Irish Arts & Entertainment, St. Patrick's Day Special

Happy St . Pat rick ' s Day t o All Our Readers!!

St. Patrick's Day In Ireland, See Feature Pg 5

Mult i-t alent ed, m ult i-inst rum ent alist s m ake up t he Kerry

Tradit ional Band Tim Hill (Piper) Christ a Burch (singer and bodhrán) and Ryan McKassan (Fiddler).

INSIDETHISISSUE!

Ireland Trip Pict orial by Guest Writ er

Richard At kins Pagg 14

RIVERDANCE 25t h, Anniversary Show !

2023 Tour is on.

Lim it ed run in LA for only one w eek in April at t he Dolby

See feat ure on page 18 for dat es and t icket availabilt y and links!

Six Nations Rugby enters final phase this weekend for 2023. See page 6

B) Pg 9

H) Pg 8

E) Pg 22

G) Pg 23

Fit zpat rick

More Features

Irish Calendar

Irish Com m unit y List ings

W & Celt ic Cam era Start on Page 26

Subm it your calendar it em s t o: irishm issive@gm ail.com

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

Press Relations

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Graphics/ Ad Design

Jim , Pat rick & Freelancers

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Layout & Typos

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HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!

This is t he t hirt iet h issue of t his publicat ion for St Pat rick's Day The changes in our societ y and in t echnology over t he past 30 years are act ually hard t o grasp Cert ainly, a great experience overall chonicleing t he Irish experience in t he US It w as w ell w ot rt h doing just for t he m usic! Thanks Dear Readers for being part of our audience

Sim ply Em ail us t hat you w ant t o subscribe, send your nam e and your em ail t o: irishm issive@gm ail.com

See det ails on pages 41 & 42

Jim McDonough

Kerry Irish Product ions is pleased t o announce a lim it ed t our for t he Saint Pat rick?s Day holiday. St. Patrick?s Day in Ireland carries on t he Irish t radit ions of celebrat ing w it h m usic and fam ily Be prepared t o be t ransport ed back t o t he Em erald Isle for a t ruly Irish night of fiddles, bodhrán, pipes, song and dance.

?St. Patrick?s Day in Ireland delivers a night of rip-roaring music song and dance? ?

- Irish Arts& Entertainment

The program feat ures t he t alent ed m ult i-inst rum ent alist s from t he Kerry Tradit ional Band: Ryan McKasson, fiddle; Colin Cot t er, guit ar; Christ a Burch, vocalist ; Ann Collit on, bodhrán, Tim Hill, uilleann pipes, and Connor Reider, principal dancer -- all under t he direct ion of producer, Margaret O?Carroll

CONNOR REIDER, principal dancer and t he Kerry Tradit ional Band of Kerry Irish Product ions

St . Pat rick?s Day in Ireland show cases som e great Irish songs including:The Wild Rover (oft en referred t o as Ireland?s 2nd nat ional ant hem ), Red is the Rose, Leaving of Limerick and Black Velvet Band, as w ell as dancers from t he Celt ic Irish Dance Academ y.

w w w.kerryirishproduct ions.com

The 2023 Six Nat ions Rugby

cham pionship t ournam ent kicked off on February 4t h. Round 5 is on March 18

As of now , Ireland is t he best posit ion t o w in.

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS RUGBY

Can Ireland Win t he SIX NATIONS in t he Fourt h Round t his year? See t he lat est view s online: www sixnationsrugby com

Six Nations Rugby is the official organising body of the annual Six Nations Championships and Autumn International Series.

The 2023 Six Nations Championship is the 24th Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Working in partnership with its member unions and federations in England (RFU), France (FFR), Ireland (IRFU), Italy (FIR), Scotland (SRU) and Wales (WRU), Six Nations Rugby has responsibility for the promotion and operation of the renowned Six Nations Championships and

ROUND 5 of 5

Check your local for t im e

March 18

It aly v France

Scot land v Wales

Ireland v England

UPCOMING CLASSES& EVENTS

New s & Com m ent ary

By John McNally

UK and EU sign Windsor Fram ew ork for post -Brexit Goods m oving bet w een Brit ain and NI

The resolut ion t o t he im passe over t rade concerns could be finally set t led, prevent ing UK goods, no longer up t o European Union st andards or required t o pay t ariffs, from ent ering t he EU w it hout re-im posing t he cont roversial border bet w een Nort hern and Sout hern Ireland. This Windsor Fram ew ork is a rew orking of t he Prot ocol, w hich est ablished cust om s checks at port s bet w een Brit ain and NI The Prot ocol t oo closely resem bled a unit ed Ireland, riling Unionist s, w ho com plained it slow ed delivery of goods t o t he point w here t hey couldn't get breakfast sausages, referred t o as Sausage-Gat e The EU has st rict er healt h st andards, t hat Brit ain no longer needs t o adhere t o since Brexit Under t he new agreem ent , red and green lanes w ill allow m ost goods going t o NI, like t hose bound for superm arket s, t o pass quickly and, m erchandise t hat m ight m igrat e Sout h and int o t he EU w ill need t o go t hrough cust om s checks.

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 .

As a result of Brexit , Tories, and, Unionist s had expect ed cust om s border checks t o be re-est ablished along t he 300-m ile border bet w een Nort hern and Sout hern Ireland, but t he EU, Am erica, and t he Irish t hem selves lobbied hard t o prevent t his because it w ould have t hreat ened t he Good Friday Agreem ent .

Assum ing t he new Windsor Fram ew ork is rat ified by Parliam ent and t he EU, t he? NI?St orm ont Assem bly? should be re-st art ed. Unionist s ?had w alked out , ost ensibly over t he Prot ocol, but m ore likely because Sinn Fein received t he m ost vot es in t he last elect ion and w ould hold t he posit ion of First Minist er of t he Assem bly.

President Joe Biden

released a st at em ent t hat read in part ;

" Today?s announcem ent bet w een t he Unit ed Kingdom and t he European Union on t he Windsor Fram ew ork is an essent ial st ep t o ensuring t hat t he hard-earned peace and progress of t he Belfast / Good Friday Agreem ent is preserved and st rengt hened... Joe Kennedy, our new Special Envoy t o Nort hern Ireland for Econom ic Affairs, w ill drive t his effort in close cooperat ion w it h Am bassador Jane Hart ley in London and Am bassador Claire Cronin in Dublin, as w ell as w it h business leaders in Nort hern Ireland...As Nort hern Ireland prepares t o celebrat e t he 25t h anniversary of t he Agreem ent in April, let us rem em ber t hat ending decades of conflict w as not easy or inevit able I am deeply proud of t he role t he Unit ed St at es has played for decades t o help achieve, preserve, and st rengt hen t hat peace enshrined in t he Agreem ent . And I look forw ard t o cont inuing t o w ork closely w it h our part ners in Nort hern Ireland, t he Governm ent s of t he Unit ed Kingdom and Ireland, and t he European Union, t o furt her t hat peace and prosperit y.?

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

for m ore on t heir new Coffee Bar CLICK HERE

The View from Ireland

TheRiseof theFar Right in Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

Put into a pot the worst housing crisis in Ireland?s recent history that has alienated a generation who are unable to buy a home. Add an illegal invasion of another European country of 44 million people that has forced 70,000 people to seek refuge in Ireland over the past year. Let simmer with a populist party that promises to solve all the working class?s problems but spends a suspicious amount of time wining and dining Wall Street and Silicon Valley executives. Stir with a well-coordinated campaign of xenophobia on social media Then serve on the streets of Ireland Delicious with a side order of pit-bull terriers. Wash down with a glass of counter-protesters who allegedly drive a vehicle into a mob

For a long time, a pretence persisted that Ireland, the land of a hundred thousand welcomes, was above the hard-right politics that has gained a foothold in most European countries over the past decade. Political parties, both in government and in opposition, resisted the rhetoric of hatred of immigrants that has become mainstream in France and Italy and that has helped to destroy democracy in Hungary and Poland By contrast, the integration of foreign nationals in Ireland has been a success story. A prevailing narrative held that the Irish were somehow different Yet the past month or so has proven that to be a fantasy The deepening housing catastrophe and the rising number of homeless in Ireland pressurised an already disaffected segment of the population The arrival of people fleeing the ravages of war in Ukraine was the breaking point. Now we have seen right-wing, anti-immigration demonstrations across dozens of Irish towns and cities

The most prominent demonstration so far was held on February 6th whencircatwo thousandpeople marched through Dublin City Centre A counter-protest also lined out that day on O?Connell Street to defy the message being promulgated, but the anti-immigration march was much bigger The anti-immigration march stopped in front of three prominent media outlets in Dublin: Independent News and Media, the Irish Times and Today FM (If RTE were based in central Dublin,it would surely have been a way station as well).It then marched to Government Buildings Marchers expressed their disgust at being labelled ?racist?by these media outlets, revealing the ideological direction of the march?s organisers

One of the placards held by protestors featured Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and the word ?traitor? It was also notable that Sinn Féin was singled out for criticism in protestors? speeches. There are many politicians who could have raised the ire of the marchers The Taoiseach, for example, is from an immigrant background, and he has not,in his words or policies,succoured the working class So, why did the protestors round upon McDonald and Sinn Féin?

The rise of Sinn Féin is the biggest shift in Irish party politics in the past two decades In 2007, the party held only four seats in the Irish government whereas three general elections later, in 2020, it won 37 seats and also won the popular vote Sinn Féin built its base initially from working-class voters,but then it needed to consolidate that with middle-class support. The housing crisis was a gift to the party, which it has assiduously used as it cultivated an image of being ?anti-establishment? . Since the 2020 election, its elected representatives can hardly get through a sentence without referring to the word ?change? , and adding that Sinn Féin will soon be in government.

Now within striking distance of leading a government, although lacking the obvious coalition partner that it would need, Sinn Féin cannot afford to alienate young people born into Irish middle-class backgrounds who are now unable to buy their own home, as their parents? generation could Sinn Féin?s problem is that, while the party appeals to the disaffected ?generation rent? , that grouping has espoused distinctly different social views tobSinn Féin?s traditional source of support, some of whom gathered in front of public buildings and hotels used to house refugees. In a recent survey, Ireland Thinks, a consultancy firm, found that 61% of Sinn Féin voters believe that Ireland has ?taken in too many refugees?this year. That is more than any other constituency and almost double the number of Labour Party supporters who hold that belief

Continued on page 17

WELCOME BACK!

As w e ret urn t o norm al, w e are looking forw ard t o m ore,concert s event s, night s out and m ore visit s t o our favorit e pubs. One of t he best is t he Auld Dubliner in Long Beach. The am biance, libat ions and food are all first rat e and t hey have garnered a w ell deserved reput at ion for present ing a great line up of Irish groups and m usicians

See calendar of t his issue for a list ing of t he act s booked for t he next few w eeks

KUDOS t o t he good folks at t he Auld Dubliner for t heir effort s in helping w it h t he Irish Fair and Music Fest ival in Long Beach t his past June t oo!

The Auld Dubliner adjacent t o t he fest ival sit e w as t he place t o be for an epic Irish gat hering aft er t he event . The Young Dulbliners w ere all on hand at t he pub and a t ruly m em orable evening of great craic and m usic ensued

On the right More good times

Ken O'Malley and Terry McCart an perform ing and a birt hday part y for Ken!

w w w.aulddubliner.com

GUEST TRAVEL FEATURE

From the Blarney Stone to Belfast and then some!

By Richard At kins

A road t rip of a lifet im e

In m ovies like Angela's Ashes and Far and Away,you've probably not iced t he am azingly lush greenery of t he Irish count ryside And m ore recent ly, t he quaint seaside t ow n of Inishm ore and t he sheer beaut y of Achill Island w ere feat ured inThe Banshees of Inisherin But , unt il you act ually visit Ireland, you can only im agine how breat ht aking t hese idyllic places t ruly are So, let 's begin our w ondrous journey!

Whet her you?re an alcohol aficionado or not , The Guinness St orehouse in Dublin is a verit able am usem ent park of ?Everyt hing Guinness? from t he ground floor, int roducing t he beer ?s four ingredient s t o t he Gravit y Bar on t he sevent h,feat uring spect acular view s of of t he cit y, w here you can drink a pint of t he prized brew

The Irish Whiskey Museum is anot her ent ert aining visit as t he venue feat ures a highly am using one w om an show relat ing t o t he hist ory of Irish Whiskey Aft er t he present at ion, you?re t reat ed t o a savory w hiskey t ast ing w het her you like it or not !

While in Dublin, t he Trinit y Tow nhouse Hot el is t he place t o st ay as it ?s t he perfect locat ion for all excursions, plus it serves a delicious, com plim ent ary breakfast It ?s also a short w alk from Graft on St reet ?s upm arket shops w here t alent ed buskers perform day and night From Graft on St reet , check out t he am azing Book of Kells at Trinit y College If t hat doesn? t im press, t he Long Room upst airs houses an ast ounding 200,000 of Trinit y?s ancient books and at 213 feet long, it t ruly is t he Holy Grail of libraries and sim ply aw e inspiring!

Rest aurant s t o recom m end are a lively Fade St reet Social w it h Irish-inspired t apas, or Suesey St reet rest aurant for t he best , cont em porary European fare in all of Dublin

The hop on, hop off bus provides t ransport t o ot her great sit es such as St St ephens Green, St Pat rick?s Cat hedral and t he beaut iful Phoenix Park

Next st op, t he vibrant m edieval t ow n of Kilkenny I recom m end t he upscale Pem broke Kilkenny hot el as it is sit uat ed in t he heart of t ow n and has an excellent , fine dining venue w here you can decom -press aft er a long day

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:

Nearby Kilkenny Cast le is a m ust as it inspires and educat es at t he sam e t im e Since Kilkenny is com plet ely w alkable, it 's great t hen t o just st roll dow n High St reet w it h no specific plan as you w ander dow n an endless array of alleys discovering st reet m usicians and art galleries

St Canicae?s Cat hedral, dat ing back t o t he 13t h cent ury. A hiiden gem as even vet ern visit ors t o Ireland oft en overlook.

Cont on pg 24

Tourism Ireland Prom ot es Best of Ireland in California

Phot os and St ory by Barbara

Singer

It w as t he ?Best of Ireland? event t hat ent iced t he t ravel t rade and m edia t o t he Hot el Maybourne in Beverly Hills t his February. As alw ays Ireland has so m uch t o offer t ravelers plus new direct non-st op access t o Dublin and Shannon from 13 US gat ew ays. In t he spot light t he ever popular and savvy Rut h Moran, Publicit y and Com m unicat ions Manager for Tourism Ireland, greet ed t he lively crow d w it h t he new m essage ?Fill your heart with Ireland.? This inform at ive and inspirat ional aft ernoon included t he lat est t ravel new s, int eract ion w it h Ireland's part ners in t ourism , savory dining and even a free t rip t o Ireland t o a lucky w inner

Joining Rut h Moran, t ravel part ners arrived direct ly from Ireland t o share a w arm Irish w elcom e and enlight en guest s w it h everyt hing new and excit ing in t he realm of luxury, out door act ivit ies and Irish cult ure and m ore Colin Ham ell, t he ent ert aining Mast er of Cerem onies, int roduced represent at ives from diversified hot els and spas, First Class rail-t ours, specialized t ravel services and unique t ravel experiences In addit ion, Jim Bochneak, Regional Sales Manager West Coast for Aer Lingus, inform ed t he group of t he t he new services and flight s

According t o Alison Met calf, Tourism Ireland's Execut ive Vice President , Nort h Am erica and Aust ralia, ?There's a new focus on revenue-by t arget ing visit ors, w ho st ay longer, spend m ore t im e in t he region and in Nort hern Ireland, enjoy t raveling during t he shoulder season and consider t heir im pact on t he environm ent ? Ireland's recovery post Covid has been st rong; how ever t hough prom ot ions, m arket ing and publicit y for t ourism in Ireland and t he Unit ed St at es, it is expect ed t o facilit at e sales st ronger t han ever

Market ing priorit y in t he Unit ed St at es kicks off a new global cam paign aft er St . Pat ricks's Day. Fest ivals are alw ays an incent ive t o visit Ireland and new non-st op flight s encourage visit ors t o indulge

in Irish dest inat ions, w hile im m ersing in t he 'Best of Ireland' Looking forw ard t o t hese fest ivals: St Pat rick's Fest ival, t he Galw ay Int ernat ional Art s fest ival, Hallow een at t he Puca Fest ival in Count y Meat h and Cit y of Derry

ABOVE: Rut h Moran, Ireland's Publicit y & Com m unicat ions Manager, w elcom es t ravel and m edia indust ry

BELOW: Barbara Singer m eet s Colin Ham ell, M C Best of Ireland

Irish Act ors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Honored at Sant a Barbara Film Fest ival

The Irish film ?Banshees of Inisherin? has been an im m ense aw ards cont ender Direct or Mart in McDonagh w rot e t his film for beloved Irish act ors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Bot h act ors have had a longt im e affect ion for each ot her and bot h are first t im e Oscar nom inees for t heir roles in t his film and recent ly have garnered num erous aw ards and accolades

The ?Banshees of Inisherin? w as t w o t im e w inner at t he BAFTAS for Out st anding Brit ish Film and Best Original Screenplay by Mart in McDonagh

The 2023 Sant a Barbara Int ernat ional Film Fest ival (SBIFF) aw arded Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson t heir covet ed Cinem a Vanguard Aw ard in February This aw ard, present ed at t he hist oric Arlingt on Theat er, is a bright light in t he yearly fest ival paying t ribut e t o act ors, w ho have forged t heir ow n pat h t aking art ist ic risks and m aking significant and unique cont ribut ion t o film .

Roger Durling, Execut ive Direct or of t he SBIFF relat ed about bot h Irish act ors, ?They're a joy t o behold and it 's quit e a t reat for us t o get t o celebrat e t hem t oget her.?

Arriving at t he Arlingt on Theat er Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson w alked t he Red Carpet , chat t ed w it h m edia and fans and t ook a blast of phot os. When t he light s w ent dow n inside, Dave Karger, Host of Turner Classics Movies and aw ard-w inning int erview er w as at t he helm and explored t he careers of t he t w o st ars discussing t heir w ork w it h m ont ages of t heir film s. Som e of Farrell's w ork consist ed of: ?Tigerland?, ?The Lobst er ? and ?Bat m an?; w hile Gleeson w as rem em bered for ?The General,? ?Cold Mount ain? and ?In t o t he St orm .?

Bot h act ors w orked t oget her 14 years ago in Mart in McDonagh's ?In Bruges,? w here t hey w ere cast as unlikely hit m en.

Brendan Gleeson w as born in Dublin, Ireland is an act or and direct or and has received m any aw ards for his w ork w it h 5 Golden Globe nom inat ions and a BAFTA and Academ y Aw ard nom inat ion w it h an Em m y Aw ard for his port rayal of Winst on Churchill. He w as a form er Cat holic School t eacher before em barking on an act ing career. Born in Cast lerock Dublin, Colin Farrell has been a successful leading m an in m any m em orable roles and has received t w o Golden Globe Aw ards and an Academ y Aw ard

nom inat ion

Durling w as cert ain w hen he st at ed,?Gleeson and Farrells's individual careers have been exem plary, and t heir collaborat ions in t w o McDonagh film s show us t w o act ors perfect ly in sync-in bot h pat hos and hum or ? These t w o act ors have a deep friendship and affect ion for each ot her They first m et in 2006 and m ade an im m ediat e connect ion

In ?The Banshees of Inisherin? t hese t w o m en are best friends, w hich t akes an abrupt t urn, Padraic (Farrell) w as an overly em ot ional young m an, act ing inappropriat e in public and his best friend Colm (Gleeson) does not w ant t o be friends w it h him anym ore, no reason st at ed Colm is m elancholy and rarely converses and refuses t o even speak w it h Padraic, w ho is disraught and can't underst and t his change of heart This is a serious fallout w it h disast rous consequences.

Mart in McDonagh relat ed t hat ?No ot her act ors in t he w orld could have played t hese charact ers. No one else has t he int egrit y, sensit ivit y and gent leness t o show t he fragilit y and quiet despair by t hose m en, and t o do so w it hout judgem ent , inst ead of leaving it for t he audience t o decide w ho is right or w ho is w rong. And t o do all t hat w hile st ill being hilarious.? He present ed t he Cinem a Vanguard aw ards t o Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in front of t he delight ed and recept ive Sant a Barbara audience.

Story and Photos by Barbara Singer

Cert ainly bot h Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson have been busy t his aw ards season of 2023 We enjoyed t heir perform ances and w ish t hem all t he best ! t he t alent ed pair of act ors and Mart in McDonagh have a good chance of m aking t his am ight be a very Irish Oscars year.

The RISE Continued...

Since Sinn Féin needs both constituencies, its response to the anti-immigration demonstration has been to prevaricate Mary Lou McDonald has taken to the airwaves to lecture people on aiming their anger at the government parties

While this is faintly amusing, it is a clear sign of panic. It is also disconcerting for her that she was personally singled out by the demonstrators for abuse. The magic of populism is that it can provide all answers to all problems Yet if those problems persist, the smug source of all the ?solutions?becomes a target. Sinn Féin has never before been confronted with such antagonism from this source.

Leo Varadkar recently sounded an unsympathetic note on immigration:

?Refugees are welcome in Ireland. People who need our protection should get it

We also need to be firm with people who come to Ireland with a false story or false pretences? We should decide who enters our country, not criminal gangs? [and asked] how we can better secure our external borders around Europe? In contrast to Sinn Féin, Varadkar?s base has not reacted at all to this position The instigators of the far-right demos understand that if they can build sufficient momentum they may form a political movement that stands to dilute Sinn Féin?s support in the next general election, which will be held in 2025, if not before

The right-wing debate has firmly forced itself into Irish politics, as never before

The Irish political pot is stirred.

THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTION of t he INTERNATIONAL IRISH DANCE PHENOMENON Ret urns t o Los Angeles

Riverdance w ill m ake it s Los Angeles ret urn at t he Dolby Theat re in Hollyw ood from April 18 ?23; One Week

Only.

Ticket s st art at $39 and are available for purchase at w w w Broadw ayInHollyw ood com or w w w.Ticket m ast er.com .

Abhann Product ions is t hrilled t o announce t hat t he 25t h anniversary product ion of Riverdance w ill cont inue it s crit ically acclaim ed t our in over 50 cit ies across Nort h Am erica in 2023. Riverdance com plet ed a successful 40-cit y Nort h Am erican Tour w hich m arked t he dance phenom enon?s long-aw ait ed ret urn t o st ages aft er t he COVID-19 pandem ic shut dow n The 2022 t our included a sold-out , t w o-w eek inaugural run at Washingt on DC?s hist oric Kennedy Cent er, a special perform ance for President Joe Biden and Speaker of t he House Nancy Pelosi and nat ional t elevision appearances on The Tonight Show st arring Jim m y Fallon, Good Morning Am erica, GMA3 and Wat ch What Happens Live. The 2023 Tour

St ay Updat ed

Get not ified of Kerry Irish

Product ions t our dat es and upcom ing event s

recent ly kicked off w it h a special perform ance on Am erica?s Got Talent , seen by over 7 m illion people across t he count ry. Riverdance 25t h Anniversary Show is Riverdance, as you?ve never seen it before! A pow erful and st irring reinvent ion of t his beloved favorit e, celebrat ed t he w orld over for it s Gram m y Aw ard-w inning score and t he t hrilling energy and passion of it s Irish and int ernat ional dance. Com poser Bill Whelan has rerecorded his m esm erizing soundt rack w hile producer

Moya Dohert y and direct or John McColgan have com plet ely reim agined t he ground-breaking show w it h innovat ive and spect acular light ing, video, st age and cost um e designs.

Im m erse yourself in t he ext raordinary pow er and grace of it s m usic and dance?beloved by fans of all ages Fall in love w it h t he m agic of Riverdance all over again

The crit ically acclaim ed 25t h Anniversary Nort h Am erican Tour w as shut dow n in March 2020 during a sold-out ret urn engagem ent t o New York Cit y?s Radio Cit y Music Hall due t o t he COVID-19 pandem ic In 2021, Riverdance celebrat ed a ret urn t o

t he st age in t he Unit ed Kingdom , w here t he iconic show played t o sold out audiences in 27 cit ies across t he count ry. Then follow ed it s debut at Expo 2020 Dubai w it h a special product ion of Riverdance present ing a m ult i-cult ural experience including art ist s from t he Middle East region A highlight of t he four-w eek run w as t he Riverdance perform ance at t he USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai for t heir Thanksgiving Day celebrat ions.

In 2022, Riverdance ret urned hom e t o Dublin, Ireland for t he sum m er season w it h an incredible 88 sold out show s Riverdance 25t h Anniversary Show has been designed by lead designer Pet er Canning, feat uring Set by Alan Farquharson,

Light ing by Andrew Voller and Video by Cosm o AV along w it h Cost um es by Joan Bergin and Sound by Michael O?Gorm an.

For m ore inform at ion, please visit : Websit e: w w w riverdance com

Facebook: @Riverdance

Tw it t er: @Riverdance

Inst agram : @Riverdance

TikTok: @Riverdance

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IRISH M USIC News& Reviews

New Album by Joby Fox

I Once Was a Hawk Now I?m a Dove

?He has alw ays been an em ot ional art ist , but t his is except ional w ork w it h a brooding pow er t hat ?s akin t o Christ y Moore and Van Morrison ? (St uart Bailie)

Joby w as visit ing fam ily in Denm ark w hen t he w orld closed dow n in 2020 Trapped am ong t he forest s and lakes in Cent ral Jut land he w rot e a host of new songs w hile com ing t o t erm s w it h a changed realit y and a longing for hom e

Recorded in Denm ark w it h a young jazz group, Joby st art ed a great collaborat ion w it h one of Denm ark?s t op producers, Søren Mikkelsen in Medley St udios, Copenhagen The songs are a great am algam at ion of cult ures, fusing folk, pop and jazz

Listen to all tracks of the album

ABOUT JOBY FOX:

Joby Fox is a nat ive of Belfast and a songw rit er, m usician and st oryt eller; an aut hent ic m usical voice of his hom et ow n, and a hum anit arian act ivist Joby is a diverse art ist current ly living bet w een Ireland and Denm ark, but alw ays w it h his root s firm ly in Irish soil, int erpret ing his cult ure in new w ays t hrough int ernat ional collaborat ions

Joby st art ed his career in a post -punk band called The Bankrobbers, m ent ored and produced by The Rory Gallagher Band They w ere scooped up by EMI t hey w ent t o London, w here Joby w ent on t o form Energy Orchard w hen The Bankrobbers t ook a nat ural hiat us

ALBUM INFO:

Music/ Lyrics: Joby Fox

Vocal & guit ar: Joby Fox

Guit ar: Søren Nissum

Piano: Nikolaj Svaneborg

Bass: Mark Kuhn

Drum s: Aske St ubkjær Madsen

Backing Vocals: Freja Wurt z

Recorded in Hideout St udios, Aalborg, Denm ark

Product ion, m ix & m ast ering: Søren Mikkelsen, Medley St udios

Copenhagen, Denm ark

Joby Fox

Energy Orchard landed a 5-album s deal w it h MCA. It w as Energy Orchard's first single 'Belfast' w rit t en by Fox as a t eenager t hat m ade it t o No 1 in Ireland and becam e a UK chart success The song becam e t he unofficial ant hem for t he cit y

Aft er his m uch celebrat ed w ilderness years Joby em barked on a solo career and released his first solo album End of the War in 2011 The Irish New s described it as ? beaut ifully w rapped up for m ass consum pt ion, like an iron fist in a velvet glove?

As a diverse art ist w it h his root s firm ly in Irish soil Joby is know n for his involvem ent in great int ernat ional init iat ives using m usic as an advocat e for peace and hum anit arian w ork He w as aw arded 'Best of t he West Songw rit er ' by Belfast Media Group and achieved an Aisling Aw ard in his hom et ow n for his m usic and hum anit arian w ork in 2018

Joby t ravels ext ensively w it h his m usic, from Nort h Am erica t o t he Middle East and Asia In 2015 he opened t he inaugural United Nations Peace Festival in Hong Kong, and in 2016 he w as m usical direct or of t he Orchestre des Refugies et Amis, fusing cont em porary sounds w it h t radit ional t unes from t he hom elands of m igrant s and refugees

In 2018 he joined t he renow ned art ist residency, Byrdcliffe, in Woodst ock, New York w here Bob Dylan w rot e som e of his best w orks in t he early 1960?s In 2020 he com m enced a new collaborat ion w it h som e of Denm ark?s upcom ing young jazz and folk m usicians, and w it h t op producer Soren Mikkelsen from Medley St udios in Copenhagen

w w w jobyfox com

Loreena McKennit t t o be induct ed int o Canadian Songw

rit er ?s Hall of Fam e

In recognit ion of nearly four decades as a dist inct ive perform ing art ist , Loreena w ill be t he first 2023 induct ee int o t heCanadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e(CSHF). The present at ion w ill t ake place at t he Opera House in Toront o on Wednesday March 8t h ? Int ernat ional Wom en?s Day. A highlight of t he evening w ill be Loreena?s perform ance of several songs, accom panied by Brian Hughes on guit ar, Hugh Marsh on violin and Joe Phillips on bass TICKETS?I am deeply honoured to be receiving this recognition,?says Loreena.?For 25 years this organization has shown a deep devotion to celebrating and promoting Canadian songwriters and this country?s rich, musical legacy. We have all been enriched by their work. I feel so privileged to have my name added to their list of distinguished Canadian songwriters.?The induct ion w ill be dovet ailed w it h t he inauguralWom en in Music Canada Honoursevent , w hich celebrat es and support s fem ale Canadian innovat ors and creat ors w ho have had out st anding success in t heir field ?Loreena is a musical enigma whose songs are seamlessly timeless yet current; rooted in tradition yet inventive. She is a storyteller who can weave through eras, cultures, and transcend boundaries,?says St an Meissner, Board Chairm an of CSHF ?Loreena has achieved global success on her own terms and has remained steadfast as an independent recording artist, which is both admirable and deserving of recognition.?The Canadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e, a nat ional, non-profit organizat ion, honours and celebrat es Canadian songw rit ers and t hose w ho?ve dedicat ed t heir lives t o t he legacy of m usic, and w orks t o educat e t he public about t hese achievem ent s. Aft er t he March 8t hevent , a perm anent exhibit w ill be dedicat ed t o Loreena at t he Canadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e at t he Nat ional Music Cent re in Calgary.Previous induct ees include Leonard Cohen,

ABOVE: Loreena McKennit t

Our Annual Irish Music

Makers Coverage is over t w o issues t his year.

We st art here w it h Belfast

Singer/ Songw rit er Joby Fox and our favorit e Canadian songst ress, Loreena McKennit t and w e have m ore Music Makers in our St . Pat rick's Day Special issue next w eek!

Our next issue w ill include our updat ed and expanded calendar, a new feat ure by Greg Pat rick, a new Travel Feat ure by freelance Travel Writ er and Phot ographer Richard At kins and an am azing Irish Oscar St ory.

Eric Roebuck duo:

t o 4pm Jeff Livingst one t rio: 8pm t o 12am

The

Celtic Camer a We are here looking for you!

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

Ye Olde King's Head Pub and Restaurant is always a beacon of British Hospitality and a warm welcome in Santa Monica. The landmark pub recently had a very special guest; pictured here, Singer/songwriter, Louis Thomlinson. The British singing sensation was very appreciative of the pub and all of the dedicated staff of Ye Olde King's Head who made his visit so great!

An Marta ~~ March 2023

LEFT: Larry Kirwan rof Black 47 received the Irish American Business Chamber & Network (IABCN) 2023

Uachtarán (President) Award in Philadelphia from Irish Ambassador to the USA, Geraldine Byrne Nason at a Union League luncheon on Friday February 24, 2023.

ABOVE: Debra Sim oes, Sarah St ebbings, Lynne Kerr, Louis Tom linson, Lisa Pow ers, Croline Beddie

Sundays are special at t he Auld Dubliner

Dancers from t he McNult y ISchool of Irish Dance

BELOW: Sunday Irish Social at t endees at St . Cornelius

w it h m em bers of t he Em erald Societ y

Saint Pat rick's Day. March 17

is coming fast. You are invited to celebrate at the AULD DUBLINER

w w w.aulddubliner.com in Long Beach, CA

Irish music all day!!

Start your day with The Whooligans from 1PM t o 4PM

Niall Cash from 5PM t o 8PM

The Ploughboys from 10 t o closing

Continued from page 14

The quaint lit t le t ow n of Kenm are w as next , buzzing w it h energy including an enjoyable flea m arket surrounding t he t ow n square.

Aft er t he excit em ent of t ow n, head for t he Sheen Falls Lodge

It ?s a m yst ical place in t he Irish count ryside w here you can enjoy horseback riding, archery, golf at t he nearby Kenm are Golf Club, bicycling, not t o m ent ion a fit ness room , spa and culinary delight s at t he Falls rest aurant I have t o say t hat t he Sheen Falls Lodge experience is unequivocally, off-t he-chart s, glorious

We arrived next in Dingle and st ayed at t he Greenm ount House B & B, a charm ing accom m odat ion overlooking Dingle Bay Gary Curran is t he highly inform at ive host of t he propert y w hich feat ures a delicious breakfast , a piano parlor and cozy guest room s From t he B & B, it ?s a short w alk int o t ow n for great pubs w it h even bet t er m usic as w ell as fine dining offerings t hat m ake a killer, seafood chow der. For a day t rip, t he Slea Head Drive is 2 hours around t he Dingle Peninsula and undoubt edly t he m ost spect acular drive on t he planet

The bust ling t ow n of Lim erick cam e next as w e st ayed at t he St rand Hot el overlooking t he river Shannon.

These ast ounding sea cliffs locat ed in Count y Clare are w ort h t he drive t o see such a nat ural w onder as t his Photoby RichardAtkins

"If you?ve never seen the Cliffs of Moher you are truly missing a spectacular site." .....Richard

A fam ous pub in Clifden!

Our final st op w as Belfast and t he phenom enal Fit zw illiam hot el feat uring luxurious room s, at t ent ive st aff and a w onderful fine dining rest aurant and bar dow nst airs.

Our bucket list in Belfast w as t he m assive Tit anic exhibit . It ?s a m ind blow ing, six st ory t ribut e t o t he doom ed ocean liner including m ult i-m edia displays, reenact m ent s and reconst ruct ed st at e room s. Green w it h envy? Then get yourself t o Ireland

RIGHT: Lim erick on t he Shannon River and BELOW: A page from t he Book of Kells at Trinit y in Dublin

in April, w e w ill finish t his feat ure w it h a Part II Pict orial w it h m ore great pict ures subm it t ed by our guest w rit er Richard At kins.

Blarney Cast le near Cork is a m ust st op Every Irish Am erican should kiss t he Blarney St one and receive t he "Gift of Gab"

Driving: Rent ing a car is t he w ay t o t ravel effect ively in Ireland, how ever narrow t he roads m ay be. In addit ion, t he speed lim it s are high, so be very careful.

Ireland Travel Feat ure by Richard At kins

ED NOTE: Seniors are rest rict ed rent ing cars in Ireland so check before you go. In recent years, bus t ravel has im proved so it now is a decent and inexpensive w ay t o get around

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

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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 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 .

CIACLA'S IRISH FILM SHOWCASE!

April 8

Now In it s fourt h year, t his excit ing fest ival has grow n t o m ult iple screenings t o celebrat e t he best of Irish Film , feat uring som e of Ireland's m ost excit ing

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

film m akers, including t w o

Academ y Aw ard Nom inees: t he

short film 'An Irish Goodbye' & feat ure film

'The Quiet Girl / An Cailín Ciúin'

FullProgram Announcem ent ! Book Your Ticket s Now ! Full info & Ticket s

/ film

Kris Colt & t he Black Rose Band Set For

St . Pat rick's Day Concert 2023 In Big Bear

Check the website for schedules for Kris Colt and The Black Rose Band

www.KrisColt-BlackRose.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

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 w w w.yeoldekingshead.com

Riverdance w ill be live in Los Angeles at t he Dolby Theat re from April 18 t o April 23!

The Riverdance Am erican Tour st art s on January 10 in Sarasot a, Florida and plays in LA t his Spring! Ticket s are on sale. For over 25 years, nothing has carried the energy, the sensualit y and t he spect acle of

Riverdance A pow erful and st irring reinvent ion of t his beloved favorit e, celebrat ed t he w orld over for it s t hrilling energy and passion of it s Irish and int ernat ional dance Im m erse yourself in t he ext raordinary pow er and grace of it s m usic and dance?beloved by fans of all ages

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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

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Also know n as a Bonded Whiskey Warehouse Receipt Only a few t housand of t hese Cert ificat es w ere ever print ed during t he Prohibit ion Era and only a few hundred are know t o exist t oday. The value w ill only increase, The 100t h Anniversary of t he Repeal Of The Volst ead Act has only increased aw areness of one of Am erica's biggest blunders so int erest is grow ing in rare it em s like t his Aut hent ic Cert ificat e! Order NOW: jim @pubguide.com ONLY $175. from Mac's Collect ibles w it h FREE Priorit y Mail.

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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!

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

At Present :

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

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Excit ing Changes Com ing For t he Irish Com m unit y In California

Aft er alm ost t hree years of fear, lock dow ns and rest rict ions; based on t he final w eeks of 2022 and feedback w e have been get t ing from advert isers, friends and readers w e m ay w ell be headed int o a period of opt im ism and st abilit y t hat has been m issing during t he pandem ic.

Int erest ingly, opt im ism is ram pant in t he Irish Com m unit y even as nat ional econom ic and polit ical pundit s are t out ing every ilk of dow nt urn and m ayhem in business and

governm ent sect ors. We are seeing a t rend; m any (m aybe even a m ajorit y) people are rising above negat ive uncert aint y and t he gloom and doom polit ical rhet oric com ing from our polit ical elit e class Trends t hat w e recent ly experienced w ere packed pubs t hroughout t he World Cup sold out concert s and Christ m as show s, a lot of Holiday part ies and Seasonal Celebrat ions st art ing w it h Hallow een and t hrough New Year 's Eve This all point s t o a m ore robust 2023 w here w e all st art doing m ore, t raveling m ore and sim ply em bracing our lives m ore.

For our part , w e are pledged t o do all w e can t o spread t he new s about all t he w onderful event s, experiences and project s t hat are in st ore for our readers and t he Irish/ Irish-Am erican Com m unit y in Sout hern California.

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