Department of Culture, Communications and Sport

18/06/2026

Minister Patrick O’Donovan launched Cultúr 26, the cultural programme for the Irish Presidency of the EU, earlier this week at an event that included photographer Conor Horgan, artist and designer Richard Malone, actor Stephen Rea and musical artist Tolü Makay. We spoke to the Minister, and to artist and designer Richard Malone, about the importance of Cultúr 26 which will include exhibitions, concerts, talks and more throughout Ireland and further afield.

Sheol an tAire Patrick O’Donovan Cultúr 26, clár cultúir na hÉireann d’Uachtaránacht an Aontais Eorpaigh, níos luaithe an tseachtain seo. Bhí an grianghrafadóir Conor Horgan, an t-ealaíontóir agus an dearthóir Richard Malone, an t-aisteoir Stephen Rea agus an ceoltóir Tolü Makay i láthair ag an ócáid. Labhair muid leis an Aire, agus le Richard Malone, faoi thábhacht Cultúr 26, a mbeidh taispeántais, ceolchoirmeacha, cainteanna agus go leor ócáidí eile ar fud na hÉireann agus níos faide ó bhaile, mar chuid dó.

18/06/2026

Ministers Patrick O’Donovan and Charlie McConalogue were at Sport Ireland this week for the sod turning on the construction of the Sport Ireland National Cricket Centre. The first phase of the National Cricket Centre will deliver the main field of play, 4,240 spectator seats, a high-performance centre and a player and match official building.

The National Cricket Centre is a key element of the Sport Ireland Campus Masterplan Vision, and a critical piece of national sports infrastructure. It will be on a 30-hectares site, on the eastern part of the Sport Ireland Campus at Blanchardstown, Dublin 15.

We spoke to the Ministers, as well as Dr Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland, Sarah Keane, CEO Cricket Ireland and Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland Men's Test Captain, about the importance of this project.

Bhí na hAirí Patrick O’Donovan agus Charlie McConalogue i láthair ag Spórt Éireann an tseachtain seo, áit ar tiontaíodh an fód ar an togra chun Lárionad Náisiúnta Cruicéid Spórt Éireann a thógáil. Beidh páirc imeartha, suíocháin do 4,240 lucht féachana, ionad barr feabhais, agus foirgneamh d’imreoirí agus d’oifigí mar chuid den chéad chéim den togra.

Tá an Lárionad Cruicéid ina chuid lárnach den Fís d’Ollphlean Champas Spórt Éireann, agus cuid thar a bheith tábhachtach de bhonneagar spóirt na tíre. Beidh sé lonnaithe ar shuíomh 30 heicteár, ar an taobh thoir de champas Spórt Éireann i mBaile Bhlainséir, BÁC 15.

Labhair muid leis na hAirí, agus leis an Dr Una May, Príomfheidhmeannach Spórt Éireann, Sarah Keane, Príomfheidhmeannach Cricket Ireland agus Andrew Balbirnie, Caiptín Fhoireann Fear na hÉireann, faoi thábhacht an tionscadail seo.

18/06/2026

Minister Patrick O’Donovan has this week announced Cultúr 2026: Sharing Ireland’s Culture, Ireland’s culture programme for the Presidency of the Council of the European Union which will provide €5m in supports to Irish artists and arts organisations.

The Department, through Culture Ireland, is presenting an expansive culture programme featuring exhibitions, concerts, talks, performances and events that will take place throughout Ireland and across all 27 EU member states and beyond, for the duration of the Presidency.

Three new commissions in Brussels will herald the programme in the heart of Europe: a site-specific installation by Irish artist Richard Malone at the Justus Lipsius building, an opening concert at Flagey and an exhibition presented by Literature Ireland in the European Parliament building. These will be accompanied by an expanded programme of Irish arts at the Centre Culturel d’Irlandais, Paris and a Focus Irlande at the historic Théâtre de la Ville, Paris.

➡ See link in bio

D’fhógair an tAire Patrick O’Donovan seoladh Chultúr 2026: Cultúr na hÉireann á Chomhroinnt an tseachtain seo, clár cultúir na hÉireann d’Uachtaránacht Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh, a chuirfidh €5 mhilliún ar fáil chun tacú le healaíontóirí agus le heagraíochtaí ealaíon na hÉireann.

Tá clár cultúir leathan á chur ar fáil ag an Roinn, trí Chultúr Éireann, agus san áireamh tá taispeántais, ceolchoirmeacha, cainteanna, léirithe agus imeachtaí ar fud na hÉireann agus i ngach ceann de 27 mBallstát an AE, agus níos faide i gcéin, le linn thréimhse na hUachtaránachta.

Seolfar an clár i gcroílár na hEorpa le trí shaothar nua ar coimisiún sa Bhruiséil: suiteáil shuíomh-shonrach leis an ealaíontóir Éireannach Richard Malone i bhfoirgneamh Justus Lipsius, ceolchoirm oscailte i Flagey, agus taispeántas a chuirfidh Litríocht Éireann i láthair i bhfoirgneamh Pharlaimint na hEorpa. Ina dteannta sin, cuirfear clár méadaithe d’ealaíona na hÉireann ar siúl sa Centre Culturel Irlandais, Páras, chomh maith le Focus Irlande san amharclann cháiliúil Théâtre de la Ville, Páras.

➡ Féach nasc inár mbio

17/06/2026

Minister Patrick O’Donovan has today announced the launch of the Dromcollogher Commemorative Programme to mark the 100th anniversary of the Dromcollogher cinema fire, in which 48 people tragically lost their lives.
The principal event will be a formal State-led commemoration in Dromcollogher, County Limerick, on Saturday, 5 September 2026, accompanied by a wider programme of national and community initiatives.
Minister O’Donovan said:
“ … it is my sincere hope that this programme and commemoration will honour both the dead and the survivors in a respectful and meaningful way. We want it to be rooted in the community of Dromcollogher and I want to give particular thanks to Gerry Keyes and the Dromcollogher 26 community group for their work and dedication thus far in the planning of the commemoration.”

For more see link in Bio.
Image credit: The National Archives
Telegram from the Catholic Herald to the Minister for Home Affairs, dated 7 September 1926, asking whether a charitable appeal could be made in Britain to support survivors of the Drumcollogher fire disaster.



D’fhógair an tAire Patrick O'Donovan inniu seoladh Chlár Comórtha Dhrom Collachair chun comóradh 100 bliain a dhéanamh ar dhóiteán phictiúrlann Dhrom Collachair, áit ar cailleadh 48 duine go tragóideach.
Is é an príomhimeacht a bheidh ann ná comóradh foirmiúil faoi stiúir an Stáit i nDrom Collachair, Contae Luimnigh, Dé Sathairn, an 5 Meán Fómhair 2026, agus clár níos leithne de thograí náisiúnta agus pobail ag gabháil leis.

Dúirt an tAire Patrick O’Donovan:
“ ... táim ag súil go mór go dtabharfaidh an clár agus an comóradh seo urraim do na mairbh agus na marthanóirí araon ar bhealach atá ómósach agus bríoch. Ba mhaith linn go mbeidh sé fréamhaithe i bpobal Dhrom Collachair agus ba mhaith liom buíochas ar leith a ghabháil le Gerry Keyes agus an grúpa pobail Dromcollogher 26 as a gcuid oibre agus a dtiomantas go dtí seo i bpleanáil an chomóraidh.”

Féach nasc inár mbio.
Íomhá: le caoinchead na Cartlainne Náisiúnta
Teileagram ón nuachtán an Catholic Herald chuig an Aire Gnóthaí Baile ar 7 Meán Fómhair 1926, ag fiosrú maidir le achainí a chur ar bun i Sasana chun airgead a bhailiú dóibh siúd a tháinig slán ó thragóid Dhroim Collachair.

16/06/2026

Minister Patrick O’Donovan has welcomed the report of the Advisory Committee on the Restitution and Repatriation of Cultural Heritage presented to the Government today.
The report recommends the establishment of a modern, co-ordinated, transparent, national framework, and guidelines to support the fair, transparent and ethical resolution of restitution and repatriation claims relating to cultural heritage held in Irish collections.

For more information, see link in Bio.🔗

Tá fáilte curtha ag an Aire Patrick O’Donovan roimh thuarascáil an Choiste Chomhairligh um Aiseag agus Aisdúichiú na hOidhreachta Cultúrtha a cuireadh faoi bhráid an Rialtais inniu.
Moltar sa tuarascáil creat náisiúnta nua-aimseartha, comhordaithe, trédhearcach móide treoirlínte a bhunú chun tacú le réiteach cothrom, trédhearcach agus eiticiúil ar éilimh aisig agus aisdúichithe a bhaineann le hoidhreacht chultúrtha atá i mbailiúcháin Éireannacha.

Tá breis eolais le fáil ag an nasc inár mBio. 🔗

Image/Sa phictiúr: Ms Lynn Scarff, Dr Audrey Whitty, Mr Justice Kerida Naidoo, The Rt Hon Sir Donnell Deeny KC, Minister Patrick O'Donovan T.D., Ms Virginia Teehan, Mr Oliver Sears, Dr Phil Mullen, Ms Sinead Copeland, Mr Eugene Downes, Prof Mary O'Dowd.

16/06/2026

Irish people continue to trust major news brands but are losing trust in news more generally according to the annual Digital News Report Ireland 2026. The report is published today (16.06.2026) by Coimisiún na Meán. The Report shows that 42% of Irish people say they can trust most news most of the...

14/06/2026

14/06/2026

Tá an tAire Cultúir, Cumarsáide agus Spóirt ag iarraidh beirt iarrthóirí atá (2) cáilithe go cuí a cheapadh ar Bhord Amharclann na Mainistreach.
Dáta deiridh: 30 Meitheamh, 2026.
Tá breis eolais maidir leis na critéir atá le comhlíonadh ag iarrthóirí, an leabhrán eolais agus sonraí tábhachtacha maidir le hiarratas a dhéanamh le fáil ag an nasc inár mbio

12/06/2026

All things Ulysses-related are celebrated annually on Bloomsday 16th June, the day immortalised in Joyce's famous novel. However did you know that Joseph Strick’s 1967 film of James Joyce’s Ulysses, starring Fionnula Flanagan, was banned for 33 years? This is one of many episodes in the history of film in Ireland captured in the feature-length documentary 'In the Opinion of the Censor' exploring 80 years of Irish film censorship, watch a short clip here.