VINNIE CAPRIANI TRIBUTE

On Saturday 3rd Nov 2012, the local community, supported by Malahide Lions Club, paid tribute to one of their own, Mr Vinnie Caprani. Vinnie, as confirmed by many, is a man of diverse talent; a Dub, a poet, an author, an artist and a local historian of note. Where else could a becapped man be found wandering with a bag on his back, contaminating everyone with his crooked pipe, yet sharing his time and experiences with all and sundry whilst influencing a local enthralled Malahide populace.

The evening of the surprise celebration centred on the proverbial Red Book of  This Is Your Life fame, and took place in the Malahide Tennis & Croquet Club. Mr.Paul Douglas, Vice President of Malahide Lions, delivered the opening address and introduced Seamus Dooley, Secretary of NUJ, as master of cermonies, narrator and interviewer.

Many messages of good will and best wishes were received from some whom Vinnie befriended in his journey of life, including a very special message of support and friendship from our President, Michael D. Higgins.

Seamus referred to Vinnie's  Rowdy Rhymes and Rec-im-itations ,  Bawdy Ballads and Ancient Airs and to  Dirty Doggerel and Sacred Songs before introducing other friends who entertained and enthralled the large gathering; critics, authors, Joycean scholars like Senator David Norris, Ulick O Connor and Des Geraghty to name some, who showed that Vinnie's contributions had spread beyond the borders of Malahide.

To Seamus for his entertaining stewardship of proceedings and his fellow Princes of the artistic and literary world, Ulick, David and Des ,not to forget the true Dub Prince of Princes, Vinnie Caprani, our profound and sincere thanks.
It is our pleasure and privilege for us in the Malahide Lions Club to know, to befriend and to be associated with such a tribute to one of our own, Menotti Vincent Caprani.
(Photo by local photographer Liam Donnelly)

In addition, Mr Concetto La Malfa of the Italian Institute spoke of the ancestral Italian family connection and the Italian influence on Vinnies artistic works not to overlook his pugilistic experiences and exploits reflected in  Nine-Ten-Out . As Seamus said, his gothic suspense novels  Polmarran Tower and  The Bride of Invercoe , written under the pseudonym of Charlotte Massey, have sold over a quarter of a million copies and have been published in the USA, UK, France, Germany and Scandinavia.

Other works, historical, fact or fiction  The Wolves of Monte Neve and  The Spirit and The Heritage were researched in Florence, Rome and mountainy villages in Italy. But the most popular of all, Vinnies Rowdy Rhymes and Rec-im-itations' reflects the humour of the Dublin working class and owes a lot to the stories and yarns that he picked up years ago hanging about his Dad's barber shop in Moore Street.

James Plunkett rightly places Vinnie in the tradition of Goldsmith and Zozimus and truly like James, Vinnie can belong to Strumpet City. Later in 1984 in his  A View from the Dart Vinnie provides amusing snippets referring to the passing land, the scenery and the people as viewed from the window between Howth and Bray and really set the scene for his other popular book  A Walk Around Dublin.

Always a keen illustrator, in his retirement Vinnie discovered other talents of drawing and painting of depictions of his beloved Dublin architectural scenes, local beauty spots in Malahide and of course of his equally beloved Italy.

Having mentioned that Vinnie appeared in many chat shows, such as The Late Late Show, Kenny Live and Hobsons Choice and also had contributed to numerous radio broadcasts, Seamus summed up and brought proceedings of a tremendously entertaining and informative evening to an end, with his following personal composition:

Stroll around your city's streets
Learn your city's story
Chose well your companion
I'll walk with The Capper
A toast tonight to absent friends
Poet, President and comrade
To Dublin Shawlies,
Ringsend Sailors.
And the poor forsaken Maiden
And raise a glass to Charlotte
Who never was a harlot
A transgendered printer of renown
The Garlic Pimpernel