Death of Brendan Grace
Brendan Grace was a well known Dublin comic and singer. Born in the Liberties, he created characters like the mischievous schoolboy Bottler and also starred for some 
time in the Father Ted series. His most successful song in Ireland was “Combined Harvester”, but he has also recorded a number of classic Irish songs like “Ringsend Rose” and “The Dutchman”. The wonders of YouTube has made these and many of his other songs available to everyone.
Grace, who divided his time between his home in Florida and his pub in Killaloe Co Clare, was 68 years old.
“Combined Harvester” was a parody of a popular song of its day, featuring rollerskates; it makes a different kind of marriage proposal?
I’ve got a brand new combine harvester and I’ll give you the key
Come on now, let’s get together in perfect harmony
Oh, I got twenty acres and you got forty-three
I’ve got a brand new combine harvester and I’ll give you the key
The Seven Wonders of Ireland
Cliffs of Moher
The Irish Independent asked its readers to nominate the seven things that should be on the bucket list of anyone visiting Ireland or living there. The results – not clear whether they are in order of number of nominations – were as follows:
1. The Cliffs of Moher (Co Clare)
2. Fastnet Island (off Cape Clear, West Cork)
3. Slieve League (Co Donegal)
4. The Giants Causeway (Co Antrim)
5. The Skelligs (off Co Kerry)
6. Newgrange (Co Meath)
7. Scattery Island (In the Shannon, off Kilrush Co Clare)
The Open
Congratulations to Shane Lowry on winning the Open Championship. Shane is a member of a well-known sporting family in Co Offaly. His father Brendan and two of his brothers won All Ireland medals with the county in 1982 in a famous game which stopped Kerry’s attempt to win five-in-a-row. Brendan was corner-forward and scored three points that day.
The five-in-a-row will be in the minds of sports fans again this year, as Dublin try to pass that never-reached milestone.
The photograph shows the new Open Champion with his parents and two siblings.
Insurance Fraud
We have referred more than once in this monthly roundup of Irish news about the scams attempted on insurance companies. A case in July saw the judge make negative comments about solicitors who run some of these cases. A group of five members of the travelling
community, all with London addresses, had each claimed €60k for alleged whiplash injuries incurred on a visit to Dublin. Dismissing, the case, the judge suggested to the insurance company that they should take the matter up with the Incorporated Law Society.
Not Insurance Fraud
A 13-year old schoolboy was awarded 17,500 euro in a court settlement with Deansrath Community College and the Dun Laoire Education and Training Board. The Irish Times reported that he had his ear ‘tightly gripped’ by a teacher and on another occasion, “while the boy was sitting leaning forward in his seat, the same male teacher leaned across and placed his forearm against the boy’s chest pushing him backwards.” His solicitor said that he had developed back pain as a result of this second incident.
Pity about this thing called a Statute of Limitations.
Congratulations, Kevin Barry.
Limerick writer Kevin Barry has made the longlist for the 2019 Booker Prize with his latest book Night Boat to Tangier.
Already a success with City of Bohane and Beatlebone, his latest book is set in the world occupied by forcibly retired wannabe competitors of the Hutch and Kinahan clans. Set partly in Spain and partly in Cork city and county, this is Ireland as Maeve Binchy never imagined it.
Signing books at Kennys of Galway
Tinteán 