Silver Screen Sci-Fi by Ivor Casey

SILVER SCREEN SCIENCE (By Ivor Casey)

Sci – fi is a genre which covers futuristic speculation
Sci – fi is a style with fictional techno celebration
It is enjoyed through books, comics, art and games
But it’s the movies which help light its brightest flames

Time travel is presented with photos in La Jetee (1962)
Time fast forwards suddenly in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
A journey to fulfilment of desires is the basis of Stalker (1979)
Intergalactic battles form the adventures of Luke Skywalker

Old folks find youth with strange objects, in Cocoon (1985)
Amazon adventures meet the Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)
Sci-fi shows us a face transplant in Eyes Without a Face (1960)
And a talking feline in Disney’s Cat From Outer Space (1978)

There are pessimistic predictions of a future city in Metropolis (1927)
Alien intelligence up to no good on distant planets in Solyaris (1972)
Bureaucrats and administrative errors in Terry Gilliam’s Brazil (1985)
There are futuristic cities on other planets as in Alphaville (1965)

Sci-fi is a form of fiction which delves into the depths of imagination
Sci-fi can be defined as exaggerated reality or structural fabulation
A corporate controlled, violent future is represented in Rollerball (1975)
Cover ups, memory implants, an adventure on Mars in Total Recall (1990)

A cyborg killer as played by Arnie in The Terminator (1984)
Dead tissue used for bizarre experiments in Re-Animator (1985)
Horror makes its way in with the surreal Eraserhead (1977)
And flesh eating zombies in Night Of The Living Dead (1968)

There’s modern greats like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Or Steven Spielberg’s E.T. (1982) and Close Encounters of The Third Kind (1977)
A fantastical land where dinosaurs still roam in The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
All time classics like Blade Runner (1982) and Alien (1979) from director Ridley Scott

Sci – fi is built upon an expansion of scientific knowledge ascertained
Sci – fi is an incredible genre used in the movies to keep us entertained.


Copyright - Ivor Casey

Elvis is dead, Long Live The King by Ivor Casey

FOR me, aged 13 in 1997, discovering Elvis Presley was like being introduced to a whole new world: a world away from image victimisation and frivolous performers. It was the discovery that music once meant something and there was a time when singers with heart and soul were the most successful in the business. Being a modern day teenager in a society that's intolerant of individualism made it tough to be a fan of a dead singer. While this did distance me from some, Presley's rise educated me about having passion for what one truly believes in and his downfall made me aware of the emotionally strenuous aspects of life.

A chance encounter with the flood of TV tributes on the 20th anniversary of his death engrossed me like nothing had ever done before. His song Always On My Mind was a major hit in Ireland at the time and it was the song's meaning that drew me to Presley. Through it, I was first introduced to the poignant story of Elvis's later years. That song described a man regretting how he had ruined a relationship. It was recorded after Presley's divorce in 1972 and subsequently his life began to spiral downhill until his untimely death in 1977. Singing songs of solitude and despondency to the end, he related his own pathos in the music.

While many are aware of how he contributed to his own decline, it is harder to comprehend why he couldn't help himself. I wanted to understand why a man with such talent and success became so self destructive. Presley was the world's first superstar and he had nobody to take guidance from. Others can now learn from Presley's mistakes but he took the bashing as he made the first moves. Unfortunately, nobody can save their own life once they have lost faith in living. Being a compassionate and sensitive man, suffering from depression and having achieved everything one man can comprehend, Elvis really didn't have too much more to reach for. And some of his goals and ambitions could not be achieved because of the mysterious control his manager had over him. There is the image of the "drug abuser" or, more truthfully, Presley's biological addiction to prescription medicine: in today's world, he would be seen as a victim rather than an abuser.

Presley was a massive phenomenon and it took me time to realise the unique abilities behind his superior singing voice. Emotionally void art snobs bemoaned the fact that he didn't write songs, but I set out to discover something more important than the ability to write lyrics. I discovered that from the time Elvis made his first recording in the summer of 1953, he used natural empathy to bring out the meaning in a song. Elvis embodied the most important human characteristic: feeling. His method of interpreting a song was inspirational. That was the genius of Presley. As our own Irish legend Bono stated, "Elvis had the wisdom that makes wise men look foolish".

Some people have the impertinence to compare this timeless icon to today's fabricated pop stars. No pop stars will ever last over 50 years or equal his charisma, vocal range and the fact he founded a musical style that changed world cultures. Some claim he stole black music but I dare those to challenge the accurate belief of soul god James Brown, who explained, "Elvis wasn't copying. He found his own style".

Later, Elvis did lose touch with his roots but his raw energetic presence is still available to be heard. His is the story of a man who used fortitude to break down the barriers of racist and conservative societies. Once you look past all the unsavoury stereotypes, Elvis Presley was a regular man who was gifted enough to make a teenager from an entirely different generation realise the meaning of music and how it is an essential part of life.

- Ivor Casey

(Ammended from article by Ivor Casey first published in 'The Sunday Independent', 17 August, 2003)

Leo and the Literary Legend by Ivor Casey

HE was once confronted on the street for bringing ‘that pornographer into Mullingar’. An attack on Joycean scholar and writer Leo Daly, who passed away recently at the age of 90.  He had experienced this attack simply for linking the story of the literary giant, James Joyce, to the Westmeath town, through his book, James Joyce and The Mullingar Connection. A book, which printed in 1975, both linked the work of a highly respected literary legend to a small rural town and brought the knowledge and works of Joyce to a wider audience.

A native of Mullingar, Leo Daly is one of Co. Westmeath’s great writers and historians. Spanning over 30 years his writings have included fiction and non-fiction publications, magazine features and essays, covering many aspects of Irish heritage, literature and local history, often relevant to places such as Mullingar and The Aran Islands.

Up until his passing, Leo resided in his home town of Mullingar, a resident of St. Clair’s Nursing Home and remained an active writer. It was here I met him a few months ago before going for lunch, as I set out to conduct an interview with him about his life and career. As we walked into the Bloomfield Hotel, not far from where he lived, I asked him of the influences on his writing career. He told me, ‘the major influence on my venture into writing was my interest in places such as Aran which had been successfully portrayed by Synge and others in the native language’. The Aran Islands clearly held a place in Leo’s heart as he would go on to write extensively on the history and people of this part of Ireland in both fiction and non-fiction terms, through a series of short stories and books, including Oileáin Árann and The Rock Garden.

Leo was educated at St. Marys College in Mullingar. He later studied drama writing under the British drama league and studied photography at the Agfa school of photo-journalism in Kent, England. He was one of the founding members of the Mullingar Little Theatre and has acted in and produced numerous plays, including Ghosts Strike Back which he wrote commemorating James Joyce and was performed at the Mullingar Arts Centre.

Leo has also produced pantomimes, has contributed photographs to American and Irish publications and has written drama criticisms for various newspapers, both regional and national. Having retired early from psychiatric nursing, Leo Daly followed a career as a writer, photojournalist and editor and has had his work aired on Radio Éireann and was a regular contributer to the famous Sunday Miscellany programme. As well as highlighting James Joyce’s relevance to Mullingar and surrounding areas in various publications, Leo has also told the story of the 7th Century Saint, Colmán of Lynn in the book The Life of  Colmán of Lynn.

Sitting down in the lounge of the Hotel we looked out across Lough Ennell, which fills the panoramic view from where we were seated. A lake with its own literary history, as it is noted as the influence for Jonathan Swift’s Gullivar’s Travels and the story about the people of Lilliput. I continued to ask Leo who he would consider his favourite writer. Leo explained, ‘my favourite writers are those who portray a visual concept rather than those who portray the metaphysical and historical interests of the writer’. Leo then added, ‘James Joyce is concerned with both in his writings and exploits a greater and broader canvas than others, thereby attracting a wider readership’.

Staying on the area of Joyce I asked of his attraction to Joyce’s work and what the inspiration was to produce such a unique book as James Joyce and The Mullingar Connection. ‘My main attraction to Joyce was his versatility, mainly a feature of his early works’ he stated. Leo continued to explain, ‘This feature of Joyce’s writing attracted me to Joyce, leading me to explore an area of Ireland already familiar to me and to an equal extent people and characters I was already familiar with. Thus the characters which Joyce introduced in his Epiphanies were those of the town I lived in’. In regard to the book itself, I was told, ‘Although the book was not well received at the time of its publication, especially by academics, it gained a readership and importance as source material’.

Despite Leo’s feeling that it was not well received, since it was published Leo and this particular book have gained a positive mention in the noted reference book Recent Research On Anglo Irish Writers by Richard J. Finneran. On asking him what was a highlight of his career, Leo smiled as he thought back to the time he was especially invited to give a reading of his paper, James Joyce in the Cloak of St. Patrick at the James Joyce Symposium in Zurich. It was also here, he told me, that he had the delight to meet and interview the American author Marilyn French who had written, The Book As World: James Joyce’s Ulysses.

Having connected a highly respected literary figure with a rural town, it can be found that Leo has contributed to bringing vibrancy and culture to the town of Mullingar. I asked if locals have taken note of this enough but Leo suggested that ‘Mullingar has still to give Joyce an honourable place in the town’s literary acclaim’. Once again we looked out across Lough Ennell and its enchanting illumination of the landscape. Looking beyond the lake, Leo directed me towards the hill of Uisneach, which was the setting for part of Joyce’s Finnegans Wake, informing me of one of the many connections between Joyce and the midlands. I asked Leo why he thinks Joyce may have been drawn to the midlands and he suggested, ‘the midlands are the centre of Ireland and to him would have been the centre of the Universe’.

In more recent years, to add to his various talents and literary skills Leo Daly has produced a collection of poetry which was exhibited in St. Claire’s Nursing Home. With an emphasis on humour with witty and honourable descriptions of the staff at the home and descriptions of life as it then stood for the writer, his introductory collection of works were funny and insightful. They combined the natural desire to make you laugh and to make you think. Leo only began writing poetry recently and hopefully this work will eventually get a full publication, adding to his great body of literature.

As a passionate and devoted writer, Leo refused to be idle as he had recently completed writing a new play, which he had been working on for the past decade. Titled, The Jealous Wall, which was the name given to the mock ruin of a castle at Belvedere House in Mullingar, to divide rivalling brothers, this ‘Wall’ encompasses a true story which has now been dramatised by Leo. He described the inspiration for this new play, saying, ‘the story of “The Jealous Wall”, exploiting as it does the history of Lady Mary Rochfort’s conjugal imprisonment by her husband for almost thirty years, is an excellent portrayal of the “Gothic Grotesque”. The fact that the artefacts are still above ground and visible today lends a reality which is seldom encountered today’.

He told me he would be happy to have this drama performed on radio, not only because getting a stage produced play can be quite difficult, but because a lot of it may be better suited to radio. With this project being his most recent endeavour, I dared to ask him what was next after this and if he had any further aspirations and ideas on his mind. He responded, ‘Unfortunately no, time has overtaken my hope of further accomplishments. I can only hope for the best’. Nonetheless Leo has now behind him a fascinating body of work. It could be said that Leo is a writer not fully appreciated in his time but who will certainly go down as one of Ireland’s great literary legends.

- Ivor Casey

(Amended from article by Ivor Casey  which appeared in 'The Westmeath Examiner' and 'The Sunday Independent')

(Original publication of  the final interview with Leo Daly by Ivor Casey, as seen in the The Westmeath Examiner
 in July, 2010)

(Original publication of 'Obituary of Leo Daly' by Ivor Casey, as seen in the The Sunday Independent in August, 2010)

The Midland's Misplaced Momentous: The Quakers by Ivor Casey

WHILE the  midlands  has  often  become  a  side stepped  region  throughout  Ireland,  its  history  has  included  important  developments  in  the  name  of  The  Quakers,  who  spear-headed  production  in  Co. Offaly  and  Co. Westmeath.  It   was  firstly  in  Moate,  Co. Westmeath  where  the  progression  of  this  community  began  to  flourish  and  see  the  earliest  advancements  in  rural  Ireland  over  three  and  a  half  centuries  ago.

When  George  Fox  founded  'The  Society  Of  Friends'  or  'Quakers'  over  350 years ago,  the  Westmeath  town  of  Moate  soon  became  a  centre-point  for  its  followers.  Fox  had  set  up  this  new  way  of  life  in  the  wake  of  the  Counter  Reformation,  having  become  disillusioned  with  religious  life  at  the  time.  He  felt  churches  had  become  swamped  with  traditions,  rituals  and  power  politics.  The  main  objective  of  Quakerism  was  to  take  care  of  the  poor  and  provide  for  widows  and  the  fatherless.  It  was  ensured  that  all  members  practised  justice,  equity  and  consolation.  Quakers  were  tolerant  in  allowing  people  pursue,  without  criticism,  whatever  he  or  she  was  interested  in.

Moate Castle, Moate, Co. Westmeath (Photo: Ivor Casey)

Moate  was  first  introduced  to  this  'Society  Of  Friends'  in  1658  by  a  Scottish  soldier  named  William  Edmundson,  who  had  already  made  converts  in  Co.  Antrim.  Locals  became  intrigued  by  the  Quaker  lifestyle  when  Edmundson  held  a  meeting  in  Ballykilroe  and  the  first  'meeting  house'  was  located  at  Toorphelim.  Followers  included  John  Clibborn  who  eventually  had  meetings  transferred  to  his  home,  Moate  Castle,  which  he  came  into  possession  of  in  1656.  It  was  the  town  of  Moate  where  distant  visitors,  which  included  Americans,  would  come  to,  in  search  of  information  about  Quakers  in  Ireland  and  nearby  countries.  From  here,  Quakerism  extended  to  neighbouring  counties  such  as  Offaly.  With  the  increasing  numbers  of  friends,  local,  provincial  and  national  meeting  houses  were  erected  in  Ireland.

The  Midlands  Quakers  were  a  most  ambitious  and  productive  people,  establishing  small  industries  and  becoming  heavily  involved  in  farming  and  founded  agricultural  shows.  Some  of  their  factories  included  woollen  and  linen  mills,  brick  and  tile  factories, a  tannery  and  a  felt  making  factory.  They  were  also  involved  in  banking,  engineering  and  shipbuilding  as  well  as  producing  jams,  biscuits  and  tobacco  and  the  famous Bewleys  cafes.  A  major  Quaker  run  factory  was  the  Goodbody  factory  in  Clara,  Co. Offaly  which  was  a  flour  mill  and  jute  processor.

One  particular  resourceful  Quaker  was  Dr.  Edward  Bewley  (1806 - 1876),  a  Medical  Doctor  and  Agriculturist  who  set  up  his  practice  in  Moate  in  1830.  One  area  he  was  most  keen  on  was  the  advancement  of  farming  methods  and  he  became  a  member  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland.  He  set  up  a  branch  of  this  organisation  in  Moate  which  lead  to  the  formation  of  ploughing  matches,  farming  lectures,  an  agricultural  college  and  an  agricultural  show.  Dr.  Bewley  was  elected  President  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  Ireland  in  1841.  His  benevolence  could  be  seen  during  the  famine  as  he  was  a  founding  member  of  the  Moate  Soup  Kitchen.  His  son  Sir  Edmund  Thomas  Bewley  (1837 - 1908)  was  born  in  Moate  and  later  became  a  Professor  of  Law  in  Trinity  College  and  a  Supreme  Court  Judge.

Quaker Cemtary Gates, Moate, Co. Westmeath (Photo: Ivor Casey) 

The  Quakers  are  still  very  much  in  existence,  with  meeting  houses  all  around  the  country.  However,  other  than  one  active  meeting  house  in  Edenderry  in  Co. Offaly  at  present  and  none  in  Co.  Westmeath,  the  midlands  have  lost  a  symbol  of  their  prosperity.  Today,  the  diminutive  remains  of  a  Quaker  meeting  house  can  be  seen  in  the  grounds  of  Moate  Castle.  It  was  ordered  to  be  demolished  in  1921  by  the  Quaker's  'Dublin  Meeting',  to  avoid  misuse  when  the  number  of  Quakers  reduced  in  the  area  and  the  house  became  empty.  There  is  also  the  remains  of  a  Quaker  graveyard  on  the  same  property  but  this  is  also  gradually  disintegrating,  despite  the  best  attempts  of  the  local  Historical  Society  to  preserve  it. With  its  worsening  condition  through  vandalism  and  the  more  natural  overgrowth  of  weeds,  briers  and  nettles, an  important  attribute  of  the  rural  Ireland’s  aspirations  has  been  left  aside. 

Quaker Cemetary Headstones, Moate, Co. Westmeath (Photo: Ivor Casey)

While  some  midlanders  today  can  finally  celebrate  the  progression  of  sending  one  of  its  sons  to  lead  the  country,  failure  has  supervened  in  preserving  the  memory  of  a  noble  people.  With  Moate  Castle  having  recently  been  put  up  for  sale,  with  the  Quaker  graveyard  on  the  property,  there  is  further  uncertainty  as  to  the  future  of  this  essential  landmark  of  the  Quaker’s  memory  in  Moate. 

Nonetheless,  it  is  the  legacy  of  'The Quakers'  which  historians  continue  to  bring  forward  and  with  the  special  anniversary  year  that  is  now,  it  is  important  that  tribute  is  paid  to  the  symbols  of  ambition  and  prosperity  which  once  made  Moate,  and  the  midlands,  a  thriving  region.

- Ivor Casey

(Amended from an article by Ivor Casey which first appeared in the Westmeath Independent and Ireland's Own)

(Original publication of "Moate's Misplaced Momementous: The Quakers" by Ivor Casey, as seen in the The Westmeath Independent in March, 2008)

Elvis and virtually no Suspicious Minds by Ivor Casey

ELVIS Presley's career has remained strong for almost 50 years, despite him being dead for over half this time. His long-lasting stance in the business is something no other singer has matched and that has been proven with 'Elvis: The Concert'. Presley was an influence on major Irish musicians. His genealogy can be traced to Ireland. However, he never performed one concert here. In fact, he never performed outside the US, other than a few shows in Canada. That was up until Elvis's estate came up with the next best thing.

The show has played four times in Ireland since 2000, and while the production format has not changed, the spectacular atmosphere remains. 'The Concert' reunites Presley's original 1970s musicians, the TCB Band, to perform live to his recorded voice. Spectators are also able to gaze at several enormous screens with footage of Elvis from 1968 to 1973, singing each of the selected songs. The concept of it being a virtual reality show has generated much suspicion over its quality. Some cynics have laughed at the idea of the main star not being present and it certainly is the estate's latest massive exploitation of its product, who once was a living, breathing and generous man. Despite the commercial aspects of Wednesday's production, the most important area was the music.

The legacy of the show has been mis-interpreted by many people who have not seen it, suggesting that it is like going to the cinema. However, what is essential to point out is that Presley's musicians are extraordinarily talented. While Elvis is the centre of attention, the performers could not be discredited. Other than the previously recorded vocals and footage, this show is every bit of a live concert. From the uplifting blues riff of James Burton on lead guitar to the heart pounding drum beat of Ronnie Tutt, songs of every genre are covered. Also performing are Jerry Scheff on bass guitar and Glen Hardin on piano, while 'The Sweet Inspirations' and 'The Stamps' add in their exquisite harmony.

The audience's response was ecstatic, due to pulse-racing covers of Presley's classic 1950s hits, but the highlights were the superb versions of Suspicious Minds and How Great Thou Art. Admirers get to experience how dramatic Elvis's 1970s concerts were and he was again introduced to a new generation, as the audience age ranged from seven to 70. The 1970s in Presley's life have become infamous for his excessive use of prescribed medication due to gruelling concert schedules and emotional problems, but at the start of this decade there was a phenomenal performer who stunned his audiences. He never failed to convey passion, heart and a deep down love for the music he performed, and that was highlighted in 'Elvis: The Concert'.

- Ivor Casey.

Ivor Casey is currently writing a book on Elvis Presley and Ireland.
(Ammended from article which first appeared in The Sunday Independent, 1 June 2003)