Fitzgerald chronicler, Patrick Coleman thinks that the story is so accessible because it’s themes of disguise resonate with us from the very beginning of adulthood, and it doesn’t hurt that the novel ‘is just so beautifully written, those sentences are stunning sometimes, and that’s what prompts these revisits to the big screen’

The latest revisit is appropriately filled with Hollywood’s elite from master director Baz Luhrmann to leading man Leonardo Dicaprio and love interest Carey Mulligan. It’s been said that the film is oozing with style that elicits Fitzgerald’s novel.

But not at the cost of the book. The novel has been central to the production for both cast and director, as Baz Luhrmann explained:

The sensational Leonardo Dicaprio (image by foto de chaubaby, via Flickr)

‘Whatever the choices (for the film), it was about one thing: revealing that book

‘Leonard [Dicaprio] would almost drive me crazy, but in a good way, because he would say “Are we honouring the book?”‘

F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote his own Wild Geese story. His parents both held Irish ancestry and he mapped his own journey from humble beginning to the writer of the time. Fitzgerald was a prominent figure of the ‘Jazz Age’ and pre dated the celebrity culture we know today. He was certainly a head of the curve, both as a writer and social figure.

‘He was a wild commercial success,’ explains Coleman. ‘No writer can become famous overnight, like a rock star, the way he did anymore’

The latest filmed opened a week earlier in the USA. Baz Luhrmann shared the story of a mysterious lady who attended the premier in New York:

‘She said “I think Scott would be proud of this film… and by the way, I love the music!”‘

The lady was Eleanor Lanahan, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s granddaughter. ‘So for me,’ the director continued, ‘that was about as good as it could possibly get’.

Elixir in San Francisco has not only been recognised as one of the USA’s top bars, it is also one of it’s oldest. Its rich heritage means this is a place with bundles of character and plenty of charm. The perfect place then for us to celebrate one of the big events of the year: St Patrick’s Day.

Over the St Patrick’s weekend, we sponsored Elixir’s 10th Annual St Patrick’s Party, where our whiskey was poured as the feature product. Patrons enjoyed our Collection straight up and in two bespoke cocktails. We’ve got some fantastic videos from this event to share with you all, but first a little more about this impressive venue.

Recent evidence suggests that Elixir’s building has stood since 1858, meaning its location on the corner of 16th and Guerrero has seen the American nation develop.

From being one of the ‘Wildest of the Wild West’ saloons in the late 1800s to being a vessel for the new European immigrants of the 1900s to pass through. Elixir is found in the Mission Delores district of San Francisco, which itself has undergone many changes. Today it is a trendy area for young professional, a great art scene, but it was originally swallowed up by an expanding San Francisco after the Gold Rush era. It became a place for immigrant communities to live and make their way in America. Amongst these was a large Irish community, many of whom worked on the construction of one of the country’s iconic structures: San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

In March 2012 Elixir remembered and celebrated these Men of Action by featuring our Rare Irish Whiskey in their commemorative ‘The Mission’ cocktail. So it was fitting that we collaborated once again on celebrating the Irish heritage of the neighbourhood. Check out our new videos at Elixir which will be released this Thursday (May 2nd).

Monument to James Bowie outside the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

Wild Geese have flown far from Ireland since 1691. Many settled in new communities and raised families far from Ireland, writing new strands in the Legend of The Wild Geese. No matter how far they traveled  their ancestry and dream of freedom for everyone has united them.

Two Wild Geese were prominent figures in the Battle of The Alamo in 1836: Davy Crockett and James Bowie.

James Bowie fought as part of the Texas Militia fighting the Mexican army lead by Santa Ana for the freedom of Texas. He marched into the Alamo in San Antonio de Bexar (modern day San Antonio) in January 1836 with orders to destroy the Mission. However, he soon decided that the Alamo would be very important to securing Texas. He wrote in a letter:

‘the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Bexar out of the hands of enemy… I have come to the solemn resolution that I would rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy’

Bowie pledged himself to this for the remainder of his days. He lead the Texas Militia troops in the stand against the approaching tyranny during a 13 day siege.

In the final days of the defense of the Alamo, he suffered pneumonia and as the Alamo was eventually stormed by the Mexican army, it is said that he even fought from his death bed, determined to stand against the enemy until his final breath.

Although the Alamo fell to the Mexican army in March 1836, the sacrifices of the brave men at the Alamo spurred on the Texas forces who defeated  Santa Ana’s army a month later in April 1836.

James Bowie, a true Man of Action, did not die in vein.

The Alamo, San Antonio Texas

Image from Thais Aranjo2 via Flickr Creative Commons

Our story begins in 1691 when Patrick Sarsfield and his followers left Ireland, hoping and believing that they would one day return. Since then countless ‘Wild Geese’ have left Ireland, their extraordinary stories being interwoven with the Legend of The Wild Geese.

Recently Hollywood (that’s Hollywood Co. Wicklow) mega-star Tom Cruise discovered his Wild Geese story when he was presented with a ‘Certificate of Irish Heritage’ during his visit to Dublin for the Irish premiere of Oblivion.

‘It was incredible. As a gift they went and researched my family. They traced my family back to the ninth century in Ireland

‘I had no idea it went back that far. I found our my ancestors were the rulers on north Ireland and they owned a town called Hollywood [in Co. Wicklow]‘

As it turns out, one of Cruise’s ancestors, Patrick Russell Cruise, was most definitely a ‘Man of Action’, as he explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live:

‘He was in New York and this guy who helped with running the family estates wanted to throw the tenants off the farm and he got on a boat, went all the way back, reinstated the tenants on the farm, fired the lawyer and they had this big dinner for him’

His family owned most of Dublin and genealogists showed Cruise the location of the family castle on a map, which he is keen to visit one day.

‘To learn about the history of my family – it was incredible. It’s a great honour for me and my whole family – I can’t wait to bring it back to them and enlighten them on their history… I’m very proud to be Irish. There’s pride in America of being Irish. I can’t wait to come back and I want to visit the land of my ancestors and the castle that they held’.

 

Munster secured a win against the London team with a final score of 18-12. While it was Ronan O’Gara who landed 6 penalties, the might Lions charged into battle under the leadership of a returning Paul O’Connell. And since he first stepped onto the pitch this past Sunday all eyes have been on O’Connell. His effect on the team has been undeniable, with a powerful display of leadership that reminds us of Patrick Sarsfield.

‘He has this empathetic outlook on life – he sees things through other people’s eyes, and he has this understanding that makes everyone feel good to be around him. You couple that with his rugby ability and he is just a really complete man’

He even won praise from the rival Harlequin’s rugby director Conor O’Shea:

‘He was majestic. The whole team was physical but he was the totem that the whole team just rose around. He is arguably one of the greatest second rows, if not the greatest second row, that Ireland has ever produced’

Munster will now head into their 10th semi-final against Clermont Auvergne in Montpellier.

Daniel Day-Lewis accepts his third Best Actor Academy Award making Oscar history (Image by Disney ABC Television Group, via Flickr Creative Commons)

At the Academy Awards last night, he echoed the success he’s seen during this year’s awards season:

‘I really don’t know how any of this happened. I do know that I’ve received so much more than my fair share of good fortune in my life and I’m so grateful to the Academy for this beautiful honour’

Courage
We think we have an idea how this happened. He’s been acting since the age of 14 has come to every role with a hugh level of respect and ambition for what may lay a head. When he accepted the role of Abraham Lincoln he found it had a ‘paralysing quality’ to it and the prospect of portraying one of the great American heroes was daunting. He initially declined the role, but his courageous spirit won out and he soon set to work researching the American President.

Commitment
Daniel Daniel-Lewis is infamous for the intensity he brings to his roles. His method acting has lead to him learning to build canoes and hunt for The Last of the Mohicans, studying as a butcher for Gangs of New York and visiting disabled people at Dublin’s Sandymount School Clinic for his role in My Left Foot, for which he won his first Academy award. While visiting Sandymount he built strong relationships with those at the clinic.

However, this intensity hasn’t diminished his charm. In all his acceptance speeches this year he has displayed a humble gratitude and respect for all his colleagues. When accepting the Oscar for Lincoln, he paid tribute to the ‘mysteriously beautiful mind, body and spirit of Abraham Lincoln’

Flight
Daniel Day-Lewis has always been ambitious and horizons ever widening. When he was younger he was enthralled by Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, with lit a fire in him to explore American stories:

‘I just kept going back – I didn’t know America, but that was a glimpse of what America might be, and I realised that, contrary to expectation, I wanted to tell American stories’

By bringing to life one of the country’s greatest leaders he has certainly achieved this. No force seems to be able to quell Day-Lewis’ ambition and has made a significant impact on a culture he admires and loves. Just like a true Wild Geese.

John Rocha often mixes his native Chinese culture with his adopted Ireland (Image by KaiChanVong, via Flickr Creative Commons)

Designer John Rocha has brought the sweeping landscapes of the Irish countryside to his latest collection, which was recently very warmly received at London Fashion Week.

After graduating from art college, John Rocha soon settled in Dublin, adopting the country as his home. It has been a hub of inspiration and creativity for the designer, who launched his first label, Chinatown, in Dublin, before designing lines for many of the cities luxury stores, including the renowned Brown Thomas.

In his latest designs, the love he shares for the country really comes through – a love we’ve seen displayed by The Wild Geese. Although they hoped and believed that they would one day return to Ireland, many of The Wild Geese did not see the country they loved again. But Ireland was always in their hearts.

John Rocha’s new collection embraces the powerful colors found on the rural Irish landscape:

‘The collection is inspired by the Wicklow countryside. The colours and texture of the Sally Gap on a winter’s day’

John Rocha’s latest inspiration, The Wicklow Mountains on a winter’s day (Image from KaiChanVong, via Flickr Creative Commons)

This inspiration has helped him envisage what designs would suit this stunning backdrop:

‘I like the idea of some old-fashioned charm, coat and dresses together. For me, at this stage of my career, it’s all about making women as beautiful as possible – it’s not just about the clothes’

Titled ‘Foundations’, Jordan’s latest collection has been inspired by her love of architecture and what she has seen on her travels. She’s channeled an intrepid spirit shared by The Wild Geese into her latest designs:

‘My autumn/winter 2013 collection is inspired by Italian renaissance architecture, specifically with the Duomo in Florence. Juxtaposed with this opulence, I have also been looking at stark, minimalist, monochrome interiors. I studied architecture, so it has always been a strong influence in my work’

Jordan used the Duomo in Florence as inspiration for her latest collection, ‘Foundations’ (Photo by Steph Gray lesteph via Flickr Creative Commons)

Jordan first unveiled her solo designs in 2008, when she launched the line Irwin & Jordan in Ireland. As her ancestral home, it was a perfect place to show the world what she could so and she even set up a temporary store in the ‘House of Irish Design’ the Brown Thomas department store in Dublin.

Like The Wild Geese, she has transported her talents all over the world, bringing people both practical and stylish fashion that his still turning heads. As her designs continue to evolve, we’re sure to seen this intrepid spirt once again.

The original Endurance Expedition lead by Ernest Shackleton (Photo by santiagonostalgico, via Flickr Creative Commons)

The key here is an ‘authentic recreation’. Not only did Jarvis and Gray follow Shackleton’s route, they did it only using mountain-climbing gear and equipment that the original expedition would have used in the early 1900s. A brave decision given that a few days ago they were caught in white-out conditions, but for environmental scientist Travis Jarvis this was about honouring the brave:

‘These early explorers were iron men in wooden boats and while modern man mostly travels around in iron vessels, I hope we’ve been able to emulate some of what they achieved. There’s no doubt in my mind that everyone has a Shakleton double in them and I hope we’ve inspired a few people to find theirs’

Shackleton was born in Kilkea, Co. Kildare, Ireland. He had the intrepid spirit of The Wild Geese, and took to the seas at 16. He has become one of the prominent figures inn the Heroic Age of Antarctic Explorations, along with Captain Scott.

Its endearing to see how Jarvis and Gray have tried to connect with their hero by sharing in his experiences. When Shackleton’s eyes met those new horizons, its likely that he shared in the experiences of The Wild Geese when they left Ireland and faced the unknown in 1691. The legend continues.

Seconds later Daniel Day-Lewis has risen to the stage and in front of an admiring audience  delivered one of the more amusing, yet still humbling acceptance speeches of the night. For those of you who missed it, the Oscar hopeful made the speech of a lifetime, referencing his famous method acting, while gently making fun:

‘Just on the chance I might one day have to speak on an evening such as this I’ve actually stayed in character as myself for the last 55 years and had a various selection of Bafta sets downscaled, dating from the late fifties, placed in every single room of every house I’ve ever lived in and every time I rise from a chair it spontaneously unleashes a soundtrack of thunderous applause, with a few boos and drunken hecklers’

But there were no boos. Joking aside, his commitment to a character clearly works. Once again, his ability to bring a story to life has been recognised by the industry. Last month he picked up the Golden Globe and SAG awards for the same role. He’s now added his fourth BAFTA to that growing list, thanking Steven Spielberg for his time working on Lincoln and wishing they were ‘still on the expedition together’. Just one more step towards the Academy awards.

George Clooney at Toronto Film Festival 2008 (Photo by Josh Jensen via Flickr)

Another very nice surprise of the evening was when another of today’s Wild Geese turned up. The always dashing George Clooney attended in his producer role on Argo which was awarded Best Film. Sporting a healthy beard, we’re betting guys from London to LA will be growing facial hair to match his style.

Clooney has done some monumental work behind the camera in the past few years, so it was incredibly gratifying to see him pick up the BAFTA for Best Film with director Ben Afflect and co-producer Grant Heslov.

In his acceptance speech Clooney had nothing but praise for his director:

‘You’re smart and you know what you want but more important, you love what you’re doing’