Who couldn't learn Irish this way?

I noted in a presentation to our gathering in An Chutlúrlann — and isn't the 'hoarding' outside as marvellous an exposition of the history of the Irish language as you're ever likely to see — that Sabhal Mor Ostaig has 160 distance learners.

I'm sure we could emulate that from the Gaeltacht Quarter. But in the meantime, I have discovered in the pages of the Irish Echo what is surely the optimal way to learn Irish: on a cruise.

Irishtours are offering Irish Festival Cruises from Florida to Mexico with a stop at Grand Cayman with entertainment provided by some of our best musicians including Mary Black and Girsa. In the Irish Echo report, Tour operator Mary Rowley adds: "The January cruise would also be offering a variety of workshops on all things Irish, from learning to dance a jig to speak the Irish language, to instructions on the tin whistle and bodhrán."

What I want to know is who is the rascal who snared that teaching gig?

Enjoy the wonderful paintings by Danny Devenney, Marty Lyons et al. Note the Easter lilies growing amidst the poppies! And Gearóid Ó Cairealláin raising a glass to Béal Feirste.

(Mary Rowley of Irish Festival Cruises writes: "Hello Máirtín, Many thanks.  You probably know the rascal in question, John Gleeson.  This will be his 17th annual cruise with us.  Folks adore him both onstage and off stage. All the best, Mary."

Fresh wind in our sails

I'm delighted to hear that John Liu, Comptroller of New York City (effectively the chief financial officer) will be in Belfast — this is his first visit to Ireland — early next week and I'm privileged to have been asked to put together a small gathering to welcome him.

I hope to bring together a cross-peaceline small group which represents those who have invested in Belfast with their lives and their business acumen. All would be delighted to see the New York City Pension Funds invest in the developing areas of Belfast — in those neighbourhoods which have borne the brunt of the years of warfare — but they will also by their many diverse opinions and backgrounds emphasise that this is a good place to do business and to get a return (a view not always shared by the economists who advise equity funds).

I was also heartened last night by the most serious engagement to date between the statutory agencies, led by Invest NI, and promoters of the Gaeltacht Quarter project. While the fine detail of the discussion is private, it's fair to say that there's a meeting of minds on the type of regeneration project which would really hit the spot for the Gaeilge community and Invest NI.

And to further float your boat, here's a marvellous Belfast Media Group video by John Kelly focusing on the visit last week of top Boston politicians Eugene O'Flaherty, Charles Murphy, Marty Walsh and Sean O'Donovan.

Fr Mac puts pen to paper

Fr Sean McManus, Fermanagh native and founder of the Irish National Caucus, will publish his memoirs early next year, and they should make for a fascinating read.

For almost four decades, he's been at the very heart of the US administration, influencing American policy on Ireland from his Capitol Hill office.

When we met in Washington DC on St Patrick's Day 2009 (I saw him again this year), I urged him to finish his long-awaited autobiography as this is one Fermanagh man whose story we have to hear. With Pat Doherty of the New York Comptroller's Office, he made the MacBride Principles on fair employment a reality, in the process launching a global boycott of Ford (that's Fr Mac, not Pat).

Latterly, he has helped Raymond McCord snr. bring his fight to justice to the Congress and Senate, casting fresh light on the legacy of collusion between state forces and paramilitaries. About three years back, he also delivered a memorable lecture on the similarities between the black civil rights movement and our own civil rights and justice struggle.

One of his great allies in his many battles for justice was Congressman Ben Gilman of New York (who has no family links to Ireland). Together, the pair were the scourge of those who permitted or defended discrimination in the North of Ireland. This is how Congressman Gilman sums up Fr McManus: “No one has done more than Father Mc Manus to keep the U.S. Congress on track regarding justice and peace in Ireland. Indeed, I believe historians will record that no one since John Devoy (1842-1928) has done more to organize American pressure for justice in Ireland”.

There will be launches of the new book in Dublin and Belfast next spring.

United in common mission

How sad to see anti-peace process elements explode a bomb at Garvan O'Doherty's Da Vinci complex in Derry – and just days after our Boston delegation had received such a warm welcome there.

No doubt this is the pathetic response of those opposed to peace to the Clinton Visit, to the Derry City of Culture breakthrough and to the progress being made in the city courtesy of ILEX and others.

Sill, as Garvan stated after the bombing, dialogue must continue with those who are trying to blast us back into a horrific past even as they are made to understand that, as he said, the vast majority of us in the North are on "a mission" to promote peace, prosperity and a better future. He added: "The vast majority are focused on the partnership approach to peace. This will not detract those of us who want a stable society."

We don't want our young people to be directed down a cul-de-sac which can lead only to misery for them and their families.

Rep. Eugene O'Flaherty texts me to say he has already spoken to Garvan earlier today to give him the best wishes of his Boston visit and to commend him on his resolve. Fortunately, no-one was injured in the bomb and while the attack is a setback to the city, bricks and mortar can be replaced and confidence rebuilt.

Cuairt na bPoncánach ar an Cheathru Ghaeltachta

Excellent report by Forbairt Feirste on the visit of the Boston delegation to the Gaeltacht Quarter.

From the Bruins' side

40 years of history in one hour was how the Bruins stars saw Belfast according to this Boston Herald blog from our city.

And an interesting piece on how the Bruins almost blew it against a team of "nobodies".

Sixth Belfast Top 50 Awards (short version)

Too long? Here's a shorter version of the same event.

Sixth Belfast Top 50 Awards 2010

Self-praise is no recommendation but if you can ignore the first few words, you will enjoy the rest of this video by John Kelly from the Belfast Business Top 50 at Stormont on Friday.

Now for the next act...

I had dinner tonight with Dr Frank Talty Director of Irish Partnerships and Dana Skinner of University of Massachusetts Lowell who have big plans for an exciting 2011 follow-up to the Bruins game this weekend. Frank is behind an incredible link-up between Queen's and UMass Lowell to excavate a settlement in Fermanagh, from whence a community emigrated, and the shantytown in Lowell where they settled.

They tell me their Chancellor Marty Meehan, a great friend of Ireland, tells them to "think big" so expect something memorable from them.

All of which reminded me of the Daniel Burnham quote which deserves repeating on every opportunity we get.

Make no little plans

Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.
Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect. (1846-1912)

Stung into action

Amazing thing about sport, it takes a lifetime to enter the fabric of your culture. What that means, is you understand the rules, know the players, appreciate the heritage, thrill at the successes and feel down when failure comes knocking.

Ice hockey being a minority sport, it was amazing that 6,000 people turned out to admire the Boston Bruins — one of the Big Six who started the NHL in the twenties — at the Odyssey Arena last night. It's an American style event with some great Irish music throw in though I'm sure we can come up with a more raucous hometown theme song than 'I'll Tell My Ma...'. For 38 minutes, the Belfast Giants held the fort but once they scored, the Giants were stung into action — scoring five without reply before the game wrapped up. The delight — and relief — apparent in the Bruins actions after each score shows that it was important to them to win this friendly encounter.

I'm told our Boston business and political friends enjoyed the night, and the result. Final pic from their week, Jennifer McCann, Sinn Féin MLA, presenting Rep Eugene O'Flaherty with the Irish Museum of Modern Art book on the new Brian O'Doherty/Barbara Novak exhibition at Kilmainham, after our evening at the Cultúrlann on Thursday.

Marathon update: 14.2 miles yesterday at 8' 20" but today ended up running with guys who had done 22 yesterday and apparently want to win the Dublin marathon when I'll be happy just finishing New York. After 3.5 miles, they broke me on the hills leading up to the Giants Ring and I limped home, passing the 10-mile mark some time after they had showered, read the papers, enjoyed a coffee, and gone home. Still that's 24 miles in two days in the tank and I did get Garvan O'Doherty to chip in another few quid towards our target when in Derry!

Meeting ourselves coming back

There was something decidedly Kafkaesque about the Justice Department at Stormont where I dropped off our Massachusetts delegation yesterday to meet with Minister David Ford. In the morning, the lights went off as part of a fire drill but apparently no one could find a way to bring them back again. In a particularly nice touch, Basil McCrea MLA brought the Boston delegation out to the balcony at Stormont before bringing them onto the Chamber floor to speak about the workings of the body.

Rep Charles Murphy suggested this was a novel way to make the budget balance which he would be bringing back to Boston!

Then last night, we had twin highlights at the civic reception in the Dome of Delight to welcome the Bruins to Belfast: Minister Arlene Foster recounting the (undoubtedly apocryphal) of how Ireland beat the West Indies at cricket in Sion Mills recently because the guests had enjoyed too much of the famous local hospitality the night before the match; and Boston Bruins coach and legend Cam Nealy presenting the minister with a Bruins jersey with FOSTER printed on the back. "You'll be wearing that tomorrow night," he joked.

This morning, Boston representatives Eugene O'Flaherty, Marty Walsh and Charlie Murphy along with Alderman Sean O'Donovan and John Donovan were in Letterkenny to meet county leaders before they traveled to the Ebrington site in Derry — the former navy and British Army site where Martin McGuinness was interrogated more than once — to see how a symbol of violence is being turned into a magnificent symbol of peace and culture. They then were hosted to a smashing lunch at Da Vinci's Hotel by entrepreneur Garvan O'Doherty before heading to the Free Derry Wall for some pics and then back on the M2 for tonight's big game. (You're right at this pace, we'll meet ourselves coming back one of these days.)

The good news for the Bruins: the Giants are going to go easy on them since they are understandably jet-lagged. Na Fathaigh Abú.

Pictured; That's Garvan O'Doherty in the middle. And Basil giving our guests the lowdown in the Assembly chamber. 

Up and running and welcome to the French Quarters

More details and a video to follow of the Top 50 but we're up online already thanks to young Chris Graham of our internet team who stayed on late here in Belfast to get out the good news.

I'm also looking forward to sharing with you my top New York picks. After three years in the Big Apple, I'm a fair judge of the best hotels, finest eating palaces and most welcoming drink emporiums. But the hotel which stands out for me is on Restaurant Row in the Theatre District of New York. I was delighted to meet last week with Colin McCormack, the industrious and welcoming manager.

Founded by Pete Fitzgerald, one of New York's most successful Irish entrepreneurs in the hospitality business, it has a great New Orleans theme, boasts a unique balcony patio in its restaurant and top-class rooms. I'll be telling you more about French Quarters in the time ahead.

They shall not pass

The Top 50 Belfast Business celebration in Stormont today was a stunning success, thanks to our speakers Minister Alex Attwood, Rep. Gene O'Flaherty, Alstair Hamilton, CEO of Invest NI and Robbie Fitzpatrick who heads up the Odyssey Trust which brought Belfast the Bruins (Robbie is also one of our Top 50).

We had special recongition for six companies and their leaders who were showcased on the Top 50: Brad Waugh of Navinet (who flew in from Boston to join us), Greg Cash of Heartsine who flew in from Illinois to be with us, Brian McAreavey of Citi (which employs 1100 people in Belfast), Michael Collins of furniture store Collins' who was our family business of the year honoree, Wendy Langham of Connswater Park development (who won the internet poll) and Bubble which won the growth award.

And the good news is that I stood at the exit from the Stormont Long Gallery after the event and scooped up some contributions to our NYC marathon appeal for the Fund of Fr Brian Jordan's Holy Name Church on the upper West Side in New York which ministers to many hard-pressed families. £435 hoovered up from generous attendees including Basil McCrea MLA, Alex Attwood MLA, Terence Brannigan, restaurateur Eddie Fung, Fiona Morgan, Paul Gibson, Paul McErlean, Giants owner Jim Gillespie, Tony McKeown, Colm Bradley of Delta Print, Patrick Forrester of LBM, Daniel McRitchie and Vickie Gault, Tony McManus of NYSE, Seamie O'Neill, Kevin White, Bubble Ltd, Sarah agus Pól Deeds (go raibh maith agaibh), Lester Manley, D Donnelly, Stephen Magorrian of Botanic Inns, Dougie Adams, Alastair Hamilton, and K Rodgers. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.

And what a great picture this is on the stairs at Stormont: with Connla Lawlor of the Belfast Media Group and Minister Alex Attwood are Reps Charles Murphy, Marty Walsh and Gene O'Flaherty.

Art threw in the puck

Over the last 16 weeks or so, I've taken part in the ad-hoc organising comittee pulled together to ensure the Bruins v Giants game this week is a success — that means not only a great sporting occasion but an event which lifts the entire city.

It's struck me that one person missing from the mix is the guy who started the whole Boston-Belfast alliance: Art McCabe of Andover and Lawrence outside Boston.

15 years ago, Art arrived here, on his own tab, to build golden bridges of culture, art, business and friendship between Massachusetts and North Ireland. He followed up by inviting a cast of thousands to stage Binlids in New York (I suspect he's still paying off the debt from that one — the cast and supporters would have made the Red Sea scene in the Greatest Story Ever Told look like a family picnic). Later, he would welcome government ministers, including Gregory Campbell, to encourage them to make swift decisions on economic regeneration — little good that did, says you, but we can't blame Art for that.

He was the first American to identify the potential of St Mary's University College and sparked the ongoing relationship between Marty Meehan, Chancellor of UMass Lowell and Queen's University. He's not blind to the real difficulties of getting senior figures in government to move into what they too-often see as 'no go areas'.

Unfortunately, Art is too busy in his new post in the Economic Development Department of the City of Lawrence to join us for the match but he also introduced me to Rep Eugene O'Flaherty and we were able to toast his health in the Cultúrlann last night when a group of community leaders hosted a dinner for our visitors. Mar sin, 'Airt, fad saoil agus sláinte.

Pictured: Alderman Sean O'Donovan, Jake Mac Siacais of Forbairt Feirste, Geraldine McAteer of West Belfast Partnership Board, Rep. Gene O'Flaherty and Pilib Ó Rúanaí of the Short Strand and Iontoabhas na Gaelscolaíochta.

There was a lot of talk at the organising committee during our 8am breakfast meetings about who should be given the honour of throwing in the puck. Of course, it was Art who threw in the puck...many years ago.