Childhood is a time of absorbing new things, but of losing them too

The world knows Corot as a great landscape artist. He kept his figure paintings secret.

Mega-grossing Avengers movie shows the nerds – or maybe the superfans – have won

Paris Letter: France mourns Jeanne Moreau, an actor of fierce intelligence

If the nation does not come to the theatre, the theatre must go out to the nation

The French count burned through $10 million of his American heiress wife’s fortune. Their treasures are for sale for the first time in over a century

Fire services have difficulty accessing part of building affected, cause of blaze not known

The pioneering theatre company is taking an aggressive approach to Chekhov’s sprawling, untitled play and has even introduced a live director’s commentary – can it be tamed?

Even non-students benefit from higher education, argues Prof Thomas Docherty

Fairytale story of golfing redemption for a man who kept the faith

An Irishman’s Diary about Proust and Monaghan football

‘Don’t waffle. Be honest. Write so you’re ashamed. Edit it about 20 times, get another three professional people to edit it. Edit it another 10 times’

The European Court of Justice’s ruling enshrines the right to forget

With the Ballymaloe Literary Festival taking place this weekend, here are 20 literary quotations to whet the appetite

‘In Search of Lost Time’ is ‘the most famous and least read French novel’ – which is a pity, as it still rewards with its deep insights

Micheal Farrell, one of the greatest Irish artists of his generation, is well served by a new show

France’s 6,000 aristocrats struggle to slow the erosion of their traditions