Welcome to the November Newsletter (Part I)

Hello, and welcome to back to Irish SF News, after what seems to have been a remarkably long absence, the last newsletter having gone out on the 19th of September. Octocon, along with various other things, such as attempting to attend all of the Crazy Dog Live! broadcasts, seemed to eat into my available time, and it’s only now I’m finally getting to catch up with it all. I have news of various new Irish publications, as well as awards, conventions of various kinds, a few grumbles of my own, and a website about American presidential beards.

James White Award

I am delighted to see that my old friend Julian West has won this year’s James White Award with a story called Vita Brevis Ars Longa. The prize includes publication in a forthcoming issue of InterZone, as in the previous two years. More details on the award can be found at the James White Award website.

Dominicon

I have news of various conventions, but I’m going to start with this one. Dominicon is the regularly held gaming convention of the National University of Ireland at Maynooth. They’ve decided to try to add a SF con element to this, so they’ve gone looking for guests, and have done remarkably well so far. They have the legendary Harry Harrison as Guest of Honour, with Michael Carroll, Michael Scott and John W Sexton as other guests so far. The convention is on over the weekend of March 28th - 30th in the Arts Block of NUI Maynooth. I’m not sure how to get there, at the moment, but I’m sure these kinds of details will manifest themselves on the convention website.

This makes March a busy month for me, as I’m also going to attend MeCon in Belfast, if I can. There is another con allegedly on the weekend before MeCon, in University College Cork, but the don’t seem to have got beyond making themselves nice tee shirts. Have a look at the ConFusion website to see how it’s coming along.

In Dublin City

In Dublin City, by Gerry Hunt, is a 36-page A4 comic I picked up in Forbidden Planet last week, and is probably the finest piece of self-published comic artwork to appear in Ireland to date, as far as I’m concerned.

It’s the story, told in rhyme, of a poker game in the Belfry pub in Stoneybatter, but it’s much more besides that. The artwork is lush and beautiful, and would not be out of place in the work of any professional comic company anywhere in the world. In fact, so lovingly rendered is the depiction of Dublin City in this, that I’m inclined to compare it on a certain level to James Joyce’s Ulysses.

It is said that Dublin could be recreated brick-by-brick from Joyce’s masterwork. It’s entirely possible that the same could be done from the pages of this wonderful little gem of a comic. How could you not want to read something that starts

Copies vanished in the Planet overnight, and, maddeningly, there are no personal details about the creator at all, with the sole exception of his name on the cover, and this in a day when these things usually have email and web addresses leaking out of every pore (figuratively speaking).

I will find out more, though, and hopefully at......

Subcon IV

Taking place in Wynn’s Hotel in Abbey Street, on November the 16th, SubCon is Dublin’s regular comic book convention, and is usually well attended, on both sides of the counter. I’ll be taking a table there myself, and I’ll be easily recognised as the only person there foolhardy enough to try selling second-hand books, as opposed to comics or "merchandise".

I was supposed to be helping out with the running of this event, and in particular trying to get a guest for the con. I singularly failed to do so, so if you’re wondering who to blame for there being no-one there to sign your comics, I’m afraid I have to put my hand up. Mea Culpa, as we’d say if we still spoke Latin. Come along and point the finger of guilt at me, or just to say hello.

Celtic Renaissance Fayre

This is the brainchild of Frank Darcy, who is currently running the Dublin based SciFiClub so ably. To be held in the summer of 2004 (so you can’t say you didn’t get plenty of notice), this is going to be a lot of fun, as far as I can see.

We’re promised sword fighting, dancers and jugglers along with more serious stuff, like talks and panels, as well as costuming and other workshops. Expect to hear more about this as time goes by. More information can be found at the Celtic Renaissance Fayre website.

100 Greatest Britons

I notice that the BBC’s recent 100 Greatest Britons includes quite a number of Irishmen. Apparently they decided that, for the purposes of the poll, the term "Briton" would be taken to mean anyone living in the British Isles, a somewhat thorny and largely archaic geographical term used to cover both of these fine islands of ours. This allows them to include people like the Duke of Wellington and Ernest Shackleton, both born not a million miles from where I’m sitting.

Mind you, and on a slightly different tack, I see that DJ-god John Peel makes it onto the list, as does dear old Aleister Crowley. Of more direct "Sfnal" interest are people like JRR Tolkien (who was born in South Africa) and JK Rowling.

This Way Up

This Way Up is the first book publication from Aeon Press, who are the people who produce the excellent and award winning SF anthology magazine Albedo 1. This is really two short story collections in one, with the two halves of the book being back-to-back, like the old Ace doubles, if anyone other than me remembers them. There are four stories each from Dermot Ryan and Nigel Quinlan. My copy is sitting here on the desk in front of me, still largely unopened, but it is right on the top of the pile of "what gets read next".

Although I’m not familiar with Dermot Ryan, I know Nigel Quinlan for quite some time, and have a feeling that this is really only the beginning of what will become an illustrious career.

Copies of the book will be in various fine bookshops in Dublin shortly (as soon as the agent for Aeon Press finishes writing this newsletter, in fact…), or you can get copies either directly from me for the extra-special fan price of €10, plus postage to wherever you live, or you can contact Aeon Press directly at bobn at eircom.net. (Don't forget to substitute an "@" for "at".)

You should buy this book. Not just because we all need to support our local authors, which we do, or because it is the first book from a locally based fan-run small press, which it is, but because it is going to be *good*. Update: 7 November

I can now tell you that there are copies of the book available in Crow Corner Comics, Dandelion Books, Forbidden Planet, The Secret Book & Record Shop, SubCity, The 3rd Place and Yellow Brick Road, priced at only €11.99.

You can also get a copy from me by writing to me at irishsfnews at yahoo.co.uk.

Support your local small press!!

They Came and Shaved Us

This is a convention, of sorts, though likely to be unlike anything seen in Ireland since the time of the Hellfire Club. Probably the first thing to say about this is that it is going to be largely centred around the celebrations to mark the tenth anniversary of SproutLore, the Now Official Robert Rankin Fan Club, which was launched in Dublin in October 1993. The other thing is that this is aimed at adults, and at reasonably broad-minded adults at that. If you are easily offended, or possibly even overly squeamish, then this is not likely to be the event for you.

Having said that, they’ve asked me to attend as Fan Guest of Honour, and, despite the fact that I’ve always felt that the idea of fan guests is ludicrous, I’m taking them up on it. I’m being asked, in case you’re wondering, because I was the original founder member of SproutLore, and because I deserve it! I’m happy to see someone doing something other than a straightforward SF convention over here, and this kind of event has proven very popular in Britain, and, all in all, I recommend it to you all highly. Remember to book early, as places are limited, apparently. Dates are 24 - 26 October 2003, and the location is the Fairways Hotel, Dundalk, Co. Louth, Ireland.

More information at the They Came and Shaved Us website.

Monthly Quizlet

Ah yes. The quiz. After receiving no suggestions for a title for this newsletter from any of you electronically (with the exception of Ian Sheppard, who is now more or less ineligible, due to being my webmaster), I’m giving a prize to Bob Neilson, who gave me a few written down on a sheet of paper, and therefore is the only person getting a prize. I’ve more or less abandoned the idea of giving the NL a name, anyway, so no harm done, really.

I’ve decided to go back to a much simpler form of questioning this time around, so: Prizes for several of the first names out of the hat on the 1st of December to be able to tell me the name of the novel James Shields is writing for the National Novel Writing Month project. If I told you that James runs the excellent Lost Car Park Project website, would that help you to find the answer?

DMZ One-Day Event

The DMZ present, in Wynn’s Hotel in Abbey Street, Abbey Street, Dublin 1, All New Season Premieres of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", "Angel", and "Smallville" all day on Sunday the 17th of November, from 10.00 AM until 7.00 PM. Admission is € 11.00.

The flyer here in front of me says, and quite rightly too:

More information, quite possibly, from the lovely looking DMZ website or from their email address: dmzevents at hotmail.com. (Don't forget to substitute an "@" for "at".)

An Tóraíocht

This is the second Irish language graphic novel from Cló Mhaigh Eo, the first having been An Sclábhaí, which was based on the story of St Patrick, that well-known Welshman, who became the patron saint of Ireland. In this case An Tóraíocht is based on the Irish epic tale Tóraíocht Dhiarmuid agus Ghráinne, or The Chasing of Diarmuid and Gráinne.

Gráinne is promised in marriage to Fionn Mac Cumhaill, leader of the legendary Fianna, the legendary Irish warrior tribe. (Fionn Mac Cumhaill will be better known to those of you who are foreigners as Finn Mac Cool.) She’s not happy about this, and on seeing the handsome Diarmuid, she puts him under a "geas" (a kind of binding obligation, backed up by various dire consequences. It’s an Irish thing...) to run away with her. And so it starts.

This is a fabulously well-executed piece of work, and if you’re remotely interested in Irish mythology, or comics, or both, then you need to get yourself a copy.

I got mine in SubCity, and the Forbidden Planet usually stock these too. I do thing that the publishers are taking an overly isolationist stance in not even providing a glossary of the more difficult words translated into Irish, particularly as this one is far more dialogue-heavy that the previous one. I can read it, but I’m well aware that most of the population can’t, not having had the dubious privilege I enjoyed, of being educated through Irish. I know that there was some talk of translations of this series of graphic novels being put up on one or other of the websites, but I’ve not had a chance to go look yet. The writing is by Colmán Ó Raghallaigh, who also wrote An Sclábhaí, and the artwork, which on the front cover is only credited to The Cartoon Saloon, is actually by Paul Young (though probably not the same one who was in the Q-Tips). The cover price is only €9.00, and it’s 100% Irish. What are you waiting for?

More information about Cló Mhaigh Eo on the Cló Mhaigh Eo and about The Cartoon Saloon on the The Cartoon Saloon website.

In Brief

• The weekend after Octocon, myself and the lovely Deirdre went into Dublin for a wander around, it being my (43rd) birthday on the Saturday. Shops were already putting up Christmas decorations and substantial Christmas sections. Is it just me, or is this really happening a little earlier every year. By the way, as it was my birthday, I’d bought myself an ostrich egg and a ring with (hopefully mystic) Nepalese writing on it at the Ideal Homes Exhibition, as we got free tickets off the Internet. As you do.
• I also picked up a new Irish magazine called Brane in Forbidden Planet, based on some hopeful- looking earlier publicity material. Unfortunately, it seems to consist almost entirely of travel writing, although it does come with a free CD. Well produced and all as it is, and virtually unique in terms of these things in seeming to be actually properly proof-read all the way through, I don’t think I’ll be getting the next one.
• If you’re going to SubCon, you may be interested in strolling over to the Militaria Fair which is taking place the same day in the North Star Hotel on Amiens Street, which is only a few minutes walk away.
• I always seem to notice signings are on far too late to mention them, but I do see that Lawrence Llywelyn-Bowen is going to be appearing in the linen department of Arnott’s department store in Henry Street at the end of this month. Start queuing now, ladies!
• The Forbidden Planet have been reorganising the shop, with the book section now being moved into the small space under the stairs in the basement, and considerably shrunk in size, to allow more merchandise to go into the space they once occupied on the ground floor. Am I wrong in thinking that merchandise is a slow canker, eating away at the very heart of the genre? It could just be me…
• If you liked the Crazy Dog Live! radio broadcasts, then make sure to let RTÉ know about it. Write to: The Radio Centre, RTÉ, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, to let them know you liked the shows. This kind of feed back is important, as it lets them know there’s a lot of people out here who want more of the same.
• I’ve been doing some writing over the past while. I posted a transcription of Alan Moore’s The Highbury Working: A Beat Séance, which is a sort of spoken word magical deconstruction of the Highbury area of London, on the Alan Moore Fan Site.
• I also wrote a piece on "Shopping for the discerning SF fan" for Slovo Books, which you can find here. More stuff to follow, as I attempt to generate some actual content for my website…
• November is, apparently, National Novel Writing Month and I see that various friends of mine are having a go at it. You can find out more at the National Novel Writing Month website.
• When you get a mail that says, Have just done a web page of US Presidents and their beards…, you just have to share it with the rest of the world. I am indebted to the industrious Nicholas Whyte for sending me this. Go see it here .
• Was anyone watching "Pyramid" on the BBC, and if so do they by any chance have it on video? Richie in SubCity is looking for a copy, as he missed it when it went out. If you have a copy, either drop it in to him directly, or let me know, and we’ll work something out.
  (Update: 9 November) All is well. It's being repeated on Sunday at 3.30.
• I know I keep saying I’m not going to send out links just for the fun of it, but only ones related to the broad basis of this newsletter, but I found this one called "Geek Hierarchy" which was deep in the bowels of The Alien Online, infinitely helpful. See if you can find your place on this handy-dandy chart... Geek Hierarchy

And that’s my lot for this month. Isn't it amazing how much stuff piles up when you fall behind on your work, all the same? I’m still no closer to writing about SF events and shops in Belfast, which I keep promising to do. I’m hoping that perhaps someone up there will volunteer to file a report for me. And yes, that is a broad hint at someone in particular.

Incidentally, the subscriptions to this newsletter currently stand at 128 people, which is very pleasing.

Regards,
Pádraig Ó Méalóid
Irish SF News

Web Editors Note: This was actually the first of three newsletters sent out in November 2002. Not bad for a monthly publication. The other two can be found in the Archives Section.