Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas - Happy New Year



I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and a Wish for Your Best Year Ever........

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Monday, October 12, 2009

Keep Striving for Peace in Northern Ireland


Here are a couple of links from Irish Central with information on the ongoing efforts to keep and build on the peace in Northern Ireland.



http://url4t.com/MEO

http://url4t.com/t0h

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Rest in Peace - Cousin Pat


Today I attended the funeral services for my cousin Pat Gavin, he was brought back into my life a year and half ago by our cousin Sharon. She is in Germany and couldn't attend the services. These are the words she sent me to share with Pat's wife Judy and the family.

In just one moment our lives can change forever…

Ours did when Auntie Maggie in Ireland ask that we find her Sister’s families that had moved to America in the 1920’s…
In finding our Cousins we found more than just our family; we found a friendship and a kinship that has spanned the many miles between us.

And here we are in another ‘moment’; a bittersweet moment in that we are so very thankful for having known Pat, albeit for such a short time, but also so very sad that we didn’t get to share any more precious memories or indeed make many more…

Our International family in Ireland, England, Germany & Australia, joins you in mourning the passing of Pat.

We also join you in celebrating the life of Pat and would like you all to know that thanks to Pat’s generosity of spirit he will always be remembered as the cousin who held the key to our past! Pat opened up a whole new world to us in sharing precious family photo’s that none of us had previously seen; this will be his legacy to our International family…

Rest in Peace Pat.x

Cousin Sharon Burton

After Glow…

I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one…
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done…
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways, of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days…
I’d like the tears of those who grieve to dry before the sun, of happy memories that I leave now that my life is done…



Pat’s Aunt Maggie O’Donnell is having a mass said for Pat in Foxford, County Mayo this week

Pat’s Cousin Marie Quinn is having a mass said for Pat in Attymass, County Mayo in the same church where Pat’s Mother Mary (O'dDonnell) Gavin attended as a child.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Rest in Peace - Cousin Pat Gavin Goodbye My Friend and Cousin

Today I discovered my Cousin Pat Gavin passed away in his sleep after a long battle with cancer. I was seven years old when our families fell out and we lost contact with each other. Over a year ago we found each other and came back into each other's lives. I celebrated his 70th birthday and danced an Irish Jig with him and his brother and my other cousin Jim. We spent time with each other and he and his beautiful wife Judy welcomed my family into their family. The time was too short we spent together but I feel blessed to have been reunited with him. He was a great guy and great cousin. he will be missed and loved by all who knew him, family and friends.
Rest in Peace Cousin Pat and I hope your are in Heaven dancing up a mean Irish Jig.





Thursday, September 24, 2009

Irish Movies - Stories From Home & Peacefire


Just saw the following films @ the Los Angeles Irish Film Festival last night. Gabriel Byrne was there for a Q&A. A interesting and fun night.


GABRIEL BYRNE: STORIES FROM HOME, Dir. Pat Collins. A revealing look at the life and creative impulse of Gabriel Byrne ("In Treatment"), one of the most respected actors of his generation. Using intimate interviews and extracts from his journals and diaries, this is an evocative and insightful film with universal appeal.

Plus "Atlantic," (Ireland, 2008, 4 min.) Dir. Conor Ferguson. A quietly gripping tale of a lonely farmer and the potentially life-changing letter on its way from the woman who loved and left him many years ago.

PEACEFIRE, Dir. Macdara Vallely. Colin (John Travers, SONG FOR A RAGGY BOY) is a joy-riding hood who couldn’t care less about the local political situation. But a chance encounter with a ruthless detective (Gerry Doherty) turns him into an informer for the so-called forces of law and order and a target for retribution for his father’s old mates in the Irish Republican Army. "...

Plus "Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty" (Ireland, 2008, 6 min.) Dir. Nicky Phelan. A seemingly sweet old lady loses the plot as she tells her version of Sleeping Beauty to her terrified granddaughter.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Sunday's Irish Music - Ronan Tynan's Ireland



Thanks to Andrea Antoniazzi Devlin - Friends of Ireland group on Linkedin

Friday, September 11, 2009

Sept 11 2001 - Never Forget - 8 Years Ago





An Irish Tribute and rememberence of Irish and Irish American lost on 9/11 and support for America's loss

http://www.irishtribute.com/index.html

Irish-American Writer William Kennedy Life Time Achievement Award

Irish America Writer William Kennedy given life-time achievement award. Read the full story @ Irish Emigrant Online

http://url4t.com/A5q

I remember reading all his books when I was in college......

Monday, September 7, 2009

Irish Movie - "At Swim - Two - Birds"

Here is some information on what sounds like an interesting Irish film heading in to production. The writer is calling the Irish acting team the" Pat PacK'

Check it out on irish Central

http://url4t.com/-6a

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Irish Movie - "The Commitments"

I just watched "The Commitments" again. What a great movie. One of my favorites. Makes me miss Ireland. Hopefully on my next visit I'll be able to spend more time in Dublin.