Monthly Archives: April 2013

Thatch2Charles Moore in his authorised biography, of Margaret Thatcher has uncovered papers depicting her admiration for the hunger strikers, in particular Bobby Sands.

It was her belief that the hunger strikers “would be shot” if they broke the strike.

Gordon Rayner, of The Telegraph, reports:

“…Privately, Lady Thatcher admitted to having a certain admiration for Bobby Sands and nine other prisoners who died on hunger strike, saying she had to “hand it” to them and describing their deaths as a “terrible waste of human life”.

“Their deaths also made her realise that she would be a terrorist target for the rest of her life, and she wrote about being “absolutely terrified” whenever she walked into a crowd after that.”

…

“In personal papers unearthed by her biographer, Charles Moore, she wrote: “You have to hand it to some of these IRA boys”, describing them as “poor devils” because “if they didn’t go on strike they’d be shot [by their own side]…What a waste! What a terrible waste of human life!”

 

Margaret Thatcher’s secret admiration for IRA hunger strikers (The Telegraph)

Previously: She Loved Us

H/T: Ciara McCardle

-2Chelsea Wolfe @ The Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin (€12, Wednesday)

Nialler9 writes:

There are lots of great gigs on this week including Egyptian Lover, Solar Bears and Trocaire Live’s event with Donal Dineen but Chelsea Wolfe’s show in the Sugar Club [Leeson Street] gets the edge. It’s the live Irish debut from a gothic singer who released the haunting acoustic album Unknown Rooms last year. The LA-based singer also makes dirgey industrial songs and The Sugar Club show will feature both strands of music from this unique visually-orientated performer.

 

Nialler9’s Gig Guide (Nialler9)

-1The Battle of Clontarf, 23 April 1014.

Ireland’s game of thrones, as Instagrammed imagined by artist Hugh Frazer (above).

THE major tiff between the Irish (led by High King Brian Boru) and the Vikings.

In reality other Irish, with a few Vikings to help out with ‘pillaging’ and general admin.

Sibling of Daedalus writes:

We won the battle, but lost King Brian, beheaded in his tent by a fleeing Manx viking called Brodir invited over to kill him by his estranged Viking Princess wife, Gormflaith. Brodir himself was killed himself shortly afterwards by somebody called Wolf the Quarrelsome, whom he had annoyed on the battlefield. The outcome of the battle discouraged Viking invaders, but Brian’s death caused the Irish leadership to disintegrate into chaos. The only real winner was Gormflaith’s son Sitric Silkbeard, King of Dublin, who had been sensible enough to keep his forces within the walls of Dublin for the entire battle. He remained King of Dublin for the next twenty or so years.

We’ll wait for the box set.

Painting via Isaac Arts Centre

road

With full orchestra?

Fiona Hallinan writes:

I wanted to bring your attention to a project I’m initiating, called Heterodyne. It’s a concept that involves inviting composers and musicians to ‘score’ roads, creating site-specific compositions for driving in Ireland and ultimately internationally.
The idea is you can traverse a landscape with a piece of music that has been made for it, creating a cinematic experience out of a seemingly ordinary journey. Its also meant to as a new commissioning platform for musicians.
Right now I have commissioned five composers whose work I really admire: Caoimhin O’Raghallaigh, Brendan William Jenkinson, Arrow Shower, Cian Nugent and Chequerboard, to score the Military Road in County Wicklow.
This first version will be funded by a Fund-it campaign. It would be amazing if you could post it and help me to spread the idea, as it’s critical that this first version gets funded but equally importantly, seen.