Hope I don't get pounced on for putting this here but I feel lots of you on the website would not see it in the events section where it is also posted. The official launch of comhaltas.ie the new website of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann takes place on Thursday 15th February 2007 at 7.30 in different venues. There will be a live webcast of the launch event from different venues.
This is a very exciting new website which will help promote traditional Irish music and culture around the world.
That's a problem here... if listed in Events, you are not supposed to post here. We have a concert coming 3/30 (McManus and Donnelly...hope this doesn't count) I and advance tix are now on sale because we expect a big crowd. If I list it in events now, it is not readily apparent closer to the time, and I do wonder if people bother to go type in their area periodically and look, or just look at the first page that pops up.
I wish there were some mechanism, Jeremy... is there... to keep it organized date-wise as well as location wise? Or can we sometimes add a reminder to go look in the events section, lacking that?
And can I ask those of you on this thread if you do go to events regularly and check? In which case all is well as is. I am afroad to post it now to events and have it get lost in time. I know I rarely remember to check the events.
Even as a PA player I agree with us. I've learned to gain some level of acceptabilty in this era of internet accordion jokes that one needs to maintain somewhat of a low profile if his/her insrutment is going to get any level of acceptance.
Look at it this way.
If as Hugo suggests, the site is of American design....the background could have been a Guinness logo since that seems to be the popular (for some I will be very careful to qualify my statement) embodiment of being Irish in the States.
Strangely, the closest point it seems where an American can get palatable Guinness is in Dunquin or the Skelligs. Our stuff has these little gas pellets in the bottle that create the foam.
Only recently joined this website though I've often heard of it from friends. The new comhaltas site looks fair impressive, I used to visit the old one now and again but I've been told that this one will have far more video footage on it.
My sources tell me there will be a live webcast
co-ordinated from the Cultúrlann in Dublin at 9.00pm. This will
link up with various centres including Ennis (Temple Gate Hotel), Sligo (Ceolaras, Gurteen), Philadelphia and Manchester. Each Centre will provide it's own bit of entertainment for 3 mins or so. However, there will be sessions at each centre before the webcast (say 8.30) and again to finish the night after the webcast.
So if you have no Internet access for the launch, why not try to head to one of the centres for a few tunes?
I am a member of Comhaltas by the way!! (: But this resource is going to be for everyone.
Looks like a mighty session Proinsias - it wasn't the Letterkeny Raddisson by any chance? Anyone heading down to the Temple Gate in Ennis tomorrow night for the launch - whatever about the technology it's hard to beat the opportunity for a few tunes!
No bannerman, it was somewhere halfway along the main street. Was a grand spot to be, went around a lot of sessions that night but I remember hovering in that area for about an hour or more. We sat down there with a bunch of very young and very tallented kids, they soon hit the road and it was just myself and Edel left on own own for a while. That was when this photo was taken. The photographer came over of course and asked permission to use the pic and took an address to send a print, which I don't think he ever did.
Anyway, we didn't sit there alone for long. Edel's lovely fiddle playing drew a great crowd and a whole lot more musicians before long! I can even remember which tunes we played there....
I think a Co. Clare man was one of the next musicians we met there!
Those unsure of the back door entry should just add '/index' to the address given above.
I can't see any reason for making a fuss about this relaunch as the site still has all the problems of the old one and, above all, lists barely any of the CDs that CCÉ has released.
I'd imagine that after checking out http://comhaltas.ie/shop/archive/C58/ it's obviously the intention of Comhaltas to list their wares eventually. However, I'm much happier watching Pronsiasrua and his friends in session belting out some great reels in the first instance as this is what's been missing for so long from Comhaltas and other trad sites.
Hey there. Guess I'll come out of the closet as the guy behind the new Comhaltas website. I've been working hard on the new site for quite a few months now, and I hope that it lives up to what I have in mind for it.
(Incidentally, I was really only making a token attempt to "hide" it - I released the site a week ago. Less risk for the release, easier to test, and really, I'm happy about whatever advance buzz the site stirs up.)
So yeah, anyone who wants to tune into the launch webcast tomorrow is more than welcome: http://comhaltas.ie/blog/post/launch/ . We'll see how many people my shiny new server can handle .
And you guys are right - the "content" that will start off on the site Day 1 is only a fraction of what should be there eventually. I'll start with the last couple of tour CDs, but I'll eventually post tracks for all of our stuff. Initially there won't be stuff from our Archive, but I've got 14,000 tracks of audio ready to go. I'll start with the basic contact info for 250 branches (each with their own page), but after the branches get used to updating their own info (events, sessions, classes, photos, etc.) I'm hoping for a ton of new stuff to be posted by lots of people.
That's really the goal of the new site - providing a communications tool to the tens of thousands of Comhaltas folks around the world. Every single branch can log in and change and add to their stuff. And I'll be getting as much online as I can from head office. It will be a fun ride -- and it will actually be feedback from people like all of you that will make it a success. Or not. But give it a while to settle in.
And proinsiasrua: sorry not to send you a print yet! I'll get right on that. Soon as we get this launch out of the way, I promise.
Thanks for the '/index' tip Geoff, I never thought of that! Duh! Guess I'm just not a back door kinda guy!
Enjoyed seeing that good photo of yourself proinsiasrua & Edel - did they send you a copy? Pity they didn't record you guys playing though - or is it in there somewhere?
new-strings: Sure. I sent around a survey to each and every branch last October, asking them to fill in their details. A good many ignored my letter, unfortunately, and those ones aren't up there yet.
Getting the remaining ones up will be the responsibility of the county boards, with a lot of prodding from me. This is going to take some patience, getting everybody on board. I'll be asking the county secretaries to identify the gaps in the next month or two.
The whole site is run off a database -- kinda like this one. Adding a new location to the map (and having a page for it, etc.) is really just a question of filling out a web form. But what to fill in .... that's the part I need the counties to get going on!
Hey B, don't be worrying about that print. sure just email it to me at some stage when you are not so busy. Email is my username here at hotmail . com.
I remember at one stage on the same night (the better of two nights there, Saturday i think) being lost in a wonderful set of tunes that went on for quite a while, really enjoying the music with myself Edel another fiddle and a flute, I think, a set where we all clicked. When I lifted my head after the last set there was a big crowd around us that wasn't there when we started and some sort of TV camera too. So, Ptarmi, there may be some recordings in there somewhere!
Yep, that was Willie Fogarty with the camera. I was surprised myself to look up from the session and see so much attention. I was wandering around Gallaghers most of the time (because I stayed there) ... seemed like there were often a good few tunes to choose from within 100 feet of my room! I loved Vince Jordan's sessions right outside the door .... he keeps a good moderate pace on his *gasp* piano accordion - you can see him a bit in this clip: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/programme_203_segment_1/ Incidentally, I have a lot more Letterkenny video still to post!
And proinsiasrua, I just mailed you that photo - sorry for the delay!
There is a photograph of Kitty Hayes posted with an item about Mrs. Crotty.
This is a stupid mistake to begin with and Comhaltas, well funded as it is, may well get onto the photographer for a chat about permission to use, copyright fees and all that malarkey before ripping something off the web (concertina.net in this case where a clear copyrightnotice and photographer's contact are posted).
Have to agree with Prionsias that the Mobile Phone is something else. Tomás Ó Cannáin (Derry Piper Tom Canning for the benefit of those who knew him in his Liverpool days) should be in the running for an Oscar for this performance. I think he put it all together himself in front of an Apple PC without any other assistance. There's something about his dead pan humour that reminds me of the late great Spike Milligan.
kilfarboy: Thanks for the heads-up - I've removed the photo from the Mrs. Crotty entry. Not sure how that mistake crept in, but I can assure you that we take copyright pretty seriously around here. I'd be happy to discuss the "well-funded" nature of Comhaltas with you sometime, too -- from the inside it's pretty much a shoestring operation!
The site was designed and coded by my good friends at Happy Cog in Philadelphia. If their previous work is anything to go by, the Comhaltas site will be beautifully designed and implemented.
b, I hope you should Jason, Rob, Dan and the gang a good time when they were over in Dublin.
Jeremy:
I figured that you'd know the Cogs, being a fellow adherent of the web standards movement in your own work. And yes, as Jason mentioned (http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/archive/2006/08/21/european_adventure.php ), the gang had a great time! They even decided to hold their Christmas party in Dublin this year, so I got to meet the entire crew -- they were a hit at the Comhaltas Christmas party in the Cultúrlann. And of course, I got to show them what Irish sessions are really all about! When I started thinking about who I wanted to design the new comhaltas site, Zeldman and his gang were the first ones to come to mind.
Excellent! The Happy Coggers are indeed world-class.
By the way, anyone in Philly who wants to attend the official website launch party tomorrow, the 15th, contact Jason Santa Maria: http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/contact/
That's a very nicely done website. Funny color scheme, but clean and easy to use. They'll work out the content problems---the organization of it is what's superb.
Not being able to identify a correct photograph of one of their founder members and flagships is well, sloppy. Secondly , despite what B says Comhaltas is a highly profitable and heavily grant aided operation (Cois na Abhna received a few millions only months ago and that is only one branch, I was invited to the do with senator Larry to celebrate the money coming in but declined). You'd expect they'd go to their own archives for photographic material and not rip people's work from the net without permission or acknowledgement. It's just a tiny bit of common decency that I found lacking there.
In addition and regrading my well funded comment I quote Tom Munnelly here writing on 6 dec 2002 to the IrTrad mailing list:
.Those of you in Ireland take a look at the current Phoenix magazine which runs an extensive profile of the Senator. Whereas they establish that there were outgoings of 550,000 euro for wages, pension, travel etc, they say that "the biggest single element here would be O/ Murchu's salary although the senator refused to elucidate ... on the amount he takes out of his organisation every year." Add that to his senator's salary and expenses and its nice work if you can get it.
Perhaps of even more interest to the CCE faithful who send monies to Monkstown is the passage "the organisation is a very successful one and although the accounts are not published, (Phoenix) can reveal that there were accumulated PROFITS (my emphasis) of 1.5 MILLION euro at the end of last year.'
in the light of which I commented on the organisation being well able to pay photographers their appropriate fees.
Just wanted to clarify a couple of things. Yes, the Cois na hAbhna regional resource centre recently got a grant for putting on a new roof and expanding the building to add more classroom space. We do get some money from Government - almost all of it is earmarked for these kinds of construction projects, and we even had some left over last year. The goal is to establish a national network of resource centres with archives, classroom space and so forth, open to the public.
But like most of my colleagues, I left a very good job and good money in the private sector to come and work for a non-profit for very little pay exactly because I believe in the mission of Comhaltas. There are some outstanding people here, no matter your personal opinion of Senator Ó Murchú.
And while I wouldn't want to get into too much of a flame war (too late?), I'd note that I removed the offending photograph and apologised for the error within minutes of being notified, and that I regularly do pay photographers to license their work, for the website and for other purposes.
Wow 40 posts! And a telling off from Jeremy for posting on the wrong section but I think most of ye would not have seen it just in the events section. Some negative comments here and I agree with b, whatever personal opinions you have about individual people in Comhaltas a lot of us are very dedicated volunteer workers who love the music, language and culture of Ireland and will do anything in their spare time to promote it particularly amongst younger people. We have just run a wonderful week-end in Leitrim where musicians came from all over (without pay) to honour a flute player who lived in the area. People from all over the country came together to play tunes and have a good time and it was all with the help of some funding etc. from Comhaltas so well done B for your hard work on the website and looking forward to the launch of a brilliant resource.
I am fussy about photographs and copyrights, B and you wouldn't believe how often these things happen. It IS often just a matter of sending an e-mail and asking permission, a common courtesy.
I also note most other photos have a 'copyright comhaltas' creditline, I wonder what the people who took these photographs feel about that, for example Dennis Winter who took the shot of Micho Russell or RTE who as far as I know hold the copyright to the one of Denis Murphy which was originally taken for the RTE guide
Sure - I don't think anyone would argue that you *shouldn't* care about these things! Anyway, the photos that you refer to all come out of the Comhaltas archive. My understanding is that we have the rights to use these, which makes me think that we've gotten permission from the photographers at some point. You're right, of course, that the photographer would retain the original copyright, so I'll modify the watermark to reflect only that the image came out of the archive.
My understanding of copyright law would suggest that we're in "fair use" territory here - a low-resolution photograph used by an educational insitution to illustrate a short biographical note - and probably I don't need formal contracts in place. But certainly, if you know of photographers who I should be contacting out of politeness, I'm quite happy to do so. I certainly agree with you that photographers should retain the moral rights of attribution and notification.
We're going way off track at this stage so this is the last I am going to say on this, the Berner convention which is one of the conventions regarding these rights ratified by Ireland is quite clear about the protection of a (photographers) work.
That you have prints in archive does not at any time give you the copyright or any other rights to the work. Each use for publication should be licensed by the owner of the work.
Yep, we'll take it offline, like civilised people. And I agree, we don't hold copyrights on images just because we happen to have prints. My only point was that under the Berne convention (and then the 2000 Copyright Act, along with the various EU harmonisation acts) we have some leeway in publication, as long as we don't make money, the purpose is educational, etc., etc. But let's continue this discussion in another forum - I definitely appreciate the input.
Just back from a launch of the new Comhaltas Website Makeover ,check it out ,Martin
As part of the new Comhaltas website, they are re-launching the ComhaltasLive weekly video programme. With a higher resolution format and more search options
Just in case you forgot with all the postings since it was mentioned ,it looks good ,and can only be a help for many people to check on the trad ,also the shop is online ,Martin
What do you mean no39 “But it’s Comhaltas Martin” - oops I didn’t say that! I’ve just got that Groundhog Day feeling where all the pro and anti CCE arguments are trotted out once more and I think we’ve all had more than enough of that. On with the music I say !!
Today’s video clip of the day at http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/programme_181_segment_8_eoin_conway/ has a couple of lovely flute tunes from Eoin Conway – the second is the Abbey Reel but although the first is familiar I couldn’t put a name on it; maybe this clip would be of interest to RoisinB in her search for a Fleadh tune.
Launch of new website
Launch of new website
Hope I don't get pounced on for putting this here but I feel lots of you on the website would not see it in the events section where it is also posted. The official launch of comhaltas.ie the new website of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann takes place on Thursday 15th February 2007 at 7.30 in different venues. There will be a live webcast of the launch event from different venues.
This is a very exciting new website which will help promote traditional Irish music and culture around the world.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by MollyB
Re: Launch of new website
Thanks for the heads up Molly.
You were right, I would have missed it in the events section.
Fair play.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by session savage
Re: Launch of new website
The new website looks very nice, although they didn't hide it very well...
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Launch of new website
Bloody typical to take a piano accordeon as a spread on the opening page
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
It seems you've found the backdoor as I have, but you'll notice that the featured instrument changes when you reload the page.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Launch of new website
Backdoor? oh do tell!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by tnoumarap
Re: Launch of new website
Sorry, I've already said too much. Something to look forward to on Thursday.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Launch of new website
damn you, I'll have to find it myself now!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by tnoumarap
Re: Launch of new website
/new
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
That's a problem here... if listed in Events, you are not supposed to post here. We have a concert coming 3/30 (McManus and Donnelly...hope this doesn't count) I and advance tix are now on sale because we expect a big crowd. If I list it in events now, it is not readily apparent closer to the time, and I do wonder if people bother to go type in their area periodically and look, or just look at the first page that pops up.
I wish there were some mechanism, Jeremy... is there... to keep it organized date-wise as well as location wise? Or can we sometimes add a reminder to go look in the events section, lacking that?
And can I ask those of you on this thread if you do go to events regularly and check? In which case all is well as is. I am afroad to post it now to events and have it get lost in time. I know I rarely remember to check the events.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by irisnevins
Re: Launch of new website
I got it! I used /frame, /new works aswell though!:D
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by tnoumarap
Re: Launch of new website
Why did CCE the embodiment of everything Irish get an American company to design their site?
Very Un Comhaltas I must say...
Only joking.
Well done - looking forward to seeing it.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Launch of new website
kilfarboy
Even as a PA player I agree with us. I've learned to gain some level of acceptabilty in this era of internet accordion jokes that one needs to maintain somewhat of a low profile if his/her insrutment is going to get any level of acceptance.
Look at it this way.
If as Hugo suggests, the site is of American design....the background could have been a Guinness logo since that seems to be the popular (for some I will be very careful to qualify my statement) embodiment of being Irish in the States.
Strangely, the closest point it seems where an American can get palatable Guinness is in Dunquin or the Skelligs. Our stuff has these little gas pellets in the bottle that create the foam.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by zippydw
Re: Launch of new website
/index works but so does /anything
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Lurcherjohn
Re: Launch of new website
Such is the wonder of Ruby on Rails. Go ahead, type anything.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by mcdevincabe
Re: Launch of new website
Only recently joined this website though I've often heard of it from friends. The new comhaltas site looks fair impressive, I used to visit the old one now and again but I've been told that this one will have far more video footage on it.
My sources tell me there will be a live webcast
co-ordinated from the Cultúrlann in Dublin at 9.00pm. This will
link up with various centres including Ennis (Temple Gate Hotel), Sligo (Ceolaras, Gurteen), Philadelphia and Manchester. Each Centre will provide it's own bit of entertainment for 3 mins or so. However, there will be sessions at each centre before the webcast (say 8.30) and again to finish the night after the webcast.
So if you have no Internet access for the launch, why not try to head to one of the centres for a few tunes?
I am a member of Comhaltas by the way!! (: But this resource is going to be for everyone.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Mr TY
Re: Launch of new website
That is me playing the guitar in the top righthand corner where it says clip of the day!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by proinsiasrua
Re: Launch of new website
Looks like a mighty session Proinsias - it wasn't the Letterkeny Raddisson by any chance? Anyone heading down to the Temple Gate in Ennis tomorrow night for the launch - whatever about the technology it's hard to beat the opportunity for a few tunes!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Launch of new website
Good old - 'Clip of the Day', the artist, formally known as 'proinsiasrua'!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Launch of new website
No bannerman, it was somewhere halfway along the main street. Was a grand spot to be, went around a lot of sessions that night but I remember hovering in that area for about an hour or more. We sat down there with a bunch of very young and very tallented kids, they soon hit the road and it was just myself and Edel left on own own for a while. That was when this photo was taken. The photographer came over of course and asked permission to use the pic and took an address to send a print, which I don't think he ever did.
Anyway, we didn't sit there alone for long. Edel's lovely fiddle playing drew a great crowd and a whole lot more musicians before long! I can even remember which tunes we played there....
I think a Co. Clare man was one of the next musicians we met there!
Ptar- 'always' known as proinsiasrua!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by proinsiasrua
Re: Launch of new website
Those unsure of the back door entry should just add '/index' to the address given above.
I can't see any reason for making a fuss about this relaunch as the site still has all the problems of the old one and, above all, lists barely any of the CDs that CCÉ has released.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Launch of new website
I'd imagine that after checking out http://comhaltas.ie/shop/archive/C58/ it's obviously the intention of Comhaltas to list their wares eventually. However, I'm much happier watching Pronsiasrua and his friends in session belting out some great reels in the first instance as this is what's been missing for so long from Comhaltas and other trad sites.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Launch of new website
Hey there. Guess I'll come out of the closet as the guy behind the new Comhaltas website. I've been working hard on the new site for quite a few months now, and I hope that it lives up to what I have in mind for it.
But give it a while to settle in.
(Incidentally, I was really only making a token attempt to "hide" it - I released the site a week ago. Less risk for the release, easier to test, and really, I'm happy about whatever advance buzz the site stirs up.)
So yeah, anyone who wants to tune into the launch webcast tomorrow is more than welcome: http://comhaltas.ie/blog/post/launch/ . We'll see how many people my shiny new server can handle .
And you guys are right - the "content" that will start off on the site Day 1 is only a fraction of what should be there eventually. I'll start with the last couple of tour CDs, but I'll eventually post tracks for all of our stuff. Initially there won't be stuff from our Archive, but I've got 14,000 tracks of audio ready to go. I'll start with the basic contact info for 250 branches (each with their own page), but after the branches get used to updating their own info (events, sessions, classes, photos, etc.) I'm hoping for a ton of new stuff to be posted by lots of people.
That's really the goal of the new site - providing a communications tool to the tens of thousands of Comhaltas folks around the world. Every single branch can log in and change and add to their stuff. And I'll be getting as much online as I can from head office. It will be a fun ride -- and it will actually be feedback from people like all of you that will make it a success. Or not.
And proinsiasrua: sorry not to send you a print yet! I'll get right on that. Soon as we get this launch out of the way, I promise.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
hey b, how do you submit new branches to the map section of the site? can it be done cause a lot of them are missing!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by tnoumarap
Re: Launch of new website
Thanks for the '/index' tip Geoff, I never thought of that! Duh! Guess I'm just not a back door kinda guy!
Enjoyed seeing that good photo of yourself proinsiasrua & Edel - did they send you a copy? Pity they didn't record you guys playing though - or is it in there somewhere?
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Ptarmigan
Re: Launch of new website
new-strings: Sure. I sent around a survey to each and every branch last October, asking them to fill in their details. A good many ignored my letter, unfortunately, and those ones aren't up there yet.
Adding a new location to the map (and having a page for it, etc.) is really just a question of filling out a web form. But what to fill in .... that's the part I need the counties to get going on!
Getting the remaining ones up will be the responsibility of the county boards, with a lot of prodding from me. This is going to take some patience, getting everybody on board. I'll be asking the county secretaries to identify the gaps in the next month or two.
The whole site is run off a database -- kinda like this one.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Hey B, don't be worrying about that print. sure just email it to me at some stage when you are not so busy. Email is my username here at hotmail . com.
I remember at one stage on the same night (the better of two nights there, Saturday i think) being lost in a wonderful set of tunes that went on for quite a while, really enjoying the music with myself Edel another fiddle and a flute, I think, a set where we all clicked. When I lifted my head after the last set there was a big crowd around us that wasn't there when we started and some sort of TV camera too. So, Ptarmi, there may be some recordings in there somewhere!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by proinsiasrua
Re: Launch of new website
BTW, did any of ye see this:
http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltas_mobile_phone/
What a laugh! Priceless!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by proinsiasrua
Re: Launch of new website
Yep, that was Willie Fogarty with the camera. I was surprised myself to look up from the session and see so much attention. I was wandering around Gallaghers most of the time (because I stayed there) ... seemed like there were often a good few tunes to choose from within 100 feet of my room! I loved Vince Jordan's sessions right outside the door .... he keeps a good moderate pace on his *gasp* piano accordion - you can see him a bit in this clip: http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/programme_203_segment_1/ Incidentally, I have a lot more Letterkenny video still to post!
And proinsiasrua, I just mailed you that photo - sorry for the delay!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Thanks B!
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by proinsiasrua
Re: Launch of new website
There is a photograph of Kitty Hayes posted with an item about Mrs. Crotty.
This is a stupid mistake to begin with and Comhaltas, well funded as it is, may well get onto the photographer for a chat about permission to use, copyright fees and all that malarkey before ripping something off the web (concertina.net in this case where a clear copyrightnotice and photographer's contact are posted).
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
Have to agree with Prionsias that the Mobile Phone is something else. Tomás Ó Cannáin (Derry Piper Tom Canning for the benefit of those who knew him in his Liverpool days) should be in the running for an Oscar for this performance. I think he put it all together himself in front of an Apple PC without any other assistance. There's something about his dead pan humour that reminds me of the late great Spike Milligan.
# Posted on February 14th 2007 by Bannerman
Re: Launch of new website
kilfarboy: Thanks for the heads-up - I've removed the photo from the Mrs. Crotty entry. Not sure how that mistake crept in, but I can assure you that we take copyright pretty seriously around here. I'd be happy to discuss the "well-funded" nature of Comhaltas with you sometime, too -- from the inside it's pretty much a shoestring operation!
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Kilfarboy
you're getting a bit heated??
Congratulations b, some excellent work there.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Mr TY
Re: Launch of new website
The site was designed and coded by my good friends at Happy Cog in Philadelphia. If their previous work is anything to go by, the Comhaltas site will be beautifully designed and implemented.
b, I hope you should Jason, Rob, Dan and the gang a good time when they were over in Dublin.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Jeremy
Re: Launch of new website
Jeremy:
I figured that you'd know the Cogs, being a fellow adherent of the web standards movement in your own work. And yes, as Jason mentioned (http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/archive/2006/08/21/european_adventure.php ), the gang had a great time! They even decided to hold their Christmas party in Dublin this year, so I got to meet the entire crew -- they were a hit at the Comhaltas Christmas party in the Cultúrlann. And of course, I got to show them what Irish sessions are really all about! When I started thinking about who I wanted to design the new comhaltas site, Zeldman and his gang were the first ones to come to mind.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Excellent! The Happy Coggers are indeed world-class.
By the way, anyone in Philly who wants to attend the official website launch party tomorrow, the 15th, contact Jason Santa Maria:
http://www.jasonsantamaria.com/contact/
I wish I could be there.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Jeremy
Re: Launch of new website
That's a very nicely done website. Funny color scheme, but clean and easy to use. They'll work out the content problems---the organization of it is what's superb.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by kennedy
Re: Launch of new website
'Kilfarboy
you're getting a bit heated??'
Yes I am actually.
Not being able to identify a correct photograph of one of their founder members and flagships is well, sloppy. Secondly , despite what B says Comhaltas is a highly profitable and heavily grant aided operation (Cois na Abhna received a few millions only months ago and that is only one branch, I was invited to the do with senator Larry to celebrate the money coming in but declined). You'd expect they'd go to their own archives for photographic material and not rip people's work from the net without permission or acknowledgement. It's just a tiny bit of common decency that I found lacking there.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
In addition and regrading my well funded comment I quote Tom Munnelly here writing on 6 dec 2002 to the IrTrad mailing list:
.Those of you in Ireland take a look at the current Phoenix magazine which runs an extensive profile of the Senator. Whereas they establish that there were outgoings of 550,000 euro for wages, pension, travel etc, they say that "the biggest single element here would be O/ Murchu's salary although the senator refused to elucidate ... on the amount he takes out of his organisation every year." Add that to his senator's salary and expenses and its nice work if you can get it.
Perhaps of even more interest to the CCE faithful who send monies to Monkstown is the passage "the organisation is a very successful one and although the accounts are not published, (Phoenix) can reveal that there were accumulated PROFITS (my emphasis) of 1.5 MILLION euro at the end of last year.'
in the light of which I commented on the organisation being well able to pay photographers their appropriate fees.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
Kilfarboy:
Just wanted to clarify a couple of things. Yes, the Cois na hAbhna regional resource centre recently got a grant for putting on a new roof and expanding the building to add more classroom space. We do get some money from Government - almost all of it is earmarked for these kinds of construction projects, and we even had some left over last year. The goal is to establish a national network of resource centres with archives, classroom space and so forth, open to the public.
But like most of my colleagues, I left a very good job and good money in the private sector to come and work for a non-profit for very little pay exactly because I believe in the mission of Comhaltas. There are some outstanding people here, no matter your personal opinion of Senator Ó Murchú.
And while I wouldn't want to get into too much of a flame war (too late?), I'd note that I removed the offending photograph and apologised for the error within minutes of being notified, and that I regularly do pay photographers to license their work, for the website and for other purposes.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Wow 40 posts! And a telling off from Jeremy for posting on the wrong section but I think most of ye would not have seen it just in the events section. Some negative comments here and I agree with b, whatever personal opinions you have about individual people in Comhaltas a lot of us are very dedicated volunteer workers who love the music, language and culture of Ireland and will do anything in their spare time to promote it particularly amongst younger people. We have just run a wonderful week-end in Leitrim where musicians came from all over (without pay) to honour a flute player who lived in the area. People from all over the country came together to play tunes and have a good time and it was all with the help of some funding etc. from Comhaltas so well done B for your hard work on the website and looking forward to the launch of a brilliant resource.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by MollyB
Re: Launch of new website
I am fussy about photographs and copyrights, B and you wouldn't believe how often these things happen. It IS often just a matter of sending an e-mail and asking permission, a common courtesy.
I also note most other photos have a 'copyright comhaltas' creditline, I wonder what the people who took these photographs feel about that, for example Dennis Winter who took the shot of Micho Russell or RTE who as far as I know hold the copyright to the one of Denis Murphy which was originally taken for the RTE guide
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
Sure - I don't think anyone would argue that you *shouldn't* care about these things! Anyway, the photos that you refer to all come out of the Comhaltas archive. My understanding is that we have the rights to use these, which makes me think that we've gotten permission from the photographers at some point. You're right, of course, that the photographer would retain the original copyright, so I'll modify the watermark to reflect only that the image came out of the archive.
My understanding of copyright law would suggest that we're in "fair use" territory here - a low-resolution photograph used by an educational insitution to illustrate a short biographical note - and probably I don't need formal contracts in place. But certainly, if you know of photographers who I should be contacting out of politeness, I'm quite happy to do so. I certainly agree with you that photographers should retain the moral rights of attribution and notification.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
We're going way off track at this stage so this is the last I am going to say on this, the Berner convention which is one of the conventions regarding these rights ratified by Ireland is quite clear about the protection of a (photographers) work.
That you have prints in archive does not at any time give you the copyright or any other rights to the work. Each use for publication should be licensed by the owner of the work.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by Prof. Prlwytzkofski
Re: Launch of new website
Yep, we'll take it offline, like civilised people.
And I agree, we don't hold copyrights on images just because we happen to have prints. My only point was that under the Berne convention (and then the 2000 Copyright Act, along with the various EU harmonisation acts) we have some leeway in publication, as long as we don't make money, the purpose is educational, etc., etc. But let's continue this discussion in another forum - I definitely appreciate the input.
# Posted on February 15th 2007 by b
Re: Launch of new website
Hmm the media doesnt play on Opera browser. I'll have to install firefox....
# Posted on February 16th 2007 by Splendid Isolation
Comhaltas Website relaunched
Just back from a launch of the new Comhaltas Website Makeover ,check it out ,Martin
As part of the new Comhaltas website, they are re-launching the ComhaltasLive weekly video programme. With a higher resolution format and more search options
http://comhaltas.ie/
# Posted on February 16th 2007 by Martin Donohoe
Re: Comhaltas Website relaunched
Just in case you forgot with all the postings since it was mentioned ,it looks good ,and can only be a help for many people to check on the trad ,also the shop is online ,Martin
# Posted on February 16th 2007 by Martin Donohoe
Re: Comhaltas Website relaunched
But its Comhaltas Martin!!
# Posted on February 16th 2007 by no39
Re: Launch of new website
What do you mean no39 “But it’s Comhaltas Martin” - oops I didn’t say that! I’ve just got that Groundhog Day feeling where all the pro and anti CCE arguments are trotted out once more and I think we’ve all had more than enough of that. On with the music I say !!
Today’s video clip of the day at http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/programme_181_segment_8_eoin_conway/ has a couple of lovely flute tunes from Eoin Conway – the second is the Abbey Reel but although the first is familiar I couldn’t put a name on it; maybe this clip would be of interest to RoisinB in her search for a Fleadh tune.
# Posted on February 16th 2007 by Bannerman