Irish Arts & Entertainment THANKSGIVING SPECIAL 2020

Just In SEE PAGE 7 Lat est Ir ish Tr avel Advisor y

Vo l . X X I I X # 11

T h an k sgi v i n g Sp eci al

N ov em b er , 20 20

C el t i c A r t i st C o l l ab o r at i o n St ev e O 'L o u gh l i n an d D an i al Ri ch m o n d See Page 8

Ai dan O'Carroll Conducti ng For A Kerry Chri stmas CD features Kerry Chamber Orchest ra & Choral Groups

Black Don n ellys Ir ish Du o Sen sat ion Gr am m y Nod Pg 21

Cat er in a Coyn e

Nick Jor dan

M ar y Cu r t in

River dan ce t o LA

Wells of Lif e Pg 7

Cor k w r it er & poet Pg 3

Fash ion St u dio Pg 16

N EW H O U RS N o o n t o 4 PM W ED t h r u SU N

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Sam h ain Hist or y

By Cor k Wr it er M ar y Cu r t in Page 3 Pu blish er 's Let t er Page 4 Lat est Ir ish Tr avel Advisor y Page 6 Nick Jor dan & Wells of Lif e Page 7

M au r ice Fit zpat r ick VIEW FROM IRELAND Page 10 Tin a Day Ir ish Poet r y Cor n er

Page 12 Cat r en ia Coyle Ir ish Dan cer To LA Fash ion Hou se Q&A Page 16 Ir ish Lit er ar y Sh ow case Page 22

CELTIC CAM ERA Page 24 IRISH CALENDAR Ir ish Com m u n it y List in gs St ar t s on Page 28

Get List ed in ou r 12t h . An n u al Celt ic Ch r ist m as Bu yin g Gu ide!

See page 34 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

November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 3

T h e Fest i v al o f Sam h ai n o r H al l ow e?en

By Mary Curtin It?s that time of year again when people dress as ghouls and ghosts and celebrate with parties and pumpkins and generally have a good time. Sometimes people confuse it with the Harvest festival which in Ireland falls on the first of August (Lughnasa) but in fact it?s the festival of Samhain which translated from the Irish language means ?Summer?s End.?

In pre-Christian Ireland when we worshipped the gods of the mountains, the lakes and the rivers and woods, the year was divided in two, Winter and Summer. The first of November was the end of Summer but it was also the first day of the Celtic New Year. This was considered a sacred day as it was a day of Death and Rebirth

therefore it was the Open Doorway between this world and the next, the spiritual world. In the Christian calendar it?s called All Souls Day or All Saints Day hence the reason it?s called ?Hallowed? meaning SACRED and ?E?en?which is the abbreviation of EVENING. Hallowe?en - Sacred Evening. It was believed that on that night the souls or spirits of the dead would move between the two worlds and people might see signs or omens to let them know that they were being visited. It was a time of M ar y Cu r t in reverence and respect for the dead Our cover feature writer this month has also been featured in and also a celebration of our our Irish Poetry Corner. She now ancestors. The old gods of pre-Christian Ireland are still talked resides in Cork, Ireland and is active in Irish Theatre about and remembered in song and productions .

Bio on Page 5 dance and stories Fin is on Page 5

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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 26

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

Jam es M M cDon ou gh Contributing Editor & Graphic Design

Er in Rado Writers Tin a Day M au r ice Fit zpat r ick Jim M cDon ou gh Bar bar a Sin ger Pat r ick Weld Er in Rado Sales Reps Jim & Pat r ick Layout & Typos Jim , Pat r ick & Fr eelan cer s Con t act Us Via Em ail:

in f o@ir ish

ar t san den t er t ain m en t .com Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493

All Copyr igh t s 2020 M cDon ou gh M edia

Samhain

Let t er Fr om THE PUBLISHER Dear Fiends & Readers,

HAPPY THANK SGI VI NG TO EVERYONE We like Fall best! Most Irish people that I know simply are not big fans of summer and hot weather so this time of year is certainly best weather wise. Mix in the Celebrations that are heading our way for the next SIX MONTHS and if you are like me your mood lifts by the day. It is the Irish Celtic time of the year! start with Halloween which is Irish through and through and you are already in the most festive and special Irish part of the year!

Thanksgiving in general is Irish just because we like to hang out together and eat Stay safe and be well. and drink a lot and share it with family and Jim M cDonough, Publisher friends.. I think it is in our DNA. The fun, many of the traditions and by all means the shenanigans associated with the frolicsome and spooky observations of Halloween and Samhain were mostly introduced to America by Irish immigrants.

Irish Americans (including us) are enamored now more than ever withthe origins of Halloween and are repeatedly proudly claiming the increasingly popular and now Bacchanalian Holiday as one of Irish origin. Tis true and it is now lost that those same Irish immigrants were mocked and scorned for their customs and Faith! So as you conjure up those traditions of Ireland and the celebrations and superstitions associated with the Druid and in turn Catholic Feast Day of November 1; remember it was not always so much fun. We devote a lot of this issue to remembering and detailing the ?other ? Irish excuse for revelry; we hope you enjoy the topic. We surely hope and pray that by next year, we

are back to our old tricks , treats and over indulgences so we can gather in person and BE TOGETHER which is basically the core of being Irish.

N O W O PEN f or D i n i n g & D r i n k s on th e N EW PAT I O !!

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Thanksgiving Special

Latest Travel Advisory To Ireland At pr ess t im e:

Ch an ges t o en t r y t o Ir elan d f r om t h e US an d Can ad a You may have heard about Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs' further revisions to the COVID-19 testing regime to facilitate the 'European Traffic Light' system and may be wondering what it means for you if your plans call for travel to Ireland.

Starting November 29th, arrivals from red regions, including the United States and Canada, will not be expected to restrict movements following receipt of a negative/not-detected result from a Covid-19 PCR test taken a minimum of five days after arrival in Ireland.

Testing may be covered by insurance and we encourage you to consult with your insurance provider on eligibility prior to travel.

Th e best AER LINGUS f ar es ar e n ow available on lin e: aer lin gu s.com AER LINGUS w ill be r eady t o w elcom e you w h en you ar e r eady.

Book w it h con f iden ce This information is subject to change, however the most up to date information, including testing options, can be found on the AER LINGUS website which we have linked here:

w ebsit e h er e

October, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 7

Wells Of Lif e Fou n der Nick Jor dan Hon or ed Wit h Pope Joh n XXIII Aw ar d Thanksgiving has taken on a more subdued tone this year and perhaps this is a good thing. People seem more reflective and the crass noise in general, the hype and hysteria over shopping and sales is lower. A better year to reflect and to be truly Thankful is at hand in 2020. We have had a rough year. It is worthy of us to recognize that despite that we as Irish and Americans still take time to help others.

Our great friend Nick Jordan does just that year round and his Wells Of Life Charity is a good place to show our gratitude. (SEE LINK IN BOX) Jordan was honored in October with the Pope John XXIII Award by an Italian Catholic group. We congratulate him on that honor. The Italian Catholic Federation named Nick Jordan, Founder and CEO of Wells of Life, as the 50th recipient of their Pope Saint John XXIII humanitarian award. Wells of Life is a Christian nonprofit organization that provides access to clean, sustainable water for the poorest communities in Uganda, Africa.

The Pope Saint John XXIII Award is the highest recognition to a lay person of any denomination who exemplifies humanitarian service to society. Initiated in 1970, 2020 commemorates the award?s 50th year.

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Irish Arts & Entertainment

SoCal Celt ic Ar t ist Collabor at ion Steve O'Loughlin and Daniel Richmond have created an amazing rendition of America's noble and native bird.

Says O'Loughlin about the piece, "Daniel painted the background and I painted the majestic turkey.

It was my intention to create a new take on this beautiful American icon."

AND SO THEY DID!!

The painting is beautiful and it is a great tribute to a native species that helped save the colonists .

The turkey was plentiful and easy to hunt. Then quickly domesticated and because it grew so fast and efficiently and the eggs were large, many lives were nourished and litterally saved. Turkeys were so praised and revered by the Europeans who settled in America that Benjamin Franklin wanted it to be officially adopted as the National Bird!

One other cool factoid. Turkeys have become very popular in Ireland and have supplanted Geese as the number one choice for Christmas Dinners and Holiday meals even in rural areas!

Much more: w w w.st even olou gh lin ar t ist .com

THE TURKEY TOM OF 2020

Samhain

November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Mary Curtin HALLOWEEN At sch ool w e w er e tol d abou t th e an ci en t D r u i d s w h o ar e l i n ked w i th th e O ak an d th e m y st i ci sm of t r ees. T h ey w er e Pr i ests, Ph i l osop h er s, Teach er s an d Ph y si ci an s an d w er e bel i eved to h ave sp i r i t u al p ow er s. T h ey w er e h i gh ly r ever ed becau se t h ey w er e i n tou ch w i th th e i n v i si bl e sp i r i t s th at h au n t t h e l an d an d cou l d be cal l ed u p on to r ew ar d or p u n i sh u s. T h ese bel i ef s w er e sti l l ack n ow l ed ged l on g af t er Ch r i sti an i ty cam e to I r el an d . To t h i s d ay

t h er e i s a d u al i t y i n t h e I r i sh n at u r e. W e can be p r act i cal an d su p er st i t i ou s at t h e sam e t i m e.I t i s em bed d ed i n ou r p sy ch e an d cel l m em or y. So i n t h e n ex t f ew w eek s i f y ou su d d en ly f i n d y ou r sel f t h i n k i n g of som eon e y ou h aven ?t seen f or a ver y l on g t i m e or y ou see or h ear som eth i n g t h at r em i n d s y ou of t h em , or i f su d d en ly y ou get a scen t of p er f u m e an d y ou l ook ar ou n d an d n o- on e i s t h er e bu t y ou f eel a p r esen ce, y ou can be su r e t h at som eon e i s l et t i n g y ou k n ow t h at y ou ar e n ot f or gott en . H ap p y H al l ow e?en !

ABOUT M ARY CURTIN, a brief bio Mary Curtin grew up with seven boisterous brawling brothers and two sisters in the town of Tralee, in the beautiful County of Kerry, Ireland. She was educated in Presentation Convent School and later studied Drama with London College of Music. She has three beautiful daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law and five grandchildren.

Curtin holds a Fellowship in Drama from The London College of Music. She has put her education and theatre experience to great use over the past years! She is a master of her craft and has contributed in many dynamic ways to theatre in Ireland and in California with Kerry Irish Productions.

Curtin has directed many plays in The Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork City including PRIVATE LIVES by Noel Coward; TRANSALATIONS by Friel; LOVERS: WINNERS AND LOSERS

by B. Friel; THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion and CALENDAR GIRLS by Tim Firth and Gary Barlow. She also directs plays which are performed in The Cork arts Theatre including PLAYHOUSE CREATURES by April de Angelis and THE REGINA MONOLOGUES by Russell and Wafer. She adapted and directed THE THREEPENNY OPERA

by Brecht and also devised and directed a showcase on the work of Oscar Wilde which she titled A WILDE NIGHT for The Irish Operatic Repertory Company. Her adaptation of Ruth Draper ?s work VANITY, VAPOURS AND DIZZY DEBUTANTES featured in the Cork Midsummer Festival 2007.

Curtin also devised a showcase of New York writer Ken Friedman?s work titled I?M AN ACTOR, GIVE ME A BREAK! which was performed in UCC?s Granary Theatre. She also worked with Kerry Irish Productions Inc. based in Los Angeles, where she devised CHRISTMAS FROM A CELTIC TABLE and their follow up production IRISH LOVE AND LYRICS. In March of 2020 Curtin was directing Pr esen t Lau gh t er

by Noel Coward when the Government declared a Lockdown due to the rapid global spread of Corona virus Covid19 and all planned events were put on hold, canceled or deferred. When Curtin is not teaching and directing, she spends her time reading, listening to music and writing.

She loves literature with a passion and it reeks of magic for her! She has always been fascinated at the power of speech and language and is currently writing a collection of short stories.

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Ir ish Poet ?s Collect ion Evokes M em or ies of Ir elan d?s Past

ABOVE LEFT: M au r een Cu llet on ABOVE RIGHT: Ir ish Poet Dr Ar t h u r Br oom f ield Broomfield's new collection of poems Ireland Calling is written in ballad form and recalls stories, characters and events ? some humorous , some sad ? that will evoke nostalgic memories of Ireland?s past. Love for his subject, for the Irish characters, stories and landscape, is the inspiration that drives Broomfield?s work. Clare Bolger, Irish author, academic and literary critic writes: Broomfield?s poetry is ?written in the language of the people, it digs deep into the Irish Tradition of telling yarns...it comes from the ?deep heart?s core,? ?as readers will note when poems such as ?Planting the Spuds?and ?The Fairy Bush?

In ?Making the Deal?the young boy learns the art of buying cattle at the April fair ?every trick and nod, every nudge and sign?. The emigrant in New York city, in a sensuous Heaney like image recalls ?the Cappagh soil between my hands, / the smell of the dung, the sunset and the viewl.

This is Broomfield?s eighth work, not to be missed This concise and appreciative review was received recently via email from one of Ireland Calling's many admirers.

Thanks go to Maureen Culleton, internationally acclaimed promoter of Irish culture who is a frequent visitor to the United States.

Revival Pr ess, Broomfield?s publishers, insist ?if there?s a drop of Irish blood in your arteries, this book is for you." Calling Ireland m ay be or der ed t h r ou gh PayPal:br oom f ield.ar t h u r @gm ail.com 19 USD or 15 eu r o

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Samhain

The View from Ireland Th e Su pr em e Cou r t of Ir elan d

By M au r ice Fit zpat r ick On August 19th,a group of Irish politiciansas well asbanking, legal and PR people assembled for the Oireachtas (legislature) Golf Society dinner in Clifden, Co. Galway. The event flouted Covid-19 restrictions and raised the ire of people throughout Ireland,who had been making huge sacrifices for the sake of public health for five months. Within 24 hours of the news breaking the following day, the Minister for Agriculture?s head rolled: Dara Calleary had participated in the cabinet meetings which authorised the Covid-19 guidelines and yet hebrokethem.However,the logic of sanctioning the public figures who attended the golfdinner could not be applied to each in the same way. Some were elected representatives, some were senior officials.

The presence of two people, in particular, became (and remained)controversial longafter the dinner: European CommissionerPhil Hogan and Supreme Court Judge Séamus Woulfe.

Phil Hogan held the trade briefat the European Commission, a crucial portfolio at any time and particularly sonow thatour nearest neighbour is leaving the EU. Hogan?s role in Europe was independent of the Irish government.So when, on the weekend followingwhat became known as?golfgate?, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Leo Varadakar urged Hoganto consider his position, he ignored them.

It was in Brussels that Hogan had to provide a full account of himself. EuropeanCommission President Ursula von der Leyen made an extraordinary plea to Hogan to engage with the media (he had been hiding behind a spokesperson). She also demanded that he providethe completeitineraryof his summer visit to Ireland. Journalists soon identified gapsinhisaccount? places he had visitedthatwere not mentioned. By August 26th, Hogan resigned as the EuropeanCommissionerfor Trade.

Hogan?s downfall begs the question whether it was his attitude towards accountabilityand his concealments that did more damage thanhis decision to attendthe golf dinner. It is an important question because Judge Woulfemade(and continues to make)comparable mistakes in his handling of thefallout from golfgate.

Until this June, Séamus Woulfe was the Irish Attorney General. Then,in July,he was appointed a Supreme Court Judge. Those roles involve a fundamentally different relationship with politicians. Whereas the Attorney General isincontact with politicians almost every day, judges instinctively keepaway frompoliticalcircles. There is no law in Ireland requiring a separation between judges and politicians in their social life. Instead, there is a tacit assumption that judges would be wise to act with discretion at all times.The aggregate of legal opinion expressed in the media on Woulfe?s case inclines to the view that Woulfe should have adhered to that convention.

In Woulfe?sexecution ofhis previous role, the opinionating thataccompaniespoliticsappears to haverubbed off onhim.While still Attorney General in 2018,he rather startlingly calleda legislative bill sponsored by an independent minister?a dog?s dinner ?. Is that not a rather apt description for thedinnerWoulfesaw fit to attend in Clifden?

Woulfe did apologise for his attendance, but his apology fell short of taking responsibility for his actions:?my understanding was that the organisers and the hotel had satisfied themselves that they would be operating within Government public health guidelines?. Given that his new job is to form judgements based on the law that have far-reaching consequences for Irish citizens,hismisjudgement in attending the dinner has not inspired the body politic with confidence in him.

Former Chief Justice Susan Denham held an enquiry to make recommendations on Woulfe?s case. Itwas an exceptionally difficult case to immunise from political circumstancessince it occurred afterseveral politicians hadbeen forced to resignor accept demotion for attending the dinner.

November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

No legal professional, independent or not, could have found the process easy. Moreover, there is the matter that Woulfe retained a barrister for his discussions with Denham and it was necessary that she was indemnified against libel.

If all of this were not bad enough,when Woulfe met with Denham he proceeded to dig himself deeper into the hole. Woulfe told Denham that he considered the media treatment of the event to be ?completely fake? it?s like a Ku Klux Klan now?. Is such language not reminiscent o fa certain Washington DC figure? In a letter to the Irish Times legal and media commentator Colum Kenny argued that Woulfe ?should not be allowed to hear any case involving the media as there would always be a clear perception of bias?. The nub of this claim is the broader reality of a supreme court judge who lacks the public?s confidence.That is attributable not only to his attendance at the ill-fated dinner. Woulfe has repeatedly been indiscreet, in word and deed. How can it be tenable that a supreme court judge remains on the bench given that a significant segment of Irish society has grounds to repudiate his authority?

Now Chief Justice Clarke has made clear he will ?make alternative arrangements to convey his final views on the process to Mr Justice Woulfe?.

Scandals tend to last about a week in the news cycle.

The longevity of this fiasco is indicative of how thoroughly the Supreme Court of Ireland has been devalued by it. The damage resulting from it will endure for years.

Denham recommended that there is no case to remove Woulfe from the bench. (Had the Judicial Council Act 2019 been enforced by now, the judiciary would have been empowered to remove a colleague; as things stand, they do not). Even so, the political fallout for the court has been very considerable, and the loss of public confidence in the judiciary enormous.

On foot of Denham?s published recommendations, the Chief Justice of Ireland, Frank Clarke, sought to meet Woulfe to conclude the matter. During his tenure, Clarke has led an attempt to alter the perception of Ireland?s judiciary as being elitist and removed from the people.How delighted he must have been about golfgate and the fact that on October 15th Woulfe postponed his meeting with him for the fourth time.

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Joh n Hu m e, Ir elan d's m ost cou r ageou s peacem ak er pr of iled by M au r ice Fit zpat r ick ; Available @ am azon .com / Joh n -Hu m e-Am er ica-Der r y-DC/ dp/

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Samhain

L A ST N I GH T

By T ina D ay Last n igh t I dr eam t I w as f ish in g, Beside a calm lake of br igh t blu e.

Last n igh t I sat n ear t h e w at er ,

We invite submissions to the

Relaxed an d w it h n ot h in g t o do.

Irish Poetry Corner

Last n igh t I dr eam t

A poem or saga in the Irish Bardic Tradition are both considered.

E-Mail us:

I w as f allin g,

irishmissive@gmail.com

Beyon d t h e con st r ain t s of t h is w or ld.

Last n igh t I ju m ped t o m y deat h , Dow n t o m y doom , I w as h u r led.

Last n igh t I w en t t o you r h ou se dear , Beh in d t h e block w all t o you r sill.

Last n igh t I f ou n d ou t you r secr et , Ton igh t I w ill sleep w it h a ch ill.

I

Tin a Day is ou r f or m er edit or an d h as been a f r equ en t con t r ibu t or an d gr eat f r ien d t o t h is pu blicat ion f or abou t 25 year s. Sh e loves h er w or k , t h e Dodger s, Ir ish m u sic an d is a poet at heart!

Th is Ch iller is in k eepin g w it h ou r Hallow een 2020 Scar e ou r r eader s t h is Oct ober an d Novem ber t h em e!

Her e is a lin k t o Tin a's THE DARK f r om ou r last issu e in case you m issed it : M ORE LINKS: Ir ish Poet r y Cor n er Sept em ber , 2020 Page 18

T.M . Day 's Poet r y: w w w. LULU.com

November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 13

A true tale of ghostly encounters in Ireland

Th e Gh ost s An d I con t in u ed

By Sammy S Hughes As told by Joe Connell We left off last installment on how the young Americans had come to the same conclusion, to accept and to believe just as their new friends in Ennis held true; that the realms of the living and the dead have crossroads;. They had happened upon such a place. The true understanding of Samhain and the Irish way of thinking about All Saints Day and All Souls Day is to embrace the fact that there is an afterlife and that on rare ocassions and with some rare people; we can cross over and experience the "other side. Such was the case that First Day of November now so many years ago.

Seamus "Sammy" Hughes had his own tale of talking to a local that afternoon and wanted to hear what everyone would have to say about his experience. The night before, our new host and friend, Liam with regrets had explained to us that the law was to close the hotel's pub at the appointed hour, a time honored rule that was followed to the letter.

By the next evening after another care free day of driving around, seeing the alluring Irish countryside, meeting more friendly people and visiting small shops and eateries, we were back in the pub. We had been looking forward all day to the amiable and now familiar company that we had encountered, We were drawn to the old hotel as if under a spell. We sadly had lost the older couple from Belfast but in their place, we had picked up two young Irish seminarians who had been visiting older relatives in the area. We were the same number and eager to drink and relax together, the pub was as cozy as any establishment could be, Sammy was happy to have the floor, the events of the previous day and the tale of meeting the corporal spirits of the Burke brothers had been in his thoughts all day, "We drove for about an hour after we dropped off Beauchamp and Linda. We saw tens of ruins, old churches, scattered farmhouses, it was all so seemingly pristine, ivy everywhere, still so green and lush despite the onset of winter, Finally, we stopped and started exploring. There was a large church structure with an intact belfry tower but no roof and a mostly dirt, grass and stone floor. There were several outbuildings too with a long path leading up a hill to an old graveyard.

Abbey r u in s ou t side of En n is Marie being one to be alone to think and walk followed it up hill to the graveard. I stayed by the church and on the far side of it I saw a there was a caretaker 's cottage. A slim smiling gent who looked like a farmer out of central casting for the Quiet Man or Michael Collins stood up from a wooden bench walked over and greeted me in a heavy brogue. " To be h on est , I h ad t r ou ble u n der st an din g h im bu t as w e sh ook h an ds, I did cat ch h is n am e, Joe Con n ell."

The name seemed to be one I had recently heard or knew but I could not place it. Just then, Marie, started calling and was waving at me to come to join her on the hill. She was excited and she showed me several tombstones with birth and death dates, many around the Famine Years. The last names were Hughes, our family name, There were Burkes (no doubt kin to the boy ghosts and our friend) too and Glenns, my mother 's maiden name. The name that caught my eye the most though was that of my new aquaintence , the one of JOE CONNELL. Of course on the way back to the car, I looked, the cottage was now a ruin like the rest, no bench, no Joe! That night, back at the pub; I remembered him and the name. He was in Liam's book. The Dublin artist and Irish Inn guest from 1917 had drawn him and wrote his name on the fine pen engraving. Liam, the barkeeper and spirit guide for the rest of our evening nodded and smiled as my story was told. He prodded us willingly to another round. Sammy Hughes happily paid. The evening was off to another and impressions of places here and there. We were in Ireland in a time of wonder and friendship that you rarely encounter.

Th is st or y is par t of a ser ies of sh or t st or ies; Spirits Guides & Their Haunted Places In Ireland

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Thanksgiving Special

ERIN RADO an d Celt ic Nat ion s M agazin e For m Allian ce w it h Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t

By Jim McDonough Last month in our October issue we did a Q & A with Erin Rado. We were talking about experiences, our mutual business interests and projects for the upcoming feature and Rado had shared her recent stint with editorial and layout work with a small magazine. Starting with that conversation, and Rado's idea that she would like to get into the digital publishing business, we (We being defined as the Irish Arts and Entertainment and Entreprenuer/Publisher this writer) decided to jointly assist our mutual business goals and publications!

The alliance has now formed and the Irish Arts and Entertainment is consulting and sharing with Celtic Nations Magazine on a variety of overlapping endeavors. These areas include, marketing, trading ads, publishing, and all forms of technical work including web design and SEO. We are delighted with this arrangement and we agree and believe that our Co-Op entity will prove that the whole is definitely stronger than the parts We expect this and future joint ventures to be not just efficient but also a lot of fun and lucrative as well as productive. Most of all we look forward to delivering amazing and innovation Irish and Celtic content to our readers! These are separate niche markets but there is a commonality too and we are confident we will serve all facets well. We also firmly believe that we will be of great assistance to a wide range of businesses and events when it comes to promoting their individual enterprises!

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November,2020

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Samhain

SSS

A C o n v er sat i o n W i t h C at er i n a C oy n e & T h e I rish Arts & Entertainment Over t h e last t w en t y f ive m em or able year s t h e Irish Arts & Entertainment h as cover ed t h e ph en om en al r ise in t h e popu lar it y of Ir ish Dan ce in gen er al as w ell as Riverdance, a h ost of ot h er sim ilar pr odu ct ion s in clu din g sh ow s f r om Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s. In doin g so w e in t u r n w r ot e abou t Cat er in a Coyn e an d h er f eat s as an Ir ish Dan ce st ar ext en sively over t h e year s. Now w e ar e h appy t o in t r odu ce ou r f r ien ds an d r eader s t o t h is ver y accom plish ed an d t alen t ed Ir ish w om an a bit m or e in dept h an d t o explor e a n ew ch apt er in h er lif e!

I rish Arts and Entertainment (IA&E) Can you share with our readers your early years and how you got into Irish Dancing? When and where did you study and start dancing?

Cat er in a Coyn e I started Dancing at the age of Four. Both my parents immigrated to London when they were in their 20?s. My Mum is from Skibbereen, West Cork and my Dad is from Connemara, Galway. I think sending my sisters and I to Irish Dance lessons in London was a way to stay rooted in our heritage.

We come from a family where music, song and dance was always the normand so I think it was inevitable that I would dance.

I was 12 years old when we moved back to Galway and it was then that I started to compete at a serious level. I went from starting high school in London to an all Irish Speaking school in Connemara! Dance, especially for the first few years was a place where I immediately fit in. I trained 4 times a week and would compete at the weekends. It was and still is my passion. I won the Connaught Championships several times and I placed in the Top ten at the World Championships.

It was around the time I was thinking about college and finishing high school when Riverdance burst onto the scene. What an extraordinary moment for so many! Some say it put Ireland on the Map, I think it solidified Irish Arts, especially Irish Dance as an Art form on a Global scale. Gone were the stereo types of girls jumping around with ringlets

in their hair and their arms stiff and held by their sides. Michael Flatley?s exuberant energy and skill that burst across the stage in 1994 was like nothing anyone had ever seen. Irish dancers now train like athletes, they are athletes just like ballet dancers, skaters or even football stars... working 7 days a week, for hours a day, training in studios, at gyms, with nutritionists to become masters of their craft.

I decided to audition for Riverdance and maybe go back to college after a year or two if I was successful in joining the show. A couple of weeks later I was packing my bags and heading off on a European tour.

IA&E: How long were you touring and what are a few of the best moments?

Cat er in a I toured with Riverdance for over ten years!! My plan to go to college was on a permanent hold. I became the Principle Lead after my first Year. Then my boyfriend at the time, now husband, who was already a hugely successful drummer and recording artist, came to visit me and he couldn?t resist getting up behind the impressive drum set-up and having a go. The drummer on that tour was already known to my husband Mark.He was about to take a break from Riverdance to join a different show and he was kind enough to let Markhave a rip as they say on the drums. Little did Mark know that Bill Whelan, the Grammy Winning Composer of Riverdance was sitting quietly at the back of the theatre that day.

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November 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Cat er in a Coyn e , In t er n at ion ally Acclaim ed Fash ion Design er an d Ir ish Dan ce Sen sat ion

ABOVE: Cat er in a

Coyn e

In t er n at ion al Sen sat ion In River dan ce Coyne was Born in London and raised in Connemara Ireland. Despite early dreams to be a fashion Designer; her amazing gift and talent for Irish Dancing took her on another path! After competing at the highest levels and reaching the top 10 in her age at

the World Championships, All Ireland and Nationals, it wasn?t long before the professional stage came calling and Coyne was asked to join the cast of the Irish phenomenon Riverdance. It wasn?t long before she become Lead dancer. The hit show took her all over the world for ten years. Performing for Royalty, celebrities and dignitaries Coyne remembers her Performing Lead in Radio City Music Hall as a highlight. At this point during the pinnacle of her career , this wise young star began to think about the inevitable ? what if anything could be better than this and what will I do when its all over!

Knowing full well the career of a professional Irish dancer at that level is short, Coyne like so many went on to teach Irish Dance Being an instructor was the perfect way to pass on her love of dance but something was missing. Coyne decided to go back to college.

Now a graduate of the Grafton Academy of Fashion Design, Coyne has quickly made a name for herself as the go to designer for beautiful runway and red-carpet pieces and stunning occasion wear. She is becoming known for her beautiful use of Irish Heritage Carrickmacross Lace. With a style that is effortlessly feminine and delicate Caterina draws on her

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experience as a dancer and years of travel to inspire her. Caterina has been nominated for "Designer of the Year " at the Irish Fashion and Innovation Awards She has dressed Marissa Carter, Louise Cooney, Sile Seoige, actress Charleigh Bailey and Nadia Forde. Caterina is based between Los Angeles and Ireland and is working with some great Irish stylists and celebrities in Los Angeles to expand her name and brand. Having made a name as the go to for elegant, feminine red-carpet pieces Caterina is ready to launch her Classics Collection, along with a small ready to wear bridal collection.

Beautifully made ready to wear pieces which you can wear effortlessly from day to night and go to time and time again, inspired by the current times Says Coyne, ? I like so many women have changed the way we work, travel, socialise and live due to the current pandemic, but in fashion the tide was already turning and the need for less ?stuff ? and want for pieces you can invest in and keep was already happening. My Classics pieces are just that, pieces to wear, live in and treasure and keep for years to come. " w w w.cat er in acoyn e.com

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

CONVERSATION Con t in u ed f r om Page 16

to share with us any of your stories from school?

And the rest as they say is history, he was offered a job there and then! And so, we got to travel and embark on this amazing experience and journey together. Mark and I got to travel all over the world and do something we both loved together.Its hard

Cat er in a

to Pinpoint what the best part or most memorable moments were. My whole family came over to New York to see me Dance lead in Radio City Music Hall, and it was a very special moment! I performed for Royalty, celebrities and dignitaries but the whole experience and journey, the friends I made exploring amazing new cities together, getting to eat different foods and seeing how different cultures live that?s what made it was it was.

I also qualified to teach and have had the opportunity do workshops all over the world. Teaching and helping the next generation to prepare and follow their dreams has been an amazing experience. I spend my time between Los Angeles and Ireland. I have been given great opportunities in life, and it?s through dance, that I have learned the value of hard work and dedication and that if you really and truly want something you have to work for it and to keep growing and learning. A few years ago I was on the set of Mike and Molly teaching Mellissa McCarthy some choreography for a scene and had to pinch myself.Only a week before my mum was visiting me from Ireland and I took her to the usual LA sights, The Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier and Hollywood Blvd so she could see the walk of fame. I laughed out loud when she passed name after name finally stopping on the star that said Melissa McCarthy! ?Oh McCarthy? she said? my maiden name. I know this one?

IN & E: When did you first become intrigued with the world of fashion? Your story is amazing, you trained as a Fashion Designer but became an internationally famous star, how did all that come to be? Do you want

Samhainr

I always had an interest in fashion and design, and even as a child I loved watching my mum sewing and being creative. She made all our dance costumes!! My father is equally as talented working with his hands.

It was while I was in New York dancing in Radio City, when I was at the pinnacle of my career as a dancer that I started to think about what was next. It is inevitable that as a dancer you must stop at that level at some point. And I remember saying to myself ?well it can?t get any better than this?. Design was my only other passion, and I knew that if I wanted to do something in this field it was now or never. It was important for me to study the craft, maybe because I was a student of dance for so long, I knew that if I wanted to be serious about it I needed to have the knowledge to get me through.

So, I went back to college. And it was the hardest thing I have ever done! If anyone thinks getting a degree or diploma in fashion design is easy, well come chat with me and I will tell you all about it!

The workload and hours involved were crazy and still are... but worth it! I started my own Label straight out of college and quickly became known as the go-to designer in Ireland for Red Carpet and special pieces. I started incorporating Irish Heritage lace in a modern way into some of my designs and it got some recognition.

I w as n om in at ed f or Design er of t h e Year at t h e Ir ish Fash ion In n ovat ion Aw ar ds, an d Design er of t h e Year at t h e Ir ish Design Aw ar ds.

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Cat er in a Coyn e Continued from previous page...

I love feminine, delicate pieces and I am absolutely inspired by my experience as a dancer. The way a person feels and moves in a piece I have designed is so important to me.

IN & E: Did you always take a keen interest in the costume and fashion aspects of the shows even as a dancer.

Cat er in a Absolutely, I am a magpie and love shiny sparkly things all of which can be found in most wardrobe departments!!I gathered inspiration and sketched ideas while I toured.I think that without knowing fully what I would do with my ideas I knew that it was important for me to put things down on paper.

It was also an escapism? while I had the absolute time of my life touring it was also tough at times.

Some tours I did were for 9 months, with maybe a month off and then back on the road again.

Traveling, working, sleeping, eating and socializing with the same people can be testing! If Mark and I had an argument the only room to escape to for the most part was the bathroom! Many dancers had hobbies or other passions that they would focus on as it helped keep the mind sharp and active.

A m eldin g of bot h h er passion s!

For t h e Ker r y Ir ish Pr odict ion's sh ow CELTIC WINGS; Cat er in a Coyn e gr aced t h e st age as t h e pr in ciple dan cer an d design ed t h e cost u m es!

Now as a Designer I have started to merge my two passions and have been lucky enough to design for stage shows and productions. No one prepares you for the feeling of loss at not being able to perform at that level anymore... so, for me being able to still have artistic input in a live show has really helped me.

IA & E: In industry jargon, who is your woman?

Have you set up a studio or production facility in California as yet? Are you looking for investors?

Cat er in a When I first started my label. Caterina Coyne, my focus was Red Carpet, Couture and Bespoke. It was always my plan to move into Ready to Wear. I have just designed a new collection which I have called Classics, made up of elegant, stable pieces that can be worn for an evening event, dinner with the girls or with a leather jacket and flats for lunch. My Woman is busy, and she values pieces that can be trusted and worn again and again. I like to think of her for example in my new Classic black and white slip dress with her hair in a top knot having coffee and then having to go to an event after work being able to slip on a pair of sexy black strappy heels, letting her hair down, a spritz of Chanel and away she goes. We all have that one piece that we go to time and time again and now more than ever these are the pieces that we should invest in.

Being a designer and having your own label in today?s market is hard. There have been so many people that have supported me along the way and I most certainly would not be where I am without them. But mostly I have done everything to do with the business myself and with no investment. For someone like me there is most certainly only so much I can do. And yes of course having an investor to help grow and expand would be amazing. I have dreams and ideas of new ways to create enjoyable experiences for shoppers that include brick and mortar shops. Not every experience has to go online though I know how important that is and I have had to completely pivot my business from personal fitting and custom dresses to online and ready to wear which has helped me grow. I also love the idea of building a brand that offers something different and I think that after the world recovers from this pandemic having enjoyable, personable experiences will become ever so important.

w w w .cat er i n acoy n e.com

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

!

Samhain

November, 2020

Irish Arts & Entertainment

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I r i sh M u si c: News & Reviews A Ker r y Ch r ist m as, a m agn if icen t Yu let ide M u sic Of f er in g h as ju st been r eleased.

Join t Ir ish US pr odu ct ion capt u r es t h e t r u e essen ce of t h e season !

Aidan O'Car r oll is a composer, arranger, pianist, choral and orchestral conductor, accompanist and music theatre director who lives and works in Tralee, Co. Kerry. He is an A B. Mus. 1st Hons and MA (Music Composition) graduate of NUI Cork. O'Carroll founded and continues to act as Director of the Kerry School of Music and Performing Arts, which provides high quality, affordable tuition in music and performing arts at centres throughout Kerry.

He is also Choral Director in St. Mary?s Cathedral, Killarney. He has founded many of Kerry?s main performing ensembles - Kerry Choral Union, Kerry Chamber Choir, Kerry Chamber Orchestra, Kerry School of Music Senior and Junior Orchestras, Flute Choir, Light Opera Society of Tralee and Kerry Children?s Choir. Commissioned works include Dún an Óir Suite (Údarás na Gaeltachta), Dance of Life (Diocese of Kerry Milennium Celebration) and All Aboard (Radio Kerry). Recent compositions include a five-movement Stabat Mater for Soprano, Baritone, SATB Choir and Orchestra set to liturgical texts and poem s by Padraig Pearse.

Black Don n ellys Up For Gr am m y The ?Black Donnellys? who basically got their start in California at the Shamrock Irish Pub and Eatery in Murrieta are riding high, far and wide! They have garnered a lot of attention and fame with their Documentary Film; ?An Irish Story: This is my Home? about being on the road and playing Irish Music at a mighty fast pace on all levels.

Now, the Dynamic Guinness Award Winning Duo has announced they have been placed on the Grammys ballot to potentially be nominated in a couple of categories this year.

They are up for nominations in the ?Best Music Film? for their documentary ?An Irish Story: This is my Home? and in the ?Song of the Year ? category for their song ?This is my Home.? hey are no the house band at the Rí Rá Irish Pub at

Aidan O'Car r oll con du ct in g in Ir elan d Recent a cappella choral pieces include I See His Blood Upon the Rose (Joseph Mary Plunkett) and a choral suite set to the texts of the Advent O Antiphons. He is currently composing a setting for soloists and large orchestra of Brian Merriman?s epic humorous poem Cúirt an Mhean Oíche which will receive its world premiere in late 2021. O'Carroll was a member of the tenth Arts Council (1993-1998), a founding member of the Association of Irish Choirs (AOIC) and was awarded the Fleischmann Prize by the UCC Music Graduates Association for his work in music education.

Con t in u ed on Page 22

The Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, The 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are set for Sunday,January 31, 2021 at the Staples Center /

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

A ch or al Ch r ist m as f r om t h e West of Ir elan d!

Th e Ker r y Ch am ber Ch oir : The adult choir of the Kerry School of Music & Performing Arts was founded in 1992 by the School?s director, Aidan O? Carroll. They have performed at the National Concert Hall as part of the Kerry School of Music 30thAnniversary celebrations and regularly tour abroad, most recently in the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania and Poland. Most of the choir ?s members study singing at Kerry School of Music and Performing Arts. Works performed include Handel?s Messiah, Haydn?s Creation, Faure?s Requiem, Part?s Berliner Messe and Vivaldi?s Gloria, Pergolesi?s and Vivaldi?s Stabat Maters, as well as a re-discovered large-scale Mass in F by nineteenth century Tralee composer Arthur O?Leary and

Samhain

original choral pieces and arrangements by Aidan O' Carroll, including the world premiere of his Stabat Mater in 2017. The choir has previously made two DVD recordings of Handel?s Messiah and has broadcast regularly on Radio Kerry.

Th e Ker r y Ch am ber Or ch est r a: Founded by Aidan O?Carroll, The Kerry Chamber Orchestra is a truly international line-up of professional musicians from Ireland, Britain, Albania and Lithuania all of whom live in Kerry and teach in association with the Kerry School of Music. The orchestra presents a very wide range of material at venues throughout the region and collaborates with the Kerry Chamber Choir on an ongoing basis. Many members have distinguished and award winning careers as solo performers, as well as leading, encouraging and mentoring students of the Kerry School of Music in their formative musical years.

Tr alee CBS Boys' Ch oir : The choir was established in 1982 by Bro. David O' Connell and Aidan O' Carroll.

Over the ensuing twenty two years the choir under the direction of Aidan O'Carroll performed regularly on local and national radio and television and toured in Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy, singing

Masses and recitals in St. Peter 's Basilica, Assisi, Lecco, Koln, Douai, Canterbury, Westminster Cathedrals and Dublin's Pro-Cathedral.

-

Soloist s: Aisling O?Carroll, Margaret O?Carroll

Novem ber , 2020

Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t

Page 23

T h e I r i sh L i t er ar y Sh ow case CONFESSIONS OF THE BANSHEE

By Greg Patrick ?M u r m u r s passed alon g t h e valleys lik e t h e Ban sh ee's lon ely cr oon An d a t h ou san d blades w er e f lash in g at t h e r isin g of t h e m oon ?

John Keegan Casey, The Rising of the Moon Sam h ain Eve, Ir elan d.

M edieval er a

They raise their shimmering swords in homage in passing. I bow my head in finality at his last faltering breath, like an aged traveler stooped against the elements or a soprano to an audience in a darkened room...They do not see me....a voice only...a disembodied song haunting the night. Only an archer at vigil on the windswept battlements flying black banners of mourning, sees me. I blow him a kiss. He will perish in battle within a fortnight. I envy the mortals, the solace of darkness in my thralldom as dirge-singer to chieftains and princes of the Gael. I sang a lament bemoaning keening. They curse my name and presence. My voice that shudders in their mortal hearts on eve of battle. I wept for General Collins when he died on the red grass.

I wept for men who marched with

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

A crimson portal opens like a sacrificial wound in the earth, a graceful gowned silhouetted at the threshold...The stage is set for my song...in the shadow of a lordly castle...My eerie serenade caresses the night as an aged knight's breath falters...surrounded by his kin. ?Hark. The banshee cries! ?a steward gasps. My red lips part like a reopened wound and I keen in sonorous silvery tones. They curse me and the monk's hand trembles at the crucifix as the

As told by The Banshee

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

Th an k s again t o M ar gar et O'Car r oll f or h er in pu t an d su ppor t of t h is idea.

last quaver trails....and he is gone, cold hands enfolded over his sword. They mistake me entirely.

I am their lord?s praise singer, ushering his soul to his forefathers in their ancestral halls. I do not inflict death. I weep tears of blood at their hatred and keening .I should be revered...I was once.... and loved....I close my eyes, immersed in the sickly sweet song? .I envision the pale shades of men and horses passing me in phantasmal procession from the aftermath of battle?

pikes in hand to their deaths, as constant as their shadows. My serenade, as soulless as the wind, I wept for them in the wake of their coffin ships in hunger-driven exile.

The cold beckoning caress of my song broke only once? .I wept for Boru when he fell to an axe? And here is where my confession begins.

The mortals cursed me for all their days? yet there was one among the sons of mortal lords who did not? and for him I committed the forbidden heresy of my kind. I fell in love with a mortal and killed for him? I encountered him by the twilight of eve of battle? A figure clad in brilliant armour, cleansing his sword and praying to his God by a solitary brook? He smiled at me, catching me completely off guard. I must have been strikingly fair to his eyes? a beauteous noblewoman in flowing gown and hair.

A graceful figure that seemed to glide rather than stride against the vermillion resplendence of twilight.

A mirage of beauty behind

impossibly green eyes pyromanced against the blood red twilight. He doffed his helm? and I felt? moved? inspired? like those that had rallied to his name and banner? He reached his hand out to me? .and I felt drawn? like a moth to a flame? ?Lord Brian! ?An emissary astride a horse reigned in jarringly. ?Alas, I bear fell tidings. The Norsemen draw nigh. They will make landing on the morrow. ?

He hearkened at the war horns, calling for him in harsh throaty tones and I cringed at their sound as mortals did at my song. He turned to speak to me, yet I had dematerialised to the warrior king hailed in the twilight and mourned in the dawn. He sighed after me, his breath steaming in the chill air... I knew he would fall on the morrow and I was condemned to sing for him? Yet I made a solemn vow to the old gods that blood red twilight? A vow of sacrifice?

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Irish Arts & Entertainment

Samhain

Clon t ar f On lin e

T h e B at t l e O f C l o n t ar f

by Hu gh Fr azier (1826) From the Public Domain

sought him that next day, in the aftermath of battle, like a bereaved lover, seeking a warrior among the slain? yet he was not there? I held back the inevitable cry meant for him? though it burned painfully for release? clawed at me to release it like a caged raptor. I crossed the nightmarish mist-enshrouded dreamscape of battle, seeking him? across a red field of horse carcasses and slain warriors. I sought him? . ?Brian! Brian! ? I saw him then and the cry escaped my lips at last? He staggered from his lordly pavilion? bleeding from a grievous wound inflicted by a Norse assassin?s axe. His bannermen had abandoned him and his warriors celebrated their hard-won victory. Only his frantic squire hastened after him. ?My Lord! Your sword! The enemy is upon us! ?he cried.

So too did Norsemen pursue him. He collapsed at last and they closed in. I knelt at his side? Cradled his head and crooned him to him? the ancient songs of my people? .He heard what no mortal was allowed to hear before and everafter? The words of the banshee?s cry? .And I was radiant to behold? like an illuminated manuscript to a monk?s eyes by dwindling candle flame. I lower my lips to his and we

A PRI L O F 10 14 kiss? a forbidden duet to the banshee?s song? I inhale his last mortal breath? hold it intoxicatingly? .and when it is exhaled it is a battle cry? a force of nature? .of unknown power unleashed. The scream is soundless to his ears. Only a chill blast of wind to his senses. Yet not unheard by the ravens scavenging the battle?s aftermath with red beaks and talons. They harken. The ravens rose from scavenging the dead, like a dark prayer. I lingered too long in the mortal realm and began to age in fast forward. I bared my teeth like a shewolf over her wounded mate as huntsmen and hounds approach. ?Unhand him witch! ?the frantic squire squealed.

He is a brave lad and loyal. I tolerate his insolence.

He pressed a sword into his master 's hand. I choked back my cry....Brian's hand gripped the blade and Brian rallies on his last ebbing strength... ?Guide his hand boy, ?I commanded his squire. ?Yes My Lady, ?he whimpers.

The blade strikes a final time, impaling a looming Norseman to the hilt. ?Cover your ears boy...tightly, I bade him. This is not meant for you,? as the differed scream rises to my lips. ?Who is that old hag? ?the Norse Thane growls. ?Old?! Old?!? I rose in indignation like a rearing serpent and laughed mirthlessly, scorning the insolence of his brandished axe.

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

BANSHEE from page 24 ?I am older than the earth mortal. I am ancient!

And you will not desecrate his body, impudent mortal! ?

Then I committed the second heresy of my kind. I killed? The ravens swarm the Norse Thane at my bidding, talons raking his face, sharp beaks seeking the delicacy of his eyes. His shieldmen rally to his defense. I scream a battle cry, shrill and fierce as a falcon hurtling down on its quarry and their ears gush blood at its utterance. They do not hear their own cries of agony as the ravens strike in a dark cyclonic torrent, scavenging them alive.

Their fathers fall like black tears of midnight, hailing me in homage. The cries of wolves answer my call, in ghostly choir like dark hounds summoned by a huntress. My cry sweeps the defeated Norse encampment, ventriloquizing the gaping mouths of the slain like phantom battle cries, extinguishing their pyre flames. I scorned their angels and Valkyries and laid their warriors low. They raised their shields to ward it off and cower behind them. To no avail. Souls of the wounded are torn from their bodies.

him? .High King Brian Boru? My kindred appear in admonishment? pale wraiths in regal robes and diadems like a summoned lordly court. I defy their dour reproving looks. It is against the nature of the scavenger to hunt and prey on the living. Yet I am not asking them. And I rise then from his lifeless body. His own people have come seeking him by torchlight. I rise?

We part ways here. Ever divided between worlds? He goes where I cannot follow. I turn in an age-old dance and stride towards the reopened portal, my form rejuvenating. I turn, a last forbidden look at a slain lover before the portal seals behind me. I am the Lady of the Sidhe, the immortal banshee and you will all hear from me. I am not your enemy. I am the singer of your honoured name to your ancestors

?Ragnarok is upon us! ? they cry, as my scream tears though them like a conjured poltergeist.

To their maddened eyes a terrible vision of a ghostly army materialises, necromanced and heralded by my cry, grasping at them with skeletal hands and slashing with pale flaming swords. Men slay themselves to be free of that horror. I cry then, sobbing tears of blood? . I scream? .I sing for

Em er gin g Ir ish Wr it er GREGORY PATRICK Greg Patrick has garnered a loyal following among readers of the Irish Poetry Corner and fans of his books around the world. He is a lover and proponent of Ireland and all things Irish. He is an active participant in the Irish Music scene when in California.

Patrick spent his youth with his mother 's Traveler peo,ple when back home in Ireland. There he hails from Derry and Galway where he worked with great horses for years.

Page 25

When with his Armenian sailor father he traveled the South Pacific and continental Europe.

GP also resides part of the time in Krakow, Ireland and presently the states. He loves to travel but when in SoCal, he resides in County Orange. He is always looking forward to an open horizon again.

A prodigious writer, Patrick crafts short stories, poems, and books. He is an appreciative reader too and always excited to be included in the Irish Arts and Entertainment magazine.

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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

Tick et in f or m at ion & Pu r ch ase Th e Celt ic Th u n der At Hom e Ser ies SEASON 4 w ill r u n f r om Tu esday Novem ber 24 t o Sat u r day Novem ber 28 LIVE on St ageit , w it h a dif f er en t even t each n igh t . Sh ow t im e f or each even t is 7.30 PM (EST) So 4:30: PM f or ou r Calif or n ia Reader s oin t h is am azin g Ir ish Gr ou p f or t h e h ist or y & St or ies Beh in d t h e son gs w it h Celt ic Th u n der ?, an d ?Th an k sgivin g Din n er ?w it h Celt ic Th u n der .

PUBLIC SERVICE SPOT

We ar e r each in g ou t t o you on beh alf of Be Ir ish @ Ch r ist m as,an in it iat ive w h ich w ill r u n f r om t h e 21 - 31 Decem ber 2020, br ou gh t t o you by t h e Depar t m en t of For eign Af f air s.

We ar e in vit in g you t o join an d su ppor t t h is in it iat ive in or der t o en gage an d con n ect w it h ou r global Ir ish diaspor a, in par t icu lar t h e 250,000+ w h o w ill n ot be able t o r et u r n h om e du e t o COVID-19 t h is year . It is also aim ed at t h e w ider Ir ish diaspor a an d t h ose w h o h ave a gr รก or ar e in t er est ed in Ir elan d an d Ir ish cu lt u r e. Click lin k f or det ails.

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November, 2020

Irish Arts & Entertainment

Su n day, Decem ber St ar t s at 2 PM (& Ever y Su n day f or t h e t im e bein g) We k n ow you m iss Ken at t h e pu bs so t h is w ill h elp!

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Samhain

On Going Celtic, Ir ish & Pub Calendar Send your links and listings to:

irishmissive@gmail.com

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NEW IRISH AM ERICAN PODCAST CELTIC STEW with Co-hosts John Lee and Martin Nutty explore Irish stories & identities through interviews When Martin Nutty and John Lee realized they were planning to do similar podcasts, they collaborated to create Irish Stew: Conversation for the Global Irish Nation which launched today at irishstewpodcast.com, iTunes, Spotify, and other popular podcast platforms.

Nutty is from Dublin, came to the U.S. on an athletic scholarship, and works as a programmer in the financial services sector, indulging his interests in Irish history, genealogy and storytelling in his own The Nutty Chronicles podcast. Lee, an Irish-American whose grandparents all came from Ireland, works in public relations, has served on the board of the Irish American Writers & Artists, is the president of the Irish Business Organization of New York, and is often tabbed to moderate panels on Irish topics at business events. ?We?re looking to engage with Irish influencers globally, explore what an Irish identity means to the 70 million people worldwide who claim it and hear great stories from influencers on the island of Ireland and from its diaspora around the world,?

Lee said.? Through compelling conversations, we aim to advance a fresh narrative on what it means to be Irish.? ?We?re looking to be the glue in the stew,? Nutty

said. ?We want the podcast to strengthen the connective tissue among far-flung Irish outposts, create a constructive dialogue on Irish identity and build the argument for permanently retiring the ?Plastic Paddy.?We?re talking to great people, learning new things, and having good craic along the way.?

After releasing its preview episode last week, Irish Stew kicks off with three full episodes featuring conversations with Jeffrey Hayzlett, CEO of the C-Suite Network who recounts his emotional first visit to Ireland and his thoughts on Donald Trump from his stint on The Apprentice; Bridget Bray who blows the dust off genealogy and describes how to break through the dreaded ?brick wall? to find your ancestors; and top-tier podcast producer Bill Schultz, who despite the German name, tells of his strong Irish roots, and shares insider insights on podcasting today.

Schultz has since signed on to be the Irish Stew producer/editor and the show?s musical theme was composed and sung by Rosa Nutty.

w w w.ir ish st ew podcast .com / on Tw it t er ,

November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

The Best Vir tual Pub In The Know n Univer se

Page 31

Get you r Ir ish or Celt ic Even t List ed... Sen d in f o t o:

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Are you interested in wr iting and cover ing events for the Irish Arts & Entertainment?

We would love to hear from you. We are able to offer a lot of per ks, tickets and the like, expenses and NO cash for the dur ation Fir st step is to j oin our Wr iter 's Group on Facebook. We will follow up from there.

No fan of Social M edia? Not a problem!

Just call Jim at 951 216-1493 or Email:

j mcdonough44@gmail.com

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Samhain

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November, 2020

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Page 33

DECEM BER HERALDS CHRISTM AS an d ou r ANNUAL

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Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t

Samhain

FOUR COURTS DIGITAL ARCHIVE NOW ONLINE! A RESOURCE FOR THE IRISH DIOSPHERA Five in st it u t ion s ar e in volved

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