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Irish Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
‘God's feet' bring a pungent odour to Tom Dunne's Newstalk studio
As a broadcaster, Tom Dunne comes across as the personification of natural good humour. In his various incarnations on Newstalk he projects an air of amused affability, whether presenting his nocturnal music programme, The Tom Dunne Show (Monday-Thursday), or discussing pop matters on The Hard Shoulder (weekdays). Tuesday, however, seems to mark a change in his demeanour. As he stands in on Seán Moncrieff's afternoon show, Dunne becomes uncharacteristically sniffy. Why is soon clear. 'We'll be talking very strong cheeses,' he says, prefacing his conversation with the cheesemonger Kevin Sheridan, who's there to discuss the apparent loss of appetite among young French people for the country's famously ripe dairy products. Dunne frames this trend as an 'existential cheesy crisis', though it also provides him with an opportunity to sample his guest's pungent wares: 'You've come armed, I see,' the host notes. Sheridan uses the unappealing term 'God's feet' to describe the aromas emanating from his more robust cheeses, and the host agrees: 'There's definitely the feet thing there.' READ MORE But if Dunne's olfactory senses are twitching, it's not in disapproval. 'Absolutely beautiful,' he declares. And while Sheridan puts the totemic French foodstuff's fall in popularity down to changing eating habits across the world – 'If you keep putting processed or bland food in front of people, that's what they're going to be used to' – he claims that, in contrast, Irish tastes are growing more adventurous, albeit from a low base. (By way of proving the latter statement, host and guest recall their childhood cheeses of choice, Calvita and EasiSingles.) Far from turning his nose up at odorous cheese, Dunne is as enthusiastic as ever: it's the only whey he knows. (Sorry.) He maintains this appealing mien throughout his guest stint on the programme, helming proceedings at a leisurely, good-natured pace that makes Moncrieff sound like a Stasi interrogator in comparison. During Wednesday's item on the introduction of height filters by the dating app Tinder, which seemingly may limit choice for shorter men or taller women, the host chuckles away as he talks to the matchmaker Sharon Kenny. 'I'll give you a list of short men while you're here,' he says. ' Bono , Tom Cruise , Mick Jagger , myself.' Even when discussing the dependably downbeat subject of children's online safety with Alex Cooney of CyberSafeKids , he eschews the apocalyptic tenor that so often accompanies such discussions in favour of a more pragmatically concerned tone. Dunne's easygoing approach shouldn't be confused with flippancy: anyone who heard him candidly reflect on his heart surgery some years ago can attest to his thoughtful side. But it's nonetheless telling that the presenter, who first made his name as the singer with the rock band Something Happens, sounds most engaged when talking about music. Speaking to Stan Erraught, who teaches at the University of Leeds, about his book on the intersection between Irish music and republicanism, Dunne sounds at his happiest, and not just because he knows his guest as a former member of the 1980s Dublin indie group The Stars of Heaven: 'If I wasn't meeting you on a stage, I was playing five-a-side football against you.' [ Rebel Notes: A timely take on republicanism and music, from The Wolfe Tones to Kneecap, via Alan Partridge Opens in new window ] The ensuing interview is casual in mood, but detailed in knowledge and insightful in observation, as Erraught assesses Kneecap , The Wolfe Tones and The Cranberries . Dunne, meanwhile, quizzes his fellow musician with rare alacrity: whatever about his nose, his ear remains attuned to music. The connection between words and music is explored on Routes (RTÉ Radio 1, Monday), as the novelist Kevin Barry looks back on the songs that have soundtracked his life and work. The Limerick -born author is the latest contributor to this occasional but quietly absorbing series (transmitted on bank-holiday Mondays), in which its presenter, Saibh Downes, invites guests to discuss the music that shaped them. Previous participants have included music-industry figures such as the writer and promoter Leagues O'Toole, but Barry – who, in Downes's description, 'lives on his own planet of sound' – is the highest-profile personality to appear on the programme, with an entertaining manner to match. He cautions that people who appear on such shows make their younger selves seem cooler than they were, before mischievously adding, 'But I was always into very cool stuff.' Sure enough, Barry's overview of his musical youth ticks the boxes of musical cred, from seeing The Smiths at the age of 14 and getting into acid house in late-1980s London to being a habitue of the cult Cork nightclub Sir Henry's in the early 1990s. It's not just an I-was-there checklist of hip references, however. As befits his literary pedigree, Barry also evokes a grimy nostalgia as recalls his life at the time. 'I used to love the parties after the clubs,' he says. 'Moves would be made in all sorts of romantic ways.' He also reveals the way music has permeated his novels, be it the rhythms of dub reggae shaping the prose of City of Bohane or the multiple allusions to lyrics by the Pixies, the alternative rock band, lurking in Night Boat to Tangier. If anyone can spot all the latter references, he adds conspiratorially, 'They're getting a special prize.' For others, however, Barry's invigorating flip through his musical back pages will be reward enough. There are more memories of the Irish music world on Sunday with Miriam (RTÉ Radio 1), when Miriam O'Callaghan talks to Eamon Carr and Jim Lockhart about the early days of the Celtic rock group Horslips. (I should mention that my uncle Barry Devlin was the band's bassist.) It's a brief item, featuring O'Callaghan at her most effervescently flattering – 'You both look so healthy' – while yielding some witty snapshots of the group in their 1970s heyday. O'Callaghan's guests recall their ad-hoc origins ('We formed the band on a corridor,' says Carr) and share memories of the late guitarist Johnny Fean, as well as musing on the postcolonial ramifications of performing rock versions of Irish airs while wearing 'Lurex and platform heels': 'Our natty gear was a bit of us saying there's nothing to apologise for here,' says Lockhart. Clearly they weren't afraid of putting people's noses out of joint. Moment of the week Having spent a lifetime interviewing politicians, Pat Kenny (Newstalk, weekdays) knows meaningless spin when he hears it, as Minister of State for Environment Alan Dillon discovers when announcing a €27 million initiative for 'transition to the circular economy'. Asked by the host to explain what this actually entails, the Minister says that 'the idea is very simple' before reciting a complicated, jargon-heavy list of vague-sounding projects, culminating in talk of a public-private partnership focused on 'innovation system change' and 'industrial collaboration around ecodesign'. It's at this point that Kenny interrupts his hapless guest. 'I don't understand a word of that, Minister. I don't understand a word,' the host says sharply, but mercifully. He's only saying what the rest of us are thinking.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
See photos: Big crowds enjoyed packed programme at Drogheda Arts Festival
The festival opened on Friday with the launch of Bit Symphony by artist Liam O'Callaghan at the former Methodist Church. Events continued throughout the weekend at venues including Droichead Arts Centre, Highlanes Gallery, The Little Duke Theatre, Gerrard's Church, and Scotch Hall. Saturday's programme included AI:OK, a free talk by Dr Martin Clancy on artificial intelligence and the music industry. The Walk, Talk and Chalk tours, led by Caoimhe McCarthy and Little Twit, combined guided walks and on-the-go art making while music lovers enjoyed the traditional music showcase at Highlanes Gallery. Saturday afternoon saw The Big Day Out at Scotch Hall, which featured music from Drogheda Brass Band, The Blue Belles and jazz-electronic duo BBFT. Performers like Jitterbug Jackson and Entre Nos entertained crowds, while Miss Bella A Gogo performed her Never Ending Story act and emceed the event. Creative demonstrations were provided by Gatothor Ceramica and Creative Circle, and Drogheda's Community Orchestra offered an interactive session. Visitors browsed the Drogheda Zine stall and Cottage Market and enjoyed delicious food from Biddos Mexican and local coffee vendors. Saturday night featured Seefeel's headline performance at Droichead Arts Centre, marking their return with new music including their latest album Everything Squared. On Sunday, local actor Grainne Rafferty debuted her one-woman play Around the Head at the Little Duke Theatre. The performance sold out and received a strong audience response with standing ovations. 'That was wonderful, I want to see it again,' one attendee was heard saying. Sunday evening closed the festival with a performance at Gerrard's Church by Tom Dunne (Something Happens) and Fiachna Ó Braonáin (Hothouse Flowers), supported by talented singer-songwriter Sarah O'Brien and friends. Festival organiser Brenda McComeskey noted the venue 'is fast becoming the east coast's Other Voices venue.' Speaking on the experience, Tom Dunne said 'The energy we got here will stay with us for a while, its a great festival!' Festival Extra events included Night Moves at Droichead Arts Centre, which was curated by Stephen McArdle, featuring Oisín Leech, Dotts O'Connor and DJ Emmie Lou, with an installation by Vivienne Byrne. A late-night gig also took place at the Watchtower in McHugh's. This year's festival was focused on celebrating the power of creativity and the way art can unite us, along with the local and national artists with creativity at its core,' said McComeskey. "We worked really hard this year to bring a diverse programme showcasing local talent and bringing a unique experience to this year's festival. We were committed to providing an inclusive and accessible platform for both emerging and established arts to showcase their work and engage with the public and with the stunning weather which always brings people out, it was a fantastic weekend.' Mc Comeskey thanked everyone who attended adding 'Here's to Drogheda Arts Festival 2026!'
Irish Independent
04-05-2025
- General
- Irish Independent
Obituary: Tom Dunne, retired UCC professor and author who began his teaching life as a Christian Brother
Tom Dunne, Emeritus Professor of History at UCC His books include an award-winning history of the 1798 rebellion in his native Co Wexford which also featured memories from his own life — a personal dimension that made the book particularly interesting. His most recent research was on Irish landscape art from the 18th century, featuring the demesnes of great houses. Tom Dunne was born a week before Christmas, on December 18, 1942, into a family farm at Courtdale, Co Wexford, 13km outside New Ross. His mother had a small shop on Bridge Street in the town, and in order to avoid the daily bicycle journey, the family moved into the living space upstairs. The number of children increased to six within eight years, so the Dunnes moved again — to a large 18th-century building where they lived over a much bigger shop. Living in the town made it easier to access education. Having initially attended infant school at the Mercy Convent, Tom transferred at age six to the local CBS where over the next six years he witnessed 'beatings with the infamous leather, not for bad behaviour but for missing questions or getting homework wrong'. Though he seems to have been more gently treated himself, perhaps because of being a son of a local shopkeeper. Despite those experiences and against the advice of his parents, he joined the Christian Brothers himself at the age of 14. There was an important connection through his family tree to Blessed Edmund Ignatius Rice, founder of the congregation, who set up its first school in Waterford in 1802. Imbued with religious fervour, young teenager Dunne moved to the seminary of Coláiste Chiaráin, the new name for what was formerly an 18th-century mansion owned by the Plunkett family at Old Conna, Bray, Co Wicklow, where what was once a ballroom had become a chapel. Unlike other Christian Brothers schools at the time, there was no corporal punishment for the aspiring brothers in Coláiste Chiaráin. Dunne was later moved to teacher-training college at Marino in Dublin — and then a month before his 18th birthday was assigned to teach the Primary Certificate (an optional exam sat in sixth class) at inner-city Francis Street, while residing in the congregation's monastery at Synge Street. Corporal punishment was still a common practice and Dunne was supplied with a leather strap. He recalled the experience later. 'I did try using it briefly, only to find that I was temperamentally unsuited to hitting the boys, finding it personally upsetting and humiliating, as well as cruel.' Two years later he was moved to Tralee where he taught at secondary school level. He also taught and resided briefly at the St Joseph's industrial school in order to allow permanent staff take a holiday. The atmosphere in the school and his experience of the way boys were treated upset him greatly. He was then moved on to Sexton Street CBS in Limerick. In 1963, at age 21, he invited his parents to Limerick and told them over lunch that he was leaving the Brothers. He became a history student at UCD and later moved to Cork, where he acquired a teaching diploma and taught at secondary level. He did his master's degree at UCC, writing a thesis on four-times UK prime minister William Gladstone (1809-98), who was heavily involved with Irish issues such as Home Rule and land reform in the course of his long career. Dunne went on to acquire a PhD at Peterhouse College in Cambridge and was appointed a lecturer in history at UCC in 1977, where he often taught through Irish. He later became Professor of History at UCC. He wrote about Maria Edgeworth, particularly her novel Castle Rackrent , which covers four generations of landlords in Ireland and was published in 1800. In 2004, his book Rebellions: Memoir, Memory, and 1798 , a combination of recollections and history, won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize, named after the British ambassador to Ireland who was assassinated by the IRA in 1976. Another highly-readable memoir, The Good Boy: A Life Re-examined , was published last year. Tom Dunne died on April 15 and in a statement the National University of Ireland recalled his contributions as a member of the NUI Senate from 1998 to 2007 and how he edited the landmark The National University of Ireland 1908-2008 Centenary Essays , as well as his work as a lecturer and later as dean of arts at UCC. He is survived by his wife Clare O'Halloran, daughters Fiona and Deirdre, sons Oisín and Fergus, grandson Seán, siblings Mary (Quigley), John, Joan (Estall), Rosaleen and Arthur, and by in-laws and friends.
