By Roy Foster November 29 2008
I said: 'Give up Paris ... Go to the Aran Islands. Live there as if you were one of the people themselves; express a life that has never found expression.' "

Whether WB Yeats really gave his young compatriot JM Synge this advice in 1896, and whether Synge needed it, has been much debated. But Synge certainly returned from a wandering life on the continent, went to the west of Ireland, and absorbed the flavours of life and language immortalised in the plays he wrote before his early death in 1909. Few in number, they have exercised an enormous influence, still echoing through the work of Irish playwrights today.

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In Ireland there is some evidence of cremation dating from around 9000 years ago, around the time it became cut off from Britain. On the Scottish island of Oronsay in the Inner Hebrides, human bones dating from around 5000 years ago have been found in shell middens, or food rubbish dumps. These bones show signs of exposure, suggesting they were tossed aside rather than ritually disposed of.  read more in the New Scientist 

The inhabitants of the Faroe Islands have been told that pilot whales no longer be considered fit for human consumption, because they are toxic - as revealed by research on the Faroes themselves.

The remote Atlantic islands, situated between Scotland and Iceland, have been one of the last strongholds of traditional whaling, with thousands of small pilot whales killed every year, and eaten by most Faroese.

Anti-whaling groups have long protested, but the Faroese argued that whaling is part of their culture - an argument adopted by large-scale whalers in Japan and Norway.

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Over a decade after its original London premiere, Martin McDonagh's dark comedy stage play The Cripple of Inishmaan comes to the U.S. after a recent tour in Britain and Dublin.

 


Click here  

The Atlantic Theater Company revival keeps its full Irish cast when it hits the Linda Gross Theater on Dec. 9 through Feb. 1. The story takes audiences to the Inishmaan - the middle Aran Island off the coast of Ireland - of 1934.

 The play's "Cripple" character, Billy Claven, sets his sights on being featured by Hollywood documentarians hoping to capture life on the Aran Islands.

 The play's narrative connects to the real life filming of the 1934's "Man of Aran," the Robert J. Flaherty production that portrayed native life - staged and unstaged.

 Claven is portrayed by Aaron Monaghan (pictured), with support from Kerry Condon as Slippy Helen.

 

Other cast members include Andrew Connolly, Dearbhla Molloy, Marie Mullen and Patricia O'Connell.

 The production is directed by Garry Hynes. Hynes is a co-founder of Druid Theater Company, which is co-producing this production.

 
McDonagh, whose recent film endeavors offered 2006 Academy Award-winning short "Six Shooter" and the Sundance Film Festival-premiered "In Bruges," penned two other stories following "Inishmaan" to complete what became the Aran Islands trilogy.

 

 Though the Irish playwright's third installment of the trilogy never saw the stage, the second - "The Lieutenant of Inishmore" - was given life, and it garnered a Tony Award for "Best Play" in 2006.
There's more from Andy Smith at The Irish World here

SYNOPSIS Set in 1934 on an island off the west coast of Ireland, Hollywood filmmaker Robert Flaherty arrives on the neighboring island of Inishmore to film his movie 'The Man of Aran' and excitement ripples through the sleepy community of Inishmaan. For orphaned Billy Craven, who has been relentlessly scorned by the island's inhabitants, the film represents an escape from the poverty of his existence. He vies for a part in the film, and to everyone's surprise, it is the cripple who gets his chance. Atlantic is thrilled to co-produce 'The Cripple of Inishmaan' with Druid, Galway, with whom we collaborated on 1998's Tony Award® winning production of 'The Beauty Queen of Leenane.' by MARTIN McDONAGH directed by GARRY HYNES A co-production with Druid, Galway with Kerry Condon, Andrew Connolly, Laurence Kinlan, Dearbhla Molloy, Aaron Monaghan, Marie Mullen, Patricia O'Connell, David Pearse, John C. Vennema Designed by Francis O'Connor Lighting Design by Davy Cunningham Sound Design by John Leonard Composer Colin Towns

To Buy Tickets in Person Ticket Central Box Office 416 W 42nd Street New York, NY 10036 Open Daily 12-8pm

On this day
1922 - Northern Ireland votes for nonalignment in Irish Free State.

In the West of Ireland (1927-8), by Paul Henry has been borrowed from the National Gallery collection for the Taoiseach Brian Cowen's office. Like all senior Cabinet members he has the opportunity to choose pieces from the oldest and most eclectic collection of Irish art in the world. Sadly the Taoiseach has little interest in art and the Paul Henry was chosen for him by a government curator.
The Irish Times tells us that  the multi-million-euro Office of Public Works (OPW) State art collection now stands at almost 10,500 pieces. It includes one poem and three pieces of music. And it brings art into many corners of public life. The collection, which dates from the 1830s when the British administration starting commissioning portraits of the powerful.

The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has been a bit busy propping up the shattered irish economy sinc etaking office so its understandable that he has not made any requests for paintings from the State collection.  The Art Management Office borrowed a Paul Henry landscape of the west of Ireland from the National Gallery for the new Taoiseach's office. This has removed the need to paint over any unsightly square left by the unorthordox removal of a Pádraig Pearse drawing by the previous Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern.
Micheál Martin the Minister for Foreign Affairs is Ireland's face to the world. So what does it say about this towering intellect that  he has no paintings whatsoever in his office. A spokeswoman helpfully explained to the Irish Times that the fabric panels and wooden mouldings on the walls of the Iveagh House room, dating from 1866, are not suitable for picture hooks or rail. So no art then minister. No sculpture, no mobiles....just busy diplomats and emisaries and lts of cups of tea.
Mary Harney's office at t Health, has a collection of photograph by Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art graduate Róisín Morris, called What Waited Inside Herself . She describes it an "endeavour to give name to the sadness, the inner turmoil, which plagues many people in today's society".
The former Progressive Democrats' leader's art also has a Co Donegal landscape by the late English painter, Derek Hill, and an abstract painting by Wexford artist Tonia Kehoe called 900 Years of Disquiet .
The Government's art adviser, Patrick Murphy, is involved in some decisions about what to buy, but OPW architects also advise the State on what art to choose for public building projects.

The emphasis is on buying small pieces by emerging Irish artists, some of whom may be recent arts school graduates. "The maximum we can spend on any one particular project is €64,000," the OPW spokesman says.

Paintings are often moved around between offices, either at the request of their occupants, for restoration or to update a building. Some 200 pieces are in storage, some of them awaiting re-framing, conservation or repair. All the pieces are catalogued by the OPW.

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Steve Connolly

                Irish writer James Joyce described it as "the Holy island that sleeps like a great shark on the grey water of the Atlantic Ocean".

Fifteen kilometres long and just three kilometres wide, Inis Mor is the largest of the three Aran Islands just off Ireland's west coast.

It's made up mostly of barren limestone rock and small fields surrounded by stone walls.

Most tourists explore the islands on a bicycle or take a trip on a horse drawn buggy driven by one of the friendly locals, who converse with one another in Irish but readily switch to English.

The most popular destination is the Celtic bronze-age, cliff-top stone fort hillfort known as Dun Aonghasa.

Parking your bike at the visitors' centre, there's a 10 minute uphill walk to the gated fort entrance.

Just pray though that no one at that moment sends your mobile phone a text message. If you look down to read it you might drop 100m into the Atlantic as the cliff edge is just metres from the gate.

Similar to the famous Cliffs of Moher just a short flight away on the mainland, some visitors balance perilously on the cliff to take a look at the ocean below.

Unfortunately, some have gone too close and there have been about five deaths in recent years, including a German man who committed suicide last year.

Dun Aonghasa is the location of just one of many Celtic forts on the island, all reachable by bike or walking.

Although just a five-minute flight from the mainland, most people travel to the Aran Islands by ferry.

The 90-minute sea journey from Doolin can be an adventure in itself.

Our group got a bit nervous when we saw the small open vessels we had to board just to be taken to the ferry as it bobbed around in the bay.

The Atlantic Ocean and the coastal cliftops were shrouded in a heavy mist and the sea was a foaming swell.

Within minutes of setting out, the crew were rushing around handing out plastic bags to green-faced passengers sitting inside who were watching a DVD of the comedy classic Father Ted.

Those of us who stayed outside looked out to sea nervously as the waves rose above the ferry and the water occasionally washed over the rear deck.

But within half an hour the seas calmed slightly as we started getting shelter from the smallest of the three Aran Islands, Inis Oirr.

Some of our passengers were dropped off there and we then continued on to our destination, the port of Kilronan on Inis Mor.

Although it was a trial for some, the adventurous sea journey to Inis Mor added to the expectation of our Aran Islands visit.

Famous for its woollen sweaters, the Aran Islands don't have any sheep and mostly cattle graze in stone-surrounded fields.

Visitors to Inis Mor - and about 250,000 tourists travel to the Aran Islands each year - can stay in a number of hotels or hostel accommodation, mostly around Kilronan.

Businessman and former musician PJ O'Flaherty owns the Aran Islands Hotel - the largest hotel on the three islands.

The son of a fisherman, Mr O'Flaherty says tourism is the main source of income for the island and was a growing industry.

"If we didn't have the tourism it would be pretty drastic," said Mr O'Flaherty, who added that increases in ferry and air services to the island had boosted tourism.

Aran Islanders have a few difficulties compared to their mainland Irish cousins including paying about 40 cents a litre more for fuel.

But they have a proud heritage and Mr O'Flaherty is one local who hopes to build his business and stay on the island.

"I'm an Aran Islander," he boasts.

IF YOU GO:

Getting there: Ferries run from Doolin and Galway to the Aran Islands from April to October. Alternatively there's a short direct air service with Aer Arann Islands between Galway or Rossaveal on the mainland to Killeany airstrip. The return airfare is about 45 euro ($A60). There's limits though on luggage.

Gulf Air flights depart from Sydney to Dublin, via Bahrain, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. Return economy fares are from $1815 between May 28 and August 15, $1650 between August 16 and September 19, $1540 between September 20 and October 3 and $1485 between October 4 and November 11. Additional taxes are about $315. Gulf Air also has discounted first and business class fares to Dublin for people aged 55 and over. For bookings: Phone Flight Centre on 131 600.

* The writer travelled from Australia to Ireland as a guest of Tourism Ireland, Gulf Air and Flight Centre.

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Clara Iaccarino gets a lesson in Gaelic and a taste of true Irish hospitality.

 

An eager audience gathered in the McEvoy Auditorium to hear Irish born (British educated, American appreciated)  artist Sean Scully, an event that marked the opening of The Prints of Sean Scully. The exhibition features a selection from his complete set of master prints, which the artist donated to the museum's permanent collection. Throughout his lecture, Scully combined his sharp wit and an obvious reverence for the creative process while he discussed the larger themes prevalent in his works, including some examples from the print collection on view in the exhibition. The artist also shared insight into the differences between painting and printmaking, the impact each technique has on his artistic approach and the inspirational effect poetry and literature have on his artwork.
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A hit at the Dublin Theatre Festival last month, Robert Massey's comedy-thriller about down-at-heel cabbies and a ruthless casino kingpin turns out to be a surprisingly pedestrian affair. Directed by Jim Culleton for the Irish new writing company Fishamble, it's wryly amusing. But the tension painstakingly accumulated in the first act dribbles away in the second, until the action stutters to a lame and predictable conclusion. And though there is a discreet anecdotal critique of modern mores among the humour and the threats of violence, it's too gentle to make much impact.

Carl (Alan King), a widowed former teacher-turned-taxi driver and gambling addict, owes local gangster Jack (Bryan Murray, pictured standing, with King) big money. Jack's patience is running out - and, aided by his meathead son Fred and a baseball bat, he makes it emphatically clear to the hapless and impecunious Carl that the debt must be repaid, in full, by midnight. In panic and desperation, Carl turns to his fellow cabbies - his father-in-law George, a one-time associate of Jack, and the priapic lothario Two in the Bush, so-called because he always has a bird in the hand. Together, through a blend of bluff, brinkmanship and dumb luck, they contrive to extricate Carl from a situation in danger of turning horribly sticky - and maybe even to turn his predicament to advantage.

In this boys' world, women are noticeably absent - either ill, like Jack's wife, playing away, like Fred's, or dead. Without them, the men are rudderless and infantile, ruled by their appetites for gaming or womanising and prone to preening displays of self-regard. The doltish Fred bonds with Bush over their mutual vanity, little suspecting that Bush has plucked Fred's own bird; the flailing, paunchy Carl is an object of pity and ridicule, while Jack and George nurse decades-old grudges and confront each other like playground bullies.

In highlighting the debt-ridden downside of the Celtic Tiger economy, Massey also touches on the topical. But despite fine performances all round, the play's ride is a meandering one that winds up at an unexciting location. It's good for a few laughs, but it never gets out of first gear.

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Book Review: Country Weekend Knits - 25 Classic Patterns for Timeless Knitwear by Madeline Weston

Directing her first opera, Vaughan Williams's Riders to the Sea at ENO, Fiona Shaw is devastated by the death of its conductor

The caretaker of the cottage where we're staying dropped by this morning to say good-bye. The rainbow was gone by now, but only by 20 minutes and he'd seen it too. 'The Pot of Gold must be in that guys' house," I said. Blank stare from the caretaker. 'You know," I said, "the Leprechaun's Pot of Gold." Blank stare from the caretaker. "You've not heard the story of the Irish Leprechaun's Pot of Gold?" Caretaker: "Never until right this minute," he said.

So it appears the tales of Leprechauns and Pots of Gold are more inventions of Hollywood and Americans than of true sons of the sod...or sons of the rocks (in the case of the Aran Islands).

Donald Critchfield

Shot and directed by Ciarán O'Connor and voiced by Doireann Ni Briain this is a look into the work of some of the top scientific minds in the country on climate change.

Series 2 of 'The Investigators' is comprised of 6 x 30 min factual episodes for RTÉ One. As with Series One, it is a non-studio based factually informative show aimed at the general viewer. International in scope it will focus specifically on Ireland's scientific contribution to the world.

Each week will focus on a specific area of life on which the Investigators are concentrating. The subjects are: Ireland in Space, Ageing, Sensors, Climate Change, Crops of the Future and the Nano Revolution.

This weeks programme 'Climate Change' will focus on the techniques used to represent the physical drivers of climate change as used by the UCD Meteorology and Climate Centre and the Irish Centre for High End Computing, with researchers are looking at Ireland's relationship with the sun and the seas and what the possible results of existing climate change may bring. Viewers will also see the work of glaciologists Paul Dunlop and Sara Benetti who are carrying out investigations into clues left by Ireland's last ice age that may yield clues as to what will happen when the last two remaining ice sheets (Greenland and Antarctica) melt. The programme follow them as they head out to the far shores of Irish waters and drop a drilling core into the sea bed to take samples and analyse the results.

Director and DOP of 'Climate Change' and rest of the series is Ciaran O'Connor while Nuala Cunnigham is series producer. The series was shot from July - November of this year. Filming locations for 'Climate Change' included Dublin, Clonmel, Galway, Coleraine and Reading. Locations for rest of series include: Cork, Carlow, Wicklow, Madrid and Oxford.

In One Track Mind, a film by Chris Malloy, surfing greats sit down to talk about what has shaped their success--from their competition to their boards. You can watch Chris Malloy speaking with Kelly Slater and other surfers, and read a review of the movie, on EXPN. Outside covered the Malloy brothers in a 2007 cover story.

Many claim their weather changes rapidly, pointing to that with pride. I challenge anyone to match Inis Meain. At the moment, the sun is shining out the back of our cottage....casting a shadow of the window frame on our wall....while out the front window, rain is spattering against it, the wind is blowing quite nicely and the sea between Inis Meain and Inis Mor is, if not angry, at the very least a bit cranky.

Clip of band British Sea Power playing their soundtrack to the Man of Aran at the Tan Hill Festival 2008

British Sea Power are recording a new soundtrack for Man Of Aran, Robert J. Flaherty's 1934 'docufiction' on life in the Aran Islands. Half Irish on his father's side, the American filmmaker's CV also include Nanook Of The North, Elephant Boy and Louisiana Story. Along with a live performance next spring in the British Film Institute, the score will also grace the DVD re-release of the movie, which is currently being arranged by Flaherty's estate. A live performance of the soundtrack was played along to The Man of Aran during the Edinburgh Film Festival in The Caves. Watch a somewhat dodgy bootleg of the recording here:

The Island Ireland directory for Irish literature contains hand-picked links will take you to resources on Irish writing of all kinds, Irish poetry, useful academic organisations and more.

RESOURCES FOR IRISH LITERATURE

The Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco) provides an A-Z Dataset with comprehensive biographical & bibliographical information on 4,500 Irish writers, along with extracts from their works and commentaries. Once you have reached a given author, you can browse through seven possible types of information (Life, Works, Criticism, Commentary, References, Quotations & Notes). The database also includes similar material on Irish serial publications and journals of all periods. A tremendous academic resource...

Columbia University's Bartleby.com includes information and online works J.M. Synge, Padraic Colum, W. B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, G. B.Shaw, and Oliver Goldsmith.

The International Association for the Study of Irish Literatures was founded in 1969 to promote the teaching and study of Irish literature in third-level education throughout the world, and to facilitate contact between scholars researching Irish literature. Of special note is information on their yearly scholarly conferences, a very good online newsletter, and an extensive list of links to further resources on literary topics and Irish studies.

The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Yeats in 1923, Shaw in 1925, Beckett in 1969 and Heaney in 1995. Visit the Nobel site for their biographies, acceptance speeches, and more.

CELT is a collection of online text documents related to Irish literature, history and politics. The texts can be searched, read on-screen, downloaded, and printed out. From 'The Annals of the Four Masters' to writings by Oscar Wilde, this University College Cork project is a wonderful resource.

READING IRISH LITERATURE

On Reading Ancient Literature:The Text and the Context is an interesting essay by Michael Sundermeier that discusses the importance of cultural context and background in reading Irish literature.

WHERE IS YEATS BURIED?

Literary figures tend to have interesting graves. The intriguing Findagrave.com is a collection of photos of the graves of all sorts of famous individuals... See the final resting places of Brendan Behan, Oscar Wilde, W.B. Yeats, James Joyce and many others.

ESPECIALLY FOR IRISH WRITERS

Find out about upcoming workshops on all sorts of writing at The Irish Writers' Centre. Details of upcoming readings too, and a list of literary journals, links, information on competitions and an online newsletter.

Read new writing in issues of the Electric Acorn at the Dublin Writer's Workshop site.

IRISH POETRY

Poetry Ireland is the place to go to find out about poetry readings, festivals, writing courses and new publications. There's also information on a rather intriguing service whereby tentatively established poets can send a selection of their work along to be evaluated, an advice section for those just starting out, and details on the Great Book of Ireland project of 1991. A very good resource.

Specially designed to help young people understand and enjoy Irish poetry, the Study Ireland: Poetry site from BBC Northern Ireland presents twelve poems by Irish authors (Seamus Heaney, Ciaran Carson, Elaine Gaston, Michael Longley, Medbh McGuckian, Eilish Martin, Paul Muldoon.) Audio files, suggestions for literary discussion, and comments from the poets themselves.

Maureen O'Brien is an enthusiastic exponent of Medieval Irish poetry who maintains a site featuring poetry in Irish with English translations.

IRISH WOMEN WRITERS

Mary Mark Ockerbloom is collecting links to Internet resources on Irish women authors. The list of names she's complied is a useful resource, in and of itself...

ONLINE TEXT DOCUMENTS

The issue of copyright laws and the Internet is complicated. There are many sites where you can read online versions of Yeats poems or Shaw plays... but for the most part I am not including such sites individually. You may want to check the following for the works of particular authors:

Lyra Celtica is an extensive anthology of Celtic poetry originally published in 1896, and updated in 1932. Mary Ann Dobratz has made it available online... works range from Saint Columba through Douglas Hyde and Padraic Colum.

Sonnets from Ireland features many lesser-known poets. Some would, I believe, be almost downright obscure...

INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS

The Irish Book Review is an exciting new journal which focuses on high quality reviews of the best books published in Ireland and abroad. Reviewers for The Irish Book Review include leading journalists, academics, authors and others who provide their own lively interpretation and expert opinion on some of the key titles recently released.

The New York Times Books Section provides excellent book reviews, excerpts, forums, audio specials and more. You'll need to register the first time you visit the site, but it only takes a moment, and then you'll have access to their extensive archives.

The Atlantic Monthly is full of interesting literary articles, reviews and audio. You can search their archives to see what might be available...

'Authors on the Web' provides an Irish Author Roundtable interview with Liam Clancy, Eoin Colfer, Marita Conlon-McKenna, Máire B. de Paor, Maureen Dezell, Emma Donoghue, Randy Lee Eickhoff, Andrew M. Greeley, Mary E. Lyons, Morgan Llywelyn, Regina McBride, Malachy McCourt, Jamie O'Neill, Martin Roper, and Niall Williams...

GEORGIAN ERA IRISH LITERATURE

Julia M. Wright provides a bibliography of Irish literature from 1789-1840

SAMUEL BECKETT

Members of the English department at The University of California, Santa Barbara, maintain an excellent web resource, The Samuel Beckett Endpage. It includes information on the Samuel Beckett Society, biographical material and photos, details on conferences, links, current and upcoming productions, bibliographies, etc. In short, a really comprehensive resource.

The Samuel Beckett On-Line Resources and Links Page is an interesting and extensive hodgepodge, well worth visiting if you want to do some serious Beckett browsing.

The Samuel Beckett Lecture Hall is an online bulletin board 'devoted to all contemplations, musings, and queries concerning Samuel Beckett.' For academics and the well-read.

Visit The New York Times on the Web to read their review of 'Samuel Beckett: The Last Modernist' by Anthony Cronin. You will need to register at their site, but it only takes a moment, then you should be able to continue directly to this article. You'll also find links to a whole range of other interesting articles and play reviews from their archives, and a RealAudio clip of Billie Whitelaw describing what it was like to work with Beckett.

EAVAN BOLAND

Information and links for contemporary poet Eavan Boland can be found at the Academy of American Poets. A RealAudio version of her reading 'That the Science of Cartography is Limited' is available at the W. W. Norton site. Have a listen.

RODDY DOYLE

The New York Times on the Web provides a September 1999 Roddy Doyle audio special in their Books Section... 52 minutes of RealAudio which includes readings from 'A Star Called Henry' and an interesting question and answer session. (You'll need to register the first time you use the site, but it only takes a moment.)

BRIEN FRIEL

Here's a university site that looks at Dancing at Lughnasa... themes and ideas for papers, Friel biography, pictures from the film, bibliography and more...

SEAMUS HEANEY

The New York Times has a Seamus Heaney audio special which includes a collection of book reviews, articles and an audio clip. You'll need to register the first time you use the site, but it only takes a few seconds, then you should be able to continue on to this article.

PBS correspondent Elizabeth Farnsworth interviews author Seamus Heaney about his book, Beowolf, on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer (March 28, 2000).

JAMES JOYCE

An embarrassment of Joycean riches is available on the web. In fact, it's all a bit overwhelming. Where to start? The Brazen Head: a James Joyce Public House would be an excellent choice if you have a bit of time. A creative, inviting site with a very comfortable feel.

The James Joyce Centre on North Great George's Street in Dublin is run by members of the Joyce family...

Brandon Kershner's Portrait page is a great supplement to A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. It provides a good Joyce biography and lots of notes and criticism.

The James Joyce Summer School at University College Dublin...

PATRICK KAVANAGH

The Patrick Kavanagh Centre in Inniskeen, County Monaghan, provides a very interesting website which includes information on the poet, the new community literary resource centre devoted to his work, a virtual local tour of Kavanagh places and more. Nicely done.

FRANK McCOURT

You'll need to register at the site, but the New York Times on the Web provides a September 1999 Frank McCourt audio special which includes introductions and readings from both Angela's Ashes and 'Tis, as well as an audience question and answer session. Once you register you should be able to continue on directly to this article...

US television networks PBS and C-Span provide online transcripts of their interviews with Frank... some include RealAudio too. • PBS: Elizabeth Farnsworth interview April 7, 1997 • PBS: Terence Smith interview 17 March, 1999

Tom and Evelyn Moore, who run an Irish B & B, have provided an online tour of The Limerick of Angela's Ashes.

EDNA O'BRIEN

'It has been said that growing up in Ireland one learns sin from the priests, Latin from the nuns, and passion from Edna O'Brien...' So begins an interesting April 2000 interview with O'Brien in Atlantic Unbound.

FLANN O'BRIEN / MYLES NA GCOPALEEN

Witty, satirical Brian O'Nolan (Flann O'Brien) went by various names... here are excerpts of his work and some relevant articles.

Eric Mader provides Flann O'Brien: A Biographical Introduction.

LIAM O'FLAHERTY

Here's the 'Unofficial Liam O'Flaherty Homepage' which includes a brief biography, chronology of his life, and some excerpts from his novels and stories.

ERNIE O'MALLEY

Achill247.com is a site with pages devoted to the arts and culture of the west of Ireland: Ernie O'Malley (1916 rebel).

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

Cary M. Mazer, University of Pennsylvania, provides an interesting biography of G. Bernard Shaw (it says he hated "George' and never used it.)

BRAM STOKER

Many people don't realize the author of Dracula was Irish! Elizabeth Miller (Department of English, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada) maintains Dracula's Homepage, (hope that keeps her on his good side!) which provides information on Bram Stoker; the novel Dracula; the historical Dracula; the vampire in folklore, fiction, film, popular culture, and lots more.

JONATHAN SWIFT

Every classic piece of literature should have a site as nice as Gulliver's Travels. Lee Jaffe has created a wonderful resource which includes the full text with amplifying links, a timeline, dictionary, collection of Swift quotes, all sorts of relevant illustrations, and more. Another example of what can happen when intelligence and enthusiasm get together on the web. Highly recommended.

JOHN MILLINGTON SYNGE

Achill247.com is a site with pages devoted to the arts and culture of the west of Ireland: J. M. Synge (Irish dramatist).

COLM TÓIBÍN

ColmToibin.com provides lots of interviews, biographical information, writing excerpts and discussion...

OSCAR WILDE

Oscariana is unusual and interesting. Carefully selected bits of text from primary sources such as letters and transcripts are combined with appropriate images to lead us one page at a time through Oscar's life and times. A personal trail of artefacts which creates a sort of online window into Oscar's life...

NIALL WILLIAMS

In 1985 Niall Williams and Christine Breen moved from New York to a small cottage in the west of Ireland. Their popular book O Come Ye Back to Ireland was the story of their first year's adventures, and they've been living there and writing ever since...

W. B. YEATS

An online exhibition Yeats: The Life & Works of William Butler Yeats at the National Library of Ireland...

The Yeats Society Sligo provides a poetry tour of Yeats' Sligo, information on their popular summer and winter schools, and background information on the poet, the poems and the Society. There's more

ÁINE RYAN

ISLAND CHILDREN from Co Mayo walked in the steps of famous Edwardian naturalist Robert Lloyd Praeger after members of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA) launched two volumes of the new Survey of Clare Island at the weekend.

Speaking in the island's community centre, before the field trips, RIA president Nicholas Canny observed that Praeger - who was the academy's first president - had travelled the entire country before choosing Clare Island as the place to carry out the ground-breaking "microscopic study of how things worked in the environment".

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LUCY KENNEDY in New York

FOR 84 years, the body of Annie Moore lay in in an unmarked grave in the New York borough of Queens.

On Saturday, a monument was erected at Calvary Cemetery commemorating the first person - Irish or otherwise - to be registered at New York's Ellis Island immigration centre.

Moore, who was aged just 17 when she arrived on Ellis Island on January 1st, 1892, had long been thought to have moved to America's west coast, and was reputed to have married a descendent of Daniel O'Connell.

But in 2006 genealogist Megan Smolenyak discovered that Moore married a German-American baker and lived on Manhattan's Lower East side.

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See also Library Events and Clare Focus - What's On Today (external link)

 

JANUARY 2009:

• Sunday, January 4th, 2009
  Seventh Annual Sponsored Burren Walk
  The walk is in support of the Alzheimer's Society and begins from O'Donoghues pub.
  Please call 065-6868621 for more info.

DECEMBER 2008:

• Saturday & Sunday 20th & 21st December 2008
  Ballyvaughan Christmas Market
  Ballyvaughan Farmers' Market is delighted to announce that this year they will be joining forces with Burren Crafts Fair to host their first Ballyvaughan Christmas Market. Located in the community hall. There will be a wide selection of fresh local produce and a variety of quality local crafts all with a festive influence.
• December 17th, 2008
  Club Ragairne
  X-PO, Kilnaboy 8.30pm.
  Irish language social group that meets for chat and fun - all levels of Irish welcome.
  For further information contact xpo.community@gmail.com
• Saturday & Sunday 13th & 14th December 2008
  Ballyvaughan Christmas Market
  Ballyvaughan Farmers' Market is delighted to announce that this year they will be joining forces with Burren Crafts Fair to host their first Ballyvaughan Christmas Market. Located in the community hall. There will be a wide selection of fresh local produce and a variety of quality local crafts all with a festive influence.
• December 8
  Clare Archaeological and Historical Society
  Standing Stones of Co. Clare: A study of the Bronze Age monolith tradition and its landscape setting in Clare
  by Tom Moloney, M. Litt.
  Lectures held at Clare Museum, Arthur's Row, Ennis at 8.30pm.
  For further information tel. 065-6823382 / 087-9165916 or email egreene@clarecoco.ie
• Saturday & Sunday 6th & 7th December 2008
  Ballyvaughan Christmas Market
  Ballyvaughan Farmers' Market is delighted to announce that this year they will be joining forces with Burren Crafts Fair to host their first Ballyvaughan Christmas Market. Located in the community hall. There will be a wide selection of fresh local produce and a variety of quality local crafts all with a festive influence.
• Saturday, December 6th, 2008
  Cois na hÁbhanna, Gort Rd., Ennis
  Clare Traditional Boats and Currachs Conference
  The Clare Heritage Section of Clare County Council in association with the Heritage Council present
  Boats, Place, People
  9.30am - 4.00pm
  Speakers include:
  • · Pádraig Ó Duinnín from TG4's popular series Muintir na Mara
  • · Criostóir Mac Cárthaigh, editor of the major new publication Traditional Boats of Ireland
  • · Richard Collins of the West Clare Currach Club
  • · Darina Tully, chief consultant on the Clare Traditional Boats and Currachs Study, 2008.
  The conference will also include presentations on the Maritime placenames of County Clare and "Forth they go for to rescue or to die!" the dramatic rescue of the French ship LEON XIII by Quilty Fishermen in 1907.
  The Conference surrounds the official Launch of Clare Traditional Boats and Currachs Study, conducted across county Clare in the summer 2008. The winner of the Clare Maritime Heritage Photographic Competition will also be announced!
  THE CONFERENCE IS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. EARLY ATTENDANCE IS ADVISED.
  For further info contact Tomás Mac Conmara at 065- 6846456.
• December 3rd, 2008
  Club Ragairne
  X-PO, Kilnaboy 8.30pm.
  Irish language social group that meets for chat and fun - all levels of Irish welcome.
  For further information contact xpo.community@gmail.com

NOVEMBER 2008:

• November 30th
  Ballyvaughan - Fanore Walking Club Walks Calendar
  Muckinish / Aillwee (4hrs). Leader: Kevin McCormack, telephone 086-3272472
  Meet at Parish Hall, Ballyvaughan at 10.30am. Walk at 11.00am.
  http://www.ballyvaughanfanorewalkingclub.com/
• 27th - 29th November
  Falls Hotel, Ennistymon
  Co-operation and Integration: The key to Successful Tourism
  Presented by Clare Tourist Council and Clare County Council
• November 23rd
  Ballyvaughan - Fanore Walking Club Walks Calendar
  Caherbullog (4hrs). Leader: Michael Queally, telephone 086-0767776
  Meet at O'Donoghues Pub, Fanore at 10.30am. Walk starts at 11.00am.
  http://www.ballyvaughanfanorewalkingclub.com/
• November 19th, 2008
  Club Ragairne
  X-PO, Kilnaboy 8.30pm.
  Irish language social group that meets for chat and fun - all levels of Irish welcome.
  For further information contact xpo.community@gmail.com
• November 17th - December 6th
  Foyer of the County Museum, Ennis
  50 Years Past
  An exhibition of paintings by Patrick Ryan and Christina Watkins featuring images and items from the artists' childhoods.

Travel, especially by air, is getting cheaper than it has been in quite a long time, and the trend may continue. According to USAToday.com, air travelers can expect more promotions, more upgrades, and faster check-in times with less people at the airports.

European superbudget RyanAir has started talking about buying airplanes from companies desperate to get rid of them, and has hatched the idea of someday offering transatlantic flights for as little as $13 each way. (This doesn't sound possible, but it's printed at the bottom of this article.)

Even if that sounds unlikely, don't give up on the idea that international travel will get cheaper. Southwest is considering international service.

And international adventure outfitters like Wilderness Travel are already slashing some of their prices, by as much as $700 per person on some vacations. 

--Melanie Lidman

Irish Way
Summer Study Abroad for High School Students

Applications being accepted for the 2009 Irish Way program.  Students currently enrolled in high school are eligible to apply.  Students will spend the month of July experiencing the culture, people, landscape, history, and heritage of Ireland. 

KATHY SHERIDAN, The Irish Times

THE SATURDAY INTERVIEW: 'I HAVE NEVER called a reporter in my life. They come to me," said Pádraig Ó Céidigh a few years ago. Aer Arann's owner had been crowned Irish entrepreneur of the year. The plucky little airline's upward mobility seemed assured. He was a "big fan" of Michael O'Leary. Heck, he even talked like him.

"With me what you see is what you get. I have no time for plámás or bullshit," he told TG4, before tearing into smug "Dublin 4 types".

Fast forward to the Clayton Hotel near Galway, after a nightmare week for Aer Arann, which had announced it was laying off 100 people - almost a quarter of its staff. Ó Céidigh is still a man with no time for bullshit but is gracious with it, and it's fair to say that he is no longer a "big fan" of Michael O'Leary. But he still hasn't called a reporter.

Famously, the native-Irish-speaking, Jesuit-educated Galway boy was first an accountant, then a teacher for 11 years, then - after pursuing a law degree at night - a solicitor. His love of teaching in Coláiste Iognáid, his old school, and slow, painful disenchantment with the politics of the staffroom reveal much about the man himself.

there's more

Houses on Inis Bofin have been saved from falling into the sea in a multi-million euro project. Decades of coastal erosion had threatened several cottages and a major road on the island off the coast of Co Galway. The eight million euro Government project included coastal protection, the construction of a new slipway and major pier improvements. Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon O Cuiv said: "There was a pressing need for many years to protect the island from the detrimental effects of coastal erosion and the very real danger of the island's main road and houses actually falling into the sea." The works on the island, which has a population of almost 200, were carried out under the supervision of Galway County Council. "The project will be of great benefit, socially and economically, for this vibrant island community for many years to come," Mr O Cuiv said. An airstrip was recently completed on Inis Bofin. Last month a 14 million euro harbour was opened on Inis Meain, one of the Aran Islands.

A TV Documentary about Inis Meáin broadcasts tonight Tuesday 11th Nov on TG4 at 8.30pm
Made by a friend of ours on the island, a beautifully shot short film about the life of Máirín Thomáis. Máirín is a local lady who is a world-famous knitter and one of the last known people to be able to make the traditional crios on a homemade hand loom. If you missed the documentary made about ourselves and aired in September and would like to see it, it is available to view at www.rte.ie/tv/oileain/inismeain.html

- Inis Meáin Knitwear Store Christmas Shopping
Special openings on Saturday 22nd November and Saturday 6th of December with complimentary soup & brown bread supplied by Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites in store, when you spend over e100. Ideal christmas present offers like cashmere and baby alpaca scarves at 45e each, and hats and ties at 25e each with a complimentary third scarf, hat, or tie of your choice when you buy two.
Your itinerary for a shopping outing with a difference:
- Drive to Rossaveal to catch the 10.30am ferry, arrive to Inis Meáin at 11.30am, walk 15mins to the Knitwear Store
- Buy lots of lovely warm christmas presents and browse the knitwear ranges sold in the best stores in the world, but available in Inis Meáin at very special prices
- Enjoy our warming soup and brown bread and set off on a walk to explore the beautiful island sights
- Catch the 4.30pm ferry and arrive back to Rossaveal at 5.45pm. More travel info available on www.inismeain.com in the Contact > How to Get Here section
- Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites Christmas Gift Vouchers
Available in denominations of 50e and can be sent directly to your recipient in a beautiful package. Just email us with your request. Give those closest to you something to really look forward to in 2009!
- Restaurant of the Year Award from Hospitality Ireland Magazine 2008
Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites was delighted to win one of 3 Restaurant of the Year Awards from Hospitality Ireland at the Four Seasons in Dublin on the 30th of October. The other two award winners were Locks and The Residence, both in Dublin. Judges include food critics Tom Doorley, Ernie Whalley and Domini Kemp.
The next time we write will be in the New Year, so for when the time comes we wish you a very happy Christmas shared with family and friends and we hope to see you in Inis Meáin when we reopen the Restaurant & Suites on 1st May 2009!
Le gach dea-mheáin,
Ruairí & Marie-Therese de Blacam
Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites
www.inismeain.com
A chairde,
Nóta beag le sibh a choimeád ar an eolas faoi saoil in Inis Meáin!
- Scannán Teilifíse ar Inis Meáin anocht, Máirt 11ú Samhain ar TG4 ag 8.30i.n.
Déanta ag cara linn, scannán álainn mar gheall ar saol Máirín Thomáis. Is cniotáilí an-cháiliúl í agus tá sí ar ceann dena daoine deireanacha atá in ann an crios traidisiúnta a dhéanamh le lámh. Má chaill tú an scannán a bhí déanta orainn a chraoladh i mí Meán Fómhair tá sé le fáil ag www.rte.ie/tv/oileain/inismeain.html
- Siopadóireacht na Nollaig i Siopa Cniotáil Inis Meáin
Tá an siopa ag oscailt go speisialta ar Sathairn 22ú Samhain agus Sathairn 6ú Nollaig le anraith agus arán donn le fáil saor in aisce sa siopa nuair a chaitheann níos mó ná e100. Tá an-deis bronntanais nollaig a fháil le scairf cashmere agus baby alpaca ar e45 agus hataí agus carabhat ag e25. Agus nuair a cheannaíonn tú péire de aon cheann acu sin, faigheann tú do rogha an triú ceann saor in aisce!
Seo an sceideal is fearr a bheadh agat agus tú ag teacht don lá:
- Tiomán go Ros a Mhíl leis an bád ag 10.30r.n a fháil, scroichfidh tú Inis Meáin ag 11.30r.n. agus beidh siúlóid 15 nóim go dtí an siopa.
- Ceannaigh go leor de do bhronntanais Nollaig agus breathnaigh ar an bhfaisiún cniotáile is déanaí atá sna siopaí is fearr ar domhain ach atá ar fáil i Siopa Cniotáil Inis Meáin ar praghasanna an-speisialta
- Bain taitneamh as anraith agus arán donn agus téir ag siúl le breathnú ar áilleacht an oileáin
- Faigh an bád ag 4.30i.n. le bheith ar ais i Rossaveal ag 5.45i.n. Tuilleadh eolas ar chonas teacht go Inis Meáin ar www.inismeain.com sa roinn Teagmháil > Taisteal
- Dearbháin Bialann & Seomraí Só Inis Meáin
Níl le déanamh ach sonraí a chur chugainn ar rphost agus is féidir linn dearbhán i bpacáiste álainn a seoladh amach chughat nó díreach go dtí do chara. Beidh rud deas le tnúth leis i 2009 ag aon duine a gheobhfadh dearbhán mar seo!
- Duais Bialann is Fearr 2008 ón iris Hospitality Ireland Magazine 2008
Bhíomar an-sásta an duais seo a bhuacaint in éinntí le dhá bialann eile sa tír - Locks agus The Residence i Baile Átha Cliath san óstán Four Seasons i mBAC ar an 30ú Deireadh Fómhair. I measc na breithimh don duais seo tá na scríobhnóirí bia Tom Doorley, Ernie Whalley agus Domini Kemp.
Sin a bhfuil don t-am i láthair. Ní bheimid i dteagmháil arís go dtí an chéad bhlian eile mar sin bíodh Nollaig shona agat fhéin agus do chlann nuair a thiocfaidh an t-am sin, agus tá súil againn tú a fheiscint in Inis Meáin i 2009!

Ireland's western region has 40% of the country's renewable wind power generating capacity, according to a plan to double the electricity transmission network.

Eirgrid, the independent electricity transmission system operator, launched its Euro 4bn Grid25 plan to develop the grid infrastructure of which Euro 1bn is to be invested in the west.

Ireland's transmission network could be doubled by the year 2050, boosting current capacity and supporting renewable energy development, according to the operator.

Gillian Buckley, chief executive officer of the Western Development Commission, told the Mayo News: "The western region has about 40% of the entire country's renewable capacity, making it a key natural resource for the region.

"It may be fair to say that wind and ocean energy are the western region's own clean sustainable oil-fields."

She added that existing transmission systems is inadequate to support future renewable power as well as current needs and praised the Grid25 plan, saying it would stimulate investment in renewables.

Ireland has 6,000 kilometres of overhead transmissions, 4,000 of which are set to be upgraded and 1,000 more constructed to meet a predicted 60% growth in electricity demand in a decade.

Islands off the coast of Ireland could be powered completely by renewable resources from their environment, a minister has claimed.

A feasibility study is being carried out to determine whether wind and wave power and other renewables could provide islands with their electricity, heat and transport needs.

The study is to be conducted on the Aran Islands, which rely on the mainland for energy, but with an eye to extending the lessons to other islands.

It has been commissioned by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).

Minister for communications, energy and natural resources Eamon Ryan said: "The development of an integrated wind and ocean-powered energy system could make the islands self-sufficient in terms of energy supply, would create jobs, boost tourism and could even provide models for improved use of natural resources for the whole island of Ireland."

Last month, Mr Ryan said that Ireland aims to generate 40% of electricity from renewable sources by 2020.

Speaking to an Economist Business Roundtable he said that part of the answer to problems of climate change and energy independence was the development of clean energy.
Edie.net 

British Sea Power will soon soundtrack a movie I discovered in a university documentary film class about an island that's since become one of my favourite places in the world.

The Brighton, England band plan to record a soundtrack to director Robert Flaherty's 1934 film, Man Of Aran, after they finish their current tour with a show in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday.

The award-winning but controversial documentary depicts the harsh life led by the residents who fish and farm on the desolate and hostile but beautiful Aran Islands, off the western coast of Ireland near Galway.

Flaherty's estate is apparently interested in releasing Man Of Aran on DVD with British Sea Power's soundtrack.

British Sea Power members Hamilton (real name Neil Wilkinson) and Abi Fry will soon leave Brighton to live on another rugged island, Scotland's Isle Of Skye, where perhaps they'll locate Donald's troosers that Andy Stewart was trying to find.

British Sea Power previewed part of their Man Of Aran soundtrack at the Tan Hill Festival in August. Here's the footage:

Part one:

Part two:

By Lorna Siggins of The Irish Times
TWO GOVERNMENT Ministers aim to make Irish offshore communities "greener" and energy efficient under a new initiative unveiled on the Aran island of Inis Meáin yesterday.

A feasibility study on the potential of a wind and tidal-powered network will focus on the three Aran islands, Minister for Energy Eamon Ryan and Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív said.

It will be complemented by specific support schemes for householders, the Ministers said. This will include a 50 per cent increase in grant assistance for energy efficiency to applicants from the offshore islands.

The special funding will apply to two schemes - phase three of the greener homes scheme, which allows homeowners to install energy efficient technologies such as geothermal heat pumps, solar panels and biomass boilers and stoves, at a subsidised cost; and the home energy saving scheme.

The separate home energy saving scheme has been running on a pilot basis in counties Clare, Limerick, Tipperary and Louth, and may be extended on a nationwide basis next year. It allows homeowners to avail of a subsidised energy assessment. Subsequent insulation works may be subsidised.

"The offshore islands are a microcosm of the energy challenges facing Ireland," Mr Ryan said, commenting on the plans.

"This initiative will show, with energy-proofed homes and a wind- and ocean-powered energy network, not only the potential benefits for the islands but the potential sustainable energy opportunities for wider Ireland," he said on Inis Meáin.

Mr Ó Cuív said the aim was to make islands "energy independent", while also enjoying "warmer, better-insulated homes".

"In these challenging economic times, the benefits will be significant, creating numerous jobs and attracting new, inward investment," he said. His department is jointly funding the feasibility study with Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).

Apart from one windfarm with an output capacity of 750kw, the offshore islands rely largely on the mainland for their energy supply, Mr Ó Cuív said.

Electricity is supplied via undersea cables and fuels for transport and heat must be delivered by ferry.

Inis Meáin's new EUR 14 million harbour was also formally opened yesterday by Mr Ó Cuív and Mayor of Co Galway, Peter Feeney.