By Gabriel Filan NOVEMBER 2014 - £1 website: www.theharpnews.com
The Harp - NOVEMBER 20141 ISSN 2053-5420 NOVEMBER 2014 - £1 website: www.theharpnews.com By Gabriel Filan Legendary Irish dance show Lord of the Dance is set for a triumphant Birmingham return in spring 2015, though its creator Michael Flatley will not be taking to the stage when the production comes to Symphony Hall. The US dancer, who first shot to fame in Riverdance, is directing an all-new production of the show called ‘Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games’, and although he is making some stage appearances during a 200-date world tour Birmingham will not be one of them. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 MORE... 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The Harp - NOVEMBER 20143 Troubled children’s services department loses Manager “It’s important to remind ourselves that our most serious staffing challenge is to get the right number of social workers doing great social work with the best team management around them.” By Gabriel Filan Lord of The Dance returns with new lead dancers ...from page 1 Instead Flatley said the spotlight would be on a new generation of dancers as part of a show that has been reworked from the ground up. “Now I bring young stars, and stars they are,” he said. “My happiness now is to watch them dance. “It is now an honour to bring new young people, young stars to the stage. They have unbelievable talent and the world needs to see it.” The tour kicked-off in London in September, with a run at the London Palladium in the West End. The tour opening did see Flatley appear on stage, along with singer Nadine Coyle, but the dancer said that would be the last time he did so. “It’s my last performance and what a great place here for me,” he said. “I have always loved the West End since I was a little boy and I have had a place in London since 1996.” The new show stars James Keegan, Morgan Comer and Mathew Smith as the ‘Lords of the Dance’ and is choreographed and directed by Flatley Speaking about the show, Flatley said: “I’m blown away by the remarkable talent and abilities of the great cast we’ve gathered. “The show has changed quite dramatically since the beginning. There are probably four numbers that are the same. Those are relatively unchanged. The rest of the show is completely new.” Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games features new staging, new costumes and choreography and a cast of around 40. It also features new music by composer Gerard Fahy. The recent London shows were the start of a tour that will take in more than 200 dates across 15 countries over the next 18 months. A Symphony Hall spokesman said: “For more than a decade, Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance has thrilled audiences around the world. “This is a chance to experience the magical adventure of sight and sound, as this spectacular new production storms the Symphony Hall stage. “Starring 40 of the world’s most outstanding young performers, this latest iteration combines allnew features with the best of tradition.” However, making it clear that Flatley would not be performing when the show comes to Birmingham, the spokesman added: “Please note that although Michael Flatley and Nadine Coyle will perform on some tour dates, they will not be appearing in the performances at Symphony Hall.” The Symphony Hall shows run from May 22-26 2015 and tickets cost from £33 to £43.50, with a £3 transaction fee. To book visit www. thsh.co.uk or telephone the Box Office on 0121 345 0600. Bernie McNally, the latest expert brought in to run Birmingham’s troubled children’s services department, has quit before even officially starting in the role. Ms McNally, who was social services executive director at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, had been due to take up the post at the beginning of November after a month’s introductory period. However it has been decided by “mutual consent” she will not continue in the role. Ms McNally was to be the latest in a long line of officials charged with turning around children’s social care in Birmingham since 2009. There have been four strategic directors - Tony Howell, Eleanor Brazil, Peter Duxbury and, since last summer, Peter Hay - overseeing the service in that time. Mr Duxbury left after 15 months in the role. Lord Norman Warner was appointed by the Government in March this year The authority added that the welfare of children in its care was the priority for the council. Bernie McNally as a commissioner to help the council turn around the troubled department. Birmingham City Council said the news of Ms McNally’s withdrawal was “disappointing” as it thought it had appointed “an excellent candidate from a group of first class people who had applied for the post”. A council statement said: “During the introductory period in October Bernie decided that she was no longer interested in taking up the role, and by mutual agreement will not be proceeding with the appointment. “Our priority however is to ensure that children are made safe through what we are doing and this is a big collective challenge. It said: “The council remains very clear about the priority of having stable and long term leadership for children’s social care. “Throughout Bernie’s induction period the interim leadership previously in place over the summer will continue until a permanent appointment is made.” Eleni Ioannides, a former social services boss from Bury Council, has now been recruited on an interim basis to head the department. Birmingham’s children’s services have been rated inadequate since 2008. Serious case reviews followed the deaths of youngsters including Khyra Ishaq in 2008 and Keanu Williams in 2011. 4 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 All aboard: passengers on the Cello BAE 146 that carried the Queen on a state visit to Ireland in 2011 First flight success for Cello Aviation By Gabriel Filan A group of aviation enthusiasts have come back down to earth after flying in style with Birmingham-based VIP charter carrier Cello Aviation. The enthusiasts, who were mainly from Ireland, were treated like royalty when they took the short hop from Birmingham to Dublin. The special flight, a first for Cello, was a joint initiative between the VIP charter operator and aviation entrepreneur and aircraft enthusiast Aidan Nolan from Airliner Experience. It gave those who love and appreciate aircraft the chance to get the full treatment on-board the Cello Aviation BAE 146 that has a luxury 46-seat configuration and flies top sports professionals, musicians and business travellers to destinations all over Europe. The BAE 146 is also the aircraft that took the Queen and her party on the historic state visit to Ireland in 2011. A treat was in store for the enthusiasts who had the opportunity to inspect the aircraft on Shay Thormy and Joe Phelan board the flight from Birmingham to Dublin the ground and talk to the crew before take-off. “It went far beyond anything I had imagined.” said Mr Nolan. “Each staff member was incredibly nice and so down to earth with a real passion for what they do. On board, Captain Morris was an absolute gent and went down a storm with the group, a man who takes great pride in his career. “We enjoyed conversations with cabin crew who were all so lovely and made the trip extremely comfortable. “It came across very clearly from the crew that their occupation and career is much more than a job, it is a dedication to a way of life and one that they are incredibly proud of. “I have had nothing but positive comments from the group of enthusiast’s and all are on a complete high with the tour. I know, this visit will be discussed with their families, friends, colleagues, even with strangers over the coming weeks.” Vince Essex, head of commercial with Cello Aviation, said: “If we gave them the chance to have their heads in the clouds even for a short time that is great.” The Harp - NOVEMBER 20145 Apprentice training centre visited by Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Business Secretary and Frances O’Grady General Secretary of the TUC with Khalid Mahmood MP and EEF’s technical training director, Peter Winebloom, at EEF’s apprentice training centre on the Holford Business park By Gabriel Filan Shadow Business Secretary, Chuka Umunna, visited EEF’s apprentice training centre in Aston to see how some of the engineers of tomorrow are shaping up. A c c o m p a n ie d by Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the TUC, and Perry Barr MP, Khalid Mahmood, Mr Umunna was given a tour of the state-of-the-art centre which was opened in April earlier this year. Mr Umunna said that, by becoming an apprentice, young people are making themselves highly employable and are setting themselves up for a rewarding, long-term career. He said: “It was fantastic to visit EEF’s new Technology Training Centre in Birmingham and meet the young people benefitting from the outstanding opportunities which it offers. we need to see even more world-class facilities like this across the country Mr Umunna met training staff and young apprentices, hearing firsthand about the skills they are learning and their future ambitions. He also heard from EEF’s technical training director, Peter Winebloom, about the skills shortage facing the manufacturing and engineering sector and how training centres like Aston are vital for giving young people these sought-after and valuable skills. “At a time when we need to grow the number of high-skilled, better paid jobs, we need to see even more world-class facilities like this across the country, bringing together cutting-edge technology and expertise to give the next generation the skills they need to succeed and powering the industries of the future.” For more information on EEF apprentices, visit www.apprentices. co.uk or EEF’s dedicated Apprentice and Skills YouTube channel, www. youtube.com/apprenticeandskills. 6 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Supporters and families turned out to join the John Taylor Hospice Birthday Walk Families Step out to Celebrate Hospice Birthday Families from across Birmingham put their best foot forward to take part in the John Taylor Hospice Birthday Walk. The number of people walking has grown each year, so much so, that next year’s Birthday Walk is booked The event, now in its fourth year, celebrates three years since the Hospice was granted independence from the NHS to become a social enteprise. And the event is now a firm fixture on the calendars of hundreds of supporters of the Hospice. Chris Smart of Sutton Coldfield has been to the event every year since the Hospice left the NHS. “We like to come along with everyone as a way to give back for everything that John Taylor did for my dad,” he said. Myrtle Anglin of Erdington attended the walk for the first time this year along with her daughter Paulette Morrison. “I could work until I’m grey and will never be able to feel that I have paid back the brilliant care my husband received at the Hospice. I cannot put it into words, the comfort that having the nurses around gave and that is why we are here,”’ Myrtle says. Paulette added: “I am glad to be here with my mum to support the Hospice as the compassion and care our family received was priceless.” Also joining in the fun was Allan Kenning of Yardley who said: “We have come along to support this event to help make sure that the care that all our family received is available for other people too as it is so important.” The walk covers a 3.5 mile route starting and finishing at the Ramada Hotel in Penns Lane, Sutton Coldfield, passing through Pype Hayes Park and along Grange Road, in front of the Hospice. the Hospice and in the community. Every day more than 600 people across Birmingham and their families will receive the care they need from Hospice staff and volunteers. Hospice CEO Kate Phipps said: “The John Taylor Hospice Birthday Walk is held in great affection by our supporters and it is so lovely to see so many familiar faces and new people too. “The Birthday Walk is a really good opportunity for families to meet each other and take part in an event which supports our work. It is also a chance for us to say thank you. “The number of people walking has grown each year, so much Families also had the chance so, that next year’s Birthday to enjoy activities including Walk is booked, art projects, on Sunday Oca smoothie The Birthday Walk is bike, baltober 4, and loons and face people are ala really good opporpainting. tunity for families to ready telling us that they will be And this year meet each other there.” there were added attractions including a Spot the Duck It costs £14,000 to run all of the competition and a Duck Race Hospice services each day and which saw families vying for top the Birthday Walk is only one of spot on the feathery finishing the ways people can support the line. Hospice. For more information John Taylor Hospice provides see the www.johntaylorhospice. palliative and end of life care at org.uk website. The Harp - NOVEMBER 20147 Charity Calls On Santas To Come To Town take part in a 5km Santa Run or palliative care 24 hours a day, 7 a 2km Santa Stroll for those who days a week. The fundraising and want to take things a bit slower. sponsorship raised from events like this one are absolutely vital to Acorns offers a network of care for provide the support our children children and support to their fam- need, which can cost up to £750 ilies across the West Midlands and per day per child.” relies on sponsorship from events such as this for the majority of its Entry is £10 for adults and £5 for income. under 16s which includes a Santa Last year’s Santa Run at Brindleyplace Acorns Children’s Hospice is kickstarting the festive season by calling on local people to suit-up as Father Christmas for its annual Santa Run. urday 6th December where hundreds of Santas will bring festive cheer and help support the charity in its work providing care for lifethreatened and life-limited children and young people. suit and a medal. Under 6s are free and although they will not be given a Santa suit due to size restrictions, they are encouraged to attend in their own festive fancy dress. All routes are accessible for wheelchairs and pushchairs so the whole family can take part in this exciting event. The event is generously supported by Western Power Distribution and Bloc Hotels which means all monies raised will go directly towards funding the £8 million plus a year it costs to run Acorns three hospices. For more information and to register please visit www.acorns.org. uk/santa call 01564 82 5000 or email [email protected]. Shujea Khatun, major events officer at Acorns, said: “The Christmas countdown is now on, so what better way to get into the festive spirit than suiting up for the Acorns Santa Run! “Last year’s event was a really funfilled festive day and this year we hope it’ll be even bigger and better. We want to encourage lots more Santas to come along, run, jog or stroll supporting Acorns in its work. “The children and young people Entries are now open for the event taking place at Brindleyplace in All those entering will be given we look after are unlikely to reach Birmingham City Centre on Sat- their very own Santa suit and can adulthood and require specialist Last year’s Santa Run at Brindleyplace 8 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Pupils pay tribute to their retiring Headteacher By Deputy Headteacher Daniel O’Connor On 18th July 2014 the school community wished Mrs Martin a fond farewell as she retired as Headteacher of Our Lady of Fatima School in Harborne, Birmingham. Mrs Martin enjoyed many celebrations throughout her final week in school to mark her retirement. The week began with a Thanksgiving Mass on the afternoon of Monday 14th July. Our Parish Priest, Father Seamus concelebrated Mass with Father Michael, Mrs Martin’s Parish Priest from Holy Trinity Church, Sutton Coldfield. The Mass was an uplifting celebration of Mrs Martin’s career in education. Mrs Martin welcomed her family, friends, past and present colleagues and of course the whole school community. Following the Mass, Mrs Clare van Vliet, former Deputy Headteacher and current Headteacher of our school spoke very highly of Mrs Martin on behalf of the staff, parents, pupils and whole school Community. When asked, the children described Mrs Martin perfectly as committed, courageous, generous in nature and with her time, a good listener, but most of all they felt valued and loved. Mr John Peeney, Chair of Governors, paid tribute to the impact of Mrs Martin’s successful headship in lead- ing the school to being declared outstanding by OFSTED in July 2011. Mrs Martin was then presented with gifts of gratitude from the staff, pupils and parents of the school, the PTA and the Governing Body. Mrs Martin has been at the forefront of Catholic education for many years and so it was most fitting that Father Michael presented her and her husband Steve, with a Papal Blessing in recognition of her service, dedication and commitment to Catholic education. At the end of the Mass, Mrs Martin spoke fondly of her love of teaching, her love for the school and her immense pride in each and everyone one of the whole school community. The afternoon of celebrations concluded with a buffet for Mrs Martin’s family, colleagues and friends. The week of celebrations continued with a final Thanksgiving Assembly dedicated to Mrs Martin. Each class sang a ‘Goodbye Song’ to Mrs Martin and presented her with a class memory book. Mrs Martin said she felt completely overwhelmed by the cards, gifts and sentiments from the whole school community. “I will always look back at my time at Our Lady of Fatima School with great pride and fondness. It has been such a joy and a privilege to have worked in such a special school.” Mrs Martin We wish Mrs Martin a long, happy and restful retirement and thank her for all that she has achieved during her career, but especially for the school community at Our Lady of Fatima School. The Harp - NOVEMBER 20149 EZE Group CEO Dominic O’Reilly with Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Trust head of fundraising Justine Day outside Fisher House By Gabriel Filan EZE Group’s charitable arm has become an official supporter of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Trust. The EZE Group Foundation will help raise money for the QE through a variety of activities and initiatives. EZE Group CEO Dominic O’Reilly said: “We’re really looking forward to working with the QEHBT’s fundraising officer Laura Power, and the rest of the team there. “Improving health care through better facilities, research and welfare is something ordinary people relate to, and we’ll be working with the charity to help leverage support through our involvement with Birmingham City FC, and other initiatives.” EZE group is a Birmingham City FC diamond partner, and has already raised money for QEHBT through a ground collection at Blues’ recent home game against Bournemouth. QEHBT head of fundraising Justine Day said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have EZE Group Foundation join us as an official supporter. “Thanks to the generous support of donors like the EZE Group Foundation, we’re able to provide a level of patient care beyond what NHS funding alone can deliver.” The charity team at QEHBT is dedicated to improving the experience of patients, their families, and hospital staff. In recent months, the charity has launched a partnership with Ladies Fighting Breast Cancer, which aims to raise £1 million to bring screening and treatment services together. And in the summer, supporters welcomed the Prince of Wales as he opened Fisher House, a ‘home from home’ for the loved ones of military patients. The 18-bedroom facility offers comfort and emotional support to the families of injured and sick servicemen and women. The charity also aims to raise £3 million to support four other projects it has planned. EZE Group supports Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Trust 10 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Neild /Phillips WeddingJuly 2014 The Bride with her parents Stephen and Ruth Phillips and the Groom with his parents Janice and Gareth Neild Images by Dean Jung Aimee Rebekah Phillips married Simon James Neild on the 27th of July in St Nicolas Church in Kings Norton, Birmingham. The newlyweds enjoyed their reception in an Elizabethan Manor House; Grafton Manor in Bromsgrove with a String Orchestra, Wedding Breakfast of roast beef, Laser Clay Pigeon Shooting and a photo booth to entertain guests. The Wedding Party consisted of Best Man Brian Currier, Ushers Lawrence Hession-Kent and Andy Piddington. Bridesmaids were Katie Hanson, Stephanie Phillips, Sally Phillips and Natalie Piddington. Their couple’s good friends Nicola Hession-Kent designed and made Bridesmaids jewellery and Lesley Piddington made their special cake. Bride Aimee said, “St Nicolas lies in the heart of Kings Norton Green and provides a warm welcome to all who visit. It’s such a lovely church to attend services and to get married in. The Wedding Party - Inset: Laser Clay Pigeon Shooting was a talking point at the reception “Grafton Manor was built in 1567 by the Earl of Shrewsbury and it has absolutely stunning grounds.” The Groom Simon added, “The day was perfect, everything we hoped it would be, both St Nicolas and Grafton Manor did us proud!” Aimee continued: The weather was fabulous, sun was shining and wine was flowing! The happy couple enjoyed a twoweek honeymoon in Orlando, Florida. They said: “We had an amazing adventure filled with fun and excitement, as well as a few relaxing days to keep us going! “We absolutely loved Universal studios and spent a lot of our time there but nothing really topped Discovery Cove where we went snorkeling in a coral reef with stingrays, fish and sharks plus swimming with dolphins!” Reflecting upon the whole occasion Aimee said, “I married my best friend. Our journey is just beginning and our wedding day was the perfect start to our life together. It meant so much to us to have all of our loved ones there.” Society members meet new Minister Sandwell Irish Society was pleased to receive an invitation to attend a reception hosted by Ambassador Mr. Daniel Mulhall at the Embassy of Ireland in London recently and meet the Minister for the Diaspora, Mr. Jimmy Deenihan TD on his first official visit to Britain. The event, which was attended by Mrs. Siobhan Gorman, Manager of the Society and volunteer Mrs. Theresa Perkins, was to announce details of grants awarded to Irish community organisations in the UK through the Irish government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Emigrant Support Programme. Mr. Deenihan paid tribute to the vast amount of work done and services delivered every day by Irish organisations to support members of the Irish community in a variety of ways. He also spoke of the current review of the Government’s Diaspora policy being undertaken by his Department, to L to R Theresa Perkins, Jimmy Deenihan TD and Siobhan Gorman see what other things they could be doing to better engage with the Irish community abroad and how established programmes can be delivered in a better way. this country. He then took the opportunity to meet and chat to many people and pose for a photograph with Siobhan and Theresa. Mr. Deenihan thanked representatives from Irish community organisations who were present and acknowledged that their work makes a profound difference to the quality of life experienced by thousands of Irish emigrants in For further details about the work of the Society, please contact Siobhan on 0121 553 4402 or email her at: [email protected] – she will be pleased to hear from you. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201411 Young singer wins Heartfield-Wharam Scholarship Concert Student Jeni Galvin with The Sixth Form College, Solihull’s assistant principal Elizabeth Baker By Gabriel Filan A talented young singer has claimed the top prize in a scholarship contest in memory of two highly respected Solihull music teachers. A total of 13 talented musicians auditioned to win a scholarship fund at the Heartfield-Wharam Scholarship Concert held at The Sixth Form College, Solihull. The college’s first concert of the academic year saw solo performances ranging from vocal pieces to instrumental pieces on the piano, cello, flute, clarinet and trumpet, with music staff judging the winner. Jeni Galvin, aged 17, from Solihull, emerged triumphant for her performance of ‘Good Morning Bal- timore’ from the musical ‘Hairspray’. Her performance even included costume and hairspray as a prop, as she delivered a whole-hearted rendition of the song from the hit musical. Jeni will receive a bursary to spend on music tuition from an eminent performer of her choice. The bursary was set up in memory of two great musicians who strongly supported music in Solihull and at the college. Roy Heartfield was the original head of music at the college, who died in post in 1992, while Margaret Wharam was the former head of music at Malvern Hall School and head organist at Solihull Methodist Church. The first winner of this prize was in 1994 and for the last 20 years the scholarship fund has continued. Music teacher Chris Phelps said: “I must commend all 13 students who auditioned at the concert. “Performing in front of an audience is daunting enough without the added pressure of competition. “Choosing a winner from such impressive and diverse performances was very difficult but in the end we were unanimous in selecting Jeni’s vocal performance as the most convincing and complete.” The next music concert at the college is its Christmas Concert, which takes place on December 17. 12 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Solihull MP visits Total Training head office By Gabriel Filan Total Training welcomed Lorely Burt to its head office in Olton. The Solihull MP is assisting Total Training with its drive to source Government funding for the provision of pre- employment training for people who are eager to join the construction industry. Total Training has been providing training solutions to the construction industry for more than five years. The firm has called for more funding to provide health and safety in the workplace training and accreditation as well as plant training and testing. Total Training proprietor and managing director John Smith said: “Total Training are approached daily with requests from both individuals looking to upskill and employers seeking employees with basic skills and plant competency. “Unfortunately, due to funding not being fed through to frontline training providers, these needs are not currently being met. Lo- rely Burt has agreed to pursue all avenues available in order to facilitate the access of funding to training providers such as us.” The company also won praise from Mrs Burt for its inclusiveness, particularly the number of women it employs. “Lorely Burt is a well-known advocate for Women in Construc- Jess Thorpe, Vicki Lambert, Lorely Burt, Nuala O’hagan, Victoria McMahon tion and was pleased to see Total Training not only endorsed her views but actively promoted women in all aspects of its business,” Mr Smith added. Mrs Burt also took to Twitter to praise the firm, saying in the wake of her visit: “So you think there’s no women in construction, huh? Total Training – totally inclusive!” The Harp - NOVEMBER 201413 Edgbaston MP visits Catholic girls school Gisela Stewart pictured with Dr Casserly, and Head Girl Team and pink wearing pupils and the award winning National PiXL Trophy, which St Paul’s were awarded for outstanding 2014 GCSE results By Miss Roche The St Paul’s School for Girls was extremely honoured to welcome Gisela Stewart, MP for Edgbaston, on Friday 24th October to meet their first A level Government and Politics students. Ms. Steward first met the girls when she visited the school five years ago, when they were in Year8 and it is thought that maybe she inspired some of them to become interested in politics! As an MP, Ms Steward is delighted this subject is on the curriculum. She commented, “I am so pleased the girls have the opportunity to study politics and Government at St Paul’s.” Ms. Stewart was welcomed by the Head Girl Team and Dr Casserly presented her with some specially made pink Cup-cakes to mark Breast Awareness day. The whole school went pink to raise money for Breast Awareness Day with both staff and pupils wearing pink to raise money for the charity. Dr. Dawn Casserly presenting Gisela Stewart with homemade cupcakes specially made for her for Breast Cancer awareness day 44 Pages in Full Colour with news sport, entertainment and your community pictures every month 14 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 KFC responds to Sheldon’s growing appetite for chicken Lord Mayor of Birmingham with staff at the new restaurant in Sheldon, Birmingham Lord Mayor cuts the ribbon to new and improved KFC in Sheldon creating 43 new career opportunities in the town. KFC is delighted to announce that its Sheldon store has relocated in order to provide more services, more career opportunities and more chicken to its supportive local residents. The new Coventry Road store was officially opened by Lord Mayor Shafique Shah last month. Sheldon chicken fans can now look forward to the convenience of an added drive-thru and a 51-space car park when they visit the store. The new restaurant boasts two large order bays on the outside of the building, while diners in-store will benefit from KFC’s latest ‘Fusion’ design, making the speed of service much quicker. The new site will be a positive upgrade in the local community and has already created 43 new career opportunities, replacing a vacant four-story office building, only through the 40 or so jobs created, but also because it will increase footfall for other businesses nearby. It’s a fantastic addition to the local community”. On the 5th October, there was a family and friends open day, where a lucky few were able to dine in the new restaurant before the official opening. Now all Sheldon residents can join in the fun as the 230 square meter restaurant is officially open to the public. “I’m delighted to be manager at the new and improved restaurant in Sheldon. KFC has definitely got a lot to offer young people in the local area who are interested in having the chance to work and develop their skills—I have worked at KFC since I was 16 so I know how you can build a great career here. The drive-thru in Woeley Castle has been really popular so we look forward to bringing fresh tasty chicken back to our patient fans.” Shafique Shah, Lord Mayor of Birmingham, said: “The opening of the new KFC in Sheldon will bring a welcome economic boost to the area, not Abbas Ghulam, KFC Restaurant Manager, said: Sandwell Irish Society Christmas Meal Sandwell Irish Society is pleased to announce that this year’s Christmas Meals at Sandwell Valley Park Farm will take place on Tuesday, 9th December and Wednesday, 17th December from 12noon onwards. The Christmas get-togethers were so popular last year that many people asked us to arrange the same thing this year! The cost for the 4-course meal is £19.95, including a glass of wine, and will be served in the friendly surroundings of the ever-popular Café by Sue and her team of dedicated staff, who many of you will know from our regular Irish Health Walks in Sandwell Valley. Please contact Sandwell Irish Society Manager, Mrs. Siobhan Gorman on 0121 553 4402, on her mobile 0777/391 7073 or by email: sandwellirishsociety@yahoo. co.uk if you would like to reserve your place/s or for more information. A deposit of £5.00 per person is required and you are advised to book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201415 Good Money – A Currency Competition for Handsworth Birmingham Museums is inviting people who live and work near Soho House (former home to industrialist and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton); to design their own coins celebrating people of Handsworth. Soho House, part of Birmingham Museum Trust, is a new partner joining the national New Expressions programme, an Arts Council England-funded scheme unlocking the creative potential of museums. Local artists Chris Poolman and Elizabeth Rowe are launching an initiative entitled ‘Good Money – A Currency Competition for Handsworth’. Inspired by the innovations and technical breakthroughs in coinage at Boulton’s Soho Mint in the 18th century, the artists are running a competition to design coins which will be minted and distributed into the local community. Through a series of free creative workshops and events in autumn 2014, Handsworth residents can design their own currency, and nominate local Handsworth ‘visionaries’ who will have their profiles cast on the coins. To promote the project, the artists have produced and distributed their own newspaper in Handsworth. The selected coins will be minted and the project will ‘go live’, with an exhibition and series of celebratory events from May 2015. The coins will be given to local people as a limited edition artwork, as a celebration of local heroes. Oliver Buckley, Property Manager of Soho House said: “Handsworth is an amazing place, full of energetic and dedicated individuals who are improving the area and making a difference to people in their communities. This is a chance to give something back and nominate your own local heroes. And what better way to celebrate local achievement than by following in the footsteps of Matthew Boulton, the great innovator who revolutionised coin-making at his Mint near Soho House.” People can get involved in the project by nominating an inspirational person who lives or works in Handsworth to be immortalised on a coin. Or get creative and send their artistic designs (drawn in a circle) for the ‘Tails’ side of the coins. Entries (including contact details) should be sent to [email protected] with ‘Currency Competition’ as the subject. Also, entries can be posted to ‘Currency Competition’, Soho House, Soho Avenue, Handsworth, Birmingham, B18 5LB. There will be a range of prizes for the winners, and the chance to feature in an exhibition at Soho House in the Spring of 2015. Local schools are also invited to participate. For more details www.bmag.org. uk/soho-house. 16 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Gathering Your Stories Through The Harp What do you think Irishness means to people in the West Midlands? Tell us your story in The Harp. By Pete Millington area. Irish genealogy is well known for being difficult for a number of reasons, so the oral history approach which involves recording stories and looking at old photographs and documents such as Mass Cards is therefore very important. In August this year my wife and I and our three teenaged children travelled to Ireland to visit her mother, Catherine Dwyer (aka Kitty), in a rural area near Moate on the border of counties Offaly and Westmeath. We then travelled north, accompanied by Where Ireland has gaps when Granny to a holiday cottage at it comes to census records and the like, the Irish people generMoville in Donegal. ally make up for in terms of the As a keen researcher of the fam- rich oral history tradition. Evily tree, whenever we visit Ire- eryone has a story to tell given land I take every opportunity to some gentle encouragement update information from Kitty and an appreciative audience. I about her family roots in the once wrote to a parish priest in County Laois, researching my mother’s ancestors and asked the slightly unusual question (based on a family myth I might add), “are there any tales of Ireland’s tallest woman once living in your parish?” To which he responded in his return letter, “I haven’t come across that particular one, though most of my parishioners should be able to tell you a tall story”. ran and told our mother that Father Flanagan was on his way along the lane so she was able to quickly clean around the house and get out the best china cups. Father Flanagan was a very tall man and I remember his laceup boots were extremely well polished. He stayed for tea with my mother and I remember him blessing us all and blessing our home before he left”. One evening this summer, as Kitty and I sat quite literally rummaging through her archive of chocolate boxes and biscuit tins containing old photographs and assorted memorabilia, we came across the Mass Card of a priest named Lawrence D. Flanagan whom, Kitty recalled, was a cousin of her mother from Moate. The Mass Card indicated that the Very Reverend Lawrence D Flanagan was born on 19 June 1882, he professed on 17 October 1901, was ordained on 17 March 1907 and died on 3 April 1966. His order was Carmelite. The most intriguing piece of information which Kitty told me was a snippet of a story relating to the Irish War for Independence. She told me that one night Father Flanagan received a knock on his priory door in New York to discover it was a fugitive seeking shelter, none-other than the infamous insurrectionist Eamon De Valera, the leader at that time of Ireland’s struggle for independence from Britain who had escaped from Lincoln prison in February 1919 and travelled secretly to the United States. Kitty recalled various facts and anecdotes about Lawrence Flanagan such as that his family owned a saw mill in Moate and that Lawrence went to New York as a young priest and worked in America for most of his life. She recalled Father Flanagan once visiting her family on their farm at Lurgan near Moate, probably in 1939. Kitty was a child and her fleeting memory has movie-like imagery to it and instantly conjures up a picture of this intriguing man striding through the Irish countryside towards Lurgan: “I remember him coming to visit us one day in about 1939. He was walking along the Balycumber Road from Moate and then he turned along the Bog Road and through the fields to our house at Lurgan. I remember that we Within a few days we drove up to our holiday cottage at Moville, a long car journey which took us through Northern Ireland, driving through towns and places which in my mind are sadly associated with ‘the troubles’, Enniskillen, Omagh, Sion Mills, Strabane and finally through the city of Derry before driving back into the Republic and out along the coastal road that runs along Lough Foyle. As a family we had never visited ‘the north’ before and our teenaged Brummieborn children were struck by the oddness of passing through areas of Ireland where bright and pristine Union Jacks and red hand of Ulster flags hang from every lamp post. Foreboding rather than welcoming. My own mind came back constantly to the story of De Valera knocking on the door of the Carmelite priory in Manhattan in 1919, seeking refuge in America at a time when Ireland was on the verge of its ultimate push for independence. An event in family history linked in some small way to the greater narrative of Irish history. It would have been both amiss and totally out-of-character for me not to have dived straight into some devoted online research into the background to this event on my return home to Birmingham. What I discovered was that De Valera’s midnight knock was not a random act of desperation, on the run in a foreign city, but that his personal link with Lawrence Flanagan went back to their school days at Blackrock College in Dublin in the late 1890s. I also discovered much more about the full extent of the support of the New York Carmelites for Ireland’s struggle for independence between 1916 and 1922 – a story not widely known on this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Don’t miss the next instalment of the story of Father Larry and the New York Carmelites in the next edition of The Harp. Visit the blog at harp-gathering.blogspot.co.uk/ Join our Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/420135884725856/ Please send your stories and photos to Pete Millington at [email protected] The Harp - NOVEMBER 201417 Birmingham GPs switch on electronic prescriptions GPs in Birmingham are making the switch to the NHS Electronic Prescription Service – making it easier and quicker for local patients to get their medication. Seven GP practices in Birmingham have gone live with the timesaving electronic service and can now digitally send prescriptions direct to pharmacies, without the need for the traditional paper slip. It is designed to speed up the process and gives patients access to new services. aware of keeping on top of a condition such as diabetes. It’s a very efficient service, and the staff are very helpful.” Pharmacist, Dr Julian Harrison, Director at Pharmacy2U, says convenience is a key consideration for patients. He said: “The move to e-prescriptions makes the process quicker and easier and is giving patients a lot more choice – such as a pharmacy closer to where they work or an online and mail-order service like ours. The move to e-prescriptions makes the process quicker and easier One of the new options is the NHS Repeat Prescription Service from Pharmacy2U, which allows people to order by phone, online or using a mobile app, and then have their medication delivered for free to their home or workplace. And local patients like pensioners David and Joyce Bullock, of Erdington, and their family are already reaping the benefits of the service. The couple and their daughter, who are all diabetic, order their prescriptions online. “Our NHS repeat prescription service can be a useful option for those who don’t find a traditional high street pharmacy a convenient choice. It’s popular with people who work long hours, the elderly and housebound, and busy commuters who want to save time.” To use electronic prescriptions, patients can speak to their chosen pharmacy to set their ‘nomination’, which is where their prescription will be digitally sent. Mrs Bullock, 71, said: “Pharmacy2U either phone or email us, which is very convenient. It’s a great service – the medicines are delivered very quickly. Now we don’t have to worry about running out of our medicines.” The NHS Electronic Prescription Service will eventually be rolled out throughout England. Despite this, research conducted by YouGov on behalf of Pharmacy2U revealed that nearly three quarters of people in the West Midlands area (74 per cent) were not aware that paper prescriptions are being replaced. Mrs Bullock also believes the service has a positive effect on the family’s health. She explained: “The free reminder service makes you more Find out which Birmingham GPs are live with electronic prescriptions, here: http://www.escriptfinder. co.uk/ David and Joyce Bullock, of Erdington, have been using Pharmacy2U’s free electronic repeat prescription service for around four years. 18 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Pat O’Neill and Beverley Hart, who completed The ‘Great Brum Run’ to raise money for SIFA Fireside Centre, Birmingham Limerick Association Treasurer completes The ‘Great Brum Run’ for charity On 19th October 2014 Pat O’Neill took part in the Birmingham ‘Great Brum Run’ a half marathon around the centre of Birmingham; Pat ran in aid of SIFA Fireside Centre in Birmingham. Well done you might say, but what if you learnt that the man himself not only being 73 years of age and a grandfather of eight, was also only partially sighted having tunnel vision only in one eye! Now that is some achievement. His ‘eyes’ for the marathon were provided by Beverley Hart, who became his guide for the event and Pat is very grateful to Beverley for her support. Pat is also a member of the West Limerick Athletic club and runs with them whenever is at home in Adare County Limerick. Pat lost his sight completely over 40 years ago after being struck down with Eales Disease and went on to learn Braille and telephony at the Queen Alexander College in Birmingham. He landed a job at Allied Irish Bank in Sparkhill as a blind telephonist; he retired 28 years later as a business development manager. During that time Pat had some pioneering operations on his eyes and gained tunnel vision only in one eye. Pat said when he opened his eye and was able to see, limited though it was, he felt he had been given his life back. Pat has worked tirelessly for charity over the years; he is a governor at South and City College Birmingham, Chairman of Small Heath Boxing Club and has been treasurer of the Limerick Association for over 25 years. Pat took part in the marathon to raise money for the SIFA Fire Side Centre in Digbeth Birmingham, a charity which the Limerick Association is supporting this year. All profit made from the many functions they are running will be presented to the charity in January. The Associations next event will be a dance at St Patrick’s Club on Rotton Park Road, Edgbaston on 15th November 2014, come along and support us, you will be very welcome; the cost is £5 which will include a light supper. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201419 ithappenedin by Liam Smith november November 6th It was on this day in 1920 that the following notice appeared on the streets of Athlone, ….‘Shopkeepers of Athlone are hereby ordered to close their premises on Armistice Day, November 11th, in honour of the fallen heroes of the Great War and the police murdered in Ireland. This notice applies to all business houses and factories. Any failure to comply with this order renders the destruction of said premises inevitable’. (Signed) Black and Tans. November 15th On this day in 1881, William J Pearse, younger brother of Pa- draig Pearse, was born in Dublin. A sculptor by trade, William Pearse is acknowledged for some of the finest works of religious sculptor to be seen in Ireland. In 1908, William Pearse joined his brother Padraig in the running of St. Enda’s College, Rathfarnham, an establishment founded by his brother. His enthusiasm for the arts and theatre at St.Enda’s gave him valuable acting skills which eventually led to his appearance in many Abbey Theatre productions. Shortly after the formation of the Irish Volunteers, he joined his brother in the movement, and fought alongside him in the G.P.O. during Easter week. Although a minor participant during the insurrection, it was his involvement with his brother that led to his execution in Kilmainham Jail on On this day in 1920, Michael Hogan May 4th 1916. of Grangemockler, Co.Tipperary, a member of the Tipperary Gaelic football team, was shot dead during an attack on Croke Park by Born in Dublin on this day in 1939 the Black and Tans. The incident was folk singer and musician, Luke which left twelve dead and sixty Kelly. For twenty-two years until wounded was regarded as an act of his death in 1984, Luke Kelly was retaliation for the deaths of fouran ever present member of The teen British intelligence officers in Dubliners, one of the most suc- Dublin that morning, carried out cessful folk groups ever to emerge by an assassination squad under from Ireland. Throughout his long the command of Michael Collins. association with the group, Luke a master of the five-string banjo – made many memorable recordings; such as, ‘Dirty Old Town’, Born on this day in 1910, in Dur...’The Town I Loved So Well’,… ban, South Africa, was actor Cyrand ’Raglan Road’. il Cusack. In 1932, after an education at Newbridge College, Co.Kildare, Cyril Cusack joined November 16th November 26th November 21st the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, and performed in over sixty productions between the years 1932-45. Two years later in 1947, Cusack formed his own company, staging productions throughout Europe and New York. In a career stretching nearly fifty years, Cyril Cusack played many memorable roles in films such as; ‘Nineteen EightyFour’; ‘Danny the Champion of the World’; and ‘Far and Away’. His role as Father Giffley in the 1980 RTE production of ‘Strumpet City’ received much acclaim, and firmly established him as one of Ireland’s finest actors. His daughters Sinead, Sorcha, and Niamh, are also accomplished actresses. In October, 1993, Cyril Cusack died in Hounslow, Middlesex, at the age of eighty-two. 20 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 The Irish of the West Midlands by Carl Chinn Our Mom: A Proud Aston Wench Our Mom, Sylvie Chinn nee Perry, was always singing. Whatever she was doing she’d sing, but the times I remember best were when she sang on a Sunday along with ‘Two Way Family Favourites’ on the Light Programme. membered one particular night of fear when Our Nan and Granddad, Arthur Perry, grabbed her in her night-clothes, held her in their arms and with everyone else in their yard rushed down the middle of Whitehouse Street to the big underground shelter of Powell and Hamner’s. Winnie and Alfie meant everything to our Mom and she swore she’d marry him when she was old enough. And it is a song from those days that still has especial meaning for our family and which from an early age made us realise the power of singing in helping people through adversities. On another occasion they were in the big shelter in their yard and looking through its doorway, Our Mom started to blart because it seemed that all the houses in their terrace were alight. Thankfully they weren’t as the flames that Mom saw in the windows were the reflections from the fire which was raging nearby at Rippingilles, the stove manufacturer on the Aston Road North that was next to Dobson and Crowther’s. But to a young child it seemed that her whole world had become a dreadful bonfire. When Alfie was seventeen, he joined the Royal Navy and was sent away. Just seven years of age, Our Mom couldn’t cope without him around. She wouldn’t eat and was pining so badly that Nan and Granddad wrote to the Navy and Our Alfie was sent back on compassionate leave. When me and Our Kid, Darryl, were youngsters and we listened to such stories we found it hard to believe that there could be any happiness or fun during such terrible times. Yet there was. Our Aunt Win was one of Nan’s younger sisters and she was very close with Our Mom. Winnie used titter about sending Mom to fetch her sand from the bomb pecks so that she could wet it and rub it on her legs. Then she’d get a black pencil and put a line down the back of each of her calves. That way when she went dancing she looked like she had stockings on. There was a problem, though: when she jitterbugged the chaps would throw her around, her frock would go up and you could see the whites of her legs above her knees. Our Mom is the sixth from the left of the second row in this photograph taken when she was at St Mary’s School. She loved her time there and remembered with affection young Mr Lewis and Old Mr Lewis, a Welsh teacher who taught his classes how to sing descant. Mom would be in the kitchen getting the roast ready for dinner and we’d hear her beautiful voice joining in with Sarah Vaughan, her great favourite, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Billy Eckstein and others. Songs played a big part in her life. One of her earliest memories was of sitting in the big shelter in her yard in Whitehouse Street, Aston with her mom and dad and neighbours, and joining in the sing-songs that kept up their spirits as the bombs pounded down on working-class Birmingham. Born in April 1936, Our Mom was only four when the bombing started but she said that everyone in the shelter had a song and hers was the chorus of ‘We are poor little lambs who have lost our way’. Like most Brummie children, she had been evacuated at the start of the war. As she was under school age, she was sent to Cheltenham with Our Nan, Lil Perry, and other mothers and youngsters. Mom had only vague recollections of that time, but as with so many others she was fetched back home during this Phoney War. And then in the late summer of 1940, the Blitz began. Our Mom re- Mom spent a lot of time with Our Winnie because when Our Nan married, she and Granddad got a house in the same street as her Mom, Granny Wood. Granny had twelve children and it was very difficult finding space for them all to sleep in a small, twobedroomed back-to-back which downstairs only had one room and a tiny scullery. So with Nan having a spare bedroom just across the street at 7 back of 6, she took in Winnie who used to sleep in the double bed in the attic with Mom. Often of a Saturday night when Winnie went out dancing, she’d tell Mom to go to the back of the Lion Hall just along the Aston Road North by Holland Road. Then she’d go with her mates such as Renee Carter and open the exit at the back so that Mom could creep in and be with them, young as she was, in a magical place of song, music and dance. Our Nan also took in took in one of her younger brothers, Our Alfie, who slept on the settee in their one room downstairs. He used to sleep so deeply that during one raid they couldn’t wake him up and had to run to the shelter without him. Mom was breaking her heart thinking that he’d be killed. Happily he wasn’t, but when the bombing stopped and they went back they found him still well away and beneath one of the wooden shutters from inside the window which had been blown off by the blast from a bomb. As he got off the tram before Aston Cross, one of his mates pulled him into ‘The Albion’ on the corner for a quick pint. Before he could drink it, word quickly went round that he was home. Someone ran down the entry, up Our Mom’s yard and into Our Nan’s house, blurting out the news. Our Mom made a swift recovery and raced inside the pub. Our Alfie swept her up, stood her on the bar and said ‘sing for me babby’. And she did. With her eyes only on him, she sang Alice Faye’s hit, ‘You’ll never know just how much I love you’. Mom always emphasised to us that she was fortunate to grow up knowing that she had the love of her Mom and Dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and to live in a street filled with love. At the heart of that love was her beloved and inspirational Granny Wood. Born in Ireland, her father was a British soldier and her mother an Irish colleen. Granny grew up mostly in Worcester but never forgot her Irish childhood and passed on the old Irish songs to her daughters. Granny married my great grandfather, William Wood, a boatman from Tewkesbury, in 1912. Three years later and during the Great War, he was sent to work on the canals in Birmingham as he was in a reserved occupation. They settled in Whitehouse Street, which was close to the cut and where Granddad Wood had relatives. Granny married my great grandfather, William Wood, a boatman from Tewkesbury, in 1912. Three years later and during the Great War, he was sent to work on the canals in Birmingham as he was in a reserved occupation. They settled in Whitehouse Street, which was close to the cut and where Granddad Wood had relatives. Like Our Nan, most of Granny’s children lived in the same street after marriage. There was also Uncle Bill and Aunt Nance with their six children; Auntie May and Uncle Freddie Hodson with their son; and Aunt Nance and Uncle Billy Cotterill with their fourteen children. There was also Uncle Bobby who stayed a bachelor and lived at home along with Aunt Doreen who was almost Mom’s age; whilst Uncle George, Auntie Rose and Aunt Gladys were never far from the street. Granny’s house was the focal point for this rumbustious extended family – and more on that next month. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201421 22 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal 2014 a lasting memory of great satisfaction and achievement, enjoyed with a team of likeSaturday the 11th October saw the some- minded friends. These are thoughts and what reduced BICA Team head for Bir- memories that will live with us forever, and mingham Airport after a lot of bag and bike bring a smile to our faces every time they are revisited. packing. By Michelle Argue The back up team consisted of Peter and Maureen Mohan (our roving reporters) myself, Ciaran Cunningham and Ann McElroy, and the team consisted of Joe Argue, Caroline Argue, Seamus Cassidy, Conor McGreevy, Paul Owens, Pat O’Donnell, Con Cunningham and Paul Barratt. Phil Cunnngham joined us later in the week to give the back-up team much needed support. Sadly two of our newest recruits were unable to travel with us at the last moment and were greatly missed. One of the things that make this so special is knowing that we are making a difference. This years’ project is the VIP APPEAL at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Edgbaston. The money raised this year will contribute towards refurbishing two consulting rooms for the Children’s Radiotherapy Dept. Each year hundreds of children with cancer come to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham for their radiotherapy. The treatment is a scary experience for anybody, but it is especially frightening for children who are more used to the bright interiors of As many of you know we were in Cyprus in children’s hospitals. That’s why the QEHB 2012, but since then we have revisited the Charity has launched the VIP Treatment route and made a few changes, just to make Appeal. things a little more challenging. Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal hope to To give you some idea in cycling terms of raise £20,000 towards the £250,000 needed the degree of difficulty this route involves I to make coming to the QE as pleasant an exhave shown below the degrees of difficulty perience as possible for our young patients. the team faced on each day, and the climbs With your help we would like to create a are: child-orientated area in the Radiotherapy department. This will be a light, bright, wel(Hors Category (HC) the hardest climbs of coming space with toys and games to take 1500m and above (4900ft)) their minds off the treatment ahead. 1st category – climbs of 1100 -1500m (3600ft What’s more, we would like to give every – 4900ft) child who receives radiotherapy a toy. 2nd Category – climbs of 600-1100m (1970 Head of fundraising Justine Davy said: – 3600 ft) “The children that come here are incredibly brave. From talking to them and their fami3rd category – climbs of 300 – 600, (985 – lies, we know that receiving treatment at a 1975ft) big, adult hospital like the QE can be very daunting – especially if they are more used 4th category – lowest category climbs of to visiting children’s hospitals. 100 – 300m(328 – 985ft) “That’s why we have launched the VIP You may wonder why so many people enjoy Treatment Appeal. With the generosity and this sort of trip, they pay their own expens- enthusiasm of our fundraisers and donors es and spend a great deal of time preparing we can cheer up these courageous young and training for the event. I can only say patients and show them how much we that for those who have experienced it, it is care.” On behalf of the gang, may I take this opportunity of thanking you all for being so supportive of us. There were sponsorship cheques waiting for us on our return and many of you have visited us on justgiving. https://justgiving.com/ JoeArgue Please remember our Presentation Dinner Dance is on Saturday 6th December, and will be held this year at the Irish Centre, Digbeth. Tickets are £30. We have Kevin McGrath at the Full ShaBang playing and it will be a night to remember. For details contact Michelle on 07974 807568 or Joe on 07977 465950. THE DIARY... Day 1: Monday 13th October: 50 miles A lo gett the wal cult A lovely hot day, with all the team flying along, followed by a great night in Limassol with Cypriot Dancing and sampling the local cuisine. Many of us had a dip in the sea to try and ease the wounds. osia Thu clim cate Day 2: Tuesday 14th October 62 miles – Li- Thi A n of A frie his – Paphos to Limassol. 36˚C, climbed 2952 ft . 3 x category 4’s. massol to Nicosia. 30˚C+, climbed 2789ft. 3 x category 4’s Day The Harp - NOVEMBER 201423 ong day finishing in the city with no one ting lost! Another great night sampling local food and a walk around the city lls and checkpoints and experiencing the tural divides. y 3: Wednesday 15th Oct, 51 miles – Nic- a to Troodos. 25˚C cooling to 11˚C – with under, Lightening, Hail and Rain. 6900ft mbed, 28 mile pull – 6 x category 4, 3 x egory 3, 1 x category 1 and 1 x HC. is is the day they had been waiting for. nice gentle meander out to the village Akaki where we were met by our good end Peter Fanaris and his wife Nicki, in home village. A fabulous lunch was laid Birmingham Irish Cycle Appeal Presentation Dinner Dance Tickets are £30. Saturday 6th December at the Irish Centre, Digbeth. Dancing to Kevin McGrath and The Full ShaBang. For details contact Michelle on 07974 807568 or Joe on 07977 465950 on for us and was much appreciated particularly in view of what was to come. The rest of the day was one that will always be remembered… As we approached the final 28-mile climb up to the top of the Troodos it became apparent that the weather was not on our side. Torrential rain, hail, thick cloud with intermittent thunder and lightening all threatened to bring our ride to a halt. Undaunted the whole team pulled themselves up to the top and were very glad to have open fires and centrally heated bedrooms waiting for us at the hotel. All the cyclists made it to the top! Day 4: Thursday 16th October 55 miles – Troodos to Kato Pyrgos. 25˚C – 2812ft climbed, 8000 ft descent. 8 x category 4’s. This particular day is meant to be a massive descent. You may wonder then, why so many climbs? Many of our cyclists asked the same question. Joking aside, this is a dangerous day, with the danger of overheating wheel rims and speed a cause for concern. An overnight stay at a beachside local establishment with home cooked food, put us back on good form again. Day 5: Friday 17th October, 65 miles. 28˚C 2861ft climbed. 1 x category 4 and 1 x category 2. Not a day to underestimate-a long dry day in heat, with some serious climbs. At this point, they are all as fit as they can be, and the charity cycle tops are starting to fit a bit better! A wonderful finish at the Capital Coast Hotel, and a night to remember at the Nessi Restaurant and Kato Paphos just about put the whole ride together. A great finishing night, where everyone has a chance to talk about their week, and their thoughts on the whole experience. Some were speechless. Finally, we had a rest day and then returned to our families on Sunday the 19th from Larnaca on the southern coast of Cyprus. 24 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Donkey Sanctuary providing care to 1,270 furry friends Cork Rose and All Ireland Camogie Star Anna Geary pictured with the O’ Duffy Cup while cutting the tape at the Open Weekend in the Donkey Sanctuary, Liscarroll, with Head of Operations Noel Carton, and Fundraising Manager Breda Clancy By Sheila Fitzgerald While many of us ‘talk the talk’ and are enthusiastic supporters of Animal Welfare across the board, staff at the Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll, Co. Cork, are among the best in the entire country for ‘walking the walk’ and really step- ping up to the plate for the 1,270 donkeys currently in their care. During the recent open weekend at the Sanctuary, the public got the opportunity to see at first hand the all year round work involved in caring for this large population of these affectionate furry individuals who range in age from just three weeks old to the grand old age of 50. Master Farrier Eamonn Harrington making a horse shoe at the rear of his mobile smithy during the Open Weekend at the Donkey Sanctuary, Liscarroll The Harp - NOVEMBER 201425 the public, generally of neglect and cruelty of some kind, we then indentify the owner and try to impress on them the importance of looking after the animal”. With in excess of 450 complaints received last year, it is no wonder the team is kept constantly busy. abused and badly treated can be cy told us that staff were delighted assured of tender loving care here. with the turn out over the weekend, and look forward to greeting However, as the Sanctuary re- old friends and new visitors to the lies heavily on donations from Sanctuary going forward. the public, readers can step up to the plate by visiting the Centre, Opening hours at Liscarroll Donorganising a fundraising event, key Sanctuary are: Monday-Friadopting a Donkey for just €20 day, 9.00 am to 4.30 pm. SaturThe Donkey Sanctuary has proven annually, or indeed giving a good days, Sundays and Bank Holidays, to be a safe haven for it’s current home to a pair of Donkeys. 10.00 am to 5.00 pm population of 1,270, and any Donkey in the country who has been Fundraising Manger Breeda Clan- Tel: 00353 22 48398 Sheila Fitzgerald with Anna Geary during the Open Weekend at the Donkey Sanctuary Open Weekend in Liscarroll, Co. Cork Visitors from all over Munster enjoyed cuddling the donkeys while enjoying the Indian Summer sunshine. Cork Rose from the Rose of Tralee Festival and Camogie Star Anna Geary brought along the All Ireland Camogie Cup to the event. She then cut the tape to mark the Open Weekend and later posed for photographs and signed autographs for a host of fans. Master Farrier Eamonn Harrington demonstrated the art of making horse shoes while Farrier Eugene Butler was on hand to pare the donkey’s hooves and keep them in tip top condition. Equine Dental Technician Mick Dillion carried out inspections on the Donkeys and told the audience how diet and nutrition is key to keeping their teeth strong and healthy. Donkey Sanctuary Welfare Manager Bernard O Neill talked about the teams ongoing work throughout the country. “We have an Office here and we also have a team of Donke advisers working throughout the country and in Northern Ireland,” Bernard said, “We respond to complaints from Farrier Eugene Butler paring hooves during the Open Weekend at the Donkey Sanctuary, Liscarroll Michael O Connor, Maintenance Manager, Bernard O Neill, Welfare Manager, and Breda Clancy, Fundraising Manager, pictured with some of the senior donkeys during the Open Weekend at the Donkey Sanctuary, Liscarroll, Co. Cork 26 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 For more information on St Paul’s School for Girls, please see school website www.stpaulsgl.bham.sch.uk. New £6million pound classrooms Friendships are encouraged and every assistance is given in helping the girls to be of real service in family life, the local community, the Church and society generally, and to be gracious and open in receiving support in return. St Paul’s firmly believes in the importance of education outside the classroom and there are a large number of trips planned for 2014-15, including a ski trip, a visit to the Belgian Battlefields and planned visits to Lourdes and Knock Shrine in 2015. In fact last month there were over 70 girls who travelled to New York for a five-day visit. SPORTING PROWESS If you are a lover of sport and winning trophies then St Paul’s is the place to be! These are some of the trophies they carried back to SPG in 2013-14: Y7 Aston Schools Netball Champions. An overview of the only catholic girls school in Birmingham care and spiritual and moral guidance of the girls. Hence, St Paul’s is not merely regarded as a school by our pupils but as a family of faith and happiness in which to achieve academic and personal excellence. The front entrance of St Paul’s School For Girls CARING FOR OTHERS Having achieved the best GCSE results in 16 years with 89% 5 A*- C and 81% 5 A*- C including English and Maths on first entry, award winning St Paul’s School for Girls, Edgbaston are also proud to report 100% A/AS level pass rate with 91% achieving one or more A*/A Level and 21 girls achieving all A*/A. WELL BEING Girls make excellent progress at St Paul’s and enjoy their education. The school is immensely proud of its girls and celebrates their personal successes, as well as their academic attainment in the many fields in which they have excelled. St Paul’s is a unique school. It was founded in 1908 by the Sisters of Charity of St Paul the Apostle and 106 years later still retains the same sense of community and excellence built on faith and tradition. Our conscientious, determined and hardworking staff are still highly committed to the words of Mother Genevieve Dupuis: ‘Do your very best for the children.’ In their vocation as teachers they do their very best for the children, fostering high standards of teaching and learning, nurturing pastoral St Paul’s girls are encouraged to develop a sense of service to each other and the community, participating in a range of community and fund raising ventures. As well as supporting this year’s chosen charity - National Autistic Society, girls also support and help organise many fundraising activities, including the OAPs Christmas Party, Cafod World Day, and supporting Cancer Awareness by dressing down and wearing pink with all donations going to the designated charity. Every step of the way, girls are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and others. The Guardian Angel position in the school is of great importance. These are girls, who are a positive role model to all members of the school community, especially new Y7 girls, who have made a big transition from primary to secondary School. Girls from Year 10 have been selected to become ‘Guardian Angels’ and they wear an Angel pin badge on their jumper so they can be identified easily. Each Guardian Angel is linked to a tutor group in Year 7, 8 & 9 and supports the students by visiting their form rooms at break/lunch to advise them with friendship issues, academic issues and anything else that they might need help with. The diversity and richness of contribution from all members of the school community in promoting and upholding all-round high standards are highly valued. Great emphasis is placed on graceful growth in self-discipline and the right use of freedom. Each girl is expected to treat others with a spirit of respect, and care. Y8, 9 & 11 Birmingham Schools Basketball Champions Y7, 8, 9 & 10 Aston Schools Athletics Champions Y7 Birmingham schools Athletics Champions Birmingham Catholic Partnership Sports and Basketball Champions. As the only all girls’ Catholic school in Birmingham, St Paul’s offer a distinctive educational experience for Catholic girls. Pupils travel from every part of the city and many also travel from Worcestershire, Solihull, Dudley and Sandwell, such is the demand for what the school has to offer. St Paul’s is going from strength to strength, with the help of dedicated staff and under the headship of Dr. Dawn Casserly, a past pupil herself who has lived and breathed all that is St Paul’s and embodies the very essence of respect, spiritual and moral guidance towards all the girls in her care. It is assured then that St Paul’s will continue the tradition that started over 106 years ago. It is in very safe hands. Sports day, in our own sports field The Harp - NOVEMBER 201427 To heel or not to heel? No longer a question for smaller feet Walking tall: despite wearing a size 2 shoe, Angela Brennan can now find heels that fit and wear them elegantly at any occasion Image by Loretta Askill- www.noblephotos.co.uk been a bug-bear passed down the generations from his shoe-making grandAn elderly couple sitting on the bench father. giggled as I teetered past them. It had Martin, who used to teach people to been the third wedding I’d attended in a matter of months, but I’d far from walk with artificial limbs, said: “In the mastered walking in my oversized, first instance it’s important to wear shoes which fit properly and offer suppadded heels. port. Ideally, you want to hold the foot At a size two, I struggled to find a pair in the shoe, such as with a strap.” of shoes to fit me or the occasion. I walked the high streets (in my train- I thought the need to wear shoes ers) and in one shop alone I tried on which fitted would put an end to our ten pairs. But nothing. I tried order- challenge, based on previous experiing off the Internet then had to return ence. the beautiful, but loose-fitting heels But Martin put me in touch with Tom which were delivered. Reader, who has set up Pretty Small In the end, I settled for a pair of plain Shoes to offer fashionable footwear black sling backs, with both toe and starting from size 13. heel stoppers. Their simple style suitTom’s partner, Jiyeon Yeom, 41, has ed each outfit I wore. only a size 2 shoe and knows firstWhereas I may have looked the part, hand the difficulties of buying stylish I certainly didn’t walk it. My gait was small shoes. She has been the inspiration behind the business. not that dissimilar to John Wayne. By Angela Brennan And on my own wedding day I was Tom said: “The shoes sizes in the gennot so much walked up the aisle, as eral population have been getting larger over the last 30 to 40 years. supported along the way. Despite hovering around the 5ft mark, I had resigned myself to a life in flat shoes, with heels only making a very brief outing only at weddings – before changing into comfy shoes as soon as possible. “The percentage of women with small size feet, which are below size three, is therefore now very low and at around just two to three per cent of adults. “Mainstream manufacturers do not find it economically viable to make But then I met clinical orthotist Mar- shoes in those sizes and those who do still use styles which have hardly tin Bell who said help was at hand. changed since the 1990s. He has worked with Olympians and Paralympians to help overcome recur- “We worked to build a range of styles ring injuries and improve their perfor- that were contemporary and found mance. And he also trains women in instant success due to demand and the almost athletic art of walking in the desire to wear fashionable, wellfitting shoes.” heels. Based on Martin’s recommendations, I chose a range of styles, including those with straps, platforms and general support. One pair, called ‘super high,’ even had a whopping five and a It turned out that watching women half inch heel. I’d previously struggled hobble because of their footwear had with just over one inch. He has introduced a ‘Perfectly Poised’ class to improve posture and help prevent permanent damage caused by wearing heels. Martin, of Clifton, Bristol, filmed me This time I was spurred on by vanwalking in the heels and used the ity and the desire to wear such pretty shoes, which to my mind not only footage to analyse my gait. gave me the appearance of being tallOnly at the end of our sessions did er, but also slimmer. Martin show me it. I’d been deluded One of Martin’s ‘workouts’ included when I compared myself to John the ‘dog poo shuffle,’ which involved Wayne – he had style. rubbing my foot on the floor with force as if cleaning mess off it. I had clumped across the room with a wide-legged walk, nearly falling over a My bemused husband also looked on as I walked past him on my tiptoes – couple of times. backwards. But Martin worked with me to im- I slowly developed the ‘tightrope walk’ prove my posture, balance and grace. and moved more elegantly as a result. Each session was surprisingly hard work, leaving me red-faced and wore Following my final session, Martin played the before and after video out. and I was amazed by the difference. I Martin also gave me exercises to do at walked much more gracefully and alhome to strengthen my leg and bot- most looked comfortable in heels. tom muscles. I tried out my ‘catwalk’ for friends and family, who were shocked by the difHe said: “The art of walking in heels ference. My mum kept saying I looked relies on effective use of the buttock slender; I didn’t ask how I looked muscles. It’s similar to the way ath- without the heels. letes will improve muscle control to Martin said: “At the end of the sesenhance their performance.” sions women are thrilled by the drachange to the way they walk. I’d been given exercises by a physio- matic They feel much more confident and therapist in the past to treat runner’s balanced.” knee. Back then I preferred to cut short my running days rather than www.footworksorthotics.co.uk www.pretty-small-shoes.com/ carry them out. 28 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 askrosie Hello, my name is Rosie; I am an advice and information worker at the Irish in Birmingham Centre at St Anne’s in Birmingham. My background includes Citizens Advice Bureau, NHS Direct and housing support work and debt advice. My current employers, IWIC provide support and advice on a wide range of issues including welfare benefits, Irish pensions, homecare, housing, debt, alcohol and drug misuse, consumer problems, returning to Ireland etc. What I don’t know, I will research on your behalf and I will do my best to keep you informed and empowered. If you have any questions you would like to ask, please write to Rosie, c/o The Harp News, 17 Glenavon Road, Birmingham, B14 5DD or email: [email protected] - I am looking forward to hearing from you. dear rosie Is it true that that people getting benefits will now get a home visit to check their claim is correct? Pauline, Tysley rosie Do you have any questions or issues that require answers or advice? It is said that a problem shared is a problem halved and I aim to help with some valuable advice and information. Your confidentiality is respected and all material will be presented in a way that does not compromise your privacy. Dear Pauline, • Jobseeker’s Allowance Measurement review officer by: time isn’t convenient for you You may get a home visit from a Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officer to check that your benefit payments are correct if you get: • Pension Credit. asking to see their photo identity card, and you can insist on having the interview at a DWP office instead of in your home. • Employment and Support Allowance • Housing Benefit • Income support The DWP calls this visit a ‘Performance Measurement review’. Your name is selected at random to be visited, but only a tiny proportion of claimants are visited. You don’t usually get a letter or phone call in advance to warn you about the visit. The DWP says that, if you get one of these visits, you can check the identity of the Performance calling the DWP Business Support Team on 0191 216 8050 and giving the officer’s name. However, it may also help you to know that: you don’t have to let them in you can ask for the visit to be rearranged with prior notice if the Robert, West Heath Dear Robert, From 1 October, you won’t have to display your paper tax disc on your vehicle. You can remove your disc even if you’ve got some time still left on it to run. You’ll still need to ensure your vehicle is taxed, but you don’t have to display the disc and you won’t get a new one when you renew your road tax. From 1 October, road tax won’t trans- New technology, such as number plates recognition, now allows the authorities to check whether a vehicle is taxed without the disc having to be displayed. 1 October and you notify DVLA, the Ray, Erdington. Dear Ray, From 1 October, changes to the intestacy rules will mean spouses (married and civil partners will re- ceive more if their partner dies without a will. The rules changes won’t affect people who die with less than £250,000 in assets. The main changes are: If a spouse or civil partner dies intestate and there are no surviving children, the remaining partner will inherit the whole estate If a spouse or civil partner dies intestate and there are surviving children, the remaining partner will inherit £250,000, all the personal property Book your companies advertising with us To enquire phone Barbara at The Harp on: 07794 059888 Mary, Yardley a vehicle, you’ll need to ensure you get it taxed before you use it. Equally, when you sell a vehicle after tax won’t be transferrable. You’ll automatically get a refund for any time you’ve got left to run. and half of the rest of the estate. The children then get the remaining half share on trust until they reach the age of 18. If your estate (home, savings, investments) is worth less than £2500,000, and you die without making a will, your spouse (married or civil partner) will inherit everything. Any children will have no right to anything from the estate. Unmarried partners have no legal right to to inherit if there is no will. rosie dear rosie My cousin has asked me to join an investment scheme. If I give her £1000, and then recruit five people to do the same, I get £5000 back from my investment. I have been told that this is Pyramid selling, and is illegal. fer to the new owners. When you buy rosie dear rosie My wife refuses to make a will. How this affect me if she passes away before me. You can read more about what to expect at a home visit on the GOV.UK website at www.gov.uk. rosie dear rosie What is happening to the way we display our tax discs on our cars? Doing so won’t affect your benefits, although refusing to take part in an interview at all may leave you open to a fraud investigation. Dear Mary, This is most definitely Pyramid selling, and should be avoided at all costs. Pyramid selling is when you’re invited to join a scheme, for a fee and promised financial rewards purely for introducing new members. You are not asked to sell a product or a service. New members also pay money to the organisers when they join. . The theory is that as more and more people join, existing members move up towards the top of the pyramid, and you’re promised a payout when you reach the top. The scheme is often aimed at women as an op- portunity to work from home. In keeping with this, the person at the payout position is sometimes called the ‘bride’, and those below ‘bridesmaids’. The collapse of the Pyramid is inevitable. When this happens, the people at the bottom always lose money, and the people at the top disappear to the Costa Brava. Organising or promoting such a scheme is illegal and you could go to prison for it. Do not join this scheme. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201429 spotlight on... by Sheila Fitzgerald Lisa Stanely Gifted singer and co-presenter of the Phil Mack International Country Show For lovers of Country Music, one of the most recognisable faces on TV at the moment has to be that of the lovely Lisa Stanley who co-presents the hugely popular Phil Mack Show International Country Show on Sky Channel 192 and Free Sat Channel 403. In addition, Lisa is kept constantly busy performing with her own band and also touring with Nathan Carter in Ireland and the UK. Lisa’s success is undoubtedly due to a number of factors - her professionalism, and her friendly unaffected personality which comes across so well onscreen. Although Lisa now lives in Wolverhampton, she was born in Sligo Town and many readers will be familiar with the names of her famous parents - Maisie McDaniel and Fintan Stanley. Maisie was one of the first female superstars of the Irish entertainment industry who at the pinnacle of her career hosted a regular show on Irish TV and had a string of hit records. Lisa has certainly inherited her parents musical talent and her gifted vocal delivery on her many Albums and Singles are a testament to this. whittled down, Lisa was thrilled to find herself one of the final eight who got to perform live on RTE with her own song, Shine. “On the back of that exposure, I did several festivals in Europe, it was more pop orientated at the time, but ultimately I decided to go down the country music route, after all I knew that best from my Mom”. A few years later, promoter Willie Carthy approached Lisa about putting a Band on the road, and she subsequently became lead vocalist with the Fender Band - many readers will recall the name of Maisie’s Band was the Fendermen. A devastating blow occurred in Lisa’s life in 2008 when her beloved Mum passed away unexpectedly. The following year, she decided to record a tribute Album of Maisie’s Songs, and was joined in the recording studio by several legends of the Irish Music industry such as Philomena Begley, Sandy Kelly, and her Dad Fintan Stanley. The album was very well received and Lisa was contacted by Phil Mack who is based in London. Phil was interested in adding ‘I got into music quite late really,’ Lisa re- Lisa’s album to his substantial collection of marked, ‘although I always knew I wanted Irish artists featured on his website. to get involved, I was 19 before I started with a local Band in Sligo called the Tree- Following a meeting with Phil and his wife tops, their singer left and so I joined up to during a visit to their Irish base in Ballina, Phil invited Lisa to co-host a new TV Show take her place.’ that he was planning to air. The Band gigged mainly around the North West catering for the busy wedding and “I said I’d definitely like to have a go,” Lisa said, “And it’s been four and a half years corporate markets. now and still going strong. After a while, Lisa spent six great years with the Tree- we branched out into doing the live Shows tops, all the while building her knowledge during the Weekends, and next year we’re and honing her unique singing style. heading to Nashville and a Cruise is also on the cards”. Meanwhile, the creative well had sprung, and she began writing her own songs, one To say that this busy lady has several of which she submitted to the National strings to her bow is an understatement Song Contest in 2000. As the entries were along with co-presenting one of the most On the back of that exposure, I did several festivals in Europe, it was more pop orientated at the time Sligo’s Lisa Stanely, gifted singer and co-presenter of the Phil Mack International Country Show popular shows on TV, she also performs with her own Band as well as joining Irelands musical prodigy Nathan Carter on the Concert Stage during the past few years on the UK and Irish Circuit. “It was a great experience and I made a load of new friends and acquired some new fans,” she said. As Lisa is based in Wolverhampton and her talented band of musicians hail from Birmingham, the Lisa Stanley Band is ideally placed to play gigs the length and breadth of the UK. Readers and venue owners who would like to host this truly unique singer with the winning personality can call 01902 270227 or 075 90557063. Information on Lisa’s music and career can be found at www.lisa-stanley.com and the Website for the Phil Mack International Country Show is: www.philmackcountry.com. I was 19 before I started with a local Band in Sligo called the Treetops 30 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Shane Lynch- The Drifter like the Autosport Show where fans can have a look at the skill of drift racing which has its early origins in Japan. Drivers show their skills by hanging the cars out in the corners, intentionally oversteering and then countering that but turning the other way using opposite lock or counter steering. By Julian Hamilton Here’s the scenario. You’ve been part of one of the most successful Irish pop bands of all time. You’ve sold 25 million records worldwide won Brit Awards and performed live in front of countless more on a world stage. Add to that a smattering of appearances on some of the best-loved reality TV shows on UK TV and to top it off, Louis Walsh on speed dial. You’d forgive Shane Lynch, a north Dublin native for wanting to put his feet up and take it a little easy after some busy years in the spotlight. Far from it. I had done my research and heard on the grapevine that Lynch was drifting. A bit of a sideways career move I thought to myself, but pretty apt paying homage to the American R&B group from the 50’s and 60’s. Talking to Shane earlier this year at the Autosport Awards Show at the NEC in Birmingham and everything became clearer. He spoke of his involvement with the British Jap Speed Team, how fun drift racing really is and how his career actually began on two wheels. Julian Hamilton with Shane Lynch at the Autosport Awards Show 7’s. I was in the briefing with Allan McNish, John Cleland and Alister McRae, all guys at the top of their game and I’m thinking what the hell am I doing here! “I started at the back of the grid, the mechanics said leave it in second and go for it. I was doing a bit of street drifting at the time so I knew how to go sideways. I ended up third in the race and as I got out of the car I signed for Ford Motorsport!” “As a kid I was always interested in competing. BMX was the first thing I really got into and I actually won the Portuguese BMX championship when I was fourteen. It was a bit difficult because Ireland never showed BMX on TV, I was just Shane then began a successful happy to be doing my own thing. motorsport career in which he raced Porsche GT’s in both the “My dad was a mechanic and he al- UK and Germany. He also turned ways raced stock cars when I was a out for Eclipse Motorsport where kid so there was always a race car he raced TVR’s Mosler’s and Maron my drive that I wanted to play cos cars and came within a hairs in. breath of winning the 2003 British GT Championship in the last race “In 1998 towards the end of my at Brands Hatch. music career (after the success of Boyzone), I did a celebrity race “We were actually ready to take and we were driving Caterham home the championship,” Shane recalls. “There was a big accident, with I think, Marcus Mantus down by the Dingle corner at Brands Hatch. I stopped racing for a while after that it shook me. I took a break and then someone said to me have you heard of this drifting thing. I went down to Silverstone to sit in with a dude called Mark Johnson (who was also won a programme called So You Want to Be an F1 Driver.) “He was the first drifter that I ever sat alongside and it was raining, this kid’s car control really blew my mind. I said to myself now this is what I want to do.” The BDC British Drift Championship takes place across six rounds at circuits such as Knockhill, Silverstone and Anglesey in Wales. With the season now at its conclusion it is at demonstration events “I’m really honoured to have been asked back for our fifth appearance here with the Japspeed team. I think events like this are really important as they bring together many different genres under one roof. You also bump into some of your rivals that you’ve raced against over the years more often than you would like.” lion dollar question: Who is the fastest Boyzone driver? “Oh ha, well Keith’s been out in my car he was good but Ronan and Mike also love their cars. You see we don’t have football teams so we are all passionate about cars.” Whilst not having any cast iron motorsport idols, Shane is keen to express admiration for two big names that he admires. “Travis Pastrana (supercross and motocross champion) was the first guy to push extreme motorsport. He was the first dude I looked at and thought this guy is pushing it to a whole new level. I’m not a massive F1 fan but I do follow Lewis Hamilton, he’s got a good character and I like what he’s done. He’s more than capable of winning the championship this season, but as we know there are more than 2000 bolts on a racing car ready to go wrong.” Shane comments on the parallels between the two fast paced worlds of music and motorsport. “They are different worlds. “I mean when it comes to adrenaline excitement and dreams they are both certainly on a par. When you come off stage In amongst the screeching tyres after playing in front of 80,000 and smoke a fan recognises Shane in the pit area where we are standpeople that high from that ing and asks him if he would like is quite a big thing to reto buy one of the cars that he place. “Luckily I found a is competing in. “Hey, driftthing that makes me tick ers haven’t got any monin motorsport.” ey!” Shane replies, “We Then the spend too much of it milon tyres!” At least he’s got the day job to fall back on. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201431 celticcuisine Full of news, sport, entertainment and your community pictures every month Chicken and Vegetable Filo Pie This delicious no-nonsense dish can be made for any season. 45 minutes to prepare and cook. Method: Serves 4 1. Preheat oven to Gas 5, 190°C, 375°F. www.cannedfood.co.uk 2. Mix the chicken and vegetables together and place into a shallow 1.2 litre (2 pint) dish. Ingredients 3. Cut the filo pastry into squares approximately 15cm square (6”) and scrunch up into rosette shapes, use to top the chicken mixture. • 2 x 418g cans chicken in white sauce • 340g can sweetcorn and peppers, drained 4. Brush with oil or butter and bake for 25 minutes until golden and the filling is heated through. • 270g packet frozen filo pastry, defrosted 5. Serve either hot or cold with canned new potatoes and a selection of salad leaves. • 198g can red kidney beans, drained Nutritional information Calories: 603 | Protein: 45.9g | Carbohydrate: 68.8g | Fat: 18.3g | Saturated fat: 6.2g | Fibre: 5.4g 32 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 bookreviews by Pam Norfolk Title: Les Dawsonʼs Joke Book By: Compiled by Tracy and Charlotte Dawson Price: £7.99 Publisher: Michael O’Mara Books kling humour in a joke book lovingly compiled by his widow Tracy and the couple’s 20-year-old daughter Charlotte. From his working class roots in the Collyhurst area of Manchester to an entertainer beloved by millions, Les was a man for all comedy seasons and this is the first book to collect together the best of his standups and comic routines. The jokes reproduced here represent the highlights of his 26-year career across radio and television, from his early days on Opportunity Knocks to his ‘Cissie and Ada’ drag double act with Preston-born comic actor Roy Barraclough. Every classic joke gets a re-telling from the irreverent ‘take my mother-in-law’ gags to cheeky limericks, sketches and his famous ‘I said to the wife’ and ‘I wouldn’t say’ oneliners. There are old favourites that can still make us roar with laughter. ‘The mother-in-law took the father-in-law to a psychiatrist. She said, ‘There’s something wrong with him, he never hears a word I say.’ The psychiatrist said, ‘That’s not an affliction – it’s a bl**dy gift.’ And self-effacing gems like ‘When I was a child I had wax in my ears. Dad didn’t take me to the doctor, he used me as a night light.’ He was a comic genius ... Les Dawson, the knave who stole our hearts and became the king of jokers in a prize pack of Lancashire comedians. It might over 21 years since he died but funny man Les lives on in our memories and now we can laugh again at his spar- Writing, reveals Tracy in her introduction, was one of the great joys of Les’s life. ‘He would spend hours in his study composing new gags, honing old ones and putting together new material for all his shows,’ she says. In fact, Les, who lived with Tracy in St Annes in the years before his death aged Travelling from Camp Bastion to West Wittering via a sunlit Greek island, Matthew’s compendium embraces comedy, tragedy, personalities and egos great and small. 62 in 1993, once made her promise to make sure that people knew he was a writer as well as a comedian. A lover of language, he was a secret poet and was fond of high culture, often undercutting his own admiration of the art forms for comic effect. Meet Hieronymus, the television-addicted pug with ambitions to be a sheepdog, enjoy exuberant, rear-fixated puppies and Hollywood fashion accessory pets, mingle with world-weary but dignified strays, neglected latch-key dogs, war heroes and fall for a psychotic Great Dane called Cher Bébé and a spaniel of distinguished theatrical lineage suffering from Uggie-envy. And the evidence is here for all to see ...exclusive hand-written extracts from his personal journals which provide a touching insight into the hard work, dedication and passion that went into his performances. Full of warmth, fun and laughter, just like the man himself, this book is a musthave for any fan of Les Dawson and the perfect gift for joke lovers young and old. Title: Dog Treats By: Christopher Matthew Price: £12.99 Publisher: Little, Brown Christopher Matthew, the comic genius behind the Now We Are Sixty and The Man Who Dropped the Le Creuset on His Toe, knows all about the bond between a man and his dog. A lifelong dog devotee and one-time owner of an adorable Kerry Blue terrier which a friend believed was ‘really a human being wearing a dog outfit,’ he has been performing a labour of love to bring us this warm Ask any dog lover and they’ll tell you that and wonderful collection of pooch poems. their adored pet is poetry in motion… From Ozymandias, the Steve McQueen of So what better way to express your affec- Springer spaniels whose acrobatic sex life tion for man’s best friend than a book of rivals Errol Flynn’s to terrier Ted whose Falstaffian appetites and over-indulgence fun, funny, versatile verse that celebrates following the loyal toast lead to a shameful a very special relationship and the char- bender followed by a spell in rehab, dogs ismatic canine world in all its rich and come in many guises… and not all of them benign. life-affirming diversity? And then of course, there is man, with his cowardice, his commitment issues, his short attention span and his propensity for very silly names... because the really big question Matthew asks in this outlandish outing with dogs, dupes and divas is not so much who is the master in this time-honoured animal-human relationship, as who is the mutt. Tony Ross provides the brilliantly expressive and quirky illustrations for Matthew’s acutely -observed, wickedly funny verses which paint memorable word portraits of thirty-six assorted denizens of the canine community, and take a sardonic sideways glance at some of their owners. Dog Treats is a real doggie delight, a gloriously affectionate and entertaining tribute to a friendship that has had a special place in men’s hearts since the dawn of time. As Josh Billings, pen name of 19th-century American humourist Henry Wheeler Shaw, observed: ‘A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.’ atthemovies by Siobhan Lynch Title: Penguins of Madagascar Running time: TBA Director: Eric Darnell, Simon J. Smith Cast: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Benedict Cumberbatch Rating: PG Title: Foxcatcher Running time: 134 mins Director: Bennett Miller Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo Rating: TBC This CGI animation is a spin-off from the Madagascar movies and as the title suggests, follows four penguins: Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, and Private. They are called to the service of North Wind, an undercover task force that help animals that can’t help themselves and prevent Dr. Octavius Brine from taking over the world. Although an animation movie that will most certainly entertain younger viewers and fans of the Madagascar movies, this will be a treat for all audiences who looking for a feel-good light hearted watch, with some funny one-liners to suit the hardest of critics. The Foxcatcher is a psychological drama based on the true story of Olympic Gold Medal-winning wrestler Mark Schultz (Channing Tatum), who finds a way out of the shadows of his wrestling brother Dave (Mark Ruffalo). From a life of poverty Schultz is thrust into a whole new world when summoned by eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont to move onto his estate and train for the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Life for Mark spirals out of control under his new coach, who is a paranoid schizophrenic and with both of them desperate for glory, it all ends in tragedy. A compelling watch that hits hard, especially as viewers know the plot was once a reality and leaves audiences questioning, exactly how far will someone go to satisfy their needs? The Harp - NOVEMBER 201433 Naughton/Cleary Wedding # August 2014 Maria Cleary married Patrick Naughton in St Patrick’s Church in Ballyhaunis Co. Mayo on 7th August. The Bride’s parents, Tom and Anne, hail from Ballyhaunis, Mayo and Williamstown, Galway and Maria, a schoolteacher at St Brigids in Northfield, married Patrick in her father’s Parish Church. Maria with her wi th bridesmaids Rachel O’Connor and Jean McCa rthy The Groom who is the owner of Cleary’ Bar in Digbeth, hails from the Gaeltacht Connemara, Co. Galway and the ceremony was partly said in Gaeltacht to be in keeping with his first language. The happy couple were married by Cannon Sean Grady, PP of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Birmingham with fellow celebrants who were the Groom’s childhood teacher Fr Joe Feeney, and Fr Keane from Connemara Co. Galway. Canon Sean Grady also presented a Papal blessing to the Bride’s parents Tom and Anne Cleary, who were celebrating forty years of marriage and Tom’s 65th birthday. Patrick and Maria were supported by Bestman Paul Naughton, Groomsman Peter Naughton and Bridesmaids Rachel O’Connor and Jean McCarthy on their special day. e Bride, Father of th ing iv Mother and ce re y ar nne Cle Tom and A to celebrate g in ss le b their papal f marriage 40 years o The be a her pare utiful Bride M aria Cle nts Tom ary with brothers and An ne and Stephe her n and T homas er friends ria and h Bride Ma The Bri d nephew es niece and E Cleary f mma and Jam ro es with co m Birmingha m usins fr om Kild Lauren are and So rcha Gre , nnan k and friends The Groom: Patric sisters aureen, other M m an and is m h t s h e wit nd his b a Patrick n o s li and A Suzanna ul Naughton a P r e th bro 34 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 entertainment By Ian Reid Well the nights are drawing in, the central heating is well and truly on and the last remnants of a suntan have faded to nothing. Autumn is here with vengeance. But the crisp night air and the russet, red, gold and amber trees never fail to make me feel uplifted. So why not take yourself to a warm, cosy pub and let yourself be entertained by some of the amazing talent there is to be found in and around the Midlands? I’ve got to say I am really looking forward to Birmingham Tradfest (27th 30th November) this year. The venues include: Irish Centre Birmingham, Molloy’s Ceol Castle, The OoBleck (Custard Factory), Old Crown & The Bulls Head. There is a plethora of outstanding musicians performing including: Frankie Gavin & DeDannan and the Brian Finnegan Trio to name but a few but I am relishing the thought of seeing The Long Acre reunion set featuring Kevin Crawford, Mick Conneely, Joe Molloy (the previous owner of my tenor banjo), Brendan Boyle, Bernadette Davis and Ivan Miletitch. Plus there is also the added bonus of being thoroughly regaled by our very own local lads Lampa. I was recently browsing Facebook when I came across a black-and-white photograph of Birmingham’s favourite – Drowsy Maggie. The photo was taken in 1974 in Cannon Hill Park (I think for a poster or an album cover) Teds talk and the hair-length and dress sense were – well – befitting of the era! On closer inspection I noticed that one of the band members was only partially in the picture – the rest of him had been ‘cropped’ out. It didn’t take me long to realise that it was Clive Powers – the bass player. ‘Typical,’ I thought. As a bass player myself I know it’s very easy for us to be ignored as we rarely take the lime- If you want to find out more about the band to make a booking, or if you’re just a bit nosey then you can contact us in a few ways: You can keep up to date with our entire goings-on if you check out our website: www.thefatherteds.co.uk or make friends with us on facebook. You can get in touch with us by phoning/texting 07931504405 or e-mailing [email protected] and you can even follow us on twitter (@thefatherteds) light but, just like a house with no foundations, you would miss us if we weren’t there! I was having a chat with Clive a few weeks ago at a charity event at The Bell pub in Harborne. The day had been organised by Pete Bispham (also of Drowsy Maggie) and a lot of money was raised for Macmillan Cancer Support. We found out we had more in common than ‘just’ playing the bass and taking a backseat – we also happened to mix the sound and ferry the PA system to and from gigs. I wonder if that’s the case for any other bass players; I would love to find out. Hopefully we’ll get to see you at some of our forthcoming gigs. We are playing a new venue on Friday October 31st – St Patrick’s club in Leamington Spa. I’m sure it will be a great night and we are looking forward to making some new friends. You can also see us at The Irish Centre in Birmingham in the Connaught Bar on Saturday 1st November, Saturday 13th December and also on New Year’s Eve – which is always a great night. Come along and have the craic why don’t you? See you soon Ian Gerry Carney Releases ‘I Can See The Future In Your Eyes’ CoWritten with Margo & Joe McShane whole generation of Irish diaspora, and the experiences and hardships they faced. The song proved successful in Irish communities throughout the world. Mayo based troubadour Gerry Carney has just released his long awaited single ‘I Can See The Future In Your Eyes’, co-written with Irish legend Margo O Donnell and Chicago based singer-songwriter Joe McShane. Gerry, who comes from Co. Mayo, Ireland, wrote ‘I Can See The Future In Your Eyes’ in tribute to his late brother Paul Carney, who passed away in August 2014. Gerry recalls coming up with the concept for the song during the final days of his brother’s life but at the time was not in a position to write the song, so sent the idea to Joe McShane and Margo, who he had previously met and written with whilst on tour in Chicago. After several email exchanges, the song was finally born and Gerry recorded the song recently at the Croft Studios, Athenry, Co.Galway. Gerry, who is now established as one of Irelands finest singer-songwriters, after releasing his debut album ‘The Flame’ in 1995. He would go onto perform on RTE, joined by Irish Eurovision representative Niamh Kavanagh, and share the stage with artists as diverse as Alison Krauss, Van Morrison and Brian Kennedy. He subsequently found success as a songwriter, dealing with the theme of emigration, after writing ‘Cottage By The Sea’ which was covered by a plethora of artists. Gerry’s biggest success to date would come over a decade later, again dealing with the theme of emigration, when he recorded ‘Paddy’. The song was a tribute to Gerry’s late uncle PJ Kelly, but in a wider sense it became a voice for a Gerry hopes that the new song, ‘I Can See The Future In Your Eyes’ will be embraced by his already faithful fans, but also introduce his music to new audiences who can relate to the universal themes of life, love and loss. He intends to take the song, and his brother’s memory, around the world during his tour dates in the year to come, where he will take in cities including New York, Chicago, Florida, New Jersey, Leeds, London, Birmingham, as well as many dates around Ireland. Gerry said: “This song is an attempt to describe the unspoken message in the eyes of a loved one soon to depart to his eternal life.” ‘I Can See The Future In Your Eyes’ is released exclusively through Long Road Music, and will be available to purchase through www.gerrycarneymusic.com. The Harp - NOVEMBER 201435 musicreviews by Charles Patrick For further information on these artists call 07896 575307 Artist: Lisa McHugh Title: A Life That’s Good Artist website: www.lisa-muhugh.com Artist: Finnian McGurk Title Collective Works Artist website: www.finnianmcgurk. co.uk Finnian was born in Hong Kong to an Irish father and a Scottish mother. He has been in the music business for almost twenty-five years and has one the most distinctive voices on the folk/rock or Celtic rock scene. To add to his unique character he lives on a boat. This pack contains three of his previous cds. I first heard him playing with his band at the time in 1997 and was instantly drawn to his voice. In fact, I credit him for kindling my interest smooth singer? But no, we were in Celtic rock music. for a rude awakening- it was a Celtic Apart from being a very talented rock band going by the name of Pigsinger, his is a multi-instrumentalist swill led by the charismatic Mr Mcand plays guitar, fiddle, banjo, man- Gurk. dolin and whistle. However it is his gift of being able to interact with an He soon had the crowd on the dance audience, using his wonderful sense floor and those who were still seated of humour that makes him such a were clapping hands and tapping feet. What I didn’t realise until regreat entertainer. cently was that on that afternoon The occasion was the grand opening before the ceremony took place, of the Isle of Arran Distillery Visitors Finnian and the band had performed Centre on Lochranza. Her Majesty a more informal set for the dignitarThe Queen performed the ceremony ies including the Queen, who I am after sailing up the Clyde in the royal assured enjoyed herself. If that is not yacht Britannia, as you can imagine a claim to fame then what is? there were many dignitaries there; gentlemen in their tails and some The most recent CD in the pack even in kilts and ladies in their cock- Contemporary Antiques, is described by him as ‘a Napoleonic tail dresses and ball gowns. set of tunes’ given a contemporary After the opening ceremony, fol- treatment. There are songs such as lowed by a wonderful four- course Santiano, which is given a wondermeal, we all went to a marquee in the ful calypso type feel. He does a great grounds for the evening’s entertain- version of Raggle-Taggle Gypsy and a ment. On this very grand occasion haunting version of Spanish Ladies. my thoughts turned to wondering Maddie Groves and Bonnie Ship The what the entertainment would be… Diamond are also stand out tracks a jazz band? A swing band? Some for me. There are eleven tracks in total but some of them, I found, dragged on. It is definitely an acquired taste and probably some second or third listens are needed to get into the mood. Collective Works volume 1&2 contain some of his most popular tunes. Volume 1: This CD contains some excellent tracks such as, Every Mirror, Steve Earle’s Copperhead Road and a great version of Gallipoli. There is also: Dark Of The Sun, an earlier version of Raggle Taggle Gypsy and True Love Knows No Season among its ten tracks. Volume 2 also has ten tracks including my favourite, Montreal, and a super version of Ride On. Other good tracks include the Hills Of Donegal, Van Diemen’s Land, Time Fly’s and Carol. The CDs can be bought as a pack or individually. For more information or to purchase: visit www. finnianmcgurk.co.uk, where you can also view videos and listen to some of the tracks. This is the third album form the Glasgow girl who has become the darling of the Irish and country dance scene. She has also moved to Enniskillen in Northern Ireland to be closer to the heart of the her chosen music scene. The CD has fifteen great country tracks plus a bonus track- most of them are very catchy up-tempo sings and will go down well with the county and dance fraternity. She has a wonderful voice which is well suited to the songs on offer and she has some very talented backing musicians, thus making this a very enjoyable listening experience. Number3. Is Ireland- which is one of my favourites; a very catchy up-tempo number Track 4 is an excellent version of Home to Donegal and track five is the Shania Twane song - Any Man Of Mine. Track 6 is Feels Like Love and 7: My House are both catchy mid-tempo songs. Track 8 Left To Love is a nice ballad. 9 is Hey I’m A Woman and track 10- Stay Say Stay are both lively numbers. Track 11 is a Taylor Swift song- A life That’s Good, and 12: What You Get Is What you See- is a great dance number. 13: Night Train To Memphis has a honky-tonk feel to it. Track 14- All Of Me is Apart from singing, she has also writ- a romantic ballad and 15 Hillbilly girl is ten two of the tracks- Left To Love and another favourite of mine. The bonus Hey I’m A Woman, which she co-wrote track is the Willy Nelson song On The Road Again. with Limerick man, Don Meskall. I am sure this CD will do well for Lisa Track 1; is a Dolly Parton Song- Apple and help establish her place as one of Jack. Track 2: She’s In Love With The the most popular ladies on the Irish country scene. Boy. very popular duo that receive a The DVD is ideal for country muwarm reception from audiences sic lovers, with good songs well Artist: Ally Harran and Marian Curry wherever they play. performed and some lovely scenTitle: DVD: Most Requested ery. My only slight misgiving, if Artist website: Irishmusic.co.uk As the title of this DVD suggests I had to nitpick is that much as it contains fourteen of their most I like Ally’s voice, I would have popular songs and is filmed in Ally grew up listening to the with his stage partner Marian and some lovely local locations. There liked to hear a few more songs greats of American Country mu- together, so far they have record- are four duets including Solid from Marian. sic such as, Merle Hagard, Hank ed two CDs. As A Rock, An Old Love Turned They are going to be appearing at Memory and We Must Have Been Williams and Buck Owens. From a few local venues in the near fuan early age he knew he wanted Her background was a bit dif- Out Of Our Minds. ture, if you get a chance go along to be a country singer like his he- ferent to Ally’s, she was part of a and enjoy some good entertainMarian sings two tracks on her roes. With his rich country voice family with a traditional music ment. ownthe lovely ballad, I Cry Evand an ability to yodel, he was a background and she graduated ery Time I Leave Ireland and Love to singing in local Rock‘n’Roll natural talent and soon he had 7th Nov. - College Arms , Hall Is All Over Me. also learned to play lead guitar. bands. Her solo career took off Green,B’ham He went on then be a member when she had some success with Ally sings seven numbers includof some reasonably successful the Dobie Gray song Drift Away. ing; The One I Am Holding Now, 15th Nov.Notts Club, showbands until he eventually This led to her performing more Love Sick Blues (where Ally shows Leicester(Cancer charity night ) decided on a career as a solo per- country material and then some his yodeling skills) I Bet You My former. He released a couple of Irish songs. She then met up with Heart, Walking In The Sun and 5th Dec. - St. Thomas Club, Erdsolo albums before meeting up Ally and together they formed a Winter Winds. ington, B’ham reader’s letters outstanding, its a long time since I enjoyed lunch as much, we both opted for a dish of Beef Stew and Potato Pancake, I must say this was something I have never tried before, it was the tastiest meal I can remember eating. Dear Editor. My family always read your newspaper on line each month and I thought I would let you know about a recent visit to Birmingham my husband and I made. My only regret is that Cleary’s pub is not in Dublin, we would be regular visitors, again thank you Birmingham for a great visit, we will not leave it so long again before we are back, and of course for more of your great food Cleary’s. It’s many years since we visited and how things have changed, the places but not the people! People around the city are just as warm and welcoming as we remembered from our last visit. We decided to take a nostalgic walk round Digbeth, this being an area we remembered from our days of coming to the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations years ago. B. Kelly. Dublin. Via email. Feeling a bit peckish, we stopped someone and asked where we could get something to eat, we was pointed in the direction of an Irish pub called Cleary’s, how glad am I that we was. The welcome and the food was Dear Editor, I would be grateful if you could please let your readers know about two exciting craft sessions coming up in November/December at Kenrick Park Community Centre, Glover Street, Crossword 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15 14 16 17 18 20 21 19 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 32 30 33 34 36 39 Provided by Jim Stokes 35 37 38 40 31 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 Just for fun! West Bromwich B70 6D, our new home. You can have a go at making your own Christmas cards with greetings in Irish or, if you feel even more creative, why not make a unique bracelet or pendant using beads and wire? The fun sessions will be led by experienced, friendly people and will include refreshments and plenty of craic. You are guaranteed to leave with either a lovely card or a beautiful piece of jewellery hand made by YOU in a couple of hours, something that you can be really proud of! And, if you don’t wish to be creative, why not join us anyway for refreshments and some fun and laughter among friends? Please ring me on 0121 553 4402 or email sandwellirishsociety@ yahoo.co.uk for more details – I look forward to hearing from you. Siobhan Gorman, Manager - Sandwell Irish Society ACROSS 1. Heard dog turned up in historic Louth town on the Boyne where Cromwell massacred over 2000 in 1649. (8) 5. Led back to the French wine in Westmeath village with a ruined castle of the Nugents. (6) 9. Ever retreating but O.K. inside to cancel permission to return through Beleek overnight. (6) 10. Seen to increase in size in Lough Derg rowing boat. (4) 11. Neil comes back with a legal right to the property. (4) 12. “Always be first into a wood, but last into a ---.” Irish Proverb 13. Piping god joins the Spanish list of names to make a selection from. (5) 14. Loire meanders, as seen from the upper story window in Liscannor, I elicit. (5) 15. E.g. old Brown returns to give a sly push with the elbow. (5) 17. Still yearning after losing a ring. (3) 18. Nips back to go around the centre. (4) 20. Dress fabric has stain over. (5) 22. Ugly ould wan seen in Drumsha garden. (3) 23. Cuts down the crop to spare confusion. (5) 25. Record the scene on the way back through Drumliffin. (4) 26. Hand over the money to see puppy make a noise on the way back. (3) 29. Keels over in a smooth way. (5) 32. State in a state in a sense! (5) 33. “The ugly are often ----- and the handsome unfortunate.” Irish Proverb. (5) 34. Get a wee drop in Belfast otherwise. (3) 35. The number of acres in Kilrea real estate. (4) 36. Find the religious leader going through Leitrim amiably. (4) 37. Rang with apparent ease in order to raise the dander. (6) 39. The “Floozey in the Jacuzzi” in O’Connell Street is dedicated to the spirit of this Dublin flower! (6) 40. Long ache to come up to Kerry village on an inlet of Brandon Bay under Mount Brandon. (8) The Midlands Quiz with the Irish Spin! 1) Peaky Blinder Tommy Shelby is a Brummie, but where was the actor Cillian Murphy born? 2) Which two teams competed in the 2014 All Ireland Football Final? 3) In which Irish county is the Giant’s Causeway? 4) Waterford born Allen Hogan runs a Warwickshire business brewing what much-loved alcoholic drink? 5) Which Irish band have had hits with The Man Who Can’t Be Moved and Superheroes? 1. Cork 2. Donegal and Kerry 3. Antrim 4. Cider 5. The Script 36 Word Search This month’s word search celebrates the new series of Peaky Blinders on television. Can you find the 14 hidden words associated with the Birmingham based television series? Remember that the words can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal and run in any direction. As usual ...good luck with your search everyone. AUNT POLLY BILLY KIMBER BRUMMIES CAMDEN CHURCHILL FIRST WORLD WAR HORSE RACING GANGSTER GARRISON GUNS MCCRORY MURPHY SHELBY TURF WAR H B F G A G A R R I S O N L O T R T L C H U M I R S T W H L A Z N C G L X W R A R Y L U N F E K H G H C J C S A A M B T L M I R E U D P Z R B E W B A U N T S U O G B R V I K N G J P E R R Y B O E I M U E M O R P L F M S B P N B A N L C H D S W Y X S Y D E R L A Y W T C A H E N E K R Y N R A M C C R O R Y Y T Y H O R S E R A C I N G C V Quiz and Word search by Pete Millington Editor of the Spaghetti Gazetti website. For more trivia and local news on heritage and culture visit my website at: www.spaghettigazetti.com DOWN 1. No score, Bud; come back to the town of the hurdle ford. (6) 2. Give cause for feeling hurt, that’s just not on, finally. (6) 3. Possessive female in Drumlish error. (3) 4. H id seven lads in obscurity on spot in Lough Erne with fine ecclesiastical remains. (8,6) 6. Via external surroundings I grin up at small Cavan town on Lough Ramor, a fine coarse fishing lake. (8) 7. B lew sins away in quiet Monaghan village near Clones in a beautiful hilly setting. (8) 8. L ikes chill game (anag.) Island off the Kerry coast with a famous group of monastic beehive cells. (7,7) 10. Blood and guts included in Sligo rendering. (4) 12. “And its heroes were made, In the lost ---hood of Judas Christ was betrayed.” AE. (3) 13. Spanish labourer makes a quiet start for a very long time. (4) 16. Irish lass loses no clan from Clounanna. (3) 19. Give this friend an ace and he’ll make a royal house. (3) 20. L ast to come over the rise into Galway seaside suburb with a fine promenade. (8) 21. Old official makes Pat stiff. (8) 23. S o comes up in the little railway showing a healthy glow to the cheeks. (4) 24. Is this for whom the buck stops? (3) 27. Moat meanders in a small way. (4) 28. Still waiting to happen in Tipperary etc. (3) 30. Are art letters mistakes? (6) 31. ‘ E a duke? (anag.) Roscommon village where Turlough O’Carolan lived; he is buried nearby in Kilronan. (6) 38. “You never got a tame --- from a wild goose.” Irish Proverb. (3) The Harp Crossword NOVEMBER 2014 solution The Harp - NOVEMBER 201437 Kiely, Maimie (nee Francis) 15th Anniversary, died 25th October 1999 John ‘Sean’ Lynch Late of Fox Hollies Rd, Birmingham and formerly of Ballybunnion, Co Kerry. 4th Anniversary Your name is often mentioned, Our thoughts are with you still. You haven’t been forgotten, What’s more you never will. Although we will always miss you, We know you’re not alone. For you are watching over us, From a place you now call home. In loving memory of John ‘Sean’ Lynch of Great Barr, Birmingham and formerly of Glenagore, Athea, Co Limerick Died 8th November 2010 Your name is often mentioned, our thoughts are with you still, You haven’t been forgotten, what’s more you never will. Although we will always miss you, we know that you’re not alone, For you are watching over us, from a place you now call home. Loved always and never forgotten, Children Michael, Kathy, Marion & Lorraine. Also Caroline, John, Michael & Joseph with grandchildren Kate, Jacqueline, Anna, Michael, Josephine, Catherine, Liam, Connor & Lauren Always loved and remembered by your loving wife Mary, children, Jimmy, Margaret, John, Marie, Joan and Michael. Also Andrew, Geraldine, John, Tony and Sue with grandchildren, Anna, Claire, Michelle, Angela, James, Maria, Simon, Anthony and Conor. Nora Gethen Happy Birthday Maureen! To a wonderful mother and grandmother, It’s your birthday time again, So put up your feet and relax for a while, And let us pour you a flute of champagne! Wishing you a fabulous birthday this November, We hope you have a ball! Lots of love, Joanne, Siobhan, Michelle, James and Evie xxxxx A loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and niece, died suddenly after a short illness. Dedicated and supportive Chairperson of Sandwell Irish Society for a number of years, Nora will be sadly missed by her family, friends and many colleagues. R.I.P. 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Photograph + up to 50 words of text costs £10.00 Photograph + up to 100 words of text costs £15.00” Cheques payable to The Harp (Midlands) & forwarded (with completed form + photo) to 17 Glenavon Road, Kings Heath Birmingham B14 5DD family announcements If you would like to have your family announcement featured in the Harp, please fill in the form below and return it along with a photograph and payment to: The Harp, 17 Glenavon Road, Kings Heath B15 5DD, alternatively you can email your details to [email protected]. If you would like your photos returned please include a stamped, addressed envelope. 38 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 fancyfootwork with Leanne Nelson Ceim Oir Feis 2014 On 11th and 12th October Hilary Joyce Owens, and her team of teachers, dancers and parents welcomed competitors from all over England and Ireland for the annual Ceim Oir Feis, which returned to the Gumley House Secondary School; a perfect venue located in the Southern Region. With the Great Britain Championships and the All Ireland Championships in quick succession the Ceim Oir Feis served as the perfect event for the last minute stage practise before the major championships commenced. The two-day event held grade, preliminary and open championships saw an unprecedented number of dancers compete for the coveted prizes. An esteemed panel of Adjudicators from Ireland, England and Canada made up the team along with the most sought after musicians from Ireland and England. Alliyah O’Hare- Scanlon Under 11 Champion Aoife Hopson Donna Griffin Under 7 Champion Callum O’Neill- Carey Under 12 Champion Ella Owens, Ceim Oir Under 10 Champion Irish Champions from Breffini Lauren Morrissey Under 16 Champion Lily Taylor - McGahan Lees Champion Nadine Martin - Doherty Senior Champion Shannon Morrissey - Ceim Oir Under 17 Champion Not only were the solo competitions inundated with entries, the Ceili and Figure Championships were also extremely busy, with many local schools entering multiple teams which were adjudicated by a panel of three judges. Following the final presentations of the Senior Championships and the Ceili competition, Hilary Joyce Owens took to the stage to thank all of those who attended for their patience and their support, she said she was overwhelmed by the support not only from those who attended but also from her team which included Marie Duffy Pask, Karen and Kerry Nutley, along with her team of parents, friends and the dancers who all rallied to make the Ceim Oir Feis the best year yet. Ceim Oir Friends Under 7 Championship Line Up The Harp - NOVEMBER 201439 The unbeaten Brummie Antonio Counihan continues quest Birmingham’s Antonio Counihan continued his quest without a British license on Saturday 25th October with a third-round stoppage over Hungarian puncher Janos Vass. The unbeaten Brummie stretched his impressive record to 4-0 (3) in front of a large vocal Birmingham contingent who had travelled to the York Hall in Bethnal Green to watch their man perform. Originally down to box Simas Volosinas, it was going to provide a good marker for Counihan having travelled to these shores before to test several other of our prospects, even shocking unbeaten prospect Paul Holt last time out. However, Volosinas pulled out to challenge Luke Paddock for the International Silver Masters belt the day before leaving Counihan searching for another opponent. Dave Murphy, who promotes via a Maltese license managed to find Vass who of his six wins had knocked out five of his opponents – but he was put onto the back-foot early by Counihan who was quick to start letting his hands go in twofisted blitzes. For such a fast boxer, Counihan is very patient and would always wait and faint his way in before attacking. Vass’ legs appeared to be letting him down as he clumsily waked backwards and out of harms way – but danger was never far behind him as the Brummie was proactive in cutting the ring off. It soon became apparent that even though Vass had a punchers record, he was going to prove little threat to Counihan on this night as every time he was hit cleanly he seemed to buckle. The inevitable end came in the third when the referee intervened after 1 minute 50 seconds with Vass once again being continually wobbled. Counihan dedicated the victory to his Nan, and there was a classy moment from Robin Deakin who was sat ringside as he got a t-shirt from one of Counihan’s fans and passed it up to Antonio for him to wear in the ring. Deakin was Counihan’s debut opponent. It will be an interesting progression for Counihan from this point, himself boxing under a Maltese license. He only has limited options in Britain as he cannot box on any shows sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control and therefore cannot box for any of the titles that they offer. With the BBBC keen to penalise any license holders who also box on these shows, it limits Counihan to his opposition – and is likely to keep facing foreign imports for the foreseeable future. His team may have to look abroad to further Counihan’s progression before long. Midland Select v Ireland Boxing Review Birmingham’s Second City ABC hosted a Midland Select v Ireland on the 3rd October at the Aston Villa Football Ground, and the crowd in attendance were treated to a night of high quality as the Midlands trumped their rivals 7-5 over twelve bouts. The main event was a mouthwatering matchup between Eastside’s Tion Gibbs and Ireland’s Ray Moylette. Between the pair of them, there is barely a trophy they have not collected – domestically or internationally with Moylette even picking up a gold at the Youth world Championships back in 2008. From the start, younger Gibbs set a fast pace and was picking his work effectively and working tirelessly in combinations whereas Moylette was calmer and more relaxed, picking singular shots and making every one count. The Irishman had a big round in the second when he upped his work-rate and his heavyhanded attacks pushed Gibbs onto the back-foot and looked rattled several times under pressure. Gibbs recovered well though and came back to enjoy his own successes in the third although it was not enough as the judged handed Moylette a split decision victory. Eastside cadet Ibraheem “Spider” Suliman opened the show with a points victory over Ireland’s James McStravic. Suliman is raved about in the gym and showed promise herein front of the knowledgeable crowd in attendance. Michael “Bulla” Pardoe (Droitwich ABC) was given his first ever standing-eight count in over 150 bouts when his right leg (which was already bandaged) seemed to give way against Danny Coughlin. Pardoe’s balance was clearly affected throughout, though he put up a typically spirited display to lose what must have been a tight split decision. Kim Shannon (2nd City ABC) flew the flag for women’s boxing with a dominant display over Ireland’s plucky Michelle Chambers in a 4 x 2’s. Chambers survived a standing count in the second and third but was halted in the last after a left hook got through. Midland team captain Ryan Hatton (Tamworth ABC) showed promise in his bout with James Daley (Ireland) when the Irishman was forced to retire at the end of the second with a badly injured shoulder. Hatton had looked the boss throughout as Daley attacked and his neater boxing should have had him ahead at the bouts conclusion. In one of the best bouts of the night, Second City’s heavily supported Dean Bond came through a bloody battle against Ireland’s Dennis Ahern. Bond always seemed a foot ahead throughout the contest which heated up in the last after a head-clash left both men leaking claret. Bond bit down on his gumshield to pound away ferociously and ultimately gain a split-decision. Second City’s Paddy Farrell and St Anne’s Martin Brennan have got their heads together since and the Irish will be hosting a rematch on December 4th. RESULTS Ibraheem Suliman (Eastside ABC) beat James McStravic (Ireland) Unanimous Lewis Coley (2nd City ABC) beat Martin Salmon (Ireland) split- decision Billy Revel (Burton Park ABC) beat Owen McDonagh (Ireland) split-decision Jerry Mongan (Priory Park ABC) lost to Ryan Hegaty (Ireland) split-decision Ammar Khan (Hall Green ABC) lost to James Brennan (Ireland) unanimous Kim Shannon (2nd City ABC) stopped Michelle Chambers (Ireland) 4th round Tommy Collins (Hall Green ABC) lost to Martin Collins (Ireland) split-decision Ryan Hatton (Tamworth ABC) won rtd James Daley (Ireland) injury end of 2nd round Jordan Thompson (Jewellery Quarter ABC) beat Donal O’Meaghair (Ireland) unanimous Michael Pardoe (Droitwich ABC) lost to Danny Coughlin (Ireland) split-decision Dean Bond (2nd City ABC) beat Dennis Ahern (Ireland) split-decision Tion Gibbs (Eastside ABC) lost to Ray Moylette (Ireland) split-decision Birmingham prepares for the Clash of the Warriors Irish boxer Steve Collins is ready to take on Redditch’s Vikings Club member Lar O’Connor in a charity event in Birmingham later this month. Viking Boxing Promotions promise the Clash of the Warriors will be a night of superb boxing and entertainment for fans and all in aid of a good cause: Brain Tumour Research. Nicknamed the Viking Warrior, the former ABA Champion Lar will touch gloves with the Celtic Warrior, Steve Collins before the battle commences for the status of the winning Warrior. The Clash of the Warriors is taking place on Friday 28th of November, at the Irish Centre, Birmingham. Tickets cost £30, VIP packages are available as well as photo opportunities with Steve Collins. To book tickets call: 0845 689 9800. Middleweight star in WBC eliminator in Dublin Matthew Macklin will face Jorge Sebastian Heiland for the WBC International Middleweight title in an official World title eliminator at The 3 Arena in Dublin on November 15, live on Sky Sports. Macklin and Heiland were set to meet in August but the show was cancelled following an injury to Macklin’s then-trainer Jamie Moore. Macklin dusted off the cobwebs in Germany a fortnight ago with his first action since December and can take a huge step towards facing the Puerto Rican legend and WBC champion Miguel Cotto if he can see off Heiland, the 27 year old who is ranked at number four with the WBC and won the WBC International title in November with a fifth round KO of Billi Godoy in his native Argentina. There’s a great supporting cast on a packed bill in Dublin, as bitter Middleweight rivals Spike O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald finally get their hands on each other, Commonwealth Super Flyweight champion Kal Yafai defends his title against Luke Wilton and Michael Sweeney and Ian Tims meet again for the Irish Cruiserweight title. Dubliners Luke Keeler, Patrick Hyland and Declan Geraghty are all in action along with Stourbridge’s Sam Eggington, and promoter Eddie Hearn will announce the full card at a press conference at midday at the Three Arena next Tuesday. www.boxingshowwithjasonlowe.com • www.boxingshowwithjasonlowe.com • www.boxingshowwithjasonlowe.com 40 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 The Harp - NOVEMBER 201441 Ireland target Scotland after great result in Germany By Aidan Begley When Ireland headed to Cologne to face Germany in October 2013, they were a team in disarray. Former Head Coach Giovanni Trapattoni had been shown the door after it was confirmed that the boys in green would not be heading to the 2014 World Cup and the confidence of the team was at a low. Noel King was the Caretaker Manager and for most fans, it was a case of damage limitation and hoping to keep the score down to a respectable level. And they did when they were beaten 3-0. One year on and heading to Gelsenkirchen to face Germany in their guise as world champions, again, if was like going into the lions’ den. But this was a different Ireland team and thanks to a last minute goal from John O’Shea on his 100th appearance for Ireland, Martin O’Neill’s men claimed a fully deserved 1-1 draw, keeping their hopes of automatic qualification for the 2016 Euro finals very much alive. The confidence of the team would have been boosted by a 7-0 victory over group whipping boys Gibraltar, with captain Robbie Keane bagging himself a hat-trick, taking his international goals tally up to 65, leaving him in joint 11th place (with Didier Drogba) on the all-time international goal scorers list. Keano wasn’t able to get on the score sheet against the Germans, but John O’Shea did, turning in a ball across the box from Jeff Hendrick four minutes stoppage time to snatch the draw, after Toni Kroos put Germany ahead on 71 minutes. The goal sent the Ireland fans in the ground into raptures and also sees them in second place in Group D, level on points with leaders Poland, who drew 2-2 with Scotland and have a goal difference one better than Ireland. On seven points, Poland and the Republic are three points ahead of Scotland and Germany. defeat. But that makes it a bit more special we got something from the game. Speaking after the game, O’Neill said: “It was a terrific game for us. To the very end we kept going and our spirit carried us through. You couldn’t have written that script for John. He gets the goal and I’m absolutely delighted for him. The focus now turns towards this month’s vital qualifier against Scotland at Celtic Park on Friday 14th November (kick off: 7.45pm). “We were backs to the wall in the first half. We had formulated a plan that we would try and thwart them as much as we can while at the same time, when we had the ball ourselves, try and manoeuvre it. “We were unable to do that for periods in the first half, we seemed to be under pressure. We got through that time but it was a wee bit of a similar pattern in the second half when they scored. That changed the mindset of us to go and search for the equaliser. Even if we concede two, three, four, I don’t care, as long as we try and get something from the game.” Centurion John O’Shea, who hit the back of the net for only the third goal of his international career, said that goal will live long in his memory, especially as Ireland got a result from the game. He said: “That goal just takes over those other two. It was a very special moment because the group has a fantastic spirit and we didn’t want to come off this pitch with just a 1-0 “I think we might have to find a frame for it [my shirt]. I’m not one for hanging stuff or putting stuff up on any mantelpieces but I think this one could be heading for the mantelpiece at my mam and dad’s house.” A positive result against Gordon Strachan’s men will see Ireland in a strong position in the group with six games remaining. Despite a row between the FAI and SFA regarding ticket allocations, there’s sure to be a sizable travelling green army making their way to Glasgow for the game. Four days afterwards, Ireland return to Dublin to play a friendly game against the USA, who impressed so much in the World Cup under the guidance of Jurgen Klinsmann. The game against the Americans will prove to be a tough and worthwhile challenge for the Irish after recent friendly fixture against Oman. Commenting on these fixtures when announcing his provisional 36-man squad, O’Neill said: “I am looking forward to assembling the squad for the last time this year in preparation for our final games of 2014. “I am absolutely delighted with the courage and determination we showed in our last two qualifiers, and hope we can continue this run next month against Scotland and the USA.” Republic of Ireland provisional squad: Goalkeepers: David Forde (Millwall), Shay Given (Aston Villa), Keiren Westwood (Sheffield Wednesday), Darren Randolph (Birmingham City), Rob Elliot (Newcastle United) Defenders: Richard Keogh (Derby County), Marc Wilson (Stoke City), Seamus Coleman (Everton), John O’Shea (Sunderland), Alex Pearce (Reading), Brian Lenihan (Hull City), Stephen Kelly (Reading), Paul McShane (Hull City), Damien Delaney (Crystal Palace), Shane Duffy (Blackburn Rovers) Midfielders: James McCarthy (Everton), Jeff Hendrick (Derby County), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Stephen Ward (Burnley), Glenn Whelan (Stoke City), Darron Gibson (Everton), Paul Green (Rotherham United), Aiden McGeady (Everton), Anthony Pilkington (Cardiff City), James McClean (Wigan Athletic), Robbie Brady (Hull City), Stephen Quinn (Hull City), David Meyler (Hull City) Forwards: Robbie Keane (LA Galaxy), Shane Long (Southampton), Daryl Murphy (Ipswich Town), Jon Walters (Stoke City), Kevin Doyle (Crystal Palace), Anthony Stokes (Celtic), Simon Cox (Reading), Conor Sammon (Ipswich Town) ionals: Guinness Autumn Internat Henshaw could win the race to fill BOD’s boots! By LARRY COONEY Ireland will take on South Africa, Australia and a Georgia at the Aviva Stadium during the Guinness Series this month. South Africa, number 2 in the IRB world rankings, who provided the opposition for the opening fixture of the 2012 Guinness Series and will again be Ireland’s first opponents in the autumn of 2014 as the two sides square off at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday 8th November. Ireland will be looking to record their fifth victory over the Springboks since the two countries first met at the Balmoral Showgrounds in 1906. A week later on Sunday 16th November, Ireland will take on a leading European Tier 2 nation Georgia at the Aviva Stadium. Ewen McKenzie’s Australia will return to the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 22nd November. Australia are the third ranked nation in world rugby following a successful autumn tour which saw them record wins over Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Italy while losing narrowly to England. Life after BOD Ireland coach Joe Schmidt looks set to hand Robbie Henshaw the first chance to claim the outside centre position since Brian O’Driscoll’s retirement against South Africa this Saturday 8 November. The 21-year-old Athlone native ran in the No13 channel at the open training session at the Aviva Stadium during the squad’s recent training sessions and seems to the odds on favourite to win his fourth cap in daunting circumstances against the Springboks. The rising Connacht star shadowed Brian O’Driscoll through last season and has had to be patient since winning his third cap off the bench against Australia last November. However, when asked if Henshaw was ready for the challenge, Schmidt said: “We might know that this Saturday.” “But I don’t think you’re ever going to know,” he continued. There could be better introductions, more gradual introductions. It’s a massive ask, we know Jean de Villiers a little bit, Jan Serfontein is a player we know a bit less about but he’s a good reader of the game.” “There’s a good challenge for him, whether he’s ready for it we’ll find out.” But although Ulster’s recently qualified Jared Payne is also a serious option for the No. 13 shirt it looks like Robbie Henshaw is about the biggest chance to date in his career this Saturday. But prop Mike Ross took a very limited part in training at Lansdowne Road, but his lack of game time remains a concern as the New Zealander contemplates a front-row injury crisis. “Absolutely, it’s a concern,” he said. “Mike has been working very hard in his defence, but there’s nothing like game conditioning and awareness. “If it was a perfect world, things might be different and it’s still an incredibly exciting challenge to play one of the form teams in the world, the players will be motivated for that; we’re not just sure what players they will be.” Schmidt resisted temptation to pull any of his other front-rows out of provincial action this weekend. “It’s a catch 22, Rodney Ah You, because Nathan White has been starting, needed game time, Tadhg Furlong needed games, Declan Fitzpatrick has been massively underplayed because of injury and Stephen Archer has not had a lot of games,” he said. “We’re just going to hold our breath, hope those guys came through.” Ireland therefore have a crisis at prop, now that Nathan White is the latest to miss out through injury, after the withdrawal of Mike Ross and Marty Moore. It also appears, by way of contrast, that a solid tighthead prop is no longer as indispensable as he once was. But with a World Cup and Six Nations to prepare for in 2015 these Autumn Series International have never been more significant. But discovering who is likely to fill Brian O’Driscoll’s extraordinary big boots must be one of Joe Schmidt’s top priorities. 42 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 from 1976 to 1981, O’Shea won a similar haul from 1980 to ‘85 while O Se won five in succession from 1981 to 1985. # Flynn’s achievement to win four in a row is special as he is the first to do it since the introduction of the ‘back-door’ Championship, the addition of four rounds of qualifiers and All-Ireland quarter-finals opening up greater windows of opportunity for other counties. Paul Flynn was a regular all season for Dublin as they swept to league and Leinster titles and was, with Diarmuid Connolly, Dublin’s most effective player during their AllIreland semi-final loss to Donegal, scoring four superb first-half points. Donaghy’s inclusion may not please everyone given the limited window that he operated in but his impact on the season was once again seismic as he turned the drawn All-Ireland semi-final replay Kerry’s way and then dominated the All-Ireland semi-final and final. In defence, Paul Murphy’s selection at right corner-back may provoke debate while the force of Peter Crowley’s performances in Kerry’s last three games earned him recognition. Aidan O’Mahony is overlooked despite his performance against Donegal captain Michael Murphy in the All-Ireland final. Murphy is selected at centre-forward on the But Flynn was also hugely influen- team as he picks up his second tial in the All-Ireland quarter-final award. Footballer of the Year James O’Donoghue l-Stars d Hurling Al 2014 GAA/GPA Football an Kerry dominate football selection but Tipperary hurlers outnumber champions against Monaghan. Ironically, there are only four counties represented on this year’s team, mirrorThe annual All Stars presenta- ing the 2012 selection when only tion in football and hurling took players from the four provincial place in the National Conference winners were chosen. Centre in Dublin on Friday 24 October. Three members of the War- In all, there are six newcomers, wickshire hurlers namely Dwayne Kerry defensive pair Paul Murphy Sheedy, Cormac Behan from the and Peter Crowley and midfielder John Mitchell’s club and Conor David Moran, Connolly and James Robins from the St. Barnabas club McCarthy and Mayo’s Cillian in Nottingham were among the O’Connor. McCarthy’s selection Lory Meagher Champion 15 to will strike a chord with Dublin also receive their accolades on the supporters, given that his father same evening. John was the only regular starter of the Dublin team of the 1970s not to win an award. It will also come as a surprise that this All-Ireland champions Kerry is Connolly’s first time to be hondominate the 2014 All Star foot- oured, given the waves of admiraball team but Dublin’s Paul Flynn’s tion he has been creating lately. fourth successive award has el- Connolly’s form for Dublin in evated him into the company of a 2013 was his most consistent in a select group of Kerry legends. Fly- season yet however and that is renn, who is rated by many observ- flected in his selection. All-Ireland ers as the best ‘pound for pound’ champions Kerry lead the way footballer in the game, has won with five awards equally spread all four awards since 2011 in the between attack and defence with same position, right half-forward. one midfielder. He becomes only the sixth Dublin footballer to win four All Star awards, joining Tommy Drumm, Paddy Cullen and Robbie Kelleher. Only goalkeepers John O’Leary and Stephen Cluxton, who both Not surprisingly, James have five each, have more. Jack O’Donoghue wins his second sucO’Shea, Pat Spillane and Paidi cessive award after a stellar camO’Se are the only footballers who paign that lead to him being honcan claim to even longer unbroken oured as Footballer of the Year. All Star sequences. Beside him, Kieran Donaghy is also included for what is his third award, having made the 2006 and Spillane won six awards in a row 2008 teams. BY LARRY COONEY Football James O’Donoghue Footballer of the Year Connolly’s first All Star Murphy spent much of the season operating in a deeper role and his inclusion at half-forward comes at a cost to his colleague Ryan McHugh or Kerry’s Donnchadh Walsh. Mayo win three awards with Keith Higgins and Colm Boyle filling the left flank of defence. Higgins is winning his third successive award after another polished season at left corner-back, his memorable battle over two All-Ireland semi-finals with O’Donoghue one of the most vivid memories of the season. Boyle, who was on last year’s team, joins Higgins with O’Connor finally graduating after successive seasons when he was named Young Footballer of the Year. O’Connor was the championship’s top scorer with a tally of 5-36, all five of his goals coming from penalties. There was never a doubt about Neil McGee at full-back as he won his third in four years, while Neil Gallagher was an automatic choice at midfield, picking up his second award after being honoured in 2012. Ryan McHugh deservedly claimed the Young Footballer of the Year award The Harp - NOVEMBER 201443 Warwickshire Champion 15 players: Pictured with their awards are Dwayne, Sheedy, Conor, Robins and Cormac Behan. Young players of the Year: Ryan McHugh (Football) and Cathal Barrett (Hurling) with their awards. Stars lAl g n li ur H d an ll ba ot 2014 GAA/GPA Fo Premier County top Kilkenny who still set all-time record BY LARRY COONEY Hurling Only three counties are represented in this year’s GAA/GPA hurling All Stars. That fact alone has therefore created history by being drawn from the lowest number of counties in the 43-year history of the scheme. Tipperary (7), Kilkenny (6) and Limerick (2) are the only counties represented on a team which features eight first-timers. For the second time in three seasons, All-Ireland champions Kilkenny have received fewer awards than the runners-up. Just as Galway outnumbered Kilkenny 6-5 in 2012, Tipperary edge 7-6 ahead in this year’s line-up, with the remaining two places deservedly going to Limerick’s Seamus Hickey and Shane Dowling. Tipperary are represented by goalkeeper Darren Gleeson in his debut year, half-backs, Brendan Maher and Padraic Maher, midfielder Shane McGrath and forwards John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer, Patrick ‘Bonner’ Maher and Seamus Callanan. But Tipperary’s ‘find’ of the year - corner back Cathal Barrett was deservedly also named Young Hurler of the Year. Munster champions ignored again! Paul Murphy, JJ Delaney, Cillian Buckley, Richie Hogan, TJ Reid and Colin Fennelly are the Kilkenny men who made the cut. Richie Hogan deservedly claimed the Hurler of the Year accolade. There’s no place on the team for Munster champions Cork, but that’s not a first since Tipperary suffered a similar fate in 2012 after a similar All-Ireland semi-final collapse. Gleeson, O’Dwyer, ‘Bonner’ Maher, Callanan, Buckley, Fennelly, Hickey and Dowling are all first-time winners. But having only three counties represented is sure to be a big talking point, especially at a time when it takes several more games to complete the All-Ireland Championship than used to be the case before the introduction of the ‘back door’ in 1997, followed by several amendments in subsequent years. the All-Ireland final went to a replay offered theses two counties further exposure in the last action of the season. However, it raises the question of whether too much emphasis is now placed on the final few games of the Championship. Kilkenny half dozen set record all-time total of 173 Only four counties were represented on six occasions in the past, but it has now dipped to three, with 13 of the team coming from the AllIreland finalists. Kilkenny will be surprised to lose out to Tipperary numerically after beating them three times and drawing once in four League and Championship clashes. In particular, they will be feel that goalkeeper Eoin Murphy is unlucky to lose out to Gleeson. But because Kilkenny and Tipperary also contested the Allianz League final and also the fact that However, Murphy missed some Championship games, which probably came against him. Cork will be disappointed that their first Munster title win since 2006 didn’t earn any recognition. However, a dreadful performance against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final weakened their case, although Alan Cadogan’s earlier heroics would have been enough to earn inclusion in some other seasons but he missed out to Colin Fennelly. It’s the first time since 2007 that Limerick have got more than one player on the team. None of last year’s All Stars were honoured this year, underlining the degree to which the landscape has changed. Kilkenny’s six-strong haul takes their overall All Star yield to 173, making them the clear leaders in either code. It also extends their lead over Cork, who have a combined total of 170 (106 hurling, 64 football) awards. 44 The Harp - NOVEMBER 2014 ISBN 977-2-05354-200-4 11 9 772053 542004 Macklin’s Dublin Date with Destiny By Larry Cooney Birmingham Irish middleweight Matthew Macklin believes he could challenge WBC Middleweight champion Miguel Cotto next if he can see off Jorge Sebastian Heiland at The 3Arena in Dublin on Saturday November 15. Macklin meets WBC International champion Heiland in an eliminator for Cotto’s crown as big time boxing returns to Ireland’s capital, with the winner gunning for Perto Rican Cotto who ripped the title from Sergio Martinez. Macklin has already met Martinez in a memorable St. Patrick’s Day clash in 2012. But for now Macklin is firmly focused on the dangerous Argentine he faces in Dublin, but admits that the serious possibility of challenging Cotto has him dreaming of a return to the Big Apple or even an outdoor spectacular in Dublin. “Cotto is such a big draw in New York City at Madison Square Garden, but if you can do 60,000 people at Croke Park then the economics of the fight change,” said Macklin. “If the fight captures the imagination and sells out a stadium, you can bring anyone, anywhere. That’s the dream. self and also as it sets up a potential fight for us.” “Challenging Cotto in New York would be an incredible experience – to face someone of his stature there. But that’s a lot of wins to put together first.” Macklin tops a great bill in the Irish capital with a pair of grudge matches between Michael Sweeney and Ian Tims at Cruiserweight and Gary O’Sullivan and Anthony Fitzgerald at Middleweight, Featherweight contenders Patrick Hyland and John Simpson target British, European and Commonwealth champion Josh Warrington after their clash, there’s a first hometown fight for former Irish Olympic amateur stars John Joe Nevin and Jason Quigley, while unbeaten Dubliners Declan Geraghty and Luke Keeler both fight in their seventh fights and exciting Stourbridge welterweight Sam Eggington is also on one of the most exciting nights in Irish boxing in recent years. It is also five years since Matthew Macklin fought Uruguayan Pintos in a similar title eliminator and is looking forward to being part of big time Irish professional boxing once again. Lee and Macklin can also happen in 2015 But if Macklin can see off Heiland then his interest in Irish rival Andy Lee’s clash with Matt Korobov for the vacant WBO belt in December is also sure to heighten. Lee travels to Las Vegas to tackle the unbeaten Russian and Macklin believes the Limerick man can be a real match for the holder. “I think Andy has got a good chance,” said Macklin. “Styles make fights and Korobov is a technical counter-punching southpaw, he’ll give Andy room and time and Andy performs better if he’s allowed that, he’s a class act. If he can win that then me and Andy fighting for the World title is massive. It’s a huge fight anyway but a World title is that key element. I’ll be rooting for him for selfish reasons but also because he’s flying the flag for Irish boxing too and he’s a good lad, so I hope he does the business for him Tickets for the blockbuster night are on sale now priced at €30, €50 and €80 from The 3Arena at www.3arena.ie and on 0818 719 300 (R.O.I) and 0844 8472 455 (UK and NI). VIP tickets priced €150 are exclusively available from Matchroom Boxing at www.MatchroomBoxing.com and on 01277 359900. Dublin December 2009: Matthew Macklin will be hoping to have his hand raised again on November 15 in order to set up another possible world title challenge in 2015.
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