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Author Archives: Robert McMillen

Howard Marks at CQAF

Sometimes we make mistakes. I thought Ardal O’Hanlon would be a better evening’s entertainment than Howard Marks at the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival last night and booked my ticket accordingly. However, the way things worked out, I called in to see the first half hour of the self-appointed Mr. Nice, just to see the cut […]

Posted byRobert McMillenMay 4, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inReviewsLeave a comment on Howard Marks at CQAF

Lumiere at CQAF

Lumiere

La Dolce Vita. Life is sweet. Despite their short lifespan, I’ve probably seen Lumiere – Pauline Scanlon and Éilís Kennedy – more often than most other acts. The simple reason is that the duo make you realise that the simplest things are often the best. Two stunning voices joined together in holy matrimony by Apollo, […]

Posted byRobert McMillenMay 3, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inMusic, ReviewsLeave a comment on Lumiere at CQAF

West Ocean String Quartet

‘Twas fitting that the West Ocean String Quartet should play at St. George’s Church in Belfast. Between 1817 and 1821, Edward Bunting, the man who recorded the music played at the 1792 Belfast Harp Festival (thereby saving a huge part of the national repertoire for posterity), was organist in this very church. One of the stained glass […]

Posted byRobert McMillenMay 1, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inMusic, ReviewsLeave a comment on West Ocean String Quartet

We are children of the stars

Jocelyn Bell Burnell

We are stardust, we are golden … Little did I think the line from the Joni Mitchell song about Woodstock could be taken literally! We humans actually are all made up of stars. I’d heard the theory before, a TED lecture probably, but watching the wonderful first programme in the Beautiful Minds series on BBC […]

Posted byRobert McMillenApril 12, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inThe whole caboodle2 Comments on We are children of the stars

Agallamh le Edna O’Brien

Foilsíodh an t-alt seo i bhFoinse i mí na Samhna, 2007. Tamall ó shin, scríobh Anne Enright léirmheas ar an leabhar is déanaí ó Edna O’Brien, The Light of Evening. Scríobh Enright  gurbh í Edna O’Brien an chéad bhean Éireannach riamh a raibh gnéas aici – roimhe sin, ní raibh ag mná na hÉireann ach páistí. Inniu is doiligh […]

Posted byRobert McMillenApril 5, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inGaeilge3 Comments on Agallamh le Edna O’Brien

Diversion at CQAF

Sharon Shannon

I love the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival. For the past ten years – 2011 is the 11th festival – it has provided evenings and afternoons that live in the memory to be buffed up and shared on long, dark, wet July (sic) nights. It has everything from the glamour of Glitter and Sparkle to the […]

Posted byRobert McMillenApril 2, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inMusicLeave a comment on Diversion at CQAF

Aontroim Abú

He no doubt knew it was going to be a bumpy ride when the the Baker decided to shape the future of footballing in Antrim, but he couldn’t have imagined it would have been so exciting. On Saturday night, the senior football squad secured promotion to Division 2 by beating Louth after being in Division […]

Posted byRobert McMillenMarch 28, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inThe whole caboodle6 Comments on Aontroim Abú

A great few days of music

Buttons, Barrels and Bows: Ó Raghallaigh and co.

A great week with two great gigs at the Black Box and Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick, both part of the Moving On Music Festival. Moving on Music is a bit of a hidden gem in the avalanche of festivals that Belfast boasts of. Small but beautifully formed, it gives off different light depending on […]

Posted byRobert McMillenMarch 27, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inMusic, ReviewsLeave a comment on A great few days of music

The Absence of Women

Karl Johnson (left) and

Má bhaineann dráma deora asat, caithfidh go ndeachaigh sé i bhfeidhm go mór ort. Bunús an lucht éisteachta a bhí i láthair ag premiere domhanda dráma úir Owen McCafferty, The Absence of Women, ag Halla Elmwood i mBéal Feirste, bhí siad ag cuimilt a súl agus iad ag aithint rud eigin iontu féin a léirigh […]

Posted byRobert McMillenFebruary 18, 2010January 1, 2012Posted inReviewsLeave a comment on The Absence of Women

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Journalist Robert McMillen

Robert McMillen is a journalist based in Belfast. He has 30 years experience working in the Irish language media sector in its various forms on both a freelance and a full-time basis.

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