RTÉ - Arena Podcast

Robert Duvall dies aged 95- Trainspotting at 30 - Scene + Heard 2026 - The Secret Agent

TV reviews - Album reviews

The best of Arena's week as we anticipate the release of Wuthering Heights, react to Bad Bunny and his Super Bowl Half Time show, mark 50 years of iconic film Taxi Driver and poet Eoin Devereux on his first collection, Gardening Leave.

Film reviews - The Wardrobe Department - Gardening Leave

Bad Bunny - The song is nearly over - In Vitro

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast - Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age - Taxi Driver at 50

The Plough and The Stars turns 100 - The enduring legacy of Emily Brontë - Story of a Day

TV Reviews - Album Reviews

The best of Arena's week with cellist Abel Selaocoe; Susan Stanley and Sarah Goldberg, the writers and stars of RTE series SisterS; and critic Pat Carty on Bob Dylan's 1976 album Desire.

Film Reviews - Plastic - Bob Dylan's Desire at 50

Abel Selaocoe - A Quiet Love - As If

Sisters - Infinity - Bach Cantata series 2026

On this St Brigid's Bank Holiday, we bring you the best of our recent live music performances from Ailbhe Reddy, renowned Uillean piper Louise Mulcahy, Cailíní Lua and Sibéal Ní Chasaide. 

TV reviews - Album reviews

The best of Arena's week with comedian John Bishop, novelist George Saunders, filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson and writer-director John Butler.

Film reviews - Travellers' Tunes - How I Became A Wave

These Sacred Vows - Fair Deal - Nostalgie

George Saunders - The films of Jean-Luc Godard - Cello Concerto No. 1 – Hostile Summits

John Bishop - Rob Doyle - Return to Palestine

TV reviews - Album reviews

Highlights from Arena this week, with Daniel Mendelsohn on his new translation of The Odyssey, Paul Mescal and director Oliver Hermanus on their new film The History Of Sound... and Sibéal Ní Chasaide with two beautiful songs from our Arena Tradfest Studio 1 Special.

Film reviews - Midwinter Festival -Departure(s) by Julian Barnes

Patient Labyrinth - Daniel Mendelsohn - The History of Sound

Live from Studio One for a special event to mark the launch of Tradfest. We have live music from the Hothouse Flowers, Segun Akano and Yankari, Sibeal, Brian Kennedy and Cailini Lua.

Valentino - Bryan Washington - Little John Nee - 38th European Film Awards

TV reviews - Film reviews

The very best of Arena's week - with singer Peggy Seeger, actor Brendan Fraser and radio memories with our live panel at the GPO for RTE Radio 100.

Live from the GPO for a special event marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland. Rick is joined by Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch, novelist Christine Dwyer Hickey, filmmaker Colm Bairéad, Executive Director of the Abbey Mark O'Brien, and actor Bríd Ní Neachtain. Plus, music from piper Louise Mulcahy and Pilgrim.

Mark Kermode - The Crucible - Brokeback Mountain at 20

Brendan Fraser - EUREKA DAY - Sister Wake

The 83rd Golden Globes - Dido's Lament - ClassicsNow - Peggy Seeger

TV reviews - Music 2026

The best of the week on Arena, featuring novelist Maggie O'Farrell and singer songwriter Ailbhe Reddy.

Film reviews - A Slow Fire - The Cunning Little Vixen

Hamnet - David Keenan - Fiction in Translation

Lazarus: The Second Coming of David Bowie -Olivia Laing - He Dies in the End

Ailbhe Reddy - Turner as Inspiration - First Fortnight Festival 2026

Join Oscar nominated actor Ciarán Hinds as he remembers his friend - and ours - Seán Rocks who passed away in July. Ciarán will guide us through a selection of Seán's best Arena interviews from the last few years. (For copyright reasons the full tracks performed during these interviews cannot be podcast)

Join Oscar nominated actor Ciarán Hinds as he remembers his friend - and ours - Seán Rocks who passed away in July. Ciarán will guide us through a selection of Seán's best Arena interviews from the last few years.

Arena's year-end review special where Rick and a panel made up of Arena regulars (Paul Whitington, Zara Hedderman, Sinéad Gleeson and Chris Wasser) discuss the standout music, films, books, and TV from the year.

Two teams made up of our regular contributors (Eamon Sweeney, Sarina Bellissimo, John Meagher, John Maguire, Louise Bruton, Nadine O'Regan) battle it out in the inaugural Arena Christmas Quiz.  

TV reviews - Festive reflections - Culture vulture gifts.