Across:
1 Take your pick (SAMPLE) of meals (meals) prepared (= anagram indicator) (meals = SAM-LE) around park (-P-) (SAMPLE),
4 Playing (= anagram indicator) on cellos (on cellos = COLONELS) or working on the base? (COLONELS working on army base)
9 Head barman (Attorney General = -AG-) in bar (LIN-E) (LINAGE) produces a measure synonymous with the journalists (LINAGE),
10 Leave local? (UP STICKS) It’s not down (UP) the country! (the STICKS) (UP STICKS),
12 What one of the beach bums might take (DECK CHAIR) from Grace (grace/enhance = DECK) Chesterfield? (Chesterfield sofa/seat = CHAIR) (DECK CHAIR)
13 Look (EY-E) over rental income tips (‘Rental Income’ tips = -RI-) (EYRIE) that might appeal to high flyers (EYRIE),
14 Launching (FIRING) complete outfits (SQUADS) (FIRING SQUADS) for those who are presumably dressed to kill aiming to hit their targets (FIRING SQUADS)
18 Running (EXERCISE) with the first Bush (the first ‘Bush’ = B-) for US president? (Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower = -IKE) (EXERCISE BIKE) This helps to work out on the spot, you’re going nowhere: it’s all spin! (EXERCISE BIKE),
21 A wake-up call (ALARM) for team dumped by Alma Mater (‘team’ dumped by ‘Alma Mater’ = almar = ALARM),
22 Gardaí have a job doing this? (DETECTION) The thieves have a job avoiding it! (DETECTION),
24 Open lock (open lock) swimming (= anagram indicator) (open lock = POLO-NECK) in a piece of clothing (POLO-NECK),
25 Grasped by one of those at death’s door (Grim Reaper / SCYTHE) with chesty (chesty) problem (= anagram indicator) (chesty = SCYTHE),
26 Plain (ORDINARY) and simple? (ORDINARY),
27 Blind panic (TERROR) on first tee (first ‘Tee’ = T-) leads to inaccuracy (-ERROR) (TERROR).
Down:
1 Toughen up (SOLIDIFY) rock (= anagram indicator) idols (idols = SOLID-) if (-IF-) going to Glastonbury at last ('glastonburY' at last = -Y) (SOLIDIFY),
2 German cousin releases song (‘German cousin’ releases ‘song’ = ermancui = MANICURE) – anyone who has had a nail-biting experience will appreciate it (MANICURE),
3 Reason (LOGIC) police dog failed to get dope (‘police dog’ failed to get ‘dope’ = olicg = LOGIC),
5 They make the best of the chance of a lifetime (OPPORTUNISTS) going up (= reverse indicator) river (River Po = OP-) to harbours (ports = -POR-TS) around African capital (capital of Tunisia = -TUNIS-) (OPPORTUNISTS),
6 Where you might find Cliff (cliff is ON THE EDGE) close to losing it (ON THE EDGE),
7 It’s just more (ENCORE) of what the fans asked for in the end (ENCORE),
8 Mass hysteria ignoring Sharia (‘mass hysteria’ ignoring ‘Sharia’ = msyste = SYSTEM) practice (SYSTEM),
11 One of those in 16 down perhaps (‘minister’ = MASS-PRODUCER) is a man of the cloth? (MASS-PRODUCER),
15 One hoping not to get stumped later (NEXT MAN IN – is the cricketeer who is waiting for someone else to be dismissed) is coming up (coming up = NEXT) with worker (man = MA- -N) getting to grips with popular (in) Rising (= reverse indicator) (in = -N I-) (NEXT MAN IN),
16 Is responsible for the department (MINISTER) preaching to the masses? (MINISTER),
17 Dancer’s partner (REINDEER) is a present-day worker? (‘present day’ = Christmas day worker = REINDEER)
19 Dress (= anagram indicator) shop (shop = S-PHO) welcomes a (-A-) quiet (soft/piano = -P-) (SAPPHO), old female writer (Greet poet = SAPPHO),
20 A place for scientists (lab) set up (= reverse indicator) (lab = BAL-) by the foreign (‘the’ French = la = -LA-) director (-D) (BALLAD) in the fields of Athenry (Pete St. John’s The Fields of Athenry = BALLAD),
23 Recurring series (CYCLE) at the end of 18 across similarly (at the end of ‘exercise bike’ = bike = similar to CYCLE).