For Colum McCann, the Dublin-born, New York-based writer whose ‘Let the Great World Spin ’ won the US National Book Award on Wednesday night, the prestigious accolade helped make up for Ireland’s defeat to France – just about, he tellsFIONA McCANN 

Rose Callaly, who has just published a book about the life and death of her daughter, Rachel O’Reilly, gives her thoughts on Joe O’Reilly, the ‘daft’ justice system and reliving terrible events

OUT IS THE simple title of an art exhibition currently running at Kilmainham Gaol. What makes it striking is that the exhibitors are the opposite of “out” – almost all of them are “inside”. The exhibition of 144 pieces is a representative selection of artwork made by current and former inmates from the 14 prisons in the State.

ONE OF the greatest geologists of the 19th century went down in history as the man behind perhaps the greatest biological discovery of all time, writesDICK AHLSTROM 

GIVE ME A BREAK: REMEMBER BACK when the big media stories were driven by “it”? You know – sex, divorce, teen pregnancy. How delightful it was to debate morality rather than the economy. How thrilling to be outraged at the close-minded ignorance of our parents. Isn’t it great that we are so open now?

PEOPLE LIVING in the northeast and in north Dublin are much less likely to be granted discretionary medical cards than individuals living in other parts of the State, it has emerged.

Stories trip effortlessly from the lips of Richard Foran, keeper of the lighthouse on Skellig Michael, as he describes the singularity of the keeper’s life and remembers various adventures, including the night he came to the rescue of Charles Haughey. MIRIAM MULCAHY, with photographerVALERIE O’SULLIVAN , were fogbound on the rocks for three days – but had a whale of a time