The Corrs, best known for their sex appeal and phenomenal live performances, are set to release their third album In Blue (143/Lava/Atlantic Records) in the U.S. on September 12th. The Corrs--Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle), Caroline (vocals, drums, bodhran, percussion), Sharon (vocals, violin), and Jim (vocals, guitar, and keyboards)-penned all 15 songs. Their latest CD follows the success of Forgiven, Not Forgotten (the biggest debut by an Irish group in their native country) and Talk on Corners. The Corrs made U.K. chart history in January when all three of their albums (two studio records plus an Unplugged set) were simultaneously in the Top 15. The Corrs arrived in the U.S. in late-August in support of the CD including an outdoor concert appearance on ABC's Good Morning America.

Radiohead will be staging shows in support of their new album under a massive tent that holds ten thousand people. Their "Under the Big Top" show will be held at the Punchestown Racecourse on October 6,7, and 8. For more infermation on their tour and details on their highly anticipated album log onto www.radiohead.com.

U2 are currently mixing and programming on their still untitled CD due for release in October. The band also will offer a limited addition live concert CD for subscribers to their fanzine, Propaganda. For updated news on the band, check their website at www.U2.com

Berlin based violinist Katrin Steden--who supplied critical research to the article about Berlin's classical community--is also a member of the Berlin Chamber Orchestra. Recently the Orchestra completed its debut CD and an extended tour of Spain It will also be touring Greece this fall. For anyone who is interested in this release contact Irish Connections and we'll pass:on any requests to them.

Bob Geldolf, best known as singer of the Boomtown Rats and organizer of Live Aid has another gig these days. Geldolf along with two partners own the worldwide broadcast rights to Survivor, the new reality-based television show. Geldolf along with partners at Planet 24 came up with the idea for the show in 1988. Geldolf sold his stake in Planet 24 yet maintained control of Survivor and brought the idea with him to the show Cast Away. U.S. television bought the rights following high ratings of a Swedish version. Geldolf also serves as chairman of an internet travel firm as well as ventures into cell phone technology and music production.

Shannon Ferries Company, which has maintained the link across the Shannon Estuary since 1968, launched Shannon Breeze, their newest ferry. Shannon Breeze is expected to carry 3.5 million cars annually between Killimer, County Clare, and Tarbert, County Kerry.

The Irish stock exchange plans to launch a new stock market--the "iteq"--this new market will aim towards technology firms to be listed in Dublin. The rules for the new market are expected to mirror those for listing on the technology laden NASDAO, in the U.S.

Eircom, the Irish Telecommunications Company, becomes sponsor of the Irish international soccer team beginning with the World Cup qualifying match against Holland on September 2. Eircom replaces Opel, their sponsor since 1986 which received massive exposure during noted manager Jack Charlton's successful reign.

The U.N. will add a 26 foot tall bronze sculpture of a ship filled with 150 Irish immigrants in September. Galway artist John Behan was selected to design the sculpture, a gift from the Irish government to the U.N. The sculpture being cast in Kilmainham, County Dublin will be installed in September. The statue will be presented by Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to U.N. secretary General Kofi at a special ceremony on November 30

California based Cisco Systems is discussing the creation of 3,000 jobs in Dublin. Cisco already employs about 50 in a small Dublin operation. They control over 80% of the routers--devices that send information via the Internet-and employ more than 30,000 worldwide. The job boost would be a major addition to the government's plans to establish the country as an e-commerce hub and as a base for European operations. The IDA has already lured such highprofile technology companies as Microsoft, IBM, Deli, Gateway, Xerox and Hewlett-Packard. Convincing Cisco, whose technology runs much of the Internet, to expand its modest Irish operation would boost plans to raise the country's visibility in the dot.com industry worldwide.

Recently the Brooklyn Museum of Art presented Passages, a show of African photos. Lensers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher (an Australian of Irish ancestry) have spent half their lives documenting tribal cultures in African and elsewhere. The exhibition displays work made when these two and an English musician, David Bradnam journeyed into tribal parts of Ethiopia as well as locations south of the Sudan, where they had to use a 1940s Italian air reconnaissance map, to seek out isolated tribes. Bradnam's music is included in the show; his five year odyssey into the interior is heard on the companion CD (available at the Museum shop). The English born musician recorded native music and jammed with local players who make their Western debut. Vocals, thumb-pianos, and Bradnam's production make this CD a unique mosaic of what he believes is the roots of the world's music. Bradnam has produced five volumes of native African music for EMI and has worked on many soundtracks including SW4, an upcoming sequel to the Irish-directed Human Traffic. There are talks of the Passages exhibit moving on to Chicago and Los Angeles from New York.-Nick Kennedy