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Sinead performs at a charity concert
Sinead plays in new movie
Sinéad sings "Danny Boy"
Sinéad In Irish Times
Enhanced CD (CD-ROM) release of Common Ground
SINÉAD IN IRISH TIMES
(Handed by Paul Debraski)
"Letter to the editor" in today's Irish Times.
In case you don't know what she is referring to, it concerns the recent violence in Northern Ireland following the decision to allow Loyalist marches to parade through Nationalist areas. It has been a touchy subject, and no doubt Sinéad will get receive some flack for her letter.
NORTHERN MAJORITY
Sir, - In reference to Michael Purser's letter (July 24th) concerning Ireland and its "Northern majority", exactly what does he mean by "majority?" It makes me ill to hear Patrick Mayhew, and John Major, and God knows who else, all talking about this "Northern majority" and its rights.
Everyone knows that in the province of Ulster there are nine counties, not six. And how did Ulster come to be known as "The Six Counties"? For those like Michael Purser and Mayhew, who seem to have forgotten, it was discovered that within the nine counties of Ulster, the majority in fact was Catholic, and so a false majority was created by the simple chopping off of three counties, leaving six counties and a loyalist "majority". (Exactly to what or whom are they loyal? Soon there will be no royal family to be loyal to!)
Gerrymandering, I think is what it's called. A false majority which was created by liars for liars. The real majority of the people in the real province of Ulster are Catholic. And who ever cared about their "rights"? What about people's right to be Irish in their own country? What happened in Drumcree has shown the world, once and for all, that the real perpetrators of evil in Ireland have not been the Irish themselves. And certainly brought home, for me, the reason why the IRA was formed in the first place. Which was: to protect a people whom even the police could not protect. If the police cannot protect the Catholic people, then who will? Why does the Orange Order want to march through Catholic area anyway? It is like marching past the house of a family whose daughter you have raped, and chanting: "Hooray, we raped your daughter on this day".
I am sorry for my language, and you can put it in stars. But I know that I am speaking the truest feelings of many Irish people, who do not get the chance to speak, when I say again that the lies I see going on around me concerning Ireland, as told by the only people who DO get a chance to speak, make me sick in my stomach. So Michael Purser, your Emperor has no clothes.
What about their right to be Irish? In their own country? - Yours, etc.,
SINEAD O'CONNOR, London.
ENHANCED CD (CD-ROM) RELEASE OF COMMON GROUND
(news handed by Roman Szendrey)
"For the past year, the mighty Microsoft has been working with different artists and labels to produce enhanced discs...The next title that should hit the stores with a Microsoft logo is a various-artists tribute to Irish folk music, titled "COMMON GROUND". That work, expected to be released in late September or early October, features songs from Kate Bush and U2's flamboyant front man, Bono."
SINEAD SINGS "DANNY BOY"
(news handed by Ju Nguan Tan)
Superstars SINEAD O'CONNOR, ERIC CLAPTON, VAN MORRISON and MARIANNE FAITHFULL have all come together to sing the praises of the old Irish tune DANNY BOY. All are featured in a new hour-long documentary on the history of the traditional song. DANNY BOY - IN SUNSHINE OR IN SHADOW, which was produced by CHIPS CHIPPERFIELD, the man behind the BEATLES ANTHOLOGY series, will be screened on British TV next month (04AUG96). It's the brainchild of JULIAN LLOYD - an Englishman who has lived in Ireland for the past 20 years. He became hooked on the melody after hearing a version by jazz sax player BEN WEBSTER and began to collect different versions of the song. Other stars who have recorded the tune include top Irish ballad singer RONNIE DREW, former POGUES frontman SHANE MACGOWAN and top traditional group THE CHIEFTAINS.
SINEAD PLAYS IN NEW MOVIE
(News handed by Eduard Verheijen)
Sinead O'Connor is going to play in a new Irish movie called "The Butcher Boys" In this movie she's going to play a remarkable role; The Holy Virgin, Mother Maria
SINEAD PREFORMS AT A CHARITY CONCERT
(News handed by Matthias Radestock)
Today Sinead played at a charity concert for Tibet at the Alexandra Palace in London. The concert this afternoon was great. Unfortunately there were lots of bands playing and by the time Sinead got on stage the event was seriously behind schedule. Then it still took them ten minutes to sort out one of the keyboards. Sinead could only sing two songs because the Dalai Lama had arrived to lead an inter-faith prayer and he obviously was on a tight schedule.
Anyway, Sinead seemed very happy and relaxed. She was fooling around on the stage while the technicians were working on the various problems. I think Sinéad had her usual band with her - a female bass guitarist and keyboarder, plus two men playing acoustic guitar / drums. The first song was "All Babies" followed by "I'm Enough for Myself". During that song she was joined by two friends and her son Jake.
There were only a few hundred people at the event, which meant you could literally stand directly at the stage and wouldn't even be pushed around. Tickets were only 5 pounds (about 7 dollars). It was a beautiful and sunny day (which is not that common in London). There was lots of nice vegetarian food and Tibetan craft on sale, but no alcohol. This, and the whole nature of the event, meant that the crowd was very well-behaved and one could really enjoy the music.