Irish Times Off Topic

Last week, we got out of the Off Topic studio and went on the road to the Electric Picnic. The Irish Times tent in the Mindfield section played host a series of talks on TV, film, sports and media. Today will be having a listen to some of the best bits. First up, it's the inner workings of a much-envied job: sports writing. Gavin Cummiskey and Malachy Clerkin of the Irish Times and Sinead O’Carroll, news editor of the journal.ie talk about reporting on Rio, the fallout from the scandal surrounding Pat Hickey and alleged ticket touting, doping in sport, and the art in conveying the experience of sports people in their crucial moment of victory. Our next discussion focused on writing for television and film, and features Sarah Francis, who was previously story editor for Fair City, and Louise Ní Fhiannachta, the director of Epic, TG4 groundbreaking Irish TV drama, and the award-winning short movie “Rubai”. She has also written for Ros na Rún and Irish language drama Seacht. The discuss just how much work goes into TV drama. The Fair City Story Room, for example, works 50 weeks a year, creating storylines for 200 episodes. The also talk about what Netflix and Amazon mean for making TV and the format of TV shows, the role of showrunners here and abroad, and discuss the national past time of slagging off RTE. And finally on today’s show Irish times arts writes discuss the joys and the frustrations of writing about culture. You’ll hear from Laurence Mackin, Una Mullally, Patrick Freyne and, Peter Crawley and Louise Bruton. How do you review an album you;ve only heard once? How do you stay impartial in a country as small as Ireland? And what happens when you make a critical judgement and realise you've got it wrong? And finally, a sad announcement: this is the final episode of Off Topic, at least for now. Thanks very much to all our listeners, participants and to everyone who gave feedback on the show.

On this week's Off Topic podcast, we look at the business end of the Irish music industry. How difficult is it for new artists to become visible? How can they make money? and is talent alone enough to succeed? To answer these questions and many more, host Laurence Mackin is joined by DJ and music journalist Niall Byrne, musician Rhob Cunningham, Faction Records boss Ken Allen and Eleanor McGuinness of Pitch & Smith entertainment agency.

Do Irish people feel cherished? Is honesty of expression always encouraged in this country? Founder of Trailblazery Kathy Scott endeavored to answer these questions by conducting a 'Census of the Heart' . On this week's Off Topic, Kathy joins host Laurence Mackin, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland Colm O'Gorman, screenwriter and actor Stefanie Preissner and Shane Kelly from the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy to talk about the project's findings, and engage in a frank discussion of our nation's psyche.

Don't try to be funny!!! This week's Off Topic riffs on the theme of improvisation in comedy. To discuss its lineage and place in comedy writing for stage and screen, Laurence Mackin is joined by actor and improviser Danny Kehoe, improv teacher Neil Curran and Irish Times writer Patrick Freyne. Comedian Alison Spittle joins us on the line from Edinburgh to give us her take on the Fringe Fest, and how improv fits in to her show there.

New documentary "Bobby Sands: 66 Days" goes on general release today, and its maker Brendan J Byrne is in studio with Hugh Linehan and Fintan O'Toole to talk about how his film challenges the easy narratives surrounding the hunger striker - to the displeasure of some. Also in studio is Henrietta Norton, whose documentary Born and Reared examines the lives of men and the lingering effects of conflict in communities in Northern Ireland.

On this instalment of Off Topic, host Laurence Mackin welcomes writers Sarah Maria Griffin, Caomhan Keane and Rosie Gogan-Keogh into the podcast studio to discuss the pristine 'Spielbergian' tropes of Netflix's latest success Stranger Things, the inherent nostalgia of Pokemon Go, and the fickle nature of the internet mob as experienced by teen fashion vlogger Marina Joyce.

What is fun? Are you having much fun? Does the thought of having fun fill you with disgust? Michael Foley, author of a new book on the subject Isn't This Fun?Investigating the Serious Business of Enjoying Ourselves endeavours to answer these questions. Host Hugh Linehan admits to treating the whole idea of "fun" with a healthy amount of suspicion, Michael assures Hugh he is not alone in this and after much research on the topic believes he has found core reasons for the basic human need for fun.

West Coast music is in rude health according to Dean Van Nguyen. Artists like Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar are releasing fresh and vital albums packed with musical experimentation and a keen social conscience. Dean joins host Laurence Mackin and guests, chief theatre critic with the Irish Times Peter Crawley and journalist Zara Hedderman to discuss the musical heritage and sonic appeal of that "LA sound", and how these works have breathed new life into contemporary jazz and hip-hop. Waiting for Godot is a play Peter Crawley knows well - too well. New productions of Beckett's absurdist play pop up on a regular basis. Having thought the play had no more mystery or revelations to offer, Peter "stumbled out in disbelief" at the impact of Druid Theatre's latest production of Godot at the Galway International Arts Festival. Describing it as "exceptional and miraculous", he endeavours to explain to the podcast why it had such a profound effect on him. And finally, the successful bid for European Capital of Culture 2020 has gone to Galway. Gemma Tipton joins us on the line from Galway to discuss the "joy and tears" and no small amount of excitement that this announcement has brought to the city.

Beyoncé Knowles is fast approaching twenty years in the business. First coming to attention as part of the hugely successful and consistent girl group phenomenon Destiny's Child, her transition to multi-platinum solo artist was seamless and logical. Some six albums in and Beyoncé, much like Motown artists of old, has taken a more personal and socially conscious approach to her art. On today's podcast Laurence Mackin invites pop music aficionados Jen Gannon, Louise Bruton and Seamas O'Reilly to pore over the career trajectory of one of today's more compelling pop stars, from the Destiny's Child hit machine to her solo success and her latest effort 'Lemonade', a so-called "visual album" that takes a look at where Beyoncé is from and where she is going.

The Brexit effect seems to have cast a shadow of confusion and foreboding over most industries in this country and the culture sector is no different. To discuss the implications for Irish music and film and what it means for the long-established relationship of collaboration with our UK neighbours, Laurence Mackin is joined by Irish Times film critic Donald Clarke and CEO of First Music Contact Angela Dorgan. In part two Laura Slattery discusses Rupert Murdoch's takeover of Belfast based Wireless Group and with it several Irish radio stations including FM104 and Q102. While seen as a good deal for both parties, will this make any difference to Irish listening habits?