Emerald Reflections Online

This World is All a Fleeting Show

This world is all a fleeting show,
For man's illusion given;
The smiles of joy, the tears of woe,
Deceitful shine, deceitful flow, -
There's nothing true but Heaven
This World is all a fleeting Show.

Thomas Moore is probably best known for his collection of Irish tunes that he wrote in the early part of the nineteenth century. He composed many of the most memorable Irish songs, including The Minstrel Boy, The Last Rose of Summer, and The Harp that Once Through Tara's Halls. However, that was not all of Moore. He was a poet, satirist, composer and musician of note. He was a revolutionary, was one of the first Catholics admitted to Trinity College, and a non-practicing lawyer. He counted among his friends Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, as well as the Irish revolutionary Robert Emmet. He also had the future King of England, George IV as a patron. However, by the time of death, he would find himself becoming irrelevant to the younger breed of revolutionaries, proving that the world was just a fleeting show.

Thomas Moore was born in Dublin May 28, 1779, to a Catholic shopkeeper. He was proud of his past, and always spoke with pride of his origin. He was a precocious young man. At the age of 11, in 1790 he made his first stage appearance, speaking the epilogue to Jane Shore in private theatricals. At 14, in 1793 he made his first appearance in print with verses in Anthologia Hibernica, a Dublin magazine.

January of 1795 came to find Moore as one of the first Catholics admitted to Trinity. Moore tried to get a scholarship, but was ineligible because of his religion. While at Trinity, he met Robert Emmet and Edward Hudson. The three belonged to a group called "the Hist", the Historical Society of Trinity. It was a debating society that had deep revolutionary leanings. Many of the students who belonged to the group were to join the ranks of the United Irishmen in the failed 1798 rebellion in Ireland. Emmet left the college in April, and was imprisoned. Hudson was hanged. Emmet's brother, Thomas Addis Emmet, was imprisoned in England, then released to go to France, and then the United States. Moore, as a Catholic, was already in a tenuous situation regarding his position at the College. He was threatened with expulsion unless he revealed the names of his fellow students who partook in revolutionary actions. However, Moore stood firm, and the threats passed him by, and he was allowed to finish his education.

In 1799, Moore received a B.A. degree from Trinity. From April to July of that year, he read law in Middle Temple, London. He passed his course work, but was never admitted to bar. Instead, he worked on Anacreon, a set of poems. Later that year, he returned to Dublin. In 1800, the Odes of Anacreon were published in London.

In 1801, Moore published The Poetical Works of Thomas Little, Jr., using for the first time a pseudonym he would employ often in his career. Moore wrote his first published music, The Gypsy Prince, an opera, for which Moore wrote part of libretto, which made its world debut at the Haymarket Theater in London around this time.

Moore's star was rising in 1803. He was awarded the Poet Laureate of Ireland. However, because of his Republican leanings, he declined the position. He was also appointed to a position in Bermuda, the Registrar of Admiralty-Prize court, which led him to the United States and then to Bermuda. Later that year, there was a botched uprising of the remnants of the United Irishmen, led by his friend Robert Emmet. Emmet was hanged. After a quick trip to Bermuda in 1804, where Moore appointed a deputy to oversee affairs for him, he returned to Ireland and then to London, where he would live for the rest of his life.

The death of Emmet would prove to be a turning point for Moore. He was asked to provide an elegy for his friend. The result was When He Who Adores Thee," based on the martyr's words at his trial. The experience marked Thomas Moore for life; in it he had found his true poetic voice as the soul and heartbeat of an oppressed Ireland. Emmet, and Emmet's love, Sarah Curran, would provide Moore with inspiration for years. The Last Rose of Summer was composed in honor of Sarah. She's Far From the Land with the line, "far from the island of Sorrow" was written for Curran, who was married off to a British Army officer, and died while living in Sicily.

In 1807, Moore started work on his collection of Irish songs. He composed new words for old tunes, following in the footsteps of Robert Burns in Scotland, who did the same with Scottish music. He annotated and gave them to Sir John Stevenson and later to Henry Bishop to arrange. Moore published ten volumes of his Irish Melodies. With the heyday of the piano and with the growing fascination with the folk movements throughout Europe and the New World, Moore's Melodies found their way into virtually every parlor and onto every concert platform of the 19th century. The Melodies were written between 1807 and 1834, and consisted of 130 poems set to music. Irish Melodies was so popular that Moore earned 500 pounds annually for more than 25 years for its publication.

Although noted for his music, his poetry was as celebrated. He was paid 3,000 pounds - a record at that time - for his 1817 poem, Lalla Rookh. His reputation equaled that of Byron and Shelley. The German philosopher and writer, Goethe felt he was one of the three greatest poets of his time. He was one of the best known poets in the British Empire, and was noted as a satirist. He would weigh in on any subject, be it the great debate over the rush to sell off the Bullion (gold) standard, to the misdeeds of politicians and public figures. In 1813 he issued The Twopenny Post Bag, a collection of satires directed against the prince regent. The prince regent, later King George IV, however, did not find them offensive, and would become one of Moore's patrons. He also mocked in his poems his countrymen living in Paris and the Holy Alliance of 1815, a political agreement created after the fall of the Napoleonic Empire. This drew the enmity of some, and he was challenged to a duel on at least one occasion for his work.

Although he was a lifelong and devout Catholic, he married a Protestant, Elizabeth Dyke, while in London, and allowed his five children to be raised as Protestants. However, only his spendthrift son, Thomas, made it to adulthood, and Moore was to outlive him, too.

In 1819, his deputy in Bermuda absconded with £6000, for which Moore was responsible. To avoid arrest for debt, Moore fled to the Continent. In May, he traveled to Switzerland and Italy. It was while he was in Italy he saw Lord Byron for the last time and was given a manuscript of Byron's memoirs. Moore returned to Paris, where his family joined him. They were to stay there until 1822, when his debt was repaid.

He published a biography of Sir Edward Fitzgerald, one of the founders of the United Irishman movement, despite English fears it might lead to another rebellion. In the most controversial of his acts he burned the manuscript of Byron's autobiography which Bryon had left him. He did so reportedly because of the pleas of Byron's half sister and Lady Byron, who felt the tome would damage Byron's reputation.

Moore would find himself assailed in his later years, for his revolutionary stance, and for his music. He was condemned by many of his countrymen as a false patriot. An essay written by Young Ireland founder Thomas Davis in 1844 criticized Moore for not being strong enough in his passion for Irish nationalism and attacked him as being elitist. Others criticized his work as "ersatz Irish music intended for an elite coterie." Moore was often criticized for being an armchair revolutionary and for fraternizing with the English oppressors, charges that were at least partially true. Still, Moore remained committed to the Irish cause, and he used his poems to carry the message of Ireland's struggle to the heart of England, and Continental Europe, into the drawing rooms and concert halls. Moore was adept as a performer, and his musical settings and his own performance of his melodies moved listeners and won him a following and celebrity not seen in his time.

All that 's bright must fade,-
The brightest still the fleetest;
All that 's sweet was made
But to be lost when sweetest
All that 's Bright must fade.

Moore died on February 25, 1852. His work endured. And although his music was derided by many, he had his defenders, too. James Joyce, whose first love was singing, loved his lyricism, and the way his songs would roll. (Joyce also felt that Davis' songs were stilted and forced.) And ultimately, Moore was to be the most represented of all Irish songwriters. His Irish Melodies was translated into every European language, including Hungarian, Polish and Russian. More than a million copies of The Last Rose of Summer were sold in the United State alone. Thomas Moore's flower was forever to be sweetest, and his fame would be bright forever.

Dane County Shamrock Club

• NO APRIL Board meeting

• MAY 14 - Board meeting at Jingles, 6:15 p.m.; nomination and election of officers and Board members.

Report on trip to Ireland with the Landa Cleary Travel Co., Inc. by members of the Club.

The new membership chairperson is Margaret Rupert. As she assumes this position she will find a completed and up-to-date membership list. She comes to us with an outstanding knowledge of computers plus an excellent Irish background which she traces back to County Antrim and Belfast.

So many of us were pleased with the festivities on St. Patrick's Day with the flag raising at the Capitol, hearing the dignitaries - Mayor Sue Bauman, Sheriff Gary Hamblin, Attorney General James Doyle, and Lieutenant Governor Margaret Farrow, followed by the parade around the square. The activities continued at Jingles where we enjoyed the typical Irish corn beef and cabbage dinner and were also entertained by the Trinity Irish Dancers and Zor Shriners Bagpipers. Later, everybody participated in singing Irish songs. The annual "Irish Person of the Year" award was presented to Nelle Murphy at the dinner. Nelle's family came from far and near to be present when she accepted her award.

The Shamrock Club of Wisconsin State Advisory Committee met in Lake Delton in February. Dave Holtze, chairman, was pleased with the attendance as six out of the nine clubs in Wisconsin were represented. Some of the items discussed were membership, newsletters, and possible incorporation of some clubs for legal protection of the board members as well as all Club members. The next meeting is in Appleton on May18. If you have any ideas or suggestions that you would like us to bring to this committee - just let us know. A suggestion was made for joint meetings and activities with other Shamrock Clubs in Wisconsin - especially those in the south central part of Wisconsin.

As a result of our "Heart-to-Heart" fun/ fund raiser in February, the Dane County Shamrock Club donated $50 to the American Heart Association.

Our recent members' travels to Ireland pass on this refrain:

It's the one place on earth, that heaven has kissed - with melody, mirth and meadow and mist.

Rock County

UPCOMING EVENTS

• APRIL 16 - Potluck Dinner 6 p.m.; Membership Meeting 7 p.m.

• MAY 21 - 7 p.m. Membership Meeting

All of our meetings are now back at the Janesville Senior Center, 69 S. Water Street.

At the April meeting we will have a potluck dinner a 6 p.m. Treat our club members to one of your favorite dishes. We will also have our annual "No Bake, Bake Sale" fund raiser.

During the 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. If you are not interested in holding an office, we do have some other jobs available.

At the May meeting we will have the election of officers. Those elected will assume their duties, for the coming year, on July 1st.

The program at our February meeting was our version of the Antiques Road Show. Many members brought antiques and told about them. Fred and Kay McCann brought a few of the carpet beaters from their large collection. Those brought back memories to many of us. The program was interesting, educational and entertaining. It was something different and everyone enjoyed the program. The program at the April meeting will be a video about Ireland.

South Central Shamrock Club Honors
Thomas "Tom" Scanlon as
2002 Irishman of the Year and
Marguerite Heerey Murray as
2002 Irish Rose

Marguerite Heerey Murray and Tom Scanlon were both honored at the South Central Shamrock Club's St. Patrick's Day Celebration on Saturday, March 16 at Wintergreen Resort in Lake Delton. The evening's festivities included a social hour followed by a banquet, with an entertaining program capping off the event.

MARGUERITE HEEREY MURRAY

The South Central Shamrock Club has announced that Marguerite Heerey Murray of the Town of Dellona, Sauk County, is its 2002 Irish Rose.

Marguerite Heerey was born in St. Charles, Minnesota to Michael David Heerey and Mary Margaret Christie. Her great grandparents on her father's side came from such places as County Cavan, County Limerick and County Kerry, Ireland. All of them had immigrated to this country by 1852. Her grandparents on her mother's side came to this country from Scotland in 1846. The Heerey family moved to Mauston in 1937. Upon graduation from high school she attended Juneau County Normal School, graduating in 1949. She then taught at Mauston, Union Center and Northeast Dellona Country Schools until the birth of her first child.

Marguerite married Eugene "Gene" Murray on June 10, 1951. "Gene" was the South Central Shamrock Club's 2000 Irishman of the Year.

The Murray's raised five children: Joanne Murray of Madison, Eugene Murray, Jr. of Fifield, Jan (Mrs. John) Delmore of Lake Delton, Judy Davis of Brookfield and Dennis Murray of Reedsburg. Her children have made her a grandmother five times and a great grandmother once. Her years were filled with raising children and being a farm wife. However her love of education remained a principal motivation so she returned to teaching in 1967. She attended summer school in Platteville and night classes at various locations to complete work toward her bachelors degree in education, which she received in 1972. She taught students with exceptional educational needs for the next 18 years until her retirement in 1990. Her dedication to her students required her to go above and beyond the duties of a normal teacher. She never punched a clock and made many home visits. Marguerite always endeavored to teach her students as many life skills as possible in order to enable them to function as independently as possible.

She also assisted with the Special Olympics Bowling Jamboree for many years.

Marguerite serves as a volunteer at the Sauk County Health Care Center, where she is on the committee for the developmentally disabled. She can frequently be found visiting patients at the Center, as well as at St. Clare Meadows in Baraboo.

Marguerite is an active member of Reedsburg's Sacred Heart Catholic Church and is a willing worker on its fall festival.

Marguerite has volunteered her time in the surgery waiting room at St. Clare Hospital in Baraboo and has also helped with the hospital's Christmas bake sale.

THOMAS "TOM" SCANLON

The South Central Shamrock Club has announced the selection of Thomas "Tom" Scanlon of Reedsburg as its 2002 Irishman of the Year.

Tom was born on the family farm in Dowra, County Cavan, Ireland on March 18 or 19. Since the date was never really determined, his birthday is now celebrated on St. Patrick's Day. Tom was one of three children, and the only son, of Edward and Brigid (nee Cullen) Scanlon. The farm had been in the family for at least three generations. His mother had been to America as a young woman, working as a governess before she returned to Ireland to marry Tom's father. After their youngest child was born in 1945, Tom's father came to America to try and get established so that he could bring his family over. After nearly six years, and several trips back and forth to Ireland, he was able to move his family to this country. In April of 1952 the family traveled to Cobh, Ireland and set sail on the Franconia for America. Nine year old Tom's clearest memory of that trip was seasickness.

The family arrived in New York where Tom's family worked in his brother-in-law's tavern. The first Christmas they were in America, Tom and his father sold Christmas trees on a street corner for Christmas money. Tom's father soon earned enough for the family to buy its own tavern in Queens.

Following graduation from Newtown High School, Tom entered the Air Force, receiving his basic training in San Antonio, Texas. He then was sent to a navel base in California for school for three months and then spent the rest of his enlistment at Roswell, New Mexico. To this day he refuses to reveal the number of UFOs which he saw while stationed at Roswell. He is a past member of the Cazenovia American Legion Post.

Also, while at Roswell, he met a young lass from Texas and made her his wife.

Upon release from the air force he and his wife returned to New York where Tom worked for Con-Ed. In 1969 Tom and Kay came to Wisconsin, Tom working briefly at Badger Army Ammunition Plant, then at Baraboo Sysco. In 1973 he and Kay moved to Reedsburg and Tom started work for the Reedsburg Waste Water Treatment Plant from which he retired in September 2001 as plant supervisor.

During his tenure as plant supervisor, it received an award as the most improved plant in the state; he and his men received safety awards for as many as seven years straight, for the best looking grounds and the cleanest plant; in 1997 he was selected as the Treatment Plant Operator of the Year for Wisconsin.

Tom has been a strong and visible advocate of the theory that if you can't do a job well, don't do it at all. Following that theory, he has devoted a great amount of time and energy to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, having joined the society in 1974. In the Reedsburg St. Vincent de Paul Society he has served as Treasurer, Secretary, Vice-President and President; on the Diocesan level he has served as Secretary from 1984-86; Vice-President from 1987-89; President from 1990-93; and Secretary from 1994-96. Tom was the North Central Regional Vice-Chairman from 1993-98 and was a National Trustee from 1984-99. The Reedsburg Society, under his leadership, has served a very important and necessary role. At the same time, Tom has been a strong advocate of the Society functioning with an absolute minimum of fanfare. He never expects credit for the work he does as he feels that a smile from the person who has received something from him is sufficient.

His dedication to the St. Vincent's Society is such that he has refused to join most other organizations, preferring to donate his time and talents to one organization in a particularly effective manner. And this he has done.

Tom and Kay had five sons and three daughters. Six of those children survive. They are: Delmar of Lyndon Station; Edward of Loganville; Robert of Milwaukee; Chief Warrant Officer 1st Class Patrick of London, England; Maggie (Dave) Laukant of Reedsburg; and Shannon Johnson of Rockford, Illinois. (Many of their children have contributed to making Tom and Kay popular grandparents. Tom's new job is as liaison between the parents of his grandchildren and the school. This is turning into a full time job because he has 17 grandchildren by last count.)

Fox Cities Shamrock Club's
Irishman of the Year 2002: Bill Grogan;
Irish Rose 2002: Patricia Dunlavy Warmbrun

Congratulations to William Grogan and Patricia Dunlavy Warmbrunn who were selected as Fox Cities Irishman and Irish Rose for 2002.

WILLIAM GROGAN

William Grogan was one of the founders of the Fox Cities Shamrock Club in 1985 along with Jim Flanagan, Fred Kelly and Thomas Fink. He is the current president of the Fox Cities Club.

Bill is a Marquette Law School graduate who practices law in Appleton and is a former district attorney for Outagamie County.

His Irish ancestors include the Grogans from County Cork, Suttons from County Wexford, Foleys from County Kerry and Malloys from County Tipperary. Grogan has been an avid supporter of the Shamrock Club and all things Irish. As always he remains "Irish to the Core."

PATRICIA DUNLAVY WARMBRUNN

Patricia traces her Irish ancestry to her grandfather, Patrick Dunlavy, from County West Meath. He came to America, married Bridget Fitzgerald and settled on a farm in the Town of Lebanon near New London. Her father, Pete Dunlavy was raised on this farm with his three brothers and six sisters.

Patricia was raised in Clintonville, Wisconsin and attended University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. She was a teacher and librarian in the Appleton School system for eight years. She has been a librarian at the UW-Fox Valley library in Menasha for the past 21 years. She married Frank Warmbrunn and they have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

Patricia has been a member of the Fox Cities Shamrock Club since 1985 and has worked on various committees and organized dinners for the club members. She is currently the treasurer for the Shamrock Club.

Reading, camping, snowmobiling and anything Irish are her interests. She visited Ireland in 1985 and loved it. She hopes to be able to visit Ireland again. Being Irish Rose is a great honor for Pat.

Milwaukee President's Message

After the great success of our St. Patrick's Parade downtown, there's only one thing left to do - start looking forward to next year!

I look forward to seeing you at the Easter Rising Mass. If you have never attended, please do, as the Hallamor makes a beautiful setting for the Mass.

Spring is upon us (by calendar, if not weather) and I'm sure we're all taking a deep breath after the excitement of Green Season. The fun isn't over yet though, as the ICHC still has several wonderful concerts coming up that would be a shame to miss. Please check the schedule. The Celtic Women First Friday Lecture will be held at the ICHC on April 5th and is called "Women and the Tartan: An Historical Overview." There is also the Schooner Fare Concert at the Pitman Theater at Alverno College on April 20th. You all know by now what a great performance they put on.

Please contact Tom Smith if you are able to help him out with the mailing Emerald Reflections. It would only take 2-3 hours a month, but it will be very much appreciated.

Respectfully Submitted,

Milwaukee's 2002 Honorees

Honorees are pictured (left to right): Parade Marshal Chuck McLaughlin; Irish Rose Katy Voss; and Irishman of the Year Tom Smith.

RECEPTION

Lafayette County Tribute to
"Irish Ed" Flanagan

The Shamrock Club of Lafayette County was saddened by the untimely death of one of the Club's founders, Ed Flanagan, 65, this past year. Ed was 100% Irish. His mother was a Galway and his father a Flanagan! He was extremely proud of his Irish heritage and promoted it wherever he went.

"Irish Ed" was a familiar face to many people in the communities of Southwestern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, driving his John Deere tractor, the "Irish Express." Pulling anyone of the four floats that he designed and helped construct for the Shamrock Club was one of Ed's favorite past times. The club participates in approximately six to eight parades each year.

He was instrumental in forming the Shamrock Club in Lafayette County in 1971, which now has 60 members. Ed served as President of the Club and was Irishman of the Year in previous years. Many hours were devoted to providing transportation for our young Irish dancers to their lessons in Dubuque, Iowa, by Ed. He also coordinated many of our cultural events in the area. His love of "Irish Fest" brought him and his Irish friends to Milwaukee every year.

Ed is survived by his wife, Sara, who is President of the Shamrock Club in Lafayette County and three children, Pat (Kathryn), Mike (Christine), and Julie (Liam) Coen. All three children are graduates of Notre Dame University. He was blessed with three beautiful grandchildren, Emma, Maggie and Annie.

"It is impossible to be Unhappy if you have a Grateful heart.
"We are Grateful for Ed Flanagan's life!"

Finale of Hallamor
Concert Series: Altan

"Altan continues to be one of the Celtic world's great treasures, gifted with a front line that is a sheer powerhouse." . . . . . . . LA Times

"Undiluted and uncompromised, the music of Altan is Irish music as it ought to be, full of imagination, heart, and unwavering respect for the vaunted traditions from which it springs, and an unstoppable spirit lying beyond the reach of words." . . . . . Earle Hitchner, Irish Echo

"... Altan played with brilliance Tuesday night at Centennial Hall. Curran and Sproule carved out deft rhythms on bouzouki and guitar while Mhaonaigh and Tourish wove quick, intricate fiddle harmonies in the forefront. With only acoustic guitars as her accompaniment, Mhaonaigh cast a hush over the rambunctious audience with Gaelic dirges sung in the strong simple voice of a fallen angel.". . . Thor Christensen, The Milwaukee Journal

Now well into its second decade together, Altan has cemented its status as one of the most critically acclaimed and successful traditional Irish bands of all time. Altan's repertoire comes primarily from County Donegal in the northwest corner of Ireland. The area has a history of labor exchange with Scotland, and with that connection comes an intermingling of the music, resulting in a distinctive style that combines the melodic quality of Irish tunes with the power and drive of Scottish music. Formed in 1985 by Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh and her husband, Frankie Kennedy, and named after a loch near Mairead's home in County Donegal, Altan achieves artistic excellence and demonstrates a respect for the tradition and the people who keep it alive. The music is comprised of jigs, reels, polkas, songs, mazurkas, strathspeys, barn dances and hornpipes that are the hallmark of traditional Irish music.

Witnessing Altan on stage has been hailed as "an electrifying experienced" by their many fans, and while individually band members are masters of their respective instruments, collectively Altan is one of the most exciting groups in contemporary traditional music, combining technical brilliance with emotional depth.

The members of Altan are: Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh (Ma-RAY-ed Nee WEE-ney), lead vocals, fiddle. Ciaran Curran, bouzouki, bouzouki guitar. Ciaran Tourish, fiddle, tin whistle, backing vocals. Daithi Sproule (DA-hee Sprole), guitar, vocals. Dermot Byrne, button accordion, melodeon.

Altan will be the final act in the first of our ICHC Concert Series. We are proud to host them for the first time in the beautiful setting of our Hallamor concert hall. We invite you to call the ICHC to reserve your tickets today. You will experience Irish music at its finest.

ALTAN
Friday, April 12, 2002, 8 p.m.
Admission: $17 advance / $19 door
To Benefit
Irish Cultural and Heritage Center
2133 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53233 • 414-345-8800

Irish Language Weekend

A beautiful wooded lake, music, dancing and games, nature walk, crafts, drama and history, lots of friendly people. If this sounds like your idea of a great weekend, take note that Conradh na Gaeilge, Craobh Curtin (The Gaelic League, Curtin Branch) is once again sponsoring its Deireadh Seachtaine (Irish Weekend) at the Redemptorist Retreat Center in Oconomowoc, 35-minutes west of downtown Milwaukee. The weekend's focus is classes in the Irish Language, designed for people who are just interested, people who are beginners, people who have culpa focail (a few words), people who are conversational, people who are fluent and everyone in between. Most of the teachers are Irish born; all are experienced and patient. Everyone is welcome. Come to learn; come to play; but come.

The dates are May 10-12. Brochures can be obtained by contacting the Retreat Center by phone (262) 567-6900, by fax (262) 567-0134, by email phrc@globaldia log.com, or by contacting the web site www.redmeptoristreatreat.org. You can obtain more information by calling John Gleeson at (414) 258-9349 or visiting the Conradh na Gaeilge website at www.irish milwaukee.com and clicking on "Special Events". Registration is limited so if you are interested, act soon. We know you will find it an experience you will never forget.

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

Thank

Paddy Clancy Scholarships Available

The Paddy Clancy scholarships were presented to recipients at the University of Limerick. From Left to Right: Nicole Sherpa (scholarship recipient), John McKenzie (University of Limerick), John Gleeson (Paddy Clancy Scholarship Committee), Mary Clancy, Sandra Joyce (University of Limerick), Ashley Davis (scholarship recipient), Michael O'Suileabhain (Director, Irish World Music Centre).

A number of scholarships are available to students with an interest in pursuing study related to Folk Song, Sean Nós and the Traditional Ballad. North American students may apply the scholarship towards study at the Irish World Music Centre at the University of Limerick.

For 30 years Paddy Clancy with his brothers and Tommy Makem brought their songs to the people. At the Cherry Lane Theater in New York, they started Irish song sessions. Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Jeanne Ritchie and others sang along with them. Paddy created Tradition Records. This label first recorded people like Lightnin' Hopkins, Odetta and Harry Belafonte. Paddy and his brothers have had major historic influence on folk music on both sides of the Atlantic. They made American folk singers reach into the American past to discover what was real, what was genuine. They helped the Irish around the world feel good about themselves and their heritage. Paddy had a repertoire of over 300 ballads. When he died in 1998, friends and admirers set up the Paddy Clancy Memorial Scholarship fund to commemorate his life and work. Milwaukee Irish Fest was one of the original donors to the fund and continues to be a good friend.

Last year's winners were: Ashley Davis, a student at Belmont University and Kansas University in language, literature and music. Her "Ashley Davis" CD has been recently released featuring traditional songs and her own compositions. Nicole Sherpa, a student of ethnomusicology at Suny Empire State College in New York. Nicole's interests include Tibetan chant and Irish traditional singing. She has performed with an Irish traditional group in Nepal, her husband's native land.

Application forms for this year's scholarships may be had from:

UWM Center for Celtic Studies
Holton 290PO Box 413
Milwaukee, WI 53201

Deadline for receipt of completed applications is June 30, 2002. Successful applicants will be announced in early August 2002. For further information contact John Gleeson at gleeson@uwm.edu or (414) 229-2608.

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.

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, 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.

Trinity to Hold Dance Recital

The Trinity Academy of Irish Dance will be holding its annual school Spring Performance at Dominican High School, 120 East Silver Spring, on Saturday, April 20, 2002. The doors open at 6 p.m. There will be a silent auction and a raffle prior to the show. The show will start at 7:30 pm. For more information call Barb Stigler at 262-968-4678. For information about the Trinity Academy, call (414) 224-5220.

In addition, the Trinity Dance Company will be performing at the Pabst Theater on Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday April 28 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 and $21 and available by calling the Pabst Box Office at (414) 286-3663.

Irish Song Night at Paddy's Pub

Maeiti Jo receiving the O' Riada Cup from Peadar O' Riada at the Oireachtas in Ireland.

Craobh Curtin Conradh na Gaeilge is sponsoring a night of Irish song and music at Paddy's Pub, 2339 N. Murray Ave on April 11. Taking part will be Anam Rí, local sean nós and traditional singers, and direct from Ireland special guest Meaití Jó Shéamuis.

Máirtín Ó Fátharta or Meaití Jó Shéamuis as he is musically known in Ireland, comes from the Gaelic speaking area of Indreabhán or Inverin in South Connemara. A keen sean-nós singer for more than 30 years, he also plays the uileann pipes, concert flute and tinwhistle. He is a fulltime broadcaster with the all-Gaelic speaking radio station, Raidió na Gaeltachta, since its inception in 1972 and has contributed most to the station's extensive traditional music archives. His work and his own performances has brought Meaití all over the world over the past 30 years. A two-time winner of the prestigious Corn Uí Riada (the premier award for sean nós singing), Maeití was a popular performer at the 1997 and 2001 Milwaukee Irish Fests.

This special evening will kick off at 7 p.m. If you've never been to Paddy's, this is the perfect opportunity to experience the coziest and most atmospheric Irish pub in town, while enjoying an authentic Irish session reminiscent of fireside gatherings long ago. The event is supported by UWM's Center for Celtic Studies. Admission is free and open to all.

Nominations For Milw.
Club Offices

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

Piping/Drumming Instruction Offered

The Milwaukee School of Pipes and Drums will hold its fourth session Sunday-Friday, June 9-14, 2002. The school is open to all piping levels, piobaireachd students and drumming students. The Shamrock Club was original sponsor of this school in 1998.

The instructors who taught prior sessions in Milwaukee have agreed to return this year. The Chief Instructor again is Ken Eller who is ably assisted by Jake Watson and Adrian Melvin. This year we are pleased to welcome the addition of John Cairns to the faculty of piping instructors. Drumming instruction is under the tutelage of Doug Stronach.

The classroom teaching environment features small classes with 10 to 12 students who are grouped according to their skill level.

Evening seminars are held on topics such as competitive preparation and strategy, effective practice techniques, piping for dancers, and other topics as suggested/requested by the students.

The classes are held at Alverno College located in a residential area in the southern section of the City of Milwaukee. The facilities are excellent, with air-conditioned classrooms and common rooms in the dorms.

If you would like further information on the piping or drumming classes, you may contact Tom Cobb (414) 422-9235; email him at tcobb@prodigy.net or write him at W167 S6827 Oakhill Dr., Muskego, WI 53150-9732.Milwaukee's 2002

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

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

Milw. Hurling Club Recruiting Players

The Milwaukee Hurling Club is looking for players for the 2002 season. The MHC is a coed league, and has openings for players. Players are chosen in an open draft for the various teams in the MHC league.

The MHC Recruiting committee is also looking for venues to hold informational meetings. These would include setting up preliminary informational meetings with persons who can set us up with an audience/venue to explain the sport, the club and what they have to offer. Then the goal is to get a chance to do demonstrations (with videos, equipment, informational handouts, fliers and most importantly - shiny, happy hurling players), get sticks into peoples hands and get them down to the pitch.

If you think you would like to play the "Fastest Game on Grass", or could help to sponsor one of these meetings, please contact Rachel Rohde at rdeuce_2000@ yahoo.com or (414) 315-2065.

Also, the MHC is holding training sessions at the Klotsche Center on the UWM campus. Call the Hurling Hotline at (414) 297-9490 or log on to the MHC site at http://www.hurling.net.

The Shamrock Club was a sponsor of the Hurling Club in 2001. The MHC helped the Shamrock Club to staff the Bradley Center this past year.

News Items from RTE

SHOPPERS MUST NOW PAY
FOR PLASTIC BAGS

Shoppers have been getting used to the new 15 cent levy on plastic bags. There have been some complaints that charges were imposed on items, which should be exempt. Meanwhile, a survey of 29 towns has found the Coombe-Liberties area of Dublin has the worst problem with litter.

The Government estimates that 1.2 bn plastic bags are given out free every year. Considering they are used for minutes but last for hundreds of years, the aim is to eliminate their use.

As much as €185m could be raised by this new levy but the Government says that it hopes the charge will lead to fewer bags being used and the revenue ultimately drying up.

Some in the Liberties complained they were being charged when buying meat, vegetables and other foods even though they were supposed to be exempt. The levy has put in jeopardy as many as 200 jobs in the bag manufacturing business.

IHF WARNS
OF €38M DROP DUE
TO AIRLINE CUTBACKS

Cutbacks by major airline carriers on North Atlantic routes will greatly hinder the tourist industry's recovery efforts this year, according to the Irish Hotels' Federation. The Federation, which is meeting in Westport, County Mayo, today, said that fewer seats on transatlantic flights could mean 50,000 less tourists and a loss of €38m in tourism income.

The Federation, which represents more than 1,200 hotels and guesthouses countrywide, warned of a very difficult year ahead. It said that last year's foot and mouth crisis cost the industry over € 300m with US tourists falling by 14% to below the one million mark.

Now, a special report commissioned by the Federation has warned that plans to get overall tourist numbers back up to the 6.3m people who came here in the year 2000 are "very unlikely" to succeed.

According to the report the €28m earmarked for marketing and promotions this year is welcome but falls far short of what is needed. The Federation has called for a "tourism recovery fund" of €20m and that the money be used to help the industry trade out of "the most difficult 18 months periods since the 1991 Gulf War".

John Power of the Federation said the scrapping of US routes and seat reductions of 20% was a "seriously regressive step", which would make tourism recovery efforts extremely difficult this year.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
AT HIGHEST LEVEL
FOR TWO YEARS

The number of people signing on for the dole rose in February to just over 162,000, according to the latest figures. When seasonal factors are taken into account, the monthly rise in February was 4,500, bringing the unemployment rate up marginally to 4.2%. The numbers are now at their highest level in almost two years. But unemployment remains low by historical standards, at just over 4%. Job losses have been concentrated in the manufacturing industry as well as the hotel and restaurant trade.

New Members

LaFAYETTE COUNTY - Tim and Erin Harstut; Terry Purcell.

MILWAUKEE - Kathleen M. Eggenberger; Cecilia and Patrick Hawley; Maggie Matousik; Lynne and Henry Reed.

SOUTH CENTRAL - Gary and Pam Cummings.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT
MILWAUKEE CHAPTER

• January: 27 memberships up for renewal, 24 paid, 3 dropped for nonpayment of dues.

• February: 29 memberships up for renewal, 21 paid, 8 due.

• March: 66 memberships up for renewal, 20 paid, 46 due.