Queen Amaranthine Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I'm on a committee organizing book, movie, and other artsy events for the community later this year. Every year this project focuses on a different country--this year it's Ireland! We need to pick a novel, preferably something fairly recent, within the past 10 years. For movies, I thought of My Left Foot and The Commitments. Any others I ought to add to a wish list? Celtic music and U2 come to mind of course. I'm so out of the loop regarding new music anymore, so if anyone can name must-hear Irish musicians or bands, that would be great. Art? Photography? Theater? Architecture? Dance? Any ideas? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0ff5KjZ7vM Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Music: Van Morisson, Thin Lizzy, The PoguesBooks: The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor, The Barrytown Trilogy by Roddy DoyleFilms: The Wind That Shakes the Barley, The Butcher Boy, Garage, The Magdalene Sisters, Once Quote Link to post Share on other sites
broc Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Avoid anything to do with Roddy Doyle and U2/Glen Hansard/The Frames Theatre; Most works by The Druid Theatre. Also try works by The Gate Theatre.Music; Kila (mix of traditional and world), The Blades (80s), Sean-nós, Cathy Davey (contemporary), Imelda May (rockabilly), The Chieftains, The Dubliners.Literature: Sebastian Barry, John McGahern, John Banville, Hugo Hamilton. Art; Rasher, Jack Butler YeatsFilm; As GtrPlyr said. The Dead also.Poetry; Seamus Heaney Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tongue-tied lightning Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 movies: Waking Ned Devive, Angela's Ashesmusic: Damien Rice, Bell X1, Boomtown Rats, Maura O"Connell Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 The Pogues, The Pogues, and The Pogues. Also, there is a PBS special on "The Pubs of Dublin", featuring Frank McCourt that is particularly wonderful, if you have a chance to catch it.Amazon link Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Winston Legthigh Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 The Pogues are actually a London band (with only two out of the eight members Irish, and Shane MacGowan ain't one of them), but for modern Irish music, they're hard to top. For more traditional Irish, look to the Dubliners or Chieftains. For movies, I'd add The General (not the Buster Keaton film), Bloody Sunday, and The Secret of Roan Inish (though this one is an American film - set in Ireland) and The Boxer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 The Corrs??... (in their early days) for music Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 ASH are a great underated Irish Band... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 ASH are a great underated Irish Band... Wow!? Whatever happened to these guys? I remember seeing them back in 2002 at our local indie record store doing an acoustic set before opening up for Coldplay. I guess they never really broke into America like they deserved to. Films: I think that they ended up doing about 5 or 6 of these films. Towards the end of the series he went to space and to Compton. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chinese Apple Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 The movie "Killing Bono" just opened this week here in Dublin, to great reviews. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturevideo/filmvideo/cinema-trailers/8177126/Killing-Bono-trailer.html For contemporary Irish fiction, Joseph O'Connor has been getting great buzz among my cohorts in the comp lit masters program at Trinity College here in Dublin, as is work by Colm Toibin. Roddy Doyle's latest (children's) book "Brilliant," was the theme of the St. Patrick's Day parade in Dublin this year. For traditional Irish music, Christy Moore and the late Christy Hennessy (Christy is a male name, btw.) are both lovely. And every time I see ... well, suffice it to say, I just can't help it. (I love that he has Irish gypsy roots.) Also Sharon Shannon is uber-cool. And oh, Luka Bloom, Christie Hennessy's brother, is pretty good too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Wow!? Whatever happened to these guys? I remember seeing them back in 2002 at our local indie record store doing an acoustic set before opening up for Coldplay. I guess they never really broke into America like they deserved to. Yeah it is unfortunate...I really enjoy Nu-clear Sounds, Free All Angels, 1977...Saw them a few times in NYC in dive bars...They just kept staying under the radar...really a shame...I did see them open for Colplay too back in 2002? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 No mention of James Joyce?? Don't have time to think of stuff now, but Mary Black is a good singer. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
u2roolz Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Another film that I just thought of is the underseen gem This Is My Father with a heap of Irish talent: Aidan Quinn, Brendan Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Stephen Rea, John Cusack and James Caan (obviously not Irish).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk9sVSXqzTY It is set in modern day America where an older man (Caan) wants to find out about his father (Aidan Quinn) in Ireland in 1939. The film was directed by Paul Quinn (Aidan's bro). Books: The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (nee Brian O'Nolan) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost of Electricity Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 Books: The Third Policeman by Flann O'Brien (nee Brian O'Nolan) yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
uncool2pillow Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 I really, really liked the Hothouse Flowers' debut. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chinese Apple Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 For art, Markey Robinson's cottages series are worth checking out. The artists represented by the Oisin Gallery are all terrific. Browsing their image gallery might be a good place to start. http://www.oisingallery.com/ For architecture, the US Ambassador's Georgian-style residence was recently restored. Here is an article in the New York Times about the process. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/greathomesanddestinations/11gh-dublin.html The residence was built in 1776, and the United States pays the Irish government one US dollar annually for rent. I am sure if you contacted the US Embassy in Dublin, they will provide information about the building, including photos of the restoration process, etc. By theater, are you looking for scripts for plays? Of course there is always Beckett (Waiting for Godot) and Wilde (Importance of Being Earnest), but for contemporary work, the playwright Brian Friel might be worth taking a look at. Also, Famous Seamus (Heaney, of course) did a version of Antigone not too long ago. And, maybe this doesn't count as "Irish," but Sam Shepard recently wrote a play "Ages of the Moon" that was acted by two Irishmen (including Stephen Rea) which was premiered and staged by Dublin's Abbey Theater, and brought to New York. It isn't an Irish story, nor is it set specifically in Ireland, but I think the staging has some Irish sensibilities. Review here: http://theater.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/theater/reviews/28ages.html In dance (contemporary, not traditional), I think this duo (the gal is Irish) is fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iANRO3I30nM and also in contemporary dance, check out Sophie Merry... http://www.maniacworld.com/Groovy-Dancing-Girl.html (More about Sophie .) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
broc Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 As mentioned earlier, Flann O'Brien. I think An Beal Bocht/The Poor Mouth is one of his funniest. My partner has a copy illustrated by Ralph Steadman who really understands O'Brien's humour, it's a funny combination but really works. Yeah Ash are still going, though all on their own. I think they've ditched the album (and label) format and release a song a month to their fans over their site. Not really my cup of tea but I admire them for sticking to what they want. Also speaking of northern bands.. Stiff Little FingersThe Undertones Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted April 2, 2011 Share Posted April 2, 2011 We need to pick a novel, preferably something fairly recent, within the past 10 years. I missed this part of the thread. Ten Years? LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Amaranthine Posted April 3, 2011 Author Share Posted April 3, 2011 I missed this part of the thread. Ten Years? LouieB Yeah, we want something contemporary that might hook in a variety of readers, and the participant wish list includes some who don't read anything that's not on Facebook. The audience for these events is quite broad, and it's hard to find a book that will interest everyone. It's not to say that we can't or won't tie in some Joyce or Wilde though. Thank you thank you to everyone who replied here! There's great stuff here to take to the committee. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chinese Apple Posted April 3, 2011 Share Posted April 3, 2011 I'd be curious what your committee decides on... Hope you will be able to post an update. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Amaranthine Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 I'd be curious what your committee decides on... Hope you will be able to post an update. Still in the works. Anyone read this? Any thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Queen Amaranthine Posted April 22, 2011 Author Share Posted April 22, 2011 I've just started reading this--the premise is wickedly dark humor, but at 600+ pages is wee bit too long for some readers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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