80 at 80 by Paul Durcan: a poet with a deep understanding
Through a lifetime of immense public and personal crises, through times of uncertainty and loss, Paul Durcan has remained true to his art
Paul Durcan
Colm Tóibín on poet Paul Durcan turning 80: ‘Beside the wildness, there is tenderness’
Durcan’s poems are risk-taking explorations of where tragedy and comedy meet in contemporary Ireland. A selection of his finest work is gathered in a book
Leaving Cert diary: ‘I just wish I could scoop up the books and head outside’
I wanted Sylvia Plath and Seamus Heaney to come up, with Paul Durcan as back-up. All three came up!
Leaving Cert English paper 2: Heaney ‘sends the country home happy’
More choice and fewer questions give students ‘vast desert’ of time in well-received exam
Sporting upsets: When Donegal sent Jim Gavin and Dublin back to the drawing board
McGuinness’s men were long shots to take down the champions in 2014 All-Ireland semis
Dial-a-poet: Cocooners to benefit from ‘uplifting’ verse
Poems to be read over the phone to combat isolation as part of Poetry Ireland initiative
The greatest Irish thinker you’ve never read? It could be this man
Unthinkable: The Kerry ‘eco-poet’ John Moriarty illuminates a better way for humanity, says Michael W Higgins
Dublin’s style has evolved to make their dominance last longer
Jim Gavin’s team is patient, methodical and has no fear of facing packed defences
Step inside as Stoneybatter’s celebrated houses open doors
Northside neighbourhood festival offers programme of 100 weekend events
Hodges Figgis: A 250-year-old story of selling books
‘On Christmas Eve there was always a sherry reception for the customers’
Jim McGuinness: Pat Shovelin left a great legacy in Donegal
I have often spoken about the bond that I felt the Donegal boys had. Pat was the glue
Ireland still ‘values the imagination’, President tells festival
Clifden Arts Festival also pays tribute to artist and writer Tim Robinson
Donal Vaughan: Mayo’s running man for all seasons
Misunderstood and almost unnoticed, the defender is whatever his county needs him to be
The Leaving Cert is absurd and unfair but we are obsessed with it
The Irish media’s blanket coverage of the leaving cert is not replicated elsewhere
GAA injuries similar to those in traffic collisions, says surgeon
Donegal doctor Kevin Moran says referees should have power to insist players leave field
Christy Toye reflects on a career of success and defiance
Donegal All-Ireland winner has called time on 15 years playing inter-county football
Dublin 1-15 Mayo 1-14: How the Mayo players rated
Cillian O’Connor’s contribution impossible to ignore but Robert Hennelly’s selection a disastrous one
Jim McGuinness: Muddling through won’t do for Mayo in the final
If they go missing for a full 35 minutes, would Mayo survive against Dublin or Kerry?
Dublin can shake off the rust to meet first big challenge
Champions need to step it up to erase bad memories against battle-hardened Donegal
Jim Gavin refuses to look back in anger ahead of Donegal clash
Dublin manager makes no reference to seismic defeat to Ulster side in 2014
Weekend Gaelic Games Previews
Seán Moran and Malachy Clerkin run the rule over a busy weekend of action
Leaving Cert diary: ‘My hand was going dead after three hours’
Seán Flanagan is delighted and exhausted after two days of writing like a maniac
Leaving Cert English: Detail on Paul Durcan a challenge in an hour
Relief as contemporary Irish poet appears but teacher queries range required
Ballyboden save their best until the final hurdle
A comprehensive display from Dublin side leaves outclassed Castlebar deflated
Another Life: Life along the stream – a love story
Caddisflies could take a prize for their variation of species
Ballyboden to appeal Declan O’Mahony’s red card
Dublin champions keen to have their big midfielder available for All-Ireland club final
Determined Paul Durcan fully committed to Ballyboden cause
Donegal goalkeeper travelling to and fro from Qatar to aid club’s All-Ireland bid
Ideas for 2016: A year to paint a portrait
No selfie or Instagram picture can capture the essence of a person the way a painting can. Here, experienced portraitists give some pointers so you can have a go yourself
An artistic inheritance that pays off: Visual art round-up
Nick Miller was inspired by working in the late Edward McGuire’s donated studio
Fine margins as Dublin champions save time
Manager Andy McEntee credits Paul Durcan with the critical intervention
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