Colin Lacey reviews an eclectic mix of the latest albums on the Irish music scene. Twice as prolific as most performers half his age, Van Morrison shows no sign of slowing down after more than 30 years in the business. How Long Has This Been Going on (Verve/Exile Productions) is Morrison's third album in less than two years and follows last year's critically acclaimed Days Like … [Read more...] about A Magical Music Tour
Feature
The Irish at Sundance
Irish entries with a Northern flavor at the Sundance Film Festival. Park City Utah, home of the increasingly popular Sundance Film Festival, is a long way from Belfast, Northern Ireland. The only thing vaguely Irish in this ski village nestled in the Watsach mountains just east of Salt Lake City is the dark beer served in one of the town's most popular bars. It's called "Irish … [Read more...] about The Irish at Sundance
Clarke’s Window Finds a Place in the Sun
The Geneva Window, created by Harry Clarke, Ireland's greatest stained-glass artist, finds a home in Miami. The Countess Cathleen is breathtaking, her brocaded gown glowing with the light of a million rubies. Joxer Daley rubs his hands together as he gazes shrewdly beyond us, a bottle of stout set next to the red horn of the victrola behind him. The Western world's notorious … [Read more...] about Clarke’s Window Finds a Place in the Sun
The Man from Hope
Irish American of the Year, 1996 It was an evening that dreams were made of, a crystal clear Belfast night, the winter air crackling with anticipation. On the sound stage adjacent to City Hall, Van Morrison was blasting out his There'll Be Days Like This, the unofficial anthem of the peace. A huge and enthusiastic crowd, later numbered at 100,000 was rocking along to the … [Read more...] about The Man from Hope
Classically Irish
Liz Ireland profiles Ireland's classical composer Patrick Cassidy. Mention Irish classical music to the average American academic, and you will probably be greeted with the arch query: "Is there any such thing?" There is now. Enter Patrick Cassidy, the Co. Mayo native whose debut oratorio The Children of Lir, released in the U.S. on Celtic Heartbeat Records, not only charmed … [Read more...] about Classically Irish