New & Noteworthy: Seige of Limerick

By Eileen Murphy

Actor Richard Harris has joined the growing list of people who are raking Frank McCourt over the coals for the book and movie versions of "Angela’s Ashes." But for the Limerick-born Harris, the author’s characterization of his native county is a personal affront.

After blasting the book for "lacking any literary merit" and the writer as being an "unreliable chronicler of events," Harris was just warming up.

"The moaning, groaning and whingeing orchestrated with strains of ‘poor little me’ scream off a screen so full of rain that Limerick should be famous for its water polo rather than its rugby," the notoriously crotchety thespian opined in a guest column in one the Sunday edition of the Limerick Leader newspaper.

Harris insisted that he had no personal beef with either McCourt or the director of the "Ashes" film, Alan Parker. But dear old Limerick is too close to Harris’s heart for him to allow anyone to cast aspersions on it.

"I will wield a double-edged sword against anybody whose profit seeking and self-interest castigate a city that historically has defended and fortified itself against foreign intrusion and subjugation," he huffed – we must say – poetically.

But the citizens of the walled city – which, we tremble to inform Harris, has earned the nickname "Stab City" in recent times – are apparently a forgiving lot.

"Hating the disloyalty of the book, the people there are still united in their loyalty to McCourt and their pride that a Limerick man found success in America," wrote Harris.

"What a pity that this Limerick quality has evaded him, his brood and his cohorts. The walls of Limerick have withstood many an aggressor," Harris concluded. "Parker and McCourt have not dislodged a stone."

Well, they may not have dislodged a stone, but we have a feeling that the tourists, who’ve already begun flocking to McCourt’s hometown, will be prying the paving stones off the streets for souvenirs come summertime. So, we figure, everyone should profit nicely from the controversy over McCourt’s misery remembered.

Not that this makes Harris any happier. Challenging the accuracy of "Ashes" is a bit of a double-edged sword, in his opinion, because anyone who does risks being labeled a "profiteering begrudger." Stay tuned.

Come back (to) Paddy Reilly’s . . .

So, what are you doing Feb. 2, other than celebrating James Joyce’s birthday or rooting for ol’ Puxatawney Phil to see (or not see) his shadow that morning? If you’re in the mood for a party, you’ll want to make your way down to Paddy Reilly’s that night for what’s shaping up to be the biggest party since they dropped that crystal ball in Times Square.

OK, so maybe we’re exaggerating just a little. But there will be a huge celebration at the hip Second Avenue watering hole to celebrate the joint being named Best Irish Music Bar by the Village Voice. The fun starts around 8 p.m., but smart cookies will get there much earlier, since this place fills up fast. Members of the different bands that have put the pub on the map (or have been put on the map by the pub) like the Prodigals, Gorman & O’Kane, Pierce Turner, The McCabes, Tony DeMarco, Eamonn O’Rourke, Tom Hanway and special guests will be dropping by to perform. (Oddly, no Black 47, whose name was synonymous with Paddy Reilly’s Pub in the old days.)

And you never know who else will be on hand, since the place has become something of a celebrity magnet, with actors like George Wendt, Woody Harrelson, Gregory Peck, Tim Robbins, Harrison Ford, Jason Patric and Christy Turlington dropping in to sample the stout in the world’s only all-Guinness tap pub.

Host Steve Duggan promises a good time for all, and when he issues the invitation in his Cavan accent, sure who could resist? Not us, at any rate, so we’ll see you at Paddy Reilly’s. We’ll be in the thick of things, enjoying the music and graciously accepting birthday wishes. (Which birthday, you ask? Why ours, silly.)

Roma ‘n’ Rupert: romance?

Another story for the "Believe it or not" file: the Sunday World reports that Derry-born actress Roma Downey is arse-over-tete in love with openly gay actor Rupert Everett.

The weekly quotes a an unnamed friend of the "Touched by an Angel" star who says that Downey insists "I’m going to marry this man. You just wait and see."

Apparently, the paper reports, Downey knows that Everett is gay, but doesn’t see that as an impediment to the marriage of true minds.

"I know he’s gay," she supposedly said. "But I don’t care. I’m going to change that."

And playing the religious angle, the friend says that Downey was most concerned with Rupert’s spiritual background.

"Rupert is Catholic. That’s important to me," gushed Roma, according to the source. And "those deep brown eyes . . . and his build. He’s such a handsome man!" she swooned.

Now, Roma may have gotten a bit out of touch, what with living among the cherubim and seraphim as she does, but we’d be surprised if the pragmatic Derry girl would really allow herself to butt her head against a Stonewall, as it were. Rupert is, indeed, a dreamy hunk – we’d be the first to admit we swooned over him in "An Ideal Husband" – but he seems to have a clear take on his sexual orientation. So, really, Roma’s got more chance of being touched by an angel . . .

Daddy’s girl

Pity poor Cecelia Ahern. There she is, bright as a button, perky as a parrot, talented as a taxi, blond as a . . . (c’mon, work with us here) and still, people insist on referring to her as "Bertie’s girl." Never mind that "Bertie" is also known around Ireland as "An Taoiseach." It’s still, like, so annoying.

At least, it is when you’re trying to launch a career as a pop star, says Cecelia. The 18-year-old daughter of Bertie and his estranged wife, Miriam, is on the verge of pop stardom, having successfully auditioned for a boy-and-girl pop band that will make their debut at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. She and her bandmates will warble Ireland’s entry, "When You Are Near," written by Orla Molloy (a member of the pop group Who’s Eddie?).

"Anytime I’m introduced to someone or there’s a headline in a newspaper, it’s ‘Bertie’s girl,’ " she complained good-naturedly to the Sunday World. "It can become annoying, but at the same time I do understand that people don’t know me, so it’s fame by association."

Cecelia does acknowledge, though, that there are plenty of perks that come with being the daughter of the Big Cheese.

"I wouldn’t be able to go to events like [the MTV Awards] if dad didn’t get me a ticket," she admitted. "I also know that being his daughter has helped to get me noticed."

Cecelia’s most cherished wish?

"I’m looking forward to the day when he will be known as ‘Cecelia’s dad!’" she giggled.

Add a few zeroes to 007

Irish actor Pierce Brosnan is Hollywood’s newest golden boy these days, according to gossip maven Liz Smith. She reported in Tuesday’s column that his two 1999 movies for MGM, "The Thomas Crown Affair" and "The World is Not Enough," grossed a combined $187 million at the box office.

Compare this to the $149.6 million that MGM’s other 10 1999 releases earned – combined! We’re just wondering how long it will be before Pierce joins Hollywood’s $20 million per picture fraternity. (By the way, "Crown" is No. 1 in video rentals as well, raking in more than $15 million in its first two weeks.)