Louise Kennedy is 2027 IPUT Writer-in-Residence
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All In by Peter O’Mahony and Zeebs by Simon Zebo: An authentic account of a life in rugby, and a dose of cheery insouciance
O’Mahony’s dark sense of humour is surely inherited from his grandmother, while Zebo’s swashbuckling exuberance comes through in this account of an illustrious career
By John O’Donnell
New children’s books: Scoffers, squiddlers and how to find magic in your garden
New books include a pleasingly odd debut from DT Moorhouse and a deep dive into the history of witches by Hazel Atkinson
By Sara Keating
Bathtub by Mike Allen: third in The Moth short story prize 2026
Brigid O’Dea: As one door closes, an ocean opens
The Queerest of Folk by Russell T Davies, and Out Now by Scott Bryan: A queer obsession with TV
The Walls by James McClean: An improbably terrific book from a genuinely fascinating figure
‘Mogging’ is Collins’ Word of the Year for 2026. What does it mean?
On the Air and Sounding Ireland: Radio histories offer absorbing education in ‘the new confessional’
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POETRY
Crime fiction: Dark tales, with the worst people, for respite from that Christmas cheer
By Brian Cliff and Elizabeth Mannion
James Joyce: A Life in Books – handsome volume does justice to remarkable collection
By Terence Killeen
The American Way of Killing by Malcolm Gladwell: A punchy but sometimes superficial polemic
By Andrew Lynch
The City Without Jews by Douglas Smith: How Vienna turned on a once-thriving community
By Anne Haverty
Life Out of Order by Audrey Niffenegger: Ambitious follow-up to the Time Traveler’s Wife
By Helen Cullen
Edged in Blue: A Rock & Roll Odyssey with Rory Gallagher - Ireland’s first rock star
By Eamon Sweeney
Dodge City by Patrick deWitt: a wise novel that contains the best insult you’ll hear all year
By John Quin
Crosswords & Puzzles
Crosswords & puzzles to keep you challenged and entertained
Common Ground
How does a post-Brexit world shape the identity and relationship of these islands
The GlossOpens in new window
Read the digital edition of The Gloss magazine now
Family NoticesOpens in new window
Weddings, Births, Deaths and other family notices