch: Katie Gallagher performs Yesterday

Katie Gallagher came into studio to chat to Sean O'Rourke about her upcoming performance at next Monday's Moments of Joy concert in the The Helix, Dublin.

Music • 14 Apr 18

Emily Brontë at 200: "Wuthering Heights is unique."

Emily Brontë was born 200 years ago this year. Her most notable work, Wuthering Heights, is still widely read and discussed today. Niall MacMonagle joined Today with Sean O'Rourke to discuss Brontë's life and work.

Books • 13 Apr 18

Watch: Country star Sarah Darling performs Wasted

Country star Sarah Darling joined Sean O'Rourke live in studio to perform Wasted.

Music • 26 Mar 18

Sean O'Rourke (L) with composer Bill Whelan

Bill Whelan on his new album, Liam O'Flynn & Riverdance at 25

Renowned Irish composer and creator of Riverdance, Bill Whelan joined Sean O'Rourke to talk about his new album, Linen and Lace.

RTÉ Radio 1 • 21 Mar 18

When legends meet: Sean O'Rourke (L) and Luka Bloom (R)

Watch: Luka Bloom covers Leonard Cohen's In My Secret Life

Ahead of his Irish tour in March, Luka Bloom joined Sean O'Rourke in studio to perform "a warm song for a cold day", a cover version of Leonard Cohen's In My Secret Life.

Music • 02 Mar 18

Waltons tunes out - an Irish music institution shuts up shop

It's a Dublin institution that spans back to the early 90's – there was always a welcome at Waltons for the curious ear, the eager novice or the all-out aficionado - frequently all three categories would be found populating piano stools around the shop.

Music • 21 Feb 18

Watch: Tupelo perform Joyous

Alt-folk act Tupelo joined Sean O'Rourke in studio this morning to play Joyous from their new album, The Heart's Bloodline.

Music • 08 Mar 18

Dublin's Savoy Cinema, back in the 1970s

100 Years of Cinema in Ireland - the reel deal

Cinema arrived in Ireland a little over 100 years ago as a form of mass entertainment. Initially viewed with some suspicion by authorities, very quickly there was a cinema in most villages across the nation. But what were those early years of cinema like?

Film • 19 Feb 18

Sive lives! Tommy Tiernan on Druid's new production

Sean O'Rourke joked this morning that the studio was like "an all-Galway reunion" and there certainly was a lot of maroon and white on show during the programme.

Theatre • 02 Feb 18

Ireland's Fashion Radicals - celebrating the original frock stars

When you think of 1950's Ireland, images of gloom, doom and unemployment might spring to mind. Turning that on its head, The Little Museum of Dublin is opening an exhibition entitled Ireland's Fashion Radicals.

Fashion • 01 Feb 18

Listen: Duke Special & Ulaid sing Shipyards of Belfast

Duke Special and Ulaid have united for a new album, and joined Sean O'Rourke in studio to perform Shipyards of Belfast.

Music • 23 Jan 18

The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober - embracing life on the dry

Sean O'Rourke noted this morning that some listeners might be trying out 'Dry January', a month without alcohol, to reset their livers and their bank accounts after the festive season. But what about making it more permanent?

Books • 20 Jan 18

Today with Sean O Rourke