Story & Photos by Amanda Rieker
The stands erupted into barely controlled chaos as the final whistle blew, signaling the success of six years of recruiting, training, and commitment to a dream of winning a Camogie championship. The hard fought battle on the pitch against the girls from Washington DC was the culmination of years of hard work. It ended with a one point win in overtime. But all that mattered to the Rogue Camogs at that moment was the trophy in their hands.

The North American County Board (NACB) is the governing body of Irish sports in the US, including Camogie. They host a playoff tournament over Labor Day at a rotating host city. This year it was in San Francisco, CA. The ladies from the Denver Gaels had previously joined up with Seattle and Twin Cities to field a team in 2010, the inaugural year for the Rogue Camogs. In 2011, Seattle fielded a full team of their own. This left Denver and Twin Cities to join forces for a second year. This ragtag group of girls finally unseated the multi-year champions from Washington DC for the Junior Camogie crown in San Francisco.

Camogie is an exciting, fast-paced sport that incorporates dexterity, finesse, agility, speed, and endurance. It’s baseball and ice hockey combined and turned upside-down. Points and goals are scored by teams made up of 13-15 players per side. The men’s companion sport of hurling is the national sport of Ireland. It’s 3,000 year history and role in modern Irish life are unique. It’s more than a sport, it’s a community.

In Ireland, it’s a way of life, similar to baseball in America. Children are introduced to hurling and camogie in school. The friendships and camaraderie born out of the sport in Ireland become a foundation for adult life. As described by an Irish-born member of the Denver Gaels, “when we were kids, we used to say we bleed blue. We’d do anything for each other.”

In the US, most don’t learn about the sport until adulthood.

“I got involved with hurling in 2000 in Milwaukee. I played for five years in their leagues. My brother had played a few years and got me into it. It was the first sport I really got excited and jazzed about – LOVED it, obviously,” described Jess Haxton-Retrum, one of the founders of Camogie in Colorado. “Jenn Dressler and I built the Camogie team [in Milwaukee] and after a few years of recruiting and training as a team, we went to finals…in 2003. We beat DC, the only other team in the junior category.”

Jess relocated to Denver in 2005 and started training with the Denver Gaels. The club had originally played only Gaelic football, but in 2004/05 it took on hurling as well. The club now hosts a couple of thriving and competitive hurling teams. The Rogue Camogs are continuing their search for new players with a sense of spirit, competitiveness, and camaraderie to join their family.

“Sometimes it’s hard to find women who appreciate the physicality of Camogie. If you recruit from pools of women who already like lacrosse, rugby, hockey, and soccer you may have better luck,” added Jess.

Kyle Shane, a Co-Captain of the Champion Rogue Camogs, believes the friendly, welcoming environment is also a big seller for playing on the team. Kyle discovered the sport at the Colorado Irish Festival in Littleton in 2007. Her rugby background quickly made her popular with the team. “It was great to be a part of such a welcoming team with great leaders and support. It made the first year of fumbling around very enjoyable and inclusive,” she said.

Kyle added “even if you haven’t played sports before, you can pick it up pretty quickly and get such an amazing feeling of accomplishment, exercise, and friendship/connection with your team. The sport really offers something for everyone.”

In the 2010 playoffs, Kyle injured her knee while playing gaelic football. Her subsequent surgery and physical therapy didn’t hold her back from leading the Rogue Camogs on to victory in 2011. She continued to lead practices and fitness sessions despite being unable to run the drills herself. Her leadership and optimism inspired the rest of the team to perform at their highest levels.

Kyle’s goalkeeping skills helped the Rogue Camogs qualify for the 2011 championship match in San Francisco. The ladies were able to defeat teams from Seattle and Indianapolis through their strong defensive maneuvering. However, their final match against Washington DC in the round robin-style contest saw the ladies struggling with strain and exhaustion. They finished the marathon of matches with two wins and one loss, qualifying them for the championship match with Washington DC.

On Sunday, the final day of competition, the girls knew they were going to face down a strong rival. After a day of rest, they were ready. The previous match gave them insight into their competition. They devised a new strategy, reworked the lineups, and set their minds on bringing home the trophy. The full length match featured strong defense on both sides, limiting the scoring opportunities. With one goal and one point each, the teams went into overtime. It was a battle of epic proportions on the pitch. The underdog Rogue Camogs were determined to defeat the repeat champs. Christie Washam of Twin Cities helped the Rogues take an early lead in overtime with a point. Kyle Shane stopped several attempts by Washington DC to equalize. When the final whistle blew, the ladies swarmed their Co-Captains Kyle Shane and Sarah McFarland of Twin Cities.

What a great time in Spanish Peaks country Sept 22-25. A beautiful part of Colorado not on the beaten path – great folks too.
Ceili/Sessions in a “Ghost Town” – Workshops, concerts, more
sessions. Here are a few photos. Stay tuned here for info on 2012 Fest & Retreat..

by Alan Groarke

There’s an old Irish proverb that states ‘an ounce of breeding is worth a pound of feeding’. Well that adage can definitely be applied to Darragh O’Neill who has just been announced as the starting punter for the CU Football team. Darragh has never before played in a competitive American Football game in High School or College and only took up punting last winter.
Darragh was born in Ireland with both parents providing a serious Gaelic Football pedigree. His father Colm won All Ireland medals with County Cork while his uncle Maurice Fitzgerald also won All Irelands with County Kerry and is revered for his incredible contribution to the game. Most Irish people would have Maurice in their top 5 Gaelic Football players of all time.

Darragh’s family left Ireland when he was 2 and moved first to Michigan where his father earned an MBA before they settled in Louisville. Colm owns the popular Conor O’ Neills pub in Boulder as well as a sister pub in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Darragh grew up playing Baseball, Soccer and Basketball before concentrating on the latter two sports in High School. However, it looked like a promising sports career would be cut short when Darragh fell ill with a rare blood disease during his sophomore year. The illness baffled doctors and caused his lungs to hemorrhage just before he slipped into a coma for five days. A priest delivered last rites, and the outlook did not look good. Amazingly, he bravely fought the illness and eventually recovered back to full health. Doctors felt it would be quite some time before he would be able to play sports again and probably not competitively because of the damage to his lungs. This would not deter Darragh who worked hard on his fitness and managed to recapture his place on the Fairview High School Soccer and Basketball teams. He was an All-State soccer player and led the basketball team to back-to-back Class 5A State Championship Finals with thrilling displays along the way. He was named Colorado Basketball Player of the Year in 2010 and averaged over 23 points a game as a point guard.

Surprisingly, Darragh did not hear from many Division I colleges – only the University of Denver invited him as a walk on although he had many Division II scholarship offers. Instead, he enrolled at CU but did not play basketball or soccer in his first year. Then last winter, Darragh took up punting, thinking it might be a way to play major-college football. “I played soccer, so I knew I had a decent leg anyway, so I just started working on punting with my dad, trying to figure it out…It was something I always wanted to do in high school. I just never felt I had the time.”

A friend hooked him up with local kicking coach Matt Thompson and a tryout with CU special teams coach J.D. Brookhart in March led to Darragh getting his shot. He immediately caught everyone’s eye after kicking a number of monster kicks. Darragh then had a battle on his hands all through the spring and summer to perfect his technique and ensure he had a consistent kicking game. He was competing against two other seasoned punters but CU Head Coach Jon Embree was convinced by Darragh’s skill, determination and toughness. He named the twenty year old as the starting punter for CU’s first game, which takes place on September 3rd in Hawaii.

It’s unheard of that someone plays their very first competitive game in a sport live on ESPN in front of a national audience. But then ‘Darragh’ in Gaelic means “oak tree” and it is that tenacity which has seen him recover from a life threatening illness and rise to the top of all sports that he has decided to play.

Not nearly satisfied with baseball, soccer, basketball and American football, he is an accomplished rower and has played Gaelic Football. Under the tutelage of his famous uncle Maurice, not only did he learn rowing, but he took home an All Ireland Rowing Medal after just a summer learning the sport. Darragh also has a North American Under 18 Gaelic Football medal, won while playing for our very own Denver Gaels. Indeed, he probably would have been able to contribute more to the club if his summers weren’t spent in Ireland with his family.

Darragh comes from a family of eight where sports plays an integral role and they continue to provide a conveyer belt of talent to sports teams here in Colorado. His brother Shane is also an outstanding soccer and basketball player and played with Fairview in the State Basketball Final last year. He is currently on the development squad for the Colorado Rapids and would love the opportunity to play professional soccer. Darragh has two other brothers – Enda and Mark and two sisters – Kate and Grace. His parents Colm and Christine regularly spend their weekends chauffeuring the kids to different tournaments around Colorado. CU now want to take over that role starting with a trip to Hawaii for Darragh’s debut as an American Football punter.

Uilleann piper Davy Spillane was at Hastings College, Nebraska to receive
a Doctorate in Fine Arts for his works in making Uilleann Pipes.
He swung into Denver for a couple days with Richard Lloyd, Professor of
Irish Literature at the College. He is pictured above at Celtic Tavern in Downtown Denver. L-R Spillane, Noel Hickey, and Lloydrish L

Charles “Chuck” McLaughlin, 59, passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 12, 2011 in Albuquerque, New Mexico at the home he shared with Judi, his wife and best friend of 42 years.

A few years ago a band that we have history with asked Celtic Events/ The Celtic Connection to promote and produce a show in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In some ways this was a bad idea since we had never been there before, knew no one, and the town had a reputation as a tough market for shows. On the other hand, the idea was appealing
since it fit into our plans to expose the Celtic Connection newspaper as a niche resource to as many folks, businesses, and organizations as possible who live, work, and play up & down the Rockies. I decided to take the opportunity to reach out further with the CC and took the show.

From Denver I researched Irish/Celtic organizations in Albuquerque – One of the names I came across was Chuck McLaughlin, Irish Freedom Committee. When I contacted Chuck I learned that he had also been a member of the Irish American Society of New Mexico and had publicity experience as media director for the Rio Grande Celtic Festival. When he understood what we were attempting to do in “Albu” he immediately went to work putting together names, numbers, and ideas that might assist us in promoting the show. I was so impressed by the effort he made to help a person that he had never met. He never tried to feel me out to learn who I voted for, what I prayed to or any other hot-button topic of judgment – he was just trying to help another human being who needed a hand. I soon learned that this was not an isolated incidence – Chuck was a man who unconditionally helped people as a way of life.

There was more than a little nail biting when we drove from Denver to Albuquerque for the show. Soon after we arrived at the venue Chuck and his good buddy Don Murphy showed up and asked, “How can we help?” I can’t tell you how comforting those words were, as we were working with a skeleton crew of my wife, me, and our then four year-old boy – who wasn’t much help but a good source of entertainment.

Subsequent trips to New Mexico always came with advice and helpful tips from Chuck. He loved New Mexico, and would always have good travel suggestion -given in his candid delivery, “..Most New Mexicans consider Santa Fe to be a waste of time and money…Taos is a far more friendly and affordable town and is my own favorite NM town.” Heavily involved with the Celtic League and the Irish Freedom Committee, Chuck would forward press releases to me regularly for consideration in the Celtic Connection. He was never pushy, presumptuous, and did not show contempt if his article was not published. But, when something was published about NM or one of his projects, he was over the moon with gratitude, making comments like “Dinner’s on me!”

By coincidence or by one of those serendipitous moments that get you wondering about a bigger picture, I came across one of those grateful emails from Chuck the night before he died. It said, “I owe you Pat and you know that whenever you and your family find your way to New Mexico, you stay here as our guests.” No Chuck, I owe you. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Chuck’s friends and families. He will be remembered and missed. Pat McCullough The Celtic Connection/Celtic Events

Photo: Keriayn with dad, Bill, and mom Teresa

Keriayn O’Donnell has recently returned from Ireland where she was competing in the regional finals of the 2011 Rose of Tralee Festival.

Keriayn was the first local girl to be chosen to represent the City of Denver as the Denver Rose in this prestigious event. Although she performed well in all aspects of the four day event, she was not among the girls chosen to attend the finals to be held in August. The competition was fierce and, unfortunately, only 23 of the 51 entrants could advance to the finals. Besides the disappointment of not advancing to the finals, Keriayn suffered a stress fracture in her foot the first night of the competition and was not able to perform the slip jig she had been practicing for the judges. She elected instead to perform a piano piece.

All in all, though, the trip was a good one for Keriayn and her family as they were able to do some sight seeing before her competition and visit with cousins in Cahir, County Tipperary. In a show of family support, six O’Donnells from Tipperary attended judged events during the festival.

Keriayn will continue to represent the Denver St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee at State and local functions as Queen Colleen until her successor is chosen this Fall.

Pat McCullough chats (phone & email) with BitesizeIrishGaelic.com founders Eoin and Saša Ó Conchúir and Denver student Mary Price

Eoin Ó Conchúir grew up in Ennis, Co. Clare (Inis, Co. an Chláir) in the west of Ireland. While there were Irish-speaking communities in the west of Clare up until only 50 years ago, it’s an English-speaking area now. However, it still has a strong sense of all things Irish, and is renowned for its traditional Irish music. It’s there were he family raised himwith Irish as first language at home. “Interestingly, neither of my parents were themselves native Irish speakers, in that their primary home language had been English. But for different reasons, they ended up bringing up the family through Irish. When I was younger, I remember being pretty embarrassed speaking to my parents in public in Irish. These days, though, I have nothing against being heard speaking it in public!”With passion as the underlying force for many of life’s “twists of fate” their enthusiasm for the Irish language motivated Eoin and wife Saša to develop BitesizeIrishGaelic.com (BIG (an ironic acronym for something Bitesize!)) in their spare time. According to Eoin, BIG just grew out of a hobby. “The idea for teaching Irish online was brewing in 2008. I had already been running Irish language sites since 1996. Actually, it just started with a personal web page that included a paragraph in the Irish language. As the page grew, I was getting some emails already from people asking for translations. The Web was still in its infancy, and I think we were all excited to be suddenly able to talk to others in different countries. The translations got a bit much, and I set up irishgaelictranslator.com in 2002.

Questions about the Irish language from people around the world continued to find Eoin and Saša. Many are for one-off translations, but others want to actually learn to speak the language. “In summer 2008, on vacation, I had my notepad out trying to think of new web site ideas. It was a lovely sunny day, we were having some beers, and the idea of online Irish Gaelic lessons started to form.” Two years later, they launched the beginnings of Bitesize Irish Gaelic.
Eoin talked about his wife and her non-Irish heritage as being a major factor in the development of BIG. “We met in Slovenia a decade ago where we were both at a kids’ summercamp. Slovenia is nestled in Central Europe, and has Alpine regions along with a Mediterranean/Adriatic coast and inner rolling hills. In some ways, I found Slovenia and Ireland to have similarities, not least of which both have small populations. We’ve been married now for several years, and living in Limerick in Ireland. Learning Irish has been a different experience for Saša than I learning Slovene. In Slovenia, I’m immersed in hours of family conversation and the wider environment. For Saša, she hears our family speaking Irish at times, but not that often. In other words, it’s not an immersion experience. I still think that actually spending a considerable amount of time immersed in your target language is just about the most valuable way to get your brain to switch. Otherwise, you must make use of as many types of resources as possible available to you. Sasa told her story in an email describing her Irish language learning process. “Coming from a small country like Slovenia, with a population of only 2 million, for me language is an important aspect of social and cultural identification. Visiting Ireland I realized that very few people spoke Irish, but those who did felt strongly about it. Despite the fact that I never actually had to use Irish in Ireland I still wanted to learn it to grasp the special cultural connotations of the Irish language. Eoin always has ideas about promoting Irish Gaelic and a couple of years ago he came up with a collaborative online Irish dictionary (which is now Irishionary.com or Focloirgaeilge.ie) and developing lessons in Irish Gaelic (and probably several more that were forgotten and will never see the light of day). I was attempting to learn Irish at the time and a lot of books and computer lessons were either too general or too detailed, but mainly too extensive and broad. What made us think about developing short, straight-to-the-point, so-called bitesize lessons was, first, the natural fact that I as an adult learner found it draining when I tried to grasp dozens of pages of language concepts. As we found out through our research, to learn a language effectively one should only learn in 30 minutes sessions and from personal experience I could definitely confirm that. Secondly, there are the economic demands of the modern society which means we work longer hours and have less free time for interests and hobbies. In order to fit learning a language into a busy lifestyle the lessons had to be short for people to stay focused and engaged for long enough to learn enough basics to be motivated to learn more complicated concepts later on.”

Eoin admitted that despite growing up with two languages, and both he and Sasa studying and working in France previously, that he still doesn’t feel like a “languages person”. But, he does feel strongly about what method of learning works for him and others. “ I find it hard to grapple with specific grammar rules as many other people also do. I do better with listening, repeating, and by making mistakes. From this, the whole idea of Bitesize Irish Gaelic is to make learning as easy as possible by breaking the lessons into just the right ‘bite size’. He adds a word of warning, “Do not underestimate the amount of work and the number of hours you’ll need to advance in being able to interact in a language. From this, we know we can’t make the learner frustrated or angry, but rather teach small chunks at any one time.” Eoin also sights Studies that have shown that regular revision is key to learning. “We recommend learners to take a lesson or two on any learning day, but to mix between learning a new lesson and revising a previous lesson.”

When asked what kind of feedback have they been getting from BIG users Eoin nearly jumped through the screen, “Wow, the feedback has been what keeps us going!” Adding, “People have been very open about how these online lessons have been helping them out, in combination with other learning sources such as listening to Internet radio. Only last week I was in contact with Patrick, a university student in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was always interested with his Irish connection, and he said learning some of the language was the next step in building that connection. He told me that he found the lessons so addictive that he was spending more time on the lessons than on his university studies!”

Denver, Colorado resident Mary Price, turned the Celtic Connection on to BIG, and is an ardent fan of the program, says, “The Bitesize method allows a person to take their time, go at their own pace and is easily accessed for review. There are also forums set up where other students can communicate with each other and share tips on learning. The feature I appreciate the most is that Eoin actually takes the time to contact students by phone and chat with them on how they are doing and answers any questions they may have. The personal touch means a lot. He is also very accessible thru e-mail contact as well. I love this program and would highly recommend it for anyone interested in learning a language.” Mary added enthusiastically, “At only $12.00 a month you can’t beat that!”

Eoin and Saša said that they have enjoyed a holiday in California, but look forward to visit Colorado or the Rocky Mountain Region someday soon. Take a visit to Bite Size Irish http://www.bitesizeirishgaelic.com/celticconnection/ where you can learn a bit of Irish to give them a warm welcome. They’ll have a 50%-off the first month coupon code for Celtic Connection readers.

Luke Henderson chats with DKM’s lead vocalist Al Barr:

The season of the Irish in Denver, also known as March, is about to get a great big green infusion of music. The Dropkick Murphy’s will be returning in concert on March 1st at The Fillmore Auditorium on the same day that their newest album, ‘Going out in Style’, debuts from their own Born & Bred Records label. . The band’s seventh album is both unique in scope and familiar in content. It tells the story of an Irish character named Cornelius Larkin. The concept is that the songs tell his story through the reflections of a traditional Irish wake, and while the focus may be the fictitious Cornelius, there isn’t a track that listeners won’t be able to relate to. Immediately the album starts with the thumping anthem ‘Hang ‘em High’ that harkens back to earlier DKM albums and their punk rock sensibilities, it is aggressive in nature, yet the subtle message seems to be more focused on the companionship of battle.

“You’ve got it, we’re always about that,” Al Barr, lead vocals in the band took a moment from the start of a very hectic 2011 to talk about the album, “that’s a common theme with us. The world is tough, it’s a tough time, and who are you with?” Similarly, the seemingly judgmental ‘Deeds not Words’ explodes with anger at the betrayal of one of those same people. To some listeners, it may seem bleak in its anger. “I can see where people might see it as pessimistic, but I don’t. The thing there is, there is accountability for our actions, and the guy in the song has done wrong and is caught, and is getting judged. He is guilty of what he did, in some ways, we all are,” Barr said. But like all DKM albums, there are ballads that speak to historical ponderings that are relatable still today, such as the Civil War inspired epic, ‘Broken Hymns’. “I’m a big history buff, and I was watching that Ken Burns special The Civil War -the box set, and I heard them mention that both sides had favorite songs, but one that they both agreed on. So I searched for it, it was about a woman, of course, and I came across all this great stuff, and one record about songs from then that I just really loved.”

It may be startling for some fans to realize that many of the songs that speak to historical moments are not covers, but inspired musings of Barr and his band mates. One song on the new album though is a remake of a classic Irish standard, ‘The Irish Rover’. When asked if he feels more responsibility when handling beloved music of the past, as opposed to his own work, Barr was quick to point out his quality control standards. “Like you said, some of these songs were important to our parents and grandparents and are part of the narrative of our lives. They got handed down, and like everything we got from our families, they are important to us and our story. But no, I treat every song with the same reverence; I want everything to be good and to be memorable and relatable for the listeners,” Barr said.

None is more personal to the band though than ‘Peg O’ My Heart’, a toe tapping love song that any Irish man can relate to, and any Irish woman can long for, however Barr says the song started out on the cutting room floor. “The funny thing about that song is that it wasn’t supposed to be on the album at all. Ken [Casey] came in and said ‘Listen, both my grandmothers are named Peg and they’ve been asking me when we’re going to learn to play this old song Peg O’ My Heart. It isn’t going on the album or anything, but let’s learn it as a gift for them so we can play it for them live’. We all agreed, of course, because family is so vital to us, and once we did it, it sounded good.

Then you know, Bruce Springsteen ends up singing on it and there you go.” The throw away comment could easily be missed, but the idea that a song was nearly left off an album and then ended up with the vocal styling’s of one of the most popular singers in history, is shocking. “Yeah it’s funny; he was amazing to work with. At the concerts, I’ll be singing his parts, but who knows, he might show up sometime. He said, ‘I’ll see you out there’, which I’m not totally sure what that meant, but you don’t argue with Springsteen,” Barr said. The sentimental song favorite has to be ‘Cruel’ though, which reflects on the diverse nature of family and just how contradictory the feelings related to those we know best can be. “We do work hard, we tour a lot and we record a lot, but we have very distinct times and areas for that.

Once we are out, we’re out. The switch is off, and our families are all that matters.” And what about the seemingly exact nature of the apologies and ruminations found in the upbeat and hilarious title track, ‘Going Out in Style’? “Yeah, those do seem to be a bit focused don’t they? I can’t speak for any of that, but there may be some true stories behind some of the things mentioned in that song. That’s one of the steps to recovery right? I think some of our friends, or some of my band mates friends and family, might hear that song and finally get closure on some events. They’ll hear it and be like, ‘I knew it you bastard! I finally get my apology’,” Barr said with a laugh. It’s impossible to talk to anyone from DKM without asking about their incredibly popular ‘Shipping up to Boston’ song whose prominence in the film, The Departed, rocketed their already devoted fan base to rarified air status. “The first time we sang that song, afterward, it was like a fart in church, quiet as anything.

We walked off stage and said, well, let’s never f**king sing that again. Then Mr. Scorsese put it in The Departed and it went from there,” Barr said. But, like with any big hit for a band that prides itself on evolution and improvement, there is the danger of trying to follow it up, for Barr, he thinks they have avoided that trap. “It’s funny, at concerts I can see the person yawning and looking bored and you know they are there just for the one song. You don’t want to ever get pigeon holed, and I think we haven’t. There is enough meat on the bones of the band that if you come in, we’ll give you more and you’ll want to stick with us,” Barr said. That meat will be on display in the form of new favorites and classics that DKM is known for in March when the band returns to what Barr refers to as one of his favorite places. “I love Denver, we all do. We’ve had some great concerts there, and I’m a lifetime NRA member and I love Colorado’s gun laws.” And what about the album that debuts the same day they are in concert? “Yeah the album comes out that day, not sure what we’ll do to celebrate it.

How about we set ourselves on fire onstage? Too much?,” Barr said laughing. No matter what antics the band is up to, their latest album is a worthy addition to the canon of DKM. It appeals to the punk in us all, while giving songs of historical importance, ballads of intimate portrayals and an overall feeling that even in our bleakest moments, including a fictional wake that is just as easily a metaphor for our changing world landscape, there is hope and there is friendship and there is family. The album is a sure hit and one that everyone, Irish by birth or by decision, should add to their play list.
Luke Henderson chats with DKM’s lead vocalist Al Barr:The season of the Irish in Denver, also known as March, is about to get a great big green infusion of music. The Dropkick Murphy’s will be returning in concert on March 1st at The Fillmore Auditorium on the same day that their newest album, ‘Going out in Style’, debuts from their own Born & Bred Records label. . The band’s seventh album is both unique in scope and familiar in content. It tells the story of an Irish character named Cornelius Larkin. The concept is that the songs tell his story through the reflections of a traditional Irish wake, and while the focus may be the fictitious Cornelius, there isn’t a track that listeners won’t be able to relate to. Immediately the album starts with the thumping anthem ‘Hang ‘em High’ that harkens back to earlier DKM albums and their punk rock sensibilities, it is aggressive in nature, yet the subtle message seems to be more focused on the companionship of battle. “You’ve got it, we’re always about that,” Al Barr, lead vocals in the band took a moment from the start of a very hectic 2011 to talk about the album, “that’s a common theme with us. The world is tough, it’s a tough time, and who are you with?”

Similarly, the seemingly judgmental ‘Deeds not Words’ explodes with anger at the betrayal of one of those same people. To some listeners, it may seem bleak in its anger. “I can see where people might see it as pessimistic, but I don’t. The thing there is, there is accountability for our actions, and the guy in the song has done wrong and is caught, and is getting judged. He is guilty of what he did, in some ways, we all are,” Barr said. But like all DKM albums, there are ballads that speak to historical ponderings that are relatable still today, such as the Civil War inspired epic, ‘Broken Hymns’. “I’m a big history buff, and I was watching that Ken Burns special The Civil War -the box set, and I heard them mention that both sides had favorite songs, but one that they both agreed on. So I searched for it, it was about a woman, of course, and I came across all this great stuff, and one record about songs from then that I just really loved.” It may be startling for some fans to realize that many of the songs that speak to historical moments are not covers, but inspired musings of Barr and his band mates. One song on the new album though is a remake of a classic Irish standard, ‘The Irish Rover’. When asked if he feels more responsibility when handling beloved music of the past, as opposed to his own work, Barr was quick to point out his quality control standards. “Like you said, some of these songs were important to our parents and grandparents and are part of the narrative of our lives. They got handed down, and like everything we got from our families, they are important to us and our story. But no, I treat every song with the same reverence; I want everything to be good and to be memorable and relatable for the listeners,” Barr said.

None is more personal to the band though than ‘Peg O’ My Heart’, a toe tapping love song that any Irish man can relate to, and any Irish woman can long for, however Barr says the song started out on the cutting room floor. “The funny thing about that song is that it wasn’t supposed to be on the album at all. Ken [Casey] came in and said ‘Listen, both my grandmothers are named Peg and they’ve been asking me when we’re going to learn to play this old song Peg O’ My Heart. It isn’t going on the album or anything, but let’s learn it as a gift for them so we can play it for them live’. We all agreed, of course, because family is so vital to us, and once we did it, it sounded good. Then you know, Bruce Springsteen ends up singing on it and there you go.” The throw away comment could easily be missed, but the idea that a song was nearly left off an album and then ended up with the vocal styling’s of one of the most popular singers in history, is shocking. “Yeah it’s funny; he was amazing to work with. At the concerts, I’ll be singing his parts, but who knows, he might show up sometime. He said, ‘I’ll see you out there’, which I’m not totally sure what that meant, but you don’t argue with Springsteen,” Barr said. The sentimental song favorite has to be ‘Cruel’ though, which reflects on the diverse nature of family and just how contradictory the feelings related to those we know best can be. “We do work hard, we tour a lot and we record a lot, but we have very distinct times and areas for that.

Once we are out, we’re out. The switch is off, and our families are all that matters.” And what about the seemingly exact nature of the apologies and ruminations found in the upbeat and hilarious title track, ‘Going Out in Style’? “Yeah, those do seem to be a bit focused don’t they? I can’t speak for any of that, but there may be some true stories behind some of the things mentioned in that song. That’s one of the steps to recovery right? I think some of our friends, or some of my band mates friends and family, might hear that song and finally get closure on some events. They’ll hear it and be like, ‘I knew it you bastard! I finally get my apology’,” Barr said with a laugh. It’s impossible to talk to anyone from DKM without asking about their incredibly popular ‘Shipping up to Boston’ song whose prominence in the film, The Departed, rocketed their already devoted fan base to rarified air status. “The first time we sang that song, afterward, it was like a fart in church, quiet as anything. We walked off stage and said, well, let’s never f**king sing that again. Then Mr. Scorsese put it in The Departed and it went from there,” Barr said.

But, like with any big hit for a band that prides itself on evolution and improvement, there is the danger of trying to follow it up, for Barr, he thinks they have avoided that trap. “It’s funny, at concerts I can see the person yawning and looking bored and you know they are there just for the one song. You don’t want to ever get pigeon holed, and I think we haven’t. There is enough meat on the bones of the band that if you come in, we’ll give you more and you’ll want to stick with us,” Barr said. That meat will be on display in the form of new favorites and classics that DKM is known for in March when the band returns to what Barr refers to as one of his favorite places. “I love Denver, we all do. We’ve had some great concerts there, and I’m a lifetime NRA member and I love Colorado’s gun laws.” And what about the album that debuts the same day they are in concert? “Yeah the album comes out that day, not sure what we’ll do to celebrate it. How about we set ourselves on fire onstage? Too much?,” Barr said laughing. No matter what antics the band is up to, their latest album is a worthy addition to the canon of DKM. It appeals to the punk in us all, while giving songs of historical importance, ballads of intimate portrayals and an overall feeling that even in our bleakest moments, including a fictional wake that is just as easily a metaphor for our changing world landscape, there is hope and there is friendship and there is family. The album is a sure hit and one that everyone, Irish by birth or by decision, should add to their play list.

The Celtic Connection continues our semi-monthly salute to the men and women up and down the Rockies who donate their time as Celtic Music DJs, perpetuating traditions of excellence through their love of music; they bring to you a variety of sounds rooted in traditional to contemporary.This month we Spotlight Shay Dunne who is a DJ on Seolta Gael Celtic music show that airs live every Wednesday 7-8pm. Shay anchors on the 2nd Wednesday of the month, while Maeve Conran, Stevyn Prothero, and show founder Karl Kumli are behind the booth the rest of the month.Tune in to KGNU at: 88.5 FM & 1390 AM (Denver / Boulder) // 93.7 FM (Nederland)Or stream online at www.KGNU.com (If you miss a show, they are archived on line for 2 or 3 weeks). For requests and compliments call Studio line 303-442-4242. For complaints call 303-goaway
The Celtic Connection recently sent Shay a few questions:
CC– So how did you get turned-on to Celtic music? SD– I grew up with it in Ireland but did not realize how cool it was till I left.
CC– Do you play an instrument? SD– I wish I had the patience to learn. CC– Sing or Dance? SD– I can carry the odd tune (especially after a few pints). I like “Dublin in the Rare Auld Times” as a bit of a party piece. Probably because I grew up in Dublin in the “Rare Auld Times” CC–How and when did you get behind the Celtic DJ booth? SD–I have a little side business DJ’ing weddings and parties etc. and Pat McCullough is a good friend so he asked if I wanted to join him on his monthly stint on Seolta Gael. He refers to it as the Mac and Shay’s show. Bit of a play on Mac and Cheese. CC– Musically speaking, how do you design your show? SD– It’s definitely a tandem effort with Pat and I. We do fly by the seat of our pants a lot but we will on occasion try to have a theme or 2 in our show. As an example we recently did a kind of Celtic Christmas theme which was fun, we have tried things like Irish Music in Film and TV (I would like to dig into that a bit more) Pat put together a couple of themes recently such as his New York Set which had musicians and songs that were Celtic but connected to New York. Mostly we have to have fun. We feed off each other a lot and off our mistakes. Occasionally the mike will be mistakenly left on and you might hear laughter or banter in the background but that’s just who we are. We will never take it too serious but we love the music and Celtic culture. We do like to get special guests to call in too. We have had people like Orla Fallon from Celtic Women and our own local Damien McCarron from the Indulgers call in and talk with us on air. We would definitely like to do more of that. CC– Tell us a bit about the time you commit to prepare a show and your motivation. SD– My commitment and motivation comes from my love of my Celtic culture, be it Music, Language or Sport (I am a founding member of the Denver Gaels Football and Hurling Club). Also from how amazed I am at the interest in the U.S. for all things Celtic. It makes me very proud to be Irish and very appreciative of the fact that people here are very interested in who I am and where I come from. Very few cultures have that kind of relationship with another culture. CC– What has been on playing on your CD player of late? SD– Regarding Celtic or Irish, Christy Moore, The Pogues or Luke Kelly. It would take months to listen to the catalogue of music from those three artists. Their music is so deeply rooted in social and life issues and they are all poets. I do also have a very eclectic taste, comes from DJing, everything from Rock to Hip Hop. So my Ipod would freak anyone out with its schizophrenic mix. CC– Is there anything else that you would like to tell our readers? SD– Listen to Community and Public Radio, especially Seolta Gael on KGNU. Not just when Pat and I are on but when our fellow Jockeys present too on Wednesdays from 7pm to 8pm.
(Editors note: If you need a DJ for you special event call Shay at 303-882-5698 or email [email protected])

Jason “The Dragon” Lee: South Boston Native Ready to Combat Bullying Lee, who trains out of Grudge Training Center in Colorado, took a few moments to talk to us about his history, and the passion he has regarding the elimination of bullying. It may be funny for people to think of a professional fighter as being so against violence, but in his eyes, the two are worlds apart. Lee”s people came from all over the world, with his grandfather”s side of the family coming straight to Boston from Ireland, and as he puts it, “I”m an Irish kid from New England. My life, is a good Irish story. Both sides of my family have ties to drunken street scrappers and small time criminals. First one to do something big was my grandfather. He grew up in a horrible household, but managed to get himself into the Navy at a young age and finished out his life as a hero.” Maybe it is this deliverance in his history, this idea that a person can change their world around them that pushes Lee to do what he does. His professional MMA record stands at 1-0, having just finished his amateur career and debuted in November at “The Professionals” in Denver, and he is surrounded constantly by some of the biggest names in the sport all motivating him to do more. His life could have taken a very different path though, growing up in the projects of South Boston and being bullied on a daily basis. ”The first memory that comes to mind involves a kid that lived in the projects next to the ones I grew up in. We used to take the same bus home and that was my dreaded time. I used to wait until the last stop hoping all the other kids would get off. Unfortunately my front seat sanctuary wasn”t safe after the last stop,” Lee said.The bully and his gang would punch him as they got off, and then wait for him to depart the safety of the bus. The driver, doing nothing, would ignore young Lee”s tears and begging and force him into the street and drive away either oblivious to what was going to happen, or too cowardly to step in. Every day Lee would get off the bus, and the gang would pull down branches from a nearby tree. They would beat him with those, their fists, their feet and anything else within arm”s reach. Lee wasn”t sure if the physical blows were worse than the mental anguish of knowing what was coming each day, but in hearing him talk about the subject, it is clear that both left scars. While the bullies were bad enough, there is something about the woeful indifference that the adults, including the driver, exhibited to him that has motivated Lee to not cast the same blind eye to the problem he sees in the world currently. Maybe it was that image, of a boy pleading with an adult to listen, to save him, that lead to what happened on that night in November. On November 12, 2010, Lee dispatched Ed Banks in a quick victory in his professional debut. Normally when a fighter wins they do a post fight interview that is easily ignored. The traditional chorus and rhythm of “thank you to my sponsors, thank you to my friends and family, wow he was a tough opponent”, is what fans are used to hearing, and Lee”s started out in that exact way. Then it suddenly changed. His voice got louder, his presence in the ring suddenly larger, and everyone in the arena slowed down and dropped their own conversations as the man began to plead for a stop to bullying and for everyone to unite on the topic. This figure, whose broad shoulders had just a moment ago put a stop to a larger fighter and displayed athleticism that few in the crowd could mirror, appeared to be close to tears in the ring. They weren”t tears of sadness or weakness. They were tears of complete frustration and the words that came spilling out were that of a man tired of reliving the same painful childhood through the headlines of today. ”I had been researching this bullying topic going around, and figured that with that moment when I know people are listening I”m going to say something to make a difference. I said that I was a victim of bullying and that I alone cannot change things so we need to make a collective effort to stop bullying of these kids,” Lee said. His shoulders are broad, but not broad enough to do this alone.It was a moment that froze the crowd and the galvanized many of them. While those that are on the outside of the sport looking in may not be able to see how a combat sport so focused on “fighting” and an anti-bullying campaign could work together, those close to the fighters understand completely. Within moments social networking sites were buzzing with the need of fans, coaches, gyms and everyone to unite to combat this massive problem. For Lee, it goes beyond just the bullying he himself was a victim of. ”I”m a dad too and I don”t want my son or anyone else”s son or daughter to have to feel that pain,” Lee said. So why did Lee choose now, or rather, his victory speech to begin the discussion? ”It”s important because this is the first time in my life that I have been in a position where people listen to me. So now I will use every ear available to push my beliefs and give back where I can.” When asked what people can do to combat the problem, Lee said, “That”s a great question because I feel like once I said something, people were happy someone had spoken up but also it left everyone wondering what programs are available and where they too can join the cause.” Lee didn”t have to look far, finding willing ears and a dedication to action right in his own gym, the world famous Grudge Training Center, and its coach Trevor Wittman. ”Grudge Training Center is starting, December 10, a free class every Saturday at 2pm for kids ages 10-16 to come down and learn some free self defense and life skills. That”s a huge start and I am still looking for more,” Lee said. However it was Lee himself that had the first impact in this new war of his, almost immediately after he made the comments. Less than forty-eight hours after the event, a mother in Colorado emailed him. She had been at the show with her son, a teenager who had recently confided that he was being bullied and had been having suicidal thoughts. ”She told me that her son has a new hero. I am so blessed and touched by this that now, I”m motivated to help one hundred kids and I won”t stop until I find every single one,” he said. Every journey starts with a step, and the first step for Lee”s was helping this teenager know he wasn”t alone. The teenager was surprised with tickets to an event, a closed door session with Lee where he got to watch him spar and some personally autographed equipment. In a world filled with stories of bullying that lead to horrendous tragedy, Lee is fighting back. In a society now filled with lackluster sports heroes, Lee is giving us all someone to cheer for. He is not a product of his history, he is not a victim of his past, he is a fighter that now fights inside the ring for his future, and outside for our children. To learn more about Jason “The Dragon” Lee, find him on Facebook. He will be fighting again January 29th at the Paramount Theater in downtown Denver. You can learn more about the Grudge Training Center by calling 303-432-8858.

It was the Holiday season, a cherished time to spend with family. Nathen Maxwell, bassist for Flogging Molly, the premier Irish American Punk band from L.A, was enjoying a precious lull from a demanding work schedule of touring and record making.Just days before Christmas, he arrived home in Denver from North Carolina where he and the band were recording their next studio album.Now, for the past week, he had been decompressing with his wife and 3 kids (baby, 4 & 8 yoa) and enjoying the festive time of year through the eyes of his children. “We”re in the heart of the magic right now,” he told the Celtic Connection (CC) by telephone, “All three, even the baby are firing on all magical cylinders ” it”s been a big year for Santa.” he added with a chuckle. Today was the first measurable snowfall of the winter in Denver and Nathan decided to take his family to the Museum of Nature and Science. Having moved to Denver in a December 2006 snow storm, the Southern California native had long since acclimated to Colorado”s extreme weather and driving conditions. “We arrived in Denver right in the middle of a record blizzard– through that experience I had my training wheels removed pretty quickly for driving in snow.” Now, back home from the museum, he was spinning some old “Rocksteady” vinyl, relaxing to the Jamaican sounds of the late 1960″s that were a precursor to reggae. “It”s a music that always connected to my heartbeat,” he reflected as he took time to chat with the CC about Flogging Molly, family, music, and his new Denver based band the “Original Bunny Gang” Nathan moved from California to Denver as a matter of practicality. “My wife is from Denver and she has a large family. I travel for a living and spend a lot of time on the road, leaving my wife alone at home with the kids – so it is important that she has the support group she needs while I”m out there doing my thing”Being away from his family for lengths of time can take a toll on Nathan, but he wards of negative thoughts with a positive perspective. “When I”m gone for a couple of months at a time, I will think about the troops (overseas) ” think about what they and their families go through and it provides quite a bit of inspiration to me, especially right before I go on stage and I”m tired or sick or whatever.” Nathan”s described his sense of family and time in fatherhood as “life changing” and it was, “like having something bigger than yourself to live for.” With equal measure of humor and sincerity he added, “I wouldn”t be alive right now if I didn”t have kids…Children change you and reveal a certain part of the mystery of life to you and it make you see things in a different way.”In 2011 Nathan will turn 33 and celebrate his 15th years with Flogging Molly. He seemed almost surprised as he recalled, “It”s the longest that I have ever done anything!He was 17 when he first started hanging out with Flogging Molly, or what became known as Flogging Molly, while the band was doing a residency in Molly Malones pub (ergo the band name) in L.A.”I was a musician at a young age, and that”s all that I wanted to do, and I had a father who helped point me in the right direction and he introduced me to several of the people who became the band Flogging Molly — and I just went from there.”Candidly, he did not claim to be a young prodigy, but he did hold another intangible often associated with success. “I”ve always had a sincere passion for the music that I believe in, like Flogging Molly and the Original Bunny Gang. According to Dave (King, band leader) that”s what made the difference from my lack of practice, he said that a lack of passion is unforgivable ” if you make a mistake you can recover, but if you don”t have the passion forget it. I think that”s what secured my position in Flogging Molly.” The passion also carried the young musician through initial insecurities. “Sometimes I would think, I can”t do this or I can”t do that, but I love it so much that I just do it.I was so into hardcore punk rock and roots reggae that I feel like, stylistically I had that in my blood and in my bones, I felt like I had it down in a way.”On his long list of admired bass players, the first three Nathan mentioned were Aston “Family man” Barrett who played with Bob Marley & the Wailers, Sid Vicious ( born John Simon Ritchie) of the Sex Pistols, and Paul Simonon of The Clash. The self-taught musician admires them all for different reasons, but he does not try to emulate anyone stylistically. Open to improving on his own technique, he took his first base lesson last month while in North Carolina with Flogging Molly, and seemed to have enjoyed the experience. ”I”ve always just gone off on pure feeling ” does it feels right, does it move me, and for the most part that”s how I still react to music. But, it is liberating in a way, to become aware of things that you don”t know and slowly start finding those little pieces of information that can benefit you and study them. I”m definitely learning ” I have a lot to learn.”Jason admitted that his lack of structured schooling in his craft has on occasion left him on the peripheral of some conversations on music. “When it comes to other forms of music– in just being a more well-rounded musician, someone who can speak in musical terms ” I”ve never been that guy. That”s always been a struggle for me when I”m around very, very talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists that can read and speak music, I”ve always felt a little bit intimidated.”He does not enter the debate on what”s good music or bad music ” However he does know what he likes. “I”m kind of like a musical agnostic, I don”t really have a deep opinion of music other than what I love and what moves me and that crosses all genres and categories of music. I”ve heard my self say many times that I love all genres of music, but I think about 95% of them are shit. But, I do think every genre exists for a reason, and that they are an outlet for someone playing a style of music that”s authentic and comes from the soul.”Nathan has created his own outlet in forming the Original Bunny Gang (OBG). OBG is not “Flogging Molly Light” ” It has a roots based sound that sometimes leans toward reggae. He explained, “I grew up in southern CA and reggae was just a part of my upbringing along with the whole Ska and surf culture. I”m sure a lot of people here in the mountains grew up with reggae as well. It was something that was always on in the house along with classic 70″s music.” OBG gives Nathan a vehicle to create and deliver his own music. “It”s just a really great opportunity to express in a way that isn”t Flogging Molly” He continued to explain, “I write songs, I don”t know exactly why I do it, but it is a big part of my life and I love to do it — kind of like healing in a way — so, I don”t want to premeditate what I”m writing or how I”m writing it ” it gives me an outlet to release my original music without worrying if it fits in the direction of Flogging Molly, which I”m just a member of the collective following the direction of Dave King the captain of the ship.”So, is there a possibility that OBG would open a show for Flogging Molly? “Oh, I personally don”t think I would be to interested in that,” Nathen pondered the question, leaving the door open to the idea. “I don”t know, it would have to be the right occasion. If it was presented right, I wouldn”t be 100% against it.” On further thought he hedged, “I just take both gigs so seriously that I need to focus ” When I”ve got my Flogging Molly hat on I just like to focus on that ” it”s a pretty powerful thing. Likewise going out there with the Bunny Gang it is a totally different ball of wax as far as singing and playing guitar and not bass. It”s a stamina thing too, by the end of the show I feel like I”ve given my all ” so to do that back to back, I don”t know if I want to sign-up for that.”Focusing on 2011, Nathen has scheduled some January OBG shows in Colorado. We want to do as many local shows as we can to let people know that we exist and that we”re out here as a local Denver band. We also will spend time together working on music and recording a new album.” But everything hinges on Flogging Molly”s schedule. “Come February we”ll start a pretty massive Flogging Molly tour.” During the past 15 years Nathan has performed on impressive stages around the world with Flogging Molly ” When asked which was has favorite gig, his answer was not surprisingly in his own back yard. “We got a chance to play Red Rocks in 2009, headlining with a L.A. reggae band called Hebcat, one of my favorite bands. My family was there, and just to be on that stage with its giant beautiful monoliths and its history ” Bob Marley, The Beatles, and all the great bands that have played there — it was one of the greatest moments in my life without a doubt.”(January 2011 Celtic Connection, Pat McCullough)The Original Bunny Gang ” January Colorado concert dates:1/13 Ghost Ranch Saloon, Steamboat Springs; 1/14 Gothic Theatre, Englewood;1/15 Sandbar, Vail; 1/20 Goat Soup & Whiskey Tavern, Keystone;1/21 Triple Nickel Tavern, Colorado SpringsFor Updates check www.NathenMaxwell.com and www.FloggingMolly.com

I grew up in York, PA”it was the first capital of the fledgling United States during the time the Continental Congress was hashing out the details of nationhood,”it was a good place to grow up. It”s about 65,000 people, has close proximity to Philly/Baltimore/NYC, and some great historic homes. I went to Penn State and did an undergrad double major in History and Political Science, and after that was in Teach For America (www.tfa.org) for three years teaching in Houston, TX. After that, I moved to Colorado where I started working for TeleTech, a global outsourcing company, which took me to Europe, South Asia and Australia for 8+ years to live, work and, of course, have fun! I”ve spent almost 20 years working in the for-profit corporate world all-in, and it”s been quite the rollercoaster ride. My partner, Dr. Mary Therese Anstey, and I moved back to Denver in late 2004, where I got acquainted with Andrew Toole and Donnie Danesh, the founders of Scruffy Murphy”s Irish Pub, and when the opportunity came to join them as a partner in the business, I jumped at the chance. Eventually, Donnie and Andrew divested themselves from the business, and now I run it day-to-day as the Managing Partner, with two silent partners in the background. Their role is totally silent ” they don”t really take part in pub operations ” so most days I”ll be the one you”ll see at the pub! How did you go from your day job to owning an Irish pub? I had seen hurling, shinty and Gaelic football played (and did a bit of playing myself) while living in both Scotland and in Australia, so when I got back to the US I ended up finding the Denver Gaels, where I started to play hurling and, eventually, led the club as Chairman/President for a few years. Scruffy Murphy”s was one of the pub sponsors, so I ended up spending some time there after our games and practices, and really loved the authenticity that Andrew, Donnie and Craig Hostrup (their main bartender, and now our Manager) had built into the place. I started out working a bit with Andrew and Donnie just to talk through how they could streamline some processes, start building up some of the systems/processes/technology in the bar to broaden its appeal in the business community and the like. One day, over coffee, Andrew mentioned that he and Donnie were going to sell Scruffy Murphy”s and that they had a “corporate” buyer. A few of us in the Gaels were concerned that the authenticity of Scruffy”s would be lost if it “went corporate”, so we pulled together an offer, and the rest, as they say, is history! We partnered with Donnie and Andrew starting in November of 2008, and it”s been going great guns ever since. We”re an active part of the Irish community in Denver ” we sponsor the Denver Gaels and the Colorado Irish Festival, we”re one of the few venues still hosting Irish/Irish-American bands on a regular basis, and we have close ties to organizations like the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Irish Fellowship Society, Michael Collins Pipe Band and many of the Irish dance organizations as well. Are you enjoying being a pub owner? Ups and downs of the job? As anyone in the bar/restaurant industry can tell you, you put in a hell of a lot of hours running and growing a successful business. Not only is there all of the “front of house” stuff that people see when our doors are open”for every hour we”re open to the public and working in their sight, there are around 3 hours of work behind it, whether that”s managing inventory & orders, building staff, developing community relationships, driving events at/to the pub or doing the work and maintenance associated with being in a 130 year old building. Late nights, long hours and “lost weekends” in terms of personal relationships are a real challenge, and it takes a special, and dedicated type of person to make that work out well. That all said ” I LOVE IT! Sure, there are challenges, but when the head brewmaster from Guinness comes through your door and tells you that you”re pouring the most authentic/best Guinness pints in Colorado, or bands like Flogging Molly, Street Dogs, Seven Nations or Dropkick Murphy”s have made you their “Colorado Home” when they”re in town, it”s a blast as well as very gratifying”we must be doing SOMETHING right! As I like to say, it”s a labor of love”no one ever gets rich, financially, running an independent pub, but at the same time I can truly say that I have an almost immeasurable wealth of friends, contacts, experiences and relationships that are a direct result of owning and running Scruffy Murphy”s ” and for that I am VERY grateful. What are some of your most memorable events at Scruffy”s so far? Wow, there are so many”everything from the guy who proposed to his girlfriend (now wife) in front of the stage when Sixtysixdays was playing one night to nights when we”ve hosted benefits for our veterans come immediately to mind”those are the really important ones that continually happen.  Of course, hosting Flogging Molly”s NYE 2008 post party until the wee hours of the morning was a ton of fun, as was having Nathen Maxwell (FM bassist) play our stage last September during an Open Mic session. We”ve been privileged to have good friends like Cody Donovan (MMA fighter) and Nate Marquardt (UFC fighter) spend memorable nights with us just hanging out, the guys from Street Dogs, Synthetic Elements, Flatfoot 56, Reno Divorce and Dropkick Murphys all knocking back a few pints around the bar when they”re in town, and the opportunity every year to host a huge “White Trash Party” to benefit Lost & Found, a very worthy non-profit organization here in Denver. What we”re really trying to do, though, is help other people make memories together at Scruffy Murphy”s ” maybe they”ve met some new friends, seen a band they”ve never seen before, or met that “special someone” in our snug or in our Beer Garden. THOSE are the kinds of memorable events that mean more than anything to me. What are some of the changes that you have brought to Scruffy”s?  I like to say that Scruffy”s is still the same old Scruffy”s and that I”ve just added a few new and different twists to help people have a good time. We”ve added to the d”cor, to our staff, and to our involvement in the neighborhood/community, all of which are subtle additions to our presence on Larimer Street. We”re doing a TON more live music ” Thursday through Saturday you”ll find live bands every week ” and we”ve expanded the genres we”re hosting as well, with everything from Irish rock/punk to Alt Country to blues driven rock. Our Traditional Irish Session on Sundays is also a great way to unwind before having to go back to work the next day. Our menu has also expanded to include everything from Shepherd”s Pie, to Bangers “n” Mash (with bangers from Stephen McCabe at Edward”s Meats making it extra authentic), to some “bar munchie” stuff like Monster Pretzels, which are literally the size of a dinner plate. While we”re definitely not a restaurant (and don”t really want to be) we want to make sure that if you DO want something with your pint or your drink, that it tastes good. Out back we”ve expanded the entire area to build out a Beer Garden that is a ton of fun in the summer”you can sit out under the stars, enjoy a few drinks, have a great time with friends and still hear the band. The front patio is also a great place to people watch, especially as the night gets a little later and people on the street are all a bit, well, “merrier”. In our Field Room, which we can separate for private events, we”ve installed an LCD projector, large screen, separate satellite feed and high-speed WiFi access so that it can either be a party room (with its own bar, restrooms and entrance) or a place where a company or organization can come in, have a meeting in a relaxed atmosphere, and enjoy themselves. Finally, we”ve REALLY expanded our Scottish single malt, Irish whiskey and American whiskey/bourbon menu, hosting monthly whiskey/whisky/bourbon tastings with Marty & Dave Coffey of Cobhthaigh Celtique. After all, there”s nothing wrong with getting a little more education about the malt or whiskey you”re drinking and having fun doing it! You/wife/Scruffy”s are involved in ARAS (and other fundraisers) ” tell us about this on going cause. We do a lot to support non-profits at Scruffy”s ” that”s an important element in being a contributor to our city and a member of our community”those events are always fun and very memorable, especially because you know that at the end of the night you”ve really done something to make a difference in someone else”s life. Our areas of focus for non-profit support lie primarily with organizations focused on Veterans Support, Animals and Children, and we can get VERY creative when it comes to pulling together some major events to help them out ” again, it”s important to do more than just sling pints, especially when it”s for a cause. One of those nonprofits is ARAS, or the Animal Rescue and Adoption Society, which is a no-euthanasia, non-profit cat shelter in Denver that”s been around for almost 30 years, and which (like so many smaller non-profits) is struggling with dwindling dollars and support.  While animal organizations like Denver Dumb Friends League and MaxFund receive the majority of funding and attention in Colorado, largely by virtue of the massive amounts of money they can spend on marketing, advertising and promotion, there are a lot of shelters like ARAS who need to operate on barely a fraction of that amount of money. It”s important to us that these smaller non-profits, like ARAS and others, that don”t have those massive budgets have someplace to be able to hold fundraisers, attract interest and gain support. Anything you want to plug for January or beyond? We”re getting VERY excited for St. Patrick”s this year for sure. We”ll have the entire Beer Garden covered with a tent, where we”ll be running a couple of extra bars and putting in a stage for all day bands on Parade Day (3/12) and St. Patrick”s Day (3/17), as well as hosting bands on most of the other days in that 10-day block.  Scruffy”s 6th Birthday will be celebrated on Saturday February 5th ” it”s going to be a HUGE bash and a ton of fun, with a bunch of promotions, prizes and general shenanigans going on. Of course, we”re also both open for, and hosting, several private parties, and we”re working on another fundraiser for ARAS in late February or early March. Anyone can find out what”s going on with us”just find our FaceBook page and join as a friend, or bookmark our website (www.scruffymurphysdenver.com) and keep checking back. People can also join our mailing list ” I like to send out special deals and coupons/special invitations to those who have joined as a way to say “Thanks” for following us.Scruffy Murphy’s Irish Pub, 2030 Larimer Street Denver, CO 80205303.291.6992 www.scruffymurphysdenver.com