Irish Times (Crosaire) - December 31 2019 Crossword Puzzle Solution

Irish Times (Crosaire) - Dec 31 2019 

Clues	Answers
Amusing retiring characters in small order	DROLL
Begin work to hire American celebrity for lead in Transformers	GETASTART
Book dealers asked out to dance in Madrid	BOLERO
Brought joy to young man getting to study in, for example, flipping Dublin	GLADDENED
Citadel in ruin is the very same	IDENTICAL
Club admits shortfall relates to initial costs - is there something familiar about that?	BLACKCAT
Concealed by Pietro Badoglio going back to cancel launch	ABORT
Cover again a fair amount of study for Spud	RERECORD
First mate cuts raft with a number of objects	ITEMS
Game to open 18 across	TENNIS
Host is not part of threesome with unconventional Arab leader?	EMEER
It's more reasonable to take tons out of rainforest	FAIRER
Most of the analysis on promissory notes is academic	STUDIOUS
Noise produced by half of those in 18 across	RACKET
Notice in complex doesn't do health any good	NICOTINE
Perceived as aggressive and depressed over family on heroin and ecstasy	SKINHEAD
Ruth's novel set during Christmas and just before Easter	HOLYTHURSDAY
Slips in playground	SLIDES
Snippet from Alien - a reminder of a much-loved one, just in case	LOCKET
Sporting facilities produced by those in 1 across and 20 down	TENNISCOURTS
Stepping out with young ladies from the Moulin Rouge	DANCINGGIRLS
The actor playing one of The Two Popes	THEOCRAT
Thuggish leader in Clare linked to shady business is subject of underhand tactics in court	TENNISRACKET
Too wound up to relax on the foreign ship	RESTLESS
Trout swimming ahead of salmon in school	TUTORS
Where one is charged for driving on course with Count? Expect drama here!	TOLLGATE
Wild roar over casket produced by one with a job down the pit?	ORCHESTRA
Woos Simon away from consortiums	COURTS