Villagers

Gig of the Week: A merry gang of Irish and international artists go west for a weekend of music, food and discussion – and Ballina’s Food Fleadh will be in full swing too

Sinéad Gleeson checks the odds on the nominees for the 2014 Choice Music Prize

It’s been one of the best years ever for Irish music, with quality and quirk to the fore. Plus, Siobhán Long, Michael Dervan, Joe Breen and Cormac Larkin pick their best albums of the year

Stiff competition for overall prize from nominees David Bowie and Arctic Monkeys

Compass, map, beernoculars – intrepid festival explorer Mark Graham found plenty of sights and sounds to discover at Longitude at Marlay Park

Local Natives delivered a superb set, after an instrumental dig out from Villagers who also gave them a run for their money in the show stakes, while Vampire Weekend had the double-edged sword of the headline spot

Alias Empire – the band formerly known as Dry County – are back after a five-year break. They talk about moving away from bedroom intimacy and making a bigger noise