Gigs N’ Roses 🎸🌹

So, What’s the Craic?

The Craic is back this Friday, bringing you all the interesting things we could find concerning the Irish at home and abroad. Know someone who could give this weekly email a loving home? Ask them to sign up here.

News from Home

Rose Bloom. Ireland’s most famous beauty pageant returns this week with the Rose of Tralee Festival. Yes, we know it’s a little backward, and, thankfully, there have been changes to bring the festival up to modern sensibilities. Indeed, up until 2008, unmarried mothers were banned from entering the contest (my, we were really stuck in the 1950s for a long time). Anyway, the festival is no longer as ridiculous as the past, and it’s more of a cultural showcase and a tourism strategy, as well as a means to connect with the diaspora, as “Roses” with Irish roots from all over the world enter. We aren’t keen on beauty pageants in general, but at the very least, the Rose of Tralee has made enough changes to bring it into the 21st century (by a whisker).

Nothing Compares. A report says a biopic is being prepared covering the life of Sinead O’Connor. The legendary singer, whose private life often overshadowed her supreme talent, passed away in 2023. We hope the biopic is fair to Sinead, highlighting her genius and fierceness, and not exploitative. Seeing the production team, including talented Irish writer Stacey Gregg, we are confident that they will pull off something befitting the memory of one of Ireland’s Queens.

Bee Careful. There have been some sightings of Asian hornets in Ireland this week, causing experts to warn that the aggressive wee boyos will attack the Irish bee population, in turn harming the island’s biodiversity. Anyone bombing about Cork, where the hornets were spotted, are advised to take a photo and send it into local wildlife experts. Don’t make friends with them, no matter how nice they are to you.

Irish Fest: Not news from home, but we couldn’t fail to mention one of America’s biggest Irish music and arts festivals. Milwaukee Irish Fest has been taking place in, err, Milwaukee this weekend, showcasing the best of Celtic culture on US soil. Rumor has it that you might see our captain, Patrick, milling around in a Shift t-shirt on the final day of the festival. Be sure to say hello; he might even buy you a pint.

The Craic Recommends. George Houston is starting to get the recognition he deserves after years of being a “musicians’ musician” touring with the likes of Paul Weller and Hothouse Flowers. The Donegal man’s 4th album, TODC, might just be the best Irish album of the year. Check out George’s TODC and Houston’s other work here.

The Irish Influence

We thought we would dip into the pantomime world of pro wrestling for our Irish Influence this week. There have been many Irish wrestlers who have made their name in the squared circle – Sheamus, Finn Balor, Fit Finlay – but none have risen to the top in quite the manner of Rebecca Quin, AKA Becky “The Man” Lynch. Quin fought her way to the top of the WWE, integral in what was known as the women’s revolution, bringing parity between the sexes. She headlined WrestleMania, is a multi-time world champion, and is one of the faces of a sport that has traditionally put men front and center. Many people like to giggle at pro wrestling and all its theatrics, but we certainly wouldn’t do it to “The Man’s” face.

Cúpla Focal

An Hobad – {An Hob-add} – The Hobbit. No writer in history was as fastidious about etymology as J.R.R. Tolkien, so you can’t just stick his works into Google Translate and hope for the best. The Irish language version of The Hobbit has been released. Translated by Professor Moray Watson, this is a tremendous undertaking and a treasure trove for anyone interested in the functions of the Irish language. Check it out here.

Blast from the Past

They are synonymous with “Britpop,” and Noel is famous for playing a custom Union-Jack-emblazoned guitar, but we still claim Oasis as, well, let’s say semi-Irish. The Gallagher Brothers, Noel and Liam, were born in Manchester to Irish immigrant parents. Moreover, there’s a sense of fiery self-implosion about the siblings, a Cain-and-Abelism that feels wrapped up in the Irish condition. Anyway, we mention all this because the island has gone Oasis mad (for it) this weekend, as the band will play Croke Park Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are like gold dust, and Dublin hoteliers are eyeing up yachts and Rolexes to spend their price-gouging gains. Yet, we’d like to transport you back to 1996 and a simpler time, when Oasis played at Páirc Uí Chaoimh in Cork. Shift Co-Founder Patrick Blood was at the legendary gig. If anyone spots him in the video below, let us know, because we are all dying to see the boss’s wee, cutey-wutey teenage face.

And One Last Thing….

A commonly cited statistic is that there are 7 million people living on the island of Ireland, whereas around 70 million Irish passports exist. The Irish Government has always been proactive in ensuring the 70 stays connected to the 7. It has launched a new initiative for the diaspora, asking any of you living abroad to complete the Irish Global Survey – you can fill out the form here – so that the government can learn how to better serve the Irish abroad. Ireland and Irish culture punch above its weight globally due to the strength of our ties with the diaspora. So if you have something to say about funding projects or building networks, let the government lads know before the end of August.

Go on ya good thing! You made it to the end. If you enjoyed The Craic, remember to share the love. Everyone who gets The Craic will get early access to the Shift mobile app, which is coming very, very soon! And if those friends or family are doing alright for themselves, if ya know what I mean, let them know we’re still looking for investors to help us come out of the traps roaring like a Celtic Ti- eh… Horse. 🐎 Hit us up on [email protected].