Across:
1 Small (S-) romance (romance/ tale = -TA-LE) about bachelor (-B-) (STABLE) going steady perhaps (STABLE),
4 Pearls of wisdom (EPIGRAMS) from English (= E-) types in Animal Farm? (pig + rams = -PIGRAMS) (EPIGRAMS),
9 Motorway (-M-) parking (-P-) in our country (E-IRE) (EMPIRE) is big business (EMPIRE),
10 Stopped (stopped/halted = ARRESTED) for a (A-) cigarette at the centre (‘cigarette’ at the centre = -R-) and recharged one’s batteries (-RESTED) (ARRESTED),
12 Took care of business (-RAN-) in latest (latest = T-SLATE) (TRANSLATE) mess? (= anagram indicator) Give me that in plain English! (TRANSLATE),
13 Seat (STOOL) in Oireachtas too labour-intensive (in ‘Oireachtas too labour-intensive’ = s too l = STOOL),
14 The base for drug analysis (TEST SOLUTION) from international match (TEST match) provides answer to a problem (SOLUTION) (TEST SOLUTION),
18 With whatever you can get your hands on (EASY PICKINGS), it’s not difficult (EASY) to take picture (PIC-) in the Palace (-KING-) on bender (-S bend) (EASY PICKINGS),
21 Take off (fly) shortly (y) (‘fly’ without ‘y’ = FL-) from forest (-ASH) (FLASH) – blink and you’ll miss it (FLASH),
22 They make bespoke locks (WIGMAKERS), designing stuff that goes over most peoples’ heads (WIGMAKERS),
24 Name (IDENTITY) one (I-) key (music key -D-) living thing (-ENTITY) (IDENTITY),
25 Clip (f) of The Blues (‘grief’ without ‘f’ = GRIE-) against (versus = -V-) Kildare ending (‘Kildare’ ending = -E) (GRIEVE) in lament (GRIEVE),
26 Unable to open up (AIRTIGHT) to couple (pair) losing the head (p) (‘pair’ without ‘p’ = AIR-) with local drunk (-TIGHT) (AIRTIGHT),
27 Get lost (BEAT IT) in Tibet? A (Tibet a = BEAT IT) mistake! (= anagram indicator),
Down:
1 Take the view of (SPECTATE) teacher’s pet ignoring her (‘teachers pet’ ignoring ‘her’ = teacspet = SPECTATE),
2 Show of hands (APPLAUSE) in appreciation for the pit workers, for instance (APPLAUSE for orchestra in pit),
3 Opens lots of Russian Dolls (opens ‘lots of Russian Dolls’ = LORD-) – it’s endless (end ‘less’ = -S) (LORDS) for those with a sense of entitlement (LORDS),
5 Prize money (PURSE) going to group of horses (STRING- of houses) coming first at Sandown (coming first at ‘Sandown’ = -S) (PURSE STRINGS) held by those in the bookmaking business (PURSE STRINGS),
6 Have a go at (GUESS-) Labour (-WORK) (GUESSWORK) – it’s what the uninformed judge might be guilty of (GUESSWORK),
7 Puts pen to paper (AUTHOR) in chapter house releasing speech (‘chapter house’ releasing ‘speech’ = atrhou = AUTHOR),
8 No time in Middle East (no ‘time’ in ‘Middle East’ = ddleas = SADDLE) to put one over on Arabian (SADDLE on Arabian horse),
11 Not working (FAULTY) at the end of the holidays (at the end of the ‘holidays’ = S-) with member of coven (-WITCH) (FAULTY SWITCH) – the one responsible for trip (FAULTY SWITCH),
15 Pat’s eight (Pat’s eight = SPAGHETTI) ingredients (= anagram indicator) from Italy includes wheat and water (SPAGHETTI),
16 Whet one’s appetite (INTEREST) with one’s cup of tea (“it’s my cup of tea” = INTEREST),
17 In my opinion (AS I SEE IT), most of (a) the continent (‘Asia’ without ‘a = asi = AS I) get the picture (SEE IT) (AS I SEE IT),
19 Afro-American dismisses moaner (‘Afro American’ dismisses ‘moaner’ = africa = AFRICA) in Chad’s home (AFRICA),
20 What one of those in Labour has to show for a lifetime (CAREER) in Rush? (rush/dash = CAREER),
23 Had taken off headgear (‘had’ taken off ‘headgear’ = egear = AGREE) to see eye to eye (AGREE).