Irish Scene January February 2015

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Western Australia’s

NewYear

www.irishscene.com.au

Volume 17 Number 2 Jan/Feb 2015

Make a clean start to the

Australia!

1932 - 2015

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam

In this Issue....

• Eric Bogle for Fly by Night • Sharon Shannon returns • O’Reilly Bunbury Events • New Fenian’s Food Review • An Sibin Irish Pub Opens • Australia Day at Cure • Bon Voyage Joe • Minister Deenihan visits Sisters • Book Reviews • Sports RECRUITMENT SPECIALISTS

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One of the highlights of the recent visit of Jimmy Deenihan TD to Western Australia was going to St John of God retirement home in Subiaco. On being told that there were a number of Kerry sisters living in the complex, Minister Deenihan made a change to his itinerary to facilitate a visit. I had passed on a number of books from Sr Romanus Dee and on reading them the minister was insistent that he would like to visit the home. Not sure of what he was to experience, I told the minister that for starters he will be welcomed by Sr Romanus who will be at the door waiting the visit. And that she was, with a call to the other sisters “The mob have arrived”.

That’s Sr Romanus at her diplomatic best. With that comment the whole atmosphere became relaxing and the Minister Deenihan spent a few hours with the sisters. The following is an article penned by Minister Minister Jimmy Deenihan with Sister Romanus Dee, Sister Patricia Deenihan for the Kerryman newspaper.

O’Sullivan, Sister Maureen Lovett and Sister Lucilla Prendivllle.

Fred Rea All four have very vivid recollections as well as fond memories of their youth in Kerry.

From THE KERRYMAN I Wednesday, December 3, 2014 When I inquired as to why they had joined their particular order, they all agreed that they were inspired by the philosophy of the St John of God Order, in particular the Devotion of the Order to the care of the sick and the needy. Since they joined the Order they have continued to live up to its principles and to the message of the Gospels.

They all now reside in a special retirement home Diaspora Minister Jimmy Deenihan found the ties to home remain strong for a group of Kerry nuns whose where they continue to live very interesting lives, mostly devoted to prayer and meditation. I wish I had more lives in Australia have been anything but ordinary. time with them but at least I had a chance to speak to all DURING my recent visit to Australia, I had the four individually, if briefly.

Sister Romanus Dee, who is now a prolific writer, privilege of meeting many Kerry people - some recent arrivals since 2008, others who have lived there for was born in Abanagran Ballylongford in 1930. She was the eighth of ten children, to Jeramiah and Nora Dee. She years.

What struck me most about them was the attachment has penned four books including one on the lives of a and deep-rooted affection they all share for their native number of the St John of God sisters- “Ordinary WomenExtraordinary Lives’ as well as an autobiography ‘Have county. It’s an affection that never wanes.

Their jubilant response to Kerry’s victory in the You Met This Woman’.

At this stage of her life she is revered and loved by recent Ail-Ireland confirms that attachment, with Gaelic football the sporting glue that binds the diaspora no her colleagues. At 84 years she is still a most energetic matter where it is. The love and appreciation of the person and very much part of the everyday life of the scenic Kerry landscape, I discovered, makes for another convent. She has a remarkable story to tell about her shared conviction and there are very few places in the formative years growing up on a farm in Abanagran, world that can rival it in that respect. Equally remarkable going to Primary School in Ballylongford and Secondary was their love of their native culture and their pride in at St Ita’s College in Tarbert. She told me how she their famous poets and writers. Exile has not diluted was influenced to enter the St John of God Novitiate their loyalties and has served if anything to nurture in Ballinamore Co Mayo by her cousin, Sister Baptise their memories and sentiments about the places they Kissane from Killcox Lisselton, in 1949. She can still recall her twenty-six day voyage from Southampton left behind.

My visits to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth to Perth on the Ship ‘Dominion Monarch’ in 1951.Her during my trip, afforded me an opportunity to meet nursing career spanned a period of 30 years followed many Kerry people in these cities. It was reassuring to by thirteen years of full Pastoral Care, two years in learn they are doing so well and making a significant Parish Visitation and eight years as director of a house contribution to the Australian community. While in of prayer.

Sister Patricia O’Sullivan from Bonane near Kenmare Perth I visited St John of God Convent in Subiaco where I had the privilege of meeting four special Kerry nuns travelled on the ship ‘Esperance Bay’ to Perth in 1951 - Sister Romanus Dee, Sister Patricia O’Sullivan, Sister also.

After a very successful period in nursing education Maureen Lovett and Sister Lucilla Prendiville.

The time I spent with them, listening to their stories she went to Pakistan for fourteen years, where she and to their remarkable achievements was both uplifting specialised in improving the level of nursing care amongst the staff in a number of hospitals. She also and inspirational.

EXTRAORDINARY LIVES OF KERRY NUNS IN AUSTRALIA

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weather we were used to at Christmas in Ireland. It was a lonely time for me and my colleagues but we supported and comforted one another which made it easier for all of us.

It would be 1969 before I returned to Minister Deenihan and Sister Romanus Ireland again. Trips Dee having a chat to Ireland were based on seniority, so I had to wait my turn. I used to write home regularly. The reply was always eagerly anticipated. It took three weeks for a letter to reach Ireland at that time and there were no phones,” she recalled.

Sr. Lucilla worked for many years as a nurse and midwife. After her retirement she continued to do house visits and charity work. She hopes to visit Ireland in 2016. As she said, ‘I haven’t bade my last farewell to Ireland yet’. The nuns from Kerry were not present at the time of my visit, Sr. Petrus Enright of Asdee and Sr. Lorenzo Morrissey from Ballylongford.

The sisters at Subiaco are representative of the many nuns who left our county to devote their lives to the welfare of others. They have certainly lived up to the letter and spirit of the Order and are a credit to their county.

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organised vaccination clinics in remote villages in Pakistan. Although she is now in semi-retirement in the Convent in Subiaco, she still finds time to participate in mothers’ and babies’ programmes in the community.

Sister Maureen Lovett, who is a member of the wellknown Lovett family from Kilmoyley, joined Saint John of God with her sister, Sister Josepha. When she arrived in Australia she was accepted into the University of Western Australia and graduated with a BSC Degree.

She joined the pathology unit of St John of God Hospital and is widely acknowledged for her pioneering work in developing pathology services in Western Australia.

Sr. Maureen and her four sisters joined religious orders, four joined the St. John of God Order and one joined the Mercy Order. She also has a brother, a priest Fr. Xavier in the United States. Her brother, Declan, lives in Kilmoyley and another brother, Sean, passed away some time ago. At 91 years she has a remarkable memory and is very proud of her family’s contribution to the Catholic Church.

Sister Lucilla Prendiville was born in 1932. She was the sixth of eight children of Bridie and Maurice Prendeville of Glenlarhn’, Cordal. She developed an interest in joining the John of God Order following a visit to her school by Sr. Baptise Kissane who was a very charismatic figure. She too has a very clear recollection of the tiresome voyage to Australia and of her first Christmas away from home.

“I arrived in Australia on the 24th of December 1953. It was extremely hot and not at all like the

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THE IRISH CREDIT CRUNCH Was that our Famine?

E

very Irish school child has and presumably still is educated about the Famine, and rightly so. Even in the long and frequently bloody history of Ireland there is no single event to rival it for death and disease, hardship and horror and overall impact.

A sequence of events built up to the catastrophe and created the circumstances for it to happen and in more than one way the country has been recovering from it ever since. It is commonly agreed that the Great Hunger began in 1845 and roughly ended in about 1852. That was 169 years ago and it is likely the significance of that traumatic event will never be forgotten. But would we recognise it in different clothing?

It is possible that this generation of Irish people has endured a modern day equivalent of the Famine. Of course the loss of life in the potato famine was immense and exceeded more than a million victims in just a few years. Nothing could compare to that, and there is no attempt here to underplay the significance of their deaths. But the events and effects of the last six years are not unlike those of the Famine in its era and comparisons can be drawn between the two.

It is thought that the blight that wiped out the Irish potato crops was carried to Ireland by ship from North America. Once it arrived it found the conditions were ideal and it wasn’t difficult for it to take hold and spread.

A major factor in the crash of the Irish - if not the global - economy was the the collapse of Lehman Brothers in New York in September 2008.

This Big Apple financial powerhouse had $600 billion in assets and the impact of the corporate bankruptcy was felt across the world. The Irish economy had already started to show signs of slowing down and weakness but this fatal blow came like a coward’s punch, from behind and without warning. The Irish gov-

by Lloyd Gorman

ernment stepped in and went guarantor on more than $400 billion of debt in Irish banks, which proved to be a costly mistake. As the banking and financial system crumbled developers who had speculated on the promise of a never ending source of cash and endless profits found that money was in short supply. Where once these sectors has been the heavy lifters of the economic boom they rapidly imploded and took the rest of the economy, and society, with them.

A direct result of this crash was a drastic fall in employment. New jobs dried up and people with jobs found themselves being squeezed by the situation. Young people starting out and those who had been in the market place for quite some time found themselves facing a common problem, and often a shared solution. In the face of a lack of work emigration became the only way out. During the short period of time of the Famine it is estimated that at least a million Irish fled overseas.

The wave of emigration sparked by this crisis cannot quite equal those numbers, but the statistics bandied about for those who have left since 2008 are impressively frightening.

Between 1,000 and 2,000 people a week have left the country to find work. One respected financial newspaper reported that an Irish person was emigrating every six seconds.

Even for a country with a long history and tradition of emigration, these figures are out of the ordinary. The flow of people has been seen across

6

the planet, and perhaps in Perth more than most.

The Irish countryside is littered with the forgotten and overgrown shells of stone cottages and homes which have over time become a part of the landscape itself.

A great number of these decaying domiciles date back to Famine times or the years afterwards. Abandonment, eviction, hardship and emigration were just some of the factors that drove people away from the place where they, and their ancestors, had lived before them but stand today only as silent reminder that people, families and communities once thrived in these localities. The thousands of so called ‘Ghost Estates’ scattered across Ireland are the modern day version of this. Although the question of what to do with them is being handled very differently and these houses - often built in a hurry and often with inferior materials - are unlikely to endure as well or as long as the humble stone cottage has.

The Great Hunger lasted about six years which is roughly the same length of time this economic crisis seems to have lasted. On his trip to Australia, and Perth, the Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan said Ireland was experiencing growth, recognised as one of the best places in the world to do business and seeing a thousand jobs a week being created. He even encouraged people to return home if they wanted.

This talk is very reminiscent of the type of thing that was being said by those in government during the champagne years of the ‘Celtic Tiger’. Hopefully that growth, employment and new opportunities will be evenly distributed across the whole country and will not just be bubbles around big cities like Cork and Dublin.

Something similar happened in the wake of the Famine. Because so many people had died or left the country manpower became scarce

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which meant the available workforce could ask for better wages and conditions than they might have been able to before. People worked hard, but they could become prosperous relatively quickly, an ambition that would have been unthinkable in the depths of the hunger years.

The Famine came perilously close to completely destroying the Irish language as well as a recognisable way of life and culture that had existed for at least a thousand years. But in shaking the foundations of a country and its people it forced new and different ways of thinking about almost everything or at least expedited old ideas for a better way. Perhaps there was a determination to never allow the same situation to happen again. The post Famine years saw an explosion in agitation about land, work conditions and political rights.

It sparked a series of events and changes in Ireland - and England (Ireland was at the time a part of the British Union) - that it could be argued ultimately culminated in the push for a Home Rule bill and after this the 1916 Rebellion and the course of circumstances that lead to the creation of the modern and independent Irish nation.

That sovereignty was undermined by bad political decisions

in the run up to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) but also by the demands of the European Union and its banks on the bailout fund. That should never have happened. The EU says it is there for the mutual protection and enjoyment of its members but Irish leaders found themselves pressurised by the very agents that should have been helping them. One of the greatest ironies about the Famine is that Ireland was producing and exporting massive amounts of food while large sections of the population starved to death. Despite the unrelenting and sometimes unreasonable demands imposed on the bailout fund for Ireland, the country repaid its international financial obliga-

tions without fail. To do this the government made decisions that went hard on the population but at least that phase is over and the loan has been repaid. Hopefully now lessons will have been learned. An economy does not equal a society and opportunity should not be allowed to be squandered again.

During 2015 for the 170th anniversary of the start of the Great Irish Famine each issue of Irish Scene will feature an article that will attempt to look at it in a new way. Next issue will examine if the fallout from the Famine is something modern day Irish people carry in their DNA.

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County Tyrone in Glory (Part One)

By Peter Conole

The title of this series is adapted from the end lyrics of the once famous Irish drinking song Garryowen: “where’er we go they fear the name of Garryowen in glory”. There was a time, in the not so distant past, when the name of Marcus Clarke (18461881) meant something to numerous Australian readers. That literary man now seems to be remembered more for his bohemian lifestyle in colonial Melbourne than anything else. The County Tyrone family of which he was a member has been largely consigned to the dust bin of Australian memory because of certain nasty intellectual trends which took hold in the 1960s. In the Victorian Age the Clarkes were at times notable players on the world stage; they deserve some lastminute recognition.

One tradition makes the Clarkes a Scots-Irish family that arrived in Tyrone when King James 1 (reigned 1603-1625) was Lord of Ireland. However, it is worth noting Clarke is an old Irish family name (O’Cleirigh in Gaelic) and fairly common, particularly in the north-west. John Clarke turns up as a landowner or leaseholder in the townland of Grange near Cookstown, Tyrone, in the early 1700s. His son Andrew (born about 1735 at Cookstown) obtained holdings at Belmont in Donegal and the second of his four sons also named Andrew Clarke (1763-1836)-was born there. Later data on the family reveals they sometimes had financial problems so it could hardly be said they were wealthy or high in social status. They seem to have become staunch Church of Ireland folk and the younger Andrew Clarke was notably hostile to certain low-church Protestant denominations.

Andrew Clarke the second studied medicine, perhaps by way of an apprenticeship (a fairly common method) and found employment in the Royal Navy as an assistant surgeon. He served on the ship-of-the-line HMS ‘Dublin’ from 1782 until 1784. He then obtained a position as an army surgeon and was based in the West Indies in 1790, when he married Louisa Downing on the island of St Kitts. Their first son Andrew Clarke (the third) - the central figure of this piece - was born in 1793. After a British expedition under General Ralph Abercromby conquered the island of Trinidad in 1797 Dr Andrew Clarke decided to settle there. He acquired land and prospered, remaining on friendly terms with senior military personnel. Dr Clarke served in the local militia and eventually rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the Napoleonic Wars.

His son Andrew the third was well-educated and precocious. In 1806, at the tender age of 13 (yes, it could still mean front-line duty in those years), he

9

was commissioned as an Ensign in the 8th West Indian Regiment. The rank and file of the unit were free Caribbean blacks and slaves. The white officers did not have to purchase their commissions, which made it an attractive option for cash-strapped military men.

In 1807 all slaves in the regiment were freed as a reward for offering their services. In the same year the British Government abolished the slave trade and the navy soon began its long war to wipe out the trans-Atlantic side of the business.

Young Andrew Clarke impressed his senior officers. He won promotion without purchase to Lieutenant in 1808, aged 15, and transferred to the old and prestigious 46th Regiment of Foot into the bargain. The boy witnessed the hard hand of war before he turned 16. The 46th took part in the invasion and capture of the French island of Martinique in February 1809, a daring operation that was matched by the subsequent conquest of Guadeloupe in February 1810. Andrew distinguished himself and soon after the regiment returned to England he was promoted to Captain in 1813.

Transfer to the colony of New South Wales followed in 1814, a three-year tour of duty which ended badly when the regiment’s commanding officer squabbled with Governor Lachlan Macquarie. The latter arranged for the 46th to be transferred to the Madras district in India during July 1817, where it remained until 1833.

The sorry business did not trouble Clarke and he had done well when in temporary charge of the garrison at Port Dalrymple (Launceston) in Tasmania.

However, instead of going to India he took two years leave in England. He had become deeply religious and toyed with the idea of changing vocation. In the year 1818 Dr Andrew Clarke returned to Ireland from the West indies with his wife and two younger sons and set up house in the town of Strabane, County Tyrone. He wrote to his soldier son in January 1819, imploring him to stay put: “I am afraid you have got acquainted with some designing Methodist Parson. Surely a man may be as good a Christian in the army as in the Church...”

Andrew the younger agreed and rejoined the 46th at Madras, where he was promoted to Major in 1825. He took leave in England to unite with a young widow he had been courting. Andrew Clarke and Frances Jackson Lardner married at Teignmouth, Devon in 1823.

Three of their male offspring and a daughter reached adulthood. The first son - Andrew Clarke the fourth (1824-1902)-reached the heights of Victorian Age fame and glory.

The 46th Regiment was based in the north of Ireland

from 1833. In the year 1837 Major Andrew Clarke who must have been held in very high regard back in London - was made a Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order. One source notes he was among the last men to receive that rare honour. By then he had come into an inheritance and in 1839 he used it to purchase the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The transaction made him the regiment’s commanding officer. A transfer to the West Indies followed in 1842.

While serving in his second Caribbean stint Clarke held the position of Lieutenant Governor of Saint Lucia during 1843-1844; his conduct in the role won him further plaudits. It also attracted the attention of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, who was already being lobbied by an old friend of Clarke’s Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Irwin, Commandant in Western Australia. Whilst he was stationed at Cork back in Ireland in August 1845 Sir Andrew accepted the position of Governor of Western Australia. His correspondence reveals the increased salary was a prime factor in making the decision. Clarke provided his young folk with fine educations and maintained a household suitable to his station, hence his finances were stretched.

The Clarkes set sail on the ‘Cumberland ’ in October 1845. Only three family members went on the long voyage south - Sir Andrew, wife Frances and his stepdaughter Fanny Jackson. Son Andrew Clarke the fourth had graduated from Woolwich Military Academy and was now serving as an officer of engineers; the younger folk of the family had either begun their careers or where still at school in Britain.

Clarke arrived at Fremantle on January 26, 1846 and took over as Governor of the colony from John Hutt one day later.

After a few weeks of settling in and examining his new jurisdiction Sir Andrew admitted he was not at all impressed. He realised WA was in a bad way in regard to debt and infrastructure, with too few projects in place and many buildings and roads in poor shape. As for Government House, his residence and headquarters, the new Governor explained to his engineer son on February 17, 1846 that it was “miserably planned and in a state of dilapidation...it would take a thousand pounds to repair it but that is out of the question”.

To add to Clarke’s woes his most important subordinate, Colonial Secretary Peter Broun, was in poor health and out of action completely by mid-1846.

He died in the following December. Fortunately for the Governor a highly competent replacement was at his disposal - George Fletcher Moore, Advocate General of the colony, who acted as Colonial Secretary from July 1846. Moore was a County Tyrone man himself and this writer is of the belief the Clarkes and Moores must have been on cordial terms way back when in old Ireland. Moore married Clarke’s step-daughter Fanny Jackson in October 1846; he proved to be a well-

10

informed pillar of strength for the governor, as did Commandant Frederick Irwin.

Despite all difficulties about the economy, land regulations and infrastructure, Western Australia was back on its feet by the end of the year. In March 1846 the colony’s deficit budget turned into a surplus for the first time since 1843. Clarke called a meeting of the colonial Legislative Council in April to consider a range of options for improving economic matters.

Restrictive trade practices caused by harsh import duties were repealed, which amounted to an abolition of protectionism. In addition fees for pilotage of ships arriving in WA were abolished. The second measure made local ports free to the world and stimulated commerce.

Export trade also increased and the Governor helped by encouraging the timber industry and the building and repair of boats and small ships in the colony. As a result WA achieved a favourable trade balance and exported wool and timber to Britain, Mauritius, Ceylon and China. In September 1846 a WA mining company was founded and the discovery of a huge coal seam in the south-west soon afterwards opened up additional possibilities. In short, Clarke’s administration had brought about general economic improvement.

Unfortunately, before the middle of the year Sir Andrew’s personal circumstances were rather tragic.

By April 1846 it was common knowledge he had tuberculosis, often referred to as consumption, perhaps the most feared illness of the age. The disease gradually destroyed the capacity to breathe and there was no known remedy. Sufferers often traced the progress of tuberculosis by coughing into a white cloth to check the amount of blood being brought up from their failing lungs.

Governor Clarke worked on as best he could and received loyal assistance from Colonial Secretary Moore and Colonel Irwin. One of his last actions was to oppose the introduction of a convict system into the colony.

Some settlers had agitated for it even before he arrived in WA and they prepared a detailed petition for official consideration. Sir Andrew was obliged to accept the document, consult with a broad range of colonists and pass on the results to the Secretary of State in London whether he liked it or not. He forwarded the petition to Britain in January, 1847 and commented that “the great majority of the colonists were opposed to the project”.

During the remaining weeks of his life the Governor’s closest friends and relations disregarded any risks of infection and provided him with company and support. Colonel Irwin’s wife wrote an intimate account of Clarke’s last days, emphasising his affection and regret for family members he missed, particularly his oldest son Andrew the fourth. Irwin himself and others noted that Sir Andrew’s strong religious beliefs came to the fore so that in the end “he departed this life after a long and painful illness in which he exhibited a bright example of Christian faith and hope”.

Sir Andrew Clarke died on February 11, 1847. His remains lie in the old East Perth cemetery.

With Claire Wynne This Month’s Guest....

Allan Healy

of The Healy’s Who are you and where are you from?

I am a local musician here in Perth where I ply my trade with my two brothers Gavin and Nigel in a band called The Healys, but other than that I have pretty much done everything you can do in the music industry. I have played in original bands and cover bands, managed bands, recorded bands, been an event organizer, managed concert stages, given music lessons, written songs, mixed live bands, judged talent competitions, worked at Kosmic Sound, installed sound and lighting in nightclubs and pubs, owned an audio and lighting hire company called Sound Solutions and supplied equipment for events, DJs and backline to touring international acts. But now I just play with and manage The Healys which keeps me busy enough!

I am from Drogheda Co. Louth and moved to Perth in 1988 with my family at the age of 12. We are a very musical family. We also have a very talented younger sister, Nicollette, who is a guest singer on our new single ‘P Stands for Paddy’.

What instruments do you play?

My first instrument was piano; I took lessons for two years around the age of 7. I was always more interested in the drum kits at the music shop though. Then I began to teach myself how to play guitar, bass & drums when I was 15. I got my opportunity to play the drums when my brothers

asked me to join The Healys band in 1998.

Where can we see you gigging?

The best way to find us is our gig guide on our website, www.thehealys. com.au, and our facebook pages, www.facebook.com/thehealybrothers and www.facebook. com/thehealys and also www.facebook.com/ liveirishmusicinperth.

The venues we play are awesome so come and join us at J.B. O’Reilly’s, The Cure Irish Bar, Carnegies and 3Sheets.

What can we expect from an Al gig?

Variety! With over four thousand shows under our belt and a massive song repertoire The Healys are easily one of the most experienced bands in the Perth music scene today.

We can cater for everybody; young, old and everyone in between.

Favourite Irish musicians/ inspiration? Favourite Gig story?

My favourite Irish musicians would have to be my brothers, they are brilliant, but other than them my favourite Irish artists are Declan O’Rourke, Damien O’Kane, John Spillane, Snow Patrol, The Script, U2... I could go on and on.

I listen to a lot of different styles of music and take inspiration from all of it. I grew up listening to bands like The Beatles, Madness and Queen, then during my teenage years I found Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin which lead me on to everything from Metallica to Nirvana and then

during my twenties I would listen to Eric Clapton and similar blues rock guitarists. At the moment my favourite band is Biffy Clyro and I listen to a lot of David Gray and The Foo Fighters.

As you can see I am music crazy, I really just love it all and I feel very privileged to be able to go out every weekend and entertain the Irish Australian community. For that I would like to thank everyone who comes to The Healys shows.

For more information on The Healys, as well as all other Irish Music gigs around town, check out the “Live Irish Music in Perth” page on Facebook.

Claire Wynne Looking for Music for a Private Party or Wedding or any Celebration:

Call Claire on 0406 906 553

With all singers, insecurity is your best security. That’s why we’re such loud people and why we walk all funny. You think, ‘Are people interested?’ But I think our band has something and they know we don’t just put albums out. We do think about it. BONO.

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Ireland on the big screen? It can be anything. Photos can be as old or as recent, as relevant or as random as you like. We’d like to involve the community, young and old, in the re-design and to make the venue more interesting and inclusive to all our Irish visitors and Perth locals alike.

Photos can be: • Black & White or Colour • Any size • Framed or unframed • If possible, with a note of names & dates But please send us a copy and keep your original as this will be a permanent feature and photos will not be returned!

PHOTO APPEAL!

The Irish Club is currently rejuvenating the interior of the club and we’d like your help! We’d like to establish a “photo wall” showing the history of the Irish Community in Perth. Do you have photos you’d like to share? The photos could be anything that’s special to you- with any link (however loose!) to the Irish Club/community.

Maybe the first time you visited the Irish Club back then when – or you as a child attending Comhaltas or meeting someone famous from the Irish community or perhaps the night you watched your county win the All

Please either; • Drop your pictures in to the Club (join us for a pint!)

• Email them to irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au • Or post them to 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco, 6008.

Any queries, please contact Claire on 0406 906 553 or email wynneclaire@hotmail.com

“The most important things to do in the world are to get something to eat, something to drink and somebody to love you.”

Brendan Behan 13

Eric Bogle:

Spirituality in Song

O

ver the last few months I have discussed spiritualty in music many times with my good friend Frank Murphy. This was brought on after seeing a performance by Declan O’Rourke at the Fly By Night Club. Declan’s concert took many of us to places we seldom go and his inspirational lyric is something to behold.

Eric Bogle has also this ability to take us on a journey with his lyric. If I can quote John H Thornburn from The Folk Voice, Eric Bogle….

“The world we create and live in is fed by the stories and myths of our past, by their re-telling and reinterpreting. With regard to the past, we need to take note of ‘The rhetorical power of the tradition’. With regard to the future, the poet’s words pay ‘attention to the power of the language to propose an imaginative world to the one that seems to be at hand—alternative to the one in which the reader or listener thinks herself or himself enmeshed’.

This shaping of our world is given the title by some as a spirituality. ‘Spirituality is a certain attentiveness to life—an attentiveness which contains within itself a certain desire, a certain hopefulness, a certain anticipation. Spirituality is attention combined with intention’. From Ranson’s definition, there is an important distinction between spiritual and emotional. Both involve being touched by some element of life. However, where the emotion might pass, the spirituality goes beyond the immediate to the deep transforming story, comforted by it, or challenging to it or to those who abuse it in their interpretation.

It gives a basis for showing why Bogle is not a sentimentalist, just tugging on the heartstrings, but an influencer on the spirituality of Australia. His songs are attentive to life and to what the future is that we can create if we

have the intentionality”.

This takes me to Eric Bogle’s song, Shelter.

I remember Eric telling the story of the song beginnings at one of his concerts. He was returning to Australia from a trip back “home” to Scotland and was inspired when looking out the plane window with the beauty of Australia. He had come to the realisation that he was coming “home”. This is a subject many of us choose to deny but eventually we do say that Australia is home.

Read the words of Shelter as a poem and I do hope you will be inspired by the spirituality of the lyric. Suffice to say, it’s my favourite Bogle song.

SHELTER

I’m drowning in the sunshine As it pours down from the skies There’s something stirring in my heart, Bright colours fill my eyes.

From here to the far horizon Your beauty does unfold And oh, you look so lovely Dressed in green and gold.

And I can almost touch the ocean, Shimmering in the distant haze, As I stand here on this mountain, On this loveliest day of days, Round half the world I’d drifted, Left no wild oats unsown But now my view has shifted, And I think I’ve just come home.

To the homeless and the hungry May you always open doors, May the restless and the weary, Find safe harbour on your shores May you always be my dreamtime place, My spirit’s glad release, May you always be our shelter, May we always live in peace.

I am looking forward to seeing him in concert with John Munro and Pete Titchener on Fri 27 February at the Fly

by Night Club, Parry Street Fremantle.

Bookings: Tel 9430 5976. This will be one of the last gigs at the Fly in Fremantle as they are moving soon.

14

Fred Rea

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Ormonde DP Waters 1932 - 2015

RIP

My friend he was; my friend from all the rest; With childlike faith he oped to me his breast; No door was locked on altar, grave or grief; No weakness veiled, concealed no disbelief; The hope, the sorrow and the wrong were bare, And ah, the shadow only showed the fair!

From A Lost Friend by John Boyle O’Reilly

It is with great sadness that we inform our readers of the passing of Ormonde Waters.

Ormonde was a contributor of stories to our Irish Scene over many years. Ormonde was the writer of many books.

Thanks to his family, I had the privilege of visiting Ormonde only days ago and had a wonderful conversation with him. I saw him on the day of his passing and the support and love of his life-long partner Mina and his family was beautiful to see.

Born in County Cork, Ormonde Waters immigrated to Western Australia with his wife and family, from Laytown, County Meath in 1967 and pursued a successful career in the state public service. The family travelled on the Fairstar and settled in Bunbury.

He was recognised as the preeminent authority in his special areas of interest which include the life and works of John Boyle O’Reilly, the 62 Fenians transported to Western Australia on the last convict ship in 1868, and the Catalpa rescue of 1876.

Ormonde was the former editor of the Journal of the Australian Irish Heritage Association and past president of the Bunbury Historical Society and his latest book ‘The Fenian Wild Geese’ is regarded as the definitive work on the subject of the transported Fenians to Western Australia. Ormonde was also a regular attendee at the John Boyle O’Reilly Commemoration in Bunbury and the Easter Monday Catalpa Commemoration in Rockingham.

The challenge for the remaining supporters of the John Boyle O’Reilly and Fenian cause is to step up and continue his fine work. Ormonde was a genuine and committed person in his endeavours and his loss will be deeply felt not only in Western Australia but worldwide.

To Mina and his family our deepest sympathy and be comforted knowing that the flame lit by Ormonde will continue to burn in Western Australia.

Rest in peace friend agus Slán Abhaile a Chara.

Fred Rea

15

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The Poetry of Aged Care

By Diane Oldman

This is not about the institutions for aged care: the workhouses, infirmaries and old people’s homes of the 19th century, but about a specific section of the aged population. These were old soldiers discharged to pension for long service and/or injury sustained while fighting for their country. Poetry has been written about them.

F

rom 1850 to 1868 over a thousand Royal Warrant was issued. By the Spring military pensioners (termed ‘enrolled of 1856 the design of the medal had been pensioner force’), many with families, decided and was struck by Hancocks came to Western Australia as guards on (‘medal makers since 1849’). Boards of the convict ships. Some of these were Adjudication were set up to determine veterans of the Crimean War. One man those eligible for the award—the final was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, list not published in the London Gazette Private Thomas Grady, born Claddagh, until 23 June 1857. Thus Thomas had Co Galway, Ireland in 1835, enlisted in been out of the Army for eight months the 99th Foot in 1853. He transferred into when he received his award in person the 4th Regiment of Foot on 14 February from Queen Victoria at a parade in Hyde 1854, just in time for the first sailing of Park on 26 June—along with 61 others.

British troops to the East and after war In February 1857 Thomas was refused was declared in March it was onward to an increase in his pension on the grounds Private Thomas Grady the Crimean peninsula. Thomas, along ‘case not considered to come under the with 275,000 other British participants in the war, was clause of relating to gallant conduct, which should be awarded the Crimean and Turkish medals; his Crimean accompanied by extreme suffering from wounds.’ I’ll medal bore the clasps of Alma, Inkerman and Sevastopol. bet that particular public servant was red-faced when, On 18 October 1854 at Sevastopol, Thomas volunteered four months later, Thomas was awarded his Victoria to repair the embrasures of the Sailors’ Cross.

Grady’s Victoria Cross Battery on the Left Attack and carried at Australian out this task under very heavy fire from a War Memorial line of batteries. On 22 November during the repulse of a Russian attack, although severely wounded, Thomas refused to leave the front and his example encouraged the weak force which was engaging the enemy to maintain their position. These actions would ultimately win Thomas his Victoria Cross. Thomas does not appear on the Crimean War Casualty Roll but was reported as severely wounded in the London Gazette (11 Dec 1854).

His Army discharge papers show that he received a gunshot wound in his left high arm (shoulder) and on his Sevastopol medal clasp record, it was noted ’sent home to England on 22 December’ [1854]. His civil marriage to Catherine Devany in Liverpool is recorded Thomas Grady was awarded the Distinguished towards the end of 1855. He discharged with pension Conduct Medal –another medal first awarded nonon 28 October 1856 after serving three years and fortycommissioned ranks during the Crimean conflict. This one days. award was not routinely In the meantime, a former gazetted until some Naval officer and Liberal MP, years later in the South Thomas Scobell, put forward a African War 1999-1902 motion in the House of Commons (Staunton). Thomas is that an ‘Order of Merit’ be wearing the medal in this awarded to a military person of photograph. The Australian any rank who displayed personal War Memorial account of and prominent gallantry. Two him records that the DCM Secretaries of State of the time was ripped from his coat by had interested Queen Victoria a thief in Melbourne as he and Prince Albert with this notion went to the Post Office to thus on 29 January 1856 the collect his pension.

The Norwood

22

Grady has been accorded the rank of sergeant by some, but I found no official record of this.

The notion seems to have been debunked by a W J Quin in a letter to the editor of The Argus (20 Jun 1890, p.9).

In 1862 Grady made the voyage to Western Australia as an enrolled pensioner guard on board the Norwood, arriving in Fremantle on 9 June 1862 with his wife Catherine and their children Mary Ellen (b. 2 Jul 1851) and Martin John (b. 17 Feb 1862). Thomas was then receiving an Army pension of eight pence per day, and the £10 and £5 per year for life awarded recipients of the Victoria Cross and DCM respectively. For whatever reason, Thomas and his family left for Victoria on the Gem in 1866 (Erickson). Over the next few years, Thomas’ Army record suggests that he had again been refused an increase in pension and contains other almost illegible notations. Only a detailed genealogical search of Thomas and his family would fill in the next 25 years, but he and Catherine were in dire straits in their twilight years.

Two months ago a distressing circumstance came under our notice. We found inhabiting an old brick kiln at the foot of Victoria Street, Collingwood, a crippled old man and a paralysed wife in utter starvation, destitution, and rags.

The woman was removed to St. Vincent de Paul’s Home, in Little Lonsdale Street, where she still remains. The husband is in want, and his small military pension can barely support him. His name is Thomas Grady, late private in HM 4th Foot. (The Argus 18 Jun 1890).

Then a startling headline appeared in The Traralgon Record (9 Jan 1891):

The Victoria Cross in the Gutter!

I have summarised this long article in which a story unfolds about a reporter from the Herald newspaper finding an old man lying in a right-of-way in Fitzroy... and from the breast of his coat dangled a dirty looking cross, with

a silver clasp and ribbon above it. Curious to know what this could be, the reporter went up to the object, and bending over the sleeping figure read from the cross, “For valour only.” A hero in a gutter! He awakened the old man, and asked him how he came there.

“I have no home,” he said.

“How did you get that cross?” Thereupon the old man related the story of how he won it for his deeds at Sevastopol, how he had received it personally from the Queen and his arrival as a guard on a convict ship. “There were 50 of us escort for 300 convicts. The ship’s name was the Norwood, and Dr. Watson had charge of the men.

This was more than 23 years ago. I then came to Victoria, and I have been grooming and gardening ever since; but my chest is bad and my heart is weak and I have the rheumatics very bad. I can’t walk. I can do no work now, sir, and sometimes friends help me, but I have had no money this Christmas, and I am sorry I am not in England. They might do something for me there.” “Did you ever go to any of the military authorities here,” “ No, sir. I wish I could get into some place where I could rest. I am too old to stand this sort of thing any longer.”

The reporter took the old man home and gave him some breakfast and creature comforts and found him shelter for that night. He then set to work making enquires about the old man. It was found that his wife was an inmate of the Home of the Little Sisters of the Poor, at Northcote. A married daughter lives with her husband in Collingwood; but they will not keep him. Like any old soldier breaking down in health he is fond of a drop of grog when he gets the miserable pittance of his quarter’s pension. He is cleared out when he comes home drunk, and many times and often has he, with the Victoria Cross, slept in the street. He was evicted once from a house in Collingwood and he went out of the place, still wearing the cross, damning his evictors. And so the article in the Traralgon Record continued — much too long to repeat here but you get the general idea.

And then there is more

23

Melbourne 1890’s

newsprint about Thomas’ sad circumstances and further letters to editors and articles appearing in the Argus, Australian Town & Country Journal and the Gippsland Times.

Finally, in death, Thomas Grady was accorded some respect; he was buried in Melbourne Cemetery with military honours on 21 May 1891.

The cemetery headstone was erected

by Mary Ellen, his daughter. Grady’s wife Catherine and son Martin John (died 28 years old) are also on the memorial.

Meanwhile 10,000 miles away in London, Rudyard Kipling was deploring the treatment of veterans of the Charge of the Light Brigade in a poem published in the St James’ Gazette 28 Apr 1890. The British press had conducted a public appeal to raise money for the twenty or so survivors of the Charge at Balaclava; the result was not encouraging—only £24 had been raised to spare these men from the workhouse. Kipling, always the champion of the common soldier, wrote The Last of the Light Brigade. The first and last verses are represented here: There were thirty million English who talked of England’s might, There were twenty broken troopers who lacked a bed for the night.

They had neither food nor money, they had neither service nor trade; They were only shiftless soldiers, the last of the Light Brigade.

O thirty million English that babble of England’s might, Behold, there are twenty heroes who lack their food to-night; Our children’s children are lisping to “honour the charge they made...”

And we leave to the streets and the workhouse the charge of the Light Brigade!

Rudyard Kipling

HOW TOM GRADY CLEARED THE GUN

Extracts from a poem by Ellis Williams first published in a collection of 1918 Courtesy of ‘Ballads of The King’s Own’, King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum © 2002 NOTES The Crimean War commenced in 1854 when Britain and France declared war on Russia on 28th March.

The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was already at war with Russia; The Kingdom of Piedmont (Sardinia) joined the allies against Russia in January 1855.

The major encounters were: Battle of River Alma 20 Sep 1854 Battle of Balaklava 25 Oct 1854 Battle of Inkermann 5 Nov 1854 Siege of Sebastopol 2 Oct 1854 to 8 Sep 1855.

Treaty of Paris Ratification - formally ends Britain’s participation in the War 27 Apr 1856.

‘Lushington’ in the fifth verse refers to Captain Stephen Lushington, R.N. (1803-1877) who commanded the onshore Naval Brigade for the entire period of the siege of Sebastopol. It was Lushington who recommended Thomas Grady for the Victoria Cross medal.

Grady’s medal is now in the care of the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ID Ref No. REL/11986.001.

Grady was discharged the service with a pension as a result of the wound received on 22 November 1854. His Victoria Cross was one of sixty-two VCs personally awarded by Queen Victoria at the first investiture held in Hyde Park, London, on 26 June 1857. Grady’s DCM has not survived; it was ripped from his coat by a thief in Melbourne as he went to the Post Office to collect his pension.

We have read of deeds of daring done for dear Old England’s sake, Of the glorious death of Nelson, or the pluck of gallant Drake; Of Wellington and duty we have often talked before, And the schoolboy knows the story of Moore; Still ring from Heights of Abraham, Wolfe’s dying words - “They fly!”

Words just as fresh to-day as then. Such memories never die.

Then the names of Clive and Campbell, of Havelock, Lawrence, Neill, Remind us but of victories won by British pluck and steel.

The world was taught how heroes die when the Birkenhead went down, And on those Balaclava slopes, of Light Brigade renown, That ride into the jaws of death filled Europe with amaze; Subject for painter’s canvas—fit theme for poet’s praise!

Now, comrades, I’ll tell ye a story; ‘tis not of victory won, But the deed of a lowly private, yet a deed right nobly done; How, face to face with death he stood, unaided and alone, And we claim him as a comrade; he was one of the old King’s Own. ‘Twas a bleak October morning, and the British forces lay Entrenched round grim Sebastopol, with the Russians held at bay.

Cold, hunger, fever, wounds and death had thinned that gallant band; Yet once again, ‘mid frost and snow, those gunners take their stand.

From the early grey of morning, till the day fades into night, For weary months those gunners had stood steadfast in the fight.

With fusillade of shot and shell the fortress answered back, As the thunder of our batteries rolled along the left attack.

But of all those guns that volley forth along the British line, None speak so sharp, or speak so true as gallant Number Nine.

Oft had the foeman marked this gun; its frequent battery smoke; This morn a Russian chieftain to his willing gunners spoke:“Bring your guns to bear together on that hornet over there; That British bulldog barks too loud, bring four or five to bear.”

So Number Nine stands silent now, and answereth not at all, Helpless, with choked embrasure and broken battery wall; All torn and rent with Russian shell, the pride of the left attack Is useless now in the British line and sends no answer back.

Yet now one notes its silence; a chief there in command, And, turning to the gunners, says, “Come, lads, who’ll bear a hand, Who’ll clear the gun?” he cries aloud; but the bravest hold their breath; Full well they know those words imply a task of life or death.

“Who’ll clear the gun, I say? He cries a second time; Then one stands forth, no gunner he, but a private of the line.

So, silent, face to face with death, he mounts the battery slope; He springs up single-handed with those Russian guns to cope.

With his own stout heart and willing hand, a pickaxe and a spadeA breech in the shapeless battery wall he very soon hath made.

Now he grasps his spade in a firmer grip, and his pick deals a heavier blow, For every moment his last may be - he works under fire from the foe; Five minutes more - and the battery stands all shapely, firm, and sound.

And he leaps back safe, whilst Number Nine hurls forth her hindered round.

“Right nobly done”, cries Lushington, as the hero’s hand he rings, “Your name, and corps?” “I’m Grady, sir - Tom Grady, Fourth o’ King’s!”

By many a Christmas fireside bright this tale was told I ween; It was told in the cot of the lowly, it was told to England’s Queen.

Aye! Told to the Queen he served so well; and it was not told in vain, For she pinned on his breast that priceless gift - the Cross which bears her name.

I’ve read the Regiment’s story, it leaves turned o’er and o’er; But Tom’s is the bravest deed I find in the records of our corps; So, when ye hear folks talk of heroes, or a deed of daring done, Tell this, your Regiment’s Story - How Tom Grady cleared the gun.

24

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By Marie Moloney My grandfather James Kelly was respected by all who encountered him. He had a well-modulated voice and spoke with perfect diction. He was tall, always well dressed and walked with an air of authority and confidence. He never left home without his soft hat and rolled umbrella. “Mother & Ta Kelly” my father’s parents, were caring grandparents, Sunday was the day their many grandchildren would visit and get to know each other. Mother Kelly spent the morning cooking delicious cakes and bread for afternoon tea.

We children spent the afternoons playing games and sometimes standing outside the front door singing “On Mother Kelly’s Doorstep” until our embarrassed grandmother shooed us all back inside.

Ta Kelly featured strongly in my life. Frequently as a young child I stayed at the home of my grandparents for a few days at a time and even now at seventy five years old I remember clearly some of the things he taught me.

In the typical world of the child his persona began and ended as my grandfather.

He worked as a navvy in the Engineers Department of Guinness Brewery. One of my early memories is the day he arrived home and told me it was his last day at work, he had retired. From then onwards the household pivoted around his routine, which rarely

28

varied. He would rise at 7.30am, get dressed and go to 8.0clock mass at Saint Michaels, the local parish church.

Returning at about 8.40 he would have breakfast then go to his bench in front of the window in the back kitchen. This was where he spent the morning tinkering with the collection of tiny bits that eventually became a radio for some family member. My love of stories and other programs on the radio was nurtured by Ta Kelly.

Standing at that bench, he would fiddle around with small parts for some time and then say “Listen Marie”.

I still remember my joy and amazement when sound would emit from what looked to me like a collection of tiny unconnected items. At 1 o’clock he had dinner seated alone at the table, he was not to be disturbed at this time. During the early afternoon he tended his vegetable garden, where he grew rhubarb, cabbage and potatoes, always with Rover, the family dog hovering faithfully by his side. He also kept chickens at the bottom of the garden, they supplied the household with fresh eggs. However ageing hens were always a problem because he flatly refused to allow these birds to be killed and eaten. The rest of the afternoons and evenings he spent sitting by the fireside in the sitting room reading and smoking a pipe. On the mantle shelf above his chair was a box containing long strips pf paper which he lit from the fire in order to light the pipe.

It was on these occasions that he would talk to me about life and people. A significant lesson I learnt from him was to think, to really think about what I saw and what I heard. I delighted in this and took it very seriously, although it was not a skill that served me well as I also learnt to share those thoughts loudly.

Often I did not really grasp the full meaning of what he was saying. He didn’t believe in class distinction. He told me about “The Communist Manifesto” written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and how it was being misinterpreted. One incident I remember with total clarity is when he told me that Sean T O’Kelly was an ordinary man and if I went to Áras an Uachtaráin he would probably invite me in for a cup of tea. I wanted to put this to the test, but as Sean T O’Kelly was the president of Ireland and Áras an Uachtaráin is the president’s official residence I was not brave enough do so.

Although I knew from things my father had said, that James Kelly had sympathies with the fight for Irish Independence, it is only in recent times that I have discovered the extent of his involvement. Due to the approaching centenary of the 1916 Uprising extensive details of events at that time are now freely available on the internet. From these records I have acquired knowledge of my grandfather which I never knew before. He was a member of The Irish Citizen Army, or ICA, which was a small group of trained trade union volunteers established in Dublin for the defence of worker’s demonstrations from the police. During his long employment history with Guinness Brewery there was a significant gap from 1916 to 1922. During the 1916 rebellion he was attached to St Stephens Green Garrison. He received medals for his involvement, he also received a Military pension. His memory still brings music to my ears.

29

The Chaps of Cheops

by Lloyd Gorman

O

ne of the most remarkable and enduring photographs of World War I looks a bit like a holiday snap. It is a picture of mainly young soldiers and men in uniform in Egypt, readying for war but relaxed and having a lark with their mates.

The camera lens captures a moment of innocence on the faces of the 703 men who would shortly afterwards go into action for the first time and charge the beaches and cliffs of Gallipoli.

It is the famous photograph of the 11th Battalion A.I.F on the Cheops Pyramid, in Giza.

“After Church this morning the whole Battalion was marched up to the Pyramid (Old Cheops) and we had a photo took or at least several of them,” Captain Charles Barnes wrote in his diary for Sunday, January 10, 1915.

On the morning of Sunday January 15 that image will be exactly 100 years old and it is as striking today as it must have been to the men then, and their families back home who presumably got to see it.

Since then it has become a classic representation of the spirit of the Australian Digger. The 11th Battalion was one of the first infantry units raised for the Australian Imperial Force just days after the start of the war and recruitment happened in Perth and Fremantle.

The vast majority of the men who signed up to the 11th were West Australians looking to do their bit. But there is at least one Irish man in the frame that we know of, and potentially more.

In the front row, seated on the ground, fourth from the left with the officers of the Battalion is Father John Fahey. We know a lot about Fahey, that he was born in October 1883 at Rossmore, Co. Tipperary, was one of nine children and grew up on a farm. In 1907 at the age of 24 he was ordained a priest and left for Australia. When he got here he worked in St. Mary’s Cathedral but also did pastoral work first in York for a year before going to the south west towns of Pinjarra and Yarloop.

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He was an exceptionally popular parish priest and man of the people.

He joined up on 8 September 1914, just a month after the announcement of Australia’s involvement in the war and he was assigned as Chaplain 4th Class, with the rank of captain, to the 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Australian Division. He sailed into action with the first ANZACs at Gallipoli and disobeyed a direct order not to go ashore because he did not want to be parted from his flock in their moment of danger and death. Fahey would go on to lead a full and remarkable life in Perth before he died in 1959. The much missed and late Monsignor “Mons” Sean O’Shea, Clareman and parish priest for Rottnest told me once that he knew Fr Fahey when he was a young priest and what a formidable and intellectually impressive and learned character he was as well as being a formidable priest.

We may never know for sure but there is a possibility that at least one of the other men immortalised in that photograph could be an Irish born Australian soldier. What we do know for certain is that two Irish men in Australian uniform were on-board the HMAT Ascanius

(A11), one of the first Australian vessels to carry the men to war.

Ascanius embarked from Fremantle on November 2, 1914 with 788 rank and file men on board. From the embarkation rolls we know that they were Privates John Joseph White and Nicholas Hannigan.

Records show that Hannigan signed up on the 28th of August, 1914. He was 33 years old and single and listed his occupation at time of joining as a tram conductor.

For his next of kin he simply gave the following entry, Mr Hannigan, Waterford, Ireland.

White was 19 when he joined up and was a clerk in civilian life.

His family was listed as D. White, 9 Peter Place, Adelaide Road, Dublin, Ireland.

Both of them were Catholic and they both sailed to Egypt on the same ship as their countryman, Fr. Fahey.

A trawl through their military records tells us that both men fought at Gallipoli and survived the experience where 400 of their Battalion did not. However, they did not walk away from that battlefield unscathed.

About six days after Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (Anzac) units stormed Gallipoli on April 25, Hannigan was admitted to a field hospital with shrapnel wounds to his left shoulder. The wounds would seem to have been bad enough to put him out of the rest of the war, at least as a fighting man. Of his 5 years and 75 days in the army, he spent just 61 days in Australia, with the rest overseas and most of that

was in the UK where it seems he was sent to recover and carry out light duties. For some time after the war he worked as a “driving mechanic” for the army and remained it seems in London. After that the paper trail of official documents goes cold.

White on the other hand is a bit of a different story and his file can tell us more. He too was injured but how is not clear - more than half way into the failed nine month long bid to open another front to weaken the German army. He had several months earlier been hospitalised for about a month with a bad case of diarrhoea but he returned to his unit when he was fit for service.

Like Hannigan, he made the rank of sergeant but unlike Hannigan (at least from what we know) he returned to Australia. He remained in service as an instructor at Cairo until he was taken on the “Port Darwin” from the Suez canal to his adopted home where he stayed in the army until 1922.

It is fair to assume that his time in uniform - especially his time in Egypt but particularly Turkey really meant something to him for the rest of his life. In October 1967, 52 years after he was medically evacuated from overseas, he wrote to the military authorities with a request. “It is my desire to hold the Gallipoli Medal, or plaque to which I am entitled,” he wrote in a short letter in which he outlined his service history. He was 72 and living in Subiaco, Perth, at the time. His file does not tell us if he ever received the decoration but it does give us a first hand and personal insight into

how important an event Gallipoli must have been for this Irishman.

To date just over 200 of the men in the photograph have been identified. Fahey is one of them but there is no record of a Hannigan or White linked to it. This is not surprising as there are still almost 500 soldiers to be identified and remembered properly. There may even be other Irish amongst the men on the pyramid or those who sailed on the Ascanius but as many of them, including those with Irish names, did not register a place of birth, or where their next of kin were, it is virtually impossible to know for sure.

There will be an attempt to recreate this famous photograph here in WA on the anniversary of its centenary. The WA Genealogical Society for years has been painstakingly trying to identify and name as many of the men in the photograph as possible. Some of the men have been identified but the names of many of the 703 may never be known but the work will go on as clues and scraps of information go on. The society hopes to recreate the image at the Flame of Remembrance in Kings Park on January 10. The replica photo will be of descendants and family members of the men in the original. Even if there cannot be an ancestor of Fahey, White or Hannigan or perhaps others there on the day then hopefully at least there will be at least one Irish family or friend taking part in the exercise in a tribute to their countrymen and predecessors.

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by Lloyd Gorman

When Gallic and Gaelic giants gather Prepare to feel pint sized and get ready to be dwarfed.

For three days in February you will have the chance to feel like a citizen of Lilliput gazing upon the gigantic body of Gulliver. Gargantuan visitors from far away are coming to Perth for the International Arts Festival (PIAF) and they will be on the move around the city, towering over the denizens of the WA capital.

These man made marvels - the creations of French outfit Royal De Luxe - have a fairy tale quality about them and more than an echo of Gulliver’s Travels. Indeed these imaginative monsters are on a par with Swift’s Brobdingnagians, the residents of a colossal island, where people averaged around 60 feet tall. They are larger than life puppets, built to tell fantastic stories and stretch the imagination.

Everywhere they appear these giants perform and play out fables and bring a new meaning to the very Australian expression ‘Furphy’ for a tall tale, and it will be no different on this occasion. In honour of the centenary of the Anzac tradition they will draw on stories of the ancient lands of Australia, young Aussie troops bound for Gallipoli and a little girl in a lighthouse who buoyed their spirits. It promises to be an amazing spectacle and a rare opportunity to witness the biggest free spectacle the city has ever seen.

If you have children you would be doing them a disservice not to take them to see these titans and it is very likely they will bring out the inner child in adults too.

The last time these Brobdingnagians walked amongst humans was in Ireland. Limerick was a city of culture for 2014 and the

giants were guests of the Munster city for three days in September and they told a big story. A 25 foot tall grandmother fell from the sky and found herself spread-eagled in a potato field somewhere in the south of Ireland. Peasants on the land were surprised by this apparition but put her up in a barn and fed her and took care of her as best they could manage. But after a certain amount of time, they couldn’t afford to keep her anymore and so they put her on a train to Limerick. To welcome her, men built up a wall of light, made of car lights, like the stars of a tidy galaxy. As soon as she had arrived at the railway station, she was greeted by thousands of people who had come from all over Ireland. The giant grandmother, crossing the galaxy yet again, will wait for the day when she will fall once more into the spud fields of Munster. The Giants were a run away success with Irish audiences and there is little doubt they will replicate that experience here.

Jean-Luc Courcoult, authordirector and creator of the street theatre company Royal de Luxe, is considered to be the pioneer of the street theatre worldwide. He has developed different types of theatre including: square theatre; theatre of display windows; dream situations; and more famously the ‘Giants Saga’ series which tell stories at overall city level during three or four days. These Giants characters are handled – such as puppets – by tens of Lilliputians which has become their clearly identifiable signature of Royal De Luxe.

Their inimitable humanity and the empathy they induce have become signature traits of The Saga

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of the Giants all over the world.

Royal de Luxe was founded in 1979

by Courcoult and have since played in front of more than 18 million spectators with around 1,380 shows in more than 170 cities, in 40 countries on the five continents.

Ireland separately developed its own giants some years after Royal De Luxe came into existence.

In 1988 the 70 foot body of a man washed up on the sand of Dollymount Strand. The tides of time had swept Gulliver back to Dublin - the city where his creator Jonathan Swift was born and was the Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, some 260 years earlier.

The Irish landscape is littered with unusual geographical features that Irish legends and folklore try to explore or explain.

Imagine the unnatural looking steps of the Giants Causeway, for example. Measuring 39 foot high and 92 feet wide these alien looking cliffs were said in Gaelic mythology to have been created by Fionn Mac Cumahil (Finn MacCool) for a one-on-one clash with a Scottish giant called Benandonner. When you think about it ancient stories

of colossal combat are not unlike today’s Transformers movies or that ilk of entertainment. Even in more modern times the idea that a massive mythical figure could rise from the ground is not that unusual or hard to find. Inis Tuaisceart, the most northern of the Blasket Islands has long held the names of An Fear Marbh (the dead man) or the Sleeping Giant. Indeed Cavehill, overlooking Belfast, is thought to have inspired Swift to image that the mountain resembled the shape of a sleeping giant, safeguarding the city. And the minuscule world of Lilliput, is named after a real place in Co. Westmeath, on the shores of Lough Ennell.

As it happens, Lilliput in Swift’s tale is located close to Australia, or at least Van Diemen’s Land.

Tasmania was a relatively recent discovery - by a Dutch explorer when Swift wrote his classic travel adventure and somewhere where not much at all was known about it for a long time afterwards. It must have seemed as exotic a place possible to Swift in Dublin who was busily creating strange worlds as reflections on the real world and society of his time.

The arrival of an apparent

70 foot shipwreck survivor from another place heralded the world wide arrival of Macnas, its premiere on the world stage. Since then the Galway based arts and theatre group have been thrilling audiences and packed parade streets with all sorts of massive and dream like creatures and characters that bring a new dimension to story telling. Parades are one of the natural environments of these fabrications. (The Gulliver created by the Macnas Team - as well as being massive required ship building and other techniques to be used in its fabrication, to make it equally adept at floating on water or being a ginormous pedestrian through the streets of Irish cities and towns).

The mammoths of Macnas have travelled far and wide since Gulliver was first beached like a whale.

Two years ago they even brought their street spectacular to Sydney for St. Patrick’s Day and later Adelaide.

The walkabout event

told the story of an intrepid eightyear-old explorer who sets out on a quest for adventure, a wild hunt in pursuit of a beautiful and rare butterfly. With any kind of luck and if the resurrected St. Patrick’s Day parade in Perth continues to grow as successfully as it has in such a short time we might even see these Irish puppets come to WA. Until then we are lucky at least to have their Gallic cousins carry us with them into their world and entertain us.

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FROM THE GIANTS OF THE PIAF TO THE GIANTS OF THE FIPA

by Lloyd Gorman

If certain parts of the Irish landscape harbour geological or geographical features which have inspired fables of sleeping giants and the like then buried somewhere in the DNA of the Irish population there may too be a deep rooted and hidden story about the gargantuan.

There is a genetic disorder called Familial Isolated Pituitary Adenoma (FIPA) which is closely associated with why some people become real life giants. Pituitary adenomas are tumours that occur in the pituitary gland and affect around one person in every thousand according to the group FIPA Patients which raises awareness of this disease. “The pituitary gland sits near the base of the brain behind the nose and under part of the eye nerves in a bony hollow called the sella turcica, and is roughly the size and shape of a bean. It is the master gland of the body’s endocrine system, which is made up of a number of glands that release hormones (the body’s chemical messengers) into the bloodstream. Pituitary hormones are important for growth and development, metabolism (turning food into energy) and reproduction,” the groups website says.

“Both males and females can suffer from the disease.

The most common adenoma (benign tumour) type is a growth hormone secreting adenoma causing acromegaly (abnormal growth of the hands, feet, and face, caused by overproduction of growth hormone by the pituitary gland) or if started before the completion of puberty, excessive growth or gigantism.”

FIPA may occur on a higher than average basis in Ireland, particularly Northern Ireland, and in 2013 a medical and scientific expedition was made to the North to investigate this possibility.

“Giants are within the realms of the endocrinologist because they have a growth hormone secreting pituitary tumour that has developed before puberty,” Serban Radian and Maria Herincs wrote in an article for The Endocrinologist. “It has always been felt that gigantism has a genetic flavour, although until recently there has been little science to substantiate this myth. Our group from Barts and the London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London…have collaborated with the Departments of Clinical Genetics and the Regional Endocrinology Centre in Belfast, to put some science behind the legend of the Irish giant.”

In all a team of ten doctors and scientists from the university and five doctors from Belfast asked members of the public in East Tyrone and South Derry to have their

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common ancestor and that the mutation is about 1,500 years old.

“The discovery of a predisposition to young-onset acromegaly and gigantism in several Northern Irish families and their connection with the famous Irish giant Charles Byrne has been shown by the group to be due to a founder mutation in the AIP gene.1 Many current and historical patients with gigantism have been traced back to a small region at the border of South Derry and East Tyrone, and all studied DNA samples share precisely the same AIP mutation. This, in combination with the fact that the penetration of the gene is low (10-30%), lends support to the hypothesis that this mutation may be relatively frequent in this geographical area, and may be the explanation for the many legends of Irish giants.”

The FIPA patients website also has a section called Irish Giants which documents the fascinating historical stories of several Irish men who were all considered to be giants. Go to http://www.fipapatients.org/irishgiants/

DNA tested as part of their quest to study the genetic mutation which can lead to gigantism.

The aim was to find out how many people in the region are carriers of the mutation – thought to be unique to this part of the country - and to identify people who are unaware they are carrying the mutation in order to help prevent disease in their family. This mutation was identified in 2011 on a gene in patients from the region living with familial acromegaly – an inherited form of the condition acromegaly in which a pituitary tumour causes tissues to grow abnormally. If the disease starts in childhood and is not recognised and treated in time, it can lead to gigantism.

By studying DNA from the teeth of 18th century patient Charles Byrne, known as the ‘Irish giant’ (he was born just outside Cookstown in 1761 and grew to almost eight feet tall) the scientists discovered it was this same mutation which had caused him to grow to over seven and a half feet tall. Sophisticated genetic calculations identified that Charles Byrne and the living patients had shared a

Think Big! Think like an Irishman

‘Doran thinks big…he is a force to be reckoned with once he gets an idea into his head’ Mary O’Donovan, The Bulletin

Perth has for a long time had a reputation as being a sleepy town, a bit of a backwater. It is after all - we are often told - the most remote developed capital city in the world and is even considered distant from other parts of Australia.

But long before the current headlong rush by certain people in power and vested interest groups to try and position Perth as a capital city and metropolis on the global stage a group of artistic types were doing just that but in a totally different way.

The Perth International Arts Festival (PIAF) was founded in 1953 by the University of WA which continues to operate it. It is the oldest annual international arts festival in the southern hemisphere and artists of all types from around

the world have been coming to the sleepy side of the Australian content to take part in it.

The festival has also a tradition of attracting a different sort of talent to it - the role of director. The task of pulling together so many diverse cultural, artistic and public events together in a way that makes them appealing to audiences is vital and an important part of the success of the festival.

Amongst those to be given the poison chalice of director was Seán Doran (left).

Seán was born in Derry, N. Ireland in 1960 and was always interested in music, becoming the under 21 Ulster Champion in Irish traditional music in 1974, on the accordion. He was a bit of a bright spark too, and left St. Columb’s College in Derry in 1979 with three A levels. As a university student he threw himself into the world of arts and music but wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and worked as a sheep shearer and carted straw in Kent, England when he needed cash. His CV reads like a one man arts festival in itself, reaching across a wide range of artistic fields and interests. Between 1988 and 1990 he tried his hand at journalism and travel writing for newspapers and he wrote the first Rough Guide to Ireland as well.

He cut his teeth on his first festival from 1991 to 1993 when he was made programme director for IMPACT 92 Derry (International

35

Meeting Place for the Appreciation of Cultural Traditions). In 1993 he was also appointed chief executive of Armagh Together, which was a year long cultural festival. From there he went on to do another impossible amount of artistic events before he was appointed artistic director of the 1997 and 1998 Belfast Festival at Queens, Ireland’s largest multiarts festival at the time.

After that he was made festival director of PIAF from 2000 to 2003 and he made a number of changes and introduced new features, many of which are a part of the festival today. He was even awarded the Centenary Medal by the Australian Government for his directorship of the festival and services to the arts in 2002. He even became an Australian citizen in 2001 and lives between Perth and London.

Amongst his Australian artistic accomplishments, Seán commissioned 51 sculptures from Turner Prize-winning artist Antony Gormley for a salt lake in the Australian outback and staged the Merce Cunningham Dance Company on the North Cottesloe Beach to an audience of 4000. As well as arts and culture, Doran has some credibility in the world of popular culture as well. He got U2 frontman Bono to be his guest for an on stage conversation in 1995 and opened the literature component of his inaugural Belfast Festival with the Australian icons Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue in 1997.

By Lloyd Gorman

ISTEACH SA TEACH Double Irish for Irish Club In the run up to the Christmas recess the Irish Club (IC) cropped up as a subject of discussion in the WA parliament twice for completely different reasons.

It first entered the chambers of power in a debate - on November 27 - in relation to the Associations Incorporation 2014 Bill (a new set of rules for the management and running of incorporate associations).

Member of Parliament (MoP) Janine Freeman who is the Member for Nollamara said she got an email from the IC, which had concerns about the new bill which will replace the 1987 Associations Incorporation Act. “The club requests that consideration be given to renaming the legislation to reflect and identify the bodies that fall under what are called larger organisations and for the title of the bill to be named the “Associations Incorporation Bill for Professional and Industry Bodies and Certain Not-for-Profit Organisations”,” said MoP Freeman. “The club then goes on to ask that the current act be amended and renamed the “local community social and sporting clubs associations incorporations act”.

On the surface of it a simple name change wouldn’t seem to be much ado about anything but the IC maintains that it is a fundamental issue which could directly affect it. It maintains that there should be three tiers or categories for clubs to reflect their size. The IC, which has its premises on Townshend Road Subiaco has somewhere in the region of a 1,000 members. The IC’s argument is I think that a proposed fine of $10,000 for breaches of the new rules would cripple the club, or even put it out of business, while the same fine for a club with a large network of venues would not even

scratch their operations. Within the last couple of years the IC has been slapped with a $1,000 fine for breaching membership rules and serving punters who technically shouldn’t have been there and the Club can ill afford more fines.

MoP for Gosnells Charles Tallentire, who is also the shadow environment minister, also challenged the accuracy of the name because he said it would cover organisations from very small community groups right up to groups like the Chambers of Commerce and and Industry of WA. The Bill is still going through the parliament (which resumes in February) and while it is hard to say what will happen about the issue of the fine for clubs that don’t comply with the regulations, it seems the Liberal’s aren’t interested in entertaining the IC suggestion for another title.

“We would not want to name an organisation or a position in an organisation in the title of the bill,” said MoP Paul Miles, the member for Wannero and parliamentary secretary. “We need to call it the “Associations Incorporation Bill” because we are acting not just for today, but also for what may come along in five or six years. I am very comfortable with the name of the bill. We did look at the submissions that came in but we have determined to keep the name as it is.”

Just a week later (December 3) and the IC was back in the chambers. This time it was MoP for the East Metropolitan Region Alanna Clohesy who brought it up. “Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a reception at the Irish Club of Western Australia to meet Mr Jimmy Deenihan, the Irish Minister of State for the Diaspora at the Departments

36

of the Taoiseach and Foreign Affairs and Trade,” she said. “Mr Deenihan was here representing the Irish government on a trade and development mission, and I had the good fortune to meet with him. In addition to meeting with him, one of the highlights of that reception was witnessing Mr Deenihan award Alan O’Meara the Certificate of Irish Heritage. That award is very rarely given outside of Ireland, and Mr O’Meara richly deserved the award.

Mr O’Meara has been the president of the Irish Club of Western Australia for the past seven years, and has been on the committee of management of the Irish Club for at least 13 years. The award was a real acknowledgement of his outstanding achievement and contribution to not only the Irish Club of Western Australia but the Irish community of Western Australia. Alan O’Meara has now been succeeded by Mr Sean Daly as the president of the Irish Club and I wish Sean every good wish and success in his new role. The club has some exciting plans for the future and it was great to see at the reception a lot of the local Irish community groups such as the Claddagh Association represented by Mrs Joan Ross, Irish Families in Perth represented by Eimear Beattie and Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann represented by Joan Walker. It was great to talk to all of them about current issues they are dealing with. The event was also attended by the Irish Honorary Consul, Mr Martin Kavanagh. Later in the afternoon I had the honour of attending the opening of the office of the Honorary Consulate of Ireland on the Esplanade in Perth.

It is a very busy office and the hard work and commitment of the Honorary Consul, Mr Martin Kavanagh, is widely recognised throughout the

Irish community in Australia and, in fact, throughout the diplomatic community as well.

I know this is beginning to feel a bit like St Patrick’s Day with all the events that were on, but Minister Deenihan was on a very important mission. Later in the week I attended a reception to mark the opening of Enterprise Ireland’s office in Perth, and that was hosted by the minister and the Irish ambassador, Mr Noel White. I had the pleasure of meeting Mary Kinnane, the director of Australia–New Zealand Enterprise Ireland, and Mr Chris Littlewood, the manager of the new Perth office for the western region. Enterprise Ireland is an Irish government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish businesses and enterprises in global markets and now in Western Australia. It works with Irish enterprises or businesses to help them start up, grow and operate in new markets in particular. It is very exciting to know that Enterprise Ireland has opened in Perth, particularly because we have a very important relationship with Ireland on a number of levels.

In 2013, Australia had merchandise exports to Ireland of around $69 million and Ireland’s total investment in Australia in the same year was $4.8 billion. We also have a number of bilateral relationships, including in social security and health, not to mention the long standing cultural relationships we have, with about two million Australians identifying in the last census that they had Irish heritage. Also, I have to mention the tens of thousands of Irish workers on various visas throughout Perth and Western Australia in particular.

We had the pleasure of hearing from Declan White at that reception. Declan is the CEO of Monford Group, one of Western Australia’s fastest growing businesses. He gave a very entertaining look at some of the pitfalls for new businesses starting up in Western Australia.”

“I concluded that series of events by attending a lunch hosted by my colleague, Hon Stephen Dawson, with Minister Deenihan, the Honorary Consul and other representatives here at Parliament House. It was a pleasure to welcome the minister to our Parliament to talk about

the East Metropolitan Region and the potential for exports from that region to Ireland, including, but not limited to, wine, which is one of Australia’s primary exports to Ireland.

All in all, I think the range of events was very successful and I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Minister Deenihan.”

It would seem that another Irish Club of sorts – an exclusive one for politicians only - is also taking shape. Speaking at the opening of the consulate office in Perth during his visit MoP Deenihan let slip that he had met with MoPs Clohesy and Dawson about setting up a Friends of Ireland group within the WA parliament, as had been done in Melbourne and Sydney amongst other parts of the world.

“I hope to bring the friends of Ireland parliamentary groups around the world back to Dublin and have a global disapora parliament in Dublin,” Mr Deenihan said.

Laws passed by the Dail (Ireland’s national parliament) occasionally get a look into the debates about domestic policy and how WA MoPs or the government might learn a trick or two from them.

On the same day the Irish Club’s concerns about the Associations Bill were being aired, MoPs were debating the 2014 Taxation Legislation Amendment Bill.

Since 2012, the state’s main employer group - the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of WA (who we met above) - is listed and treat-

ed as a charity, for tax purposes. It gets about $100 million a year from membership fees and other sources.

The idea of such a well financed and influential business lobby group having the same status as the Salvo’s or similar groups is of course galling to most people.

“Although this is not in the report, I am happy to say that there is a very straightforward alternative, and I go to, of all places, Ireland,” said MoP for the South West Region Dr Sally Talbot. “The Irish Charities Act 2009, with which I am sure the minister is very familiar, contains a section that specifically excludes a chamber of commerce. I put to the minister that that is the course that ought to have been taken by the government in the first place, and that is the course that the government ought to adopt at this very late stage in the proceedings. That would avoid the need for this house to have any more debate on this topic. It would have been very simple and relatively uncontentious for the minister to walk into this chamber with a bill that took the example of the Charities Act 2009 of Ireland and simply excluded a chamber of commerce.”

A week later Ken Travers MoP for the North Metropolitan Area was reminding government ministers in the house and MoPs of that act of Irish Parliament, which an internal committee had recommended.

Whether they decide to follow the example of the Dail remains to be seen!

Lonely Planet says it’s got to be Ireland in 2015

Lonely Planet has named Ireland one of the best countries in the world to visit in 2015.

The prestigious accolade was bestowed by the influential travel guide’s Best in Travel 2015 publication, which looks at the hottest global trends, destinations and experiences to anticipate in the year ahead.

According to Lonely Planet, Ireland is “the real deal” and “stunningly scenic, its traditions firmly intact and the cosmopolitan, contemporary Irish are just as friendly and welcoming as their forebears were known to be.”

The hospitable nature of the people of Ireland is also cited as one of the destination’s greatest qualities.

The bestselling yearbook explains how “the Irish themselves are inevitably at the heart of the best the country has to offer”.

According to Diane Butler, Tourism Ireland Manager for Australia & New Zealand, “Official figures from the CSO (Central Statistics Office) show strong growth of eleven percent in visitor numbers from Australia and New Zealand to Ireland for the first eight months of 2014. We are determined to ensure that growth continues”.

37

How Ireland shaped Australia’s extradition policy!

The case of a Collingwood Football Club supporter who scaled a fence and ran onto the pitch and ‘streaked’ during an AFL game in Subiaco Oval brought me, in my capacity as a reporter for the Subi Post newspaper to the Perth Magistrates Court last year to see what punishment and fine would be handed down to the ‘Magpies’ fan.

According to the court list it would be heard at 10am in Court 10, so I turned up a bit early hoping I would be in and out in a few minutes.

The Magistrates courtroom was a place of controlled chaos, with all sorts of people coming and going all the time and a thousand things happening quietly at once. An officer of the court approached newcomers - including me - to find out if they were appearing in a hearing or needed help. After I spoke with her and sat down another guy who was sitting nearby turned to me and under his breath asked “Are you here for the Irish guy being extradited?”.

I wasn’t of course, but now there was something else interesting to report. Prisoners were being beamed live into the court room on a large screen from prisons and more than an hour later there was still no sign of my streaker. Then, from Hakea prison in Canning Vale, the Irish guy - Darren Swart - appeared on screen.

He had been stopped by police a week earlier on a traffic stop of some kind but once the officers found out his identity and that he was a ‘wanted man’ back in Ireland he was arrested. The paperwork seeking his extradition to Ireland

was already with the Magistrate and the request was made to have him sent back. The complicated process was explained to Swart by video conference. He told the court repeatedly that he was happy to do or sign anything that meant he would be returned to Ireland as soon as possible. It was clear he wanted to get out of Hakea and go to an Irish prison cell instead. He was assured that his support for the extradition should speed up the process and he was happy with that.

It is highly unusual for someone to willingly sign up and desire to be extradited back to Ireland. At least that has been the experience in Perth in recent years. Extradition cases are rare, numbering at most three or four in a year between Ireland and Australia, and normally involve lengthy legal fights, but they do happen.

A Dublin born lawyer was deported from Perth in 2013, nine years after orders for his extradition were first signed in 2004.

At the start of last year a 31 year old Irish man who was the driver in a 2007 car crash in Bedford that killed two other young Irish people was extradited back to Perth, having fled WA for Ireland after the deadly smash.

No details of Swart’s alleged crime, where he comes from in Ireland or any other information came up at the hearing and attempts to find out more from the authorities effectively hit a brick wall every time. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin refused to discuss any details and the Attorney Generals office here was cooperative but only to a point. Having failed to get anywhere with the system I wrote to him at Hakea to see if he wanted to do an interview about

38

his story. I never got an answer, which could mean he didn’t want to talk or had already been moved on and possibly even sent back to Ireland. You would hope that any victims who might have suffered at his hands would be notified of his imprisonment and internment but the methods of the judicial system and administration are not always as transparent as they should be.

The arrangement between Ireland and Australia to allow for their citizens to be arrested and sent to the other jurisdiction to answer for crimes in a court of law is 30 years old this year. The Ireland Australia Extradition Act was signed in Dublin in 1985 but wouldn’t come into effect for another four years. The nine page agreement states it is “to make more effective the co-operation of the two countries in the suppression of crime”. It was the result of a major stink and tense diplomatic incident at the time that would go on to have a big impact on Australia’s extradition laws.

In 1984 Australia had sought to extradite Australian man Robert Trimbole from Ireland, in relation to charges of drug trafficking and other serious offences. Trimbole was also implicated in the contract killing and disappearance of an anti drugs campaigner Donald MacKay and there was a Royal Commission held into the murder. In 1981 Trimbole - who liked to be called The Godfather - thought he was going to be arrested and charged with the murder and left Australia, heading to America and France before settling in Ireland.

About a month after he landed in Ireland - which at the time had no extradition agreement with Australia - Trimbole was arrested and held for extradition but with the help of a battery of well paid Irish

lawyers he avoided extradition when the government refused the order. The Australian authorities appealed the courts decision and lost, which left Trimbole a freeman.

The case attracted a lot of public reaction and political debate at the time.

The fallout from the debacle was still being felt 15 years later. In 2000, a high level committee of politicians from all the parties, carried out a review of Australia’s extradition law and policy, most of which had been adopted from England and were considered to be technical and complex for other countries to comply with. An issue with a treaty with Latvia sparked the probe, but the unsatisfactory and messy case with Ireland was still festering away behind the scenes.

“A particular concern that triggered this inquiry was a suggestion that the changes made to Australia’s extradition law and policy in the mid 1980s were a reaction to the fall-out from Australia’s unsuccessful and highly publicised attempts to extradite alleged drug trafficker Robert Trimbole from Ireland,” the committees report said. “In particular, we had found the evidence of Professor Ivan Shearer, a leading Australian expert on extradition law, to be compelling:”…the fugitive escaped to Ireland with which Australia had no extradition treaty at the time. But in the ensuing hue

and cry, when it was discovered that there were many gaps in Australia’s coverage of extradition relations with foreign countries, the opportunity was seized by Australia of opening negotiations for a whole host of new extradition treaties in the period from 1987 onwards. It was then that it was proposed that a simplified “modern” model of the treaty should be adopted by Australia, dispensing with the prima facie case in the interests of efficiency and speed of handling requests, and so as to give reciprocity of treat-

ment to those foreign countries that did not apply – or even understand – the prima facie evidence requirement.”

This and other changes meant that the Australian government could submit a statement rather than hard proof of the crime to the government of the country it was seeking an extradition order for. The “No Evidence” option became the standard position in the Extradition Act 1988 and is a part of more than 30 treaties with other countries.

Returning to Ireland?

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The Irish Quiz Wiz!

a.k.a. Dermot from Lesmurdie on ABC radio Nightlife program.

Answers (1) 1955 (2) Lusitania (3) 12 (4) Paddy Field (5) Jim Stynes (6) They are all varieties of potatoe (7) (7) Battle of Waterloo.

(8) Sheep.

(9) Leitrim (10) MMXV.

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

In what year was the Guinness Book of Records first published?

What was the Liner sunk by a German U boat off the coast of Cork on the 7th May 1915?

The flag of the European Union has how many gold stars?

What is the term for the flooded parcel of arable land in which rice is grown?

Which Irish-born AFL star will have a Melbourne Bridge named after him?

What do King Edward, Desiree, Maxine, Nadine, and Nicola have in common?

What famous battle was fought on June 18th, 1815?

On the Chinese calendar which animal represents 2015?

This question is to keep someone who works behind the bar at the Irish Club happy, n faoi i a there’s a clue here if you know who I’m talking about. i l h b h At Which county in Ireland has the shortest coastline? duit.

(10) What’s 2015 in Roman numerals? mhaise

39

FAMINE IN ANTRIM

By JOHN HAGAN

“The year 1845 has been unusually rainy and has proved uncongenial to the potato crop”.

So began the report of agent, John Lanktree, to the Marchioness of Londonderry about the perplexing situation which he observed at her Garron Tower and Carnlough estate in County Antrim. Lanktree went on to explain that the potato crop, “has contracted a strange disease hitherto unknown to agriculturists, which I am sorry to report to you has been very prevalent throughout the whole estate”. It was an observation which was to herald the onset of misery, depopulation and death, not only in County Antrim but across the whole of Ireland. A number of reasons were suggested as to the possible source of the trouble, including frost, the moon, application of guano manure, the easterly winds and even electricity!

The real cause was Phytophtbora infestans, a killer fungus which produces black spots and whiteish mould on the leaves of the potato and reduces the tuber to pulp. The mould contains spores which can be transmitted to other potato plants by wind, rain and insects, so facilitating a rapid spread of the infection.

There seemingly exists a myth that, “the great calamity”, the potato famine of 1845-52, did not affect Ulster and that the Province somehow managed to evade the ravages of the relentless, rapacious blight. Whilst there is no doubt that the famine was most severe in the south and west, other parts of Ireland, including Northern Ireland’s County Antrim, were also critically affected.

During the late 1830s and early 1840s, Antrim, like most of Ulster, suffered a decline in the domestic spinning industry, mostly arising from the technical advances associated with the great Industrial Revolution which had commenced in England during the early 1800s.

What had formerly been a cottage industry practiced by tenant farmers, was now concentrated, on a much grander scale, in the linen and textile mills of Belfast and other Northern Ireland towns.

Rural incomes collapsed as small

The museum caption for this photo reads: “Men, woman and children in the 1840s many of whom were forced to flee the country in the face of terrible hardship. “

farmers were denied this important supplementary income.

The increasing population also had an impact. During the first four decades of the nineteenth century, Ireland sustained a vast population explosion. In 1800, the population was four and a half million; by 1841 it had risen to eight million. The pressure of this alarming increase amongst those depending on the land became critical with holdings subdivided into smaller and smaller plots on which the increasing rural population became dependent. As a consequence, when the famine did eventually strike, many of County Antrim’s poor were already suffering from ill-health. Onset of the blight forced large numbers to the brink of destitution, compelling them to seek assistance in the form of food, shelter and rent rebates.

The rates of poverty, debilitation and homelessness in Antrim mirrored those found in other parts of the island.

Like the counties in the south and west of Ireland, rural Antrim had become highly dependant on the potato as a staple food, with many households consuming the tuber for breakfast, dinner and supper. While Ireland had

40

experienced a number of potato famines during the early part of the 19th century, the distinctive feature of the 1845 famine was its longevity.

By August 1845, it was obvious that Lanktree’s warning must be treated seriously. In Ballycastle, the Workhouse Board of Guardians registered alarm at the increasing numbers of those seeking assistance, and it was resolved that, “the Board of Guardians form themselves into a Committee for the purpose of purchasing food for the poor”. Likewise, the Ballymoney Board of Guardians became concerned at the stress being caused by the failure of the potato crop, advocating the use of Indian corn-meal, mixed with equal parts of oat meal, to feed paupers in their area. It was a course of action which was supported, and encouraged, by the Poor Law Commissioners in Dublin, who added that rice and bread might also be substituted for potato. On 6 November 1845, the Antrim (town) Board of Guardians saw no need to alter workhouse diet because, “the potatoes now being supplied by the contractor appear to be of a generally sound description”.

However, a week later they had changed their tune and directed the Workhouse Master to serve alternative fare as potatoes supplied were of “unsound quality”.

Not everywhere in the County was seriously affected. In Larne, for example, the local Guardians trumpeted that they were still able to purchase “potatoes and milk of the best quality”, and directed that Indian meal was to be used “sparingly”. Despite this seeming local inconsistency, there existed across the whole County, a preparedness amongst guardians to plan for, and respond to, any threat of famine.

Local churches also made active preparations to combat the onset of the blight. In Glenarm, Presbyterian minister, Rev. Alexander Montgomery, combined with parish priest, Rev Michael O’Hagan, to set up a soup kitchen, an action which was replicated in

the neighbouring villages of Ballintoy, Dunourgan and Ballyvennaght. A similar strategy was adopted around Ballymena, with the establishment of soup kitchens at Ahogill, Kells, Broughshane and Toome. Most soup kitchens operated three days each week while, on one day each week, a cooked meal was served.

By 1846, when the potato crop failed for the second successive year, a great flood of emaciated, starving peasants and tenants flocked to the dreaded workhouses, preferring to suffer the miserable conditions on offer (including the breakup of families, loss of property and segregation of couples), rather than face the spectre of death in their own homes. So great was the demand for places that one workhouse was forced to close its doors and was unable to accept any more arrivals.

An early June edition (1846) of the Coleraine Chronicle, recorded that at the Ballycastle workhouse, “There are presently 520 inmates in a building which was erected to accommodate 300”. The other six workhouses in the county (Antrim, Ballymena, Ballymoney, Belfast, Larne and Lisburn), while under stress, managed to keep numbers of inmates at, or below, official limits. Of concern however, was the make–up of workhouse residents, dominated, as it was, by a superfluity of women, youths and the elderly. Edward Senior, a Poor Law Commissioner, recorded that, “Of the 1000 inmates in a workhouse, you will not find 10 ablebodied males; the greater part will consist of very old and very young people”. In December 1848, County Antrim’s seven workhouses were accommodating, and feeding, over 4000 paupers.

The efforts of the

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THE BEST IRISH PUB IN TOWN county’s Boards of Governors in providing relief were also supported

by Antrim’s largest landlords.

The Marchioness of Londonderry, Lord Antrim and Lord Hertford all responded to meet the needs of their tenants. In England, where she spent most of her time, Lady Londonderry organized a number of charitable functions including a ‘Grand Bazaar’ at the Regent’s Park Barracks where she raised £300 to alleviate the suffering of her tenants.

While doing so, she continued to push ahead with the erection of an opulent, lavishly furnished mansion, on her Garron Tower Estate. She showed no compassion for her long serving agent, the aforementioned John Lanktree, whom she evicted from his tenancy when he failed to pay his rent on time.

Lanktree was forced to dispose of all his possessions and subsequently emigrated to Australia. Lord O’Neill of Randalstown proved more considerate than Lady Londonderry, making numerous grants to local voluntary societies and offering rent relief to his many tenants.

Those living around Antrim’s coastal fringe were more fortunate than inland tenants, as they could supplement their diets with harvests from the sea. Limpets, prised off rocks, made fine limpet soup, whelks and dulce were boiled, while Carrigeen Moss, generally used as a medicine, now became a staple green. Those who could, fished for mackerel, lythe and glashan. Many, of course, chose to leave Antrim, and Ireland, for pastures new. In 1847, for example, over 100 people left Rathlin Island seeking new

41

Rathlin Island (1847)

Songwriter: Cathie Ryan I haven’t slept since Wednesday evening, There is no sleep with all this grieving No music here where once was singing Where once was singing Sail away from the island Sail out on the sea Turn a blue eye back on Rathlin An baile i mo chroí They are like ghosts here on Rathlin All fleshless bone, all pained and silent Their feet are stone, where once was dancing Where once was dancing Ochón is ochón, the ship is sailing Carve our name in cloch na scríobh Ochón is ochón, the hills are wailing In ainm Dé, in ainm Dé, a rachfaimíd Today I walk Rachraí’s headland The welcome’s warm here on the island Seventy strong, it’s hard to leave them It’s hard to leave them

opportunities in America.

It is impossible to pinpoint just when the Famine ended in County Antrim. By 1848 the blight abated and moderate harvests of potatoes began to appear, although subsequent outbreaks of blight occurred as late as 1852. Over the period 1845-52, the population of Antrim decreased by around 25%, one of the clearest indicators of the distress and suffering experienced during those years. In addition, the Famine also accelerated the decline of the linen industry and, by 1851 it had all but disappeared from many parts of the county.

Local News of Interest from the Past

ECHOS OF THE PAST RE SE ARC HE D

The Capricornian Queensland 1923

IRISH ENVOYS

A mild demonstration was made in Fremantle wharf when an Irish envoy arrived on the steamer Mongolia this afternoon. The envoys, who were in a cabin on the side of the ship abutting on the side of the wharf, made their presence known to some sympathisers on the wharf. ‘The wearing of the green ‘ was played by Irish pipers, while Sinn Fein flags were unfurled.

After a short time the envoys were removed to the other side of the ship and the demonstration ceased.

A counter demonstration was made by a batch of immigrants from the steamer Large Bay, which was in the bay at the time. Although angry words were spoken, no blows were struck.

The Bathurst Times, Fri 21 November 1913

IRISH GIRL’S DETERMINATION.

Fremantle Thursday The immigration authorities of Western Australia are much amused with the story of the determination of Mary Quinn, a young Irish immigrant, who, when her application for an assisted passage to Western Australia was under consideration, presented herself at the sailing of the Orient liner Orama from Tilbury told that the ship was full, and that she must wait for a later steamer; she expressed her determination not to be left behind. Mary Quinn is only 19, of over middle height, and weighs 11st in addition to being a young person of some determination, she is a good specimen of health and physique. Mr. W. H. Dooley, the Western Australian Government embarkation officer, recognised her case as a special one, and urged the Orient line officials to endeavour to provide an extra berth. After some trouble they were able to do this, and Mary Quinn sailed away a happy addition to a party of 50 young domestics by the Orama who have been given passages by the Western Australian Government.

BY

FRED

News Published Every Two Months

REA

Sunday Times Perth Sunday 2 June 1929

THE TOWNSHIP OF FREMANTLE, 1839 Reproduction of a sketch from the Court House, Arthur’s Head by C D. Wittenoom, Esq., in ‘The Colony of Western Australia,” a book by Nathaniel Ogle, F.G.S., published by James Fraser, Regent Street, London, in 1839.

The Daily News Perth Saturday 27 January 1906

IRISH LINEN UNRESERVED AUCTION FREMANTLE

On Tuesday next, Messrs.

Learmonth, Duffy, and Co., the wellknown auctioneers, of Perth and Fremantle, will begin a gigantic unreserved sale of Irish linen at the Fremantle Town Hall, The lots in be offered comprise some of the finest linens ever offered to the public of Western Australia, and the success of the various sales in Perth recently is a sufficient guarantee of the genuineness of the auction. The sale, which will commence at 11 a.m. on each day, will be continued on Wednesday. Fuller particulars will be found in our auction columns.

The Register Monday 4 October 1909

O’CONNOR MEMORIAL IN FREMANTLE

The C. Y. O’Connor Memorial Committee having received 17 designs for a monument, have awarded the first and second place to Mr. Poreelii of Fremantle, and the third to Mr. W. Macintosh, of Petersham (N.S.W.). The statue, which is to be erected in Fremantle in honour of the late Mr. O’Connor, as engineer of the Fremantle harbour works, will be 10 ft high, with a pedestal of 20 ft, and base of 2 ft.

42

Northern Star NSW Thurs 25 Nov 1926

CONDITION OF IRELAND

Fremantle Wednesday Dr. Garnet Leary, who has just returned from a visit to Ireland, declared that the country was in a state of retrogression.

Taxes were high and the Free State army cost more than the upkeep of the British force in Ireland before the war. One of Ireland’s leading King’s Counsellors, he added, had recently stated that the morality of the Free State was at its. Lowest ebb and that few juries could be found to convict people charged with offences because of fear of intimidation.

The Border Morning Mail and Riverina Times Saturday 20 November 1909

CRICKETER BARDSLEY OFFER FROM IRELAND

Fremantle Friday Mr Warren Bardley, the Australian Cricketer who is returning to Sydney by the RMS Orsova, stated in the course of the interview, that he had received a munificent offer from an Irish sportsman to settle in Ireland.

“It will not be a professional.”

Bardsley said, “The gentleman offers me a luccative position, and wants me to help along Irish cricket.

He is very keen on sport, and is already paying one South African professional 15 pounds a week. I don’t know whether I will accept the offer or not. I want to consult my people in Sydney first”.

The West Australian Monday 21 November 1927

Geelong Advertiser Monday 26 May 1913

FREMANTLE FENIANS

PRINCESS THEATRE FREMANTLE.

The death has occurred in New York of Captain George Anthony the rescuer of the Fenian prisoners from the penal colony of Fremantle (Western Australia) in 1876.

Captain Anthony was the skipper of the American whaler Catalpa on which six Fenian prisoners escaped from Fremantlo 11 April 17th, 1876 and got safely to New York.

“Abie’s Irish Rose” will be staged tonight in the Princess Theatre, Fremantle. The pictorial programme will include “For the Love of Mike” and “Paradise for Two”.

The Register AdelaideWednesday 27 August 1913

CELEBRATED TENOR J0HN McCORMACK’S TOUR

FREMANTLE, Augnst 20.

Mr. John McCormack, the celebrated Irish tenor, is a passenger by the Mooltan which arrived to-day. He is accompanied by Misa Ida Huxley, soprano and Mr. Vincent O’Brien, accompanist - two members of his company. During, his tour of Australia Mr. McCormack will make a feature of folk songs of - Ireland, England, Norway, Germany, and Scotland. He has with him a number of old Irish songs, which have been revised and specially arranged for him. These will be sung in Gaelic. According to Mr. McCormack, Melba is singing in better voice than ever. She had a tremendous reception at Covent Garden last season on the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of her first appearance. - ‘The enthusiasm was unbounded,’ he added, ‘and I don’t think there was a person in the vast audience who was unmoved by the scene.

‘Melba sang from ‘La Boheme,’ and every one was unanimous that she had never sung better in her life. It was a magnificent triumnh for the greatest singer who has ever lived.’

The Daily News Perth Saturday 15 May 1948

DeVALERA AT FREMANTLE DERBY

Tall (6ft. 3in.) gaunt, former Prime Minister of Eire 66-year-old Eamon de Valera has become enthusiastic about Australian rules football. With WA Football League secretary W. Orr, Mr. de Valera today sat in the Pressbox at Fremantle; watched the Fremantle teams clash in the season’s first ‘derby.’ A noted rugby footballer in his youth, he said that the Australian game was the nearest approach to Ireland’s Gaelic football.

Having seen a match in Melbourne recently, he was convinced that the games were similar enough for international matches to be played between Ireland and Australia ‘one of these days.’ Mr. de Valera said that since his arrival in Australia he had been treated with nothing but kindness; ‘The lack of stiffness and the frank warm-heartedness of your people has greatly impressed me.’ he said. He discounted a recent statement that ‘life and politics was a glum, grim business’ for him, talked eagerly of his six children and his grandchildren. He has four boys and two girls— the eldest son is 37 and the youngest 25.

43

from Melbourne and a Happy New Year to all.

I missed the deadline for the last edition because at the time I was back in Ireland for two very important and different occasions.

The first one was to do some promotional work to help Hand in Hand in Galway. I attended the press conference for the relaunch of the charity and to announce the release of their theme song ‘Rain-

Chelsea Celeste Tanti bows’. Children in the west of Ireland are medically disadvantaged because they happen to have been born or live on one side of the River Shannon rather than the other.

Hand in Hand is a support service for families of children touched by cancer and its focus has always been to give those children and their families on-the-ground support in order to minimise the impact on both the diagnosis and frequent long distance travel and periods of extended treatment has on family life and to give them more precious time to care for their sick child. Often in these cases there are often siblings to be cared for while mum or dad or a caregiver travels to Dublin with the sick child. Hand in Hand support families by looking after the other children and with child care needs as well as other household duties such as shopping, cleaning, support domestic cleaning services, household laundry, meal delivery. When the child and parents return to their home in the West, the Hand in Hand

support continues indefinitely. In spite of all the voluntary support, this can be a very expensive exercise, and Hand in Hand are in dire need of financial support now. They receive NO support from the Irish Government for this vital work and yet they manage to scrape through year after year. My contribution to this very needed and too often neglected cause, was to write and produce a song called ‘Rainbows’ which is sung by an 11 year old Melbourne school girl, Chelsea Celeste Tanti.

All rights and royalties to the track are signed over to the charity and hopefully it will help give them an extended awareness, lift their profile and raise much needed funds to continue the amazing work they do. If you have been listening to Frank Murphy’s program on Radio Fremantle in the last few weeks you would have heard the beautiful angelic voice of Chelsea singing Rainbows, a song that sees the world through the eyes of a child.

Chelsea not only contributed her voice to the cause, she continues to echo their need while raising funds throughout her community and school as well.

If you are making a new year’s resolution, please consider donating to this amazing organisation.

You don’t have to look for cancer, it can find any of us at any time, so let’s be generous for the New Year and give to those in need of a Hand, it doesn’t matter how small your donation is, it will be welcomed. Hand in Hand’s email is: info@handinhand.ie Hand in Hand’s bank account details: Ulster Bank, Branch Tuam Road Galway. Sort code: 9857-55. Account No. 00777713. Bic: ULSB IE 2D. IBAN: IE36 ULSB9857 5500 7777 13.

Now, for the other reason I was in Ireland. I was invited to attend a Black Tie Diplomat Awards Dinner in The Silver Springs Hotel in Cork. This prestigious event held annually is to recognise the extraordinary achievements of Irish persons worldwide. On this occasion

44

Mike Bowen and Alan Joyce Dubliner Alan Joyce, CEO of Qantas was awarded the prestigious accolade, The Spirit of Ireland Award.

Alan was a most deserving recipient and in his address to the Government and the many diplomats from around the world who were in attendance, he delivered a passionate, personal and memorable speech.

“Growing up in Tallaght, I never imagined I’d one day become CEO of Qantas. Let alone did I think I’d ever receive an award like this,” he told us. “But looking back, my upbringing in Dublin was the foundation for everything I’ve achieved in my life since then. When I think about what the Spirit of Ireland means, I think about my parents, who are here tonight. They worked incredibly hard to support me and my three brothers, and to give us the chance to study at university. They made sacrifices so that we could realise our potential. For my parents, education was all-important. And with edu-

Mike Bowen and Alan Joyce’s parents cation, there was no limit to what you could achieve. My experience at Trinity enabled me to shape my own path in life, and build a hugely rewarding career in aviation – this

economy and creating jobs in the process. I know from my own experience that the difficult times can seem endless – and the good times can sometimes seem too good to be true. But I believe that Ireland today is taking the right decisions to shape a prosperous future, even if those decisions are sometimes difficult. As Ireland sets a course for economic recovery, so Ireland continues to shine a light for political and social progress. Growing up in Dublin in the 1970s, the prospect of a Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland would have seemed like a fantasy.Yet that agreement has endured – and now inspires the cause of reconciliation around the world.

Ireland has made huge strides in its approach to immigration and gender equality. And Ireland is leading the world in giving a voice to its people on the issue of gay rights. I hope and I strongly believe that the Irish people will vote ‘yes’ in next year’s referendum,” added the former Are Lingus staffer.

I was privileged to have had some time to meet and chat with his mom and dad who were beaming with delight at their son’s achievements. My invite to this prestigious event was in recognition of the story/interview I did on Alan’s life for The Diplomat Magazine earlier last year which was also published in Irish Scene. One of the joys of this job is the chance to sit and chat with the Alan Joyce’s of this world. Alan was an absolute joy to interview and he being Irish with an amazing sense of humour adds an extra element to the story. I hope Santa brought you what you wished for and you had a safe and happy Christmas. Until next time Slainte from Melbourne.

Mike Bowen

amazing industry.”

Humbly, he said he knew his story was not unusual and that there many more like him. “So many young Irish people of my generation became the first of their family to benefit from higher education,” said Joyce.

“And that generation of young people has gone on to help build the modern Ireland, and to find success all over the world. Quite a few of my peers have become part of the Irish aviation club.”

He also gave a compelling account of the Australian and Irish economies, cultures and societies and then went on to give a riveting address on equal rights.

“Like Ireland, Australia is a country that has found a clear voice in the world over the past 30 years,” he said, adding Australia is a warm and welcoming country to new arrivals. “[It is] a diverse, multicultural society that has always grown through immigration. A country with a strong, innovative economy. And a country playing an increasingly important role in global politics.

I was proud to become an Australian citizen - to give back to this country that, like Ireland, has given me so many opportunities. And I was incredibly proud to become CEO of Qantas in 2008. To Australians, Qantas is a symbol of home. When I look to Ireland today, I see a country rebuilding its economy after tough times. The Global Financial Crisis was a traumatic experience for so many Irish businesses and families, as it was across Europe and the United States. Today it is good to see Ireland on the road back to sustainable growth, and I applaud the strong leadership of Enda Kenny and his government. I also applaud the many entrepreneurial Irish businesses reinventing themselves for the global

Martin Kavanagh Honorary Consul Of Ireland

EMIGRANT SUPPORT PROGRAMME

If you are a voluntary organisation with strong involvement with the Irish Community in WA why not consider applying for funding assistance from the Government of Ireland via the Emigrant Support Programme (“ESP”). The call for proposals and funding guidelines will be issued in January 2015 and the deadline for filing your application is expected to be 18 February 2015.

DON’T RUIN YOUR HOLIDAY BY BEING STRANDED AT THE AIRPORT An increasing number of people are being stranded at the Perth International Airport because they have less than 6 months validity on their passport. Please note that many countries such as Indonesia will not permit you to visit unless you have 6 months to expire on your passport. Also, many countries will not accept temporary passports so please renew your passport in plenty of time and check that the countries you intend to visit will accept a temporary passport . Sadly, we’ve had recent cases where kids and partners cannot travel to Bali or elsewhere because one member of the family has less than 6 months validity on their passport.

If the ESP is of interest to you or your organisation please contact us at the Honorary Consulate of Ireland as soon as possible. For further information visit: DFA – Emigrant Support Programme .

Perth Office: 1/100 Terrace Road East Perth Western Australia 6004 - Tel: (08) 6557 5802 - Fax: (08) 9218 8433 Email: info@consulateofirelandwa.com.au - Website: www.consulateofirelandwa.com.au Office Hours: Mon-Fri 10.30 - 2.00pm by appointment only

Follow the Irish Embassy on Twitter: @irlembaustralia 45

WAGS

Bayswater, JI), you will now be able to view them online.

With this service, the Library is simply taking at face value the Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc. word “National” in its own title.

What are the implications?

Clearly, once these images are as The Irish genealogy community easily available in Salt Lake City and has been reeling over some great Bangalore as they are in Dublin, news, released by the National Library swarms of transcribers will descend. of Ireland at the start of December. Ideally, the results will be free, though Christmas came early, though the gift some transcripts may sit behind won’t actually arrive until the middle paywalls. On the other hand, there will of 2015. be nothing to stop any local history society in the country from just putting CATHOLIC PARISH REGISTERS Online Catholic parish registers a transcript of their own parishes from the National Library of Ireland online. The more the merrier.

Some opposition can be expected.

The existing transcription-only service at rootsireland.ie will protest loudly.

But would they not be better advised to use the images to improve their own offering and increase their head-start on competitors?

It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of what is about to will at last become available in (Irish) summer (Australian winter). Well happen. When the Irish public service known professional Irish genealogist gets things right, it can get them John Grenham, who writes for Irish spectacularly, gloriously right.”

Grenham’s article www.

Roots explains the impact this will John irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/ have on everyone researching Catholic john-grenham-irish-roots-1.2017344 Irish ancestors.

“A huge change is coming soon for National Library of Ireland www.nli.ie/ everyone involved in Irish genealogy. Roots Ireland http://ifhf.rootsireland.

By summer 2015, the National Library ie/ of Ireland will have a dedicated website COUNTY RESEARCH GUIDES making its collection of Catholic parish The Western Australian register microfilms freely available Genealogical Society’s Irish Special online. These records are – by a long Interest Group is looking at developing way – the single most important source a research guide for each Irish county, of historical Irish family information, in the Republic as well as in Northern one of the greatest legacies of the Ireland. It will take a while - since Catholic Church to Ireland. there are 32! If you’d like to help this It is important to understand project come along to the first meeting precisely what the for 2015 on Sunday 18 January 2pm at website will do. WAGS, unit 4 48 May Street, Bayswater.

The Library’s aim Visitors and new members welcome. is to reproduce on The January meeting will also the internet the feature a talk by Graham Mahony, service already sharing his experience of hiring a available to the researcher in Ireland to help this his public in the family history research. The following microfilm reading room in Kildare meetings in 2015 will be held in April, Street in Dublin, where images of 98 July and October. per cent of parish registers before 1880 can already be viewed by anybody, Slainte! without payment or membership or Jenni Ibrahim Convenor, Irish Special Interest Group proof of identity.

The new site will offer precisely Email irish@wags.org.au the same (sometimes frustrating) Web:www.membership.wags.org.au/special-interestopportunity to look at (sometimes groups-mainmenu-47/irish-sig blurred) photographic reproductions Online Forum http://membership.wags.org.au/ of the original records. But instead forum/irish-sig (open to anyone) of having to travel to Dublin from Buncrana or Ballymena or Boston (or

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ORMONDE WATERS (RIP)

Glory O Glory O to these Bold Fenian Men

I passed on my way, God be praised that I met them Be life long or short, sure I’ll never forget them We may have brave men, but we’ll never have better Glory O, Glory O, to these bold Fenian men LIAM BARRY

John Boyle O’Reilly Association: Keeping the ‘Craic and Culture’ alive

A S S O C I AT I O N B U N B U RY W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A

A weekend of pure ‘Craic & Culture’ As part of our annual Australian/Irish heritage celebration weekend, John Boyle O’Reilly Association is proud to present the award winning play ‘Under Any Old Gum Tree’ written by award winning scriptwriter Noel O’Neill, at ‘Waters Edge’ Restaurant/Theatre (Cobblestone Drive) located on the beautiful Leschenault Inlet in Bunbury, on ANZAC Day, Saturday April 25th at 7pm.

The weekend event will also include a guided tour (free) on the JBO Heritage Trail on the picturesque Leschenault Peninsula (Buffalo Rd) at Australind the following Sunday morning (10am) followed by a gathering of the JBO faithful at the JBO Memorial Site (11am).

Tickets are $60pp includes entry to play, finger food (tapas) and music by WA’s top Irish band Sparrow featuring fiddle virtuoso Charlie McCarthy.

Bar services are also available.

Tickets are limited, so don’t miss out on what will be a grand weekend of pure ‘Craic and Culture’.

For bookings contact Tom Dillon on 0417 986 298 or 97 214 202 or by email: bdillon1@bigpond.com For more information: www.jboreilly.org.au or www.facebook.com/jboreilly

John Boyle O’Reilly Association (non-for-profit) was formed in the South West of Western Australia in 2011 in honour of Irish poet, philosopher, humanist, conservationist and felon John Boyle O’Reilly.

Every year during March/ April, JBOA celebrate not only the Irishman’s famous escape to America from a convict road gang near Bunbury in 1869, but also his contribution to Australian/Irish literature.

And to help keep the literary spirit of O’Reilly alive, JBOA celebrate their annual event by bringing together those Australian/Irish men and women who’ve made worthy contributions to WA’s arts and culture.

And this year will be no different, as JBOA are proud to present the award winning play ‘Under Any Old Gum Tree’, written by award winning scriptwriter Noel O’Neill and starring award winning actor Kieran Garvey.

The play, which delves deep into post traumatic stress disorder in the aftermath of the Great War, will be staged at the Waters Edge restaurant/ theatre overlooking the picturesque Leschenault Inlet in Bunbury. Music (before and after) the play, will be provided by the captivating rhythms and beats of Sparrow, led by fiddle virtuoso Charlie McCarthy.

There are limited seats available, so don’t miss out on what will be a grand evening of pure ‘Craic and Culture’ (see advert left for more details including bookings).

JBOA strongly recommend the heritage listed Rose Hotel in Bunbury for accommodation and meals.

And I long for the dear old river, Where I dreamed my youth away; For a dreamer lives forever, And a toiler dies in a day.

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John Boyle O’Reilly

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Bon Voyage Joe

By Lloyd Gorman

The sailing world was rocked late last year by the loss of one of its true gentlemen and greats, Joe English. As a boy he read and reread Joshua Slocum’s “Sailing alone around the world”, an account of the first solo circumnavigation of the world in 1898. By the time he died aged just 58 this yachtsman had traversed the world many times as skipper and achieved victories against other competitors and the sea that others could only imagine.

Like his older brother Eddie, the two Cobh boys were born to sail. Joe would skipper Ireland’s first entry in the Whitbread Round the World Race from Cork and go to sea in countless other highly contested competitions and prestigious races around the world.

In what would ultimately be too short a sailing career and life, Joe spent a significant amount of time in West Australia. At the age of 23, in 1979, having already been involved in some high profile yachting action he came to Australia. He was first based in Sydney and competed in various major events including the Southern Cross and Kenwood Cup series in Hawaii. He returned to Cork in 1980 and following the death of his father that year he met April Murphy and they returned to Australia where he was hired by James Hardy, the backer of the South Australia campaign, and competed for the America’s Cup in 1987 in Fremantle. Joe and April later bought a house in Fremantle where they got married and lived for several years after the Cup. They were there for that epic year in WA history, indeed they were a part of the action. Several Australian teams had tried and failed to smash the US monopoly on the America’s Cup. The surprise 1983 win by businessman Alan Bond’s Australia II sent shock waves through the global sailing fraternity.

It ended 132 years of dominance by the New York Yacht Club and made

the Royal Perth Yacht Club the top dogs, at least until the next race in 1987 in which the Yanks would ultimately take back what they felt was rightfully theirs. Victory can be fleeting, but the preparations to stage the Cup here helped transform Perth forever, particularly Fremantle which hosted the contest. Challenge Harbour a new marina was just one of the big infrastructural projects put in place for the competition. New marina’s had also been built at Two Rocks and Hillarys in anticipation of the race. Perth and its population would never be the same again.

In the same year as the Cup and Joe’s relocation to Fremantle, the seeds of a new sailing story were being sown, back in Ireland. A group of sailors and business people came together to create a consortium called the Sail Ireland syndicate, with a view to taking part in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race - one of the most dangerous and gruelling races on the circuit.

They designed and built an 82 foot yacht called NCB, short for Never Come Back, in a warehouse in Ballyfermot, Dublin. It was launched in November 1988 and Joe was made skipper the next year.

If it had been a long time since Joe lived in WA then the friendships he made at the time, and cultivated with Aussies since, remained strong.

Joe was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2007, which effectively spelt the end of his outstanding career on the waves. But it did not defeat him and in a characteristic show of determination to fight the disease Joe went public about his condition and even participated in a RTE Primetime documentary - in collaboration with the Alzhemiers Society - about the lives of sufferers and their families in Ireland.

Typically for sufferers came the inevitable need for expensive and ongoing treatment and the Joe English Trust was set up by friends to help with the cost of that. Fund50

raising efforts for the Trust extended as far as Australia, when in 2013 a small group of his friends in the yachting community organised a fund raiser for the cause, including an appearance by Irish comic Brian Doyle. “Many of Joe’s friends in Ireland, where Joe lives with his wife, April, have made donations,” was part of the message that went out to Australian yachts.”However, care at home and particularly in hospital where Joe will eventually live full time, does not come cheap, so now it’s Joe’s Australian friends’ opportunity to help out.” There were many who knew him and who wanted to repay in some way the generosity of spirit and camaraderie Joe had shown in life.

It wasn’t Joe himself, but the next best thing, his brother Eddie came to the rescue of my family in an unusual set of circumstances that no-one could have predicted.

About five years ago we were back in Ireland for our first holiday after making the move to Australia. It was an emotional and exceptional holiday, which involved us travelling a lot across Ireland to visit family and friends. Our final fling was in Cobh, at the Ballymore home of Imelda’s sister Breda and brother in law Eoin Carmody and their daughter Aoileen (who last time we met her in Ireland in 2014 was showing great interest and ability for sailing as it happens). It was a big family affair and a great send off. Because there were so many of us I travelled back to Limerick with my parents in law (Jimmy and Alice Flannery) while Imelda would follow us on shortly afterwards, giving her a chance to let the baby nap, or feed him. From Limerick we were to go to Shannon airport the next day to begin the journey back to Perth. Just minutes after I left their scenic hillside home heavy snow was without warning dumped on most of Munster within what seemed like minutes. While we had just made it onto a main road where at least it was possible to

SHOW REVIEW

Flannery & Spillane at Fly!

make slow progress Imelda and the rest of the family were snowed in. Ballymore which is about six or seven miles outside Cobh itself, became impassable and isolated. The Gardai, and even the army, were called out but were unable to help people. The situation wouldn’t have been urgent except my wife and baby son Hugh were somewhere I was helpless to do anything about and we had a very limited window to get to London to catch the long haul flight. Just when it seemed there was no hope of escape from the snow prison Eoin - a bit of a seafarer himself - said a friend of his Eddie had a yacht at the nearby Marlogue marina that he could use to by-pass the blocked road system and sail Imelda and the baby to Cork train station. It must have been a nerve wrecking proposition for Eoin who knew it was Eddie’s brand new pride and joy Shadow, a million Euro yacht. Faced with no other option the decision was made to pack up the luggage and haul it for about a mile down the country road through hip high snow drifts, baby in arms. It took a while but they made it onto the water and family members crewed Shadow safely into Cork where mother and child could at least continue on.

We would miss our original flight to London because of the snow but had just enough time to catch a second flight. It had been a bit of an unexpected adventure and an escapade I will be eternally grateful to the English family for.

Joe English is survived by his wife April, daughter Aoife, sons Robbie and Conor, brothers Eddie, Denis and Jean-Paul and his passing is lamented by sailing communities around the world.

Two of Cork’s finest singer-songwriters, Mick Flannery & John Spillane played together at the Fly By Night in Fremantle in November.

Flannery is a refreshingly unassuming artist. His performance had a feeling of intimacy to it; his stage presence exudes no superficial gimmicks, just a man sharing his songs in an understated but powerful manner.

John Spillane is an award winning musician, and one of the most accomplished artists in Ireland today.

His music and songs transported the audience. The man and his music are pure magic. What makes John special is that he is an artist who knows how to deliver all that he has to offer to anyone of any age, male or female, no matter the musical preference.

One word described their performances, Brilliant! They came together for the last three songs and their singing of the Lakes of Pontchartrain was a highlight for me.

We do hope they come back soon and it will give more people the opportunity to savour their performances.

Feardorcha ORiabhaigh

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The Celtic Club • Perth •

BAR • RESTAURANT • FUNCTIONS

Function Rooms

The impressive Jarrah lined Presidents Room can seat up to 30 guests theatre style or up to 24 guests for a private luncheon.

Start enjoying this great Club and become a member today!

Tony and Veronica McKee PO Box 994 Hillarys WA 6923

info@mckeefamilyfunerals.com.au www.mckeefamilyfunerals.com.au

Tel (08) 9401 1900 • Fax: 9401 1911 • Mob: 0413 337 785 52

HAY Rich

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HAY ST

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Located on the first floor, the main Function Room can comfortably seat 125 delegates theatre style or 120 for a banquet.

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The two function rooms have a comfortable sophistication that lend themselves to a variety of uses such as presentations, training events, Annual General Meetings, Boardroom Meetings. Fully fitted with Wi-Fi, ceiling fitted projectors and screen and speaker system.

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The Clubs central location in West Perth with onsite parking and close proximity to Red and Green CAT bus routes makes it easily accessible to everyone.

Our superb restaurant serves an a la carte style lunch Monday to Friday and the bar area, with separate lounge, features a number of speciality beers on tap, and is ideal for relaxing, a light luncheon or coffee.

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Location

Bar & Restaurant

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The Club welcomes new members so please feel free to call in and have a look at our facilities or ask for a membership application form. We have several types of membership available including Retiree, Ordinary and Corporate. We also work in conjunction with other local business to offer additional external benefits such as discounted gym packages, corporate teambuilding and wine of the month. We also have affiliated membership with other organisations in other cities so you can still enjoy the benefits of membership when on the move.

The Club is a great place to network, meet new people, entertain clients, or just get away from the office to have a brainstorm session.

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Membership

Doing Business

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The Celtic Club has a proud history spanning over 100 years. Presently the Club has a membership of approximately 700, and appeals to a wide range of individuals, all of whom enjoy the friendly and personable hospitality of a private member’s Club.

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History:

A: 48 Ord Street, West Perth, WA 6005 P: Phone (08) 9322 2299 E: Email: celtic.club@bigpond.com F: Fax (08) 9322 2899 W: www.celticclubperth.com

The Great Outdoors!

During my physical examination, my doctor asked me about my physical activity level. I described a typical day this way: “Well, yesterday afternoon, I took a five hour walk, about 7km, through some pretty rough terrain. I waded along the edge of a lake. I pushed my way through brambles. I got sand in my shoes and my eyes. I avoided standing on a snake. I climbed several rocky hills. I relieved myself behind some big trees. The mental stress of it all left me shattered. At the end of it all I drank eight beers”. Inspired by the story, the doctor said, “You must be one hell of an outdoors man!”

“No,” I replied, “I’m just a awful golfer”.

VIP Rocks The Shed

Bridget Kenny of The Shed

by Caroline Smith For the last few years, a talented group of musicians has been wowing the locals at Northbridge venue the Shed, revealing the transformative value of music, and helping audiences change their perceptions of people with disabilities.

VIP (Valued Independent People) Rocks - which includes guitarists David and Nigel, vocalists Jason, Marissa, Kelly, Jodie and Emma, Karina on drums and Blair on mixing machine – is a fortnightly feature at the Shed, where they perform a range of crowd favourites, from ABBA, to the Grease soundtrack and Crowded House.

The band’s story began eight years ago, when community support worker Nigel Healy was working for Valued Independent People (VIP), using music as part of the service’s therapy sessions.

“At first it was just us (support workers) and them, with them just listening,” he said. “Then I started doing a few different music sessions - gave everyone a microphone, and

started teaching the group some instruments.

“Then I thought, why not form a band?”

Initially the group practiced and performed in a local hall, with no audience, but then Nigel – who is a musician himself with local group the Healys – suggested they try doing a gig at the Northbridge club.

“The Shed was obviously a good option, because accessibility there is excellent, and they snapped us up straight away.”

As well as developing their evolving set list, Nigel said that performing live and honing their skills for a live audience has been a great boost to band members.

“It’s been great for them, beyond any doubt,” he said.

“People’s families come down, and are amazed that members of the band who have had trouble speaking, are now singing.

“The confidence I’ve seen building is amazing – all they talk about is the Shed sessions.”

One recent and memorable performance was at the venue’s high tea for Disability Awareness Week, the band played for Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, Disability Services Minister Helen Morton, and other invited guests, including basketballer Amber Merritt, who won silver at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

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Speaking at the December 4 event, Ms Merritt said organisations such as VIP played an integral part in the lives of people with disabilities, giving them access to skills and experiences that could enhance their lives.

“These organisations work 365 days every year,” she said.

“They offer a place for people with disabilities to be part of a community, to play music and sport, and feel almost normal.

“Through organisations like Wheelchair Sports WA, I have been given the opportunity to be the athlete I always dreamed I could be.”

She added that if more people, including the able-bodied, got involved with these organisations, it would help change the perception that those with disabilities are very different from the rest of the community.

VIP Rocks also got a lot of praise on the day, after a spirited performance for the crowd.

“It was huge – the minister (Helen Morton) was very pumped,” Nigel said. “She told us it was amazing that something like this was happening around the city.”

And building on their Shed sessions, the band was now looking out for other venues in which to perform.

“We played recently at the Herb Graham Centre in Mirrabooka, and we’re looking at other places to perform in and around Perth”, Nigel said.

But wherever they go, they’re bound to bring talent and a passion for the music with them.

Musicians are there in front of you, and the spectators sense their tension, which is not the case when you’re listening to a recording.

Your attention is more relaxed. The emotional aspect is more important in live music.

Ma’ Mooney

Brian Eno

Fresh new music from WA based band:

Sparrow Sparrow have been on the scene for about a year now, playing thrilling shows of original and familiar songs done with an innovative and fun twist. You have probably heard them once or twice; they have played at all the usual Irish music venues, like JB O’Reilly’s, Fenians, The Irish Club and Durty Nellies. Their sound is very unique, with facets of Celtic, country, jazz and blues. They do a remarkable job of merging the diverse stylistic aspects in a way which really resonates with the audience. Pinning a genre or style to this band is a difficult task as it is very new. In the face of this dilemma Charlie McCarthy told the Irish Scene, “We are a WA based progressive acoustic Celtic quartet, with an innovative mix of contemporary traditional folk and ballads fused with elements of bluegrass and jazz”... a bit of a mouthful, but they’re working on it.

Most recently they have played at the John Boyle O’Reilly Association annual commemoration supported both Damien Dempsey and Declan O’Rourke and have even played at the occasional Rodeo. Charlie added, “This year, alongside local gigs, we are looking forward to performing at the Fairbridge Folk Festival as featured guest

artists, the National Celtic Festival, Newstead Festival, Illawarra Festival and the Tamworth Country Music Festival”. They are also very excited to be recording an album of original works which they will be launching later on in the year.

Featuring the combined talents of Fiona Rea (guitar/mandolin/ vocals & percussion), Jane Morris (guitar/vocals/flute & whistles), Jon Edwards (guitar/vocals/ mandolin/banjo & bouzouki) and Charlie McCarthy (fiddle/fiddle/ fiddle & fiddle haha), Sparrow is attracting a lot of attention. Keep an eye out for them... Charlie put it this way, “In a year from now you will be able to say sure, I knew them before they were famous like!”

MA Est 2012

Irish Sandwich Bar

Make it happen in 2015

You can contact Sparrow by email: charliecharlie@gmail.com or phone Charlie on 0400 503 042.

YOU CAN’T DOWNLOAD

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MUSICAL EXPERIENCE 54

“From all of us to all of you, have a great year”

251 Hay St, East Perth PHONE ORDERS

9221 4872

OPENING HOURS: Mon - Fri 7am - 2pm Sat - Sun 8am - 12noon (Breakfast Only)

By Lloyd Gorman

The Fall came to SBS 1 on October 23 and was a really well made and gripping crime yarn set in Belfast. Just to top it off The Fall had TV royalty in the form of Gillian Anderson (Scully from X Files) which gave it something else again. Definitely one to watch if or when you get a chance.

October 26 on Ten, Graham Norton had the boys of U2 on his show. They were relaxed and funny and even Bono wasn’t annoying, at least hardly at all. It was on the set of this show that he revealed his trade mark big glasses are because he has glaucoma.

At the height of the debate about the Ebola crisis in West Africa it was no surprise that the issue would get some screen time on the current affairs show Q&A on ABC. One of those to ask a question from the audience was an Irish woman called Kate who asked if it was wise for Australia to send medical staff into the region.

Former Dundalk boy turned Aussie comic Dave Callan pops up from time to time on the box, on this occasion he was reviewing a game I think on the popular Good Game, on ABC2, on October 30.

Dave is a big hairy bloke who looked like you’d imagine most Irish men did hundreds of years ago, and sounds Irish to boot. Reign of Fire was back on 7Mate again on November 1. The futuristic film is set in Northumberland, England in 2020 but actually shot in Co. Wicklow in 2002 when the country was under attack from a livestock disease - foot and mouth disease - rather than flying fire breathing dragons.

Irish actor James Nesbitt was also on SBS One that day with his River Deep Mountain documentary about New Zealand, from its early creation stories to modern day ones such as the creation of the Shire for the Hobbits in Lord of the Rings. Nesbitt who has notched up an impressive range of films to his credit was in Perth shortly after the new documentary was shown but I don’t know if the two things are related.

For those of us with kids a certain amount of TV is impossible to avoid and ABC3 is probably the best for this kind of entertainment. Every time I see another kids programme it seems like it is made or produced in Ireland. On November 8 on the state broadcaster’s kids channel they showed a new offering, Driftwood Bay. It is about Lily and her family who live on a beach and her best friend is a sea gull.

Belfast animation company Sixteen South are behind this one while Peter Rabbit on the same channel is from Brown Bag Films, who are based in Smithfield Market in Dublin. Between them, and Irish production firms, there is a wealth of kids programming coming from Ireland, including Roy, Octonauts, The Amazing World of Gumball and Fluffy Gardens to name just a few. Children’s programmes are an exciting and expanding sector of the Irish TV and film industry and a successful example of how that can be exported around the world, including here in Australia.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the Late Late Toy Show and probably quite a few Irish here in WA tried to tune in. We did but our broadband let us down and we abandoned it as a bad job after a while. But at least at the very start of the show Ryan Turbidy gave a big welcome to all the Irish boys and girls around the world who would be watching.

The kids enjoyed that, they felt he was talking to them, so even for that little bit of it the exercise was worth it.

Talking of kids telly my seven year old son Hugh had his first proper interaction with a TV show on November 22. I had forgotten that he had previously emailed through some questions to Good Game SP, the version of the gaming show for younger kids. Because he hadn’t added his name to the questions they referred to him as Mystery Spawnling and when they started reading out his question it was of course the source of great excitement.

American actress and comedian Ros-

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ie O’Donnell was in Ireland as part of the hit show “Who do you think you are?”, on Channel 9, on November 9 (another repeat).

ABC1’s Four Corners on November 10 turned its attention to the story of young Irish children who were taken from their families and sold to families in America through a programme sanctioned by the Irish church and state. No matter how many times you hear these stories told it is hard to believe it actually happened. This documentary had some impact, the situation in Ireland and story of these stolen children was raised in the WA parliament the next day and I met former Subiaco mayor Tony Costa soon afterwards who was reduced to tears watching it. Tony is one of those children who were taken from their families by the church and then sent to Australia as a boy, this documentary must have touched parts of his heart the rest of us can only imagine. As a result of his experience of being a so called ‘child migrant’ Tony is a tireless advocate for justice for all people.

The Day the Shark Came In aired on ABC on November 18. Aussies, like the rest of us, seem to love programmes about this predator. Amongst those featured on this documentary about great white sharks was Martin Kane, a Dub who moved to Australia a long time ago, and who just a couple of years ago miraculously survived a shark attack unscathed.

Irish Scene interviewed Martin shortly after the near death experience and his story is a remarkable tale.

7Mate screened the Ireland Australia compromise rules game live. Subi Oval’s 43,500 seats were packed for the clash but a lot more people watched the game from home, or the pub. I don’t know how it looked on the screen but the scene was something special for spectators in the stadium.

Season two of Vikings, a repeat, came back on SBS One on November 27. This period drama is one of the best things to

be on the box in years. Irish actor Gabriel Byrne kicked off this show as the main Viking leader but Australian actor Travis Fimmel who plays the part of Ragnar Lothbrok who kills him and becomes the lord, excels himself in the role. Vikings is a joint Irish and Canadian production which is mainly shot in Ireland. Filming was done at Ashford Studios, in Co. Wicklow, a new purpose built studio which is the biggest independent facility in Ireland. Filming of the longship scenes is done on Luggala as well as the Poulaphouca Reservoir, also in Wicklow. A small amount of background scenes were shot in Western Norway, but otherwise most of what you are seeing is the Irish countryside.

If you haven’t seen it yet do yourself a favour and give it a try (but be warned there is a lot of blood and action that can be gruesome at times). With any kind of luck the new season will hit our TV’s soon, as it is already being shown on RTE. One of the most interesting episodes of Grand Designs was screened on ABC, on December 1. Roscommon born actor Sean Simon set out to restore Cloontykillia Castle in his native county - during the downturn in the Irish economy. What would have been a difficult task for anyone to take on at the best of times, Sean’s problems were confounded by the banks, circumstances and perhaps to a small extent his habit of changing things all the time. That said, your heart really went out to him as he tried to realise a childhood ideal of the castle while the banks imposed ever more control on the project.

The Inspector George Gently series was on Saturdays on ABC during December, all repeats, but all filmed in Ireland.

The Antiques Road Show of December 6 on GO pulled up at Castle Coole, Co.Fermanagh and as well as some interesting artefacts and finds there was a good selection of Irish accents to be heard.

Jennifer Aniston was a guest on the Graham Norton Show on December 7.

Norton did something he rarely does on the programme and he referred to his own Irishness - but only as part of the build up to slag the Rachel star of Friends. Norton said that as a “proud Irishman” he would get together with other Irish friends and watch Leprechaun. I have seen it on Australian TV once in the last five years and reviewed it for TSTN but you might not have seen it - if you are lucky. It is a B movie about a homicidal Leprechaun on a killing rampage searching for his pot of gold. It is as bad as it sounds. Aniston who was obviously a young actress hungry for any role she could get played a part in this visual failure which was released in 1993.

A year later she was Rachel in Friends and that was an end to playing crummy roles, I think its fair to say she was a little embar-

rassed when Leprechaun was dragged up and even a clip of it played on the show.

Anything that mortifies celebrities and reminds them of their ambition is worth a watch.

Australian celebrity TV chef Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Ireland series was on Saturdays on 7Two. On December 13 she was in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford cooking up a storm of fresh fish and the like and was heading next for Galway.

Navan born Dylan Moran was on ABC2 with his Yeah Yeah London stand up concert. He is a part of the Irish comedy Rat Pack if you like of Tommy Tiernan and Hector O hEochagain and just naturally oozes humour, black and sardonic as it can be at times.

Irish comedian Brendan O’Carroll was a guest on the Christmas QI with Stephen Fry and Co on December 17. I’m no fan of O’Carroll’s or Mrs Brown’s Boys but he did acquit himself well on this occasion.

In one section Fry said that footballs had been banned following the one of the most famous moments of the war, the football truce between British and German soldiers on Christmas Day, 1914. Despite the ban, the London Irish regiment smuggled a football onto a battlefield in 1915 and kicked it in front of them as they advanced on an enemy position. That ball, and members of the regiment fresh from Afghanistan, were at the show. O’Carroll said it had been a significant year for Irish soldiers when Fry cut in and started to take over the story. O’Carroll wasn’t having it and went on to explain that soldiers who deserted the Irish army to fight with the British army in both world wars had only recently been pardoned by the Irish government, even if it was too late for the men themselves O’Carroll added.

The Gangs of New York was on One, December 21. This 2002 production is of course a Scorsese film but it is also an Irish one, for different reasons, including the theme, history and characters portrayed in it.

Christmas saw a bit of an end of year rush on Irish programmes. On Christmas Eve, on ABC, The Code looked behind the folklore and mythology of the Giants Causeway to the science and geological forces that forced this unique landscape feature. Very interesting and presented simply.

Christmas Day itself saw a double episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys and a Father Ted Christmas Special, the one where Ted extracts a group of priests from a ladies underwear department in a shopping centre. For this he wins the Gold Cleric - a great episode set during Christmas. Perfect fare for the day that’s in it.

Christmas is normally a slow news day for everyone, particularly TV sta-

56

tions who still need to fill as much news programming as other times of the year.

As part of its coverage the ABC was out and about interviewing people, including one Dublin 4 sounding guy here in Perth for about a year, who was relaxing on Cottesloe Beach. No doubt there were very many Irish sunning themselves on the golden sands of WA and other parts of Australia.

On the 27th of December, GEM screened a 1952 comedy called Time, Gentlemen, Please, a quirky story about an English village “Hayhoe” which has such a high productivity and output, with almost 100% employment, that it is expecting a visit from the Prime Minister.

The only fly in the ointment is Dan Dance, an old rogue and philosopher who doesn’t fit in with their plans for perfection. The role of Dan is played by deceased Dublin actor Eddie Byrne who had an interesting career on screen, playing in many ham horror flicks - The Mummy (1959) and Island of Terror (1966) - but also many great watches - Dunkirk (1958) and Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1977) - and even a minor role in Star Wars towards the end of his career. Despite the best efforts of the villagers Dan Dance comes out quite nicely on top of the situation with a $6,000 a year pension. A nice end of year film with a great performance from an Irish actor who we should remember.

Final entries for 2014 and top marks goes to Grabbers, on SBS 2 December 27.

An island of the mainland of Ireland - set in what looks to me to be Inis Mór - is invaded by bloodsucking aliens (which are as well depicted on the screen as aggressive extraterrestrial life forms in big Hollywood productions). The two local Gardai and a small band of islanders battle the ruthless aliens, while trying to keep the rest of the island’s population oblivious to the threat, and blind drunk. Alcohol in the bloodstream is highly toxic to the aliens and proves to be the only way to survive the attack. A really well made and funny flick, think Shaun of the Dead for a comparison, but in an Irish context. This one really made me laugh and I look forward to watching it again sometime. Action thriller Haywire (2011) was on GO, on December 30. This fast moving flick has a big cast and global back drop. The action takes the viewer briefly to Ireland, through a tough fight scene in a bedroom at the Shelbourne Hotel and then a chase sequence across the rooftops of central Dublin from the Gardai’s Emergency Response Unit ending with the heroine escaping to England by sneaking onto an Irish Ferry at Dublin Port. Also, the film’s score was written by Northern Irish DJ, David Holmes.

www.facebook.com/perthcomhaltas

Page Sponsor: Reid’s Bootmakers,

2014 Comhaltas Executive

Joan Walker Chairperson joanwalker1412@icloud.com Yvonne Jones Vice Chairperson haggisipad@gmail.com Yvonne Henderson Secretary Yvonnehenderson7@gmail.com Ken Walker Treasurer kwal9164@bigpond.net.au Lilly Whelan Publicity Officer nugli21@gmail.com and old to reconnect with their Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann Irish heritage, as well as a place is a non profit organisation for people of other ethnicities which promotes Irish culture to learn about Irish music and and continues the traditions of culture. Music camps, ceili’s, music music, dance and language all competitions and other events are around the world. Comhaltas has held throughout the year. Next year been running in Perth for many we will be meeting every Friday years, ensuring the continuing of night from the 16th of January at the Irish tradition in Australia.

The Irish Club in Subiaco. Come Meeting every week to learn music, along to meet new people, have fun, dancing and gaelic has become an and learn some music, dancing or important part of the lives of many gaelic. people who have emigrated from Ireland, as it provides a connection Lily to their culture and heritage away Public relations officer from home. Comhaltas provides opportunities for people young

Thanks to Joe Mahon and Reid’s Bootmakers

Reid’s Bootmakers are sponsors of the Comhaltas Irish Scene page and CCE appeciates their support.

Reid’s is a family owned and family run small business in Victoria Park.

Dubliner, Joe Mahon told The Irish Scene: “If you value a quality made item and are looking for comfort we are the right place. We try to stock only well-made orthopaedic designed footwear and accessories that will meet the needs of our customers.

On our website you will find a range

of shoes from around the world to accommodate orthotics, wide or narrow feet, bunions, hammer toes and so much more. We now also stock leather fashion shoes which are chosen for the quality of the materials and manufacturing along with the best fit possible to deliver comfort and value for money to our customers”.

Reid’s Bootmakers repair and modify footwear too and so they try to stock shoes that can be modified for build ups, stabilisers, rocker soles etc. so you the customer can get the complete service in one place. They also offer custom made orthotics so you can have the orthotics and shoes matched in store to ensure they fit

correctly.

Joe added, “We test all our products by using them ourselves and so you will see some comments on the product pages from our staff and the owners about what we found to help you choose the correct product for your needs.

If you can’t find what you are looking for please feel free to contact us by email or phone and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Tel: (08) 9361 5301 joe@reidsbootmakers.com.au www.reidsbootmakers.com.au Facebook: /ReidsBootmakers Twitter: @ReidsBootmakers

Are to be logged!

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Dining Guide

Sponsor: McLoughlin’s Butchers with Danielle O’Leary

Fenians has fond memories for Danielle Walking into the Fenians on Adelaide Terrace is like walking down memory lane. There was a photograph taken of me in my fabulous Holy Communion dress under the sign outside that says 61.5 miles to Cork. When I was 12, I won a competition for a satellite link up from the Fenians to a pub in Kinsale – it was the most exciting thing, we could see our family in Ireland. A phenomenon back then – our photograph even made the paper –, a standard skype call now.

When I was 19, my family sat in one of the old booths before a Rose of Tralee selection ball, only to have my father surprise my mother with her two best friends from Dublin. To me, there is only happy memories in the Fenians and that is why I am so pleased to see positive changes – new, modern, clean renovations including new flooring, furniture and bright interior all provide an even more welcoming atmosphere.

I arrived back at the Fenians on a 39 degree day. Luckily, the generous air conditioning made it so that we never wanted to leave!

Despite the heat, we were hungry and their new menu offers a mix of traditional Irish and pub classics.

From salads to steaks, all appetites are catered for. My favourite feature of the menu was the snack section – at either $10 for one or $25 for three items, you can choose from foods such as chicken wings glazed in a smoky barbeque relish, garlic and herb baguette with marinated olives or cheese and potato croquette with tomato relish. We had the generous serving of the croquettes – they were ridiculously good. The snack menu offers fantastic value. Along with the croquettes, we had the high selling Beef and Guinness Pie – braised beef in Guinness, topped with butter puff pasty and served with colcannon. The pie was delicious, but for me the colcannon stole the show. It was flavoursome with the right amount of additions to make it traditional. We also shared an Irish Pub Sandwich (I told you we were hungry!) – chicken breast, black pudding, bacon, soft fried egg, grilled tomato in sourdough bread.

The sandwich was fantastic – the flavours were balanced perfectly.

All food is immaculately presented showing a strong sense of creativity and pride.

The Fenians is changing,

Danielle O’Leary enjoying the new decor and great new menu at Fenians

but definitely for the better. The outdoor terrace has new modern furniture marking it ideal for an afternoon beer or work get together. The extensive beverage selections with the Irish classics like Guinness and Kilkenny, local craft brews and reasonable wine and cocktails makes sure that everyone is happy. Be sure to go back to Fenians and give it a try I know we will definitely be back soon, not only to escape the heat.

Fenians is located on the ground floor of the Novotel Langley Hotel, 221 Adelaide Terrace, Perth.

Bookings: 9425 1634 or visit www.fenianspubperth.com.au

McLoughlin Butchers Malaga Proud Supporters of the Irish Scene Drop in and see our range of Irish prepared meats mcloughlinbutchers.com.au Like us on facebook

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The Australian-Irish Heritage Association

AUSTRALIA DAY ECUMENICAL SERVICE Monday January 26th 2015 at 10.30am

Our annual service of thanksgiving for this land Australia will be held in St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Beatrice Avenue, Shelley on Monday, 26th January at 10.30am. Rev. Alan Brodie will be joined by ministers of mainstream churches in a service of readings, hymns and a keynote address.

St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Beatrice Avenue, Shelley Free, includes morning tea - Denis Bratton 9345 3530

SAINT BRIGID’S DAY CELEBRATION Sunday, February 1st 2015 at 3pm

To honour St Brigid, Ireland’s female patron saint, The AIHA presents: The Life of St Brigid Biographical and Mythical.

Learn and be entertained about Brigid patroness of women in a programme of story, poetry, music and song featuring a humorous playlet published in The Penny Journal in 1840 staged by a cast of eclipsed stars!

Irish Club Theatre, 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco Cecilia Bray 9367 6026 or pay at the door, $10 incl afternoon tea

THE FOURTH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB Tuesday, January 27th, 8pm

Meets last Tuesday of the month with exception of December.

Irish Club Committee Room, 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’ by Harper Lee. Presenter Maureen Hart Admission Free. All welcome. Light refreshments provided excluding drinks.

Coffee from Bar $3.80 - Maureen on 9279 2486

WRITERS’ PRIZES 2015 deadline Tuesday 30th June, 2015

The Joe O’Sullivan Writers’ Prize honouring the memory of the Organisation’s late founder, worth $1,000, limit of 2,000 to 4,000 words prose, fact or fiction. Open to residents of WA only - Topic: “Heritage”.

Joyce Parkes Women’s Writers’ Prize honours Joyce Parkes who is a well-known poet living in WA. She is the patron of the prize, which aims at promoting and encouraging women writers in Australia. Limit of 1,000 to 2,000 words – Prose, fact or fiction. Prize Money: $500 Topic: “Conflict” $10 for all competitions. Enq to Denis Bratton 9345 3530

AIHA FILM CLUB SEASON Wednesdays February 4,11,18,25, March 4

Now in our fifth year the outdoor Irish Film Festival continues to prove very popular with members and friends. Private garden cinema, 7.45pm nightly.

Ample parking available. Big fifteen-foot cinema screen.

Full programme details will be released in January.

Each night a supporting short film, together with tea/coffee and cakes.

8 Fourth Avenue, Kensington (South Perth, off Canning Highway) Donation $10 to cover catering and costs, pay at the gate.

Enquiries: Denis Bratton 9345 3530

Notices...........

Trinity School for Seniors Companionship through Learning for over 60s

Weekly informal sessions where Marie and Richard Moloney discuss the history of the Irish, the beautiful country of Ireland and share a taste of the Irish language. Discussion topics to include The Famine, social history, literature, music and the diaspora of Irish people.

Trinity United Church, 72 St George’s Terrace, Perth – Betty Creagh Lounge Time: Thursdays 15, 22 and 29 January, 2015, from 12 noon to 1pm Cost: $2 coin entry each session. Summer School enquiries 9483 1333

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Happy 90th Birthday

COLM O’DOHERTY

for 31st December, 2014

Colm is an original member of Perth WB Yeats Society, and a longtime participating member of AIHA, winner of Brendan Award 2010 and co-editor of Bloomsday for the past 25 years

Australian-Irish Heritage Association Non Political-Non Sectarian-Emphatically Australian PO Box 1583 Subiaco 6904.

Tel: 08 9345 3530.

Email: aiha@irishheritage.net Web Page: www.irishheritage.net Membership Due in 1st January.

Family membership $65, Concession $55,Distant (200 kms from Perth) $45 Membership fee includes tax deductible donation of $20

The Australian-Irish Heritage Association was founded in 1993 as an inclusive organisation which encourages and promotes an awareness of Australia’s Irish Heritage and Culture. To this end, the AIHA creates opportunities for all to learn about, participate in and enjoy this distinctive heritage.

land of

&

Ireland

honey

by Sally Desmond

The New Year A time to reflect!

and, importantly, be less susceptible to pieces of clever but skewed propaganda masquerading as journalism.

I am also going to try to maintain the trust and hope in the intrinsic good of humanity.

Somehow Michael Coady’s poem nearly says it all for me.

As I am beginning to write this piece the cities of Australia are strewn with flowers.

Flowers that say to the world “We are completely powerless to change what has happened but we desperately need to let you know we care”.

The John Williamson song says it all very poignantly in the face of horrendous events… “All we can do is throw a flower on the water”. We can pray, of course, each man to his own God but somehow, somewhere we have to do more.

Describing Australia as “The Lucky Country” is not really a well-worn cliché. We are all lucky to be here - admittedly some luckier than others. Human nature, being as it is, there will always be tragedies but the last few weeks have been sobering and confronting. Perhaps in its own way the helplessness we feel has made us value the people around us in a new light. Everything we hold near and dear can vanish in the twinkling of an eye.

Aggressive retaliation and blame-laying are not the answer. That way chaos reigns and it is a fool’s game in any case and justifying injustice is invidious and not worthy of a Good Country.

Usually my New Year’s Resolutions take the line - Cleaning the Oven more often or not eating Lindt almond bars every time I see one. This year with all the fervour of bred-in-the-bone Irish Catholic guilt I am going to try to empathise more, listen more

Ar agaid linn go 2015 is beannactai do gaoh aoine.

THOUGH THERE ARE TORTURERS Though there are torturers in the world There are also musicians.

Though, at this moment, men Are screaming in prisons, There are jazzmen raising storms Of sensuous celebration, And orchestras releasing Glories of the Spirit.

Though the image of God Is everywhere defiled, A man in West Clare Is playing the concertina, The Sistine Choir is levitating Under the dome of St. Peter’s And a drunk man on the road Is singing, for no reason.

Michael Coady (b. 1939)

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Minister for Diaspora visits Perth

By Lloyd Gorman

Perth has seen a disproportionate number of Irish emigrants in recent years but it is fair to say that the east coast of Australia has enjoyed the lions share of the Irish government’s attention in that time. Since 2012 there have been seven ‘high level’ ministerial visits on different occasions by Irish government ministers Down Under. Up until very recently Perth had been visited twice, on both occasions for St. Patrick’s Day festivities by a junior minister, while the remainder of the other official tours were to the eastern states, in each case by a full government minister who did not venture west.

So the arrival of full minister in Perth in November of last year was arguably overdue. But if there had been a gap in the government’s concentration about the importance and value of West Australia and its burgeoning Irish community then hopefully the significance of this visitor might signal an end to that lack of focus. Mr Jimmy Deenihan, the Minister for Diaspora Affairs, rounded off a tour of Australian capital cities including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in Perth.

No disrespect to the two junior ministers who were sent to Perth in recent years (one of whom has gone on to become a minister), but there is a world of difference between a minister of state, and a minister (for the state). In July 2014 in an Irish newspaper a former junior minister in a Fianna Fail government, Conor Lenihan, who hails from a family of political masters and ministers, wrote as much in a revealing article about his time as an underling to the minister of a department.

The difference in political weight and reach between a junior or full minister dropping by is easy to see.

While the junior man or woman is there and acting as an official representative of the government, and they deserve the respect of that position and status, theirs is largely a ceremonial and community responsibility, with some other duties and commitments placed on their time.

But a minister can knock on and open doors in situations where a junior minister might not have that luxury, especially one whose portfolio and responsibility is for the

Irish diaspora. During his most recent tour to Australia (Mr Deenihan was in Sydney in 2013) the minister headed up a business mission of Irish companies looking to break into or expand in the Australian market or come up with joint ventures and projects with other firms. Trade between the two countries is worth more than $2 billion according to the minister.

As part of that push, Mr Deenihan opened an Enterprise Ireland (EI) in Perth. “(Because of the boom and the future development plans for the city), Perth is now very much on our agenda,” said Mr Deenihan, “from the point of view of the Irish government, and I think its through the launch of the office here this evening, its an indication of our in-

Minister Deenihan at Enterprise Ireland Perth office opening

terest in Perth and West Australia and Australia. WA is a place we can increase our exports too, be it services, engineering, construction, I think there is huge potential here, that’s what we’ll be doing in the future.”

launch of the EI office, and having met other Irish business people, Mr Deenihan said Irish people and their companies had proved themselves to be amongst the best in Australia.”

As well as opening of the EI office, the minister also officiated over the launch of consulate, from where Marty Kavanagh acts as the governments full time - and voluntary - representative.

“Its an honorary position but it strikes me its more or less a full time position that you are doing and you obviously have a passion for everything Irish,” Mr Deenihan said. Marty said he was proud to be Irish and hoped to make his country proud in that role.

Mr Deenihan attended a large number of meetings with different groups and organisations. Speaking with a hoarse voice - at the Irish Club he said he had spoken with “a few thousand” of people since he came to WA. “I’ve learned a lot about the needs and requirements of the Diaspora since I came out here, probably the needs and requirements of WA are different to those of London, Boston or San Francisco, there are commonalities but there are different challenges.”

The minister met with the committee of the Irish Club and was shown plans for the revamp of the premises. He was supportive of the plans and encouraged the IC to press

Hon Consul Marty Kavanagh and Richard with DCI Electrical management staff

The minister said 250,000 people lost their jobs and livelihood when the construction sector dramatically crashed a few years ago. A lot of those people and others were able to choose to come to Perth and WA where there was demand for their skills. The Irish economy was starting to come good again and he invited those who left unemployment and economic hardship to return to Ireland. Having heard Declan White from the Monford Group speak at the

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ahead with them. He said he and the Irish government would support them in whatever way they could and pledged the help of the Irish embassy in Canberra for advice and information.

“Marty Kavanagh told me that there are 181,000 Irish in Perth, between the recently arrived and people connected to Ireland, which is a huge support base, with that good will base and our Diaspora policy I’m sure you can achieve your goals,” the

with some of them.

There was a special event that coincided with Mr Deenihan’s visit which had particular significance for him and allowed him to demonstrate an extra dimension to the ministerial expedition.

Mr Deenihan was able - and Ambassador Noel White, Consul Marty proud - to talk about his association Kavanagh and Minister Deenihan with the Ireland Australia Comprominister said. “For the future of the mise Rules Code, of which there was Club and the future of the Irish dias- a game on November 22, at Subiaco pora and community in Perth, I think Oval. He was the captain of a Kerry team that played and beat a WA this is an essential project.”

He was confident the renovated team 33 years earlier. Speaking on Minister’s visit to Celtic Club in West Perth.

Irish Club in Subiaco could become Songs for Ireland - Frank Murphy’s it was a great occasion, whatever home to other groups, including the Saturday morning radio show on the result, winning or losing wasn’t Claddagh Association, which would Radio Fremantle - he shared this important. There was a great atanecdote. “When I mosphere on the pitch, it was quite make it a “one stop shop” returned home I got unique. I think yesterday was an imfor the Irish communiinjured, I broke my portant day for a number of reasons ty. Mr Deenihan said he leg, so I wasn’t play- and that it was a huge success. What hoped the Emigrant Suping for the summer of impressed me the most about it was port Programme would 82 and Paddy Buggy the great party - BBQ and cultural continue to be of help who was president of festival - there (at Kitchner Park beto the Irish community the GAA at the time side Subiaco Oval (Patersons Stadihere. had entered into talks um)), it was great to see such a famPerth was exceptional with the AFL and they ily occasion. I think we should have in Australia for having set up a committee in more of that before our big matches won the Rose of Tralee Dublin to look at the in Ireland.” twice he added. “Sydney feasibility of a comIt is interesting that such an expenever won a Rose,” he promise game and I rienced and respected former GAA said. “No other country Minister making a in the world has any- presentation to PP Irish was asked to go on player could take away new ideas thing like the Rose of Club of WA, Alan O’Meara that committee and with him from his time in Perth. In Tralee, its a huge competition and with Paddy Buggy and John Moloney an interview with Irish Scene (more connection for the diaspora. This we wrote the rules for it,” he told lis- of which will be in the next edition) year I hope to run a major women’s teners. “I’m very proud of that fact he said he wanted to support and business conference in association and glad they are still continuing, encourage the Irish diaspora in any with it,” added Mr Deenihan, who is there were times when it looked like way he could and that he was open they might not continue it. I feel on to suggestions and comments. As a Kerry TD, based in Listowel.

His schedule included amongst this occasion the AFL seem to be tak- an acting minister he has the ability other events, meeting sporting and ing it very seriously and they picked and authority to take new ideas and cultural groups, catching mass at St. some really good players, some of policy’s to the Cabinet - where real Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco, their very best - I’m told there were decisions are made by government.

Irish Scene asked Mr Deenihan if where Tuam born Fr. Joseph Walsh seven captains from top AFL clubs on celebrated, visiting an order of Sis- the team. They may have problems he knew who would be representing ters in Subiaco and laying a wreath in kicking the round ball but Tadhg the Irish government at the 2015 St. Kings Park for Tipperary man Martin Kennelly who is a very good friend of Patrick’s Day festival to which he reO’Meara who was one of the first WA mine, I understand is coaching them plied it wasn’t his decision on who would sent where but he was able soldiers to win a Victoria Cross med- on the art of kicking the round ball.”

After the game, with a point dif- to rule out the Taoiseach Enda Kenal in World War 1. Like most other Irish families with family abroad, the ference of 10 in favour of the Austral- ny for whom a trip to the Oval Office minister said he had relatives who ians Mr Deenihan was undeterred by in the White House to meet Barack came to Perth in the 1930’s or 40’s the result. “They displayed wonder- O’Bama is inevitable and much too and hoped that he might cross paths ful skills kicking the Gaelic football… good (and unique) an opportunity to hob knob with the world’s most Minister in King’s Park for Martin O’Meara VC wreath laying ceremony powerful man, to pass up. Hopefully Perth will in 2015 see an Irish strongman visit, perhaps a return by the Diaspora minister, or another senior member of government, for March 17, to build on the foundations of what has been achieved on this ministerial trip.

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Executive

President: Eileen Ashley TCRG Vice President: Teresa McGorry TCRG Secetary: Samantha McAleer TCRG Treasurer: Deirdre McGorry TCRG AIDA Inc Delegate: Hilary McKenna TCRG School Contacts SCOIL RINCE NI BHAIRD Lynwood Tony Ward TCRG 0427 273 596 SCOIL RINCE NI CEIDE/UPTON Subiaco & Woodvale Samantha McAleer TCRG 9405 6255/0414 188 784 EIREANN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Como, Jandakot & Rockingham Siobhan Cummins TCRG 0422 075 300 KAVANAGH STUDIO OF IRISH DANCE Osborne Park & Melville kavanaghirishdance.com.au

Teresa McGorry TCRG 0412 155 318 Deirdre McGorry TCRG 0400 077892 / 92551375 O’BRIEN ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCING Butler, Kinross, Subiaco Rose O’Brien ADCRG 94016334 / 0423382706 O’HARE SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Wembley Downs & Osborne Park Jenny O’Hare TCRG 0422 239 440 SAOIRSE SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Caramar Sinead Hoare TCRG 0414 647 849 THREE CROWNS SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE Warwick & Kingsway Eleanor Rooney TCRG 0449 961 669 TRINITY STUDIO OF IRISH DANCING Morley Eileen Ashley TCRG 0413 511 595 WA ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCING Malaga Glenalee Bromilow ADCRG 9276 3737/0410 584 051 Sue Hayes TMRF 9377 5600 Hilary McKenna TCRG 0404 730 532

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc. WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Another full and exciting year of Irish Trinity Studio Christmas concert at John Forrest Senior High School dancing has now come to an end for the Perth schools. The Christmas concerts and parties are over and last prizes been handed out. Dancers everywhere are putting away their dancing shoes to give their feet a well deserved rest.

2015 is already shaping up to be a big one with many Shows, Competitions and Championships planned. Here are some of next year’s events: Kavanagh Studio Christmas concert MARCH at the Quarry Amphitheatre th 17 - St Patrick’s Day 21st & 22nd - AIDA WA Feis MARCH 29th to APRIL 5th World Irish Dancing Championships, Montreal, Canada MAY 16th & 17th - AIDA WA Feis 22nd 23rd & 24th - Australian International Oireachtas, Gold Coast, QLD JUNE 20th & 21st - AIDA WA Feis Lachlan Moroney with AUGUST his All Ireland medal 1st & 2nd - Western Australian State Solo Championships 29th - Solo Premierships 30th - Western Australian State Ceili Championships SEPT 29th to OCT 3rd Australian Irish Dancing Championships, Sydney, NSW NOVEMBER 8th - AIDA WA Beginner/Primary Feis If you are interested in learning Irish dancing or having your children taught Irish dancing now is the time to start looking for a school. We are lucky to have ten schools in Perth.

Most classes resume as school goes back between the end of January and the beginning of February 2015.

Please see the teachers list left for your closest classes.

Shadow Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services & Child Protection PO Box 2440, SOUTH HEDLAND WA 6722 stephen.dawsonmp@mp.wa.gov.au (08) 9172 2648 • 1800 199 344 (toll free)

63

SUPPORT IN THE WA G

IRISH COMMUMITY

Irish Seniors'

Christmas Party at The Irish Club of WA

• Irish Pork Sausages • Breakfast Rolls • Chicken Fillet Rolls • Homemade Jambons • Sausage Rolls • Fresh Salad Bar • Black & White Pudding • Boiling Bacon • Irish Small Goods • McDonald’s Curry • Chef Sauce • Taytos & Kings PLUS... All the drinks, chocolates and favourites from home!

STILL ALL YOUR FAVOURITE IRISH TREATS!

Drop in and say hi to our friendly staff The Mezz Shopping Centre Scarborough Bch Rd, Mt Hawthorn (Entrance off Flinders St - Opp Woolworths)

Phone: 9242 5521

“Taste 32 Cafe & Deli” 64

Bridget and Thomas of Dardanup Green

ALL FORCE LA

BO

UR SO LU T I O N S

by Norm Flynn

There’s a little bit of history here to be told A story set in Dardanup, in the days of old Where O’Reilly wrote of birds with glinting wings And lutes the birds that never sing Well, just a few years, after him Comes an Irish gal pretty and slim A siren with a Mona Lisa come-hither smile Attracts the lads from many a mile On horse or foot all scrubbed and clean They come to woo this lovely Colleen The likes of Murphy, Clancy and O’Flynn Reagan, Slattery, Egan and Jimmy Quinn.

To make his bid comes Thomas, an idler, a loafer makes himself at home on the family sofa A flash sort of fellow tall and lean he claims the heart of this Colleen.

O’Reilly might say “of senuous flower and of gleaming snake But of these things what picture can I make?”

With father Ned away, other suitors are held at bay Like Murphy, O’Flynn, Egan and O’Shea With his regular callin’and visits unseen Passion is keen between him and Colleen Mother nature intrudes and soon a father to be, is he But not so, he leaves sayin’ “no, no,no, it’s not me!”

So Colleen, now a worried lass with a bun has all the lads in town on the run Like Murphy, O’Flynn, Egan and Stevie Dunn For old father Ned it’s no trifle and he scours the district with his rifle For Thomas that no-good loafer “Who took liberties at home on my sofa.

For his life, I’ll warrant he’ll come clean and marry my sweet, innocent , Colleen.”

Paternity, deemed, Thomas is tracked and by the ear he is brought back To face the charge he must defend That his Colleen he grievously did offend.

The judge he says “come along we‘ve not got all day

To establish who left this lass in the family way” Thomas adoptin’ a professional air Asks the law, “can such a charge be fair?

With respect, your Honour, may we ask?”

Says Thomas warming to his task “Can a pretty maid backin’ on to a circular blade (To be polite, Sir) prove which tooth it was that bit her?”

The law is stumped and for justice to be seen The judge dismisses the case brought by Colleen Thomas leaves town on the very next train

65

and the locals lads can all breath their sighs again Now when they pass Colleen pushin’ her pram They sheepishly smile and say “g’day Mam” and clear the street in quick retreat Fearin’ her smile might rekindle the flame And set old Ned on the rampage again Seeking out Murphy, O’Flynn, Egan or McShane (What’s in a name?)

Irish Families in Perth

Western Australia

IFIP Sponsors Irish Families in Perth would like to thank and acknowledge the following as our sponsors from January to June 2014.

Playgroup Playgroup is now finished for the school holidays. Please see our page for our regular meet ups in January and February.

St Patrick’s Day We are looking for volunteers to help us with our St. Patrick’s Day Float. Anyone interested please contact irishinperth@hotmail.com

Endeavour Finances Irish Taxation Services Liz O’Hagan - Migration & Visa Currency Fair Wrightway Training Sandra McAnea and Bridget Donnelly - Real Estate Paramount Vehicle Services Lenihan O’Neill Solicitors The Irish Scene

Emigrant Support Funding The IFIP Executive Committee met with Minister for Diaspora Affairs, Mr Jimmy Deenihan on November 26th to discuss how best the government could support IFIP and the new migrants in WA. Ambassador Noel White, First Secretary Sarah Mangan and Consular Marty Kavanagh were also in attendance. IFIP received $2510 in ESP grant for 2014 to help support our ever growing number of events for the newly emigrated.

Children’s Christmas Party Our Children’s Christmas Party was held in The Beach House, Balcatta with 76 families in attendance. It was a roaring success with special guest Santa Claus making the long trip from the North Pole. A special thanks to Debbie Cashman for organising the venue, Avvie O’Leary for contacting Santa and arranging his schedule, Rachel Gallanagh for photos and not forgetting the children themselves who were a credit to their parents. We would like to thank all who donated on the day to the Claddagh/Joyce Family Appeal Fund.

GAA Junior Academy We would like to acknowledge Debbie Cashman and all at the GAA Junior Academy on what was a great day for all the children who participated at the International Rules Series on Nov 22nd.

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Upcoming Events Please see our page for more details on our upcoming events in January and February including our BBQ in the Park meet up, Children’s Day Out event which are especially aimed at those new to Perth.

Eimear irishinperth@hotmail.com

ULSTER

Rambles with David MacConnell

WHY DID YOU COME TO AUSTRALIA? I suppose you could say I am a bit of a fatalist. I arrived in Australia pretty much by accident. I was living in Stratford upon Avon when an old rugby friend phoned me up to ask my advice about changing his life style by moving to Australia (he had previously hurt his neck when playing rugby and needed a warmer climate). I knew that Australia had a capital that was neither Sydney nor Melbourne and that it was somewhat larger than Ireland. I knew that Australians could swim and play tennis rather well but that was about the extent of my knowledge.

In conclusion, I was not the best person to ask. Not to seem entirely ignorant and without an answer, I replied we should both toss a coin. (Remember we were on the telephone!) Two heads would suggest we might both go.

Heads tails would mean he should go and two tails that neither of us would go. I tossed the coin.

HEADS it fell. “How did your coin fall?” I worriedly asked. “HEADS” he said confidently. Damn, I thought, that does not quite fit into my plans.

Four weeks later I was on my way to Manchester for an interview.

More of this story later but on writing it, I realized that everyone who had emigrated to Australia

would have a story to tell.

“Tell me Doctor P. what made you think of coming to Australia?”

“Well it really began one November night. Do you remember how cold and damp it can be at that time of year in Ulster?” He continued before I had time to think back to ….. “I had just finished a shift in the hospital, the car refused to start and I had a long drive ahead of me. Long in Ulster terms that is”, he corrected.

“When I eventually got home, the house was cold, the wind was howling, even the dog looked miserable. I was fed up with the job so I grabbed the medical journal and started looking in the jobs section. Well nothing to cheer me up there but in the inside page was listed a job in Perth in some place named after a gardener. Yeah Charlie Gardener, which I thought was weird.

Well, with nothing better to do, I wrote down a quick letter to this place; mainly to cheer me up which it didn’t. I felt I should have put more effort into the application. Next day at the hospital, I dropped it into their mailing system and promptly forgot about it.

I must say I got a bit of a shock when five days later I answered the telephone at 4:30 in the morning from some Doctor in Perth who wanted to know if I was really interested in the job or not! And I suppose you could say the rest is history.”

Now Doctor P has a friend who for want of a name we will call Derek. Now Derek (I since found out) has a bible of stories about his time in Ulster. Derek lived near the Falls Road and thus was in a prime spot to observe the goings-on during the sixties and seventies. “Now I gotta tell ye; some of them stories were real funny”, he said to me one day in his office, “but of course others were a bit different.”

“Well what made you think of coming to Australia?” I innocently asked him.

“Are you kidding me!” he says.

Looking to Hire a Car in Ireland?

Arriving in Sydney airport 33 years ago with very little luggage!

“What made me think of coming to Australia? Are you having me on?” I presumed it was a rhetorical question and said nothing and so he continued. “A friend of mine’s wee girl was shot at this time and I just said to the wife, Elsie, it’s time to get out of here.”

“Did you have much trouble with the application?” I asked him.

“Sure it was all luck”, he replied.

“I filled out all the forms and heard nothing back so my cousin told me to phone this Mr. Greene in Scotland who might help. So I did. Mr. Greene was more than curt. He wanted to know how I had obtained his private number.

“You can’t be talking to me about this matter”, he declared but let it slip about the date of the interviews. So the wife and I caught a plane to Scotland and rocked up to the interview. There were lots of people there all with their passage already paid for. We got no joy for ages until we mentioned Mr. Greene. From then on it was

www.dan-dooley.ie 67

plain sailing: well flying actually” he said.

My own interview in Manchester did not go that smoothly. To save cost, I had booked an interview with British Aerospace based in Arabia somewhere or thereabouts. Unfortunately, I turned up on the wrong day but they did pay for the travel which was all I wanted. The interviewer was a real Aussie who turned out to be very helpful. “Now we go on a points system”, he reminded me, “And to be honest with you, you have not reached the required points, so this last question is most important.”

Well, I thought to myself, I should have looked up a book on Australia.

No internet in those days!

“Why do you want to go to Australia?” he asked expectantly.

I was just about to tell him about tossing a coin when my brain kicked in. I actually had never thought of going, so the question was proving difficult. “Look out the window”, I laconically replied. And so he turned and looked out on a very miserable, damp, dreary, grey, cloudy day in the middle of Manchester.

“Hey, that’s the best answer I have ever had. Well done mate!”

And so I sat there pleased to

know that I’d become his friend.

Well I had never been called mate before and how was I to know about Aussie slang.

How scary for all of us to think that thirty years have passed since those scenarios. We all told it like it was only yesterday.

Arriving in Sydney airport 33 years ago with very little luggage!

A few days ago in the fortnight before Christmas, I was looking for a graduation present for my daughter who had graduated with a medical degree, when I found Colin operating an embroidery service in the middle of the Joondalup shopping centre.

“And where are you from?” I inquired knowingly.

“I’m from BEL-fast” he replied in the correct accent.

“You been here long?” I inquired.

“Just 6 months,” He replied.

And so he told me his story about his properties dropping in value around 75%. “Well”, he said with a grimace, “I just dropped off the keys to the bank and headed down under!”

He kindly let me jump the queue so that I could get Doctor embroidered on a Christmas hat.

Well nothing changes in this regard. It’s still who you know!

Happy New Year to you all. I hope it will be a good one. By the way, after 20 years, my friend mentioned that he did not toss his coin! I never spoke to him again but secretly I thanked him. Sure aren’t we in one of the best (I nearly said wee) places in the world. David MacConnell

Diamond Jubilee Celebration

Sr. Philomena Butler and Sr. Edwardine McHugh arrived in Australia in 1954. Since then they have led dedicated lives as sisters of St. John of God. They cared for the sick in West Australia and Victoria and excelled in different aspects of the nursing profession.

In November 2014 they celebrated with their sisters in Subiaco, Mass and a meal in the Convent.

We wish them health and happiness as they journey towards their Platinum with God’s help.

Congratulations

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Congratulations to Dr Suanne Clare MacConnell. Suanne now has a medical degree to go along with her Physio degree. Suanne is the daughter of our own David MacConnell and Marie-Clare.

This edition guest:

Lloyd Gorman....

Lloyd Gorman is a journalist and writer for several newspapers including the Irish Times, Sunday Tribune and The News of the World. He moved to Australia in 2009 and has worked since as reporter for POST Newspaper in Subiaco and editor of Irish Scene. Lloyd married Imelda, from Limerick, a month after they arrived and have grown their family here since.

with Synnott

Unaccompanied baggage

What is your earliest memory in life?

Being afraid of the dark in my family home in the Liberties in Dublin, the sound of bells (Christchurch and St. Patrick’s Cathedral) and the smell of Guinness (from nearby James Gate) in the air.

Would you rather life in the country or city?

I enjoy getting out into the country but I’m a city boy, born and bred Where is home, where you live or where you left?

Ireland will always be my old home and Australia my new one What is your favourite mode of transport?

In Ireland I had a Kawaskai VN 800 Drifter which was a pure pleasure and joy to ride Are you a pub or a club man?

Having a young family doesn’t leave much scope for that kind of socialising, but given the chance it has to be the pub!

What was your favourite film and why?

The Field, because of the powerful acting and compelling story line but also because it was a film I watched over and over again with Tommy, a great housemate, and enjoying it every time If you could choose one famous person to come to your home for dinner who would it be?

Probably someone with a colourful and creative personality, like Flann O’Brien, or Brendan Behan First pop song that caught your attention?

I was eight and it was My Perfect Cousin by the Undertones Best book?

Too hard to say, but Songlines by Bruce Chatwin, which looks at Aboriginal culture and involves an anecdote about an Irish priest in the bush ranks high What would you do if you won Lotto?

Set the family up to be secure, but if I won an obscene amount ($100 million plus) I’d use a large amount of it to set up a foundation to help people What is your sport of choice, and player?

I have as much interest in sports (generally) as a sheep in a field has in global politics, but my favourite sportsperson is my youngest brother Philip who plays in the Eircom league in Ireland, and is captain of the Irish football team! He has been kicking a ball since he could toddle What is your worst fear in life?

Not being able to protect or provide for my family!

Backpackers • Tourists • Windsurfers •Surfboards If you would like your baggage, suitcase, backpacks, windsurfers sent back to your home 25 country/city while you YEAR’S E XPERIENC tour australia E

e people to We are th

contact.

We have been in the Perth International Airport for over 20 years and offer a money back guarantee service.

Please be aware the airlines will not accept any check-in baggage that weighs more than 32kgs in one item nor can you carry more than 7kgs on the aircraft.

EXPORTAIR UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE & CARGO

Phone: (618) 9477 1080 Fax: (618) 9477 1191

Tim Hawdon

Mob: 0421 884 999 & 0411 081 311 tim@exportair.com.au

www.exportair.com.au 69

Around the Irish scene... Compiled by Fred Rea

Jimmy Rogers in the New Aussie Bar in Waterford Ireland

Tim amd Wendy Mullins are Grandparents.

Daughter Aislinn presented them with a boy Angus George Pilley.

Congratulations!

RTE’s Marty Morrissey gets a kiss from Orla McStocker at International Rules Game

Condolences to Michael Murray on the passing of his mother Rita on December 15, 2014, Rest in Peace.

Joan Ross and West Coast Eagle Nic Naitanui.

Local Catholic Sisters at their annual Christmas Mass and party in Osborne Park

Meet Dan Culleton from Co Laois new manager of Durty Nelley’s in Shafto Lane, Perth. Dan replaces Lee Behan who has moved to manage another pub in the group. Married to West Australian Eve, who he met in Holland, they are the proud parents of 16 month old Caelen. Good Grandad Jim O’Connell celebrating his 88 at the luck Dan. Sunday session in the Baileys in Joondalup

Regular’s Lunch at JB’s

WA Corkonians celebrating Christmas at Rosies in Northbridge.

Who’s a happy chappie?

Desi Thats Who!

The World Food Festival at Government House Gardens in Perth. Well supportd by the Irish...

Irish Dancers, Gerry, Sharon and Frank.

Send your photos to fred@irishscene.com.au 70

“Joe, you bought a Mick Flannery CD”...

Well, that’s what Ken is laughing about!

Joe knows (Cork) talent when he sees it!

forced. Grease a baking tray 3. Combine sugar, honey & water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to high. Bring to boil. Boil without stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes or until mixture turns light golden. Remove from heat.

4. Working quickly, add in walnuts.

Stir to combine. Spread nut mixture over prepared tray. Bake with Marguerite O’Dwyer for 5 to 7 minutes or until bubbles The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant and nuts are golden. Remove from oven and leave to cool on tray.

Place pine nuts into a small frying pan and cook gently over medium heat, shaking pan regularly until light golden. Remove and cool.

7. Combine rocket, shallots, pears Serves 4 and mint in a large mixing bowl Ingredients: and toss gently to mix 3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 8. Preheat BBQ grill plate 3 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Drain 400g short cut lamb back strap lamb from marinade and cook 160g caster sugar 3-4minutes each side or until 2 tbsp honey cooked to your liking; make sure 340g walnuts there are good char-marks on the 60ml water lamb. Remove from bbq and place 2 tbsp pine nuts onto a tray. Cover loosely with foil 400g rocket leaves and rest for 5 minutes.

2 shallots (very finely sliced) 9. Whisk together remaining 8 mint leaves (coarsely chopped) balsamic vinegar and olive oil and 1 firm pear (cored & cut into fine season with salt & pepper to taste. slices) Toss ¾ of the dressing through the 3 tbsp. olive oil salad greens & mix well. salt and pepper 10. To assemble, arrange the rocket and pear salad evenly amongst 4 75g goats cheese crumbled pasta bowls. Top with crumbled Salad dressing goats cheese. Slice lamb into 5mm 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar thick slices and arrange over the 4 tbsp olive oil salad. Scatter with candied walnuts and pine nuts and drizzle with 1. Place balsamic and olive oil in a glad remaining dressing. snap lock bag and place the lamb in 11. Serve immediately with crispy with it. Seal & set aside to marinate. bread 2. Preheat oven to 180degrees fan

BBQ lamb back strap with rocket & pear salad

Ingredients 4 egg whites, 8oz caster sugar 1 tsp cornflour 1 tsp. distilled vinegar 1 tbs vanilla extract For the filling 150ml cream, lightly whipped 250 – 300g fresh summer berries To decorate Icing sugar, for dusting Fresh strawberries, Fresh mint leaves Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees 2. Line a Swiss roll tin (23 x 33cm / 9 x 13in) with parchment paper.

3. Place the egg whites, sugar, cornflour, vinegar & vanilla extract in a spotlessly clean bowl (stainless steel is best) of an electric food mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form.

4. Smooth the meringue into the prepared tin with a palette knife and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until firm to touch.

5. Allow the meringue to cool for a few minutes, and then turn out onto a sheet of parchment. Turn it upside down onto the sheet, gently removing the parchment on the base.

Allow to cool completely.

6. For the filling, lightly whip the cream.

7. Spread the cream evenly over the meringue, leaving the long edge nearest to you free for about 4cm (1 ½ inch). Cover the cream with the fruit.

8. Holding the parchment closest to you, roll up the roulade away from you. Leave it in the parchment until you are ready to serve.

9. When ready to serve, unwrap the roulade and gently push it onto a serving dish using a palette knife or cake slice, open side down. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with a line of cream down the centre, strawberries & mint leaves.

ey n r e N c iver M

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Meringue Roulade with summer berries

Every Saturday Evening 6-8pm Enjoy Irish Ballads and Showband Hits www.capitalcommunityradio.com

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For all your favourite musical memories 71

Ireland Western Australian Forum

Promoting business, professional and cultural links between Ireland and Western Australia The Ireland – Western Australia Forum is an organisation committed to promoting business, professional and cultural links between Ireland and Western Australia. The focus of the Forum is on Western Australia and Ireland. Being present in WA is the important issue. Being Irish or of Irish heritage is an added bonus but not a prerequisite.

The Forum has 6 speaking events (either breakfast or evening cocktail events) per year with leaders in business, government, and the professions.

Become A Member

Being Irish or Western Australian is not a pre-requisite to being involved in the Forum (it doesn’t hurt either).

To be included on our circulation list, please email: reception@kavlaw.com.au For more information visit our website irelandwaforum.org

The Forum is keen to lift our overall footprint and activities to a new level.

If you are keen to be involved or wish to recommend speakers please do not hesitate to contact Marty Kavanagh on 92188422 or email: marty@kavlaw.com.au

A WINTER’S TALE: NEWGRANGE AND THE WINTER SOLSTICE

It’s an ancient lightshow that has been taking place at the same time and date for over 5,000 years. It’s the winter solstice at Newgrange, and its discovery makes for quite a tale. Time to be brutally honest: Ireland isn’t known for its sunshine. “Tell me something I don’t know,” we hear you say.

But when the sun does come out in Ireland, we know how to make it count. Just look at Newgrange, the megalithic megastar of County Meath and the Boyne Valley, where a winter sunrise isn’t just a winter sunrise.

Described by one visiting journalist as “5,000-year-old Stone-Age engineering”, the passage tomb at Newgrange is not your typical resting place. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for one. It predates both the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and Stonehenge in Britain.

As Professor M.J. O’Kelly and his wife Claire found out, it is also devoted to one of the most crucial celebrations from the pre-Christian world: the winter solstice.

Local tradition The story of the O’Kellys’ groundbreaking discovery didn’t exactly begin with a bang. Rather, it started innocently as a local anecdote the two heard while they were excavating Newgrange in the late 1960s (work they oversaw for 14 summers).

The triple spiral stone in Newgrange’s inner chamber, so the locals said, was illuminated by the rising sun just once every year. But while many said it happened, no one had witnessed it. Until…

Let there be light!

21 December 1967: standing in the inner sanctum of the Newgrange passage tomb, Professor M.J. O’Kelly watched as a shaft of pale winter sunlight shone through the roof box over the main entrance, crept along the passage and bathed the chamber in a mystical golden glow.

It was the first winter solstice witnessed at Newgrange by anyone in over 5,000 years.

A family affair Awareness of the solstice phenomenon at Newgrange has grown enormously since then and nowadays crowds gather outside Newgrange every year. The fortunate few who are allowed to go inside the burial chamber are chosen by lottery. People travel from all over the world to be there, if they are lucky enough to get one of the winning tickets.

Eve O’Kelly, daughter to the O’Kellys, has been one of the lucky ones.

“It is a very special and spiritual experience,” says Eve. “Whether the sun shines or not, to be present at Newgrange at the winter solstice, to mark the turning of the year and the return of the sun in the same way that people did 5,000 years ago is remarkable.”

“For thousands of years to come” Unsurprisingly, as Eve attests, being present for such a dramatic slice of ancient theatre breeds renewed respect for our ancestors.

“It is quite awe-inspiring to think that our Irish ancestors knew so much about engineering and astronomy, and were able to build something which is still structurally sound, and where the sun will continue to shine in once a year for thousands of years to come.”

Like we said, Ireland may not get much sun, but when we do...

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COLIN MERREY

of our generation – from her early days growing up in Italy to her wonderful motion picture career and after. Great read THE LIFE AND LOVES OF A HE-DEVIL – GRAHAM NORTON Hodder & Stoughton P/ back $32.99 Here lies the story of one of Ireland’s favourite (though largely irreverent) sons – another great read.

THE NEVER, UM, EVER ENDING your enjoyment with each issue.

BOOKSBOOKSBOOKSBOOKS Then my work will not have been in STORY – IAN “ MOLLY “ MELDRUM Allen and Unwin Hardback $39.99 Hello, and welcome to the New vain, as it were!

This is Molly’s own Year’s edition of our wonderful And so, to my book of the month – story and it covers his Magazine. I trust you all had a good absolutely no contest this time fascinating life from the festive season and celebrated it in early years through the THINKING ABOUT IT ONLY a fashion completely acceptable to Countdown years to his MAKES IT WORSE – David Mitchell yourselves. I know I did – I did a lot recent accident a few years of reading and the results of this can Allen and Unwin Paperback $39.99 ago. A wonderful tale of a I have been eagerly awaiting this be seen by my scribblings below! wonderful man – one of my one since I heard it I have also held over one or two Australian music icons. was coming out and I books this issue to add to the list for MONASH – THE OUTSIDER WHO the March April addition as I will be was not disappointed WON A WAR – ROLAND PERRY in the least. This is a on holidys for a while in January.

Random House Paperback $34.99 collection of David’s So without further ado, I’ll This is a wonderfully articles from the continue with my favourite researched biographical English Guardian booksellers - don’t forget that if history of one of newspaper together you should have problems finding Australia’s most iconic with some of his a good new- or second hand soldiers – General Sir rants from his TV bookseller, you can try any/all of John Monash who is “short” shows that are aired here the following – said to have changed the on ABC2. In this wonderful tome, Stefen’s Books in Shafto Lane in way in which wars were the extremely erudite Mr Mitchell Perth City. Stefen is very helpful and fought and won. Excellent tackles and has a general go at the a good supporter of the Irish Scene Establishment, Pop culture, Politics, memoir and one that is very well Corona Books shop at Warwick told.

Shopping Centre – ask for Mark – he TV shows and the like and too many PLAY ON – MICK FLEETWOOD here to mention. is extremely helpful with any book Hachette Paperback $32.99 I must admit I couldn’t put it queries and orders you may need Here in his own words, as down – he never uses one word assistance with. told to Anthony Bozza, is when five or six might do instead.

Dymocks at Whitford City – ask Mick Fleetwood’s account A joy to read and one I can heartily for Tracey (and other locations of his career in music from recommend to all lovers of quirky throughout the State and the early days through his comedic literature. Enjoy!

Metropolitan Area) founding membership of In the realm of Second Hand one of the World’s greatest And now to continue with a few booksellers I generally visit blues/pop/rock bands Fleetwood biographies and auto biographies – Pulp Fiction – who have stores Mac (that was named for himself (again) at Whitford City and also at as you must know by now, I really and John McVie) and which is do enjoy reading celebrities’ life Floreat Forum Shopping Centre – still performing today with great stories – a lot came out in time for the proprietor is Jon who is a good acclaim. Loved his candidness that the Christmas market so here goes supporter of our magazine. he has shown here.

Elizabeth’s Bookshop chain, which for this issue. You will appreciate DANCING WITH MYSELF that I don’t relate any of the books’ has shops in Fremantle, Perth City – BILLY IDOL contents in these review notes as (Hay Street), and Subiaco to name Simon & Schuster I feel that it would spoil your own but a few branches. voyages of discovery into the stories Paperback $32.99 Guildford Book Exchange on the This is the twisted tale as they unfold. front in old Guildford of the life of William Warwick Second hand Books at Broad (better known to YESTERDAY TODAY Warwick Shopping Centre you all as Billy Idol, of AND TOMORROW – Please remember too to let the course!) and it covers his SOPHIA LOREN various stores know who pointed early life growing up in the USA and Simon & Schuster you in their direction. The feedback in England, of his musical career Paperback $29.99 is great for them and it shows me and his brushes with the law and This is a fascinating that you are actually taking the time drink and drugs, etc. He is one of recollection of one of to read what I have prepared for the archetypal punk rockers and is the iconic movie stars

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still performing to this day. Another fascinating story.

JERRY LEE LEWIS – HIS OWN STORY – as told to RICK BRAGG Allen and Unwin Paperback $32.99 Jerry Lee Lewis was one of my first rock and roll idols and is still amongst my preferred CD’s to listen to in the car as I drive to work (or indeed on my computer as I sit and write these reviews for you from time to time) or as I spend solitary time reading the various books that I review.

His pet name for himself is “The Killer” and this is one that he so richly deserved in his approach to and attitude to life in general.

From his many marriages, his alcohol and drug addiction and the many personal tragedies that have dogged his footsteps throughout his turbulent odyssey emerges the story of a very complex person – I enjoyed this book and learned a lot about this man who, as I said, is one of my many musical idols. Loved it altogether – it makes a great read.

STORM – TIM MINCHIN Hachette Paperback $29.99 Northampton (UK) born Australian musician, comedian, poet, etc is a regular on our TV screens and comedy stages and has been so for some while now.

This book is an illustrated poem that Tim wrote a while back about an unfortunate (to say the least) dinner party at a friend’s house in London. I shall say no more but that this is a lovely humorous tale and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I always enjoy Tim’s work – not just because he is (really) a fellow Northamptonian.

Buy it and enjoy it.

TRAVELLING TO WORK – MICHAEL PALIN Hachette Paperback $35.00 Most of you will have experienced the TV and literary work of this ex- Monty Python Stalwart turned travel and documentary writer/ producer before. Well, this is the third volume to be published of his diaries. It makes wonderful reading and the decade commencing in September 1988 and I thoroughly enjoyed poring over his reminiscences. It begins with his first travel masterpiece where he emulated “Around the World in 80 Days” and carries on through his movies and plays he was involved in during that period. Hope you enjoy it too.

FORENSICS: THE ANATOMY OF CRIME – VAL MCDERMID Allen and Unwin Paperback $32.99 Here, celebrated crime writer Val McDermid departs from her usual crime fiction (think the wonderful “Wire in the Blood” series, et al) and through the medium of her research into true crime stories and interviews with top level professionals, she introduces us to the way criminal investigations are conducted, thereby giving us a sometimes frightening insight into the mind of the murderer, the serial killer and the sexual predator.

I found it a most enlightening, though sometimes scary, read and can commend it to all amongst you who, too, may be fascinated by the crime genre.

IT STARTED WITH PARIS – CATHY KELLY Hachette Paperback $29.99 Our story begins at the top of the Eiffel Tower as a young man proposes to his girlfriend. Where does it go from here? Well, the charming little story evolves around characters who encompass a cake maker, a Girl Friday and a divorced head teacher, to name but a few. It also seems that someone is out to get in the way of this marriage proposal’s coming to fruition.

Cathy Kelly is in great form with this one for the ladies – I found it quite enjoyable and I think that you out there among my readership who like these kind of tales will too.

MISS CARTER’S WAR – SHEILA HANCOCK Allen and Unwin Paperback $36.99 This is the latest from the pen of Sheila Hancock who has now added best selling author to her resume along with multi talented and much acclaimed actress – as you may know, her late husband, John Thaw, was also a great actor who was perhaps best known for his major roles as Inspector Morse and as Regan in The Sweeney to name but two.

Here, the tale of Miss Carter, a half French – half English lady, is set in England in 1948, immediately post World War Two. Having survived the war and leaving her partisan lover behind in Eurpoe, she enrols at Cambridge University and becomes the first woman to get a degree from that illustrious centre of learning.

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Having got this far, she sets out to wage her own private war – on social injustice – and to educate her girls and prevent war. This is a lovely story and a well told one at that. Sheila is a fine writer and one whose work I have read and enjoyed in the past (in particular her memoir of her late husband, John Thaw). Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did, US – DAVID NICHOLS Hachette Paperback $29.99 David Nichols is a trained actor who mid career jumped ship and began to write for television (initially) contributing to amongst others the third series of the wonderful TV drama “Cold Feet”. With that pedigree, he commenced writing novels and this is his latest.

It is the moving story of how Douglas, who declares that now their son is leaving home and understanding his wife’s need to rediscover herself, says he thinks they should rediscover themselves together – but his wife, Connie, announces that she is leaving too – but on her own. So he says that the three of them should go on a last family holiday of a lifetime – to bring them all together. What could POSSIBLY go wrong? You’ll need to read this great little book yourselves to find out – it’s a real cracker.

HOLIDAYS – WILLIAM McINNES Hachette Paperback $29.99 Speaking of holidays, this is the latest from the pen of Aussie writer William McInnes and is a homage to the Aussie love affair with holidays.

Having been told by his mum “A holiday is a time when you do lovely things that you never get a chance to do otherwise” he sets out for us the magic of the Aussie Holiday by way of recounting some of the holidays that he experienced growing up both with his parents and his own grown up family, etc.

I agree with the reviewer from the Sunday Age who said that the book is full of sentiment but not its oft times companion sentimentality.

Loved it – it makes fascinating reading – especially at this holiday time.

GALLIPOLI – PETER FITZSIMONS Random House Hardback $49.99 In keeping with his tradition of researching and writing books that have become classics of Australian history, this, his latest, is his take

on the story of what is arguably the ANZACS’ finest hour. This is a wonderfully researched book and a great read and it would make a fine addition to your home libraries.

THE MAKING OF AUSTRALIA – DAVID HILL Random House Paperback $34.99 This, the latest from the pen of the formidable David Hill, is the story of the birth and development of this nation of ours. It goes from the early convict and colonial days via the days of Federation to the design and building of Canberra, our nation’s capital.

This is a really fascinating read and one that will stay in my library for some long time. Hope you take my lead and read it for yourselves.

MURDER MYSTERY AND MAYHEM…….PLUS And so to my favourite genre – be aware that I do not make a habit of delving too far into story and plotlines as I believe that to do so might be a spoiler for you all.

THE BURNING ROOM – MICHAEL CONNELLY Allen & Unwin P/back $32.99 I always look forward to Michael’s books – I love the Lincoln Lawyer series as do I the Harry Bosch series, of which this is the latest.

This time, Harry is confronted with the death of a man as a result of a bullet that had lodged near his spine some 20 years earlier. The bullet is now recovered and a twenty year old cold case is reopened for investigation by Harry and his new partner Lucia Soto.

More twists and turns that the proverbial pig’s tail and with a startling conclusion I didn’t see coming at all. Loved it, as will you I have no doubt.

WATCH ME – JAMES CAROL Allen and Unwin Paperback $19.99 I have been waiting for the next Jefferson Winter novel – the first was superb and this, the sequel, is equally as good.

Jefferson Winter is ex FBI and the son of a serial killer – he identifies with serial killers (possibly as a result of his heritage) and acts as a police consultant on serial murder cases and the like. Here, a prominent lawyer is murdered and all the police have to go on is a video on line showing him being

burned alive! Enter Jefferson Winter. Excellent plot line with multitudinous plot twists – loved it – I know you will too.

THE BEAT GOES ON – IAN RANKIN Orion Paperback $29.99 This is an omnibus edition of all of the Inspector Rebus short stories gathered here in a single collection for the first time. Some have been available in print in the past but others have been included from other media – there are also two new stories, one of which is the final adventure for Rebus, being set as he retires from the Force.

Lots of great stories – enjoyed them all! Ever since the TV series with the wonderful Ken Stott as Rebus was aired. I have taken a particular liking to Ian’s books and stories. If you are a fan of Scottish crime stories, this is for you.

MORIARTY – ANTHONY HOROWITZ Hachette Pa/k $29.99 Anthony Horowitz is a British crime writer – I have enjoyed his books as well as the TV series he has developed (particularly “Murder in Mind” which aired here late last year on Channel 72).

As was decided by author John Gardner a while ago, Moriarty was a Conan Doyle character that couldn’t be left to perish at the Reichenbach Falls where he fell to his death (apparently) at the hands of Sherlock Holmes.

So Anthony has resurrected him in this brilliantly woven twisted tale of crime and retribution in Edwardian London. The tale is so twisted and meandering that I can’t really give you a foretaste here – suffice it to say that this is a well worth reading book and one that I know you’ll enjoy. Don’t take my word – go out and buy it and read it for yourselves!

BLOOD MAGICK – NORA ROBERTS Hachette Paperback $29.99 This is the latest of Nora’s books (this time written in her own name) and is the final book in the Cousins O’Dwyer trilogy.

It picks up the story where Branna and Fin are brought closer together in the light of the impending final battle with the forces of Evil.

If you read the first two books in the series (as I did) you’ll have eagerly awaited this final instalment (as I did). You won’t

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be disappointed – I enjoyed it and it brings the saga to a satisfying conclusion. Enjoy!

GRAY MOUNTAIN – JOHN GRISHAM Hachette H/k $39.99 I always look forward to a new Grisham book and I am seldom disappointed.

The last I read was the sequel to “A Time To Kill” and it was wonderful and a great read if you haven’t read it.

This one is a cracker too. This time, Samantha Kofer, a young lawyer, is laid off from the legal firm she works for as a result of the GFC in 2008. They will keep her job open for one year – providing she does a year’s work as an unpaid intern at a not for profit organisation in the US. So she goes to a small town in Appalachia where she becomes embroiled in a legal battle over coal interests, open cut mining and an ecological battle over the destruction of a local beauty spot in particular – this is the Gray Mountain of the title.

Loved it altogether – I love legal drama and I hope you find it as thrilling and explosive a tale as I did.

HOPE TO DIE – JAMES PATTERSON Random House P/back $32.99 This book marks the return of the Alex Cross series and is a twisted tale of a serial killer who has captured Alex’s family and is using them to force Alex to commit a horrific crime(s) to prove his (the killer’s) theory that given the motivation, anyone can be turned into a killer. Another twisted masterpiece from the pen of a true master of the genre. Loved it – buy it and give it a read over your summer holiday rest period – you’ll not regret it.

BURN – JAMES PATTERSON with MICHAEL LEDWIDGE Random House Paperback $32.99 This is the second Patterson book I have read of late – this time it is co-written with Michael Ledwidge and is the latest episode in the Michael Bennett series of stories.

This time, Bennett is back in New York City after having been in witness protection following a previous episode in the series. This time, he is given a new division to run and is confronted with a charred torso that has been found in a building that he was directed to by a witness to some strange goings on there. I can’t and wont tell you any more

at this stage – you’ll need to read it for yourselves – but I can assure you it will be well worth the effort on your part! I loved it – very fast paced in the true style of both authors.

THE SKELETON ROAD - VAL McDERMID Hachette P/back $32.99 This is the second of Val’s books for this issue – this one, however, is a standalone thriller which begins with the discovery of a skeleton at the top of a tower in a building in Edinburgh which is scheduled for renovation. Karen Pirie is a cold case detective who has to solve this convoluted mystery which promises to be the strangest in her career to date. The tale twists and turns through past conflicts, false identities and buried secrets in its

MUSIC AND MOVIES

THE IRISH PUB

A short while ago, the Irish Echo invited my wife and I to a preview screening of an Irish documentary movie called “The Irish Pub”.

It was introduced by that Newspaper’s editor by saying that if you are Irish this film will make you sick – very sick – homesick, that is! This brought a great response from the audience.

In fact he wasn’t far wrong at all – in telling the story of the rise and current state of the Irish pub, the film took us to numerous small towns and villages and covered the length and breadth of the Irish Republic – from Dingle to Dublin – from Naas, Co Kildare to Ballylongford, Co Kerry – the list goes on. It also features some great footage of Mickey MacConnell singing in John B Keane’s pub in Listowel, Co Kerry – Colin Smiley please take special note of this. The story is told from the viewpoint of the various pub owners, staff and customers in a sometimes moving - sometimes hilariously funny (in particular those segments filmed in Cartlan’s Pub in Kingscourt, Co Cavan) but at all times entertaining.

The idea behind this movie is to bring to the attention of the viewing audience the plight of the Irish pub in these modern

path to its inevitable conclusion.

This is Val McDermid at her very best – I enjoyed every word – I know you will too.

THE GOOD LIFE – MARTINA COLE Hachette Paperback $29.99 You can be forgiven for thinking that this is an extension of a tale about Tom and Barbara Goode (from the TV series “The Good Life”) but that is where the similarity must end. Here Martina is at her violent best with this tale of the love match between Cain Moran and Jenny Riley in London’s East End. She is truly the master of her chosen genre and has again given us here a truly memorable tale of the highs and lows of the lives of the East End and Essex gangs of the London underworld. Loved

times by outlining what a unique effect it has had over the years on the Irish people and their heritage whilst showing us how the attendance at these wonderful little oases of entertainment is falling dramatically with the onset of the internet, the large hotels and supermarkets, etc and the steady move of the younger Irish people away from the old pubs.

This is a very sad situation and one that I sincerely hope is remedied before these wonderful places vanish altogether as indeed they are beginning to do in the UK in particular.

I loved this film – it really made me want to revisit all the little pubs I have visited over the years during my all too few visits to Ireland and to do what I can in my own small way to help ensure that their place in the Irish scene is preserved for all time. I don’t know if the film is going on general release here in Australia – I do know you can get a copy from Antidote Films via their website Antidotefilms.com. au for the paltry sum of $24.99 plus postage. I will certainly be adding this DVD to my personal collection in due course – it will probably be worn out by Christmas! Do yourselves a favour and get a copy for yourselves – I know you’ll love it too.

CELTIC LEGENDS

I also went to see a young troupe of Irish musicians who appeared at the Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth a while back. They were called the Celtic Legends and comprised seven musicians and 18 Irish dancers. The band

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it – great story – very fast paced – very violent – just the thing for a summer read at the beach.

Well that’s it for books this issue.

Remember, if I haven’t heard of an author before or if it is a new author, I hope you will take my recommendations into consideration when selecting your reading matter for the summer holidays and indeed the future and give them a good go.

I will say no more at this juncture and wish you happy reading, and see you all in the next issue. I hope you enjoy my recommendations as much as I have enjoyed reading them on both your and my own behalf. I hope you all have made lots of New Year Resolutions to keep (or aim to keep or neither as the case may be!).

Here’s wishing you all a very happy new year with lots of good reading.

comprised bodhran, melodeon, flute, fiddle, melodeon, guitar/ vocal and one of the best tenor banjo players that I have heard in quite a while. They interspersed some wonderful traditional singing with some never-stop-to-breathe instrumentals – my stand out was Martin Barry (as I said) on tenor banjo – great banjo style and sound.

The musicians also accompanied some of the best Irish dancing that I have seen here in Perth and we had a grand time altogether. My wife and I had taken our son and his three children along to the show as a special Christmas treat and they too were enthralled with the performance.

I took the opportunity to meet up with Martin after the show and found him to be very quiet and unassuming – I asked him about his personal journey with the banjo and he said he was introduced to the banjo by his great-greatgrandmother who was none other than the legendary Margaret Barry.

That explained a lot to me – I am glad to see that he is carrying on the family tradition. I look forward to seeing them again if they visit our shores in the future.

UPCOMING

ERIC BOGLE

Eric Bogle will be appearing at one of the last concerts to be held at the old Fly by Night Club in Fremantle on 27th February 2015.

He will again be supported by John Munro and Pete Titchener.

You can contact 9430 5976 for bookings. It promises to be a ripper of a show – if you’ve never seen Eric perform live before now is the time to catch him at this venue which is arguably one of the best music venues around.

SHARON SHANNON AND HER BAND

The day before, (26th February 2015), you can catch the legends of Irish Folk, Sharon Shannon and her Band along with Heartstrings Quartet and at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. This should be another brilliant show – both acts are excellent musicians and always give an entertaining show when they are her in town.

Sharon Shannon has music at her fingertips....literally! The accordionist from Ireland has achieved legendary status throughout the world and has made the much-maligned accordion ‘cool’ in her home country. Sharon has recorded and toured with a who’s who of the Irish and Global Music Industry, including Bono, Adam Clayton, Sinead O’Connor, Jackson Browne, John Prine ,Steve Earle, The RTE Concert Orchestra, The Chieftains, The Waterboys, Willie Nelson, Nigel Kennedy, Alison Krauss and Shane

MacGowan - a list that is testament to Sharon’s versatility as well as talent. Sharon’s band features Jim Murray on guitar, Dezi Donnelly on fiddle and Alan Connor on piano/ keyboards.

The Heartstring Quartet A multifaceted, unique quartet…

Two of the most important names in Irish music.

Legendary guitarist Arty McGlynn and virtuoso fiddler Nollaig Casey – who between them have played with every major Irish artist of the last thirty years – are joined for this special project by Máire Ní Chathasaigh, the doyenne of Irish harpers and Britain’s finest flatpicking guitarist Chris Newman.

Their award-winning CD Heartstring Sessions is “Inspired…

A contender for album of the year“ fRoots “Magnificent… Virtuosic…

Outstanding” Irish Music Magazine “two of the mightiest pairings in current folk combine to give a tour-de-force of breathtaking order. Classic.” The Living Tradition (UK). A dream quartet. Matching

virtuosity with sheer good taste.

Their music pours joyfully from the stage, amazing, majestic, delightful!

Sadly, they won’t be performing in Perth or Fremantle so you’ll just have to bite the bullet and go to Mandurah to see them this time around. Bookings: The Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, Ormsby Terrace, Mandurah, Western Mandurah.P: (08) 9550 3900

ROD STEWART

Also the incomparable ROD STEWART will be at the Perth Arena on 21st March 2015 with his Greatest Hits tour. Saw him with a similar show a year or so ago at Members Equity Stadium and it was a superb concert. This time, he is supported by James Reyne, Aussie ex-lead singer of Australian Crawl. Promises to be a great night.

Billy Connolly is making a trip downunder on 11th March 2015 – he is a great showman and is always good value for money.

Hope to see you at at least one of these events.

If any other events come to my notice after the magazine is issued you can check on the Irish Scene’s Facebook page or website.

PERTH SHADOWS MUSIC CLUB

You may also recall in the last issue, I did a write-up and review of a fund raiser put on in August last year by the Perth Shadows Music Club - a great night was had by all. I was chastised by our beloved editor Mr Rea for not putting the names of the people in the accompanying photo with the story.

SO – I am inserting the photo again for your enjoyment and would like to point out that those depicted are (from left to right) Lyn Cook, Moira Clancy, Mick Clancy, Hank B Marvin and Brian Cook. I hope that they all, together with Mr Rea, accept my apology. I would also remind you all that the Club had a great windup at the end of November last year and is now in recess until the last Tuesday in March this year – so if you would like to join us at the Market City Tavern in Canning Vale on that or any other “last Tuesday night in any month” then we’d all love to see you there. Colin

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NotFadeAway

By COLIN MERREY

I am again saddened to have to tell you about some more notables who are no longer with us.

Jack Bruce, (left) the singer and bassist for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Cream, has passed away. This was confirmed by his family on his Facebook page. He was 71.

Jack was the main vocalist and bass player with Cream - one of rock’s greatest trios - along with guitarist Eric Clapton and drummer Ginger Baker. He was the voice and songwriter behind classic tracks like “White Room,” “SWLABR,” and “Sunshine of Your Love,” which he co-wrote with Clapton. Cream was considered to be the first rock “supergroup,” In an ode to Cream written by Roger Waters, the Pink Floyd bassist writes, “Then there’s Jack Bruce — probably the most musically gifted bass player who’s ever been.”

He will be sadly missed We also lost Acker Bilk (right), the legendary jazz musician and clarinet player a while back. Pamela Sutton, who served as his manager for 45 years, confirmed to the BBC that Bilk had “been ill for some time. He was my great friend and his music was legendary,” she added.

Born Bernard Stanley Bilk on 28 January 1929, he changed his stage name to ‘Acker’ - the Somerset slang for ‘mate’ - after learning to play the wind instrument during his time in the army. Also a vocalist, he went on to become as well known for his vibrato as he did for his recognisable goatee, bowler hate and trademark striped waistcoat. “Stranger on the Shore”, his most iconic single, became the second No.1 single by an English artist in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in released in 1962.

He leaves behind his daughter Jenny, son Pete and wife Jean. On a personal note, just after I joined the Quarefellas in 1973, we were asked to play at the Perth Concert Hall as

support for Acker and his band – we had a wonderful time with him and shared the odd drink or three with him. He was a lovely person and was very enthusiastic in his praise for his support band during his performance.

The Quarefellas in general and myself in particular would like to offer our collective prayers to and for his family at this time.

Tragically, we lost Aussie cricketer Phillip Joel “Phil” Hughes a short while ago. He was a left-handed opening batsman who played for two seasons with New South Wales before making his Test debut in 2009 at the age of 20.

Hughes scored his first Test century in his second Test match for Australia at the age of 20, opening the batting and hitting 115 in the first innings against South Africa in Durban. He was Australia’s youngest Test centurion since Doug Walters in 1965. In the second innings of the same match, Hughes scored 160 as Australia won the match by 175 runs, becoming the youngest cricketer in history to score centuries in both innings of a Test match. On 11 January 2013, he became the first Australian batsman in the history of ODI cricket to score a century on debut, a feat which he achieved against Sri Lanka in Melbourne. In the first Test of the 2013 Ashes, Hughes shared a world record tenth wicket partnership of 163 runs with debutant Ashton Agar, as Australia were narrowly beaten

by England at Trent Bridge.

He was felled by a cricket ball – a “Bouncer” during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney on 25th November 2014 which caused a vertebral artery dissection that led to a subarachnoid haemorrhage. He died on 27 November, without regaining consciousness.

Raphael Ravenscroft, who was born on 4 June 1954 in Stoke on Trent, was a musician, composer and author. He grew up in Dumfries, in Scotland, and

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was a noted session musician in the British music industry.

In January 1978, Scottish singermusician Gerry Rafferty released his first solo material since 1972 and chose Ravenscroft a then unheralded session musician, to play saxophone on the album “City to City” and his contribution included the sax riff on the best known song from the album and of Rafferty’s career, “Baker Street”. The song was an international hit, charting at number 3 in the UK and number 2 in the USA. This is probably his best known work.

We should also remind you here that Perth’s adopted son, guitarist extraordinaire Gary Taylor, was also on this album where he played bass guitar for the “City to City” sessions.

You can watch this piece of musical history on Youtube where Gary and Raphael can be plainly seen.

He married and divorced twice and separated from his third wife in 2009. His daughter is the artist Scarlett Raven. Ravenscroft died on 19 October 2014 at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, aged 60, of a suspected heart attack. Again, he will be sorely missed.

Ian Patrick ‘Mac’ McLagan was an English keyboard instrumentalist, best known as a member of the English rock bands Small Faces and Faces. He also collaborated with the Rolling Stones and led his own band from the late 1970s.

McLagan first started playing in bands in the early 1960s and in 1965, he was hired, for the princely sum of £30 a week, to join Small Faces by their manager, Don Arden, replacing Jimmy Winston. Once the ‘probation’ period ended, his pay was reduced to £20 a week, which was what the other band members were getting. They never received more than that because Don Arden collected all the proceeds of their hard-earned work, and it wasn’t until 1997 that they started receiving any royalties. Mac played his debut gig with them at London’s Lyceum Theatre on 2 November that year. In 1969, after Steve Marriott left the group and Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood joined, the band changed its name to Faces. After the Faces split up in 1975, McLagan worked as a sideman for the Rolling Stones He died of a stroke on 3 December 2014 at the age of 69, at the Brackenridge Hospital in Austin.

May your gods go with you.

THE NANNUP MUSICAL FESTIVAL

More than a music festival...

A life’s experience.

by David McConnell

Firstly, if you have never been to the Nannup Musical Festival, then you must put it on your bucket list. You simply must go. It is much more than a music festival. It is an experience. There will be around one hundred artists and over two hundred performances this year. Yes I suppose you could say something for everyone.

Secondly, I would like to say a few things about the town as this is very much a community venture.

Nannup has a population of around 600 but on the weekend of the festival this increases dramatically. Well where do we all stay you might well ask. There are two campsites and if you cannot get into one of these, then you are directed to the town golf course. You can find a roadhouse, a sporting complex, shopping facilities, a police station, at least three cafes, a hardware store, a community centre, a nursery and a gemstone museum. And of course there are a large number of eating stalls in the main street. Also there is a Telecentre and coverage from Vodafone as well as Telstra. The main street has changed little over the years so has considerable heritage value or so they tell me.

Below are some of the diverse items you might see.

So who are the main artists in 2015 you might well ask? As I said before, there is something for everyone but I will mention a few. I am sure you all know the song “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda”; written by ERIC BOGLE, originally from Scotland. Eric has written some fantastic songs; meaningful and humorous. His concerts are simply electrifying.

Also from Scotland, singer songwriter COLIN LILLIE has recently launched his new selftitled EP at Monte’s Lounge in the Central Australian town of Alice Springs. The journey from his

dues in the demanding pub working class Scottish roots to circuits of Ireland and Germany. his spiritual home in Australia’s Between cries for the “Irish Rover” outback has been an interesting and “Whisky in the Jar”, Rory one for Lillie, and it is this journey discovered his voice as a solo artist. that has shaped his music and After many years based in ultimately his latest solo release.

Dublin Ireland, Rory is now a STEVE TURNER resident of Vasse on the West comes from a family Australian coast, not far from of concertina players famed wine country Margaret and singers and River. Until recently, Rory has flown began his career on largely under the radar of the the Manchester folk music scene. Recent mesmerising scene at the end of festival performances at Port Fairy, the 1960s, playing and touring Yungaburra, Maldon, Nannup, as a member of Geordie band Tarerer & Lake Bolac are changing Canny Fettle, then nationally and things. I am looking forward to internationally throughout the 80s seeing Rory play in concert. as a solo professional performer, And so I could go on…..and on recording his first four solo albums ……. Look out for Greg Hastings, with Fellside Records.

Sam Buckingham, Kallidad and Kat He is known as a pioneer of Wilson. highly sophisticated English Now if you get too hot, believe concertina song accompaniments, it or not there is a way of cooling stretching the boundaries of down though you would need traditional forms, with one of the transport to the pool a few best voices in the business. He is kilometres away. a multi-instrumentalist, who also Now I mentioned that it is an accompanies himself on the cittern, experience. So I have to mention and also plays mandolin and banjo. the many stalls open on the main Also returning street. Well you can’t miss them. are LIZ FRENCHAM Lastly, I should mention the and FRED SMITH quality of the sound at all the - performing as a venues. (By the way, there are over duo- doing solos and nine venues to choose from.) It Fred will do some simply is A1 considering some of wonderful workshop the venues are outdoors. presentations.

If you are still not convinced, RORY FAITHFIELD is an please look up The Nannup Music Australian singer-songwriter with Festival on facebook.

Celtic song lines in I have listed a few more artists his head and grains of below in no particular order. sand between his toes.

WHEN? 27TH Feb - 2 March.

Like thousands of Australians, that Don’t forget it’s the Long search inevitably led Weekend. to a one way ticket to Visit the website for a complete list London. “Walkabout” of artists. lasted 20 years and nannupmusicfestival.org saw a reinvention See you there. Can’t wait. in the fertile Dublin David MacConnell. music scene. Rory was inspired by the sheer talent of solo artists such as Christy Irish Old Moore, Luka Time Music plus original songs Bloom and Glen Hansard who held their audiences David MacConnell Musical Entertainer transfixed.

Rory spent Phone: 9409 9572 the 90’s paying Mob: 0413 259 547 Email: wdmacc@bigpond.net.au his song-writing Web: www.maccdouble.com and performance

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Letter from Conor

Night for Conor This was a great night and an opportunity to help one of our own.

Conor McGrory came off his motorcycle some months ago and as a result is now confined to a wheelchair. Conor is an inspiration because of his positive attitude in the face of the accident that has changed his life so dramatically.

On the right you will find Conorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words of thanks and we do appreciate his taking the time to do this.

Thanks to the Musicians who gave their time on the night, Colin and Sean Merrey, Dublin Up, (Frank and Mary) Fiona and Fred Rea, Anita Webb, The Keady/Upton School of Irish Dancing and a special thank you to Richard and Mandy of the Woodvale Tavern for use of the room.

Thanks also to all those who donated prizes for the night: Des and Paula Kavanagh, Taste Ireland, The Irish Scene, Helen and Guy Marchesani, Lindy and Jadran Cetinic, signed and framed Irish Jersey from The Claddagh Association, K&K Distributors, and The Woodvale Tavern.

Gay Collins (below)made a donation on the night and also bought the Irish jersey. Thank you Gay, you are a mighty man and you continue to support those in need in our community, go raibh mile maith agat!

To Andy Keogh of Perth Glory, thank you for your signed Irish International jersey. We presented it to Conor on the night and as you can see from the photo, he is very proud of it!

If we have missed anyone please accept our apologies.

Fred Rea

Conor with the jersey from Andy Keogh

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I would like to express a huge thank you to Fred Rea and Des Kavanagh for organising the Irish night at the Woodvale Tavern for me; as well as everyone who gave their time and effort to make this night such a huge success. Overall , over $8,000.00 was raised on the night! The money raised on the night will be used towards my rehabilitation , as well as contributing towards buying my new wheelchair, as the current chair I am using is on loan from hospital .

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Danmar Homes for their hard work and efforts in renovating our bathroom to be wheelchair accessible .

After hearing of my accident, the guys from Danmar were straight over at my parents house delivering a fully wheelchair accessible bathroom, making life a breeze!

My former employers EPS Group Australia (the only company I have truly loved getting out of bed and working for!) have also been a huge support throughout my recovery. Three days after my accident the CEO flew to Perth (from Melbourne) to come over and offer his support, testament to how EPS treats their employees as family; it was truly an honor working for such a wonderful company.

The support and generosity of friends and strangers alike is truly amazing; I would like thank each and every person who has donated . Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re support has helped put me back on track to living a normal life . Thank you.

Conor McGrory

Discover one of Ireland’s Folk Club gems!

singers, players, audience, bar staff - without you - it could not carry on.

If you are visiting Ireland contact the club and drop in tarredandfeatheredfolksession@gmail.com

During a Dublin visit to the Folk Club our own Stan O’Neill of the Irish Theatre Players heard this poem/ song written by Ralph Murphy.

By Liam Boylan (from club website)

The Tarred and Feathered Folk Club in Raheny, Dublin began as an idea by Charlie Boles in discussion with me about how many guys, like us, who played a little guitar but had nowhere to go to play. We were members of the Grange Woodbine Residents Association and had been in the small lounge many times - this had been the original bar in the Centre.

We decided that along with our friends Michael Gannon, Lauri Grannell and Des Howett we could start a session even if it meant sitting in a circle and trading songs for the night and paying the rent between us. We decided on the first Monday of every month, as it would be easier to remember, not realising how many of these were bank holidays this went against us in the first few years, but not anymore.

Initially we had no name - we considered ‘The Session’, ‘The Raheny Folk Club’ ‘The New Universal Folk Centre’, ‘Universal 2’ but could not decide on a suitable title. Then one day Jimmy Boylan invited a guy called Gerry Maxwell to come to the session and being shy he asked his son, Stuart to come with him.

Stuart asked what kind of music was played and Gerry said “folk or country or something like that”. Stuart declared that he would rather be “TARRED AND FEATHERED”. When we heard that we knew we had no choice and so it became the Tarred and Feathered Folk Session.

During the years we have had many great nights along with a few specials such as Tony Boylan and Wally Page, Mick Hanley twice, and Don Baker. We have had singers and players from Ireland join us, but also from as far away as America, Australia, Spain, Armenia, Japan, France and Holland.

Due to its popularity it sometimes meant that a singer or musician may only get to play once during the night so Michael suggested we have a guest artist each session who would perform three songs in succession. This had proved a great success and almost all our regulars have been ‘guest artist’. We have had a least 170 performers/acts to date. It still amazes me - if they all turn 107.9fm up we’ll have Fremantle Radio to have the session in the from 6am car park!

Every Monday Finally I wish to thank Ray O’Hanrachan playing you all for all your favourite songs! your support,

The Granda Song

Just another nobody on his way to Mount Jerome Lived for almost 90 years but he never owned his home In this uncaring world in this uncaring Land The hearse it stopped in Caple Street Where he spent his last few years When you leave this world at 89 There are never many tears From this uncaring world or this uncaring land His brother was shot in Boland’s Mill With the long fella by his side And every time he told me this His face lit up with pride In this uncaring world in this uncaring land He could turn his hand to nothing Always picked the shortest straw He spent his whole life losing On the right side of the law In this uncaring world in this uncaring land The year was 77 shortly after I got wed And when I went to see him He was lying on his bed, lying, he was dead In this uncaring world in this uncaring land The racing page was open the pen still in his hand Picking one last loser in this uncaring land This uncaring world, this uncaring land Just another nobody on his way to Mount Jerome Just another nobody on his way to Mount Jerome

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“I’m growing fonder of my staff; I’m growing dimmer in my eyes; I’m growing fainter in my laugh; I’m growing deeper in my sighs; I’m growing careless of my dress; I’m growing frugal of my gold; I’m growing wise; I’m growing--yes,-I’m growing old.”

― John Godfrey Saxe

We met up with many friends including Fr Padraig Kelly from Zambia (Fr Kelly Cup fame), who started the GAA in Perth in 1970. Kitty and Billy Bulman from Cork.

Kitty was our Bridesmaid so years ago. Pat and Joan Cabry who used to live in Perth (Pat gave me first job in Perth). Fr Bob Kelly O’Carm, Zimbabwe, who has now returned to Kinsale as a curate.

Fred Parle who used to live in Perth and was kidnapped for 6 weeks by Somali pirates and a ransom of 450 000 euros was paid by his employers for his release.

Of course we met with Fiona Doherty (daughter of Perth’s Comhaltas man, Sean Doherty) and had many music sessions. Fiona is a full time music teacher and lives in Ballymote, Co. Sligo, where we spent many enjoyable days and nights.

We also met our childhood friends Maura and Rory Killalae from Boston and our next door neighbours Patrick and Alan Hannon who have returned from London to open our local Hotel The Coach House Inn in Ballymote. We had many get togethers with family and friends before we left. Our meeting with Big John McDonagh who I brought onto the local football team in 1961 and who later became a big star within GAA circles in England. Perth’s Beara man, Steven Sullivan and himself had many clashes he recalled.

Editor: If you are going to Ireland and want to know where you can catch some great sessions, contact us and we will pass on your details to Tommie Kearns. I know that you will be feeling a slight jealous reading of the Kearn’s trip but it’s all there in Ireland you just have to know who to talk too! Tommie Kearns is well known in the Perth Tradional music circle and sings wonderful songs, especially about his native Sligo!

Our wonderful trip to Ireland in 2014

BY Tommie Kearns Kathleen and I arrived in Sligo in time for the All Ireland Fleadh Ceol. The weather was perfect. The music and singing was out of this world! The Music in our local, Durkin’s Pub Ballinacarrow in Co Sligo every Friday night was amazing.

On the second Wednesday of each month, Durkin’s host a singing and storytelling night with people from all over the West of Ireland and beyond.

Each Thursday night brought us to Ballinafad for the card game of 25, meeting with many friends from the past and some great card games.

Meeting and spending time with our family was the highlight of our visit, with many dinners and sing-alongs included.

Watching the live Gaelic football and hurling on the TV was an added delight.

Then came the Frank Finn Traditional Singing weekend from the 3rd - 5th October, held at the Yeats Country Hotel in Rosses Point, Co. Sligo. I was one of the invited guests which included Niamh de Burca, Helen Grehan, Mai Hernon and Fergus Cleary plus local and visiting singers. The weekend started at 8pm on Friday evening at the hotel and continued into the wee hours.

It continued on Saturday 4th October by going across to Coney Island by boat, with storytelling sessions and Gaelic singing at different venues. At McGowan’s pub on the Island, we had the English singing and then back to Harry’s Bar in Rosses Point for dinner and another singing and storytelling session.

At 8.30 pm we were back at Yeats Country Hotel for a singing session entitled “Take a trip around Lough Arrow with Tommie Kearns”.

Sunday the 5th at 11am was the Frank Finn Perpetual Cup, under 13 singing competition followed by lunch and a recital with all the special guests. It went on, late into the afternoon. We were all accommodated at the Yeats Country Hotel for the week-end and an added bonus for Kathleen and I was our daughter Jackie was able to spend time with us at the hotel during the weekend. She spent a week with her in-laws in Fermanagh then a week with us in Sligo while her son Ryan was playing soccer in England for two weeks.

For the good are always the merry, Save by an evil chance, And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance: And when the folk there spy me, They will all come up to me, With ‘Here is the fiddler of Dooney!’

And dance like a wave of the sea.

W.B. Yeats

Frank Murphy presents

107.9fm Fremantle Radio

Saturday 7am to 9am

IRISH MUSIC • INTERVIEWS • LOCAL & IRISH NEWS

82

I am living in Australia and I have property in Ireland. Can I make a will in Australia dealing with my Irish property?

Yes. However, appropriate legal advice is essential as a poorly drafted will dealing with foreign property may cause problems for those left behind after your death.

For advice please contact Leo Barry

Family Friendly • Family Lawyers 1/100 Terrace Road EAST PERTH WA 6004 T: (08) 9218 8422 F: (08) 9218 8433 E: reception@kavlaw.com.au W: kavlaw.com.au

WA government logging plans will see rare quokka ‘incinerated’

WA government logging plans will see rare quokka ‘incinerated’ Quokka from the Arcadia area of Wellington Forest in WA’s South West.

Photo: Peter Murphy

An endangered species of mainland quokka is being pushed closer to extinction as the WA government prepares for the logging of a forest in the South West.

Only 12 quokkas, believed to be among the last remaining of their species, are thought to be currently living in the forest, near Collie.

Although locals fear the quokkas will be “incinerated”, the Forest Products Commission said appropriate

measures had been taken to ensure their survival, with plans underway to log the Arcadia area of Wellington Forest - one of the few remaining habitats of the animal.

Irish Scene corrspondent and Convenor of Preston Environment Group Peter Murphy, said he was concerned for the future of the small marsupial.

“What’s happened over the last eight to 10 years, the quokkas are gradually running out of habitat.

“And once the habitat is gone, extinction is forever,” he said.

It’s estimated that only 500 mainland quokkas remain in Western Australia.

The quokka family in Wellington Forest, about 200 kilometres south of Perth, is one of four remaining WA mainland colonies.

Although the quokkas are protected by both state and federal laws, the state government has given loggers the green light.

“It’s an iconic animal of WA. Thousands of people go to Rottnest Island just to see it,” Mr Murphy said.

Mr Murphy has accused the Department of Parks and Wildlife of disrespecting the law.

“The Department of Parks and Wildlife are not meeting their duty of care and obligations under the West Australian Wildlife Act,” he said.

“They are a beautiful creature. They are very cute and very shy and if people

83

like myself and people from the group don’t speak out on behalf of the quokka who will?”

A spokeswoman for the Forest Products Commission said logging is due to commence in the first half of 2015.

“The Forest Products Commission diligently undertake a number of actions to maintain forest biodiversity; these include the protection of hollow logs, habitat trees, stream reserves, diverse ecotype zones and areas of oldgrowth forest,” she said.

“Quokkas are known to be in the Arcadia area, and the Forest Products Commission will work closely with the Department of Parks and Wildlife to implement any measures that are required for the protection of quokka habitat.”

But Mr Murphy was not reassured.

He said part of the logging process involves burning and he believes the so-called protected areas will still be at risk.

“The areas they set aside for protection, they get burnt out in the fires as well,” he said.

“The quokkas will be incinerated.”

Book Review:

that cover ‘boom and bust’ periods including a time when tobacco cultivation was seen as the economic panacea to a community struggling to survive the aftermath of the Second World War and with one particular anecdote that mentions a tobacco grower by the name of Wendy Bonini (nee Turner), who at the tender young age of 18, may have been the only female tobacco grower in Australia at that time.

Government indifference to the town and its community also surface throughout various chapters including several anecdotes that recall a steady stream of ‘bungling bureaucrats’, who, after receiving numerous complaints regarding lack of infrastructure in the town; arrived; looked; listened; but then couldn’t be seen for the trail of ‘bull-dust’ they left behind in their haste to leave.

There are photographs (black and white and coloured) galore, that not only depict hardship but also the camaraderie amongst the townsfolk; sadly in short supply in today’s rural landscape.

While Northcliffe: The Town that Refused To Die is aimed specifically at those who have lived the story, it’s also a book for serious history buffs, as it provides an amazing insight into a community that despite the Great Depression, the Second World War, bungling bureaucrats, bushfires, drought and poverty, through camaraderie, hope and determination, survived to become one of the most loved towns in the South West of Western Australia.

Copies of the book can be obtained by contacting the author on 977 66777 or Email: carolep@westnet.com.au For more information: www.caroleperry.com.au

NORTHCLIFFE: THE TOWN THAT REFUSED TO DIE

Author: Carole Perry Reviewer: Peter Murphy, National Trust (WA), Oct 2014 Publisher: Digger Press (WA) Published: Sept 2014 - ISBN: 978-09872231-7-3 Northcliffe author and conservationist Carole Perry is no stranger to the National Trust (WA). Carole in 2007, in partnership with the Trust had a ‘conservation covenant’ placed-over her 50ha bush-block deep in the Karri Forest in the South West of WA to help protect a small colony of mainland quokka that thrive amongst the dense understory of melaleuca, hibbertia and clematis.

In 2012 I had the privilege of reviewing Carole’s first book Dr Lionel West: Northcliffe’s Only Doctor. And what a great read it was; full of heart wrenching yarns about a man who dedicated the final years of his short life to Group Settlement (Groupies) families in the Northcliffe region during the 1920s.

Carole’s second book Northcliffe: The Town That Refused to Die is however a different ‘kettle of fish’. And where her first book concentrated on one particular character (Dr West); this book brings to life a plethora of characters responsible for the founding and survival of the town of Northcliffe (Shire of Manjimup) over the past 90 years.

Carole’s painstaking research leaves no stone unturned; especially when it comes to painting a vivid picture of what it must have been like all those years ago to strolldown Northcliffe’s main thoroughfare on a winter’s morn and where waft of horse manure, freshly baked bread, milk curd and fermenting yeast filled the crisp misty air.

So too does Carole give the reader a ‘sense of place’ with exact dates and locations on when and where the merchants of Northcliffe plied their trade, in delivery stables, blacksmiths, timber mills, general stores, hotels, billiard halls, dairies, butchers and bakers and even in dunnies; with one yarn involving a ‘dunnie-wasteremovalist’ that’s sure to bring a smile to the reader’s face.

Those who no longer live in Northcliffe and yet still familiar with the lay-out of the town, will when reading this book no doubt close their eyes and reminisce on what it was like to live in one of the most isolated towns in the South West. This I mention after reading one particular quote (in the book) where the Postmaster’s granddaughter vividly describes nights spent with her grandparents: “I could hear shrills and whistles of the night-birds and there was always a dog barking somewhere; frogs could get easily noisy too. One of the nicest sounds to me was in the evening when the horses were fed and watered in their long stable they snorted and blew into their mangers (while) munching away”.

Beautiful quotes similar to this one pepper this meticulously researched book.

Also within the books 400 pages there are chapters

•

IRISH IRISH MUSIC MUSIC

SESSION EVERY TUESDAY

7PM -11PM

PIE & PINT DEAL JUST $15

Every Tuesday: Guinness $6 from 6pm

Woodbridge Hotel

50 EAST STREET GUILDFORD

9377 1199 84

The Big Casino Reviewed by John Spurling

The Irish theatre players completed another busy year with their final production in November, “The Big Casino”, the latest of the many plays written by local award winning playwright, Noel O’Neill. Noel not only wrote and directed this play but when one of the actors had to pull out at the last minute, Noel had to hurriedly learn the lines of the character around whom the play centred and Assistant Director Caroline McDonnell ably stepped into the director role.

The Big Casino was set in 1960 in London’s East End where a group of less than apt gangsters decide to send one of their number to Monte Carlo before he succumbs to the “Big C”, cancer.

Unfortunately, with insufficient proceeds of crime in their stash, they decide to bungle a kidnapping in order to get some ransom money. As is always expected in a Noel O’Neill play, the unexpected happens and we were entertained to amusing hilarity from the cross purposes witticisms, the odd occurrences and the smart wisecracking dialogue delivered at a furious pace by some very experienced actors.

The lead role of Chief Gangster, “Bert the Organiser”, played by

the very experienced Kim Taylor, flawlessly delivered almost half of the script, interchanging rapidly with the remainder of the cast comprised of his mate “Eddie, the Gambler” aptly played by Noel O’Neill, his sons “Alan the Hood” with Cork man David Buckley in only his second appearance for the ITP, delivering lines in a convincing Cockney accent; his not so bright son “Harold the Simpleton”, played by newcomer to the ITP but not to the stage, Cameron Leese, who had less lines but delivered them faultlessly at critical times to seamlessly link the humorous flow of language; and “Bert’s” mate “Billy the Jewel Thief” splendidly played by Emilio Evans in his usual understated way.

The focus of the play and of the cast, was “Susan the Hostage” played by the only female

player, Clare Mulchinock, who delivered her role with the expertise of a veteran of West End Theatre.

The cast resembled Tony Abbott’s Cabinet in having only woman but that woman was certainly a dominant force as she slowly and unsuspectingly brings all of the characters under her control with smooth talk and withering ripostes to a point where she almost became the Capo di tutti capi.

The cast played to enthusiastic full houses every night thanks to the hard work of the Committee, particularly the President Fiona Murphy, who brilliantly and imaginatively engineered a dressing up of the auditorium in a Casino theme where head croupier, Rory Buckley, the Wizard of Odds, entertained the audience by helping them to donate funds in a very enjoyable manner.

A very entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable evening every night, both before, after and during the play.

For information on future productions visit...

www.irishtheatreplayers.com.au or email to itp@irishtheatreplayers.com.au or by phone on 0406085620.

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FAREWELL JACK

and thanks for the songs

By Fred Rea

S

ome years ago I was invited to perform at the Jack Clancy Morning Concert in the Wesley Centre in Perth. Jack had initiated the idea of the concerts and performed at them but when he handed over the reins of organising the event to John Little the concert retained its original name ‘The Jack Clancy Morning Concert’. People at the event spoke very highly of Jack and told me that the concerts were used to raise funds for cancer research.

Many years later while performing at a nursing home near Kingsway I had the honour of meeting the great man I had been told so much about.

When I finished my performance, a well-dressed gentleman approached me and said that he also was a performer, I asked his name and he replied “Jack Clancy”. It was an honour to meet him at long last and we had a great chat over a cup of tea.

A short time ago I received a phone call from his devoted daughter Derral asking for help in putting Jacks tape recordings onto CD. With the help of my good friend Colin Merrey we were able to help with her request.

It was a teary Derral who picked up the CD’s because she told me that Jack was not well and would soon be leaving us.

Jack passed away on 7th November 2014, aged 96 at the Woodlake Aegis Care Kingsley. Jack was the youngest of four children born to parents of Irish heritage, who moved from South Australia to a virgin farm block near Gnowangerup, about 350 kms southeast of Perth and 140 km north of Albany, in 1906.

Jack was a dedicated husband, a pillar of society and an active member of the community and his

contributions and commitments have helped large numbers of people in very many different ways.

Amongst his many achievements and accomplishments Jack helped to build an infant health clinic and served on its committee for ten years as well as a Catholic church and presbytery in the WA town of Miling (200km north of Perth).

But the story of how the origins of the concert came and what it came to represent typify the man he was.

Jack always liked to sing, but had no idea of his potential. In 1977, at the age of 59, he had his first singing lesson with Rachel Brayshaw whom he met and befriended after joining the Gilbert and Sullivan Society in Perth. Performing with the G&S became his new joy and he held the position of treasurer of the Society for eight years and he was awarded life membership in 1986.

Due to his wife Daphne being diagnosed with cancer, they both held a strong desire to help other cancer sufferers. With family and friends assisting, Jack began a series of Morning Concerts at the Wesley Auditorium in Perth. These concerts showcased some of the best musical talent in Perth with proceeds going towards Cottage Hospice and research into cancer and leukaemia.

Jack and Rachel with others recorded three CDs of Jack’s favourite songs and again, money raised from the proceeds of the sales, went to the cause.

Meanwhile Jack continued to sing with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society but also became involved with a wider range of musical groups including his own group, the Golden Oldies, and they entertained

at senior citizens’ venues, hospitals and nursing homes sometimes two to three times a week.

He was awarded Life Membership of the Cancer Foundation of WA and was also presented with a Ten Year Gold Service award by the City of Stirling for services rendered to entertainment.

After Daphne’s passing in 1982, Jack continued his commitment to entertaining senior citizens. During this time he had a chance meeting with Joan Spencer, a widow who, during her youth, had been a friend of Daphne. They married in 1985 and were very happy together until her passing in 2006.

It was in 1996 that Jack handed responsibility for the Jack Clancy Morning Concerts to his friend John Little. It’s estimated that during Jack’s tenure, more than $100,000 was raised for the Cancer Foundation – for which Jack was justly very proud.

Farewell Jack and thanks for the songs.

I live again the days and evenings of my long career.

I dream at night of operas and concerts in which I have had my share of success. Now like the old Irish minstrel, I have hung up my harp because my songs are all sung.

John McCormack 86

Kavanagh Who was the member of the golf club who attacked Peter McKenna with the flag pole on the 7th green?

Fortunately, Peter maintained self-control and, by his actions, a potentially nasty situation was averted.

Western Australian Golf Club Yokine Sunday 30 November ‘Tim Hickey Kilkenny Cup’ Nearly 60 players participated in this annual event in honour of Tim Hickey - a large contingent of hurlers turned up and performed with much aplomb with the golf sticks (well most of them!).

The weather was kind to the players and the spread put on by the golf club was top stuff. Special thanks go to Pat and Eoin Hickey for playing on this special day.

Winner of The Tim Hickey Kilkenny Cup was Jack Ebbs with 42 points (good golf Jack!)

Second was Dominic Hyde on 38 points with Eamonn Fitzpatrick third on 35 points. Anthony Watters 34 points on a count back Third Mick Connelly 34 points Lowest Gross Jack Ebbs.

Well done to those players.

Low gross was PJ Kenny on 28 points. See photo of Club Captain Mike Byrne presenting the Cup to Jack Ebbs.

Visitors 1st Kieren Lyons 39 pts 2nd Shane Cody 39 pts 3rd Alan Flaherty 38 pts Ladies: Winner Sheila Kavanagh 27 points Nearest To Pin: 1 Eoin Hickey, 5 M Connolly, 9 K Lyons, 11 PJ Kenny, 16 Louis Byrnes.

Mad Mex L/Putt: Eamonn Fitzpatrick, Ladies L/Drive: Sheila

Maylands Golf Club Sunday 14 December ‘Fleadh Cup’ Sunday 14 December was an absolute pearler of a day for golf and saw some remarkable scores come in.

Great craic was had by all players at this, our Christmas round of golf. The golf was followed by a BBQ lunch followed by a troupe of Irish dancers called Celtic Spirit (available for hire for weddings, parties, anything). The Dancers were followed by the presentations for firstly the Fleadh Cup and then the winners for 2014, a veritable who’s who of golf! Thanks go out to the ladies who have attended the past few rounds of golf - welcome back and we hope to see you all again in 2015. We encourage more ladies to join in the games next year.

The following results were recorded on the day: The Winner was our esteemed

President, Martin Sheehan, on 47 points, yes forty seven points (Handicapper - please note) 2nd Ger Kelly 45 pts (another one!)

3rd Peter McKenna 42 points Low gross PJ Kenny (great golf yet again!)

Visitors: Ladies winner: Joan Ross 42 pts, Men’s winner Bill Ross 40 pts. Well done Joan and Bill!

Nearest To Pin: 5 Bill Ross, 8 Brendan Flanaga (with one n), 9 Steve O’Sullivan, 13 Anthony Gannon, 16 PJ Kenny.

Mad Mex L/Putt: Sean Byrne, Ladies L/Drive Chris McKenna, Men’s Long Drive Rob Hennessy The January fixture will be held on Sunday 18th at Hamersley, followed by the Annual General Meeting.

All positions on the committee are opened up and present an opportunity for members to step up and contribute to the administration of the Irish Golf Club of Western Australia. A number of committee members may be retiring at the meeting, so an opportunity presents folks.

Thanks to Fred and the team at the Irish Scene for allowing us to lodge our regular reports. We look forward to continuing that relationship in 2015.

Why not visit our website for more information about the club -

www.irishgolf.com.au Mike O’Callaghan SECRETARY

Is drinking costing you MORE than money?

Help is available!

Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution, does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

Contact: Alcoholics Anonymous,

24 Hour Helpline Ph: 9325 3566 • www.aaperth.wa.org

87

SHAMROCK

Rovers

Join and Support the Winning Team at Shamrock Rovers!

How do you follow a year as successful as last year?

I’m sure we will find out as 2015 progresses. But we all know you get nothing without hard work. With that in mind the committee and coaching staff are already back working on behalf of the club.

We have already appointed four new coaches: Alex Robinson & Craig Longstaff for State U18, and Mick Hartley & Brian Kane for State Reserve. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome them to the coaching staff at the club. Alex Robinson in conjunction with Total Football Academy is also looking after our Junior Academy for the coming season. We will have Under 6, Under 7, Under 9, Under 11, Under 13 and Under 16 teams. If you are interested in joining Junior Hoops academy please contact Alex on 0410899819. Junior pre-season starts on 23 February 2015.

Venue Rocher reserve, Lockridge.

As Division 1 State League champions we have been invited to play in the NPL Night Series and we are looking forward to the challenge.

Night series First Round fixture is Floreat Athena vs Shamrock Rovers Sunday 8th February at E&D Litis Stadium. Kick off 7:00 p.m. So come along and support the Hoops. We would be delighted to see a big Irish

Michael Manning President Shamrock Rovers

presence. See Shamrock Rovers’ Facebook page for the later fixtures.

Pre-season training will commence of 12th January and John O’Reilly, our first team coach, is chomping at the bit to get started. Venue for the State pre-season is Rocher reserve, Lockridge, 6:30 p.m. start.

If you would like to play Sunday Amateur, Robbie Fanning wants to hear from you. Contact Robbie on 0414260614. With Fergal Burke stepping down as coach we are also looking for coaching staff to help Robbie with the Amateur setup. We wish to thank Fergal for his commitment to the amateur section of the club which has been so successful during his and Robbie’s stewardship. If you are interested in coaching at Amateur level please contact Marty Burke 0410081386 or Mick Manning 0418917050.

If you just want a social game, Phil Moore and Brian Dunne are your men. Phone Phil on 0416821285 or Brian on 0431995252.

Shamrock Rovers Perth FC Annual Golf Day will be in Sunday 29th March 2015. If you are interested in playing in or sponsoring the event please contact Gerry Towney on 0427676880 or Martin Sheehan on 0419934681, or Marty Burke 0410081386 or Mick Manning 0418917050.

If you would like to come on board as a sponsor for 2015 please contact Marty Burke, secretary, on 0410081386.

We would like to extend our thanks to Bill Byrne and Mike Ford for all their work on behalf of the club and wish them the very best in their new adventures.

Many thanks lads. We would also like to thank Wayne Brookes who is taking time out for family reasons. We wish Wayne and his family all the best.

If you are interested in getting involved with Shamrock Rovers as a volunteer we would be delighted to hear from you. The work is plentiful but the labourers are few. Come along and lend a hand.

Once again we would like to thank our sponsors for 2014 – Bluescope Steel, CFMEU, HydroQuip Pumps, Northside Meats and Tom Hoey. We would also like to express our appreciation to Fred Rea and City of Swan for their support and contribution to the club in 2014.

C’mon the Hoops.

Marty Burke. Secretary

www.shamrockrovers.com.au 88

Irish Night in Bunbury

Enterprise Ireland Perth Office Opening

International Rules at Subiaco

Melbourne Cup lunch at the Celtic Club

89

Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of WA Inc. Rob O’Callaghan,President GAA of WA

Western Australia Club Contact Information: Michael Cusacks Hurling Club Email: michaelcusackswagaa@hotmail.com www.michaelcusackswagaa.com Immokilly Hurling Club Facebook: imokilly.australia@facebook.com Email: imokillywa@gmail.com Perth Shamocks Hurling Club Email: perthshamrocks@gmail.com Secretary: germullally@hotmail.com

GAAWA Reconvened

St Gabriel’s Hurling Club Hurling: secretary.stgabrielshc@hotmail.com Facebook: St. Gabriels Hurling WA Camogie: stgabrielscamogieclub@hotmail.com.

Facebook: St Gabriels Camogieclub Sarsfields Hurling Club Facebook: Sarsfields Hurling WA Twitter: @Sarsfields Perth www.sarsfieldshurlingperth.com

AGM Tuesday 20th January at the Irish Club @ 7pm 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco

Coastal Breakers GFC Ladies Gaelic Football Club Email: thecoastalbreakers@gmail.com www.coastalbreakers.wordpress.com Facebook: /coastal.breakers Western Swans Camogie Club Email camogiewa@yahoo.com.au Facebook - Western Swans Camogie St. Finbarr’s GFC Website: www.stfinbarrsgfc.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/StFinbarrsGFC Twitter: www.twitter.com/StFinbarrsGFC Email: stfinbarrsgfc@hotmail.com Morley Gaels Men’s Contacts: John 0410 309 306 / JAY 0479 088353 Ladies Contact: Br McCormack 0400 793 432 Rob O’Callaghan 0407 421 224

“When he took time to help the man up the mountain, lo, he scaled it himself.” Tibetan Proverb

Old Combatants meet!

In 1981, Kerry after winning their fourth successive All-Ireland championship toured by playing matches in New York, San Francisco, Hawaii and also Australia. There were no official matches played in Australia. This was just before the International Rules series commenced. The VFL however did invite the Kerry team to a function honouring the visit and a tour of VFL Park at Waverley. The games played in Australia were chiefly under GAA rules.

One of those games was against Western Australia. A member of that Kerry team was recent visitor, Irish Minister of State for the Diaspora, Jimmy Deenihan. He met during his visit to Perth, Ray Vacher (above) who played on Jimmy and Denis Bratton (left), who referreed the game.

Ray met the Minster at the official local GAA function at the Carlise Hotel and Denis at The Irish Club of WA. They share many stories and memories of the game were talked about at length.

Western Shamrocks GFC Facebook – Western Shamrocks Gfc westernshamrocks@hotmail.com Southern Districts GFC Email: southerndistrictsgaa@gmail.com southerndistrictsgaa@hotmail.com.au www.sdgfc.com Greenwood Football Club www.ggfc.castinet.com.au macruairi6@hotmail.com Junior GAA Hurling & Football Gerry Crowley 041 504 8425 gerrycrowley@westnet.com.au Minor GAA Football Michael O’Connor 0417 096 424 Peter Kavanagh 0410 921 961

gfhwa.com.au 90

Gaelic Football at Beckenham Primary school an identified hub school for the Southern Academy in term 4

Minister for Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan and former Kerry footballer visits the GAA in Perth.

www.thebreakwater.com.au

58 Southside Drive, Hillarys Boat Harbour Ph: 08 9448 5000 Fax: 08 9448 6000

91

Photo: Perth Glory Website

Meet the Perth Glory Irish International soccer star Andy Keogh!

Over a coffee recently I met Irish International Andy Keogh of Perth Glory. It was at Michael Campion’s Voyage restaurant in Sorrento and we were well entertained and fed by Michael. Michael and I had are keen soccer followers and shared many stories with Andy. Another Irish International, Tipperaryman, Shane Long came into the conversation. With Michael

Andy Keogh and Michael Campion

Campion also being a Tipp man he couldn’t help reminding us...

“Shane also played hurling for Tipperary in his early career”.

Andy Keogh was born in south Dublin to parents Declan and Linda who also live in Perth. He attended CBC Monkstown along with younger brother Kenny.

Although a talented rugby player he chose soccer as his preferred sport in his mid-teens. Keogh began his playing career at Cabinteely FC and Joeys FC in South Dublin.

Andy moved to Leeds United at the age of sixteen. He was subsequently

loaned out to then League Two side Scunthorpe United at the beginning of the 2004–05 season.

Here, he made his league debut on 7 August 2004 in a 3–1 win over Rochdale. He scored two goals in 12 appearances before an injury crisis at Elland Road caused him to be recalled to his parent club. Later he was loaned to Bury in January 2005. He went on to play with other EPL Clubs.

Andy has followed the A-League for some time and before choosing Australia as a viable career choice.

“I had offers to stay in England; it would be usual for players to stay in England and come here when 33, 34 and finish their career and maybe not give it as good a go as they could have,” he told foxsports. com.au. “Everyone’s different, but I was thinking: I’ve got an opportunity, I’ve got some family here, I’m going to go for it. I’m going to make a second career of it.

“I won’t deny it would be great to still be in the Premier League, but I’ve done that, and it’s nice to try something different.

“I haven’t got any regrets coming here. I’ve achieved the goals I wanted when I was a 16-year-old kid – now I’ve got new objectives over here on the other side of the world.”

Along with his wife Natalie and daughter Mia, he’s settled into Perth, but on the pitch, makes it clear he wants to challenge the A-League’s Golden Boot charts.

“I’ve always had an eye on the A-League. Even when Michael Bridges came over, I knew him from my Leeds days; I’d been here with Wolves on a pre-season trip, been here on holidays, I’ve always been interested in playing in the A-League,” he said.

“Sometimes it’s nice to try something different, refresh the mind, take a new route and challenge.”

Andy, who counts childhood idol Robbie Keane as one of his friends, as well as compatriot Duff, labels Vincent Kompany and Richard Dunne as two of the most challenging defenders he’s squared up against.

Andy received his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland squad from Steve Staunton in March 2007.

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Andy Keogh, wife Natalie and Mia

He went on to make his debut for the senior team on 23 May 2007 in a friendly against Ecuador in Giants Stadium, New York, and later featured in their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.

He scored the equaliser in Giovanni Trapattoni’s first match in charge, a 1–1 draw with Serbia in a friendly match at Croke Park, Dublin, a goal that won the FAI Goal of the Year Award. Keogh had also scored the first goal of the Trapattoni era in a training camp game against a Portuguese football league team. He scored his second goal for Ireland on 12 October 2012, scoring a late consolation goal in a defeat at home to Germany.

Andy was kind enough to donate one of his international jerseys to the Conor McGrory fundraising night recently.

He now calls Australia home and with family in Perth it may be a long stay. We wish him well and look forward to many goals for Perth Glory!

Support Perth Glory and Andy Keogh!

Join the Glory Land Club....

Visit www.perthglory.com.au/ Fred Rea

The New “An Sibín” Irish Pub brings A touch of Ireland to Perth.

“An Sibín” opened its doors in December, with a brand new interior and an exciting Beer and Music line-up and the warm, true-to-heart hospitality the Irish are well known for.

What does ‘An Sibin’ mean?

Opening Hours: Mon:12-12 Tues: 12-12 Wed:12-12 Thur:12-12 Fri:12-2am Sat:12-2am Sunday:12-10pm

A ‘sibin’(pronounced she-been) is an illegal brew house in Ireland where ‘potin’ is made and sold.

Potin is high potency alcohol made from, what else? Potatoes.

Typically a sibin would be in a private house or barn, and a password or secret knock would get you in the door.

At An Sibin no secret knock is needed,

JUST WALK IN AND JOIN THE FUN!

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Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/An-Sibin-Irish-Pub/1586650448222038

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147 James Street, Corner of lake street, NORTHBRIDGE Western Australia 6003 Phone: 08 9328 8930 Email: manager@ansibin.com.au Website: www.ansibin.com.au

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St Gabriel’s Hurling & CamogieClub

“New Members Welcome” to join contact.

Hurling: Shane 0438 383 517 Camogie: Louise 0429 859 093 Danielle 0405 418 809

Facebook: St. Gabriels Hurling WA Our Major Sponsors:

MONFORD

With 2014 now in the past, St Gabriel’s GAA Club now turns its attention to 2015. 2014 saw a growth in membership for both the Camogie and Hurling teams, we hope that this growth will continue into the coming year.

In November last, we held our annual ball at the Hilton. On the night we saw a number of people recognised for their work both on and off the field.

In hurling, awards on the night were presented to Ronan Larkin, John Malone and Alan Driver, while in Camogie Christina Fitzpatrick, Siobhan Lafferty, Bronagh Morgan and Joanne Clifford.

The Club Person of The Year, was the closest since the award was first presented. This alone shows the contribution made by a number of people for the development of the club.

The award on the night was presented to Louise Madden and Danielle McInerney.

A major role in the success of the club was the contribution of our club sponsors, in Hurling we had Monford Group, PTR Finance, PERI Formwork & Scaffold, in Camogie we had ODH Mechanical, Karratha Plant & Machinery, The Irish Club, South Down Bricklaying and Ringside Boxing. We would like to thank these sponsors for their support.

We are all looking forward to a new hurling and Camogie season which will have new players joining the current teams and committee members.

AN GABS ABU - 2015

Annual Ball at the Hilton

MONFORD Construction & Mining Contractors - Earth Moving Contractors Monford Group is a group of three companies, Monford Plant Hire, Monford Labour Hire and Monford Constructions, performing works Australia wide.

Monford Group Pty Ltd has extensive experience and capabilities that include the construction of major mining, industrial and civil infrastructure projects, throughout Australia.

As a group Monford has completed projects involving concrete construction, civil construction, mining infrastructure, tilt-up construction, earthworks, equipment and labour hire. One of the keys to their success is their professional approach to the construction of any project.

Monford has developed and implemented an Integrated Management System with the safety and well-being of their employees,

partners and customers in mind.

Monford Group has proven that its resources and management systems ensure their projects are completed on time and within budget.

Monford Group has worked on some of Australia’s largest projects, namely; Pluto LNG Karratha, Sino Iron Cape Preston, FMG Solomon, Devils Creek Karratha, Perth City Rail Link Alliance Perth, Rapid Growth Project Port Hedland and the Nurrumbidgee to Googong Pipeline, NSW. Monford’s Clients include John Holland, Abi Group, Decmil, Georgiou, Kentz, AGC, Murphy Pipe and Civil and Construction Industries Australia.

McIntosh & Son is proud to be a major supplier of Case Construction Machinery to the Monford Group.

For more information please check out Monford’s website www. monfordgroup.com

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IRISH BUSINESS CONTACTS / INDEX BAGGAGE (UNACCOMPANIED) 38 Australian International Express 9243 0808 69 Exportair Tim 9477 1080 BUTCHERS 58 McLoughlin’s Northside Meats Tel: 9249 8039 60 Meat Connoisseur Tel: 9309 9992 64 Taste 32 CAFE/DELI: 54 Mooney’s Irish Sandwich Bar Tel: 9221 4872 Kallaroo Seafood 9401 9141 CAR RETAILERS: 26 John Hughes, Vic Park - Tel: 9415 0110 CELEBRANT: Marian Bryne Tel: 0410 345 224 CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS: UHY Haines Norton Tel 9444 3400 CIVIL ENGINEERS: 51 Neo Infrastructure Tel: 0407475033 COUNSELLING Fiona Carberry, Counselling Psychologist carberrycounselling@westnet.com.au Tel: 0439 549 481 EMPLOYMENT: 65 All Force Labour Solutions Tel: 0457824916 Network Recruitment Tel: 9380 9727 18 Final Trim Operators Tel: 1300 083 599 ENTERTAINMENT: Fiddlestick - David MacConnell 0413 259 547 FINANCE/ADVICE: 46 The Loans Café-Nik Silsby Tel: 0402 284594 FREIGHT HANDLERS: 38 Australian International Express 9243 0808 69 Exportair - Tim Hawdon Tel: 9477 1080 FUNERALS: 62 McKee Funerals Tel: 9401 1911 FURNITURE: First in Furniture Joondalup Tel: 9300 9010 Chaise Sofas 1800 763 228 HAIR & BEAUTY: 34 Elma Lauren Hair & Beauty 94448381 IMMIGRATION ADVICE: 8 ASC Migration Tel: 93015905 Visa4U - Tel: 0416 727 787 19 EasiVisa Carol-Ann Lynch 9429 8860 Aust Visa Professionals Tel: 0420 907 109 25 McGovern Migration Tel: 6161 8854 IRISH FOOD: Taste Ireland Sydney - Tel: 02 9386 5522 37 Essence of Ireland Tel: 9301 5485 20 Hetty’s Scullery Tel: 0416365099 JEWELLERS: 7 Master Jewellers: Graham Tighe 0414309274

MECHANICS: 1 Killarney Autos - Neil Lenihan 0439 996 764 BVM Autos - Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501 PAINTERS: Erin Painting Tel: Dominic 0414 595 605 PUBS, CLUBS & RESTAURANTS: 93 An Sibin Tel: 9328 8930 Bailey Bar & Grill Joondalup Tel: 9300 0633 91 Breakwater, Hillarys Tel: 9448 5000 48,49 Carnegies, Perth Tel: 9481 3222 52 Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299 41 Durty Nelly’s, Perth Tel: 9226 0233 3 Fenian’s / Novotel, Perth Tel: 9221 1200 21 Friar Tuck’s, Wannanup Tel: 9534 4788 96 Irish Club of WA, Subiaco Tel: 9381 5213 29 JB O’Reilly’s, Leederville Tel: 9382 4555 Paddy Maguire’s, Subiaco Tel: 9381 8400 33 Paddy Malone’s Joondalup/Alexander Hgts 26 Rosie O’Grady’s Fremantle Tel: 9335 1645 2 Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge Tel: 9328 1488 12 The Mighty Quinn, Tuart Hill Tel: 9349 9600 28 The Cure Northbridge Tel: 9227 9055 The Shed, Northbridge Tel: 9228 2200 8 Voyage Kitchen Tel: 9447 2443 Woodvale Tavern, Woodvale 9309 4288 84 Woodbridge Hotel, Guildford Tel: 9377 1199 REAL ESTATE: 43 O’Rourke Real Estate Tel: 16 Professionals Kelly Team YokineTel: 9344 5544 SAFETY SERVICES: Custodian Safety Services SCAFFOLDING: Eire Scaffolding SHOE REPAIR: 43 Reids Bootmakers: Tel 9361 5301 SIGNS, BANNERS: Sign It Tel: 0452 521 518 SOLICITORS & LEGAL: 13,83 Kavanagh Lawyers - Tel: 0430 960 859 SPORT - CLUBS AND INFORMATION: 90 GAA - Rob O’Callagahan 0407 421 224 88 Shamrock Rovers 94 St Gabriel’s Hurling Club -Stephen 04088940265 87 Irish Golf Club of WA Martin 0419934681 THEATRE: 85 Irish Theatre Players TRAVEL & TOURISM: 31 British Travel - Jenny Allen Tel: 9388 3114 5 Flightworld Michael Deering Tel: 9322 2914 TYRES, BATTERIES, BRAKES WHEELS: 20 Tyrepower: Perth City - Fiona: Tel: 9322 2214 WEDDING RECEPTIONS: 52 The Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299

Trades+ Maintenance CONCRETE & WALLS PC Walls Contact: Sean King Tel: 0418 949 292

ELECTRICIANS Iluka Electrical Contact: Tom Bowe Tel: 0422 440 588

GARAGE DOORS Buckley’s Garage Doors Contact: Kevin Buckley Tel: 0425 125 889

CAR MECHANICAL Killarney Autos Contact: Neil Lenihan Phone: 9309 4445 BVM AUTOS Contact: Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501

KERBING

AAH Captain Kerb Contact: Noel Steenson Tel 0412 679 652 or 9405 8948

PLUMBING

Charlies Plumbing & Gas Services PL8223 - GF014437 Contact: Charlie O’Hare Tel: 0400 484 933

ROOF PLUMBING Mick’s Maintenance Contact: Mick Tel: 0418 917 050

SKIRTINGS

Contact: Ken McLoughlin 041 544 6122

THE IRISH SCENE

Publisher/Advertising: Fred Rea 0418 943 832 Editor: Lloyd Gorman 0479 047 250 - gormanlloyd@hotmail.com Proof Reading: Jack Cullen, Imelda Gorman and Colin Merrey Publisher: Gaelforce Promotions, 12 Dysart Court, Kingsley WA 6026 Email: fred@irishscene.com.au Tel/Fax 9309 3167 www.irishscene.com.au

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by contributors in articles, reproduced articles, advertisements or any other printed material contained in Irish Scene magazine or on www.irishscene.com.au are those of the individual contributors or authors and as such are not necessarily those of Gaelforce Promotions. The publisher and editor reserve the right to accept, reject, edit or amend submitted material in order to make it appropriate or suitable for publication. Irish Scene welcomes submissions, ideas and suggestions for articles and features as well as photographs of events happening around and within the Irish community in Western Australia.

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OPENING HOURS & ACTIVITIES

January 15th 16th 19th 25th

MONDAY: Bar: 4pm - 10.30pm Comhaltas Music Lessons Set Dancing 8.00pm followed by the Seisiun

Dates for your Diary: Ceoltas classes & Irish classes on every Monday evening

Club re-opening Pie & Pint Motown Magic Perth Shamrocks AGM Australian Irish Brunch @ 12.00pm and Music session from 1.00pm bookings essential for Brunch.

February 6th 7th 20th 28th

Seniors Lunch First Friday Down Stairs Northern Soul Motown Magic Northern Soul Birthday Celebrations

Pie & Pint Night Every Thursday

St Patrick’s Day 2015

All welcome to join in.

Big line up of music and dancing for St. Patrick’s Weekend and follow our web site for further details.

Live music from 7pm.

Club Renovations

The Club will be going through small changes in the year ahead so become a member and get involved in the Irish club’s future for generations to come.

Book your Function at The Irish Club!

Contact the club on 9381 5213.

We have 3 function rooms and can cater for up to 200 people!

Full bar and catering options are available.

500 mtrs from Paterson Stadium

QUIZ NIGHTS • PARTIES • FUNDRAISERS • STAGE SHOWS AND ANYTHING!

61 Townshend Road, Subiaco, WA 6008

Tel: +61 8 9381 5213 irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au

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TUESDAY: Bar: 4pm - 10.30pm WEDNESDAY: Bar: 4pm - 10.30pm THURSDAY: Bar: 4pm - Midnight Pint and Pie Night Music from 7pm FRIDAY: Bar: 4pm - Midnight Kitchen 5.30pm 8.30pm SATURDAY: Bar open 4pm - Late SUNDAY: Bar: 4pm - 10pm

Book your Function at the Club!

Contact the club on 9381 5213.

We have 3 function rooms and can cater for up to 200 people.

Full bar and catering Options are available.

The Irish Club is a members only club, and we welcome new members. Application forms can be downloaded from the website irishclubofwa.com.au

Fax: 9381 9764 www.irishclubofwa.com.au