The Irish Scene Nov Dec Edition 2020

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2020 • vol 22 ISSUE 6

Merry s! a m t s i r Ch L L AT FROM A SKINS P E E H S L LY N AT U R A

13 11 14

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Business Contacts

Page Index

baggage & FREIGHT

67 AI Express.................................................................9243 0808 77 Exportair.................................................Geoff/Tim 9477 1080

beauty:

63 Sharon Nolan Brows & Beauty.....................0498 980 987

Butchers:

48 McLoughlin’s Meats................................................9249 8039 19 Meat Connoisseur....................................................9309 9992

Entertainment & RADIO:

74 Frank Murphy Celtic Rambles......................................107.9fm 72 Fiddlestick.................................................David 0413 259 547 60 Torc Ceili Club

Fresh food & cafes: Funerals:

24 Avoka Cafe.................................................................6406 2105 30 McKee Funerals.........................................................9401 1900

homewares:

55 Naturally Sheepskins

Immigration advice:

47 EasiVisa.................................... Carol-Ann Lynch 9429 8860

IRISH community groups:

50 Aust Irish Heritage Assoc.....................................9345 3530 87 The Gathering......................................................0431 018 388 52 Irish Families in Perth 56 The Claddagh Assoc.................................................9249 9213 47 IACC........................................................................1300 513 633

Mechanics:

1 Killarney Autos.........................................Neil 0439 996 764

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT:

25 WA Labor Party 88 Stephen Dawson........................................................9172 2648

Property maintenance:

91 Integrity Property Solutions............................0423 618 506

Psychology:

17 General Psychology Services...........................0414 251 967

Pubs, Clubs & restaurants:

51 Durty Nelly’s, Perth..................................................9226 0233 51 Galway Hooker, Scarborough 17 Irish Club of WA, Subiaco........................................9381 5213 23 Jarrah Bar & Cafe, Hillarys.......................................9246 4112 39 JB O’Reillys, Leederville.........................................9382 4555 2 Paddy Malone’s, Joondalup.................................9300 9966 31 Masonmill Gardens, Carmel...................................9293 5157 45 Murphy’s Irish Pub, Mandurah............................9535 2666 59 Woodbridge Hotel, Guildford.................................9377 1199

Solicitors & Legal:

15 Kavanagh Lawyers...................................................9218 8422 65 Vibe Legal.................................................................... 6111 4890 42 Your Legal HQ..........................................................9445 9220

Sport & SportING Clubs:

13 Perth Racing 92 GAA......................................................................0458 954 052 90 Shamrock Rovers...............................................0410 081 386

Travel & Tourism:

41 Black Swan Tours................................................0492 461 653 21 British Travel..............................................................9433 3288

tyres, batteries, brakes etc:

22 Tyrepower Perth City.....................................Fiona 9322 2214

A High Achiever From Old Kerry.................. 68 Around The Irish Scene....................................82 Australian Irish Heritage Assoc.....................50 Australian Irish Dancing Assoc......................88 Claddagh Report............................................... 56 Christmas 2020 – As Slow As The Second Coming!...................................................4 Christmas Cooking With Lee............................61 Christmas Reading.............................................75 Ciara Was Strong In Spirit, Had Great Courage........................................... 36 A Christmas Message From The Ambassador Of Ireland...........................30 Family History WA........................................... 86 Fighting Spirit Was In Ciara’s DNA...............40 GA Junior Academy..........................................94 GAAWA...............................................................92 G’Day From Melbourne.................................... 66 Gift Of Life & Love............................................40 Greetings From The Irish Ambassador..........28 Honorary Consulate Of Ireland.......................53 Irish Australian Chamber Of Commerce...... 46 Irish Choir Perth................................................. 85 Irish Club Celebrates 70 Years..........................14 Irish Day At Ascot Racecourse.......................27 Irish Theatre Players.........................................80 Isteach Sa Teach.................................................32 John O’Donoghue.............................................60 Matters Of PUBlic Interest............................. 20 Meeja WAtch........................................................8 Minute With Synnott........................................ 84 Mo Bhealach Féin............................................. 54 New Book Captures The Essence Of Being ‘Mayo’..................................................73 Paula From Tasmania........................................78 Shamrock Rovers..............................................90 So This Is Christmas.............................................11 Strangers In A Strange Land...........................62 The Midwest Irish Club, Geraldton: Thirty Years A-Growing From Humble Beginnings........................................... 18 The Ultimate Home Run.................................. 43 The Wren..............................................................61 Ulster Rambles.................................................. 58 Vale Michael Nolan...........................................70 Win....................................................................... 83

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Editor:

Publisher:

Email: irishsceneperth@gmail.com Lloyd Gorman 0479 047 250 Email: irishsceneperth@gmail.com Canal Walk Media

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 Canal Walk Media. 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.

THE IRISH SCENE | 3

Christmas 2020 –

As slow as the second coming!

BY LLOYD GORMAN

After grinding to a halt for six months, the postal service between Ireland and Australia opened up again.

An Post declared a resumption of ‘normal’ service to Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States from September 29.

Letters and parcels weighing up to 10kg could now be posted to Australia from any post office in Ireland.

Australia Post – which had suspended its economy parcel and letter services on April 3 – swung back into action for post to Ireland at the same time. ‘Regular letters’ were still able to get through and while this was of course a good thing, by far the vast majority of items posted these days are parcels and packages. For many in the Irish community here in Australia, that means care packages from family and loved ones.

Above: Crackers about Christmas: Mary, a NSW Postie Image: December 24 2019 AusPost Facebook

“We look forward to restoring services to the US, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore as we know how important mails and parcels from home are for our communities there at this time” said Cyril McGrane, An Post Director of International Mails. “An Post is also ensuring ample letter and parcel airmail services for sending Christmas mail to family and friends abroad. Much as we hate mentioning so early, the Post Early for Christmas advice will be more important than ever this year” he added.

“biggest Christmas ever” and handle record parcel volumes. The extra workforce will be expected to take the pressure off the existing postal workers who would have already had a busy year.

Australia Post had a similar message as it predicted “our busiest ever Christmas period... we encourage you to send your oversees letters and parcels as early as possible.”

Never mind snail mail what about sail mail?

At the start of October the carrier said it would recruit more than 4,000 people across the country – the organisations biggest hiring spree in its 210 year history – ahead of what it said would be its

In a sign of how desperate things had become in terms of disruption to international flights, Australia Post fell

THE IRISH SCENE | 4

back in a big way on the age old and old fashioned method of putting mail onto ships.

“There is currently no mail service from Ireland to Australia due to flight disruptions and cancellations. There are flight disruptions impacting outbound mail to this destination causing delays,” Australia Post said on September 1. Australia Post is also offering sea mail service to this destination as of 14 August 2020.”

At that time, Australia Post said international economy sea mail was a low cost option for sending heavier parcels (2-20kg) abroad when speed is not a priority. Normally the post carrier tells customers to allow an estimated ‘30+ business day’ for this service but under pandemic conditions states that delivery could take between two and three months! The latest cut off point to send mail by sea to Ireland – or most places in Europe – was given as September 7. Interestingly this dispatch date was based on the item of mail being sent from metro Sydney, and if you wanted to send it from anywhere else in Australia their own advice was “please allow extra time”.

Given that the carrier’s ability to deliver even domestically seems to be slipping backwards, it would be hard to have confidence in this option.

By the time this Christmas edition of Irish Scene was due to be printed and distributed in the first weekend of November, the ‘September 7 ship’ will have long sailed! And while normal levels of service have started to resume, time is quickly slipping away if you want to post gifts or anything back to Ireland from here. At time of writing the following deadlines were given by Australia Post. Economy air letters must be sent by November 9 while standard mail must be gone by November 16. Express mail has an outgoing date of November 23 while December 9 will be the last chance (and most expensive option) to send it by courier post.

Opposite top: Christmas at GPO. Above: Australian POST mail sorting room.

Above right: RMS Titanic’s postal workers, and commemorative stamps THE IRISH SCENE | 5

Tragic mail tales A lesser known element of the story about the Titanic is that as well as carrying passengers – about 1,500 of whose souls were lost – the White Star liner was actually a designated postal carrier. The abbreviations in its full name ‘RMS Titanic’ stand for Royal Mail Ship. At each port of call it made on its ill-fated maiden journey – including at Cobh (then Queenstown) – the massive vessel took on board mail for delivery to America. When it left Irish waters there were about 3,500 sacks of correspondence onboard, an estimated seven million pieces of individual mail.

Passengers could even post letters or cards at sea.

Much of this mountain of mail or casual correspondence was to be sorted during the voyage by five postal workers who manned the ship’s onboard post offices on eleven hour shifts. When Titanic struck the iceberg, the postal workers were celebrating one of their numbers’ 44th birthday. When they realised that the mail room on the deck beneath their post office was flooding, they attempted to save some 200 sacks of registered mail and take them to a higher level where they thought they might be safe. Several of the Titanic’s stewards were called on to help shift the mail bags but the situation was so dangerous and fast moving that they had to abandon the effort. The post office was on G deck towards the front and lower sections of the ship. All five postal clerks perished doing their job and every piece of mail went with them to their watery grave!

Continued on page 6

Continued from page 5

RMS Leinster (right hand side) docked at Dun Laoghaire

RMS Leinster If RMS Titanic is one of the world’s best known maritime (and postal) tragedies, then the story of the RMS Leinster is equally deserving of public attention, particularly in Ireland and Australia. Another Royal Mail Ship called ‘RMS Leinster’ was operated by the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company and ran a service between Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) and Holyhead from about 1895. As well as carrying mail, Leinster also ferried people between Ireland and England. With the outbreak of World War I the vessel became a target and was – like others – fitted with some weapons to help protect it from attack. When it set sail on October 10, 1918 (just a month before the war ended) from Dun Laoghaire, the Leinster had already survived one submarine attack but this time it would not be so lucky.

Not long after it set sail, the Leinster was targeted by a German U-boat near Kish Lighthouse in the Irish Sea, which fired three torpedoes – two of which hit including the final one which caused a massive explosion on board. There were 77 crew (including 22 postal sorters in a mail room) and 694 passengers* (including hundreds of soldiers and nurses) when the ship sank just four miles outside Dublin Bay. Five hundred people perished in the attack, the biggest loss of life in the Irish Sea. Four Australian Diggers who died in the incident are buried at the military cemetery in Grangegorman, Dublin.

Eleven days after the attack, the submarine and crew that sunk the Irish ship were lost when their U Boat struck a mine as it returned to Germany. There were no survivors.

To mark the 90th anniversary of the Leinster’s sinking, a special stamp was issued by An POST in honour of the 21 Post Office staff who died that day. The story of the Leinster is told in the postal museum at the General Post Office, in Dublin’s O’Connell Street. * A memorial (right) has just been unveiled in Ireland to one of the victims of the sinking. Thomas Joseph Woodgate from Kilkenny was on his way to England to train with the Royal Air Force. The teenager had lied to army authorities about his age. He was meant to be 18 to enlist but was in fact just 14 at the time. He is understood to be one of the youngest military casualties of World War I. The memorial was commissioned and arranged by the Kilkenny War Memorial Group and unveiled on October 11.

THE IRISH SCENE | 6

GPO the centre of Ireland The next time you are driving in Ireland (whenever that will be again?) and on your way to the capital city it is worth knowing that when a road sign tells you Dublin is 78km or 12km or whatever away, that it is that distance to the front of the GPO in O’Connell Street.

The GPO building in Melbourne serves the same function for Victoria, while road distances in WA are apparently measured from a ‘point zero’ which happens to be the Old Treasury building beside St. George’s Cathedral in the CBD.

Opposite left top: GPO after Easter Rising. Opposite left bottom: GPO today. Far left: GPO workers set up a temporary sorting office in The Rotunda. Left: W.T. Cosgrove reopens GPO 1929

Rebels put their stamp on Irish history When they stormed the General Post Office on 24 April 1916, the Irish Volunteers led by Padraig Pearse and James Connolly occupied a building that would become the nerve centre of the Rising. It was already a historic building of note that had been finished nearly one hundred years previous. As it happens, prior to the start of the Easter Rising, a round of major improvements and renovations on the structure had just been finished, the GPO had never looked better. But just one week later almost the entire building (fortunately not its iconic Greek hexastyle portico with columns and statues on top) lay in ruins as a result of shelling and fighting against British and Commonwealth soldiers ordered to suppress the rebellion.

The symbolic highlight and moral victory of that week was the declaration of an Irish republic when the Proclamation of Independence was read out on the front steps of the building – even if it was only addressed to a bunch of somewhat bemused and confused passer-byes.

Perth did have a GPO on which construction began in the middle of 1914 but would not be completed until nine years later having been disrupted by World War I and the war efforts demand for resources and manpower. When it did open in September 1923, the General Post Office was the biggest building in Perth and seen as a display of the ‘Commonwealth’s might’.

During this time, GPO public servants went into emergency mode and relocated to other postal sites in the city where they worked to keep the telegraph lines open and communications with London. Postal services were suspended while there was fierce fighting in streets and several significant sites around the city, but the post workers were busy making alternative arrangements for the resumption of the mail. With the GPO a smouldering shell they needed an alternative sorting office. They found a suitable spot not far away at the end of O’Connell Street (then Sackville Street) at the Rotunda Hospital where the post was once again sorted and delivered from May 3rd, just days after the Rising had been put down. It just so happens that was also the same day when the first leaders - Padraig Pearse, Thomas MacDonagh, and Thomas Clarke – were executed by firing squad in Kilmainham Jail.

So extensive was the damage to the GPO that it was not officially reopened until 11 July 1929 by then Taoiseach W.T. Cosgrave, and even further construction and repairs were needed for another five years to fully restore the building.

On March 2016, the final night before being turned into a shopping centre, the Perth GPO was transformed into a fitting venue for ‘An Irish Night Easter 1916 Remembered’ performed by the Perth Above: Perth Chamber Orchestra at GPO Perth 2016 Symphony Orchestra.

THE IRISH SCENE | 7

Meeja WA WAtch tch

BY LLOYD GORMAN

Western Australia, and the rest of the country, are never far from the hearts and minds of many in Ireland, particularly those who have lived and worked here or amongst those still with family still here. Interest in WA in particular is high if this sample of news and feature articles amongst some of Ireland’s traditional print media are anything to go by....

Glennon family pain and quest for justice picked up

by Irish media COVID-19 has of course been the global and national news story in 2020 but those of us in Perth and further afield in WA recently witnessed a local story closely watched by the world’s media – the trial for the Claremont serial killings. Robert Bradley Edwards was found guilty of the murders of Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer but not of Sarah Spiers. Ciara’s Irish heritage – she was born to Irish parents - Denis from Westport, Co. Mayo and mum Una from Monaghan – was more than enough for the Irish newspapers – broadsheet, tabloids and even local alike – to take an interest and call her an Irishwoman.

The Supreme Courts judgement caused an unprecedented media frenzy in Perth and headlines around the world, including Ireland as this sample of reports shows. www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40055111. html www.thesun.ie/news/5947206/ciara-glennonkiller-dna-bradley-edwards-australia/ www.mayonews.ie/news/35894-westportman-s-promise-to-murdered-daughter

www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/fatherirish-woman-ciara-glennon-22742419

extra.ie/2020/09/25/news/world-news/serial-killer-murder-irish-womanaustralia www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/father-speaks-of-greatcourage-of-murdered-daughter-as-man-convicted-1.4364570

www.independent.ie/news/australias-claremont-serial-killer-found-guiltyof-murdering-irish-woman-ciara-glennon-after-23-years-39560480.html

THE IRISH SCENE | 8

This family are good friends of the Irish community The Teahan/Cashman family are familiar and friendly faces known to many in Perth’s Irish community, but now they may well be a little better known back in Ireland after the Irish Times carried a piece about them on September 17.

Written by mum Debbie (who also writes the content for the GAAWA Junior Academy page in Irish Scene), the article ‘Covid-19 is ‘tearing at the guts’ of Irish in Australia. ‘We are trapped here’ shares their experience in Ireland and why they came to Australia in June 2011 and what they have done here since, which in Debbies case includes setting up and being involved with the Junior Academy, St. Patrick’s Day festival and Irish Families in Perth. As well as the general plight and pitfalls of leading a life away from Ireland, Debbie spoke about the impact of the pandemic on her and husband Sean’s lives and their children Erin, Daniel and James. www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/abroad/covid-19is-tearing-at-the-guts-of-irish-in-australia-we-aretrapped-here-1.4356230?mode=amp&fbclid=IwAR2RxCu5jdtpeearCfM1dvB0ralWS97SnOi7Rew er_Ku4HJbNbXnuuCcYE

Winds of change blowing for Rosie?

If media interest is anything to go by, Rosie O’Grady’s in Northbridge should also have plenty of interest from prospective buyers.

Channel 9, Perth Now and the West Australian have all run stories about the popular watering hole coming up for grabs on the market.

Rosies’ has been an Irish pub since the heady days of the nineties but according to the coverage its future may be as an outlet for some Margaret River or WA brewers who might want a venue to showcase their home grown product.

See Matters of PUBlic Interest on page 26 for more information. www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/drink/rosieogradys-northbridge-set-to-close-with-stronginterest-already-pouring-in-from-was-southwest-ng-b881680966z

www.facebook.com/9NewsPerth/posts/iconicpub-for-sale-rosie-ogradys-is-closing-downafter-30-years-of-business-9ne/3842315429113922/ Continued on page 10

THE IRISH SCENE | 9

Continued from page 9

Story of Irish bride ships aired 6PR - which recently celebrated its 89th birthday - picked up the story of the six Irish women who who came to Western Australia on so called ‘bride ships’ in the wake of the Irish Famine.

On September 17, Afternoons presenter Simon Beaumont spent a decent amount of time (more than nine minutes) talking to Fred Rea, the chairman of the WA Irish Famine Commemoration committee (WAIFC), who organised a special event and travel box in St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Geraldton. During the interview Simon also gave a shout out to Irish Scene, which as it happens was the magazine’s second plug on the Perth radio station that day, having been discussed much earlier by breakfast presenters Basil Zempilas and Steve Mills on the mailbag section of their show, after they received their copies of the latest issue through the post.

The Geraldton Guardian also covered the event which attracted more than a hundred people and carried a report with photos about it ‘Light shone on Irish bride ship girls at tribute night’. www.6pr.com.au/commemorating-the-irish-bride-ship-girls-that-helped-populate-geraldton-and-perth/ www.tuamherald.ie

6

Wednesday September 2, 2020

NEWS

Major campaign encourages families to make new lives in the West Unprecedented number of options in the west

•

By David Connors include the Memorial will be installed Barrett, lew Orphan Girls Park where committee of the Mountbel Gavin, Aisling Mitchell, Colette MEMBERS of the steering h, Corina Colleran, Pauline Noone and Martin Curley.

Brid Fallon, Eimear McDonag Walsh, Sandra Connolly, Jimmy Anne Marie Cunningham, Missing from photo are Maureen Maura Hannon, Marie Connell.

Meanwhile, another WAIFC project which was touched on in Simon and Fred’s chat, is getting some media interest back in Ireland.

career

case the resources and supports of a available to those thinking or new role, to work remotely those thinking of starting a new

THE West of Ireland can seize a business. the opportunity to renew itself It includes information and of by attracting thousand s €72 success stories about the t young professionals and famthe million Western Investmen ilies to make new lives in Fund (WIF) that provides loans region, according to the Westlocal n and equity to business and ern Development Commissio communities in the West.

(WDC).

As part of the campaign, the The group launched a new platWDC is launching a new campaign called “More to Life” for form to help attract talent last week to showcase the growall seclife- hard to fill roles across ing number of career and in tors. style opportunities available This Talent Tool will allow job Galway and the west. on alerts for of seekers to register With increasing numbers due new roles and give companies people working remotely lookthe informati on on talent to the Covid-19 pandemic, WDC to ing to move west. The WDC is encouraging people attract believes this will help make a permanent and viable comcan more investment from move to the West. Movers the panies and also showcase avail of the many job options range of roles available across open across multiple sectors the region. and enjoy housing costs that ‘Pulse called series A podcast are among the lowest in Ireland. insights • Mountbellew feature will West’ The of Local auctionee r Martin and and from the WDC, industry Orphan Girls Tyrell, of Tyrell Insurances academia. In addition, through Auctioneering in Tuam, who memorial will the Atlantic Economic Corrioperate in an area from Loughdor (AEC) initiative, the WDC mirror one in Perth rea to Ballinrobe and Annaghbuilding a network of over is the said dy, down to Glenamad 100 hubs that support remote company have “a lot of transacBy Jacqueline Hogge working, communi ty entertions” being finalised in recent nt of the prises and the developme weeks, but it’s the quality of for ‘second sites’ in the region property and the location that A MEMORIAL park for Mountbusinesses. This will include be to is most. girls’ the counts for bellew’s ‘orphan an online booking engine “We’ve gotten some excellent from established in the town following spaces of remote working prices for houses and farms will be a collaboration with the Western which Kerry, to Donegal raland in the region over the past Australia Famine Commemo rolled out in the autumn. the three to four months,” Mr Tyrell tion Committee to honour lew.

Comment ing on the new will be replicated in Mountbel which Perth in said. sculpture young girls sent from Mountthe campaign, Western DevelopUAIGNEAS (loneliness) is “I would think that overall al in bellew Workhouse to Australia ment Commission CEO Tomás will Ellen’s who was instrument there are great attractions here in 1852. his businesses and individuals Ó Síocháin, said: “The phrase establishing the Western AustralSubacio, near Perth, during in the Tuam region and there be equally appreciated. been An internatio nal Bringing ian Heart and Lung Transplant for ‘More to Life’ has never State visit in 2017. are many people heading “The Orphan Girls Memorial the Girls home campaign was true and now is the time service.

“Last May 2020 Fred Rea of the because Galway is very more commemorate and we feel Tuam will ts launched by Mountbellew HerFamine Ireland, one of descendan Irish Celia Colohan’s on Western Australia have all the for the West of provide closure for these young who expensive. Here you itage and Tourism Network ommittee Lewington Clive oration C Europe’s great regions, to write include Commem of orphaned through famine, excellent facilities in schools, Sunday to highlight the stories Mountbellew Heritage girls, installed in Western Australa bold new chapter. was the invited and and sent family were sporting , both who recreation the 30 local girls to install who had lost “Out of adversity comes ia’s Hall of Fame and many more of and Tourism Network hotels as well country and who had to survive from the Workhouse as part involving arts. We’ve two ty and the West of a twin of the Uaigneas sculpg of condi- stories are emerging Mount- and it’s big attraction for fam- opportuni ty an assisted emigration scheme. and the most challengin the other girls who left has Ireland has a big opportuni ture created by artists Joan ilies. The new motorway ate Through DNA and extensive in tions in a sometimes unwelcom- bellew in 1852. a to renew and reinvigor Charlie Smith and dedicated been a big asset to us without research local historians have Cur- ing country. itself. There are now an unprec“By helping us ‘Bring The 30 October 2017,” said Martin of resilience group the fortitude, of doubt. most “Their traced will forever number of career in ley, Lead Coordinator Orphan and bravery will be, through the Girls Home’ people inst ance, outside edented the West, some of “For play and several families living to part a had in know that they Girls Park. week, we got options d memorial, remembered and Mountbellew have discovered their way Tuam there last “This was gratefully accepted om them caused by the unexpecte of gener- in helping them on s €430,000 for a four-bedro global they are direct descendants the will undoubtedly inspire home after so many generation We events of 2020 and the

by Jimmy Noone, chair of house near Annaghdown. ations to come to face their own the girls’ families. pandemic.

Mountbellew Heritage and Toura sense of and years.” also sold a house between The campaign is also hoping have a challenges in life with “We also enjoy much more km ism Network and we now Tuam and Milltown to a client optimism and pride.” which to raise €75,000, €5 for each on wide costs n a with living informatio place in more affordable For committee in France for €333,000. We’ve Research has established the of the 15,000km journey from will to the means money goes further ts of the campaign log on for range of expertise which a very wide selection of properPerth to Mountbellew, to pay an ideal several of the descendan and people can enjoy a more Mountbellew Orphan Girls will help make the new Park ties collected over a wide area. the girls went on to live hugely the memorial park which relaxed lifestyle for themselves Project on Facebook. in outdoor space for all.

We’re over 40 years in busisuccessful lives, with Ellen Hansbe modelled on a similar site donation to the and their families.

“We have set up a GoFundMe originally from To make a ness.”

Western Australia. are asked to berry, who was to the GoFund go people “There is More to Life and we where campaign, To page ‘More As well as the new clearly The centrepiece of the Mountthe near Ballinruane, Menlough me page at www.gofundme. has hope our campaign will donate €5 per km to bring WDC Australthe located , ever be first will the campaign to which Life’ site, bellew everyone related ntbellew-orphanpeople that to be the will girls home. We invite or to Iran, John com/f/mou a new website west- show ambassad launched ian close to the town’s schools, the mof spirit case.” to donate to help the Larbal- girls-039bringing-the erndevelopment.ie to showbe a replica of the Uaigneas after Lander. His cousin, Rob back it make finally to home039 girls of t by estier, is another descendan sculpture that was dedicated years and donations from 168 in Higgins D President Michael

Australian exiles of 1852 to be commemorated

Continued on page 12

THE IRISH SCENE | 10

Plans and fundraising are now underway to erect a similar famine memorial in Mountbellow, Co. Galway to mirror the one unveiled in Subiaco three years ago

by Michael D Higgins. Mountbellow has a workhouse and is where many of the bride ship girls who came to Australia left from. That story has been picked up by the Tuam Herald ‘Australian exiles of 1852 to be commemorated’ (left) and also the Roscommon Herald ‘Campaign Launched to bring home Mountbellow ‘Orphan’ girls’.

Assuming this project goes ahead, it it opens the door to some kind of closer connection perhaps even a town twinning - between the local community there and here, which could only be a good thing! roscommonherald. ie/2020/08/31/ campaign-launchedto-bring-homemountbellew-orphangirls/

So this is Christmas...

lly speaking we have been ber it will ever forget. Genera em rem to ugh eno old are with the virus as much of 2020 is a year none of us who has avoided the same experience lar ticu par in ia tral Aus n ster tly turned upside down in many fortunate so far in the way We whose lives have been sudden ple peo of lot a still are re the the rest of the world, but ’t be afraid to ask for help. pandemic. If you are in strife don – the Irish community’s different ways because of the rick’s Day Parade and Festival Pat St. the ch, Mar in n dow to happen. None would When WA started going into lock just 24 hours before it was due ed rific sac be to had – r yea miracle to make this very Irish biggest communal event of the tee members, who pull off a mit com g of rkin dwo har the n and still do live with the effects have been more gutted tha nity groups and individuals did mu com s, had pub who ies, ond pan bey Com and r. event happen every yea in the Irish community in Perth do. No doubt there were those nurses working the restrictions on what they can Scene salutes those doctors and Irish . ing stay or and Irel to g returnin Perth – to help the to make difficult choices about k to Ireland – on a plane from bac ed rush and e her s live ir the d e for emergencies or in Australia who selflessly droppe people who needed to get hom few a te qui are re the bt dou No Irish people fight the pandemic. come back. able to go, or maybe go but not doors funerals but who haven’t been e all forced to go behind closed ion of Irish Scene when we wer edit ch here Mar ryw the eve , ted ion ribu edit dist May and the We had just printed time came around for the en Wh . else ne ryo eve w ance from to keep the sho on for six weeks, and keep our dist cial ‘COVID’ edition online just spe a ed duc pro we so go, to e her s lives but also about how was still shut and there was now the virus was having on people’ act imp te edia imm the ut abo as the 1918 Spanish Flu. Special the road. That issue had stories ted previous pandemics such fron con to and d ure end had used their own office printers the Irish community in WA ddagh Association who both Cla the out and ted hlin pos oug or t) McL l not Pau mention has to go to handed out (thanks to Tony Syn was greatly ic edition, so that they could be or devices. I know that gesture print out copies of this electron not have access to computers do re. That who whe gh any dda go Cla or the e of ialis ers to older memb when they could not soc e tim a at ne Sce Irish ir the d ived ply appreciate by us. appreciated by those who rece to the community was also dee ans me ine gaz ma the t wha in a show of support and confidence were able to return to producing pen and at the start of July we reo to e ted hav star not ld iety soc cou We and 0. y is our last for 202 Fortunately our econom ry two months since. This edition e eve duc ng pro doi n and t bee e prin hav to we us ch for printed edition, whi it financially possible ke ma who sers erti adv in our of sed support find adverti done it without the continued the services and products you ourage everyone to buy or use enc uld n impressed with wo bee we also rn e retu hav In we e. every issu Lilly Rea in July 2019 and Fred from ine gaz ma the r who want to see us succeed. these pages. Since we took ove ny offers of help from people ma the and ine gaz ma the into readers. We would also like to the Irish community’s input ir distinctive creative skills to our the g brin and s 2020 us with k stuc make it what it is. As it happen Our contributors have also us develop the magazine and ed help stone, has mile who is the rk Car ma er to ign e nity or right tim thank our graphic des tion but there wasn’t the opportu can lica we pub of and r ter yea t bet 21s be ne’s will r Sce was actually Irish live in hope that next yea we gs thin er oth ny ma so but like celebrate then. r and we will see you again Happy Christmas and New Yea Before then, we wish you all a in January 2021.

Lloyd and Imelda Gorman Publishers, Irish Scene

THE IRISH SCENE | 11

Continued from page 10

Seventy years young and many happy returns!

Never too late

Events and some background to the story of the Irish Club and its 70th anniversary were part of an article in the Subiaco Post newspaper in mid September, which included a nice photo of club founders and husband and wife team Paddy and Lena Costello.

Late Date on RTE Radio 1 appears to have a strong following in Western Australia particularly.

Seventy years of existence is no mean feat for any community organisation and hopefully future generations will continue to have a Club to celebrate and mark future milestones!

Page 60 – POST, September 19, 2020

Community news

Irish Club goes platinum

The next meeting of the University of the Third Age will hear Peter Flanigan, from North Coast region U3A, tell the story of the remarkable Australian Howard Florey and how he and his team made penicillin available to the world during World War II.

The Irish Club of Western Australia in Townshend Road, Subiaco, celebrates its 70th birthday this weekend.

A community lunch on Friday, September 18 and anniversary party on Saturday will mark the milestone occasion.

Club founders Paddy and Lena Costello, originally from Galway, Ireland, will be among the guests of honour at the festivities.

The couple have lived in their Joseph Street home in West Leederville for 64 years, “The Irish Club has served as a cornerstone of the Subiaco and Irish community for generations, acting as a focal point for waves of Irish diaspora who have emigrated to Western Australia, since the 1950s,� committee member Gillian Forde said. “Like any not-for-profit organisation, the club has seen many challenges over the years, COVID-19 being just the latest, but each rocky patch has been navigated by successive committees since the club’s genesis. “But after all this time, the club still functions as a community hub in its little corner of East Subi.�

She said the first meeting of the Irish Club was held in the Billiard Room of the old Shenton Park Hotel on Monday, September 25, 1950.

The chilled music show has been on the air for more than 20 years and is listened to by a range of people, from cabbies and clubbers to shift workers U3A toand insomniacs. It starts late (about 11pm or learn about midnight on Saturdays) and runs until 2am. remarkable FloreyThese times mean that it coincides nicely with morning time here in Perth, and it would seem to suit many in the Irish community here who can tune in on their smart phones or other digital platforms. Requests from Western Australia are not uncommon, the latest being on September 27.

Host Fiachna Ă“ BraonĂĄin (right) called out to Paul who was tuned in in Perth, WA and “that makes Free digital me think of Rachel who is tuned in as well in Perth, programs Western Australia as well so lots of greetings to ye both thereâ€?.

Founders Paddy and Lena Costello will be guests of honour at this weekend’s Irish Club festivities. “There were 11 people present, including one lady, and most of them had arrived in Perth about a year earlier,�

Gillian said. “There was one Australianborn member of the group – a Bill Dwyer from Nedlands – who was to become one of the club’s most loyal supporters, and without whose moral and financial help the club could never have been established.�

The club’s first social event was held in Wembley Hall in Hay Street at which there was a three-piece band, tea, sandwiches and cakes.

The club hired a room in Bicton House, Hay Street, for several years until the Irish community was able to buy its current premises – Subiaco’s former RSL headquarters and later a restaurant called Fantasia – in Townshend Road. “Paddy and Lena were both instrumental in helping to buy the premises and to set up the club and we are very proud of what they – and many other Irish after them – have been able to achieve and keep the club alive and strong and ready for the next 70 years,�

Gillian said.

October is digital futures month in Subiaco with the council hosting educational events and programs to support Subiaco’s Digital Technology (DigiTech) innovation, education and start-up sector.

The council has partnered with WA Cyber Innovation Hub (ECU), Aust Cyber and the Innovation Institute to deliver free events for small business operators and young people.

Peter will begin his talk at 1pm on Monday, September 21 and at 2.30pm Marsha Sullivan, who has been a volunteer dog walker for eight years and a member of the Shenton Park Dogs’ Refuge board for two years, will speak.

Marsha will give an overview of the history and operations of the Shenton Park Dogs’ Refuge, a western suburbs institution.

Hear how she finds the work both heartbreaking and rewarding.

Necessary arrangements have been made to ensure compliance with COVID-19 regulations.

Join U3A members in the River Room of The Grove Library from 12.45pm to register before a 1pm start to hear the speakers and enjoy a social afternoon tea.

There is a $3 charge and nonmembers are welcome.

For more information, call Susan Barnes on 0403 307 350.

Read the POST online at www.rte.ie/radio1/late-date/

postnewspapers.com.au

August Market Review: Less than four months away from Christmas and what a year it has been. Demand is building as many potential buyers seek to take advantage of the historically low-interest rates and stable prices to secure a property. Our micro-economy in Claremont is doing OK. With external travel not permitted, we are witnessing more money put into our local economy, increased travel around our beautiful state and support for more local businesses.

U O ND FF E ER R

SEPTEMBER CLAREMONT MARKET & COMMUNITY NEWS

Healthier interest in diabetes in Ireland than WA – MP August Market Summary: 7ZHQW\ RQH SURSHUWLHV DYDLODEOH HOHYHQ QHZ DQG WHQ XQGHU RǨHU Claremont has been tracking steady for the past three months with an almost identical turnover of property. Of what came onto the market, four properties under $1M, four in the 0 DQG D KHDOWK\ WKUHH 0 7ZR QHZ SURSHUWLHV ZHQW XQGHU RǨHU LQ $XJXVW D UHQRYDWHG VLQJOH OHYHO GRZQVL]HU DQG DQ HQWU\ OHYHO KRPH ERWK XQGHU 0 $ XQLTXH development site has not been snapped up, which might indicate fewer investors and GHYHORSHUV LQ WKH FXUUHQW FOLPDWH 2I WKH SURSHUWLHV XQGHU RǨHU IRXU XQGHU 0 WKUHH LQ the $1-2M mark and three above $2.5M. Two of the higher-end properties in Claremont Hill and one riverfront property being scooped up after more than a year on the market. *sales data does not include apartments or unit sales

Overseas health care professionals and media outlets – including in Ireland – can be more receptive to a growing 3 OFF MARKET SALE health crisis in WA than local media it seems.

PROPERTY REQUESTS Silent Listing Claremont: *URXQG ǪRRU FKDUDFWHU DSDUWPHQW RQH EHGURRP RQH EDWKURRP RQH FDU ED\ ODUJH OLYLQJ KLJK FHLOLQJV ZRRGHQ ǪRRUERDUGV ERXWLTXH FRPSOH[ ZDON DFURVV WKH URDG WR &ODUHPRQW TXDUWHU LQFUHGLEOH YDOXH RǨHUV IURP Watch This Space: Subiaco lovers, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two undercover car bays, north-facing apartment with large outdoor entertaining area & views over Subiaco, IDQWDVWLF VWDUWHU SDFNDJH DQG HQWHUWDLQHU ZLWK 5RNHE\ 5RDG DW \RXU GRRUVWHS RǨHUV IURP

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Claremont Community News: 12 52<$/ 6+2: 7KLV \HDU PDUNV WKH ÇŠUVW WLPH VLQFH :RUOG War II that the Perth Royal Show has been cancelled. Ever wondered what the little building on The Claremont train station footbridge is for? It is a heritage-listed signal cabin built-in LQ RULJLQDO FRQGLWLRQ DQG ZLGHO\ FRQVLGHUHG WR EH $XVWUDOLDÇ&#x2026;V SUHPLHU SUHVHUYHG VLJQDO ER[ ,W LV RSHQ IRU YLHZLQJ RQ WKH ÇŠUVW 6DWXUGD\ RI HYHU\ PRQWK IURP DP WR SP

â&#x20AC;˘ Family of three looking for character property, contemporary renovation and extension in Claremont or Swanbourne, budget up to $2.5M

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next? In terms of the community, I believe we will see more support for local businesses, I know of three new businesses opening shortly. In terms of the market, it is spring, and we will see some exciting properties coming onto the market, stay tuned. If you DUH FRQVLGHULQJ EX\LQJ RU VHOOLQJ RU KDYH DQ\ TXHVWLRQV UHJDUGLQJ WKH ORFDO PDUNHW SOHDVH get in touch.

â&#x20AC;˘ Young couple with child renting in Claremont, looking for three or four bed family home in Claremont, budget low to mid $1M

Janine Freeman, MP for Mirrabooka presented the 2019/20 annual report for the Education and Health Standing Committee to the Legislative Assembly on September 10.

Best Wishes,

Ç&#x152; /RFDO ÇŠUVW KRPH EX\HUV ORRNLQJ IRU FKDUDFWHU FKDUP ZLWK URRP WR renovate and extend in the future, budget up to high $1M

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;There remains ongoing concern in the committee that the health community fails to address the need for action, hope and outcomes for those diagnosed and living with type 2 diabetes,â&#x20AC;? the Labor politician said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is continual denial of thehubresidential.com.au importance of diet by Australian health professionals, despite acceptance in other comparable jurisdictions such as the UK. I note that I was recently quoted in The Irish Times on our report on type 2 diabetes. I have now been quoted in a British medical journal, an American medical journal, The Irish Times and many UK papers on type 2 diabetes, but it has failed to attract any attention here.â&#x20AC;? There was one exception to the rule, she said, in the form of 6PR presenter Gareth Parker, who she added had â&#x20AC;&#x153;been a champion of this causeâ&#x20AC;?.

Daniel Ranshaw 0415 181 664 Property Consultant - Hub Residential The Claremont Specialist daniel@hubresidential.com.au

Thank you to all the readers who have read my monthly market and FRPPXQLW\ QHZV DQG KDYH FRQWDFWHG PH ZLWK TXHVWLRQV DGYLFH DQG praise. I sincerely appreciate the feedback. I am here to help you whenever needed. Wishing you all the best of health. Daniel Ranshaw

THE IRISH SCENE | 12

THE IRISH SCENE | 13

Irish Club celebrates

70 years

THE IRISH SCENE | 14

We get what matters to you.

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THE IRISH SCENE | 15

THE IRISH SCENE | 16

THE IRISH CLUB IS Proudly sponsored by

SuSANN Keating Registered Psychologist

Child, Adolescent & Family Psychology Service

0414 251 967

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

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Join LUB C THE

7 nov

Superdraw Raffle

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Christmas Party

5 dec COMING SOON! Christmas Concerts & Panto!

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MONDAYS FROM 7pm

TUESDAYS at 7pm

Music & Language Classes + 25 Card Game

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FRIDAY from 5pm

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Happy Hour (and a half)

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seniors lunch Monthly Visa Information Sessions & Book Club

61 Townshend Rd, Subiaco Western Australia 6008

Phone: 9381 5213 • info@irishclubofwa.com.au • www.irishclubofwa.com.au

Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday & Saturday | 17book your next function with us THE IRISH SCENE -

THE MIDWEST IRISH CLUB, GERALDTON

Thirty years a-growing From Humble Beginnings Back in 1990, an Irish colleen named Kathleen Regan arrived in Geraldton with her husband Jack. She soon became homesick and needed some contact with her home country, and wanted to know why there was no club in Geraldton so that the Irish population could get together. So Kathleen got together with other Irish people and got organised.

Above: The original committee in 1990. Below: B Drage, vice president; Mike Kendrick, secretary; and Grace Criddle, treasurer

On 25th July, a public meeting was organised at the Catholic Centre and over 200 people attended. A committee was organised with Paddy Monaghan (President), Teresa Ginnane (Secretary Treasurer), Kath Regan (Vice President), Joe Clancy, Frank Kelly, Jimmy O’Rourke, and Colin Beaumont.

Many social activities followed which were sold out.

Meetings were held at various premises until Jimmy Ginne obtained permission from the Catholic Church to use the building we now occupy.

The Club is now a vibrant meeting place for Irish families and others to meet and enjoy good times, good music and laughter.

The 30th anniversary is being held on 28th November 2020 (delayed by Covid 19) and all old members are invited to get in touch with the Secretary Mike Kendrick on 0427 784 547 as soon as possible as we are restricted to 100 attendees.

Editors note: The Broken Pokers were due to provide the entertainment for the Club’s 30th anniversary and will no doubt go down a treat with the folks there and bring some amazing Irish music to the event. As it happens, on the same weekend (September 18/19) that the Irish Club in Subiaco was celebrating its 70th birthday, a posse from the Irish community in Perth travelled to Geraldton for the Bride Ship Girls event in the Cathedral there, organised by Fred Rea, chair of the WA Irish Famine Committee. On the groups’ first night in Geraldton, we had the pleasure of being invited to the Club where we were shown a traditional Irish welcome and night of craic which saw some of our group knock out some great Irish numbers for the occasion. We look forward to getting to know our friends in Geraldton better in coming editions of Irish Scene.

THE IRISH SCENE | 18

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THE IRISH SCENE | 19

Matters of

PUB-LICinterest!

BY LLOYD GORMAN

Fine girl you are!

Perth’s newest Irish pub was recently christened with a name and makes its global print debut here in Irish Scene!

Having quietly opened up around July, whispers about a great little pub with no name started to circulate within the northern suburbs and beyond.

The only way to find the snug was to go Hillarys Boat Harbour and the Jarrah Bar (which has an entire wall decorated with an image of the Guinness Gates from St. James’ Brewery in Dublin) and seek out the hole in the wall at the back of the premises, which leads into a quaint and comfortable recreation of a traditional Irish pub. Towards the end of October a sign announcing the name Fanny McGee’s Craic was erected above the pub’s traditional cottage style exterior – and indeed atmosphere – that would not be out of place in a rural Irish village.

Fanny McGee’s Craic is the brainchild of Wicklowman Wes Darcy, who owns and operates the Jarrah Bar and Cafe, which being less than a year old is itself relatively new. The Grafton Street Cafes are also his and he is a part owner in the Mullaloo Beach Hotel.

“My intention was to create something that was genuinely modern Irish,” he said. “I wanted to avoid the shamrocks and the Leprechauns and pots of gold and that kind of thing, that’s not what I grew up with

Quaint new Irish pub, Fanny McGee’s Craic, with owner Wes Darcy (right) in Ireland. I wanted it to be less gimmicky and more grounded, like something you would expect to find in a trendy part of Cork, Kilkenny or Galway.”

Wes grew up in the highest village in Ireland, Roundwood, Co. Wicklow which he said has one shop and five pubs, all of which have their own charm and character. He said the best parts of the Irish pub experience can be found in the establishment. “The important thing bout this bar is everyone is talking to everybody and nobody knows nobody,” he said. “Its what we grew up with, we talk to strangers.

Any night of the week here you will have billionaires and ordinary working fellas from down the street like me rubbing shoulders in here.”

A Guinness Club meets there on Wednesday nights and lovers of the black stuff are promised a good sup. “We feel we have the best pint of Guinness in Perth, you’ve got to get the gas right, get the temperature right, but one thing I know for sure in this fine town there is no other venue that has the gas, the keg and tap as close to each other as here. The distance from the keg to the glass is very short.”

A qualified chef by trade, he writes the Jarrah’s menus which he says have food that is as local as possible, with many ingredients such as breads and sauces even made on site, and fresh. Many diners at the Jarrah are THE IRISH SCENE | 20

introduced to the shebeen for a drink while they are waiting for their table to become free while most Irish callers typically like to entrench themselves for ‘a few’.

Fanny McGee’s Craic occupies a space that was previously toilets which has now been transformed beyond all recognition. As well as knocking through the area Wes has been helped create the look and feel of the pub by his brother Garth. An experienced set designer for TV and film – including the latest James Bond movie which is yet to be released – Garth has built scenes and sets at Ardmore Studio’s in Bray, Co. Wicklow and internationally on location.

His skills were useful when it came to recreating and manufacturing the signs and other fixtures that help give Fanny’s its character and style.

The Darcy brothers created the Irish pub during lock-down and when things started to return to ‘normal’ the first person to happen upon the emerging establishment and become its first customer was one Ted Scanlon. As a result Ted – who is awaiting the travel clampdown to be lifted so he can return to Ireland – found another home of sorts and was given the honour of having ‘Ted’s Corner’ at the Jarrah wood counter in Fanny McGee’s Craic named after him, with his name on the wall.

Wes said he wanted the pub – a modern take on an old Irish Shebeen – to have a female name but also to be a bit tongue in cheek as well.

indeed going strong.

Grog and Grocer Pub Perth Pty Ltd - which owns venue which can hold a maximum of 390 customers - has applied for an extended trading permit to stay open until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays. At present the bar closes for at 1am.

Late nights at the Galway Hooker are a hit The owners say late night trading is badly needed for the area and can be justified. Tourism WA identifies nine entertainment precincts across Perth (Subiaco, Fremantle, Northbridge etc) all of which have licensed venues - except Scarborough, which has been redeveloped by the state government and seen a lot of high rise development in recent years.

“Given the size of the locality and the fact that it draws consumers from a wide surrounding area, the licensee applicant based on their experience contends that the locality requires a late night licensed Continued on page 22

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“We’re Irish, we have this recognition around the world for being good craic and we don’t take ourselves too seriously,” he added.

Galway Hooker looking for late night business!

Hard to believe but it has already been a year since the Galway Hooker opened for business in Scarborough - a 12 month window which has seen some of the toughest times ever for the hospitality sector. Despite this the Hooker - and many other local Irish pubs and their counterparts - is holding its own, and

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Continued from page 21

premises to provide options to consumers who wish to remain in the Scarborough Entertainment Precinct,” the application to the Department of Racing, Gaming and Liquor states.

“The experienced…applicant submits that a unique, safe themed premises that was able to remain open until 2.00 am on Friday and Saturday nights would cater to the contemporary requirements of consumers, and aid in the proper development of the liquor, tourism and hospitality industries in the state.”

In order to keep customers and the wider community from harm the pub would put a range of measures in place, such as crowd controllers, a 1am lockout to customers trying to get in from other venues and having food available for customers right up to the end of the night.

As well as giving punters a place to go and stay later into the night the owners argue the 2am closing would take pressure of public transport, taxi and ride sharing services, rangers, police and other services by not having the patrons of every venue hitting the streets at the same time at the end of the night.

The bid to stay open later on Fridays and Saturdays is well supported by the local community and the Irish community. Backing for the request includes the Scarborough Beach Association and opposition and Liberal Party leader Liza Harvey while the Irish Australia Chamber of Commerce, Emerald Football Club, St Finbarr’s GFC and Irish Scene have also lent their endorsement.

The Galway Hooker application was lodged in late August and went out for public comment between 14-27 October. All things going well the extended hours will be approved and in place for the busy Christmas period!

Meanwhile, congratulations and good luck to the hardworking team at the Galway Hooker which has been shortlisted as a finalist in three award categories (draught beer quality/new venue award and themed venue) in the 2020 Awards for Excellence. Organisers Australia Hotels Association (WA) said there as unprecedented interest in this years competition.

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Irish Scene supporters Perth Racing are also in the running for awards for Ascot as the best outdoor area, best sporting entertainment venue and the company’s Tony Favazzo is a finalist for the venue managers award as well.

“Hotels and hospitality venues throughout WA have faced their most challenging year in living memory but the response we have received to these awards demonstrates their unwavering strength in the face of adversity,” AHA (WA)CEO Bradley Woods said.

“COVID-19 presented extreme challenges and we are certainly not out of the woods just yet, but our industry can be proud of the leadership role it played in both reopening the state’s economy and in ensuring people can get back out in their community to socialise safely.”

The award night will be held at Crown Perth on November 16.

Times have been tough but Irish Club is tougher Like every other venue the Irish Club was forced to shut its doors as part of the lock-down earlier this year. It was a setback the Club - which was in many ways on struggle street financially - could have done without. The bar is the main source of takings for the Club so while that was shut it couldn’t bring in an income. But when regulations changed and licensed premises were allowed to do take away the Committee organised two stock take sales which were an injection of cash for the club.

During all this there was another ‘revenue stream’ that the Club could count on - pandemic or not.

While it is a bit of an unsightly yolk the mobile phone antenna station on top of the 61 Townshend Continued on page 24

“MAYBE THE SMALLEST IRISH BAR IN THE WORLD”

64/28 Southside Drive, Hillarys Boat Harbour Phone: +61 8 9246 4112 Email: jarrahbarandcafe@icloud.com

THE IRISH SCENE | 23

Continued from page 22

Left: Staff at the Irish Club

Road premises was working away and bringing in cold hard cash in the form of rent for the Club.

Merryas Christm

Farewell to Irish Club favourites, Adam & Sinead

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It appears that even before lock-down things were starting to improve and since things have

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returned (at least in WA) to some sort of normality the Club has been going well and attracting more members and patrons, more events and functions, more groups and activity. This upswing appears to be because of members getting more hands on with their club, other communities such as the Welsh and Scots being made feel welcome, the return of the Irish Theatre Players and in no small measure as a result of the tireless work done by the Committee, volunteers and supporters. A year after the Irish Club looked like it was on the brink of financial collapse it is now in a much stronger position (turning a profit instead of a loss for example) and heading in the right direction.

There is still a way to go and the Club still has debts and issues to deal with but there is good reason for optimism.

A step forward would seem to be the fact the Club advertised the position of a full time manager. The right candidate will have to have a few strings to their bow, including bookings and event management, staff and stock management and customer service, to name a few.

“The Club Manager will be a positive force for change with a desire to help create a venue and experience that exhibits Irish culture to the broader Western Australian community,” the recruitment ad said.

“The Club Manager will be hands on in controlling the efficient "day to day" operations of the club's trading activities including running the clubs bar.

The Club Manager will provide leadership and mentoring to staff to a high standard in line with job descriptions and build a reliable pool of casual staff.

“This role is autonomous but, working very closely with the Committee and volunteers, will be responsible for implementing and delivering strategic outcomes that will see the club grow and succeed in achieving its vision.

“The Club Manager will be an ambassador for the club exhibiting the club's values through your actions and will provide an avenue for feedback from members on the status and progress of the club. We envisage the successful applicant will be familiar with club environments and work within the known constraints of a Not For Profit entity.”

No salary was listed in the job ad for the Club Manager position.

Finally, the Irish Club recently lost two workers who will be friendly and familiar faces to anyone who has been in there at any stage over the last couple of years. Adam and Sinead, you will be missed by many.

Good luck with what you are now doing!

Continued on page 26

THE IRISH SCENE | 24

Seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Greetings

from your WA Labor Irish-Australian team

Alanna Clohesy

Jessica Stojkovski

Alannah MacTiernan

Stephen Dawson

MEMBER FOR EAST METRO

MEMBER FOR KINGSLEY

MEMBER FOR NORTH METRO

MEMBER FOR MINING & PASTORAL

walabor.org.au Authorised by T. Picton, 3/22 Eastbrook Terrace, East Perth WA 6004.

THE IRISH SCENE | 25

Margaret Quirk MEMBER FOR GIRRAWHEEN

David Michael MEMBER FOR BALCATTA

Continued from page 24

Shebeen saga: simply shenanigans or a shambles?

As Ireland was heading into yet another lock-down in late October Gardai raided a ‘suspect Shebeen’ near Athy, Co. Kildare and tweeted details including photos of the place they say was operating illegally.

It had everything you would expect to find in a proper public house, counter, bar stools, tables, chairs, a 70 inch flat screen and pool table, as shown in the photos posted on social media by police. A wheelie bin packed to the top with empty Bulmers (Magniers) pint bottles was also found.

Much of the equipment and contents - including five kegs and bottles of spirits - was seized and anyone with information about it is asked to contact their local cop shop.

There were no details of any arrests or fines being issued so perhaps there was an almighty exodus out of it when the drinkers discovered the long arm of the law was about to strike.

The tweet and purpose behind the raid sparked a furious reaction online.

“This is b****x, dunno what’s worse the pettiness from the Guards or the Rat who couldn’t bare to see someone having some fun on their own property,” one person said. This prompted the following response: “They are undermining the efforts of the vast majority of people to suppress the virus. Their "fun" is putting peoples' lives at risk.” Another supporter of the police action said non compliance was the reason why Covid case numbers were spiking and why the government needed to order a new lock-down. “If people adhered to the very simple advice numbers would be low and we wouldn’t be in a second lock-down,” they said.

Or this one: The remark “Amazing this place could be raided but a big hotel in Galway wasn’t??” was met by “What the big hotel that pays its VAT, insurance, tax, staff and has to adhere to HSE guidelines etc. Yeah they are the same.”

But by far the greater number of comments were pro-Shebeen and anti-authority as this selection shows: “Nazi Brigade strike again!”; “If Carlsberg did shebeens”; “Fair play to them hopefully they are back in business soon”; “Is bar closed at garda HQ phoenix park???” and “savage gaff”.

NEWLSASH NEWLSASH NEWLSASH NEWLSASH F F F F Time to raise a parting glass to Rosie O’Grady’s Word of the final demise of Rosie O’Grady’s reached Irish Scene as this edition was going to the printers.

The lease for the Northbridge Irish pub runs out on December 31 but Rosie’s days as a public house will come a little bit sooner than that. Monday 30th November will be its last trading day. Irish Scene plans to catch up with manager Scott Frazer - who has been there from day one - and others linked to the bar and entertainment venue, for their memories and thoughts before the doors close and the lights are turned off for the last time. That story will appear in the January edition of Irish Scene.

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OCTOBER 24

Irish Day

at Ascot Racecourse

H

THE IRISH SCENE | 27

G’day from Australia’s

Ambassador in Ireland

GARY GRAY

Australia’s Ambassador hits the ground running in Ireland Australia’s Ambassador to Ireland, the Hon Gary Gray AO arrived in Dublin to take up his new role on 3 August 2020. His arrival in Dublin follows warm farewells from the Irish community at home in Perth, Fremantle and many well-wishes from across Australia, including great tips on the best Irish experiences to be had upon arrival.

Compulsory quarantine was no hardship - unlike in Australia where international arrivals must quarantine in a hotel, Gary and his partner Pippa were able to quarantine at the Ambassador’s residence in Killiney, Dublin. Their little dog, Ted has also joined them, and they’ve been able to enjoy the last of the summer weather which extended into September.

Since emerging from compulsory COVID quarantine on 18 August, Gary has worked quickly to engage Embassy staff, understand emerging issues impacting Australians in Ireland from both a tourism and commercial perspective, and taken responsibility for the Embassy’s future direction.

Despite COVID, Gary’s been grateful for the warm welcome he’s received by the people of Ireland since arriving in Dublin, as well as the many introductions he’s received within the Diplomatic community. “The British and New Zealand Ambassadors have been so welcoming, along with the Chargee d’affaires from Canada - Pip and I really appreciate the strong sense of community that is fostered amongst Commonwealth diplomats.”

Positive feedback on Ambassador Gray’s down-to-earth, approachable nature and refusal to be addressed as ‘His Excellency’ has gone down well with the Embassy team, and the many stakeholders and organisations and people he’s met in the first few months of his appointment.

Above: President Michael D. Higgins (left), and Gary Gray (right) at the formalisation of Gary’s role as Australia’s Ambassador

The work doesn’t stop just because of COVID The management of COVID has been quite different by the Irish Government, compared to the Western Australian Government - with borders still open and Northern Ireland’s different approach impacting the ongoing spread of the infection. Despite this, the Government of the Republic of Ireland continues to provide thoughtful public policy guidelines on how to live with the disease, balancing jobs and public health outcomes. With a second wave of infection threatening as Ireland enters colder weather, much of the Embassy’s work is conducted via videoconference and telephone.

“Many events have been cancelled in light of COVID, but that doesn’t stop the Embassy from continuing to work in a COVID-compliant way, engaging and listening to travellers and businesspeople, and facilitating positive outcomes.”

Gary said.

The formalisation of Gary’s role as Australia’s Ambassador was confirmed by a visit to His Excellency, President Michael D. Higgins of Ireland, where he presented his Letters of Credence on 25 September. This event was held in a COVID compliant way, with Gary expressing his deep THE IRISH SCENE | 28

Above left: Gary in the studio at RTE One.

Stay up to date with what’s happening in the Australian Embassy, Ireland by following:

@ausembire

Australian Embassy, Ireland

@AusEmbIre

thanks to the President and his team for their work in making the ceremony such a success in light of current COVID restrictions. At the meeting, Gary also renewed his desire to build on the significant relationships that have developed between Australia and Ireland.

Open communication with Australians in Ireland trying to get home Following Gary’s meeting with President Higgins, Gary spoke on RTE One radio to discuss the challenge many Australians are experiencing in getting home due to flight cancellations, State Government international entry caps and the cost associated with hotel quarantine upon arrival back in Australia. Approximately 300 Australians are stuck in Ireland unable to get home, and the Embassy is doing all it can to support these travellers in their long journey back to Australia. In support of this agenda, Gary has been meeting with airline carriers to understand logistics and COVID compliance measures, ensuring those impacted are kept up to date.

“I will use all instruments of the Australian Government that I can to support Australians in Ireland whenever or wherever they need it” Gary said.

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Supporting trade and business between Australia and Ireland Gary has continued to promote Australian produce and seek new trade opportunities in the clinical research and fintech sectors since arriving in Ireland. He’s impressed to see Manjimup truffles on the menu of several well-regarded restaurants in Dublin, and enjoying facilitating initial discussions between potential collaboration partners on medical research projects. From a fintech perspective, the Australian Government’s recent announcement to spend $800 million on infrastructure and security to help business better engage in the digital world presents an exciting opportunity for new fintech projects from which both Ireland and Australia can benefit.

As the world adjusts to the challenges presented by COVID, Gary is leading the Australian Embassy’s pivot to respond appropriately while still engaging with and delivering for stakeholders across the travel, business, sporting, cultural and political landscape of our two countries.

With Gary’s four year appointment to the role, he’s well placed to build on the legacy of Australian diplomatic relations in Ireland, which next year will be celebrating 75 years of engagement.

A christmas message from

The ambassaDOR of IRELAND A chairde Gael san Iarthar Is brea liom féin is mo bhean, Carmel, seans a bheith againn dea-ghuí na Nollag is na hAthbhliana a chur siar agaibh tráth cinniúnach seo sa bhliain 2020. Tá súil againn go mbeidh bliain mhaith mhór agaibh is againn ar fad sa bhliain 2021.

2020 has been quite literally one of the most unforgettable years that we have lived through, the changed reality that COVID-19 has presented to our community has tested us, our resilience and our commitment to one another in a way that we would never have thought possible or necessary. One of the towering achievements of the Irish community in WA and across Australia has been the solidarity that we have shown to one another. As Ambassador of Ireland, I am so proud to say I am a member of such a warm, hospitable and caring community. I would like to mention the continuing valuable work of the Claddagh Association, especially during these unprecedented times.

You will have seen and read reports of how Ireland has been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a very difficult time for our families, friends and neighbours back home. But again the commitment of so many brave women and men, particularly those in the front line medical and emergency, is heart-warming proof of the Irish concept of ‘Comhar na gComharsan’ – the community of our neighbours. We are a people, wherever we find ourselves in the world, who care for the other, the stranger and the outsider. We have never been as challenged to prove our allegiance to these concepts than this year.

In the midst of all the stress and anxiety that 2020 has presented, many of us have managed to live comparatively normal lives. My wish and prayer for you, your family and friends is that you keep safe and that 2021 presents you with renewed opportunities to celebrate all that is positive in our culture. I would also ask to make a particular effort at this festive time to reach out to someone less fortune that yourself who might benefit from a consoling word, a friendly chat or, subject to COVID safety, a drop by to their place or an invite to yours.

HE Breandán Ó Caollaí

Ambassador of Ireland

I want to acknowledge and thank all those who work tirelessly to ensure the health and vitality of Irish culture throughout the year in WA, so many individuals and organisations enrich the life of our community and thereby enrich the lives of all of WA community.

Finally, let me express my sincerest appreciation to our Honorary Consul, Marty Kavanagh and the staff of the Honorary Consulate, Perth, for their particularly dedicated and professional service to our community in 2020.

Guím No Nollaig Mhaith Mhór is 2021 faoi mhaise

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THE IRISH SCENE | 31

BY LLOYD GORMAN

ISTEACH SA TEACH Michael was a true Irish gentleman The duty of reporting the death and recording the achievements of George Michael Nolan’s passing to the parliament of Western Australia fell to Irish born McGowan Minister Stephen Dawson.

“Members in this place may recall that he was for many years the Honorary Irish Consul in Western Australia,” Mr Dawson told the Legislative Council on September 17. “He passed away recently on 8 September at the age of 88.

It would have been his 89th birthday on 19 September. I had the pleasure—if I can say it that way—of attending Michael’s funeral this morning, which was a celebration of Michael Nolan his life. At the outset, I want to acknowledge Eleanor Nolan, his wife, who would be known to many of us here. Over the years, Michael and Eleanor held functions to celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Western Australia. Many of us attended those and Michael was also a guest at St Patrick’s Day events at this place over the last few years. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not have a celebration this year; the last time he would have been here was to celebrate that day last year. Michael was a native of County Kilkenny in Ireland. He moved to Birmingham in the UK where he studied at university to be a mechanical engineer. I am told that Michael left Kilkenny for what we now call Malaysia to work with the Inchcape company. After four years there, he was transferred to Bangkok. It was there that he first became of service to the general community.

“In a eulogy at the funeral today that was delivered by the current Honorary Consul of Ireland, Marty

Kavanagh, we were told that Michael was appointed as Honorary Consul to Thailand in 1966. After the visit of the then Taoiseach, Jack Lynch, he was elevated to the position of Honorary Consul General. The current Honorary Consul told us that Thailand was not exactly overflowing with Irish people in 1966. In fact, there were approximately 84 Irish people in Bangkok at the time. However, I am told that that did not mean the job was not without its fun Stephen Dawson and games. Michael was approached at the time by an Irish backpacker who asked him to report the theft of his backpack to the Thai police. When Michael Nolan asked him why he did not report the theft to the police himself, the backpacker said, ‘I can’t do that because the police are looking for me.’ We heard Jack Lynch many stories of Michael’s work over the years. He was involved in the rescue of nine Sisters of Mercy from Burma for which he was invited to meet the then president so the president could thank him personally.

“Michael came to Western Australia in 1972. In 1976, he became Ireland’s first Honorary Consul to Western Australia, and in 1981, he was elevated to Honorary Consul General. Over the years, Michael and Eleanor, because they were a true partnership, must have fielded about 150,000 telephone calls and issued over 250,000 passports. It was common for them to get phone calls at all hours of the day and night, some of which were just plain silly. I am told that they were called one time for help with crossword puzzles.

Somebody asked for the name of an Irish county

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containing the letter O. Another call was made asking for a list of Irish girls’ names. That apparently was not unusual, but it was not something people would have at hand at 7.00 am. Another time an Irish lady, who had recently arrived in Tasmania, was very upset that her Irish pension had not arrived. When asked

by Michael whether she had completed the necessary paperwork before her departure, she said, ‘That wasn’t necessary, everybody in the town knew I was going to Australia.’

“After 33 years of serving as the Honorary Irish Consul, Michael retired. He was known to continue to frequent our Irish events in Perth in Western Australia. He was awarded an OAM for services to the Irish community.

I am told that the dedication read, ‘It is an honour richly deserved and one that will be welcomed by all who know of Michael’s dedication and commitment to serving our community.’ Michael was a true Irish gentleman. I am very pleased that I got to spend time with him over the years. I want to again acknowledge Eleanor, his wife, and his family. Michael had a good life. He served the community over that time and he will be sadly missed by the Irish community, and I want to say may he rest in peace.” Members of parliament who were present in the chamber gave the traditional cheer of ‘hear, hear’.

Susan Ryan ‘one of the top 100 Irish Australians of all time’ Tributes also flowed in national parliament in both the Labor and Liberal camps recently for two other public figures who dedicated their lives to Australia but who claimed strong Irish heritage. Susan Ryan, the ‘architect for Australia’s world leading Sex Discrimination Act died suddenly in early October. New South Wales Senator Anthony Sheldon was one of several parliamentarians to pay their respects.

“She was one of our best fighters,” the senator said on Susan Ryan October 8.

“She lived a life of firsts. Her Irish working-class parents, Florence and Arthur, worked as a sales assistant and as a public servant respectively. She was the first in her family to go to university. She was the first in her school to win

a scholarship to university. It is a stark reminder to all of us of how unequal our society was at the time that she was forced to pay back that scholarship because she got married. We should all remember that it was not long ago that all women had to resign from the Public Service when they got married and could be fired from any job when they became pregnant.

She was also, of course, the first female member of a Labor cabinet when she joined the Hawke cabinet in 1983 as education and youth affairs minister.”

The senator quoted a story from a good mutual friend of theirs - Dermot Ryan - who is active in the Irish Labor groups in Australia and who wrote a tribute to her for the Irish Times.

Anthony Sheldon

“What really stood out was our shared memories of her warmth and her sense of fun and mischief,” Dermot said.

“At social events, she Deborah O’Neill moved seamlessly from singing a hymn to singing The Internationale. She was a committed Australian republican and was also an Irish republican.

Whenever we met, she would cheekily address me as ‘Comrade Ryan, my favourite Irish Unionist’, (her knowing full well that ‘Unionist’ has a very different meaning in Australia to Ireland). My own late Mother having shared her name, I would retort ‘Hello there— my 2nd favourite Susan Ryan’. A fighter for a just society for women and men, Susan Ryan has earnt a place in the hearts of the Labor movement and all Australians.”

Senator Deborah O’Neill shared something special with her former colleague and friend. “Her life was also marked with a long affiliation with her Irish heritage. Like myself, she was an Australian of Irish flavour, Catholic and Labor,” Senator O’Neill said.

“She remarked that her lifelong desire for social justice was kindled due to the strong values based teaching she received at a Brigidine school in Sydney.

The Brigidines are a teaching order of nuns founded in Ireland in the 19th century who contributed significantly to Catholic education in Australia.

Several decades later Susan was awarded the lifetime Continued on page 34

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Continued from page 33

achievement of the Brigid Award by the Irish Labor friendship women’s group in 2016—indeed, she was the inaugural awardee of that award named after St Brigid, whose values and philosophy inspired the Brigidine nuns who taught Susan. Her love of the Irish people was profound. Susan’s family tree connects her back to County Wexford. This is an important thing for Irish people: it’s not enough just to be from Ireland; you have to be from a particular county. Even in later life, Susan joined the annual Irish Winter School in Sydney to learn the Irish language—in order, she said, to be able to fit in when she visited the country. She championed the project to erect a monument in Sydney to the Irish Great Famine, which commemorated the thousands of Irish women who escaped the famine by emigrating to Australia, and she spoke at the fifth annual commemoration ceremony in 2004. Susan was also a member and a speaker at the Aisling Society, an Irish-Australian cultural group. She was a frequent supporter and patron of O’Punsky’s Theatre Company in Sydney, and in 2019 she was named one of the top 100 Irish Australians of all time by the Irish Echo—up there with Paul Keating, Ben Chifley and John Owen Feeney Curtin.

“It’s not surprising that the last conversation I had with Susan Ryan, earlier this year, was at an Irish event around St Patrick’s Day. It was to mark the 20th year of the presence of the Irish consulate in Sydney and was convened by the David Smith Consul General there, Owen Feeney. It was to celebrate 20 historical Australian-Irish figures. As she always did, Susan took the time to talk to everyone in the room. She took me aside and, as she had done on many occasions, encouraged me, supported me and understood me as only a woman in the great Labor Party can. Susan’s legacy will be felt by generations of Australians to come, and her example will shine to all Australian women.”

David Smith, Senator for Bean, ACT, testified to the influence her early education had on her.

“Susan often spoke of the influence on her of the Brigidines, a teaching order of sisters founded in

Ireland in 1807 and named for St Brigid, one of Ireland’s patron saints,” Mr Smith told the Senate on October 7. “St Brigid was celebrated for her generosity to the poor and particularly poor women. With the abolition in 1880 of state aid for denominational education, Catholic bishops in New South Wales relied heavily on the Irish teaching orders to staff their schools.”

John Fahey – ‘a remarkable man: a chain-smoking, rugby league playing Irish Catholic’ In early October, Western Australian Senator and Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann led tributes to a former NSW Premier and party colleague of good Irish stock.

“I move that the Senate records its deep sorrow at the death, on 12 September 2020, of the Honourable John Joseph Fahey AC, former Minister for Finance and Administration and former Member for Macarthur,” John Fahey Mr Mathias said.

“John was born on 10 January 1945 in Wellington, New Zealand, to Irish immigrants, Stephen and Annie Fahey, who left Ireland in the late 1930s to create a better life for themselves and their children—or the children that they hoped to have at that point. At age 10, John’s family emigrated to Australia and settled in Picton, New South Wales.”

New South Wales Senator Kristina Keneally picked up the story of what happened to him in Picton.

“If public life hadn’t ended up calling John’s name, he had the beginnings of another career: in rugby Simon Birmingham league,” she said. “It was an Irish Catholic nun, of all people, who introduced John to rugby league.

Don’t worry; John himself described that situation as bizarre. When he was 11, John was coached by Sister

THE IRISH SCENE | 34

Kevin at St Anthony’s convent in Picton. She was in charge of selecting the team to play against St Paul’s convent, Camden. In 2010, John reflected: ‘Here was an Irish nun in full religious habit, trying to teach a group of boys the fundamentals of league, such as playing the ball and six-man scrums, on the concrete playground between the church and the school. It was a blessed relief when one of the team’s fathers agreed to take over as coach.’”

Minister for Trade and Tourism Simon Birmingham said his colleague and former Cabinet minister Christopher Pyne Julian Leeser admired John’s style and values. “Christopher reflected on John’s Irish Catholic background, noting that he maintained that earthiness that comes from so many Irish Australians, as well as humility and insight that endeared him to colleagues,” Mr PM Scott Morrison Birmingham said. “He also acknowledged that John was someone who you could rely on in a political contest and that he didn’t run from a fight but nor was he someone who initiated them. He never abandoned his friends.”

Senator Julian Leeser agreed that a brotherhood developed between those who served in cabinet.

“I got to know John Fahey, former premier of New South Wales and the Government’s first Finance Minister, well,” said Mr Leeser, who represents Berowra, NSW. “He became a valued friend during this process. He was a great raconteur, Like all the Irish, he could talk. Sometimes as a punishment for long-winded Ministers, I would ask John to reply to their arguments. He could go a lot longer in reply than they did in making their submissions. Letting John loose was a tactic designed to wear down even the most loquacious of the other Ministers. John Fahey was a remarkable man: a chain-smoking, rugby league playing Irish Catholic, solicitor, former trainee priest, and a bloke who was in law firm practice with the very controversial John Marden. John Fahey’s presence in our party was a reminder to us and the Liberal Party that the party at its best is a party that represents all Australians.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid his own tribute to the man he described as an Australian and Liberal ‘original’. It was the Fahey government that secured the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, an event that defined the city and nation and “ in many ways led Australia out of the 1990s recession,” Mr Morrison said. “It gave Australians hope and belief….In his day, John was not your typical Liberal. A Catholic, rugby league player and smoker from South West Sydney. As a Liberal he broadened our outlook and connected us with an ever widening aspirational population.

Even when he left public life in 2001 due to ill health John continued to act as a mentor to upcoming party colleagues, including Joe Hockey and Marisa Pyne.

After politics he also went to become a director of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University, chairman of the Rugby League Development Board and chairman of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. In 2007, John became chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Home rule for Ireland on a technicality Parliaments cannot operate without rules and procedures that apply to the way everything gets done and what members can and can’t do.

Sometimes the tiniest, seemingly insignificant matters can be determined by something that happened a long time ago.

Tony Burke

For reasons that are not important here and we won’t delve into, Tony Burke, the Labor member for Watson, NSW, got down into the nitty gritty of a point of order and exposed an Irish connection.

“What the Leader of the House is proposing is, effectively, that you can word a motion in a way that makes it unamendable,” Mr Burke told the House.

“That is a decision for the House. These precedents go back to 1905. This is actually one of my favourite precedents. It was about home rule for Ireland. The whole purpose of the motion was to call on the king to grant home rule for Ireland. The amendment was to not do that at all, and it was viewed as being in order.”

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Ciara was strong in spirit, had great courage The following is the full statement read

by Denis Glennon, the father of Ciara Glennon, at a press conference the day after Justice Stephen Hall handed down his verdict in the Supreme Court that found Perth man Bradley Robert Edwards guilty of the murder of Ciara and Jane Rimmer, but not Sarah Spiers.

Firstly, thank you, Commissioner. And hello to everybody. We’ve seen a lot of each other over the last couple of months. It’s not my forte to do this at all. And I intend to speak for approximately 10 minutes. And I’ve prepared some notes which I will refer to. I’m speaking on behalf of the Glennon family only. And if I stumble, just understand.

In her book, Ciara’s Gift, my wife, Una, described the grief of losing Ciara as follows. She said, “Days that are meant to be days of celebration are now days tinged with sadness. There’s always somebody missing, a conspicuous absence, an empty chair, her silence speaks louder than our words. We miss her acutely.” Those words were written by Una in 2012, and they resonate today with imperishable clarity and meaning still.

When Ciara was deemed a missing person, I appealed for help to find her, in a press conference like this, in this very same room. And through tears I said she would fight for her life because of the way she was brought up. She would fight for her life. And little did we know then how prophetic these words would be. As she fought to save her life, she left us the vital DNA clues. Ciara was strong in spirit, had courage, great courage. But yet, as she fought to save her life... she could not save herself. Because of the brutal assault by her murderer.

Not known by many people, but we were not permitted to view Ciara’s body.

Her wounds and injuries were too gruesome. I read the complete autopsy report shortly after it was compiled. It contained the photographs of the fatal injuries to Ciara’s neck, the same images were disclosed during the trial, but were unseen by the public. They were too confronting. For 23 years, I have lived with those images.

Shortly after her funeral, I visited Ciara’s grave in Karrakatta, alone, and there I made a personal commitment to her. I told her I would do all in my power to find the person, or persons, responsible for killing her, or I would die trying. And since then that promise, that commitment to Ciara, has driven me unwaveringly and unapologetically.

Now, the unravelling of the complex DNA evidence, the fibre evidence, the propensity evidence, the unravelling of those by many, many specialists worldwide

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These were a welcome respite, and we thank the people responsible. And I’d like to repeat that para: I’d like to thank the people responsible for those balanced reports.

is now public knowledge. So, there’s no need for me to add anything to it today. My family has no criticism of what the police or the scientists might have done better during the very lengthy investigation. We have no critique of those involved. They did the very best they could with the information, with the methods, with the equipment that they had available to them at that time.

And nothing revealed in the trial came as a surprise to us. Nothing, including the honest mistakes.

Before expressing gratitude to the many people, my family wishes to make one observation. And since Ciara’s murder there have been countless heartbreaking setbacks. And most were triggered by media reports containing selective information to support predisposed opinions. And the reports were, somewhat understandably, based on deficient interpretations of an everincreasing labyrinth of evidence over so long. The reports... they serve little or no legitimate public interest value or purpose. The dramatic headlines, the subjective content repeatedly cast doubt on the investigative work of the police, and the analytical work of the chemists, the scientists, all of whom I know were working diligently and conscientiously with what they had to work with at the time they were working on the case. And this form of reporting, I can assure you, inflicted needless additional suffering on my family. The stomach-churning, sinking feeling such reports delivered is beyond words.

And I can assure you my family is not alone in making that observation. For over two decades, such reporting occurred. They’re on record. There’s no denying that fact. And I thought then that suspicion and scepticism do not have to be the prime currency of dealings between the media personnel and those seeking truth and justice. Thank God we live in a civil society. But in a civil society, our society, we believe journalistic standards and editorial stewardship that tap the deeper well springs of what I’ve called the long-established principles of impartiality and empathy are indisputably superior alternatives.

Now, I quickly add, this observation from my family is not a criticism by us. It is simply an observation. It is our lived experience. In contrast, are those in the media who, with acumen and wisdom, crafted balanced reports that were sensitively worded, were transparent.

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Moving on from that observation, then, to gratitude. It’s not possible for me to thank, on behalf of my family, the many people to whom we owe gratitude. Let me try. To friends, members of the public, business colleagues, who contributed to the secure community foundation shortly after Ciara was murdered, we extend our sincere thanks.

They provided the key early financial assistance to secure what was then pioneering DNA analytical equipment and investigative techniques for Western Australia. We thank Professor Jonathan Whitaker and his team in the UK for that crucial first DNA breakthrough. We thank the scientists at the Chem Centre, PathWest, here in Perth, for their dedicated, tenacious and very comprehensive work leading to the second major DNA breakthrough, and, indeed, the very comprehensive body of work on fibre identification and matching. We thank Dr Ray Palmer in the UK for his unique contribution to fibre analysis. We thank the 200-plus witnesses for their courage in coming forward.

And we thank the scientists, the profilers, the case reviewers, the specialists in New Zealand and the UK, the US, and elsewhere, for their painstaking reviews and analytical endeavour over so, so many years.

The WA Police Force deserve a special thankyou. They permitted me to enter their world and express my profound desire for justice. They allowed me to assist Continued on page 38

Continued from page 37

wherever they believed I could. My request to them for truthfulness of information, no matter how hard to hear and bear, was granted to me. And to my family. And this trust and confidentiality will never be forgotten, and forever be honoured. Thank you, Commissioner for that bond of trust. Many of the 500-plus police officers who were involved for many, many years knew of the significance of this trustbased, special relationship, and their willingness to break with orthodoxy, explore new avenues for answers, helped establish groundbreaking investigative practices not only in WA but in Australia.

And it was their commitment, their openness, their rock-solid endeavours that sustained us as a family during the times of the aforementioned setbacks. We never doubted their commitment to find the person who murdered Ciara. Not for one minute.

We thank the various WA governments over the years, and the current director of the DPP for providing the needed resources to the prosecution. And the police.

We thank Carmen Barbagello, the DPP team. Their insightful, penetrating, unrelenting assessment of evidence, and their indefatiguable advocacy will never be forgotten by us. And no amount of personal exhaustion daunted them. Ms Barbagello and all of the DPP ladies who worked on the case are people with very big hearts. As a family, we could not have asked for more. We especially thank them for the sensitivity and empathy, and similar to the WA Police Force, the openness and honesty extended to us pre and during the trial.

We acknowledge and thank the Honourable Justice Hall for his objective, transparent and fair trial, and his timely delivery of the verdict. We believe he conducted the trial with care, great care, to ensure fairness to both the defence and the prosecution. The accused was presumed innocent. The state bore the onus of proof, and the standard of proof was beyond reasonable doubt. These principles,we believe, remained, unqualified, immutable, and uniform in their application throughout the trial. His Honour advised he was not distracted by the huge public interest or

publicity from the proper application of these principles.

And the axiom that justice must not only be done, but be seen to be done, was very apt right throughout the case - and I was there practically every day. We express the enduring gratitude to the many people of Western Australia and beyond who continue to uplift us as a family, and for their steadfast support over that 23 years.

Of course, our thoughts and prayers will continue for Don and Carol Spiers. They too deserve justice.

Especially they deserve to know where Sarah is.

Now, crimes such as these inflict unforeseeable collateral damage. They take their toll physically, emotionally, and spiritually on those left behind. As a family, we will not allow ourselves to be prisoners of the past. We have chosen not to prepare or provide victim impact statements. Partly for that reason. The past is unquestionably, for us, engulfed by sadness, and that is a powerful force. But, as a family, the past is transcended, it’s transcended by the fond memories of Ciara. Yes, memories watered by tears, but also caressed by her spirit, her ready friendship, and, above all, her courage. These memories will continue to apply healing balm to past suffering. Now, life’s shadows are lengthening for Una and Denis, and from here we will together move forward with equanimity, renewed purpose and meaning, shepherded by those fond memories I’ve mentioned from the past, but with the future, with our daughter, Denise, and her family, with our friends, and with the thoughts of enduring gratitude to so many, so many people. And as you know, I’ve had a deep personal involvement for more than 20 years in this case. I now intend to cease that personal involvement. But I depart with peaceful belief that justice has been delivered to Ciara. Now, these are the only public comments that the Glennon family intend to make. And as the Commissioner has already pushed upon, my preference is no questions today. I like to bite it off in small chunks that I think I can manage, so we’ll defer those to perhaps another time, with your permission.

Thank you very much.

THE IRISH SCENE | 38

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Fighting spirit

was in Ciara’s DNA

BY LLOYD GORMAN DNA evidence – a mere fraction of a nanogram – was the most critical clue that led to the conviction of the man found guilty of two of the murders in the high profile Claremont Serial Killings trial in late September.

The gift of life & LOVE It is impossible to truly imagine the depth of grief these murders – or any murder – have on the family and loved ones closest to the victim. But in this case we can get a deep personal insight into the tragedy and trauma ordinary people find themselves confronted with in these circumstances. In her book ‘Ciara’s Gift: Grief Edged with Gold’, Una Glennon, Ciara’s mother, shares their journey as a family from their roots in Ireland to Africa and Australia, and their story as a happy normal family who were preparing for the wedding of Ciara’s sister Denise until that terrible day in March 1997 when their lives were abruptly and violently torn apart and changed forever.

It is a small, elegantly written book in which she lays her soul bare through a series of poignant, honest and often painful memories and reflections about her beautiful daughter, herself, her husband and other daughter, about the then-unidentified killer and the mourning process.

Published in 2010, she says it took her ten years to write Ciara’s Gift and ten years later it is still worth reading, or rereading. Of course she admits it is a book she would never have wanted to write but the fact she did proves love can triumph over despair.

Her publishers, UWA Publishing, stated: “Her wish is that whoever reads this book will gain a greater understanding of grief, find consolation and be comforted that they are not alone.”

THE IRISH SCENE | 40

That all important genetic key that unlocked one of Australia’s most high profile murder investigations was provided by one of those two young women Ciara Glennon – a bright promising lawyer who loved life, her Irish born parents, family and friends.

Wearing a Claddagh brooch Ciara had been celebrating with law firm work mates in Claremont on Friday March 14 1997 just ahead of St. Patrick’s Day on the night she disappeared.

The manner in which she died was horrific but her fight for life was heroic and proved to be the act that ultimately allowed justice to be served.

The process by which it was eventually discovered also proves the value of persistence of the truth.

“Following the finding of the body of Ms Glennon a large number of samples were taken for the purposes of DNA testing,” Justice Stephen Hall said in his more than 600 page judgement. “These samples were taken at the scene and at the postmortem examination. Initial testing revealed nothing that could assist in identifying the killer. However, the science of forensic DNA testing continued to improve and, in 2008, a decision was made to attempt Low Copy Number (LCN) testing.” That testing had to be done in the UK by

same kits and LCN method.

Forensic Science Service because PathWest was not accredited to carry out this work.

“The testing resulted in the discovery of a mixed DNA profile from a sample that was combined from debris from two nails on Ms Glennon's left hand (AJM40 and 42). The analysis of the mixed profile revealed that it was likely to come from two people, at least one of whom was male. Given that the samples came from Ms Glennon's nails it was reasonably assumed that she was one of the contributors. This made it possible to make a prediction as to the possible profile of the other, male, contributor. At the time this analysis was done the accused had not been identified as a suspect.

However, a match was found with the suspected perpetrator of the Karrakatta offences [12 February 1995]. This was confirmed by comparing samples taken from intimate swabs of the Karrakatta victim to the mixed profile derived from AJM40 and AJM42. It was not until 2016 that the accused was identified as a suspect and a DNA sample obtained from him.”

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Following Edward’s arrest in December 2016 a reference sample of his DNA was taken and sent to Environmental Science and Research Ltd, a government owned agency in New Zealand to produce a profile. This was necessary because FSS had closed down by 2016 and the ESR laboratory continued to use the

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Justice Hall added: “The profile obtained was then compared to the mixed profile derived from AJM40 and Justice Stephen Hall AJM42 and found to be consistent; that is, the DNA of the accused was consistent with him being a contributor to the mixed sample because alleles [a variant form of a gene] matching his were present at each of the tested sites.”

Using forensic methods ESR’s results showed it was “80 million times more likely” the DNA in the mixed sample was Ciara’s and the accused. In his deliberations Justice Hall said he was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt the DNA in the tested sample was that of the accused. “The evidence in that regard was clear, consistent and largely uncontested,” the judge said. He examined how it got there. “The prosecution case was that the accused's DNA came to be under the nails of Ms Glennon during the course of a violent struggle as she sought to defend herself from the fatal attack upon her.

There are a number of facts that support the inference that such a struggle occurred. They are the defensive wounds to the right arm, the torn left thumbnail and the torn right fingernail. In particular the left thumbnail (AJM40) had a jagged appearance that was inconsistent with the smooth and apparently manicured appearance of most of the other nails. I accept that the nail was damaged in a struggle between Ms Glennon and her Continued on page 42

Continued from page 41

attacker. This enhances the significance of the presence of the DNA of the accused. I have considered whether the fact that no other DNA of the accused was found on Ms Glennon and that none was found on Ms Rimmer is a reason to question the significance of this evidence. It is true that the quantity of DNA involved is small, but that has not affected the reliability of the result.”

Mr Hall said the only rational explanation for the presence of the accused’s DNA. “At some point a violent struggle ensued in which Ms Glennon scratched or clawed at the accused, thereby getting some of his DNA under her nails….For the reasons I have given I am satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused was the killer of Ms Glennon.”

Dr Jonathan Whitaker was one of about 200 witnesses who appeared as part of the seven month trial. The UK scientist and world class expert was flown in to give evidence and explanations about the DNA material and forensic methods (LCN) used to analyse it.

“Dr Whitaker was a well-qualified and highly experienced expert witness,” the Supreme Court Justice said. “His evidence was clear, cogent and compelling. The methodology he used was well-explained. He expressed his conclusions with great care and attention to the limitations of the evidence. He made appropriate concessions in cross-examination, but was not moved from his conclusions.”

Jonathan Whitaker

In his judgement Justice Hall said the Dr Whitaker had given evidence in trials and cases in “Australia, New Zealand, Sweden and Ireland”.

Irish Scene contacted him to find out more about the work he had done in Ireland. Specifically his skills are employed in Northern Ireland Dr Whitaker said. The company he set up in 2012 is contracted to deliver Low Template DNA training for Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI).

THE IRISH SCENE | 42

The May/June online edition of Irish Scene included the story ‘The Ultimate Home Run’ (featured here) about Damien Lynch’s epic bid to get home to Western Australia before the state went behind a hard border and to be back in time for the birth of their first baby. Here Catherine – now a proud new mum – brings us up to speed with what happened next and how a ‘normal’ family life is still out of their reach because of the pandemic - Editor

The ultimate

home run!

The COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions put in place to help contain it have impacted all our lives in different ways.

Here Perth solicitor, Catherine Lynch, with Cariad Legal, shares her family’s personal experience and the extraordinary lengths it took for them to be together during this incredible time.

“I am pregnant and due to have our first baby in May,” said Catherine, who is married to Co. Meath native Damien Lynch. Damien has been working FIFO in Queensland for some time and was over east when the coronavirus crisis quickly started to unfold in March.

“There was a lot of uncertainty for Damien and his colleagues as well as us with changing guidelines and everything else that was happening,” she added.

“It was important that he kept working for as long

as possible but we knew eventually the day would come when we’d have to make the call as to whether he would leave work to come home. The decision was particularly difficult because we knew that, once he left, he may not be able to get back for a significant length of time.”

They were forced to make a decision when on Wednesday April 2 Premier Mark McGowan announced Western Australia’s border would be closed three days later.

It was the first time in the history of the country that Western Australia closed the door to visitors from the other states.

“We discovered that, even as a FIFO worker, Damien would not be exempt from quarantine requirements,” added Catherine. “We also discovered later that Queensland blocked all interstate FIFO workers from entering their state.”

Catherine said it wasn’t a simple matter of Damien just catching a flight back to Perth. “He has a truck with all of his tools and equipment needed to carry out his work. If he was leaving Queensland indefinitely, he needed his truck too. On the Friday (April 3), with the help of his colleagues, he got together all of the required paperwork, he packed his truck with enough diesel, water and food and set out on his epic fifty hour drive back to Perth. He needed to get back across Continued on page 44

THE IRISH SCENE | 43

Continued from page 43

the border before midnight on 5 April.

This meant that he drove for three days straight, crossed the border and then drove another full day to make it home! He kept me and his family back home in Ireland updated through the family WhatsApp group. His cousins’ children were intrigued and followed the journey closely. Their parents used it as an opportunity for some geography lessons while homeschooling the children. The vastness of this country really is incredible.”

Fortunately she said there weren’t too many delays or any real dramas along the gigantic journey across four states. “The first night he made it through some flooding in NSW just before the road was closed off,” Catherine added. “The following day, due to the large amount of water that he had driven through, he had to pull over and informed me that he had a quick lesson in ‘panic management and electrics’ while he dealt with an issue with the truck. Importantly, no animals were harmed along the way and the biggest concern of the South Australian border enforcement was whether or not he was carrying any tomatoes (he was, in a salad, and was told to make sure he ate them first!). The WA border, as expected, was the biggest hold-up and, even though the hard border restrictions hadn’t come into play, he was thoroughly questioned. His exemption from quarantine was granted on the grounds that he was needed to care for his heavily pregnant wife and his mother-in-law who had just that week had surgery for a broken hip.”

Catherine said it meant everything to her to have her husband back home and she appreciated the effort and sacrifice he made.

“Damien is very modest and feels that he really didn’t do anything special but I personally think that what he did in those four days is an amazing feat and makes me feel so proud,” she said. “It is hard knowing that he no longer has an income but such a relief to know that he will be here with me when I go into labour and when our baby finally arrives. No more concerns about the possibility of being in lockdown in Queensland and unable to get home or coming home only to be quarantined and unable to even drive me to the hospital. Damien sacrificed a lot by driving away from his only source of income but, at times like these, you realise that family has to come first, no matter the cost!”

Top: Damien’s truck at their home in Perth. Above left: Catherine and Damien on their wedding day. Above right: Catherine Lynch, was due to give birth in May.

Thomas Paul Lynch was born on 27 May 2020, a real pandemic baby with no birthing partners or visitors allowed at the hospital other than Damien and even then, only for very limited periods.

One positive out of all of this it that Damien was home with his new little family for a good couple of months. He was there when we needed him the most and we’ll be forever grateful for that.

Eventually, after nearly five months without work, we decided that it was time for Damien to go back.

Thankfully, his position was still there for him in Queensland.

What we didn’t anticipate was the ongoing hardship we would face between swings. Damien’s roster is 19 days on and nine days off. Usually he comes

THE IRISH SCENE | 44

home to Perth and spends time catching up with family and friends, including a few pints of Guinness at the Irish Club.

Now, Damien has to apply for a “G2G” pass every time he wants to come home. His application was refused the first three times he applied as the WA Police requested more and more information. We now include eleven attachments with every application and hope that the rules don’t change again from month to month.

When Damien comes home he must self-quarantine. His entire break is spent at home with no visits from friends, no ability to get out to exercise or to get a haircut or go to the shops, let alone get out for a Guinness! The hardest part is not knowing when this will end. As he says, other people do their 14 days quarantine and then they can get back on with their lives as normal. For Damien, it’s a nine day quarantine, every month, indefinitely.

The Police can, and do, turn up at our home at anytime and demand to see Damien to ensure he’s not breaking the rules. I can’t even head out to the shops for five minutes without packing Thomas into the car with me as Damien is not allowed to have any physical contact with either of us. It’s so sad to think of all they are missing out on together. Even just a simple walk in the park together is out of the question.

I still have hope but Damien is not so optimistic that, by Christmas, things will have changed for the better so that we can have a special first Christmas together as a family. It’s amazing that WA is COVID free and we are very lucky to be living in this State but it has come at a heavy cost to many – CATHERINE LYNCH If you have a story to share with Irish Scene readers please get in touch with editor Lloyd Gorman at 0479 047 250 or irishsceneperth@gmail.com THE IRISH SCENE | 45

On many occasions, the first contact new members of our community have with the Chamber is through one of our events, but what happens day in day out throughout the year in our Programs continues to make a real impact. We are excited about the refresh that our programs rolled out over the course of 2020, in extraordinarily challenging circumstances. But those improvements brought new structures and opportunities that our most important stakeholders, our participants, have helped us develop.

That was particularly in view with Emerald, our Female Leadership Program, which expanded into a virtual environment with a new tone – dedication to community, collaboration and supporting women in leadership to achieve the tangible goal they want to achieve. Their launch event in July, featuring Perth’s Martina Crowley as one of a national panel of speakers, was a very special moment. With four groups already up and running, including participants from WA, we’re excited to say that expressions of interest in the next intake are open via irishchamber.com.au/emerald So, for those less familiar with our programs, here’s an overview of what you might not have been quite so aware of - but would be most welcome to be a part of going forward.

Our professional development programs started back in 2011 with the first intake of our Business Mentoring Program. At the time, there was hardly a plane landing in Australia that didn’t have young Irish professionals on board, seeking opportunity during a particularly challenging period for Ireland.

While our Mentoring Program supported those young Irish who’d arrived in crisis to get established in Australia, it also provided a new way for those senior Irish Australian business people to reconnect with their affinity to Ireland, through heritage, commerce and that sense of kinship that being part of the Chamber provides. Since then we’ve had nearly a thousand participants who’ve had a genuinely impactful experience come through the program, and we are particularly keen to hear from WA-based professionals who’d like to connect with a Mentor interstate, deepening their national and international networks.

Some of these alumni have gone onto other streams such as our Horizons Leadership Program, where they take their experience and share with their peers in a facilitated round table format.

Others have volunteered to be part of our Affinity Mentoring Program, where we play a part in helping support new migrant communities.

This sense of purpose and a desire to help those less fortunate is part of our Irish Australian DNA. It’s who we are as a community and the Chamber’s programs are a fantastic expression of the best of ourselves as we strive to be the best that we can be, but also ensure that we aren’t leaving others behind.

Yet more have returned to Ireland, on many occasions, to set up the European arm of their Australian employer’s company. These Global Irish have formed some of the fabric of our Irish Chapter and strengthen further the links between our two great countries.

The newest stream of activity is our Kindred Networks program. This virtual, fast-tracked networking program was activated in response to the COVID

lockdowns to provide an essential connection and support network for people who couldn’t otherwise connect. It’s been an amazingly effective tool to strengthen the fabric of our communities, build relationships across states and countries (we have participants from all over Australia, from Ireland and even the USA!) and we’ve already seen deals being done in those groups, supporting small businesses, underpinning jobs and making a difference.

These are the conversations, relationships and support networks that the Chamber facilitates every day. Help us make them even stronger by taking part, volunteering or sponsoring these valuable programs that make such a difference.

Find out how you can be part of these fantastic groups of members by calling Catherine on 0479 106 276 or email membership@irishchamber.com.au THE IRISH SCENE | 46

THE IRISH SCENE | 47

McLoughlin Butchers

www.mcloughlinbutchers.com.au sales@mcloughlinbutchers.com.au 58 Westchester Road Malaga 6090 THE IRISH SCENE | 48

Christmas Menu 2020

Call 9249 8039 and place your Christmas order today!

THE IRISH SCENE | 49

ANNUAL SHORT STORY COMPETITIONS

Australian-Irish Heritage Association

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.

Topic: “Closed Doors” or “Dorais Dunta” (Gaelic)

Joyce Parkes Women’s Writers’ Prize honours the late poet Joyce Parkes who died this year. Joyce was 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: “Welcome” or “Failte” (Gaelic) Entrance Fee: $10 for all competitions Deadline:

30 November, 2020.

Enquiries Denis Bratton 9345 3530

COME INTO THE PARLOUR CONCERT SUNDAY 15 NOVEMBER AT 3PM

A PARLOUR CONCERT presented by the Australian Irish Heritage Association will feature short stories, verse, songs and music, complimented with slides, a live host and with an Irish afternoon tea.

Last year we launched Sunday Miscellany based on Irish National Radio RTE 50-year long-running Sunday morning programme, and once again we are inviting writers, reciters, readers and listeners for an afternoon of “Radio essays, reportage, appreciations, memory pieces, poetry, travel writing and personal accounts”.

We invite you to email your interest in reading a poem or prose/essay of your choice or written by you, with an Irish connection to secretary@ irishheritage.com.au by no later than 30 October.

Our Criteria is: • Essays are generally 700/800 words that can hold listeners attention, usually 5 minutes maximum

THE FOURTH TUESDAY BOOK CLUB Meets fourth Tuesday of the month, with exception of December Christmas gathering. At 7.30pm. This is the first gathering since February due to Covid restrictions.

October 27

• Subject is geared for the ear. Therefore the reader should have an engaging voice. The focus is on entertaining our audience • Prose and poetry can be original or sourced from other writers • The programme will include live music, visual slides and introduction of readers. There will be two 40 minute segments with afternoon tea during the interval. Readings from behind lecterns with microphone facility under theatre light.

November 24

Venue Entry Expect Contact

Venue

BRENDAN AWARD

“The Little Paris Book Shop” by Nina George. Presenter Mary Purcell

Irish Club Theatre Time 3pm to 4.45pm Members $5 (discounted due to lack of events presented this year), Non-members $10 Cabaret seating, Irish afternoon tea.

Enquiries, Bookings – 9367 6026, or secretary@irishheritage.com.au

To be decided at October gathering

Admission

Contact

Irish Club Committee Room, 61 Townshend Road, Subiaco Free. All welcome. Light refreshments provided. Tea and coffee from the Bar $2 Convener Mary Purcell, m.purcell@telstra.com

DEADLINE 31 DECEMBER 2020 Nominate someone who has made an outstanding contribution to Australia’s Irish Heritage. It may be someone in your community whose service reflects favourably on Ireland and the Irish. Nomination forms are available from AIHA website or by contact details at foot of this page.

See Honour Board in the Irish Club of WA for previous recipients.

Check out events on www.irishscene.com.au/calendar-of-events.html Australian-Irish Heritage Association Non Political - Non Sectarian - Emphatically Australian

Be proud of your Irish heritage

PO Box 1583, Subiaco 6904. Tel: 08 9345 3530. Secretary: 08 9367 6026 Email: secretary@irishheritage.com.au or admin@irishheritage.com.au Web: www.irishheritage.com.au Find us on Facebook @australianirishheritage Membership due 1st January – Family $65, Concession $55, Distant (200kms from Perth) $45.

Membership fee includes | tax deductible donation of $20 THE IRISH SCENE

50

THE IRISH SCENE | 51

Irish Mams NOR Playgroups Monday, Wednesday & Fridays

Now that Covid 19 restrictions have been lifted our playgroups are back with a bang!

EIMEAR BEATTIE

Irish families in Perth is a voluntary non profit organisation with over 16,000 members on our social media group.

We provide Irish emigrants with advice on how to best assimilate into the Western Australian culture and lifestyle. We communicate with our subscribers through social media where topics such as long lost relatives, housing, jobs and social events are covered. It is a vibrant active forum that provides a wealth of knowledge to young families and singles emigrating to Western Australia.

IFIP contributes to a cohesive Irish Community by working together with many of the wonderful groups in Perth that support Irish culture and heritage.

IFIP aims to:

Our playgroup meetup is a purpose-built playgroup centre which has undergone recent refurbishment.

It has a bright indoor area and a small kitchen complete with small fridge, microwave, tea and coffee making facilities. Outdoors, there is a covered playground attaching to the building and the outdoor area is fenced with a locked gate ensuring the safety of our little ones. It also has a large selection of indoor and outdoor toys ensuring that all parents and kids receive a warm reception.

We have a number of vacancies for our Wednesday meet-ups 9-11am and a few on Monday Playgroups for any families interested in joining.

We offer 2 free trials for you and your little ones to come and play prior to joining. We cater for children from 6wks to 5yrs. Please contact Sorcha McAndrew for Wednesday group queries and Lynsey Staunton for Mondays. Based at Padbury Playgroup on Caley Road.

New members are always welcome.

• Coordinate Irish family events including twice weekly playgroup.

• Develop Irish Culture & heritage.

• Help Irish people with any problems that might arise and provide a link to Australian and Irish support services.

www.irishfamiliesinperth.com facebook.com/groups/irishfamiliesinperth THE IRISH SCENE | 52

Martin Kavanagh Hon Consul of Ireland My thanks to Imelda and Lloyd for giving me the opportunity to say a few words.

Vale Michael Nolan We all lost a very important and key leader of the Irish community, Michael Nolan a few weeks ago.

Michael set up and ran the first Honorary Consulate of Ireland in WA and was our Honorary Consul General for over 33 years. Michael and his wonderful wife Eleanor served our community with distinction and kindness over three decades.

I was honoured to deliver the eulogy at Michael’s funeral. Irish Scene has published the eulogy in this edition, and I hope I have done justice to this great man.

2020 2020 will probably go down as one of the worst years on the millennium. That said, it was also a year when so many people in the Irish community and the Embassy really stood up and went the extra mile in helping Irish citizens through COVID 19.

In March, the reality and scope of COVID-19 began to sink in and there was a lot of confusion and fear. I am very grateful to Lynda and Yvonne at the honorary consulate, the Claddagh and Irish Families in Perth for being so helpful in providing information, assistance and understanding to so many people.

Ambassador Breandan and the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin really moved mountains to assist.

Chartering a Qantas jet from Perth to London on short notice was a huge achievement and helped many Irish people trapped in WA to get home and of course also sent approximately 80 Irish doctors home to assist in the fight against COVID. I was particularly impressed that in under 4 hours DFAT was able to organise

an Aer Lingus flight from London to Dublin to get everyone home. Exceptional times call for exceptional measures and strong leadership.

Once again, my thanks to all our voluntary organisations, the consular staff and of course The embassy team under Breandan’s leadership.

Passports and travel Leaving and entering WA is an ever-changing process. I would urge everyone to assume nothing and contact the authorities on a regular basis if you expect to travel. What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow. Please contact the honorary consulate if you need assistance.

Our online passport system is operating as normal for passport renewals. We are still processing first time applications at the honorary consulate. Whilst international travel may be a long time off, COVID teaches us that we should be prepared- so why not use the time to apply for and obtain passports for your children and yourself.

Happy Christmas Richard and I wish you and yours the very best this Christmas. Many of us will disappointed that travel will likely be very difficult. Please spare a thought and be kind to those who are lonely and who perhaps also have mental health challenges. We can take consolation from the fact that relative to those in Ireland our lifestyle here during COVID times is much better. Let’s hope that Ireland too will see much happier times soon.

165/580 Hay Street, East Perth WA 6004 By appointment only 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 THE IRISH SCENE | 53

Mo Bhealach Féin Bhí an scéal mícheart foilsithe san eagrán deireanach.

Seo daoibh anois an ceann ceart. Bríd.

Mo Bhealach Féin Seosamh Mac Grianna Thaitin Learpholl liom. Bíodh a bharúil féin ag achan duine, ach dar liomsa gur deise an chathair í ná Londain. Tá na sráideanna leagtha amach níos fearr, agus tá croí an bhaile chomh breá agus d’iarrfá, agus tífidh tú amharc ó bhruach na habhann i ndiaidh oíche chomh maiseach agus gheofá i gcathair ar bith.

Bhain mé fúm i dteach ósta nach raibh i bhfad ón abhainn.

Chonaic mé é ar mo choiscéim, agus dar liom gur fhóir sé dom.

Ní thaitníonn tithe ósta liom a bhíos ró-mhór. Ní bhíonn siad suaimhneach go leor; agus ní bhíonn siad daonna go leor. I ndiaidh an iomláin, is beag a bhíos an nead níos mó ná an t-éan; agus níor chóir do theach cónaí a bheith chomh mór agus go ndíbreoidh sé an tseascaireacht as an intinn. Tá tithe ann a ba chóir a bheith mór, teampaill nó cúirteanna, cuir i gcás. Ach don anam agus don intleacht a thógtar na tithe seo, agus chan don cholainn.

Chuaigh mé isteach agus d’ordaigh mé tráth maith bídh agus shuigh mé aige. Bhí a lán daoine sa tseomra agus iad iontach tostach. Chuir mé i gcosúlacht le tíortha eile a bhí ar m’eolas iad.

I dteach itheacháin sa Fhrainc bíonn achan duine ag caint. I dteach itheacháin in Éirinn bíonn siad ina dtost, ach ní bheadh iontas ar bith ort duine ar bith labhairt leat. Ach i Sasana bíonn siad ina dtost agus ní shamhlófá choíche go labharfadh siad.

I ndiaidh an méid den domhan ar chuir sé smacht air tá an Sasanach faiteach, agus b’fhéidir nach locht sin air.

Dar liom, seo Sasanaigh dáiríre. Daoine modhúla cneasta i gcosúlacht, gan cur i gcéill nó béal bán. Daoine cineál séimh, samhnasach, a gcuirfeadh focal ráscánta tiontó orla orthu. Bhí siad déanta in aon mhúnla amháin uilig fosta, ach buachaill a bhí ina shuí a chois an bhalla agus cailín bán a bhí ag tábla taobh abhus de sin. Dar liom, Éireannaigh iad sin. Bhí siad ní ba mhó agus a ngnúis ní ba fheiceálaí, agus gan cuma chomh druidte orthu leis an chuid eile. Ní amhlaidh go bhfuil na hÉireannaigh uilig níos mó ná na Sasanaigh, ach tá siad de ghnách níos láidre sna cnámha agus níos gile sa chraiceann, agus tá dreach eile ar fad orthu.

B’fhíor dom. Ní raibh sé i bhfad go raibh an cailín bán agus an buachaill ag comhrá le chéile. Dar leat gur dráma a bhí siad a dhéanamh. Thug mé fá dear go labhrann Éireannaigh ar

Seanfhocal -

Castar na daoine ar a chéile ach ní chastar na cnoic ná na sléibhte.

THE IRISH SCENE | 54

an dóigh sin nuair a bhíos siad as baile; creidim go ndéan achan dream a bheagán nó a mhórán de. Bhí an domhan le rá ag an chailín seo; d’aithneofá uirthi go raibh beogacht mhór ina hintinn agus nach raibh an cuid a ba chruaidhe den chiall aici.

Duine acu seo, dar liom, a gheibh eolas ar gach uile chineál daoine an áit nach labharfadh duine eile le baistíoch. Bean álainn a bhí inti, go dearfa, agus gan faitíos nó faichill inti.

Níorbh fhada gur thiontaigh sí ormsa: ‘Tá cuma uaigneach ansin ort,’ ar sise. ‘Ní fhaca mé aon taibhse, maise,’ arsa mise, ‘mura dtiocfadh taibhse a thabhairt ar spéirbhean mar chastaí ar na fili ina gcuid aislingí fada ó shin.’

‘As Éirinn thú?’ ar sise. ‘Tá mé chomh Gaelach le huisce na Bóinne,’ arsa mise.

‘As an taobh thuaidh mé féin,’ ar sise. ‘As Doire mé.’

‘Comharsa bhéal dorais dom thú, mar sin de,’ arsa mise.

Ní mó ná go dtig liom an comhrá a rinne muid a aithris. Ach roimh cheathrú uaire bhí mise ag léamh a láimhe agus ní raibh a fhios ag ceachtar againn go raibh Learpholl ar bith ann.

(Sliocht as Mo Bhealach Féin, Seosamh Mac Grianna, An Gúm, Baile Átha Cliath, 1940).

Nollaig shona agus Athbhliain faoi shéan ‘s faoi mhaise daoibh go léir.

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CLADDAGH REPORT

Crisis Support: 0403 972 265

13/15 Bonner Drive Malaga 6090. Enquiries: 08 9249 9213

www.claddagh.org.au

Claddagh Seniors The Claddagh Committee agreed to the resumption of the Seniors activities after a long period with no community transmission of Covid-19. All our events comply with the Stage 4 restrictions put in place by the WA State Government.

Since the recommencement of their activities, the group have been very active. As usual, the Seniors Subcommittee have arranged interesting, well-organised events. The result has been unprecedented demand for the Seniors events.

The Claddagh Seniors meal and bingo at the Greenwood Tavern on 25 August was so popular that a second sitting had to be organised the following week to make room for everyone. The group also gathered at the Hyde Park Hotel in September for lunch and on a glorious sunny day in October the Seniors committee hosted a picnic at Kings Park.

Everyone was delighted to be out and about, enjoying nature and each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s company.

The next Claddagh Seniors event is scheduled for Wednesday 18 November. The group will be gathering that day for lunch at The Mighty Quinn Tavern. They will also be meeting up for the Irish Theatre Players Pantomime on Sunday 13 December. You can register for each of these events by calling Patricia Bratton of the Seniors Subcommittee on 0417 099 801 08 9345 3530 or by contacting Coordinator Anne Wayne on admin@claddagh.org.au 08 9249 9213

Top: Some of the group at the Hyde Park Hotel having lunch. Above left:: Our Seniors enjoyed a meal and bingo at the Greenwood Tavern. Above right: The successful Online Training for Seniors event

Annual General Meeting The Claddagh AGM was held on the 23 October 2020.

As well as covering normal AGM business, the meeting was an opportunity to reflect on the extraordinary year we have had at Claddagh. The chairperson, Heather McKeegan, briefed attendees on the challenges the Irish community in WA have faced since the March 2020. She outlined the actions Claddagh has taken to respond to the needs of our community and Claddaghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans for the coming year.

THE IRISH SCENE | 56

Oral history project Claddagh are planning a December launch for our Oral History project which was funded by the Government of Ireland’s COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad. From July to September Claddagh volunteers interviewed eleven Claddagh seniors to collect their memories of migrating to Australia. The resulting stories were fascinating and highlight the diversity and resilience of the Irish community in WA. We are preparing a book with highlights from each interview and will also lodge the full collection of audio interviews and transcripts with the State Library of Western Australia. They have told us the Claddagh oral history project will make a significant contribution to their Migration Voices Archive which is a part of the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Program.

We will also share highlights from these interviews with Irish Scene readers over the coming year. In the next issue you can read the words of Thomas O’Hanlon of Co Louth. He was interviewed by Claddagh volunteer Thelma Blackford of Co Galway.

Online training for Seniors The Government of Ireland COVID-19 Response Fund for Irish Communities Abroad also provided a grant to Claddagh for a project to train our Seniors to be confident using apps which can keep them connected with loved ones. Held over four sessions in September and October, this project was a great success. All levels of technology experience were catered for and the Seniors were pleased to have such helpful, patient teachers.

The Seniors and the teachers learnt many new skills and had a great time while they were learning. We are now exploring options for continued training in the New Year based on feedback from the participants and will keep you posted.

Happy Christmas from Claddagh The Claddagh Association Chairperson and Committee Members would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy and safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Thank you for your continued support, which is essential to our work.

Claddagh continues to be busy providing help and support to members of the Irish community in WA who are in difficult circumstances. We expect to see more need over the Christmas period which can be a tough time. This year it may be harder than normal for many people due to COVID. If you or someone you know needs assistance over the festive season you can contact Claddagh on our crisis line: 0403 972 265.

If you are in a position to be able to contribute financially this would be gratefully received for Claddagh’s support work through the summer. Tax deductible donations can be made at our GiveNow page: www.givenow.com.au/ thecladdaghassociation or via bank transfer to Claddagh’s account. The details are: Bank: Commonwealth Bank Account name: The Claddagh Association BSB: 066 153 Account no: 10771928 Ref: Your initial & surname +DON

Upcoming Events REMEMBRANCE SERVICE 3pm, Sunday 1 November

Claddagh’s members and friends will gather on Sunday 1 November at 3pm at St Joseph’s Church, Subiaco to remember our loved ones who have died here in Australia, in Ireland or elsewhere in the past year. All are welcome but due to attendance limits at St Joseph’s Church we need to monitor numbers. Please register your attendance at www. claddaghremembranceservice.eventbrite.com

BOXING DAY BBQ So many of us who had planned to be at home in Ireland for Christmas will now be unable to travel. If you would like to catch up with other Irish people in Perth over the festive season come along to Claddagh’s Boxing Day BBQ in Kings Park at the Old Tea Pavilion on Fraser Avenue. We will be gathering from noon to 4pm. Details in the ad on page 83 of this issue.

THE IRISH SCENE | 57

ULSTER RAMBLES WITH DAVID I arrived in Australia on the first of August 1981. I had a small bag, a guitar, a degree in Science, a diploma in education, a certificate in TEFL and another certificate to claim I was a qualified Systems Analyst. I had arrived via Wolverhamton station, London, Freddie Laker flight to New York, a flight to Los Angeles, a flight to Suva in Fiji and lastly a flight to Sydney Australia. I had stayed for a short time in each location.

Well why not make a holiday of it. I arrived safely with a total of $247 and minus my driving license which had somehow been Arriving at Sydney airport or Kingsford lost on the way.

Smith as it was known then

I knew it was going to be an adventure. I was not going back. I had no money for a return flight for a start. The adventure began. I was fortunate in having a friend who had set out some months previous. He had hurt his neck during a rugby game and was advised to find a warmer climate to live in. At the time he was living in Reading. I was living in Stratford Upon Avon when he phoned me up to ask if I might go with him. I could not make a rational decision so I tossed a coin. It landed on heads.

Despite acquiring a good job in London as a systems analyst, I applied to go. My interview was in Manchester. The interviewer was probably the first real Aussie I had ever met. I thought I had made a good impression as he called me ‘mate’ during the interview!

‘Now mate,’ he concluded, ‘your application is based on a points system and this last question is real important as you are somewhat below the required amount with your answers so far. To be honest,’ he

continued, ‘it is a real easy question which I will divide into two. Firstly why do you want to go to Australia, and secondly where in Australia would you like to go?’

Well, all I knew about down under you could write on one line of the chorus of a song. If that does not make sense, well you know what I mean. I just did not want to use that dreadful post stamp cliché! What kind of an answer did he want to score those vital points I needed. The wheels started to spin slowly, too slowly and no answer came to mind. I needed inspiration.

I looked out of the window behind him to find it.

Nothing! It was a cold bleak day in Manchester; low cloud, grey, gloomy, depressing.

‘Just look out the window,’ I finally replied. He turned around and immediately got my meaning.

‘Hey mate, that’s the best answer I’ve had in a long while; and your destination?’

Well that was easy. My friend had gone to Sydney.

‘Good choice,’ he replied. ‘I’m from New South Wales originally but have lived in Canberra in recent times. Well done mate. I think you’ll fit right in.’ The interview seemed over.

Of course I had a problem when I arrived. I had zero experience as a systems analyst. I had lost my driver’s license on route and I had very little cash. On the positive side I had a place to stay.

I attended a job agency run by two intelligent, progressive, modern girls. One, named Jane, was too modern for me. She invited me to her party that weekend and I got to stay the night (I should explain here that I had little money to spend on a taxi to get home). She got me an interview with one of the top firms; Olivetti was the company. I was to sell electric typewriters. The manager could not believe me when I told him three days later that I would not accept the job. I had looked over the area I would be assigned to and came to the conclusion, (rightly) that I would be lucky to find one company to visit never mind selling this theoretical company a typewriter which would become obsolete in about two months. I knew that computers would become more accessible; I did not get close in realizing how fast they would improve over the next decade.

Jane never spoke to me again, even when I called in to her office to explain.

I joined another very dubious company (three people) who sold computer systems. They worked on a commission-only basis. In my time there I sold one large system. It was the only one we ever sold. It took me 4 months and I was quite embarrassed to find how pathetic the system was. After getting my large commission I quit.

During this time I also worked as a waiter. I joined

THE IRISH SCENE | 58

a company which hired us out to any establishment which needed extra staff. I learned a lot with this job.

For example I found out that most of my colleagues were of a different sexual preference to me. Also the NSW police force was brutish and uncivilized.

During their ‘event’ I was able to learn silver service techniques. They were not interested in such refinements; rather they would pick up the legs of ham and chicken in their large hands and... well you get the idea! At their Christmas celebrations, I was first assigned to pouring jugs of beer from a barrel. I could not keep up.

‘What kind of people are at this party?’ I inquired of a knowledgeable waitress. ‘It’s the top brass of the NSW police force,’ she informed me.

I wondered at the time was it like the RUC and I put that piece of information at the back of my mind.

Another function was to celebrate the ‘getting together’ of two queens. I use the latter description because that was what I was told when I suggested the clientele were different to our usual clients. Clearly, the world was changing and I had a lot to learn.

Because of my skill (sic) as a silver service waiter, I was chosen to work at an important function that the then Primer Minister, Malcolm Fraser was attending.

It was some kind of fundraising event for the arts council and was held in the Arts Council building in the Botanical Gardens. Quite a few artists and actors were in attendance but the only one I recognized (well I was educated as a scientist... my excuse) was Sam Neill, who was born in Omagh before returning with his parents to New Zealand.

I checked the menu and was horrified to find that peas were a part of it. I was just familiar enough with the silver service thing to know that serving peas was an art in itself. One had to get enough on the spoon and then let them run gently off this implement onto a plate without rolling them off the other side. I had never tried it and was not about to make my debut in such an elite gathering. There were supposed to be eighteen of us working that day but six had shown some sense (if not any loyalty) by not showing up.

We were under manned. I made an instant decision.

The first course (I cannot recall what it was, probably some French named appetizer) we cleared away and I dashed around giving out as many dinner plates as I could manage. Then (shamefully) I went and hid in the toilet for an appropriate amount of time only dashing out again to help clear the plates and serve dessert.

Christmas time arrived. I was asked if I could work on Christmas day. I could. It seemed very different to my Christmases in Ulster. Of course it was around this time when some of us stopped sending Christmas cards. Somehow, I had avoided the habit and I was

certainly not about to start. I did receive one card at that time. It was from my sister. She was wondering how I was getting on in faraway Australia. It had a picture of snow on it. I found it most incongruous with the sort of weather I was experiencing in Sydney.

It was bl***y hot, as some of my new found Aussie friends told me; even for them!

I arrived at the client’s home around 3:00pm. Dinner was to be at 4:00 I learned. My duties were simple. I was to serve the various wines and the champagne.

There was a waitress also present to serve the food. I must have made some sort of impression as the host asked me if I would like to stay on for a while after the dinner was over.

‘You can help yourself to the food,’ he encouraged.

I chatted to him and his guests for some time. He was impressed at how little I had achieved under the capitalist system and I of course was very impressed by how well he had got on in the world. He was a painter as he put it. At first I thought he meant an artist, like Picasso but no; he painted the inside (and sometimes the outside) of houses. He simple bought a run-down establishment, moved in, painted it up Continued on page 60

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Continued from page 59

to look good and sold it sometime later for a massive profit. One of his guests let it slip that he was a millionaire. I believed her.

One of his other guests was also interesting. He had an unusual but commanding voice. He was introduced to me as “John”. Unfortunately I was well into the alcohol by this stage and was rabbiting on about the similarities and differences of Christmas in Ireland.

Besides the weather they were almost the same. It just seemed better to eat, turkey, ham, stuffing, sprouts and all the trimmings, as well as Christmas pudding with brandy in the colder climate.

I never listened to the radio much in those days but I learned later that the “John” was most likely John Laws, the radio commentator. He certainly had the voice for it.

I could add many more stories but my good wife has just informed me that after all this time she thinks my articles are too long. Ah well, she has always been hard to please but I will take her advice here.

I have never gone back ‘home’ at Christmas time. I went once in early May and visited the beach, Tyrella,

Tyrella Beach with Mourne Mountains in background where my family took me as a young boy. I was wearing a ski jacket at the time. Some young people were sun-bathing on the beach.

As 007 might say, ‘Never say never’, but it seems unlikely that I will visit there again. Do I miss it? Well, I don’t really think about it.

Christmas should be getting closer by the time you read this, if you have managed to get this far in this good mag. I do hope you will have a fantastic Christmas. One never knows what the future will bring, so hang in there and as always may your God go with you.

CÉILÍ AND SET DANCING IN PERTH!

John o’Donohue

This is the time to be slow, Lie low to the wall Until the bitter weather passes.

Try, as best you can, not to let The wire brush of doubt Scrape from your heart All sense of yourself And your hesistant light.

If you remain generous, Time will come good; And you will find your feet Again on fresh pastures of promise Where air will be kind And blushed with beginning.

JOHN O’DONOHUE

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THE IRISH SCENE | 60

CHRISTMAS

“Christmas is nearly upon us, and the panic of what to cook isn’t far away!

Here is one very easy recipe and one a little more complex that will impress at the dinner table!” –Lee

COOKING WITH LEE BEHAN

Mushroom, walnut & ham hock terrine INGREDIENTS 200gm of left over ham, diced 2 ham hocks 2 bay leaves 2 carrots 2 onions 2 gelatine sheets gold strength

250g mixed mushrooms 50g walnuts 45g salt Freshly ground pepper 50g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Christmas pudding ice cream INGREDIENTS 2L good quality vanilla ice cream 750g Christmas pudding 1 - 2 sloshes brandy *optional

METHOD

METHOD 1. For the terrine, place the ham hocks into a deep saucepan with 1 of the onions (halved), the carrots (whole), 30g of salt and the bay leaves and rosemary. Cover with water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2½ hours. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in its liquid.

2. Take the ham hocks out of the pan and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine sieve and pour 250ml of it into a saucepan (the rest could be saved and used as a soup or a stew base.)

3. Fry the onion (diced) and the mushrooms in a little oil until soft.

Season to taste.

4. Place the gelatine leaves into a bowl of cold water and soak for five minutes until pliable, then drain. Bring the reserved 250ml cooking liquid to a simmer (not too hot) and stir in the soaked gelatine.

Remove the ham from the bones and flake into a large bowl, if you have leftover ham from the dinner add it now. Mix with the vegetable mix and add the walnuts and chopped parsley. Add the liquid.

5. Line a terrine mould with a large piece of cling film and add the ham mix into the mould. Alternatively, you can roll the terrine into a sausage shape with the aid of some cling film.

6. Fold the cling film over the terrine and place two tins on top to weigh it down. Place in the fridge for at least two hours, or until set.

7. To serve, remove the cling film from the terrine and cut the terrine into slices. Place onto serving plates with pickled cucumber or gherkin and some strong cheddar and radishes.

For more recipes, check out Lee on Instagram @lee.behan | THE IRISH SCENE

61

1. Mix ice cream and Christmas pudding together in a large bowl. Add a slosh or two of brandy to the pudding as you mix it (optional). Don’t add too much or your mix won’t freeze!

2. Put pudding and ice cream mix into a pudding shaped bowl lined with cling film and put in freezer to firm up.

3. To serve, flip it onto a plate and carefully pull off cling wrap.

Delicious on its own or with some cold custard or brandy butter.

Strangers in a

Strange Land I happened to be at an Irish Airport last year and I witnessed many people returning home for the holiday season to spend some time with their families.

The young people had an aura of confidence and prosperity about them and it is great to be able to make the journey home with greater frequency these days. The exodus from Ireland has slowed down dramatically over the past decade and we are now being visited by other races and cultures rather than having to leave ourselves. This was not always the case, though.

Many of our people left their familiar surroundings for a life of hardship with the spade and hoe to help rebuild Britain after the ravages of the Second World War. A dire economic situation prevailed in Ireland during the 1950’s, and our greatest export during this decade was our people. Our policies and strategies were wrong, we thought that we could make Ireland self-sufficient internally, but the stark reality was much different. The Country was spinning out of economic control, and over sixty thousand people every year were leaving our shores.

After thirty years of freedom, the Country was almost going out of business by the mid 1950’s. De Valera’s vision of a self-sufficient Ireland, frugal and with comely maidens dancing at the crossroads was extremely flawed and very out of touch with reality.

We were obsessed with putting people back on the land and this was never going to solve our bigger economic problem. The people were being suffocated

by Irish Nationalism and the winds of change were beginning to blow strongly. As a Senior Government Minister from the 1940’s onwards, Lemass was becoming increasingly worried about the way things were going. As a pragmatist, he knew that we would have to look externally in order to bring us in line with the social and economic conditions of the other European countries.

He started to strengthen Bord Failte and he figured that the more people that saw the Country the greater the publicity we would get. We may not have had the best facilities at the time, but the people were generally very warm and friendly. Our tourist industry was built on the quality of our people. Lemass also encouraged a young Economist at the Department of Finance, Ken Whittaker, to see what was needed to give the country a kick start. Out of this strategy

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came the now famous ‘Programme for Economic Development’, published in 1958.

Even though De Valera’s policies and beliefs lay in more insular solutions, he was practical enough not to stand in the way of progress. The new policies were also supported by the Opposition Parties. Any plan was certainly better than no plan at all. After this, there was no looking back. The Multinationals were encouraged to invest in the Country, and this, along with the emergence of free Secondary education in the mid 1960’s, kick-started the beginnings of an economy that we are bearing the fruits of today.

None of this would have happened without a visionary like Sean Lemass. He was certainly ahead of his time, and by his astute social and economic policies, brought Ireland out of a terminal decline and gave us hope and confidence as we headed towards the 21st century. Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous impatience. Sean Lemass asked if we had the confidence and belief in ourselves, and that we would have to take the future on board.

The emigrants of the 1950’s arrived in England to a lifetime of back breaking labour, carrying with

THE IRISH SCENE | 62

them proud Irish names, which 500 years earlier bore the names of chieftains and poets. The sword and the pen were now exchanged for the spade and the wheelbarrow and they made the best of their existence in these new, unfamiliar and sometimes hostile surroundings. Many parishes, and the country as a whole were very grateful for the money that they were able to send back home during this period. This helped, in no small way, to becoming another piece of the mosaic which would eventually help us on our way to a greater level of prosperity towards the end of the century.

It is heart breaking now to see many of them alone, without hope, their bodies bent and arthritic after many decades of wettings on the building sites. We owe them one, and we need a greater level of initiative from our Government, by way of a sponsored fund, to bring them back to Ireland to live in comfortable accommodation for the remainder of their days. It was a social tragedy that people were forced by economic circumstances to leave family and friends and move to another country in order to make a living. In the days before we became part of the EU these displaced people supported their families at home with regular amounts of money, which made a great difference in those hard pressed days of another era.

This article is dedicated to all the people who left these shores over 70 years ago and managed to find their way back, but more especially to those who made the journey from the land of their birth and would never return home again. They were indeed reluctant heroes in an age that is now dimming into distant memory.

The phrase ‘the men who built Britain’ was more than an idle boast. It was a statement of pride in the reputation for industry and capacity for hard work earned by our people - President Michael D. Higgins

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THE IRISH SCENE | 63

The Wren

BY GERRY GANNON The wren the wren the kings of all birds, On St. Stephen’s Day it was caught in the furze Up with the kettle and down with the pan Give me a penny to bury the wren.

When I was a kid in Co. Galway the celebration of Christmas was a joyous time, a time I’ve written about before. But another day of celebration of sorts was Boxing Day, or St. Stephen’s Day as it’s better known in Ireland.

This was the day that households would be visited by groups of people dressed in rags or colourful clothes, many often in drag and they would play music and generally create mayhem. It was traditional for the owner of the house to make a small donation to the “wren boys” or “Mummers” usually for a charity, though I think the charitable donation was often exchanged for bottles of black stuff!

It was a day to celebrate the wren, or the “wran” as it was known in our locality. The wren itself had an unfortunate past, if it is to be believed. The story predates Christian times and the legend is that the wren betrayed Irish soldiers, who were fighting Norsemen, by beating their wings on the shields of the Irish soldiers.

The wren is also believed to have betrayed St. Stephen, a Christian martyr though the exact way this happened is shrouded in the mists of time. St. Stephen’s day is December 26th and it is believed that this was the day that Christians exacted a revenge by hunting the wren.

Our farmhouse in rural Co Galway would be visited many times in the day and night of December 26th and as a kid of 10 or 11, I was fascinated by the colour, sounds, music and carnival atmosphere that accompanied the wren boys (and girls, it has to be noted) I’d always had a hankering to be in showbusiness of some sort and many years later I fulfilled that objective and, indeed, I continue to do so. The Clancy Brothers were a huge influence on me having discovered them

in no less a place that the pages of The Farmer’s Journal. Each Friday my father would buy what in our house was invariably referred to as “The Journal” Each week, the paper printed the words of a song by the Clancy Brothers which would be played on Ireland’s one and only radio station around lunch time on Saturday. I would learn the song after hearing it just one time and over the weeks I built up quite a good “program”.

So the wren boys/mummers on St. Stephen’s night further stimulated my interest and I resolved that next year I would not just be a spectator, I’d be a participant in this great tradition!

It was almost a three-month battle to convince my father that I should be allowed to take to the highways and byways of the locality to entertain the masses.

He eventually relented and I began to make plans.

My dad’s great mate, Watt Martyn, loved to tease my father and he was a great source of encouragement in my quest. He convinced me that solo act was the way to go and that he would do what the others couldn’t do: HE’D FIND ME A REAL, LIVE WREN! That would put me ahead of the pack, I thought.

No one else will have a real, live wren! It’ll be a big drawcard.

A lovely box was created. I can’t remember by whom, but it was about the size of a CD case and about 15cm deep with a Perspex lid a couple of holes for air and it also had a handle for ease transport. Into this lovingly crafted box the wren was placed and we were set to go.

THE IRISH SCENE | 64

Now, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m no ornithologist and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell the difference between a sparrow and a wren. But in hindsight I rather suspect the imprisoned and frightened bird in my carefully crafted box was something other than a wren. Indeed, when I think about it, if it was a sparrow he must have been mightily indignant to find himself the subject of mistaken identity.

At around 10am on the morning of St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day, I set off on my bike and headed off towards the townland of Ganty to make my first call.

The door opened... A woman appeared at the door and with bird box in hand, I launched into the poem. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The wren, the wren, the king of all birds, Saint...â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that you have there, young fella?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a wren, missusâ&#x20AC;?

She laughed loudly... I have no idea why. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wait there,â&#x20AC;? she said, and went indoors.

She returned a few minutes later with a lovely, crisp, red 10-shilling note! Still laughing, she closed the door as I walked back down the driveway to my bike.

And then I noticed that the bird had metaphorically and literally fallen off the perch! He was no more.

To paraphrase Monty Python, he was an ex wren or sparrow.

What to do?

There were many other places to visit. But could I knock on a door hoping to get money when all I had was a dead bird? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the worst that could happen?

Told to go away? I reasoned that it was worth a try.

At the next house, I adopted a slightly different approach. I played the sympathy card. â&#x20AC;&#x153;My bird was fine up until a while ago and now heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s deadâ&#x20AC;? (Sniff) It worked until my Catholic guilt took hold and I decided to head home. My mother was so relieved to see me (sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a worrier) but I had a significant sum of money to call my own.

What a great start! A ten-bob note! Big money.

But that ended my foray into the world of St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day and the wren boys. Once was enough and I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be responsible for the death of any more birds.

The day was going swimmingly. My confidence rose as I called on a few more houses. The money kept coming in, I was cycling to places Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d never been to before. Tea and biscuits were offered in many places. People were very friendly, though the laughter continued and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know why but the money kept rolling in.

The wren boys tradition is all but gone now. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know if happens at all anywhere in Ireland.

It was a strong tradition in Co Kerry but times have changed and traditions are forgotten. However, the upside is that wrens and sparrows no longer fear the arrival of St. Stephenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day.

Nollaig Shoua agus Athbhliain faoi Mhaise Duit

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THE IRISH SCENE | 65

FROM MELBOURNE

BY MIKE BOWEN I wish all readers a happy and safe Christmas and hope Santa fills your stockers with all your wishes.

I remember in my childhood days seeing a movie in Cork called ‘On the Beach’, released in December 1959. It was written by Australian Nevil Shute and stared Gregory Peck, Eva Gardner along with Fred Astaire and Anthony Perkins. It tells the story of how the world was coming to an end following the devastation of a nuclear world war.

The radiation from the bomb was spreading around the globe and Australia could be the last place on earth left with survivors.

The northern hemisphere is annihilated and only a few places in the southern hemisphere might still be habitable. The USA-sent submarine USS Scorpion and crew to investigate if Melbourne might be one place that might survive. The movie was shot here in Victoria, in and around Melbourne, Frankston, Philip Island and the Mornington Peninsula. Alas before the crew of the USS Scorpion sailed out of Melbourne passing Frankston and Mornington, the camera showed the empty streets of Melbourne and not a soul was to be seen anywhere. I well remember that movie because it scared the living daylights out of me.

as it is a condition of the Australian constitution. We have been in lockdown in this dictator state of disaster with a curfew that is from 8pm until 5am.

The streets are bare and rarely a soul is seen, remanence of ‘On the When the Covid 19 first arrived in Beach’. We are in lockdown. Can’t travel more than 5ks from home, Victoria we managed it very well. Soon only one person in the family allowed to travel in a car and only after the first wave of the virus was one member in the family allowed to shop for one hour per day for almost squashed, our labor government essential needs. All schools, restaurants, bars, golf, gyms are closed. led premier Dan Andrews, who is We were only allowed out to exercise for one hour a day. We are not now referred by most as Dictator Dan, allowed to mow our family’s or our neighbor’s grass, can’t invite decided to give the responsibility of anyone to our home, can’t have a haircut and my son wasn’t allowed quarantine to unqualified people. For to visit me on Father’s Day. Mother’s Day came and went and again this massive mistake, our death rate and no visits were allowed. Families weren’t allowed to visit their dying contaminating rate has gone through the parents and those poor souls left this world without as much as a roof. The price for this mismanagement goodbye. Most all were sent on their way while holding the hand of has cost many unnecessary deaths a nurse, many of those were Irish nurses fighting back tears, as they (more than 771 up to September 23rd). substituted for the grieving families. Cruel is an understatement.

Thousands of businesses will go to the Even though I hold an Australian passport along with my Irish one, I wall. The suicide rate has skyrocketed as am not allowed to travel over borders or leave the country. Holding an has the mental anguish because of the Australian passport should allow me access to all states in Australia lockdown.

Groundhog Day has arrived in Melbourne and in almost all parts of the state.

THE IRISH SCENE | 66

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews. Photo: heraldsun.com.au

The once vibrant Victoria and envy of Australia now looks like the ghost town from the movie ‘On the Beach’, empty and motionless.

When Dan decided to lock down the state, he described it as a state of DISASTER not a state of emergency. Well guess what, we are well and truly a state of DISASTER now, thanks to Dictator Dan. Dictator Dan doesn’t seem to have a clue on how to deal with what is necessary in a health crises, in comparison to an economic crises. To date I haven’t heard the slightest hint of optimism come out of his mouth regarding a positive plan for a revival of businesses and the State. He appears to be a man totally obsessed with the power that he has and uses it by scaring the daylights out of the population. The public keep asking, Dan, Dan, where’s the plan for the future, he replies only with gibberish. When he addresses the press gallery each morning, he gives the numbers of contaminations and deaths, all negative news. He never tells how many have recovered from the virus and never a mention of the huge amount of empty beds and ICU’s that we have sitting around gathering dust. He lacks compassion and operates from a rule book that has no relevance to the world we now live in, or should I say we are locked up in?

From 1976 to 1981 I was lucky to have lived in the beautiful bayside town of Mornington and have wonderful memories of life by the sea, Mornington looked so alive and fresh then. I well remember the Friday evenings buying fresh prawns, calamari and fish from the returning fishing boats. My son Jonathan (who is the other Bowen correspondent for this magazine) was born in Mornington back in that time.

Many a time I wandered up and down the beach there and thought of that frightening movie back in 1959 that scared the living daylights out of me. I was glad that Mornington looked nothing like that sad sight. Mornington has now joined Melbourne as another sad sight, as was seen back in ‘On the Beach’. Empty and bare streets everywhere, a state on its knees that has been given a knockout blow from a Dictator. Maybe it’s time for me to consider what the options are if this disaster is to continue. I would love to have finished this article on a bright note, but alas it seems that the light has faded to a slight glimmer on Victoria now.

Maybe Santa might bring us something nice for Christmas, God knows we need it.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, BE GOOD TO THOSE WHO

We Irish are a resilient race, we have fought for many years for LOVE YOU AND SLÁINTE FROM MELBOURNE. our freedom. Little did I ever think that one day I would be in a PS Thanks to all who sent me best wishes situation where my liberties would be taken from me, without while I spent time in Hospital. ever committing a crime? Locked up by a Dictator who has neither compassion nor respect for human rights? It will take a miracle from all the saints in heaven to help get us out of this Dictator’s grasp, God help us. The Irish were never ones to tolerate being locked up, as we are a very sociable race used to We can help you with the move! socialising and being in regular contact with friends and family. Other than North Korea, I know of no other nation that Quick, Efficient & Reliable have restrictions like ours here in Victoria under the dictatorship of Dictator Dan. Contact our On Sunday the 6th Dictator Dan eased Sales Team two of the restrictions – from September (08) 9243 0808 13th, we will be allowed out for two hours sales@aiexpress.com.au a day to exercise and he gave us an extra www.aiexpress.com.au hour less lockdown. Whoopee.

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THE IRISH SCENE | 67

A high achiever from old Kerry

BY PETER CONOLE The trade of blacksmith in old Ireland (as in all of Britain) was a respected and necessary one. The smithies created a vast range of objects by pounding away at wrought iron, using fire and hammers to get results. They made themselves - from medieval times onwards - essential for the production of a vast range of products. Everything from furniture to weapons of war.

In the early 1800s, the smith Michael O’Halloran of old Kerry did well in the trade, and passed on his skills and growing prospects to his son Patrick. The latter married Bridget Slattery. One of their sons was Michael Joseph O’Halloran, born October 10, 1867 at Ballyheigue in Kerry. As a young lad Michael was precocious and earned himself a fine education. After high school he attended the now defunct University of England. He received a teaching certificate and spent a year or so in that profession before moving to Western Australia. There is solid evidence that he travelled in company with his future patron and colleague, Robert Connell. They arrived in the colony during 1888.

After a period of probation Michael was sworn in as a constable in the Western Australia Police Force, November 1888. He was transferred to the difficult and fairly tough frontier port of Roebourne in 1890.

He did well there and collected rewards and special commendations for tracking down robbers and certain Asian folk illegally passing on grog to indigenous people.

He married Mary Carroll in Roebourne during 1893.

She was the daughter of police officer William Carroll, yet another Irishman, and his wife Annabella (nee McGrath). William was the son of Patrick Carroll, a Kilkenny man and a former soldier in the British Army.

The veteran arrived here as a member of the Enrolled Pensioner Force on the ship Hashemy, October 1850.

Promotions followed at a fairly steady pace for Michael O’Halloran - to corporal (1897), sergeant (1899) and then commissioned rank as a sub-inspector (1913), at which point he was placed in charge of the demanding Kalgoorlie/Coolgardie Goldfields.

That last elevation in status was almost certainly due to his great achievement in organising efforts to solve the celebrated and notorious Woodlupine murder case. It involved the brutal killing of a young woman named Florence Compton. Detective Willoughby Mann, Constable Luke Conole (this writer’s grandfather) and a tracker did the original forensic search and investigation – after which O’Halloran, in his capacity as ‘boss’ of the Swan District police, directed a successful manhunt for the killer. He was a man named Smithson. The murderer went to the gallows on July 25, 1911.

Michael O’Halloran’s career evolved into one of the most remarkable success stories of West Australian policing history. He was a close working partner of his old friend Commissioner Robert Connell in carrying out major reforms to the Police Force during World War I and in the early 1920s.

In 1916 he was promoted to inspector and placed in charge of Perth Central Station, with the added task of acting as a leading prosecutor in the Beaufort Street courts.

O’Halloran attracted continuing respect for his highpowered intellect, efficiency and probity. He had

THE IRISH SCENE | 68

already compiled a Police Manual in 1913 which was approved for publication. He then did the lion’s share of the work in drafting and researching the revised Police Regulations and Instructions and the Western Australian Police Code and Synopsis of Penal Laws, both of which were published in 1921.

After being placed in charge of the Liquor Inspection Branch in 1923 he also worked on a Royal Commission into Liquor Licensing and helped draw up revised governing legislation for it. Soon afterwards he did the same thing in the public interest by developing new methods of managing Weights and Measures.

that such goings on had an improper impact on public policy or law enforcement matters.

Under normal circumstances Michael O’Halloran would have been well placed to take over as commissioner from his friend and colleague Robert Connell in the event of the latter choosing to retire.

However, in the late 1920s O’Halloran was knocked down and badly injured in Northbridge by a juvenile driving a stolen motor vehicle. He never fully recovered and retired before Commissioner Connell.

Apart from numerous comments on his abilities from senior police officers he received high praise from politicians, public service officials, various community groups and even newspaper men - some of whom were as posturing and tactless as certain media folk of our era. It will not have come as a surprise when O’Halloran reached the rank of Chief Inspector, a promotion that made him second in command of the entire Police Force.

O’Halloran moved south with his family and lived on his farm (called Deepdene) for the rest of his life.

O’Halloran’s brother Patrick was a police officer, as was his son Maurice. Neither achieved the same level of renown as Michael. Patrick rose to the rank of sergeant: his career was a colourful and controversial one and promotion to commissioned rank eluded him.

Maurice (1918-1977) reached the rank of sergeant and served in the Kimberley for several years. He was later officer in charge of the Gold Stealing Detection Squad.

O’Halloran was reputed to have been on friendly terms with Premier Scaddan of WA and Prime Minister Scullin. It seems to have been an open secret that politicians of such high standing regularly socialised with the O’Halloran’s in Perth, but nobody suggested

Former Deputy Commissioner of police Michael O’Halloran died on August 7, 1939 and was buried in the Margaret River Catholic Cemetery. His wife Mary passed away in 1940. Her remains were placed in a grave next to Michael’s.

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Vale Michael Nolan The Vietnam War was inadvertently the starting point for George ‘Michael’ Nolan’s long and incredible career in the foreign service of Ireland and its citizens. While his journey to making an outstanding consular contribution was not necessarily intentional it was perhaps inevitable.

The Kilkenny native graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1953 and went to Malaya (now called Malaysia) to work with the Inchcape Company.

After four years there he returned home to Kilkenny with the intention of joining his father’s business, but after discussions and the agreement of his father he returned to Thailand where he was transferred to Bangkok and would spend the next fifteen years and become the firm’s national assistant general manager.

The outbreak of war in the early 1960’s in the neighbouring Asian nation of Vietnam would impact on him in an unforeseen way. As the conflict unfolded and casualties mounted, Michael found himself being asked for help by Irishmen serving with the American forces. American military authorities also sought out his help to return the remains of Irish-born servicemen killed in action to Ireland.

Some 29 Irish people (including one woman) or people of direct Irish heritage - out of an estimated 2,500 Irish who served in Vietnam - were casualties of the war.

In recognition of this, Michael was appointed as the first Honorary Irish Consul to Thailand in 1966 and then as Consul General when Taoiseach Jack Lynch visited Thailand in 1969.

During his time in Bangkok, Michael was involved in a tricky situation which is well known within the Irish diplomatic service - the smuggling of the Irish Ash ship out of Bangkok. “Even the consular officials in Dublin were absolutely amazed when they got the full story,” Michael told Irish Scene when he celebrated 21 years of honorary - and colourful - consular service.

“The Irish Ash had been chartered, complete with Irish captain and crew, by a group of Thai businessmen, in a bid to circumvent a local shipping cartel. One Saturday night, while she was in port, fire broke out in the engine room. Arson was suspected, and the chief engineer and his assistant were arrested.”

Michael was called in for assistance in arranging bail, which he succeeded in doing, and the two men were released on surety of $600 each. The Irish shipping company which owned the Irish Ash flew out its marine superintendent, who decided that it would be best to take the ship to Singapore for repairs.

There was a snag. The Thai authorities would not release the two men from their bail conditions or allow them to leave the country without being tried. It was costing the ship’s owners several thousand dollars per day to maintain her while she lay idle.

Something had to be done.

“We took the port authorities to lunch,” Michael explained. “During lunch we kicked a little shoe box across underneath the table, and it was arranged that they would not notify the immigration authorities the ship had sailed until twelve hours after she had left.”

THE IRISH SCENE | 70

Clockwise from opposite left: Michael with Mary McAleese in 1998; Michael with wife Eleanor; Michael and Eleanor with Marty Kavanagh; Irish Ash at the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1966

But things got mixed up, and the alarm was raised after only six hours, while the Irish Ash was still in the lower reaches of the Bangkok River. It was back to lunch again, this time with the immigration authorities and another shoe box. “It was decided that if the ship’s captain indicated that he wished to leave and would surrender the two men under bail, then the young immigration officers would not question the identities of the men coming off the ship,” Michael explained.

Thus it was that, some hours later, consul and marine superintendent, to the cheers of the Irish crew and carrying an armful of beer, took their place in the customs boat to be conveyed ashore, later to learn that the captain of the Irish Ash had signalled to say that he had found two stowaways on board, to wit, the chief and second engineers.

In 1970, when the overthrow of the Burmese government brought a flow of refugees into Thailand, Michael came to the aid of a group of nine Sisters of Mercy who had to flee from Burma. He brought them to Bangkok, and established them in one of the city’s slum areas where they continued their good work in looking after the poor and disadvantaged.

Later, during a visit to Ireland, Michael was honoured by an invitation to call with President Eamon De Valera, then in his ninetieth year, so that the president could personally thank him for bringing the nuns to safety.

Perth Irish community figure Tony Bray recalls that Michael had said he was going to write a book about his Consul experience and call it ‘How do I get around it?’ which would sum up the Irish approach to protocols and rules!

THE IRISH SCENE | 71

Michael came to Perth in April, 1972, and it was not long before he was being asked to carry out some duties on behalf of the authorities in Dublin and the Embassy in Canberra.

When Ambassador Florrie O’Riordan visited Perth in 1976, he was quick to see the advantages of having official representation in WA. Two years later, on the ambassador’s recommendation, the first Irish consulate in Australia was established in Perth, with Michael as consul and in 1981 as Consul General.

The need for his services were born out by how busy he was in the role.

He took about 4,000 phone calls a year and helped process and issue a staggering 250,000 passports.

“I get calls late on Friday or on a weekend when people have had sad news from Ireland and they want to get away that afternoon or the following day,” he told Irish Scene. “I’m very happy to be able Continued on page 72

Continued from page 71

to assist them with passports. I get a lot of satisfaction being able to help people.”

There were times when the responsibilities of the role were sombre and sobering. He recalled the story of the Irishman who died here in old age and a pauper. Michael has to handle the documentation in such cases, and he was contacted by the undertaker who was arranging for the return of the body to Ireland.

Concerned about the costs, Michael suggested that the undertaker ask of his counterpart in Ireland as to how these were to be paid.

The dead man’s brother in Ireland was not too concerned.

“Don’t worry about it,” was his answer. “Sure, didn’t he own an ore mine out there in Western Australia.”

However, when they learned the truth, the family agreed to cover the costs of a burial in Perth.

“That was very sad,” said Michael. “ I remember that wintry morning. I found a retired priest to come with me. He said the prayers and I answered. There were just the two of us on that blustery, wintry day.”

In more accidents and tragedies than anyone would ever want to be involved with Michael helped young backpackers who were killed or badly injured and their families to make urgent international arrangements at short notice. Funeral parlours, hospitals, the airport, prisons and police stations were often his front line.

But Michael also loved life and was always happy to celebrate the good things in life and Irish community - including a much anticipated St. Patrick’s Day bash in the Hilton Hotel, paid largely for out of his own pocket.

Those who knew him said he was good company and had endless anecdotes and giggly jokes. “Did you hear the one about the fellow

Musical Entertainer / Teacher

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driving in the English countryside?.”

Michael quipped at a function in the Celtic Club a few years ago. “He came to a village and saw a blackboard out side a pub advertising ‘Pie and Pint and a Friendly Word $5 (pounds)’. So he went in and ordered this special. The barman served up the pint and then the pie and said ‘five pound please’. The fellow responded ‘but what about the friendly word?’ The barman leaned over and whispered in his ear ‘I wouldn’t eat the pie if I were you!’

He also played the piano and in later years the organ. Tony Bray jokes that he convinced Michael to leave his organ to the medical fraternity in his will because they are always seeking organ donations.

In 2009 Michael, always supported by his wife Eleanor, was awarded the Brendan Award by the Australia Irish Heritage Association.

After 33 years of ‘distinguished’ public service Michael retired in about 2012/13 and Marty Kavanagh was appointed as Ireland’s Honorary Consul in Western Australia. Speaking at his funeral mass in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in City Beach, Marty sympathised with Eleanor and remembered Michael as: “a man of faith, a loving husband and faithful servant to the Irish community….he had all the charm and love of life that we Irish pride ourselves in.”

Irish Scene and the Irish community extend their sympathies to Eleanor and family for their loss.

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New book captures

the essence of being ‘Mayo’ If you ever wondered what makes us Mayo people what we are, it might be worth your while checking out the recently published offering ‘We are Mayo’ from the pens of Tom Brett and Sean Rice.

The title, the book’s authors tell us, was chosen quite deliberately. “It reflects the common bond that exists between us, helps unite us and hopefully will never leave us,” they declare.

It is an excellent production, a hardback of the highest quality in terms of the text and photography, an excellent testimony to the hard work and dedication of both authors who clearly have a great passion for their county and the people and places that makes Mayo one of the most beautiful and unique parts of Ireland.

Anyone involved in GAA would be more than familiar with Sean Rice, the doyen of sports journalism in the west, a man who still has that sharp incisive mind which he brings to readers in his weekly column in The Mayo News. You will recognise his fine penmanship in so many pieces in this book.

Tom Brett is from Charlestown and would seem to be a suitable topic himself for a book on its own, such is his fascinating and varied life which saw him end up in Fremantle, Australia, practicing medicine having graduated from University College Galway (now NUI Galway) in 1979 before moving to Australia in 1984.

Clearly he kept in touch with his homeland and maintained his great passion for all things Gaelic, including the landscape and the people it produced, as their stories are woven through a rich fabric which binds so much of this book together.

The book opens with a wonderful foreword from Ireland’s First Lady, Sabina Higgins. Her strong Mayo connections, having been born in Ballindine where she attended national school (she also attended Mount St. Michael Convent in Claremorris), places her in the unique position to write about her county and what it was like growing up in the area in what were hard times.

Her contribution alone is a wonderful piece of social history from the pen of a lady who is a fine writer in her own right.

Continued on page 74

THE IRISH SCENE | 73

Below: A review of the book published in the Mayo News in June this year 30

Comment & Opinion

A Mayo book for the ages County unty y View w John Healy IT could be said that in the middle of a pandemic, with the entire country in lockdown, might not be the most propitious time to launch a new book. But then, as they say, there are books and books in it. And ‘We Are Mayo’, written by Tom Brett and Seán Rice, is a book which was never going to have a sell-by date.

There have been many Mayo books over the years, but there are few with such an overarching reach, such a broad sweep of Mayoness, as this lavish and beautifully presented publication.

Tom Brett is a Charlestownborn doctor, now living in Australia, who played with Mayo in Croke Park and who, one suspects, still wears a green and red shirt under his surgical gown in Fremantle. Seán Rice, of this parish, is a journalist whose status among his peers is a given, and who brings a wordsmith’s talent to a book which is as much a pleasure to read as it is to be captivated by the stunning photographs which adorn every page.

The tone of ‘We Are Mayo’ is set by the eloquent foreword of Sabina Higgins, in which the President’s wife evokes memories of a pastoral childhood growing up on a small farm in Mayo. She vividly recalls the details of that idyllic childhood, the rituals of home and church, the changing of the seasons, the meitheal and the kindness of neighbours, and the lovely anecdote of how her mother, having milked the cow, would dip her fingers in the warm milk before signing a cross on the animal’s flank in a gesture of blessing and gratitude.

‘We Are Mayo’ is presented in

a number of sections, tracing our evolution from earliest times to the present. The section on geography, interspersed with panoramic shots of our sweeping landscapes, our mountains and rivers, islands and lakes, leads us into the section on infrastructure, from the Céide Fields to Knock Airport. Here the reader will find a welcome retrospect of the story of the Corrib Gas Field, a story often lost in the white noise of controversy, but which now in hindsight can be told with a more objective clarity.

Mayo’s history takes us from the Children of Lir, through Norman times, to our connection to the ill-fated Spanish Armada, whose warships foundered on our rocky, treacherous coast. The legacy of the Brownes, the Moores, the Blakes and the Fitzgeralds is covered in a chapter on the Big Houses, while the events of the French invasion, the Famine road to Delphi, and the Land League are a reminder of Mayo’s role in the march of a nation.

Our most famous sons and daughters merit a special section, and sport (how could it be otherwise) is given its due prominence.

But ‘We Are Mayo’ is not a book to be read and admired and then consigned to some dusty bookshelf. It is rather the Mayo Book of Wisdom, an heirloom to be passed on to generation after generation of children of Mayo parents, in far flung corners of the world, as a reminder of what it is that binds us together in that passionate pride in home.

Tom Brett and Sean Rice have done the county a signal service.

This is the book which gives written expression to that primordial link which, especially on summer days in MacHale Park or Croker, sets Mayo hearts beating as one, releasing that tidal roar of passion from hundreds of thousands of our kinfolk all over the world, the catch in the throat and the tear in the eye of those of us lucky enough, and proud to be, of Mayo.

Continued from page 73

The glossy, high quality production takes us through the political, cultural, social and sporting history of Mayo, documenting the lives of many famous people and places.

The book is broken down into easily readable short articles covering the geography of the county, including its magnificent mountains, islands, rivers and lakes, as well as numerous places of historical and archaeological interest.

It covers the arrival of the Great Western Greenway, while it also looks at some of the great historical events which not only shaped the county but also the country, notably the 1798 rebellion, the Land League and the Great Famine, which scattered millions of Irish people, including those from Mayo, to America and elsewhere in the world.

Given the huge contributions Mayo men and women have made to shaping the historical, cultural and political landscape of the county, names such as Margaret-Burke Sheridan, Mary Robinson, John Healy, Louis Brennan and Monsignor James Horan, to name but a few, are among those profiled.

Mayo’s sporting prowess, not just in Gaelic games but in soccer and rugby too, are well documented, with some nuggets concerning some of the greats of sport, including Olympian Martin Sheridan, Paddy Prendergast, Henry Kenny, Josie Munnelly, Joe Corcoran, Padraig Carney and a wonderful piece on soccer in Mayo and the contribution Tom Ketterick made to the founding of Castlebar Celtic, while another sporting legend, Stephen Walsh of Westport Rugby Club, is given an honourable mention.

The quality of photos is quite stunning, from the front page itself, which has drawn comment over the original Mayo jersey worn by the brother of the co-author, Eamon Brett, making his debut for Mayo in the All-Ireland minor final of 1974, to the back page, which features a stunning picture of Downpatrick Head.

Co-author Tom Brett and his granddaughter Holly The cameras of a number of local photographers capture the raw beauty of the county. It is written in a very concise and easily readable format.

For anyone with the green and red blood of Mayo it is something which must be added to the collection of those who value and love their heritage and are proud to say they are from Mayo.

It can be purchased online at Castle Book Shop, Castle Street, Castlebar, and will be available in all good bookstores when they reopen. It retails at €30 (or four for €100).

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BY DEIRDRE MUSK PROFILE BOOKS, $34.99

I suppose, like many of us, I always took my address for granted. I live in a street with a name and I have a house number - but not all are so blessed. According to Musk, ‘most households in the world don’t have street addresses’. Why is this so? How do these societies manage? In this fascinating and very informative book, Musk explores the connections between addresses, identity, class, power, wealth and race. She visits England, the United States, Korea, Japan, Austria, South Africa and Iran, exploring the meaning of address, how streets are named and what addresses tell us about who we are, and how we live together.

Why is it that Tehran and Paris have streets named after IRA hunger striker, Bobby Sands, yet he is not commemorated in this fashion in either Northern or Southern Ireland? Musk points to Australian research indicating that properties in Geelong with goofy street names (Butt Street, Beaver Street) are valued at 20% less than those in adjacent streets. What’s in a name?

She notes that in Tokyo and Seoul (South Korea), most streets are unnamed, explaining the reasons, and how the mail still manages to be delivered. And what of those dinky zip codes? Why were they devised and adopted?

According to Musk, ‘House numbers were not invented to help you navigate the city or receive your mail ---they were designed to make it easier to tax, imprison, and police. House numbers exist not to help you find your way, but rather to help the government find you’.

An address today is an identity; it’s a way for society to check that you are not just a person, but the person you say you are. Without an address it’s impossible to get a passport, obtain a marriage licence, score a job

or become eligible for many other societal benefits.

Musk recounts her interview with a London architect who is assisting the homeless access social security by assigning them the addresses of empty buildings. It is an action which prompts Mask to observe that in the UK letters to Santa in Reindeer Land apparently end up in an abandoned Belfast factory. ‘If Santa can have a fake address why not the homeless?’, she muses.

Mask’s intensive, entertaining and comprehensive study is illustrated by a cast of intriguing individuals whose curiosity, purpose and ambition inspire them to confront dilemmas ignored by bureaucracies. Her book certainly enhanced my understanding of the world around me.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN FUN AROUND HERE

BY FRANCES MACKEN ONEWORLD $32.99

‘The Country Girls’ meets ‘Circle of Friends’. This too is a vibrant, captivating, coming-of-age tale of three rural Irish girls set in the fictitious Roscommon village of Glenbuff. In this, her debut novel, Macken deftly explores the intricacies, pitfalls, struggles and fragilities of female friendship as Katie, Maeve and Evelyn grow from childhood to become adults. Despite the closeness of the girls, there exists a well defined pecking order. As Kate, our narrator, explains, ‘It’s Evelyn, then me, and after that it’s Maeve the Mope’.

When pretty, talented, vivacious Pamela Cooney arrives in Glenbuff, she upsets the village dynamic, Continued on page 76

THE IRISH SCENE | 75

Continued from page 75

capturing everyone’s attention, including that of the local boys. Pamela also threatens Evelyn’s status as ‘leader’, before suddenly, and mysteriously, disappearing. Plans for Katie and Evelyn to move together to Dublin are upset when Evelyn misses out on a place in an art college while Katie realizes her dream, scoring a university place to pursue a career in film making (Macken is a graduate of the Irish National Film School). From then on, things amongst the trio are never quite the same, especially when Maeve, an orphan who doesn’t have two pennies to rub together, is spotted in Dublin’s Grafton Street, shopping for expensive jewelry.

Macken exhibits a sharp ear for discourse, imbuing the novel with clever, funny dialogue while perceptively bringing simple scenes to life with discerning, sensitive detail. This is a novel bursting with heart, turning the trials and uncertainties of growing up in to an affecting, enjoyable and hugely entertaining read.

SMALL PLEASURES

BY CLARE CHAMBERS WEIDENFELD & NICHOLSON $32.99 Already published in the UK to rapturous accolades, ‘Small Pleasures’ has been hailed as ‘an almost flawless novel’, with Chambers being compared to the likes of Jane Austen and Barbara Pym. With six nondescript books behind her, Chambers saw this novel as her last chance to become an established author. The seed for the book was sewn almost twenty years ago when she heard a radio discussion on parthenogenesis – virgin birth.

Set in south-east London in 1957, Jean Swinney, Chambers’ protagonist, is a single, somewhat repressed, 40 year old, journalist with the North Kent Echo, where she is responsible for the paper’s ‘Household Hints’ and ‘Marriage Lines’ columns.

Swinney’s rather mundane existence is stirred when she begins to investigate the assertion by a local woman, Gretchen Tilbury, who claims to have given birth to a daughter, Margaret, without the involvement of a man. Now married to the dour and significantly older husband, Howard, who owns a small jewelry business, Gretchen is more than willing to submit to the medical and scientific examinations demanded

by Jean to prove her virgin birth. The narrative follows Jean’s attempts to investigate Gretchen’s contention as she becomes increasingly embroiled in the machinations of the Tilbury family while also

uncovering the murky secrets of Gretchen’s past.

In addition, Jean has to contend with her neurotic, demanding and increasingly dependent mother, with whom she shares a small terraced house. It’s a cloying, mundane, dull existence which forces Jean to grab, and savour, the small pleasures of life where she can find them.

This is a beautifully understated, compassionate novel, peopled by well rounded, finely drawn, believable characters. Chambers perfectly captures the suburban milieu of the time as she leads the reader in exploring the clash between duty and individual freedom and questioning just how much self denial is acceptable for one person to bear.

ENID

BY ROBERT WAINWRIGHT ALLEN & UNWIN $32.99 Author Somerset Maugham, friend and bridge partner, unfairly dubbed her ‘Lady Killmore’, because she married four times, managing to outlive all of her husbands.

Enid Maud Lindeman was born in Sydney in January 1892, the fifth child of Charles Lindeman, co-owner of the Lindeman wine and hospitality empire. Enid left school with one aim – to marry well, and indeed she did. Two of her four partners were multi-millionaire shipping magnates; one was a noted war hero and the fourth, an ebullient Irish Earl, who bestowed on her the title of Lady Kenmore. A statuesque, generous woman of beauty, charm, poise and allure, Enid led a glamorous and lavish lifestyle across four continents. In Monte Carlo, on the turn of a card, she won the French Riveria’s most expensive home, ‘La Fiorentina’, where she entertained such notables as Greta Garbo, Fred Astaire, the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill, who was one of her many lovers.

But her life was not all flamboyance. In the Great War she drove an ambulance; during WWII, she assisted the French Resistance, patrolled bomb sites and worked, briefly, behind the counter at Harrods.

In later life Enid settled down in South Africa where she became a notable racehorse trainer and racing celebrity. It was in South Africa that she died in January 1972, having lived life with the mantra, ‘Never be afraid, never be jealous and never complain when you are ill’.

Wainwright has produced an engrossing and engaging biography of a woman, largely unknown in the country of her birth, but who was admired

THE IRISH SCENE | 76

and loved in North America, Europe and Africa. The roller coaster ride that was Enid’s life is impressively recounted allowing her beauty and boldness to light up the years now recalled with warm nostalgia.

ON SEAMUS HEANEY

BY R F FOSTER PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESS $34.99

I must admit I’m somewhat apprehensive when I see an historian, even such and eminent don as Oxford University’s R F Foster, author a biographical novel, especially when the subject is such a revered and beloved Irish poet as Seamus Heaney. Perhaps it’s a throwback to my days at school when the thrust of history was seemingly on facts and dates.

Heaney bestrides Irish literature like a colossus; a poet and educator, admired for creativity and intellect, but also loved for being down to earth and approachable.

He never forgot his Castledawson (Co. Derry) roots, and it was this homeland in rural Ulster which provided the inspiration for many of his poems.

Foster’s approach to his subject is chronologically based, leading the reader through various stages of Heaney’s life, focusing, and analyzing, the poetry and literature he produced over 74 prolific years.

While Heaney received many plaudits, he also came in for criticism from other Irish colleagues. Given that Heaney lived through the Northern Ireland ‘troubles’, Foster also tackles the issue as to how Heaney struggled to address the ethical dilemma of writing about the unrest without becoming a spokesperson for either faction. His wife, Marie, confirms that Heaney was ‘really a nationalist by birth and by inclination, but that nationalism was being hijacked in a way he detested’.

Heaney was in Pylos (Greece) in 1995 when he received the news that he was the recipient of a Nobel Prize for Literature, for poetry. The accolade triggered, in Heaney’s words, ‘a mostly benign avalanche’, engulfing him in copious publicity and celebrations ranging from Harvard University to his local GAA club.

Foster has undoubtly been very assiduous in his research and in his examination of Heaney’s poetry. I concluded the biography thinking that a more apt title might be ‘On the POETRY of Seamus Heaney’. Foster, I believe, over emphasizes his analysis Heaney’s literary contribution, perhaps to the detriment of focusing rather more on the poet as husband, father, lecturer, Irishman and cultural icon.

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THE IRISH SCENE | 77

PAULA XIBERRAS FROM TASMANIA MORE THAN SOAP AND SUDS I recently spoke to Colin Howell (right) who, for the last eight months, has been a volunteer manager for the organisation ‘Orange Sky’. The organisation offers support to those living on the streets and this has been especially important during this COVID-19 year.

The initiative has washed 1.4 million tons of laundry and had volunteers talk to the homeless for a precious 240 000 hours. It was founded in a Brisbane garage by two twenty year old’s, Nic Marchesi and Lucas Pratchett. The first laundry van affectionately known as ‘Sudsy’ gives his name to the challenge.

Over 11,000 Australians experience homelessness, sleeping on the streets, including says Colin, lawyers, journalists and others struggling with life issues. This means not having access to keeping clean body and clothes alike.

The annual fundraising campaign ‘The Sudsy Challenge’ encouraged people to empathise with the homeless who cannot afford the luxury of frequent clothes changes, by wearing the same clothes for three days while raising much needed fund to allow free showers and laundry for the homeless. Even more importantly Colin tells me, the service provides the most important service of talking to the homeless about what they are experiencing making them feel welcome.

Orange Sky and The Sudsy Challenge has had so much success that it has even been given the support of US President Barack Obama and he spoke about it in the following video: The Obama Foundation presents: The Year in Hope youtube.com/watch?v=CB3ecWgy2Gg The event ran from September 4 to October 4 and was a great success again this year.

www.thesudsychallenge.com

MODERN MANNERS The Irish surname Cunningham is from the Scottish a diminutive of the Irish name Conn, which means ‘leader’ or ‘chief’.

I was lucky enough to talk to one such Cunningham leader, the charming Mr Noel Cunningham, Hotelier (he is General Manager of Harvey’s Point Hotel in Donegal), broadcaster and Donegal person of the year in 2019.

Added to these accomplishments Noel is also an author and we spoke of his recent book ‘Noel Cunningham’s guide to modern Irish manners’. In spite of the Irish in the title this is easily a book international in scope.

It is Noel’s ambition to help people, especially the young, to improve the world by a reinstatement of good manners. In appealing to youth in particular, Noel is looking at good manners as a way to achieve respectfulness in all facets of life and by doing so make a world that shows care and compassion, including to the topical issue of migrants. Noel says Ireland as a nation with the dark history of its potato famine is well aware of the issue of homelessness and the need to help migrants and refugees.

Noel is well able to play the role of statesman too having travelled the world on ocean liners, meeting many famous people along the way including royalty. As for Aussies, Noel says they often get bad press as a bit rough around the edges when it comes to manners but he sees them as scrubbing up to the occasion pretty well, not unlike the Irish themselves.

THE IRISH SCENE | 78

When it comes to the Irish, Noel is saddened that the country has lost a few of its traditions, particularly those with a religious association. Now, weddings are more likely to take place under a garden marquee than in a church and baptisms, which once had traditions like keeping a piece of wedding cake for the celebration, now have in some cases left the church setting and become ‘naming days’.

From the grand affair to the simple one, Noel has a number of situations and traditions covered in his book. Some of the latter examples of making things mannerly might be as simple as putting milk in a jug on the table rather than leaving it in its shop container.

Away from home Noel says it was once an occasion

to attend the theatre in ones best clothes and it’s a tradition he would like to see continued instead of people arriving in casual clothes. It’s also important to exercise good manners if one is someone is tall and obscuring the person behinds view.

The attention to the comfort of others runs through Noel’s book. Another small gesture of respect that is lost nowadays is something Noel remembers from his childhood of always calling his elders by ‘Mr’ or ‘Mrs’ even if well known.

Noel tells me he will be visiting schools around Ireland encouraging young people to be mannerly and by extension respectful of others to go a way to create a more caring world.

Noel’s book ‘Noel Cunningham’s guide to Modern Irish Manners’ is out now, published by The O’Brien Press. go out to his studio some nights to muddle around with a song. The usual rules didn’t apply, neither did time constraints. One song ‘Old time’s sake’ having a two year journey to completion.

In those two years away from music Josh has explored other creative avenues including children’s books, writing the award winning ‘Lights out Leonard’ and with Justine Clarke ‘A Banana is a Banana’. There are more children’s books with Scholastica on the cards in the coming years. Josh even streamed a punk album called ‘Swords Owls’ so named by his kindergarten attending son.

ROMAN HOLIDAY It hasn’t actually been a Roman Holiday for Josh Pyke in this time of COVID but he has composed an album called Rome after a holiday hiatus of a couple of years from music, .Josh had just finished his new album called ‘Rome’ and had his tour dates ahead of him when COVID intervened. With his new album tour postponed, one of the positives is that he is looking at new way to get his music to fans such as pod casts and also on new artistic expressions.

The intervention of COVID perhaps reinforced the theme of the album, that like Rome, even the most assured and powerful ultimately fall or fade. Josh doesn’t see this as nihilistic but an opportunity to remind us that although everything is ephemeral, love and the creative spirit makes meaning and stand in defiance and in possibility, never like empires, fading away.

After two years away from music Josh looked again at his songs and realised he loved them, writing some more until he had about forty. This time the approach to creating an album has been of a looser structure and more relaxed as he decided when he would THE IRISH SCENE | 79

The catalyst for Josh’s creative explorations began with another parent who told him not to just see himself as a musician but as a ‘creative’ person who could excel in other areas as well.

This was a light globe moment for Josh who says in Australia we often tend to pigeon hole people into one particular career choice when in places like the US, the situation is different, a person in the arts can be an actor, author, singer and model simultaneously. Josh thinks this attitude has something to do with the fact Australians are humble and not into self-promotion as much as their American counterparts. Josh says giving oneself permission to be accomplished doesn’t mean they are arrogant.

‘Rome’ is out now.

We’re back!

‘A CHRISTMAS WISH’ BY NOEL O’NEILL 2020 has been a tough year for many with little or no socialising in the first half of the year. When the coronavirus restrictions were relaxed enough to allow theatre productions to return to our community stages, the committee of the Irish Theatre Players unanimously agreed that we wanted our first production to be joyous, to feel good and to lift the spirits of our faithful audiences.

We are delighted to say that ‘A Christmas Wish’ by Noel O’Neill fits the bill perfectly!

Although Noel is a prolific author of both full length and short plays, this is only his second foray into pantomime and his first to be staged. He was inspired to put his thoughts and talents into writing this pantomime - including all the song lyrics - as a reaction to this year’s events.

In March 2020 on returning from the USA to Perth, Noel was in quarantine and tested positive for Covid-19. He was very sick for a time but luckily, was able to overcome the virus and is very thankful to be in this safe haven here in Western Australia. In true Noel O’Neill style, that personal experience coupled with his observations of the world around him in chaos, sent the cogs of his creative mind into motion.

The result is that Noel has written a Christmas story which has both traditional stylings and current topics effortlessly mingled.

Irish Theatre Players are proud to announce that we are back!

We’re currently rehearsing a Christmas Pantomime, written & directed by Noel O’Neill. With original songs and a very topical theme, this panto promises to bring a smile to everyone’s face this Christmas! Tickets are on sale via www.trybooking.com/ BMFRU. Here Denice Byrne talks to Noel O’Neill about how it all came about…

This panto is set in the land of Goosey Mooly which is full of gloriously colourful characters, catchy tunes and a cast of all ages. The cliché is true, it has something for everyone to enjoy.

In the words of the good King: “In these circumstances we can’t take no chance It’s not always black and white.

We must be strong, it shouldn’t take long Before we can see the light.”

Denice Byrne, Irish Theatre Players

Tickets for the December performance of “A Christmas Wish” are now on sale! www.trybooking.com/BMFRU

AGM Many thanks to all who attended our ITP AGM 2020 on Tuesday 20th October at the Irish Club.

Having sadly lost our beloved John Spurling in March this year, and our lovely Secretary Maatikiri who returned to New Zealand, we were delighted to welcome three new committee members. Jean Browning joins us as Secretary, while Stan O’Neill and Sean Byrne were welcomed on board as General Members. Welcome!

THE IRISH SCENE | 80

In the Myles O’Neill Challenge Cup

Come along and make it a great day for the O’Neill family.

Spread a little happiness...

Fostering Hope Australia is looking for toy donations for their Christmas party for children that are in foster care.

These gifts will be given out by Santa on December 18.

If you would like to contribute a wrapped gift to the value of $20, noting if it’s for a boy or girl and the appropriate age, it would be much appreciated.

Gifts can be dropped off at Unit 1, 32 Buckingham Drive, Wangara or you can call Bernadette on 0423 919 033 to arrange collection. They would also welcome monetary donations to enable them to ensure that every child has a present to open at the Christmas party. Can you please try and organise gifts by November 14. fosteringhopeaustralia.org.au • Unit 1, 32 Buckingham Drive, Wangara WA • 0423 919 033 THE IRISH SCENE | 81

LEFT: friends in high places Christine recently met 2.01m tall AFL star Nic Naitanui

Around the

irish scene

If you would like to be featured in the next issue, please email irishsceneperth@gmail.com

Right: CONGRATULATIONS! Congratulations to Isobel Tallon on making her First Holy Communion

BELOW: GUESS WHO’s TURNING 13 Happy Birthday Hugh! Love you lots

❤❤

ABOVE: Put up your dukes - Budding boxer Indi Gascoyne

Left: Lunching ladies - Lilly and Kate Jones enjoying lunch in Woodbridge hotel

RIGHT: An Irish farmer watching the Irish Golf Open with moo friends

ABOVE: Happy birthday Dermot Byrne celebrating with family at the Irish Club THE IRISH SCENE | 82

BELOW: A mighty good Christening A FIFO christening was held at the Mighty Quinn on September 13th for beautful little Mya Nolan. Proud parents Eamon and Lisa threw a great shindig, no expense spared. Because of COVID, mum Lisa and the lovely ladies (mainly from Donegal) and children stayed in the private room while the boys stayed at the bar. Kevin Rogers was Godfather but I think all the lads were Godfathers. Everyone stay safe - Tony Synnott.

LEFT: Proud dad Eamon (centre) and godfather Kevin (right) BELOW: Happy 70th to Bernie Mangan

ABOVE: Happy 13th Birthday Orlagh!

WIN!

One of two copies of a new book by Sandie Jones, The Half Sister

ABOVE: Ray & Doireann in sunny Ireland waiting for the Grand Final

The Half Sister is a compelling new domestic suspense novel about a family who is forever changed when a stranger arrives at their door.

To be in with a chance to win, simply email your name to irishsceneperth@gmail.com Kindly donated by Paula Xiberas.

THE IRISH SCENE | 83

winter which was hard to cope with after Broome’s warmth.

Q As this COVID-19 is rife all over Australia, how do think our premier has done considering?

A I think the Premier is a very good man controlling the Covid and closing the borders, closed longer than any other State for our own good. I feel very safe in WA.

WITH TONY SYNNOTT

Q What do you think about the Irish Scene?

A I think the Irish Scene is a great help to keep in touch with the Irish community. Its great to see the great things the Irish get up to.

Meet...

COURTNEY GRIFFIN

Q Did you lose much work over the virus and how did you pass the time?

A I lost a month or two of work due to Covid but now I have got a job and don’t have to worry about rent and living on savings as they don’t last long when you are not working.

Thanks Tony for your patience and for interviewing me. You are great at doing your job. It was a pleasure talking to you and I look forward to seeing you in the pub sometime – Courtney Griffin

Q What part of Ireland or town were you born, and do you come from a big family?

A I come from County Kerry, a place called Caragh Lake, near Puck Fair. It’s a beautiful place.

Killorglin is the nearest town and Puck Fair is one of Ireland’s oldest festivals. I come from a very close family and miss them terribly.

Q How far did you go in your education and what school or college did you attend?

A As far as my education goes I started in Killorglin school. I did very well there and went on to study archaeology. I then took a beauty and hair dressing course and after 3 years I worked in the make-up team for the world famous Rose of Tralee Festival.

Q At what age did you decide to to travel, and did you have any country in mind and why?

A Travelling was not for me then as I love my family and as a small unit we went on holidays together once a year. My friends were all going to Australia and as I was not happy in my job at the time, I decided to go with them. Now they are all back home and I am still here!

Q How did you end up in Perth, and what’s your impression of this part of Australia?

A I got my first job in Broome but missed civilization and came to Perth. I like it here except for the cold

Q The Galway hooker is a great place to bring more Irish and visitors who come to Perth or anyone who comes to Scarborough!

A The Galway Hooker is a great Irish place for young people. I’m slowly getting around to all the Irish bars and meeting new people.

Q You are a bubbly young lady. How does your social life fit in during these hard times?

A I don’t have much of a social life as I work nights and weekends. I do go out for something to eat for a change and this also helps to save money.

Q The Irish Club in Subiaco is where most seniors meet. Have you had the pleasure of visiting the old folks yet?

A No I haven’t been to the Irish Club yet but its number one on my list of places to visit. My friends went there and enjoyed the food and the Irish company.

Q Do you keep in touch with your family or a boyfriend/husband at home?

A Yes Tony, my mother, father and brother are on the phone most days. It makes me very happy to know that I am still loved and welcome home at any time.

Q If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go and why?

A I’ve always wanted to go to Petra in Jordan as I have always been fascinated by ancient cultures, maybe that’s why I studied archaeology. The world is a big place.

THE IRISH SCENE | 84

Christmas traditions are possibly one of the most fun parts of the season. Some take them very seriously Christmas jumper competitions, 12 pubs of Christmas, a 24lb turkey and of course, carols.

Traditions give us a link to the past and a sense of nostalgia. They can be fun or full of reverence or even an excuse to blow off steam.

Nostalgia has a delightful and convenient way of linking us to the past with a rose tinted view. We forget the trauma of city parking while Christmas shopping, of stretched finances and of work deadlines, of cooking a massive meal and playing fridge jenga with the leftovers. All that is a distant memory when the new festive season rolls around and we see that first wink of glitter in the shops.

Music and song have a central role in our Christmas traditions – who among us can deny a memory of arms slung around friends shoulders, santa hats swaying, drinks sloshing, belting out ‘the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day’! Who hasn’t sung out randomly ‘Penny’s, got a whole lot of things for Christmas, got a lot for the family!’

Irish Choir Perth The Irish Choir Perth are preparing for our 4th Christmas concert, and this concert is becoming something of a tradition both to us, and for the audience that comes back to see us year after year.

In a season awash with carol concerts, our concert feels special because its combines the best of nostalgia with new traditions.

Going further back, we find memories of Primary School concerts, angel wings and tea towels, and the as yet unbroken voices joined in a sweet chorus of Silent Night and Away in a Manger.

We perform the songs that take you back and that remind you of home, of our family and friends and good times. And at the same time, for us and within our community, our concert has become the kick off to the festive season here in Perth, like that first glimpse of shop decorations and the first Christmas song on the radio. In the immortal words of Coca Cola –holidays are coming!

Midnight Mass, in all its serenity, was for many the most peaceful tradition. The work of Christmas Eve behind you, your home feeling warm, full of delicious smells and the fire on, and off you go out into the calm of the night, maybe a fluttering of snow on the ground and you’re ready to enjoy the familiar songs of the church choir – see, nostalgia and rose tints, right?!

If you like what you see, why not join us? We love new members at any time in the term!

The Irish Choir Perth’s Christmas concert will take place on Saturday 28 November, at the Irish Club of WA. There will be a shorter matinee followed by an evening concert. Tickets always sell out quickly, so keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details.

THE IRISH SCENE | 85

in October Plans for 2021 In 2021 the Irish SIG will gather either face to face or online (or a combination) on these dates: 17 January, 18 April, 18 July and 17 October. It’s likely that there will be a series of demonstrations at the first three meetings showing you how to use particular websites holding Irish records, such as National Archives Ireland, John Grenham, Ask About Ireland, National Library of Ireland, RootsIreland, Tithe Applotments, IrishGenealogy, National Library of Ireland parish registers, Public Records Office, Public Records Office Northern Ireland, and the General Register Office for Northern Ireland. Some of these are paid sites while others are free to use.

You need to book a place at any future meeting using the online booking site TryBooking, details right (you cannot book for a meeting more than three months ahead). Those who have booked will be sent a link to the Google Meet shortly before the 2pm meeting. New members and visitors are welcome.

Because FamilyHistoryWA meetings cannot be held face to face at the moment, there are lots of other online events taking place, some for beginners, and others for more experienced researchers. Nonmembers and new members are welcome to join in from home. See the links below.

You can also now visit the FamilyHistoryWA library and resource centre at 6/48 May Street Bayswater. By appointment only, to ensure we meet the building’s capacity restrictions. Opening hours are given on the FamilyHistoryWA homepage.

Wishing all Irish Scene readers a joyous Christmas with family and friends. Many may have not been able to make that planned trip to Ireland or to welcome family from Ireland at the airport. We share your loss and hope you’ll have a grand time nevertheless. And we remember that most of our nineteenth century Irish ancestors never again saw their children who had migrated to Australia. Till you can be together again. Happy researching!

JENNI IBRAHIM, ON BEHALF OF THE IRISH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP Robyn O’Brien, Convenor Irish Special Interest Group E irish.sig@fhwa.org.au Book a place at the next Irish group meeting tinyurl.com/ISIG-TryBooking Book for forthcoming FHWA events www.trybooking.com/eventlist/genealogy?embed=1 View online FHWA events this week membership.wags.org.au/news/1153-online-this-week Go digging for resources at FamilyHistoryWA’s Irish SIG webpage: tinyurl.com/irishsig Join FamilyHistoryWA Facebook group – researching family worldwide, open to all. Join in the chat or ask a question at the FamilyHistoryWA Discussion Facebook group FamilyHistoryWA (FHWA) membership.wags.org.au T 9271 4311.

THE IRISH SCENE | 86

Traditionally the Irish Special Interest Group (Irish SIG) of FamilyHistoryWA meets face to face every three months on a Sunday at 2pm. Sadly, we are still unable to meet face to face because of Covid restrictions. Both the July and the October meetings have been held online via Google Meet. They have been free for members and non-members alike during 2020, but there will be a small charge for non-members in 2021. All bookings for online meetings go through the Events page at FamilyHistoryWA. Details below.

Our October meeting is traditionally a research workshop style. We call it a Brick Wall session because the ancestor we cannot find anything out about is our brick wall. New FamilyHistoryWA members often join because their brick wall is an Irish ancestor. Researching Irish ancestors before 1900 is hard!

Before the session you fill out a form which covers what you do already know about your brick wall ancestor and where you have looked. The form also gives hints about hunting out everything you can especially about your ancestor’s time in Australia, before looking to Irish records. During the week prior to the meeting the Irish SIG Committee examines the brick walls forms submitted and does some preparation, hunting out sources of information.

They also meet online to discuss them.

At the meeting a short presentation from committee member Cheryl Hebbs focuses participants on what the major record sources are and how to find hints about your ancestor’s Irish background in Australia (if they came here).

About three brick wall cases are discussed in depth with some good news and tips for those people submitting their brick wall ancestor. There’s a real team approach to helping you make the next discovery. But even if you did not submit a form about your ancestor you may learn heaps about how to go about searching and what websites are useful, depending on where in Ireland your ancestor may have lived. Record sets are quite fragmented so you are unlikely to find everything at just the one website.

Thursday

19 NOVEMBER 2020 Music by: JOE CARROLL Guest Speaker: JAMIE O BRIEN / THE RECORD

THE IRISH SCENE | 87

AIDA WA EXECUTIVE 2020

President: Caroline McCarthy TCRG Vice Presidents: Melissa Kennedy TCRG and Samantha McAleer TCRG Secretary: Caitriona Slane TCRG Treasurer: Martina O’Brien TCRG Registrar: Jenny O’Hare TCRG National Delegate: Eileen Ashley

Australian Irish Dancing Association Inc.

SCHOOL CONTACTS: Celtic Academy East Victoria Park & Karragullen www.celticacademyperth.com Siobhan Collis TCRG 0403 211 941 Kavanagh Studio of Irish Dance Maylands www.kavanaghirishdance.com.au Teresa Fenton TCRG 0412 155 318 Deirdre McGorry TCRG Melissa Kennedy TCRG Avril Grealish TCRG The Academy Mid America & Western Australia Subiaco, Wangara & Pearsall Samantha McAleer TCRG Dhana Pitman TCRG Kalamunda Lara Upton ADCRG 0409 474 557

Firstly, we would like to take the time to thank all of our dancers that submitted artwork for our certificates for the August Feis.

I think you’ll all agree they are very cute!

Abby Hermann - O'Hare School • Aisling O'Brien - WA Academy Aislinn Healy - O'Hare School • April Dillon - O'Hare School Ciara Wilkins - Three Crowns School • Emma Banwell - O'Hare School Hannah Grasko - Kavanagh Studio • Katherine Banwell - O'Hare School Keela Beattie - Three Crowns School • Keela Purcell - Three Crowns School Keira O'Brien - WA Academy • Monaye Foster - O'Hare School Orla Corcoran - O'Hare School • Tiffany Young - Trinity Studio

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

Stephen Dawson MLC Member for Mining and Pastoral Region Minister for Environment; Disability Services Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council PO Box 2440, SOUTH HEDLAND WA 6722 stephen.dawsonmp@mp.wa.gov.au (08) 9172 2648 • 1800 199 344 (toll free)

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AIDA WA are delighted to announce we have had a very busy few months and were extremely lucky to hold a number of events including our August Feis, the Western Australia State Championships and also a wellness class for our talented dancers with the Happiness Co.

In order to prepare our dancer’s for State Championships, we were lucky enough to hold a fantastic wellness workshop with Julian Pace and Georgia Louise Perry from the Happiness Co (left) to inspire our dancers and teach them some techniques to deal with stress and anxiety around competing and performing Thanks guys, such a great day!!

Huge congratulations to all our dancer’s whom took part in the WA State Championships! Our Winners listed below!!

6 Years & Under Mixed Champion – Eva Griffiths (The Academy) Girls 7 Years Champion – Sephora Donelan (The Academy) Boys 7 Years Champion – Diesel Donelan (The Academy) Girls 8 Years Champion – Charlotte Langford (The Academy) Boys 8 Years Champion – Tane Young (The Academy) Girls 9 Years Champion – Sahara Donelan (The Academy) Girls 10 Years Champion – Georgia Western (Trinity Studio) Boys 10 Years Champion – Charlie O’Connor (The Academy) Girls 11 Years Champion – Tara Fox (Three Crowns) Girls 12 Years Champion – Zoe Cahoon (Kavanagh) Girls 13 Years Champion – Isabella Campeotto (WA Academy) Girls 14 Years Champion – Matilda Dillon (O’Brien) Girls 15 Years Champion – Caoimhe McGuigan (The Academy) Boys 15 Years Champion – Vaughan Cooper (WA Academy) Ladies 16 Years Champion – Niamh Mathers (Kavanagh) Ladies 17 Years Champion – Caoimhe McAleer (The Academy) Ladies 18 Years Champion – Caoimhe Van Osch (The Academy) Ladies 19 Years Champion – Emily Rooney (Kavanagh) Senior Ladies 20-21 Champion – Dakota Courtney (O’Brien) Senior Ladies 22 & Over Champion – Dara McAleer (The Academy)

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CARRAMAR

SHAMROCK ROVERS FC SPONSORED AND SUPPORTED BY INTEGRITY PROPERTY SOLUTIONS

2020 will definitely go down as a very strange season. Pre-season started in January - Gerry, Adam, Ronnie, Peter, Warren, and goalkeeping coach Gordon were busy getting the lads in shape for the start of the season.

All was going well, numbers were good and the lads were getting fitter by the week. Then Covid-19 hit and everything was put on hold.

We resumed training after the restrictions were lifted. There were still restrictions on the number of players that could train together, so training groups had to be divided to train at different locations. Gerry and Adam were very pleased with how the night series went, it gave them the opportunity to look at some new additions to the squad. Everyone was looking forward to the start of the season.

What a year! We kicked off our State League campaign on 4th July with a 3-2 home win against Dianella, coming from 2 goals down after 20 minutes. This spirited performance was replicated throughout the season, culminating in a League and Cup double in our first season as Carramar Shamrock Rovers. We had several Under 18s players who got the opportunity to play Reserves and First team games. We also had three under 15s who played for the Under 18s and acquitted themselves very well, including Charlie who scored a goal for the under 18s. Congratulations to Gerry and all of the coaching staff, as well as the players.

Above, left to right: Congratulations to the Under 14s Div 1 Metro team, who won their division under the guidance of coach Steve Robinson - this team also got runners-up in the highly competitive Bunbury carnival. More congratulations to under 13â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Div 1 North, who got runners up in their division, under the guidance of Ronnie Martin. Congratulations to our under 12 girls who won their division at the Bunbury Carnival, coached by Lee Blackwell and Richie Barlow. Below: And finally, congratulations to the Ladies Div 3, who came runners up after a nail-biting top of the table clash in the last game of the season, with Wanneroo taking the title on goal difference after a 1-1 draw.

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AS ALWAYS THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS BELOW, AND ALSO TO NICKY EDWARDS FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT:

• Madman Motors • Pipeline Technics • The Duke • Integrity Property Solutions • Pegasus Plumbing & Gas • Killarney Autos • Bendigo Bank

Do you need PROPERTY Maintenance?

IPS provide property maintenance services to residential and commercial properties in the Perth Metro area.

Off the field the committee was kept very busy putting structures into place after the merger of the two clubs.

From a Shamrock Rovers perspective, we went from a 3-team State League club to a much more broadly based 26- team club, including State, Amateurs, Socials, Ladies, Masters and most importantly, junior boys and girls from under 6 right up to under 15. Everyone across both clubs has worked very hard to ensure a smooth transition to where we are now. It’s also great to see some old familiar faces at our home games. The future of Carramar Shamrock Rovers at Grandis Park is looking very bright indeed, so get the word out for next season.

Our services include:

• Carpentry work • Electrical repairs • General • Landscaping • Locksmithing • Painting • Plumbing • Waterproofing renovations • Bathroom Kitchen renovations • • Gutters & Roof Maintenance

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Contacts:

President Marty Burke 0410 081 386 Secretary Paul Doyle 0430 080 019

Carramar Shamrock Rovers

Call IPS MAINTENANCE 0423 618 506

service@ipsmaintenance.com.au www.perthpropertymaintenance.net.au THE IRISH SCENE | 91

GAAWA Finals and Community Day A fantastic day of football and activities took place on September the 26th at Tom Bateman. Western Shamrock and St Finbarrs contested the lady’s final with both teams having good wins in the semis a fascinating game was expected. A wet day forecast and during the first half of this game torrential downpours ensued. This did not dampen the quality of the game with some fantastic scores taken by both teams and Finbarrs went during the break in the ascendancy. The second half started with a strong push from Shamrock and with the wind at their back slowly ate away at Finbarrs lead. The two goals scored by Finbarrs in the first half proved to be decisive, with Finbarrs coming out on top with a score line of 2-07 to Shamrocks 1-08.

The men’s final between Greenwood the reigning champions of the last three year and St Finbarrs started at a great pace with the game nip and tuck throughout the first half. Finbarrs inflicted a crucial blow by scoring the game’s only goal during the first half. This would prove to be significant as the game wore on. The second half continued as the first had ended with both teams close on the scoreboard. Towards the end of the game Finbarrs began to take control with some brilliant long balls into their full forward line the resulted in two very important points. This gave breathing room to Finbarrs who up to this point had been working hard to keep their lead. Finbarrs won out in the end with a score line of 1-10 to Greenwoods 0-09.

There was fantastic support by several community groups during the day. This ranged from the junior academy, The Irish chamber of commerce, The Claddagh association, Castle Civil, SVG Construction, JB Scaffolding, The Global Games development fund, AI Express, Consulate of Ireland WA, The WA labour party, St Patrick day Festival committee and the Irish Club. Without all their support this event could not have taken place to the high standard it did. It also allowed it to be streamed on the Australasian Youtube channel. Thanks again for all your support.

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GAAWA CLUB DETAILS Football Clubs GREENWOOD Mens Senior Football greenwoodgfc@hotmail.com MORLEY GAELS Mens & Ladies Senior Football morleygaelsgfc@hotmail.com SOUTHERN DISTRICTS Mens & Ladies Senior Football southerndistrictsgaa@gmail.com ST. FINBARR’S Mens & Ladies Senior Football stfinbarrsgfc@outlook.com WESTERN SHAMROCKS Mens & Ladies Senior Football westernshamrocks@hotmail.com

Hurling Clubs ST. GABRIEL’S Mens & Ladies Senior Hurling & Camogie stgabrielsperth@gmail.com WESTERN SWANS Mens & Ladies Senior Hurling & Camogie westernswansgaa@gmail.com PERTH SHAMROCKS Mens Senior Hurling perthshamrocks@gmail.com SARSFIELDS Mens Senior Hurling sarshurlingperth@gmail.com

Football: BGC Grounds, Tom Bateman Reserve Cnr Bannister & Nicholson Rds, Canning Vale Hurling: RA Cook Reserve, Coode St. Morley GAA GROUNDS

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Tom Bateman Reserve Cnr Bannister & Nicholson Rds, Canning Vale (entrance off Wilfred Rd)

That’s another year wrapped up, and considering the year it was, it’s wrapped up with ribbons and a bow on top!

Thank God we are in Western Australia, where we had the privilege to bring the fun and (Gaelic) Games to so many young children in 2020. Many thanks to our families who came along even with all the trepidation at the start of the year to cumulate successfully as a true community group!

Unlike Trump, we had our gatherings with the safety of every person there to the fore front of our efforts, with every child having their own Hurley’s and helmets labeled and with the great efforts of the coaches and committee with sanitation and sterilization of equipment afterwards. No small feat this day in age. A special thank you to Lois Crowley who was there to slap our wrists should we dare become slack in these important matters. A true headmaster to us all!

The parents as always were fantastic in supporting our efforts, and going forward we know this attitude of pitching in and giving a hand is par for the course, and we look forward to continuing this helpful ethos in the academy.

The season ended in a blitz, literally! The Jim Stynes Memorial Cup*.

Again for the year that was in it, it was wonderful to be able to pull it off at all! Thank you to the local AFL junior football clubs that came on board our compromised rules big day out, Sorrento Hawks, Whitfords 1, Bayswater, Whitfords 2, Marist, West Coast, and our own gang who put a team together for the Gaelic Games Junior Academy, all the comments were very positive afterwards about the mammoth task pulled off, unfortunately the Junior Academy missed out in defending their cup win of last year, well done goes out to Marist JFC who beat us in the final, a very close game could have gone either way, all teams a credit to the coaches and supporters! Sorrento Hawks won the shield on the day and the team spirit amongst the young players was a sight to relish. Makes you look forward to next years Compromised Rules Blitz already! A great finish to another great season, coaches take a bow. Committee put your feet up. Our AGM will be announced soon so you lot out there who would like to help our- here comes your chance! Next years plans are tentatively being discussed at the moment so ideas on how we can do even better and keep moving forward ensuring best practices and best outcomes for our most important members - the kids, we are all ears!

As always, our sincerest thank you to all the coaches, you put so much in and expect nothing in return (just as well!) and our committee which actually included most of said coaches, as ever our parents/taxi drivers to children’s activities, most appreciated. To the children, looking forward to seeing you again in 2021!

To the Irish Scene, McLoughlin’s Butchers, Paddy Malones, Gobal Games development funds thank you for your support, don’t worry you will be the first we shake our tins to in 2021!

SLÁN AGUS BEANNACHT. *Photos of the Jim Stynes Memorial Cup will be published in the January edition of Irish Scene

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contaCT

Call/text: 0406 229 450 Email: ggjunioracademy@gmail.com Facebook: The Gaelic Games Junior Academy of WA THE IRISH SCENE | 95

Wishing all our customers a happy and healthy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

9249 8039 58 Westchester Road Malaga WA 6090 www.mcloughlinbutchers.com.au @mcloughlin.butchers

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See inside for prices!