16th August, 2001
We go a press release last week from the Cork
Folk Festival committee to tell us that once again it’s
coming up to that time of year. Many years ago, one of the
highlights of one of the festivals I attended was a show in the
Metropole, Peter Rowan on guitar and vocals, Mark O’Connor
on fiddle and Jerry Douglas on dobro. What a trio!! Their version
of Patrick Kavanagh’s “Raglan Road” was an
experience to treasure, or two weeks ago in the Lobby, Buddy
Mondlock, singing a haunting version of “Waltzing Matila”,
or Eric Bogle, in the Lobby, telling us how he wrote “The
Green Fields of France” (his own title for that song is
“No Man’s Land”). Our own Lee Valley String band
with Phillip Donnelly and Nashville record producer Jim Rooney,
in the Corner House a few weeks ago, was another great concert.
So good luck to the Cork Folk Festival, it looks like a good line-up
again this year, and who knows, some year we might see my two
favourite groups perform in Cork, The Kingston Trio and the
Brothers Four.
The Brothers Four have been around since the early 60’s and
they’re still going strong. I have quite a few of their LP’s
since the sixties, but for my birthday, two weeks ago, my
children bought me their latest live album, called “The
Tokyo Tapes”, a double CD recorded live in Japan, where they
have a huge following. I haven’t stopped playing it since. I
ordered it through the internet (log on to folk era records), and
within a week it was at my door. To any boy-band starting out, if
you want to hear live harmony singing, get this CD. Their version
of “Whiskey in the Jar” would go down well in Ireland,
after a few pints!!
I e-mailed the Brothers Four and complimented them on their
excellent album, and by return mail I got a reply from founding
member Bob Flick telling me that they would love to play in
Ireland. Who knows, perhaps the Douglas Weekly might present the
Brothers Four live in concert in Douglas, stranger things have
happened.
I watched the new Hannibal Lecter movie last night and I must
say, the ending was a ‘hair-raising’ experience, not
just for me!! I must ask the question, does Anthony Hopkins
really need a couple of bob that badly. A good movie to rent is
‘Manhunter’, on which the Hannibal Lecter character is
based. Does anybody know where I can rent a copy of the ‘Sunshine
Boys’, starring Walter Matthau and George Burns?
I have a script written for a new James Bond movie. This will be
his most dangerous assignment yet. 007 is sent to Ireland to
break into a castle, get past 173 security guards, take some
photographs of a secret wedding, and he must not stop to say
hello. He will then return to ‘Q’ with the photos, and
he will pay him £1,000,000. I’ve sent the script to Pierce
Brosnan, but I’m still waiting to hear from him!!
Today, Tuesday, and the rain is pouring down all day and I can’t
wait to see the condition of the South Douglas Road surface after
the deluge. Every few days a bit of tarmacadam is dropped into a
hole in the road and off they go again. The road from the
roundabout to Greenhills Court needs completely resurfacing!!
Douglas Court Shopping Centre has a new manager. I called over
yesterday to meet Órla Lannin at the centre. I’m sure we’ll
all wish the lady from West Cork the best of luck in her new
good, not that people in West Cork need luck, they were born
lucky!
Didn’t Douglas look well on ‘Nationwide’ (RTE)
last week. Sometimes when we live in an area we tend to take it
for granted, but seeing it from an outsiders view through a
camera lens, we appreciate it a lot more. Well done to RTE for
dropping in and giving Douglas some national profile, and not
forgetting YOU, who put in the weekly effort. One small matter,
the lovely new floral display and seating under the bridge,
before one turns towards Douglas Court, is somewhat marred by the
ugly green transformer (is it the property of the ESB?) which is
badly in need of a lick of paint. It spoils the beauty of th work
which is behind it, somebody might check it out.
That’s about it for now, except to say see you at the Elvis
night in Rochestown Park Hotel on Saturday night.
Bye for now,
Michael O’Hanlon.
P.S. The best forecourt coffee around is to be found in Texaco,
South Douglas Road., Cappuccino, check it out!
