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Whether over here or over there, what will the weather be in Edinburgh or Rome.
New BBC Programme !!
Serialising the experiences of emigrants to Scotland from Italy (especially between the 1940's-50's).
Looking for contacts, stories, photographs and video footage.
If you fit the bill, know someone who does or just want to find out more then email Neil McDonald at the BBC.
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So, what's all this about ?
Well, by scouring newspapers, TV and the Net I figured I could highlight a current story or event that has
recently appeared in the press which of course features a Scots-Italian angle.
LATEST ......
January 15th 2001
New Archbishop of Glasgow named.
The Most Reverend Mario Conti, 67, the current Bishop of Aberdeen has been named to replace the late Cardinal Winning as Archbishop of Glasgow. The decision was announced simultaneously in Glasgow and Rome, with the Catholic Church in Scotland aware of the appointment only 45 minutes before the news was made public.
Bishop Conti described Cardinal Winning as a 'hard act to follow', and maintains that faith is the most important issue in the church today.
Bishop Conti will be installed as Archbishop at a mass at St. Andrew's Cathedral on February 22nd
December 6th 2001
Dario Franchitti and actress Ashley Judd to tie the knot in 'Maddona' Style Highland wedding.
A plethora of Hollywood stars including Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones are expected to jet into Skibo Castle this Monday for what is reputed to be the £1.3 million wedding of Indy car driver Dario Franchitti to US actress Ashley Judd. With Sandra Bullock as chief bridesmaid and the prospect of Robert De Niro making an appearance it's a star spotters dream (if a security chief's nightmare).
Elish Angiolini - Scotland's first lady Solicitor General.
A solicitor by trade Mrs. Angiolini had previously been the procurator fiscal based in Aberdeen for both Grampian and the Highlands and Islands. Her role will include dealing with the fiscal service, complaints about the police and the operational side of the Crown Office.
November 28th 2001
Scots-Italian missing after Rome blast
A suspected gas explosion in the Italian capital has left four confirmed dead and over twenty injured, among the dead are three fire-fighters and a civilian. A Glasgow born 21 year old woman of dual nationality has also been reported missing. The explosion was reported to be so fierce that parked cars were tossed in the air.
November 19th 2001
Ronnie Ancona to star in new BBC series.
Dr. Terrible's House of Horrible, written and starring funnyman Steve Coogan is a spoof series based on the classic hammer films. Ronnie Ancona plays Countess Kronsteen in an episode entitled Lesbian Vampires Of Lust. Ronnie Ancona has also recently starred in the Sketch Show on ITV with Jim Tavare.
November 9th 2001
Harry who? Peter Capaldi's Strictly Sinatra opens throughout Scotland to rave reviews.
October 26th 2001
Scottish Press (various)
£175 a ticket? Juve got to be joking.
With the forthcoming Uefa Champions League match at Parkhead between Celtic and Juventus next week a sell out, touts south of the border have been targeting British based Italians reportedly with ticket prices in excess of £175. Though La Vecchia Signora is already through, Celtic need a win and have to rely on Rosenborg getting a result in Portugal against FC Porto.
October 23rd 2001
BBC Website - Scotland Sport
Chris Capaldi of Boroughmuir Rugby Club has been chosen to represent Scotland at the highest level in the forthcoming international Dubai Emirates World Sevens Tournament.
August 28th 2001
The Daily Record
Profile of Armando Iannucci, the godfather of comedy.
Not a name that springs to immediately to mind when talking about comedy but Armando Iannucci has been involved in writing and directing shows such as The Mary Whitehouse Experience, The Day Today (which gave us Alan Partridge) and The Friday Night Armistice. His parents left Naples in 1954 to begin a new life in Glasgow where Armando was born ten years later. Armando has also worked for Radio Scotland and his new series The Armando Iannucci Shows premiers on Channel 4 this Thursday.
August 6th 2001
The Herald
Nina Conti performs at the Fringe
Nina Conti, daughter of actor Tom is performing at the Fringe with the show, Let Me Out!, described as "an X-rated ventriloquial farce."
August 4th 2001
The Herald
Call for a Scots-Italian Festival.
Jack McLean in The Herald newspaper asks the question why the large Scots-Italian contingent don't have their own annual Festival. (See our Survey on the Home page).
July 24th 2001
Daily Record
I Want My Girl To Be A Footie Star !
One of the world's most successful female football players, Rose Reilly began her career in Scotland but ended it on a high in Italy, collecting a Golden Boot award, 8 Serie A titles, 4 Italian Cups and made 13 appearances for the Italian national side. In this article she reveals her hopes that one day her daughter will follow in her footsteps.
Rose captained Italy to a World Cup Final in 1991 where they narrowly lost to the USA in front of a capacity 90,000 crowd in China. Her shirt hangs in the new National Football Museum at Hampden Park.
July 19th 2001
ICScotland (website)
The Gordon Ramsey Of Oz
Prestonpans own Raymond Capaldi has achieved notoriety in his new adopted Australia as one of the country's leading chefs. Capaldi started out in the humble surroundings of his parents chip shop before moving onto Gleneagles and the British Embassy in Moscow. Similar to his Scottish counterpart, Capaldi is known for his fiery temperament, dislike for the critics but like Gordon Ramsey has obvious bundles of talent.
The opening of his new multi million dollar Fenix restaurant attracted film stars and celebrities alike ensuring its reputation as one of Melbournes hippest hang outs.
July 11th 2001
Sunday Herald (Website)
Daniela Joins Oxfam in Fight Against Guns
Nardini's in the news again - this time Largs born actress Daniela is spearheading Oxfam's campaign against the global trade in small arms. Read her harrowing story as she recollects her experiences as an Ambassador for Oxfam on her visit to Kenya last year. With no change in UK Arms Export Laws since 1939, Daniela is hoping that the up and coming UN conference on small arms will be the first stepping stone by the international community to bring the illegal small arms trade to a halt.
July 8th 2001
Mail on Sunday
End of an era as Ice Cream dynasty prepares to sell up.
Largs ice cream firm Nardini's is reputably up for sale . A spokesperson for the firm states 'it is sad in a way to see the family firm go up for sale.' The present chairman, (initially brought in to steer the business) is believed to be focussing his efforts on alternative business pursuits. The firm is due to change ownership for the second time in three years.
June 26th 2001
BBC Website - EdFest
Philip Contini of Valvona and Crolla in Edinburgh is featured on this BBC website, which highlights events through the Festival Fringe. This is his interpretation of traditional Neapolitan songs.
June 25th 2001
Daily Mail - Sports Feature
Marino Franchitti, British GT driver was forced to retire from the race at Castle Combe this weekend after a cracked radiator scuppered his chances for a fifth successive victory.
However Marino still leads the championship by 23 points.
June 10th 2001
Sunday Mail - Sports Feature
Young Kilmarnock star Paul di Giacomo was featured in today's Sunday Mail. He talked about his experiences partnering Ally McCoist last season and his hopes for a successful season ahead spearheading Killie's attack.
June 7th 2001
Film Netribution Network (website)
Scots-Italians Sergio Casci and Anne Marie Di Mambro collaborate on new piece Flesh and Blood, wrriting about the experiences of a Scots-Italian family living in Glasgow.
May 27th 2001
Channel 4 -Documentary: Artery: The story of Enrico Cocozza, Scots-Italian Filmmaker.
 | Surreally Scozzese - Art program highlighting the works of Glasgow born Enrico Cocozza, narrated by Daniela Nardini. |
Described
as a pioneer and ahead of his time 'Rico' Cocozza won countless awards and
acclaim for his work in the 40's and 50's. Curiously his name slowly disappeared
and did not come to light again until the mid-80's. In fact, his works had been
re-discovered in a flat above his parents business, The Belhaven Cafe,
and were handed in to historians for fear they may be lost in a chip pan fire !!
Much of Cocozza's work centred around Wishaw and involved local characters and landscapes in surreal situations.
Graduating from Glasgow University in Italian and German, Cocozza spent most of the War years working for the British Government translating for POW's.
His short film titles include Petrol (1957), Assunta (1957) and the award-winning The Living Ghost (1959). Amongst his works was also the well regarded documentary Glasgow's Dockyard (1959).
Having contracted diabetes he found his ability to develop films began to suffer, and as a direct result of this, Cocozza reverted to teaching at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
Enrico Cocozza 1921-1997
April 2001
The recent death of Cosimo Presutti the Edinburgh vagrant, known as the 'Gentleman tramp' has been well publicised - his funeral attracted over three hundred people and his tale was documented in a centre page spread for the Evening Times newspaper.
Cosmo (as he became known) had been a familiar face in and around the Royal Mile for over 20 years.
If there's anything or anyone I should be aware of, then email and I'll feature it right here.