Ballagh Retrospective. Irish artist Robert Ballagh with his portrait of Dr. Noel Browne, during the hanging of his retrospective exhibition at the RHA Gallery in Dublin. 14/9/2006. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Irish author Nuala O’Faolain in her Dublin Home. 12/9/1997 Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Murphy's Way. Irish playwright Tom Murphy working in his home in Dublin, Ireland, around the time of his play “The Morning After Optimism”. 1983. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Artist Sean Scully. International artist and painter Sean Scully, in front of his painting 'Titians Robe, 2008' after it was unveiled in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), as their major new acquisition. Titians Robe, 2008, is one of Scullys new series of paintings on aluminium. The work was purchased by the Museum with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin burke and his family. 27/6/2008. Photo: Eamonn Farrell © RollingNews.ie

 Award winning Irish writer Edna O'Brien pictured on stage at the Gaiety Theatre before rehearsals of her play Haunted which opened last night (4th February) and runs for 11 days until 13th February. Also in Belfast Grand Opera House, from 15th-20th February. 4/2/2010. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Great Expectations.  Irish poet Seamus Heaney, at Merrion Strand, near his home in Dublin, Ireland, shortly before he won the Nobel Prize. 1995. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Ginger Man. J.P. Donleavy, author of the Ginger Man book, on his GM free farm at Levington in County Westmeath, after declaring it a GM free zone. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Artist Sean Scully. International artist and painter Sean Scully, in front of his painting 'Titians Robe, 2008' after it was unveiled in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), as their major new acquisition. Titians Robe, 2008, is one of Scullys new series of paintings on aluminium. The work was purchased by the Museum with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin burke and his family. 27/6/2008. Photo: Eamonn Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Artist Sean Scully. International artist and painter Sean Scully, in front of his painting 'Titians Robe, 2008' after it was unveiled in the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), as their major new acquisition. Titians Robe, 2008, is one of Scullys new series of paintings on aluminium. The work was purchased by the Museum with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin burke and his family. 27/6/2008. Photo: Eamonn Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Artist Sean Scully. International artist and painter Sean Scully, at the announcement by the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), of the details of their major new acquisition, Titians Robe, which he painted. Titians Robe, 2008, is one of Scullys new series of paintings on aluminium. The work was purchased by the Museum with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin burke and his family. 27/6/2008. Photo: Eamonn Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Artist Sean Scully. International artist and painter Sean Scully, at the announcement by the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA), of the details of their major new acquisition, Titians Robe, which he painted. Titians Robe, 2008, is one of Scullys new series of paintings on aluminium. The work was purchased by the Museum with a grant from the American Ireland Fund, which was made possible by a gift to the Fund by the American businessman and contemporary art collector Kevin burke and his family. 27/6/2008. Photo: Eamonn Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Irish author Nuala O’Faolain in her Dublin Home. 12/9/1997 Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Irish author Nuala O’Faolain in her Dublin Home. 12/9/1997 Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Irish author Nuala O’Faolain in her Dublin Home. 12/9/1997 Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Irish author Nuala O’Faolain in her Dublin Home. 12/9/1997 Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Ballagh Retrospective. Irish artist Robert Ballagh with his portrait of former taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fail Charles Haughey 'The Decade of Endeavour', during the hanging of his retrospective exhibition at the RHA Gallery in Dublin. It opens tonight and runs untill the 22nd of October. 14/9/2006. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Ballagh Retrospective. Irish artist Robert Ballagh with his combination 'Two Men And A Gottleib', 'Woman and a Soulages' and 'Woman And A Capogrossi' during the hanging of his retrospective exhibition at the RHA Gallery in Dublin. 14/9/2006. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

21/7/2014. Playwright Tom Murphy and Tony award-winning director Garry Hynes pictured at the launch of the programme for the 2014 Dublin Theatre Festival. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

 Playwright Tom Murphy and Tony award-winning director Garry Hynes pictured at the launch of the programme for the 2014 Dublin Theatre Festival, on the Rosie Hackett Bridge in the very heart of Dublin City. The programme included Druid’s world premiere of Tom Murphy’s new play Brigit, presented in a double-bill alongside Murphy’s acclaimed Bailegangaire, directed by Garry Hynes. 21/7/2014. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Iish playwright Tom Murphy at the launch of a season of his plays which took place in the Abbey Theatre Dublin. 27/8/2001. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Irish playwright Tom Murphy at the launch of a season of his plays which took place in the Abbey Theatre Dublin. 27/8/2001. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

One of Irelands greatest playwrights Tom Murphy, pictured in the Abbey  Theatre rehearsal room, as he takes a break on the first day of rehearsals for the theatres production of his play, The House. 21/7/2014. Photo: Leon Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

  Irish playwrigh Tom Murphy,  and Director of the Abbey Theatre, Fiach Mac Conghail pictured in the theatres  rehearsal room on the first day of rehearsals for the Abbey Theatre production of his play The House. The House premiered at the Abbey Theatre in 2000 and this new production, directed by Annabelle Comyn will opened on 13th June. 23/4/2012. Photo:Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

 Edna O'Brien, as she is honoured at the Gaiety Theatre in a handprint ceremony. The ceremony coincides with the world premiere of her stage play the Country Girls which opens at the Gaiety Theatre from Monday 7th to Saturday 12th of November 2011 and is now running at Garter Lane Theatre, Waterford until Saturday 5th November. 17/10/2011. Photo: Leon Farrell © RollingNews.ie

Celebrated Irish author Edna O'Brien, was presented with the Irish PEN/A.T. Cross Literary Award by the President for her lifetimes work at a special ceremony in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. 2/1/2001 Photo: Joe Dunne © RollingNews.ie

Celebrated Irish author Edna O'Brien was presented with the Irish PEN/A.T. Cross Literary Award by the President for her lifetimes work at a special ceremony in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. 2/1/2001 Photo: Joe Dunne © RollingNews.ie

Great Expectations. Irish poet Seamus Heaney, at Merrion Strand, near his home in Dublin, Ireland, shortly before he won the Nobel Prize. 1995. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

Great Expectations. Irish poet Seamus Heaney, at Merrion Strand, near his home in Dublin, Ireland, shortly before he won the Nobel Prize. 1995. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie

J.P. Donleavy, author of the Ginger Man, beside the River Liffey, before giving a reading from his latest work 'The Lady Who Liked Clean Rest Rooms', at a Guinness Writers Lunch in Temple Bar. Dublin, Ireland. 20/4/1995. Photo: Eamonn Farrell. © RollingNews.ie