People

'I hate talking about my work, because nobody fucking understands me." He says it with a broad grin, though, so it's not precious. Michael Keegan Dolan is in the middle of watching his set being built at the O'Reilly theatre in Dublin. Bits of wood and metal are stacked in piles, structures being levered into place. There is a long trough at the front of the stage, with a pierced metal tube being raised above it. He grins like a child at Christmas, albeit a slightly wild-eyed one. The trough is for the final scene.

Gardaí in Donegal tried to frame Frank McBrearty (Jr) for a murder that never happened. The result was the Morris Tribunal and the worst scandal ever to hit the Irish police force. This week, after almost nine years, McBrearty eventually won €1.5million from the State for what happened. Profile by Gerard Cunningham

His latest novel has made the Booker Prize shortlist. But life, and literature, hasn't always been so kind to Sebastian Barry. By Colin Murphy. Photograph by Derek Speirs

Cecilia Ahern has picked up further recognition for PS, I Love You with awards this month in Britain and Germany. She tells John Byrne what it's like to be the Taoiseach's daughter and a 23 year old millionaire, and how she's particularly popular with male readers in Germany.

John McGahern lopes into the Westbury Hotel, shakes hands enthusiastically, as if he was being interviewed for a job, not a magazine. He makes conversation gently, generically ("Eddie Hobbs is the man of the moment," he laughs, "the politicians don't like him anyway") and answers the initial questions with polite efficiency.

Fianna Fáil invited Robert Putnam to tell them about using social capital to improve the quality of life for the people of Ireland. Colin Murphy profiles Bertie's guru

The further into retirement he gets, the more dewey-eyed we become of John Giles' playing career. But Ireland's best soccer pundit tells Daire Whelan tells that he's weary of nostalgia

PROFILE: Former Sinn Féin vice president, trade union leader and businessman Phil Flynn was charged last week with possession of a pen-gun. Despite being at a low point in his career, having recently resigned from a number of public positions this year, close associates still believe he will bounce back. By John Byrne

Northern Irish woman, Orlaith McAllister, is causing more than a stir, at home and amongst the viewers. Tom Galvin on the latest Big Brother entrant

Catherine Byrne worked her way up through local activism, while Deirdre Clune is the latest member of a Cork political dynasty. John Byrne profiles the new Lord Mayors of Dublin and Cork