Podcast appearances and mentions of Michael Furey

Send us a textOn this episode of Speaking Of…College of Charleston, we have a great conversation with Joe Kelly, director of Irish and Irish American Studies and Colleen Glenn, director of film studies at the College about Irish books and movies. The colleagues first met playing softball with faculty from the English department and quickly became friends. They put their heads together and took a group of students to Ireland for a study abroad program, traveling from Dublin to Galway.“When we do those visits, the students follow our discussions of films, like In The Name of the Father and they're really able to see the landscape and the culture that inspired the movie they they saw on the big screen,” says Glenn.They recount trips around Ireland, emphasizing locations featured in Irish films such as Dublin, Galway, Connemara, and Belfast. Films discussed include The Quiet Man, Michael Collins and Banshees of Inisherin among others, illustrating the socio-political history and cultural identity of Ireland. The episode also touches on significant Irish cinematic movements and celebrates the storytelling legacy and literary richness of Irish culture.The way Kelly's describes the landscape, and the novels are a clear indicator of his knowledge and love for the country. He's an in-demand professor for a reason.“John Huston did a film version of The Dead, which is a very quiet story,” says Kelly. “And it ends with this beautiful scene where Gabriel Conroy is looking out the window at the snow falling onto the streets of Dublin and he imagines it falling across the mutinous Shannon waves and the bog of Allen and out onto the crooked crosses in the graveyard where Michael Furey lay buried. It's the most beautiful prose I've ever read and it's a absolutely beautiful 10 minutes of cinematography too.”Featured on this Episode:Joe Kelly, director of Irish and Irish American Studies at the College of Charleston, has been studying and writing about Irish literature since the 1990s, and in the last fifteen years he's been writing narrative histories about American democracy. His next book, The Biggest Lie: A Hundred Years of American Fascism, 1818-1918, will be out this time next year.Colleen Glenn, director of film studies at the College, teaches courses on film history and American Cinema as well as special topics courses on topics like Irish Cinema & Hollywood Auteurs. In addition to co-editing an anthology on stardom, she has published on Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Stewart, and other film stars.Irish movies mentionedThe Quiet Man (John Ford, 1952)The Crying Game (Neil Jordan, 1992)In the Name of the Father  (Jim Sheridan, 1993)Michael Collins (Neil Jordan, 1996). The Wind That Shakes the Barley (Ken Loach, 2006 '71 (Yann Demange, 2014).  Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008). The Field. (Jim Sheridan, 1990)**Banshees of Inisherin. (writ and dir by Martin McDonagh, 2022) Philomena (Stephen Frears, 2013) The Magdalene Sisters (Peter Mullen, 2002)Small Things Like These (Tim Mielants, 2024) (Claire Keegan wrote the book).Waking Ned Divine (Kirk Jones, 1998)-The Commitments (Alan Parker (ENGL), 1991). Once. Glen Hansard (John Carney, 2007). My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan, 1989). 

Em cada dia, Luís Caetano propõe um poema na voz de quem o escreveu.

The Investing Roundtable explored key challenges and opportunities in multi-asset, multi-manager portfolio construction that practitioners should be thinking about, given they can do anything, but not everything! Our research analysts each articulated a challenge or opportunity related to researching and identifying quality investment management solutions that they believe portfolio construction practitioners should be thinking about when building quality multi-asset, multi-manager portfolios:  If you do anything, consider an allocation to global small cap equities; If you do anything, use returns-based style analysis; and, Don't generalise, it's time to optimise portfolios. - Bronwen Moncrieff, John Laver, Michael Furey and Naomi Finnigan. Earn 0.75 CE/CPD hrs on Portfolio Construction Forum

Portfolio construction practitioners have access to an ever-expanding array of investment research, strategies and tools. Yet the obstacles to meeting clients' long-term financial goals are equally numerous and challenging, especially when the future ain't what it used to be! In an environment of high inflation, tightening monetary policy and heightened economic uncertainty, practitioners must remain open-minded and continuously challenge their portfolio construction beliefs, techniques and tools. This session addressed three contemporary portfolio construction issues: We must use a risk-based framework for portfolio design; The value rotation has just begun; and, ESG ratings undervalue climate solutions. - Watch Philipp Hofflin, Michael Furey, Michael Salvatico and David Wright on Portfolio Construction Forum and earn 0.75 CE/CPD hrs

Off the back of the latest funding round, Michael Furey takes the Enterprising microphone to discuss Ronspot's challenges and triumphs over the past 4 years. Michael speaks about having a keen awareness of the current market and how this opened doors for further product development and expansion, how availing of the supports in Ireland has helped Ronspot, and how to lead a team to make good business decisions. Contact Michael michael.furey@Ronspotflexwork.com Find out more or book a demo: https://ronspotflexwork.com  

Furthr VC has announced that it has led a €1.1M investment round in Galway's hybrid workplace management platform, Ronspot. The investment, which also included funding from the Halo Business Angel Network (HBAN) and Enterprise Ireland, will help Ronspot to expand its team and scale globally. Starting out as a corporate parking management solution in 2018, Ronspot has evolved to a three-in-one space management platform designed to make hybrid working easy, while also supporting efficiency in the workplace. The cloud-based application enables users to book car and bicycle parking, hot desks and meeting rooms, as well as manage visitor requirements and other resources including lockers – all on one unified mobile app. Users can see real-time availability, as well as the bookings of their colleagues. From three customers in two countries in 2018, to more than 200 customers in 30+ countries today, Ronspot is on a rapid, upward growth trajectory. The company expects revenues to grow by 400% year-on-year to 2025. The growth has been driven by the widespread adoption of hybrid working models – in a space and workplace management software market that is expected to grow beyond $1.3BN by 2024, supported by Ronspot's continued development of its platform. In the last two years, it has added new features including groups, teams, recurring bookings and single sign-on – resulting in its engineering team more than doubling in the last two years. On the back of its latest funding round and to fuel further growth, Ronspot will create an additional 10 jobs in the next 18 months, bringing its team up to 28 people. The new roles, based in Galway and Dublin on a hybrid or remote basis, will be in the areas sales, marketing, customer success, data security and human resources. The additional team members will help Ronspot to expand in new and existing markets. It is currently taking part in the Enterprise Ireland ‘Enter the Eurozone' programme with the aim of establishing a physical presence in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The funding from Furthr VC comes from its latest fund, backed by leading Irish technology entrepreneurs and business leaders, as well as Enterprise Ireland. With an emphasis on highly scalable, export-focused software and MedTech companies, the €32M fund has so far invested in 15 companies and is on-track to invest in up to 30 companies by year-end 2024. Michael Furey, CEO, Ronspot, said: “Today's organisations are acutely aware of the need to provide flexible hybrid working solutions in order to retain and attract talent. It continues to be an employee's market and top talent will leave roles, or accept positions elsewhere, if a company isn't doing enough to support the work/life balance that they have become accustomed to over the last two-and-a-half years. We recognised this shift early on in the pandemic and have evolved our solution to become an essential tool in any modern workplace. “Additionally, organisations are starting to review their real estate commitments with an eye on how they can reduce their building footprint and its associated costs, while at the same time increasing their head count with more intelligent management of their office spaces. The days of ‘one desk, one employee' are a thing of the past for many, so it's important that these resources are utilised more effectively in the future. “We are delighted to receive this funding from our investors, who share our excitement for the future of Ronspot. The team at Furthr VC have been working closely with us, offering valuable advice as we prepare for a period of rapid global growth.” Richard Watson, Managing Partner, Furthr VC, said: “Great companies can be born out of uncertain times and Ronspot is an example of this. Early in the pandemic, the team recognised that the world of office work was changing forever and took the company in a new direction to take advantage of this. We are excited to be leading this investment round and look forward to wor...

Over the last couple of years, the value and growth styles in equity markets have traded dominance, with value recently gaining the upper hand as inflation and bond yields have increased sharply. But looking at funds through a simple value/growth style lens is not enough. We must take a multi-factor approach to analysing funds – including ESG, Quality, Size, amongst others – to reveal the full picture and ensure equity portfolios reflect the investor's longer-term philosophy and/or shorter term views. - Michael Furey, Delta Research & Advisory. Earn 0.50 CE/CPD hrs on Portfolio Construction Forum

Portfolio construction practitioners have access to a broader array of investment research, strategies and tools than ever before. Yet the obstacles to meeting clients' long-term financial goals are equally numerous, in an environment of record-high asset prices, massive fiscal and monetary stimulus, and heightened economic uncertainty. To assist individuals in achieving the ultimate goal of financial independence, practitioners must remain open-minded and continuously challenge their portfolio construction beliefs, techniques and tools. - David Wright, Kyle Lidbury, Michael Furey, Sonia Bluzmanis. Earn 1.00 CE/CPD hrs on Portfolio Construction Forum

On this weeks episode, Larry Rosen and Christian Winn are joined by the original architect of the original, actual Burning Man, Jerry James. Jerry speaks to Christian and Larry about his origins with Burning Man, and when he knew it was time to move on. He also speaks about the tragic 1996 death of Michael Furey and how that affected the festival going forward. You can learn more about Treefort Music Fest, see the full schedule, buy tickets and download the app at www.treefortmusicfest.comStoryfort Presents: Voices of Treefort Music Fest is a part of the EaseDrop Podcast NetworkTheme music provided by Up is the Down is theSupport Storyfort Presents: Voices of Treefort Music Fest by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/storyfort-presents-voices-of-tSend us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/storyfort-presents-voices-of-t/c59a5659-d73a-4985-93dc-1700ed5dfd16

Michael Furey has worked with over 20 start ups, and multiple seven figure businesses to help increase their sales, and grow their businesses. In 2012, Michael was recognised as a Young Social Pioneer for his work in the charity sector where he helped schools, and hospitals in Africa and Malawi install solar powered energy systems.  To learn more, go to his website. Website: https://24hoursalescoach.com/

Michael Furey has worked with over 20 start ups, and multiple seven figure businesses to help increase their sales, and grow their businesses. In 2012, Michael was recognised as a Young Social Pioneer for his work in the charity sector where he helped schools, and hospitals in Africa and Malawi install solar powered energy systems.  To learn more, go to his website. Website: https://24hoursalescoach.com/

"Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." -Zig Ziglar You can’t be in business without being in sales. But that dreaded (for most of us) word doesn’t have to mean the old fashioned, push your program into someone’s hands whether they want it or not. Today, its more about creating relationships that focus on helping others. No longer does a person line up to find the perfect salesman; instead thanks to the Internet, the buyer is large and in charge. They know everything before they even start to look for the right item to buy. So, that makes the sale become an entirely different scenario. According to Michael Furey, Founder of 24 Hour Sales Coach, “you don’t need to know sales, you just need to know people.” And that seems to be his philosophy overall. By understanding people, what they want, and how you can help them, with care, consideration and confidence, you will move ahead. Listen in as he shares his thoughts. Learn more about Michael here: www.24hoursalescoach.com If you’d like to receive my podcasts, sent right to your inbox, please sign up here!  Want to be featured on an upcoming podcast? Let's talk!

Michael Furey This is a special Humans of Purpose where Mike shares his personal journey through entrepreneurship, facing failure and overcoming bankruptcy and related challenges Live Podcast Experience Last chance to grab tickets to our Live Podcast Experience coming up this Wednesday, 6-8pm at Bellroy HQ in Smith Street Fitzroy for a live podcast, dinner and discussion with Head of Flourishing at Bellroy, Charlie Simson on the topic of 'Towards Meaningful Work’- enter code HUMANS20 for a listener only discount! The Purpose  Sign up to our monthly email for with details of our months podcasts, upcoming events, discounts and opportunities  Support the show.

Joyce described The Dead as a ghost story. The ghost of Michael Furey, who as Gretta says ‘died for me’ haunts the final scenes. But the story also echoes with the ghosts of Irish history and politics. Professor Kevin Whelan peels back the layers and references from the Battle of the Boyne, the 1798 rebellion, O’Connell’s Catholic Emancipation, Parnell’s Home Rule and the tension in early 20th Century Ireland between the emerging Gaelic Nationalist movement and the Catholic middle classes. Social historian Mary Daly places the story in its contemporary politics and illuminates what is going on behind the dance scene between Gabriel and Molly Ivors when her final retort is ‘West Briton’. We look at the physical landscape of the story and the map it draws from the Wellington Monument to the O’Connell statue and the tensions between east and west both for the characters and the country. What is Joyce telling us?

This week on StoryWeb: James Joyce’s short story “The Dead.” James Joyce’s “The Dead” is widely considered to be his best short story, called by the New York Times “just about the finest short story in the English language" and by T.S. Eliot as one of the greatest short stories ever written. The storyline is simple enough: a long-married Irish couple -- Gretta and Gabriel Conroy – attend a lavish dinner party thrown by his aunts in celebration of the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6). At the party, they each have a variety of conversations with assorted party guests, and Gabriel gives the evening’s post-dinner speech and leads the toast. As Gabriel and Gretta leave the party, the snow which had been lightly falling when they arrived at the beginning of the evening has become quite heavy. The closing scene finds Gretta asleep at their hotel while Gabriel stands at the window looking at the snow blanketing the city. Gabriel feels, in fact, that the snow is falling over the entirety of Ireland. Before falling asleep, Gretta had shared a memory about Michael Furey, the Irish activist lover of her youth. The reader is left to wonder whether Gabriel feels sorrow or acceptance over his wife’s confession that she still harbors feelings for her former lover. The ending, it would seem, is deliberately ambiguous. Indeed, the ending forces the reader to go back into the story looking for clues as to whether we’re supposed to read the ending as “happy” or “sad.” While “The Dead” is quite a famous story, less well known to the general public is its place as the culminating story in Joyce’s first book, a collection of short stories titled Dubliners. The collection was rejected 17 times over a 10-year period, with some of those rejections being based on what publishers and printers considered to be objectionable material. Finally published in 1914, this collection of 15 stories was Joyce’s first attempt to bring his native city to life. Of course, he would go on to write again and again about the Irish capital, most famously in his 1922 novel, Ulysses, which recounts one day in the life of Leopold Bloom as he makes his way through the streets of Dublin. But Dubliners was Joyce’s initial portrait of a city he both loved and hated. Each story in the collection features a different resident of Dublin, and each tells a different tale of the suffocating, dreary lives lived in this city. The characters presented here suffer from spiritual paralysis, squelched freedom, and ##. Joyce himself admitted that the stories capture some of the unhappiest moments of life. If you’re looking for uplifting literature, Dubliners is not the book for you. When read against the backdrop of these stories, “The Dead” – which is the finale of sorts to Dubliners – takes on an extra richness, an extra dimension. When read in this context, the story’s ambiguous ending becomes both easier and harder to read. Has Gabriel had an epiphany about the ways in which the dead live on in the memories of the living? Or has he succumbed – as the other characters in the Dubliners stories do – to a kind of paralysis, a numbing inability to be fully alive? Is the snow a beautiful phenomenon that brings all of Ireland together? Or is it a symbol of coldness, of death, a killing frost? As one source says, “In every corner of the country, snow touches both the dead and the living, uniting them in frozen paralysis. However, Gabriel’s thoughts in the final lines of Dubliners suggest that the living might in fact be able to free themselves and live unfettered by deadening routines and the past. Even in January, snow is unusual in Ireland and cannot last forever.” To consider the ending yourself, you’ll want to read this powerful story, which you can do for free at Project Gutenberg (and in fact, you can read the entire Dubliners collection here as well). If you prefer a hard copy, there’s an inexpensive Dover Thrift Edition. You might also want to watch John Huston’s 1987 film adaptation of “The Dead.” It starred his daughter Angelica Huston as Gretta Conroy and Donal McCann as her husband, Gabriel. Want to dig deeper? A helpful glossary of terms is available, and a digitized copy of the first edition of Dubliners can be found at Internet Archive. Richard Ellman’s biography of Joyce remains the standard, though its revised edition was published more than 30 years ago. Cornell’s James Joyce Collection is outstanding. You might also want to visit The James Joyce Centre – either online or in person in Dublin! Visit thestoryweb.com/joyce for links to all these resources and to watch the film’s ending. But first, take a listen as I read the opening pages of “The Dead.”   Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, was literally run off her feet. Hardly had she brought one gentleman into the little pantry behind the office on the ground floor and helped him off with his overcoat than the wheezy hall-door bell clanged again and she had to scamper along the bare hallway to let in another guest. It was well for her she had not to attend to the ladies also. But Miss Kate and Miss Julia had thought of that and had converted the bathroom upstairs into a ladies’ dressing-room. Miss Kate and Miss Julia were there, gossiping and laughing and fussing, walking after each other to the head of the stairs, peering down over the banisters and calling down to Lily to ask her who had come. It was always a great affair, the Misses Morkan’s annual dance. Everybody who knew them came to it, members of the family, old friends of the family, the members of Julia’s choir, any of Kate’s pupils that were grown up enough, and even some of Mary Jane’s pupils too. Never once had it fallen flat. For years and years it had gone off in splendid style as long as anyone could remember; ever since Kate and Julia, after the death of their brother Pat, had left the house in Stoney Batter and taken Mary Jane, their only niece, to live with them in the dark gaunt house on Usher’s Island, the upper part of which they had rented from Mr Fulham, the corn-factor on the ground floor. That was a good thirty years ago if it was a day. Mary Jane, who was then a little girl in short clothes, was now the main prop of the household, for she had the organ in Haddington Road. She had been through the Academy and gave a pupils’ concert every year in the upper room of the Antient Concert Rooms. Many of her pupils belonged to the better-class families on the Kingstown and Dalkey line. Old as they were, her aunts also did their share. Julia, though she was quite grey, was still the leading soprano in Adam and Eve’s, and Kate, being too feeble to go about much, gave music lessons to beginners on the old square piano in the back room. Lily, the caretaker’s daughter, did housemaid’s work for them. Though their life was modest they believed in eating well; the best of everything: diamond-bone sirloins, three-shilling tea and the best bottled stout. But Lily seldom made a mistake in the orders so that she got on well with her three mistresses. They were fussy, that was all. But the only thing they would not stand was back answers. Of course they had good reason to be fussy on such a night. And then it was long after ten o’clock and yet there was no sign of Gabriel and his wife. Besides they were dreadfully afraid that Freddy Malins might turn up screwed. They would not wish for worlds that any of Mary Jane’s pupils should see him under the influence; and when he was like that it was sometimes very hard to manage him. Freddy Malins always came late but they wondered what could be keeping Gabriel: and that was what brought them every two minutes to the banisters to ask Lily had Gabriel or Freddy come. “O, Mr Conroy,” said Lily to Gabriel when she opened the door for him, “Miss Kate and Miss Julia thought you were never coming. Good-night, Mrs Conroy.” “I’ll engage they did,” said Gabriel, “but they forget that my wife here takes three mortal hours to dress herself.” He stood on the mat, scraping the snow from his goloshes, while Lily led his wife to the foot of the stairs and called out: “Miss Kate, here’s Mrs Conroy.” Kate and Julia came toddling down the dark stairs at once. Both of them kissed Gabriel’s wife, said she must be perished alive and asked was Gabriel with her. “Here I am as right as the mail, Aunt Kate! Go on up. I’ll follow,” called out Gabriel from the dark. He continued scraping his feet vigorously while the three women went upstairs, laughing, to the ladies’ dressing-room. A light fringe of snow lay like a cape on the shoulders of his overcoat and like toecaps on the toes of his goloshes; and, as the buttons of his overcoat slipped with a squeaking noise through the snow-stiffened frieze, a cold, fragrant air from out-of-doors escaped from crevices and folds. “Is it snowing again, Mr Conroy?” asked Lily. She had preceded him into the pantry to help him off with his overcoat. Gabriel smiled at the three syllables she had given his surname and glanced at her. She was a slim, growing girl, pale in complexion and with hay-coloured hair. The gas in the pantry made her look still paler. Gabriel had known her when she was a child and used to sit on the lowest step nursing a rag doll. “Yes, Lily,” he answered, “and I think we’re in for a night of it.” He looked up at the pantry ceiling, which was shaking with the stamping and shuffling of feet on the floor above, listened for a moment to the piano and then glanced at the girl, who was folding his overcoat carefully at the end of a shelf. “Tell me, Lily,” he said in a friendly tone, “do you still go to school?” “O no, sir,” she answered. “I’m done schooling this year and more.” “O, then,” said Gabriel gaily, “I suppose we’ll be going to your wedding one of these fine days with your young man, eh?” The girl glanced back at him over her shoulder and said with great bitterness: “The men that is now is only all palaver and what they can get out of you.” Gabriel coloured as if he felt he had made a mistake and, without looking at her, kicked off his goloshes and flicked actively with his muffler at his patent-leather shoes. He was a stout tallish young man. The high colour of his cheeks pushed upwards even to his forehead where it scattered itself in a few formless patches of pale red; and on his hairless face there scintillated restlessly the polished lenses and the bright gilt rims of the glasses which screened his delicate and restless eyes. His glossy black hair was parted in the middle and brushed in a long curve behind his ears where it curled slightly beneath the groove left by his hat. When he had flicked lustre into his shoes he stood up and pulled his waistcoat down more tightly on his plump body. Then he took a coin rapidly from his pocket. “O Lily,” he said, thrusting it into her hands, “it’s Christmas-time, isn’t it? Just ... here’s a little....” He walked rapidly towards the door. “O no, sir!” cried the girl, following him. “Really, sir, I wouldn’t take it.” “Christmas-time! Christmas-time!” said Gabriel, almost trotting to the stairs and waving his hand to her in deprecation. The girl, seeing that he had gained the stairs, called out after him: “Well, thank you, sir.” He waited outside the drawing-room door until the waltz should finish, listening to the skirts that swept against it and to the shuffling of feet. He was still discomposed by the girl’s bitter and sudden retort. It had cast a gloom over him which he tried to dispel by arranging his cuffs and the bows of his tie. He then took from his waistcoat pocket a little paper and glanced at the headings he had made for his speech. He was undecided about the lines from Robert Browning for he feared they would be above the heads of his hearers. Some quotation that they would recognise from Shakespeare or from the Melodies would be better. The indelicate clacking of the men’s heels and the shuffling of their soles reminded him that their grade of culture differed from his. He would only make himself ridiculous by quoting poetry to them which they could not understand. They would think that he was airing his superior education. He would fail with them just as he had failed with the girl in the pantry. He had taken up a wrong tone. His whole speech was a mistake from first to last, an utter failure. Just then his aunts and his wife came out of the ladies’ dressing-room. His aunts were two small plainly dressed old women. Aunt Julia was an inch or so the taller. Her hair, drawn low over the tops of her ears, was grey; and grey also, with darker shadows, was her large flaccid face. Though she was stout in build and stood erect her slow eyes and parted lips gave her the appearance of a woman who did not know where she was or where she was going. Aunt Kate was more vivacious. Her face, healthier than her sister’s, was all puckers and creases, like a shrivelled red apple, and her hair, braided in the same old-fashioned way, had not lost its ripe nut colour. They both kissed Gabriel frankly. He was their favourite nephew, the son of their dead elder sister, Ellen, who had married T. J. Conroy of the Port and Docks. “Gretta tells me you’re not going to take a cab back to Monkstown tonight, Gabriel,” said Aunt Kate. “No,” said Gabriel, turning to his wife, “we had quite enough of that last year, hadn’t we? Don’t you remember, Aunt Kate, what a cold Gretta got out of it? Cab windows rattling all the way, and the east wind blowing in after we passed Merrion. Very jolly it was. Gretta caught a dreadful cold.” Aunt Kate frowned severely and nodded her head at every word. “Quite right, Gabriel, quite right,” she said. “You can’t be too careful.” “But as for Gretta there,” said Gabriel, “she’d walk home in the snow if she were let.” Mrs Conroy laughed. “Don’t mind him, Aunt Kate,” she said. “He’s really an awful bother, what with green shades for Tom’s eyes at night and making him do the dumb-bells, and forcing Eva to eat the stirabout. The poor child! And she simply hates the sight of it!... O, but you’ll never guess what he makes me wear now!” She broke out into a peal of laughter and glanced at her husband, whose admiring and happy eyes had been wandering from her dress to her face and hair. The two aunts laughed heartily too, for Gabriel’s solicitude was a standing joke with them. “Goloshes!” said Mrs Conroy. “That’s the latest. Whenever it’s wet underfoot I must put on my goloshes. Tonight even he wanted me to put them on, but I wouldn’t. The next thing he’ll buy me will be a diving suit.” Gabriel laughed nervously and patted his tie reassuringly while Aunt Kate nearly doubled herself, so heartily did she enjoy the joke. The smile soon faded from Aunt Julia’s face and her mirthless eyes were directed towards her nephew’s face. After a pause she asked: “And what are goloshes, Gabriel?” “Goloshes, Julia!” exclaimed her sister “Goodness me, don’t you know what goloshes are? You wear them over your ... over your boots, Gretta, isn’t it?” “Yes,” said Mrs Conroy. “Guttapercha things. We both have a pair now. Gabriel says everyone wears them on the continent.” “O, on the continent,” murmured Aunt Julia, nodding her head slowly. Gabriel knitted his brows and said, as if he were slightly angered: “It’s nothing very wonderful but Gretta thinks it very funny because she says the word reminds her of Christy Minstrels.” “But tell me, Gabriel,” said Aunt Kate, with brisk tact. “Of course, you’ve seen about the room. Gretta was saying....” “O, the room is all right,” replied Gabriel. “I’ve taken one in the Gresham.” “To be sure,” said Aunt Kate, “by far the best thing to do. And the children, Gretta, you’re not anxious about them?” “O, for one night,” said Mrs Conroy. “Besides, Bessie will look after them.”

Joyce described The Dead as a ghost story. The ghost of Michael Furey, who as Gretta says 'died for me' haunts the final scenes. But the story also echoes with the ghosts of Irish history and politics. Professor Kevin Whelan peels back the layers and references from the Battle of the Boyne, the 1798 rebellion, O'Connell's Catholic Emancipation, Parnell's Home Rule and the tension in early 20th Century Ireland between the emerging Gaelic Nationalist movement and the Catholic middle classes. Social historian Mary Daly places the story in its contemporary politics and illuminates what is going on behind the dance scene between Gabriel and Molly Ivors when her final retort is 'West Briton'. We look at the physical landscape of the story and the map it draws from the Wellington Monument to the O'Connell statue and the tensions between east and west both for the characters and the country. What is Joyce telling us? The past is ever present in The Dead and the party itself takes on a wake like quality not just for a marriage but for a city as well.

The year 1996 was a challenging year for Burning Man: the theme was HeLLCo, the neon Smiley flickered in the effigy for a brief minute, Michael Furey was killed in motorcycle collision, and three people were seriously injured when a car ran over their tent. Also that year, our guest Danger Angel worked the Rangers night shift and after that she never again returned to Black Rock City. In this interview we find out why. Recorded the 9th of October, 2007 in San Francisco.

A few light taps upon the pane made him turn to the window. It had begun to snow again. He watched sleepily the flakes, silver and dark, falling obliquely against the lamplight. The time had come for him to set out on his journey westward. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softly upon the Bog of Allen and, farther westward, softly falling into the dark mutinous Shannon waves. It was falling, too, upon every part of the lonely churchyard on the hill where Michael Furey lay buried. It lay thickly drifted on the crooked crosses and headstones, on the spears of the little gate, on the barren thorns. His soul swooned slowly as he heard the snow falling faintly through the universe and faintly falling, like the descent of their last end, upon all the living and the dead.