Arts & Culture

Ever hear of a film called Fallen? No? It’s an absolutely fantastic demon vs cop movie from the ’90s starring Denzel Washington and John Goodman that was probably shown on as many cinema screens as Quentin Tarantino has introspective, humble moments in an average decade.It was just one of those films. Everything was right about it but, for some reason, it bypassed massive acclaim and went straight to the VHS bargain bin where nerds and shift workers get to appreciate its brilliance and sneer at anyone that hasn’t heard of it.That’s what Salt could have been like. But for Angelina Jolie being one of the most recognisable pillow-lipped sirens in the world and a surefire way to get a couple of million people to look at your film no matter what condiment it’s named after and the extra cash her name can add to a film’s budget, Philip Noyce’s spy flick could have been a really entertaining also ran that …

LARGE crowds are expected to converge on the East Galway village of New Inn this weekend for the annual Mummers Festival which takes place on Saturday night, January 8 and Sunday afternoon, January 9 in the local leisure centre. As has been tradition, the senior groups will compete on the Saturday night commencing at 7.30pm, with the junior competition being staged on Sunday afternoon at 2.30pm.Last year, the festival had to be postponed due to the bad weather and organisers are hoping there will be no such problems on this occasion. This festival attracts growing numbers of patrons from all over the country to New Inn annually and is being staged for the 33rd year in the area. “It is expected that it will be really strongly supported this year, given that so many events had to be cancelled over Christmas and people are anxious to see good live entertainment. “Anyone visiting New Inn can expect a feast of traditional …

THE next few weeks are set to be busy ones for all those involved in the Shannon Musical Society, as they go into overdrive preparing for their production of The Wedding Singer.The society’s PRO Mary Forde said there are only a few weeks left now, before one of the annual highlights of Shannon’s social calendar.“The show will be on from February 20 to 26 and as well as the nightly shows, there will be a matinee on February 26. Rehearsals have been on during the week and now they will be held at the weekends too. The booking office will be opening on January 14 in the town centre.”She said there has been a gradual intensification of effort since things got going early last year and things are about to step up another gear.“Oh yeah, it’s all go. We first started off months ago doing one night, then it goes to two nights then it is building and building all …

FOR residents of Sixmilebridge, the end of the Christmas festivities is merely a short lull, as the village prepares for the 12th annual, re-branded Shannonside Winter Music Weekend which will run from January 13 to 16.

THE cast of the Pantaloons’ production of Aladdin are keeping audiences both young and old happy this festive season in Glór.

A CLARE-based nursery-rhyme-performing ‘virtual’ traditional Irish band are gaining momentum and publicity in radio and education circles.The Speks are a bunch of relatively unknown musicians from a mysterious island – Glasses Island – that lies off the coast Clare, who have come together to bring their brand of Irish music, accompanying all-time favourite nursery rhymes, to the world. A spokesman for The Speks confirmed that RTÉ Junior, Ireland’s national digital radio station for kids, is now playing the Speks’ music daily, while their tunes are also featuring regularly on radio stations for children in the USA.Recently, the INTO’s publication In Touch gave a glowing review of the songs on The Speks album of nursery rhymes, set to traditional Irish music, simply called Nursery Rhymes by The Speks. “Educationally, they encompass the all-important areas of rhyme, rhythm and repetition – so frequently the missing links for children learning to read,” the publication said.The Speks recently launched a new book to go …

FOLLOWING their sell-out show in Ennis early this year, The Saw Doctors, who are enjoying renewed chart success with an Acapella version of their song Red Cortina, will headline a major Christmas concert at The West County Hotel.At the December 27 gig, The Saw Doctors will play tracks from their recent number-one album, The Further Adventures of The Saw Doctors, as well as singing many of their hits from the Best Of collection, To Win Just Once, which has gone platinum in Ireland with sales of over 30,000 copies.  This year has been a hugely successful year for The Saw Doctors with a sell-out Australian tour in March, summer festival appearances at Glastonbury and Oxegen, and an 18-date UK tour, which included sell-out concerts at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and the famous Glasgow Barrowland venue.In September, top comedian Peter Kay launched the band’s new studio album, The Further Adventures of The Saw Doctors, which received a four-star review from the Hot Press Magazine. In January …