Rick O'Shea: I wouldn't want to live in the world of Strumpet City but I keep going back there
I'm taking you to dark, less comfortable places this week, and with good reason. Every year I throw an eye over my reading list to see where the gaps have been, and to see if I'd like to nudge the balance a bit. Some years this meant adding in a few thrillers, or some older books that I'd always wanted to try; in recent years it has meant seeking out more writing in translation.
When I was growing up, everything I read was for escape – the Famous Five, Three Investigators, the Hardy Boys and a lot of science fiction. I graduated into graphic novels when I was a teenager. Watchmen, V For Vendetta and Alan Moore's Batman series The Dark Knight Returns scratched itches I didn't even know I had. When I was in college, the escape was to America – I tried Joseph Heller, Bret Easton Ellis, and Tom Wolfe. You could say the same about the films I went to, the music I listened to, the TV I watched.
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Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
What to watch on TV and streaming today: The Manhattan Project in Colour, Always and Heist of the Century
Live Hockey RTÉ2, 2.15pm Ireland face a tricky task in their opening match of the Women's EuroHockey Championship. They're due to take on current title holders the Netherlands in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Channel 4, 8pm Black-and-white photographs and film have been colourised, adding a new dimension to the story of how Robert Oppenheimer and his team developed the first atomic bomb, a terrifying weapon that proved instrumental in bringing about the end of World War II. Cleo Laine at the BBC BBC Two, 9.10pm The acclaimed jazz singer passed away last month at the age of 97. To celebrate her life and achievements, the BBC is reshowing this programme from 2022, which showcases some of her most amazing performances. Look out for her husband, composer and musician John Dankworth, too. Always RTÉ One, 3.40pm Steven Spielberg's romantic fantasy stars Richard Dreyfuss as a ghostly pilot trying to help his girlfriend (Holly Hunter) deal with loss and move on with her life. Audrey Hepburn also appears in her final film role. Michael Collins RTÉ One, 9.30pm True-life political drama focusing on Collins' role in the Easter Rising of 1916 and its aftermath. Neil Jordan directs an all-star cast that includes Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Alan Rickman, Aidan Quinn and Stephen Rea. Stolen: Heist of the Century Netflix, streaming now For every Sally Lindsay or Sheridan Smith dramady thrust upon us... for every possession-themed offering from the Philippines (this week it's Isolated), and every arbitrary addition to their arsenal (Bend it Like Beckham, Normal People). Even for every Bible-thumping YouTuber from Brazil attempting to save you and your children (Deive Leonardo's The Answer coming atcha from Sunday, obvs), we (thankfully) still have what Netflix does best. No, not dating shows or Argentine prison dramas (although In The Mud does look good, debuting Friday), but cold, hard true-crime documentaries. From the makers of The Tinder Swindler, American Nightmare, Don't F**k With Cats and Big Vape comes this gripping true-crime tale: the 2003 Antwerp diamond heist. With never-before-heard accounts from detectives and the alleged mastermind, this documentary uncovers how hundreds of millions in gems vanished – and were never recovered. FX's Necaxa Disney+, streaming now Actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds are now so astute at breathing life into ailing FC clubs that fellow actor Eva Longoria enlists their help to revive Mexico's Club Necaxa. Summer of 69 Disney+, streaming now Things are getting a little racy over on Disney+ this week. Hell-bent on landing the heart of her long-time crush, Abby enlists the help of a local stripper named Santa Monica, hoping to learn the secrets of self-assurance and the art of sexual allure.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Banger' 16 game mega deal worth £477 landing in baskets for only £11 – including Batman & other hit Warner Bros titles
WELL PLAYED 'Banger' 16 game mega deal worth £477 landing in baskets for only £11 – including Batman & other hit Warner Bros titles GAMERS, listen up, a mega deal has landed and its about to save you a tonne of cash. The top-selling Warner Bros. Games bundle is back, and from Batman to Mortal Kombat, there is something for every game lover. Advertisement 5 The highly acclaimed Mortal Kombat is included What's included In the bundle discount there is a bunch of first-class games to get your hands on. While the bundle in full would cost approximately £477, but with two different options on offer customers can choose how much discount they want! Pay at least £10.93 for these 16 items: Gotham Knights The open-world action RPG where the gamer takes on the role of either Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, or Robin in place of Batman, and they can control Gotham's distinct boroughs as they go. Advertisement Back 4 Blood The successor to the Left 4 Dead franchise. Gamers can play in this four-player co-op shooter game. 5 The bundle includes up to 16 items Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Edition The critically acclaimed fighting game returns with its definitive version Mortal Kombat 11. It features the base game, both Kombat Packs (adding characters like The Joker, Spawn, RoboCop, and more), and the Aftermath story expansion. Advertisement FEAR: Ultimate Shooter Edition Play as Point Man, a F.E.A.R. operative with superhuman reflexes, investigating a paranormal threat, engaging in visceral slow-motion gunfights. Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition The sequel to Shadow of Mordor includes all DLC, expanding the story and gameplay and follows the journey of Talion, forging a new Ring of Power to raise an army against Sauron. Batman™: Arkham Knight Premium Edition The epic conclusion to the Arkham trilogy, and as the "Premium Edition" includes the base game and the Season Pass content, adding new story missions. 5 Multiple Batman games are included in the bundle Advertisement Injustice 2 Legendary Edition The super-powered sequel to Injustice: Gods Among Us, featuring a massive roster of DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains. It continues the cinematic storyline where Batman struggles against Superman's tyrannical regime, with a new threat emerging that jeopardizes Earth's existence. Batman™: Arkham Origins A prequel to the Arkham series, set early in Batman's career on Christmas Eve. Players will be a younger less experienced Batman, facing iconic villains, including The Joker (voiced by Troy Baker), Deathstroke, Bane, and more. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition An action RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, bridging the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. The "Game of the Year Edition" includes all DLC, offering new missions, challenges, and runes. 5 Gamers can save hundreds by buying the bundle Advertisement There is also the option to pay at least £6.37 for these 7 items: Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Set in the same universe as the Arkham games in an expansive open-world Metropolis. Play as Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and King Shark, members of the infamous Suicide Squad in either solo mode or four player co-op! Watchmen: The End is Nigh Part 1 and 2 Bundle Set in 1970s New York City, play as either Rorschach or Nite Owl II (with voice acting by the film's stars) in single-player or co-op. Part 1 and Part 2 tell distinct but connected stories. Mad Max An open-world action game set in the savage post-apocalyptic wasteland from the Mad Max film franchise, where players are Max Rockatansky, a lone warrior struggling for survival. Advertisement MORTAL KOMBAT XL The ultimate version of Mortal Kombat X, a high-octane fighting game that propels the iconic franchise into a new generation. Mortal Kombat XL includes the base game along with all content from both Kombat Packs and more. Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition The highly acclaimed sequel to Arkham Asylum where Batman is forced into Arkham City, a district of Gotham "home" to Gotham's criminals. The "Game of the Year Edition" includes the base game plus all previously released downloadable content. Batman™: Arkham Asylum GOTY Edition The groundbreaking game that redefined superhero video games. The "Game of the Year Edition" includes the original game and additional challenge maps. Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition DC heroes and villains clash in this fighting game from the creators of Mortal Kombat. Advertisement How to buy 5 It is recommended gamers review system requirements before purchasing. To get their hands on this huge bundle normally worth £477, gamers can pay £6.37 or more, saving them hundreds of pounds. Gamers can redeem the discount on Steam where all the games are available. It is recommended that gamers review the system requirements before purchasing.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Irish Independent
President Higgins leads tributes to renowned filmmaker George Morrison after his death at 102
Among Mr Morrison's best-known work was Mise Éire, a 1959 documentary on the events in Ireland leading up to, during, and immediately after the 1916 Easter Rising, extensively using original footage such as newsreels from the time. It was the first full length feature documentary released in theatres to be produced in the Irish language. 'As President of Ireland, may I express my deepest condolences on learning of the death of George Morrison. 'George Morrison is and will remain an iconic and foundational figure in Irish filmography. A filmmaker of immense craft and skill, he will rightly be remembered in particular as a great innovator in the techniques of film, using new and pioneering camera work while realising how film and music could be brought together in a way that is distinctive,' President Michael D Higgins said. 'His seminal works, including Mise Éire and Saoirse as well as his many other films including his early partnership with the Gate Theatre, comprise an outstanding body of work that has made a deep and lasting impact on Irish culture and Irish cultural memory. 'Mise Éire was created following a painstaking process through which George tracked down long lost or forgotten newsreels from the independence period in archives across Europe. This work led to the preservation of 300,000 feet of early 20th century newsreel footage which may have been lost forever without his work. 'I had the honour of bestowing the honour of Saoi of Aosdána on George Morrisson in 2017 and have also had the pleasure of meeting with him on many other occasions over the years, including when we marked his 100th birthday in Áras an Uachtaráin in 2023. 'On behalf of Sabina and myself, may I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and all those who have been so inspired by his work over the decades,' President Higgins said. Mr Morrison, a Co Waterford native, is predeceased by his wife Janet Morrison in 2019, and his first wife Theodora Fitzgibbon in 1991.
