by Mary Lannon
Photos by Kathy Callahan
It seemed fitting that at the April Fool’s Day salon at Café Thalia two presenters led us in sing-a-longs of two very silly songs.
Ryan Winter Cahill ended the first half with a Shel Silverstein ditty called “You’re Always Welcome At Our House” that cheerfully invited all to be murdered.
Not to be outdone, Malachy McCourt ended the second half with “The River Saile” — “Weela, Wallia Don’t Stick Knives in Babbies’ Heads.”
Cahill began her presentation on a more serious note with “Once I Had a Sweetheart.” She can be reached at ryan.winter.cahill@gmail.com.
The evening kicked off with Mary Lannon reading a short piece, “The cat has become my adversary,” and a piece from her completed young adult novel. Please check out the novel web site and friend her character on Facebook: www.mirandajmcleod.com.
Gary Cahill (Ryan’s Dad), perhaps, showing a Cahill sense of humor, read a darkly absurdist ending to his as-yet-unpublished crime short story, “The Cuddle Puddle.” It explained how a wedding ring stolen from a cremation urn would not be returned to the jar as the ex-killer-for-hire tavern owner requested. Read other stories and listen to audio at plan-b-magazine.com.
First-time presenter Tim Dwyer began by singing “Prelude,” a poem of Synge’s that he put to music. He then read two of his previously published poems that are part of his work in progress, Messages from the Irish Disapora.
Next Mary Pat Kelly reported the wonderful news that her novel will be published next St. Patrick’s Day. The historical novel recounts Maude Gonne’s adventures in Paris.
Our host John Kearns went next reading from his novel in progress, Worlds, in which Sarsfield Logan, S.J. proposes to his Jesuit superiors that his school, Xavier High School, work with a local charity, the “Italian University,” run by Irish-American socialite Annie Leary. He visits the school and wants to help the poor immigrant children to attend Xavier. However, he’s disappointed in his superiors who are willing to send tutors but not scholarships to help the children. More information is at www.kearnscafe.com.
After the break came Sarah Fearon who had the crowd laughing with her “notes.”
Tom Mahon shared another excerpt from his novel in progress, Mastery.
The new month inspired Jack Di Monte to sing two songs about April – “April In Paris” by Vernon Duke and Yip Harburg, and “I’ll Remember April” by Gene De Paul and Don Raye. He was thinking “swing” and “bossa nova” in his head as he sang them and hoped that came across to the audience.
Chris Bradley told a moving story about an insurance defense attorney who still carries wounds from the Gulf War during 1991. The man he described looks in the mirror every day, 20 years out, and still sees the 19 year old boy in the uniform he wore who killed an Iraqi Soldier in a fox hole after the cease fire. While Bradley did serve in the Army during that war the story is a work of fiction. Bradley closed by requesting we be careful where we send our soldiers to defend us.”
Singer John Skocik, lead singer and song writer for the band, Girl to Gorilla, wowed the crowd with one of his orginal songs on acoustic guitar.
See you at the Cell at 3 pm for our Transatlantic IAW&A Salon with 7 Towers Agency in Dublin!