700 arrested on Brooklyn Bridge - Occupy Wall St protest

700 people were arrested Saturday evening on the Brooklyn Bridge - they were taking part in a demonstration called Occupy Wall Street.

Inspired by the Arab Spring, the movement aims to give a voice to the 99% of the population in America, against the 1% that controls most of the wealth.

The arrests, along with an over zealous use of pepper spray by police a week earlier and the endorsement of high profile figures like Michael Moore and Susan Sarandon, have brought the demonstration to international attention.

I talked about it with RTE's Morning Ireland - you'll find the report at the link below.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/1003/morningireland.html

Imagine Ireland launches in the US

Gabriel Byrne and Colum McCann

The biggest ever promotion of Irish arts in the US has been launched in New York.

Over the next 12 months 400 individual events will take place across 40 States - in an attempt to rebuild Ireland's reputation by reminding Americans of its rich cultural and artistic traditions.

Here's a radio feature I did for RTE's Morning Ireland on the launch, featuring Gabriel Byrne, Colum McCann and others.


[It was broadcast Monday January 10th, and is similar to my written blog entry on the launch, but also contains new material]


http://www.rte.ie/news/2011/0110/morningireland.html

100 years of the Abbey Theatre in the US

Ireland's national theatre, the Abbey, is celebrating the centenary of its first tour to the US with another tour in 2011. 

Previews of their first show "John Gabriel Borkman" with Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw and Lindsay Duncan begin at BAM in Brooklyn tonight (Fri Jan 7th). 

Here's a feature I did for RTE's Morning Ireland radio programme this morning for those interested...

http://www.rte.ie/news/morningireland/