The Common Ground

Vol. IX, Issue 12

December 2011

News:

Sports:

Lifestyles:

Events:

Friends,

Earlier this month, the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh hosted a group of young people with the Tyrone-Donegal Partnership.  Below is  the speech I gave at the graduation ceremony that concluded the six-week course.

Good Evening, and welcome to the Graduation Ceremony of the Tyrone-Donegal Partnership’s Pittsburgh, 2011 Options Program. Over the past six weeks, seventeen (17) young people have lived, worked, learned and have grown in profound ways, right here in Pittsburgh. 

I am especially pleased to announce that this marks the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh’s 67^th International Fund for Ireland Wider Horizons Program.  Since 1989, the Institute has hosted over 1400 young people on these programs.  We are the largest overseas provider to the IFI Wider Horizons Program and we are proud of our service to the Fund and to the young people of Ireland.

There are a few others I want to recognize for their contributions to this program.  To our friends at Duquesne University, without whom these programs are not possible; to all the placement companies and host families responsible for making these young people fell at home, challenging them to grow personally and professionally; to various volunteers at the Institute who day in and out, see to every detail; and to the Institute Board of Directors for committing to and leading our cause for a just peace, for reconciliation, and for empowering Ireland’s disadvantaged young people.

As President of the Institute, I have the enviable task of engaging with the full realm of people from Ireland—leaders, students, the unemployed, young and old, Catholic and Protestant, Unionists and Nationalists, Loyalists and Republicans, clergy, teachers, administrators, civil servants, public safety personnel, farmers, tradesmen, professionals, artists, merchants, other business people, and even a few “travelers.”  I’ve travelled every county of Ireland, North and South.  Through it all I have been empowered and enthused by the spirit of this island nation. And it occurs to me in retrospect that Ireland’s greatest challenge is one of confidence.

Sure they support their national teams in world competitions. They boast of their fellow Irish and Irish diaspora--St. Patrick, St. Brigid,  James Joyce, WB Yeats, Daniel O’Connell, William Craig, George Best, Sonya O’Sullivan, Maureen O’Hara, Michael Flatley, Arthur Guinness, Three incredible golfers from the North—McIlroy, McDowell, and Clarke; and four Dubs that have rocked the world  with their music—U2.   And let’s not forget several US Presidents, war heroes, and world leaders of Irish descent that soared to great heights throughout history. 

But Ireland today, North and South, is hamstrung by a lack of confidence, especially in those institutions that for years regulated the way they lived—namely, the Government, the Churches, and the Banks.  We all know that these institutions have failed them miserably.  Scandal after scandal.

Ireland now stands at a crossroad in terms of peace, justice, and empowerment.  There is much work to be done to heal Ireland’s many ills. It will be up to these young men and women graduating tonight to lead a new generation, a new Ireland that fosters mutual understanding and respect.  I believe this program has widened their horizons, has given them new ways to address old problems, and to rise above the conventional institutions that, for years dictated their fate.

A new Ireland won’t be Catholic or Protestant, or Green or Orange, or Purple.  In the new Ireland, the Church and the government will serve the people and help solve problems.  Advancement will be based on merit and not on who you know or to whom you are related.  Well, at least this is my hope.  I am encouraged that young men and women like these will lead Ireland in the future.  A future that starts tomorrow when they leave Pittsburgh.

IIP News

IRISH CASTLE VACATION RAFFLE - LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS!!

The winning ticket will be drawn on:

MONDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2011

@ THE HARP & FIDDLE 

(2329 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15222)

Tickets are still available, but time is running out. Contact the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh to get yours today!

Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh 

In service to peace

The Irish Castle Vacation Prize Raffle

Ashford Castle – Galway       Dromoland Castle – Limerick         Clontarf Castle – Dublin

Roundtrip airfare for two - 6 nights accommodations - Car rental for 1 week 

 Donation $20

Cash or Check made payable to Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh

Prize Subject to availability of dates. Allow three weeks for booking.

 NEWS

return to top

THE STATE OF THE NATION

In a rare televised speech, only the sixth “State of the Nation” address in the history of the Irish Republic, Taoiseach Enda Kenny warned that Ireland’s economy remains fragile and will likely take years to recover.  Below is the full text of his speech, as transcribed by RTE:

A National Address by Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D.

Good evening.

Tonight I'm taking the opportunity to speak to you directly on the challenge we face as a community, as an economy, and as a country. I know this is an exceptional event. But we live in exceptional times. And we face an exceptional challenge.

It is important that you know the truth of the scale of that challenge - and how we are addressing it. That challenge--to restore our economy, to create the environment to sustain jobs, and to look after the most vulnerable people in our society.

At the end of last year, our economy was in deep crisis. And while steps to recover from the crisis have been taken...We remain in crisis today. I would love to tell you tonight that our economic problems are solved, that the worst is over. But, for far too many of you, that is simply not the truth.

If you're unemployed, you're one of the many who still can't find work. If you're in business... you may still not be able get the credit you need, or to get paid on time. If you're a parent who has just put the children to bed... you may be wondering how you're going to meet that mortgage, or pay those bills. Or you may be looking at your adult children. Wondering how you'll say goodbye to some of them as they leave Ireland in search of new opportunity in the New Year. Tonight, that may be the truth as you live it, and know it.

Let me say this to you all: You are not responsible for the crisis. My Government is determined that now; the necessary decisions and changes are made to ensure that this is never allowed to happen again. Right now, our most important responsibility is to do what must be done to get our economy back on its feet. That requires fixing the enormous deficit in our public finances caused by too much borrowing and the cost of rescuing the banks. We all know that if, in our own lives, we are spending more than we are earning - we have a problem. Right now, the State is spending €16 billion a year more than it is taking in. This problem will not be fixed unless we take action to bridge this gap. This can only be done by us, ourselves. Working together. That means that in this Budget we must cut public spending by €2.2 billion and raise €1.6 billion in extra taxes.

When we were elected, the Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and I, pledged that our Government of Fine Gael and the Labour Party, would fix this deficit in a way that would get Ireland working. We began by taking urgent steps to stem the crisis and close that gap in our public finances. We are shutting down dysfunctional banks and we have recapitalised the remaining ones at a lower cost than expected, by imposing losses on some bondholders. We implemented a jobs initiative that cut taxes on tourism and employment, and that created over 20,000 new job and training placements. We secured a lower rate of interest on the country's borrowings that will save us €10 billion over time. We have met our commitments to the EU and IMF in full, and on time. This has been acknowledged worldwide, and has helped restore some international confidence in Ireland. But the steps the Government has taken merely reflect your courage, your character, and your sense of responsibility, for which I thank you.

While none of this has ended the crisis, and we have not so far been in a position to do everything we promised, we have made a start. We have begun to stabilise our finances. The improved confidence has helped strengthen exports - a key driver of future success. But we have a long way to go. This week, we will introduce a budget that will build on those first steps towards recovery.

This budget will be tough - it has to be. It will move us towards a manageable deficit of 3% of our GDP by 2015. But getting the deficit under control is just a means to an end. The main purpose of this budget, and of our four year strategy, is the creation of jobs for our people. Jobs are central to this budget because work plays such a central role in our lives.Work provides focus. Work gives us independence. Work gives our families hope.

I get to meet lots of people in this job - a woman in Limerick whose husband had found work after being on the live register for months told me, "he did not just get back his job; he got back his dignity; once more he felt he was making a contribution."

We won't be able to create jobs overnight. It will take time. But, by 2015, I want to see our deficit under control and real growth in jobs. We are not able to do all we would like to in this budget because we simply can't afford to. We have had to postpone some really good projects - like Metro North, for example.

But this budget will be a jobs budget in two ways: Firstly, by putting our public finances back onto a sound footing. As our deficit moves to sustainable levels, investors will start regaining their confidence in Ireland and credit will be made available at better rates. This means businesses will be able to start borrowing, expanding, and hiring again. Secondly, the budget will include a series of targeted measures specifically designed to create jobs and get people back to work. It will include, among other initiatives, a new system of loan guarantees will enable banks to resume lending and a new micro finance scheme which will help people to start their own businesses. This will allow small firms to take on one or even two employees:- New jobs to create new incomes, to assist the economy on the path to growth and confidence. To make sure we keep as many jobs as we can, to make sure you get to bring home as much as you can, and to make sure you know where you stand with your wages.

To give you some certainty for the year ahead, we're leaving income tax untouched. Instead, we will raise the 1.6 billion of extra taxes that Ireland needs mainly through indirect taxes, difficult though these will be.

The highest priority is to create more jobs, but we will also do all we can to protect the most vulnerable in our communities - our children, the sick, and the elderly. I wish I could tell you that the budget won't impact on every citizen in need, but I can't. Difficult choices are never easy, but we will invest in crucial projects like the National Children's Hospital, school buildings and health centres.

Before asking families to make sacrifices, we also insisted on sacrifices from those at the top: We cut the pay and removed state cars and Garda drivers for Ministers. In the last few weeks I have informed former Taoisigh that entitlements, like free mobile phones and staff allowances are being withdrawn. The pay and pensions of senior public servants have been cut.

This week's budget will go further. 50 quangos will be abolished or merged, and the public sector will be downsized by 23,000 people by 2015. Next year, we will hold a referendum to abolish the Seanad.

But these steps are just a start. We will reform how we run the country so that we never return to the practices that drove our economy into freefall - reckless spending, weak oversight of banks and reliance on a property boom for tax revenues.

However - In Ireland, an island nation - we cannot operate in isolation. We are part of the European Union. All the changes we undertake ourselves are set against the backdrop of continuing uncertainty about the future of the European single currency. Let me be clear - Ireland supports stronger economic governance throughout Europe, and particularly in the Eurozone. In fact, the Irish people are paying the price now for the absence of such rules in the past. European leaders must make and - more importantly this time must implement - clear decisions this week to prove our shared determination to protect our currency. Otherwise, international confidence and investment in Europe will continue to fall.

In the ongoing negotiations in Europe, I will work to achieve a positive outcome for Ireland - one that ensures and protects our economic security. Firm action will help to restore confidence throughout Europe, and here in Ireland.

In outlining the Government's strategy with you tonight, I do not for a moment want to make it sound simplistic or painless. It is not. We are on a four year path to recovery. This, our first Budget, is a necessary step, but it will include cuts to many worthwhile projects. It will also raise some indirect taxes which will be hard for many people. The truth is, our economy remains fragile, and it will take us several years to recover fully.

While the creation of jobs will be at the centre of our plan, I am painfully aware this will not happen quickly enough for many who are out of work today. It will take several years to create the numbers of new jobs we need. But over the last months we have made a start. Towards more jobs. Towards more opportunities. Towards renewed confidence. A start towards a country where our young people can stay at home to build their future here, rather than moving away. A start in essence toward getting Ireland working again.

That's the commitment the Tánaiste and I made to you when you elected us. And that is the commitment we are working to deliver each and every day. We have begun taking hold of these problems and deal with them head on. I am very optimistic for the future. I want to be the Taoiseach who retrieves Ireland's economic sovereignty, and who leads a Government that will help our country succeed. I want to make this the best small country in the world in which to do business, in which to raise a family and in which to grow old with dignity and respect.

All around Ireland, I meet people who want to play their part in achieving those goals. I meet young people, students and business people who are full of ideas, energy and optimism. I want to enable them, and many others, to achieve their full potential.

I believe Government, being honest and open, working with the people, will meet and beat the challenges we face. Next Tuesday December 6th is the 90th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty in 1921. Just as our fledgling state made its way to becoming a Republic then - I believe with all my heart, that we the Irish people can now make our way to recovery, to prosperity and to the fulfillment of the dreams of our children and the founding fathers of our nation.

REVIEW: IRELAND'S 2012 BUDGET

RTE  reports that the current draft of Ireland’s 2012 budget, presented on December 6, generally benefits low-paid workers as well as first-time buyers.  However, many will feel the effects of austerity measures such as increased fuel, VAT, and car taxes; there will also be an increase in the cost of home heating oil, which will not take effect until May, 2012. 

There is no rise in income tax, but changes in universal social charge thresholds will affect as many as 330,000 workers, as it will no longer be payable by those who earn less than €10,000.

First time buyers will see their mortgage interest relief increased, but all property owners (except those in unfinished housing estates) will have to pay a €100 property tax from January.

The following is a review of the main points of the 2012 Budget, as reported by RTE:

2012 BUDGET:

Pay: No increase in income tax

Universal Social Charge: Lower paid workers benefit. Threshold for paying USC up from €4,004 to €10,036 - this affects 330,000 people

Shopping and services: VAT hiked from 21% to 23%. This will apply to most non-food items including cars, petrol, phone bills, electrical supplies, furniture, adult footwear and clothing, alcohol, soft drinks, and tobacco. Services that will charge the higher rate of tax including accountancy, legal and tax advisory services. Services that will not apply to home heating oil, general household repairs and maintenance - electricians, plumbers and car mechanics will continue to charge the lower rate of 13.5%

Fuel: Petrol: 1.4c increase.  Diesel: 1.6c increase. No Carbon Tax on solid fuels. Effective May, 2012:  €17.32 increase on Home Heating Oil; €17.32 increase on Fuel Oil; €14.46 increase on Natural Gas

Cigarettes: 25c increase on pack of 20

Alcohol: No change in excise duty. Legislation planned on low-cost alcohol

Motor Tax: (changes effective January 1, 2012) Band A: up €56 to €160; Band B: up €69 to €225; Band C: up €28 to €330

Mortgage Interest Relief: 30% for first-time buyers between 2004 and 2008. 25% for first-time buyers in 2012. 15% for non-first time buyers. Mortgage interest relief will not be available to people who purchase after the end of 2012 and the relief will be abolished by 2018.

Property Tax: €100 Household Charge will be introduced in January. Waived for those on mortgage interest supplement and those in unfinished housing estates

Stamp Duty: No change to stamp duty on residential property. Commercial property rate lowered from 6% to 2%

Pension: 50% Employer PRSI pension relief abolished

Approved Retirement Funds: Tax up 1% to 6% on transfer of funds

Gambling: Legislation planned

Capital Acquisitions Tax: Up from 25% to 30%

Capital Gains Tax: Up from 25% to 30%

Capital Gains Tax Incentive: Applies to commercial property bought by end 2013 and kept for 7 years. Gains may in capital value over this period will be relieved from capital gains tax.

Savings: DIRT; Tax on interest will rise from 27% to 30%

Farming: Lower commercial stamp duty rate will also apply to farmland. 50% stock relief on registered farm partnerships. 100% rate for certain young trained farmers. Incentives for timely transfer of farms before the current owners reach the age of 66

Corporate Tax Rate: To remain at 12.5%.  Exemption for start-up corporations extended.

Research & Development: €100,000 of expenditure can be used as tax credit. Companies can use R&D credits to reward key employees.

GDP: 1.3% growth forecast in 2012

Special Assignee Relief Programme: Initiative to attract key staff

E.U. URGES IRELAND TO ISSUE SHORT-TERM DEBT

The European Commission has published its latest assessment of the Irish economy following its October review of Ireland's implementation of the EU/IMF programme.

The Commission said Ireland's budgetary performance had been on target so far, and it welcomed last week's Budget.

But it lowered its growth forecast for next year from a previous 1.9% to 1%, saying the near-term economic and budgetary outlook had worsened due to weaker activity in the world economy and higher than expected unemployment.

The GDP growth forecast for this year, however, was raised from 0.6% to 1.1%.

The Commission said the money provided under the bail-out deal was expected to cover Ireland's funding needs until the second half of 2013, due to the lower than expected cost of recapitalising the banks.

It said the Government should consider issuing some short-term debt soon, as a first step to re-entering the bond market.

On asset sales, the report said a more "substantive" discussion of the Government's plans was expected at the next review in January.

The report paves the way for the third installment of €4.2 billion in European funding to Ireland in January.

          lifestyles

return to top

"JOHN FORD IRELAND" HONORS CLINT EASTWOOD 

Film great Clint Eastwood honoured with the inaugural John Ford Award from the newly established John Ford Ireland, an annual symposium celebrating the life and work of the legendary Irish-American filmmaker.

Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA), and Michael Collins, Irish Ambassador to the US, presented the award to Eastwood at a reception in Burbank, California, which was attended by members of the Ford family, including the director's grandson, author Dan Ford.

Eastwood said of the honour: "This is a great privilege for me because any kind of association with John Ford is most directors' dream as he was certainly a pioneer of American filmmaking and I grew up on his films.

"His Westerns had a great influence on me, as I think they had on everybody. When I worked with Sergio Leone years ago in Italy, his favourite director was John Ford and he spoke very openly about that influence.

"I want to thank everybody who is here from the Irish Academy, the John Ford family and thank you to John Ford Ireland."

John Ford Ireland has been established by the Irish Film & Television Academy in association with the John Ford Estate and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

The inaugural symposium will take place in June 2012 in Dublin and will include screenings, exhibitions, discussions, masterclasses, lectures and public interviews, with more details to be released in the new year.

A film school and scholarship programme will also be established in year two.

NO MORE "KISSING" AT    WILDE'S GRAVE

For more than a decade, fans of Irish writer, poet, and dramatist Oscar Wilde have flocked to a famous Paris cemetery to kiss his grave, leaving thousands of red and pink lipstick marks smeared across the cream-colored stone.

But now, after a ceremony marking the 111th anniversary of the Dublin playwright's death, Wilde enthusiasts must pay their tributes through a glass screen, which keeps them a full arm's length from the tomb itself.

The new grave was unveiled after a renovation that left it scrubbed clean and surrounded by a glass enclosure to prevent future visitors from degrading the stone.

"If they'd kissed it simply without lipstick, we wouldn't have had to do this," Wilde's grandson Merlin Holland told reporters after the unveiling ceremony at the Pere Lachaise cemetery, whose other famous inhabitants include Edith Piaf, Marcel Proust and Jim Morrison.

Actor Rupert Everett, guest of honor at the ceremony, and due to portray the late writer in an upcoming film, said he thought that even though Wilde would have loved the attention lavished on his grave, he thought he would have been uncomfortable at the lipstick graffiti defacing it.

"I think he'd be thrilled that he was still attracting so much attention. I don't think he would like graffiti very much because he loved perfect clothes, perfect houses," Everett, star of the film "My Best Friend's Wedding," told Reuters. "I think he'd like his statue to be clean and beautiful."

Wilde, best known for the farcical play "The Importance of Being Earnest" and the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray," was born in Dublin but living in London when he was tried for homosexuality. Convicted, he spent two years in prison, after which he left for France, where he died destitute in Paris.

Wednesday's unveiling of the new grave, funded in part by the Irish government, was attended by French and Irish officials and some family members. Several people left flowers.

Everett, who has acted in several Oscar Wilde plays and a silver screen adaptation of The Importance of Being Earnest, referred to Wilde as his patron saint, and read out a passage from "De Profundis," the letter Wilde wrote to lover Alfred Douglas from prison in England.

Touching on the controversy surrounding Wilde's sexuality, Everett said the writer not only associated kisses with love but also with danger and death. "And so I wonder how he was able to support the lipstick-kiss tributes that thousands of admirers had left over the years. Maybe he said 'Save me, disciples," Everett quipped.

Wilde's grave was last renovated in the 1990s. Decades of graffiti had prompted Wilde's descendants to secure a historical monument listing for the tombstone, in the hopes that it would discourage vandalism. The graffiti stopped but then the kissing started. Cemetery officials and Wilde's descendants hope that this time the glass enclosure will keep the grave spick and span.

It is not the first time Paris has cleaned up Wilde's grave.  Holland talked at the ceremony about how when the tomb's crowning sculpture of an angel in flight was made in the early 1900s and transported to Paris, officials at the Pere Lachaise cemetery immediately covered it up with a tarp to hide the angel's genitalia from public view. "This grave is no stranger to controversy."

SPORTS

return to top

IRELAND  QUALIFIES FOR 2012 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 

A November 15 victory over Estonia has earned the Irish national soccer team a place in the 2012 European Championship.  It will be their first time competing in the European Championship since 1988, and their first major tournament since the 2002 World Cup. 

Many fans will remember with bitterness the controversial handball by France’s Thierry Henry, which denied the Irish a World Cup bid two years ago.  “We deserved also to qualify in Paris,” said Irish coach Giovanni Trapattoni, “But in this second tournament, this time, we showed the Irish people that we have built a very fantastic team.”

The draw for the 2012 European Championship, held December 2, did not make things easy for Ireland.  In order to advance to the knockout stages of the tournament, Ireland must finish first or second in a group that includes Croatia, Italy, and the tournament favorite, World and European champions Spain. 

Ireland, who will play all of their first round games in Poland, open with Croatia on June 10 in Poznan.  They travel to Gdansk for their June 14 meeting with Spain, and return to Poznan to face Italy on June 18. 

  Coach Giovanni Trapattoni said before the draw that he hoped to avoid a first round meeting with Italy, the team he managed at the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 European Championship in Portugal.  After learning that his team must face not only Italy, but also tournament favorites Spain, Trapattoni said the most important thing was to remain calm, and to prepare as if these were any other games.  “We knew we had to face strong opponents and I hope we don’t do ourselves any harm and that we get to June 18 in a calm way,” he said.  “I must convince my players it will be [just] another game.  They may prepare better.”

WIDER HORIZONS PROGRAM

If you are interested in becoming a Host Family for the Wider Horizons Program in 2011, please contact Robert Tierney at  rtierney@iiofpitt.org or phone (412) 394-3900

                                 events

return to top

Our Mission:

Help the Institute:

. 

Friday, December 16

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, Private Party, Pub opens to Public at 7:00 pm.

·         Paddy’s Pour House, 215 East Main Street, Carnegie, 412.279.0770, features Entertainment at 9:00pm.

Friday, December 16 & Saturday, December 17

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features The Bloody Tinth at 9:00 pm.

Saturday, December 17

·         Paddy’s Pour House, 215 East Main Street, Carnegie, 412.279.0770, features Entertainment at 9:00pm.

Sunday, December 18

·         Echoes of Erin on WEDO 810AM, The Ireland Report from Belfast with Davy Kettyles in Dublin. 

Monday, December 19

·         The Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh ‘Special Christmas Show’ and  drawing for the Winning Ticket on “The Irish Castle Vacation Prize Raffle”.  Event takes place at Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622.  Tickets available at the Institute 412.394.3900, $20 each.  IF you can sell any tickets call The Institute.

Wednesday, December 21

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features Maddie Arnold on vocals & guitar at 7:30pm.

Thursday, December 22

·         Sunny Carney, Author and niece of Tom Jennings, is having a book signing at Herbs in Greenfield.  Title of book is “Sunnyside of Cancer”; Sunny has Carcinoid Cancer, she is 41 years of age, us a wufe and mother of three boys, ages 11, 12, & 13.

Friday, December 23

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features Tim & John’s Christmas Extravaganza.

·         Paddy’s Pour House, 215 East Main Street, Carnegie, 412.279.0770, features Entertainment at 9:00pm.

Saturday, December 24 through Monday, December 26

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, is Closed for Christmas.

Wednesday, December 28

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features Mark Guiser on vocals & guitar at 7:30pm.

Friday, December 30

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features Ballad Singer Terry Griffith at 9:00pm.

·         Paddy’s Pour House, 215 East Main Street, Carnegie, 412.279.0770, features Entertainment at 9:00pm.

Saturday, December 31

·         Mullaney’s Harp & Fiddle 2329 Penn Ave., in The Strip, 412.642.6622, features a ‘Rock’n New Years Eve Party’ with an Irish toast at 7:00pm and an American toast at midnight with Adam & The River Blackwater Band.

·         Paddy’s Pour House, 215 East Main Street, Carnegie, 412.279.0770, features Entertainment at 9:00pm.

2012

Sunday, January 1

·         Echoes of Erin on WEDO 810am, The Ireland Report with Patricia Sharkey, Donegal; Editor of the Donegal Newsletter at www.dun-na-ngall.com.   Live Stream – www.wedo810.com click on “Listen Live’. 

Thursday, January 5 to 7

·         Pittsburgh Public Theater Welcomes 2012 with Comedy - The Second City returns with new show “Laugh Out Loud!” The Second City, the famed Chicago comedy troupe that launched the careers of Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, and many others; the next generation of The Second City’s best and brightest will perform the company’s trademark improvisation and hilarious sketch comedy in their new show, Laugh Out Loud! Featuring material that’s ripped from the morning headlines, classic gems from the archives, musical accompaniment and audience participation  Ticket prices range from $48 to $15.75 (for students and age 26 and younger). For more details or to buy tickets call 412.316.1600 or go to www.ppt.org.

Saturday, January 21

·         All Ireland Athletic Club presents “Frost on the Shamrock” with Andy Cooney and his Band, at the VFW, 401 Draper Street, East Pittsburgh, 7:00pm to 11:00pm.  Tickets in Advance $20. at the Door $25, 412-367-0696 or email: allirelandevents@comcast.net

Sunday, January 29

·         Gaelic Arts Society of Pgh, ‘Sunday Afternoon at the Movies’, 2:30pm, Site TBA, Open to the Public.

ecome a regular at these local programs!

 The Echoes of Erin is marking its 22nd year!  It airs every Sunday afternoon at 12:30-2:00p.m. on WEDO, 810 AM.  Diane Byrnes continues to provide Irish music, news, and other great information from the Emerald Isle.  Keep up the good work, Diane!

Paddy's Pour House located on Main Street in Carnegie, PA hosts live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night starting at 9:00 p.m.  Tuesday nights, come for Irish Night: Guinness, Smithwick's, and Half and Half specials 8-12 p.m.  For more information, visit their website or call (412) 279-0770.

Catch the Thistle and Shamrock every Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. on WYEP 91.3FM for Celtic music performances and discussions.

We're always looking for events to include: If you'd like to include your next event in this newsletter, please send event information including date, time, location, admission cost, and contact information to info@iiofpitt.org. 

LOCAL IRISH ENTERTAINERS WEBSITES

Check Performance Schedules, Etc.

Aran from Johnstown PA -              http://www.people.iup.edu/rahkonen/Bands/Aran.htm

George Balderose  -  http://www.pittsburghpiper.com/

Carnival of Souls -  http://www.carnivalofsouls.com

Ceann  -  http://www.ceannmusic.com/  

Cue Ball Music  -  http://www.cueballmusic.com/index.asp  

Cahal Dunne  -  http://www.cahaldunne.com/

Tony Egan   -  http://www.tonyegan.info  

Michael Gallagher  -  http://www.mike-gallagher.com/

Terry Griffith  -   http://www.pittsburghirish.org/griffith  

Guaranteed Irish    -  http://www.guaranteedirish.info/

Hiraeth  -  http://lugh.as.cmu.edu/Hiraeth.htm

Hooley  -  http://www.hooley.info

John McCann  -  http://www.johnmccannlive.com/

Corned Beef & Curry - http://www.cornedbeefncurry.com/

Michael Murphy & TSRB  http://www.michaelmurphy.us/

Na Gaels  -  http://www.pittsburghirish.org/nagaels

Jack Puskar  -  http://www.jackpuskar.com  

Red Hand Paddy  -  http://www.redhandpaddy.com/

Rolling Scones  -  http://www.rollingscones.com

Pittsburgh Irish Dance Schools

            Bell School of Irish Dance  http://bellschool.com/about.htm  

            Burke Irish Dancers          http://www.burkeirishdance.com/  

    Pittsburgh Irish Reelers    http://www.pghirishreelers.com/  

    Shovlin Academy of Dance  http://www.shovlinacademy.com/  

    Pittsburgh Ceili Club        www.pittsburghceiliclub.org/  

Pittsburgh Irish Sports

    Pittsburgh Gaelic Athletic Association (PGAA)

- a representative organization of the Pittsburgh Celtics, Pittsburgh Banshees, and Pittsburgh Celtics Youth

Secretary@PittsburghGAA.com 

www.PittsburghGAA.com

Pittsburgh Hurling Club (PHC)

-a representative organization of the Pittsburgh Pucas

Open Practices: Tuesdays @ 5:30pm, Frick Park

info@pghhurling.org

www.pghhurling.org

Pittsburgh Irish Rowing Club (PIRC) 

  http://www.pittsburghirishrowingclub.com/

The Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh’s mission is to promote mutual understanding of the Catholic and Protestant traditions in Northern Ireland and economic development throughout all of Ireland. The Institute fulfills its mission by providing quality programs in job training, economic development, leadership development, educational alliances and reconciliation. The Institute is a change-oriented organization that collaborates with industry, educational and government institutions in the development of all programs.

The Ireland Institute relies on its donor and volunteer network to continue its mission of mutual reconciliation and economic development. Your generosity is kindly appreciated.

The Ireland Institute is available to accept donations through the United Way. Please remember our code for the United Way Campaign of Southwestern Pennsylvania: 4534. We are also listed as a non-Profit under the Combined Federal Campaign. Our number is: 12438. A third option is to donate through the local Federal campaign. This number is: 9016.

If you prefer, a tax-deductible donation can also be made directly to the Ireland Institute of Pittsburgh. The Ireland Institute also appreciates in-kind donations such as event tickets etc. that we can then distribute to our participants.

For further information or questions about how you can donate, please contact us at 412-394-3900.

All articles are adapted from www.rte.ie, the Irish Emigrant, the Belfast Telegraph, the Irish Examiner, BBC, and other news sources.