IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON
Sad news and glad news for people who love music, especially organ music. I think the organ is an amazing instrument, to sit in the Ulster Hall with your eyes closed allowing the mighty Mulholland wash over you is a real treat. The recent death of Baron George Minne brought many tributes not least from our own special organist Richard Yarr who admired the esteemed organist at Armagh Cathedral, honoured by Pope John Paul 11 who awarded him the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the musical life of the Cathedral.
The glad news, which I’m sure would have pleased Baron Minne, is that fellow musician Richard Yarr has been recognised by Rotary International who have awarded him the Paul Harris Fellowship for his support of young musicians. This means he joins a very prestigious group of non Rotarians from Northern Ireland, Dame Mary Peters, Baroness May Blood, the late Frank Carson and Rev. Dr. Harold Good. For 15 years Richard has been an adjudicator and advisor for the Northern Ireland Young Musician of the Year Competition run by Comber Rotary and was appointed patron of the competition in 2015.
Richard is also greatly admired for establishing the Northern Ireland International Organ competition which he established in 2011 to provide opportunities for organists aged 21 and under.
“Since 2011 our small board has raised over £100,000 to help fund travel, lessons and public recitals for over 200 young organists across the globe and we are recognised as the world’s leading competition for this age group.” Richard added, “To celebrate the first 10 years and the success of our first ten winners we are planning to hold two gala showcases – one in Southwark Cathedral London on Monday 28th March 2022 and in Belfast Cathedral on Wednesday 6th April both at 7.30 pm.”
And congratulations to Daniel Clements organist at St. Finians church in Belfast who gave a very enjoyable recital in Dromore Cathedral on Friday evening. I love the fact you can join in on-line. It was a pleasure to hear this young man who has been playing the organ since he was ten years of age.
Christmas will not be the same this year, that phone call just before lunch time won’t be made, that excited voice, “Darling, how are you, are you happy?” is stilled and I will talk to my friend Lionel Blair never again.
We met under a weeping willow in the garden behind the Tower Theatre in Islington. It was love at first sight – almost. I was there because I’d been invited to take part in a summer musical Beauty and the Beast playing the Countess de Colombe, mother to her naughty son Danton. On 12th July 1998 amongst a dozen actors and dancers a white tornado blew into the garden. “Sorry darlings couldn’t find a parking place so I’ve abandoned the Roller on double yellow lines and a note to say I’ll move it when I can.”
And so I met Lionel Blair for the first time.
I knew I had to make some sort of impression so I went up to him and scolded him for breaking the law, “I’m your mother,” I told him, “and you must behave.” For a second he wasn’t sure if I was friend or foe but my giggle tipped him over into friendship which lasted 23 years and it was precious to us both.
There have been so many tributes to Mr. Showbiz, song and dance man, larger than life, he was all those things but the man himself was sensitive and caring. He wanted to be an actor but there was more money in musical entertainment and he needed to take care of his family. He adored Sue his wife of 53 years, his children and more recently his beloved grandchildren. When his precious dog Florence disappeared he phoned me in tears asking if I could find out if she’d been kidnapped and taken to Ireland. He had an almost childlike belief that all things could be fixed.
His mother was Lithuanian, he was born in Montreal christened Henry Lionel Ogus, his dad was a barber who died when he was a teenager and the bright lights of show business shone on him from a young age. At the height of the war his mother would take Lionel and his little sister Joyce to the safety of Manor House tube station where the two children would dance for their captive audience. Other stations heard about this and invited them along, he joked his first tour was on the Piccadilly Line. They continued to dance professionally until they had a serious falling out, Lionel was in demand as a single performer and that didn’t please his sister.
His natural talent and rapport with the public is legendary and I watched that from the stage in Belfast and Dublin. On the Saturday after the Omagh bomb we observed a two minute silence before the matinee. Towards the end someone was quietly sobbing – it was Lionel.
Such memories this man had, dancing with Sammy Davis Jr., being introduced to Ernest Hemingway by Errol Flynn, you could listen to his life story for hours and I did. On one occasion Sir William Hastings invited him to meet the staff at Culloden. I sat in on a master class. He talked to them about presentation comparing their job with his. “Prepare your stage”, he said, “look round the room, is it attractive, warm and inviting? Check your props, make sure there is salt in the salt cellar and pepper in the pepper grinder! Your menu is your programme and should be easy to read and informative. When your audience arrives welcome them with a smile.”
And he never gave up, despite illness and having to attend the cancer unit at the Royal Marsden every three months, shouting in pain when he got out of his chair, a blow when he wasn’t allowed to drive anymore only to walk in the garden, get his hair cut and attend the dentist! But our frequent phone calls were always positive he wanted to hear what was going on in Belfast, especially asking after the Opera House, if the news was bad he’d invite me to come and stay with his family. Only a couple of months ago we had a real heart to heart and his last words were, “I love you, take great care.” I treasure that friendship.
Incidentally Lionel did get his comeuppance that morning in Islington. Despite signing his note ‘Lionel Blair – Star’ – he got a parking ticket.
Sad news. Just heard that colleague in both Ulster Television and BBC, Terry Smyth has died. Love and prayers to his family.
CLIMATE CHANGE
At the COP conference there was a lot of talk about the future of Bangladesh, a low-lying country threatened with drowning under the weight of water. This means a lot to me as I was filming there some years ago and one of our venues was Cox’s Bazar which has an area of terrible poverty, thousands of families living in a shanty town, walking through filthy muddy lanes in their bare feet, wading through human and animal excrement. In the countryside, when the rains come and the water rises, men tie their rickshaws into the trees and just imagine, secure their babies and children into the branches for safety until the rain stops. One day we took a rickety fishing boat out into the Bay of Bengal to visit a little island where we were made so welcome, sat at a brazier burning wood and drank cinnamon tea.
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
In reply to Joe Clonard. You are right, The Mad O’Haras was a BBC serial in 1958. Go to https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5561002/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_6 for more information. There’s a 1959 film called Jacqueline featuring this child actress starring with her mother Kathleen Ryan and John Gregson. Set in Belfast there are wonderful shots of the shipyard where her father works, the City Hall and the street party to celebrate the coronation of Elizabeth ll in 1953. I watched the film by going to ‘Google – Jacqueline film 1956.’ Apparently she is still alive Joe.
TEXT A NURSE
There must be many young people from 11 to 19 who would just love to talk to an expert in total confidence, to be able to share their problems and their fears about the life they are leading. Now they can. A new texting service, Text a Nurse, was established in February and until September there were 2850 calls – 44% were about health, specifically emotional health, usually around stress at school, bullying, exams and peer pressure with 12% relating mainly to body image, sex and sexuality, drugs and the impact of covid. There have been few prank or nuisance calls reported.
Undoubtedly it has helped the young people but also the nurses who have been able to widen their expertise; they are trained to spot any risks to the young person and may suggest a separate call or a specific caring agency.
Belfast Trust Text –A-Nurse: 07507 328290
Northern Trust: Text –A-Nurse: 07480 635982
Southern Trust Text –A-Nurse: 07507 328057
Western Trust Text –A-Nurse: 07480 635984
South Eastern Trust Text –A-Nurse: 07507 327263
FORUMS OF FUN
I have met a lot of men and women connected to Older People’s Forums in Belfast. They are powerful and happy, a lobbying group and trend setters. There are six forums that meet once a month to look at issues affecting older people in their area, participate in training in using social media, entertainment on line, as well as with trips and outings. All of the forums are welcoming new members, you just need to be aged 50+ and live in the local area and be interested in championing the needs of older people and enjoy social contact.
West Belfast 50+Forum and Greater shankill Senior Citizens Forum 028 9023 2020 email Deirdre.Murphy@volunteernow..co.uk
East Belfast Seniors Forum 028 9073 5696 and South Belfast Lifestyle Forum
cathy.chambers@engagewithage.org.uk
North Belfast Senior Citizens Forum 028 90 75 5894
Email olaf@northbelfastseniors.org
