Monthly Archives: May 2012

Ronan Murphy writes:

My friend living and playing some ball in Perth received this email from his local GAA club:

Hello fellow Finbarrians

The following message is not only for your perusal, but also one which you can pass on to all your fellow Irish friends here in Perth.

The WA police are extremely unhappy and appalled by the antisocial behaviour which is taking place all too often on the streets and in the pubs across Perth and its suburbs, especially in the Northbridge area [above]. Even Rental Agencies are not as willing to rent properties to Irish people here in Perth, as they are getting destroyed during parties, and being left in terrible conditions once vacated.

We have been advised, that over the next few weeks, the Perth Police will be, at random going around to all of the GAA Clubs and talking to club members, advising them of same. They want to get the message across to all Irish in Perth that what has been going on is just not acceptable, and if it continues there will be consequences. 

Police will be adopting a Zero tolerance policy for any antisocial behaviour. If individuals don’t abide by the law, and take heed of move on notices, their visas WILL firstly be investigated, before court action, meaning that deportation would be the final conclusion. This is the last thing anyone of us or our fellow Irish counterparts here in Perth want. 

This a very serious matter, and I hope that you and your friends will now be aware of the consequences should occurrences with the Police occur. Not something we are encouraging that is for sure.

Please spread the work to your fellow Irish, as this is affecting all of our reputations here not only the people who are causing the trouble.

Many Thanks for reading the above.

Regards

Linda H

President
St. Finbarrs GFC

On Saturday, Irish Times film critic Donald Clarke (above) complained at some length that a quote of his had been used on the side of buses in Dublin to promote the movie Charlie Casanova, directed by Terry McMahon (top) and released on May 11.

Clarke said he would rather drink “caustic soda’ than be seen to endorse the movie.

Adding: “When I mentioned the bus business to fellow critics, few of whom were any more fond of Charlie Casanova, they made comical side-clutching gestures and fell theatrically from their seats. After pulling himself together, one then commented: “That has to be illegal.” A phone call to The Irish Times’s lawyers confirmed that such quote-mining could conceivably involve an infringement of the journalist’s copyright. Misrepresenting a critic for financial gain is not considered ‘fair usage’.”

Yesterday, Terry McMahon gave a detailed response on his blog which concluded:

“…The truth is, Donald, you don’t know me. We’re not friends. If we were, you’d know I’d come out fighting. You’d know I wouldn’t allow you take food off my kid’s table. When you dialed those Irish Times lawyers, did you not feel the need to run your future article past them? Defamation is a serious business, Donald. Do your lawyers know, Donald, that, with the might of The Irish Times behind you, you have unlawfully done discernible damage to the reputation and livelihood of a citizen? I don’t f*****ng think so. So, should you find yourself forced to choose between caustic soda and a re-watch of Charlie Casanova, you can speed dial those Irish Times lawyers because they’ll be there for you, Donald Clarke, diluted caustic soda in one hand and a copy of Sweet Smell of Success in the other, all prepped to skip to the JJ Hunseker scene where he says, “You’re dead, son. Get yourself buried.” If you don’t believe me, Donald, ask your lawyers.”

Clarke’s piece: Five Stars? I Don’t F**king Think So (Donald Clarke, Irish Times)”

McMahon’s Response: Charlie Casanova and Donald Clarke (Terry McMahon)

Clarke illustration by Tom Galvin

…then he’s out of the movie business.

In an interview with the New York Times on Saturday, director James Cameron said that he’ll make one more Avatar movie after the sequel and second sequel he already has planned, then that’s it.

He has too much money and is far more into deep-sea diving now. Sez he:

I’m not going to produce other people’s movies for them. I’m not interested in taking scripts. And that all sounds I suppose a little bit restricted, but the point is I think within the “Avatar” landscape I can say everything I need to say that I think needs to be said, in terms of the state of the world and what I think we need to be doing about it. And doing it in an entertaining way. And anything I can’t say in that area, I want to say through documentaries, which I’m continuing.

pic/themarysue