Welcome to the November Newsletter (Part II)

Hello, and welcome to the mid-November issue of Irish SF News. A few things to report, so I’ll get straight to it…

Silver Oak

I’m very sorry to see that Angie Perver of SilverOak.co.uk is discontinuing the review and news service she has been offering on her site. She’s looking to spend more time writing, and has various other constraints on her time. As she says, "Since the site is more of a hobby than a business it has to be the thing that slips".

I want to wish her the best of luck with her writing, and especially to thank her for offering to pay me for syndicating this newsletter, which she did just as I was starting it off, and which helped to make me realise that I might just be doing the right thing.

More information on the SilverOak website.

Planet Floods Again

I must extend my sympathies to Kevin and all the staff in the Forbidden Planet on Crampton Quay here in Dublin, as the shop has had to close due to severe flooding of their basement for the second time this year. Although the shop closed for a few days in early February, most people presumed that the flooding had been caused by the fact that we had been experiencing the highest tides in 80 years. The fact that the shop has flooded again would seem to bring that into question, and I must admit I am personally wondering about the viability of the present location, given this.

By all accounts, the staff found the basement under about a foot of water. This was exacerbated by the fact that an amount of stock, largely graphic novels, had been stacked on the floor overnight, preparatory to it being put on shelves in the morning, and is therefore now beyond reclamation. I know it’s all covered by insurance, but it must still be very upsetting for them all, and I again extend them my sympathy.

Mecon

I have been in touch with the people running MeCon in Belfast next March, where I learn that Sinead Larkin, granddaughter of the late great James White, is now in the chair. I wish her luck, and look forward to visiting them all up there. Their website, which is presumably to be updated shortly, is to be found at www.mecon.org.

Fringe Rides Again

I am delighted to see Fionna O’Sullivan has started writing her fanzine, FRINGE, again, which I missed when it was gone, due to her having moved to Finland. She hasn’t moved back yet, but is sending it to us through the wonders of email. This is mostly personal opinion, as well as some book reviewing, and often wonderfully funny in her own black-hearted little way. Go look at the latest issue, as well as previous issues in the Fringe archive

Laughter Lounge

In what could be seen as an extreme form of criticism, I notice that the Laughter Lounge on Dublin’s Eden Quay is being knocked down…

Trinity Fights Lucas

Trinity College Dublin have advised their legal people to look into the remarkable similarity between the Long Room Library at TCD and the Jedi Archives as seen in most recent episode of the Star Wars series, Episode II: Attack of the Clones.

Spokespersons for George Lucas said:

Go look here and decide for yourself.

My thanks to the numerous people who brought this to my attention.

P-Con 2003

At the closing ceremony of this year’s Octocon, the chairman announced that there was to be no Octocon next year. A number of people were disappointed to hear this, including myself, so I am running a SF convention next September to pick up the slack.

The details are:

The convention gets its name from the proximity of the con site to the Phoenix Park, and should not be seen in any sort of symbolic light, obviously... Also, the short version, P-CON, is solely for convenience, and should not be seen as any form of narcissistic lunacy on the part of the organiser.

The cost is:

A supporting membership will cost €10, and will freeze the price at whatever it is at the time you pay. Memberships can be sent to: