Tony Clayton-Lea

Tony Clayton-Lea

Contributor

Tony Clayton-Lea is a contributor to The Irish Times specialising in popular culture

The Music Quiz: What is the name of The Who bassist John Entwistle’s spider?

Plus: The father of Gilla Band’s Dara Kiely was, in the 1970s, a member of which Irish rock band?

‘I had a job in a department store’s Christmas shop. To this day, I know all the words to every classic Christmas song’

Crime writer Jane Casey on her €1,200 antique table, her leaky London house and why she’ll never retire

Event guide: Dublin Theatre Festival, Denise Chaila and the other best things to see in Ireland in the week ahead

September 19th-25th, 2026: Our pick of music, art, theatre and more coming your way this week

The Music Quiz: Which Americana/Roots songwriter is suing the AI platform Suno?

Plus: Which Italian city does Sorcha Richardson name-check in a song on her new album, Draw the Outline?

New Irish albums reviewed and rated: Driven Snow, David Geraghty, Andy Irvine, Last Apollo, Sorcha Richardson

September 2026 releases include Mother of Christ, Komorebi, Devoted (Songs of Woody Guthrie), I’ll Walk Towards You, Draw the Outline

‘I once went into Lidl for groceries and came home with a pair of diving fins’

Me & My Money: Conor Manning, managing director, Pipelife Ireland

Event guide: Culture Night, Matilda the Musical and the other best things to see in Ireland in the week ahead

September 12th-18th, 2026: The best music, art, theatre and more coming your way this week

The Music Quiz: Which boy band did Simon Cowell call the ‘ugliest band I have ever seen’?

Plus: What is Brandon Flowers’ middle name?

Catherine Fulvio: ‘I dare not add up the receipts to figure out how much my kitchen cost’

Me & My Money: The chef and food writer’s kitchen was her most extravagant purchase, ‘but it’s absolutely beautiful’

Event guide: The Last Days of Dalymount, The Waterboys and the other best things to see in Ireland in the week ahead

September 5th-11th, 2026: The best music, art, theatre and more coming your way this week

The Music Quiz: Which English act appears on the soundtrack to The Odyssey?

Plus: Which Irish author has written the foreword for the forthcoming book, The Third Eye by George Harrison?

‘The best value-for-money purchase I’ve made is probably my mattress’

Me & My Money: Emma Langford, singer/songwriter

Event guide: Bon Jovi, Jack White and the other best things to see in Ireland in the week ahead

August 29th-Sept 4th, 2026: The best music, art, theatre and more coming your way this week

The Music Quiz: In Phoebe Bridgers’ Moon Song, which Beatle does she name-check?

Plus: Who is the oldest solo male singer to have reached number one on the UK albums chart?

Hazel Chu: ‘Babies and two-seater convertibles don’t match, so the car had to go’

Me & My Money: The Green Party politician shares her best purchases and financial habits

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