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Archives for February 2019

Goodbye Dearest Heart – Book Review

19/02/2019 By ACOMSDave

Goodbye Dearest Heart
Jim McVeigh with his new book, Goodbye Dearest Heart, The Story of Lieutenent General Joseph McKelvey 1898-1922.

Goodbye Dearest Heart – this short book is ‘almost’ a reflection of Joseph McKelvey’s life. Bright interludes, with lots of dark, misty areas of speculation. This is not a reflection on the author, but more to do with the period and the fact that so many people could not read or write, records were often lost (or more frequently destroyed in fires and military actions).

The period from 17 November 1922 to 22 January 1923 saw (between 77-81) people executed, however a considerable number of others were sentenced to death by military tribunals to act as a deterrent to those republicans who were anti-treaty fighters.

Joseph was an intelligent man who was fortunate to have two parents who both worked and whose work required an element of education; his father was a member of the Royal Irish Constabulary and would achieve the rank of sergeant, his mother (Rose O’Neill) was a Post Office employee. Joseph studied to be an accountant, gaining part of his qualifications for this profession.

Joseph’s involvement in the Irish War of Independence (1919-1928) is detailed in this book (Goodbye Dearest Heart), and in websites listed at the end of this review, and whilst the journey to being a follower to being a leader is detailed, for me the area I wished we had more detail on is that of his repudiation of the Treaty and his support for the anti-treaty in March 1922.

To this we then are led to his capture in June 1920 after the shelling of the Four Courts by the ‘new Irish Free State’ Government…to assert its authority over the militants defending it…

Almost 6 months to the day of his capture, to be precise 8 December 1922, Joseph with Rory O’Connor, Liam Mellows and Richard Barrett were executed by an Irish firing squad in Mountjoy Prison. Before his execution he wrote a short, but poignant letter to his mother (hence ‘Goodbye Dearest Heart). It is a clear legible hand, but refers little about his past, and reflects his love and worries about the family. What is also doubly sad is that both the father, Patrick McKelvey, and son Joe McKelvey were laid to rest in Belfast MilltownCemetery, one a British soldier and one as a member of the IRA – 30 graves apart.

Patrick McKelvey, whilst having been in the IPF, was during the war posted to the Northumberland Fusiliers having enlisted in the special reserves of the British Army. And during 1917 he enlisted in the Special Reserve of the British Army. His headstone thus being that of a British soldier. Joe was buried in Milltown Cemetery with a funeral oration given by anti-treaty republican Sean Lemass, who was to become the Irish Prime Minister (Taoiseach) at a later date.

As I have said earlier, Goodbye Dearest Heart, is a short booklet. It was for me a way into an era on which I know little, and will undoubtedly lead me to research and read more on this period of Irish history.

Further references:

Joe McKelvey

Milltown: Connection between British soldier and IRA man discovered -Mark Simpson

Milltown Brought To Life

Casualty Details

Executions during the Irish Civil War – 

The truth behind the murder of Sean Hales

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Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Dearest, Goodbye, Heart, Irish History, Jim McVeigh, politics, Republican

Art I have Bought

17/02/2019 By ACOMSDave

Over the last month, as I always do, I have haunted charity shops to look for books, postcards, music and art which I find interesting. I am combining December 2018 and January 2019 together for this article due to the holiday, and I have to report that it has been a success, the art I have bought from my finds is exciting (at least for me).

I have bought the following:

  • From a charity shop in Newcastle, Co Down this lovely oil painting. It is not by any recognised artist, indeed some of the work is very naive, but I love the topic.
  • Then from another charity shop in Belfast, near Rosemary Street, I found the following two prints. Both in excellent condition and of an excellent size also, both have no name or artist attributed, so if you know please comment:
  • £4
  • £2
  • 10 postcards which cost me £2.50
Art I have Bought

It is an eclectic mix, and each has been bought because it will bring enjoyment to myself and hopefully others.

The £3 sailing boat seascape is hanging with pride of place in my bedroom at present (I am soon to redecorate my apartment, so locations will change)

The two prints I shall have to get framed and they will then hang in my study/art room to give me inspiration (or to create a guilt complex because I haven’t done any drawing or painting!)

And lastly the postcards have been bought for me to send to friends. I still love writing properly to my friends and giving them the joy and surprise when a postcard arrives through the letterbox.

So you can the art I have bought, whilst not expensive, will be enjoyed and cherished, just as much as the art I see in galleries and museum – but these I own

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Filed Under: Community Journalist Tagged With: art, charity shops, painting, prints, shopping

MACinternational

17/02/2019 By ACOMSDave

Last year I wrote a short piece on the exhibition and said I would revisit it when I had the opportunity before the Macinternational finsihed its run (9 Nov 2018-31 March 2019). This exhibition will have been on show for just over 4½ months when it closes, to showcase a snapshot of the very best contemporary visual art from around the world (as they have stated).

Being shown across all three galleries in the MAC, MACinternational has brought together a formidable array of pieces, which are interesting in concept, but I cannot see how any of them would or could be shown in a private home, or indeed even into a public space in a work environment.

As I indicated this is my second viewing (or is it my third?) to the exhibition; and again I was drawn to only one selection of work – that of
Renata Poljak and her work from ‘Galerija umjetnina split’.

I love the atmospheric loneliness of the phtographs. Even when there are groups of people they stand seemingly alone as individuals. The beach shows ripple affects, which we are assured are natural, and then there is the relentlessness of the sea. For these few photographs alone I am I’ve been to the exhibition.

However, on another point, I wonder what it is that so many of our gallery spaces in the last few years have been showing installation art (by this I mean, mixed media constructions, often designed for a specific space or for a temporary period of time)? I continuously try to understand the various artists(s) viewpoint but in the main, I usually fail. Perhaps this is my failing or lack of artistic education! I would welcome other peoples thoughts and comments

  • RENATA POLJAK // An Ordinary Life
  • MACInternational

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Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Art exhibition, Galerija umjetnina split, international competition, Renata Poljak, The MAC

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