In Conversation: Playwrights PJ Gallagher and Una McKevitt

Pizza in our time: Sinn Féin ex-president says recipes sustained republicans through talks

From Sudocrem to 7Up to Marian Keyes: the best of Ireland is going into our Bosca Brexit

Airports, train stations and ‘Five On Brexit Island’ boost British bookseller

He’s writing a bawdy comedy with his brother and Michael McElhatton. Who wouldn’t? he asks

Corfe Castle and the Isle of Purbeck are settings for much of the author’s work

Being difficult at work is not generally thought to be a good thing – but it can be

The actor – aka ‘the Irish Scarlett Johansson’ – is terrific as an angry young woman in A Date for Mad Mary

Bandon-born children’s writer LT Meade’s ‘Four on an Island’ shares similarities with Enid Blyton’s ‘Five on a Treasure Island’, published 50 years later

Baby boomers will be able to wallow again in the uncomplicated world of their childhood reading – now with added irony

The latest Hennessy hall-of-famer is mesmeric and convincing when writing in English and turns her simpler Irish to great use in her crime writing

Helicopter following report of intruders in Surrey when Easter egg hunters helped out

Geek chic has never been cooler, so dig out those trench coats, knitted sweaters and frill collars

‘First Editions’ in Dublin’s Ballsbridge is a popular destination for book lovers

The search continues for this year’s Best Shops, with more nominations than ever

Brought to Book Q&A: Scottish author of the Jefferson Winter thriller series on the influence of Stephen King and Thomas Harris

‘Whatever sick and twisted deed you read about, I’ve come across worse in real life’

Hot: Indoor skiing. Not: George ’n’ Amal’s third wedding

We mark the centenary of Ireland’s forgotten bestselling author of 280 books, pioneer of girls’ school fiction and crime stories

‘I think reading has helped me to develop empathy. I love trying on other lives’

‘I am at my happiest when I have completed a first draft of a novel and am about to begin a second’

‘I write in a very troubling manner that I wouldn’t advise anyone to adopt’

Food has always found its way into fiction. There’s even a genre where eating forms the backdrop to the story

London Letter: shire Tories feel their views are being ignored by the prime minister

Researchers gave students 15 minutes to read some coursework. On average, they lasted two minutes before checking Facebook. I know how they feel