The Blarney Stone in Fields Corner has become a remarkable gathering spot for neighborhood people, no matter their background or persuasion. It's easy to forget that just a few years ago, the Blarney was another in a row of unremarkable, uninviting Dot Ave. barrooms.

Just in the last couple of months, the Blarney has been the site of several notable neighborhood gatherings: On election night, Fields Corner's Sam Yoon partied with his delirious supporters who packed the place to celebrate his historic election to the Boston City Council. Last week, the Main Streets groups from Saint Mark's Area and Fields Corner joined forces at the Blarney for a fundraiser, and they rolled out a new signature drink called the "Dotini."

On Nov. 10, the neighborhood's gay and lesbian advocacy group, DotOUT, invited its constituency to the Blarney to honor Ed Crowley, a Fields Corner native who, along with wife Karen, are the heart and soul of the annual Dorchester Day Parade. The event was an eye-opening display of the true depth of support that exists for gay rights in our community. A wide swath of civic activists were on hand - in part because of their friendship with the Crowleys, but also in a nod to Dorchester's blossoming gay and lesbian community.

The message from the night was clear: unlike other neighborhoods that continue to turn a cold shoulder to their gay and lesbian residents and merchants - particularly South Boston, which takes pride in shutting them out of their annual March parade - Dorchester is a welcoming place that won't be held hostage by tired, old stereotypes and biases.

Today's Blarney Stone is typical of many other like-minded venues in Dorchester that eschew the rigid turf lines of the past. Places like Ashmont Grill, Gerard's, Phillips Old Colony House, Merengue, Pat's Pizza, Harp & Bard, Dbar don't belong to anyone in particular. They are common grounds where the dynamic diversity of this neighborhood exists, naturally, without pretension or hang-ups. They are a real reflection of what our neighborhood has become in recent years, and it is to be hoped, a harbinger of what we can expect in the future. In Dorchester, it's one more sign that our civic and political leaders are people who are all about Community, and the many benefits that come from our great diversity.

Towards a better library in Fields Corner

A recent story in the Reporter about the Fields Corner branch library elicited some strong reactions from a couple of library users - and Reporter readers - who felt that the story cast the branch in a negative light. As library users, they feel that the branch excels in its principle pursuit: That is, as a repository of good books.

For the record, the Reporter story never suggested otherwise. The story did, however, question why Fields Corner has virtually no events, workshops, lectures, or structured programs of any kind. The lack of programming stands out among a BPL system that in a typical week lists and promotes dozens of programs and special events at nearly every branch in the city. Much of that programming is aimed at bolstering literacy among both kids and adults through book clubs, readings, and performances. In that context, it is more than reasonable to ask why Fields Corner is singular in its lack of activity, particularly since it is clear that the BPL has made branch-based programming an integral part of its system-wide mission.

There is word this week that patrons of the Fields Corner library intend to form a friends group to assist the branch in its mission. It is hoped that such an effort will be open to the idea that library branches are more than just book depots. They are an opportunity to engage minds young and old and assist in a lifetime of learning.