Irish Scene March April 2013

Registered with Australia Post PP635639/00006

Parade March 17th

Volume 15 Number 3

March/April 2013

St Patrick’s Day Mass on 16th • Brendan Grace @ Rosies • O’Reilly 25th Commemoration • Welcome to Mooney’s & O’Brien’s • Greetings from Ambassador • Irish Gov Minister for IWAF • Charlotte Needs Your Help!

• Damo and Brady Shows • Parade Guide • Calling Perth Roses • ITP Classic Irish Play • Mary Coughlan Preview • Oscar Wilde Classic preview • Luka Bloom • •St Patrick’s Day at the Races

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Huge Turnout for Seminar at Rosies It wasn’t that long ago that I headed for Australia (40 years ago) under the Ten Pound scheme a green 22 yer old. Visa’s and the like were all organised by the Australian authorities and the support from the time I left Ireland was excellent. Not so today for some Irish migrants. Many have come to Australia out of economic necessity and now see how wonderful this place is and want to stay. So what do they do?

Thanks to people like Carol-Ann Lynch, they get the information required to make a decision of their future. Rosie O’Grady’s in Northbridge was the venue for a free seminar organised by Carol-Ann and near 150 people crammed into the venue eager to get information. I took the opportunity to ask Carol-Ann some questions.

Fred: So why are you running these free migration seminars?

C-A: We want to make sure that people have access to good advice and information – after all, migration is a life changing step. We have many people come to us who have been badly advised or who assume that what will work for a friend in a similar situation will work for them. This is often not the case, as everyones situation is different and making a mistake can often be very expensive. We know of one gentleman who independently submitted two separate applications for permanent residence, both of which were refused, at a cost to him of well over six thousand dollars.

Fred: Your seminar at Rosie O’Gradys on 31st January was very well attended ! what topics do you cover?

C-A: Yes, this was our third seminar and over 140 people came along that night.

We focus mainly on the issues around skilled migration – both independent and sponsored. On the visa side, we look at eligibility for temporary work visas (the 457 program) and the different pathways for Permanent Residence.

We also cover skills assessments for both tradespeople and professionals and the tax implications for temporary

residents and those looking to move to PR. Fred: I believe skills assessments are an area where many people have problems, can you tell us a bit about this?

C-A: Certainly ! The professional skills assessments are pretty straightforward as they are usually done by the relevant professional bodies – such as the Institute of Engineers or the Australian Medical Association. The main issues revolve around the trades.

FRED: So what are the key issues for tradespeople?

C-A: There are many assessing bodies in Australia who can undertake a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for trades and issue a valid Australian Trade Certificate (Cert 3). However most of these are not valid for Migration purposes. Many tradespeople end up spending two or three thousand dollars for a certificate, which is no use at all for migration.

FRED: Ouch ! So how can they find out which Assessment they need?

C-A: DIAC publish information on who the assessing bodies are and Trades Recognition Australia (TRA) is the certifying body for most trades – BUT - it can be a bit difficult to determine who really can deliver an assessment valid for Migration as TRA delegate the actual assessments out to other bodies such as VETASSESS and Victoria University. VETASSESS have a major office in Perth, and their international manager, Paul Morgan is based here. Paul regularly comes along to present at our seminars on this subject

FRED: And how about Tax – what are the key issues there?

C-A: The main issues are around moving from Temporary residence to Permanent Residence, as Australia taxes its permanent residents and citizens on their world wide income.

This is a complex area and we are lucky to have Wendy Davies from UHY Haines Norton come along to our seminars to talk about these issues Fred: So say I come along to one of your seminars and decide I would like to stay in Australia – what next?

C-A: The most important thing is to understand your situation with regard to the immigration laws. Everyones situation is different and this is where an experienced Registered Migration Agent can really help out. They will be able to advise you firstly whether you are eligible and secondly what your best visa pathway is.

Fred: Do you provide visa services as well as running the seminars C-A: Yes, we help many people to stay in Australia, both on sponsored and independent visas and we have never had a failure. We provide free initial assessments and will tell you on the spot whether we think you have a good chance of success or not. If we don’t think your application will succeed then we wont take you on as a client.

Fred: So how easy is it to get permanent residence in Australia as a skilled trades person?

C-A: It can be a complex process, but if you are the right age, have skills that Australia wants and can prove it, then, if you provide all the information required and you get the right advice, the process can be surprisingly quick.

Fred: So when is the next seminar?

C-A: The next seminar will be on 18th April 7:00 at Rosie O’Gradys cnr James and Milligan Streets in Northbridge.

Get there early if you want a seat!

Fred Rea

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Paddy Hannan’s Mate

Interview with “Dan: O’Shea From the Kalgoorlie Miner Oct 25th 1904 New Irish arrivals in Western Australia will not be aware of the contribution to the success of this great state by three Irishmen Paddy Hannan, Dan O’Shea and Tom Flanagan. Below is an account of the gold find and Dan O’Shea gave this interview to the Kalgoorlie Miner Newspaper in 1904.

I think readers will find it fascinating and to hear the story from one who was there makes it all the more interesting.

Fred Rea

Paddy Hannan’s Miners right.

The Interview....

Mr “Dan” O’Shea, who was with Mr “Paddy” Hannan and the late Mr “Tom” Flannagan in the discovery of gold in Kalgoorlie, in 1893, is at present residing in Kalgoorlie, and an opportunity was taken yesterday by a representative of the “Miner” to interview the old prospector. He answered questions freely, and, although now 70 years of age, had a vivid recollection of the early days of these fields.

In the course of conversation, Mr.

O’Shea gave an interesting account of his movements as one of the pioneers of Hannans, where he arrived in June, 1893. Previous to this, however, he had prospected in the Kimberley district, and was one of those in the rush to that place in 1885. He came to the West from New Zealand. “I arrived at Kimberley,” he continues, “with £200 in my pocket, but although there was gold there, the field was nothing much.

Then I took the steamer to Sydney, via Port Darwin, and, after having recruited myself, I started for Nullingine in the North-West, and mined all over that district, including the Ashburton.

From there I went to Perth and on to the go-Mile (now Goongarrie.) Leaving there with the intention of proceeding to Lefroy, where I knew there was gold, I met an old mate of mine, Paddy Hannan, at Coolgardie. He asked me if I would come out this way (Kalgoorlie), and I started out with him. It was just about sundown when we happened to pick up the first gold on the north of Mount Charlotte. Tom Flannagan, who was with us, died at Bendigo about four years ago.

“Next day we had about of a gallon of water with us, and I went out to go to the 18 Mile for more, while Hannan went to Coolgardie for more canvas. On the road I came on a pad which led into the bush to a clay pan, and told Hannan that I intended to go. Hannan said

I would perish. I said, “There is no fear of me perishing while there is timber, and it means seven miles for me to get back in the morning.” I left, and when I got there, at 6 o’clock, it started to rain, and continued until 4 o’clock in the morning. All that time I was standing by a burning log with a blanket around my neck. At daylight I started off for the camp, and, coming near I saw two wagons which were going to the Mount Jewell rush. The men were playing nap.

I saw a sugar loaf through the bush. I told Flannagan that I had never known a sugar loaf hill to fail for gold and he went across to it. After a while Flannagan returned and took a handful of gold out of his pocket. He said that he got it in the second gully (the Reward lease), that the gold was lying around him, and that he was afraid someone would see him. We worked there for eight months, but I left before the township was surveyed. We all worked together,

but I got ill through drinking bad water, and had to go to Perth.

“On recovery I prospected all over the country, latterly at Randalls for seven months.

There we opened a line of reef. I sold out for £10. Then I went to work in the pumping station, three miles out of Southern Cross, with the object of raising enough to start out in the Parker’s Range country. While in this employment a piece of quartz flew into my eye. The result was that I went into the Perth Hospital for fourteen weeks. The Government allowed me £2 and 10s a week for eight weeks. Finally my eye, the right one, was taken out. I left the institution after the term stated, and Mr Gregory, then Minister for Mines, proffered me some camels to go out prospecting.

“I first went to Pioneer, where I prospected on every side for 15 or 20 miles, and then to Buldana, east of Norsemen, where I prospected for a fortnight. Then I went back to Pioneer with the intention of prospecting between Pioneer and Birgaringa, but found no gold. Coming back to Widgiemooltha someone told my mate there was good country 40 miles west, and we went out. The country proved to be no good, and, after a week, we crossed by Emu Well, along the north side of Lefroy, and got to Randalls. We picked up some ‘floaters’ and stayed there four days. We didn’t try the ground at the time, because we were in search of alluvial gold to carry us along. We started to Kiana and passed Karridona and Girder’s Rock and then struck across country south of Lefroy and travelled over flat country all the way, struck the Slate Well road and came back to Slate Well where we camped over Sunday. My mates there decided to go back to Randalls and try

Seán Roche in Concer t Sean Roche in Concert Friday March 8th 8pm Fremantle Workers Club 9 Henry St $10 entry Cafe open from 5.30-7.30pm 93351840 (Wed to Sun) freoworkers@bigpond.com

the ground where we picked up the floaters, with 18 inch of stripping. We worked there for three months. I was there three months, and finally sold out for £10. It is now a payable claim.

I was afterwards caught in a hail-storm at Randalls and got bronchitis, with the result that I went to the Perth Hospital.

“A syndicate was then formed for me to go to the Ashburton neighborhood with another man. I received three camels from Warden Troy at Cue. I then went by Peak Hill, the stock route, and from the Ashburton down to get to where I wanted to go, about 440 miles from Cue. I had been prospecting a fortnight on the Soldier’s Secret, when rain set in heavily for three days. I had to leave there, and went away to the Gorge, when it again rained,

and I could not cross the river. I shifted down 17 miles to some country we knew of, and had another fall of rain 17 miles north-west along the road. I had to go at nightfall to take the hobbles off the camels, and when the ground got dry we travelled down the river and met the mailman, whom I knew. He told me that McGrath, from the Hardy River, was going to Perth for a reward claim.

I went out 20 miles from Hynes’ station. We spent a week there, getting a little gold two miles east of McGrath’s show. A few days after I went down to Hynes”, then 56 miles away down the river, and about 70 miles from Onslow.

I got some flour there, and started for Cue by McCarthy’s on the Henry River,

by Bangimall.”

When his time was up with the camels he was 600 miles from Cue, and on arrival there he delivered them to Warden Troy. “It was the severest trip I have ever had during 35 years of this sort of life,” said Mr O’Shea, “I slept for six months in the wet scrub.” Mr O’Shea stated that, although his time was up after he had been out six months, if he had had favourable weather he would not have come in while he had money.

Mr O’Shea stated that he had spent hundreds of pounds in prospecting in the State. During 35 years he had been through all the colonies and the mining centres of America, while about 20 years of his life had been spend between Western Australia and the west coast of Tasmania, but most of the time in this State.

From the Daily News Thursday 26 November 1908

“Dan” O’Shea, one of the discoverers of Hannans (now Kalgoorlie), who died on September 18. At the time of his death the deceased pioneer was entitled to £19 of his annual allowance of £100.

Friday March 8th at 8pm Fremantle Workers Club 9 Henry St $10 entry Cafe open from 5.30-7.30pm 93351840 (Wed to Sun) freoworkers@bigpond.com

HAIL, GLORIOUS ST. PATRICK…?

By Elizabeth Brennan

Yet another year I was honoured.

I had received an invitation from Patricia O’Brien – the most popular girl in school – to her birthday party to be held, of course, on March 17.

Another thing to gloat about. I loved gloating. To be sure, didn’t I enjoy peering over the old wooden fence of the Catholic primary school and yell across the road to the unfortunates in the State school: There go the publics! Of course, those rowdy lot of unfortunates would immediately retort: There go the Catholics! I paid no heed; didn’t we have a school holiday on March 17, the Feast of St. Patrick and another one two days later on March 19, the Feast of St. Joseph?

What did those publics have to gloat about, I ask you? Of course, we had another holiday on Holy Thursday of which we could gloat. However, for me Holy Thursday did not rank as high as March 17. On Holy Thursday I had to go to Church; on March 17 I attended Patricia O’Brien’s party, a shamrock attached to my dress. Holy Thursday affirmed my Catholicism; Saint Patrick’s Feast Day affirmed my identity: I was Irish! Together with a holiday from school coupled with an invitation to Patricia O’Brien’s party – well, March 17 was the best day of the year. Yes … I mean: THE BEST!!

Sister Columba, our school principal, was a woman with a mission: to impart in her pupils a burning love of Patrick, a man who liberated the Irish – in actual fact, the whole world! – from paganism. After all, she continually reiterated, didn’t Patrick rid Ireland of snakes, the epitome of eternal temptation, the same evil that brought the human race to its knees! I sat, enthralled, emblazoned

with a desire to convert my weekend playmates and assiduously planned my attack.

Not impressed with my ardent attempts at proselytising, my friends urged me, instead, to conquer the art of manoeuvring my billy-cart down the hill without smashing it against the gutter. I acquiesced, complied, determined to get my priorities in order. Time enough to impart wisdom my friends lacked. How on earth do I manage to turn the corner in my cart? How else do you slow, stop this … this thing, without putting my left foot out? Why do I always end up with grazed toes? Sister Columba’s zealous recommendation to look to Patrick for life’s answers banished with the Autumnal breeze that blew in the face of my seemingly futile attempt to master the intricate driving of my billy-cart down the hill and around the corner. And yet, at day’s end, I was able to console myself as I drifted into the land of dreams that despite my inability to avoid wrecking my billy-cart, I had one up on my pagan friends: Patrick had saved me. The snakes wormed their way through my dreams.

The morning sun beamed down on Clew Bay in County Mayo, Ireland.

As I had done so many times in the past few months, I looked around me, raised my head to catch a glimpse of the summit of Croagh Patrick and uttered the prayer of thanks I had repeated continuously: that my life- long dream to visit the land I considered my soul’s birthplace had finally come alive.

Many years had passed, years in which Patricia O’Brien and I had parted ways. I had married, bound

8

myself for life to one who did not share my identify, who did not revere Patrick, who did not belong to the saved. One of whom Sr. Columba would not have approved, at all, at all! I struggled to maintain my identify, my Irishness, my adherence to Patrick. Desperately attempted to manipulate my cart along life’s parthways; to round corners safely without grazing my toes.

But, ah, isn’t Patrick formidable, faith? Hasn’t his legacy conquered many an alien corner? My issue, was that each corner opened new visions, new challenges, new ways of seeing.

Whilst uttering my thankful prayer as I gazed up the slopes of Croagh Partrick, I found it nigh impossible to put aside the persistent thoughts that had plagued me over the last decades: Why does it appear that Ireland neglects to pay homage to its ancient past and the lives of the people who paved the pathways, built edifices as magnificent as Staigue Fort in County Kerry that are still standing after 2000 years; people who, despite Elizabethan diatribe, had drawn up the Brehon Laws which scholars today praise for their sense of fair-mindedness; a people who earnestly believed and lived their lives based on the principles of restorative justice, a justice system that aimed at restoring peace and harmony within a community rather than mere punishment that did not bring about healing.

Do the thousands of people who make their pilgrimage up the steep craggy slopes of Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday know that the mountain has been a place of worship that dates back 3000 years? Are they aware that the ruins of a Celtic hill fort that encircled the mountain top, was discovered in August 1994?

Tradition tells that Patrick spent forty days upon the mountain top in 441 AD. Incidental, perhaps, to the tale of the forty days Jesus spent in the desert? At the base of the mountain is a striking statue of Patrick. I looked around, could find no recognition of the mountain’s previous thousands of years of tradition as a place of worship.

As he strode back down the mountain after his 40 day retreat, tradition also tells us that Patrick threw a silver bow, knocked the She-Demon Corra from the sky, thus banishing snakes from Ireland. Maybe Patrick was not aware that snakes can’t swim and do not like the cold and that after the thaw of the last glacial period, which occurred about 15,000 years ago, Ireland was left without a land bridge and thus, snakes did not return. Patrick also possibly did not know that the same thing occurred in New Zealand. There are no snakes in New Zealand. I don’t think Patrick managed to get to New Zealand? Or the numerous other islands free of such demons?

I am quite sure, however, that Patrick was well aware of the sacred worship of the serpent in practically all ancient civilisations from India across the Middle East to Greece, Egypt and Rome – and also honoured among the ancient Celts.

It was a general belief in the ancient world that snakes don’t die of age like other animals, but periodically shed their skins and emerge renewed or reborn into another life.

The ageless serpent was originally identified with the Great Goddess herself. The ancient Aegean world worshipped primarily women and serpents. Men didn’t participate in religious ceremonies until late in the Bronze Age, when Cretan kings were allowed to become priests of the bull-god, although still subject to female clergy.

The male serpent deity became the phallic consort of the Great Mother, sometimes seen as a ‘father’ of races, because he was the Mother’s original consort. In some myths, he was no more than a living phallus she created for her own sexual pleasure. When the serpent-creator turned arrogant and tried to pretend that he alone made the universe, the Goddess punished him, bruised his head with her heel and banished him to the underworld. It was on this version that the ancient Israelites based their notion of Eve’s progeny bruising the serpent’s head, and the rabbinical opinion that the serpent was Eve’s first lover and the true father of Cain.

Which led eventually – when men realised that they played a part in the creation of life and, as a result, attempted to rise above the status of women - to the vision of the Virgin Mary standing with a foot firmly placed on the serpent’s head.

Patrick arrived to convert a people who had for thousands of years worshipped goddesses and accepted the sacredness of the serpent as her symbol; to convince a people who had respected women as equal to men, such respect inherent in the Brehon Laws, that they were misled, that it was indeed woman who needed to be subdued.

And so, Patrick banished snakes from Ireland. In his frenetic attempt to ‘save’ the Irish from goddesses, serpents and other traditional deity, he drew upon the Celtic myths and legends, changed them around; one such change was the re-naming of Brighid – the daughter of Dagda of the Tuatha Dé Dannans, the mythological people who took over Ireland from the Fir Bog – and who was renowned as the patroness of poetry and other art forms into the more subservient Christian Saint Brigid.

Sister Columba, Saint Patrick, those pitiful, poor Publics with whom I exchanged gloats so many years ago, the many Patricia O’Briens I have befriended or hurt down the years, the twists and turns my cart has steered me through and around have all played their part in helping me finally accept my real identity. Who am I? Whatever, I look forward to raising a glass of Guinness in

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a few weeks’ time with friends and celebrate the long, long road our ancestors have travelled and the countless wonders that make that Irish glitter in our eyes sparkle with pride.

And I may join in the singing of Hail, glorious St. Patrick. But, then again, I may not. I may just close my eyes and dance a jig on the top of a mountain that overlooks Clew Bay and unite in the praise of countless voices that echo from the thousands of years that stretch far behind me.

Indeed, I am who I am.

Easter Rising 1916 Commemoration

The Anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 is traditionally a most important event in the Irish calendar. All over the world Irish people commemorate the Easter Rising, remembering with pride those who gave their lives in pursuit of an Irish Republic.

2013 Easter Rising Commemoration Easter Monday - Monday 1 April The Irish Club of WA @ 2.30pm Live Music will follow Commemoration

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Trad Session 4.30 - 7.30

Celtic Fusion 8 - 11

Mc Cool the Trinity School 2pm, 4pm, 6pm & 8pm

Giveaways & Guinness in abundance.

License open till 1am

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Traditional Irish Music Session starts 7pm Roast dinner with potato & vegetables $16.50 10

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Natalie & Geoff, East Fremantle.

”

Demise of the Irish Culture

By Mike Bowen On my visit to Ireland in October 2012, I dropped in to a few of the fine bars in Cork City, Kinsale, and Tralee for a beer. Before I migrated I used to love to visit the Ardanning in Tougher, The Cotton Ball in Mayfield, those were just some of the great singsong pubs in Cork. There was also The Spaniard and many other great singsong establishments in Kinsale with lots of others around the county. Co Kerry had an abundance of good singsong bars such as The Little Bridge in Dingle, the Brogue in Tralee.

I could go through the whole of the twenty-six counties and name hundreds of others. It was while having a quite beer in The Spaniard one night in October I began to ponder on what has happened to this wonderful form of entertainment and the effect of its loss that it has already had and will continue to have on three industries. The pub, the tourist and the music industries, this is a subject that has concerned me for some time now.

First let us look back as to why the tourist came to Ireland, it certainly was not and is not for a suntan anyway, so let’s get that out of the way. Tourists came and still come to Ireland to enjoy what we have had for years and taken for granted, they come in their droves to enjoy sitting by a cosy fire in a pub and listening to music, songs that tell stories of our history and struggles that go back to our ancestors. Tourists want to meet the locals and hear stories.

Many years ago well before that rotten antisocial device called TV was invented our fathers and grandfathers and their grandfathers went to the pub to meet and socialise, tell stories and get the latest news, now a days they call it interaction.

Remember the days when we held our family functions in the pub. We celebrated birthdays, christenings, wakes and let’s not forget the wonderful singsong nights in our locals back in the late sixties and early seventies. Sadly, no longer the norm those days partly due to the off licence, no need to go to the pub now with cheep booze just at the ready.

If the trend of the young people’s drinking habits, in Ireland continues, with the number of off licences growing be warned, disaster looms. The tourism industry and pub industry will diminish dramatically, if no action is taken now to preserve that wonderful quaint pub, music, and song culture. Tourism and the pub will just be

words instead of industries. If the off licence outlets are allowed to flourish and continue to sell cheap booze, it will encourage excessive drinking in the home where there may be no supervision unlike that at the pub where the bar person will stop serving you if you get incoherent. The off licence system will also encourage the young to drink more on the streets where some will opt for getting off their faces in back ally’s that in turn will then create more violence and more chaos and it doesn’t take a lot to figure out where that leads to. Furthermore, with all that cheap alcohol there will be less locals going to the pub to socialise and having a good time If cheap alcohol is going to continue to be available via off licences and supermarkets much fewer will go to the pub and if fewer go to the pub, in the future there won’t be anyone there to sing the songs and tell the stories to the tourists. So where then that lead us to is, no one in the pub to entertain the tourist, no tourist, and that leads to no more pubs and sadly, Ireland will have lost one the main reasons why people come to visit. Let me say it one more time, they come to sit by a cosy fire, listened to the music and hear the locals tell stories. Simple really isn’t it, not rocket science is it?

Short-term view, cheap booze whoopee. Long-term view, Tourist Industry chopped off at the knees and pub industry a name of the past. Dare I remind you of the GFC crisis when no one would listen then. Don’t wait till it’s too late, no point in crying over spilt milk. This is not a quote I took from a book but something I have been practising for thirty years, much better to be wise in foresight ,than in hindsight.

The number or pubs in Ireland have dropped from 7,000 ten years ago to 4,000 now and what does that say if the trend continues. Here is my understanding of the situation. The pub as we knew it in Ireland is in danger of being extinct. No, I’m not being an alarmist. The Irish pub is as synonymous with Ireland as St Patrick, Guinness, The Harp, Shamrock and all the other iconic names and brands that the world recognises us for - fact! Whether we like or not.

Please don’t take this out of context, I am not trying to promote the pub per say, just trying to preserve a part of Ireland’s culture that has existed for a long time and also trying to save a major part of the Irish Tourist Industry.

You can catch me on mbowen@alsvic.com.au

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John Boyle O’Reilly 25th Anniversary Weekend

“Be silent and safe-

silence never betrays you”.

John Boyle O’Reilly

Heritage Trail Tour in Bunbury/Dardanup District

Sat 23rd March 2013 1st Tour

Depart Rose Hotel 10am return 12.30pm 2nd Tour

TE U N I M LAST E!!

CHANC

1988 - 2013

YEARS

John Boyle O’Reilly MEMORIAL 25th Anniversary Celebrations - Bunbury

SATURDAY MARCH 23, 2013 JOHN BOYLE O’REILLY

25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS DINNER 6.30pm – 3 course dinner – World Kitchen Bunbury Band - Brendan Woods and Dublin Rogues Harpist – Helen Punch • Irish Dancing •$50 p/p – drinks at bar prices

Depart Rose Hotel 1pm return 3.30pm Cost: $10pp (meals not included) Transport: 30 seater coach/driver Tour Guide: Peter Murphy Bookings: first in best dressed.

Activities: Follow JBO Heritage Trail and visit historical sites connected to JBO i.e.

Dardanup, Glen Iris (JBO Park), Belvedere, Bunbury Look-out (JBO’s seat) etc.

Tours will also include poetry reading of John Boyle O’Reilly Poems poems.

Bring: hat, walking shoes, water, mossie repellent and camera

convicted of having withheld knowledge of ‘an intended mutiny’, and was ordered to be 11.00am – Memorial service Buffalo Road, Australind. shot on 9 July. This sentence was (Bus ex Bunbury and return $5.00 p/p) Enquiries: Liam Barry commuted to life imprisonment Ph: (08) 97971124 1.00pm – City Council Civic Reception and later to twenty years penal Bunbury Council (Cnr Stephen & Wittenoom Sts) liam.debarra@gmail.com servitude.

After two years in English Please confirm bookings and payment immediately to – Tom Dillon prisons O’Reilly was transported Ph: 97 214202 Mob: 0417 986 298 – Email: bdillon1@bigpond.com with sixty-two other Irish expatriots in the Hougoumont, 15 15 arriving in Western Australia on 10 January 1868. In his JOHN BOYLE O’REILLY first weeks at the Convict (1844-1890), author, editor and patriot, Establishment in Fremantle he was born on 24 June 1844 in Drogheda, worked with the chaplain, Father Ireland, second son of William David Lynch, in the prison library.

O’Reilly, master at the National school O’Reilly was transferred to a road attached to the Netterville Institution for party at Bunbury but was soon Widows and Orphans at Dowth Castle, given clerical duties and entrusted and his wife Eliza, née Boyle. He was to deliver the weekly report to the educated by his father, apprenticed at 11 local convict depot. Befriended by as a compositor to the Drogheda Argus the priest, Fr Patrick McCabe, and and at 15 joined the Guardian at Preston, a settler, James Maguire, O’Reilly Lancashire, where he became a reporter. planned to escape. Foiled in his Involved in the Fenian movement, he first attempt, he hid on Maguire’s returned to Ireland in 1863, enlisted in farm until he could board the the 10th Regiment and concentrated American whaler Gazelle on 18 on persuading soldiers to join the February 1869. revolutionary organization. Soon ‘treasonable songs and ballads’, learnt in his quarters, were sung throughout the regiment.

His sedition was not suspected until he was betrayed in February 1866. Court-martialled on 27 June at the Royal Barracks, Dublin, he was

SUNDAY MARCH 24, 2013

Glory O! Glory O! to that bold Fenian Man!

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HENRI Le CARON: BRITISH AGENT IN THE FENIAN RANKS

By JOHN HAGAN

It was the bloodiest day of the American Civil War. When fighting ceased on 17 September 1862, 12,410 Union soldiers and 10,700 Confederate troops lay dead on the windswept battlefield at Antietam. Casualties amongst the Union army’s Irish brigades were especially high, leading to the suspicion that Union generals considered Irish lives to be particularly expendable. For 19 year old Henri Le Caron of the Anderson Fifteenth Cavalry, it was a particularly gory introduction to war.

Le Caron had enlisted on 7 August 1861, citing himself as French, but both name and nationality were false. Le Caron was born Thomas Billis Beach on 26 September 1841, in Colchester, England. He was the eldest son of John and Maria Beach’s 13 children. Beach senior, a skilled barrel maker and a lay Methodist minister, apprenticed the teenage Thomas to a local draper, but the young Beach did not see any future in selling curtains, and, at the age of 16, ran away to Paris to seek his fortune. Despite not speaking the language, he soon found work, joined a church choir, made friends, and comfortably embraced the Gallic lifestyle.

CIVIL WAR It was a shot fired by rebel forces on 12 April 1861, at Fort Sumter (Charlestown), signaling the commencement of the American Civil War, which forever changed Beach’s life. Friends from the American colony in Paris encouraged him to join them as they departed for the United States to enlist, and before long Thomas found himself a passenger aboard the U.S. He was dubbed “the champion spy bound Great Eastern. He was destined for New York and the Union Army of the century”. recruiting halls. Registering as Henri For twenty five Le Caron, a name he took from a years Henri Le family who ran a local Paris restaurant, Caron operated to ensure that his family in Colchester as a British mole wouldn’t learn of his enlistment. inside the Fenian Other bloody battles followed movement.

Antietam. In December 1862, at

out of military service and settled down with Nannie and their one year old son, to study medicine. However, the former Union soldier did not revert to his baptized name of Beach, but rather committed to his nom de guerre and a future in the United States as Henri Le Caron.

FENIAN INVASION While still a medical student, and part-time porter, Le Caron renewed his acquaintanceship with former war friend, General John O’Neill, now a leading member of the Fenian Brotherhood. O’Neill harboured plans to lead an invasion of Canada, with the idea of trading it to England in return for Ireland’s freedom. Such notion shocked Le Caron, and, suddenly feeling very English, he wrote to his father (with whom he had reestablished contact) to inform him of the Fenian plot. John Beach, now a government bonding agent and rate collector, contacted the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to appraise him of the possible imminent invasion of a British colony by a Fenian army.

The following year, 1867, Le Caron returned to England to see his father. To his surprise he was invited to a meeting at 50 Hartley Street, London, where the offer was made for him to become a British spy in the Fenian movement. Aroused by patriotism, he willingly agreed, and was soon introduced to Robert Anderson his spymaster and link to the British Government.

On his return to the United States, Le Caron contacted O’Neill who willingly found him work with the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Taking the oath of allegiance, Le Caron was designated as a military organizer and tasked with uniting the various Irish nationalistic groupings under the Fenian umbrella. As a further boost to his income, Le Caron had also agreed to spy for the Canadian Government.

The planned Fenian attack on Canada was eventually scheduled for 26 April, 1870. Some 1,300 Irishmen were drawn up along the border near the town of Franklin in Quebec.

Before the invasion, O’Neill addressed his troops. “Soldiers, this is the advance guard of the Irish-American army for the liberation of Ireland from the yoke of the oppressor. The eyes of your countrymen are upon you. Forward. March.”

Cheering wildly, and with fixed bayonets, the Fenian army advanced – right into a deadly volley of shots from the awaiting Canadians.

Watching from a hill overlooking the scene, Le Caron recorded, “Utterly taken aback, they [the Fenians] stopped, broke rank and fled …….. an ungovernable mob”. The victorious Canadian troops joked that ‘IRA’ was not an acronym for Irish Republican Army but merely meant ‘I ran away’. The Canadian Government, in a gesture of appreciation, awarded Le Caron a bonus of $2000 for his information about the invasion. The next year, Le Caron again warned the British and Canadians of another futile

Fredericksburg, 545 of the 1200 Irish brigade soldiers were killed, wounded or listed as missing.

Sent on a mission to acquire rations following the battle, Le Caron was captured by Confederate troops and locked in the log smokehouse of a farm. “Death”, he later wrote, “was very near”. During the night he heard the bolt on the smokehouse door being released. It was not the expected firing squad, but the farmer’s pretty, blonde niece, Nannie Melville, who risked her life to set him free to rejoin his unit. In April 1864, Le Caron again met Nannie, and later that year, in Nashville, the two were wed. “I ignored all the articles of war and subscribed to those of marriage”, he recalled. It was to be a long, happy and eventful union. On 10 January 1866, Le Caron, now promoted to the rank of major, was mustered

18

Fenian invasion, this time led by Bernard O’Donoghue in the Province of Manitoba.

THE GOOD DOCTOR By 1873, Le Caron had completed his medical studies, and together with Nannie and his expanding family of three children, settled in Braidwood, a coal mining town some 100km southwest of Chicago. He did not expect to hear anything more from the Fenians in the light of the Canadian debacles, so he resolved to concentrate on his medical career.

But, unknown to his Braidwood patients, their hard working doctor indulged in a rather gruesome pursuit to supplement his income – grave robbing.

Post-Civil War, the number of American medical schools was rapidly increasing, giving rise to an escalating demand in cadavers for anatomy purposes. To the Le Carons, grave robbing was a ‘family business’. Nannie took responsibility for the administration, taking orders and scheduling deliveries, while Henri led the work gang, which included his son, in digging up, and transporting, the corpses to various universities.

In 1867, an invention of Swedish engineer Alfred Nobel changed strategic planning amongst dissident Irish organizations. The patent, #78,317, was also known as, ‘Dynamite or Nobel’s Safety Powder’. While the Fenians had previously been fixated on full-frontal assaults to effect their aims, they could now dream of travelling incognito to London to raze icons such as, the Houses of Parliament and Palace of Westminster. The urban terrorist, in pursuit of political and nationalistic causes, now posed a very real threat.

CLAN na nGAEL Besides the Fenian Brotherhood, Irish Americans also supported an alternate group – Clan na nGael (family of the Gaels), a secret society, based on codes and trust, which was founded in New York in 1868. There was a realization that armed invasion of England, or any of her Colonies, was futile; desired outcomes could now be attained through the use of terror, courtesy of Alfred Nobel. The Clan set about fund raising in the United States to finance both overt, and covert, strategies in pursuit of Irish independence.

Alarmed by the spectre of Clan na nGael’s potential for well planned terrorism, the British Government recruited agents from the Pinkerton Detective Agency to infiltrate the Clan’s North American branches. Le Caron was again contacted. In 1883, he and the family (now six children) moved to Chicago to be closer to the core of Clan na nGael power.

Given his past service to the Fenian movement, his acceptance, by such a secretive society as the Clan, was not difficult. Soon, as a member of the organization’s Military Board, he was privy to its plans and personnel, which he duly conveyed to his spymaster, Robert Anderson. When Clan na nGael finally did mount a dynamite war against England, Le Caron was able to provide information which ultimately led to the arrest of 25 Irish ‘dynamitards’.

PARNELL For a brief time during 1881, Le Caron was liaison officer between the Clan and the Irish political leader Charles Stuart Parnell, who was then on a fundraising tour of the United States. When Le Caron returned to England to meet Anderson, Parnell, who was overtly advocating Irish independence through constitutional means, requested a further meeting. In 1888, the two men met at Westminster, where Parnell, according to Le Caron, dropped a “veritable

bombshell”. “There need be no misunderstanding”, Parnell told him. “We are working for a common purpose ….. for I have long since ceased to believe that anything but force of arms will ever bring about the redemption of Ireland”. Parnell directed Le Caron to make his views known to the leaders of Clan na nGael on his return to the USA. The head of the Irish Party had just advocated plans for mass bloodshed. It was not long before Le Caron met, and informed, Anderson.

But other events were in train which led to the eventual demise of Parnell. In April 1887, The Times newspaper had acquired and published, a letter purported to be from Parnell supporting the murder of Lord Cavendish and Thomas Burke which had taken place in Dublin’s Phoenix Park, on 6 May 1882. “Burke got no more than his deserts”, Parnell allegedly wrote.

OUTED A Commission of Enquiry was set up to investigate the matter and on the morning of 5 February 1889, those attending the Royal Courts of Justice were stunned when a thin, short, wiry man stepped forward to give evidence.

After a quarter of a century undercover, Henri Le Caron had come in from the cold. “I stepped into the witness box and came out in my true colours, as an Englishman, proud of my country, and in no sense ashamed”, he reported. He went on to testify that he believed the Irish politician had been involved in an ongoing Irish terror campaign. The trial, which was attended by Oscar Wilde and a young Winston Churchill, culminated with the revelation that the letters, purporting to be from Parnell, were in fact forgeries by Richard Pigott, a seedy Dublin newspaper owner. The Times was directed to pay Parnell substantial compensation for the defamation. Despite this Parnell’s name had been sullied and his credibility questioned .

Le Caron never returned to the United States and was eventually reunited with Nannie in London following her hasty departure from Chicago. Fearing for his life he took on a new alias, that of ‘Doctor Morton’, and lived quietly, with members of his family, under police protection, in London’s South Kensington. Faced with the constant threat of assassination and in failing health, Le Caron wrote his memoirs (Twenty–five years in the secret service: the recollections of a spy), which were published in 1892. He died two years later from appendicitis and was buried in Norwood Cemetery, Kensington. After the interment, Nannie and the family quietly returned to the United States.

Following Le Caron’s burial, his former colleague, and noted Irish American revolutionary, John Devoy, observed, “With twenty millions of a race that hates informers as does no other in the world … and he dies peacefully in his bed….the champion spy of the century”. It was a grudging compliment, but often these are the most genuine. Henri Le Caron, the great infiltrator, would no doubt have been very pleased.

He was the victim of a painful disease, peritonitis, from which he died on 1 April 1894. Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, the thin tissue that lines the inner wall of the abdomen and covers most of the abdominal organs.

Peritonitis may be localised or generalised, and may result from infection (often due to rupture of a hollow organ as may occur in abdominal trauma or appendicitis) or from a noninfectious process.

19

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20

St Patrick’s Day 2013

From early til Late

Pure Irish Craic! down at JB O’Reilly’s ...for one and all

99 Cambridge Street West Leederville WA 6007

Ph: 08 9382 4555 oreillys@iinet.net.au

jboreillys.com.au 21

Grace’s strange meeting on a street in Perth

By Tom Gilmore As he prepares to play concerts in Perth in May top Irish comedian Brendan Grace has recounted one very strange memory of meeting on a street in Perth during a previous visit.

“My first visit to Australia was 20 years ago when Paddy Reilly of “The Fields of Athenry” fame and myself toured there together.

“Without a shadow Perth is one of my favourite places, mainly because I’m accustomed to similar weather where I live nowadays in Florida. I have to also say that the people of Perth were friendly and any time we played there we got a tremendous reception. So I’m really looking forward to going back there this May. Brendan also loves Fremantle and he says he often recommends his friends to visit this port area if they are in Western Australia. “I’ve tried to explain what Fremantle is like to so many people but you have to go and visit it to really see how beautiful this area is,” says Brendan.

Brendan has some relations, and a few former school friends, living in Perth and he says he was fascinated to bump into one of his cousins on a street in Perth when he was on tour there about 15 years ago.

“I was in downtown Perth one day

after doing a bit of shopping. While standing at a street corner with lots of other pedestrians waiting to cross the road I suddenly got a very strange feeling that I was in the presence of someone that I knew. I turned around very slowly and looked at the person directly behind me, who hadn’t taken any notice of me, and it was my first cousin. She is a very spiritual person and her reaction was that while she knew I was in the city for concerts she also had this feeling that she was going to bump into me in the street.”

He says that during his last trip to Perth in 2011 they got many Australian people as well as Irish at their concert.

“The Australians did not find it difficult to get into the type of Irish humour that I do because it is simple stuff that is very general and not parochial either. It is something that people can identify with in places such as Australia and New Zealand because there is a great similarity between our two cultures,” he says.

On route to Perth Brendan will also be doing two concerts for the Irish community in Dubai and after a few days in Perth he will head for Melbourne and after that on to cities on the East coast of Australia before finishing the tour in Brisbane.

“Some years ago I went to Lebanon to entertain the Irish peacekeeping troops there, along with soldiers from other countries. They also seemed to enjoy the Irish humour. While in Perth I will be encouraging people, many who are not necessarily from Ireland, to come to Ireland for the Gathering this year.

“As I said the cultures between our countries are similar and I will be encouraging them to sample Irish hospitality as I do in America when I often encourage tourists to cross the Atlantic,” he added.

Indeed Brendan’s latest album is titled “Songs for the Gathering” and it is a departure for him as instead of doing his usual comedy routine he is singing some of Ireland’s best known songs to mark the year of the Gathering back home.

Perhaps “Songs for the Gathering” will become the official album for the Gathering in Ireland this year or perhaps it is only the first of a series of such offerings.

But

22

while many people back in Ireland associate Brendan Grace with the TV promotional campaign for the event, and almost everybody thinks of him as a comedian, this is an album that has him in a very different style, singing mostly Irish ballads.

There is a huge diversity of song styles here, from the opening track “Illegal Aliens”, an original written and first recorded by Brendan over 20 years ago, to the final track on which he takes us on, as the title states “A Musical Tour of Ireland” during which he visits several counties in a little over five minutes.

Several of the tracks are from the pen of Brendan’s friend Pete St John including Pete’s most famous composition of all “The Fields of Athenry”. His other compositions here are “Dublin in the Rare Old Times” and “Ringsend Rose”.

Brendan moves from the contemporary songwriting style of Pete St John to classics from the past such as “The Mountains of Mourne” by Percy French or the Dick Farrelly hit from yesteryear “The Isle of Inishfree” which became an international success when featured on the film “The Quiet Man” in the early 1950s.

Other favourites from the past revived by Brendan here include “I’ll Take You Home Again Kathleen” and “The Banks of My Own Lovely Lee”.

“I wanted to record songs that I have been singing all my life and some that I have recorded on other albums over the years,” says Brendan.

Brendan is an emigrant himself now, as he lives in Florida but after his Australian sojourn he will be spending a lot more time back in his native land this year. However, while abroad he will be encouraging people in other countries, and ex-pats, to follow his lead and come back home to Erin for the year of the Gathering.

Brendan appears live at Rosie O’Grady’s in Northbridge, Perth on Thursday 2nd May and Friday 3rd May Tickets from Rosies $40 Phone: 9328 1488

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23

Immigration Network Australia

Teach Isteach sa

An Irish King helped create Canberra

Premier Colin Barnett’s prorogation of Parliament in mid January effectively put an end to all activity at the assembly and kicked the state off into election mode.

All the campaigning, promises, claims and counter-claims will reach a climax on March 9 when the state election is held. What comes of that ballot remains to be seen but anyone with a vote should use it to try and get the outcome and type of government they want.

So with Parliament House in lock down Isteach sa Teach is looking elsewhere for political inspiration and stories.

Over in the Eastern states they are celebrating an historic occasion. On March 12 1913 the political capital of Australia was founded and Canberra was born. The story of how Canberra came to be in the location for the fledgling Commonwealth’s centre of power owes a great deal to a man with a great name, a great story and some Irish pedigree.

King O’Malley was the Minister for Home Affairs when the new parliament city and official capital was created, he took part in the functions and ceremonies of the day, but more importantly, he had even helped pick the place where it would be built.

“Such an opportunity as this, the Commonwealth selecting a site for its national city in almost virgin country, comes to few nations, and comes but once in a history,” O’Malley wrote at the time.

O’Malley did not know his own exact birthday, or even where he was born but it was either Canada or America. His parents were William and Mary (King) O’Malley.

The colourful life of this enigmatic

by Lloyd Gorman

personality has been documented in a book The legend of King O’Malley and even a musical of the same name.

A Century of Canberra exhibition started in mid January and runs until April 3. If you are over that way you should pop a head in to a fascinating story that is very largely unknown. While there you might also like to visit an Irish pub in the suburb of Civic which is named after O’Malley.

This is a play on the man himself, who was an evangelist teetotaller who imposed a drinking ban on the Canberra territory, a move which did not go down with many people as you can imagine.

O’Malley called hotels “drunkeries” and alcohol “stagger juice.”

It is a pity that Ireland’s own parliamentarians didn’t follow O’Malley’s lead and show a bit more aversion to the grog recently.

In the Dail in February all hell broke out when TD’s allegedly had just 45 minutes to debate and vote on a complex piece of legislation for the terms of EU bailout money. Now as any amadan could tell you 45 minutes is not long enough to discuss a vital piece of regulation.

Forty five minutes is almost universally accepted as the standard amount of time the average person can concentrate efficiently before the mind starts to wonder (hence the length of classes, lectures, business meetings and even TV shows 24

are kept to this marker). But our TD’s it seems couldn’t bring themselves to even focus their attention on the matter at hand for this massively important debate and instead concentrated on getting as much booze at the Dail bar as they could guzzle down. The situation deteriorated to the point that Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams had to stand up and shout above the commotion that the bar should be closed.

“Could I honourably suggest that if you want some order from the Government TD’s then perhaps you should close the Dail bar,” Adams told the Ceann Comhairle. “That may be a useful way to get some order here.”

One letter writer to the Irish Times had the wit to suggest the Dail Bar should be liquidated and all TDs made to take a breathalyser test entering and leaving the premises.

Despite the Irish economy still being in distress it seems the only thing those elected inebriates are capable of doing is organising a piss up in a brewery.

These political animals obviously think a political party is just that, a party for politicians. It’s a sobering thought, God help the country!

continues to do so today.

We live in challenging economic times. Many people are facing great hardship and difficulty. I am keenly aware of, and want to acknowledge, the important work of the many Irish people in Irish organisations, clubs and societies, who give of their time and their talent to support their compatriots and to create the sense of community from which we all benefit.

I would like to express again my personal gratitude also to the many people in Perth, and WA generally, who have supported me since I took my post here in Australia one year ago. It has been a privilege working with and getting to know the many Irish living and working there.

I look forward to joining the celebrations in WA around Saint Patrick’s Day and to catching up with as many people as possible. I am delighted to report too that this year Perth will be included in the official programme of a visiting Irish Minister representing the Government.

Irish Ambassador sends Greetings on Saint Patrick’s Day I would like to take this opportunity, through the pages of the Irish Scene, to wish a happy St. Patrick’s Day to all our friends from Ireland living and working in Western Australia.

Saint Patrick’s Day is important for Ireland and the Irish, but especially for the family of Irish people throughout the world, away from home at this time.

It is a time when, above all else, we celebrate and reflect upon our shared heritage and what it means to be Irish.

Ireland and the Irish have made a key contribution over the years to the history and development of modern Australia. Ireland has been and continues to be a part of the Australian story.

This tradition continues today in Western Australia, where increasing numbers of Irish people are arriving, many of them to find employment and to build new lives.

Australia for its part, has embraced and welcomed successive waves of Irish people down through the years, in good times and in difficult ones too, and it

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Gillespie’s Gallipoli As our Australian cousins get ready to commemorate ANZAC Day it is worth remembering the Irish influence and contribution to that historic event on April 25 1915.

Amongst the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) were Irish men who signed up with the army of their adopted home and men of Irish ancestry - some old and some more recently - who enlisted for their country. On the British side there were entire battalions made up of Irish men. There was the 10th (Irish Division) which was a brand new infantry army and for whom Gallipoli was also their introduction to war, the Connaught Rangers, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as well as the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 36th (Ulster) Division.

Many of these military units were there from the first day and until the last. At least 4000 men from their ranks were killed and buried on the Turkish battlefields and beaches. Countless more would have been badly injured or mentally mutilated by what they saw there.

(Some 400,000 men on the Allied side would die or be wounded at Gallipoli and half of the Aussies who died have no known graves) The names of the men who served - especially the ones who laid down their lives - should be remembered and respected. And while it is not possible to do justice to all of them, we can at least pick a name that represents soldiers from the Irish and Australian contingents of that bloody fight - Gillespie.

The Australian War Memorials Roll of Honour lists those who fell at Gallipoli. There are two Gillespies on that list, both of them named Robert.

Robert M Gillespie from Melbourne was a sergeant with the 6th Battalion. As his unit was advancing on the second ridge on the first day he went ahead to scout but never came back. During a brief armistice between the Allies and Turks a few weeks later, his body was found and buried.

In the 4th Battalion, South Wales Borderers a Lieutenant-Colonel Franklin Gillespie was in command of a an advance guard made up of mainly inexperienced young soldiers on a night march into unknown country when they were exposed to heavy machine gun fire.

He led a bayonet attack against the downpour of bullets and up a steep hill. Gillespie survived that brutal skirmish only to be killed the next day by a Turkish counter attack.

But his unit held their ground and the position which became known as Gillespie Spur for the remainder of the campaign. (The Lieutenant Colonel was in the despatch under the command of Sir Ian Hamilton – the same British Army officer who would later go on to be placed in charge of putting down the 1916 Rising).

At the age of 44 another Robert Gillespie joined the AIF. He signed up for service on December 1 1915 by which time the Australian’s had been bogged down and deadlocked against their determined opponents for almost nine months. On his enlistment papers Gillespie put his place of birth as Randallstown, Co. Antrim. This Gillespie would not have the chance to take fight at Gallipoli, just 19 days after he signed up the Australian’s and other Allied forces were pulling out of the failed military expedition.

Michael Gillespie, 32, a native

27

By Lloyd Gorman

of Donegal, Ireland joined the AIF on March 16 1917 and while this was too late for Gallipoli, he would fight with the Australian’s for the rest of the war. Another 44 year old Gillespie, James, from Newtown Stewart Ireland signed up on January 24 1917. While these men did not take part in the actual Gallipoli landings or fighting it was from this time that the Australian army would be forged in fire and its soldiers from that moment on until now would proudly become known as Diggers.

Appropriately enough a senior ranking Australian army officer, one Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, recalled in 2007 the spirit of Gallipoli and the tradition of the Digger at Gallipoli itself some years ago at a pre-dawn service on the former battlegrounds.

“Under the sky it could be seen definitely for the first time since the set of the moon the dark shape of land,” the then Vice-Chief of the Australian Defence Forces read from the work of Charles Bean, the army’s official reporter and historian for the tragic encounter, as he recreated the scene of the first landings.

“Every brain in the boat was throbbing with intense anxiety of the moment…the suspense was almost unbearable. They were men who their countries could ill afford to lose.”

The Australian Army’s identity and reputation - which it still upholds and practices today in war zones such as Afghanistan - was forged at Gallipoli Gillespie said at the time and maintains until this day.

Lest We Forget

28

Ireland’s Reaching Out project gets more influence

By Lloyd Gorman Ireland’s Reaching Out project – branded Ireland XO – has been given a booster shot with the announcement of two new board members.

The so called reverse genealogy programme was set up in 2009 to connect all 2,551 parishes across Ireland – North and South – with more than 70 million people around the world who claim Irish heritage or ancestry.

It aims to link local parishes with the diaspora in the global village and to entice as many people back to Ireland as possible to discover or explore their roots and Irish hospitality.

Ireland XO hopes to connect more than a million people through the programme and to bring in 340,000 visitors to Ireland by the end of this year as part of The Gathering project.

The plan is to build up a database

of 10 million members of the Irish diaspora and to attract more than a million people into Ireland over the next three years.

Two new figures, whose expertise and experience will help achieve these targets, have joined the Ireland XO board.

Fiona Ross is the Director of the National Library of Ireland, a role she took up a year ago after a career in the US and UK in international finance and corporate governance.

Joe McDonagh is a former President of the Gaelic Athletic Association and currently the CEO of County Galway VEC. The pair are expected to bring new energy, vision and talent to the push to link up with the global Irish community.

“Fiona and Joe have excellent leadership skills and extensive experience in marketing and communications. I have no doubt that their wide ranging experience will be a considerable asset to the programme,” said Ireland XO founder and East Galway tech entrepreneur Mike Feerick.

According to Ms Ross: “[Ireland XO] has enormous potential for the

development of the Irish diaspora worldwide and the pioneering leadership shown by the Ireland Reaching Out organisation has been an inspiration to all those involved in developing the cultural heritage of Ireland in recent years.”

Mr McDonagh said he believed in the project since its launch. “Like the GAA, it is parish-based, and its great energy derives from local community spirit and pride. Our diaspora is the great untapped asset of modern Ireland and initiatives such as Ireland XO are showing how this much too dormant asset can be activated for the good of people of Irish heritage at home and abroad.”

In December 2011, the project launched a global partnership with the GAA, agreeing to link newly identified members of the Irish Diaspora to the network of nearly 500 GAA clubs worldwide.

For more information about the programme, go to.... www.irelandxo.com.

•

Paddy’s Day at the Woody!

Rea & Friends 11.30 - 2.30pm • Fiona Irish Dancers 3pm • Joe & Gavin Fearnie 3pm to 6pm • IrishFowler 6pm • ShamDancers Reunion 6.30pm - 10pm •

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30

Dylan Hammond (left) with his staff

Mrs O’Brien sets up home in Shenton Park

by Lloyd Gorman/Fred Rea

With his new business enterprise underway Wicklow man Dylan Hammond is hoping to do to the traditional chip shop in Australia what Irish entrepreneur Brody Sweeney did for the sandwich business in Ireland 25 years ago.

Dylan, 31, is the founder of Mrs O’Briens in Shenton Park. The self styled Irish chipper opened at its Nicholson Road address in early February and immediately found an appreciative audience ravenous for what he was offering.

“I was overwhelmed at the amount of people who came in on our first night, which was a Tuesday night,” said Dylan. “They were out the door, it was incredible, especially when you consider it was a Tuesday night.”

In the first few days and weeks of operation the number of customers travelling from across Perth in search of garlic chips or batter burgers and other well known items from the menu went from the hundreds into the thousand plus mark. The rush happened despite a lack of advertising or publicity, word of mouth and social networking were enough at least in the start to generate excitement and interest.

“We got over a thousand likes on our Facebook page within the first few days,” added Dylan. “We hadn’t even distributed any flyers or done any advertising or publicity.”

About 90% of customers were hardly surprising Irish, but Australians and others also seemed to enjoy this brand of food not really available anywhere else.

“One of the main reasons I set this up was because of the amount of Irish people who are here now,” said Dylan who just a few months earlier was working in the building industry. “Since I came here about five years ago the amount of Irish here now is unbelievable. Up until Christmas I was in construction and I could be on four or five different sites in a day and there were Irish everywhere. If you asked them what they miss about home they always said the same thing, family, friends and food. So we’re trying to replicate an Irish chipper. Only four places use fresh cut potatoes to make their chips in Perth. And here a fish and chip shop does fish and chips, a burger bar does burgers and a kebab shop does kebabs, but an Irish chipper does all that, and more.”

The name Mrs O’Brien’s could be a clever piece of marketing, conjuring up images of home made meals, or at least meals from home. But there is a depth, and a purpose, to the name.

Originally a friend with the name O’Brien was going into the business with him to set it up. “He was an O’Brien and I’m an O’Brien so that’s where we got it,” said Dylan. “But I ended up

31

Ireland-Western Australia Forum Promoting business, professional and cultural links between Ireland and Western Australia

LUNCH WITH THE MINISTER AND INDUSTRY LEADERS Enterprise Ireland and The Ireland WA Forum are pleased to announce a Business Lunch with an Irish Government Minister, H.E. Ambassador Noel White and Mr Mark Keogh MD of WA power generation services company UON. Thanks to the initiative of Ambassador White this is the first time in many years that WA has been included in the Minister’s St Pats itinerary. The IWAF event is the only event the Minister will be formally addressing on his WA trip. We look forward to hearing the latest on developments in Ireland.

The Minister will be joined as a speaker by Mr Mark Keogh, Managing Director of power generation services company UON. Mark is a Dubliner and his very successful company won the 2012 Telstra WA Business of the Year and 2012 Commonwealth Bank Medium

Business of the Year. Mark has promised to give us some insights into his company’s success and some tips for succeeding in business in WA. We are very grateful to Enterprise Ireland for their continued support. Approximately 50 representatives of WA and Irish clients will attend the lunch and this is an excellent opportunity to meet and network with a wide variety of successful WA and Irish companies. The IWAF event is also a precursor to an official Ministerial Trade Delegation from Ireland to WA which will occur 14-17 October 2013.

We hope that this event will be even more enjoyable and successful than last year’s very successful event.

Why not join us for what promises to be a very interesting event at the Celtic Club at 12 noon Monday 11 March. Tickets are $75 and include a 3 course lunch with beer wines and soft drink. For bookings call Lynda on 92188422 or email reception@kavlaw.com.au.

Enterprise Ireland clients have already made up 50% of the tickets – so please be quick.

All areas of Family Law, children’s issues,

divorce & property matters financial agreements Wills Restraining Orders

Marty Kavanagh

B.Comm (Hons), Grad Dip, LLB Barrister and Solicitor

2/100 Terrace Rd East Perth 6004 • t: 9218 8422 • m: 0430 960 859 doing it on my own but the name stands, its named after my grandmother Patricia. I was born in and raised in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, where my mum and grandmother are from. My dad’s from Ringsend but my grandfather Bill Hammond was born in Dalkey. They were all fishermen or roofers. My grandmother (Patricia) was married to a chef as it happens but she had a part in raising me, I was very close to her and she taught me how to cook, so the name has a bit of feeling to it as well,” added Dylan.

The difficult search for a suitable premises to set up shop was solved by a phone call from a friend who works in Shenton Park and who had seen a for lease sign on the window.

“It had already been a fish and chip shop, so it had a lot of the elements of what was needed,” said Dylan. “It had been vacant for six months.”

Using his own skills from the building trade, and contacts in the sector, Dylan was able to get the shop refitted. The artwork for the business - including a mural of a scene from off shore at

• e: marty@kavlaw.com.au

Old Kinsale Head on the main wall and the logo of Mrs O’Brien - was done by Kiwi artist Karl Scott. The team of cooking and counter staff all have experience of the fast food, restaurant, deli sector from Ireland.

When Brody Sweeney set up his first sandwich bar in Dublin in 1988 it was to be the start of a franchising empire that would see 300 stores in that name open around the world - including two in Perth CBD until some years ago. Sweeney chose the most common name from the phone book and one he felt would translate well into other countries and markets. Dylan has only had to borrow a family name and while Mrs O’Briens with six staff is currently Perth’s only Irish chipper, this may change in the future.

“We have a vision,” said Dylan. “If this one goes well we’ll try and get another open and if that goes ahead then maybe we can franchise the business. But we’ll see how that goes, it’ll take at least six months to a year to get this place established. But the vision carries on further than this and hopefully we can make Irish people happy with a taste from home.”

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Rebel Heirs of the

at various places whilst helping to maintain the peace after the Maori Wars and took part in the suppression of a potentially serious revolt at Parahaki in 1881. Michael Brophy then resigned in April 1886 and moved to the colony of Western Australia, possibly to try and make a fortune on the Kimberley Goldfields. He opted for a law enforcement career instead and joined the WA Police Force in June 1886.

He operated firstly as a mounted trooper riding on gold escort duty from the Kimberley district to the port

by Peter Conole, Police Historian of Derby. From 1890 he was a Kimberley trooper on There was a Wicklow man named Patrick Brophy routine duty, serving at far-flung police stations such as (perhaps O’Brohy originally) who flourished in the Halls Creek, Derby, Argyll, and Wyndham. He took part in several hazardous and torrid patrols to early 1700s. He fathered at least three bring tribal offenders to justice. sons – Patrick, Michael and James.

Promotion to sergeant followed in 1893.

The first two associated themselves A few years later Brophy received a transfer with the United Irishmen and took to another isolated spot. He opened Mount part in the rebellion of 1798. Michael Malcolm police station in 1897 and Brophy (1743-1798) of Rathmore in old organised gold escorts from that centre Wicklow was executed for his role in the down through Menzies to Coolgardie. His ’98, as was his brother. abilities impressed senior police officers. On Michael the rebel fathered eleven the first day of 1898 he was commissioned sons according to received tradition and as Sub-Inspector Michael Brophy and sent they scattered all over the world to live to the tropics to take charge of the East out their lives. Many descendants can Kimberley district based on Wyndham. be traced in Australia, North America, A year later – as another sure sign of the South America and even Africa and high regard he had won – Brophy received Asia. There are reasonably strong charge of the West Kimberley district as indications that one found his way to well. That meant a change of headquarters Western Australia. He was Michael Inspector Michael Harvey Brophy 1912 to Derby, at the time a strategically vital Harvey Brophy, born at Howick in New place in Indian Ocean terms.

Zealand in April 1858. His father was During his years as the most senior police officer another Michael Harvey Brophy, who seems to have been in the Kimberley Brophy faced numerous problems, born at Whitechapel, London around 1806.

The second name of the pair is striking – Bagenal although there were signs of a gradual transition to more Harvey was one of the most prominent rebel military peaceful conditions. He had to keep an eye on the coasts leaders of 1798 and this Brophy family clung to the because of unsavoury and unlawful activities among name. The younger Michael Harvey Brophy served as Asian fishermen and pearlers which involved what can a policeman in WA and rose to very high rank. While only be called slave trading. Police stations were opened serving in the Kimberley he married Isabella Berand at at Beagle Bay (1898) and Le Grange Bay (1901) to protect Halls Creek in 1894. The couple became the parents of indigenous people.

Then there was the threat of piracy and mutiny on the eight children. The names of the Brophy sons continue the trend: Harold Harvey, Arnold Howick Harvey, high seas, including an incident of 1899 that attracted Patrick Emmet Harvey. Apart from ‘Harvey’, note also wide press coverage. Some crew members of the pearling ‘Emmet’- a name that commemorates Robert Emmet vessel ‘Ethel’ mutinied, murdered the skipper and several (1778-1803), a young rebel who tried to organise an attack other men and headed north to loot and scuttle the lugger in what was then the Dutch East Indies. Fortunately on Dublin Castle and paid for it with his life.

In a nutshell, there is a solid possibility the young Brophy had a good coastal intelligence network. He police officer’s grandfather was one of the sons of the learned quickly of the escapade and pinpointed the likely executed rebel ancestor and that the family believed destinations of the criminals for the benefit of detectives such was the case. Despite proximity to Ireland, London sent up from Perth. They went after the culprits, took was as good a place of refuge as any; it remained one for custody of them and brought five back for trial and a political exiles from all over Europe during the 1800s. taste of very stern justice.

On a personal level, Brophy was a stickler for good Whatever the circumstances Michael Harvey Brophy of Whitechapel moved further by joining the British Army discipline and adherence to regulations as a senior police - he served for many years in the 37th regiment of Foot officer. He also developed a sense of fair play and a desire and married Ann Buckley of County Cork in 1841. He to improve conditions for all sectors of the community then transferred to a Fencible unit and arrived in New in the course of a varied career. In August 1901 he won promotion to the rank of inspector (very senior in those Zealand as a soldier-settler during the year 1852.

Michael Harvey Brophy junior (henceforward years) and moved south to take charge of the Eastern Michael Brophy) received a fine education in Auckland Goldfields. He proved to be a popular choice and became and chose policing as a career. He joined the New known as a ‘character’ of Kalgoorlie - a citizen with broad Zealand Armed Constabulary in January 1879. He served cultural interests and a fondness for horse racing and

34

athletics. During this first stint at Kalgoorlie an explorer named Mount Brophy after the inspector in 1902.The landmark is to the northeast of the Goldfields.

In 1903 Brophy had a riding accident that left him with a limp for many years. In time other health problems linked to his years of hard duty were to affect him badly.

From 1905 he took charge of the Wheatbelt, Goldfields (for a second term), South-Western and Fremantle districts in turn. It is worth noting that during his last tour of duty in our ‘wild east’ the inspector commanded a united Goldfields jurisdiction covering three previously separate districts - yet another indication of high-level confidence in his administrative skills.

He arrived in Fremantle in December 1919 to take over from the exhausted and stressed Inspector William Sellenger, whose difficulties in the volatile port city were outlined in recent issues of Irish Scene.

Michael Brophy’s highly successful career was now coming close to its end. He retained an Irish brogue throughout his life and seems to have been a goodnatured gentleman with a merry sense of humour. More junior police officers, his superiors and influential citizens held him in great respect. As a senior officer he had the common sense to keep out of petty bickering and political intrigue. There is not a hint of him being involved in the struggle for power after the forced retirement of Commissioner Frederick Hare in 1912. His intellectual interests were wide ranging and included history, anthropology, Australian literature of the day and Shakespeare. Brophy’s surviving journals and correspondence show he had an inquiring mind and enjoyed writing.

It is obligatory but unpleasant to record that Michael Brophy’s last years were pretty tragic. The physical demands of hard service had broken down his health recurring bouts of malaria, rheumatism and a bad heart problem were key issues. Michael was anxious about his family, as he knew the pay-out on retirement would not meet family needs and would be even less if he passed away:”my pension dies with me”, he wrote. Commissioner Robert Connell became alarmed and wrote strongly worded letters to the Premier, the Public Service Commissioner and the Treasury asking for generous provisions. He also encouraged the inspector to ask for special consideration.

Mr Connell’s blunt ‘rockets’ to other public officials are interesting, for example: “He has given the Service over 36 years of his life…I’m quite sure neither yourself or the other gentlemen realise what the pioneers had to put up with. Whilst residents of Perth slept comfortably in their beds, these men used a saddle for a pillow and had to undergo excessive heat, extreme cold, shortage of water, indifferent food etc, conditions which have undermined the health of all…” etc, etc.

Both men were wasting their time. Michael Brophy died on February 5, 1923 before he could take retirement.

His wife received a fairly small ‘compassionate allowance’ payment. And yet, despite such poor treatment, the Brophy family continued a tradition of service to the nation and to our State. Members joined the armed forces to play an active part in both World Wars, while in more recent years two more Brophys served with distinction in the Western Australia Police.

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35

Charlotte Needs Your Help!

It was in August 2012 that Charlotte Fitzpatrick’s parents, Mark and Caroline and sister Georgia got a diagnosis that she had Rett Syndrome. This is a rare neurological syndrome, causing apraxia and/or dyspraxia, the inability to perform motor functions, therefore affecting the ability to speak, gaze, walk, eat, drink, digest, talk, breathe and live independently.

There is a high risk of scoliosis and seizures and an average lifespan of 40 years. Mark is the son of Eamon Fitzpatrick of the Irish Golf Club.

A child with Rett Syndrome usually has a very normal 6 to 18 months of life, with some children even walking and talking before a loss of ability as well developing repetitive hand wringing or mouthing as well as potential breathing problems or seizures. Despite all this however, an early intervention of speech, physiotherapy and occupational therapy have helped Charlotte regain some of her eye gaze and the ability to stand and very recently take a few steps.

For Charlotte, Rett Syndrome means she can’t talk, walk, use her hands, has a sluggish and sometimes painful digestion and sometimes an irregular sleeping pattern.

On Friday 15th March 2013 the Peninsula Golf Course in Maylands will be running a Golf Day to help Charlotte. Tee off from 7am. The Funds raised from the Claddagh Golf Day will go towards an electrical cot, a bigger car and if Charlotte responds well to it, possibly a Tobii Eye Gaze package.

For more information contact: Tom Quinn 0412 236 498, Sabrina Doherty 0405 224 001, Bill Ross 0434 962 665 or Peter McKenna 0447 258 000.

Theye will be selling raffle tickets on St Patrick’s Day as an additional fundraiser. Tickets will be on sale at the Parade in Leederville as well as at Fibber McGees, The Irish Club and The Mighty Quinn. The draw is at 8pm at The Irish Club ON St Patrick’s Day.

Corkonians raise $1630 for Charlotte The family of Charlotte express their sincere thanks to all the Corkonians and friends for their support of the fund to make life better for their daughter. Charlotte’s grandparents Eamon Fitzpatrick and Connie were attended the Corkonians night at the Woodvale Tavern. The organisers would also like to thank Mandy of the Woodvale for her wonderful support.

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37

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc.

Western Australia

Executive

President: Teresa McGorry-Mathers TCRG

Vice Presidents: Hilary McKenna TCRG Eileen Purtell-Ashley TCRG Secretary: Aisling O’Brien – TCRG Treasurer: Deirdre McGorry – TCRG

The West Australian Branch of AIDA Inc. would like to wish you all a very Happy St Patrick’s Day!

(HON)

School Contacts Ceide Samantha McAleer TCRG Subiaco & Woodvale 9405 6255 / 0414 188 784 Delany Jane Goddard TCRG Forrestfield & Parkerville 9295 2447 / 0407 085 237 Eireann Siobhan Cummins TCRG Como/Jandakot/Rockingham 0422 075 300 Kavanagh Teresa McGorry-Mathers TCRG 9371 8400 / 0412 155 318 Deirdre McGorry TCRG (Hon) 0400 077 892 Osborne Park & Melville

O’Brien Rose O’Brien TCRG/AGCRG Butler, Kinross, Subiaco 9401 6334 / 0423 382 706 O’Hare Jenny O’Hare TCRG Wembley Downs & Os Park 0422 239 440 Saoirse Sinead Hoare TCRG Carramar 0414 647 849 Trinity Eileen Purtell-Ashley TCRG Morley 0413 511 595 WA Academy Glenalee Bromilow ADCRG Malaga 9276 3737 / 0410 584 051 Sue Hayes TMRF 9377 5600 Hilary McKenna TCRG 0404 730 532

Dancers will be out all around town on the day so make sure you catch a performance or two. They have been training hard over the summer break for the upcoming World Championships in Boston (March 24th to 31st) and we wish them all the best of luck at this prestigious event. You can follow the World Championships at http://www.facebook. com/WorldIrishDanceChampionships and find more information at http://www.clrg.ie

Upcoming feiseanna for March and April are:

9th and 10th of March – venue yet to be determined at this stage. Contact your local dance school or aidawa@aidainc.com closer to the time for further information.

13th and 14th of April at Morley Recreation Centre.

Australian Nationals 2013 SPONSORSHIP

Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are still available for the 46th Australian National Championships (Perth Concert Hall, October 1st to October 6th) so contact perth2013@aidainc.com to get involved!

2013 Feis dates: March 9th & 10th April 13th & 14th June 1st & 2nd June 29th & 30th Ceili and Open Feis August 2nd ,3rd and 4th State Championships October 1st-6th Australian National Championships Perth Concert Hall November 9th & 10th Beginner Feis

Want to Learn Irish Dancing?

If you ever wanted to know anything about Irish dancing, Perth is definitely in the right place. Irish Dance schools here have put together a huge resource on everything to do with Irish dancing. So whether you are beginner or you want to know more about improving your dancing Perth schools have everything you need to know right here.

See all the contacts on the left of this page!

For any enquiries regarding Irish dancing in Perth please contact Aisling O’Brien, Secretary AIDA WA aislingfiona@westnet.com.au 38

ANZAC

Such is the high regard and reverence the receiving end of successive generations for the memory of the ANZACs of governance by British kings and queens (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) the Irish law and statute books were full of that the word is tightly guarded by law laws, many of which dated back to the Magna in both Australia and New Zealand. It is Carta from 1215AD. illegal to use it in any other context apart When Irish leaders finally achieved full from its historical meaning. So while a sovereignty 89 years ago they were still writer could write a book or novel about lumbered with the legal legacy. And while Australian soldiers at Gallipoli, also they were technical throwbacks, geriatric

By Lloyd Gorman known as Diggers, with ANZAC in ghosts of another time and system of the title a publisher of that book could not call itself The government, Irish courts could find themselves facing any ANZAC Publishing House. The legal protection is there one of thousands of bills made hundreds of years ago as a to stop the commercial or inappropriate exploitation of the legal precedent. word. The law in Australia and New Zealand dates back to Eager to make its own stamp on the legal landscape Irish 1921, under the War Precautions Act Repeal Act. governments have over the years whittled down and weeded As it happens, the word ANZAC has enjoyed similar out these antique acts. The last, and most comprehensive of constitutional sanctuary in Ireland since 1916 and right these clearings was made in 2007. After a massive review up to the present day. WIth less than a week to go until of the outdated rulings the then Irish government, in one Christmas in 1916 the British Government in London swoop, erased thousands of bits of legislation that dated passed the Restriction on Trade Use of Word Act, a bill that from the early 13th century right up until 1949. similarly outlawed the use of the word ANZAC in connection But not everything associated with royal charters was with “any trade, business, calling or profession”. stripped away. In certain cases, including the 1916 The rule applied equally across the British Empire, which Restriction on Trade Use of Word Act, that specifically included Ireland until Ireland won independence in 1922. referred to the word ANZAC (or any word resembling Curiously, the law still applies in Ireland today. While the it), former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern decided that there was fledgling Irish nation might have finally got to the point enough merit to save them from the chop. So the word of standing totally on its own two feet 62 years ago it still ANZAC still enjoys the same privileges and protections carried with it hundreds of years worth of legal baggage under Irish legislation as it does in Australia and New from English rule. As a territory of the British empire at Zealand.

legacy has protection of Irish law

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only as an excuse to the events which followed.

Despite the usual instructions: “You can’t miss it”... “It’s well signposted”... “Just follow the Holywood road”...“Just turn right when you see the”... We missed the sign and had to backtrack after travelling quite a way along a dual carriageway. (U-turns are not quite so easy on this type of roadway!)

Now the passengers and backseat drivers with David MacConnell were all getting nicely worked up, so the windows steamed up and we simply parked Well apparently there is a new “F” word and payed at the first space available only to in Ulster. *lag. Yes, the old flapping flag has find out we were at a museum of sorts and that become a source of controversy. I hope the the Titanic Quarter was some distance further readers of this column do not expect me to on. We thought we might try for a refund for write about this and even more hopefully, it the parking but that thought did not last long! will all have disappeared by the time of the Well how could we have missed it! The next article and I will have forgotten all about shape alone was mind boggling and it did it. Let’s get on with something else. have its own underground parking. The In April last year, I wrote about the 100th photograph below tells its own story. Notice anniversary of the sinking of the “Titanic”. I I cut out the rain! And YES that is yours truly was very excited to record that a new area near standing beside my young wife from Dublin. the docks had been rebuilt and it was called Look out for the word “TITANIC” beside us. I “The Titanic Quarter”. I even wrote a song missed it first time around. Well I was trying to about it! see out the windscreen wasn’t I?

ULSTER

Rambles

One hundred years on just like it was then The white star line ship - she lives once again Tn the very same place where the keel was laid down “The titanic quarter” now part of Belfast town

Gallery 2 was an exciting Shipyard Ride.

Basically it was like sitting in a cable car which descended apparently into the shipyard where they constructed the great ships.

It simulates taking you up the side of the ship and you can see on the walls all the workers carrying out their different jobs.

Gallery 3 told the story of the Launch while gallery 4 explained how the ship was fitted out. We looked at the different rooms and staircases going up through the ship and the differences between the three different classes on board.

It is a four hulled monument To those passengers who went She now lives in Belfast proudly in her pen h.m.s. Titanic sailing once again!

The mighty Titanic, she could not fail The biggest and best that ever et sail – Whatever the future awaiting her yet She would be a ship we would never forget !

If you do not know about The Titanic Quarter, you might like to google it or even better you might like to read on.

You may well remember that my last article was about Donaghadee. I was with my wife and we had met my sister (who now lives in England) and her husband. We were in a very cosy boarding house in Bangor. “When are we going to the Titanic Quarter?” I asked.

“I think you have to book it in advance” replied my sister. And so we left it to the ladies to organise it. They phoned up and were advised that if we arrived at 11:20 the next day, it would be a good time to visit. As luck would have it, the next day was a typical Irish day weatherwise. It was raining: not the usual drizzle but raining quite heavily. I mention this

the photograph below sort of shows. Not sure where Levels 3 and 4 went but does it really matter? Who was counting anyway and if I had not mentioned it, you probably would not have even noticed.

After we reached the head of the queue we were sent up on a lift to begin our journey in Gallery 1 which gave the history of Harland and Wolff in particular and Belfast in general.

Suddenly everything was a buzz. People were everywhere but there did seem to be some sort of order and after buying the tickets we were told we would be waiting only a few minutes before the tour began. For the next hour and a half, we were mesmerised by the planning and the careful attention to detail. Modern technology was being used to transform us back in time to show us what it was like to live in the early 20th century.

There were six levels and nine galleries as

Looking to Hire a Car in Ireland?

Gallery 5 was all about the Maiden Voyage and various stories of crew and passengers while Gallery 6 contained the story of the

www.dan-dooley.ie 42

Perth Rose of Tralee

sinking.

At one stage they had a simulation of the ship sailing and you were on board - a very moving experience in more ways than one.

Gallery 7 was about the aftermath. We experienced interactive exhibits and learned what happened to

Presented by THE IRISH CLUB OF W.A. Inc

Calling Perth Roses The Perth Rose of Tralee festival is fast approaching, but applications are still open for entrants.

If you are between the ages of 18 and 28 and have been living in Perth at least two years by August 2013 then please contact us for an application form.

Perth Rose Coordinator Jessica Stojkovski said that this year the committee was also looking for young ‘Rosebuds’ to be involved with the Perth Rose festi-val.

“We are looking for girls between the ages of 5 and 10 to enter as a Rosebud and they should contact us to have an application form sent to them.

“Rosebuds will need to attend the Family Day function and the Rosebud disco,” said Jessica Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are still available for the Perth Rose Festival.

For more information about entering the festival, becoming a rosebud, sponsoring or advertising please contact Jessica Stojkovski on 0402427709 or email perthroseoftralee@gmail.com

those on board.

Gallery 8 explored the Myths and Legends using interactive touch screens.

And lastly Gallery 9 showed the discovery of Titanic beneath the sea – a journey to the bottom of the ocean where Dr. Ballard discovered her in 1985.

And just as suddenly we were back to normality with shops and souvenirs. We all bought something.

After a great cup of coffee (for Belfast) we found our way down to the car park and set off on an unguided tour of North Co. Down. One of my favourite haunts. Either things had changed or my memory was not as good as I had hoped but we ended up …… well that is another story for another time. Let’s end this one with a suitable quote from Dr. Robert Ballard. “I’m very pleased that the city which gave TITANIC to the world will now be able to welcome that world to Belfast.”

And from me “Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all of youse”.

www.perthrose.com

David MacConnell

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Tony tracks down his Irish Family

By Lloyd Gorman/Fred Rea A train station in rural Ireland might seem an odd destination to make a pilgrimage from Australia but for Tony Costa, a former child migrant, whose life was shunted down a different track a lifetime ago it was exactly the right place to be.

Like thousands of other small children at that time, the Catholic Church practically abducted him from his family sent him to Australia where they were raised in the cruel and brutal care of institutions such as Bindoon Boy’s Home in Western Australia.

When they turned 16 these children were released into society and many were left to fend for themselves.

Tony came to Perth where he got a job in a dry cleaners in Subiaco, the inner city suburb that would become and remain home for his adult life.

He became a councillor and mayor on the local council for 22 years and became known as the singing mayor with a deep baritone voice. During all this time he was working on the Perth rail system.

As mayor of Subiaco, Tony championed social housing and fought to make his community a place where equality and access for all were important values. He remains active and involved with a number of groups, seeking fairness and justice where these values have been deprived or withheld.

For all his achievements, Tony, now 70, like the many other people in a shared situation, the experience of being torn away from their families, sent to a

Tony Costa standing Kilmacrenan Station platform as it is today!

foreign country, raised in an abusive and strict religious environment and then denied information and blatantly lied too for decades takes a toll.

The lucky ones are the people who find out about their families, heritage and real identity while there is still time to do something about it.

Some never discover the truth about their families, stonewalled by the church, hampered by a lack of information or unable to act because of health problems.

The Child Migrant Trust was set up to help these people reclaim their lives.

“The Child Migrant Trust came across this information and alerted me to it and the plan was to go back and see it,” said

Tony, who learned his grandfather John McCain was the station master at Kilmacrenan in Donegal.

“In fact, not only was he the station master but my mother was born there as well.”

With the help of the Trust Tony returned to Ireland for a two month long visit to discover more about his roots.

“The old home at Kilmacrenan is still there but the family living in it now are no relations but they welcomed me and invited me in,” said Tony.

“They knew the name John McCain and that he was the station master. It was like a – and I’m not religious any more – spiritual feeling for me to go back. I didn’t know that it would impact on me as it did. I’m in my 70th year, reaching back to a past that I was deceived about by the authorities, be it the church or whoever. It was like a pilgrimage.

So many friends of mine of the same culture, the Irish ancestry, are wondering souls, trying to put the pieces back together,” he added.

“I don’t like the word closure, but there is a feeling of belonging, or a sense that the pieces have come together and I’m satisfied as to my origins. For many years I was denied the proper story. The church authorities chose to give us a whole lot of versions which were most barbaric, to the extent we were told we were told we were the sons of whores. I can never get over that deceit that was dished out to us by that unchristian mob.

“It was a sad era, families did not want to face up to it,” added Tony.

“I don’t blame my poor mother, she was hounded by the church. She left word for me, to be contacted but it wasn’t to be. She wanted to contact me and was told a whole lot of rubbish, that I was adopted out and I

Old photo of Kilmacrenan Railway Station where Tony’s grandfather was stationmaster and lived.

45

Swilly Rail where Kilmacrenan Station was on.

wasn’t. I have the documentation to prove it all.”

Tony has returned to Ireland on many occasions, tracking down bits of his personal story or going in search of the places of significance of his heroes, such as John McCormack, the great Irish tenor. On this trip home he took the opportunity to further research and develop links Church where Tony’s mother was christened. with the communities linked to John Boyle O’Reilly and Fr Joseph McCabe, the priest who helped him escape. gave it a go and the rest was history. I worked in freight After years of returning to Ireland, this visit was at first, or the LCL traffic as it was called and then in special. the customer services area. I really enjoyed it, I spent 32 “To stand on that place (the train station) gave me a years in the rail industry. So then to discover in recent feeling of belonging, dare I say it completion,” he said. years how my grandfather was a station master, well, “It was very deep, it was very deep, as I said I’m not a what an amazing coincidence that was and another great spiritual personal but it was like a spiritual journey, my connection.” eyes have been opened up. I was glad I did it because I had As well as knowing about family members in the past my reservations about where I would fit in. Its a feeling of he said that knowing he has relations who are alive and pride and belonging. I have this Italian family name, yet even younger than him in Ireland augurs well for the here I am both my mother and father were born in Ireland future. and we’re about umpteen generations Irish. So there’s “I do hope as a country Ireland will rise from the ashes a lot to be said about never judging a book by its cover and its economy will get better because there is a spirit in and its great to know I’ve got a mix of Italian, Irish and the Irish, very like the Aussies, that won’t give up easily.

Australian.”

There’s a lot to be said about Ireland, its culture and Tony said tenacity and resilience were great traits of the history. Ireland and Australia have a lot in common and a Irish people and were part of a legacy of that nation which lot to learn from each other. I’d like to see thousands and he could legitametly claim. thousands more Irish people emigrating here to better “Ireland was never ever a foreign country for me. Never their lives,” he added. give up, be resilient to the end, I believe that has paid dividend in this case for me. There were times I was resigned to go no Welcome to Voyage Kitchen, Sorrento further but with the encouragement of friends and the Child Migrant Trust it urged me on that extra bit and really the end result was good and satisfying.

A lot of child migrants in my age group are still lost souls, not knowing Sun - Tue: where they fit in or what their origins 6.30am - 5pm Wed - Sat or family ties are, its so sad.”

6.30am - Late Tony said one of the most amazing Breakfast things for him to find out was that his 6:30 - 11:45am Mon to Frid grandfather was the station master.

6:30 to 11:30am “When I was working in the dry T: 9447 2443 Sat & Sun F: 9447 8359 cleaners in Subi where I’d been for 18 Lunch SMS orders: 0401 660 002 12 to 3pm daily years a friend of mine from Bindoon E: info@voyagekitchen.com.au (cabinet food is said they were looking for people at available all day). www.voyagekitchen.com.au 128 West Coast Drive Dinner the railway and would I try it. I would Sorrento 6pm to 9pm never have thought about it but I Wed to Sat 46

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St. Patrick’s Day

e Parad

St Pats Parade & Family Fun Day Parade Programme

s Start

10am

Come along & join in the fun

: Parade

: Facepainting

: Bouncy Castle : Stalls : Dancing

: Music

: Games

: Much more!

Thanks...

www.stpatricksdaywa.com A huge thank you must go out to all our sponsors ...

48

Parade route

CELEBRATION OF IRISHNESS HITS LEEDERVILLE

St. Patrick’s Day

St Pats Parade Programme

with family festivities planned for St. Patrick’s Day...

There’s an air of excitement buzzing through the local Perth community as St. Patrick’s Day draws near.

Be sure to get down to Leederville on Sunday March 17 for a day of festivities that all the family can enjoy. The fun kicks off at 10.00am with a street parade, setting off from the corner of Loftus & Newcastle Streets, allowing floats to pass by the official viewing platform, before turning onto Oxford St & looping onto Vincent Street finishing in Leederville Oval. Local sporting clubs, pipe bands, Irish dancers & community groups are just some of the exciting exhibits that will line up to showcase their talents.

Leederville Oval will be transformed into a hive of activity, with a number of stalls showcasing local groups, local crafts & traditional Irish goods, a demonstration

of Gaelic games, petting zoo & entertainment. A designated bar area will also allow the community to raise a toast to celebrate multicultural diversity within the City Of Vincent. This feeling of community involvement will also coincide with City of Vincent Citizenship Ceremony, cementing this day not only as a day to celebrate Irishness but one which is proud of our cultural values & community.

Proudly sponsored by the City of Vincent & iiNet. In the words of Mayor Allanah MacTiernan, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Family Fun Day is a day to for “everyone, green, orange & any other colour to be involved because on St. Paddy’s Day, everybody is Irish.”

Don’t miss out on the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Perth!

More information available on our website www.stpatricksdaywa.com facebook.com/stpatricksday.perth

twitter.com/StPatsDayPerth

Also a big thanks goes to Irish Families in Perth Facebook page members & other businesses throughout Perth who continuously donate their services & products for raffles, events & prizes: NCarnegie’s Bar & Restarant, The Irish Club, Durty Nellies, The Cure, McLoughlin Meats, McDonald Surveys, Lorraine Orr Beautician, Robert Du Vale Foods, Sweets Safari, Fibber Magees, Wembley Golf Course, The Claremont Hotel, Bankwest, Taste of Ireland, Wild West Driving School, Candy Cakes, Johanne Foy Hairdressing, Louise Ashley Beauty, Custom Cártaí, Rugby WA, The Shed, Piksoul, Pipeline Technics

Please support these businesses when possible!

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Graphics by www.ddesignonline.com

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51

TellyNationTellyStation

By Lloyd Gorman

Did you have your usual Sunday routine thrown out of whack recently when you settled down with a nice cup of tea or something harder to watch Ballykissangel? At some unknown point in late December early January and without warning or explanation BallyK seemed to disappear from its 7.30pm slot on free to air channel 7Two. It was only about six episodes in when it seemingly vanished into thin air. Well, for those of you who care, BallyK is not everyone’s cup of tea perhaps, it is still on the station, just a different day. It has been switched to a new time as well, 6.30pm on a Saturday.

This new time conflicts with getting the kids to bed for us but the move could be a sign that it is being watched and enjoyed by more and more people, thus the rescheduling issue.

Short film series SOS on SBS showed a very entertaining short film on January 21. The Boy in the Bubble, as far as TVTS can make out, was one of the first Irish produced piece of eyeball entertainment to be shown on TV in WA. This excellently animated eight minute short was made in 2011

by Dublin film school graduate, writer and director Kealan O’Rourke and is narrated by British actor Alan Rickman.

It tells the story of Rupert, a ten year old boy who falls hopelessly in love for the first time but of course it all goes wrong and he wishes to protect himself against the pain or rejection. Apparently the film is in part a tribute to the 1931 Frankenstein movie by James Whale.

Not so much an Irish programme in any real sense but an American series with some strong Irish characters in it Hell on Wheels (ABC). Dublin actor Colm Meaney plays the central part of Thomas Doc Durant, a railway magnate building railway across post civil war America. While Meaney is something of a mainstay of movies and TV series now Hell on Wheels also features two younger, up and coming Irish actors Ben Esler as Sean McGinnes and Phil Burke as his brother Mickey, two young Irish men trying to make their fortune in the frontiers of the American wild west. Esler is actually an Australian actor who plays the part of his Wicklow born character convincingly. His on screen sibling Burke is a Canadian actor who also plays the part brilliantly. Hell on Wheels is good drama and worth watching.

Ireland was officially a neutral country during WWII but part one of a three part doco As It Happened (SBS Feb 15 9.35pm) shows the nation’s territorial borders were as much on the front line in the titanic struggle on the North Atlantic Ocean between the naval and air forces of the Allies and the Axis powers. Military historian and BBC presenter Dan Snow goes in search of wrecks off the Irish coast - casualties of war forever resting off shore hidden by the depths.

Monty Hall is a former Marine soldier turned Marine scientist and he too has been poking around Irish waters except he is in search of dolphins, whales and the incredibly elusive Basking shark. About 20 years ago - and perhaps it still happens today - when you visited the Aran Islands, Inish Mor to be precise, you could pay a few extra pounds to watch a really old film of fishermen from the islands hunting these animals. And while it can grow to ten metres long and weight up to three tonnes very little even now is known about these creatures -- which is the purpose of this Englishman’s TV

series set off the west coast of Ireland. In Monty Hall’s Great Escapes (SBS 7.30 Friday nights during February) He spent six months living on a remote part of the coastline chasing sightings of dolphins and the like, in the water and when they get beached. As well as his marine research activity Hall throws himself into the way of life in his adopted home and does a fairly good job of mixing with the locals. SBS also screened Nightboat to Dublin on February 15, noon to 2pm.

Despite the developing maritime theme in programmes this black and white film was produced in 1946 and is spy thriller based on the story of the British trying to stop an enemy spook escape into neutral Ireland. Nothing of any real Irish content in this production, but it does have a great name.

Still more maritime watching and an Irish couple who have of sorts waged their own coastal assault on the UK with Grand Designs (ABC1 February 16 8.30pm). It featured a great Irish couple Tim and Philomenia O’Donovan who took on the massive task of restoring an old disused lifeboat launch house in the seaside resort of Tenby, Wales, into a home. Phil comes from an RNLI background in Ireland and her husband Tim tackled the difficult project with great ability and character. Thoroughly enjoyable viewing watching these two Irish people wrestle an old hulk into a modern, comfortable and stylish home.

Sticking with the war the brilliant Foyle’s War is being shown again on Monday nights, on ABC1 at 11.50pm. Foyles War has featured on TNTS before because - apart from being a brilliant police and period drama - it is largely shot in Ireland.

While the chance to catch up on repeats, especially of missed episodes, there is even better news of the War front for Foyle.

It is due to return for three new episodes in 2013 for its 8th series and will again be shot in Ireland and London.

For the fleet of foot Dancing Down Under is back as well with a new series on ABC3, Thursdays in February at 8.25pm.

As before it follows the dancing trials and tribulations of young Irish dancers in Ireland and in the Irish disapora as they prepare to take part in the World Championships.

52

‘The Irish Club of WA’ In conjunction with the WA Police Union Presents

A Benefit Night All proceeds to the Cancer Council WA

Sat 16 March 2013 7:30pm to Midnight at the

Irish Club of WA 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco,

The Quarefellas The Filth & Sean Roche

Tickets $25.00 each available by contacting the WA Police Union on 9321 2155 or the Irish Club of WA on 9381 5213

53

Dermot Byrne

The Irish Quiz Wiz!

a.k.a. Dermot from Lesmurdieon ABC radio Nightlife program.

ireland.com

Irish Tourism gets new Web look

by Lloyd Gorman Ireland’s virtual doorway to the holiday making has a new address and look. Tourism Ireland has launched a new website Ireland.com in a bid to make it easier for people around the world to find out more about the country, how to get there and what to do when they arrive. Last year the tourist boards old website attracted 12 million so it will be hoping the redesigned and reformatted to keep up with the times.

The previous website discoverireland.com was launched in 2006, before social media, smartphones and tablet devices such as the iPad were main stream services and products or in some cases even existed.

Ireland.com has specifically been designed with touch screens in mind reflecting the growth in the use of hand held devices by visitors on the move.

Another new feature inbuilt into the web site are social media connections and sharing tools. Website users are encouraged to use these parts of the website to spread awareness and interest in the site, and by extension Ireland itself.

The new site promises to offer current and useful news about the country to keep it fresh, while special offers and packages for visitors will also be incorporated into it.

“Social media is already a hugely important element of Tourism Ireland’s global promotional programme,” said a Tourism Ireland spokesperson.

“The organisation has about 1.24 million fans on Facebook around the world, making it the second most popular tourism board, after Australia, on the popular social networking site. Having such a huge

May the lilt of lush laughter lighten every road, May the midst of Irish magic shorten every road.

May you taste the sweetest pleasures that fortune ever bestowed, And may all your friends remember all the favours you are owed.

Go mbeannai Dia duit (May God Bless You) and have a Happy St Patrick’s Day Dermot

Answers: 1 Paddy McGinty. 2 Pat.Cash. 3 Paddy Reilly. 4 Patrick White.

5 Rice. 6 Paddy Crosbie. 7 Jonathan Swift. 8 Patrick Pearse. 9 Third.

As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, I thought we might find out what you know about all the other Pat’s, Paddy’s, and Padraig’s in songs and stories.

1 Who was the Irishman of note who bought himself a goat?

2 Who was the Australian who won the Men’s Singles Championship at Wimbledon in 1987?

3 Who was it that was asked to come back to Ballyjamesduff?

4 Who was the Australian who won The Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973?

5 What sort of crop is grown in a Paddy field?

6 What was the name of the schoolteacher whose program The School Around the Corner became quite famous on Irish T.V.?

7 Who was author of Gulliver’s Travels and was also Dean of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin?

8 Who was the leader of the garrison in the G.P.O. in the Easter Rising in 1916?

9 In the list of most popular Irish Christian names where is Patrick or Padraig placed?

fan base is significant, because each fan has an average of over 200 friends – making Tourism Ireland just one degree of separation, or just one click away, from having its message shared through Facebook with 250 million people around the globe.”

Tourist authorities also hope the simpler, cleaner web address Ireland.com will be easy to remember and stand out in the crowded online hospitality sector.

Further developments planned for the site include the roll-out of a smartphone version, improved tour operator functionality, a trip-planning tool, price and availability accommodation searches, additional language versions and new blogs in six languages (Ireland.com is live in six languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Dutch; and a further five – Brazilian Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, Chinese and Japanese – are currently in development).

“Ireland.com has been designed to capitalise on the increasingly central role of the internet in travel and holiday planning, and the phenomenal growth of social media.

Is drinking Visitors from our costing you more than money? main target markets in North America, Help is available! the UK, Europe Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who and Australasia rely share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to heavily on technology, recover from alcoholism. not just to plan and The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop book their holidays drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied in advance, but with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution, also while they are does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and travelling,” said Irish help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. tourism minister Leo Contact: Alcoholics Anonymous, Varadkar.

24 Hour Helpline Ph: 9325 3566 • www.aaperth.wa.org

54

GABAGUBU

By Lloyd Gorman

The Importance of Being Irish In Oscar Wilde’s brilliant The Importance of Being Earnest - a play about identity and character - the character of Lady Bracknell delivers the killer line: “To lose one parent, Mr. Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune. To lose both looks like carelessness.”

This gibe always raises a laugh from audiences at the show, but it has a serious side too. Creating and sustaining a thing is always harder to do than allowing something to slip and slide away. Recognising and valuing what is important to us should be the first step.

You will see an example of just how easily a thing can be lost and how difficult it can be to get it back passing before your eyes on Sunday March 17 if you go down to Leederville. The return of the street parade is a welcome and wonderful thing that will benefit the entire community and act as a focal point for the celebrations. In the several years since the last parade and community day were held in Fremantle Perth has struggled to put on any meaningful or community centred way of marking the occasion. Now, thanks to the hard working mums, dads and volunteers and backers of Irish Families of Perth we will all have an event to be proud of.

Just as one Irish icon has been rescued from oblivion another Irish institute seems to be teetering on the edge of extinction. The Irish Club in Subiaco will do a roaring trade on Paddy’s Day, but it would seem this establishment would need at least a month of March 17’s to turn its fortunes around. The club has publicly stated that it has haemorrhaged $160,000 in the last two years and that the looming threat of the loss of Subiaco Oval is a real risk to its long term prospects. The threat is so real a sub committee has been formed to look at ways the Club might respond to the problems facing it. The committee has stated that all options must be up for consideration except for one - to do nothing. Leasing out part of the building as office space or even relocating the Club to another location are just two of the radical ideas that could be considered by the in-house think tank put together

to find a way forward. The Club has been based in Subiaco since the 1970’s and has an even longer tradition in the area, having had its first official meeting just down the road in Shenton Park in 1952.

To see the Club go elsewhere would be to witness it torn from its roots and even then it is uncertain where or even if it could fine a suitable new home elsewhere or at all.

Part of the problem may be, and I am guilty of this, the Club - which is a community centre, theatre, meeting place, musical and sporting venue to name a few - is taken for granted with the assumption that of course it will always be there and therefore we don’t’ need to worry about it.

The Irish Club is not unique in its situation. What would happen for example if Irish Scene publisher Fred Rea decides one day to pack it in after 15 years of publication. Could the magazine survive? Would the WA Irish community continue to have a voice? Once gone it would take a mammoth effort to launch a replacement title, produced, written and published locally for the local market.

Talking of voices, I’m sure that thousands of us tune in every, or at least most Saturday mornings, for a fix of Irish chat and music on Rambling House, but that programme is at the end of the day only delivered thanks to the good offices and readiness of Frank (presenter) and Gerry (producer), who are prepared to get up at the crack of dawn every weekend to make sure the show goes on. Without people like them I doubt we would have an Irish radio breakfast programme.

Sporting, social and cultural clubs depend on the commitment and unrelenting effort and sacrifice of usually a small number of people to keep the whole show on the road. The loss of a key member suddenly, or of committee members over time, can all wear down an organisation if fresh blood and new talent doesn’t emerge to take their place.

Even with willing and able people ready to step into the breach isn’t always enough to guarantee continuity. As it happens I seem to recall it was a St. Patrick’s Day function two years when

55

Michael Nolan announced his retirement from the post of Honorary Consul, a role he performed tirelessly for decades in the interest of the Irish community.

No successor for the diplomatic duties he provided has been found and may never be because of decisions made in the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin. Another loss for the community that becomes almost impossible to fill.

And what of the Claddagh Association, and the similar welfare support services like it across Australia.

Should - God forbid – for any reason this hard working charitable outfit should ever be wound up the impact on the lives of the Irish people who would otherwise benefit from its support would be another tragedy.

Even Perth’s Irish pubs themselves while commercial ventures are also places of congregation and contact and serve a number of other vital functions in the community, such as sponsorship for groups. How much poorer would Perth’s social scene be if all its Irish pubs were to close their doors and disappear.

Just as individuals make up the family unit, the Irish community consists of a multitude of groups, clubs, associations, teams, the church and others who work across groups, constantly fundraising and trying to move and improve things for the community. In a sense the Irish community has never been stronger than it is now, with the old established families, families who have more recently made the transition to Australia and the thousands of young Irish coming here in search of employment or escape from hardship in Ireland.

The Irish government is now trying to tap into the potential of the Irish Diaspora as one way of transforming the country. We are that Diaspora in this land and we should be exploring our own strengths for the good of the local community.

In Irish there is a word ‘Bailiu’ for a collection of people. We are one such collective, but it is a very loose alliance of interests and connections that forms our local Irish identity. The greater good and interests of the Irish community would be well served by the holding of a conference of Irish groups to discuss common problems and issues and to raise awareness of how the various parts can pull together in solidarity and support, in the good times but more imporantly in the tough ones.

The Celtic Club •

B A R

•

West

P ert h

R E S TAU RANT

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.

The Club’s central location makes it the ideal place to host a meeting or special event, meet colleagues, develop new business partners or simply relax in comfort with today’s newspaper, the latest business publication or lifestyle magazine.

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

In addition to the bar and restaurant, The Celtic Club members have exclusive access to our outstanding function facilities, fully coordinated by our professional staff with an extensive range of catering options. Located on the first floor, the main function room can comfortably seat 125 delegates theatre style or 120 for a banquet.

The Club’s impressive Jarrah lined President’s Room can seat up to 30 guests theatre style and is ideal for private business luncheons for up to 24 guests.

Becoming a member of The Celtic Club certainly has its advantages and now is the perfect time to join one of Perth’s premier business clubs.

Drop into the club and say hello!

•

•

FUNCTIONS

For an incredibly Romantic Wedding Reception

Located near the beautiful Kings Park Gardens,

the elegance and old worldly charm of the Celtic Club will be exclusive for you and your guests.

Following St Patrick’s Day Mass

Lunch & Irish Singalong

Set Dinner, Buffet & Cocktail style are all catered for and it is a commitment to guests that all food will be delicious and plentiful.

Sat 16th March from 12 noon with Fred Rea Bookings essential Phone 9322 2299

48 Ord Street West Perth WA 6005 Postal Address: P.O.Box 1006, West Perth WA 6872 Phone (08) 9322 2299 Fax (08) 9322 2899 E-mail: celtic.club@bigpond.com www.celticclubperth.com

Weddings and Funerals

Registration No: A13566

bvm Barton Vehicle Maintenance

Marian Byrne Civil Celebrant

CARS - TRUCKS - 4WD’S

Ph: (+618) 6150 1901 Mob: 0410 345 224 marianbyrne90@hotmail.com

Michael Barton 0413 889 501

Types of ceremonies:

• Wedding Ceremonies • Commitment Ceremonies • Naming Ceremonies • Birthday ceremonies • Renewal of vows • Funerals

trueloveceremonies.com.au

A/h 9405 7363

mickcarb@iinet.net.au

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Our Next Production....

Preview...

The Patriot Game,

by Tom Murphy Directed by Ivan Motherway Brian Friel once said of Murphy that he is: “The most distinctive, the most restless, the most obsessive imagination at work in the Irish theatre today.” This play is testament to Friel’s opinion. The play explores the events leading up to and including the Easter Rising in Dublin during Easter Week, 1916.

It is an abstract, documentary style play and its treatment of those events will tear at your heart-strings.

The Irish Theatre Players are pulling out all their talents to create a theatrical production that will be hard to forget, featuring arena style seating and multi-media; exactly 97 years after those fateful events!

We are proud to announce that this production will also be an Australian premiere.

For more information: The Irish Theatre Players contact us at 61 Townshend Rd, Subiaco or Ph 9401-0964 www.irishtheatreplayers.com.au

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Serv ic i ng a l l s tat es of Australia 59

By Lloyd Gorman

A hundred years ago the the University of Western Australia (UWA) opened its doors to some 184 agricultural students.

WA was the last of the Australian states to get its own third level college but it was also the first university on the continent where students could enrol without the need to pay fees.

The story of this university – which ranks in the world’s top 100 and has produced more than 100,000 graduates over the course of a century – and how it came to be owes more than a bit to the educational ambitions and experiences of a Trinity College Dublin graduate.

John Winthrop Hackett was born in 1848 in Enniskerry to a Church of Ireland family. His father, grandfather and brother were all vicars at St Jame’s Church, Crinken, Co. Dublin.

The family had land but the estate alone was not enough to provide Hackett with an income that would support him.

While his family was closely associated with the Church (two of his sisters also married bishops) Hackett himself did not want to become a clergyman so he chose to make a career in law.

At the age of twenty Hackett entered Trinity College Dublin and he graduated in 1871 with a degree in Classics English and three years later with a law degree. He followed in the footsteps of his father who had graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1827 and again in 1832 with a Masters of Arts.

Hackett’s two younger brothers would also study at Trinity.

As a student at Trinity Hackett’s main interest was the Historical Society and he was a keen and convincing debater who was invariably on the winning side, including a streak of victories spanning two years. It was through the society that he befriended Alexander Leeper, a fellow student who would be responsible for bringing Hackett to Australia in the first place.

The education and experience he had at Trinity as well as the debating skills and friendships he made through the society would all

John Winthrop Hackett come into play later in life, some sooner than others.

Hackett was called to the Bar in 1875 but after being admitted he boarded a ship for Australia, where his friend Leeper and greater prospects he hoped were waiting for him.

When members of the Historical Society learned of his plans they recorded their appreciation for him in the minutes of their February meeting. Hackett was surprised at the depth their sentiment.

“I was mistaken in thinking nothing could be added to the store of pleasant memories which remain from a five year connection with the Historical Society and its friendships to be one of the severest my departure must entail believe me.”

Hackett made the voyage with Leeper – who has secured the job of warden of the University of Melbourne’s Trinity College. Leeper offered his friend the job of sub-warden, which offered free board and lodging but no pay. Hackett instead went to Sydney in search of his fortunes but Australia did not automatically agree with

the young lawyer and in less than a year he rejoined Leeper. A sideline as a freelance journalist helped him to make ends meet but it was not the kind of prospects he had come to Australia in search of.

In fact it wasn’t until 1882, when Hackett came to Western Australia for a five week stay, that things would being to turn around for him, but even then it would be a rocky start.

Hackett returned to Melbourne after the holiday, only to make preparations to return West. When he did Hackett leased a 240,000 acre sheep station some 870 kilometres north of Perth.

It wasn’t to last. One story goes that Hackett was away from the remote station when word came through he was needed back for the lambing season. He told his farm manager to ‘put it off’.

Within five months Hackett’s career as a pastorlist was over and his return to Melbourne was shorter than he might have anticipated.

He received an offer from a business man he had met during his five week visit to Perth. The proposition was to become a partner and business manager of the West Australian newspaper. At the time the paper – which is today the only state wide daily newspaper in WA – had a small circulation of up to 800 copies.

Hackett, who had articles published occasionaly in the Melbourne Review and The Age accepted the offer and he dedicated himself to the venture with gusto. On July 1 1887 Hackett became editor of the newspaper and under his watch its circulation increased significantly.

Hackett assumed another position of influence and authority in 1890 when he was nominated to the newly formed bi-cameral legislature, a system of upper and lower houses which still forms the basis of the parliament now. He

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would be a member of parliament for the next 25 years.

Hackett, the debater and writer, was able to exploit both these positions of power to prop up his ultimate objective – the establishment of a university.

While he was not responsible for introducing the bill in 1901 that started the legislative process to establish a university in Perth Hackett did dominate it from the beginning. In 1904 a University Endowment Bill set aside lands for the college. Five years later a Royal Commission on the issue was set up five years later and Hackett was its chairman. Following the 18 month long probe the Commission gave its approval for the establishment of a university.

During his time previously at Trinity College, Melbourne Hackett delivered a speech outlining his vision and ideas for the future of third level institutions in Australia. Now was his chance to put it into practice.

Despite his strong bias against Catholic schools Hackett believed that irregardless of wealth or status, everyone should have the chance to get a good education. Even more radical than that he wanted that education to be freely available to those that deserved it and not just a luxury afforded by the wealthy. In his speech to Trinity College Melbourne, Hackett spoke of the scholarship he had received and how he hoped people from all walks of life could get an education.

A political deadlock in the WA parliament about the issue of college fees was broken by Hackett who used his casting vote as President of the Senate to ensure that students would not need to pay them.

He also had firm ideas about the role the new university should play.

He argued that in the Australian context it should teach practical subjects and claimed a university that dwelt on teaching subjects, including what he called dead languages in WA would not last six months.

As well as an academic mandate he thought the university should be able to meet the needs and demands of agriculture and industry, to be a driver of the economy.

With the Bill passed through parliament for the establishment of a university, the task of finding a suitable location was given to a committee, of which Hackett was a member. Multiple sites were up for consideration but the Committee could not agree on a suitable location so offices were rented from the Church of England in Perth, a development which might be put down to Hackett again, who was Chancellorship of the Perth diocese at the time, where lectures were given until the university was relocated to its present site in 1930 in a river side location in an area known as Crawley.

When the university did begin its new life as an educational institution, Hackett was its Chancellor. But three years to the month after it started operating Hackett had died, age 68.

Even from the grave he exerted a massive influence over the development of the university. For a variety of reasons Hackett’s will was not executed until 1926. By this time his newspaper interests, as well as some property holdings, were worth an estimated $625,000. Endowments provided for his widow, four daughters and son but the bulk of his wealth - some $425,000 - went to the university. Another $138,285 was set aside for the Church of England in Perth.

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The university and church both used these monies to build on the Crawley campus - the site Hackett had always favoured. UWA built several buildings, including Winthrop and Hackett halls, in his honour. (A glass jar with a photograph and hand written letter of his were buried in the foundations of Winthrop Hall) The church used the donation to build a chapel and the residential college of St. George’s on nearby grounds owned by UWA. The design of St. George’s - which took in its first students in 1931 - was modelled on Trinity College Dublin as a mark of respect to its generous benefactor.

From 1927 UWA students could also enter for the Winthrop scholarship to further their studies.

Hackett never forgot his old university in his dealings. In 1914 he had sent a £100 cheque to Trinity to support the field of classical archaeology.

Almost $3000 from his will went to the Dublin college which was used to fund an annual prize of £100 for science.

St. James’ Church in Crinken, Co. Dublin, where his father and brother had been clergymen also got $500 from his estate.

Even before his almost single handed achievement of creating a university for Western Australia had begun in earnest Hackett was recognised by his alma mater for his other accomplishments up to that point which included the setting up of a zoo, museum, state library and metropolitan cemetery for Perth. He was also instrumental in ensuring the essential water pipeline for the Goldfields being engineered and built by another Irish man C Y O’Connor happened.

He returned to Dublin in July 1902 to collect an honorary degree from the university of Dublin. It was his first time he had returned to Ireland since he emigrated 27 years earlier.

“His Alma Mater is rejoiced to welcome again to her bosom, with well-deserved honours, a son so fortunate, so illustrious and so potent in the accomplishment of good” Hackett was told.

While recognised as his most outstanding contribution to his adopted homeland, UWA was not his only contribution to its education system.

Hackett, a staunch protestant, was in the camp at the time that believed state funding for schools was benefiting Catholic schools at the expense of state school.

Hackett didn’t live long enough to see his erudite creation develop but he did get his wish.

As well as several campus buildings dedicated to him, two roads in the university precinct and even an entire suburb named after him in WA and another in Canberra, Hackett had simply asked in his will that: “I desire to have my name associated with it”.

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Famine preparations step up

by Lloyd Gorman

Sydney, Australia and Kilrush, Co. Clare will be the two centres of commemoration for the 2013 international and national Famine commemorations. Events and activities in Ireland will take place on 12th May, while Sydney will mark the occasion on 25th August.

While Sydney had previously been announced as the international location for the now annual event, the county Clare town was more recently selected as the Irish base.

Kilrush mayor Mairead O’Brien welcomed the decision of the Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee and said the Co. Clare community was excited at the opportunity to remember its history - one which was laced with tragedy during the Famine times.

“Kilrush is recognised nationally as one of the locations worst affected by starvation, disease and emigration between 1845 and 1852,”

she said.

“The Famine years brought much hardship.

Evictions, fever and cholera reduced the population of south-west Clare to such an extent that it has never again attained its pre-famine numbers. The Kilrush workhouse witnessed terrible deprivation and deaths. Images from Kilrush at the time of the famine featured in the illustrated London New and these illustrations are the best recognised images of the famine conditions in Ireland. Images from Moveen were depicted and the ruins of this famine village are visible today.”

The mayor said there were many other stories and sites from the town and its hinterland associated with that terrible time.

The choice of Kilrush was made public earlier this year in Dublin, beside the IFSC. Irish Arts and Heritage Minister Jimmy Deenihan was joined by the Kilrush mayor, Dr Perry McIntyre, Chair of Sydney’s famine commemoration committee and others at the site of the “Famine’ sculpture on the banks of the Liffey for the announcement.

The Fine Gael minister said the Irish President, Michael D.Higgins would lead the official programme of events.

“The President’s involvement in this commemorative event shows the deep respect the Irish nation has for the victims of the great famine and indeed victims of famine worldwide,’ he said. “Local involvement is a key aspect of the preparations for the National

Famine Commemoration to the success of that event. It will be a poignant and solemn occasion to commemorate all those who suffered, perished and emigrated during this tragic time in our nation’s history.”

The event in May will be one of the main fixtures by the Clare community and authorities towards The Gathering 2013. Officials from the local council, government departments and community groups will work together to stage the commemorative day.

Minister Deenihan said the commemoration had a strong national and international dimension.

“I am very much looking reward to working with Sydney’s Great Irish Famine Commemoration Committee and the community in Sydney to ensure that all those who left Ireland for Australia during this tragic time in our nation’s history are remembered in a very special bond and to recognise the bond that will always exist between the Irish people and the people of Sydney.”

On a local note and a mark of respect to our lost friend, Irish Scene would like to point out that the late Monsignor O’Shea would have been thrilled to know Kilrush was given this honour. Mons was always the enthusiastic and authoritative student of history, but he was also born in Tullaher, Co. Clare and educated at the Bansha National School and Christian Brothers College in Kilrush.

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Dining Guide

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Fine dining quality & Irish style generosity at J.B. O’Reilly’s It’s no secret that I am a fan of J.B. O’Reilly’s in West Leederville.

Since 1993, this gem of a restaurant and bar has been a genuine pub that seems to magically appear on Cambridge Street. Embracing the essence of the Irish local bar, J.B. O’Reilly’s is the place you go when you want a taste of Ireland, whether it is the Guinness (it does sell the most Guinness in Australia!) or some brilliant black and white pudding.

My favourite thing about J.B. O’Reilly’s is that you get the best of both worlds: a lively and welcoming pub, and a separated and cosy restaurant. You can sample the restaurant quality food in the bar with food specials during the week - Pie and Pint on a Wednesday and Curry and Pint on a Thursdaywhile you can enjoy some of the live music.

J.B. O’Reilly’s was put to the test, as my cousin, fresh off the plane from Cork, was my companion on the review. On holiday in Perth, he was more than happy to test out the food J.B. O’Reilly’s has to offer.

The extensive restaurant menu

offers traditional Irish meals with a contemporary twist alongside other creative dishes. For entrée, we chose Black and White Pudding, Boxty Potato and Smoked Bacon and O’Reilly’s Fish Cakes with a Citrus Salad. The black and white pudding was delicious, and served with a complimentary sauce, was the perfect entrée for a hungry duo.

The fish cakes could be mistaken for a main meal with their size; yet they were light and flavoursome that we had no trouble finishing them off.

For the main course, my companion chose Liver and Bacon on Champ Potato, Green Beans and Onion Gravy. This is one of the highest selling dishes at J.B. O’Reilly’s and after seeing my cousin devouring it in a matter of minutes, I can see why. He said it was the best liver dinner he has had, and that it is one of his favourite meals back in Cork so he knows what he is talking about! For my main meal, I chose one of the many daily specials on offer – Chargrilled Scotch Fillet with Wholegrain Mustard Mash, Vegetable Stack

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and Whiskey Sauce. The steak was perfect quality and cooked to my requested medium without fault.

The meal redefined the old ‘steak and vegetable’ combination – it was, somehow, a light and enjoyable dinner. The vegetables were tenderly cooked and the wholegrain mustard mash is the best thing since sliced bread. No, seriously, it was incredible.

Believe it or not, we had dessert.

My cousin chose the Bread and Butter Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream while I had the Eaton Mess with Vanilla Cream, Fresh Berries and Meringue Buttons. The quality of the dessert reflected that of the two previous courses – creative yet traditional, generous and delicious.

New head chef Terri Green from Donegal has simultaneously brought a sense of class and homeliness to the food at J.B. O’Reilly’s. Fine dining quality, Irish style generosity, the food at J.B. O’Reilly’s will no doubt be my winter escape for a comforting meal.

Went to the concert at Little Covent Garden a few weeks ago featuring the Fo’c’s’le Firkins shanty group: a fund raiser for Little Folk, a charity dedicated to raising funds for kids with cancer.

It’s a fantastic concept, and the crowd at LCG was the biggest ever I’m told, but for me it was completely spoiled by the circumstance of the sound man being an inveterate twiddler and his capacity to produce an interminable and at times excruciating flow of feedback through his sound system. His modus operandi seemed to be to start with system settings of no bass, no middle range and as much high end (treble) as the microphones could handle without actually producing instant feedback. Then, when the singing started, he’d push the various levers northwards until a banshee like wail assaulted the collective eardrums of the punters.

Amazingly he seemed a bit bemused by it all and didn’t appear to have much of a clue about how to fix it: which I suppose was proven by the fact that he didn’t fix it first nor last.

Now my mate Brendon Woods is a man who knows a thing or two about making sound systems screech in displeasure and he used to regularly acoustically assault the collective eardrums of the Monday Club down at the Fenians in the old days when he played there: but at least he usually sorted the problems out.

In fact I’m sure that sometimes he used to do it just to wind us all up: I mean, every single Monday for about ten years Brendon used to create intolerable feedback when setting his gear up and doing the sound check; had to be deliberate I reckon.

But Brendon was a mere novice compared with the bloke at LCG. I have never experienced such an unremitting failure to get the sound right: there was a constant high pitched screech lurking in the wings which quite frequently burst into full ear blowing voice: as if encouraged by the rollicking singing of the Firkins and wanting to join in the fun. It went on all night from the opening song to the closing thankyous: it

spoiled what was otherwise a very enjoyable night, and an enjoyable night it was despite everything.

The Firkins battled bravely with the sound, and I know from experience that it’s a really hard thing to cope with, and made the best of a bad job. At the end Ken Kenny, being the ‘owner’ of the charity which staged the event, had a few words to say and he thanked all and sundry for their (voluntary) involvement: made the usual pleasantries and said in closing that people were really pleased with the event and that there was a lot of feedback. Now Ken said this as if referring to feedback from the audience.

But I know that Ken has a mischievous sense of humour and I reckon he was giving it a bit of a run. It made me laugh anyway.

Speaking of Brendon Woods I ventured down to see him and family (and Bullfrog) at Rosie’s in Fremantle one Sunday recently. The crowds down there aren’t as big as they were a few years ago, but there’s still a sizeable crew in attendance and the band is as good as ever.

I particularly like Brendon’s version of Paul Brady’s song ‘The Island’ which he played for me on the proviso that I mention the gig in this venerable column. Here’s the mention Brendon and thanks for the song, as I say: as good as ever. So dear readers, if you want to spend a lazy Sunday drinking Guinness (or your poison of choice of course) and listening to Irish music then get yourselves down to Rosies in Freo for about a 5.00pm start While at the session I got to talking to Brendon about the upcoming festival to be held in Rockingham which was to feature the Fenians’ escape from Fremantle Gaol on the Catalpa: a notable incident of local history. At the time it seems that the arrangements were in a state of flux due to no commitment forthcoming from Rockingham Council and associates: John Spillane who had been tentatively booked to appear had already pulled out because of lack of certainty, Brendon didn’t know what was happening although Sean Roche had been advised to buy his ticket and make his way out here. Well it turns out that the festival has been cancelled (for this year at least but in all likelihood for ever I’d guess). Whether the WA Folk Federation, the Rockingham Council, the Tourist board or the Chamber of Commerce is responsible for the failure to organise this small festival: the fact is that it’s now like Monty Python’s Norwegian Blue parrot: no more.

And speaking of things that are no more, I went, as previously reported, to the very last, definitely the end forever, gathering of the Ancient Order of Thespians at JB’s last month.

And a right good bash it was too, as they all have been. And while I at last think that that was indeed the last ride of the Thespians, as envisaged and founded by Sean O’Rourke, there might be a move to institute a second

65

coming as it were, organised by a yet to be announced committee. That’s what I’m told anyway……although I must say that I’m wary of putting my faith in anything that’s to be done by committee, the Rockingham Festival for example. But I wish the new organisers well, cos I love that type of bash, and hope to be on the invite list for any new iteration of said Ancient Order of Thespians.

I went to the Cure in Northbridge for the second time recently: my first experience there wasn’t exactly pleasant as I wrote at the time, but I’d been told by Fred that the band on for the night (Hemitage Green) was worth a look and I ought to go see them.

Fred’s word being law I found myself once again approaching the Cure, albeit not without some trepidation. On the night there was an entry charge to pay for the band, and as I approached the desk, one of the three bulky tuxedoed men on the door approached me to

Hermitage Green

tell me that there was a cover charge and was I aware of the fact. As I was looking straight at the sign that said ‘Cover charge tonight’ at the time, his advice seemed somewhat superfluous to me: but I’m sure he was only trying to be helpful. But I digress, in I went and Fred was right, the band were excellent. They did a good range of material, including some fine harmony gospel singing as well as some pretty fine contemporary Irish stuff to boot: good musicians all.

The thing that I found strange though was that, although the pub was full, and presumably everyone had paid to get in, only about half a dozen of the audience were paying attention to the music: and that half dozen loved it: everyone else ignored it completely. I’m not sure how the band members felt but I’d guess it was a bit soul destroying. But thanks to The Cure for affording us the opportunity to see this band and I look forward to their next visit.

Finally, I went to the Tamar Valley Folk Festival and as previously suggested, Fred Rea and the lovely Lilly also put in an appearance: sadly though Fred didn’t disgrace himself whilst there, so I can’t dish the dirt on him in this column. As is his wont though Fred was taking happy snaps of all and sundry and I’m sure there’ll be a few in this edition somewhere or another (if there’s any of me I hope they’re flattering).

Continued over

Have a Plastic Fantastic St. Patrick’s Day

by Lloyd Gorman

Have a Plastic Fantastic St. Patrick’s Day

a special spectacle. All that is about to change hopefully with the move

by Irish Families In Perth to try and reinstate the cultural festival in Perth.

They have the push to get it moving again but it will take the will and support of the rest of us to make sure it works.

I was delighted when I heard the group of hard working mums managed to get such a Herculean thing off the ground. Months before I heard the news the Parade was coming back I was giving the matter some consideration myself, but from

Like many other fairly recent Irish arrivals, when we moved to Perth four years ago with a one year old baby in tow it hadn’t been that long since the St. Patrick’s Day parade here had ground to a halt and disappeared from the social and cultural calendar. What a pity that was!

For the last few years that void remained and the Irish community as well as the people of wider Perth missed out on a great opportunity every year to celebrate Ireland’s patron saint and national day. It went from being a group and community activity to an individual way to celebrate. As a parent (now to two young children) it also meant a lost opportunity to bring the kids out for

a very different perspective. I was keen for my children, and perhaps those of friends, to have some kind of a parade experience on March 17 to try and instil a little of their Irish heritage into them from an early age.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I couldn’t organise a draw of socks so anything large scale or involved was out of the question from the start. I’m not sure how the idea came about but it occurred to me that even if it was only a small gesture, and one the kids would enjoy and hopefully remember, then that would be enough. While playing one day with my four year old son and his trains the idea of a street scene populated with toy characters struck me as an easy way to recreate a parade. This was something even I could do and I set about collecting

Phil Beck Continued

The Tamar Valley festival has been going for yonks now (and I’ve been going to it for yonks now): it used to be the Longford Festival until it was forced to relocate to George Town, a lovely little spot at the mouth of the Tamar River about 50ks north of Launceston. One of the founding fathers of the festival is the redoubtable Irishman Mick Flanagan, the Galway Rambler: Mick used to run Longford and is still influential with the running of the festival in George Town, and despite being, well I won’t say how old he is but he’s long since retired, is still the last to leave the pub after the late night singing sessions, is still writing songs, and can still remember the words to about a million Irish songs. It’s worth going to the festival just to see him: he’s a living legend, an institution and one of a dying breed. Come to think of it there’s a few of them who get to George Town….

The Tamar Valley Folk Festival is held each year on the third weekend in January and for any of you in Tasmania around that time of the year is well worth a visit.

Slainte

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as many toy figures and people as I could in the hope that if repeated over the years would become a bit of a tradition through their childhood years. So when they wake up on Paddy’s day this year and go into the sitting room they will find a little replica world where loads of “people toys” as my two and a half year old daughter calls them will seem to have appeared as by magic. The idea had taken root in my head when Irish Families announced their great news so my children won’t have to do without, in fact now they will have two parades to enjoy.

There is a reason why I hope my little experiment might be of interest to the broader community. In putting together a population of little plastic people to fill my child friendly parade I came across some old friends from my own childhood - Lego men.

The small number of them I picked up along the way only whetted my imagination about what hundreds of these quirky little characters all lined up or purposely placed on display would look like for a parade. The world has seen Lego Land but it has never seen a full (miniature) scale St. Patrick’s Day parade.

There is in Joondalup hospital a small two foot by two foot display cabinet with a selection of Lego figurines in the foyer. Every child who goes past is drawn to it and enjoys it. Imagine that on a bigger scale, with buildings (perhaps a model of O’Connell Street in Dublin) and a blinding number of plastic paddies.

Kids would go crazy for it, parents would be happy to make a donation for entry, with the cash going to a good cause such as a children’s hospital, or helpline, or charity.

As it happens Lego even introduced a Leprechaun figurine to their mini series selection last year. If Lego themselves, or a generous commercial sponsor came on board, all our children could enjoy the spectacle of an actual parade and then afterwards a family friendly miniature scale one that would benefit everyone.

Beef and Guinness Stew with Marguerite O’Dwyer The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

Irish Brown Soda Bread Makes 1 loaf Ingredients: 220g wholemeal flour 230g plain flour / 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda 25g butter / 1 egg 375 – 400ml buttermilk You will need a 25cm diameter tin, 3cm deep, rubbed lightly with butter and sprinkled with flour 1. Preheat oven to 220’C (425’F) 2. Sift together the flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.

Add in the butter and rub into the mixture, using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs 3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Pour half of the liquid into the flour mixture.

Using one hand with your fingertips outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, gradually adding more buttermilk if necessary.

The dough should be quite soft, but not sticky.

4.Turn onto a floured work surface.

Gently bring it together into a round, approx. 4cm deep. Cut a deep cross on top.

5.Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated oven for 15minutes, then reduce the temperature to 200’C (400’F) and cook for a further 30 minutes. When cooked, the loaf will sound slightly hollow when tapped on the base. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Serves 6 – 8 Ingredients 3kg lean Chuck stewing meat (cut into 5cm cubes) 5tbsp oil 6tbsp plain flour Salt & pepper 3 large onions (cut into chunks) 3tbsp tomato puree dissolved in 6tbsp water 1 Oxo beef cube dissolved in 6tbsp water 3 cups Guinness 10 carrots (cut into chunks) Sprig of thyme 1. Season the flour with a pinch of salt & pepper. Toss the meat in the mixture.

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat 3. Brown the floured meat on all sides. Add the onions and tomato puree to the meat, cover and cook gently for 5minutes 4. Poor in the Guinness and Oxo beef mix. Stir and cover with a lid. Reduce temperature and simmer very gently for 2hours, stirring every half an hour.

5. Add in the carrots & thyme and simmer for a further hour or until the meat is tender.

6. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary. Serve with mash potato and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Michael Fitzgerald

Recipe

21st Century Style “Irish Stew” Serves 4-6 people

1kg diced lamb OR 1.5kg neck chops 50 ml olive oil 600ml chicken stock 1 standard bunch of baby carrots (heirloom if available) topped and tailed and peeled 120g whole peeled fresh golden shallots 1 small fennel bulb thinly sliced 3 teasp chopped fresh thyme 2 teasp chopped fresh Italian parsley Salt and pepper 400g gourmet potatoes 1 tablespoon chopped chive Saute the lamb in 30ml of hot olive oil for a few minutes until sealed and golden brown. Remove from oil . Add carrots shallots and fennel and saute for a few minutes.

Return lamb to the pot, add stock, thyme, and season. Simmer for 1 .25 hours or bake in a casserole dish at 160c for 1.5 hrs. Meanwhile boil the potatoes for about 20 minutes.

Strain and lightly crush with a masher. Fold in olive oil, seasoning and chives. Remove stew from heat and stir in Parsley. Divide potato into required number of bowls and ladle the stew on top. Happy St Patricks Day !

Marguerite o’ Dwyer The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

Frank Murphy presents

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107.9fm Fremantle Radio

Saturday 7am to 9am

Irish Music • Interviews • Local & Irish News

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The importance of Oscar

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With a name as colourful and wordy as Oscar Fingal O’Flaherty Wills Wilde its probably no wonder that the Dublin born man went on to become a writer of some distinction in his time and one who is still highly regarded even 120 years after he died of cerebral meningitis. (His final words on his deathbed are recorded as being “Either these curtains go, or I do.”) The Importance of Being Earnest, considered by many to be the Irish writers greatest piece of satirical drama is being produced by the Black Swan State Theatre Company over much of March (9-28). It was first performed in London in 1895 and has been produced almost continually somewhere in the world since then.

As well as the performances for audiences there will be a live broadcast of the play on March 22 at the state theatre to 11 regional venues, resident homes and community centres across WA in Esperance, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Bunbury, Merredin, Margaret River, Carnarvon, Moora, Port Hedland, Broome and Karratha. The transmission is an important part of Importance allowing thousands of people who might otherwise never get an opportunity to hear it performed. The Lottery Commission of WA certainly thought it was a project worth backing and has contributed to the cost of putting it out to the remote centres. With its combination of colourful characters and one liners Importance is a treat as much on the radio as it is on stage.

Not only is it seen as Wilde’s best play, it was his last. He published a book of poetry after he left college, worked as an art critic and did lectures across the world (I have nothing to declare only my talent he told an immigration official on entering America for such a tour), editor of a woman’s magazine and even published a children’s novel, before he wrote Importance. In fact, he had written a string of very popular comedies including A Woman of No Importance (1893) and An Ideal Husband (1895).

April 1895 was also the year when Wilde was jailed for libel over his homosexual relationship with the son of the Marquis of Queensberry. The Ballad of Reading Gaol was the result of that experience and his final masterpiece.

There is no need to introduce the plot of Importance but it is sufficient to say that the title matches the story brilliantly and is a play that everyone should see – or hear – at least once in their live and this attempt by Black Swan to recreate it on stage and on air promises to be a masterful and mesmerising production.

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land of

&

Ireland

honey

by Sally Desmond

Lent... A time for “Giving Up!” It was the question posed a few days ago, “What are you giving up for Lent”? That sent me rocketing back through the years. Sister Aquin was there in all her glory, at the head of the class, asking me the same question “and pray, Sorca Ni Muirithe what are you going to give up for the holy season of Lent?” Her tone implied that it had better be a lot and as good as, in her opinion, I was on the fast track to Hell anyway. “Mrs Ward’s toffee and gong to the Sunday night dances at the Oratory” I said quickly. “You should be ashamed of yourself ” Aquin said, “There are no dances in the Oratory for Lent and Mrs Ward doesn’t make toffee for the holy season, and what’s more you are making Our Lady cry”. According to Aquin I always had one of the inhabitants of Heaven in tears. I was ordered to confess my deviousness at Friday confession and examine my conscience and, to add insult to injury, write one hundred times, ‘I must not provoke Sr Aquin or make Our Lady cry”.

I was explaining to Noirin later in the day that I really couldn’t tell Aquin what the actual “give ups” were. “I am giving up things, I am giving up bad thoughts and wet bon bons” I said. “Do you have bad thoughts?” asked Noirin. “Oh yes, especially after a Barbara Cartland- as a matter of fact I am not sure that I can manage the bad thoughts if I don’t have a wet bon bon” I told her. Noirin knew all about my addiction to wet bon bons. Not far from our house the Healy sisters had a shop. It was really a vegetable shop but they also kept boxes of sweets in the window. There were three sisters, Nanni, Kathy and Julia. They worked hard and had a great business.

In those days washed or packaged potatoes were unheard of.

They were earthy and came in big sacks and were weighed on a big scoop- like scales. The vegetables were usually damp with dew and stacked and the apples and pears smelled like fruit should smell- of fruit!! The Healy sisters were,

themselves, covered in a fine layer of grime, they wore black aprons nearly touching the ground and short boots. They were toothless, except for Nanni – she had one lower tooth that waggled as she laughed. They were legendary around the neighbourhood – everyone went there for the vegetables.

They were kind and generous and loved children. There was a mysterious beautiful blond haired girl who wafted through the place like a spirit- “Nanni’s niece” I was told. There must have been another sister I assumed as the sister was certainly the Misses Healy. Most importantly the Healys stocked bon bons – those little floury balls of toffee and because they kept them in the front window in all kinds of weather they became damp. Nanni handed me one “for being a good girl” one day and I was utterly hooked. You got five for a penny and if Nanni was there without the sisters you got six! I can still see Nanni’s black fingers dipping into the box to extract the treasures. Nothing has ever given me as much satisfaction as those ‘wet bon bons’. They were a comfort and a joy and kept me from bad thoughts. It’s always the little things isn’t it? I still don’t know what Aquin would have thought of my genuine “give ups”. The bad thoughts would have required another confession and the wet bon bons would probably have regarded as means of provoking her.

I don’t like Lent, it’s the aftermath of the sheer horror and darkness of Holy week and the feeling of responsibility instilled in us in school. The Irish were clever to have their Saints feast day bang slap in the middle of Lent. I still try to do the “give ups”. No need now for the ‘bad thoughts give up’. If I had Aquin here now I would tell her I was giving up Political broadcasts, Popes and iPads but “I must not provoke Aquin”. If I only had some wet bon bons. Maybe I will say a prayer for a very kind old lady called Nanni Healy and be thankful for small memories.

Meat Connoisseur is a WA family owned butcher that has taken over from PJ McLoughlin at Woodvale Boulevard Shopping Centre. We are continuing to supply the well-loved quality Irish products that this shop is known for. Please come and visit us for unrivalled service and quality, not only in Irish produce but all your meat and poultry needs. Brett Thomas.

9309 9992 Woodvale Boulevard Shopping Centre Whitfords Ave, Woodvale

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Eoghainín na nÉan (...... ar lean) le Pádraig Mac Piarais ‘Tusa a bhíos ag cur síos ar na nithibh seo agus iad-san ag éisteacht leat, is cosúil?’

‘Ní mé, a Athair. Iad-san is mó a bhíos ag caint agus mise ag éisteacht leo.’

‘Agus an dtuigeann tú a gcuid cainte, a Eoghainín?’

‘Tuigim, a Athair. Nach dtuigeann tusa í?’

‘Ní go ró-mhaith a thuigim í. Déan áit dom ar an aill ansin agus suífidh mé tamall go míní tú dhom céard bhíos siad ag rá.’

Suas leis an sagart ar an aill agus shuigh le hais an ghasúirín. Chuir sé a lámh fána mhuineál is thosnaigh ag baint chainte as.

‘Mínigh dhom céard a bhíos na fáinleoga ag rá leat, a Eoghainín.’

‘Is mó rud a bhíos siad ag rá liom. Is mó scéal breá insíos siad dom. An bhfaca tú an t-éinín sin a chuaigh thart anois díreach, a Athair?’

‘Chonaiceas.’

‘Sin í an scéalaí is cliste orthu ar fad. Tá a nead sin fán eidheann atá ag fás os cionn fuinneoige mo sheomra-sa. Agus tá nead eile aici sa Domhan Theas—aici féin is ag a céile.’

‘An bhfuil, a Eoghainín?’

‘Tá—nead bheag álainn eile na mílte is na mílte míle as seo. Nach aisteach an scéal é, a Athair?—ag rá go bhfuil dhá theach ag an bhfáinleoigín agus gan againne ach aon teach amháin?’

‘Is aisteach go deimhin. Agus cén sórt tíre ina bhfuil an teach eile seo aici?’

‘Nuair a dhúnaim mo shúile feicim tír uaigneach áibhéil. Feicim anois í, a Athair! Tír iontach uafar. Níl sliabh ná cnoc ná gleann inti, ach í ina machaire mhór réidh ghainmheach. Níl coill ná féar ná fás inti, ach an talamh chomh lom le croí do bhoise. Gaineamh ar fad. Gaineamh fá do chosaibh. Gaineamh ar gach taoibh dhíot. An ghrian ag spalpadh os do chionn. Gan néall ar bith le feiceáil sa spéir. É go han-te.’

‘Anseo is ansiúd tá ball beag féarach mar a bheadh oileáinín i lár farraige.

Cúpla crann ard ag fás ar gach ball acu. Foscadh ó ghaoith agus ó ghréin acu.

Feicim ar oileán de na hoileánaibh seo aill ard. Aill mhór mhillteach. Tá scoilt san aill, agus sa scoilt sin tá nead fáinleoigín. Sin í nead m’fháinleoigín-se.’

‘Cé d’innis an méid seo dhuit, a Eoghainín?’

‘An fháinleog. Caitheann sí leath a saoil sa tír sin, í féin is a céile. Nach aoibhinn an saol atá acu ar an oileáinín uaigneach úd i lár na díthreibhe! Ní bíonn fuacht na fliche ann, sioc ná sneachta, ach é ina shamhradh i gcónaí.. . .’

‘Agus ina dhiaidh sin, a Athair, ní dhéanann siad dearmad ar a nid bhig eile anseo in Éirinn, ná ar an gcoill, ná ar an sruthán, ná ar na fuinseogaibh, ná orm-sa, ná ar mo mháthair. Gach bliain san earrach cloiseann siad mar a bheadh cogarnaíl ina gcluais ag rá leo go bhfuil na coillte fá dhuilliúr in Éirinn, is go bhfuil an ghrian ag dealramh ar na bántaibh, is go bhfuil na huain ag méiligh, is go bhfuilim-se ag fanacht leo féin.’

‘Agus fágann siad slán ag a n-áras sa tír choimhthígh is imíonn siad rompu is ní dhéanann siad stad ná cónaí go bhfeiceann siad barr na bhfuinseog uathu agus go gcluineann siad glór na habhann agus méileach na n-uan.’ (ar lean.............)

Seanfhocal: Na trí cairde is fearr agus na trí naimhde is measa: tine, gaoth is uisce.

Proverb: The three best friends and the three worst enemies: fire, wind and water.

Irish Class for Beginners and Continuing Irish at the Irish Club, Subiaco, Mon 7-8pm (School and public holidays excluded).

Further information: Bríd 9458 5603 or Máire 0417 918 458 Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir.

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Now there are two Paddy Malones The best craic in the west has just got even better with the opening of the new Paddy Malones in Alexander Heights. Boasting 20 ice cold beers on tap plus Magners Apple & Magners Pear on tap as well as traditional hand pumped cask ales. Manager Ben told the Irish Scene: “The famous Paddy Malones menu with all your favourite Irish faire are cooked up by chef Mac Cousins”. The all new Paddy Malones Alexander Heights is your one stop Irish pub.

Great entertainment hits the pub nightly with all the classic Paddys events and themed food specials including Karaoke Night, Quiz Night, Off the Tap Night, Chilli & Pint Night, Parmy & Pint Night, Pie & Pint Night plus coming soon to Sunday afternoons – Summer Sessions proudly sponsored by Magners Cider – the ultimate Irish Sunday session. And as if that wasn’t enough, Paddy Malones Alexander Heights is the new home of the UFC & MMA, with live fights screening on our big screen TVs monthly!

Ben said, “Come and check out the massive function room for all occasions, with tailored food and drink packages for all your function needs”.

Paddy Malone’s Joondalup and Alexander Heights kick off this St Patrick’s Day with a bang, starting the day at 8am sharp with a full traditional Irish fry up for breakfast including a pint of Magners Irish Cider for just $24 – bookings essential. Then from 10am the festivities continue with a massive day of live Irish entertainment including 2 live bands, Irish Dancers, traditional Irish food all day and some really yummy Irish Cocktails to top it all off. Plus our wide selection of ice cold beer on tap. As Ben said, “What better way to celebrate St Patricks Day with all your favourite Paddys, at the pubs that have it all – Paddy Malones Joondalup and Alexander Heights.

For more information go to : www.paddymalones.com.au

Electrical & Network Cabling EC Lic No EC 007504

Tom Bowe

Tel / Fax: 9304 2089 Mobile: 0422 440 588 Email: ilukaelectrics@ozemail.com.au

72

We wish everybody a Happy St Patrick’s Day

Unaccompanied baggage

our New Exciting Menu now • Try Taste 32’s exclusive New Coffee • (our very own uniquely roasted

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beans for Taste 32 in March.

Juice 32 now open with super healthy fresh raw juices and yummy smoothies.

Soda, wheaten & potato bread baked daily, All the Mcloughlin small goods, boiling bacon, rasher bacon, black and white pudding.

Don’t forget Taste 32’s very own Black & White pudding burgers and range of gourmet pies.

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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

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

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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.

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www.facebook.com/Taste32 73

Colin Merrey’s Book

s w e i v e R Well – that was quite a start for the New Year wasn’t it? I must say I did a lot of reading over the Summer period and have a lot of goodies for you to get you through Easter and St Pat’s Day, etc. I hope you are ready for some exceptional light (and occasionally heavy) reading so – let’s get under way without further ado.

I hope you approve of the new format for my offerings – if not. I am going to continue with it until enough of you want me to go back to the old one!

Also, please remember that, if you can’t get the books that I recommend from your local bookseller (which can of course happen on occasion) you can contact the publishers direct on their respective websites. Now read on!!

Firstly, my book of the month – I have chosen this one for many reasons, not least that it took me back to my last two years at School. I was studying English Literature at “A” Level and our specialisation subject was satire – to assist with our understanding of this very tricky area, our English master, Donald “Danny” Hickling suggested that we take a look, inter alia, at “Mad Magazine” – at that time, it had only just been released in a UK version and proved to be a wealth of information for an English scholar such as myself. Imagine then my surprise t find my “Book of the Month” - - a tribute to that very magazine which this year celebrates 60 years of publication.

TOTALLY MAD – 60 YEARS OF HUMOR, SATIRE, STUPIDITY and STUPIDITY Time Home Entertainment Hardback $45.00 This book is a wonderful reminder of the heady days of my youth (see above for more on this!) and includes examples and extracts from many of the articles, comic strips etc that I grew up with. We find a snippet of “Superduperman”, “Ping Pong” (that’s King Kong, of course) Vs Spy Vs Spy, the Don Martin column and of multitudes of send-ups of popular movies, TC shows and political milestones such as Watergate. I really enjoyed this and commend it to you – I know I shall keep it with pride in my personal library for many years to come – go on – I dare you – you’ll love it.

So for a change I thought I’d let this one lead us into a selection of comic and curious tomes – so here goes.

TWO PINTS – RODDY DOYLE Random House Hardback - $17.95 JUST MY TYPO – DRUMMOND MOMIR Sceptre Hardback $24.99 1,227 QI FACTS TO BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF – LLOYD, MITCHISON and HARKIN Faber and Faber Hardback $19.99 Here are three more books that are guaranteed to both inform and amuse you – “Two Pints” is essentially a series of short discussions between two mates in a Dublin pub who, over a couple of pints, try to set the world to rights – this one covers the events of the year ended in September 2012. It is highly amusing and a great addition to the libraries of my fellow Roddy Doyle aficionados.

“Just my Typo” ( a great one for Fred Rea and Lloyd Gorman to have a look at) lists countless famous, infamous and not so well know typographical errors.

I will give you arguably one of the most famous ones as an example – the so-called “wicked bible” published in the year 1631 which has the seventh commandment as ”Thou shalt commit adultery”! Well I ask you!

And the “1227 QI Facts” which gives, strangely, 1,227 facts that will surprise most of you – I know they did me when I read this informative offering. Did you know, for instance, that there are 5.9 calories in the glue of an English postage stamp? Or that the opening lines of Jerome K Jerome’s “Three Men in a Boat” are “There were four of us”! Not terribly useful but fascinating none the less.

Phil Beck – you will enjoy this one for its zaniness.

insight into life as experienced by an ordinary person, rather than someone “famous” or who had a privileged upbringing.

“The Secret Keeper” is the latest from the pen of accomplished and internationally renowned Queensland author Kate Morton. The narrative shifts between the 1930’s, the 1960’s and the present as it tells an utterly spellbinding tale of mysteries, secrets, theatre, thievery, murder and enduring love through the eyes of Laurel – the story begins in 1961 while Laurel, who is dreaming beside a stream on the family’s farm in Suffolk………but perhaps I go too far – you should read this one for yourselves – I won’t spoil the tale for you. Another great read from Kate.

“Shadows on the Nile” is a further novel from Kate Furnivall whose earlier book “The White Pearl” was a runaway success at the end of 2011. Our story here is set in the London of 1932 where we find Jessica Kenton whose stable life is torn apart when her younger brother, Timothy vanishes unexpectedly. Vowing to find him, she follows the trail to Egypt – and finds herself in more danger than she could ever have imagined in her wildest dreams. This is another great read from Kate – I know you’ll enjoy it.

“A Week in Winter” is the final book to emanate from acclaimed Irish author Maeve Binchy who sadly passed way in July 2012. Set on the west coast of Ireland, in the slowly decaying Stone House that Now to a few books that are for overlooks the wild Atlantic Ocean, (mainly) the ladies amongst our Henry and Nicola are burdened with a terrible readers. Notwithstanding that, I found secret and are hoping to find peace and solace them quite entertaining, too. from their burden at Stone House. Alas, THESE WONDERFUL RUMOURS – MAY SMITH however, this is not to be. This is a cracker of Virago Hardback $29.99 a book from the late doyenne of THE SECRET KEEPER – KATE MORTON Irish literature. Read and enjoy Allen and Unwin Hardback $34.99 – she will be sorely missed on the SHADOWS ON THE NILE – KATE FURNIVALL Irish book front.

Sphere Paperback $29.99 “The Perfect Hope” is the final A WEEK IN WINTER – MAEVE BINCHY book in the “Inn at Boonsboro” Orion Paperback $32.99 trilogy and brings to a conclusion THE PERFECT HOPE – NORA ROBERTS the story that entwines the Piatkus Paperback $29.99 Montgomery brothers and Hope “These Wonderful Rumours” is subtitled A Beaumont. If you have read the first two books Young School Teacher’s Wartime Diaries in the series, this is a must read for you. If you and tells the story of May Smith’s life during haven’t, then but them and give them a read the period 1939 to 1946 when she lived in before you tackle this final novel. You won’t Swadlincote in Derbyshire with her parents. regret it.

This is a fascinating book and one that And so to some books for your edification would be, I feel, essential reading for anyone – one by a renowned comedian and comedic who grew up in England after the end of writer – and world traveller to boot and two by that terrible conflict because it gives a good excellent investigative journalists.

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Colin Merrey’s

s w e i v e R

THE TSUNAMI COUNTDOWN – BOYD MORRISON Sphere Paperback $249.99 STIGMATA – COLIN FALCONER Allen and Unwin Paperback $29.99 THE PALADIN PROPHECY – MARK FROST Doubleday Paperback $21.95 BRAZIL – MICHAEL PALIN “The Panther” is the follow up novel to Hachette Hardback - $45.00 De Mille’s brilliant thriller “The Lion” EUREKA – PETER FITZSIMONS and continues the story of John Corey Random House Hardback $49.95 and Kate Mayfield as they, as part of the THE GREAT RACE – DAVID HILL US’s Anti Terrorist Task Force, are tasked Random House Paperback - $34.95 with hunting down a high ranking Firstly, we have “Brazil” – a coffee table Al-Qaeda operative known as Othman book from the wonderful Michael Palin (code name “Panther”). The Panther that forms a companion to his excellent also has a personal score to settle with television series (shown recently on the Corey who killed the Panther’s friend ABC) covering the peoples and places that and ally, the Lion in the previous book. make up modern day Brazil. This is an This is an unputdownable espionage excellent and informative book thriller and I enjoyed it a great deal that would admirably grace – De Mille’s novels have always been high on any of our coffee tables and one that my must read list and this one is no exception. also is a great insight into this South I hope you enjoy it too. This is also my prize American country. I loved it. book for this issue (see below).

Next we have Peter Fitzsimons’ Boyd Morrison is a new author to me but he brilliantly researched and executed has written several novels in the past – if this book on the history of the Eureka Stockade one is anything to go on, then they too will be saga – he subtitles the book cracking reads. Here, we have the crash of an “the unfinished revolution” and airliner in the remote central Pacific Ocean that in the course of his discourse sets off a series of seismic events that threaten delves into both sides of the to culminate in a huge tsunami that threatens conflict exploring the hearts and to obliterate Hawaii. Kai Tanaka, director of minds of the combatants in this the Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii has story that was so instrumental a huge task on his hands to in the formation of this country. prevent this from happening.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and found A truly great read – very it more than informative. Peter has a very enthralling – loved it! readable style and I have now read several of Colin Falconer should be well his forays into Australian history and the like. known to you as an author Hope you enjoy it, too. because I have covered some Lastly, we have “The Great Race” – another of his earlier historical works in these pages great read from David Hill. Here David in earlier issues. The “Silk Road” was one of expounds upon (to me) the more memorable ones that came out last a little known piece of year. Here, the story is set in the year 1205AD Australian history – that of and interweaves the lives of a Crusader Knight, the race between France and Philip of Vercy, and Fabrisse Berenger, a young England to complete girl in a remote area of the Languedoc, the mapping of the who shows signs of Christ’s stigmata and Australian continent who has the powers of healing. Philip – albeit the definitive has to seek her out in order to find a way map thereof. This is to heal his dying son – an enthralling a fine story written in read altogether. I love Falconer’s books David’s inimitable style – they are well researched and have that – and may I say a most timely one given that wonderful melange of historical fact and great (according to some TV news reports) there is fiction. Thoroughly enjoyed this one. a move afoot to explore the fact that France “The Paladin Prophecy” tells the tale wanted to colonise Australia rather than Great of Will West, a school boy who, on his Britain! I shall look forward to reading about parents’ insistence, gets mediocre grades that when the relevant data is eventually in his school work so that he keeps himself published. What a turn about that would have “off the radar”. Then he slips up and gets been! grade scores that are off the charts – with devastating results that see him recruited THE PANTHER – NELSON DEMILLE by an exclusive prep school – this triggers Sphere Paperback $29.99 a series of events that see him followed by

75

mystery men in “dark hats” and his family subjected to terrifying threats. Wonderful read – very entertaining – loved it – great book for young adults and older readers alike.

What about spy thrillers, I hear you say? Never fear! Here is a good one for you.

THE LAST MAN – VINCE FLYNN Simon and Schuster Paperback $29.99 The Last Man is the latest from the pen of Mr Flynn, an author I discovered only last year, and the story brings us back to Mitch Rapp, a CIA agent who is trying to locate an invaluable CIA asset in the form of Joe Rickman who has gone missing in the Middle East. The information he possesses has the ability to bring the CIA (and also possibly the FBI who are also chasing Rickman – but for their own reasons) to its knees. This is a really fast paced thriller and one that I enjoyed tremendously. There are so many twists and turns I found it hard to keep up with them – right to the explosive ending sequences.

If you like spy thrillers, you’re going to love this one.

For the sake of conciseness, I have divided the crime section into three sections for this issue, they being British and European, American and Australian, beginning with British and European, my personal favourite genre.

STANDING IN ANOTHER MAN’S GRAVE – IAN RANKIN Orion Paperback $32.99 THE EYE COLLECTOR – SEBASTIAN FITZEK Allen and Unwin Paperback - $36.99 THE VANISHING POINT – VAL McDERMID Little Brown Paperback $32.99 THE LIFE – MARTINA COLE Headline Paperback $32.99 The new Ian Rankin is the latest in his Inspector John Rebus series and it is an absolute cracker! Here, Rebus is assailed by his arch nemesis, Detective Malcolm Fox who is with Internal Affairs – that worthy section is trying to get Rebus for his dealings with known Edinburgh organised crime figures – at the same time Rebus is trying to weasel out the reason behind several abducted young girls and potentially solve the matter of any potential murders that may be extant (I will not explain further here – the reason for this obtuse statement will become clear during your reading of this brilliant book).

A great read altogether and a real page turner if I ever read one. The book is, incidentally, dedicated to the late Jackie Leven, a Scots singer songwriter who passed away not too long ago. The book’s title is partly inspired

Colin Merrey’s

s w e i v e R by one of Leven’s songs. Hope you enjoy this one.

Sebastian Fitzek is a new one to me – he is a German writer and this is his fourth novel to date. Set in Berlin, it relates the story of a criminal known as the Eye Collector who removes the eyes from the corpses of the people he murders. Each time murder occurs, he leaves a ticking stopwatch in the hand of the corpse and this gives Alexander Zorbach, a former cop turned journalist a deadline by which time he has to solve the puzzle left for him or another kidnapped child will die!

This is a great story with a very intricate plot and a book that I enjoyed immensely. There is a terrifying cliff hanger at the end of the book – won’t tell you any more – but I can’t wait for the sequel!

“The Vanishing Point” for me at least is probably the best Val McDermid book that I have read to date - even taking into account the “Wire in the Blood” series. Set in the USA as well as UK and Europe this time, our story begins with the kidnap of a small boy who is entering the US with his adoptive mother.

Why has the child, the son of a dead British reality TV star, been kidnapped? It takes a while for this to be revealed and I found the premise excellent and the storytelling sublime to say the least. Great story – great plot – extremely surprising ending. Thoroughly enjoyed it – know you will, too.

And so to the new Martina Cole tome – set in her native Essex and London’s East End, this is the story of the Bailey brothers and their rise to glory as crime bosses and the eventual demise of their criminal enterprises.

To be honest, I found Martina’s books getting a bit formulaic for a while there but she seems have gone back to her original style – here is a really good, fast paced (albeit quite brutal in its description of various events) and also with its normal plethora of expletives but nonetheless, I must say I did enjoy it. If you liked her earlier Essex novels, then I am sure you’ll love this one too.

Our Australian authors for this issue feature the latest from Peter Corris (being the new Cliff Hardy novel) and a compendium of three of the Phryne Fisher books for your enjoyment.

THE HONOURABLE PHRYNE FISHER RETURNS – KERRY GREENWOOD Allen and Unwin Paperback $29.99 THE DUNBAR CASE – PETER CORRIS Allen and Unwin Paperback $27.99 The Phryne Fisher novels, all set in the Melbourne of the 1920’s, follow hot on the heels of the stunning and highly successful ABC TV Series that was shown during 2012. She is a wealthy urban socialite who turns her hand to “helping” the police to solve various murder mysteries. Here, we have “Death at Victoria Dock”, “The Green Mill Murder” and “Blood and Circuses” for you to get to grips with. I saw the TV adaptations of all of these and enjoyed them immensely. The books flesh out the plots and characters quite a bit more than a TV programme can do – given that TV only has one hour in which to condense quite large and detailed stories – and for that reason alone, I commend you to read this little collection. If you haven’t seen the TV series, then I suggest you grab this book and devour it and keep a look out for the inevitable ABC repeats of this wonderful little series.

As I said earlier, “The Dunbar Case” brings us the return of the now considerably ageing private detective, Cliff Hardy, a character that was introduced to me by my good friend Hamish Clyde back in the 1980’s. Hardy always seems to be just on the right side of the law and the scrapes in which he finds himself are to say the least very ingeniously contrived. Here, he is trying to find historical documentation concerning a 19th century shipwreck for a university professor – to help him with his research into the wreck - but still manages to get caught up with some of the meanest organised crime families in the New South Wales countryside.

A really good story and a most enjoyable read.

And now – last but by no means least, we come to the American offerings for this issue – great and very involved stories with plotlines to keep you guessing until the very end.

DID YOU MISS ME? – KAREN ROSE Headline Paperback $29.99 THE BONE NED – PATRICIA CORNWELL Little Brown Hardback- $39.99 THE RACKETEER – JOHN GRISHAM Hodder and Stoughton Hardback - $39.99 “Did you Miss Me?” is the fourteenth novel

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from the pen of Karen Rose – I have read a large number of her earlier books and enjoyed them immensely. This time we have a young man who, after walking his girlfriend back to her dormitory, remembers nothing until he wakes up lying bound and gagged on a cold dark floor surrounded by bones. ASA Daphne Montgomery and FBI Special Agent Joseph Carter have their work cut out in trying to sort out this complex tale that is linked to white supremacists and to the unexplained disappearance of the young man’s girlfriend.

This is a very intricate and well thought out plot and deserves all of the superlatives heaped upon it by all of the other reviewers and the publishing house itself. A great read and a race against time to solve this awful problem. Read and enjoy it as I did!

“The Bone Bed” is the twentieth and latest of the Kay Scarpetta novels and is a really good read, if a little long. At times, I find that Patricia Cornwell’s research, while being relevant to the plot, can get a little long winded – but this did not really detract from my enjoyment of the story. A palaeontologist has disappeared during the excavation of a dinosaur bone bed in the Canadian wilderness – and this is somehow connected to a series of crimes from recent times that have been particularly gruesome in their nature. Together with her niece, Lucy, her husband, Benton and her investigator Pete Marino she follows the tortuous route to the solution of these horrendous crimes. A really stirring read.

Enjoy it!

Lastly, we have the new one from John Grisham, past master of the legal thriller.

This one is no exception – we have the death and murder of a high court judge and his secretary – the only man who can help the FBI (who were notified when the Judge failed to show up for a trial date that had been set for him) and the police solve the crime is a lawyer who is in prison!

This is a very intricate story with so many twists and turns that I couldn’t really tell you any of them without spoiling the story for you.

So you will have to make do with the little note above, I am afraid. Suffice to say that this is a cracking good read and if you like court room drama in general and Grisham in particular I just know you will enjoy this one.

Well that’s it for books this issue - don’t forget – the book competition is open (see above) for my mystery book choice of the month. All you have to do to win this book is to email me at cmerrey@bigpond.net.au and be the

Colin Merrey’s

s w e i v e R

first response I receive and I will get the book to you as soon as I can.

The response to last issue’s competition was slightly better than for prior competitions and the result was a win for R Bennett of High Wycombe. So please have a go this time and restore my faith in humankind! Remember, if I haven’t heard of an author before or if it is a new author, I hope you will take my recommendations to heart and give them a good reading. 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. Have a great St Patrick’s Day – see you next issue.

MUSIC This issue, I have an unusual DVD to tell you about. It is intended for Daniel O’Donnell fans and contains footage of some interviews he did in 2010 and 2012 and is entitled “A Friendly Chat”. The interviews were recorded during Daniel’s tours of Australia and provide a bit of an insight into Daniel himself, his life, friends and his career. This is a must for lovers of Daniel and his music.

I should also let you know of a new DVD (a copy of which is currently winging its way to me from Amazon UK) which contains the last recordings of Barney McKenna and the Dubliners and it was recorded at one of their 50th Anniversary concerts earlier this year. It is a great souvenir and will be a lasting memento of one of the most influential of all of the Irish folk bands of the last five decades. I don’t know whether or not it will be released here but I wasn’t going to chance it and got my copy straight from the UK just in case! You can also get a 3cd compilation album to commemorate the 50 years anniversary but I don’t know whether there are any new (i.e. re-recorded) tracks on it. If I can get hold of a copy, I will let you know in due course.

It is also very sad to note from the Dubliners website that John Sheahan has now retired from performance and so the Dubliners as an active performing group is no more. John says that, as agreed with Barney before his passing, the Dubliners as an entity would cease to perform live after the 50th year tour had been completed. Sean Cannon, Patsy Watchorn, Eamonn Campbell and banjo player Gerry O’Connor will continue to tour in 2013 so we may get some more Dubs type music but it won’t be the same.

It’s so sad to see the passing of another Irish musical legend.

I have had an email from an Irish singer/songwriter from Cashel Co.Tipperary by the name of Billy Bob O’Dwyer who has had no small measure of success over the past few years. Some of you may remember a song called “Tipperary Girl” that Daniel O’Donnell recorded a while back – well. That was one of Billy Bob’s songs as was Louise Morrissey’s song “Bright Side of the Moon”.

Well, Billy Bob “Songwriter of the Year” Award for 2012 by TippFM Radio for 2012 and he has currently two albums on release - ‘The Time Has Come’ and ‘I’ll See You Tonight in My Dreams’ with a third expected to be released in the Irish Spring.

I have listened to several of his songs that are posted on his website which is www.billyodwyerbob.com – you can listen to and/or buy his music on /billyodwyerbob.bandcamp.com – and I particularly liked the ballad “the Wind in her Hair” – this is a real beauty and I intend to learn and sing it (to myself these days now I no longer perform musically in any real fashion. I hope you give him a listen and try to get hold of his CD’s for your collection.

I’ll take my leave of you for another issue and look forward to catching up in the next edition in a month or so’s time. In the meantime, hope you catch up with Finbar Furey while he’s here. I will certainly be there! So all the very best to you and yours for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations (maybe we’ll see you at the fundraiser at the Irish Club on 16th March 2013 with the Quarefellas) and the necessary recuperation therefrom.

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LEGENDS IN THEIR OWN WRITE

By Colin Merrey

In addition to my usual column for this issue, I thought I would give you a short rundown of some of the authors whose work I thoroughly enjoy and who I have mentioned from time to time through the various Irish Scenes over the past few years.

Firstly, my favourite genre – crime novels and my all - time favourite author, Peter Robinson, he of the wonderful Inspector Banks stories. The writing is impeccable, the story lines in the main unpredictable and very easy to read and follow (not like some of the authors I have read over the years). Several of his books have been made into mini-series over the last year or two – BUT they have only been shown (so far) on Foxtel, a luxury I can not justify at this stage of my life.

A close second comes John Sandford, creator of the characters Lucas Davenport (the “Prey” series) and Virgil Flowers, a spin-off from the Davenport stories.

Recently, I also discovered Stuart MacBride, a Scottish author whose gritty but at times humorous stories are set in Aberdeen and whose principal character is DS Logan McRae – a damaged goods type of character with a lot of emotional baggage – I love these as they are so unpredictable. He is a good author and one that I highly commend to you. You may also like to try Mark Billingham – a really good British author (the Tom Thorne series) or Peter Corris, Australian author of the Cliff Hardy books.

For Irish authors in this genre, I suggest a look at Colin Bateman and Adrian McKinty – two writers with differing styles – Bateman writes stories set in and around Belfast with a VERY humorous bent (you may have seen the movie “Divorcing Jack” made from his first novel and absolutely hilarious) – the tales are wacky and quite off the wall – I loved them. McKinty writes quite gritty novels that are set in Carrickfergus and feature a cop who is a Roman Catholic but who lives in a VERY Protestant street – sometimes humorous but quite graphic and violent stories. You might also have a read of Zane Radcliffe (another Belfast author who has only to date written three books that are in a similar vein to Colin Bateman’s work) and Declan Hughes author of the Ed Loy series of novels.

For humour, and very Irish novels, you can’t go beyond Roddy Doyle (his latest I reviewed elsewhere in this issue) creator of the Barrytown Trilogy and countless other books and movies.

For (I won’t say Chick Lit but you know what I mean) more feminine and general interest novels, the stand out in this genre are the late Maeve Binchy (her last book is covered in this issue’s reviews also) and not to forget Edna O’Brien – some great books over the years – remember the “Country Girl”? Of the later Irish female authors you might like to try Ciara Geraghty (her latest has just crossed my desk and will be reviewed in the next issue) or Mandurah lady Anna Jacobs (who produced the wonderful Lancashire trilogy).

Others too numerous to mention in more detail include John D MacDonald, Jeffrey Deaver, Robert Crais, Matt Hilton, Stephen Leather, Louise Penny Sophie Hannah and Dennis Lehane, to name but a few.

I am always open to recommending books and/or authors to anyone who like to contact me via my email address cmerrey@ bigpond.net.au. Happy reading and I hope you continue to enjoy your reading as much as I do.

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Interviewees sought for Magdalene Oral History Project

Jennifer’s music is Hardy & Gentle

Researchers at the Women’s Studies Centre in the School of Social Justice at University College Dublin (UCD) are seeking interviewees for a Magdalene Oral History project which is funded by the Irish Research Council.

The main objective of this project is to contribute towards a better understanding of the Magdalene Laundry system through the first-hand accounts of those with direct or indirect experience of it.

Categories of interviewees sought: • Magdalene survivors • Relatives • Members of the Religious Orders • Regular visitors to the institutions • Anyone else who has a memory or experience to share The project is operating under ethical approval from UCD’s College of Human Sciences to protect the confidentiality and privacy of all participants. When the project is completed, the interviews will be made available in redacted format through UCD Archives and will also be available on-line via the Irish Qualitative Data Archive (IQDA).

The project is also gathering and archiving materials from the Justice for Magdalenes campaign and welcomes contributions from individuals who may have photographs, documents or other materials that they wish to donate to the archive.

Those interested in being interviewed can contact the project for further information at 01-716-7804 or katherine.odonnell@ ucd.ie

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Phone: 9459 2846 Mobile: 0408 817 801 Email: jbh@q-net.net.au 79 Kelvin Road, Maddington WA 6109

Call John Hetherington 9459 2846

Jennifer Hardy is originally from Derry in the North West of Ireland. A natural traveller, she has spent time living, working and creating music in the United States, UK and Australia as well as her home country.

Never staying in one place for too long, Jennifer believes her travelling bug was inherited from her parents who upped sticks and took their young family to live in the rural east coast of Canada when Hardy was just five.

For the time being at least, Jennifer has settled on Fremantle, Western Australia, drawn in by its colourful past and buzzing underground music scene whilst finding comfort in the connections to her home town. Derry is of course famed as being a port city and one of the last pieces of land Irish convicts and immigrants touched before starting their one way journey to the then unknown land of Australia.

Her home town also features heavily in the collection, many songs having been inspired by growing up in the middle of a political war. Finding out at a young age that her grandfather was a victim of Bloody Sunday, one of the biggest atrocities of civil rights in Northern Ireland has deeply affected her perspective of the world. She takes an interest in civil and human rights and is inspired by strength of spirit of those who seek justice.

In her songs, Jennifer relates how our lives become entangled in sorrow and joy; she explores the light and dark sides of life. She feels this writing comes from her subconscious, pouring out what was absorbed from the world around her. Her music loving mother and late father; also a musician and songwriter, turned her onto music at a young age with the sounds of Thin Lizzy, The Dubliners, The Pogues, Springsteen and Young streaming from their big silver turn table.

Her album Blackened Eyes, a collection of self-written songs, selected from the many note pads and journals Hardy has kept since she began writing as a teenager, is a joy to listen to. To find out more go to www. jenniferhardy.com.au Jennifer Hardy Album Launch March 15th 2013 @ 8:00 pm XWray, Essex Street, Fremantle $5 entry

Celebrate St Patrick’s day with the world-famous Irish singer Mary Coughlan

Mary Coughlan’s smoky, bluesy, boozy drawl has always been a seduction, no matter what the subject. The vocal marrying of sardonic wit, visceral rage, between-the-sheets passion and the tenderest of sorrowful regrets – this is Mary’s talent. This is why she is so loved. Throughout the 25 years of her extraordinary recording career Mary has drawn heavily from her legendary heroes; Billie Holiday’s grievous, teary outpourings, the husky flirtations of Peggy Lee, Van Morrison’s soulful wails, the defiant chanteusery of Edith Piaf. All are present and correct in her delivery. Even so, Mary makes every song her own: they belong to her and nobody else. Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see a singer at the very height of her powers, for one night only in Perth.

Mary Coughlan appears at The Octagon Theatre in the University of WA on Saturday 16th March 2013.

Tickets: 6488 2440 (noon-4pm, w/days) theatres.uwa.edu.au/events#mary

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MCN Technology Damo – Almighty Love Tour.

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Damien Dempsey’s latest effort ‘Almighty Love’ was produced by long-term collaborator John Reynolds, and includes performances from Sinéad O’Connor and emerging London artist Kate Tempest. The four years since his previous album have been busy for Damien.

In addition to the new album, Dempsey was involved in recording the official Irish Euro 2012 Song ‘Rocky Road To Poland’. In December 2010 Dempsey and Glen Hansard recorded ‘The Auld Triangle’ raising funds for the Society of St Vincent de Paul. In 2011 Damien also made his acting debut in ‘Between The Canals’. Make sure you come along to one of Damien’s legendary live show at The Bakery Northbridge on 15th March.

Bookings: http://nowbaking.com.au

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Paul Brady Comes To Australia For Unplugged Tour Paul Brady is quite simply one of the finest musicians Ireland ever produced. His fans include Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen and his musical partnership with Andy Irvine is the stuff of legends. His songs have become anthems and among them are ‘Nothing but the same old story’, ‘The island’ and ‘Nobody knows’.

Don’t miss the chance to see one of the world’s finest acts in person. Paul Brady, singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist is one of Ireland’s most highly regarded and successful artists. He crosses musical boundaries again and again, incorporating folk, rock, blues traditional Irish & classic pop styles into his songwriting. His live performances, whether solo or with full band, incorporate songs from his extensive catalogue of 40 years.

Often classified as a musicians’ musician, Paul Brady’s songs have been covered by a huge array of major artists. He began to write songs in the early 80s and has since forged a reputation as one of Ireland’s finest singersongwriters, releasing many popular and critically acclaimed records. Songs such as The Island, Crazy Dreams, Nothing But The Same Old Story, Nobody Knows, Follow On, The Long Goodbye, The Homes of Donegal and Paradise Is Here have, over the years, given joy and emotional sustenance to generations of Irish at home and abroad.

Catch Paul Brady on Friday 22 March at The Fly By Night, Fremantle. Doors Open: 8.00pm Presale Tickets: $68.50 inc BF phone 9430 5976. Door Tickets: $75.00 (if available) or visit flybynight.org

Phone Nick McNamara: 0424 515 337 info@mcntechnology.com.au 21/63 Palmerston St, Northbridge, Perth 6000

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Hermitage Green at the Cure

by Fiona Rea

I would say that I spend most of my dollars on music... buying albums and seeing gigs and so it is a big call for me to say that Hermitage Green was one of the best gigs I have seen for a very long time.

We had no idea what to expect, sent out on a Sunday night to the Cure Tavern to see a group of lads from Limerick... whom Fred Rea had met, interviewed and simply raved about. What struck me most about his excitement at meeting and hearing the boys, was what lovely guys they were, down to earth and creating a different and beautiful sound that I just had to check out.

I was not left disappointed.

Hermitage Green were brilliant, simply brilliant. From their ever stunning own compositions to some of the most original covers I have ever heard, the boys had us captivated from beginning to end.

They have had a huge response to their YouTube cover of Florence and the Machines ‘Cosmic Love’ and for good reason. It was just one fine example of how two guitars, one Tambla, Bodhran and four voices can fill a room with a song that is usually played by a full orchestra and band. If I had to compare their sound, I would say they are of the same ilk as Mumford and Sons, but with a different drive and original sound that shouldn’t be compared really.

Each of the five members of the band brings their own

phenomenal talent to the stage, but blend so beautifully together.

One minute you are mesmerised by Darragh playing percussion and intricate Spanish style guitar, then finding yourself transfixed by Dermot driving a tune with a booming kick drum pedal and playing some of the best Bodhran I have heard (at the same time mind you). They had the place hopping by the end of the night, and their reputation made for a sold out second gig, where a massive crowd were left standing in the street, unable to even get in to the bar.

Now, you want proof that these are lovely lads? A dear friend who was one of the disappointed crowd showed me a photo of the line outside the Cure that night, and there, standing with the crowd, were the boys playing acoustically to thank those who couldn’t get in.

We must thank Marguerite and the Cure for bringing the band to Perth. It is only with the support of venues like The Cure that we will get the opportunity to enjoy bands like Hermitage Green.

Visit their website, buy this album, then you can say you heard these boys before they were huge.

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Have you heard?

Compiled by Fred Rea

Happy 60th Birthday Barney

Fr Laurence’s Murphy thank you dinner at Bellinis in Osborne Park. The wonderful service was due to these 3 lovely Irish lasses.

Linda O’Leary, Sian Burke and Catriona Stackpoole

Corkwoman Breda Carmody (nee Flannery) and husband Eoin and daughter Aoileen were in Perth over Christmas visiting family. Their month long holiday was severely disrupted when Breda’s sister Imeda Sean Roche pictured with some of his fan club at the Kingsley Tavern. was rushed to hospital for a week.

Both families were well taken care of during the ordeal. We just wanted to say thanks, and we love and miss ye!

The Gormans Congratulations to Brian and Brook recently married St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle. Brooke (from Perth) went to work at the Irish National Stud in Co. Kildare in 2009 where Brian was the assistant manager. They got together in April during the Punchestown Racing Festival. They got engaged on Christmas Eve in 2012. Brian was offered a job as manager and assistant manager of a stud farm Geisel Park Stud North of Bunbury in August 2011 and duly accepted. They were entertained in true Aussie’s/Irish by the Dublin Rogues at their reception. A great night of craic agus ceoil!

The Dancing Down Under series will become available in March 2013.

It will the full series on 2DVD set priced at $39.95.

The DVD will be region free which means it can be viewed in most countries.

To resereve your copy please call Zat at Sound One on 92010911 or email: soundone@globaldial.com

Of the famous Cork sporting family, Aisake O’Hailpin recently visited Tom Kearns and his family while in Perth. Aisake was in Perth for a few days before the football season gets into full swing in Melbourne. The two young Irish girls in the centre are from Tyrone and Derry.

PJ Malone (centre) enjoying a good laugh with mates at the Bailey in Perth

There was a dog christening recently at J B O’Reilly’s in Leederville..

Yes a dog! The christening of Trevor Martin (the dog’s name) was performed by Fr Paul North of you know where. Trevor arrived in a stretch Happy 40th Birthday to Declan Malone, Declan celebrated the big day limo and got the red carpet treatment with his family at the Celtic Thunder Concert. Above from L-R Michael Malone, Declan Malone, Moira Malone and JJ Malone. as you can see from the photo.

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The legendary Bush Poet Peter Capp and partner Jen took leave of Western Australia some years ago and decided to make their new abode an old church in New South Wales. During the recent floods in our eastern states Peter got his fair share of water and not being a man of the sea had the misfortune of overturing his boat. Let Peter explain…

ST. PATRICK AND THE SNAKES

by Crawford Howard You’ve heard of the snakes in Australia You’ve heard of the snakes in Japan, You’ve heard of the rattler - that old Texas battler Whose bite can mean death to a man.

They’ve even got snakes in old England Nasty adders all yellow and black But in Erin’s green isle we can say with a smile, They’re away... and they’re not coming back!

Now years ago things was quite different There was serpents all over the place.

If ye climbed up a ladder ye might meet an adder Or a cobra might leap at your face, If ye went for a walk up the Shankill, Or a dander along Sandy Row, A flamin’ great python would likely come writhin’ And take a lump outa yer toe!

LAWRENCE FLOODS JAN 2013

Our rain-gauge holds a hundred mils, I got a cramp from emptying it out Right away I realized that was the end of the drought Lawrence on the Clarence River, usually quite lush and green Would soon feel the rising waters of the biggest flood we’ve seen After three days the epic storm eventually blew to a stop Now two metres deep it meant I would have to canoe to the shop Our church was raised due to previous floods to a fairly decent height We still had a metre to spare to the floor so we would be fairly right I launched the old canoe into the brown and swirling tide A two metre snake was swimming and decided to hitch a ride Snakes are not my favourite passengers so I had an element of fear Fortunately the snake was up the front - and I was at the rear The snake then decided on a nearby tree so he suddenly skedaddled And through the junk -filled water I paddled, and paddled, and paddled Finally the flood receded we looked at natures aftermath A fox lay dead amongst the tangled branches a victim of the rivers path Some fences down and signs skewwhiff as people swung into action Hosing, cleaning, stacking amid the smell of putrefaction We thought of the people in Grantham all of them doing it tough And folks who’ve lost it all and almost had enough But the Aussie spirit is like a beacon, no matter how gloomy and dark As long as there’s a glimmer of hope - as long as there’s a spark Back to our fortress of dryness, I said to Jen my beautiful mate The conditions are not quite conducive -the Tim-Tams will have to wait Our power was down and out, tho fortunately the lights remained And then it began again - it rained, and rained and rained Here we were in Waterworld a canoe our only bridge So I did what any Aussie would do - I got a beer from the fridge I’d rigged some power from the light to stop the fridge going in reverse Floods and fires are pretty bad - but warm beer is infinitely worse A couple more days in our wooden castle it seemed the end of the rain A journey to the local pub was on, so we launched the canoe again It was only forty metres to the pub - enough time to invert the craft And the dozen or so spectators laughed and laughed and laughed I would go down as a simple trip and not a long excursion Though in time I’m sure it would be the CapJen Canoe Inversion Three years and three floods on the Clarence but still we would have to say To live in a beautiful place like Lawrence is a price we are willing to pay PETER CAPP 2013

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Now there once was a guy called St. Patrick, A preacher of fame and renown An’ he hoisted his sails and came over from Wales To convert all the heathens in Down.

And he hirpled about through the country With a stick and a big pointy hat, An’ he kept a few sheep that he sold on the cheap, But sure, there’s no money in that!

He was preachin’ a sermon in Comber An’ getting quite carried away And he mentioned that Rome had once been his home (But that was the wrong thing to say!)

For he felt a sharp pain in his cheek-bone And he stuck up a hand ‘till his beak And the thing that had lit on his gob (an’ had bit) Was a wee Presbyterian snake!

Now the snake slithererd down from the pulpit (Expectin’ St. Patrick to die), But yer man was no dozer - he lifted his crozier An’ he belted the snake in the eye, And he says to the snake, ‘Listen, legless!

You’d better just take yerself aff!

If you think that that trick will work with St. Patrick You must be far worser nor daft!’

So the snake slithered home in a temper An’ it gathered its mates all aroun’ An’ it says, ‘Listen, mates! We’ll get on our skates, I reckon it’s time to leave town!

It’s no fun when you bite a big fella An’ sit back and expect him to die, An’ he’s so flamin’ quick with that big, crooked stick That he hits ye a dig in the eye!

So a strange sight confronted St. Patrick When he woke up the very next day.

The snakes with long faces were all packin’ their cases And headin’ for Donegal Quay.

Some got on cheap flights to Mallorca And some booked apartments in Spain.

They were all headin’ out and there wasn’t a doubt That they weren’t going to come back again.

So the reason the snakes left old Ireland (An’ this is no word of a lie), They all went to places to bite people’s faces And be reasonably sure that they’d die.

An’ the oul’ snakes still caution their grandsons, ‘For God’s sake beware of St. Pat! An’ take yerselves aff if you see his big staff, An’ his cloak, an’ his big pointy hat!’

As St. Patrick’s Day will occur soon, the following poem is an appropriate contribution to the literature of the season. It is by James Orr, a North of Ireland poet – called the “Burns of Ulster” and the “Bard of Ballycarry”.

The Irishman The savage loves his native shore, Though rude the soil, and chill the air; Then well may Erin’s sons adore Their isle which nature formed so fair.

What flood reflects a shore so sweet As Shannon great, or pastoral Bann?

Or who a friend or foe can meet So generous as an Irishman?

His hand is rash, his heart is warm, But honesty is still his guide; None more repents a deed of harm, And none forgives with nobler pride: He may be duped, but won’t be dared More fit to practise than to plan, He dearly earns his poor reward, And spends it like an Irishman.

If strange or poor, for you he ‘ll pay, And guide to where you safe may be; If you ‘re his guest, while e’er you stay, His cottage holds a jubilee.

His inmost soul he will unlock, And if he may y o u r secrets scan, Your confidence he scorns to mock, For faithful is an Irishman.

By honour bound in woe or weal, Whate’er she bids he dares to do; Try him with bribes - they won’t prevail; Prove him in fire - you ‘ll find him true.

He seeks not safety, let him post Be where it ought in danger’s van; And if the field of fame be lost, It won’t be by an Irishman.

Erin! loved land! from age to age Be thou more great, more famed, and free; May peace be thine, or, shouldst thou wage Defensive war - cheap victory.

May plenty bloom in every field, Which gentle breezes softly fan, And cheerful smiles serenely guide The home of every Irishman!

Start of Fun Run for Leah at Swanbourne Beach in Western Australia

WA Support for Princess Leah A group of Kildare people and their friends have had a fun run in Western Australia for a brave young girl from Kildare, Leah.

Leah is a six year old girl who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor on the 6th November 2012. She lives with her parents Sabrina and Johnny and her 10 year old brother Jordan. Leah is currently undergoing chemo for her cancer but she has only been given a 10% chance of survival. Her parents and family are trying desperately to raise enough money to be able to take her overseas for treatment. Princess Leah or Lee Lee as we all call her, did not suffer any symptoms before The Cathedral 6th November 2012. Indicators of is proud to present this dreaded tumour are: headaches, adversion to lights, weakness in joints to name a few, slurred speech (Dublin version 1742) and seizures (although seizures are at not always present).

Three months ago, Leah was Perth Concert Hall living a totally normal life in as part of the devotion of Holy Week.

Robertstown, Co Kildare, when she Tuesday 26 March at 7.30pm woke up with bouts of vomiting and Conducted by Joseph Nolan, and a headache. featuring the Cathedral Consort Mum Sabrina took her to hospital alongside stellar baroque musicians the next morning and a scan found Sara Macliver, a tumour on her brain. Medics later Fiona Campbell, Paul McMahon, discovered a similar growth on her Andrew Foote, and Paul Wright, this spine.

She underwent chemotherapy is a treat not to be missed! in Our Lady’s Hospital and spent “In the near-perfect acoustical Christmas in Temple Street Hospital environment of Perth Concert Hall the immaculately trained St George’s in Dublin.

However, Leah hasn’t responded Cathedral Consort reached for and to chemo and her parents Sabrina, touched the stars.”

Johnny and brother Jordan are - The West Australian, 2012 Messiah. raising funds to send her to St Jude’s Hospital in Boston for a major Tickets available from Ticketek online operation. at www.ticketek.com.au in person To donate, visit the Princes Leah from Ticketek Agencies, or by phone Fund page on Facebook or iDonate. on 132 849. (Group booking discounts ie. are available on 1300 364 001.)

Handel’s Messiah

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Theatre at its best in Perth

by Solas Mac An Tuile

What a start to Lent! The Perth Fringe festival with a healthy dollop of Irish arts mixed in.

Perth local, interstate and overseas artists brought comedy, drama, music, nudity, humour and circus to town. The Wau Wau Sisters from the US were a highlight for me but the taste of Ireland was sweeter.

Artist Amy Conroy is 30 years old and was born in Cahirciveen, Co Kerry, and now lives in Walkinstown Dublin. Amy brought her own one woman show called Eternal Rising of the Sun to PICA in Northbridge. Amy was the winner of Best Female Performer at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2011. Amy’s theatrical creation, Gina Devine, is a single mother, who had some terrible trials in her life and is “at breaking point” as Amy describes her.

Both Gina’s father and partner have abused her and all but eliminated any self esteem. Gina has a very young daughter who has also been subjected to abuse. However Gina’s strong spirit leads her to take dance lessons where she is encouraged by her dance teacher.

Amy is an ex-student of Inchicore College and has been an actor for ten years. She has been writing her own material since 2010. As Amy says “I love to examine the invisible people who walk around Dublin, each having their own story to tell”.

Amy’s performance as Gina journeyed from desperation into drug taking to finally finding her own personal strengths. This was a wonderful piece of writing and acting.

Following her performance in Perth Amy was on her way to perform in Brisbane, Sydney and Auckland New Zealand.

Forty six year old Pat Kinevane is from Cobh in County Cork. On a hot sweaty night in De Parade Theatro 1 (in the courtyard of the Perth State Theatre Centre) Pat performed his own show Silent which comprises movement, monologue and sound. “Tino” Mc Goldrig is homeless with no belongings and possibly losing his mind too. Through the romance of his silent film idol Rudolph Valentino (he was named Tino in honour of Valentino) he takes the audience with him on his journey. Pat Kinevane is a great storyteller who uses humour and the wide stage to full effect. His scant belongings serve as props to add effect to his words. His old blanket drapes from his outstretched hand then is pulled closely to his body. He used his blanket very effectively to demonstrate how he danced with his new bride on their wedding day.

“Silent began as scribbles four years ago” Pat says “I had a gut feeling that this was an

opportunity to express my deepest gratitude for every blessing I have received in life”. Pat was supported by the Irish theatre group Fishamble, who specialise in bringing new work to the stage and who are celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2013.

Pat was previously in Australia in 1998 when he toured with the Gate Theatre’s production of “Waiting for Godot”.

Another show of note at the 2013 Fringe was Cat Commander’s wonderful one woman show Before the Spring which was performed at The Bakery. Cat told her own story behind The Middle East conflicts especially in Syria and how it impacts on people’s lives. We see the good and bad of life there through the eyes of a woman who visited The Middle East from Australia. Stories from an immigrant Melbourne taxi driver from The Middle East are beautifully interwoven into the narrative.

Cat Commander is a gentle young woman on stage yet she touched our hearts with her beautiful and sincere storytelling.

On Saturday 16 February, on the big stage of the new Perth Arena, the fans of Celtic Thunder were in singing mode. A crowd of 5,400 heard the singers and musicians perform a range of Irish and other easy listening songs. Many new Celtic Thunder fans have seen some of their shows on SBS TV. They have also performed for the American President Barack Obama. I was particularly impressed with the singers, their good diction and The Perth Arena sound system. A good night’s entertainment ended with some rousing songs by Celtic Thunder who performed the final segment dressed in their traditional kilts.

The Graduate Dramatic Society celebrated in the outdoor New Fortune Theatre at UWA with a fine performance of Dorothy Hewett’s play/musical The Man from Mukinupin. This play was originally produced by the National Theatre at the Playhouse for Western Australia’s 150th celebrations in 1979.

The first night was disrupted by a fire alarm going off which interrupted the continuity for a short period. But the actors resumed as true professionals.

In attendance were some of the cast from the original production at the Playhouse including well known Perth actress Jenny McNae. No doubt Irishman John Doyle would have been proud of this production. John recently retired as theatre manager at UWA with 40 years service with responsibility for all the theatres within UWA. The play was set in the fictional south-west country town of Mukinupin and told the story of Australia’s growth, recording a potted history of the early 1900’s, of a young man who emerges from the bush, falls in love and goes to war. We got a taste of life in the bush through the eyes of the young lovers as they grow and lose their innocence.

There were great performances from Cameron Taylor and Bonnie Coyle in the leading roles with good support from Liz Hoffman, Amanda Crewes, Rosemary Longhurst and Yvette Wall.

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YMCA Looking for Mentors The YMCA’s Big Brothers Big Sisters

youth mentoring program is looking for new male mentors to help disadvantaged young people in Perth.

Caseworkers Laura Cawley from Sligo (L) and Sarah Franklin from Limerick (R) joined the program in 2012 and are keen to get more Irish men on board as volunteer “Big Brothers”. Currently, 10% of our matches have either a Big or a Little originating from Ireland.

Volunteers need to be available to catch up socially with a young person for a couple of hours, three to four times a month for at least a year. It’s a significant task, but often evolves into a highly enjoyable and companionable friendship that both parties appreciate and value.

Little Brother Dylan (L) gets tired of being in his household full of women, and loves getting out and having fun with his Big Brother Tim (R).

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leading community-based mentoring program in Western Australia. The program is based on the development of a longterm, supportive, one-to-one friendship between an adult volunteer and a young person aged 7-17. By spending time with a responsible adult and doing everyday activities, the young person is able to explore different skills and experiences.

This increases their sense of self worth, improves relationships and encourages a healthy development within their home, school, and wider community. The program runs in the Perth Metropolitan Area.

For more information contact please contact Laura at Big Brothers Big Sisters on 9227 0479 or bbbs@ymca.org.au

The Australian-Irish Heritage Association

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

Ecumenical Service With Christmas and New Year celebrations and the accompanying holiday period running together, the Australian Irish Heritage Association has also had a busy time.

A very large congregation gathered in the beautiful re-furbished St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle to celebrate our Annual Ecumenical Service.

The President and Committee would like to thank Reverend Fr. Tom Maher and the members of his parish community for the use of the church and facilities. Thanks also to Reverend Marie Wilson from Uniting Church and Reverend Alan Brodie from Anglican Church for their contribution to a very successful and meaningful service.

St Brigid’s Day Celebration Whether legend or myth, there is no clear historical evidence to suggest that the lady we celebrate really existed, although several ‘Brigids’ have been recorded as having lived about the same time.

Be it a legendary or historical figure, devotion to St Brigid spread widely throughout Ireland and indeed much further afield.

This year Anne McAnearney presented an historical appreciation of Caroline Chisholm, whose dedicated work for immigrants to Australia in the mid 1800’s has been largely overlooked. Among the many, she helped young Irish women and girls sent out to Australia.

Film Club Festival Our Season of Irish films runs weekly throughout February and early March. These are Irish films which never reach the many screened complexes in Australia. They are made in Ireland and give an excellent insight and commentary on Irish life, yesterday and today.

St Patrick’s Day A celebratory lunch is to be held in the Celtic Club in West Perth.

We are encouraging our members to attend this function, as we will not be hosting our usual St Patrick’s Day Dinner on St Patrick’s Day Eve 16th March 2013.

Australian Irish Heritage Association WA (Inc) – A.G.M. This will be held in the Irish Club on Sunday March 10th March at 4 p.m. Please consider standing for a Board position. Forms are available on our Website - www.irishheritage.net Anzac Day Thursday 25th April As usual, we will be attending the annual celebration in Subiaco and encourage as many as possible to walk with us and represent the many Irish Servicemen who died alongside their Australian counterparts.

Photos form AIHA Events in January and February

Australian-Irish Heritage Association

Non Political-Non Sectarian-Emphatically Australian PO Box 1583 Subiaco 6904. Tel: 08 9345 3530. Email: aiha@irishheritage.net

www.irishheritage.net

Secretary: 08 9367 6026 Membership Due on 1st January.

Family membership $60, Concession $50, Distant (200 kms from Perth) $40 Membership fee includes tax deductible donation of $20

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Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of WA Inc.

Grounds: BGC Grounds, Tom Bateman Reserve. Cnr Bannister & Nicholson Rob O’Callaghan Rds, Canning Vale (Page 330 on your UBD Map book). President GAA of WA

New Season not far away

please get down there to support the boys and girls and enjoy the day’s festivities.

Hello all The season is fast approaching us with all teams in full pre-season training. A lot of clubs have once more experienced an influx of players and members for the coming year. Firstly I’d like to wish all teams and clubs the best of luck for season 2013 and I hope it will be a great year both on and off the field for our 15 clubs.

I won’t say much more except to ask everyone to stay safe and respect themselves and each other. We are a small association and have a great family environment which we should embrace and encourage.

I just want to quickly brief all members of the likely calendar for pre-season tournaments in all codes.

The 7 a side Paddy’s Day tournament will be held on Sunday 7th of April. We are expecting a large exhibition Thanks and best of luck. with teams from all football clubs and Hurling clubs Rob O’Callaghan taking part. We will also have kids activities with juniors and minors taking part also. It is promising to be a great day and I would ask that all clubs and GAA MINOR BOARD OF WA members support this annual event. The location is presents yet to be confirmed but as soon as information comes to hand we will inform all clubs. Remember that team Girl’s U18 Minor Gaelic Football Final nominations need to be submitted on Tuesday 5th Boy’s U18 Minor Gaelic Football Final March and clubs can enter as many panels of 12 as at Medibank Stadium Leederville they like.

Fr Kelly cup will run over weekends of 19-21 and 2628 of April with the league starting first weekend of May. The Hurling & Camogie will also be starting in May with 7 a side tournament also tabled for April.

Remember that the junior academy will be run north and south of the river this year so contact junior academy for further details. It’s promising to be a very busy year for all involved.

Stay tuned for more information and please contact your local club if you require more details of upcoming events and membership.

A quick reminder also of the St Patrick’s Day Parade on 17 March in Leederville. It is shaping up to be a great day with juniors, minors and girls minors playing exhibition games afterwards at Leederville Oval. So

on Saint Patricks Day 17th March

Hosted by the City of Vincent and the St Patricks Day Parade Committee.

Come and JOIN US after the Parade and watch our first ever Minor Girls in Australia play in their first ever Final.

Followed by The Minor Boys as they play in their first West Australian Final.

This is a major step for our Irish and Australian youth in Perth.

Come down and enjoy the spectacle and support our Youth.

Any one interested in joining us as a player or mentor contact Michael O’Connor on 0417096424 or mgcoo@bigpond.com

gfhwa.com.au 88

The Gaelic Games Junior Academy New committee 2013.

President: Gerry Crowley, Vice President: Martin Brady Secretary: Deborah (Cashman) Teahan Treasurer: Pauline McGarrity, Registrar: Lesley Myles The General Committee members are: Marian McRory, Tracey Nelson and Lois Crowley.

The GGJA has now become an incorporated body, or will be by the end of March. We have also secured funding from the GAA and the Irish Foreign Affairs Department of 11,000 Euros. This money will be invaluable as we continue to grow in Perth, with the establishment of a second Academy in the Northern suburb of Tapping, 87 St Stephen’s Crescent.

Open/registration day is on at Tapping on March 3rd from 10 am to 12 noon and Open/registration day is on in the South at the Tom Bateman Sporting complex in Thornlie, on 10th of March at the same time.

Registration is $90 per child and the Academy will run every Sunday in both locations from the 24th of March on from 12 noon to 1.30 pm, with less time for the minis, but all will start at 12 noon sharp, so athletes need to be there a minimum of 15 minutes early so they can warm up and avoid the risk of injury.

At the moment it is planned to run our Academy days on every Sunday throughout the season until the end of September, with the occasional game thrown in between the North and South Academy’s or the odd challenge game against a local Primary school, on certain Sundays.

The 17th of March is the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Leederville and its the first of its kind in a long while, so our Academy kids will be marching behind the GGJA banner, we will also be playing at least one game of Hurling against Wilson Primary and maybe Clifton Hills Primary, depending on their availability and time constraints on the oval.

If we have time we could play Gaelic Football against Leeming Primary schools, this will all take place at Leederville Oval.

Times for these exhibition games are not known as we go to press.

Mouth guards for all players will be mandatory this year, as will shin guards.

Sandra McAnea has become our first sponsor from Realmark Real estate group and we welcome her support.

We could do with as many volunteers as possible with coaching and admin stuff, so please volunteer, we have a nursery program and we will need lots of parents in both Academies to give us a hand, it is easy we will show you what to do! Western Shamrocks at the moment are the only club to have contacted us offering player coaches and we encourage all other Hurling and Football clubs to also come on board.

Fundraising will be high on the agenda this year with Lesley Myles and Marian McRory heading this new subcommittee.

We are aiming to look after most kids from 4 to 12 years of age and this should enable us to field a Feile under 14 team to compete in Ireland in 2014 in Gaelic football and Hurling, so we need to fundraise now.

Look forward to catching up, for the new season, bring your school friends and neighbours everyone is welcome on our Open days and it’s free to “have a go”.

Western Swans Camogie Club

Western Swans Camogie club, the first established camogie club in western Australia is back in action for their third year running. The 2013 season has started off by sending a team to participate in the annual 7 aside competition in Melbourne. The Western Swans are currently recruiting all new and old players to come join our club. We encourage new players skilled and unskilled to join us in the season ahead. Despite last years problems in obtaining a fully commited club,this year numbers have dramatically increased from the first training session.

There will be lots of team bonding days and upcoming events in store for 2013 So come down, grab a friend and join the fun!! Contact AIlish 0410547839 or Linda 0450005410 for more information. NEW PLAYERS WELCOME FOR 2013. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! SWANS ABU.

Happy St Patrick’s Day from Sean and the Staff at The Breakwater www.thebreakwater.com.au

58 Southside Drive, Hillarys Boat Harbour Ph: 08 9448 5000 Fax: 08 9448 6000

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Irish Golf Club of WA

Fleadh Trophy @ Maylands GC Winner Sean Byrnes 49 points. 2nd Anthony Ryan 46 points.

3rd Place Louis Byrnes 45 points. Player of the year was Lawrence Brophy The lowest gross score was Andy McDonnell on 39 pts.

Novelty winners; N.T.P 5 Geoff McFadden, 8 Sean Byrnes, 9 Andy McDonald, 13 Bob O’Shea, 16 Brian Kennedy 2 Ball Andy McDonald. LDriveGents Anthony Ryan L DriveLadiesPat Hickey. Longest putt on the 18th Brian Kennedy.

The Irish Club Cup at Burswood Golf Club Winner Billy Kavanagh 45 points.

2nd Gjerde Oddbjorn 44 points. 3rd John Sampson 44 points.

Novelty winners: N.T.P 2 Gjerde Oddbjorn, 6 Andy McDonald 9 Karen Henessey, 11 Jimmy Dowling, 16 Gjerde Oddbjorn 2 Ball: Billy Ross, Karen Henessey, Gjerde Oddbjorn, John Sampson LDrive Gents; Mike Byrne LDrive ladies; Sally Ann McDonald Longest putt on the 18th Bill Ross

Gjerde Oddbjorn with Club Captain Mike Byrne

Fleadh Trophy Winner Sean IC Cup Winner Bill Byrnes & Mick Byrnes Kavanagh & Mick Byrnes

Life Membership for Billy Congratulations to Irish Golf Club stalwart, Billy Kavanagh. Billy is pictured left being presented his Life Time Honouary Membership plaque. Well Done Billy Boy!

Overheard at the Irish Golf day at Burswood... “Martin, what should we do if our round of golf is interrupted by a lightning storm?”

Dominick: “Walk round holding your 1-iron over your head, because even God can’t hit a 1-iron boy!”

H GOLF CL S I IR

SIC AS

W.A .

The Summer Shield @ Hamersley GC Winner Djerde Oddbjorn on 43 points.

2nd Tom Barr on 40 points. 3rd Peter McKenna on 40 points.

The winning guest player was Ronan Larkin on 39 points.

N.T.P 5 Pat O’ Brien, 7 Jim Downing, 2 Chris McKenna, 16 Billy Kavanagh. 2 Ball Pat O’Brien LDrive Gents; Shane Quinn LDrive Ladies; Joan Ross.

Longest putt on the 18th Andy McDonald.

In Support of Shamrock Rovers Football Club For “The Irish Scene” Cup Sunday 7th April 2013 at the Maylands Peninsula Golf Club , Peninsula Road, Maylands, Perth Tee Off: 7am Price per Player: $75 (incl Green Fees and BBQ Lunch)

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Hole Sponsor: $550 (includes 4 players and signage on sponsored hole).

Hole Sponsorship Only $250 Format: 2 Ball Ambrose Heaps of Prizes Bookings: Mick Manning 0418 917 050 Martin Sheehan: 0419 934 681 Gerry Townley 0427 676 880 John Allen 0411 453 565 Ciaran Lawnders 0430 361 178 Dermot Smyth 0414 382 781

C eltic

Supporters’

C lub

Perth WA

Visit the CSC website at www.perthcsc.com Visit Celtic FC at www.celticfc.co.uk/

Call the Hotline at 9315 2211

Club Hotline (08) 9315 2211

Committee for 2011/12 Office Bearers

President: Paddy Mconie paddymconie@hotmail.com Vice President: Willie Rice Secretary: Brian Doherty briandoherty@hotmail.com Treasurer: Davy Barklay davidbar@arach.net.au Merchandise: James Burns General Committee Cathie Rice Brian Mosson James Lynch Website Davy Barclay webmhaster@gmail.com Club Website www.perthcsc.com Postal address PO Box 614 Inglewood 6932

From the meeting a Committee was formed, a forum set up at www.celticgraves.com and agreed Aims & Objectives for the group: “Celtic Graves Society aims to cherish the memory of those whose contribution, large or small, has been the cornerstone of Celtic FC’s remarkable story.

From The Celtic View about the group (July 2010) As Celtic supporters we believe that maintaining the Go to any Celtic game and you’ll hear songs of memorials of Celtic players and important figures from praise for departed legends such as Willie Maley, Jimmy our past is a fundamental part of “knowing your history.”

McGrory, Jimmy Johnstone, Charlie Tully and Bobby We will put the wishes of families first and with those Murdoch. families our aim is to identify, locate and honour the But how many of us ever paused for a moment as final resting places of their loved ones. the song fades to reflect on the lifetime of devotion these They never die who live in the hearts they leave men gave our club or the final resting places of those behind.” who made our club what it is today?

The first task we set ourselves was to locate the final The aptly named ‘Maley’s Spirit’ on the popular resting places of the first ever Celtic team who played Kerrydale Street Celtic forum recently discovered the our inaugural match on May 28th 1888, beating Rangers grave of the legendary Willie Maley in Cathcart Cemetery 5-2. And so began a beautiful Celtic story that started with the cross-shaped headstone fallen on its back and in Bonhill, Dunbartonshire took us throughout the in need of some restoration work. west of Scotland and even Prague before ending up in Thankfully due to the efforts of the Celtic support, Philadelphia and New York. the family and the club that issue is hopefully now The very first Celtic team was of course made up being addressed but to some supporters it highlighted a of guests from others clubs (listed below) which made deeper problem in that if the final resting place of a club the task a difficult one as some only played once or a legend like Willie Maley is in a manner not befitting his handful of times for the club. This involved looking up stature and long service to the club, how many others the nineteenth century census returns, searching through who represented our great club, especially in our early obituaries, contacting Church bodies as well as councils days, would have a similar fate? before putting out appeals on Celtic forums. Soon we This was a wrong that needed righting and so the were inundated with assistance from the Celtic family Celtic Graves Society came into existence with an invite as everyone pulled together in a task that captured the sent out to all the major supporters groups and forums imagination of many. culminating in a meeting in a Celtic friendly hostelry.

Visit http://celticgraves.com/index/ 1. Michael Dolan (Drumpellier) - Old Monklands Cemetery, Coatbridge: No headstone.

2. Edward Pearson (Carfin Shamrock) - Cambusnethan Cemetery, Wishaw: With headstone.

3. James McLaughlin (Govan Whitefield) - St Kentigern’s Cemetery, Glasgow: No headstone.

4. Willie Maley (Third Lanark) - Cathcart Cemetery, Renfrewshire: Headstone fallen.

5. James Kelly (Renton) - St. Patrick’s Cemetery, New Stevenston: With headstone.

6. Phil Murray (Cambuslang Hibs) - St Agatha’s Cemetery, Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, USA: With headstone.

7. Neil McCallum (Renton) - Bonhill Church Cemetery: No headstone.

8. Tom Maley (Third Lanark) - St Kentigern’s Cemetery, Glasgow: Small marble memorial, no inscription.

9. John Madden (Dumbarton) - Prague, Czech Republic: With headstone.

10. Michael Dunbar (Hibs) - Dalbeth Cemetery, Glasgow: With headstone.

11. Charlie Gorevin (Govan Whitefield) - Holy Cross Cemetery Brooklyn, New York : With headstone.

The restored grave and headstone

Our Home Base....

NORTHBRIDGE

Willie Maley’s grave prior to action by the Celtic Graves Society

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“They never die who live in the hearts they leave behind”.

SHAMROCK Hoops rebuild and look to the future

Rovers

Following a summer of transition in which a number of players and former coaches moved from the club Shamrock Rovers is getting on with the job of restructuring and redeveloping at all levels. A busy period of player recruitment has seen a number of players with good experience sign for the Hoops. They hail from near and far and from a number of nationalities. Players have come in from Ireland, Scotland, England, Australia and even Estonia, many with prior experience at semi pro level. The most pleasing thing is that they are all young players with an average age of 21.

With so many new arrivals the Manager has put in place a rigorous preseason program with additional games to give the new arrivals time to get to know each other and understand each other’s game. This is a significant task and the Manager and the players have been working hard at it.

However, the individual quality of the players now at the club, once harnessed, will make the Hoops a formidable team to play against and everyone at the club is looking forward to a good performance in the league.

Club officials and coaching staff are quietly confident that the restructure will make the club stronger in the future as it is often healthy and necessary to refresh and rejuvenate and this is what has happened at Rovers since the end of last season. No pain, no gain as the saying goes!

The alliance between the Hoops and Eircom Premier League Shamrock Rovers FC in Dublin has already given benefit to one young Perth lad (with Irish parents) who has been training with the League of Ireland side after a referral from Rovers in Perth. The club can offer this access to European football for any lad who shows the right level of talent whilst playing for Rovers (Perth)

Michael Manning President Shamrock Rovers

The club has a new official facebook page which is the only club sanctioned outlet for information on the club and it’s activities. At the time of going to print with this article the club website was undergoing a revamp and a strong squad had been signed up for the State League, the Amateurs had commenced pre season training and the Socials and Masters teams were recruiting players.

The State League side will play all home league games at Harold Rossiter Park main pitch and the Amateurs will play on a new pitch to be provided by the Town of Victoria Park. This will ensure better maintenance of the facility over the whole season.

The club is immensely grateful once again to the CFMEU who have returned Mick Manning President as sponsor for another Shamrock Rovers FC year. The assistance of sponsors who provide an invaluable injection of funds allows the club to maintain a competitive edge albeit on a very tight budget NEW sponsors are always needed and anyone reading this should at least consider joining the club as a season ticket (200 Club) member for a low cost of $100 per season.

Finally the club will take part in the St Patricks Day Parade and will be assisted by Club Sponsors Burswood OPEL who are providing a vehicle for the event. Come along and see us there and join up as a member if you want.

Bill Byrne, Secretary 0439 953 957 bill.byrne@hotmail.com

www.shamrockrovers.com.au 92

the past 6 months we have purchased a new CX300C 30 Tonne Excavator, a CX55Bx 5 Tonne Excavator, a SR220 and a SR200 Skid Steer Loader. We also have a Mini Excavator CX36B and a 13 Tonne Excavator CX130B on order.”

Construction Machinery

Phone Steve direct

0408 940 265

9475 1600 547 Grt Eastern Hwy, Redcliffe WA 6104

KARRATHA MACHINERY HIRE EMPLOY CASE FLEET Owners of Karratha Machinery Hire (KMH) Phil (Banjo) and Tammie Patterson are thrilled with their new Case Fleet.

Phil said, “Our fleet was aging and with our expansion we were looking for new blood. We looked at a range of brands and we found that the Case Construction range is well suited to our requirements as a hire company. In

He noted that, “McIntosh & Son have an excellent reputation of providing high quality products with great back up support and customer service”.

“We are immensely happy with our new machines. They are durable, comfortable and easy to operate, which is great for our customers. The service provided by the McIntosh & Son team is second to none. The staff are friendly, easy going and extremely helpful. We couldn’t be happier”.

For more information on the Case Construction Equipment range contact Steve O’Dowd, Case Sales Specialist, McIntosh & Son on 0408 940 264 or email on steve.o@mcintoshandson.com.au .

www.mcintoshandson.com.au

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St Gabriel’s Hurling Club “New Members Welcome” to join contact.

Hurling: Steve 0408 940 265 Camogie: Bronagh 0405 582 123 Facebook: St. Gabriels Hurling WA

Our Major Sponsors:

www.periaus.com.au monford

www.monfordgroup.com

www.paddo.com.au

Welcome to Another Season With the first year of the clubs establishment in the past, St.Gabriel’s GAA Club is looking forward to their next in the year ahead. Preseason has kicked off with the hurlers currently preparing for their defence of the Tom Hickey 7’s, with training on Saturdays in Yokine Reserve. Camogie training has commenced on Wednesdays in Langley Park at 6.30pm before both teams return in Mid-March to our training ground in Wembley Downs.

We would like to thank everyone who supported our annual fundraiser and congratulate the winners on the night.

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A special mention goes out to Gemma Seward and Clodagh Glynn who will be representing St. Gabriels in the upcoming White Collar Boxing Tournament.

Upcoming Events: Camogie bonding mystery tour on April 6th with details of the event at training.

Email: stgabs@yahoo.com.au.

Find us on Facebook Club Contacts – Stephen O’Dowd 04088940265 Ronan Kilroy 0439979237 John Loughnane 0420597736 Damien Madden 0748137000

Irish Business Contacts / index

Page: accountants: 33 UHY Haines-Norton Tel: 9340 3748 baggage (unaccompanied) 73 Exportair Tim 9477 1080 builders: 11 Dempsey Homes Tel: 9275 1304 Butchers 64 Northside Meats Tel: 9249 8039 70 Meat Connoisseur Tel: 9309 9992 CAFE/DELI: 60 Donovans of Floreat - Phone 0450 319 320 31 Mrs O’Brien’s Irish Chipper Tel: 9388 6669 ZigZag Cafe Kalamunda Anthony 0407982442 73 Taste32 Mt Hawthorn - 0448 328 112 Car Retailers: 43 John Hughes, Vic Park - Tel: 9415 0110 celebrant: 56 Marian Bryne Tel: 0410 345 224 61 Lorna Aylward Tel: 0419 926 830 chemist: 25 Friendlies Leederville Tel: 9444 8219 civil engineers: 35 Neo Infrastructure Tel: 0407475033 computer services 80 MCN Technology Nick 0424 515 337 construction & machinery: 93 McIntosh & Son Tel: 9475 1600 Monford Construction & Mining 94 Peri Tel: 9309 8700 Counselling Fiona Carberry, Counselling Psychologist carberrycounselling@westnet.com.au Tel: 0439 549 481 dental: 14, 63 Smile Professionals Tel 9451 1200 employment: Skills Shortage Solutions Tel: 9275 4460 44 Final Trim Operators Tel: 1300 083 599 electrical 71 Iluka Electrice Tom Bowe 0422 440 588 Entertainment: “DublinUp” - Frank Glackin Tel: 0412 987 142 Brendan Woods Tel: 0448 399 928 Celtic Spirit Dancers Tel: 0401 340 229 Fiddlestick - David MacConnell 0413 259 547 Them Little Secrets: Fiona Rea 0404 831 445 FENCING: PJ Malone Fencing - Tel: 9401 7660 Finance/advice: 61 The Loans Café-Nik Silsby Tel: 0402 284594

Liberty Finance Shelley Winters 0407992646 Freight Handlers: 73 Exportair - Tim Hawdon Tel: 9477 1080 Funerals: 90 Hetherington Funerals Tel: 9459 2846 McKee Family Funerals Tel: 9401 1900 furniture: Celtic Swan Gallery Tel: 9296 0728 6 First in Furniture Joondalup Tel: 9300 9010 house inspections: 12 Housemaster Inspections: Tel: 0405 632391 garage doors: Buckley’s Garage Doors Tel 0425 125 889 immigration advice: 23 Carol-Ann Lynch 0402 514 741 9 ASC Migration Tel: 93015905 81 Gallagher Migration: Ciaran 041 449 8910 11 Settle in Australia Tel: Raj 0432938542 Irish Heritage: 86 AIHA Denis Bratton (08) 9345-3530 Irish Dancing: 38 Siobhan Cummins 0422 075 300 Irish Food: 1 Taste Ireland Sydney - Tel: 02 9386 5522 Irish embassy (canberra): (02) 6214 0000 Jewellers: Albens Master Jewellers Tel: 9325 6318 Sean Carroll online: seancarroll.com.au Siopa an Caislean www.royalirelandgifts.com Mechanics / car sales: 1 Killarney Autos - Neil Lenihan 0439 996 764 56 BVM Autos - Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501 Music: Zenith Music, Claremont Tel: 9383 1422 Music Schools: Cottage School of Music Tel: 9312 2200 plasterer: Plaster Master - Tony Tel: 0415 748 774 plumbing: Phone John 0407 920 044 Pubs, Clubs & restaurants: 68 Bailey Bar & Grill Joondalup Tel: 9300 0633 88 Breakwater, Hillarys Tel: 9448 5000 30,47,50,78 Carnegies, Perth Tel: 9481 3222 56 Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299 62 Durty Nelly’s, Perth Tel: 9226 0233 3 Fenian’s / Novotel, Perth Tel: 9221 1200 Friar Tuck’s, Wannanup Tel: 9534 4788 90 Irish Club of WA, Subiaco Tel: 9381 5213

21 59 16 51 53 26 2 39

JB O’Reilly’s, Leederville Tel: 9382 4555 Kingsley Tavern, Tel: 9409 6767 Mooney’s Irish Sandwich Bar Tel: 9221 4872 Paddy Maguire’s, Subiaco Tel: 9381 8400 Paddy Malone’s Joondalup: Tel: 9300 9966 Rosie O’Grady’s Fremantle Tel: 9335 1645 Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge Tel: 9328 1488 Sweetlips Leederville Tel: 9242 5745 & Fremantle Tel: 9430 6902 10 The Mighty Quinn, Tuart Hill Tel: 9349 9600 40, 41 The Cure Northbridge Tel: 9227 9055 13 The Shed, Northbridge Tel: 9228 2200 36 Voyage Kitchen Tel: 9447 2443 28 Woodvale Tavern, Woodvale 9309 4288 29 Woodbridge Hotel, Guildford Tel: 9377 1199 Real Estate: 20 Professionals Kelly Team YokineTel: 9344 5544 O’Rourke Realty - Rory 9341 6611 Rose of Tralee: 43 Jessica Tel: 0402 427 709 SAFES: Tri-Star Safe Co. Tel: 94937911 Solar power: Town & Country Tel: 9403 6430 Solicitors & Legal: 32 Kavanagh Lawyers

Marty Kavanagh Tel: 0430 960 859 Sport - Clubs and Information: 91 Celtic Supporters’ Club Jon Tel: 9328 1488 87-89 GAA - Rob O’Callagahan 0407 421 224 92 Shamrock Rovers - Bill Tel: 0439 953 957 93 St Finbarrs Gaelic FC - Sean 0415 150 826 94 St Gabriel’s Hurling Club -Stephen 04088940265 90 Irish Golf Club of WA Martin 0419934681 THEATRE: 57 Irish Theatre Players-Ivan 0417 903 256 training: 59 CertPlus Training Tel: 9278 2531 Travel & Tourism: 69 British Travel - Jenny Allen Tel: 9388 3114 5 Flightworld Michael Deering Tel: 9322 2914 Tourism Ireland, Sydney Tel: 02 9299 6177 tyres, batteries, brakes wheels: 14 Tyrepower: Perth City - Fiona: Tel: 9322 2214 WEDDING RECEPTIONS: 56 The Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299 welfare (irish): Claddagh Association Joan Tel: 0403 972 265 Wines: Acolade Wines Damian McCague 0418 909 205

The Irish Scene

Publisher/Advertising: Fred Rea 0418 943 832 Editor: Lloyd Gorman 0479 047 250 - gormanlloyd@hotmail.com Proof Reading: Jack Cullen and Imelda Gorman 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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Come and sample our great new menu...

There’s even a few desserts to choose from!

See the website for details www.irishclubofwa. com.au

Pie & Pint Night Every Thursday All welcome to join in.

Full Irish Breakfast served from 8.30 to 10.30am $20 per person or $27 with a pint of Magners Bookings Essential 9381 5213

Entertainment (downstairs only)

Bar Food served upstairs from noon to 7pm

• Kevin Conway from 11am to 2pm • Clover from 2.30 to 5.30pm • Irish DJ from 6pm until late • Irish Dancers will appear at regular intervals all day

Book your Function at the Club!

Contact the club on 93815213.

3 function rooms and can cater for up to 200 people!

Full bar and catering options are available.

Facebook ‘irishclub western australia’

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh

From the President, Committee and Staff of the Irish Club OPENING HOURS & ACTIVITIES

MONDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late / Comhaltas - Music Lessons & Set Dancing from 8.00pm followed by the Seisiun TUESDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late WEDNESDAY: Bar open 4pm THURSDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late / Pint and Pie Night / Music session 8.00pm FRIDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late / Kitchen open 5.30pm - 9.00pm SATURDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late / Kitchen open 5.30pm - 8.30pm SUNDAY: Bar open 4pm to Late / Kitchen open 5.30pm-8.30pm / Music from 6.30pm

61 Townshend Road, Subiaco, WA 6008

Tel: +61 8 9381 5213 Fax: 9381 9764 irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au www.irishclubofwa.com.au 96