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N EW H O U RS N o o n t o 4 PM W ED t h r u SU N
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s CELTIC WINGS & M or e Page 3 Ir elan d's Pat ien t Vision ar y Joh n Hu m e Dead at 83 Page 4 Pu blish er 's Let t er Page 6 On Lin e Th is Week ! Com plet ed! Rest or at ion of Ir ish Ar ch ives Th ou gh t Lost in 1922 Civil War Page 8 Ir ish Labor Hist or y Page 10
Su bscr ipt ion Ser vice & Ver y Ir ish Per k s! Discou n t s an d Con t est s Det ails on Page 11 M au r ice Fit zpat r ick VIEW FROM IRELAND Page 12 In t er view w it h Ir ish Am er ican w r it er Joh n M O'Br ien Page 14 Ken O'M alley Tou r Page 17 Ir ish Poet r y Cor n er f eat u r in g Tin a Day Page 18
NEW FEATURE Ir ish Lit er ar y Sh ow case Page 21 CELTIC CAM ERA Page 24 Th e PAN IRISH DIGEST Even t s. New s & Opin ion abou t Ir elan d an d t h e Ir ish Diaspor a f r om ar ou n d t h e w or ld See Page 27 CELTIC CAM ERA Page 24 IRISH CALENDAR Page 28 Ir ish Com m u n it y, List in gs St ar t s on Page 29
Sept em ber , 2020
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K er r y I r i sh Pr o d u ct i o n s B u i l d i n g A So l i d Fu t u r e D u r i n g L o ck d ow n The pandemic has closed every theatre that featured Kerry Irish Productions Shows in previous seasons. All over the country, everywhere is closed -now Broadway for example is closed until January 2021 and may be extended. Another example would be Las Vegas. Casinos are somewhat open for business, but there is no entertainment allowed. All major shows are closed and some of these shows have gone bankrupt and will not return. Nationally and in most of Europe, there is no clarity as yet on the new set-ups in theatres ? how many seats are now available to sell; for example in
a 1,200 seat theatre that will satisfy social distancing regulations and allow a production to even meet basic costs! It is a vexing situation to be sure.
A qu iet year f or ever ybody There are profound changes in the works for everything and all of us. So for for now safety determines and uncertainty calls for a quite and creative time. Margaret O?Carroll shares with us that she is making the best of it whilst being as productive as possible. She is seeing to it that Kerry Irish Productions is quietly working in the background towards a brilliant future. One of the projects continuing in
development is their new show Celtic Wings. Says O'Carroll, "We are quietly excited about this and have taken on board a few experts in the field of costume design, choral arrangements etc. In time we will talk much more about these developments but this quiet time is a hugely creative time. To have the space to think is a huge facilitator of that creative process." See Celtic Camera for more CELTIC WINGS Page 26 For a preview of the show; now set for 2021: Click the icon:
Com in g For Ch r ist m as In t h e past f ew m on t h s Ker r y Ir ish M u sic h as com piled a beau t if u l Ch or al Ch r ist m as albu m w h ich w ill be available f or sale du r in g t h e h oliday season . Th e en t ir e albu m is r ef lect ive of t h e t im es w e ar e in an d is f u ll of h ope, ligh t an d t h e w ay f or w ar d. We h ave in clu ded ever yt h in g f r om O Holy Nigh t t o Silen t Nigh t t o t h e beau t if u l Ave Ver u m Cor pu s (M ozar t ) an d of cou r se a select ion of w on der f u l Ir ish lan gu age Ch r ist m as car ols., Details and how to order soon!
Det ails f or An Ir ish Ch r ist m as n ext m on t h t oo!
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Joh n Hu m e Rem em ber ed
A towering figure in Northern Ireland and one of the key architects of the complicated and still not totally fulfilled or implemented Irish Peace process has passed away in Northern Ireland. John Hume died at his home in Derry not far from his birthplace. Members of his family were with him at the time of his demise.
Joh n Hu m e (pictured here in DC) was tireless and smart. A very savvy operative in his quest for an end to violence and a lasting peace. Sadly, after the cessation of violence, the Catholic V, Protestant divide in the north of Ireland seems to have solidified into peaceful co-existence with little progress toward a permanent reunification of the island. A changing Europe and Brexit might help end the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland stalemate! See our View From Ireland on page 12 for more on John Hume
Tributes and appreciation for his contributions to peace and his great dedication to non violent solutions immediately began flowing in to his family and SDLP (political party) from all over Ireland and the world. Pope Francis, the Dali Lama and scores of other religious and political leaders paid tribute to Hume Hume was born in Derry in 1937 and died near the Bogside neighborhood in which he grew up as a poor Catholic fighting discrimination. Without the inspired start by Hume, the historic Good Friday accord which largely ended Northern Ireland's 30-year sectarian conflict. would not have been possible. Many people including US Senator George Mitchell and Unionist David Trimble helped pull it off but Hume was the catalyst when he reached out to Gerry Adams. In 1998 David Trimble and John Hume were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to end the conflict and the recent "troubles" have been mostly halted since then. In 2010, Mr Hume
was named Ir elan d's Gr eat est in an All Ireland poll by RTE and affiliates.
FUNERAL HELD IN DERRY
A Requ iem M ass, and
celebration of the great life of Derry Native Son, John Hume, was held at St. Eugene Cathedral on Wednesday, August 5. Owing to the Pandemic, the crowd was small and the service was broadcast instead throughout Ireland. His son John Hume, Jr. spoke with love and admiration about his Father 's gift of eloquence and patience at his funeral Mass] 'A Derryman to his core.' he said.of his Father.
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IrishArtsandEntertainment and Northern Ireland's Premier Internet Broadcaster Conf irm Joint Venture BIG O Oliver M cM ah on Host in g New Sh ow A brand new radio station with great music, great hosts and even better craic! has been formed in Newry, Nothern Ireland on the border near Dublin.
North American inquires:
Well known and beloved by legions of fans, Oliver BIG O McMahon is the spokesperson/ commentator and host of his own show.
Br oadcast & Pr odu ct ion
jm cdon ou gh 44@gm ail.com
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im 's Cell: 951 216-1493 A
highly respected group behind the scenes has been assembled with some of the most technically adept people in the internet broadcasting industry.
Details soon so follow us on our Facebook Pages. We will have an in depth feture on this exciting new enterprise in our October issue. Meanwhile Content Creators and On Air Talent are urged to contact us to participate!
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Ir ish Calen dar Ir ish Com m u n it y List in gs & Celt ic Cam er a Start on Page 26
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Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t Th e opin ion s expr essed by ou r w r it er s ar e t h eir ow n an d do n ot n ecessar ily con vey t h ose of t h is m agazin e, ou r pu blish er or st af f .
Publisher & Managing Editor Jam es M M cDon ou gh Writers Tin a Day M au r ice Fit zpat r ick Jim M cDon ou gh Bar bar a Sin ger Pat r ick Weld Sales Reps Jim & Pat r ick Layout & Typos Jim , Pat r ick & Fr eelan cer s Con t act Us Via Em ail: in f o@
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Let t er Fr om THE PUBLISHER Dear Friends & Readers,
We M ade I t To Fall! Good on all of us, we are an enduring lot and we have survived six months of challenge and the ensuing disruptions and upheavals in our lives. Congr atulate your self and take a break from the maelstrom. Since you are here, reading this, might I suggest you take the time now and enj oy this issue of the I rish Arts & Entertainment. We have dedicated this September L abor Day issue to all of you...the har d wor king and resilient I r ish Amer icans and I r ish Expats and of cour se all of our other loyal fans who make up our reader ship!! I n recent year s, L abor Day has evolved into an odd holiday as the or iginal celebr ation and roots of the day became obscured. L abor Day, always a three day weekend, became known only as the unofficial end of summer. That fact like many nuances of contempor ar y Amer ican L ife is sad and a bit of a shame. We don?t want to appear cynical, three days of picnics, bar becues, family gather ings and per haps one last tr ip to the beach or even a tr ip to Disneyland are all well and good. The annual r itual of dread on the par t of school-age children over (although that is changing too, especially in this Age of caution) the weekend holiday was another par t of growing up for many of us! The four day countdown from Fr iday though the r apidity of M onday's dusk usually signified the end of summer and the dawning of another school year. Again fond and whimsical memor ies for sure but there is an impor tant element missing. We have either dismissed or for gotten the tr ue reasons for having an Amer ican National Holiday in honor of Amer ican L abor. The stor y is par t of the great epic str uggle of a people who united, fought, died and achieved for a time some secur ity, a sense of wor th and a standar d of living that was the envy of the wor ld. Once again M ur phy's L aw is
tr iumphant; it could go wrong and it did. M any of the gains of labor, the great victor ies and respect for wor ker s have been lost.
Perhaps, it is time to go back and study the true meaning of LABOR, the rights and the responsibilities. I t just might be possible to reshape America by learning and living some of the lessons from our recent past!
Stay safe and be well. Jim M cDonough, Publisher
Sept em ber , 2020
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N O W O PEN f or D i n i n g & D r i n k s on th e N EW PAT I O !! Our inside dining may be closed, but our new patio is still open. Take out is still available for alcohol and food with food delivery through Postmates. #openforbusiness #patio #outsidedining
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Please w ear a m ask an d m ain t ain social dist an cin g. Ser vice w ill be a lit t le dif f er en t t h an n or m al, bu t w e ar e excit ed t o see you all again . If you ar en?t qu it e r eady yet , w e ar e st ill sellin g f ood an d alcoh ol f or t ak e ou t an d deliver y on Gr u bh u b. Again , w e ar e m oved by t h e su ppor t t h at w e h ave r eceived du r in g t h is t im e. Let ?s st ay saf e an d m ove f or w ar d slow ly! Willy O'Sullivan
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Latest Update On Dublin Four Courts Restoration Project Once thought lost forever from Civil War Destruction In 1922 By Patrick Weld The past is being brought back to life thanks to the incredible work of a dedicated team of ac=rchicists, historians and techncal exertts! Sectarian death, mayhem and troubles are nothing new. Throughout history, we push and strive ahead and then breakdowns occur. The Irish were no exception and in the early Summer of 1922 when the Civil War raged. the historic Four Courts in Dublin was destroyed. The Four Courts fire happened on June 30, 1922 when an IRA Faction and The eventual winners, The Irish Provisional Army. Beyon d 2022: Ir elan d?s Vir t u al Recor d Tr easu r y Just a little over two years ago in February 2018, Trinity University Dublin launched an unprecedented ground-breaking project to digitally recreate the building and contents of the Public Record Office of Ireland that had been located there. According to Trinity, "The project has the potential to transform how we understand Ireland?s past and will be of great interest to the Irish Diaspora and anyone tracing their Irish roots. It is estimated that up to 70 million people around the world claim Irish ancestry and heritage." Before the conflagration, seven centuries of Irish (and
Five in st it u t ion s ar e in volved in t h e pr oject : t h e Nat ion al Ar ch ives, t h e UK n at ion al ar ch ives, t h e pu blic r ecor ds of f ice in Nor t h er n Ir elan d, t h e Ir ish M an u scr ipt s Collect ion an d t h e libr ar y at Tr in it y College Du blin (TCD).
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British) records, legal archives and proceedings were in one place. Everything historical and genealogical was collected and stored iat the imposing six-story Victorian edifice. A Dublin landmark known as the Record Treasury. All was lost. Accounts from the time described the event, "...hundreds of thousands of English government documents concerning Ireland, dating back to the 13th century, were destroyed? seemingly forever. As well as documenting the growth of the state in Ireland across many centuries the archive?s collections touched on almost every aspect of life in Ireland, including births, marriages and deaths, wills, maps, parish registers and town records from across the island. For generations, the loss of these precious historical documents has hampered the study of Ireland?s past, limiting our understanding of family, local and national history as well as Ireland?s connected history with the wider world." Thanks to our current Information Age and amazing new technology, coupled with painstaking and tedious historical research and careful archival work these losses were not irrecoverable. Trinity pulled off a miracle of sorts by bringing to life a vision: "to bring Ireland?s Public Record Office back to life by creating a 3D virtual reality reconstruction of the destroyed building and refilling its shelves with fully-searchable surviving documents and copies of the lost records." By Moving beyond the divisive legacy of the period, the project will also reopen Ireland?s deeper past to
M ORE INFO: LINK TO Ir ish Tim es Feat u r e an d Video on Ar ch ive Rest or at ion
h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 3gijFH9
Sept em ber , 2020
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Be par t of ou r Social M edia Pr esen ce! Ch eck ou r FACEBOOK PAGES f or Daily Updat es: Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t
Pu bGu ide E New s
LA Cou n t y Ir ish Even t s
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Her oes Of t h e Am er ican Labor M ovem en t Irish Immigrants and Irish Americans, All striving with dignity for security through their dedication and labor
M ar y Har r is Mother Jon es
Another Irish born labor leader was born in 1905 in County Kerry, he was Michael Quill and he left his mark on New York and helped countless New Yorkers in the process. By an incredible coincidence, in 1905 Mother Jones was called ?the most dangerous woman in America,? Quill as a child of 14 fought in Ireland?s War of Independence. He was 21. in 1926 when he came to America and found a job and his calling!
Bor n in Ir elan d in 1830 an d died in t h e US in 1930 A true testament the the strength and fortitude of Irish Women is Mother Jones! She has no peer in the history of labor, she led a tragic, a long and fearless life and Never wavered from her task of just doing good and making the world better. Mother Jones took part in the 1882 coal strike in Hocking Valley, Ohio, and helped expand the United Mine Workers union. Over a 30-year span from 1891 until 1921, the self-proclaimed "hell raiser" led the miners in strikes in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Colorado, and Kansas. Her trademark tactic was to encourage miners' wives to step out of their traditional roles as housewives and persuade their husbands, including scab workers, to join unions. Mother Jones was a tireless fighter for workers' causes, especially the abolition of child labor, until she was nearly 100 years old. Today her memory is kept alive by Mother Jones magazine, a publication espousing "progressive" political values SEE M USEUM on Page 34
Bor n I n I reland M ichael Quill Changed Amer ica According to a New York paper years later, "Times were tough, but he found work constructing the new IND subway line in New York ? 12-hour days, seven days a Later, recalling the efforts to organize, Quill said, ?We were no experts in the field of labor organization, but we had something in common with our fellow workers: we were all poor; we were all overworked; we were all victims of the 84 hour week. In fact, we were all so low down on the economic and social ladder that we had nowhere to go but up.?
Worldwide Irish Have Given Almost $6 Million Ou r Reader s can st ill h elp! Th e lat est goal h as been r evised t o SEVEN M ILLION $ US! Follow t h is lin k t o GO FUND M E: h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 3gT1Cbk
THE TRI O OF M c GUI RES I n the annals of the Amer ican L abor histor y, there are three names that stand out... All McGuiers/Maguires The ear liest were the revered and in some quar ter s infamous M olly M aguires! This was a lar ge group of mostly I r ish immigr ant miner s who tr ied to r aise up against the exploitation of mine owner s in Pennsylvania in the 1850's. Some of them were hung including one of the r ing leader s...betr ayed by a Pinker ton spy in the film ver sion, Joe K eoheo. A bit later in the 1870's after the Civil War Peter M cGuire, a member of the Brother hood of Car penter s and Joiner s and a co-founder of the Amer ican Feder ation of L abor (AFL ), a tireless or ganizer and labor leader came up with the concept of a L ABOR DAY Holiday. Some histor ians credit M atthew M aguire, a machinist and the secretar y of the Centr al L abor Union in New Yor k, for proposing the holiday on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. Two year s later, L abor Day was changed to the fir st M onday in September, where it has remained ever since. C h eck o u t t h e "L ab o r Scen e" f r o m t h e 19 70 M o l l y M agu i r es f i l m w i t h Sean C o n n n er y. I n sp i r i n g!
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?Agitate!? Frederick Douglass and Ireland
Sept em ber , 2020 is t h e 175t h Year Sin ce
Am er ican Abolit ion ist Fr eder ick Dou gla s Disem bar k ed In Ir elan d Global Irish Studies at Georgetown University, in conjunction with Georgetown?s History Department, the African American Irish Diaspora Network, University College Cork, Glucksman Ireland House of New York University, and the Embassy of Ireland USA, presents
t o 6:15 pm EDT. Th is w ill be on on lin e w ebin ar , h ost ed on t h e Zoom plat f or m
?Agitate!? Frederick Douglass and Ireland
More Information...
Free and open to the public. Regist r at ion is r equ ir ed CLICK HERE
A conversation about history, solidarity, and racial justice in Ireland and the US Tu esday, Sept em ber 29, St ar t s @ 5:00 pm
To All Our Fr iends and Customer s
H appy L abour Day!!
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The View from Ireland
Joh n Hu m e By M au r ice Fit zpat r ick ohn Hume began his public life by articulating in two (now famous)Irish Timesarticles,?The Northern Catholic?, principles by which the inchoate Northern crisis should be addressed. They appeared in May 1964, more than four years before the Troubles began. In affording Hume the space to express his views, the then editor of theIrish Times, Douglas Gageby, was breaking with a partitionist convention against meaningful engagement between the South and the North. As alien as it now sounds, the Southern media avoided covering the North; the silence was reciprocated by the Northern media. It is notable that Hume began his life as a public figure by breaking this mould, creating a nexus between the two jurisdictions on the island of Ireland through the articulation of a?Northern Catholic?perspective. He used the platform in the Irish Times to express views that the political classes in Belfast and Dublin fervidly wished to suppress.He advocated unity only by consent and non-violent means and, most crucially, that the Northern Catholic end anti-partitionism, accept the constitutional position and use the politics process to seek redress for their grievances.The form of Hume?s entry into public life was as significant as the arguments he advanced. Hume was to remain, as journalist Robert Fisk called him,?a very intelligent media operator ?. He identified journalists and editors he could trust and,through their offices, he helped to shape the news. By contrast, journalists and editors who raised his suspicion never got a story from him. He treated them to a?single transferable speech?which, though valid in all its assertions, enervated reporters who had to listen to it a thousand times. Among the concepts Hume propounded in his stump speech were: difference is an accident of birth; agreement threatens nobody; if a problem is political, violence only deepens the problem; you cannot eat a flag; despite pooling their sovereignty in Europe, the French are still French and the Germans are still German; the basis of our problem is that we are a divided people. Hume?s moderation stood in stark contrast to the inflammatory and absolutist language espoused by those who believed (as Hume did) that an all-Ireland republic was a desirable political outcome, but who believed (as Hume did not) that violent methods would deliver it. Time has shown which position has been vindicated.
M au r ice Fit zpat r ick , Gu est Speak er at t h e Ken n edy In st it u t e Yet moderation is an inadequate designation for the fundamental rethink Hume?s politics represented. Eamonn McCann, his sometime political rival, recalled in the days after Hume died on August 3rd, his first experience of Hume as political activist in Derry. Hume addressed a large group outside Derry?s Guildhall urging the necessity to establish a university in?our city?. It was only later that McCann realised the remarkable aspect of the speech: Hume had, in contrast to almost all traditional political stances, embraced an idiom that reflected a priority for all sections of Derry?s divided society. If you want unity, why not start with a unifying cause? And, remember, agreement threatens nobody. Hume?s logic may have been incontrovertible, but he faced tremendous difficulties in reforming the institutions and laws of a society so determinedly irrational and hostile to pluralism.In a film I made and a book I wrote on Hume?s political life, I attempted to trace the wider spheres of political influence he recruited to further his agenda. Hume was a born internationalist and the broadening geographical pattern of the political offices he held? in Northern Ireland, Britain and Europe? reflected his outlook.However,it was in a sphere in which he was not elected (nor could he have been) that he exercised the most consequential influence. Hume began a twenty-five year period of advising senior American politicians how and why they should intervene on the Irish Question during an encounter with Senator Ted Kennedy. Kennedy was visiting Germany for a NATO meeting in 1972 and hetelephonedHume?s house to ask if Hume could travel to meet him. Kennedy later recalled the substance of the meeting:?He looked at this as a political process that was going to be built upon different traditions and mutual respect? I believe it?s important to listen to the ones who are risking their lives and are attempting to do it in a
non-violent way?.
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Maurice VIEW Cont. From Previous Page
Out of Hume?s friendship with Kennedy, other relationships rapidly developed and, with time, a quartet known as the?Four Horsemen?formed: Kennedy, Governor Hugh Carey, Speaker Tip O?Neill and Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. This alliance in turn spawned, after the Reagan landslide, a bipartisan caucus in the US Congress called the Friends of Ireland which endures to this day. The Friends followed Hume?s principles and used their political clout to force the British to recognise the Irish dimension of Northern Irish society and to encourage the British to negotiate an inclusive approach in good faith. That entailed shifting from their exclusively pro-unionist stance to accommodate Irish nationalism. These developments appalled the British who did all in their power to impede them. They failed. Hume?s huge success in the US thus had immediate and lasting consequences in Anglo-Irish relations and in Ireland. Irish political leaders before Hume energised enormous the good-will towards Ireland in the US at the grassroots level, but nobody before Hume mobilised the White House to shift the traditionally British-dominated State Department. Hence the series of special envoys to Northern Ireland including, most notably, George Mitchell who chaired the Peace Process negotiations. The death of a public figure throws their full life into sharp relief and this is strikingly the case with the passing of John Hume. Hume?s contribution to our country is without parallel in modern times.While in 2010 the Irish public voted Hume?s ?Ireland Greatest? historical figure, it is only beginning to recognise the magnitude of Hume?s legacy.
Joh n Hu m e, Ir elan d's m ost cou r ageou s peacem ak er pr of iled by M au r ice Fit zpat r ick ; Available @
am azon .com / Joh n -Hu m e-Am er ica-Der r y-DC/ dp/
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I n t er v i ew & Pr o f i l e
Jo h n M ax w el l O 'B r i en Eminent H istorian D ebuts First Novel I t i s n ot over ly com m on f or a w r i ter to p en a f i r st n ovel an d i n t r od u ce i t to th e w or l d at 80 bu t th en Pr of essor Joh n M ax w el l O 'Br i en h as n ever ach i eved or d i n ar y ! O 'B r i en w i t h a sol i d I r i sh A m er i can p ed i gr ee as on e of h i s p r i zed cr ed en t i al s at t en d ed p u bl i c sch ool i n N ew Yor k , th en St u y vest an t H i gh Sch ool an d w as a f r esh m an at Q u een s Col l ege by th e age of 15. H e con t i n u ed t o excel i n h i s acad em i c car eer an d gr ad u ated f r om U SC i n L os A n gel es i n 1964 w i th a Ph D i n H i st or y. L i ke m ost bon af i d e N ew Yor ker s w h o tr avel an d st r ay f r om h om e, O 'Br i en r etu r n ed an d h ad an i l l u str i ou s sti n t as a p r of essor of H i st or y at h i s al m a m ater , Q u een s Col l ege f or 50 y ear s! W e f ou n d O 'Br i en to be a ver y af f abl e, d el i gh tf u l ly can d i d , er u d i t e an d som ew h at m od est abou t h i s l i f e an d vocat i on s. H e i s t o be com m en d ed f or h i s m y r i ad ach i evem en t s an d con t r i bu ti on s t o t h e f i el d s of h i stor y, sch ol ar sh i p an d l i t er at u r e. H i s cr i t i cal ly accl ai m ed Bi ogr ap h y on A l ex an d er T h e Gr eat p u bl i sh ed i n 1992 i s st i l l i n p r i n t an d i s h i gh ly r egar d ed am on g h i st or i an s an d h i st or y st u d en ts. N ow, h i s n ovel Aloysius T he Great i s l i ter ar y gol d . "A l oy si u s" i s al so an am azi n g sch ol ar ly w or k as w el l w i t h i n gen i ou s an d n u m er ou s r ef er en ces to Jam es Joy ce an d Ulysses I t i s n ot t o be m i ssed f or an y r ead er bu t esp eci al ly f or Joy ce af i ci on ad os.
Joh n O'Br ien r esides in Con n ect icu t . He h as been m ar r ied t o Dor ot h y f or 42 year s an d h as t h r ee ch ildr en , Ch r ist in e, Lillian an d Bill. On e of h is poem s appear ed in t h e Ir ish Poet r y Cor n er in ou r Bealt ain e/ M ay 2019 issu e. CLICK FOR ISSUE: see page
A C o n v er sat i o n W i t h Jo h n M ax w el l O 'B r i en an d T h e I r i sh A r t s & En t er t ai n m en t Irish Arts & Entertainment/ IA&E? We enjoyed your book immensely, how much of Aloysius is you; your alter ego?
JM OB/ Joh n : Aloysius is me, young, beardless, with some embroidery and a dash of exaggeration hither and thither. I was resident director of my university?s study abroad program in 1967/68 and a number of the characters in the book are based on people I knew then. Many of the incidents described in Aloysius the Great occurred, and, in fact, I had to wait for the demise of several people before seeking publication. Happily, in all cases, the individuals I was concerned about were kind enough to expire before I did. IA&E: Tell us a bit about your
upbringing and early education?
Joh n : I was the fourth born in a family of five, three brothers and a sister. My father, James Aloysius O?Brien, was a lot smarter than me and more courageous ? he was a fireman in New York City. My mother, whose maiden name was Maxwell (which I adopted as my literary middle name after her death), was someone who spent her entire life in love and service to other people. He was the Rock of Gibraltar; she was St. Francis of Assisi in the guise of a female. I kept getting skipped in earlier grades and wound up in college at the ripe old age of 15. My father tried to stop the skipping process but in those days principals had the final say. I was the first in my family to go to college and I went to Queens
College (where I wound up teaching) because in 1955 it was tuition free and I couldn?t get working papers ? you had to be 16! IA&E: When did you decide on becoming an historian?
Joh n : I intended to be an English major, but the Fates had something else in store for me. I got into a class in medieval history where the professor was so interesting that I switched to history. At the same time though, in the back of my head, there was always the desire to someday write a novel. I was accepted at Columbia University for a master ?s degree in Renaissance and Medieval history, and from there went on for doctorate in ancient and medieval history at the University of Southern California (Figh t On !).
Sept em ber , 2020
Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t of it being interviewed by the BBC, scores of magazines, radio and television shows, etc. etc. from New York to Australia. The headline in the Weekend Australian was ?Now It?s Alexander the Grape!?
Le petit ĂŠcolier; A br ain y k id in deed, Joh n O'Br ien st ar t ed college at 15 IA&E: You have now authored two remarkable books, can you tell us the differences? most challenging bits? in creating such diverse work?
Joh n : Back at Queens College that marvelous history professor (Richard W. Emery) who converted me from English to History, said one day in class that Alexander the Great went through a startling metamorphosis during the last seven years of his life. While piling one victory on top of another Alexander ?s personality deteriorated and no one could explain why. If, the professor said, you could resolve this dilemma, you would be making a major contribution to history. In 1978 I arrayed all of the Alexander sources looking for a clue as to how this could have happened, and there it was - alcohol, alcohol, alcohol. I wrote some articles on this and the New York Times printed a headline in the Science Section stating, ?Alcohol Defeated Alexander the Great Research Asserts.? The next day it was the lead article in the [London] Times and the story spread like wildfire. I got my 15 minutes of fame out
This is what convinced me to write a biography of Alexander. Little did I know how much research that would require (the man had conquered two million square miles). The title of the book is Alexander the Great: The Invisible Enemy. A Biography. I wrote the book as a Greek tragedy without announcing it as such, It was published in 1992 and is still in print. IA&E: Did you have any escapades in your own teaching career parallel or close to Aloysius?
Joh n : Many involving the local constabulary, drugs, sex, student escapades, academic politics ? it was the 60s ? all hell had broken loose and you could either enjoy it or take the vows of a Trappist monk. I decided to enjoy it. About 75 % of what?s described in the novel actually happened, although each episode had to be re-shaped in order to fit in with the narrative and keep the reader turning pages. IA&E: What was your process for Aloysius and about how long did it take you to write?
Joh n : I had the idea in 1968 when I left England and returned to the States. My professional career as an historian had to be tended to and Aloysius kept on the shelf. One day I looked in the mirror and saw this old geezer staring back at me ? so I said to that wizened fellow, ?If you?re going to write a novel, you?d damn well
Page 15 better do it now!? If any of your readers out there plan to write a novel, tell them not to wait until they?re 80. They may not make it that far. IA&E: Are you planning a sequel? (We liked Stein! He reminded us well of someone close. If yes, would you have some characters progress and return.
Joh n : I never thought of a sequel, but so many people have asked that I write one, that I may have to reconsider. Aloysius the Great ends in 1968 and I?ve been causing trouble and getting myself into sticky situations for over a half century since then, so maybe it?s worth writing about. Besides, writing a novel is a great way of exacting revenge on those characters who?ve done you wrong over the years. That should keep the keyboard clicking. IA&E: Just from the book and piecing together what we seemingly know about you; you appear very accomplished and content. How so?
Joh n : It?s quite simple. I spent half my life with me uppermost in my mind and the result was an unhappy, discontent man. Now I try to keep others uppermost in my mind and be of help when I can. Nowadays I see myself as useful to others and the by-product of this is a sense of well-being. Today I am who I want to be, where I should be, with whom (married 42 years to Dorothy whose name means ?gift of God? and she lives up to it) I should be, doing what I should be doing. I?m well aware of the grace bestowed upon me by a higher power and grateful to be a useful human being. Continued on page 16
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Postponed Till 2021
Aloysius and O'Brien Continued from page 15... However, I am far from perfect and resolutely refuse to give up some of my more egregious defects ? especially, sarcasm. No way in which I will surrender that delicious, bittersweet tool.
IA&E: An y advice f or ou r r eader s an d w r it er s (m e!!)on h ow t o bu ck le dow n an d cr eat e a book ?
getting so big I had trouble getting through my front door the other day. I shared this with the great Irish poet, Gerry Murphy, and his response was, ?Get a bigger door!? THOSE IRISH! To answer your question: It?s miracle. I believe in miracles. I am one.
Joh n : There are a zillion books on how to write a novel, but almost all of them go on long tedious excursions discussing other novels and literary theories. There is one book that is actually useful. It?s John Braine?s Writing a Novel. This one has the nuts and bolts. How many words you need, writing schedules, transitions, etc. etc. It gives the best blueprint ever created for writing a novel. Braine, for example, said you must write every episode as if it were unfolding up there on a stage and you were responsible for creating an exciting environment and a dynamic interaction between the characters. You can do it, but you have to stop thinking about it and start scribbling. Everyone has a novel in them. Read Braine?s book and get started. If I can do it, so can you!
IA&E: Final thoughts on this amazing accomplishment at this stage of your life?
Joh n :
With all of this publicity, my head?s been
Pr of essor O'Br ien is pict u r ed h er e in 1999 at t h e pr esen t at ion of on e of h is t h r ee pr esiden t ial aw ar ds f or " Ou t st an din g Teach er " at Qu een s College in New Yor k . He is w it h h is older dau gh t er Ch r ist in e (Lef t ) an d you n ger dau gh t er Lillian .
Sept em ber , 2020
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Ken O?M alley Ir elan d Tou r s Sch edu le Ch an ges The Ken O'Malley Tour that was set for set for April of this year was pushed to Spring of 2021. The dates are just in:
April 17 - 26, 2021. Fir st st op w ill be Ban t r y Bay n ear Cor k ; t h e 2021 t ou r spen ds t h r ee n igh t s on Ir elan d's West Coast Cast let ow n , M izen Head Ligh t h ou se , Clif f s of M oh er Galw ay Cit y an d Con n em ar a t h en on t o West por t an d en ds in Du blin .
Ballintubber Abbey, founded in 1216.
Highlight's For Ken's First Ever
SAMHAIN TRIP Announced! See previous page
A br ief st op in Galw ay (Pict u r ed f r om t h e h ills above) n ext Spr in g. Am azin g m u sic, pu bs an d sigh t seein g w ill m ak e you w an t t o r et u r n ! Cen t er : M or n in g M ist i n t h is sh ot n ear you r h ot el t h at gives you a glim pse of t h e ch ar m aw ait in g in Galw ay Cit y
Ken O'M alley Ou r f avor it e Ir ish Balladeer is en du r in g t h e Pan dem ic w h ile en t er t ain in g f an s on lin e ! See details in Calendar Section feature, page 26
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Ign or an ce Lost By TINA DAY Wat er y dr eam s cascade dow n , in t o a sea of m isspen t you t h ; Tim e dw in dles m u ch lik e expen ded t issu es. Ach in g f or a m ean in gless m om en t I st r ain t o ign or e t h e w r it in g on t h e w all. Sn at ch es an d clips of an u n in spir ed past Wh ir l an d f loat above m y h ead Teasin g m e w it h r em in iscen ces. Glim m er s of lost in n ocen ce. Tim e w as ou r ser van t Ben din g t o each w h im w e desir ed Now it is ou r m ast er an d We h ave n o opt ion s lef t t o u s If w e k n ew w h at w e h ad, Wou ld w e h ave let it go so easily? Or is t h at t h e m agic Of h avin g it t o begin w it h ?
Tina Day
Ign or an ce isn?t bliss. It ?s t h e m an if est at ion of h avin g Som et h in g t h at you Wou ld n ever h ave h ad ot h er w ise
SOME THOUGHTS FROM TINA started writing poetry when I was 9. Mrs. Corey, my third grade teacher, had a box of short poems and quotes that the students would use to practice their writing. I was inspired by this box to write a poem. Mrs. Corey liked it so much, she added it to the box. This was the start of my poetry career. For a long time, I only wrote rhyming poetry. To me, that was the definition of a poem. I don?t think it was until my early 20?s when I started to write non-rhyming poetry. It was a struggle at first, but eventually I came to understand how meter and rhythm can structure the poem in similar ways to a rhyming pattern. I wrote primarily for myself, thinking that no one else would be interested in it. I did write the odd poem for a contest at school, or a friend, but that was it for quite a long time. I would share poems with friends and co-workers and would hear over and over, ?I don?t like poetry, but I like
this.? Continuing to heat this through the years finally gave me the confidence to try to get some of my poetry published. My poetry was first published by the MIND MATTERS REVIEW in 1993. The poem that was published was titled ?Qu est ion s Wit h ou t An sw er s?. I was also posting my poetry on some poetry websites. In late 1999, I was approached by a publishing company that said they wanted to publish a book of my poetry. Of course there was a catch. I had to put in some money. Needless to say, it was a scam and I never did see a book. Unfortunately, this made me give up on trying to publish a book of poetry. I even stopped sending my poems out to magazines and legitimate book publishers for a long time. Then, with the advent of technology and more and more self-publishing options, I decided to give it another try. I found a self-publisher called Lulu. I provided the final product, including a cover I designed, to them and there
September, 2020
Irish Arts & Entertainment
I rish Music:
News & Reviews CELTIC PINK FLOYD h as ju st an n ou n ced t h at Ken O?M alley h as of f icially join ed t h e ban d! With his deep rich voice (and in the tradition of the great Irish storytellers) his ability to captivate audiences with his tales of a faraway land, Ken is a force to be reckoned with live on stage or of late on his amazizing livestreams. Most of our readers are well aware of Ken O'Malley and his great Irish music, so this news will be met with great enthusiasm no doubt! In the notice we received, the band notes the dearth of live events but offers the next best thing. Links and Youtube!, Celtic Pink Floyd ( CPF) says, "In the meantime, we?ve decided to do the next best thing and give you a taste of what to expect with a new song and video. We hope this will tide you over until we have completed work on our next album." Also appearing as a very special guest on the track is Eric Rigler of Bad Haggis! (Braveheart, Titanic and Outlander.) Described as "the most recorded bagpiper of all time?, Eric?s addition of pipes and whistles has definitely taken this track to an elevated level." M ar k in g ou r f ir st n on Pin k Floyd t u n e r ecor ded, ?M ad Wor ld? is qu it e appr opr iat e f or t h ese t im es. We sin cer ely h ope t h at you all st ay h ealt h y an d saf e an d w e look f or w ar d t o w h en w e can all get t oget h er an d sh ar e t h e gif t of m u sic again . CPF ar e Dam on St ou t & Br ian St ou t , For r est Robin son , an d Ken O'M alley.
w w w.celt icpin k f loyd.com
We invite submissions to the Irish Poetry Corner A poem or saga in the Irish Bardic Tradition are both
considered. E-Mail us: irishmissive@gmail.com
M AD WORLD Video
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W el co m e O u r N ew A d v er t i ser
D o n egal N at i v e, So u t h B ay B ased L A RRY K EM P .
ALOYSIUS THE GREAT h t t p:/ / bit .ly/ Aloysiu sTh eGr eat GOODREADS EXCERPT Set in t h e t u m u lt u ou s 1960s, Aloysiu s t h e Gr eat is t h e st or y of Aloysiu s Gogar t y, a you n g alcoh olic Am er ican pr of essor , pr essu r ed in t o becom in g r esiden t dir ect or of h is college?s st u dy-abr oad pr ogr am in En glan d. He depar t s r esen t f u l of t h e t ask f oist ed u pon h im , an d dist u r bed at h avin g t o leave beh in d a w om an h e?s r ecen t ly becom e in f at u at ed w it h . In En glan d, Gogar t y f in ds h im self on a r u n aw ay r oller -coast er of r ebelliou s st u den t s, dr u gs, sex an d academ ic polit ics. He con t in u es t o cou r t h is in am or at a f r om af ar an d h is alcoh olism spir als ou t of con t r ol. Gogar t y get s h elp in copin g w it h h is k aleidoscopic pr oblem s f r om an Oxf or d cou n t er par t w h o is a w ick edly w it t y an d st alw ar t com pan ion . Th ey con su m e epic qu an t it ies of alcoh ol w h ile con coct in g ou t lan dish sch em es t o addr ess t h ese ch allen ges. M ir acu lou sly, Gogar t y n ot on ly su r vives t h is m ayh em , bu t em er ges a h er o an d cr ow n s h is ach ievem en t s by com in g t o gr ips w it h h is alcoh olism . Gogar t y ?s t r an sat lan t ic cou r t in g also yields su r pr isin g r esu lt s.
BUY ON AM AZON h t t ps:/ / am zn .t o/ 34VCsFO
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I r i sh L i t er ar y Sh ow case Fo r get M e The alluring scent of something familiar caused Troye to turn around, expecting to see a face he knew so well. But it wasn?t there. It was someone else?s cologne with a strong smell of mint. He glanced around the studio, but it was only him working in the art room, besides the girl at the other side who hadn?t moved from her sculpture in two hours. He tried to drown out his disappointment by amping the volume of the music, but no sound could mask his despondency. Why had he even expected to find the person he was thinking of? He took one last look around, just to make sure no guy had walked in, leaving a trail of something so soaked in memories. Howbeit, unless his sight was failing him, there was not a soul besides him and? what was that girl?s name? ?Hey, uh, Liza??
NEW THIS ISSUE! Our Irish Literary Showcase for emerging Irish and Irish American writers. Our Poetry Corner has captured many an imagination and many avid followers. This idea is a natural extension. Thanks to Margaret O'Carroll for her input and support of this idea. Su bm ission s Wan t ed Please send a cover letter (EmailI, short bio and your short story or essay: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com In the subject line reference Irish Literary Showcase
Liza, who didn?t have earphones in, looked up. ?Yeah?? He?d got her name correct, thankfully. ?Are you chewing gum, or something?? Her brow furrowed. ?No?? ?Oh,? he sighed, ?never mind, sorry.? So he?d imagined it. Great. He was going insane. It had been more about the loneliness recently. It was so easy to recall a comforting voice that had been there for so long. So easy to hear it, and speak back to it. Speak back to someone who wasn?t there to answer. So easy for someone to just die, isn?t it? One minute they?re with you, warm, breathing and softly speaking, and then suddenly, without warning, they?re not. They?re cold, and they won?t answer you, they won?t talk, you?re shaking them, screaming
at them and your hot tears are landing all over their porcelain face. Troye realised he was just painting over the same area of the page, and it was wearing down, pieces of wet paper all over the bristles of the brush. He decided that it was time to go home. He washed and patted down his paintbrushes, and packed them away carefully. His boring painting of a rose was left on the drying rack.
?Are you okay to lock the studio up, Liza?? ?Yep,? she replied monotonously, engrossed in smoothing out a part of the wet clay. There was something peaceful about the desolate locker area. Bustling and loud during the day, after school hours it was an abandoned haven of vandalised walls. As Troye collected books and put them into his bag, the gentle hum of distant school generators put his mind at ease. For the time being, at least Continued on page 22.
Em er gin g Ir ish Wr it er Han n a-Rose Su llivan Forget Me is written by 15 year old up-and-coming Irish author Hanna-Rose Sullivan from Co. Cork. Forget Me was recently published in a new literary journal ?Paper Lanterns?which is based in Dublin and was selected from a world-wide entry list of short stories. It is her first published work! An energetic and focused young writer, her hobbies include drawing, music and reading. She is truly passionate about writing and hopes to have a book published one day.
Page 22 Only a few lockers had locks on them. Others were either closed but unlocked or wide open for anyone to see. He looked into the one beside him. It had a handful of books, a lot of gum wrappers and a few unfinished late assignments. Troye was not excited by all this, but there was another locker he wanted to see. He knew exactly where it was; two rows down and the fifth on the right. It was unlocked of course, and completely empty. The name tag on the inside had been torn off, but he knew the name of the last person who had used this locker. Troye remembered when it had been filled with books and love letters, metallic pencils and for a week, a baby doll that was being drawn in art class. This locker had been filled with daydreams and secret thoughts. But now it was bare. He went to finally close it when he noticed a small piece of folded paper tucked neatly into the corner of the second shelf. Gingerly, he pulled it out. The paper was torn out of a refill pad, and it was slightly crumpled. He opened it up, and turned it the right way, as he had opened it upside down. He could barely make it out, but in faint, messy handwriting, there was a simple and short message: ?I miss you, Troye.? Troye?s soul trembled, and his heart dropped to the floor. He took a deep breath. It had to be someone messing with him. Scratch that, ofcourseit was someone messing with him. He?d never heard of people writing crumpled notes from the afterlife. He tried to think of someone who hated him enough to do this. He slammed the locker and went back to his own one. Despite racking his brains, he couldn?t think of anyone. They?d have to know him pretty well, because the wholethinghadn?t been verypublic. But both of his closest friends, who were the only ones who really knew, would never do this. They were too busy anyway; they had better things to be doing than cruel little pranks. Before stuffing the note into his backpack, he had a closer look at it. The likeness of the writing was uncanny. It had the same block lettering, the same careless curves in the letter ?e?. Before the tears could escape from his tear ducts, he shoved it into the front pocket of his bag and hurriedly left. His car was one of the only few
Irish Arts & Entertainment left in the car park. This year it was a relief to have his own car rather than taking the bus to school. It was faster, and less stressful than trying to find a free seat with no vomit on it, and eventually having to sit next to someone judgemental that would inch away from you when you reluctantly sat down. He blasted electronic music to distract his mind, and made his way down the school hill, reaching the main road and not exactly looking forward to getting home. It would be loud and require diplomatic word choice.
M eรกn Fรณ m h ai r shone defiantly in the black. Troye finally finished his homework. He needed to go outside. There was something about the day that had made the vacant space in his chest even bigger and more obvious. It nagged at him, tugging on his lungs and screaming for what was missing. ?I?m going for a walk.? His mother glanced at the clock on the wall. ?You can, since it?s not too late,? she said, ?but be careful, alright? Don?t go too far.?
He was correct, as he could hear his younger brother ?s playful shouting from the open window of the living room as he pulled into the drive. Troye sighed and stopped the car. He tapped his fingers on the driving wheel and closed his eyes.
Troye nodded. ?I promise.?
Just when he?d found someone to trust, someone he could speak about anything to, he?d lost them. They were just? gone. Never to be seen again. Never able to achieve all the dreams Troye had been told about.
A sad expression of loving came over her face. ?Alright. See you a minute.?
?Why did you leave me?? Troye asked the nothingness. It didn?t reply. It never did, and it never would. The inside of the house was comfortingly warm, and Troye took his hoodie off. ?Hey,? he said to his mom, who sat in the kitchen, looking tired and scrolling through her phone. ?Hey,? she smiled, ?how was school?? ?The usual. It was fine.? He moved up to his room and took his bag with him. He took out all the necessary books and his pencil case. With them came the note, which fluttered to the ground. Troye picked it up and felt suddenly spiteful at whoever had done this. They needed to get a life, he told himself. He crushed it in his hands and threw it into the small bin by his desk. The night set in quickly like a veil across the azure atmosphere, blanketing it in darkness. The moon revealed herself and
He went to the door, and his mother stopped him before leaving. She brushed his chestnut fringe from his eyes. ?Do you want me to come with you?? ?I?ll be ok,? he smiled weakly.
?See you.? The air was cold and refreshing, and despite the millions of stars that watched over the breathing earth, Troye felt alone. He watched his feet take the steps along the mossy footpath, avoiding puddles and respecting the space of stubborn flowers growing in the cracks of the pavement.
Ou r ver y f ir st pr of ile f or t h e Ir ish Lit er ar y Sh ow case is w ell deser vin g of t h e exposu r e! Han n ah -Rose Su llivan is an im agin at ive w r it er w it h a dedicat ion t o h er cr af t r ar e at an y age!
September, 2020
Irish Arts & Entertainment
For get M e The old ?playground?wasn?t really a playground. Rather a small area of concrete that the current teenagers of the area had played in as kids, bringing sticks and rocks for faux battle, and old boxes for forts. There was an actual playground in the town now, but everyone Troye?s age still called this area ?the old playground?. There was nothing but a dilapidated bench, that had been the inner structure of forts and royal carriages for knights and princesses. Troye took a deep breath of crisp air, and walked over the bench, or at least what remained. He perched on the edge, hoping it would hold him. The trusty old bench was still solid, and Troye did not fall. Troye listened. There was almost silence. He could hear a bird close by, wings breaking the still air. There were a couple of distant voices, laughing and probably drinking. Troye remembered when he had been one of those voices. He allowed himself to remember Caleb. Tall and towheaded was how everyone had described him. He?d always worn vintage leather jackets that smelled of mint and comfort. He?d had the best sense of humour; and always had something to smile about. He had so much love in him, so much kindness to spend. Troye wrung his hands. ?I miss you Caleb,? he told the sky, ?it?s killing me.? A husky voice replied from behind Troye. ?I know.? Troye jumped up and around to see who was speaking to him. The face was both a welcome one and instilled the most fear in Troye he?d ever felt in his life. ?Caleb,? Troye whispered. Caleb raised his eyebrows. ?That?s my name,? he said softly, in the way he always had when someone called him by his name. The tears were relentless as Troye spoke. ?I don?t understand, Caleb. You?redead.? ?I am. I just never got to say goodbye. I know it was all a bit sudden.?
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Troye couldn?t help himself. He ran into Caleb?s arms, the place he felt safest. ?I miss you so much,? he cried, ?it should have been me.? ?Stop,? Caleb said softly, ?it shouldn?t have.? ?I can?t forget you,? Troye continued, ?I don?t know how to; I don?twantto, but the memories hauntme, Caleb.? Caleb sighed. ?I can?t forget for you, Troye. You have to,? he took Troye?s hands and held them in his own, ?I just thought, if you and I had a bit of closure, it would be easier. So now we can say goodbye.? ?Can?t you stay? Just between us? Stay.Please.? Caleb smiled sorrowfully. ?You saw me die. I?m dead, Troye. This,? he gestured to himself, ?this is a reflection. I?m not sure if life is the mirror, or if death is, but I?m not here. I?m only allowed to talk to you for a few minutes.? Troye watched Caleb?s face, the face he knew so well, and saw how hard Caleb was fighting to stay calm. He could also see the gauntness in Caleb?s face, the exhaustion of a dead soul in his eyes. He that knew Caleb needed this to be at peace. Troye took a deep breath. ?Goodbye Caleb. I?ll miss you. I will always miss you, and remember you. But I?ll be happy. For you.? Caleb took Troye?s face in his gentle hands. ?Be happy for yourself, Troye. It?s going to be ok. You?ll be ok. And even if you forget me, which hopefully you will, I?ll always keep an eye on you.? ?I love you, Caleb.? For the last time, Troye relaxed into Caleb?s arms, feeling the warmth and the smell of mint. And before he knew it, Caleb was gone. There was no puff of smoke, no pop; Troye was simply on his own again. But he wasn?t. Because Caleb was there with him. Always.
Th e Kin g's Head Sh oppe Sever e loot in g an d dam age h it t h e st or e an d pu b in t h e San t a M on ica Riot bu t t h an k s t o am azin g an d speedy r ebu ildin g ef f or t s t h ey ar e back ! Sh ow you r su ppor t & dr op by!
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Th e River Lif f ey in Du blin at du sk ...t h is except ion al m om en t w as capt u r ed by Dian a Tallie on Ken O'M alley last t ou r t o Ir elan d in good old 2019!!.
Another Bump Along The Way... Worse seemed to be over as pubs were opening up again albeit with new Social Distancing rules. In our Junr issue we were happy to report; "For the first time in many weeks, we had a Calendar Listing for Cillian's Bridge at The Harp Irish Pub in the June issue! It was a delight to be share that news! O'Brien's in Santa Monica was open for Dine In service which brought a sigh of relief and a tear to my eye. For over twenty years, thanks to the great food and the publican Willy O'Sullivan's generosity and hospitality. that was MY LOCAL!
M ICHAEL M ANNING Sor r y t o r epor t t h is n ew s... M ik e M an n in g of M y Ir ish Pr ide an d Th ose M an n in g Bh ou ys Du o/ Ban d h as h ad a st r ok e. He is in n eed of ou r pr ayer ss. We w ill h ave det ails soon .
Well as cases of COVID 19 go up, the California restrictions were changed to only allow PATIO/ OUTSIDE Food Service and TAKE OUT!! This is a huge setback and we hope this Pandemic gets contained and our Civil discourse improves dramatically in the very near future. Meanwhile, please continue to support our pubs who have been with us for years, the Irish Import Shop and our other advertisers! Support for this publication is needed too, please see page 11. Th e Pu bGu ide E New s is st ill FREE. w an t t o get on t h e list : jim @pu bgu ide.com
Em ail u s if you
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THE CELTIC CAMERA We are here looking for you! Submissions to:
ir ish m issive@gm ail.com
For a look in side NEWGRANGE, GO TO: www.facebook.com/voicesfromthedawn/
A t ypical Du blin Pu b above...t h e pu bs in Ir elan d ar e alm ost alw ays w ar m an d w elcom in g. Th e st at u es ar e alm ost alw ays evocat ive of lif e, a m ean in gf u l t r ibu t e, pen sive an d t h ou gh t pr ovok in g
Jam es Joyce is n ow qu it e w elcom e in h is lan d of bir t h ! Exiled an d r edem pt ion !
M IDDLE LEFT: M olly M alon e gr eet s you et er n ally as you w on der t h e st r eet s in sear ch of you r Ir ish Root s! You m ay w ell r u n in t o k in w h o did n ot escape THE FAM INE...Th e Gr eat Hu n ger is r em em ber ed alon g t h e River Lif f ey. Th e Ir ish love t h eir sou lf u l st at u es as you w ill as w ell!
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KERRY CONTINUED
Celtic Wings com in g in 2021 t o a ven u e n ear you !
Cat er in a Coyn e Pr in cipal Dan cer Celtic Wings Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s u n der t h e dir ect ion of M ar gar et O'Car r oll h as been w or k in g w it h a t alen t ed cast of w or ld class ch am pion Ir ish Dan cer s, sen sat ion al Sin ger s an d vir t u oso M u sician s on t h e m u ch an t icipat ed CELTIC WINGS st age sh ow.
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The PAN IRISH Digest Events, News & Opinion fr om Ir eland and the Ir ish Diaspor a GOLFGATE, Scan dal In Ir elan d Cau ses EU Sh ak e Up We h ave r u les! How did a golf game in County Galway make The New York Times? Last week a two day golf outing organized by the Oireachtas Golf Society was held in Clifden, County Galway. Those in attendance included banking representatives, politicians, a senior judge, a government minister, an EU Commissioner and a leading national journalist. The attendance list gave a rare look behind the curtain of the insider culture that has dominated the Southern Political scene for decades. No members of Sinn Féin attended or are even members of this club. The event marked the 50th anniversary of this golf society. What set it apart from all
previous exclusive club outings is that it took part during Covid-19 pandemic. Across Ireland infection rates are increasing and new guidelines are being put in place. In the South whole counties such as Kildare have been placed back into lockdown due to localised outbreaks The dinner event associated with the golf breached Covid-19 guidelines and some who attended ignored local lockdown orders. The result of the scandal so far has been that the EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary have resigned, the actions of Supreme Court Judge and former Attorney General Séamus !Wolfe are being examined and a raft of apologies have been issued. Yet questions remain. Why did the organizers go ahead with an event that was a clear breach of guidelines?Why did others leave lockdown counties to attend?Most
AER LINGUS and Ryanair are facing turbulent times as Pandemic Losses Soar. As of August 29, the travel restrictions, The Green List, were still in place in Ireland and the dictate is hurting tourism and travel. Ryanair calls for Government to rip up the Green List saying there is 'no longer any justification' for the restrictions ?There is no longer any justification for maintaining a failed quarantine on flights to/from other EU countries, which have lower COVID case rates than Ireland" Aer Lingus says on their website that the also want restrictions eased, "As an island economy with a huge reliance on
connectivity and mobility, Ireland needs the urgent recommencement of operations in aviation. Air transport will be an early enabler of economic recovery, allowing people, goods and investment to flow back into the economy. This will be critical to the recovery of the Irish economy."
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pressing when did it become appropriate for bankers, politicians, judges and journalists to share golf outings and diners.
Ph il Hogan OUT This is a scandal 50 years in the making and it demonstrates the establishment network that so opposes the changes that Sinn Féin represent. It also demonstrates the urgency for change that Sinn Féin can deliver. As Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald reminded the media, This is not a country club, this is meant to be a parliament.
I r i sh A r t s & En t er t ai n m en t C al en d ar N OW W I T H By D ate & On Going Listings and Links Fr iday, Sept em ber 4 @ 7:00pm
TERRY CASEY of Th e FENIANS SOLO LIVESTREAM EVERY FRIDAY @ 7:00PM PST w w w .f acebook .com / t h ef en ian s/
Terry and The Full Band!! LABOR DAY WEEKEND The VIRTUAL Orange County Street Fair or an gest r eet f air .or g/ even t -in f o/ dat e-h ou r s-locat ion Ch eck t h e sch edu le , Look s lik e ...7 t o 9 PM (n ot con f ir m ed)
THE WHOOLIGANS TRIO
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Sat u r day, Sept em ber 5 @ 7:PM Live Ir ish M u sic in t h e pat io! Ed Bell & t w o m or e of h is ban d of m er r y m in st r els
Th e Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er We?r e st ill doin g ZOOM Session s On Su n day! M AILING ADDRESS 5062 Lan k er sh im Blvd. #3003 Nor t h Hollyw ood, CA 91601
Memberships open and donations welcome
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w w w.au lddu blin er .com !Auld
Dubliner
71 South Pine St LB, CA
562 437-8300
September, 2020
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" Sam h ain , A Celt ic Hallow een" w ill be on lin e f or it 's 10 year an n iver sar y. Tak e a jou r n ey t h r ou gh t h e Celt ic w or ld of m u sic, dan ce an d t h e or igin st or ies of t h e Jack O' t h e Lan t er n , gh ost s an d ot h er Celt ic spir it s of Hallow een . Vir t u ally on lin e in Oct ober . See t h e w ebsit e f or m or e in f o: Celt ic Rh yt h m s - Sam h ain DETAILS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON SIGN UP FOR UPDATES
Ow en Dar a's Son gs & Sit -Dow n s ju st f in ish ed it s f ir st season .. .. 18 Sh ow s! The show will be on vacation for September and returns the First Monday in October!
Go t o t h e ar ch ive t o cat ch u p or play again : w w w.ven m o.com / ow en dar a
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Irish Arts & Entertainment
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SEASIDE HIGHLAND GAM ES CANCELED FOR 2020 VENTURA'S AM AZING CELTIC EVENT PUSHED
Su n day, Sept em ber 6 St ar t s at 2 PM (& Every Sunday for the time being)
We k n ow you m iss Ken at t h e pu bs so t h isw ill h elp! Ken O'M alley Live! Th e sh ow is f r ee of ch ar ge Tou r s & In f o:
w w w.k en om alley.com . For t h ose w h o w ou ld be in t er est ed in con t r ibu t in g t o a vir t u al t ip jar , you can u se Ven m o: @k en om alley (4 digit code 1062) or PayPal: paypal.m e/ t w lor d Fish n ch ips? An Ir ish m u le? Sean?s got you cover ed!
LINKS & LISTING f or Com m u n it y Even t s ar e FREE. Com m er cial/ For Pr of it Ads an d Pr om ot ion s ar e ver y cost ef f ect ive. We can pr om ot e you r bu sin ess or even t in all ou r pu blicat ion s an d plat f or m s as low asr $200. per qu ar t er or per even t !
Con t act u s u s f or det ails Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493 Em ail: jim @pu bgu ide.com
CALL 562 430-0631 w w w.om alleyssealbeach .com
September, 2020
Irish Arts & Entertainment
On Going Celtic, Ir ish & Pub Calendar Send your links and listings to:
irishmissive@gmail.com
Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er f or t h e du r at ion ...
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EVERY FRIDAY!! Vin yl Sh ow case 7PM to 10PM on the EXTENDED LA(R) GER PATIO...Limited Seating TAKE OUT CURB SERVICE Food & Libations... Call for info: 562 437-8300
Dia daoibh, a chairde,
SUNDAY ZOOM SESSIONS Slow session h as r esu m ed Please join t h e Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er on lin e t h is &f u t u r e Su n days 4:00-4:30 pm f or t h e Slow Session , an d u n t il 6:00pm f or t h e r egu lar session !
CLICK TO JOIN M eet in g: 583 615 2765 Passw or d: play Feicfidh mé sibh
Peace Lu t h er in Ch u r ch Ir ish Session s on ZOOM w w w.f acebook .com / gr ou ps/ OCCelt icJam /
We con t in u e t o h ost Zoom session s ever y M on day even in g.
Du blin n at ive, LA based Ir ish Balladeer
Ken O'M alley w ill be back t o en t er t ain w it h st or y an d son gs.
Th e Au ld Du blin er 71 S Pin e Lon g Beach , CA . Alm ost Ever y Th u r sday n igh t . w w w.au lddu blin er .co m
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Irish Arts & Entertainment
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SIGN UP FOR OUR E NEW SLETTER DEVOTED TO PUBS, PUBLICANS, PUB PATRONS , Event s & Ent ert ainment at part icipat ing pubs! Sept ember's Pub Of The Month Ye Olde King's Head in Sant a M onica Please see t heir ad t his issue! Email: Jim@pubguide.com
It is Easy an d Cost Ef f ect ive t o pr om ot e you r Bu sin ess, Even t or Pu b w it h M cDon ou gh M edia! Call or Em ail Jim 951 216-1493 ir ish m issive@gm ail.com
Sor r y sligh t delay in ou r plan s! A FEW WEEKS t ill it w ill be t im e f or som e Ir ish M u sic M ean w h ile, Ou r Ou t door Pat io din in g w ill be open so if you ar e look in g t o eat ou t ; Please dr op by! Ser vin g br eak f ast -lu n ch -din n er an d Food & Dr in k s To Go Oopen f or lu n ch M -F at 11am Th e Har p In n Ir ish Pu b 130 E 17t h St , Cost a M esa, CA For over 30 year s, Th e Har p In n h as been t h e h ear t an d sou l of t h e Em igr an t Ir ish com m u n it y in SoCal w w w.h ar pin n .com
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Ar e you in t er est ed in w r it in g an d/ or cover in g even t s f or t h e
Irish Arts & Entertainemt? We w ou ld love t o h ear f r om you . We ar e able t o of f er a lot of per k s, t ick et s an d t h e lik e, expen ses an d cash ! Fir st st ep is t o join ou r Wr it er 's Gr ou p on Facebook . We w ill f ollow u p f r om t h er e.
It is Easy & Cost Effective to pr omote your Business, Event or Pub with McDonough Media! Call or Em ail Jim 951 216-1493 ir ish m issive@gm ail.com
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Sept em ber , 2020
Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t
The Celtic Community Page I s Sponsored I n Part By... John McNally CalDRE#:01881734 RE/ MAX Gold Coast REALTORS 805 804-7558 mcnally.realtor@gmail.com https://johnmcnally.remax.com Search for a home: h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 2Dyw 4c1
GOT AN UPDATE or LISTING?? Ou r n ext f u ll issu e w ill be f or Sept em ber so as alw ays w e ar e look in g f or good Ir ish con t en t ! M ean w h ile, w e w ill u pdat e an d post Calen dar It em s an d br eak in g n ew s in ou r Week ly Ir ish E M issive. We w ill do a
Calen dar u pdat e f or t h is issu e t oo w h en pu bs open !
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Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t
Th e Jam es Joyce Cen t er in Du blin is a must see stop for just about anyone who visits Ireland!! The comprehensive collection of his works and ephemera will keep a Joyce aficionado busy and delighted for days and the interested traveler happy for hours! The Centre goes all out for Bloomsday andf has an amazing program set for nline this year because of Covid 19. Here are the
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links to the June activities and celebrations. w w w.jam esjoyce.ie and for Bloomsday: https://jamesjoyce.ie/events/ Also, the Centre offers a really sweet item for free on its website. A detailed map of Bloom's Dublin of 1904. You can download the PDF here: h t t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 37u PSHQ Or simply click the graphic below!
Sept em ber , 2020
Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t
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WANT YOUR PUB BACK ON TOP?? WE CAN HELP! Advertise with the Weekly Irish E Missive Pub Guides &
Irish Arts & Entertainment We promote your pub, updates, Take Out and create interest for you on all our platforms & Social Media. Cost effective & proven results!
951 216-1493 Email: jim@pubguide.com Get you r Ir ish or Celt ic Even t List ed...
NOW OPEN FOR YOU TO DINE ON OUR PATIO SOCIAL DISTANCING OF COURSE TAKE OUT!! OPEN WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY @ 12 NOON CALL US @ 949- 640-4110 OR GO TO OPENTABLE.COM And Serving our full Take -Home Menu for curbside pick up from 3pm-8pm PLACE PRE-ORDERS NOW!
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