Across:
8 Influence (FACTOR) of female (F-) in the abbey (-ACTOR in The Abbey Theatre) (FACTOR),
9 Tom (C-AT) admits difficulty (-HITCH-) (CHITCHAT) with small talk (CHITCHAT),
10 Mix (STIR) contents of recipes tirelessly (contents of ‘recipes tirelessly’= STIR),
11 Father (rev =VER-) flipped over (= reversal indicator) pests (-MICE-) returning (= reversal indicator) unhealthy (-ILL = -LLI) (VERMICELLI) Italian dish (VERMICELLI),
12 Nun excluded from what’s announced (‘announced’ without ‘nun’ = anoced = DEACON) filling in for the priest (DEACON),
14 It brings everything to an end (DOOMSDAY), upsetting (= reversal indicator) mood (mood = DOOM-) with talk (-S-AY) about old Penny (old penny = -D-) (DOOMSDAY),
15 Geriatric’s study (OLD-AGE) with links to writer (PEN-) and senior (senior = -SIONER) boss (= anagram indicator) (OLD-AGE PENSIONER) in the 90s (OLD-AGE PENSIONER),
18 One (I-) atlas in (atlas in = -TALIANS) production (= anagram indicator) (ITALIANS) is for the Europeans (ITALIANS),
20 Stalin’s henchman (Lavrentiy Beria = -BERIA) behind (= positional indicator) independent (I-) (IBERIA) European peninsula (IBERIA),
22 Identified (POINTED OUT) as having a tip (POINTED) for boxing match (bout) starting off (b) (‘bout’ without ‘b’ = OUT) (POINTED OUT),
24 Revolutionary leader (Wolfe TONE) gets to draw the line of borders (‘to draw the line’ of borders = TONE),
25 Post (P-) copy (-APE-) to church (Roman Catholic = -R C-) for increase (-UP) (PAPER CUP) – it may hold water (PAPER CUP),
26 Motorway (-M-) parking (-P-) in our country (E-IRE) (EMPIRE) is big business (EMPIRE).
Down:
1 Let art (let art = RATTLE) distract (= anagram indicator) noisy type (RATTLE),
2 “Stewardess kicks out Swedes” (‘stewardess’ kicks out ‘Swedes’ = tars = STAR) – The Sun (STAR),
3 PR novice (PR novice = PROVINCE) working (= anagram indicator) for Leinster (PROVINCE),
4 Sample of hard disc – a revelation (sample of ‘hard disc – a revelation’ = SCAR) that will mark you for life (SCAR),
5 First-class (AI-) miner (“miner” = “minor” = -KID-) says (= homophone indicator) nothing (-O) (AIKIDO) as a form of self-defence (AIKIDO),
6 Security are aware of this (ACCESS CODE) approach (ACCESS) and delivery method (cash on delivery = COD-) for drug (-E) (ACCESS CODE),
7 Type of dinner (GAME) dance (BALL) opens (= positional indicator) (GAME BALL) golf tournament (BALL GAME),
13 Took issue with (CHALLENGED) trial (CHALLENGE-) date (-D) (CHALLENGED),
14 Lee’s (lees/sediment = DREGS) daughters missing Utah (‘daughters’ missing ‘Utah’ = dgers = DREGS),
16 Is it along the shore (LITTORAL) – it sounds (= homophone indicator) very precise? (“literal” = “LITTORAL),
17 Period of work (SHIFT) is fundamental (KEY) (SHIFT KEY) – it’ll change the capital (SHIFT KEY on keyboard for capital letters),
19 Butcher (= anagram indicator) cagey (cagey = AGE-CY) about new (-N-) (AGENCY) business (AGENCY),
21 Turn a blind eye to (IGNORE) Gore in (Gore in = IGNORE) trouble (= anagram indicator),
23 How clumsy of me (OOPS) as Enid left poisoned (‘Enid’ left ‘poisoned’ = poso= OOPS),
24 Nuggets of advice (TIPS) for Polish partner (polish partner: ‘spit and polish’ = spit = TIPS) retiring (= reversal indicator).