Features
The night of Amhrán na bhFiann in Co Donegal
I spent last weekend in Cavan at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann. I had expected that it would be an average fleadh. There’s a school of thought that you have to go to Listowel for a good one but this turned out to be the best ever in 60 years. Cavan is a certainty for next year’s event after an example of superb preparation, organisation and a welcoming atmosphere that was greatly appreciated by the many thousands of people present. On...
Clonard ‘wild card’ takes third spot
A YOUNG West Belfast star-in-the-making has bagged a trip to anywhere in Europe after finishing third in a high-profile singing competition. Clonard girl Carla Morelli (12) stunned judges of the Citybeat Young Star Search finals at the weekend, and her dazzling rendition of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ saw her land the third place prize in the 8-12 age group category. The St Dominic’s pupil finished her own journey at the final, held in Castle Court shopping mall last week, following...
Wild Geese ancestors pay a visit to the old country
ECUADORIAN descendants of one of the Wild Geese of Ireland visited West Belfast recently. The Dillon Family – brothers Hans and Günter Ehmig-Dillon, their mother Wanita Dillon, and nieces Wanita and Ingrid Dillon – paid a visit to ‘the old country’ in August after discovering a last will and testament from their Cork-born ancestor. “The Dillon family found a copy of their ancestor’s will – giving just the surname ‘Dillon’ - dated for the year 1820. This was 10 years...
Exploring the origin of local place names
AN expert on the origin of place names has suggested the title of Ireland’s smallest townland, in the heart of West Belfast, could derive from Gaelic, rather than the presumed Ulster-Scots. Tom-of-the-Tae-End is the bizarre name given to the townland which covers the Colin Glen area, and its Scottish-sounding moniker has stood out among other local townlands, whose names are of traditional Gaelic origin. Townlands are a uniquely Irish measurement of land, and provide the basis for many place names...
Collins’ anniversary and a tale of two graves
To the right of Éamon de Valera’s headstone in Glasnevin Cemetery hung a few forlorn and wilted red roses at the end of scrawny stems. Across the way, at another grave, there were six vases overflowing with tall fresh flowers of vibrant colours, and along the surround several new wreaths had been placed just that morning, one of which said, ‘In Loving Memory Of Michael Collins’. George McCullough (originally from North Belfast but whose mother comes from Beechmount Parade) is...
Luke feels the force of filmmaking
Last week a young director from North Belfast put his creative talents to use alongside emerging filmmakers from New York, Los Angeles, Dublin and Donegal. Seventeen-year-old Luke McQuillan, from the Cavehill Road, was one of 20 filmmakers who had never met before but were tasked with making a short film together in only one week. The project was part of Belfast’s Cinemagic International Film Festival for Young People. The eight-minute film was shown on UTV earlier this week. Speaking before...
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