What ‘s in a name? Well. when the names are Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Liam O’Flynn and Paddy Glackin it means a full house at the Cathedral Quarter Festival Marquee. Three quarters of Planxty (two of the hippies and the civil servant) were joined by one of the country’s finest traditional fiddlers for a night …
Author Archives: Robert McMillen
A widening Gulf?
I was very interested to read an article about how google have left the name of the Persian Gulf unnamed on google maps. Why would they do that? It’s politics, stoopid. Oh, and Arab money. Given the rapidly warming Cold War between “the West” and its Arab alllies and Iran, propaganda is becomingly increasingly important. …
CQAF: Alexis Sayle
When I lived in Belfast city centre, I used to walk to work listening to my iPod. People passing by would stare at the nutcase with the headphones giggling to himself as he walked along. The reason for the perambulatory mirth was one Mr Alexi Sayle whose collection of short stories, My Lucky Pig, was …
Snubbed by the Sindo!
This week, for the first time in my life and I expect, for the last time, I wrote a letter to the Sunday Independent. I know. I shouldn’t have, but hey, I enjoyed writing it and the fact that it wasn’t published doesn’t take away from the pleasure. It was in response to an article …
A Titanic play but this time it’s personal
If you’re expecting a Julian Fellowes-type history of the Titanic, then you might end up a tad disappointed by Jimmy McAleavey’s new play Titans which has more to do with horror films and video games and Dante’s Inferno than with Downtown Abbey. Personally, I can’t wait to see it. The hour-long drama will perambulate around …
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Review: Melmoth the Wanderer
You know you’ve had a great theatrical night out when, the following day, you find yourself singing songs you’d heard the night before. And repeating lines delivered in funny accents that made you laugh. And talking about the scary bits. And the funny bits. And the magical bits. And the couldn’t-quite-grasp bits. So driving to …
McSherry, Rynne, Hennessey and Scanlon
What makes An Droichead on the Ormeau Road so special as a music venue? Firstly, it’s the welcome you get there. The An Droichead bunch are amongst the friendliest you’ll get at any venue in Ireland. Take a bow, Jim, Claire and of course, Úna. Secondly, it’s BYO. It’s nice – and cheap – …
Ulster Suffragettes
Suffragette City – how Belfast feminists won the vote A century ago, a passionate crowd packed the Ulster Hall to hear the leader of the Suffragette Movement, Emmeline Pankhurst demand votes for women. This year, on March 2, leading feminist author Dr Margaret Ward will return to the same venue to deliver a lunchtime lecture on …
Adrian Dunbar on Carthaginians
Hark: You would have been only a kid, Dido. Dido: There were no kids after Bloody Sunday. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, there are a number of arts events happening in the city where British paratroopers shot dead 13 Derry citizens – with another later dying four months later – …
The Máirtín O’Connor band
I thought of the title of the Bothy Band album, Out of the Wind, Into the Sun as Máirtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden and Seamie O’Dowd struck up the first notes at their Rath Celtair Folk Club gig at Down Arts Centre in Downpatrick last night. My journey to the venue was hampered by rain, darkness, …