Irish Scene January February 2019

Registered with Australia Post PP100003914

Vol 21 Number 2

January/February 2019

IN THIS ISSUE...

• Lorcan - 'Little Fierce One' • Eric Bogle - Luka Bloom -Daniel O'Donnell • Cat Cronin - Artist • Markievicz play Premiere • AIHA Events • Charles Moore & PMH • Belated Santa Letter • Galway to Japan • O'Reilly Fenian Festival • Millsy's Irish Adventure • Duffy House

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Page Index

A minute with Synnott 78 A view from Home 11 AIHA 29 Auction at Subi Oval 89 Australia Day in Ireland 66 Belated Santa Letter 38 Bella – Marie Moloney 13 Bill Daly writes…

30 Book Reviews with John 80 Brid Gaelic Story 50 Broken Pokers Trip & Gift 83 Cat Cronin – Artist 16 Charles Moore and PMH 31 Child Migrants Apology 84 Claddagh Association 68 Clery’s in Dublin 67 Comhaltas Perth 51 Duffy House Part 2 64 Emmett – from Tokyo 42 Eric Bogle 15 Fenian Festival 48 Flights to Tokyo 79 G’Day from Melbourne 45 GAA Western Australia 90 GabaGubu 60 Glasgow Famine Memorial 9 Gossip 87 Ireland- Anita Webb 23 Irish Dancing 62 Irish Families in Perth 6 Irish Fest / Fleadh 72 Irish Golf Club 95 Irish Theatre Players 77 Isteach sa Teach 36 JBOR Commemoration 47 John Kinsella Poem 55 Kevin Ducker scare 38 Land of Milk and Honey 71 Letter to Editor from Tuam 39 RTE Radio on Claddagh & Perth 53 Lorcan - Little Fierce One 4 Markievicz Play 19 Millsy in Ireland 56 Paula from Tassie 76 Poem by Noel O’Neill 81 Quiz 35 Rose of Tralee 17 Shamrock Rovers 94 Siobhan Na Spag 52 Songs and JBOR 46 St Patrick’s Lunch 12 St Patrick’s Parade 8 The Irish Club 59 Thelma Blackford Story 27 Tony Murray RIP 61 Ulster Rambles 54 WA Genealogically 82 Wild Geese Trophy 93 William Lane Part 3 24 Wine links to Fenians 70

Lorcan

Michael O’Brien

“lITTLE fIERCE oNE” 13th May 2018 - 4th December 2018

Towards the end of the first trimester in her pregnancy Nikki Daly opted for prenatal testing. During pregnancy, some of the baby’s DNA from the placenta crosses into your bloodstream, a sample of your blood is drawn from you, and the non-invasive prenatal tests extensively examine this DNA to identify certain chromosome conditions in your pregnancy. The gender of the baby can also be established. Whilst the results came back clear, Nikki decided to know the gender of her new baby.

At the end of March, Nikki who was full of excitement, decided to surprise her fiancé Ruairi, daughter Ariana and her family and friends by arranging for a “He/ She POP to see balloon” as a wonderful surprise to announce the gender of their new arrival. The balloon was handed to Ruairi and popped by him, blue confetti sprinkled all around them and the couple were ecstatic when it was revealed that the new addition to their family was to be a perfect baby boy. Already parents to a gorgeous daughter, Ariana, they were to become what is known as a gentleman’s family. Sadly, their elation, happiness and anticipation was to be short lived.

Nikki started to haemorrhage early into her pregnancy which doctors attributed to low lying placenta. In May at 17 weeks and 6 days Nikki suffered a very rare and unfortunate PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes). Doctors asked both Nikki and Ruairi if they wished to terminate the pregnancy at this stage. As her little boy’s heart was still beating and he was still moving they declined termination.

“He wasn’t giving up so we weren’t giving up on him” they said. Nikki was admitted to KEMH (King Edward Memorial Hospital) on strict bed rest and stayed there until Lorcan was delivered. Doctors were instructed only to intervene when Nikki’s welfare was at risk, after all she had another child at home to consider who needed their mother too. Whilst in hospital Nikki underwent numerous blood and iron transfusions due to major haemorrhaging. Steroid injections were also administered to support Lorcan’s lungs. Due to hospital and bed confinement she sadly also missed her

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daughter Ariana’s 3rd birthday which was extremely upsetting.

Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) refers to when the bag of waters (amniotic fluid) surrounding the unborn baby breaks before the onset of labour.

Pre-term PROM (PPROM) is the term used when the pregnancy is less than 37 weeks. PPROM occurs in 3% of pregnancies.

The role of amniotic fluid: • Provides space for the baby’s growth and movement • Protects the baby against external factors such as infection • Maintains a constant temperature for the baby and provides small amounts of nutrients • Plays an important part in lung development and maturity of the baby If PPROM occurs and delivery is imminent between 24-34 weeks steroid injections are offered 12 hours apart. Steroids are given to improve lung maturity in premature babies and take about 24 hours to be effective. This is to reduce breathing difficulties after birth. In Australia babies are largely considered “unviable” before 24 weeks. On the fringes of “unviability”, every week, every day, every hour in utero counts, and each baby has to be treated on a caseby-case basis. Very preterm babies (under 30 weeks’ gestation) and those who require help with breathing will need to be cared for in a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).

On Sunday 13 May 2018 (Mother’s Day) and at 24 weeks, Nikki would haemorrhage for the final time. It was found that she was suffering placental abruption.

Placental abruption means the placenta has detached (come away) from the wall of the uterus, either partly or totally. This can cause bleeding in the mother. It may also interfere with the unborn baby’s supply of oxygen and nutrients, which the placenta provides from the mother’s bloodstream through the lining of the uterus.

Doctors cannot reattach the placenta. Without prompt medical treatment, a severe case of placental abruption can have dire consequences for the mother and her

unborn child, including death.

It would take a further 6 weeks Ruairi had just left Nikki’s side to It is with a heavy until Nikki and Ruairi could pick travel home to their young daughter Lorcan up themselves. As soon heart that we after comforting and supporting Nikki as a premature baby is stable, honour and saID all day in hospital. In the early hours of ‘kangaroo care’ is encouraged. goodbye to our Mother’s Day, she was admitted to theatre It’s called this because of the for an emergency Caesarean section on way the baby is held: directly precious baby her own. She was terrified. She was on your chest, under your shirt. boy. administered general anaesthetic and Studies have shown that skintheir tiny boy arrived into this world to-skin contact can help your weighing 705g, measuring 31cm. To put Some people only baby maintain body warmth, gain his fragility into perspective, he weighed dream of angels. weight, sleep deeply, and reduce less than a 3/4s of a 1kg bag of sugar, his stress, in addition it gives you the We held one in little head a fraction bigger than a tennis perfect opportunity to bond with our arms . ball, his perfect tiny hand no bigger than your newborn. a watch, Nikki’s engagement ring fit over The next few months are a Nikki, Ruairi and Ariana his tiny foot and his skin was so thin it rollercoaster of highs and lows for was almost translucent. Their little boy was known as Lorcan his parents and sister. They spend every day a micro preemie, that is a premature baby born before in hospital, save for the days where illness hits their 26 weeks gestation. house which could place Lorcan in extreme danger if Whilst Ruairi did make it to the hospital, he missed they visit him. Lorcan is moved from KEMH NICU to the birth of his son and was not permitted to enter PCH (Perth Children’s Hospital) NICU to PCH PICU theatre to be with Nikki. Instead he found himself as (Paediatric Intensive Care Unit) back to NICU back to a helpless bystander as they rushed their new baby PICU. Lorcan’s oxygen requirements vary depending to NICU and watched on as medical staff were busy on various medical and situational circumstances stabilising their new baby and starting life-saving throughout his care. He spends 9 weeks on the jet vent, treatment. This treatment involved a breathing tube 1 week on conventional, 3 attempts of extubation, CPAP inserted into his airway, being placed in a plastic for 9 weeks, high flow for a week, low flow for a day, bag, and the insertion of catheters to allow blood back to high flow, back to CPAP and back to the vents. drawing, monitoring, giving life-saving medication Nikki and Ruairi have to intervene and be the most and nutrients. Doctors remarked that his lungs were powerful advocate for their son due to inconsistency so severely damaged, it was the worst they had ever with care and handovers. Lorcan suffers pneumonia encountered. The breathing machine that they had numerous times, a hernia and kidney stones. He also to use was a high-frequency jet ventilator (HFV) undergoes countless blood transfusions, heal pricks, which is a ventilator that delivers breaths much faster medications, steroids and antibiotics. He grows from than a conventional ventilator. HFVs are a type of 705g to a healthy 4kg+ with a cherubic face, beautiful mechanical ventilation for premature newborns. Very eyes and long eyelashes any girl would envy. His love sick preemies need faster ventilator support to learn for life and that for his parents was clearly evident as how to breathe on their own. It is a sheer miracle how he remained on this earth and continued to defy all the his tiny fragile body tolerated all the intervention. As odds stacked against him to simply be here, to LIVE. soon as Nikki was conscious, they wheeled her down to There is a lovely quote “There is no footprint too small meet her son in a hospital bed. She was extremely weak that it cannot leave an imprint on this world”. Lorcan’s from all the blood loss and the heat in NICU made her ill. feet may have been tiny but he left a massive imprint on “There were so many machines and noise and so many this earth in all our hearts. people, it was scary and confronting” she recalls.

Throughout the year Nikki and Ruairi had to cancel Both Nikki and Ruairi decided to name their their wedding, they championed the awareness of beautiful baby boy Lorcan. Lorcan is a name rich in premature babies, became involved in charity work Irish history as belonging to several kings, including for premature babies, supported other parents as the grandfather of the most famous high king of Ireland, they grieved their premature babies that didn’t make Brian Boru but also meaning “little, fierce”. Lorcan was it, celebrated in the joy of the discharge of other the most perfect name chosen by his parents for him. premature babies, honoured the doctors and nurses, The meaning of his name certainly defined his strength supported and comforted their daughter Ariana whilst of character and the severity of what he battled against Ruairi even gave up work and his income to support throughout his short life. his family both physically and emotionally. Nikki and The best part of having a new baby is that you are Ruairi’s unselfishness went above and beyond to ensure able to hold them within seconds of arrival but for everyone else was cared for and looked after first. Their Nikki, Ruairi and sister Ariana they would have to wait love, hope, care, bravery, inspiration and courage in the until Lorcan was stabilised, which was a whole week. face of all adversity extends beyond exemplary. Those

“

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personal qualities are those attributes of super heroes and all of their accomplishments were achieved at the most incredibly difficult time in their lives that they could ever experience. Their tireless efforts leave a legacy in their wake.

Sadly, on 4th December Nikki and Ruairi’s much loved, adored and cherished sweet baby son and brother to Ariana breathed his last and passed away peacefully in his heartbroken mother’s arms with devastated Dad Ruairi at her side. The grieving parents led mourners at a Rosary for him in the Chapel of Bowra and O’Dea Funeral Home, Stirling Street Perth, followed by a service and cremation at Pinnaroo Cemetery surrounded by family and friends.

Some of the nurses used to call Lorcan their ray of sunshine and so to honour those nurses and the amazing work they do, it was suggested that the colour yellow be worn by mourners with yellow balloons released after the service for those dedicated medical professionals but also for baby Lorcan himself.

Baby Lorcan’s coffin was carried into the church to the music of Mary Black’s “No Frontiers”. In his short life Lorcan did his utmost to overcome those frontiers of his life. “And I see heaven in his eyes” certainly are very apt lyrics. Some people may only dream of angels.

We held one in our arms (Nikki, Ruairi, Ariana)

---------------------------------------------------------Lorcan Michael O’Brien

“Little Fierce One” 13 May 2018 – 4 December 2018

A

GoFundMe

page was set up in honour of Lorcan’s life and for parents Nikki and Ruairi. https://www.gofundme.com/jskxdp-little-fierce-one -----------------------------------------------------------------------Heartfelt thanks to: The Claddagh Association and the assistance provided to Ruairi and Nikki with this tragedy.

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Please support the biggest St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the southern hemisphere!

Saturday 16th March 2019 We need your help and support!

The Parade is on Saturday 16th March in Leederville…. It’s a family day and it’s FREE! But in order to put on this great community event each year the committee needs to raise between $150 - 170,000. It’s never easy, but especially not this year. and I’m asking for support from anyone interested. It’s not a one-way street as historically sponsors get great exposure through our - and our partners’ - 20,000 followers and the 40-50,000 people who take part each year. We need as much support as possible - big or small -to make this great day a reality.

You might just want to enter a floator a stall or be a sponsor. With the sponsor item list, you just pick what you want to sponsor and contact us so we can invoice you and get your logo and message associated with this massive event, the largest parade for St. Patrick’s Day in Australasia If you’re interested but need something specific give me a buzz and we’ll discuss the options.

• Danmar (Dan & Sharon) supports us every year as one of our main sponsors plus go or sends someone to all events.

• McDonald Surveys sponsor the main golf event in November and attend all the events each year.

• City of Vincent were our major sponsor with $20,000 in 2019, plus in kind funds.

• The Irish Government sponsored $15,000.

• Lotterywest also sponsored $15,000.

Also thanks to British Travel (Jennie), Absolutely Beautiful (Niamh), Sword Recruitment (Dave), Killarney Auto’s (Neill), ESP Events (Hayley), McLoughlin Butchers, West to West, Adenco (Kieran), CLC Carpentry (Eamonn), E + M Electrical (Eoin) and lots more for your continued support.

Our deep gratitude to all above, but loads more is needed. Give a little or a lot, it’s all appreciated!

Thanks in advance, Thomas Tierney Committee Chairman, St. Patrick’s Festival WA If you can support please use Our account details: St Patricks Festival WA BSB: 036 310 ACCOUNT: 447275

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Dedication of Glasgow's Irish & Highland Famine Memorial Perth Celtic Supporters Club gave financial support to the WA Famine Memorial in Subiaco and Glasgow recently remembered those who suffered in the Great Famine and the enduring contribution of refugees and their descendants to the city's culture and character, at the unveiling of an Irish and Highland Famine Memorial.

Featuring plants and stone native to Ireland and the Highlands, the memorial interprets the journey made by refugees, forced to flee home.

It not only recalls the suffering and loss of thousands of refugees who came to Glasgow, but the trials they faced on their arrival. Most significantly, it also recognises their role - and that of their descendants - in shaping the modern city.

Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, Cllr David McDonald said: "Today, we acknowledge the part the Irish and the Gael played in shaping modern Glasgow. This memorial to a defining and desperate episode in Glasgow's history is a tribute and acknowledgement to those who experienced famine - along with those who followed and helped to build and shape this city and its unique character�.

Famine ravaged huge swathes of Europe in the mid-1840s and millions died or were displaced over a number of years.

Ireland suffered particularly badly and it is thought that more than a million people were forced to emigrate - with as many as 100,000 of them arriving in Glasgow.

Thousands also arrived from the Highlands and Islands due to the blight, either settling in the city, or continuing their journey to the new world.

Joe McHugh TD represented the Irish Government at this morning's event said: "I am grateful to Glasgow City Council for inviting me to represent the Government of

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Ireland at the unveiling ceremony for the Irish and Highland Famine Memorial. The Great Famine, an Gorta Mór, was a very dark chapter in Irish history, which caused a million people to die from hunger and disease and two million more to flee from their native land. The historic experience of the famine continues to have an extraordinary resonance for Irish people today, and it casts a long shadow on successive generations scattered across the globe�.

He added that the memorial is a potent reminder for today of how immigration, even of the displaced and distressed, can ultimately have a positive impact on the host society."

Pupils from four city schools to work together and with the support of artists to explore not only the famine, but its influence on Glasgow proposed a landscaped memorial; using the land itself, native plants and materials.

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Hello All,

I urge you to take a mouthful of something strong, sit back and try and wade through most of the following. As this is a view from home, almost…………no all the news is dominated by the subject of BREXIT, Oh my lord, what an extraordinary 2018 it has been.

I don’t know how this is being portrayed Down Under, but Brexit is the main headline on every news bulletin, talk show or even argument.

Please note that this is how I understand the situation, but this could and probably will have changed by the time you have finished reading this.

On the 23rd of June 2016 the UK had a referendum on whether to withdraw from the EU, and so with a 51.9% vote for leaving the EU a schedule was put in place so that at 11pm on Friday 29th March 2019 the UK would be out. Simple…. yep that’s what everybody thought.

That was until the subject of the Republic / Northern Ireland border was brought up. Now being the only physical land border between the EU and UK, how was this going

A View from Home to work? Then other new phrases were introduced such as Hard / Soft Brexit A soft Brexit would mean the UK being closely aligned with the EU, with the objective to minimise disruption to trade, whereas a hard Brexit rejects the whole idea of close alignment with the EU, escaping burdensome EU regulations and tariffs, so as to draw up its own rules and regulations and customs arrangements.

So, I know you're now saying “thank feck he’s finished” yeah you wish. A new word has now appeared it’s called “The Backstop” no really, I’m not making this up!

The UK government is committed to avoiding a Hard border between North and South, and given the current lack of border checks, this is seen as being a big achievement of the Belfast agreement.

As a result the EU has insisted that the UK agree to a “Backstop” that guarantees that an invisible border remain in place. This effectively means Northern Ireland remaining within the EU customs

11

union.

I just can’t wait for Mr Spielberg to make the film of this, under the category of fiction I should think!!

Apologies, but this is really the only story doing the rounds!! One good thing though, if your finding it hard to get the kids to go asleep, just read them a couple of lines of this, and they’ll be out like a light!!

Another farfetched story is that of the success of a football team from a small half-parish, situated on the Longford / Cavan border.

Guaranteed that 99.9% of people have never heard of this place.

But one Sunday in December saw the lads from Mullinalaghta St Columbas score a shock win over red hot favourites Kimacud Crokes in the Leinster Senior Football Final. It finished Mullinalaghta St Columbas 1-8 to Kilmacud Crokes 1-6.

Well done lads!!

Until next time, All the very best Mike.

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NATIONS The Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce is the kindred network, committed to adding value and bringing opportunities to its members and sponsors.

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As I scooped the last of the custard from the bowl and ate it, my mind flipped back to my childhood in the kitchen of my grandparents’ home with Bella beside me. Scraping the remains of the custard from the pot was a treat to look forward to. Bella would share the spoils saying, “One for you, two for me”. This always brought forth angry protests from me of not being fair.

Isabella Kelly was the oldest of my father’s siblings, she was intellectually handicapped and lived with her parents until they died. She was loved dearly by all the family. On the many occasions when I stayed at the home of my grandparents she was my constant companion.

All through my childhood she was there, my aunt, my friend and my playmate. On Sunday mornings when I arrived to visit with my father, she would have a treat waiting for me. In those days there were no programs to cater for special needs.

She had very little formal learning and never had a job outside the family home but the skills she mastered were many.

From an early age she helped her mother look after her eight younger siblings and with the running of a home for eleven people. Mother Kelly and Bella worked side by side doing what had to be done.

Bella was an enduring stalwart who kept the wheels in the home turning smoothly.

Her experience of people was restricted to family and those she encountered at church, the local shops or the post office where she went to collect some sort of allowance she was entitled to. She often did the shopping and was liked in the local stores. Some of the adults never realised just how accomplished she really was at the many household tasks she did.

She lovingly cared for all her nieces and nephews. To us children she was not quite one of us but also not one of the grownups. She related well to younger members of the family and enjoyed being part of the games we played. As I grew older, she also took James, a much younger cousin under her wing.

Rover, the family dog was also eager to be a part of our games. Always there ready with his stick we would oblige by throwing it around the back garden until some adult family member would come out shouting indignantly about the dog charging through the vegetable patch.

Bella

By Marie Moloney

Bella would then sheepishly run into the house and watch us through the window. She had a life of limited experience, but it was a secure life. When staying at my grandparents’ home I shared a bedroom with Bella. Each night she would set the clock alarm and get up to prepare breakfast for the family. Putting the clock on, often by two or three hours was a favourite trick of mine. She would get up, get dressed and be ready to start the day before realising what I had done. On other occasions as she was setting off to do the shopping, I would stand at the gate singing “Bella Bella go to meet your fella” Even my earliest memories of her are of straight shoulder length hair framing a well lived in face, I have no memory of this changing in any way during my lifetime of being around her. The last time I saw her was when I was eighteen before I left Ireland.

A few years ago, I met one of my much younger cousins whom I had not seen since she was three years old. It was when she told me of how Bella had singled her out from her parent’s nine children as her favourite that another aspect of my aunt fell into place. I realised that Bella through her years as aunt to more than thirty nieces and nephews always selected a child to be her own.

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— Oscar Wilde 13

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Eric Bogle

Eric Bogle for The Irish Club Eric Bogle is an internationally known and respected songwriter.

For nearly 40 years he has toured the world with his music, inflicting his songs on innocent bystanders from outback Australia to the streets of New York and many places in between.

During those 40 years he has embarked on eight tours of North America, 11 tours of Europe and many, many tours of Australia, with 4 tours of New Zealand thrown in as well.

He has performed at many of the major folk and music festivals around the globe, including Port Fairy, Woodford and The National in Australia, Philadelphia, Mariposa and Vancouver in North America, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland and the Celtic Music Festival in Lorient, France, as well as treading the boards in countless folk, footy, bowling and social clubs and arts theatres all around the world.

Eric is probably best known for his song ‘The Band Played Waltzing Matilda’, which confirmed its iconic status by appearing as a question in the Australian version of Trivial Pursuit! But he is far from being a onehit wonder. Some of his other songs: ‘No Man’s Land (The Green Fields of France)’, ‘Leaving Nancy’, ‘Now I’m Easy’, ‘Shelter’, ‘My Youngest Son Came Home Toady’ and ‘If Wishes were Fishes’ are now beginning to rival “Matilda” in the icon stakes.

Joining Eric for the Western Australia tour is Pete Titchener and Emma Luker.

With many studio albums and eight live collections to his credit and appearances at almost all of the major folk and country music festivals across Australia and overseas, Eric is rightly regarded as one of the folk music world’s greatest living singer song writers. A recipient of an Order of Australia medal for services to the entertainment industry Eric was also awarded a United Nations Peace Medal for his efforts, through music, to promote peace and racial harmony. His songs have been recorded by artists as varied as Joan Baez, Mary Black, Donovan, Slim Dusty, John Williamson, The Dubliners, Peter Paul & Mary, Billy Bragg, The Pogues and The Dropkick Murphy’s just to name a few.

This will be Eric’s first tour since the passing of his good friend John Munro. Sadly, the South Australian musician passed away in May this year. John was leading figure across the Australian folk music scene for some 40 years. During this time, he has worked toured extensively with Eric Bogle. With Eric, his gentle guitar and mandolin playing along with his wonderful harmonies added to the magic of Bogles performances.

RIP John.

Pete Titchener & Emma Luker Sat March 9th @ 8pm The Irish Club 61 Townsend Road Subiaco

Bookings at The Irish Club 9381 5213

SHELTER

By Eric Bogle

I'm drowning in the sunshine As it pours down from the skies There's something stirring in my heart Bright colours fill my eyes As from here to the far horizon Your beauty does unfold And oh you look so lovely Dressed in green and gold And I can almost touch the ocean Shimmering in the distant haze As I stand here on this mountain On this loveliest day of days Round half the world I've drifted Left no wild oats unsown But now my view has shifted And I think I've just come home To the homeless and the hungry May you always open doors May the restless and the weary Find safe harbour on your shores May you always be our Dreamtime place Our spirit's glad release May you always be our shelter May we always live in peace

15

Drawing inspiration from what life throws at you Art can be inspirational, but Perth based Irish artist Cat Cronin is truly inspirational.

Cat trained at the Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design and Technology and since she graduated from the college in 2005, she has

By Lloyd Gorman been a full time working artist, sculptor and designer fabricator – based in in Dublin and London with exhibits and shows around the world.

In January 2011 Cat and her then boyfriend - now husband – Brian decided to come to Perth and made the move in March on a working holiday. Not long after their arrival tragedy struck.

“I was sideswiped by a negligent driver and my entire life changed.

Brian took up work and I recovered and rehabbed,” said Cat. “By 2015 I was four years into full time rehabilitation and recovery and was finally getting some beautiful windows of relief from severe disabling pain caused by spinal injuries. It was progress, unpredictable slow progress but progress, and it was exciting. These windows of relief provided me some clarity and a little perspective. I longed for my previous creative life.

I needed to find a way to reconnect with my deepest desires again and to teach myself to passionately 16

desire what I could have now.

Seventy hour weeks and traveling the world were no longer on the cards.”

In the beginning she started to draw lying down and progressed to painting standing up at an easel for fifteen or twenty minute stints.

“I’d paint in frenzy and lie on the floor and repeat until I couldn’t stand and then rest and push myself to do the same the following day,” she added.

“I committed to make art every day for a year and share it on social media. I created a habit that changed my entire life for the better.

I paint and draw every day now – sometimes just a sketch and other days it flows for hours. I leave my body when I paint, I feel invincible and every time I land back in my body, I am healed a little more.

Painting is now my drug of choice.

It has also become my solo career. I paint to be alive – it is as important to me as breathing- it allows me to completely connect to the people and world around me and to tap Continued on page 18

PERTH CENTRE

Perth to lose out on 2019 place in Rose of Tralee festival cess by removing the regional qualshake-up ification process and increasing the

Perth will not be represented at the 2019 Rose of Tralee Festival after a revamp of the selection process by festival organisers.

Richard Melling, Perth Rose of Tralee coordinator has confirmed to the Irish Scene that although a representative from Perth will not grace the Dome in Tralee in August 2019, the Perth Rose in 2020 is guaranteed of a live televised appearance.

To ensure that every Rose enjoys the ultimate positive experience during her year as her region’s ambassador, festival organisers have revamped the selection pro-

age limit.

According to the revamped rules, each centre such as Perth will select a Rose bi-annually, however roses representing Kerry, Cork and Dublin will continue to be selected every year.

The Executive Chair of the Rose of Tralee International Festival, Anthony O’Gara, said: “Moving from the Regional Festival (staged from 2004 to 2015) to bringing all our Roses directly to the Rose of Tralee International Festival for the past three years has been generally very positively received. There is one challenging aspect to the new for-

mat that does not sit well with any of us and that we want to address, the selection of 32 Roses from 66 for the TV Selection. Regardless of how sensitively we handle that, it is not in-keeping with our ethos or our tradition. Our focus is to celebrate and respect the passion and emotion, and indeed the time and financial investment that every Rose, her family and centre invest with us.”

We feel this is a change for the good and will be an even better opportunity for any young lady to join this once in a life time experience.

Mr Melling added, “We would also like to take this opportunity to wish all our sponsors and supporters across Western Australia a Happy New Year and a reminder to spread the word, to any interested young women who currently live in WA that 2020 will be their year.”

Applications are live for the 2020 selection and can be found via www.roseoftralee.ie/apply.

The Rose of Tralee International Festival will celebrate its sixtieth year running in August 2019.

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Manager, Oliver Von Kalckstein told The Irish Scene, "Our two-part epoxy system (Megagrout™ MG14) carries a 25 year product warranty".

Oliver also said that Megasealed™ Australia is the only company in this industry to receive the ISO 9001, 5 ticks Quality Management Standard accreditation certified by SAI Global. It is a proven and instant way for consumers to recognise that our company is committed to meeting and maintaining world standards for quality, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction.

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into the beautiful healing space created by pure creative energy”.

Cat is an advocate for people suffering with chronic pain and mental health issues. She teaches resilience skills, creative skills and creative confidence workshops which fuel her great passion to help equip people with both the practical skills as well as the confidence to embrace their own unique creative energy so that they can express themselves completely in all that they do. "The key themes that drive my work are growth, vulnerability and the courageous journey to peace and connection. I like to paint out in nature and love to paint scenes in nature and bird life,” she explained.

“I also love to draw and paint people from life and I believe that everyone is absolutely enough, and that people become more beautiful the more they embrace all that they truly are - I try to capture that in my paintings.”

Over November and December – right up to Christmas – Cat staged her So Alive 365 – Let’s Lift Each Other Up Art Exhibition at Leamac Gallery, Shop 2/21 Pensacola Terrace, Clarkson. She also has workshops coming up in the Joondalup Art Gallery in February and will also be showing some works in LA and Dublin in 2019.

18

SONG FOR IRELAND Presents

Dearest Old Darling

AUSTR ALIAN PREMI ERE

By Mary Kenny

Jennifer McGrath as Constance Markievicz

Direction by Frank Murphy.

At The Irish Club of WA March 6th 7th and 8th 2019 Bookings: 9381 5213 PLAY PREVIEW:

MARKIEVICZ...

A major symbol of female suffrage, and of a historic feminist victory.

Dearest Old Darling is a one woman show written

by Irish playright, Mary Kenny about one of the most extraordinary women of the early 20th century. Dearest Old Darling is based on the letters of Constance Georgine Markievicz.

Constance, known as Countess Markievicz was an Irish Sinn Féin and Fianna Fáil politician, revolutionary nationalist, suffragette and socialist. A founder member of Fianna Éireann, Cumann na mBan and the Irish Citizen Army, she took part in the Easter Rising in 1916, when Irish republicans attempted to end British rule and establish an Irish Republic. She was sentenced to death, but this was reduced on the ‘grounds of her sex’. She went on to serve five prison sentences for participation in the Rising, and other “seditious” activities.

Countess Markievicz, born Constance Gore Booth, was a tireless worker with the poor and dispossessed.

Born into great wealth and privilege in Lissadell, Sligo she chose another path. She married a Polish nobleman, Count Casimir Markievicz.

Mary Kenny has researched this story and through

19

letters written from Kilmainham, Mountjoy and Aylesbury Prison, she manages to explore the loneliness of isolation, the relentlessness determination and idealism and self-sacrifice for her ideals.

Markievicz was also an artist, a poet, a playwright, a Socialist, gardener, a horsewoman of distinction, a crack shot, a lover of animals, flowers and trees, a carer Countess Markievicz and her for the poor, an embroiderer, a sister, Eva Gore-Booth Catholic convert – unorthodox but spiritual – an erratic mother, a fond stepmother, and a very devoted sister to her younger sibling Eva GoreBooth. Dearest Old Darling Marks the centenary of votes for women with Constance Markievicz, through her own letters to her sister Eva. On 28 December 1918, Markievicz was the first woman elected to the British House of Commons, though she did not take her seat and, along with the other Sinn Féin TDs, formed the first Dáil Éireann. She was also the first woman in the world to hold a cabinet position.

Mary Kenny is an experienced journalist, author and broadcaster working in England and Ireland. She has written for over 30 newspapers and magazines over the course of her career. On for 3 nights only at The Irish Club (See advert above).

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AROUN THE IR D ISH SCENE

IRELAND

I’d love to go to Ireland To see the shades of green I’ve met many Irish people But old Eire I’ve never seen.

I play the Irish music With muso’s that I’ve met They’re all so very friendly But I haven’t got there yet.

I think I’ve Irish heritage The jigs and reels I play I love the songs and dances But now I’m going grey.

My time is running out now As age is creeping on So please can someone go with me Before my life has gone.

By Anita Webb

Editor: It was Anita Webb who introduced me to Irish Folk Bands in Western Australia back in 1972.

Anita was playing fiddle with a local Irish band, The Quarefellas and they were looking for a guitarist. I was at a party in North Perth singing a few songs and she invited me to audition. The rest is history, I was accepted and I enjoyed my five years with the band. Now Anita is asking for my help to get her to Ireland to trace her roots. I just might be able to accompany her to Dublin and set her on her way next May! Fred Rea

William Lane Milligan and early Western Australia (Part Three) by Peter Conole

After the glad tidings about a transfer to India arrived, the officers and men of the 63rd Regiment present in Western Australia moved to Fremantle in the course of late 1833. Dr William Lane Milligan and his family, plus most of the troops, left the colony on the ‘Merope’, April 18, 1834. Milligan’s nephew Francis remained to manage various land holding. He was described as a gentleman farmer in later years, but failed to impress local folk. He drank too heavily, behaved in an unruly way and lost his life in an accident at York during 1847.

Dr Milligan’s company, a total of 61 officers and men commanded by Captain Alexander Erskine, arrived in Madras, India, on May 26,1834. In the purely military sense the 63rd Regiment did not have an exciting time over the next few years, for which boon the officers and men were probably not sufficiently grateful.

Detachments of the regiment moved around from one place to another in the Madras presidency (we need to remember the troops were on East India Company turf), although one batch was sent in 1838 to garrison Moulmein in Burma (now Myanmar).

Fort St.George - Madras Presidency

Milligan was stationed in the Madras presidency depot hospital at Fort Poonamallee, not far from regimental headquarters at Fort George in the city of Madras. The health and general welfare of the troops was good by standards of the day. Disaster did not strike until a cholera outbreak began in January, 1838.

Milligan must have performed splendidly in containing the disease, because only 13 men died. The epidemic of 1842-1843, by way of contrast, cost scores of lives after he moved on to serve in other regiments. Dysentery among the men (we must remember that germs had not yet been ‘invented’) and heavy drinking among both officers and men were more deadly during the good

24

doctor’s time.

He will have been present during the St Patrick’s Day celebrations of the year 1838, an event that really amused one regimental historian. Well over half the men in the 63rd were Irish, likewise the officers, but not one Irish soldier got drunk. The only man to end up in the guard house for drunken behaviour was an Englishman. During his time in the Madras presidency Dr Milligan’s chief cause for personal joy was the birth of a son, William John Lane Milligan, January 1838.

There is some confusion regarding his next movements. In October 1838 a section of the 63rd Regiment was transferred from Madras to Bangalore.

Milligan did not go with them, because he was appointed surgeon of the 4th Regiment of Foot on October 1 of the same year. The 4th remained at Madras (along with Milligan) but the poor man still had to write a detailed report about the medical situation of the 63rd Regiment, relying on data supplied by his less experienced successor in that outfit. It makes for fascinating reading - he covered the general health of the troops, the most important diseases of the year (only four cases of cholera) and his work to vaccinate them against smallpox. He finalised the document on March 31, 1839.

From that point Dr Milligan’s career moves have hitherto eluded notice. What follows is fresh material, ie, data which has not yet been brought to light. It has been stated that the family left India on March 1, 1839 to take leave in Britain. Perhaps true for his wife and children, but not him. As revealed above, he remained at Madras as surgeon of the 4th Regiment. Trouble is, transfer into the position was never formally approved.

Instead, on March 1, 1839, he was gazetted as Surgeon of the 17th Regiment of Foot. Note: that was a promotion - a full surgeon, not assistant surgeon.

His new unit was based in Bombay (Mumbai) on the other side of India and in the same year it got involved in the dramatic and difficult First Afghan War. There is no reason to believe Milligan, as the senior medical man, sat out the conflict in the regiment’s base camp. It is likely he saw the horrors of war at first hand. A British army led by the hard-fighting General John Keane (an Irishman - from Waterford) stormed and captured the supposedly impregnable Afghan fortress of Ghazni on July 23, 1839. Milligan’s regiment was in the thick of it, but lost scarcely a man. The feat was at one time admired as a truly amazing feat of arms. Later the regiment moved south to deal with raids organised by a local khan in Baluchistan (now part of Pakistan). The result: the storming of another great fortress, Khelat, on

November 13 of the same year.

One assumes Milligan bathed in the glory, along with the troops, in the regiment’s next base at Poona.

Dr Milligan was finally able to leave and join his family in Britain after being appointed surgeon of the 76th Regiment of Foot on December 15, 1840. He may not have remained there for long. Tensions along the Canadian border between Britain and the United States led to a troop build-up: the 76th spent the years 18411842 across the Atlantic. Milligan probably went with them. An interesting point: future WA governor Arthur Kennedy was serving there (in a different regiment) at the same time.

Not long after the troops returned there is hard evidence that Dr William Milligan’s tireless, devoted service had really pleased senior army brass. A fine plum, almost certainly with a pay increase, fell into his lap in 1844 when he was gazetted surgeon of the 6th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Dragoons. The Inniskillings were the most famous and prestigious Irish unit in the army at that time and it was indeed a prized honour to serve in it as a commissioned officer in any capacity.

Not much is known about the last few years of Milligan’s life, although it is certain hard service had affected his general well-being. He retired from the army on half pay because of ill health during February 1847. The Milligan family settled at Nuneaton in Warwickshire, but within a few years William moved back to London. He may have set up a private practice in the city. It was not for long. On September 1, 1851 he died of a diseased heart and apoplexy at No 4, Bentinck Terrace, St John’s Wood, London.

We know next to nothing about the fates of other family members, except for one. That was his son William (1838-1919), who was commissioned in the British Army as an ensign at an early age, served in the India Mutiny during the late 1850s and eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He ended his career as officer-in-charge of military pensioner units in Canada.

Having dealt with Milligan’s career and the scanty information about his family, it is now necessary to consider Milligan’s writings about Western Australia.

There is a possibility he may have begun work during his last years in the colony, but the first hard evidence appeared in the Perth Gazette of November 1, 1834. The paper claimed Milligan was about to publish a book about the colony.

In truth it was actually a lengthy article for a journal.

A short summary of the work named Four years reports on the climate and diseases of the new colony of Western Australia was published in the Calcutta Courier of May 14, 1835 and reprinted in the Perth Gazette during September 1835. A year later what must been an expanded version of the piece was published as Abstract of a Report on the Climate and Diseases of Van Dieman’s Land in Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society (Calcutta), Vol 8, Part 1, 1836.

The attack on Ghazni

reasonable to suppose Milligan revised the piece fairly extensively before it appeared in print as Some account of the New Colony of Western Australia, more especially of the Swan River District, the Natives, Settlers, Climate, Soil, Productions &c.

Milligan began by giving details of the exact geographic position of the colony. He then moved on to botany, discussing three major classes of plants plus “conspicuous plants and trees not belonging to any of these families” (ie, natives). In discussing the main types of soil he notes that the second (called by him alluvial) was good for conventional crops. His section on stones (minerals) was not so enthusiastic, although some seemed suitable for building purposes. Milligan took note of both local edible vegetables and wildlife or imported domestic animals in discussing food matters.

He understood how the local river systems worked and was frank about the harsh nature of some climatic features.

Moving on to people, he wrote a rather amusing summary of the settlers ‘If we suppose the population of one of the agricultural parishes in England, with a sprinkling of half pay officers of the navy and the army, some gentlemen of the East and West Indies, and a few cockneys, put down on the shores of a wilderness, it will give some idea of the individuals who were destined to become the founders of this interesting new Colony’. He expands on those remarks in detail and commented on various aspects of daily life and commerce. The largest section of the work deals with indigenous people. He begins by stating “of the aborigines or natives, I shall only say as much as occasional intercourse with then has enabled me to become personally acquainted with”. He then provides a frank, empathetic account of customs, social systems and problems, including diseases which he obviously treated at one time or another.

His short, pithy final sections describe the topography of Perth and other settlements, weather patterns and mortality patterns in the colony. In sum, the long journal article of Dr William Milligan is one of the two earliest pieces of literature about early Western Australia. The other is also by an Irishman: Frederick Irwin’s book The State and Position of Western Australia (1835). The lack of scholarly interest in both works is both surprising and incomprehensible.

The final version of Milligan’s work on the colony, a solid academic article which takes up about 25 pages in current book form, was published in the Madras Journal of Literature and Science, Series 1, Volume 6, 1837. It is

25

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Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties. Helen Keller

26

Life’s lovely languages and lessons learned

by Thelma Blackford

I was born into a very busy house. We had a shop, a travel agency and my mother was a midwife who delivered nearly 4000 babies. She visited her patients on five occasions after each birth.

When she died at 96 there were large queues that came to see her as she had brought many there into this world. My grandfather Peter Sweeney and later my father Dermot ran the travel agency Sweeney Travel until the late sixties. My father had to conduct all the bookings by telephone. My brother Maurice took over from him in the early 70’s. My being surrounded by travel information promoted a strong desire to travel to distant lands. The opportunity to see Europe came in 1968 when I hitchhiked for three months with an Australian girl called Robin who I had met in London. Later Robin and her friends encouraged me to visit Australia. I travelled to Woolloomooloo in Sydney from Southampton on the Angelina Lauro. The journey in 1970 was long, not only due to the Suez Canal being closed, but also because we spent over a week in Southampton due to the ship’s propeller need for repair. Coaches came to the port daily to take the passengers on trips around the UK and during this time I had a wonderful opportunity to discover the beauty of England.

The teachers’ union in Sydney did not like newly arrived teachers taking their jobs and I was asked if I would like to work in the

country and was offered $200 as an incentive. I was happy to start work in a country town and on arriving there was given a cheque for $900.

I had been paid from the day that I left Ireland. This was a large amount of money as my salary for the year in 1970 was $4000.

I worked as a French teacher in Grenfell, a small country town in NSW for nearly two years at the Henry Lawson Senior High School.

Henry Lawson’s short stories had a strong impact on me and to this day short stories and essays are my favourite genre of reading.

During this time I enjoyed the country life and was able to visit a lot of NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory. While spending time on Palm Island (a place requiring special permission to visit) I was brought to Fantome Island. It was here that I spoke with leprosy patients who in their isolated location awaited news from Canberra as to whether the leprosy was in remission so as to be able to return to the mainland.

Later while spending two years in Derby (some 2000 kilometres north of Perth) I taught French and social studies to mainly Aboriginal students. Many of our students were on medication for leprosy and care in the nearby leprosarium was undertaken by mostly St John of God nuns. It was during my time in Derby that I met my husband Chris who taught Science in the junior high school. We made many friends there and some 40 years 27

later continue to have Derby gettogethers. My husband Chris comes from Collie in Western Australia and we have three children, Brendan, Bridget and Liam.

My schooling at St Raphael’s secondary school in Loughrea, Co Galway fostered a great interest in languages and I was able to start university in Galway in 1964 having passed Irish, Latin, French, English and History. I stayed in a caravan with my friend Davnet and cycled each day to Galway University to sit the Matriculation exam. President Kennedy visited Eyre Square while we were there and shortly after our starting at university he was killed in Dallas, Texas.

Galway University’s Spanish faculty had a great reputation.

I decided to study Spanish and French there. In 1965 I was able to improve my speaking ability in both these languages by getting work in France as an au pair in Nice, Cannes and Paris and I also spent several months in Madrid.

My first job was at St Einne’s vocational school in Kilronan on Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands. I was appointed as its first French teacher. The journey was momentous as The Abbey Theatre actors were on board and had come to perform the play 'Riders to the Sea' by John Millington Synge. The Naomh Einne only travelled there once a week and on its journey stopped to pick up cattle at Inis Oirr and Inis Meain. These islands had no jetties so the animals were

brought to the ship by men in currachs. On our eventual arrival at Kilronan on Inis Mor due to tidal conditions we had to wait several hours before we could disembark.

As the Naomh Einne only travelled to the islands once a week this meant that if there was an urgent need to travel to the mainland then a fishing trawler would have to be hired to take one to Rossaveal, a port some 23 miles from Galway city.

There were only 38 students at the vocational school in 1967 who all spoke Irish. Consequently, my Irish greatly improved. It was a very special time living there and I lived in a house in Kill Einne and cycled each day to school.

Each week my meat was sent in a shoebox on the Naoimh Einne boat from Galway butchers. I also bought bacon from the Post Office shop and fishermen on their arrival at the jetty supplied me with fish.

In the late 80’s I worked for a short time as a teacher librarian at South Fremantle High School.

Due to it being a community school I was able to teach many Salvadorians English. Many had fled the political unrest in El Salvador and came to live in South Fremantle. Later I spent 15 years working part-time teaching English as a second language to International students at Curtin University. While there I was also able to provide Humanities staff with Human Rights material sent to me monthly from the Perth Amnesty International (AI) Office.

I had been a member of Amnesty International since leaving Ireland and both Sean McBride’s Nobel Prize for Human Rights and his inspirational work served as a catalyst for me to belong to Amnesty letter writing groups in Perth. I am a member of the Mt Lawley AI group at present and many of its members are long-term activists who campaign to raise awareness about human rights infringements throughout the world.

In Perth I like the work

undertaken by The Claddagh Association and have recently become a volunteer. The Claddagh helps Irish people in crisis. It visits Irish people in prisons and also people of Irish ancestry in nursing homes. Furthermore, it helps the Irish senior community by providing education programs and coordinating senior luncheons.

Another organisation that I like to support is The Australian Irish Heritage Association (AIHA) It encourages and promotes an awareness of Australia’s Irish heritage. The Irish films held in an outdoor setting at the Brays’ house in February are well supported.

Many important events are organised by AIHA. Some of these include The Mary Durack Memorial Lecture, The Catalpa event at Rockingham, The Brendan Award, Bloomsday, which celebrates James Joyce, The W.B. Yeats Day, lectures and seminars on Irish history and culture as well as writing competitions.

At the Irish Club in Townsend Road in Subiaco I love to attend all the plays performed there. My love of theatre was fired by the great plays seen in Loughrea especially when yearly we enjoyed a fortnight of Irish theatre.

I love to return as often as possible to Ireland. My sister Maureen and three brothers, Maurice, Raymond and Pat live in Co Galway. I am very happy to spend time with my family, cousins and school friends.

I have no hesitation in naming Ireland when asked about my favourite holiday destination.

While there, I like to visit Connemara as well as the Aran Islands. I particularly enjoy visiting Roundstone, Clifden, Renvyle and Inisbofin Island.

In recent years my interest in language learning has increased and I try to improve my speaking skills, particularly in Spanish and Irish. When in Loughrea I attend Irish conversation classes and I also like to read some Irish novels. My next challenge is to 28

read Cre Na Cille (Graveyard Clay)

by Mairtin O’Cadhain. One of my favourite writers is Alex Hijmans an Irish-grown writer now based in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. He came from Holland to study Irish in Galway in 1995.

Despite the down-turn in the mining industry in Perth and its impact on the economy, this city is a beautiful place to live. It has a great climate and lovely green spaces and waterways making it a very relaxed urban environment.

Frank Murphy presents

107.9fm Fremantle Radio

Saturday 8am to 10am IRISH MUSIC • INTERVIEWS • LOCAL & IRISH NEWS

AIHA FILM CLUB SEASON

9th annual outdoor Irish Film Festival.

Wed 6 Feb: AGNES BROWNE Romantic Comedy-Drama Adapted from Brendan O’Carroll’s (Mrs Browne’s Boys) best selling Irish Novel The Mammy. Dublin 1967 newly widowed Agnes Browne with a young family of 7 children navigates through economic, romantic and friendship challenges to discover herself.

Wed 13 Feb: MAZE Drama Mystery Based on true story of 1983 mass break-out of 38 IRA prisoners from HMP Maze high-security prison in Northern Ireland, which was to become the biggest prison escape in Europe since World War II. Film locations include Cork prison.

Wed 20 Feb: THE FLAG Comedy Harry Hambridge, a down-on-his-luck builder, finds out his father raised the flag in the 1916 rising. The flag now hangs in British army barracks, but Harry makes up his mind to retrieve it. Stars Pat Shortt, Moe Dunford, Simone Kirby, Sorcha Cusack, Ruth Bradley and Brian Gleeson Wed 27 Feb: Adam & Paul Drama Comedy Adam and Paul are childhood friends who as adults have withered into two hopeless, desperate addicts, tied together by habit and necessity. The film is a stylised, downbeat comedy, following the pair through a single day, which, like every other, is devoted to scrounging and robbing money to buy heroin. Now somewhat cult status it has been likened to Laurel & Hardy on smack.

Wed 6 Mar: Black 47 Drama/Mystery In 1847, an Irish Ranger returns from war to find that his mother has died in the famine and his brother is sentenced to death by the British. When his plan to emigrate to America fails, he starts a vendetta against the establishment in Ireland.

Each night a supporting Irish short film or documentary, together with tea/coffee and cakes.

Venue: 8 Fourth Avenue, Kensington (South Perth, off Canning Highway) Entry: Donation $10 to cover catering and costs, pay at the gate.

Come early for best seats, bring deckchair if running late Enquiries: Denis Bratton - Ph 9345 3530

Australian-Irish Heritage Association Coming up...

ERRATUM

Fri 22 – Sun 24, Feb Fremantle Fenian Festival, program of music, literature, film and Irish Ceili dance to commemorate the life and works of Fenian prisoner, writer and journalist John Boyle O'Reilly Sun 10 March, AGM, Irish Club 2pm, followed by Guest Speaker Prof Denis Ladbrook with talk on homesickness titled ‘Is the Grass Greener?’

Admission free. Afternoon tea included Sun 10th March John Boyle O'Reilly Commemoration Buffalo Raod, Australind. Tour 9am Commemoration 10am Sun 31 March, ‘The Quiet Man’ special event, Irish Club Theatre, 2pm Screening of documentary ‘John Ford; Dreaming the Quiet Man’. Afternoon tea with exhibition and fundraising sale of posters from the film, followed by screening of ‘The Quiet Man’, 1952.

Most popular Irish movie ever made. Entry $15 covers afternoon tea and costs Mon 22 April – Easter Monday Catalpa Commemoration, Rockingham Beach, 11am

THE FOURTH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB Meets fourth Tuesday of the month with exception of December at 8pm.

Venue: Irish Club Committee Room, 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco Jan 22: ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’

by Liane Moriarty Feb 26: To be confirmed Admission Free. All welcome.

Light refreshments provided.

Tea and coffee from the Bar $2 Contact: New convener Mary Purcell takes over from Maureen Hart. Tel: 9279 5959

The Editors of the Journal apologise for errors in the current edition (Dec 2018).

Peta Shaw was the winner of the Joe O’Sullivan Writers Prize, not the Joyce Parkes Writers Prize.

Freya Cox was the winter of the Joyce Parkes Writers Prize, not the Joe O’Sullivan Writers Prize.

Sincere apologies to both winners for any embarrassment caused as a result of this error.

Apologies also to Joyce Parkes for the spelling error in the Title of the Writers Prize.

Denis Bratton, EDITOR

Congratulations to winners of Writer prizes 2018

Joyce Parkes Prize winner - ‘Blackbird Fly’ by Freya Cox, Tasmania. Joe O’Sullivan prize ‘Wildflowers’ Peta Shaw, Lesmurdie. Peta was presented at our Christmas Gathering on 18 Dec followed by an insightful Q & A. These stories will be published in current December Journal

Australian/Irish Songs & Poetry Saturday January 26 at 3pm AIHA together with Fred Rea and Friends present an afternoon celebration of Australian and Irish songs and poems with an afternoon tea.

Fred launched this format for Australia Day 2017 and it was a great success with an intimate experience of superb performers in air-conditioned comfort, full bar, tea & coffee and cakes

Be proud of your Irish heritage

Irish Club of WA, 62 Townshend Road, Subiaco Cost: $5 Enquiries: 9345 3530 or 9367 6026

Australian-Irish Heritage Association - Non Political Non Sectarian Emphatically Australian PO Box 1583, Subiaco 6904 Secretary: 08 9367 6026 Treasurer: 08 9345 3530 Email: aiha@irishheritage.net Web Page: www.irishheritage.net Look us up on Facebook Membership Due 1st January – Family $65, Concession $55, Distant (200kms from Perth) $45 Membership fee includes tax deductible donation of $20 Check out events on http://www.irishscene.com.au/calendar-of-events.html 29

Out of this World

By Bill Daly

As I watched a news item recently in relation to the latest mission to Mars, my thoughts turned to this planet in which we live. We have the money and resources to tackle and eradicate world hunger but we choose not to do so. We spend billions of dollars on space exploration each year. Is this for the benefit of acquiring additional knowledge about the universe in which we live, or is there another and much deeper motive?

Our little planet is under a lot of pressure from a variety of sources, which may question its continuation as the future place of habitation for us, the human race. Since the days of the Industrial Revolution

and our continual drive towards progress, we have started to interfere with the stability of the ozone layer. This could ultimately lead to the melting of the glaciers, the subsequent rise in ocean levels and an overall temperature increase in the atmosphere.

The tsunami at the end of 2004 actually shook the earth and if it had been a little stronger, it could have managed to take us out of orbit and drive us into eternal darkness. The earth is moving on five continental plates and when these encounter each other, it can lead to major earthquakes beneath the oceans and on the surface. Experts are in agreement that in the space of the next three billion years the moon is moving away from us and the sun is coming closer. No prizes for guessing what is going to happen in this instance.

There has been much discussion and alarm in relation to North Korea’s preparation for nuclear capability recently. However, the biggest nuclear threat to the world may not be from a super power but that which is bubbling under Yellowstone Park in the USA as we speak. If this ever explodes, it will potentially take half of North America with it and plunge the world into darkness and eternal winters for many decades afterwards. Mankind is also accelerating its own downfall by poisoning the rivers and lakes, promoting acid rain, destroying the natural forests and wiping out more and more species on an annual basis.

As you can see, our planetary home as not as stable as we think, and I firmly believe that one of the major objectives of the current space programme will be to find us a new planet on which to live over the next ten thousand years. A Plan B is being put in place.

The objective would be to find a planet similar enough to our own. In the beginning, we would have to construct an artificial oxygen atmosphere mantle to support life, and then over an evolutionary period we would begin to adapt to the 30

particular climate of the planet and its universe. It may sound a little farfetched, but an amount of change can happen in the space of one thousand years. Remember, one thousand years ago, we were riding to the Crusades on horseback with the primary weapons being the sword and the longbow.

Change is inevitable, and change will bring far-reaching and abrupt challenges for us as a human race on planet earth in the millennia to come. In terms of evolutionary time, our short lives hardly register on the radar screen, and we are not as important as we would like to think we are. However, as intellectual beings we have a moral responsibility to take care of our planet while we are here so that it can be passed on as a viable entity for the benefit of future generations. It is important that we take care of it while we are here, as good planets are hard to find.

I hope everybody had a very happy and peaceful Christmas, and may your wear prosperity and happiness as a warm cloak during 2019.

'The earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind cannot stay in the cradle forever' - Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

Bill Daly: Originally from Tallow in West Waterford, Bill spent 30 years in Cork as a Senior Manager in the Electronics Manufacturing industry with such companies as Apple, EMC and Logitech.

He has been working on his own as a Consultant/Contractor in Manufacturing Operations and Materials for the past 18 years. He also attended UCC and has a BA Degree in Archaeology and Geography. Bill is now resident in Connemara, Co. Galway since 2009.

HOW THREE PENNIES BECAME

$1.2 billion

By Lloyd Gorman

At this time last year it was still unclear when the new Perth Children’s Hospital would open its doors to patients. It was nearly three years late as it was, but in the months that followed the turn of the new year the source of the lead contamination in the drinking water supply - the latest and most serious headache in a long line of setbacks - was ultimately tracked down and fixed. Everything changed and by June the $1.2 billion hospital was finally in full swing. In a massive 24 hour logistical operation the patients of ageing Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) in Subiaco were ferried a few kilometres down the road to the brand new world class hospital.

At that moment - June 10, 2018 - aged 109 years old an empty PMH became a relic of a past era in the history of Perth’s medical healthcare. Before it, children who were sick were looked after in hospitals with adults, or more commonly at home. These methods were not satisfactory. At the turn of the twentieth century 29 per cent of deaths in WA were of children under the age of 12 months. The foundations for the children’s hospital - the first in Western Australia - lay with an Irishman whose name was widely known and recognised across Perth at the time.

Irish born Charles Moore lead a group of prominent businessmen in a drive to find a solution to the problem of a high mortality rate amongst children. The story

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goes that Moore’s enthusiasm for a children’s hospital was started by a young Perth girl shopping in his department store, in the city, in 1897. She was attracted to an unusual money box in the shop and put three pennies in it, only to find out she couldn’t get the coins back out. It is said that Moore jokingly asked her what she would like in return for her lost money and she answered that it should go to the children’s hospital.

When Moore told her there wasn’t one in Western Australia she replied, “then why not have one?”.

He told her: “We certainly will, and we will start it with your pennies”. Using his considerable influence and business and political connections Moore embarked on a major fundraising campaign that would lead to the establishment of the children’s hospital.

Moore was born near Derry in the North of Ireland, circa 1858. Aged 23 he emigrated to Adelaide where he worked in retail and wholesale for other companies before opening his own store in in 1884 and would go on to build a retail empire in the city. He would also expand into other states, including in the West. He opened his first Perth shop “Moore and Gobbett” in Hay Street in 1895 and bought the ‘Coliseum’ furniture shop, which was also on Hay Street, but sold it in 1902.

By 1899 his shop - a high end department store - was being advertised as Charles Moore & Co. Most of Moore’s business interests were outside WA but the children’s hospital project seems to have occupied a lot of his time and passion. Perhaps another clue for his commitment to this cause might be found in his wife. Moore married Jane Cocks Carty (1871-1944) who was born in Dublin and was the daughter of the founder of the Band of Hope in Ireland. The Band of Hope was a UK Christian charity that educated children and young people about alcohol and drug abuse. In the early 1890’s the movement had more than three million young people under its protection. The couple had four sons and three daughters of their own. Sometime after her husband died (in September 1916) and until her own passing in 1930, Carty lived at her home, “Tara”.

According to an official timeline for PMH the Perth Children’s Hospital opened with 20 beds “after a vigorous funding campaign by Mr Moore”. By 1919, just one year after his death, child and infant mortality had been slashed from 12 per cent to seven percent.

In his book about Subiaco - Identity Prized author and historian Ken Spillman writes the need for a hospital designed for treating the illnesses and ailments of children had been identified as early as October 1897,when the successful Perth shop owner Charles Moore organised a public meeting to consider raising funds for such a project as a way of suitably commemorating Queen Victoria’s Diamond

1950s party at PMH for the children patients.

Jubilee. Reporting on the outcome of this meeting, the Morning Herald of 13 October noted that after little debate the scheme had been declared desirable, those present deciding that ‘the funds should be raised by voluntary contributions and subsidised by the government. Moore’s campaign had been launched with the impeccable timing that was characteristic of his dealings in the world of business. It followed the most

Chas Moore & Co Department story

campaign lost momentum in late 1899 and remained in limbo for the next ten years.

“The reason for this was so obscure, however successful fund raising might be, a government subsidy was still essential and, almost inexplicably, it has not yet been promised. Sadly, for Charles Moore and those he had enlisted to his cause, it was not until the conservative ministry of a namesake, Newton Moore, Premier for four years from 1906, that a subsidy could be obtained. In the interim, public interest waned and maps of Subiaco marked the future purpose of the Thomas Street site with diminishing certainty. When finally, the government agreed to a building subsidy of £1,000, as well as an annual maintenance subsidy of a pound for each pound raised up to £1,250, campaigners for the children’s hospital resumed their funding activities with renewed vigour. In December 1908, a penny collecting drive among schooled children raised more than two hundred thousand pennies, an even more spectacular result than had been achieved ten years earlier. Subscriptions poured in from people of all means living all around Perth. The people of Subiaco supported the cause as if it were theirs alone, and Subiaco council chipped in with a modest contribution of its own. By early 1909, building of the first wing had commenced, it was opened on 30 June, to delirious celebrations by those who had worked so hard to bring the new hospital into being and by those who anticipated the relief it would bring to children of all social classes.”

The fledgling hospital had twenty beds and one operating theatre. The first patient was two-year-old Elliot Patrick Mullins who was suffering from bronchitis and tonsillitis, common health complaints for young kids at that time. The second stage of buildings were finished in 1913, including Godfrey house. Other additions included an outpatients block (1921), nurses’ quarters (1927) and infants’ ward (1938).

World War 1 and the following decades would bring challenges and changes for the hospital. As early as 1915 - because of the drain on resources of the war wards would regularly close. By 1920 the situation was so dire the continued existence of the hospital was in doubt and another fundraising appeal was needed. This time the target was one million threepenny pieces.

affluent years in Western Australia’s history, and came in the midst of Perth’s first baby boom, which during the next decade posed such problems for the education authorities and in Subiaco led to the establishment of three new schools. The idea of establishing a children’s hospital immediately captured the public’s imagination.

Within three weeks, over nine hundred pounds had been subscribed, and children all over the metropolitan area were collecting and donating pennies to the fund for “their hospital”. There were benefit concerts and special collections at the churches, and in April 1898 an ‘Olde English Fayre’ was organised with such success that it alone raised £1.200.”

Real estate agents even got in on the popularity of this cause and advertised sales that would benefit the children’s hospital fund - to the meagre tune of five per cent of their own profit.

Spillman writes that despite the popularity of the fundraising effort - and the fact that a 999 year lease had been secured on a site near the junction of Thomas 1972 Princess Margaret, after whom the hospital was named Street and Mueller road (the hospitals current site), the visits.

32

Perth Children’s Hospital was renamed Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in 1949, after the sister of Queen Elizabeth. Princess Margaret became the hospitals patron and visited it a number of times, going from ward to ward meeting patients, families and staff.

In the years following World War II the government took an increasing role in the hospital and in 1978 PMH was declared a public hospital.

Moore’s contribution and legacy to the children’s hospital was recognised in 1986 when The Charles Moore Building - the six-storey layered structure visible from Thomas Street - was built and named after him.

It housed the total care unit, speech pathology, dental outpatients, parent’s accommodation, burns unit, infants ward, neonatal unit, surgical day procedure unit with the paediatric and neonatal intensive care units.

Some of the older, original buildings on the PMH site dating back to the earlier days of its foundation (as Perth Children’s Hospital) will escape the wrecker’s ball when demolition eventually starts (there is no public timeframe for when that will be) but the Charles Moore Building will not be one of them. The planned redevelopment of this massive block of land will tip its hat to the heritage of the site, but it is impossible to know at this stage how or even if Moore’s part will be integrated or interpreted in any way.

Twenty years after it became a government run hospital the board established a foundation to raise money for the facility and to fund further research, technologies and treatments. In 1998 the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation was officially set up as the main fundraising body for the children’s hospital and

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33

of my life) but then explained about Kildare. Ruth said her dad was from Kildare. My folks live in a place called Brownstown I told her. She knew it straight away, it was where her dad was from and where she had grown up as a child. We quickly established where exactly in Brownstown both of us had roots and traded stories and memories of the place. I had just been back ‘home’ the previous month for a flying visit, that coincided with the heavy snows that blanketed the place in beautiful snow.

She had a minister to mind and there was a lot going on and I had to get back to the office to write up the story (which got on the front page with a great photo) so we didn’t have very long at all to reminisce but for a brief moment I think we both enjoyed ‘living’ or reliving fond and similar memories of a place most people have probably never heard off or know where it is.

a total of just over $2 million was donated during the Foundations first year. In 1999 the hospital was made an even more child friendly place with the opening of the Stitches Megazone Centre and other developments such as Radio Lollipop.

In 2008 the Barnett government announced plans to build a new publicly owned children hospital with 298 beds beside Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on the 28 hectare medical campus. It would have the same name as the original children’s hospital. Construction began in 2012 and the main structure was finished two years later and expected to fully open in November 2015. Scores of Irish people - from architects, surveyors and planners to tradies such as labourers, sparkies and plumbers all had a hand in designing and building the hospital.

The PMH Foundation committed $11 million for equipment, facilities and research at the new hospital in 2014, the first of several large donations and contributions that helped to fit out and equip it as one of the most advanced hospitals in the world.

It is incredible to think this all started with a little girl popping pennies into a novelty money-bank!

St John of God and the home of hospitals

A little Lillywhites moment at PCH

It is not uncommon of course to meet other Irish people in Perth and across Western Australia, but it is rare enough that you might meet somebody from your little patch of Ireland, particularly if it is a small and not very densely part of the world. In my 10 years in WA I have met quite a few natives of Co. Kildare and a smaller number again from Kildare town or Newbridge, both of which are about five miles down the road from where my parents live in Brownstown, on the outskirts of the Curragh Camp, and where I spent much of my formative years. But it wasn’t until April 19 2018 that I met somebody else from Brownstown. As the local reporter for the POST newspaper I had been invited to cover the 'smoking ceremony' and opening event for the new kid’s hospital put on by Aboriginal Noongar elders and other members of their community. Towards the end of the event I crossed paths with the press officer for the Minister for Health, Roger Cook. She introduced herself as Ruth O’Toole, a good Irish name I told her. She said it should be. Her father was Irish. Initially, I said I was from Dublin (where I was born and spent most

34

In his book about Subiaco Ken Spillman dedicates a chapter about how the young municipality was seen as “the home of the hospitals” by the local council, state government and people of Perth. In a fast growing city where pressure on land was intensifying Subiaco had the advantage of blocks that could be used to build hospitals, and a train line. But it also had another major headstart.

“The success of the St. John of God Hospital, established just north of the railway in 1898, had proved the suitability of the area, and the comparatively large amount of land retained by the government for public use following the first survey in 1883 made available prime sites, the like of which could not be found in other metropolitan districts.” St John of God Subiaco also has strong Irish ancestry. The St John of God Health Care website tells us that it was formed in 1989 when nine hospitals and other services of the Sisters of St John of God in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales were brought together as a single entity, but the story predates that by quite a bit.

About its foundation and the Sisters of St John of God, the SJOG site continues: “The Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God was founded in Wexford, Ireland, in 1871. Inspired by the work of their patron saint work, St John of God, they nursed those in poverty.

Saint John of God devoted his life to alleviating human suffering, and comforted the afflicted, sick and dying in Spain in the 1500s. He was particularly passionate about combating the injustices experienced by people disadvantaged through illness or destitution.

As the Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God expanded, Bishop Matthew Gibney of Perth invited the Sisters to Western Australia to help care for the sick.

The first group of eight Sisters arrived in Perth in late 1895 and began visiting the sick in their homes and established a convent hospital. Within two years, they were also running hospitals on the Eastern Goldfields at

Coolgardie (1896-1898) and Kalgoorlie (1897). In 1898, the Sisters opened a convent, hospital and school in the Perth suburb of Subiaco. They established a number of schools at this time and over the following decades hospitals in Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. By the 1980s, the Sisters had nine hospitals as well as pathology and radiology services. Major changes in medical science, government policies and Catholic Church thinking at this time led the Sisters to rethink the governance and functioning of their hospitals.

Recognition that a multi-hospital approach was needed led to the creation of St John of God Health Care Inc on 20 September 1989. All of the Sisters’ services transferred to this new organisation.”

St John of God Hospital Subiaco marked its 100th anniversary last year. There are still quite a few Sisters - including those from Ireland - associated with the hospital but much of the new blood at the medical facility today comes from doctors and nurses and other healthcare workers, many of them Irish - including Perth’s 2018 Rose of Tralee Laura Cannon where she is a nurse in the intensive care and coronary care unit.

Like PCH, the more recent history of the hospital - between Cambridge Street and Salvado Road - has seen it become a massive and modern institution, one of 23 facilities operated by the group. For all its changes, some things remain the same.

“We continue to encompass and reflect the wisdom and inspiration of the Sisters and Brothers of St John of God, as well as the many others who have contributed to our organisation – both Catholic and lay – in all our services,” St John of God Health Care added.

LOCK HOSPITALS...

The March April edition of Irish Scene will look at the story of the Lock Hospital in Ireland and Western Australia, including details of a 'healing ceremony' set to take place in WA's Lock Hospital on January 9.

H With Dermot Byrne IR O A I W S Y R H OE U

?

I got blasted by Dermot when I last did a Quiz...

He wasn't a happy Dub! I will take another chance and see if a sporting quiz takes his fancy. Fred Rea 1. Tom Dreaper trained arguably the greatest National Hunt racehorse of all time in the 1960s. What was the horse's name?

2. What is the name of the famous GAA stadium in Dublin?

3. What surname is shared by Irish soccer players Robbie (born 1980) and Roy (born 1971)?

4. Who was the Irish Olympian swimmer whose achievements were shadowed by drugs allegations?

5. Which Irish soccer team play at Windsor Park in Belfast?

6. The All Ireland Senior Football Championship is held for a trophy named after whom?

7. Belfast's City airport is named after which Irish sports person?

8. What sport did Irishman Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins play?

9. Which Irish athlete was the women's 5000m world champion in 1995 10. Walsh Park is the GAA stadium in which Irish city?

11. Which 'Irish' sports team is based in Sunbury, Surrey?

12. What nickname is given to Kilkenny sporting teams?

13. Which Englishman became an honorary Irishman for his management of Ireland's Italia 90 soccer team?

Answers: 1. Arkle, 2.Croke Park, 3.Keane, 4.Michelle Smith, 5.Linfield, 6.Sam Maguire, 7.George Best, 8.Snooker, 9.Sonia Sullivan, 10.

Waterford, 11.London Irish RUFC, 12.Cats, Jackie Charlton

1909 Cots manufactured by the Cyclone Company Perth move down Murray Street en route to the new children’s hospital.

DID YOU KNOW? The story of the world-famous vampire Count Dracula was written in 1897 by Bram Stoker, from Dublin. His real-life inspiration for his character was a friend of his, the actor Sir Henry Irving. Count Dracula was the culmination of 20 years of vampire stories in Victorian literature. Dracula is said to have been inspired by the early Irish legend of Abhartach, an evil chieftain who, after being betrayed by his subjects and slain by the hero Cathrain, rose from his grave every night to drink the blood of his subjects.

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By Lloyd Gorman

ISTEACH SA TEACH The limitations of visitations The comings Julia Gillard and goings of political figures is a matter of public interest and should be on the record - after all their adventures are generally funded out of the pockets of taxpayers who deserve to get their money’s worth out of their representatives conducting the business of running the country on their behalf.

for the unwavering support to GPE.” Later the same day she issued a second tweet: “Wonderful meeting the Taoiseach @campaignforleo today. Ireland has emerged as a global leader in development and has always been an invaluable partner to @GPforEducation.

Thank you!”.

Only days earlier the parliament in Canberra that Gillard once presided over a few years previously House of welcomed an Representatives While she is no Leo Vadadkar Irish politician.

Speaker Tony Smith MP longer an elected “I’d like to inform member of the House that we parliament, have joining us here Julie Gillard still on the floor of the carries a lot of House this afternoon political clout a parliamentary as a former delegation from prime minister.

Ireland, led by Deputy The position allows these exPat “The Cope” Speaker Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher office holders to open doors Gallagher,” House of for causes that they personally Representatives Speaker support or supported during Tony Smith MP announced. “On their prime ministership. Education behalf of the House, I extend you a was one of Ms Gillards priorities very warm welcome, indeed.” The in office and it was this cause that ‘honourable members’ responded: brought her to Ireland in early “Hear, hear!”.

December. She is now chair of the With probably one of the best Board of Directors of the Global monikers in the business, “The Partnership for Education and got Cope” is also one of Ireland’s most to talk one on one with Ireland’s seaside and best known politicial prime minister (Taoiseach) Leo faces. The 70 year old hails from Vadadkar about the issue. the Gaeltacht fishing village of Ailt “Thrilled to be in Dublin for @ an Chorráin/Burtonport in Co. GPforEducation Board Meeting Donegal and has been a Fianna Fail this week,” Miss Gillard tweeted TD and other office holder since on December 5. “Ireland believes 1981, including as Leas Cheann in a better future through quality Comhairle (Chair) of the Dail. If a education for all and I am thankful week is a long time in politics then 36

“The Cope” has lived through an eternity.

I wanted to know if the Irish delegation might be coming West and made enquiries about the itinerary and make up of the group through the press office of the Oireacthas (parliament) in Leinster House. I was surprised to be told in a short defensive message I would have to apply for that information under the Freedom of Information Act. I fired back an email repeating that I only wanted to find out who was on the trip and where they were visiting while they were here.

So much for transparency I thought if the only way you can get the most basic information was to go through a bureaucratic that costs money and weeks to complete.

The same press officer came back to me the next day with a bit more of an explanation. “There have been many media requests regarding the same bilateral trip and they have all been directed to the FOI route, and on that basis I am obliged to treat your request in the same manner,” she said.

Then she provided me with a statement that contained at least some of the information I was looking for.

“By way of background here is the information which did issue outside of FOI,” she added.

“Bilateral visits such as this one to Australia take place infrequently and on foot of a formal invitation from the speaker of the parliament of the host country. The purpose of such visits is to promote and strengthen parliamentary relations and foster bilateral cooperation

in the areas of foreign relations, agriculture and trade etc.”

As it happens, around pretty much the same time as all this was going on, the House of Reps in Canberra was given a breakdown of the Australian parliamentary delegation that had visited the UK, France and Ireland in June.

new and emerging social media platforms.”

Mr Danby spoke at length about The statement the UK leg of the trip and its went on to importance as a trading partner add something to Australia, Brexit Isteach sa Teach and the different had already representatives reported last they met there. year (Irish Scene, Australian Senator He also went into “I was part of a July/August 2018 Scott Ryan some detail about very illustrious “Mysterious about the issues of delegation vanishing act Wood, member terrorism and violent Jason led by the for photos of Pauline Hanson's for La Trobe.

Michael Danby MP for the President of the visit to Dáil Éireann, including Division of Melbourne Ports extremism, new laws designed to stop fake Senate, Senator that they had met with “The Cope” new influencing their presidential Scott Ryan,” Mr Michael Danby and others during a two day elections and the measures taken - who represents the Division visit to the Dail in June. “Speaker to protect parliamentary buildings of Melbourne Ports (Senator Scott) Ryan and a in France. said on November 27. parliamentary delegation “The other members from Australia were hosted “Our visit to Ireland focused on included myself; my by the Oireacthas earlier this issues of Brexit, electoral reform, colleague and friend Mr year. Where a bilateral visit data protection ad standards of Steve Georganas, who occurs the host country plans public office,” Mr Danby said about happily returned many the itinerary and looks after the Irish leg which lasted at least Mr Steve Georganas the times, the member for accommodation and other two days. “We were most graciously member for Hindmarsh Hindmarsh; Senator costs within the country. received by people in the Dail.

Pauline Hanson, The visiting country looks after Everything they say about the who I had my first the cost of flights. The Houses Irish - their hospitality and their opportunity to get of the Oireachtas commission warmth - I found to be accurate.” to speak to in detail; travel policy allows for business In conclusion he said the trip Mr Tim Wilson, the class in cases where time exceed was “extremely worthwhile” member for Goldstein, Senator Pauline Hanson particularly in the areas of data nine hours. This and Jason Wood, policy is based protection and intelligence the very active local member for on guidelines sharing.

La Trobe. The delegation was provided by the Of course its a good thing that Mr ably supported by Department of Danby - and hopefully the rest of Duncan Pearse, Finance and Anne Rabbittee the Australian delegation - were advisor to the similar policies made feel welcome in Ireland and President, and are in operation you would be surprised if they David Sullivan, in government didn’t get a good reception, but is the delegation departments.” a one line statement about what secretary.”

Mr Gallagher was they covered and learned there “We went to the accompanied by enough - or good enough - for the Tim Wilson, the senators Gerard member for Goldstein, United Kingdom, Paddy Burke, Australian taxpayer? and their France and Ireland Horkan, Paddy Irish counterparts as well! You and had many focuses of our visit, Burke, Gabrielle can’t help get the impression that including trade and investment McFadden and the Irish visit was slipped in to policy, particularly the UK’s deputy (TD) Anne the tour as a pleasant outing, to future trade relationship with Rabbittee the break up the workload associated Australia after it leaves - it is still Gabrielle McFadden (TD) statement added. I with two big European powers. trying to - the European Union, was still no wiser Hopefully Mr Danby and the rest Irish senators counterterrorism and security as to where the Gerard Horkan, of the group will exercise their policy, including the security of group of visiting knowledge about Irish affairs in parliamentary precincts; LGBTI Irish pollies had some meaningful way in the future. policies and program; approaches gone apart from a Since they returned from the tour, to healthcare administration; youth only Pauline Hanson has referred cameo appearance and gang violence; energy policy in Canberra. It to the Irish excursion, and that was and policies to address foreign seems they never in relation to a debate about tax interference and the spread of came West otherwise we might regimes. misinformation and fake news via have heard something about it.

37

Meanwhile, another visit by a senior Irish political figure is also under the spotlight in Canberra. ‘Dev Eamon Devalera Down Under” is a “fascinating historic, personal reflection and musical history event…#DeValera’s 1948 visit to #Irishdiaspora #Australia #Canberra #Melbourne #Sydney #Ballarat #Irishhistory #stairnahéireann @Stairnahireann @GlobalIrish #TheChief @ breandanocaolla pic.twitter.com/ EsLkR0JgVX,” the Irish ambassador in Canberra tweeted in late November. Several years ago I met a lady - who has sadly passed away Archbishop Mannix now - in Mosman Park who was an air hostess on one of the flights that DeValera took while he was here.

She remembered it clearly and was keen to share it with me when she heard my Irish accent. At the invitation of Archbhishop Daniel Mannix De Valera - accompanied by former finance minister Frank Aiken - spent a month travelling to every Australian capital, on a tour designed to seek support to end Jessica Stojkovski MLA the partition of Ireland (the boundary between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland).

WA Parliament closed for 2018

The Mucky Duck Bush Band

in late November and on the last day of business Jessica Stojkovski - Labor MP - outlined some of the projects and activities in her constituency - Kingsley - in the previous year. She also gave a personal insight which some including this writer - may not be aware of.

“I am particularly close to my uncle, who is a founding member of the Mucky Duck Bush Band,” she told the House on November 29. “I am sure members who have grown up in Western Australia would know of the Mucky Duck Bush Band. It was a band that used to travel to lots of primary schools including mine. I have had some very proud days in my life seeing my uncle on stage.

The Mucky Duck Bush Band sings lots of bush ballads and folk songs.

My uncle came in and we had a singing session where we sang lots of Irish and Australian folk songs. I think there is even some embarrassing footage of me singing Home Among the Gumtrees with the actions, so that the oldies knew what they had to do. I have to tell members that I got many responses from people in attendance. They were very excited and happy to see a member of parliament, and somebody so young, engaging with them in a meaningful way.”

Seamus Heaney "The Railway Children"

We were small and thought we knew nothing worth knowing. We thought words travelled the wires in the shiny pouches of raindrops, each one seeded full with the light of the sky, the gleam of the lines, and ourselves so infinitesimally scaled, we could stream through the eye of a needle.

38

“Well that tickled a bit... cover up people!”

This comment appeared on Kevin Ducker’s facebook page along with the photo. As we head into another hot summer Kevin’s advice is good timing. If you are concerned about any unusual skin spots get them checked out… Kevin did and is now on the mend! A timely reminder now that summer is upon us and thank you Kevin for allowing us to print your photo.

WHAT IS MELANOMA?

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer which usually occurs on the parts of the body that have been overexposed to the sun. Rare melanomas can occur in parts of the skin or body that have never been exposed to the sun.

Melanoma is the fourth most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, which along with New Zealand has the world’s highest incidence rate for melanoma.

Melanoma is more commonly diagnosed in men than women.

The risk of being diagnosed with

melanoma by age 85 is 1 in 13 for men compared to 1 in 22 for women.

Letter to

2014 saw 13,134 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in Australia, accounting for nearly one in ten cancer diagnoses.

In Australia in Kevin Ducker 2015, there were 1520 deaths due to melanoma.

Dear Sir, I would like you to know how much we appreciate your publication - Irish Scene here in Tuam, Co. Galway.

Melanoma symptoms: Often melanoma has no symptoms, however, the first sign is generally a change in an existing mole or the appearance of a new spot. These changes can include:

Our good friend Tom Gilmore very kindly sends us a copy from time to time. Tom is a very wellknown personality - successful author, journalist, TV and radio personality. He has a wide circle of friends. We are also pleased to say that he has many relatives and friends in the Perth region which he speaks very highly of.

• colour – a mole may change in colour or have different colour shades or become blotchy • size – a mole may appear to get bigger • shape – a mole may have in irregular border or may increase in height •elevation – the mole may develop a raised area itching or bleeding.

We ourselves have good friends in the Claremont and Kelmscott neighbourhoods. I have also enjoyed dining at your lovely Kings Park.

Other symptoms include dark areas under nails or on membranes lining the mouth, vagina or anus.

A near neighbour of ours the Late Monsignor James Nestor OBE grew up in this region. He played a great role in the educational and cultural life of West Australia. We attended a special mass in his memory in the neighbourhood of Garrafrauns in North Galway where he grew up and where he was greatly admired in educational and sporting circles.

New moles and spots will appear and change during childhood, adolescence and during pregnancy and this is normal. However, adults who develop new spots or moles should have them examined by their doctor.

CAUSES OF MELANOMA

As we prepare for Christmas here the weather is wet and rainy. However, we look forward to the 1st of February and Springtime. December 21st is our mid winter and the shortest day of the year. Our towns and cities are in full glow with wonderful Christmas lighting.

Melanoma risk increases with exposure to UV radiation, particularly with episodes of sunburn (especially during childhood).

Melanoma risk is increased for people who have: • Unprotected sun exposure Increased numbers of unusual moles (dysplastic naevi) • Depressed immune systems • A family history of melanoma in a first degree relative • Fair skin, a tendency to burn rather than tan, freckles, light eye colour, light or red hair colour had a previous melanoma or non-melanoma skin cancer.

Congratulations on the excellent production of the publication which gives wide coverage of educational, cultural, sporting and historical activities in the region.

I have always been fascinated by your black swans in the lovely Swan river.

Kindest Regards.

Yours sincerely Martin Tyrrell

Want to know more visit: www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/typesof-cancer/skin-cancer/melanoma.html

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n a p a J o t Galway ! n i a g a k c a and b Kon’nichiwa.

By Emmet Bowen

As this is the first article coming to you from Japan, let me introduce myself, my name is Emmett Bowen, the newly elected Chairman of The Irish Network Japan and I have joined the Irish Scene as its Japan correspondent. If my surname sounds familiar to regular readers that is because my father is the other Bowen who has been checking in with Irish Scene readers for many years now with his G’Day from Melbourne column.

The next twelve months promise to be very exciting especially with the Rugby World Cup tournament being played here next year. As Irelands rugby team has had such a successful year scooping the pool, there is a great buzz in Japan among the expat Irish, about Ireland’s chance of making history and taking the cup back home. The Irish Japanese population will swell when the ‘Green Army’ moves in to support their side. An abundance of Irish pubs in Tokyo will mean that they will feel at home and can get some of the famous Irish tipples they drink at home.

Tokyo local Sana Terada will have more than a bit to do with all that, but her love affair with all things Irish started serendipitously.

Sana went to Galway Business School and studied for a Bachelor of Business, but why did she choose Galway business school to study instead of a college here in Japan, and why Ireland I asked her.

“When I was in Japan, I didn’t know about Ireland at all,” she said. “I had Ireland confused with Iceland.

When I graduated from college everyone was job hunting, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I decided to study abroad to improve my English. I was going to return after one year. Then I looked at some English speaking countries like the US, Australia, New Zealand and England. One of the agencies said that Ireland is an English speaking country and there are not many Japanese people. I wanted to study and practice using as much English as I could. I spoke to some friends that went to Australia and New Zealand and they said there were lots of Japanese people there and the Japanese Community there that is very helpful but if you want to speak English it’s not helpful. So that is why I chose Ireland. I didn’t want to be just around a Japanese community because I knew I would speak more Japanese than English and I didn't want that. So I put myself in a hard position so I could improve my English.

“I had studied in Japan and graduated with a law degree,” Sana added. “Then I went to Ireland. I wasn’t going to go to college again, but I got promoted in the restaurant I was working at in Galway. The owner of the restaurant asked me to be the manager. I was very interested in working as a manager, but I didn’t have any knowledge of how to run a business, so I decided to study 42

Sana Terada and Emmet Bowen

business. I thought if I went to adult classes it would be the same as if I did a Bachelor of Business degree. So, I searched for a colleges that fitted in with my schedule at the restaurant. Galway business school was the one that worked for me. They had a set schedule which was perfect for me. It means that I finished at the same time every day and then go to work after. The other reason was because it had a small class of only seven students.

It was the first time Galway Business School had a Bachelor’s Business degree course. If I had studied with a regular class size I would have got lost and it would have been harder to get help.”

Armed with an acceptance offer and a working holiday visa Sana headed for Ireland. She had visited London before and expected it to be similar, but found it was totally different and that the locals were friendlier, easy going and very helpful and happy to go out of their way to help others.

Even still she admits it was quite difficult in her first year because she didn’t speak any English, making even simple conversation tough. But she endured and as she went to college her English started to improve as she picked up the basics. “Everything in college was in English and I struggled with the technical terminology,” she admitted. “I was always searching in the dictionary for the meaning of those words, in Japanese. Then

I would go back to check in the textbook, it was really tough. All the lecturers were Irish who spoke in English, once I got lost and I wasn’t able to catch up, for example the lecturer would be talking, and I wouldn’t know the word and then had to look it up. In the meantime, the lecture would keep going and I would get lost.

The first year of college I didn’t like being behind, I would then go home and study the textbook all over again. My first year, achievement was tough, but I still managed to get first class honours. The reason I got first class honours is, I had enough knowledge even though my English level was not high. It helped that I previously went to college in Japan and studied law.

My degree in Ireland was business and there was some crossover, that’s why I got first class honours.”

In her second year at the Galway college her English levels improved dramatically and by year three there was a big difference. “People could tell that my English level had really improved, on the third and fourth year of college I did well and archived first class honours both years and the best student in my course. It was tough, but this was my choice and I couldn’t just give up. I had to achieve something in Ireland and this degree is what I had to complete. That mindset encouraged me to study more, work harder and became very motivated to achieve my dream.”

Sana arrived in Galway in 2013 and spent five and a half years in the country. She recently returned to Japan but will always consider the City of Tribes to be her home.

“Galway chose me!”, she said. “I looked at Dublin, but it was too big for me, then I looked at some pictures and saw Galway, it looked beautiful so I just decided to go there. Of all the Irish cities I visited Galway is closest to my heart. I have only ever lived in Galway - College Road in the City Centre and I consider it my second home.

I love the people there all the locals know each other. It’s a really close friendly place where everyone helps each other.”

What did you do when you weren’t studying I wondered? She told

me: “I was working at a Japanese restaurant called Kappa-ya. I went to a language school for a few weeks. My teacher was a Galwegian (A term used in Galway to describe a local.) he told me knew he about a Japanese restaurant that he used to frequent. The restaurant was closed at the time due to renovations, but my teacher knew it would reopen.

He told me to go to the restaurant and bring my CV, I went there, and the shutter was closed. I knocked and spoke with Jinichi the owner, he was painting the walls at the time and while he was waiting for the paint to dry, we had a few sakes (Japanese rice wine). The owner was happy with me even though I couldn’t speak English and he hired me. The owner of the restaurant is also the chef and he is so talented.

It is a Japanese restaurant, but he has created something very special, as it’s all his own food creations.

He calls it Celtic Japanese food. He uses local ingredients and the local style of cooking, then he mixes it with the Japanese style of cooking.

I love the food from my restaurant.

It’s something different when I am there as a costumer.”

Sana settled down to that weird combination of becoming a visitor and a local at the same time.

“It was so different, to learning English in Japan with Australian or American pronunciations. The first few months I wasn’t able to understand what people were saying. I thought people were talking in Gaelic,” she laughed. “I love the Irish accent.”

Kappa-ya was her go to place to eat but when it came to drinking and socialising everywhere was game.

“I went everywhere. The first ever pub I went to was the Quays. I love the Quays. The Front Door is the one we always ended up in. And not to forget the Hole in the Wall pub as well.”

When her sister and cousin visited Sana got to show them around her adopted home. “My sister is seven years younger than me and my cousin is eight years younger than me. They are almost like twins, they are always together. The first day we went to the Cliffs of Moher. They were like Oh My God! Ireland is like 43

Sana Terada

being in a Harry Potter movie, they were very impressed. They loved Ireland’s natural beauty and all the sheep.”

And what about Irish sports, did you like them? “Yes, I do. I like both, hurling and Gaelic football. When Galway played, I went to the pub to watch the games. I once tried hurling and it was hard as the sliotar was heavy. I liked going to the hurling matches, but I don’t like watching it on TV. When I watched it on TV I can’t see anything because the sliotar goes so fast.

I also love rugby, and Connaught who I support. I went to see the U19’s Japanese National team play against the local U19’s team in Galway that was a lot of fun!”

She also availed of the bountiful events to which Galway is home.

“I went to them all except the Galway Racers but I did go to the celebrations in the city. I really enjoyed Macnas Parade and I watched this year’s one on YouTube and it was amazing. I miss the illumination of Galway’s streets.

I think the illumination was only

meant to be for Christmas, but Galway city Council decided to have it all year round, it’s really beautiful and I miss it.

I also liked the Galway Art festival, you can see all the art and interesting things all over the city.

The one I went to last year was in Galway university. There was a 3D moon. You could walk about it and it looked like the real moon.

The oyster seafood festival was the best. There was a big tent where all the food/ cooking demonstrations were happening. I was part of it one year, I went with the chef from Kappa-ya. We did a demonstration of Kaki fry which is Japanese fried oysters and the audience just loved it. In terms of my favourite Irish dish that would have to be oysters Kilpatrick. Galway oysters are the best. There’s an oyster restaurant called Moran’s Oyster Cottage located at the Weir Kilcolgan in Galway. It has the best oysters in the world! It’s hosted many famous people including Pierce Brosnan, Julia Roberts, Woody Allen, Roger Moore and the Emperor and Empress of Japan. Well worth a visit for the world famous Galway oysters.”

Sana was enticed back to Japan by a well known Irish brand for which she is now an official ambassador.

“I was looking for a job that I could work between Japan and Ireland. I found Jameson’s Graduate Ambassador International program and I applied. Jameson’s were not looking for international students at the time. Then shortly after,

I landed the job. The Jameson’s international ambassadors graduate program is the one I’m doing now. It’s a three year program and I’m currently in the first year. Jameson take on around 20 people from Ireland and some international students like myself.

The new recruits get a month’s training in Dublin and Cork, they are then sent all over the world.

We have 95 ambassadors around the world to date. I am the only Jameson’s Ambassador in Japan and the first ever Japanese person in the role. Jameson is looking at taking on another Japanese Jameson’s Ambassador in the near future as it is such a big market here. The Jameson’s Graduate Distillers program hire two to three people a year, they must have studied specialized courses aim towards distilling whiskey.”

Her role as an ambassador - which amongst other things comprises of organising events, fun experiences and networking with bar owners and the Irish community - requires her to travel to Ireland on a regular basis. She returned in October for a branded Halloween Fest and will go back again in January, and June. The October trip was for four days and had such a busy schedule that went to Cork and Dublin that she didn’t get to see her friends on that occasion.

“In January all the Jameson’s Ambassadors around the world will be at head office for a big summit. We will all have to do a presentation on what we do in the market, what our local business strategy is, we will also get to share ideas and get inspired from each other. I know people from my first year but I don’t know people from the second and third year. So, 44

it’s a great opportunity for me to connect with others from different years and different markets.”

Jameson’s also look set to be a part of the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Japan this year, and with negotiations with the Irish Network Japan underway Sana will be a part of that, and other events and opportunities with the Irish expat community. “My main goal is, to make Jameson’s Irish whiskey a house hold name here in Japan, as well as to educate the Japanese people about Ireland.”

It is such a pleasure to meet people from other cultures, who have so much love for Ireland and what an amazing ambassador Jameson picked to represent them here in the land of the rising sun. I can tell from the time that I spent with Sana, she is a very determined person, who will succeed with her ambition to becoming Jameson’s brand manager in Japan. Believe in yourself and everything is possible.

Hope you had a wonderful and safe Christmas and I will speak to you again soon with more news and interviews from Japan.

Sayonara. Emmett

’ G da FROM MELBOURNE.

By Mike Bowen

Now that Christmas and the New Year has come and gone, I hope you got what you wished for. What you probably didn’t get is a lot Christmas cards this time around. The postie doesn’t deliver bundles of cards and letters anymore as most of the season’s greetings now come in the form of text or email (it’s called saving trees).

To those of you who went away or overseas for the Christmas break or were hiding under a rock, the good Lord decided in your absence to give the climate believers a taste of how he can change things around.

Rain, rain and more rain fell from, where else but from the heavens to the delight of the farmers who were finally able to get up from their knees after praying for the long absent liquid GOLD. Most of the farmers here in Victoria got what they prayed for, but the rains were not welcome by all. Some motorists who parked their cars, discovered on their return, that they were now the owners of what looked like little submarines in a harbour.

Melbourne, a truly sporting city, is all abuzz, as is the Irish community worldwide, about Ireland’s chance of bringing the World Cup back home for a four-year holiday,

y especially after having such an amazing 2018 season and having beaten the All Blacks in Dublin recently and beating them again in Chicago. Won’t the Japanese be surprised when the Green Army arrive in force and in full song, they won’t know what hit them. I smile to myself when I think of the Cork fans (with their accents) ordering food or anything else for that matter and the Japanese listening to them as if they have just arrived from mars.

The Irish will be also bemused with the Japanese lingo, as I’m sure some of them will think they have just left the pub after a few too many.

The reason I am saying this is, I still have a Cork accent and have been to Japan on many occasions to visit my son Emmett, who has been living in Tokyo for ten years. Tokyo is a beautiful city to visit and there is no shortage of places to see and things to do. To anyone thinking of going to the Rugby World Cup, let me tell you a few things that you are going to absolutely love about the place.

It is a super safe place to visit, don’t worry if you are bringing the children along with you. The Japanese people are amazingly respectful and helpful. The food is reason-

ably priced and delicious. There is no shortage of very good, Irish bars with a choice to suit everyone. For those of you who prefer their own company and to stay in there are plenty of mini supermarkets that sell take away beer, wine and spirits.

I would also advise that while in Japan, take some extra time to visit Nagoya, Kyoto Osaka and especially Hiroshima, as it is a special place and it will be good for your soul.

Traveling on trains is safe, interesting and a pleasure with lots of colour. Did I mention how the trains all run on time and are spotlessly clean? Another few things to note are, the hotel rooms are very small by western standards and some of the side street little restaurants are also small by western standards.

When shopping for clothes, remember it may be difficult to get sizes as large as us westerners are used too. You will need this information if you are going to the games as you should be booking your flights soon. I had never given Japan a second thought and it was never on my bucket list, until my son went to live there, and I can safely say it is now number one on my list of places to visit. Because I am such a regular visitor there now, I believe the Japanese government are thinking about giving me a clocking in and clocking out card.

Don’t waste time get down to your travel agent tomorrow and tell them I told you all about it. I will be there to greet you when you arrive and don’t forget who told you; so, you owe me a pint when we catch up there.

Until next time be good to those who love you and G’Day from Melbourne.

"I think that the British government has long been on the record saying global warming is a very serious issue and we need to do something about it. I think what they did was they took their own economic experts and they said, This time, let's try to put together a document that will really convince the rest of the world of a position that we've been holding for a while."

Richard Harris 45

‘Tis a white sand-heap, about two miles long, And say half as wide; but the deeds of wrong Between man and his brother that there took place Are sufficient to sully a continent’s face.

Ah, cruel tales! Were they told as a whole, They would scare your polished humanity’s soul; They would blanch the cheeks in your carpeted room, With a terrible thought of the merited doom For the crimes committed, still unredrest, On that white sand-heap called Rottnest.

Another O’Reilly poem mentioning aboriginal people, ‘The King of the Vasse’, tells the story of a white boy who almost drowns in the surf (near Busselton) and rescued by a member of the Wardandi tribe. The boy however never makes a full recovery from his near drowning and his spirit wanders the landscape between Wardandi and Wadjela (white fella) worlds.

Native fauna of Western Australia such as kangaroos, wallabies, possums and reptiles come to life in his aptly titled poem, ‘The Dukite Snake’.

Here O’Reilly waxes lyrically about a bushman named Dave Sloan who battles it out with nature as he tries to etch-out a living by cutting timber sleepers in the native forest.

Then there was O’Reilly’s wonderful (excerpt) ‘Prologue to Western Australia’:

‘Songs from the Southern Seas’

by John Boyle O’Reilly

How can I show you all the silent birds With strange metallic glintings on the wing?

Or how tell half their sadness in cold words, The poor dumb lutes, the birds that never sing?

Of wondrous parrot-greens and iris hue Of sensuous flowers and of gleaming snake,Ah! What I see I long that so might you, But of these things what pictures can I make.

Sometime, maybe, a man will wander there,A mind God-gifted, and not dull or weak; In his first book of poetry ‘Songs from the Southern Seas’ And he will come and paint that land so fair.

And show the beauties of which I speak. published in America in 1873, poet John Boyle O’Reilly dedicated the volume of his 21 poems to Captain David O’Reilly goes on to pay homage to the greater natural Gifford of whaling barque Gazelle in acknowledgement environment with his poem (excerpt) titled ‘Western of the captain’s bravery in helping him escape from Australia’: Western Australia (1869) including kindness shown to O beauteous Southland! Land of yellow air, him during the long voyage to America.

That hangeth o’er thee slumbering, and doth hold Compiled by Peter Murphy – January 2019

The volume was noted also for 8 poems O’Reilly wrote while as a convict in Western Australia (January 9th 1868 – March 2nd 1869), and where he observed in detail the region’s native flora and fauna including traditional ways of the local indigenous people (Wardandi).

The moveless foliage of thy valleys fair And wood hills, like aureole of gold.

O thou, discovered ere the fitting time, Ere Nature in completion turned thee forth!

Ere aught was finished but thy peerless clime, Thy virgin breath allured the amorous North.

His poem titled ‘The Dog Guard’: An Australian Story’ (excerpt) was inspired by his observations of Australian O land, God made thee wondrous to the eye! aborigines imprisoned on Rottnest Island being But His sweet singers thou have never heard; terrorised by a pack of wild dogs whose role was to He left thee, meaning to come by-and by, prevent them escaping the island: And give rich voice to every bright-winged bird.

46

O’Reilly’s observations of perils and dangers in the Western Australian bush prompt him to pen the poem ‘The Poison Flower’. Here he warns of the danger of unwittingly consuming one of the South West regions poisonous (pea) flowers including fateful consequences that may follow.

In the evergreen shade of an Austral wood, Where the long branches laced above, Through which all day it seemed The sweet sunbeams down-gleamed Like the rays of a young mother’s love, When she hides her glad face with her hands and peeps At the younglings that crows on her knee: ‘Neath such ray-shivered shade, In a banksias glade, Was this flower first shown to me.

A rich pansy it was, with a small white lip And a wonderful purple hood; And your eye caught the sheen Of its leaves, parrot green, Down the dim gothic aisles of the wood.

And its foliage rich on the moistureless sand Made you long for its odorous breath; But ah! ‘twas to take To your bosom a snake, For its pestilent fragrance was death.

In his novel ‘Moondyne’ (1880), written almost 10 years after his escape to America, O’Reilly still managed to capture a West Australian ‘sense of place’ to envy of most poets, writers and painters of that period: Had there been any moisture in the bush, it would have steamed in the heavy heat. During the midday not a bird stirred among the mahogany and gum trees.

On the flat tops of the low banksia the round heads of the white cockatoos could be seen in thousands - motionless as the trees themselves. Not a parrot had the vim to scream.

The chirping insects were silent. Not a snake had courage to rustle his hard skin against the hot and dead bushgrass. The bright-eyed iguanas were in their holes.

The mahogany sawyers had left their logs and were sleeping in the cool sand of their pits.

Even the travelling ants had halted on their wonderful roads, and sought the shade of a bramble. All free things were at rest; but the penetrating click of the axe - heard far through the bush, and now and again a harsh word of command, told that it was land of bondmen.

From daylight to dark, through the hot noon as steadily as in the cool evening, the convicts were at work on the roads - the weary work that has no wages, no promotion, no incitement, no variation for good or bad, except stripes for the laggard.

O’Reilly, also when penning ‘Moondyne’, used several words from the Nyoongar language, which is testament to his respect for the indigenous custodians of the boodjara (land).

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Anniversary Commemoration of the Escape of John Boyle O'Reilly in 1869 Sunday 10th March 2019 @ 10am John Boyle O'Reilly Memorial Monument Buffalo Road, Australind, Bunbury.

Tour of Memorial site with Peter Murphy at 9am John Boyle O'Reilly was an Irish-born poet, journalist and fiction writer. As a youth in Ireland, he was a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood, or Fenians, for which he was transported to Western Australia in 1867. He escaped to the United States in 1869, he became a prominent spokesperson for the Irish community and culture, through his editorship of the Boston newspaper The Pilot, his prolific writing, and his lecture tours.

2019 commemorates the 150th Anniversary of his escape.

Enquiries: Fred Rea 0418 943 832 or Email fred@irishscene.com.au

Join with Fenians Fremantle

Commemorate the 150 year Opening Concert

Celebrate the talent of one of Ireland’s most well-liked and popular national treasures....

Sharon Shannon

Performing with her band, Jack Maher, Jim Murphy and Sean Regan… and from Co Clare

Susan O’Neill

Prodigiously gifted singer and performer with a voice that is truly something to behold When: Friday 22 February 2019 Where: John Curtin College of the Arts, Ellen Street, Fremantle (free parking) Tickets: Eventbrite Fenians Festival Sharon Shannon

WA Museum - Family Day

Free activities for all the family in and around the WA Maritime Museum. Listen to great stories, see a replica whale boat, make a model boat, follow the Shamrock trail, view the award winning kids movie The Secret of Kells on the big screen, watch displays of traditional dancing and keep an eye out for talented young buskers There’s plenty to do for the whole family When: 10 am – 5 pm Saturday 23 February 2019 Where: WA Maritime Museum, Victoria Quay, Fremantle

Fenian Festival presents

O'Reilly's Escape Fremantle 22 - 24 Feb 2019 fenianfestival

bookings: eventbrite 48 48

and Freedom (Inc) to

Anniversary of O’Reilly’s Escape Sunset Ceili

Dance the sun down at the free family ceili.

Music provided by traditional musicians, experienced dance caller and easy to follow instruction for all ages.

When: 5.30 pm – 7.30 Saturday 23 February 2019 Where: Maritime Museum Precinct, Victoria Quay, Fremantle The Ceili will be followed by a Session (till late) in a nearby bar

Reading O’Reilly’s Moondyne

The first ever all day reading of the entire novel written by John Boyle O’Reilly about Western Australia and published in Boston in 1880.

This is possibly the very first novel ever written about WA and presents a penetrating view of colonial life, Aboriginal Culture and the power structure in operation.

The entire book will be read in public over this one day at various historic locations throughout Fremantle. Follow the readers around the streets, or wait and meet them at a set location.

7.30 am Fremantle Prison 12 noon Norfolk Hotel (Aardvark Basement Bar) 2 pm Orient Hotel, High Street, Fremantle (Ticketed celebrity reading) 7.30 pm Kidogo Arthouse during the Gaelic Gumbo Concert Further details and map: www.feniansfestival.com.au Enquiries: info@feniansfestival.com.au

Gaelic Gumbo

Relax on the grass in front of Kidogo Arthouse.

Bring a picnic or grab a bite nearby and a drink from the Kelp Bar. Settle in for a great evening’s entertainment as Lucky Oceans and the Zydecats blend their foot tapping Louisiana beats with the spirited Irish music from Fiona Rea and Tommy O’Brien.

This event was a ‘sell-out’ at the 2018 Fenians Festival When: 6.30 – 9.00 Sunday 24 February 2019 Where: Kidogo Arthouse, Mews Road, Fremantle

ALL BOOKINGS: www.eventbrite.com.au/feniansfestival Follow us on Facebook or Instagram Further Info: www.feniansfestival.com.au

‘Freedom is more than a resolution – he is not free who is free alone. To those who in our time have lost their freedom, or who thought the ages have never won it, there is converse to this message. No one in the darkest cell, the remotest prison, under the most unyielding tyranny – is ever entirely lost in bondage while there are yet free men in the world. As this be our faith, let it also be our pride.’

Written by John Boyle O’Reilly and quoted by President John F Kennedy in Wexford, March 1962 49 49

NEILL

Le Pádraic Ó Conaire

Ní raibh de sholas sa seomra ach a dtáinig isteach tríd an bhfuinneog ón lóchrann sráide a bhí ina sheasamh ag coirnéal an tí, ach mura raibh féin bhí bean ann agus í ag cur uisce ar na plandaí a bhí i mboscaí ar léic na fuinneoige agus ar bhord beag a bhí istigh; do mhusc cumhra an bhlátha bhuí is mó a thug sí aire, ach nár dhearmad sí fhiúise ná na nóiníní dearga. Anois agus arís dhearcadh sí anonn trasna na sráide cúinge ar an teach thall; an fhuinneog a bhí ar aon airde leis an gcrann tríd ar fhéach sí féin, bhí sí gan scáth gan dallóg, agus chonaic sí fear óg, nach raibh mórán thar ocht mbliana déag, shílfeá, ina shuí ag bord ar a raibh mórán leabhar agus páipéar. Bhí clocha ar an mbord freisin, agus ó am go ham bhriseadh sé blúire de chloch le casúr beag, agus thosaíodh á scrúdú.

Tháinig cat mór dubh trasna an urláir i seomra na mná, agus a eireaball in airde aige. Léim sé ar chathaoir i bhfogas di.

‘Bhain tú geit asam, a ghadaí dhuibh’, ar sise.

Shuigh sí féin ag an bhfuinneog.

Léim an cat dubh ar a gualainn agus thosaigh ag crónán; ach ní ar an gcat ná ar mhusc an bhlátha bhuí a bhí a haire ach ar an teach thall. Bhí an fear óg os cionn na leabhar, agus ag baint meabhrach as na clocha fós, ach ní raibh aon aird ag an mbean a bhí ag an bhfuinneog air. Ar na fir a bhí tar éis a bheith ag obair ar an taobh amuigh den teach a bhí sí ag féachaint. Bhí dréimire leo le balla an tí fós agus fear in airde air. Bhí comhartha nua curtha acu ar an teach, agus bhíodar ag féachaint air go bhfeicfidís an raibh sé curtha suas i gceart acu. Bhí an seancheann a baineadh anuas

ligthe isteach leis an mballa. Léigh an bhean a bhí ag an bhfuinneog an t-ainm a bhí air: MICHEÁL Ó CIARABHÁIN CEANNAÍ ARBHAIR Tháinig bean amach as an teach thall, agus d’fhéach sí go géar ar an gcomhartha nua. Bhí culaith bhaintrí uirthi. Bhí sí sásta leis an obair. A hainm féin a bhí ar an gcomhartha nua. Ainm an fhir a cailleadh a bhí ar an seancheann. Cuireadh an seanchomhartha isteach i gcairt, agus d’imigh an capall go righin réidh suas an tsráid.

Ach níor imigh an bhean ón bhfuinneog. Bhí tuirse uirthi. Bhí sí go gnóthach i gcaitheamh an lae. Bhí ceird mhaith aici, ceird a bhí anúsáideach don phobal. Nuair a bhíodh daoine i gcruachás i gCathair na dTrí nUisce, nuair a bhí an seandrochscéal le n-aithris acu – easpa oibre, easpa airgid, easpa bia, easpa chuile shórt – bhíodh cruóg uirthise. Ag tabhairt cabhrach dóibh a bhíodh sí; an fear a raibh léine mhaith air, nó an bhean a raibh bróga nach raibh róchaite faoina cosa, níor chall dóibhsean a bheith in easpa airgid, an fhad is a bhí sise sa gcathair.

Bean fhial a bhí inti, an ea? Níorbh ea, ach bean chóir a raibh ticéid bheaga clóbhuailte aici, agus é ina bhán agus ina dhearg orthu céard a bheadh le n-íoc ag an té a d’iarrfadh cabhair uirthi. Ma tante a bhéarfadh an Francach uirthi; my uncle a bhéarfadh an Sasanach uirthi. Níor tugadh uirthi i gCathair na Trí nUisce ach Neill. Ní raibh baol ar éinne dul amú dá mbeidís ar a lorg; d’fheicfeadh sé na trí liathróidí práis os cionn a dorais.

D’fhan Neill féin ag an bhfuinneog ag dearcadh anonn ar theach an Chiarabhánaigh agus ar an bhfear óg úd a bhí os cionn na leabhar, agus ar an gcomhartha nua. Bhí boladh cumhra an mhúisc bhuí ina srón; bhí an cat mór, nó ‘an gadaí dubh’ mar a thugadh sí air, ar a gualainn agus é ag crónán. Ach bhí sise ag déanamh na smaointe.

(Scothscéalta, Pádraic Ó Conaire, Sáirséal agus Dill, Baile Átha Cliath, 1970) Seanfhocal : Is maith comhairle ach is fearr cabhair.

Bríd

PERTH PERTHCITY CITY

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• Batteries • Brakes • Steering • Suspension • Exhausts

We stock a huge range of tyres from all the leading brands including...

Fiona and Adrian wish you all a Happy New Year!

Bhliain nua sásta

PERTH CITY 35 Troode St (same street as the Licensing Centre)

West Perth 6005

9322 2214

perthcity@tyrepower.com.au www.tyrepowerperthcity.com.au

50

Seán Doherty Branch

Page Sponsored by: Reid’s Bootmakers

GET WELL SOON RAY

Firstly, to a Perth Comhaltas stalwarth we send our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Ray Deely from all at CCE, get well soon.

IRISH FEST/FLEADH

We had a very busy one what with the Fleadh/Irish Fest at the Irish Club and all the Sessions but we enjoyed taking playing our part. Congratulations to Sean Doherty's very young beginner students who performed during the event. CCE had great time thank you to The Irish Club for inviting us tio participate.

2019 RETURN OF CCE

We return to the Club on the 17th January. To all our new members a warm welcome and hope to see you all in January.

Thank you to The Broken Pokers

MUSIC CAMP

Local Irish Band The Broken Pokers made a donation to Comhaltas before Christmas of musical instruments.

Our First Camp will be in May the 17th till the 19th.

Will send out more details nearer the time. Thank you all for your help and support. Looking foreward to seeing you all soon.

Wishing everyone a very happy New Year.

Yvonne Jones, Chairperson

See story on page 83.

WEEKLY SESSION

EVERY MONDAY @ THE IRISH CLUB

Come and learn a tune 7pm in the committee room or join in the session.

There is also set dancing most Mondays about 8.30 pm. It’s great fun, beginners welcome.

For news updates visit: www.facebook.com/perthcomhaltas

51

Taibhse ós do chomhair

The ghost before you

Shuí sí síos Gan súil i mo threo Babhta cainte Leathnú béal ’gus súile Cluais a thabharfadh foirthint Scéal le músclú An nimh caitheadh dhí, sórt mallacht Mar mheachan gheansaí olna lá gréine

She sat before me Not an eye in my direction A bout of chat Widening of the mouth and the eye Sweating to be done Gospel to be spread The body needing cooling A breath needing to be taken Energy to be burnt She sighed Delaying her tongue Musings yet to be shared The stage becomes comfortable The audience are staring She loosens her body Notice is given

Allas le cur uaithí Soiscéal le scaipeadh An corp le fuarú Anáil le tarraingt Fuinnimh le dó

52

‘Togtha ón gcnuasach ‘Dánta Póca’ le Siobhán Na Spág’ (Taken from the collection ‘pocket poems’

by Siobhán Na Spág).

Tinneas baile

Home sickness

Saol ag rith Deifir á chur liom Mall ag taisteal An tEorap ag Dóirteadh ó Mo cholainn Aitheantas nua Strainsearach ag Fás sa bpoll A dheanann sé I mo inchinn Is i mo chorp Gan mé anseo Gan mé ansúid Ach I bhfostó Sa scamall Ghlas sa gan Mo chosa ag Stroichint an talamh.

A running life Being hurried But slow to move Europe spilling From my body A new strange Identity growing In the void That it leaves In my mind And in my body Not here Not there Yet stuck In a grey cloud My feet barely Touching The Earth

Oliver with Dermot Hegarty

‘Sa Fhrainc is cuma leo Thug me faoí deara Fior ádh orainn anseo ‘Sa rialtas chomh groiúil’

Tharraing sí osna Mhoill sí a teanga Rabhaillí fós le roinnt Tá an stáitse compórdach Lucht feachana ag faire.

Luascann sí a corp Tugtar siúntas.

‘Iomairce imirce Ár saol ar fánadh,’ Phleasc sí arís Toirneach á réiteach.

Gan amharc i mó threó Ós a comhair an taibhse Gan cluasa na súile Ach croitheadh mo chloigean Tá mo scéal sa fós ciúin Ach a saol sa suas baite

‘Beidh tae againn arís As Éire do chanúint?

Ach mo chluasa sa dúnta Gan trócaire gan easpa.

An taibhse seo fós le spiorad na beatha.

Mo scéalsa chomh luachmhar Duine ag sioscadh Gan ceachtar ag eisteacht.

‘Too much immigration, The world is astray’ She bursts again Preparing the thunder

Without a glance in my direction A ghost before her Dumb and blind But a nod of the head My story is yet quiet Hers fed by the listening

‘Tea again together?

From Ireland your dialogue?

Yet my ears are shut Without mercy without giving This ghost has yet The spirit of life My story as valuable Vespers amongst people With no one listening

Hear all your favourite Irish Music with Oliver McNerney If you live in the Ellenbrook area or close by, you can now hear Oliver McNerney’s Country & Irish show radio VCA show in Ellenbrook 88.5fm every Wednesday morning from 10am till 1pm.

Oliver plays the very best in Country and Irish music with the all-time greats of American, Australian and Irish country songs including Irish ballads and showbands.

Radio VCA will go live streaming on the NET from February 2019.

You can phone in to VCA for a request for YOUR family and friends on 92971088 or text 0450 459 217. You can also visit the VCA facebook page /radiovca88.5fm or they can email us at radiovca88.5@gmail.com Visit the website: www.radiovca-88.5fm 52

RTE Radio Today Programme Focus on Perth

By Lloyd Gorman

The November 21st 2018 edition of been in an accident and passed away."

Today with Sean O'Rourke - one of O'Rourke said they must have RTE Radio 1's flagship current afbeen left reeling from the bombfairs programmes - focused on a shell. subject close to home for many in "Its an absoluety odd one," WA's Irish community as well as lisshe said. "It absolutely did but teners in Ireland. The topic was you go into this mode, I was still 'What happens if a loved one dies on the phone to the police, abroad'. breaking the new to my mother, Sean O'Rourke said losing a famwhose absolutely distraught but ily member was always difficult, but at the same time I was saying to when it happened unexpectedly this guy, 'well, where is he?', he abroad it was a nightmare. "My next was saying he's in a place ten guest Pauline Mason from Broadhours north of Perth and the ford, Co. Clare got that dreaded only real information I rememphone call a couple of months ago ber getting , all you think is, okay, when her younger brother Brian he's died, but you are like, where was killed in a motorbike accident is he? what happens next? Bein Western Australia in September," Facebook photo from Tractor Rally in Broadford Co Clare cause I'm so aware of how far O'Rourke said. away Australia is and all I re"Brian had been in Australia for about five years, member being told constantly, it was a Saturday and it he'd initially moved out towards Karratha in WA which was a public holiday on the Monday, so nothing can hapis where he'd been visiting [at the time of the accident]," pen until Tuesday and in the end really, I think he wantsaid Pauline. "Our other brother Sean was out there as a ed me off the phone. So he knew my mother was with mechanic, so Brian moved out for work initially and met me and that he'd send the metro polio around who mates and went travelling around after that. Then about would give me all the information I needed. He told me three and a half years ago he moved to Perth and that something had gotten lodged in the rear wheel of honestly I'd say it was with the move to Perth that he the bike, so there was no other vehicle involved and that really found himself, he just loved Australia, he just was it. So, I was there, standing in the middle of Kinggrasped everything it had to offer, so he went from be- ston, with my mother and my partner going, "he's died" ing a quiet enough fella, he'd a lot of friends and and we have no idea what to do." everything but he was a quiet enough guy but went Heather McKeegan chairperson of the Claddagh Asfrom being that to taking up running, mountain biking, sociatio was on the line from Perth. O'Rourke introswimming, he bought a Catamaran, remastered the gui- duced the Claddagh as an organisation set up to help tar and in the last couple of years in particular he be- people in crisis and asked how and when the Claddagh came a huge astronomy enthusiast and the night sky in became involved in this case.

WA in particular is amazing, so all these friends of his "We were notified by someone in the area that Brian they all had a common love for astronomy and even the had had the tragic accident, they contacted one of our whole motorbike journey he was on was part of that od- committee members - we are a not for profit committee yssey, he was on the quest to live life to the absolute full- of volunteers - and he contacted me and we got into acest." tion from there," she said. "He had had contact with She was in London - with her mother who was visit- some friends of Brian and we stepped in at that stage ing - when she got a very worrying message O'Rourke and said we'd meet the friends and guide them through said. what would happen next. I immediately contacted Colin "Yeah, I'd been living in London the last 13 years and Bell and Colin said "No problem at all Heather, whatever mam was visiting basically. She arrived on Friday you need". evening. I knew that Brian had actually left his house in Colin Bell, co-founder of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Perth the previous Monday, so we got the news on a Sat- Trust for his son who was killed in a hit and run in New urday he'd left to travel the 1,500km north to Karratha. York several years ago, was in the RTE studio.

I had been in contact with him and knew he was on this He explained: "Initially we'd reach out to people journey and I knew he was due to be leaving to return to when we'd hear of people dying abroad and then we Perth on the Saturday and so I was sat in a cafe with had a meeting with Jimmy Deenihan in 2015 - the then mam and my partner and I got a Facebook message Minister for the Diaspora - and as a result of that meetfrom a friend of Brians basically saying that something ing - every consulate, every embassy and the Departhad happened and they wanted the family to get in con- ment of Foreign Affairs has our number - so when tact with them immediately and he gave me a phone somebody contacts Foreign Affairs they will be given number. So I'd say about ten minutes past before I got to our number." speak with somebody because of various issues with O'Rourke asked what help they were able to provide phone numbers and stuff. I got through to the police in in Brian's case.

Western Australia and I was put on hold for a while lis"Unfortunately we have taken quite a few young peotening to some pipe music and a sergeant came on the ple home from Perth and we generally use the same unline and he basically read from a script that Brian had dertakers and in a case like this it really just takes one 53

phone call, we are so used to it now. We do write the cheque but when a family contacts us we say we can take it out of your hands, you don't have to do any more and we'll make the arrangements and try to get the loved one home as soon as possible."

Instead of making a difficult journey abroad, families could go to Dublin or Cork airports. O'Rourke asked Pauline how useful it was to have that support in her time of turmoil.

"It was incredible, in particular this thing echoing in my head all the time was we can't do anything until Tuesday with the authorities and even then, we don't know. But to have the combination of the Claddagh Association and Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, to have a guy from the Claddagh (Eoghan) who is Irish, who stayed with me on the phone, the day after it happened, talking it through, saying ye can come out to Australia if you want, but there is no need, unless you really want to, that between ourselves we have this, it was incredible because the idea of getting on a plane for 24 hours to go out there and then getting on a plane again to bring him home, just knowing they were there and that there was something about the Irish community there, I did feel helped. The Irish organisations based in Western Australia, the Claddagh and to have this repatriation organiation, we felt so looked after, we had people to call and ask what's happening next, people sending us forms and saying 'okay Pauline, this is what you need to fill in for this step and they took care of it."

In the last five years the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has taken 65 bodies back to Ireland from Australia alone, and hundreds more from other parts of the world. "Had you any notion when you started out a practical charity in memory of your son that it would grow as it has?" he asked.

"No, not at all," Colin replied. "But then again, this type of charity wouldn't work anywhere else, it could only work in Ireland, because of the way that communities rally around families in time of crisis and support families. We don't get any financial support from government, we rely on fundraisers, but we don't need support from government because of the massive support we get from all over Ireland and the Diaspora."

Pauline said all her family felt so strongly about the support they had received from the Claddagh and Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust that they wanted to give back almost immediately. "Because you are sort of overwhelmed, it is about the focus it gives you. We've already set up a go fund me page and we've gotten a lot of donations, something like 7,000 euro and that was within a couple of weeks, so the family and community have been helping in organising a tractor rally in Broadford, where we're from. We want to raise awards of the charities but its also a celebration of Brian as well, he's very young and there's a lot of young lads in the community who are still reeling from his loss.'

Heather said a memorial service held in Perth for Brian attracted about 50 people and was a comfort for his friends. "It was amazing and so well done," she said. "The group that set up our organisation 21 years ago showed incredible foresight, people have worked hard through the years to really support the Irish people in crisis here before the KBRT was set up in 2013, before that we were the ones doing the repatriation, we were helping these people in difficulty and crisis in Western Australia. Its amazing. Like Pauline said its a bombshell for her, the way we step in to liaise with the police, liaise with the friends too, to have that for emotional support, that service for Brian, was one of the most amazing things I ever attended.

A podcast is available at www.rte.ie and search for the Today Show.

54

ULSTER

Rambles

with David

Happy 2019 How’s about youse all. I do hope you had a fantastic 2018. What hopes and wishes do you all have for 2019? The world seems to be changing so much, faster every year and not necessarily for the good.

A good friend sent me a video this morning via youtube informing me about transracial.

These people are one colour but believe they are another colour. No not red indians! They are perhaps “white” but believe and feel they are “black”. Is this getting out of hand you might well ask. But wait; it gets worse. Then there is transabled, transinfantile, transspecies and transaged which you can all work out for yourselves.

Let’s get on to something more easily understood; Bregshit, oops sorry, Brexit. Possibly just as confusing though maybe not as far as the North part of our Emerald Isle is concerned. Perhaps a little history here might surfice.

The partition of Ireland took place in 1921, when, following the Irish war of independence and the contentious signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty, Ireland became an independent country save for the six counties of Northern Ireland, which, because of a Protestant majority, remained part of Great Britain.

The border has been a contested issue ever since: its removal and the formation of a 32-county Irish Republic remains the mainstay of Irish republicanism.

Being born in the 40s, I vaguely remember people talking about the 50s when the IRA conducted a short bombing campaign in and around the border, causing a brief state of emergency in the north. It did peter out mainly due to a lack of popular support on either side of the border. For most of its existence, the border was a porous entity for the people who lived alongside it: smuggling was rife in the borderlands, and people travelled back and forth to buy goods, like toilet rolls, gin,

petrol and even condoms; the direction of their shopping trips dictated by the fluctuating exchange rate of the English pound and the Irish punt.

Recently the Irish comedian Seamus O’Rourke from Leitrim demanded in his video that the hard border should be reinstated and gave many reasons, some even compelling, why this should be so.

In the video Seamus talks (with difficulty as his tongue is firmly in his cheek) about the impending disasater presented by Brexit and laments the end of cross border 'shopping' as he calls it or smuggling to the rest of us. He states, and here I quote, "There's no craic shopping anymore. We want adventure - make it harder to buy cheap shite that you'll never use.

Make rules that we can break, give us something to do for jaysus' sake instead of looking at our phones. The phones don't work in Leitrim, there's no signal. The only thing that works on the phone is the calculator and sooner or later we are all going to disappear into the Christmas trees that they have planted all over our county.

We're bottom of Division four for jaysus sake! The only thing we are good at is smuggling and saying nothing."

OK, so I know he is taking the piss here but I detect some serious stuff in there as well. Look him up if you would like to see the complete video.

A recent Irish government survey noted that there are now around 200 border crossing points and an estimated 177,000 lorries, 208,000 vans and 1.85million cars travelling to and from Northern Ireland every month. In spite of this progress, the prevailing question now occupying people either side of the Irish border, particularly those that live in its hinterland, is: does Brexit mean that checkpoints of some kind could reappear, to prevent the movement of goods and people from European Ireland into British Northern Ireland?

The border is 310 miles long, and can be difficult to follow even with the help of an Ordnance Survey map. It skirts five of the six counties of Northern Ireland – Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh and Derry (Londonderry if you prefer) – as well as five Irish border counties – Louth, Monaghan, Cavan, Leitrim and Donegal. Along the way, it bisects mountains, towns, townlands, fields, rivers, bridges, farms and even a few houses wherein the occupants sit down to supper in Ireland before going to sleep across the hall in Britain!

Colum Sands ( of the reknown Sands family) tells the story of his home near Rostrevor being situated in the North part of Ireland AND the South part. He boasts that he can receive both the BBC and RTE.

So where exactly is this elusive border or rather where was it?

We might begin on the Northern Irish side of the border by driving along the shoreline road from Rostrevor, to nearby Warrenpoint. The border begins and ends not on land, but in water, disappearing into Carlingford Lough at the SouthEast end, and Lough Foyle at the North-West end. Surprisingly, both inlets are still contested by the British and Irish governments nearly 100 years after the border was created. The British claim ownership of the entire stretch of water which is Carlingford Lough. The map on the previous page shows the counties which border each other.

The combined effects of joint EU membership and the recognitions imposed by the Good Friday agreement led to a dilution of the border, culturally, economically and socially. All this has been virtually destroyed by Brexit.

If one were to imagine a worst-case post-Brexit scenario for Northern Ireland, it would involve the border becoming once again a focus for paramilitary aggression. Dissident republican groups remain sporadically active in Northern Ireland, but have thus far lacked a defined focus for their cause.

Depending on who you speak to, then, the ramifications of a hard Brexit for Northern Ireland seem at best deeply worrying and at worst cataclysmic. Some people believe Brexit will probably lead to the breakup of the UK. Now what will the future bring for an island that is currently united north and south in its opposition to Brexit?

A unified Ireland might be proposed in an unprecedented context: not as republican versus unionist, but in terms of alignment with Europe. It is one of the ironies of Brexit that the Irish border may yet be consigned to history by the very people who insist that Northern Ireland is more British than the British. I visited Gibraltar in the seventies and I got the same feeling. They were frightfully British yet speaking among themselves with a sort of Spanglish language. Many stranger things have happened of late. Perhaps I should go and try transracial or trans religious?

Not yet. I am sticking to Trans Perth.

David MacConnell

55

Sky's Enda Brady and Steve Mills

6PR host M.I.A. in Ireland

Millsy's IRISH Adventures

by Lloyd Gorman

It felt a lot like 'Irish month' on 6PR's breakfast show during December.

The approach of the festive season traditionally marks the time when the main hosts of regular radio programmes go on holiday while colleagues step in to their shoes to keep the show on the road. So Breakfast with Steve Mills and Basil Zempilas - 5am to 8.30am Monday to Friday - saw a number of other station presenters step in to give the co-hosts a chance to enjoy a hard earned break from the normal routine.

On December 11 Simon "Bowie" Beaumont checked in with the ever gregarious Enda Bray - a Sky News reporter who does the daily UK Report on the breakfast show (and again on 6PR's drive programme) - for the first taste of the adventures of their co-worker. Have you caught up with him yet the presenter asked? "Yes, I saw him today, at lunch time in a pub no less. I can confirm he is whizzing his way across these little islands here. London today, to Ireland tomorrow. He is flying into Dublin, driving to my parents in Wexford and then he's going massively across country to Galway, all the way over to Galway, he never sits still."

Bowie asked Enda about "a great story, some Irish kids have put a song together and its gone to Number One".

Enda replied their version of Lean on Me - which he

56

played a segment of - had gone to No.1 on iTunes. "So Simon, there are secondary school students at St. Colemans College in Fermoy, Co. Cork, a small market town in the south west of Ireland. One of their classmates was diagnosed with cancer a few weeks ago and the family are having to travel from Cork all the way up to Dublin for specialised treatment, obviously its a long journey, its expensive and the family need all the help they can get this Christmas. The kids went to their music teacher and said "Miss, we'd like to sing a song for him - the boy hasn't been named actually - so the money has been pouring in and raised about 20,000 dollars already and they are going to split it between the family and the hospital that looks after him in Crumlin, Dublin, a children's cancer hospital there." It was proof that young people did not deserve the "bad rap" they often got, Enda added.

The next morning listeners heard more about Millsy's plans - designed and accidental - in Ireland.

"Millsy loves to drive," said Beaumont, a close friend of Mills, on December 12. "You would remember a few years ago he had never been out of the state and then he went from the pensioner rally at 6PR, took a petition across to Canberra and since then wants to travel all the time, passports, stamps, everything, but still loves to drive and does get a little bit ahead of himself."

Zempilas agreed that he could get a little bit stir crazy, "but he's got Trish as his co-pilot, we should remind everyone, he flew into London but the wedding is in Ireland and Galway is his destination, so its a fair drive, London to Ireland‌We got a rumour to say Millsy got it horribly wrong and this has given birth to a new segment - Millsy Watch - and we are going across to Enda Brady for the debut of Millsy Watch."

Brady - who does the daily UK report on the breakfast show - joined in the fun. "Good morning to you for Millsy Watch," he said. "So I got a text this morning, very early on, asking me how many terminals there are at Heathrow airport, there are five, I told Millsy this, then he texted me wanting to know which one the planes flying to Ireland fly out of, I told him, that's terminal five.

So he gets there, unbelievably he gets through passport control, they let him into Ireland. Millsy is now loose in Ireland. Then I get a text, how do I get to your dads home? I said, "ok Millsy, get Steve Mills and on the M50, that's the moBasil Zempilas torway in Dublin and then the N11 southbound heading towards Co. Wexford. Got that?

Yes Mate! Where are you? Driving mate, so texts are going back and forward but he's on his way, he gets out of Dublin.

I told him to go past Bray, go

past Arklow, go past Gorey, get into Enniscorthy, find this village. I tell him the name of the village, I said find the village and park up and wait for my dad, you will never find our house! [Imitating Millsy's accent] 'Mate, I'll be right' was the text that came back to me. The text comes back, 'I've got lost mate'. Did you park up in the village and wait for my dad? 'Ah, no mate, I thought I'd find it, NOT A HOPE,' said Enda. "So my dad Simon Beaumont eventually through the help of neighbours and other good minded residents, they find Millsy, they get him to my parent’s house and tonight he is in the pub – Declan’s Pub in Killurin, Co. Wexford, having a few beers and God help us, he's off to Galway in the morning on the west coast of Ireland. So Millsy Watch continues."

Zempilas said it was very daunting to drive "over there" and very cold at this time of the year. "So Millsy has the cold to contend with, roads he doesn't know, but at least they drive on the same side of the road that we are used to." Beaumont said they would keep their eyes and ears open for news of their vacationing co-worker and even asked people to put the word out amongst any "relies" they might have in that neck of the woods.

On the 17th of December it emerged that Enda was having a pretty good week and enjoying himself. "It's my birthday tomorrow and Liverpool FC is on top of the Premier League and yesterday I was in London and I parked my car and this guy came over to me, wanting a selfie, 'Robbie Fowler', footballer, City of Perth Glory, Liverpool FC, 183 goals for us in the premier league and I thought to myself, yes Robbie you can have a selfie, it 's my birthday this week, Simon, honestly, very, very, happy."

After a discussion about UK police trialling the use of sophisticated face recognition systems the subject of Millsy came up again.

"Yes, he is (on his way to see me), so he's been to a wedding in Galway, which is Europe's answer to Perth basically the most western city in the entire continent.

Millsy somehow got himself to Galway and tomorrow he's on his way to me here at Oxfordshire. I've stocked the fridge with Australian beers, we have some French beers, we have lots of beers Millsy won't want to drink but its Christmas, I've got continental wine from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and some Irish whisky and we are going to have a lot of fun this week. I'm really looking forward to welcoming Millsy to our little bit of England."

Bowie said a friend of his was at the same wedding and had snagged a photograph with Millsy at the event.

6PR sports presenter and athlete - WAFL and rugby - Brad Hardie who joined Simon Beaumont for the day had his own memories of Ireland, having played in Ulster and in Galway in 1984. Ireland was he said a beau-

tiful place.

There was more "Millsy" talk the following morning.

"Birthday eve and Millsy heading your way, what could go wrong?" said Bowie.

"What could possibly go wrong," replied Enda.

"Millsy is on his way to my house for tomorrow and its my birthday. I have visions of him turning up with a UTE, a slab and a smile."

They talked about the fees being dropped on a toll bridge into Wales. "The toll bridge over the River Severn is paid for, so that's it, we've been paying 11 dollars a pop to go over that bridge for as long as I can remember anyhow, in 25 years I've been driving over it because i get the ferry back to Wexford in Ireland from Wales. Its interesting you pay 11 dollars to get into Wales, but then when you are coming back the other way to get back into England, its free. Its finally paid off. The very last toll was paid by one of the Welsh government ministers and its now free, so there you go, its taken a long time to pay it off, but everyone is about 11 dollar better off."

December 19 saw Enda laughing about how his birthday celebration earlier that day had gone. "Thanks Simon, a lovely evening here. My wife came home from work in a foul mood and I had to cook my own dinner so, like my dad says, it's like having a dog and barking yourself."

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Enda raised another Brexit story.

"The word from Westminster is today that basically 3,500 British troops are being put on standby for from March 29 in the event of a nodeal Brexit, they will be very busy indeed." [How many of those soldiers would be allocated or deployed to Northern Ireland is unclear - Editor] Millsy was landing at Enda's house that day. "Here's my Millsy conundrum, I have one every day.

I'm working in London on Friday, I won't be back in my house until 8-pm on Friday and Millsy is rocking up at rural Oxfordshire at 3pm Friday and his big idea is that he will pick my kids up from school and take them to the pub. So my daughter is 13 and my son is 10 and how am I going to tell the local school teachers this bloke from West Australia who you've never met before and you don't know who he is - in the words of Ron Burgunday (Anchorman Movie) he's quite a big deal. He's wanting to pick up the kids from school and take them to the pub and then he wants to go for fish and chips, yeah roll on Friday, domestic bliss here at Brady Mansions, ha ha."

On December 20 Millsy's impending arrival added to the anticipation of Christmas said Enda.

"He is coming here tomorrow afternoon, he is picking up the kids from school and I've had text message Millsy wants to go for a real curry, so I've put the local Indian restaurant on notice for Steven J Mills of Kalgoorlie who will be visiting and the kids are quite excited.

When he visited previously my little boy was two or two and a half and Millsy used to pick him up from the nursery and bounce him on his head the whole way home but he still remembers it, still mentions it. So lots of excitement here, Millsy's coming and he's taking the kids for a cury as you do at Christmas," he laughed.

The sense of expectation continued to grow the next day. "I don't know what the kids are more excited about here, Father Christmas coming or Millsy from Australia, its

a close run thing" Enda said. "Our two are buzzing, the tree is up, the lights out front, its getting frosty, its getting cold and a Brady tradition here at Christmas is I've got this big bright luminous penguin that I put out the front of the house. The neighbours tell me that they like it, and they humour it, but eh, its Bluey the Penguin out there waiting to welcome Millsy to our little village."

Bowie joked that the door to the fridge would be getting so much action with his visit that Enda might need to stock up on bulbs.

"I don't know who the kids are more excited about," added Enda. "I hope Millsy has some nice presents because with Father Christmas, the excitement of Millsy coming, the kids are absolutely delighted." He also thanked everyone who took the time to send him "lovely messages" on social media.

On Christmas Eve's breakfast show Carmen Braidwood was in the presenter’s seat. She asked Enda about the ongoing story about drones flying at Gatwick airport. He said a husband and wife who had been questioned by police were released without charge and the investigation seemed to have stalled.

"This thing has cost millions of dollars, a lot of people's Christmas plans upset. I met people from Ireland who came over to chat to me and they were on their way to Trinidad and they were going to have to spend two days waiting for the next flight because of those drones. So a huge time of disruption at a time when people just want to get away."

They also talked about a new Banksy mural that had appeared on the end of a shed in Wales before moving on to 'Millsy Watch'.

"Millsy has been and gone, like Father Christmas," said Enda. "My daughter who is 13 - and if you can imagine what 13 year old girls are into - she doesn't follow AFL football funnily enough but Millsy brought her an AFL football for Christmas. You gotta laugh. He came here, he's been all over the village, into every pub. Millsy's culinary taste hasn't gotten any better all the 58

years I've known the bloke. He wanted to eat Indian so I took him to the best curry house in the area and the waiter comes out and I said "we have an esteemed visitor here from Western Australia" and Millsy goes "Mate, do you do chips?". The waiter gave me a look like no one in a year of taking orders in the restaurant had ever ordered chips, but they scratched their heads and they went away and they brought in chips for Millsy, and curry sauce, you just can't take him anywhere."

Word of Irish Scene's interest in Millsy's shenanigans in Ireland reached the show's presenters and featured as an item from "The Blarney" on the breakfast show's 'Rumour File' on Thursday December 20. Millsy might expand a little on his exploits in Ireland when he returns to the fold in the new year.

Podcasts of Enda Brady's daily UK Reports are archived and can be found on the 6PR website. There is also a very worthwhile podcast of an interview with Brady on PodBean with Jarlath Regan as part of his An Irishman Abroad series.

A special friend of mine Andrew who has worked in the Good Sammy's in Rokeby Road, Subiaco for a long time, is a big fan of Enda's and we usually end up having a good chat about the stories he enthusiastically reports. Indeed, from all accounts, Enda has a large and loyal following in Perth and beyond. His association with 6PR also stretches back quite a few years and included taking a tour of listeners around Ireland and the UK with former presenter Howard Sattler about eight years ago.

“As a boy of 14, at night under the bed sheets, I secretly travelled all around the world, with an ear glued to my shortwave receiver.

That way I learned more than during the day at school". ― A.J. Beirens

The Irish Club is a members only club, and we welcome new members. Application forms can be downloaded from the website.

Join LUB THE C

irish irish fest fest weekend The Irish Club of WA wishes to thank everyone who contributed to our very successful Fleadh 2018.

The goodwill you showed us was overwhelming. From the gorgeous children who volunteered at our pop-up siopa to the very talented dancers, musicians and singers who provided us with brilliant entertainment, we are very grateful to each and every one of you who participated. We would love to name you all individually but there just isn’t enough space.

With your help we raised vital funds to allow us to meet the ongoing financial commitments of running the club and to provide us with some breathing space whilst we work on developing an operating model that ensures the club’s future. If you have expertise in this area we would love to hear from you as soon as possible. Don’t forget that the Irish Club of WA is a not-for-profit membership organisation and relies on its members to stay afloat. Irish Clubs across Australia are closing due to lack of support but it would appear that in WA the Irish community wants to keep its club alive.

We are also delighted to tell you that our membership base has grown by almost 500 since our last AGM. This is testament to the fact that you believe the club has a place in our community. Let’s work together to ensure the club is relevant to you and your needs.

The priority of the management committee continues to be the

control of operating costs and looking at ways to reduce those costs where possible but we also need to ensure the club is appealing to you and that it is a place you are happy to visit.

We plan to paint the internal walls at the club over two weekends in January, (dates yet to be finalised).

We can’t do this on our own so we are appealing to anyone who might be willing to lend us a hand.

If you would like to help please contact Damien Cronin on 0408 172 691 or secretary@ irishclubofwa.com.au The club will close on December 24th until January 3rd 2019. The kitchen will re-open again in late January.

We look forward to seeing you at the club in the New Year We hope you all had a safe, peaceful and happy Christmas and may 2019 be a great year for you all.

With every best wish and gratitude for your support, Le gach dea-ghuí agus beannacht, The Management Committee

The Irish Club A GREAT PLACE FOR A PARTY

Functions & Fundraisers Contact Club:

Tel: 93815213

Irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au

Opening Hours: Mon to Wed 5pm - 10pm Thurs & Fri 4pm - 10pm Saturdays - 4pm - Late Sundays - 2pm - 10pm

61 Townshend Rd, Subiaco Western Australia 6008 Phone: 9381 5213 • irish1@iinet.net.au • www.irishclubofwa.com.au 59

with Lloyd Gorman

The ever changing face of Australian citizenship For understandable reasons Australia Day - January 26 - is the most popular time of the year for new migrants to become newly minted citizens. The appeal of the symbolism of the day is helped by the fact that it is national holiday and friends and family are generally freed up to watch local ceremonies and share the occasion. This year will also be something of a major milestone celebration for the concept of Australian citizenship itself. The Nationality and Citizenship Act was created in 1948 but came into force on January 26, 1949. That is a dry little factual titbit but it is more than a piece of trivia. In fact it was a defining moment in Australian history and identity. Before that moment in time all Australians could only hold the status of British subjects. As a country Australia was still young - less than fifty years old as a parliamentary democracy - and fresh out of another bloody war at side of the traditional motherland of the United Kingdom, which still cast a long familiar shadow. (Despite the redefining of its people the status of “British Subject” would remain a part of Australia’s citizenship legislation until nearly 40 years later when it was removed altogether) A similar change happened in Ireland just a few months later. On 18 April 1949 - following a 21 gun salute on O’Connell Bridge, Dublin, at midnight on the 17th - the 26 counties known as Eire (Ireland)

ceased to be a British dominion when the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 came into force. This legislation severed the few remaining ties with the British monarchy and openly paved the way for the country to become a Republic. Irish people were no longer British subjects.

Australia remained a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations (the former British empire) while Ireland’s defiance saw it leave that club of countries permanently.

After a century's long fight to gain its own independence the Irish people legally extricated themselves from being constituents of the United Kingdom with dignity and determination. The British government today is in short supply of these qualities as its withdrawal from the European Union continues to be a political shambles. The word Brexit will become the global defintion of how to really stuff something up and make a bigger mess of things than anyone could have imagined possible.

In any case, returning to the topic of citizenship ceremonies Australia Day is not the only opportunity to become naturalised. As a rule, citizenship ceremonies are organised by local councils with mayors or deputised councillors presiding over the event. Local ceremonies make a lot of sense. Local government is at least a lot more accessible than dealing with some faceless Federal department. Councils also 60

have some discretion about how many or how often they hold these functions.

But this year there is a new development on the citizenship ceremony front that will hopefully become an option for more Irish in other parts of Australia in the future. Sydney’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities will take on an extra dimension with the addition of an Australian citizenship ceremony especially for the occasion. March 17 is a ready made opportunity to wear our national identity with pride but this opens it up to our adopted nationality as well. New citizens are often told that their cultural heritage and experience will add to the vitality of Australian society. Australia is the most successful multi-cultural country in the world politicians and public figures like to remind us. Becoming an Aussie at a special citizenship ceremony on St. Patricks day would be a great way to pay homage to where we come from and where we are going.

Meanwhile, March 15 2019 is also another significant and notable date for Australia’s citizenship legislation. That’s the deadline for public submissions on proposed changes to the law put forward by One Nation leader Pauline Hanson as a private members bill to parliament.

Her amendment is called Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening the Commitments for Australian Citizenship

and Other Measures) Bill 2018.

The right wing leader wants to make it harder for migrants to become Australians. New arrivals would effectively have to prove they are not criminals, have an already good command of the English language when they get here and have to wait eight years to get their citizenship. The tough measures are designed to deter some people from even applying in the first place and tests the values and value of those who do. The bill has a sympathetic shoulder in the Morrison government which also wants to introduce changes that would make the process even more difficult than it is.

Hanson’s proposal has its supporters and opponents according to the list of submissions on the issue already published on the parliament’s website. (www.aph.gov.au/ Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs/Citizenshipbill2018 “I agree with Pauline Hanson in the fact that Australia doesnt have the jobs nor the infastructure to accommodate more refugees or newly arrived Australians into this country,” Frances McDonald - no address given - states in her submission.

“There is also the points that Senator Hanson makes and that is most of these newly arrived Australians don’t wish to assimilate into Australian culture and do take advantage of the welfare system. Muslims in particular, who have several wives and dozens of children for each wife. Sharia law is also a growing issue here in Australia. These newly arrived Australians do take preference to public housing, which in my opinion, is totally wrong, because there are a lot of Australians who have been on wait lists with public housing for several years. There has also been demonstration of violence from young Africans in Victoria and Brisbane. The legal system should be deporting those from other countries who break our laws. The Australian government needs to look after the people who are already in this country instead of adding to the problems by inviting more

people in who have no regard for our laws. A good example of how this country has become over populated by foreigners in recent years can be seen in the suburbs of Sydney. North Ryde in Sydney looks like it has become the high light of an invasion of Asian populations. The land scape has become one full of high rise, match box units, traffic is unbearable. Stop the overpopulation of this country, get put and start dealing with the problems we have with the people already here.”

But Heather Neil - again no address given - writes that she has concerns about the terms of the Bill.

“Every day, each of us benefits in many ways from a multi-cultural Australia - be it via economic growth, bridging relationships between nations and building cultural understanding through the easy movement of people, to friendships in our local neighbourhood to touring the world through food,” she states. “The mixing pot that is now Australia is what makes Australia a great place to live and raise a family.

My own family arrived in Australia in the early 1800s. Australia was multi cultural then too - all be it from a smaller group of countries.

We have recently added a son-inlaw to our family, someone my daughter has met working overseas for the past five years. I have been surprised by how hard it is for him to get a spouse visa and move to Australia so he can contribute to building a prosperous Australian society.

The process of entering Australia and eventually becoming an Australian citizen is already difficult and expensive. There is no need to put more barriers in place and it is for this reason that I do not support the Bill.”

More than 100 submissions have been made to date and can be viewed on the website (given above). Perhaps you might like to make one, maybe we all should! Remember the deadline is March 15, which was extended from December 4, 2018, so it is unlikely there will be any more extensions. [It's 61

worth remembering that the 457 visa - which was one of the most popular and possible ways for many Irish (and others of course) to come to Australia was abolished on March 18, 2018. So things can, and do, change and we as citizens and residents have an obligation to be engaged and involved in these processes as much as possible).

Tony Murray 21st Sept 1946 - 2nd Nov 2018

We little knew that morning that God was going to call your name, in life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone; for part of us went with you, the day God called you home.

We’re left with loving memories of the time we had with you, and feel your love around us in everything we do.

Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same; but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.

To Lily, family and Tony's many friends our deepest condolences.

Tony was a great supporter of our Irish Scene and we used his photos many times.

We will all miss his smile at the many Irish events around Perth.

Slan Abhaile a Chara!

AIDA WA EXECUTIVE 2019 President: Caroline McCarthy TCRG Vice Presidents: Katherine Travers TCRG & Melissa Kennedy TCRG Secretary: Katherine Travers TCRG Treasurer: Martina O’Brien TCRG Registrar: Jenny O’Hare TCRG SCHOOL CONTACTS: Celtic Academy East Victoria Park & Karragullen www.celticacademyperth.com Siobhan Collis TCRG 0403 211 941 Kavanagh Studio of Irish Dance Maylands www.kavanaghirishdance.com.au Teresa Fenton TCRG 0412 155 318 Deirdre McGorry TCRG Caroline McCarthy TCRG Melissa Kennedy TCRG Avril Grealish TCRG

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc. November saw some of our youngest Irish dancing stars take to the stage for the very first time at our annual beginner feis. It was a fantastic day watching our future champions embark on their Irish dancing journey!

December is always the festive month, with many of our WA schools holding Christmas Concerts to celebrate the end of the year. There was wonderful displays of dancing all over the state, demonstrating the amazing talent of our dancers.

A special congratulations to Dakota Courtney from O’Brien Academy, who was lucky enough to have the opportunity to perform with Lord of the Dance in Taiwan in December. Such a fantastic opportunity for Dakota, and another example of the wonderful talent here in WA. If you are interested in getting your wee one involved in Irish dancing, contact a school near you to get started in the New Year!

The Academy/Keady Upton Subiaco, Wangara & Pearsall Samantha McAleer TCRG Kalamunda Lara Upton ADCRG 0409 474 557 O’Brien Academy Butler, Mindarie/Quinn’s Rock, Ocean Reef, Connolly, Duncraig www.obrienacademy.com Rose O’Brien ADCRG 0437 002 355 Martina O’Brien TCRG 0423 932 866 O’Hare School of Irish Dancing Doubleview, Wembley Downs & Craigie Jenny O’Hare TCRG 0422 273 596 Scoil Rince na hEireann Rockingham irishdance@iinet.net.au Megan Cousins TCRG 0411 452 370 Scoil Rince Ni Bhaird Fremantle & Lynwood Tony Ward TCRG 0427 273 596 Three Crowns School of Irish Dance Wangara & Padbury www.threecrownsirishdancing.com Eleanor Rooney TCRG 0449 961 669 Trinity Studio of Irish Dancing Morley trinitystudiowa@gmail.com Eileen Ashley ADCRG 0413 511 595 Katherine Travers TCRG WA Academy of Irish Dancing Malaga Glenalee Bromilow ADCRG 0410 584 051 Sue Hayes TMRF 0412 040 719

Brendan is Minister for Environment; DisabilitySrServices congratulated Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council by the Italian PO Box 2440, SOUTH HEDLAND WA 6722 members of the stephen.dawsonmp@mp.wa.gov.au community (08) 9172 2648 • 1800 199 344 (toll free) 62

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IRISH COMMUMITY

6363

The role of Irish emigrants

in Wanneroo underscored by Duffy House and its history

(Part 2)

By Caroline Smith

In the last edition of the Irish Scene, we presented the history behind Duffy House – a colonialera farmstead built for one of Perth’s early Irish settler families.

In this article, we uncover the developments which have led to a planned restoration and conservation of the building, potentially starting in the New Year.

When Duffy House came to be completed in 1913, it was one of the most modern homes in the district. At least that’s what Jack Duffy – the last family member to live there – later recalled.

“Dr Haines, who lived in East Wanneroo, told Dad it would be healthier not to put a ceiling in the house. So he didn’t,” he said.

“We certainly had plenty of fresh air through the place. Visitors sometimes said it was a bit cold in winter, but I never felt cold there in 80 odd years and there isn’t anywhere cooler in summer.”

The house – constructed with limestone walls and jarrah floorboards by local builder George Dawson - had been commissioned

by Jack’s father, Frederick Duffy, who was at the time a resident of growing prominence, as inaugural secretary of both the Wanneroo Agricultural Society and Wanneroo Roads Board. Frederick’s family had lived on the surrounding property for decades, beginning in 1860 when his grandmother Sarah moved to the area from Perth’s southern suburbs in her recent widowhood. There she built up a small dairying business and raised four children – including Frederick’s father Barney – who grew to marry into local pioneering families. The property operated as a dairy farm into the fourth generation under Jack and his brother Joe, ending production in 1976.

Upon Jack’s death in 2009, Duffy House faced an uncertain future.

Jessica Stojkovski MLA MEMBER FOR KINGSLEY 4/923 Whitfords Ave Woodvale WA 6026 08 9309 2666 jessica.stojkovski@mp.wa.gov.au @JessicaStojkovski

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IRISH COMMUMITY

jessicastojkovski.com.au 64

That year, the City of Joondalup proposed it for inclusion on WA’s State Heritage List, but the attempt failed. It was however granted a place on Joondalup’s municipal heritage list – this would act as a barrier to proposed development on the property, but did not include provisions for maintenance or restoration. This meant that in the following years, the house would come to be marred by neglect, graffiti and other damage, and according to news reports, it was actually being used as a drug house.

The situation entered a new phase in 2014, when the surrounding land was bought by WA Planning Commission (WAPC) as part of Yellagonga Regional Park. Late last year, the Commission put forward a proposal to demolish Duffy House as part of their plans for the property, prompting an outcry from local residents, who also expressed concerns about the condition of the farmstead and its future.

Jessica Stojkovski MLA speaking at public meeting near Duffy House

The movement to save Duffy House continued into 2018, with Member for Kingsley Jessica Stojkovski taking a particular interest - liaising with the City of Joondalup, WA Planning Minister Rita Saffioti and community members to find a solution. Impetus grew after a news article in January which reported the discovery, by a local grandmother, of dead animals and graffiti in the house. In May, the State Government offered $150,000 towards the restoration of Duffy House, under the proviso that the City of Joondalup would take on management of the property – but this offer was rejected at a Joondalup council meeting the following month. After a raft of meetings, Ms Stojkovski again addressed the issue through a grievance presented to State Parliament in November, in which she emphasised the historical significance of the property.

“To my knowledge, Duffy House is the oldest remaining building in the Joondalup area and an important part of our local European history,” she said.

“The house was built by the Duffy family, one of the local pioneering families in the WannerooJoondalup area and was built from hand using limestone that was cut from Perry’s Paddock a short way away…the surrounding land was worked by the family as a market garden and then later as a dairy.

“The house and its links to the history and development of Woodvale specifically and the Wanneroo-Joondalup areas more broadly has important significance to the local community as well as to the Duffy family.”

Ms Stojkovski suggested that the best option for the house was the ‘sympathetic adaptive reuse’ model, which would include restoration using materials sympathetic to its original character, and then a suitable repurposing of the building itself possibly turning it into a tearoom. This would also allow for surveillance of the property, to ensure no more damage was incurred.

“My local community and I are very passionate about saving this house,” she added.

“I have been contacted by numerous residents asking me, and I quote: ‘please save Duffy House.

It is so important to our Wanneroo history’ ‘Duffy House has earned its place in our history and in our future’ ‘I have lived in Woodvale for 24 years and truly appreciate the fact that we have 65

remnants of our past history still standing’ and finally, ‘Far too much of our history has been lost. Please do your utmost to ensure that Duffy House isn’t added to the list’.”

In response, Planning Minister Rita Saffioti made a second offer of $300,000 towards the restoration and community use of the house, and this was accepted by the City of Joondalup at its council meeting in early December.

Speaking to the Irish Scene, Ms Stojkovski said she was pleased with the result, and hoped to see works on the house beginning in early 2019.

“The money covers the restoration of Duffy House and creation of an access way and informal parking. There’s also enough money for additional buildings – such as a kitchen and toilet facility – that will be necessary as part of a tearoom,” she said.

Alan Joyce

The business end of Australia Day in Ireland

By Lloyd Gorman

For most people Australia Day January 26 - is a national day of celebration. A day off work - and in this case a long weekend - and a chance to relax and enjoy some of the many benefits Australia has to offer. For others it is an opportunity to sell Aussie products and services abroad, or to do business, some even mix business and pleasure as a couple of upcoming Australia Day

Michael Lynagh

related events in Dublin show.

The Australia Day Corporate Lunch is held on the closest Friday to the occasion itself, so this year it will be held on January 25, Australia Day eve if you like. It is now in its third year and will again be staged at the Hogan Suite in Croke Park, Dublin, with great views over the famous pitch below.

The event starts at 12.30pm and runs through until 5pm, with organisers promising it will be a “long lunch to remember”. Aussie foods and wines will be served on the menu as you would expect. Michael Lynagh Managing Director of Dow Jones will give the main address with guests encouraged to mingle and network. A table of ten at the event - which sells out - can range from €2091 up to €3075.

The corporate lunch is the main fixture on the calendar for the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce, but it also organises other events, such as a bash for Brexit called ‘An Irish Solution’ in early December and a trade mission of Australian and New Zealand business people in August, with Dublin born CEO of Qantas Alan Joyce as the main speaker.

Meanwhile, another new Australia Day related event is also coming to Dublin. The Australia Trade Tasting is a roadshow event that will

wind up in the Irish capital on January 29 after having been to London and Edinburgh.

“The Australia Trade Tasting in Dublin is a must-attend event for Irish trade and media showcasing over 250 wines from more than 50 wineries,” the promoters said. [Unfortunately for most wine lovers this event is restricted only to those in the industry, and the press, who can get in for free - editor]. Join us to taste wines with freshness and elegance, the classics as well as alternative varieties, organic and natural wines, and those showing innovative and experimental winemaking.

This is also your opportunity to meet the people behind the wines. A number of winemakers and winery owners will be flying over from Australia to pour their wines and share their stories. The tasting is enhanced by themed focus tables and master classes, ensuring that you have a full and exciting day of immersion into Australian wine.”

In terms of WA Wines there will be a master class on Margaret River Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The ATT will take place in the Mansion House in Dawson Street, close of St. Stephens Green.

"And with a burning feeling of an injured man I mounted the stump and proclaimed liberty" Peter Lalor, leader of the Eureka rebellion.

66

ELEGY FOR AN EMPORIUM

By JOHN HAGAN

While a student at Trinity College, Dublin, during the late 1960s, ritzy department stores such as Switzers, Brown Thomas and Arnott’s were not amongst my ‘go-to’ outlets when I needed new underwear. These emporia, as I saw it, were the preserve of the well-heeled, not the haunt of an impoverished student. In search of replacement socks and briefs, I headed to Clery’s in O’Connell Street, where I could be sure that there was always a ‘sale’. At that time, Clery’s must have been one of the largest department stores in Ireland, at least that’s how it seemed to me as I wandered through its many storey’s and around its multitudinous counters, marveling at the diversity of offerings. I recall bare floorboards (but surely there must have been lino or carpet) which squeaked underfoot, the whiff of mothballs emanating from the racks of gent’s suits, and the elegant sweeping staircases, all of which seemed to add to the relaxed, if scruffy, ambiance of the store.

While the staff all appeared somewhat aged, and aloof, in my young eyes, to John Banville, in his Dublin memoir, ‘Time Pieces’, the female assistants in Clery’s resembled an ‘order of secular nuns’, while Banville characterised the male staff, as having ‘an air --- of genteel jail-birds awaiting early release on good behaviour’. It was with great disappointment, on my last visit to

Dublin in April 2018, that I noted Clery’s had gone - closed for good.

All the staff had been made redundant and the business placed in receivership.

Opened in 1853, as McSwiney, Delaney & Co., the store has experienced a tumultuous existence, including three changes of name, multiple owners, and two bankruptcies. Constructed five storeys tall, with six huge display windows, the store’s central hall was encircled by wide galleries supported on fine Corinthian columns. Initially, shop assistants (male and female) lived in staff dormitories on site, had their own refectory and library, both located on the upper floors of the building. While the store flourished during these early years, by the 1880s it was ailing. Even a change of name to the ‘Dublin Drapery Warehouse’ failed to revive its fortunes, and in 1883, the venture was placed in liquidation.

Refinanced by a new consortium of owners, including Limerick entrepreneur, Michael Clery, the business was renamed Clery & Co., and reopened in December 1884, in time for the Christmas season.

Under a new board, which boasted Irish Independent owner, William Murphy, Clery’s prospered until becoming a victim of the 1916 uprising. A republican barricade on Lower Abbey Street was hit by a British shell, and the subsequent fire quickly spread razing the 67

whole building, with the exception of the front façade. Despite this apparent disaster, Clery’s opened again two weeks later in temporary premises in the Metropolitan Hall in Lower Abbey Street. Work soon commenced on a new building (the present store) which was opened in August 1922. This technically advanced, ferro-concrete structure cost £400,000, half of which was paid for by government reparations arising from the 1916 rebellion.

However, despite all its expressed elegance and modernity, sales remained disappointing. It took some flamboyant marketing by the then manager, John McGuire, to raise turnover and show a profit. McGuire placed a Gipsy Moth bi-plane in the store and ran an enormously popular raffle amongst Clery’s customers with the lucky winners bagging a free flight over Dublin.

The Second World War heralded another sales downturn, as, due to the blockade of ports, Clery’s was unable to find suitable and dependable sources of imported product and in 1940, another bankruptcy occurred. In an action which paralleled that of 2018, the receiver closed the shop, fired the staff and sought to dispose of the stock. Fortunately, a white knight was just around the corner. Denis Guiney, who owned a store in adjacent Talbot Street, rescued the business and retained the Clery’s moniker.

Guiney, recognizing the emporium’s

potential, invested heavily, establishing a restaurant and an elegant ballroom capable of accommodating 500 dancers. Blessed with its own orchestra, dances at Clery’s attracted sizable crowds of revelers during the 1950s and early 1960s.

Guiney owned the business until 2004, when it was purchased, for €29 million by investment house, Natrium, a joint Irish-UK consortium. Natrium restructured Clery’s, separating the business operation from the O’Connell Street building. However, by June 2012 the store was again in receivership and in 2015, declared bankrupt for the third time in its illustrious and turbulent history. All staff promptly lost their jobs, ‘without warning or notice’, and received no redundancy payments. In addition to the 130 staff directly employed by Clery’s, about 330 others retained by the 50 concession holders who rented space in the store, became redundant.

Currently, Natrium is in discussions with Apple about opening a flagship retail outlet on the ground floor of the building. It is understood that other traders, such as Sports Direct, have shown interest, and there are hopes that the upper floors might be converted into a hotel.

Like many others, I can only grieve for the passing of this much loved retail icon. Alas, no more romantic assignations will begin, or continue, with a meeting ‘under the clock at Clery’s’.

Dublin will never seem the same again.

Crisis support:

0403 972 265

Unaccompanied baggage Backpackers • Tourists • Windsurfers •Surfboards If you would like your baggage, suitcase, backpacks, windsurfers sent back to your home country/city while you tour australia 25 .

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EXPORTAIR UNACCOMPANIED BAGGAGE & CARGO

Phone: (618) 9477 1080 Fax: (618) 9477 1191

Phone Jarrad Lewis Mobile: 0411 081 311 jarrad@exportair.com.au

www.exportair.com.au 68

Remembrance Service for deceased family and friends in Australia and overseas

We held our first annual remembrance service on 24 November 2018 at St. Joseph’s in Subiaco. The service was well attended, it included readings, music and lighting of candles for deceased members of the Perth Irish community as well as for deceased family and friends here in Australia and overseas. We look forward to an even bigger service next year – if any of you have any suggestions on how the service could be improved, we would love to hear from you – admin@claddagh.org.au

Seniors

Our Seniors Committee continue their invaluable work of organising the monthly outings. We are very grateful for the energy and enthusiasm of Patricia Bratton, Rosie Ryan, Mariea Crabb, Joe Carroll, Mary McClafferty, Sharon Harron, Joan Ross and Rachel Ross. If you know of any Seniors who would enjoy a monthly get together, then contact the office and we will share the details of how to get involved.

Some photos of the annual Christmas dinner are included on the next page. The January 2019 outing is a bus trip to Mandurah which will take place on Monday 21 January 2019.

13/15 Bonner Drive Malaga 6090 Crisis support: 0403 972 265 All other enquiries: 08 9249 9213

Remembrance Service in Subiaco

Membership

Membership is an easy way to show your support for the Claddagh Association and a good way to keep in touch with what is going on. If you would like to become a member please visit our website or contact us at admin@claddagh.org.au or by calling the office, we will be happy to help you through the process.

Fundraising and Donations

The last few months have seen a significant number of complex cases and a rise in the need for our assistance. We would encourage you to help by donating to us, if you can, you can do so via our website, facebook or EFT using the below details: Bank: Beyond Bank Account name: Claddagh Association Account number: 0355-7000 BSB: 325-185

Do You Need Help?

The festive session can be a difficult time when you are away from home so while our offices are closed until 21 January 2019 we will still be working away in the background and should you, a family member or friend need our assistance please feel free to reach out to us by calling +61 403 972 265 or emailing admin@claddagh.org.au.

Emigrant Support Program

We are delighted to share that the Minister for State for the Diaspora and International Development, Mr. Ciaran Cannon, T.D. and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Simon Coveney, as represented by the Irish Abroad Unit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have approved our grant application for 2018-2019 – this means we have funding for the administration of the Claddagh work for another year.

These funds cannot be used for our mission of helping Irish people in crisis. We are indebted to the department for this funding and our sincere thanks to the Embassy in Canberra for their continued support.

Until next time – thanks for supporting the work of the Claddagh Association.

Heather McKeegan, President 69

Wine link to Fenians is in bad taste

similar historical interests in Irish patriot John Boyle O’Reilly including his Fenian comrades who arrived on the last convict ship Hougoumont to Australia in 1868.

We’ve also shared your correspondence with the popular ‘Irish Scene’ magazine, who expects to bring this matter of this vexatious issue to its readers.

Hopefully then, by generating much discussion (here in Australia) of both yours and our concern, together we can mount pressure on the wine producer to stop what we believe to be disrespectful to the true good character of John Boyle O’Reilly.

By Lloyd Gorman

We at the Irish Scene and the JBOR Association received the following correspondence some months ago regarding an Australian wine company producing a line of products called 19 Crimes with photographs of Fenian convincts - including John Boyle O’Reilly who has a strong historical association with Western Australia on the label. The author of the letter wrote that the use of John Boyle O’Reilly’s image on the bottle was DISRESPECTFUL [his emphasis]....

Your sincerely Peter Murphy John Boyle O’Reilly Association Inc Bunbury, Western Australia The following are the 19 Crimes referred to by the wine company. Suffice to say we will not be printing a sample of the wine bottle here out of respect of the Irish patriots who were transported to Australia for there 'political' actions...

Gentlemen, This is written on behalf of Mr. O’Reilly’s great, great niece, my late wife, Judy Haley Daponte. Mr. O’Reilly is buried in a plot next to my late wife’s mother --his grand-niece--in Hollyrood Cemetery, Boston, Massachusetts.

I just found a brand of wine in a local California store that --19 CRIMES-- featuring a photo of Mr. O’Reilly’s convict photo on its label. The wine is produced by Glenrowan Wines, located located in SA. I believe this use of his photograph is extremely detrimental to the sterling reputation of this IrishAmerican icon. Is there anything you can do to stop this? RSVP Dr. Kenneth Daponte Rancho Palos Verdes, California USA

DENOMINATED SINGLE FELONS Whipping, Imprisonment, the Pillory, and Hard Labour in Houses of Correction, according to the Nature of the offence.

The PRINCIPAL of which are the FOLLOWING:

Publicity on the company’s website states: “Nineteen crimes turned criminals into colonists. Upon conviction British rogues guilty of a least one of the 19 crimes were sentenced to live in Australia, rather than death. This punishment by “transportation” began in 1783 and many of the lawless died at sea. For the rough-hewn prisoners who made it to shore, a new world awaited.

As pioneers in a frontier penal colony, they forged a new country and new lives, brick by brick. This wine celebrates the rules they broke and the culture they built.”

The following is a reply to Dr Daponte from Peter Murphy of the JBOR Associantion in Bunbury...

Dear Dr. Daponte,

Thank you for your correspondence.

Currently the John Boyle O’Reilly Association of Western Australia is sharing your startling information including your concerns with our membership including other affiliations who share 70

1. Grand Larceny, Theft above the value of One Shilling.

2. Petty Larceny, Theft under One Shilling.

3. Buying or receiving Stolen Goods, Jewels and Plates.

4. Stealing Lead, Iron or Copper or buying or receiving.

5. Impersonating an Egyptian.

6. Stealing from Furnished Lodgings.

7. Setting fire to Underwood.

8. Stealing Letters, advancing the Postage, and secreting the money.

9. Assault with an intent to Rob. 10. Stealing fish from Pond or River.

11. Stealing Roots, Trees, or Plants or destroying them.

12. Bigamy.

13. Assaulting, Cutting or burning clothes.

14. Counterfeiting the Copper Coin.

15. Clandestine Marriage.

16. Stealing a Shroud out of a Grave.

17. Waterman carrying too many passengers on the Thames, if any drowned.

18. incorrigible rouges who broke out of prison and persons reprieved from Capital punishment.

19. Embeuling naval stores, in certain cases.

Land of

&

honey

Ireland

Who gives quickly, gives twice!

In 1880, the Governor of Queensland and the former Governor of Western Australia, Irishman, Sir Arthur Kennedy, in presiding lately at a meeting of the Queensland Irish Famine Relief Committee, delivered an eloquent and soul - stirring speech, in which he described the sickening details of that terrible Irish potato famine, during which he served as a Poor Law Commissioner, and we quote from it portions which we think will be of interest to our readers, and will enable them to realise more fully the horrors of a disaster which threatens to be equally great: “I was there” says Sir Arthur Kennedy” through the whole of that terrible time I saw the famine in its worst character in those parts of Ireland where it appeared in its worst aspect. I can never forget it. To see the frightful ravages which it committed amongst all, both young and old, was something to try the strongest, and it tried me severely. I came here not to instruct you, because you are probably better informed than I am. I have read all that has appeared in print on the subject and know all that is likely to happen.

Starvation does not come from a nation during a famine as it does on board ship, in the camp, or elsewhere. From the youngest child to the oldest woman you see them sink gradually like dying fish.

I have seen children dying at the portals of my own cottage while I was working amongst them; and I am sure there are at the present time a large number of Irish-

men, women, and children to whom such relief as we propose to give will be very needful indeed. The wisest administration of public funds can never reach a number of cases. It must be done by private means and private hands by such subscriptions as I hope Queensland and the whole of Australia will send amongst the sufferers.

It is a matter admitting of no question among right thinking men. We know people are starving, and we come here for the purpose of taking steps to save human life. It is no imaginary evil. It is a public and not a religious matter.

I have seen people of every creed, age, and quality dying side by side, and when we know that this distress exists it is our duty to afford help.”

For the last three years Ireland has suffered from exceptionally bad harvests, and the heavy rains of the autumn just passed have flooded vast acres of the country to an extent without parallel in the memory of anyone now living.

The results are, that the staple food of tens of thousands of the people the potato crop has rotted in the ground ; the wheat and oat crops have been laid by the wind and rain, and have almost totally failed; hay harvesting and turf cutting have been impossible, and thus, without food or fuel, thousands of our fellow-subjects in Ireland are exposed to all the rigor of an unusually severe winter.

Great and noble efforts are being made in England to afford relief to these starving multitudes, efforts made in spite of all the

misery and want existing nearer home.

And we who do not know the meaning of these words, living in a land which, if not flowing with milk and honey, at any rate gives bread to all abundantly and where real poverty is never known let us rouse ourselves and do the same.

Let us remember that the honour of our colony is at stake and show ourselves worthy of the name of Australians which we are proud to bear.

There are hundreds of Irishmen and descendants of Irishmen among us, many of them successful men, and holding social and official positions which command wide influence. And although the duty of ministering to the sick and relieving the dying is one that belongs to no race and no creed exclusively, but has always been acknowledged by Englishmen with a wide catholicity of feeling which we all no doubt will be ready to manifest - still it seems to us that it is the more particular province of Irishmen, as it should also be their more particular pleasure, to organise the movement which we trust will be made for the purpose of joining with our fellow countrymen throughout the empire in this good work.

But what is done should be done at once. Even our action may mean life or death to men, women, and children, now struggling with the grim hunger-fiend, now perishing of starvation and of cold.

Let us each therefore, according to his means, both the richer man and the poorer - give what he can spare, and let us give quickly, for “Who gives quickly gives twice.”

Products include: McLoughlin’s Irish Pork Sausages Black and White Pudding Irish Bacon and Gammon Joints Potato Bread and Soda Bread Barry’s Tea and Club Orange Odlums Brown and White Bread Mix Chef Brown and Red sauce

9309 9992

Woodvale Boulevard Shopping Centre Whitfords Ave, Woodvale 71

Opening hours: Mon - Wed 8:00am to 6:00pm Thursday 8:00am to 7:30pm Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm Saturday 8:00am to 5:00pm Sunday 11:00am to 5:00pm

THE TIME IS NOW FOR THE IRISH COMMUNITY TO CLUB TOGETHER

By Fred Rea/Lloyd Gorman

monopoly on ideas, no monopoly on being right but we do need as a community to have a respectful conversation with an open mind and lets protect this. We are a generous people, now we have to look after our own, and our own is the Irish Club.”

Club founders Paddy and Leanne Costello were amongst the guests and VIPs at the reception to launch Fear an Ti, Frank Murphy

“The main goal and the main game now is the survival of the Irish Club, that’s all that matters.” Speaking at the launch of the Irish Fest/ Fleadh in the Townshend Road venue on December 8 Honorary Consulate Marty Kavanagh made it clear what the event and Irish Club was all about, and why it should be preserved and protected into the future.

“Irish Clubs all over the world are struggling and failing, but not all of them and its too easy to be defeatised. Some of them are thriving and the ones that thrive are the ones that take on new ideas, drop egos and look to the future, because this is a zero sum gain. Its either the survival of the Irish Club in some form or no Irish Club, that’s the reality of what we face and therefore I hope this fundraising initiative gives the Irish Club a bit of financial support so they can sit back and rationally, carefully and calmly look at what is the future of the Club. Just because we’ve been here for so many decades (the Irish Club was opened 1970s) doesn’t guarantee it will happen in the future. I also think we need to have a conversation about what this club means, where we’d like it go and its got to be a respectful conversation as well. There is no

Hon Consul, Marty Kavanagh

the Fleadh, with broadcaster and Irish community leader Frank Murphy acting as Fear an Ti (literally man of the house) or MC for the event. Fiddle player Rob Zielinski opened the launch with a beautiful traditional Irish air (Bullavogue) that set the mood perfectly. Marty Kavanagh said the tune sent shivers up his spine and recounted his own personal experience of the club and why it was important to him and the community.

“We are a wonderfully sentimental, and as I have said many times, a very decent people. Its hard not to be sentimental when you think about all the lives this club has touched and the many people who passed through these premises. In the Irish we would say we have a Grá for this place, a love, the word doesn’t translate quite literally but it means that we have a high affection and a special place in our heart for the Irish Club, and for me it cer72

tainly does.”

Marty spoke from the heart about how he was only a ‘garçon’ in 1991 when he came to Perth. “I was young.

I was alone and this was probably the first place I came to,” he said. “I got quite a Rob Zielinski shock when I told people my name because I didn’t realise there was a previous president of the club called Martin Kavanagh and judging by the reactions I got he must have been quite a formidable man, because they were afraid he was reincarnated in me,” he smiled. “But I want to talk about the loneliness that I felt, this is just one story that passes through this premises. The year 1991 was not a great time in Ireland. The economy was in ruins and it was a very bad place to be gay - I thought I probably was, but I wasn’t sure. My mother thought it was a phase - it lasted 55 years, so we’ll see”, he joked. “But I thought that being out of Ireland was better than being in Ireland. I’m unusual in that I did have a good job but I traveled for different reasons, not for economic reasons. But I felt being here, that dark sensation of being at home and not having any friends, not being connected was almost crippling and I nearly went back.

Fortunately I did have one family connection - the O’Leary family - I was born a couple of doors from Gerard (Gerry) O’Leary and he encouraged me to come here. I was on my own and typically as is our fashion we’re either very nosey or very kind - they’d ask you about yourself and before you knew it for that few hours the loneliness evaporated. In that pre-digital age the highlight of my weekend - when I wasn’t work-

ing and didn’t have any friends - was to get the early copy of the West Australian. For us who came in the 90’s, 80’s, 70’s and 60’s when you couldn’t get on the phone cheaply and you couldn’t get on the internet it was a lonely place and this place was genuinely a home away from home. Fortunately through coming here I got involved with the Irish Theatre Players [who are based in the Irish Club] which saved me because then I had a great range of friends.”

An abiding memory he has of the place is of the time when he acted as one of three priests in the JB Keane play ‘Moll’. “I played the middle priest - my mother got her hopes up for quite a while but she was neither to have a priest for a son or a daughter (in law), but she did fall in love with Richard. I had the full Soutane, the real thing, that the parish priest of Fremantle had given me. And the number of ‘Good night father’ and ‘good evening fathers’ we got was fantastic. We were sitting down stairs smoking and we thought about bringing it upstairs to the bar to see if we could score a few drinks, but we thought better of it,” he quipped. “But to be serious for a moment, over the years and that I’ve had the honour to be the Honorary Consul for the last four or five years, I have never ceased to be amazed at how decent and generous a people we are. You’ll remember about four or five years ago when we had the deaths of seven or even ten young Irish people - and

Brenda Neff and Frank Murphy

City of Subiaco Mayor, Penny Taylor

we are feeling the echoes of that when we see the coronial inquiry for those two Irish lads who lost their lives in the building site [2017] - I remember seeing the place downstairs teeming with people and there were $50 and $100 notes going into buckets. We were looking after our own, we are a lot of things - but we are a decent and - I hope the non-Irish among us can forgive us our lack of modesty - we do look after our own and it's time to help this place that has so many memories for all of us.”

As part of his contribution to the club effort Marty - together with Dublin born MP (Member of Legislative Council) Stephen Dawson - is organising a fundraiser dinner there in February, and auction (anyone with items to donate should make contact directly).

Marty - on behalf of the Irish government and community - was one of the main speakers who thanked Gill Kenny for her role as a “doer” in organising the Fleadh. He also introduced Subiaco mayor Penny Taylor who was invited to launch the weekend event. “Mayor Taylor, this is not the first function we’ve been at and I want to thank you for the wonderful work you do for everything Irish and of course your support for the Famine memorial [An Gorta Mór in Market Square Subiaco] has been fantastic.”

Mayor Taylor said a lot of people had made the club what it is and said she was inspired by the stories she had heard about it. “I think its really fitting for me to come along as the mayor of Subiaco to participate in this because its really about com73

munity and we’ve talked about the Irish community in Perth, in Western Australia, coming together, showing love for each other, showing care and commitment to each other and looking after your own through this facility, through this place, through the relationships you’ve been able to form with each other,” she said. “I’m often asked what does local government do and it actually doesn’t matter what local government does, what matters is what people do and Gill you’ve been thanked so many times that we do know the actions of people like you, do make all the difference. Clubs like this where people do get to meet family or friends you know, you get to meet people who become your family and your friends and who become the people you turn too when things are difficult or when you need to celebrate something and they are the kind of places you want to come too because they are the things that make community. My role as mayor at the City of Subiaco is about community, its about celebrating things such as this and the City of Subiaco is behind the Irish Club, we do want to see this institution thrive, we do want to see it survive and over this weekend event I hope you get so many people demonstrating that. The committee can’t do it by itself, individuals can’t do it by themselves, but its people coming together who will make the Irish Club survive and thrive into the future. Its why you are here today, to show that this club in so many ways is important to people and it sounds like no one is going to give it up without a fight. So I encourage all of you to not just have a toast tonight, but to make sure you’ve told someone whose coming for dinner tomorrow and you join in all these things because unless people come it doesn’t survive and you can see in the stories that have been shared tonight the importance that this provides to the community and that importance, not just to Subiaco but to the whole of Western Australia and to the Irish community in Australia. I wanted to thank you Gill and the committee and to all of you here tonight. I have the wonderful pleasure to declare this festival open for the weekend.”

Tony and Veronica McKee PO Box 994 Hillarys WA 6923

Attention: Fred Rea, Publisher of The Irish Scene December 2018 Hello Fred, As 2018 draws to a close, everyone here at Pieta House would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your immense support during Darkness Into Light which took place in May this year.

The event was a phenomenal success with over 200,000 people walking in 168 venues, 28 of them overseas. Together we grossed over €6 million ($10 million) and your direct involvement in this achievement meant that this year alone we met with over 7,000 clients who were either at risk of suicide, were engaging in self-harm or had been bereaved by suicide.

We will continue to raise vital funds to build on our mission of providing support to people and communities in crisis by providing freely accessible, professional services to all who need them.

Once again, a heartfelt thank you from all of us here at Pieta House. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish you, your family and friends a very merry Christmas and a healthy 2019.

Yours sincerely Kieran Brady Director of Fundraising & Advocacy Darkness Into Light Pieta House and Darkness Into Light In 2006, Pieta House opened its doors in Lucan, County Dublin and since that day we have seen and helped over 36,000 people in suicidal distress or engaging in self-harm and established twelve subsequent centres across Ireland.

From humble beginnings, Pieta House has grown to almost 270 therapists and administration staff, and the demand for our service hasn’t let up.

For more information visit pieta.ie

info@mckeefamilyfunerals.com.au www.mckeefamilyfunerals.com.au

Tel (08) 9401 1900 • Fax: 9401 1911

Mob: 0413 337 785

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•••• Show Preview ••••••

His name is Luka

by Lloyd Gorman

One of my favourite anecdotes about Luka Bloom came from his own mouth during a radio interview. The Irish folk singer and songwriter was part of a music festival or event in Germany and was waiting on the side of the stage to make his appearance. The act before him was a heavy metal – possibly even speed or death metal – band that was pumping out high volume hard core head banging stuff to a crowd that was responding in kind. Luka said he was wondering to himself how he was going to follow that. His response was to talk on stage, guitar in hand, and to start strumming the chords to Sunny Sailor Boy. After the assault of sound they had just experienced the audience were disarmed by the gentleness of the lullaby from his arsenal of songs, and chorused the soothing chorus en mass.

Sunny Sailor Boy is just one of the many original and enduring songs Luka can pluck out of his vast repertoire (of 20 albums – including his most recent ‘Refuge’,

75

released in October 2017) and deliver with a delicate and witty touch. And he likes to think about the songs he will play. I have seen him gig many times over the years and never seen a bad performance or left the place uninspired. The last time was a bit of an unexpected bonus. I was on holiday in Ireland in March 2018 when my wife in Perth found out the Kildare man who now lives in Liscannor, in the neighbouring county of Clare, was playing a lunchtime gig in the Irish World Academy at the University of Limerick on March 15. As luck would have it I happened to be in Ireland with my ten year old son on a break, and would be able to make it. About forty people – from university staff and students to grannies with their grand children and everyone in between – rocked up for the free and one off concert.

Luka pulled out a loose assortment of his songs and finished off taking requests from the relatively small gathering in the round room, sitting just a couple of metres from him. The intimacy of the venue was matched by his charisma. After listening intently to his songs and explanations about them quite a few people wanted to have a chat and share their stories and connections with him, including a couple from Australia.

I waited to ask one question. “I know you are a prolific visitor to Australia, when are you back next?”. “About this time next year” he said. He was right. His Perth gig is on April 5 at the Charles Hotel, North Perth. It should prove to another remarkable act by a musician with a remarkable genius and humility, gifts he generously shares with anyone who wants to listen.

someone else. Of course there have been songs in Damien’s past that did work for him, like ‘Lilac Tree’ by Jeff Buckley but they have over time dropped off the edge of his playlist. The Evenings with Damien Leith concerts seek to showcase these past precious gems again. In fact the whole evening of his Hobart concert in November was a ‘gem’.

Paula Xiberras from Tasmania

Scenic Tasmania

Damien’s Receptive Reminiscences

by Paula Xiberras Could anyone ever say there was a lack of reception when they spoke to the charming Damien Leith? Of course not! The only kind of lack of reception I had when speaking to Damien recently was all due to him being out of mobile range. Damien kindly called me back and we chatted about his Tasmanian upcoming (at the time) ‘Evening with Damien Leith’ concerts.

Damien explained to me that of recent times he has been juggling a variety of shows to keep things fresh and interesting. These include his tribute to Roy Orbison, his Elvis gospel show, his play, ‘The Parting Glance’, and his evening with Damien Leith. The latter is an entertaining reminiscence through Damien’s career from the beginning on Australian Idol to where he is now, an established recording artist and concert performer.

The word ‘musician’, however, doesn’t define Damien.

He always surprises as he pushes the boundaries, and never more so than in his acting role in the film ‘Target’, a movie about the sensitive subject of bullying. Damien, surprisingly plays the bully! When I spoke to director Giovanni Mercuri she echoed what all of Damien’s fans would agree, he is just too nice to imagine him playing a bully. Damien is so nice in fact, he had to take lessons on being tough from a friend who schooled him on how to take ‘no nonsense’ from anyone, among other skills. Damien tells me he actually enjoyed, not being a bully, but stretching his acting skills, most definitely outside his comfort zone.

The other new move for Damien has been re-locating from Sydney to the Hunter Valley where he is fulfilling another dream, that of working on radio, in this case Power FM, Damien says he is loving the change and gradually getting accustomed and settling in to the 4 o’clock starts.

Presently, Damien is working on a new album of original songs set for release in May next year and so far, to those he has shared the songs with, the response has been good. He’s enjoying the process of creating without meeting urgent deadlines.

When it comes to writing new material Damien keeps all of his fledgling songs as he believes if he can’t get them working for him perhaps they will eventually work for 76

by Paula Xiberras For my last submission in the Irish Scene for this year it was suggested to me to compile a little summary of the events of 2018.

It was a year that contained music, dance, comedy and some good reads all finishing off with a visit to Tasmania by the wonderful, always reliable but unpredictable Damien Leith.

Late in 2018 audiences in Tasmania were treated to a fantastic dance performance by ‘Taste of Ireland’ as part of their national tour, ironically enough the troupe is led by principal dancer Maltese/Italian Australian Brent Pace. The inclusion of a narrative helped the audience appreciate the story behind the dance.

In Tasmania, as well as other parts of Australia, we were treated to two of the lads of Celtic Thunder ‘Bryne and Kelly’ with their much stripped back tour of their original music and banter. A much more intimate, very slick and polished performance!

On the publishing front Lucinda Riley made a further instalment in her ‘Sister’ series with’ the Pearl Sister’, a story very inclusive in nature and a fine addition to the series, set in Australia.

I was also privileged to review an earlier book by Annabel Abbs ‘The Joyce Girl’ which explored the life of James Joyce talented daughter, Lucia.

Further to the subject of writing I also caught up earlier in the year with Renaissance man Damien Leith as he launched his story telling app for children.

Local Tasmanian author Emily Conolan wrote a new twist on the ‘choose your own adventure’ books with the story of a young Irish girl and her journey to Australia.

Another local author Christine Dibley created an exciting debut with her novel ‘To the Sea’ inspired by Irish mythology but including some landmarks of Hobart including St Mary’s College. The College founded

by Ireland’s Presentation Sisters this year celebrated its 150th anniversary with a host of celebrations including an Irish day on St Patrick’s Day. Sculptor Ben Tolhurst commemorated the anniversary by constructing a statue Presentation Sisters founder Nano Nagle.

I was also fortunate to interview a number of touring Irish artists including Ash, Altan, Celtic Tenors and the magnificent and humble Eleanor McEvoy, one of my alltime favourites. There was also a laugh or two with my interview with Jimmy Carr.

Looking to 2019 already return Australian tours (unfortunately not all to Tasmania) by The Celtic Tenors, Daniel O’Donnell, Luka Bloom and Damien Rice have been announced. I look forward to conducting more interviews and book reviews for the Irish Scene.

The Leederville Paddy’s Day Parade scheduled for Saturday March 16 2019. The Irish Theatre Players have an extravaganza scheduled so you won’t be able to miss us!

Come say hello and join in the festivities, we are always interested in meeting new people!

Announcing Soon!

With the new year brings new plays and new key themes coming through in the work of the Irish Theatre Players. Our goal is always to balance the tragedy and the comedy in our season and we have some exciting pieces for you coming up with our first show in April!

Welcome to the latest update from the Irish Theatre Players!

Audition dates will be announced very shortly on the Facebook page. If you are keen to try your hand at acting come along to one of our auditions. We welcome new actors to all auditions. We want to encourage people to get involved and have fun in their community so come along!

We hope that you have had a festive Christmas and a happy new year.

The Committee is delighted to announce that we had a fantastic year in 2018 with the success of our shows and we are looking forward to the future of the ITP in 2019.

Volunteers

If you think you’d like to help out – just a little, or quite a lot – get in touch! All ages, sexes, nationalities etc. Everyone is welcome! We’ll think of something for you to do!

What’s happening in 2019!

First up: This year hails a new era of celebrations for the ITP. We are happy to announce that we will be bringing a new night of celebrations for all the actors, writers, volunteers and supporters. This will be our very own awards night that will bring our community together for some fun to celebrate the successes and achievements of everyone involved in our thriving community. We can’t wait to spend some social time with you.

Your hard work has not gone unnoticed! Date will be announced on Facebook soon.

We thank you for your continued support of the Irish Theatre Players, and we look to welcoming you to our next production very soon.

Get in touch!

itp@irishtheatreplayers.com.au General info: www.irishtheatreplayers.com.au Shows & updates: www.facebook.com/irishtheatreplayers Volunteers & friends www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofITP 2018

Speaking of awards: The Independent Theatre Association’s 44th Annual Finley Awards are on Saturday 19th January at Subiaco Arts Centre. The Irish Theatre Players have had a great year and are eager to have a good crowd in attendance. If you would like to join us you can organize to book through the Subiaco Arts Centre website: https://tickets.ptt.wa.gov.au/events/finleyawards-ptt-sac

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With Tony Synnott

Meet Mairead McDonald, Claddagh Association Coordinator Where were you from?

How many in your family?

I’m a border lass, I was born in Cavan and lived in Clones Co. Monaghan until I was four - and then we moved a few miles out the road to County Fermanagh where the family remained ever since. I come from a family of nine children, I’m sixth in line – it was a busy house growing up!

How far did you go in your schooling or college?

All the way! I loved learning and loved school – I’m a proper geek! I studied Psychology in the Queen’s University of Belfast for five years and obtained an honours degree in 2007! I had a great time in Belfast and continued to live there for another seven years after my uni days were over!

At what age did you decide to travel and why?

I’ve had this itch a while! It started in my teens when I had a few trips to Lourdes, skiing with the school and over to England to see my sister Dympna who was studying in Northampton at the time. All through my 20’s I was scrimping and saving for breaks anywhere and everywhere, all over Ireland, city breaks to Europe and a few trips to America. Travelling was so accessible for us – and seeing new places and meeting people from different cultures and countries always excited me!

What games or sports did you play?

Does farming and the turf count?? That was our childhood!

In school I always enjoyed netball and swimming, but I was not really a sporty person. When I came to Perth I learned more about health and fitness and I learned to use a gym, enjoy cycling, going to exercise classes and yoga!

I’m a great sideline supporter of sports! I took trips to Tom Bateman to watch my sister Roisin play for Southern Districts and started volunteering for bits and pieces – I’m now the Vice President of Southern Districts and the Secretary of GAA in WA. I love being involved in the GAA community in Perth but I can’t kick a ball straight!

Was Australia always on your radar to travel and what impressed you most about Oz and why Perth?

Yes – my uni friends and I had a favourite pastime of daydreaming where we would like to travel to – Australia was always on my list! Then my sister Shauna came here first in 2012 and one by one another two of us sisters and

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two cousins came to join her! We were the fabulous five haha! My friend Maire who I used to work with in Lisburn was here also so I had plenty of people to come to!

Do you miss your home and family, will you return?

Honestly? Yes and Yes, our family are very close and are great friends – I’m now the last of the fabulous five in Perth so yes I’ll definitely be returning to them at some stage Social media plays a big part today, what about you?

Well I have social media accounts and love an odd nose and snoop to be honest – it’s a great platform for getting messages out there, for building a profile and if used properly is very effective. Unfortunately, like anything, it has its downsides like cyber bullying, for people forgetting how to interact socially and you can get hazy eyed looking at screens too long! But If used in the right ways it can be very positive What do you think about the Irish scene and why?

It’s such a full and compact magazine. I have so much respect for Fred Rea and his family for the efforts they go to, to publish this bimonthly magazine, and distribute it so widely. I think the Irish community could utilize this resource more to get messages out there of what’s going on in community groups, to share with Fred what we’re all up to, to send in photos and write-ups every two months, and really showcase what we’re all doing so we can support each other.

What is important to you about the Irish community?

So much - the sense of togetherness, of supporting each other, of creating a home away from home, a connection to all things Irish, making friends, and interacting with likeminded people.

The Irish Club looks after our seniors, any advice?

Fred Rea talked about this before, but there’s no reason why the Irish Club couldn’t become a hub for all the Irish community groups, not just for the seniors. We could all have a working space there, have somewhere to store our documents and share our resources. In the ideal world we would have a GAA ground and the Irish Club beside each other, a true hub and one stop shop for the Irish in Perth, supporting each other fully.

Now the Summer is coming, will you watch football or hurling with the lads?

It's too hot for us Irish! The lads and lassies are on a welldeserved break after a great season! I have to say Southern Districts is my Club and I rarely miss a day at Tom Bateman when the games are on, but I enjoy watching the hurling too! Hopefully someday both codes will be played on the same pitch for the whole season!

How do you pass your spare time, if you have any?

Well the voluntary roles keep me pretty busy. Along with being on the GAAWA Executive committee, I’ve also been Secretary of Darkness Into Light Perth Committee for two years – that’s always a very busy but rewarding few months from January to May. Hobby wise I love watching the sunset, meditating at the beach, meeting friends for walks or food of any sort, having nights out with the girls or the Southern Districts crew, any Irish get together I’m there.

You seem to be very well respected in the Claddagh, why so? What position do you hold?

Thank you Tony, but I think anyone who works in the

Claddagh will be given that same level of respect.

It’s a testament of the people who are involved and the work that the Claddagh does in the Irish community in Perth. I hold the Coordinator position and am very proud and grateful for this job. I’ve always held the Claddagh in very high esteem and am delighted to now work for them.

Do you go to the cinema, what’s your favourite film star?

I don’t go very often to be honest and it depends on what mood I’m in! Sometimes I love a good thriller that I can get my head into and other times I love a nice easy relaxing comedy or chick flick! I can’t go past Matthew McConnaghy, Bradley Cooper or Morgan Freeman.

You seem to be involved in lots of Irish interest and have you been to see the Famine Memorial in Subiaco? What’s your opinion, all done by volunteers?

Yes, I was there on May 12th the same day as the Darkness Into Light Walk, at the first annual famine commemoration. I was back again in September showing it to Roisin Trainor from the Irish Support Agency, the sister agency of the Claddagh in Sydney. As an Irish person in Perth it makes you proud of the level of commitment shown to our history and heritage here. Raising the funds to complete that project would have been no mean feat and hats off to Fred, Peter and everyone who made that happen.

What advice would you give to young Irish people coming to Australia to achieve their goal in life?

Get involved in the Irish community in Australia.

There are so many options for you. Pick your passion and get involved. The love, comfort, sense of belonging and fun you get is unreal.

It gives you a purpose too and helps you stay grounded. There is money to be made here and some beautiful places to see but unless you have that grounding it can be hard to settle yourself to achieve your goals.

After interviewing Mairead, what a pleasant person with a great personality and presence she is. Tony Synnott

Rugby FANS! Perth to Tokyo soon to be more than a flight of fancy

by Lloyd Gorman Getting to and from Japan from eastern states capital cities has been a relatively easy and inexpensive option for quite some time now. Not so in Perth where QANTAS severed a direct flight from WA to Tokyo in 2011. But just after Christmas there was some news that will be music to the ears of many in Perth. That link - albeit with a different carrier will be reinstated later this year, just in time for the Rugby World Cup (20 September to 2 November). Starting September 1, a daily direct Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner service will be launched Japan’s national carrier All Nippon Airways. The Dreamliner has 184 seats - 138 economy class - 14 premium economy and 32 business class flatbeds. It will leave Tokyo’s Narita airport at 11.10am and arrive in Perth at 8.15pm. It will leave Perth at 9.45pm and arrive into Tokyo at 8.25am. As well as being a boon for Perth’s passionate rugby community, the new link is expected to increase the level of tourism between WA and Japan.

Great Potato Exercise

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side.

With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax.

Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer. After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags. Then try 50-lb potato bags and then eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute. (I’m at this level.) After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

Musical Entertainer / Teacher

VISITING Ireland?

Gerry & Elsie Tully will give a great welcome!

DIVINE MERCY

David MacConnell

BED AND BREAKFAST

0413 259 547 0doublexx7@gmail.com www.maccdouble.com

Airport Road, Knock Co Mayo Phone: (094) 9388 178 International: 0011 353 94 9388 178

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THE GUINNESS STORY

by EDWARD J BOURKE REVIEWED by JOHN HAGAN

This pint sized little book tells you everything you wanted, or needed, to know about our famous creamyheaded beverage. It is an appraisal of the 250 year old history of the Guinness business will undoubtly be of interest to all lovers of the infamous ‘pint of plain’. Bourke deftly describes how the drink was developed, leads us through the brewing process and describes the key moments and stories surrounding the growth of the St James’s Gate Brewery. Before the end of the 19th century, Guinness had become the largest brewery in the world, boasting nine different dining rooms to cater for all the staff from directors to apprentices.

At lunchtime, employees were allocated a place in which he/she would sit during all of their time in the brewery, with each being provided with their favourite Guinness to accompany the midday meal.

Bourke’s chapter on ‘Brewery Life’, describes the working conditions of the 5000 employees in the ‘city within the city’, during the mid-1900s, is informative and fascinating. Bourke assesses how the impact of the Dublin canal system and the coming of the railroads in the 1840s, helped widen opportunities and provide the brewery access to a worldwide market. The Guinness dynasty also comes under the microscope with their marriage alliances, family fortunes, mansions, yachts and philanthropy all portrayed. The whole publication is enhanced by 100 black and white images which help evoke the working conditions during the brewery’s early days. Next time I sit down to a pint of Guinness I will do so with greater insight, and appreciation, about how the ‘black stuff’ got into my glass.

NORTHERN HEIST

by RICHARD O’RAWE REVIEWED by JOHN HAGAN

You don’t need to have been a bank robber to pen a great heist novel --- but it helps, as Richard O’Rawe so ably demonstrates.

O’Rawe, who grew up in West Belfast, was one of a gang arrested, and sentenced, to seven years in Long Kesh/Maze Prison for participating in an armed robbery of a Northern Bank branch in Mallusk (10km north of Belfast). This book is not only based on his personal experience, but on an actual £30 million robbery of a Northern Bank branch on 20 December 2004, which nearly derailed the Good Friday Agreement.

O’Rawe’s protagonist, James ‘Ructions’ O’Hare, patiently plans and puts together a special team to crack a Belfast branch of the National Bank which contains a cool £30 million. Also involved in the robbery is O’Hare’s uncle, Panzer O’Hare, a Belfast career criminal who is in failing health. Secrecy and confidentiality are essential ingredients of the proposed heist, but word may have got out about O’Hare’s plans. Is there a mole? Can ‘Ructions’ really trust his uncle; has Panzer’s gay, drug dealing son, Finbarr, caught wind of the operation, and what if IRA heavy, Tiny Murdoch, hears of the action? ‘Ructions’ certainly doesn’t need the Provos as a partner, either before or after the robbery. Will ‘Ructions’ girlfriend, Eleanor, who has provided him with inside info on the bank, hold up in court if they get caught when the robbery is over? Enter the murky Belfast underbelly of informants, kidnappings, kangaroo courts, money laundering and drug dealing. This is an ingenious, well crafted, fast-paced thriller, with more twists and turns than a County Down road. Can’t wait for the film version.

NORTHERN HEIST by RICHARD O’RAWE is published by Merrion Press and is available from the Book Depository UK (www.bookdepository.com) for AUD$26.08 (free postage) or direct from Merrion Press (www.merrionpress.ie)

THE GUINNESS STORY by Edward J Bourke, is published by O’Brien Press and is available in paperback from The Book Depository UK (www. bookdepository.com) for AUD$ 20.44 (free postage).

ROCKY ROAD

by ROBERT WAINWRIGHT REVIEWED by JOHN HAGAN

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Darrell Lea’s ‘Hard Centres’ were our favourite Australian confectionary indulgence, especially those ‘Hard Centres’ covered in delicious, dark, chocolate. On family birthdays, and on other special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter, we always treated ourselves to a box - or two. The company’s cheerful, bright, well stocked shops, stacked with marshmallows, Rocklea Road, nougat bars, peanut toffee and soft licorice, were always a pleasure to visit. So, it was a great disappointment to our family, when ‘Hard Centres’ and the company’s retail outlets disappeared. Darrell Lea

was sold (2012), and the new owners chose to drop these chewy, addictive, chocolate covered, nougats and toffees, in order to concentrate on expanding the sales and distribution of the more profitable, quick selling, Darrell Lea products.

The Green & The Gold

In his new book, Robert Wainwright recounts the not-so-sweet tale of the family behind the iconic Australian candy business.

The Darrell Lea confectionary empire began in Manly in 1916, when Harry Levy (later Harry Lea) began producing homemade chocolates to supplement his ailing fruit and vegetable business. By 1928, he owned six shops, and, aided by his quartet of sons, one of whom was Monty, Darrell Lea was well established.

On the surface, Monty and his vivacious wife, Valerie, seemed blessed. They were a wealthy, successful, seemingly happy couple with seven children, three of whom had been adopted. Valerie had always longed for a large family, but, due to difficult pregnancies, could only bear four children. The three adopted children, boys Bretton and Shelton, together with a girl, Gail, (who became known as Honey), were acquired to be ‘playmates’ for her natural offspring, Jason, Gaela, Lael and Charryce. Unfortunately, though Valerie proved to be an astute business woman, she was certainly not a ‘perfect mother’. While all seven children were afforded private school education, Valerie very much showered affection on her natural children to the detriment of those she had adopted. This resulted in Bretton and Sheldon turning to crime, and for many years both boys lived in and out of custodial detention.

Strangely these three adopted children, the principal focus of Wainwright’s book, also mixed with the rich and famous (including Bryan Brown, Mick Jagger, ‘Molly’ Meldrum and others), and eventually they became estranged from Monty and Valerie and were precluded from the family riches, or shares in the company. None of them were considered, by Valerie, to be ‘a real Lea’.

All the Irish young cowboys the farmers and ploughboys Will sooner or later cave in.

Sooner or later the smell of potatoes Is bound to get under their skin.

Travel they must, before dreams turn to dust Dreams sooner or later get old So they pick up a spade, for the plans that they made Will be buried in green white and gold.

All their memories remain when they hop on a plane But their heart and their soul’s on the ground I’ve a long way to roam, I’m a long way from home And they’re lost with no work to be found So they put down their spades, for the plans that they made In the dreams of success that they hold What they believe and they want to believe Will be dried up in green white and gold Between drinks and the smokes they will write to the folks How they’re living on love and champagne They can read through the lines They can see all the signs that they’re living on heartache and pain.

They’re losing some sleep and they’re counting my sheep And they can’t always do what they’re told And they cannot believe what they want to believe When they’re wrapped up in green white and gold

Based on Valerie’s voluminous, detailed dairies, together with her extensive photographic collection, Wainwright analyses the tragic unraveling of a family.

He carefully, and sensitively, illustrates how the bitterness and rivalry between siblings eventually led to the demise of the 90 year old Darrell Lea family business, which by 2012 was wallowing in debts of some $25 million. According to Forrest Gump, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get’; perhaps apt philosophizing in respect of the Lea family.

But they know more or less of their dreams of success And they know more or less what they’re worth.

So again they would roam, they head back to their home Where potatoes lay under the earth And they pick up their spades and the plans that I made.

Seem like tales that were already told And dreams are just fine but they I wake up and find They were all dressed green white and gold.

ROCKY ROAD by Robert Wainwright is published

by Allen & Unwin. $32.99

Noel O'Neill 81

WAGS Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc.

beginning on researching their Irish line, and those who are stuck at a brick wall.

20 January Picking up clues about your Irish immigrant ancestor in Australia Before even looking for records in Ireland, exhaust your search for traces of your Members of the Irish SIG at the St PatIrish ancestor in rick’s Day fund raiser quiz night at the Australian records, Irish Club 7 Dec 2018 newspapers, family letters, photographs, and stories. All can give important clues about where to look for your ancestor in Ireland.

21 April Understanding Irish history basics to advance your research Why did they leave Ireland; what was happening there then? Why are some records unavailable? What can help replace the lost records? When was Ireland part of United Kingdom? When did that change? What is the Church of Ireland and when did that start? What were the Plantations? We’ll point you to a basic Irish history timeline.

21 July Where in Ireland did they come from?

Basic Irish geography and administration. Some people know only that they had an Irish ancestor, but not precisely where they came from. While geography

Looking Backwards, Looking Forwards During 2018 we brought you some great stories of Irish ancestors, as told by their descendants, members of the Irish Special Interest Group of the Western Australian Genealogical Society. From 2019 the Society will remain, and we will be also known by our business name, FamilyHistoryWA. A shorter name and hopefully easier to remember. Not as easy to abbreviate as the Society’s name (WAGS) but FamilyHistoryWA is the name you will see at our premises in Maylands, on our website, on Facebook and Twitter. Our public face.

There’s a new logo to go with it as well. The slogan is Researching Worldwide. We don’t just research Western Australian ancestors - some members don’t have any - but we look into our ancestors from all over the world. Each of the 17 Special Interest Groups specialise in a region of the world or a specialty, such as DNA, convicts, military ancestors, or computer related topics.

In 2019 here in Irish Scene, we will bring you some more interesting stories from people who have been researching their Irish ancestors. From those who have had successes - and even from those who are still searching.

Don’t be mistaken. Researching Irish ancestors is not easy, but it’s not impossible, as our stories have shown so far. Those in the know realise there are some basics we all need to know to get anywhere.

During 2019 the Irish Special Interest Group will meet five times, as usual. Four meetings will be held at our Maylands premises. The fifth gathering is a social event, our annual Four Courts Memorial Lunch to be held in Northbridge on Friday 28 June, to commemorate the loss of family history records from the Public Records Office in Dublin on 30 June 1922.

The quarterly meetings in January, April, July and October, usually feature a speaker or two, announcements and news from the genealogy world, and a delicious afternoon tea with ample time to make new friends, ask advice and catch up with family history friends. The theme for 2019 is Back to Basics.

We are going to tackle three important basic Irish research approaches. The meetings will help new members just starting out, experienced researchers

Afternoon tea time at a meeting of the Irish SIG

and administration may sound a rather dry topic, the term refers to the place descriptors used frequently in Irish research. To narrow down the search for your ancestor you’ll need to know about traditional counties, civil parishes, Catholic parishes, Church of Ireland parishes, townlands (unique to Ireland, and not the same as towns), baronies, poor law unions.

How can you link up with family historians now living in the areas your ancestor did?

20 October Research Day Put your new knowledge into practice at the FamilyHistoryWA Resource Centre in Maylands, with experienced members on hand to help. Bring all the relevant details from your research so far - or it will be a waste of time!

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All meetings are on Sunday afternoons, starting at 2pm. Gold coin donation is appreciated. New members are welcome. Visitors (non-members) are welcome to

attend up to two FamilyHistoryWA meetings.

More details about each meeting are available from the website wags.org.au (not changed yet), or from the Convenor, Robyn O’Brien, irish@fhwa.org.au (new email address).

Next issue we will bring you another family history story.

Jenni Ibrahim, on behalf of the Irish Special Interest Group

the donation as well as everyone who supports traditional Irish music in general. “That’s how the tradition lives on,” they said.

Yvonne Jones, President of Comhaltas Perth, Sean Doherty Branch expressed her gratitude.

“A big thank you to the Broken Pokers and Alex from Concept Music for the donation of a violin and tin whistle to Comhaltas,” she said. “The instruments have been given them to Sean Doherty as he will put them to good use Contacts for our local Comhaltas students. Your generosity is Robyn O’Brien, Irish Special Interest Group E irish@fhwa.org.au greatly appreciated. On behalf of Comhaltas thank you WA Genealogical Society (WAGS) http://membership.wags.org.au so much.”

T 9271 4311 Less than a week later - on Sunday December 9 - the Join the Facebook group FamilyHistoryWA – researching family boys then went on to give their fans - and perhaps a few worldwide (non-members are welcome) unsuspecting punters - a treat. They laid on a another Irish Special Interest Group page at https://tinyurl.com/irishsig great seisuin in their regular locale - The Albion Hotel, Cottesloe - their final for 2018. It was also the last chance for their Perth following to get a fix of their brand of Irish music before the Pokers flew out (later that night in fact) to kick off their tour of Ireland. Fiddlers Green, Streete in Westmeath on Dec 13 was the launch pad for the debut of their 11 gig tour in December.

Clarke’s Bar, Mullingar, Westmeath was second on the bill (Dec 14) and Alfie’s Bar, Athboy, Meath

By Lloyd Gorman on December 16. After a short break their next planned gig was Perth based trad outfit Broken PokCampbell’s Tavern, Headford, Galers had a very festive December. way on Wednesday, 19 December They kicked off the season with an but events didn’t go exactly to plan. early bout of gift giving when they visit“We have our very own nativity ed the Comhaltas Perth, “Sean Doherty scenario tonight,” the boys FaceBroken Pokers rugged up in Ireland Branch” before their weekly lesson night booked. “For Mary and Joseph it at the Irish Club, on December 3. Specifwas Bethlehem, for the Pokers , its Headford, Galway. Our ically their purpose was the donation of two new instruplanned accommodation has fallen thru and we need a ments - a fiddle and tin whistle - to the branch and to barn for 3 unwise men and the virgin Caroline to spend encourage and assist new traditional players in their the night. Can anyone help us in the Galway area?”. pursuit of the art through the Comhaltas. Half of the The tour rolled on - and even included merchandismoney was raised by Broken Pokers fans in an effort to ing, that might make a good impromptu Christmas preskeep the boys playing at a venue they had been playing at ent, handwoven Broken Poker Beanies, in a variety of for the last year. This sadly could not happen due to cirstyles and colours and the perfect answer to heading out cumstances beyond their control. As the money raised into the cold winter night after a lively session in the pub. was, in essence, to support traditional music, the Pokers Next they hit Garvey’s Bar, Silverbridge, Armagh (Dec decided that they would pass it on to another group 21), Boggan’s Bar, Rathcore, Meath (Dec 22) and Caitin’s which does exactly that. Their contribution was then Pub, Kells, Ring of Kerry, Kerry. After another short break matched by Graham Hoskins, owner/manager of the of a few days the lads were back up in Westmeath, this Concept Music store in Wembley, who can be found on time in Doyne’s pub, Glenidan on December 26, The Foot the corner of Harborne Street and Cambridge Street, and Inn, Burnfoot, Donegal (Dec 27) then back down to Westwho are open seven days a week with a full range of trameath again - The Stables @Smiddys, Mullingar - before ditional and other instruments - who provided the intheir final appearance back at Boggan’s Bar, Rathcore, struments. Alex Canion from Concept joined the Broken Meath.

Pokers in presenting the instruments to Yvonne Jones Visit The Broken Pokers Facbook page for photos and Brendan Doherty of the Comhaltas, and the lads and videos of their Irish Tour: hung around for a tune or three afterwards (and a friendwww.facebook.com/thebrokenpokers ly game of 25). They thanked everyone who supported

A Broken Christmas In Ireland is still better than a Poker in the eye!

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'You named demons and were demonised’ Australia apologises for abuse

by Lloyd Gorman

Paddy Monaghan at National Apology with Prime Minister in background.

After a lifetime of waiting - and in many cases lifetimes lost - survivors of institutional child sexual abuse heard words many doubted would ever come. On October 22, 2018 against a backdrop of emotional scenes in and around the national parliament Prime Minister Scott Morrision - using the findings and recommendations of the Royal Commission’s report as his foundation - apologised to victims for their ordeal at the hands of their abusers on behalf of the Australian people and parliament and the government.

Paddy Monaghan (pictured above) from Perth was one of the former child migrants invited to the national apology in Canberra. Paddy's story has featured previously in Irish Scenes.

“We can never promise a world where there are no abusers,” Mr Morrison said. “But we can promise a country where we commit to hear and believe our children. To work together to keep children safe, to trust them and most of all respect their innocence...a sorry that dare not ask for forgiveness, a sorry that dare not try and make sense of the incomprehensible, or think it could, a sorry that does not insult with an

incredible promise, that sorry that speaks only of profound grief and loss. A sorry from a nation that seeks to reach out in compassion into the darkness, where you have lived for so long…I believe you. We believe you. Your country believes you.”

More regret and debate about the significance of the national apology followed in parliament a few weeks later, with Western Australian politicians at the fore of the issue. WA Senator and finance minister Mathias Cormann said there was no greater duty or moral obligation for a ‘decent nation’ than the protection of its children. “They are so much more than just our future,” Mr Mathias said. “In their innocence, their unconditional trust and their hopefulness they are the best of us.

That that innocence was so often shattered, their trust so often betrayed and those hopes so cruelly quashed will forever remain a stain on our national consciousness. That crimes so horrific were allowed to take place for so long, in so many places, with such impunity, defies comprehension. That so many of those who suffered are not with us today, having sometimes taken their lives or languished in poverty, prison or despair, worsens the blow.

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These horrific crimes of sexual abuse occurred in places where children should have felt safe— places where parents trusted that those involved would have the care of their children uppermost in their minds. Predators targeted places like schools and churches, sporting clubs and scout groups, orphanages and foster homes. In many cases the organisations that ran these facilities and services turned a blind eye to the abuses and pretended they didn’t happen. These were crimes of unknowable scale. The royal commission estimates that tens of thousands of children were sexually abused in some of Australia’s most trusted institutions. Tragically, we will never know the true number.

That fact alone will surely haunt our society for a long time.”

Mr Cormann said the commission’s report tells a harrowing story of almost total failure to protect the innocent, to believe the victims, to challenge the perpetrators. “No words will ever be able to wind back the clock, heal the scars or erase the evils of the past. No speech will ever truly satisfy those countless thousands who asked for help but were denied. Why were those vile crimes committed against them allowed to occur? Why were the victims not believed? Why was justice and safety so unreachable? I extend the Senate’s heartfelt sympathy to every victim and survivor, to acknowledge and honour them and to commit resolutely to responding fully to the recommendations produced by the royal commission. Ultimately, all of us in this place have a duty to do all that we can as best we can to right past wrongs and prevent future evils. I especially pay tribute to the thousands of Australians who relived the worst chapters of their lives in making submissions and attending private sessions. Their strength and courage have inspired a nation. Without it, the commission’s work, which has

Paddy Monaghan outside Parliament House in Canberraister in background.

exposed the darkest of crimes in the brightest of lights, would not have been possible. This is an episode in our nation’s history of unfathomable horror, of innocence lost, of trust denied, of hopes and expectations dashed and of the triumph of evil. But thousands of courageous Australians would not be silenced; they would not let evil prevail. They raised their voices. To our collective shame, it took us too long to heed their calls. But they persisted. Despite the pain and the loss, they would not be denied. They roused the nation’s dormant conscience into action. On this day and into the future, let us be worthy of them. To the children who suffered so much for so long and in such silence: we are sorry. To the parents, spouses, partners, husbands, wives and children who have struggled with the cruel after-effects of that suffering: we are sorry. To the generations of today and those that came before: we are sorry.”

Senator Penny Wong echoed similar sentiments. She said that of the survivors who spoke to the commission, 10½ per cent alleged abuse at the hands non-government, non-religious institutions; 32½ per cent at the hands of government-run institutions; 22.4 per cent at the hands of other Protestant denominations; and 35.7 per cent at the hands of the Catholic Church. The

commission’s report found that, of the 1,880 perpetrators from within the Catholic Church, 572 were priests. Anglican clergy and lay youth leaders were also engaged in the sexual abuse of children, as were officers of the Salvation Army.

“It appears that each of these denominations harboured sexual predators and, worse, in many cases knew about it, but, instead of acting to protect children in their care, they acted to protect perpetrators and the reputations of their institutions with well-established procedures to cover up crimes, by moving criminals onto other parishes and other institutions where they could continue to prey on children, the vulnerable, the disabled and the powerless. This collusion was an abuse of power. This collusion compounded harm, and we condemn it.

Those who we should most admire are the survivors who came forward to tell the truth, to share their hurt, their pain and their violation,” she added.

WA Greens Senator Rachel Siewart said the national apology included many people whose lives had been destroyed by abuse and who had come into contact with the justice system as a result. “Many, many children were abused in institutions, although it is not classed as sexual abuse,” she said. “That has also led to years of trauma, and we apologise to you for the abuse that you suffered at the hands of those powerful people in institutions.

Not only was young children’s trust abused, but the abuse occurred again when they were not believed. When they sought to tell people in authority, whether it was the people in authority in the institutions, sometimes it was their parents who actually believed the abusers rather than their own children.”

WA Senator Sue Lines thanked former PM Julia Gillard for initiating the royal commission in the first place. She said that the first royal commission in Western Australia was held in 1905 and found that children were being raped. Despite the findings the regime over Aboriginal people was made even more harsh. There was another royal commission in 1935 and other reports until quite recent times, such 85

as the Bringing them home report in 1997. “There were many people, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, who were not able to tell their stories to the royal commission,” she said. “I stand here today and apologise to those people, to those victims and to their families, to the many thousands who were not able to tell those stories.”

But Senator Lines was able to share a personal perspective on the issue as well. “I want to start quickly with my own story. My father was sent out here as a child migrant from England and he grew up at Fairbridge in Western Australia.

Thankfully, my father was not a victim of child sexual abuse, but others at Fairbridge were: children that he knew and children that he loved. His brother was also sent out, and what they did suffer was hardship and abuse, but it was not sexual, and I think that’s one of the great areas that we have to pursue into the future: that children in institutions were treated appallingly. They were beaten. They were put to work.

They were just not treated as human beings, and my father was in that category.

I know firsthand what it feels like to have your family ripped apart.

I’ve just recently met my cousin in the UK. I look like my grandmother.

I didn’t know that before. Of course, I never knew my paternal grandmother. I look like my cousins. I share the same name as them. All of this my father lost, and it was lost to me and my children. That is one of the legacies of children in institutions…There are many stories in the Bringing them home report. One of the institutions particularly close to me is Sister Kate’s, which was an institution set up in the 1930s by a nun who took light-skinned children to, allegedly, give them a better life. I know that because my mother taught the children from Sister Kate’s at Queens Park Primary School. Some of those children were sexually abused at Sister Kate’s.

This is unbelievable, but anyone could come and knock on the door and offer to take those children home for the weekend and home for the holidays, and many of those children were sexually abused. Sadly, I’m not sure if any of that got be-

fore the royal commission, but it is in the Bringing them home report. So it should not have taken a royal commission to get to where we are today.”

WA Senator Louise PRATT also had a personal connection with some survivors and was touched by the plight of thousands of others who were injured. “The sad truth is that people I care about deeply are among the victims of such heinous acts, acts that have lifelong consequences,” she said. I want to acknowledge all of those who fought so bravely for the acknowledgement and recognition of this issue—for redress, for apology, for justice and, most importantly, to recognise that we need to listen to children and that we must have robust institutions and a society that never allows this to happen again…The evidence before the royal commission exposed heinous crimes perpetuated against vulnerable children. And the evidence largely shows that it should have been seen for what it was at the time—that there were enough people who should have known at the time that something needed to be done. Many children did try and speak up about their abuse but were ignored. The reputations of adults and institutions were privileged over the vulnerable victims of crime. I’ve spent some time reading the narrative stories in the royal commission’s report—and there are thousands of them. In many of those cases someone knew, or should have known, about the abuse that was happening. In other cases children had been intimidated and frightened into remaining quiet. That powerful people in institutions should privilege themselves over the charges in their care is in and of itself also a heinous crime. A failure to provide a protective environment, a failure to believe children, and a culture that diminished their rights and voices of children—environments like that must never be allowed to fester in our nation again.”

WA Senator Jordon Steele John said every child has the right to feel safe, to be heard and to be protected by those entrusted with the responsibility, but those rights were denied to survivors of institutionalised child abuse. “You sought safety and were subjected to unspeakable harm. You spoke up, and those with power turned away. You named demons and were demonised. For these unforgivable acts of avoidance, for the culture of wilful ignorance, for the pain and trauma that was met with silence, for the silence that was created and in which prowled the predators that did your life such terrible damage—for all these things and so much more—your parliament tonight offer up our apologies. There may well be those watching at home who neither trust the words we offer nor believe in the genuineness of the spirit in which they are put forward. To those I say: you have every right to be suspicious, because you placed your trust in us, you placed your trust in those who were charged with your protection, and we failed you. Our failure will cast a long shadow over this place and all places that took part in it—a shadow which we will never, nor should we ever, attempt to escape. We made you feel as though you were shameful, as though you were broken, when it was we who were broken, when it was our shame to be held.”

WA’S RESPONSE TO INSTITUTIONALISED CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE The following was a media statement issued by the WA state government on October 22, 2018, in the wake of Prime Minister Morrisons apology. WA Premier Mark McGowan apologised to victims of child sex abuse in the lower house of the WA Parliament.

The West Australian Government has welcomed the national apology made today by Prime Minster Scott Morrison to Australian survivors of institutional sexual abuse.

Western Australia has strongly supported the Royal Commission. It was the first state in the country to formally apologise to child sexual abuse survivors, with the Premier Mark McGowan delivering an apology in parliament in June last year.

Of the 409 recommendations put forward by the Royal Commission, 310 are applicable to Western Australia. Of these, 289 have been accepted or accepted in principle by the state government and 21 are subject to further consideration. No recommendations have been rejected.

Work on implementing the recommendations has already begun in Western Australia, and is being carried out in a staged approach. The state governments will report annual on its progress.

“While an apology cannot undo the horrific actions of the past, it is an important starting point to make amends and rebuilding trust,” Premier McGowan said. “That is why I chose as premier to formally apologise to Western Australian survivors of institutional sexual abuse earlier this year. The Prime Minister’s national apology indicates the strong commitment across Australia to ensuring children are kept safe and Western Australia is playing an integral role in that.”

The McGowan government had also announced on June 26 that it would be joining the National Redress Scheme.

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Around the Irish scene Compiled by Fred Rea

Happy 70th Mick True Blue Dub Michael 'Mick' Mangan, now of Edgewater, celebrated his septuagenarian birthday with family and friends at the Currambine bar recently. Gifts for the great man included a hamper of Irish foods and copies of Irish Scene. Happy reading and many happy returns Mick.

Thanks Jack!

Jack from the Falls Road in Belfast, picked up 5 copies of Irish Scene for family & friends. Jack makes all the effort worthwhile. Thanks Jack.

You can sing that again!

Quite a few of the kids who took part in singing teacher Davina Sawyers annual concert for her students had proud mums, dads and New Baby! siblings watching on as they took to the stage of Superfreak Rehearsal Studios in Winton Road, Joondalup in early December and Congratulations Claire Wynn and Tallan Chappell on the birth of their beautiful baby daughter Frankie sang their hearts out. The concert is the perfect opportunity for the kids - and even some adult students - to strut their stuff on stage and show off what they have learned and how much they have advanced in the last 12 months. Good work kids, and special thanks to Davina from Love to Sing Vocal Studios.

Five Presidents of the Irish Club L-R: Lena Costello, Tom Quinn, Paddy Costello, Ed O'Connor Smith and Pat Ducey enjoying a good time at the Club.

Peter McGorry still has the charm!

Peter McGorry jumped in on a photo at a recent Sunday session at Durty Nelly's in Shafto Lane. The young ladies were delighted to have such a chaming (youngish) man in their company!

Girls Christmas Day out

Too many to name but you know who you are!

They deserve a day out I say and when I met some at a certain high rise revolving restaurant in Perth before Christmas, they were partying hard and as they say "Loving it!".

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Joe and his sister Helen!

Joe Carroll had a very exciting Christmas with his sister Helen Sheridan in town visiting her daughter in Bunbury. Pictured with Lilly Rea.

RETIREMENTS!

All on the same day, Noel Neff (with Brenda) retired and celebrated his 65th birthday with friends. No more 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off! Well done Noel!

Happy Birthday Jack!

Jack Cullen (with Betty) celebrating another milestone birthday!

Catching up with Jack!

Des Kavanagh also had a birthday and Jack Cullen is looking over his shoulder for Des!

Blackrock College Re-Union Ashok Parekh organised the annual event in Rosie O'Grady's and was a great opportunity for old friends to reminisce on the old days in the Dublin College.

Terry Hayes (pictured with Edith Hayes) retired from the ETU union recently. A facebook post read: "The heart and soul of the ETU no words can describe the solidarity that you have brought to us all in the last Millennium!"

Enjoy Terry!

Song for Ireland happy faces!

Frank, Gerry with family, friends and the Kenny family having a great time on Saturday morning on Radio Fremantle for the Irish program. It gets better and better and tune in every Saturday 8am - 10am on Fremantle Radio 107.9FM band. Its online and can be heard world-wide!

Retired sisters Christmas get-together

Sisters from various Orders around Western Australia had a mass offered by Bishop Justin Bianchini, and Christmas dinner in Osborne Park. The Bishop's singing of Silent Night in Italian was very well received by the sisters.

Hartson meets Legend!

Ex Celtic star John Hartson pictured with PCS president Andrew Gordon at the club's 30th Anniversary dinner at the Langley. Andy is on the mend after a recent spell in hospital.

Keep up the good work Bhoy!

Italian Cousins!

At her recent performance at Ellington's Jazz Club Fiona Rea had a great surprise when the audience included her Italian cousins and friends. Her singing of the Louis Prima 'Buona Sera Signorina' classic was very well received by them. I might have seen Ennio singing along and maybe a shed a tear or two. It was beautiful!

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Action turns to auction at Subi Oval

by Lloyd Gorman

Feelings ran high at Subiaco Oval on November 18, 2017. Australia beat Ireland in what proved to be a well fought match, the last competitive game ever played at the 109 sports oval. Aussies were happy their side won the day but the Irish - team and fans - walked away with their heads held high, and good natured. Under the floodlights after the contest some fans - probably hard core AFL tragics - rushed onto the oval and tore lumps of the turf out of the ground with their bare hands.

Squads of security guards moved to stop them but more than a few got away with a piece of footy real estate. Patches of the stuff started turning up on Gumtree for more than they were worth, but the WA Football Commission also got in on the act, and made tiny squares of the stuff into corporate gifts. There was a premium on stadium turf, but it wouldn’t last.

Just over 12 months later at what is likely to be the stadium’s very last event that was open to the public, the passion was more low key. On the beautifully sunny morning of Saturday December 8 the last of a series of auctions to sell off equipment and other stadium and football related items was held there. If a hundred people turned up that was as many that shuffled into the 43,500 seat stadium on the day. Most were there to buy benches, seats and signs but there were all sorts of bargains to be had. I was there as a reporter for the Subiaco POST, to document another closing chapter in the historic venue’s story. But I also got into the swing of it and bid

on a small number of items and bagged a seating sign and a very random thing entirely to pick up at a stadium auction, a pink ladies bicycle with a basket at the front and carrier at the back, with leather grips and saddle for a pretty decent price.

Another lot also caught my attention. There were two bundles of ‘Records’ for the 2017 International Rules match between Ireland and Australia. As well as Subiaco Oval on November 18, the series had played out at Adelaide Oval on November 12.

On the day of the games themselves punters would have shelled out $5 for one ‘Record’. There were about 80 of them in the bundles but of course they weren’t worth $400 or anything like it.

Bidding started at $20 but quickly dropped to $10 and still there were no takers. The auctioneer went to $5 and called it a couple of times. I flashed my registered number from underneath my notebook and it caught his eye. In the blink of an eye they were mine.

If I hadn’t bid on them I doubt there would have been another interested party in the room and the booklets would probably have found their way into a skip or been stowed away somewhere in the bowels of the stadium and become a part of the debris that will be left over when they start demolishing the grandstands, floodlights and the rest of the stadium.

A gang of Irish - with our Australian friends - watched that compromise rules game live in Subiaco and the kids from the GAA WA Junior Academy got to play on the pitch during the half time interval, so it was a special day for those of us who were involved. I didn’t happen to get a ‘Record’ at the time so I figured it was the last chance to get a copy. The problem I now have is that I have far too many for one person (even a hoarder like myself). I’d like to see as many of them as possible go to 89

good homes so if you think you’d like one (or multiple copies) please get in touch (text to 0479047250 is probably best) and we can make arrangements from there.

The 52 page full colour booklet is probably worth having for fans of the exhibition game. It contains the rules as they applied at the time and a fairly decent history of the

international rules series from the first official game in 1984 - Gaelic contests involving Aussie sides date back to 1967 - right up to 2017.

Compromise Rules was also played at Subiaco in front of capacity crowds in 2003, 2005, 2008 and 2014 according to the publication.

There are also profiles of all the coaches and players from both sides, as well as a number of feature articles.

‘Pioneers honoured’ is one of those features and looks at how two AFL greats were given the honour of tossing the coin before the games. In the case of Subiaco oval it was Bill Walker, who has featured in Irish Scene magazine before for his Irish heritage and credentials (he also has an “Irish birthday”, March 17).

If you think you can find a place or a purpose for these Australian V Ireland Records and adopt one, please feel free to get in touch!

Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of Australasia Western Australia STATE REPRESENTATION Western Australia sent a team to compete in the 1973 Championship and WA representatives were present at a meeting in Sydney in 1974 that setup the Gaelic Athletic Association of Australia to promote, control and foster Gaelic Games at a national level.

With the subsequent affiliation of Auckland and Wellington-Hutt Valley from New Zealand the name changed to the Gaelic Athletic Association of Australasia. Perth hosted Australasian Championships in 1978, 1987, 1993, 2000, 2006, 2012 and again in 2017.

The Gaelic Athletic Association of Western Australia (GAAWA) was formed in the early 1960’s in response to the growing numbers of Irish people looking to play Gaelic Games in the State.

FOOTBALL In 1976 the first GAA Club was setup known as St Finbarr’s. This was followed soon after by the formation of Greenwood GFC in 1978. In 1983 a Melville based club, Southern Districts was formed followed in 1984 by Morley GFC. Morley GFC was formed to establish a team in Perth’s northern suburbs and the old Kalamunda Gaelic Football team re-formed as Morley. In 1985 Goldfields Gaelic Football and Hurling Squad based in Kalgoorlie-Boulder hosted a match between themselves and St Finbarr’s at the Boulder Oval. In 1987 Tom Farrell and Mick McMahon setup Thornlie Shamrocks, now known as Western Shamrocks to increase the awareness of Gaelic Football in Perth’s South Eastern Corridor. In 1992 the Applecross Gaelic Football Club was formed and history was made in the same year with the formation of the GAAWA Minor Football Board. Fast forward to 2007 which saw the formation of Coastal Breakers Ladies Football Club.

Titles in both Senior, Minor, Ladies Football and Hurling secured in 1978, 1981, 1987, 1993, 2006, 2012, 2013 & 2014. As you have read Gaelic Games in Western Australia has gone from strength to strength since the 1960’s and now has clubs in the Perth, Bunbury and Port Headland regions of Western Australia, a Minor Board promoting Gaelic Football in a number of schools and over 80 children affiliated to our Junior Academy. If you are interested in getting involved, have a child or teenager who would like to play GAA or are just curious about our games please get in touch using the contact form at the bottom of this page.

HURLING & CAMOGIE In 2009 the first Camogie Club in the State, Western Swans was setup. In 2011 Perth Shamrocks Hurling Club was formed and 2012 saw the emergence of Sarsfields Hurling Club soon followed

by St Gabriel’s Hurling & Camogie Club. Southern Districts also have a team competing in the camogie competitions. 2012 was also an historic year for the association as it was in this year that a Junior Academy was setup to promote and foster Gaelic Games to children aged between 4 & 12 in the State. The Junior Academy was also the first of its kind in Australasia and has been used as a blueprint for other States in setting up their own underage structures. In 2015 Western Swans added a hurling squad to their ranks and 2016 saw the formation of Bunbury Gaels Football Club. There is also a small club based in Port Hedland.

The competitions played in the State since the formation of the Association have been the Consul Cup, Fleadh Cup, Fr Kelly Cup, St Patricks Day Carnival, Perth 7’s Football, Tim Hickey Hurling 7’s and the League & Championship in all codes.

Football Clubs Greenwood Morley Gaels Southern Districts St. Finbarr’s Western Shamrocks Hurling Clubs St. Gabriel’s Western Swans Perth Shamrocks Sarsfields

GAAWA Annual General Meeting The 2019 Annual General Meeting of the Gaelic Athletic Association of Western Australia will take place on Friday the 18th January at 7pm in the Irish Club.

All are welcome.

GAAWA CLUB DETAILS Mens Senior Football - greenwoodgfc@hotmail.com Mens & Ladies Senior Football - morleygaelsgfc@hotmail.com Mens & Ladies Senior Football - southerndistrictsgaa@gmail.com Mens & Ladies Senior Football - stfinbarrsgfc@outlook.com Mens & Ladies Senior Football - westernshamrocks@hotmail.com Mens & Ladies Senior Hurling & Camogie - stgabrielsperth@gmail.com Mens & Ladies Senior Hurling & Camogie - westernswansgaa@gmail.com Mens Senior Hurling - perthshamrocks@gmail.com Mens Senior Hurling - sarshurlingperth@gmail.com 90

From the GAA The Minor Board

2018 will be remembered as a successful year in the history of the GAAWA Minor Board and one that built on from the achievements of 2017. The focus of 2018 was sending a team to compete at the Australasian Championships which were held in Melbourne from October 2nd to 6th. On the 21st April last the Minor Board entered a team that competed at the GAAWA Gaelic Football 7’s tournament that was held at Tom Bateman Reserve.

The team of young footballers acquitted themselves admirably on the day.

On the 10th June 2018 the Minor Board were the beneficiaries of the matinee showing of ‘Constellations’ by the Irish Theatre Players. A sincere thankyou to Claire Wynne and all at ITP for their generous support of the Minor Board.

Trials for the 2018 Australasian Championships kicked off on the 9th July and ran for a few weeks to select a panel of 22 to travel to Melbourne. State Training commenced on the 23rd of August and ran until the 30th September. The Minor Board wishes to acknowledge the support of Morley Gaels Gaelic Football Club in the preparation of the WA State Minor Team.

Our major fundraiser of the year was held on Saturday September 29th with a Golf Classic at Maylands Golf Club. The event was a great success and sincere thanks to everyone who played on the day, the businesses who contributed raffle prizes and our sponsors on the day; The Children’s Garden, Abaxa, Tallis Consultants, Adenco, Gabriel Lyons, An Sibin, Morley Gaels GFC, St Finbarrs GFC, AI Express, BC Formwork & The Newsletter Company. We would also like to extend a massive thankyou to Peter McKenna for all the hard work and effort he put in making the day such a success.

Before the WA State Minor squad departed for Melbourne they were presented with their jerseys and playing gear. The Minor Board would like to say a huge thankyou to Jersey sponsor Gay Collins of Pipeline Technics and Eddie Kearney of K & N Maintanence Solutions, who sponsored the Polo-Shirts worn by the squad. The generous support of Gay & Eddie allowed the board to send a Minor Squad to Melbourne and we thank them sincerely for that.

Onto the Australasian Championships themselves and the squad departed to Melbourne on Monday 1st October. The following day they had two games defeating Victoria Green 4:17 0:02 and losing to Victoria Blue 2:06 to 0:03. On Wednesday October 3rd WA defeated Victoria White 2:04 to 2:07. This win in addition to other results meant if WA could beat Victoria White, they would reach the Minor Championship Final. After a great game of football WA just missed out on a championship final spot on a score line of 2:03 to 1:05. All was not lost however as this result meant WA ere into a Mi-

nor Plate Final. This one went our way and WA brought the Minor Plate back to Perth on a score line of 4:09 to Victoria Green 1:01. It should also be noted that Victoria GAA, the host state, were highly complementary of the WA Minor Squad and of the way they conducted themselves throughout the tournament. From interacting with the squad over the last number of months I can only say they have been a pleasure to deal with and each of them are a credit to their families, schools and communities.

On the 3rd November last a ‘come and try Gaelic Football’ initiative commenced for 5 weeks at John XXIII College. This format aimed to increase the participation of boys and girls in years 7-9 playing Gaelic Football. The format was a great success and had over 30 boys and girls take part each weekend. On Saturday 24th November the format finals took place with three teams representing St Finbarrs, Western Shamrocks and Southern Districts for the inaugural Michael O’Connor Cup. Congratulations to St Finbarrs who won out on the day and it is hoped to make this an annual competition to provide an outlet to boys and girls from years 7-9 in Perth to play Gaelic Football.

The passing of two of our members Matilda (Tilly) Gallagher & Michael O’Connor during 2018 came as a huge shock to all of us involved in underage GAA in Western Australia and caused deep sadness throughout the wider Irish community in Perth. We offer our sincere condolences to the Gallagher & O’Connor Families.

Finally, my thanks to Ciaran Gallagher, Eimear Beatiee, Oisin McFadden, Diane Baker, Alan Burke, Richard O’Callaghan, Diarmuid O’Loing, Robbie O’Callaghan & Fred Rea for their hard work and support to myself and the Minor Board during the year. I also wish to thank all our Players and their Families, Sponsors, Junior Academy & Hurling and Football Clubs in Western Australia for the very successful year that was 2018.

The Wild Geese match in Sydney...

L-R: Michael Dempsey (Kilkenny Physical Trainer), Tom Murphy, Derek Lyng (Kilkenny Selector), Diarmuid O'Loing and Michael Duignan former Offaly Player.

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Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of Australasia Western Australia Gaelic Minor Football John XXIII College College Perth

Wild Geese Trophy was WA’s crowning glory

By Lloyd Gorman

Kilkenny’s clash with Galway at the Sydney Showgrounds Olympic Park in November 2018 was the headline and ultimate event of the major two day Sydney Irish Festival. It was a rare opportunity for ‘local’ GAA and hurling fans to watch the cherished ‘Warrior’ sport played at an elite level by intercountry teams under an Australian sun. The Wild Geese Trophy game was also the first fully sanctioned full format hurling match played outside Ireland to be broadcast live around the world on Fox Sports.

When Padraic Mannion held up the trophy a lot of eyes across Australia, Ireland and beyond were watching the pinnacle moment.

While the contest to win was fought out in New South Wales the trophy owed more than a little to Western Australia. Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith, originally of Waterford, of Aisling Studios in Gidgegannup, WA designed and created the trophy and drew on the state’s rich Irish history for inspiration. The trophy was inspired by another of their monuments in WA. “The design of the Trophy was inspired by our Catalpa Wild Geese Memorial, situated on the beach at Rockingham, Western Australia, from where six Irish Fenian political prisoners were rescued by the American whaler

The Catalpa, in 1876, and followed their leader John Boyle O’Reilly, to Massachusetts,” the husband and wife sculptor team said. “It is no coincidence, that of the seven men who founded the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884 - the GAA - four were Fenians. The symbolism of the “Wild Geese” is fundamental to Irish emigration, since The Flight of the Earls in 1607, and in particular to the Great Diaspora, or the ‘Scattering’ of millions of people out of Ireland in the wake of the Great Irish Famine of the 1840’s.

“For the design of the trophy, as Irish-Australian sculptors, we combined allegory and materials to forge a unique symbol. It is composed of wings, symbolising the Catalpa Wild Geese Memorial, enfolding the ancient ‘Sliothar’ - the ball with which this great game was played - cast in fine silver. The polished Australian bronze wings themselves also epitomise speed and flight - and ultimately in this context, migration. The Goose also represents the concept of the eventual ‘return home’- which is deep in every Irish person’s heart.

Adorning the Jarrah wooden base is a polished brass frieze composed of Celtic bird iconography, based on a Zoomorphic from The Book of Kells.”

The base of the trophy is fabricated from selected pieces of the most unique timber in the world, West Australian Jarrah. “We combined this with West Australian metals, (silver and bronze) to fashion a truly iconic IrishAustralian hurling trophy which will ‘migrate’ like the ‘Wild Geese’ between Ireland and Australia as the ex-patriate community plays the Irish champions, thus cementing and celebrating our shared heritage through this medium: hurling: the fastest, most perilous and ancient game on earth.

As an important connection, it was with great pride, that along with the Irish community here in Perth, we had the honour of designing and building a memorial to the Great Irish Famine (An Gorta Mor) in Subiaco, Perth, last year which was dedicated by His Excellency, the President of Ireland, Michael D.Higgins on 9th October 2017.

It was during this official visit to 93

GAA President John Horan presents the Wild Geese trophy to Padraic Mannion of Galway.

Australia that the President also formally inaugurated the bi-annual hurling contest for which we are proud to have created this trophy.

This singular event, signified by this trophy, will contribute to the many treads of the ‘Scattering’ which are continually woven into new patterns connecting the 70 million strong Irish community worldwide.”

Charlie and Joan are prolific artists who have created multiple public artworks, memorials and sculptures in WA, Ireland and many other places beyond. In terms of other awards, they created the original Brandan Award that is given each year to someone who has gone above and beyond in the service of the Irish community in Western Australia.

The trophy was first unveiled at the official business function of the festival which was held at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf on 9 November.

RTE sports presenter Marty Morrissey was MC for the trophy “preview”, which also included the team managers Brian Cody (Kilkenny) and Micheál Donoghue (Galway) as well as Irish sporting legends Sonia O’Sullivan and Tadhg Kennelly.

The Wild Geese Trophy match was aired on Sunday, 11 November and shown in Australia on FOX SPORTS More (Foxtel Channel 507*) and throughout Asia on FOX Sports Asia and on RTE into Ireland.

SHAMROCK

Rovers

SPONSORED AND SUPPORTED BY McLOUGHLIN'S BUTCHERS MALAGA

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

As 2018 comes to a close, we tend to reflect on the year. At Shamrock Rovers it's been no different, we are delighted that we have experienced great growth both on and off the pitch in the last 12 months, A big thank you to all our players, supporters, members and sponsors who all played an integral part in making 2018 such a positive year for the club. Special mention to Pipeline Technics, Bendigo Bank, McLoughlin Butchers and Killarney Autos whose sponsorship and support has been outstanding.

We look to embrace 2019 with progress on the field being led by our outstanding manager Gerry McEwan who has created stability with a view to growth along with his coaching team.

Shamrock Rovers has been a part of the Irish community for over three decades and we look to maintain that connection which has been at the heart of the club.

We commence our pre-season on the 15th January and welcome all new players to come along and get a flavour of the hoops. We have the night series coming up with games against Ashfield, Forrestfield and Murdoch.

The youth has always been at the forefront of the Rovers ethos as we have harnessed solid under 18s over recent years. We welcome new additions to the squad for 2019 and come along in January and meet the coach with a view of representing the Hoops in the coming season.

Shamrock Rovers prides itself on being a community club. The spark that lit the club back in 1984 was to support Irish people and provide a place for them to enjoy their football and build relationships that

Presentation to John Hartson

The Hoops committee have been busy behind the scenes in the offseason, most recently meeting former Celtic, Arsenal and West Ham striker John Hartson and presenting the Welshman with a Rovers polo and honorary membership of our club for the upcoming 2019 season. eased the transition from Ireland to living in Australia. This being a key aspect of the club, we would welcome new players, members, committee and volunteers to get involved and to support the premier Irish football club in WA. May we also take this opportunity to wish you and yours a Happy New Year!

McLoughlin Butchers Malaga Drop in and see our range of Irish prepared meats 58 Westchester Rd, Malaga WA 6090

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GOLF FOR SENIORS RULE CHANGES IN EFFECT FOR SENIOR GOLFERS:

THE IRISH GOLF CLUB OF WA December 2018 Competition Winner: PJ Kenny Runner up: Bob O Shea Third: John Whelahan.

Visitors: Winner: Brian Crawford.

Runner up: Cain O Connor.

Third: Ciaran O'Hanlon.

Player of the year: Jason Whelahan.

Hidden Pairs Winners: Mick and Ryan

If you would like to know more about The Irish Golf Club please call Peter McKenna on 0447 258 000

THE

C O M P A N Y NEWSLETTERS P R I N T I N G D E S I G N W E B S I T E S P U B L I S H I N G 0418 943 832 fredrea@iinet.net.au

Rule 9.k.34(a): If a tree is between the ball and the hole, and the tree is deemed to be younger than the player, then the ball can be moved without penalty.

This is because of a simply a question of timing; when the player was born, the tree was not there so the player is being penalized because of his age.

CPGA: 2018 golf rule changes, I can live with: Rule 1.a.5: A ball sliced or hooked into the rough shall be lifted and placed on the fairway at a point equal to the distance it carried or rolled into the rough with no penalty.

As senior player should not be penalized for tall grass which ground keepers failed to mow.

Rule 2.d.6 (B): A ball hitting a tree shall be deemed NOT to have hit the tree. This is simply bad luck and luck has no place in a scientific game. The senior player must estimate the distance the ball would have travelled if it had not hit the tree and play the ball from there.

Rule 3.B.3(G): There shall be no such thing as a lost ball. The missing ball is on or near the course and will eventually be found and pocketed by someone else, thereby making it a stolen ball.

The senior player is not to compound the felony by charging himself with a penalty.

Rule 4.c.7(h): If a putt passes over a hole without dropping, it is deemed to have dropped.

The Law of Gravity supersedes the Rules of Golf.

Rule 5: Putts that stop close enough to the cup that they could be blown in, may be blown in.

This does not apply to balls more than three inches from the Hole. No one wants to make a mockery of the game.

Rule 6.a.9(k): There is no penalty for socalled out of bounds If penny-pinching golf course owners bought sufficient land, this would not occur. The senior player deserves an apology, not a penalty.

Rule 7.G.15(z): There is no penalty for a ball in a water hazard, as golf balls should float.

Senior players should not be penalized for any shortcomings of the manufacturers.

Rule 8.k.9(S): Advertisements claim that golf scores can be improved by purchasing new golf equipment.

Since this is financially impractical for many senior players, one-half stroke per hole may be subtracted for using old equipment.

With the compliments of Michael Donnelly

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Proud Supporters of the IRISH COMMUNITY of Western Australia Products available at our Malaga address and selected IGA and Coles

OUR RANGE: • Bratwurst Sausages • Irish Pork Sausages • Lamb & Rosemary Sausages • Mild Italian Sausages • BBQ Sausages • Bacon Hock • Champagne Leg Ham • Gammon Ham • Pork & Fennel Sausages

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