Fans of Irish music will feel right at home with the lyrical and harmonic music of Nashville-based Arcadian Wild. Bluegrass is not a suitable label for the young group, some might use “Newgrass” or “New Acoustic” to describe a modern blend of bluegrass, rock, acapella, folk, traditional, Irish, lyrical, spiritual; really a new, but at the same time very familiar sound.
Take a listen to the groups new CD Welcome with Isaac Horn on guitar, Lincoln Mick on mandolin, Bailey Warren on fiddle and Erik Coveney on bass. Or better yet, check them out in person; the group has been touring throughout the year; upcoming performances include: April 26 & 27 Evanston, Illinois; April 30th in Ann Arbor; May 1st at Cleveland’s Beachland Ballroom and May 4th at the Central Ohio Folk Festival in Lewis Center, Ohio.
The Instrumental Garradh Seileach (Gaelic for Willow) will sound familiar. The other songs are quite poetic and thought provoking. From the bands jacket notes: “Welcome. It’s a word The Arcadian Wild hold dear, an invitation to be present, to let your guard down, to share in something deep and divine and communal.” The group has a joyful sound that seeks to be a good antidote to our times. Listen up on Spotify or YouTube.
Riddance
is defined as getting rid of something unwanted, so Good Riddance would add some greater welcome to an event. In this case, it is Good Riddance! To Gen. Sir Frank Kitson, who died recently at the ripe old age of 97. Sir Killson was the senior ranking Brit Army official in Ireland during some of the darkest days of The Troubles.
Kitson commanded her majesties forces in the Six Counties during The Ballymurphy Massacre and Bloody Sunday massacre; a role for which he was rewarded by the Crown shortly after these despicable events by being elevated to the Order of the British Empire and knighted. Please remember this when the American media and my monarchist friends recall sweet (sic) images of the lil Ol Queenie (Liz II) having tea with Paddington Bear, or Kate, hot mama Queen-in-waiting or adorable lil George, Louis and Charlotte, Remember that this SOB did his blood work in the name of the Windsor Family, so grotesque.
Even more evil than these seminal massacres were Kitson’s growth of a counterinsurgency plan that included the morally bankrupt scheme of Collusion, the unleashing of the hounds of hell from the Orange Order Lodges. Kitson had Brit Army and MI5 intelligence open their files to the loyalist thugs to know who to kill and their personal information to be able to successfully assassinate Nationalist and/or Irish Republican Leaders, then work to cover up the goon squads dirty work, all the while giving “plausible deniabilty” to Her Majesties government for the work of the loyal sons of Cromwell.
In the words of President Kennedy: “Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.” Good riddance Kitson.
Legacy Whitewash
With Gen. Kitson, we see the reason the Tory Government pushed through the Northern Ireland Legacy and Reconciliation Bill over the objection of EVERY party on the Island of Ireland, North and South, loyalist and nationalist. The new law is a clear attempt by the UK government to hide its collusion with loyalist assassination squads.
Michelle O’Neill, First Minister of the Northern Ireland Assembly, characterized this legislation as an effort to conceal the truth and protect British state forces. Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, a principal in the Good Friday Agreement, stated: \”This legislation – which is effectively saying that criminal cases, civil cases, inquests would all be gone – seems to be a very cruel way of dealing with victims.”
Over 1,000 killings during the Troubles have never been solved. And by the way, Ol King Chuck signed this legislation into law. There is some hope in that Labor Leader Kier Starmer has indicated a new Labor Government would work to revoke this shameful legislation.
O’HIO Has Gone Irish
According to The Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Liquor Control has gone Irish with the March roll out of Irish Cask and Craft Collection in collaboration with Ireland’s Board Bia Agency. For enthusiasts of Irish Whiskey, this collaboration will bring the largest-ever collection of Irish whiskey to Ohio from over 20 distinguished Irish Distilleries.
Shoppers may notice a new Ohio Liquor logo – O’hio Liquor, capturing the essence of the Irish influence in a playful nod to the Emerald Isle. “O’hio Liquor has gone Irish!” A visit to www.OHLQ.com provides more information on these new product releases, including details on Irish whiskey and some history.
Irish Unity Summit
From the historic stage of NYC’s Cooper Union Great Hall, where Lincoln launched his 1860 Presidential Campaign; Elizabeth Cady Stanton argued for Women’s suffrage, James Connolly advocated for workers’ rights and freedom for the Irish Nation; Fredrick Douglas plead the case against slavery; and a cadre of rebels and reformers, poets and Presidents articulated their cause,ne more historic case was recently pleaded. This time by Mary Lou McDonald, the president of Ireland’s oldest political Party, Sinn Fein, and a likely future Taoiseach. President McDonald laid out the case for a New and United Ireland, one where all traditions are embraced, and all national identities are affirmed as equal citizens on the island of Ireland.
McDonald concluded her remarks: “Change is happening now, and we cannot let it pass us by. For Ireland, the opportunity is just too great. The saying goes, ‘Society grows great when people plants trees in whose shade they will never sit.’
“But I believe that with every conversation, every debate, every initiative, we plant the seeds of a United Ireland that we will see in our lifetime. Nation building is the task of dreamers, changemakers, future shapers.
“Just imagine the dream comes to pass. Imagine in ten years Ireland is united. History will forever record that we were the generation that made Irish Unity a reality, the generation that made history.
“I believe we must achieve it. I believe we can achieve it. I believe we will achieve it. Together, and in our time, we will realise the dream, we will finish the journey, we will shape the future – a new, united Ireland, a nation home for all.”
To view the entire summit check it out on YouTube and see iIrish web page for the full text of McDonald’s speech. Our time will come.
Find this and other John Myer\’s Donnybrook and other columns HERE!
John Myers
*John is an attorney in Cleveland. He can be reached at [email protected]
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