Irish Arts and Entertainment November Mid Month Update Issue, November. 2025 by Irish Arts & Entertainment

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Requ i em M ass Set For I m eld a M cCan n

MELDA (MURPHY) McCANN

In Memoriam

M ass & M em or ial Set For Novem ber 5

Requiem M ass will be said on Tuesday 11/ 5/ 24 at 11: AM . The Old San Fer nando M ission Chur ch 15151 San Fer nando M ission Blvd , M ission Hills, CA

Reception to follow at the M ission

August 30, 1935 ? Oct ober 13, 2024

Im elda w as born and raised in Port adow n, Co Arm agh, on August 30, 1935 t o Henry and Doris Murphy, along w it h her siblings Billy, Sheila, Pat sy and Michael Im elda m oved t o California as a young adult t o nanny and earn her Cit izenship. Im elda m arried Jim McCann in Los Angeles in 1960, also from Port adow n. Toget her t hey raised 5 children: Jim m y, Kelly, Pat rick, Sean and Kevin w hile st art ing a fam ily floor covering business, ?McCann?s Floor Covering? and soon aft er st art ed a new business, w hich she t horoughly loved, ?Sham rock Im port s ? Im elda w as know n all over for her w onderful shop of everyt hing Irish, from cryst al, jew elry, clot hing, sw eat ers, books, foods & sw eet s At Sham rock Im port s, Im elda alw ays had t he t eapot on for a w ee cuppa, alw ays up for a visit w it h her cust om ers/ friends. Im elda part icularly loved her Irish dance cust om ers ? especially t he kids. Im elda w ould frequent t he Irish fairs and feis?and w ould alw ays have Crunchie and Flake candy bars for t he dancers In addit ion t o her shop, Im elda loved her visit s t o Ireland and t he trips to the Horse Races Imelda will be missed by her children and by her grandchildren, James & Tesla, Kevin & Kaitlyn, Steven & Erin, Keira, Kiley & Damian. Imelda?s family was by her side in her final hours

Sam hain, Discover t he Ancient Hist ory Shrouded In Myt h and Legend

Sam hain, celebrat ed on Novem ber 1st , m arks a significant dat e in t he ancient Celt ic calendar. Today, t his ancient sacred day is know n for t he m ost part as t he origin of Hallow een. Sam hain is m uch m ore im port ant t han t hat salient t idbit of Am erican Hist ory.

(See our Hallow een Special issue linked here for m ore )

Hist ory and t he m ajor im port ance of Sam hain w it h t he early Celt ic People

There are t hree m ajor aspect s of Sam hain t o be honored and respect ed for anyone t ruly int erest ed in Celt ic and Irish hist ory.

First the importance of the day itself in the Celtic Calendar: The day m arked t he end of t he harvest season and t he beginning of w int er or t he "dark half of t he year." A good harvest w as essent ial t o t he w ell being of t he people and t ribes. A good harvest t ranslat ed t o a good w int er and peace so it w as a m ajor day of t he Celt ic Year.

Secondly, Religious Practice, Then & Now:

Here t here is a bit of an overlap t oo as first t he Druids and lat er early Irish Christ ians infused t heir religious beliefs t o Sam hain

Druids and Sam hain:

Druids w ere t he priest ly class in ancient Celt ic societ ies and t hey played a significant role in Sam hain celebrat ions They w ere believed t o possess know ledge of t he ot herw orld and aft erlife so t hey w ould conduct rit uals and divinat iont o bolst er t his belief and t heir ow n credibilit y

LATER CHRISTIANS blended All Hallow s Eve (Now Hallow een on Oct ober 31), All Saint s Day Eve and t he next day, All Souls Day int o Sam hain. In Irish, t his t im e is so im port ant t hat t he Feast and Fest ival day's nam e is t he sam e as t he ent ire m ont h. Novem ber in Irish Gaelic is SAMHAIN.

The decline of Druidism w as a gradual process, influenced by various fact ors, including t he Rom an conquest of Celt ic lands and t he spread of Christ ianit y. So inevit ably, w e had Sam hain's Evolut ion int o a Religious Holiday: The Christ ianizat ion of Sam hain occurred over cent uries as Christ ianit y spread t hroughout Celt ic lands. The Church oft en incorporat ed exist ing pagan t radit ions int o Christ ian holidays t o ease t he t ransit ion for convert s. Pope Gregory IV designat ed Novem ber 1st as All Saint s' Day in 835 AD, likely t o coincide w it h and absorb t he pagan Sam hain fest ivit ies.

Irish Saint s and All Souls' Day/ All Saint s' Day: Several Irish saint s played a role in prom ot ing All Souls' Day (Novem ber 2nd) and All Saint s' Day. Saint Odilo of Cluny, t hough not Irish, w as inst rum ent al in est ablishing All Souls' Day t hroughout Europe in t he 10t h cent ury. Irish m issionaries and scholars helped spread t he observance of t hese holidays across t he cont inent .

A fair am ount of t hese beliefs and t radit ions cont inue t o som e ext ent t oday. The Celt s believed t hat during Sam hain, t he spirit s of t he dead could ret urn t o t he eart hly realm . The belief t hat t he veil bet w een t he w orlds of t he living and t he dead is t hin on Novem ber 1st persist s in various cult ures and spirit ual t radit ions. Dia de los Muert os com es t o m ind.

While not a m ainst ream religious belief, m any people st ill associat e t his t im e w it h a height ened connect ion t o t he spirit w orld and t hey w ould light bonfires and offer food and drink t o appease t hese spirit s. So Novem ber 1st and t he Aft erlife gained im port ance, Just as Christ m as t oday is celebrat ed by m illions of people as a secular holiday, giant celebrat ions w ere held just for t he sake of com m erce, com m unit y and t he gat hering of t he populace in ancient Ireland.

AI generat ed im age of Sam hain in 900AD Count y Meat h near New grange Many scholars believe such celebrat ions have been ongoing for 5000 years.

Samhain?s roots lie deep in the mists of history

Trim Castle, probably not as the Normans imagined it, but how the Puca Festival 2023 did (image Tourism Ireland)

The flam es w ill sym bolically link t he landscapes of Tlacht ga, Tara (t he sit e of t he High Kings of Ireland), Loughcrew , Tailt eann, and Uisneach ? all ut t erly fascinat ing sit es in Ireland?s Ancient East .

The Púca Great Fire is a public event and t icket s are not required ? just as t hey w ouldn? t have been needed 5,000 years ago w hen t he event w ould already have been going st rongOVERLOOKING t he plains of Meat h, one m ile east of At hboy, Tlacht ga holds a cent ral place in t he st ory of Hallow een. Know n locally as t he Hill of Ward aft er a 17t h cent ury landow ner.

Tlacht ga w as t he religious cent re of t he Druids It w as here t hat t he High Kings of ancient t im es t urned for t heir religious pract ices And t his, it is claim ed, is t he birt hplace of a fest ival t oday celebrat ed t hroughout t he w orld, know n t oday as Hallow een. Originally it w as called Sam hain, probably derived from t he w ords ?m eaning end of sum m er ? .

ALWAYS POPULAR

Wit h t he onset of w int er Tlacht ga becam e t he focus of t he Great Fire Fest ival To m ark t his passage of t he seasons, The Púca Fest ival, w hich runs Oct ober 31 t o Novem ber 3, holds an event

called t he Light ing of t he Sam hain Fire at Fair Green. As t he sun dips below t he horizon, t he green w ill com e alive w it h t he cerem onial light ing of t he Sam hain Fire. This sort of t hing has been going on fnow for about five t housand years.

And it w ould not be Ireland, if t here w ere no naysayers Check out t he alt ernat e view from a group of m ore conservat ive Chrsit ians.

w w w.isfcc.org/ puca-fest ival-irelands-neo-pagan-revival/

Thanks t o Tourism Ireland's Paddy Gallagher for t his subm ission. Reprint ed w it h perm ission.

SAMHAIN HISTORY from Page 4

THIRDLY, Bonfires, Feast s, and Ot her Cust om s:

Bonfires w ere indeed a cent ral part of Sam hain celebrat ions, serving t o cleanse and prot ect t he com m unit y. Feast s w ere also com m on, w it h people sharing food and drink t o honor t heir ancest ors and ensure a bount iful harvest in t he com ing year Ot her cust om s associat ed w it h Sam hain include divinat ion pract ices, st oryt elling, and cost um es or disguises t o w ard off m alevolent spirit s

Sam hain provides a glim pse int o t he ancient Irish w orldview , w here t he cycles of nat ure and t he spirit w orld w ere deeply int ert w ined. It highlight s t heir reverence for ancest ors, t heir underst anding of deat h as a part of life, and t heir belief in t he int erconnect edness of t he seen and unseen w orlds

In conclusion,Sam hain rem ains a pot ent sym bol of ancient Celt ic t radit ions and beliefs, even as it has evolved and been incorporat ed int o m odern celebrat ions like Hallow een It rem inds us of t he enduring hum an fascinat ion w it h t he m yst eries of life, deat h, and t he spirit w orld

If you w ant m ore info on Sam hain Celebrat ions t oday, check out t he Puca Fire Fest ival going on in Count y Meat h, Ireland t ill Novem ber 3rd.

ht t ps:/ / pucafest ival.com /

Irish Film Review

Fidil Ghorm (Blue Fiddle)

This delight ful fam ily friendly m ove is in IRISH w it h English subt it les

TRAILER LINK; FIDIL GHORM / BLUE FIDDLE

a heart felt film direct ed by Anne McCabe. This t ouching m ovie boast s a t alent ed cast including Ruadhán Ó Flat hart a, Marcus Lam b, Sarah Jane Scot t , Siobh, w ho believes t hat if she learns t o play t he fiddle like her fat her she w ill w ake him from his com a. Wit h a grum py old m an as her t eacher and a drive t o perform t he m iracle she?s chasing Molly begins her journey t o find t he m agic in t he m usic she believes m ay heal her dad

Abú Media in Galw ay w ill be on hand t o part icipat e in t he Int ernat ional Prem iere of t heir beaut iful m ovie This film w on Best First Feat ure at t he recent Galw ay Film Fest ival and t his w ill be only it s second public screening ever

ht t ps:/ / vim eo.com / 944498718/ 2d26d8b0ad

The GALWAY CHRISTMAS MARKET IS OPEN

Fairly Recent Irish Tradition Thrives

Eyre Square in Galw ay is resplendent in Christ m as decorat ions and excit em ent once again The Galw ay Christ m as Market is a popular at t ract ion for locals and t ourist s alike Running from Novem ber 8t h t o January 5t h, 2024 It 's locat ed in t he cit y's cent ral plaza

The m arket feat ures over 50 w ooden chalet s selling fest ive gift s, decorat ions, and local craft s There are also num erous food st alls offering delicious t reat s like hot chocolat e, m ulled w ine, and t radit ional Irish dishes. The m arket also feat ures live m usic, am usem ent rides, and a Sant a's grot t o. It 's a great place t o experience t he fest ive spirit of Galw ay and enjoy som e unique shopping and dining

Finally, t here are m any hot els w it hin w alking dist ance of t he

Galw ay Christ m as Market !

This year is only t he 14t h year for t his CYulet ide Event in Galw ay but t he region is w ell est ablished in Irish Hist ory and legend for being a Fair & Fest iva haven Going back t o Medeval Tim es, 13t h Cent ury Galw ay w as host ing m assive fairs and m arket s. w w w.galw ayt ourism .ie/ event / galw ay-christ m as-m arket /

Republic Of Ireland's Elect ion Set For Novem ber 29t h.

Ireland's upcom ing nat ional elect ion, scheduled for lat e 2024, raises concerns about w het her it w ill reflect t he volat ilit y observed in June's local elect ions, w here independent s capt ured 25% of t he vot e. Cent ral issues include housing and im m igrat ion. The governm ent has st ruggled t o t ackle t he housing crisis, w hile effort s from t he left t o init iat e a m ass housing m ovem ent deserve considerat ion This year, approxim at ely 35,000 individuals have left t he Republic, at t he sam e t im e around 100,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived While m any Irish cit izens w elcom e t hese new com ers?cont ribut ions t o societ y and t he w orkforce, som e locals express t heir opposit ion, som et im es violent ly, highlight ing t he irony t hat housing appears available for refugees despit e a nat ional short age, w it h t he hom eless rat e in Ireland having t ripled in recent years

The housing crisis is not only underm ining t he Irish econom y but also driving up t he cost of living and deplet ing t he labor force. Public services are st ruggling t o recruit doct ors, nurses, t eachers, and police officers. Dublin has becom e t he second m ost expensive capit al in Europe, w it h cost s cont inuing t o rise, largely due t o t he policies of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Younger w orking-class adult s oft en find t hem selves unable t o afford hom e ow nership, frequent ly living w it h fam ily rat her t han facing high rent s or choosing t o em igrat e Irish cit izens living overseas have been denied t he right t o vot e, and deserve a voice Ireland rem ains one of t he few count ries t hat rest rict vot ing right s t o t hose residing w it hin it s 26 count ies, w it h post al and overseas vot ing lim it ed t o diplom at s and m ilit ary personnel. This exclusion raises quest ions about t he governm ent ?s hesit ance t o em brace t ransform at ive change.

Sinn Féin advocat es for ext ending vot ing right s t o t heir "exiled children." If Sinn Fein com es t o pow er, t hey also plan t o priorit ize Irish unit y, st art ing w it h a green paper on t he subject , convening a Cit izens' Assem bly, and appoint ing a Minist er for Reunificat ion

Irish coalit ion leaders Sim on Harris, Micheál Mart in and Roderic O'Gorm an are due m eet n early Novem ber t o set dat e for t he next Irish elect ion

Ireland's Hidden Gem s; St ory and Phot os

Gobbins Path

The Gobbinscliff path winds through stunning landscapes, featuring bridges, caves, and a tunnel along the dramatic cliffs? known asGobán, meaning "tip/point of land" or "headland " Located about 20 miles up the coast from Belfast, these cliffsare celebrated for their rich bird life, significant geology, and unique species

Originally designed by an Irish railway engineer, the path was built asa tourist attraction for the Belfast and Northern CountiesRailway Company and opened to the public in 1902 Due to the challengesof maintaining a trail along a rugged coastline, it fell into disrepair in the 1930s After a significant restoration, it reopened in 2016, with access now limited to guided tours, though visitors can explore the Gobbins viewpoint and the initial section of the trail independently

The GobbinsVisitor Center, located about two miles from the path, featuresa café, gift shop, and small museum Ticketsare priced at $28 per person, and it'sadvisable to book in advance; on our first visit in 2019, we were unable to secure standby tickets Safety gear, including boots and helmets, are required, and guidesare diligent about asking for any mobility limitationsor health concerns, asemergency access can be challenging on the isolated path

While our guide emphasized safety a bit excessively, she later enriched our experience with fascinating storiesabout the path'shistory, detailsabout the seabirdswe encountered, and possible originsof the name Gobbins. The two-mile trail itself wasn? t particularly strenuous, aside from the steep driveway leading back to the busstop at the end Despite being instructed to stay together, we managed to take our time, enjoying a few quiet momentsalong the path and truly soaking in the beauty of the experience

By John McNally

"Thepath consistsof trails, bridges, andtunnels that hugthe100-foot cliffsandwithScotland just 20 milesaway, thescenery is nothingshort of spectacular."

Sally and John McNally on the right enjoying the experience and view

Book of Kells Current ly on display at Trinit y Universit y in Dublin

The Book of Kells is an illum inat ed m anuscript t hat prim arily covers t he four Gospels depict ing t he LifeofChrist Writ t en in Lat in, cont aining not just t he four Gospels of t he New Test am ent but also w it h various prefat ory t ext s and t ables

The Book of Kells is one of Ireland's great est t reasures and w as creat ed around 800 AD in a Colum ban m onast ery, likely in Ireland. How ever, m aybe in Scot land on t he Monest ary Island of Iona (Just off t he Scot t ish coast )

Journey t o Kells: It likely ended up in Kells, Count y Meat h, Ireland, for safekeeping follow ing Viking raids Iona w as raided in 806 AD It rem ained at Kells for cent uries

Arrival at Trinit y College: In 1654, it w as m oved t o Trinit y College Dublin for safekeeping during t he Crom w ellian invasion of Ireland. It has rem ained t here ever since, becom ing one of Ireland's m ost t reasured nat ional art ifact s.

Disput e over Ow nership:

There have been calls from som e in Kells for t he Book of Kells t o be ret urned t o it s nam esake t ow n

How ever, Trinit y College m aint ains t hat t he Book is safest and best preserved under t heir care, and t hat it 's an im port ant part of Ireland's nat ional herit age, not just Kells' local herit age Current ly, t here are no act ive legal challenges t o Trinit y College's ow nership but rat her a grow ing m ovm ent t o at least let Count y Meat h int erest s share t he cust ody..

Online and Int eract ive Access:

Online: High-resolut ion digit al versions of t he Book of Kells are available online, allow ing you t o explore it s int ricat e det ails up close You can find it on Trinit y College Library's w ebsit e

Int eract ive Show : Trinit y College also offers " The Book of Kells 360," an im m ersive exhibit ion t hat com bines visuals and sound t o t ell t he st ory of t he m anuscript . This m ight be a great w ay t o experience t he Book in a new w ay, especially since you saw t he physical book 50 years ago.

https://bit ly/4eeCQiy

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I r i sh Ch ef Pau l W attter s' I r i sh Com f or t Food

Grandma's Minced Beef Meatball Stew

The Meat balls

300g lean m inced (ground) beef 1 t easpoon of dried t hym e

1 t easpoon of dried Rosem ary

1 egg (beat en)

1 cup of fine breadcrum bs

Salt and pepper

(Mix t oget her all t he ingredient s t oget her in a large bow l and shape accordingly place on a plat e covered w it h cling film and refrigerat e before cooking.

The Veget able Preparat ion

2 large onion (peeled and chopped rough)

4 large carrot s (peeled, rinsed, Sliced)

1 Turnip (peeled, rinsed, chopped rough)

4 St icks of celery (cut in half lengt hw ays t hen dice rough)

6 large pot at oes (peeled, rinsed and diced rough)

2 Sprigs of fresh t hym e (picked)

1 clove of garlic (peeled and crushed)

The St ock

4 pint s of hot w at er

2 t ablespoons of t om at o Puree

2 Lam b st ock cubes (w ork w ell w it h beef)

2 dash of Worcest ershire Sauce

h delight ed and very appreciaat ive t o be associat ed w it h him .

Our contributing Celebrity Chef has been creat ing dishes and preparing great food for over 30 years He has w orked all over t he w orld from t he Savoy Hot el in London t o as far aw ay from Ireland as t he Sydney Opera House, Aust ralia. A few years ago, Chef Paul ret urned t o Belfast and cont inued t o w ork at som e t op rat ed hot el rest aurant s. During t he lockdow n he set up a cooking page on Facebook t o share his love of food and cooking. Chef Paul also st art ing w rit ing about cooking for m agazines and papers around t he w orld. We are delight ed t o be associat ed w it h him . sim ple t ast y healt hy by pw

Let 's Cook

Gat her a large pot and add a drizzle of veget able oil Bring t o m edium t o high heat , add t he m eat balls, and cook for a few m inut es w it h colour. Rem ove from t he pot and add t he pot at oes, carrot s, and t urnips Allow t o cook for a few m inut es. Add t hym e And garlic, t hen add celery and Cook for a furt her t hree m inut es add t om at o puree along w it h w at er and st ock cubes. Bring

t o a boil and sim m er for 15 m inut es add m eat balls and allow t o cook for a furt her five add Worcest ershire sauce.

Dish Som e people like t o add t heir ow n t w ist t o t his classic dish by adding gravy m ix, but t hat 's fine If you choose t o, Sim ply add 2 t ablespoons of preferred gravy m ix t o 2 t ablespoons of w at er, m ix w ell, and add t o t he st ew Serve w it h chopped chives and fresh w arm crust y bread Enjoy.

The Present at ion

Serve in a Bow l and Enjoy.

Chef Paul

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The View from Ireland

The Phoney Elect ion

By Maurice Fitzpatrick

The period im m ediat ely aft er Hit ler invaded Poland in Sept em ber 1939 and t he Allied forces declared w ar on Germ any w as designat ed ? t he phoney w ar ? : it w as clear t hat m any European nat ions, and soon m uch of t he rest of t he w orld, w as at w ar, but t here w as m inim al fight ing unt il 1940. In Ireland just now w e have a sim ilarly peculiar phenom enon ? a phoney pre-elect ion period. The general elect ion has not been called but t he ent ire polit ical class, m edia and m uch of t he populat ion is act ing as t hough t he elect ion is now happening

Given t hat t he prospect s of re-elect ion for t he t w o m ain part ies of t he governm ent are so propit ious, w hy not call an elect ion and capit alise on t he support t hat m ay be jeopardised by a long w int er, risky by-elect ions and unforeseen event s? The m ost plausible explanat ion is a t endency t o hesit at e in leader of Fianna Fáil Micheál Mart in. It is Taoiseach Sim on Harris?decision, but Harris w ill alm ost cert ainly be faced w it h t he leader of Fianna Fáil in a coalit ion negot iat ion aft er t he elect ion and he cannot afford t o alienat e Mart in by doing a solo run

St ill, t here is no doubt t hat t he governm ent is preparing t o go t o t he count ry t his side of Christ m as The nat ional budget for 2025 present ed t o t he Dáil in Oct ober w as unprecedent ed in it s bount y including once off m easures w ort h ?2 billion such as Christ m as bonuses and a new born baby bonus. Only a cynic w ould call it a giveaw ay budget by t he governm ent designed t o shore up support in t he elect orat e for it s re-elect ion. Tellingly, t he governm ent is pushing t hrough t he finance bill t o copperfast en t he budget t hrough w it hin t he next few w eeks

Then new broom Taoiseach Harris t ravelled t o t he Whit e House t o t hank out going President Biden for his st eady com m it m ent t o Ireland as president Eit her t hat or Harris w as in Washingt on t o ensure t hat he had been in t he Whit e House as Taoiseach before t he general elect ion

Not for not hing did Harris bring his ow n film crew w it h him and proclaim ed in t he heart of polit ical Washingt on t hat t he prerogat ive t o call an elect ion rest s w it h him

First up, form er Sinn Féin press officer Michael McMonagle from Derry pleaded guilt y t o a series of child sex offences It also em erged t hat , aft er t he allegat ions w ere m ade against him , senior figures in t he part y had w rit t en charact er references for McMonagle w hich enabled him t o land a new job at t he Brit ish Heart Foundat ion. McMonagle w as also perm it t ed t o keep his sw ipe card t o ent er St orm ont Cast le and rem ained act ive as an aide in t he Nort hern Ireland Assem bly aft er t he allegat ions That dam aged leader of Sinn Féin in t he Nort h Michelle O?Neill and she has been quest ioned in t he Assem bly about her know ledge of t he McMonagle case

Then cam e t he resignat ion of Pat ricia Ryan, a TD from Kildare Sout h. Ryan appeared t o feel slight ed t hat she w ould have t o cont est her right t o run as a Sinn Féin candidat e in t he const it uency in t he ant icipat ed general elect ion, despit e being a sit t ing TD. Indeed, Sinn Féin has had several resignat ions recent ly. The biggest fish t o resign w as Brian St anley Not only a TD but t he chair of t he Public Account s Com m it t ee, St anley w as a core m em ber of Sinn Féin for over t w ent y years

Unknow n t o anybody in t he m edia or public, St anley has been answ ering quest ions in recent m ont hs at a special inquiry est ablished by t he part y t o respond t o an allegat ion against him by a w om an. Neit her t he ident it y of his accuser nor t he nat ure of t he allegat ion is know n. St anley vigorously m aint ains his innocence and resigned in fury on Oct ober 12

On his w ay out t he door, St anley lam bast ed a ?cert ain clique?in Sinn Féin out t o dam age his reput at ion and accused t he part y of presiding over a ?kangaroo court ? . That sort of st at em ent get s you rem oved from Sinn Féin?s Christ m as card list very quickly. St anley w as presum ably referring t o an unelect ed set of decision-m akers in Connolly House Belfast w ho have long been suspect ed of issuing inst ruct ions t o elect ed represent at ives The phrase ?kangaroo court ?conjures t he experience of m any of people w ho experienced t he IRA brand of ?just ice?

In t he backdrop of t hese accusat ions and coverups a furt her scandal em erged t hat im plicat es t he part y leader. Sinn Féin senat or Niall Ó Donnghaile w as suspended from t he part y last Sept em ber. Mary Lou McDonald inform ed t he Dáil t hat he w as resigning for healt h reasons Yet w e have just learned t hat at least part of t he reason for his depart ure w as his t ext ing a m inor ? t he cont ent of his com m unicat ion is unknow n There is lit t le doubt about t he polit ical dam age it has done McDonald claim s t hat she spoke

w it h discret ion because she w as concerned for Ó Donnghaile?s m ent al healt h.

Responding t o t he Michael McMonagle scandal, McDonald accept ed t hat a ?com plet e overhaul?in governing st ruct ures is needed in t he part y Responding t o t he Brian St anley cont roversy, she m aint ained t hat t he part y act ed properly t hroughout Such cont radict ions have caused a rapidly increasing num ber of people t o lose fait h in McDonald and, by ext ension, t he part y McDonald?s posit ion has not been safe since t he disast rous local elect ion result s in June; she is even m ore in jeopardy now Since Sinn Féin support peaked at 36% in July 2022, t he part y has had profound difficult ies in st em m ing it s st eady decline. The furt her decline in support t hat is likely from t hese series of scandals, and w hat t hey show about t he part y?s governing cult ure, w ill st rike panic in t he part y w hile providing a gift for t he governm ent part ies As for McDonald, t he proxim it y of t he general elect ion m ay be t he one t hing prot ect ing her posit ion as part y leader

Ir ish M usic: NEWS& REVIEWS

Just Released

Tipperary singer James McGrath, now based in Nashville, hasreleased his new album, Can't Get Out.

James McGrath, Irish singer-songwriter from Nenagh Tipperary, has a gift for captivating audienceswith his down-to-earth and relatable storytelling. Through his charismatic live performances, he takeslisteners on an emotional rollercoaster Hissongspaint a vivid picture of small town life, of heartbreak and optimism. The Nenagh native's showsare honest, raw, and filled with genuine passion. Now under management out of Johnson City, Tennessee Jameshas released his highly anticipated debut album 'Can't Get Out' available to download everywhere.

However, to support thisartist, the best way to order the CD is through hiswebsite that we link here: https://musicbyjamesmcgrath.com/home.

Social m edia links -

www.facebook.com / m usicbyjam esm cgrat h/

www.inst agram .com / m usicbyjam esm cgrat h/

www.t ikt ok.com / @m usicbyjam esm cgrat h

www.yout ube.com / @m usicbyjam esm cgrat h

Wells Of Life Gala Held In Mission Viejo

Wells of Life?s 2024 Gala Raises Nearly $1 Million t o Bring Clean Wat er t o Ugandan Com m unit ies

im pact of clean w at er on Ugandan com m unit ies. Held at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club on Oct ober 12, 2024, t he event raised an im pressive $951,981 t o fund nine new w ells and seven Healt hy Village Program (HVP) project s, adding new m om ent um t o t he organizat ion?s m ission of delivering sust ainable, life-changing w at er access.

ICW Group served as t he Gala?s t it le sponsor

ABOVE: ICW Group's Rob deViere, Micaela Rivas and Jam ie Barnes

Mission Viejo, CA ? The 2024 Wells of Life Legacy Gala, t hem ed ?St ories of Hope,? brought t oget her support ers, part ners, and com m unit y m em bers in a resounding success, celebrat ing t he t ransform at ive

On the right:

Michele and Nick

Jordan w it h David Schlot t erbeck & his w ife Genell In the right corner: Also in at t endance, Fr Maxim us

Ssekiw ala, Sr Joan Hogan and Aidan Jordan

Since 2010, Wells of Life has t ouched t he lives of m ore t han 1.33 m illion people in Uganda by providing clean w at er solut ions and essent ial WASH (Wat er, Sanit at ion, and Hygiene) t raining. This year ?s gala em bodied t he pow erful im pact of t hese effort s w it h com pelling st ories of resilience and hope from individuals and fam ilies w hose lives have been uplift ed by access t o clean w at er.

ICW Group served as t he Gala?s t it le sponsor, w it h t he event furt her support ed by prom inent part ners Brow n & St reza and Next Door Hom e Upgrades At t endees enjoyed Wells of Life?s signat ure cockt ail, craft ed by Golden Eagle Vodka, as t hey engaged in a night filled w it h inspiring st ories, im pact ful fundraising, and heart felt grat it ude. Through a spirit ed live and silent auct ion, generous cont ribut ions, and t he dedicat ion of Legacy Circle m em bers, Wells of Life exceeded expect at ions in it s m ission t o em pow er Ugandan com m unit ies w it h clean w at er access.

Wells of Life ext ends it s deepest grat it ude t o everyone w ho m ade t his evening unforget t able, especially t o our sponsors and support ers w hose com m it m ent m akes t his life-changing w ork possible. Toget her, w e celebrat e a shared vision for clean w at er access, dignit y, and opport unit y for all

Wells of Life?s 2024 Legacy Gala Honored Yout h Volunt eers for Exem

Servant Leadership in Support of Clean Wat er Init iat ives

Anot her ext raordinarily posit ive aspect of t he approach t o helping t o solve t he w orld w ide w at er crisis is t he out reach t hat Wells of Life has undert aken t o engage young people t o becom e involved. Wells of Life irecognized t he young volunt eers from JSerra Cat holic High School, Capist rano Valley High School, and Laguna Hills High School for t heir rem arkable servant leadership

On the right:

In at t endance at t he Wells of Life

Oct ober Gala

Fundraiser w ere

Et han William s, Logan Epst ein, Em erson

Coulst on and Abbey Kim m el

ABOVE: Jason Roenicke, Pascal Olinga, Nick Jordan and Adrian Laurent iu. Those w ho at t ended have heeded t he call t o give t im e, t reasure and hard w ork t o aid in solving Uganda's Clean Wat er Crisis.

ABOVE: Abbey Rom eo, David Isaacm an, Alison Isaacm an, Laura Am ada-Bagdadi, Debbie Isaacm an, Christ ine Rom eo and Mary Rom eo are all dedicat ed t o helping m ake a bet t er w orld.

The Irish Arts & Entertainment's CELTIC CAMERA

Philly Phans gat her each w eek at THE HARP! Cost a Mesa's Harp inn irish Pub is t he hom e aw ay from hom e for t he Eagles!

The World FamousYe Olde King's Head Pub in Santa Monica was honored for their 50 yearsin businessby the City Council Publican DONAL TAVEY wason hand to accept the Award Certificate from Santa Monica's Paul Boettcher

Colm Meaney on t he LATE LATE SHOW

"100 years of t he sam e t w o part ies is enough." " The m ajor issue here is housing and t he part y w it h t he best housing policy and t he best person t o im plem ent t he housing policy is Sinn Féin and Eoin Ó Broin "

Celtic Cam er a!

We ar e her e looking for you!

A w ell deserved honor w as best ow ed on t he ow ner and st aff responsible for t he great ent it y t hat is Ye Olde King's Head Brit ish Pub, Rest aurant and Shoppe in Sant a Monica! Thrilled t o receive a Com m endat ion from t he Cit y of Sant a Monica for 50 years in business Lisa Pow ers, general Manager w as very appreciat ive in her st at em ent :

" Thank you t o all of our em ployees past and present . Our vendors, our lovely cust om ers and our Sant a Monica com m unit y We love w hat w e do and are grat eful t o you all for m aking t his happen . "

"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

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: w w

From our Cover, ON THE RIGHT:

Sally McNally on The GOBBINS

PATH t our in Count y Ant rim , NI about 20 m iles from Belfast ht t ps:/ / t hegobbinscliffpat h.com /

See related story on Page 14

Below Our long t im e reader and friend Michael Barners, now ret ired, w as t he Harbor Mast er in San Pedro, He and his w ife are current ly t raveling in Japan and sent us t hese,

Turns out you can st ill get a PERFECT PINT in Kyot o for t he equivalent of $3 75

Com ing In Our Decem ber Issue

Novem ber 20t h is t he 40t h Anniversary of t he Princess Grace Irish Herit age Library in Monaco. We have a feat ure on t his am azing inst it ut ion w hich w as conceived as a t ribut e t o t he legendary Irish Am erican act ress Grace Kelly and her legacy

IRISH MUSIC, New s

& Review s:

John McNally w rit es about t he great Irish Art ist , Christ y Moore and his new CD

Also, a feat ure and Q & A w it h Irish born, LA based m usician and singer Bren Holm es.

Chrsit m as Buyong Guide. our regular feat ures, Expanding Calendar and a lot m ore!

DOWNPATRICK in Count y Dow n has m uch t o offer. Less t han one hour from Belfast and about t w o hours fron Dublin, st art at t he SAINT PATRICK'S CENTRE! w w w.saint pat rickcent re.com

ABOVE: Aut hor and Irish Arts & Entertainment Cont ribut or, Greg Pat rick at Malbork Cast le in Malbork, Poland

A dual cit izen of Ireland and t he Unit ed St at es, Greg Byron Pat rick is an Irish/ Arm enian t raveler, w rit er & poet He is a son of a Navy m an & a son of t he Traveling People

Also a form er Hum anit arian aid w orker. Anot her occupat ion learned w hen he w as young, he w orked w it h great horses as a t rainer for years. He loves t he w ilds of Connem ara and Galw ay in

t he rain w here he has w rit t en m any st ories. Greg spent his yout h in t he Sout h Pacific and Europe and current ly resides in Galw ay, Krakow , and som et im es t he st at es. He now w rit es and t ravels

He is a w ell know n novelist as w ell as w rit ing for t he popular press His w rit ing has appeared in several int ernat ional publicat ions and ant hologies including t his m agazine, t he Irish Arts and Entertainment, Celt ic Nat ions Magazine, Lot hlorien Press, Hellbound Books, Dream punk Press,

On-Going

Every Week

Sundays st art ing @ 4:pm Irish Music

Session w it h Irish Dancers Auld Dubliner Irish Pub Long Beach

See advert this issue on page 5

Thursdays st art ing @ 9:pm Irish Music w it h Niall Cash Irish Music Maker from Wexford. Follow him on w w w inst agram com / niallcash/ The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub 71 S. Pine Long Beach, CA w w w.aulddubliner.com

issive@gm ail.com

NOVEMBER

Sunday, Nov 17 @ 2:pm

Denis and Mary Murray invit e you t o an Irish Sunday Pot Luck and Karaoke Social Bring a dish t o share great craic and fun!

St Cornenius Church Hall 5500 E Wardlow , Long Beach St art s @ 7:30pm

Every Tuesday, Friday, Sat & Sunday Fiddler Mike Kelly goes Celt Hick w it h his solo act at four different Hennessey Pubs. Check online for det ails, locat ions and t im es. w w w.celt hickm usic.com

Friends of Ireland Breakfast First Tuesday of every m ont h Breakfast at 9.30 am Kenos Rest aurant 2661 West La Palm a, Anaheim , More info and t o get on t he m ailing list : Cont act PETE WALSH pbeireanua@at t .net +1 714-200-7365

Irish Social Sunday The Third Sunday, St art ing @ 2:pm https://open spotify com/artist/1LMtanrpqbdRDVfPBYelFM

Derek Warfield & t he Young Wolfe Tones

Announce US and Canadian Tour

Derek Warfield and t he Young Wolfe Tones are a renow ned Irish folk group t hat carries on t he t radit ion of t elling Ireland's st ory t hrough m usic. Derek Warfield, a founding m em ber of t he legendary Wolfe Tones, leads t his ensem ble of t alent ed young m usicians.

Know n for t heir energet ic perform ances and passionat e delivery of t radit ional Irish ballads, t hey have capt ivat ed audiences w orldw ide Their m usic blends hist orical narrat ives w it h lively jigs and reels, offering a vibrant experience of Irish cult ure.

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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 Three reasons:

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Did you know that in the past three years the Irish Arts& Entertainment has given away THREEPAIRSof R/T Ticketsto Ireland on Aer Lingus?

We have also given away well over 200 pairs of tickets to Irish Concerts, Fairs, Theatre Perfomances, Celtic Gift Packs, and more just during the past 10 years!

See page for our current Celtic Woman CD/DVD Contest!

Next month we announce the detailsof our biggest and best EZ To Enter & WIN Contest SeriesEVER!!

Early Bird Subscription Deal and Details: CLICK HERE

The SoCal Irish Fair and Music Fest ival t hat w as planned in Torrance for t his past July has been rescheduled t o Fat her 's Day Weekend 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 !

Ken O'Malley solo show www.thethreestagspub.com

www.kenomalley.com

We

invite

you to Advertise With Us

Our new Media Kit is available if you are int erest ed in advert ising or prom ot ing your business or event w it h us. 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!

We really have no equal. Now in addit ion t o our effect ive and w ell respect ed publicat ion; our t eam has

IRISH LANGUAGE An Ghaeilge

The View From Ireland Feat ure 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

m ast ered Digit al Market ing and w e can enhance your out reach for a very cost effect ive rat e

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 a new series of very excit ing Draw ings and Cont est s!

The Holidays are alm ost here and w e w ill be doing Special issues for Hallow een and for Christ m as!

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. As w e expand around t he US, w e w ill add m ore such links More on t his project in com ing issues.

CLICK ICON FOR A QUICK LESSON

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

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

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...