I’ll leave the symbolism for others to divine but it must be said the atmosphere outside the building in which the McCracken Summer School’s historic Gaels at the Gaol gig was about to take place, was electric. The Crumlin Road was overhung by a pale blue sky interspersed with pinkish wisps of cloud (a good …
Author Archives: Robert McMillen
A mantle of music
The Ulster Fleadh at Dungiven burst into life last night with three totally different acts entertaining a packed St Canice’s Hall with a three-hour show of breadth and depth, of raucous laughter, dark brooding, and irrepressible excitement. My own reason for heading over the Glenshane Pass was to hear Sí Van, the new trio of …
A Feast of Trad
An Droichead on Belfast’s Ormeau Road has announced highlights for this summer’s Feile An Droichead, tickets for which are now on sale. Now in it’s 4th year, the Féile has become a much anticipated annual event on the traditional arts calendar and attracts some of the finest names on the Irish music scene. Running over four days …
Intellectual Baboons
People are really enjoying the Richard Dawkins quote about the National Trust’s decision to include some creationist piffle at the Giant’s Causeway interpretative centre, as quoted in the Belfast Telegraph. “The National Trust should not have given any consideration whatsoever to the intellectual baboons of young Earth creationism,” said Dawkins. The natural habitat for these …
GAA an deireadh seachtaine
Ba chóir go bhfuil aird na nUltach ar Pháirc Mhic Ásmuinn Dé Domhnaigh. Ach faraor ní fiú níos mó ná fonóta cluiche ceannais Uladh ar chlár na hiomána. Is mó i bhfad an tsuim ó thuaidh sna cluiche iomána inniu in Inis agus i gCorcaigh agus Dé Domhnaigh i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, dar le Séamus …
Earnestly funny
I know, I know, I’ve left it to the last minute, but I really have to say how much I enjoyed The Importance of Being Earnest – still running at the Lyric Theatre – but only until Saturday. Wilde’s play is as funny and relevant today as it was when it was first performed on …
Digital Derry
While all eyes are on 2013, there is much going on in Derry in the lead up to City of Culture year. One of the most exciting events, in my humble opinion, is Culture Tech, a four-day celebration of digital technology, media and music which will run in the Maiden City betwen August 29th and September …
Slí níos Fearr
I got the following invite this morning. It’s not quite an Irish Spring but who knows where it might lead … At 11:00am precisely, on the 10th July at the Davenport Hotel, Central Dublin – a little bit of Irish History will be made – be there! It’s not everyday of the week that our …
Séamus Ó Néill Summer School
From Emer O’Hagan: The Séamus O’Neill Summer School promises something for everyone this weekend in Castlewellan. It will be launched at 2.30pm tomorrow (8 June, 2012) in The Lodge by Louise McCreesh, presenter for BBC Radio Ulster’s Blas programme. A family orientated line-up will follow as the Armagh Rhymers, one of Northern Ireland’s most celebrated …
The Gloaming + Sam Amidon
The omens were good for the Gloaming concert in Vicar Street last night – no need for a raincoat in the mid-afternnoon sun as Dublin was a-buzzing in the warm spring weather, the trip to Forever 21 was painless – I had my teenage daughter with me, – and then we had a great meal …