Cheers! In 2026, I will continue to share something I have drawn, read, and listened to every week.

Drawing

Reading

In the Netherlands, we know Peter Vandermeersch primarily as the former editor-in-chief of NRC, but he is now CEO of Mediahuis in Ireland. This is not a surprising move, given that his wife is Irish and he himself is a great lover of the country. He writes about it at length in his 600-page book Ireland.

Vandermeersch lives in Greystones, just south of Dublin. My family comes from Malahide, just north of Dublin. Much of what I have come to find so typically Irish in 40 years as a half-Irish1 person is mentioned: the obsession with tea, the amount of salt in the food, or swimming in the Irish sea in winter. And, of course, the familiar topics, such as pub culture, Guinness, Irish music, and the high school where U2 found each other after Larry Mullen posted a note on the bulletin board. Yes, my aunt was there at the time. No, she didn't see Larry's note. Too bad.

But also recent additions, such as the Barack Obama Plaza2. Because, yes, Obama's third great-grandfather lived in Moneygall and emigrated to America in 1850. Now you can fill up your car there. A nice tribute.

I was already quite familiar with the cause of that gigantic Irish diaspora and population decline. The Great Famine, years of emigration. But I actually knew too little about many Irish topics. Gaelic sports. Irish politics. The complicated Troubles. I picked up bits and pieces. Sometimes while I was in Ireland myself. Like the Omagh bombing: as a 12-year-old, that made a big impression on me.

The book Ireland is a nice overview for those who already know the country or want to get to know it better.

Listen

Anyone who hears Cameron Winter's unique voice and wants to hear more will quickly come across Dove Ellis. The 22-year-old Ellis from Galway, Ireland, even played as the opening act for Winter's band Geese during their US tour. Ellis is also often compared to singers such as Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake. His debut album was released last December. And indeed, it is beautiful.

Slán. See you next week!