Jim Sheridan In America!

Dear ALL THINGS IRISH Readers,
Happy New Year to Everyone. It has been a great year
for me and McDonough Media.
Thank you all for your continuing support and readership.
We just got this information and thought we might pass it on.
We just missed the cut-off for the
Irish News USA Irish E-Missive
and the event is in early January.
Here is a link to the latest E-Missive #11:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/IRISHNEWSUSA #11


THE AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE 
PRESENTS...

JIM SHERIDAN IN AMERICA

Co-presented by the Irish Film Board 
and the L.A. Irish Film Festival
January 8 & 9
At the Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Avenue, 
Santa Monica, CA
 
Six-time Academy Award nominee Jim Sheridan burst onto the international film scene with his 1989 masterpiece MY LEFT FOOT, which announced him as a major talent. He continued to move audiences with powerful dramas set in his native Ireland (IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, THE BOXER) as well as America (IN AMERICA, GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'). All of his films are profoundly character-driven yet broad in scope, examining the geographical, cultural and economic factors that influence how we live.
The Cinematheque will present some of Jim Sheridan's best films alongside his latest powerful work, BROTHERS, with Mr. Sheridan live in-person.
Series compiled by Grant Moninger and Gwen Deglise. Program notes by Jim Hemphill.

Friday, January 8 - 7:30 PM                              JIM SHERIDAN
Jim Sheridan In Person! Double Feature: BROTHERS, 2009, Lionsgate, 110 min. Dir. Jim Sheridan. When Sam (Tobey Maguire) is reported dead in Iraq, his brother, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal), pitches in to help Sam's widow and high school sweetheart, Grace (Natalie Portman). Their mutual mourning brings Tommy and Grace closer together - a situation that becomes extremely complicated when Sam returns from Iraq, alive and well (physically, if not mentally).
IN AMERICA, 2003, Fox Searchlight, 103 min. Dir. Jim Sheridan. To begin all over again is a classic American dream, Irish émigrés Johnny and Sarah (Paddy Considine and Samantha Morton) discover it’s hard to do when they hit the streets of modern-day Manhattan, their two spunky young daughters in tow, and emerge into a realm as comical and adventure-filled as it is strange and terrifying. Discussion in between films with director Jim Sheridan.
Saturday, January 9 - 7:30 PM                                   JIM SHERIDAN
Double Feature: MY LEFT FOOT: THE STORY OF CHRISTY BROWN, 1989, Miramax, 103 min. Dir. Jim Sheridan. In an Oscar-winning performance, Daniel Day-Lewis plays Christy Brown, a painter with cerebral palsy who can only control his left foot. In spite of his disability, Brown becomes an important writer and artist in this heartbreaking yet profoundly inspirational tale.
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, 1993, Universal, 133 min. Director Jim Sheridan and Daniel Day-Lewis reunite for the true story of the Guildford Four, a group falsely convicted of an IRA pub bombing.  Pete Postlethwaite and Emma Thompson co-star in this drama that beautifully combines character study and political history to create a modern classic. 

Looking to the New Year!

2010
Goals and Dreams and Morbid Reality
or the IRISH Life Tour Continues...
for the next week, I will be writing about and expanding
on three topics of Irish Interest;
RIVERDANCE, THE CHIEFTAINS and
VISITING IRELAND THIS YEAR.

I think it is my Irish Catholic fascination
with the Shamrock that makes me think of
THREE things in clusters at one time.
I like to come up with three of everything!
TRIADS!
To get your year off to a great start, may I suggest a variant
that suits you of my idea.
Sit down and write down some goals of a personal, family
and business nature.
Think of some of your dreams or loftier ambitions for your life;
put them on paper; tell someway; make them real!

Then throw in a balance---
consider the world and what part you play in it and
what small course correction that you might take to make it a better place;
volunteer, donate some money or time or both and maybe just be nicer...
something positive.
If a large number of us would think in these terms; the aggregate
effect would make a difference for the common good.

Now, the THREE IRISH POINTS of INTEREST...
Riverdance is on its final tour.
One of the stops is 16 performances at the
Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.

The Chieftains are coming to the states and this wonderful group,
known as Ireland's Musical Ambassadors to the world will be palying at the
Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts in Southern California.


Finally,  this is a great year to go to Ireland!
The recession has lowered rates a bit and there are some good deals on airfare.
We will be expanding on this a lot over the next few weeks.

More soon:
meanwhile we invite you to sign up fr our FREE
Weekly Irish E-Missive.
Here is a link:
http://archive.IrishNewsUSA #9


Your comments and questions are always appreciated.

See Box Below...

Jim McDonough
Manhattan, Kansas

Merry Christmas to All!

First Up...Here is a Link

to IRISH NEWS USA #10

Good stuff here on 

Irish Christmas Traditions

and A Christmas appeal 

for Wells of Life.

Please have a look...

http://archive.IrishNewsUSA #10

This is shaping up to be a great 
Christmas Season for me and 
I am exceptionally blessed and lucky.  
It is amazing how much
more energy and focus I have. 
I give myself high marks for finally getting 
into the habit of long walks, 
a lot less drinking, 
no smoking and slightly improved diet.  
My renewed faith in God and
my own strange allegiance to my
Irish Catholic heritage has
helped a lot too. 
The biggest blessing I have is my family. 
My son Mark has also been a great help 
to me. He is big in the moral support area
and he has helped a lot with the business
by running errands and helping  
with the books. The other incredible turn 

of tides is that I am also living an almost stress 
free existence thanks to my son Matt 
and his wife, the best daughter-in-law 
in the world, Chasity.

Last year at this time, I was so ill and miserable 
that I thought it was probably going to be 
my last Christmas. 
I was seemingly old, stressed and worn out.
The biggest stress that I now have is publishing 
the Irish News & Entertainment.  
My paper has not been a financial success for many years 
and my son and his wife think I'm nuts
and stupidly stubborn for doing it still.

Stress is a killer and it appears that the correlation to 
being a publisher of an Irish paper and stress is high! 
Unless, I can fix that fairly soon, 
my print publishing days are numbered. 
Any input from any of my readers on this 
topic will be appreciated. Now back to Christmas!!


I've had time this year to send out a few cards, a few gifts 
and have actually bought a few presents for my sons early; 
first time ever for that. 


The so called War On Christmas amazes me.
What the heck has happened
in America that makes people so snide and
cantankerous. I am all for Christmas in all 
its many forms and traditions.
I think Bill  O'Reilly and his
WE SAY Merry Christmas slogan
is not just silly but obnoxius.
Say Merry Christmas by all means,
but for God's Sake don't
do so in a pugnacious manner.
The other idiots who complain about the 
separation of religion and the state are 
even higher on my Eat Coal list! 
In the words of that wonderful and 
often misunderstood American, Rodney King,
"Can't we just all get along!"

Hope you all are enjoying the 

Winter Solstice with your

Glorious Christmas!

Jim McDonough,
Manhattan, Kansas
12/23/09

 

2.3 Million Euros for Irish Arts Center - Budget Lesson from Ireland

 

Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Announces  
€2.3million Towards Construction of 
New Irish Arts Centre in New York 

Global Irish Economic Forum
detailed by Mr Micheál Martin, T.D.

                    Speaker Christine Quinn and                        
                    Micheál Martin, T.D. 

 The Minister for Foreign Affairs,  
Micheál Martin, T.D.,  
today announced a major grant for a landmark 
Irish project in New York.  
Minister Martin said that a total of €2.3 million will be 
provided immediately towards the construction of a
the Irish Arts Centre in Manhattan.

The Minister said one of the main themes to emerge from 
the attendees at the Global Irish Economic Forum 
was the importance of Irish Culture to the image Ireland abroad and in particular in the USA. 
He noted that this was also an important conclusion of the 
Strategic Review of Ireland US Relations, 
published by the Taoiseach last March.   
Minister Martin said he was extremely impressed by the arguments 
made at Farmleigh by members of the business and cultural sectors alike.

Announcing the grant from the Emigrant Support Programme 
managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Minister said:

“The allocation of such significant funding is a clear demonstration of the Government’s strong commitment to the building of the new Irish Arts Centre in New York.  This funding is a response to the extraordinary gesture of the City of New York in making a site, valued at $12 million available for the project, along with a further $8 million in capital funding.

The construction of the New York Irish Arts Centre is identified as a priority in the revised 
Programme for Government and I would like to pay tribute to 
Minister Martin Cullen for his longstanding support and commitment to the project.

The new Centre will project a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America across the US; it will facilitate extensive Irish-related cultural, business and community programmes; will showcase quality contemporary Irish theatre and art; and will also provide an invaluable resource for the Irish emigrant community in the US”.  

The Minister paid warm tribute to New York City Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Christine Quinn for their exceptional support for the initiative. He also thanked Gabriel Byrne for his support for the Arts Centre and for his longstanding work in promoting Irish culture throughout the US.

Minister Martin said that this major initiative demonstrates how seriously the Government views the outcome of the Farmleigh Forum: “Everybody at Farmleigh said that the success of the Conference could only be judged by the quality of the follow up. Today I have begun to demonstrate that despite the difficult budgetary situation, we are determined to continue investing in our unique resource- the Irish Diaspora and its cultural heritage.

This is just the beginning and I will be making further announcements in the New Year.

Other ideas which are being actively progressed include: a new Global Irish Network; the establishment of an Irish innovation centre in Silicon Valley; the Gateway Ireland portal, which would serve as a key online focus for promoting Ireland abroad and engaging with our global community; expanded educational exchange and scholarship programmes to increase engagement with younger generations; and a new Farmleigh Overseas Graduate Programme.  I am aware that a number of other Departments are also taking forward initiatives suggested at Farmleigh. I am similarly encouraged by the fact that significant work has already been undertaken by participants themselves on a number of projects that are more suitably advanced by the private sector. These will have the support of the Government.”

He pointed out that at its meeting on 13 October, the Government considered a comprehensive report prepared by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Management Institute.  
The full report contains a detailed list of the main themes and specific proposals 
to emerge and is available at:
www.dfa.ie 
More at:
www.globalirishforum.ie 

Even Ireland Suffers Budget Crunch
The Celtic Tiger is going to be forced to take its belt in a notch
according to a story in the Irish Times of yesterday
(Monday, December 7);
The Irish government will announce details this week to
curtail and cut government spending across the board.
This is quite interesting in view of the grant that the
Irish Government just made to the Irish Arts Centre.
However, it also proves a point;
the Irish cut spending across the board so that
no part of the spending cuts hurts one department more
than any other. Again a lesson we could learn from the
better balanced Irish politicians!
See the entire story at:
irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/

Lesson To Be Learned...
We need to take heed of the Republic of Irelands actions
and insist that our local,state and Federal government act in a similar fashion.
The elitist professional politicians and
entrenched bureaucrats that are running things now
are not going to go gently into the good night.
We have a real fight on our hands!
Bill O'Reilly came up with an interesting idea on his show late
last week; the Fox News Commentator proposed a
Federal Sales Tax of 2% on EVERYTHING 
sold in the US except food.
Two stipulations were called for:
First that the Emergency Sales Tax be temporary
---for five years maximum.
and that it go along with a freeze in government spending.
O'Reilly claims that competition in the marketplace
would ease and absorb the disruptions caused by the tax.

I could support this if the federal government was mandated
to not just freeze spending but to also cut spending by 3%.
The combination could make a significant dent in the
Federal Deficit over Five Years.
If we do not do something of this magnitude immediately,
we are going to totally ruin the economy and leave a legacy
of total economic chaos to our children.
I think this plan and the plan outlined in my
Economics of Chaos blog of a few weeks ago to put
Congress into the Social Security program and
take away the ridiculous pensions that they have voted
for themselves would go a long way toward returning
us to some fiscal sanity.

We do indeed have a real fight on our hands;
this is absolutely the Second American Revolution.
I also believe that it we do not elect a slate of
real conservatives and independents to office in 2010
that our American Democracy and our very way of life
will be lost to the Lovers of Big Government
and Big Corporations.
TheTime is Ripe
This is a clarion call to save America!
Start now by considering a run for office yourself
as an independent fiscal conservation.
We need patriots.
Find others like us and work and support to elect
people who love America and its tradition of freedom.
We need to empty the public trough from which these pigs
who claim they are public servants feed.  
Together, it can be done.
God Bless America. 
May 2010 be a year of change that we can trust. 
Change that we can control. 
A change to return sovereignty to the people.

Slan agus bennacht,
Jim McDonough
12/7/09

Mid-November All Things Irish

On V    http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs028/1102459560768/archive/1102Up838699127.htmlhttp://archive.constantcontact.com/fs028/1102459560768/archive/1102838699127.html

<sup>We did not get to see the Irish Gangster film 
Boondock Saints II yet. 
It might have to wait till video. 
The reviews were generally bad and the only 
E-mail report we got was basically 
a warning not to see it.

There are some good Irish/Celtic offerings for 
those of us who like live stage productions.
Here is a quick run down.
Druid Theatre
Dylan Thomas at ACS
Ray Bradbury Christmas Gift</sup>

^{We will start with the Bradbury Gift...}

^{Ray Bradbury is a literary legend and 
a national treasure.} 

^{He is also a very nice gentleman and} 

^{he loves Ireland and the} 

^{Irish Experience in general.} 

^{I had the good fortune and opportunity to 
meet him a few times through my} 

^{Irish News & Entertainment position 
as publisher/photographer and organizer.}

^{We did an Irish News night at his 
hit play Falling Upward 
and he was in attendance and addressed 
the audience and cast.} 

^{He stayed on for a little social after and was a delight.}

^{Ray Bradbury's Irish connection goes back to 
1954 when he wrote the screenplay for} 

^{John Huston's film based on Moby Dick} 

^{which was filmed in part in Ireland.} 

^{Falling Upward is based on his memories of an 
Irish Pub that he frequented.}

^{I like Ray Bradbury. He is kind and gracious and a true genius.} 

^{Bradbury is also very easy to meet. 
In fact he has a Christmas Gift 
in store for all of his fans.} 

^{In December on three successive 
Saturday Evenings he will be 
in South Pasadena, California} 

^{for a showcase of his new play and to share his own 
Christmas experiences with the public.} 

^{This is a rare opportunity to meet one of 
the leading writers of our time.} 

^{Bradbury for years has personally sponsored 
a series of theater evenings and plays}

^{under the banner; THE PLAY’S THE THING.} 

^{It is under this group that the preview for his 
new play will be held.}

^{Here are the details from Bradbury's 
PR Guru Phil Sokoloff.}

^{RAY BRADBURY’S 
MERRY CHRISTMAS 2116
At the Fremont Center Theatre – 
Saturdays, December 5, 12 and 19 at 8.00 pm          
For several years now, 
the Fremont Centre Theatre has played host 
to a special Christmas show from Ray Bradbury.  
This is a special treat for fans of Ray Bradbury:} 

^{an advance look at his newest work for the stage, 
as well as the opportunity to share} 

^{holiday-time memories with their literary hero, 
who will appear in person.}  

^{The new musical production will have its 
formal World Premiere 
at the Fremont Centre Theatre} 

^{on Saturday, January 16, 2010.
It will be running through February 27.
In Ray Bradbury’s Merry Christmas 2116, 
an aging couple, approaching the 40th anniversary 
of their married lives together, each decide to 
give their spouse a present.} 

^{As coincidence would have it, 
Mr. Wycherly and Mrs. Wycherly}

^{each separately approach a maker of realistic,} 

^{lifelike robots called marionettes, 
although they have no strings.} 

^{Mr. Wycherly requests that Mr. Marionette 
manufacture a highly customized younger,} 

^{more vital version of himself to please 
Mrs. Wycherly.} 

^{The Missus, for her part, asks the robot-maker 
to fashion a young, hot, sassy, saucy} 

^{version of herself for her Mister.} 

^{When the new marionettes are each delivered to 
their designated recipients, the fun really begins.} 

^{It’s a work of Bradbury’s humor, warmth and joy, 
perfect for the season.
This musical was first conceived fifty years ago 
for two Bradbury friends, the husband and wife 
team of Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester,} 

^{with director James Whale attached. 
With Whale’s sudden death,} 

^{the project was set aside.
Book and lyrics by Ray Bradbury. 
John Hoke composed the brand 
new musical score.} 

^{Directed and choreographed 
by Steve Josephson. 
Produced by Ray Bradbury and} 

^{by Racquel Lehrman, Theatre Planners.}  

^{The cast includes David Stoneman, 
Rob Harryman, 
Lisa Morrice, Jessie McLean,} 

^{Steve Josephson, Samantha Marcella, 
Christine Reese and Anthony Scarano.} 

^{Presented by Ray Bradbury’s 
Pandemonium Theatre Company} 

^{and Gallimaufry Performing Arts.
In addition to the musical, 
the second segment of the December evenings} 

^{will be a personal appearance by Ray Bradbury, 
sharing the reminiscences} 

^{of a legendary life and career.}  

^{Ray Bradbury will also be available 
to sign books for his fans.}

^{Fremont Centre Theatre
1000 Fremont Ave. (at El Centro)
South Pasadena, CA Abundant free parking 
behind the theater.
Close to the Mission St. Station of} 

^{the Metrolink Gold Line.
Saturdays at 8 p.m. on} 

<sup>December 5, 12 and 19, 2009

Admission:  $20 Seniors:  $15</sup>   

^{Students:  $10
Reservations and information:}  

^{(323) 960-4451}

 
^{Online ticketing:  
www.Plays411.com/raybradbury} 

The musical will have its formal 
World Premiere for the press at
Fremont Centre Theatre on 
Saturday, January 16, 2010

Now on to  Welsh poet/playwright Dylan Thomas
This is a powerful stage presentation of one his most masterful works.
The Doctor and The Devils
The Doctor and the Devils, was written in the 1950s by Thomas
The story is the classic tale about grave robbers Burke and Hare and Scottish surgeon 
Dr. Robert Knox.
Here is a link to their really good website: 

thedoctorandthedevils.com



There is also a film version of this and it to offers a fair synopsis of the story....
 (which also yielded the 1945 Val Lewton classic The Body Snatcher). 
"Timothy Dalton plays 18th century doctor Thomas Rock, who must rely upon 
the disreputable Robert Fallon (Jonathan Pryce) and Timothy Broom (Stephen Rea) 
to provide fresh cadavers for Dr. Rock's teaching hospital. 
When they can't dig up corpses fast enough to suit Dr. Rock, Fallon and Broom 
decide to streamline their methods via murder."

More Dylan Thomas in December... 

Saturday, December 19
at 8PM

An Claidheamh Soluis/The Celtic Arts Center 

Christmas Event
ACS will present an evening of readings

from the works of Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas,

including 'A Child's Christmas in Wales,'
read by actor/director Joe Praml.

Holiday Refreshments will be served.

The Raven Playhouse
5233 Lankershim Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
Admission $10
$7 for member

More information about the Celtic Arts Center:

http://www.celticartscenter.com

ACS Christmas

^{Music for the Holidays.
Another Triade,,,
Again ACS
Michael Londra
Tare/}

Spotlight on Irish Theater.
 
New York Theatre Trip Planned
The Irish News USA is organizing a group outing to New York to go to a couple plays, 

do a NYC PUB CRAWL, have a group dinner and basically enjoy a bit of the 

Christmas Season in the City that never sleeps.
We are planning on seeing these two plays; 

Finians Rainbow and The Doctor and the Devils.

Older post:

.

Today is Friday the 13th. I hope all of our friends and readers had a decent day.
The Irish of popular culture and imagination are a superstitious lot but I don't know of any un-lucky tales about this day in Irish lore. The best thing I could find was the fact that Rossini died on this day and he supposedly hated Fridays and the number thirteen (triskaidekaphobia).
The fear of Friday the 13th is called paraskevidekatriaphobia, a word derived from the concatenation of the Greek words Paraskeví  (meaning Friday), and dekatreís  (meaning thirteen), attached to phobía (meaning fear). The term triskaidekaphobia derives from the Greek words "tris", meaning 'three', "kai", meaning 'and', and "deka", meaning 'ten' and good old phobia. That is all of got.
All the best,
Jim

.

All Things Irish Happy Samhain.

This weekend is Halloween. 

To all our friends and readers, 

we wish you a delightful and benignly 

frightful weekend. Halloween has 

Celtic Roots so we devoted the last issue 

of our new weekly 

IRISHNEWS USA 

to Samhain, 

the Celtic New Year 

as well as

Halloween!

We have two fine contributors; 

Adrien Rain Burke 

and True Thomas, the Celtic Storyteller. 

For some of you that might not already

know, I have started a new weekly offering 

to subscribers of my newspaper, 

the Irish News & Entertainment. 

Our intention is to get it out every 

Tuesday by the end of the day

It is an Irish Interest E-mail Newsletter. 

In it is information on how to subscribe 

to the paper and/or the newsletter. 

I'm also about ready to post a new piece on 

my Economics of Chaos blog; that should be 

up by Thursday Morning (November 5).  

Since I usually post here erratically, 

I suggest that you sign up as a follower; 

that is best because BlogSpot will then notify 

you of each new post.

One final note on the printed version of 

the Irish News. 

I am in need of someone to help with 

the layout. We use Quark, 

but in theory at least any program 

that can save a pdf would do

if we assigned work page by page. 

We also need sales and 

marketing representatives.

I always appreciate comments 

from our readers.

All the best, 

Jim McDonough

 

Here is the link to the Irish E-Missive...

 http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs028/1102459560768/archive/1102789838099.html

This blog segment is devoted to travel and history. 

We have contributions and reviews from several sources.

We start with the The History of Gaelic games in 

Irish transport which is the sub title and topic of 

a new Irish book.

"Buses, Trains and Gaelic Games" (A history of gaelic games in Irish transport)

by  John Cassidy

The book was launched in theCroke Park on Wednesday 21st October. It was launched by Dave Dinneen a grand-nephew of Frank Dinneen who bought Croke Park in 1908 for £3,500 and held it in trust for the GAA until 1913.

Picture L. To R.; Charlie McGinley, Donegal Association, Dublin. Christina McGinley. Aine and John Cassidy. Eddie McGinley and Noel Cassidy.

Details from www.originalwriting.ie   or    email johncassidy92@yahoo.com

 Irish Heritage in Montana 

Travel  with our Guest Writer

by Mary Pat Tuxbury
 

Shake your shillelagh in Montana and you will surely get a few smiles from the Irish Americans.  The Irish came to Montana to be miner's, loggers, railroad builders and farmers.  It has been said that by the early 1900's there were more Irish in Butte, Montana, than in the city of Boston.  They brought with them names like Murphy, Daly, Sullivan and O'Reilly.  A work ethic built on the American dream and a strong Catholic back ground proved them unstoppable. 

      Montana is 570 miles wide and 315 miles deep, the fourth largest state, giving its Irish population room to spread out and find a place to call home.

     A success story in our area is that of Marcus Daly, who was born in County Cavan.  He came to Montana and started the mining company that would be known as The Anaconda Company.  The similarities of the landscape would entice his fellow Irishman to come to work for his company. When Daly needed lumbar for his mines he incorporated the City of Hamilton where the saw mills provided people with income and a sleepy town to raise their families, The Daly's kept a  summer home in the city, and it is currently being restored as a historical site. Welcome to the Daly Mansion website .   

In early August the city of Butte is over-run with Irish, Irish Americans and Irish-for-the-day folks who come for the craic of this wonderful celebration.  From dawn to dusk there is an activity to interest all.

Montana Gaelic Cultural Society

There are many pubs with an Irish flair, my personal favorite is Sean Kelly's, the Shepherds pie is wonderful.

Sean Kelly's - Missoula, MT

The Celtic Connection in downtown Missoula, provides a shop with common Irish products like Tea and Crunchies.  It carries an array of products from Ireland and crafts and food from locals.

The Celtic Connection, llc

And we cannot leave out , Pug Mahon's Irish Pub in Billings.  I've not had the pleasure of visiting this establishment yet.....but some day~~

Pug Mahon's Irish Pub :: About Us

Montana is a great vacation spot, but as Granny would say, "Oh, you can come for a visit, but I haven't got the room for you to move in with me.

From the mountains of Montana,

Mary Pat Tuxbury

An Irish Portal

 

My son Matt is teaching a class on WWI this semester. He puts together a very effective Powerpoint presentation for each lecture and he is using this photo. Thought you all might enjoy seeing it:
Army Air Corps Pilot Joe McDonough in 1918. My Pop, Matt's Grandfather.

 

 

What's your Celtic

Zodiac sign?

Click here to take the quiz.

What's Your Celtic Zodiac Sign

Cool Quiz on FACEBOOK!

SAVE THE DATES>>>>
 FeisEire Irish Festival - Oct. 24th
Brothers of St. Patrick in
Midway City, Orange County

 

We highly recommend this soon to be published 

book by NY Times Best Selling Author, 

Kathleen McGowan

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Kathleen-McGowans-The-Source-of-Miracles/153243425909?ref=mf

Next Month...November 5
in Santa Monica...

 

















We devote a section of our blog 

this week to Irish blogs or websites 

that we have discovered or have 

been referred to on the NET.


In the interest of full disclosure, this blogger 
knows some of the site owners and 
members and two of the sites are projects 
to which I am personally affiliated.

We hope you will enjoy them all 
as all the websites are well worth a visit.

Also, please put your favorite listing or your own 
Irish site in the comments section. 
We will list them in our next 
Irish Portal segment.  
Point and Click the GOLD highlighted links that follow...

Concern.net

Concern Worlwide was founded in Ireland  by individuals concerned about the plight of Civil War victims in Biafra. 

Now for more than forty years , Concern has been dedicated to reducing suffering and fighting hunger and poverty. Today, Concern’s work is needed more than ever.  There are many ways that you can help. Please find out more about Concern today.

Seventymillion.org

This a fascinating project and you are invited to become part of it.
The organizers are attempting to shed light on the Irish Diaspora through an ingenious interactive site. Give it a try. 
Your history can become part of this worldwide exercise.

Arizona Irish Center

The Irish Center is located near downtown Phoenix
and has a long history of promoting Irish Culture 
and Events. The Center holds two Irish Festivals 
each year and hosts numerous Celtic and Irish 
Concerts and Events. The Center itself is a modern 
facility and boasts a very nice auditorium  
and gift shop, all are constructed in the style of a 
typical Irish Cottage.

CelticArtsCenter

Drop by on any Monday and  enjoy  or 
join in Southern California’s longest running 
traditional Celtic music jam session.

It's a grand time for all!

Did we mention? Its FREE to members 
and their guests!

Irish-American.org

"Céad Mile Fáilte"

"A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!"

The Irish American Heritage Center in Chicago is one 
of the premiere Irish cultural organizations in the 
United States. It is a destination for people of Irish 
descent as well as those who wish to learn more about 
the Irish heritage. There's no place quite like the 
Irish American Heritage Center when it comes to 
providing the very best in Irish culture through the arts, 
history, education, dance and social outlets.

IrishFest.com 

Founded in 1981, the Milwaukee Irish Festival 

has become one of the premier annual Irish Events 

in the United States.  Their mission is to promote and 
celebrate all aspects of Irish Culture and to instill in 
future generations an appreciation of Irish Heritage. 
The organizers have expanded the four day annual 
Irish Festival into year round Irish interest projects 
with an Irish Summer School and a Youth Group.

IrishImportShop.com

For almost fifty years the Irish Import Shop has 
been the largest retailer of wonderful imported 
Irish goods and food in Southern California. 
The shop expanded to a second location in 
San Diego's Old Town three years ago.
The owners have also been great supporters of 
Irish culture and events. A visit to either shop is 
always a worthwhile endeavor. 
Now they are online and will ship promptly 
around the United States.

IrishAbroad.com 

Social networking for Irish people abroad or in 
Ireland. IrishAbroad has almost 250,000 members 
around the world.
The site is open to Irish expats, descendants and 
any person who wants to travel to Ireland. 
It is a great online source for Irish 
Information, News, Community and Friendship.

JoyceCollection.com 
This is a magnificent collection of James Joyce. 

The collection consists of First Editions, 

Signed Copies, original memorabilia 

and ephemera. It was collected by noted 

Joyce scholar and collector, Robert Hunter 

over the past fifty years.

The Hunter Joyce Collection is for sale. 
It is a great scholastic collection and 
ideally it should go to a worthy library or 
university. If you are interested or know of 
a potential donor who might be willing to 
turn it into a gift, we know a University of 
great standing that wants the collection. 
Contact and details are available through 
the Joyce Collection website above.

PubGuide.com 
PubGuide.com is a list of pubs, mostly in 
California. The site is expanding and now
asking for submissions from around the U.S. 
It is set up so you can find pubs by zipcodes. 
The site also has a handy built in MapQuest 
feature, ideal for organizing Pub Crawls. 

PubGuide.com is a work in progress. If you 
have a pub that you would like to see listed or 
if you are a publican who wants more information; 
Please contact: jim@pubguide.com

 

We highly recommend this soon to be published 

book by NY Times Best Selling Author, 

Kathleen McGowan

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Kathleen-McGowans-The-Source-of-Miracles/153243425909?ref=mf

Irish Music Spotlight

There is a tremendous amount of Irish and 

Celtic Music available today. 

Youtube and  Internet Radio sites have both 

served to expand the genre. One of our favorite 

ways to get a good dose of great music

is still to enjoy a performance at a local pub. 

One of the best Irish Musicians around California 

and the West is Hugh Lehane. Hugh is a gifted 

artist and entertainer who hails from the Old Sod. 

He is a genuine Irish gentleman and one of the most 

sincere and hard working individuals that I've ever met. 

If you get the chance, try to see one of his shows.

www.hughmusic.com

www.facebook.com/hughlehane

http://Hugh's Blogs.myspace.com

More on my campaign to 
Skip A Meal....
Since, I started this lifestyle change; I have lost about five pounds and saved about $35. 
on food. That is in about three weeks. I plan on donated the money that I have saved 
by the end of October. I hope some of our readers will consider joining me in this 
effort and share your story with us.

This is a repeat of the post that started my quest to help myself and those 

folks desperately in need of help. These are grim times in many parts of the 

world and WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERANCE!

"I'd like to share some insights that I've had over the past few weeks. As most of you know in the past year, I was seriously ill. Thanks to God, the prayers, love and concern of my family and friends,  Great American Health Care and a bit of my own Irish Luck; I am now healthy. I've had a lot of time to think and be inspired. The sources for some of these inspirational thoughts were family members who went to Africa earlier this year with a church group to do some volunteer work at an orphanage for aids victims and my good friend, Nick Jordan, who has been working on African relief projects for several years. I really think that we can make a difference and here is my request.

Help feed the hungry.

Thousands of our fellow humans starve to death every year. Yet, in the United States, obesity is one of our major health problems. We could, and in fact, we do grow enough food to feed the world.

Here is how you can get involved and help.

Raise you own consciousness on the issue. When writing this blog I took an evening and researched the subject and learned a lot. Do the same. There are links at the end of this piece to give you a head start. Then spread the word; help raise the awareness of your family and friends on the facts.

Get involved...Skip a meal...

This writer is sorry to admit it but I am overweight...I have been overeating for at least 30 years.

That easily adds up to at least 1500 meals that I could have and should have skipped in the past thirty years!

Had I skipped those meals and sent only an average of $3. per meal to a worthy relief organization; that would have been $4500. $4500!!

My life would be dramatically improved; had I acted and not procrastinated all these years.

One thing for sure, I would not be quite as heavy as I am now. Some of the other facts are even more compelling; science has now proven that losing weight and being thiner extends life and makes you healthier!! And the other more grim reality about this fanciful might have been scenario is that even a small donation could easily have saved a life.

Take the pledge with me; start skipping a meal a week. The reward will be immediate.

If you are in a position to donate $3 or $4 or so for that skipped meal to a worthy group that is fighting hunger; all the better." JmcD, September, '09
 

Resources: 
www.concern.net

www.wellsoflifeafrica.org

A final note; we already have thirty members in our new

IRISH NEWS and ENTERTAINMENT 

WRITERS GROUP on FACEBOOK. 

Please visit the page and join us if you are interested.

We are going to take the turn the paper into a 

national media group and we need help.

Facebook
IrishNewsWritersGroup