I got to meet Seamus Dooley back in the 80s after I was introduced by my friend and colleague at the time, the late Joe Murphy, RIP. Seamus is one of the most well-known figures in New York GAA circles and a fixture always in Gaelic Park in the Bronx, New York. He has worked for many years to improve the park for all to enjoy the Gaelic games. He played for Monaghan in New York and was later to be very instrumental in the organization of the Monaghan club. He was also on the New York GAA board for many years and was a delegate to the Central Council and President of the NY Board.
He had a big say in bringing about the recent redevelopment in Gaelic Park. As Secretary Liam Bermingham has said, Seamus was one of life’s great characters whose very presence enlivened every gathering he was a part of. His hearty laugh, his booming voice, his very presence will be remembered forever by all who knew him. A natural storyteller, with a great wit who was not above a little exaggeration every now and then. we here at The Irish Examiner would like to send our deepest sympathy and condolence to his family and friends.
This came to me from a great friend of The Irish Examiner that should be well supported: “This year, Lockdown played a very stressful part of all our lives. But for the victims of the Chernobyl Nuclear disaster, Lockdown is for life. This Christmas, so many gifted children still live trapped, isolated, almost hopeless lives in bleak institutions.
“I remember when we came across a young girl called Katya. She was found terrified, wandering alone. Unfortunately, many children like Katya are abandoned by their parents and are routinely placed in children’s mental asylums, separated from the love and care they need. Luckily, because of kindness from Ireland, we were able to give Katya intensive medical care and psychological support. I’m delighted to tell you that today, Katya is thriving. But now, Katya and the other ‘Children of Chernobyl’ need your urgent help on the next key phase of their journey – out of the cruel institutions into independent living.
“This Christmas, you can help us fund vital expert, life-skills programmers like literacy training, IT and crafts. You can do something truly life-changing to help Katya, and thousands like her, escape a life of damaging incarceration. Your precious Christmas gift is the key to helping them flourish.”
So, I am passing this on to our readers to know if you can help Adi Roche and Chernobyl Children International with whatever you can, it will be much appreciated. US donations can be sent to Chernobyl Children International, Northport Financial Center ,490 Main Street, Northport, NY 11768 US. As I have said I myself truly support this charity for what they have been doing for so many years and they have my full support.
Bill Irwin can’t escape Samuel Beckett. The pandemic hasn’t changed this. Two years ago, Irwin took the Irish Rep stage to premiere On Beckett, his award-winning meditation on Samuel Beckett’s works and language. Since then, Covid-19 has upended daily life worldwide, and live theatre is on hold as venues stand empty.
In this time of anxiety and loss, Irwin revisits the words of Samuel Beckett, and returns alone to the Irish Rep digital stage, to bring us On Beckett/In Screen, a new meditation filmed for our current times. In this intimate evening, Irwin will mine the physical and verbal skills acquired in his years as a master clown and Tony Award-winning actor to explore a performer’s relationship to Beckett in the time of COVID.
Irwin’s approach to the comic, the tragic, to every side of Beckett’s work – including Waiting for Godot, The Unnamable, and Texts for Nothing – will allow audiences to experience the Nobel Prize winner’s language in compelling new ways.
This digital event is free to attend, but advance reservations are required. If you are in a position to support them then they ask that you please consider a donation of $25 per viewer. Buy tickets by phone by calling (212) 727-2737 or online at irishrep.org.
What can we do as the pandemic has spiked quite a lot lately and another curfew has hit bars and restaurants in New York forcing them to close at 10pm. I really feel so sorry for all the owners and staff as it infects them all badly. Now that is the bad news but a cure is coming very soon, it looks like the vaccine shows early success in tests; it appears to be very effective from both companies who are working very hard to produce one. You have Pfizer showing it at 90% and Moderna Inc showing 94.5% effectiveness so let the battle begin as we need it now. Exactly who is first in line has yet to be decided. Keep your fingers crossed that we finally have put this coronavirus out of harms way forever.
See you all next week when I am hopefully Out&About again…