The French were the first to embrace his unique blend of quirky alternative folk-rock-pop, sending Charlie Winston's debut single 'Like A Hobo' to the top of the charts on its release last year and his album 'Hobo' to number 1 and huge sales (it is now certified platinum). French newspaper Le Figaro went as far as to baptise him as the singer it had been waiting for since Bob Dylan or Tom Waits.

Bootleg returns with an excellent line up to start its 2010. The exciting Le Galaxie headline with support coming from Cork bands Cajole and Bully and Thotbott. Le Galaxie have made their name as an instrumental synth band that is staking a claim to be the best Irish electro-dance band around. They describe their music as "musical maximalism", "high-energy mega electro rock" and as sounding like "collapsing synth supernovas and thunderous drum star fields".

The sad demise, hopefully temporarily, of the much loved Kino has opened a gap in the art-house, independent cinema market in Cork. This niche is being rapidly filled and the latest is Cork Cine Club at the Half Moon Theatre. Films that represent the cream of world cinema will be shown on ten Sunday evenings kicking off on Sunday 21 February.

Thursday 18 February
What: Fundraiser for Haiti with Mick Flannery, The Roaring Forties + more
Where: The Savoy
When: 8pm

The definitive feel-good musical, Guys and Dolls, is the first fully staged musical to be performed at CIT's Cork School of Music Stack Auditorium. It is a classic from the golden period of musicals and ran for more than 1,200 performances. This production opens on Wednesday 24 February, for four performances only.

Menopause the Musical has a strange ring to it. Maybe I'm not the target audience however. If you are of the other persuasion, then it could be more your thing. It has been hugely successful all over the world and returns to Ireland again. The previous West End run and Irish tour were a hit with audiences and critics alike.

Louth comedian Patrick McDonnell must be familiar to everyone from his numerous appearances on some of the most popular shows on Irish television. The longest running show he was involved in is the ever popular Naked Camera, together with PJ Gallagher and our own Maeve Higgins. The hidden camera show has run for three series and its popularity shows no signs of flagging.

Ponyo, also known as Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, is an adorable tale of a magical fish-girl called Ponyo (voiced by Noah Lindsey Cyrus) who becomes enamoured with a human boy, Sosuke (Frankie Jonas). The film is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, who is most well known for his other widely released animated films, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle.

Patrick McDonnell, City Limits, Saturday 20 February @ 9pm.
Louth comedian Patrick McDonnell has appeared on some of the most popular shows on Irish television. He is in the ever-popular Naked Camera, together with PJ Gallagher and our own Maeve Higgins. The hidden camera show has run for three series.

The Irish premiere of Marion Wyatt's version of 'The Good Sisters' is almost upon us. I caught up with two different but also very similar members of the cast. Our two interviewees bookend the age range of the play's cast. Precocious Laura Noonan is only 18 but has lived in London for the past few years, while Noreen Prendergast is a veteran of theatre in Cork and has had a long and decorated career.