Irish Examiner USA

The High Kings rock. Traditionally. That is, they rock trad music. They play great old pub songs and classic tunes so that they appeal to those with only the most glancing interest in trad--yet their arrangements are so straightforward and muscular that trad music fans can love them too.

They're really unique on the Irish music scene--the closest to them might be the all-girl group Screaming Orphans (I wrote about them here on May 21st), who also play beloved bar songs with a rocker energy.

You could see the range of their appeal by the diverse crowd attending the final show of their brief August tour (in support of the new album, Memory Lane) at Connolly's in New York on Thursday, August 19th.

Crowding the front of the room near the stage were young girls, shrieking at the lads onstage. In the middle of the room were trad musicians and friends--including singer Aoife Clancy, whose brother Finbarr plays guitar with the band, and comedienne Fiona Walsh, a regular on Sundays at Seven at the Irish Arts Center.

Towards the back of the room and at chairs at the bar were older fans of this music, who knew all the words not only to "Black Velvet Band" and "Fields of Athenry" but also to "On Raglan Road", with lyrics by the poet Patrick Kavanagh, first recorded by the Dubliners.

You can see why they'd make an appropriate opening act for Celtic Woman (they have toured with them, and are produced also by David Downes), but the boys come from a trad and rock background, less theatre and classical, than the Women. On their website, they declare that they are following in the tradition of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

The thing is, they actually are.

What the Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem did so beautifully back in the day was resurrect Irish songs and make them popular. Their arrangements sound a little dated now (though wonderful in their own right).

The High Kings take these songs and infuse them with 21st century energy and drive. It's a delight to hear them--and it fills a real gap. It's actually not all that easy to find a great, upbeat version of a standard like "Whiskey in the Jar" that is not either old-fashioned or punk. The High Kings throw energy at the music but not too much attitude, so that the songs come out "straight." They welcome in everyone who likes the song.

Martin Furey, of the Fureys, plays guitar, banjo, and whistles with the band. Brian Dunphy has starred in Riverdance and performed as one of the Three Irish Tenors. He plays bodhran. Darren Holden played The Piano Man on Broadway in Movin' Out (Twyla Tharp choreography to the music of Billy Joel), starred in Riverdance, and was part of Boyzone. He plays accordion with the band.

All of them sing, often in four-part harmony.

You may have noticed there's no fiddle. It's a guitar-based band, percussion supplied by heels tapping on wood and by bodhran. Those multiple guitars supply a real rock energy.

They played 22 songs at Connollys, taking an intermission, then played three more as an encore. They opened with the high energy "Step It Out Mary," and went into "Marie's Wedding," getting everyone singing along. Really impressive though was the purity they brought to the acapella rendering of "My Cavan Girl": with the four part harmony you could really hear the clarity of each fine voice. "Black Velvet Band" and "Rocky Road to Dublin" brought the energy up again, and there were patriotic numbers too, naturally, including "The Rising of the Moon," which closed the first set.

The second half of the show was a little more pensive in tone, though it opened with a lively "Finnegan's Wake." The anti-war song by Eric Bogle "The Green Fields of France" (also known as "No Man's Land") is a tear-jerker, and their harmonies and simplicity kept it all the more moving (it works less well, in my opinion, when it's "milked," here it wasn't.

I haven't heard as nice a rendition of "The Leaving of Liverpool" since the grand finale of the "Absolutely Irish" filming at Irish Arts Center in 2007 (singers included Karan Casey, Susan McKeown, Mick Moloney), and following it with "Will You Go Lassie Go" worked beautifully.

I was delighted they included "The Parting Glass" as their final encore - it was a favorite of the late Liam Clancy (Finbarr's uncle). I've been nagging Screaming Orphans to learn it for years. The song, which is also in the film Waking Ned Devine, is on the High Kings debut album. It sounded just perfect, in that pub setting, with those voices crooning - somehow they made it both brand new and traditional. It's what they do so well.

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

Check out our Digital Edition for our special Enterprise and Entrepreneurship supplements in co-operation with Enterprise Ireland Americas, featuring the hottest companies doing business in Ireland and the USA

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:29 AM | Permalink

A 12-year-old girl has been murdered and her partially clothed body dumped beside a canal in west Dublin.

It's believed she was strangled, and detectives are investigating a possible sexual element to her killing.

Gardai arrested a 19-year-old man who presented himself to Blanchardstown Garda Station on Saturday night with his father beside him.

He was being questioned on suspicion of assault, although the investigation is a full murder inquiry.

The victim, Michaela Davis, had just started secondary school - she attended her first classes on Wednesday last.

She was out with friends on Friday evening and returned home.

But shortly after midnight she left home again, telling her parents that she was going to meet a friend.

When she failed to return home by 2.30am, her parents notified Gardai and a major search operation was launched.

Gardai called to the home of some of her friends to see if they knew of her whereabouts, and the Garda helicopter was employed in the search which continued through Saturday.

Her body was discovered by a man out walking his dog on Saturday afternoon at around 4pm.

It was in deep undergrowth close to the Porterstown Gate in Blanchardstown on the Royal Canal.

It's not clear if she was killed where she was found - Gardai found her bicycle at a second location a short distance away.

Gardai believe Michaela had recently befriended a group of teenagers much older than her from the local area.

One theory is that Michaela was being sexually exploited by the teenage boys and young men, possibly on the promise of cigarettes and alcohol.

The murder of a child is extremely rare in Ireland, and the incident has shocked the community.

Gardai have assured residents in the area that they believe this was an isolated incident.

"There will be sense of fear, a sense of tension. But from the point of view of the Gardai, the community can be assured that everything is being done," said Supt John Gilligan.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:31 AM | Permalink

The government agency responsible for managing Ireland's debt, the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) raised €600m on world markets this week without any problems.

That's despite a crushing blow from international ratings agency Standard & Poor's, who downgraded Ireland's rating from AA to AA- less than 48 hours earlier.

The result of that was a dramatic increase in the cost of long-term borrowing, which rose to record levels.

The decision also catapulted Ireland back onto international finance headlines once again.

S&P downgraded Ireland's rating blaming the cost of bailing out the banks, and the cost of NAMA for its decision.

It also put Ireland on a "negative" outlook, which means it could consider downgrading Ireland further in the near future.

The two other big ratings agencies - Moodys and Fitch - have Ireland on a "stable" outlook, which means a change is unlikely over the next 18 months.

But in a highly unusual and rare move, the NTMA came out fighting - publicly questioning the S&P analysis and criticising their figures as flawed.

This kind of public challenge to one of the world's biggest ratings agencies is almost unheard of in financial sectors - and analysts are split over whether it was a wise move.

NTMA chief executive John Corrigan said: "It's something we don't like to do but there comes a point when the analysis is just not robust."

He said S&P's estimate of the cost of fixing the banking system was at "the extreme end of any analyst's comment".

He claimed that S&P were viewing the property loans transferred to NAMA as worthless, when clearly that had some value.

Within hours of S&P's decision the cost of borrowing money had risen dramatically for Ireland.

Governments sell bonds on international markets when they want to raise money - these are essentially 10-year-long IOUs, the interest rate reflects the buyers confidence in the State's ability to repay.

These buyers look to the international ratings agencies to give them guidance on how secure their investment is - so when an agency downgrades Ireland, it means a higher interest rate will be charged.

Despite fears that plans to raise money on Thursday would be affected by last Tuesday's decision, the NTMA's raised €600m with ease.

They raised the money through the sale of Treasury Bills, or T-Bills, which are short-term funding, that usually have to be repaid within months rather than years.

The offer was oversubscribed six times over - and, in fact, the interest rates were lower than they were for the previous sale two weeks earlier.

Experts say it shows investors see value in Irish securities.

Ireland's rating is now at its lowest since 1995, but it remains higher than six other Euro area countries, including Italy, Portugal and Greece.

However, the cost of borrowing is still very high for Ireland, with yields for long-term bonds second only to Greece.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:35 AM | Permalink

GAA Football All Ireland Senior Championship 2010 Semi-Final: Kildare 1-14 Down 1-16

Down are through to the final of the 2010 GAA Football All-Ireland Championship - where they will play Cork - after a dramatic 1-16 to 1-14 semi-final defeat of Kildare at Croke Park on Sunday.

In a breathless finale, Kildare, trailing by two points deep into injury time, had a late opportunity to win the game with what was the last kick of the game, but Robert Kelly's free kick from the 21-yard line was touched onto the cross bar by Kalum King, one of a string of Down men guarding the line.

"We worked so hard this year, we weren't going to throw it away there in the last 10 seconds. I think Kalum (King) got a touch on it, but we weren't going to let the ball into the net," said Benny Coulter, the Down captain.

The harum scarum finish came after Kildare substitute David Lyons had two shots blocked by a thicket of Down defenders. Referee Pat McEnaney had hopped the ball, waving away Kildare's penalty claims after a defender appeared to flop on the loose ball.

Down had dominated for much of the game, always maintaining a four to five-point buffer, until the closing stages when a brilliant pair of points from Hugh Lynch closed the gap to two in stoppage time.

The late drama could - and probably should - have been avoided from a Down point of view had Martin Clarke, who was superb throughout, uncharacteristically missed a free deep into injury time.

Down led by 1-9 to 0-7 at the break after Coulter's controversial goal had given the Mourne men an early lead. Down increased their lead to seven points at one stage in the second half and appeared to be cruising into the final when a 58th minute Eamonn Callaghan goal fired Kildare's late comeback.

As expected, Dermot Earley failed to take his place in the Kildare starting line-up. Hugh Lynch, arguably Kildare's best performer on the day, stepped into the breach in midfield. To say it was a blow would be an exaggeration, as the Lilywhites were fully prepared to go into battle without their leader.

The Lilywhites played with the stiff breeze in the first half, and the difficulty it would cause their forwards was apparent when they kicked two wides in the opening minutes. Callaghan, however, had no such trouble with the elements, sending Kildare into the lead with a looping shot in the third minute. Further wides followed before James Kavanagh steadied Kildare's nerves with their second point.

Down's first incision came on nine minutes. It came from an unlikely source in Kevin McKernan, who stormed up the field from centre-back to slice a point over the bar with the outside of his boot. He'd do something similar five minutes later.

In between, the Mourne men pillaged an opportunists' goal. It came straight from their well-thumbed playbook. Martin Clarke hit a long ball (it was in all likelihood a shot at goal) into the full-forward line where Coulter challenged with Peter Kelly and Shane McCormack, got to the ball first and fisted to the empty net. There was a hint of square ball, but referee McEnaney consulted with his umpires and the trio were happy that the green flag had been correctly raised.

McKernan then grabbed his second score of the afternoon, this time curling one over from a tight angle just under the Hogan Stand. When Poland added a free, Down were 1-3 to 0-3 ahead, having trailed by two early on.

Kildare took less than four minutes to draw level. Morgan O'Flaherty popped up in attack to lend support to his, at times, isolated team-mates. Johnny Doyle followed his lead, pitching in with two points, one from play, the second from a placed ball.

It took 25 minutes, but the Down swagger that was in evidence in their quarter-final win over Kerry came started to show. Their midfield was in total control, prompting Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney to take off Daryl Flynn, in trouble as early as the third minute with a back problem, and replace him with Ronan Sweeney on the half hour mark. By then, Peter Fitzpatrick, in for the injured Ambrose Rogers, had shown his value to Down's cause by dominating the midfield battle.

Kildare were slow to release the ball in defence and were putting themselves under intense pressure at the back. Down's forwards were happy to take advantage of any mistakes. Callaghan misplaced a handpass and Martin Clarke pounced, driving the ball over the bar.

James McCartan's men finished the half with three more points without reply. The first would have come with the Down manager's approval. McKernan scythed through the Lilywhites' defence and laid the ball off for Paul McComiskey, who opted to fist over the bar when a goal was on the cards.

The Mourne men weren't finished just yet. Dan Hughes added his second of the day, beating Emmett Bolton on the outside for pace and then making light of the tight angle to send his side four points. Coulter then kicked the score of the game with the outside of his right boot to leave his side 1-9 to 0-7 ahead at half-time.

Down were the first to raise their heads in a scrappy start to the second half. Martin Clarke applied the finish from a placed ball after Hugh McGrillen had fouled Coulter when beaten for pace.

Having conceded five successive points, Kildare finally ended a 14-minute spell without a score when Bolton took advantage of a Conor Garvey mistake. A minute later and Kildare's rewards should have been much greater. Alan Smith's quick hand pass to Callaghan sent the Naas man clear, but his shot hit a post and came back into play. Eoghan O'Flaherty blasted the rebound wide.

Down were wont to catch fire at times in attack and they enjoyed just such a period of dominance at the start of the final quarter. A Martin Clarke free and a fine effort from Conor Maginn prefaced the score of the game. Martin Clarke picked out a sublime crossfield pass for the onrushing Kalum King, who took the ball in his stride but blasted over the bar when the goal was on. Nonetheless, Down were seven points clear and apparently coasting to a late September date with Cork.

Kildare broke up the field and James Kavanagh broke a high ball for Callaghan, who made no mistake this time, drilling the ball past Brendan McVeigh. A pair of Hugh Lynch scores from play reduced the gap to just three with five minutes left. A Ronan Murtagh score for Down gave the Morne men some breathing space, but Kildare were far from finished.

John Doyle's free and David Lyons' point from play set up a thrilling finish. And then the drama!

A high ball into a crowded area found Kavanagh, who was fouled. His quick fed Lyons, who shot at goal immediately but his effort was blocked by a thicket of red and black shirts. The rebound fell to him and again he was blocked before a Down defender fell on the ball.

Referee McEnaney decided to throw in the ball and amid the mayhem Kildare were then awarded a free. With the clock almost at the 75th minute, Robert Kelly stood up to take the free from his hands, as the entire Down team lined the goal, but his shot, touched by Kalum King on the line, crashed off the bar. Game over.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:46 AM | Permalink

"Sometimes, Christians can get over-attached to a building, furniture, a form of words, the organ, or a particular style of hymn. I hope that others see that, for us, people and their connection both with each other and Jesus Christ are the most important parts of being a church."
- from a pamphlet by land-grabber Vicar Guy Chave-Cox

By Charley Brady

In this world that we exist in; in this world that is so beautiful when you take a walk around Galway Bay; in this world that has so much to offer us and not the other way around I wonder, I just wonder.

Like Miracleman, sometimes I just wonder.

This morning I went for a long walk along the Bay and was yet again mesmerised by the sheer wonderful feeling that a person gets when they see things that are just so absolutely perfect.

There's a lot of bad things about any country, of course there is; but there is a peacefulness in this island that we sometimes just don't get and yet we should be in tune with.

Yeah, I know what you're thinking: the next thing is that I'll be waving prayer beads in the air and doing some chanting to the nonexistent Gods. You needn't worry because that will never happen. When you're dead, you're dead and that's the end of it.

Yet I was looking today at the crab apples growing just next to where I live and I couldn't help but think that this strange planet of ours produces things that it would take a genius to come up with.

It's that simple: you look at a sunset (especially around here) and you find yourself choked at the back of your throat because it is just so perfect. There are the colours and the light that makes those colours even more beautiful than they already are.

OK, I'm going to sicken you now because any long term readers of this column know that I'm just a smarmy and sarcastic git, but I sat back and looked at a rainbow just a couple of days ago. A bloody rainbow, for crying out loud. It was just a rainbow but I was mesmerised.

So many memories came back to me. They were memories going back to where life hadn't kicked the s*** out of me; they were memories of when I used to ride my bike everywhere at the age of twelve.

They were memories of when an apple tasted like an apple, when we left the windows open all the time and never thought of locking the doors. They were memories of when my first pair of long trousers was a girl's trousers with the zip up the side because my parents couldn't afford the pair that I wanted.

Because of that shagging rainbow the memories just came flooding back.

My old man arriving in of an evening and trundling the brothers and myself down to the beach to go swimming. What a guy. Most fathers came home from work and went off down to the pub, but not Tom.

It wasn't until after he had died that we found his little notebooks of poetry. I sat there after his funeral, reading them and I just cried, because it was a part of his life that I knew bugger all about.

I never cried at the funeral, mind you, because he went in the whole of his health (the usual contradiction) and just the way he would have wanted to go; but I did cry afterwards because his poetry was something that he had kept hidden from us. There was one on the birth of his first-born in 1959 - myself - that I keep to me because I feel I must have been such a huge disappointment to him in later years.

Where Tom had a love for people I just always had anger: where he believed in redemption I just always believed in vengeance. One thing is for sure: it hasn't made me a happier person. Tom was a happy man throughout his whole life.

I'm not sure that I could say he had friends but he didn't NOT have friends, if that makes any sense. His best friend was my Mother.

His big interests were Celtic football team and the history of the American Indians.

Jeez, the place was full of Indian statuettes and paintings. To my mind he had a sentimentalised view of the way that they lived. If the Old Man had been twenty years younger I would probably say that he had a kind of New Age view of them.

But that was my Dad, and I wouldn't have swapped him for anything.

He died at the age of 74, doing what he always loved: helping people. At that time he was working in a hospital that took care of "old people" as he put it, never being one to see that he was old himself at that stage.

I never visit his grave since he is not there, but occasionally I do visit the well that the hospital put up with his name on it. Something tells me that this is where he would most like to be remembered.

I often think of what a bane I must have been on the Old Man. For example, when I was a kid all I was interested in was books and theatre. He couldn't get his head around this (which is why we were all stunned to find that he had been secretly writing poetry all those years) and then when it came out that I had a talent for boxing, you never saw a guy so chuffed. He was just so delighted.

He was also over the moon, but trying not to show it, when I brought my first girlfriend, Isabel, home. I know that he was worried that I was swinging from the other side but in those days you just didn't talk about such things. So he was as happy as Larry that his son not only had a young lady but was also respected in the ring.

Strange days and I suppose we can laugh at them now, but back then it was a big deal that your son was going to the theatre and had even taken to wearing women's perfume. Daring at the time; and of course he didn't see that it was just to be controversial. I always liked winding him up.

God knows, I must have really upset that man at times.

Tom was a life-long Irish Republican and that was another bone of contention between us; but it wasn't until his funeral where so many turned up to say how he had helped them through tough times that my brothers and I just looked at each other in amazement, never having known the depths of the guy.

He was working down the mines at the age of 13, something that I can't even imagine, before getting out and joining the navy. He worked in the submarines in 1945 where he perforated an eardrum.

Yet one of the things that he did me a favour with is this: as a navy man he was covered in tattoos, one of them being to "Jean". Later, when he married my mother, this would always come back to haunt him. It taught me a valuable lesson: as often as I've thought of having a tattoo I never will. It's just not worth it.

Crikey, can you imagine being nagged on your choice of name for the rest of your natural?

So there you go: the Old Fella is off the twig these seven years now and life goes on.

Many thanks to editor Grahame by the way for allowing me this indulgence.

Tom, wherever your molecules are floating around at the moment, I miss you.

We would have something in common to be disgusted with this week, Dad, if you hadn't gotten that valve clamp on the old brain pan seven years ago. We would both be amazed as each other at the return of the despicable absentee landlords.

God knows you couldn't stand them, so you would have been appalled at the English vicar and his wife who have returned, like Spectres of Death in order to take their grubby money from deeds that reach back over two centuries

I'm talking about English vicar the Reverend Guy Chave-Cox and his wife Heather who have appeared out of the wild blue yonder last week in County Sligo in order to grasp ground rents from people who didn't even have a clue that they owed any.

This slimy excuse for a vicar, who of course isn't entitled to bugger all - but his wife is, supposedly - arrogantly proclaimed to the peasants of Sligo that:

"You know, I am a vicar and vicars are honest and clear about things. All we want is what's right and fair."

Well, it's not really quite as simple as that, is it Vicar? And by the way, proclaiming your ignorant self to the rooftops as a holier than thou Man of the Cloth cuts no damned ice with me at all. It just makes me all the more suspicious and dislike you all the more.

Let's get this straight and please correct me where I get it wrong, Vicar Chave-Cox and your impressive double-barrelled name. You are the vicar of a teeny little congregation in Devon, England. You left your calling as a sales rep after you had a more impressive calling from the Lord God Almighty, His Supreme Majesty Jesus the Christ Who told you to start teaching courses in how to be a better Christian.

Am I right so far, vicar? If I am not, then please take me to task because I myself have just had a vision this very second from Our Lord Morningstar telling me that what you are inflicting on the people of Rosses Point, Ireland is surely the most un-Christian thing that I've heard in a long time.

Even Morningstar thinks that you are a bad git and coming from Him that's really saying something.

You are actually talking about EVICTING Irish people from land that in many cases they have had for decades and more, never realising that there is Evil like you and your kind out stalking the hills.

And of course - surprise, surprise - this has nothing to do with him at all. It is his wife's "land" that he is suddenly interested in. Still with me, vicar? Can I get you a cup of tea while you're waiting? Your brother Alistair says that it's only because of your interest in genealogy - in between painting your water colours as a good vicar should - that you came across the idea of investigating your (wife's) legal options.

What happened, Vicar, with you and your ghastly wife? Did the money till behind your eyes suddenly go ching-ching?

The brother goes on to say: "It's a hereditary title passed either to Heather's mother or to Heather's father's line. It's an ancestral claim to the property which was all on penny rent... they have always known in Heather's family that they had the title to this land."

Yeah, but it took a smart operator like the vicar to push this to the fore, didn't it? This smacks of what the Scots put up with and what the Irish put up with and what the Welsh put up with only a century or so ago. Now that the solicitors' letters are flying from this unscrupulous pair of Christians I do wonder how they can sleep at night, knowing the anguish that they have caused in particular amongst the oldest in the community who believed that they had a home for life.

What next? Will the murderer Lord Lucan or his relatives return to demand ground rent from the Irish peasants?

One lady, who watched her neighbour being served with a warning to get out, said:

"It just seems so unfair that these people can waltz into the area and upset so many people like this. All this is just pure greed. People have worked hard to pay mortgages down through the years and now these people are coming in here because of some ancient ownership deal which they are trying to cash in on. This man calls himself a vicar. What kind of Christianity is it that warns people that they will be turfed out on the road if they do not pay up rent to the descendents of a man who died more than a century ago?"

And these people don't even need the money, not that it would matter to their cold hearts if they did.

And I think again about my father. I know what he would have had to say about it. Hope to see you all again next week.

Same bat-time!

Same bat-channel!

You can reach Charley at chasbrady7@eircom.net

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 1:49 AM | Permalink

Celtic manager Neil Lennon did not pull any punches after the club's 4-0 loss to FC Utrecht which eliminated them from the Europa League last Thursday telling reporters that he "never had any illusions about where we are. I was always wary of this tie but didn't think we would play as badly as that."

After a 2-0 win at Parkhead in the first leg, fans had every right to expect the Bhoys to be in the draw for the Group Stage held on Friday in Monaco, but poor defending and needless fouls allowed the Dutch to pile in the goals.

Within 20 minutes of the kick-off, Utrecht were already tied on aggregate, Ricky van Wolfswinkel having converted penalties from two needless fouls from Jos Hooiveld and goalkeeper Lukasz Zaluska.

He got his hat-trick in the opening stages of the second half with a nice curling shot from just outside the box and Barry Maguire fired a scorcher in to make it 4-0 in the 63rd minute.

This result means that Celtic have won just one away game in Europe out of the last 28 attempts - a record that stretches back to the Champions League qualifier against MTK Hungary in 2003.

Lennon was particularly upset that the team let Utrecht get the go-ahead goal so quickly after the restart: "At half-time we said we were still well in the tie. We just need to score a goal and they have to get two. But I was just about to get back in my seat when we were 3-0 down.

"It's just a poor performance overall and I take full responsibility for that myself. The first penalty was soft and for the second we shot ourselves in the foot."

Things went better in the weekend's match against Motherwell, a late penalty converted by Daryl Murphy - his first goal in the hoops - leaving the Bhoys sat atop the Scottish Premier League table, tied on points with Rangers but with a superior goal difference.

Striker Marc-Antoine Fortune has been signed by English Premier League outfit West Bromwich Albion on a two-year deal for an undisclosed sum.

The 29-year-old Guianan returns to the club where his spend five months on loan at the end of the 2008/9 season.

Since being signed to Celtic from Nancy last summer in a £3.8m deal, he has only scored 12 goals. "The great thing about this signing is that it won't take him long to settle in because he knows the club inside out. He also knows what this league is all about.

"Marco got on really well with the other players during his loan here and they're all delighted to see him back.

"He is a powerful striker who can hold the ball up and bring others into play and having also signed Peter Odemwingie last week, we now have plenty of competition up front."

On Thursday, BBC Scotland revealed that Hibs' board is to meet to discuss the proposed move on striker Anthony Stokes by Celtic.

According to the report, Stokes tops a shortlist of players being targeted by the Hoops, with Hapoel Tel Aviv's Itay Shechter also high on the list.

Asked about the report, manager Neil Lennon confirmed that "he's an option for us.

"He's a player we like but we have nothing more to say on that at the minute."

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:06 AM | Permalink

By Alicia Colon

Mexico is a beautiful country with many valuable resources. It's oil rich and has many sites of interest to tourists and archeologists. This gorgeous nation is being overrun by vicious drug cartels that are replicating the Taliban's methods of torture.

The Mexican military is ineffectual against these criminals and many of the police forces are alleged to be as corrupt as the cartels. So where are the Mexicans brave enough to fight for the return of their country to peace and prosperity? Apparently, most of them are in California and Arizona, flying the Mexican flag, trashing the Stars and Stripes, and calling for a revolution in America. What chutzpah!

Ever since the issue of illegal immigrants became a political football, there have been many such incidents of growing disrespect for the American flag.

In 2006, during a student protest at Montebello High School in California, the Mexican flag was flown above an upside-down Stars and Stripes. These incidents have caused many to charge that California is changing into Calexico.

Ron Gochez, a social studies teacher at Santee H.S. in Los Angeles, spoke to a La Raza rally at UCLA and called for a Mexican revolution in America to reclaim land allegedly stolen from Mexico. He said, "We are revolutionary Mexican organization here (sic). We understand that this is not just about Mexico. It's about a global struggle against imperialism and capitalism; at the forefront of this revolutionary movement is La Raza. We will no longer fall for these lies called borders. We see America as a northern front of a revolutionary movement. Our enemy is capitalism and imperialism."

His comments are typical of La Raza demagogues who rant Marxist mantras at rallies fomenting anti-American histrionics. This left-wing organization gets government funding, naturally, while claiming to represent the views of Hispanics. It does not but it's ironic how they can do this in the comfort and safety of America, far away from the killing fields near the Mexican border.

More recently and typically, a woman with a Mexican flag and a man ran onto the field at Petco Park while the Arizona Diamondbacks were batting against the San Diego Padres in the third inning. These "brave" rebels were protesting the Arizona immigration law.

You will not see the carnage in Mexico reported and debated on "Hardball" or other mainstream network news shows nor will the details be readily available in the pages of the New York Times or the Washington Post. These news sources have already taken the position of defending the illegal immigrants as deserving of amnesty. After all, we are a nation of immigrants, they say, leaving out the adjective "legal."

Thanks to the Internet, however, the truth is there with all the horrific images. The drug cartels are using the barbaric practice of beheading to silence their rivals in the drug trade or anyone not cooperating with them.

This past week, the bodies of four decapitated and mutilated men were left hanging at a bridge in Cuernavaca, Mexico, just south of Mexico City. Three severed heads were left in the plaza of the Mexican border town of Palomas. Worshippers headed for Mass discovered the heads, all males, which were left with a note accusing the victims of muscling in on the killers' extortion rackets. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the police chief in Columbus, N.M., Angelo Vega, said that three headless bodies were found south of Palomas in a burned-out SUV.

Car bombings, beheadings, body parts strewn across towns to intimidate the villagers from interfering in the drug deals: Is it unreasonable to suggest that the Mexican border has turned into Afghanistan West?

The headline on the Drudge Report revealed that 14 drug-related slayings were reported last week in different locations in the Pacific beach resort of Acapulco, the legendary tourist site for Americans. It is also a key transit point for narcotics, and, like the other murders, the bound and blindfolded victims were covered with messages threatening rival cartels. Is Cancun next?

The bodies of 72 people, alleged to have been migrants from Central and South America, wending their way through Mexico to the U.S. border, were found by Mexican marines after an encounter with gunmen at a ranch in Tamaulipas State.

Anyone interested in learning the truth about what's happening on our borders can Google the words "Mexican holocaust," but be warned, the images are very graphic.

This is happening to our neighbor and the Obama Justice Department is instead busy suing the State of Arizona and a local sheriff for racial profiling. Meanwhile, these drug cartels send illegals across the border as carriers of their illicit products. Members of these cartels set up shop in border towns in the U.S. Sanctuary cities in California and New York City allow these drug dealers to operate freely in the States, with their medical, education, housing, and food paid for by taxpayers.

I cringe whenever I read about the drug usage of celebrities such as Paris Hilton (recently caught with cocaine) and wonder if they ever think about how their recreational addiction is responsible for the deaths of innocent victims. How smug they are when they advocate for legalizing drugs as if that would stop the cartels. Their naïveté on this issue is monumental.

It's hard not to sympathize with the Mexican citizens who have no hope in their native towns and flee to a better life here in this country, but we must distinguish between the true refugee and the parasite: those unwilling to assimilate who just want to benefit from resources rightfully belonging to legal residents and citizens.

Latino groups such as La Raza are not interested in restoring dignity to Hispanics but are motivated by left-wing ideology and an anti-American agenda. Imagine if these groups could be replaced by genuine patriotic reformers dedicated to restoring their beautiful homelands the way our Founding Fathers strove to create this wonderful nation of ours.

The Founding Fathers sacrificed their wealth, and many of those who signed the Declaration of Independence lost their lives as well. Where are the Mexican Freedom Fighters, the Washingtons, Jeffersons, and Adams who can give hope to those fleeing across the border for a better life? Giving speeches at rallies filled with paid participants for photo and media coverage may be good for a liberal agenda but doesn't help any of those suffering in a nation drowning at the hands of drug-dealing criminals. If these demagogues don't have the cojones to fight for their homelands, then they don't have the right to criticize mine.

Alicia Colon resides in New York City and can be reached at aliciav.colon@gmail.com and at www.aliciacolon.com

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:08 AM | Permalink

For the second year in a row, the London Rose has been deemed the loveliest and fairest at the annual Rose of Tralee festival in Kerry.

And in an amazing coincidence, both last year's winner and this year's Rose grew up in the same town - Athy, Co. Kildare - and went to the same school.

Yet both were representing their adopted city of London when they took the crown.

This year's winner Clare Kambamettu (25) is an assistant psychologist - for now at least.

She plans to give up her job and move home to Ireland to fully enjoy her year as the Rose of Tralee.

She says the win has particularly delighted her father, Dr Ravi Kambamettu, who moved to Ireland from Hyderabad in India when he was in his twenties.

"He is in complete shock," she said after being crowned champion in the Dome in Tralee.

"He and my mum Breda both are. They're so excited that I'm going to be moving home, although I still need to hand in my notice!"

"I think it's fantastic that Ireland has become so multicultural and more and more diverse over the past ten years," she added.

"I just can't believe I'm getting this opportunity. I hope that I'll be able to represent not only the Indian community but different ethnic minorities around the world as well as I can."

In another amazing coincidence, it turns out that the new host of the ceremony, TV presenter Daithi O'Sé, used to teach in a boys' school next door to where Ms Kambamettu went to school.

The former teacher has been widely praised for his polished performance - as a native Kerryman, he received a rapturous reception inside the Dome as he introduced all 32 Roses.

The two-night TV show defies the critics to be one of the most-watched programs on Irish television each year.

This year, over one million viewers tuned in at 11.15pm to see the winner being announced.

An average of 916,300 viewers watched the second night of the event - the highest numbers in over a decade, according to RTE.

That makes it the most-watched program on any channel available in Ireland so far this year.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:33 AM | Permalink

A row has broken out after the Australian government issued new travel advice to its citizens, warning them to be alert to their security in Northern Ireland because of increased attacks from dissidents.

Politicians and tourism chiefs described the new advice as an over-reaction, and are planning to raise the matter with the Australian ambassador to Ireland.

The advice from Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says travellers should avoid all protests and demonstrations "as they may turn violent".

It points out that sectarian violence and dissident activity have escalated over during 2009 and 2010, with three bomb attacks in August 2010 aimed at police and military targets.

"Australians could inadvertently be caught up in violence directed at others," it says, recommending that tourist stay away from annual loyalist parades, which "may turn violent with little warning"

Margaret Ritchie, the nationalist SDLP MP for south Down, said the advice was an overreaction and she wrote to the Australian ambassadors in both London and Dublin inviting them to visit Northern Ireland.

"It is the stated aim of dissident republicans to destabilise the peace and this type of advice plays right into their hands," she said.

Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Niall Gibbons, said he also planned the raise the issue with the ambassadors.

"It does not reflect a lot of the hard work done on the ground to improve the perception of Northern Ireland as a tourism destination," he said.

He pointed out that the overall threat level had not changed, and was the same as the US, France and Germany.

"Australia is a very important destination for us as they tend to stay longer and travel more to Northern Ireland than many other nationalities; it is important that we keep the foot on the pedal," he added

Janice Gault, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation said, "Until that dissident threat is contained it is over concern. However, these things have to be put in perspective."

"There are other countries in the world where terrorism is very much higher profile and much more prevalent. We are not really in that position"

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:37 AM | Permalink

We just heard the news that one of Ireland's great Tourism Ambassadors Marie Fullington is retiring after many years of  promoting Ireland in every corner  of the United States. We will all miss you Marie, and all of us here at The Irish Examiner newspaper hope that you enjoy your well-deserved retirement after a wonderful career promoting the island of Ireland.

Tommy Tiernan will return to New York City for two nights only at Comix Comedy Club on Friday September 17th and Saturday September 18th at 8pm and 10:30pm. 

Tickets are $22 in advance or $27 from on Monday September 13th.     

Tickets may be purchased at www.ComixNY.com, by calling the Comix Box Office on (212) 524-2500 or by visiting the Comix Box Office at the club which is located at 353 West 14th Street.

New York-based Irish actress Katherine O'Sullivan casts a spell in the US premiere of Dermot Bolger's haunting one-woman memory play 'The Holy Ground.'

Directed by Don Creedon, "The Holy Ground" runs from September 13th to September 25th at the Manhattan Theatre Source (177 MacDougal Street, in the West Village) as part of the 1st Irish 2010 Festival. 

First produced by the Gate Theatre in Dublin in 1990, it was originally paired with another Bolger play, 'In High Germany.'"

'The Holy Ground' which The Sunday Press of Ireland called "a tour de force... stream of consciousness theatre at its best" plays 14 times on the following dates: Monday to Saturday September 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th at 9pm; Sunday September 19th at 4pm and 9pm; Tuesday to Friday September 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th at 7pm, and Saturday September 25th at 2pm and 7pm. 

Tickets, which are $18 are available from TheaterMania.com, by phone at (212) 352-3101, or online at www.theatermania.com.  For more information visit www.1stirish.org.

Coordinated by the New York-based Origin Theatre Company, 1st Irish 2010 (the 3rd annual edition) runs from September 7th to October 4th, and features plays by 16 mostly contemporary, living Irish playwrights in venues across New York.  The festival concludes on Monday October 4th with an awards ceremony at which the festival's jury will honor the outstanding performances and productions, and a new Audience Choice Award for Best Play will be inaugurated.

On Friday September 10th, The Ancient Order of Hibernians - New York County Board and its related divisions in association with the Friends of the Fighting 69th and the United War Veterans Council are proud to present the World Theatrical Premier of the award winning feature documentary 'Chosin'.

In November and December of 1950, 15,000 US Marines crossed the 38th parallel in an attempt to drive back the Korean Army. They quickly ran into a force comprised of more than 120,000 Chinese soldiers and drove them 78 miles in -30 degree temperature to the Chosin Reservoir where they liberated 98,000 civilian refugees.

The Chosin Reservoir Campaign is taught to every single recruit at boot camp, along with Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima, as one of the seminal battles of the Marine Corps' proud history. 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the Korean War and the 60th anniversary of the battle of Chosin Reservoir. This film is a must see for anyone who wishes to garner a better understanding of the Forgotten War, the Korean Conflict.

The United War Veterans Council has dedicated Veterans Day 2010 to all those who served in the US military during the Korean War. They have expressed their pride in being selected to host the World Premier of this incredible film, winner of the 2010 GI Film Festival - Best Feature Documentary.

The film will be shown at the Village East Cinema (on 2nd Avenue at 12th Street) at 6:30pm on Friday September 10th. Immediately following the screening there will be a reception with the filmakers, CPT Brian Inglesius (USMC-ret) and CPT Anton Sattler (USMC-ret), as well as some Chosin Reservoir veterans in the General Duffy Room at the 69th Regiment Armory (25th Street and Lexington Avenue) featuring an open bar and buffet.

Seating is limited. For more information on this event and to view the film trailer please visit www.69thfriends.org. On this site you can also purchase tickets directly with prices starting at $10 for the film only and $40 for the film and the open bar/buffet reception.

Did you go and see Jimmy Smallhorne's 'Resurrection'? The two-hour epic featuring Jimmy's unique comedy and some outstanding musical guests is being staged in a new exciting venue at Punch/Wined Up (913 Broadway, between 20th and 21st Street), an upscale yet casual wine bar that features a 3,000 bottle - one hundred foot-wine wall along with their chef's signature pastas, pizzas, cheeses and charcuterie platters.

Hosts Matt and Patty McDonagh along with their partners Colm McGuckian and Tom Cames are very excited to have Jimmy perform on their new stage and reservations (which are strongly recommended) can be made by calling (212) 673-9333 from 10am to 10pm.

Go and see him as he is hilarious and he gets better all the time!

I almost forgot to tell you that I was at The Post House Restaurant on the Upper East Side for some dinner with Coffeeman Pete Scalley and who did we see sitting just a couple tables from us? Only actor Michael Douglas and his lovely actress  wife  Catherine Zeta Jones... now how about that? Only in New York!

Since I am on about the restaurant, The Post House can be found at 28 East 63rd Street ((212) 935-2888). I very much recommend a visit where General Manager Michael Doyle will welcome you with open arms. The menu is delicious; I should know I had a Filet Mignon... hmmm!

News has just come in that Liam Neeson is to host Shorts Night! as part of the 11th Annual Wee Craic. This is a one-night festival featuring the best of short films tied in with live music. The event is scheduled for September 17that the Tribeca Cinema Lounge (54 Varick Street).

Wee Craic brings the best of short films from local Irish filmmakers and short filmmakers from Ireland under one roof. They will also have live music performances immediately following the short films.

The shorts are selected from a few festivals such a the Galway Film Fleadh, Tribeca Film Festival and Sundance. The shorts films must be have some Irish theme, be shot by local Irish filmmakers, star some Irish actors or have beenshot in Ireland.

The music is focused on solo performances to make the event more intimate and bring film and music lovers under one roof.

In the past they've had such performers as Mundy, Laura Izibor, Mark Geary and Brendan O'Shea to name just a few. This year they have Colin Devlin (from the Devlins) headlining the music portion.

The after party and live music takes place from 8-11pm at the Tribeca Cinema Lounge. The open bar runs from 8-10pm and is sponsored by Stella Artois and Jameson Irish Whiskey.

For more information and details on the short films and music lineup contact Terence Mulligan on (917) 805-3100. Advance tickets can be bought from Ticketweb.com. To see the full lineup, visit www.thecraicfest.com

See you all next week.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:39 AM | Permalink

Following up on a story that we led off with last week, folk rock act The Swell Season, has decided to split, less than a week after a fan dramatically committed suicide by leaping from a rooftop and landing on the stage during their performance in Saratoga, California. The Oscar-winning act, comprised of Dubliner Glen Hansard and Czech pianist Marketa Irglova, were once linked romantically, which makes this a second breakup of sorts for the pair, as Hansard intends to rejoin his band, The Frames. Speaking of their parting of ways, the guitarist/singer declared: "Getting together and making music with Mar was a side thing for me, but it felt absolutely right. I followed through on it even when it felt like I might've been abandoning my band a bit. But I had to follow through. I knew there was something in this that I had to follow through on. I love the way she writes. I think she's an incredible songwriter and I think she could make a really beautiful, beautiful record... I'm very, very proud of her." Listening to that, you just know that he gave the 'it's not you, it's me' speech when they split the first time. In fairness, I should note that The Swell Season offered to pay for grief counseling for any fan that felt negatively affected as a result of witnessing the suicide, so hats off to them for showing such class on the way out the door...

U2 made a little personal history last week, with their first ever Russian performance, after the band rocked out in the capital of Moscow last Wednesday (Aug 26). Never one to turn down a chance to proselytize, Bono spent much of the previous day in the company of Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, as the pair discussed a range of social issues. Considering the fact that Moscow police arrested a host of Amnesty International volunteers outside the gig for the 'crime' of handing out leaflets, I'm assuming those talks were about as useful as the proverbial one-armed trapeze artist with an itchy arse...

Something of a controversy has erupted over the recent push by the family of Stephen Gately, and elements of Dublin City council, to erect a statue to the recently-deceased Boyzone member. After initially securing permission to place the statue outside Dublin's Spencer Dock train station, the family now claims that the memorial would be too "lonely" in the agreed location. Representing the family in their quest is Dublin City councilor Christy Burke, who was quoted by the Evening Herald as saying: "His mother doesn't want it there as it's very isolated. I was down there at Spencer Dock and no one was coming in or out." He continues: "Point Village is the most fitting place for Stephen. He would have played there and it's only a stone's throw from where he lived." Personally, I think Stephen Gately's family should be grateful that there a monument will be erected at all, instead of cribbing about the location. These people even had the audacity to ask Iarnrod Eireann (Ireland's national rail company) to rename a station in his honor, an act that has previously only been reserved for the founding fathers of our modern state. I mean, c'mon, the guy admittedly did give back to society, but ultimately will go down as a marginally talented singer who was testament to the adage about it being better to be lucky than good. There is something seriously wrong if Stephen Gately's statue gets built before the one promised to Luke Kelly back in 2004 because talk about the embodiment of Dublin...

A judge has warned George Michael that he faces a prison term, after pleading guilty to possession of cannabis in a London court last week. The former Wham! singer was arrested by police in the early hours of July 4, having crashed his Range Rover into a shop front, and was slumped over the wheel when police arrived at the scene. The star (real name George Panayiotou) confessed that he had been smoking cannabis on the night in question, and that the drugs found in his car were for his own personal use. Given the multiple driving infractions and license suspensions in his past, the singer now faces the very real prospect of spending Christmas behind bars when he returns to the court for sentencing on September 14. I'm not sure whether I agree with sending the man to prison, but considering his vehicular history, George Michael's license should be suspended until we are all driving around in those flying cars out of the Jestons, and even then I'd stipulate that he uses a chauffer...

Controversy has erupted in the UK after a contestant that had successfully qualified to the second round of the X Factor, was dropped as a result of claims that she is mentally unstable. Shirlena Johnson initially was given the thumbs up by Simon Cowell and Louis Walsh, after her creepy, eccentric version of Duffy's track Mercy, but producers of the show subsequently decided to call time on her moment in the sun upon discovering that she failed to inform them of her past battles with mental illness. Speaking of his disappointment at the ruling, Cowell released a statement saying: "I'm devastated. It's heartbreaking. I really feel for her. I'm very upset and disappointed. The advice I'm given is she can't do the show. But there's another argument that we're depriving her of the chance to make some money. Even if she didn't win, she could have picked up money for personal appearances. On the other hand, if we don't take the advice we're irresponsible." Upon initially hearing her rendition, Cowell was heard to remark: "You are completely crazy but I like that. You are fantastically nuts." A saddened Johnson told newspapers that she felt that she was capable of continuing but did admit that she is on daily medication to keep her on an even keel. Given that one professional familiar with her mental state described her as a "ticking time-bomb", it's probably a wise decision and those that compare her plight to Susan Boyle's miss one very salient point; Susan Boyle had talent. This poor lady was just setting herself up to be pilloried as a public joke...

Girls Aloud singer Kimberly Walsh claims that she is still suffering problems with her joints, stemming from her ascent of Tanzania's Mount Kilamanjaro, which she conducted for charity last year, along with a host of other celebrities including Gary Barlow and Cheryl Cole. Speaking of her plight to Helllo! magazine, Walsh announced: "I felt so exhausted afterwards and ever since I've had quite a lot of problems with my hips. I had to rest for a while really to strengthen my joints and stuff. I think I did myself a bit of long-term damage actually. It's fine, though, it was worth it. But don't worry, I don't need a hip replacement just yet." I should probably point out that Walsh is 26-years-old and not some decrepit centenarian. I'm guessing that hers was known as the 'Are we there yet?' party and probably not the one you wanted to be stuck in if you wanted a little peace and quiet...

Speaking of grumbling, Marc Almond was in the news last week, complaining that he is finding it very difficult to get over the memories of the horror motorcycle crash he endured in 2004, which nearly took his life. The Tainted Love singer told You magazine: "I sometimes drive past the spot where it happened and I see myself lying in the road. I lived round the corner from Freddie Mercury when he died, and people created this shrine of poems and flowers and teddy bears, and I've sometimes wondered if my fans would have done the same for me." I'm no councilor but I would imagine that driving past the place where the accident happened can't be too helpful when it comes to trying to forget about it...

While intrigue continues to surround potential headliners for next year's Glastonbury festival, one act that has ruled themselves out of ever holding down the main stage at the venerable event. Speaking in the media last week, Iron Maiden's lead singer Bruce Dickenson confessed: "Glastonbury is a bit too cream cakes and afternoon tea for us. It's all yurts and people being far too polite." From that statement, I'm not sure that he is thinking of the right Glastonbury and to be honest, for all the rumored headliners of the event, I can't ever recall Iron Maiden ever being among them...

Happy Mondays dancer Bez was jailed for four weeks by a Manchester court last week, when he refused to carry out community service, having been convicted of assault of his ex-girlfriend, Monica Ward. Denying the charges and punishment, Bez told the court: "I'm not doing it. (I'm not) bothered. I'm going to appeal and take this to a real court." The judge immediately sentenced him to four weeks detention, and as he was being led away Bez (real name Mark Berry) sounded like Stewie from Family Guy when he declared: "Victory is in my grasp." And here was me thinking that victory in court for the accused meant acquittal. I'm pretty sure that he can rule out X Factor as a means of reviving his career too...

While my usual theatre of operations ordinarily entails the music news that occurs outside the US, occasionally certain events are simply too tasty to ignore. With that in mind, noted celebrity blogger Perez Hilton broke a story last week, detailing Frances Bean Cobain's response to a recent online telling off by her mother, Courtney Love. In recent times Love has been a perfect blend of passive aggressiveness when it comes to dealing with her estranged daughter, at times begging her to come home, and sometimes snapping at her with the venom and bearing of a cobra, most recently on the occasion of her daughter's 18 birthday. While Cobain usually takes the moral high ground, Hilton did discover a recent response by Kurt Cobain's only child to her mother via Twitter, which read: "I pitty your inability to love yourself. I hope you find your soul, wherever it may be. stop acting like a prepubescent feral cat (sic)." Ouch, straight to the point and that "prepubescent feral cat" jibe sits up there with the all time descriptive putdowns of a musician...

With that in mind, I thought it might be fun to share some of the best insults ever directed at musicians, often by other musicians, at least in this humble reporter's opinion. Speaking of her ex-husband, actress Britt Eklund said of Rod Stewart: "He was so mean it hurt him to go to the bathroom." Having once shared the stage with Chuck Berry, Keith Richards claimed: "I love his work but I couldn't warm to him even if I was cremated next to him." Richards also found himself on the other side of an insult, when Elton John said of his stage act: "It's like a monkey with arthritis, trying to go onstage and look young." Nor is the musical insult a modern manifestation, with Mozart once saying of a rival: "I liked your opera. Perhaps I will set it to music." Speaking of the notoriously anti-Semitic German composer, Edgar Wilson Nighe delivered the gloriously loaded: "Wagner's music is better than it sounds." But in recent years, few can approach the level of invective employed by Boy George, who mused about Madonna: "I just think she's a vile, hideous human being with no redeeming qualities." Poor Madonna also got it in the neck when he stated: "Comparing Madonna with Marilyn Monroe is like comparing Raquel Welch with the back of a bus." His decades long feud with George Michael once provoked: "Sleeping with George Michael would be like having sex with a groundhog." While not about a musician, I couldn't help including his take on Prince Charles' wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles: "Poor old Camilla, she gets a lot of bad press, but Charles knows she can take it like a man." Best of all however, was his appraisal of fellow '80s icon Prince, of whom he noted: "He looks like a dwarf who's been dipped in a bucket of pubic hair." A cross-dressing, occasionally criminally-inclined, former drug addict he may be, but you've got to admit, he throws a mean stone from a glasshouse.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 2:40 AM | Permalink

Blackburn Rovers 1 Arsenal 2

Theo Walcott and Andrey Arshavin struck as Arsenal ran out winners at Ewood Park.
Walcott, recalled by England coach Fabio Capello this week for the forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers, fired a stunning 19th-minute opener as the Gunners worked hard to take all three points.
Walcott was sent scampering clear down the right flank by a fine ball from Robin van Persie before cutting inside and ramming a low shot past Paul Robinson.
Rovers made life hard for Arsene Wenger's men and Mame Diouf's 26th-minute equalizer was the least they deserved before Arshavin won it for the visitors in the 51st minute.

Blackpool 2 Fulham 2

Dickson Etuhu ended an exciting encounter with an 87th-minute equalizer for Fulham.
Bobby Zamora opened the scoring for Fulham before going off with a knock in the second half.
Etuhu had the final word but Blackpool have now taken a heartening four points from three matches in the top flight.

Chelsea 2 Stoke City 0

It did not rain goals at Stamford Bridge for a change but Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba still came up with two vital strikes to keep Chelsea's 100 per cent record intact at the top of the Premier League.
Malouda expertly converted a first-half opportunity with his right foot against a Stoke City side made of much sterner stuff than the Tony Pulis team who surrendered seven at the Bridge back in April.
And Drogba supplied the coup de grace with a second-half penalty after Thomas Sorensen had brought down Nicolas Anelka.

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Wigan Athletic 1

Wigan Athletic put their horrendous start to the season behind them with a smash-and-grab victory at Tottenham Hotspur.
Hugo Rodallega scored the winner 10 minutes from full-time after Carlo Cudicini allowed the winger's tame shot to squirm past him.
It was a remarkable result for a Latics side who had conceded 10 goals in their opening two matches and nine in the corresponding fixture last season.

Wolves 1 Newcastle United 1

Andy Carroll took his goal tally to four in the last two matches to rescue a deserved point for Newcastle United in an incident-packed match with Wolves at Molineux.
Carroll followed up his hat-trick against Aston Villa by cancelling out Sylvan Ebanks-Blake's second goal of the campaign - as many as he managed in the whole of last season.
Newcastle had enough opportunities to secure a second win of the season, but Wolves maintained their unbeaten start.
This was an old-fashioned blood and thunder type of encounter with the tackles flying in from both sides throughout the 90 minutes. Wolves had seven players booked and Newcastle five.
The Magpies demolished managerless Villa 6-0 last weekend and they created plenty of chances against Mick McCarthy's side.
Skipper Kevin Nolan, in particular, will feel he should have been more clinical in front of goal on at least two occasions.
Carroll gave more glimpses of his potential and was a constant source of danger.
But Wolves have developed a never-say-die attitude under McCarthy and this was typified by captain Karl Henry's driving display in midfield.

Manchester United 3 West Ham United 0

Wayne Rooney ended his five-month wait for a goal as he set Manchester United on their way to a comfortable win over West Ham United.
Rooney's 33rd-minute penalty after Jonathan Spector had fouled Ryan Giggs will hardly enter his personal hall of fame.
But it ends the talk of his scoring drought and should go some way to easing the 24-year-old back to top form after a slow start to the season.
Second-half efforts from Nani and Dimitar Berbatov, who took his tally to three in four matches, sealed victory to keep United in touch with early pace-setters Chelsea.
But for West Ham, the international break only provides further opportunity to worry.
Without a point under Avram Grant's stewardship, the Hammers are now bottom of the table and facing a fight to preserve their top-flight status.

Bolton Wanderers 2 Birmingham City 2

Kevin Davies and Robbie Blake struck from set-pieces as 10-man Bolton Wanderers came from two down to claim a draw in a fiery contest with Birmingham City.
Blues defender Roger Johnson began an eventful afternoon at the Reebok Stadium with an early opener before getting involved in an incident that saw Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen sent off.
Johnson had challenged Jaaskelainen for the ball just before half-time and the Finn appeared to slap him in the face as they regained their feet.
Craig Gardner doubled Birmingham's lead but Bolton responded to the challenge to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Davies replied with a penalty after a foul by the ubiquitous Johnson and veteran Blake levelled with a stunning late free-kick.

Liverpool 1 West Bromwich Albion 0

Striker Fernando Torres underlined his quality - and importance to Liverpool - with a brilliant strike to defeat 10-man West Bromwich Albion at Anfield.
Two knee operations at the back-end of last season and a late return from the World Cup have impacted on the 26-year-old's fitness and match sharpness.
But a clinical strike midway through the second half - his first Premier League goal since 28th March and 50th at Anfield in all competitions - proved too good for promoted West Brom.

Sunderland 1 Manchester City 0

Darren Bent's injury-time penalty condemned Manchester City to their first defeat of the season as a glaring miss left Carlos Tevez red-faced.
The Sunderland striker converted the spot-kick in the fourth minute of added time to snatch all three points after being hauled down by Micah Richards in front of goal.
Bent's strike was the Black Cats' reward for a concerted second-half fightback after Tevez had let them off the hook with an astonishing early miss.
The Argentinian fired high over an open goal after being played in by Yaya Toure, and the visitors were made to pay as the points slipped away.

Aston Villa 1 Everton 0

Luke Young scored his first goal for nearly two years to earn Aston Villa victory over Everton and boost caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald's chances of becoming Martin O'Neill's successor.
The former England defender, who rejected a move to Liverpool earlier this month, dealt a blow to the other side of Merseyside with his ninth-minute winner.
It was Villa's second league win under MacDonald as they bounced back from their Europa League exit at the hands of Rapid Vienna.

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 3:33 AM | Permalink

If you have a poem you'd like to see published in The Irish Examiner then send it to: The Poetry Corner The Irish Examiner USA 1040 Jackson Avenue, Third Floor Long Island City NY 11101 or, preferably, you can email it direct to ronniemcginn@eircom.net. If possible keep your poem to 20 lines. You may choose any subject you like, in any form you like as long as it's original. We look forward to hearing from you.

Success in poetic technique depends on a balance between freedom and restraint. In this week's poem, by Mark Stout of The Ballinlough Writers Group in Cork, we find a perfect example of the balance we refer to.

One of the difficulties felt by modern poets is that there are now no accepted restrictions. A poet has complete freedom to write rhymed or unrhymed verse, to use regular stanza-forms or none, to invent his own new and personal rhythms or borrow the tighter rhythms of other poets.

Mark has not allowed his writing to get bogged down by the weight of excessive restriction, instead his poem flows and draws in the reader with an effectiveness that will be the envy of many, but wins the admiration of us all.

Tomorrows' Ideas

Tiring eyes shroud me,
They want to rest -
Just for a while,
Without the use of Dalmane,
To dream of the travels
I will enjoy in the future,
My beard of travel still grows,
My burdened weight-carriers
Of shoulders still reside,
My feet walked a hundred miles,
Through countries of culture,
I cycled to places of awe,
I swam in historic rivers and seas,
Towns of my future
Will see my footsteps,
The rain-battered winds of today
Will vanish with the boisterous Winter,
The torture of boredom will lose,
My tired eyes shall dream-
Of tomorrows' ideas
And friends re-united.

© Mark Stout

Posted by Grahame I Curtis at 3:37 AM | Permalink