Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs newsletter which is published every fortnight or so and sent out to nearly 5000 readers all over the world. You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it - Bless you!
If, for any reason, you wish to unsubscribe, instructions are at the very end - but we do hope you'll stay with us. And if you need to update your info' or change your email address, you can do that at the end, too.
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Greetings & Blessings to all!
We hope this Autumn edition finds you and yours in fine fettle and fit as a fiddle. (Sounds like we’re going quarterly, but we promise you we’re not.)
The warmest of welcomes to everyone and if this is your first issue, many thanks for joining us. We do go on a bit, but if you enjoy our musings and ramblings, please feel free to share them with your family and friends.
As for ourselves - well, it’s hard to believe that six weeks or more has lapsed since last we wrote. If you’ve been wondering where we are and what we’ve been up to to, ,some of you may have received a hint with emails that have a blue ribbon at the end of the message. It represents prostate cancer and yes, we are very sorry to report that Russ was diagnosed with it at the end of August. While it’s very common in men his age, just the word cancer makes our blood run cold. But the good news is that after extensive tests, we now know that it’s confined to just the prostate. It seems odd to say that at one time we were terrified when we initially heard the news and then we celebrated when we found out ith adn’t spread! Anyway, he’s been going through subsequent tests to determine a course of action. It would appear that the angels are on our side as his urologist is also a prostate cancer specialist as well as a surgeon who introduced cryo prostate operations to Cincinnati. And here’s the good news: We have received the results of saturation biopsies to determine if Russ is a candidate for a lumpectomy, ie. zapping just the one small tumor as opposed to removing the entire gland. He is! It’s the best case scenario and our prayers have been answered. The next step is the operation which is scheduled for November 6 and because the procedure is so minimally invasive, he will stay in the hospital one night . The prognosis is a full recovery within ten days to two weeks. Needless to say, we’ve been totally immersed in all of this and that is why we are so late with the update. Please be patient with us - we never intend not to write and there’s always a good reason when we don’t.
Onwards. Happy Belated everything! Pinch punch first day of the month, white rabbit. And if you were married in October, here’s your special verse:
If in October you do marry
love will come but riches tarry
(we can certainly attest to that!)
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends in Canada. And Happy Columbus Day to everyone in the USA.
Right around the corner - Hallowe’en. How did that happen? Well, the frost is finally on the pumpkin. The weather in our Ohio Valley has been cold and very gloomy of late, but once in a while the sun comes out and makes the changing leaves even more brilliant. Russ has brought the Boston ferns in for the winter, we’re allowing the deer to munch on the impatiens still blooming and we’ve seen the last of the hummingbirds until next spring. While we welcome the change of seasons, it’s hard not to wish we were anticipating summer instead of winter. Oh well. May all of our friends in the Southern hemisphere enjoy what’s to come. And besides, we do have Indian summer to look forward to in the next week or so!
Enough of the blitherin’ - on with the update ...
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IN THIS ISSUE:
News
From the mailbag
Links
Quips, Quotes, Proverbs & Toasts
A Bit of the Wit
Joke of The Week
Did You Know
Know Your Writers
Riddle
The week That Is
Events
Leave 'em Laughing
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NEWS
What follows are news clips from around the counties and elsewhere. Links for more news stories can be found on our web site where we post the latest headlines from Ireland every morning and we keep two week's of previous news: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/01News/Home.html
And more county news can be found here
http://www.emigrant.ie/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=73559&Itemid=23
GENERAL:
U2 concert to stream live on YouTube
U2's sold-out concert at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California on Sunday night is to be streamed live on YouTube. The concert will be available in 16 countries including the US, Ireland, Britain, Japan and Australia. For more details, please click
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1020/breaking30.htm
Irish Oral History - Your chance to get involved
Thirty volunteers are needed to record the experiences of Irish emigrants to Britain. The move is part of an ambitious project by archivist Glenn Cumiskey who is compiling a database of the lives of thousands of Irish people in Britain. For more details, please click
http://www.irishpost.ie/tabId/550/itemId/5998/Can-you-help-document-tales-of-life-in-Britain.aspx
Or visit the Oral History web site:
http://www.ioha.co.uk/
AROUND THE COUNTIES:
Antrim: Famous old boy marks anniversary
The fiftieth anniversary of St Patrick's College in Ballymena has been marked by the recording of a five-minute DVD by actor Liam Neeson, a past pupil of the school. The message, which was recorded while the star was filming in Vancouver, will be shown at a golden jubilee dinner to be held in Tullyglass House Hotel in Ballymena this weekend.
Armagh: O'Toole's Bar is Pub of the Year
Located in Ballymacnab on the outskirts of Armagh city, the bar was one of two hundred and fifty pubs across the North that were visited by mystery shoppers before being included in a shortlist. At the recent awards ceremony of the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade the more than two hundred year old pub was given the title.
Cavan: Belturbet man's film screened at LA Film Festival.
“The Boys of St Columb's” was written by Maurice Fitzpatrick about the Derry city school which is the only one in the world to have produced two Nobel Prize laureates, John Hume and Seamus Heaney. The film chonicles the first generation of children in Northern Ireland to be given access to free secondary education.
Clare: Perseverance pays off for Doolin couple
John and Helen Browne opened Pol an Ionain cave near Doolin to the general public to view what is reputed to be the world's largest free-hanging stalactite. The opening of the cave was the culmination of a sixteen-year planning battle.
Donegal: Apparitions reported from Kerrytown shrine
A shrine at Kerrytown near Dungloe drew the crowds recently after a clairvoyant in Dublin had predicted that apparitions would be visible in the sky. Some fourteen people subsequently reported seeing crosses flashing in the sky above the shrine for a period of about ten minutes, and a few also reported that the face on the statue of Our Lady 'became human' and looked at each pilgrim in turn. The shrine at Kerrytown, was installed in the middle of the last century after Minnie Ward reported seeing a vision of the Virgin Mary on a rock at the bottom of the garden.
Down: Family of Gilford emigrant still have a reminder
The descendants of a man who emigrated to the United States from Gilford one hundred and seventy years ago still have one of the few items he took with him. John Boyd, who was born at Hill Street, left Ireland on St Patrick's Day 1839 taking nothing with him except a shillelagh. And members of his family, living in Massachusetts, have passed the fighting stick down from generation to generation. It is now in the possession of John's great-grandson, John Reynolds, and he has recently traced his family history back to Tullylish. He and his family are now planning a visit to Tullylish next year.
Galway: A turf fire, but not as we know it
Dermot Ryan from Galway city was taken with a feature in a house he visited during a family christening – a flatscreen TV over the fireplace showing a log fire. He immediately thought that the same idea could be used for a turf fire and set about recording DVDs in Castlebar before heading to New Jersey to a trade show. There his product attracted the attention of Dianne O'Connor who owns the largest seller of Irish goods in the world, Creative Irish Gifts, and also drew the attention of three people from QVC shopping channel. To date Dermot has sold almost two thousand of his DVDs and is now hoping to make a second appearance on the shopping channel for St Patrick's Day.
ED. NOTE: We partner with Creative irish Gifts and you can click through to their online catalogue for our web site here:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Shop/1Shop2.html
Kerry: New feature found on Skelligs
Field research undertaken by archaeologist Mnichael Gibbons on Skellig Michael has uncovered a previously unknown staircase on a route above the lighthouse road on an isolated part of the island. In addition to the staircase Mr Gibbons discovered a cross hewn directly from the rock. He believes that the stairway might be part of a pilgrimage route linking two of the three known routes up to the sixth century monastery. Although a number of crosses have been found on the island, the new discovery is one of only a very few which have been carved from the bedrock.
Kildare: Ballymore restaurant in Michelin Guide
The only premises in the county to secure a place in the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs Guide is the Ballymore Inn in Ballymore Eustace, run by Georgina and Barry O'Sullivan. They are delighted to have received the accolade, though they acknowledge that they will have to work even harder now to retain their place in the prestigious publication. The Michelin inspectors called to the restaurant unannounced in March, and then called back the next day to interview Georgina and Barry. The O'Sullivans bought the Inn fifteen years ago and at present employ forty people.
Kilkenny: Record salmon taken from Nore
During the lst week of the salmon fishing season the largest Irish salmon taken in nearly twenty years was caught on the River Nore near Kilkenny city. The favoured angler was Martin White, who was using a prawn bait when he hooked the thirty-two pound salmon, and the catch has been verified by the Irish Specimen Fish Committee as being among the top heaviest fifteen salmon caught by rod in Ireland. Martin now intends that this is one fish that won't get away, he is to have it mounted by a taxidermist so that he can continue to admire it in years to come.
Laois: Laois' turn to claim Obama
Offaly, Tipperary and Kilkenny have all had a go at claiming President Barack Obama as one of their own, and now it is the turn of Attanagh, a village on the border with Co. Kilkenny. The connection is being followed up in the US at present and centres on two sons of Protestant Bishop John Kearney of Ossory who both served in the Attanagh community for a combined period of nearly twenty-five years. Rev. John Kearney ministered from 1807 to 1809, when his brother Thomas Henry Kearney succeeded him. Thomas Kearney was responsible for the building of the church which still stands in the village.
Limerick: Week-long celebration to remember actor
The Charlie St George pub on Parnell Street in Limerick, one of the favourite bars of Richard Harris, is to host a week-long celebration to mark the anniversary of the actor's death. The highlight will be the unveiling of the 'Wall of Memories', a series of signed memorabilia and photographs.
Longford: Is there a Todd in your family tree?
The people of Longford are being asked to search their memories and their records to see if they can find any mention of an ancestor called Todd. Members of Longord Historical Society have begun an investigation into the possibility that Mary Ann Lincoln, the wife of US President Abraham Lincoln, might have Longford roots. She was born Mary Ann Todd and it is believed that her paternal great-grandfather, David Levi Todd, might have come from the county. Research so far has found Todds living in the Clonguish area in the mid-nineteenth century, and there is a townland in the area called Toddstown.
Mayo: Ali's daughter given engagement ring from Ballina
When Muhammad Ali was in Ireland recently among those accompanying him was his daughter Jamillah. And with Jamillah was her boyfriend Mike Joyce, whose grandmother Mary (Higgins) Carey came from Swinford. Some years ago in Chicago Mike met Ballina jeweller Joseph Winters and it was from him that he commissioned a ring for Jamillah. He persuaded her to include Ballina on her itinerary, brought her into Joseph's shop, showed her the white gold and diamond ring and proposed to her. Jamillah accepted and now wears the Claddagh-themed ring.
Meath: President attends church anniversary
Last Sunday morning, President Mary McAleese and her husband, Dr Martin McAleese, attended Mass in St Mary's Church in Navan to mark the church's one hundred and seventieth anniversary. Following Mass, the President was presented with a DVD and booklet on the anniversary by pastoral council member Peter Tiernan.
Monaghan: Clones hotel offers novel weekend
Hilton Park in Clones has come up with a novel idea to attract guests to the six-bedroomed hotel - it is having a literary weekend with an author in residence who will answer questions about his work. The first weekend, in November will feature Patrick McCabe, author of “The Butcher Boy” and “Breakfast on Pluto”.
Offaly: First motoring fatality remembered in Birr
Last month, a series of lectures took place in Birr which marked the world's first motoring fatality, Victorian scientist Mary Ward. After the lectures, , the audience was taken to the site of the accident. Mary died when she was thrown from a steam carriage on August 31 1869.
Roscommon: Festival commemorates lighting of Ballaghaderreen
The festival was held on the streets to mark the fact that the town was one of the first in Ireland to be lit by electricity. The Solas Street Festival, organised by the local Tidy Towns committee, recalls a 'cutt' being dug in the Lung River outside the town almost one hundred years ago. This was designed to direct the water to power a turbine and the houses and streets of the town were lit by electricity in 1913, long before the Rural Electrification Scheme.
Sligo: Christy is on the mend
A baby seal rescued from a beach in the north of the county is now being cared for in Dublin. A walker on Mullaghmore beach spotted a seal pup who appeared to be in poor condition, and contacted Trudy Lomax. The two of them tried to pick up the seal, whom they named Christy, but he went back into the sea. However the following morning he was back on the beach and this time Trudy and two helpers managed to put him in a fish box and bring him to a nearby boatyard. After being rehydrated and being given antibiotics by a local vet, Christy was handed over to Annie Kilgannon of Sligo Animal Rescue, who arranged for his removal to the Irish Seal Sanctuary in Dublin.
Tipperary: Nenagh to have new pub
While stories abound of pubs closing around the country, Nenagh is to have a new premises at Summerhill. Fogarty's Bar, one of the most popular pubs in the town, was due to close with the retirement of Liam and Bridget Fogarty after thirteen years, but now it is to be taken over by local woman Mary Lynch. Mary has been known as Mollie Bán for many years and this is the name she is giving to her new venture.
Wexford: Enniscorthy is planning next year's celebrations
The town of Enniscorthy will next year be celebrating fifteen hundred years as a town and the Town Council last week announced some of the events which will take place. One of the town's best-known sons, author Colm Tóibín, will edit a history of the town which will be released late next year, although celebrations will begin at the end of this year. The official ceremony to mark the occasion will take place in early March next year, to be followed by an “Enlightenment Parade” featuring a number of groups including Buí Bolg. The parade will culminate in a spectacular fireworks display.
Wicklow: Action group formed to save historic tree
The community in Avoca is to come together to raise funds to preserve the Thomas Moore tree at the Meeting of the Waters, famous for being the spot where Moore composed much of his best-known work. Initially a survey was carried out by area engineer Ruairi O'Hanlon, who reported that the tree stump is already dead and is not structually sound. The action group has suggested that a new tree be planted and that the stump be treated off site before being reinstated.
USA: Top cop set for top Irish accolade
Ray Kelly set to be named Grand Marshal for New York's St Patrick's Day Parade. For more details, please click
http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Ray-Kelly-set-to-be-named-Grand-Marshal-for-New-Yorks-St-Patricks-Day-Parade-63093562.html
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FROM THE MAILBAG
In response to Peter Gavin’s query about Irish knit belts, we had several replies:
“Grandad” writes:
The belt Peter is looking for is a Crios. Nowadays it is usually woven out of wool, and I well remember my sister being very fond of wearing them. In bygone days, they were fashioned out of wool or leather.
Dave writes:
The belt is called a crios in Irish and they were worn by the fishermen on the Aran Islands along with pampooties and bainin caps. The individual might get more information from
http://homepage.eircom.net/~teas/; and http://www.irelandwide.com/irgfts/antuirne/
I have one somewhere, but could never manage to figure out how to tie it correctly. I got mine from Pádraic Ó Máille's shop in Galway City. They are beautiful.
Angela writes: These are traditional in the Aran Islands in Co. Galway and are mentioned in The Reaping Race by Liam O'Flaherty.
Pamela writes:
I was in Spiddal during the summer of 1962 when Marlyn Monroe died and "Things" by Bobby Darin was in the charts and the people of Spiddal made those belts. There were called a 'Crios' which is Irish for belt and they were woven on little looms. I still have the one which I bought during that summer and it brings back fond memories of my time in the Gaelteach and going to 'The College' opposite the house where we stayed.
Pamela Boyd-Shield also wrote and included a photo of a vintage 1954 travel poster which depicts a man by the seaside hand knitting a colorful belt, wearing his beautiful Irish fishermen knit sweater. He is wearing soft slippers, a hand knit red wool hat, and is using a block of wood between his feet to aid in his knitting project. A wonderful vintage clothing piece with the byline "Ireland Invites You. She also included a web site where they will make a belt if you’d like one:
http://www.irelandwide.com/irgfts/antuirne
ED. NOTE: thanks Pamela!
Coincidentally, Joyce Egan and Dave sent us the same web site. Thanks to you both and go raibh maith agat to everyone who wrote in. We sent all of your responses to Peter who wrote back:
So, it really was a fisherman's belt after all !! I can't thank you enough. I'm going to contact them and find out about getting one or more. I want to thank you're readers as well. The Internet is a wonderful thing, eh? I'll be sure to tell you how I make out. Many thanks to you again!
Onwards:
Ken O'Hearn in Nova Scotia is looking for a penpal:
If you would like to write to Ken, his email address is:
kenohearn@eastlink.ca
Abbey writes: Please help! I once knew a lovely Irish Brother who is now in Africa. He taught me a word after he played a song that was lovely, but sort of heart sick, more than sad, like an ache in your heart. I know I have no idea how to spell it but phonetically it is aweagueness. Please help if you can, I have always loved this word and wanted to know how to spell it correctly. Thank you!
Tom McGuire writes: In reference to list member Gerard Carden - I went to grammar school with a Gerard Carden in 1956-1958. He was originally from New York and moved to Chicago for two years before his family moved back to New York. I wonder if he could possibly be the same Gerard Carden who attended St. Bride's Grammar School in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago? Gerard - if you are reading this, Tom would like you to contact him by sending a message to the following email address:
southshorefrog@yahoo.com
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LINKS
Last all-Ireland census goes online
The most recent addition to the multitude of online research tools is the 1911 census of Ireland, recently published by the National Archives in Dublin. It was the last all-Ireland census before partition and is, therefore, a comprehensive record of every household on the island at the time. It is extremely easy to use and in its ease is addictive. Please click
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/
Translate the Irish Culture and Customs web site into Irish
Google has introduced a new service which translates Web sites and documents into Irish as well as a slew of other languages!
If you're stuck for something to do, spend a couple of minutes changing a favorite site into an Irish-language version and impress your friends!
http://www.translate.google.com
ED. NOTE: We’re now trying to figure out how we can utilize this service for the newsletter.
The Age of the Irish by Harold Meyerson
The death of Ted Kennedy preceded by three weeks the end of John Sweeney's 14-year tenure as president of the AFL-CIO. Together, these events signal the end of an epoch in American political history:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082703255.html?referrer=emailarticle
Jack & Vivian Hennessy’s Irish Page
This time around, they offer a song by Dubliner John Augustine Wade
called Garrán a' Bhile - Beautiful Kate of Garnavilla translated by Mark Sugars:
http://www.irishpage.com/songs/garnavila.htm
Signed Limited Edition of Wayside Shrines by Paul Muldoon
Two new extended poems by one of Ireland’s most exciting writers is enhanced by pencil drawings and full colour reproductions of paintings by Keith Wilson, specially created in response to this work. For more details, please click
http://www.readireland.com
Celtic Radio needs your help
Just like the Gaels of old, spreading their music and stories from family to friends to lands afar, you too can help in the discovery of Celtic music to a whole new generation. Explore their site, enjoy what’s on offer and then tell your family and friends!
http://www.celticradio.net/
Farewell to Summer
While most people celebrate the end of summer with back to school and Labor Day activities, Jim Crotty prefers to take notice of the turning of the season, a turning toward what he likes to call the "good light." Softening sunlight and lengthening shadows and fields that turn to gold. This is one of many lovely videos Jim has produced. Enjoy!
http://www.viddler.com/explore/jimcrotty/videos/10/
Bundlin by Sean Keane
Lee in Taree, Australia shared this link with us. Lovely song - and singer, too! Thanks. Lee!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBtbjaGEH7E
Ballylara...
...is a blog about whatever comes into award-winning writer Eddie Stack’s head. It may be fiction in one posting, a book or gig review in the next…maybe social commentary, bits and pieces picked up on the internet… stories from music sessions, tales from cattle marts or the back of airplanes.
http://ballylara.wordpress.com/about/
Frank Delaney
M. O'Rourke shared a link with us which will introduce you to one of his favourite authors - Frank Delaney - wonderful story teller! In this interview he also touches on genealogy which is also near and dear to Mr. O’Rourke’s heart and to the hearts of many on our list. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIFPGsgTJQM
Free Mammograms
Do you know of a woman who can't afford a mammogram? Here's how you can help. Go to the Breast Cancer site and click on their free mammogram link; if they get enough clicks , they'll be able to donate at least one free mammogram a day to underprivileged women. It takes just a minute and there's no cost involved:
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com
ED. NOTE: Maria Eryaatz advises that free mammograms are also available in all states via the VNA (visiting nurses association).
http://www.vnaa.org/
Click on 'Find A VNA' for the your nearest location.
Free Pet Food!
Last but certainly not least - our ongoing gift to AG in California and all friends to animals, please click this link today and everyday. It only takes a second to feed an animal. Thanks!
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/CTDSites.woa
Free People Food!
It only takes a second to feed hungry people, too:
http://www.thehungersite.com
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QUIPS, QUOTES, PROVERBS & TOASTS
“It’s only an auctioneer that would admire all schools of art.”
Oscar Wilde (October 1854-November 21900)
I __________________________________________________________
A BIT OF THE WIT
Ireland has one of the world's heaviest rainfalls. If you see an Irishman with a tan, it's rust. Dave Allen
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JOKE OF THE WEEK
A well-respected surgeon was relaxing on his sofa one evening just after arriving home from work. As he was tuning into the evening news, the phone rang. The doctor calmly answered it and heard the familiar voice of a colleague on the other end of the line. We need a fourth for cards" said the friend.
"I'll be right over," whispered the doctor.
As he was putting on his coat, his wife asked, "Is it
serious?"
"Oh yes, quite serious," said the doctor gravely. "In fact, hree doctors are there already!"
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DID YOU KNOW
1. Oscar Wilde’s father William Wilde was Ireland's leading ear and eyesurgeon and was knighted in 1864 for his services to medicine?
2. John Jameson, founder of the famous whiskey distillery wasn’t Irish? He was actually born in Scotland.
3. During prohibition in the USA, Guinness tried to import it’s stout as “medicine?” Didn’t happen! They were turned down by the US Treasury!
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SPONSOR: Please help us keep your newsletter coming - visit our good friends at Lollysmith:
As always, they’re constantly looking for, finding, and adding new gifts to their pages including the Feadog Irish Pro 'D' Tin whistle, and a new range of food, including Flahavan's Irish Porridge as well as Gluten and Trans Fat Free Raspberry Golden Crunch Irish Cookies! And for those who haven't been or would just like to reminisce, the Over Ireland DVD takes you on a tour of the Emerald Island in a whole new way -from above! A breathtaking experience without leaving your home!
Please visit the shop and have a look around at our other latest items.
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KNOW YOUR IRISH WRITERS
First off, the answers to our previous quiz:
1. Not Untrue and Not Unkind by Ed O'Loughlin
2. Love and Summer by William Trevor
3. Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
ED. NOTE: The common link to these titles is that they were all short-listed for the Booker Prize
A round of pints and applause to the following Irish bibliophiles:
Karyn Hannigan
Rita Roche
Helen Dowd
http://www.occupytilicome.com
ED. NOTE: Thanks to your votes, Helen remains in first place on the top Christian site. Also, her husband Hartson has been off line for quite some time due to computer problems, but he’s back now and we look forward to seeing his name on our book quiz list.
Déirdre McKiernan Hetzler
Personalized Tours of Ireland:
Imagine you’re in the country of your dreams with your favorite people. It could be your closest colleagues through the years from work, or your extended family, for a once-in-a-lifetime gathering. Instead of being herded onto a huge tour bus of strangers, you’re together in a small van getting a personalized tour of Ireland. To learn more, please click
http://www.tours2ireland.com
If you’d like to see your name in our Irish bibliophile’s list, tell us who wrote the following:
1. Let the Great World Spin
2. At Grattan Road
3. May You Live in Interesting Times
Hint: All titles can be found on line at Kennys Book Store.
Please send your answers to Bridget:
bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com
Don't forget to nominate a favorite Irish site and it would be helpful if you put "Know Your Writers" in the subject line of your email. Thanks!
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SPONSOR: Please help us keep your newsletter coming - visit our good friends at the Celtic Attic;
We have just begun the Gratitude Club at the Celtic Attic. We want to give back to our wonderful customers for shopping with us year after year. For every $250 you spend at the Celtic Attic you will receive a $10 gift certificate. We will also be choosing one person a month from the club and they will get a gift and also get to gift something to a friend or relative of theirs. We will pick the name and eMail you and ask whom you want us to send a FREE gift to. The gifts will range from Celtic Cross pendants to Irish Key chains and Christmas Ornaments. We will give you a couple of choices. These will not be sales items, but our normal items. We want to pass on to you a gift and in turn have you pass a gift on to someone you know and love. We call it the Gratitude Giving Circle. No cost to join and it could be fun. Sign up through our secure online server and just choose check payment option, no credit card details needed.
To get you started on your way to that $250, take 5.00 off an order of $50 or more exclusively through irish Culture & Customs. Just put the code IC01 in the add a gift card section!
Contact the Celtic Attic on line or by phone - and tell them Bridget & Russ said hello!
Tel: 1-360-286-2307
On line:
http://celticcallings.com/shopping/merchant.mvc?CSC&Affiliate=Bridget
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RIDDLE
To begin with, the answer to our last headbanger:
Q. What’s white when it’s dirty?
A. A blackboard!
Full marks to Margaret Heywood in Australia who was first in.
And now for our next bit of skullduggery:
Q. What goes up a chimney down, but won't go down a chimney up?
Please send your answer to:
bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com
It would be helpful if you put riddle answer in the subject line. Thanks!
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THE WEEK THAT IS
SEARCH FUNCTION: Have you tried it out? You can find the search box in the banner on the left-hand side. Simply key in whatever word or words you wish and if they’re on the site, Google will find them!
2. SHOPPING SECTION: Hallowe’en. birthdays, weddings, anniversaries...whatever the occasion, find the perfect gift in our shopping section where you'll discover a selection of the best Irish and Celtic shops on the internet - or anywhere else:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Shop/1Shop2.html
ED. NOTE: Every purchase through our shop links, helps support our efforts. Many thanks in advance.
3. Article: Tribute to Derek Bell on the anniversary of his passing, October 17, 2002 and in honor of his birthday on October 21st. He would have been 74.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMusic/DerekBell.html
4. Article: Oscar Wilde Remembered
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AWriters/OscarWilde.html
5. Article: How the irish Invented Hallowe’en
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/InventHalloween.html
6. Article: Creepy Irish Creatures
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/CreepyCreatures.html
7. Article: The Dullahan - Ireland’s Headless Horseman
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Dullahan.html
8. Article: An Irish Halowe’en Part 1
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Halloween1.html
9. Article: Creepy Irish Castles and Houses
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/CreepyCastles.html
10. The Irish Kitchen: Barmbrack
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rBreads.html
11. Basic Irish: Hallowe’en and Samhain
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Halloween.html
12. Kids’ Ireland: A Wolf Storyhttp://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/WolfStory.html
13. Music Review: Our resident reviewer William Ramoutar recommends the latest from Beoga - “The Incident”:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMusic/Ramoutar/Beoga.html
13. Trivia Contest: The October contested is posted. http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/TriviaContest.html
ED NOTE: We have a winner for September but they have not contacted us. Hopefully, we’ll be able to tell you who it is in the next edition.
14. Circle of Prayer: The 2nd Novena in this cycle began on October 13 and continues through October 21. Since last we wrote and as mentioned at the beginning of this issue, Russ was diagnosed with prostate cancer - but the outcome looks very positive. That said, whatever your spiritual leanings we ask that you keep him in your prayers as well as so many others including Linda, the aunt of our friend Carlos who has advanced breast cancer; Jeff Minnick’s 3-month old son in the hospital with meningitis, Ronnie Kennedy and Joe Colum, Hartson Dowd, Burnett McManus’ friend who recently underwent surgery for lung cancer, Christy Banik, Joe Colum, Patricia's daughter Heather, the family and friends of the McTiernans, Pauline Dewberry, Laureena Blankenship, Sierra Mitchell, Katie Lacinak and so many others as well as all those who are suffering from the financial hardships of the economic downturn. And please don't overlook our military personnel serving their countries at home and abroad. Dear Heavenly Father, please keep them safe from all harm and bring those away from home back to their loved ones soon.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Blessings/CirclePrayer.html
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So that’s the very long of it until we write again. Fingers crossed, we will have time to publish a special Hallowee’n edition. Until then, if you or a loved one are celebrating a birthday, or other special event we hope it's an occasion filled with joy and happiness. With that, we'll take our leave with this lovely oldIrish blessing:
God keep you safe, God keep you warm. God keep you and yours from all harm.
May He bless your kith and kin, the hearth, the house and all within.
And, as they say in Ireland,mind yourself.
Slan agus beannacht,
Bridget & Russ
Get down on your knees and thank God you're still on your feet!
Celtic Blessing - sung by the St. Coca's Choir, from Kilcock, Co. Kildare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrS3kYW6du4
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ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS
Please check with the Wild Geese - they have a huge listing of events and we don't want to duplicate their efforts:
http://www.thewildgeese.com/
Irish Abroad also has a comprehensive listing:
http://events.irishabroad.com/List.aspx?public=1&event=1
If we receive a unique event not mentioned there, we will be happy to list it here.
SLIGO EVENTS
With many thanks to Karyn Hannigan who wrote: “ I notice that you are often missing an event for Co. Sligo. Twitter has a regular post, if that helps.”
http://twitter.com/sligoevents
Hollywood, Florida - November 14
The Irish-America Ceili Club will be holding its next Ceili on November 14.
For details and directions, please click
http://www.irishamericanceiliclub.com/nextceili.htm
Los Alamitos, California -1st Tuesday of every month
Friends of Ireland of Southern California Monthly Breakfast. Events are held on the 1st Tuesday of the month. Please call in RSVP to one of the contacts below one day in advance so we can accommodate you.
Barbara Walsh (714) 739-4195 Kathy Wisdom (714) 572-8277
Tom Kennedy (562) 425-2636 Jim O'Dea (626) 965-0307
Portland, oregon - 1st Friday of the month
Ceili of the Valley Society - First Friday of the month Céilís and ongoing Tuesday night Céilí and Sean Nós dance classes. Our season runs from October through June and next season we may be moving the dances to Saturday rather than Friday nights. For more details, please click
http://www.myspace.com/ceiliofthevalley.
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LEAVE 'EM LAUGHING
Community Service
One day a florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the
cut he asked about his bill and the barber replied, "I
cannot accept money from you. I'm doing community service
this week." The florist was pleased and left the shop.
When the barber came to open his shop the next morning,
there was a "thank you" card and a dozen roses waiting for
him at his door.
Later, a garda came in for a haircut, and when he tried to pay
his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money
from you. I'm doing community service this week." The cop
was happy and left the shop.
The next morning when the barber arrived at the shop, there
was a "thank you" card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at
his door.
Then, a politician in for a haircut, and when he tried
to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept
money from you. I'm doing community service this week." The
Congressman was very happy and left the shop.
The next morning when the barber came to the shop to open
up, there were a dozen politicians lined up waiting for a
free haircut.
