It’s Friday! To celebrate the end of the week,  thanks to the nice folks at Macmillan books, I have a copy of Tom Kelly’s brilliant debut The Thing with Finn to give away. Fancy nabbing yourself a hardback copy of the 2008 Eilis Dillon Award winner? Leave a comment telling me why and it could be yours! (I’ll leave it open till Monday, give ye plenty of time to think about it!) There’s plenty elsewhere happening again this week to keep ye busy – Saturday will see Pearse Street Library in Dublin overrun with aspiring/new children’s writers all looking for hints/tips and the occasional nudge in the right (write?) direction. And Books 09 continues with Derek Landy, PJ Lynch, Roddy Doyle, Sarah Webb and more! ShareThis... Similar posts

‘Fīll Fīll A Rún Ō is a new song taken from the forthcoming debut album Lumiere released on September 11th 2009 September 11th 2009 Lumiere are two distinct voices with one unique sound. Acclaimed Dingle vocalists Eilis Kennedy and Pauline Scanlon of Lumiere have teamed up with the award-winning music video site MUZU.TV to exclusively bring you the video premiere of Fīll Fīll A Rún Ō. Lumiere have also given us five signed copies of their new album to celebrate the video premiere. Fīll Fīll A Rún Ō, is a track from Lumiere’s beautifully arranged debut album, which is produced by the legendary John Reynolds (Sinead O’Connor, U2, Andrea Corr). Their songs concern themselves with themes of love and loss, of place and people, Mainly drawing on the Irish tradition... Similar posts

It's nice to get surprises. I love the ones involving bows, ribbons and big boxes of goodies which is exactly what this weekend had on offer. First off was a visit to The Loft Market in Powerscourt Town Centre where the lovely Lisa from Perk Up Vintage sold me a 1960s Sears jacket (€30). V Eley Kishimoto. Looks just swell with my I Love Paris tee, chain link scarf and denim peg legs. Next was a goo downstairs around the newly relocated A Rubanesque. Bright and breezy with plenty of antique buttons and feathers by the yard - I now have only a few steps to go to customise any of my vintage finds. Then...drum roll please was a visit to Powerscourt's newly opened Bow Boutique. The bijou co-op is operated by Mo Muse, Matt Doody and Wendy's Wardrobe with cameo designer appearances from... Similar posts

I have a piece in a group show at Temple Bar Gallery called It Goes On. Check it out here: http://www.templebargallery.com/Alan Butler, Brendan Flaherty, Eilis McDonald, James Merrigan, Ivan Twohig and Soft Blonde Moustache Curated by Rayne Booth Preview: Tuesday 2 June 2009 Exhibition continues 3 June – 18 July... Similar posts

Eamon Gilmore showed bad form in capitalising on the Monageer killings, writes Eilis O'Hanlon... Similar posts

I've chosen Colm Tóibín's Brooklyn as the book of the month because it is quintessential diaspora. Through his words, Tóibín shows how it is for young Eilis Lacey, his heroine, and for us, for anyone, who comes from afar and shapes a new world. He shows the mirror effect: the new world both resembles our lives in the long ago, and doesn't resemble them in important ways. The novel is set in Brooklyn, but it might as well have happened in Chicago, Boston, Philly, or Butte. It's the song of the immigrant who longs always to find where she belongs.You can read an excerpt from the first chapter, online, on the New York Times website, here. There also have been lengthy reviews of the book and Tóibín's particular genius in various and sundry locations. Just a few of them: Bernard... Similar posts

When I read Eilis O’Hanlon’s piece in the Sunday Independent "… Heaney crumbled in the face of a nation’s affection a long time ago.  He’s become a sort of caricature sage, un complainingly producing little nuggests of home-spun wisdom when required, the way a Christmas cracker dispenses jokes…" I bristled.  What business has a young thing like her being given a column in the best selling Irish Sunday newspaper?  Who is she to write such caustic comment on the greatest living Irish man of letters?  The cheek of her.  She’s not worthy to wipe the snot from the end of his nose. She deserves to be locked up in stocks so we could lambaste her with dinner-party spittings.  In short I didn’t like what she... Similar posts

On loads of occasions, while keeping Hazel company while she plays with her toys, I’ve needed to pop into another room to do something quick. Since she’s been a newborn I’ve made a point of raising my index finger straight up and saying “Back in a minute…” or something similar as I leave the room. I’d like to think this has worked and that she now knows that when I make that signal/say those words that I will only be away for a very short time. Most of the time it seems to work. However, if she’s hungry or otherwise properly annoyed it’s not much good. In fact, if she’s hungry she can manage to cry right through watching me make her bottle! So maybe it doesn’t work at all. Maybe she’s content most of the time I do it... Similar posts

Now there’s a headline you probably never expected to see on Cedar Lounge Revolution. But I’m happy to admit it. I love it. One of the first things I do on Sunday morning is go and read it on the web, saving the best for last. You know who I mean. Its unique mixture of arrogance, snobbery, hysteria, ineptitude, and desperation to appear oh so metropolitan and sophisticated while remaining unremittingly provincial just cracks me up. And yesterday’s edition was a classic. The front page contained a total non-story claiming that Noel Dempsey - he of economic treason fame - had “ripped apart” a “conspiracy theory” advanced by Enda Kenny in the Dáil that the government had some connection to the Anglo-Irish Golden Circle scandal. It also contained a... Similar posts

Christine Beattie, whose obituary I publish below, was one of a group of strong minded and committed working class women who were to emerge from within the ranks of the Provisional Republican Movement at the height of the armed struggle.  Unlike previous generations of Republican women, who were put to work in ‘traditional’ roles, women like Marion Price, Mairéad Farrell, and Christine Beattie, believing they were equal to any man became activists in both the political and military struggle. The full story about the role these women played in the ‘long war’ is still to be told; and one can only hope that their part in what was a harsh and traumatic period is being chronicled. So that when future generations of historians look back at this period of armed Republicanism, they... Similar posts

Pobalscoil na Tríonóide held its second Careers Evening for the Parents and Students of Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Years. They were given the opportunity of speaking with personnel from a number of colleges as well as consulting with up to 50 people who work in a wide range of  occupations. Photo Michael Hussey (YoughalOnline.com) The Guidance Department who organised this event are extremely grateful for the support given by the local community in Youghal. Many local people gave up their free time to give advice and information to students and their parents about the work in which they are involved with. Leaving Certificate students had the opportunity of discussing their course options with lecturers and staff from the various Colleges of Further Education, Institutes of... Similar posts

It was good to see the OverseasCafe get a meritorious mention in Sunday's Business Post. Group MD, Eilis FitzGerald, was quoted on the virtual explosion in queries to the site for repossessed or 'value for money' properties in the UK since the start of the year. Extraordinary when you consider the financial environment in which we currently find ourselves.Here's the text:'According to Eilis FitzGerald, of Irish property portal OverseasCafe.com, the site was receiving considerable traffic from people looking for information on the British market. She said there had been more than 50 solid enquiries for information on repossessed British property listings since the beginning of January.‘‘Investors are looking hard for deals, with most people only considering property that is being sold... Similar posts

The Editor, The Sunday Independent. Dear Editor, Two articles last week - one by Eilis O’Hanlon, the other by Eoghan Harris made me reflect about the need for more thoughtful, intelligent and balanced politics in Ireland. As we begin a New Year, a year that will see Local and European Elections, another Referendum on Lisbon and perhaps, even a General Election, it might be also worthwhile reflecting on how Politics in Ireland is covered in the media. Unfortunately, Political integrity and commitment are often presented as if they only occur at the extremes. Whether it be Joe Higgins from the illusionary and antiquarian far Left, Declan Ganley from the delusionary and somewhat obscure far Right or Danny, Michael or Jackie Healy-Rae from the distant but beautifull far South, views... Similar posts

IFTN has posted the diary of new screenwriter, Eilis Mernagh, from her time pitching and networking at the Austin Film Festival.Screenwriters who are considering attending Austin's four-day conference — which provides access to A-list producers, studio executives, agents and managers, screenwriters, and filmmakers — will find the article... Similar posts

From Bentley Villas to the Irish Lights, a shot of architecture is coming to Dún Laoghaire.Open House is an initiative of the Irish Architecture Foundation, and it consists of a weekend festival where all sorts of buildings throw open their doors and allow people to walk through buildings that aren't always open to the public.This is the first year that Dún Laoghaire has been included, and there's a mix of projects on view. The Commissioners of Irish Lights Building (pictured here) will be flying the green flag with its heat pump and solar panels, but you'll be able to visit the snazzy new community centre at St. Paul's Church on Adelaide Road, just a short walk from Glenageary DART Station, as well as the restored Harbour Lodge on Crofton Road next to the County Hall on the Marine... Similar posts

Eilis O'Hanlon's comments in relation to Travellers last week, (Sunday Independent, August 17) are heard time and time again and are only used to reinforce negative stereotypes about Travellers and do not contribute to the national debate on Traveller issues any... Similar posts

From Eilis Crean: “I am an accomplished trad Irish fiddle player and will be in Kansas city the first week of October, for work. I am looking for details on the local Irish sessiuns. If anyone has any information, I’d appreciate if you could drop me a line at eiliscrean@gmail.com.” Thanks, Eilis... Similar posts

Economics boils down to two, simple rules of thumb:1. INCENTIVES ARE ALL THAT MATTERS2. THERE ARE ALWAYS UNFORESEEN CONSEQUENCESEverything else is padding (including the macroeconomic stuff), and human history is really just a record of the interaction of these two rules. The reason economists are called dismal scientists is because we stress that reality isn't optional - human actions are motivated by incentives, and not all the consequences of those actions can be foreseen. It has been ever thus.Some folk think that reality is optional: politicians, for example. But though they might promise to lead us into paradise on earth before the next election, economists tend to think 'but what about ...?'The ESRI's gloomy missive last week has got me thinking a lot about incentives and... Similar posts

From RTE: The latest round of media comment was sparked by a letter the principal of Gorey Community School wrote to the Department of Education. Nicholas Sweetman wrote to the Department looking for guidelines. His letter was released under Freedom of Information legislation. The Department of Education says Mr Sweetman’s letter is one of what would appear to be just two received from schools with queries related to the Hijab. That’s just two schools out of 732 second-level schools, out of more than 4,000 schools in total. Mr Sweetman may want guidelines, but he says the wearing of the veil is ‘not an issue’ in his school or, in his view ‘in any schools currently’. His school does not have a problem with pupils who wish to wear it. In a conversation... Similar posts