Of Short Stories, and Speeches and a Song

Mens Shed

The James Plunkett Short Story Awards will take place at the Writers Centre in Parnell Square, Dublin, this evening (Wednesday October 16th). The prizes, provided by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, are  €2,000 for the winning entry, €1,000 for the second prize and €500 for the third. The competition  has attracted hundreds of writers and shows the Irish Short Story is alive and well

Even more belated than the ss Hare but here is video of Jer O’Leary at unveiling of the Loughlinstown Mens Shed Lockout Mural on September 14th. For anyone unfamiliar with Ireland’s best known Larkin impersonator, Jer O’Leary, it is a rare treat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOMgnf76HeM&sns=em

We also have a song about one of the Lockout’s forgotten Martyrs, James Byrne, written and sung by Pat Burke of Goleen.  Byrne’s death will be commemorated at Deans Grange Cemetery, County Dublin, at 2pm on November 2nd. The ICTU President John Douglas will give the oration

http://youtu.be/RcZx2yv04aE