IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS’ SALON AT THE CELL 5/15/2012

May 17, 2012 By in FILM, IRELAND, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, MEMOIR, MUSIC, NEW YORK CITY, STORYTELLING, WRITING Tags: , 2 Comments

TODAY’S SONG: SAN PATRICIO BRIGADE 

Todd Pate began the Irish American Writers & Artists’ Salon at The Cell reading an excerpt from his “non-fiction novel” in progress, Most of America, documenting a two-month Greyhound bus trip through the United States last year, and the people he met along the way.  (More excerpts will be published June 1st at The Straddler.)

Todd spoke of his Texas upbringing near the Mexican border and it was the perfect segue to a collaborative work produced by Larry Kirwan and me. Larry’s band, Black 47, recorded the tune “San Patricio Brigade,” which Larry wrote, and I created the short film using video clips of Black 47, old photos and art work. “San Patricio Brigade” is the story of Irish American immigrants who, upon arrival in America, joined the army, were sent to fight in the Mexican-American war, deserted, fought for the Mexicans and were eventually hanged.

John Kearns presented a scene from his play In The Wilderness which opens at the Bleecker Street Theatre on May 31st.  The cast included — Octavia Chavez-Richmond, Stephen Jangro, Marilyn Mineo, Edward Raube-Wilson, Hannah Timmons, Cristina Torres, and Nirayl Wilcox* (* Appearing courtesy of Actors Equity Association. Equity approved showcase.) In the scene, set in a South Bronx high school, Paul Logan sends Carmen Marquez, the student-poetess for whom he has the highest hopes, to the guidance counselor’s office for skipping school.  The tables are turned on Paul as Irish guidance counselor, Kate Farrell, warns Paul against getting too emotionally involved with Carmen.  I’m looking forward to the play’s opening on May 31 at the Bleecker Street Theatre, 45 Bleecker Street. 

Guenevere Donohoe began her presentation by sharing the good news that she’s been cast as Queen Margaret in a production of Henry VI part III, which will open in NYC this summer. Great news for this very talented actress. Guen followed her announcement with a stirring performance from her history-memoir-story and song theater piece,  Killer is My Name, a story about the mystery that was her father and growing up in the Bronx.

Kathleen Donohoe, recent winner of the Crossroads’ Irish-American writing contest, read an essay “The Wealth of the World” about her paternal grandparents, which was published in the April/May issue of Irish America magazine. Kathleen submitted the story over two years ago, thought it was passed over, and was pleased to learn  that the person in charge “Photo Album” feature of the magazine found it in a folder of old submissions, liked it and published it.

I was moved by the last paragraph in Kathleen’s article:

“When I look at this picture, so ordinary before you know, I think about how for each piece of a family story that you’ve heard, there is another and another still that will remain strong in a dry throat, a poem in a closed book. And I think as well of this Irish proverb:

A tune is more lasting than the song of birds,
And a word is more lasting than the wealth of the world.”

Jim Rodgers returned to read an excerpt from his Sunnyside novel, Long Night’s End. This time he chose an excerpt a bit lighter than the last. Reading from an early chapter in the novel, Johnny Gunn comes face to face on the elevated 7 train with the voluptuous Molly Farrell, a woman he has avoided since their steamy affair resulted in Johnny losing his faith, his soul, and a whole lot more. The mixture of fear and desire Johnny feels on the 7 train is only relieved by Molly’s departure at the Lexington Avenue stop. I suspect we have not seen the last of Molly Farrell.

Tom Mahon read a personal essay, “The Church & Its Flock,” which arose from the outrage he feels from familial betrayal and hypocrisy. Tom wrote of how he assumed that he knew his family, believing they cared for each other and would never do anything to hurt the other, but he learned he was badly mistaken.  He believes his heathen ancestors would be appalled at his family’s materialistic values and longs for the “Chieftian of their Pagan tribe” to put an end to the behavior since, as Tom writes, “The  destruction of a family is the destruction of the tribe.” Another fine story from a versatile and talented writer. 

David Coles read a passage from his unpublished book, In the Midnight Choir, following the conversation between a bartender and 3 of the bar’s regulars as they wend through the hours of an empty Sunday night, the haggard aftermath of a long hard weekend in Greenwich Village in the 1970′s. Superb writing and a book that I’m sure will land a publisher very quickly. 

Stephanie Silber closed out the evening with a wonderful reading from her novel The Dark Side of Time, a psychological thriller with elements of horror and the supernatural.  The novel’s protagonists have relocated from Brooklyn with their toddler daughter to a fixer-upper cottage in the suburbs with a dark past.  Dreams, visions and things that go bump in the night ensue immediately, and the sinister triad of recently arrived lay residents in the vacant convent next door ratchet up the dread.

The novel’s themes include an examination of our troubled times and who and what we worship, as well as what parts of ourselves we’d sell out to get what we think we need.

The IAW&A salons take place on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Thalia Cafe, located at 95th and Broadway and The Cell theatre located at 338 W. 23rd Street, respectively. For more information on the salons or joining the Irish American Artists and Writers contact me, Charles R. Hale at chashale1@yahoo.com

 

SAN PATRICIO BRIGADE: A MUSICAL VIDEO

May 12, 2012 By in FILM, IRELAND, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, MUSIC, NEW YORK CITY Tags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

TODAY’S SONG: SAN PATRICIO BRIGADE

After a recent Irish American Writers & Artist’s salon, Larry Kirwan, one of the founders of the IAW&A, upon learning of my interest in Irish-American history asked me if I’d create a video for his song “San Patricio Brigade.”

I thought it was a great idea for a number of reasons: The song depicts an event that began in New York City in 1846, at a time many Irish, including my family, were arriving in New York; the story is one that seems to have slipped under the radar since many are unfamiliar with the events, and last, Larry’s song, “San Patricio Brigade” is a great tune.

A little history: Upon their arrival in the second half of the 1840s, thousands of Irish-Catholic immigrants joined the US army and were sent to invade Mexico. Dubious about why they were fighting a Catholic country, fed up with mistreatment from their Anglo-Protestant officers and the intense anti-Catholicism of many American soldiers, especially the volunteers, hundreds of Irish, along with smaller number of Germans and other immigrant groups, deserted and joined forces with Mexico. They were lead by John Riley of Galway, Ireland. They called themselves the St. Patrick’s Battalion…the San Patricios. 

Toward the end of the two-year conflict, of a number of the San Patricios were captured and forty-eight were hanged as traitors. Many Americans regard these men as turncoats, malcontents and traitors, but Mexicans see them as heroes, who fought for the ideals of religion against the invaders of a peaceful country. Los San Patricios are honored in Mexico every Sept. 12. In 1993 the Irish began their own ceremony to honor them in Clifden, Galway, Riley’s hometown. 

Larry Kirwan, a native of Wexford Ireland, is a writer and musician, most notably as the lead singer for the New York based Irish rock band Black 47  Larry has also written and produced eleven plays and musicals, many of which have been performed in the United States and Europe. The plays deal with many topics including Irish history and politics.  Most recently, Larry’s play, Blood, had a one month run at The Cell theatre in New York City.  Since April 2005, Larry has hosted ‘Celtic Crush’, a radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio that features artists from the Celtic nations.

A special thanks to my friends Stephanie Silber and Vic Zimet for help with a number of Black 47′s video clips. 

IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS SALON, MAY 1, 2012

May 3, 2012 By in HUMOR, IRELAND, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, MEMOIR, MUSIC, NEW YORK CITY, STORYTELLING, WRITING Tags: , Leave a comment

TODAY’S SONG: WHITE CHRISTMAS/BING CROSBY

Bing’s been gone for quite some time now and it’s May, not December, but Jim Callahan was in fine voice crooning a few lines from “White Christmas,” which Sheila Walsh incorporated into her reading from Mr. Tweety’s Neighbors during Tuesday night’s Irish American Writers & Artists’s Salon at the Thalia Cafe.  Jim also read stage directions as Sheila gave an impassioned and lyrical reading from her play. Well done, Sheila and John.

The evening began on two positive notes: Maura Mulligan announced that her book launch for Call of the Lark will be May 10 at the Irish Consulate on Park Avenue in New York City and John Kearns announced that his play, In the Wilderness, opens on May 31. There will be a luncheon following the June 9th 11:30 performance at Puck Fair located at 298 Lafayette Street in NYC.

Kevin McPartland opened the evening reading from chapter four of his novel Brownstone Dreams. The action takes place in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and involves a near mugging, and the book’s protagonist Bobby Dutton and his girlfriend Cathy’s lucky escape from danger.  What better way to start a New York evening than with Kevin, a real “Brooklyn” soul.

 Tom Mahon followed with a story called “Joy: about a couple married nearly 40 years who dont’ know how to break the news to the other that they don’t want to be married anymore.  The husband makes the plunge, and the wife readily agrees.  Tom’s writing brings civility and humor to the process and brings out the fact that people can spend half their life with a person and still not know them or what they want. 

In addition to his vocal skills, Jim Callahan read from a book in progress, “The Boys from Bohola,” about the brothers O’Dwyer- William, the city’s mayor from 1946 to 1950 and later Ambassador to Mexico and Paul, who was a noted labor and civil rights lawyer for sixty years and served as City Council President from 1974 to 1977; Jim was on his staff.  In the scene Jim read, FDR summons William O’Dwyer to the White House in 1944 to put him in charge of the War Refugee Board, its mission to house, clothe and feed the millions of people who had been displaced during and after World War II. Jim read of O’Dwyer’s self-doubts and what an honor O’Dwyer felt it was to be chosen for the job.

New member Jim Rodgers got off to a great start with an impressive reading from his novel Long Night’s End.  The story is based on the protagonist, Johnny Gunn, and takes place in Sunnyside, Queens and Manhattan.  Themes explored in the novel include Catholicism and Irish-American New Yorkers, friendship, loss, sin, addiction, and ultimately the road to redemption. I’m looking forward to hearing more from this new member.

Keeping with the theme of his soon to open play, In the Wilderness, which is about an all-girls high school in the South Bronx,  John read “It’s All Abandoned,” a short story from his book, Dreams and Dull Realities, about a teenage girl’s disappointing experience at a school dance in the 1980′s South Bronx.   

Kathleen Rockwell Lawrence read from her fourth book, a memoir-in-progress of her huge family called Becoming Irish.  In this episode, Father becomes pregnant for the 13th time and hopes “if the baby is born after my 65th birthday, Medicare will pay for the delivery.” Further, Father accuses Kathleen of causing Second Stepmother’s miscarriage, but Kathleen has an alibi!”  

Mark Donnelly followed with another compelling scene from his play Mother Jones, the Irish immigrant who played an important role as a union organizer in the American Labor Movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The scene takes place earlier in her life, during the Yellow Fever epidemic in Memphis, Tennessee in 1867.  Mary (later Mother) Jones lost her husband, George, and their four young children to yellow fever.

Robert Haydon Jones, who read a terrific crime story at the last Thalia salon, followed up with another winner, “The Good Nazi.” The story revolves around a couple who meet a survivor of the Nazi slave labor camps of WWII, on a weekend vacation at an old-line, seaside hotel in Rhode Island. Another powerful reading.

And as has become the Thalia salon custom, Malachy McCourt, wrapped things up with an hilarious poem, “The Book of my Enemy Has Been Remaindered” and closed out the entertainment portion of the evening with his wonderful rendition of “Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go?”

And finally, a big thanks to John Kearns who filled in as emcee at Tuesday’s night’s salon. On all accounts he did a great job. Thank you so much for stepping up on such short notice, John.

The next salon will be on May 15th at The Cell theatre, located at 338 W.23rd St. The events begin at 7PM. For more information about the salons please contact Charles R. Hale at chashale1@yahoo.com or if you’d like more information about the organization you can go directly to the Irish American Writers & Artists website.

IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS’ SALON AT THE CELL 4/17/2012

April 19, 2012 By in FAMILY HISTORY, IRELAND, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, MEMOIR, NEW YORK CITY, STORYTELLING, WRITING Tags: , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

TODAY’S SONG: SLUMBER MY DARLING/ALISON KRAUSE

One rousing performance followed another at Tuesday night’s Irish American Writers and Artists’ Salon at The Cell. Billy Barrett, resplendent in his Ralph Kramden, Brooklyn Water Buffalo Lodge bowling shirt, blew into the joint with a Winston Churchill Davidoff cigar hanging from his mouth and opened the evening with the back end of the first chapter of Highway Star. “I like to slice and dice catch phrases and mix my metaphors,” Billy said,  ”Kind of like listening to Cardinal Spellman recite Springsteen.”  Defined and memorable, thanks for the laughs, BB.

Stephanie Silber, (far right in photo) a first time presenter, read from her book Other People’s Houses, a coming of age story about a rebellious teenager, growing up Irish Catholic on Long Island in the late sixties and early seventies, who finds herself pregnant.  Last night’s reading was a fragment from the protagonist’s point-of-view as an adult, which then picks up with the girl, Queenie, and her good pal-who-wants-to-be-much-more on an excursion to see the Allman Brothers at the Fillmore. It took Stephanie a few months to get up in front of the audience and the one thought I was left with was, “Given your talent, Lady, what were you waiting for?” Great start.

One of the highlights, among many, was listening to another first time presenter, Connie Roberts, winner of the 2010 Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award. Connie opened her poetry reading with Seamus Heaney’s bog body poem “The Tollund Man.”  Connie then followed with her own response, “Letterfrack Man.” As Heaney memorializes the saintly body of the Tollund Man, Roberts memorializes the neglected saintly body of Peter Tyrrell, an ex-inmate of an Irish industrial school who was felled by institutional abuse.  Roberts finished with a number of poems from her (almost completed) poetry collection, Not the Delft School, a memoir in verse of her experiences growing up in an industrial school in Ireland.  Listening to and watching Connie present is a delight. We hope she returns soon. 

Actor Jack O’Connell was next up. Jack read from a work in progress, which was motivated by the upcoming (2013) fiftieth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assasination. Jack is writing the story of a young, Long Island, Kennedy campaign worker who, three years later, is a member of The Old Guard, the elite US Army unit that was responsible for his President’s burial.  Terrific story, neatly abetted by Jack’s great acting chops.  

For the past few months we’ve been trying to get member and award winning actress, Aedin Moloney, to join us for a presentation.  Once we were able to nail down a date, and learned that she would be performing “Molly Bloom’s Soliloquy,” the famous extract from James Joyce’s Ulysses,  we anxiously awaited her rendition, which is recognized as the best in New York.  Aedin didn’t disappoint, in fact, her presentation was flat out thrilling. Slowly picking up the pace, the last two minutes were stirring and spellbinding.  Aedin exceeded all expectations. And given what the expectations were, that’s high praise. 

I followed Aedin– a daunting task–but I took the easy way out. Instead of reading a story I debuted a short film The Death of Baby Florence, a story about my maternal grandmother’s third child who died shortly after she was born. For religious reasons Florence wasn’t buried with her family. The video documents my search to find where Florence was buried and my journey to honor my grandparents’ pain.  The film opens with the Stephen Foster song, “Slumber My Darling.”

TJ English, president of the Irish American Writers & Artists, read a passage from the New York Times bestseller The Savage City, just out in paperback. This was the perfect reading of a non-fiction work. Deftly set up with a powerful story, followed by a short reading, TJ reflected on a key moment in the rising racial consciousness of a young black militant in New York City.

Tom Mahon, a frequent performer, and a man of many talents, read the second half of the short story “Desperate” in which three wounded vets, all from different wars, are brought together by a man least likely to be a hero in the way he emerges.  He not only saves two young people’s lives, but creates a new life and better ones for everyone by playing Cupid.

Playwright, Patricia Goldstone, followed up her successful reading at the Thalia Cafe with another reading from her play Interlock. Two accomplished actors, both of whom have appeared at salons, Vincent Bandille and John Moss, gave wonderful readings of an artist at the make-it-or-break-it age, driven and slightly maddened by ambition, but also a prankster and an outsider, not overly burdened by respect for the art establishment and his college buddy and rival, an Enron-type corporate lawyer.  Another very fine performance. 

Closing out the evening were Honor Molloy and guest actor, Caroline Winterson, performing a savagely funny scene from Honor’s play Crackskull Row.  Caroline, appearing at a salon for the first time was outstanding as the daughter to Honor Molloy’s rendition of a mad old wan living in at the back of a kill-de-sack in Dublin 2. 

Great evening. The next salon will be on May 1, at the Thalia Cafe, which is located at Symphony Space at the corner of Broadway and 95th Street. For more information on joining the Irish American Writers & Artists or learning about the salons, contact Charles R. Hale at chashale1@yahoo.com

THE DEATH OF BABY FLORENCE: A SHORT FILM

April 18, 2012 By in ANCESTRY, FAMILY HISTORY, FILM, GENEALOGY, HUMANITY, IRELAND, MEMOIR, NEW YORK CITY Tags: , , , , , , , 43 Comments

My maternal grandmother’s third child, Florence, died shortly after she was born. For religious reasons she wasn’t buried with her family. This is my search to find where Florence was buried and my journey to honor my grandparents’ pain.

FREE ENTERTAINMENT…THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK

April 16, 2012 By in HUMOR, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, MEMOIR, MUSIC, NEW YORK CITY, STORYTELLING, Uncategorized, WRITING Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Are you looking for some low cost entertainment in New York this week?  Here are three alternatives:

 On Tuesday night, April 17th, The Irish American Writers & Artists Salon at The Cell begins at 7PM.  The salon allows members up to ten minutes to present in the medium of their choice, reading from a published work or one in progress, staging or reading from a play, a musical performance, presenting a work of art or telling a story. While the presentations are limited to members, all are welcome. This week highlights will include Aedin Moloney, who recently appeared in the Irish Repertory Theatre’s Dancing at Lughnasa, reading Molly’s soliloquy from James Joyce’s Ulysses, TJ English, author of a number of bestsellers, including Havana Nocturne, reading from his latest book, Savage City, and Connie Roberts, (photo left) the 2010 winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award will be reading her poetry. The Cell is located at 338 W23rd Street. Admission is free.

On Thursday evening, April 19th, at Fornino’s restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn, Billy Barrett will be hosting an evening of reading and performances. Barrett, master of the neo-beat confessional will riff on being brassy Boston Irish, while Honor Molloy (photo right) and Kevin Holohan will be providing the Irish Black Comedy. Holohan will read from The Brother’s Lot, a satirical and hilarious novel that explores religious hypocrisy in an Irish secondary school and Molloy will
 be reading from Smarty-Girl-Dublin Savage, a wild child’s struggle to hold her family together in 1960s’ Dublin.  Word is the evening will be kicked off by a jazz trio. Fornino’s is located at 254 Fifth Avenue in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. Admission is free. I’d be attending this event if it weren’t for the fact that I’ll be back at The Cell that same night, Thursday, April 19th, appearing in a full length reading of ….

Stoopdreamers and Other Brooklyn Stories, a play by Pat Fenton. Fenton intimates the dreams, trials and travails of ordinary people trying to find the American dream in post WWII Windsor Terrace, among them a cop who really wanted to be a writer, a movie projectionist at the Sanders Theatre whose life is defined by the continuance of movie reels as he waits for the changeover mark, and a beautiful dreamer named Janice Joyce who tried to go home again. Fenton’s play is an Irish-American story about an area that was once the hub of one of the greatest, Irish working-class neighborhoods in Brooklyn.  Jack O’Connell, who appears in the TV program Blue Bloods, will be performing the role of Moon Mullins, I, (photo left) who haven’t appeared in Blue Bloods, will be reading the role of Terry Smith, an Irish cop…talk about stereotyping.  Admission is free.

OH, PRETTY WOMAN

April 13, 2012 By in MUSIC, SIXTIES' SONGS Tags: , , , , , , , , 14 Comments

TODAY’S SONG: PRETTY WOMAN/ROY ORBISON

In 1987, Roy Orbison headlined a highly acclaimed television special, “Roy Orbsion and Friends, A Black and White Night.”   Orbison posthumously won the 1991 Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for this live recording of “Oh, Pretty Woman” and in 1999 the song was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. It was also named one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Elvis Presley’s TCB Band backed up Roy and that night’s musicians included Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, T Bone Burnett, Tom Waits, Jackson Browne, Jennifer Warnes, KD Lang, and Bonny Raitt.   But what really stands out for me is the collaborative work of Roy, and one of the all time great guitarists, James Burton.

Not everyone knows Burton’s name, but if you’re familiar with, and who isn’t, Elvis Presley, Rick Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash or Merle Haggard then you’ve heard James play. Have you ever seen a film clip of an Elvis concert in which he’s dressed in one of those outlandish white customs?  If you have, there’s a good chance you saw Burton standing alongside him.

Born in Dubberly, Louisiana, James began playing the Fender Telecaster when he was fourteen. He turned professional shortly thereafter, playing clubs and private parties.  In 1957 Burton wrote and played the guitar lick on the original recording of Dale Hawkins’ “Suzie Q,” later popularized by Creedence Clearwater Revivial.

Rick Nelson first heard Burton play in the late fifties.  Soon, Rick’s father, Ozzie, offered James a gig on the Nelson’s television program, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.”  Burton ended up living with the Nelson’s for two years and performed regularly on the show, which typically ended with Rick singing one of his songs. 

James, always off Rick’s left shoulder, played with Rick until 1967 and can be heard on all his big hits including “Mary Lou” and “Travelin Man.” Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones, who gave James’ induction speech when James entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, said, “I remember being fourteen or fifteen and listening to the stuff he did with Ricky Nelson wondering how do you get a sound like that?”

Here’s “Oh, Pretty Woman” from the “Black and White” concert.  If you don’t have time to listen to the entire work—it runs 6:18—move the button to the 2:43 mark, at which point James Burton and Bruce Springsteen begin a wonderful three-minute “duel.”

Note Springsteen’s look near the end of Burton’s final riff, at about the 5:12 mark.  One of those “Uh, are you kidding me, I’m sharing leads with this guy,” head shakes.  After the show Springsteen said, “”It’s not every day that you get to sing harmony with Roy Orbison and play guitar next to James Burton.”

“Oh, Pretty Woman,” was released in 1964, and was a worldwide success for Orbison. Recorded on the Monument Records label in Nashville, Tennessee, it was written by Orbison and Bill Dees. The song spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and has arguably become more popular over time. And that opening bass riff just draws me right in. Crank this sucker up a notch and see what you can do with this line, “Are you lonely and just like me…grooowwllll.” Mercy!


STEREOTYPING: WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES

April 10, 2012 By in ANCESTRY, FAMILY HISTORY, GENEALOGY, HUMANITY, IRELAND, NEW YORK CITY, STORYTELLING Tags: , , , , , 21 Comments

TODAY’S SONG: WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES/JOE SOUTH

I found the following article in the September 20, 1868 edition of  the New York Times.

———-

Fatal Accident

 At 4:40 o’clock yesterday afternoon the platform of the Manhattan steam hoisting machine employed in the new building No. 424 Broadway fell from the fifth story to the basement, carrying with it Moritz Shay and James Tobin, who were so severely injured that they were taken to the New York Hospital… where the House Surgeon pronounced them fatally injured….  Shay died during the evening, and Tobin was in very critical condition. 

———-

My great-great-grandfather, James Tobin, an Irish immigrant, died the next morning. 

A few years ago, I discovered a nineteenth century cartoon drawn by  Frederick Opper, entitled “American Gold, “ which depicts a group of Irish laborers at a work site.  One of Opper’s laborers is hauling bricks to the top of a building, similar to what James Tobin was doing before his death and another, a man with the pick-axe, is drawn with simian features, a common stereotype employed by cartoonists of that era. 

Cartoonist Thomas Nast also stereotyped the Irish as apelike, but he took it a few steps further. He characterized the Irish as drunken brawlers, with whiskey bottles hanging from their pockets as he did in a cartoon, entitled “St. Patrick’s Day 1867.” 

I suspect my great great grandfather was a hard worker, who died doing the dangerous, life-threatening work that immigrants often performed.  I’m certain that he, like most immigrants, was struggling to provide his family a better life than they’d had in Ireland. I was struck that he and his fellow workers would be treated with such disdain.  

The Irish immigrants were poor and were often depicted as an unintelligent, inferior species, beholden to the Catholic Church. The belief that all Irish drank excessively, which often led to brawling and rioting, was widespread. But, as is often the case with the stereotyping of immigrants, it is often the aberrant behavior of a few that colors public perception. 

A few weeks ago, I drove to the Lower East Side of Manhattan; I planned to trace the steps that James Tobin took on the last day of his life. I parked my car and began where his tenement would have been located, at 62 Rutgers Street.  I imagined the fetid smells of poverty, the cries of the animals and the stench of death emanating from the nearby abattoirs that filled the air.

I walked north to Canal Street and turned west toward Broadway, through what is now Chinatown.  I pictured the sights and sounds: people spilling out from the tenements and streets lined with pushcarts and horse-drawn wagons.  I continued along the sidewalk on the north side of the street, imagining the awnings that extended from the butcher shops and groceries that lined the streets.  Horse drawn wagons rumbled along the cobblestoned street, carrying workers to and from work.  I walked three blocks to Broadway, turned right, and walked a few yards to number 424, a cast iron building, in the Soho neighborhood.  I stood in the lobby.  The level of fright that James must have felt as his hoist plummeted into the basement of the building is inconceivable. 

I left the building and turned back toward Canal Street. I crossed Canal and continued south on Broadway to Duane Street where the New York Hospital was once located.  I visualized James’ broken body being transported in a horse drawn ambulance, with metal wheels, pounding over the grimy cobblestone streets.  I imagine the sounds; the pain, however, is unimaginable.  And I thought of the shock that my great-great-grandmother, Grace, felt upon hearing the news that she was now a widow, and her two year old son, Rickard, my great grandfather, fatherless.

The nature of James Tobin’s death forces me to confront the pain and loss that my ancestors endured.  Their poverty and religion were considered a threat to Americans and, as it often the case with immigrant groups, they were demonized and treated as an intellectually inferior race. I am strengthened by their tolerance and moved by their suffering.  I am forever grateful. 

IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS’ SALON AT THE THALIA CAFE 4/3/2012

April 5, 2012 By in IRELAND, IRISH AMERICAN WRITERS & ARTISTS, STORYTELLING, WRITING Tags: , , , , , Leave a comment

TODAY’S SONG: CARRICKFERGUS/VAN MORRISON

No, Van Morrison didn’t sing the beautiful Irish folk song, “Carrickfergus” at Tuesday night’s salon but Malachy McCourt ended an absolutely grand evening with a heartfelt rendition of this tune. The origins of “Carrickfergus” are unclear, but it has been traced to an Irish language song, “There Was a Noblewoman,” written in the early eighteenth century. On Tuesday evening the Irish language was at the heart of one of the most stirring presentations the members of the Irish American Writers & Artists have experienced since the salons began. Reading from her play, Killer is My Name, Guenevere Donohue’s audience sat spellbound as she  weaved storytelling, keening–a form of vocal lament–and the Irish language into performance art of the highest order. 

The evening began with two members reading for the first time. Jim Callaghan read from a story “Nobody Got It,” based on his “on a lark” tryout with the New York Mets in 1963, at the age of 16. Jim’s dad, friends and the stadium staff thought he was doing it because he really wanted to be in the big leagues. Jim claims he had no athletic ability and did it mainly for the adventure of playing in the Polo Grounds where his baseball hero Willie Mays played from 1951 to 1957 for the then-New York Giants. What New York City kid doesn’t relate to this? Great start to the evening.

Joe Davidson stepped up next and read from his novel in progress, a story of a mob associate and future insider on Wall Street. While celebrating his new career over dinner with his wife and mother at a Little Italy bistro, Billy Ferrara witnesses a gruesome mob hit by two men disguised as priests, complicating his already tumultuous relationship with mob boss Jimmy Vento and the Marghetti Family. This has the makings of an excellent novel. I look forward to hearing more from Joe. 

Maura Mulligan, who has read on a number of occasions from her memoir Call of the Lark, which she reported is forthcoming from Greenpoint Press next month, read from a novel in progress. The theme of the piece Maura chose to read concerned teaching inner city students whose young lives are ruled by poverty and crime. Maura also reported that she has several readings lined up in Ireland this summer. 

Kevin R. McPartland read a riveting excerpt from his soon to be released novel Brownstone Dreams, an autobiographical tale set in sixties Brooklyn. Listening to Kevin’s entertaining presentations you know you are in the presence of someone who has “been there and done that.” Street smarts we call that in NYC. Tom Mahon read from a story “Desperate,” the tale of three wounded vets from three different wars. Tom, who presented a wonderful photomontage of his return to Vietnam at the last salon, is interested in the subject of returning vets who have difficulty rejoining society. Honor Molloy closed out the first half of the evening reading from her father’s memoir, Alive, Alive O.  In this scene, John Molloy, a well-known Dublin television actor is on the road with Percy the guinea pig tucked under his gansey. “ON TOUR with Ireland’s Fit-Up People. Fit up a curtain, put on a show.” Honor, as only Honor can do Honor.  (Gansey? I had to look that one up: … also known as guerney, or a seaman’s knitted sweater.) 

During the intermission I had a chance to speak with Ed Farrell who read from his memoir, A Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Unexpected Memoir. Ed said, “This whole process, our time together here, including the intermission and lingering around after the event is so important. I am able to share my thoughts with other writers and they with me. We need to reinforce each other.”  Well said and exactly what the salon is intended to be. 

Patricia Goldstone, another first time reader exposed the first few pages of a brand-new play. Jim Callahan and John Moss, who were kind enough to volunteer without knowing anything about Patricia’s work, couldn’t have been better. Patricia’s words say it best: “The highly sophisticated audience gave me incredibly positive feedback. When people tell me they want to hear more, that’s the best news I can get!” Perfect. 

John Kearns followed with a read from his novel-in-progress Worlds, in which Paul Logan, a drunken Englishman named Gavin, and Stephanie, the beautiful barmaid they are interested in, stop into a bar late one April night in Little Italy.  There they encounter Vinny DeAngelis who solicitously buys a cup of coffee for his favorite barmaid every night. John announced that fellow IAW&A members Richard Butler and Mark Butler are directing and helping produce his play In the Wilderness (whose main character is also Paul Logan).  For details and tickets, click here Planet Connections

Billy Barrett walked the gentler side of Highway Star last night. His touching and enlightening boyhood relationship with his foxy, funny guru-lady Charlie shows his versatility, the ability to ski the slippery slope of literary intimacy. Yeah, Billy can do it.  

And closing out the evening, up from Washington DC, was David Coles, who first read from his book In the Midnight Choir at last month’s Thalia salon. David describes his early days in Greenwich Village in the 1970′s, newly arrived from Colorado, trying to get used to the odd ways of the Easterner and finding his place in the very Irish group of people he’d suddenly found himself among. A well-read, excellent piece of writing, centered on a great slice and time of NYC life.

After this evening of great entertainment I had a thought I’ve had before: “This can’t get any better.  Can it?” I guess we’ll find out at the next salon on April 17 at 7PM at The Cell theatre, located at 338 W23rd Street.  For more information on the salons or joining the Irish American Artists & Writers contact Charles R. Hale chashale1@yahoo.com

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