Emerald Reflections Online

Our Trip to Ireland

by Mary F. Crivello-Witt

The trip to Ireland wasn't what I had anticipated. Even though I wasn't sure what to expect, I was surprised, nonetheless. From the weather to the landscape to accommodations, each day brought something new and exciting.

Whenever I'd thought of Ireland in the past, flat green pastures moist with mist usually came to mind. Now, I was finding myself in the rocky, mountainous, rough environment of Western Ireland, surprised and in awe of the indescribable beauty.

We landed at Shannon Airport at about 9 a.m. on a late-February Sunday morning. As anticipated - and expected - it was raining. We secured our rental car and drove (or should I say jolted) off towards our hotel, the only accommodations we had pre-booked for our two-week stay.

As is customary, on Monday morning, we had the Bord Failte-approved breakfast that was included in the room cost: toast, sausages, bacon, fruit, coffee or tea, and, of course, eggs. It was good and soothing and a substantial start to our first full day there. We walked around much of the day, adequately digesting the morning's fare.

Late in the day we drove to Doolin. We spent the night there and for breakfast had toast, sausages, bacon, fruit, coffee or tea, and eggs. Onward to Galway, where we spent the night. For breakfast we had toast, sausages, bacon, fruit, coffee or tea, and eggs.

From Galway, we got lost somewhere in Connemara, drove through the Bens in pitch-darkness, and finally found a hotel in Oughterard. We spent the night in a room right next to the chimney. The smell of peat permeated everything. After a not-so-restful night, we washed and dressed and headed down to the dining room for a breakfast of (you guessed it) toast, sausages, bacon, fruit, coffee or tea, ...and eggs.

Perhaps it was the overwhelming smell of peat all night. Perhaps it was just due to the fact that I was beginning to find eggs repulsive. In any event, when the waitress brought my breakfast over and placed the plate of meat and eggs in front of me, it was all I could do to excuse myself from the table and run back to the room. My husband had his breakfast; I waited until lunchtime to eat.

Onward to Sligo. We checked into a beautiful Bed & Breakfast, where the owner had tea and cookies waiting for guests as they arrived. After settling into our room, we went to the parlor for some refreshments. Our hostess decided to take the opportunity to ask how we would like our eggs prepared in the morning. Almost fighting back tears, I asked if I could just have a bagel, or something similar.

A sympathetic smile crossed her face. "Would you care for fresh fruit, cereal and yogurt instead?" she asked. I could have kissed her! It seems, according to our hostess, that many tourists who land at Shannon and make their way north along the coast usually tire of the Bord Failte-approved breakfast by day four or five. She assured us that it was acceptable to order something else - we did not have to have eggs every morning.

We discovered a few other things on that trip. For instance, when driving on the very rural roads, cattle and lorries have the right of way. This proved to be a challenge, particularly on those roads that were barely wider than our rental car. We quickly learned to get out of the way, even if it meant driving up the soft embankment, posturing the car perpendicular to the road.

We also learned to ask to see a hotel room prior to paying and dragging our four suitcases (we've since mastered the art of packing lighter) down corridors or up multiple flights of stairs.

After climbing four narrow, winding flights of stairs with luggage in tow, we found the room to be less than satisfactory and refused to stay in one hotel. We had to drag everything back down the stairs. Exacerbating the situation was the fact that one of our suitcases had broken, allowing various pieces of clothing and toiletries to be strewn along the stairs.

In spite of these trials, it was a wonderful trip. We met many fine people - both locals and other tourists. We got off the typical tourist paths and saw some beautiful areas. I am looking forward to our next trip. I know we'll be better prepared.

Shamrock Club of
Greater LaCrosse Area

Congratulations to Patrick Houlihan and Joyce Digmann who were selected by our Club as Irishman and Irish Rose for 2002. Their stories follow.

JOYCE DIGMANN
GREATER LaCROSSE IRISH ROSE 2002

Joyce Digmann traces her Irish ancestry to her great-great grandfather, John Hogan, who was born in County Cork, Ireland, married Ellen Ryan, from Limerick, came to the United States in 1850 and settled on a farm in Farley, Iowa, which was the homestead of her grandfather, John Hogan.

Joyce was born in Worthington, Iowa, population 300, of Irish-German Catholic parents. She will be 70 on April 29, 2002. She graduated from St. Paul's High School in Worthington.

She was married on October 13, 1952. She has eleven children; five boys and six girls including twins. One boy passed away in 1973. She now has 27 grandchildren and is expecting a 10th great grandchild. She tells us (with a twinkle in her Irish eyes) that she told them what causes this but it took herself 10 years to find out and another year to break the habit!

Joyce is retired after 24 years with Farm & Fleet, including ten years in Platteville, in the Tool Department. She presently is a member of St. Patrick's Church in Onalaska, sings in the Resurrection Choir there and is a volunteer at the Onalaska Care Center.

She has been involved with the Cuba City Area Volunteer Rescue Squad, Parents Without Partners, Dubuque, Iowa and St. Rose Choir, Cuba City.

Joyce has been a member of the LaCrosse Shamrock Club for five years and makes a great Irish Stew for our Club sale. She enjoys swimming (she represented the Shamrock Club in the annual Polar Bear Plunge into the Black River one winter), camping, reading, biking, working in her flower garden and dressing up and acting goofy any chance she gets. Keeping up with her big family also occupies her time. None of her family lives in LaCrosse because when the kids started coming home she left! She loves them all a bunch and is very excited about being our Irish Rose this year.

PATRICK "PAT" HOULIHAN
GREATER LaCROSSE IRISHMAN OF THE YEAR 2002

Patrick "Pat" Houlihan can trace his Irish heritage back to Ireland with both his mother and father's ancestors. His great great grandfather, Patrick Houlihan, was born in County Clare, Ireland and first emigrated to Canada at age 5 in the 1830s. He later, by way of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, settled on a farm near Harper's Ferry, Iowa in 1869. His great great grandfather, Patrick Joyce, on his mother's side, was born March 17, 1845, in County Mayo, Ireland near Crough Patrick Mtain, Ireland's holy mountain. Patrick Joyce also settled on a farm near Harper's Ferry, Iowa by way of New York.

Pat was born to James and Bernadette (Aylward) Houlihan in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1947. Pat was raised on the family farm near Harper's Ferry, Iowa with his four brothers and one sister. After graduation from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, Pat married Kathleen Burke from Lansing, Iowa. Pat and Kathy have five children, Katie Rose, Sean Patrick, Erin Colleen, Colin Burke, and Tara Elizabeth. Sean and his wife Mandie have a son Connor who is Pat and Kathy's grandson.

After serving in the military in Vietnam from 1970-71, Pat attended Marquette University Law School, from which he received his law degree in 1974. Following law school he was in the private practice of law with a Milwaukee firm. In 1978, Pat became LaCrosse's Assistant City Attorney and City Attorney in 1980, a position he continues to hold.

Professionally, Pat has served as chair of the League of Wisconsin Municipal Attorneys and a board member of the Wisconsin State Bar Government and Administrative section. Pat has also served his community as a board member of the LaCrosse Area United Way, parish council member of his church, and as a PTO parent for his children's school.

Pat enjoys Irish music and dance, along with golf, gardening, and fishing. His dream is to visit the homeland with his family and golf on one of Ireland's fine golf courses. LaCrosse's Irishman of the year is a great honor for Pat.

Shamrock Club of
New Dublin Activities

Final arrangements for the week-long celebration of St. Patrick's Day will be made at the monthly general membership meeting on March 4. The festivities begin Monday, March 11 when leprechauns change the name of the City of New London to New Dublin. Tuesday, March 12th is Holligan Day with corned beef and cabbage served at Pup's Irish Pub and Sommer's Midtown as well as at many other fine establishments in New London.

On Wednesday, Irish caroling will take place at St. Joseph's Residence and the Franklin Park Apartments. Meet in the lobby of St. Joseph's at 5:30 p.m. For more information call (920) 982-4366.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, March 14, an evening of Irish entertainment will take place at the New London High School auditorium. The evening will consist of the songs, dances, and humor of Ireland preformed by area artists. In addition, the 2002 Irishman and Irish Rose, Gerald and Dorothy Rohan; Grand Marshal, Wisconsin State Treasurer and New London native Jack Voight; and the 2002 Lad and Lassie will be introduced.

Friday, an Irish Ceili will take place at Crystal Falls at 8 p.m. Call (920) 982-3282 for more information on the ceili. Also starting at 8 p.m., Finnegans wake service will begin at Pub's Irish Pub and proceeds to other local establishments. For more information on Finnegans wake call (920) 982-6969.

The week's activities culminate with Wisconsin's largest St. Patrick's Day Parade through Downtown New London at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 16. The parade will include bagpipe bands, floats, and marching bands including the University of Wisconsin Marching Band. Irishfest, featuring Irish food, beverages, entertainment and market booths, will take place from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. before and after the parade under the big top downtown. This year's feature band is Gaelic Storm, steerage band from the movie Titanic.

http://home.talkcity.com/NonProfitBlvd/newdublin/index.html

Shamrock Club of Rock County

UPCOMING EVENTS

• MARCH 17 - St. Patrick's Day Parade in downtown Beloit, 1 p.m. (There will NOT be a meeting in March)

• APRIL 16 - Membership Meeting, 7 p.m.

• MAY 21 - Membership Meeting, 7 p.m.

Hopefully we will see all of our members either participating in our parade or sitting along the parade route cheering for all of those who are in the parade.

At the April meeting there will be nomination of officers for the coming year. If the nominating committee should call you to run for an office, please accept this opportunity to serve your club.

Fred McCann will show a video on Ireland at the April meeting.

At the May meeting we will have the election of officers. These officers will assume their duties on July 1st. If you are not interested in holding an office, we do have some other jobs available. We have some chairmanships available; highway cleanup, phone committee and refreshment committee. Step up and take your pick before your first choice is taken.

Fox Cities

Fox Cities Shamrock Club did not meet in January. But we did have a board meeting on Wednesday, Feb 27 at Conkey's "Between the Pages". We are looking forward to the following March celebrations:

• MARCH 16 - Celtic Knot at Naut's Landing, Menesha

• MARCH 16 - New Dublin's Parade and Irishfest featuring "Gaelic Storm"

• MARCH 16 - Van Abel's, Hollandtown. Corned beef dinner and entertainment

• MARCH 17 - Mark's East Side, Appleton's St. Patrick's celebration with Celtic Knot

Send all membership renewals, along with your address label to: Shamrock Club, P.O. Box 1632, Appleton, WI 54912.

New Members

DANE COUNTY - Elizabeth Baehr; Bob and Dorthy Beyhr; Patrick and Michel Cleary; Edward Jaeger; Paul and Susan Jaeger; Susan Kerans; Don and Maureen Kind; Juan Landa; Mary and LaVerne Miller; Elizabeth Reinartz.

MILWAUKEE - William and Roberta Dowsett; Dorothy Egan; Clark and Jumi F. MacAlpine; Pam Brody Strupp.

SOUTH CENTRAL - Mr. James L. Delaney.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT MILWAUKEE CHAPTER:

• December: 19 memberships up for renewal, 13 paid, 5 dropped for nonpayment of dues, 1 cancel.
• January: 27 memberships up for renewal, 17 paid, 10 due.
• February: 29 memberships up for renewal, 12 paid, 17 due.

Dane County Shamrock Club

UPCOMING EVENTS

• MARCH 12 - Board Meeting at Jingles, 6:15 p.m.

• MARCH 17 - Flag Raising Ceremony at noon at the Capitol; Parade at 1:30; Social Hour at Jingles 5-6 p.m.; Corn Beef and Cabbage Dinner at 6 p.m. followed by entertainment and honoring the Irish Person of the Year, Nelle Murphy

The Dane County Shamrock Club committee for the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which is under the leadership of Ed Jaeger and Reghan Walsh, has been meeting every Thursday at Jingles. The enthusiasm of the group explodes into the leadership of each committee. Our Club is involved in the communications, parade activities, and other promotional aspects. We are proud to be a part of this group as it heightens the awareness of our Irish heritage in Dane County. Paul and Colleen feel like they really make things come alive. Paul and Colleen, co-presidents, are part of a larger group but yet can express the Club's individual ideas.

The Club members who attended the "Night in November" performance at the Civic Center found much "food for thought" regarding the tensions between Catholic and Protestant communities in Belfast. James Ridge, who portrayed all the characters, was amazing to watch as he led the audience through the turmoil that exists today. The play was food for discussions among those who attended the performance. You should have been there!

The membership list is finally coming into its own. We are placing personal calls to those members who have yet to renew. With this updating and change, all members' dues are paid up to December 2002. This change (with having dues due in December) enables our club to plan events and give something back to the members in the way of quality programs - such as the fun/fund nights and the excellent Christmas party. All of which are still generating positive comments from those who attended the events. All Club members are entitled to a membership list which will be available at general meetings or upon request. This way members will know fellow Club members.

The Landa Cleary Travel Co., Inc. trip to Ireland in April includes our co-president Colleen Schams and the club's treasurer Al Schams. They will have a report to our club in May about their adventures in Ireland.

May Good Saint Patrick Bring You
Each Blessing That Endures,
And May His Spirit Evermore
Abide With You And Yours

Dane County Shamrock Club
"2002 Irish Person Of the Year"
Nelle Hogan Murphy

Nelle Hogan Murphy has been voted Irish Person of the Year, 2002, by the Shamrock Club of Dane County.

Nelle is a native of Memphis, Tennessee, but spent years traveling as an Air Force wife with husband, the late John (Jack) P. Murphy, Lt. Col (USAF). Their children are Maureen Murphy Holzren, Madison; Timothy Hogan Murphy, Scottsdale, AZ; and Mary Nell Murphy, Chicago. Nelle is the proud grandmother of Katie Murphy Holzren, a student at University of St. Thomas, St. Paul , MN, and Molly Murphy Holzren, Madison.

Nelle and Jack were charter members of the Shamrock Club of Dane County. Over the years Nelle has served on many committees and is currently serving as Parliamentarian.

Nelle's ancestors came from Counties Cork and Tipperary. Jack's father was born in County Down.

Last year Bishop William Bullock conferred on Nelle the Papal Honor of the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontiface (Cross for the Church and Pontiff), as directed by Pope John Paul II for her outstanding work in the Church both past and present, including, but not limited to, her service to St. Peter's Parish in Madison.

Nelle has been very active in the Wisconsin Council of Catholic Women serving in many offices including that of President. She has also served on the Board of the Madison Catholic Women's Club for 16 years.

She is very active in civic and political affairs. Secretary of Health and Social Services, Tommy Thompson, former Governor of Wisconsin, would refer to her as his "Irish Mom"!

"I am very proud of my Irish heritage and am honored to be selected as Irish Person of the Year by our club," said Nelle.

At the St. Patrick's Day Dinner at Jingles on Sunday, March 17, Nelle receives her award from the Dane County Shamrock Club.

Milwaukee President's Message

I'd like to congratulate the new Shamrock Club Honorees for 2002: Irish Rose Katy Voss, Irishman of the Year Tom Smith, and our Parade Marshal Chuck McLaughlin. These are well deserved honors for these active and hard working members. All the best to you.

The countdown has begun for Green Season. Don't miss our triumphant return to downtown at noon on Saturday, March 9th for the St. Patrick's Parade. This will be the best parade ever! There will be a lot going on the following week as well and I hope to see you at events all over the city. Please contact Joe Hughes or myself if you'd like to help out at the post parade party. Also, please remember to contact Chuck McLaughlin to make your plans for the Mass and Breakfast at St. Patrick's.

On March 3rd, Muriel Crowley will again coordinate the St. Patrick's event at the Museum. If you haven't attended before, please do, it makes for a lovely afternoon. There will be many other events going on in March including concerts, lectures and a Ceili.

The March membership meeting will bring us the first round of nominations for the next Board of Directors. There is no better way to ensure your input in the direction of the club than by getting involved and running for a position on the Board. Your commitment and enthusiasm would be very welcome.

Just a reminder that Easter is a little early this year. The Easter Rising Mass will be held at the ICHC on Sunday, March 31, 2002. at 9:30 a.m.

On a personal note, I'd like to thank everyone for your kind wishes after my surgery a few weeks back. It was very successful and I'm on the mend!

Easter Rising Mass

Brendan Heart Fund Benefit

On March 10, 2002 between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m., the Emerald Society of Wisconsin will be sponsoring the 12th annual benefit for the Brendan Heart Fund of Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.

The Emerald Society of Wisconsin, an organization of members of the criminal justice system, held the first Brendan Benefit in 1990. The Benefits have always been held on the Sunday prior to St. Patrick's Day at Derry Hegarty's Irish Pub, 5528 W. Bluemound Rd. This Benefit is designed to be a family event and we continue to be a family oriented event. The cost of attendance is $5 in advance, $6 at the door, and free to children under the age of 15.

The afternoon's entertainment will feature Blarney and The Cashel-Dennehy School of Irish Dance. Blarney is a well known group that has delighted its audiences for 20 plus years. They have an extensive library of Irish song which is enhanced by their musical instruments. This year we are also featuring the Cashel Dennehy School of Irish Dance, one of the successful dance schools in Milwaukee that has brought fame to themselves and the city for their performance of Irish dance.

Tickets can be purchased at the following locations: Derry Hegarty's, Irish Cultural and Heritage Center and from the Emerald Society, P.O. Box 24 Milwaukee, WI 53201-0024. Visit us on the net at www.concentric.net/~garda for further information.

St. Patrick's Day Raffle

Please don't forget to mail in your check and ticket stubs as soon as possible. Additional raffle tickets are available by calling Frank or Noreen Barclay at (262) 695-8563. (This is not a toll call from area code 414.) Tickets will also be available at the Post Parade Party on March 9. The last chance to turn in or purchase tickets is at the Milwaukee April meeting before the drawing at 7:30 p.m. Remember you don't have to be present to win.

Your support is needed to help make the St. Patrick's Day Parade the proud event we all want it to be.

Exhibitions at the ICHC

The delightful Blooming Meadows exhibit featuring photographs of well-known Irish musicians opened appropriately with a well-attended reception on Saint Bridget's Day. It will run until April, so you still have time to drop by and see it for yourself.

In April and May, we will have a quilt exhibition featuring the beautiful and thought-provoking Milwaukee Community Quilt. This collaborative work represents the cultural fabric of Milwaukee. With a theme of "Weaving Communities Together," there are 56 panels representing the many groups that contribute to the rich mosaic that is Milwaukee.

The project is sponsered by the US Postal Service. The Irish and Scottish panels were both made by Shamrock Club member Kay Cobb, Bail O'Dhia ar an obair! God Bless the Work! ... she did a wonderful job.

Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers
Compete in All-Irelands!

The Cashel-Dennehy School of Irish Dance sent 16 dancers to compete in The All-Irelands. These qualified dancers represented The Cashel-Dennehy School of Irish Dance between February 2-10 in Kilarny, Ireland. At the time of this printing events were still unfolding.

St. Patrick's Day At the ICHC

This year St. Patrick's Day falls on a Sunday - a day of rest! Why not mark the occasion with a visit to the ICHC? We will be screening two classic Irish movies in the Hallamor:

• 2:00 P.M. My Wild Irish Rose
• 7:00 P.M. Irish Eyes are Smiling

Both films are in glorious technicolor and filled with great songs like My Wild Irish Rose, A Little Bit of Heaven, Mother Machree, Dear Old Donegal, When Irish Eyes are Smiling, Let the Rest of the World Go By, and many more. They're based on the lives of Chauncy Olcott and Ernest Ball. Both these gentlemen were geniuses and giants in the Golden Age of Irish musical theater and vaudeville. My Wild Irish Rose was acclaimed on its release as "the most musical musical ever ever!" Film historian Dale Kuntz has secured two beautiful prints of these classics for showing in the Hallamor.

So, we invite you to get a drink from the bar, to drown the Shamrock and join us in the Hallamor. You're welcome to sing along with the great favorites on the screen. Dale Kuntz, President of Milwaukee Film Classics, will introduce the program. A $3 donation per film, or $5 for both movies is required. Besides the films in the Hallamor, Irish videos will be showing continuously all day in the bar from 1 p.m. There's no admission charge to the bar, and you can enjoy the Blooming Meadows exhibit featuring delightful photographs of well-known Irish musicians!

So Cead Mile Failte - you are very welcome to your Heritage Center on our day of the year! I hope to see you there.

Celtic Women Int'l
First Friday Lecture Schedule

As always, the public is invited to CWI lectures, men and women, members and non-members alike. Admission is $5 per person; you may enjoy a cup of tea and biscuits while soaking up Celtic culture. We hope to see you at the ICHC on the following CWI First Friday lectures. 2133 W. Wisconsin Avenue.

Friday, March 1. Welsh St. David's Day. This will be another combination evening of Welsh lore, culture and music. We are waiting confirmation of a Welsh spoon-carver who will demonstrate this ancient art of love and symbols in wooden spoons. Following the lecture, you are invited to partake of the concert in the ICHC Hallamór presented by Trefor Williams conducting the Milwaukee Festival Brass Band in an evening of Welsh musical celebration. The concert begins at 7 p.m. immediately after our CWI lecture.

Friday, April 5. Speaker: Priscilla "Pete" Kucik and Women and the Tartan: An Historical Overview. Priscilla, a CWI member, is a charter member and past-president of the Robert Burns Club in Milwaukee and is a Robert Burns scholar having written several articles about him in Scottish publications. Don your kilts and tartans and join us for a wee Scottish evening.

- Jean K. Bills, President
Celtic Women International

11th Annual St. Patrick's Day
Monster Ceili Dance

Featuring Irish music and dance, the 11th St. Patrick's Day Monster Ceili will be held Saturday, March 9, 2002 at the Marion Center - St. Mary's Academy, 3195 S. Superior / Lake Dr., Milwaukee. Plenty of free parking will be available in the lot on the south side of building, close to the gymnasium / ceili entrance.

A mini concert of lively Celtic music by Ceol Cairde ("Music of Friends" in Irish Gaelic) will be presented 7-7:30 p.m. followed by ceili dancing taught by Gail Clark and Julie Clark from 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Admission is $7; low income $3; children 6-16 years $3; children under 6 free entrance!

A portion of the proceeds benefit NAMI -Greater Milwaukee. National Alliance for the Mentally Ill is a community-based, self-help, support, education, and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of those with mental illness, their families, and those touched by mental illness. http://www.execpc.com/~namigm

Beginners are very welcome at this traditional Celtic gathering of friends and family joining together in a celebration of music, song and dance. Beverages and home-made bakery available at the hall.

For more information, please call Kristina at (414) 372-3060.

Set Dancing
Continues At Bodolino's

This has been a season of changes for the Milwaukee set dancers. After moving the weekly dancing to the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center from Nash's, things had no sooner started to settle down than a new venue was found. Set dancing can now be found every Monday at Bodolino's Pizza Restaurant (3024 N. Downer Ave.) starting at 7 p.m. This is a familiar location to those who have spent many evening hours there in August, following the Irish Fest Summer School classes.

While the weekly dancing has moved to the east side, Set Dance classes are still held at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center (2133 W. Wisconsin Ave.).

Beginning dancers can step up to the Intermediate class and continue building their dance skills. This class will be held over three Sunday afternoons, 4-5:30 p.m., starting April 14. The cost for this series of classes is $15. The workshops will be taught by experienced local set dancers. It is not necessary to bring a partner, but it is recommended that smooth-soled shoes and comfortable clothing be worn. Contact jpuhek23@earthlink.net for more details about Set Dance classes.

Set dancers were also active this winter as participants in the first Midwinter Set Dance Weekend. This weekend featured classes and three nights of dancing to live music, including music from the incomparable John Whelan. Earlier in the year, Wisconsin Set dancers were part of a special dance benefit in Madison, as part of the International Folk Ball. An evening of Set dancing and Contra dancing helped to raise funds for the Hospitality House, the Grace Church homeless shelter run by Transitional Housing, Inc.

This spring, the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, will be the site for the monthly Set dances. The March dance will be held on the 23rd, with live music from Rira. The April dance will be held on the 27th, with music from Madison's Public House Ceili Band. Both dances will begin with instruction at 7 p.m. and live music beginning at 8 p.m.

Old Blind Dogs In Concert

On March 16th at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center Old Blind Dogs will present Celtic musical treats demonstrating they are worthy of the praise they have receive ranking them among the most popular contemporary Scottish folk groups. Their "high-energy playing and intensely felt singing" have earned these accolades for Old Blind Dogs. They have recently released their second recording for Green Linnet. "FIT?" Their first recording on Green Linnet in 1999, "The World's Room" was praised as a new meeting of musical minds. That recording was first with the group's new line up. However the recognizable sound of Old Blind Dogs is definitely present. As the group moves forward, their trademark sound quality remains.

The title "FIT?" translates to "What?" in the dialect of the North East of Scotland, the home of the founders of the group. "Old Blind Dogs founders Jonny Hardie (fiddle) and Buzzy McMillan (base, citern) hail from Aberdeenshire on Scotland's northeast coast, an area steeped in traditional songs and fiddle tunes. They have built upon the region's melodies, incorporating African-flavored rhythms of djembe and congas, with pipes and fiddle tying the music back to its Scottish roots. Jim Malcolm is regarded as one of Scotland's finest young traditional singers." He is also a talented songwriter and a fiery harmonica player to boot! Rory Campbell prefers the softer gentler tone of the small or Border pipes along with his whistles. Paul Jennings's percussion emanates from the bodhran, djembe and congas rather than a full drum kit. Old Blind Dogs continues their fine four part harmony.

It was stated that much like their fellow countrymen, the Battlefield Band and Belfast's Craobh Rua, (two favorites of audiences at the ICHC) Old Blind Dogs respect tradition without being confined by it. Because of each band member's diverse background; subtle traces of reggae, jazz and folk-blues surface on occasion, bringing freshness and color to acoustic music steeped in centuries of Scottish folklore and history. ACOUSTIC GUITAR states, "Old Blind Dogs have mastered the tricky art of innovating within the musical tradition while faithfully revealing its essence."

Old Blind Dogs in Concert
Saturday, March 16, 2002 8 P.M.
ICHC • 2133 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53233 414-345-8800

Schooner Fare Returning to Milw.

The Pitman Theater at Alverno College is the site for this year's Schooner Fare concert which will be held on Saturday, April 20th at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17 - $19 for adults and $8 for children ages 18 and under.

This year, proceeds from the sale of advertisement and greeting space in the program booklet as well as a raffle to be held on the evening of the concert will benefit the ICHC. For more information on tickets or submissions to the booklet, call Kathy Schultz at (414) 332-8521.

Milwaukee Chapter
Needs Your Ideas

We would like your input as to what you would like to see the club improve on for our meetings, and also; what other activities you would like to see introduced.

Please call me, Tom Smith, or your can put it in writing. We will do what it takes to make this club a group everyone would want to belong to and enjoy. Tom Smith; 1107 S. 26th St.; Milwaukee, WI 53204. (414) 384-4119. email JEsmith26@aol.com

Milwaukee Bestows 2002 Honors
Upon Three Worthy Individuals

The 2002 Honorees are a deserving trio. They reflect the diversity of the Club, and the volunteer nature that the Shamrock Club has always represented.

Irishman of the Year Tom Smith has been in the background for many years, making things happen for the Irish community, while shunning the limelight. His work for Trinity, the Emerald Society, Irish Fest, Glencastle Irish Dancers, and of course, the Shamrock Club is well known to the people who are in need of his diverse talents, especially that of procuring items for raffles. Quiet, yet forceful, Tom is an asset to the Irish community, and to the Shamrock Club.

Irish Rose Katy Voss waited for retirement to bloom, so to speak. Since that time, she has become involved in many of the Club's functions, including the job of scheduling for the Bradley Center. Katy and husband Bob were also Parade Marshals in the not too distant past.

Parade Marshal Chuck McLaughlin will enjoy a slightly different perspective of the 2002 parade. Chuck has often led the parade as director of the Shamrock Club Color Guard Pipes and Drums. He was also instrumental, with his old crony, the late Joe Pembroke, in developing the gem of the Shamrock Club's Saturday events, the Mass in Honor of St Patrick. Chuck has been honored as the Irishman of the Year, and is also a Past President of the Shamrock Club.

TOM SMITH
2002 IRISHMAN OF THE YEAR

I feel very honored being named the Shamrock Club Irishman of the year for 2002. My wife Julia and I joined the Shamrock Club in 1972. My daughter Bridget joined the Shamrock Club Irish Dancers and danced with them until 1982 when the dance school was dissolved and Dr. Mary Eileen Greary turned the school over to another teacher. I was born and raised here in Milwaukee; my mother was a resident of the Merrill Park areas as a young girl. Her family originally came here after living for some time in Minneapolis, where my Grandfather Walsh worked as a police officer. The Walshes were both immigrants from County Mayo. My Grandfather Smith was from the Houghton-Hancock area in Michigan. We know they spoke of their Irish roots, but little is known about the County they came from. How they got together in Chicago, I am not sure.

Some of the best times in my life have been spent with the Shamrock Club Mitchell St. St. Patrick's Day Parades, Holiday Folk Fair, and Notre Dame football games.

I currently serve as Membership Chairman for the Milwaukee Chapter. This job runs in the family. My mother-in-law, Mary Stephens also held this position, besides being the Shamrock Club Irish Rose in 1983.

I am an associate member of the Emerald Society of Wisconsin and do whatever I can for the ICHC and have been the Transportation Coordinator for Irish Fest since 1981. I am the Finance Officer for American Legion Post 529, and a local 200 retiree after 39 years at Roadway Express. I was an active Teamster member for 44 years.

Also, I have the good fortune of having two Irish Dance Schools in my family. My daughter-in-law owns the Deely-Smith Irish Dancers in Northern California. Our daughter Bridget is the owner of the Glencastle Irish Dancers in Milwaukee. Besides my daughter Bridget, I have two sons Brian and Tom Jr., and our oldest daughter Sheila. I am blessed with six grandchildren Colleen and Nathan in Milwaukee, and Brian, Stephen, Maeve, and Alanna in California.

Tom Jr. is a bomb squad technician and SWAT team officer for the San Francisco Police Department. I am proud of the accomplishments of our children, I again thank you for this very great honor.

KATY VOSS
2002 IRISH ROSE

Katy Voss was born and raised in Milwaukee. She attended St. Robert's Grade School, Riverside High School and Marquette University. An interesting bit of information is - so did her husband. They've known each other since 2nd grade! While it would be romantic to say that they were childhood sweethearts from 2nd grade on, that was not the case. They were friends and dated only on and off - until a fateful day years later when Katy called the State Office Building (where Bob worked - but she didn't know that). Bob only happened to walk by an unoccupied desk where a phone was ringing and decided to answer it. When he took the message, the name sounded familiar - "are you the Katy who went to St. Roberts and Riverside?" Well, yes it was! And that's how it all really started.

Going back much further than that, Katy's Irish ancestry hails originally from County Cork. Her parents, the Regan's were married at St. Patrick's on the south side of Milwaukee in 1917. Her son, Tim, who is now a chef in the Detroit area was also married at St. Patrick's in 1996. They have a daughter, Meg, who lives here in town and is an Education Coordinator and Certified Quality Improvement Associate and works for the American Society for Quality.

Katy and Bob have been members of the Shamrock Club for many years. They did not come to meetings for the first several years they were members, until they were planning their first trip to Ireland. Bob decided to come to a meeting to get more information about travelling to Ireland, and he enjoyed the meeting so much (he said, "they are such nice people"), that Katy started attending as well. At a St. Patrick's Day breakfast, they met up with Ed and Helen Barlowe and that is how Bob and Katy started working at the Bradley Center.

In addition to working at the Bradley Center for 8 years, and serving as co-managers of the Bradley Center the past couple years, Katy has volunteered at Folk Fair, Post-Parade Party and also at Irish Fest. She served as Acting Secretary when we unexpectedly lost our elected secretary several years ago. In 1998, Katy and Bob were honored as Parade Marshals. Katy has recently expressed an interest in reviving a past Club tradition of providing food to needy families.

Although one might think all the above activities would leave little time for other interests, it's not surprising that Katy also loves playing bridge and golfing.

When asked what was her first reaction to the news that she had been chosen as Irish Rose this year, Katy said, "I was shocked - it was the last thing on my mind. I don't really deserve this."

Well, many of us beg to differ with you, Katy! Congratulations!

CHUCK McLAUGHLIN
PARADE MARSHAL 2002

Our 2002 Parade Marshal just recently retired as Director of the award winning Colorguard Pipes and Drums after 20 years of service with the unit. Chuck has been deeply involved with several areas of the club since joining in 1979 such as President, Vice President, Sergeant at Arms, Irishman of the Year 1991, organizer of the first Post-Parade Party, and currently coordinater, along with his wife Bonnie, of the St. Patrick's Day Mass.

Born and raised on the Southside of Milwaukee, Chuck and his family were long standing members of St. Patrick's Church. His grandparents, hailing from Cork and Donegal, were married there in 1893 and his parents were married in the same church in 1921.

The McLaughlin family consists of two sons, Brian and Randall, and two daughters, Kelly and Kim. Chuck and Bonnie also enjoy their seven grandchildren.

Chuck's most memorable experiences were being invited to march with the Colorguard Pipe and Drums in Dublin in 1988, along with three other cities in Ireland and his 23 year association with the club and the numerous fund-raising activites he has been involved in.

Cashel-Dennehy To Perform
At Ulster Project Benefit

The Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers, along with The Glencastle Dancers, The Trinity Dancers, and the Irish band, Leahy's Luck, will do a benefit performance for The Ulster Project. (This promotes international peace between the United States and Northern Ireland).

This event takes place on Friday, March 1, 2002. This event will begin at 5 p.m. The Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers perform at 7 p.m.

This benefit performance will be at Mt. Mary College located at 92nd and Locust in Bergstrom Hall. General Admission is with a $5 raffle ticket (for a trip to Ireland).

Irish Display at Museum In March

Mark your calendars for March 3, 2002 our annual St. Patrick's Day appearance at the Milwaukee Public Museum. There will be lace makers, peat postcard displays, dancers, and more. For more information, call (262) 782-4323.

The New Parade Route

The Parade will step off at Noon at 6th and Wisconsin, with marshalling starting at 8th Street. It will proceed down Wisconsin Ave. to North Plankinton, to Old World Thrid Street, then head north to Juneau, east to Water Street, then head south on Water Street to Wisconsin. For more information, see the website set up by the Shamrock Club and Westown at Shamrock Club Parade 2002.

Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers to
Appear With John McGivern!

The comedy of John McGivern and dance of Cashel-Dennehy Irish Dancers will combine in a performance titled An Evening of Stories, Music, and Dance. This event is on Saturday, April 27 at 7 p.m. at the Irish Cultural Heritage Center located at 2133 W. Wisconsin Avenue.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children under 12. For tickets call (414) 442-1984. The proceeds for this event will benefit the W.O.N. fund.

Nominations for Milwaukee Club Offices

Nominations for all offices of the Shamrock Club's Milwaukee Chapter will be taken at the March and April meetings. Nominees must be members in good standing, with dues paid and current. Nominees must be present at the time of their nomination.

Help Wanted:

4 People to help with the
Shamrock Club St. Patrick display
at the Milwaukee Public Museum
On Sunday, March 3, 2002
11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Call Muriel Crowley at 262-782-4323

Noted Speaker Program at ICHC

We are delighted to announce a new program of speakers from Ireland at the ICHC. In April this year we begin a program of entertaining and knowledgeable experts direct from Ireland to talk to us about Irish heritage, history and culture. Initially there will be two speakers in the spring and two in the fall. The program is sponsored by the Irish American Cultural Institute as part of the Irish Perceptions program, and co-sponsored by UWM's Center for Celtic Studies.

The program kicks off on Tuesday, April 2nd at 7 p.m. with Eamonn McEneaney and continues on Tuesday, May 7th, with Helen Brennan.

• Eamonn McEneaney -
Waterford: From Viking Pirates to Fine Crystal Makers - The Evolution of Ireland's Oldest City

This illustrated lecture will cover a thousand years of Waterford's rich history from its Viking and Anglo-Norman origins, through the medieval period and onto the 18th and 19th centuries, and today's modern city. Eamonn will use a slide show to display the many valuable artifacts available at his disposal as Director of the Waterford Treasures Museum in Waterford city. The Museum has won both the Irish Museum of the Year Award in 1999 as well as the IACI's prestigious Heritage Award in 2000. Eamonn has also been responsible for several publications, such as the report on the six-year excavation in the center of Waterford city entitled, Late Viking Age and Medieval Waterford Excavations, and he served as editor of A History of Waterford and its Mayors, celebrating 800 years of civic government in Waterford.

• Helen Brennan -
The Story of Irish Dance

Helen Brennan presents the rich and illustrious history of Irish Dance in this 90-minute symposium. Helen's discussion imparts the wonderful traditions of Irish Dance and includes the revival of set dancing in the last decade and a half. After Helen's discussion, she will then ask the audience members to join her in participating in some of these wonderful steps. Helen Brennan, born in Dublin, raised in Athenry, Co. Galway, and now living in Drogheda, is the author of The Story of Irish Dance, the first major work on the topic (Brandon 1999). Helen's interest in dance began in Athenry as a child while attending Irish dancing classes taught by Annie May Fahey, sister of the famous East Galway fiddler, Paddy Fahey. This in turn led her to research the traditional dance of the region at the request of Breandán Breathnach for inclusion in his major work, The Folk Music and Dances of Ireland (Mercier, 1971). After moving to Drogheda, Helen organized and directed the first-ever festival of traditional dance- Féile Rince Traidisiúnta-in Drogheda in 1983. Helen's interest in the study of dance helped her earn an honors M.A. in Ethnomusicology from Queen's University in Belfast, and has enabled her to lecture widely in Ireland and abroad. She is a contributor to History Ireland magazine, and the forthcoming Encyclopedia of Ireland (Gill and Macmillan).

Admission to the presentations is free to students and seniors. We ask a $5 suggested donation from others to help support cultural programs at the ICHC.

News Items from RTE

ONE IN THREE IRISH BIRTHS
OUTSIDE MARRIAGE

One in three births in the Republic in the year 2000 took place outside marriage, according to the Economic and Social Research Institute. The Institute's figures also reveal that one in eight children under the age of 15 is being reared by a lone parent.

According to Tony Fahey and Helen Russell of the ESRI, a new surge in family formation has occurred in the Republic since the economy began booming in 1994. Since then, the number of first babies born rose by 29%, breaking all modern records in the year 2000.

The authors attribute this largely to an increase in the number of women of childbearing age. Even though the Irish fertility rate is the highest in Europe, it is lower than the United States' and the ESRI says Ireland needs the current rate of immigration if the population is to continue increasing.

But the decline of marriage and of two-parent families marks the biggest changes at the end of the old millennium. In 1980, births outside marriage made up just 5% of total births. Twenty years later, they reached 32% of total births. In other words, one in three of all births were to single mothers.

In 1981 the number of lone parent families with children under the age of 15 stood at 30,000 or 7.2% of all families from that age group. By 1996 that had almost doubled to 56,000, or 13.8% of young families.

The authors are unable pinpoint from official figures exactly why many of Ireland's mostly female lone parents never married, and how many who did marry have seen their marriages break down. But they say loss of a parent through death accounts for less than 10% of single-parent families.They say little official information is available on the role of the "absent" parent and that this constitutes a major gap in data on the subject.

EIGHTY JOBS TO BE
CREATED IN CASTLEBAR

A US medical devices company is to set up a new plant in Castlebar in County Mayo, creating 80 jobs over the next five years. Fort Wayne Metals manufactures guide wires and catheters for use in heart surgery.

The Tánaiste said that this morning's announcement would give "an enormous boost" to the local economy following the jobs setback the county had experienced. The announcement comes just a month after the loss of 230 jobs at the Volex telecommunication's components factory in the town.

Fort Wayne Metals has three plants in Indiana in the US. The Castlebar factory will be its European manufacturing base. Mary Harney said that the company's decision to locate here would further strengthen Ireland's reputation as the leading location for healthcare investment in Europe.

DUBLIN LOW-COST
AIRLINE FACILITY APPROVED

The Government has approved the construction of a facility for low-cost airlines at Dublin Airport. Pier D will be operated by Aer Rianta. Ryanair had proposed to operate the new facility, but this was rejected by the Government. The new pier is intended to meet the needs of low-cost carriers and airlines such as Cityjet and Aer Lingus which require easier access and a quicker turnaround for their smaller jets.

The Irish Hotels' Federation has welcomed the initiative. It said that it could only bring many benefits to the country through encouraging the provision of more air routes to Ireland.

However, the Aer Rianta chairman has said that the development of Pier D might not be the correct option for the provision of new facilities. Noel Hanlon said that as the facility had been designed in 1997, it did not meet current security and immigration requirements.

Mr Hanlon said that Aer Rianta would provide suitable facilities at Dublin Airport, but their location would be decided by the Board of Aer Rianta in conjunction with the Minister for Public Enterprise.

ICHC Offers Celtic
Arts & Crafts Classes

Each class meets for four sessions at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center. All classes are designed to accommodate both beginning and more advanced students and welcome returning students. $30.00 per class plus cost of materials.

Class #1: Knitting - Teacher: Shirley Grade;
Sun. 1-3 p.m. - April 7, 14, 21, 28
Class #2: Celtic Quilting - Teacher: Julie Revane;
Mon. 7-9 p.m. - April 8, 15, 22, 29
Class #3: Celtic Design - Teacher; Leslie Fox;
Wed. 7-9 p.m. - April 10, 17, 24, May 1
Class #4: Celtic Calligraphy - Teacher: Julie San Felipe;
Thur. 7-9 p.m. - April 11, 18, 25, May 2

Please mail the registration form and check (payable to the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center) by April 1, 2002. Mail to: ICHC; 2133 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233. Questions? Call (414) 345-8800.

April 1, 2002 Registration Form ICHC Arts and Crafts Classes

Name:_______

Address:_______

City/State/Zip:_____

Phone: (_____) __________________________

Class #1 Knitting ($30) __________

Class #2 Quilting ($30) __________

Class #3 Celtic Design ($30) __________

Class #4 Celtic Caligraphy ($30) __________

Total enclosed $ __________

The Tenors and Troubadors
Celebrate Irish America
March 16th at
Milwaukee Athletic Club

Filled with the timeless songs and great stories of our heritage, this is the perfect good-humored and lively show for Milwaukee Irish Arts' annual St. Patrick's gala celebration. Providing the fun will be John Gleeson, Eamonn O'Neill, Bob Harrold, Sheila Larkin, Geraint Wilkes and their special guests including Derek Byrne, noted singer from the famous Riverdance show!

As usual, the celebrations take place at Milwaukee Athletic Club. The event kicks off at 5:30 with cocktails served to the magic of Irish music and dance, featuring the Irishfest Choir, Cashel-Dennehy and Trinity Dancers. Then our merry pipers lead us to the Grand Ballroom for our Gaelic gourmet dinner, followed by our show.

As you know, Milwaukee Irish Arts is dedicated to the presentation of theater, film and spoken arts, and we continue to offer ongoing programs of cultural events. We represent Milwaukee annually at the Acting Irish festiva - the largest festival of Irish drama in North America. To date, we have brought back five "Outstanding Acting" awards. Locally, we have brought to the stage more than 100 works from the canon of Irish and Irish American theater.

We've introduced countless young people to the riches of the Irish imagination, providing, for example, an early opportunity for young actor Barry McEvoy, who has gone on to star on Broadway with Jason Robards and Sharon Stone. He wrote and starred in the recent Irish movie Everlasting Piece. Dan O'Donahue, a local young man, began his career with Milwaukee Irish Arts before joining the CBS sitcom High Society. Milwaukee Irish Arts brought the national Youth Orchestra of Ireland to the Pabst Theatre for a spectacular concert that the local press called "the cultural bargain of the year." The presentation of Belfast actress Maggie Cronin's A Most Notorious Woman played to full houses and a rave review from the Milwaukee Journal/ Sentinel's Damien Jacques.

Our Saint Patrick's eve event is our annual fundraiser, and we hope you'll be there with us to support our efforts and to celebrate the grace and glory of our heritage!

Admission to the event is $40 per person. Please send checks made out to Milwaukee Irish Arts to:

Pat Sadowski
8804 W. Capitol Dr. #3
Milwaukee, WI 53222.

Shamrock Club Raffle

Help benefit the Shamrock Club by buying raffle tickets

Top Prize: 2 Round Trip Coach Air Fares to Ireland or $1000 in Cash

2nd Prize: $250

3rd Prize: $100

4th Prize: $50

5th, 6th, 7th Prize: $ 25

Buy tickets at the Shamrock Club Post Parade Party March 9 at the ICHC, or other venues throughout the month. Prize Drawing April 4, 2002 7:30 p.m. (Shamrock Club April Monthly Meeting) You do not need to be present to win

For more tickets, call Frank or Noreen Barclay at (262) 695-8563 or email at FDBarclay@aol.com