Celtic Woman SoCal Tour Announced!!
Vo l . X X X # 5
A p r i l ~ A i b r ean
20 22
Er ic Rigler an d BAD HAGGIS Set For Scot t ish Fest At Or an ge Cou n t y
See Pg 10
B) Pg 9
On e of t h e h igh ligh t s of Scot t ish Fest USA each year is t h e per f or m an ce of BAD HAGGIS!
E) Pg 22
Updat ed & Expan ded M id M on t h Calen dar ...w it h
Celt ic Wom an Con cer t s!
Th is year is n o except ion ! Cat ch t h eir ONE EXTENDED SHOW ONLY On Sat u r day M AY 28t h .
Fam iliar sigh t t h r ou gh ou t Ir elan d set t in g ou t acr oss Eu r ope
As par t of Ir elan dWeek @ THE IM PROV! M ay 11t h .
Ir elan d's Wat er f or d Wh isper s com in g as par t of Ir elan d Week !
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
w w w.ir elan dw eek .com Scot t sFest : w w w.scot t ish f est .or g
Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er 's Six Week M odu lar Cou r se on t h e Ir ish Fam in e St ar t s on Apr il 3...on Pg 6
IRISH BEST BETS in Calen dar ! G) Pg 23 Ir elan dWeek :
ar e bot h Set f or M ay!
For Over FIFTY YEARS!! The Hollywood Ir ish Impor t Shop has been EASTER HQ for SoCal's Ir ish Community! All your favor ite Goods & Tr eats ar e in Stock! Gr eat Selection of ROSES Tubs and Car tons & CADBURY EGGS! w w w.ir ish im por t sh op.com
N EW H O U RS N o o n t o 4 PM W ED t h r u SU N O PEN M A RC H 16
EASTER EGGS & CANDY IN STOCK NOW!! MORE of INSIDE THIS ISSUE Pu blish er 's Let t er Ref lect ion s on East er .
Page 6 Joh n M cNally Com m en t ar y on Joe Biden's St . Pat r ick 's Day Celebr at ion s Page
Th e View Fr om Ir elan d By M au r ice Fit zpat r ick Belf ast Film Com m en t ar y
Th e Ir ish Poet r y Cor n er YEATS; EASTER, 1916 Page
NEW FEATURE: Th e Ir ish Gar den er See page
O U R C O V ER L A I r i sh C i v i c D ay C ov er age! T h e I r i sh Fai r Fo u n d at i o n d o es a l o t o f go o d b esi d e t h e I r i sh Fai r . T h ey n eed y o u r h el p t o p u l l o f t h e GREAT RET U RN I RI SH FA I R & M U SI C FEST I VA L ! Pl ease B u y T i ck et s N O W :
See Wells of Lif e RUN4WATER on Page 32 Su bscr ipt ion Ser vice 2 For 1 Of f er & Ver y Ir ish Per k s! w w w .t h ei r i sh f ai r .o r g Discou n t s an d C al en d ar B EST B ET ! T O M M Y & T h e B RO T H ER S Con t est s Det ails A N ew M u si cal T r i b u t e t o on Pages 41 & 42 T h e C l an cy B r o t h er s an d T o m m y M ak em T i ck et s f o r t h i s Su n d ay @ 7:30 p m
March, 2021
Irish Arts & Entertainment
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More Features Ir ish Calen dar Ir ish Com m u n it y List in gs & Celt ic Cam er a Start on Page 26
Su bm it you r calen dar it em s t o : ir ish m issive@gm ail.com
Irish Arts & Entertainment 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 Joh n M cNally Bar bar a Sin ger Pat r ick Weld
Press Relations Al Geien er
Let t er Fr om THE PUBLISHER Dear Friends and Readers
HAPPY EASTER t o all ou r Fr ien ds an d Reader s! A time for renewal... Easter was always a very special time in my community and family growing up in Cincinnati. Admittedly and sadly, the allure and luster of the Season and the Holy Day itself waned through my middle years. Thankfully, the love and reverence for Easter has been given back to me again by fate and time as I grow older. Tick Tock has an entirely different meaning to me than most of my co-Earth inhabitants; to me it is the hour glass of life dripping away. That kind of thinking leads to self and societal reflections for me and the entire Easter Season is a perfect time to dig deep. I consider my Faith in God a gift. I grew up as an Irish Catholic and was well indoctrinated but never took it to heart. I was a what me worry kind of Christian. Now that is different. I trust the words of Jesus and am very critical and skeptical of the words of men. Need a break from the rigors of life and current news? Ask and you shall receive!
Happy East er Graphics/ Ad Design Jim , Pat r ick & Fr eelan cer s
Sales Reps Jim & Pat r ick
Layout & Typos Jim &Pat r ick Con t act Us Via Em ail: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493
All Copyr igh t s 2022 M cDon ou gh M edia
Aibreán
To all our fr iends and reader s, we wish you a ver y blessed and j oyful Easter ! On page 21 of this issue, we have links to all our Facebook Pages. Please L I K E/SHARE and COM M ENT. We are wor king on our expanded M ighty I r ish Networ k and we will have details for you on that ver y soon too Jim M cDonough, Publisher ir ishmissive@gmail.com
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CELTIC WOM AN ?POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND? NORTH AM ERICAN TOUR 2022 HAS NUM EROUS CONCERTS IN ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA
First album in three years ?Postcards From Ireland?out now! New PBS special airing in over 60 markets! Grammy nominated Celtic Woman, the most successful all-female Irish group in history returns with an 83-city North American tour in 2022, a new PBS special that began airing November 27 and their first brand-new studio album in three years. Celtic Woman?s ?POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND? showcases the accomplished recording ensemble and world-class performing collective, celebrates Ireland?s rich musical and cultural heritage, and builds on the group?s 16-year legacy of introducing some of Ireland?s most talented singers and musicians to the world stage. The tour launched February 22, 2022, in Pensacola, Florida before stops in Baltimore, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, Houston and Los Angeles. A full tour schedule and tickets are available at w w w.Celt icWom an .com . Celtic Woman?s fresh fusion of traditional Irish music and contemporary songcraft celebrates Ireland?s history while reflecting the vibrant spirit of modern Ireland. The group?s repertoire is presented by four young Irish women whose performing skills bring centuries of musical and cultural tradition to life through Irish classics, contemporary songs, classical favorites and stirring original compositions. Their angelic voices and instrumental virtuosity are accompanied by a robust ensemble that includes Irish dancers, bagpipers and a full band playing an array of traditional Celtic instruments, including the
bodhran, tin whistle, bouzouki and Uilleann pipes. ! Returning to the group is Chloë Agnew, an original
member who began working with Celtic Woman at age 14. A soprano, she sings in English, Irish, Latin, Japanese, Italian and German. Joining her are soprano Megan Walsh and Irish harp maestro Tara McNeill, as well as the newest member of the group, soprano Muirgen O?Mahony. The ?POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND? tour and album convey a true message of love, hope and expectation as the world looks toward getting back together again. Celtic Woman feels there is no better way to express these wishes than to write and send a postcard, but this postcard is written with the music and songs from their latest album. The 13 brand new songs on ?POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND?, released October 29, feature new arrangements of beautiful and iconic songs including ?The Dawning of the Day?, ?Wild Mountain Thyme?, ?The Galway Shawl? and ?Black is the Color ?, among others. Following the album release, PBS is airing the accompanying TV special in North America across 60+ local PBS stations. Filmed on location in 14 beautiful and iconic locations in Ireland, this 80-minute TV special showcases the beautiful landscapes of the country as Celtic Woman performs their brand-new compositions and arrangements, plus some fan favorites.
Since 2005, Celtic Woman has sold over ten million CDs and DVDs, making it the only all-female act to achieve multi-platinum success in the classical crossover and world music genres during the past decade. Named Billboard?s #1 World Music Artist of the Year six times, 12 of the studio CDs have debuted at #1 on Billboard?s World Album chart. Celtic Woman has also scored two Top 10 debuts on Billboard?s influential album chart and five Top Five DVDs on Billboard?s Top Video chart, as well as achieving platinum-level sales in nine countries. Their 2016 album release, ?Destiny?, was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best World Music Album, marking the group?s first-ever Grammy nomination.
For t h e com plet e t h e ?POSTCARDS FROM IRELAND? t ou r sch edu le an d t icket in f or m at ion , visit w w w.celt icw om an .com / t ou r -dat es.
Sign u p f or Celt ic Wom an?s n ew slet t er s at
w w w.celt icw om an .com t o be in f or m ed of f u t u r e t ou r dat es, albu m r eleases an d special of f er s.
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Ir elan dWeek
h as st ar t ed an d t h e even t s in M ay ar e im pr essive! Th ese Ir elan dWeek even t s w ill give you a ch an ce t o m eet an d m in gle w it h som e of t h e best an d br igh t est of Ir elan d's cr eat ive t alen t . An im pr essive lin e u p f r om m an y en t er t ain m en t , in n ovat ion an d t ech sect or s w ill par t icipat e! Th e Video Lin k t o t h e lef t is f or Ir elan dWeek 2019! Click t h e You Tu be icon on t h e lef t f or an in f or m at ive r ecap w h ich w ill give ou r r eader s a sen se of h ow am azin g t h is w ell plan n ed clu st er of even t s w ill delve in t o t h e cr eat ive en er gy an d oppor t u n it y t h at is con t em por ar y Ir elan d
Click Ar r ow f or Ir elan dWeek Tr ailer
See details in Calendar, page
Apr il, 2022
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
Ker r ym an an d CNN doyen (RIGHT) Don ie O?Su llivan an d sat ir ical pr an k st er s Wat er f or d Wh isper s New s t o be f eat u r ed in Leviat h an , t h e or igin al Ir ish polit ical an d cu lt u r al cabar et at t h e Tow n Hou se in Ven ice as par t of Ir elan d Week ! Sat u r day, M ay 14t h at 8:00pm . Leviathan political cabaret was founded by Naoise Nunn nearly 20 years ago in Dublin, bringing together political debate, satire and entertainment with subversive zeal. It has been hosted by economist, author and podcaster David McWilliams for most of its history and has featured guests as diverse as Naomi Klein and Ronnie Drew of The Dubliners; Bob Geldof and Alastair Campbell. Leviathan influenced the development of the Kilkenomics festival of economics and remains the core of the MindField spoken word arena at Ireland?s biggest music and arts festival ? Elect r ic Picn ic. This edition of Leviathan ? a US debut ? features a panel including CNN reporter, Donie O?Sullivan; Sarah Murphy, VP of Curation & Marketing Technologies at MGM Resorts International; Jacinta Tobin, VP Global Sales and Operations, Proofpoint; and Mark Little, CEO and co-founder of Kinzen. The burning question for the event is the global role of Irish people in tech and the urgency of ??responsible?? technology in defending truth, democracy and the planet. Pictured on the right:
Leviat h an Pan el M em ber Jacin t a Tobin , VP Global Sales an d Oper at ion s, Pr oof poin t Feat u r e con clu des, n ext page, M or e on lin e: w w w.ir elan dw eek .com
? Wat er f or d Wh isper s Live? Th er e?ll also be br illian t bit in g com edy f r om Wat er f or d Wh isper s New s, on e of t h e w or ld?s leadin g sat ir ical n ew s w ebsit es, f eat u r in g a cam eo by LA-based Ir ish act r ess, Car olin e M or ah an ; an d st an du p com edy f r om LA-based Ir ish com edian , Car olin e M or ah an David Nih ill.
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Sar ah M u r ph y is a strategic business lead with a diverse background in product, operations, hyper-growth, partnerships and business affairs across international for-profit and non-profit sectors. Motivated by the intersection of culture & purposeful growth. Proud founding member of Rescue United Foundation, an international philanthropic marketplace that matches qualified organisations working towards any of the UN?s Sustainable Development goals with talented professionals. She currently serves as Vice President of Product: Curation & Marketing Technologies @ MGM Resorts International
A Political Cabaret Feat Waterford Whispers Live & Special Guests MAY 14TH @ 8PM TOWNHOUSE VENICE, 52 WINDWARD AVENUE, VENICE CA 90291 Tickets: $20.00 plus $2.85 Sales end on May 15, 2022
LINKED HERE More info & To Order M ar k Lit t le ,
Levithan Panel Member;
CEO and co-founder of Kinzen.
pr il, 2021
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
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Scot t ish Fest USA " Get r eady t o get you r Celt ic back on !" Experience two days of world class Celtic music, piping and drumming competitions, Highland dancing contests, Scottish heavy athletics, Scottish gifts and foods, Scottish clans and genealogy, a fantastic children's glen and so much more! Do not miss this exciting return to the OC Fairgrounds in Cost Mesa on Saturday & Sunday, May 28 and 29. Tick et s ar e on sale n ow :
w w w.scot t ish f est .com TOP RIGHT: Cr ow d f avor it e an d st alw ar t s of t h e Cost a M esa High lan d Gam es & Celt ic Gat h er in g: t h e st ir r in g Wick ed Tin k er s! RIGHT: Er ic Rigler an d Bad Haggis w ill be back t o en t er t ain an d deligh t Fair -goer s an d Celt s w it h au t h en t ic Scot t ish M u sic an d on e of t h e w or ld's f or em ost Bagpiper s! Con t in u ed on page 10
w w w.badh aggis.com
M ich ael Law ler an d Piper An dy Scot t en t er t ain ed at THE HARP in Cost a M esa on St . Pat r ick 's Day. Th ey w ill be on h an d at t h e Clan Scot t Boot h at Scot t ish Fair in Or an ge Cou n t y over M em or ial Day w eek en d
Th e Plou gh boys h ave been con f ir m ed as on e of t h e gr eat Celt ic Gr ou ps w h o ar e sch edu led f or t h e 2022 Scot t ish Ext r avagan za set f or Ju n e in Cost a M esa! M or e on lin e: w w w.scot t ish f est .com
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Bad Haggis r et u r n f or t h eir 24t h year per f or m in g at t h e Scot t ish Fest . Th e ban d w ill play on e ext en ded set ! Sat u r day, M ay 28 @ 5pm .
Scot t ish Fest USA Or an ge Cou n t y Fair & Even t Cen t er , 88 Fair Dr ive, Cost a M esa, CA
Ir ish Scr een Am er ica pr esen t s Young Plato as par t of Ir elan d Week Saturday, May 21, 2022 7:00 PM ? 9:00 PM PDT Laemmle Monica Film Center 1332 2nd Street Santa Monica, CA A Primary School in Belfast?s Ardoyne housing estates invokes the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers to fight poverty, drug dealers and the IRA?restoring hope in the heart of a battered community. Multi-award-winning observational documentary Young Plato charts the dream of Headmaster Kevin McArevey and his dedicated, visionary team illustrating how critical thinking and pastoral care
Aibreán
Th e Wick ed Tin ker s Wicked Tin ker s ? Cask St r en gt h Tr ibal Celt ic M u sic! Th e cu r r en t ban d con sist s of ; f ou n din g m em ber Aar on Sh aw - Bagpipes, Tr u m ps & Vocals, Tik i Kin g - Tapan / Bass Dr u m / r h yt h m pole / Racon t eu r & CJ Hen der son - Didger idoos, Br on ze-age Hor n w w w.w ick edt in k er s.com
Com in g in M ay! Special Scot t ish Fest USA issu e can empower and encourage children to question the mythologies of war and of violence, and challenge the sometimes limiting narratives of their own community. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the Director, Neasa Ní Chianáín, Producer, David Rane and lead cast members Principal, Kevin McArevey and Schoolteacher/Head of Pastoral Care, Jean-Marie Reel.
Young Plato Trailer
Apr il, 2021
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
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WAR IN UKRAINE
Paddyw agon Sen din g Ir ish Tou r Coach es To Polish Uk r ain e Bor der On M er cy M ission The well known Irish tour operator, Paddywagon is sending a fleet of up to 20 coaches full of supplies to Ukraine before bringing hundreds of refugees back to Ireland. Paddywagon is looking for volunteer drivers for the journey to transport bedding, clothing, and non-perishable items to the western Ukrainian border. Gabriel Finn, the company?s operations manager, said the fleet of 15 to 20 buses was expected to leave on March 22 and take six days to cover the 5,000 to
6,000km round trip. Each coach can hold 55 to 60 people, so hundreds of displaced Ukranians could be accommodated on the return journey. More than 2,500 Ukrainian people have arrived in Ireland fleeing the war but there are estimates that as many as 100,000 could enter the country in coming months.
Paddyw agon : GO FUND M E LINK CHARITY EVENT Sat u r day, Apr il 30, 1:00 ? 4:00pm
Em er ald Hope Fou n dat ion See calen dar f or Ban ds in Apr il
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U.S. Pr esiden t 's Sain t Pat r ick 's Day Tr adit ion By Joh n M cNally In the 1980s, then-President Ronald Reagan started the tradition of inviting the sitting Irish Taoiseach to the White House on St Patrick's Day. This year, President Biden was disappointed Micheál Martin couldn't make it in person because he tested positive for Covid after arriving to our Capitol. Other Irish leaders who did attend in person were Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O'Neill, President and Vice President of Sinn Fein, who are leading substantially in the polls. The seven-piece viral Irish dancing group Cairde received a standing ovation from President Joe Biden and guests after an exceptional performance in the East Room of the White House at this year 's St Patrick's Day celebrations.
entertain a trade agreement with Britain if there were any jeopardy to the Northern Irish peace deal.
St . Pat r ick 's Day Video Gr eet in gs Pr esiden t Biden w as disappoin t ed M ich eál M ar t in cou ldn't m ak e it in per son becau se h e t est ed posit ive f or Covid af t er ar r ivin g at t h e Capit ol. O'Neill and McDonald of Sinn Fein had a packed four-day schedule during their trip to New York and Washington, D.C. They visited the Emerald Isle Immigration Center and New York Irish Center in Queens and after that a talk at Fordham University.
Later, at the annual "Friends of Ireland" luncheon at the U.S. Capitol, Biden said the luncheon was a good time for Democrats and Republicans to "remind ourselves we actually like each other." He quoted Irish poet William Butler Yeats: "talent perceives differences, genius unity. "There is a bipartisan rejection of the British Government's approach to legacy, Brexit, and civil rights. Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which Brexit has threatened. Richard Neal, the chairman of the ways and means committee, said he would not
I In her comments, McDonald outlined what we in the US can do to promote the cause of Irish Unity.
Her e is a lin k t o Sin n Fein Pr esiden t M ar y Lou M cDon ald's t alk on You Tu be at For dh am Un iver sit y.
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Fordham University is a top-ranked Catholic institution with the main campus in the Bronx NYC, offering exceptional education in the Jesuit tradition to approximently 15,000 students across 9 schools.
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St . Pat r ick 's Day In DC, Continued from Page 13 After the busy schedule in New York, they traveled to D.C. for several political meetings spread over three days, including stops at the White House for President Joe Biden's St. Patrick's Day gathering and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's St. Patrick's Day luncheon.
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
Dr . Sally 's M cNally Lau n ch es Podcast Irish native Sally McNally; Ventua County educator and midwife has an exciting new venture. Much more: on her primary website:
Aibreán h t t ps:/ / dr sallym cn ally.com / Here is a link her podcast on youtube
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY
Sin n Fein's Im m ediat e Plan President Joe Biden and Sinn Fein President Mary LouMcDonald meet and chatted warmly with each other at the trditional White House St. Patrick's Day celebration and meeting with Irish leaders on March 18. RIGHT: Massachusetts's 1st congressional district's Richard Neal is confident Mary Lou McDonald will be Ireland's next Taoiseach according to a recent Irish Times article, LINKED HERE
Sin n Féin calls f or a n ew cit izen s' assem bly t o plan f or a r ef er en du m on u n it y an d w h at a u n it ed Ir elan d
m igh t look lik e. St at in g t h at t h e Ir ish gover n m en t "n eeds t o do m or e" r egar din g " w h at ch an ge m igh t look lik e" if vot er s ch oose u n it y .
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EASTER, 1916 By Willam Butler Yeates I have met them at close of day Coming with vivid faces From counter or desk among grey Eighteenth-century houses. I have passed with a nod of the head Or polite meaningless words, Or have lingered awhile and said Polite meaningless words, And thought before I had done Of a mocking tale or a gibe To please a companion Around the fire at the club, Being certain that they and I But lived where motley is worn: All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.
William Bu t ler Yeat s We t u r n ed again t h is m on t h t o t h e Pu blic Dom ain f or a m ar velou s poem by on e of t h e gr eat est Ir ish Poet s of all t im e; William Bu t ler Yeat s. East er , 1916 w r it t en af t er t h e f ailed East er Rebellion of t h at year capt u r es t h e f er vor an d t or m en t of t h e Ir ish Nat ion t h at year n ed f or f r eedom . Th is w or k t o m an y is on e of t h e best Ir ish Poem s of all t im e. Both Yeats and Easter, 1916 continue on the next page.
That woman's days were spent In ignorant good-will, Her nights in argument Until her voice grew shrill. What voice more sweet than hers When, young and beautiful, She rode to harriers? This man had kept a school And rode our wingèd horse; This other his helper and friend Was coming into his force; He might have won fame in the end, So sensitive his nature seemed,
So daring and sweet his thought. This other man I had dreamed A drunken, vainglorious lout. He had done most bitter wrong To some who are near my heart, Yet I number him in the song; He, too, has resigned his part In the casual comedy; He, too, has been changed in his turn, Transformed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.
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Irish Arts & Entertainment
Hearts with one purpose alone Through summer and winter seem Enchanted to a stone To trouble the living stream. The horse that comes from the road, The rider, the birds that range From cloud to tumbling cloud, Minute by minute they change; A shadow of cloud on the stream Changes minute by minute; A horse-hoof slides on the brim, And a horse plashes within it; The long-legged moor-hens dive, And hens to moor-cocks call; Minute by minute they live: The stone's in the midst of all. Too long a sacrifice Can make a stone of the heart. O when may it suffice?
Aibreán
That is Heaven's part, our part To murmur name upon name, As a mother names her child When sleep at last has come On limbs that had run wild. What is it but nightfall? No, no, not night but death; Was it needless death after all? For England may keep faith For all that is done and said. We know their dream; enough To know they dreamed and are dead; And what if excess of love Bewildered them till they died? I write it out in a verse? MacDonagh and MacBride And Connolly and Pearse Now and in time to be, Wherever green is worn, Are changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born . September 25, 1916 Source:The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats(19. This poem is now in the Public Domain
We invite submissions to the
Irish Poetry Corner Any style of poem or saga in the Irish Bardic Tradition are all considered. We prefer original poetry and we will include a brief write up on you. If you submit a poem from the Public Domain, we only accept works from Irish, Celtic or Irish/Celtic-American poets.
E-Mail us: irishmissive@gmail.com
Th e Ir ish Lit er ar y Sh ow case
is a f eat u r e f or em er gin g Ir ish / Celt ic an d Ir ish Am er ican w r it er s. Ou r Poet r y Cor n er h as capt u r ed m an y an im agin at ion an d m an y avid f ollow er s an d poet s in t h e US an d Ir elan d.
This idea is a natural extension!
Su bm ission s Wan t ed Please sen d a cover let t er (Em ail) sh or t bio an d you r sh or t st or y or essay t o: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com In t h e su bject lin e r ef er en ce
Irish Literary Showcase
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THE VIEW FROM IRELAND Com m en t ar y: Belfast, the film By Maurice Fitzpatrick As the opening credits roll on Ken n et h Br an agh?s Oscar Win n in g f ilm , Belfast, viewers are treated to aerial shots of the contemporary city that inspired the film. The images of this sequence might have stepped from a Tourism Ireland promotional video. It features vibrant colours whereas the film is monochrome; it is alluring in contrast to the entrapped and confined atmosphere depicted in the film; it is welcoming whereas the film is often violent, vicious and suspicious. A touristic brand of Belfast gets its spake in first, and that sounds an alarm of what is to follow. Belfast is autobiographical inasmuch as Branagh?s family left Belfast for England in 1969,when he was nine years old, in response to the outbreak of the Troubles. Many people from a Protestant background, such as the Branagh family, gravitated to England whereas Catholics who left Belfast that year often went South. Notably, though,many Catholics did not have a choice in the matter: when loyalists burned the people of Bombay Street in West Belfast out of their homes in August 1969 they forced them to seek refuge. Branagh intersperses movies and news reports in the film and they have markedly different functions. In one case in this film, the travails of Liberty Vance symbolise the dilemmas felt by denizens of Belfast. News reports provide context for the unfolding conflict in Northern Ireland. Tellingly, one scene features the mother turning off a television interview with the then Prime Minister of the UK, Harold Wilson, as he outlines the reasons behind Britain?s intervention in Northern Ireland. There is scant little room in this film for the challenge to the unionist system that the Civil Rights Movement presented. Cait r íon a Balf e, as the mother, gives a deep and authentic performance inthe film. She manages to style out a set of costumes that would fill a catwalk. Balfe is always scintillating and poised. Her performance is nearly matched by that of the young boy, the film?s protagonist representing Branagh, played by Jude Hill. Jamie Doran, as the father, is given less than plausible lines in his enlightened counsel to his son about the need for pluralism. Ún a Ní Dh on gh aíle?s editing is flawless.
Van M or r ison provides the mood music from his classic repertoire. His song suite chimes well with the film. This is Morrison doing what he does best? a refreshing break from the persistent duff notes he sounded about Covid-19 vaccine conspiracies and the Northern Ireland Department of Ireland . The release of Belfast coincides with the outbreak of war in Europe and the parents? dilemma? whether to leave Belfast or to stay despite the mounting and unpredictable threat? reflects the experience of millions of families from Kyiv to Kharkiv today. While the parents discuss several countries as possible destinations (Canada, Australia), the family goes to England, ?the mainland?. There was a particular shock for Protestants who left Northern Ireland for England and found themselves received there as ?Paddies?and Paddies only. Writer Nick Laird, reviewing this film in The Times wrote: ?the idea that Protestants in working-class Belfast might casually refer to themselves as Irish requires a certain amount of wish fulfilment, or ignorance, and elides one of the fundamental sticking points of the Ulster question?. That is debatable. Some people from that background were (and are) comfortable with the designation as long as it can exist side-by-side with a UK identity.
Belf ast . Bu oyan t & Boom in g
w w w.r ick st even s.com
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Since sentimentalism is the dominant mode of attachment to place in the film, Belfast is sealed off from the future and what happens in Belfast after the family?s departure. Imagine how jarring the emotion expressed by Belfast man Derek Mahon in his poem ?Afterlives?would be in this film. On his return to Belfast, after the Troubles had begun, Mahon wrote: Belfast, continued That is precisely the feeling that is absent in this film. The past is frozen in a frame. Departure is not only a life-defining decision Branagh?s parents make, it is a shield for the director ?s own decision not to interrogate the causes of the Troubles and to refract those realities in the lives of his characters. Nostalgia is the keynote of the film and that perspective does not permit a close inspection of the political reality that established Belfast?s reputation internationally, from 1969 onwards, as a city synonymous with violent conflict. Hence the absurd sequence at the start of the film. That sequence is a prebuttal to a perception that the city depicted in his film is irredeemably divided. It is also a convenient positioning of the film?s point of departure in a future that postdates the Troubles. Such a leap-frogging through time is a political position in a film that disavows the significance of the political causes of the Troubles. That deflection mars the film and limits its scope. Belfast Commentary concludes on Page 18
?But the hills are still the same Grey-blue above Belfast. Perhaps if I'd stayed behind And lived it bomb by bomb I might have grown up at last And learnt what is meant by home?.
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politics of the city. The title inevitably lays claim to a definitive representation of an aspect of Belfast. That is a tall order for any film and it is an aim this film falls dramatically short of achieving.
Maurice Fitzpatrick's View
ED NOTE: Ju st f r om a n ew s an d en t er t ain m en t per spect ive, w e h ave given t h e f ilm Belfast ext en sive cover age w h ich ext en ds t o t h is issu e. (See Oscar Win n in g Ken n et h Br an agh on page 10.)
By contrast, other film representations of Belfast, particularly by Hollywood, cannot exhibit the violence graphically enough. Carol Reed?s Odd Man Out and the first half hour of Jim Sheridan?s In the Name of the Father are much better: the inchoate breakdown of order in the city in the former and the chaos that resulted from it in the latter ring true. More recently,? 71 takes the brave and innovative step of representing violence in Belfast from the perspective of a British soldier deployed in the city at the start of the Troubles.
We r eally appr eciat e t h e it h ou gh f u l n sigh t s t h at ou r w r it er s h ave sen t t o u s. On e of t h e gr eat joys of pu blish in g is t o be able t o sh ar e dif f er en t poin t s of view. Her e is a lin k t o ou r M ar ch issu e in case you m issed ou r cover age, in clu din g Joh n M cNally 's com m en t ar y on t h e f ilm . on page For an ot h er per spect ive; ch eck ou t h e t en se act ion t h r iller 71 st ar in g Jack O'Don n ell
Belfast has filled cinemas, not least in Belfast itself, but much of its narrative could be transposed to another setting in which a family leaves its home in search of something better. It fails to capture the culture and
The 147th Annual Los Angeles Irish Civic Day Ceremonies
Toget h er t o Celebr at e Th e 2022 Ir ish Civic Day!
Ir ish bor n an d Ir ish -Am er ican Lu m in ar ies f r om t h e LA ar ea gat h er ed at Th e Au ld Du blin er in Lon g Beach . Fr om L-R t op r ow : Diar m u id Har t ley,
Jay Har t , Fin bar Hill, Pat r ick
Cassidy, Gr if f in Healy, M an dy O'Keef f e, Kevin Kear n s, Gr an t Woods an d St eve O'Lou gh lin . Fr on t r ow : M ar cella Sym t h , Ch r isy Geck , M ar y O'Neill , Don n a St ew ar t , Lau r a Cr ock et t an d
Scot t Well. Not pict u r ed: Hon or ee Ter r y M cCar t h y. Con gr at u lat ion s t o all!!
ERI N GO BRAGH !!
The Celtic Camer a
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We are here looking for you! Submissions wanted.. send jpeg & caption to:
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STANDING OVATIONS AND SOLD OUT SHOWS FOR ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN IRELAND IN ARIZONA & CALIFORNIA
Th e con cept is br illian t an d it h as been br ou gh t t o f r u it ion in bot h An Ir ish Ch r ist m as an d St . Pat r ick 's Day In Ir elan d; To Cr eat e Th e Exper ien ce Of BEING THERE! An Irish Gathering of musicians/singers/dancers: A musical night was, for generations, the highlight of Irish social life: music, song, dance, storytelling, good conversation and merriment flowing freely. Musical nights were a community event and a great excuse for a gathering! This unbroken tradition of merrymaking ? any excuse is a good reason to drop everything, take to the dance floor, pick up your instruments, prepare to give a song, sharpen your ears for hilarious storytelling or a serious poem, and off we go ? unbridled fun, that is the essence of these great productions! AN IRISH CHRISTM AS f or 2022 is alr eady in t h e w or k s w it h over 20 cit ies an d ven u es on t h e sch edu le!
Please visit on lin e: w w w.k er r yir ish pr odu ct ion s.co m JUST IN AT PRESS TIM E BANDS ANNOUNCED f or t h e Ju n e Ir ish Fair !
Th e You n g
Du blin er s Th e Fen ian s Cr aic in t h e St on e an d
Th e Plou gh boys! Th e Ir ish Fair w ebsit e is bein g u pdat edt h is w eek ! Con gr at u lat ion s an d M an y Th an k s t o Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s an d t h e br illian t cast m em ber s f r om St . Pat r ick 's Day In Ir elan d 2022 f or t h e gr eat sh ow s pr esen t ed t o u s in a ch allen gin g t im e!
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PADDY'S DAY 2022 THE HARP, Costa Mesa!!
St . Pat r ick 's Day at THE HARP IRISH PUB! M u sic by Th e Ch an cer s, Piper s an d Ir ish
Dan cer s by t h e
M cNu lt y Sch ool. Pu blican Joh n Joe Lyon s k n ow s h ow t o h ost a pu b f u ll of h appy pat r on s.
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Th e Celt ic Cam er a M ar ch Special Cover age Los An geles Ir ish Civic Day continued from page 8 Rat h er t h an ch an ce an ot h er post pon em en t ow in g t o Covid r est r ict ion s, t h e Ir ish Fair Fou n dat ion m oved t h e 2022 Even t t o t h e Au ld Du blin er in Lon g Beach
Joh n M cNally, M ar cella Sym t h , Ir ish Con su l f or Los An geles an d Sally M cNally at t h e Ir ish Con su lat es' St . Pat r ick 's Day r ecept ion
ABOVE: David Copley, pu blican at t h e Au ld Du blin er w elcom es t h e h on or ees an d dign iat r ies t o t h e Ir ish Civic Day Cer em on y an d Lu n ch eon . LEFT: Ir ish w om an of t h e Year , M ar y O'Neill an d CENTR: Pat r ick Cassidy, Ir ish m an of t h e Year . LOWER LEFT: Br oadcast er Ter r y M cCar t h y an d BELOW: Lau r a Cr ock et , Wr it er , St or yt eller an d Hist or ian . Pict u r ed w it h Gr if Healy
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THE M ASS by Pat r ick Cassidy Wor ld Pr em ier e Con cer t On Sat u r day, M ar ch 18 in n celebr at ion an d solidar it y w it h t h e people of Los An geles, Fir st Con gr egat ion al, Ir elan d Week an d Th e Reson an ce Collect ive pr esen t ed Th e M ass: a pr em ier e per f or m an ce of Pat r ick Cassidy ?s n ew m ajor w or k f or Or gan & Ch oir
M or e on lin e: w w w.f ccla.or g/ t h e-m ass-albu m
Cat h er in e Siggin s, Pat r ick Cassidy, Th eCom poser an d Ow en Dar a_
Aibreán
Th e soar in g space of Fir st Con gr egat ion al w as t h e per f ect set t in g. Above: M ar t in Sh een at podiu m , w as t h e n ar r at or f or t h e even in g. Ju st Below : Th e or gan ist , Ch r ist oph Bu ll Cen t er : Joh n n y O'Callagh an an d Siobh an Qu in lan Bot t om r igh t , Th e Af t er Par t y
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The Celtic Arts Center Offering Course on An Gorta Mór? Ireland's Great Hunger Star ting I n Apr il. The disastrous Irish Famine from 1845 to 1848 was one of the greatest tragedies of the 19th Century. Countless Irish people died and the destiny and history of the entire world, especially that of Ireland and the United States were altered in countless aspects. This course offer a rare opportunity to gain some insight and understanding into one of the wort famines in Western History and the never ending consequence on the development of commerce, culture and the make up of populations around the world. Ireland lost almost half of the population through death and migration. Today, generations of descendants of those forced migrants are living and prospering throughout the globe. Thanks to this course, Delaney Reddell will be able to share her knowledge with all of us.
About Delaney and how this cour se developed My motivation for putting this course together is that I feel like we hear a lot about the Irish Famine, but at least within American institutions, don?t always get into the specifics or understand how completely this tragedy reshaped Ireland as a country in nearly every aspect.
Delan ey Reddell, On lin e cou r se cr eat or an d in st r u ct or Photo by Karl Klein.
I have been studying Irish literature and history now for about 7 years. I have an MSc from the University of Edinburgh in Literature and Society: Enlightenment, Romanticism, and Victorian. I just fell in love with the intricacies of Irish culture and having the chance to be a scholar of it has been
On Ach ill Islan d of f t h e West Coast of Ir elan d, aban don ed cot t ages ar e a gr im r em in der t o t h e Fam in e
Dr am at ic an d t h ou gh t pr ovok in g Fam in e M em or ial in Du blin , An em igr at ion m em or ial in Cor k , an d on t h e r igh t ; An n ie M oor e, Ir ish im m igr an t t o Am er ica an d t h e f ir st per son t h r ou gh Ellis Islan d in New Yor k is m em or ialized.
Apr il, 2022
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
Th e Gr eat Ir ish Fam in e Lit er at u r e SIX WEEK Cou r se Descr ipt ion :
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TAUGHT IN INDEPENDENT M ODULES! 4 CLASSES LEFT
The Great Irish Famine was probably one of the most catastrophic events in Irish history. It left a permanent mark on the country and changed the culture so drastically that it caused a rift in the arts and society. Literature, in particular, may be classified as pre-Famine and post-Famine. While most people approach this event with preconceptions, we will look at multiple historian viewpoints. We will also focus on important literature that has dared address the Famine and its aftermath in Ireland. We will also discuss the themes of emigration and disease in this course, and we will look at them through books such as Castle Daly by Annie Keary.
Week 1: (Apr il 3) Th e Fam in e Year s: An In t r odu ct ion Week 2: (Apr il 10) Em igr at ion an d New Lif e in Am er ica . Week 3: (Apr il 24) Cast le Daly: Th e St or y of an Ir ish Hom e Th ir t y Year s Ago Week 4: (M ay 1) Cast le Daly: En glan d vs. Ir elan d Week 5: (M ay 15) Th e Ch r on icles of Cast le Cloyn e: Week 6: (M ay 22) Cast le Cloyn e: Ref lect ion on t h e Fam in e REGISTER NOW: w w w.celt icar t scen t er .com / M ain .h t m
All You r Favou r it e East er Eggs an d Can dy Ar e In St ock ! CADBURY M ARS NESTLE an d m or e. Com e In Now For Best Select ion ! Fr om Ou r Bak er y All Th e Br it ish Tr adit ion al Cak es & Tar t s Or der Hot Cr oss Bu n s For East er !
For All Your Easter Celebration Food, Gifts and Treats.....
Apr il, 2022
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
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I RI SH EASTER RI SI NG REM EM BERED Publishers Commentary
The I r ish are a per sistent lot! Also, we are exuber ant, independent minded and j oyful. Difficult to pinpoint and to under stand in many ways. G.K. Chesterton in the The Ballad of the White Horse came close; ?The great Gaels of Ireland are the men that God made mad, For all their wars are merry, and all their songs are sad.? April is the month that many of us remember what is commonly know as the EASTER RISING which was one of the last of many failed revolts against British Rule that lasted barely one week beginning on the Monday after Easter on April 24, 1916. A disparet coalition of Freedom Fighters united to rebel against British Rule. The Easter Rebellion was put down harshly and quickly and the leaders were killed in the brief battles or executed by the British government soon after! My father once told me that hearing about the failed Easter Rebellion was the saddest day of his life. I know that the real chance of Irish Unity in my lifetime is something that would make my Pop and generations of Irish extraordinarily happy and thankful! After the crushing of the rebellion, a spark for independence was kindled in the Irish. Thus after centuries
of British Rule, by 1922, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed and the Irish Free State was born. Full independence and partition followed in 1948. To further make the point about Irish persistence and our collective ability for bucking the powers against us; we have the story of the Pope who gave Ireland to the British Crown. Almost lost to even to most Irish, the L audabiliter, a papal bull was issued in 1155 by Pope Adrian IV. (The actual existence of the bull is disputed by some scholars as no copy has yet been found) The bull purports to grant the right to King Henry II of England to invade and govern Ireland.. The English did so in 1169. Then a few hundred years later, the pillage and plantations of Cromwell et al followed in the 1500s.
All this misery makes a nation tough. Finally just over 100 years later, we have 1916 and later this year on December 6, we will have the 100th Anniversary of the declaration of the of the Irish Free State. In this Easter, 1916 remembrance issue, we reprint one of the pivotal documents of Irish History, The Proclamation Of 1916 on Page 15 We also bring you the majestic poem EASTER, 1916 by Wm. Butler Yeats in our Irish Poetry Corner.
VERY RARE PROHIBITION ERA COLLECTOR'S CERTIFICATE Also k n ow n as a Bon ded Wh isk ey War eh ou se Receipt . Only a few thousand of these Certificates were ever printed during the Prohibition Era and only a few hundred are know to exist today. The value will only increase, The 100th Anniversary of the Repeal Of The Volstead Act has only increased awareness of one of America's biggest blunders so interest is growing in rare items like this Authentic Certificate! Order NOW:
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ONLY $150. f r om M ac's Collect ibles.
DO NOT ALTER OR COPY REFERENCE DISPLAY ONLY
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ED NOTE: CROSSWORD FANS We w ill be pu blish in g t h e n ew Celt ic Cr ossw or d pu zzle in ou r M ay issu e! Sor r y, w e r an ou t of t im e an d space f or t h is issu e. Par t II of ou r n ew Ir ish Gar den Ser ies w ill be pu blish ed t h en as w ell.
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Apr il, 2022
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
w w w.yeoldek in gsh ead.com
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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
w w w.h ar pin n .com
Fr iday Apr il 30 t h r u Su n day. IRISH IM M ERSION WEEKEND pr esen t ed by t h e Los An geles Gaelic Leagu e! Virtual for the most part. More info: w w w.even t br it e.com / e/ ir ish -im m er sion w eek en d-t ick et s-318561745757 Since it is only a single stream there is only one language session aimed at beginners as there can only be one track at a time. It is "free", but a "donation" is requested. There will be a "pop-up" Irish language assemblage in Santa Monica on the Saturday ( called aGaeltacht)
I n St an d Alon e M odu les, Regist er Now :
w w w.celt icar t scen t er .com
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IrelandWeek delighted to welcome back the hilarious Real Irish Comedy Tour Wednesday, May 11 8:00 PM (Doors open7:30 PM) Hollywood Improv (The Main Room) 8162 Melrose Avenue Hollywood, CA
Featuring: Sean Finnerty From Longford, Ireland, Finnerty decided to move stateside where a series of mature decisions that he failed to make led him to stand-up comedy.
Katie Boyle A Kildare born comedian living in Brooklyn. She performs all over NYC and has been seen regularly at New York Comedy Club, Stand Up NY, Eastville and on shows in Caroline's on Broadway, Greenwich, Creek and the Cave, QED. She runs a podcast The Shift where she and guests talk about sex and dating from an Irish perspective Continued on page 38....
TWO SHOWS Th u r sday, M ay 12 M cCabes in San t a M on ica, CA
LA's Premier Acoustic Music Venue 2029 N. Lak e Ave. Alt aden a, CA
w w w.m ccabes.com Fr iday, M ay 13 Th e Cof f ee Galler y Back st age
w w w.cof f eegaler y.com
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Apr il, 2022
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
Sat urday, June 11 CHECK IN STARTS @ 8:00 AM
Wells of Life will be hosting the 8th annual Run4Water Event in person on June 11, 2022. Run4Water is the California Charity 9501c) and Irish NGOs biggest fundraising event of the year and they are inviting all of our readers and their family and friends to participate! The event will be held at Laguna Niguel Regional Park beginning at 8am for check-in. The 5k Run/1k Walk will begin at 9 AM. Enjoy booths, food, and goodies throughout our event! The winner will receive a grand prize! 100% of Donations will help us restore 50 broken wells for 50,000 people! By year-end, we will have provided safe access to clean water to 1 Million people, thanks to world changers like you!
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CALENDAR UPDATED WEEKLY
Ju st a r em in der , ou r digit al pu blish in g allow s ch an ges so ch eck back each Tu esday f or ou r u pdat es, Sen d list in g each w eek t o: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com
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 as $300. 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
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Irish Arts & Entertainment
Cr aic In Th e St on e...deligh t ed t o an n ou n ce t h at t h is gr eat Ir ish gr ou p w ill be playin g at t h e Ir ish Fair in Lon g Beach !
Th e Plou gh boys ar e r eady t o see t h eir f an s an d f r ien ds at t h e u pcom in g Ir ish Fair & M u sic Fest ival. Pr of ile & In t er view com in g in ou r M AY issu e.
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Com in g In M ay
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Th e Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er con t in u es w it h it 's M on day n igh t s at t h e M ayf low er Clu b! NOW 7 ? 10:30PM ! The Celtic Arts Center is back hosting Monday nights for in-person music and socializing once again. Please come and join us at The Mayflower Club from 7 to 10:30PM for a Celtic music jam session and some fellowship. Admission is FREE and open to the public. We've added an additional hour to our Monday night cultural programming and hope to bring back our Irish céili dance workshop soon. For more information and to join and enjoy all the benefits of membership: GO TO: w w w.celt icar t scen t er .com
Continued Irish Comedy Tour Dave Nihil l From Dublin, Ireland Dave Nihill is the first ever-Irish winner of the prestigious San Francisco International Comedy Competition, runner up in the NPR, the Moth?s largest US Grandslam storytelling competition, and the first ever-Irish comedian to have a special on Dry Bar Comedy.
Watch here w/ FREE TRIAL On e of t h e f ir st pr in t in gs of ULYSSES Jam es Joyce's m ost f am ou s w or k w as ban n ed in Ir elan d. Mick Thomas Now , Du blin is t h e Cit y of Jam es Joyce an d h e is Born and raised in Wexford, it wasn?t until moving to celebr at ed. t h r ou gh ou t t h e st r eet s t h at h e on ce New York that Mick Thomas's stand-up comedy w r ot e abou t . No t r ip t o Ir elan d is com plet e w it h ou t a w alk in g t ou r of Du blin w it h a dash of Joycean Hau n t s t h r ow n in . For m or e in f o an d a m ap; Visit t h e Jam es Joyce Cen t er .
w esjoyce.ie h twt w.jam ps:/ / jam esjoyce.ie/
career was born. A natural performer and insightful writer, in a few short years Mick has blown away one club owner after the next with his honest and genuinely original takes on American society and life as a young and dedicated family man.
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THE IRISH GARDENER By Jack O'Grady Fir st of f , t h an k s t o Jim an d Pat r ick f or in vit in g m e t o do t h is ser ies of st or ies. I h ave been h an gin g ou t in f ields, f r am s an d gar den n s sin ce I w as a ch ild. I h ave dr eam ed of bein g a f ar m er or at least t o r et ir e o a h ou se w it h a gr et yar d bu t ow in g t o t h e dr au gh t s of t h e last f ew year s h er e in Au st r alia, m y plan s h ave been scaled back . So, I r eck on t h e n ext best t h in g is t o sh ar e m y passion f or gar den in g an d r adin g abou t all su ch en deavor s. On e of m y f avou r it e legen ds is t h at of Sain t Fiacr e. I alw ays lik ed t h at h e h ad "ACRE" in h is ver y n am e!
Gar den in g w as St . Fiacr e?s t h in g. Passing through the mists of time to where he lived in the 7th century, we find that his original abode was in Kilkenny, Ireland. Some say he was raised in a monastery and there learned about gardening and herbal medicine. He was ordained and eventually retired to his own hermitage, but his peaceful seclusion was not to last. Drawn by his knowledge and holiness, disciples and crowds streamed to him. So he left for France in search of the solitude that he loved. He found it in Meaux in the northern part of the country, where he built himself a hermitage, a garden, an oratory to Our Lady, and a hospice for travelers. But attracted by the scent of the garden?s flowers? or more likely, by Fiacre?s holiness and his reputation for miracles? disciples
I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment
Apr il
and sick pilgrims besieged his solitude once more. He built a monastery for his followers and welcomed the sick, miraculously curing them by laying his hands upon them. A 19th century stained glass window of St. Fiacre in France St. Fiacre?s Miraculous Monastery and Hospice of Healing (as we imagine they were called) eventually evolved into the village of Saint-Fiacre, a town that is still extant in the Île-de-France region of the country. He is buried in the nearby cathedral of Meaux, and is revered as the patron saint of gardeners today. Add an Irish touch to your garden with this Celtic Cross Garden Stone. Featuring the beloved Irish Blessing and a beautiful Celtic cross, this piece not only looks stunning? it?s also a daily reminder to call on the patron saint of gardeners to assist you in your work.
Available online from The Catholic Company!
St . Fiacr e?s Gar den St on e Celt ic Cr oss w it h Ir ish Blessin g To or der ;
Click t h is lin k
St . Fiacr e?s, an Ir ish bor n m on k lies in t h e Cat h edr al of M eau x sin ce 1568 an d h as a st ain ed glass dedicat ed t o h im t h er e. His or igin al t om b is in t h e Village of St . Fiacr e.
I r i sh M u si c: N EW S & REV I EW S Lor een a M cKen n it t Can adian Con cer t s r aise $72,000 f or Two sold-out concerts in London, Canada, with Loreena as the headline performer, exceeded expectations and generated roughly $72,000 for refugees and those trapped inside Ukraine. Loreena joined other musicians and artists for both performances, March 24th and 25th, and the second concert was live-streamed from the historic Aeolian Hall, about an hour ?s drive from Loreena?s home base of Stratford. At one point, over 1,000 viewers were tuned in to the concert. Donations were accepted during the live stream and topped up what ticket sales had generated. ?As citizens of Canada, and indeed for all citizens around the world, we must appreciate that our destinies are intertwined with the destinies of others,? said Loreena, who also applauded the generosity of concert goers and live stream viewers. One hundred per cent of the money raised will be donated to the International Red Cross, an impartial, neutral and independent organization.
Lor een a M cKen n it t Per f or m in g For Uk r ain ian Relief at Lon don , On t ar io, Con cer t in lat e M ar ch You can h elp by givin g t o Cat h olic Ch ar it ies, t h e Red Cr oss or t h e PaddyWagon Go Fu n d M e on page 5/ Sadly, w e h ave h ear d abou t a lot of scam s on t h is issu e so be w ar y .
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The VIP program is a very important component of our subscription program. It has a multitude of positive factors built into the program. It serves as a bonus/reward system for spending hard cold cash on our publication AND it is a good networking tool for the Publisher. We are able to attract subscribers and advertisers to our publication and keep them interested while delivering great Irish interest content and information to our readers. The advertisers benefit by having a readership interested in our exciting niche market and they can target our readers with special offers. The volume makes it worthwhile for them to participate. The Pandemic has set us all back a bit in one way or another and we are rebuilding our VIP benefits package. We were counting on more discounts and deals at pubs and events but that plan slowed up and it is just now rebounding! Events and pubs need volume to make the discounts practical. In the meantime, we are working hard to line up new offers for our subscribers. Throughout this Buying Guide, we have some listings on good deals and we will be adding special offers to our website as we find them. One Very Irish Perk that we have now is our own Buy ONE SUB and get a Gift Subscription! Be sure to check out the Very Irish Perks in each issue and on our Facebook pages to see ALL of our money saving deals! Many thanks to our friends and advertisers for extending these discounts and deals!
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