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“Slaves built Galle Fort” – By Des Kelly Something, that I am afraid, not too many of us would have ever known, but for the fact that we “live & learn” until we die. I have always considered myself to be an avid reader, from a very early age, and always having been interested in the history of the Land of my birth, always imagined that the Galle & Colombo Forts were built by the Dutch who “ruled” the Island from 1640-1796, during which time, it was a combined effort of the Portuguese and the Sinhalese Kings co-ruled Ceylon, constantly fighting and “bickering” with each other, like, as the Sinhalese say, two “Pora-Kikili” (fighting cocks, or hens, as the case may be). So, I thought to myself, it was perhaps better that my ancestral predecessors “took over”. The Dutch, I thought, wonderful “builders”, as they were supposed to ...

Mar 28, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Jeevan Thiagarajah, Slaves built Galle Fort Comments 0

“ST.ANTHONY’S CHURCH KOCHCHIKADE’ – By Des Kelly Another extremely interesting “article” by “Journo” DISHAN JOSEPH, about a Church that I know very well. This amazing “Shrine”, named after the Catholic Saint who, as everyone knows, is even better known, because of the beautiful picture of him, holding the Christ-child in his arms. Incidentally, although I certainly do not deserve it, my parents gave me HIS name, following a vow to St.Anthony, even before I was born, thus making my first Christian name, Anthony. As far as I remember my Roman Catholic Catechism, there were two “Saints” who were always called upon (in prayer), by people who were in any sort of trouble. One was St.Anthony, of course, and the other was St.Jude. Another reason that Dishan’s story also interested me was because that, practically adjoining this famous Church, was the Royal Ceylon Navy land base “Gemunu ll”, where ...

Mar 27, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Colombo harbour, ST.ANTHONY'S CHURCH KOCHCHIKADE Comments 0

Stories in Song” Series 2019 – “I CAN HELP” – By Des Kelly Born on the 5th day of September,1962, in Svenstavic, Jamtland (Sweden), just a few months after this Writer had emigrated to Australia. I did not recognize the Name Micke Muster at all, hadn’t heard of him, until very recently, when brother Ian sent me this video-clip on facebook, from Sri Lanka. Where Ian got the clip from, I’ll never know, but suffice to say that my family use this “platform” for “uplifting material” rather than the rubbish presented by individuals who seem to delight in publicising violence like the tragic events that just occured in New Zealand, last week. Facebook, or ANY BOOK, should be extremely careful about what publicity is given & to whom, or else this “platform” may well also collapse, like faulty scaffolding one sees all too often, nowadays. Apologies for the digression on my part. ...

Mar 21, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Jerry Lee Lewis, Micke Muster Comments 0

Stories in Song Series. 2019 – “ON THE OTHER HAND” – By Des Kelly Randy Travis, born Randy Bruce Traywick born 4th May 1959, American Country singer songwriter guitarist plus actor as well, active since 1978, recorded no less than 20 Studio albums has toured worldwide and married Elizabeth Hatcher; a film producer in 1991 but they parted company in 2010. Liz Hatcher was 20 years older than Randy, actually meeting him when he was still a teenager (17 years old), after a long engagement of 9 years they tied the knot, only to undo it 19 years later in 2010. Liz was the manager of a night club and helped promote her famous husband to Stardom. He then met Mary Beougher & they were engaged in 2010.She was with him when he suffered a massive stroke in 2013, but fought back even after the doctors advised that he should ...

Mar 8, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Liz Hatcher, Randy Travis, Stories in Song Series Comments 0

“STORIES IN SONG” 2019 Series. – “COUNTRY OLDIES” – By Des Kelly Country oldies, but “goodies” I should add, because, here are a “Couple” that both made it to the stage of the old Opry, as it is fondly known, singly, and as an extremely popular snging duo. Their names, Jeannie Seely, still performing at nearly 79 years of age, and Jack Greene, who sadly passed away in 2013, aged 83. R.I.P. Jack, It was easy to see why these two performers were so very popular. Their voices in harmony were pleasing to hear, even though both of them had performed for many years before they got together to vocalize on a song that is certainly one of my favourites, and after you, my readers, hear it, I am sure that you will love the song too. Quanah Talmadge Tubb, also known simply as Billy Talmadge, wrote the song which was turned ...

Mar 6, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged Country oldies, Ernest Tubb, Jack Greene, Jeannie & Jack, Jeannie Seely, Quanah Talmadge Tubb, Texas Troubadours Comments 0

“I WISH YOU WELL” – By Des Kelly Anyone who has heard about Raul Malo & his backing group “Mavericks” will probably immediately imagine up-tempo music that sets feet tapping, dancing in the aisles, etc., etc., and you wouldn’t be too far wrong, folks, these guys, with Raul as a great “front-man” are a group of superb musicians who know the real meaning of the word “entertainment”, just take a simple song with lyrics that say, “You’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t, damned if you will and damned if you won’t”, these Mavericks perform them with such gusto, it makes you want to listen to the song over & over again. Most of the songs, fast, slow or in-between, performed by this wonderful group are Commercial to the extreme. Three or four chords, many with just TWO Major or Minor Chords, make the songs very ...

Mar 5, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged "I WISH YOU WELL" - By Des Kelly Comments 0

The Birth of the Sri Lanka Navy Band (Source: Island Newspaper) Once again, personal memories with regard to the above.This writer was already in the Navy, known then as the Royal Ceylon Navy, working in conjunction with the Government Stores, in an effort to get the Navy’s supplies with the minimum of delay. I was a “Supply Assistant”with the official number E635 (signifying the 635th entrant into the Senior Force), shortly before the very first Royal Ceylon Navy Band was formed. Being a musician myself, I could have quite easily joined the Band, but decided that the job I already had was one that suited me fine. Anyway, I had many friends in the Band as well, George Burdette (Saxophonist) & George Van Cuylenberg R.I.P., who was especially chosen as the Drum Major for the band. He certainly looked the part. Tall, handsome, and handling the “Mace” as though it was ...

Mar 4, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged The Birth of the Sri Lanka Navy Band (Source: Island Newspaper) Comments 0

“PELL”S APPEAL” – By Des Kelly So, after quite a “spell”, a final appeal from the lawyers of Cardinal George Pell will be heard, to determine whether the highest rating “Catholic Cardinal” in Australia IS guilty, (he still denies the charges), and everyone knows that the Legal-System in Australia is a long, drawn out affair, but, after this appeal is heard and if it fails, then Cardinal Pell would possibly be sentenced to a term in prison, a huge “come-down” from the Vatican in Rome, where he was the third top-ranked Official of the Church, and could have possibly ended up as the Pope in a few years time, such was his standing there. While it is still a shock to the system, my view would always be that child-child-molestation is rampant everywhere, not just in the Catholic Church. Still, it is far worse when innocent children are molested sexually ...

Feb 27, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged "PELL"S APPEAL" – By Des Kelly Comments 0

“CRIME & PUNISHMENT” – By Des Kelly A book written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, a Russian Author in 1866 was a novel that was considered a very “goodread”, however, Australia, this Island Continent that so many of us now call home, was actually “born” around the time Fyodor wrote his book, although the actual history of this huge block of Land is around sixty thousand years old, and the Aborigines lived here then, went “walkabout” quite happily, before the White-man came in, to ruin everything for them, or so they (the Aborigines), claim. However, my “History” of Australia will have to come later, as I concentrate on the Crime & Punishment question in this fair, (or is it unfair Land) ?. The latest news is about this Nutcase who drove a car around the Melbourne C.B.D., purposely killing six people, including a baby, gets arrested, goes to Court and is given ...

Feb 25, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged "CRIME & PUNISHMENT" – By Des Kelly Comments 0

“ANOTHER YEAR AGO, TODAY.” – By Des Kelly This was one of my first original compositions.(both lyrics & music), could be sung by either male or female, (preferably male), it could also be sung in harmony, as a duet, and is a simple, yet beautiful “Country-Style Song”. “Another year ago, today.” Another year has come & gone Since the day our love was born Though to me, it seems, not very long ago We’ve had good times, we’ve had bad Sometimes happy, sometimes sad But thru every passing day, I’ve loved you so We’ve had many bitter tears We’ve had many sudden fears So many times we thought our love could never be But thru every joy & tear, love has made it pretty clear All this means, that you were only meant for me Musical Interlude (then, a semitone higher) There were times ...

Feb 24, 2019 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, DESMOND KELLY Tagged "ANOTHER YEAR AGO, TODAY." – By Des Kelly Comments 0