Arena

Week of 04.05.2026 

Monday 04.05.2026 – BANK HOLIDAY 

  • Singer, songwriter and author Brian Kennedy joins the show for an hour-long look at his upbringing, the highs and lows of his career, and a selection of live tunes.  

Tuesday 05.05.2026 – Kathy Rose presenting 

  • Director Lance Daly and actress Megan Nic Fhionnghaile discuss their new film Trad, a story of a gifted young fiddle player who runs away with a group of traveling musicians 
  • Conductor Jessica Cottis and composer Siobhán Cleary on Canto, an ‘emotional journey shaped by love, fear, and the enduring impact of trauma,’ dedicated to Siobhán’s late sister. 
  • Writer Niamh McCabe on her new short story collection, Four Night Seas 

Wednesday 06.05.2026 

  • Actors Mark O’Regan & Michael James Ford on Elysium Nevada, a brittle comedy play set in the Mojave Desert, that opens at the Viking theatre on 1 June. 
  • A taste of music from Junior Brother, a Kerry-born musician who has carved out a distinctive space in Irish music with his blend of traditional folk sensibilities and contemporary songwriting. 
  • Pat Carthy reviews Marilyn Monroe 100: The Official Centenary Book 

Thursday 07.04.2026  

  • Film reviews