#Celia Ireland

[secretsofthewilde]

Celia Ireland (Liz Birdsworth), sharing some light-hearted memories of Pamela Rabe between scenes on the set of Wentworth.

Source: Wentworth - The Final Sentence On File, by Erin McWhirter

[helmstone]

Return to Paradise — time for a first look

Return to Paradise — time for a first look

With under two weeks to go, the BBC has given us a first look at new Paraverse spin-off series Return to Paradise. There’s information on the whole cast as well as a range of pictures. Featuring the picturesque setting of Dolphin Cove, the new pictures and trailer reveal Anna Samson as DI Mackenzie Clarke and Colin Cartwright as Detective S.C. Lloyd Griffith in the midst of solving a case.  The…

[wentworthlindamilesfanpage]

Stand up and shut up Jenkins.

7x7 'Bad Blood'

[helmstone]

Return to Paradise starts filming

Return to Paradise starts filming

Filming has started in Australia for new series Return to Paradise. Locations include Sydney and the Illawarra coastal region, with six episodes being made for what I assume will merely be series 1 of this Death in Paradise spin-off. The BBC’s article also gives the franchise a name — the slightly clunky paraverse. Return to Paradise follows DI Mackenzie Clarke (Anna Samson), an Australian…

[wentworthlindamilesfanpage]

2x6 'The Pink Dragon'

[triforcevillains]

Rogue (2007)

Als der amerikanische Reisereporter Peter McKell im Kakadu National Park gemeinsam mit anderen Touristen eine Bootsfahrt unternimmt, die die Noblesse der australischen Natur samt seiner ausgeprägten Tierwelt und Flora unterstreichen soll, greift ein riesiges Krokodil die wehrlose Gruppe an.

Inmitten des Territoriums des Krokodils gefangen, müssen die Touristen versuchen, jenem Menschenfleisch-hungrigen Monster zu entkommen.

Der beste Part des Films ist jener, in dem der Kneipenbesitzer in Peters Glas spuckt. (6/10)

[wentworthlindamilesfanpage]

4x4 ‘Screw Lover’

[theholmwoodfoundation]

THE HOLMWOOD FOUNDATION PILOT EPISODE CAST/CREW - PART ONE

REBECCA ROOT - MADDIE TOWNSEND/MINA HARKER

Rebecca trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Theatre credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time for the National Theatre (UK and Ireland tour); Rathmines Road for Fishamble at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin; Trans Scripts at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts; The Bear / The Proposal at the Young Vic; and Hamlet at the Gielgud Theatre and Athens International Festival. TV, Film and Video Game credits include Monsieur Spade, This Is Christmas, Irvine Welsh’s Crime, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Forbidden West, Heartstopper, Annika, The Rising, Sex Education, The Gallery, The Queen’s Gambit, Finding Alice, Creation Stories, Last Christmas, The Sisters Brothers, Colette, The Danish Girl, Flack, The Romanoffs, Moominvalley, Hank Zipzer, Boy Meets Girl, Doctors, Casualty, The Detectives, and Keeping Up Appearances.  Radio credits include Clare In The Community, Life Lines, The Hotel, and 1977 for BBC Radio 4. Guest appearances include Woman’s Hour, Front Row, Loose Ends, Saturday Live, and A Good Read.  She plays Tania Bell in the award-winning Doctor Who: Stranded audio dramas. Rebecca has also recorded numerous documentary narrations, audiobooks, and voice-overs. Rebecca is also a voice and speech coach, holding the MA in Voice Studies from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

SEAN CARLSEN - JEREMY LARKIN/ JONATHAN HARKER

Born in South Wales, Seán trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama. He has worked extensively in audio drama, television, theatre and film.  Seán is perhaps best known to Doctor Who fans as Narvin in the Doctor Who audio series Gallifrey and has appeared on TV in Doctor Who - The Christmas Invasion and Torchwood. Recent TV credits include Mudtown (BBCiplayer/S4C), Dal y Mellt (Netflix), His Dark Materials (BBC1), All Creatures Great and Small (Channel 5), A Mother's Love (Channel 4) and Series 5 of Stella (Sky1).  Films include supporting leads in Boudica - Rise of the Warrior Queen, cult horror The Cleansing,  the lead in Forgotten Journeys and John Sheedy’s forthcoming film ‘Never Never Never’

SAM CLEMENS - ARTHUR JONES

Samuel Clemens trained at the Drama Centre London and is an award-winning director with over twenty years’ experience. Samuel has recently written and directed his debut feature film ‘The Waterhouse’ with Take The Shot Films & Featuristic Films and represented by Raven Banner Entertainment, which is due for release this coming year.  In addition, he has directed fourteen short films, winning awards all over the world including shorts ‘Surgery (multi-award winning), A Bad Day To Propose (Straight 8 winner 2021), Say No & Dress Rehearsal’. Samuel also directs critically acclaimed number one UK stage tours and fringe shows (Rose Theatre Kingston, Swansea Grand, Eastbourne, Yvonne Arnaud, Waterloo East Theatre) and commercials include clients JD Sports, Shell and Space NK. Samuel is also a regular producer and director for Big Finish Productions & Anderson Entertainment. He has cast, directed, produced and post supervised numerous productions of ‘Doctor Who – (BBC), The Avengers (Studio Canal), Thunderbirds, Stingray (Anderson Entertainment), Callan, Missy, Gallifrey’& Shilling & Sixpence Investigate’ and many more. Samuel has directed world class talent such as, Sir Roger Moore, Ben Miles, Tom Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Alex Kingston, Frank Skinner, Rita Ora, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley, Rufus Hound, David Warner, Celia Imrie, Samuel West, Youssef Kerkour, Sophie Aldred, Ian McNiece, Colin Baker, Olivia Poulet, Stephen Wight, Jade Anouka, Mimi Ndwendi, Michelle Gomez, Peter Davidson, Paul O’Grady and many more. Samuel is one of the founding members and directors at Take The Shot Films Ltd and is Head of Artistic Creation and Direction. Lastly, Samuel is a regular tutor at The London Film Academy, The Giles Foreman Centre for Acting & The Rose Youth Theatre and is a member of The Directors Guild UK. As for upcoming projects, Sam is currently in pre-production on his next feature film “On The Edge of Darkness”, which is based on his dad’s stage play “Strictly Murder”.

ATTILA PUSKAS - DRACULA

Attila Puskás is a native Hungarian Voice Actor born in Transylvania – Romania, so Romanian is in his bag of tricks too, but most of his work is done in English, in a Transatlantic Eastern European Accent, but is quite capable of Hungarian, Romanian and International Eastern European accents, plus Standard American. His voice range is Adult to Middle Aged (30-40+) due to his deep voice. Vocal styles can range from authoritive, brooding to calming and reassuring and much more. He’s most experienced in character work, like Animations and Games, but his skills encompass Commercials to Narration as well. He’s received training through classes and workshops, pushing him to the next level to achieve higher standards. Now on a journey to perfect these skills and put them to good use!

PART TWO: HERE

PART THREE: HERE

[quindriepress]

This week's spotlight is on Beth Fuller and her comic Witching Hour. Beth is an illustrator and concept artist from Dublin, Ireland. She’s considering putting down the stylus pen and heading off into the wilderness to live as a hermit, but likes hot showers and horror films just enough to keep her in civilisation. For now, anyway. (@bethfuller | website | instagram | twitter)

"Witching Hour is about a young girl sent on a mysterious journey by her father. Two pale trees with intertwined branches form a strange gate at the edge of 12-year-old Esio’s town, and beyond it lies an old, ruined land. Over their pints, as dusk falls, the villagers say it’s where lost things - and people - eventually end up. She’s got sandwiches, an apple, plasters, a bottle of Tipperary Kidz water and a Horrible Histories book in her rucksack and she’s heading off into the unknown, with only a talisman to guide her. There’s no telling who she might meet along the way."

Read the spotlight below the cut!

"That’s the initial rundown, anyway. Speaking more subjectively, I wanted to create a setting where two totally different characters - as different from each other as you can get - are forced to work together and end up changing each other’s lives. I really do think you can get on and find common ground with almost anyone, in the right circumstances."

Witching Hour took several years to incubate. "I’d been working on a comic slowly and haltingly since I was 18. There are pages kept deep, deep in my computer with old, badly drawn versions of Esio in a radically different setting, but it never really made sense as a story. I don’t think I made it past page three! Still, the fantasy atmosphere and character of Esio stuck with me over the years. Plus I really like to mix the dull, routine and mundane aspects of everyday life with things that are otherworldly and strange."

"Eventually we had a visual narrative module as part of my degree, and while recalling my old comic pages (I was mulling over it in the shower, which is where I think many of us do our most important thinking) an idea came to me that would form the basis of Witching Hour. Adding this to the embers of my previous project gave me more than enough fuel to sit down and start drawing.

"I have plenty of ideas for what I want to get up to next. I’ll work on a tarot set, keep working on freelance concept art and illustrations, design some tattoos, maybe try my hand at another comic at some stage. As always, feel free to get in touch and let me know if there’s anything you’d like to see from me!"

Beth draws inspiration from many sources: "The landscapes of south-west Ireland. Horror films, foreign language films, fantasy films, anything animated. The writing of Michelle Paver, Neil Gaiman and Ursula LeGuin.

"For me, though, it’s primarily the work of other illustrators that has inspired me the most, and it’s often only through seeing and evaluating lots of different brilliant styles that you can start to discern your own tastes. As a child, the obligatory Ghibli film catalogue. Then the work of Chris Riddell, Max Prentis and Ian McQue were enough inspiration to foster an interest in art school. I went, studied Illustration at DJCAD, and discovered Jake Wyatt, Celia Lowenthal, Juliette Brocal, Linnea Sterte, Jack T. Cole, Evan Cagle, Alphonse Mucha and (of course) Moebius. Seeing their work is like taking the creative spark and making it into a deodorant flamethrower."

Beth's work often centres around fantastical worlds and sweeping landscapes. "I think somehow you always come back to what you know. Sometimes you don’t even notice you have a fascination with something until you start to create and it keeps returning.

"My family and I spent a lot of time around Irish coastlines growing up, especially during the warmer months. Kerry, in the south-west, has mountains that turn brown in winter, then when summer comes are carpeted with a haze of purple heather, not unlike the hills of Scotland. There are crumbling ringforts and monastic ruins on isolated hilltops. I could be in the most beautiful place in the world but still miss the coconut scent of Kerry gorse. The fantasy aspect is fun to play with, and it adds a nice sense of mystery, but fundamentally I think the landscapes I draw are an attempt to capture, and return to, the shores I kicked about on as a kid."

For aspiring comic creators, Beth has this advice: "This is a common one, but I think it’s still worth saying: if you have a story, get it down. You don’t need to consider yourself a comic artist to make a comic. You also don’t need to wait around for the right time, or enough expertise - nobody is going to give you a nametag with ‘comic artist’ on it. If you can draw, and you need to say something, just start drawing boxes and see where it goes. Also, ‘Necropolis’ by Jake Wyatt is really good."

You can pick up Witching Hour, alongside the other three comics in our 2023 collection, right here on Kickstarter! 

[fakerobotrealblog]

"Our Flag Means Death" provides a fictionalized take on historical pirates with a focus on queer representation. While the show doesn't strictly adhere to historical accuracy, it offers a unique lens on the lives of pirates. In the context of queer historical pirates and queer history, let's explore the themes:

1. **Anne Bonny and Mary Read:**

- In real history, Anne Bonny and Mary Read were two female pirates known for their exploits in the early 18th century. While their exact sexual orientations are not explicitly documented, their unconventional lives and the fact that they disguised themselves as men to join pirate crews challenge traditional gender norms.

2. **Edward Teach (Blackbeard):**

- Blackbeard, one of the most infamous pirates, has been the subject of various historical accounts and legends. While not explicitly portrayed as queer, his mystique and unconventional lifestyle contribute to the broader spectrum of diverse identities in pirate history.

3. **Jean Laffite:**

- Jean Laffite, a French pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico during the early 19th century, is another historical figure whose sexuality is a subject of speculation. Some historical accounts suggest he may have had relationships with men, adding complexity to his historical narrative.

4. **Pirates in Non-Western Contexts:**

- The history of piracy extends beyond Western narratives. Pirates in other parts of the world, such as Cheng I Sao in China or Grace O'Malley in Ireland, may have had diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. These lesser-known stories contribute to a more global understanding of pirate history.

5. **Queer Pirates in Literature:**

- The fictionalized world of pirate literature, including works like "Pirates!" by Celia Rees or "Pirates!" by L.A. Witt and Aleksandr Voinov, explores queer narratives within the pirate genre. These stories often blend historical elements with imaginative storytelling.

6. **Queer Pirates in Popular Culture:**

- Movies like "Pirates of the Caribbean" or books like "The Pirate Hunter" by Richard Zacks, while not explicitly focusing on queer pirates, contribute to the popularization of pirate lore. Contemporary interpretations in media can influence how audiences perceive historical figures.

In essence, "Our Flag Means Death" aligns with a broader trend in media to explore and celebrate diverse identities within historical narratives. By fictionalizing elements of pirate history, the show opens up conversations about the often overlooked and underrepresented aspects of queer history, inviting viewers to consider the complexity of LGBTQ+ experiences in different historical contexts.

[blogger360ncislarules]

Return to Paradise, the upcoming Death in Paradise spin-off set in Australia, has finished filming.

Former Home and Away actress Anna Samson, who plays the show's lead character DI Mackenzie Clarke, revealed the news on Instagram. Other key cast in the show include Lloyd Griffith (Ted Lasso), Tai Hara (Colin From Accounts), Catherine McClements (Total Control), Celia Ireland (Wentworth), Andrea Demetriades (The Artful Dodger) and Aaron McGrath (Gold Diggers). And Anna posted a picture with some of the cast, saying: "I got to spend the last three months with these three lads. I love them more than I can say. We wrapped our show this week and my heart is broken that they will no longer be contractually obliged to spend time with me."

Return to Paradise, which has been shot around Sydney and the Illawarra coastal region, follows Mackenzie Clarke, a high-ranking officer in the London Metropolitan Police, who's forced to return Down Under after being accused of tampering with evidence.

The makers tease: "Having fled the town six years ago, infamously leaving her ex- fiancée Glenn (Tai Hara) at the altar, Mackenzie is not welcome here.  

"But with no other job options, and a unique talent for solving a mystery, no matter how challenging, a reluctant Mack joins the team at Dolphin Cove Police Station. Once a case lands on her desk, she can't rest until she's figured it out, and the killer is in handcuffs. It's that tenacity and work ethic that might just, over time, help Mackenzie win over her new colleagues, and the people of Dolphin Cove." 

Return to Paradise is the latest extension to the Death in Paradise universe. Beyond Paradise, which stars Kris Marshall as DI Humphrey Goodman, was the first spin-off and has proved a huge hit. Return to Paradise will be shown on BBC One in late 2024, while it's likely to head to BritBox in the US. It will be screened on ABC in Australia. Meanwhile, Death in Paradise season 14 will air next year.

[scotianostra]

September 15th is St Mirren/Mirrin Day the patron saint of Paisley.

Saint Mirin or Mirren, was a Catholic monk and missionary from Ireland and is also known as Mirren of Benchor (now called Bangor), Merinus, Merryn and Meadhrán are other spellings of the name.

The patron saint of the town Paisley, he was the founder of a religious community which grew to become Paisley Abbey. The shrine of this saint in the abbey became a centre of pilgrimage.  Much of what is known about Mirin is difficult to separate from fable, however it is believed that he was of noble Irish birth.

Legend has it that he went on a mission to seek out the King of Ireland in a quest to gain permission to spread his faith through his kingdom,, bt the King refused to see him.

Mirin, thus slighted, was said to have prayed to God that the king might feel his wife’s labour pangs, her time being near. The legend continues that, just as St Mirin had prayed, the king fell ill and roared in pain for three days and nights. In desperation the king sought out Mirin and granted him all he wished, including the right to go out and preach the Gospel to the men of his camp. In response to these concessions St Mirin prayed on his behalf and he was freed from his pain.

Thereafter he was appointed to the west of Scotland and, after a long and difficult journey, arrived where the town of Paisley now stands. He preached and worked many miracles beside the banks of the Mirin burn, converting many to Christianity and set up his first church at Seedhill, to this day still a populous part of the town , in the Parish that bears his name,  St Mirin’s Croft.

In various charters and Papal Bulls Mirin is referred to as The glorious confessor, Saint Mirin. His image was engraved on the seal of the Abbey, depicting him in the vestments of a bishop. Around the seal was inscribed the prayer O Mirin, pray for your servants. In King James IV’s Charter of 1488 raising Paisley to the status of burgh of barony, one of the reasons cited was “the singular respect we have for the glorious confessor, Saint Mirin”.

There is a chapel within Paisley Abbey, dedicated to Mirin containing a sculptured stone frieze depicting the life of the saint. The R C St Mirin’s Cathedral is also named in his honour. St Mirren F.C., in Paisley, is named after him. The St Mirin Burn flows into the White Cart Water close to the town centre. He is also commemorated by St Mirren Street which links Paisley Cross to Causeyside Street.

Further afield the island of Inchmurrin (i.e. Mirin’s Island) in Loch Lomond and a farm called Knockmurran (i.e. Mirin’s Hill) near Coylton in Ayrshire are named after him. St Mirin’s Well can be found near Kilsyth in Stirlingshire.

A bronze statue, as senen in the pic, by Norman Galbraith was unveiled on the saint’s day, 15th September 2007, by  the Provost of Renfrewshire Councillor Celia Lawson.

The third pic is a door with depiction of St Mirin and St Columba in Paisley Abbey.

[blackwinter555]

Women saints that I love

1)Saint Cecilia from Rome

Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of great musicians, poets and hymns. She is one of the most revered early Roman martyrs and one of the seven women commemorated in the Canon of the Mass.

Saint Cecilia lived in the 3rd century A.D. in the Roman Empire. She was born to a noble family in Rome. Despite taking a personal vow of chastity, her parents married her off to a young pagan nobleman named Valerian, who fell in love with her. In response to this marriage, she wore sackcloth and underwent fasting. She also invoked the saints and angels and asked them to guard her purity.

On her wedding night, she told Valerian that she had an angel watching over her and that if he didn't let her maintain her vow, bad things would happen.

This must have at least intrigued Valerian because he said he would believe her only if he could see the angel. Cecilia told him that he would only be able to see the angel if he himself was baptized first.

Valerian followed her instructions, was baptized by Pope Urban I (the great converter). When Valerian returned to his bride, “He found Cecilia in her little room lost in prayer, and next to her the angel of the Lord was standing. When Valerian saw the angel, he was seized with great terror.” The angel crowned her with a chaplet of roses of lilies. The white symbolized chastity and the red love, although it also portends her martyrdom. There really exists today a St. Celia rose that is white with a blush of red. It’s considered one of the finer English roses.

Valerian then converted his brother,Tibertius, and they began to give proper burials to the saints who were persecuted and killed by the prefect of their city, Turcius Almachius.

Valerian and Tibertius were eventually arrested for their subversive activities and brought before Turcius Almachius. He ordered them to make a sacrifice to the pagan gods but they refused and for this they were executed.

In the meantime St Cecilia preached about the good news and was able to convert over 400 people.

Almachius, the ruler of the time,then decides to kill Cecilia but, fearing the repercussions of a public execution given the popularity of the young Christian, after submitting her to summary judgment, orders that she return to her home to be locked in the steam room (which was to be brought to very high temperature), thus staging a death by asphyxiation.

First, she was arrested and condemned to be suffocated in the baths. She was shut inside the bathhouse for one night and even when the fires were stoked, she was alive when her persecutors opened the doors.  After one day and one night, the guards find Cecilia miraculously alive, wrapped in a celestial dew. Almachius then ordered her decapitation, but despite the three violent blows to the neck, the executioner could not sever Cecilia’s head.  Cecilia died after three days of agony, during which she gave all her belongings to the poor, her home to the Church - and, no longer able to speak - continues to profess her faith in the Triune God, by using her fingers: raising the thumb, forefinger, and middle finger of her right hand (to indicate three Divine Persons) and the index of her left hand (to indicate the one Divine Nature). 

Saint Cecilia is honored as the patron saint of music and she is a symbol of the central role of music in liturgy. It is said that she heard heavenly music when she was married. Because of her ties to music, she is often depicted in art, statues and religious items with a harp, organ or other musical instruments. 

2) Saint Dymphna of Ireland

St. Dymphna, a beautiful, young Irish princess from the 7th century, is most commonly known as the patron saint of those with nervous and emotional disorders, incest victims, those who have lost their parents,those suffering from emotional, nervous, or mental illness, rape and sexual abuse victims and runaways. 

St. Dymphna was born in the 7th century to a pagan king, Damon, and his Christian wife. It is said that St. Dymphna’s mother was very beautiful, and when she died at a young age, Damon was inconsolable. The king’s court tried to come up with a solution that would help him to deal with his grief and be happy again. They suggested he remarry, and he decided this was a great idea – but only if the woman was as beautiful as his first wife had been. Damon and his court searched far and wide for a woman whose beauty would equal that of St. Dymphna’s mother; however, they were unable to find anyone.

The king’s inability to find a new wife weighed heavily on his mind. The more he searched and came up empty the worse his grief became. Consequently, his mental health began to suffer, and he started entertaining the possibility of marrying his daughter, St. Dymphna, the only woman whose beauty was comparable to her mother’s. St. Dymphna, then about age 15, refused her father’s advances. She had made a vow of virginity, pledging herself wholly to God, at age 14. She told her father she could not agree to his desire to marry her. When he became enraged at her rejection, St. Dymphna fled with her spiritual director, Fr. Gerebernus, to Belgium, where they thought they would be safe from the king’s violent anger.

St. Dymphna’s father was furious that his daughter had fled from him. Since St. Dymphna had not told anyone where she was going to, the king sent his court out to search for her. Her location was discovered when the king’s men came across an innkeeper who recognized the coins that they paid with as coins he had recently received as payment. At this time in history, foreign currency was not widely recognized, since long-distance travel was difficult and costly (which meant many people were unable to travel very far). Since the innkeeper remembered the coins of Damon’s kingdom, the king’s men knew St. Dymphna must be close. They sent word to the king that his daughter had been found.

Damon joined his men in the town of Gheel, Belgium, where St. Dymphna had been found. He tried to persuade St. Dymphna to join him as his wife, but again, she refused. The king ordered that his men kill Fr. Gerebernus and St. Dymphna as punishment for disobeying him. The men beheaded Fr. Gerebernus, but were unable to harm the princess. The king was overcome with fury, took his sword, and beheaded his own daughter.

The residents of the town of Gheel buried Fr. Gerebernus and St. Dymphna in a cave. They had grown to love St. Dymphna as a good and holy young woman who had taken care of the poor and sick while living in Gheel. Years later, the townspeople decided to give St. Dymphna and Fr. Gerebernus a more proper burial location. When they uncovered the cave where they had been buried, it was discovered that two stone sarcophagi now enclosed their bodies. One of these was marked with a red tile labeled “Dymphna.” In 1349, a church was built in honor of St. Dymphna in Gheel. Those who visited the church (which was at the site of her martyrdom), reported many miraculous healings, particularly of those afflicted with epilepsy and mental illness. When this church burned in the late 15th century, a new church was built in her honor. Dedicated in 1532, the Church of St. Dymphna has been a popular site of pilgrimage for those suffering from mental, nervous, or emotional illness for hundreds of years. Her feast day is celebrated on May 15.

[thecrownnet]

5 BAFTA TV Nominations!

Netflix UK & Ireland  Huge congratulations to @TheCrownNetflix for picking up 5 @BAFTA nominations, including Imelda Staunton for Leading Actress and Salim Daw for Supporting Actor! 👑

*Plus AMY ROBERTS for Costume Design, CELIA HAINING for Editing: Fiction, and SOUND TEAM for Sound: Fiction.

**Lesley Manville (Princess Margaret, The Crown Season 5) is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Sherwood. Congrats!

[unravellingsilencehq]

“Oh, Merlin, tell me, does THE ADVOCATE get what he deserves?”  He was NEUTRAL & is sadly DECEASED.“

— he walked through the world as ;

name → Booker Bagnold pronouns → he/him identification → cis-male year of birth → 1957-1958 face claim → jordan bolger blood status → pure-blood sexual orientation → heterosexual occupation → representative for the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures future information → n/a deceased  → 31st October 1982

— he was best described as ;

The EARTHY smell of heavy RAIN hitting dirt, mixed with SWEETNESS of freshly cut FLOWERS and the warm secent of PARCHEMENT. He is the ECLECTIC music playing from a RECORD as an echoing laugh brings joy to the room. He is the CARING & LOYAL shoulder to cry on, offering SUPPORT & ENCOURGEMENT. The OPTIMISM of those ready to break the mould, INSPIRING those around him to strive for GREATNESS.

— his story started with ;

Booker Bagnold was a truly remarkable individual, whose kind and loyal nature endeared him to all who had the pleasure of knowing him. His heart was so deep and giving that it was impossible for him to stop spreading inspiration wherever he went. The younger child of MILLICENT BAGNOLD [mother], the then-Senior Undersecretary to The Minister for Magic, and Rutherford Bagnold, a wizarding tech genius, Booker's childhood was one of pure bliss. Although his older brother, HARRISON BAGNOLD [sibling], was a bit of a brooder and didn't spend much time with him, Booker still held him in high regard. They lived in a modern home in Wimbledon, and Booker cherished his room – his safe space – which had a breathtaking view of the green belt that ran behind their house. He would spend hours gazing out the window, watching the animals frolic in the forest and occasionally catching sight of a magical creature. The Bagnold family had a penchant for travel, and they frequently embarked on adventures to international Quidditch games and Millicent's birthplace in Ireland.

During the summer holiday before Booker was set to embark on his first year at Hogwarts, he vividly recalled a conversation with Harrison. The latter was preparing for an event, and let out a heavy sigh before revealing that when he was Booker's age, their parents were hardly ever present in his life. Unlike Booker, he was compelled to attend numerous events and they never went on any trips together. However, Harrison pointed out that their parents had a complete change of heart after Booker's birth. Booker, being the compassionate person he was, tried to consolidate him, but despite his efforts Harrison vehemently disagreed, insisting that their parents simply loved Booker more. Unfortunately, this remark struck a chord with Booker, and he began to feel guilty for how his parents treated him. Booker began to blame himself for Harrison not having the same childhood experiences as him and became more in on himself in their presence, declining their offers to enjoy himself instead standing by his brother’s side dutifully in the hope to make it up to him.

Sorted into Hufflepuff, he was ushered to his dorm deep within the castle. It was there that he met his soon-to-be best friend, EDWARD TONKS [best friend], they connected instantly and their friendship stayed strong throughout Hogwarts and into adulthood. Being a loyal friend, along with his disliking of injustice, Booker often found himself standing up for Ted against bullies like RABASTAN LESTRANGE [adversary] and his group of friends, CAIUS BURKE [adversary], XERXES ZABINI [adversary], AURELIA ROOKWOOD [adversary] and KERVENS BORGIN [adversary]. His stance and advocacy lead to him making other friends along the way including ELIZABETH BRAITHWAITE [close friend], MARIANNE MACMILLAN [friend], LAURENCE ABBOTT [friend], and CELIA ABBOTT [friend/potential love interest]. But he found a real friend in LANA CROUCH [best friend] though his interests. He saw a lot of himself in Lana, she was a bright girl lost in a big family trying to find her way, which he noticed she did when she began taking an interest in magical creatures, much to Booker’s delight. When he wasn’t caring for magical creatures in the forest with Hagrid or reading up on them in the library with Lana, he was pouring himself over Celia, their relationship blossoming into something more than just a friendship.

Booker Bagnold's infatuation with Celia lingered beyond the walls of Hogwarts, and into their twenties. Meanwhile, Booker's passion for magical creatures had paid off, and he landed a position in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures alongside Lana, and it wasn’t long before Booker found himself in the being division which dealt with magical creatures that possessed human-like intellect, including werewolves, vampires, giants, and centaurs. However, Booker was quickly disillusioned by the rampant discrimination he encountered in the wizarding community towards these creatures. He was appalled by the way his colleagues, like WALDEN MCNAIR [adversary] treated injured werewolves and altered centaur testimonies to fit the wizarding community's expectations. These creatures were sentient beings who deserved to be treated with respect and dignity, and Booker reported these incidents to Aurors such as HESTIA JONES [acquaintance] and barristers like RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE [acquaintance]. Unfortunately, their responses were unsatisfactory, always too busy to listen to him and tied up in other projects. Soon Booker realised that he needed to take more drastic measures to aid magical beings in the wizarding community. 

Fortunately, his mother had been appointed Minister for Magic at this time, and he arranged a meeting with her to voice his concerns and suggestions. While she was receptive, she requested that Booker gather the signatures required for the Wizengamot to consider a law that prohibited the discrimination of magical beings in the wizarding community. She warned him that not everyone would share his views, and he would need to gather a significant number of signatures. Booker began by approaching his colleagues, but while some refused to sign, such as Walden, while others signed without hesitation. He then turned to his friends, including Celia. To his surprise, Celia disagreed with his views, which caused their budding romance to falter. Despite this setback, Booker remained committed to his mission to make the wizarding community more inclusive, collecting as many signatures as he could. The night of the Halloween ball in 1982 is when Booker's tale came to its tragic end. Booker moved through the ballroom with vigour, trying to persuade as many guests as possible to sign his petition. The pure-bloods snarled at him, and those who were aware of his intentions avoided him. His brother, was particularly angry at Booker bringing his petition, snatching it from him and ripping it up in front of his very eyes. 

Enraged, Booker fled the ballroom, smacking into Rabastan Lestrange upon his exit to the balcony by mistake. Always game for a fight, Rabastan quickly dug his teeth into Booker, mocking him and his cause and a wand battle broke out between the two. As Rabastan wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, Booker noticed something change in his face. Before Booker could even call for help, Rabastan cast a spell that tore a ferocious, werewolf-like gash through his chest. The world fell silent as he tumbled over the balcony railing, with the wind rushing past him and screams echoing through the air, narrowly missing MARLENE MCKINNON [potential love interest] who he had hoped to meet later that evening for a kiss and a dance in the darkness. After his untimely death, Rabastan framed SILAS CRUMP [acquaintance] for the murder. As the mystery surrounding Booker's death unfolded, his petition lay neglected on Harrison’s desk, pieced back together, gathering dust as the ink slowly faded from its pages. Would his legacy perish with him, or would someone pick up the mantle of his cause, fighting for the rights and equality of creatures in the wizarding world?

— he was a LEVEL 5 WIZARD & is now at peace ;

[celtfather]

Celtic Christmas Trees #81

Raise your sustainable Celtic Christmas tree while listening to Celtic Christmas Music #81.

Joseph Carmichael, Seán Heely, The Barra MacNeils, Cedar Dobson, The McDades, Irish Christmas in America, Brobdingnagian Bards, Screaming Orphans, Mary-Kate Spring Lee, Cherish the Ladies

WELCOME TO CELTIC CHRISTMAS MUSIC

I am Marc Gunn. I am Celtic musician and host of Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. We are promoting Celtic culture through Christmas cheer all year long. That’s right. I am planning bonus episodes in the off-season to keep you in the Christmas spirit throughout 2025.

If you hear music you love, please support the artists. You can find a link to all of the artists in the shownotes as well as how to support this podcast at CelticChristmasPodcast.com

THIS WEEK IN CELTIC CHRISTMAS MUSIC

0:06 - Joseph Carmichael “Snowdrift” from Single

4:36 - WELCOME

5:17 - Seán Heely "Medieval Carols in the Great Hall” from So Merry as We Have Been

9:40 - The Barra MacNeils "O Holy Night” from The Christmas Album

14:23 - CHRISTMAS SHOWS

Last time, I mentioned some of the artists with Celtic Christmas Concerts. I missed Sean Heely, The Barra McNeils, Screaming Orphans, the McDades, and The Irish Rovers. Basically, many of the artists in this week’s episode have Celtic Christmas concerts.

15:17 - Cedar Dobson "Good Christian Men Rejoice/God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/Joy to the World” from A Whistle Wonderland: Christmas Melodies in a Celtic Style

18:13 - The McDades "Snow Snow” from A Winter Collection

23:02 - SUSTAINABLE CHRISTMAS TREES

If you’ve been following me for a while, I am continually looking for more sustainable ways to live. Christmas is a great time to do just that. We Celts have long had an important relationship with the land and our environment. So I’m gonna offer a bunch of thoughts in the coming months.

l read an article on “What’s The Most Sustainable Christmas Tree?” You can find a link in the shownotes.

One of the most-interesting things I read was about Artificial Trees. You might think they are the most-sustainable. But it turns out that they are typically made with some of the worst, most-toxic types of plastic, polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

My family prefers real Christmas trees. But there’s always a catch, isn’t there. The challenge with a regular tree is finding one that is sustainably sourced. Meaning is it shipped from across the country? Or is it locally grown? Or even better, is it a tree you can replant in your yard when the holiday is over?

I’ll be honest. Replanting is more than we will do. However, did you know you can rent a Christmas tree?

Yeah. That’s what I said when I read that. It’s not available in all areas. But it is possible to rent one. Then it will be planted afterward.

If you’re artsy, maybe you can build your own Christmas tree. You could use a plant around the house or build a tree from scrap lumber around the house. Do a search for Christmas tree alternatives and you’ll find a ton of options.

As for disposing of your tree, don’t send those Artificial Trees to the landfill. Instead give it to someone, donate it, sell it or repurpose it. That’s the best way to keep it out of the landfill.

The same goes with regular trees. Sustainable Jungle writes: “Real trees that end up in landfills can be detrimental to the environment. This is because the tree decomposes and produces methane gas, which is 26 times more harmful than CO2 in terms of climate change potential.”

So see if there are local collection services or repurpose the tree instead of sending it to trash.

26:12 - Irish Christmas in America "Air_March_Polka - The Snowy-Breasted Pearl, Freedom for Ireland” from A Long Way From Home

31:51 - Brobdingnagian Bards "Bog Down In Christmas” from Christmas In Brobdingnag

36:28 - Screaming Orphans "You Are All Mine (At Christmas Time)” from Happy Christmas Volume 2

39:30 - Mary-Kate Spring Lee "O Little Town of Bethlehem/Celia Connellen” from Carol of the Child

43:13 - THANK YOU FOR SPREADING CHRISTMAS CHEER!

Podcast advertising pays for some of the hosting fees of this show. But the podcast creation is entirely funded by your generosity. Your kindness pays for our engineer, graphic design, and promotion of the podcast. It allows me to buy the music I play here. It also pays for my time creating the show.

As a Patron, you get ad-free episodes and a private feed to listen to the podcast. All that for as little as $1 per month.

HERE IS YOUR THREE-STEP PLAN TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST

Go to our Patreon page.

Decide how much you want to pledge every month, $1, $5, $10, or $25.

Keep listening to Celtic Christmas Music to celebrate Celtic culture through Christmas cheer.

You can become a generous Christmas Patron at patreon.com/celticchristmas .

45:14 - Cherish the Ladies "All on a Christmas Morning / The Carol of the Twelve Numbers” from Cherish the Ladies Ultimate Christmas Mix

48:42 - CLOSING

Celtic Christmas Music was produced by Marc Gunn and our Christmas Patrons on Patreon. The show was edited by Mitchell Petersen with Graphics by Miranda Nelson Designs. Visit our website to subscribe to the podcast. You’ll find links to all of the artists played in this episode.

Please tell one friend about this podcast. Word of mouth is the absolute best way to support any creative endeavor.

Finally, remember. Reduce, reuse, recycle, and discuss with others how you can make a positive impact on climate change.

Promote Celtic culture through Christmas music at CelticChristmasPodcast.com.

Nollaig Shona Daoibh!

#celticchristmas #celticchristmasmusic

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