Irish Examiner USA

By Gwen Orel

It's been 10 days since the Mid-Atlantic Region Fleadh Cheoil in the Parsippany Hilton Hotel, sponsored by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, according to the CCE website.

All over the East Coast, players are busy practicing the tunes they will bring to Ireland in August for the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Derry for the 60th annual Fleadh, which will be the first ever held in Northern Ireland.

All over the East Coast, some players are working on new tunes they might play at next year's Mid-Atlantic Fleadh. The dates are April 24 through April 27; mark your calendars.

I know I will. I was a volunteer for the first time this year. I did not grow up in in the Irish music world, instead played classical violin, and was very curious about how these music competitions work. I had seen the 2003 movie "The Boys and Girl from County Clare," which takes place at a Fleadh. Andrea Corr, supposedly an amazing player, is a singer in real life, and didn't even bother to move her fingers and fake it (perhaps she was told they would cut away), but the snippets of other scenes fascinated. A little boy playing "The Rights of Man," making a mistake, then swearing at an onlooker. People playing in tents on a campsite. People playing in pubs. When I played in youth orchestras as a kid, I remember now and then having some fun playing in the house with others before the conductor called us back on stage and routinely scolded us by section. Could Irish music for kids really be as much fun as it looked?

Volunteering

I was only able to go on Sunday, the final day of the Fleadh. Saturday is the big day, when there are the solo competitions. I had thought Sunday, which is mostly duets, trios, and bands, would be quiet, but when I arrived at the Parsippany I saw children literally running with cases in hand, parents wandering around asking how to register, 10-year olds practicing in the lobby. "Quiet" just did not describe it: the noise was everywhere; the energy was buzzing. My first job was to help take admission from observers at one hall: $10 for the day. You could say I was a bouncer. Children and competitors were free.

Frazzled fathers carried shirts, saying they were going to iron them. A tin whistle sat on the table and three people picked it up and said, nope, that wasn't the one I lost, until the right person found it. A little girl with red hair flew down the hall saying, "They want us now!"

Then I helped by working the door at the Under-12 Trio competition, keeping it closed while competitors were playing, opening it when sets were done. I loved hearing what the judges had to say and what they were looking for: beginning and ending together, tempo, having fun.

Getting to Ireland?

Rose Conway Flanagan, who was one of the Fleadh Committee, was also one of the Hall of Fame honorees at the CCE Fleadh Ceilí dinner, along with fellow Pearl River teacher, accordion player Patty Furlong, and the late accordion player Jerry Lynch. Rose's brother Brian and father Jimmy also hold this honor. Rose told me there had been over 400 people competing this year. Irish music is growing, she said.

"It is getting bigger," Rose observed.

Don Meade, who judged Newly Composed Dance Tunes, Lilting and Whistling, said in an email, "For those of us who remember the New York fleadhanna of 20 or 30 years ago, when the competitions were held in classrooms at Manhattan College in the Bronx, the sheer number of competitors in this and other recent Mid-Atlantic fleadhanna is very impressive, as is the high standard of musicianship they demonstrate. Only two entrants in each age-group competition can qualify to go to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, but in some of the most hotly contested competitions there were many more young musicians who could have ably represented the Mid-Atlantic region in Ireland."

Most of the 400 competitors were children, as there is only one "Over 18" category, but there are three categories for younger players, with "Under 12," "12 to 15," and "15 to 18." There were competitions in every instrument: fiddle, two row button accordion, concert flute, tin whistle, piano accordion, concertina, uillean pipe, harp, mouth organ, banjo, and so on. There is even a category called "miscellaneous" for those who play Irish music on non-traditional instruments.

Andy Lamy, who plays clarinet in the New Jersey Symphony, took first place in the Miscellaneous Over-18 category. That means he can compete in Ireland, as can anybody who places first and second in one of the two regional American Fleadhs. The other is the Midwest Fleadh, which covers everything from Cleveland to California. That makes the process of getting to Ireland a little more streamlined for American players than for Irish ones, who must compete in county and provincial competitions.

But lest anybody believe that gives American players an unfair advantage, the American winners of the All-Ireland show us otherwise. Dylan Foley, who took first place in the Over-18 fiddle, took second last year at the All-Ireland-this year for the win? Similarly, little Haley Richardson has won five times in the Under-12 category on fiddle-which may be a record. She took second place last year, and the judges had to call her and the winner back in the room before they decided. However they get there, the American players are champions. And last year, the Under-12 Pearl River Ceilí band took first place.

Playing and practicing

They might again. Pearl River took first place in three age categories this year; under 12, 12 to 15, and 15 to 18. Pearl River, New York, is a very Irish community, Rose said. "In this community, it is not unpopular to say you do Irish music or dancing. It's not like living in the Bronx, where my friends didn't know I played!" she said.

She, along with teachers Patty Furlong and Margie Mulvihill, run the Pearl River School (not a building, but a school in the arts sense) and their students routinely compete and win. Brian Conway, Rose's brother, is also really part of that school, though he doesn't live there. He is young Haley's teacher. There were over 100 students from the Pearl River school at the Fleadh.

But winning isn't everything. While Brian Conway won the All-Ireland twice, Rose never did, and, she said, she hated competing herself. "I would break down, screw up. I remember shaking like a leaf. Even thinking about it makes my hands sweat," Rose said with a laugh. And while some kids, like Haley, clearly enjoy it, Rose said, it's good for all of them.

"I tell them that if they don't win, it doesn't mean your playing hasn't improved, because you worked so hard. The practice they put in makes them better players." One reason the Pearl River school enters so many bands, she said, is that she likes to give every student a chance to compete.

There are always surprises: Jayne Pomplas and brother Bram, both of whom usually place in solo fiddle, did not this year. But they won multiple awards in other categories: each placed first in their age groups in bodhrán, and they also placed 2nd in a duo together, among others. Those changes should be motivating for themselves, and for others who compete against them.

'I want them to like it.'

That so many of Rose's own students, including daughter Maeve, who also plays with Girsa, have gone on to win All-Ireland championships demonstrates the excellence of her own teaching. Rose Said that it's important to her to keep music fun. She teaches in groups, and jokes with the kids so much they don't know she is joking, she said. "I want them to learn, and I want them to like it. I let them chat a little."

Clearly the kids have a blast at the Fleadh. "They go back and forth in the practice rooms. All of the kids know each other. The first thing they do is go into the pool," she said. The children see friends from other schools in other states. Rose saw her 13-year-old son Kieran, who took 1st place in his age group in piano accompaniament, talking to some little girls from Boston. While most of the children have an Irish background, that's not true of them all, she said.

Tom Madden, who is also on the Committee, said that one of his favorite moments came when he was on the elevator, and saw a little girl carrying a fiddle case. "She was telling me she won 2nd in the fiddle competition (probably under 12 but a gentleman never discusses a lady's age). As she was saying that, the doors opened and Don Meade joined and said 'and she won 1st place in newly composed tunes.' Her little face lit up with a big smile. Don later said he was already working on mastering that little girl's winning tune."

The girl, Don said, was Josie Coyne from Boston. She won 2nd in fiddle 12 to 15, and 1st in "Newly Composed Dance Tunes," which has no age. Congrats to her!

Most of the 16 new tunes submitted, Don said, were from students of Annemarie Acosta, and two of her students took 2nd and 3rd place.

Iris Nevins, who programs concerts and runs the sessions at the Irish American Association of Northwest Jersey and whose CD, "String Theory," we reviewed in August, 2012, had four harp students compete, and all placed, two first and two third. "I'm just crowing a little," Iris wrote in an email. "All of them worked really hard for this!

It's hard work for students and teachers, but it pays off.

I was right. This had to be way more fun than playing three-octave scales quickly for judges and your concerto piece, only to get sorted into a section with lots of others and have challenge passages marked out for you. I sometimes had fun at concerts. I can't ever say going to a competition was fun. Where was the pool?

I can't go back and be a kid growing up in the Irish music scene, but I can do the next best thing and have fun at the Fleadh.

See you in Parsippany next year!

Results for the Fleadh appear on the website at sites.google.com/site/ccemidatlanticfleadh.

Iris also teaches Celtic harp to students of all ages, including beginners over 70. She can be reached at irisnevins@verizon.net.

Gwen Orel runs the blog and podcast, New York Irish Arts

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:04 AM | Permalink

Poet and writer Joseph P.Martino lives in Millburn, NJ; a former NYC resident of 70 years Joseph has travelled to over 45 countries and as a hobby often writes travel poems, about people and places that he loves.

Having served his country in Korea, and then as a New York State Peace Officer for 32 years. He is a man who is proud of his country and Memorial Day holds great meaning for him as it does for all of us and in his meaningful poem he shares with us his thoughts on this holiday.

Thank you Joesph!

That's What Memorial Day Means to Me

America land of opportunity, home of the brave and free. Where the American flag and eagle fly for one and all to see.
Our nations flag ripples proudly in the breeze, from sunny California to the sandy shores of Maine, all across America up to the ocean seas.
Many of our brave and patriotic sons and daughters who fought on foreign shores, have now gone to their eternal rest.
On Memorial Day Americans honor our veterans, they deserve our praise and glory for they are truly our nation's best!
Some made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe and free, they paid our future obligations in the name of liberty.
Please do not take for granted the legacy they bequeath, for these brave heroes never heard the words: 'run' or 'defeat.'
So always remember and shall we never forget, to thank our veterans and active service men and women every chance you get.
That's what, MEMORIAL DAY means to me.

© Joseph P. Martino

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:01 AM | Permalink

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) has announced that the "Schumer E-3 Irish Visa" program would be included in the Senate's comprehensive immigration bill, and that he had beat back efforts to remove it from the bill. 

The provision would allow 10,500 Irish citizens with secondary-level education to find work in the U.S. every year.  Unlike previous programs, this program would be permanent and have no sunset. 

Schumer released the following statement: "As a lead author of the Senate's immigration bill, I made sure that the legislation would allow for increased Irish immigration to America.  Including it in the legislation was important, but keeping it in there through the legislative process was always going to be difficult. 

"[On Thursday] we won a major battle, and beat efforts to strip the provision from the bill. 

"I have always fought hard for increased immigration from Ireland and have had some successes in the past, but the advantage of this provision is that it will be permanent, and will not sunset. 

"I believe that having more immigrants, including Irish immigrants, helps America and grows our economy, and now we have taken a major step in creating a permanent pathway between the two countries.  I won't rest until this provision is signed into law as part of the comprehensive immigration bill.

"It was always the dream of my Senate hero, the late Senator Teddy Kennedy to fix the unintended consequences of the 1965 immigration law, which made it almost impossible for the Irish to legally come to America.

"I am honored to pick up that torch and very pleased we are a giant step close to making it a reality."

This proposal addresses unintended consequences from a 1965 immigration law that inadvertently disadvantaged Irish nationals seeking to enter the United States.

Soon after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which switched the immigration system to one favoring high-skilled workers and reuniting immigrant families, Irish immigration to the U.S. sank by roughly a third.

The decline has worsened in the ensuing decades. The late Senator Edward Kennedy, a chief sponsor of the 1965 law, acknowledged the inadvertent impact on the Irish.

In 2006, he noted of the 1965 law: "What we were trying to do was eliminate the discrimination that existed in the law, but the way that that legislation was developed worked in a very dramatic and significant way against the Irish."

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 10:37 AM | Permalink

Building on the visit of the Gaelic Players Association to Breezy Point earlier this year where stars of Gaelic games helped with the reconstruction effort, the GPA is hosting the Breezy Gaelic Sports Team Building Day on June 8.

The event will bring work colleagues, family and friends together in a wonderful celebration of Irish sport and culture at the Rockaways community of Breezy Point.

Hosted to help boost morale as the area continues its recovery from Superstorm Sandy, the event will also help raise funds for the Breezy Point Disaster Relief effort and support the GPA's Education Fund, assisting amateur county GAA players with their college careers.

Among the events, two Gaelic football competitions designed to cater for novices and experienced players alike, will take place during a special day of games, music, entertainment, competitions, coaching and barbecue fun.

Former stars of Gaelic football including Kevin Cassidy from Donegal and Eamon O'Hara from Sligo will be on hand to coach participating companies, helping players to get the most from this unique team-building opportunity.

The Breezy Cup will cater for novice players, men and women who have had no experience of Gaelic football but would like to give it a go, experience the thrill and enjoy the fun.

Competing with other rookies, Breezy Cup contestants will learn the basics of Gaelic football and get the chance to put their new-found skills into practice.

Experienced participants, men and women who currently play Gaelic football or who have played in the past, can compete with their company for The Irish American Cup.

Their resident experts, former stars of the game, will be on hand to coach each team throughout the tournament, adding spice to what promises to be an exciting day of competitive fun.

Don't miss this rare opportunity to experience the excitement of our national games at this exclusive event while helping to make a real difference to the lives of others.

Visit www.gpa.splashthat.com for more details.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 11:26 AM | Permalink

By Charley Brady

"It's strange how paranoia can link up with reality now and then." - Philip K. Dick

Back in January of this year former policeman Niall O'Connor contributed an excellent article to the Sunday World newspaper. For various reasons the idea of cutting the budget on panic alarms for the elderly had caught my attention. So it was with interest that I noticed Mr. O'Connor's talk of the "panicked efforts to try and meet the destructive budget of the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter".

In the course of his article Mr. O'Connor expanded on this. He wrote:

"It is horrific to think that a 96-year-old Donegal woman, Greta Lily, can be beaten in her home, that an elderly brother and sister can be attacked on their farm twice in one week near Kinsale in South Cork. It is mindless to think that the budget for the critical provision of panic alarms to elderly people can be reduced from €2.45 million last year to €1.15 million this year.

"I will never forget the look of relief on the face of a man in his 80s when I forced the door of his home after he suffered a fall. When he regained consciousness he couldn't get back on his feet so he pressed his panic alarm around his neck and a colleague and I responded to the call.

"He told me: 'It's okay - I knew you were coming.'

"The budget cuts are taking away Irish citizens' belief in their security - Mr. Shatter and his colleagues are creating a kind of passive anarchy where only the criminals will benefit... I am not lying when I say that [morale] is at rock bottom with [the Gardai].

"Morale is low Minister Shatter because promises you and politicians made to An Garda Siochana in years gone by have been discovered to be just white lies to get you and others re-elected".

You could not state it much more baldly than that. The only thing that I would disagree with Mr. O'Connor on there is that they can be passed off as 'white lies'. To me, since they concern the safety of our elderly - something that in this day and age they should be able to take for granted - they are instead lies of the very blackest sort. And come from the very blackest hearts.

By coincidence Niall O'Connor had made his remarks in the same week that I returned to writing for the Irish Examiner USA after a break of a couple of years. In that first article Alan Shatter was very much on my mind, and I wrote at the time:

As I write this on Monday morning I hear that the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter - a man with a smug face that you would never ever tire of punching - is perhaps about to do a U-turn on taking away panic alarm buttons from old age pensioners. What a guy; what a Prince amongst Men. Shatter, it doesn't matter now. You actually considered doing it. What happened? Did something actually penetrate that thick skull of yours or did your own Masters just tell you that maybe it was a step too far?

Shatter, these people are our elders. They raised us and paid taxes and worked hard for this country over decades. How bloody dare you even think that you can treat them like disposable hankies at a time in life when they should be able to take things a little bit easier? We owe them, you insensitive clod. Don't you get that?

The following month, in the second week in February Shatter (along with the guy you in America have been feting lately, Taoiseach Enda Kenny) was again on my mind and I had this to say:

Taoiseach Enda Kenny has sat in the Dail since the seventies. That is far too long a time to be cosseted and still cling onto any ideals he may have once had. It is not simply because of the legal and monetary ramifications that will arise out of him making an apology to those who slaved and were abused in the Magdalene Laundries, that he is keeping so quiet; it is not because he seems unable to convincingly utter a genuine word without a script written for him; it is not because he has shown himself over and over to be weak on our behalf. It is far worse than just being a person with no spine. I'm sure that he loves his family and is kind to small animals. But he no longer understands the person in the street. How could he? In other words there is simply no feeling of empathy any more. He has been a part of this rotten system for too long to be able to relate in any meaningful way. The same goes for the appalling, lying Justice Minister Alan Shatter or Michael Noonan and indeed for any number of them. (I won't include Phil Hogan as I doubt that he ever had anything except a puffed-up bullying sense of his own importance.)

It is now simply impossible to believe anything - anything at all - that comes out of their mouths. Here, and it is just an example amongst many, is Alan Shatter speaking passionately in the Dail in December of 2009:

"Does the Taoiseach intend to introduce legislation in the New Year to amend the redress board legislation to extend it to those who suffered barbaric cruelty in the Magdalene Laundries? The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform now has irrefutable evidence that the state colluded in sending young women to what were then known as the Magdalene Asylums. They ended up in the Magdalene Laundries and were treated appallingly. Some of them have never recovered from the manner in which they were treated and their lives have been permanently blighted.

"Initially in this house the Minister for Education and Science denied that the State had any involvement in this. There is now absolutely irrefutable evidence as a consequence of court records that have been examined by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform that the State was directly complicit in many women being placed in these totally inappropriate circumstances."

The underlines are mine; the text is Alan Shatter; but it was Alan Shatter in Opposition. Here was the same man, only different because he is now Justice Minister himself and in power, explaining last week why he, Kenny and their cronies couldn't apologise:

"The story is more complicated... It's not as simple as that [saying sorry]. What the report shows is that approximately 26% of the residents from 1922 onwards went into the Magdalene Laundries through a number of different routes, some through the court system, some through the social services; some were former residents in industrial schools. It also shows that there were a considerable number who were taken to the Laundries by their own families and left there... This is a very complicated story and there are a number of issues. What we want to do now is reflect on this very comprehensive report and give individuals and the different groups an opportunity to respond to it."

Spot the difference, anyone? One is contemptible fake, phoney outrage whilst in Opposition; the other is a damage limitation exercise when in Government. And haven't they become great guys for reflecting on everything? It's only a couple of weeks ago that Kenny was 'reflecting' on a judge's decision to grant bail to a man who had admitted to years of raping his daughter. Now we have this yoke telling us he needs a bit of the oul' reflection time. He didn't sound as if he needed to do much reflecting in 2009 when he was mouthing out of him about 'irrefutable evidence' and 'State collusion'.

This is a mournful discovery: 1) Those who agree with you are insane. 2) Those who disagree with you are in power. -Philip K. Dick

This morning I was chatting to an acquaintance, a serving policeman. Inevitably the conversation, light though it was, came around to Shatter's extraordinary performance on live television last week where in the midst of a debate with the ghastly Mick Wallace, Independent TD he suddenly announced that he had been 'advised' that Wallace had been caught on the phone whilst driving - just like his Independent pal and crony Mick 'Ming' Flanagan - and that the Guard had used his discretion to make a decision to just let the whole matter drop.

I was telling my acquaintance that, despite my utter contempt for Flanagan and a lot worse for tax-evader Wallace, it seemed beyond doubt to prove that our Minister for Justice was using his very privileged position to keep useful information on politicians - and for all we knew, private citizens - who were hostile to him. I confess I was smiling at myself a bit as I said it, thinking Ah, too much of the old Philip Dick, Brady. Of course I couldn't resist going a bit further and adding: "You know, you and your pals ought to watch what you're saying about your own Justice Minister. A hell of a lot of you haven't exactly hidden the fact that you can't stand him. For all that you know he might have a bloody great big dossier on you."

"Oh, I don't know", he answered. "It's just as likely that there's a file on you somewhere. You've said a lot of bad things about him in those New York and Chicago papers and you've been sniping at him on your website as well." We left it at that, grinning and kidding about the insanity of being paranoid about an Irish Minister... for Justice. We were still a long way from living in '1984', after all. And yet...

There are at least a couple of seriously heavy, honest and genuinely influential journalists in Ireland who have not been nice to Mr. Shatter. What IS to stop him - since he has now proven himself capable of doing it with political enemies - from holding onto some damaging information that might just come in handy in the future.

For myself, I'm a freelancer and simply not important enough to even be on the radar; but if I was then it is a simple fact that, no more than anyone else, I have not always led a life that would be squeaky clean. Nothing major, perhaps; but there is always enough on ANYONE to embarrass them; and the very fact that ordinary Irish people are thinking along those lines about someone who is in theory supposed to have their welfare at heart is... well, a little worrying, don't you think?

The former Minister of Defence Willie O'Dea said:

"A lot of sensitive information of individuals comes into their possession, by virtue of their jobs.

"What the Minister for Justice in this instance seems to have done... is deliberately, and quite calculatedly, used this information to down a political opponent."

And United Left TD Clare Daly said:

"Where did Minister Shatter get this information? Did he seek it? Was he given it? How much information does he have on the rest of us? This is like Orwell's Big Brother. How many files does he have on other T.D.s?"

Now I must say here that I have little time for Ms. Daly and far less for Weasel Willie. That doesn't mean that the questions they pose are not legitimate ones. And writing in Sunday's Independent, Fianna Fail spokesman for Justice Niall Collins put it: "Like so many people, I was gobsmacked at the blatant and disturbing abuse of ministerial power I saw on last Thursday night's 'Prime Time' programme. Even for a notoriously out-of-touch minister, it was an appalling moment of shocking arrogance. If this is deemed acceptable by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, we are witnessing the dark side of a Government that sees itself as untouchable."

The questions that this episode brings up are countless; but surely we have to be asking how he got this information and was it given willingly - and if so, by whom? It doesn't bear thinking about that a state police force and a political system could get too cosy with each other. By God, we could look forward to some interesting 'independent' inquiries then, as if they're not dodgy enough as it is. And to their credit the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors were quick to slam Shatter's bullish decision to put his information into the public domain in order to humiliate even a creep like tax dodger Mick Wallace. In fact what annoys me most is that this is going to give him some sympathy with the feeble-minded.

What was highly amusing for those of us who can't stand the man and certainly don't give any credence to his brain-power is that the implications at the time seem to have eluded him. On the show it was left to interviewer Pat Kenny to ask him:

"By the way, are you not concerned that the minister should know about your private business with the gardai?" To which the seemingly oblivious Wallace replied: "I'm not. I'm not remotely worried about what he knows about me."

Oh dear. Well, scruffy Mick might not have had a clue as to how serious it was but someone was obviously very quick to wise the sap up after the show. And that's when he came out all indignant. Of course, in a sane country we wouldn't have been seeing this at all because Wallace would have been in jail months ago instead of still sitting in the Dail making a show of us.

And Shatter? Well, he has so far (Monday morning as I write this) reacted in the only manner he knows how, and summed up by that word that has quickly become synonymous with him: arrogantly.

When asked if he would be resigning he snapped back: "Is that a joke?"

And the sad and disquieting thing is that it might as well be. Of course he is going to treat us with his customary contempt because we have a Taoiseach who would rather be swanning around Europe playing Angela Merkel's pet poodle. We have a Taoiseach who would rather be in Boston receiving an honorary doctorate: Dr. Enda Kenny, Jesus wept!

So no, I'm not going to be looking at Arrogant Shatter handing in his resignation any time soon.

As to Dr. Kenny, any chance you could keep him over there since you admire his (German) austerity policies so much? Come to think of it, here's an experiment: take side silhouette images of four of his greatest political pushers of 'austerity' in Ireland: Michael Noonan, Pat Rabbitte, Phil Hogan and James Reilly. Line them up in front of each other and you have something that looks like an outing to an Alfred Hitchcock convention. Take a look at those big red faces and those bulging guts. NOW tell me about tightening my belt!

You can vent your spleen on me at chasbrady7@eircom.net or upset yourselves further by visiting my very politically correct blog on www.charleybrady.com

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 12:49 PM | Permalink

Amlin Challenge Cup Final: Leinster Rugby 34 Stade Francais Paris 13

Leinster made it four European titles in five years as they swept Stade Francais aside to lift the Amlin Challenge Cup at the RDS.

Man-of-the-match Jonathan Sexton led the province to the first leg of a possible league and European double, with the RaboDirect PRO12 final to come next week.

Joe Schmidt's men produced a first half performance of clinical efficiency, the fruits of it being a trio of converted tries from Ian Madigan, Sean Cronin and Rob Kearney.

Stade Francais were unable to transfer a 69% share of possession into points, although Jérome Porical's second successful penalty cut the gap to 21-6 by half-time.

Sexton's right boot kept the scoreboard ticking over with a brace of penalties around the hour mark, which were replied to by a well-taken Jérémy Sinzelle try.

But fittingly Leinster, oozing class off limited ball, reeled off a final try when replacement Cian Healy bulldozed his way over with just a minute left.

In adding the Challenge Cup trophy their three recent Heineken Cup triumphs, Leinster have also given a boost to Connacht whose Heineken Cup place is secure for next season.

Leinster sliced opened the Stade defence inside the opening three minutes, Isaac Boss' inviting inside pass sending Isa Nacewa through a gap and Sexton and Madigan were up in support to finish off the move under the posts.

Sexton converted to break through the 1,000-point barrier in Leinster colours, handing the hosts the ideal start in the Dublin evening sunshine.

Stade's forwards built a platform for a strong response. David Lyons and captain Sergio Parisse combined to force a turnover and Nacewa had to be on his toes to keep Jules Plisson out.

As the pace quickened, Stade showed good poise in possession with both sides determined to play with width and exploit any space.

Excellent defence from Sean O'Brien and Sexton held Paul Williams up as Stade attacked off a close-in lineout, but Leinster's ability to strike from first phase ball was soon evident again.

Despite exerting a good deal of pressure, Stade's vulnerability in defense was ruthlessly exposed once more when Boss clipped an intelligent kick over the top, Andrew Conway beat Julien Dupuy to the ball and passed swiftly for the supporting Cronin to charge in behind the posts.

Sexton's simple conversion was answered to by Porical's opening penalty, just reward for some strong carrying around the fringes from the likes of Parisse and former Trinity College captain Scott LaValla.

However, another high quality attack set up try number three for the home side.

Nacewa collected Sexton's kick out to the left and he sent full-back Kearney diving over in the corner.

Sexton added the extras from wide out, making it three converted tries from as many attacks in the Stade 22. Porical landed a long range penalty in injury-time to close out the first half's scoring.

The introduction of ex-Munster man Paul Warwick helped Stade make a lively start to the second period, although Leinster continued to make the greater yardage when in possession.

Sexton knocked a left-sided penalty through the posts to keep his home province on course, with the hard-working Jack McGrath making way for Healy as the hour mark approached.

Handing errors blighted Stade's attempts to strike in the Leinster 22 and with Healy forcing a scrum penalty, Sexton launched over another three points in the 63rd minute.

Within three minutes, Stade had hit back with their only try of the night. Hugo Bonneval put fellow winger Sinzelle over in the right corner, having drawn in two defenders in impressive fashion.

Plisson landed the conversion to reduce the arrears to 14 points before Leinster went close to claiming a fourth try, with Kearney denied by a foot in touch during a sparkling solo raid up the left.

However, there was no doubt about Healy's powerful burst from close range and lunge for the line, the Lions tourist sealing a very satisfying victory for the hosts.

Sexton converted to finish with a 14-point personal haul, and the influential out-half had the honour of receiving the trophy alongside the retiring Nacewa at the presentation afterwards.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:10 PM | Permalink

I have been jumping on and off aeroplanes for the last month and unlike in days past when the passenger next to you would introduce him or herself to you, now there is only a wall of silence.

The telltale that says "do not intrude" is a pair or wires hanging out of the ears of the other passenger.

Then the laptop appears to let the world around know that they are too busy to talk to anyone.

If you happen to be trying to take your seat that happens to be by the window be prepared for the devil stare that says "how dare you be late on this flight and interrupt me".

Mind you in this situation, no words are spoken unlike in days gone by, when there was a smile, and a sorry can I help you.

What in the world are we coming to when people can't smile or say hallo to each other?

It is the same when I travel on the trains, these days I am surrounded by IPods, MiPads, and every device under the sun that stops people communicating in person.

When I interviewed that wonderful Irish actor Niall Toibin for this paper some years ago, he voiced his concern about exactly what I am talking about here - the lack of personal contact and eyeballing one another.

Niall told me that day, that his life and art was all about being able to communicate with people.

When I met with Niall at the Clontarf Court Hotel in Dublin for that interview the first thing he said to me was, "when you phone me in future Mike, please don't leave a long message on my answering machine, because when we catch up you won't have anything to tell me and I would sooner hear it from you rather than listen to my machine for the story".

He went on to tell me answering machines were a blight on society because they made people lazy, no need to talk just leave a message, "how sad" he said.

This era sees children spending far too many hours behind computer screens with iPods stuck in their ears and tuned into another world while ignoring the one they are in at the time.

The art of conversation will be gone if they continue down the pathway they are on.

Look at what is happening with the messaging in texting, 'c u later', 'ho ar u' and so on.

It will not be long before we lose the art of spelling and writing if we continue to go down this road either.

If texting and all of the other forms of communications are to continue, without the spoken word how will we communicate with God?

Does anyone know if he has an iPhone or MiPad? If he doesn't, how do we get one to him.

Maybe when Aunt Mable kicks the bucket she can take some with her.

Hold on a minute I might just have stumbled on to something here.

Why not give Aunt Mable a couple of dozen of the new fangley dangley iPhones and iPads then we should be able to communicate with those who went before us and that would put a nail in the coffin of all those shonky psychics.

How refreshing would that be to be able to talk to all those who went before us?

Just imaging getting on the I phone and texting your great great grandfather 'Ho ar U G pa'.

Oh, I forgot to mention he may not understand text lingo so you would have to revert to the old conversation style of, "how are you doing great, great Granddad did the mother-in-law call in to see you last week?"

Now I'm not sure of the answer you might get but I'd be very surprised if the reply was yes she did great, great grandson.

I have always wanted to know why Napoleon had his hand stuck in his jacket; I have heard a rumour that he was holding his you know what, but I would like to know from himself and a quick call on an iPhone to him would solve my curiosity.

I would also like to have a quite word with JC as to when he might be expecting to see me knocking on his door.

If I had an answer to that, it would solve a lot of my worries; I could then apply for a new American Express card to spend on a going away party for friends and relatives. I think I would want to throw as big a party as American Express could afford.

They could send the bill to me when I'm in heaven and if I didn't pay it, well they could talk to me on the new communications systems that Aunt Mable brought with her.

You know what, I wouldn't have them hanging on the line for hours telling them that I know their call is important to me.

No sir I would be straight on to it telling them that, the payment is in the system and a cheque will be in the post in due course. How's that for efficiency?

Of course, I do understand that this new communications with the beyond may not suit some people such as those who may have a story that may be better untold.

I can see where there might be problems also such as a disgruntled wife, one who would like to hound the grumpy old husband beyond the grave.

Or a situation where a husband had been telling a faithful wife for thirty years plus that she and she alone was the apple of his eye and then after his passing the faithful wife found he was picking more than a few apples off some other trees; I'm sure the apple picker would not want to take a call from the faithful wife in those circumstances.

No point in him telling her that he didn't want the other apples to go stale, don't think that answer would wash to well with the faithful wife. Try telling that story in reverse.

The major problem I see with the road that communications is going down is, by the time my time comes to depart this world I will have to get a coffin the size of Wembley Stadium to bring all my electronics with me.

I have two iPhones, two iPads, two computers, a full telephone system at home and office and if I have to take all that with me I might as well take my five electric and two acoustic guitars along with my piano and all the other musical instruments I have just to keep me out of trouble.

I should mention I am assuming that there will be a good signal in the beyond and I do hope my assumptions are right.

If there is a awful reception or, even worse if there is no reception, I have spent a lot of time talking about nothing that is relevant to either of us and I just may as well have spent my time getting a sun tan on my porch on this lovely day Downunder.

However by the time my time comes to knock on JC's door there will probably be an Apple store in the beyond.

Until I text or talk to you again soon be good to those who love you and Slainte from Downunder.

You can catch me on mbowen@afsvic.com.au

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:16 PM | Permalink