The Irish Post

JACK LUKEMAN has released a new radio edit of The King of Soho to mark the tenth anniversary of one of his most popular songs. Originally featured on his 2016 album Magic Days, the fan favourite has been remastered and shortened from its expansive live form, accompanied by an updated version of the music video directed by French filmmaker Tigrane Minassian. He found time to answer our questions...

WHAT happens when an Irish dancer, a Scottish Highland dancer and a bagpiper begin pulling apart the traditions they grew up with? That is the intriguing proposition behind not for glory, which comes to Cecil Sharp House in London on Tuesday, October 13. The dance-theatre production brings together former professional Irish dancer Jack Anderson and Highland dancer and choreographer Charlotte Mclean, working with Scottish piper, fiddler and composer Malin Lewis.

THREE of Ireland’s inhabited islands are in Roaringwater Bay in West Cork: Heir, Sherkin and Cape Clear. For some, the islands are where they were born and brought up. For others, they are an escape. And then there are those who move to an island to do something they have always dreamed about. One such person is John Desmond. He was born in Dublin and trained to be a chef at the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

A NEW comedy by Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee will tackle the world of competitive Irish dancing. Jig will go into production next year, with shooting set to take place in Northern Ireland. The Netflix series was announced among their latest slate of new commissions, with the streaming site describing it as “a new six-part mockumentary set in the high-stakes world of competitive Irish dancing”.

THE funeral has taken place for an Irish missionary nun who spent years working in Ethiopia at the height of the famine. Galway native Sister Margaret Coyne died in Southport on August 15 at the age of 90. One of seven siblings, she was born into a farming household in Cloonrane to parents Mary and John Coyne. She is predeceased by her brothers Fr Pat Coyne and Colum Coyne, and her sister Mary Duff.

PRESDIENT Donald Trump is expected to meet President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheal Martin when he visits Ireland next week. The US leader is due to fly into Dublin early on Saturday, September 12 before heading for meetings with the Irish President and the Taoiseach. His full itinerary has yet to be confirmed but he is expected to spend the night at his Doonbeg golf resort in Co. Clare, for the Irish Open tournament which comes to a close on Sunday, September 13.

A NEW Irish Ambassador to Britain has arrived at the Irish Embassy in London. Sonja Hyland, who was previously Deputy Secretary General for the Irish Government’s Ireland, UK and Americas Division, has taken up the position. “I am very pleased to have taken up my post as Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain at this time of great momentum and energy in our bilateral relationship,” Ms Hyland said. “Ireland and Britain are longstanding, likeminded partners and neighbours,” she added.

NEW regulations regarding the use of e-scooters in Ireland will come into effect tomorrow. Electric scooter riders must wear helmets and high-visibility clothing from September 4, under new guidelines agreed by the Government in July of this year. Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien has welcomed the new road safety mandate. “Road safety is a priority for me, my Department and for this Government,” he said this week.

NEW appointments have been announced at Irish Film and Television UK (IFTUK) this week. Founded in 2011, the organisation is dedicated to showcasing, celebrating and supporting Irish film, television and animation in Britain. This week IFTUK confirmed a new curating team is now in place, with Úna Langlois now charged with leading the programming team as guest director and curator.

BARRY KEOGHAN has narrated an emotional film celebrating Katie Taylor’s career journey ahead of her Dublin bout this weekend. “You see back when the boxing world believed that it only belonged to boys, a girl walks into the ring,”  the Dubin-born actor says in the short film Once Upon A Time which was released by promoters Matchroom Boxing this week. “She was fighting not as Katie but as K, K from Bray,” he adds.