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CHRISTMAS EDITION CHRISTMAS EDITION 20082008

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Contents

From the Editor

Will the Real Santa Claus Please Stand up?

..............................

..............................

............4

Conor Power investigates the origins of modern-day

Santa.

Christmas Recipes .............................

.........6

Celebrity chefs Nevin Maguire, Clodagh McKenna and

Susan Hosford share some of their seasonal favourites.

StarLife Style by Perry O’Donovan .......13

A new regular section which will feature two profi le

subjects getting suitably attired in different outlets

around the county.

Gathering Traditions .............................

...17

Tina Pisco takes a look at varied traditions around the

world, some of which she has inherited as her own

Local Christmas Traditions .....................20

Victor Hayes examines Christmas traditions in a local

context.

Tomorrow’s News Today! .......................23

James Harpur gazes into his crystal ball to fi nd out

what 2009 has in store for us, at home and abroad.

Planes, Trains & Automobiles ................24

Conor Power recalls a seasonal tale of trying to get

home for Christmas

No Rest for Some .............................

........27

Carmel Harley asks some of West Cork’s busiest how

they relax at Christmas

The Arts in 2009 .............................

..........29

Next year promises to be an exciting one in the arts.

Nadine O’Regan offers a sneak-peek at some of the

arts treats that lie ahead.

Music for the Season .............................

...31

Alan Tobin asks Armoured Bear’s Anthony Noonan

and Ryan Adams & The Cardinals’ Neal Casal a few

questions and reviews two albums.

“’Tis the Season to be Frugal” ...............32

Prionsias O’Mahony offers some seasonal advice on

celebrating without over-spending

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Please! ............35

With the right quantity of snow, Christmas can be

extra-special, writes Conor Power.

Home-Made Solutions .............................

37

Lesley Simpson fi nds a tasty way to give at Christmas

When the Lights Go Out .........................38

Camille Dorney wonders why it is that when the

lights come back on after a power cut, a little piece of

us is very disappointed

Welcome to the Christmas edition of Starlife!

We feel sure that everyone will fi nd something that they like amongst the various articles in this

edition; all written by a great team of locally-based writers.

In this edition we introduce a new section StarLife Style by Perry O’Donovan. The idea is to take

a local ‘somebody’ – a poet, a politician, a sports person, an actor — from one side of the county

(say Kinsale or Bandon) and dress him/her in a town in an opposite side of the county (Bantry, say,

or Skibbereen) and do a photo shoot. It’s a two-pager so on the other page, for example, would

be someone from west end of the county dressed in east end shops and so on.

We’re very grateful to the co-operation of the shops and outlets involved and of course to Paul

and Catherine our fi rst two profi le subjects.

Congrats to Mary O’Neill, Orchard Road,Victoria Cross, Cork, winner of our Autumn

competition. The name of the fi lm shot in Castletownbere with Colin Farrell, was of course

Ondine. We had such a strong response to the competition that we are running another in this

edition, with a suitably festive prize! Full details are on page 7.

Meanwhile, on behalf of everyone in Starlife, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a

Happy Christmas and a Peaceful New Year. See you in the Spring!

CONOR POWER

EDITOR

StarLife is published by the Southern Star.

Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork.

Tel: 028 21200 email: info@southernstar.ie

Editor: ..................................

......................Conor Power

Design/Layout: ..................................

............... Alan Tobin

Commercial/Advertising: ..................Fintan O’Connell

StarLife Style Co-ordinator: ........... Perry O’Donovan

Printed by Inspire Design and Print, Skibbereen

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SantaConor Power investigates the

origins of modern-day Santa.

Since then, Santa has taken many different forms, according to the culture of the particular country. In most of them, he was a tall thin man. The day or night on which he arrived varied, as did the colour and design of his clothing. The chubby rosy-cheeked Santa Claus that we all tend to gravitate towards nowadays was made popular by a Coca-Cola advertising campaign in the early 1930’s. This campaign had the twin effect of not only increasing the sales of the black fi zzy drink, sending it on its way to becoming a global success, but it also promoted the popularity of a particular image of Santa. This winning formula has been used ever since. That same Santa continues to drink Coke and has now become synonymous with Christmas itself. The red and white colours also tied in with the colours of the Coca-Cola Company. Before that, Santa had existed in many different colours depending on the tradition – the most popular combination being green and white – but again, the Coke campaign standardised and globalized the red-and-white colour code and it continues to reinforce this standard today.

Coca-Cola weren’t shy about recognising this fact and were proud to have created a global cultural icon; a modern tradition of their own. And why wouldn’t they be? They even went as far as holding a special exhibition of their Santa images in

New York in December 2006 to mark the 75th anniversary of the fi rst advertisement to feature the Santa Claus that the whole world now knows and loves so well.

But here’s where the plot thickens. Recent research by an American author named Gerard Bowler – author of “Santa Claus: A Biography” – has revealed that the red-cheeked cookie-scoffi ng character used by Coca-Cola for over 77 years now was not created by them at all. There is another American soft drinks company named White Rock, which used the very same red-and-white Santa Claus in several advertisements that appeared in Life magazine during the 1920’s, with at least one of them from as far back as 1915 – some 16 years before the Atlanta cola giants hijacked Kris Kringle and claimed him as their own.

White Rock is America’s oldest soft drinks manufacturer and its owner Larry Bodkin was quoted as saying: “For Coke to perpetuate this Christmas myth for so long is abominable. They have co-opted Claus and it wouldn’t surprise me to hear that they’re trying to claim that they created the Easter Bunny, as well.”

Strong words indeed from a soft drinks man. Bodkin went even further with the following witty words: “You can’t beat the feeling

of telling the truth. These upstarts at Coke owe it to the American people to admit that White Rock and Santa Claus is the real thing. Only then can people have a Coke and a smile.”

That’s all very interesting, but it begs the question – Who did invent the popular modern-day image of “Santy” (as he is affectionately known to many of us here in Ireland)? The answer, as far as deep and meaningful research can tell us, is Thomas Nast. This German-born artist was a famous political cartoonist in 19th-century America and was considered by many as the “father of the American cartoon”. In a sensational break with the tradition of depicting Santa as a thin man, and almost 70 years before Coca-Cola’s afore-mentioned ad campaign, Nast created the plump Santa Claus in “Harper’s Weekly”.

The truth is that it doesn’t really matter what Santa Claus looks like, because his real strength is not so much in his looks as in the quality of presents that he brings year after year. In any case, the debate over what he actually looks like is going to continue to rage until somebody fi nally gets a good look at him. So, in the interests of journalistic integrity, I’m planning to sit by the chimney on Christmas Eve with a camera, put on a scary DVD and drink my way through a large pot of coffee. I can’t wait to see what happens…

His origins go back to the 4th-century St. Nicholas – a Greek saint who lived in what is now part of Turkey. He was noted for his charity, which he once manifested by fronting some cash to save three daughters of an impoverished family from falling into prostitution. Was it pure generosity or a wise investment? It’s so far back in time that it’s hard to tell what the social norms were. In any case, it’s fair to say that a legend was born.

Will the Real

Please Stand up?Claus

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Award winning chef Neven Maguire confesses that cooking for his family and friends at Christmas is one of his most favourite tasks of the year. Here, he suggests Steamed Breast of Turkey with Smoked Bacon Mousse, as a delicious light alternative to the traditional turkey roast. Serves 4. His recipe for Irish Whiskey and Maple Glazed Ham will serve 10 to 12 people. For his culinary expertise and work at MacNean House and Restaurant, Blacklion, Co. Cavan, Maguire has achieved many prestigious awards, Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Award for Fine Dining (2008); Food & Wine’s ‘Restaurant of the Year’ Award 2008; ‘Ulster Best Restaurant’ Award 2008, 2004, 2003, 2002 and ‘Ulster Best Chef’ Award 2008, 2007, 2004; Georgina Campbell’s Restaurant of the Year Award 2007; Special Award for Culinary Achievements and Tourism Promotion from Cavan County Council 2007 and Georgina Campbell’s Natural Food Award 2006. Guestroom and restaurant reservations on 071 9853022.

Neven Maguire

STEAMED BREAST OF TURKEY WITH SMOKED BACON MOUSSE

For those of you who don’t want to cook a whole Turkey at Christmas this is something a little different that you can have made the day before to make Christmas morning preparation a little easier.

Serves 4

Ingredients

5 Turkey slices

1 full egg

100 ml / 4 fl oz cream

2 slices smoked bacon, diced

1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

1 tablespoon cranberries

1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs: chives, parsley and basil

25 g / 1 oz butter

Dash balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon tomato puree

125 ml / ¼ pint beef stock

75 ml / 3 fl oz cream

75g / 3 oz wild mushrooms: caps, shitake or oyster

1 packet fresh tagliatelle pasta, cooked to packet instructions

Seasoning

Chervil for garnish

MethodFor the mousse stuffi ng, put 2 slices turkey in the food blender and mix thoroughly. Then add the egg to the turkey mix, followed by the cream. Blend for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and then stir in the bacon, cranberries, pine nuts and herbs.

To prepare the turkey, place each slice between 2 sheets of Cling fi lm and fl atten down with a rolling pin or heavy object, until the slice is a twice the size, and quite thin. Place a quarter of the mousse stuffi ng into each slice and spread the mix lengthways along the slice. Roll the meat over the stuff-ing so that it forms a sausage shape. When rolled, wrap each slice tightly in some Cling fi lm to keep its shape. Twist the ends of the Cling fi lm, so that it looks like a Christmas cracker. Keep in fridge until ready to cook.

Now make the sauce, heat a pot and add in the vinegar and tomato puree, reduce for about 2 minutes. Then pour in the beef stock, cream and fi nally add in the mushrooms, stir well and reduce until it the mixture has a sauce consistency. Season to taste. Keep warm until serving. Cook the taglia-telle according to packet instructions.

Now steam the breasts in some boiling water for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the pan and peel off the Cling fi lm. Heat the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pan and gently sauté the turkey. After about 3-4 minutes, remove from pan and keep warm.

To ServeCutting at an angle, slice each turkey sausage into 4 pieces and lay in a crescent shape on the plate and driz-zle the mushroom sauce around it. Twist some freshly cooked tagliatelle in a spiral shape at the side of the dish. Garnish with a single chervil

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IRISH WHISKY AND MAPLE GLAZED HAMServes 10-12

Ingredients5kg/11lb gammon on the bone4 celery sticks, roughly chopped2 onions, sliced1 bunch of fresh thyme1 tablespoon black peppercorns3 teaspoons allspice200ml/7fl oz maple syrup200ml/7fl oz Irish whiskey1 teaspoon whole cloves

Method1.Soak the gammon overnight to remove excess salt. Weigh the gammon joint and calculate the cooking time. Allow 20 minutes per 1lb plus 20 minutes extra. Place in a large pan cover with water and bring to the boil.

2.Add celery, onion, thyme and peppercorns. Simmer for 4 hours. Skim off any scum that rises to the top. Cook until the bone end comes away freely. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.

3.Carefully remove the skin leaving some fat on, score the fat with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern taking care not to cut into the meat.

4.Preheat the oven to 180oC/Gas 4/Fan 160oC. Place the whiskey, maple syrup, allspice and clove in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

5.Stud the ham with cloves and place ham in a tray with a little water. Brush some of the syrup over the ham. Baste the ham with some of the syrup. Cook in oven for 1 hour. It is very important to keep basting to give the ham an even glaze.

CompetitionIn this issue, Starlife are giving away a Christmas Hamper from Skibbereen Food & Wine Market, cram packed with seasonal West Cork goodness. To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the question below and post or email your answer, along with your contact details to

STARLIFE MAGAZINE,Southern Star, Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork.or email - starlife@southernstar.ie

QUESTION:Who, according to the article in this seasons issue of Starlife, is responsible for creating the most common modern-day image of Santa Claus?

(a) Coca Cola(b)Thomas Nast(c) Klaus Kugelschreiber

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Method.Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bain marieStir in brandyIn another bowl, mix together the almonds, fl our, baking powder and saltIn a third bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until pale yellowAdd chocolate mixture and stir until just mixed.Fold in fl our mixtureChill the doughRoll into golf ball size ballsRoll the balls fi rst in granulated sugar, then icing sugarBake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 190˚C until the tops are cracked, about 10 minutesThe cookies should lift easily from the sheetWhen cool they should be slightly chewy.Do not overbake

Susan HollandITALIAN CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Susan Holland, formerly of the award winning Customs House Restaurant, Baltimore, spends part of the year in France doing what she does best, creating sensational dishes with simple fresh ingredients. Log on to www.inishbeg.com for details of cookery courses held each Autumn and Spring.

Susan suggests a sublime Italian Chocolate Almond Torte, as the ultimate indulgence to round off any festive occasion.

Ingredients:250g blanched whole almonds220g good quality unsweetened dark chocolate, roughly chopped250g caster sugarPinch of salte x 27 large egg whitesCocoa powder for dusting26cm spring form tin.

Method.Grease the sides of the spring form tin and line bottom with parchment paper.Combine the almonds, chocolate and half the sugar and salt in food processor and pulse until almonds and chocolate are very fi nely chopped but not pulverised.Set aside.Whisk egg whites with pinch of salt until moist soft peaks form. Gradu-ally add remaining half of sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon.Whisk egg whites until stiff.Add by thirds the nut mixture to the egg whites, folding gently, but fi rmly.Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.Cool and dust with cocoa.CHOCOLATE

ALMOND COOKIES

Susan adds a recipe for Chocolate Almond Cookies - great stocking fi llers!

Ingredients:360g bittersweet chocolate4 tablespoons of unsalted butter60mls of brandy250g ground almonds125g plain fl our¾ teaspoon baking powder¼ teaspoon salt3 eggs125g sugar, plus extra for rollingIcing sugar

(Makes about 30 cookies)

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Eugene’s a localand his Producers are tooEugene knows that the freshest products come from Local Producers. Their expertise and knowledge ensure that only the best quality food reaches your table giving every meal a tasty, homegrown flavour.So support local with him and together let’s help build vibrant communities.

Richard Murphy, Shellfish de la Mer

Jeffa Gill, Durrus Cheese

Sean, Elma and John Nolan, Union Hall Smoked fish

Helena and Eugene Hickey, Skeaghanore Duck

Thank you for your encouragement and support.

Happy Christmas from all at Scally’s Supervalu Clonakilty

Scallys of Clonakilty

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Clodagh McKenna is best known through her TV series, books and magazine articles as a promoter of Irish Farmers’ Markets and Slow Food. She trained and worked as a chef at Ballymaloe, since when she has moved to Italy. Using local ingredients, the by-word in her kitchen, Clodagh presents Starlife readers with a selection of apperitivos to try this festive season. Each dish is delicious on its own or would combine to make a taste- tingling combination of starters for Christmas Day.

Look out for Clodagh’s stunning new range of aprons which will be available at URRU, Bandon, West Cork, or on line at www.clodaghmckenna.com. They’re stylish, dressy and glam enough to wear straight from the kitchen to the dining room table and just the perfect gift for mums and girlfriends everywhere.

Clodagh McKenna

SMOKED SALMON WHIP SERVED WITH ARBUTUS BREADS

Ingredients:250g smoked salmon100g cream cheese50g crème fraichejuice of 1 lemonsalt and black pepper

Method:Place all the ingredients in a food processor and whizz until you reach a smooth consistency. Season with salt and pepper and serve with toasted Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients:1 small Gubbeen round (about 9 ounces)2 tablespoons crushed walnuts3 tablespoons honeycrackers or sliced Arbutus baguette, for serving

Method:Preheat the oven to 165º C cut the cheese in half horizontally to make 2 rounds. Sprinkle half the walnuts and honey on the bottom half of the cheese. Replace the top disc of cheese and repeat same over the cheese, place the wheel on a large piece of tin foil. Wrap the foil around the cheese, forming a chimney hole on top with the excess foil. The chimney will let out the moisture while the cheese bakes. Place the cheese on a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins, or until the cheese is soft and runny.

Ingredients:110g fresh coriander leaves150ml extra virgin olive oil1 clove of garlic100g soft Ardsallagh goats cheese25g pine kernels30g freshly grated parmesan

Method:Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend. It will last in the fridge for over a week. Serve in a bowl with toasted pitta bread or seasonal vegetables.

BAKED HONEY AND WALNUT GUBBEEN

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North of Dunmanway, near Togher Castle, on the banks of the Bandon River which stately fl ows through his land, Paul breeds the ancient black cattle of Ireland, the rare breed better known as ‘Dexters’. Dexters are designated an endangered breed and, along with the other remaining native Irish breeds (such as the Kerry cattle breed and Irish Maol cattle), their conservation is now supported under the Rural Environmental Protection Scheme.

Few animals, it is safe to say, have ever lived as well as Paul’s little black cattle. “I love them”, says Paul, “I think they’re among the fi nest creatures God ever made.”

Kinrath, an organic farm, is a vast Irish wildfl ower meadow running along the north bank of the fi sh-rich river, fi ne land through which it is a pleasure to walk even in the heart of winter. Mature trees abound and (in the way the countryside is supposed to do) the berried bird-ounced boughs twirp, twitter, and chirp.

‘Classic country squire’ describes Paul’s sartorial preferences, for which, in West Cork, no place rivals O’Brien’s Saddlery & Country Clothing on Bandon’s Main Street.

Paul JohnsonKinrath House, Dunmanway

Photographs by John Minihan

In the main photograph the long waxed coat Paul is wearing is a brown Barbour Stockman coat (€310), the country-blue cotton shirt is also from Barbour (€79.95), the English mustard-coloured waistcoast is in Melton-wool (with silk lining) and from Pytchley (€115), the hunting breeches are from Tally Ho, a mix of cotton, nylon, and lycra (€115), and the brown-top hunting boots are rubber and from Aigle (€80). The shotgun and scarf are Paul’s.

O’Brien’s Saddlery & Country Clothing10 South Main Street, Bandon, 023 4323773 Main Street, Midleton, 021 463 9232Email: obriensaddlery@eircom.netwww.obrienssaddlery.com

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32 Main Street,SkibbereenCo. Cork

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Main Street, Ballydehob, West CorkThe authentic Italian Restaurant

A visit to Designs’

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14

1515

Catherine studied modern languages at Trinity College, Dublin, before embarking on a career in banking in the City of London, becoming a bond trader and a managing director at Salomon’s (an investment bank now incorporated into Citigroup).

“I was fortunate”, she says, “I was there for the Golden Years. I’m glad I’m not tied up with what’s happening now. I got out while the going was good.”

In 2003, Catherine returned to Ireland and to Kilbrogan House (which she’d bought in 1992), one of the most important architectural features West Cork has to offer. The house and grounds are impeccably restored and splendidly conserved (as might be expected from someone who is an active member of the Irish Georgian Society). Part of Kilbrogan House is run as a guesthouse, probably the fi nest guesthouse in West Cork.

Catherine’s priceless grace and taste for classical simplicity is evidenced not only in the house and grounds at Kilbrogan, also it may be discerned in the choices she made when StarLife Style invited her to robe in Skibbereen.

In the main photograph Catherine is wearing a black accordion-pleated wool coat-dress from the Italian design house iki (€415)

Catherine FitzMauriceKilbrogan House, Bandon

Photographs by John Minihan

and a black cotton long-sleeved top from Crea Concept (€60) both available at The Catwalk Boutique, Market Street, Skibbereen. Also from the Catwalk collection are the matching Pat Whyte large pearl necklace (€65) and ring (€35). The lady’s dressage top hat is from Christy’s of London (€189) and is available at O’Brien’s Saddlery of Bandon (see page 13), the silver-topped show cane is also from O’Brien’s (€19.95), and so too are the knee-length soft leather fi eld boots (with ankle-high lacing) which are by Brogini of Italy and retail at €395.

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16

Tina Pisco takes a look at varied traditions around the world,some of which she has inherited as her own

German-born Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s beloved husband, is often credited with bringing traditions from his homeland to Britain. Christmas trees, Yule logs, special cookies, shiny decorations and candles, mistletoe, holly and red berries are just some of the customs that can all be traced back to the areas that we now call Germany and Eastern Europe, where pagan Solstice traditions were adopted into the Christian holiday. Christmas trees became all the rage and the Victorians’ passion for all things Christmas, such as cards and big red bows, was born. Across the Atlantic, fashion-conscious Americans caught the Christmas spirit and made it their own.

I grew up in a multi-cultural family that moved around a lot. We brought our own Christmas traditions with us and picked up a few along the way. The “holiday season” starts at the end of November with an American Thanksgiving dinner. In the melting pot of cultures and religions that is the United States, Thanksgiving is the only holiday that all people celebrate. The last turkey sandwich is barely fi nished before we are visited by the Belgian Saint Nicolas on December 6th. It is he (in his Bishop’s robe and with his sceptre) who rewards good children by putting presents in their shoes. His sidekick Black Peter puts coal in bad children’s shoes. Two days later and we’re in town for the 8th, which as

everyone in West Cork knows, is 10% day and the offi cial start to the festive season. We take a quick break from Christmas to celebrate my birthday and then its full speed ahead to Christmas Eve in a race to buy presents, chop a tree, fi nd the decorations, wrap everything, shop, bake, welcome visitors and then some. When I lived in Belgium it was hard going. We would eat a Belgian Christmas dinner (thankfully not turkey) with my in-laws on Christmas Eve, knowing that a full American Christmas dinner awaited us the next day. Since moving to Ireland we’ve taken to spending Christmas Eve in the pub singing Carols. I leave early, however, because we still do a full Turkey with all the trimmings. The latter have taken on an Irish fl avour as my daughters now insist on several types of potatoes. Stephen’s Day is duly observed. So is Women’s Christmas, which has become a right of passage as each successive daughter reaches 18. It is the last offi cial day of the twelve days of Christmas. We’re almost done. We just have to put out our shoes once last time and Christmas is fi nally over.That’s because the Epiphany also falls on January 6 . That is the day the three Kings from the Orient found the manger and brought the Baby Jesus gifts. In Spain it is “Los Reyes” (The Kings), not Santa Claus, that bring children presents. As a child I always thought that made more sense than an old man who lived in the North Pole! >> >> >> >> >>

17

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The Blue Geranium CaféatHosfords Geranium&Garden Centrethe ideal venuefor your Christmas lunch.Full details on our websitewww.hosfordsgardencentre.ie

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Children in Italy also get their Christmas presents on January 6th. However, it is not the Three Kings, but La Befana, an ugly witch on a broom, that rewards good behaviour. The story goes that the Three Kings asked an old witch for some help, but she was too busy. She later realised her mistake and set off to follow them and bring gifts to the Infant Jesus. She never found them and so she fl ies around distributing gifts to children in the hope that she might fi nd him by chance.In Italy every family has a nativity scene called a Presepio. These can be very elaborate with entire towns surrounding the main manger. They are hand carved and very detailed. Tradition has it that these cribs became popular after St Francis of Assissi asked the craftsman Giovanni Vellita to create a manger scene for him.

Only a part of the population of multicultural Nigeria is Christian, but Christmas is a festive season for all. The country turns into a giant traffi c jam as people travel to be with their extended families. Palms fronds (symbolising peace) are more common than holly, but decorations are everywhere. Nigerians traditionally have a big party that lasts all night on Christmas Eve. The Christmas feast may include turkey along with beef, goat, mutton, chicken, yams, rice and Christmas cake.The Ekon play is traditionally performed at Christmas. Costumed and masked actors sing and dance with a “baby” and invite people to give them money. The “baby” is then handed over for a dance before being handed back.

The fi rst recorded public Christmas tree was put up in Riga’s main square in 1510 by a guild called the Black Heads (because of the black hats they wore). In a mix of pagan and Christian customs the tree was decorated with paper fl owers and later burned. In the 16th century Martin Luther is said to have brought a fi r tree home and decorated it with candles for his children, after having been moved by the beauty of moonlight glistening on fi r trees while walking in the forest Christmas Eve. In Latvia it is Father Christmas who brings presents to children, but he brings a present every day for twelve days!

The Oplatek is a round white bread wafer, similar to the hosts used at Holy Communion that is traditional in Poland on Wigilia (Christmas Eve). Polish families get together and share the Oplatek, exchanging good wishes and remembering family and friends who have passed on. Polish homes are decorated with hand made and bought decorations in the shape of hearts, animals and stars; as well as with Christmas trees hung with red apples and walnuts. The Polish Christmas dinner is a real feast with twelve different dishes to represent the twelve apostles. Traditionally, the table is always set with one extra place for unexpected guests, or just in case the Holy Spirit decides to arrive.

19

Christmas Traditions in Munster die hard, and sometimes come back

to life, says Victor Hayes

Local Christmas

TradChristmas is an occasion bound up in ritual – the doing of certain

things in a certain order. Otherwise it just wouldn’t feel like Christmas. But how many of the things we fi nd ourselves doing

over the festive season can be truly seen as tradition rather than habit, how closely have we held onto the customs of our

ancestors, and has consumerism weakened the drag of the past in the country as well as the cities? It would seem that almost everything

we like to do as part of the Christmas festivities nods partly or wholly to customs from past-times, and have morphed, through the ages into fi tting with the prevalent orthodoxy of the day.

Many of the traditions of Christmas in Ireland are common throughout the entire country, and there are many which are peculiar to certain areas. West Cork is rather blessed in this regard, as many of these

traditions have a very long and rich lineage indeed, sometimes extending beyond commercial, cultural and religious infl uence, right

back to pagan ritual from thousands of years ago. The original impulse to bring an evergreen tree into the house before

Christmas and decorate it is almost certainly a pagan one, as is the Irish affi nity to holly and ivy, both of which hold

special druidic signifi cance. As we know, the female berried holly is particularly prized, and there was a lovely notion that at

Christmas-time there was an angel standing on each spike. Other preparations for the festivities in past times involved “bringing home the Christmas” – the trip to town to buy all that was needed in the way of food, drink and treats for the children.

This was traditionally done on December 8th, though these days it seems to happen each day between Halloween and Christmas

Day! The preparation of spiced beef (beef which is marinated in spices for weeks) is still particularly strong in West Cork and

curiously unheard of in much of the country. If you are one who dislikes the stuff, spare a thought for some Ulster folk

where the tradition is boiled Ox head!Many houses now sport a Times-Square-style display of lighting

at Christmas-time, replacing the good(?) old electric candle. The fl aming wax candle in the window remains, for many, the real epitome of a childhood Christmas. This was said to be a sign to travellers that they were welcome, and before that it was tied in with the notion that the Holy Family could be travelling the road on Christmas Eve night. People went one further, leaving three place settings with milk and bread also on the

table, if Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus chose to avail of the hospitality. These days, one suspects, that they

would have to wrestle with Santa and Rudolph for these morsels! The candles, in sconces made

of hollowed-out turnips, were lit after the Angelus, and it was an age-old custom

that the youngest in the family would

20

ditionslight the principal candle, an act now replaced by the youngest placing the star on top of the Christmas tree. Midnight mass has been welcomed back to the midnight slot in many parishes over the last ten years, having been condemned, during the 80’s, to an earlier time by the exuberant foolery of over-full imbibers at the back of the churches.

Christmas morning was when the fi gurine of the baby Jesus was ceremoniously placed in the crib, but one wonders whether the ping of brand new Nintendo Wii’s will form the primary Christmas morning memory for the children of the noughties, urban and rural. While the Christmas swim in the icy sea has long been a tradition in Sandycove in Dublin, it’s ubiquity over the last number of years in places like Inchydoney, Bantry, and countless other coves in West Cork does seem to be just a relatively recent fashion, and has emerged as a renowned hangover cure before the big dinner!

A chorus of Munster people watch the St. Stephen’s Day news with dismay as it will invariably report on the revival of the Wren-boy tradition in Sandymount in Dublin as if it were the only place in Ireland where this occurred. Of course, this says more about the thin Christmas-time rosters within the RTE newsroom than the state of the Wren-boy population, though it does mask the fact that this custom is remarkably strong in West Cork, perhaps the strongest in the country, surviving a swift fall from grace in the national social psyche during the 80’s. What we now view as the traditional visit of the group of travelling musicians and singers is itself a fair dilution of the ancient practice of actually hunting down a wren, retribution for betraying the hiding place of St. Stephen with its singing, and parading the remains on a stick triumphantly from house to house where a gratuity (towards the cost of a celebratory ‘Wran-dance’) was seen as a way of warding off bad luck for the coming year.

The whole juggernaut grinds to something of a welcome halt for another year on January 6th, traditionally the day when the men would give the women a break from all work, though this has latterly been exchanged for the ladies’ “night-out” at a restaurant. What’s the betting that it is the women who spend the day removing the last of the decorations, and throwing out the last of the dried-out holly……

21

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22

25

Tomorrow’s News Today!

James Harpur gazes into his crystal ball to fi nd out

what 2009 has in store for us, at home and abroad.

January 2009After a regime of jogging round Leinster House to shed those Christmas calories, Brian Cowen becomes a vegetarian so that he can eat his Greens with a clearer conscience. ‘They’re offaly nice,’ he said to reporters, ‘once you get used to them.’

FebruaryIreland’s No. 1 best-selling book, Santa Claus, Ho, Ho, Ho! by Roddy Doyle is fi nally knocked off its perch by the latest bodice-ripper from Cecelia Ahern. With one of the longest fi ction titles ever recorded, Ahern’s book, PPS – I didn’t actually mean it when I said I loved you, and don’t take up that writing lark, there’s no money in it – starts its six months at the top of the books charts.

MarchNew politically correct St Patrick’s Day parades take place across the country for the fi rst time. On fl oats from Donegal to Waterford, the saint is shown embracing snakes and holding up placards with slogans such as, ‘I’m Fond’a Anacondas’, ‘Kiss a Kobra’ and ‘Hug a Python – Be-fore it Hugs You’. And, recently condemned as ‘shortist’ and ‘beardist’, giant, clean-shaven leprechauns now tower above the spectators.

AprilThe Aintree Grand National is won by Edna O’Brien’s Jammy Dodger, the 33-1 outsider. Of the many happy punters who backed their intui-tions, none was more jubilant than ex-taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who attended the race in person. ‘It’s really only the second big win I’ve had in fi fteen years,’ he told reporters in Liverpool afterwards, before ask-ing, ‘Are the banks open on a Saturday – I need to open an account?’

MayThe Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Moscow. This time, celeb-rities and celebrity acts dominate more than ever. The Irish entry, Podge and Rodge’s ‘Ballydung Bop’ triumphs sensationally. Its catchy lyrics, ‘You feck it to the left, feck it to the right, Eurovision songs are a load of ‘aul *****’ – has all of Europe singing along enthusiastically. French entrant, husky-voiced Carla Bruni, comes second with a new ‘’eep-op’ version of an old French classic, ‘Je t’aime ... Nicolas’. The British also revert to retro, with Sir Cliff Richard revamping one of his perennials into the topical, ‘We Can’t Afford a Summer Holiday’.

JuneAs the teethmarks of the Credit Crunch continue to linger on the skin of society, solitary bankers can still be seen sitting on the pavements of the world’s capitals bearing placards with sad messages such as, ‘Wife, yacht and Mercedes to support’. AIB, the Bank of Ireland, and Anglo Irish Bank amalgamate to form the country’s largest banking institu-tion. Newsreaders are yet to pronounce the new name, AIBBOIAIB, correctly.

JulyThe start of the long hot summer. Sales of suntan cream soar as thousands fl ock to the beaches of Cork, Kerry, Wexford, and Donegal. Drinking water restric-tions are imposed on all the midland and western counties except Galway, where restrictions are entirely voluntary.

AugustIrish newspapers enter the Guinness Book of Records for the number of pho-tographs showing Leaving Cert students jumping up with joy on hearing their results. Results show that Maths students have fared badly once again. Distin-guished Maths professors cannot explain the poor performances. ‘We just can’t fi gure it out,’ said one. ‘It just doesn’t add up,’ said another.

SeptemberIt’s All-Ireland month, and Kilkenny hurlers are routed by Galway in the hurling fi nal. Stunned by opponents who have not drunk water for nine months and have ransacked Croker for H2O, the Cats are caught off their guard. They watch help-lessly as the newly hydrated, turbo-charged Tribesmen reel off twenty unan-swered points. In the football, Colm Cooper sensationally walks out of the Kerry camp days before the fi nal against Dublin. His agent denies that Cooper’s exit has been infl uenced by his decision to join the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing that same week where he can utilise his silky footwork skills.

OctoberA new TV reality show hits the small screen. The Cabinet stars real members of the government. Restricted to a secret building in the nations’s capital, spook-ily similar to Leinster House, the politicians discuss real policies among hissy fi ts and backbiting. Each week they nominate two of their members to leave the government. Viewers must vote on who should go, and who stay. Bookies are already backing Willy ‘Is that a gun in your pocket’ O’Dea to remain the last person standing.

NovemberU2 announce their split. The Pope, Nelson Mandela, and Barack Obama send letters of support and condolences to the band’s HQ in the Clarence Hotel, Street With No Name, Dublin 2. As the band members head off to pursue separate projects, Bono at last ditches his trade-mark wrap-around shades and converts to Islam. He becomes a muezzin, using his powerful singing voice to call the faith-ful to prayer fi ve times a day. When asked what was wrong with Christianity, he replied: ‘Sunday, Bloody Sunday!’

DecemberRyanair’s cut-price policy is intensifi ed for the Christmas season. Astonishing its rivals, Ryanair takes its low-fare policy to the ultimate limit and begins to pay customers to fl y on its fl eet of aircraft. It also introduces a Santy Special, with pilots dressing up as Father Christmas, and stewards and stewardesses disguised as his helpful elves. Near 50,000 gallons of red paint are purchased for painting the planes’ nose tips red.

23

24

A Conor Power Journey

I was in college in France at the time. The day before, I had taken the 4-hour train journey up to Paris and had stayed with a friend overnight in the big smoke so as to be prepared for my Christmas Eve homeward journey.

That morning, even though I had slept in later than foreseen, I persisted with my plan to visit Jim Morrison’s grave (I was a big Doors fan) before getting back into the city centre, picking up my bag and taking the RER commuter train out to Charles de Gaulle Airport, where my fl ight awaited. The pilgrimage to Jim Morrison’s grave took a little longer than I expected but that was fi ne. I saw it (a stone block completely covered in graffi ti) and left hurriedly as the clock was ticking.

By the time I got back into the city centre to pick up my bag, I was beginning to sweat a little as I was now in a position where I really had to keep moving and hope that there wasn’t any kind of delay with the RER. But at the same time, I wasn’t too stressed because I was still aiming to be at the airport about one hour before my fl ight left.

I took the metro, changed to the RER, sat down with my bag and breathed easy. Time would be getting tight now, but I should make it comfortably enough. “Is this going to the airport?” I asked a bored passenger. “Yes it is.” You always have to check with RER system because it has lots of little branches going off here and there.

Every time the train stopped, I counted off the stop on the helpful route plan posted inside the train. After a few stops, I began to notice that the route the train was taking seemed to be a little strange. It dawned on me in slow-motion horror – the train was going in the opposite direction! “Hey!” I said to my bored fellow-passenger, “I thought you said this train was going to Charles de Gaulle Airport!” “Charles de Gaulle Airport? Oh no… this train’s going to Orly Airport.”

I got off at the next stop, crossed the platform and waited under a sign marked “Aéroport Charles de Gaulle”. The next 5 minutes felt like an hour. I got on, getting quite jittery at this stage. I’d lost time now – I tried to calculate in my head just how much, but I couldn’t be sure; as far as I could make out,

I would arrive about 40 minutes before take-off, as long as there were no more delays with wrong trains and what-not. I checked with a fellow passenger. Yes, he nodded, this train was heading for Charles de Gaulle Airport all right. I checked the stops on the ground against the stops on the board. So far, so good. This is the right train, I thought, even though it was moving unusually slowly.

But my fellow passenger, who was getting off at the next stop anyway, had led me astray on his assurance that the train was going to Charles de Gaulle, because it wasn’t. About 4 stops before the airport, it went off on another of those tricky little branches in the diagram.

It was too late to double back on my tracks and then catch another train. I had to get a taxi. I ran out of the train station in unknown suburbia and hopped into the nearest cab. Immediately realising that I had no cash on me, I hopped out, asked for directions to the nearest ATM and ran to it. There was a small but sloth-like queue consisting of one person. I ached to pull him away from the cash machine but deep down I knew that much of this predicament was of my own manufacture, so I waited, hopping from one foot to the other (to make matters worse, I also badly needed to urinate), while the overly cautious ATM customer in front of me slowly selected the right buttons to press, withdrew his money and his card, checked the amount, then decided he needed more money and repeated the whole cycle again, muttering to himself.

I got back into the taxi and requested that the driver bring me to Charles de Gaulle Airport. “How long will it take?” I asked. “Oh, we’re quite near – maybe 20 minutes… it depends of the traffi c, Monsieur.” I raised my trembling hand to check my watch: My fl ight was due to take off at 14:25. It was now 14:00. I thought briefl y about cutting my losses and spending Christmas with relative strangers in Paris. Instead, I sat in the taxi biting my nails and counting down the seconds.My taxi driver had obligingly wasted no time on the road and I arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Some more precious seconds were wasted on trying to fi nd the correct terminal to go to. We found it and I ran inside, my bag fl ailing by side, right up to security check, which was located just before the check-in desk. Approximately 3 metres before I got to the security guard, I experienced a sudden revelation: There was a fl ash of light and I had a clear vision of my passport sitting on the shelf beside my

25

’Twas the day before Christmas, 1988… Conor Power recalls a seasonal tale of trying to get home for Christmas

bed in my room back in Montluçon. For that was where I had left it. I fumbled through my wallet and took out my Irish International Student Identity Card as well as my “IUT de Montluçon” identity card. I stumbled, panting, up to the Security Desk and explained, in between deep intakes of breath, that I was an Irish student going home for Christmas, that I had left my passport in my room 350km away and could I please go through. He looked at my two ragged pieces of identifi cation, presumably trying to think back to training courses he had attended, explaining what to do in such a situation. “My plane is due to take off in 2 minutes.” I added, hopefully. “Yes, well you should have brought your passport!” came the impatient retort. He examined the evidence in his hands one last time before handing them back to me and waving me through.

At 14:25, the time at which my Aer Lingus plane was due to take off, and just after I had come through security without a passport, I approached the check-in desk. The clerk looked at me incredulously and spoke to me in English with a comic French accent reminiscent of Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau: “Ah’m surry, sir, but ah’m afred zat you are too late - ze plane is already departed.”

Because it was Christmas Eve, I fi rmly believe to this day that God himself must have been feeling sorry for me, because it was surely He who had arranged for the plane on which I was to travel to develop a mechanical problem so that all the passengers bound for Dublin that day had to be transferred to another spare plane. And so, just at the point when I had given up hope of making my fl ight home, the check-in clerk called me back and I was taken back home, in time for Christmas and with a story to tell…

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26

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ChristmasPartieson the Bay

23

The fi rst person I met was Fingal Ferguson. Fingal is part of the Gubbeen Empire, which is a family run dynamo producing outstanding food. Each family member at Gubbeen has their own area of expertise yet, together, they complement one another in every way. Fingal is in charge of the onsite smokehouse which provides magnifi cent hams, salamis, bacon and sausages. Many of the herbs used in Fingal’s recipes are grown by his sister Clovisse in her specialized herb garden at Gubbeen. Also onsite is the fl agship Gubbeen cheese that has become a speciality and a “must have” on many a shopping list.

With the ever increasing demand for Gubbeen products, the run-up to Christmas in the Ferguson household is as busy as it gets with the enterprise now supplying discerning supermarkets and deli’s as well as selling at local food fairs.

The piggery at Gubbeen is a happy one with satisfi ed pigs looking out across the land to a lovely view of the sea. The pens are spacious, airy and light with fresh comfortable straw as bedding. I for one will feel a certain contentment that my Christmas ham be farmed in such an honest and compassionate manner!

It is not surprising to learn that Fingal relishes Christmas day as a day of comfort, conversation and companionship. It is the only day of the year that the farm comes to a complete rest; the smokehouse closes, there is no cheese made, no markets to attend, no orders to be fi lled and therefore they can allow themselves the luxury of relaxing. Being an observer of tradition and having strong community ties, Fingal courageously takes part in the Christmas swim every year. After hurling himself into the freezing Atlantic at noon, it is warm mulled wine on the beach before heading home to a traditional meal caringly prepared by a chef (his mum) who pulls out all the stops!

Another food artisan who provides enormous satisfaction with her gourmet produce is Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery in

Castletownshend. When I fi rst spoke with Sally she was hard at work, deftly wielding her fi lleting knife, scales and fi ns fl ying with expert precision. Most aspects of production are done by hand at Woodcock Smokery with Sally being a fan of the Slow Food Ethos; which is, in essence to preserve the pleasures of the table from the pressures of mass produced food items. When asked how she spends her Christmas day, Sally chuckled in her effervescent way and said that she likes to have a light lunch of succulent smoked salmon and champagne and indulge in some Christmas day television (which is desirable for its noted lack of advertisements!).

Rory Conner is a prominent cutler in Ireland and is already taking orders for Christmas. He does a range of handcrafted knives, or specialty knives (such as a cheese knife, hunting, sailing or fi shing knives). Alternatively, if you have a carving knife (for that succulent turkey) in dire need of attention or to be sharpened, then an appointment with Rory is necessary as he has already started sharpening knives for those fast off the mark! It goes without saying that Rory fi nds Christmas a challenge when his expertise is so highly sought after that the months of November and December see him holed up in his shed working industriously to complete his Christmas commissions to the standard of excellence that has earned him his reputation. In order not to disappoint and to accommodate all his commissions, Rory often fi nds himself still at work on Christmas morning, and so, only truly relaxes once Christmas is well underway or even, only on St Stephen’s day, thereby lending new meaning to the word, commitment.

Christmas simply would not be complete without a turkey, so I turned my attentions to Martin and Yvonne O’Flynn of the Borlin Valley. If you are a prudent turkey connoisseur and want a free-range-organic turkey as the centrepiece of your table this Christmas, then Martin and Yvonne have the bird for you. Breeding both Bronze and White Turkeys, the couple has become adept at estimating requirements as regards turkey size and to

minimize waste, the perfect size turkey can be matched to your requirements. To personalize the service even further, they even sell a half a turkey when necessary. The turkeys come either New York dressed or oven ready as per customer choice. In addition, they also sell organic duck which is steadily gaining in popularity.

Martin also makes wonderful baskets (which could make a lovely Christmas hamper complete with oven ready turkey) and fi nds the lead up to Christmas very busy. He often works diligently late into Christmas eve under the pressure of completing orders on time. On Christmas day, Martin likes to unwind with a brisk walk in the country side which he fi nds calming, especially on Christmas day as there is hardly any traffi c.

So, if you fi nd yourself exhausted by shopping this Christmas – running around like spilled mercury – spending your way cheerfully through your shopping list, spare a thought for the “providers of Christmas Cheer” for their commitment and level of dedication that they bestow upon their craft so as to bring you, the consumer, West Cork’s fi nest.

No Rest for Some Carmel Harley asks some of West Cork’s busiest how they relax at Christmas

In a quest to fi nd out how the providers of Christmas cheer spend their Christmases, I encoun-tered some very remarkable individuals, all of whom are linked by an essential component – they are all dedicated and passionate about their product.

27

28

FilmThe trend for big screen adaptations of well-regarded novels is set to continue in 2009. Without doubt, the most anticipated release of the next few months is the adaptation of Watchmen, Alan Moore’s classic graphic novel, which will hit movie screens in March. The story, directed by Zack Snyder (300) set in 1985, tells of an alternate America, where superheroes exist and Richard Nixon is still president. Also scheduled for release next year is the adaptation of Alice Sebold’s hugely successful 2002 novel The Lovely Bones, which tells the story of a young girl who – having died after being viciously assaulted – narrates her story from heaven. The fi lm stars Irish actress Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon, with Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg as her parents. On the horror/sci-fi front, meanwhile, 28 Days Later fans might enjoy Infestation, the forthcoming fi lm directed by Kyle Rankin, which follows a slacker who wakes up to fi nd himself trapped in webbing. Yes -- you guessed it -- the world has been taken over by giant alien insects, and now the humans must fi ght for survival. Another unearthly story comes courtesy of superb author Cormac McCarthy (No Country for Old Men). The adaptation of his 2006 book The Road – a post apocalyptic story detailing a journey taken by a father and son – comes to cinema screens in January, starring Viggo Mortensen, Robert Duvall and Charlize Theron. Veteran directors Quentin Tarantino and Terrence Malick will also release fi lms in 2009. Although Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs) has lost some of his swagger in recent years, all the indications are that his upcoming fi lm Inglorious Bastards will fi nd him back in vintage form. Set in World War II, the fi lm tells the story of a band of US soldiers facing death by fi ring squad. Malick, the renowned director of Badlands and Days of Heaven, returns with The Tree of Life, starring Brad Pitt.

BooksThere’s something for everyone in 2009, with books on every imaginable subject set to hit shop shelves. For music lovers, the intriguing-sounding Paint a Vulgar Picture: Fiction Inspired by The Smiths (Serpent’s Tail) will emerge in May, the third title in the Fiction Inspired by series. Lowside of the Road, a biography by Barney Hoskyns, spanning the 40-year career of musician Tom Waits will also be published by Faber in March. There’s plenty to look forward to on the literary fi ction front, with new books from Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Drabble, Josephine Hart and Sarah Waters on the way. Waters (Tipping the Velvet, The Night Watch) is back in May with an as-yet-untitled ghost story set in 1940s Warwickshire. Ishiguro’s forthcoming book, Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall (Faber, May), explores how hard it is to keep alive a sense of romance. Wexford author Peter Murphy – a highly regarded senior writer with Hot Press magazine -- makes his fi ction debut with John the Revelator. In the world of non-fi ction, meanwhile, renowned developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert returns to the publishing fray in April with How We Live and Why We Die: the Secret History of the Cell, in which he seeks to explain how cells provide the answers to the fundamental questions about our lives. In sport, O Freddie, Freddie: The Greatest Moments of Sporting Chivalry will be published in June by Little, Brown -- the title is inspired by the iconic moment when Freddie Flintoff consoled Brett Lee during the 2005 Ashes series. Crime fans can look forward to the return, meanwhile, of Jeff Abbott (Panic) and – on the commercial fi ction front – Sphere will publish reality TV star Sharon Osbourne’s fi rst novel in July 2009.

MusicIt was supposed to emerge in 2008, but making their best album ever isn’t the easiest of tasks – even for a man as supremely confi dent as Bono. “We know we have to emerge soon, but we also know that people don’t want another U2 album unless it is our best ever album,” Bono wrote on the band’s website. “It has to be our most innovative, our most challenging… or what’s the point? The last two records were very personal, with a kind of three-piece at their heart, the primary colours of rock -- bass, guitars and drum. But what we’re about now is of the same order as the transition that took us from The Joshua Tree to Achtung Baby.” The album has been tentatively titled No Line on the Horizon. Meanwhile, the young bucks continue to snap at their heels. Scottish band Franz Ferdinand will attempt to replicate the success of their fi rst two albums in January, with the 12-track dance rocker Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. Lily Allen returns in February with her second album, It’s Not Me, It’s You, the highly anticipated follow-up to her debut, Alright Still, which sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Eyeliner kings Depeche Mode also return to the fray next year with the follow-up to their Playing the Angel release. On the pop front, Rihanna is working on a fourth album, that, she has said, will move away from her R’n’B infl uences and towards a more pop-goth feel. Robbie Williams is also reportedly working on a new album. “I would hope that a new album will be coming next year,” his manager Tim Clark has said. “There are never any guarantees but that’s what we would hope.” After an exceptionally fruitful time in studio recording Viva La Vida, rumour has it that Coldplay may also release an album at the end of 2009. “The majority of the follow-up is in the can,” said a source at their record label, EMI.

ARTS 2009Stories of superheroes; a new U2 album; the return of novelist Sarah Waters: 2009

promises to be an exciting year in the arts. Nadine O’Regan offers a sneak-peek at

some of the arts treats that lie ahead.

THEIN

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by Alan Tobin

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Anthony Noonan fromNeal Casal from Ryan Adams & The Cardinals

“A wind swept desert, eroded landscape with piping hot soft sand” that’s the picture Mick Flannery paints for me. His second album ‘White Lies’ contains memorable fl owing melodies, erosive vocals and emotive gentleness. It’s easy to hear why he became the fi rst Irish musician to win two awards in the prestigious International Songwriting Competition in the US. Often described as Ireland’s answer to Tom Waits, Mick can pack his own punches, which is refl ected in the up-tempo ‘Tomorrow’s Paper’ and heart-torn ‘Goodbye’. The Corkman’s ‘White Lies’ will add wonders to your Christmas, a perfect stocking-fi ller!He plays The Cork Opera House December 23, a show not to be missed. For more information you can fi nd everything on his myspace.www.myspace.com/mickfl annery

Mick Flannery | White Lies Lisa Hannigan | Sea Sew

There is so much great music fl oating around the airwaves, the internet and the TV that it’s virtually impossible to soak it all up. From sifting through CD shelves, fi les and literature, one can only imagine what you’re missing out on. Well, worry no more, far from the mainstream of popular music exists a world of wonder and creativity, and here is just a sample of that brilliance.

What is or who is ‘Armoured Bear’?A lot of people don’t know where the name of the band comes from. Armoured Bear is the name of a breed of armour wearing, warrior polar bears known as ‘Panserbjørne’. They’re from a trilogy of a book known as ‘His Dark Materials’. Apart from that and if you haven’t guessed, it’s also a band from West Cork.

‘Honeycomb Moons’ where did the title come from?The title comes from a scene in the title track. In the song, a man (let’s say we call him Andrew) wakes up and fi nds himself lost in an otherworldly garden at night, where every object is exaggerated and personifi ed. Most notably the moon, which is golden in colour, is pulsating rhythmically and is almost dripping a honey-like substance upon him.

Besides family and friends, who would you like to have at your Christmas dinner table? And why?Peter Griffi n from Family Guy, so fffreakin’ funny..

Remember the Christmas when most of the country was without electricity, due to a mad storm? Have you ever been electrocuted?Hey I remember that storm. I also remember being out on the roof (of a three storey house) trying to disconnect the ten foot pole that had the multi-channel dish attached to it. Scary!!Thankfully I wasn’t electrocuted.

What’s your favourite Christmas drink?There’s so many to choose from. Anything hot is good.. Mulled Wine, Hot Port, Hot Whiskey, Hot Chocolate..

Which would you prefer as a Christmas Gift - a Dyson or a Henry?Apparently, according to Dyson, the Dyson wins hands down, but how could you not like the Henry?? Dyson for me though..

What’s the worst/best Christmas gift you ever gave?I’m really bad, I can’t even remember what I gave to anyone last Christmas. Shopping is hard though, there is so much to choose from and a lot of time you end up buying something more because YOU like it rather than thinking of the person you’re buying it for.Once gave a voucher for a hug maybe 20 years ago..

‘Honeycomb Moons’ OUT NOWFor more information on this West Cork Band:

Visit: www.myspace.com/armouredbear

‘CARDINOLOGY’ OUT NOWFor more information

www.myspace.com/ryanadams

‘Sea Sew’, Lisa’s debut album, gently walks her to the front of the stage, and surrounds her with friends. Having fl own confi dently from ‘The Damian Rice Nest’, she has found her own fl ight path. This album is soft, elegant and beautiful, with sprinkles of secrets, she only wants you to keep.Besides the well-crafted songs, the entire package is complemented by the exceptional artwork. If her music falls by the wayside (which is very unlikely), she can always work at a stitching factory in Noddyland!This would be a perfect gift for someone who gets stressed with all the Christmas caper, and is in the need of good chill..........Lisa plays The School of Music (Cork) December 12.For more information:www.myspace.com/lisahannigan

‘Cardinology’ is the name of your latest release, where did the title come from?Every band that spends alot of time together inevitably comes up with their own way of communicating with each other, their own language so to speak. Cardinology is our own form of expression and lifestyle that we’re now relating with all of the people we play to every year. We tour so much that the title seemed to make sense.

How did you become a member of Ryan’s initial backing band (in turn a member of ‘The Cardinals’)?I’ve known Ryan since 97’ back when we were both coming up through the ranks. We always got along and always talked about being in a band together one day but were each on our own solo paths at the time.A few years passed without seeing each other and one night in 2005 i bumped into him on the street in NYC and without even saying anything, we both knew the time had come. I followed him back to his house, we broke out the guitars, and haven’t stopped playing since.

Was there ever a notion of dropping the ‘Ryan Adams and .....’ for just ‘The Cardinals’?Cardinology is the last album where Ryan’s name will appear. From this point forward it will just be the Cardinals.

I believe that photography is a great hobby of yours, would it ever take over from your music?Photography goes hand in hand with the music, but will never overtake it. I love it just as much as music, but each one is made better by the presence of the other.The idea of only being a photographer does not appeal to me at all.

What Christmas Song would you love to have written? And why?Run Run Rudolph - You have to love Chuck Berry for his wit and humor. I think this song was a fresh take on the idea of a Christmas song, and Keith Richards recorded the ultimate version.

What’s the worst/best gift you ever got?A pair of used work gloves from my aunt in San Francisco.

Finally, what plans do ‘The Cardinals’ have for Christmas?I don’t know about anyone else, but i’m heading to Mexico for some surfi ng..

Neal is guitarist and vocalist with ‘Ryan Adams and the Cardinals’. I caught up with him before his show in Dublin on November 8. I asked him a few questions about his musical exploits and Christmas.

Anthony is a West Cork man with creativity fl owing through his veins. He spoke to me recently on location deep in a forest close to the ocean.

by Alan TobinSeasonMusic For

The

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Prionsias O’Mahony offers some seasonal advice on celebrating without over-spending.

The beer, the grub, the presents, the long phone calls to friends and relatives on the other side of the globe - Christmas costs a lotta lolly, especially in Ireland. Deloitte’s annual consumer survey of Christmas spending reveals that the Irish are consistently top of the list in Europe’s spending league. Last year, households spent an average of €1431 on Christmas - more than three times the amount spent by our frugal counterparts in Germany and Holland.

Dumb? Just a tad, especially in these recessionary times. Here are a few tips to help avoid the annual holiday hangover.

BUY ONLINEYou can save a packet by stocking up on web bargains. For example, The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga’s Booker prize winning novel, is retailing in Eason’s at €18.05. You can get it on Amazon for $7.70, or approximately €5.50. Even adding in a few quid for postage, you’ll still have made a handsome saving. AbeBooks.com is also good, both for used, as well as new books.

Ebay resembles a mammoth fl ea-market, such are the savings on offer on a whole multitude of items. DVDs, music, video games, jewellery - whatever you’re interested in, it’s likely you’ll spot it on Ebay. If Ebay’s auction-like structure does not suit, you’ll fi nd that many items have a (often very reasonable) ‘Buy it now’ price.

Pixmania.ie is popular with people searching for digital cameras, video games and electrical goods in general. Music afi cionados will fi nd good prices at play.com, while mobile phone purchases are almost invariably cheaper at the websites of the main mobile operators (Vodafone, O2, Metero and 3) rather than at their high street shops.

USE THE INTERNET FOR PHONE CALLSAnyone with broadband internet access can save a bundle by dumping the home phone and instead migrating to Skype, a software product that allows users to make phone calls over the internet (there are other similar products but Skype is the most well-known). Just for geeks? Not on your nelly. Installing the software is a doddle - the most unreconstructed luddite could manage it. You’ll need to spend a few quid on a headset (no need to spend more than a tenner here). Calls to fellow Skype users are free while local and international calls to landlines are cheap as chips. For example, calls to Australia are just under 2 cents a minute. Is it diffi cult to use? Absolutely not - type in your number and that’s that. The quality is excellent too. Paying through the nose for line rental and the likes makes no sense in this day and age. Make the switch.

STOCK UP IN ADVANCEA bit of a no-brainer, although that doesn’t mean that it’s not worthy of a sentence or two. At the time of writing, tins of Roses and Quality Street and other such temptations are being advertised for €6.99 in some of the main supermarket chains, a saving of approximately 30 percent on their usual price. The same supermarkets have also been running some pretty decent wine promotions of late, offering similar savings on some pretty decent plonk. Don’t expect to fi nd such offers in the days running up to Christmas.

“’Tis the Season to be

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Open: 10am-5.30pm, Mon-Sator by appointment

KILL THE CREDIT CARD“It’s too expensive”, said Mike Barrett in 2003, explaining that he didn’t use a credit card and he hoped his children wouldn’t either. Who’s Mike Barrett? The then-CEO of Barclay’s Bank, whose Barclaycard is used by one-in-fi ve Britons. He was right. Credit cards are a great way of spending money we don’t have and getting into all kinds of bother as the interest mounts up. Debit or Laser cards where the money is directly withdrawn from one’s account are better but unfortunately, they’re not accepted by many online retailers. That’s why you should choose Halifax’s Visa debit card, which can be used anywhere a Visa card is accepted.

SCRAP YOUR SATELLITE SUBSCRIPTION AND GO FREEVIEWAll the talk about religion and mangers and shepherds and the like can blind people to the real meaning and joy of Christmas - vegetating in front of the box. On that subject, why not dump Sky or whatever satellite system you’re paying hundreds for in annual subscriptions and opt instead for a free-to-air satellite system? Pay a one-off installation fee (usually around €250-300) and watch a host of channels free for the rest of your days. Hundreds of stations are freely available, including BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Euronews, CNN, Sky News, various music channels and others of a more esoteric nature. Is it legal and above board? Absolutely. Not all channels are available, of course, but a good selection are and you’ll save a bucket load in the long-term.

KRIS KINDLEWith Kris Kindle, participant’s names are placed in a hat and each person draws a name for whom they are to buy for. Usually, an agreed spending limit applies and secrecy is maintained until the actual exchange of presents. Popular in larger families and workplaces, it’s cheaper and arguably more meaningful than the tradition of buying presents for each member of the family. Besides, you might even end up with a half-decent present rather than the thoughtless tragedies that usually end up under the Christmas tree.

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Let it Snow,Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Please!Please!With the right quantity of snow, Christmas can be extra-special, writes Conor Power.

I read somewhere recently that for the fi rst nine years of his life, Charles Dickens lived in an England where there was a lot of snow and ice every winter. In other words, his Christ-mases as a child were always white and he always associated Christmas time with heavy snow falls. He simply never knew any different. The classic Victorian picture-postcard image of a snowy Christmas owes much to the infl uence of the popular writ-ings of Dickens. When I was young, I always loved the images of Christmas which involved bright snowy scenes. Children wore hats and scarves and stood out clearly against a wonder-fully white background, where they threw snowballs, built snowmen and slid down hills on timber sleds.

For many of us in West Cork, where the Gulf Stream keeps us mild, this scene remains a fantasy – as scarce in winter as a long extended period of sweltering hot weather is in sum-mer. Yet, every winter we can’t help dreaming that little dream again, crossing our fi ngers as we watch the weather forecasts and praying for that unique combination of weather conditions that will make it snow.

There was a pair of Canadian children in my classroom when I was in 3rd class. I remember how they laughed at the pathetic level of excitement that was generated when the snow began to fall one day while we were at school. Like most Irish snowfalls, it fell in miserably small fl akes, most of which turned instan-taneously to water the moment they hit the ground. Our Canadian class-mates spoke blithely about having to cope with what seemed to us to be snow quantities of unimaginable pro-portions. You couldn’t drive through it, they said; it had to be cleared with a snow plough; your Dad had to attach chains to the tyres of the car

so that the car could drive on the roads without slipping and sliding all over the place; it stayed on the ground all winter long and yet you never got a day off school.

It seemed to me that if the people in Canada had so much snow that it stayed all winter long and you needed to move it with a large machine, then surely we in Ireland should be entitled to some decent amount of the stuff every now and again. Even a fraction of a Canadian allowance would be more than enough for some atmos-phere and fun.

There was a large snow fall that covered Mun-ster and the rest of Ireland in a thick blanket of snow which stayed for several days afterwards. I was about 10 years old at the time. Along with my brothers and sisters and friends, we all gathered at Gallows Hill and slid down the white fi eld on sleds improvised from cattle-feed bags and some straw. There was one chap who had an actual sled made from metal and who appar-ently had been saving the thing for just such an event. Initially, it was all exhilarating: Our smiles were wide and our cheeks were rosy as we found ourselves living inside a dream of snowy heaven. But as the day went on and the cold slowly but surely began to penetrate my clothing until I could feel it in my bones, I remember longing to get indoors and get warm again. In the few days freeze-up that followed, I wasn’t too keen to go outside for long again. The freez-ing snow made getting around very diffi cult. It was hard to go outside the back door without slipping and hurting yourself and we didn’t get

to visit our cousins – a trip we had all been looking forward to – because the car was home-bound, except for short essential journeys. When the thaw came, I felt glad.

It was a salutary lesson for a young man about just how nice snow can be but also how inconvenient it can be too. I fi nally understood why those Canadian kids were so blasé about their snowy winters.

Apart from that one time, though, which occurred on the last offi cial day of the Christmas season, I had never experienced a white Christmas in my life. Never, that is, until Christmas Day of 2004. In the morning, while the children were still going through the exciting and untidy ritual of opening their presents, fat white fl akes began to fi ll the air. The snow was staying on the ground, too. We all emerged into our mostly-white garden wearing hats and gloves, our eyes wide with amazement. There was enough snow for everyone to build a snowman and throw snowballs. And then, long before hyperthermia got a chance to set in, the snow began to melt. By the time we had come out of the church after the Christmas Day service, it had almost completely disappeared.

This was the perfect sort of snow – plenti-ful enough to have fun in, but being obliging enough to disappear as soon as it had served its purpose.

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NOW taking orders for our Christmas HampersWe have listed a selection of our most popular hampers.

We will be pleased to customise Hampers to suit your specifi c requirements and budget.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Breakfast and Lunch served every day Eat-In or Take- Out~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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email skibmarket@mac.comCELEBRATING OUR FIRST YEAR IN SKIBBEREEN

Thank-you to all our customers for your support

37

Christmas is fast approaching, and it’s time to start thinking about presents. Maybe you are a highly organised person who has done all your shopping and can now take it easy for the month of December, staying away from all those busy shops, putting your feet up, eating Quality Street and drinking port. Lucky you.

Or maybe you are like me and know you will be spending the next couple of weeks frantically searching the shops all day and trawling web-sites by night looking for those wonderfully thoughtful and unique presents for everyone on your list.

Some people are harder to buy for than others. Some people you don’t know well enough to know their taste in handbags, books or CD’s. Then there are others you know very well but who have every gadget under the sun - with spares - and just have no need for another photo-frame. My brother and his wife fall into this category.

Every year my family spends ages wondering aloud about what to get them. I thought I’d solved my mother’s Christmas dilemma one year when I advised her to get them a chocolate fountain. Well, they do like giving dinner parties, and I knew they didn’t have one, so I thought it would be ideal. It turned out there was a reason why they didn’t have one - they didn’t want one! Back it went to John Lewis. My mum now just gives them the voucher for John Lewis and cuts out the middle man altogether!

This year though I have a cunning plan, guaranteed not to fail - I’m giving them food. Pickled onions to be exact. Oh, and green tomato chutney, all homemade. They have been nicely pickling away for two months now under the spare bed. I feel so smug. There will be no refunds this year.

Giving a present of food at Christmas is not only a good idea when you can’t think of what to buy someone, it’s also a present everyone appreciates and values because of the time and effort gone into creating it, especially as it’s usually a bit decadent. Lots

of cream, chocolate, marzipan and pastry - all the good stuff you try so hard to stay away from the rest of the year is perfectly acceptable now.

So bearing that in mind, deposit yourself and as many cookery books and Christmas magazines as you can fi nd, into a quiet cor-ner and decide what you are going to make. This really needs to be done well in advance, particularly if you want to give presents of chutneys or pickles as they need about 3 months to mature. Christmas cakes and puddings also will improve in taste the longer they are left, so planning is key.

Most people will have guests popping in, so extra nibbles are always welcome – savoury things like cheese straws, quiche or pâté. If you don’t feel very confi dent cooking for other people, why not make presents of herb fl avoured oils or vinegars? These are very easy to do and would be great presented in a nice bot-tle and given to a friend who loves to cook, as would something like vanilla sugar for someone who likes to bake a lot. Sloe gin is also very simple to make (once you’ve picked the sloes), and would make a good present for someone who likes liqueurs.

When you have decided what you are going to make, the fun can really start. Go into the kitchen, put on your favourite Christ-mas CD (don’t worry if it’s only September) and start cooking. Involve the family in the preparation and making of the presents and you can all have fun together. I missed my dad while I was making my pickled onions this year, because we used to do that together until I moved to Ireland. I did ask him to fl y over for it, but he said he was busy watching the football…..

Working side by side in the kitchen is the stuff memories are made of, and you never know, once you try it, you may enjoy it so much you will do it all again next year. Then before you know it, you will have begun a new family tradition. Now, that wouldn’t have happened if you’d just gone out and bought photo frames, would it?

Home-Made SolutionsHome-Made SolutionsLesley Simpson fi nds a tasty

way to give at Christmas

38

It’s over 10 years ago now, but few of us who were there will ever forget the Christmas of 1997 when the storms raged and the power lines fell. For weeks afterwards, we exchanged stories of families and communities uniting. There are people who still claim that it was their best Christmas ever. We roasted turkeys in each other’s houses and lamented the birds that had to be thrown away. Some households produced veritable banquets, when they cooked the contents of the festive freezer, to beat the thaw and inevitable spoiling and waste. Stories were told, games were played and fi res blazed in every hearth. Families talked to each other (in itself a high risk activity). The electronic toys lay silent. Children appeared disappointed until they became enthralled by the magic of a candle lit Christmas. For three days (or more) we experienced a world lost to our age, a quieter, darker place in tune with the weather and the season. We lit our candles in the late afternoon in our quiet, stilled homes, no fridge hum, no TV, radio or Playstation and listened to the wind outside. We felt grateful for shelter. Our working day was shortened, as candlelight is inadequate for most tasks. It is however very good as a focus and inspiration for talk, refl ection and romance. We went to bed earlier and nine months later jokes abounded about the bumper crop of babies born as a result of the power cuts.

That was my fi rst Christmas as a married woman, in my fi rst house and I had my in-laws to stay. I felt very grown-up and needed to prove it! One of our house guests insisted on having a candle-lit cold shower everyday because she could not possibly go without. I cooked Christmas dinner on an old gas cooker that had been thrown out before Christmas but quickly brought back in as soon as the power went. I wore a mountaineer’s light strapped to my head courtesy of my father-in-law so I could see what I was doing. We played monopoly for hours and true colours shone through.

Free from distractions such as television and radio our worlds shrink and we look to each other, more aware of our surroundings and humanity. How enslaved we are to our modern life! Keeping up standards. Always ‘doing’ but having little time for living and being.

We started a new tradition last New Year’s Day – a No Electricity Day. We lit the stove and toasted bread. Our hands burned being so close to the heat with our ordinary dinner forks. The resulting toast was pale and smoky and the mess

was fantastic. We played board games, did jigsaws, lit and fought over candles and the kids explored the house as if

it were an unknown land full of mystery and suspense. We automatically reached for light switches and the number

of conveniences I take for granted constantly surprised me. There was candle wax everywhere the next day. It was a

joy to be able to switch on the kettle and the lights. Making the dull mid-winter afternoon artifi cially bright and lightening our mood with it, it did strike me that the low light conditions must have had a negative impact on spirits in olden times. No wonder Christmas is such a festival of light and glitz. We need the shiny stuff to keep us happy! It was wonderful to be able to distract the kids with a DVD and run the Hoover around upstairs while the washing machine and dishwasher whooshed and churned below. This year we have better gear. The kids bought a long handled brass toasting fork from Bantry market in June with the intention of using it for the toast. Just goes to show the impression and importance of the day for them.

I appreciate my mod cons no end but acknowledge that while they are labour saving they are also labour demanding. With electric light and power it is possible to work 24 hours a day and we do. Arguments exist to say that the body’s natural circadian rhythm curtails our ability to function properly in the night and that modern society’s denial of this human fact could be its undoing. A worker in a factory producing, let’s say, aircraft engines, may not be capable of functioning properly at certain times and could endanger himself or others.

Every year we spend vast sums of money and generate a great deal of pollution by getting away from home, travelling here and there for a bit of peace. When to switch off once in a while (and I mean the phone too) gives us another type of break without the cost, effort or inconvenience. Well, without the hot beaches too, I suppose.

I do not subscribe to the poverty nostalgia of the ‘good old days’ when we would scrabble around the house looking for an elusive 10-pence piece to feed the electricity meter. However, with ESB increases of 17.5% in August 2008 and a further hike expected in the New Year, reduction of power consumption may become an economic necessity. It is also an environmental imperative, as we are constantly urged to conserve energy, switch off lights, and not leave appliances on standby and the mobile chargers plugged in. The less power we consume the less natural resources are used to produce that power and the less pollution etc. Perhaps it is not such a bad thing to embrace this request and start to wean ourselves off our electrical dependency, to take control of our relationship with electrical power and be master not slave.

When the GoLights

39

Go Out

Camille Dorney wonders why it is that when the lights come back on after a power cut, a little piece of us is very disappointed

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