Olivia Wilde’s star is firmly on the ascent. Best known for her recurring role in Fox’s “House,” the Irish American actress trained at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin and chose her stage name in honor of Irish playwright Oscar Wilde. She talks about her Irish background, her pride in her heritage and her ultimate dream – the chance to make a film in Ireland.

Glen Hansard of the Frames and Marketa Irglova, his on-again/off-again romantic interest and classically trained Czech pianist and vocalist, will be reforming their band Swell Season for a new album and tour.

If the name Lisa Hannigan rings a bell with you, it’s probably because you know her from the work (and rumored offstage relationship) she did with Damien Rice. On Hannigan’s debut disc, “See Sew,” she emerges out of Rice’s shadows with a collection of tunes that gives Rice’s songbook a run for its money.

Irish promoters seeking money from Prince, who pulled out of a concert in Ireland on "a whim"; Moya Brennan to host new PBS series on Irish music; Pierce Brosnan saved co-star Uma Thurman's life on set of new film

Krishna, Krishna, Hansard, Hansard! The Frames lead singer gives a remarkably candid interview about his faith to a group of Columbia University journalism students on board a Dublin-New York flight in late March

If there is one thing that Irish people do really well, it's music. And what can be better than seeing a great Irish band live? So, check out this list – and go and see these bands right now. Before you die. (Or in the case of The Pogues, before Shane MacGowan dies.)

One of the great Irish movie success stories in recent memory was "Once," the humble musical about an Irishman and a Czech woman falling in love and singing songs. The movie, which starred Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, was a smash hit and eventually brought the duo to the Oscars. "Once" is now being turned into a Broadway musical and is set to premiere during the 2010-11 theatrical season.

See where "The Crying Game," My Left Foot" and "The Commitments" rank on a countdown of the best films out of Ireland.

Daniel Day-Lewis has two Oscars, while Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris and Liam Neeson don't have any. See the roles for which they could have, and perhaps should have, won.

Once, a stunning new Irish film opening nationwide on May 18, tells the tale of a Grafton Street busker and a Czech immigrant who come together over an eventful week to write, rehearse and record songs that bring their unique love story to life. CAHIR O'DOHERTY reports.

AS the two lead roles in the exciting new Irish film Once get to know each other, sparks fly and new songs are written.

LAST week I reviewed To Hell and Barbados, the amazing new disc from Dubliner Damien Dempsey. I raved so much about the CD that I couldn't fit the interview piece in, so here is my chat with Damien. Your lyrics are just amazing.

IS it me, or do you sometimes feel suckered by charity albums? Don't get me wrong - the intentions are great. Socially conscious music in CD packages, however, is typically packed with album filler, half-baked b-side ideas or tepid live versions from your favorite bands that are peddled as "new songs."

If you're looking for something sweet and original, might I suggest dropping in on The Cake Sale? The album, recorded in Dublin last year and spearheaded by Bell X1's Brian Crosby, is a collection of alternative acoustic gems performed by a who's who of Ireland's music scene.

WHO, in our humble estimation, stole the show at the Oscars? Perhaps we're slightly biased, but the dynamic acting/singing/writing duo of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova stood head and shoulders above the rest when accepting their award for Best Original Song for "Falling Slowly," the signature theme from their smash-hit indie film Once.

The film, made "for a hundred grand" as Hansard said during his speech, went on to score in the region of $20 million worldwide for its distributors, Fox Searchlight, so Sunday night's ultimate honor was the icing on the cake for its stars, who were the toast of Hollywood even before their names were announced. The win must have been even sweeter considering there was a minor kafuffle about the song's eligibility a couple of weeks before showtime.

From her Grammy-winning album with the Klezmatics last year, to the series of exciting new concerts planned for spring, Irish singer Susan McKeown is back in the limelight, so prepare to be dazzled all over again. CAHIR O'DOHERTY asks McKeown what's in store in 2008.

A CATHEDRAL filling voice like Susan McKeown's only comes along once in a generation.

I'M not sure what's more shocking: that MTV has actually started playing videos again, or that they've named Dublin-born Paddy Casey as "buzzworthy." Indeed, it would appear that his third full album, Addicted to Company, is opening doors for this singer songwriter.

When you consider the fact that he was busking on the streets of Dublin 15 years ago, a practice that is hip again thanks to the runaway success of Glen Hansard's film Once, you could hardly call Casey's career trajectory an overnight sensation.

THE eighth annual Wee CRAIC festival is presented by Jet Blue Airways this year, and it is fitting as the festival boasts a soaring lineup of musical and cinematic talent! It's called the Wee CRAIC because it is a one-night offshoot of the larger three-day music and film festival The CRAIC held every March in New York.

Held at DUMBO's Powerhouse Arena on Saturday, September 20, A Wee Craic features live acoustic sets from musicians such as Mark Geary, Mundy and Colin Smith of the band Mr. North.

Success hasn't spoiled Irish Oscar winning singer/songwriter Glen Hansard. Fresh from his walk up the red carpet in LA, he returned to Dublin to give the coveted golden statue to his mother to show off in the bingo hall. This week the star of the hit indie film Once joins his co-stars on stage for a one night only concert in New York.

OPIUM is an appropriate name for the music of Dublin singer-songwriter Mark Geary's new album. It's dark, sometimes dangerous, and no less addictive.

The set opens with "Cold Litte Fire," a song about seduction that, like many of these songs, can also speak to the temptations of chemically-induced euphoria.

ONE of the key indicators that you have permeated American pop culture is a stint on The Simpsons. Frames singer Glen Hansard and his girlfriend, Marketa Irglova, won an Oscar for their hit film Once, and they are set to become really famous by appearing in an episode of The Simpsons.

According to Irish music magazine Hot Press, the duo dubbed their own characters when they were in Los Angeles last month for a Swell Season gig.

SAOIRSE Ronan, the 13-year-old Irish actress who was recently nominated for a Golden Globe, can now add an Oscar nomination to her rapidly expanding resume, as she was cited as a Best Supporting Actress nominee for her critically lauded work in Atonement.If she wins, the teenager from the small Co. Carlow village of Ardattin will become one of the youngest ever Oscar winners.

"FALLING Slowly," the Oscar nominated song by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the hugely successful Irish film Once, may be ruled ineligible for the nomination. According to Greg Mitchell, the editor of Editor and Publisher journal, the song appeared on two albums before the movie came out, which is strongly disapproved of by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.But the question is, was the song written for the movie first and then ended up on CDs as the film made its slow way to release? Mitchell acknowledged that Hansard was definitely asked to write original songs for the movie, but whether "Falling Slowly" was one of them is not yet known for sure.

THIS is the year of the Oscar musical hiccup. Just this week, after a lengthy process of consultation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has finally ruled that the song "Falling Slowly," the signature track from the breakout hit Irish film Once, is again eligible for Oscar consideration. Written by the Frames lead singer Glen Han-sard and Marketa Irglova, stars of Once, the song's road to Oscar glory has been long and winding.

"Once" was last year's little indie film that could, going all the way to Oscar glory with a Best Original Song win for its musician stars, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. The movie was set in Dublin and told of the touching love story between a struggling musician (Hansard) and a flower seller (Irglova), and it garnered all kinds of rave reviews. Dubliner Hansard, 38, and Irglova, 20, originally from Czechoslovakia, brought the film's love story to life with a romance off screen - don't you just love when that happens! - and began touring the world as a duo called the Swell Season.

Oscar joy for Once and Day-Lewis

By Declan O'Kelly

It was a victorious night for the Irish independent movie Once, as its stars and songwriters Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova picked up an Oscar for best original song for "Falling Slowly" at the ceremony held at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles on February 24. It was the first nomination and win for both, and Hansard could hardly believe what was happening as he accepted the famous statue.

"What are we doing here? This is mad," said the 37-year-old Hansard, who is also the lead singer of the Irish band The Frames.

AS the February 15 ceremony draws nearer, details on this year's Meteor Awards show are leaking out. This is the equivalent of the Grammys on the Emerald Isle. The Blizzards, Cathy Davey and Future Kings of Spain are among the nominees for this year's Meteor Ireland Music Awards, which will take place in the RDS on Friday, February 15.

According to Hot Press magazine in Ireland, U2, Simon Carmody and Kila have led a collaboration on a special tribute to The Dubliners' legend Ronnie Drew, which was recently recorded in Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin.

Sinead O'Connor, Christy Moore, Andrea Corr, Shane McGowan, Bob Geldof, Damien Dempsey, Gavin Friday, Jerry Fish, Paul Brady, Paddy Casey, Mundy, Chris de Burgh, Ronan Keating, Mary Black and the Chieftains were among the acts that streamed through the studio, according to spies at the magazine, which added that Frames singer Glen Hansard recorded his vocals on a telephone from the Czech Republic.

The song, entitled "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew," is a collaboration, written by the Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, with Bono, the Edge and the former Golden Horde singer and songwriter Simon Carmody.

April showers not only bring May flowers, they also bring Damien Dempsey back to our shores.

Damo will be hitting the road this month, playing dates through the East Coast and Midwest. He's back for the second U.