Saturday, April 28, 2007

EIRE OG : St Paddy's Weekend @ McLean Avenue !

EIRE OG - ILIR Gig at The Heritage
McLean Avenue, Yonkers, NY-
Sunday Night, March 18th, 2007





This was a great show for a great cause, a benefit concert with all the proceeds going to the ILIR, or Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform, an organization that rallies support for Irish emigrant workers, fighting unjust Federal laws that make it extremely difficult for them to become American citizens, and you really coudn't find a more bustling place on a Sunday night, packed with fans, ready to show their support for this worthy cause , as well just have a good time and get down and shake it and not break it, to that Irish Rebel rhythm of Eire Og. The first thing I noticed about the place was the fact that the vast majority of the audience were Irish emigrants, ranging in age from about 18 years old to 30 something. (Although this is often the case at The Heritage , with a smaller crowd)











You couldn't see a better Irish Rebel band for the St. Patrick's weekend than the mighty Eire Og - Glasgow's answer to Shebeen or The Irish Brigade, and when Gary Og (lead vocals and guitar), Sean Lyons (mandolin) and Coach (bass and vocals) took to the stage -- all wearing their "Legalize The Irish" T-shirts in support of the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform -











- Everybody stood to dance, sing along, or yell Fenian battle cries, people of all ages dancing - a middle aged couple, teenagers and people in their 20's and 30's, all shaking it to the rousing Irish Rebel anthems of Eire Og -





One of the first tunes they played was "Merry Ploughboy" that flowed smoothly into the "Auf Weidersehen to Crossmaglen/Tiochfaidh ar la" medley, and they were sure to not disappoint as they next played:

"Boys of The Old Brigade"


"Crumlin Road Jail"


"Come Out Ye Black & Tans"


"The Men Behind The Wire"


"Something Inside So Strong"


"A Nation Once Again"


"Fields of Athenrye"


"This Is Your Land"


"Let The People Sing"


"Sunday Bloody Sunday"


"Go On Home, British Soldiers"



and even the Irish national anthem, "The Soldier's Song" which caused the crowd to cheer and chant Fenian slogans of jubilation...





Eire Og played a brilliant show, and you really couldn't imagine a better live show for the St. Paddy's weekend at a better location - McLean Avenue in Yonkers - and a better bunch of Irish Rebel Balladeers - playing all their kick arse Fenian anthems, nor a more nonpretentious, working class, and genuine band - they were even kind enough to give me a free copy of Gary Og & Sean Lyon's "Songs of Rebellion" which I now frequently play on Radio Rebel Gael ;-)



One of the bands that bass player Coach and lead vocalist and guitarist Gray Og also play in, is The Exiles, give them a gander at:






And to check out the solo musical ventures of Gary Og :





Thanks to Pauline, for all the great photos taken at this gig....Go raibh maith agat !

  • Rory Dubhdara, Radio Rebel Gael

  • Wednesday, April 25, 2007

    ON THIS DAY : 24 April 1916 Easter Rising



    http://www.iol.ie/~dluby/history.htm# Rising




    The Easter Rebellion, was an armed uprising of Irish nationalists against the rule of Great Britain in Ireland. The uprising occurred on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, and centred mainly in Dublin. The chief objectives were the attainment of political freedom and the establishment of an Irish republic. Centuries of discontent, marked by numerous rebellions, preceded the uprising. The new crisis began to develop in September 1914, following the outbreak of World War I, when the British government suspended the recently enacted Home Rule Bill, which guaranteed a measure of political autonomy to Ireland.

    Suspension of the bill stimulated the growth of the Citizen Army, an illegal force of Dublin citizens organised by the labour leader Jim Larkin (died 1948) and the socialist James Connolly (1870-1916); of the Irish Volunteers, a national defence body; and of the "extremist" (sic!) Sinn Feinn. The uprising was planned by leaders of these organisations, among whom were the British consular agent Sir Roger David Casement, the educator Padhraic Pearse (1879-1916), and the poet Thomas MacDonagh (1878-1916).

    Hostilities began about noon on April 24, when about 2000 men led by Pearse seized control of the Dublin post office and other strategic points within the city. Shortly after these initial successes, the leaders of the rebellion proclaimed the Independence of Ireland and announced the establishment of a provisional government of the Irish Republic. Additional positions were occupied by the rebels during the night, and by the morning of April 25 they controlled a considerable part of Dublin.

    The counteroffensive by British forces began on Tuesday with the arrival of reinforcements. Martial law was proclaimed throughout Ireland. Bitter street fighting developed in Dublin, during which the strengthened British forces steadily dislodged the Irish from their positions. By the morning of April 29, the post office building, site of the rebel headquarters, was under violent attack. Recognising the futility of further resistance, Pearse surrendered unconditionally in the afternoon of April 29.

    The British immediately brought the leaders of the uprising to trial before a field court-martial. Fifteen of the group, including Pearse, Connolly, and MacDonagh, were sentenced to death and executed by firing squad. Four others, including the American-born Eamon de Valera, received death sentences that were later commuted to life imprisonment, although de Valera and some others were granted amnesty the next year. Casement was convicted of treason and hanged.

    Many others prominently connected with the rebellion were sentenced to long prison terms. The uprising was the first of a series of events that culminated in the establishment of the Irish Free State (predecessor of the "Republic of Ireland") in 1921. Casualties were about 440 British troops and an estimated 75 Irish (below are their names). Property damage included the destruction of about 200 buildings in Dublin.

    The seven signatories of the Irish Proclamation (from the left):



    Padraig Pearse, James Connolly, Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh, Sean MacDermott, Joseph Plunkett & Eamonn Ceannt

    All of the above men were executed by the British Government for their efforts in trying to secure a free Ireland!


    The names of those who died or were executed (* means executed) :

    Padraig Pearse *

    Thomas MacDonagh *

    Thomas Clarke *

    Joseph Plunkett *

    Edward Daly *

    Michael O' Hanrahan *

    William Pearse *

    Sean McBride *

    Con Colbert *

    Eamonn Ceannt *

    Michael Mallin *

    Sean Hueston *

    James Connolly *

    Sean McDermott *

    John Adams

    Thomas Allen

    William Burke

    Andrew Byrne

    James Byrne

    Louis Byrne

    Charles Carrigan

    Philip Clarke

    Sean Connolly

    James Corcoran

    Edward Costello

    John Costello

    Henry Coyle

    John Crenigan

    John Cromien

    Charles Darcy

    Brendan Donelan

    Patrick Doyle

    John Dwan

    Edward Ennis

    Patrick Farrell

    James Fox

    George Geoghegan

    John Healy

    Sean Howard

    Sean Hurley

    John Keely

    Con Keating

    Gerald Keogh

    Francis Macken

    Peader Macken

    Michael Malone

    Peter Manning

    James McCormack

    William McDowell

    Charles Monaghan

    Michael Mulvihill

    Richard Murphy

    Daniel Murray

    Richard O' Carroll

    Patrick O' Connor

    Patrick O' Flanagan

    John O' Grady

    The O' Rahilly

    John O' Reilly

    Thomas O' Reilly

    John Owens

    James Quinn

    Thomas Rafferty

    George Reynolds

    Fredrick Ryan

    Domhnall Sheehan

    Patrick Shortis

    John Traynor

    Edward Walsh

    Philip Walshe

    Thomas Weafer

    Patrick Whelan

    Peter Wilson

    Richard Kent

    Roger Casement * (1)

    Thomas Kent * (2)
    Thomas Ashe (3)

    Note:
    (1) Roger Casement was executed in Pentonville prison London.
    (2) Thomas Kent was executed in Cork jail.
    (3) Thomas Ashe died on a hunger-strike in 1917.
    O'Connell Street after the 1916 rising

    A poem:


    Awaiting freedom from my mother's womb
    At Resurrection time, some glint of rebel steel
    Pierced deep my soul, so deep
    That fifty years have not erased the thrill
    The names of Pearse and Plunkett,
    Clarke, MacDonagh, Connolly
    Ceannt and Sean Mac Diarmada arouse,
    Of freedom born in blood.

    Wresting freedom from a tyrant's hand
    Had often been essayed on Ireland's soil.
    Essayed at cost, at bitter cost
    By men of eager hearts and giant mind, yet still
    Each century brought fourth
    The poets, princes of pen,
    To thrill with their philosophy
    A nation's captive hearts.
    No lust of blood inflamed the freedom verse
    To turn the ploughshare to the sword;
    They unlocked hearts, e'en timid hearts
    To dreams undreamt of within captive breasts,
    And set vast floods of liberty afloat
    Upon a sea too long content
    With anchored hopes,
    And flotsam fears.

    Who can recall an Emmet or a Tone,
    A Mitchel or a Davitt or Devoy,
    Without a glorious surging of the blood
    And anticipation of emancipation
    From the long-remembered wrongs
    Upon a nation's rights?
    Just tribute must be paid by
    Freedmen to felon's heirs.

    Half a century ago our resurrection came
    Heralded by another name, the name of Pearse,
    An Apollo with a quiver of words,
    Music-tipped arrows to reach the very souls
    Of those who longed and longed for freedom's balm;
    Gentle leader of a quiet few
    Who braved a tyrant's might
    To make a bondman free.

    Let me praise him who close by Rossa's grave
    Praised the virtue of a valiant man
    From a heart and tongue pregnant then
    With death-decision made for
    Freedom's urgent birth;
    A man whose spiritual eye could see the joy
    Of a ladybird upon a stalk,
    Or a rabbit in a field at play.

    There were no deaths in Dublin on that
    Easter day some fifty years ago-
    Such music makers cannot die
    As many mercenary soldiers do
    With battles lost or won.
    They have but set the music to a song
    That ever holds us bound,
    Yet leaves us ever free.

    Like Pearse or Plunkett,
    MacDonagh and Mac Diarmada
    Ceantt and Clarke,
    And Connolly

    DOMINIC CRILLY