Scottish Fest 2023 Special issue by Irish Arts Media

Scot t ish Fest Special Issue Alba Gu brat h !

TOP LEFT: The LA Scot s Pipe Band and a host of t he best pipers and pipe bands w ill delight fans at SCOTTISH FEST 2023 over Mem orial Day Weekend!

9

Calling All Celts! Join in on t he Excit ing Ent ert ainm ent , Fam ily Fun and Pageant ry at t he annual Scot t ish Fest in Cost a Mesa

Sout hern California's largest Scot t ish, Celt ic, Am erican Fest ival is com ing soon! Revel in t w o days of w orld class Celt ic m usic, piping and drum m ing com pet it ions, Highland dancing cont est s, Scot t ish at hlet ics, Scot t ish gift s and foods, Scot t ish clans and genealogy, a fant ast ic children's glen and so m uch m ore! The Celt ic bands and ent ert ainm ent scheduled include: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, Celt ish, Christ opher Yat es/ Rust y Baw ls/ MacCloud, Im perial Knight s Joust ing, Marine Sand Piper, Ploughboys Sw eet w at er Creek, Scot t ish Fiddlers of Los Angeles and t he crow d pleasing Sheep Herding, St age Cru, Tem pest , Wicked Tinkers, McNult y School of Irish Dance ,Joyce & David and Celt ic Cello Duo, Orange Count y Harp Troupe, Royal Scot t ish Count ry Dancers & LA Fife and Drum s

INSIDETHISISSUE!

World Renow ned

E) Pg 22

Scot t ish Piper ERIC

RIGLER present s his CELTIC HOLLYWOOD

Get ready for Scot t ish Fest w it h a quick five m inut e read on a brief hist ory of California's Highland Gam es & Fest ivals!

G) Pg 23

SAVETHEDATE, Mem orial Day Weekend for Scot t ish Fest in Cost a Mesa! The w ebsit e has ALL DETAILS & DISCOUNTS w w w.scot t ishfest .com

See page 5

More Inside This Issue

Eric Rigler

's

Celt ic Hollyw ood

music in person from the master.

See Page 9 RIVERDANCE 25TH

Anniversary Tour Review

See page 18

BOOK REVIEW: Kathleen Aldworth Foster has just released her historical fiction novel about the first female Freemason: Doneraile Court; The Story of The Lady Freemason. The book is based on t rue event s from Count y Cork in 1712, See St ory on Page 2

The m ost popular and prolific piper in Hollyw ood for over a quart er of a cent ury, Now enjoy t he great film and soundt rack

The View From Ireland

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

Page 12

We have shuffled som e feat ures and pages around for t his special issue You can find t he Publisher 's Let t er on Page 15

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

Everyone Is Scottish At Scottish Fest!

Make som e grand m em ories t his next Mem orial Day w eekend!

Com e explore and enjoy t w o packed days of fam ily fun w it h bagpipes, drum s, highland dancing, Scot t ish clans and genealogy, Scot t ish at hlet ics, shopping, food and so m uch m ore! It 's a fant ast ic w ay t o explore t he cult ure of t he Scot s and t he Celt s, and t he best

part ! REMEMBER. You don't have t o be Scot t ish t o have fun at Scot t ish Fest !

Bot h Fat her 's Day and Graduat ions are im port ant t his t im e of year so be sure t o check out t he vendors for t he perfect gift

On t he t opic of vendors, t he Irish Im port Shop w ill not be am ong t hem , Sadly, t he w onderful shop has closed aft er 50 years.

We also sugest t hat our readers and subscribers t ake t he t im e t o really explore and delve int o t he Scot t ish Fest w ebsit e. w w w.scot t ishfest .com

We are in t he digit al business and research online a lot . This w ebsit e is one of t he best t hat w e have ever used.; easy t o navigat e and t here is a w ealt h of inform at ion on it .

Buy Ticket s Now Discount ed over Gat e Prices!

w w w.scot t ishfest .com / order-t icket s

RETRO SHOTS! See Celt ic Cam era for m ore on page 20

A Brief History of Scottish Highland Games and THE SCOTS In California

Highland Games and Festivals honor and preserve Scottish culture and heritage, The events celebrate all things Scottish by featuring traditional Scottish sports, music, dance, and other activities While the Highland Games havedeep roots in Scotland, they have also gained popularity and spread to various parts of the world, including California.

Here'sa brief overviewof thehistoryof HighlandGamesand Scottish activitiesin California:

Scottish Immigration to California: Scottish immigrants began arriving in California in the mid-19th century during theGold Rush era Many Scots ventured to California in search of fortune and settled in various parts of thestate, bringing their traditions and culture with them

Early Scottish Activities: Scottish immigrants in California formed social and cultural organizations to maintain their heritage Theseorganizations organized gatherings and events where Scottish traditions, such as music, dance, and storytelling, were celebrated The Caledonian Club of San Francisco, established in 1866, is one of the oldest Scottish organizations in California and has played a significant role in promoting Scottish culture

The Highland Games have their origins in Scotland, where they have been held for centuries as a way to showcase and preserve Scottish traditions. In California, the Highland Games started gaining popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These events were organized by Scottish societies and featured traditional Scottish sports like caber toss, hammer throw, and stoneput, as well as bagpipe competitions, Highland dancing, and Scottish music

First Highland Games in California: The Caledonian Club of San Francisco played a crucial role in introducing Highland Games to California In 1866, the club organized the first recorded Highland Games in the state

Since then, various Scottish societies and organizations across California have hosted their own Highland Games and Festivals, contributing to the growth of Scottish activities in the region. Expansion of Highland Games and Festivals: Over time, Highland Games and Festivals have expanded beyond the San Francisco Bay Area to other parts of California. Cities like San Diego, Ventura, Fresno, and Costa Mesa host annual Highland Games events, attracting participants and visitors from different backgrounds who come together to experienceScottish culture.

Scottish Cultural Organizations: Several Scottish cultural organizations have been established in California, promoting Scottish heritage and organizing events throughout the year These organizations include Scottish Highland Gathering and Games Association of Southern California, Scottish Society of San Francisco, St. Andrew's Society of Los Angeles, and many more They work to preserve Scottish traditions, provide scholarships, and support community outreach programs.

Today, the Highland Games and Festivals in California continue to be popular events that celebrate Scottish culture and bring together people with Scottish ancestry or an interest in Scottish traditions. These gatherings provide a platform for showcasing Scottish music, dance, sports, and other activities, allowing participants and attendees to experience a taste of Scotland in the heart of California

About the Costa Mesa Scottish Fest

Scot t ish Fest is part of t he Unit ed Scot t ish Societ y, a 501c(3) non-profit corporat ion. It is t he oldest and largest fest ival of it s kind in t he Sout hern California area. The fest ival occurs annually on Mem orial Day Weekend at t he Orange Count y Fair and Event Cent er (OCFEC) locat ed in Cost a Mesa, California.

Continued on page 8

History of Games Cont...

The locat ion is perfect t o host t he m any fest ival act ivit ies and event s not t o m ent ion t he superb w eat her The OCFEC is approxim at ely 175,000 acres including t he parking lot s and t he fest ival ut ilizes just about every inch of t he propert y

The key t o t he success of t he fest ival is t he people, from t he volunt eers t hat w ork t o produce t he event , t o t he part icipant s/ com pet it ors t o t he guest s t hat enjoy t he m any com pet it ions, m usic, dance, at hlet ics, product s for sale, yout h act ivit ies, food and lively at m osphere

The fest ival w as est ablished in 1932 and w as called a Highland Gam es in t he t radit ion of Scot t ish herit age. The Highland Gam es st art ed out as a sm all gat hering in 1932 but as t he years grew so w as t he Gam es t o t he point t hat by 1938 t he Gam es w ere set -up in t he Sant a Monica Municipal St adium

During 1941 t o 1945 t he Highland Gam es w ere not officially held due World War II.

Eric Rigler ?s CELTIC HOLLYWOOD Feat uring Leo Z

For over 30 years, t he Celt ic sounds of bagpipes and Irish w hist les heard in Oscar-w inning film s, Gram m y-w inning album s and hit t elevision series prim arily belong t o one m an? Eric Rigler Current ly feat ured in Am azon's LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER, Eric's solos are fam iliar t o audiences around t he w orld t hrough t he film s BRAVEHEART, TITANIC, AUSTIN POWERS, DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS, t elevision's OUTLANDER, THE SIMPSONS, SOUTH PARK, and CD?s by everyone from PHIL COLLINS, JOSH

GROBAN, FAITH HILL, KEITH URBAN t o ROD STEWART, MEATLOAF, WHITNEY HOUSTON and MARIAH CAREY.

Leo Z

ERIC RIGLER

This one-of-a-kind show spot light s Eric's career as he brings his original solos from t he Hollyw ood recording st udios t o t he concert st age w it h specially curat ed select ions, show casing his ancient and haunt ing inst rum ent s. Eric w ill be joined by co-arranger/ co-m usical direct or Leo Z (Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli) on piano & keyboards, Lily Honigberg on violin, Wanda Law on viola, Connor Vance on guit ar & cello, Mia Dort ch on harp, and Hannah Crow ley vocals'

copies blensd elem ent s of classical,

Eric Rigler played t he Irish pipes for Braveheart

It alian com poser, producer & songw rit er, born in Bologn as Leonardo De Bernardini.

Leo Z began his m usical career at 20 years old in It aly. His Close w hich sold 8 m illion

elect ronic, w orld, folk, Celt ic, cont em porary, progressive rock and abient m usic t o creat e a unique voice in t he int ernat ional pop-crossover genre

June is for Dad's & Grads

Our Gift Shoppe has a large select ion of im port ed candy & unique, im port ed it em s t o please any person or budget !

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

ED NOTE: See Calendar t his issue for ent ert ainm ent and event s in t he King's Head Pub and for m ore on t heir new Coffee Bar CLICK HERE

Mi Aibreán

A Bit of Cork and Freem ason hist ory Com es Alive

A new hist orical fict ion novel set in Cor Doneraile Court: The Story of The Lady Freemasonis based on t rue event s t hat t ook place at Doneraile Park Est at ein Count y Cork back in 1712.

?The book brings t o life t he perilous night Elizabet h w as caught spying on Freem asons in t hem iddle of an init iat ion rit ual, forcing t hem t o m ake a life-or-deat h decision,? says t he aut hor, ?They chose life and t railblazing Elizabet h becam e one of t he m ost generous philant hropist s of her t im e.?Elizabet h received a full Masonic funeral upon her deat h in 1775. Cont inued on page 16

Tradit ional

Scot t ish Dances

The Sw ord Dance / Ghillie Calum

No highland dance is older or bet t er know n t han t he Ghillie Calum , or Sw ord Dance Som e suggest t hat Malcolm Canm ore, King of Scot land, w ho ruled t he count ry bet w een 1054 and 1096, creat ed t he dance In 1054 Malcolm Canm ore began t he m ilit ary cam paign t hat Macbet h m ade fam ous. Malcolm , support ed by t he Earl of Nort hum bria, w as able t o force t errit orial concessions from Macbet h at t he bloody bat t le of Dunsinane on 24 July, 1054. Aft er t he success, Malcolm is believed t o have placed his ow n sw ord on t op of t hat of his enem y in t he form of a cross and danced t rium phant over t hem

Highland Fling A dance of vict ory in bat t le

Tradit ionally, ancient w arriors and clansm en perform ed t his dance on a sm all round shield called a t arge, w hich t hey carried int o bat t le. One can underst and t he quick foot w ork and dext erit y of t he dancer w hen it is not ed t hat m ost t arges had a pinpoint -sharp spike of st eel project ing som e five or six inches from it s cent er A false or careless st ep could be m ore t han a lit t le painful

The Seann Truibhas

Pronounced "shaw n t rew s", in t he Gaelic language, it t ranslat es int o English as "old t rousers" The dance has obscure origins; t he m ovem ent s definit ely depict a person in t he act of shedding his breeks (brit ches), and t he t radit ion is t hat of a Highlander im pat ient t o get rid of t he unfam iliar garm ent and get back t o t he freedom of his nat ive Highland kilt .

This feat ure w as excerpt ed from t he sect ion on Scot t ish Dancing from t he am azing w w w.scot t ishfest .com

Ot hers suggest t hat w arriors danced t he Sw ord Dance t he night before bat t le If t he dancer t ouched t he sw ord, t he dancer w ould be w ounded t he next day, but if a dancer kicked t he sw ord, he w ould be killed

The dance is perform ed t oday t o t he pipe t une Ghillie Calum w it h t w o or m ore slow st eps follow ed by one or t w o quick st eps. If a dancer t ouches a sw ord (but not displaces it in com pet it ion), t he dancer loses five m arks. How ever, if t he dancer displaces t he sw ord, s/ he is disqualified

The Reel of Tulloch

There are several types of ?group?dances performed by Highland Dancers. They include:

1. Hullachan

2. St rat hspey and Half Tulloch

3. St rat hspey and Highland Reel

4. St rat hspey and Highland Reel and Half Tulloch.

A St rat hspey is perform ed by four dancers, init ially beginning in a line, and dancing a ?figure of eight ?? alt hough t he form at ion act ually uses t hree loops--t o a suit able st rat hspey t une. A quicker Highland Reel (using t he sam e form at ion) or Tulloch (w it h dancers t aking t urns doing st eps and t urning

M on d ay, T u esd ay,

W ed n esd ay & T h u r sd ay: 12 N oon to 11:PM

Fr i d ay: 12 N oon to 2:A M

Satu r d ay: 9:A M to 2:A M

Su n d ay: 9:A M tPM

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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.

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Writers

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Let t er From THE PUBLISHER

Dear FriendsandReaders

Happy Mem orial Day!

For all of you w ho served our count ry, w e are m ost appreciat ive and grat eful

May w e suggest t hat you all celebrat e t he w eekend at Scot t ish Fest and t hen gat her fam ily and friends t oget her for a good old fashion non com m ercial and gat hering and m eal at hom e on Monday!! Life is not going t o get m uch bet t er t han being w it h fam ily and friends as w e reflect t oget her on t he gift s, freedom s and prom ise of Am erica.

Ourforebears did not grovel in t he m ud of division, t he built a count ry and gave credit and respect t o each ot her We need t hat now m ore t han ever!

Please drop by our Irish Out reach boot h We w ill be w it h Clan Scot t We w ill have specials and a cont est , w inner draw n on Sunday! The Im port Shop closed suddenly and I am recovering from an injury so I can't be t here eit her

We appreciat e very m uch t he help from Clan Scot !

Jim McDonough

Riverdance 25t h Anniversary Re-im agined Show Review By Patrick Weld

The Riverdance Am erican Tour is a sensat ion piece of st agecraft The April show at The Dolby w as absolut ely t he best m usic and dance show t hat I w as ever lucky enough t o see t hanks t o t his publicat ion. I act ually saw t he orignal as a child in Brisbane in March of 2010. My folks t hought I needed t he exposure

t o Irish Cult ure This new show w as fast er, t he cast seem ed t o be m uch bigger and t he audience m ore engaged and m oved. The run in LA w as by far t oo short but t he t our goes on for several m ont hs and closes in Sarasot a, Florida.

Since

Riverdance began perform ances in Dublin in 1995, t he show has...

- Played m ore t han 15,000 perform ances

- Been seen live by over 28 5 m illion people w orldw ide

- Played t hroughout 48 count ries across 6 cont inent s

- Played t o a global t elevision audience of m ore t han 3 5 billion people

- Sold over 3 m illion copies of t he Gram m y Aw ard-w inning CD

- Sold 10 m illion Riverdance videos & DVDs

- Riverdance holds t he Guinness World Record for t he ?Longest Riverdance Line?

- 2500 of t he next generat ion of dancers have at t ended Riverdance Sum m er School and learned t he iconic Riverdance st eps

The View from Ireland Still Crazy After 25 Years

By Maurice Fit zpat rick

The timing of the brokering of the Windsor Framework could hardly be more propitious for most of its stakeholders. Those who wish to implement it in the UK, Irish and US governments and across the EU all have the wind at their backs The UK has faced waves of dissatisfaction with the economic downturn resulting from Brexit, manifesting principally in strikes across crucial public service providers It needed a ?victory?to placate its discontented population. While Northern Ireland is of no interest to the British public, the prospect of a trade deal with the EU certainly is and that has a direct effect on their lives. The EU had made a trade deal contingent upon bedding down the Northern Ireland Protocol, or the Windsor Framework as it is now known after it was put through the political and PR laundromat (washed down with tangible improvements on the regulation of goods travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland).

The Irish government is obviously relieved that the interminable playacting over the Protocol seems to be over Since Brexit, when the Irish government signs off on an aspect of Northern Irish affairs the EU is almost certain to support it Like the EU, the US also made a trade deal with the UK conditional upon the Northern Ireland Protocol So, Washington can look forward to better relations with London now That also chimes well with the appointment of Joe Kennedy as Special Envoy to Northern Ireland and President Biden?s April visit to Ireland Moreover, a large majority who live in Northern Ireland are greatly relieved that the economic limbo in which they have been suspended now appears to be nearly over They can make the pitch that Northern Ireland enjoys unique access to the EU and UK markets; Washington is lending credibility to that claim with the promise of a surge of investment in Northern Ireland So, everyone is happy? Of course not Welcome to Northern Ireland

At time of writing, the DUP, the largest unionist party, and the cause of the ongoing suspension of the Northern Ireland Assembly, has not endorsed the Windsor Framework One action of the party is ?taking time?to scour the legalese of the dense agreement before declaring its position; the other wing, led by Sammy Wilson and Ian Paisley Jr , has already repudiated the advances of the agreement Even so, the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak, has taken ownership of this deal, and he has enough support in Westminster for the protocol to pass through And the Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer, has also pledged to

support it So, if the DUP continue to oppose it, they will only further distance themselves from the mothership Leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson, who has not yet declared his position on the agreement, is anxious to bring his party with him in whatever policy he espouses It is not clear what he will do, but if he does embrace it one aspect of the agreement is likely to be central to his attempt to sell it to his party The ?Stormont brake?clause in the agreement enables a group of 30 Northern Irish Assembly members (out of 90) to block an EU law if it can demonstrate that that law will negatively impact the lives of their constituents.

Alternatively, a group of 30 could attempt to trigger the break if they can demonstrate that a new EU law represents a democratic deficiency (since Northern Ireland no longer has political representation in the EU). In practice, such a demand, if made, will almost certainly come from unionists and it is certainly possible that unionist members of the assembly could muster the requisite 30 votes.

However, they should think three times before doing so. The ?brake?must ultimately be pulled by the UK government, which would have to decide whether remonstrating with the EU over a Northern Irish grievance is in its interests. Even the most pro-unionist British government will be unwilling to do so since London?s priority will be its trade deal with the EU. Given how contemptuous London has been towards unionism since Brexit, it is almost impossible to imagine London acting in accordance with such a petition from unionists. London has repeatedly used Northern Ireland as a political football in its negotiations with the EU since 2016, and it has never worked. The Tories, under Rishi Sunak, appear to finally have faced reality. They will convey that reality to unionist politicians who attempt further wreckage.

The Celtic Camer a

We are here looking for you!

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

RETRO CAM ERA!!

LEFT: Our f avorit e OC Based local piper, An y Scot t ! Drop by Clan Scot t ' s boot h as t h ey are also h ost in g our Irish Art s an d En t ert ain m en t Boot h . (Sorry to say, I have a fractre and I will not make it this year. The get welll cardsand emailsare really appreciated, Jim M cDon ough ) Bot t om : Th e Scot t ish Fiddlers )of LA f rom af ew years ago! M ak e dure t o see t h em an d visit t h e Harp Glen t h id Year,

RIGHT: Eric Rigler an d Out lan der st ar, Sam Rolan d Heugh an

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

NOW WITH By Date& On Going Listingsand Links

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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 assum es no prior know ledge of t he Irish language; if you have already been exposed t o it ,

t his class m ay serve as a refresher course on t he basics

The prim ary m at erials are "Progress in Irish" and "Gaeilge Gan St ro - Low er Level", bot h of w hich m ay be purchased online The course inst ruct or, Jam es Murphy, w ill be circulat ing t he init ial course m at erials as w ell The first few classes w ill focus on pronunciat ion

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

w w w.aulddubliner.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

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

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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 !

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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

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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

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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.

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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:

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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!

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