AMY Winehouse is still proving to be one of the most popular recording artists these days, with fans buying more than 1.7 million copies of her recordings since her death.The first anniversary of her death, at the age of 27, on Monday gave people the opportunity to reflect on what was an extraordinary talent but one that has sadly left little musical legacy behind. Her two studio albums, 2003’s Frank and 2006’s Back To Black, both saw a noticeable jump following her death, while her third album, the posthumously released Lioness: Hidden Treasures sold 194,000 copies in its first week alone last December.Among Winehouse’s tragically small body of work, however, is a stunning 20-minute performance in the tiny Church of St James in Dingle, which formed the basis of Sunday night’s Arena: Amy Winehouse – The Day She Came to Dingle on BBC4.The now legendary RTÉ programme Other Voices has featured acts such as Ryan Adams, The National, David Kitt, …

“Once upon a midnight dreary” is never a bad place for a gothic detective story to begin. And so it is for James McTeigue’s The Raven, a story of death, drunkenness and… more death.The story, when it finally gets around to starting, revolves around a series of murders in Baltimore modelled with terrifying accuracy on the work of poet, critic, author and drunk, Edgar Allen Poe (John Cusack).A local cop, Detective Fields, recognises an element from the first crime scene – a seemingly impossible slaying of a mother and daughter – and immediately calls Poe in for questioning.After an incident at a masquerade ball, however, it becomes clear that he is not the brains behind the murders. When his financeé Emily (Alice Eve) is kidnapped, a game of “hunt the clue” begins with the girl as the prize and increasingly elaborate crime scenes as the means for the killer to communicate with his favourite writer.Poe and Fields make an interesting …

MORE than 84 years ago, a father and daughter, who lived in Tullycrine, Kilmurry McMahon, were found not guilty at sending threatening letters to money lenders in Kilrush.

KILNAMONA’S Michael McTigue has just completed a sculpture honouring one of Ireland’s great traditional musicians, Sean Maguire.

Tipperary   1-18 Clare   0-17 CLARE’S bid to retain the Munster Intermediate Hurling Championship title ended in disappointment at McDonagh Park in Nenagh on Wednesday evening when they suffered a four-point loss to the home county. It was a game the home side just about deserved to win but Clare have reason to be disappointed with the outcome, as they had a lot of chances during the course of the evening, as the tally of 12 wides indicates.The game’s only goal proved to be a crucial score and it should have been prevented. Clare looked to be in control but lost possession and Tipperary pounced for the goal, a minute from the half-time whistle.The win means Tipperary have moved a step closer to winning the grand slam in the province, adding to their minor and senior successes. The U-21 final on Wednesday week will see the same counties in opposition, this time in Cusack Park, when Clare will be bidding to …

WHILE it’s impossible to document when exactly the last mass was held at the Mass Rock in Clonigulane, Kilmihil, ceremonies were regularly held there during Penal Law times. Last Sunday, the first mass in possibly a couple of hundred years was celebrated at what is also known as the ‘Screig.’ The rock borders the townlands of Greygrove and Clonigulane.

OVER 370 parish communities throughout the Shannon Region are being targeted to take part in an innovative programme to identify and reunite their local diaspora abroad.