Irish Arts & Entertainment, March 2023

St.

Day In

B) Pg 9

H) Pg 8

E) Pg 22

Mult

alent ed,

i-inst rum ent alist

ake up t he Kerry Tradit ional Band Tim Hill (Piper) Christ a Burch (singer and bodhrán) and Ryan McKassan

Patrick's

Ireland, See Feature Pg 5

LEFT: Six Nations Rugby enters final phase for 2023. See page 6 for latest fixtures.

RIGHT: The Santa Barbara International Film Festival honors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson. See page 10

Com edy Weekend Fundraiser

Friday & Sat urday

March 10 and 11 Tw o Show s each night 9PM and 11PM

www.irishimportshop.com

More Inside This Issue

In dept h coverage on Kerry Irish Product ions and St . Pat rick's Day In Ireland in t his and our next issue. Lim it ed Show s Starts on Page Page 5

The View From Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

Page 12

IRISH TEA CENTER

All your favorit e brands from Ireland & t he UK NOW in st ock! Irish Im port Shop

742 Vine (near Melrose) 323 467-6714

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Our avid & loyal readers w ant t o know about you and your business! Get your m edia kit now : Em ail us irishm issive@gm ail.com Or call Jim , our publisher at 951 216-1493

Grat it ude is a cont agious habit ! First in a series of reflect ions on how m uch w e appreciat e our present and past cont ribut ors t o t his publicat ion. Also w e w ant t o t hank our advert isers and friends w ho have support ed t his ent erprise and offered som e great advice over t he past 30 years.

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Irish Calendar

Irish Com m unit y List ings

W & Celt ic Cam era Start on Page 26

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Irish Arts & Entertainment

The opinions expressed by our w rit ers are t heir ow n and do not necessarily convey t hose of t his m agazine, our publisher or st aff.

Publisher & Managing Editor

Jam es M McDonough

Writers

Tina Day

Maurice Fit zpat rick

Jim McDonough

John McNally

Barbara Singer

Pat rick Weld

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HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!

This is t he t hirt iet h issue of t his publicat ion for St Pat rick's Day The changes in our societ y and in t echnology over t he past 30 years are act ually hard t o grasp Cert ainly, a great experience overall chonicleing t he Irish experience in t he US It w as w ell w ot rt h doing just for t he m usic! Thanks Dear Readers for being part of our audience

Sim ply Em ail us t hat you w ant t o subscribe, send your nam e and your em ail t o: irishm issive@gm ail.com

See det ails on pages 41 & 42

Jim McDonough

Kerry Irish Product ions is pleased t o announce a lim it ed t our for t he Saint Pat rick?s Day holiday. St. Patrick?s Day in Ireland carries on t he Irish t radit ions of celebrat ing w it h m usic and fam ily Be prepared t o be t ransport ed back t o t he Em erald Isle for a t ruly Irish night of fiddles, bodhrán, pipes, song and dance.

?St. Patrick?s Day in Ireland delivers a night of rip-roaring music song and dance? ?

- Irish Arts& Entertainment

The program feat ures t he t alent ed m ult i-inst rum ent alist s from t he Kerry Tradit ional Band: Ryan McKasson, fiddle; Colin Cot t er, guit ar; Christ a Burch, vocalist ; Ann Collit on, bodhrán, Tim Hill, uilleann pipes, and Connor Reider, principal dancer -- all under t he direct ion of producer, Margaret O?Carroll

CONNOR REIDER, principal dancer and t he Kerry Tradit ional Band of Kerry Irish Product ions

St . Pat rick?s Day in Ireland show cases som e great Irish songs including:The Wild Rover (oft en referred t o as Ireland?s 2nd nat ional ant hem ), Red is the Rose, Leaving of Limerick and Black Velvet Band, as w ell as dancers from t he Celt ic Irish Dance Academ y.

w w w.kerryirishproduct ions.com

The 2023 Six Nat ions Rugby

cham pionship t ournam ent kicked off on February 4t h. Round 5 is on March 18

As of now , Ireland is t he best posit ion w it h t hree w ins.

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS RUGBY

Can Ireland Win t he SIX NATIONS in t he Fourt h Round t his year? See t he lat est view s online: www sixnationsrugby com

Six Nations Rugby is the official organising body of the annual Six Nations Championships and Autumn International Series.

The 2023 Six Nations Championship is the 24th Six Nations Championship, the annual rugby union competition contested by the national teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Working in partnership with its member unions and federations in England (RFU), France (FFR), Ireland (IRFU), Italy (FIR), Scotland (SRU) and Wales (WRU), Six Nations Rugby has responsibility for the promotion and operation of the renowned Six Nations Championships and

ROUND 4

Check your local for t im e

March 11

It aly v Wales & England v France

March 12

Ireland v Scot land

UPCOMING CLASSES& EVENTS

New s & Com m ent ary

By John McNally

UK and EU sign Windsor Fram ew ork for post -Brexit Goods m oving bet w een Brit ain and NI

The resolut ion t o t he im passe over t rade concerns could be finally set t led, prevent ing UK goods, no longer up t o European Union st andards or required t o pay t ariffs, from ent ering t he EU w it hout re-im posing t he cont roversial border bet w een Nort hern and Sout hern Ireland. This Windsor Fram ew ork is a rew orking of t he Prot ocol, w hich est ablished cust om s checks at port s bet w een Brit ain and NI The Prot ocol t oo closely resem bled a unit ed Ireland, riling Unionist s, w ho com plained it slow ed delivery of goods t o t he point w here t hey couldn't get breakfast sausages, referred t o as Sausage-Gat e The EU has st rict er healt h st andards, t hat Brit ain no longer needs t o adhere t o since Brexit Under t he new agreem ent , red and green lanes w ill allow m ost goods going t o NI, like t hose bound for superm arket s, t o pass quickly and, m erchandise t hat m ight m igrat e Sout h and int o t he EU w ill need t o go t hrough cust om s checks.

John McNally, our feat ured w rit er and Irish Com m unit y Act ivist and Colum nist shares his t hought s on t he lat est new s and t rends concerning Ireland and Irish Am erica

Different opinions and view s are essent ial in any free societ y. We deeply appreciat e our press freedom s. Now , m ore t han ever, it is im port ant t o have Irish Com m unit y act ivism , diversit y and input .

As a result of Brexit , Tories, and, Unionist s had expect ed cust om s border checks t o be re-est ablished along t he 300-m ile border bet w een Nort hern and Sout hern Ireland, but t he EU, Am erica, and t he Irish t hem selves lobbied hard t o prevent t his because it w ould have t hreat ened t he Good Friday Agreem ent .

Assum ing t he new Windsor Fram ew ork is rat ified by Parliam ent and t he EU, t he? NI?St orm ont Assem bly? should be re-st art ed. Unionist s ?had w alked out , ost ensibly over t he Prot ocol, but m ore likely because Sinn Fein received t he m ost vot es in t he last elect ion and w ould hold t he posit ion of First Minist er of t he Assem bly.

President Joe Biden

released a st at em ent t hat read in part ;

" Today?s announcem ent bet w een t he Unit ed Kingdom and t he European Union on t he Windsor Fram ew ork is an essent ial st ep t o ensuring t hat t he hard-earned peace and progress of t he Belfast / Good Friday Agreem ent is preserved and st rengt hened... Joe Kennedy, our new Special Envoy t o Nort hern Ireland for Econom ic Affairs, w ill drive t his effort in close cooperat ion w it h Am bassador Jane Hart ley in London and Am bassador Claire Cronin in Dublin, as w ell as w it h business leaders in Nort hern Ireland...As Nort hern Ireland prepares t o celebrat e t he 25t h anniversary of t he Agreem ent in April, let us rem em ber t hat ending decades of conflict w as not easy or inevit able I am deeply proud of t he role t he Unit ed St at es has played for decades t o help achieve, preserve, and st rengt hen t hat peace enshrined in t he Agreem ent . And I look forw ard t o cont inuing t o w ork closely w it h our part ners in Nort hern Ireland, t he Governm ent s of t he Unit ed Kingdom and Ireland, and t he European Union, t o furt her t hat peace and prosperit y.?

WE ARE OPEN DAILY FOR INDOOR & OUTDOOR DINING SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER

NOW OPEN OUR NEW COFFEE BAR LOCATED NEAR OUR BAKERY IN THE GIFT SHOPPE

for m ore on t heir new Coffee Bar CLICK HERE

The View from Ireland

TheRiseof theFar Right in Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

Put into a pot the worst housing crisis in Ireland?s recent history that has alienated a generation who are unable to buy a home. Add an illegal invasion of another European country of 44 million people that has forced 70,000 people to seek refuge in Ireland over the past year. Let simmer with a populist party that promises to solve all the working class?s problems but spends a suspicious amount of time wining and dining Wall Street and Silicon Valley executives. Stir with a well-coordinated campaign of xenophobia on social media Then serve on the streets of Ireland Delicious with a side order of pit-bull terriers. Wash down with a glass of counter-protesters who allegedly drive a vehicle into a mob

For a long time, a pretence persisted that Ireland, the land of a hundred thousand welcomes, was above the hard-right politics that has gained a foothold in most European countries over the past decade. Political parties, both in government and in opposition, resisted the rhetoric of hatred of immigrants that has become mainstream in France and Italy and that has helped to destroy democracy in Hungary and Poland By contrast, the integration of foreign nationals in Ireland has been a success story. A prevailing narrative held that the Irish were somehow different Yet the past month or so has proven that to be a fantasy The deepening housing catastrophe and the rising number of homeless in Ireland pressurised an already disaffected segment of the population The arrival of people fleeing the ravages of war in Ukraine was the breaking point. Now we have seen right-wing, anti-immigration demonstrations across dozens of Irish towns and cities

The most prominent demonstration so far was held on February 6th whencircatwo thousandpeople marched through Dublin City Centre A counter-protest also lined out that day on O?Connell Street to defy the message being promulgated, but the anti-immigration march was much bigger The anti-immigration march stopped in front of three prominent media outlets in Dublin: Independent News and Media, the Irish Times and Today FM (If RTE were based in central Dublin,it would surely have been a way station as well).It then marched to Government Buildings Marchers expressed their disgust at being labelled ?racist?by these media outlets, revealing the ideological direction of the march?s organisers

One of the placards held by protestors featured Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, and the word ?traitor? It was also notable that Sinn Féin was singled out for criticism in protestors? speeches. There are many politicians who could have raised the ire of the marchers The Taoiseach, for example, is from an immigrant background, and he has not,in his words or policies,succoured the working class So, why did the protestors round upon McDonald and Sinn Féin?

The rise of Sinn Féin is the biggest shift in Irish party politics in the past two decades In 2007, the party held only four seats in the Irish government whereas three general elections later, in 2020, it won 37 seats and also won the popular vote Sinn Féin built its base initially from working-class voters,but then it needed to consolidate that with middle-class support. The housing crisis was a gift to the party, which it has assiduously used as it cultivated an image of being ?anti-establishment? . Since the 2020 election, its elected representatives can hardly get through a sentence without referring to the word ?change? , and adding that Sinn Féin will soon be in government.

Now within striking distance of leading a government, although lacking the obvious coalition partner that it would need, Sinn Féin cannot afford to alienate young people born into Irish middle-class backgrounds who are now unable to buy their own home, as their parents? generation could Sinn Féin?s problem is that, while the party appeals to the disaffected ?generation rent? , that grouping has espoused distinctly different social views tobSinn Féin?s traditional source of support, some of whom gathered in front of public buildings and hotels used to house refugees. In a recent survey, Ireland Thinks, a consultancy firm, found that 61% of Sinn Féin voters believe that Ireland has ?taken in too many refugees?this year. That is more than any other constituency and almost double the number of Labour Party supporters who hold that belief

Continued on page 17

WELCOME BACK!

As w e ret urn t o norm al, w e are looking forw ard t o m ore,concert s event s, night s out and m ore visit s t o our favorit e pubs. One of t he best is t he Auld Dubliner in Long Beach. The am biance, libat ions and food are all first rat e and t hey have garnered a w ell deserved reput at ion for present ing a great line up of Irish groups and m usicians

See calendar of t his issue for a list ing of t he act s booked for t he next few w eeks

KUDOS t o t he good folks at t he Auld Dubliner for t heir effort s in helping w it h t he Irish Fair and Music Fest ival in Long Beach t his past June t oo!

The Auld Dubliner adjacent t o t he fest ival sit e w as t he place t o be for an epic Irish gat hering aft er t he event . The Young Dulbliners w ere all on hand at t he pub and a t ruly m em orable evening of great craic and m usic ensued

On the right More good times

Ken O'Malley and Terry McCart an perform ing and a birt hday part y for Ken!

w w w.aulddubliner.com

Tourism Ireland Prom ot es Best of Ireland in California

Phot os and St ory by Barbara

Singer

It w as t he ?Best of Ireland? event t hat ent iced t he t ravel t rade and m edia t o t he Hot el Maybourne in Beverly Hills t his February. As alw ays Ireland has so m uch t o offer t ravelers plus new direct non-st op access t o Dublin and Shannon from 13 US gat ew ays. In t he spot light t he ever popular and savvy Rut h Moran, Publicit y and Com m unicat ions Manager for Tourism Ireland, greet ed t he lively crow d w it h t he new m essage ?Fill your heart with Ireland.? This inform at ive and inspirat ional aft ernoon included t he lat est t ravel new s, int eract ion w it h Ireland's part ners in t ourism , savory dining and even a free t rip t o Ireland t o a lucky w inner

Joining Rut h Moran, t ravel part ners arrived direct ly from Ireland t o share a w arm Irish w elcom e and enlight en guest s w it h everyt hing new and excit ing in t he realm of luxury, out door act ivit ies and Irish cult ure and m ore Colin Ham ell, t he ent ert aining Mast er of Cerem onies, int roduced represent at ives from diversified hot els and spas, First Class rail-t ours, specialized t ravel services and unique t ravel experiences In addit ion, Jim Bochneak, Regional Sales Manager West Coast for Aer Lingus, inform ed t he group of t he t he new services and flight s

According t o Alison Met calf, Tourism Ireland's Execut ive Vice President , Nort h Am erica and Aust ralia, ?There's a new focus on revenue-by t arget ing visit ors, w ho st ay longer, spend m ore t im e in t he region and in Nort hern Ireland, enjoy t raveling during t he shoulder season and consider t heir im pact on t he environm ent ? Ireland's recovery post Covid has been st rong; how ever t hough prom ot ions, m arket ing and publicit y for t ourism in Ireland and t he Unit ed St at es, it is expect ed t o facilit at e sales st ronger t han ever

Market ing priorit y in t he Unit ed St at es kicks off a new global cam paign aft er St . Pat ricks's Day. Fest ivals are alw ays an incent ive t o visit Ireland and new non-st op flight s encourage visit ors t o indulge

in Irish dest inat ions, w hile im m ersing in t he 'Best of Ireland' Looking forw ard t o t hese fest ivals: St Pat rick's Fest ival, t he Galw ay Int ernat ional Art s fest ival, Hallow een at t he Puca Fest ival in Count y Meat h and Cit y of Derry

ABOVE: Rut h Moran, Ireland's Publicit y & Com m unicat ions Manager, w elcom es t ravel and m edia indust ry

BELOW: Barbara Singer m eet s Colin Ham ell, M C Best of Ireland

Irish Act ors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Honored at Sant a Barbara Film Fest ival

The Irish film ?Banshees of Inisherin? has been an im m ense aw ards cont ender Direct or Mart in McDonagh w rot e t his film for beloved Irish act ors Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson Bot h act ors have had a longt im e affect ion for each ot her and bot h are first t im e Oscar nom inees for t heir roles in t his film and recent ly have garnered num erous aw ards and accolades

The ?Banshees of Inisherin? w as t w o t im e w inner at t he BAFTAS for Out st anding Brit ish Film and Best Original Screenplay by Mart in McDonagh

The 2023 Sant a Barbara Int ernat ional Film Fest ival (SBIFF) aw arded Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson t heir covet ed Cinem a Vanguard Aw ard in February This aw ard, present ed at t he hist oric Arlingt on Theat er, is a bright light in t he yearly fest ival paying t ribut e t o act ors, w ho have forged t heir ow n pat h t aking art ist ic risks and m aking significant and unique cont ribut ion t o film .

Roger Durling, Execut ive Direct or of t he SBIFF relat ed about bot h Irish act ors, ?They're a joy t o behold and it 's quit e a t reat for us t o get t o celebrat e t hem t oget her.?

Arriving at t he Arlingt on Theat er Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson w alked t he Red Carpet , chat t ed w it h m edia and fans and t ook a blast of phot os. When t he light s w ent dow n inside, Dave Karger, Host of Turner Classics Movies and aw ard-w inning int erview er w as at t he helm and explored t he careers of t he t w o st ars discussing t heir w ork w it h m ont ages of t heir film s. Som e of Farrell's w ork consist ed of: ?Tigerland?, ?The Lobst er ? and ?Bat m an?; w hile Gleeson w as rem em bered for ?The General,? ?Cold Mount ain? and ?In t o t he St orm .?

Bot h act ors w orked t oget her 14 years ago in Mart in McDonagh's ?In Bruges,? w here t hey w ere cast as unlikely hit m en.

Brendan Gleeson w as born in Dublin, Ireland is an act or and direct or and has received m any aw ards for his w ork w it h 5 Golden Globe nom inat ions and a BAFTA and Academ y Aw ard nom inat ion w it h an Em m y Aw ard for his port rayal of Winst on Churchill. He w as a form er Cat holic School t eacher before em barking on an act ing career. Born in Cast lerock Dublin, Colin Farrell has been a successful leading m an in m any m em orable roles and has received t w o Golden Globe Aw ards and an Academ y Aw ard

nom inat ion

Durling w as cert ain w hen he st at ed,?Gleeson and Farrells's individual careers have been exem plary, and t heir collaborat ions in t w o McDonagh film s show us t w o act ors perfect ly in sync-in bot h pat hos and hum or ? These t w o act ors have a deep friendship and affect ion for each ot her They first m et in 2006 and m ade an im m ediat e connect ion

In ?The Banshees of Inisherin? t hese t w o m en are best friends, w hich t akes an abrupt t urn, Padraic (Farrell) w as an overly em ot ional young m an, act ing inappropriat e in public and his best friend Colm (Gleeson) does not w ant t o be friends w it h him anym ore, no reason st at ed Colm is m elancholy and rarely converses and refuses t o even speak w it h Padraic, w ho is disraught and can't underst and t his change of heart This is a serious fallout w it h disast rous consequences.

Mart in McDonagh relat ed t hat ?No ot her act ors in t he w orld could have played t hese charact ers. No one else has t he int egrit y, sensit ivit y and gent leness t o show t he fragilit y and quiet despair by t hose m en, and t o do so w it hout judgem ent , inst ead of leaving it for t he audience t o decide w ho is right or w ho is w rong. And t o do all t hat w hile st ill being hilarious.? He present ed t he Cinem a Vanguard aw ards t o Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in front of t he delight ed and recept ive Sant a Barbara audience.

Story and Photos by Barbara Singer

Cert ainly bot h Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson have been busy t his aw ards season of 2023 We enjoyed t heir perform ances and w ish t hem all t he best ! t he t alent ed pair of act ors and Mart in McDonagh have a good chance of m aking t his a very Irish Oscars year

The RISE Continued...

Since Sinn Féin needs both constituencies, its response to the anti-immigration demonstration has been to prevaricate. Mary Lou McDonald has taken to the airwaves to lecture people on aiming their anger at the government parties. While this is faintly amusing, it is a clear sign of panic. It is also disconcerting for her that she was personally singled out by the demonstrators for abuse. The magic of populism is that it can provide all answers to all problems. Yet if those problems persist, the smug source of all the ?solutions?becomes a target. Sinn Féin has never before been confronted with such antagonism from this source. Leo Varadkar recently sounded an unsympathetic note on immigration: ?Refugees are welcome in Ireland. People who need our protection should get it. We also need to be firm with people who come to Ireland with a false story or false pretences? .We should decide who enters our country, not criminal gangs? [and asked] how we can better secure our external borders around Europe? . In contrast to Sinn Féin, Varadkar?s base has not reacted at all to this position. The instigators of the far-right demos understand that if they can build sufficient momentum they may form a political movement that stands to dilute Sinn Féin?s support in the next general election, which will be held in 2025, if not before.

The right-wing debate has firmly forced itself into Irish politics, as never before

The Irish political pot is stirred.

IRISH M USIC News& Reviews

New Album by Joby Fox

I Once Was a Hawk Now I?m a Dove

?He has alw ays been an em ot ional art ist , but t his is except ional w ork w it h a brooding pow er t hat ?s akin t o Christ y Moore and Van Morrison ? (St uart Bailie)

Joby w as visit ing fam ily in Denm ark w hen t he w orld closed dow n in 2020 Trapped am ong t he forest s and lakes in Cent ral Jut land he w rot e a host of new songs w hile com ing t o t erm s w it h a changed realit y and a longing for hom e

Recorded in Denm ark w it h a young jazz group, Joby st art ed a great collaborat ion w it h one of Denm ark?s t op producers, Søren Mikkelsen in Medley St udios, Copenhagen The songs are a great am algam at ion of cult ures, fusing folk, pop and jazz

Listen to all tracks of the album

ABOUT JOBY FOX:

Joby Fox is a nat ive of Belfast and a songw rit er, m usician and st oryt eller; an aut hent ic m usical voice of his hom et ow n, and a hum anit arian act ivist Joby is a diverse art ist current ly living bet w een Ireland and Denm ark, but alw ays w it h his root s firm ly in Irish soil, int erpret ing his cult ure in new w ays t hrough int ernat ional collaborat ions

Joby st art ed his career in a post -punk band called The Bankrobbers, m ent ored and produced by The Rory Gallagher Band They w ere scooped up by EMI t hey w ent t o London, w here Joby w ent on t o form Energy Orchard w hen The Bankrobbers t ook a nat ural hiat us

ALBUM INFO:

Music/ Lyrics: Joby Fox

Vocal & guit ar: Joby Fox

Guit ar: Søren Nissum

Piano: Nikolaj Svaneborg

Bass: Mark Kuhn

Drum s: Aske St ubkjær Madsen

Backing Vocals: Freja Wurt z

Recorded in Hideout St udios, Aalborg, Denm ark

Product ion, m ix & m ast ering: Søren Mikkelsen, Medley St udios

Copenhagen, Denm ark

Joby Fox

Energy Orchard landed a 5-album s deal w it h MCA. It w as Energy Orchard's first single 'Belfast' w rit t en by Fox as a t eenager t hat m ade it t o No 1 in Ireland and becam e a UK chart success The song becam e t he unofficial ant hem for t he cit y

Aft er his m uch celebrat ed w ilderness years Joby em barked on a solo career and released his first solo album End of the War in 2011 The Irish New s described it as ? beaut ifully w rapped up for m ass consum pt ion, like an iron fist in a velvet glove?

As a diverse art ist w it h his root s firm ly in Irish soil Joby is know n for his involvem ent in great int ernat ional init iat ives using m usic as an advocat e for peace and hum anit arian w ork He w as aw arded 'Best of t he West Songw rit er ' by Belfast Media Group and achieved an Aisling Aw ard in his hom et ow n for his m usic and hum anit arian w ork in 2018

Joby t ravels ext ensively w it h his m usic, from Nort h Am erica t o t he Middle East and Asia In 2015 he opened t he inaugural United Nations Peace Festival in Hong Kong, and in 2016 he w as m usical direct or of t he Orchestre des Refugies et Amis, fusing cont em porary sounds w it h t radit ional t unes from t he hom elands of m igrant s and refugees

In 2018 he joined t he renow ned art ist residency, Byrdcliffe, in Woodst ock, New York w here Bob Dylan w rot e som e of his best w orks in t he early 1960?s In 2020 he com m enced a new collaborat ion w it h som e of Denm ark?s upcom ing young jazz and folk m usicians, and w it h t op producer Soren Mikkelsen from Medley St udios in Copenhagen

w w w jobyfox com

Loreena McKennit t t o be induct ed int o Canadian Songw

rit er ?s Hall of Fam e

In recognit ion of nearly four decades as a dist inct ive perform ing art ist , Loreena w ill be t he first 2023 induct ee int o t heCanadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e(CSHF). The present at ion w ill t ake place at t he Opera House in Toront o on Wednesday March 8t h ? Int ernat ional Wom en?s Day. A highlight of t he evening w ill be Loreena?s perform ance of several songs, accom panied by Brian Hughes on guit ar, Hugh Marsh on violin and Joe Phillips on bass TICKETS?I am deeply honoured to be receiving this recognition,?says Loreena.?For 25 years this organization has shown a deep devotion to celebrating and promoting Canadian songwriters and this country?s rich, musical legacy. We have all been enriched by their work. I feel so privileged to have my name added to their list of distinguished Canadian songwriters.?The induct ion w ill be dovet ailed w it h t he inauguralWom en in Music Canada Honoursevent , w hich celebrat es and support s fem ale Canadian innovat ors and creat ors w ho have had out st anding success in t heir field ?Loreena is a musical enigma whose songs are seamlessly timeless yet current; rooted in tradition yet inventive. She is a storyteller who can weave through eras, cultures, and transcend boundaries,?says St an Meissner, Board Chairm an of CSHF ?Loreena has achieved global success on her own terms and has remained steadfast as an independent recording artist, which is both admirable and deserving of recognition.?The Canadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e, a nat ional, non-profit organizat ion, honours and celebrat es Canadian songw rit ers and t hose w ho?ve dedicat ed t heir lives t o t he legacy of m usic, and w orks t o educat e t he public about t hese achievem ent s. Aft er t he March 8t hevent , a perm anent exhibit w ill be dedicat ed t o Loreena at t he Canadian Songw rit ers Hall of Fam e at t he Nat ional Music Cent re in Calgary.Previous induct ees include Leonard Cohen,

ABOVE: Loreena McKennit t

Our Annual Irish Music

Makers Coverage is over t w o issues t his year.

We st art here w it h Belfast

Singer/ Songw rit er Joby Fox and our favorit e Canadian songst ress, Loreena McKennit t and w e have m ore Music Makers in our St . Pat rick's Day Special issue next w eek!

Our next issue w ill include our updat ed and expanded calendar, a new feat ure by Greg Pat rick, a new Travel Feat ure by freelance Travel Writ er and Phot ographer Richard At kins and an am azing Irish Oscar St ory.

Eric Roebuck duo:

t o 4pm Jeff Livingst one t rio: 8pm t o 12am

The

Celtic Camer a We are here looking for you!

Submissions wanted.. send jpeg & caption to: ir ishmissive@gmail.com

Ye Olde King's Head Pub and Restaurant is always a beacon of British Hospitality and a warm welcome in Santa Monica. The landmark pub recently had a very special guest; pictured here, Louis Thomlinson. The British singing sensation was very appreciative of the pub and all of the dedicated staff of Ye Olde King's Head. staff who made his visit so great!

Page 22

An Marta ~~ March 2023

LEFT: Larry Kirwan rof Black 47 received the Irish American Business Chamber & Network (IABCN) 2023

Uachtarán (President) Award in Philadelphia from Irish Ambassador to the USA, Geraldine Byrne Nason at a Union League luncheon on Friday February 24, 2023.

ABOVE: Debra Sim oes, Sarah St ebbings, Lynne Kerr, Louis Tom linson, Lisa Pow ers, Croline Beddie

Tickets On Sale NOW

More on St . Pat rick's Day In Ireland Tour

St . Pat rick?s Day in Ireland! delivers a night of ?rip-roaring m usic, song and dance? ?(Irish New s & Ent ert ainm ent ).

This t reat for t he w hole fam ily feat ures cham pion dancers from t he w orld of Riverdance, Celt ic Fyre, Celt ic Wings, Lord of t he Dance and An Irish Christ m as. Toget her w it h m ult i-inst rum ent alist s from t he Kerry Tradit ional Band w it h t heir explosive sound of fiddles, uilleann pipes, bodhrán, guit ar and flut es

TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED

Kerry Irish Product ions' Tribut e

To Irish Dance and Music

Ret urns For Lim it ed

roaring t hrough t he t heat re, you w ill be t ransport ed t o t he Em erald Isle for an unforget t able night ? and you w ill leave t he t heat re w it h a jig in your st ep!

A perfect St . Pat rick?s Day celebrat ion for t he w hole fam ily!

" The epit om e of fam ily ent ert ainm ent , t oget herness and Irish life? (Irish Art t s and Ent ert ainm ent )

LEFT: The Kerry Voice Squad

RIGHT: Principle Dancer, Conor Reider

As seen on PBS, ST PATRICK?S DAY IN IRELAND IS .A GREAT IRISH NIGHT!

Win a pair of t icket s t o Dublin

Sim ply subscribe t o t he Irish Art s & Ent ert ainm ent and you are ent ered t o w in R/ T LAX t o Dublin / Econom y Seat s!

We w ill st art your subscript ion im m ediat ely and bill you via PayPal or you can pay by check Lim it ed Tim e Offer, Only $20

For det ails or quest ions?

Em ail: irishm issive@gm ail.com

Experience t he Sheer Joy of Being Irish As You Celebrat e t he Great Saint 's Great Day

Celebrat e St . Pat rick?s Day 2023 and t he great joy of being Irish w it h m usic, song, dance and irresist ible m errim ent from t he Em erald Isle!

The concert w ill be led by m em bers of The Kerry Tradit ional Band: all m ult i-inst rum ent alist s w ho share t heir passion for t he t radit ional m usic of Ireland. An am azing t roupe of Irish Dancers are sure t o delight all w ho at t end Dancers from t he Celt ic Academ y of Irish Dance w ill also be show cased There?s no bet t er w ay t o celebrat e St Pat rick?s Day t han w it h a Kerry Irish Product ions show w hich is overflow ing w it h a genuine love and respect for Irish Cult ure and Tradit ion!

Feat uring principal dancer Connor Reider (The Chieft ains, Celt ic Fyre, Celt ic Wings, An Irish Christ m as) and t alent ed m usical art ist s:

Fiddle - Ryan McKasson

Guit ar - Colin Cot t er

Vocal - Christ a Burch Bodhran - Anna Collit on Pipes - Tim Hill

Fiddles, uilleann pipes, bodhrán, guit ar, vocals and flut es w ill ring t hrough t he t heat re as t he Band shares it s passion for t he t ruly w ondrous and uplift ing m usic of Ireland!

Thanks t o t he brilliant direct ion and st agecraft of Margaret O'Carroll, you w ill be t ransport ed t o t he Em erald Isle for a rollicking night celebrat ing not just St Pat rick but all of Ireland!

This stage show has become an Irish-American tradition! Gather family and friends and make plans to experience the best event of the season. You?ll leave the theatre with a jig in your step... Irish to the core, not to be missed... A never to be forgotten Irish Experience!!

The m usicians dancers , t heat res and crew s are all get t ing ready! All t hat is m issing is you Book now !

The Might y Irish Net w ork Is Expanding ...lntroducing Irish Cyber Spaces

We have a fledgling Irish Social Media Sit e and you can join us by sim ply subscribing t o t he Irish Arts & Entertainment. Subscribers also becom e m em bers of t he Might y Irish Net w ork and you are enrolled in our Very Irish Perks, (VIP) deals and discount program .

Excit ing Changes Com ing For t he Irish Com m unit y In California

Aft er alm ost t hree years of fear, lock dow ns and rest rict ions; based on t he final w eeks of 2022 and feedback w e have been get t ing from advert isers, friends and readers w e m ay w ell be headed int o a period of opt im ism and st abilit y t hat has been m issing during t he pandem ic.

Int erest ingly, opt im ism is ram pant in t he Irish Com m unit y even as nat ional econom ic and polit ical pundit s are t out ing every ilk of dow nt urn and m ayhem in business and

governm ent sect ors. We are seeing a t rend; m any (m aybe even a m ajorit y) people are rising above negat ive uncert aint y and t he gloom and doom polit ical rhet oric com ing from our polit ical elit e class Trends t hat w e recent ly experienced w ere packed pubs t hroughout t he World Cup sold out concert s and Christ m as show s, a lot of Holiday part ies and Seasonal Celebrat ions st art ing w it h Hallow een and t hrough New Year 's Eve This all point s t o a m ore robust 2023 w here w e all st art doing m ore, t raveling m ore and sim ply em bracing our lives m ore.

For our part , w e are pledged t o do all w e can t o spread t he new s about all t he w onderful event s, experiences and project s t hat are in st ore for our readers and t he Irish/ Irish-Am erican Com m unit y in Sout hern California.

Our best and im m ediat e new s is t hat st art ing next w eek, all of our readers have a new online sit e t o bot h creat e a voice for t hem selves and t o find out about all m anner of event s and people w ho share t heir love of ALL THINGS IRISH! Just click below t o join!

IRISH

NOW WITH By Date& On Going Listingsand Links

Are you t aking advant age of our Very Irish Perks? Act now and SAVE 10% at The Irish Im port Shop!

Subscribers receive a code for exclusive deals and discount s . The code com es w it h your VIP Card.

Int ro t o Irish Language Class Ret urns!

The Celt ic Art s Cent er 's Int roduct ion t o t he Irish Language class w ill begin on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 7PM via Zoom and w ill cont inue w eekly on Mondays night s w it h a few except ions such as holidays and ot her special event s For exam ple, t he Celt ic Art s Cent er w ill be having it s St . Pat rick?s Day celebrat ion on March 13, and t here w ill be no class on t hat evening.

This online class assumes no prior knowledge of the Irish language; if you have already been exposed to it, this class may serve as a refresher course on the basics The primary materials are "Progress in Irish" and "Gaeilge Gan StroLower Level", both of which may be purchased online. The course instructor, James Murphy, will be circulating the initial course materials as well. The first few classes will focus on pronunciation

If you are int erest ed in part icipat ing or w ould like m ore det ails, please em ail us at language@celticartscenter.com.

Saint Pat rick's Day. March 17

is coming fast. You are invited to celebrate at the AULD DUBLINER

w w w.aulddubliner.com in Long Beach, CA

Irish music all day!!

Start your day with The Whooligans from 1PM t o 4PM

Niall Cash from 5PM t o 8PM The Ploughboys from 10 t o closing

MARCH 16 @ 7:30pm

at t he: The MuckenthalerCultural Center |

714-738-6595 | info@themuck.org

1201 W Malvern Ave,Fullerton, CA

Friends of Ireland

15t h Annual St . Pat rick's Day

Celebrat ion

Dinner and Dance

SUNDAY, MARCH 12 @ 2PM

MOOSE LODGE

8651 Knot t s Ave

Buena Park, Ca

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Music by Paddy?s Pig Irish Band

$40.00 per person, $45 at door

(m ake checks payable t o Nuala Wisdom )

Ticket s available on February 7 at

FOI 9:30 AM Breakfast , 2661 W La

Palm a, Anaheim or

m ail checks t o Nuala Wisdom , 10071 Green Fern Circle, West m inst er, CA 92683

Inform at ion cont act :

Pet e Walsh (714) 200-7365; Chris Keogh (714) 3264229

Kris Colt & t he Black Rose Band Set For

St . Pat rick's Day Concert 2023 In Big Bear

Check the website for schedules for Kris Colt and The Black Rose Band

www.KrisColt-BlackRose.com

PUB QUIZES & TRIVIA

Mondays

The Auld Dubliner

Every Monday w e host Trivia Night , gat her your friends and com e in t o com pet e and enjoy a pint

The Auld Dubliner

71 Pine St . Long Beach, CA w w w.aulddubliner.com

O'Brien's Irish Pub

Trivia Night s are Mondays and Wednesdays

Monday st art s at 8PM t ill 10:30PM WED: 8PM t o 10PM

Form a t eam or t ry t o form one at t he pub Play for cash prizes of $150. No ent ry fee

O'Brien's Irish Pub

2226 Wilshire

Sant a Monica, CA w w w.obriensla.com

Wednesdays

Ye Olde King's Head

Brit ish Pub & Rest aurant

Trivia in t he pub at 7:30pm

116 Sant a Monica Bl Sant a Monica, CA w w w.yeoldekingshead.com

MORE TRIVIA

Wednesdays

The Harp Inn Irish Pub Pour House Trivia

Every Wednesday

Evening at 7;00pm THE HARP

130 E. 17t h. St .

Cost a Mesa, CA

w w w.harpinn.com

See O'Brian's Pub above for t heir Wednesday det ails

Sundays MacLeod Brew ing

Trivia Night

w w w.m acleodale.com

Riverdance w ill be live in Los Angeles at t he Dolby Theat re from April 18 t o April 23!

The Riverdance Am erican Tour st art s on January 10 in Sarasot a, Florida and plays in LA t his Spring! Ticket s are on sale. For over 25 years, nothing has carried the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of Riverdance.

A pow erful and st irring reinvent ion of t his beloved favorit e, celebrat ed t he w orld over for it s t hrilling energy and passion of it s Irish and int ernat ional dance. Im m erse yourself in t he ext raordinary pow er and grace of it s m usic and dance?beloved by fans of all ages

Win a pair of t icket s t o Dublin. Sim ply subscribe t o t he Irish Arts & Entertainment and you are ent ered t o w in R/ T LAX t o Dublin

Econom y Seat s!

We w ill st art your subscript ion im m ediat ely and bill you via PayPal or you can pay by check. Lim it ed Tim e Offer, Only $20. For det ails or quest ions?

Em ail: irishm issive@gm ail.com

GO GREEN!

Visit our Travel Part ner AER LINGUS

w w w.aerlingus.com

The Irish Arts & Entertainment This past year w e celebrat ed 30 years as California's prem ier Irish publicat ion!

We st art ed in Sant a Monica in 1992 as t he Irish News of California

We alw ays w ant t o hear from you, your com m ent s, event s list ings and subm issions are alw ays accept ed St art ing w it h t his issue,

w e are enhancing t he experience of being a subscriber by expanding our Very Irish Perks and by t he first of 2023, w e w ill fully launch our Might y Irish Net w ork.

The fledgling sit e is already up and subscribers w ill be sent det ails about it t his m ont h. Com m ent s & Quest ions, please em ail: jm cdonough44@gm ail.com

VERY RARE PROHIBITION ERA COLLECTOR'S CERTIFICATE

Also know n as a Bonded Whiskey Warehouse Receipt Only a few t housand of t hese Cert ificat es w ere ever print ed during t he Prohibit ion Era and only a few hundred are know t o exist t oday. The value w ill only increase, The 100t h Anniversary of t he Repeal Of The Volst ead Act has only increased aw areness of one of Am erica's biggest blunders so int erest is grow ing in rare it em s like t his Aut hent ic Cert ificat e! Order NOW: jim @pubguide.com ONLY $175. from Mac's Collect ibles w it h FREE Priorit y Mail.

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DO NOT ALTER OR COPY REFERENCE DISPLAY ONLY

Just in t im e or Christ m as Free Shipping Worldw ide We have a fant ast ic range of gift ideas. From Jew ellery set s t o leat her w ork, Art w ork t o Personalised gift s w e have som et hing for everyone.

The King's Head in Sant a Monica has added

a COFFEE BAR!

Coffee Lovers rejoice, t he King's Head

Shoppe and Bakery are now serving som e of t he best select ions of coffee and specialt y drinks in all of Sant a Monica and t he West Side!

The are also purveyors of exlusive coffees in bulk! A t im ely gift for t he coffee fans on your list !

Irish Arts & Entertainment's VERY IRISH PERKS (VIP) PRIMER

The VIP program is a very im port ant com ponent of our subscript ion program . It has a m ult it ude of posit ive fact ors built int o t he program It serves as a bonus/ rew ard syst em for spending hard cold cash on our publicat ion AND it is a good net w orking t ool for t he Publisher. We are able t o at t ract subscribers and advert isers t o our publicat ion and keep t hem int erest ed w hile delivering great Irish int erest cont ent and inform at ion t o our readers The advert isers benefit by having a readership int erest ed in our excit ing niche m arket and t hey can t arget our readers w it h special offers. The volum e m akes it w ort hw hile for t hem t o part icipat e.

The Pandem ic has set us all back a bit in one w ay or anot her and w e are rebuilding our VIP benefit s package. We w ere count ing on discount s and deals at pubs and event s but t hat plan is now on t he back burner as t here are few event s and pubs need volum e t o m ake t he discount s pract ical In t he m eant im e, w e are w orking hard t o line up new offers for our subscribers Throughout t his Buying Guide, w e have som e list ings on good deals and w e w ill be adding special offers t o our w ebsit e as w e find t hem One VIP, w e have now of int erest is Buy ONE SUB and get a Gift Subscript ion! Be sure t o check out t he Very Irish Perks each issue and on our Facebook pages.

VERY IRISH PERKS VIP CLUB

All subscribers become members of our VIP Group.

Current ly w e are offering som e really good prom ot ions and as t he Pandem ic eases w e w ill add m ore.

At Present :

O'Brien's On Wilshire in Sant a Monica w ill give our subscribers a Free Appet izer w it h purchase w w w.obriensla.com

Go t o t he m enu click here

The Irish Im port Shop has becom e a VIP Afiliat e so you can sign up for your sub at a discount and pay t here as of t his w eek! The Irish Im port Shop also ext ends 10% OFF all purchases t o our Subscribers

See Page 2 for his ad and num ber!

An am azing offer for our ow n VIP Mem bers and Subscribers! Buy a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION bet w een now and Decem ber 23rd. and w e w ill give you a FREE ONE YEAR

John McNally and Jim McMahon at t he Irish Art s and Ent ert ainm ent 's Celt ic Com m unit y Out reach Boot h at Seaside

Spring and Fall Sale t o Ireland

Los Angeles t o Dublin

Save up t o $100* off Econom y and $200* off Business

Travel April 1 - May 31 and Sep 1- Nov 30

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