June, 2024 Irish Arts & Entertainment

Lat est Irish Elect ion Updat

Irish Arts & Entertainment

The opinions expressed by our w rit ers are t heir ow n and do not necessarily convey t hose of t his m agazine, our publisher or st aff

Publisher & Managing Editor

Jam es M McDonough

Writers

Tina Day

Maurice Fit zpat rick

John McNally

Barbara Singer

Pat rick Weld

Press Relations

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Jim , Pat rick & Freelancers

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Jam es McMahon

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More INSIDETHISISSUE!

Kris Colt and Koroneburg t ske Cent er St age!

Starts on Page 3

Our regular feat ures:

Maurice Fit zpat rick's View from Ireland and John McNally's Irish Com m ent ary. This m ont h bot h w rit ers explore very t im ely t opics. An Irish New s Digest from McNally and

What a m ont h!! May of 2024 w as a w hirlw ind of Irish and Scot t ish Event s. We t ried t o cover t hem all and you can find som e com m ent s and pict ures on a lot of t he fun in our Celt ic Cam era!

The Scot t ish Fest and Highland Gam es w w w scot t ishfest com in Cost a Mesa, IRELANDWEEK and t he am azing and t alent ed vocal group and ensem ble CELTIC WOMAN and t heir SoCal concert s w ere all packed int o t he m ont h

We alw ays appreciat e hearing from our readers so if you have cont est ent ries, general suggest ions, , feat ure and st ory ideas or quest ions, please....

E-Mail us at : irishm issive@gm ail com

Our new Media Kit is also available if you are int erest ed in advert ising or prom ot ing your business or event w it h us You can em ail us or feel free t o call m y cell: 951 216-1493. Our proven 30 plus year t rack record speaks for it self w hen it com es t o great value w it h our niche m arket publicat ion! Now in addit ion t o t hat our t eam has m ast ered Digit al Market ing and w e can enhance your out reach for a very cost effect ive rat e

It has now been seven years since I left SoCal

The digit al age has been good t o us and w e have been able t o prosper and grow our subscriber base. We w ill have det ails soon on our expansion plans and our Affiliat e Program s We are also going t o enhance our Very Irish Perks and st art s a new series of very excit ing Draw ings and Cont est s in our upcom ing Sum m er Special Double Issue

Fit zpat rick offer his t ake on St udent Prot est s at Trinit y over Palest ine AND t he Book of Kells! Starts page 16

Celt ic Cam era and our Irish Poet ry Corner are w ell represent ed in t his issue

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Second of Three Parts:

Largest Ever Irish Cross Border Art Exhibit ion Underw ay

See page 12

Jim McDonough

Kris Colt , Solo At Koroneburg & Duo On New CD

The m ult i-t alent ed Kris Colt , w ell know t o our readers from her m any appearances in SoCal at Concert s, Celt ic / Irish Fairs. Event s and Pubsclubsr

She is a uniquely Am erican Celt ic vocal art ist , w ho brings w it h her t he hist orical t radit ion of t he BardicSt oryt eller. The lyrical singer draw s on her ancest ors in Scot land Ireland, England, and Wales, perform ing songs bot h original and ancient She is an accom plished songw rit er, and brings her love of count ry, bluegrass and Am ericana st yles t o her Celt ic-st yled songs

Go t o Band Cam p for Kris Colt 's new st ory and song, CHARMED

The Koroneburg Renaissance Fest ival is an Old World

Renaissance-t hem ed fest ival held annually in Corona,California

Whether you are a history buff,a fan of Renaissance culture,or simply looking for a unique and entertaining experience,the Koroneburg Renaissance Festival is sure to delight.

Koroneburg opened on Memorial Day Weekend (May 25th) and runsevery Saturday and Sunday through June 23rd The festival is open from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM on Saturdaysand 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Sundays

The festival isrun by the Koroneburg

Old Time Village,Inc.,a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the arts,education,and culture of the Renaissance period.The festival takes place at CrossroadsRiverview Park,owned by the City of Corona

History and Attractions

The Koroneburg Renaissance Festival hasbeen a Southern California tradition for over two decades,transporting visitorsback in time to a 16th-century German village It is the only permanent Renaissance village in Southern CaliforniaThe festival began as a small gathering of Renaissance enthusiastsand has grown into a major event attracting thousandsof visitors each year. The festival groundsare transformed into a bustling village filled with period-appropriate shops,taverns,and entertainment stages.Visitors can interact with costumed

characters,watch jousting tournaments,listen to live music,and participate in a variety of activities,such as archery,axe throwing,and sword fighting demonstrations.

The Templar Stage featuring our favorite Celtic

SongstressKrisColt

Also throughout the Faire; a lot of other Live music and performances: Enjoy traditional Renaissance music, dancing and theater

Exciting Jousting tournaments: Witnessthe thrilling spectacle of knightsbattling on horseback. More family friendly activitiesinclude Artisan demonstrations:

See blacksmiths,woodworkers,and other artisans at work. The Festival offers an array of Interactive activities: Participate in archery,axe - throwing,and other fun family activities.

The alwaysanticipated authentic sellersof Period food and drink: have assembled too! Savor delicious Renaissance-inspired dishesand beverages. Shopping: Browse unique handcrafted itemsand souvenirs

IRELAND'S INDEPENDENTS DAY: June Election Results

The June 7t h elect ion result s for t he Republic of Ireland brought som e unexpect ed developm ent s

Sinn Fein, w hich had been polling over 30% a few m ont hs ago, secured less t han 12% of t he first preference vot es Many vot ers shift ed t heir support t o independent part ies, t he biggest w inners of t he day Fianna Fail and Fine Gael each garnered about 22% of t he vot es, a slight decrease but not significant enough t o concern t he est ablishm ent part ies.

Independent Ireland, a new right -w ing nat ionalist ant i-im m igrat ion part y form ed last Novem ber, along w it h several left ist independent part ies, grew at Sinn Fein's expense Sinn Fein's st ance on reform ing im m igrat ion procedures, rat her t han im plem ent ing an out right ban, cont rast ed w it h t he radicals' m ore ext rem e view s Addit ionally, Sinn Fein's part icipat ion in St Pat rick's Day event s in Washingt on DC w ere perceived by left ist s?radicals as aligning t oo closely w it h t he est ablishm ent . An Independent candidat e also w on t he posit ion of Lim erick's first direct ly elect ed Mayor. Previously, Sinn Fein seem ed t o dom inat e discussions on key issues like housing, t he cost of living, and healt hcare, but recent event s such as t he bloodshed in Gaza and t he organizat ion of ant i-im m igrant radicals int o a polit ical force have alt ered t he polit ical landscape An Irish general elect ion for seat s in t he Dail and governing t he count ry needs t o t ake place before March of next year

John Moran, new ly elect ed Independent Mayor of Lim erick

By John McNally

UK Elect ion Set For July 4

On July 4t h t he Unit ed Kingdom 's general elect ion is ant icipat ed t o result in an easy vict ory for Brit ish Labour. There are rum ors of st rat egic vot ing in t he Brit ish jurisdict ion in t he nort h of Ireland, w hich could pot ent ially leave Belfast w it hout a Unionist MP. How ever, vot er t urnout in nat ionalist areas m ay be low , as m any nat ionalist resident s t end t o t ake t heir vacat ions in July t o avoid t he Unionist s' m arching season

Irish Cit y and Count y Council Elect ion:

Bloom sdsay; A Living Literary Odyssey and Tribute to James Joyce

Eachyear onJune16th,a unique cultural phenomenon sweeps acrossthe globe.Fansof JamesJoyce's modernist masterpiece,Ulysses,gather to celebrate Bloomsday,a commemoration of the fictional day in 1904 on which the novel's events unfold From Dublin to Zurich,Paristo New York,literary enthusiastsdon period costumes,retrace the stepsof Leopold Bloom,and immerse themselvesin the rich tapestry of Joyce'sworld

The Originsof Bloomsday

The first Bloomsday celebration took place in Dublin on June 16th,1954,the 50th anniversary of the day depicted inUlyssesThe event was a modest affair,organized by a small group of literary enthusiasts including Patrick Kavanagh and Flann O'Brien.They embarked on a pilgrimage around Dublin,visiting the key locationsmentioned in the novel,such asDavy Byrne'spub and Sandymount Strand

Bloomsday in Dublin Today

Today,Bloomsday in Dublin isa vibrant and multifaceted festival that attractsthousands of visitors from around the world The city comes alive with readings,performances,re-enactments,and a host of other eventsthat celebrate Joyce'slife and work.

One of the most popular Bloomsday activities isthe Joycean pub crawl,where participantsvisit the various pubsfrequented by the novel'scharacters.The James Joyce Centre offersguided walking tours that trace Bloom'sroute through the city,while the National Library of Ireland hosts readingsand exhibitions related toUlysses.

For those seeking a more immersive experience,the Bloomsday Festival offers a range of theatrical productions,including adaptations ofUlyssesand other works by Joyce.

Bloomsday Beyond Dublin

Bloomsday isnot just a Dublin phenomenon.The celebration hasspread to citiesaround the world,with particularly vibrant festivitiestaking place in Zurich and Paris,where Joyce lived in exile.

In Zurich,the James Joyce Foundation organizesa series of events,including readings,lectures,and exhibitionsThe foundation also maintainsthe Joyce Tower and Museum in Sandycove,which offers a fascinating glimpse into the author'slife and work.

In Paris,the Centre Culturel Irlandais celebrates Bloomsday with readings,concerts,and other cultural events.The center also houses the James Joyce Library,a valuable resource for scholarsand enthusiasts alike.

Bloomsday in the United States

Bloomsday hasalso found a devoted following in the United States,with major celebrationstaking place in citiessuch asNew York,Philadelphia,and Chicago.

- New York:The Irish American Bar Association of New York hostsan annual Bloomsday celebration that includes readings,music,and a keynote addressby a prominent figure in the Irish-American community For more information,visit their website:https://www.iabany.org/bloomsday-history

- Philadelphia:The Rosenbach Museum & Library,which housesan extensive collection of Joyce manuscripts and artifacts,hostsa Bloomsday celebration that includes readings,lectures,and a Joycean pub crawl.More information can be found on their website:https://rosenbach org/

- Chicago:The Newberry Library,another repository of Joyce materials,hosts a Bloomsday celebration that includesreadings,lectures,and a screening of a film adaptation ofUlysses.

Other notable Bloomsday eventsin the United States include the Bloomsday Breakfast in New York City and the Bloomsday Run in Spokane,Washington

JamesJoyce: A Brief Biography

JamesAugustine Aloysius Joyce was born in Dublin in 1882.He studied at University College Dublin before leaving Ireland in 1904 to pursue a career asa writer He lived in Trieste,Zurich,and Paris,where he wrote some of his most celebrated works,includingUlysses,Finnegans Wake,andDublinersDespite his self-imposed exile,Joyce remained deeply connected to hisnative city,and his worksare infused with the sights,sounds,and rhythms of Dublin life.

Bloomsday: A Testament to a Literary Legacy

Bloomsday ismore than just a literary celebration; it is a testament to the enduring power of James Joyce's work The novelUlysses,once deemed obscene and banned in several countries,is now recognized asa landmark of modernist literature.Bloomsday provides an opportunity for readersfrom all walks of life to come together and share their appreciation for this complex and challenging work Whether you're a seasoned Joycean scholar or a first-time reader,

To the seasoned Joycean or to a novice fan, Bloomsday can offersa unique perspective at the least and an unforgettable experience at best

Bit e-sized New s from Ireland

By John McNally

Sim on Harris becam e Ireland's youngest ever Taoiseach In May

The form er Taoiseach Leo Varadkar resigned for personal and polit ical reasons follow ing t he defeat of his governm ent 's progressive referenda

Varadkar had cham pioned t he vot e as an opport unit y t o updat e t he "very old-fashioned, very sexist language about "w om en" in t he Const it ut ion, such as replacing "m arriage" w it h "durable relat ionships"

The Republic of Ireland w ill

hold an elect ion June 7t h

14

Members of European Parliament and 949

County and City Council seats will be selected.

Finn Gael's Sim on Harris w as sw orn in on May 10t h.

Sinn Fein w as expect ed t o be t he big w inner, but a num ber of t heir support ers have m igrat ed t o independent and sm aller part ies m aking t he out com e unpredict able Ant i-im m igrat ion sent im ent and t he bloodshed in Gaza have over-shadow ed convent ional polit ical issues like housing, t axes, and services

In t he upcom ing UK General Elect ion on July 4t h in Nort hern Ireland, Sinn Féin is expect ed t o garner t he highest num ber of vot es Most im port ant ly, if t he t ot al vot e for Irish Nat ionalist candidat es exceeds t hat of Unionist candidat es, it w ould validat e t he need t o advocat e for a referendum on t he reunificat ion of Ireland Given t hat perm ission for t he referendum hinges on t he Brit ish Secret ary of St at e for Nort hern Ireland, t he ant icipat ed vict ory of t he Brit ish Labour Part y is seen as a posit ive developm ent

Aft er being charged w it h rape and 10 ot her hist orical sex offences, Jeffrey Donaldson resigns as leader of t he Dem ocrat ic Unionist Part y.

Ian Paisley form ed and led t he part y from 1971 unt il he died in 2008. But in recent years Arlene Fost er, Edw in Poot s, and now Donaldson have all failed t o m aint ain t he confidence of t he part y.

Their new leader, Gavin Robinson, w ant s t o renegot iat e t he Brexit border deal for a fourt h t im e.

John McNally

Our feat ured w rit er, colum nist and Irish Com m unit y Act ivist shares his t hought s on t he lat est new s and t rends concerning Ireland and Irish Am erica. Different opinions and view s are essent ial in any free societ y. We deeply appreciat e our press freedom s Now , m ore t han ever, it is im port ant t o have Irish Com m unit y act ivism , diversit y and input .

Ireland's Cross Border Art Exchange

Crawford Art Gallery Loans 14 Paintings to Northern Ireland?s Hillsborough Castle

In the largest ever loan from a National Cultural Institution in Ireland, Hillsborough Castle located in County Down, NI, has been loaned 14 paintings from Crawford Art Gallery?scollection

Hillsborough Castle isset to display these significant

artworksfrom Crawford Art Gallery?scollection in their State Drawing Room, viewable via public toursthat focus on art across the island of Ireland

The State Drawing Room at Hillsborough Castle haslong been known for itsimpressive collection of Irish art and now this major rehang hasbeen announced by Historic Royal Palaces, the charity which managesthe castle and gardens

The 33 works of art which are now on view isa veritable who?swho of Irish art. The impressive collection hasbeen assembled and made possible by collaborations with a variety of lenders, but primarily by the Crawford Art Gallery in Cork.

Featurecontinuesonpage14

John Luke, TheLock at Edenderry,1935 Collection Crawford Art Gallery, Cork © the artist?s estate

About theArt

The paintings, most of which are either by artists born in Northern Ireland or with connections to NI in their work or lives, are all 20thcentury works frequently featuring Irish landscapes imbued with a distinctive sense of place :

- Landscapesby husband-and-wife painters

Paul Henry, born in Belfast, and Grace Henry, born in Scotland. The couple lived on Achill Island for a time and were instrumental in founding theSociety of Dublin Painters

- Belfast-born Colin Middleton?sMoonlight Ballyholme(1953), painted when the artist moved with his family to live in Bangor, Co Down

And asseen on page 12; Belfast artist John Luke?sThe Locksat Edenderry(1944). A shipyard riveter in hislate teens, he went on to study at Belfast College of Art, winning a scholarship to continue hisstudies at Slade School of Art in London.\

Crawford Art Gallery Director Mary McCarthy said the gallery isdelighted to contribute to this cross-border initiative and isproud to be able to loan these significant worksto Hillsborough Castle.

?Northern Irish artists have made a major impact on the history and furtherance of Irish art, as evidenced by the large number of worksof immense beauty and interest by Northern Irish artistsin Crawford Art Gallery?scollection ? Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin said the sharing of art between institutions and historic venuesacross the island of Ireland "assists in bringing important worksto new audiences, and contributesto a shared understanding of the island, asseen through the eyes of each artist.?

Castle and CollectionsManager at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, David Orr added: ?We are hugely proud of this new collection, and excited to work with a significant range of lenders, including our largest ever from the Republic of Ireland, from Crawford Art Gallery in Cork.?

A Nation Once Again! Ir eland?s Futur e: Pathway to Change Todhchaí na

Ireland?sFuture (IF), incorporated as a limited company in Dublin, providesa platform and structure to establish a capability to practically, professionally and efficiently advocate and campaign to achieve the objectives of Ireland?sFuture, in particular advocating for, and promoting, debate and discussion, including the possibility and viability of new constitutional arrangementson the Island It isguided by the valuesof the Good Friday Agreement and dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights, equality and fostering mutual respect between all views and traditionsthat share the island

Brexit dramatically changed the social and political dynamic of the island with the prospect of a new constitutional arrangement on the island of Ireland growing. Ireland?sFuture believesthat new constitutional arrangementshave the potential to mitigate the most negative impactsof Brexit and address the aforementioned promotion and protection of human rights, equality and the fostering of mutual respect. Ireland?s Future also notesthat any move to new constitutional arrangements requires seriousthought, consideration and long-range planning (which Brexit clearly lacked). It believesthat the requisite planning for these potential changes must be broad, inclusive, detailed and comprehensive. Constitutional change must be on the basisof the consent of citizens of the island of Ireland, as informed by the Good Friday Agreement.

Ireland?sFuture isnot a political party and isnot affiliated with any political party, welcoming participation from people from all political persuasionsinterested in furthering the goalsof Ireland?sFuture. As part of its campaigning, Ireland's Future wrote a seriesof open letters to An Taoiseach and the Irish government that were signed by well-recognized people across Irish society calling for a dialogue on the constitutional future of the island of Ireland. A seriesof documentsaddressing specific issues (Economy, Health Services, etc) and long-range planning through 2030 can be downloaded from the Ireland?s Future website at: https://irelandsfuture.com

Beginning with the first at Belfast in January 2019, about 3 dozen conferences/meetings have been held across the 32 counties focusing on diverse topics including Beyond Brexit; Shaping Our Constitutional Future; The Island Economy; A Vision for Ireland; A Principled Framework for Change; Advancing the Conversation; Planning for a Strong Economy; The International Labour Movement; Rights, Citizenship and Identity in a United Ireland, and Preparing for a New Ireland To garner critical American support, two similar meetingstitled Preparing for a New and United Ireland were held in New Yo Philadelphia in March 2022, along with a very well-attended international Zoom webinar on the same topic hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians(AOH) in America during January 2023

The first West Coast meeting themed Pathway to Change just concluded last week on May 23

hÉireann

By John Powell

Hosted by San Francisco?sUnited Irish Cultural Center, the event wascosponsored by the Irish Herald newspaper with panel moderator (Editor) Seán Canniffe and Knights of the Red Branch with emcee Ciarán Scally. Panelistsfrom Ireland were the Rev Karen Sethuraman and Niall Murphy Karen isthe first and only female Baptist minister in Ireland, practicing her ministry in East Belfast. Niall isthe Secretary of Ireland?sFuture and a Civil RightsAttorney practicing in Belfast.

The meeting opened with Ciarán proclaiming ?A united Ireland isinevitable!?Discussion initially focused on the theme that Brexit wasthe political earthquake of our lifetime ?Voting overwhelmingly to stay in the EU, we were torn off? an abuse of democracy?with new fears ofa hard border that will never be allowed to happen Karen, herself from a unionist background, noted, ?There will alwaysbe Unionistswho want to pull up the drawbridge. But there are those who are changing There are a lot of unionists [emphasizing ?with a small u? ] who are coming around ?

Seán highlighted one of the most important aspects of Ireland?s Future: opening space for conversation that lead to an extensive discussion on outreach and maintaining inclusive and equality-driven goals Karen noted that ?the driver for a border poll must be people driven with a separation of church and state, presenting an opportunity for all to come together ?

Niall highlighted the large amount of work being done in IF developing topic-based material to addressthe many aspects of a united Ireland, showcasing the two distributed to attendees (An Opportunity for a World Class, All Island National Health Service and Planning for a Strong Economy in a New Ireland)

There wasan extended opportunity for independent (and sometimes lively) discussion with panelistsfollowing the formal presentation on specific topicsof interest to individual attendees

These IF presentations will continue around the United States and are typically well advertised far in advance I strongly encourage anyone with interest, in particular our Irish diaspora, to attend one in your area America and Ireland have for centuries had a special relationship; neither would be where we are today without the other As the time rapidly approaches to finally realize a dream far older even than that relationship, it isimportant that Americans be there for whatever encouragement and support isrequired

About Our Guest Columnist:

John Pow ell w as raised on a farm in California?s fert ile Cent ral Valley under care and t ut elage of his Irish pat ernal grandfat her t o age 5

Pow ell t hen at t ended Fresno-area schools before graduat ing w it h a BSEE in Elect rical Engineering & Com put er Science from t he Universit y of California at Berkeley, subsequent ly spending over t w o decades in Berkeley as a police officer. During t hose years he becam e a fervent support er of Irish reunificat ion, beginning as a part icipant in t he 1981 San Francisco m arches in support of H-Block Hunger St rikers

He t hen w orked as a senior t echnical consult ant t o t he Whit e House during t he Clint on Adm inist rat ion

John Pow ell is now act ive in t he Ancient Order of Hibernians and w it h Ireland's Fut ure

Aft er t hat illust rious service, Pow ell concluded his career spending 18 years in t he sam e capacit y for t he US Depart m ent s of Just ice and Hom eland Securit y.

Pow ell current ly chairs t he California St at e Freedom for All Ireland Com m it t ee of t he Ancient Order of Hibernians

"The Holy Land is in the news now This amazing book will give you some insight in understanding exactly why through the centuries many faiths and people have thought this sacred and special city was worth fighting for I love this book." Jim McDonough

For more information on the AOH in California: The nat ional AOH w ebsit e has a direct ory of divisions ht t ps:/ / aoh.com / aoh-direct ory/

You can also find inform at ion about t he California divisions on t his w ebsit e: w w w.irishroot s.org/ aoh/ aohcalif.ht m

For Orange Count y,specifically,t here's t his w ebsit e: ht t ps:/ / aohoc.com / hom e/

SEAN GUNNING Is a Londoner from Irish st ock Aut hor of NO SAMARITAN (48 poem s) , he has w on poet ry cont est s in t he U.S. and Canada and has been published in m any ant hologies.

THE BEST PRESENT EVER: A SINNER?S GUIDE TO THE HOLY LAND is his first w ork of lit erary non-fict ion

He lives in Long Beach, CA w it h his Mexican-Am erican w ife, w ho aft er 34 years t oget her is st ill t he funniest girl he has ever m et He can be cont act ed at seangunning1@verizon net or w w w seangunning com ORDER ONLINE AT:

Irish Unity, Focus On Progress

Irish America is concerned about the path to a United Ireland Attendeesgather at the Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco to attend the Ireland'sFuture Conference on May 23. Speakersand Guestswere encouraged by the opening remarksthat, "A United Ireland is inevitable."

While t hey w ere in California for t he Ireland's Future m eet ing, Niall Murphy and Rev Karen Set huram an m et w it h leadership/ m em bers of t he CA St at e Legislat ure's Friends of Ireland Caucus in Sacram ent o

LEFT ABOVE: Karen and Niall w it h Jam es Gallagher, Republican m inorit y leader of t he Assem bly from nort h of Sacram ent o (Chico/ Yuba Cit y) w ho is 100% Irish and - I believe - t he m inorit y leader of t he Irish Caucus. We have a lot in com m on (Irish farm er grandparent s, Berkeley grads, et c)

RIGHT ABOVE: Mem bers of t he CA St at e Legislat ure's Irish Caucus (L-R): Jam es Gallagher (R-3-Chico, Assem bly Republican leader), Lisa Calderon (D-56-Whit t ier), Karen Set huram an & Niall Murphy from Ireland's Future, Wendy Carillo (D-52-E/ NE Los Angeles), Dam on Connolly (D-12-Marin) and Tasha Boerner (D-77-Nort hern San Diego).

By Peadar Breatnact

We invit e subm ission t o t his feat ure.

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Ireland

As i fly across t he Irish sea, I knew t his land w as calling m e, I skim m ed across t he t ree t ops t all, Now i had finally answ ered t hat call

A land t hat w as like a Valley of t ears, Filled w it h heart ache and t errible fears, And no one dares t o w hisper out loud, For t hey end up w earing a shroud,

But w hat a visit t o t his land so green, It w as like i had finally answ ered a dream , Killarney it s lakes and beaut iful dells,

Looked like haven at t he sound of it s bells,

My heart w as heavy as i t urned t o go,

Know ing very w ell m y ret urn w ould be slow ,

Ireland is m y hom e land m ajest ic and green, It m akes m y heart ache even in m y dream s,

I look back in w onder at t he sight s i had seen,

A place called Ireland w it h it s m any shades of green,

It s no w onder it called m e and plucked at m y heart , It s hard t o explain but i know i m ust part t his land of m y dream s.

The View from Ireland Global Student Protest Comes to Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

When st udent s occupied Ham ilt on Hall in Colum bia Universit y or pit ched t heir t ent s on Dickson Plaza in UCLA, donned keffiyehs and dem anded t hat t heir universit ies divest from Israel over it s invasion of Gaza, t hey m ay not have been cognisant t hat t hey w ere ignit ing a global polit ical m ovem ent Yet t hat is w hat has happened and it soon w ashed up on Irish shores

Irish st udent s, universit y adm inist rat ors and polit icians had an advant age over t heir count erpart s in t he USA t o learn w hat not t o do US universit ies have done irreversible dam age t o t heir credibilit y in st udent s?eyes t hrough t heir int olerant responses

That spread t o t he professors as w ell On cam puses across t he US professors w ere w illing t o get arrest ed sooner t han abandon t heir st udent s? t he academ ic st aff at CUNY st ood bet w een t he police and st udent s and chant ed ? t o get t o our st udent s, you w ill have t o go t hrough us first ? . Congressional pressure follow ed, part icularly aft er universit ies invit ed t he police t o clear t he prot est s. Congressw om an Ocasio-Cort ez condem ned t he clearance of st udent prot est ors at Colum bia Universit y as ? t he opposit e of leadership and endangers public safet y. A night m are in t he m aking. I urge t he Mayor t o reverse course? .

It is unclear w het her t he st udent s have read t he t ext books on non-violent prot est , but it is abundant ly clear t hat t he universit y adm inist rat ors are culpably ignorant of t heir m ost basic principles. Arrest s, onerous fines and banning can only lead t o escalat ion of t he prot est s and t he com plet e collapse of t he aut horit y of so-called leaders. Overreact ion const it ut es an im plicit adm ission t hat t heir posit ions are unt enable The gap bet w een t he universit y adm inist rat ors?and st udent s?abilit y t o grasp t his realit y is vast

In Ireland just now t he expression of pro-Palest ine solidarit y is everyw here The Irish St at e is about t o recognise t he St at e of Palest ine,t he Palest inian nat ional w om en?s foot ball t eam have just been given a hero?s w elcom e in Dublin, t he Galw ay Film Fleadh has announced t hat it s count ry of focus t his year is Palest ine and Irish art ist s are raising t heir voices and

raising aw areness about t he horror in Gaza. A dem onst rat ion of support for Palest ine in Ireland reaches an already subst ant ially convert ed audience.

So, w hen t he prot est against Israel?s out rageous at t acks on Gaza becam e organised on our cam puses it w as in t andem w it h ot her prot est s. In lat e April, a group of st udent s in Trinit y College Dublin blocked access t o t he Book of Kells? a lucrat ive t ourist at t ract ion for Trinit y especially in t he sum m er season? t o prot est a hike in st udent fees. Responding t o t he prot est , Provost Linda Doyle w rot e an em ail t o st udent s and st aff: ? I w ant t o underline t hat t here is no problem w it h prot est ? [but ]it is not perm it t ed t o disrupt t he norm al operat ion of act ivit ies in college? .

Prot est is fine as long it does not disrupt ? Trinit y w as holding t hat line unt il, a few days lat er, Provost Doyle and t he m anagem ent at Trinit y slapped a 214,000 euro ($235,000 )fine on t he universit y?s St udent s ?Union for t he financial loss incurred by a few days of prot est s out side t he Book of Kells exhibit ion? payable by t he end of May (It is not lost on t he st udent s t hat t hat could cover Provost Doyle?s annual salary of 200,000 euro and cont ribut e t ow ards t he upkeep of her spraw ling m ansion on cam pus)

Protest and Disputes at Trinity continued...

It w as at t his point t hat t he considerable pro-Palest ine feeling on cam pus m erged w it h t he prot est against higher fees. Trinit y?s St udent s?Union President László Molnárfi decried t he ?sham eful union-bust ing in t he Universit y Tim es' (a Trinit y paper), and said t hat ?st udent s and st aff st and unit ed against universit y m anagem ent and t heir suppression of t he st udent voice prot est ing for Palest ine, as w ell as fees, rent s, and post graduat e w orkers?right s? Undet erred, Trinit y issued an ult im at um t hat t he fine?m ust be paid as a prerequisit e t o graduat ion?for t he St udent s?Union leaders, despit e t he fact t hat t he prot est drew it s support from a variet y of const it uencies around cam pus That brought t he st udent s?t ent s out in force I cannot recall, in t he four years I spent in Trinit y, Fellow s?Square being put t o bet t er use

The follow ing w eek Trinit y capit ulat ed It est ablished a t ask force t o invest igat e it s endow m ent invest m ent s t hat have links t o Israeli com panies and undert ook t o disinvest from any com pany blacklist ed on t heUN Global Com pact Violat ors List It offered scholarships t o Gazan st udent s and it could cit e, in negot iat ions w it h st udent s, it s forceful condem nat ion of t he at t acks on Gaza The st udent s folded up t heir t ent s, having absorbed em ancipat ed slave Frederick Douglass? dict um t hat ?pow er concedes not hing w it hout a dem and? The force and m ode of t he dem and is a credit t o t hem Alt hough t he 214,000 euro fine st ands for t he t im e being, Trinit y m anagem ent should t hink t hree t im es about t rying t o bully t he st udent s aft er reaching a hard-fought com prom ise? and shoot ing t hem selves in t he ot her foot

St age a prot est about st udent fees and incur a fine designed t o dest roy t he st udent ?s union; cam p out t o prot est genocide in Gaza and be fined or defunded St udent s are not st upid. They can see t hrough t he m endacit y and hypocrisy of t he adm inist rat ors and polit icians. The response t o May 2024 prot est s has been so w ildly disproport ionat e t hat it inadvert ent ly gave prot est ers a glim pse of t he t ot alit arian injust ice of t he regim e Palest inians have endured since t he Balfour Declarat ion in 1917 m andat ed t he violent deprivat ion of t heir right s. That w as a lesson st udent s could scarcely have picked up in t heir lect ure halls.

There is a coda t o t his. Form er Minist er for Just ice Alan Shat t er argued in a let t er t o The Irish Tim es t hat it w as ext raordinary t hat a sm all group of st udent s w ere allow ed t o ? t ake t he Book of Kells host age? . Inadvert ent ly, Shat t er highlight ed som et hing t hat m any Trinit y boffins are anxious t o avoid. Ireland?s great est t reasure hasbeen t aken host age, but by Trinit y not by it s st udent s, and Trinit y has in recent

decades sham elessly m onet ised it

As Trinit y?s m anagem ent t ot t ed up t heir 214,000 euro loss, t hey overlooked t he fact t hat t he book right fully belongs in Kells, Co Meat h Trinit y procured The Book of Kells in 1654, just aft er Crom w ell?s genocidal invasion of Ireland, w hile his t roops w ere st ill st at ioned in Ireland As a Prot est ant universit y locat ed inside t he garrisoned pale, it w as indeed a safer place for t he book Now t hat t he t hreat of Crom w ell has receded, w hat right does Trinit y have t o ret ain it ? Applying Trinit y?sow n m et rics, t he universit y ow es hundreds of m illions of euro in com pensat ion t o t he t ow n of Kells, w hich should be enough t o est ablish a visit or cent re t here and display t he ancient t ext professionally In recent years, t here has been a spike in ent husiasm in Trinit y t o exam ine t he role Irish people played in t he Brit ish Em pire (soldiers, civil servant s et c) There has been not ably less focus on Trinit y?s acquisit ion of t he Book of Kells on foot of an im perial conquest It s st udent s m ight help t heir elders t ow ards t hat percept ion t hrough a fut ure prot est ?

The Book of Kells is on display at t he Trinit y Library It has aw ed visit ors for over 400 years Now you can have t he Trinit y Book of Kells Experience. We highly recom m end it , see preview : CLICK HERE

The Irish Arts & Entertainment's CELTIC CAMERA

Celtic Artist Steve O'Loughlan has a gift for making LA Freeways a work of art. He has also painted murals and Utility Boxes!. Now the Peterson Automotive Museum is putting one of his finest pieces on Exhibit.

Steve let us know recently, how this show came to be!

" I was contacted by Bryan Stevens from the Petersen Automotive Museum about creating a utility box art for the museum. Bryan had seen my public art utility box near LAX that featured a Celtic knot work freeway design of mine. Inspired by the Los Angeles car culture I created a Celtic pattern with cars on an interlacing road pattern. Initially I did thispiece for a beautification project in my neighborhood. Bryan at the Petersen had an upcoming show on automotive areand thought my utility box would be a great addition. So, they commissioned me to paint a new version of this design on a utility box. Utility boxes can befound at every road intersection with a stop light. Thebox contains the electrical equipment that run the stop lights and keep traffic rolling.

The Petersen purchased a utility box from the city and had it delivered to my studio. I started updating the design and added many more details. Refining the knot pattern and adding an arial view of Los Angeles in the background. Once the road design was complete, I started adding over 260 vehicles driving both directions. There are dozens of specialty cars and trucks from movies, tv, and service vehicles. Many of them from the Petersen?s collection. It is a fun game to walk around the piece and pick out cars you would recognize like the Batmobile, the Trans AM from Smokey and the Bandit, the DeLorean from Back to the future, and many more. The twisted tangled road reminds us of the way traffic can tie us in knots. It is one continuous road ribbon that travels around the entire art piece. All set on top a beautiful blue and gold Southern California sky.

The knot pattern may look like spaghetti, but it comes from Celtic art. For over thirty years I have been combining Celtic art with contemporary imagery. I first created this pattern to express my experience on the LA freeways by combining it with the rhythms found in this ancient art style. The interlace pattern can have several meanings. It can besymbolic of the road of life we travel on, knots that bind together all things, or just decorative and pretty. For me the patterns reflect the timeless patterns of nature and the universe. By abstracting the road into this pattern, it conforms to the great rhythms of theuniverse. Making thenatural cycles more evident to the viewer even when it is cloaked in modern trapping. Having this painted on a traffic utility box further integrates the function of the box, [controlling the stop light to keep traffic moving] and giving an elegant flow to the endless movement of vehicle all around us."

elandWeek Celebr ates M ost Successful Showcase of Ir ish Cultur e In its Histor y

Industr y Executives fr om PIXAR, NETFLIX, IM AX, SEARCHLIGHT & m or e

Par ticipated in Pr em ier

Industr y Event at IM AX Headquar ter s in Los Angeles

?Ir eland Connects 2024?

Ir elandWeek Patr ons Include Anjelica Huston, Colin Far r ell, Chr is O?Dowd,

Fionnula Flanagan, Hozier , and Rom a Downey

LOSANGELES, CALIFORNIA/DUBLIN, IRELAND (May 30, 2024) ? IrelandWeek (www.IrelandWeek.com), a showcase of Irish culture, returned to LosAngeleslast week, continuing to celebrate the cultural, trade and economic tiesbetween the U S and Ireland Academy Award winner Anjelica Huston, Two-time Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell, Emmy Award winnersChris O?Dowd and Fionnula Flanagan, Multi-platinum artist Hozier, and Multiple Emmy Award nominee Roma Downey, served as IrelandWeek patrons. A variety of entertaining eventstook place, drawing record audiences

Bringing together key playersin the entertainment industry, IrelandWeek was proud to present its premier industry event, Ireland Connects 2024. The two-panel discussion, ?The Future of Entertainment Immersion and The Audience,?was held at the IMAX Headquarters Executivesfrom PIXAR, Netflix, Searchlight and more, participated in the lively conversation. Dominic Glynn:

IrelandWeek presented a range of exciting events throughout the nine-day lineup (May 5-13). The celebration focused on where Ireland excels, in the field of entertainment, arts, culture, tourism, tech, and business.

(SR. Scientist, PIXAR Animation Studios)Bruce Markoe: (SVP, Global Post Production, IMAX Corporation)

FeaturedSpeakerswereincluded:

Laura Livingstone: (Netflix?sSr VFX Executive)

Paul Breen: (VP of Workflow and Presentation, THESPHERE)

Liz Sayre: (EVP, Searchlight Pictures)

Noelle Green: (Head of Physical Production, Netflix)

Marion McKeone: (Moderator, Sunday BusinessPost)

?It was our greatest honor to host IrelandWeek?s return to Los Angeles in 2024. It is a joy to showcase our amazing leaders, supporters and those just starting out in the worlds of film, music, tech, and the arts. We enjoyed welcoming old friends and new, to a wide range of events

and gatherings across the great City of Angels, as we continue to foster the ever-strengthening links between California and Ireland?, said IrelandWeek founders Buzz O?Neill - Maxw ell and Deirdre O?Neill Machin

Laura Livingstone & Noelle Green of Netflix were both featured speakersat IrelandWeek's Ireland Connects2024

Rave Review s for IrelandWeek's Present at ion of Shard at Molly Malones

"Shard" is a relat ively new one-m an play w rit t en by t he Irish playw right St ew art Roche For over an hour, Flem ing, a seasoned Dublin act or, had audience m em bers capt ivat ed as he act ed out an excellent ly w rit t en horror st ory w hich culm inat ed in a t w ist t hat nobody saw com ing. Well-w rit t en, w ell direct ed, w ell act ed, and w ell w ort h seeing! The play is described as a psychological t hriller and explores t he st ory of a m an disillusioned w it h m odern life w ho seeks refuge on an island com m une, only t o find t hat his escape com es at a devast at ing cost . The role w as w rit t en specifically for Irish act or Neill Flem ing, know n for his w ork in "Gam e of Thrones," " Vikings," and "A Christ m as Carol "

"Shard" received posit ive at t ent ion during it s IrelandWeek run,and you can find m ore inform at ion about it t hrough online searches or by visit ing t he IrelandWeek w ebsit e

Shard is a very com pelling solo show , excellent ly direct ed by Alan Sm yt h and seam lessly act ed by Neill Flem ing.

The Art of the Pour! A Guinness perfect pint awaited attendees at a networking reception followed with traditional food and specialty drinks

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Over 20 Years ago, w e pioneered a calendar blast via AOL and t hen cont inued t he service for 10+ years using Const ant Cont act

Our digit al edit ion of t he Irish Art s and Ent ert ainm ent is soon going t o be dist ribut ed via paid subscript ions only.

So w e are bringing back our Free Weekly for t w o reasons:

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Bronx

The Boys Of Kingsbridge Opened Inw ood Film Fest

Pictured Here In New York Honored Guest s and Part icipant s at t he Opening Night Screening:

From left to right: Thom MacNam ara, Mike Hussey, Dan McNally, Aaron Sim m s (Direct or 2024 Inw ood Film Fest ival) and Brendan Carroll

Mike, Dan and Brendan are 3 of t he 4 Boys of Kingsbridge. Winner best Docum ent ary Bronx Film Fest ival 2012

ABOVEand from our Cover...

Long Beach Per for m ance of the Celtic Wom an 20th Anniver sar y Show.

It w as a spect acular show w it h a full band, including piano, keyboards, guit ar, bagpipes, uillleann pipes, guit ar, Irish flut e, and a w ide array of percussion. The four singers all have fant ast ic voices t hat blend in excellent harm onies, w hich is com plem ent ed by Irish dancers Their repert oire included a num ber of w ell-know n Irish songs t hat had t he audience clapping and even singing along. It w as a very successful night as convet ed by Jessica Lancast er and Ow en Dara on t he right .

Celtic Cam er a!

We ar e her e looking for you!

The Cafe 50s above and The Prat t ies below ! What do t hey have in com m on?

Ow en Dara salut es Bob Dylan at t he recent Birt hday Concert Tribut e

If you guessed POTATOES. you are correct ! But t here is a bit m ore, The Cafe 50's and St eve O'Loughlin & The Prat t ies are bot h favorit es! The Cafe for dist ribut ing our t abloids and serving am azing pot at o dishes for over 25 years. St eve & Band for great m usic, art and support for for just as long!!

Pat rick Weld's Irish Rail Advent ure is com ing Mid-Mont h!!

IRISH ARTS & ENTERTAINM ENT CALENDAR

By Date OnGoing Trivia & Around The States

Renaissance Fest

Check

ENTER OUR CELTIC WOMAN CD & DVD DRAWING! OPT IN TO OUR IRISH E-MSSIVE DETAILS ON PAGE 35

Update Coming As we reported in our April issue,

Cillian Murphy w ill st ar in t he Peaky Blinders film

t o st art product ion in t he UK t his Sept em ber

ht t ps:/ / peakyblinders t v

w w w inst agram com / peakyblindersofficial/

See Page Cillian Murphy in our Celt ic Cam era and page 20 for a feat ure on his lat est film , Small Things Like These.

Ireland Nat ional Basket ball Team t o Com pet e in Los Angeles

The Irish Men's Nat ional Basket ball is set t o com pet e in t he Los Angeles Int ernat ional Basket ball Cup, t aking on t he nat ional t eam s of Arm enia and Guat em ala in t his int ernat ional show dow n

Ireland's basket ball program cont inues t o grow in it s yout h developm ent and senior level t eam s, w it h Ireland's m en's t eam in t he m idst of t heir qualificat ion for t he 2027 FIBA World Cup.

Led by capt ain Sean Flood, t he boys in green are looking t o t ip-off w it h an im pressive st art in t heir Los Angeles t ournam ent t rip, t aking on Guat em ala in t heir first m at ch on Sat urday, June 22nd at Cal St at e Universit y, Los Angeles at 5:00 PM.

Ireland w ill face-off w it h t ournam ent -host Arm enia in an epic show dow n on Sunday, June 23rd at 5:00 PM Bot h count ries are evenly m at ched, w it h t he result of t he gam e likely det erm ining t he w inner of t he cup The gam e w ill also t ake place at Cal St at e Los Angeles's arena

Fans can purchase court side seat s, low er bow l seat s, and upper bow l seat s t o bot h gam es by visit ing Ticket s.Arm eniaBasket ball.com .

Pict ured here on t he left : The current head coach of t he Irish Nat ional Basket ball Team , Mark Keenan

The Irish Nat ional Basket ball Team has a long hist ory, having been form ed in 1945. The t eam plays it s hom e gam es at t he Nat ional Basket ball Arena in Tallaght , Dublin The t eam expect s t o qualify for m ajor t ournam ent s like t he Euro Basket or t he FIBA World Cup in t he near fut ure. Irish Sport s Fans are invit ed t o com e support t hem t his m ont h!

From our cover Ireland captain Sean Flood in a FIBA World Cup Qualifying match against Kosovo in February. H/TBasketball Ireland.

The SoCal Irish Fair and Music Fest ival t hat w as planned in Torrance for t his July has been post poned t o 2025. Please follow t he Reorganizat ion New s and

Plans on t heir Facebook Page. Irish Com m unit y input is im port ant . So, please join t he page and support t he effort !

FIFA Euro Championship (UEFA EURO 2024) starting in mid- June: June 14th ? July 14th ,2024

- Host Count ry: Germany

- First Gam e:Germany vs Scotland at the Munich Football Arena Munich

- Team s: A total of 24 teams will compete.You can find a full list on the official UEFA website: w w w.uefa.com / euro2024/

- Scotland has qualified and will be playing in the tournament!

- Unfortunately, Ireland did not qualify for EURO 2024 -

OWEN DARA is back at The 1881 Club in Pasadena!

8 PM t o 11 every Tuesday night . Says Owen about the show, " I mix some Irish songs with comedy and original songs It?s always a fun night And there?sno cover charge. The 1881 hasa variety of beers winesand mixed drinks And the Guinness there is exceptionally good! Especially on a Tuesday night!!"

Wednesdays

The Harp Inn Irish Pub Pour House Trivia Every Wednesday Evening at 7;00pm THE HARP

130 E. 17t h. St . Cost a Mesa, CA w w w.harpinn.com

PUB QUIZES & TRIVIA

Mondays

The Auld Dubliner

Every Monday w e host Trivia Night , gat her your friends and com e in t o com pet e and enjoy a pint

The Auld Dubliner

71 Pine St . Long Beach, CA w w w.aulddubliner.com

O'Brien's Irish Pub St andard Trivia Night s are Mondays and Wednesdays Monday

st art s at 8PM t ill 10:30PM WED: 8PM t o 10PM Form a t eam or t ry t o form one at t he pub. Play for cash prizes of $150. No ent ry fee O'Brien's Irish Pub 2226 Wilshire Sant a Monica, CA w w w.obriensla.com

Wednesdays

Ye Olde King's Head

Brit ish Pub & Rest aurant Trivia in t he pub at 7:30pm 116 Sant a Monica Bl Sant a Monica, CA

KRIS COLT

is a uniquely Am erican Celt ic vocal art ist , w ho brings w it h her t he hist orical t radit ion of t he BardicSt oryt eller. Thelyrical singer draw s on her ancest ors in Scot land Ireland, England, and Wales, perform ing songs bot h original and ancient . She is an accom plished songw rit er, and brings her love of count ry, bluegrass and Am ericana st yles t o her Celt ic-st yled songs

Go t o Band Cam p for her new st ory and song, CHARMED ht t ps:/ / bit .ly/ 3QQNIKH

w w w.kriscolt -blackrose.com /

The colum n last year about t he Irish Language by our great friend and Irish Art s and Ent ert ainm ent colum nist Maurice Fit zpat rick really resonat ed w it h us We use t he m ont hs of t he year in each issue but our collect ive Irish is very lim it ed

In fact , w orking on t he folio (t he t op of each page) recent ly, I forgot t he w ord for Oct ober in Irish and had t o look it up I found t his really int erest ing YouTube video and share t he link below.

I w ould like t o change m y lack of Irish t oo. so st art ing now and in fut ure issues, w e w ill be offering our readers a few w ords or phrases in our Mot her Language.

Also, if you are in t he LA area,t he Celt ic Art s Cent er has ongoing Irish lessons

Check our FACEBOOK PAGES for Daily Updat es:

Irish Art s & Ent ert ainm ent

VERY IRISH PERKS VIP GROUP

All subscribers become members of our VIP Group.

Current ly w e are offering som e really good prom ot ions and as t he Pandem ic eases w e w ill add m ore

At Present :

O'Brien's On Wilshire in Sant a Monica w ill give our subscribers a Free Appet izer w it h purchase. w w w obriensla com

Go t o t he m enu click here

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Buy a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION bet w een now and Decem ber 23rd. and w e w ill give you a FREE ONE YEAR EXTENSION on your ow n subscript ion.

PubGuide E New s LA Count y Irish Event s

Irish Arts & Entertainment's VERY IRISH PERKS (VIP) PRIMER

The VIP program is a very im port ant com ponent of our subscript ion program It has a m ult it ude of posit ive fact ors built int o t he program . It serves as a bonus/ rew ard syst em for spending hard cold cash on our publicat ion AND it is a good net w orking t ool for t he Publisher We are able t o at t ract subscribers and advert isers t o our publicat ion and keep t hem int erest ed w hile delivering great Irish int erest cont ent and inform at ion t o our readers. The advert isers benefit by having a readership int erest ed in our excit ing niche m arket and t hey can t arget our readers w it h special offers The volum e m akes it w ort hw hile for t hem t o part icipat e.

The Pandem ic has set us all back a bit in one w ay or anot her and w e are rebuilding our VIP benefit s package We w ere count ing on discount s and deals at pubs and event s but t hat plan is now on t he back burner as t here are few event s and pubs need volum e t o m ake t he discount s pract ical. In t he m eant im e, w e are w orking hard t o line up new offers for our subscribers Throughout t his Buying Guide, w e have som e list ings on good deals and w e w ill be adding special offers t o our w ebsit e as w e find t hem . One VIP, w e have now of int erest is Buy ONE SUB and get a Gift Subscript ion!

Be sure t o check out t he Very Irish Perks each issue and on our Facebook pages.

We are expanding and w e are using new and im proved m et hods for reaching out t o our readers!

We have set up a new affiliat ed Irish Art s & Ent ert ainm ent Channel on Telegram .

We also have updat ed our Websit e.

w w w.irishart sandent ert ainm ent .com

Shane Kelly Corporate Affairs |@ Diageo posting on LinkedIn, recently announced that Guinness has plans to to invest over ?100 million to de-carbonise its historic St. James?s Gate site in Dublin 8, where Guinness has been brewed for 264 years

Says, Kelly, "The investment underpins our goal to accelerate to net zero carbon emissions for the site and will transform energy and water consumption with the aim to make St James's Gate one of the most efficient breweries in the world by 2030 "

The investment was announced at St James?s Gate by Diageo?s Global CEO, Debra Crew She was joined by the Taoiseach,Simon Harris TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke, TD, and the CEO of Enterprise Ireland ,Leo Clancy, who are providing Government-backed support for the decarbonisation project.

Today?s investment announcement will enable St. James?s Gate to entirely phase out the use of fossil fuels in direct brewing operations and reduce Scope 1+2 GHG emissions generated by the site by more than 90%, in line with the Science Based Target initiative?s definition of net zero

By 2030, the site?s renewable energy strategy will combine the use of grid-supplied electrical power heat pumps; and biogas generated within a new water recovery facility This facility will also improve water use efficiency and enable a

The

Concise Hist ory of Guinness and

t he St . Jam es's Gat e Brew ery in Dublin:

- 1759: Art hur Guinness signs a 9,000-year lease on t he unused St . Jam es's Gat e Brew ery in Dublin, m arking t he st art of t he Guinness legacy.

- 1769: Guinness begins export ing beer t o Great Brit ain, m arking t he st art of it s int ernat ional expansion.

- 1778: Art hur Guinness begins selling t he dark beer port er, w hich w ould becom e a defining product for t he com pany

- 1838: The brew ery becom es t he largest in Ireland

- 1850s: Guinness begins using t he Harp as it s em blem .

- 1886: The brew ery becom es a public lim it ed com pany.

- 1920s: Guinness launches it s iconic advert ising cam paigns, w hich help t o solidify it s place in popular cult ure.

- 1986: Guinness PLC m erges w it h Grand Met ropolit an t o form Diageo.

- 1997: Guinness St orehouse opens at St Jam es's Gat e Brew ery, at t ract ing m illions of visit ors each year 2009: Guinness celebrat es it s 250t h anniversary

- Thousands of people have learned m ore about Ireland's m ost fam ous w rit er because of t his series of event s!

- The European Com m ission aw arded "Jam es Joyce, A European Odyssey" a grant of ?1.72 m illion t hrough t he Creat ive Europe Fund

- Tot al Project Cost : The t ot al project cost w as approxim at ely ?3 m illion. This suggest s t hat addit ional funding w as secured from ot her sources, likely including t he part icipat ing cit ies, cult ural inst it ut ions, and possible privat e sponsors

First publicat ion ever of t he post er for "A Lesser Gift " t o be released lat er t his year. "A Lesser Gift " t ells t he st ory of an Irish couple w ho are facing challenges aft er having t heir first child Their sit uat ion is furt her com plicat ed w hen an Am erican w om an ent ers t heir lives. Set in pict uresque Ireland, w rit t en and direct ed by Ow en Dara. His t hird feat ure film is current ly in post - product ion in Los Angeles For More on Owen Dara and his films may we suggest the following links and digital resources:

w w w.ow endara.com

Owen Dara on...