Irish Scene November December 2015

Registered with Australia Post PP100003914

Western Australia’s

www.irishscene.com.au

Volume 18 Number 1 November/December 2015

Mark O’Brien Workhouse Women

Bell Foundation Lending a Hand

IN

ITP AWARD W

Belle of Cork REVISITED

Brian Corr

Ambassador/ Consul

...off to Tassie

Christmas Messages

Sean DALY

Anne Carey DJ The

Irish Club President

Wonder Trotter

Marguerite’s Christmas Recipes

Medical Warrior

We said goodbye on the Cliffs of Moher, in a fleeting glance love passed us by.

As the sun was merging with the ocean and disappearing from the sky.

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Mrs Brolly’s Confectionary Tel 0497105763 JEWELLERS: 6 Master Jewellers: Graham Tighe 0414309274 MECHANICS: 1 Killarney Autos - Neil Lenihan 0439 996 764 59 BVM Autos - Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501 PUBS, CLUBS & RESTAURANTS: 94 An Sibin Tel: 9328 8930 92 Breakwater, Hillarys Tel: 9448 5000 Carnegies, Perth Tel: 9481 3222 47 Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299 Danny Murphy’s Bar & Grill 9342 4818 12 Durty Nelly’s, Perth Tel: 9226 0233 Friar Tuck’s, Wannanup Tel: 9534 4788 96 Irish Club of WA, Subiaco Tel: 9381 5213 JB O’Reilly’s, Leederville Tel: 9382 4555 Paddy Maguire’s, Subiaco Tel: 9381 8400 38 Paddy Malone’s Joondalup Rosie O’Grady’s Fremantle Tel: 9335 1645 2 Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge Tel: 9328 1488 13 The Mighty Quinn, Tuart Hill Tel: 9349 9600 30 The Cure Northbridge Tel: 9227 9055 The Skye Bar, Northbridge Tel: 9228 2200 Voyage Kitchen Tel: 9447 2443 Woodvale Tavern, Woodvale 9309 4288 56 Woodbridge Hotel, Guildford Tel: 9377 1199 REAL ESTATE: 42 O’Rourke Real Estate Tel: 9341 6611 16 Professionals Kelly Team YokineTel: 9344 5544 ROOF PLUMBING Mick’s Maintenance 0418 917 050 SHOE REPAIR / NEW SHOES: 57 Reids Bootmakers: Tel 9361 5301 SOLICITORS & LEGAL: 15 Equitas Lawyers Tel: 9228 2881 9, 83 Kavanagh Lawyers - Tel: 0430 960 859 SPORT - CLUBS AND INFORMATION: 91 GAA - Barney McKenna 0408 904 419 95 Irish Golf Club of WA Martin 0419934681 90 Shamrock Rovers 93 St Gabriel’s Hurling Club THEATRE: 65 Irish Theatre Players TRAVEL & TOURISM: 32 British Travel - Jenny Allen Tel: 9285 8182 5 Flightworld Michael Deering Tel: 9322 2914 TYRES, BATTERIES, BRAKES WHEELS: 31 Tyrepower: Perth City - Fiona: Tel: 9322 2214 WEDDING RECEPTIONS / FUNCTIONS: 47 The Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Helen Keller

I am looking forward to the next 12 months in the Irish community in WA. Why, you might ask?

As a result of recent AGMs, there is a lot of new blood participating in leadership roles in community organisations and clubs. For some time there has been a lack of “getting involved” but this is changing. The Claddagh Association, Comhaltas and the Irish Club all have some new (and younger) faces getting involved. I am sure that this is the case with other groups as well... a very healthy situation!

What can we do to help? I suggest giving them encouragement, sharing constructive ideas and being positive.

I know Irish Club president Sean Daly is very keen to hear from the Irish community on ideas to take the club forward and not just from club members.

Please encourage these leaders and put your hand up if you can help.

As Helen Keller put it, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

To all our contributors, advertisers, readers and supporters thank you and we wish you and yours a wonderful Christmas and an even better 2016.

Fred Rea, Publisher

THE IRISH SCENE

Publisher/Advertising: Fred Rea 0418 943 832 Editor: Lloyd Gorman 0479 047 250 - gormanlloyd@hotmail.com Proof Reading: Jack Cullen, Imelda Gorman and Colin Merrey Publisher: Gaelforce Promotions, 12 Dysart Court, Kingsley WA 6026 Email: fred@irishscene.com.au Tel/Fax 9309 3167 www.irishscene.com.au Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by contributors in articles, reproduced articles, advertisements or any other printed material contained in Irish Scene magazine or on www.irishscene.com.au are those of the individual contributors or authors and as such are not necessarily those of Gaelforce Promotions. The publisher and editor reserve the right to accept, reject, edit or amend submitted material in order to make it appropriate or suitable for publication. Irish Scene welcomes submissions, ideas and suggestions for articles and features as well as photographs of events happening around and within the Irish community in Western Australia.

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LOOKING BACK AND MOVING FORWARD Long term friends of Irish Scene and too many others, Brian and Julia Corr will soon trade life in Perth for another part of their adopted and beloved Australia, Tasmania. As they prepare to take on the next stage of their lives together Brian reflects on life before Australia. Good luck on the journey and may the wind always be on your back!

I grew up in the last era of large Irish families - the second-eldest of fourteen - in Johnstown, 20 miles south of Dublin; a village steeped in history. The first skirmish in the 1798 rebellion was led by Michael Reynolds from Johnstown. The Sixth Earl of Mayo, (google ‘Pickled Earl Johnstown’), is buried there. The house I was reared in, is favourably mentioned in William Makepeace Thackerey’s 1843 ‘The Irish Sketch Book’: “... these are smart enough, especially that of Johnstown, near Lord’s Mayo’s fine domain, where the houses are of the Gothic sort, with pretty porches, creepers, and railings ...”

The great Irish leader, John Devoy, architect of the escape of six Fenians from Fremantle Prison, was from Johnstown.

From age four, we walked two miles to school and two miles back.

Large classes, good teachers, good memories. We played conkers, marbles, and football. We ‘tickled’ trout.

We set up a race course in a stream, with rapids and waterfalls, to race tins. We also worked hard, drawing

The Corr Family

water, collecting firewood, churning butter, turning hay, and other jobs around a small farm.

I went to Naas CBS; the class of ‘69. Again, large classes, good teachers, and good memories and Gaelic football! Lots of Gaelic Football.

This was the golden era for Naas CBS, winning a number of titles, both county and provincial. A special memory is winning the Leinster Colleges Under-17 Football Final in 1966; I had just turned 15 and scraped onto the team. I remember training hard for the annual school sports, winning the mile in ‘68, the shot and high jump in ‘69. I played minor for Devoy’s, Junior-A and -B for Sallins and, later, soccer for a Naas team, with some time as player-manager. When I met Julia in the mid-70’s, I joined her tennis club and played in Rathmines and Clontarf, then later in Australia. I ran in a number of ‘City to Surf’ races - Bi-centennial Sydney to Bondi in 1988, and three in Perth in the ‘90’s. Eventually, my knees gave up and had to be replaced. Now I tread gently, dreaming of zimmer frames!

Many from our village joined the Army Reserve (FCA) at 13, with a few of us finishing the five-year stint shortly after reaching the official joining age. Army camps were an annual highlight. At 14, I joined

4

the Naas Boxing Club and spent a couple of years being bashed about.

I have one silver plate for my efforts.

I have great memories of the Showband scene. Big dance halls, like Lawlor’s Ballroom in Naas. And beat groups like the Bye Laws. And

Brian Corr with Michael Collin’s Sliabh na mBan in 1997

heavy band Skid Row with Gary Moore and Phil Lynott, playing in Newbridge. Planxty, a Kildare band, came along and revolutionised Irish music. Then Thin Lizzy made us all proud to be Irish on the world music scene.

Chadwicks Builders Providers paid for my time studying computing at Trinity College, Dublin. I spent over 10 years with them, the last five years as software manager. We were the first business in Ireland to move terminals from the back-office to the counters, operated by sales staff. In 1983, I moved to the Brooks Thomas Group as computer manager and set up their computer systems from scratch, in Dublin, Cork, and Sligo, using software imported from the UK and adapted to suit front-counter usage. In 1987, I was

From

1930

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*

Thank you Brian for your support of the Irish/Australian community in Western Australia. You have always been a great supporter of the Irish Scene and always there when the computer needed a tweak! Tasmania will be all the better for having you both and it won’t be long before Julia finds a Bridge club. Enjoy, my friends and put the kettle on.

Fred Rea and staff WE LLIN GTO NS RRA T YS T

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Kings Pa rk Rd

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Fly to Dublin?

noon to 3pm.

Western Australia has been good to us; a great place to rear our children and be involved in community activities. We’ve made some lasting friendships through schools, business, and within the Irish community. The Irish community in Perth has been ever-active and interesting. As we head east to be closer to our children (first grandchild on the way!), Julia and I take this opportunity to say ‘Thank you’ for all your help, support, and friendship, over the years.

in S

Patrick’s Parade committee (in its Fremantle days), Liwara Catholic School P&F (including as chairman and Fete Co-ordinator), Goolellal Primary School Board as well as the Joondalup Business Association and Small Business Centre NWM, both as secretary.

I was a member of the State Executive of the Australian Republican Movement for a couple of years up to the referendum in 1999. It was a disappointing result after so much hard work. In 2006, I was elected a Councillor in the City of Joondalup; re-elected twice since then. In 2013, I ran for state parliament. Ouch!

Joe Crozier (R.I.P.) introduced me to the world of radio presenting, initially at Curtin 100.1FM and, later, at Fremantle Radio 107.9FM. Both stations are brilliant to be around.

Frank Murphy took over the Fremantle program some years ago on Saturday mornings, from 7 to 9am.

I’ve been at Curtin FM for close to 18 years - Sunday night 9pm to midnight, and every second Friday,

Col

approached by the same UK company, resulting in Julia, myself and our three young boys, moving to Australia to set up their systems in 16 branches in Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. In late 1989, during the pilots’ strike, we drove from Sydney to Perth to take up a three year contract to computerise WA’s country hospitals, using the same computer language. I have great memories of some WA country towns. When this ended, I bought a business, software for settlement agents, which I re-wrote and built to be No.1 in Western Australia, and with clients in New Zealand and the Northern Territory. Three years ago, I sold this business and went into semi-retirement.

Down the years, I have been a committee member of the Irish Australian Business Association, including some time as President and likewise, with the Australian Irish Heritage Association (AIHA), including as President in 2002 and 2003. Other committees include St.

Malcolm St

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Treasuring Mary’s Memories

by Fred Rea

R

egular readers of the Irish Scene will no doubt be aware of our interest in history especially the Irish/Australian history.

As a result of this interest, we at times get involved both in storytelling and hands on in some of these stories. The following story about Mary Ann Taylor and the Arbour Hill connection will, I am sure, be of interest to you.

In the 2009 County Galway Heritage Awards, Sarah and Valerie Kinsella were nominated for their outstanding leadership in local and heritage affairs in Castleblakeney, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. They have been very much involved in the conservation and restoration (to best heritage practice) of the local Church of Ireland building since 1999. This is now the Castleblakeney Heritage Centre.

My wife, Lilly and I were indeed honoured to be invited by Valerie to the heritage centre during our recent visit to Ireland for the handing over of the Mary Ann Taylor travel box. The Travel Box was the idea of Mark O’Brien and he coordinated the project with prisoners from the

Blessing of Box in Castleblakeney

Arbour Hill Prison.

I am indebted to Bill Marwick for bringing the story of his ancestor, Mary Ann Taylor to our pages in a previous edition. Just to recap, Mary Ann travelled to Western Australia from the Mountbellew Workhouse

ARBOUR HILL PRISON WORKSHOP: L-R: Fred Rea, Michael Blanch, Mark O’Brien and Michael Blanch Jnr

in County Galway. She arrived in Fremantle on board the Palestine sailing ship in 1853 just three years after the first convict ship had arrived at the colony. By this time (1850) some 4,175 orphan girls from workhouses across Ireland had already been sent to the eastern colonies. On her ship were 232 passengers, 115 unmarried Irish women, including Mary Ann. It had sailed from Plymouth and taken 155 days and was often a rough passage - and was even feared lost at one point. During the 22 week long voyage there were 12 deaths and six babies born.

No doubt glad to be off the ship and back on solid ground Mary Ann walked the 60 miles to Toodyay through bushland. The arrival of the Palestine was recorded in a Perth newspaper in this way: “The single women by the Palestine, most of whom are from Ireland, have many of them been already engaged in private service at about £12 per annum; few of them have been ever before in service, but the good temper and willingness to do their best and be instructed in household duties, evidenced by those Irish girls who arrived in the Travancore, has created quite an impression in their favour. The present importation consists of about sixty fine strong health young women”.

So now you know the story of Mary Ann and it was a surprise to me when we arrived in Castleblakeny on a warm summer’s day in Ireland for the handing over of this symbolic memory of a great lady.

Valerie made us very welcome and soon proceed-

7

ings were under way.

Following a welcome by Valerie, The local Monsignor blessed the box with the following beautiful and poignant words….

“Heavenly Father, we ask you to bless these boxes, bless those who used the original versions of the boxes on their way to Australia.

Bless their families, their progeny.

Bless those who made these boxes and bless us all and keep the memory of bad times as well as good, alive in our hearts. And especially going over some of the biographies about people who went to Australia, most of whom were identified as convicts.

We know that in a more enlightened system of government they would not be convicts at all so it is kind of symbolic that prisoners made these replicas of the type of luggage that Mary-Ann and the others brought with them on their journey so far away in those times. Bless all people from this country who emigrated and who never got the chance of coming back”.

Mark O’Brien is an assistant chief officer in the Irish Prison Service and he joined the prison service in 1989. He is currently working in the Arbour

Hill Prison in Dublin.

Mark said, “It is a very small prison and probably one of the best prisons to work in the country by virtue of the fact that we don’t have weapons and it’s a peaceful place of work.

There is very little intimidation and that is basically down to the fact that they are long term prisoners who just want to go in there, settle down and do their time”.

About five years ago Mark was lucky enough to make the trip to Australia to visit his sister Paula and her husband Des Kavanagh and while there, met yours truly, Fred Rea. I was involved in the Christina Henri “Roses from the Heart” bonnet making project at the time and Mark helped the project by arranging for the Arbour Hill prisoners, prisoners from other institutions and their families to make bonnets for the project. This was very successful and it ended with a very successful handing over of the bonnets along with other art effects made by the prisoners.

During the handing over of the bonnets at Arbour Hill, I introduced Mark to Michael Blanch who is the founder of the CCIFV (Committee for the Commemoration of the Irish Famine Victims). Mark told the gathering in Castleblakeney, “Michael has worked tirelessly for the past number of years to get our government to recognise the various ways in which people were affected because of the famine. These poor peo-

Mark O’Brien speaking at the handing over of the Travel Box in Castleblakeney.

ple, between having nowhere to actually live, to going into work houses, going in coffin ships to America and travelling to far off Australia. As a result of that he basically shamed the government into setting a date to commemorate the National Famine Memorial Day. From May 2016, the second Sunday in May will now be designated as the world Irish National Famine Remembrance Day”.

Well done Michael.

Since that time Mark and Michael have kept in touch and the situation of the Irish workhouses arose in conversation. Mark said, “Through the prison service we wanted a symbol we could use. There are no original travel boxes in existence so we didn’t know exactly what the boxes looked like. There were at the time,

Victorian travel boxes which came a little later. We knew the boxes were twenty two inches long and fourteen inches by fourteen inches. We were not too sure if they had a round top or flat top but because they were made either in individual workhouses or local towns and so on, they probably looked different from place to place”. So Mark took hold of the project and with the support of the Prison Services went about making these travel boxes.

Mark added, “We have six boxes made at the moment, the first one going here for Mary Anne Taylor.

Through Fred Rea I found out about Bill Marwick and what he had done.

Unfortunately I came in on the back end of it as Bill was here six years ago. Bill hopes to be back in Ireland

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in 2017. Mary-Ann Taylor’s story is fantastic. She was made destitute by the fact that her parents died in the famine. As a result of that she had nowhere to live and had to go into the workhouses and chose to make a life for herself in Australia when they were given the chance. The great thing about the Mary Ann Taylor story is that we know it from start to finish. It is not very often that we can track them from this side because a lot of the records were burned in a fire in the Customs House in the 1920s. According to Bill Marwick, there are a lot of Australians who, twenty or thirty years ago did not want to know about their convict ancestors. It is popular to have a convict ancestor and this will probably be helpful because records were kept in Australia”.

What Mark has organised for Mary Ann Taylor is nothing short of amazing and with the support of the CCIFV, it is hoped that one of these boxes will be placed in each of the Workhouse museums in Ireland.

The work has spread far and wide and now there is interest in America for one of the boxes.

I suggested to Mark that maybe we should have one in Western Aus-

tralia and he agreed. An exact replica Mary Ann Taylor Travel Box has been made and on the 15th of May, 2016 it is planned to have the box presented to the York Museum. Plans for the Day are happening as I write and more details will follow in future editions of the Irish Scene.

Why do we continue to run stories like Mary Ann’s? Because it is very important that we know the truth behind what happened in the past, people often use inaccurate depictions to promote their own agenda, and without knowledge of history, how would you know?

Award for Mark O’Brien and Irish Prison Service On Friday October 30th a special Certificate of Recognition from the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Críona Ní Dhálaigh and the CCIFV was presented on behalf of the Irish People home and abroad to show gratitude to Mark O’Brien and the Irish Prison Service for the tireless work in remembering Mna Na hEierann who contributed so much to building societies and countries around the world during the Hunger Years of The Great Irish Famine and many years after. It was presented on the same day another Travel Box was presented on board the Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship, moored in Dublin. Congratulations Mark from all your Australian friends, well deserved!

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Incarnate Honesty (Part Two)

By Peter Conole

W

ithin five years of the establishment of the colony of Western Australia William Mackie’s fortunes again took a turn for the better. Governor Stirling and his Council established a Civil Court in February 1832. It dealt with a broad range of civil disputes, managed probate issues for deceased people and appointed guardians for vulnerable folk such as infants and the mentally deranged.

Yet another Irishman (the term will be used three more times in this piece), George Fletcher Moore, was appointed first Judge of the Civil Court. Colonial financial problems led to restructuring in July, 1834. William Mackie, already Chairman of the Court of Quarter Sessions, was made Commissioner of the Civil Court in place of Moore.

That meant Mackie was the only judge in the colony and for the next 23 years he was our senior man in dealing with both civil and criminal matters. Moore’s consolation prize was to be given Mackie’s former position of Advocate General, with a suitable salary, a just result for a gentleman who was also both competent and honest.

At the time there were no suitable court buildings in the colony and Governor Stirling dug up the funds to set things to right a couple of years later. In 1836 the colonial architect Henry Reveley planned and supervised the construction of the old Perth Court house, still the most antique public building in Perth. The attached image reveals it as an elegant structure in the classical style.

The Court House opened for business in February 1837, with Mackie presiding over a Court of Quarter Sessions. In May 1837 the building took on another role as the colonial church where members of the faithful (which basically meant all of the settlers in and around Perth) could gather and worship at appropriate times with the

guidance of the local chaplain. He was the Reverend John Wittenoom, another dependable friend of the Judge.

For the record, William Mackie was a staunch member of the Church of England. So was another close friend, the gallant, efficient but blunt Frederick Irwin (yetanother-Irishman), Commandant of the soldiery in WA and Governor from 1847 to 1848. They both obtained shared or separate land holdings around the colony.

Because of the spread of settlement throughout the Swan and Avon valleys they decided in 1838 to donate land for a suitable place of worship. That resulted in the building of All Saints Church on the Upper Swan valley site where Governor Stirling had camped in his furthest inland exploration journey years before. The church is the oldest in WA. Mackie was fond of the area and built a cottage nearby.

William Mackie had to work very hard in the built-up areas such as Perth and Fremantle as he was now the only judge in WA. He became a non-official member of the Governor’s Legislative Council in 1841. Henceforward he operated within the innermost circle of WA officialdom for the rest of his working life. His reputation spread through the other Australian colonies. In the early 1840s the Governor of South Australia offered him the position of Advocate General in that fairly new outpost of Empire. Mackie refused, a pleasing result for citizens of the west.

The public liked William Mackie’s style. As a magistrate he concentrated on trying to get civil disputes resolved by direct, moderated negotiation between contending parties without expensive recourse to court proceedings. That deprived lawyers of income but pleased ordinary citizens no end. In criminal matters he was tolerant and inclined to

10

The Old Court House, Perth

‘second chance’ rulings which could encourage offenders to change their ways. In the words of one local press assessment of him from May 1847: “he is unanimously declared to be an upright judge and a truly conscientious man”.

Things did not always work out well and sometimes laws of the day allowed no soft options. The hard edge of justice was on display in 1844. A year or two before then the first Parkhurst Boys arrived in WA. They were part of a benevolent but fragile package devised by prison reformers and philanthropists in Britain. By the 1840s in the world city of London, lacking as it did a modern array of social safety nets, male juvenile crime had become a serious issue. Some prison reform programmes helped, such as the opening of Parkhurst Prison for young offenders in 1838.

The decision was made to send selected youthful Parkhurst offenders – mostly Londoners – to the colonies. In the case of WA the idea was to place them as apprentices among various families in the hope that a better home setting and workplace training would improve their lot. Senior officials of the colony helped out by accepting such lads into their households when it was possible.

Readers should disregard any recent criticisms of the scheme they come across and examine the study of Paul Buddee, which was based on very extensive archival research and published back in 1984. John Schoales (yetanother-Irishman, from Dublin) worked as the colonial Immigration

Agent and Government Guardian of the Parkhurst boys. In one of his reports he proclaimed the “complete success of the experiment”.

Schoales was quite right, for 350 youngsters were placed in WA and the overwhelming majority were able to change their lives for the better. Guardian John Schoales worked himself into the ground on behalf of his charges and died at an early age. His successor Frederick Wittenoom – son of Mackie’s chum the Reverend John Wittenoom – was equally successful in administering the system. As Buddee states in his classic study, in the colony of the west the two Guardians “made a success of the Parkhurst scheme, so that in Western Australia it achieved all that was proposed of it by the British Government”.

There was one great tragedy and Judge William Mackie had to preside over the finale. A Parkhurst youth named John Gavin, 15 years of age, was placed with the Pollard family of the Bannister district. He had health issues, both mental and physical, and fell prey to jealousy and general resentment. Gavin bludgeoned a boy of the Pollard family to death in his sleep and then made a sad attempt at suicide by drowning. As any Gothic novelist of the Victorian era could have told him, the hardest being to destroy is yourself. Gavin was arrested and charged with murder.

William Mackie presided over a hearing before a full bench of magistrates at the Court of Quarter Sessions on March 4, 1844.The case against the wretched lad was overwhelming and was confirmed by his post-trial confession. The death sentence was passed – whatever Mackie may have thought, no mitigating circumstances could deter the bench and laws of the day allowed no other options. John Gavin was hanged at Fremantle on April 6, 1844.

A couple of years later Mackie and his peers were confronted by the need to sort out the WA affairs of a Christian religious denomination different to their own. The Catholic Church expanded in the colony from the late 1830s

onwards and Bishop John Brady (yet-another-Irishman, from County Cavan) arrived to take up an episcopate in Perth in 1846. He brought with him a dozen priests and various nuns and catechists.

The famous Dom Rosendo Salvado (of New Norcia fame) was already a popular and respected figure in the colony.

Those early years of the Catholic Church in WA were fraught with both financial and personal problems that eventually required legal intervention. Joseph Serra visited the Vatican, was also made a bishop and then sent back to lead the WA catholic community. Brady would not give way. Judge Mackie had to intervene quite firmly and make a key legal decision. In October 1850, recognising the strength of Vatican backing, he ruled that Serra was the rightful Bishop of Perth.

Unfortunately Brady proved to be stubborn and the squabble dragged on from over two years. It degenerated to physical confrontation and scuffles between the two bishops and their respective supporters in February 1852. Archbishop John Polding then came over from Sydney and persuaded Brady to recognise Mackie’s legal ruling and the standing of Bishop Serra.

By the early 1850s William Mackie’s always frail health was in terminal decline. After one bout of illness he decided to retire. At that point numerous colonial officials

All Saints Church, built 1838 -1841

in WA got together and drafted a petition to the British Government asking that some ‘great mark of favour’ be granted to Mackie. They described him as “a man who was held in high esteem by all sections of the community as well for his public conduct as for his private character and standing”. The colonial office was generous and William received a solid annual pension of 400 pounds.

He did not have long to enjoy himself. William spent most of the next few years in his Upper Swan valley cottage and died in November 1860. His grave lies close by All Saints Church.

Following the Claddagh Association AGM the following were eleced to the new committee President - Joan Ross Vice President - Liz O’Hagan Treasurer - Eadaoin Clancy Secretary - Heather McKeegan Seniors Project - Joe Carroll Committee - Tom Quinn, Neil Rahill, Kevin Brady, Ciaran McKeown

11

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Mighty Quinn The Luckless Leprechaun 112 Wanneroo Road, Tuart Hill

by Lloyd Gorman

A 9.85 metre long Hartley cabin cruiser called Leprechaun was in desperate need of a new owner recently.

The Department of Transport (DoT) issued a tender document calling for the purchase and removal of the vessel named after the famous mythical Irish figure.

“The Leprechaun was removed from a private mooring in the Swan River North Fremantle mooring zone in March 2015,” the tender papers stated. “The DoT is offering the vessel for sale under a court order and all offers are invited for the purchase of this vessel...[It] will be required to be removed from a [DoT] mooring at the Marine Operations Centre, Fremantle when [the tender is] awarded”.

The story behind the Leprechaun is not known but perhaps an Irish Scene reader knows something of its history and could share it with us for the next edition.

Was it named by an Irish owner or someone who had a windfall and bought the boat they always dreamed about? We might never know the genesis of the name but whatever optimism that was originally attached to the boat would seem to have disappeared a long time ago. The registration of the timber built cruiser lapsed at the end of November last year and from the looks of the hull and rest of the vessel it has been some time since any attention or maintenance was lavished on her.

For more than two weeks across September and October Leprechaun was made available for inspection by prospective buyers who were told it was compulsory to make a visit if they were to buy her. Its not known if anyone came to see the boat but even if they did there were no offers made and the authorities were left with no option but to scrap her.

“Merry Christmas Mary” said the priest “And to you Father” replied Mary. “Just to let you know Father, I have decided to prepare my will with two final requests”.

“First, I want to be cremated, and second, I want my ashes scattered over the counter at O’Donoghue’s Pub. ‘A Pub’ the priest exclaimed.

‘Why a Pub?’ he asked!

‘Then Father I’ll know for sure that me old fella Mick will visit me every day.’

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Entertainment Guide & Specials November – December 2015

Mondays Mighty Monday Curry Specials $19.50 Tuesdays Chicken Parmigiana Night $18.00 Wednesday Quiz Night (Free entry, giveaways & cash prizes) Quiz starts 8pm – 10pm + Steak Night : Porterhouse Steak / chips & salad garnish for only $13.90 Thursdays Pasta Night $18.00 Fridays The Mighty Slider Night $18.50 Music from 7pm Jonny Reid: Frid Nov 6 13 20 & 27 Nov & Dec 4 11 & 18 Saturday Surf & Turf Night $34.00 Porterhouse Steak served with Crumbed Prawns, Chips, Salad & your choice of sauce.

Saturday Live Music from 8pm 7 Nov Lost Backpackers, 14 Nov = Barney 21 Nov Lost Backpackers, 28 Nov = Barney 5 Dec Lost Backpackers, 12 Dec = Barney 19 Dec & 26 Dec (Boxing Day) Bryan Dalton

SUNDAY

Roast dinner with potato & vegetables $17.00 Sunday Entertainment: Jonny Reid from 3pm.

Traditional Irish Music Session from 7pm

Dates to Watch:

Thursday 24 Dec (Christmas Eve) Bryan Dalton 8pm Friday 25 Dec (Christmas Day. We are closed) Thurs 31 Dec (New Years Eve) Lost Backpackers 9pm Friday 1 Jan (New Years Day) Jonny Reid plays 7pm

Message from the Irish Club President Sean Daly, President of the Irish Club of Western Australia

New Faces, Fresh Ideas for Irish Club!

We recently held the AGM here at the Irish Club of WA and so another year begins – one of change and growth within the Club, I hope. It was exciting and encouraging to see some new faces step forward to become involved with the Management Committee and I look forward to working with the new committee over the coming year and implementing some changes in the club itself. On behalf of all our members, I would also like to acknowledge and thank the members of the outgoing committee for their time and contribution to the club over the past year.

Irish Scene readers who have been around Perth for a while now will remember a time when there was a lot more activity around the Irish Club throughout the week. Although

the club is still a focal point for the community for significant dates such as St Patrick’s Day, on the occasion of visits from Irish government ministers or other dignitaries, and of course is busy on big match days, in recent times an average day in the club is unfortunately pretty quiet. Both membership levels and turnover are down, and possibly there has been a level of complacency about this to this point. The top priority for the incoming committee, therefore, is to reinvigorate and boost both the level of membership and the use of the club. Throughout the previous year as President, I have been gratified to discover the enthusiasm and support still evident in the wider community for the existence of the Irish Club, so I am optimistic about its future, and, as a committee, we hope to build relationships and partnerships that will be of mutual benefit to both the club and the various groups and stake holders within our community.

So how can you help?

• Renew your membership!

• Drop in for a drink or a bite to eat now and then • Consider the Club as a venue for your next event

Get in touch! We warmly welcome your ideas and suggestions. We would also love to hear from anyone who can assist in a practical way with moving forward on refurbishing the clubrooms.

On behalf of the committee and all club members I send sincere condolences to the family of Irish Club Past President, Brian Donnelly who recently passed away.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam uasal.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Sean Daly. President

Sean Daly (President)

Dermot Costello (Vice President)

Mary McGuire Treasurer

Trevor Moriarty

Malachy McAleer

John Pitman

Nick Henihan Club Manager

Thomas (Brian) Donnelly

To the family of the recently deceased Brian Donnelly we extend our deepest sympathy.

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sunshine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall upon your fields.

And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Slán Abhaile a Chara

14

Fiona Rea

Claire Wynne

ITP Representative

Forgotten

By Michael Hannon

I met him in the local pub We stopped and talked awhile He asked how I was l getting on, And how was Erin’s Isle.

“It’s many a day since I was there myself,” He said as he shook his head.

“Letters no more, come through my door; I think they must all be dead.”

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And as he spoke I beheld a tear, Come to his tired eye, As he recalled old faces and familiar places He loved in days gone by.

At times I could see his face light up With sheer ecstasy And for a time he was oblivious To the world around – and me He dipped into his pocket And withdrew a photograph, Of a headstone in a graveyard, Bearing his mother’s epitaph ‘She sleeps beneath the Shamrock’ Was what the inscription displayed He fondly gazed upon it, But not a word was said.

It was in that crowded market-place, Amongst the noise and din That I thought there must be others, Of our fellow-countrymen Whom the world has forgotten; Left exiled and alone; For the thing that seers the heartstrings, Is to be forgotten by one’s own

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2016 ST. PATRICK’S FESTIVAL WA club here in Perth.

St Patrick’s Festival organises and manages a free community family fun day each year on or around St Patrick’s Day (17th March).

• Tug of War event proudly sponsored by Danmar Homes will be held in January and the finals to be held on March 13th at the event itself.

Parade Theme

• Golf day will be a great event for people to participate in. This date to be confirmed.

This year’s theme, ‘Let’s Make History’ draws on ‘past Irish history’ asking the question, ‘who were our ancestors over the past 100 years? We have decided on a multiyear theme and narrative of ‘past, present and future’ for the next three years. As everyone is aware next year marks a massive milestone in Irish history celebrating 100 years since the 1916 Rising in Ireland.

• Annual Table Quiz.

We Need your Help

This parade and family fun day will not be possible without funding and support from the community. Our leading media sponsor The Sunday Times provides great advertising opportunities for all sponsors of the event. Being a new committee we need your help more than ever. Big thanks to the sponsors already onboard.

Fundraising Events

• Halloween Cocktail Party being held in Helvetica in the CBD on the 30th of October.

• Gala Ball being held in the Parmelia Hilton on the 13th of February.

If you would like to become a sponsor get in touch with Rachel Rafferty rachel@stpatricksfestivalwa.com

• White Collar Boxing fundraiser. This will be held on the 4th of March and will be run with Ringside Boxing

with Synnott Tony Duffin

A man of many talents, there is nothing he has not done in his seventy years, which he just celebrated at his home with a large eclectic crowd.

What is the best memory of your life and why?

When my first daughter Colleen was born, what a joy!

How long did you go to school, what age did you finish?

I left school at fifteen and started work in our family butchers.

What sport did you play when you were young?

I liked all sports but played GAA football.

If you knew then what you know now, what would you change?

I would be a lot smarter with my money.

Did you have a hard life before you left Ireland?

No. Life was great as we had three shops in a small town.

What was your first job in Australia?

I worked in Metters in Wembley.

What is your choice of social media?

I have a Face book account that my daughter set up.

18

What is your opinion of the Irish Scene?

I like it; it’s very well presented by Fred and staff.

Does it cover a lot of your interests?

Yes, it keeps me up with all the news, and Ireland’s history.

Would you ever move from Perth?

No. I came here in 1963. I was never out of work. I love the place.

What was the best film and actor you ever saw?

I love all Liam Neeson’s films, he’s the one for me.

There are a lot of Irish pubs in Perth, what is your choice?

JB O’Reilly’s, the Irish Club and the Mighty Quinn.

How often do you use your mobile phone?

I could not do without it in my business.

If you could visit any country, where would you go?

Thailand is my first choice then back to Ireland.

from Dublin is Professor of Youth Mental Health at the University of Melbourne. He was Australian of the Year in 2010. He is just one example of the efforts of the Irish in their new

By Marie Moloney The Easter Rebellion of 1916 is today regarded as one of the more important, if not the most important event in Irish history. That was not always the case. When I was growing up in Dublin in the 1940’s and 50’s it was spoken about in hushed tones and whispers. The Rising was organised by a small group of patriots and took place on Easter Monday the 24th April 1916. Key locations in Dublin were seized and The Proclamation of Independence was read outside the General Post Office in O’Connell Street Dublin. Despite great odds, the Rising lasted for six days before being suppressed by the British.

Fifteen prominent members of the

group were executed. Ireland was never the same again. As a result of that and subsequent happenings over the next few years Ireland regained control of twenty six counties, although six still remain part of the UK. Because of all of this Ireland’s history over the past century has taken a new direction. In 2016 the 1916 rising will be commemorated in Ireland and many other countries across the world by the Irish and their descendants.

Irish migrants have been coming into Australia since the first fleet.

They have helped create the Australia we live in today. Outside of Ireland, Australia is the most Irish country in the world. The gift of people made by Ireland to Australia has over time been immeasurable.

It is understandable that its contribution to the Australian ethos has been considerable.

Thousands of young women came from Ireland to Australia in the post famine years.

Families across Australia can trace their origins back to these women. During the period of high emigration from post WW11 to the present day the Irish have been among the continual flow of migrants. Many Irish families came here as ten pound migrants. The children of these people are now contributing in all areas of society, some of them excelling in their chosen paths.

“Patrick McGorry” (above) an Irish migrant

home of choice.

Recently here in Western Australia we had a celebration of the 150th birthday of W B Yeats at Notre Dame University and also a commemoration of An Gorta Mor (The Great Famine) at the Bell Tower where the Irish National Anthem was played on the bells.

In recent years the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Leederville has attracted huge crowds. Occasions like these are tangible evidence that the Irish influence is strong in Western Australia.

In July 2014 The Hon Jimmy Deenihan was appointed as Ireland’s first Minister for the Diaspora.

The millions of Irish around the world now have a representative in Ireland. In September of this year politicians from countries around the world who are of Irish descent were in Dublin for the first Global Irish Parliamentarians’ Forum which is intended to foster Ireland’s relationship with its diaspora.

Therefore it seems right that the commemorations of 1916 here in Australia should be significant enough to reflect all of this.

Their children sing of drover’s life of Shearers and bush rangers, They learn to play our music and to dance The steps of old.

Though their hearts are in Australia, They never will be strangers To the land they left behind them, They’re the green among the gold.

From Green Among the Gold

by Steve & Ros Barnes

19

Wonderful new service for gifts to Ireland!

The Irish Gift Hub is Ireland’s newest online gift company established in 2015. They have a wide range of gifts available which are delivered to anywhere within the Republic of Ireland free of charge.

They are a family-run business which is Irish owned and based in Co. Waterford in the sunny South-East of Ireland.

The innovative idea to set up the Irish Gift Hub came from its owner Jackie, on a recent trip to Perth in January to visit her daughter Gemma. After travelling to the beautiful Margaret River region and exploring the many wineries and breweries it has to offer, Jackie and her family also visited the Margaret River Chocolate Factory.

Impressed by the wide range of Chocolates and goodies on offer, she decided to purchase gifts to bring back home to her family and friends in Ireland. “Unfortunately, when they arrived home, they discovered that the chocolates had not travelled well and had melted and fused together – the beautiful gifts were ruined”.

Jackie commented “The extremities of heat – high on the ground and low in the high altitudes of the flight had ruined our lovely gifts – a story I had actually heard numerous times from other people. With this in mind, I first had the idea to create Irish Gift Hub.” Irish Gift Hub ensure that quality chocolates and other gifts can be ordered online and arrive in perfect condition to loved ones back home - also eliminating the problem of not being able to send certain gifts such

as wines, perfumes and liquids in the post from Australia! This, coupled with the extortionate postage costs involved in posting presents from Australia to Ireland, makes Irish Gift Hub the perfect solution for all your Xmas gift ideas this year.

The Irish Gift Hub provides an easily navigated site and secure online payment service via PayPal, giving you the confidence that your purchases are protected.

The Irish Gift Hub offers a large selection of high quality gifts and hampers which can be personally selected and gift wrapped by hand, ready for delivery by AnPost direct to your friends and loved ones. The website also boasts a wide selection of Helium filled Balloons which are delivered on a bed of iridescent shredded cellophane and foil confetti - a treat to receive anytime!

Jackie ensures us, “Presentation is everything here at The Irish Gift Hub - your chosen gift is personally gift wrapped with love and care by myself and I include a hand written gift card with every order to give that personal touch.”

For all your gift ideas for both Christmas and throughout the year, take a look at The Irish Gift Hub’s webpage at www.irishgifthub.ie and find them on Facebook. They stock a wide range of gifts for all occasions including New Baby, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Congratulations, Get well soon, Valentines, Easter and many more. Spread the word among your friends and take the hassle out of sending Christmas gifts back home this year!

Jackie and the Irish Gift Hub would like to personally wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year!

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For when the Bell tolls

By Lloyd Gorman/Fred Rea

It is always a difficult and harrowing ordeal when a loved one dies, particularly when it is a young person who has passed in sudden and unexpected circumstances. But imagine how much worse the shock and grief is when the tragedy happens when they are thousands of miles from home and family in another country. Sadly that is the heartbreaking situation faced by some Irish families every year, including those of a significant number of Irish people who came to Perth and WA on the promise and hope of a new life. Faced with this terrifying prospect of what you might call the ‘knock on the door in the middle of the night’ there is at least some help here for the families in those difficult times, and more recently these helpers have had some major help themselves.

“Since 2014 we have probably had six bodies taken home to Ireland from Perth,” said Joan Ross, president of the Claddagh Association. “The cost of repatriation is typically between $8,000 and $112,000 and in every case the undertaker wants paying before the body leaves Australia, so in the past we had to try and find that money. We would use our own money and then have some fundraisers to get money ready for the next person who needed to be repatriated. Every year we apply for funding through the Emigrant Support Group programme and we will get between $10,000 and $12,000 which is purely for administrative purposes, and a little bit for our seniors programme. When Jimmy Deenihan, the Minister for the Diaspora was here he spoke to us about the work we are doing and how the number of cases we have is quite high and the number of people looking for help was putting a strain on us.”

While the minister was moved by what he heard and offered encouragement to the Claddagh (more of this later in the article) help has come from an entirely different quarter, but one with close ties to Perth.

On Sunday June 16, 2013, 26 year old Co. Down man Kevin Bell was struck down and killed in a hit and run accident in New York City. Kevin left behind a twin brother and loving family and devastated mates. Like so many times before under similar circumstances, friends, family and the community rallied to help the family and fundraising events were organised. The response was so successful that a total of more than €250,000 was achieved and it quickly grew to become something bigger. It led to the formation of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT) and in 12 months it has helped some 30 families in their time of greatest need.

Families in every province of Ireland, north and south of the border have benefitted from his legacy.

“It is great that Kevin’s name and spirit is living on through the Trust,” said Kevin’s sister Ciara.

“It will never bring him back or ease the pain of losing him, but it keeps us busy and it does help us knowing we are helping others. We have been overwhelmed by the support we have received. If they had not have held the initial fundraisers to get Kevin home we would not have been able to set up the trusts. It was started by the people of Newry to bring Kevin home. The funds left over have been used to help people who were in the same situation as us, who lost their loved ones abroad, to take some of the stress away for them. Kevin would be delighted with everything we are doing; he would also be delighted that it is being done in his name.”

Australia played its part in the setting up of the Trust Kevin’s father, Colin explained.

“Until we set up this Trust, the families were left to bear the cost themselves, as far as I know. What happened was, when Kevin died there was an absolute fren-

www.kevinbellrepatriationtrust.com

Mission Statement: The Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust aims to alleviate the financial hardship of bereaved families repatriating the body (bodies) of loved one(s) who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances back to Ireland.

21

zy of fund-raising here in Newry. He had also been in Sydney too, so there was fundraising in Australia and America as well. We would have sold the house to get Kevin’s body home and when people were so good to us it was a natural thing to us to continue it on.”

Perth has a special significance for the Bell family for another reason. Eamon and Maeve, a brother and sister of Kevin have made it their home.

Joan Ross said the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust had been supporting the Claddagh since 2014, and had helped on at least six occasions to send the remains of mainly young Irish people home. “It’s made a huge difference, in the past we would have had to put on fundraisers if the family couldn’t afford the costs involved,” she said.

The Claddagh has also received another boost with the vital work it carries out.

As a result of a meeting with the minister for the diaspora and his encouragement to make an application for extra funding they will now be able to take on a full time member of staff. Joan expects this to make a big difference to effectiveness and efficiency of the Association.

“It will give the committee the opportunity to go and do what they are good at, knowing that there is someone behind them looking at statistics, research, organise events and administration because we just don’t have the time. We’d also like to be able to be more savvy in regard to how we report so this person is going to take a load off us,” added Joan.

The Claddagh has also relocated its offices from the sixth floor of the Carillion Shopping Centre where it

has been for the last two years, to more accessible premises on Flinders Street, Yokine, and the office is directly on the bus route from the Perth city.

If you can assist the Claddagh Association please call the office 0403 972 265.

Claire Wynne of the Irish Theatre Players, presents Tom Quinn of the Claddagh Association with a cheque from the proceeds of a performance by the ITP at the Irish Club.

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I recently visited Saron Beauty, an Irish owned and operated salon, in the heart of Wembley.

Owners Sharon Donaghy and Sarah Bohan told me they have been in the beauty industry for 16 years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Sharon Donaghy, originally from Armagh, trained in Newry and Belfast and has worked in management roles for luxury cosmetics company Clarins both in Ireland and Australia before going on to manage three Ella Bache salons. Together with Sarah, she then took the courageous step to open their own salon - Saron Beauty.

Sarah Bohan is from Leitrim and trained in the London School of Beauty and Makeup. She returned to Ireland to work in salons and spas such as the K Club in Kildare, before moving to Australia. She went on to manage the Intense Pulse Light (IPL) division for three Ella Bache Salons Sarah said, “We met on Bondi Beach six years ago and randomly started working together four years ago in Perth”. “We became firm friends, getting married and having children around the same time as each other, opening a salon was our next step and we are delighted to be in business together”. Their salon strives to perform the best treatments using high quality products. They pride themselves on their skills, expertise, friendly customer service and a wide range of treatments such as waxing, shellac, Oz spray tan, facials, massage, IPL hair reduction and skin rejuvenation and microdermabrasion.

The product ranges on offer include dermalogica, Oz tan, christian eyebrows, shellac and vinylux. Soon the salon will have the Issada cosmetic range to cater for weddings, balls, race days and all life’s special celebrations.

“We are also very proud to be the first salon in Western Australia to bring over the IPL machine, PhaserELP, from the UK. Phaser EPL has been designed for treating a wide range of conditions including hair removal, skin rejuvenation, pigmented lesions, vascular lesions,” added Sarah. Saron Beauty is located at 57 Grantham Street in Wembley and has free on-site parking at the rear of the premises.

To book an appointment phone 08 9387 5725 or book online via www.Mylocalsalon.com.au Saron Beauty hosts a range of regular promotions and monthly specials, to keep updated on these please ‘like’ the Saron Beauty Facebook page. Fred Rea

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

‘The New Perth Stadium – the Construction Story’ On the eve of the International Rules Game in Dublin, the Ireland Western Australia Forum presents a Lunchtime Networking Event discussing the construction of the new Perth Stadium.

Speakers include Bill McEvoy Project Director - Engineering + Infrastructure from Brookfield Multiplex, and Pat Tallon - CIVMEC CEO followed by an opportunity to network with fellow attendees.

MC for the afternoon will be Marty Kavanagh – Honorary Consul of Ireland, Western Australia.

Event Details:

When: Friday 20th November, commencing at 1.00pm (doors open from 12.30pm) Where: Swan Function Room, Parmelia Hilton, 14 Mill St, Perth WA 6000 Tickets: Earlybird & Tables of 10 available shortly Tickets include a two course lunch with alcoholic beverages.

Bookings: www.irelandwaforum.org/ Sponsored by Enterprise Ireland

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

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

Was it the Mushrooms?

A group of friends from the local pub wanted to get together on a regular basis, socialise, and play games. For the first night, Sean got the missus to prepare the meal.

Mary decided to impress the visitors and have mushroom-smothered steak.

“But mushrooms are expensive”, she thought. She then told her husband, “Those mushrooms, they are very expensive.” He said, “Why don’t I go down in the field and pick some of those mushrooms I saw this morning. There

are plenty near the river”. She replied, “No, some wild mushrooms are poison.” He said, “Well, I see the cows eating them and they’re OK.” So she decided to give it a try. He picked a bunch and she washed, sliced, and diced them for her smothered steak.

Then she went out on the back porch and gave their dog a double handful and he ate every bite.

All morning long, Mary watched the dog and the wild mushrooms didn’t seem to affect him, so she decided to use them for their meal. The dinner was a great success, and they even hired a helper lady from town to help serve. After everyone had finished, they relaxed, socialised, and played cards and draughts.

About then, the helper lady headed home but quickly returned and whispered in Mary’s ear. She said, “Missus, your dog is dead.” Mary went into hysterics. After she finally calmed down, she called the doctor and told him what had happened.

24

The doctor said, “That’s bad, but I think we can take care of it. I will call for an ambulance and I will be there as quickly as possible. We’ll give everyone enemas and we will pump out everyone’s stomach.

Everything will be fine. Just keep them calm.”

Soon they could hear the siren as the ambulance was coming down the road, it was a right commotion. The ambulance staff and the doctor had their suitcases, syringes, and a stomach pump.

One by one, they took each person into the bathroom, gave them an enema, and pumped out their stomach. Not a pretty sight I tell you.

After the last one was finished, the doctor came out and said, “I think everything will be fine now,” and he left.

They were all looking pretty weak sitting around the living room and about this time the helper lady phoned and said to Mary, “Isn’t it a awful world, you know, that fellow that run over your dog never even stopped.”

Chris Sheehan and Mary Cagney in The Desert Song

By Frank Murphy

THE BELLE OF OULD CORK REVISITED We all like to reflect and remember, but sometimes the childhood memories get right inside, locked away into the memory bank they will simply not go away.

Because these milestone memories have such a profound effect on one, either scary or pleasurable they can occupy a primal importance in the memory bank of time.

One such memory is my two brothers Noel and Michael actually being totally scared as we looked out from our tiny hall window on a wet Monday night of December 12th 1955.

I was all of ten years old, as we saw the CORK sky go redder and redder we panicked and wondered really if this was the end, not just a fire, it was like an inferno.

Our over fertile imagination had been set aflame. My mum and dad had to calm us to reassure that this was a fire, a big one at that. it continued to glow and then blast into reflected flame in the night.

We were eventually sent to bed while my brother Michael, being the eldest, continued to watch from the bedroom window.

We heard on Radio Eireann the following morning what had happened, our Opera House was gone, it was ours we mistakenly thought, because we had been very keen and regular goers at this stage, it was really tragic for us to take in.

This was not the age of television.

Our frequent visits occurred owing to the ingenuity of my dad in having us slipped in to the pit stalls on a Saturday matinee, just as the Overture was playing and dressed as a Pirate, a gentleman of Japan or a sailor from HMS Pinafore we were sort

of pushed into to find vacant seats.

Of course we did not pay. The price of that treat would have been way out of our range, but our mum had determination and yes we gathered on the open steps on the first night of many shows and we heaved and pushed to get to the Gods, the cost of one shilling was acceptable, I am sure that she would negotiate some understanding with the person behind the box office brass bars high up there.

We would have to be there for 6.30, the doors opened at 7pm and we just sat and waited and played games while looking at the vast advertisement curtain. “I can see the word Woodford”. Whoever saw it first won the day.

On the matinees we were allowed backstage and the place reeked of atmosphere, the smell of the size and glue of Frank Sanquest sets and we were in seventh heaven.

This meant that incredible though it may appear we saw the same show twice. No wonder we thought we owned the hallowed place.

James N. Healy would look very much the star and company owner, detached, remote, very careful who he chose the speak to. That was in-

deed Cork of the 50s, the class divide.

Our dad was always philosophical, “We are there to keep the draft off the principals” he continued to remind us.

But some main performers were more open, chatting to us as they sipped a cuppa during the break. To be fair to James N, was a magnetic performer and in another difficult time in the mid 30s the management asked the Christian College students to come to their rescue James and the College students took the initiative and the College production saved that day. By the 50s he was a seasoned performer and knew how to run a company.

Legendary Cork author Sean O ‘Faoilean was much closer still.

When I met him in the 80s in a retirement home outside London as I researched this passion for an RTE documentary THE BELLE OF OULD CORK, he told me that his mother had kept boarders from the Opera House in Half Moon Street in the twenties for many years and that he could not reconcile having some big theatrical stars having breakfast in his kitchen and the night before he would have seen the same charac-

James N. Healy with the cast of the Gilbert and Sullivan group’s production of H.M.S. Pinafore at Cork Opera House in February 1972 (Image: Paul O’Flynn)

25

ters brandishing swords. “My sense of ritual, reality and theatre became even more blurred and confused as I would compare what was happening on the stage to what was going on at the altar of St. Peter and Pauls Church which was virtually a street away” When Bill Twomey served as manager it was to be the last call.

While the rehearsals were in progress for the panto and Charlotte O’Byrne and the Tiny Tots were rehearsing with Eileen Kavanagh, James Stack was in another part of the building rehearsing with the leads.

When he was first alerted to the fact that there was fire coming from the roof he immediately rang the fire brigade and within minutes the flames began to leap into the rainy sky, Bill went on to explain to me that “it was built entirely of wood, it used to give the local fire brigade chief nightmares because if there was the slightest trouble it would go up like a matchbox. Which it did in the end”.

The very last show to be performed there was THE BELLE OF NEW YORK and yes Noel and I were

in the Gods watching the magic. My mum and dad had seen this on payday Friday and mum gave us the few bob to go. Little did we think that not alone were we witnessing the end but that the title of the documentary I proIgnatius duced for RTE1 thirty Comerford years later was born there.

The BELLE OF OULD CORK was a fitting way to remember this grand Old dame by having the Belle of New York embedded in there softly.

It seemed so appropriate.

A few weeks earlier in 1955 we had seen the G&S society perform HMS Pinafore, but dad no longer pushed his luck.

The previous year Michael had been asked by James if “one of your kids would like to play the Drummer Boy in his production of the Gondoliers?”

There is an image of Michael wearing the courtier wig and uniform outside his dressing room Now we were really on the inside track.

I can only imagine that James N.

very much the bachelor presumed that Paddy Murphy had lots of kids. We were everywhere, this was our Opera House after all.

We were brought to see the amazing Ignatius Comerford whose Dame in panto was legendary.

I would hasten to add that he was an all rounder.

He never fitted the stereotype, His performance in “The New Gasoon” stays clearly in the mind.

I remember meeting him in Crosshaven when we stayed for our first holiday and my mum and dad

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in animated conversation with this real star. He sported a bright yellow tie, laughed and chatted. My mum used to say that he was “Cork’s Danny Kaye. His ability could have matched Jimmy O’Dea and look how magical he was years later as the children story teller on our screens.

Illness robbed Comerford at the age of 32, actor and father of four, far too early for him to be acknowledged.

Though the Opera House played home to International companies in earlier times and huge stars trod the boards, the gallery or Gods audience was quick to show their approval,or otherwise to anyone no matter how great, Australian baritone Peter Dawson was hugely popular on 78 RPM. His recordings were spinning around well on gramophones. But that is where he should have stayed.

When his live presence did not match they were quick to inform him. “Don’t reach for the note with your arms SING IT Boy”.

There is much fusion between myth and reality.

What was harsh reality was when Jim Quinlan both a member of the fire brigade and the G&S told me with tears the morning after when they had to return.

“I went in under the iron steps right up to the bar and the corks were popping from the bottles, I will never forget how I felt the following morning” So it was for Chris Sheahan Darling of the gods. Chris would don the uniform of a Commissionaire at the entrance to the Queens Old Castle during the day. He would have a few hours rest and then transform into the Red Shadow in Desert Song, or many other leads with the Cork Operatic Society.

But he had the common touch.

His audience and best critics were the women of the Coal Quay. “I would go and chat to them during my morning break”… “what did ye think of the soprano Chris?

Wasn’t she a bit throaty boy?”

Chris added that she would have put her finger exactly on to it “They knew” he said.

How this man, father and singer actor went to Parnell Place and went home to Crosshaven by bus at the end of an exhausting day and returned again the following day is just amazing. He confessed to me that a huge chunk had been taken away.

The famous SLEEPING PRINCESS the panto in rehearsal on that infamous night never awoke alas The evening Echo of DEC 12th 1955 Instead of TONIGHT at 8 Appeared CLOSED THIS WEEK Opening on December 26th Spectacular Panto It took exactly ten years before the curtain rose again.

On October 30 1965 I was on the gleaming new boards of the Opera house as Dev wished all well and a Welsh Singer sang the prologue to Pagliaci, on with the motely.

William Dickie was in a solo spotlight as the clown conveying sadness and joy to the world. Then up went the drapes and there was yours truly was as one of many sailors on Board HMS Pinafore with James N. Healy.

The whole evening was live on RTE Television Oh the times they had a changed.

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Perth Rose

Sharing her Irish experience with us I am writing this piece about my Rose of Tralee experience to try and explain the wonder of this truly amazing festival, which is a terrific reflection of our culture, diaspora and the calibre of Irish women around the world. A special smile crosses my face as I scroll through photos, because representing Perth in this festival that I grew up with surpassed all my expectations.

The tour was jam-packed and showcased that the festival is more than a five-day event so here is a little snapshot of what I got up to during my trip!

The first day of the Rose tour kicked off in Dublin where I met the most wonderful, accomplished and genuine thirty-one Roses from all over the world, got showered with Newbridge jewellery upon briefing, partnered with my roommate Elysha and received the first of many trips in the famous ‘Rose Coach’ to Newbridge Silverware where we were transported back in time to the ‘Museum of Style Icons’. What a day of photos, activities, fun and that was just the start of it!

The amazing festival chaperones that volunteer their time had everything running like clockwork.

On the second day I got to visit the Guinness Storehouse where I received a certificate for pulling the perfect pint and listened to a guided tour of the Arthur Guinness story. Then back to the hotel to meet Daíthí Ó’Sé and photos for the papers, a quick change and ready for a corporate dinner at the beauti-

ful Clayton Ballsbridge Hotel. The formalities were quickly put aside after dessert whilst karaoke, table quizzes and fun spot prizes ensured ties and heels were ditched. Roll on day three!

The atmosphere was electric, sun shining, flawless fashion and excitement was building as we drove to RTÉ studios for our first official press photo-call. Reality quickly set in as we then visited Barretstown, which offers life-enhancing programmes for seriously ill children.

It was humbling that they were able to forget about their troubles momentarily as they got caught up in the excitement of the Roses arriving. Face-painting, games and garden walks filled the evening. Next onto Mohill, Co. Leitrim where huge crowds gathered to greet us as we were awarded ‘freedom of the village’ which allowed us to roam the streets with our herd of sheep as we may please without fear of the law.

Cart dancing, herding sheep and live traditional music filled the cobbled streets with joy and laughter. A good night sleep was guaranteed in the well renowned Lough Rynn Castle Estate and Gardens.

Day four was all about forgetting the heels and donning our active wear. Onto Acres Lake, Drumshanbo where I chanced my arm at paddle-boarding, of course cameras flashed as I fell into the cold water, the look on my face says it all! Leitrim’s Home Brewery left us inspired to see the wonderful entrepreneurship still active in Ireland. Lough Key Forest Park was the next stop where families came out to welcome us all. Segway’s, electric bikes and a castle tour were all packed in to the evening.

Day five and ready for Limerick, it was meet the Escorts time! Banter and sing-alongs quickly passed the time on the coach. The George Boutique Hotel was our stay for the night opening the door of the bedroom to find gifts of beauty products and chocolates gave us a taste of celebrity life! The Escorts waited anxiously and before we knew it everyone was singing, (even rapping), playing the guitar and sharing their experience to date. My Escorts for the festival can only be described as real gen-

28

tlemen, they were more than just bag holders they became a friend in times when I needed them most (plus had a stash of band-aids that seemed to never end). I remember going to bed that night a little nervous as next up was my hometown

Tralee!

Day six onto Kerry the Kingdom, sitting in the front of the coach as I gave a little insight into the history and famous landmarks I could not help but get a little emotional especially as my family and friends gathered with banners and cheers as the coach came closer to Tralee town which looked magnificent. Roses were in full bloom at the town park, which was our first stop thanks to the hundreds of dedicated Rose of Tralee Volunteers and sponsors.

A visit to the Tralee Bay Wetlands and receiving a Kerry County Council Civic Reception made me feel proud to be a Kerry woman! Onto Fels Point Hotel where in every corner families greeted ‘their Rose’, shared in hugs, kisses and pictures that summed up how proud they were of our accomplishment. I also got to meet my Rosebud ‘Paris’ who greeted me with a hug and beautiful earrings that she picked out herself. The Rosebuds look of awe and wonder at our dresses and shoes reminded me of how special it actually is to be a Rose. I cannot wait for my niece Faye to be one!

Waking up in Tralee on day seven for morning mass in St. John’s Church where I made my Holy Communion and Confirmation was a bizarre feeling. Next up Tralee Greyhound Stadium for lunch and to watch some dog racing, presenting the winning trainer with their trophy was a fantastic moment. Now onto one of the major highlights the Rose parade, there I was perched on the first float called the Roseo-coaster and waving through the crowds to lots of familiar faces and watching the twinkling of lights that saturated the night sky followed by the best fireworks show I have ever seen. It was a great feeling to meet so many supporters and people in

Tralee who were genuinely happy for my family and I, which is something I will never forget.

Day eight I was whisked off to Radio Kerry for a live interview then spent a couple of hours in my ‘twin pub’ Ballygarry House Hotel with family and friends where food, laughter and joy filled everyone. Chaperoned backed to base for judges interviews and a barbeque which was nice and relaxed before I set my eyes on the

Denise and room mate Elysha

team of 30 makeup artists and hair stylists streaming into the function room, it then hit me that tonight is the night I am actually on TV! The buzz as we had the last jewellery and dress check was a mixture of excitement and nerves. After hair and makeup by The Powder Room Girls we then set off for The Dome.

Upon leaving Fels Point, we were met with screams of excitement and well wishes from supporters and then before I knew it I was being strapped up with a microphone to head on stage. I was proud of my stage interview and enjoyed every last moment of it! My family also had their few seconds of fame and from what I hear that interview is still being replayed in Ireland.

On the final day we visited Our

29

Lady of Fatima Home. The craic was mighty and the nursing home put a real effort into welcoming the Roses with cups of tea and homemade biscuits. Next stop Jigsaw Kerry, a youth mental health group that gave us an insight into the wonderful work they do. So back to Fels Point for the final night, the atmosphere was a little sad as we knew everything was going to change at midnight, nobody wanted the dream to end, however we were all exited to see who will be the next Rose of Tralee which turned out to be my roommate Elysha Brennan representing Co. Meath. Such a deserved winner, she had overcome so many trials and tribulations in her past and I can honestly say she stayed true to herself for the whole trip. The next morning I was thrilled to be part of her excitement as I did her hair and makeup to get ready for the media attention. We became best friends by the end of the trip, had the same interests and went to sleep every night laughing our hearts out. Dresses were borrowed and perfumes were swapped, I was privileged to share the journey with the Rose of Tralee 2015.

So as we all departed the hotel and shared one final breakfast together I can honestly say I have now made friends for life. We stay in touch through social media and follow each other journeys as we represent our areas as best we can.

The support from my family and friends was above and beyond. The effort of making banners, following my movements through the town and meeting me at every event was more than I could have asked for.

However I cannot leave this piece without a very special mention to my partner Diarmuid who not only was my number one fan (and got quite a roasting by Daithi on TV) but also always encourages me to follow my dreams. Thanks to the Perth Rose Committee, Judges and 2015 Entrants for the love and support you show. I look forward to spreading the word and encouraging every woman and man to become part of this wonderful, magical and life-changing event.

Lots of love Denise xx

30

Ireland is on Anne’s wish list

Ann, far left, pictured with her family just before they left Ireland

By Lloyd Gorman

West Australian nurse Anne Carey is a state finalist for the title of Australian of the Year. Described as a medical warrior by some – and an angel of mercy to others – Anne’s weapons are boundless amounts of kindness and caring and a medical ability to help.

She has been nominated for her courageous overseas work with organisations such as the Red Cross in conflict zones and disease stricken regions, including in Africa against the Ebola outbreak.

Repeatedly she has put her own life on the line to help people in developing and war torn countries. In Photo Courtesy: April she returned from Michael Duffy Sierra Leone where she volunteered to work over the Christmas period because they were short staffed. And even now, back in the relative safety and comfort of Australia, she heads up a fundraising campaign to try and get a computer for each of the local staff in Sierra Leone working at the Red Cross Ebola Treatment Centre (Donations can be made to the Anne Carey Ebola account, Rotary Club of Esperance, Bankwest, BSB 306037, account number 072765-1.)

Anne, her parents and six siblings, moved to Australia in about 1969. “I was ten years old, we were all born in Ireland,” she told Irish Scene.

Work at home was almost impossible to get and her father – himself a Dub – used to travel to England for jobs. Together with his wife – who hails from Drogheda – they made the decision to come Down Under.

“I think mum and dad did a great job of bringing us all out here, especially when there was so many of us, and when you consider they knew nobody here either.

It’s a hard thing to do, to migrate.”

For whatever reason the authorities didn’t think the

family could speak English so for the start of their time in Melbourne, they were housed in a hostel for families from non-English speaking countries. “After a couple of weeks they realised we could speak English,” she laughed.

Despite the linguistic hiccup, growing up in Melbourne had a familiar feel to it.

“I think we had our Irish heritage bred into us,” added Anne. “We lived in Melbourne where there was a lot of Irish and we used to go to Irish dancing and all that stuff. I think Mum was happy we came out and even though it was Dad’s idea to come, I think he missed home a lot.”

Her dad was a mechanic but the family later went to Queensland where they opened a restaurant. “It served

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all that good home cooked Irish food, mum was a great cook.”

For her own part Anne became a nurse and moved around a lot and travelled where she could. “I was a bit of a gypsy.”

She spent three years living and working in Veifa, a remote village in Papa New Guinea with a missionary organisation attached to the Red Cross. In 2004 she was in Darfour helping the victims of that bloody war and even came under attack. “All the other agencies left, but the Red Cross stayed”.

In Sierra Leone she had to suit up and take special precautions against becoming an Ebola victim herself.

While the work could be heartbreaking she said, it was important to be there to make a real difference. “You don’t build up resilience to the things you see but by being there you can offer something and by going you feel you care.”

She came to WA in 2007 where she met her partner Donald – another medico – and the pair lives happily in Esperance. But that may not be the end of their overseas work to help people in developing countries. Donald a GP wants to go to Somalia to teach young medical students and Anne will go with him.

There is another trip overseas she said she would like to make.

“I went to Ireland when I was 21 but I haven’t been back since, I would like to go, but I’ve been overseas and travelling so much,” she added.

“I’d like to take mum back, she’s 83 now, and dad’s passed on, it would be nice to do it.”

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After one too many Christmas drinks, Mick takes a shortcut home through the cemetery. Halfway across, he’s startled by a tapping noise coming from the misty shadows. Trembling with fear, he spots an old man with a hammer and chisel, chipping away at a headstone.

“I thought you were a ghost,” says a relieved Mick. “What are you doing working so late?” “Oh, those idiots,” grumbles the old man. “They misspelled my name!”

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Dermot Byrne

The Irish Quiz Wiz! a.k.a. Dermot from Lesmurdie on ABC radio Nightlife program.

As we are approaching the end of 2015, I would like to take this opportunity to wish one and all a wonderful Christmas and best wishes for the new year. I am looking forward to quizzing you all in 2016, Dermot.

1. Christmas Day falls on what day this year?

2. Name of the film in which Bing Crosby sang White Christmas.

3. Bethlehem is in which modern day country?

4. What date was it that Good King Wenceslas last looked out?

5. Who was author of the book A Christmas Carol?

6. What year was Darwin hit by Cyclone Tracey on Christmas Day? 7. If you were born on Christmas Day what would your star sign be?

8. What were the gifts given to Jesus by the three wise men?

9. Which ocean is Christmas Island in?

10. In what country was St. Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) born?

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By Lloyd Gorman

ISTEACH SA TEACH Why Liberty doesn’t always mean freedom!

A couple of WA members of parliament were in Ireland recently for different reasons. For Stephen Dawson it was a homecoming of sorts as he returned to his native Dublin to take part in a global parliamentarian forum organised by the Irish government. Dawson, a Labor member for the Mining and Pastoral seat, was one of a large number of Irish or Irish heritage politicians to be invited back to Ireland for a brain storming session about how the international Irish community and its leaders can help the motherland recover, and develop the relationship between the Irish and the other Irish - as I like to call the Diaspora. He raised this trip to Ireland on two occasions. The first was during a debate about the use of the drug Methamphetamine (Ice). “While I was there, I took the opportunity to visit the Mayo Recovery College in Castlebar in Mayo,” Dawson told his political peers on September 10. “I have to say that I was totally impressed. I know the Minister for Mental Health has visited some recovery colleges elsewhere around the world, but the Mayo Recovery College is an amazing innovation. I wanted to place on the record today how impressed I was with that visit and with the dedication of the staff of that organisa-

tion, who work with people with mental illness and their families, who talk about the issues, who learn from the issues and who seek to better the lives of people who have mental illness.”

In the following week during a debate on another matter Dawson said that he hoped the new PM, Malcolm Turnbull - a strong proponent of the cause - would make Australia a republic.

“I was away from the chamber on urgent parliamentary business a few weeks ago when a member on the far side was lumping together English and Irish people as being one and the same,” Dawson continued. “I believe that Jacqui Boydell, who is away on urgent parliamentary business this afternoon, made the point that Irish people are very different from English people and never to lump us together in the same basket. We have a strong history of republicanism and we are very proud of the leaders who helped modernise Ireland. We are very proud that Ireland is a republic. So, when members are talking about people from that part of the world in future, please, do not say that Irish people are the same as English people. We are very different.

“It is a pity, as Kate Doust said, that laws are still in place preclud-

36

ing Catholics from becoming the monarch of Britain. Nonetheless, let us hope the monarch is only the monarch of Britain in years to come and that Australia soon becomes a republic and we can control our own destiny.”

The aforementioned Kate Doust was the other member of the WA parliament who was in Ireland of late. She too brought up the fact on more than one occasion.

She first raised it on September 8, during a debate about a change to the constitution to recognise Aboriginal people. She said there had been significant changes in her 15 years in parliament when it came to recognising the traditional owners of the land and about the opportunity to teach their language in ‘our schools’. She even drew a comparison with Ireland’s official bilingual policy. “I spent last week in Dublin, and noting the growth of the Irish language in Ireland again and its significance there, I hope that one day we are at a similar point with Aboriginal language being used alongside in normal everyday activity, on government documents or taught throughout schools,” she said.

On October 15, during a debate for a bill about the danger posed by so called legal high substances Doust, who is a member for the South Metropolitan area touched on the impact of these types of drugs that she had picked up recently. “I refer back to my recent visit to Ireland because I know that this has been an issue in Ireland and it has also put in place legislation to deal with these psychoactive substances that we are talking about today,” she said.

Helen Morton, the minister for mental health, recognised the situation in Ireland and its bearing on the debate in WA. “This precautionary legislative approach around psychoactive substances was agreed the national Intergovernmental Committee on Drugs, and has been adopted by not only Western Australia but also New South Wales, South Australia and the commonwealth. As was mentioned by the Kate Doust, it has been picked up in other countries as well, including Ireland.”

During another debate about new legislation to replace and update the 1987 Associations Incorporation Act, Doust referenced a much more local Irish community. She said this bill will affect some 17,000 incorporated associations in WA, everything from small kindergarten groups to very large organisations such as the RAC. From such a wide field she told the parliament (on October 15) that “The Irish Club of Western Australian has raised quite significant concerns with the department (about it)”. The legislation will set out what financial reporting responsibilities groups of different sizes will have.

The fall-out from the Same Sex referendum in Ireland - the outcome of which looks like allowing gay marriage in Ireland in time for Christmas - continues to be a topic for debate and division here. On September 23 the issue popped up a few times when a motion was put to the House.

Premier Colin Barnett said that he thought it was appropriate to debate this issue which had become public interest over the last six months, “particularly following the Irish vote, a referendum there, in support of same sex marriage”. (But he went on to say that he did not think that the vast majority of Australians cared about this issue). Mr Barnett said that he was in favour of some sort of civil union even though he knew this would not satisfy those calling for full marriage rights for homosexual couples. “That is the position I have taken, at least up to this point. But I do not want to be forced to vote, one way or the other, in this Parliament. I will express my view, as I have, and I will probably express it again, and I might even change it - who knows?

If there is a referendum or plebiscite it is my right to choose, at that moment.”

Lisa Barker, a Labor member for Maylands, had a different view. She thought the feudal government had shown a “dreadful disconnect” between itself and the vast majority of the Australian population. She quoted Alan Joyce - who she described as ‘The Irish Catholic CEO of our national carrier, QANTAS - who asked why the parliament, which decides difficult matters all the time, can decide on this matter, then why doesn’t it?

“By the way, in case members don’t now, probably the least controversial aspect of Alan Joyce is that he is gay, and a strong advocate for marriage equality,” she said.

Peter Abetz, a Liberal party member for the Southern River seat, had serious reservations about the issue. Abetz is an interesting character with an interesting fami-

37

ly tree. Because of his strong and outspoken Catholic values he is seen as a member of the ‘God squad’ in the parliament and he is also the brother of Federal senator for Tasmania Eric Abetz. The same sex issue is a threat to the rights of other groups in the community Mr Abetz said. “In Ireland, the Ashers Baking Company has been found guilty, under anti-discrimination law, of declining to decorate a cake with a pro-same sex marriage slogan because the owner said that to do so would violate his conscience. They were fined $500.

Those people in Ireland have now lost a freedom that they had before,” he said, before going on to discuss a similar incident with another cake shop in America.

Joe Francis, the member for Jandakot and minister for emergency services, has similar views to his Liberal party colleague.

“We all know about the Irish bakery, I guess to a degree someone else’s views were forced upon it,” he said. “It should have had the right to refuse.” Mr Francis, who admitted in parliament to being a Catholic, said he felt the Catholic Church, should have the right to say “Not in our Church” and not be liable for prosecution because of it.

Ireland’s own experience of terrorism was raised during a debate on October 22 about adding new powers to the terrorism act.

Maverick Liberal party member and dumped minister Rob Johnson said the current climate

erney

McN Oliver

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was not the first time that the establishment had faced threats from radicalised elements of the community. “The reason there are Royal Prince Alfred hospitals in Melbourne and Sydney is that when [the prince] visited Australia - the first visit of any member of the royal family - he was shot by an Irishman (Dublin born Henry O’Farrell) [in 1868],” he said. The prince was hospitalised in Melbourne and again in Sydney when his wounds played up again. O’Farrell would be hanged for the assassination attempt shortly afterwards but the attempted killing caused a massive backlash against the entire Irish community in Australia (Catholic and Protestant) and those communities moved quickly in large numbers and demonstrations to distance themselves from the act.

Johnson warned against persecuting any particular group or reli-

gious group as being more likely than another to use violence and expressed his faith in the strength of Australian democracy.

Janine Freeman, the member for Nollamara, also showed hope for the future. She said she was glad that an expiry date would be introduced with the changes to the terrorism bill so that it was not open ended.

“When anyone says that we will always have this problem, I just point out that when I was growing up, that is what my mother used to say about Ireland. Ireland still has issues but it no longer is the place of terrorism that it once was. Our history shows there is great hope.

We move forward when we move in peace which is what they did in Ireland.”

Rob Johnson was right about one thing, no one group or part of the community has a monopoly on extremism. Events outside the WA Parliament building itself for the public launch of the anti-Islam political party, the Australian Liberty

Alliance by Geert Wilders proved that.

The tussle and heavy handed tactics used

by Geert Wilders security men against Irish Australian Seamus Doherty who was peacefully demonstrating against them has been well reported in the media, so I won’t cover that again. But it does just show what kind of shenanigans this crowd are prepared to condone to get their message across. If they are prepared to trample over the rights and physically bully a man in his late 60’s who has bad legs and needs a walking stick to get around in the full public glare and in front of a large group of reporters and camera people in a public place, imagine what they would be capable of doing in secret or if they own power in government. Now that is scary!

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38

Jumping for Joy at Mooney’s Breakfast Club

By Lloyd Gorman

Westmeath woman turned WA resident Siobhán Sheridan was prepared to jump out of an airplane at the end of September to raise funds for a worthwhile charity back in Dublin, but first she had to find a way to jumpstart the business end of her philanthropies effort, the fundraising drive.

“As online charity can be quite slow and people are a bit hesitant to donating, I wanted to come up with something else that would raise money,” Siobhán told Irish Scene.

“So on the 31st of August 2015 I held a breakfast charity morning for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation in Mooney’s Irish Sandwich Bar and Restaurant on Hay Street, in Perth’s CBD.” “When I first approached Brian the owner of Mooney’s, about using his cafe he said yes, which was fantastic and very generous of him,” Siobhán added.

Wanting to make an impact and offer her supporters something in return Siobhán went about organising an event with a strong Irish theme that would ultimately be the launching pad for her sky diving mission.

“I have a very good friend, Derrick Buckley, whom I met here last year; Derrick is from my home town of Mullingar. Derrick is a very talented

traditional Irish musician who plays all over Perth with The Broken Pokers. I reached out to him about playing for a couple of hours on the morning at Mooney’s and he jumped at it without question, offering any other kind of help he could. Along with Derrick, Nikki Dagostino whose many talents including being an amazing accordion player, guitar player and singer Gordon Weldon and Tommy O’Brien on tin whistle meant that there was no shortage of talent or tunes to entertain us. The guys were brilliant and I want them to know their musical skills were deeply appreciated and enjoyed.

“Brian went even further by giving me ten full Irish breakfast vouchers to use as prizes while Ben, who owns the Game Sports Bar, also gave me drink vouchers and I put up a prize myself. Jarrod Freer is a professional photographer I befriended in The Game Sports bar and he went out of his way to donate his morning off to come and take pictures. What a great guy. Regina Cleary is another very good friend from my home town who lives here in Perth and she donated her time to help me on the morning. She got T-shirts printed up with my Jump for Joy logo on it and stickers. She is a great friend and I would like to give a big shout out to her and all the guys who helped me and to everyone who came along and supported me on the day. The morning was a great success and the vibes were amazing. People were coming up dropping money into the collection box and smiling, it was a fun atmosphere.”

Siobhán was motived to raise money for the Beaumont Hospital Foundation as a result of what happened to a close personal friend, something that hangs over every person who leaves Ireland, family and friends behind.

“For many of us living on the other side of the world and away from loved ones, there is nothing more terrifying and upsetting than receiving a call that something has happened to a loved one. On the 13th of December 2013 [Friday 13th] I got exactly that call. It was

39

Martin Kavanagh Honorary Consul Of Ireland

It’s very kind of Fred to give me the chance to pass on my best wishes to the Irish community for Christmas and the new year.

2015 has been a very interesting year for the Irish Community in WA. Whilst WA is still home to many Irish people and new arrivals continue, it’s also true that 2015 also saw an increasing number of Irish return home. The statistics tell us that there has been a sharp decline in working holiday visas and whilst there is a decrease in skilled visas, the decline is not as severe. However, there is no doubt that number of Irish people living in WA is very substantial and we will continue to be a major cultural presence for a long time to come. Whilst many Irish thrive and prosper 2015 has also brought death and hardship to some of our own. As ever we are all indebted to the Claddagh, the GAA, the Irish Club, Fr Joe Walsh at Subiaco and the many community groups too numerous to mention who lend a helping hand and keep an eye on those less

fortunate in our community.

2016 brings the centenary of the Easter rising. A vast array of events are being organised and I encourage you to become involved.

As ever my sincere thanks and admiration to and for Ambassador Noel White and Nessa for their wonderful support throughout the year, Richard and I are forever in their debt. Finally a big thank you Yvonne and Lynda at the Honorary Consulate, to the Embassy team in Canberra for being unfailingly helpful and to Deputy Head of Mission Sarah Mangan for her sage advice.

Richard and I wish you and yours the very best for Christmas and 2016.

Le gach dea-ghui i gcomhair na nollag agus na h-ath bhliana.

With Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

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

Follow the Irish Embassy on Twitter: @irlembaustralia my best friend Niamh McKeown; she had suffered an aneurism which meant she was in a coma. Niamh is like a sister to me and I love her with all my heart. I would do anything to help. I also believe in miracles and on Monday 15th December 2013 that happened. I will be doing a skydive the last weekend in September as it’s a special time for Niamh and myself.”

Beaumont Hospital Foundation is a registered charity Siobhán decided to support. She said its administrator, Judy McDonald, has been very supportive. The Foundation exits to enhance and complement the welfare of patients while they are under the care of Beaumont and its outreach programmes. “Beaumont Hospital provides acute care services across 54 medical specialties and

is the national referral centre for Neurosciences and Renal Transplantation,” the charity states on its website (www.bhf.ie). The hospital offers both in-patient, day patient, out-patient and casualty services.

To maintain the highest standards and improve services, each year Beaumont Hospital Foundation assists in raising supplementary funding for important patient care projects and the purchase of specialised equipment. It is the generous support of many friends that enable us to do this. Our values are to firmly adhere to best practice fundraising principles of respect, openness, honesty, stewardship, partnership and empathy. Our values are reflected in our core policies reflecting the way we treat all donors and patients alike. Our mission is to grow volun-

40

tary contributions to Beaumont Hospital and to make the best use of these funds in accordance with donor’s wishes.”

Siobhán did the skydive at the end of September, on her 32nd birthday - an amazing way to mark the milestone but also an incredible experience for an incredible cause. She had a target of €1,000 but ended up making €1,456.12 thanks to thegenerosity of so many people, and her own persistence. In the end a majority of the money (€866.12) was raised in hard cash donations while the balance (€592) was donated online. Siobhán would like to thank all those who supported or donated and especially to Brian at Mooney’s for his support.

KEITH FARRELL: DEATH OR LIBERTY Keith Farrell’s new docu-drama, Death or Liberty, is soon to be screened on ABC TV.

John Hagan talks to the Irish director about his career, favourite movies, and the health of the Irish film industry.

H

e slides into the adjacent seat, adroitly balancing a plate of chicken curry and rice. This, for him, is a much needed meal break. Dubliner, Keith Farrell has been ‘on set’ in the Tasmanian bush since 7am. It is now 4.45pm – and this is lunch! On the previous day (when I had a role as an extra) we had arranged an interview. “I’ll talk to you at lunch tomorrow”, he promised, nevertheless, neither of us envisaged that our assignation would be so late in the day. But that’s the uncertain and unpredictable nature of film making.

Farrell is in Tasmania directing the docu-drama, Death or Liberty, based on Tony Moore’s acclaimed book about how Australian democracy was shaped by the rebels, radicals and patriots from Britain, Ireland and North America who were exiled to Australia as convicts during the 19th century. It is a subject close to Farrell’s heart, given his qualifications, and keen interest in history and political science. Farrell’s filmography, as a writer, producer and director over a decade, bears testimony to his fascination and understanding of the Irish historical landscape. In 2007, Ireland’s Nazis, which he wrote and directed,

Author, John Hagan - dressed for his role.

Director Keith Farrell on set in Tasmania

won the gold award at the Hamburg Media Festival. Three years later, came Fag An Bealach/The Fighting Irish of the Civil War, a two part docu-drama made for (RTE) TG4. With ten other feature docos to his credit, including A Terrible Beauty (2013) and The Mystery of the Lost Ship (2014), Farrell has a well earned reputation as an experienced and successful film maker. “I love docu-dramas”, he confides. “I love working with actors to get behind the character and flesh out how the character thinks. I love making that script come alive on the screen”.

Having seen Farrell in action earlier that day, these words resonate with me. Farrell’s passion for his medium is evident, and with his actors clearly in tune with their roles, most scenes require only one or two ‘takes’ before he can move on. Time spent perusing the ‘takes’ on his portable computer, is interspersed by discussions with actors and crew, especially his cinematographer. “Directing is a collaborative process”, he informs me. “The director is the link that brings everything together on set. It is not for someone with narrow focus; you have to be able to think outside the square”. It is something which Farrell achieves with

41

enthusiasm and panache, not to mention an abundance of Irish humour.

Given the ‘on set’ bonhomie I sensed on this production, I only surmise all Farrell’s film assignments are equally as happy and relaxed.

Farrell undoubtedly relishes the role of director, and his personal choice of directors is extensive and revealing. “I love John Ford. I love the vastness of his westerns, and his The Searchers is my favourite film”, he declares. He also admires Paul Greengrass “for the frenetic pace of his films”, German director, Werner Herzog “for the claustrophobic atmosphere he can create”, and David Lean for his Lawrence of Arabia and Irish classic, Ryan’s Daughter.

Always interested in how people end up in their current profession, I question Farrell about his career path. “I was a freelance sports journalist in Dublin for eight years, before moving to England where I worked for a couple of sports agencies”, he replies. Subsequently, he decided on a complete occupational change enrolling as a student in Bournemouth University (England), from which he graduated with a Masters in Film and TV Production. This led, in 2000, to a position at Granada Television’s

Department of History, Religion and Documentaries, in Manchester.

During his stint at Granada, highlights of his work included, Titanic: Birth of a Legend and Battlefield Detectives. While at Granada, he was also responsible for Manchester United TV. “But believe me, I’m not a Manchester United fan”, he emphasizes with a rueful smile.

As the curry and rice is rapidly consumed, we discuss the condition of the Irish film industry. “Funding for low and medium budget films is becoming harder and harder to obtain”, he informs me. “Distributors are increasingly unwilling to take a risk on low budget films”. To Farrell, Ireland is becoming hugely important as a location for shooting TV dramas such as Game of Thrones, The Tudors, Penny Dreadful and Vikings. “Ireland has very good technical teams”, he says, before adding that, “For the film industry as a whole, television production [in Ireland] is probably the future”. It is a course of action which he will

The Redcoats arrive

follow with his next production, Jubilee Nurses. This six part drama series focuses on the role of the community nurse in Ireland in 1918-19, and is set against the background of the Spanish flu epidemic and the Irish War of Independence. “It is a topic with which I have some affinity since my great aunt was a jubilee nurse”, says Farrell.

As if on cue, with the final morsel of his lunch gone, the assistant director forcefully reminds the assembled company that it is time

42

to resume work. Before departing, Farrell tells me that He would love to get back to Australia to direct another documentary. “The Irish and Aussies get on well together, we have a similar personality and a good attitude to life and tend not to take ourselves too seriously”, he states.

Death or Liberty is scheduled to air on ABC 1 on Tuesday 5 January 2016.

Local News of Interest from the Past

ECHOS OF THE PAST RE SE ARC HE D

The 1916 Easter Rebellion was extensively covered by Australian Newspapers. The following are just some of the reports in local newspapers…

Cootamundra Herald Friday 5 May 1916

IRISH REBELLION

Three signatories to the rebel proclamation are missing, comprising Kent, McDermott, and Plunkett.

Another leader Orahally, who did not sign, was found dead in a lane.

It is believed he was shot while endeavouring to escape. The trial of other prisoners is proceeding.

There are still some disturbances in the south of Ireland, but the rest of Ireland is quiet.

The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser Tuesday 2 May 1916

IRISH REBELLION.

The Australian Minister for Defence has cabled the Secretary for State that the Commonwealth Government expressed deep regret at the rebellious outbreak in Dublin and was confident that the great bulk of the Irish people would disavow and deplore such proceedings. Representative Irishmen here as well as the Roman Catholic bishops, and all Irish born, denounced and repudiated the criminality of the Dublin fanatics.

Democrat Lithgow, NSW Sat 20 May 1916

IRISH REBELLION COMMISSION

Continuing evidence before the Royal Commission on the Irish Rebellion, Lieut. Nathan said that the authorities were accustomed to all sorts of operations in Ireland. Justice Sheaman said: “You did not regard the sham attack as dress rehearsal. You did nothing. Was this according to the general line of policy those responsible laid down? Was no notice taken of the military operations?” Nathan replied generally, Shearman: “I take it witness implied it was decided not to interfere unless there was an actual outbreak!” Nathan: “I thought the affair would blow over without bloodshed if it was ig-

BY

FRED

REA

nored. There were about 4000 soldiers in Dublin last month, 1000 of whom were effective, also 1000 police. 2500 troops from Curragh were called to Dublin on the afternoon of the outbreak, also 1000 from Belfast. Sir Mackenzie Chalmers, one of the Commissioners, asked if the national volunteers had helped. The witness replied, “No, not in Dublin, but he believed they helped elsewhere. It was too difficult to give the number of Sin Feiners who were public servants”.

The Richmond River Express and Casino Kyogle Advertiser Friday 1 December 1922

IRISH REBELLION. FURTHER EXECUTIONS.

News Published Every Two Months

shelling became demented and begged to be shot. Several ringleaders of the rebels have been arrested in Galway, but those at Athenry are still in hiding.

Moree Gwydir Examiner and General Advertiser, NSW Friday 28 April 1916

THE IRISH REBELLION

The men arrested in connection with the Dublin raid Include Sir Roger Casement, two Irish confederates, and 22 Germans comprising the crew of the vessel. The importance of the capture lies in the revelation of an extensive plot, the ramifications extending over Germany, Ireland and America.

Observer Adelaide, SA 6 May 1916

LONDON, Thursday. The army REVOLUTIONARY LEADheadquarters in Dublin announce ERS EXECUTED three executions of Dublin rebels, Three of the leaders of the Dublin this morning. revolt—Pearse, Clarke, and MacThe Raleigh Sun Bellingen Friday 19 May 1916 donagh, who signed the “RepubliWOMEN SHOT. can” proclamation have been Mr. Asquith has interviewed a courtmartialled and shot. number of rebels in Richmond The proclamation which the reBarracks. Sentries still, guard the bels issued, calling up their forces, ‘chief thoroughfares and the reads as follows: In the name of search of houses continues. Nu- God and of the generations of the merous arrests are made daily. Mr. noble dead whence Ireland has reRedmond’s manifesto has been is- ceived the great traditions which, sued. The tendency is to support have made her the nation that she his appeal. Connolly, the rebel is to-day, we summon the children leader issued an order on April 28 of Ireland to strike for the freedom rallying his followers, “We have of their country. We have waited every confidence our allies in Ger- for the right moment to come, for many and our kinsmen in America which we have trained the manare straining every nerve to help hood of Erin through our secret us”. A young Englishwoman, buy- revolutionary organization, and ing stamps at the GPO on Easter -through the units of the Irish VolMonday was not allowed to leave, unteers and the Irish Citizen Army. but brought before Pearse and a Ireland will now strike the blow in man of German appearance. full confidence of Victory, and of Pearse said: “I have formed a re- the support of her exiled children public. You had better stay, for in the United States of America there may be blood-shed. All Ire- and of her gallant allies in Europe.” land will soon be in our posses- The proclamation further urged sion. Before England realises the the right of the people of Ireland to situation the German armies will the ownership of the land of Erin, land to assist ns. She was shown and claimed for them also the unproclamations printed in German. fettered control of the destinies of Women were taken at midnight to Ireland, “in a manner which shall a backyard and helped, over a wall. be sovereign and indefeasible.”

Two women while proceeding in this way were shot dead. Ten women detained in the GPO during the

2015 Irish Race Day a winner!

If there’s one thing the Irish love it’s a bit of horsepower. Well actually there’s a few things we love but horsepower is right up there with the best of them.

If you are looking for a good dose of it then you can’t go past Irish Day at Belmont race course.

Each year in early October thousands of Irish people and horse racing enthusiasts don their finest treads and binoculars in preparation for this important fixture on the local social and sporting calendar. What starts out as an early morning trickle out to the Belmont track quickly escalates into a deluge as people pour in from all quarters of the city as the time for the first race approaches. It doesn’t take long for the stands and grounds to swell and heave with the crowds and anticipation of the day’s racing. As Perth’s winter racecourse the track also has fully enclosed facilities for spectators.

As well as being the perfect opportunity to lay a few bets on some great live action with the Swan river as a setting the day is also one for friends to spend together or perhaps even bump into each other in or around the several bars. Food vans and stalls with Irish foodstuffs and products throw in the chance for an impromptu bit of shopping or something to eat. If there is one thing that has been missing in recent years at this popular event it is the absence of live Irish music, traditional or otherwise, as entertainment. The day would be richer for it.

That said it is a marvellous day and ideal occasion for the general Irish community to come together and celebrate ourselves and a sport many hold near and dear to their hearts. And of course the celebrations continue on long after the last horse has past the finishing post.

Lloyd Gorman

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From everyone at McLoughlin Butchers Free Range Hams & Turkeys, and a great selection of fresh meat for all your holiday needs!

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45

’ G da FROM MELBOURNE.

y

Let’s start by wishing all a very Happy and safe Christmas.

On a recent trip back from Japan, I was given the privilege to interview The Qantas Cabin Service Manager, Andrew Harrison a fellow Celt from Scotland, on all things in relation to Qantas and his journey to this very responsible position of looking after passengers and seeing to their comfort. Andrew is one of the great communicators and at ease with any conversation and what else would you expect from a fellow Celt. Andrew was only too happy to give us an insight to his profession, hoping it might be helpful to anyone who is seeking to work in the Airline Industry.

Mike. Andrew give me and the readers some idea of your journey to where you are now.

Andrew. I was born in Scotland, then the family moved to New Zealand and later I moved to the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Where did you go to School?

I went to Westlake Boys High, in North Shore in Auckland.

Did you drift into the Airline Industry, or did you have a desire to have a career in it and when did you start?

Yes I had the desire to be in the industry. I started in 1987 with Ansett New Zealand and then joined Qantas in 1988.

Why Qantas?

Because Qantas are considerably fair and practical with equal opportunities.

Where was your first flight to?

Auckland can you believe it, I had just moved over from there to Sydney.

Did you, like some of your colleagues qualify in Fine Dining?

Yes I have, it gives that polished edge and adds a more professional approach to the service airline industry like ours.

What are your responsibilities?

I am the one who ensures everyone

on board has a good flight including the crew. I’m also the organiser, the counsellor and responsible for safety. I ensure we get away on time and that everyone is happy.

Mike. How long has it taken you to reach the position you now hold?

I was promoted in 1997, so it took nine years after joining Qantas.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The variety and the great people I work with at this great Company.

How long have you been on the Japan to Brisbane route and tell the readers what’s magic about your job?

We started just two months ago. The magic is, no two days are ever the same and people are all so different.

Give us an insight into what this A330 aircraft is all about?

This is our latest aircraft with new seating entertainment that represents, sophistication and relaxation.

Is there such a thing as a regular roster for you?

No, I’m based in Brisbane so we fly to Los Angeles, Japan and Hong Kong.

Where is your choice for holidays?

Mainly North America, I love the good old USA. How has the industry changed over the last five years or so?

The business has changed as it’s leaner and more cost efficient but we still look after people and looking after people is what we are good at.

Are any others of your family in the airline industry?

Yes, my wife Maria started in1984 at Air New Zealand and was the youngest at the time, she then moved to Qantas in1994.

What would you like to tell the youngsters who aspire to move in to your profession?

They will have the most extraordinary career. They will need to be varied and adaptable and gain as much experience as possible before joining an Airline.

Where from here?

Life is full of opportunities, so let’s hope this one continues and I will be able to give it my most for many years to come.

Thank you Andrew for taking the time to enlighten our readers (and myself) on your life and the wonderful world of airlines.

Until I talk to you again soon Slainte from Melbourne Mike Bowen.

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Coleen was Excited!

Coleen was excited about her first trip home to Ireland after 2 years in Australia working in the bush. After a few drinks in the airport and another few drinks into the flight she, dressed in a kangaroo outfit given by her friends, started jumping with excitement, jumping up and down the aisle shouting, “BOEING! BOEING!! BOEING!!!” THis was great entertainment for the passengers. She sort of forgets where she is in all the excitement and the chief steward hears the commotion. Annoyed by the goings on, the steward comes running down the plane and shouts, “Be silent!” You could have heard a pin drop and everybody is looking at Coleen and the angry steward.

She stared at the him for a moment, a standoff... Coleen concentrated really hard, and all of a sudden started shouting, “OEING! OEING! OEING!” Onya Coleen!

True story! Yea!

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Shopping for a Turkey

It was Christmas Eve in a supermarket and a woman was anxiously picking over the last few remaining turkeys in the hope of finding a large one.

In desperation she called over a shop assistant and said “Excuse me. Do these turkeys get any bigger?”

“No” he replied, “They’re all dead”.

Irish Champion...

Meadowbranch DJ Arrives in Perth for Inter Dominion

By Scott Hamilton

Candle in the Window

by Paddy Cluskey

I loved the lighted candle in the window The smoke from the turf fire rising high The smell of the turkey in the oven The twinkling of the stars up in the sky I miss the Midnight Mass down in the village The faces of the choir I knew so well The two mile walk back home when Mass was over Up the Country Lane where we did dwell My mother was a very happy person When father died she brought us up alone Three boys and four girls she had to manage But now she’s left completely on her own The family are all scattered one departed I’m in San Francisco U.S.A. My mother still at home and broken hearted But please God I’ll be home on Christmas Day Again I’ll see the candle in the window The smoke from the turf fire rising high The smell of the turkey in the oven The twinkling of the stars up in the sky

The DJ has landed! All conquering Meadowbranch DJ (Ireland) has touched down in Perth ahead of the upcoming 2015 TAB Touch Inter Dominion Perth.

In January this year the first heat of UK/Ireland Australia’s Inter Dominion was highlighted by a ten length win by Irish star Meadowbranch DJ (John Richardson for Mark and Willie Flanagan) in the first heat of Australia’s Inter Dominion, where the time of 3.00.8 broke the long standing British record for a mile and a half by three seconds. DJ assumed the lead after a 27.8 opening stanza, ran through the mile in 1.59.4 and in the final lap shot clear of his floundering harness racing rivals.

In August, the amazing Irish harness racing champ made mincemeat of his opposition in the final Inter Dominion heat at Portmarnock, smashing the mile and a half track record (2:57.3) in the process of his astonishing 17 length victory.

Working hard early he took the lead after half a lap and was never out of second gear.

His major rival Brywinsmagicpotion who was two points ahead of him going into the race, chased valiantly but to no avail, winding up second but losing the

48

Aussie invite on a countback as DJ won two heats to Magicpotion’s one.

An amazing series has captured the hearts of all British and Irish fans and resulted in track records in each of the four heats.

Now in Perth, the 7 year old DJ finished his required quarantine in NSW and has made himself at home at the stables of prominent WA trainers Greg and Skye Bond.

Michael O’Mahoney, DJ’s groom, is happy to be in Perth and cannot wait to see the Irish superstar in action here in Perth. “He’s a pretty chilled out horse... We will train him up for a few weeks here then look at trialling him”.

It’s the first time an Irish horse has travelled to Australia to race in an Inter Dominion, the added x-factor is sure to bring big crowds to Gloucester Park to cheer on the international raider.

Meadowbranch DJ won his spot in the $1.8m series by winning a 4 race Anglo-Irish Inter Dominion earlier this year. Winning two races, both in track record time, his connections are confident their mighty steed will be in fine form come Heat Night 1 on Nov 27.

For more information on Meadowbranch DJ, or on how you can secure your tickets to see him race, head to www.perthinterdominion.com.au (SEE DETAILS OF RACES ON OPP PAGE)

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With Fred Rea

JONNY REID on a mission...

Very much part of the Perth Live Irish Music Scene these days is Jonny Reid.

John is originally from Portaferry, Co. Down in Northern Ireland. “I started playing music 10 years ago with just three friends.

We started getting gigs in the local bars in Portaferry and then we weren’t long moving up to Belfast to have a go at it there”. Four and a half years ago Jonny left his job where he made guitars with Lowden guitars to have a go at music professionally. “It was a risky move at the time but I’ve been lucky enough to support some big acts like Nanci Griffith and Ritchie Sambora (Bon Jovi)”.

In November 2014 he travelled to Switzerland to promote his music and he told the Irish Scene that it was a great experience.

“Before coming to Australia in December 2014 I released a single “The Lights will shine in Tara” which is about a beach back home near Portaferry”.

His CD is available now on iTunes and all the usual online stores.

“I’m currently working on new material and I plan to go into the recording studio again very soon”. Jonny says he has been lucky again with his time gigging in Australia playing around the Irish scene. “I play An Sibin, The Mighty Quinn, The Cure, Rosie O’Grady’s, Northbridge

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and Dan Murphy’s Bar & Grill on a regular basis. I’d like to say a big thanks to these venues for their support”.

Jonny told the Irish Scene that he has no firm plans for how long he’ll be in Perth but as he said, “There’s a few more tunes to go yet!”

“A good song to me has to have three main elements which are good music, good lyrics and a hook line that grabs you. With Jonny Reid that happens from the first note. His lyrics are smart and well written. His songs are contemporary and the songs are filled with hook lines that keep you hooked from the first note to the last. His voice is fresh with a tone that grabs you. In short to think that Jonny Reid isn’t signed is a travesty, however that being said our station has a chance to play his music. Give him a listen. You’ll love what you hear!”

Dj Yorki (from Jonny Reid’s facebook page) You can say hello to Jonny Reid at www.facebook. com/jonnyreidmusic. Drop into one of his gigs and you too will be impressed with his performance. For bookings e-mail him at jonnyreidmusic@gmail.com

1300 083 599

Unit 1/222 Walter Road West, Morley WA 6052

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The midlands of Ireland would seem to be a strange place to begin a homage to the Australian landscape and the identity it forged but that is exactly what one of Australia’s greatest living writers has chosen to do with his latest offering.

The opening chapter of ‘Island Home’ by West Australian born Tim Winton’s opens in the unlikely setting of County Offaly in 1988. In the brief but beautifully written introductory pages to what could be described as a love letter to the geography of Australia this novelist and short story writer shares a memory of getting caught in the open countryside with his nearly four year old son as a beautiful crisp day turned typically inclement without warning. He describes the scene as father and son battle against wind, hail and rain over lumpy fields and stone walls to get back to the cottage where they are staying and the promise of a warm fire inside.

Islander

by Lloyd Gorman

Sitting by the fire drinking hot chocolate his boy marvels over photographs of typical Australian and family scenes taken just a year earlier stuck to the wall. The images are full of endless spaces and horizons, beaches and reefs, an alien world to the one that surrounds even swallows them. It is at this moment that Australia is truly recognised by the young family as home, the place where they belong.

After the first short four pages only half of which is taken up with their time in Ireland during a time which saw them also live in Paris and other parts of Europe - the rest Island Home is preoccupied with the discovery of what it is meant to be Australian and the forces that shape that national identity.

“The island continent has not been mere background,” writes Winton who now calls Fremantle home.

“Landscape has exerted a kind of force upon me that is every bit as geological as family.”

He is not some colonial off-cut but a totally different species that has evolved in response to the conditions of growing up in what he says is the world’s largest island. Ireland - just out of interest - ranks about 20th in terms of the biggest islands

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in the world.

As different and distinctive as both ‘islands’ are this is not Winton’s first - or hopefully last - literary flirtation with Ireland. There is a sense that Winton has unfinished business with Ireland, the countryside and its people. His 1994 novel The Riders touched on some of the themes and emotions conjured up at the start of his newest work. In short The Riders is the story of an Australian man, Fred Scully, and his wife Jennifer who plan to move to Ireland to live in a cottage they bought.

Fred precedes his family to Ireland to get their new life underway but the dream becomes a nightmare when he goes to the airport to pick up his wife and daughter, but only their daughter lands and is unable to explain what has happened. The rest of the novel has undertones of a Liam Neeson action movie as he charges around continental Europe in pursuit of his missing missis. As it happens, the Irish Post last year reported that former Boyzone front man Ronan Keating was involved in shooting a cinematic adaptation of The Riders in Ireland. The novel was also originally shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995, a literary award that has been scooped by a string of Irish and Irish Australian writers over the years.

Island Home is published by Penguin Books Australia and went on sale in book stores from September 23.

Irish Families in Perth

Western Australia

Well this week rings in our 10,000th member to join our Irish Families in Perth face book page. It’s wonderful to see it grow over the last 4 years, and go from strength to strength. We now have members all around WA and further afield, where members have moved from Perth to Melbourne/Sydney or even back to Ireland but they want to stay connected to the friends and community they have found in Perth. I know of some grandparents who have visited their grandkids (and their own kids of course) in Perth and when they return they joined IFIP to ‘see what the craic’ is in Perth. It makes them feel more connected to the WA leg of their family, to be a fly on the wall of the day to day shenanagans on IFIP. If you have not joined yet, you will find a friendly and respectful forum with queries regarding ev-

e Updat

erything from schools, rental inspections, Christmas parcels home, baby advice, cheap flights to Ireland, flogging your wares, job offers, fitness classes, best Sunday roasts in Perth, container shipping, and jokes appreciated by the Irish sense of humour.

Our Christmas Party this year will be in a new venue, in the Masonmill Café (formally the Rose Café) in the hills, it will be on the 2nd Sunday in Dec, see the page for full details and all are welcome!

Irish families in Perth would like to wish all their members and Irish Scene readers a Merry Christmas, and safe travels to all those lucky enough to go home for a ‘proper’ Christmas, and best wishes for 2016.

By Debbie Cashman Teahan

Irish Families In Perth Non-Profit Organisation would like to thank most sincerely our valued sponsors who help fund our ever growing group.

Please support their businesses.

Liz O’Hagan – Migration Specialist Neil Lenihan - Killarney Autos Wrightway Road Training Niamh Massey - Massey Insulations Systems Sheamus Walshe – Mortgage Broker Felix O’Neill - Financial Advisor Eadaoin Clancy - Irish Taxation Services Ultimate Security Lernihan O’Neill Solicitors Carl Holmes - Masonmill Restaurant, Trisha Hackett- Beautician, Tara McGrath for doing out our new IFIP banner Last but not least, Fred Rea and all at the Irish Scene for promoting us.

Support our Advertisers 53

Marriage in Heaven On their way to get married, a young couple is involved in a fatal car accident. The couple found themselves sitting outside the pearly gates waiting for St. Peter to process them into Heaven.

While waiting, they begin to wonder: Could we possibly get married in Heaven?

When St. Peter showed up, they asked him. St. Peter said, “I don’t know. This is the first time anyone has asked. Let me go find out” and he left. The couple sat and waited, and waited.

Two months passed and the couple was still waiting. As they waited, they discussed that if they were allowed to get married in Heaven, what was the eternal aspect of it all. ‘What if it doesn’t work?’ they wondered, ‘Are we stuck together forever?’

After yet another month, St. Peter finally returned, looking somewhat bedraggled. “Yes,” he informed the couple, “you can get married in Heaven.” “Great!” said the couple, “But we were just wondering, what if things don’t work out? Could we also get a divorce in Heaven?”

St. Peter, red-faced with anger, slammed his clipboard onto the ground. ‘What’s wrong?’ asked the frightened couple. “OH, COME ON!” St. Peter shouted, “It took me three months to find a priest up here! Do you have any idea how long it’ll take me to find a lawyer”.

I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer.

Brendan Behan

CROSSING BORDERS

By Peter Murphy

Music I’ve often heard say crosses all cultural boundaries and helps connect people of different ethnic backgrounds. This I can validate by my recent visit to Woolkabunning (previously Roelands Mission) near Collie and where I caught up with some of my Nyoongar friends.

On my arrival (Sun Aug 23), it was akin to arriving at a WOMAD (World of Dance & Music) festival held annually in South Australia, with people of all ethnic backgrounds hauling instruments of all shapes and sizes. Only this time the musicians weren’t of the international calibre of Peter Gabriel or Baaba Maal; these musos were students from Fremantle Senior High Scholl on their South West Bandwagon Tour.

An initiative of FSHS and Director of Music, Mike Gowland, the 8 band troupe consisting of around 60 students delivered with panache their own brand of sound along with grabs from The Black Keys, Jeff Beck and some original rap and funk.

Woolkabunning was to be FSHS last base before they took-off on the next leg of their gruelling 8 gig 5 day tour, while stopping off to play in the towns of Bunbury, Margaret River and Albany.

Organising such a musical extravaganza surely must have cost Mike Gowland some sleepless nights; however Mike’s previous experience in booking performers for England’s top outdoor music fest ‘Glastonbury’ would have no doubt - eased his stress somewhat.

Much praise should also go to Jenny Hunter (Synch 7) and Woolkabunning Manager, Nyoongar elder Les Wallam for inviting Mike and his students to use the venues natural amphitheatre as the perfect backdrop to perform, and to build their confidence for the next leg of their 5 day tour itinerary.

Highlight for me was when local Nyoongar band ‘The Boodja Boys’ and some of Mike’s students joined forces to hammer-out a number of Archie Roach’s songs along with some swinging country rhythms.

Praise too, should also go to music teachers from FSHS for being there to help mentor the students and make sure they kept their music to the beat and on time getting on stage.

Should you make it to one of the gigs, one band from FSHS to watch out for is ‘The Unwanted’.

Gig dates and locations can be found on www. southfreomusic.weebly.com

NEED A HOME LOAN?

Call Nik Silsby on 0402 284 594 Lic No 387131

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nsilsby@loanscafe.com

By Lloyd Gorman

IRISH PULL NO PUNCHES ON THE SMALL SCREEN Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) or cage fighting matches are often televised. But The Notorious on SBS 2 on September 1, the start of a six part series, showed a different perhaps even softer side to this brutal sport. This series went behind the scenes to follow Dublin fighter Conor McGregor from the cage, training and personal life. McGregor, who is no doubt a dedicated, disciplined and talented fighter has brains as well as brawn. He wouldn’t look out of place in the line-up of the hit show Vikings and is treated as an A class celebrity wherever he goes. A really fascinating insight into a guy from an ordinary background in Dublin who has done well for himself.

Irish actress Sharon Horgan, the star of the hilarious Catastrophe – about an Irish woman and American man falling in love in London – branches out of this popular sitcom to take a look at the real life marriages of people in the UK from all sorts of backgrounds. Tips to a good marriage were shown on SBS on the same night as ‘The Notorious’.

Underworld Cities on 7Two was in Dublin on September 7. A repeat, this American made documentary reveals some very interesting and unusual sites in the Irish capital which I don’t think very many Dub’s would necessarily know about and fewer would have ever seen ‘in the flesh’.

On the same night and the same channel Mrs Brown’s Boys got an airing.

Talking of Catastrophe, in the episode on September 10 (SBS) her fiancée gets to meet her Irish

parents and other family members and all the shenanigans that entail as a result. Despite being one of the funniest things on screen here for some time Catastrophe’ run seems to have been unexpectedly and inexplicably cut short and the final show frustratingly never made it to the screen it seems.

How do you think you are?

On November 9, SBS, focused on Irish comic turned TV host Graham Norton. Shot in about 2007 the Corkman is slightly more fresh faced than he is these days.

55

On September 12, Channel 11, on Norton’s talk show he had Bray, Co. Wicklow artist Hozier and Merly Streep, the one person former Late Late Show host Gay Byrne always complained about never being able to get.

One of my favourite movies of all time The Big Lebowski (1998) – played by brilliantly by Jeff Bridges – was on One and has a beautiful line in it where the robe wearing drop out is described as being “like an Irish monk”.

Another repeat, the movie Centurion (2010), was on 7Mate on September 25. The story of a group of surviving Roman soldiers trying to outwit and outrun their Scottish enemy the interesting thing about this is that the language spoken by the natives is Irish and a team of Irish language consultants worked on the film.

War of the buttons (1994) was shown during the day on Saturday, September 26. A film about innocence and the potential for things to spiral out of control this is a great Irish film which the whole family can watch.

Peaky Blinders made its début on ABC 2 on September 28. Cork born actor Cillian Murphy is excellent as the leader of a tough gang who earn their name from their signature weapon, caps with razors sown into

the brim. Set and filmed in England there is a strong Irish feeling to it as a result of various Irish actors and references and the IRA being a factor. Aussie actor Sam Neil who plays the part of a chief inspector sent over from Belfast where he tackled IRA and other criminal gangs) got lessons on how to sound authentic from Liam Neeson.

WA pollie and Dubliner Stephen Dawson and his husband Denis popped up in Gruen on ABC on October 7.

The section of the show known as the Pitch, where two advertising agencies are asked to try and come up with a commercial to sell impossible or difficult concepts to the public, was this week about banning divorce. One of the agencies linked their ad to gay marriage and showed a few clips, which ended off quickly showing Stephen and Denis hugging each other after they got married on lawn outside Parliament House in Canberra a couple of years ago.

On the following night, the final episode of The Good Wife, which is not a show I can say I’ve ever seen, went out to the sound of The Hothouse Flowers song ‘I’m Sorry’. The song got a big reaction for the Irish band and perhaps even won them a lot of new fans in America.

Such was the response the group even put out a thank you on their social media sites.

Back in Ireland the show Garda Downunder – a lot

job of leading a small group of murderous misfits into the North African desert and far behind enemy lines to destroy a German fuel depot to hinder the enemy’s ability to withdraw or mount an attack. The real leader of the misfits is a Captain Cyril Leech who has to be bribed by his own commanding officer not to murder Cane in cold blood during the mission. Leech is played

by Arthur Nigel Davenport who in the movie describes himself as “a black sheep from an otherwise admirable family from Co. Dublin.”

•

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Woodbridge Hotel

of which was shot in WA and might even include an interview with Fred Rea – was shown on RTE on October 8 but TSTV hasn’t seen it or heard any reports about it.

The Proposition (2005) on NITV on Sunday 11 October was a good watch. It was the story of an Irish gang on the run in the Outback in the 1880’s. A lot like a Ned Kelly type flick Guy Pearce is the lead actor who is asked to choose between killing his older outlaw brother to save his younger brother. It has a strong cast, including Ray Winston – the law man who forces this choice on Pearce’s character and John Hurt who plays the part of a hunter out to get the gang. The film has a few Irish references, including a quote from John Hurt’s character: “What is an Irishman but a nigger (a reference to Aboriginals) turned inside out.”

Play Dirty (1969) on GEM (October 16) is a war movie starring Michael Cane that I had never seen before.

Cane’s character is given the

50 EAST STREET GUILDFORD

9377 1199

WEEKLY IRISH TRADITIONAL MUSIC SESSION EVERY MONDAY AT THE IRISH CLUB Comhaltas Perth meets on Monday nights. Come and learn a tune 8pm in the committee room or join in the session (starts off slow). You don’t have to be a member of Comhaltas to join in. There is also set dancing most Mondays about 8.30 pm. It’s great fun, beginners welcome.

61 Townshend Road, Subiaco

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www.facebook.com/perthcomhaltas

Page Sponsor: Reid’s Bootmakers,

PLEASE NOTE: Seisiun/Classes NOW Monday in Irish Club

In Memory of Maura

Comhaltas held a very successful evening of Irish music and dance to honour our much loved late member Maura Ducey on 4 September.

The downstairs area of the Irish Club was packed with enthusiastic supporters who treated to a feast of entertainment.

Dancers taught by Hilary McKenna, Marina and Anthony Scully-Ward and Tom Tallon gave an energetic and awe inspiring demonstration of Irish dance to tunes played by some of our strongest musicians: Sean Doherty, Ray Deely, Rob Zielinski, Erda Londren, Brendan Doherty, Theresa McCullagh, Aliesha Cleary and Cath Higgins.

The young women set a rousing beat with their jigs and reels. Hilary coaxed dancers onto the floor from the audience for set dancing and a good time was had by all.

The funds raised from this evening were put towards the other passion of Maura besides Irish

dance – Irish language. Comhaltas Perth has provided classes in Irish language for more than 5 years.

Maura was a leading light in these classes and will be greatly missed.

Classes continue on Monday nights and students now have access to on line assistance through the use of laptop computers purchased by Comhaltas. Participants describe the classes as informal and fun.

There is a beginners class which is mainly conversation and a more advanced class that includes sentence construction and some grammar. Language class members are passionate to keep the Irish language alive and trying to read Irish newspapers and magazines is also helpful.

The classes always welcome new members and of course many visit Ireland regularly to see family and friends and have plenty of opportunity to put their language skills to good use.

CCE CHRISTMAS WINDUP

Mon 14 Dec, Downstairs at the Irish Club.

Doors open 7pm. Cost: $10 Comhaltas members (you can renew at the door); $15 non-members (and members get a free drink) children are FREE. If everyone could please bring a plate for supper. Tea and coffee will be provided.

New Comhaltas Committee

Chairperson: Yvonne Jones / Vice-Chairperson: Hilary McKenna.

Secretary: Dympna Finch / Treasurer: Teresa McCullagh.

Committee: Meg Dixon, Rita Fallon, Kathleen Kearns, Mary Lally, Tom Tallon & Fiona Rea (Irish Club Rep). Yvonne thanked the previous committee and especially Joan and Ken Walker for leading Comhaltas through a successful year.

Thanks also to Reid’s Bootmakers for sponsoring our page.

Are to be logged!

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Dining Guide

Sponsor: McLoughlin’s Butchers

with Danielle O’Leary

Hearty and delicious food at An Sibin!

Many bars try to claim that they are ‘Your home away from home’.

When I saw An Sibin had the same approach, I was interested to see how they made their bar homely.

As soon as you read the menu, it is obvious; head chef Kerry’s welcoming, hearty and delicious food will make you feel right at home.

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, and unlike it’s translation Gaelic translation into a shady pub, An Sibin is anything but dark. It is bright, clean, modern with a traditional twist. Light paint and wooden floors, with Irish memorabilia, An Sibin is, in all respects, a lovely looking pub. Even lovelier than fit out, is the drink and food prices, and proper beer selections with a whole shelf full of proper Taytos.

At An Sibin, there is a weekday menu, and a different menu for Saturday and Sunday. While many dishes are available week-round, the variations on the weekend are fantastic. The An Sibin Share Board for either two, four or six people is a fantastic way to get rid of a hangover: Black and White pudding, Irish pork sausages, Guinness caramelised onions, Irish Potato cakes and crusty bread with butter. On Sundays from 1pm, An Sibin offers a proper roast dinner. Not the contemporary modern twist roast dinner: a proper one that you

would have at home with roast potatoes and creamy mash potatoes with plenty of helpings of everything you could want, including Yorkshire pudding and the famous An Sibin sausage stuffing with rich gravy. I’m sure it’ll become a staple for many in no time. I’ve already planned a group visit to have this roast because of the Yorkshire pudding (or, Corkshire Pudding as we say in our house). While we were there on the Saturday, Kerry was testing out some Yorkshire Puddings. We were lucky enough to sample one – it was, without doubt, the biggest and most delicious Yorkshire Pudding I’ve ever had (sorry, mum! Yours are still my favourite…).

For lunch, we ordered the Steak Sandwich with caramelised onions, melted cheese, aioli, lettuce and tomato in toasted Turkish bread with a side of hand cut chips along with the traditional Irish Shepherd’s Pie made with beef mince, vegetables and a rich gravy topped with a creamy mash and cheese served with a side of hand cut chips and salad. You know you are in a proper Irish establishment when you get delicious chips with your mash potato. The pie was beautifully balanced, with plenty of flavour. The steak sandwich was delicious – whilst being generous in size, the

steak and bread were beautifully light and the flavours complimented each other perfectly. I haven’t had a steak sandwich that would beat this one.

The chips, however, stole the show. The chips aren’t hand cut in some random factory, frozen and delivered to An Sibin. They are prepared on site, and you can taste the freshness. They are proper chips, that remind you of home (they also come with gravy or curry sauce).

The staff are refreshingly lovely – Kerry is a passionate, dedicated chef and the two Irish men who looked after us that day were friendly, up for a chat – and one even challenged me to finish the steak sandwich, and I embarrassingly failed!

An Sibin the type of bar that deserves to be a local for many – the quality of the surroundings, the deliciousness of the food will ensure you will come back regularly.

My Sunday Roast trip is already booked in.

An Sibin Irish Pub 147 James St, Northbridge Tel: 0404 784 102

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

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The Australian-Irish Heritage

IRISH HISTORY ILLUSTRATED TALK ON 1916 Association

By Brian Corr In 2016, the British will remember the Somme, the French will remember Verdun, and the Irish will remember the Rising. Given that Home Rule had been passed, land was being purchased by tenants, local government was established, the war was raging, why did they start the revolution? It involved no more than 1,500 people, beaten down in a few days, 450 lives lost. Was it a stupid act? Was it the brutality of the British military afterwards that turned the 16 executed leaders into heroes?

Brian Corr will look at the causes of the Rising from a number of angles: the British, the Irish, Ulster, the Americans, women’s involvement, and children, plus the one man who made it happen.

Date: Thursday, 19th November 2015 @ 8:00pm Venue: The Irish Club, Townshend Road, Subiaco Admission: Free, all welcome. Come early and enjoy Thursday Pie ‘n’ Pint night at the Irish Club, $18

Free Tea & Coffee compliments of The Irish Club

MARY DURACK MEMORIAL LECTURE

Martin O’Meara From Lorrha to Lemnos Sun, Nov 15, 3pm

A Brief Account of the Life of Martin O’Meara VC, Australia’s only Victoria Cross recipient of the First World War. Ian Loftus is an experienced government relations, external relations, stakeholder engagement and public policy professional with more than 20 years of experience with the Federal, Northern Territory and Western Australian Governments, with the private sector, and with the NGO sector.

He occasionally writes travel articles for the print media. He also has an interest in military and local history, and has spent the last two years digging deep into the life of Martin O’Meara VC, Australia’s only Irish-born Victoria Cross recipient of the First World War. This research forms the basis of a biography due for publication in 2016.

Venue: Tannock Hall, Corner of Croke & Cliff Street, Fremantle Time: Sunday, November 15th at 3.00pm.

No charge. Non-members welcome. Afternoon tea provided Enq: Patricia Bratton 9345 3530 or 0417 099801.

We wish to acknowledge the generosity of the University of Notre Dame for use of the venue

Barton Vehicle Maintenance CARS - TRUCKS - 4WD’S

Michael: 0413 889 501 mickcarb@iinet.net.au

Meets fourth Tuesday of the month with exception of December Venue: Irish Club Committee Room Book for Nov: ‘Death comes to Pemberley’

by PD James, presented by Trish Hilton AdmissionFree. All welcome.

Light refreshments provided + Free Tea & Coffee compliments of The Irish Club.

Contact: Maureen on 9279 5959

A project for you?

Would you like to produce our annual St Brigid’s day programme at the Irish Club Theatre on Sunday January 31st next?

Previous formats have ranged from talks to theatre events, sometimes with music, sometimes illustrated. The only guide is a female theme preferably with some link to Ireland.

Enquiries or sounding out ideas ring Tony on 0450 226 679

AUSTRALIAN-IRISH HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Non Political-Non Sectarian-Emphatically Australian PO Box 1583 Subiaco 6904. Tel: 08 9345 3530.

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

Family membership $65, Concession $55, Membership fee includes tax deductible donation of $20

Looking for a Mobile Mechanic?

BVM

THE FOURTH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB – 8pm

ON SITE SERVICE TO ALL MAKES

QUALITY MECHANICAL REPAIRS

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

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land of

&

AN NOLLAIG 2015

The Journey of The Magi A Cold coming we had of it Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey; The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter T.S.Elliot

T

Ireland

honey

hey trail across my television every night, thousands of people trudging through mud and snow carrying their unborn, their infants and their aged, resolutely moving towards their promised land. If all that is said is true these are the lucky ones!

In the seas and on the shores they have left their dead, the ones who could go no further. Is there a “promised land’’ and will there be a welcome or will the signs once more, after two thousand years read “No room at the Inn”. Who knows? It is easy to judge sitting on a sofa in a sunny land where there are no expectations of any of us to open our doors and our hearts.

“Why are they closing borders?’’ we ask, “Why are they not giving them shelter?” And then we say and think things like “They are not like us - the cultures will not blend, there will be trouble”. Since time began there have been huge migrations of peoples. The reasons have been many and varied - famine, war, genocide, religious upheavals and sheer cruelty and avarice and “the fear of the stranger”.

I doubt very much if people en masse

really ever want to leave their native land.

People stay stoically until there is no alternative because, in reality, we all love our native hearth and the familiar. Casting our boats into the deep is usually not only an act of courage but of desperation. So some of these people are not going to blend well and become docile and assume our customs - so what? The Irish found over hundreds of years of occupation that a lot of the “strangers”, became more Irish than the Irish themselves; and indeed these “strangers” helped make Ireland free. Learning is a two way exercise and while there are always troublesome people the vast majority in “the centre” want mundane things like peace, security, work and education and the freedom to worship their God by whatever name.

Soon it will be Christmas and the lights will twinkle and our children in Australia will be expectant, excited and happy and so should every child. They all deserve safety and peace, so we should congratulate the

countries that take down their “No Room” signs and replace them with “Welcome”. One day we may be called to do likewise and it is best to remember we are all “Boat People” and that there is always room for the traveller. My Christmas wish would be that I will not see one more frightened child in 2016.

Go mbeidh Nollaig sonasac are gac aon duine.

Sally Desmond

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless.

The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.

Mother Teresa 60

closed for 30 minutes.

8. Brush remaining marmalade mixture over ham and cook for a further 45 minutes with hood closed. Ham should be caramelised and slightly charred.

9. Remove ham & set aside for 15 minutes to rest.

10. Slice ham & serve with mustard

with Marguerite O’Dwyer

Meringue Roulade with summer berries

Ingredients 4 egg whites Sticky orange-glazed 8oz caster sugar 1 tsp. cornflour barbequed Christmas 1 tsp. distilled vinegar 1 tbsp. vanilla extract Ham For the filling Ingredients: (Serves 6) 150ml cream, lightly whipped 4kg Ham Joint (boned) 250 – 300g fresh summer berries 2 onions finely sliced To decorate 3 bay leaves Icing sugar, for dusting 10 black peppercorns (whole) Fresh strawberries ½ cinnamon stick Fresh mint leaves Zest of ½ lemon Method 25 whole cloves 1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees 300g orange marmalade 2. Line a Swiss roll tin (23 x 33cm / 9 x 60g brown sugar 13in) with parchment paper.

1 tbsp. soy sauce 3. Place the egg whites, sugar, cornflour, 3 tbsp. wholegrain mustard vinegar & vanilla extract in a spotlessly Method clean bowl (stainless steel is best) of an 1. Combine the onions, 10 cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns, lemon zest electric food mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form. and cinnamon in a large saucepan.

4. Smooth the meringue into the prepared 2. Place the Ham in the centre, add enough cold water to cover the ham. tin with a palette knife and bake in the Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer oven for 15-20 minutes, until firm to touch. and cook for 2½ hours.

5. Allow the meringue to cool for a few 3. Remove the ham from the pan minutes, and then turn out onto a sheet of and set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat BBQ on high heat with hood parchment. Turn it upside down onto the sheet, gently removing the parchment on closed. the base. Allow to cool completely.

4. Remove the rind from the ham and using a sharp knife, lightly mark 6. For the filling, lightly whip the cream.

7. Spread the cream evenly over the a diamond pattern through the fat meringue, leaving the long edge nearest to exposed on the ham.

5. Stud each corner of the diamonds you free for about 4cm (1 ½ inch). Cover the cream with the fruit. with the cloves, ensuring they are 8. Holding the parchment closest to you, evenly spread out. Place ham on a roll up the roulade away from you. Leave wire rack in a disposable foil tray. it in the parchment until you are ready to Pour boiling water into tray until serve.

2cm deep.

9. When ready to serve, unwrap the 6. Combine the marmalade, brown roulade and gently push it onto a serving sugar, soy sauce & mustard to dish using a palette knife or cake slice, a smooth paste. Brush half this open side down. Dust with icing sugar and mixture evenly over the ham. decorate with a line of cream down the 7. Reduce BBQ temperature to a centre, strawberries & mint leaves. medium heat. Cook ham with hood

The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

61

Homemade Baileys

Ingredients 375ml cream 590ml condensed milk 375ml Jameson whiskey 1½ tsp. coffee 1½ tsp. vanilla extract 1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and set on high speed for 30 seconds.

2. Bottle in a tightly sealed container and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Shake well before serving over Ice. 4. Will keep for up to two months in the refrigerator.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all Happy Cooking over the Festive Season

Marguerite O’Dwyer The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

Christmas Quotes: • When you stop believing in Santa Claus is when you start getting clothes for Christmas!

• No matter what anyone says, my cooking is excellent, even the smoke alarm seems to be cheering me on!

• Mail your packages early so the Post Office can lose them in time for Christmas.

• I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.

• Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money.

• Christmas is a time for remembering! Old Jim replied “Well that counts me out”.

Executive

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

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

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE CHAMPIONS 2015 EIGHT HAND CEILI CHAMPIONS September and October were very eventful months for Under 8 yrs Girls – Ceidi/Upton School the Irish dancers of WA. AIDA WA held their first Under 10yrs Girls - Kavanagh Studio Intermediate and Open Premierships on Saturday 29th Under 12yrs Girls – O’Hare School August. It was a very exciting Feis with new age groups Under 12yrs Mixed - Ceidi/Upton School and different sections so it was lovely to see lots of new Under 15yrs Girls – Kavanagh Studio champions.

Under 15yrs Mixed - WA Academy INTERMEDIATE PREMIERSHIP WINNERS Under 18yrs Girls – WA Academy Under 9yrs – Natarsha Terrel (Kavanagh Studio) Open Age Girls – Kavanagh Studio Under 11yrs – Emily Greenwood (Kavanagh Studio) Open Age Mixed - Ceide/Upton School Over 11yrs – Desiree Scott (Kavanagh Studio) REEL IN COUPLES OPEN PREMIERSHIP WINNERS Under 8 yrs Girls – Kavanagh Studio Under 10yrs – Josh Johnson (Ceide/Upton School) Under 12yrs – Caoimhe McGuigan (Ceide/Upton School) Under 10yrs Girls - Ceidi/Upton School Under 15yrs Girls – Ceidi/Upton School Under 14yrs – Isabel Ashley (Trinity Studio) Under 15yrs Mixed - WA Academy Under 16yrs – Ruby Dricoll (Ceide/Upton School) THREE HAND REEL Under 18yrs – Jeremiah Oliveri (Ceide/Upton School) Under 12yrs Girls – Ceidi/Upton School Over 18yrs – Shannon Kennedy (Kavanagh Studio) Under 12yrs Mixed - WA Academy The WA State Ceili and Team Championships were on FOUR HAND CHOREOGRAPHY Sunday 30th August. Almost 200 WA dancers from 5yrs Open Age – WA Academy to 30yrs competed in traditional 4 hand, 6 hand and 8 hand Ceili dances as well as 2 hand, 3 hand and 4 hand Choreographies.

2015 STATE CHAMPIONS Australian Nationals WALLS OF LIMERICK CHAMPIONS From Tuesday 29th September to Saturday 3rd October, the Under 8 yrs Girls - Kavanagh Studio Australian National Irish Dancing Championships were held at Under 10yrs Girls - Kavanagh Studio Sydney Olympic Park, NSW. Congratulations to the following National Champions from WA: FOUR HAND CEILI CHAMPIONS Junior Girls 12yrs - Caoimhe McAleer (Ceidi/Upton School) Under 8 yrs Girls - Kavanagh Studio Intermediate Boys 14yrs - Luke Hanson (WA Academy) Under 10yrs Girls - Kavanagh Studio Senior Girls 15yrs - Ruby Driscoll (Ceidi/Upton School) Under 10yrs Mixed – Trinity Studio Junior Ladies 17yrs - Dara McAleer (Ceidi/Upton School) Under 12yrs Girls – WA Academy Under 12 Years 3 Hand Reel – Ceide/Upton Under 12yrs Mixed - WA Academy Under 15yrs Girls – Kavanagh Studio October has also been a busy month for International Irish Under 15yrs Mixed - WA Academy Dance Championships. Congratulations to Perth dancers, Under 18yrs Girls – Ceide/Upton School Brittany Pimm who placed 26th and Shannen Krupa who Open Age Girls – Kavanagh Studio placed 15th at the Great Britain Irish Dancing Championships Open Age Mixed - Ceide/Upton School held in Bognor Regis, UK. Well done to Taylor Pimm who SIX HAND CEILI CHAMPIONS Under 12yrs Girls – Ceide/Upton School placed 20th in her reel at the All Irelands held in Killarney, Ireland.

Under 12yrs Mixed - WA Academy 12 Years Boys State Champion Under 15yrs Girls – Ceide/Upton School Adam Robinson - WA Academy Teresa McGorry Under 15yrs Mixed - WA Academy

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

62

SUPPORT IN THE WA G

IRISH COMMUMITY

Around the Irish Dancing

Caoimhe McAleer National Champion

scene

in 12 years girls!

What is it like being an Australian Champion?

Let Caoimhe McAleer tell you...

“It is hard to put into words how it feels to win a National title. The day that I danced I had the support of my family (except for my dad and brother - they stayed at home) and dance teachers, but it still felt a little bit lonely, I suppose because I was so nervous. I knew I had worked extremely hard this year, but you never know if you have done enough to get the result you have dreamt about on the day.

At results time, the results are called from the lowest placing to the winner. As they call out the top ten, you just pray that your number doesn’t get called. When it got to the top five I was very relieved - my goal was to get in the top five. As each place was called my heart was turning around and around. I closed my eyes and as it came to the last two I hugged the girl beside me. When they called her number, I began to cry as I knew that I had won and I felt so relieved that all the training had paid off. More importantly, my older sister was going away to America to dance and I had tried my hardest for her. This win was for my big sister Dara!”

63

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LAST BUS TO CONTRITION CANCELLED

Sadly, as we go to print, we’ve had to postpone our October/November performance of Last Bus to Contrition by award-winning Playwright Noel O’Neill. A valued member of the cast suffered a terrible loss just prior to opening night, and as a mark of respect to her and her family the ITP committee made the decision to postpone. We already have a very full and exciting programme lined up for next year, but we hope to be able to bring you this fantastic play at a later date and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Meanwhile, we’re still working on our exciting collaboration with Playlovers Theatre in Floreat – “A Man of No Importance”. Based in 1960s Dublin, it “tells the story of Alfie Byrne – a bus driver whose heart holds secrets he can’t share with anyone but his imagined confidante, Oscar Wilde. When Alfie attempts to put on an amateur production of Wilde’s Salome in the local church hall, he confronts the forces of bigotry and shame over a love “that dare not speak its name”. But, the redemptive power of theatre changes his life and brings his friends back to his side. A Man of no Importance is a tender and beautifully written tale of love, friendship and coming to terms with who we are.” While this production takes place in Hackett Hall in Floreat and is directed by Playlovers’ Andrew Baker, ITP’s Mary Murphy is Co-Director and we are very proud to be involved both on stage and behind the scenes. For more information and tickets you can visit www. playlovers.org.au.

Believe it or not, that leads us in to 2016, and of course the 100 commemoration of 1916.

We’re so excited and proud to announce that we will be staging Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars – possibly the only play epic enough to sufficiently commemorate such a huge milestone in Irish history. Directed by Hellie Turner, The Plough and the Stars will be a large scale, impressive production not to be missed. Make sure to check out our facebook page and sign up to our database for future notifications. Also, as always, if you’re interested in getting involved or indeed auditioning for The Plough and the Stars, make sure you like our facebook page and check for Audition Notices in the coming weeks.

A Message from President,

Claire Wynne SUCCESS FOR ITP AT ONE ACTS FESTIVAL

W

ell, it’s been an exciting and productive couple of months for the Irish Theatre Players! We had great success with our One Acts Festival back in August – thank you so much for all who came along! We went on to be awarded three of the top theatre prizes in WA for one of the One Acts, “Voices in the Rubble”. Directed by Dubliner Lisa Reilly the short play was awarded “Best Overall Production”, which is a great accolade for Irish Theatre Players, and two of our members were awarded “Best Actor”, with the female award going to our very own Artisitic Director Mary Murphy and Best Male going to newcomer Adrian Mills. We’re very proud of everyone involved and delighted to see their hard work and dedication being rewarded in such a way.

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

Lloyd Gorman with David Hynes of the PTA

Media Award for Lloyd

Congratulations to our own Lloyd Gorman who recently won the “Suburban – Best Three Stories or Feature” award to the 2015 West Australian Media Awards.

This award was for Lloyd’s work at the Subiaco POST Newspaper Judge’s comments on award and Lloyd:

“A worryingly small number of this category’s entries fit this description: an important new story, thoroughly researched and told well. Lloyd Gorman’s ‘Left in the Dark’ is one such. But for Lloyd’s efforts, the story would not have reached the general public. It ought give pause to any reader in our ageing Australia; the event happened in Subiaco, but has much wider resonance. Who knew this could happen to frail tenants in one of the world’s most affluent cities? No other media reported it - a fact that should give us all pause. Lloyd’s other stories were also probing, well researched and clearly written, but “”Left in the Dark”” was the clincher. It shows why ‘suburban’ journalistic excellence still matters, whatever your suburb or region.”

Well done Lloyd from all of us at The Irish Scene, well deserved!

John Boyle O’Reilly Association is gearing up for our annual event with 3 days of music, poetry, tours and craic to be held in the City of Bunbury during the first weekend of April 2016.

Our event will also celebrate the 100th Anniversary of The Easter Rising.

Should you come from Perth and are planning on attending our event, we suggest that you make inquiries now in regards to booking and accommodation availability, as we’re expecting the weekend event to be well attended.

JBOA recommends the Rose Hotel in Bunbury: famous for its hospitality, food, accommodation and a good pint of Guinness served by Irish staff.

More announcements will be made closer to the date including artists appearing, venues and tours.

For more information contact Tom Dillon on 0417986298 or bdillon1@bigpond.com or else find us on www. facebook.com/jboreilly or www.jboreilly.org.au 66

Seán Roche IRISH ENTERTAINER

Taking bookings for March/April 2016 All enquiries: seanroche61@yahoo.co.uk

Extract from

A Christmas Childhood

by Patrick Kavanagh

Outside in the cow-house my mother Made the music of milking; The light of her stable-lamp was a star And the frost of Bethlehem made it twinkle.

A water-hen screeched in the bog, Mass-going feet Crunched the wafer-ice on the pot-holes, Somebody wistfully twisted the bellows wheel.

My child poet picked out the letters On the grey stone, In silver the wonder of a Christmas townland, The winking glitter of a frosty dawn.

Cassiopeia was over Cassidy’s hanging hill, I looked and three whin bushes rode across The horizon — the Three Wise Kings.

An old man passing said: ‘Can’t he make it talk – The melodion.’ I hid in the doorway And tightened the belt of my box-pleated coat.

I nicked six nicks on the door-post With my penknife’s big blade – there was a little one for cutting tobacco.

And I was six Christmases of age.

Graham and Robyn Murray have just returned from a European trip and thought readers would find their following experience of interest.

Finding Martin O’Meara VC in Pozieres

O

n our recent trip to the Western Front we were driven around many parts of France and Belgium. We were there to see where my Grandfather and his brother served during World War 1.

It was a very emotional experience and one my husband and I will never forget.

It certainly gave us a greater understanding of the conditions they fought under. Visiting the cemeteries and The Menin Gate also gave us an understanding of the sheer number of losses the Allies suffered. Through reading books, watching documentaries and particularly visiting the important sites and battlefields of the Western Front we experienced the true human cost of the Great War. During a visit to Pozieres in September, our guide Christian Linthout, stopped at a tank with the names of seven soldiers who were awarded Victoria Cross medals at Pozieres. We could not believe our eyes when we saw that Martin O’Meara’s name was there.

We knew little of Martin’s story until we saw the Noel O’Neill play, “Under Any Old Gum Tree” performed at The Irish Club

in Subiaco in Perth a year ago. Since then, we have read much about Martin’s life, his military service in the 16th Battalion Australian Imperial France, being awarded a Victoria Cross and his struggle with mental health on returning home to Western Australia. We were very moved by his story.

We also read with great interest Noreen O’Meara’s article about Martin, her great grand-uncle, in the September/October issue of the Irish Scene. As Noreen said “despite Martin’s heroism, his story does not have a happy ending; his war experiences caused him such mental trauma that he spent the remainder of his life after the war in a series of psychiatric hospitals”.

Martin earned his VC during four days of heavy fighting at Mouquet Farm, Pozieres where he repeatedly went out and brought in wounded officers and men from No Man’s Land ‘under intense artillery and machine gun fire’. He also volunteered and carried up ammunition and bombs through a heavy barrage to a portion of the trenches which

Graham and Robyn Murray

were being heavily shelled at the time. As Lieutenant William Lynas wrote “Private Martin O’Meara is the most fearless and gallant soldier I have ever seen; besides doing the very arduous duties imposed on him, by reason of his being in the Scouting section, efficiently and cheerfully, this man used to fill in his time bringing in the wounded under all conditions”.

The seven officers of the 16th Battalion all recommended O’Meara for the Victoria Cross and he became the only Irish born member of the AIF to be awarded that medal in World War 1.

Some 99 years on, Martin O’Meara is not forgotten and will forever be remembered, may he rest in peace. Lest We Forget Robyn and Graham Murray

Private O’Meara won this honour for repeatedly bringing in wounded officers and men from “No Man’s Land” under intense artillery and machine gun fire.

He carried up ammunition and bombs through a heavy barrage to a portion of the trenches which was being heavily shelled at the time.

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ULSTER

Rambles with David MacConnell

“If you don’t believe you can win, there is no point in getting out of bed at the end of the day”Neville ‘Big Nev’ Southall

One did not play rugby in many of the villages in the province. Well not in the 60’s anyway. Soccer was my only game until I was eleven and went to a boarding school. I suppose under different circumstances it might have been gaelic football!

We simply had to play rugby at this school. No choice. I remember one lad was on the verge of being expelled for committing the heinous crime of playing soccer on a Saturday instead of representing his school.

Times have changed but it left me with an interest in both games.

I remember watching the Northern Ireland soccer team play in the 1958 World cup in Sweden.

They had a terrific mid field. Billy Bingham, Jimmy MclLroy, Bertie Peacock, Tommy Hamill should bring back a few memories for some of you. Harry Gregg was the goalkeeper and of course the courageous captain, Danny Blanchflower. (Minus his brother Jackie. Yes let’s not forget the infamous Munich Air Disaster).

The forward line was also full of famous names. Who could forget

Northern Ireland 1958 World cup team in Sweden Billy Cush, Derek Dougan and Peter McParland.

Now at this moment, I can record good news from the Province.

Northern Ireland has qualified for the 2016 European Soccer Championship. This is a huge achievement considering the calibre of player available to the present boss, Michael O’Neill and that we have NEVER qualified for this event in all our history.

They sealed qualification for Euro 2016 with a 3-1 win against Greece, before drawing 1-1 with Finland a few days later. I watched this game and they were actually winning until the 83rd minute. I confess that they were much more competent than I ever thought they would be. Maybe the opposition was lousy. The draw meant that Northern Ireland also topped their group and became the first fifth seed team to win their group in the history of European Championship qualification. Quite an achievement!

As you know, Northern Ireland has a very small population with an estimated 1.8million people living in the country. Most of us are here now. Obviously that means that the pool of players available to the national team is very small, but against the odds the team

Looking to Hire a Car in Ireland?

has qualified for Euro 2016, and in some style as well. “Mind you that’s something to be proud of we fellah” as we say.

Northern Ireland unlike Wales, do not have players from Real Madrid, ManU, or even Swansea. No George, no Norman at one end and no Harry, no Pat at the other. Their squad is not populated with Premier League standard players either. Their squad is mostly madeup of player’s futterin’ about in the lower leagues!

They do have a smattering of Premier League players in West Brom trio Christ Brunt, Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley but West Brom are well down in the standings of the premier League at present. Steven Davis of Southampton looks useful at times and centre-back Craig Cathcart shows promise.

Their top scorer in qualifying Kyle Lafferty, (7 goals) is struggling for first team football at Premier League Norwich. The big striker has already stated that he may need to move on in January for the sake of his international future. (Really? I don’t see many in the queue to take his place).

Despite not having the best individual players, collectively they have proved themselves a strong team and have shown in qualifica-

www.dan-dooley.ie 68

tion that anything can be achieved with sheer graft and determination. Well we always said that a good team was better than a bunch of good individuals. Chelsea can take note!

When they were drawn in Group F alongside the likes of Greece, Hungary, Romania and Finland the team might have fancied their chances of qualifying given their improvement in previous campaigns but most skeptics, me included, did not give them much of a chance.

There was none of European football’s biggest names in this even group but despite this relatively favourable draw, I doubt many of the Green and White Army would have imagined in a million years that their team would end up on top!

Boss Michael O’Neill deserves a lot of credit for this achievement. He can now be regarded rightly as a national hero / good boyo! The 46-year-old did a superb job in club football with Shamrock Rovers prior to being appointed as Northern Ireland boss in 2011. But to bring home the European Cup would be something else!

Northern Ireland has only ever featured at three major championships. They qualified for the 1958 World Cup as I mentioned above and the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. They have never qualified for a European Championships, so qualification was a major achievement for the country.

It seems Euro 2016 could feature up to four of the five home nations. England, Wales and Northern Ireland have now all qualified for the tournament. Republic of Ireland now faces a two-legged play-off to make it to next year’s tournament in France. Hopefully by the time you read this, we can celebrate their win.

Also fantastic news was the inspirational win of the Irish Rugby team over France in the Rugby World Cup. Well I told you I follow both codes. In truth, all Ulstermen will follow any sport we achieve greatness in. Alas, the team sustained quite a few injuries and we were knocked out at the quarter-finals stage. It brought back many memories of my rugby days and perhaps, sometime in the future, I will write about the day I met, and played golf with, Willie John McBride.

We will be fast approaching Christmas when you read this, so let me take this opportunity to wish you a fantastic Christmas and my very best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2016. May we celebrate all our wins and losses with honour, passion, dignity and a drop of the black stuff!

David MacConnell

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them every time,” Mikey told me in his yard. They’re a right bit taller than they used to be but not much else has changed. They’ve four wheels and a steering wheel. It’s about the man at the wheel. It’s all about keeping a good eye and knowing where you’re going. I like ploughing. There was a time when I’d be going working at midnight and it felt like it was only the morning and I’d work all night and all day. I can’t really do that any more, though,” Mikey said.

Ronnie Martin of Martin’s Garage told me that Ronnie has been a lifelong customer.

“He bought tractors off my father (Freddie) for years. He’s a fierce man a great man and a great customer. You’d find him ploughing at all times of the day and night for people, you’d heard the lads saying in town that he’d plough for the price of a pint,” Ronnie said. Fit as a fiddle many locals suspect that Mikey isn’t quite finished buying new tractors just yet.

ICE CREAM JINGLE COOLS TEEN RIOTERS The PSNI has plenty of armoured

by police.

“The crew passed a group of around 15 youths who threw bottles at their Land Rover police vehicle,” a PSNI spokesman told the Belfast Telegraph.

“An officer used the vehicle’s loudspeaker system to play music to the youths in an effort to use humour to defuse the situation.

The youths stopped throwing the bottles. However police accept that this was not an appropriate action.

The officer has been spoken to by a senior officer in order to establish the circumstances of the incident.”

Among those who did not see the funny side was Sinn Fein councillor Angela Nelson. “It was a very immature way for police to deal with a very serious problem,” she said. We have serious issues with on-street drinking and the anti-social behaviour that results from that on-street drinking. I would have expected the PSNI to have a more mature outlook and not to come up and play ice cream tunes.” Nelson dismissed the PSNI’s statement which said the music had defused a tense situation.

SUCCESS IS A DISH BEST SERVED BY SURPRISE THE OLDEST MAN IN EIRE TO BUY A TRACTOR?

Mikey Lynch is a farmer from Cavan. He recently bought a brand new tractor, his 12th in a long career on the land. At 85 Mikey is thought to be the oldest man in Ireland to walk into a dealers and purchase a shiny new tractor - a Massey Ferguson 6613 - off the floor of Ronnie Martin’s shop in Baileborough. In Aussie dollars, you wouldn’t get much change from $122,000 for this serious piece of machinery.

Mikey bought his first Massey - a Freguson 20 - 64 years ago and he has been driving them ever since.

“Ah, I’ve always loved Masseys,” said Mikey. “They’re a great tractor, I never had any problems with mine and I’ve gone back to

cars and police vehicles at its disposal but a new weapon in its arsenal against criminal and anti-social behaviour could be mistaken for a Mister Whippy van.

The Northern Ireland police service recently rolled out its latest deterrent against bottle and brick wielding teenagers during a riot on the Twinbrook estate, on the outskirts of West Belfast.

Children’s nursery rhymes were projected at full blast from a Land Rover fitted with speakers and directed at a gang of misfits causing trouble which reportedly stopped the violence and then dispersed the group, with no further action needing to be taken

70

Monaghan Town native and acclaimed chef Peter McKenna jointly owns and runs The Gannet restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland with his business partner Ivan Stein. The 36 year old’s establishment is popular with locals and visitors alike and when the AA Hospitality Awards for Restaurant of the Year for Scotland he was encouraged to nominate.

“We were invited to the awards ceremony and bought a table,” a delighted Peter told the Northern Standard this week. “But we weren’t short-listed or anything like that — it was open to restaurants countrywide. The first we knew we won was when it was announced in the Grosvenor. It was incredible — I just can’t explain it in words,” he enthusiastically admits.

The coveted Automobile

Association’s annual accolade sees awards presented in categories including Restaurant of the Year, Hotel of the Year and Pub of the Year for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (see www.aahospitalityawards. com).

THANKS SON, BUT I DON’T NEED A HOUSE OR YOUR MILLIONS

One Direction star Niall Horan’s offer to buy his dad a luxury home was rejected by his down to earth father. The Irish Mirror has revealed that Bobby Horan refused the extravagant present offered by his son in his home town of Mullingar, Co Westmeath. The 20 year old boy band star is worth an estimated €17 million, however since shooting to fame four years ago, his father has refused to take any gifts from his son saying he is happy as he is. According to the Mirror, Niall has revealed in the past that his father who works behind the butcher counter in his local Tesco refuses to take any gifts from him saying “I tried to give some money to my dad but he wouldn’t take it. He’ll barely take a Christmas present off of me”. Two years ago, Bobby told the Irish Sunday Mirror he wasn’t interested in expensive cars and luxuries saying that whatever his son made was all his and that he was more than happy with his life.

“Niall knows I love my work and wouldn’t want to stop so he’s not going to force money on to me….

I love working at Tesco. I meet people all day long and I love it.”

MY LEFT FOOT STAR WOULD MAKE IDEAL BOND!

Bond Author William Boyd has said that Daniel Day Lewis would be perfect for the part as the MI6 agent in a planned film adaptation of his new Bond novel ‘Solo’ , of which he based the writing style upon that of original Bond writer Ian Fleming.

Speaking to The Independent Newspaper Boyd said “If there was going to be an actor to play my James Bond, I’d choose another actor who’s been in a film of mine and who is also called Daniel. Daniel Day-Lewis actually resembles the Bond that Fleming describes. He was a tall, lean, rangy, very dark-haired, goodlooking man. There’s a sense that image is what he saw his Bond looking like.”

WHISKEY BECOMES HEADLINE ACT AT SLANE

Generations of Irish concert goers to Slane have experienced some of the most intoxicating on stage performances ever known but now the historic estate in Co. Meath has something new for visitors to drink in.

The makers of Jack Daniels whiskey have struck a deal to build a €44m distillery at Slane

Musical Entertainer / Teacher

Brooke Brown Barzun fifth generation family shareholder of Brown_Forman with Henry and Alex Conyngham of Slane

Castle.

US distiller Brown Forman has bought the Slane Castle Irish Whiskey brand and will invest in a new distillery on the grounds of the historic estate in Co Meath.

Slane Castle has been the venue for some of the biggest rock concerts in Irish musical history, from Bob Dylan, Thin Lizzy, Oasis and U2 to the Foo Fighters most recently.

The company plans to offer blended, pot still, and single grain whiskeys.

The deal means the creation of 25 jobs in addition to those involved in construction.

The deal is among the biggest in the sector since Cooley distillery was sold to US giant Beam for €71m three years ago. Slane Castle Whiskey was originally produced at Cooley.

Speaking yesterday, Slane Castle owner Lord Henry Mountcharles said his family will remain at the core of the business into the foreseeable future and reassured music fans that the concerts will go on.

Construction on the distillery is expected to have begun before Christmas.

The Net Reporter!!!

Visiting Ireland?

Gerry & Elsie Tully will give a great welcome!

DIVINE M E R CY

David MacConnell

BED AND BREAKFAST

0413 259 547 wdmacc@bigpond.net.au www.maccdouble.com

Airport Road, Knock Co Mayo Phone: (094) 9388 178 International: 0011 353 94 9388 178

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Around the Irish scene in Ireland ..

Compiled by Fred Rea Vince Gallagher, Jim Egan and Larry Gorman, father of our own Lloyd Gorman enjoying a round of golf in Marrangaroo.

G’Day to

By George it’s Piddlin’ Oliver Pete spotted in McNerney Sorrento. Reece who doesn’t mind! recently had cause for a double celebration... 70th Birthday and now officially an Aussie

John O’Leary insisted that I include this one. It’s the O’Leary clan from Cork visiting, Sharon, Noelle, Lorraine, Reece with hosts Linda and Geradine. Where’s Ger? Taking the snap!

It was 1980 in the Irish Club in Subiaco when Mike Frawley (right) entered the dancing competition. If my memory serves me right and not a bad one either. Doesn’t he look happy!

Congratulations to 2012 Perth Rose Lorna Gallagher and Dave Reynolds who were recently married.

Due back in Perth before Christmas, Daragh Kavanagh after a very successful season of soccer in the USA.

Having his daily fix of double expresso, Sean O’Rourke.

Sean is looking great and that Red Haired Mary from Kerry is waiting to get her hands on him. Not to worry Steph she’s not a patch on you!

Well done to Yvonne Jones who was elected chair of Perth Comhaltas.

Defying the odds again, Conor McGrory. He competed and completed the recent CAPE TO CAPE MTB. Unbelievable!

Conor refuses to let his handicap stop him from doing what he loves to do. Getting out in the great outdoors!

Our condolences to Richard Mathias (and Marty) on the passing of his beautiful mother Mariles.

Solas Mhic Dé ar a n-anam.

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Do you have photos you would like to include in our Around the Irish Scene pages?

This is his story – and a fascinating well told one too.

I enjoyed reading about this media mega personality and for those amongst you who are like minded, I commend this one to you for your further edification.

Some of you who are not fans of his would also benefit from giving this one a read on the front in old Guildford Hello, and welcome to the – it will explain much to you When I get south of the river Spring 2015 edition of our about this complex man.

I make a point of visiting wonderful magazine. As MAGGIE SMITH : A Biography the New Edition bookshop always, I have done a fair – MICHAEL COVENEY in Moat Street Fremantle amount of reading over Hachette P/b $32.99 (for new books ) and Bill the last few weeks and Maggie Smith is one of my Campbell in High Street the results of this can be favourite actresses Fremantle for second hand seen below! So without and I was delighted books – Bill is very helpful in further ado, I’ll continue to see that Mr locating hard to find books by reminding you of my Coveney had put that are now out of print. favourite booksellers - don’t pen to paper to Please remember too to let forget that if you should bring us her life the various stores know who have any problems finding a story. I enjoyed pointed you in their direction. good new- or second hand this lovely book about the bookseller, you can try any/all The feedback is great for star of “Downton Abbey” (a them and it shows me that of the following – favourite show of mine) and you are actually taking the For new books, you can’t “The Best Exotic Marigold go wrong with Corona Books time to read what I have Hotel” series of movies prepared for your enjoyment shop at Warwick Shopping to name but two of her with each issue. Then my Centre – ask for Mark – he recent gems. If you too are work will not have been in is extremely helpful with any fascinated by her and would book queries and orders you vain! like to learn more about her If all else fails, there is the may need assistance with. career and where to catch internet (for those of you who Also, Stefen’s Books in up with her earlier body of are computer literate and Shafto Lane in Perth City. work then this will satisfy have access to a computer, Stefen is very helpful and a your innermost desires in that ipad, etc). good supporter of the Irish regard. Loved it – great lady You will appreciate that I Scene – fascinating life. don’t relate any of the books Dymocks at Whitford City WAITING FOR A STAR TO contents in these review – ask for Tracey (and other FALL – ELAINE CREMIN locations throughout the State notes as I feel that it would Elainecremin@yahoo.com spoil your own voyages of and Metropolitan Area) A few weeks ago, the Irish discovery into the stories as In the realm of Second Scene had an they unfold.

Hand booksellers (who are email from Elaine EDDIE – MICHAEL BODEY very useful in getting hold of asking us to take hard to get or back catalogue Hachette Paperback $32.99 a look at this, her Love him or hate him, books – you know, the ones first novel, and tell that may be out of print from Eddie McGuire you all about it on is a respected time to time) I generally go her behalf.

Australian TV and to Pulp Fiction – who have I have now had a chance radio presenter stores (again) at Whitford to read it and I must say I and sporting City and at Floreat Forum enjoyed it. It tells the story of personality. I Shopping Centre – the Alyson who has had enough happen to like him proprietor is John who is of her dead end job and her and thoroughly enjoy his daily a good supporter of our life in general in Cork – and quiz show on Channel Nine. magazine. suddenly an opportunity I was also very interested Elizabeth’s Bookshop arises for her to leave it in finding about this much chain, which has shops in all behind her when a job maligned man who is a oneFremantle, and Perth City opportunity opens up for her eyed Collingwood supporter (Hay Street) to name but a in her firms New York office. and current club president of few branches.

It all seems perfect for her that AFL Club.

Guildford Book Exchange – a little too perfect it would

COLIN MERREY

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seem – is the grass always greener on the far side of the mountain?? You’ll have to read this one to find out how she gets on in her new life in the Big Apple.

If you would like a copy for a good read and/or add to your libraries then you can contact Elaine on her email – I have set out her contact above – and she can point you in the right direction to get one. Hope you love it too.

THE ENCHANTED ISLAND – ELLIE O’NEILL Simon & Shuster P/b $29.99 This is Ellie’s second book, her first being “Reluctantly Charmed” which I told uou about in a previous issue.

This time, Maeve O’Brien’s boss sends her to a dreary old island to finalise some paperwork and she couldn’t be happier. But does the happiness last, you ask me?

And what about the unusual new people she meets up with?

Well you’ll just have to read this charming little story to find out. Equally as good as her first (which was the fourth best selling book in Australia last year) and definitely one for (primarily) the ladies amongst our readers. Loved it and enjoyed it.

A GAME FOR ALL THE FAMILY – SOPHIE HANNAH Hachette Paperback $29.99 Sophie Hannah is one of the undisputed queens of British psychological crime and this, her latest, is sure to cement her in that position. A taut suspenseful tale of Justine, who thought she knew who she was – until the anonymous phone call that she may not know herself as well as she thought she did!

She escapes London and moves to Devon with her

daughter, Ellen, who becomes disturbed when a friend from school is expelled. This is strange – because there is no record of the friend either at the school or having been expelled from it. Just what is going on – you’ll need to follow all of the twists and turns of the plot of this fast paced page turner. I loved it and didn’t see the end coming until almost the dying moments of the story. Buy it – read it – most of all enjoy!!!

BLACK OPS – STEPHEN LEATHER Hachette P/k $39.99 I have been looking forward to reading this one since I knew it was coming out – it is the latest in the Spider Dan Shepherd yarns – and it’s a cracker of a story.

This time Spider is caught between a rock and a hard place when, in the middle of an undercover operation, he is tasked by the head of MI6 with bringing down his controller, Charlie Button, for using the Government’s assets to achieve a personal vendetta against the men who killed her husband.

Brilliant story – full of twists and turns – you never seem to know who is friend or foe most of the time. Loved it – roll on the next in the series – can’t wait.

MR HOLMES – MITCH CULLIN Allen and Unwin Paperback $19.99 Mitch is a new author to me and I looked forward to reading his tale of an ageing Sherlock Holmes immensely as I am a big fan of the Conan Doyle books about the World’s Greatest Detective.

This time, Holmes, now retired from crime solving and keeping bees in Sussex, and his long time partner in crime, John Watson, having given up with advancing years, is confronted with the

solving of a cold case that he had failed to clear up at the first attempt. Now with aid of his housekeeper’s young son he tackles it again and in doing so is able to answer some of his own questions about himself and his own life that he didn’t know he was asking!

Great story – great premise – very talented and readable writer. Loved it altogether. I understand it has also been made into a film starring Sit Ian McKellen as Holmes – I must look out for that one too.

THR SONG COLLECTOR – NATASHA SOLOMONS Hachette Paperback $29.99 As a musician of long standing, I wanted to read this one as soon as I heard about it. And I wasn’t disappointed at all.

Set in and around 1946, it is the story of a celebrated composer who becomes embroiled in the life of his four year old grandson who has proved to be a child prodigy on the piano. Mix in passion, roots, ancient songs and nostalgia for “the old ways” and you have a captivating tale that should leave you spellbound – as it did me. I loved it – know you will too – just the thing for a quiet read over Christmas this year.

THE ENDS OF THE EARTH – ROBERT GODDARD Random House P/bk $32.99 This brilliant book is the final chapter in “The Ends of the Earth” trilogy

by Mr Goddard, who is one of my all time favourite authors.

The final episode starts with news that Max Maxted, our hero, is dead! Who will now carry on the fight to discover who killed Max’s father? His colleagues set out to do just that and encounter many unexpected perils along the

way. This is how I like my vintage spy thrillers – never quite knowing who is an enemy and who a friend – and will it all come out ok in the end. Well, will it? Yes of course but it is all about the journey – not just the destination – that matters (just as in life itself). Great tale – great storyteller. Buy it and read and love it as much as I did. I know you will – won’t you?

CLOSE YOUR EYES – MICHAEL ROBOTHAM Hachette Paperback $29.99 This is the next instalment in the Joe O’Loughlin series – you may recall I told you about the previous one where Joe, a clinical psychologist who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease, is trying to retire from the criminal profiling that he is so good at. Then along comes another profiler who tells the world that he is Joe’s protégé and who has set out to upstage him at every turn.

Then someone close to a case starts to release sensitive information to the press with disastrous consequences. Joe is recalled to assist, albeit grudgingly because of some serious dramas in his personal life. A mother and daughter have been murdered – and this appears to be the tip of the iceberg. That is all

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I’m prepared to tell you at this stage – but this is one all lovers of great crime stories should read.

I always enjoy Michael’s books and this is no exception – it has one of the most edge of the seat endings of any he has written to date – and I must admit it left me stunned – loved it. You really must read this one if you read no others this year.

LONDON RAIN – NICOLA UPSON Allen and Unwin Paperback $29.99 This is the most recent in Nicola’s fictional series featuring real life detective author Josephine Tey. You may recall I told you about another a while ago where Ms Tey was in a story featuring also legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock (Fear in the Sunlight). This time Ms Tey gets involved with the murder of a BBC broadcaster who is murdered while covering the coronation of Kin George VI. Very intricate and involved storyline that early on in the piece you have it all worked out – you think – but have you indeed?? Read on and enjoy.

PRIVATE: SYDNEY – JAMES PATTERSON + KATHRYN FOX Random House Paperback $32.99 I am really enjoying the “Private” series of novels from this prolific

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author – they are set in the major cities/countries of the world. This time, the sights are set on Sydney, Australia and revolve around a businessman who goes missing – but when they try to locate him via the www, he doesn’t appear to exist. Then a woman is found brutally murdered and a young baby goes missing. Are the cases linked? Maybe so, maybe not. But the path to the final conclusion is twisted and extremely tortuous in true Patterson style. Loved it and I know that any of you who like his books as much as I do will love it too.

WICKED CHARMS – JANET EVANOVICH AND PHOEF SUTTONHachette P/b $29.99 This is the latest in the Lizzy and Diesel series of books (the first I have read, incidentally) and is I believe aimed at the young adult market. It is full of humour and drama, which are intermingled beautifully, and tells the tale of the tracking down of a hidden pirate’s treasure in a small town in USA. It also encompasses the search for the Stone of Avarice – which would appear to be the key to calling up the demon god of Avarice.

Strange but very amusing story and what I would refer to as a “light hearted romp”.

Great fun and well suited to its target market.

DEVIL’S BRIDGE – LINDA FAIRSTEIN Hachette $29.99 I love Linda’s books – especially the Alexandra Cooper series, of which this is the latest. This time, Alex Cooper, who is an Assistant DA in Manhattan, New York, is kidnapped and the team are tasked with finding her (once they realise that she has indeed been kidnapped) while trying to solve a nasty serial

killer case. Great tale – well written and well told, too.

Superb book – loved it.

DEVOTED IN DEATH – JD ROBB Hachette $29.99 As you probably already know, JD Robb is the pseudonym of prolific author, Nora Roberts, and her “In Death” series is set in the New York of the near future.

This time a self appointed Romeo and Juliet of crime, who set out on a murderous crime spree a while back, get to New York to continue their random torture/murders.

Lt Dallas and her billionaire husband, Roarke, are stretched to their limits to find this prolific pair of killers – but as you al know it’s not the destination of a story that counts – it’s the journey – and what a journey!

Great bit of storytelling from a master storyteller. Buy it and enjoy it.

MAKE ME – LEE CHILD Random House $32.99 As if I needed to tell you, this is the new and eagerly awaited Jack Reacher novel – and it was well worth the wait.

This time, Reacher gets off a train in a small US town called Mother’s Rest – intrigued by the town’s name and how it arose. But as he tries to find out (which turns into a running question and answer setup throughout the story, he gets involved with ex-FBI officers who are now private investigators and missing children and a foray into the deep web – a hard to find extension of the WWW. Phew – won’t tell you any more except to say that I think this is the best one yet from Mr Child. Loved it SPLINTER THE SILENCE – VAL McDERMID Hachette Paperback $29.99 I always look forward to a new Tony Hill/Carol Jordan story and again this has been

well worth the wait. You may recall the are the featured characters in Val’s superb “Wire in the Blood” series of books that also spawned the killer TV series of the same name that featured Robson Green as Tony Hill and Hermione Norris as DI Jordan.

This time Jordan is tasked with establishing an MIT branch that has a roving remit to sort out obscure cases that involve serial murders and violent rape cases, amongst others. They start off their remit with what Tony Hill believes would be a good quasi investigation – because there doesn’t appear to be an actual case yet – but then there is. It becomes one of the most testing and intricate cases of their joint careers – Loved it – great story and well told by Val, who is undoubtedly one of the undisputed monarchs of British crime writing.

MARTIN GRIVER UNEARTHED – ODHRAN O’BRIEN Heritageperth.com.au This is a companion book to one I told you about a while ago which outlined the life of Patrick Clune, a former archbishop of Perth. This is the story of Martin Griver. A young man who after working in the fields of Catalonia studied to be a priest. He was soon ordained and came to the Swan River Colony in 1849 as a missionary.

This is a most inspiring story and one which I urge all amongst you to read if like me you share an interest in the history of our great State of Western Australia.

POST MORTEM – KATE LONDON Allen and Unwin Paperback $24.99 Kate London is a former serving detective on the murder squad in London

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and this is her first novel. And a cracker it is too – part police procedural and part gripping story involving race relations problems and police corruption to name but two of this great story’s plotlines. Loved it from its gripping start to its agonising but inevitable conclusion. I won’t tell you any of the story at this stage but will let you buy this one and work it out for yourselves – it’s a brilliant read and “an explosive” debut novel.

TRIGGER MORTIS – ANTHONY HOROWITZ Hachette Paperback $29.99 One of my favourite authors is Anthony Horowitz. One of my favourite characters of all time is Ian Fleming’s immortal James Bond.

This wonderful book brings them together with a story that is set in 1957 – between Goldfinger and Thunderball – and is, thankfully, devoid of all the gadgets that the Bond movies have been so full of over recent years.

This time, Bond is reunited with Pussy Galore (ex Goldfinger) and SMERSH, his arch-enemy organisation from so many Bond stories. M hears of a plot to assassinate England’s leading racing car drivers and Bond is put in to a race to prevent this from happening. Thos leads into a race to prevent SMERSH and its Russian masters from gaining control of the Space Race, which the USA is currently leading.

The leading antagonist to Bond is an unlikely Korean entrepreneur by the name of Jason Sin. What a combination and what a brilliant storyline.

Loved it and will keep it in my library with all of the other Bond books. I can’t

recommend this one too highly – this is as close to a Fleming novel that you are likely to get – and is based on (and actually includes part of) a short story that was started by the great man himself. Hope you enjoy it, too.

CODE OF CONDUCT – BRAD THOR Simon and Schuster Paperback $29.99 Although this is not Brad’s first book, it’s the first of his I’ve read.

Set in the world of espionage in the USA and encompassing the CIA and a megalomaniac who wants to emulate Adolf Hitler by creating a master race by eradicating all undesirables in the World and thus save it from starving as it becomes over populated.

Phew!! Very fast paced and very readable – a real page-turner. Loved the central character, Scot Harvath. Enjoy – I know I did.

THE MELODY LINGERS ON – MARY HIGGINS CLARK Simon and Schuster Paperback $32.99 Another cracker from Ms Higgins Clark this time a story of an investment banker whose boat is found capsized and he is missing presumed dead. But is he?? The story is very fast paced and involves the FBI, the “deceased’s” family and his former lover and USD 5 billion in funds. The inevitable love story evolves between various participants – to name them would spoil the story for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and know you will too.

THE SANTANGELOS – JACKIE COLLINS Simon and Schuster Paperback $32.99 I love Jackie Collins’ books – they are so fast paced and action packed – sure,

the plots story lines are racy and full of violence, drug use, crime and murder. But they are set chiefly in Sin City (Las Vegas to the uninitiated) and apparently that seems to be the all the go there.

That said, I enjoyed this continuation of the story of Lucky Santangelo (from the plotlines, you could assume that her name is not necessarily appropriate to her life at all) and it picks up where her father is shot down by a professional hit man. Who did it and why?

Mix it her troubled family and friends and their escapades and Jackie has yet another sure-fire hit on your hands.

This is a goodie – hope you all enjoy it. You will if you are a fan of her work and/or stories set in the glitzy world of Las Vegas.

Sadly, as you will see from my “Not Fade Away” column this month, Jackie Collins passed away on September 19th 2015. I don’t know whether or not there are any more novels from her in the pipeline (I hear that she has an as yet unpublished autobiography in the works) but, if not, then this is a fine tribute to her writing as a swansong. I shall miss her stories and their characters.

She was certainly one in a class of her own.

Requiescat in Pace.

THE SOLOMON CURSE – CLIVE CUSSLER and RUSSELL BLAKE Penguin Paperback $32.99 Like so many other writers, Clive Cussler has taken to writing in conjunction with other authors in order to get all of his messages/storages lines through to his readership.

This is the latest in the Fargo series and is a cracker of a good story. Set in the Solomon Islands, the story revolves around political

unrest amongst the Islanders coupled with a treasure hunt for the secrets of a lost island nation and its sunken gold, temples and palaces with a World War Two series of experiments in biochemical warfare.

Great fast paced and action packed adventure – just as we have come to expect from Clive Cussler. Loved it.

BROKEN PROMISE– LINWOOD BARCLAY Hachette Paperback $29.99 These last two books are from two of my all time favourite authors.

Linwood Barclay’s work I have enjoyed for many years – and this is a brilliant tale. The broken promise can either relate to the town in which it is set, Promise Falls, or something else entirely.

I was completely captured by this multi themed story set in rural outback USA and its damaged characters – in particular David Harwood and Detective Duckworth.

I can’t even try to outline which way the different story lines intersect – there are so many of them. And the ending – out of the blue completely – not what I was expecting at all. Can’t wait for the next in this gripping series.

TENNISON – LINDA LAPLANTE Simon and Schuster Paperback $32.99 And finally – one I have been waiting for for a long time – in fact ever since I heard it mooted

by Ms La Plante back in 2014. You will all no doubt be familiar with the Prime Suspect series of books and the TV series of the same name starring the wonderful Helen Mirren as Inspector Jane Tennison. Well, this is where it all began for Jane in the East End of London in 1973. This is the world of the Kray twins – and at 22

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years old, this is Jane’s first exposure to crime, murder, and the like. Can’t/won’t say any more – I’ll let you suss out the story for yourselves.

I know like me you won’t be able to wait to get your hands on this wonderful gem of crime writing. Enjoy!

Well that’s it for books this issue. I hope you will take my recommendations into consideration when selecting your reading matter for your Christmas, Spring and Summer reading delights and indeed for the future and give them a good go. I wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year and happy reading, and hope to see you all in the next issue.

I must say that I hope you enjoy my recommendations as much as I have enjoyed reading them on both your and my own behalf. See you next time!

CD REVIEW

This time, as I mentioned in the last issue, I want to tell you about a new CD from a young Irish performer named Derek Ryan. In that issue, I gave you the promotional blurb that was sent to me with the CD – I have now had a chance to listen to it and, as promised, thought I’d tell you about Derek’s music.

Of the 14 tracks, 9 are written or co-written by Derek himself and of those my favourites are “Belle of Liverpool”, “Perfect Days” and “Life is a River”. Of the others, I enjoyed “It’s Friday” and “Wake Me Up” the best. Derek is a very accomplished singer and writer and I enjoyed the CD as a whole. I look forward to hearing more from him in the years to come.

By COLIN MERREY

I am again saddened to have to tell you about some more notables of the entertainment industry who are no longer with us. This is the column that I least enjoy writing – because it means that some of my favourite people have passed and are no longer with us.

I wish to add here that this will be my last “Not Fade Away” column as I am finding it too depressing to write about my idols who have shuffled off this mortal coil.

Ernest Peter “Ernie” Maresca was an American singer, songwriter and record company executive, best known for writing or cowriting some of Dion’s biggest hits, including “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer”. He was born in the Bronx, New York and began singing and writing in a doo-wop group, the Monterays, later renamed as the Desires, and, after Maresca left, as the Regents, who had a hit with “Barbara Ann”. He then began songwriting full-time, and recording his own demos. He wrote “Runaround Sue” with Dion (the singer’s only US number one hit), and then other big hits with and for him. These included “The Wanderer”, originally a B-side which became a US million seller and a UK hit twice over, in 1962 and 1976 on reissue.

In 1961, Maresca was offered a recording contract with Seville, a small New York label. His protestations that he was not much of a singer were brushed aside, and he wrote a hit for himself, “Shout!

Shout! (Knock Yourself Out)” which reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1962.

Ernie Maresca died on July 8, 2015 at his home in South Florida, after a brief illness at the age of 76.

James Bartholomew “Bart” Cummings also known as J.B Cummings, was one of the most successful Australian racehorse

trainers. He was known as the “Cups King”, referring to the Melbourne Cup, as he won ‘the race that stops a nation’ a record twelve times. He received his trainer licence in 1953, and set up stables at Glenelg in South Australia. His first significant win came in 1958, when he won the South Australian Derby, the same year he bought his first yearling. On 11 December 1991, Cummings was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1982 for his services to the racing industry.

Cummings was married to his wife Valmae since 1954. His son Anthony and grandson James are also trainers. He died on 30 August 2015 in Sydney, New South Wales.

He was 87. His family accepted the Premier of New South Wales’ offer of a state funeral Wesley Earl “Wes” Craven was an American film director, writer, producer, and actor known for his work on horror films, particularly slasher films. He was best known for creating the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise featuring the Freddy Krueger character, directed the first instalment and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, and also co-wrote A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors with Bruce Wagner.

He also directed the entire Scream series featuring Ghostface. Some of his other films include The Hills Have Eyes, The Last House on the Left, The Serpent and the Rainbow, The People Under the Stairs, Vampire in Brooklyn, Cursed, Red Eye and My Soul to Take. On August 30, 2015, Wes Craven died of brain cancer at his home in Los Angeles. He was 76 years old.

Jacqueline Jill “Jackie” Collins OBE (October 4, 1937 – September

19, 2015) was an English-American novelist. She wrote 32 novels, all of which have appeared on The New York Times bestsellers list.

In total, her books have sold over 500 million copies and have been translated into 40 languages. Eight of her novels have been adapted for the screen, either as films or television mini-series. She was the younger sister of actress Joan Collins.

In the Sunday Times Rich List 2011, Collins was listed as the UK’s fifth richest author with an estimated personal fortune of £60 million ($96 million). She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honours for services to fiction and charity. She died on 19 September 2015 of breast cancer having had kept her illness a secret from everyone except her closest family members.

It is with some degree of personal sadness (as I was at school with one of her close relatives, John Botterill) that I have to tell you of the death of actress Judy Carne, a star of the U.S. comedy show “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In,” at the age of 76 years. She was famous for popularizing the “Sock it to Me” phrase on the hit TV show that ran from 1967 to 1973.

She shot to fame, along with Goldie Hawn and Lily Tomlin, with the rise of “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”, a smash hit on NBC that often featured her doused in water, taking pratfalls or suffering other humiliations after uttering her signature phrase. She was born Joyce Botterill in Northampton.

Her parents ran a florists shop in Kingsthorpe, Northampton.

She started performing on TV shows in the late 1950s, building a reputation in England before moving to the United States.

She was married twice, including once to the actor Burt Reynolds, and spent her later years with her two dogs living in the village of Pitsford in Northamptonshire.

She died in Northampton General Hospital on September 3rd from pneumonia.

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CELTIC WOMAN

THEY SAVED THE BEST TILL LAST Reviewed by Colin Merrey

BRIAN FRIEL

(born Bernard Patrick Friel); Passed on 2 October 2015, after a long illness, at the age of 86 years. He was an Irish dramatist, author and director of the Field Day Theatre Company. He was considered to be one of the greatest Englishlanguage dramatists, hailed by the Englishspeaking world as an “Irish Chekhov” and “the universally accented voice of Ireland”. He was best known for plays such as ‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ and ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’, but wrote more than thirty plays in a career that spanned six-decades and saw him elected Saoi of Aosdána. His plays were a regular feature on Broadway throughout this time.

‘Philadelphia, Here I Come!’ was turned into a film in 1975, starring Donal McCann, directed by John Quested, screenplay by Brian Friel. In 1980, he co-founded Field Day Theatre Company and his play ‘Translations’ was the company’s first production. Neil Jordan completed a screenplay for a film version of ‘Translations’ that was never produced. With Field Day, Friel collaborated with Seamus Heaney, 1995 recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature, with whom he became close friends after Friel sent the young poet a letter following the publication of ‘Death of a Naturalist’.

He was appointed to Seanad Éireann in 1987 and served until 1989. ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ (1990) brought Friel great acclaim internationally, winning him several Tony Awards, including Best Play, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play. It was also turned into a film in 1998, starring Meryl Streep. His play ‘Lovers’ was adapted into an opera by Richard Wargo entitled ‘Ballymore’ in 1999, and it was premiered by the Skylight Opera Theatre, Milwaukee, in February 1999.

The first part of Ballymore, ‘Winners’ was given its Irish premiere at the Wexford Opera Festival in 2010. The second of the two parts, ‘Losers’, had its premiere at the festival in 2013. Friel was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the British Royal Society of Literature and the Irish Academy of Letters.

May your gods go with you.

Celtic Woman were in Perth on 25th September this year on the final concert of their Australian tour and I was delighted to be asked to go along and see them – I saw them last year when they came to the Riverside Theatre and was more than impressed with what I saw then.

This year the show was indeed as good as if not better than last year’s show – the girls were celebrating 10 years of performing together and oh boy was it a superb evening altogether.

The only original member remaining is Mairead Nesbitt, the fiddle player, who is one of the most competent and energetic players that I have come across since seeing Ric Sanders (of Fairport Convention fame) in action over the years both here and in England. The other singers were Susan McFadden and Mairead Carlin who were here last year but the third member, Lisa Lambe, has now been replaced by Eabha McMahon who hails from Dublin – and indeed has a well rounded history in the Irish tradition having been taught by some of the greats of Irish traditional music.

The programme was taken from the Group’s entire back catalogue and the performance was superb. Standouts were Mairead’s fiddle playing - the step dancing – very high standard – the bodhran playing from Ray (ace percussionist) – the magical singing and dancing from the Girls. Standout song (for me) was “Caledonia” from the wonderful Susan McFadden (who I had the pleasure of interviewing a while back for the Irish Scene.

The girls were more than ably supported by the Celtic Tenors, three Irish lads who were making their Australian performing debut. Their singing was outstanding and their sense of humour edgy but exactly to my taste. Standout of theirs for me was Bob Dylan’s evergreen song “Forever Young” which is taken from their current CD album.

As I said this was the final date on the Australian tour and indeed they did save the best till last – great night altogether!

In fact my only (picky in the extreme) observation on the evening is that – like most performers – “Danny Boy” was introduced as a folk song when it is in fact a traditional tune (the Derry Air) with words by English songwriter Fred Weatherly.

That said, I look forward to seeing them all on their next tour of Oz. Long may they reign.

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THE BLACKIE BOYS So what is it that makes you proud to be Irish?

This book, “365 Reasons to be Proud to be Irish” was passed onto me by our Ulster Rambler, David MacConnell with a warning that it had to be returned and I understand why! It is a wonderful little book that helps you come to the conclusion of why you should be proud to be Irish.

In the introduction to this book Rev Sir John Pentland Mahaffy says “The chances are it’s not the shamrocks and the leprechauns and the mountain dew and the colleens and the blarney etc.

It could be the fact that Ireland has produced writers of the calibre of James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, explorers as brave as Ernest Shackleton, actors as good as Peter O’Toole, bands as famous as U2, beer as ubiquitous as Guinness.

Maybe it’s the world-changing inventions: the hypodermic needle, the Beaufort scale, the submarine, the lighthouse, the dollar sign and, most importantly of all, the cream cracker.

This book is available on line and at Dymocks… a great Christmas gift for dad!

A book by Michael O’Hara

The Blackie Boys is the first in a series of short story books, about boyhood adventures in Belfast in the 1950’s. The stories are steeped in Belfast traditions and locations.

Writer Michael: “My book was launched on the 4th of August, in the Visit West Belfast offices on the Falls Road. That building used to be Meleady’s Fruit & Veg shop, which was my family home and where all my stories originate from”.

Michael added, “I am very familiar with The Irish Scene having spent many holidays in Perth. My daughter lived In Rockingham for 15 years and my son is currently living in Victoria Park. I think that my book is something that might interest your readers”. We feel sure it will to Belfast Ex-Pats.

Writing a book was not a natural or obvious choice for Michael O’Hara, a retired manufacturing engineer from the Falls Road. But then his granddaughter Chloe gave him the final push to take the bull by the horns when she asked him: “What was it like when you were growing up?”

So, at the tender age of 68, Michael wrote, illustrated and selfpublished his book The Blackie Boys, a series of short stories based on his childhood days on the Falls Road. It features his friends and their life and adventures around the Blackie River, which flowed from its source in Divis Mountain above Belfast and ran through the Beechmount area of the city where they lived.

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Born in Belfast in 1946, Michael grew up in a very different world to the one we know today. “There were no mobile phones, no cars – not in our street anyhow – no television and very little else.” And yet The Blackie Boys takes a look into a reasonably recent past, “My childhood is not a major step back in time – it’s not that long ago – but the changes are phenomenal,” Michael says.

“As children we grew up on the banks of the Blackie River, which meandered, through our lives.”

For the children in Beechmount, the Blackie was the life-blood of the neighbourhood, a play area, a meeting place, a dumping ground for dead dogs and cats. It represented a land where time could be forgotten and where the imagination ran riot; for Michael, it remains an evocative symbol of youth.

Michael, who now lives with his wife in Ennis, Co Clare, says he always had a passion for art. “I had already started to draw pictures from my childhood because I wanted to record how things were back then, so I illustrated my first short story, ‘round the backs.’ Little did I know that these pictures of childhood memories would ever become a book.”

Perth Belfastian and author, Lawrence Clarke wrote of The Blackie Boys….

The colourful illustrations, almost drawn in a unique style by the author, are excellently detailed and each is a story in itself.

The dialogue, which I would have preferred written using colloquial spelling, is still sensible and humorous. I will assume it is written grammatically because the story is required to reach a wider readership than Belfastians, or Ulster people in general. Having made that point, I did like the writing because it is unpretentious in presentation and is clearly aimed at a younger age group, although older people could read and enjoy the story if they are not seeking intellectual non-fiction. I do recommend this small book.

The Blackie Boys can be purchased online at www.theblackieboys. com and at outlets in west Belfast including Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich.

Source: The Irish News and Michael O’Hara

From Tasmania with Paula Xiberras

June’s Family Photos Inspire Spiritual Stories June Duffy tells me she is very excited about the two Australian candidates for the Dublin writing prize the Tasmanian Richard Flanagan and the Australian Hannah Kent. Although she hasn’t been to Australia or Tasmania yet June and her husband travel widely, last year they visited China and this year they will visit Japan and South Korea. June hopes to visit Australia one day soon, because she has discovered that a relative had immigrated here.

June was a Manchester native and has worked as a teacher both in England and Ireland. After meeting her husband she moved with him to Ballyhaunis in Mayo Ireland. Moving from a city to a rural environment she says was easier than if she had done the other way around and moved from the country to the city and has happily lived in rural Ireland for 17 years. It is rural Ireland that is the setting for her two books that hope among other things to educate children on the Irish way of life.

The name June means young and recently June suitably started writing children’s books, a consequence of her relief teaching when she would make up stories for the students which would filter through to the parents, who would encourage her to write the stories down.

June’s stories which are aimed at 4 to 8 year olds are unique in a couple of ways, one is that they are written

in the form of rhyme which allows them to more readily imprint themselves in children’s minds. June’s stories are also unique in that they have a spiritual theme.

In the first book ‘I Saw Grandad’ a young boy called Sean returns home to tell his mother he has been speaking to his late grandad. Sean’s mum and sisters are not impressed but when they notice dad outside talking to a man time seems to stand still as if suspended between the two worlds, physical and spiritual. The supernatural stillness passes and things return to normal as mum calls the family to dinner.

In the second book ‘You know Who’ Sean is more cautious in sharing his observations. The book recounts Sean’s play with an unnamed red haired boy.

In the first story Sean’s dad seemed to have a spiritual openness in being seen speaking to grandad and it is dad who engages Sean in conversation regarding his mysterious playmate known as ‘You Know Who’.

Dad tells Sean through an explanation of the photos on the wall about a child born before him called Seamus that became ill and was taken from the family too early.

The pictures accompanying the text are both beautifully realised and heartbreaking ... a door open featuring a suitcase with Seamus’s name written on it, a teddy bear and a path leading from the door into the distance. June who is a very spiritual person believes writing about spiritual issues resonates and helps those who have experienced situations of loss in their own lives.

June says when she is invited into schools to talk about her books the imagination of the children takes over as they interpret the stories in a totally different way to her own but she welcomes their imaginative storytelling and how the excellent illustrations encourage their creativity.

June tells me there has been a buzz in reaction to the books which is understandable considering their uniqueness, both in telling their story in rhyme and in touching on the spiritual dimensions in life.

June’s book ‘I’ve Seen Grandad’ is available on Amazon at http://www. amazon.com/Ive-Seen-GranddadJune-Duffy/dp/0957321309/ ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8.

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SWISS CELTIC CONNECTION

I recently chatted to Daryl Simpson who worked as a professional opera singer in Zurich before he became a member of Irish group ‘The Celtic Tenors.’

The guys were in Australia in September supporting ‘The Celtic Women’ and also promoting their new CD ‘Timeless’ and DVD ‘The Homecoming’, the latter was filmed in the National Concert Hall in Dublin and Daryl assures me includes ‘great banter and music.’

The trio that is ‘The Celtic Tenors’ are completed by Matthew Gilsenan, a trained engineer and James Nelson who holds a music degree like Daryl but both gentlemen suggest that teaching music was not their forte, although they are committed to encouraging young talent by example in their role as musicians.

Daryl tells me he knows ‘precious little’ about Tasmania, except that we have ‘a wonderful devil’ but does boast a recent Tasmanian connection. When he was performing at an ANZAC ser-

vice at Gallipoli Daryl met, he tells me, ‘a chap from Tasmania’ that had many good things to say about the state and encouraged Daryl to visit.

Daryl says he loves Australia and its people, he notes Australia’s ‘earthiness’ and the connection between ‘Ireland and Australia through the ‘Irish diaspora’.

He is particularly taken by the Australia’s ‘openness’ and yes, he has a fondness for the climate too!

Daryl explains the group like to have some fun with their performance by telling some stories that demonstrate their individual personalities and by promoting

themselves as ‘ordinary blokes’ that the ‘lads’ can tag along with their wives to see. The ‘Tenors’ are accessible and enjoy a chat after the show, in fact Daryl says that one of the ‘Tenors’, Matthew, is difficult to drag back to the dressing rooms, so engaged in conversation he becomes!

Australian connections continue in The Celtic Tenors album ‘Time-

Charmes de Kirwan

Dominic Kirwan’s surname suits him well. The name Kirwan has connections to a French winery and a wine called Charmes de Kirwan loosely translated as ‘charms of Kirwan’. This reference would not surprise those who have attended Dominic’s concerts. They would in fact agree there could never be a more fitting connection! For Dominic Kirwan, the Irish singer and entertainer, has charmed many with his rich as wine voice, that has a stark similarity to that of Tom Jones. Dominic rounds of this double treat with an ease of movement honed from a childhood studying Irish dance.

The popular singer recently celebrated his 25th anniversary as a professional recording artist and hopes to soon bring some of that Kirwan charm to Australia.

Dominic says in spite of the distance, he is very comfortable in Australia with its similarities to Ireland.

His history with Australia goes back to when his song “We’ll Be Together From Now On” was selected by the Fred Hollows Foundation to support their appeals in Eritrea. Dominic speaks fondly of his association with the foundation.

One of the appealing things about Dominic, is that he has always been keen to meet and get to know his fans, a lesson he learned from Charlie Pride when he first met him back in 1990, on the first night of a five week tour. Charlie had spent an hour chatting with Dominic and his band

less’ which has an Australian producer. Daryl tells me that there were some challenges with the album including giving many popular tunes The Celtic Tenor’s treatment. Daryl didn’t think that songs such as ‘From Here to the Moon and Back’ by Dolly Parton would translate as a Celtic Tenor song but in fact it became one of his favourite songs on the album.

at the time. He was impressed by Charlie’s ability to be accessible and personable to those around him, an ability he himself has continued to emulate.

I myself was privy to this when visiting Ireland a couple of years back. In the foyer of the hotel Dominic was performing at, I was delighted to see Dominic chatting and taking photos with fans that had arrived for his concert. Dominic recognised and remembered us from his previous visit to Tasmania in 2005, he drew himself away from the crowd for a few moments, joined us for a chat and took time to have a few photos with myself and family.

Life as an entertainer began early for Dominic with Irish dancing. At 6 years of age he entered the world of singing when a Christian brother teacher discovered him, informing his mother that Dominic had a remarkable singing voice. Experience in both dance and song was gained by entering competitions, singing in the school and church choirs and later forming his first band.

I asked Dominic in those early years was there ever any conflict between his two loves of dancing and singing? and how singing had won out. He says that if his dancing years had coincided with the revival that gave the world River Dance perhaps his career may have taken a different path. As for following his singing career, he has no regrets.

His talent has made the generational jump to his son Colm, who has settled in Nashville as a singer/ songwriter. He himself has just finished the first part of a US tour supporting Don Williams. Another of Dominic’s sons, Barry, is the drum-

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There’s some more Australian flavour in the song choices with covers of the Bee Gees ‘How Can you Mend a Broken Heart’, their good friends Air Supply’s ‘All Out of Love’ and the much admired Seekers ‘The Carnival is Over’ which Daryl calls ‘a great song.’

The CD ‘Timeless’ and DVD ‘The Homecoming’ are out now.

mer with a new up and coming Irish entertainer, Derek Ryan.

Dominic himself of recent times has teamed up with popular Irish singer Mary Duff for a series of concerts around Ireland and the rest of the UK. It’s an interesting piece of trivia that Dominic’s patron saint is the patron saint of astronomers. For me, Dominic is definitely a star in more ways than one, continuing to give of himself both on and off stage meeting with fans, both pre and post show and in the charitable work he does for many different charities including a parachute jump he did a few years ago for a selection of Cancer awareness groups, organisations that have been close to his own heart.

To find out more about Dominic, purchase his music and DVD’s plus merchandise go to http://www. dominickirwan.com/

n e e r u a M O’Hara was the Green Queen of the Silver Screen

I

by Lloyd Gorman

n her 2004 autobiography, ’Tis Herself’, Maureen O’Hara tells the story of how one day, at the age of five, a Gypsy told her that she would leave Ireland and become a very famous woman known all around the world.

She was born in Dublin in August 17 1920, one of six children and raised on Beechwood Avenue in Ranelagh to a mother who was a well-known opera singer and a father who was part owner of the Shamrock Rovers football team. She also admitted to always wanting to be the best actress in the world and between the age of six she trained in drama, music and dance at the John Street West Girls’ School near Thomas Street in Dublin’s Liberties area and also the Rathmines Theatre Company.

Her acting ambitions took her to the Abbey Theatre aged 16 and just 12 months later was in London where after a few minor roles she was cast in a 1939 pirate film Jamaica Inn, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

She said it was seeing herself in this film that convinced her that she could be beautiful. It was also around this time that she became Maureen O’Hara in name thanks to the English actor Charles Laughton who was the first to recognise her talent. Combined with her stunning looks and on the screen (and of) her acting ability propelled her into the realm of other Hollywood greats, such as director John Ford and John Wayne. A string of movies - something like 60 of them - followed for the on-screen beauty including How Green was my valley (1941) and one of the most famous Irish films of all time, The Quiet Man (1952) which was shot in counties Mayo and Galway with some filming for indoor action in Hollywood, featuring the work of Ford and Wayne. Interestingly 1952 was also the year that O’Hara starred in an Australian movie Kangaroo or The Australian Story. The plot sees two criminals whose ruthless plans to swindle a rancher at the turn of the

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20th century become enemies competing for the heart of the archers beautiful daughter. This production was filmed entirely on location in Australia, South Australia and New South Wales to be precise.

Much will be written about O’Hara’s life, on screen and sometimes tumultuous private life by far more informed correspondents but I would like to concentrate on her relationship with Ireland. The gypsy was only partly right when she predicted the young O’Hara would leave Ireland. Throughout her life O’Hara remained fiercely proud and insistent on her Irish heritage and identity.

“Being an Irish woman means many things to me,” she said about herself in her autobiography which went on to become a best seller. “An Irish woman is strong and feisty. She has guts and stands up for what she believes in. She believes she is the best at whatever she does and proceeds through life with that knowledge. She can face any hazard that life throws her way and stay with it until she wins. She is loyal to her kinsmen and accepting of others. She’s not above a sock in the jaw if you have it coming. She is only on her knees before God. Yes, I am most definitely an Irish woman.”

More recently, in July of this year she told Vanity Fair magazine that her greatest achievement was being “the first person recognised as an Irish woman all over the world.”

O’Hara made Ireland her home again in 1970 when she - and third husband Charles F Blair Jr (a pioneering pilot and aviation mogul who died in a plane crash in 1978) bought Lugdine Park as their main residence (they also had homes in America and the Virigin Islands). Sitting on some 35 hectares of rugged and verdant coastal countryside in Glengarriff in West Cork the property already had an amazing history before O’Hara bought it.

The land itself was bought in about 1915 by William Martin Murphy the biggest Irish business tycoon of the day (who was at the heart of the 1913 Lockout and founder of the Irish Independent newspaper) but it was his son William Lombard who built the house in 1935.

The house eventually passed out of the Murphy family and a later owner included a Baron Von Dornberg, who was a diplomat and member of the SS who served as Hitler’s ‘Chief of Protocol’ from before the start of World War II until its conclusion. The Baron - who stood at nearly seven feet tall and had the reputation as being the ‘tallest Nazi’ in the Third Reich paid up to $7,000 for the home in the late 1950’s. Her home and land also adjoined the local golf club, one of the best in the world in its own way and with unrivalled views.

Those of you that know it will agree that Glengarriff is a remarkable and beautiful place tucked away where the treelined mountains meet the sea in a quirky corner of the world near the Cork and Kerry border. To those of you that haven’t discovered it is a place worth visiting and somewhere that never leaves you. I worked there for three summers as a student in local hotels and grew

to love this remarkable little sleepy and secluded pocket of Ireland. I don’t think I ever saw O’Hara in the flesh but her presence was all around and about the place. It was a badge of honour to have one of the world’s most famous (and beautiful) stars living there. I also seem to recall being told that she drove around in an old banger with cardboard cut outs where the licence plates should be. While they were meant to be a short term measure the cardboard remained in place for years.

Finbar Furey was a big fan. In the day, the Furey’s used to play an annual concert over the bank holiday August weekend at the Eccles Hotel in Glengarriff. It was a mega event on the local calendar.

During an interview a couple of years ago I told Finbar that I had worked at the hotel and met them then he told me about his most recent visit to the Cork outpost and spending his encounter with O’Hara.

Having such a screen legend on your doorstep it is no surprise at all that Glengarriff developed the Maureen O’Hara Film Festival.

Lugdine Park was a special

place for O’Hara. “I have too many wonderful memories of Glengarriff to pick just one,” she told the Irish Times. “One is starting my golf tournament that goes on every summer. All of us, the whole village, pulled together to get it going. And it still is today. You miss Ireland for all your life when you leave. I miss looking out my bedroom window at the boats coming in and eating at Casey’s.”

She made it her permanent home in about 2005 after a stroke but relocated to be with family in America in 2012. About this time last year (October) O’Hara put her precious Glengarriff pile on the market. The asking price was initially $2.45 million, which as well as the lavish heritage home included two islands, a private beach and guest cottage. Despite the property’s long association with such a big name it took nearly seven months for this piece of prime real estate and cultural history to sell for just under €2million earlier this year.

If O’Hara always maintained she was Irish, then she would ultimately

become a Glengarriff girl.

Maureen O’Hara passed away in her sleep at home in Boise, Idaho, on October 24, aged 95.

Maureen O’Hara Quotes...

• “After I got to Hollywood, I resented that I didn’t get a crack at more dramatic roles because I photographed so beautifully.”

• “Lost in a crowd of greats, not a single Oscar. That’s showbiz.”

• “I watch and listen to movies today and am shocked by the way actors deliver their lines. Everybody mumbles now and I don’t understand why.”

• “There’s a terrible truth for many women in the picture business: Aging typically takes its toll and means fewer and less desirable roles.”

• On John Wayne: “Speaking as an actress, I wish all actors would be more like Duke – and speaking as a person, it would be nice if all people could be honest and as genuine as he is. This is a real man.”

I am living in Australia and I have property in Ireland. Can I make a will in Australia dealing with my Irish property?

Yes. However, appropriate legal advice is essential as a poorly drafted will dealing with foreign property may cause problems for those left behind after your death.

For advice please contact Leo Barry

Family Friendly • Family Lawyers 1/100 Terrace Road EAST PERTH WA 6004 T: (08) 9218 8422 F: (08) 9218 8433 E: reception@kavlaw.com.au W: kavlaw.com.au

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Phil Beck writes about his

Memorable Fleadh Ceol Experience

Earlier this year, August and September to be precise, I spent some time in the British Isles, and having plenty of time on my hands, arranged to spend some time in Ireland with my old pal Sean Roche: erstwhile of this parish now resident in Cork.

We had no proper plan but that I’d stay in Cork with Sean for a while and we’d follow our noses as it were. Around the time of my trip to Cork the Fleadh was due to be held in Sligo and Sean said that if we could get accommodation then it might be good to head up and join the festivities. For once Sean had hit upon an eminently sensible plan and we were agreed. Trouble was that, since this plan was formulated about two weeks before the start of the Fleadh, there was no accommodation to be had for love nor money within about a two hundred mile radius of Sligo: so we shelved the plan. Then, out of the blue, the Gods of fate, who as I’ve mentioned before tend to look after the righteous, saw fit to arrange events such that a brand new bed-and-breakfast establishment was to open on the first weekend of the Fleadh: and it was open for bookings.

The landlady of the new B&B happened to be a friend of a lady who plays music with Sean in Cork. She told Sean, Sean told me, phone calls were made, terms were arranged and the next day Sean and I set off for Sligo; brilliant.

As it turned out the digs in Sligo were superb, a lovely house overlooking the estuary and neighbouring mountains about 10 minutes stroll from the town centre. And, as can be expected, the town was hopping; millions of people

around and sessions and concerts going on all over the place. Sean and I were in our element.

It also transpired that the landlady of our B&B played the flute and assorted whistles and was a keen participant in all things Fleadh. She was thus able to provide Sean and I with valuable nuggets of local information; such as which pubs had good sessions and which ones sold the best Guinness and so on. We profited greatly from her advice, especially on the Guinness front.

Naturally, our time being spent in informal sessions in the various watering holes, the official programme didn’t get much of a look in (in fact it hardly featured at all) but from what I saw the best time can be had at the Fleadh without bothering with official concerts and other such frippery. I always think that about festivals of all sorts though.

There was one aspect of the Fleadh which in particular impressed me mightily though and that was the number of kids busking every 10 feet or so along the highways and by ways.

There were youngsters scarcely big enough to hold their instruments playing singly or in groups at just about every other shop doorway in the town.

And these kids could really play: the standard of musicianship was fantastic.

They played proper and complex music and played it well: there was a collective understanding of the tradition that was (to me anyway as someone unused to Irish ways) astounding.

I couldn’t believe that so many kids could be so good and so keen on

traditional music which in most other cultures would simply be considered old fashioned and largely ignored. It struck me that the future of Irish music is in very good hands and Irish music has a very good future Slainte.

I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene.

It was a necessity for me - like food or water. Ray Charles 84

Book Review....

THE BELLE OF BELFAST

Based on a true story, the names of people and some events have been changed to protect individuals, but all historical events listed are factual.

The story is written in Belfast dialect and set in the Catholic district of the Falls Road post World War II and tells how the stunningly attractive, feisty and fearless Isabelle McKitterick, meets champion Irish dancer Jack Kennedy. The attraction is instant and electric and they fall head over heels for each other. They are the vogue couple that turn heads everywhere they go and soon decide to spend the rest of their lives together despite objections from Isabelle’s mother.

However, their planned engagement is abruptly and unexpectedly stopped in its tracks and Jack leaves for Canada with the argument between them unresolved.

The events that follow sees Isabelle marry a man she doesn’t love and catapults her into a life of abuse and danger.

With Isabelle turning 70 and on the path to dementia, Berny decides to find Jack Kennedy and clear her Mommy’s name. In a remarkable turn of events Isabelle and Jack are reunited one more time and Jack finally gives her the diamond ring he has secretly kept for 50 years. Available from book stores and on line via Amazon & Booktopia, retailling at $26.99 or Ann-Marie fosta01@hotmail.com

W.B.YEATS REMEMBERED The Australian Irish Heritage Association, in conjunction with the Honorary Irish Consul, Marty Kavanagh and the University of Notre Dame, were pleased to present an International Celebration of the Life and Works of William Butler Yeats, which has been travelling around Australia.

The Exhibition took the form of a series of thirteen colourful pullup billboards displaying the life and writing of the Nobel Prize winner. Through the generosity of the University of Notre Dame these were housed in the St Teresa Library in Fremantle from 20th September to 14th October 2015.

The Exhibition was opened on 20th September with an afternoon of poetry reading from the works of Yeats, accompanied by Irish music, followed by food and libations.

Many notable readers from the Irish community and Notre Dame lent their voices to the afternoon’s celebrations. Music was performed by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann and Fiona Mariah.

West Australian Poet, Emeritus Professor Dennis Haskell, expertly linked the whole proceedings together. Denis Bratton

Alcoholics Anonymous Do I drink too much?

Could I benefit from AA?

Try this drinking Quiz.

1. Am I sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Have I had enough of the way things have gone wrong in my life?

Yes/No 2. Do people bug me, who drink and don’t get into trouble? I seem to be different from most people, I drink and things get worse?

Yes/No 3. Do I lose much money because of my drinking? Money never seems to last from pay to pay. Yes/No 4. Do little things in life become big traumas?

Other people seem to breeze through life: I find it all a great hassle.

Yes/No 5. Do I drink to relax? I get uptight and angry, and need to drink to escape the pressures of life. Yes/No 6. Do I have loss of memory? Or blackouts?

How often did I end up somewhere and did not know how I got there, or did things I did not remember doing. Yes/No 7. Have I ever got into trouble with the law?

Through drink-driving, violence or other criminal activity?

Yes/No 8. Have I felt the need to drink before going to school or work? Some days I need a lift to get me going, or make me feel good.

Yes/No 9. Have I lied about my drinking? I don’t want people to know how much I really do drink, so I hide my drinks.

Yes/No 10. Would I ever have the guts to admit I have a problem with drink? I feel ashamed of the way I am, and think I am the only one with this problem. I hear of many people getting well; could AA help me.

Yes/No 11. Did I ever try to stop at one drink, or for a short period of time, and failed? Many times I have tried through controlled drinking, or other means, like praying or counselling etc., and it has not worked.

Yes/No 12. If I stop drinking, do I know I would not have all this misery? When I look back on my life, if I am honest with myself, do I realise that my life will get better without drink?

Yes/No If you answered yes to four or more of the above questions you are probably in trouble with alcohol.

Why not come to a meeting?

If you would like to talk to someone about your drinking: Phone: 9325 3566 or 1300 222 222 24hr ANONYMOUS HELPLINE aaperthwa@iinet.net.au www.aaperthwa.org

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CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM IRISH AMBASSADOR I want to extend warm personal greetings from me and from my wife Nessa and our family here in Canberra to all the Irish community in Western Australia for the festive season.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Noel White Ambassador to Australia

Follow the Irish Embassy on Twitter: @irlembaustralia

Two wonderful reads for Christmas....

A Few of the Girls

by Maeve Binchy From the late award winning Irish author, Maeve Binchy Maeve’s bestselling novels not only tell wonderful stories, they reveal how Ireland has changed over the decades, but how people remain the same: they still fall in love, sometimes unsuitably; they still have hopes and dreams; they have deep, long-standing friendships, and some that fall apart.

A Few of the Girls is a glorious collection full of the warmth, charm and humour that has always been an essential part of Maeve’s writing.

‘Reading her books is like gossiping with old friends’ – Daily Express

Her sister Coco runs a vintage dress shop and has shied away from commitment over the years. Coco believes men complicate things, and she’s got enough to contend with. Until a face from her past returns.

Watching over them is grandmother Pearl, tucked away in her little house in Delaney Square. But something is keeping her awake at night. Was she right to do what she did all those years ago?

Between Two Sisters

by Cathy Kelly

Another classic novel from best selling Irish author Cathy Kelly Meet the women of Delaney Square .

Cassie has spent her married life doing everything right - making sure her children have the perfect life, being a devoted wife and a dutiful daughter-in-law. Although it’s left her so exhausted that ‘wine o’clock’ comes a little earlier each afternoon

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Bonnets project really getting ahead in Ireland

T

asmanian artist Christina Henri has just returned from a visit to Ireland. She has been travelling there as part of her vision to remember the lives of the 25,566 women - thousands of them Irish and their children exiled to Australia 1788-1853 through the memorial project Roses from the Heart, designed to ‘Take the girls back home’.

Her aim it to have a bonnet tribute installed at sites connected with the female convict story and the Roses

Down County Museum bonnet installation.

Photo: Linda McKenna.

from the Heart project continues to gain momentum. There has been a blessing of the bonnets at Cobh Heritage Centre on Australia Day (January 26) every year since 2010 for the women who were shipped to Australia from the coastal Cork town.

On this trip three new permanent exhibitions at the Down County Museum in Downpatrick were launched for the 400 women and children held their before their deportation to Australia. Displayed with the original gaol wall as a backdrop the bonnets with special mod-

el heads are hauntingly ‘trapped’ on glass shelves and kept in position with steel wiring that portrays the idea of incarceration.

While there, Christina attended the 2015 Annual Famine Memorial held this year in Newry, Co. Down and was able to develop links between the Hobart and the Cascades female factory there. Roses from the Heart has also struck a chord with modern day inmates and women and staff in two Dublin prisons have created their own bonnet tributes.

Christina is passionate about the Bonnets project and takes every opportunity to promote it. She is hopeful of being successful in having a bonnets exhibit at another major heritage centre in Dublin, to remember the 3,300 women and children who were held within the walls of the Grangegorman female depot that opened in 1836, before they were transported to Van Diemen’s Land (renamed Tasmania in 1856). The women were taught skills to enable them to be employable and lessons were held for those who were unable to read and write.

Christina was invited to give a lecture at Grangegorman in October and just before returning to Australia she spoke in its chapel. Just two years earlier she was at the female depot and was appalled at the condition of the building and condition of the heritage site. She spent a couple of hours walking around the building and remembers how she was moved to tears at the neglect and desolation of the property. Back then it was inconceivable that so much positive change might take place in such a short period of time.

She was overwhelmed at the enormous changes that have occurred with the Dublin Institute of Technology’s move to the precinct. The vision for the site is being advanced by the Grangegorman Development Agency and is set to become a vi-

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Christina at the Irish Famine Memorial.

Photo: Caitlin Reid

brant urban quarter that celebrates its heritage. It’s a visionary project providing students with an opportunity to engage with history in an exciting manner. Christina hopes that through the symbolism of the assigned servant’s cloth bonnet the story of the women and children, the first occupants of the Dublin female depot will be brought to life within the campus. She is looking at

Michael and Olivia Blanch, Christina Henri and (Irish American) Bill Fahy.

Photo: Caitlin Reid

staging a special ‘Wear a bonnet living art installation’ similar to one she organised in Hobart on Mother’s Day at Grangegorman and anyone interested in taking part in this event in Dublin 2017 is invited to contact her.

Dr Christina Henri is Hon. Artist-in-residence at the Cascades Female Factory cjhenri@gmail.com

CD Review with Fiona Rea

The passing of Ireland’s

Aine Tyrrell has what it takes...

This month will see the release of Irish born singer, songwriter Aine Tyrrell’s new album ‘Queen of Swords’. This crowdfunded album has taken the love and support of her new found homeland of Australia and sent Aine on what looks like an adventure of a lifetime.

Collaborating with some of Australia and Irelands finest musicians, Aine Tyrrell hit the road and recorded this powerful album driving the deserts of Australia.

Crowdfunding, allows us as the public and supporters of brave new musicians to be part of the journey of writing and recording. Aine really seems to have a beautiful connection with her fans, wanting to involve them in every step of the process. This album rings of that deep connection with people and pain and joy.

It is clear that Aine uses her song writing and performances to make sense of the world. In the song “Where Were You,” we hear some incredibly pain filled lyrics on what it is to lose someone we love, made even more real with raw vocals throughout.

This album ‘Queen of Swords’ is a true blend of Irish and Australian sound. Aine has been mentored by the incredible Claire Bowditch and Shane Howard who has lent his voice to musical talent to album.

Keep an eye out for Aine Tyrrell, and get your hands on the album ‘Queen of Swords’. We hope to see her on the west coast sometime soon, but some of that is up to us and support we show brave artists who have the courage to step into the arena and share their stories with us.

Aine Tyrells album ‘Queen of Swords’ is available on ITunes and from her website www.ainetyrrell.com

PIONEERING ROCK PHOTOGRAPHER

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Liam Quigley was born in 1954 and was the brother of our own rock legend Gerry Quigley.

Gerry now resides in Ireland and makes regular trips back to Perth. It is with the deepest sadness in our hearts, we heard of the passing of the passing of Liam Quigley.

Described by Hotpress magazine in 2012 as “Ireland’s pioneering rock photographer”, the following appeared on Gerry’s Facebook page: “We received the terrible news last night that our dear Liam has passed away suddenly in Dublin he’s now hanging out with old friends at that great after-party in sky. Liam was given his first camera at just 12 years of age, by the time he was 16 he was on tour with Thin Lizzy and the rest is history. What an amazing guy with an amazing talent, who will be loved and remembered always”.

A photo can mean so much to people and some years ago Gerry Quigley gave me a copy of the Bob Geldof photo above. With Gerry’s permission I printed two copies with the intention of having it signed by Sir Bob during a Perth visit. When Geldof saw the photo a tear came to his eye, as in the photo he saw his sister who had passed away. This was the only photo he had of that gig in Dalymount Park in Dublin and to see his sister was an emotional bonus.

To Gerry and his family we send our deepest condolences and its thanks to Liam, we now have a wonderful photographic history of Irish music legends. RIP.

WAGS Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc.

new guide by the end of the day.

FAMINE BELLS

Irish Scene’s Fred Rea invited the Irish SIG to participate in the first Western Australian Irish Famine event at the Perth Bell Tower on 26 September (more elsewhere in this issue). The Irish ancestors of many Western Australians migrated to Australia or elsewhere because of an Gorta Mór, (1845-52). As the bells rang we walked from the WA Rowing Club along a circuitous route (round the Elizabeth Quay building works) to the Perth Bell Tower entry.

We watched the bell ringers in action on levels 2 and 4, then up to the top level where there was a short ceremony featuring voice, guitar and uilleann pipe music, and poetry. Irish SIG member Lynne Roberts read the Donagh McDonagh poem, The Hungry Grass, chosen for us by Irish-born Perth resident Sally Desmond. You can watch Lynne in action on YouTube http://tinyurl.com/perthbellssep2015 with the words to the poem scrolling alongside. Thank you to Fred and Lilly Rea for involving the Irish Special Interest Group in such a moving event.

Irish Family History

WHERE WAS MY IRISH ANCESTOR FROM?

Irish born Western Australians may take it for granted that they know where they, their parents and their grandparents were born. Western Australians whose Irish ancestors migrated over 100 years ago are often not so fortunate. The specific place in Ireland where their ancestors originated from may never have been shared within the family, or the information may have been confused or lost over the years. So making progress on researching any further back is impossible if you don’t know where to start.

Ships passenger lists often included columns for the last residence of the migrant and their birthplace.

But they were not always completed or may not be accurate. The person recording the information may not have been from Ireland and so not understood the migrant’s accent. The Irish who first migrated to England or Scotland before coming to Australia might have been recorded in a census but these returns rarely mentioned a specific birthplace in Ireland, just “born Ireland”. Very frustrating - especially now that the Catholic parish registers are online at the National Library of Ireland. As mentioned in the last issue, you have to know which parish to find a particular record.

Many Australians of Irish descent don’t even know - for certain - which county!

My own great great grandmother Ann Nester/Nestor told the family she came from Clare. Yet I’ve found no Irish record that I can be sure was hers. She arrived in South Australia on the Lord of the Isles in 1854.

The passenger list does not say where she was born, only that she last lived in Kings Co. (now Offaly). Five years later when her younger sister Ellen arrived on The North, the passenger list said that Ellen had been living in Kings Co. too and also stated that she was born in Ballymena, Co. Antrim. So that’s three counties the sisters are linked to, none of them sharing a boundary.

From the west to the centre to the north. Nester/Nestor is not a particularly common name and still there are no Irish records that certainly belong to this family.

At the 17 January 2016 meeting of the Irish Special Interest Group (SIG) of the WA Genealogical Society we’re holding a workshop on tips to find the birthplace of your Irish ancestor - when you don’t even know the county. We are ambitiously aiming for the basis for a

IRISH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP MEETINGS

Next year’s meetings will be on 17 January, 17 April, 17 July and 16 October all starting at 2pm at the WA Genealogical Society, 48 May Street, Bayswater. More information on the WAGS webpage under Events.

Visitors and new members always welcome.

The October meeting featured Irish Scene contributor, Sally Desmond’s Irish Allsorts presentation covering a wide range of subjects from Brehon law, the oral traditions in Ireland, St Patrick and the three St Bridgets, to the spelling of place names and personal names. Members asked how to pronounce names from their tree and Sally adjudicated our pronunciation quiz. Thank you Sally! A most interesting and engaging presentation.

FOUR COURTS MEMORIAL LUNCH

In 2016 we’re planning to continue our “new tradition” of commemorating the fire and explosion at the Dublin Four Courts Building with an Irish pub lunch. More details in the New Year. The centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising will also be marked. Meanwhile, happy researching!

Nollaig shona daoibh!

Athbhliain faoi mhaise dhaoibh!

Jenni Ibrahim Convenor, Irish Special Interest Group WA Genealogical Society

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Email irish@wags.org.au Irish SIG webpage see http://membership.wags.org.au Online Forum http://membership.wags.org.au/forum/irish-sig (free registration, open to anyone)

SHAMROCK It’s that time of year again, the end of season. This time last year we were celebrating 5 League titles from 7 teams. Sadly not so this year.

With key players missing at various parts of the season and a lot of drawn matches our State First team still managed to finish in the top 4. Coach John O’Reilly is not resting on his laurels and is busy getting ready for next season. State Reserves finished 6th under the stewardship of Mike Hartley and Brian Kane.

This was a very young side and Mike was happy with the way they finished the season.

Mike and Brian have left the club and we wish them all the best for their next venture.

State under 18s finished 5th in their first year together, under the guidance of Alec Robinson. Alec is happy that most of the team is eligible to play under 18s again next season and is confident they can do better. Alec was also delighted with the progress of centre forward Dalitso Mwala who won the Golden Boot award for under 18 State League. He also scored goals for the reserves and First teams.

Our Amateur Division 2 side won their league for the fourth consecutive year.

The Amateur Reserves came runner-up

Rovers

Amateur Cup under his belt. That’s some record. The club wishes Robbie all the best and a very big Thank You. Enjoy the break.

Our Social Metropolitan Central Division team finished 3rd, just 3 points off the top position. A very close race to the end, well done to Phil, bob and the lads. Socials Division 4 North finished 3rd. This was a great achievement considering they had to give a walkover in their first match and had just 4 points from their first 4 matches. This great finish was largely due to the commitment and dedication of coach Tom Cummins.

Alec Robinson of Total Football Academy (TFA) in conjunction with Shamrock Rovers Perth held an end of season tournament for the Juniors. This was a great success with 12 teams competing. Under 8 winners were Carramar; Under 9 winners were Armadale.

Both Shamrock Rovers Perth teams were knocked out in the semi-finals, the under 9’s beaten on penalties. It was a great day made all the better by all the Mams who helped in the canteen, and by the sausage sizzle run

by Aline.

The Committee is busy organising the end of season Awards night, to be held in the Pan Pacific in Perth on 7th November. Tickets

Michael Manning President Shamrock Rovers

along and make a difference.

Thanks again to our sponsors for 2015 – Bluescope Distribution, CFMEU, Northside Meats, Killarney Autos, Cellarbrations Duncraig and Tom Hoey. And thanks to Fred Rea and City of Swan for their continued support of the club.

C’mon the Hoops!!

Marty Burke

Rovers

Golf Day Maylands Golf Club in their league having previously won 3 consecutive League titles. This is a great achievement especially this season as Robbie Fanning coached both sides. Great job Robbie. On a sadder note Robbie has decided to step back from coaching next season. He will be hard to replace, with 4 First team League titles, 3 Reserve team League titles and the

$160, includes dinner, drinks and entertainment. More details on the website http:// shamrockrovers.com.au/. By the time this goes to print I hope you have all bought your tickets, if not give me a ring on 0410 081386.

Our AGM will be held in the Irish Club on 14th November at 4:00 p.m. We are looking forward to a good turnout, please come

Sunday 7 February 2016 Sponsors & Enquiries: Marty Burke 0410 081 386

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Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of Australasia Western Australia

President’s Report for 2015 Season Brendan McKenna, President I would like to thank Alan Burke (Chairman Football Sub Committee) Andy Rae (Chairman Hurling/ Camogie sub Committee) and Martin Brady/Debbie Cashman and John Broderick from the Junior Academy for making the running of our association very easy .Congratulations to all winning teams Western Swans (Tim Hickey Sevens Hurling/Camogie ) Perth Shamrocks League/ Championship (Hurling) Southern Districts (Intermediate League) and St Finbarr’s (League Men/ Women) St Finbarr’s (Championship Men/ Women/Consul Cup).

My goal was to make the running of our game simpler and try to reduce the amount of paperwork. We are a voluntary organisation run by people who have a job/life of their own and their time is valuable. We have got bogged down with paper work/correspondence and sub rules that I feel takes away from our games. The first and most important rule is the promotion of our games and our culture. We would almost need a full time registrar to keep up with the paperwork. This I feel is the main reason that we cannot get people to run for positions on our committee’s and without the committee’s we will have no organisation.

I feel that as long as a player is a paid up member and registered with a given club and trains with that club they should be eligible

to play. Why is a transfer required from Ireland/Interstate for the player? While they are in Western Australia they can only play for their registered club. I agree with the many training programs the GAA has implemented regarding coaching / refereeing and feel that the state Championships should be controlled by independent referee’s from Ireland.

This would illuminate any possible bad feeling from bad refereeing from interstate Referees.

I wish to congratulate the Junior Academy on their professional approach and set up. They had the first Cul Camp this year run outside Ireland and we thank Damian Sheridan for traveling from Ireland to take charge of the camp.

Our set up with the two Sub-Com-

mittee’s is excellent and runs very well with both committees’ in charge of the day to day running of the Football/Hurling/Camogie.

I would like to thank Sean O’Casey, Sean Byrne, Marty Green, Michael O’Conner and all the Staff at Tom Bateman Park for looking after us all every Sunday at the games.

Lastly I wish to thank a tremendous committee with Gerry McGough (Vice Chairman), Mary Roseingrave (Secretary), Orla Fullerton (Treasurer), Jane Padgett (Registrar/Fixtures), Andy Rae (Chairman Hurling/Camogie), Alan Burke (Chairman Football) Fred McCormack (Vice President Australasia), plus Martin Brady and John Broderick (Junior Academy) Slan Go Foill ,

Brendan Mac Cionaith

WA Football Final won by St Finbarrs

Football: BGC Grounds, Tom Bateman Reserve Cnr Bannister & Nicholson Rds, Canning Vale Hurling: RA Cook Reserve, Coode St. Morley

gfhwa.com.au 91

Gaelic Games Junior Academy Update By Debbie Cashman Teahan The 2015 season for the Gaelic Games Junior Academy has come to a close now and will kick back into gear after St. Patrick’s Day in March. In the meantime we will draw up a ‘calendar of events’ for the next year and hope to include highlights from this year such as the Cúl Camps for the school holidays (see photos).

In 2016 we will miss the expertise and enthusiasm of Martin and Pauline Brady, who were instrumental in the growth and success of the Academy over the past few years. They pumped countless hours and energy into the development of the Academy and we could never thank them enough.

While the coaches have their well-earned rest, the committee will be involved in some preparation in the downtime, renewing first aid qualifications; attending expo’s to spread the word of the GAA for kids in Perth, and on a little head hunt for the team to help run the show next year, getting a new website up and running etc.

Thank you as always to our sponsors, who dig deep to help us keep going and expanding, and of course to the parents and kids whose love for the game is infec-

tious.

Wishing you all a happy Christmas and new year, and to all who are going ’home’ to Ireland (like myself) for Christmas, safe journey and see you all in the new year. Remember sliotars make a lovely Christmas stocking filler, as do hurleys, and Cork Jerseys!

www.thebreakwater.com.au

58 Southside Drive, Hillarys Boat Harbour Ph: 08 9448 5000 Fax: 08 9448 6000

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St Gabriel’s Hurling & CamogieClub

St. Gabriel’s Hurling & Camogie GAA WA Club are currently rolling into our 4th Year in existence. With the clubs continuing growth we would like to welcome back all current and past players back for 2015 and welcome all new players to our great club.

St Gabriel’s GAA Club caters for players of all levels of ability, including those who have never played the sport before. Joining the club is a fantastic way to get fit, meet new people and be involved in lots of fun social activities…..

With the league and championship wrapped up for the year, the hurlers ended their season at the quarter final stage. The camogie team had narrow defeats to Western Swans in both league and camogie finals. The club would like to thank all players, team management and sponsors for their contribution to the club for the 2015 season. …..Thanks to all involved for 2015……GAB’s Abu……

“Recent Events”: The hurling team held a Ryder Cup Style competition on Sunday the 18th Oct, with Team Europe lead by Alan driver taking victory.

The Camogie team held an end of year bonding day at Perth Lazer Sports followed by a night out at An Sibin Irish Bar……

Upcoming Events St Gabriels Club End of Year Party will take place at The Empire Bar... All Welcome. St Gabriels GGA Club AGM will take place in Mid Nov, detail on Facebook pages….

Hurling Sponsors Monford Group: Declan 0450 421 859 Monfordgroup.com.au PTR Asset Finance: Simon 0423 032 014 ptrasset.com.au PERI Australia Pty Limited John 0418 885 604 periaus.com.au Camogie Sponsors Duffy & McGowan Formwork Peter 0497 370 542 or Jimmy 0412 903 947 An Sibin Irish Bar, Northbridge Shane 0404 784 102 Player Contact List: Camogie: Danielle McInerney 0405 418 809 Hurling: Ronan Kilroy 0439 979 237 FaceBook: S.t. Gabriels Hurling WA StGabriels CamogieClub Website: stgabrielsgaaclub.com

MONFORD

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Glen Iris Sunday 20 September 1st Martin Sheehan (41 pts) 2nd Peter McKenna (40 pts) 3rd Geoff McFadden (38 pts) L/Gross: PJ Kenny. NTP: Joan Ross, Sean Byrne, Peter McKenna, Billy Ross L/Drive: Ladies - Chris McKenna, Men - Jon Stanmore. L/Putt: P O’Sullivan 2 balls: Billy Ross, Jack Ebbs, Joan Ross, Peter McKenna Well done Martin (Fada) Sheehan!

Which group of trophies dominate the cabinet at home? The soccer ones from the early years or the trophies from the seniors golf circuit?

Club Championship Rounds held over 2 weeks

Kwinana Sunday 11 October 1st Stuart Stevenson, 2nd Eamonn Fitzpatrick, 3rd Anthony Gannon L/Gross: PJ Kenny. Well done to the

above players.

Unfortunately, the day ended on a sour note with the McFadden’s finding their car had been broken into.

Carramar Sunday 18 October 1st Louise Brophy, 2nd Phil Archer, 3rd PJ Kenny L/Gross: PJ Kenny.

Again, another fine round of good golf by all the above players.

Club Championship Results 2015 Ladies Champion: Joan Ross, Men’s Champion: Sean Byrne. L/Gross: PJ Kenny Thank you to all the players who participated in the championships – maybe next year! Well done to our Club Champions for 2015, Joan Ross and Sean Byrne.

Congratulations also to our 2014 champion PJ Kenny who aced the 16th hole at Carramar.

On behalf of the Irish Golf Club of Western Australia, I would like to wish all the readers of the Irish Scene a Merry Christmas and happy New Year…. until 2016.

Mike O’Callaghan, Secretary

Congratulations to WA Ladies!

Fred McCormack told the Irish Scene that the WA Ladies Football team put in wonderful performances to to reach the final of the Australasian Championships in Wellington New Zealand. They came up against a very good NSW team in the decider and went down 5-10 to 10pts in the Women’s Final. They were the only WA State representative team at the tournament. Fred also paid tribute to the organisers of the Championships. Well done to our ladies and your efforts did not go un-noticed.

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PERTH GOLF SOCIETY v IRISH GOLF CLUB CHALLENGE

This was the second challenge between the two Perth based clubs us and them. Organised by the Perth Golf Society, the man from Beara, Steve O Sullivan won the main novelty prize a Golf Bag for nearest the pin on the 16th hole, The Irish Golf Club Golfers by a small margin.

The winner’s prize was Steak and Chips while all the losers had was noodles from plastic plates.

There was an issue about lady golfers but you can ask Joan Ross about that! Not happy our Joan!!!

IRISH CLUB SENIORS’

Pie & Pint Night Every Thursday

SENIOR’S LUNCH

Ist Friday of the Month. $15 per person Bar open from 12.30pm.

Lunch at 1pm.

Bookings 9381 5213 Christmas Special Lunch

Live music from 7pm.

Friday 4th December

EVERY MONDAY

Shamrock Rovers Past Players

BENEFIT NIGHT

Trad Music & Irish Classes

Thursday 19th November 2015 • 7.30pm at the IRISH CLUB OF WA Lots of Entertainers and Entertainment Tickets $20

COMHALTAS

Music Lessons Set Dancing 8pm followed by the Seisiun Irish Language Classes 7pm

The Meeting Place Christmas Trading Hours:

FREE TEA & COFFEE

available upstairs every night The Folk Session

The WA Police Pipe Band is hosting an interactive event for folk music enthusiasts.

Friday 11 Dec 2015, 7pm at the The Irish Club oF WA Entry $10 (FREE for participants).

Food and drinks from the bar.

Pre-booking 9370 7184

Join UB THE aCt tLhe bar!

Forms

Club open over Christmas period.

Closed December 25, 26 & 31 January 1.

Open everyday from 4pm Further details: www.irishclubofwa.com.au

Nollaig Shona Duit The Irish Club Committee, Management and Staff would like to wish all our members and their guests a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Enquiries Michael Murray 0418948913

Membership Renewals Have you renewed your membership yet?

Visit website to download the renewal form.

Do you have an email address?

If so, please let us know.

irishclubofwa.com.au The Irish Club of WA A great place for a Party!

NOW TAKING 2016 BOOKINGS

Functions & Fundraisers Contact Nick on:

Tel: 93815213

Irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au

61 Townshend Road, Subiaco WA 6008 Tel: (+618) 9381 5213

irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au www.irishclubofwa.com.au The Irish Club is a members only club, and we welcome new members. Application forms can be downloaded from the website.

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