Irish Arts and Entertainment 2023 Year In Review January, 2024

An n u al I r i sh Year I n Rev i ew Pi ct or i al I ssu e

Vo l . X X X I I I # 1

Jan u ar y ~ Ean ái r

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OWEN DARA Per f or m in g again in Pasaden a an d Fin ish in g Up His Th ir d Film See September

Top Left: M cNally Fam ily m ar ch in g in t h e

In side Th is Issu e

Ven t u r a St . Pat r ick 's Day Par ade in M ar ch , 2023 See Page 23 for YEAR IN REVIEW

Rem em ber in g Sh an e M cGow an

Just above across the page: Cr aic in t h e St on e

Du blin Riot s See Page 21

w ill be h eadlin in g t h e 2024 Ir ish Fair G) Pg 23

See Page 26

More Inside, See Page 2

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I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

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

Press Relations Al Geien er

Graphics/ Ad Design Jim , Pat r ick & Fr eelan cer s Marketing & Sales Director

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Ean ái r

Let t er Fr om THE PUBLISHER Dear Friends and Readers The 6th. of Januar y is a ver y special day in I reland, it is celebr ated as L ittle Chr istmas or Woman's Chr istmas! (See related feature on page 7) I n I r ish, we say: Nollaig Bheag Shona duit

L á na dTr í Rí Happy Little Christmas! Three Kings Day/Epiphany This issue we take a look back at some of the highlights of 2023. I t was an odd year of both getting back to nor mal and of greviouse upsets. We are I r ish so we per severe. We celebr ate the beautiful and the good and we optimistically think we will be able to handle our tr agedies. As Yeates said, " Being I r ish, he had an abiding sense of tr agedy, which sustained him through tempor ar y per iods of j oy.

Jim M cDon ou gh

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OFFER So for ge ahead and please keep reading. We are here as your guide in All Things I r ish. A lot is r iding on us Ou r n ew w ebsit e is u n der con st r u ct ion an d soon as we tr y to keep shining and spreading our ability to su bscr iber s w ill be able t o cope ith challenges as we make the best of life. That is r eed t h e cu r r en t issu e the essence of being I r ish.

The I r ish Season is almost upon us as Febr uar y 1, is St Br igid's Feast Day and the star t; then we continue through St. Patr ick's Day on M arch 17 and on till the end of M arch which is designated I r ish Amer ican Her itage month in the US.

Layout & Typos Jim & Pat r ick Con t act Us Via Em ail: ir ish m issive@gm ail.com Jim 's Cell: 951 216-1493

an d ar ch ives of t h e Irish Arts & Entertainment t h er e. You w ill st ill be em ailed a lin k t o r ead t h e Flipbook . How ever , ou r r esear ch h as sh ow n t h at t h er e is gr eat in t er est in ju st goin g on lin e via sm ar t ph on es so w e w ill be of f er in g t h at opt ion .

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Wom an's Ch r ist m as, t h e t r adit ion s of Jan u ar y 6 in Ir elan d See h e m on t h lyt h ly Calen dar f or t h e Au ld Du blin er in Lon g Beach is on Page11. Th ey ar e doin g m or e t o k eep t r adit ion al Ir ish M u sic an d Dan ce in t h e f or ef r on t t h an

w w w.au lddu blin er .com Ou r r egu lar f eat u r es: M au r ice Fit zpat r ick 's View f r om Ir elan d an d Joh n M cNally 's Ir ish Com m en t ar y Starts page 23 HIDDEN GEM S SERIES an d ou r r egu lar

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Der ek War f ield & Th e You n g Wolf e Ton es Set f or M ar ch Ser ies of Th r ee Con cer t s In Sou t h er n Calif or n ia A special group of Irish men and women have been responsible for preservat ion of t he t radit ion of Irish ballad singing over t he past 50 years. Derek Warfield is a dist inguished name among t hem. Derek Warfield and They Young W olfe Tones are bringing t hat musical t radit ion forward wit h a reverence for Ireland?s past and t he energy and opt imism of a new generat ion of Irish musicians.

Derek Warfield & The Young W olfe Tones are t hrilled t o be celebrat ing 15 years On t he One Road. They are a merry bunch and are delight ed t o be celebrat ing it in st yle wit h t he release of a new CD ?Let The Free Birds Fly? which was released in June 2022.

They are const ant ly shut t leing around t he globe wit h many performances all over America including some great Irish American Fest ivals & Venues. ?W e?re present ing an old t radit ion in a new package ? and I?ve t he same passion for it now as I had when it all st art ed 50 years ago!?

enjoyed phenomenal success wit h 13 best -selling albums, 3 number one hit s, many t elevision appearances and shows in est eemed venues such as New York?s Carnegie Hall and The Royal Albert Hall in London.

Derek has been proudly present ed wit h t he keys t o San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles for his cont ribut ions t o Irish Song & M usic over t he years and was honoured as ?Dublin Gael of The Year 2013? by t he New York Dublin Societ y.

Since breaking away from t he W olfe Tones in 2001, Derek?s solo career has yielded 12 albums t o dat e, t he most successful of t hem being ?A Nat ion once again? ?On t he One Road?, ?God save Ireland? ?Sons of Erin? ?The Bonnie Blue Flag? ?Washingt on?s Irish? ?Let Ye All be Irish Tonight ?, ?Call Of Erin? and ?Let The Free Birds Fly?. W it h t he format ion and ongoing success of The Young W olfe Tones, t he legend of Derek Warfield cont inues.

LEGACY ? THE YOUNG W OLFE TONES

Derek Warfield & The Young W olfe Tones (One of t he headlining act s of M ilwaukee Irish Fest ival 2018 (The biggest Irish Fest ival in t he world)

In 2001, aft er nearly 40 years performing, t he legendary W olfe Tones part ed wit h t heir founder and leader ? Derek Warfield. No ot her Irish folk group, before or since, t old t he st ory of Ireland so Derek Warfield (New York Societ y Dublin M an of The Year 2013) complet ely and unapologet ically. But for Derek?s hunger and and (The AOH Spirit Of Freedom Award 2017) desire t o cont inue t o furt her t he st ory of Ireland t hrough song, an " ancient t radit ion might have lost perhaps it s most iconic figure. In Derek Warfield & The Young W olfe Tones (Official performers for 2008, Derek put t oget her a band cont aining some of t he finest ?2015 The Friends Of Ireland Speaker John Beohner St Pat rick?s musicians and singers in Irish music ? The Young W olfe Tones.

Day Luncheon in Capit ol Hill) for President Obama, Vice President Biden, Taoiseach Enda Kenny & many ot her dist inguished friends of Irish America.

2016 Was a pinnacle for Derek and The Young W olfet ones was when t hey were chosen t o perform on t he 24t hApril at t he 1916 cent enary commemorat ions at t he General Post Office in O?Connell St reet Dublin at 12.o?clock noon. This was t he exact same t ime t he Irish proclamat ion was read by Padraig Pearse one hundred years ago t o t he minut e. As Derek is quot ed as saying ?of all t he honours best owed on t he W olfet ones old and young t his privilege was t he most significant . It was honour t o perform t he music and songs of remembrance and t he pat riot ic ballads t hat were sung by t he volunt eers inside t he building during t he st ruggle for our freedom, and we performed t hem wit h t he same passion and emot ion.?The Foggy Dew?, ?W rap t he Green Flag Round me? ?The Soldiers Song? were some of t he chorus?s t hat rang out along t he main t horoughfare t o t he 30,000 people assembled.

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Derek Warfield & The Young W olfe Tones produced a powerful 20 t rack CD commemorat ive 1916 CD t it led ?The Call of Erin? t hat embraces t he herit age of popular ballads t hat remember our hero?s and pat riot s in poem, song and music.

Aft er spending nearly 40 years as founder, leader and front man of t he legendary W olfe Tones (named aft er t he 18t hcent ury Irish Revolut ionary Theobald W olfe Tone), Derek Warfield is revered as a singer, songwrit er, hist orian and ent ert ainer in all part s of t he world where Irish root s have been put down. The W olfe Tones

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Jan u ar y 2024

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The Auld Dubliner Irish Pub & Restaurant 71 S. Pine Street Long Beach, CA 90802 562 437-8300 www.aulddubliner.com

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Sc o t t Wel l & Cr ai c i n t h e St o n e B y Ji m M cD on ou gh

SCOTT WELL, Scot t W ell is a pleasure t o t alk t o. He is very honest and open and loves sharing t he great t ime he is having as a member of Craic in t he St one and most recent ly as a prominent member of SoCal's Irish Communit y.

W ell recent ly became a member of t he Board of Direct ors of t he Irish Fair Foundat ion. This writ er is also on t he board so I am experiencing first hand his wonderful cont ribut ion and ent husiasm t oward having one of t he

most amazing Irish Fairs ever. W ell and Griff Healy, Fair Board President have already gone t o Ireland t o an Irish Government sponsored conference for Irish Fair organizers. The current Irish administ rat ion want s t o encourage and help US Irish Fairs as part of t heir own out reach t o promot e Irish causes and t ravel.

W ell has agreed t o do an int erview so we will have t hat for our readers next mont h. M eanwhile Craic in t he St one is

w w w.f r ien dsof sin n f ein .or g

New Ir ish Fair Fou n dat ion Boar d M em ber t he only band officially signed for t he Irish Fair in Torrance, the Big Irish Fair 2024 , so we are going t o st art wit h t he band. A st andout in t he Celt ic folk/rock music scene, Craic in t he St one is known for t heir unique sound and excit ing performances. W it h a decade performing at fest ivals and music venues all over SoCal, t hey have gat hered a worldwide following of ?Craic Heads.?

See Page 22

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I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Feast of the Epiphany Nol l ai g Bh eag Sh on a dui t !

I n I r el an d, Jan uar y 6 i s k n ow n as " Nol l ai g n a m Ban ," " Wom en ' s Ch r i st m as."

This tradition involves women taking a break from their usual household duties and enjoying a day of relaxation while men take over the household chores.

It's a way to honor and appreciate the women's efforts during the Christmas season.

The Feast of the Epiphany, also known as " Little Christmas," is celebrated on January 6 as well. It marks the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus and is considered the end of the Christmas season in Ireland. Some people may engage in special church services, and there might be traditional customs associated with the day.

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down Christmas decorations on this night.

Irish superstitions may vary, but some people believe in customs to bring good luck for the new year. For example, some traditions involve cleaning the house thoroughly on January 6 to symbolize a fresh start and remove any negativity. Others may follow customs like opening doors and windows to let in fresh air, sweeping out the old year, and welcoming the new one. Overall, Irish celebrations and superstitions around January 6 are diverse and can vary from region to region and family to family. The focus is often on marking the end of the Christmas season and welcoming the new year with optimism.

Twelfth Night, which is also linked to the Epiphany, falls on January 5, the night before the Feast of the Epiphany. In some Irish traditions, it marks the end of the Christmas festivities, and it's common to take

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I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

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al so gr een

T h e I r i sh A r t s & En t r t ai n m en t 's A N N U A L PI C T O RI A L YEA R I N REV I EW

Jan u ar y, 2023

Nick Jor dan pict u r ed h er e is t h e Fou n der of Wells Of Lif e A couple weeks ago, we put out a call for submissions t o our Year In Review of 2023 and Nick was one of t he first t o respond. W e were ast onished at how much t his amazing charit y has accomplished since our last feat ure in 2022. W ell s of Life had spect acular growt h and st ayed ext remely busy all year. W e cover just t hree of t heir endeavors in our pict orial spread in t his issue.

The need for clean wat er in t he world is unrelent ing and W ells of Life is helping t o solve t his horrible crisis and supply wat er and a bet t er life t o t housands of deserving people (out of millions in need). W e hope our coverage here and in f u t u r e issu es w ill in spir e ou r r eader s t o join t h eir t ir eless ef f or t .

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ICU Goodbye is a pow er f u l w or k by St eve O'Lou gh lin t h at w as st ill on exh ibit on e year ago in Jan u ar y of 2023. Covid 19 w as a sh ar ed cr isis an d h or r or t h at f or ever ch an ged t h e w or ld. O'Lou gh lin's w or k is a t r ibu t e t o t h ose br ave an d dedicat ed car egiver s w h o h elped u s all an d a m em or ial t o t h ose sou ls w h o su f f er ed an d died.

Febr u a r y , 2023 Last Febr u ar y w e of f er ed a f eat u r e on St . Br igid w h ich w e ar e lin k in g h er e.

CLICK HERE. Page 27 Sh e w as con ver t ed by St . Pat r ick h im self an d w as a pow er f u l f igu r e in t h e ear ly days of t h e ch u r ch in Ir elan d. A f ascin at in g lif e in deed!

Rem em ber , h er f east day is t h e st ar t of t h e Ir ish Season so get r eady f or t w o m on t h s of

ALL THINGS IRISH!

Six Nat ion s Ru gby st ar t s ever y Febr u ar y an d con clu des m id M ar ch . Ir elan d w er e t h e ch am pion s in 2023 def eat in g En glan d in Du blin

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M ar ch , 2023

Joh n an d Sally M cNally an d f r ien ds m ar ch in g in t h e Ven t u r a, CA St . Pat r ick 's Day Par ade. Th eir con t in gen t w on t h e M ost Ir ish Tr oph y!

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Januar y, 2024

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

RIVERDANCE RETURNED TO LA

Ven t u r a's AOH An n u al Half w ay t o

Th e 25t h An n iver sar y Tou r

St Pat r ick 's Day w it h Th e Plou gh boys.

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On t h e r igh t , ou r Tr avel an d Film Wr it er , Bar bar a Sin ger w it h Bar bar a Wood, West er n M an ager USA Tou r ism Ir elan d based in San Fr an cisco at t h e pr em ier e of IM AX Th is Is Ir elan d f ilm

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I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

M y Spr in g Tr ip t o Ir elan d an d f ir st t im e in beau t if u l Belf ast . A m u st visit st op, t h e Tit an ic M u seu m in

Belf ast Ou r m ost popu lar f eat u r e of 2023 A ver y m oder n m u seu m dedicat ed t o t h e st or y of t h e RM S Tit an ic, w h ich w as bu ilt in t h e cit y. In t er act ive exh ibit s, salvaged ar t if act s f r om t h e doom ed sh ip, r econ st r u ct ion s an d am azin g gian t m u r als/ ph ot os.

Ean ái r

Apr il, 2023

Jan u ar y , 2024

Look in g back t o Apr il of t h is past year , Con gr at u lat ion s ar e again in or der t o ou r f r equ en t an d w ell appr eciat ed con t r ibu t or Gr eg Pat r ick w h o at t ain ed h is M ast er s in Hist or y f r om Ar izon a St at e.

Givin g an appr ovin g n od t o Gr eg is Fr an k lin h is beloved cat of 15 year s. Sor r y t o r epor t , Gr eg's gr eat pal passed aw ay in Decem ber .

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

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Apr il & M ay, 2023

Ir ish n at ive, Dr Sally M cNally Gr egor y Byr on Pat r ick celebr at ed h is ASU gr adu at ion at M edieval Right :

Tom m y an d t h e Br ot h er s at Th e Wr en : Bottom

Th e last Im por t Sh op boot h at Scot sFest in 2022, Gone but certainly not forgotten!

Th e Ir ish Im por t Sh op an d of lat e, THE WREN THEATRE w as f in ally f or ced t o close af t er alm ost 60 year s in bu sin ess in Hollyw ood!

w as aw ar ded NURSE OF THE YEAR by t h e Ven t u r a Cou n t y M edical Resou r ce Fou n dat ion .

Click link to isten to her popular Podcast: w w w.you t u be.com / @t h ebleedin t r u t h podcast / videos

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IRISH FAIR & CELTIC MUSIC FESTIVE NOW SET FOR TORRANCE IN MID- JULY

By J im McDonough

Speaking of tr aditions....one of Souther n Califor nia's best events and a tr adition for well over 40 year s is r etur ning in July of 2024.

Sat u r day, M ay 20, t h e Nin t h An n u al RUN 4 WATER or gan ized by Wells of Lif e t ook place in Or an ge Cou n t y.

Con sider par t icepat in g t h is year ! Sign u p t o r u n or or gan ize a t eam : CLICK HERE

The new boar d of the Ir ish Fair Foundation has signed a deal with the City of Tor r ance to use Wilson Par k as the location for this year 's event on July 20 & 21.

The Big Ir ish Fair salutes Ir eland and Ir ish Amer ica! A lot of planning and wor k lies ahead, The Ir ish Ar ts and Enter tainment has signed on as the official Media Par tner so we will be cover ing the ensuing plans and developments extensively.

We ar e ver y happy to r epor t two ver y exciting pending agr eements alr eady; the Young Dubliner s will be playin g both days and the McNulty School of Ir ish Dance will be or ganizing an official Ir ish Dance Feis

The new boar d member s ar e: Gr iffin Healy, Pr esident, Jay Har t, Chief of Police, Tor r ance; Scott Well, Attor ney and member of Cr aic in the Stone, Er in Scott, McNulty School of Ir ish Dance+, David McKenna Pr esident of the Ancient Or der of Hiber nians, Jim McDonough, Publisher of the Ir ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

Ou r in t r epid adven t u r er an d w r it er Gr eg Pat r ick f in ish ed h is M ast er s in Hist or y in Spr in g of 203.

To celebr at e h e t ou r ed Eu r ope an d t h e Sou t h Pacif ic! Above, Gr eg t ak in g in t h e sigh t s in Pr agu e. On t h e r igh t , sw im m in g w it h sh ar k s in Polyan esia,

Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

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Ju ly, 2023 WILLOS' It aly Based Ir ish M u sic M ak er s

Pict u r ed h er e NOONER & M AC

Th er e ar e gr eat Ir ish Ban ds in Ir elan d an d in t h e US, w e h ave bu ilt a n ice bu sin ess w r it in g abou t an d pr om ot in g Ir ish Ar t s, M USIC an d En t er t ain m en t ! Th e poin t bein g w h en w e h ear d abou t a r eally good Ir ish gr ou p an d w e f in d ou t t h ey ar e based in It aly, w e w an t ed t o k n ow m or e. We f ollow ed u p an d got t o k n ow a lot abou t som e r eally t alen t ed m u sician s f r om f ou r dif f er en t cou n t r ies w h o f ou n ded a ban d dedicat ed t o Ir ish M u sic. Th ey t ou r all over Eu r ope an d h ave t u r n ed ou t a w on der f u l CD. We con sider t h em ou r f avor it e n ew ban d of 2023. M ORE: w w w.w illos.eu

Last Ju ly w h en t w o of ou r best f r ien ds m et ! Pau l Noon an an d Th om M acNam ar a h ave been gr eat f r ien ds an d su ppor t er s of t h e Ir ish Ar t s an d En t er t ain m en t f or over 30 year s. Ou r m u t u al f r ien ds an d Ir ish Ar t s ar ch ivist s f in ally m et t h is su m m er . We appr eciat e t h em t h in k in g of u s an d sen din g alon g t h e ph ot o.

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VENDORS, VOLUNTEERS an d ENTERTAINERS a r e all bein g sou gh t f or t h e Ju ly BIG IRISH FAIR. M or e excit in g det ails f or t h e New an d bigger t h an ever Ir ish Fair an d M u sic Fest ival t o be h eld in Tor r an ce (Sou t h Bay of f t h e 405) w ill be det ailed in ou r Febr u ar y issu e!! In t h e m ean t im e please click h er e f or ou r n ew ven u e:

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ED NOTE: An yon e w h o en joys w or k in g at som et h in g t h at t h ey love t o do is in m y m in d ver y lu ck y. I am on e of t h ose people. I en joy bein g a pu blish er an d w r it er . I'm also a h ist or y bu f f so last Su m m er , I w r ot e a f eat u r e on t h e Ir ish an d Ir ish Am er ican s w h o m ade a last in g con t r ibu t ion t o t h e Am er ican Revolu t ion . It w as pr obably m y f avor it e st or y of 2023 so in case you m issed it I've lin k ed it h er e:

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Aviva St adiu m in Du blin w as t h e h ost f or t h e Aer Lin gu s

College Foot ball Classic on Sat u r day, Au gu st 26, 2023 Th e at t en dan ce f or t h e Not r e Dam e Navy gam e m ar k ed a h ist or ic global r ecor d f or t h e lar gest n u m ber of Am er ican s t r avelin g t o an in t er n at ion al spor t in g even t . Th e st adiu m h olds alm ost 50,000 an d 39,000 w er e visit in g Am er ican s!Th e cit y of Du blin w en t above an d beyon d, en su r in g a vibr an t at m osph er e f or t h e occasion . Th e icon ic Dam e St r eet w as t r an sf or m ed in t o a pedest r ian zon e, an d var iou s even t s en liven ed var iou s cor n er s of t h e cit y.

PUBLIC SERVICE & IRISH COM M UNITY LINKS an d LISTINGS ar e FREE! Bu sin ess an d Pu b Calen dar list in gs an d Social M edia Post s an d SHARES ar e FREE f or ou r Adver t iser s.

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Am er ican Foot ball Fan s In vaded Du blin !! An am azin g exper ien ce, t h e r eveler s w er e w ell beh aved an d h appy t o be par t of a on ce in a lif et im e m om en t !

Cell: 951 216-1493 Em ail: Ir ish m issive@gm ail.com

Jan u ar y , 2024

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Sept em ber

ABOVE & ON THE LEFT

OWEN DARA is an am azin g Act or , Film -m ak er , M u sician , Son gw r it er an d gr eat f r ien d t o t h is pu blicat ion .

DARA is also on e of t h e h ar dest w or k in g per f or m er s an d pr odu cer s t h at w e k n ow.

Fr equ en t gigs an d a n ew f ilm t h is year ar e a t est am en t t o h is dedicat ion an d h ar d w or k !

KRIS COLT w as bot h an an n ou n cer an d a solo sin ger on t h e t r adit ion al st age at t h e M id Ten n essee High lan d Gam es an d Celt ic M u sic Fest ival t h is past Sept em ber . Sh e an d h er ban d w ill be in SoCal in 2024

Oct ober Th e 24t h . NBFF

Th e Ir ish Spot ligh t on Su n day, Oct ober 15 sh ow cased f ilm s f r om Ir elan d an d w as a sell ou t !

Ven t u r a's Seaside

High lan d Gam es closed ou t Oct ober an d w er e w on der f u l w it h a gr eat t u r n ou t .

Sor r y, w e m issed it du e t o h ealt h issu es.

Page 18

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Ean ái r

Novem ber , 2023

A happy & heart y group of visit ors t o Ireland in Oct ober under t he care of David Copley (Cent er) and t he AULD DUBLINER! Pict ure was t aken aft er lunch at ?Harrys Shack? in Port st ewart , NI. Tour was Oct 3-12. 2023.

Trim, Bushmills, Inishowen, Sligo. Galway, Tullamore and Dublin. Bushmills, Sliabh league, M icil, Tullamore and Roe & Co. Vist ing dist illeries all t hrough Ireland! www.facebook.com/ HarrysShack/

An n ou n ced in Novem ber of 2023 Wells of Lif e, (501(c)3 n on -pr of it } dedicat ed t o

ph ilan t h r opist , Jam es St eph en ?Jim m y Don aldson? ? k n ow n pr of ession ally as ?M r .

pr ovidin g saf e, clean w at er f or t h e people of Ugan da, h as par t n er ed w it h f am ou s You Tu ber

Beast ? ? t o br in g w or ldw ide at t en t ion t o t h e desper at e n eed f or w at er in Af r ica an d t o pr ovide 30 essen t ial w ells in Ugan da.

(209 M illion Su bscr iber s) an d

Page 20

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Ean ái r

Ow en st ar t ed back at t h e 1881 on Sept em ber 5t h . Ow en t ells u s, " I h ad ju st r et u r n ed f r om Ir elan d af t er spen din g 10 w eek s over t h er e. I h ave played ever y Tu esday ever sin ce." Th e t r ibu t e of Fair yt ale of NY w as per f or m ed on Decem ber 2n d--t w o days af t er Sh an e M acGow an's passin g.

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Th is past Decem ber w as a Ch r ist m as Season t o Rem em ber f or m an y r eason s. We all m ade it t h r ou gh a t u m u lt u ou s year an d w e w er e pr esen t ed w it h t w o spect acu lar / sold ou t Ch r ist m as Sh ow s f r om Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s! On the left at the top; Sin ger s f r om Th e Sou n d of Ch r ist m as Sin g-Alon g. Center left: Th e Legen d of Th e Wr en an d Spect acu lar Ir ish Dan cin g f r om AN IRISH CHRISTM AS Bottom Left

Figgy Pu ddin g m ade as bot h a ch allen ge an d labor of love by ou r coh or t an d con t r ibu t or An dy Scot t . Th e h om em ade t r adit ion al Ch r ist m as t r eat t u r n ed ou t w ell! Below An dy an d An n ar e bot h t ir eless in t h eir dedicat ion t o All Th in gs Celt ic. An dy is also a popu lar Piper an d plays f r equ en t ly all over Or an ge Cou n t y.

The Celtic Camer a

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M cNu lt y Ir ish Dan cer s, Ch r ist m as 2023 Un der t h e dir ect ion of Er in Scot t , t h e M cNu lt y Sch ool an d dan cer s ar e con t in u in g t o st an d ou t as t h ese dedicat ed an d t alen t ed in st r u ct or s an d st u den t s ar e m ak in g a last in g im pact on t h e Ir ish Com m u n it y.

Ou r pu blish er 's dau gh t er in law , Ch asit y M or r ison M cDon ou gh on t h e r igh t an d f am ily f r ien d Su san Hoef er t en joyin g t h e spect acu lar an n u al Ch r ist m as Ligh t s at Br ook gr een Gar den s in M u r r els In let , SC w w w ,br ook gr een .or g

Sally M cNally, Con su l Gen er al of Ir elan d's M ar cella Sm yt h & Joh n M cNally at t h e Ch r ist m as Recept ion at t h e Con su l Gen er al's h om e in LA on Decem ber 7

Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Page 21

Irish Travel & Tours Eight Days and Seven Night s!

good t radit ional music at a concert or pubs. Second night in Galway, night and night four in Ireland. Everyone says t o not

Dublin, Galway and a Train Ride

miss out on experiencing t radit ional Irish music in t he pubs in Dublin and Galway as all of t hem are are known for t heir lively night life.

By Patrick Weld I am going t o Ireland in t he middle of February and made a deal for a 2 part st ory wit h t his magazine, my favorit e by t he way. This is the hook. Here I am preseneting a preview and my plans for the trip. In March, Jim has agreed to run the story about how the trip actually went. Should be fun, Hope you enjoy both.

First Day in Dublin. I will get in early from London. I want t o see t he relics of St . Valent ine! M orbid right ? I read about t his a year or t wo ago in t he Irish Art s. St . Valent ine's Church: is act ually t he W hit efriars St reet Carmelit e Church in Dublin.

It 's a short walk from t he cit y cent er.

Trinit y College Book of Kells: I have heard about t he oldest illust rat ed book t here my whole life and want t o see it . M y uncle went t o med school at Trinit y and says it is wort h a visit . I figure Day 1 will give me t he aft ernoon t here t o explore Trinit y College's beaut iful campus, and t he Book of Kells in t he Library. Then check int o t he Abbey Court host el which I have st ayed at before.

So depending on how t his all goes, t he fift h nigh might be in Galway or back t o Dublin.

Irish railways are generally reliable and comfort able.

However, for short dist ances, buses might be more convenient and cost -effect ive. so t hat is anot her wild card.

The weat her will help or hurt t he decision! I read about t he weat her and get Boy Scout advice! " Be prepared for chilly and possibly rainy weat her. Bring layers and wat erproof clot hing."

Back in Dublin, t he plan is t o visit Temple Bar, visit t he Nat ional M useum of Ireland, and t ake a walk in Phoenix

Park.

That 's it for now. Follow up in M arch.

Day 2, Tuesday AM St . Pat rick's Cat hedral: Again, I heard about t his from my Uncle Alex so off I go.

In t he aft ernoon Guinness St orehouse: There's an ent ry fee for t he Guinness St orehouse. It 's a popular at t ract ion, and you can learn about t he brewing process and enjoy a compliment ary pint at t he Gravit y Bar wit h panoramic views of t he cit y.

Day 3 Train t o Galway from Dublin: Early Train from Dublin t o Galway: The t rain journey t akes approximat ely 2.5 t o 3 hours, and it 's a scenic rout e. Explore Eyre Square, visit t he Spanish Arch, st roll along Quay St reet , and enjoy t he vibrant at mosphere.

That should handle my t hird day, Galway Cit y M useum: I plan t o learn about t he hist ory of Galway and t he Claddagh village. The museum is free t o ent er.

I have leads on t wo good Galway Host els so t o find t hem and check in will t ake a couple hours. M y research says t he Kinlay Host el and Barnacles Host el are popular choices for budget and young t ravelers. So our t hird and fourt h night s will be at a new (t o us) host el in Galway.

As of now, Day 4 is open but t he general plan is t o eat and find

St . Pat r ick 's In Du blin Google Open Source

Page 22

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Ean ái r

Continued from page 6

CRAIC in t he STONE According t o t heir press kit which we are sharing here wit h our readers; t he band got t oget her in 2013 when a group of experienced musicians put t oget her a set of t radit ional and modern Celt ic music makers for a one-night concert at t he Chance Theat er in Anaheim, California. It t urned out t o be a magical moment , and Viola! Craic in t he St one was born.

Aft er recording t hree st udio CDs, Craic in t he St one released a fully produced music video of an original song about t heir favorit e beer, ?It ?s Guinness? in 2020 which is on t heir fourt h CD, ?PUB TUNES.?

Their fift h release, ?Slaint e? shows off t he variet y of st yles t he band is known for. Full of surprises, Craic will go from a st andard like ?W hiskey in t he Jar? int o a Led Zeppelin cover, followed by one of t heir original t unes wit hout skipping a beat .

Frequent ly performing at long est ablished local venues such as t he Coach House, The Harp, and M uldoon's Irish Pub (where t hey hang on t he ?Wall of Fame?) Craic in t he St one cont inues t o expand t heir musical horizons by recording and performing new music. For Craic in t he St one's members, t he real fun begins when playing t oget her in front of an audience - because t hat 's where t he real magic happens.

M EM BERS Talent ed lead vocalist Janelle Vione capt ivat es audiences wit h her powerful voice and expressive performance.

Chris Caput o?s harmonies creat e a seamless and magical blend.

Adding t o t he mix is t he virt uosit y of vet eran fiddler M at t Brislawn, who brings t he crowd t o t heir feet wit h every solo.

The band?s rock-solid rhyt hm sect ion feat ures t he acoust ic guit ar st ylings of Jay Rofsky, Scot t y M cKay driving t he beat on t he t radit ional bodhrán, cajon, and percussion, and Bill St rongin laying down some t ast y lines on elect ric bass.

The impressive musicianship becomes even more compelling when you not ice t he melodica, spoons, or mandolin sneaking int o t he mix, adding dept h and variet y t o t he band?s ever evolving repert oire which includes originals, fresh covers, and Celt ic/ Irish/ Scot t ish favorit es.

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SEAN GUNNING Is a Lon don er f r om Ir ish st ock . Au t h or of NO SAM ARITAN (48 poem s) , h e h as w on poet r y con t est s in t h e U.S. an d Can ada an d h as been pu blish ed in m an y an t h ologies an d m agazin es in t h e U.S., Can ada, an d Fr an ce.

THE BEST PRESENT EVER: A SINNER?S GUIDE TO THE HOLY LAND is h is f ir st w or k of lit er ar y n on -f ict ion .

His n ext book w ill be THE PURPLE PIT, a r om an t ic com edy, w h ich h e h as ju st f in ish ed w r it in g. He lives in Lon g Beach , CA w it h h is M exican -Am er ican w if e, w h o af t er 34 year s t oget h er is st ill t h e f u n n iest gir l h e h as ever m et . He can be con t act ed at sean gu n n in g1@ver izon .n et or w w w.sean gu n n in g.com .

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Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Page 23

2024: Momentum Toward Unity Polls Set to Increase

By John McNally Th e lik elih ood of a r e-u n it ed Ir elan d is becom in g m or e appar en t as m om en t u m gr ow s f or t h e u n it y r ef er en du m pr om ised in t h e Good Fr iday Agr eem en t .

2023 saw t h e con ver sat ion on con st it u t ion al ch an ge gat h er in g st r en gt h . Nu m er ou s islan d-w ide pu blic f or u m s w er e h eld w h er e all sect ion s of t h e Ir ish people discu ssed an d debat ed t h e idea of a u n it ed Ir elan d.

An Taoiseach , Leo Var adk ar , ack n ow ledged t h at w e ar e n ow "on t h e pat h t o u n if icat ion ." He said h e believes " t h er e w ill be a Un it ed Ir elan d in m y lif et im e."

M ar y Lou M cDon ald, pr esiden t of Sin n Féin , t h e lar gest par t y in bot h ju r isdict ion s of Ir elan d, said t h at t h is is t h e t im e f or ou r gen er at ion t o w r it e t h e n ext ch apt er on u n it y ? t o bu ild a n ew Ir elan d. Sh e said: " Gover n m en t m u st plan f or dem ocr at ic con st it u t ion al ch an ge. Th at m ean s a Cit izen s' Assem bly on u n it y. Th e day is com in g w h en ever yon e on t h is islan d w ill h ave t h eir say in r ef er en du m s."

Th e SDLP's New Ir elan d Com m ission also h eld a ser ies of pu blic even t s, an d t h e Ir ish New s su ppor t ed a Cit izen s' Assem bly.

2023 also saw t h e em er gen ce of sign if ican t voices f r om t h e Pr ot est an t / Un ion ist / Loyalist sect ion of t h e people.A f ou n din g m em ber of t h e Dem ocr at ic Un ion ist Par t y (DUP), Wallace Th om pson , h as descr ibed u n ion ism as a ph ilosoph y t h at w as "pr obably alw ays in m an y w ays doom ed" becau se of " Ir elan d's n at u r e, t h e f act t h at t h e n or t h w as car ved of f f r om t h e sou t h ." He also said t h er e is an " in evit abilit y " abou t som e f or m of Ir ish u n it y.

Th e polit ical lan dscape is com plicat ed du e t o t h e legacy of colon ialism . En din g sect ar ian segr egat ion an d ach ievin g r econ ciliat ion can best occu r u n der good leader sh ip an d a w or k in g gover n m en t , w h ich h as been lack in g sin ce t h e DUP collapsed t h e Gover n m en t at St or m on t a cou ple of year s ago.

Th e Br it ish Con ser vat ive Par t y h as dism issed t h e n ot ion of a bor der poll, an d t h e cu r r en t Du blin Gover n m en t is sh ow in g r elu ct an ce t o pu r su e an y m easu r es f or Ir ish Un it y. How ever , w it h gen er al elect ion s loom in g in bot h cou n t r ies in t h e n ext year , t h er e is an t icipat ion t h at t h e Labou r Par t y w ill assu m e con t r ol in West m in st er , w h ile Sin n Féin is poised t o secu r e vict or y in Ir elan d. Th is pot en t ial sh if t in polit ical leader sh ip is expect ed t o alt er t h e cu r r en t dyn am ics su r r ou n din g t h e issu e.

Th e 2021 cen su s f ou n d t h at , f or t h e f ir st t im e, t h er e ar e sligh t ly m or e Cat h olics t h an Pr ot est an t s in Nor t h er n Ir elan d, w h ich m ak es t h e gr ow in g n u m ber of im m igr an t s t h e lik ely decider s in an y r ef er en du m .

Th er ef or e, t h e econ om ic advan t ages of a u n it ed Ir elan d n eed t o be pr om ot ed.

Un it ed Islan der s k n ow n ot t o st ar t agit at in g f or a r ef er en du m u n t il t h er e is a clear pict u r e of h ow it w ou ld f u n ct ion . Br exit is an exam ple of t h e m ist ak e of h avin g people vot e on sign if ican t con st it u t ion al ch an ges w it h ou t k n ow in g t h e det ails. Nobody w an t s a r epeat of t h e Br exit m ess.

Joh n M cNally Ou r f eat u r ed w r it er , colu m n ist an d Ir ish

Com m u n it y Act ivist sh ar es h is t h ou gh t s on t h e lat est n ew s an d t r en ds con cer n in g Ir elan d an d Ir ish Am er ica.

Dif f er en t opin ion s an d view s ar e essen t ial in an y f r ee societ y.

We deeply appr eciat e ou r pr ess f r eedom s. Now , m or e t h an ever , it is im por t an t t o h ave Ir ish Com m u n it y act ivism , diver sit y an d in pu t .

Page 24

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Ean ái r

Th e View f r om Ir elan d The Rise of the Far-Right in Ireland?

By M au r ice Fit zpat r ick

On Thursday November 23rd, an Algerian-born man went berserk out side a school in Dublin cit y cent re, knifing four people, including t hree children. The man had been arrest ed in 2022 and 2023? t he first t ime for possession of a knife.

M ercifully nobody has died from his assault s. A few hours lat er, riot ers must ered in t he st reet s around O?Connell St reet . Riot police largely prevent ed t hem from ent ering t he main st reet of t he capit al cit y. However, t he police did not impede t hem from burning buses, a t ram and ot her object s; nor from loot ing shops, smashing windows and pet rol bombing. It was a night of shame for t he count ry and t he fallout from it has been huge.Thursday November 23rd was also t he day when t he Dut ch general elect ion result s became known. The elect ion saw t he long-t erm polit ical failure, Geert W ilders, win 37 seat s wit h his Freedom Part y (PVV), making it t he largest part y in Holland for t he first t ime in it s hist ory. W ilders is best posit ioned, in t he consequent coalit ion negot iat ions, t o become Holland?s next prime minist er.Just four days before t he riot s in Dublin and t he result s of t he Dut ch elect ion came in, Javier M ilei was elect ed president of Argent ina. The menagerie of M ilei?s idiocies is t oo long t o list . Suffice t o say his core ambit ion is t o t ake a chainsaw t o t he (already infirm) Argent inian st at e? it s st ruct ures of government , it s school syst em, t o t rading part ners and anyt hing else t hat pleases him. He is even apt t o wield a chainsaw on t he podium t o publicly reinforce his commit ment t o t hat great inst rument of polit ical reform. Yet if Argent inians seem t o have embraced nihilism, it is wort h recalling t hat t hey have had t o accept inflat ion t hat has made t heir mont hly salary wort h 10% less at t he end of t he mont h t han it was wort h at t he beginning.

So, t hey have t aken a punt on ?El Loco?as M ilei is known, t he M adman.How are t hese t hree event s connect ed? In a word, t he rise of t he far-right across t he globe. From M odi?s India t o Trump?s America, from Put in?s Russia t o Net anyahu?s Israel.

In Europe, t he far-right has risen t oo, part icularly t hrough Kaczy?ski?s Law and Just ice part y in Poland and Orbán?s rule in Hungary. For a t ime, Hungary and Poland were out liers in t he EU, rest rained by t he ot her member st at es t hrough condit ional budget ary measures. Now several W est ern European count ries have t urned t urt le and espoused t he ideology of t he far-right , edging t heir populat ions t owards learning (again) t he hard way from t he mist akes of t he past .

The Alt ernat ive for Germany part y, for example, cont inues t o gain ground, and it has apparent ly no issue wit h it s members advocat ing t hat Germany needs ?t o make a 180 degree change in t heir polit ics of commemorat ion?.

The far-right Sweden Democrat s are in government and have 20% support . M arine Le Pen is a st rong cont ender t o succeed Emmanuel M acron as president of France in t he 2027 elect ion. Giorgia M eloni, who describes herself as ?a right -wing woman?who has never repudiat ed M ussolini, is Prime M inist er of It aly. Europe, t he cont inent t hat spawned t he t hree fascist dict at orships (German, It alian and Spanish) t hat enveloped t he world in t he bloodiest war in hist ory from 1939-1945, is once again hospit able t o far-right polit icians whose populism ent ails ridding t heir count ries of ?undesirable?element s and ideologies.

W hile Ireland has remained relat ively resist ant t o t he empt y promises of far-right polit ics, t he count ry is far from immune t o t hem. The organisat ion of Ireland?s far-right is as yet rudiment ary. St ill, it would be naive t o assume t hat it cannot morph int o a force comparable t o part ies in ot her count ries.

Indeed, t he swing t o t he far-right elsewhere lends cover t o t hose who advocat e it in Ireland.

In M arch 2023, t his column det ailed t he polit ical fallout from a far-right march st aged in Dublin Cit y on February 6t h, involving around 2,000 people, which t arget ed polit icians as well as media organisat ions. That march was t he progenit or of several subsequent nast y demonst rat ions. On Sept ember 20t h, 200 people gat hered in front of government buildings t o greet polit icians, who were t hen ret urning aft er t he summer break, wit h hat red and menace. Images of polit icians were paint ed on mock gallows; prot est ors also blocked some polit icians from ent ering government buildings.

Flam es ligh t t h e n igh t in Du blin r iot s in Novem ber

Jan u ar y , 2023

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

VIEW Conclusion A key focus for t he main opposit ion part y, Sinn Féin, in response t o November 23rd, was t he removal of Just ice M inist er Helen M cEnt ee and Commissioner of t he Garda Síochána (police), Drew Harris. M cEnt ee and Harris could hardly claim t hat t here was no build up t o November 23rd. Nor could t hey at t est t hat t he response t ime and mobilisat ion t hat night was sufficient t o police t he riot ers. Sinn Féin t abled a mot ion of no-confidence in M inist er M cEnt ee in t he Dáil on December 5t h, which t he government comfort ably won, and Harris remains in his job as well.

Sinn Féin condemned t he marches on t he grounds t hat t hey sponsor hat red and racism. Yet t he marches were dist inct ly uncomfort able for t he part y. Sinn Féin leader, M ary Lou M cDonald, was one of t he main t arget s of t he February march? described as a ?t rait or?by post ers.

Unfort unat ely, t hat demonising language has been widely adopt ed over t he past mont h by crit ics of t he riot ers, and t hat is profoundly wrong-headed. Fint an O?Toole wrot e in t heIrish Times: ?we?re bet t er t han t he scumbags? These pit iful t hugs are not us?.Have self-st yled liberals ent irely failed t o reflect on t he disast rous consequences of Hilary Clint on?s labelling people (from whom she should have been seeking a mandat e) a ?basket of deplorables??In a government al hearing int o t he riot s, Senat or Lynn Ruane, a leader from a working-class background and aut hor of a memoir ent it ledPeople Like Me, t ook issue wit h t he Gardaí using such t erms as ?scumbags?or ?t hugs?.She urged t hem, and societ y, t o ?play t he ball not t he player?.

Page 25

Police Commissioner Harris conceded t hat t he Gardaí should do bet t er. By cont rast , M inist er for Just ice, also appearing at t he government al hearing, refused t o ret ract t he word ?scumbag?,which she had used in t he Dáil, t hough she helpfully added t hat t hat is not language she ?would normally use?.

CAIO BENICIO, Dublin Hero W e count er t he embrace of int olerance and bigot ry by ret aining our sense of ident it y and by refusing t o resort t o de-humanising language. And by celebrat ing t he following. Caio Benicio, t he Brazilian man who int ervened t o st op t he at t acker in Dublin, has received over 365,000 euro (400,000 USD) in donat ions t hrough a public campaign t o reward his courage. He plans t o use t he money t o bring his wife and children t o Ireland t o st art a new life.,

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Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Page 27

Editor's Note; On M ar ch 24, 2024, t h e ven er able Ye Olde Kin g's Head Br it ish Pu b w ill celebr at e t h eir 50t h An n iver sar y! We w ill be h er e r epor t in g all t h e excit in g det ails an d plan s f or t h is f in e t r adit ion al pu b, a San t a M on ica lan dm ar k ! Ch eck h er e & on lin e.

Page 28

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Ean ái r

I RI SH M U SI C News & Reviews Remembering Shane MacGowan

" Rem em ber n ot t h at h e died, bu t t h at h e lived, an d h e h as lef t u s w it h m em or ies t oo w on der f u l t o f or get !"

Ar dh eis Dé go r aibh a an am (M ay He Rest in Peace) As w e m en t ion ed in ou r Novem ber issu e, h er e is a f ollow u p f eat u r e on on e of t h e m ost beloved an d im pact f u l sin ger s of t h e past 50 year s. Her e is a lin k on You Tu be f r om t h e UK cover in g in g h is f u n er al n ear Tipper ar y, Ir elan d

Ir ish Sin ger an d Pogu es Fr on t m an Sh an e M acGow an Gon e at 65 11/ 30/ 23 w as a sad day f or Ir ish m u sic Shane Pat rick M acGowan is most remembered as t he legendary singer and songwrit er of t he Pogues. His wife Vict oria and ot her family members were wit h him at t he end. He had married Vict oria M ary Clarke, a journalist and aut hor, in 2018, aft er being t oget her for more t han 30 years.

They did not have any children Shane was a remarkable art ist who influenced many generat ions of musicians and fans. Shane was born on Christ mas Day 1957, in Pembury, Kent , England.

His Irish parent s Therese and M aurice M acGowan ret urned t o Ireland short ly aft er his birt h. He also had a sist er, Siobhan M acGowan. His early childhood was spent in Tipperary, Ireland. W hen he was growing up Shane developed a love for lit erat ure and Irish folk music. He at t ended Holmewood House preparat ory school and won a scholarship t o W est minst er School.

However, at W est minst er, he was expelled for drug offenses Following t he st int at a formal educat ion, Shane became involved in t he London punk scene and formed his first band, t he Nipple Erect ors, lat er known as t he Nips.

Short ly aft er, Shane co-founded t he Pogues in 1982. The band was originally called Pogue M ahone, meaning ?kiss my arse? in Irish. The Pogues fused punk influences wit h

t radit ional Irish inst rument s and music. They became popular in t he mid-1980s, wit h albums such as Rum Sodomy & t he Lash and If I Should Fall from Grace wit h God, and songs such as ?A Pair of Brown Eyes?, ?Fairyt ale of New York?, ?The Irish Rover?, and ?Dirt y Old Town?.

The band?s original members were Shane M acGowan (vocals, guit ar, piano, banjo), Spider St acy (t in whist le, vocals)and also co-founder, Jem Finer (banjo, saxophone, guit ar), James Fearnley (accordion, piano, guit ar), Cait O?Riordan (bass, vocals), Andrew Ranken (drums, harmonica), Terry W oods (mandolin, cit t ern, concert ina, guit ar), and Philip Chevron (guit ar, vocals).Lat er members included Darryl Hunt (bass), Joe St rummer (vocals, guit ar), Dave Coult er (violin, mandolin, percussion), James M cNally (accordion, whist le, bodhrán), and Jamie Clarke (guit ar, banjo).

Several former bandmat es, friends and musicians from all over Ireland played at his Requiem M ass at St . M ary's of t he Rosary on December 8, 2023 near Tipperary.

Even in deat h, M cGowan drew quit e t he crowd. The service it self became cont roversial wit h several Irish clergy saying it was t oo raucous. See link above. For t he record, we t hought it was just fine and fit t ing.

The Pogues t oured and sold out concert s and produced hit albums for almost 10 years!

Their biggest concert in t he US was likely t heir performance at t he New York Cit y's Roseland Ballroom.

"Rum, Sodomy & t he Lash" (1985) and "If I Should Fall from Grace wit h God" (1988) as some of t heir st andout works. Their biggest hit song is oft en considered t o be "Fairyt ale of New York," a Christ mas classic feat uring Kirst y M acColl, released in 1987.

Anot her sold out and st ill remembered concert was at The Fillmore in San Francisco in 197.

The Pogues t raveled t he world playing gigs t hroughout Europe, Aust ralia and t he US but t hey played more in England t han any ot her count ry.

M acGowan left t he Pogues in 1991 due t o issues wit h alcohol and his behavior.

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

In t r o t o Ir ish Lan gu age On -Goin g .Th is on lin e class assu m es n o pr ior

k n ow ledge of t h e Ir ish lan gu age; if you h ave alr eady been exposed t o it , t h is class m ay ser ve as a r ef r esh er cou r se on t h e basics.

Th e pr im ar y m at er ials ar e " Pr ogr ess in Ir ish" an d " Gaeilge Gan St r o - Low er Level" , bot h of w h ich m ay be pu r ch ased on lin e.

Th e cou r se in st r u ct or , Jam es M u r ph y, w ill be cir cu lat in g t h e in it ial cou r se m at er ials as w ell.

Th e f ir st f ew classes w ill f ocu s on pr on u n ciat ion .

GAELIC STORM Set For Car olin a Opr ey

Th is Celt ic pow er h ou se blen ds st or yt ellin g, in st r u m en t al pr ow ess, an d a passion f or per f or m an ce, appealin g t o f an s of cou n t r y, blu egr ass, Celt ic t r adit ion , an d r ock m u sic alik e. Kn ow n f or t h eir t ir eless t ou r in g an d dedicat ion t o t h eir f an s, Gaelic St or m ?s live per f or m an ces ar e n ot t o be m issed.

SUNDAY, Jan u ar y 28 @ 7PM

TICKET LINK

California Celt s

If you ar e in t er est ed in par t icipat in g or w ou ld lik e m or e det ails,

please em ail u s at lan gu age@

celt icar t scen t er .com .

Friday, January 9 & Friday, February 2 Early Shows

O'Caine's Irish Pub Rancho M irage, CA

M ARCH 24, 2024 w ill m ar k t h e 50t h An n iver sar y of t h e open in g of Ye Olde Kin g's Head in San t a M on ica!

w w w.yeoldek in gsh ead.com We would like our readers to submit any photos and captions for a Special feature.

Send them to: jmcdonough44@gmail.com

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PUBLIC SERVICE & IRISH COM M UNITY LINKS an d LISTINGS ar e FREE! Bu sin ess an d Pu b Calen dar list in gs ar e FREE f or Adver t iser s an d $100. f or t h r ee m on t h s/ ver y cost ef f ect ive/ f or Non Adver t iser s!

Cell: 951 216-1493 Em ail: ir ish m issive @gm ail.com

Ean ái r

Du blin Con cer t To Feat u r e Eileen Iver s an d a h ost of Ir ish Fem ale Sin ger s Jan u ar y 27 @ 7:30pm GM T Hist or ic NATIONAL STADIUM 145 Cir cu lar Rd, Du blin Tr y t o at t en d is year ?s Tr adFest f or a special even in g of m u sic an d dan ce cu r at ed by M air éad Ní M h aon aigh of Alt an . Get r eady t o celebr at e t h e r em ar k able w om en in t r ad an d f olk m u sic f r om bot h sides of t h e At lan t ic, f eat u r in g in cr edible ar t ist s su ch as Alison Br ow n , Aoif e O?Don ovan , Eileen Iver s, Th e Fr iel Sist er s, Edw in a Gu ck ian , an d Air c Dam h sa. Th is capt ivat in g even t w ill u n f old at t h e h ist or ic Nat ion al St adiu m in Du blin , pr om isin g an except ion ally w on der f u l n igh t t h at you w on?t w an t t o Get t ick et s, h ot el in f o on lin e: Browne

w w w.ban dsin t ow n .com / e/ 104877510 Fligh t s: w w w.aer lin gu s.com

Com edy Nigh t at t h e Odyssey? ser ies w it h n igh t of Ir ish Am er ican st an d-u p On e per f or m an ce on ly: Jan u ar y 27 at 8:pm .

THIRD SUNDAY Ir ish Pot Lu ck ! Please, Br in g dish t o sh ar e!

?Com edy Nigh t at t h e Odyssey? Hosted by writer, actor, and comedian Kevin Flyn n joined by Jack ie Flyn n and Br ian Kiley . ?A Nigh t of Ir ish Am er ican Com edian s,? a must-see, high-speed comedy adventure in which each comic breaks the fourth wall and adds their own spin to the evening. Future ?Comedy Night at the Odyssey? shows will take place on the third Thursday of each month.

Odyssey Theatre 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.

West Los Angeles CA 90025 FREE in the on-site parking lot TICKETS: $30 www.OdysseyTheatre.com (310) 477-2055 ext. 2

Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

OWEN DARA is back at Th e 1881 Clu b in Pasaden a!

8 PM t o 11 ever y Tu esday n igh t .

Says Owen about t he show, " I mix some Irish songs wit h comedy and original songs. It ?s always a fun night . And t here?s no cover charge. The 1881 has a variet y of beers wines and mixed drinks. And t he Guinness t here is except ionally good! Especially on a Tuesday night !!"

JUST IN River side sh ow on M ar ch 22 is can celed

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Click Her e To List en FIRST TUESDAY of ever y m on t h !

FRIENDS Of IRELAND Br eak f ast You 'r e in vit ed. Join t h e cr aic an d get t oget h er w it h a gr eat bu n ch of f olk s an d sh ar e you r love of Ir elan d & all t h in gs Ir ish . Th e br eak f ast s ar e ver y good t oo!

Fir st Tu esday of ever y m on t h Br eak f ast is at 9.30 am

Ken os Rest au r an t 2661 West La Palm a, An ah eim , Ca. M or e in f o an d t o get on t h e m ailin g list : PETE WALSH pbeir ean u a@at t .n et +1 714-200-7365

CELTIC ARTS CENTER CAC/ACS

@ The Mayflower Club 11110 Victor y Blvd., Nor th Hollywood, CA

w w w .cel t i car t s cen t er .com

Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

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Th e Ir ish Ar t s & En t er t ain m en t 's PREVIEW SECTION Wh at 's On Tap f or 2024?

Short Answer! an amazing array of A Trinity Irish Dance Company Production at Pepperdine University, Malibu Tuesday, February 6, 2024 · 8:00 PM Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts 24255 Pacific Coast HighwayM alibu, CA 90263 310.506.4522

Celtic and Irish Concerts, Fairs. Events and Stage Shows are on the way!

Founded in 1990 by creative force and choreographer Mark Howard, Trinity Irish Dance Company (TIDC) is a uniquely Irish American company that was the birthplace of progressive Irish dance, an innovative movement genre that ?ushered in a new era for Irish step dance?(Chicago Tribune).

With a unique blend of uncompromising power and grace, TIDC continues to carve new traditions for an ancient and beloved art form.

Jan u ar y , 2024

I r i sh Ar t s & En t er t ai n m en t

Peace Lut h er i n Ch ur ch

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IRISH COM M UNITY LISTINGS ARE FREE!!

Sen d t o: Pat r ick @ ir ish m issive@gm ail.com For all com m er cial lin k s/ list in gs & ads: Con t act Jim at Jim @pu bgu ide.com

Lim it ed Tim e Su bscr ipt ion Of f er Ext en ded!

SALE ON f r om NOW t h r ou gh Febr u ar y 14th., 2024 En joy On e Year of t h e Irish Arts and Entertainment in you r INBOX Plu s a ONE YEAR GIFT SUBSCRPTION Regu lar Pr ice $35, NOW ONLY $20.

Em ail u s at Ir ish M issive@gm ail.com Sen d bot h n am es an d Em ails.

We w ill st ar t you r su bscr ipt ion s r igh t aw ay an d bill you !

ORDER NOW an d a Gif t Car d Em ail w it h a LINK w ill be sen t t o you r Gif t -h older f or valen t in e's Day! PLUS THESE BONUSES:

M em ber sh ip in ou r VIP Clu b Ver y Ir ish Per k s Clu b VIP M em ber s get discou n t s on Ir ish Con cer t s & Even t s, Special Of f er s f r om

ou r adver t iser s an d af f iliat es su ch as gr ou p r at es or discou n t s & Special Of f er s at Pu bs. Au t om at ic en t r y in t o M on t h ly Su bscr iber Dr aw in gs an d an d En t r y in t o ou r An n u al dr aw in g f or a pair of t ick et s t o Du blin f r om LAX, New Yor k or At lan t a.

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SAVE THESE DATES

2024 Tou r Lor een a M cKen n it t

DEREK WARFIELD & THE YOUNG WOLF TONES ARE COM ING TO CALIFORNIA FOR THE FIRST TIM E IN 15 YEARS!

L oreena M cK ennitt?s ?eclectic Celtic?music has won cr itical acclaim wor ldwide and gold, platinum and multi-platinum sales awar ds in 15 countr ies across four .

M ar ch 12, Har r is Cen t er , f or t h e Ar t s M ar ch 13, Sch er r For u m Th eat r e, Th ou san d Oak s M ar ch 14 Yu caipa PAC ON SALE NOW SEE AD/ LINKS ON PAGE 3

L oreena M cK ennitt is one of the most talented and amazing ar tists of our time. I f you can make it to one of these concer ts, you will be rewar ded with a highly enter taining and uplifting evening.

I n 2024, The Visit Revisited Tour heads to Europe and concludes in L ondon in ear ly Apr il.

Visit her webite for details on tickets and concer ts and to or der her music:

www.loreenamckennitt.com

Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion's sen sat ion , Aubrey Stagnaro will be special guest Irish dancer

Lu n asa Tou r St ar t s In Febr u ar y Sin ce t h ey got t oget h er in 1997. Lu n asa h as been on e of t h e t op Tr adit ion Ban ds. Th ey ar e com pr ised of pu r e t alen en t an d t h ey all play t oget h er ext r em ely w ell. A sh in in g exam ple of t h e " w h ole bein g gr eat er t h an t h e su m of t h e par t s." An ear ly

r eview called t h em , t h e ?Ir ish m u sic dr eam t eam ?. iTh ey r em ain on e of h e m ost in f lu en t ial ban ds in t h e h ist or y of t r adit ion al m u sic. Det ails n ext issu e.

Celt ic Wom an's Spr in g Tou r w ill be an n ou n ced in ou r Febr u ar y Issu e We w ill h ave a dr aw in g f or Tw o Pair of Con cer t Tick et s.

Det ails TBA Febr u ar y 1 TOUR BOOKINGS NOW OPEN Keit h Rober t s says Get Pak ed!

Ireland Trip November 2024 Hello to all our prospective travelers and those already confirmed.

Below you will find a detailed description of our Ireland trip set for early November 2024. Here you will find our travel agents description of the tour (Hammond Tours) and some notes from Keith and the boys.

This tour is almost sold out so make sure to contactHAMMOND TOURSwith all your questions and to save your spot asap.

November 2 ? 11, 2024 $2995 Land only

St ay Updat ed Get n ot if ied of Ker r y Ir ish Pr odu ct ion s t ou r dat es an d u pcom in g even t s

OPT IN TO OUR NEWSLETTER CLICK HERE

M ORE TRIVIA Wedn esdays Th e Har p In n Ir ish Pu b Pou r Hou se Tr ivia Ever y Wedn esday Even in g at 7;00pm THE HARP 130 E. 17t h . St . Cost a M esa, CA w w w.h ar pin n .com

IRISH COM M UNITY LISTINGS ARE FREE!!

Sen d t o: Pat r ick @ ir ish m issive@gm ail.com

For all com m er cial lin k s/ list in gs & ads: Con t act Jim at Jim @pu bgu ide.com CELL: 951 216-1493

h t t ps:/ / am er icaspu bqu iz.com / >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Th e colu m n r ecen t ly abou t t h e Ir ish Lan gu age by ou r gr eat f r ien d an d Ir ish Ar t s an d En t er t ain m en t colu m n ist M au r ice Fit zpat r ick r eally r eson at ed w it h u s, I u se t h e m on t h s of t h e year in each issu e bu t m y Ir ish is ver y lim it ed.

In f act , w or k in g on t h e f olio (t h e t op of each page) t h is issu e, I f or got t h e w or d f or Oct ober in Ir ish an d h ad t o look it u p. I f ou n d t h is r eally in t er est in g You Tu be video an d sh ar e t h e lin k below.

I w ou ld lik e t o ch an ge m y lack of Ir ish t oo. so st ar t in g in ou r Novem ber issu e w e w ill be of f er in g ou r r eader s a f ew w or ds or ph r ases in ou r M ot h er Lan gu age. Also, if you ar e in t h e LA ar ea, t h e Celt ic Ar t s Cen t er h as on goin g Ir ish lesson s.

CLICK ICON FOR A QUICK LESSON

M o n d ay, T u esd ay, W ed n esd ay & T h u r sd ay : 12 N o o n t o 11:PM Fr i d ay : 12 N o o n t o 2:A M Sat u r d ay : 9 :A M t o 2:A M Su n d ay : 9 :A M t o 11 PM

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h t t p:/ / t r u et h om as.com / w eblog/

PUB QUIZES & TRIVIA M ondays Th e Au ld Du blin er Ever y M on day w e h ost Tr ivia Nigh t , gat h er you r f r ien ds an d com e in t o com pet e an d en joy a pin t .

Th e Au ld Du blin er 71 Pin e St . Lon g Beach , CA

w w w.au lddu blin er .com

O'Br ien's Ir ish Pu b

St an dar d Tr ivia Nigh t s ar e M on days an d Wedn esdays

M on day st ar t s at 8PM t ill 10:30PM WED: 8PM t o 10PM For m a t eam or t r y t o f or m on e at t h e pu b. Play f or cash pr izes of $150. No en t r y f ee O'Br ien's Ir ish Pu b 2226 Wilsh ir e San t a M on ica, CA

w w w.obr ien sla.com

Wedn esdays Ye Olde Kin g's Head Br it ish Pu b & Rest au r an t Tr ivia in t h e pu b at 7:30pm 116 San t a M on ica Bl San t a M on ica, CA

Januar y, 2024

I r ish Ar ts & Enter tainment

EVERY THURSDAY Cor n Hole Th u r sday Alast air w ill r u n a cor n h ole t ou r n am en t t on igh t an d ever y Th u r sday goin g f or w ar d, so please com e an d t oss som e sack s w it h h im !

He w ill h ost a, f r ee-t o-en t er , dou bles t ou r n am en t w it h r ar e an d u n iqu e br ew er y pr izes f or w in n er s.

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SUBM ISSIONS ACCEPTED Ou r n ew Tr avel & Tou r s Sect ion is in t er est ed in h ear in g f r om you if you w an t t o w r it e abou t you r Ir ish Tr avels.

Sen d u s you r ideas an d t im e f r am e. ir ish m issive@gm ail.com

Sign u p ar ou n d 7pm

The Irish Arts & Entertainment Th is past year w e celebr at ed 32 year s as Calif or n ia's pr em ier Ir ish pu blicat ion !

We st ar t ed in San t a M on ica in 1992 as t h e Irish News of California We alw ays w an t t o h ear f r om you , you r com m en t s, even t s list in gs an d su bm ission s ar e

PUBLIC SERVICE & IRISH COM M UNITY LINKS an d LISTINGS ar e FREE! Bu sin ess an d Pu b Calen dar list in gs ar e FREE f or Adver t iser s an d $100. f or t h r ee m on t h s f or Non Adver t iser s. Cost ef f ect ive. an d it pays!

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Th e f ledglin g sit e is alr eady u p an d su bscr iber s w ill be sen t det ails abou t it t h is m on t h .

Com m en t s & Qu est ion s, please em ail:

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VERY IRISH PERKS VIP GROUP All subscribers become members of our VIP Group.

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 Appet izer w it h pu r ch ase. w w w.obr ien sla.com Go t o t h e m en u click h er e

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Bu y a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION bet w een n ow an d Decem ber 23r d. an d w e w ill give you a FREE ONE YEAR EXTENSION on you r ow n su bscr ipt ion .

Irish Arts & Entertainment's VERY IRISH PERKS (VIP) PRIM ER Th e VIP pr ogr am 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 t h e Pu blish er . 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.

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On e VIP, w e h ave n ow of in t er est is Bu y ONE SUB an d get a Gif t Su bscr ipt ion !

Be su r e t o ch eck ou t t h e Ver y Ir ish Per k s each issu e an d on ou r

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Th e M igh t y Ir ish Net w or k an d Irish Cyber Spaces We h ave a f ledglin g Ir ish Social M edia Sit e an d you can join u s by sim ply su bscr ibin g t o t h e Irish Arts & Entertainment. Su bscr iber s also becom e m em ber s of t h e M igh t y Ir ish Net w or k an d you ar e en r olled in ou r

pr ogr am . For ou r par t , w e ar e pledged t o do all w e can t o Please h elp u s spr ead t h e n ew s abou t all t h e w on der f u l even t s, exper ien ces an d pr oject s t h at ar e in st or e f or ou r r eader s an d t h e Ir ish / Ir ish -Am er ican Com m u n it y in Sou t h er n Calif or n ia.

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