Across:
8 Pencil pusher inches away (‘pencil pusher’ ‘inches’ away/without ‘inches’ = pelpur = PURPLE) from the likes of Violet (PURPLE),
9 Study group (CLASS-) for half of the medics (half of the ‘medics’ = -ICS) (CLASSICS) with Greek and Latin (CLASSICS),
10 Press (IRON) review (= reversal indicator) of emerging minorities (emerging ‘minorities’ = nori = IRON),
11 Driving forces behind (SPEARHEADS) a padre she’s (a padre she’s = SPEARHEADS) unsettled (= anagram indicator),
12 Resist leaving dessert wines (‘resist’ leaving ‘dessert wines’ = deswne = SWEDEN) in the country (SWEDEN),
14 The one o’clock from Newry perhaps (time in Newry, Co Down = DOWN TIME) constitutes a lack of productivity (DOWNTIME),
15 An authority on a number of flat races, presumably (an authority on the Classic horseraces = CLASSICS SCHOLAR), in 9 across (‘classics’ = CLASSICS) and most of those in 25 across (most of the ‘scholars’ = SCHOLAR) (CLASSICS SCHOLAR),
18 Urges (IMPULSES) one (I-) to open machine (open ‘machine’ = -M-) for signs of life (-PULSES) (IMPULSES),
20 Harden (OSSIFY) to lack of profit (loss) starting off (l) (‘loss’ without ‘l’ = OSS-) in the event that (-IF-) it brings an end to prosperity (end to ‘prosperity’ = -Y) (OSSIFY),
22 Groups of musicians (BRASS BANDS) supporting women (BRAS-) opening snack (opening ‘snack’ = -S) bars (bars/stripes = BANDS) (BRASS BANDS),
24 Dancers drop Ned (‘dancers’ drop ‘Ned’ = acrs = SCAR) and Mark (mark/blemish = SCAR),
25 Students (SCHOLARS) of 7 down? (of ‘academia’ = SCHOLARS),
26 Shanghai (shanghai/kidnap = ABDUCT) Takeaway? (take away = ABDUCT).
Down:
1 Work in The Underground (BURROW) or Tunnel (BURROW),
2 Quick trip (SPIN) around the Spanish Main (around the ‘Spanish Main’ = SPIN),
3 He’s (HE-S-) left (-L-) inside writing material (-INK-) from institute (-I) (HELSINKI) in Europe (HELSINKI),
4 Some of the tabbouleh carried (some of the ‘tabbouleh carried’ = ehca = ACHE) back (= reversal indicator) – it could give one a pain in the stomach (ACHE),
5 Frenchman (Monsieur = M-) needs one of those in 11 across to function (-ARROW needs one of the ‘spearheads’ to function) (MARROW) – that’s the bones of it? (MARROW in bones),
6 Evict from service stations (‘evict’ from ‘service stations’ = sersations = ASSERTIONS) for opinions (ASSERTIONS),
7 Type of college life (ACADEMIA) is appealing to 15 across (ACADEMIA is appealing to ‘classics scholar’),
13 Talk (DISCUSSION) of rock (= anagram indicator) discos in US (discos in US = DISCUSSION),
14 Checks for prints (DUSTS for prints) of hero getting off studhorse (‘hero’ getting off ‘studhorse’ = studs = DUSTS),
16 Colourful type (LIME-) of building unit (brick) that needs no introduction (b) (‘brick’ without ‘b’ = -RICK) (LIMERICK) to one of those in Munster (LIMERICK),
17 Pub (-BAR) behind (= positional indicator) bridge (CROSS-) (CROSSBAR) provides seating for the girlfriend looking for a lift (bicycle CROSSBAR),
19 Coach (bus = SUB-) retires (= reversal indicator) and opens warehouse and yard (opens/first letters of “warehouse and yard” = -WAY) (SUBWAY) by underpass (SUBWAY),
21 Old money (French FRANC-) from Oriental (east = -E) (FRANCE) country (FRANCE),
23 Sample of the T-bone steaks (sample of the ‘T-bone steaks’ = NEST) or chicken box (NEST),
24 Drink (SODA) from bottle in Valparaíso dairy (bottle in ‘Valparaíso dairy’ = SODA).