Hello and welcome
to Ireland’s Own.

In the early 20th century, two wily sons of Polish emigrants founded a film sales company which would eventually grow to become one of Hollywood’s biggest studios, due in no small part to its founders’ keen judge of talent and near-fanatical adherence to business policies that later became industry practice. Tom McParland tells us the story of Columbia Pictures, the company that brought us many classic movies down the years.

In his Islands of Ireland series, David Mullen is off to Inishbofin, County Donegal, while in ‘The Ballad Sheet’ Eugene Dunphy goes in search of the melody that originally accompanied some comic verses about our national saint, ‘St. Patrick Was A Gentleman.’

Our Role of the Irish in WW2 series continues with Con McGrath concluding the story of John ‘Jack’ Flood. The highly decorated combat veteran had roots in Counties Westmeath and Roscommon. John Barry, ‘Father of the American Navy’, is profiled by Nicky Rossiter.

In her Pioneering Women series, Mary Angland looks at the life of Dorothy Stopford Price, ‘Doctor on a Crusade’, and Sir Walter Scott, the Scottish novelist, poet, historian and biographer, is profiled by Helen Morgan.

The first known map of Ireland was created by the Greek cartographer Claudius Ptolemy in 140 A.D., writes Martin Malone, while Mary ‘Pick-handle’ Fitzgerald, ‘fearless fighter for workers’ rights’, is profiled by Gerry Breen.

This week’s Classic Film is Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘The Trouble With Harry’, and Paul Swift takes a journey down the Mattock River. Dan Conway is musing about ‘Boxing – the Ignoble Art?’ while Cassidy has his say on birthdays. 

Marjorie is cooking honey-glazed pork chops while this week’s original short story is ‘Inside the Memory Box’ by Wyn Cave. Michael Deering, the only President of the GAA is recalled by Pauline Murphy.

We have all this for you to enjoy alongside your regular favourites. Enjoy the reading, keep safe and I will look forward to talking to you all again next week.

                                                                                                         Best wishes,

Seán Nolan, Editor, Ireland’s Own