Last night I went to the Teacher’s Club to see ‘Casa Valentina’ by Harvey Fierstein, which has been produced by the Acting Out group for its Irish premiere. Fierstein is the famed Tony Award winning writer and actor, who shot to fame with his play (and later film) Torch Song Trilogy about a young New York drag queen’s struggle to find love and family. I first encountered him onscreen as Uncle Frank in ‘Mrs Doubtfire’. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Casa Valentina’ by Harvey Fierstein
The minister for homelessness in Ireland is a man named Eoghan Murphy. He is the grandson of Russell Murphy – an accountant who was posthumously exposed as having stolen vast sums of money from his clients, who included Hugh Leonard and Gay Byrne (who had been a personal friend of the crook). He is the son of Henry Murphy, a lawyer who made millions from the Mahon Tribunal – a public inquiry in Ireland in 1997 to investigate allegations of corrupt payments to politicians regarding political decisions. He comes from enormous wealth (much of it criminal, no doubt, thanks to criminal Grandpa Russell). His official title is the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government and for the past two years he has sat idly by while the homelessness crisis in Ireland reached catastrophic levels. He is a member of the Fine Gael party – a party that is popular among rich people. It is the Irish equivalent of the Tory Party in the UK. Continue reading Eoghan Murphy: a chocolate fireguard
Update: 18.50, Tuesday 02 July
As expected Barry’s Tea has dropped its sponsorship of animal cruelty – due to the growing backlash. A good result – although their slowness in reaction is concerning, so to paraphrase their stock response ‘I am reviewing my boycott of their tea’.
When I lived in Amsterdam, I used to beg any visitors from home to bring me a box of Barry’s Tea whenever they would visit. Likewise I would always buy several months’ supply when visiting Ireland. The Dutch teabags were simply unfit for purpose – weak, feeble and hanging from a limp string – you’d need two for a decent mug of scald. Fripperies such as strings have no place on a teabag. Irish teabags had no such paraphernalia. Barry’s Tea were plain, square bags of goodness that you’d leave stew in a mug of boiling water for a couple of minutes, and you’d be rewarded with a drink of utter wonder – rich and soothing. If ever I was running low on supplies I would send an urgent missive home ‘Send Barry’s teabags’. Continue reading Boycott Barry’s Tea
On January 30th this year I decided to work from home. The reason for my decision was because a statue of the late, folk singer Luke Kelly was to be unveiled on the grass verge beside the Royal Canal on Guild Street that day. The President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins was to do the reveal of the artwork. The view from my window was directly on the statue. I would get a birds-eye view of the unveiling, away from the huge crowd gathered, and out of the bitter cold. The ceremony – on the 35th anniversary of his death – was impressive with speeches and music, and masses of loyal fans. The location of the bust was at the end of Sheriff Street – where Kelly had grown up, and remains a local hero for inner city Dublin, for his part in the legendary group the Dubliners. Continue reading Defacing Luke
Last December I went on a theatrical spending spree, purchasing early bird, preview tickets for a range of shows in the Abbey Theatre during 2019. My Christmas bonus went to a good cause. Priced at about ten euros these purchases are completely risk free. Even if the play is disappointing then the outlay will have been minuscule, and you’ll have seen a show. One of my December purchases was for ‘The Unmanageable Sisters’ on the Abbey main stage. One of my companions last night was my own sister. It seemed appropriate, although I would never accuse her being unmanageable. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘The Unmanageable Sisters’ at the Abbey
Lost in a YouTube loop some months ago, a Sophie Ellis-Bextor playlist began. She’s had some banging tunes I thought to myself (not actually true – the phrase ‘banging tunes’ has never once crossed my pursed lips in my time on the planet). But some really excellent pop songs. And so many of them (a quick search revealed that she is now on her seventh album). So when I heard some weeks later that she was playing a gig in my favourite concert venue in Dublin – Vicar Street – I immediately bought a pair of tickets. I didn’t know who I’d be going with, but finding a partner in crime for gigs or theatre isn’t usually a problem. Continue reading Sophie Ellis-Bextor: The most electrifying night in the history of show business
I will not be in attendance at Dublin Pride this this year – I am travelling abroad on the weekend, which will be the reason for my absence. However if I think about it, it feels like I am dodging a bullet. Continue reading Pride – what a shame
When I was invited to go to Bath I was excited. I had heard about this place – the reviews were positive. My knowledge of the city on the other hand was scant. I knew that it was built on hot springs and that the EU (otherwise known as the Roman Empire) had invaded and had built Roman baths there which lasted for centuries, until the Celts decided to ‘take back control’ and that ‘Brexit meant Brexit’ and kicked them out when the EU collapsed in the 5th century. That was it really. The links to Jane Austen (she lived there for four years between 1801 and 1804) and its proximity to Stonehenge were news to me. My sojourns to England tend to be to London or Brighton. This would be my first excursion to this part of the country. My travel companions were to be the members of a writing group that I am peripherally involved with. I have been to one of their meetings, but I’m friends with a regular attendee, so I decided to go. I wouldn’t encroach on their plans and would do my own thing, while availing of their company in the evening. It would be a more social style of travelling. Continue reading Having a Bath
It was 10pm on Saturday night. I was festering on my sofa at home in Dublin, planning what to do for the remainder of the bank holiday weekend. A brainwave struck. I would take an early train to Belfast on Sunday morning; book an overnight stay at some flop house and travel back late on Monday evening. To confirm my intent I booked my train ticket and paid for an overnight stay. I also booked a day trip for Monday to see the Giant’s Causeway. Continue reading A weekend up North
On Tuesday night I was at the Abbey Theatre again so see ‘Citysong’ – one of the early bird tickets I had bought last December. Written by Dylan Coburn Gray and directed by Caitriona McLaughlin this is a co-production between the Abbey and Soho Theatre in London – where it will play for a month after its fortnight in Dublin. Continue reading Theatrical: ‘Citysong’
midnightmurphy 