Ireland: Its Force is Strong in LA
Ireland Week gave insight to the creativity coming from Ireland to the U.S.
Ireland Week, full of cultural events in Los Angeles, brings Irish culture and innovation to the spotlight, featuring the Connect 353 Conference. The conference brings panelists in politics and creativity to discuss Ireland’s growing businesses and their relations with the U.S. Eight-hundred American companies have bases in Ireland, operating through the European Union, said Daniel Mulhall, ambassador to the U.S.
“This is a two-way relationship benefiting both of our countries enormously, sustaining jobs, prosperity, and wellbeing in Ireland and the United States, and long may that relationship continue to flourish,” he said.
One of the entertainment industry panels featured “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” Director Rian Johnson and Producer Ram Bergman, who disussed the beauty and thrill of filming on Skellig Island in Ireland, once home to monks and a current bird sanctuary for Atlantic Puffins.
The film, released later this year, will pick up where “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” leaves audiences: the iconic footage on the island, with Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Luke (Mark Hamill). Johnson and Bergman joked about the challenges filming, including climbing 600 stairs to the top of the island with the crew and equipment. No further information about the film could be disclosed. The film is set to release Dec. 15.
Wednesday night featured Irish composer Brian Byrne (“The Secret Scripture,” “Room”) at the Barnsdall Gallery Theater in Hollywood with songs from his James Joyce-inspired album “Goldenhair.” Byrne brought to life Irish poet Joyce’s works through song with performers Kurt Ellings, Keith Harkin, Lisa Lambae, Cara Dillon, Sara Gazarek, Kristina Train — praised by Rolling Stone magazine — and more.
“I’m not really sure if James Joyce would have liked it, but he’s dead,” Byrne said.
Some of the songs, which sound jazzy with hints of Blues and Bluegrass, were inspired by Norah Jones, James Taylor and the film “The Commitments,” which can be heard in the song “Why Have You Left Me Alone (I Hear an Army).”
“This is a guy who loved writing poems, love songs, which you don’t really see in his later work, so I think this is an example of one of his beautiful poems,” Byrne said, about the song “Though Love Live But a Day.”
James Joyce’s early works have many references to song and music, in syntax or tone. Although Byrne admitted he hadn’t read much of Joyce’s works until working on this project, he brought more color to Joyce’s descriptive words about love and nature with the RTE Concert Orchestra.
Songs of the evening:
“Goldenhair”- Joyce’s “Lean Out of the Window”
“The Winds of May”- Joyce’s “Winds of May”
“Love is Aweary”- Joyce’s “Gentle Lady, Do Not Sing”
“When the Shy Star”- Joyce’s “When the Shy Star Goes Forth in Heaven”
“Where Love Is”- Joyce’s “Dear Heart, Why Will You Use Me So?”
“Strings in the Earth and Air”- Joyce’s “Strings in the Earth and Air”
“Go Seek Her Out”- Joyce’s “Go Seek Her Out”
“Why Have You Left Me Alone (I Hear an Army)”- Joyce’s “I Hear an Army”
“Silently”- Joyce’s “Silently She is Combing”
“Though Love Live But a Day”- Joyce’s “This Heart That Flutters Near My Heart”
