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Health & Fitness

James Connolly Songbook

I have spent a large part of the last 22 years studying Twentieth Century Irish history (informally, that is). It has been an interest of mine since high school, when I wrote my senior paper on the Easter Rebellion. (It was absolutely terrible, if I recall. My English Lit. teacher actually said I shouldn't have bothered writing it.)

When I was 22, living in England during the early days/months/years of the peace process, that interest became a bit of an obsession. I subscribed to An Phoblacht (much to my English wife's chagrin), read every book I could get my hands on, watched the news like a junkie (which was an easy habit to feed, since I was employed as a news transcriptionist at the time — the funnest job I've ever had), wore a Tricolour lapel pin (purchased in Dublin, Easter weekend 1994) on a British army jacked (purchased at a surplus store near my job in Bristol), and argued with everyone around me — I even considered flying to Belfast once, to attend a Gerry Adams book signing, but decided against it on account of the cost (and my English wife's growing chagrin!).

In 2002, I wrote this defense of the IRA's refusal (at that time) to disarm — a piece of historical and political analysis of which I'm still quite proud.

And the subject still fascinates me, to be quite honest. I just finished Dorothy McArdle's excellent tome, The Irish Republic, a 1965 hardback edition in perfect condition found at A Picture's Worth in lovely Exeter, New Hampshire, and last summer I simply couldn't put down Voices from the Grave. If I had life to do over again, I'd be teaching Irish history at Queen's University in Belfast. C'est la vie.

Anyway, I was in Book & Bar in Portsmouth briefly last night (before going to see this movie, which I did not enjoy) when my eye caught sight of a poster advertising an event this coming Saturday night (February 1). It's called the "James Connolly Songbook", which, I gathered from the description, will primarily be performances of Irish/socialist/revolutionary/folk music (James Connolly having been Irish, a socialist, and a revolutionary, executed by the British in 1916).

Naturally, I can't miss it!

It's supposed to start at 9pm, but the place has been known to fill up fast. I'm going to have a few beers — of which there is an excellent selection at this, one of my favorite places in Portsmouth — and listen to songs and stories about James Connolly and revolution. Should be a fun evening.

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