Welcome to our mid-month update.  Just returned from dropping the Trivia Quiz off at our son’s in Bellevue, Ky and got out right before President Obama’s motorcade would have blocked our route home.  He’s in Cincinnati today speaking at one of our most scenic locations - Eden Park in Mt. Adams. Fingers crossed the weather holds - it looks like it’s going to rain buckets! Speaking of weather, the heat and humidity have finally given way to more Autumn like temperatures - what a relief! We can only hope the climate wherever you are is just as pleasant. 

 

In celebration, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner last Saturday evening hosted by our dear friend Jane FitzGerald. The menu was all Irish - Dublin Bay Prawn Cocktail for starters, Dublin Lawyer entree (a memorable lobster dish flamed in Jameson Whiskey), Beef in Guinness for the non-seafood lovers,  Boxty Pancakes, Ballymaloe Salad with Shanagarry Dressing and for dessert - a delicious Rachel Allen Apple Cake.  There’s no doubt everyone of the guests gained a pound or two! To put you in a St. Pat’s frame of mind, here’s a lively set from the Chieftains & The Corrs - Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp4adNTP0Y&feature=related

 

On foot of a friend recently being swindled out of a substantial amount of money, Russ just read in a well respected  magazine about  one way you can thwart phony so called friends or pseudo-family needing cash in an emergency - especially from overseas. Email back and ask for the family/friend password. You can either actually come up with a password - or not bother. If it's a scam it’s likely you won't hear from the scammer again!

 

It takes a very long time to put the county news together every week and we’re wondering if it’s really of value to our readers. Based on your input, we’ll decide whether or not to keep doing it. The same goes for our Trivia Contest on the web site - thus far, we’ve had just one entry.  Many thanks in advance for any and all comments.

 

It’s so hard to believe that eleven years have come and gone since that beautiful September morning when our world  changed forever. Most of us remember it like it just happened - the images are so vivid and forever imprinted on our hearts and minds. In this haunting song co-written and sung by Danny O’Flaherty , he pays tribute to the many NYC firemen and others we lost on that fateful day.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYcSpqR6PNg

 

Just a few from a very long list ; we’ll publish the rest  in our regular newsletter:

A cuppa tea is the solution to every problem

“Not  too bad” means “I’m fine thanks”

Saying ‘He's fond of the drink’ means he’s an alcoholic

You don't need to study for exams because your Granny lit a candle for you

You thank bus drivers when you're getting off the bus

You call your mother mammy and your father Da You spent a good portion of your childhood kneeling

You can insert the name of a gardening tool into any sentence and it still makes sense, e.g. 'I had a rake of drink last night' or "I'll be out in a minute, I'm just shoveling down the dinner'

Your mother wallpapered your school books

When you go for the “messages” instead of the shopping 

You have no idea how to make a long story short 

You think that you’ve ‘got Mass’ simply by standing outside the church talking about GAA with the lads

The person that you insult most is probably your best friend or family

There's been days that you've had potatoes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner

You and 30,000 other Irish men and women spontaneously broke into a ten minute rendition of 'The Fields of Athenry' while losing 4-0 to Spain in Poland.

 

 

 

What ever the celebration,  you will find the perfect gift at the Celtic Attic. Come browse and buy- PLUS, exclusively for our readers, take 10% off your order and get FREE shipping on orders over $50! The discount will be removed after you place your order. 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?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=CSC&Affiliate=Bridget 

 

We’ll be posting a new home page in the next day or so, so please visit the site soon if you want to quickly take advantage of the following links to articles and other features.  

1. NEWS: Links to headlines in the Irish newspapers

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/01News/Home.html

 

2. COUNTY NEWS: Bibs and bobs from all 32 counties for the week ending Saturday, September 15th

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/01News/HomeCounty.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMisc/FrMychalJudge1.html

4. Article: St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ASaints/Kieran.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMusic/JMcCormack.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/aGuinness.html

 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/AMisc/Lisdoonvarna.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/Kettle.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/aPotato.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/3Focloir/Lessons3.html#Gael19

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/Salmon.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/

ED. NOTE:   Our resident reviewer William Ramoutar has sent us a new review on Christy Moore which we’ll be posting asap.

13.  Culture Corner: Clonmacnaoise

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/CultureCorner/CultureCorner.html

 

The summer of 2012  was about as rainy as it ever gets; but would that stop you from touring the Emerald Isle?  To cast your ballot directly, please visit Map Your Vote at the following link:

http://www.mapyourvote.com/Poll/Ireland/#tabs=1

 

The third Novena in this cycle began on September 14 and continues through September 22. Since last we wrote, we heard that a family friend Kevin Donahue has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer; the outlook is very grave. We also heard about another close friend Susan Schupp who will be going to the Cleveland Clinic this week for a diagnosis on nodes found on her pancreas and liver. Please keep Kevin and Susan and so many others going through difficult times in your prayers and meditations. And, especially in view of the events this past week at US embassies, please ask the Good Shepherd of us all to watch over our men and women serving in  the military as well as government installations all over the world.  

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Blessings/CirclePrayer.html

 

As we mentioned earlier, we’ve had just one entry thus far. It’s not that difficult, so we hope you’ll give it a go. All entries must be in by September 30, whatever time zone you’re in. 

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/TriviaContest.html

AUGUST WINNER: Congratulations to Daniel Killoran who selected the Roger Cummiskey James Jpyce print for his prize.

Toview other Cummiskey Joyce works, please click:

http://www.RogerCummiskey.com/gallery/ulysses.htm 

 

 

So that's  the long and the short of it until we send out our regular newsletter at the end of the month.  We’ll take our leave with these lovely old Irish words:

 

And as they say in Ireland, mind yourself!

 

Slan agus beannacht leat! 

 

 

 

Bridget & Russ

Téigh ar do ghlúine is bí buíoch le Dia go bhfuil tú fós ar do chosa.

And for your listening pleasure: May The Road Rise To Meet You sung by The Priests at Armagh Cathedral

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgzKIsV01A0

 

PS. Before we forget...if this is your first newsletter or update since joining us, many thanks for subscribing - and please feel free to share our musings and meanderings with your family & friends