Irish Scene March April 2015

Registered with Australia Post PP100003914

Western Australia’s

www.irishscene.com.au

Volume 17 Number 3 Mar/Apr 2015

Happy

St Patrick’s

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some strange but beautiful mass movement migration in action.

The parade isn’t restricted to just Irish dancers, clubs and groups. In fact it is open to the whole West Australian community to take part and many various organisations take the opportunity. It is a display of just how well integrated the Irish community is into mainstream society, and a measure of how popular the parade is in society.

The parade is much more than a procession through the suburban streets.

After the spectacle has past the crowds flow into a nearby oval where a large Irish cultural festival and village has been set up. Everything from bars and food stalls, information stands for different organisations, Irish dancing and other entertainment, floats and children’s entertainment are just some of the attractions laid on by the hard working organisers and teams of volunteers who are deserving of our appreciation and support.

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There are different ways to celebrate Paddy’s Day but a parade is the best way for the whole community to share the occasion.

Mums and dads with their children, young or grown up, groups of friends and throngs of onlookers of all shapes and sizes are as necessary to the success and enjoyment of a good parade as are a strong procession of floats and features.

Now entering its third year the St. Patrick’s Day parade has seen the numbers of parade goers - marching and spectating - grow and increase in popularity. Since it started in 2013 in Leederville the town of Vincent has become the unofficial green capital of WA for the occasion. Tens of thousands of Irish from all over the state stream into the inner city locale for the event which has even been given the blessing of Bob Geldof. The joy of the parade starts long before you reach the city. The sight of thousands of happy people all dressed in green or their county colours heading in the same direction is like watching

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parade makes for a great St. Patrick’s Day.

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St. Patrick’s Day could be Ireland’s message to the world

By Lloyd Gorman

Jimmy Deenihan, the minister for the Diaspora has ambitious plans for St. Patrick’s Day. The Kerryman with a seat at the cabinet table shared some of his vision for the day dedicated to the country’s patron saint with Irish Scene during the Perth leg of his Australian tour late last year.

The former footballer turned politician has more constituents than any of his ministerial colleagues or even the entire population of Ireland (many times over in fact). He is grateful to them and credits the “remittances” from those Irish who went away but sent back money as keeping Ireland alive during times of deprivation.

In the early to mid 1990’s the then Fine Gael government took a good hard look at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin and many of the negative issues related to it. Taoiseach Enda Kenny was minister for trade and tourism at the time and he was in no small part responsible for revamping it as a cultural and family friendly festival spread over a number of days, including the parade. The parade and its fortunes were transformed as now more than 500,000 people a year flock to the Irish capital for the event.

As the minister responsible for the international Irish community he is in the perfect position to deliver on this initiative which he first hatched in his previous portfolio as minister for arts.

“I was working on internationalising St. Patrick’s Day,” the minister said. “What I want to do is to have a database and site where if someone wanted to find out what’s happening at a city near them then all this information would be available.

I feel that some kind of co-ordination, making information available to people - even people from Ireland who if they happen to be holidaying here that they could include the parade in Perth into their holiday, which I believe is the fifth biggest in the world, it’s a major pa-

rade, or maybe that’s another part of Australia, but its a major parade, 35,000 paraded last year and I’ve just spoken with some of the people involved in it and they were saying how exciting and vibrant it is and its really captured the attention of others as well. I think its a huge connection that presents us with such an opportunity for attention about Ireland and everything Irish - be it cultural or commercial - so we have to celebrate it and monetise it as well and we have to use it to sell the message as regards what Irishness is all about in a positive sense. Its about giving people a chance and opportunity to express their Irishness, being proud of being Irish and being able to celebrate their national day.”

He hopes the idea for a one stop shop site for every St. Patrick’s Day parade in the world will also help to unify them in a practical and maybe even philosophical way. “What I would like to do if this is possible, that Ireland would have a message going out to all parades, so there might be a theme that every St. Patrick’s Day [event] could use as a part of what they are doing,” he said.

“So there might be a message being sent out from Ireland and it could be a universal message and it could in some way be portrayed through the parades at that particular time, without any over-interference [from government or politicians].”

Something similar exists in the form of a traditional St. Patrick’s Day message from the President of Ireland to the Irish people at home and abroad. Every year in countless parts of the world the president’s message is read out and relayed to ex-pats by official and community leaders at masses, events and other gatherings for the occasion. As the head of state the president is above party politics and is free to reach out to the people in a totally different and direct way.

But thanks to changes being put in place at the moment - reforms

7

Jimmy Deenihan

which are being driven by Mr Deenihan and others - it may soon be possible for Irish people living and working in Australia and elsewhere to cast a vote for the election of the president. This would be a radical departure for the Irish electoral system and while it is a long way from allowing the Irish overseas to vote in national elections (Australians living abroad have this right - including if they are in Ireland) it could well be the first step towards eventually just that. In the meantime this important development would strengthen the relationship between the president and the people.

“It will develop in time,” Mr Deenihan added. “You have the Irish State obviously, and you have the broader Irish Nation and this is mentioned in our constitution, that Irish people around the world can have a role in Ireland and would be welcome to have a role. I think Irish people, more than any other country, the connection between people and place is such that we have a great opportunity to create something special. I feel my ministry is about giving to the Diaspora, I’m looking for nothing from them.

I want to give as much as I can to them and that means information, and support through the Emigrant Support Programme and also to listen to their ideas and their advice.

I think there is a great opportunity because the project will be run through my department. I’ve only been minister for a short time but I’ve had an interest [in the Diaspora] for forty years and I’ll have it as long as I’m alive.”

Message from Sean Daly President of the Irish Club of Western Australia

the website.

If you haven’t been in for a while, come along and enjoy a meal and a pint in our updated surroundings!

There will be plenty of craic at the Club for St Patrick’s Day and I look forward to seeing a great crowd there, but wherever you are, I hope you enjoy celebrating our culture. Sean Daly

Ma’ Mooney

New Year....

New Look Irish Club!

There’s a positive vibe around the Irish Club at the moment! The upstairs rooms had a thorough spruce up over the Christmas and New Year break, with a small army of volunteers taking on the job of repainting and decorating both the Roses Room and the main bar area.

It was really gratifying to see community spirit in action, with a number of members and non-members generously donating their time to whatever extent they could manage - whether for a few hours or for multiple long evenings, it all added up to a fantastic result. The strength of any club depends on the active involvement of its members and the community in which it is based, and this project demonstrated the potential the Irish Club has as a focal point for the Irish community in WA. Over the coming months, we will continue to improve the ambience and facilities of the Club for the benefit of our members and the

community as a whole.

President’s Question Time: The input of members is vital to the direction of the Club, and one way they can be heard is to come and chat to me during President’s Question Time. I am around the Club quite a bit, but we are trialling this as an informal arrangement where I am available in the upstairs bar on nominated days and times simply to listen to members’ views about the Club or, for that matter, any concerns they may have. Check the website for the next date and time. If you cannot come along to the Club but you have a matter you want to discuss, just email irish1@ irishclubofwa.com.au and mark it for my attention.

Kitchen: We are pleased to welcome the Northbridge Food Company as the new lessee of the kitchen. The head chef, Phillip, hit the ground running with a seniors’ lunch on his second day - which received rave reviews from the diners, and he hasn’t looked back.

The new menu has a range of tasty dishes to satisfy all comers and has been proving very popular with members. The kitchen operates from Wednesday to Sunday, and details of the menu are available on

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8

County Tyrone in Glory (Part Two)

By Peter Conole

W

further ado it is necessary to alert est Australian Governor Sir readers to the import of what follows.

Andrew Clarke (1793-1847) Andrew Clarke the fourth eventually was survived by a step-daughter emerged as a giant of the Victorian and four sons. As revealed in Part Age, a brilliant high achiever who One the daughter married Clarke’s operated at a world-wide level and County Tyrone friend and ally George influenced affairs on five continents.

Fletcher Moore. The couple later Incredible though it may seem, he settled in London but left no issue. deserves recognition as one of the Of the sons one died as a very young founding fathers of three countries – man. Another two - James George Australia, Singapore and Malaysia.

Clarke (1827-1872) and John Lardner Underpinning all of that was Clarke (1831-1879) -served in the Andrew’s deep love for his real Crimean War and rose to the rank homeland, one understood by friends of major in the infantry and artillery and colleagues who accepted his respectively.

“Irish sympathy and imagination”. As a The Governor’s long-lived first young man he had been dismayed by son Andrew Clarke (the fourth family Andrew Clarke the Fourth the harsh eviction practices of some member in direct succession to bear in Victoria in 1850s landlords and was horrified by the that name) was born at Southsea in early stages of the famine. He was always a political Hampshire, England on July 27, 1824. His father was ‘live wire’ and emerged as a strong, outspoken advocate on leave at the time. The boy spent his earliest years in of Home Rule for Ireland in the 1880s. distant India, returning to the Clarke homeland when In Tasmania he surveyed the town of Hobart and the 46th Regiment was transferred back to Ireland in designed buildings for the port wharves, then went to 1833. As a senior regimental officer Andrew the third New Zealand in 1848 to supervise road building under was frequently on the move around Britain, but he the famous colonial governor Sir George Grey. In the attended to his son’s welfare and they remained close process he negotiated a peace deal with Maori tribes over the following dozen years. in remote areas of the North Island. Back in Tasmania Andrew the fourth retained fond memories of a a year later he worked as the private secretary of an bucolic Irish boyhood on the family estate at Belmont influential patron, Governor Sir William Denison, to in Donegal and in a town house at Strabane, County whom he described his life ambitions in 1850. Money Tyrone. His grandfather, the wealthy Dr Andrew Clarke, did not motivate Andrew Clarke; he wanted a ’prize still was an Irish success story in his own right and a notable higher, the establishment of a name and character”. influence in the lad’s life. So was uncle James Langton Denison made him a member of the Governor’s Clarke (1801-1886), a lawyer who moved to Melbourne Council in 1851 and added the position of Superintendent in 1856 and assisted his remarkable nephew in the of Mounted Police to his existing workload. Word maelstrom of colonial politics. Another uncle, William spread of Clarke’s abilities, leading in March 1853 to Hislop Clarke (1806-1863), also played a positive role his placement as Surveyor General of Victoria. He was in raising and educating Andrew. William was the father based in Melbourne and his subsequent achievements of the eccentric Melbourne novelist Marcus Clarke. in the planning and provision of critical infrastructure Formal education for Andrew began with a short were legion. His surveying work opened up a lot of King’s School, Canterbury placement - too distant land for sale and development. He put in motion plans for comfort - and continued at the great Portora for major building works himself, including St Pauls Royal School at Enniskillen, much nearer to home.

Cathedral and a Museum of Natural History. Despite Probably in early 1841 he entered the Royal Military extreme time pressure he designed buildings for the Academy at Woolwich. Andrew graduated in 1844 great international Melbourne Exhibition of 1854 and and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the supervised their construction.

Royal Engineers. Promotion to lieutenant (1846) and Clarke gifted the city with an improved water captain (1854) followed at a reasonable pace. From supply and road networks, establishing municipal road 1845 he was based at Fermoy in Ireland, as was father boards and other local government arrangements in Sir Andrew, soon to depart for WA on his last journey. the process. He played a key role in the creation of a While in the colony he wrote to his son and urged him government railway organisation in 1857. In the same to move to the Australian colonies for career reasons. year another of his pet projects came to fruition, an Lieutenant Andrew Clarke took the advice and expansive electric telegraph system which reached the arrived at Hobart, Tasmania on January 26, 1847 with a borders of New South Wales and South Australia. contingent of army engineers and sappers. He received the shocking news of his father’s death a few weeks In the purely political arena Captain Clarke worked later but decided to soldier on in the colony. Without hard to establish the first representative government. He

9

assisted in the drafting of Victoria’s constitution in 1854 and was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for South Melbourne. Clarke served as Commissioner for Lands in the initial ministry from 1856 and further displayed his reforming zeal, including a successful push to introduce universal sufferage. In that era it meant voting rights for all adult males.

During February 1858 Governor Sir Henry Barkly asked him to put together a new ministry, a move which if successful would have made him Premier of Victoria.

Complicated manoeuvres followed. Clarke could neither muster adequate support in the house nor obtain permission to bring about a general election, so the opportunity was lost. In March of that year he decided to return to Britain, explaining frankly to the Governor that “a graceful retreat at this moment is my best policy”.

Andrew Clarke spent most of the next six years on routine ‘barrack duty’, which amounted to commanding the royal engineers based in the city of Colchester. He retained an abiding, lifelong affection for Victoria and helped the colony out more than once. In 1859 he successfully lobbied the War Office in London to make sure the colonial defence force received decent weaponry - not the obsolete materials which had previously been on offer.

Another boon came at around the same time. Clarke visited parts of Italy on his way back to England and was impressed by some of the paintings and statuary on display. He suggested to assorted authorities that a Hugh Childers, the power-broking friend of good art gallery would be Andrew Clarke appropriate for Melbourne.

Two thousand pounds were set aside to purchase high quality works. His close friend Hugh Childers (1827-1896), a British-Australian politician who later dominated the Admiralty and the War Office, received the privilege of making the first selections. End result: the now world-famous National Gallery of Victoria was established in 1861. In passing an interesting connection is worth noting. Hugh’s second cousin, the Irish nationalist Robert Erskine Childers, was executed during the ‘troubles’ in 1922. The latter’s son Erskine Childers served as President of Ireland from 1973 to 1974.

Andrew Clarke was promoted to major in 1863 and sent out to command troops in the Gold Coast colony, West Africa. An indecisive and annoying conflict with the Ashanti kingdom had just come to an end and a parliamentary commission was now investigating matters. Clarke did his duty (which included acting as senior magistrate of the colony at one time) and wrote up and forwarded his report and findings. The committee then recommended that annexations in the area should cease. Clarke fell seriously ill with a tropical fever and returned to Britain in 1864, to be presented with the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Government of the day decided to embark on a massive building programme to strengthen and extend the Royal Navy’s power and effectiveness around the world. In August 1864 Andrew Clarke was appointed to the Admiralty as Director of the Board of Works with responsibility for implementing the grand plan. It may well be that his chum Hugh Childers - a bon vivant and the proud father of a very large family - influenced the appointment. Childers emerged from the political scrum as a Civil Lord of the Admiralty (1864), Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1865) and then First Lord of the Admiralty (1871). His influence was prodigious and Clarke was assured of secure financial backing for his work. The costs of the projects in modern terms are beyond calculation - one hundred billion dollars or more?

Clarke designed and supervised all of the work, which included extensions to the naval docks at Chatham and Portsmouth, the improvement of others in Britain and the building of major dock and harbour facilities in at least five other locations around the world. One innovation involved the construction and placement of a gigantic floating dock at Bermuda in 1868. Malta also received attention and Andrew Clarke visited the place in 1869, proceeding from thence to Egypt. He did not go there on a tourist jaunt. Clarke examined the Suez Canal and assessed its strategic value. In 1870 Clarke forwarded a strongly worded proposal to Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone, suggesting that Britain should buy the Canal at whatever cost.

Gladstone made the incredibly stupid decision to reject the idea, claiming high moral grounds as a reason. His successor Benjamin Disraeli corrected matters in 1875 by obtaining a high level of influence over the Canal for Britain. The strategic advantages of the deal were enormous and a critical factor in two World Wars. Part Three will reveal another occasion when Gladstone ignored excellent advice from Clarke, with disastrous but richly deserved results for his own political career.

The decade from 1864 was a golden one for Clarke. Marriage to Mary McKillop (of Irish descent but probably not related to the Saint) in September 1867 added to his personal happiness. Like many army officers Clarke delayed matrimony until he was financially secure. Promotion to lieutenant colonel in July 1867 made the union possible. Another of Andrew’s personal friends, the famous ‘soldier saint’ and fellow engineer Charles Gordon (‘Chinese Gordon’), wrote to him as follows: “to the world your marriage is an ordinary event...to you and your wife it far surpasses the setting up and throwing down of kingdoms”.

Rewards and honours came Andrew’s way as the great projects reached completion. He was promoted to colonel in July 1872 and knighted by Queen Victoria in April 1873 for his outstanding services. The strange thing is that his career was only just at the start of an upward trajectory.

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“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.” William Butler Yeats

With Claire Wynne

This Month’s Guest

Bryan Rice Dalton Dublin native Bryan Rice Dalton talks to Claire Wynne about his time on the Perth Live Music circuit.

Who are you and where are you from?

My name is Bryan Rice Dalton, I’m an Irish musician and singer/ songwriter born and raised in Clondalkin, Dublin. When I finished school I did some travelling through Europe and ended up in Greece where I stayed for the summer season to work. I got some gigs in an Irish bar called Shennanigans, which was great craic! I spent two summers on the island of Crete playing music in bars and restaurants. I returned home to Ireland but before too long I had the urge to travel again. A friend of mine was planning on going to Australia so I jumped on board to see what I would find. I landed in Sydney and started busking on the street. I found a great sense of freedom to be able to play music on the streets. It also helped me make some money to continue travelling. In December 2008 I landed in Perth. I was busking one lunch time in Perth City and Irish guys approached me and said “You should come to the music night at J.B. O’Reilly’s Irish pub and play a few songs”. I went down that Wednesday and met some local and Irish musicians and now I play there twice a week. God bless that man!

percussion instruments. At home my Dad would show me some chords on the guitar - I wanted to be as good as him. He played guitar with show bands like Boys & Girls & The Johnny Flynn show band.

On my mother’s side of the family there are many great singers and I have many fond memories of us all singing at family events. My cousin Damien Rice had huge success with his music and I remember I was about 10 years old and his Dad brought me to see him play at HMV on Grafton Street. I was blown away by how he made such a connection with people through music. I knew I wanted to play music from then on.

Where can we see you gigging?

Monday: Bar Orient in Fremantle Wednesday: Jam session at J.B. O’Reilly’s in West Leederville Thursday: The Cure, Northbridge Fridays: Durty Nelly’s, Perth City Sunday: J.B. O’Reilly’s.

I also play in venues such as The National Hotel in Fremantle and 3Sheets Bar and Restaurant in Hillary’s Boat Harbour. All these gigs are advertised on Facebook on The Live Irish Music in Perth group page and at www.facebook.com/ bryanricedalton.

What can we expect from a Brian gig?

Each one of my gigs is different.

Every crowd and venue is different and some nights I enjoy playing a variety of Irish ballads, original songs to Rock N’ Roll classics. I have many inspirations from the likes Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, The Dubliners, Glen What got you started in Music?

Hansard, Christy I started to play music when I was Moore - I could write 10 years old. I joined the St. Joseph’s a book on artists National school band in Clondalkin music I love to learning the Irish tin whistle and play!

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The Perth music scene has been very good to me. I’ve met so many great friends and musicians along the way. I recently had the privilege to share the stage with The Coronas and singer/songwriter Declan O’Rourke whilst on tour in Australia. I take all of these experiences and put them into songs and share them with people who love live music as much as I do. Come say hello at a gig, I look forward to it.

For more information on Bryan, as well as all other Irish Music gigs around town, check out the “Live Irish Music in Perth” page on Facebook.

112 Wanneroo Rd Tuart Hill

9349 9600

y a D ck’s n

n i i u r t Q t Pa ghty

S The Mi @

St Patrick’s Day Open from 10am through to Midnight.

Food available from 11am – 9pm A La Carte, Snack & Special St Patrick Menus available.

12 - 4 Irish Session 5 - 7.30 Gary & Jo 8.30 McCool

TRINITY IRISH DANCERS 1pm, 2.30, 4 & 5.30pm

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Happy St Patrick’s Day to you all from the team at The Quinn

Mighty Quinn Weekly Guide at The Quinn Mon: Curry Special $19.50 Tues: Chicken Parmigiana Night $18.00 Wed: Quiz Night / Steak Night $13.90 Thur: Pasta Night $25.00 Fri: Mighty Slider Night $22.00 Sat: Stir-Fry Night $20.00 / The Monte Cristos Sun: Irish Session / Traditional Roast Night $17.00

We keep our finances totally separate... so we’re not de factos, right?

Not necessarily. How you both manage your finances may be only one factor to be considered by the court.

Being in a de facto relationship brings great benefits but it also can involve serious obligations.

For advice please contact Louise Muhling

Family Friendly • Family Lawyers 1/100 Terrace Road EAST PERTH WA 6004 T: (08) 9218 8422 F: (08) 9218 8433 E: reception@kavlaw.com.au W: kavlaw.com.au

“Love Song”

by W.B. Yeats

My love, we will go, we will go, I and you, And away in the woods we will scatter the dew; And the salmon behold, and the ousel too, My love, we will hear, I and you, we will hear, The calling afar of the doe and the deer.

And the bird in the branches will cry for us clear, And the cuckoo unseen in his festival mood; And death, oh my fair one, will never come near In the bosom afar of the fragrant wood.

St Patrick’s Mass Perth, Western Australia

tueSday 17th MarCh 2015 at 10 aM Principal Celebrant & Homilist:

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe

SdB

-o-

St Mary’S Cathedral ViCtoria Square, Perth

Organised by The irish COmmuniTy Of Wa WOrking WiTh The arChdiOCese Of PerTh

PARKING AND GETTING TO THE MASS:

There is parking for 90 cars under the Cathedral.

Other parking is available at PCC Parking Stations in the vicinity.

The “Red Cat” Free Bus Service runs past the Cathedral regularly.

It stops at many convenient locations from West Perth particularly Perth Central Railway Station stopping at the door of the Cathedral

Mass Enquiries Mail Address: 56 Lombardy Street, Woodlands WA 6018 Tel: 9446 3784 Email: pltanham@tpg.com.au

13

1916 Easter Rising

On Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, at a time when Ireland was an integral part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, seven Irishmen proclaimed the establishment of the Irish Republic, nominating themselves as its provisional government. Together with 1,600 poorly armed followers, they occupied a number of prominent buildings near the centre of Dublin, the General Post Office in Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street) being designated as headquarters. The government of Great Britain and Ireland regarded the insurrection as treason, all the more reprehensible as it came in a critical phase of the war then being waged with Germany and her allies.

The response was immediate and decisive, the outcome being a foregone conclusion: by the following Sunday close to 2,000 people—mostly civilians—had been killed or injured, the General Post Office and various other buildings were in ruins, and the insurgents had surrendered. The seven signatories of the Proclamation and eight others were tried by courtsmartial and executed by firing squad.

A sixteenth man, Roger Casement, was tried in open court in London and hanged in Pentonville Prison.

The insurgents had no electoral mandate. Indeed, most Irish nationalists condemned the insurrection as foolhardy in the extreme and downright

Seán Roche in Concer t

criminal. Nevertheless, within two years opinion had shifted dramatically: a substantial sector of the nationalist electorate now pledged allegiance to the Irish Republic and honoured the Proclamation as virtually constituting the national constitution.

The morality and political legacy of the 1916 Rising have long been matters of debate. Some maintain that the Rising was unnecessary and that a republic could have been achieved by purely democratic means. They claim that the limited form of Home Rule already enacted (but suspended for the duration of the war) was a basis for further advance in an evolving process.

They deplore the loss of life and national trauma resulting from the Rising, from the ensuing War of Independence (1919-21), and from the Civil War (1922-23).

They further argue that the Rising made the Ulster unionists more averse to sharing power with nationalists, thus making the partition of the country in

1921 all the more inevitable.

Others, however, believe that the 1916 Rising was the catalyst that inspired the country to abandon Home Rule as a worthless half-measure and to strive for complete independence from Britain. These accord the 1916 leaders iconic status as the founding fathers of the present Irish Republic.

Source: National Library of Ireland

Easter Rising 1916 COMMEMORATION

The Anniversary of the Easter Rising of 1916 is traditionally a most important event in the Irish calendar. All over the world Irish people commemorate the Easter Rising, remembering with pride those who gave their lives in pursuit of an Irish Republic. with Anne Coughlan on fiddle

Friday March 13th 7.30pm SOUTH FREMANTLE FOOTBALL CLUB $20 on the door $15 in advance: www.ticketbooth.com.au Email: freoworkers@iinet.net.au

2015 Easter Rising Commemoration Easter Monday - Monday 6th April The Irish Club of WA from 2pm Live Music will follow Commemoration 14

Nuala Kennedy

Nuala Kennedy, Irish singer and flute player with hauntingly beautiful vocals, adventurous instrumentation, and an imaginative mix of influences will be appearing at Fairbridge.

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DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR...

GO AND SEE CLAYTON BOLGER

by Danny Armstrong

For a brief period, roughly between 2003 and 2005, Thursday nights were predictable. I was not hard to locate back then! Like many people I knew living in and around the Fremantle area, I felt the Rosie O Grady’s Thursday night session was not to be missed. In those days students flooded in from Notre Dame University, powerless to resist the discounted beer, the chance of some romance, and above all to listen to the soundtrack of those balmy summer nights provided brilliantly by Clayton Bolger.

In 1994, down south in Albany, Clayton joined a band now known as the Wesley Goodlet Jamboree Scouts (WGJS) which were an offshoot from the well-known local act ‘Murphy’s Lore’. Before joining he had dabbled in some busking and did a little work as part of a duo. The WGJS moved up to Perth in 1996 and it was during a rehearsal in 2000 that their booking agent called them with the news that Rosie O Grady’s in Fremantle were in need of a trio due to the act that night being unable to perform. They were billed as the Cris Murphy trio despite the fact Cris was not a member of the group; and needing a name quickly the WGJS was agreed upon. The band assumed this would be a one night deal! Three years later they were still playing the Wednesday night slot at Rosie’s.

Clayton cites his Dad as the first important musical influence of his life and as a youngster he ate up the vinyl in his old man’s collection, taking a particular fancy to ‘A Night at the Opera’ by Queen and ‘Bat Out of Hell’ by Meatloaf which naturally led backwards in time to The Beatles whose albums he immersed himself in, I can testify to a great rendition of ‘Blackbird’ Clayton regularly performs on request. At the age of 12 he started learning how to play guitar but it wasn’t without its trials as the first few years proved fairly frustrating as he had an old beat up six string with which to learn on and a teacher stuck in a time warp. The change came when he went halves in a twelve-string Ibanez with his Dad and then ditched the teacher to focus on learning the tunes he was interested in playing. This primarily meant learning from the likes of Neil Young, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Paul Kelly and Bob Dylan.

Like everyone else who had enjoyed countless sessions on Thursday nights with Clayton playing as a solo performer it came as a surprise that in September 2014 he was to play his last gig at Rosie’s on Thursday nights. The offer to play a solo slot had come to him eleven years prior due to the small following generated by the WGJS and an entertainment reshuffle decision made by pub management. Clayton puts the success of those Thursday sessions down to the student influx who would get quite vocal as an audience and he would feed of this energy and would also take scores of requests. Another factor that added to the vibe was at that time punters and bar staff were all part of the same social circle so what you had each Thursday night was a party like atmosphere which was added to when people celebrated

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birthdays. Far from feeling down after this ended Clayton enjoyed for the first time in over a decade the opportunity to spend Thursday evenings at home with his family. It was to be a short lived hiatus!

Just as Clayton was getting used to the quality time at home with wife and family the call came from Rosie’s on January 15th for him to return to his usual Thursday night solo slot and he can be found belting out the tunes out the back in the courtyard every Thursday evening.

These days Clayton performs more regularly as part of the WGJS rather than as a solo performer and their gigging schedule generally sees them play at Rosie’s Northbridge every second Friday alternating the Friday off with a performance at the Victoria Park Hotel. On Saturday the band can be found at the Hyde Park Hotel in North Perth and Sunday afternoons sees the group performing an afternoon session at Lakers Tavern in Thornlie. His plans for the future are to keep performing for as long as the opportunities to do so are available and as we can see the gigs are still coming in for Clayton, do yourself a favour and go down and request a tune from him if you’re in the neighbourhood!

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Help the Farney Community Development Group

Turn History into Hope

By Brid Ni Mhuineachain Between the years of 1848 and 1850, 19 girls travelled to Australia from Carrickmacross Workhouse in County Monaghan under a special emigration scheme designed to resettle destitute girls from Workhouses in Ireland. These girls became wives and servants of the settlers and convicts in Australia.

The Carrickmacross Workhouse from which they left is now a highly valued community resource, training and heritage centre which has deteriorated over time and is now the subject of a large funding appeal by the Farney Community Development Group Ltd (a not for profit organisation) to save it from further deterioration and to bring the workhouse, its six acres site and its mass famine graves into community ownership.

The group are hoping that their appeal will reach not only the immediate community but also the Irish diaspora abroad because of its significance to the history of emigration all over the world.

The Carrcickmacross Workhouse was one of 130 houses that was built in Ireland between the years of 1848 – 1843. The houses were built to house the poor and were known as ‘Teach na mBocht”. It was during a very hard time in Ireland and to making a decision to enter these workshouses was a last resort for people.

Men and women had to apply to be admitted into the workhouses and if successful they had to surrender any land before entering as ‘inmates’. In short the houses, were a last option where people we subjected to a strict regime, families were separated and diet was meagre. To add to this misery and hardship, the Irish famine (the Great Hunger)which destroyed potato crops in Ireland from 1845 – 1848 meant that the population of ‘inmates’ in Carrickmacross Workhouse increased to 2,000 for a facility built for only 500. Sadly a lot of these inmates were orphaned children.

Because of the large numbers of people in poorhouses throughout Ireland during this time the English Government’s Secretary of State for the Colonies created a ‘Pauper’s Emigration Scheme’ which forced young children out of Ireland and emigrated all over the World. This scheme saw 4,112 girls between the ages 14 and 18 being emigrated from Irish workhouses on a fourmonth journey to Australia in order to become wives and servants.

Thankfully in 1919, the newly formed Dail Eireann ‘abolished the odious, degrading and foreign Workhouse system’.

Fast forward to today and the workhouse is a thriving not for profit social enterprise that supports a total of 48 staff. The Workshouse now embodies a history, culture and is a centre of well-being and learning for the community. The Workhouse provides facilities and information in the interest of welfare rights, education, training for employment and job opportunities. It also provides a genealogy queries service where data has been collected relating to local history and to the house, which includes a large collection of databases, articles, surveys etc.

It is no longer a Workshouse of last resort but a thriving community space that encourages community development and learning and where its history and culture is respected. It is a place where people enjoy and appreciate.

The funding appeal hopes to raise funds to restore the derelict yet still beautiful rear of the Workhouse building to its original stately brilliance with all features

22

restored and renewed. The building will include a Creative Suite for art recording and a large rehearsal room for music and drama groups.

It will also include Art studios, a photography studio and the jewel crown of the old Workshouse building will be the Astronomy Observatory, which will take the place of the old Workhouse watchtower. Also included in the restoration plans is a completely new building for a theatre, which will have an array of functions including music, drama, comedy, panto and even can be used as a lecture theatre.

The restoration will also see the development of a Famine Memorial Garden at the rear of the Workhouse, adjacent to the mass graves. This garden will commemorate all those who died during the Great Hunger and also those who were forced to flee their homes to seek sustenance abroad.

It will be a place for people to visit from all over the World and observe the significance of the place and the past.

To view the proposed plans on the Carrickmacross Workhouse in County Monaghan, visit their webpage on carrickmacrossworkhouse.com. The page also includes information on the history of the House, geology information and most importantly, how you can help in the appeal to help restore the hugely historical and significant building. You can also contact the Farney Community Development Group Ltd on +353 (0) 42 966 4540 or email info@ carrickmacrossworkhouse.com

Bringing Smiles back!

Solas Orthodontics is a new threeroom private practice with a convenient location in the Western suburb of Wembley in Perth. They provide state-of-theart orthodontic treatment for the whole family in a relaxed environment. All treatment is carried out at convenient times to suit you by the practice’s owner, Dr. Daniel O’Connor who has worked in London, Australia and Hong Kong where he gained a Masters in Orthodontics.

Inspired by Dr. O’Connor’s Irish roots, the practice’s name is a play on the English word ‘solace’ and the Gaelic word ‘solas’ meaning comfort and light, to reflect their desire to provide life-changing treatment in a caring environment. His orthodontic research has been published internationally and he is a regular speaker at industry conferences.

Daniel is from Blarney in Co. Cork and is the second youngest of five children to Donal and Lena O’Connor. The O’Connor family is steeped in Gaelic sports. “My father, Donal was Secretary of the Cork City

Division of the GAA for 30 years and I played hurling and football from a young age” Daniel said. He played with Na Piarsaigh in Cork and shared the field with Sean Og O’Halpin. “I did my schooling in Farranferris in Cork and played Gaelic sports for them”. Daniel is also keen on athletics and has won five Irish national medals for cross-country events.

Daniel decided at 18 to go down the academic route but continued his GAA involvement until he was 20. “I did my studies in UCC in Cork”. He said he decided to enter this profession because he always had a keen interest in the sciences and the clinical aspect of things appealed to him. “I wanted to enter a profession where I could make a difference to people’s lives and it has been a long journey to qualify as an orthodontist.” Daniel’s brother is a dentist and has a clinic in Ireland.

Daniel did his training in Cork and was a member of the College student’s society and the Entertainments officer. Upon qualification, Daniel moved to Essex in the UK working in private practice and took the opportunity do his primary fellowships for the Royal College of Surgeons in order to get into specialist training, “More exams again!”

he added.

In 2007, Daniel was accepted into one of the top orthodontic courses in the world and completed a four year residency course gaining a Masters in Orthodontics and becoming a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons.

Dr Daniel O’Connor In 2010 Daniel headed to Perth because he already had two sisters in Western Australia and subsequently became a fully-accredited member of Australian Dental Association and the Australian Society of Orthodontists.

So now Daniel has opened his own practice in Wembley. “I always had it in mind to branch out on my own with the training I received around the world and bring as high a standard as possible to my chosen profession””.

Daniel had his official opening by local cricket identity Brad Hogg on the 19th of February.

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Specialist Orthodontist BDS NUI (Ireland 2002), MOrth (U.Hong Kong), MOrth RCS (RCS Edinburgh)

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O R T H O D O N T I C S

Suite 3B, Wembley 151, 151-153 Herdsman Parade, Perth, Western Australia 6014 (08) 9383 7600 info@solasorthodontics.com.au

The Dub who designed

ANZAC DAY

By Lloyd Gorman

T

here was a time in Australian history when Anzac Day fell on hard times in the public imagination but the commemoration of that D-Day for Australian and New Zealand Army Corp forces on April 25 is probably now as widely commemorated as it was in the years following World War 1. But only recently the Irish born architect of Anzac Day has started being recognised again for his contribution to making it the occasion that it is.

David John Garland was born on 4 October 1863 in Dublin but his family were an old “Orange” farming family from Co. Monaghan. The local lodge used to convene on their land and the hall they met in was relocated to a museum village outside Belfast.

Garland’s father left the farm and worked in the library of Trinity College Dublin.

At the age of 22 Garland left Dublin and emigrated to Brisbane where he studied law but joined the Church of England in 1889.

Three years later he was sent to Perth where he was ordained as a missionary priest for the diocese.

He proved to be very successful at launching and funding scattered bush parishes and he was also made diocesan registrar and secretary in 1895-1902, chaplain to the

bishop between 1894 and 1902 and canon of Perth in 1900-02. Garland obviously had a strong mind and will because he regularly butted heads with his bishops - including Bishop Charles Riley (bishop and archbishop of Perth between 1894 and 1929) a Yorkshire man who the Irish cleric routinely rubbed the wrong way. It was as a result of their clash of personalities that he left Perth in 1902.

It would have been during his time in WA that Garland served as chaplain to Australian soldiers assembled in Fremantle who were destined to fight in the second Boer War (1899-1902) in the Transvaal (South Africa).

This was the beginning of a long and eventful association with the Australian military.

After Perth he returned to Brisbane and he volunteered when war broke out in 1914. He saw active service in the Middle East in 1918 and 1919 where he founded numerous clubs for the soldiers. He was also the first chaplain to celebrate the Eucharist in the Anglican chapel of the church of the Holy Sepulchre when the Turkish army was expelled from Jerusalem.

But even before these remarkable achievements - just two of many - Garland had already established Anzac Day as a significant event a day he called “Australia’s All Soul’s Day”.

Just days after the Australian’s and other forces successfully pulled out of Gallipoli on 9 January 1916 Canon Garland was unanimously elected by the people at a mass meeting to be the first secretary to the newly created Anzac Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland.

On June 10, 1915, less than two months after the Gallipoli landings - of which the first troops ashore were Queenslanders from the 9th battalion of the 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade - 600 people attended the very first requiem for Gal24

lipoli’s fallen at Bisbane’s St John Cathedral, given by Canon Garland.

He invited leaders from all Faiths to come together to reach an agreed way to commemorate the occasion.

A two minutes silence which became the standard for all Anzac Day ceremonies - as a way of giving everyone a chance to pray or reflect in their own way - was the personal suggestion of Canon Garland himself.

He used his role as secretary of the Anzac Day Commemoration Committee of Queensland and as the celebrant of the first Anzac service to urge the mayors of all Australian and New Zealand cities - and even to London - to follow the model and example that Brisbane had shown.

On top of this Garland worked tirelessly to ensure that Anzac Day should also be recognised as a national public holiday, on which shops, hotels and pubs were closed and even that no organised sports should be played on the day. By 1930 that legislation was passed in no small part due to the long standing efforts of the Canon.

The efforts of the Irish born clergy man were lauded at the time - including an Order of the British Empire in 1935.

At the unveiling of the Cross of Sacrifice in Toowong cemetery in 1924 the Premier of Queensland described Canon Garland as the “life and soul” of Anzac Day. But over time his critical role has become overlooked, at least until recently.

The Canon Garland Memorial Society was formed in Brisbane on the 9th of July 2013 by a group of interested community members at a meeting in Garland’s old Woolloongabbba church.

Its aim is to fund, design and build a memorial to him there in time for the centenary of the Anzac commemorations.

According to the society’s secretary Paul Noskoff, “Canon Garland developed the appropriate services for Anzac Day, the recipe of which still exists today. He campaigned long and hard in Queensalnd for legislation so Anzac Day could be a public day for solemn commemoration. This was achieved in 1921. His strong connections across AustralContinued on page 26

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ia and New Zealand helped harmonise the approaches by governments and the respective communities to commemorations.

Federal harmony was achieved in Australia by 1930, New Zealand which had already conceived a public day prior to Queensland adopted the processes of solemn commemoration.�

Or in short, he started off Anzac Day, first in Brisbane and then across Australia, New Zealand and other parts of the world.

Canon Garland died in 1939 on the eve of a second world war but having laid down the foundations of remembering and respect for the victims of the first.

The Irish influence continues for Anzac Day

Anzac Day continues to have a very 2014 Subiaco strong Irish association in many parts Anzac Day of Australia. Originally from Waterford, Commemoration sculptors Charlie and Joan Smith have created a number of war memorials – across Australia - provide the focus point for Anzac Day and Remembrance Day commemorations, as well as being a permanent tribute to those who died and scarified their lives in times of conflict.

In places like Subiaco, for example, a strong Irish contingent participates in its ceremony on April 25 and the Irish flag can be seen on proud display. The Subiaco RSL sub branch has a former member of the Irish Defence Forces in its number who takes an active part in the service while a number of Irish groups including the Irish Club, Australia Irish Heritage Association, and former Subiaco mayor and child migrant from Ireland Tony Costa lay wreaths. It shows how integrated the Irish community has become with even the most hallowed of Australian occasions.

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THE FIGHTING PADRES Father Fahey’s Charge

The senior padre used to camp in a dugout above the casualty receiving station at Anzac (says the Sydney Morning Herald), and he used to mess with the beach party officers under a tarpaulin just near, and it was a favourite spot for all the other padres to call and yarn. New padres arriving with the Light Horse when they came would find this little platform cut out of the hill, and when they came out of the trenches to bathe they would come up to swap stories and watch the shells bursting in front on the beach. There was a line on which they hung their towels alongside the senior padre’s dugout. All this was a sore trial to the cook, who used to say when he saw them coming, “More bloomin’ stiffs.” At the same time he got even with them in the matter of certain puddings he made. “Whether this was the cause of some of them developing stomach troubles which sent them to the hospital at Mudros is not clearly known. At the same time it should be recorded that cook was highly indignant if any padre passed without coming in for a cup of tea. He mixed hospitality with his abuse equally.

On one occasion there was a great muster of padres, and Captain Littler, the beach adjutant, who presided over the meeting, was “ragging them no end,” as the cook put it. “’What I want to know,” said Padre Green, “Is it a fact you were leading the charges, Father Fahey,

on the 25th?”

“Yes, now, tell the truth,” said Father Power, a New Zealand padre.

Thus, driven, into a corner, Father Fahey blushed on as much of his face as was not covered by a ferocious black beard, and blurted out, “And what would I be leading charges for? Tell me that now.”

You must know that Father Fahey, who is a priest from Western Australia, is attached to the men who formed the covering party on 25th April.

Other padres interpreted their instructions to disembark with the C. Echelon literally, and stayed on board the transports, but at 4.50 a.m. on that morning Father Fahey, with his “pack up,” was with the men, and landed in the open boat.

“Now tell us what really happened,” persisted Padre Green, and this pressed, Father Fahey said:“Well, it was getting light, and the Turks opened out on us. Many a man was hit before he got out.

The rest scrambled into the water, and waded ashore. I was with them, and when I got ashore I wondered whether I wasn’t a fool for coming.

But that didn’t stop me digging a hole for my head and my hands in the sand, and I lay there while the rest of the men came ashore, and formed a rough sort of line. There I was with my pack on my back like a shell of a tortoise; I had forgotten to slip it off.

“Whilst we waited the man on

30

Fr. Fahey in uniform.

Source: Courtesy Archdiocesan Roman Catholic Archives, Perth

my right and the man on my left were killed stone dead. There was a man in front of me lying in a hole like me. Now the men were ready, and I heard Major Roberts cry out, ‘Fix bayonets,’ and I wished to God I had a bayonet.”

“Next I heard him call out

‘Charge!’”

Then Father Fahey stopped his narrative, but Padre Green fixed him with eagle eye and demanded“What did you do? Did you charge?”

“Yes, I charged,” said Father Fahey, desperately. “I charged into a big hole in the side of the hill.”

Everybody laughed. But Padre Green said- “That won’t do, Fahey.

You’re keeping the real story back.

What were the boys doing?”

“The boys,” cried Father Fahey, enthusiastically. “By this time they could see the Turks, and they cried ‘Imshi Yaller,’ and they went for them with the cold steel, and pretty soon they stopped their machine guns.”

“All this time, of course, said Father Power, “you were in the hole.”

“No,” said Father Fahey simply.

“I kept up with them.”

And that is what Father Fahey has been doing ever since.

“Now, I ask you straight out,’ said Padre Green, did you ever touch a rifle?”

“What would I be doing with a rifle?” replied Father Fahey, adding reluctantly, “except in ‘self-defence.”

There is no doubt that Fahey is an exceedingly brave man.

He will be in the trenches, but whenever the senior padre telephoned for him to see a R.C. who was in extremes he used to come down the hill at the double.

The first two Protestant chaplains to land were the two senior chaplains, Colonel Green, Australian, and Major Luxford,

New Zealander, and during the first two or three days they had many exciting experiences Then came the Rev. Mr. Wray, Church of England chaplain, the Rev. Andrew Gillison, Presbyterian chaplain. Wray is a regular old soldier, having been chaplain through the Boer war. He was both fearless and wise; he used to walk about among the trenches encouraging the men by his cheerful conversation. He was armed with a big walking stick and always wore a white clerical collar. The men used to wonder why he was not shot as he was seen to expose himself. But his safety was really accounted for by his experience; he understood the lines of fire, walked in the saps, and never took unnecessary risks. He was indefatigable in his efforts to help his troops, and though no longer young, being an old campaigner, he was famous for the number of things he could do without. His brother officers used to say that all Padre Wray wanted was iron rations and two teaspoonful and a half of water to wash his celluloid collar. For the rest he used to swim every day, but never in dangerous hours or places.

Chaplain Andrew Gillison, M.A., who has sealed his devotion with his life, was one of the most fearless men on the peninsula. He constantly took risks, for he had not the experience of some of the other padres who had seen war before. Like Father Fahey, he was indistinguishable from the soldiers in his dress. On the day when he was killed he went through a dangerous zone of fire with a corporal to

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succour a wounded man and coming back both of them were hit.

It was a great loss to his regiment.

Another padre who was killed was Chaplain Major Grant, of the New Zealand force (Presbyterian).

He and Chaplain Dobson went into a traverse to see if they could help some men whom they thought wounded and whom they could hear talking in the other trench of the V shaped traverse. They passed the sentry (which they ought not to have done), but the men they thought were wounded were Turks.

On appearing in sight Major Grant was shot, and Chaplain Dobson went back for help to rescue him.

But what shall we say of the brave clergymen and Divinity students who were with us in the firing line as combatants. They came from different parts of Australia, but they all set us an example of heroism.

Rev. Mr Andrews, N.A., who was a stretcher-bearer, was in a section, all of whom were “outed”, wither by wounds, sickness or killed in action, in the space of five weeks. He is now acting as chaplain, and running a recreation tent.

Corporal J. G. Hunter, from King’s College, Brisbane, fell in a charge after doing splendid work from the day of the landing.

Private Stapleton, of Queen’s College, Melbourne, was killed in action during the first terrible days of the landing.

Lieutenant Rev. Digges La Touche was killed in action which has made his own regiment and the 1st Brigade famous for all time. Rev. Mr Maxted, of Marrickville, after

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A British chaplain preaches at an aerodrome in France

doing excellent work in the A.M.C. has just recovered from illness, and is returning to the front.

Rev. Patrick Hare, who went out with the artillery, and has done good work is promoted lieutenant, and is hard at it at Anzac.

Rev. Major Luxford, of the N.Z. force, was shot whilst resting in the rear of the firing line in the action undertaken during the Suvla Bay landing. Unfortunately, his leg had to be amputated, but his many friends are glad to know he is doing well in a London hospital.

The fighting padres have had their share of sickness but

in this regard they have shown themselves unexpectedly tough.

Revs. J. C. McPhee and Gordon Robertson, after doing splendid service under fire for months, are now both recovering from serious illness. Colonel McPhee is returning to the troops soon, but we hear that Captain Gordon Robertson is ordered home. The situation in regard to the padres about hit off by the inelegant remarks overheard by two of the Light Horse chaplains when they were trudging up Shrapnel Valley to their stations on the day they arrived at Anzac.

“More parsons arrived with new men,” said the first putting his load down to rest. “That’s all right,” responded his mate emphatically, lighting a Red Cross cigarette commonly called a “fag.” “What do you think of them blokes?” asked the first as he lifted his load. “Right on their bloomin’ job every time,” was the reply. “My oath,” said the other.

Source: Bendigonian (Bendigo, Vic. 1914 - 1918) 3 February 1916

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Killarney Autos 9309 4445

Neil and the team at Killarney Autos wish you and yours a wonderful St Patrick’s Day Festival Season

THE GIFT OF THE

T

By Lloyd Gorman

he internet and the rise of the smartphone and tablets are posing a real challenge to the way established media outlets operate. Television stations and traditional print newspapers in particular have been grappling with the challenges posed by these technologies which are forcing them to radically change their business models. But the same is less true for radio. Radio of course is not immune from the seismic changes in the media landscape, but it is weathering them better. If anything it would seem to suit the uniqueness of this particular sector which has been quick to embrace the world of the web, apps and hand held devices.

It is easy to find radio stations on-line.

If you go to the Irish Scene website for example there are links there to multiple local radio stations in Ireland. One click and you can be listening to the familiar accents and voices of your native county while catching up with the news and gossip in the area.

But you don’t even have to harp back to Ireland to find Irish voices on the radio, there are plenty of them here in Perth.

Perhaps the most quintessential and overtly Irish show on our local airwaves is captained by the unmistakable Frank Murphy. Frank as most of you will know, is the man behind the microphone every Saturday morning for ‘Songs for Ireland’ on Radio Fremantle (107.9FM). He could talk for Ireland (and Australia) and between 7am and 9am every Saturday he does just that. He also routinely converses in Gaeilge and is about the only presenter on air here where you can hear a bit of Irish being spoken. His is a well developed voice for radio (and public speaking) that has been cultivated by decades of working alongside some of the best in Irish broadcasting. But even with his extensive experience in RTE and years of working alongside the likes of Gay Byrne (Gaybo) he could not do Songs for Ireland on his own. Silently slaving away in the background on the technical and logistical end

of things is producer Gerry Grogan, keeping the show on the road.

It may be a two hour slot, but many more hours during the week go into lining up guests, doing research and the like. If it is a bigger job than it appears then at least they relish the challenge because they know it is listened to and appreciated by listeners.

Frank and Gerry (right) have been getting up relentlessly at the crack of dawn for about five or six years now to do the show at the Hamilton Hill radio station. They took over the reins from their predecessor in the studio hot seat, Kildare man and Joondalup councillor Brian Corr (below) about five or six years ago. (Fred Rea put out a call to arms when the show needed to be handed over to a successor or else it would fail, and a small group of volunteers rallied) Brian started on Curtin FM 100 (then 6NR) eighteen yeas ago, initially working with Joe Crozier (RIP), Tony Bray and Fergus Farrell, on a Saturday programme called “It’s the Irish in me”.

At this time Brian was broadcasting on both Curtin FM and Radio Fremantle, opening one station on Saturday morning and closing the other on Sunday night. Brian is still with CurtinFM, broadcasting on Sunday nights from 9pm until midnight and also 12 noon to 3pm every second Friday. He brings his showband CD’s with him for the Sunday show. Brian likes to say: “I can’t sing, I can’t dance, I love music and I love radio, and CurtinFM is the best.”

For about ten years the Australia Irish Heritage Association funded and supported an early Sunday morning radio programme.

But for a variety of reasons the hard decision was eventually made to can it. It was a real pity this venture came to an end because the more voices and variety you have on air the greater your listening choices and options.

Another enjoyable thing about Songs for Ireland (which used to be called Rambling House in its previous incarnation) is that it allows other members of the Irish community here, and people in Ireland or wherever to connect with audiences here. On at least two occasions now - and hopefully more into the future - Frank has co-hosted Songs for Ireland with another veteran voice. If he sounds like he belongs on radio then that is probably because Gerry Gannon is a consummate professional who was a reporter, producer and presenter on ABC radio for ten years in Perth, Sydney and Darwin.

The one million or so Aussie tourists who head to Bali every year can also tip their hats and caps to Gerry who has made a significant contribution to communica-

33

tions in the popular Indonesia get-away.

When he left the ABC Gerry (right) went on to establish that country’s first English language station in Bali. And as well as his on-air ability, Gerry is an all round PR and publicity guru, Gerry is an accomplished compère and MC for corporate and community events and credits his ability to be able to handle and entertain live audiences and occasions to his Irish wit. Before he emigrated to Australia in 1983, Gerry founded and managed his own local radio station in Co. Tipperary.

Moving back a pace or two to Radio Fremantle, there is another early morning slot (6am to 8.30am) which I’m pleased to be able to report is filled by another ‘Irish’ voice. On Monday mornings listeners are treated to the upbeat and chirpy musings of Ray O’Hanrachan, a happy go lucky chap who combines banter and beats - including a handsome but discreet amount of Irish material. I don’t know if I am breaking any confidences here but Ray is the owner of Friar Tucks ‘Irish house’ on Rees Place, Wannanup, outside Mandurah. As if running a busy and popular establishment wasn’t enough for the proprietor he went off and took the station’s training course to become another type of host. Roughly around the same time that there was a change of guard for A song for Ireland on Radio Fremantle another voice from Ireland was coming to the fore in the landscape of Perth radio.

All the way from Templemichael Terrace in Longford town Oliver McNerney (right) started presenting ‘The Golden Years of Radio’ on Capital Community Radio (101.7FM), a not for profit venture. Oliver’s life changed radically in 2007 when his newly discovered half brother Denis invited him to Australia, where he met and married his wife Stella, who is also his producer on the show.

Oliver’s story has featured before in Irish Scene. Before making Perth his home the soft spoken midlands man who regularly gives a shout out to people back in Ireland

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and plays a decent number of Irish tunes was with Shannonside Radio for 20 years.

Even if you don’t listen to CapitalFM, there is a good chance you will have heard Oliver’s vocal talents. Since the return of the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Leederville a couple of years ago, he has been the MC commentating on the passing parade and keeping the crowds entertained and informed. If you have been at the parades he is the man on top of the red bus with a microphone.

In fact, whichever way you turn your dial or tuning button Irish voices can be found across the full spectrum of radio in WA. An absolute favourite of many Irish and Aussies alike - must be the irrepressible Enda Brady (right). A reporter for Sky News in the UK Edna moonlight’s twice a day on 6PR, on breakfast and peak hour radio, with the UK Report. This slot is often sponsored and will carry a message from the advertiser but quite often they just use a bit of Irish music to introduce the segment in which he gives an outline of the big news stories there and has a bit of banter with the presenters. Enda has an easy and relaxed radio style and a passion for the job.

He is not afraid either to give a little shout out to his friends here in Perth or to throw in something about his Irish upbringing in Wexford, or his family, or a relevant tit-bit about current affairs in Ireland at the time.

Enda has said it himself that the harder you work the luckier you get and for at least the last six years he has been putting in a twice daily cameo on the Fairfax Media owned Perth station.

Such is his popularity that the Irish newsman headed up a tour for a group of 6PR listeners of Ireland, Scotland and England with former presenter Howard Sattler.

Sattler’s long career in radio unfortunately for him came crashing down a couple of years ago not long after a disastrous interview with the then Australian PM Julia Gilard in which he repeated a string of inappropriate and bizarre questions.

So there never was a follow tour to Ireland, but thankfully Enda is still keeping the connection alive and well. (As it happens there are strong rumours that Mr Sattler is currently staging a radio comeback courtesy of the technology discussed before through podcasting.)

If Enda can justifiably claim to be as popular with his Irish and Australian fans, then there is another voice in the mainstream radio business whose attributes have also attracted attention and listeners.

John McGlue (right) has an interest-

ing and diverse background. Much of his working life has been spent in the financial services sector, an industry most struggle to keep up with or even find interesting. But a knack for begin able to explain complex financial issues and make them easy to understand earned him a spot as a ‘stand in’ presenter on ABC about ten years ago and which he has been building on ever since. About a year ago McGlue was named as the main presenter for ABC radio 720’s prime show Drive. On occasion he sprinkles a little bit of his Irish background onto a subject being discussed, but never allows it to be more than a hint of where he is coming from. It is enough to give listeners some insights into the Dub whose accent hardly gives him away at all. But I’d like to add say a bit more about him than he might be in a position to do himself. If you listen to his show - and those of his competitors - you might have noticed that the programme has a healthy diet of music, live and otherwise.

That might be because as well as being a wizard with figures McGlue is also something of a muso at heart.

He was the bass player for a band when he was a teenager. The young McGlue grew up in the picturesque fishing village of Howth at a time when this little place seemed to be churning out talented artists and groups.

On the way home in the car after my first day back at work after the Christmas break I turned onto Drive expecting to hear the rocker turned whizz kid turned broadcaster.

While it was a bit disappointing to hear he was still on leave the hiatus did at least offer up another ‘home grown’ alternative.

I did not recognise the voice of the presenter, but it was indistinguishably Irish.

Rural and regional audiences I’m sure would have known who it was because she had worked on regional ABC radio Sinead Mangan (right) has a sweet, clean and pure voice which makes it a pleasure to listen to. Hopefully with time and after some more filling in she will become a more regular persona on Perth radio.

Sometimes the wireless can throw up a few surprises in terms of unexpected Irish connections.

By sheer serendipity about a month ago while washing the dishes I flicked on the digital radio in the kitchen and picked a station at random. It happened to be RTRFM - not a station I think I had ever consciously tuned into before. The tunes were kicking and I continued listening. The female presenter Jess Allen (right) started talking about an upcoming music festival and some of the acts who were going to be performing. She

34

mentioned the name of an Irish musician that I didn’t catch but she was excited about it because, as she told listeners, she had lived in Ireland for eight years - a time in her life which it sounds like she enjoyed and remembers with fondness. I don’t know about you but I think eight years is long enough to be considered Irish (you can become an Australian citizen after five years). When I went onto the not for profit stations’ website to find out the identity of the presenter and the slot I was pleasantly surprised to discover that hers is not the only Irish link to this quirky station - whose name is an abbreviation of aRTyRadio - which evolved out of student radio at UWA and remains a strong and unique identity with the catchline ‘The Sound Alternative’. The Mount Lawley based station - which has a colourful and wide cast of characters behind the mike - has a few bona-fida Irish men on watch. A painter and decorator Dave “Spud” Murphy (right) came to Perth about 17 years ago from his native Dublin and Northern Ireland man Niall Campbell who arrived here a few years ago and was meant to be just passing through but got snagged by the beauty of Perth, and the loveliness of its female population.

Cork born artist Ronan Lane (below) used to listen to RTRFM on the web for a couple of years when he resided in Berlin. When the 34 year old prolific artist moved to Perth he said it “seem sensible” that he should help out on his favourite station and so he started manning the phones for radiothon, volunteering for other events and eventually taking the presenters course. On one of his most recent Art Beat shows Ronan was following the progress of the Giants in Perth! one of the biggest artistic endeavours to ever come to Perth.

In fact the cultural frenzy of artistic festivals in the WA capital was responsible for bringing another Irish radio lover here. For four days in late February RN Drive - which defines its purpose as nurturing the intellectual and cultural life of Australia and which is also broadcast on 260 frequencies around Australia, making it the biggest network in the nation - set up camp in Perth.

An integral part of the team that covered the arts festivals in Perth was Helen Hofman Smith. Helen is from Roscrea, Co. Tipperary and used to tune into her local station TippFM. She has been with the ABC for about seven years now and she occasionally pops up in front of the microphone, as well as behind it. She has spent most of her time broadcasting to the Asia-Pacific on Radio Australia (which has had its budget drastically slashed by the Tony Abbott government) and working behind the scenes on Radio

107.9fm long and illustrious career across radio, from setting up an award winning community Fremantle Radio station back in the UK to working on RTRFM from 6am and others in Perth. The apple doesn’t fall Every Monday far from the tree.

My wife is and always has been a great Ray O’Hanrachan playing admirer of Tony Delroy’s (right)Nightlife all your favourite songs! on ABC radio, and she is not alone. His popular night time slot has been running for at least twenty years and he some articles in the past. But he too has has collected legions of loyal a radio background. In the mid to late listeners over the years. Listen1990’s he was “the voice of Radio Lolliers to the show will know that pop”, the in-house radio station at Princess Irish Scene’s own quiz maestro Margaret Hospital and the children who Dermot Byrne regularly tests are its patients. An actor to boot, John has his wits against the shows that kind of deep voice that creative types phone-in contest. Dermot - a cultivate and has also done other radio fine Dublin man - even runs work over the years. people who could be heard on the ABC. the strap line to his ‘Irish Quiz Wiz’ in Irish I don’t proclaim to know and name Claire McGreal, for example, broadcasts Scene with the wording, a.k.a Dermot from every Irish radio host on the air in Perth for ABC News Radio from Sydney, but Lesmurdie on ABC radio Nightlife program”. (more than one got added to this article at started her professional on-air career (FYI the word Quiz was created in Dublin a very late stage I don’t mind admitting) so with Helen at Q102 in Dublin. Then there hundreds of years ago as the result of a if your not mentioned here the only thing is Jane Bardon, from Belfast, who is the wager) that means is I haven’t been lucky enough national broadcasters rural reporter at But Nightlife does have another resident to hear you. If there are more of you out Federal Parliament, in Canberra.

Irish contributor. The show’s prolific book there that just makes this an even better Back in Perth and ABC radio land it is reviewer is a lady by the name of Claire story, so please get in touch and let me hard to imagine the daily schedule without Calvet. She is, it is probably fair to say, a know and I’ll pass it on in the next edition the prodigious and pleasant programming dedicated bookworm - a passion which may of Irish Scene. Until then, keep reading, of one Gillian O’Shaughnessy (right). Her well stem from the vibrant literary traditions and we’ll keep tuning in. radio style is so natural that listening to of Ireland. She puts the books first and offers William Joyce could very well be Ireland’s her on 720 ABC Perth’s Afternoons is as great insights in her reviews but it is rare most notorious broadcaster ever. His voice capeffortless as making a phone call to your enough you hear a little personal anecdote tured the attention of large swathes of the world best mate for a chat . She hails from good from her. So I can’t tell you that much about and was a major force in its own right during Irish and radio stock. A third generation her and an attempt to get more information WWII. Read the remarkable story of his life on Australian she first visited from the show fell on fallow ground I’m pages 50 and 51.

Ireland when she was afraid. But there was one occasion last year Would an in-house radio station at the Irish forty, and again more when the prolific reader recounted the story Club be such a bad idea? For more turn to recently for a second time of how she briefly met Sean O’Faolin many page 84. over the Christmas holiyears ago in Dun Laoghaire, or perhaps it days. They were visiting was Glenageary, at least it was somewhere her husband’s mother in that neck of the woods. Even in and family in a little place the world of the commercial FM called Greencastle in Co. stations a bit of a brogue can be Donegal. Her husband - as it happens - is heard coming through the normal another aficionado of the airwaves who jibber jabber of the mini-gangs will be known to some of you I’m sure of hosts who all seem to mimic Glynn Greensmith (right) - who used to do and ape each others shows. From South West Breakfast and Early Mornings what I am aware Wes D’Arcy has on ABC radio but can now be heard in his been a DJ on Mix 94.5FM since at Every Saturday Evening 6-8pm latest incarnation at It’s Just Not Cricket’ least 2014. D’Arcy, who presents Enjoy Irish Ballads and Showband Hits every Saturday from 11am his own show, hails from Wicklow, www.capitalcommunityradio.com to 1pm in WA with a mix has been in the radio game for For all your favourite musical memories of colourful people a bit of quite a while. In the late 1980’s irreverent humour and of he dabbled in radio with his own course good tunes. transmitter before going to East Frank Murphy presents For her own part GilCoast FM in Bray from 1990 to lian started at the ABC in 1997 as a production engineer 1996 as a cadet reporter in the newsroom. and presenter. He moved onto It took her 14 years to climb up the ladder FM104 for a couple of years to the point where she became a radio before going onto RTE where he newsreader and five years ago she made was again a production engineer the jump to 720 local radio where she now and presenter.

Saturday Fremantle Radio entertains a massive listener-ship every The name John Flood will be weekday between 1pm and 3pm. Gillian familiar to a lot of Irish Scene IRISH MUSIC • INTERVIEWS • LOCAL & IRISH NEWS takes after her mother who had had a readers because he has written National’s Drive programme. She says her latest on air stint has been great and that the feedback from the Irish diaspora has been lovely. “I’ll soon be heading back to my behind the scene’s role as producer on Drive, but I am hoping I get the opportunity to grace the national airwaves again soon,” she said.

Helen (above) pointed out there were at least another couple of other Irish

ey n r e N c iver M

Ol

107.9fm

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7am to 9am

By Lloyd Gorman

ISTEACH SA TEACH It’s been a very exciting time for Irish politics Members of WA’s parliament had a grand summer break, rising from the house for the last time in very early December and only returned to the House in late February, just as this edition of Irish Scene was going to the printers. So while the local political landscape has been hibernating there have been some remarkable awakenings and exciting happenings back in the domestic Irish arena.

The dramatic developments started early into the new year, with a press conference on January 2 for something that hasn’t happened in Ireland for some time, the creation of a new political party. (The now defunct Progressive Democrats for example were launched 30 years earlier) Reboot Ireland is the working title for the new body which is due to be unveiled fully in March. Former Fine Gael deputy Lucinda Creighton and TV personality Eddie Hobbs were the faces of the party at the launch, but others are expected to be unveiled this month. On its website the fledgling entity states: “We want to create a new Irish political party, a party that changes the way we do politics. This party will champion human inventiveness.” They say they want to give politics back to the people and to create a political system that supports freedom of thought, difference and independence.

This language and concept is as far removed from the age old practice of following the party line (at any cost) as you can get. Reboot has big ambitions and it will be interesting to see how these translate with the

electorate when it intends to run candidates in the next general election, which will be in about a years time from now.

About two weeks after this new and unknown force climbed into the ring, Independent Teach Dalar’s (TDs) adopted a new posture.

Former business newspaper editor Shane Ross and Roscommon/South Leitrim TD Michael Fitzmaurice announced on RTE Prime Time that they were behind a move to collect as many of their ilk into an alliance of independents who are already well recognised and known individuals.

Clubbing their political capital together should give them a lot of clout and already there is talk that the alliance could be a player in the next government. Roscommon man Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan - who is a force to be reckoned with in his own right - has been an MEP for about a year now and has announced that he will step down at the end of his (four year) term and commit himself to supporting the alliance of independents.

But the most seismic shift can be seen in the fracturing of what might have always been considered to be political truths. In the last couple of months there has been open and ample talk amongst politicians themselves, and in opinion polls, that Fine Gael and Fianna Fail might form a coalition government after the next election. Just a few years ago the very idea would have been considered heresy, but is now entertained in some corners.

The politics of the civil war run deep. Without giving away too much there was a perfect example of this some years ago right here in Perth. A visiting minister of the then government of the day came to Perth for St. Patrick’s Day, and while here did all the usual visits and meet and greets with the various Irish groups. A visit to a convent was on the itinerary and the nuns brought out the best china and welcome for the VIP, all except one. A woman of God who had been

36

in Perth for probably 50 to 60 years refused to enter the same room as the minister, and sat outside in protest - because she was of the political persuasion that had fought against his party in the civil war.

FG and FF are no longer that much different to each other and in many ways it is only the baggage of the past that defines them so perhaps the impossible might be possible as a new and younger generation of politician rises to the ranks of both parties.

Labor and the Greens are going through something of an existential crisis too and it will be interesting to see how they will evolve with the rapid pace of new thinking and ideologies.

While all this is bubbling away in the background the normal order of business has continued in the Dail.

Back in December 11, just a few weeks after his Australian tour, that included a trip to Perth Minister for the Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan was standing up in the House extolling the works and $114 million funding of Irish governments to the overseas Irish community over the last ten years. Mr Deenihan (FG), a Kerry man, spoke about its support for welfare and support organisations in Australia, but made special mention of his experience in Perth. “I met a group called Irish Families in Perth,” he told TDs. “the group came into being to provide support for families newly arrive or moving to Australia.

With more than 2,000 members it helps young families to integrate into life in Australia, while at the same time, encouraging them to be part of the vibrant Irish community there.”

“The GAA is also playing a role in raising awareness and providing support for those who need it,” he added. “When I was in Perth recently, I launched, with Mr Liam O’Neill, the GAA’s striving and surviving in Australia resource, which is online and has attracted much attention.”

Well recognised for his championing of the Irish community abroad,

RDS trying to lure young people from Ireland Down Under.

“They were hiring fairs, targeting our most skilled, young and highly educated workforce who had to find jobs abroad during the recession,” she said recently. “This is the first year there is an expo in Perth where Irish companies are now targeting

our young highly skilled workforce who had to emigrate. The Irish global recruitment firm, CPL, has indicated that it has 2,500 full-time positions waiting for our young Irish abroad.

This is a great sign of the economic recovery and I commend the Government on the work it has done over the past few years.”

Dermot Byrne

The Irish Quiz Wiz! a.k.a. Dermot from Lesmurdie on ABC radio Nightlife program.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Can you name the county town of Kerry?

What was the first name of the Rose of Tralee?

What was the name of a breed of dog named after an Irish county?

Can you name the highest mountain in Co. Kerry?

Can you name the most westerly harbour in Europe?

Which Provence of Ireland is Co. Kerry in?

Besides Kerry can you name the other two Irish counties with names beginning with the letter K? 8. Name the Saint born in Kerry also known as the Navigator and credited with discovering America 900 years before Columbus?

9. Besides K can you name the other seven letters not in the Irish alphabet?

10. Where in Ireland in 1857 was the first transatlantic cable to New York laid?

Answers: (1)Tralee (2)Mary (3)Kerry Blue (4)Carrantoohil (5)Valentia (6)Munster (7)Kildare and Kilkenny (8)St. Brendan (9)J,Q,V,W,X,Y,Z (10)Valentia Island

Senator Paschal Mooney is considered to be the ‘Voice of the Irish Diaspora’ in the Irish senate. Certainly for him it is a personal matter, one that is close to his heart.

On January 28 during a debate about a new bill for universities he gave us an insight into why he thinks the tertiary sector is vital to the future of Ireland. “My daughter has benefited from third level education in this country. Sadly, she no longer lives in this country because she is working in Perth in Australia. We all hope she will return. I know from her experience of seeking employment that there was significant difference in pay rates for someone who held an ordinary degree and someone who held a masters degree. My daughter attained the higher qualification which helped her, as it has done for many others in a similar situation.

Therefore, there is a need to ensure universities are on top of their game which is what motivated this legislation being brought forward.”

Another senator, Hildegarde Naughton from Galway, pionted out in the upper chamber that in the past there have been a number of jobs and recuritmetn expo’s in places like the

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Harland, Wolff, Pirrie & The Development of

Belfast’s ‘Big Yard’

By JOHN HAGAN

T

he editorial in a London William James Pirrie, George Smith Financial Times supplement Clark and Thomas Andrews. Ritchie, of March 1914, describing Belfast Harland, Wolff and Pirrie were as being ‘the premier shipbuilding associated with the establishment centre of the entire world’, may of Belfast’s ‘Big Yard’ (Harland have been something of an & Wolff), while Clark was cooverstatement, but the city was founder of Workman, Clark & Co, undoubtedly a major player in the affectionately known as the ‘Wee international shipbuilding industry Yard’. in the late nineteenth and early William Ritchie, originally twentieth centuries. By the start of from Saltcoats in Scotland, is 1914, Belfast accounted for about credited as being ‘the father of 8% of world marine output. This shipbuilding in Belfast’. In March status was not always so however, 1791 he visited the city in search as it was Cork which was Ireland’s of new business opportunities. shipbuilding powerhouse during Encouraged by what he found, the first half of the nineteenth Ritchie returned in July, century. accompanied by a team of skilled Belfast was an unlikely site Scottish workmen and began to for major marine build ships on the former manufacturing as Old Lime Kiln dock. One neither it, nor its year later (1792) Ritchie environs, had any unveiled his first ship, deposits of coal the Hibernia. Over the or iron ore - two next twenty years he essential ingredients launched a further 32 for shipbuilding. The ships, including the James, River Lagan was also a 400 ton vessel - then inappropriate for the largest ship ever built large scale marine in Belfast. Ritchie died in manufacture, and it 1807, and was acclaimed was only following

by Belfast’s Northern the expensive Whig newspaper as being excavation of the ‘the first who established Victoria Channel, a regular system of in the mid 1800s, shipbuilding in Belfast’. together with the It fell to Yorkshire creation of space born, Edward James at Queen’s Island, Harland, to found that shipbuilders Belfast’s ‘Big Yard’. An were able to take employee of Glasgow’s Statue of Edward James Harland advantage of the marine engineers, J & in the grounds of Belfast City Hall shelter and depth G Thompson, Harland available in Belfast Lough. In moved to Belfast in 1854 to become his book, An Unlikely Success Manager of Robert Hickson’s Story: The Belfast Shipbuilding shipyard on Queen’s Island. With Industry, Dr John Lynch credits his strict management style and the development, and success, zealous attention to detail, Harland of shipbuilding in Belfast to a soon improved the quality of ‘happy coincidence of timing, luck, workmanship at Hickson’s, and in nepotism and the Protestant work 1857 he engaged Gustav Wilheim ethic’. In reality, the success of Wolff as his personal assistant. One shipbuilding in Belfast owes much year later (1858) Harland was able to the talents and vision of six men to buy out Hickson’s interest in the – William Ritchie, Edward James yard for the sum of five thousand Harland, Gustav Wilheim Wolff, pounds, and in November of that

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Workers leaving the shipyard at Queens Road in early 1911 The RMS Titanic is in the background beneath the Arrol gantry

year Edward James Harland & Co was born, and the ‘Big Yard’ was underway. Soon, orders were pouring in, particularly from John Bibby & Sons, who initially, ordered three ships and subsequently (in 1860) placed a contract for another six vessels. These craft became known as ‘Bibby’s coffins’ because they were long, flat bottomed, and had a narrow beam. In 1861, Harland made Wolff a partner, thereby creating the Harland & Wolff entity. In 1874, Harland recruited another partner William James Pirrie, who was able to maintain a healthy book order, particularly from the White Star Line, which had all their great liners built in Belfast. As work began on the three White Star ‘Olympic Class’ liners, Harland and Wolff employed 15,000 people. More than 4,000 of them worked on the construction of the first two of these leviathans, Olympic and Titanic, producing not only the design, structure and mechanics of the ships but also their ornate and luxurious fixtures and fittings. In it’s hey day, at the commencement of the twentieth century, the ‘Big Yard’ embraced some 300 acres of the Belfast waterfront.

In addition to overseeing quality workmanship, Harland’s innovations helped keep his shipyard ahead of its rivals. He applied for a number of patents including those relating to ‘improvements in constructing and

covering the decks of ships’ (1860); ‘improvements in apparatus for propelling vessels’ (1871), and in 1878, ‘improvements in screwpropellers’.

In 1889, Harland retired from daily involvement in the business, leaving Wolff and Pirie to manage the yard. While he may have been a stern work disciplinarian, Harland didn’t take himself too seriously, once describing his relationship with the other partners in the following way: “Well, Wolff designs the ships, Pirrie sells them and I smoke the firm’s cigars”. Harland died on Christmas Eve 1895 at his home in County Leitrim.

Gustav Wilhelm Wolff (left) was born in Hamburg in 1834, and moved to Liverpool to live with his uncle in 1849. He served an engineering apprenticeship before being employed as a draughtsman

in Manchester. Thanks to his uncle’s influence he became Harland’s personal assistant, and later his business partner. While he was involved in managing the yard, because of his Jewish ancestry, he was able to attract business, particularly from Germany and England. In 1906, Wolff retired from the ‘Big Yard’ and went on to found the Belfast Ropeworks which, by the end of the nineteenth century, was the biggest rope works in the world. He died in 1913 at his home in London.

On 18 May 1921, Belfast’s Northern Whig newspaper dubbed William James Pirrie (above) as “not merely the greatest Irish industrialist of his day, but the greatest shipbuilder in the world”. Pirrie was born in Quebec (Canada) in 1847 and, after the death of his father, William and his mother travelled to Ireland and

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settled in Conlig (County Down).

Aged 15, Pirrie found work at Harland & Wolff as an apprentice draughtsman. By 27, he was made a partner in the yard, and on Harland’s death became chairman.

It was during his time in charge that Harland & Wolff reached its zenith as a shipyard. Pirrie travelled widely to keep abreast of the latest innovations in naval architecture and marine engineering. He helped pioneer the development of the diesel engine as a source for ship propulsion, and was truly the creator of ‘the big ship’ (Olympic, Britannic and Titanic liners). It was his salesmanship which earned him the accolade as ‘the greatest shipbuilder since Noah’. Pirrie died from pneumonia in 1924, and was buried in Belfast’s City Cemetery.

Ná feic a bhfeicir, is ná clois a gcloisir. Is má fiafraítear díot, abair ná feadrais

Don’t see what you see, don’t hear what you hear and if you’re asked, say you don’t know. (means ‘Whatever you say, say nothing!’)

Local News of Interest from the Past

ECHOS OF THE PAST RE SE ARC HE D

March 1921 Daily News

ST. PATRICK’S DAY Perth

Archbishop Clune headed the St Patrick’s procession al Perth. The Australian, American, and Sinn Fein flags were displayed but no Union Jack.

The carrying of the Sinn Fein flag in St. Patrick’s Day procession, together with the fact ‘that no Union Jack was borne, nearly led to a riot, soldiers rushed the flag but the police intervened and quelled the disturbance.

March 1916 West Australian

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PERTH CELEBRATIONS

St. Patrick’s Day is not being celebrated in Perth with any great display such as has been the observance in. past years. Green ribbons and imitation shamrocks worn by men and women in the streets call to the mind that this is the day of all days for Irishmen.

While the fervour is still in their hearts, sons of the Emerald Isle are content this year to refrain from national processions and the holding of big sports gatherings. When the great struggle in which the Empire is engaged, and in which Ireland’s people are playing so brilliant and heroic a part, is over, we may expect a return to the celebrations of the day upon which Ireland’s Patron Saint was born.

A procession was held at Highgate Hill, when the St. Mary’s parish people assembled in force. Displays emblematic in their character and which included girls in Irish costumes on a jaunting car preceded a parade of 500 children, all of whom were bedecked with green ribbon.

Loton Park was the terminal point, and there, throughout today, the youngsters are enjoying themselves with sports and athletic contests.

In the Tivoli Theatre tonight there will be a national concert. Among those announced to appear is Sergeant Major O’Donnell, who will recite some verses dear to the Irish people. The plan is rapidly filling,

BY

FRED

REA

and there is likely to be a large crowd. The proceeds will be devoted to the funds of the Foundling Home at Subiaco.

The W.A. Trotting Association have generously decided to devote the whole of the profits from the meeting to be held tomorrow night to the same object. The St. Patrick’s Day committee desire that both the concert and the trotting meeting be given the hearty support of the Irishmen of Perth and suburbs, who, may in this way show that they are in sympathy with the charitable cause referred to.

March 1920 The Bunbury Herald

ST. PATRICK’S DAY 1920

Mr Jas. Dowling, of Fremantle, telegraphed to Archbishop Mannix on Tuesday as follows : “Your Grace:To-day’s ‘ West Australian ‘ reads, Councillor Aikman referring to St. Patrick’s Day s procession said that the Union Jack would be carried in the very front of the procession and the Australian Coat of Arms as well, otherwise there would be no procession at all; Assurance in this regard was given by Archbishop Mannix himself,’ Mr Dowling has now received the following reply: ‘No conditions are imposed about flag. It will not be carried in any part of the procession.’

March 1914 The Sunday Times Perth

ST PATRICK CELEBRATION

Tuesday next will be St Patrick’s Day and Irishmen in and around Perth are according the usual custom preparing a big display for the occasion. It is announced that this year’s demonstration will be on a larger and more elaborate scale than its predecessors and an energetic committee has been for a long time at work perfecting the arrangements.

In the morning commencing at.10.30am, a grand procession will parade the principal streets of Perth, after which an adjournment will made the Royal Show Grounds in Claremont. Here a big programme of ports and spectacular, displays will

42

News Published Every Two Months

be carried out. Special arrangements are being made for the children and a day full of fun is promised to all. At night there will be reunion of members, and supporters of Home Rule at the Celtic Club.

March 1912 The Sunday Times

ST. PATRICK Celebrated at Fremantle and Perth

St. Patrick’s Day falling on Sunday this year, the celebrations usual to the occasion have been distributed over Saturday and Monday.

Yesterday the Irishmen of Fremantle commemorated the national saint’s day by a procession through the town and a sports gathering at the Oval during the afternoon. Tile procession attracted large crowds.

The spectacle was a brilliant one, the music furnished by the Perth City Band and the popular Irish Pipers Band swinging the many marching feet along.

The Oval was visited by large crowds anxious to witness the national sports. The school children commanded universal applause by their grand display of club swinging and other calisthenic exercises, but the height of excitement was reached over the game of hurling played by teams representing Perth and Fremantle respectively. A serious rival to this attraction, however, was found in the exhilarating and graceful display of Irish step dancing by some past masters in this beautiful art. The afternoon’s sport was thoroughly enjoyed by all nationalities, and the financial result should prove to be a long way on the right side of the ledger.

Perth will celebrate today by a grand procession through the streets of tile city, starting from the Hibernian Hall at 2.30pm. Members of the Hibernian Society, the Irish National foresters, the St Vincent de Paul Society, the C.Y.M.S. and the Celtic Club will take part. On Monday there will be a grand Irish concert at the Star Skating Rink in Hay Street and Irish fancy dress carnival at the Claremont Rink.

March 1922 Bunbury Herald

ST. PATRICK’S DAY SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION IN BUNBURY

Friday last was St. Patrick’s Day and the celebration of the occasion was kept up in the usual way, with a procession through the streets of the town and sports in the Recreation Ground in the afternoon.

The grouping of the tableaux in the procession was very effective and reflects credit upon the organisers. The procession headed

by St. Patrick’s band went through the main streets of the town and found an interested crowd of onlookers throughout the route to the Recreation Ground where the sports commenced. Friday was not a good day for gaining an audience at a sports meeting, but nevertheless there was a fair number of spectators who evinced a keen interest in the events and their results.

Some of the sporting events were Catching the Greasy Pig (Prize: The Pig) — This was one of the

most popular events of the day, there being at one time about three hundred competitors for the prize and young ‘Dennis’ desirous of giving them the race of their lives, by having the race of his life. He ran and dodged like a hare, until eventually he was secured by Willie Kelly. St. Patrick’s Distance Handicap Trot for Trophies.— There were 7 entries, but only – five starters T. Shanahan’s ‘Comet’ 1; T. Dillon’s ‘Playlass’ 2. This event was for horses that had never previously won a trot of any description.

Martin Kavanagh Honorary Consul Of Ireland

It’s that time of year when the eyes of the world turn towards Ireland and the Irish. In Perth I’m sure the whole community is looking forward to an even bigger and better St Patrick’s Day Parade in Leederville. The parade is a great success. However, the logistics and volunteer effort is also increasing, as are the costs. I’d encourage members of the community to assist the organisers in any way they can.

This year we are delighted to welcome Minister Tom Hayes, Minister of State with Special responsibility for Food, Forestry and Horticulture to WA. Minister Hayes will be in Australia meeting Irish community groups, government and will be engaged in an intensive programme of

Enterprise Ireland/IDA business meetings to encourage jobs and investment in Ireland.

The Minister is a Tipperary man and I’m sure the whole community will welcome him on his important visit to WA. My thanks to Ambassador Noel White for once again ensuring that WA receives a ministerial visit as it is so important that visiting ministers have the opportunity to see the experience of the Irish in WA. As we celebrate St Patrick’s Day and our sense of Ireland it’s also timely to reflect on what we give back to the Irish community in WA. Many of our welfare, sporting, cultural and business organisations such as the Claddagh, the GAA, The Irish

theatre Players and IWAF are always looking for volunteers to help in their very important work. Whilst the experience of the vast majority of the Irish in WA is very positive, the reality is that some of our countrywomen and men is not so good. The Claddagh in particular is under increasing pressure to assist those Irish who fall on hard times or are bereaved. If you can volunteer your time or make a contribution I’d encourage you to do so.

Have a great St Patrick’s Day and as they say in Cork, by all means wet the shamrock- but don’t drown it.

Be safe.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh

Perth Office: 1/100 Terrace Road East Perth Western Australia 6004 - Tel: (08) 6557 5802 - Fax: (08) 9218 8433 Email: info@consulateofirelandwa.com.au - Website: www.consulateofirelandwa.com.au Office Hours: Mon-Fri 10.30 - 2.00pm by appointment only

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Bill found his past!

Many children were sent to Australia from Ireland in the late 40’s and early 50’s. Some ended up at Tardun Farm School. The school was run by the Christian Brothers from 1928 as a Home where boys would learn farm skills. After World War II, Tardun housed British and Maltese child migrants aged from about 12 to 16 years as well as boys who were wards of state. Tardun Farm School closed in 1967 but remained open as an agricultural boarding school where some children were placed by the departments responsible for child welfare. Now in their later years many of these men and women are supported by FACT (Forgotten Australians Coming Together Inc.). I receive a regular newsletter from the support group and one story caught my eye, that of Bill Kennedy from Belfast…

Ireland twice, and Nancy visited Australia with her son Andrew.

When Nancy returned, Andrew stayed on and accepted a position as parish priest in Geraldton, while Bill continued to live in nearby Leeman.

As Bill’s health declined, Andrew was able to get Bill into aged care at Nazareth House Geraldton, where he was well looked after.

Bill and Nancy were both very keen for Bill to migrate back to Belfast, and Andrew worked hard to make this happen.

However Bill’s health continued to decline, and a range of serious health problems made it impossible for him to travel. Bill died in June 2014. Andrew was bereft. We were all really sad that Bill had not been able to return to Belfast to be reunited with Nancy. Andrew conducted the funeral Mass for Bill in Geraldton, and, true to Bill’s wishes, he was cremated and Andrew took his ashes back to Ireland.

We were very fond of Bill - he was a tough old bird, a straight-talker, and he had a kind heart and sincere condolences to Nancy, Andrew and family.

If you knew of Bill or remember him from earlier years, please contact Tuart Place. Bill was at Tardun and Clontarf between 1947 and 1951.

Bill Kennedy was 72 when he found out he had a sister.

His mother had died in Belfast in 1941, when Bill was just five years old. Bill was taken into care, and six years later he was sent from Belfast to Australia as a child migrant.

Bill’s sister Nancy was admitted to the St Joseph’s Baby Home, and was soon adopted by a local Belfast family.

It was not until 2008 that Nancy, prompted by her children, began to search for records and discovered she had a brother.

Maggie McSorley of the Family Care Society in Belfast contacted Pip at Tuart Place, who found Bill in the phone Tuart Place is situated at 24 High Street, Fremantle book. He was living in Leeman, 300km north of Perth.

This was the start of a wonderful connection between Phone: (08) 6140 2380 or Freecall 1800 619 795 Bill and his sister Nancy and her family. Bill travelled to admin@tuartplace.org • www.tuartplace.org

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y a F or The Ir D t a e r G a i s s h ’ t I by Marie Moloney

S

oon it will again be the day of the year when everybody (or so it seems) wants to be Irish.

St Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and by today’s standards he would be classed as a celebrity of mammoth proportions. St Patrick’s Day the 17th March is a day when the festivities that are held in his honour in many corners of the earth would rank among some of the greatest celebrations in the world.

On that day it is customary to wear shamrocks and/or green clothing or accessories (the “wearing of the green”). St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish.

In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day became an official public holiday in Ireland.

This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced by Irish Member of Parliament James O’Mara. O’Mara later introduced the law that required that pubs and bars be closed on the 17th March after alcohol consumption got out of hand, a provision that was repealed in the 1970s. The first Saint Patrick’s Day parade in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931.

During my childhood in Dublin St Patrick’s Day being a holy day, began with going to mass. Afterwards my father and I would join the throng moving from all directions toward O’Connell Street, to watch the Saint Patrick’s Day parade. This was a big event so a great deal of pushing and shoving took place and the meeting up with friends and relations was part of the fun. Daddy always seemed to know such a lot of people so our journey through the crowds was a slow one, interrupted by many stops to exchange greetings with people he had not seen for a while. The conversations always followed the same pattern, surprise

would be expressed at how much I had grown, I wondered about this, as often I would not have seen these people for a couple of years, of course I had grown. After asking my age now and what class I was in at school I would be given a couple of pennies and we would move on.

On one occasion we met a cousin of Daddy’s whom we had not seen since St Patrick’s day the previous year, when this lovely man asked me the question “How old are you now Marie” I cheekily replied “A year older than I was last year”.

This attitude of mine did not always endear me to people. Usually we found a good vantage point beside some relative or other and settled down to watch the fun. The Floats were colourful and the atmosphere happy although the day was almost always cold and wet.

Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada and Montserrat in The Caribbean also enjoy a public holiday on St Patrick’s Day. The island of Montserrat comes alive with Caribbean flair for the annual event. Showcasing a unique mix of Irish and African heritage, the weeklong festival takes place at various locations throughout the island.

Astronauts on board the International Space Station have celebrated St Patrick’s Day in different ways. Irish-American Catherine Coleman played a

47

hundred-year-old flute belonging to Matt Molloy and a tin whistle belonging to Paddy Moloney, both members of the Irish music group The Chieftains, while floating weightless in the space station on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2011. Her performance was later included in a track called “The Chieftains in Orbit” on the group’s album, Voice of Ages.

Chris Hadfield a Canadian astronaut took photographs of Ireland from earth orbit, and a picture of himself wearing green clothing in the space station, and posted them online on Saint Patrick’s Day in 2013. He also posted online a recording of himself singing “Danny Boy “in space.

Here in Australia the iconic Sydney Opera House has the privilege of going green in honour of St Patrick.

Celebrations in his honour are held in every state. The Irish were among the first Europeans to settle in Australia. They came here as part of the convict settlement in New South Wales in the late 1700’s. Since then there has been ongoing migration of Irish people to Australia. More than 300.000 free settlers migrated to Australia between 1840 and 1914.The great Irish famine was responsible for many Irish being forced to leave their homes. The Irish diaspora has had a significant impact on the Australian ethos.

About 30 percent of Australians are believed to have some Irish ancestry. Many Australians pay tribute to the Irish settlement and culture on St Patrick’s Day. Without a doubt March 17th is a great day to be Irish.

“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.”

W.B. Yeats, Irish poet

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Ireland Calling Ireland Calling Ireland Calling

By Lloyd Gorman

One of the most recognised and England where he did a short stint in ly identified with Joyce who after famous voices in broadcast radio the British army before he was dis- starting as an anonymous presenter history belonged to an unusual Irish- charged for being underage and then would be on some occasions be anman. But you would not have guessed went on to dabble in fascism and pol- nounced as “William Joyce, otherfrom his accent that Ireland had been itics. Joyce studied at the University wise known as Lord Haw Haw” as his his home and his time on the air also of London and originally planned to popularity and notoriety increased. made him one of the have a full time academ- (The name refers to the haughty and most hated men in the William Joyce ic career but he gave this posh accent with which Joyce spoke) world at the time. up to become a party Interestingly Mittler spoke impeccaWilliam Joyce would speaker for the British ble English - which he had learned become the voice of Union of Fascists, under from his mother who had been born World War II through Oswald Mosley. Joyce’s in Ireland to German parents. the on-air persona of talents as a persuasive Joyce attained celebrity status Lord Haw Haw, but the and powerful speaker, but was also prolific. It was not unuseeds of his story can be combined with his read- sual for Joyce to make several broadtraced back to Ireland. iness to enter a physical casts a day, which always opened Joyce was born in row as quickly as an in- with the call sign - “Germany calling, New York in 1906 but tellectual one, saw him Germany calling, Germany calling”. his parents took him to rise through the ranks of The intention of the Germany Calling Galway when he was the BUF and later other broadcasts were to sow doubt and aged three. There he went to the Jes- fascist groups. He expressed an inter- confusion in the minds of the Allied uit St Ignatius College from 1915 to est and support for the rise of Adolf Forces and the civilian populations in 1921. Joyce was said to be an intel- Hitler and was thought to have had their homelands.

Joyce sneered, mocked, bullied, ligent and clever student but some- contact with German spies in the UK. Just days before the outbreak of insulted and abused the English and thing of a difficult and argumentative character. Joyce wasn’t just a clever WWII Joyce got a tip off that he and their allies, and strangely enough it nerd, he was something of a brawl- his wife were to be arrested and de- made him a sensation. Within his er and often got into punch ups with tained so they fled - this time to Ger- first year of being on air Joyce had his school mates. During one of these many where he became a naturalised built up a core listenership of about six million and on occafights he had his nose broken but he citizen in 1940. Despite did not have it reset, a fact which left his sympathies towards sions had 18 million peohim with a nasal drawl which would the powerful German ple tuning. Unlike Nazi become a distinctive feature of his regime Joyce was findheld territories where it broadcasting voice. was illegal and dangerous ing it difficult to find a Irish politics and the fight for job. However all that to own a radio set people independence would have a direct changed in Berlin when in the UK could at least lisbearing on the Joyce family, and he accidentally met the ten to whatever they liked, nudged him towards extremist ideol- wife of the chief enginot that there was much choice and what there was ogies and ultimately becoming public neer of the BBC who of it was heavily censored. enemy number one on the airwaves. arranged an audition Eamonn DeValera This is part of the reason Like his Irish father, Joyce was a for him at the RundCatholic but he was also a Unionist funkhause or Broadcasting House. why Joyce was so successful, as well - something of a paradox in a pre- Despite suffering with a heavy cold at as being a natural on radio he had a dominately Republican environment. the time and almost losing his voice flair for the creative and dramatic.

During the War of Independence Joyce was immediately hired and set As well as getting the chance to hear (1919-1921) Joyce claimed to have to work on German radio’s English something of what the enemy was saying, the broadcasts were viewed been an informer to the Black and service.

It would prove to be the greatest as entertainment by many. Joyce Tans. So when British Prime Minister Lloyd George announced the break of his life and the beginning of could send a chill down the spine of Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921- which the most recognisable on air voices in listeners with his menacing predicwould create the Irish Free State - it the world. tions or accounts of events, real or Joyce replaced Wolf Mittler. Mit- imaginary and he could be very perwas time for the Joyce’s to leave Galway before they were targeted by el- tler was the original “Lord Haw suasive.

Joyce’s transmissions were folements of the nationalist population. Haw” on the German’s English radio He was 16 by this time. They went to service but the title became strong- lowed closely in Ireland too where 50

his message mingled with a certain fused to cave in to superior firepowamount of traditional anti-English er and strength. The battle raged for sentiment. And just because his for- months and caught the attention of mer homeland was a neutral country the world. Naturally enough Joyce did not mean it was off the scope of turned his attention on the Australat the Nazi’s. In response to a broad- ians who he tried to ridicule by callcast by De Valera that the little na- ing them rats living in the ground or tion would defend itself against any as rats caught in a trap. Joyce repeatinvader (Britain came close to doing ed the phrase rats on a number of ocjust that in WWII) Joyce responded casions, in one instance adding that in kind. “When the Reich’s Panzers they were “Germany’s self supportroll through the Irish Free State, De ing prisoners of war”. In true Aussie Valera will have no more power to spirit the blokes took the insult and resist them the than invaders of the made it their own. In a beautiful exBallygaddy Road in Tuam.” ample of true Aussie grit they proudJoyce could use and twist his ly adopted the name. They prided knowledge of Irish history, culture themselves on it so much in fact that and current affairs in his spin doc- they fashioned medals out of the detoring for the Nazi’s. The fall of Sin- bris from the desert battlefield or gapore with its large garrison of whatever came to hand. The medals British and Commonwealth soldiers - which were triangular in shape and for example was a crushing and un- resembled an AIF colour patch with expected blow and a real low point a brass rat as the central figure - had the words “Presented by Lord Haw in the war for the Allies.

Joyce said the Japanese sang ‘The Haw to the Tobruk Rats, 1941.”

Despite Joyce’s goadings and the Boys of Kilmichael’ as they accepted the British surrender led by Major best attempts of Rommel they failed General A E Perceval - the command- to break the siege and the Allies had er who had fought against Michael their first major win in the war, an Collins and the flying columns in important turning point in the conCork, who used to sing flict which up until that the very same song. It was point they had looked in a lie of course, but it was danger of losing. an inspired deceit and I had the privilege of one that must have resinterviewing the last reonated on a psychologimaining surviving memcal level with the English bers of the Rats of Tobruk consciousness.

Association in WA a few But it was in Australia years ago. They were fine that Joyce would have a gentlemen but I can tell particular influence that Colin Barnett you when I mentioned is still remembered today. him to them they were The siege of Tobruk in North Af- not kind in their memory about him rica began on April 10, 1941. Some and what they would have done to 14,000 Australian soldiers made up him if they caught him.

WA Premier Colin Barnett’s fathe vast bulk of the Allied Forces ordered to hold the strategically im- ther - Jim Barnett - was a Rat of Toportant location against Germany’s burk. On more than one occasion in Ace battle commander Erwin Rom- parliament, and other venues, the mel who had beaten the British at premier has spoken about his dad’s pride in his service in North Africa every turn in the war to date.

Rommel had them cornered, out- but also how the Australians were numbered and appeared to have the also anxious to pull through that advantage in the impending stand scrap so that they might return to off. On paper the German command- defend their home country against er who had never lost a fight had the invasion by Japan. So the Rats have battle won before it began but the a special place in Australian miliDiggers who were holding Tobruk tary history, as does the name they were not paper men. The Australi- earned courtesy of Joyce.

There is a second, less well an’s repelled wave after wave of attack, launched their own surprise known link to Joyce and Australia. attacks on enemy positions and re- He was considered to be so effective 51

that the Japanese - who sided with Germany in the conflict - wanted their own version of him. A short newspaper article published on August 13 1942 with the headline ‘Australia’s Lord Haw Haw’ gives us an insight into this attempt at cross over propaganda.

“The wife of Captain Charles Cousens, a former 2GB announcer, stated today that during last night she had heard her husband’s voice coming over the Tokyo Radio in a news commentary session,” the article reads. “She said that she had been advised previously by Mends in Sydney that her husband was broadcasting from Tokyo.

“Mrs Cousens said there her husband’s voice was so cold and mechanical that she was certain that the Japanese were making him say the anti-British things over the air.”

The enigmatic Irishman had started on Germany Calling in 1939 and made his final broadcast in April 1945. He was very drunk and signed off the ten minute broadcast with the word, “Farewell”. Josef Goebbels - Hitlers Propaganda minister made arrangements for Joyce’s escape but he was caught by a soldier who recognised his voice. He was brought back to England where he was tried and hung in 1946 in a British prison for treason (under the same 14th century act which Roger Casement had been tried). He was the last person in English judicial law tried on this charge and his body was buried in a prison. There was some level of sympathy for Joyce in Ireland. His brother Quentin was overwhelmed with letters from Irish people and several masses were also given up for his soul.

Only as a result of a long and tireless campaign by his daughter (Mrs Heather Iandolo) was Joyce’s body exhumed and repatriated to Ireland in 1976 in the then new graveyard at Bohermore, where he remains today.

How she was able to convince the authorities to relocate his final resting place I do not know, but it was obviously important to her - if not Joyce himself - that he should spend the rest of eternity in Irish soil where the sound of the wind and the rain outlast even the most famous voices in the world.

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A: 48 Ord Street, West Perth, WA 6005 P: Phone (08) 9322 2299 E: Email: celtic.club@bigpond.com F: Fax (08) 9322 2899 W: www.celticclubperth.com LIKE YOU USED TO: Sean, an eighty five year old Irishman, was sitting on the couch with his wife, Mary, when she said to him, “Why don’t you come sit close to me like you used to Sean” So he did. After a moment Mary said, “Why don’t you put your arm around me like you used to and give me a bit of a squeeze”. Sean put his arm around Mary and held her tight. Then she said, “Why don’t you give me ould ear a nibble like you used to Sean”. With that, Sean got up and left the room. “Wisha Sean, where are you going?” Mary called out. “To get my bloody teeth Mary,” Sean replied.

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53

FINAL ‘FLING’ AT THE FLY! West Australian Celtic band

Fling performed a special ‘Big Fling’ show at the Fly By Night Musicians’ Club in Fremantle on Saturday 21 February.

The Fly By Night in Fremantle is soon to be moved from its iconic Army Drill Hall home for the past 28-years and to acknowledge The Fly’s massive contribution to local music Fling were invited to do a final ‘Big Fling’ Fly Farewell concert.

One of Perth’s most successful folk acts, Fling are still a powerhouse ‘Australo-Celtic’ band that play a dynamic mix of traditional Celtic tunes, popular classics and contemporary folk songs. Introduced by the Fly’s John Reid, the Fling performed all their favourites for the army of followers. They were ably supported by new up and coming Sparrow who got the evening off the a great start. Also the Kavanagh Irish Dancers joined the band to give the evening a real Irish flavour.

The Big Fling Fly reunion show featured the six-piece band, with

Irish and Scottish pipes, concertina, whistles, fiddle, cittern, guitar, bass and drums, plus extra trad tune players, an Irish dance troupe, and a dynamic horn section for the instrumental and rock tracks.

Pre show publicity by Jon Cope said that, ‘The Big Fling’s Celtic wall of sound is really upbeat happy music and we’re looking forward to playing together again, especially with the larger line-up,’... It was that and a lot more and no one wanted

54

to go home.

The spirits of the fenians on top on the hill in Fremantle Gaol would have been dancing to the Celtic tones emanating from the Fly. What a night! Thanks to John Reid and his organisation for organing a great night! Maith an Fear!

By Lloyd Gorman

Dennis Hopper had already made Easy Rider several years earlier when he starred in the lead role of another outlaw type in the 1976 Australian movie Mad Dog Morgan (ABC January 7). Hopper, as Dan Morgan, witnesses the bloody slaughter of Chinese on the gold fields and becomes a robber, who gets caught and sent to prison for six years where he suffers torture and abuse. On his release he becomes a bushranger and befriends Billy, an aboriginal. Morgan - “who has an Irish temper on him” according to one character in the film - fights against a vicious police superintendent and is eventually killed. It is very much set in the style Ned Kelly, made in 1970 with Mick Jagger (of Rolling Stones fame) in the lead role - but much better!

Talking of Ned Kelly, Jandamarra’s War is about an Aboriginal man who led a three year long guerilla war against pastoralists in defence of his people’s land and culture in WA and should be as well known as the Irish Australian bushranger.)

Three episodes back to back of Mrs Brown’s Boys on Channel 7 on January 8 (and following Thursday nights) followed by the gruesome and gritty blood eagle episode of excellent Irish made Vikings (SBS One). Just as a side note, Leo the lion in the MGM logo at the end of the programme was born in Dublin Zoo in 1919 and has been roaring on television stations and sets around the world for almost 60 years now.

More comedy on the following night on 7Two with the Eoin McLove episode of Father Ted that parodies the appeal of Daniel O’Donnell.

There is no such thing as a bad episode of Fr Ted unlike some other more recent and somehow popular Irish comedy that I’ll probably get abused for disliking and naming, so I’ll leave it to your own imagination.

Fans of Queen would have enjoyed the ABC documentary on January 11 called The Great Pretender about Freddie Mercury.

Mercury lead a full and flamboyant life and we were offered some real insights into the man by a former long term partner of his, one Jim Hutton who died on New Years Day 2010, aged 60, and who is buried in his home town of Carlow.

A repeat of The Day the Shark Came In on ABC1 on January 13 put Dublin man turned Aussie Martin Kane recounting his remarkable survival tale of a shark attack near Mullaloo a few years ago. This documentary also looked closely at the spate of shark deaths, the state government’s shark cull policy and the large scale protests on Cottesloe beach against the government’s controversial response.

The ABC’s Jack Irish was back on screens on January 15 with Deadpoint. Guy Pearce is exceptionally well cast for this role and answers his phone always as “Irish” which apart from being unmissable TV makes sure it deserves a mention here.

Dub David O’Doherty put in a good appearance on the ABC music show Spicks and Specks on January 18, rounding of being a panellist on the quiz programme with a funny song on his keyboard.

February 1 on ABC saw Deliver us from Evil, the story of Irish priest Fr. Oliver O’Grady, who is described

55

as the most notorious paedophile priest in the modern history of the church. A real insight into how these predators operated and the damage they inflicted on their victims.

Celebrity chef and judge on My Kitchen Rules Colin Fassnidge lent his gravelly Dublin voice and chin to a TV advert for the Worlds Great Shave.

Foyles War and Inspector George Gently both made a return to ABC in February and the new seasons remain as good as ever, even if both of them are now not made in Ireland anymore. As well as being a pity these shows which would have created a lot of employment for the Irish TV and Film sector have now gone to England.

Matching Jack was screened on Channel 10 (February 7). This really touching love movie of different sorts is about Irish sailor and ship maker Conor O’Brien (James Nesbitt) and his son Fin who is dying of cancer in a children’s hospital in Melbourne. A bit of a tear jerker and a really strong film with a lot of charm.

Irish newsreaders have started popping up news programmes, which is a relatively new development I think. I didn’t catch her full name but there was a Nuala (which is not pronounced NewAllah as at least one Aussie I know pronounced it) with a distinctively Irish voice while on ABC news at the end of January while an Emma Hannigan has made a few appearances on SBS - reporting on Feburary 9 about the leadership spill and Tony Abbott. Now there was a story that created quite a few hours of TV coverage and commentary.

Congratulations to Gerry Salinger, the CFMEU and his organisers for the Gerry Grealish Memorial Cup Day in North Perth.

The funds raised went to Beyond Blue.

A great Day was had by all and in memory of a great Irishman Gerry Grealish!

56

www.facebook.com/perthcomhaltas

Page Sponsor: Reid’s Bootmakers,

WEEKLY SESSION NOW ON FRIDAYS AT THE IRISH CLUB COMHALTAS ANNUAL MUSIC & DANCE CAMP WEEKEND Comhaltas is planning a great weekend of music and dance in April this year, commencing Sat 25 th and concluding Mon 27 th April 2015 at Bickley Recreational Camp, Hardinge Road, Orange Grove, WA.

There will be special guests Paddy Fitzgerald an accordion player coming from Melbourne and our own Rob Zielinski • Sausage Sizzle Lunch each day $3pp •

• Day workshops for and ceili dancing for all ages • • Evening music and ceili session •

• Day Art and crafts and mini music session for younger kids or siblings • Plus introducing NEW outdoor activities ( Kayaking: $20 per child) large outdoor games for a fun packed weekend.

and

Costs: Over night :$25 per night per Adult $15 per night per Child Dinner included. Family dorms are available.

Day Stay: $15 per Adult $5 per Child 6-16 years Children U6 free,

extra $10 charge if staying for Dinner or bring a plate to share and eat for free!!!

Lots to do for all! For more info perthcomhaltas@gmail.com or call Joan walker on (08) 93975152

Comhaltas Perth now meets on Friday nights. Come and learn a tune 8pm in the committee room or join in the session ( starts off slow). You don’t have to be a member of Comhaltas to join in. There is also set dancing most Friday’s about 8.30 pm. It’s great fun, beginners welcome.

Irish language classes are still on Monday nights at the club between 7 and 8pm.

Are to be logged!

57

Dining Guide

Sponsor: McLoughlin’s Butchers with Danielle O’Leary

The Irish Club Where Families gather!

Like the last review I wrote, this month’s brought me back to my childhood. The Irish Club of Western Australia, for me, has memories of fantastic productions by the Irish Theatre Players, celebrations of Cork’s hurling final wins and delicious, hearty dinners.

The Irish Club of Western Australia is undergoing a massive refurbishment and exciting times are ahead. My companion and I arrived on a Thursday evening, completely forgetting about the famous Pie and Pint (or glass of wine!) night for $18. The atmosphere was welcoming, fun and charming. The live music from the side bar floated into the larger eating area with ease. We were lucky to hear Castignari, that played a variety of eclectic music with an Irish touch. They were fantastic. On alternate Thursdays, the incredibly talented Fiona Rea graces the club with her music.

For variety, my companion ordered the Beef and Guinness Pie with chips and salad, and I

ordered the Chicken Parmigiana with chips and homemade slaw.

The pie was generous in size, and it was almost absurd that for the quality that it was only $18 with a pint. That type of value is almost unheard of in Perth. My companion enjoyed her pie, the meat was tender and salad was fresh. For my parmigiana – I thought I best try something other than the pie – the serving size was ideal; it was not too big (like many parmigianas), the chicken was cooked to perfection, topped with a delicious sauce.

Not every night is Pie and Pint night, of course. The new daily menu is fantastic – paying homage to not only the pub classics, but also traditional Irish food that patrons actually want.

The Roast Chicken and Stuffing toasted sandwich with chips was a winner on the menu for me – a stuffing sandwich is now not only a meal you have the day after a roast (and sometimes, it is just as good as the roast). Other main dishes such as, Corned beef with seasonal vegetables and parsley

sauce, Bacon and Cabbage with a parsley white sauce and a Lancashire Hot Pot with curly kale. It is dishes such as these and nothing over $22 that makes the Club an ideal Subiaco dining destination.

If you have not been to the Club in a while, I highly suggest you go back. There were so many families, groups of friends and even the Honorary Consul for Ireland having a fantastic Thursday night.

Phone Nick on 9381 5213 for bookings and function enquiries.

McLoughlin Butchers Malaga Proud Supporters of the Irish Scene Drop in and see our range of Irish prepared meats mcloughlinbutchers.com.au Like us on facebook

58

The Australian-Irish Heritage Association THE FOURTH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB

Sunday 26th April

JOHN BOYLE O’REILLY COMMEMORATION at the Memorial At Buffalo Road, Australind at 11am Monday 6th April –

ANNUAL ROCKINGHAM CATALPA COMMEMORATION

At Fenian Memorial, Esplanade Road, Catalpa Park, Rockingham, Rockingham at 11am Saturday 25th April

ANZAC COMMEMORATION WREATH LAYING CEREMONY

Tuesday, 24th March , 8pm Irish Club Committee Room, 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco Tuesday, 24th March at 8pm.

Book: ‘Jasper Jones’ by Craig Silvey Admission Free. All welcome. Light refreshments provided.

Contact: Maureen on 9279 2486

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Sunday 8TH March 4 pm at The Irish Club MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL DUE 1st January, 2015 Family membership $65 Concession $55 (Centrelink and unwaged students with ID) Distant (200 kms from Perth) $45 Membership fee includes tax deductible donation of $20 Members enjoy discounted rates to dinners and functions, exclusive events, quarterly Journal, voting rights, and opportunities to participate in activities which promote an awareness of Australia’s Irish Heritage

At Subiaco War Memorial - step off at 8am from Post Office in Rokeby Road, Subiaco

THE JOE O’SULLIVAN WRITERS’ PRIZE

honouring the memory of the Organisation’s late founder, worth $1,000, limit of 2,000 to 4,000 words - prose, fact or fiction. Open to residents of WA only Topic: “Heritage”.

JOYCE PARKES WOMEN’S WRITERS’ PRIZE

honours Joyce Parkes who is a well known poet living in WA. She is the patron of the prize, which aims at promoting and encouraging women writers in Australia.

Limit of 1,000 to 2,000 words – Prose, fact or fiction. Prize Money: $500 Topic: “Conflict” Entrance Fee $10 for all competitions.

Enquiries to Denis Bratton 9345 3530

President Denis Bratton laying the wreath on Anzac Day in 2014.

AUSTRALIAN-IRISH HERITAGE ASSOCIATION Non Political-Non Sectarian-Emphatically Australian PO Box 1583 Subiaco 6904.

Tel: 08 9345 3530.

Email: aiha@irishheritage.net Web Page: www.irishheritage.net The Australian-Irish Heritage Association was founded in 1993 as an inclusive organisation which encourages and promotes an awareness of Australia’s Irish Heritage and Culture. To this end, the AIHA creates opportunities for all to learn about, participate in and enjoy this distinctive heritage.

59

land of

&

Ireland

honey

It’s that time of year again….

prayers, however they married and were extremely happy to the tune of six children Mother still disliked him but loved the grandchildren. We all had to give up dancing for Lent in my day - maybe I could do that now and still get the credits.

Not far off, of course, we have the feast of Magonus Sucatus Patricius. Trust me, that is St. Patrick’s real name. Doesn’t quite fit - Hail Glorious......... We will stay as we are, lustily singing for God and St. Patrick and Our Native Isle. We really don’t know a lot about St. Patrick.

There are so many stories, myths and legends woven round him that it would have been quite impossible to have achieved all attributed to him. I do wish there were not so many sorrowful places associated with him.

St Patrick’s Purgatory, Croagh Patrick, Lough Derg and many more - all places of penance and expiation. I hope he danced and had good conversation now and again and listened to the stories of Fionn and The Fianna which, after all, were the heroes of The Celts. He didn’t really get a good reception when he began to convert.

He was after all a ‘’Blow In” but he prevailed and that is invariably the secret of success. There is a translation

by Frank O’Connor of what he considers to be an eight century poem and the first verse is indicative of what Patrick had to endure.

Patrick you chatter too loud And lift your Crozier too high Your stick would be kindling soon If my son Osgar stood by Poor man, but he won. The poem is really good too - lots of verses translated beautifully by the master translator of ancient Irish.

Do gach aoine - La Feile Patraig sonosac.

By Sally Desmond

I

t happens every year Lent with all its customs and observances sneaks up and catches me unawares. I was happily dusting my Three Kings and sending them on their way on St. Valentine’s Day when someone mentioned that Shrove Tuesday was on the horizon.

About the departure of the Kings? I see no point in not prolonging their visit when they have come such a long way and anyway I like them - they are rather jolly kings.

But Shrove Tuesday so soon - it’s not that time of year at all, surely.

Well it was that time of year, so out came the bowl.

Pancakes were made and distributed and the next day I was reminded how I was going to become dust and ashes. I wore the sign, courageously, to prove it, for the day. Old traditions knitted into the psyche and permanently there - shades of Srs Aquin and Brendan.

So now we are nearly finished the first week of Lent and every time I eat a biscuit or have a glass of wine I am going to feel a surge of guilt that would do credit to Mary Magdalen. I applaud the need for self-control and sacrifice and, in reality, all religions have periods of fasting but Irish Catholics come with built in guilt if they are not “giving up” for Lent. I have a cousin who ‘gave up” her boyfriend for Lent when we were young.

That was really at the insistence of her mother who thoroughly disliked him. It did not answer the mother’s

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When Subiaco Oval was a St Patrick’s Day stronghold

by Aithne Dell

I

n the 1940’s, 50’s and early 60’s, Subiaco Oval was the primary location for celebrating St Patrick’s Day for Catholics across the Perth metropolitan area. The Catholic population of this era can remember these events as a time of solidarity and festivity and the enclosed nature of the venue was important to a group within the Church that felt the need to be united but also free of criticism from the wider community. Public debate and action during the World Wars set in train events that led to this desire to be away from the ‘prying eyes’ of those outside the Church.

In the early days of the colony, however, the St Patrick’s Day parade and other festivities were not viewed as sinister by authorities.

Newspaper reports from a hundred years ago mention that the event was celebrated by people wearing green, a concert and sporting competitions. The tone of reports suggested that it was seen as an interesting and harmless activity. These sorts of reports foreshadowed the 1995 front page statement in The West Australian that: “Everyone is Irish for a day” which showed that the event had returned to being considered a benign, lighthearted celebration of ethnic identity. In the century between these reports, though, there were periods when St Patrick’s Day had taken on a more sombre significance for both Catholics and those outside the Catholic community.

The Catholic press of the first two decades of last century reported, in enthusiastic detail, the grow-

7000 School Children on Subiaco Oval in 1950’s

ing fervour with which St Patrick’s Day was marked. The WA Record described events around the state, including race days, dances and concerts. The ‘Record’ also presented stories indicating the antagonism felt by some members of the Catholic community towards England. At a time when many Australians still referred to England as the ‘mother’ country, the paper featured stories arguing for ‘Home Rule’ for Ireland, and frequent accounts of the harsh aspects of the conditions under which Irish Catholics lived in their homeland, highlighted a source of conflict between Western Australian Catholics and the wider community. When the Dublin Easter Uprising of 1916 was swiftly defeated by British authorities, the Record related stirring stories of those executed and depicted them as noble martyrs in contrast to the reprehensible authorities who were enforcing the punishment.

The St Patrick’s Day parades of this era processed through the city streets and many of the floats supported ‘Home Rule’ which antagonised local authorities. In 1919, the Perth City Council (PCC) placed restrictions on the St Patrick’s Day March that included enforcing the carrying of a large Union Jack and an Australian flag. The council demanded the right to approve banners and emblems. Organisers of the march believed that the ‘Home Rule’ floats and banners were unlikely to gain approval so defied the new rules and did not seek prior authorisation. The procession went ahead and saw the largest number

61

of participants ever assembled.

A trumped up charge and fine by the head of PCC against a random participant of the parade - who happened to be a lawyer - was dismissed by a magistrate who said the organisers had “some grounds to resent the conditions imposed on them” This case is still remembered in WA law circles today.

For some years the march proceeded without restrictions and each St Patrick’s Day commenced Band playing at Mass in 1963

with mass at St Mary’s Cathedral followed by a procession to progress through the streets of central Perth. Wanda Allen wrote of her recollections watching the start of the parade each year during the mid1920’s through to the early 1930’s.

A pattern of sports days followed by picnics and then evening concert developed. But in 1932 [three years after the notorious Wall Street Crash] the West Australian reported “the financial depression … responsible for the cancellation of the usual St Patrick’s Day procession and sports…” However, picnics for holidaying students of Catholic schools, and a concert, still took place.

For the next few years low key

Convent girls at Subi Mass in 1960’s

events were still held to commemorate St Patrick’s Day, often including a concert featuring school students’ performances and sporting competitions held in accessible locations such as the WACA and the trotting grounds in East Perth. These continued during World War II during which time, Eire’s [the Irish Free State’s] refusal to provide support to Britain’s war efforts was another source of discord between some members of the wider community and those members of the Catholic community who objected to the English occupation of Northern Ireland.

In 1948 the West reported: “Today is St. Patrick’s Day. There will be no procession but much of the traditional celebration of the day will be revived. The central feature will be an open-air mass at Subiaco Oval…”

The short article includes the program for the day which included the sports and dancing events by school students that would form a major memory for students at Catholic schools in the next two decades. It also indicates that parts of this celebration were going to be broadcast to those who could not attend with the mass presented by 6WN, with the commentator the Rt Rev, Monsignor McMahon, and an evening radio concert on 6WF featuring the ABC orchestra along with individual artists and an ‘address’ by Mons.

McMahon.

This marked the start of the post-war trend to have Subiaco Oval as the main venue for St Patrick’s Day activities. One woman recalls that the journey included an exciting ride on now-defunct tram lines and then a ‘longish’ walk to the Oval.

These gatherings were held under watchful eye of Irish-born Archbishop Redmond Prendiville. The day would start with mass during which Mrs Foley recalls that the girls’ and

boys’ schools were “separated by a the event as being “part of school’s wide pathway.” Then the schools, program” and as it was a day off lesdisplaying their banners, would sons, mix with students from other march past the Archbishop on his schools after the formalities, it was dais. In the early days, sports events a widely anticipated and enjoyed were conducted along with dis- event. Sr Catherine O’Connor replays of Irish dancing. Some adults calls, “We thought it was great.”

The Record would carry reports would attend as spectators and the schools’ concert in the evening and photographs of the parade and drew crowds. As Sr Paula McAdam concert as well as details of the reobserved, “It was affordable enter- sults of sporting events. The stotainment at the theatre” so many ries would frequently mention the families looked forward to it as a numbers involved. In 1949, some 5,000 gathered at Subiaco special event.

Oval while in 1961, 10,000 Catholic schoolattended and in 1963 an children of this era impressive 11,000 people remember the events were present. very clearly but they Archbishop Prendivare seldom menille’s failing health in the tioned in the wider final years coincided with media. The mass and an increase in the number concert were someof Catholics of non-Irish times briefly reported heritage and so enthusiasm in the West Australian waned for St Patrick’s Day but people who were as a unifying Catholic feast. non-Catholic students Sr Paula noted that prior in this era have no recto an awareness of multiollection of the event. Archbishop Prendiville This insularity was a part of culturalism, students from postan era of what Fr Bruce Duncan war migrant families, such as those referred to as ‘ghetto-cohesion’ with Italian or Greek backgrounds, intended to combat the Catholic joined in the celebrations because Church’s ‘enemies’, particularly the “It was a day off school! Later St PatProtestant churches. Fr Duncan rick’s Day became less important to said that “This so-called ‘ghetto’ non-Irish residents.” These factors structure was a shrewd sociological contributed to dwindling numbers response to develop tight social co- at St Patrick’s Day events as the hesion as a defence against sectar- 1960’s progressed.

All references to major celebraian attacks … Catholics were kept together in a fervent and close-knit tions cease after 1968 when Archnetwork of overlapping structures bishop Prendiville was replaced by … (it) worked remarkably well for a the English-born convert, Lancelot century but required a sense of cul- Goody. For some years the celebratural isolation and vulnerability and tions of St Patrick’s Day were quiet and rarely mentioned in the press real enemies to make it credible.”

The traditions associated with even Catholic newspapers. Gradualthis Irish heritage were “well taught ly, by the 1990’s, the celebration bein Australia by Irish missionaries gan to regain popularity, returning and reinforced by members of the in a largely secular form although teaching orders, recruited from the feast day mass is still celebrated Ireland until the 1960’s. Although in churches and many schools esthere were sometimes murmurings tablished by Irish orders also celefrom the Australian-born clergy, brate the day with some festivities. bishops were overwhelming Irish, A parade is often held in one of the (and) St Patrick’s Day was a Catho- suburbs of Perth, such as Fremantle, on the Sunday nearest the feast day. lic ethnic festival.”

As many students of the era re- St Patrick’s Day has moved through call, every Catholic student attended phases of being a point of contact the celebrations, regardless of their with the wider community through own ethnic background. Because being a day of defiance to the curso many of the clergy and the nuns rent situation of being a day when were of Irish heritage, students many in the community join Irish and their families simply accepted Catholics in a joyful acknowledge-

62

continued on page 64

Executive

President: Eileen Ashley TCRG Vice President: Teresa McGorry TCRG Secetary: Samantha McAleer TCRG Treasurer: Deirdre McGorry TCRG AIDA Inc Delegate: Hilary McKenna TCRG School Contacts SCOIL RINCE NI BHAIRD Lynwood Tony Ward TCRG 0427 273 596 SCOIL RINCE NI CEIDE/UPTON Subiaco/Woodvale/Kalamunda Samantha McAleer TCRG 9405 6255/0414 188 784 EIREANN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Como, Jandakot & Rockingham Siobhan Cummins TCRG 0422 075 300 KAVANAGH STUDIO OF IRISH DANCE Osborne Park & Melville kavanaghirishdance.com.au

Teresa McGorry TCRG 0412 155 318 Deirdre McGorry TCRG 0400 077892 / 92551375 O’BRIEN ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCING Butler, Kinross, Subiaco Rose O’Brien ADCRG 94016334 / 0423382706 O’HARE SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Wembley Downs & Osborne Park Jenny O’Hare TCRG 0422 239 440 SAOIRSE SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCING Caramar Sinead Hoare TCRG 0414 647 849 THREE CROWNS SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE Warwick & Kingsway Eleanor Rooney TCRG 0449 961 669 TRINITY STUDIO OF IRISH DANCING Morley Eileen Ashley TCRG 0413 511 595 WA ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCING Malaga Glenalee Bromilow ADCRG 9276 3737/0410 584 051 Sue Hayes TMRF 9377 5600 Hilary McKenna TCRG 0404 730 532

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc. WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WELCOME TO “MAD MARCH” If you like Irish dancing then March is the month for you. In the Irish dancing world we refer to this month as “Mad March”. Every weekend is filled with dancing displays, concerts and Feisanna. So dancers are practicing, mums are sewing and everyone is preparing for the crazy month ahead.

There are many local Fairs at this time of year as well as Multicultural or Harmony week from the 15th to 21st March.

Our first Feis (Irish dancing competition) for 2015 is on the weekend of 21st and 22nd.

March is also a popular month for weddings, so there are always a few extra evening dance outs.

But the most celebrated day in March, is of course, March 17th, St Patrick’s day. Every Irish pub in Perth, with space for a few Irish dancers, will be filled with the sounds of jigs, reels and tapping hard shoes as dancers from all the Perth schools honor their Irish heritage with their love of Irish dance.

This is a great opportunity for our dancers to raise funds for their travels to interstate and overseas championships. So if you see the hat being handed around please throw in a few coins.

If you’re working or in school on St Patrick’s Day don’t forget you can see all the dancers in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Leederville, Sunday 15th March. This is also another great day to catch a dance display in your local Irish pub, especially around Leederville.

Good luck to our Irish dancers, and Happy St Patrick’s day from all the Irish dancers of Perth. As you can see, it will be hard to get through March without seeing at least one Irish dancer.

Shadow Minister for Mental Health; Disability Services & Child Protection PO Box 2440, SOUTH HEDLAND WA 6722 stephen.dawsonmp@mp.wa.gov.au (08) 9172 2648 • 1800 199 344 (toll free)

63

St Pats Parade 2014

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Drop in and say hi to our friendly staff The Mezz Shopping Centre Scarborough Bch Rd, Mt Hawthorn (Entrance off Flinders St - Opp Woolworths)

Phone: 9242 5521

“Taste 32 Cafe & Deli” continued from page 62

ment of the contribution and cultural identity of those with an Irish Catholic heritage.

Aithne Dell traces her Irish heritage back to Tipperary and County Tyrone. “My mother’s grandparents, James and Annie McCaughey, left Ireland in 1867 first travelling to North America and then coming to Australia,” Aithne told Irish Scene. “Bridget and Johanna St John, two sisters, arrived on one of the ‘Bride Ships’ in 1853 and worked in the Toodyay area before Bridget, my great-great grandmother, married Alfred Lee and moved to Perth.”

She entered this essay - which has been edited - into the 2013 local history awards run by Subiaco Council.

Coincidentally, this was the same year that saw the return of a parade in Perth - in the City of Vincent - for St. Patrick’s Day. The parade was the result of the stirling work and enthusiasm of the ladies at Irish Families in Perth and the full support of the then mayor Alannah McTiernan (a long serving friend of the Irish community in Perth) and her successor (John Carey) when she entered federal politics, and well as sympathetic

commercial supporters. This year’s parade, I believe, is being crowd funded. Please consider donating. The amount of time and costs involved in staging the parade - and cultural festival - is staggering but a generous and collective response by the vibrant and ever expanding Irish population in Perth will help to make it a successful and memorable occasion.

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as soon as he saw the Scot getting closer and closer on the causeway, he realised Benandonner was much, much bigger than he had imagined!

Finn skidaddled back home to the Fort-of-Allen in County Kildare, and told his wife he’d picked a fight but now he wanted to chicken out.

When Benandonner knocked on his door, Finn’s wife, Oonagh, thought with David MacConnell quickly. She opened the door to Benandonner saying, “Sure it’s a pity but Finn is away hunting deer in County Kerry. (A likely story!)

Would you like to come in anyway and wait? I’ll show you into the Great Hall for to sit down after your I hope you will have a good one journey.” and if you Oonagh then threw a loaf of bread read on to the huge baby in the bath-crahere, I have dle and, peeping out from a huge a suggestion sheet-like dress and bonnet was where you Finn MacCool himself, contentedly might win a trip to Ireland sucking his thumb. for TWO. Of Being no fool, Benandonner course if your thanked Oonagh for her hospitality friend from and said he would wait no longer, Frankfurt but return to Scotland before the wins it, a trip tide came in. Finn leapt from the to Germany cradle, thanked Oonagh for her or Spain can shrewdness, and chased Benandoneasily be arranged. ner out of Ireland.

You can even take Passing Portadown and the money! Now on towards County Antrim, in Perth we had Finn scooped a huge clod our visit from the of earth out of the ground “Giants”, which I am to fling at the retreating sure you all visited.

Scot. The hole filled up Of course in Ulster with water and became the in the past, we had biggest Lough in Ireland – our own “Giants”.

Lough Neagh! The clod he I am certain flung missed its target and you all remember landed in the middle of the the story of Finn Irish Sea – it became The MacCool whose most fearsome Isle of Man!! enemies were the Scottish giants. I hope you agree with me that Finn was so angry, and deterFinn’s story is much more exciting mined to get at them, that he built than the diver and his niece! Well a whole causeway from Ulster maybe not! across the sea to Scotland. He built it of unusual six-sided cobblestones, so they would fit neatly together like a honeycomb, and they made a very pretty pavement indeed.

To continue the story, Finn challenged the Scottish giant Benandonner, The Red Man, to cross the causeway and fight him. But

ULSTER

Rambles

Happy St Patricks’ Day!

Looking to Hire a Car in Ireland?

“What’s this got to do with St. Patrick?” you might well ask. Let me know if you work out an answer. (just email Fred!)

Now It is claimed that when Saint Patrick came to Ireland in 432, strong currents swept his boat through the Strangford Lough tidal narrows and he landed where the Slaney River flows into the lough.

The local chieftain, Dichu, was quickly converted and gave him a barn for holding services.

Allegedly, Saint Patrick died in Saul on 17 March 461 and is buried in nearby Downpatrick as I mentioned in my article at this time last year and is of course the birthplace of yours truly!

The modern “Saint Patrick’s Memorial Church” is built on the reputed spot of this building and includes a replica round tower as you can see in the photograph. Close by, on the crest of Slieve Patrick is a massive statue of Saint Patrick with bronze panels showing scenes from his life.

All well and good but what about that holiday to Ireland I mentioned at the beginning of the article. Well for the best info on the subject, you need to go on facebook and look up Danny Murphy’s Bar and Grill in Alexander Heights. I can certainly recommend the Guinness there and the food is excellent. Oh yeah and a little plug for me here! My band the Fiddlestick Trio will be there on Sunday 15th 4:30 onwards and on St. Patricks Day 11:30 until 3 or thereabouts. Check yourselves for more details on the day. Hope to see youse all there at some time….if not, I hope you all have a very happy St. Patrick’s Day.

www.dan-dooley.ie 67

WAGS Western Australian Genealogical Society Inc. Irish Special Interest Group The Irish Special Interest Group’s year kicked off in January with Western Australian Genealogical Society (WAGS) member Graham Mahony sharing his experiences of hiring a professional Irish genealogist to help him with his research. Important points he made included: use someone professionally qualified in genealogy, local to the area you’re researching, and put a cap on costs by getting an estimate, using a detailed brief of what you know and what you want them to find out.

During his later visit to Ireland he employed the same genealogist for a day to take him to places where his ancestor had lived and worked.

This really enriched the experience, he said. Graham’s presentation slides are on the Irish SIG webpage on the WAGS website.

County Research Guides: Because a lot of Irish family history records are dispersed across the island, only partly indexed, transcribed and digitised, it’s often hard to find the records you need in your family history research when you are as far away as Australia. The Western Australian Genealogical Society’s Irish Special Interest Group is developing research guides for each Irish county in the Republic as well as in Northern Ireland. It will take a while - there are 32 counties! We’ll also develop a special guide to help those who don’t know which county their Irish ancestor came from. If you’d like to get involved in this project come along to a meeting or contact us by email. You may only know a few good sources of information, but that is how we’ll be able to build good guides, by everyone contributing what they know.

We’re starting off with counties where there’s been most interest to date – Cork, Dublin and Carlow.

Some of our October meeting time will be devoted to working on this project. If you would like

A S S O C I AT I O N B U N B U RY W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A

to get involved with these or other counties, come to the next meeting or do get in touch E irish@wags.org.au.

Commemorative Meal: On Tuesday 30 June the Irish Special Interest Group will share a special Irish pub meal commemorating the explosion at the Four Courts on 30 June 1922 during the Battle of Dublin.

The ensuing fire caused the destruction of many precious genealogical records. Many people think everything was lost.

Not true - many census records had already been pulped! So we will mourn the losses and celebrate the challenge that is Irish family history research.

And there’s nothing like a good Irish wake. More information will be on the WAGS website - the Irish SIG page and the Irish SIG Forum. Come and join us!

Next meeting Sun 19 April 2pm: Three knowledgeable group members will speak at the April gathering. Mike O’Brien will share some of his knowledge about the evictions in Cork, Mike Kiely will talk about his Kiely and Barrie research, including a fruitful trip along the DNA path. And Lynne Roberts will discuss William Thompson (1775-1833) an important Irish social reformer and philosopher.

Later meetings this year will on 19 July and 18 October.

All meetings are held at WA Genealogical Society, 48 May Street, Bayswater. More information on the WAGS webpage> Events. Visitors and new members welcome.

Slainte!

Jenni Ibrahim, Convenor, Irish Special Interest Group Email irish@wags.org.au

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A weekend of pure ‘Craic & Culture’

John Boyle O’Reilly Association is proud to present two days of pure ‘Craic and Culture’ in the City of Bunbury on ANZAC Day long weekend.

7.00pm ANZAC Day Sat April 25: Kick-up your heels to the rhythms of WA’s top Irish band ‘Sparrow’ at ‘Waters Edge’ Cafe/ Function Centre, Cobblestone Drive, Bunbury, followed by (8pm) the award winning play ‘Under Any Old Gum Tree’ written & directed by Noel O’Neill.

9.15pm: Irish musician virtuoso Fiona Rea (Sparrow) launches her song ‘Banks of the Collie River’ in memory of Victoria Cross winner Martin O’Meara (Under Any Old Gum Tree).

9.30pm: Presentation of the ‘Manea Award’ (named in honour of the late Dr Ernie Manea).

10.00pm: More rhythms from ‘Sparrow’ until late.

10.00am Sun April 26: Join tour guide Peter Murphy on the John Boyle O’Reilly Heritage Trail on the picturesque Leschenault Peninsula (Buffalo Rd) Australind and learn more about one of the most amazing escapes in WA’s convict history.

11.00am: Join the John Boyle O’Reilly faithful at the JBO Memorial site (Buffalo Road) as they pay homage to the great man himself with lashings of poetry, yarn and song.

Tickets are $60pp and include entry to play, finger food (tapas), music by Sparrow and guided tour.

Drinks are available at bar prices.

Bookings: contact Tom Dillon on 0417 986 298 or 97 214 202 or email: bdillon1@bigpond.com JBOA recommend the heritage listed Rose Hotel for your accommodation and meals Ph 97 214 533 or info@rosehotel.com.au For more information: www.jboreilly.org.au or www.facebook.com/jboreilly If you’re thinking of staying over on the Sunday night, Sparrow will again strike-up their Celtic rhythms at the Yabberup Hall (Shire of Donnybrook) on the Sunday afternoon. Tickets are available phone Chris Wessling on 97 321 258.

This months Guest:

Colin Smiley What was your first job?

Lorry driving, distributing Personality Beauty Products from Liverpool throughout England. I don’t think the free samples I was given, worked too well!

Do you have an iphone or laptop?

I’m a latter day Luddite when it comes to IT! I use a not so smart mobile phone and an office PC. What has been the best year of your life?

1991 An extended trip to my family in Co. Down, with my wife, Krys and son, Eamonn (then 7).

What is your favourite sport and sporting hero?

Cricket and E. Smiley, who took 9 wickets in an innings, when Mt. Lawley trounced Dianella. Sadly he didn’t ever play for Australia. Sometimes parents can read too much into under 16s sport!

What is your favourite song and singer?

I cannot answer this impossible question, in the singular! Planxty, Dolores Keane , Sean Keane, Sean Tyrrell, Stan Rogers and a different folk/trad song every month!

What is your earliest childhood memory?

In my Ulster family home, sitting in a highchair with my Gran feeding me. “Choo, choo, choo, open your mouth, here comes the train”. Thankfully I’m a less fussy eater now!

What is the best TV program and why?

The Doctor Blake Mysteries on the ABC. Top Australian crime/drama and free from ads too!

Do you use social media and if so, which one?

Just Emails!

If you could be anyone famous for a day, who would it be?

A young and healthy Luke Kelly. Oh to be able to sing like that!

What are you most afraid of, or who?

There are some most unpleasant diseases going around the world at present, but I realised an even deeper fear a few days ago, when Mr. Synnott knocked on my door and proceeded to interrogate me with unanswerable questions. Talk about mental anguish, stress and sleepless nights. I can imagine what imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay would be like.

Where do you get your news from (eg TV, internet, papers)?

Newspapers, radio, TV, the net, neighbours and other gossipers.

Who is your favourite actor and film?

Oscar Isaac in “Inside Llewyn Davis”. My favourite film of 2014. Oscar deserved an Oscar.

If there was one place on earth you could visit-where would it be?

Ireland, via New Zealand, Poland, Canada, the Vale of Cashmere and a few other places I’m still working on.

with Synnott

69

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Around the Irish scene... Compiled by Fred Rea Opening of Solas Orthodontics

At Opening, Dan O’Connor with his parents from Cork Donal and Lena and sisters Nicole, Ailin and Dan’s partner Simone

Solas is officially opened by local Cricket star Brad Hogg

Fr Fritz Kelly of Greyfriars Folk Club in early 70’s in Perth with Sean Roche.

Fr Fritz now lives in Wexford and is in fine form Sean tells us.

Octogenarian Rita Fallon has lots to smile about.

Proud grand-dad Dermot Byrne with great granddaughter Mackenzie Josephine Loomes.

Two of our Facebook Happy TAYTO COMPETITION WINNERS!

New President of Irish Golf Club Peter McKenna.

Big boosts to fill following a Corkman, Fada!

Fine lot of young ladies celebrating Women’s Little Christmas at Veronica Byrnes place. Louis did the cooking!!!

Guess who turned 50?

CIARAN!

Eileen Philomena Quinn Brian Cotter parents recently visited Perth. They called out to see Tony Sheehan.

Photo: Mick and Mary Cotter, Tony, Pat and of course a surprised Maisie

Send your photos to fred@irishscene.com.au

Born to this life 27 October 1931 Born to eternal life 15 February 2015

To Colm, Colleen, Julie, Eamon, Jayde, Sinead, Eamon, Adrian, Bernadette and Nicholas our sincere condolences.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anama

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with Marguerite O’Dwyer The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

BBQ Jerk Chicken with Mango Salsa

Serves 4-6 INGREDIENTS For the chicken 1 large free range chicken, cut into breasts, wings and legs 2 chilli’s, finely diced 3 limes 4 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, minced 3 teaspoons of all spice 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon of dried oregano 6 sprigs of fresh thyme 2 tablespoons of honey 6 tablespoons of tomato ketchup For the salsa • 2 ripe mangos, peeled, stone removed and roughly chopped in chunks.

• 1/2 cucumber, center removed and diced • 4 spring onions, finely chopped • 1 small chilli, deseeded and finely chopped • Juice of 1 lime • 2 tablespoons of olive oil • Sea salt and ground black pepper • A good handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped.

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1. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag and add in the rest of the chicken ingredients. Seal the bag and give it a good shake until everything is completely combined and the chicken is evenly coated.

2. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight if you have the time.

3. Combine all the ingredients for the salsa (except the coriander) in a mixing bowl and season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Mix through the coriander when you’re ready to serve.

4. Remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook. Get the BBQ to a medium high heat and cook the chicken pieces for 15 minutes turning only once during the cooking time, until the chicken is completely cooked through.

5. The different pieces will take slightly different cooking times so a good way to check if they are cooked is to insert a meat thermometer at the thickest part and check that it registers 82.2˚C for drumsticks and thighs and 73.9˚C for breasts.

6. Serve the chicken with the mango salsa.

Strawberry Summer Cake Serves 8

INGREDIENTS For the sponge 3 large eggs 225g of caster sugar 50g of butter, melted 100ml of milk 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 210g plain flour 2 teaspoons of baking powder For the filling and topping 80g of strawberry jam 300g of strawberries, hulled 250ml of cream

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1. Preheat the oven to 175oC and grease and line two x 8 inch spring form baking tins.

2. Using a handheld electric mixer, beat the sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy.

3. Mix the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract together in a measuring jug and pour into the sugar and egg. Mix through to combine.

4. Sieve the flour and baking powder into the bowl. Using a spatula, gently fold in to the cake mix until completely smooth and combined.

5. Divide the mix evenly between the two baking tins and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

5. Allow the cake to cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

6. When both cake layers are completely cooled, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Sieve the jam into a bowl to ensure it is really smooth.

7. If the cake layers have a peak in the middle make sure to slice it off so you are left with perfectly flat layers.

8. Place one layer on a cake stand and dollop with half the cream, spread evenly and then drizzle with the smooth strawberry jam.

Carefully place the second cake layer on top and add the remaining whipped cream and strawberries.

Marguerite O’ Dwyer The Cure Tavern Irish bar & restaurant

Ireland Western Australian Forum

Promoting business, professional and cultural links between Ireland and Western Australia

ST PATRICK’S DAY BREAKFAST

INTERNATIONAL RULES PREVIEW EVENT - Legends of the Game

Held at The Irish Club, this event saw legendary GAA figure, Mìcheàl Ò Muircheartaigh and an expert panel including Tadhg Kennelly and Ross Glendinning in attendance. Ross is a former AFL Brownlow medallist who has been inducted into the AFL hall of fame. All shared some war stories from past tours and previewed the upcoming test match.

It was a very enjoyable event with a good turnout.

Discussing the property market in Perth

Join Bill Marmion and a panel of speakers to discuss the property market in Perth for this year’s St Patrick’s Day IWAF breakfast.

A civil engineer by profession, Mr Marmion spent many years working for the state government agency responsible for Western Australian roads. Much of his time was spent in regional Western Australia, including the Goldfields and the Kimberley.

As an engineer, Mr Marmion served as President of the WA Division of Engineers Australia and for 3 years prior to entering Parliament in 2008, was the Chairman of the Engineering Excellence Awards for the State. His current portfolios are Mining and Petroleum, and Finance.

St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast When: Tuesday 17th March, 7.30AM Where: Parmelia Hilton, 14 Mill St, Perth Registration: $50 Registrations for this event are strictly limited so be quick to secure your seat.

Online Bookings: http://irelandwaforum.org Enquiries: info@irelandwaforum.org

and had missed being in team management which I had done for almost 20 years, in Perth and in Sydney so when John approached me and asked me to take up the reins at Liberties I was delighted to do so”. The Committee members, like the club itself, are young and still finding their way in WA football but they are excited about the challenges ahead and looking forward to them.

Liberties ambition is to be a strong competitive team in the highest league it can attain and everyone is working towards that end. The club is looking for new players who are here from Ireland for work or to live and are looking to play a decent level of competitive football at a good club. As well as being ambitious and highly competitive the club also guarantees you will have some craic Anyone interested in joining the Club should contact Bill Byrne on 0499 248 715 or by Email to bill.byrne@hotmail. com.

The club also has a Facebook page which is open to all.

Look for LIBERTIES FC on FB

Liberties FC looking forward to 2015 Founded in Perth in 2013 and two Social League Championships wins later, Liberties FC are looking forward to stepping up to the Sunday Amateur League in 2015 Deriving its name from “The Liberties” area of Dublin the club has a mainly Irish playing group but, in keeping with the history of the Dublin Liberties, it welcomes members from all walks of life and from all countries.

“It’s all about the football” said President John Keogh recently and we welcome everyone to the club, although we will always remain true to our Dublin roots. New First Team Manager, Bill Byrne, is a Dub with family connections to the Liberties area and he is looking to recruit a strong squad of 34-36 players for the coming season. “I had been an administrator at a State League club (Shamrock Rovers)

72

COLIN MERREY

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS

Hello, and welcome to the St Patrick’s Day and Easter edition of our wonderful Magazine. I trust you are all fully recovered from your Summer holidays and back ensconced at work, school, retirement, etc. I did a lot more reading over my Summer break and the results of this can be seen by my scribblings below!

So without further ado, I’ll continue with my favourite booksellers - don’t forget that if you should have problems finding a good new- or second hand bookseller, you can try any/all of the following – Corona Books shop at Warwick Shopping Centre – ask for Mark – he is extremely helpful with any book queries and orders you may need assistance with.

Stefen’s Books in Shafto Lane in Perth City. Stefen is very helpful and a good supporter of the Irish Scene Dymocks at Whitford City – ask for Tracey (and other locations throughout the State and Metropolitan Area) In the realm of Second Hand booksellers I generally visit Pulp Fiction – who have stores (again) at Whitford City and also at Floreat Forum Shopping Centre – the proprietor is John who is a good supporter of our magazine.

Warwick Second hand Books at Warwick Shopping Centre Elizabeth’s Bookshop chain, which has shops in Fremantle, Perth City (Hay Street), and Subiaco to name but a few branches.

Guildford Book Exchange on the front in old Guildford Please remember too to let the various stores know who pointed you in their direction. The feedback is great for them and it shows me that you are actually taking the time to read what I have prepared for your enjoyment with each issue.

Ray Winstone is a multi awarded British actor and a great favourite of mine so I was delighted to get this great story of his most eventful life – from his days growing up in the East End of London to his TV and movie career.

Most fascinating and enjoyable.

NOT MY FATHER’S SON – ALAN CUMMING Allen and Unwin Hardback $35.00 Alan is a Scot who has made Then my work will not have been in a huge name for himself in vain, as it were!

British and American TV (you And so, to my featured book for may be aware that he plays this issue ENCOUNTERS – TONY CALLANAN a pivotal role in hit TV series “The Good Wife” as Eli Gold) and his I had an email a while back story is again a fascinating one. from Tony to introduce this, JUDI: BEHIND THE SCENES – his first, book to me and he JUDI DENCH sent me a copy so I could Hachette Hardback $45.00 read it and tell you about it.

Judi Dench is one of my favourite I must admit I really actresses and I read quite enjoyed this story of several a detailed biography of generations of a family in hers not long ago. The Loughrea Co Galway that spans the difference here is that this tumultuous period from the Easter great little book tells her Rebellion to virtually the present personal and professional day. Whilst the family’s story is a fascinating one, the book is steeped life story via the medium of both words and photographs. in the Irish history of the times Loved it – this will make a good and is a tale of intrigue, passion, deception and treachery – here, you addition to my personal library’s biography section. Enjoy! will see the horrors of war sitting side by side with love and revenge – 1,411 QI FACTS TO KNOCK YOU the innocence of youth being placed SIDEWAYS – JOHN LLOYD ET AL Allen and Unwin Hardback $22.99 in sharp contrast with the realities Yet another tome from the pen of of life in these turbulent times. those responsible for the research This is a self-published title and can only be obtained from Tony via and compilation of “Quite Interesting” facts for my his email Tony Callanan jacallan@ favourite TV show QI eircom.net or on line from Kenny’s featuring Stephen Fry, Alan bookshop in Galway - they ship Davies and a host of British worldwide. comedians. Loved it – just I urge you to get hold of a copy of as a foretaste, did you know this book by any means you can – you’ll love it, I know! Book available that traffic lights existed before cars???? Neither did I – Now read from: www.kennys.ie on…..

IN HIS OWN WRITE – And now to continue with a few JOHN LENNON biographies and autobiographies – Allen and Unwin Hardback $24.99 as you must know by now, I really The year 2014 marked 50 years do enjoy reading celebrities’ life since the publication of John stories – a lot came out in time for Lennon’s wonderful books “In His the Christmas market so here goes Own Write” and “Spaniard for this issue. You will appreciate in the Works”. To mark the that I don’t relate any of the books’ occasion, a new edition contents in these review notes as of each with a foreword I feel that it would spoil your own voyages of discovery into the stories by Paul McCartney has been published and I was as they unfold. pleased to receive the first YOUNG WINSTONE thereof to review on your behalf.

– RAY WINSTONE I read them both back in the Allen and Unwin Paperback $29.99 1960’s when they first came out

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and their humorous appeal hasn’t abated for me in the least. Loved the quirky little tales to be found therein – especially “No Flies on Frank” – a wonderful macabre romp. Mr Lennon’s acerbic wit stands out in each of these and in particular the first “In His Own Write”.

If you didn’t read them on their first outing then I urge you not to miss them now – they are a real treat.

VINYL – BARTMANSKI AND WOODWARD Bloomsbury Paperback $32.99 On a personal note, as a musician of many years standard and a lover of all forms of music, I found this book invaluable as a reference source and an excellent guide to the sonar differences between the modern CD (which is digital format) and the old vinyl LP (which is analogue format). The authors take us on a trip around the history of vinyl records explaining on the journey about the various stages in their development.

It is a fascinating study and one that I will keep in my personal reference library for many years to come. If you would like to know more about vinyl records (which are in fact making a determined comeback of late) then this book is for you.

SIX POETS: HARDY TO LARKIN – ALAN BENNETT (EDITOR) Faber Paperback $29.99 I am particularly fond of British and Irish poetry so was delighted to get this anthology when it came through my mailbox a while back.

The six poets of the title are Thomas Hardy (a particular favourite of mine), A.E. Houseman, John Betjeman, W.H. Auden, Louis MacNeice, and Philip Larkin. This book contains a lot of poems that I do not already have in my collection so I was more than glad to read it.

It also contains some of Alan Bennett’s feelings that he experienced on reading some of the poems together with some profound and at times witty portraits of their authors. If you enjoy a good poem (as I must say I certainly do) then you should go out

and buy this one post haste.

NEW SELECTED POEMS:1988 – 2013 – SEAMUS HEANEY Faber Hardback $39.99 This is the long awaited follow up collection to the “Selected Poems – 1966 – 1987” that I told you about a year or so back. There are some wonderful items in this superb collection and I will only say (again) that if you enjoy Irish poetry then you should get your hands on this collection from one of the most lauded poets ever to come out of Ireland. I really enjoyed it as no doubt the budding poets amongst you will, too.

EMPIRE – JOHN CONNOLLY and JENNIFER RIDYARD Hachette Paperback $32.99 This is the second novel in the “Chronicles of the Invaders” series of books that he has produced for young adults. It is a cracker of a book and ideally suited to his target young adult audience. Here, the two protagonists, one the trophy of a civilisation and the other its rebel captain, will together risk everything to make their world – and all other worlds – right again.

Brilliantly constructed and written by two of the best writers to come out of Ireland and England respectively. This one will make an exciting and much more beneficial Easter Egg replacement for the young adults in your lives – enjoy!

THE ITALIAN WIFE – KATE FURNIVAL Hachette Paperback $29.99 This is the new one from Kate and it is set in Italy in 1932 and covers (amongst other things) the story of a young female architect who is asked to watch her daughter for a moment – and then the child’s mother promptly ascends to the top of a nearby tower – and throws herself off the top!

This tale winds its way from marble piazzas to the picturesque hillside villages and winding streets of Rome itself.

A most intriguing and enjoyable tale – not just one for the ladies – it can’t be because I enjoyed it too.

Read and enjoy.

MURDER MYSTERY AND MAYHEM…….PLUS

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THE PPROPHECY OF BEES – R S PATEMAN Orion Paperback $29.99 If you enjoyed the psychological suspense thrillers “Before I Go To Sleep” and “Gone Girl” then this one is for you. The story begins as Lindy and her teenage daughter, Izzy, go to start a new life in Stagcote Manor – all goes well until Izzy gets strange feelings about the house and begins to research its history – the local villagers will not help hinting at STRANGE things that happened in the Manor’s past and superstition and obscure hints at the folklore of the village are talked about – but only in whispers!

Very spooky and very well contrived and written. Loved it – real edge of the seat stuff.

THE HUNTED – JAMES PHELAN Hachette Paperback $29.99 This is the second book in the Jed Walker series = the first was “The Spy” and I told you about that one a while back. Loved this story of Walker, who is an ex CIA agent who becomes a hunter to track down missing people and/or organisations that pose a terror threat to the USA. Here he is tracking the Zodiac group who it is believed is tracking down the US Navy Seals who killed Bin Laden.

But is all as it seems?????

A great spy thriller from a brilliant writer. Loved it – again it’s in my personal collection for keeps. Buy it and enjoy it too.

THE JOB – EVANOVICH AND GOLDBERG Hachette Paperback $29.99 Fresh from her last Stephanie Plum novel, Janet again teams up with Lee Goldberg to give us the third instalment of the Fox and O’Hare series. You may recall that these two are and undercover FBI agent and a master criminal who is “sub contracted” to the FBI to run scams on master criminals who can’t be touched in a normal legal fashion. This time it is the downfall of a chocolate loving drug lord whose downfall is being plotted.

This is a great series and, I think, superior to the Plum novels (which I none the less enjoy immensely).

Loved this instalment - long may

they reign and grace our reading rooms and libraries.

BREAKING CREED - ALEX KAVA Hachette Paperback $29.99 Alex Kava, creator of the brilliant Maggie O’Dell series of crime novels, has this time given us a spin off character in the form of Ryder Creed, who has appeared in earlier O’Dell stories. He is a dog handler and trains dogs to find drugs, bodies, etc.

This time, he tracks drug smugglers and illegal immigrants (to name but a few) and winds up as a target for the drug lords.

Loved it – Alex’s books are a joy to read and I really enjoy her work.

Hope you enjoy this one.

MALICE – KEIGO HIGAHINO Hachette Paperback $29.99 This wonderful author is known as the Japanese Stieg Larsson – a title well deserved. I have now read several of his books and this is amongst the best that he has written. In this one, a renowned Japanese author is found murdered and at first, the author’s best friend is suspected of the evil deed.

But is he??? There are so many twists and turns in this taut and terrific story that you don’t really know the outcome until the end – very much after the Agatha Christie style of writing – but with more tension.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

FOR VALOUR – ANDY McNAB Bantam Paperback $29.99 This is the latest in the Nick Stone series from Andy McNab – the most decorated British soldier of all time when he left the SAS. I love Andy’s tales of ex-SAS men and this is no exception. This time, Stone is asked to investigate the killing of a young SAS soldier in the Killing House – which is part of the SAS training facility in Hereford, UK. All is not as it seems at the start and he has many challenges before he reaches the end of his mission. Phew!!! This is really heady stuff and ranks as one of the best McNab books I’ve read in a while. If you like SAS and related books you’re gonna love this one.

PRIVATE VEGAS – JAMES PATTERSON and MAXINE PAETRO

Random House Paperback $32.99 James Patterson is one of the most prolific crime writers of the Western world – either solely or with his various collaborators, in this case Maxine Paetro with whom he writes the Women’s Murder Club series.

This is the latest in quite a long line of “Private” novels which to date have been set in some of the largest cities in the world.

His target this time is to apprehend two nasty pieces of work who claim diplomatic immunity as soon as they are picked up.

Then someone firebombs the car of Jack Morgan, head of Private Investigations, and he finds himself at loggerheads with his twin brother, amongst other notables.

His brother wants to get control of Private which he believes Jack got by various nefarious misdeeds from their father on his deathbed.

Now Read On….. You really will enjoy this one if you enjoy James’ work.

REDEMPTION ROAD LISA BALLANTYNE Hachette Paperback $29.99 Lisa is a Scottish author who is a new one on me. I enjoyed this novel which begins with the rescue of a woman from a burning car (in 2014 in London) by an unknown stranger.

From there we are taken back to Scotland in 1985 where a twisty/turny story is born of a crime family and its relationship to the abduction of a young female child.

If I told you any more it would spoil it for you but rest assured after quite a tortuous journey partly set in the present and partly by way of flashbacks this story develops into one of the most intriguing that I have read. If you love British crime then this one is definitely for you.

Hope you love it as much as I did.

I have saved the two best crime novels for this issue till last – you will see why as I describe them to

you.

DEADLINE – JOHN SANDFORD Simon & Schuster Paperback $29.99 John Sandford, author of the “Prey” series of books featuring Lucas Davenport, is one of my all time favourite writers. For me he can do no wrong and this one has proven to me again how good he really is.

This is the latest in the Virgil Flowers series (a character who is a spin-off from the Davenport books) – Virgil is an investigator who loves fishing as well as his work.

Here he gets involved with dog nappers, drug labs, and the like with the odd bit of School Board embezzlement thrown in for good measure.

The Virgil Flowers books have a lot more humour in them than the Davenport books but are none the less equally as engrossing – loved this one completely – buy it and enjoy it. If you haven’t read John Sandford before then you should be ashamed of yourselves – start with this one and then seek out the back catalogue. I know you won’t regret it if you do.

GUN STREET GIRL – ADRIAN MCKINTY Allen and Unwin Paperback $29.99 You may recall I told you in an earlier issue of the Scene that I had quite a long chat with Adrian (who is a Carrickfergus born writer who now lives in Melbourne) at the time of his last book “The Sun Is God”. At that time, he told me about this one which is the fourth instalment of the Sean Duffy series. He told me that, initially, he didn’t like series books and had stopped at three each for the Michael Forsythe and Sean Duffy characters.

But he said that this story fitted so nicely into the Sean Duffy scenarios that he had to break his own rule!

Set in 1985, Duffy gets himself involved with gunrunners, sectarian bombings and is sent to investigate some seemingly unrelated murders – but are they? Then one of his old contacts in MI6 reappears and wants him to quit the RUC (which

When you are old and gray and full of sleep, and nodding by the fire, take down this book and slowly read, and dream of the soft look your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

William Butler Yeats 75

don’t like him anyway because they are Protestants and he is the sole Catholic in their midst!) and join MI6. What a convoluted story!

Unforeseeable ending – hopefully (please Adrian) there is room for a fifth in the series. This one is a must have – I have all of Adrian’s available books in my library – if you haven’t read at least one of them in the past then you are truly missing out on a real treat.

Well that’s it for books this issue.

Remember, if I haven’t heard of an author before or if it is a new author, I hope you will take my recommendations into consideration when selecting your reading matter for the summer holidays and indeed the future and give them a good go. I will say no more at this juncture and wish you happy

Colin Merrey that received 5 stars from MOJO magazine) as well as cutting-edge Canadian composer the late Oliver Schroer.

Fairbridge is a great Celebration of Music! Dont Miss it! Visit.... www.fairbridgefestival.com.au

UPCOMING

Top Irish Act Nuala Kennedy for Fairbridge

Fairbridge Festival is Western Australia’s most popular family camping festival. This friendly celebration of folk, roots, blues, acoustic, Celtic, a capella and world music takes place annually in April, in the traffic-free, self-contained bushland site of Fairbridge Village on the South West Highway, 5 km north of Pinjarra and 100 km south of Perth’s outlying south-eastern suburbs.

Fairbridge Village makes a wonderful festival site. Graceful, mature bushland and sweeping views over the Darling Escarpment provides a picturesque and peaceful background to the festival. Music spills from numerous marquees and permanent buildings; colourful markets add vibrancy and delight; delicious aromas waft over the catering areas; and everywhere are the sights and sounds of happy people enjoying a fabulous weekend experience.

Its reputation has spread to the point where each year it receives well over 500 applications from acts, Australia-wide, wanting to play; and many internationals strive to make it a part of their touring schedule. It has stayed true to the original vision of catering to a family audience, and presents probably the largest children and youth programs, in proportion to the festival as a whole, of any such event in the country.

The festival is entering its 23rd year in 2015 and continues to go

reading, and see you all in the next issue. I hope you enjoy my recommendations as much as I have enjoyed reading them on both your and my own behalf.

Here’s wishing you all a very happy St Patrick’s day and Easter celebration with lots of good reading.

from strength to strength. In 2012, the Fairbridge Quest songwriting competition for high school-aged young people was launched and each year unearths amazing talent from across the state. Participants are supported with workshops and mentoring opportunities and win the chance to perform at the festival.

I have also been advised that Irish performer Nuala Kennedy will be appearing at the Fairbridge Festival on 14th April 2015. Her singing and flute playing springs from the traditional music of Ireland and Scotland, and from the fathomless realms of her own imagination.

A consummate performer with a buoyant personality, her music has been described as unique, evocative and soul-satisfying. Nuala grew up in Dundalk, Co. Leath in Ireland, an area which has long historical links with Scotland. It was in Edinburgh that Nuala’s passion for traditional music was further strengthened and where she honed her instrumental skills.

Nuala Kennedy is an internationally renowned flute player and singer in her own right, recently gracing the cover of Irish Music Magazine, Sing Out! and appearing regularly at festivals around the world. Also known for her songs and collaborations, she has performed and recorded with American songwriter Will Oldham (an album

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The incomparable ROD STEWART will be at the Perth Arena on 21st March 2015 with his Greatest Hits tour. Saw him with a similar show a year or so ago at Members Equity Stadium and it was a superb concert. This time, he is supported

by James Reyne, Aussie ex-lead singer of Australian Crawl. It promises to be a great night.

Also, Billy Connolly is making another trip downunder on 11th

March 2015 for some shows – he is a great showman and is always good value for money. You may recall that in an alter ego of mine back in the day (with The Colonials Band) we were lucky to support Billy at his Perth concerts in 1983 – I have put a photo here – do you remember everyone in it?

You can also expect a new CD of original material from local band Sparrow in the not too distant future as well as a new book from my good friend Lawrence Clarke – I am looking forward to both these events. Hope you are too.

Hope to see you at at least one of these events. If any other events come to my notice after the magazine is issued you can check on the Irish Scene’s Facebook page or website.

NotFadeAway

was an established Australian golf legend and will be sadly missed.

By COLIN MERREY

I am again saddened to have to tell you about some more notables who are no longer with us. This is the column that I least enjoy writing – because it means that some of my favourite people have passed and are no longer with us.

We lost Bernard William Jewry to prostate cancer on 23 October 2014 at the age of 72 years. He came to fame in Britain in the 1960’s as Shane Fenton but is arguably better known as Alvin Stardust during the early 1970s, cashing in on the glam rock bandwagon. He had several hit records under both stage names notably “I’m A Moody Guy” as Shane and “My Coo Ca Choo” as Alvin.

We lost Donna Douglas (born Doris Smith) on 1st January 2015 at the age of 82 years as a result of pancreatic cancer. She had many successful film and TV roles throughout a long career but is probably best known as Ellie May Clampett in the Beverly Hillbillies.

Rodney Sturt “Rod” Taylor passed away following a heart attack on 7th January 2015 at the age of 84 years. He was an Australian actor of film and television and appeared in over 50 films, including leading roles in The Time Machine, The Birds, Young Cassidy, Dark of the Sun, The Liquidator, and one of my favourites of his Darker than Amber (where he played Travis McGee – a character created by one of my personal favourite authors, John D MacDonald).

The music world was saddened on 22nd December 2014 at the death from lung cancer of John Robert “Joe” Cocker, OBE. He was, as you are no doubt aware, an English rock and blues singer and musician who came to popularity in the 1960s.

He was known for his gritty voice,

spasmodic body movement in performance, and cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles. His cover of The Beatles’ “With a Little Help from My Friends” reached number one in the UK in 1968. He performed the song live at Woodstock in 1969, and at the Party at the Palace concert for the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 2002. His version also became the theme song for the TV series The Wonder Years.

His 1974 cover of “You Are So Beautiful”, reached number five in the US. Cocker was the recipient of several awards, including a 1983 Grammy Award for his US number one “Up Where We Belong”, a duet with Jennifer Warnes.

In 1993 her was nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Male, in 2007 was awarded a bronze Sheffield Legends plaque in his hometown. In 2008 he received an OBE at Buckingham Palace for services to music. Cocker was ranked number 97 on Rolling Stone’s 100 greatest singers list.

Some of you (who are of an age with me) may remember the wonderful Swedish actress Anita Ekberg (born Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg) who died on 11th January 2015 at the age of 83 years after a long and protracted illness. She was a Swedish actress, model, and sex symbol. She is best known for her role as Sylvia in the Federico Fellini film La Dolce Vita (1960). Ekberg worked primarily in Italy to which she became a permanent resident in 1964.

Kelvin David George “Kel” Nagle AM (21 December 1920 – 29 January 2015) was an Australian professional golfer best known for winning The Open Championship in 1960.

He won at least one tournament each year from 1949 to 1975. He

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Colleen Margaretta McCullough AO (married name Robinson, previously Ion-Robinson; 1 June 1937 – 29 January 2015) was an Australian author known for her mainly historical novels, her most well-known being The Thorn Birds.

She was born in 1937 in Wellington, in the Central West region of New South Wales, to James and Laurie McCullough.

Her mother was a New Zealander of part-Māori descent. During her childhood, the family moved around a great deal and she was also “a voracious reader”. Her family eventually settled in Sydney where she attended Holy Cross College Woollahra, having a strong interest in both science and the humanities.

Before her tertiary education, McCullough earned a living as a teacher, librarian and journalist, subsequently taking up medical studies in Australia, Britain and the USA.. It was while at Yale University that she wrote her first two books. One of these, The Thorn Birds, became an international best seller that in 1983 was turned into one of the most watched television mini-series of all time. In the late 1970s, after stints in London and Connecticut, she settled on the isolation of Norfolk Island, off the coast of mainland Australia, where she met her husband, Ric Robinson.

They married in 1984. Under his birth name Cedric Newton IonRobinson, he was a member of the Norfolk Legislative Assembly.

He changed his name formally to Ric Newton Ion Robinson in 2002.

Colleen McCullough died on 29 January 2015, at the age of 77, on Norfolk Island from apparent kidney failure after suffering from a series of small strokes. She had suffered from failing eyesight and was confined to a wheelchair.

May your gods go with you.

May you always have work for your hands to do.

May your pockets hold always a coin or two.

May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.

May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.

May the hand of a friend always be near you.

And may your heart be filled with gladness to cheer you.

From the Team at the Irish Scene 78

It is a good thing Richard is doing!

By Fred Rea

By the time this story is published, Richard O’Loughlin will be cycling from Sydney to Brisbane. Richard (son of Dubliners Jo and Arthur O’Loughlin) told the Irish Scene, “On 28 February I am going to do something I’ve never done before and that’s get on my bike and ride it 1100km’s from Brisbane to Sydney in 9 days to raise funds for a fantastic charity called Fighting Chance. The event is called the Tour de Chance and while I am looking forward to the challenge of the ride (I think!), the real motivator for me is obviously the good that the money raised from the ride will do for young people with disabilities.

That’s where you can really help.

Fighting Chance provides innovative work programs for youths and young adults with disabilities. Unfortunately far too many young and adult Australians with significant disabilities continue to lack opportunities to engage in purposeful and fulfilling education, skill development and work experience activities.

To create these opportunities, Fighting Chance has developed a unique and individualised model

Conor McGrory Writes...

In August last year I was involved in a motor accident and I am now a paraplegic. I smashed through my rehab and was discharged after just 6 weeks at Shenton Park Rehabilitation Hospital (I was initially told I would not be home before Christmas).

Less than six months after my accident, I am preparing for my first big event! In October 2015 I will be participating in the Mountain Biking event Cape to Cape over four days. This is an event for predominantly ablebodied people and I will be one of 3 paraplegics (amongst 1500 riders) competing.

I am hoping to raise funds to

of work hubs to get people of all abilities working. These work hubs focus on designing work programs suitable to each person’s individual skills and abilities, including work experience for secondary school students, internships for people with significant disabilities and supported employment within the Fighting Chance team. You can find out more about the wonderful work Fighting Chance does via the Tour de Chance website http://www. tourdechance.com.au Rich told the IS, “24 cyclists will ride together with the target of raising in excess of $400,000 for Fighting Chance - to fund its ongoing growth and development. The money raised by the Tour de Chance will be used to triple the number of people with a disability employed within the Fighting Chance social enterprises from 40 to 120 and take their first steps towards national expansion.

My personal goal is to raise $15,000 for Fighting Chance and to achieve this I need your support. I understand that there are many worthwhile causes out there and you can’t support them all”. Hopefully you can find some room for this charity. If you do decide to support Rich and this charity you can do so by sponsoring him via the attached

contribute towards an off road handcycle which I can use for this event. I am currently using a friend’s bike for training in the meantime.

There are also accommodation and entry fees for participating in this event too.

As one of only 3 paraplegic riders, it is clear that there needs to be greater awareness raised for these events. I am determined to make the most of my life now; I want to push others in my situation to make the most of theirs too. In participating in this event I hope to encourage other paraplegics to get on board with what the sporting world has to offer!

Anyone who would like to donate please visit gofundme.com/ conormcgrory Thank you to everyone for your consideration and support.

Conor McGrory

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link https://www.tourdechance. com.au/#/richardoloughlin.

You will automatically receive a tax receipt for your donation and the funds will be forwarded directly to Fighting Chance.

If you have any queries about the donation process, or questions about the ride, the fundraising dinner or Fighting Chance’s work, please contact Rich on 0417908882 or drop him an email Richard.O’Loughlin@woodside. com.au.

“It is a good thing that we are doing here. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Your support of Richard will be greatly appreciated.

Cian Bailey

Fundraiser for a Very Good Cause To be held at The Irish Club in Subiaco, on Saturday March 21st and Doors open at 7.30pm.

The Event is to raise funds for playground renovations for Castlereagh Special Needs School in Willetton. Legendary Irish Elvis impersonator Rocky Mills will be performing.

Rocky is Ireland’s No1 Elvis Impersonator and he’s coming down from Ireland for the month of March to visit his daughter Gemma and his little Grandson Cian Bailey, who’s 7 and has high Special Needs.

Gemma Bailey is on the school council at Castlereagh and they are trying to come up with ways of raising the money for the playground to be brought up to date. There are 60 amazing Special Needs Children attending Castlereagh, all ranging in ages from 4 up to 18, and all of them with varying degrees of disabilities.

They come from all over Perth to attend. Gemma told The Irish Scene, “This fundraiser is not just about trying to make money for the playground, it’s also to raise awareness about our school. It’s an amazing school, but hardly anyone knows that we exist.

This makes it much more difficult for us to fundraise. We are hoping they can reach out to the broader communities in Perth and with your support, it won’t take us 100 years to finish the playground”.

This is a very worthwhile project. For more information and if you would

like to make a donation call Gemma Bailey on 0430 527 397 or email Gemma t.gbailey@bigpond.com The Irish community had a story on Cian last year and Gemma sent us an update on his progress.

Letter from Tim and Gemma As you can see from his photo above, Cian is a big boy now, he’s 7 years old, and is attending Castlereagh School in Willetton. He is in year 2 and he just loves it! What a miracle!

We never thought that he’d make it this far! He’s been through a lot over the past few years. Apart from all of his other complex disabilities, he has also been diagnosed with Osteopenia and so this has been causing multiple kidney stones on a regular basis.

Cian has now been passing kidney

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stones for the last 2 years, having to go through many periods of time in horrendous pain. He is also going to have hip surgery sometime in the near future, as both his hips are migrating out. He has endured so much in his short life so far, but in between the bouts of pain and discomfort, his many seizures, and our many trips into PMH, Cian always tries to keep the best side out. He is the bravest little boy we know. He brings us so much joy and love on a daily basis. He puts everything into perspective for us.

He has an infectious smile and an amazing personality, and is an inspiration to us all. We are blessed to have him in our lives. We feel so lucky that he chose us to be his parents.

Sincerely Tim and Gemma Bailey

Saint Patrick’s Day Message 2015 from Irish Ambassador

to come together, to reflect upon and to celebrate what is best in our shared heritage, in a spirit of inclusiveness, embracing all traditions and cultures. The Irish community in Perth and Western Australia is a strong, vibrant and cohesive one. Support for those in need is always forthcoming. Volunteers give of their time and expertise to support cultural, sport and community needs. This is a good time to reflect on and acknowledge with deep gratitude that important contribution.

I am most grateful to Fred for the opportunity to send Saint Patrick’s Day greetings to the Irish community in Western Australia.

In keeping with well-established tradition, Saint Patrick’s Day is the occasion when Irish people all over the world celebrate their shared heritage.

Major buildings and landmarks will go green for the occasion. And here in Australia parades and festivals will take place across the country.

The Government will be represented at events around the world, including in Australia. This is an important opportunity for members of the Government to meet the Irish diaspora, but it also provides a platform from which to showcase Ireland and to promote trade and investment between Ireland and Australia. This contributes to the overriding objective of driving the Irish economy forward and, most importantly, creating jobs.

I look forward to spending time in Perth over the Saint Patrick’s period. In the meantime, I wish all my compatriots a happy and a safe festive period.

With very best wishes Noel White Ambassador

Above all though, this is a time for communities

consists of 8 individuals who each hold down fulltime jobs while giving their time to the Claddagh Committee.

Who have we helped?

In 2014 we provided assistance for over 170 causes.

We assisted 7 families with repatriation back to Ireland through the wonderful support of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

Who are we?

Joan Ross - President, Tom Quinn - Vice President, Aisling Ellingham - Treasurer, Abbie Kelly - Secretary, Liz O’Hagan - Public Relations & Membership Officer, Donna McFadden, Ronan Doyle, Elaine Doyle Committee Members

How can you help?

Here at the Claddagh we recently celebrated our 18th anniversary. Although the committee has changed, the landscape in which we operate has changed BUT our commitment to the Irish community in WA remains the same.

What do we do?

The Claddagh Association offers short term crisis assistance. We help and guide people in times of crisis whether it be illness, sudden death, accidents or the like. We provide emotional support and act as a facilitator to Irish people across Western Australia who have no other support or do not know how to seek support. We provide short term financial support through our fundraisers and sponsors. Our committee

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We need to keep fundraising and we need a team of volunteers that we can call upon when needed. We encourage the readers of the Irish Scene to become a Member of Claddagh and keep up to date with all our news. Email admin@claddagh.org.au for a Membership Form. Membership from now until 30/06/16 is $20.00.

To find out more please email admin@claddagh.org.au or for Support please phone 0403 972 265 and leave a message and a committee member will get back to you.

PLEASE SUPPORT US TO SUPPORT YOU! Thank you, Liz O’Hagan, Claddagh Committee

N•E•W•S

By Lloyd Gorman

DUBLIN – ‘PALS: THE IRISH AT GALLIPOLI’

Between 2 February and 30 April 2015 the National Museum of Ireland, Decorative Arts and History, Collins Barracks, will host Pals: the Irish at Gallipoli. Award-winning theatrical producers ANU Productions present an immersive World War One experience, based on the events surrounding the campaign at Gallipoli in Turkey and inspired by the previously untold stories of the 7th Battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers – and the everyday lives of Irish people who were affected by the Great War. This newly commissioned interactive theatrical piece is a partnership between ANU Productions, the National Museum of Ireland and the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht in association with the National Archives of Ireland. The project is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht.

The show will run Wednesday to Sunday each week, with five public performances a day.

PERTH - STANDING ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS

The mammoth start to the Perth International Arts Festival in mid February was a big deal for the WA capital. More than a million people turned out to watch the goliath puppets move around the city. The event also tipped its hat to the centenary of the Anzac tradition. Over the course of the three days a large cannon following the Giants shot 150,000 postcards into the waiting throngs as souveniers. The postcards were all dedicated to soldiers who served in World War 1, including two

Irish men. Sgt Martin O’Meara of the 16th Battalion who was born in Lorrha, Co. Tippeary in 1885 and later emgiratd to Australia. O’Meara earned a Victoria Cross medal for pulling 25 wounded Diggers into safety from no-man’s land all the time while under heavy fire.

Lance Corporal William Calderwood, was born in Belfast who was in the Royal Navy for 12 years before he came to Australia.

Calderwood landed at Gallipoli on April 25 but disappeared. Almost a year later a military enquiry declared that he had been killed in action on April 25, 1915 and his name is on the Lone Pine Memorial to the missing.

GALLIPOLI – THE SINGER WILL PLAY WALTZING MATILDA

Acclaimed singer and Scot Eric Bogle – who toured in Perth recently – is to perform at a special Anzac Day Dawn service in Turkey.

Bogle is also an accomplished songwriter and the popular and haunting ballads he has penned – including And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda and The Green Fields of France – have endured with audiences over decades.

The singer who wrote And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda as a tribute to our soldiers’ courage and sacrifice – and to highlight the futility of war – said he feels nervous about singing in Turkey “to the ghosts of all those boys that I wrote the song for”.

Bogle, whose grandfather served during the First World War, said he was hoping that by singing his song near the location where the Anzacs fought and died he will feel his journey with the song will finally come full circle.

COLLIE SHIRE PRESIDENT FOR LORRHA

President of the Collie Shire Council Wayne Sanford is planning to visit the Tipperary home of Martin O’Meara, VC at the end of April after a tour to Gallipoli. He may be accompanied by students from the Collie Senior High School who visit the former battlefield every second year. Martin O’Meara was a sleeper cutter near Collie when he enlisted in Australian Imperial Force.

Wayne will tell readers the story of his visit to Lorrha in our next edition as well as his AnzacCove visit.

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New Irish Dancing School As the audience at the Point Depot rose to their feet in applause during the interval act of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, six year old Eleanor Rooney looked in awe from her home in Limerick cIty. “I said, ’Mam I want to do that’.

That’s what I’ve always dreamed off - performing on stage in front of thousands of people.

Today, Eleanor is 25 has and gone on to fulfil her dream. She has danced professionally with various renowned Irish dance shows such as ‘Rhythm of the Dance’. Irish dancing has allowed her to travel extensively and dance worldwide in countries such as America, Canada, China, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland and back to her home city in Ireland.

Performing in front of audiences of thousands from all over the world was always her favourite part of her Irish dancing.

Eleanor started Irish dancing at the age of 6 with the acclaimed ‘Fleming-Ball School of Irish Dancing in Limerick City Ireland, under the instruction of Linda Ball- Hoban (ADCRG).

Eleanor’s competitive and adventurous spirit lead her to develop a true passion for Irish Dance. Over the years she has competed at the highest level of competition. She qualified for the World Championships on numerous occasions during her competitive career, placing top three in the regional qualifying rounds at ‘Oireachtas Rince Na Mumhan’ (Munster Championships). Competition has taken her all over Ireland, England, Scotland and America during her 15 years of competitive dance.

In 2014 after 5 years of travelling, Eleanor’s love for Irish dance took her to the next level and she was awarded her TCRG (registered teacher with CLRGIrish Dance Commission in Ireland).

Eleanor always had a love for Australia, especially the beautiful weather.

Following her touring years Eleanor moved to Perth to join her long term partner Gerard who has being living in Perth since 2012. Eleanor knew straight away she wanted to open her school in

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WA And to pass on her love and passion for Irish Dance to everyone she meets.

“There are so many Irish families here. My aim is to form a supportive community for children and their families through Irish dance” Eleanor’s new dancing school ‘Scoil Rince Trí Mullaigh- The Three Crowns School of Irish Dancing will open its doors in March 2015. The school offers training for dancers who are looking to perform, compete or simply have an amazing experience learning an art form that has transcended generations and crossed the World. Eleanor looks forward to helping her students to reach their personal, competitive, performance and recreational goals through Irish dance.

“Together our aim is to inspire a passion and love of Irish dance in a family-orientated enriched environment.

We encourage and promote self-confidence, self-discipline, values of respect and cooperation. We hope to train our students with an unparalleled knowledge from both performance and competition styles of Irish Dance. Our dancers will practice the technique of Irish dance in a fun learning environment allowing them to make lifelong friends and fall in love with Irish dance while realising their potential”.

THIS MIGHT SOUND A BIT RADIO GA GA BUT...

by Lloyd Gorman

From the outset let me just say this is purely an idea I am putting out there for the Irish community to consume, digest or spit out. If I come back after dinner time and see the idea I am about to cook still sitting on the plate I won’t be offended. Apart from dabbling in student radio while I was at UCD and DCU I have been a print journalist for 20 years now and have precious little knowledge or experience of radio broadcasting sector. It could very well be that there wouldn’t be enough demand to make it work. It might be a dumb idea no matter what way you look at it or the costs or red tape involved might make it prohibitive.

But here it goes. As many of our readers will be aware the Irish Club (IC) is undergoing a bit of a makeover. Over the Christmas break the place was touched up and some small improvements made. This work seems to be the starting pistol for bigger things coming down the track. When the minister for Diaspora Jimmy Deenihan was in town late last year he met and sat down with the committee of the IC and was briefed on plans to revamp the Club.

The minister was very supportive of those plans - which I believe includes installing a lift to truly make the premises open and accessible to those with mobility issues and disabilities. If nothing else was to be done, this one improvement would change the way a lot of people would interact and use the Subiaco clubhouse and would be worthwhile.

Thankfully it is not the only difference the committee hopes to make to the premises in the future.

For what its worth, here’s my idea - to build a studio or radio booth inhouse at the Club. It might sound like a far-fetched idea but let me try to convince you why it would be something that would really benefit the Irish Club itself, the Irish and even perhaps the wider community as

well.

The IC is looking for ways to attract new members and remain relevant in this day and age. That is what a lot of the proposed changes are about, to make the venue more attractive and user friendly.

Minister Deenihan said he hoped the changes would help make the IC a “one stop shop” for the Irish community and even allow other groups - such as the Claddagh - to have offices there.

An in-house radio station would sit well with this intention, on a number of levels. As you might have read in ‘The Gift of the Gab’ we are blessed in Perth with an abundance of voices and talent on the wireless as my dear old late granny in Dublin used to call it.

Each of these presenters have access to a studio for the purpose of their shows, but what do they do when they are off air? They may each have some equipment at home or some kind of access through work but it might serve the Irish community well to have a communal facility which they could use to perhaps make more programming about the Irish in Australia, past and present.

Such a thing might also prove to be extremely popular and useful on big occasions, such as St. Patrick’s Day, when a live show could be beamed out across the state and the celebration and festivities shared with far flung and not so distant members of the Irish community.

Likewise an in-house radio suite could also provide a professional grade line of communication back to radio stations in Ireland. One example might be to provide link ups between Rose of Tralee contestants and their local stations back in Ireland.

Perhaps it could be used to record and produce music - traditional and otherwise - for Irish singers and songwriters and groups, to record the oral histories and stories of Irish emigrants for posterity or as a training centre for young people interested in working in radio or as sound engineers. Artists could use it to create and master audio artworks.

Even if there wasn’t enough demand or need from within the Irish community for such a dedicated facility then that extra capacity might well be provided by other community organisations or even other ethnic groups who could hire the facility.

The modernisation of the IC

84

might well - I don’t know that it does or doesn’t - include making it a WiFi hotspot. Marrying any potential in-house studio equipment with this high speed and truly “wireless” technology would on the face of it seem to be a good idea that would serve a real purpose.

It would have to be worked out where - if at all - such a thing would sit within the IC, but at least the place has ample space and opportunity to accommodate it.

I’m going to leave it there, but I’d like to end on the example of another ‘Irish’ institution just down the road from the IC which has taken a bold and innovative and ultimately successful step towards making itself more relevant and accessible through the use of technology.

The parish priest of St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco, Father Joseph Walsh - originally from Tuam, Co. Galway - has overseen an almost total revamp and restoration of the church building and grounds. Part of that work saw the introduction of digital and computer equipment which allows services to be broadcast online through the church’s own website. It had just been fitted in time to broadcast the Christmas Mass when technology proved just how useful it can be. Sadly the occasion was funeral Mass of 23 year old Thomas Kearney, who had died in December 2013, a one punch victim whose life support machine was switched off on Christmas Eve. It was of course a terrible time for his family and friends in Australia, but also Ireland and America.

Perhaps there was a small comfort in the fact that the funeral service for Thomas could be watched simultaneously by mourners in other parts of the world and later replayed on the church’s website if it wasn’t possible for some to watch it live.

So while it can be difficult to predict just how meaningful or useful that a piece of technology can be, or when, it would be something I would suggest that could enrich the community.

“Leprechauns, castles, good luck and laughter. Lullabies, dreams and love ever after. Poems and songs with pipes and drums. A thousand welcomes when anyone comes...

That’s the Irish for you!”

Irish Saying

A word from Fiona Murphy

co-directors had some very tough decisions to make when it came to casting. Armed with a wealth of theatre experience we are confident that Brian and Mary have the skill and expertise to do justice to John B. Keane’s portrayal of the ultimate Irish matriarch in this story of tough love which continues to endure as a theatre favourite. Big Maggie will be performed at the Irish Club Theatre in Subiaco at 8.00 pm on 20,21,22,28,29 and 30 May 2015 with a Sunday matinee taking place at 3.00 pm on Sunday, 24 May 2015. For further ticket information email itp@irishtheatreplayers.com. au or phone 0406085620.

In line with our focus to produce great shows The Irish Theatre Players are taking key steps forward to concentrate on developing new talent.

As a result of our We Want You recruitment drive we now have many new actors, directors and volunteers on board. It is important to us that those who get involved are afforded an opportunity to shine. With this in mind we held a reading night at the Irish Club at the end of February which was attended by a number of potential new directors and where we considered a short list of plays for our one act season. The fruits of this exercise will be borne out on the stage of The Irish Club Theatre in July/August where once again we hope to deliver fresh material and a fresh perspective to the audience. Notwithstanding that we have many new people on board we will continue to expand our talent pool and our audience. This year we will have a very strong presence at The St. Patricks Day festivities in Perth where we will be spreading the word amongst the Irish community about who we are and what we are about. It is exciting times ahead for The Irish Theatre Players. In the next edition of The Irish Scene we hope to be in a position to reveal details of a number of new interesting projects and unique collaborations. Watch this space and stay tuned for more!

PRESIDENT OF PERTH’S IRISH THEATRE PLAYERS

The Irish Theatre Players continued its crescendo through to 2015 with two wonderful wins at the Independent Theatre Associations 40th Annual Robert Finley Awards. The Irish Theatre Players were awarded The Elizabeth Crewes Front of House Award and an Adjudicator’s certificate for encouraging new ideas and concepts with a new vision for a club.

This victory is a testament to our committee, volunteers, actors and directors who applied themselves wholeheartedly to the enhancement of our audiences’ experience over the course of our last two productions.

We hope to build on these achievements and develop even more sophisticated concepts for our front of house so that each audience’s experience of theatre is all-encompassing from the moment people come to see our shows.

Beyond the frills of front of house critical to our success is our ability to produce great shows. Our 2015 season gets underway with a stand out show as Brian Dennison and Mary Murphy co-direct John B. Keane’s Big Maggie. We were thrilled with the turn out to our latest auditions for Big Maggie where we greeted many new faces of diverse age profile and nationality. We were also delighted to welcome back a number of our veteran actors. The standard of acting at the auditions was exceptional and our

For information on future productions visit...

www.irishtheatreplayers.com.au or email to itp@irishtheatreplayers.com.au or by phone on 0406085620.

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AGM Sunday 18 Jan 2015 The AGM saw the retirement from the Committee of a number of the ‘elders’ of the Club, including Martin Sheehan, Dominic Hyde and Mike Byrne. Thank you for your sustained, selfless service to this great Club and may you enjoy your golf (and the Craic) in future with the Club.

The 2015 Committee comprises: President: Peter McKenna Vice President: Jack Ebbs Captain: Anthony Gannon Vice-Captain: Anthony Ryan Handicapper: Brendan Wymbs Treasurer: Geoff McFadden Assistant Treasurer: Jack Ebbs Secretary: Mike O’Callaghan Members: Eamonn Fitzpatrick Kevin McGloin

Club Captain Anthony Gannon presenting February trophy to Tom Barr.

Chris McKenna presented with winning trophy at January Competition

Sun City CC Sun 15 Feb 2015 1st Tom Barr43 points 2nd Bill Ross 41 points 3rd Michael Connolly 38 points NTP: 3 Ronan McMahon, 8 Tom Barr, 10 Tom Barr, 13 Jeff Booker, 16 Peter McKenna, 18 Phil Archer Ladies LD: Chris McKenna Gents LD: Ciaran McMahon 2 balls: Tom Barr (2), Anthony Gannon, Andy McDonald, Jack Ebbs, Michael Connolly, Barry Gribben, Billy Ross, LGross: Ciaran McMahon 28 pts.

Well done Tom!!

Best wishes to all for St Patrick’s Day 2015 and see you at the Festival in Leederville. See our website for further information about our Golf Club www.irishgolf.com.au Regards Mike O’Callaghan Secretary • Two golfers were sitting at the 19th hole discussing their games this year when one says to the other, “ My game is so bad this year I had to have my ball retriever regripped !”

• Two long time golfers were standing over looking the river. One golfer looked to the other and said, “Look at those idiots fishin’ in the rain.”

Tuesday 17th March

Paddy’s Day at the Woody!

Ian Henry 12 noon The Sheds 4pm The Broken Pokers 8pm

Irish Dance r 3pm a s nd 7pm

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Woodbridge Hotel 50 EAST STREET GUILDFORD

9377 1199

Rovers

professional website. We would like to thank brothers Wes and Craig Darcy and the crew at 2gether web designs for their excellent work. The new website www.shamrockrovers.com. au will be launching in March, thanks to the main sponsor of the website McLaughlin’s Butchers. Check out the website for news, photos and updates regarding the club.

Once again we would like to thank last year’s sponsors, but now the hard part begins in securing sponsorship for the upcoming season. We appreciate any assistance in this department. Every little bit counts, and without sponsorship the club cannot reach its full potential.

The committee would like to wish everyone a happy and safe St Patricks Day, and if you have just arrived in Perth and are interested in playing football, make sure you come down and visit the most successful Irish club in Perth ( Try the best before you try the rest ).

Keep on Hoopin’along!

Marty Burke, Secretary -0410081386

CALLING GOLFERS! IR S ER

ISH GO LF

CL

A S SI C

Once again Rovers hit the ground running with a busy pre-season including various night series games. Under the guidance of coach John O ‘Reilly, the Saturday first team have been playing against top NPL teams. Even though Rovers lost 2-0 in their first game to Floreat, the boys put on an excellent performance and proved that they could compete with the best.

The Sunday amateurs will be competing in the first ever night series competition. They kicked off their first game against Southern Spirit with a 2 all draw….Coach Robbie Fanning said that he was looking forward to the new challenge outside of the normal season.

With the help of Total Football Academy, our junior section is progressing well. If your child is interested in playing football, we would love to have them as a member of our club. Please contact Alex Robinson on 0410899819 for more information.

All other teams have had fantastic turnouts at their pre-season training sessions, and we look forward to seeing how they progress throughout the season. Our coaches contact numbers are – Saturday First Team, John O’Reilly 0426252542, Reserves, Mike Hartley 0401838585, Sunday amateurs, Robbie Fanning 0414260614 and Sunday socials, Phil Moore 0416821285.

Off the pitch, we have some exciting events.

Please take note that our annual golf day has now been changed to the 12th of April, due to maintenance work on the golf course. After last year’s success, we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there for another fun filled day. For further information please refer to the advertisement on this page.

This year, Rovers will not only be marching in the St Patricks Day Parade, but we will also be running a sausage sizzle stall at the Leederville Oval, with the ongoing support of McLaughlin’s Butchers .Please come down and say hello to us on the day, your support would be greatly appreciated.

This season, under the guidance of President Mick Manning, the Committee is looking to make the club even more professional both on and off the pitch. We aim to strengthen our connection with the Irish community and the football community as a whole, and we are looking for like- minded people to join us in these exciting times. The first step in this process is the launch of our new

2015 ROV

SHAMROCK

Michael Manning President Shamrock Rovers

120 Places Book Early!

$1000 RAFFLE • Irish Scene Cup Novelty Prizes and Auction for Roy Keane Book

Sunday 12th April 2015

at the Maylands Peninsula Golf Club , Peninsula Rd, Mayands, Perth Shotgun Start: 8am Price per Player: $80 (incl Green Fees and BBQ Lunch)

Hole Sponsor: $600 (includes 4 players and signage on sponsored hole) Hole Sponsorship Only $300 (Incl 1 player) Bookings and Enquiries: Mick Manning Martin Sheehan: Gerry Townley John Allen Marty Burke Dermot Smyth Gerry Salinger

www.shamrockrovers.com.au 88

0418 0419 0427 0411 0410

917 934 676 453 081

050 681 880 565 386

9307 2971 0402 521 147

SATURDAY 14 MARCH

SUNDAY 15 MARCH

MONDAY 16 MARCH

TUESDAY 17 MARCH

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Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of WA Inc.

Barney is the New President of Association

for others to step up and share the work”.

Barney was also concerned about the amount of paperwork involved in the organisation and he hopes to simplify the system.

Barney did not plan to take on this role as President, he had plans to return to Ireland and spend time with family and friends. But now that he has taken the role, he is determined, with the support of his committee to do the job to the best of his ability.

There was talk that the 7’s would not happen in 2015 but Barney said having this tournament around St Patrick’s Day caused difficulties. “Now with so many teams participating finding a suitable park is difficult.

Our home ground Tom Bateman Park is available from 1st April until the end of October, a winter season”.

Barney said that the park is used by summer sports clubs and this causes difficulties getting the ground outside these date. “So the plan at this stage is to have Easter 7’s tournament and this will be sorted out soon.

As with the previous committee, we are all volunteers and the amount of work involved in just this 7’s event is mind boggling”.

Also Barney explained about the many players who have arrived in Australia in the last five years has created more paperwork to be sent to central council.

“Someone has to do this job and is just another workload placed upon the WA organisation”. He said that player’s moving from one club to another is difficult and they have to wait until the following year if they want to move on. “All this creates more paperwork and makes the job difficult for registrars”. The consequence of this is that no one wants to do this job as registrar and that applies to all other management roles in the GAAWA organisation. So, the challenge for Barney is to simplify the roles so it is easier to get volunteers to take positions on the management committee.

Barney added, “I must compliment the clubs in Western Australia. The fact that the clubs have a great social scene, including golf days and quiz nights etc and most have an events calendar for the year to cover

by Fred Rea

Barney McKenna has been elected President of THE Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of WA. Barney from is Hannahstown which lies to the west of Belfast in Country Antrim. Barney is a life member of his local Lámh Dhearg GAA Club and I had the pleasure of visiting the club some years ago and it is a great club with a number of pitches.

Barney has been in Australia for the past 28 years and married Mary in Ireland and their children were all born in Ireland, Hilary, Christopher and Sheena.

Barney has Gaelic sports running through his blood and was on the committee of Lámh Dhearg prior to coming to Australia. He represented his county, Antrim, in under age hurling. When he arrived in Australia he joined St Finbarrs Football Club. “There was very little hurling then and I played football for about 12 years”. St Finbarrs has always been his club and with the help of the likes of Gerry Curtin, Mick Cooney and Joe Carroll we got hurling established in Western Australia. From these small beginning, Western Australia are now the powerhouse of hurling in Australia, having won the national championships for the last three years and thanks to people like John Whelehan,Tommy Fenlon, Eamon Fitz . Yam Fitz , Dee Sheridan, Declan Rafter, Kieran Lyons, Alan Mc Carthy, Alan Flaherty, Derek Boyle, Andy Roche and Brian Foley and many others for the great achievement. (also Chalkie Doherty) voted best water boy in the 2012 Championship. “This has been helped by the many young Irish immigrants over the last five years, many are very skilful hurlers”.

These young Irish are travelling around the country and bringing their skills to all the states.

Barney has been focused on hurling over the last number of years but now knows that football also plays a role in the development of Gaelic sports in WA. So now Barney has taken on the role as President and is addressing the ‘apathy’ among the clubs when it comes to being involved in state GAA matters. “When I took on the job of president I could help but realise that the load is falling on too few shoulders. It’s time

continued on page 91

gfhwa.com.au 90

Gaelic Games Junior Academy Update

By Debbie Cashman continued on page 91

all these. They are very well organised and are run by fine people”.

The success of the WA hurlers is due to the way the players are picked Barney said. “The best are picked and approached to represent WA in the championships. The result is that WA has won the national title 3 years in a row”. Barney hopes that the same formula will be used for all teams for future championships. “We should have the best if possible represent WA at the national titles and my aim is to help achieve this goal”.

Barney hopes this year that referee coaches will be brought from Ireland to help local officials. Also he feels that team coaches from Ireland would help the local clubs achieve a higher standard, coaching coaches. This will happen if support is given from the Australian and Irish councils of the GAA. The junior academy goes from strength to strength and a Gaelic Junior Football and Hurling Camp is at the planning stage (often referred as “Cul” Camps because “cul” in Irish or Gaelic means goal). The camps, popular in Ireland, provide boys and girls – between the ages of 6 and 15 – with an action-packed and fun-filled week of activity and games. The Camp is designed to introduce boys and girls to the thrills and excitement of Gaelic football and hurling. Whether a child is experienced or never played gaelic football or hurling before, the camp is designed to provide a rewarding and fun time. I would like to thank Martin Brady, John Broderick and Debbie Cahman for all the work they have put in to the Junior Academy.

Fundraising for state teams is also on Barney’s radar and he hopes to have more to say about this at a later stage.

So Barney’s focus this year is to simplify the running of the organisation and bring the fun back into it for the players, the clubs and especially the state management committee.

The Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of WA has come a long way and Barney wishes to thank the former committee and state committees over many years, for their work in establishing Gaelic sports in Western Australia. Special thanks to former president, Rob O’Callaghan who has done a wonderful job for many years.

Its that time of year when all the plans and preparations are underway for the new season that’s fast approching!

The next big event for us is of course our participation in the St. Patricks Day celebrations held once again in Leederville on the 15th March.

Our academy kids will be taking part in a walking float again this year and we also hope to have a loan of a truck that we can decorate and have some interesting action on board, nothing too hairy, we don’t intend to dangle children from the side in a Michael Jackson’s infamous style, but you may need to watch out for flying sliotars!

In the Oval we will have a 11.30am match for our little hurlers, at 12.15pm we will have Hurling Workshop’ which is a come and have a go time for anyone who wishes to have a crack at it. 1pm the plan is to have our little footballers display their talents that they had such a great time showing off at the International rules day. From 2pm there will be a football workshop, again a come and try session, fun activities will be incorporated into the workshops to ensure kids come away smiling!

We will have a stall in the oval to take registrations and will have some hurleys etc available on the day.

The season will be every Sunday 12-1.30/ 2pm depending child’s age, again kids from 4 years to 12 years old catered for in both hurling and football, which will be great for anyone who is from Dublin as here is a chance to increase the hurling skills you may be deficient in...

Season officially starts the week after Paddys Day on the 22nd March in Tapping. Our southern academy is moving to Mandurah this year so please contact us if you are interested in getting yourself or your children involved or any queries, contact us via: our facebook page Gaelic Games Junior Academy of WA or ggjunioracademy@gmail.com.

Martin Brady (President) 0405 937 233 Debbie Cashman (Secretary) 0406 229 450

www.thebreakwater.com.au

58 Southside Drive, Hillarys Boat Harbour Ph: 08 9448 5000 Fax: 08 9448 6000

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IRISH

RACE NIGHT AT GLOUCESTER PARK

FRIDAY MAY 22 10 Big Races Irish Food Stalls Irish Dancing & Entertainment Gates Open 5pm

www.gloucesterpark.com.au General enquiries 9323 3555 Nelson Crescent, East Perth WA (opposite WACA) This is a licensed event. Juveniles (persons under 18 years) must be accompanied and supervised at the event by a legal guardian at all times.

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ST. PATRICK’S DAY D N E K E E W Fri 13th Fiona Rea Sat 14th Sun 15th

Lost Backpackers

DJ Noel till late Fri & Sat

Jonny Reid

Irish Dancing with the Gaelic Girls Mon 16th Trad Session Paddy’s Day Jonny Reid

Because we deserve more t

han just one day!!

147 James Street, Northbridge, 6003 Perth | Ph: (08)9328 8930 Email: Manager@ansibin.com.au

www.facebook.com/pages/An-Sibin-Irish-Pub/1586650448222038

93

St Gabriel’s Hurling & CamogieClub

“New Members Welcome”

Hurling: Ronan 0439 979 237 Camogie: Danielle 0405 418 809 Facebook: St. Gabriels Hurling WA StGabriels CamogieClub www.stgabrielsgaaclub.com Our Major Sponsors:

St. Gabriel’s Hurling & Camogie GAA WA Club are currently rolling into our fourth year in existence. With the club’s continuing growth we would like to welcome all current and past players back for 2015 and welcome all new players to our great club.

With training ready to kick off in the next few weeks at our Wembley Downs training grounds, please keep a close look on our website and Facebook pages for commencement dates.

St Gabriel’s GAA Club caters for players of all levels of ability, including those who have never played the sport before. Joining the club is a fantastic way to get fit, meet new people and be involved in lots of fun social activities…..

HURLING SPONSORS MONFORD

Monford Group: www.Monfordgroup.com.au PTR Asset Finance: www.ptrasset.com.au PERI Australia: www.periaus.com.au

CAMOGIE SPONSORS

ODH Mechanical, Karratha: www.odhmechanical.com.au KMH-Karratha Machinery Hire: www.karrathamachineryhire.com.au The Irish Club WA: www.irishclubofwa.com.au

UP COMING EVENTS

St Patricks Day Parade, Sunday March 15th, Leederville.

Camogie Kicks off 2015 with a Bonding Day on March 28th

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PTR ASSET FINANCE The equipment finance specialists PROUD SPONSORS OF ST.GABRIELS HURLING CLUB WA

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If you are looking for an experienced support partner to expand your business please give Simon Mell at PTR Asset Finance a call: Suite 1, 19-21 Outram Street, West Perth WA 6005 Ph: (08) 9322 1229 Fax: (08) 9322 1292 Mobile: 0423 032 014

IRISH BUSINESS CONTACTS / INDEX BAGGAGE (UNACCOMPANIED) 82 Australian International Express 9243 0808 69 Exportair Tim 9477 1080 BUTCHERS 58 McLoughlin’s Northside Meats Tel: 9249 8039 60 Meat Connoisseur Tel: 9309 9992 64 Taste 32 CAFE/DELI: 8 Mooney’s Irish Sandwich Bar Tel: 9221 4872 Kallaroo Seafood 9401 9141 CAR RETAILERS: 46 John Hughes, Vic Park - Tel: 9415 0110 86 WA Hino Tel: 6446 7681 CELEBRANT: Marian Bryne Tel: 0410 345 224 CIVIL ENGINEERS: 56 Neo Infrastructure Tel: 0407475033 COMPUTER System Engineering: 71 Nick McNamara | MCN Technology Tel: 0424 515 337 EMPLOYMENT: 65 All Force Labour Solutions Tel: 0457824916 Network Recruitment Tel: 9380 9727 38 Final Trim Operators Tel: 1300 083 599 ENTERTAINMENT: Fiddlestick - David MacConnell 0413 259 547 ENGINEERING: 66 Green Engineering Tel: 0419911 737 FINANCE/ADVICE: 64 The Loans Café-Nik Silsby Tel: 0402 284594 FREIGHT HANDLERS: 82 Australian International Express 9243 0808 69 Exportair - Tim Hawdon Tel: 9477 1080 FUNERALS: 52 McKee Funerals Tel: 9401 1911 FURNITURE: First in Furniture Joondalup Tel: 9300 9010 HAIR & BEAUTY: 39 Elma Lauren Hair & Beauty 94448381 IMMIGRATION ADVICE: 19 EasiVisa Carol-Ann Lynch 9429 8860 32 McGovern Migration Tel: 6161 8854 54 Gallagher Migration Tel: 04140498 910 ASC Migration Tel: 93015905 Visa4U - Tel: 0416 727 787 Aust Visa Professionals Tel: 0420 907 109 INSURANCE: 53 Jardine Lloyd Thompson Tel: 9246 0444 IRISH FOOD: Taste Ireland Sydney - Tel: 02 9386 5522 20 Essence of Ireland Tel: 9301 5485 20 Hetty’s Scullery Tel: 0416365099

JEWELLERS: 6 Master Jewellers: Graham Tighe 0414309274 MECHANICS: 1 Killarney Autos - Neil Lenihan 0439 996 764 BVM Autos - Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501 ORTHODONTIST / DENTIST: 23 Solas Orthodontics Tel 9383 7600 PAINTERS: Erin Painting Tel: Dominic 0414 595 605 PUBS, CLUBS & RESTAURANTS: 93 An Sibin Tel: 9328 8930 91 Breakwater, Hillarys Tel: 9448 5000 48,49 Carnegies, Perth Tel: 9481 3222 52 Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299 44 Durty Nelly’s, Perth Tel: 9226 0233 Fenian’s / Novotel, Perth Tel: 9221 1200 21 Friar Tuck’s, Wannanup Tel: 9534 4788 96 Irish Club of WA, Subiaco Tel: 9381 5213 27 JB O’Reilly’s, Leederville Tel: 9382 4555 Paddy Maguire’s, Subiaco Tel: 9381 8400 Paddy Malone’s Joondalup 26 Rosie O’Grady’s Fremantle Tel: 9335 1645 2 Rosie O’Grady’s Northbridge Tel: 9328 1488 12 The Mighty Quinn, Tuart Hill Tel: 9349 9600 28,29 The Cure Northbridge Tel: 9227 9055 17 The Shed, Northbridge Tel: 9228 2200 8 Voyage Kitchen Tel: 9447 2443 89 Woodvale Tavern, Woodvale 9309 4288 87 Woodbridge Hotel, Guildford Tel: 9377 1199 REAL ESTATE: 41 O’Rourke Real Estate Tel: 9341 6611 16 Professionals Kelly Team YokineTel: 9344 5544 SHOE REPAIR: 57 Reids Bootmakers: Tel 9361 5301 SOLICITORS & LEGAL: 13,83 Kavanagh Lawyers - Tel: 0430 960 859 SPORT - CLUBS AND INFORMATION: 90 GAA - Rob O’Callagahan 0407 421 224 88 Shamrock Rovers 94 St Gabriel’s Hurling Club -Stephen 04088940265 88 Irish Golf Club of WA Martin 0419934681 THEATRE: 85 Irish Theatre Players TRAVEL & TOURISM: 31 British Travel - Jenny Allen Tel: 9388 3114 5 Flightworld Michael Deering Tel: 9322 2914 TYRES, BATTERIES, BRAKES WHEELS: 20 Tyrepower: Perth City - Fiona: Tel: 9322 2214 WEDDING RECEPTIONS: 52 The Celtic Club, West Perth Tel: 9322 2299

Trades+ Maintenance CONCRETE & WALLS PC Walls Contact: Sean King Tel: 0418 949 292

ELECTRICIANS Iluka Electrical Contact: Tom Bowe Tel: 0422 440 588

GARAGE DOORS Buckley’s Garage Doors Contact: Kevin Buckley Tel: 0425 125 889

CAR MECHANICAL Killarney Autos Contact: Neil Lenihan Phone: 9309 4445 BVM AUTOS Contact: Mike Barton Tel: 0413 889 501

KERBING

AAH Captain Kerb Contact: Noel Steenson Tel 0412 679 652 or 9405 8948

PLUMBING

Charlies Plumbing & Gas Services PL8223 - GF014437 Contact: Charlie O’Hare Tel: 0400 484 933

ROOF PLUMBING Mick’s Maintenance Contact: Mick Tel: 0418 917 050

SKIRTINGS

Contact: Ken McLoughlin 041 544 6122

THE IRISH SCENE

Publisher/Advertising: Fred Rea 0418 943 832 Editor: Lloyd Gorman 0479 047 250 - gormanlloyd@hotmail.com Proof Reading: Jack Cullen, Imelda Gorman and Colin Merrey Publisher: Gaelforce Promotions, 12 Dysart Court, Kingsley WA 6026 Email: fred@irishscene.com.au Tel/Fax 9309 3167 www.irishscene.com.au

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed by contributors in articles, reproduced articles, advertisements or any other printed material contained in Irish Scene magazine or on www.irishscene.com.au are those of the individual contributors or authors and as such are not necessarily those of Gaelforce Promotions. The publisher and editor reserve the right to accept, reject, edit or amend submitted material in order to make it appropriate or suitable for publication. Irish Scene welcomes submissions, ideas and suggestions for articles and features as well as photographs of events happening around and within the Irish community in Western Australia.

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6 Nations Rugby

SAT 14th MARCH

Ireland v Wales Live from 10.30pm

Fri March 13th

Table Quiz 8.00pm In Aid Of St. Patricks Day Parade

Sat March 14th

Ireland V Wales Live On Big Screen 10.30pm

Sun March 15th

Opening From 10.30am Food Being Served From 11.30am Irish Dancing At Different Times Through Out The Day Live Music From Noon Food Served Till 9pm

Tues 17th March • Opening From 10.30am

• Food been Served From 11.30am • Irish Dancing throughout the Day • Music by Sparrow 4pm • Food Been Served Till 9pm

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

61 Townshend Road, Subiaco, WA 6008

Tel: +61 8 9381 5213

96 irish1@irishclubofwa.com.au

www.irishclubofwa.com.au