Back in the nineties a friend’s gorgeous garden made me 40 envious shades of green. Then in 2002, I moved into a little 1950s bungalow with a big backyard that was choked with weeds, discarded bed and bicycle frames, and a dilapidated shed housing a black widow spider colony. Full of purpose and heavily gloved, I dove into the task of creating my first garden. For four months I … [Read more...] about Sláinte: Forty Shades of Green
Oscar & Doc: A trip to Leadville, Colorado
You hoist one of Colorado’s fine craft beers at the long, dark bar of the Silver Dollar Saloon in Leadville, and consider this possibility: had history played out a little differently, Oscar Wilde and Doc Holliday might have exchanged bon mots right at this spot. Both caroused here, Wilde in 1882, Holliday a year later. They both provided memorable episodes in a wild … [Read more...] about Oscar & Doc: A trip to Leadville, Colorado
Review of Books
The Dream of the Celt By Mario Vargas Llosa, translated from the Spanish by Edith Grossman Mario Vargas Llosa was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010 “for his cartography of structures of power and his trenchant images of the individual’s resistance, revolt, and defeat.” Each of his books is a portrait of one or more individuals who set their course against the … [Read more...] about Review of Books
Those We Lost
George Donaldson 1968 – 2014 George Donaldson, the eldest member of Celtic Thunder, died in his home in Glasgow in March at the age of 46 after suffering a sudden heart attack. A principal singer in the dramatic vocal group since its creation in 2007 by Sharon Browne, Donaldson was known as the “steadfast” one, chosen for his large build and ability to invoke a mature, … [Read more...] about Those We Lost
Irish Folk Bonanza
If ever you've been mid-St. Patrick's Day party hunting through your collection for the perfect blend of Irish music, this is the CD you'll wish you had. The Ultimate Guide to Irish Folk is the best collection to be released covering the genre in years. Released by ARC music with liner notes written by John O’Regan, the two-disc set is well curated to demonstrate not only the … [Read more...] about Irish Folk Bonanza