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Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs newsletter which is published every weekend and sent out to more than 1400 readers all over the world. You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it - God Bless you! If you'd like to read past issues, they are archived at: http://www.yourmailinglistprovider.com/pubarchive.php?Herself
If, for any reason, you wish to unsubscribe, instructions are at the end - but we do hope you'll stay with us.
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Greetings and blessings to all,
Our apologies - we are very late with this newsletter. Wedding anniversary celebrations will do that. This past weekend, we enjoyed a special milestone remembrance of an October day long ago in Holbrook, Massachusetts. Bridget was just a few months of arriving in the US and still a bit dazed. On the day we married, at St. Bridget's Church, it was 93 degrees (about 34 celcius).
We honeymooned in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. There had been much colder temperatures prior to our wedding; this made the sap rise and, as we understand it, this also made for more colourful foliage. Whatever the scientific or biological explanation, the only time in Bridget's life when she has ever gasped audibly was when we drove up a hill, reached the top and there, below us was a valley literally splashed with gold and red, yellow and crimson; the dulls of the oak startling the eye with their plainess, the hues of the evergreens with their sameness. So long ago, yet imprinted indelibly in our memory.
We had a great time. Older and much wiser now, we sent a steak back that wasn't done as ordered, we watched shows on network TV we usually skip, we slept in, and...we had a great time.
In news from Ireland:
Dublin: A new monument to Brendan Behan will be the centerpiece of a makeover for Dublin's Royal Canal. A life-size sculpture will place Behan sitting on a bench with only a singing blackbird for company and will be engraved with the titles of Behan's works. Behan was born 80 years ago this year.
The warmest place in the Republic last month was Shannon Airport, where the temperature reached 25.3 degrees (nearly 80 degreesF) on September 16th. Dublin's highest September temperature since 1941 of 24.6 degrees was recorded at Dublin Airport the following day. However, the first ground frost of the season was recorded at some of Met Éireann's inland stations as early as September 7th.
Sonia O'Sullivan won the Great BUPA Ireland Run in Dublin, covering the 10km in 32 minutes 24 seconds. On a tough course in Phoenix Park, the Olympic 5,000 metres silver medalist hit the front before the 2km mark, finishing off Irish colleague Catherina McKeirnan who was 40 seconds behind her.
Bank of Ireland snagged a few headlines this past week with the news that it is to begin offering an overdraft facility of up to EU700 at ATMs to pre-approved customers. The bank will charge an interest rate of 13.5% on any such overdrafts, as well as the standard ATM transaction cost. Ouch!
Teams have moved in to dismantle the famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. One of the top tourist attractions on the north coast this summer. it has been a magnet for many thousands of tourists. At the end of each season it is taken down and put into cold storage for the winter months and any repairs that are needed are carried out before it is put up again, usually just before Easter. There has never been a serious accident on the bridge but occasionally some people who cross it lose their nerve, especially if the wind happens to get up, and they refuse to make the return journey.
In news from all over
Irish singer-songwriter Damien Rice has won the prestigious Shortlist Music Award for his "O" recording
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00006ALGL/qid%3D1065449890/sr%3D2-3/irishcultucus-20
Onstead, Michigan - Monument recalls Irish Potato Famine. The monument, which will include a bronze plaque listing donors, plus cobblestones from Ireland, will not be completed until the spring when a 144-foot stone wall is built behind it. Reminiscent of the handmade walls seen on farms in Ireland, the wall is the final piece of the sculpture. For more on this story, please click
http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031006/NEWS19/110060127
In New York, between Oct 6-Oct 12, a weeklong festival called "West Along The Road" will take place to celebrate the tenth anniversary of New York University's Glucksman Ireland House, and to showcase New York as a cultural crossroads of Ireland and America. For a full schedule of events, please click
http://www.nyu.edu/pages/irelandhouse/west_schedule.html
Links of the week
Need an ego boost? Try the automatic flatterer:
http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~geoffo/humour/flattery.html
Betty Oliver sent us details about her website where she teaches first aid and crafts - specializing in Fisherman knit sweaters (the Aran influence) and Irish crochet. Although not pictured, She will email photos to those interested in purchases.
http://southbruce.com/hamill
We've blithered and blathered long enough - on with the update!
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IN THIS ISSUE:
A Bit of The Wit
Joke of The Week
Did You Know?
Quotes & Quips
Know Your Irish Writers & Books?
Riddle
New This Week
The Week Ahead
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A BIT O' THE WIT
This one was sent in by Hartson - go rhaib maith agat!
Glac bog an saol agus glacfaidh an saol bog tú
Take the world nice and easy, and the world will take you the same.
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OUR FAVORITE JOKE OF THE WEEK
We were going to save this one for the holidays, but couldn't wait to share it with you. Thanks, Hartson - this one really made us guffaw!
The teacher asked each of her students how they celebrated Christmas. She calls first on young Patrick O'Flaherty. "Tell me, Patrick, what do you do at Christmas time? Patrick addresses the class: "Me and my twelve brothers and sisters go to midnight Mass and we sing carols. Then we come home very late and we hang up our pillowcases at the foot of the bed. Then we go to bed and wait for Father Christmas to come with all our toys." "Very nice, Patrick," the teacher says. "Now, Billy Murphy, what do you do at Christmas?" "Me and my sister go to church with Mum and Dad, and we also sing carols. When we get home, we put biscuits and milk by the chimney and hang up our stockings. We hardly sleep waiting for Santa Claus to bring our presents." "That's also very nice, Billy," she said. Realizing that there was a Jewish boy in the class and not wanting to leave him out of the discussion, she asked him the same question. "Now, Isaac, what do you do at Christmas?" "Well, we also sing carols," Isaac responds. Surprised, the teacher questions further. "Tell us what you sing." "Well, it's the same thing every year. Dad comes home from the office. We all pile into the Rolls Royce and drive to his toy factory. When we get inside, we look at all the empty shelves and sing, 'What a friend we have in Jesus .' Then we all go to the Bahamas."
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DID YOU KNOW...
1. Oliver Plunkett was the first Irishman in almost 700 years to be canonized as a saint? He was given the honour on October 12,1975
2. A Waterford man - Ernest Thomas Sinton Walton, who was born on October 6, 1903, was awarded the 1951 Nobel Prize in Physics?
3. Pope Gregory reformed the calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 45BCE? The 4th of October was followed by the 15th October. However, the reform was not implemented in Ireland till 1752
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QUIPS, QUOTES & ANECDOTES - PROVERBS, CURSES AND TOASTS, TOO
There are many strange things in the world beyond our knowledge, and maybe there are ghosts too, though I do not understand why they should come back to this world when they have gone from it.
Peig Sayers - The Western Island
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KNOW YOUR IRISH WRITERS & IRISH-RELATED BOOKS?
The answers for last week:
1. Eureka Street: A Novel of Ireland Like No Other - Robert McLiam Wilson
2. The Salesman - Joseph O'Connor
3. Irish Girls About Town - An Anthology of Short Stories - Mave Binchy
A round of pints and/or applause for:
Helen Dowd
Need an angel today? Visit my website at: http://www.occupytillicome.com/literary.html This link will open up to the choices of reading. You will find fresh material in many categories.
Ellen Parodi
Namely Gifts at http://namelygifts.com
Personalized Name Keepsakes and Gifts
Something for every name on your gift list!
Featuring Babies, Children and Our Everyday Heroes
Judy Skapik
Hartson Dowd
Aspect Ireland - share a view of some of the "Irishness" of Ireland. There is much to recommend a country whose influence, from past to present, stretches far beyond its shores and out of all proportion to its size. Get a glimpse of the 'soul' of Ireland here: http://home.freeuk.com/aquinas/indexa.htm
Marsha Hosfeld
Superior Irish Coffee, blended and bottled in Ireland.
Great product, nice people (Bernard and Rosemary Walsh),
irresistible advertising slogan: "Take Home A Hot Irishman"
http://www.hotirishman.com
Pat Murphy
Biddy McGraw's the Pacific Northwest's only authentic Irish pub and the home 'O the "perfect" pint':
http://www.biddys.com
Déirdre McKiernan-Hetzler
Interested in exploring "real Irish culture and history?" Take a look at our most recent tour itinerary and then request a brochure; we'll be glad to send you one as soon as they're back from the printer:
http://www.irishbook.com/tourinfo.htm
Want to see your name and favorite site on our list? Try to find the following authors - we assure you, it's really easy! Who wrote:
1. A Spooky Irish Tale for Children
2. Ghosts in Irish Houses
3. Irish Ghosts and Hauntings
Hint: All three titles can be found here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect?tag=irishcultucus-20&path=tg/detail/-/1564780910/qid%3D1065352848/sr%3D1-6
Send us the correct answers to two out of three and the rewards are:
1. If you have a web site, send us your URL plus a short description and we'll publish it in the next newsletter. If you don't have a web site, please nominate a favorite. Also, please remember that we list our sleuths in the order of entries received.
2. Receive a correct entry into the current "So You Think You're Irish" trivia contest. (In fairness to those of you who go to the trouble of actually finding the answers to the trivia contest, you'll get a bonus entry!)
3. Click through on the Hint URL above, tell us the title and earn another entry into the Trivia drawing.
NOTE: It would be very helpful if you would send your entries to: bhaggerty@irishcultureandcustoms.com
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THIS WEEK'S RIDDLE
Literally, dozens of you sent in the answer to our last puzzler:
There is one in a minute and two in a moment, but only one in a million years. What is it? The letter M. Well done, Rae Matchett for being the first. And now, a mind-twister we hope will be a bit more challenging: This one has been around for many years, but it's often posed incorrectly. Here it is in its original form:
Think of words ending in -GRY. Angry and hungry are two of them. There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word? The word is something that everyone uses every day. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what it is.
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NEW OR FEATURED ON OUR HOME PAGE:
Important Note: Russ works on updating the entire site every weekend. Usually, by Monday morning, all new articles and features are in place. Of course, that didn't happen this week! We're now hoping to have the home page revamped no later than Tuesday.
1. Home Page - See what's new at a glance:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/index.html
2. New: Article - Music for Your Wedding & Reception
Thanks for your patience on this one; it's taking longer than anticipated. Fingers crossed, it will be up soon!
3. New: The Irish Kitchen - Spiced Roast Potatoes for Sunday Dinner http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/1Home.html
4. New: Kids' Ireland: The Piper's Tale by Grainne Rowland
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/1Home.html
5. New: Basic Irish - This time, the lesson is on Personal Grooming
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/1Home.html
6. New: Culture Corner- Hompage - Ireland's Most Haunted Castle
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/
7. New: Culture Corner - Kids' Ireland: Hallowee'n Customs
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/1Home.html
8. New: Trivia Contest. Our winner for September is Sharon Boyle of Canada. Well done, Sharon. Your prize is on its way. October's contest has been posted and we've already had a lot of entries - hope it isn't too easy! All entries must be in by midnight on October 31st, whatever time zone you are in
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/TriviaContest.html
9. New: Music Library: Never Say No To A Jar
Bridget is working on a review of this new CD which is officially released on October Hopefully, you will see it on our homepage then, as well
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/index.html
10. How The Irish Invented Hallowe'en
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/InventHalloween.html
11. Featured: Protect yourself at Hallowe'en - Make yourself a Parshell
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ACalend/Parshell.html
12. Featured: Aran Isle Sweaters
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AEmblem/Sweaters.html
13. Featured: The Irish Kitchen - Traditional recipes for Hallowe'en
Barm Brack
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rBreads.html#BarmBrack
Colcannon
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rPotatoes.html#Colcannon
14. Ongoing: Circle of Prayer. Our first Novena in this cycle began on October 5th and will continue through October 13th. We have added another name to our list: Dianne DiMella. Please also continue to pray/meditate for Claire Spellmire, Bob, C.J., Christopher, Sam, Steven & Margaret, Priscilla's family, and our military personnel stationed all over the world, especially in Iraq. Whatever your spiritual leanings, we hope you will join us each day
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Blessings/CirclePrayer.html
15. On-going: Irish News: Headlines for the past week
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/01News/Home.html
16. On-going: This month in Irish History:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/02Hist/9September.html
NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING:
Champagne has a way of dazzling the senses. We could make some very soppy toasts, but we won't. The blessing for the week has been posted, we'll have a new quote on Wednesday, and we'll try to catch up on everything else and/if we can.
So, there it is for another week, but, before we leave, welcome to all of our new subscribers. Many thanks for signing up and please feel free to share our meanderings and wanderings with your family and friends.
And a few more bits and pieces: Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Canadian readers on the 13th. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. The first formal Canadian Thanksgiving was held just over 40 years prior to the pilgrims landing in Massachusetts. Want to try some Canadian recipes? Click here: http://www.web-holidays.com/canada/
Also from our calendar for the week, the 7th is National Frappe Day, the 8th is National Fluffernutter Day and it's St. Bridget's Feastday in Sweden; the 9th is Hangul Nal Korea, and National Submarine - Grinder - Hoagie - Hero Day in the US. On the 10th, we celebrate National Angel Food Cake Day; on the 11th, National Sausage Pizza Day and on the 12th, it's Dia De La Raza in Latin America. And finally, October 13 is Columbus Day in the USA.
Until next time, may the Good Shepherd of us all guide you and keep you from all harm and may you and yours be showered with blessings.
All the best - and as they say in Ireland - mind yourself!
Bridget & Russ
Get down on your knees and thank God you're still on your feet
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Our email address there is bnhaggerty@cinci.rr.com. And many thanks in advance for your kindness!
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Events & Classifieds
Note: To avoid duplication, we list only those events not mentioned in the comprehensive listing put together by The Wild Geese. To check their Events Page, please click: http://www.thewildgeese.com/pages/events.html
The Irish Heritage Newsletter also lists events - if you'd like to subscribe, just send a note to George at Steeler059@aol.com
And, if you're in Ireland, or lucky enough to be visiting, you can see what's on offer for October here:
http://www.emigrant.ie/Event.asp
The Voyage of the Jeanie Johnston
On Thursday, October 16, she will arrive in St. John`s, Newfoundland - her last port of call on this epic voyage. On October 23, she will depart for her return passage to Ireland. For more details, please click
http://www.jeaniejohnston.com/ports.asp?portid=26
Irish Writer's Centre - Dublin
The Autumn - Winter Course Brochure is now available . For more details, contact Bernadette Larkin at bernadette@writerscentre.ie, or visit their website:
http://www.writerscentre.ie
Houston, Texas
Irish Society Gala at the Petroleum Club
October 9, 20030
For more information, contact the Center for Irish Studies:
Lori Meghan Gallagher, Director 713-525-3592
irishstudies@stthom.edu
Samhain International Poetry Festival Friday 31 October & Mon 3 November in Gort a'Choirce, Co. Donegal. Email: info@samhainpoetrycompetition.com
or info@maggiedans.com
Boston
The Alumni Association of Institute of Technology Sligo launches its Boston chapter at 7.30pm on October 16, in The Boston College Club, 100 Federal Street, Downtown Boston. Meet Dr Richard
Thorn, Director of Institute of Technology Sligo, make new friends and renew old contacts. For more details, contact Chairperson Karen Kdavitt@manuflifeusa.com or Adette Ring, Careers and Graduates Officer, Institute of Technology Sligo, Ireland - adette@itsligo.ie.
SoutEast Texas
November 9, 2003
Danny O'Flaherty, Irish singer/songwriter, will appear at a special benefit performance at the Julie Rogers Theater. For ticket information, call 982-4140 (weekdays) and 722-7298 (evenings and weekends).
Song and Silence: A Weekend with the Celtic Saints - November 21-23
Pendle Hills, Wallingford, PA
For more information or to register, please contact our registrar, Steve Jackson, at ext. 142, (610) 566-4507 or (800) 742-3150, or e-mail him at registrar@pendlehill.org. If you have access to the Internet, please check out our website:
http://www.pendlehill.org
Ancient Order of Hibernians Historical Tour of Ireland
January 27, 04- February 4, 04
In conjunction with Our Lady of Knock Division No. 2; Ancient Order of Hibernians, Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, please call James V. Magee, Jr., President (513) 621-9660
Texas Dulcimer Cruise - February 5-9, 2004
Galveston to Cozumel on the Carnival Celebration. There will be workshops, jam sessions, talent show and more. These spots will go fast, so book early! Inside cabins are $430.80 pp, double occupancy and oceanview cabins are $480.80 pp, double occupancy. Delesandri Tours, booking agent for this trip Ask for Marcy: 281-535-5703 or e-mail marcy@delesandri.com
Galveston, Texas
March 28, 03
Galveston 1894 Grand Opera House - James
Galway, flautist Sunday March 28, 2004 3pm
Cais Conference/Reunion - May 26-29, 2004
Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
The theme is "Mother Tongues: The Languages of Ireland."
For details, please click
http://www.irishstudies.ca
6th Int'l McManus Clan Association Gathering May 25th through May 31st, 2004
For full details please visit our website at:
http://members.aol.com/manusclan/mcm2004.htm or contact Phil McManus at Manus@aol.com
7th Clann McKenna Rally - June 25th through Sunday June 27th 2004
For details, please write plunkettmckenna@eircom.net
or click on the following link:
www.omagh.gov.uk/historypark.htm
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