Main: Music for Bloomsday

Today, June 16, is Bloomsday: the anniversary of the day in 1904 when the events of Ulysses, the best-known work by the Irish literary giant James Joyce, would have taken place in Dublin and environs. The celebration - which today includes a great many events in and around Dublin and elsewhere in the world - was originally established in 1954 on the 50th anniversary.


To celebrate Bloomsday we're presenting a programme of Irish music, traditional and modern; we will also be playing no less than three musical settings of some of James Joyce's first published poetry: Chamber Music of 1907. You'll hear the piano and tenor voice interpretations of Alfred and Marc Heller, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus under Marc Shapiro, and a complete series of settings of all 36 poems, by some of today's top alternative artists. You may hear some surprises today.

This programme will be followed at approximately 4pm Pacific Time by a programme of classical music prior to additional shows later in the evening. See additional entries here for details. 
Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by thap gump in conjunction with the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme now at http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in; outside the US, tune to http://main.radioriel.org in-world, or simply click here if your browser is configured to launch a player automatically.


For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.
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The Queen in Ireland

So Ireland gets a visit from our head of state for the first time in 100 years (the visits to Northern Ireland not counting of course).

Normally a royal bisit would be of minimal interest to me but the one to Ireland is pretty symbolic. Anyway she is there, and a state visit to Ireland by the British head of state is long overdue.

But it is not the actual royal visit itself that has caught my eye but an image and an article:




The above photo comes from Broadsheet.ie. Clearly there is one person who does not see the irony of turning up to an anti-British protest in a Manchester United shirt (or should it be stupidity or imbecility? whatever the mot juste someone has made themselves a laughing stock!). Of even greater amusement is the sight of a protestor carrying a packet of hams slices. Then again even diehard bitter-ender republicans get a bit peckish too.

The article in question is called "The Queen in Ireland: Our Mutual Catharsis" and appeared in the Guardian Comment is Free section. Written by the founding editor of Slugger O'Toole it is a worthwhile read(far more so than the majority of CiF articles).

I mean no actual disrespect to the author itself but am I the only person to see something just a bit amusing about an article about the Queen in Ireland written by someone called MICK FEALTY.

I'll get my coat!

 


Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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Main: From the Library: A Taste of Ireland with Elrik Merlin

This week on thap gump has very much a Celtic flavour, and today is no exception. Gabi will be presenting our St Patrick's Day celebrations – not to mention two fabulous Balls in Caledon Rothesay in Second Life – tomorrow, but in the meantime, today's programme features a selection of Irish music from several genres beyond the Celtic and traditional Irish music that you will no doubt be treated to tomorrow. Of course there'll be some of the latter too, but that's not the main focus of the day.

Instead, today's programme includes a wealth of Irish popular and easy listening music, of the sort that you might find in little record shops in small towns across Ireland, along with the more familiar traditional music you'll be more used to. So you'll hear beautiful, flowing pieces based around Irish themes – notably from songwriter, pianist, music producer, arranger and director Phil Coulter – and ballads, some of which have distinct country music influences (hardly surprising, perhaps that the traditional music that developed into American country music has come back home). There are some other American connections today too, such as a collection of vintage recordings by leading Irish American fiddler Michael Coleman (1889–1945), released by the Coleman Irish Music Centre in Gurteen, Co. Sligo. You'll also hear the work of Shaun Davey, noted for his large-scale orchestral works inspired by Irish history, and pianist Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin, who is also Professor of Music at the Irish World Music Centre of the University of Limerick.

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!

Today's programme is presented by Elrik Merlin and produced by thap gump in conjunction with our friends at the Alexandrian Free Library Consortium of Second Life. You can listen to the programme in-world now at http://main.radioriel.org, or simply click here to start your player, if your browser is configured to do so. Listeners in the United States are encouraged to tune in using this link: http://loudcity.com/stations/radio-riel/tune_in

For more information on the Alexandrian Free Library, current exhibits and the work of Consortium members in general, please visit the Alexandrian Free Library website, or one of their branches in-world.

Photo: "Live musicians in Oliver St. John Gogarty Pub", by Arizona Fox, courtesy of Travelpod.com.Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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What happens when your government needs a bail out

Today’s Irish Independent carries a report which outlines the conditions placed on the Irish government as part and parcel of its €85bn bail out

The loans will be paid out in tranches only if the Irish government meets some hellish conditions.

The terms of the deal clearly state that if any "shortfall" in savings from the public sector occurs, a fresh reduction in the "public service wage bill" will be considered by the end of next September (ie cut costs or we’ll cut your pay)

Other conditions attached to the deal are:

• Every week, the Government must tell the IMF, the EU and ECB what money it is taking in and spending.
• The banks must reveal what loans they've given out every week.
• The numbers and salaries of all those working in the public sector must be disclosed every three months.
• The banks must give detailed information on deposits every month, including how long deposits will stay in the banks and whether they're from householders, companies or other banks.
• The banks must state how much debt they have falling due over the next 36 months on a monthly basis.
• Sheltered professions, including lawyers, doctors and pharmacists will face radical changes within nine months as part of a plan to drive down costs and increase growth in the services sector.
• The State will have to sell off its stakes in Irish banks "within the shortest timeframe possible".

The document goes on to spell out the need for cutbacks of €6bn in 2011, €3.6bn in 2012, and another €3.1bn in 2013.

The stringent conditions are included in an agreement signed by Finance Minister Brian Lenihan and Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan.
The potential cut in public sector pay that is likely to be most contentious. It has already been cut by an average of 14pc through the pension levy and last budget pay cut.

SIPTU general president Jack O'Connor told the Irish Independent last night the trade unions would cooperate with reforms. He said it was likely that progress would be made by the time of the deadline.

However, he warned if there was a "unilateral departure" from the agreement when staff were compliant, "we'll have to respond".

"I don't think any of it is fair," he said. "How could it be fair that everybody in Ireland who had nothing to do with the cause of the collapse has to spend the next seven years paying for it just in order to rescue the French and German banks?"

Fine Gael and Labour -- the parties likely to form the next government -- claimed the multi-billion bailout deal has "tied their hands".

Ach it is bad news for the people of Ireland who will face years of hardship even though it was the banks that although the banks that were architects of the country’s downfall. I wonder how long it will be before the delinquent banks start paying humungous bonuses again…

Fianna Failure are going to be slaughtered at the next general election. Sadly the successor government will have little room for manoeuvre,Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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Staigue Fort

Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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Photo hunt - stripes

he theme for the week's Photo Hunt is stripes. Here is a stretch on the theme. The photo was taken two years ago in Kerry in Ireland. If not quite striped the land is striated.Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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Perhaps why it was a good idea for Eire to be neutral in 1939

I've always felt that Ireland's neutrality during WWII was right but then wrong. In 1939 it was almost certainly the right call. Leaving aside any other considerations the country had a pitiful military capability at the time.

This represents the hardware that Ireland had to defend itself on outbreak of war

Defending the Seas



The Muirchu with one 12 Pounder naval gun



The Fort Rannoch, again with a 12 pounder naval gun





Two Vosper MTBs

Land strikeforce




Two Swedish Landsverk L60 tanks




One Vickers Mark II Medium tank


The army also had just four anti aircraft guns and four anti tank rifles (useless against even light tanks)


In the skies



The Irish Army Air Corp's strike capability consisted of three Gloster Gladiators. The Corps did also have Lysanders, Ansons and a number of Walrus seaplanes but these would have been ineffectual in an offensive role

The purpose of this post is not to sneer at the Irish military but to give a small indication of what military hardware it had at the start of WWIIand a small contributing factor to staying neutralSource URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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The Luck of the BB

Sure and it's a wonderful day when the Banditas give out another prize. With the help of the leprechaun leader, the winner of an Irish themed gift is:






ALLIE!




Step dance your way over to The Lair, lass. Ok, send instead your snail mail addy to JoanieT13 AT gmail DOT com
Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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A Wee Bit 'O The Green

Ok, so you HAD to know that I would blog about this topic. No? Really? I find it hard to believe. Every one of the Banditas and a majority of the BB's know my feelings on this topic:


IRELAND!


I mean I debated and I thought and I considered what I would blog about today and there was no fighting it. In 4 days the celebration most iconic to my heritage, St. Patrick's Day begins and I gotta start now.




One year ago I was a month away from my trip to the Emerald Isle. Those memories are enough to spark the longing to return again but then a friend has asked me to help her and her fiance plan their two week honeymoon there. Their honeymoon! In Ireland! Without me!!!



All right, I'll admit that would be a bit much to ask (they even turned down my offer to chaueffer) but coupled with a recent travelouge on PBS I'm burning up with Ireland fever. It is a physical ache deep in my chest. Ireland is calling to me. What? You don't hear the faint beat of the bodhran? The whisper of the lush green hills, the rolling rivers? The whoosh of a Guiness being pulled?






In an effort to stave off my impulse to call in sick for a month and hop the nearest Aer Lingus flight I'm re-creating my Christmas quiz extravaganza with one of me own. How much do you know about the Emerald Isle? Take the quiz and find out.

1. When did the Republic of Ireland gain its independence?
2. What was the first written language of Ireland called?
3. What do the colors in the Irish flag represent?
4. What was the name of the hill upon which sat the Irish high king?
5. What year did the Romans invade Ireland? What did they call Ireland?
6. How many times has Joanie T visited? :-)
7. Have you ever seen a leprechaun?

One lucky poster will win a pot of gold....or equally suitable gift from the local Irish store :-)







Source URL: http://idontwanttobeanythingotherthanme.blogspot.com/search/label/Ireland
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