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'Half-Blood Prince' a blue blood addition to the Harry Potter franchise

CAHIR O'DOHERTY

Irish Voice Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, July 14, 2009, 10:57 PM

Updated Thursday, July 23, 2009, 5:42 PM

Read more: Harry Potter, Albus Dumbledore, Lord Voldemort

Harry and pals in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"

PHOTO GALLERY / HARRY POTTER / CLICK HERE
VIDEO / ALL LUNA LOVEGOOD'S SCENES IN "HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX" / CLICK HERE
STORY / EVANNA LYNCH KEEPS HER FEET ON THE GROUND AMID HARRY POTTER HYPE / CLICK HERE
STORY / DUMBLEDORE BECOMES A REAL-LIFE FATHER AT 68 / CLICK HERE

In "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood," Prince J.K. Rowling’s magical saga takes a dramatic step closer to its final resolution.

In the latest episode (which opens nationwide today), the evil Lord Voldemort’s power is growing and his followers, the terrifying Death Eaters, have been emboldened by his return.

The new film, directed by David Yates, starts out a little bumpily, jumping suddenly between real-life London and the secret magical world of witches and wizards, but as soon as Ireland’s Michael Gambon appears in the role of Hogwarts' kindly schoolmaster Dumbledore, the film hits its stride.

“I expect you’re wondering why I called on you tonight,” Dumbledore says to Harry after he appears out of thin air at a train station in London. “Actually sir, after all these years I’ve learned to just go with it,” Harry replies. Like Harry, we have also learned to just go with it too, and what a wild ride this latest installment turns out to be.

If the choices we make eventually define us, then this latest summer blockbuster is the darkest examination to date of what can happen when we make the wrong ones. For the first time, Harry Potter is not the only “chosen one.” His rival, the evil young Draco Malfoy, has been selected by Lord Voldemort to assassinate Dumbledore. It’s a dangerous task that Malfoy may not have the will to pursue, but the set-up powers the drama from beginning to end.

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As the Irish people have a genuine sense of fun, Irish entertainment can be found in every town, village, city and county. One of the most popular forms is the festival, which is used to celebrate all sorts of occasions &emdash; everything from literary pursuits to a love of oysters. Here are a few highlights of entertainment in Ireland throughout the year: Londonderry boasts the biggest Halloween Festival in the world with around 30,000 celebrating the ancient Celtic New Year every October. Grab a dodgy mask and join the party! / The Belfast Festival at Queen’s is Ireland’s biggest International Festival and boasts an eclectic mix of music, talks, comedy, exhibitions and film. / The Galway Races, the Rose of Tralee Festival, Puck Fair in Killorglin, and the Oul’ Lammas Fair in Ballycastle are world famous and offer a great chance to enjoy Irish entertainment, life and laughs with the locals. / Food festivals are now a big draw in Ireland with local produce scoring high among international foodies. Head to the famous oyster festivals in Clarenbridge in Galway, or Hillsborough, County Down. / Tune in to a spot of music with the Open House Festival in Belfast, the Waterford International Festival of Light Opera, or the Feile an Phobail in west Belfast. Or grab a pint and tap your feet to some cool tunes at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival. / If you prefer your festivals small and intimate, try the harp festivals in Roscommon or the rough and ready horse and pony fairs from Cavan to Cork. Even today, the horses are priced in guineas, and bought and sold with a spit in the hand. / At the other end of the scale of entertainment in Ireland lies the Wexford Opera Festival with full-scale opera productions, concerts, recitals, talks, cabaret, fireworks, and, of course, parties. / For something a little different, try the Magnus Barelegs Festival in Downpatrick offering a slice of Viking life, or the Eagle Wing Festival in Groomsport, County Down, which celebrates Ireland’s cultural links with America. / Theater fans should head to Dublin for both the Dublin Theatre Festival and the excellent Dublin Fringe Festival, with wildly exciting performances taking place in fabulous venues. / Around March 17, the country turns a shade of green for a host of St Patrick’s Festivals. All over the country, from the Saint’s hallowed burial place in Downpatrick to the more carnival atmosphere of parades and exceptional fireworks in Dublin and Belfast. / Literary lovers should head to Dublin in June for the intriguing Bloomsday Festival, where fans of Joyce’s Gargantuan Ulysses dress up in traditional gear and scoff old Dublin food like “nutty gizzards” and “urine-soaked kidneys”. Alternatively, seek out the delights of the Aspects Literature Festival in Bangor in September, an annual celebration of Irish literature with lectures, discussion and music. But festivals are just one aspect of Irish entertainment—let's not forget about music! From impromptu sessions in your local bar to the thrilling beat of U2, Ireland has always been home to the best sounds of music. Ireland’s massive successes in the Irish entertainment world include some bands and artists you may have heard of…U2, The Corrs, Enya, Westlife, Snow Patrol, Ash, David Holmes, Van Morrison and The Thrills, to name just a few. Unique and distinctive, the harp holds a special place in Irish entertainment and has come to symbolize the harmony of people and music in Ireland. It’s the earliest musical instrument mentioned in Irish literature and has been used as an official emblem for Ireland since medieval times. Today, it’s on Irish passports and stamps. But there's more: Fleadhs, or festivals, are a major part of Irish entertainment as well as cultural life, and impromptu trad sessions have become the stuff of legend at West Belfast’s Feile an Phobail, the Galway Racing Festival or Kerry’s Puck Fair. Rock and dance music festivals are also big news with the Oxegen Festival, Tennents Vital Belfast and the Electric Picnic held in summer.

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