Irish Arts & Entertainment, June 2023

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

Jim McDonough

John McNally

Barbara Singer

Pat rick Weld

Lorraine Cham bers

Press Relations

Al Geiener

Graphics/ Ad Design

Jim , Pat rick & Freelancers

Sales Reps

Jim & Pat rick

Layout & Typos

Jim & Pat rick

Cont act Us Via Em ail: irishm issive@gm ail com

Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493

All Copyright s 2023

by McDonough Media

More Inside This Issue

Let t er From THE PUBLISHER

Dear FriendsandReaders

We w ant t o t hank Ann & Andy Scot t and Clan Scot t for filling in for m e and our scheduled Irish Out reach Boot h. I m issed t he event ow ing t o a serious foot injury t hat m ade it im possible for m e t o t ravel or w ork a fest ival.

This w as a t ough year, t he Irish Im port Shop w as not t here eit her because t hey have unfort unat ely closed for good

June t his year w ill be a bit gloom y and not just because of t he norm al SoCal w eat her, t here w ill be no Irish Fair and Music Fest ival eit her

Rem em ber t hat t he "Only const ant in t he Universe is change", so t hese t iding are act ually quit e norm al albeit som ew hat disheart ening. We all need t o look and plan ahead and build on our shared love of Irish cult ure and Ireland. There w e have unit y and t hat is t he good st uff t hat binds us all t oget her

I also w ant t o t hank our fellow Celt , Chieft ain Tom Reoch of t he Unit ed Scot t ish Societ y, (w ho host t he Scot t ish Fest in Cost a Mesa), for giving m e t he job of doing t he Special Scot t ish Fest issue! The project bright ened up a bleak pat ch and I learned a lot doing it

Sunday, June 18 is Fat her 's Day!

Jim McDonough

Just as one of m y favorit e TV det ect ive w as fond of saying, one more thing.

I am really appreciat ive of all of t he prayers, w ell w ishes, ecards, real cards w it h a st am p, em als et c t hat I have received from fam ily, friends, advert isers and associat es and even one of m y favorit e w rit ers. That out pouring has been a real blessing. I am t ruly grat eful.

Slan agus beannacht, Jim

The Mont hly Calendar for t he Auld Dubliner in Long Beach is on Page 5. They are doing m ore t o keep Irish Music and Dance in t he forefront t han any pub in SoCal so please support t hem !

w w w.aulddubliner.com

John McNally's Com m ent ary St ory St art s on Page 6 w it h t he US & t he Good Friday Accords

The View From Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

See Page 14

TRIVIA, w e have a list ! See OnGoing Calendar!

Our avid & loyal readers w ant t o know about you and your business! Get your m edia kit now : Em ail us at : irishm issive@gm ail.com

An unforget t able experience aw ait s you w it h t he new spect acular ?Ireland? docum ent ary film on IMAX; you are right t here up close and t his is a m ust see! IMAX IRELAND is being present ed by Tourism Ireland

At a lat e May high spirit ed launch in Playa Vist a, California at iMax headquart ers, a scenic 3-D, 40-m inut e breat ht aking film vision of Ireland capt ures t he m usic, t he w onders and cult ure of Ireland from t he sea t o it s landscapes in an explosion of spect acular beaut y

This big screen launch w as kicked off by Naille Gibbons, CEO of Ireland's Tourism for t he past 22 years, em phasizing a new cam paign ?Fill Your heart w it h Ireland ? Speaking t o a capt ive audience and a focus on a yout hful generat ion t here in iMax's filled audit orium , Gibbons not ed,?People are keen t o get back t o t raveling Today people are looking for an aut hent ic experience Ireland is ready and w ait ing for t ravelers ? I agree t hat by just w at ching t his film , it m ade m e and cert ainly t he ot her guest s desire t o visit Ireland im m ediat ely He also relat ed, ?Tourism is up in Ireland and t he US is one of t he t op m arket s ?

Perfect ly narrat ed by Irishm an and acclaim ed act or Liam Neeson; his love for his count ry is highlight ed w it h his fam iliar voice Developed and film ed by MacGillivray Freem an Film s, based in Laguna Beach, t his project w as savored under t he auspices of Shaun MacGillivray, t he film 's direct or and in part nership w it h Tourism Ireland A m agical scenic journey, t he film t raverses from Dublin t o Belfast and so m uch m ore in bet w een w it h eight years in t he m aking Much of t he spect acular phot ography foot age w as capt ured in helicopt er aerials

By Barbara Singer

ABOVEL to R: IRELAND IMAX film launch Los Angeles at t endees included Shaun MacGillivray, Film m aker of MacGillivray & Freem an, Naill Gibbons (cent er) CEO Tourism Ireland and Alison Met calfe, EVP Tourism Ireland

You can't help but revel in close view s of t he rugged Skillig Islands plus t he t hose cut e Puffin seabirds t hat you can just about t ouch The volcanic Giant 's Causew ay; yes, I have been t here, yet never so close as in t he film 's nearness Even t he giant Cliffs of Moher put you right t here; t he opening underw at er sequences w on m e over as t he sea species seem ed so t ouchable There is also t he coast of Count y Kerry know n for it s St ar Wars connect ion

An int egral part of t he film w ere t he personal react ions of four young t eenagers along for t he journey accom panied by concert violinist Pat ricia Treacy, int erpret ing t he st ory w rit t en by Irish w rit er and t raveler Manchán Magan w ho incorporat ed st ories, t radit ions and hist ory w hile crisscrossing t he count ry

Alison Met calfe, Execut ive Vice President Tourism Ireland w as present at t his launch w it h Cat herine Mart in, Ireland's Minist er for Tourism , Art s & Sport ; Met calfe, at t he helm of t he Green But t on Cam paign, rem inds us t hat ?Ireland is open for business and a w arm w elcom e aw ait s U S Visit ors ?

IRELAND Film Crew at t he Cliffs Of Moher, Count y Clare

Barbara Wood, Manager Western USA Tourism Ireland, San Francisco greets Barbara Singer, travel and film writer for the Irish Arts & Entertainment at the new IMAX "Ireland" film

More about IMAX IRELAND

Som e dem ographers t heorize t hat 70 t o 80 m illion people w orldw ide are of Irish herit age; at least half live in Nort h Am erica Ireland?s populat ion is est im at ed at just under 5 m illion; t he only count ry in Europe w it h less people t han in t he 19t h cent ury

At any rat e, IMAX IRELAND, t his Tourism Ireland sponsored gem (An Em erald? ) of a film is going t o am aze you even if you are not fort unat e enough t o be am ongst t he aforem ent ioned 80 Million!

According t o Forbes, "MFF?s new est giant screen film , Ireland, w ill t ransport you w it h it s sw eeping visuals on a joyful advent ure t o t he Em erald Isle, w here green really does com e in 40 shades"

Slat ed for release in May t his year ,Ireland follow s Manchán Magan, an acclaim ed Irish t elevision personalit y and t ravel w rit er, w ho is given t he t ask of reconnect ing a group of Irish yout h t o t heir land, cult ure, and hist ory. He is joined by four young st udent s w it h a passion for m usic, and t oget her t hey t ravel across t he count ry m aking st ops at som e of t he nat ion?s m ost spect acular and hist oric sit es.

?The count ry?s gorgeous landscapes are just begging t o be on t he IMAX screen,? says unit product ion m anager, Meghan MacGillivray. ?Audiences can expect t o experience Ireland?s im m ense nat ural beaut y and rich hist ory, language, art s, and m usic w it hout ever having t o hop on a plane.?

Continued from previous page

Global Ireland has ext ended it s West ern Region w it h new offices; it has opened an office for Tourism Ireland in San

Francisco w it h Cat herine Mart in, Tourism Minist er on hand. Barbara Wood is t he Manager of West ern USA Tourism Ireland, San Francisco. Bot h w ere at t he ?Ireland?

IMAX film event .

This film show casing Ireland has an am azing appeal and plans are in place for it t o play t heat ers,m useum s and science cent ers across t he Unit ed St at es, Canada and Ireland and soon t o ot her part s of t he w orld

Shaun MacGillivray calls t his film ,

?A Love Let t er t o Ireland ?

And it is! This IMAX m ast erpiece is a t ruly an inspirat ion t o visit Ireland

Find out m ore at : t ourism ireland com

Prem ier violinist Pat ricia Treacey (m iddle) and four of t he t een orchest ra st udent s feat ured in ?Ireland?

As a side not e; rem em ber w hen you go t o Ireland, Aer Lingus, Ireland's prem iere airline now has flight s from Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seat t le on t he West Coast non-st op direct t o Ireland. w w w.aerlingus.com

The US Role In The Good Friday Agreem ent

By John McNally

The Good Friday Agreem ent signed 25 years ago heralded t he end of decades of violent conflict , euphuist ically know n as The Troubles, w as probably t he m ost successful US foreign policy achievem ent in t he past 50 years Prim ary negot iat ors w ere Tony Blair represent ing Brit ish int erest s, and Bert ie Ahern, represent ing Irish int erest s, but m ost agree US involvem ent w as int egral t o t he t reat y's success. Bold st eps by President Clint on changed t he dynam ic of t he deadlocked sit uat ion, but t he how and w hy of t his are oft en forgot t en.

The Irish Republican m ovem ent had been gradually shift ing t ow ards polit ics since t he elect ion of hunger st riker Bobby Sands t o t he Brit ish Parliam ent in 1981 Alt hough a st alem at e, t he w ar dragged on for anot her decade before t he Adam s-Hum e init iat ives and t he Dow ning St reet Declarat ion exposed a pat hw ay t o peace The Brit ish and t heir Unionist allies required an end t o republican violence before peace negot iat ions could begin, and t he IRA did not t rust t he Brit ish t o negot iat e in good fait h An int ernat ional dim ension could break t he im passe and ensure t he Brit ish honor t heir agreem ent s Irish Am ericans num bered as m any as 40 m illion and had gained subst ant ial influence since arriving poor and st arving in Am erica in t he 19t h cent ury While cam paigning for t he presidency in 1992, Bill Clint on adopt ed t he cause of ending t he Troubles t o get t he Irish Am erican vot e but also because it w as t he right t hing t o do Clint on w ent against t he advice of t he St at e Depart m ent , FBI, and CIA and jeopardized our special relat ionship w it h long-t im e ally Brit ain Inst ead, he list ened t o t he likes of Congressm an Bruce Morrison, Senat or Ted Kennedy, publisher Niall O'Dow d w it h his cont act s in Sinn Fein, and t he m any Irish Am erican organizat ions w ho saw t his as t he t im e t o apply som e new w orld know -how t o an old-w orld conflict Clint on gam bled t hat t he m agic w ould happen if w e could get all t he part ies around a peace t able..

In 1994, Clint on allow ed Sinn Fein President Gerry Adam s int o t he US for a speaking t our ending censorship of t he Irish Republican side of t he st ory And lat er, he allow ed Friends of Sinn Fein t o set up an office in Washingt on DC for fundraising and lobbying. The subsequent IRA ceasefire should have led t o peace t alks, but inst ead, t he Brit ish and unionist s added republican decom m issioning of w eapons t o t heir prequalificat ion t o be part of t he negot iat ions Aft er 18 m ont hs w it hout all-part y t alks, t he IRA ret urned t o a lim it ed m ilit ary cam paign t hat ended aft er Clint on appoint ed Senat or George Mit chell our first Special Envoy and sent him t o chair t he peace negot iat ions. Mit chell' s m ediat ion bet w een t he part ies w as crucial t o t he success of t he t alks and saw t hem t hrough t o t he signing of t he Good Friday Agreem ent (GFA) in 1998. The GFA has w orked im perfect ly but largely kept t he peace as it m oved t he Anglo-Irish conflict from a securit y/ m ilit ary st ruggle t o a polit ical cont est .

In 1994, President Bill Clint on allow ed Sinn Fein President Gerry Adam s int o t he US To Speak

In one sense, it ' s an agreem ent t o disagree, a fram ew ork for set t ling differences t hrough polit ics Unionist s got t heir principle of consent (of t he m ajorit y Nort hern six-count y populat ion), and Nat ionalist s got t he pot ent ial for a border poll should t he people decide t o join t he rest of Ireland. For t he first t im e in hist ory, t here's a peaceful and dem ocrat ic pat hw ay t o Irish Unit y and t he Irish Republic

The border poll w as a long shot before Brexit But t he Nort hern Irish people benefit ed from being m em bers of t he European Union, and t he m ajorit y vot ed t o rem ain in t he EU

The idea of a unit ed Ireland is becom ing increasingly m ore likely w it h pow er and populat ion shift s t ow ard Irish nat ionalist s

The crow n jew el of t he GFA w as est ablishing a Nort hern Irish governm ent at St orm ont , w hich t he Dem ocrat ic Unionist Part y current ly refuses t o join Not surprising since t hey w ere t he only part y t o cam paign against t he GFA in 1998.

President Biden w as in Ireland for t he 25t h Anniversary of t he GFA, and Form er US President Bill Clint on, form er UK Prim e Minist er Tony Blair, and form er Taoiseach Bert ie Ahern at t ended com m em orat ive event s at Queens Universit

y, Belfast

Irish Am erican s w ere never m uch of a vot ing bloc, st ill, w it h t he Friends of Ireland Caucus, w ell-placed business individuals, groups like t he Brehon Law Societ y, Ancient Order of Hibernians, and several Labor Unions, w e have subst ant ial polit ical clout

Addit ionally, all should support t he Good Friday Agreem ent , not just Irish Am erican

100t h Anniversary of t he End of Irish Civil Com m em orat ed In Dublin

May 24 Marks 100 Years

Since t he End of t he 20t h Cent ury Irish Civil War

Aa t o be expect ed at a som ber Irish Event , m usic and spoken-w ord segm ent s w ere an im port ant com ponent of t he day

On hand t o perform w ere t he Com bined Band of t he Defence Forces and t he Cór Linn Yout h Choir

Violinist Aoife Ní Bhriain perform ing An Buachaill Caol Dubh at t he Garden of Rem em brance w hile t here w as a reading of t he Pat rick Kavanagh poem Peace and prayers led by Defence Forces chaplain Fr Dan McCart hy

A w reat h-laying w it h a lone piper w ho piped t he Piper's Lament ;

follow ed w it h The Last Post beig played as t he Tricolour w as raised. The event concluded w it h a perform ance of Amhrán na bhFiann by soprano Collet t e Delahunt .

On May 24, 1923; Frank Aiken, w ho had em erged as t he ant i-Treat y leader ordered his forces t o quit and lay dow n t heir arm s

Concluded on page 20

LIVE MUSIC AT THE HARP

Join Us for Live Music Every Friday, Sat urday & Sunday

OCLEES Fat her 's Day Event on Sat urday, June 17t h

(Details on page 23)

The Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco Hist ory and Lit erary Tradit ion

St ory & Pict ures by Troy Korjuslom m i

Overlooking t he glist ening blue w aves of t he Medit erranean, Monaco-Ville is an ancient fort ress perched at op vert ical rock w alls, high above t he surrounding coast line These feat ures m ake t he Rock, as it is called, rem iniscent of t he cliffs of w est ern Ireland, and even t he original hom e of t he Irish New s, Sant a Monica Monaco w as also t he hom e of one of t he m ost fam ous Irish-Am ericans and friends of Ireland, Princess Grace

I visit ed t he Princess Grace Irish Library and Cult ural Cent re, w here I m et w it h it s Direct or, Paula Farquharson She show ed m e around t he library and it s im pressive collect ion of books and m usic A prist ine first edit ion of t he Ulysses on display brought up Bloom sday, one of t he Irish t radit ions observed in Monaco, w it h readings and w alks around t his Irish hom e aw ay from hom e.

The library has a unique collect ion of Irish books from Princess Grace?s personal collect ion. The shelves cont ain a t reasure t rove of first edit ions and rare volum es, and is a t est am ent t o her proud Irish-Am erican herit age.

Hist ory becom es alive in t his lit erary fort ress, not only t hrough t he books of t hese fam ous Irish aut hors and poet s, but also t hrough t he st ories w hich bind so m any of t hem t o t he st ory of Princess Grace and t he Monaco Royal fam ily.

The library has several sect ions, t he first of w hich cont ains t he first edit ions, m usic scores, and ot her valuable print s from princess Grace's personal collect ion of Irish w orks. Ot her sect ions cont ain hist oric phot ographs and docum ent s, a varied collect ion of Irish books, kids' sect ion, and a lect ure hall. The lect ure hall feat ures m ont hly present at ions, lect ures and m usic. The library also funct ions as a lending library t o local resident s.

The PGIL invit es scholars, academ ics, and lovers of Irish lit erat ure and m usic t o com e and visit The Ireland Funds Monaco also sponsors one m ont h long bursaries for Irish w rit ers t o pursue t heir w ork at t he library Som e of t he w orks, including books and m usical scores w hich you m ight have t hought lost , can soon be found on t he library?s w ebsit e, as w orks get added t o t he online collect ion There is even a facsim ile copy of t he Book of Kells, donat ed by t he Honorary Consul General of Ireland in Monaco, Sir Michael Sm urfit Incident ally, he also rescued and donat ed t he silver font in t he m ain room The font w as gift ed by Princess Grace and Prince Rainier t o t he First Lady of Ireland, Mrs Sinéad de Valera, in 1961

Photo Legend, on the top right: Paula Farquharson w it h Port rait of Princess Grace. On t he left is a solid silver font , a gift from Princess Grace t o Mrs Sinéad de Valera, w ife of t he President of Ireland at t he t im e of t he 1961 St at e Visit .

On the bottom right: The lat est Writ er-in-Residence and Bursary recipient , Dr Gráinne Hurley (cent er front ), w it h Ireland Funds Monaco represent at ives Dr Josephine Loft us and library t rust ee Mark Arm st rong (behind her), and Paula Farquharson, Direct or of t he PGIL (on t he right )

ON THE RIGHT: View int o t he m ain room , w it h books from Princess Grace's collect ion of Irish books lining t he shelves

For t he w rit ers out t here, you w ill w ant t o know t hat t he applicat ion process for t he bursaries t o t he PGIL for 2024 are open.

Det ails online: irelandfunds org/ chapt ers/ w orldw ide/ m onaco/ bursaries/ More, go t o : w w w :pgil.m c

Relat ed feat ure on Grace Kelly, See page. Som e of our younger readers m ay not know t hat she w as considered t he biggest st ar in Hollyw ood in t he early 60's w hen she left t he indust ry t o m arry and m oved t o Monaco

Grace Kelly, A Life Lived t o t he Fullest

Let 's say you're a 13 year old girl t oday and you w ant t o be an act ress. A good person t o ask advice w ould be anot her 13 year old girl w ho has lived t he life of an act ress.

80 years ago, in 1943, Grace Kelly w as 13 and aspired t o becom e an act ress Her Irish Cat holic fam ily w asn't all ent hused about it , but she persist ed, act ed in school plays and kept t he dream alive Who w ould've t hought t hat , not m uch m ore t han a dozen years lat er, t he Irish-Am erican girl from Philadelphia w ould becom e a real life European Princess.

As she becam e old enough, she m oved t o New York Cit y t o st udy act ing in t heat er and m ovies, t o pursue her dream s; and not only of her ow n, as her life w ould becom e t he st uff of dream s for a generat ion of girls

She got her first m ovie role in 1951, and lat er on played t he leading role in num erous m ovies, and even w on an Oscar, Golden Globe and ot her aw ards for Best Act ress In 1956, she w ould becom e t he Princess of Monaco, one of t he great old Monarchies of Europe Her life cam e t o be follow ed by m illions of fans around t he w orld

A 13 year old girl t oday faces a different set of obst acles, but t he need for perseverance and belief in oneself is unchanged. In Grace's t im e, t he w orld w as a very different place, in t erm s of expect at ions for w om en and girls, w om en's role in societ y, religious and et hnic t olerance, as w ell as t he Cold War and ot her uncert aint ies follow ing WWII

She w orked w it h Alfred Hit chcock st art ing in 1954, and played t he leading roles in Dial M for Murder, Rear Window , and To Cat ch a Thief She also st arred in m any ot her m ovies such as Count ry Girl (her Academ y Aw ard), Green Fire, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, The Sw an, and High Societ y. Int erest ingly enough, High Societ y w as based on Philadelphia St ory, a play about Kelly's hom et ow n

She first m et her fut ure husband, Prince Rainier III of Monaco In 1955, during t he 8t h Int ernat ional Film

Am erican born Grace Kelly w as t he m ost popular Am erican act ress w hen she becam e Princess Grace of Monaco

Fest ival in Cannes. They w ere m arried in 1956. Now , Princess Grace. she m ade t he m ost of her new royal posit ion. In 1963 she est ablished AMADE, an NGO w hich support s children w orldw ide, and is a recognized part ner of UNICEF UNESCO

Alt hough Princess Grace w as obliged t o discont inue her m ovie career aft er assum ing her royal posit ion, she did not abandon her love of t he art s. She kept helping young people in various pursuit s relat ed t o act ing, m ovies, dancing, poet ry, and cult ure. She also am assed a great collect ion of Irish books and m usic, now available t o t he public at t he PGIL in Monaco. Aft er she died in 1982, her w ork helping act ors w as t aken over by her husband, w ho est ablished t he Princess Grace Foundat ion USA t o support aspiring act ors

Princess Grace had t hree children, Caroline, Albert , and St éphanie. Her son is Prince Albert II of Monaco

New s & Com m ent ary

By John McNally

A Sinn Féin Coronat ion Aft er a 't sunam i' Elect ion Vict ory

The 2023 council elect ions in Nort hern Ireland saw Sinn Féin's vot e up 8% t o 31% t o becom e t he largest part y in local governm ent in t he nort h for t he first t im e in hist ory A record num ber of 144 Sinn Fein councilors w ere elect ed at t he May 18t h poll

OTHER PARTIES: The Dem ocrat ic Unionist Part y (DUP) st ayed t he sam e, w it h 122 seat s The cross-com m unit y Alliance Part y cam e out ahead, adding 14 seat s for 67 Most of t he sm aller part ies lost seat s The DUP?s Edw in Poot s said t he result should act as "a w ake-up and sm ell t he coffee m om ent " for unionist s w ho blam ed t heir poor perform ance on t he lack of t urnout in t heir dist rict s. Naom i Long of Alliance said t he Sinn Féin surge w as like a "t sunam i," w hich caught t he ot her part ies by surprise.

Sinn Féin's First Minist er Designat e Michelle O'Neill said, "Sinn Féin went into this campaign with a positive message of wanting to make politics work for all."

Sinn Fein achieved st unning result s in m any areas, t aking six out of seven seat s in West Belfast 's Black Mount ain and gaining four addit ional seat s on t he Belfast Cit y Council, w here t hey w ere already t he largest part y In Derry and St rabane, Sinn Féin had 18 part y candidat es elect ed t o becom e t heir largest part y

The elect ion has also seen hist oric breakt hroughs in areas such as Ballym ena, Coleraine, and Lisburn, w hich now have Sinn Féin councilors elect ed t o local governm ent for t he first t im e

Continued on 11

John McNally, our feat ured w rit er and Irish Com m unit y Act ivist and Colum nist 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 .

Sinn Fein's Rise Is Island Wide

The part y's grow t h in Nort hern Ireland is m at ched sout h of t he border by Mary Lou McDonald's successful effort s t o build Sinn Féin int o t he dom inant opposit ion part y in Dáil Éireann, Ireland's parliam ent . Sinn Fein has t opped every poll for years and looks likely t o w in t he next general elect ion, w hich w ill happen by 2025 or sooner Hist orical change is happening across Ireland, w it h Sinn Fein very likely t o be in pow er in bot h jurisdict ions in Ireland in t he com ing years, furt her fueling t he dem and and logic for a unit ed Ireland

Sinn Féin's1m ary Lou McDonald Sinn Fein Part y Leader and First Minist er Designat e Michelle O'Neill

June is for Dad's & Grads

Our Gift Shoppe has a large select ion of im port ed candy & unique, im port ed it em s t o please any person or budget !

WE ARE OPEN DAILY FOR INDOOR & OUTDOOR DINING SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER

NOW OPEN OUR NEW COFFEE BAR LOCATED NEAR OUR BAKERY IN THE GIFT SHOPPE

ED NOTE: See Calendar t his issue for ent ert ainm ent and event s in t he King's Head Pub and for m ore on t heir new Coffee Bar CLICK HERE

The View from Ireland

The Nort hern Irish Elect ion

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

In t he local elect ions held on May 18t h in Nort hern Ireland, t he DUP st ruck t he keynot e w hen t hey cam paigned on t he pledge t o ?re-est ablish t he Nort hern Ireland Assem bly? It w as alw ays clear t hat t his elect ion w as going t o be a referendum on t he DUP?s decision t o refuse t o go int o t he Assem bly aft er it lost pole posit ion t o Sinn Féin in last May?s

Assem bly elect ion Now t heir ret urn t o St orm ont is inevit able? it is just t hat t he DUP sought an explicit m andat e t o ret urn It is a pit y, t hough hardly a shock, t hat it t ook t hem over a year t o act dem ocrat ically

The DUP m anifest o added t hat it w ould only do so ?on a fair and sust ainable basis by finishing t he job of prot ect ing NI?s place in t he UK and it s int ernal m arket ? . Since finishing t he job im plies having st art ed it , t he DUP?s record of prot ect ing Nort hern Ireland?s place in t he UK is w ort h recalling.

Uniquely am ong t he m ajor part ies on t he island of Ireland, t he DUP support ed Brexit in t he June 2016 UK referendum . Despit e t hat drast ic m iscalculat ion, t he DUP has t he nerve t o praise it s credent ials as a prot ect or of NI?s place in t he UK. While m any in Nort hern Ireland cont inue t o support t he union w it h t he UK, t hey reject t he canard t hat t hat posit ion w as com pat ible w it h support from Brexit . The DUP could, at a m inim um , be expect ed t o ow n t he consequences of it s support for Brexit .

Inst ead, it t hrew in it s lot w it h Boris Johnson and t he happy fant asy t hat t he UK could leave t he EU int ernal m arket and cust om s union w it hout a process of exam ining goods crossing bet w een t he UK and t he EU. It is unclear if Johnson ever fully believed t hat t hat w as possible, but it w as cert ainly unw orkable from t he st art . The only solut ion t o t he conundrum w as t o m ove t he cust om s border t o t he Irish Sea, aligning t he cust om s regim e in Nort hern Ireland w it h t he rest of Ireland and t he EU? a vist a t hat appalled hardline unionist s. Johnson duly bet rayed t he DUP at a m eet ing w it h his count erpart , Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, in Liverpool in Oct ober 2019. At t hat m eet ing, Johnson effect ively conceded a cust border bet w een Nort hern Ireland and t he rest of t he UK That form ed t he basis of t he Nort hern Ireland Prot ocol, agreed upon bet w een London and t he EU a few m ont hs lat er The DUP has fum ed about

t heProt ocol ever since, w hich has achieved not hing m ore t han leaving t hem isolat ed and hum iliat ed in London Hence t he DUP?s pet ulance and denial? t he m ost t angible m anifest at ion of w hich is t he ongoing suspension of St orm ont since t he DUP refuses t o part icipat e in it

The hum iliat ion cont inued w hen Rishi Sunak t ook over as Brit ish Prim e Minist er and signed t he Windsor Fram ew ork w it h t he EU The Fram ew ork w as t he Nort hern Ireland Prot ocol redux, w it h a few concessions t hrow n in In March 2023, t he Fram ew ork passed t hrough t he House of Com m ons by 515 vot es t o 29 Nat urally, t he DUP vot ed t o reject it , t hereby digging t hem selves deeper int o t he hole

The DUP cam paigned in t he recent elect ion t o rect ify ? t he harm done by t he im posit ion of t he Prot ocol? If t hey are not support ed in t his aim unionism , t hey claim , ?can divide and splint er, cost ing seat s and influence in our councils and helping t o hand seat s and influence t o t hose w ho w ould furt her w eaken t he Union? . Such a force for t he good of t he union: how could vot ers not support t hem ?

The Assem bly and t he obst acle t o it s funct ioning ever since, has a useful suggest ion ?The DUP support s great er unionist cooperat ion and is t he only unionist part y large enough t o challenge Sinn Fein? .

Translat ion: do not give your first preference vot es t o ot her unionist part ies because t o do so is t o dilut e t he unionist bloc and t o furt her facilit at e t he dom inance of Sinn Féin in Nort hern Ireland Having t old t he elect orat e t o give t hem t heir first preference vot e, t he DUP t ells it w here t o give t heir second and t hird preferences: ? t hen t ransfer t o ot her pro-Union candidat es?

Sinn Féin?s having t he First Minist er posit ion in St orm ont , w hich it w on in May 2022, is priced int o t he rest orat ion of t he Assem bly. How ever, t he rest orat ion w ill likely not happen unt il t his aut um n. If it does happen t hen, it m ay be polit ically unw ise t o t aunt t he DUP for having w ast ed a year and a half and achieved not hing in t he int erim That w as a period in w hich Nort hern Ireland?s already t roubled econom y and social st ruct ures st agnat ed st ill furt her and hospit al queues got longer Rat her t han t aking t hat focus, Irish, EU and US leaders w ill cont inue t o cajole t he DUP t o reap t he gains t hat Nort hern Ireland can m ake t hrough it s governm ent becom ing act ive again and it s econom y operat ing w it h full access t o t w o m ajor m arket s, t he UK and t he EU. The DUP?s polit ical leadership over t he past year and a half has been sham eful, but t hat is ent irely in line w it h precedent . When Sinn Féin?s Mart in McGuinness resigned as Deput y First Minist er in January 2017,

t hereby collapsing St orm ont for w hat t ranspired t o be t hree years, t he t hen leader of t he DUP crit icised t he decision since Nort hern Ireland w as ?dealing w it h Brexit , needing t o creat e m ore jobs and invest ing in our healt h and educat ion syst em , Nort hern Ireland needs st abilit y? .

What ever t he out com e of t he local elect ions, t he duopoly of t he DUP and Sinn Féin w ill cont inue And t hat w ay does not lie st abilit y A fresh vision is badly needed Som e of t he opposit ion in St orm ont , principally t he SDLP?s Colm East w ood, has canvassed t he posit ion t hat for Nort hern Ireland t o cont inue t o have a voice it m ust ?rejoin t he com m unit y of nat ions and get back hom e t o t he EU t hen it can only be done in a New Ireland? . How ever, t here is all but no support for such a vision. East w ood and t he SDLP w ould secret ly acknow ledge t hat if t hey ret ain as m any council seat s t his t im e as in t he last elect ion t hey w ould be doing w ell.

Dublin Nat ive, Sally McNally, Nurse of t he Year

Sally McNally received t he prest igious Nurse of t he Year aw ard at t he 30t h Annual Vent ura Count y Medical Resource Foundat ion Aw ards Luncheon on May 21.

Sally has spent over 30 years w orking in t he labor room as a m idw ife and labor and delivery RN. She aim s t o w ork w it h her pat ient s t o help t hem achieve a birt h experience as close t o t heir dream s as possible "I believe w om en are very w ise and pow erful; I encourage w om en t o em brace t hat inner w isdom and t rust t heir bodies during childbirt h " Sally originally t rained as a nurse and t hen as a m idw ife in Ireland She w orked as a m idw ife for five years in Saudi Arabia before com ing t o t he US She w orked as an RN and Charge nurse for 20 years at CMH in Vent ura.

Aft er t hat phase of her healt h care career, Sally ret urned t o school, earning her m ast er 's as a Cert ified Nurse Midw ife and Doct or of Nursing Pract ice

Sally is also a Cert ified Hypnot herapist , Cert ified Yoga Inst ruct or, and Cert ified Childbirt h Educat or She blends t hese gift s t o help prepare w om en t o go confident ly int o t heir labor and birt hs She t eaches classes at CMH's New Parent Resource Cent er In addit ion t o all of t he above, Sally has a very

int erest ing podcast about w om en's healt h and her personal st ories as a m idw ife called THE BLEEDIN TRUTH.

Sally has one daught er and is m arried t o local realt or and Irish Art s & Ent ert ainm ent cont ribut ing w rit er, John McNally.

PART II: GUEST TRAVEL FEATURE

From the Blarney Stone to Belfast and then some!

By Richard At kins

Saint John's Castle located on 'King's Island' in the heart of medieval Limerick City

www.kingjohnscastle.ie

St. Canicae?s Cathedral, dating back to the 13th. century. A hidden gem that even veteran visitors to Ireland often overlook.

About our w rit er: Richard Atkins is a travel writer, photographer, playwright, screenwriter and actor who can be reached at rcratkins@att.net

Here is a link t o his Ireland Video:

Remember Juneisfor Gradsand Dads!

Great selection of imported Candy, Gifts and Food In Stock!

Trip of a Lifet im e by Richard At kins, part II

Belfast has m uch t o offer and is overlooked by m ost visit ors t o Ireland. One of t he new est at t ract ions (opened on March 31, 2012) is t he ult ra-m odern Tit anic Museum pict ured here. The doom ed liner w as built in Belfast for t he Whit e St ar Line. The post er on t he right show s t he classy age t hat brought t he w orld t he Tit anic and w as soon t o end ow ing t o disast er and WWI

Below Left : Truly splendid First Class St at eroom recreat ed for display Bot t om right A super-sized w all m ural t aken during const ruct ion show s t he m assive size of t he Tit anic's propellers

M on d ay, T u esd ay,

W ed n esd ay & T h u r sd ay: 12 N oon to 11:PM

Fr i d ay: 12 N oon to 2:A M

Satu r d ay: 9:A M to 2:A M

Su n d ay: 9:A M tPM

Continued from pa 7

May 24, 2023 m arked 100 years since t he end of t he Irish Civil War

The w ar last ed less t han one year w hen pro and ant i Anglo Irish Treat y fact ions fought The conflict began June 28, 1922 and ended on May 24 1923 About 2,000 people are est im at ed t o have died, including key figures

such as Michael Collins and Cat hal Brugha

A cerem ony w as held at t he Garden of Rem em brance in Dublin at t ended by Irish governm ent officials and relat ives of som e of t hose w ho died

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaist e Micheál Mart in joint ly laid a w reat h at t he low -key cerem ony, w hich aim ed t o provide a healing m om ent of reconciliat ion and rem em brance.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

inspect ing a guard of honour from t he Defence Forces prior t o t he cerem ony

Images courtesy of the Irish Government Information Service

Also present w ere Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Alliance Part y MLA David Honeyford, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, and Lieut enant General Seán Clancy, Chief of St aff of t he Defence Forces

Many ot her m em bers of t he governm ent , Oireacht as and Council of St at e w ere also in at t endance

The event w as a part of t he Decade of Cent enaries program m e Heldvent exact ly 100 years t o t he day w hen Frank Aiken ordered his ant i-t reat y forces t o surrender ,

Body text

The Celtic Camer a We are here looking for you!

Submissions wanted send jpeg & caption to: ir ishmissive@gmail.com

June ~~ Meitheam

2023

Friends since childhood, Jim McMahon & Harry Hughes pict ured here at anot her st op on m y Irish Spring visit , t he Irish Charit y THE CABBAGE PATCHERS w hich w as founded by Harry Hughes The Cabbages Pat chers have a com m unit y garden and t hey help seniors and t he infirm t end t o t heir ow n yards by organizing at risk yout h and volunt eers

Chris Pierce of THE FENIANS & Lorraine Cham bers at THE HARP INN Irish Pub in Cost a Mesa celebrat ing t he 30t h anniversary of t he Fenians playing at The Harp!

Special t hanks t o Clan Scot t for reprsent ing us and our Travel Part ner AER LINGUS at t he Scot t ish Fest in Cost a Mesa. We t ruly appreciat ed t he Pan CELTIC Co-operat ion.

Body text

The Parade of Scot t ish Clans 2023 and a rem inder t o fly AER LINGUS

Spring Trip To Nort hern Ireland. For t he first t im e, I m ade it t o Belfast and t aking our guest t ravel w rit er Richard Akin's advice; w e visit ed t he Tit anic Museum . See his feat ure on page 17

Jim McMahon and Geraldine McCullagh, bot h nat ives of Warrenpoint , Count y Dow n at t he Tit anic Museum on t he act ual prow of t he lost ship, now accessible t o t he public via t his pret t y nift y display!

Yet anot her am azing part of m y Spring in Ireland. We m et t he ow ners of t he LEADER, w hich is a "Brixham Traw ler Gaff Ket ch" built in 1892 in Gam lm pt om , Devon. It is on t he UK Regist ry of hist oric ships The ship fished in Brit ish, Irish and Sw edish w at ers for over half a cent ury

Current ly ow ned by a t rust ; for m uch m ore inform at ion, go t o : w w w.silverylight .org

We are w orking w it h Seb for a fut ure issue.

Top Right & Above: The w ooden ship LEADER built in 1892

Phot o by Seb Lat ura

ABOUT OCLEES & "Pour A Pint Wit h Pops"

The Orange Count y Law Enforcem ent Em erald Societ y (OCLEES) is a social, frat ernal, charit able, non-profit , m ult iagency organizat ion w it h t he goal of fost ering goodw ill am ong t he num erous law enforcem ent agencies w it hin t he com m unit ies of Orange Count y

Addit ionally our goal is t o inst ill, preserve and celebrat e t he herit age, accom plishm ent s and t he dedicat ion of t he Irish Am erican Law Enforcem ent Officers, past and present , and t heir Gaelic cult ure. You can find out m uch m ore about OCLEES by visit ing t heir w ebsit e and support ing t hem by at t ending t he m any event s t hey host , donat ions & checking out

t heir online st ore

w w w oclees com

"The Jumping Church"

The building, in ruins, dat es from t he 14t h cent ury and w as built on t he sit e of t he m ore ancient church of Deom og According t o t he local

t radit ion, t he w est w all jum ped inw ards t he church by 1 78 m et res (10 feet ) t o exclude t he grave of an excom m unicat ed person from inside t he church. More likely t he w all w as dislocat ed during a violent st orm in 1715. This beaut iful, t ranquil spot & off t he beat en t rack is w ell w ort h a visit Go To VISIT COUNTY LOUTH

Anot her of our favorit e m usic spot s is closing!!

THE COFFEE GALLERY BACKSTAGE

2029 N. Lake Alt adena, CA. Bit es t he Dust !

Bob St ane says:

It ?s Souvenir Sat urday at t he Coffee Gallery Backst age on Sat urday, June 10!

A couple of m ont hs ago, one of m y pat rons suggest ed t hat if w e w ere t o close t he CGB she w ould like t o buy som e of t he chairs for rem em brance. We are now , unfort unat ely, closed. Absolut ely everyt hing in t he CGB is now for sale.

This com ing Sat urday, June 10, from 12:00 PM t o 4:00 PM t here w ill be a m ixer sale of everyt hing. We w ould like you t here t o select from t he array of good t hings. There w ill be t ables and chairs, elect rical equipm ent , light s, m icrophones, m ic st ands, and everyt hing required t o run a club. All w ill be sold at reasonable closing prices. There are also m any pieces of decorat ion including airplanes, signs, a m irror (36? X 46?), books of sheet m usic, and even an accordion, and m uch m ore! There is an excellent piece of 4?X8?plyw ood (sm oot h) for int erior const ruct ion or a hobbyist t hat is brand new. Bring coffee and cookies for t he m ixer.

We w ant you t here! Please, do not call t he CBG phone line w it h quest ions but enjoy t he phot os of som e of t he m erchandise t o w het your appet it e.

We w ill t ake paym ent s of cash, check, and Venm o.

CURTAIN GOING DOWN AT THE COFFEE GALLERY BACKSTAGE!!

2023 Tour Loreena McKennit t

This August , Loreena w ill also be m aking rare appearances at t hree sum m er folk fest ivals in her hom e province of Ont ario harkening back t o t he root s of her early years and perform ing som e of her m ost t radit ional Celt ic songs w it h special guest s The Bookends, a St rat ford-based Celt ic band.

Loreena w ill bring The Visit

Revisited Tour t o 23 Am erican cit ies in t he U.S. Nort heast , part s of t he Midw est and concluding in t he Canadian prairies t his Oct ober and Novem ber.

Loreena w ill be accom panied on t our by long-t im e m usical com panions Brian Hugheson guit ar,Caroline Lavelleon cello, Hugh Marshon violin and Dudley Phillipson bass. Perform ances w ill include every song onThe Visit, (in t he order t hey appear on t he album ), as w ell as ot her fan favourit es from across her cat alogue.

St ay Updat ed

Get not ified of Kerry Irish

Product ions t our dat es and upcom ing event s

ht t ps:/ / loreenam ckennit t com / t our/

Derry Night s I Dream of Fire

By Greg Pat rick

?Do w e w alk in legends or on t he green eart h in t he daylight ;vA m an m ay do bot h ; said Aragorn; For not w e but t hose w ho com e aft er w ill m ake t he legends of our t im e. The green eart h, say you? That is a m ight y m at t er of legend, t hough you t read it under t he light of day!?

? JR R Tolkien, The Tw o Tow ers

Im m ersed in t he old songs and t he dept hs of m em ory, I envision her sm ile, red lips like old w ounds reopening as fresh and red as t he day I bled In t he cold w here old w ounds pulse and sighs st eam In t he dark w here w arriors are allow ed t o shed t ears

Firelight and old songs cast t heir spell in duet , dist ant haunt ed eyes cast over t he red dream scapes of m em ory...

I dream in t he red of fire and pallor of snow and I speak in t he elusive w ords of songs and unsung A dream scape of snow hailing her like frozen t ears m elt ing m idair am id t he burning debris I reunit e w it h her in t hat dream scape, an int ruder in t he past I st and in an uncoloured silhouet t e, t he out line on a Pre-Raphaelit e canvas w hile she graces t he scene in a vision of red of hair and eyes of dept h of Celt ic Sea. I st and aloof am ong t he raucous m errim ent of t he caravan fires, im m ersing m yself in t he sonorous em brace of old song. In recurring dream s and in m om ent s w hen dist ant haunt ed eyes look int o t he dept hs of caravan flam es, I revisit t he m om ent as if I w ere t he ghost and not her.

I w alk am ong t he flam es of t he bom b?s aft erm at h, unburnt and num b. Walking t ow ards it even as ot hers st agger and reel bloodied and burnt aw ay from it , choking t hrough t he sm oke or scream ing, m out hs soundless t o m y deafened ringing ears. My last sight of her like, frail as a m ot h in an aerial dance w it h t he light as I raced explosions t o get t o her t o be by her side. I am t hrow n t o t he ground. I see her t hen. She lies am ong sm oking and burning debris. I kneel by her side...palm feeling her heart beat and pressing dow n again and again....t ast ing her shallow breat h as I breat he int o her m out h....?Wake up! Wake up!?

It can't end not like t his

?And w hy can't it ??t he Dark Goddess m ocks

?You are all m ort als. It is not your place t o deny or defy t he gods w hen w e call for sacrifice.?

Her voice is like venom ed honey spread by a sharp blade. I w on't list en? I can't .

I look back t o m y m use...

I had t hought her sm ile silence set t o m usic and as soundlessly m y lips form ed a t rinit y of w ords. Words I w as forbidden t o speak as w e bot h drew breat h st eam in t he air.

I st ill bore t he burns as m y dream s w ere haunt ed by t he radiant ghost of her like a ghost ?s w alt z in a cast le?s ruins, her hair beggaring t he red of t he fire I hold her in t he eye of t he st orm ?

St anding like an island w it h poet ry at it s soul and an em pt y t hrone at it s heart

What w as fire anyw ay?

Only t he dead and t he dam ned can t ouch flam e?

I rem em ber w hen w e first m et ?

She is unsure of m e?

?I heard you people st eal? ? she says.

?You have m e beat t here. You st ole m y heart at a glance. How did you do it ??

She laughs...and I laugh...

?Com e you shouldn't be seen w it h his kind,? her elders scold

She lingers and I as w ell Fingers ent w ined

Pressed her palm t o m y heart in part ing before w e are pulled apart

Then t hat night

I pressed dow n again and again No not like t hat Breat he

?Go aw ay!? I dem and as t he Dark Goddess hovers.... ?I am your shadow...your shadow....?

The darkness closes in...t he w ings enfold her.... a pale face fram ed by raven hair leans in for her lips I am pulled aw ay

?Com e on Paddy The soldiers are com ing Com e on She's gone you have t o let her go she's gone ?

The rains fell t hen cold, t hough I w as oblivious t o it , ext inguishing t he flam es and banishing t hem t o haunt m y soul and recurring dream s like red ghost s am id cast le ruins I am disorient ed for a m om ent I recoil from t he flam es w hy? Just t he cam pfires am id t he caravans The reassuring presence of m y cob ponies nuzzling m e I snuggle t hem fondly It is a rem ot e sit e w e have encam ped on? far aw ay enough from t he cit y t hat t he st ars in t heir m yriads haunt t he skies and eyes Far from t he long w alk back t hen behind t he w alls and w ires...Who am I?

I w as young w hen em aciat ed rebels drew t heir last breat h in a Belfast gaol I am ancient now , older t han t he hills, w hen sw ords are relic and m en slay w it h fire It is a haunt ed place w e encam p in? There are so m any ghost s here I feel t heir hunger? It is a hunger t hat em aciat es t he soul t hat drains in succession every oasis of t he nom ad's passage night of rest less shadow s t hat t he m usician conjures and w eaves int o songs I know t he isolat ion of t he gods

I t hink of her t hen again t hen, t he vision of beaut y behind green eyes like t idepools of Celt ic Sea and a sm ile t hat w as silence set t o m usic or incant at ion cast ing it s spell, silencing all t he background m usic Hers out shines a succession of sm iles like nom ad fires in a paint ed desert , kindled over t he heart and ext inguished w it h t he daw n, all for t he bet rayal of a m irage

I st and aloof am ong t he raucous m errim ent of t he caravan fires Im m ersing m yself in t he sonorous em brace of old song I am a brooding presence in t heir m idst , a living shadow beyond t heir raucous m errim ent I t ear t he ?no pikeys and gypsies? sign t hat confront s m e on a rust ed post and cast it t o t he flam es It ignit es and flares light ing m y face and eyes in crim son I see t heir silhouet t es w eaving around t hrow ing punches in bare knuckle fight s, ot hers shout ing encouragem ent . I st ray from t he shadow s at last . I feel t he sensat ions of t he fire's w arm t h as I appear t o t heir eyes. I raise m y fist s m echanically and answ er a challenge. I am jeered. ?You can't w in. You can't w in.?

It becom es a chant t hat echoes in m y soul. Those are t he only jabs I feel.

I clench m y fist s Blood fills m y eyes I am blinded, bruised, and bloodied? everyt hing is surreal and abst ract I am not m yself anym ore

Who am I?

I am Cuchulainn w ounded from t heir sw ords slum ped against t he rock?

I recognise voices around m e I reel and sw ay ?Com e on....You can't w in,? t hey urge... Then anot her voice echoing t hem ....

t he Dark Goddess. I feel a flut t er of dark w ings Sharp t alons clut ch m y shoulder ?You can't win?, t he dark goddess w hispers The rock alone keeps m e st anding? There is no rock? not really w hat is it t hen? ?If your dead girl could see ye now ?, one m ocks The w ords st ab as cold as blades The shadow s closed in as if coiling around m e const rict ing and hissing I clench m y fist I see her as w ell in t he fire's radiance The st rengt h isn't m ine t hat I am w ielding? t hat I am rallying on

Men died here so m any They slew and w ere slain in t urn I feel t he t hrill of young w arriors eager for bat t le, t he coldness of blades and of bodies st rew n on t he red grass Shadow s are grant ed form and face m en in golden arm our w it h shining sw ords w rought and forged w it h pride Their bat t le cries sw eep m y soul w it h t he rush of w ind, urging m e t o rise I feel her shadow hear her m ocking voice claw at m y soul

This chapt er of Poet ic Prose I Dream of Fire by Greg Pat rick concludes in our m id-m ont h Updat e Issue.

This m ont h's cont ribut ing w rit er, Greg Pat rick

NOW WITH By Date& On Going Listingsand Links

Int ro t o Irish Language Class Ret urns!

The Celt ic Art s Cent er 's Int roduct ion t o t he Irish Language class w ill begin on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 7PM via Zoom and w ill cont inue w eekly on Mondays night s w it h a few except ions such as holidays and ot her special event s For exam ple, t he Celt ic Art s Cent er w ill be having it s St Pat rick?s Day celebrat ion on March 13, and t here w ill be no class on t hat evening

This online class assum es no prior know ledge of t he

Celt ic m usical art ist and songw rit er is playing every w eekend in June! ht t ps:/ / renfest corona.com /

Irish language; if you have already been exposed t o it , t his class m ay serve as a refresher course on t he basics The prim ary m at erials are "Progress in Irish" and "Gaeilge Gan St ro - Low er Level", bot h of w hich m ay be purchased online The course inst ruct or, Jam es Murphy, w ill be circulat ing t he init ial course m at erials as w ell The first few classes w ill focus on pronunciat ion

If you are int erest ed in part icipat ing or w ould like m ore det ails, please em ail us at language@celt icart scent er.com .

Church Hall

ardlow Long 808 a dish to share

wn beer/wine or favorite drink Tea and Coffee is available available beside the hall

ED NOTE: Check out the website, there is a recap link for last year and you can sign up for updates.

IrelandWeek live from Los Angeles aims to continue to showcase where Ireland excels, in the fields of Entertainment, Arts, Culture, Tourism, Tech, Food, and much more.

The Irish Arts & Entertainment

This past year w e celebrat ed 30 years as California's prem ier Irish publicat ion!

We st art ed in Sant a Monica in 1992 as t he Irish News of California

We alw ays w ant t o hear from you, your com m ent s, event s list ings and subm issions are alw ays accept ed St art ing w it h t his issue,

MORE TRIVIA

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

See O'Brian's Pub above for t heir Wednesday det ails

Sundays

MacLeod Brew ing

Trivia Night

w w w.m acleodale.com

w e are enhancing t he experience of being a subscriber by expanding our Very Irish Perks and by t he first of 2024, w e w ill fully launch our Might y Irish Net w ork

The fledgling sit e is already up and subscribers w ill be sent det ails about it t his m ont h Com m ent s & Quest ions, please em ail: jm cdonough44@gm ail com

Irish Arts & Entertainment

Mi Abreán

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

ht t p:/ / t ruet hom as com / w eblog/

John McNally and Jim McMahon at t he Irish Art s and Ent ert ainm ent 's Celt ic Com m unit y Out reach Boot h at Seaside

Pauline McDerm ot t of Im pact

ions in Ireland has a great knack for finding am azing new bands and t alent She referred us t o St rings N Things a few years back Last fall, she int roduced us t o Irish fiddler St ephanie Mart in w ho lives in It aly and is a m em ber of a 6 piece Irish band calle d Willos?

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The band is also based in It aly and and t hey perform a m ix of original com posit ions, arrangem ent s and

The King's Head in Sant a Monica has added a COFFEE BAR!

Coffee Lovers rejoice, t he King's Head

Shoppe and Bakery are now serving som e of t he best select ions of coffee and specialt y drinks in all of Sant a Monica and t he West Side!

The are also purveyors of exclusive coffees in bulk! A t im ely gift for t he coffee fans on your list !

Lead singer Fiona King is from Canada & piper Massim o Giunt ini, is one of t he best It alian pipers He has played w it hThe Chieft ainsand Loreena Mckennit

In May 2022, t hey released a new album , "From now on" and since t hen t he cd and t he band have received really im pressive feedback from a lot of sources like Irish

Music Magazine and Celt ic Music Radio

The band has played about 700 gigs in It aly, Ireland, France and Sw it zerland and perform ed w it h John Doyle & Liz Carrol

t radit ional Irish m usic.

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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

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