Irish Arts and Entertainment February, 2022

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St. Brigid's Day Tuesday, February 1

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Feab h r a ~ Feb r u ar y, 20 22

20 22 SI X N AT I O N S RU GBY I r el an d h o st s W al es I n D u b l i n o n Feb r u ar y 5t h . i n C h am p i o n sh i p Feature and W here To Watch on Pg 14

Ken n et h Br an agh's BELFAST Win n er At Golden Globes See Pg 5

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St . Valen t in e's Du blin Con n ect ion

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MORE of INSIDE THIS ISSUE

m or e on Ir ish Un it y Page 14

St Br igid Cover age begin s on Page 3

IRISH MUSIC NEWS & REVIEWS

Pu blish er 's Let t er Page 4

Ir ish Nom in at ion s Golden Globes Page 8

CELTIC CAM ERA Page 22 IRISH CALENDAR Ir ish Com m u n it y List in gs St ar t s on Page 27

M au r ice Fit zpat r ick Page 11 Joh n M cNally Ir elan d's Sh am e an d

Su bscr ipt ion Ser vice & Ver y Ir ish Per k s!

Discou n t s an d

Con t est s Det ails on Pages 23 & 35

OUR COVER

Ken n et h Br an agh's BELFAST Th e cast as seen on ou r cover in clu des: Ju de Hill, Cait r íon a Balf e, Ju di Den ch , Jam ie Dor n an , Ciar án Hin ds, an d Colin M or gan

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

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Sain t Br igid of Kildar e Naomh Bríd Chill Dara Bor n in 451 in Fau gh ar t , n ear Du n dalk , Cou n t y Lou t h Died on Febr u ar y 1, 522 -525 at Kildar e Br i gi d , or Br íd i n I r i sh w as bor n to a sl ave or h ostage m ot h er w h o w as ser v i n g i n th e cou r t of h er f ath er D u b h t h ach , an I r i sh C h i ef t ai n o f L ei n st er , w h o w as a ver y w eal t h y p agan H er m oth er 's n am e h as been l ost to h i st or y bu t l egen d say s th at B r i gi d 's m oth er w as on e of I r el an d 's f i r st Ch r i sti an s w h o w as bap ti zed by St. Patr i ck h i m sel f .

W r i t ten h i st or y f r om th e ti m e i s n on - ex i sten t bu t l egen d s, t al es an d ch r on i cl es f r om th e Seven th Cen t u r y on w ar d p ai n t an ad ven tu r e- f i l l ed , d ed i cated an d d el i gh t f u l p or t r ai t of h er l on g an d i n d u str i ou s l i f e. O n e sal i en t f act , sh e w as p r obably I r el an d 's f i r st (an d m ay be on ly ) f em al e bi sh op .

Accor d i n g t o t h e Cath ol i c En cy cl op ed i a, p r obably th e m ost an ci en t l i f e of St. B r i gi d i s th at by St. Br occan Cl oen , w h o i s sai d to h ave d i ed 17 Sep tem ber , 650 .

St . B r i gi d w as a ver y i m p or tan t f i gu r e i n I r el an d 's ear ly Ch r i st i an com m u n i ti es. Sh e w as ed u cat ed an d ti r el ess i n th e cau se of con ver ti n g th e p op u l ace. A l so on th e h ar d w or k of bu i l d i n g an d or gan i zi n g abbey s, ch u r ch es, con ven t s an d m on aster i es. M an y gr eat m i r acl es an d p r of ou n d act s of cou r age an d k i n d n ess ar e al l attr i bu ted to h er .

H er gen er osi t y an d acts of ch ar i ty ar e al so p r ai sed . Even as a ch i l d sh e i s sai d to h ave i n f u r i ated h er f ath er becau se sh e w as alw ay s gi v i n g aw ay h i s f ood an d p ossessi on s. So m u ch t h at on e l egen d say s h e tr i ed to sel l h er i n to sl aver y.

Continued on page 22

St Br igid, on e of t h r ee of Ir elan d's pat r on sain t s.

Th e ot h er s bein g St . Pat r ick an d St Colu m ba . Th e depict ion h er e is f r om a st ain ed glass w in dow at St . Joseph Cat h olic Ch u r ch in M acom , GA.

St . Br igid's Cat h edr al an d Rou n d Tow er , Kildar e

Picture courtesy of Tourism Ireland

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

More Features Ir ish Calen dar Ir ish Com m u n it y List in gs & Celt ic Cam er a Start on Page 20

Su bm it you r calen dar it em s t o : ir ish m issive@gm ail.com

Irish Arts & Entertainment Th e opin ion s expr essed by ou r w r it er s ar e t h eir ow n an d do n ot n ecessar ily con vey t h ose of t h is m agazin e, ou r pu blish er or st af f .

Publisher & Managing Editor

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Writers Tin a Day M au r ice Fit zpat r ick Joh n M cNally Jim M cDon ou gh Bar bar a Sin ger Pat r ick Weld

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Let t er Fr om THE PUBLISHER Dear Friends and Readers Febr u ar y is h er e alr eady! We ar e n ear in g t h e Th ir d Sain t Pat r ick 's Day im pact ed by Covid19. Bot h Ir elan d an d t h e US ar e easin g u p a bit on r est r ict ion s an d som e even t s ar e com in g back ! Par ades ar e on f or su r e an d w e ar e h ear in g abou t m or e con cer t s an d celebr at ion s..

Th er e is h ope on t h e h or izon an d t h at is t h e st u f f t h at f eeds an Ir ish sou l. Hope an d a sin cer e belief t h at " Ou r Day Will Com e" h ave been a posit ive par t of t h e Ir ish ch ar act er an d ou t look f or cen t u r ies, so w e n eed t o em br ace t h at n ow m or e t h an ever !

We w an t t o give a m en t ion t h is m on t h t o ou r f r ien ds at M y Ir ish Pr ide! M ik e an d To all my dear Sean M an n in g w er e som e of t h e f ir st people t h at w e r ecall r ef er r in g t o t h is t im e family, friends and per iod f r om Febr u ar y 1 t h r ou gh St . readers, Pat r ick 's Day as t h e IRISH SEASON. We ext en ded it t o M ar ch 18t h . See ou t gr aph ic All the best to you and on page 18. your s. Stay safe and be

We n eed you r h elp n ow m or e t h an ever as ad r even u e is st ill w ay of f ; please su bscr ibe if you h ave n ot yet don e so an d please pat r on ize ou r adver t iser s!

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well. Happy Valentine's Day to all of you! A Ver y happy, belated Groundhog Day too!

Remember, we always want to hear from you.

Jim McDonough, Publisher

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

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Ken n at h Br an n agh's BELFAST Aw ar ded Best Scr een play At 2022 Golden Globes The 79th Golden Globes were really low key this year. The winners were presented to the world from a private ceremony via Twitter!

BELFAST won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival last year and Irish Film afficianados had high hopes that the film would sweep the Golden Globes as it was nominated for best film and in many other catagories. The Golden Globes show itself this year was a shadow of previous years owing to the pandemic and with complaints from activists and bad press. It had been alleged that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) the group that runs the Golden Globe was not doing enough to promote diversity.

All of the awards shows from the Tonys to the Oscars are less relevent and popular today than in Also. Branagh's wonderful film did beat out competition from the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson?s Licorice Pizza and Adam McKay?s Don?t Look Up in winning the Globe for best screenplay.

Belfast remains a favorite for Best Picture at the Oscars which will be announced on March 27. If Belfast wins, it will be the first Irish film to take the most prestigious awards in cinema.

Belf ast n at ive, Ir ish Act or an d Film m ak er Ken n et h Br an agh at t h e 2021 Tor on t o In t er n at ion al Film Fest ival TIFF)

Ken n et h Br an agh an d Cast m em ber s of BELFAST at t h e LA Pr em ier last year . the past but the Golden Globes may well be leading the pack as far as becoming less relevant.

Nonetheless, it is still an important and prestigious award and often a signal that an Oscar is in the works!

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Irish Arts & Entertainment

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Written and directed by Academy Award Winner Kenneth Branagh Also produced by Kenneth Branagh, and Laura Berwick, Becca Kovacik & Tamar Thomas.

BELFAST is a poignant story of love, laughter and loss in one boy?s childhood, amid the music and social tumult of the late 1960s at the start of the conflict in Northern Ireland.

ABOVE: M em ber s of t h e cast in Belf ast :

Cait r íon a Balf e, Jam ie Dor n an , Colin M or gan an d n ew com er Ju de Hill in cen t er .

On t h e lef t : Ken n et h

Br an agh on set du r in g f ilm in g in Belf ast in 2020 Belf ast is a ser iou s con t en der f or Best Pict u r e t h is year ! Th e Oscar s ar e on Su n day, M ar ch 27.

Wells Of Lif e is t h e of f icial Ch ar it y of t h e Irish Arts & Entertainment Fou n der Nick Jor dan w h o w as bor n in Ir elan d an d h e h as been an ar den t su ppor t ed of t h is pu blicat ion an d w as a loyal adver t iser w it h h is Real Est at e en t er pr ise f or alm ost 20 year s.

We w er e ver y f or t u n at e t o lear n abou t Wells Of Lif e at t h e t im e it w as st ar t ed an d w e h ave f ollow ed t h eir pr oject s an d t h e am azin g am ou n t of good t h at t h is f ou n dat ion does f or 10 plu s year s n ow , , We even h ad t h e h on or w it h t h e h elp of ou r r eader 's don at ion s in playin g a sm all r oll in dr illin g a w ell.

We w ill be ask in g ou r r eader s t o join ou r 2022 WELLS OF LIFE CAM PAIGN., Details in our March issue.

O RD ER N O W FO R VA L EN T I N E'S D AY D EL I V ERY

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About the film "BELFAST is t h e m ost per son al f ilm I h ave ever m ade. Abou t a place an d a people, I love." .... Kenneth Branagh BELFAST is a movie straight from Branagh?s own experience set in the city of his birth. A nine-year-old boy must chart a path towards adulthood through a world that has suddenly turned upside down. His stable and loving community and everything he thought he understood about life is changed forever but joy, laughter, the formative magic of the movies and music were all constant. The soundtrack is an homage to Van Morrison.

Originally conceived as kind of a hit parade of the late

60's the soundtrack changed. Morrison and Brannagh met and the final product were a multitude of Morrison's work plus one original song just for the film.

Top Still : Brannagh captures the Belfast and characteristics of the town and the people of the era in brilliant fashion.

Dor n an an d Balf e play a passionate and dedicated hard working couple caught up in the mayhem. Brannagh lived through the tumult of the times and couples that experience with the stability of a strong family.

Center Still: Academ y Aw ar d w in n er Ju di Den ch an d Ciar án Hin ds play t h e lovin g an d qu ick w it t ed gr an dpar en t w h ile t h e f ilm in t r odu ces t en year old Ju de Hill .

Lower Still: St r eet scen e in Belf ast as t h e ch aos r ock s t h e on ce peacef u l an d secu r e w or k in g class

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VERY RARE PROHIBITION ERA COLLECTOR'S CERTIFICATE Also k n ow n as a Bon ded Wh isk ey War eh ou se Receipt . Only a few thousand of these Certificates were ever printed during the Prohibition Era and only a few hundred are know to exist today. The 02-03-22 value will only increase, The 100th Anniversary of the Repeal Of The Volstead Act has only increased awareness of one of America's biggest blunders so interest is growing in rare items like this Authentic Certificate! We just released another 10 for sale, so act fast.

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February, 2022

Irish Arts & Entertainment

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SAINT VALENTINE'S IRISH CONNECTION Th e Pat r on Sain t Of Lover s Is Bu r ied In Du blin Th is is a good year t o r em in d ou r r eader 's abou t Sain t Valen t in e's Ir ish Con n ect ion .

Ash Wedn esday f alls ju st t h r ee days af t er Sain t Valen t in e's Day t h is year so it som eh ow seem s f it t in g t h at ou r t ale in volves a f am ou s Du blin Ch u r ch , a Pope an d a ver y det er m in ed Ir ish Fr iar .

This interesting twist of histor y happened in 1835 when a basilica built at the site of St. Valentine's gr ave in Rome was being renovated and the long for gotten bones of St. Valentine along with a small vessel tinged with his blood and some other ar tifacts were unear thed under an alter.

An I r ish Car melite, Fr iar John Spr att was visiting Rome. He was well known in I reland as an activist and preacher and wor ked tirelessly among the poor and destitute in Dublin?s L iber ties area. Another proj ect of Spr att's was the building of the new church to Our L ady of M ount Car mel on Whitefr iar Street. While I n Rome, his preaching skills made him a bit of an ecclesiastic celebr ity and the r ich and famous flocked in to hear his ser mons. The good fr iar received " many tokens of esteem from the doyens of the Church." One such gift was from Pope Gregor y XVI (1831-1846); the authentic and holy remains of Saint Valentine.

The good pr iest retur ned to Dublin, continued his mission among the downtrodden and over saw the completion of the Whitefr iar 's Church. The next year on November 10, 1836, when the Reliquar y containing the remains ar r ived in I reland; Archbishop M ur r ay of Dublin led a solemn procession to Whitefr iar Street Church where they were enshr ined.

Sadly, after Father Spr att died in 1871 at the r ipe old age of 75, interest in the relics waned and they went into stor age. I n the 1950s/60s dur ing a maj or restor ation of Our L ady of M ount Car mel; the decision was made to constr uct a shr ine and new alter within the church, popular ly known as the Whitefr iar 's Chapel dedicated to Saint Valentine.

The idea was a sincere desire to make better use of the precious relics. I t proved to be a wise decision as the good Saint Valentine is credited by many for his generosity and inter vention in making their lives better.

Fir st time visitor s to Whitefr ier s are delighted at what they see, it is a beautiful and well cared for church. As you enter, the statue of Valentinus, the beloved patron saint of love is on the r ight side of the church. I t was car ved in the ear ly 1960's by

ST VAL ENTI NE WROTE L OVE L ETTERS From Pr ison awaiting his execution by Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus Dublin bor n ar tist/sculptor I rene Broe (1923 - 1992) and depicts the saint in the red vestments of a mar tyr, holding a crocus in his hand.

Saint Valentine's Shr ine is visited throughout the year by couples who come to pr ay to the ever car ing Valentine and to ask him to watch over them in their lives together.

I n the 1800's collecting relics had a br ief revival. I n the M iddle Ages entire towns, cathedr als and monaster ies were built around the " Holy Remains of Vir tuous Saints" . I t was a custom that lasted hundreds of year s.

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Saint Valentine's Chapel; A Favorite For Irish Weddings On St.Valentine's Day, the Reliquary is removed from beneath the side-altar and is placed before the high altar in the church and it is venerated at the Masses.

At the 11.00am and 3.15pm Masses there are special sermons and also a short ceremony for the Blessing of Rings for those about to be married..

This year was expected to be extra special as two important days on the Liturgical Calendar fall during the week of the fourteenth! Covid has changed everything The influx of lovers and penitents has been curtailed this year.

Dublin and all of Ireland are under strict lockdown untill March 5 and that could possibly be extended.

2020 was one of the best years on record for weddings and Mass attendance, There were record crowds of onlookers and couples. We can only hope that there will be a return to those halcyon days in 2022!

If you are in Dublin and drop by, and find your time there odd and quiet, just remember St. Monica, she is the Patron Saint for Patience and Tolerance. This too shall pass

Valentine's Day is usually one of the most popular days of the year to be mar r ied in I reland.

The Whitefr iar s Church is booked sometimes year s in advance

Shr ine to St Valentine where his relics are kept at the Church of Our L ady of M ount Car mel, Whitfr iar Street, Dublin

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KICK OFF Sat u r day 5t h Febr u ar y @ 6:15am PST Live f r om Aviva St adiu m , Du blin

DUBLIN LIFE & LORE

Lovers Flock to White Friars Every FEB 14 w w w.ir elan dw eek .com

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Kerry Irish Productions Presents: "St . Pat r ick ?s Day in Ir elan d deliver s a n igh t of r ip-r oar in g m u sic, son g an d dan ce!? ..... Irish News & Entertainment This treat for the whole family features champion dancer Connor Reider from the world of Celtic Fyre, Celtic Wings, and An Irish Christmas along with Celtic Irish Dance Academy. With singer Koral Aakre charming us with the beautiful songs of Ireland and multi-instrumentalists from the Kerry Traditional Band led by Jesse Langen, guitar and flute, Evelyn Thom, fiddle and Steve Morrow, bodhrán and vocals. You will be transported to the Emerald Isle for an unforgettable night and you will leave the theatre with a jig in your step! A perfect St. Patrick?s Day celebration for the whole family!

The Kerry Traditional Band Jesse Lan gen is a guitarist who plays a variety of styles of music. He has been featured with The Chicago Symphony, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and recently in ?I am Ireland? on PBS. Jesse and his brother Tim grew up learning fiddle tunes from their grandfather Clarence, and that grounding laid the foundation for Jesse?s approach to traditional music. In Irish music, he can be heard regularly in sessions around Chicago, as well as in the band Compas with his brother Tim and bodhran player Amy Richter.

Evelyn Th om (Fiddle). Also from Chicago, Evelyn is a multiinstrumentalist playing guitar and fiddle. She was thrilled to open for Lúnasa with the Irish Music School of Chicago, and for Socks in the Frying Pan with the Shepherd School of Music.

St eve M or r ow (bodh r án ).Steve brings genre bending, multi-instrumental experience to the bodhrán as he blends modern and traditional rhythms into the heartbeat and backbone of his music. Steve is a founding member of the Chicago-based band STEAM and The Kilgubbin Irish Music All-Stars, and áthas.

Talen t ed M u sician s: f r om t h e Ker r y Tr adit ion al Ban d :

Jesse Lan gen , Evelyn Th om , & St eve M or r ow

Kor al Aak r e, Vocalist Koral, who now lives in Los Angeles is from Coos Bay located on the beautiful southern Oregon coast. She comes from a family of singers and began voice lessons from her father at age seven. Koral is well known in Oregon?s Bay area.

She was a dancer and singer in Oregon?s Little Opry on the Bay. Upon graduation from high school she toured the East Coast for one year with Lutheran Youth Encounter ?s Christian Rock Band, ?Capt ive Fr ee.? She returned to Oregon to earn a degree in vocal performance from Southern Oregon University where she studied opera.

Koral first sang with the Kerry Voice Squad in ?An Irish Christmas.? in 2019. She loves performing with Kerry Irish Productions and is excited to perform in other projects and recordings with the company..

St. Patrick's Day In Ireland audiences are in for a wonderful experience this year owing to the great talent and voice that Koral will bring to the show!

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St Pat r ick 's Day In Ir elan d f or 2022 SoCal Ven u es in Th ou san d Oak s & Yu caipa Bring family and friends and enjoy the show as Kerry Irish Productions honors the great traditions of Ireland with superb dance, music and the spoken word. As seen on PBS this talented troupe shares the pure joy of being Irish to the delight of all those in attendance!

Not to be missed!.

Pr in ciple Dan cer , Con n or Reider sh ar es t h e joy an d exu ber an ce of Ir ish Dan cin g Follow Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s f or all t h e n ew s an d u pdat es

Au dien ces w ill exper ien ce M ast er f u l Per f or m an ces f r om t h e Celt ic Ir ish Dan ce Academ y u n der t h e dir ect ion of M aeve Cou gh lan

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THE VIEW FROM IRELAND

Wh at Does a Un it ed Ir elan d Look Like?

By Maurice Fitzpatrik Imagine the following scenario. Every time, when the subject of a United Ireland emerges in political discourse in Ireland, a political representative would be asked to comment not on the prospect or desirability of it, but rather to describe it. The Minister for Health, or those vying for such a portfolio, would be asked how the NHS in the North would combine or otherwise with the HSE. Budding ministers for finance would be quizzed on how they propose to cover the annual subvention to sustain Northern Ireland, which currently costs the UK taxpayer the equivalent of about 15 million US dollars. Relatedly, politicians who position themselves as candidates for the Enterprise, Trade and Employment department would explain how they would sustain public sector workers in the North, who currently number nearly a third of the workforce. Religious leaders would be asked about the role they expect their churches to play in the education and health systems of the new state. Ministers for Education and Higher Education might be asked if and how they would provide oversight to schools and universities. Sinn Féin, the party most anxious to establish a United Ireland, could be asked to describe its emblems ,flag and anthem as well as any special provisions for political representation in the North in the new Ireland they seek.

It is understandable that politicians may not wish to bind themselves or their parties to a set of commitments before a negotiation, or the occasion for a negotiation, has even begun. Even so, that should not deter journalists from seeking detailed responses.

Ver y soon t h is appr oach t o t h e debat e cou ld t ak e u s f r om an alyses f ocu sed on an ou t com e t o an alyses f ocu sed on pr ocesses. Th ese discu ssion s ext en d t o or gan isat ion s as w ell as polit ical par t ies.

Many of our sports leagues and national teams will necessarily need to change if and when partition ends. For example, the governing bodies of the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland soccer teams(the Irish Football Association and the Football Association of Ireland) could be asked what jerseys and symbols they would endorse wearing; and how they would like their governing systems to evolve. This would stand in contrast to the passivity of our politicians, an example of which came in November 2018 in the Dáil when Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Finance, Pearse Doherty, called for the Irish soccer teams to be amalgamated.

While an all-Ireland team makes eminent good sense,simply calling for it does not constitute heavy-lifting. Doherty has yet to be asked to detail the intricacies involved in his proposal and the compromises it would presumably entail, and that is a pity.

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Th e View Fr om Ir elan d Ensuring that communities and organizations have a stake in the debate would engender inclusevity in a process that has major consequences for us all. Therefore, it is important that, at the level of such organizations, the inquiry facilitates people to express possibilities and preferences; posing questions about a new Ireland should not be seen as a trap. Grassroots expressions of unity would also give rise to the questions of the identity and identification of putative organizations in the future from the purview of politicians and place them in the hands of communities. That would be unity in practice.

Consider, for example, a comment from Civil Rights Movement veteran Eamonn McCann in 2018. In response to what was known as the ?rugby rape trial?i n Belfast, McCann said: ?You had people out in Cork, Limerick, Galway and Dublin without any real organisation?it was spontaneous. There was a united Ireland in operation and in practice. Those were demonstrations not for a united Ireland, but of a united Ireland?.

Granted, a problem that besets this discussion is the unwillingness of unionists to engage in it.

To speak about a United Ireland from the presumption that it could one day exist is anathema to unionists and the conversation is seen as a threat. However, such refusal is no justification for others to disengage. If unionists refuse to engage today, they may surmise in the near future that excluding themselves from the debate is more harmful to their interests than that stance is worth.

w w w.n ot r edam e.edu

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An extensive research project, ?Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South?, has been established under the aegis of the University of Notre Dame and the Royal Irish Academy. Its stated ambition is to deliver detailed ?independent and non-partisan analysis?on ?constitutional, institutional and policy options for Ireland?. Much of its work attempts to envisage the realities of Ireland if the island were united. Its analyses are a hugely valuable basis for debate. However, the discussion is not occurring in non-academic circles with equal vigour or commitment to mapping institutional and organizational change. This is partly because the debate is too often framed by the right for voices to be heard rather than establishing what those voices actually have to say. Given that the triggering a unity referendum is ultimately within the gift of the UK government, advocates of a referendum can frame the absence of a defined date for it as a deprivation of rights. Last March,The New York Times and The Washington Post carried half-page advertisements, sponsored by the Friends of Sinn Féin, (FOSF) headlined ?A Un it ed Ir elan d?Let t h e people h ave t h eir say?. The right to hold a unity referendum in the future is implicit in the Good Friday Agreement, but it is hardly too much to ask proponents of such a referendum to outline in detail the United Ireland that they claim to want. In 2013, the Scottish government, led by the Scottish National Party, produced a 670-page document detailing what an independent Scotland would look like. By contrast, Irish politicians have become very comfortable, when responding to the motion of unity, to concentrate on abstractions and the obstacles in its way. It is time to start calling their bluff. .

w w w.belf ast r oyalacadem y.com

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Bloody Su n day Rem em ber ed

By John McNally On Sunday, January 30, 1972, British soldiers, members of the Army's Parachute Regiment, shot 26 unarmed civilians who were protesting for Civil Rights in Derry, N. Ireland.

13 people died immediately and one more months later from wounds, The tragic event came to be known as Bloody Sunday or the Bogside Massacre.

This past Sunday (1/30/22) Members of he Celtic Arts Center performed

BLOODY SUNDAY: A TALE OF TWO featuring songs, narratives, and speeches telling the stories of November 20.1921 and January 30, 1972 Two major incidents when British soldiers murdered innocent Irish people to sustain their empire.

Pict u r ed: Den n is Doyle on h ar p an d Tim M ar t in sin gin g, Down By The Glenside.

The Thirtieth of January by Irish Artist Robert Ballagh

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JOHN M cNALLY

Pictured above in has studio: Ir elan d?s pr em ier ar t ist Rober t Ballagh (Ir ish m on ey, st am ps, River dan ce set s) discu sses h is n ew pain t in g ?Th e Th ir t iet h of Jan u ar y,? .

Fat h er Daly w aves a bloody h an dk er ch ief as t h e cen t r al im age. Br it ish pr opagan da claim ed it w as a sh oot ou t , bu t t h e 26 people sh ot t h at day w er e eit h er t r yin g t o f lee or h elp ot h er vict im s.

Go t o You Tu be:

Linked here, a video remembering the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday and the brutal killings of 14 civilians by the British Army's

Irish Community Organizer & Guest Columnist

SEE M ORE ON PAGE 20 in er a Th e Ce lt ic Ca m

Parachute Regiment during a peaceful anti-internment, civil rights march on the streets of Derry on 30 January 1972. Here is the story of Bloody Sunday with audio of the British officers cheerfully discussing the fact that the Paras had killed protestors and We Shall Overcome sung by Cara Maguinness.

Page 18

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Febr uar y 1 i s t h e Feast Day of St . Br i gi d....

Th e st ar t of t h e I RI SH SEASON w h i ch en ds on N at i on al H an gov er Day

M ar ch 18

If you w ou ld like t o su ppor t Wells of Lif e, Th er e ar e m an y opt ion s: - becom e a Wat er War r ior an d m ake a m on t h ly con t r ibu t ion - don at e a w ell f or $8000 an d pr ovide clean w at er f or over 1000 people - m ake a on e t im e con t r ibu t ion of you r ch oice

- Click Her e

Feabhr a

Febr uar y, 2022

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 19

I r i sh M u si c: N EW S & REV I EW S

SYR(sire) is a Celtic Folk Rock band from Columbia, SC. ..Their NEW ALBUM "SENTINEL". IS AVAILABLE NOW !

www.syrmusic.com

IRISH Folk Ban d Strings & Things Ar e Back ! Now Playin g At Disn ey 's Raglan d Road In Or lan do Irish Group Also Set To Release New CD This amazing Irish Group were a standout sensation to our Alone/TOGETHER Livestream last St. Patrick's Day. All through the Pandemic these

totally dedicated Irish music makers kept working hard and creating new material.

Always optimistic about the future, they were always sure they would be back in the States on tour. We were certain that they would return too given that they were drawing great crowds and getting great reviews at Ragland Road leading up to the closure of most live music when Covid19 hit in 2020.

w w w.st r in gsan dt h in gs.com

The Celtic Camer a

We are here looking for you!

Submissions wanted.. send jpeg & caption

ir ishmissive@gmail.com

Page 20 Feabhr a, 2022

M ar y Cox an d h er f am ily an d Ken O'M alley w er e all on h an d, f or t h e Ir ish Cen t er lu n ch f or Tom M cCon ville. M ar y Cox w as also h on or ed f or h er year s of ser vice t o t h e SoCal Ir ish Com m u n it y. Ken O'M alley en t er t ain ed an d as alw ays w as in f in e f or m .

BELOW: Th e Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er player s at THE WREN

Th e cast in clu ded William Kn igh t as Geor ge Ber n ar d Sh aw , St eve Pr ibyl on u ilean n pipes, Jam es Sch en del as Joh n Hu m e, Lar r y M alley son gs in Ir ish an d En glish , Tim Byr on Ow en as Jack Lyn ch , an d Tom Lou ie as Geor ge M it ch ell, Bo LeBo as WB Yeat s, Th om as Fer r an t i as Roger Casem en t , an d Elean or Ow en as Dolor es Kean e.

See Bloody Su n day Rem em ber ed on page 16

Page 21

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Feabhra

2020 Los An geles Ir ish Civic

Day Aw ar d Cer em on y an d Lu n ch RESET To O'M alley 's Ir ish Pu b In Seal Beach In March of 2020 Covid 19 restrictions forced the cancellation of the 147th Annual Los Angeles City Hall IRISH CIVIC DAY. The presentation is now going to be held as a shorter ceremony and lunch at O'M alley 's On M ain in Seal Beach. The long anticipated event will take place at 1:00PM on Sunday, February 20th..

Griffin Healy, the CEO of the Irish Fair Foundation will be on hand to honor the Irish Man and Woman of 2020 and the well deserving slate of Irish Honorees. Healy has also promised some exciting news about some other changes with the foundation and details that are now being finalized about the Irish Fairs for 2022 and 2023!

Most of the recipients of the 2020 Awards are expected to attend! They include: Cor y Solot ov, Ir ish Wom an of t h e Year an d Jim Har t , Ir ish M an of t h e Year .

Th e Ir ish Hon or ees ar e: Sean Byr n e, Ow en Dar a, Edm on d Bu r k e, M ar gar et O'Car r oll, Tim Don ovan , Ow en Cr aw ley, M au r a Har t m an , Em m et t M ac Ragh n aill, an d Radio Per son alit y Ch r ist oph er Teagu e.

The public is invited, so please come and show your support.

O'M alley 's On M ain 140 M ain St r eet , Seal Beach , CA w w w.om alleyssealbeach .com 562 430-0631

Interview with journalist and author Julieann Campbell discusses her new book ON BLOODY SUNDAY in honor of the 50th anniversary of the massacre. Nothing is more powerful and empathetic than firsthand stories of the

people there and the victim's families who were wrongly told their loved ones were gunmen and bombers.

It took forty years for the truth to come out; all those shot that day by British Paras were innocent.

Be par t of ou r Social M edia Pr esen ce!

Ch eck ou r FACEBOOK PAGES f or Daily Updat es: Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t

Pu bGu ide E New s

LA Cou n t y Ir ish

Page 22

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Continued from pg. 3

February 1st, i s St . Br i gi d?s Day w hich according t o Irish m yt hology m arks t he arrival of longer, w arm er days and an early w elcom e t o spring. This Celt ic saint is t hought t o help bring people out of t he darkness of w int er and int o t he spring light ? a part icularly hopeful m essage during t hese challenging t im es of social isolat ion due t o COVID-19..

Pict u r ed h er e is Th e Cr oss sh e is f am ou s f or u sin g in h er pr ot ect ion & m ir acles. Th er e is a ver y in f or m at ive an d w elcom in g page dedicat ed t o St , Br igid.

Sain t Br igid of Kildar e Continued from page 3

Feabhr a

February, 2022

Irish Arts & Entertainment

Page 23

Celt ic & Ir ish Cr af t er s f r om Ar ou n d t h e Wor ld

By Larissa Clancy We hope you are having a wonderful start to the new year - Making new plans, new adventures and experiences. Here, at Crafters of Ireland, we are starting a new exciting venture. We are opening our service to Celtic Crafters from around the world. That's right - That means you can set up an online store with us, even if you live outside of Ireland.

Do you make Celtic Jewellery? Are you a Celtic Wood-Carver? Do you make Pottery with Celtic Designs? Whatever your craft, if it's Celtic or Irish, you can join us and set up your online store. But, it doesn't end there - The online store is just one part of our service. Your work will get exposure all over Ireland and Europe. That's right - we'll be working on your behalf so that your work will be seen far and wide.

This Valentines Day why not buy a beautiful Irish Gift for your significant other. We have a wide range of very beautiful and luxury jewellery pieces that a special lady will love.

We also have colourful and vibrant silk scarves which are inspired by the stunning landscape of Ireland. These elegant and classy scarves will complement any outfit! This Valentines Day, shop with Crafters of Ireland. You'll be sure to find something beautiful to gift to that special someone. !

NEW HOLIDAYS ENACTE IN IRELAND w w w.cr af t er sof ir elan d.com

A h ar dback collect ion sh ow casin g t h e cr eat ive t alen t s of w r it er s an d ph ot ogr aph er s acr oss Ir elan d.

All pr oceeds go t o HSE an d NHS f r on t lin e w or k er s.

In Book sh ops NOW

The Irish government has declared a new ?once-off?day this year for March 18, a Friday after the national holiday on Thursday, March 17 which will result in a four-day weekend bonus for many people across the land.?The extra day this year called ?A Day of Remembrance and Recognition?will mark the nation's perseverance through the dark days of the pandemic that yielded

Starting In 2023

St . Brigid's Feast Day on will be an official Irish Bank and Nat ional Holiday

We invite submissions to the Irish Poetry Corner A poem or saga in the Irish Bardic Tradition are both considered. We prefer shorter works to fit on a page but we make exceptions E-Mail us:

irishmissive@gmail.com

We t u r n ed again t h is m on t h t o t h e Pu blic Dom ain f or a m ar velou s poem by on e of t h e gr eat est Ir ish Poet s of all t im e; William Bu t ler Yeat s.

Th is is t h e per f ect poem f or a Febr u ar y Issu e w h en w e celebr at e Valen t in e's Day. Yeat s w as as pu zzled by love as an y of u s m igh t be. Th is is a m ast er at w or k an d dedicat ed t o all loves in all places an d t im es.

A r espect an d year n in g con veyed w it h su ch lyr ical gr ace is a gif t t o t r easu r e. Wh o w as sh e is a m yst er y f or t h e ages.

Febr uar y, 2022

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Irish Arts & Entertainment's VERY

Page 25

IRISH PERKS (VIP) PRIM ER

Th e VIP Net w or k is a ver y im por t an t com pon en t of ou r su bscr ipt ion pr ogr am . It h as a m u lt it u de of posit ive f act or s bu ilt in t o t h e pr ogr am . It ser ves as a bon u s/ r ew ar d syst em f or spen din g h ar d cold cash on ou r pu blicat ion AND it is a good n et w or k in g t ool f or adver t iser s, Ir ish Even t s & Or gan izat ion s an d ou r r eader s. We ar e able t o at t r act su bscr iber s an d adver t iser s t o ou r pu blicat ion an d k eep t h em in t er est ed w h ile deliver in g gr eat Ir ish in t er est con t en t an d in f or m at ion t o ou r r eader s. Th e adver t iser s ben ef it by h avin g a r eader sh ip in t er est ed in ou r excit in g n ich e m ar k et an d t h ey can t ar get ou r r eader s w it h special of f er s. Th e volu m e m ak es it w or t h w h ile f or t h em t o par t icipat e.

Th e Pan dem ic h as set u s all back a bit in on e w ay or an ot h er an d w e ar e r ebu ildin g ou r VIP ben ef it s pack age. We w er e cou n t in g on discou n t s an d deals at pu bs an d even t s bu t t h at plan is n ow on t h e back bu r n er . In t h e m ean t im e, w e ar e w or k in g h ar d t o lin e u p n ew of f er s f or ou r su bscr iber s. Th r ou gh ou t t h is Bu yin g Gu ide, w e h ave som e list in gs on good deals an d w e w ill be addin g special of f er s t o ou r M igh t y Ir ish Net w or k pages.

Ver y Ir ish Per k s on t h e m en u bar on ou r Hom e Page.

VERY IRISH PERKS VIP CLUB All subscribers become

members of our VIP Network.

Cu r r en t ly w e ar e of f er in g som e r eally good pr om ot ion s an d as t h e Pan dem ic eases w e w ill add m or e.

At Pr esen t : O'Br ien's On Wilsh ir e in San t a M on ica w ill give ou r su bscr iber s a Fr ee Apet izer w it h pu r ch ase. w w w.obr ien sla.com

Th om at t h e Ir ish Im por t Sh op (Fr ee Deliver y) ext en ds 10% OFF all pu r ch ases t o ou r Su bscr iber s. See Page 2 f or h is ad an d n u m ber !

An am azin g of f er f or ou r ow n VIP M em ber s an d Su bscr iber s!

Bu y a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION bet w een n ow an d Febr u ar y 28 an d w e w ill give you a FREE ONE YEAR EXTENSION on you r ow n su bscr ipt ion or w e w ill sen d a Gif t Su bscr ipt ion w it h a St . Pat r ick 's Day Car d.

Th at w or k s ou r t o $12.50 a year .

You can save t h at w it h ju st on e visit t o on e of ou r par t icipat ion VIP par t n er s.

Com in g ju st in t im e f or St . Pat r ick 's Day, a discou n t of f er f r om

w w w.t om m ym olon eys.com Use Code IRISH at ch eck ou t

GIVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE IRISH ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THIS YEAR! WE WILL SEND A GIFT CARD

via Jacquie Larson AND AS A BONUS ADD SIX M ONTHS TO YOUR SUBSCRIPTION!

GIFT SUBSCRIPTION ADD FROM HERE___________________________________________

Make Check to:

JAM ES M cDONOUGH M ail it t o: 22 Lak e View Dr Las Vegas, New M exico 87701

I r i sh A r t s & En t er t ai n m en t C al en d ar N OW W I T H By D ate & On Going Listings and Links Sat, Feb 5 to Sat, Mar 1 The 2022 Six Nations Championship will be the 23rd Six Nations Championship. The annual rugby union competition is contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, and Wales. Wales enter the tournament as defending champions

M aat ch es t o be br oadcast at t h ese SoCal Pu bs: w w w.h ar pin n .com

w w w.yeoldek in gsh ead.com

This Saturday 2/5 the match will be shown live in California starting at

6:15 AM PST. Live from Aviva Stadium in Dublin!

Ireland V Wales MORE ONLINE: www.sixnationsrugby.com

w w w.au lddu blin er .com Guinness Preview:

Sat u r day, Febr u ar y 5. Sh ow @ 7:00 pm

SLIGO RAGS Folk ./ Blu egr ass/ Celt ic/ Ir ish Fu sion ! Using fiddle, acoustic guitar, electric bass, and percussion, Says the San Diego Troubadour, "This band can light up an atmosphere as dim as the Guinness stout you just ordered at the bar...Sligo Rags really know their Celtic music." The Coffee Gallery Backstage Lake Ave Altadens, CA

w w w.cof f eegaller y.com

w w w.yeoldek in gsh ead.com

TICKETS: $20.

Febr uar y, 2022

Celt ic Th u n der expect s t o be t ou r in g in 2022 ...to the great joy of their fans worldwide! For their full schedule, At press time; it is set to begin in Orlando in late Februry.

w w w.celt ict h u n der .com Celtic Thunder were in the forefront of Irish Bands in holding a dynamic series of concerts throughout most of the Pandemic.

The powerhouse group teamed with St ageIt and offered their fans ample opportunity to catch them in some really good shows at a modest price.. We are looking forward to continue with them.

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

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Febr uar y, 2022

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

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Celtic Woman

US Tou r St ar t in g In Lat e Febr u ar y See ou r M ar ch Issu e f or In t er view s an d Feat u r es w w w.celt icw om an .com / t ou r -dat es/

Fr idy, Febr u ar y 18, f r om 4:30 t o 7:30 PM

Ken O'M alley

Sagebr u sh Can t in a 23527 Calabasas Rd., Calabasas

w w w.h ar pin n .com OWEN DARA on st age in Can oga Par k in 2018. Th e Cor k Nat ive w ill br ou gh t h is ch ar m an d w it t o Alon e/ TOGETHER in M ar ch of 2021!

w w w.ow en dar a.com

w w w.sagebr u sh can t in a.com

Febr uar y, 2021

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 30

Valen t in e's Day - t h e Celt ic Way " Th e Celt ic calen dar , based on t h e agr icu lt u r al an d past or al year , didn?t celebr at e Valen t in e?s Day. Bu t t h at doesn?t m ean w e can?t !!" Qu ot e f r om Aedan M acDow ell abou t last year 's st r eam in g St . Valen t in e's Sh ow t h at sh e pr odu ced. Th is ver y en t er t ain in g sh ow is n ow on You Tu be an d w e can h igh ly r ecom m en d it !

For t h ose f am iliar w it h Celt ic love st or ies an d son gs, you k n ow m ost of t h em en d in t r agedy, bet r ayal, or bot h . Th er e?s of t en m u r der , u n r equ it ed love, an d m agical beast s. Th er e?s in t r igu e, decept ion , an d so m u ch m or e. Oh yes, an d t h er e?s also Love.

Aedan explain ed h er con cept t o ou r r eader s, " Even t h ou gh Valen t in e?s Day is n ot a t r adit ion al Celt ic celebr at ion , last year w h ile t h e Pan dem ic w as r agin g, w e pu t t oget h er a ver y special pr ogr am . We t h ou gh t all t h e plot t w ist s an d t u r n s in t h e epic Celt ic love st or ies w ou ld m ak e f or a gr eat w ay t o celebr at e

Valen t in e?s Day - a n ew w ay. M u r der , ch ases, t r each er y, an d of cou r se som e gr eat son gs.

Alt h ou gh t h is sh ow isn't f or t h e f ain t of h ear t , w e pr om ise you 'll be sm ilin g by t h e en d.

We in vit e you t o ou r Valen t in e's Day celebr at ion w it h m u sic, son g, st or ies an d m er r ym ak in g. Cu r l u p w it h you r f avor it e Valen t in e, you r f avor it e dr in k , an d en joy " Valen t in e's Day - t h e Celt ic Way " , on -lin e f r om t h e com f or t of you r ow n h om e."

Th e sh ow is n ow on You Tu be, so please ch eck it ou t !

For m or e in f or m at ion : w w w.Celt ic-Rh yt h m s.com

h t t p:/ / im bolcf est ival.com CLICK HERE FOR PROM O

LINKS & LISTING f or Com m u n it y Even t s ar e FREE. Com m er cial/ For Pr of it Ads an d Pr om ot ion s ar e ver y cost ef f ect ive. We can pr om ot e you r bu sin ess or even t in all ou r pu blicat ion s an d plat f or m s as low as $100. per qu ar t er or per even t !

In f o & Ticket s w w w.ir ish r ep.or g

Con t act u s u s f or det ails Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493

Page 31

Feb. 26 & 27

KRIS COLT As Th e Lady Black Rose

River side Dick en s Fest iva l

Yu caipa Per f or m in g Ar t s Cen t er

Riverside City Hall 3900 Main Street Downtown Pedestrian Area, Riverside www.dickensfest.com

Fit zger ald Fam ily Fiddle Folk

Febr uar y, 2022

M ar ch 13, 2022 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Bow er s M u seu m

2002 North Main Street Santa Ana, CA 714-567-3600

Th e Ir ish Lit er ar y Sh ow case is a f eat u r e f or em er gin g Ir ish an d Ir ish Am er ican w r it er s.

Ou r Poet r y Cor n er h as capt u r ed m an y an im agin at ion an d m an y avid f ollow er s an d poet s in t h e US an d Ir elan d.

Th is idea is a n at u r al ext en sion .

We ar e also goin g t o ext en d t h e

LIVESTREAM & M u sic w w w.eileen iver s.com

Page 32

M or e sign s ar e poin t in g t o a UNIFIED IRELAND t h an at an yt im e in r ecen t h ist or y.

Th e EU seem s bet t er t h an a declin in g UK t o m an y people in

Nor t h er n Ir elan d

r each of t h is f eat u r e t o ou r M igh t y Ir ish Net w or k Pages t oo,

Su bm ission s Wan t ed Please sen d a cover let t er (Em ail) Sh or t bio an d you r sh or t st or y or essay: t o: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com In t h e su bject lin e r ef er en ce

Irish Literary Showcase

Febr uar y, 2022

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 33

ir ish m issive@gm ail.com

Th u r sday, M ar ch 10 at 7:30pm SCHERR FORUM THEATRE THOUSAND OAKS, CA

Sat u r day M ar ch 12 at 2:00pm Su n day, M ar ch 13 at 4:00pm Yu capia Per f or m in g Ar t s Cen t er Yu capia, CA