We are saddened beyond measure to hear that Brian has lost his brave battle.

We will forever be in the debt of all those involved in the tribute evening to Bhrian for allowing us the opportunity of expressing how we felt about him and the effect he had on our lives. To say he will be missed is such an understatement. He was certainly like no other. He rattled our cages of complacency thats for sure. Our thoughts are with you at this dark time. Love as always, Jim, Dympna and Connolly Heron.
I was so sorry to hear of Brians passing. He was one of a kind-- a true eccentric with a passionate vision-- the world needs more like him. Nate Edelman Saddened beyond measure to hear of my Uncle Brians passing. Pity he didn't make it as far as Ireland. I'm sure all will get great comfort from the memory of the musical celebration you had with him in on his birthday at the end of January. Our thoughts are with all the family at this very sad time. Ar Dheis Lmh D go raibh a Anam Dlis.

Pdraign Folan Spiddle, Ireland

Hello again Che, Morghean and Yury, Attached is the famous Orange Toast, which you may remember your father doing in your youth. Again, this is from "Mar a Bh agus Mar At As it Was and As it Is," the benefit for the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association that was mounted by the Artists' Committee of NAIF on March 17, 1972. The narrator's voice is that of Peter Rogan: (STEVE put these two links in audio section as well) Mar a Bh agus Mar At As it Was and As it Is: A History of Ireland in Music, Poetry, & Theater (1.24:49) http://www.mediafire.com/?1smqs1t287mom2f Irish Arts Center Pre-History Brian Heron Interview by Bill Ochs & Nancy Lyon in Late 1970s (1:00:22) http://www.mediafire.com/?2d5cdu2gjx95qxu

Best, Bill Ochs I was telling Morghean a story where I witnessed Brian being thrown out of a bar in the west of Ireland on top of a crowd of people belting out the Orange Toast and them not getting the theater or satire behind the whole thing. I used to watch the crowd as I got older wondering who I would have to block before they could get to him when he did it years later.

-Che STEVE This goes in articles

Irish News E-Missive

Fourth Wee March,

2011

Vol III Number 12

Brian Heron Dies At 70

Activist and Adventurer Founded Celtic Arts Center in Los Angeles

Brian o h-Eachtuigheirn (AKA Brian Heron) 1941-2011

Brian died of cancer in the care of his loving family in San Francisco on March 10. Brian, 70, was the charismatic visionary and founder of An Claidheamh Soluis/The Celtic Arts Center in Los Angeles; An Claidheamh Soluis the Irish Arts Center in New York City; the Brave Hearted Woman Theatre Company in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia and An Claidheamh Soluis Gaelic Adventure, all of which were created to preserve the Irish language, music and theatre. Born Brian Samuel Connolly Heron in Dublin, Ireland on January 24, 1941, Brian was the grandson of James Connolly, the General, Commander in Chief and martyred hero of the historic Easter Rising in Ireland in 1916. Like his famed grandfather, Brian, a true champion of workers' rights, first came to America with the assistance of Mike Quill of the Transport Workers Union. Above all, he was devoted to the preservation of traditional Irish language, Celtic arts and culture. At the time of his death, Brian was working on the creation of "An Claidheamh Soluis Gaelic Adventure," a multi-media/living-theatre piece. Much like his grandfather James Connolly, Brian never shied away from posing challenging concepts, striking up unpopular dialogue or asking the difficult questions. The most common of his controversial questions were regarding the Irish language: "Can a person of Irish descent really call themselves Irish when they cannot even speak their own language?"