Best Roadhouse This Side of Austin - Irish American News

June • 2008Pictured: Bill FitzgeraldBest Roadhouse This Side of AustinFitzgerald’s – An Irish Pub With a World View …Page 22Scottish Festival and Highland Games …Page 32

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 3Rosetta Stone Launches Irish-Language ProgramTom Adams, CEO of Rosetta StoneInc., joined with H.E. Michael Collins,Ambassador of Ireland, on May 15thto mark the official launch of RosettaStone Irish, the company’s first everIrish language learning program.The launch event was a celebrationof Irish culture and languagewith interactive Rosetta Stone Irishdemonstrations, and traditional Irishstep dance performances. The guestsincluded members of Washington’sIrish community, representatives ofvarious congressional offices, andmembers of Conradh na Gaeilge(The Gaelic League), the nearly100 year-old organization dedicatedto promoting the Irish language inIreland and abroad.Rosetta Stone Irish could not havecome at a more appropriate time. Thelast few years have seen a resurgenceof interest in the Irishlanguage.“We could havedeveloped learningprograms for a numberof widely spokenlanguages such as Cantoneseor Norwegian,”said Adams, “but Irishwas our most requestedlanguage, and this isnot surprising consideringthat Irish is seeinga major revival.”Ambassador Collinsagrees. “The Irishgovernment has madethe promotion of Irishin Ireland and among the IrishDiaspora a key commitment, and weare delighted that Rosetta Stone haschosen Irish as the latest languageVictory in Fight Against Citizenship DelaysFor the past year Albany ParkNeighborhood Council leaders havebeen putting pressure on electedofficials and other governmentalagencies to resolve the issue of citizenshipdelays.Nationwide over one millionLegal Permanent Residents whoapplied for citizenship wait for overa year (in many cases 2 or 3 years)to become US citizens due the FBIName Check Program or bureaucraticbacklog. 50% of those applicantsapplied last year to avoid highercitizenship application fees.APNC leaders met in November2007 with the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI) and recently inWashington, DC with new acting-Director of US Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS).USCIS committed to reducingIrish Ambassador Collins (left) andRosetta Stone CEO Tom Adamsaddition to their product line. Thisimportant product will benefit manyIrish Americans.”www.rosettastone.com80% of the citizenship backlogs byOctober 1, 2008—just in time fornew citizens to register to vote beforethe November election.Leaders will continue to meetwith the USCIS to make sure it’s notanother empty promise.APNC leaders and member institutionsare to be commended fortheir solid commitment and effortto resolve the problem of citizenshipdelays.

4 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008(ISSN #1085-4053)USPS #013454June 2008 Vol. XXxII # 6PERIODICALFounderBob BurnsPublisherCliff CarlsonArt DirectorWalt KennedyEditorial AssistantsElizabeth KellyJoyce EdwardsContributing EditorSusan VictoriaAdvertising SalesElizabeth KellyColumns and ReviewsBooks - Frank WestTheatre - Sean CallanTrad Music - Bill MargesonTinker’s Dam Fr. Kevin ShanleyHealy Law - Martin HealyMick - Mike MorleyGaelic News - Pat HennessyA Word With Fr. Michael BolandIrish Musings Fr. Michael LeonardHooliganism: Mike HoulihanIrish Diaspora: Charles BradyFor The Republic - Chris FogartySports - Sean O’CeallachainSwimming Upstream - Charles BradySharing A Pint - Scott PowersCareers - James Fitzgerald, CPARaised On Songs & StoriesShay ClarkeBoyle The Kettle - Tom BoyleHoroscopes by TheresaIrish Rover by Jim McClureCeltic Scribes by Ray CavanaughCeltic Kitchen - Juli FinneyBurke’s Law - Brian BurkeIrish News, Inc. is publishedmonthly on the 1st of month.First class deliveryFirst Class Mail ¨ 1 year $30 ¨ 2years $55 ¨ 3 years $75Regular delivery¨1 year $25 or ¨ 2 years $45 ¨ 3years $65¨Canada 1 yr $35 or ¨ 2 yrs $60¨International: 1 yr $85by Irish News Inc., 7115 W.North Ave. #327, Oak Park IL60302.(Periodicals Postage Paid atPalatine, IL and additionalmailing offices.)Postmaster:Send address changes toIrish News, Inc.7115 W North Ave #327Oak Park, il 60302708-445-0700 fax 708-445-2003e-mail to:editor@irishamericannews.comPUBLISHERS STATEMENTThe opinions and statementsexpressed in this newspaper areentirely those of the authors, and donot reflect in any way the opinionsof Irish American News.Distribution25,000Irish On the GrowRip O’Dwanny, our Wisconsinfriend of Bed and Breakfastfame, is opening a new restaurant/pubin Kenosha on the lakefrontappropriately named Lisdoonvarna!Rip informs me thathis chain of b&bs in Wisconsinare performing very well, andthat his newest, St. Brendan’s inGreen Bay, is already showinga profit. Some guys have thatmagic touch!Juno and the PaycockBy Sean O’Casey at Live BaitTheatre, 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago(1 block south of Irving ParkBlvd.) 773 230 6839. Twelve fineactors, several stellar performancesfor an audience of about 25! Theymust love what they do! See storyelsewhere in this issue.Saying GoodbyeOne of the down sides of havingfriends is having to let themgo. I lost two good buddies inone week. Monroe Sullivan andBob Anderson.Bob Anderson introduced meto Jeanie and Bob Burnes, whosold me Irish American Newsback in 1991. He was a printingconsultant when I met him. Hestarted out in journalism in collegeat the University of Chicagoand did his post-graduate workat the Medill School of Journalismat Northwestern University,staying in the business his wholelife. He started out in ad sales andbecame editor of the paper at thesame time. He became presidentof the Cook County PublishersAssociation and served on boardsin banking and publishing too numerousto mention. He was a kindand gentle man who helped everyonehe came in contact with.Moe Sullivan became my bikingbuddy. Through the Oak ParkRunners Club, I began doing abike ride downtown in the morningswith fellow runners PaulOppenheim, Buck Hales, andBob Hakes. Monroe was one ofthe people who started the ride. Icall it “The Big Ugly” because wetravel from the tree-lined streetsof beautiful Oak Park, throughJackson Park and the Westside ofChicago on Harrison along bothsides of the Eisenhower Expressway.Broken glass, and run downbuildings greet us most of the waydowntown. Once we get to the cityand drop the “workers” off, wetake Elston North through LoganSquare stopping at Starbucksbefore heading back to Oak Park.Moe figured it out before I did.The physical ride may be throughsome rough areas, but the peopleare beautiful. More than one papervendor greets us every timewe ride by. The folks down ontheir luck at the homeless shelteron Harrison are always friendlyand wave to us as we ride by. Youget the picture.I didn’t know it, but Moe grewup in Grand Rapids, Michigan,and spent time in the CatholicSeminary during high school. Hewas also an activist. When MartinLuther King visited Chicago inthe 1960s at the request of theCatholic Interracial Council,Moe rode in the car with the civilrights leader from the airport tothe city. Months later, Moe joinedKing in the landmark civil rightsmarch from Selma to Montgomery,Alabama.He spent a lifetime advocatingfor social justice and workersrights. He founded Trainco Inc.,a Chicago company that trainedminorities in truck driving andsecretarial skills. The companytrained over 40,000 students whowere highly successful in findingemployment after graduation.He had a home in Oak Park anda condo in Hawaii. He did verywell financially and was one of theoriginal investors in the Oak ParkJournal. Money didn’t make himtick though. He loved that ugly ride,and he traveled the world ridingwith his friends. While in a lineto pay my respects-a line that wasliterally out the door of his church-Italked to his good friend, John Van.John guessed that over 30 yearsthe two of them had ridden some50,000 miles together, all overIreland and the world! He lovedthe simple pleasures in life and weloved him. It’s hard to let go...To paraphrase the above RipO’Dwanny, the average life inyears is about 76. Wherever youare on the yardstick of life, youhad best be living it!What’s NewOur Ohio paper is now officially1 and 1/2 years old. We justupped our distribution to 8,000copies monthlyand added a new distributorto supplement our Fedex deliveries.We are now distributingIANOHIO in over 200 locationsin every major city in Ohio.Listen Up Michigan,Indiana, and Wisconsin!MichigIAN, IndianIAN, andWisconsIAN are new 4 to 8 pagesections that we would like to addto our Chicago paper. We willbe offering very attractive discountedrates to all businesses inthose states who advertise in thenew sections. Advertisers willget complete run of press withtheir ads placed in the appropriatestate sections. The amount ofadvertising will determine thesize of the sections, and editorialis welcome from the three statesmentioned. For more informationgive me a call or email me.708-445-0700 cliff@iannews.com

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 5Colin Moore Named CEO of IAHCThe Irish American HeritageCenter (4626 North Knox Avenue,Chicago, IL) recently announced theappointment of Colin A. Moore asChief Executive Officer.Moore has worked in the artsand education for more than 20years and brings broad non-profitmanagement and fundraising experienceto the CEO position. Moorebegan his career at Ravinia Festival,where he worked for more than 11years in Public Relations, HouseManagement and Development. Hethen served 10 years as Director ofDevelopment at the Old Town Schoolof Folk Music where he headed an$11 million capital campaign forthe School’s expansion to LincolnSquare. More recently, he worked infundraising and strategic planning forthe Lycée Français de Chicago.In 2002, Moore was named aLifetime Fellow of the British-American Project; one of only 24Americans and 24 Britons, ages 25to 40, elected annually in recognitionof outstanding achievement intheir respective fields.Moore holds a Bachelors of Artsdegree in Communication fromLoyola University in Chicago andlives in Edgewater. Noel Rice, Presidentof the Irish American HeritageCenter, welcomes the appointmentof Moore as CEO.“The Irish American Heritage Centerwill benefit greatly from Colin’sextensive experience in fund raisingand cultural development at, internationallyrenowned, Ravinia Festival,and, the largest music and cultural centerin the United States; the Old TownSchool of Folk Music,” said Rice.For more information on IAHCevents, call 773-282-7035, ext 10.Durbin Welcomes Chicago Residents asSpecial Guests to Joint Session of CongressU.S. Senator Dick Durbin recentlywelcomed Billy Lawlessand Bill Gainer, both of Chicago,to a special Joint Session of Congresswith the Prime Minister ofIreland, Bertie Ahern. Durbin, amember of the Senate EscortCommittee, met with his guestsprior to the joint session.“Ireland has enjoyed immenseeconomic growth under the leadershipof Taoiseach Bertie Ahern,”Durbin said. “More importantly,the outlook for peace in Ireland isbrighter than it has ever been. Thatwill go down as Mr. Ahern’s greatestaccomplishment.”Mr. Lawless is the head of theChicago Celts for Immigration Reform.He was born in County Galway,Ireland and has been a resident ofChicago for over ten years. He is theowner of the Irish Oak bar and wasrecently nominated by the ChicagoIrish Immigrant Support Center forthe “Most Outstanding ContributionL-R: Mr. Bill Gainer, Senator Dick Durbin, Mr. Billy Lawless. [Photocourtesy of the Office of U.S. Senator Richard J. Durbin]to the Community” award.Mr. Gainer is a U.S. Army veteranwho was born in the Roseland communityof Chicago. He worked forIllinois Bell after graduating fromSt. Ignatius High School in Chicago.Mr. Gainer has been involved withseveral civic and charitable organizationsthrough the years, includingthe Veterans Leadership Program,Misericordia, and Mercy Home forBoys and Girls. He has also servedas Chairman for both the ChicagoSister Cities International Program-Galway Committee and the BusinessDevelopment Committee for theCook County Irish Trade Mission toCounty Down and County Cork.Alderman Edwards Burke, 14th Ward, who is also the Chairman of the FinanceCommittee for the City of Chicago, was recently interviewed by host, Ed McElroyon his TV show, “Community in Focus.” The show aired on Chicago Access TVChannel 19 on May 30th and June 1st. Many subjects were discussed on thepopular show including the book Alderman Burke wrote with Thomas O’Gorman,“End of Watch.” Alderman Burke is pictured on the left of Ed McElroy.Walsh & Company, P.C.Certified Public Accountants25yearsexperience• Fi n a n c i a l St ate m e nt s• Business Valuatiions• Fr a u d Au d i ts• Co n s t r u c t i o n Ac c o u n t i n g• S Co r p o r a t i o ns• LLC’s• Par tnerships• In d iv i d u a l Ta x e s• Business Ta x e s• Fiduciary Ta x e s7804 College Dr. - Suite 1SE • Palos Heights, IL 60463Ph. (708) 671-0644 Fax (708) 671-0655www.walshcocpas.com

6 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Chicago Gaelic NewsPat HennessyThrilling Hurling andFootballat Gaelic ParkAnother thrilling year of hurling and Gaelicfootball is anticipated for Chicago Gaelic Parkas the clubs get ready to contest for the rightto represent Chicago in the North Americanchampionship, men and women. Last year wasone of the most successful as record crowdsthrilled to the brilliant games every Sunday asteams contested for the much coveted honor.Chicago captured four titles and hopefully cando even better this year.Hurling is one of the “fastest ground games”and also one of the oldest, dating back to the 12thcentury. It became so popular and aroused suchnational spirit that the English banned the gamein 1367 at the Statutes of Kilkenny, the capitalof the country at that time. It was designed toprevent the Anglo-Normans from adopting theIrish way of life. But, it didn’t—the Irish andNormans continued to play the old caman game.In the Great Famine of 1847-48, it is creditedwith saving Ireland from becoming another shireof England. Parish after parish formed their ownclub, and led by Irish musicians, marched totheir games, saving the games, culture, language,song, dance andmusic of the gael,and became instrumentalin thegreat Easter 1916Rising.Gaelic footballdoes not havesuch an antiquity, but it dates back to 1712 asthe Iberno-Celtic Society published the news, “agreat match of football was played at Slane onthe banks of the Boyne between young men fromMeath and Louth.” Sometimes the games lastedall day long with more than a hundred playerson each side. One of the first tasks faced by theGAA after its inception in 1884 was to adoptstrict rules and enforce them.Today’s Gaelic football is one of the finestbig ball games with clever fielding and accuratescoring. It is a game apart from all other big ballgames, embracing all the stamina, skill, spiritand daring of the Irish temperament. Ladiesalso play this game with the same skill and thefair colleens that play at Gaelic Park are equallyskillful and as daring as their big brothers.Camogie is ladies hurling and here too thefair colleens who swing the old caman do sowith equal skill, accuracy and determinationas their big brothers. This game was first introducedby two well-known Chicago fair colleens,Maureen O’Looney and Mary Rose Teahan atShewbridge Field in 1953.For more information on the schedules eachSunday, call the beautiful colleens at the frontoffice, 708-687-9323.O’Connor Twins First EverIrish-American LadiesWomen’s Hockey StarsSeveral inquiries received recently ask ifthe O’Conner Twins Ladies Hockey stars arethe first ever in the U.S. As I told the callers, Iknow of no others, and would like to hear fromanyone with more information. And now witha younger sister, Maura, playing with Mankato,MN, next year; three sisters playing with differentuniversities must be some kind of record.Could the Guinness Book of World Records beon the horizon? The three stars are daughters ofwell known Pat O’Connor, Mayor Richard M.Daley’s dynamic floor leader and Chairman ofthe Education Committee.Death of Former Irish PresidentThe recent death of former president of Ireland,Claremen, Dr. Patrick Hillery was mourned allover the world, wherever an Irishman or womandwells. He died in a Dublin hospital after a shortillness. He was eighty-four years old.Dr. Hillery studied medicine at UniversityCleege, Dublin, and became a doctor before thelegendary Eamon DeValera recruited him as hisfellow mate in Clare, voting for membershipin An Dail. He was elected with DeValera andserved from 1951 until 1973.As Foreign Minister for Ireland, he negotiatedIreland’s entry into the United Nations. When heretired, he served two terms as President of Ireland(a symbolic honor). He was unopposed onboth occasions, which reflected his popularity.Our own P. J. O’Dea (the Man from Clare)was very well acquainted with the Hillery familywhom he speaks of in glowing terms. Oneof his close companions during his youth wasone of Dr. Hillery’s sons, Des, and when he wasinjured one day in a football game, one of thedoctor’s daughters, Elenore, tended to his injury.By the way, P.J. was his first patient.An Taoiseach, Mr. Ahern, said “Dr. Hillerywas a man of great integrity and intelligenceand contributed massively to the progress ofour country, and he is ensured of an honoredplace in our country’s history.”In a run-in with Kevin Boland (uncle of thefamed Harry Boland) in 1971 when the FiannaFail party was split over alleged gun-running toUlster, Dr. Hillery pulled the microphone fromBoland and said to the party followers who atthat time were divided, “You can have Boland,but you can’t have Fianna Fail.”We express our humble sympathy and condolencesto the Hillery family. Ar dheis De goRaibhn an ainm.Pope Benedict XVI VisitPope Benedict XVI visited the United Statesand was accorded a wonderful reception. Duringa very busy week, the 81 year old pontiff visitedwith President George Bush who welcomed himat the airport with Mrs. Bush. Later, he visited theWhite House and received another tremendouswelcome from a group of dignitaries. His visitalso included a prayer service with U.S bishops atthe national Shrine of the Immaculate Conceptionchurch. He also met with representatives of otherreligions at the Pope John II Cultural Center.In New York City, he addressed the UnitedNations and had prayer services with leaders ofChristian denominations. He officiated at Mass atSt. Patrick’s Cathedral, a first for any visiting pope.This magnificent building was erected by earlyIrish immigrants, with others, hence the name St.Patrick’s. He also visited “Ground Zero,” the siteof the terrible bombing on 9/11. And our own RonanTynan sang for him at Yankee Stadium masson Sunday prior to his departure for Rome.Pope Benedict praised and admired our greatcountry, democracy, and freedom. But he saidthat from great countries, much is expected, suchas generosity, hospitality, freedom of religion,and being able to separate it from the functions ofstate and country. He called us a generous nationand a nation of immigrants. His parting messagewas a winner as he said, “Today’s celebration ismore than an occasion of gratitude for gracespast. It is also a summons to move forwardwith firm resolve to use wisely the blessings offreedom in order to build a future of hope forcoming generations.” Thank you for coming,Pope Benedict, and God bless you.Fundraiser for Young AthleteBefore becoming a victim of non-Hodgkins-Lymphoma, young Christopher (Chris) Dohertywho is twelve years old was a star athlete in footballand soccer with his school St. Symphorosa.He is an all-round athlete and loves the gamesof Ireland, hurling and football, played at GaelicPark. Hopefully, with God’s help, he will be backon the playing field again very soon.His many visits to the hospital, plus treatmentthere and at home, are expensive, and hisinsurance benefits may exceed lifetime familycoverage. Multiple surgeries plus scans, CT andPET, have also become necessary as home treatmentscontinue, plus many chemo treatments.In order to help in this worthy cause, familyand many friends of the Doherty family arehosting a big fundraiser at Hawthorne Park,2501 South Laramie, Stickney, IL, on Sunday,September 28th, 2008 from 4-10pm.Readers and friends can help this cause in a varietyof ways, including sending a check payableKickin4Chris c/o Fifth Third Bank, 5235 West63rd Street, Chicago, IL, 60638; 773-582-5300;www.fivethree.com. Other ways you can helpinclude sending gift certificates, beverages, wine,or beer which will be utilized at the benefit. Thewebsite is www.kickn4chris.org.Chris is the son of John and Debra Dohertyand his well-known grandparents are JackDoherty, retired and one of the legendaryDoherty brothers who made the Chicago FireDepartment their careers and were honoredseveral times for bravery in saving lives andproperty. His loving grandmother, Christine,is one of our favorite nieces.Hillary is #1 with IrishRay O’Hanlon, popular editor of the IrishEcho, tells us in his Echo news recently thatHillary Clinton was the only one of the threepresidential candidates that attended the IrishNew York forum where she pledged full supportafter flying from Pennsylvania where she hadbeen campaigning with great success.In the meeting held in the Manhattan lawoffice of well-known John Dearie, Hillaryshowed no sign of the wear and tear of the

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 7Claire O’Connor receives the cup when LoyolaUniversity won the State Championship.campaign and answered questions, “of courseI will help Ireland.” She talked about the “GoodFriday Agreement of 1988” which her husband,then President Bill Clinton, and his worthyrepresentative during the talks, Senator GeorgeMitchell, helped to hammer out the agreement,“For me,” she said, “a lot of the work was at thegrass-roots working below the leadership withpeople who worked and lived in the variouscommunities of Ulster (Northern Ireland).”“Ten years after that agreement, we are clearlyon the right track. But we cannot becomecomplacent and let our guard down. There arestill the enemies of peace all around, so we haveto remain actively engaged in peacemaking,”she said. She also pledged, if elected, to help allof Ireland in promoting economic partnershipwith Ireland on many matters.Senator Clinton talked about the morethan 50,000 Irish undocumented aliens inthe United States, saying that she believed in“Comprehensive Reform” and as presidentwould work with the Irish Reform Movementand other ethnic groups in providing a path tolegislation for such people.With the outcome still in doubt as we go topress, it is very important that we advocate andwork for Senator Clinton’s election. She is theonly one of the three with global experience tobring about a change of direction in the unfortunatestate of our own country today.Facts About IrelandIn 1840, the Young Ireland Movement wasformed with Thomas Davis as one of its leaders.Like the United Irishmen, they expressed aconcept of nationality, embracing all that livedin Ireland regardless of creed or origin. A gallantattempt to stage an insurrection failed in 1848, buttheir ideals strongly influenced later generations.Prior to that period, war in Europe in 1815 hada drastic influence on the economy. It led to hugegrowth in farming and tillage to supply the army.When it ended, the change from tillage to pasturecaused a lot of unemployment. The populationincreased and reached eight million by 1841.Failure of the potato crop (the staple meal of thatperiod) in 1846, 47 and 48 resulted in a terriblefamine reducing the population by at least twomillion due to hunger, disease, and emigration toother countries like Britain and America.The latter half of that century witnessedcampaigns for national independence and landreform. The Irish Republican Brotherhoodknown as the Fenians was founded in 1858.Among the leaders of the Fenians were JamesStephens, a Kilkennyman, and John O’Leary.The Fenians staged a gallant uprising in 1867,but were defeated by a much superior power.However, the IRB continued in existence.The strained relationship between landlordsand their tenants led to the leadership of MichaelDavitt who founded The National LandLeague. The League aimed to secure basicrights for tenants, with leadership by CharlesStewart Parnell who began the basis of HomeRule in 1885. Gladstone, the English PrimeMinister, introduced a bill to grant Home Rule,but it was defeated. Parnell died in 1891.On Saturday, November 1st, 1884, a groupof gaels met at Hayes Hotel in Thurles, Tipperaryand founded an organization, the GaelicAthletic Association, which was intended topromote not only the culture, games, language,song and music of Ireland, but was also intendedto uplift the spirit of the Irish people beforethe country became another British shire.The association promoting the games of hurlingand Gaelic football with the Gaelic Leaguepromoting the language of the people, soon beganto show results as every little town and villageformed it’s own clubs. They marched forwardto contest their games against other parishes, asmusicians played the stirring songs and music ofIreland and little by little the spirit was lifted withMichel Cusack and Maurice Davin leading.Arthur Griffin founded the Sinn Fein politicalparty. With a policy that Irish members of Parliamentwithdraw from Westminster, England andestablish an independent party with close linksto the IRB. The Dublin Labor Dispute of 1913produced another group named the Irish CitizensArmy, which was socialist, not separatist.In 1916 the Irish Volunteers, a gallant group ledby Padraig Pearse and James Connolly, althoughoutnumbered and ill-equipped, fought a gallantuprising against the might of the British empire,and for one week, held their own on the streets ofDublin. The British executed the leaders in a deedthat shocked freedom-loving people all over theworld. So much so, that in the general election of1918, Sinn Fien totally defeated the Irish ParliamentaryParty. Eamon DeValera headed the firstDail or Parliament. In the War of Independence1919-1921 a truce agreed to independence for 26counties, with 6 counties under British rule. Thisagreement resulted in the tragic Civil War.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 9Frank West Addresses Michigan IrishOn May 6th Frank West travelled to Muskegon,Michigan, to speak on current trends inIrish literature. West, who has been IAN’s bookand drama critic for thirty-one years, addresseda dinner meeting of nearly 100 members of theMuskegon Irish American Societyand the Grand Rapids Irish HeritageSociety. He first presented an historicaloverview of Irish literaturefrom ancient times, and then spokeenthusiastically of the contemporaryexplosion in popularity of modernIrish literature and drama. He discussedtoday’s Irish writers like thebest-selling Maeve Binchy, and therecent nominee for the Edgar Award(best mystery), Ken Bruen. He alsoincluded poets and playwrights,pointing out that Tommy Marren’splay, The Banshee of Crokey Hill,was recently produced in Chicago. Inclosing, Frank promised to prepareand forward a recommended readinglist for the audience.Neil Mullally, Program Chair ofthe Muskegon Irish American Society,said that Frank’s appearancewas among the best received in the club’sthirty-five year history. The dinner is heldannually in May.Muskegon, Michigan, is located on the eastcoast of Lake Michigan, about 180 miles northof Chicago. It is the home of the MichiganIrish Music Festival, which is held in mid-September each year. The festival website iswww.michiganirish.org. Muskegon is alsoFrank West (left) with Neil Mullallyhome to the Muskegon Irish American Society,one of the largest Irish American organizationsin Michigan. Its website is www.muskegonirishamerican.com.

10 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Tradition In ReviewWell, there ARE some very tastytreats this time, to be sure! Enoughlollygagging. Let’s get to it!We have two very top picks thismonth. The first is the last. By that,unfortunately, we mean the last fromthe master of real honest-to-GodIrish music, Frank Harte. If youdon’t know, there are many whowould argue that Frank was the preeminentcollector of Irish songs inhis long and storied life. Beginningat the age of 10, the collecting bughit Frank when he bought his firstIrish broadsheet. These were songson paper sold for a penny at fairs,markets, in town—or anywhere abuyer could be found. Pubs were,of course, also favorite points ofcommerce. These songs covered theentire waterfront when it came totopics. Love, emigration, abandonment,war, labor conditions, and—inBill Margesonmany cases—current events. Someof the best are political in nature—and not ALL of the political onesdecried the British, as you mightthink. Over his life, Frank collectedan estimated 10,000 of these—manyon just scraps of paper. Many wouldhave no melodic notation, and manywould. In thousands of cases, thesesongs represented a local musicalnewspaper, of sorts. Singers sellingthese songs would gather at the marketsand hold forth, actually presentingthe songs live—so you know theyhad to be good to gather the attentionof the listeners, as well as their pennies.Very often, they were intendedto be sung in song pubs. One ofthe things we remember the mostabout Frank was his perfect songpub voice. High, nasal, edgy—justperfect to cut through the din of thedrinkers packed into their local. Youcould hear Frank—and you couldunderstand him perfectly. When nottending to his duties as Professor ofArchitecture at University CollegeDublin, he would be found in a widevariety of settings—both educationaland entertainment. He was a master.We were the last to interview him.We had known him for a numberof years, and were saddened alongwith everyone else in Irish musicwhen this master passed from ustwo weeks after we spoke for thefinal time. He left behind a numberof incredible gifts in the albums herecorded over the years sotto voce,as well as with Donald Lunny. Thelast of the albums has been released.He was working on it at the timeof his death, though the recordingshad, thankfully, been finished. It isentitled, There’s Gangs of Them Digging.There are 19 songs chroniclingthe Irish worker abroad—mostly relatingto those who went to Englandand Scotland. This is the real deal.Over the years, Frank recorded entirealbums on topics like the Famine,the Irish in the Napoleonic Wars (adouble album!!) and Dublin streetsongs, among many many others.The last word we heard is that thelegendarily knowledgeable HarryBradshaw, formerly the archivist ofthe RTE trad music library, is handlingthe codification of the HarteCollection. No small task, to besure. In any event, the old saw about“Frank never being truly gone” is true.We have this music. And, on There’sGangs of Them Digging we have ahistory lesson and a wonderful pieceof music at the same time. Not to bemissed. It is on the Daisy label. Rating:Four Harps to InfinityNext up is a new fav, The ParishPlatform by Rattle the Boards. Fourmusicians, with guest stars. John Nugent,Benny McCarthy, John Eganand Pat Ryan offer an album of greatfun and a sense of the real trad. Thisis not the honed studio perfection ofso many albums today. This is a big,blousy thing with a great sense of themusic, the rhythms and the meaning.It is the most fun we have had listeningto anything in quite a while. Wefrequently smiled, and even got up toshake a foot occasionally ourselves!The role of ceili and set dancing iswell recorded in Irish music, andvastly overrated. And, if this album indescription pays a little too much of atip of the hat to the dancing tradition,it delivers the essential goods—themusic itself. You will love this album.It will be a contender for Vocal/Instrumental Album of the Year. Itis their second album and is offeredthrough Doon Productions. Go towww.rattletheboards.com. Find thisalbum and buy it. Then turn it up.Smile. Rating: Four HarpsCapercaille is out with theirnew one, Roses and Tears. It is onVertical Records. It is Capercaille,all right. We have always lovedthis group. Now, this album plowsno real new ground for them—butdoes it need to? Any group thathas Karen Matheson, Donald Shaw,Ewan Vernal, Manus Lunny andthe man—Michael McGoldrick init is already a winner. It is not theirbest—nor is it “important” in theway some of their earlier work was.But, it IS perfectly played and highlyenjoyable. Capercaille fans will, ofcourse, run to get it, love it and willplay it ceaselessly. We ARE fans, butwe won’t be playing it ceaselessly—but we will play it a lot.Rating: Three HarpsCompass Records has KaranCasey’s new one, Ships in the Forest.There are masses of Karan Caseyfans, and we number ourselvesamong them. A lot of her work hasbeen almost angry. Social protestand musical lectures on varioustopics both current and historical.We thought she was moving past allthat. Now, this is a purely personalobservation of taste. Many love thosetypes of tunes. We do not. When wewere working as a studio musiciandecades ago, the saying for singerswas, “If you want to send a message,use Western Union.” Karan Caseyhas a superb voice and a real sensenow of who she is. Many, many ofher songs are not message-based andthey are superb, as well as her voice.She had the good sense to leave Solas,where she originally came to allour attention. Since then, she has recordeda number of albums, first forShanachie and now, Compass. Thesemajor labels know a star when theyhear one, and Karan is a star. A lovelygal with a great voice. But, we heara little too much of Western Unioncalling. Rating: Three HarpsLast is a lovely album distributedfrom Copperplate in London, probablythe best in the world at findingand marketing this kind of thing.It is The Factory Town by DamianO’Brien and Oliver Loughlin. Thesetwo Leitrim musicians (Damian onfiddle and Oliver on piano accordion)have produced a lovely all-instrumentalouting of taste and precision.These lads can play. A minor boneof contention—like so many otheralbums today, the album notes arebeing over produced, resulting intheir being almost impossible toread. And, that is a shame, in thatwe want to easily know more aboutthese tunes and musicians. They arejoined by some lovely side musicians,including the legend, ArtyMcGlynn on guitar. As we said, thisis a lovely album, even if it breaksno new ground—and is not meant to.Rating: Three HarpsNote:• Go to www.cfstours.com andclick on the “Tours” section, pulldown November, check the tourout and join us for an incrediblecombination of The Great Sightsand Sounds of Ireland. Check itout. You’ll see. Incredible.• Blarney on the Air—7-9 Chicagotime, every Monday night. WDCB,90.9 fm, or www.wdcb.org ShayClarke and I spinning all thebest platters and hottest wax foryou—wait, what decade did wejust shift into? Listen in, you’llhave a ball!Ta!

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 11Raised on Songsand StoriesShay ClarkeI just got back from Ireland thisweek and I had a terrific time. Twenty-fourdays of glorious weather,sunshine all the time, it was morelike San Diego than Sandymount. Itnever rained at all.I was there representing the AmericanIrish Media Group, of which thispaper is a member. The AIM groupconsists of ten independent IrishAmerican newspapers from coast tocoast and offers a unique opportunityfor businesses everywhere to reachthe lucrative and loyal Irish Americanmarketplace. With nearly half a millionreaders every month collectivelyand great value advertising packages,it’s a no brainer.In my travels I met some interestingpeople, great characters and I witnessedsome of the amazing changesbrought about by the Celtic Tiger.In truth, I’ve fallen in love withIreland all over again and in themonths to come I will be introducingyou to some of these people andplaces in this column.We are planning features on weddingsin Ireland, education in Ireland,golfing in Ireland and of course tourismto Ireland with the emphasis onspecific towns and cities and what theyhave to offer. It’s all so exciting and Ican’t wait to share it with you all.Come with us toIreland in OctoberWe have teamed up with CIEtours, Ireland’s leading tour operators,and are planning a tour toIreland in October this year withanother in the spring of ’09. CIEare almost family to me, as myuncles, my father, and my brotherall worked for many years withthem and I myself, spent a lot oftime in the travel business.The October trip will be a funvacation with something for everybody.The sites, the culture, themusic, the pubs, the shopping andI know all the best places.So come and join us in Octoberfor an unforgettable trip to Ireland.Whether it’s your first time or youare a veteran, come see Irelandwith me and CIE tours.For details you can email meat shaydub@aol.com and we willbe posting details on our websiteblarneyhome.comGalway Boys HurrahCongratulations and best wishesto John Paul and Julie Lawlesswho were married in April. Fromall accounts it was a grand affairlasting, in true Galway fashion formany days. I am sorry I missedyour party pal.I met a few dozen revelers atO’Hare who had traveled from Galwayto the wedding and they filledme in on the various parties as weshared the flight to Ireland.Two week later I was at the RadissonHotel in Athlone, working withtheir marketing director, DarraghO’Connor, and when he realizedI lived in Chicago, he told me heDarragh O’Connor, Radisson Hotel, Athlone and Shay Clarkewas at a wedding there a few weeksbefore. “Not John Paul Lawless?”says I. It turns out that Darragh isJP’s best pal and was best man atthe wedding. I just can’t seem to getaway from the Galway boys.Congratulations also to JP’s dad,Billy Lawless who won the GreatestContributor of the Year Awardfrom Chicago Irish ImmigrationSupport. It was presented to Billy ata sold out banquet held last monthat Chicago’s Gaelic Park. Anotherwell deserved award for this extraordinaryman.Must fly now as the Gaelic Parkfestival starts in a few hours. Tillnext month be safe.Irish Consul General Martin Rouine (l), and Billy Lawless.

12 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Irish StewBy Frank J. MahonBobby Kennedy — Forty Years LaterOn the morning of June 5, 1968,my dad came into my bedroom towake me up for school. I was a juniorat Fenwick High School, and likemost high school students, was nevermotivated to get out of bed willingly.Dad usually stood at the door andhollered something irritating to makesure I was awake. But not that morning.He came in and gently told mesome terrible news. Bobby Kennedyhad been shot. He wasn’t dead, butit didn’t look good. Dad knew howhard I would take it. Jack and BobbyKennedy were my heroes.I had stayed up late the night beforeto listen to the coverage of the CaliforniaPrimary. Things were lookinggood by the time I went to bed, but notall the numbers were in. I fell asleep,later than usual, sure that RobertKennedy would win, and would beheaded for the convention in Chicago,sure to win the Democratic nomination.It just couldn’t happen any otherway, or so I thought. Instead, I woketo learn that RFK’s movement to seeka newer world had been destroyed byyet another lunatic with a gun.Never again would he draw hugecrowds to hear him speak of theinsanity of violence, the wrongnessof our being in Vietnam, the tyrannyof poverty, or the potential of everyAmerican to achieve great things.Never again would he quote theGreeks or Shakespeare, paraphraseShaw, or recite the last line of Tennyson’sUlysses: “To strive, to seek,to find, and not to yield.” Never againwould I have a living hero. That timein my life was now over.When I got to school that day, myfriends came up to me and told mehow sorry they were—as if BobbyKennedy were a relative of mine.They understood. I was a volunteer forthe Robert F. Kennedy For Presidentcampaign—something I will alwaysbe proud of. I had worked in thecampaign’s Chicago office in an oldbuilding on Dearborn Street acrossfrom the Daley Center (then the CivicCenter). There’s a new building goingup there now.It was a bare-bones office with afew old desks and telephones. Oneafternoon, I was there with one otherperson—a guy a few years older. Ashe left for lunch, he called back to meand quipped, “You’re in charge.” Ofcourse it meant nothing. I was justthere to lick envelopes and answertelephones, but I still like to pretendthat for one moment—okay, for onebrief shining moment—I was incharge of the Kennedy For Presidentoffice in Chicago.One Sunday morning in April of1968, I boarded a bus with dozens ofother volunteers and we canvassedLake County, Indiana, two days beforethe Indiana Primary. At the end of theday, we were all driven to a rally at aHoliday Inn in Gary. Sen. Ted Kennedywas there to rev-up the troops,telling us all about his brother, “SenatorBob.” After it was over, I grabbed aKennedy For President poster, whichI still have. But that’s not all I havefrom those days.A couple of years before BobbyKennedy ran for President, I wrotehim a letter. Thousands of people did.Having read lots of books on the Kennedys,I knew that during the 1960campaign, PT-109 tie clasps weredistributed as keepsakes of the campaign.For younger readers unfamiliarwith the significance, John F. Kennedycommanded a motor torpedo boat(PT-109) in the Pacific during WorldWar II. His boat was sliced in half bya Japanese destroyer one night, and itwas Kennedy’s leadership and couragethat ultimately led to the rescue of thesurvivors of the crash. Robert Kennedyalways wore a PT-109 tie clip. You cansee it on his tie in many pictures.I wrote to him to tell him how muchI admired him and his brother John,and asked him if it would be possible toget a tie clip. I didn’t really expect one,but kids hope a lot. Unbeknownst tome, my father sent him a letter as well,some time later. I have no idea what hesaid, but he must have mentioned that Ihad a birthday coming up. Then, on aFebruary afternoon in 1967, when I gothome from school, I had an envelopewith a slight bulge in it waiting for me.It was a letter from Bobby Kennedy.This is what the letter said:Dear Frank: I have learned fromyour father that you recently celebratedyour 16th birthday. I hope thatyou will accept my belated best wishesfor a very happy birthday. I am enclosinga PT-Boat tie clasp like the onesPresident Kennedy distributed duringthe 1960 campaign. With kind regards,Sincerely, Robert F. Kennedy.And there it was—the bulge in theenvelope. A tie clasp in the shape ofa little gold PT-Boat, cutting throughthe waves, with the name Kennedywritten across it. It’s just made out ofmetal, and you can still purchase onelike it at the JFK Library gift shop for$12.50, but it’s kept in a special boxas if it were the Hope Diamond. I liketo imagine that Bobby wrote the letterhimself, took the tie clasp off his owntie and threw it in the envelope.But he probably didn’t. It lookslike his signature, though. I havesomething else to compare it to.A few months later, RFK came toChicago to give a speech at a testimonialdinner for Senator Paul Douglas,who had been defeated by RepublicanCharles Percy. Dad got two ticketsfor the dinner. We had a good table,though I remember the roast beefbeing very overdone. The programsall the guests received, dedicated toDouglas, had the words “ExcellenceIn Politics” in gold on the cover. Afterdinner, Bobby was introduced. Hewas a very cool dude. His speech wasstirring. He had a vision and plan fora better America. I was mesmerized.When the speech was over,Dad grabbed me and we headed forthe dais. He wanted me to get my wishto meet Bobby, and to thank him for thetie clip personally. RFK was besiegedby fans asking for autographs, but Dadgot us up on the dais and got me rightnext to Kennedy. Barely glancing downat me, he took my program and signedit. As I was about to speak, one of hisaides started talking to him on theother side and Bobby turned his headaway from me as he handed back theprogram. It looked as if all I would getwas his autograph again. Then, RobertF. Kennedy turned back and lookedat me. His famous bushy chestnutbrown hair covered up a surprisinglypronounced receding hairline. His eyeswere very blue, and they seemed tolook right through me. He had a stronggrip, and a toothy smile. He shook myhand and listened patiently as I blurtedout a thank you for the tie clip I waswearing. He was wearing his too.Bobby Kennedy died on June 6th,about 26 hours after he was shot. Iremember watching the funeral on TV.His older sons were the pall bearers. Itwas a simple funeral, as I recall, butit was carried on all 3 networks. Hewasn’t just a slain senator. He wasBobby Kennedy.A year after his assassination, Ireceived an invitation to attend amemorial gathering of the Kennedyvolunteers. My sister and I drovedowntown on a quiet Sunday eveningto an office building—I don’t rememberwhere it was. A documentary filmwas shown and people talked aboutRFK—what he stood for, and howwe must never let his dream for abetter world die. I was a kid who wasinspired by a charismatic politicianwho talked of hope and change, ofpeace and tolerance. Robert Kennedydidn’t live long enough to change theworld, but he forever changed the wayI look at it.Ted Kennedy HospitalizedEarlier today, we all learned thatTed Kennedy’s seizure was caused bya malignant brain tumor. But being aKennedy, he’s a fighter. He’s the onlyone of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy’sfour sons to make it to old age. Whenhe was young, he looked a lot likeJack. Now he looks like his grandfather,Honey Fitz. Recently, Americasaw him revving-up crowds again, butthis time, it was for Barack Obama.Time will tell whether Sen. Obamacan do all that he says he wants to dofor America, and for the world. Hiscampaign, his message, are straightfrom the RFK playbook.Unfortunately, those who dare toseek a newer world rarely ever get thechance to find it. But what matters isthat every so often, someone comesforward and gives it a try. And thoseare the people who truly change theworld by inspiring others. I wisheveryone a Bobby Kennedy.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 13hMikeooliganismHoulihan“Everybody’s doin’ it.”That’s what I told my brotherwhen we learned he was gonna dieearlier this year. I know that soundslike a harsh retort but Willie alwaysenjoyed a sardonic quip.Getting old sucks, everybodyagrees on that. You find yourselfrecognizing more and more names inthe Irish scratch sheet every day.So I’m declaring a moratoriumon any Hooliganism columns dealingwith dead people… right afterthis one.When I opened the paper lastmonth I was shocked to see thatTrish O’Connell Frawley had diedsuddenly. See Trish was still a younglady, the 1982 St. Patrick’s Day paradequeen, and I remember seeingher at plenty of Irish functions overthe years.Her ex-husband Tom Frawley toldme, “Tricia’s pride and joy was our11 year old daughter Mary Clare…and even though we were divorced,she was my PAL! There wasn’t aday that went by that we did notspeak! Quite frankly, we were betterdivorced than married.”That’s probably true of a lot ofIrish couples.Tom is planning on organizinga tribute CD to Trish and donatingproceeds to the American HeartAssociation with music from JoeMcShane, Catherine O’Connell (hercousin), and Kathleen Keane. Watchfor news on how to purchase the CDin upcoming Irish American News.Her cousin told me, “We lost agreat girl in our Trish.”It’s true when they tell ya only thegood die young. The Irish landscapearound Chicago will be lonelier nowwithout this beautiful flower, PatriciaO’Connell Frawley. God bless you,Trish.**********The young mother’s passing gotme to thinking of the old story ofOllie O’Donnell. Ollie was a lonelybachelor in his forties, kind of askinny marink who kept to himself.He wasn’t very remarkable in anyconventional sense, certainly nothandsome. He looked like a longhandled frying pan.But what put the sizzle in Olliewas his devotion to the dead. He’dbeen writing obituaries for yearsfor the Southtown and ambitiouscorpses could only hope their livesmerited an Ollie O’Donnell obit.One day Ollie got a call fromShep Lavery, whose daughter Alicehad died, leaving behind a distraughthusband and three little kids. Shepwas understandably upset. Alice wasonly in her late thirties and she hadgiven her dad grandchildren and agreat son-in-law, Murph Murphy.Shep was determined that his daughterAlice was going to get an OllieO’Donnell obit.Ollie had heard it all before, whata wonderful person Alice had beenand how she was a great mother anda what a wonderful swimmer she wasin high school. But something happenedto Ollie when Shep sent overa picture of Alice. Her Irish beautycaptivated the ol’ frying pan as helooked over her notes. He calledShep back and said, “Tell me moreabout Alice.”Shep talked for hours about hisdaughter. He had Ollie laughingalong with him when he told of hermischievous side as a kid. When Sheprecounted what a wonderful motherAlice had been, tears streamed downthe fryin’ pan’s face.That night Ollie dreamed of thelovely Alice. In the dream he wasyoung and they met before her marriage.She laughed at his jokes ashe glided her across a dance floorin Paris. She rested her head on thefrying pan’s shoulder and sighed,“Oh Ollie, I wish it could always belike this.”Ollie awoke kissing his pillow. Heleapt from the bed and began writingthe greatest obit of his career for AliceLavery, the woman he loved.What appeared in the paper thenext day was more mash note thanmemorial.That night Ollie sat in his kitchenstaring at her photo and wonderedwhat might have been. He had neverlaid eyes on her but her eyes spoketo him.Ollie opened up a bottle of Bushmillshe kept above the fridge foremergencies. One ice cube and fourfingers would chase these blues away.He put on a Frank Patterson record,sat back and poured his heart out toher picture.A half hour later the picture wastalking back to Ollie. Alice said,“You’ll never know unless you seeme in person, Ollie”. The fryin’pan jumped into his black suit andheaded off for the funeral home.The line went out the door atSheehy’s but Ollie never consideredbagging the wake. He stood patientlyon the eario listening to more storiesof the late lamented Alice Lavery.When Ollie finally knelt at hercasket he could feel the eyes ofMurph Murphy burning into hisback with jealousy. The fryin’ pansuddenly realized that this romancewasn’t going to work. Who was hekidding? She was married, withchildren, and on top of everythingelse she was dead.Biting his lip, Ollie stood andbroke for the door in embarrassment.As he slipped his coat on, an attractiveyoung woman touched his armand asked if he was indeed “the manfrom the newspaper?”Ollie gazed into her eyes. She wasa dead ringer for Alice, only youngerand with larger breasts.“Oh thank you so much for thewonderful article on my sister, I’mEvelyn Lavery.”This is where the camera pullsback, the music swells, and we rollthe credits. The moratorium startsnow.Irish Home PicturesGet personal pictures of yourold Irish home, photographedby our professional team of photographers.www.irishhomepictures.com

14 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Beyond theAbbeySean CallanE-mail: Irishquill@aol.com.It makes little difference whereyou go to the theater—be it Broadway’sGreat White Way, the West Endof London or the theater district ofChicago—all almost invariably haveone thing in common. It matters notwhether the show is bad or good, butshowtime starts at eight. Not sevenor six or even earlier apart from theonce or twice a week matinees orthe seven-thirty Tuesday only startsin New York City. Evening performancesstart punctually at eightoh five immediately following themandatory “shut of your cell phone”dictate. With standard length shows,theaters then start spewing peopleonto the street sometime after ten.But must it be so—since by thetime many theater patrons reachhome, it is well past their usual bedtime.Why not begin evening showsearlier. Say, at seven, or even six andhave theatergoers out on the street byeight or eight-thirty while it is stilldaylight at least in Summer? I am notsure of the reasons for not doing thatScene from Hizzoner with Neil Giuntolistory next pagebut I imagine that producers couldcome up with a couple. Perhaps theythink that a half asleep audience willbe less critical of a mediocre showthan a more wide awake crowd?Senior Set“Half asleep?” you echo, thinkingI exaggerate? Let’s face the facts. Aquick glance around any theater asthe fire curtain rolls up reveals thatmuch of the audience consists of theover 50s set. For the most part, thereare relatively few spring chickens orpeople of college age roosting alongthe rafters. For one thing, theater ticketscost too much. Especially comparedwith movies. And for another, thosewho relish burning a candle at bothends don’t generally think of a theateras the place to do it. Instead, a majoritysitting in the stalls are from the seniorset. Many would be happier getting the“early bird” dinner special, catching theshow and being back at home in robeand slippers by the time the first actorsteps on stage. At their own fireside,the seniors don’t have to stifle yawns orput up with elbows in the ribs to keepthem from nodding off and snoring.Some may say that tradition callsfor the eight o’clock start and that isthe reason it has become standard.But eight o’clock was not always thecase. Theater originated in Greece,and they had shows by day. As faras is known, when the poet Arionproduced the world’s first plays atCorinth sometime in the seventh centuryBC, they were daylight affairs.Alexis did not have to rush homefrom the Agora to change his robeand pick up Helen before catching achariot to the amphitheater to snarethe best seats in time for the Prologue.No, he simply took the day off fromwork and sauntered to the show athis leisure. He viewed the maskedhumans reveling as Gods and satyrswithout any artificial light.Goats and FigsBut things, even in theater, seldomstay the same. The playbill schedulehad changed a hundred years later. Bythis time, Greek theater had becomemore spectacular and competitive.Plays were adjudicated and prizeswere awarded for the best productions.The first recorded prizes were agoat and a basket of Attic Figs. Thesewent to Thespis in 534 BC for hislatest tragedy. Unfortunately, the titleand plotline of his historic work havevanished in the sands of time.By the time Sophocles had replacedAeschylus as the top dramatist in Athensin the following century, show bizhad become even more sophisticated.Instead of performing on the bare floorof the orchestra, actors were struttingtheir stuff on marble flagstone withscenery and special effects. PlaysJuno And The Paycock at Live Bait TheaterThe Artistic Home productionof Sean O’Casey’s Juno and thePaycock runs through June 29,2008 at The Live Bait Theatre,located 3914 N. Clark St., Chicago(1 block south of IrvingPark Blvd.)Juno and the Paycock capturesa snapshot inside the Boyle familyhome as revolutionary politicsand violence percolate betweenIRA “die-hards” and “staters” onthe streets of 1922 Dublin.With her son maimed duringthe Easter Rising and herhusband content to drink awaythe current days of chaos, Junois left to earn food for the tableand keep peace in the home.Good fortune arrives for CaptainBoyle in a contract promisinghim an inheritance from a deceasedcousin. Yet the promiseof another contract written in theblood of brotherhood threatens tooutweigh any sum of money ableto lift the Boyle family out of theslums of Dublin for good.Performances are Thursdays at7:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays at8:00pm and Sundays at 7:00pm.Tickets are $25.00 on Fridays andSaturdays, $22.00 on Thursdayand Sundays, with discountedrates for students and seniors onThursdays and Saturdays. Fortickets call 866-811-4111 or visitwww.theartistichome.org.had even become night time affairssporting a preshow warmup. Thestatue of Dionysus Eleuthereus wascarried through Athens in a torchlightprocession to the theater of Dionysus,the patron God of the Greek stage.This hoopla ensured a full house andan enthusiastic crowd. So perhapsthat is where the eight o’clock starthas come from. But for my part, Iwould welcome plays starting earlierin the evening.One Page Play ContestThe one page play contest scheduledfor July 12 at IAHC’s Irishfestwill not have an 8pm start. It will beheld in the afternoon and presentationspromise to be extremely entertaining.The contest has attracted morethan 30 entries, many of which areclever and witty. Some of the playsare international in origin and comefrom as far away as Italy and Australia.While the actual prizes have yet to bedetermined, it is not likely that theywill include either goats or figs.Nunsense atMarriott TheatreNunsense, the hilarious off-Broadway musical sensationwith book, music and lyrics byDan Goggin, runs through July13th at The Marriott Theatre,10 Marriott Drive in Lincolnshire,IL.When the Little Sisters ofAptakisic discover that theircook, Sister Julia, Child ofGod, has unintentionally poisoned52 of their fellow nuns,they are in desperate need ofmoney for the burials. To raisethe funds they decide to stagea wild variety show, and theytake over the Marriott Theaterfor their venue. Headlinersinclude Reverend MotherRegina, a former circus performer;Sister Robert Anne, astreetwise nun from Brooklyn;Sister Mary Leo, an aspiringballerina; and the delightfullywacky Sister Mary Amnesia,who lost her memory when acrucifix fell on her head. Withmadcap ballet and tap dancing,a rowdy audience quiz, bingoat intermission, hysterical nunpuns,and riotous surprises,Nunsense is charming andirreverent musical entertainmentfor people of all agesand faiths.To reserve tickets or forperformance schedule or dinnerpackage information visitwww.marriotttheatre.com orcall 847.634.0200.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 15Sideshow Theatre’s Chicago Debut of Dante Dies!!(and then things get weird)Sideshow Theatre will make its entranceinto Chicago theatre with the worldpremiere of Dante Dies!! (and then thingsget weird), a new play by Walt McGoughoh-so-loosely based on Dante’s Inferno, atthe Chicago Dramatists Theatre, 1105 W.Chicago Ave., Chicago.Partway along the journey of his life,Dante finds himself mourning a lost love,feeling morose and, for some reason, inHell. Trying to find his way home, heencounters incredible suffering, infernalbureaucracy, some sins of his own, andthe aggressive attention of a competitivehot dog eater. Each step downwardbrings him closer to a personal reckoningwith his own story, and maybe achance to find an answer or two.Tickets are $15 for all shows and $10for previews. Performances are June 5through July 13, 2008.www.sideshowtheatre.org.I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Pheasant RunNoble Fool Theatricals is presenting Off-Broadway’s longest running musical comedyrevue, I Love You, You’re Perfect, NowChange at the Pheasant Run Resort MainstageTheater (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL;630-584-6342) through July 19, 2008.Show times are Thursday and Friday at8 p.m.; Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8.30 p.m.;Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are priced at $27 onThursday and Fridays and at $38 on SaturdaysHizzoner Becomes FirstResident Productionat New Frank SinatraPerforming Arts CenterThe critically acclaimed production of Hizzoner:Daley the First has found a home at thenew Frank Sinatra Performing Arts Center, 1431W. Taylor St. through Sunday, June 29 in “TheUpstairs Room,” in the National Italian AmericanSports Hall of Fame, a temporary spaceuntil the Frank Sinatra Performing Arts Centeropens later this year. The weekly schedule ofthe production is Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdaysat 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.Tickets are $40and may be purchased at 312.421.SINATRA(7462) or www.hizzonertheplay.com.and Sundays. Dinner show packages are availableat $49 Thursdays and Fridays and $59 onSaturdays and Sundays. Overnight packagesare available as well.This show is a musical and comical celebrationof the modern-day suburban mating game. It’severything anyone has ever secretly thought aboutdating, romance, marriage, lovers, husbands,wives and in-laws, but were afraid to admit.www.noblefool.org.The Irish Mutts Come toChicago Improv FestivalKevin McShane and Shaun Landryteam up for the hilarious improv duoThe Irish Mutts. With combined historicaloppression of over 500 plus years,McShane and Landry bring biting andsatirical improv comedy to stages on theWest Coast They will be performing attwo-person improvisation at the 11thAnnual Chicago Improv Festival on FridayJune 6th 2008 7:30PM at The PlaygroundTheater 3209 North Halsted inChicago. Tickets are $10-$20. For ticketsand reservations call 773-935-9810or go to The CIF Website at www.chicagoimprovfestival.org.The Lady with All the Answers at Northlight TheatreNorthlight Theatre, located at theNorth Shore Center for the PerformingArts, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie,will run the Midwest premiere ofDavid Rambo’s The Lady with Allthe Answers, featuring two-time TonyAward winner Judith Ivey as AnnLanders.For decades, newspaper columnistand Chicago icon Ann Landers dispensedwit and wisdom to lovelornteens, confused couples, and others inneed of advice. Now she finds herselfwriting a column about a new kind ofheartbreak—her own. Drawn fromher life and letters, this touchinglycomic portrait will remind you whyso many put their faith in this wise,funny, no-nonsense woman.The show will run from June1-June 29, 2008. Tickets range from$35- $55 and are available by phone,(847) 673-6300, or online at www.northlight.org.

16 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Superior Donuts at SteppenwolfSteppenwolf Theatre Companyconcludes its 32nd season with theworld premiere of Superior Donutsby ensemble member Tracy Letts,directed by ensemble member TinaLandau. The production runs June19 – August 17, 2008 in Steppenwolf’sDownstairs Theatre, 1650 N.Halsted St. in Chicago.Arthur Przybyszewski owns adecrepit donut shop in the Uptownneighborhood of Chicago. FrancoWicks, a black teenager who is hisonly employee, wants to change theshop for the better. Superior Donutsis a provocative comedy about thechallenges of embracing the past andthe redemptive power of friendship.For tickets and curtain times,please visit www.steppenwolf.org.Winstons4701 West 63r d Street Ch i c a g o773.767.43537959 West 159t h Street Ti n l e y Pa r k708.633.7500Not a Game For Boys at A Red Orchid TheatreFor the final production of its 15th Anniversary season, A RedOrchid Theatre is presenting Not a Game for Boys by British playwrightSimon Block.Not a Game for Boys is a razor sharp comedy investigating the malepsyche at its competitive worst. Ping Pong is a game like no other. It demandsdexterity, lightning quick reflexes and nerves of steel. But nervesare fraying among a team of three London cabbies as they face eliminationfrom their elite league. Can the team captain hold his comrades together tomake it to the top or will their bond disintegrate in the face of long buriedtensions boiling to the surface. They play the game to forget their troublesbut their troubles follow them right into the match.The show runs through June 22nd. For tickets call 312-943-8722 or visitwww.aredorchidtheatre.org.Chicago Photographer Art Shay PresentsNelson Algren PhotographsThe Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), Chicago, is presenting anexhibit featuring work by famed photographer Art Shay through June29 at the MCA, 220 E. Chicago Ave. The exhibition features 19 Shayphotographs hand-picked by the artist, revealing a deep friendship andcollaboration with his subject, Nelson Algren. Together they capturethe culture of the post-war underclass.Art Shay will attend the opening performance of Nelson Algren: ForKeeps and a Single Day on June 8, 2008 at The MCA. Shay’s book Chicago’sNelson Algren (2007) will be on sale during performances. Hisbook Chicago Accent (Daiter, 2007), as well as the book he published in1981, Nelson Algren’s Chicago, will be on sale at the MCA bookstore.(312) 337-0665 or lookingglasstheatre.org.The Full Monty in Oak ParkThe Village Players Performing Arts Center will present the awardwinningBroadway musical The Full Monty from June 8 – July 13,2008 in the Mainstage Theatre of the newly renovated Center locatedat 1010 W. Madison, Oak Park, IL.Six unemployed guys, low on both cash and prospects, decide to presenta strip act at a local club after seeing their wives’ enthusiasm for a touringcompany of professionals. As they prepare for the show, working throughtheir fears, self-consciousness, and anxieties, they overcome their innerdemons and find strength in their camaraderie.For details visit www.village-players.org or call 866-764-1010.W;t at TheGift TheatreMargaret Edson’s Pulitzer Prizewinningplay, W;t, will run at The GiftTheatre, 4802 N. Milwaukee Ave., May29-July 6, 2008. A portion of ticketsales for each Thursday evening showwill be donated on behalf of The GiftTheatre to Gilda’s Club Chicago.Vivian is a brilliant professor ofEnglish poetry, a renowned scholar,and a demanding teacher. But a painfulexperimental treatment for cancerwill force her on a quest for spiritualstrength. Armed only with her wit,she will venture far beyond her intellectualfrontier to conquer death and,in the process, life.W;t runs Thursdays through Saturdaysat 7:30pm and Sundays at2:30pm, May 29-July 6, 2008. Ticketsare $20-$25 and are available throughthe Gift Theatre box office, (773)283-7071 or www.gifttheatre.org.For the first time in its 7 year history,The Gift is running two showssimultaneously. The Last Days ofJudas Iscariot will reopen at The GiftTheatre on June 12, 2008 and runthrough July 20 (no performances July10-13), Thursdays through Saturdaysat 7:30pm, and Sundays at 2:30pm.Ma d e Fresh Da i l y:Ir i s h Sa u s a g eBl a c k Pu d d i n gWh i t e Pu d d i n gSo d a Br e a dBa c o nCo r n BeefSm o k e Bu t t sFu l l Li n e o fIm p o r t e d Fo o d s*****************Product Availableat Fine Irish ShopsAll Over ChicagolandWE SHIP UPSanywhere in the U.S.Ma k i n g Fi n e Ir i s h Sa u s a g e f o r o v e r 40 Ye a r s!Fo r Th e Finest in Di n i n g Tr yAshford HouseRestaurantFo r t h e Ver y Best in Ir i s h CuisineSt e a k s • Ch o p s • Pa s t a7959 West 159t h Street Ti n l e y Pa r k708.633.7600w w w.winstonsmar ket.c o m

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 17New Irish-American Partnership for Building Blitz in South AfricaIrish developer Niall Mellon recentlylaunched a campaign to recruitvolunteers from the U.S. to participatein a housing building program inCape Town, South Africa from November28 to December 6, 2008.The groundbreaking partnershipaims to bring over 2000 volunteersfrom the U.S. and Ireland to theKhayelitsha township, located approximately25 miles outside CapeTown. Meaning Xhosa for “our newhome,” Khayelitsha is one of theyoungest and biggest townships in theCape Flats area. The Blitz will takeplace at the overcrowded Site C, theoldest part of the township with onlya few decent houses in the area.In one week, volunteers will buildmore than 250 houses, as well as a communitycenter, and a Garden of Hope.An additional 550 houses will be builtduring the year by township residentstrained in the construction trade.The sixth annual Building Blitzprogram is well underway with Irishvolunteers, including more than1,300 construction workers, alreadyraising funds in Ireland to participatein the event. Each volunteer mustraise $8,000, which covers flight, accommodation,and construction costsfor the houses. The Township Trustcovers administrative costs.Since 2002, NMTT has built nearly5,000 houses in 10 townships in theWestern Cape and 13 townships inGauteng, with 21,235 township adultsand children moving into new homesin 2007 alone. The organization alsoworks alongside the South Africangovernment to install running waterand sanitation facilities and to providechildren with a safe place to study anda dry place to keep their school booksand uniforms. In addition, thousandsof job opportunities have been createdfor township residents who havegraduated the NMTT constructiontrade training program.2008 volunteers, mainly from Ireland,the U.S., and other countries, includingEngland, Wales, France, Germany, theNetherlands, Italy, Finland, Lithuaniaand Australia, will participate in theBlitz. More than 1800 Irish volunteershave already been recruited, including710 “veteran” volunteers who participatedin past efforts. Approximately 80percent of the Irish volunteers aretrades people, representing a wide varietyof skills from carpentry to blocklaying. The remaining 20% will comefrom a diverse range of backgrounds,faiths, and professions.“Apartheid is over, but its legacy—homelessness—remains,” says PaddyMaguiness, Worldwide CEO of theTownship Trust. “The South Africa governmenthas built over 2 million housesfor the poor since the fall of apartheid.Despite this achievement nearly 2.5million people still live in shacks. Thispartnership adds a new dimension toexisting efforts to change the directionof housing and poverty alleviation effortsin Africa and, by partnering withour friends across the Atlantic, we canmake a real difference.”Many elected and governmentofficials welcome the effort to bringAmericans on board, including HouseSpeaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate MajorityLeader Harry Reid, CongressmanCharles Rangel, CongresswomanCarolyn Kilpatrick, the CongressionalBlack Caucus, and prominentfaith leaders, including Dioceseof Washington Rev. John BrysonChange. Nobel Laureate ArchbishopDesmond Tutu and former SouthAfrican President Nelson Mandelaalso support the initiative.To learn more aboutthe Building Blitz,visit www.youtube.com and typein “Niall MellonTownship Trust.”

18 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Boyle the KettleWe’ll Have A Sup Of TeaTom Boyleboylethekettle@irishamericannews.comFine Art Prints byRoisin O’SheaSuperbly detailed, vibrantly colouredFine Art prints of watercolour paintingsby internationally publishedIrish artist Roisin O’ Shea, from all32 counties of Ireland, are availableat www.roisinoshea.com. All printsfrom the artist’s oficial website areindividually signed in pencil byRoisin. Also available are Roisin O’Shea calendars, notelets and Christmascards.Pope Benedict XVIThe Pope’s mission becameevident when he openly condemnedthe sex abuse that has gone on in theU.S. Catholic Church for generations.The onus is on the Bishopsto clean house and keep it clean.Francis Cardinal George is thegatekeeper as head of the U.S. Conferenceof Catholic Bishops. Zerotolerance must be Rule No. 1. RuleNo. 2: report offenders to the civilauthorities. The Pope’s visit was upliftingand renewed our confidencein the hierarchy of the Church. ThePope reiterated his concerns aboutsex abuse on his return to the Vatican.Viva El Papa!Another controversy arisingform the papal visit was an agreementbetween Rudy Guiliani andCardinal Egan “that he was not toreceive the Eucharist because of hiswell-known support of abortion.”Guiliani, who was with his thirdwife, received Communion April19th from a priest near the Pope.Cardinal Egan is angry about thisand wants a meeting with Guiliani.Other pro-choice politiciansreceived Communion at NationalsPark in Washington, DC, namelySenators Ted Kennedy, John Kerry,Christopher Dodd, and Speaker ofthe House, Nancy Pelosi.Should all pro-choice Catholicsbe barred from receiving Communion?The Catholic ChurchIreland 2007/2008See Athlone & DistrictTourist Guidewebsite - www.acis.iemust deal with the cafeteria-styleCatholics who pick and choosewhich rules of the Church theywill obey and which Sacramentsthey choose to receive. ShouldRudy Guiliani be excommunicated?Many Catholics never goto Confession, and still receiveCommunion. When General Absolutionwas offered, most CatholicsI know felt a sense of reliefbecause Confession for many wastoo distressing. Then the Vaticanprohibited it and we’re back tosquare one. There’s a lot of workto be done to win the hearts andminds of the faithful. Maybe PopeBenedict will consider restoringGeneral Absolution.Presidential PoliticsThe lady in the pantsuit is stillcalling the shots and the fat ladyhasn’t sung yet! Odds are SenatorObama will be the DemocraticParty’s nominee. Can he win inNovember?There’s a new wave of politicalcorrectness sweeping across thecountry. God forbid that you daresay anything that would be raciallyinsensitive. You would be severelycastigated, and banished from thecosmos. This will weigh heavilyin Senator Obama’s favor as theRepublicans don’t want to getstruck by lightning.What I don’t understand areall these politicians who say theycan identify with the workingman when most of them are verywealthy and never held a bluecollarjob. They don’t pay SocialSecurity. They have lifetimehealthcare and incredible pensions.They are wined and dinedby lobbyists and frequently go onjunkets at the taxpayers’ expense.So who’s kidding who?George BushThe price of gasoline; lastfill-up was $4.049 for regular!So President Bush asked theSaudis to produce more crude oil.There’s plenty of oil to meet demandalready out there. Until westrengthen the dollar, the pricewill continue to go up. The otherfactor is refinery capacity whichhas been discussed at length onprevious occasions.Listening to National Publicradio, the Bush administrationis an “oilgarchy.” How true. VicePresident Cheney and CondaleezaRice both came from the oilindustry. Rice even has a tankernamed after her.About $30 worth of the priceof a barrel of crude is from speculatorsplaying the commoditiesmarket. Meanwhile, grin andbear it, but don’t pump ethyl!IAHC Art Exhibit “ADifferent Land”Twenty-seven artists currentlyliving in Co. Kerry present“Irish Boglands Interpretation”.The paintings are inspired bythe unique landscape of Irishboglands. The exhibit opened Friday,May 16th and runs throughSaturday, June 14th.After a showing in New Yorkseventeen paintings were broughtto Chicago. One of those wassold on May 17th. I urge you notto miss this exhibit. The paintingsare fantastic. Don’t forget tobring your checkbook with you.Thomas FitzgeraldFowlerWelcome to the world Thomas!Thomas is the newborn sonof Jill and Tim Fowler. His olderbrother Jack has a new friend.Martin and Joanne Healy are theproud grandparents. Congratulations!Phil O’ConnorPhil is resting at home aftera quadruple bypass. Phil is avolunteer extraordinaire at theIAHC and will be missed whilehe is recovering. Once he’s backin good form, I’m sure he’llreturn.IAHC ElectionsMass for 775th Servite AnniversaryEach year four new directorsare elected to the board, as fourothers complete their four-yearterms. This year we have ninecandidates vying for the chanceto serve. If you don’t vote, youcan’t complain. Election night isJune 20th.On Thursday, June 12, 2008 at6 p.m. the Friar Servants of Marywill celebrate a special Mass inthe Our Lady of Sorrows Basilica(located at 3121 West JacksonBlvd. in Chicago) with FrancisCardinal George and friends ofthe Servites (Order of the Servantsof Mary) in honor of the775th anniversary of the Order.Everyone is invited.For information call (773)638-0159 ext.102 or visit www.ols-chicago.org.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 19Nuola O’Faolain DiesNuola O’Faolain (pronouncedoh-FWAY-lawn), an Irish journalistand author of two midlifememoirs (Are You Somebodyand Almost There) and an acclaimedfirst novel, My Dreamof You, died on May 9, 2008 inDublin, Ireland, at the age of 68.The cause was lung cancer.Parishioners of long-closed Chicago Irish parish still celebrateLittle Flower Grade School Class of 1973 celebrated its 35 year reunion in April. Former classmates arrivingat Chicago Gaelic Park received a nostalgic welcome from a group of volunteers from St. Damian Schooladorned in Little Flower School garb.The Leprechaun King Tour of Ireland 2008Papa and the Leprechaun King,The Secret Legend of the Shamrock(Outskirts Press, Denver,CO, 2007. 284 pages; $14.95)is a novel by Arthur Cola whichtakes its reader to the mystical andenchanted Emerald Isle. This book,through a series of harrowing andmagical adventures in each chapterwill reveal to the reader the SecretLegend of the Shamrock.The story unfolds in modernday Ireland where a group of“Baby Boomer” tourists set offon a holiday which will changetheir lives forever. The leader ofthis tour group of grandparents is“Papa” better known as the “Thorn.”It is he who would be anointed thechosen one to fulfill an ancientquest and save the magical powersof the Wee Folk Kingdom.The ghostly Shepherd McCarthyand the mysterious drapery ladyof Clonmacnoise, Kathleen, recognize“Papa” to be the one whocould solve the mystery of theShamrock and also save the Realmof the Wee Folk. Thus “Papa” issent off, but it will not be as aKnight on a gleaming white horse,dressed in brilliant silver armorand carrying a glistening goldensword. Rather, this would-be herosets off on what would become agrand quest by boarding the bluebeast, which is actually a dieselpowered mini bus. His squireswould be his wife and friends.These women would becomedubbed “The Roses” by the Kingof the Leprechauns himself.The story doesn’t end withChapter 18 either. Author ArthurCola has teamed with CIE ToursIreland and Carlson WagonlitTravel to create a tour which willtake its participants to the mostfamous, revered, ancient, historic,sacred and culturally enrichingsites of Ireland. All of them are alsofeatured in the plot of his book.The tour which will take placefrom October 12-23 offers participantsan unique experience ofIreland as they enter the Realmof sacred sites, legendary magic,ancient castles, charming pubsand shops, and sites of breathtakingnatural beauty. To join orto receive information about thetour: www.carlsonwagonlittravel.com/tripco; tripcotravel@sbcglobal.net;800-922-4036.

20 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Celtic Kitchen-Pure and SimpleBy Julianna LeberDuring my first trip to Ireland in1996, while looking for a student job,I managed to enjoy one of the manyevolving aspects of the Irish cultureof that time: pub grub. This phraseof pub grub for many years was seenas a quick plate of sandwiches or theobligatory fish and chips. In someplaces, Irish lamb stew or shepherd’spie was on the stove for the day andserved en masse. However with therush of the Celtic Tiger, the economicand social boom of the 90’s until now,expectations in the modern Irishsociety ushered in the emergenceof all things new and updated, if notcompletely revolutionary. That greatrevolution included the tradition ofIrish food.Great chefs of Europe look to newlands to find their inspiration or possiblynew places to impart their skillsand knowledge. As Ireland beganreinventing herself, some of thesechefs saw an amazing heritage of foodculture that needed updating and yetnot harsh interference. Young Irishchefs, who trained locally and thenwent abroad for further experience,returned with new inspiration forthe food they grew up with. Both theinternational and young Irish chefsknew that traditional Irish food was acornerstone to the Irish heritage andthat they were not going to mess withsuccess, just update the plate.From Dublin to Cork, Waterfordto Galway, restaurants and pubs beganto look at and become inspiredby the new culinary trends coming into the country. Restaurant proprietorsbegan searching for fresh new talentto liven up their stand-by menus. Pubowners watched the larger businessesfor ideas and inspiration and alsobegan to redesign their offerings.The common thread throughout theIrish culinary community was tohold on to what makes traditionalIrish food so unique: locally farmedbeef, pork and lamb, freshly caughtseafood, regional farmhouse cheeses,and preparing fruits and vegetablesaccording to their specific seasons.With these few guidelines alongwith time-honored preparation techniques,the new Irish chef set out andrecreated pub grub into a modernculinary experience.As the new Irish chef began toforge a path in culinary history,the other European chefs began tonot only revisit the possibilities ofIreland, but took stock in its talent.Euro-toques is a group of Europeanchefs who believe in local talent andproduct from around Europe. TheIrish group is numbered in the hundredsand the members all subscribeto the belief that food needs to exhibitthe strength of the regional sources,not only from organic farms but theenthusiastic cooking talent itself.The creative culinary process and notmassive production is their mantra.This group (of which Darina Allenfrom Ballymaloe Cookery School is amember) is paramount for Irish recognitionon the international level.Breaking it down to the basicsthough, it still about good food servedat the town local. By taking traditional,regional foods and modernizingBroiled salmon with summer vegetablesand lemon sauce in potato boxtyServes 66 salmon filets, 4 oz each1 red pepper, cut into long strips andthen cut crosswise1 each yellow squash and zucchini,cut into 1 / 4 in rounds8 oz sliced white mushrooms1 onion, sliced through root to end,and then thin slices1 lemon, cut in two4 T. butter2 - 3 T. olive oilthe dish, even slightly, it guaranteeslongevity through a casual reintroductionto the Tiger’s table.The recipe I’ve included, broiledsalmon with summer vegetables andlemon sauce in potato boxty, is adetailed, medium skilled recipe. Inthe end, it really is an elegant dish toserve dinner guests. One tip, practicethe boxty before the party. At first try,they can be a challenge when achievingproper thickness.*Julianna Leber is a graduate ofBallymaloe Cookery School, Co.Cork, Ireland and the Universityof Akron. E-mail: Julileber@hotmail.com1 / 4 c. dry white wine2 c. whole milk1 T. flour2 tsp. dried dillSalt and pepper3 c. mashed potatoes3 medium size potatoes, scrubbedclean2 - 3 T. flour2 eggsVegetable oilCarefully grate the potatoes (skinson, if you wish) and put the potatointo a bowl of room temp water. Setaside. Turn oven to 350F. Put salmonon cookie sheet lined with foil. Drizzlewith olive oil, salt, pepper, and squeeze1 / 2 lemon on top. Put in oven untildone and flaky, 20 minutes.Place zucchini and yellow squash ina pot of salted, simmering water untiljust tender, approx 4-5 minutes. Drain.In large skillet on med, melt 2 T. butterand add oil. Toss in onion, and stir untilsoft. Add mushrooms and stir, another3-4 minutes. Add red pepper and stir.Add wine, lemon, and 2 T butter. Letsteam for a couple minutes. Sprinkle1 T. flour and stir in. Slowly add milkand stir to incorporate (may need alittle more to thin). Add squash andcarefully stir. Sprinkle with dill, saltand pepper to taste. Cover with lid andset on very low.In large bowl, combine mashedpotatoes and drained grated potato.Season with salt and pepper. Addflour and eggs, mixing thoroughly.The right consistency will enable youto ladle the batter into the pan. Toothick, add a little milk. Too thin, addflour. Heat a large skillet and add 1 T.oil. Pour by ladle and spread aroundpan, but not too thin. Carefully, testthe edges by lifting around. If itbreaks apart, thin with milk or anotheregg. Flip and let cook for another2-3 minutes or until crisp. Place onwarming plate or in oven. Continuewith the rest of the batter.To assemble: Place boxty in centerof plate, spoon veggie mixture ontohalf of potato, then place salmon ontop. Flip other half over and servewith light salad. Brilliant!!

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 21Healy LawMartin J. Healy, Jr.Senior PartnerThis is the next of a series of columns on how the law can impact your life. Eachmonth we will focus on various aspects of the law relating to personal injuries,those that happen both on-the-job and otherwise, including mishaps which occurin driving vehicles, using products and receiving medical care. The column willalso respond to legal questions relating to personal injury that are sent to us.The Healy Law Firm is comprised of eight trial attorneys, two of whom are fromIreland. We are located downtown at 111 West Washington Street, Suite 1425, Chicago,Illinois 60602 (800-922-4500 or 312-977-0100). www.HealyLawFirm.com. The firmconcentrates in the representation of injured victims of all types of accidents.Readers are encouraged to call or write with questions concerningpersonal injury law.How the Pleasure of SwimmingCan Turn Into a Life Changing EventBy Jack CannonIn July of 2001 I was on trial representinga man from County Clare whohad been seriously injured in a highspeed auto accident on I-55. Trialsdemand a lot of time. It’s not unusualto work sixteen to eighteen hours aday either in the courtroom itself orpreparing for the following day. Trialsdemand 100 percent focus whichmakes it difficult to handle anythingelse other than trial at that particularpoint in time.Three days into the trial I receiveda call from an old construction friendof mine from Derry. My friend told methat a friend of his had been paralyzedin a swimming pool accident on thesouth side. He informed me that theman was a 22-year-old carpenter fromDerry who dove into a swimming pooland broke his neck. He underwentemergency surgery and was shippedhome to Ireland within a few days.It was unusual that I would takea phone call during trial, let alonedevote attention to a possible new case.However, our firm has a long historyof representing Irish individuals. Thisgentleman suffered a devastatinginjury and would need all the helphe could get. We decided to look atthe case.Starting out, I was aware thatthere was some case law consideredunfavorable on swimming pool cases.Some of these cases say that bodies ofwater represent an open and obviousdanger and that anyone injured fromdiving into an open body of wateris essentially out of luck under thelaw. Nevertheless, I decided to lookinto it.I immediately contacted our investigator.I sent him out to the scene ofthe accident to see what he could learn.In addition, I asked my friend to helpme locate witnesses that we couldinterview regarding the case.Meanwhile over the next couple ofdays, I continued with the trial of theman from Clare. During breaks in thetrial, I was receiving calls from myinvestigator and my friend, providingup-to-date information.We quickly learned that our potentialclient had broken his neck and wasparalyzed from the breast bone down.We also learned that the pool that hedove into had a highly unusual configuration.It was six feet deep, withshallow step entry stairs going acrossthe entire width of one end of the pool.The opposite end had a narrow deepend ladder in the corner. Unfortunately,the deep end ladder in the corner wasin 2½ feet of water. The actual “deepend” was in the middle of the pool!We set up a meeting on the Fridaynight with the witnesses. They confirmedthe unusual configuration ofthe pool. They advised me that theyhad been with my potential injuredclient for only a couple of hours thatnight. They stated that he was soberat the time of injury and that he hadnever been in this particular poolbefore. Later on that evening I metwith our investigator who providedphotographs of the pool. The photosconfirmed the deep end ladder in theshallow end. Based on the descriptionof the witnesses and the photographs,we felt that there was something to goforward on.I spent all Saturday and Sundaythat weekend working on the Clareman’s trial. When I got home Sundayevening, my wife informed me that shehad recorded a 60 Minutes Programthat I might want to take a look at. The60 Minutes Program was about theepidemic of swimming pool injuries inthis country. The program highlightedthe lack of governance by the swimmingpool industry of their product. Inshort, the theme of the program saidthat the swimming pool industry hadvery loose guidelines regarding thedesigns of the pools even though theyknew or were aware that hundreds ofindividuals had suffered devastatinginjuries. The 60 Minutes piece focusedon a case in the State of Washingtonwhere the regulatory body for theswimming pool industry was foundliable in a case where a young individualbeen paralyzed. The programidentified studies which showed thatthe typical person injured in a swimmingpool case was male, white andbetween the ages of 18 and 25. Quiteoften there was alcohol involved in thecase. Our case fit the prototype.Based on the program, I was ableto identify an expert who I thoughtmight be helpful in our case. On theMonday, we contacted the expert. Wedescribed for him the design of theswimming pool. He agreed, based onour description, that the pool appearedto violate the standard set forth bythe National Spa and Pool Industry(NSPI). My expert informed me thatmost swimming pool installers andalmost all of the swimming pool linermanufacturers were members of NSPI.They were aware of NSPI and shouldhave known whether or not the poolthey designed met with the nationalstandards.Based on the evidence, The HealyLaw Firm filed suit in the Circuit Courtof Cook County. In the meantime, wewere learning more about our newclient. He was a 22-year-old carpenterfrom Derry. He had been in Chicagofor approximately one year. He livedon the south side. He had never beenin a pool in the United States. He dovetoward the deep end ladder. He dovehorizontally over the water, rather thanat a deep angle. He told us he thoughthe was diving into the deep end. Heactually dove into 2½ feet of water.The impact snapped his neck.When the client arrived at one ofour local hospitals, he had to informthe hospital staff that he was uninsured.This was not taken kindly. Withina week, a row of seats was strippedout of an Aer Lingus plane, the clientwas strapped in and shipped hometo his parents. He described a long,bumpy, painful ride in the ambulancefrom Dublin Airport all the way backto Belfast, where he continued hishospitalization.Upon arriving in Belfast at MusgravePark Hospital, the client wasexamined by a local doctor. They toldhim he would never walk again.In reviewing the status of the caselaw, we confirmed that in many swimmingpool cases, Illinois courts havefound no liability, ruling that a personwho jumps into an open body of watershould be aware of an “open andobvious danger.” However, there wereexceptions in cases where there wasa design defect in the product itself.Based on what we knew from talkingto our investigator, the witnesses, theclient and now the swimming pool expert,it appeared that the case fell intoa design defect category. We beganto take depositions of the numerouspersonnel of both the contractor, theswimming pool liner manufacturerand others as well as witnesses.In every civil lawsuit filed thereis a “discovery” phase in which theparties take depositions of potentialwitnesses in a case. During the courseof discovery each side is obliged to, ineffect, “show the other side their cards.”Once “all the cards have been shown”and the discovery has been completed,a defendant will typically file a motionfor summary judgment. The motionfor summary judgment essentially saysthat even if everything the plaintiffsays is true, there is no basis underthe law for this case to go forward.Therefore it should be dismissed. Intalking to the defendants I learned, asI suspected, they felt they had a shot ontheir motion for summary judgment.The depositions of the personnel of themanufacturers and contractors wouldbe critical in terms of what they knewabout the NSPI standards and whenthey knew it. We quickly learned thatthey knew little to nothing about theNSPI standards. The supervisor forthe design department of the linermanufacturer confirmed that the poolhad seven (7) design defects underthe national standards. Despite thisfact, the liner manufacturer issueda manual and warning signs whichstated that the pool met the “NationalSpa and Pool Institute standards.” Thiswas not true.On May 17, 2006, after three hoursof oral argument, a judge in the CircuitCourt of Cook County granted thedefendant’s motion for summary judgmentwithout explanation. Our office,believing in the client and believing inthe case, immediately filed an appealto the Appellate Court of the State ofIllinois.Next month – What happened recentlyin the Appellate Court and thefuture for the case.Jack Cannon

22 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008FitzGerald’s: Destination MusicBy Cliff CarlsonTurning ideas into action. It’seasy to talk about, but not soeasy to do. Billgerald probably doesn’t thinkof himself as a man of action,but he is. “It all started on a NewYear’s Day at a friends apartment.A bunch of us were talking abouthow great it would be to owna bar that played live music. Imentioned the Deer Lodge andwondered if it would be up forsale. It was run down, but itseemed like the perfect spot tobegin,” said Bill.A few in the group wereenthusiastic. This is the pointwhere ideas usually begin to fallapart. But, Bill took the first stepand inquired about it. “I foundout the Deer Lodge was in theprocess of being sold,” saidFitzGerald. Most move on tonew ideas at this point. Not Bill.He expressed his interest to theowner of the place anyway. Thesale fell through. The owner offeredthe Deer Lodge to Bill.An idea that germinated onNew Year’s Day, 1978 became areality on March 20th – less thanthree months later – when Bill,his father, Chris, and his brother,Chris, teamed up to make thepurchase.“My brother and I were paintersby trade, and my father wasa writer and editor. Luckily, weall considered ourselves prettyhandy when it came to fixingthings,” said Bill.It’s a good thing because therewas a lot of work to do. It was amajor nine month do-it-yourselfproject. The idea was to renovate,bringing out the best in thebuilding. They scoured auctionsand sales and upgraded all of theequipment in the place.“With a little help from mybrother Chris and I, my fatherrewired the entire place, andredid all the plumbing. He dida great job. Everything is stillworking,” laughed Bill.The bar was painted red.Underneath the paint was abeautiful mahogany bar. Vinyltiles were removed exposing aperfectly fine solid maple floor.Thursday, December, 18, 1980FitzGerald’s in Berwyn opened.Friday they held their first liveJazz session. The place tookoff fairly quickly, evolving intothe eclectic mix of music theyspecialize in today, much to thechagrin of the jazz purists.“There was a point where wecould have just been a jazz club,or a Chicago Blues club, andbeen successful, but I think wemade the right decision. Theplace is more interesting,” said available. We never would haveFitzGerald.expanded without the financialOver twenty years later, after support of the city,” said Bill.a couple of abandoned attempts On September 11, 2001 theat expansion, The FitzGeralds family broke ground on themade the leap, expanding into restaurant. “With the events ofthe restaurant and catering business.“My dad was always keen we were getting ourselves in to,”that day we all wondered whaton the idea of serving food here. remembered Bill.He even took us to the Wishbone Brother Chris and his wifeRestaurant on Grand Avenue to Kathleen, ran the foodserviceshow us his example of a well for several years. It got to berun restaurant with excellent quite a chore for them. Dad’sfood,” exclaimed Bill.original idea of modeling theOver time the FitzGeralds restaurant after the Wishbonebought the building to the West operation wasn’t too far off. Theof the club. When the bakery FitzGeralds contacted Wishbone,to the East of the club became and offered them the foodservicebusiness that FitzGerald’savailable the family knew it wastime to make the move. had built. Wishbone accepted.“We almost expanded twice before,but circumstances weren’t got Wishbone!” said Bill.“We wanted Wishbone, and wequite right. The third time must Wishbone runs all the foodservicefor all the parties athave been the charm. The cityof Berwyn offered TIF money, FitzGerald’s, and man, can theyand made a low interest loan hold a party! For 28 straightFitzgerald Clan

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 23years they have been holding a St. Patrick’sDay Party. This year’s party willbe held Monday, March 17th with AprilVerch, The Dooley Brothers, MayerSchool Stepdancers, Kevin Flynn & theAvondale Ramblers, and The AvenueKids!For 27 years on the July 4th weekendthey hold the “American Music Fest.With the expansion FitzGerald’s is asmall conglomerate of good times. To theeast of the original bar is the WishboneRestaurant. In a few short years it hasbecome a neighborhood favorite boastingregulars from surrounding cities like OakPark, Chicago, Forest Park and beyond.To the West of the club is a permanentoutdoor tent and another building whichhouses the “Sidebar.” The Sidebar ismodern, comfortable and a great placefor a relaxing drink or two. No live musichere, but the jukebox is well stocked.Connected to the Sidebar are two otherFINANCIAL PLANNINGCorrigan Financial Services, Inc.Money Concepts Financial Planning CentreEstablished 1980Retirement Planning SpecialistforIndividuals - Families - BusinessInvestment - Tax - Estate PlanningCallMike & Chuck Corrigan(708)482-3800Member International Association for Financial Planningrooms. One for privateparties, and onefor small live concertsthat can hold up to 90patrons. Parties can beheld at the Sidebar forgroups of 25 to 150.Get the club involved,and a party can hold upto 500!FitzGerald’s owesmost of its success tothe eclectic nature ofthe music. Southern,Cajun, New Orleans,Zydeco, Texan, andBlues are the specialties.“I’ve seen somegreat acts come throughour doors,”said Bill.He’s right. Robert Cray,The Neville Brothers,Stevie Ray Vaughan,and Marsha Ball toname a few. “A lot ofgood vibes and memoriesare here. I’m constantlybeing remindedby my customers whatgood time they havehad here. Most of themusicians treat our customerslike family. The make sure theyhave a great time. The place marks timefor people,” he continued.FamilyBill’s mom and dad met on Chicago’sNorthside. Dad went to Loyola and momwent to Mundelein. They married andlived for a time in Rogers Park. Chris Sr.edited trade publications, and then gotinto writing greeting cards for AmericanGreetings and then Gibson’s in Cincinati,Ohio. Hallmark cards, the pinnacle of thegreeting cards business, came calling,but it was too late. Bill’s dad took a jobin Chicago as the editor of the prestigiousNuclear News Magazine, and the rest ishistory.The family business aspect has workedvery well. Many of the nine brothers andsisters have been involved over the years.Chris was a big part of the success. Afterthe restaurant closed Chris and his wifemoved back to Australia. Dad was heavilyinvolved until his death seven yearsago. He passed his shares on to othersiblings in the family. Bill’s daughterworks in various aspects of the businessand his sister Sheila’s daughter, Katie, isgetting married at FitzGerald’s in June.And the beat goes on!Bill is all American, with his Irishancestors many generations back onboth sides of family, but the Irishnessis there none the less. His quiet unassumingmanor can’t hide the strength,determination, and pride he has in theiraccomplishments.“Overall, my family can be very proudKate & Bill Fitzgeraldof what we’ve done here, and what thisplace means to the community,” saidBill.Yes, they can.Fitzgerald’s is located at 6615 W RooseveltRd in Berwyn; phone 708-788-2118.DANCE LESSONSM c NultyIrish DancersAdult & Children Classes(3 years and older)10 Suburban Locationsfor more information Contact:Barbara McNulty HeneghanT.C.R.G. 847-698-4434fax 847-518-0863email: irshdancr@aol.comwww.mcnultyirishdancers.com

24 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Swimming UpstreamBy Charles BradyIBBONSFUNERAL HOMES5917 W Irving Park Rd Chicago(773) 777-3944134 South York Road Elmhurst(630) 832-0018The Oaks Funeral Home1201 E Irving Park Road Itasca(630) 250-8588Gibbons/Elliston Funeral Home60 South Grant Hinsdale(630) 323-0275www.gibbonsfuneralhomes.net“Family Owned and OperatedFor Over 65 Years”Heath Ledger, There’sAnother Joker in TownThere are tears pouring from my face as Iwrite this; there are winds of change blastingthrough the open window. Gone is the legend,the truth-sayer who goes to America, that Irishknight of myth in order to give a spiel to theAmerican people that almost nobody could bebothered to turn up to. As far as I know internswere asked to take up the empty seats.Gone is the great man who has ruled Irelandfor over a decade.I have to admit that Mr. Bertie Ahern’s speechwas perfectly delivered. I particularly loved thetrue showstopper where he declared: “Irelandis at peace”. So it must be a great relief for thevictims and their mothers and their fathers tohear that the thuggery and kneecappings thatare still sporadically taking place in NorthernIreland have been forgotten—in the name ofBertie’s speech. And nobody seemed to recallGerry Adams assuring his crowd of worshippersthat “they haven’t gone away, you know”.It must also be heartening and really wonderfulfor the people of Limerick, down in aRepublic that has again been forgotten by agovernment that is supposed to be the originalRepublican Party. And that this wonderful city,Blake-LambFuneral Homes4727 W. 103rd StreetOak Lawn IL 60453All phones: 708-636-1193Owned by SCI Illinois Services, Inc.where I spent so many years working and whereI made some of the best friends of my life hasnow taken over from Glasgow as Europe’s murdercapital. I don’t recall him celebrating thatstatistic. It put me in mind, however, of talkingto some of the soldiers coming through ShannonAirport last year on their way to Iraq. I was fascinatedto hear that Limerick’s unfair reputationhad reached as far as the States when one veryfunny young soldier told me: “ We were kindof nervous about landing here as it’s so close toLimerick. We thought we might be outgunned”.I guess that is what they mean when they saythat black humour is funny because it’s true.When I hear all the nonsense talked about hislegacy—and for once we agree on what he didin the North—on Northern Ireland, I just thinkmore and more about how he was in the rightplace at the right time. What about Albert Reynoldsand Garrett Fitzgerald, who seem to havebeen airbrushed out of history? But that’s allright now because we’ve become best friendswith the party who were the bomb experts andbaby killers. Yeah, Brave New World all rightand hang the begrudgers.And it’s all right now because we do tend toforget in this country. Sure, the 800 years oftyranny at the hands of the English that come upso regularly in ignorant pub conversations areremembered and will be remembered foreverby louts that have nothing better to talk about.Do you think any of these clowns rememberBertie Ahern’s boast that he was able to drinkeight pints (a gallon, for Heaven’s sake) beforedriving home? And I repeat that, driving.Of course, my own fellow journalistscouldn’t wait to let themselves down.Having hounded the man out of office (correctly)over his still baffling and unexplainedfinancial dealings they couldn’t wait to queuein a less than orderly line to shake hands withthe great man and be photographed havingdrinks with him. There are notable and honourableexceptions, but for the rest I wouldn’t beseen sharing a sink with them. I might catchsomething.Never mind, he’s gone now. Probably for anice gravy train job in Europe, or to write hismemoirs and go on the lucrative lecture circuit.Behind him he leaves a health system in a completeshambles. People have died pointlessly foryears because of the bungling and lack of prioritiesfrom his party. Then again what do youexpect from a man who has a budget for makeupto the tune of 25,000 euros a year? And youwould ask ”for doing what? He’s never going tobe George Clooney.” The photos of him fromthe States, grinning that insincere grimace ofhis reminded me of nothing more than HeathLedger as The Joker. More kindly, I suppose,I was put in mind of the dead corpse-grin ofBritain’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown—oreven worse, of his predecessor, the vain narcissistTony Blair. (Who “only” spends around4,000 on his make-up, by the way.)It seems sometimes that it is just a wearyand endless attempt to try to make people seethat Fianna Fail, the ruling party for too manyyears here should not be perpetually voted injust because their father and grandfather didso. I heard recently a man declare proudly thatif they cut off his right arm he would vote forthem with his left. That’s not thinking, that’s justa mentality that you can not debate with.I don’t have any particular axe to grind here,since I believe in politicians less than I believein God—and that’s not in the slightest—but Iwould like to see Enda Kenny, leader of theopposition party Fine Gael get a chance. Yes,maybe he’ll be no different to the rest but Ihave a good gut feeling about him. He comesacross to me as a man of spine and vision,which paradoxically doesn’t seem to comethrough with the media. I just don’t get it. Theman is talking sense (except for advocating a“Yes” vote for the Lisbon Treaty—but that’s achat for next month); and I especially admirethe monstrously hard and productive work thatSenator Fidelma Healy Eames of FG has donefor the area that I live in, County Galway.There you go. I feel a lot better for gettingthat off my chest; and wherever my long-lostspleen is at this moment in time, I know thatit is happier too.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 25My Dream of IrelandThere is a land so far awayI see only in my dreamsEach night when I close my eyesThe images are so keenTake me thereI see beautiful rolling hillsAnd many shades of greenThey all come togetherA sight I’ve never seenTake me thereThe land has many bogsWhere people get their turfIn my dream I smell it burningThe smell of it just surfsTake me thereIn the far distanceI swear I hear a soundIt sounds like a tin whistlePlaying songs aboundTake me thereFirefighters Toxin FighterA California-based company called Sun Life Saunasaims to help firefighters tackle another danger besidesfires—the harmful chemicals they’re exposed to duringand after a firefighting episode.Whether a fire burns a home, business, automobile, oreven a forest, harmful toxins pollute the air as certain itemsburn. Firefighters are exposed to many of these chemicalsdespite their protective gear and masks. Even after a fire hasbeen extinguished, potentially cancer-causing chemicalsmay be released into the air through smoldering plastics,paints, glue, wraps, and other building materials. A fewdangerous chemicals that may be released include hydrogencyanide, carbon monoxide and hydrochloric acid.Sun Life Saunas decided to take the usual relaxingand rejuvenating benefits of saunas to the next levelwith revolutionary far infrared sauna heat therapy alongwith Carbon Wave 360 technology. But relaxationisn’t the only goal when it comes to firefighters. Thecompany also promotes detoxification of the body asa major benefit for firefighters.Smoke inhalation and chemicals absorbed through theskin can cause many long-term health problems. According to a studyby the University of Cincinnati, firefighters are more likely to developtesticular cancer, prostate cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and multiplemyeloma. Detoxification helps remove these toxins before theycause serious illness. Increasing the core temperature through infraredsauna therapy sessions may also reduce the presence of cancer-causingcells since they are not as tolerant to heat as normal healthy cells.“Another benefit we’re seeing is the sauna helps increase collateralcirculation ofblood vessels, whichcan reduce or lowerblood pressure. Thisis a significant benefitfor firefightersbecause heart attacksare so prevalentamong those in thisprofession,” statesLorraine Montana,co-founder of thecompany.www.sunlifesaunas.comI also hear laughterAnd then an image appearsThere are people dancingHornpipes, jigs and reelsTake me thereWhen I awakeThere are tears in my eyesIn my soul I know this landIn my heart there’s no surpriseTake me thereI finally made itTo the land I hold so dearMy lovely land called IrelandAnd now I’m finally hereWritten byTammy M. Donahue-McGingDedicated to my son– James Patrick McGingGIFT SHOPBelleek • foodIrish Papers“Saving the Green”5138 W. 95th St. • Oak Lawn708-424-7055“Your complete Irish import storein the south suburbs.”

26 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008PLASTERINGWilliam McNulty & SonsPlastering Co.Insured - All Work GuaranteedPLASTERINGSTUCCODRYVIT708-386-2951Burke’sLawBrian Burke, Senior PartnerThe Haunted TriangleI was speaking with a friend about my upcoming trip to Ireland and Itold him me and my wife were staying a night in Kinnitty Castle, in Offally,part of the “Haunted Triangle.” I told him how my wife enjoyed watchinga television show about Charleville Castle, another of the three parts ofthe “Haunted Triangle,” and how I thought the television show featuringan American family locked in Charleville Castle was ridiculous. My friendinformed me that he stayed a week at Ballindooley Castle in Galway andthat every day the coffee pot was unplugged and in a different spot untilhe finally told his wife to stop moving the coffee pot but she honestly hadno idea what he was talking about. I assured my friend that I did not thinkthe television show about Charleville Castle was ridiculous because I didnot believe in invisible forces; but rather, I simply thought it was ridiculousto lock up people in a haunted castle, try to make a reality show out of it,and watch people walking around with a helmet cam screaming and crying.Spirits are invisible and unless you are actually there, you cannot seeor feel their presence.Once my friend knew what I meant and that I would not thinkhim crazy, he confided in me that, while in bed one night atBallindooley Castle in Galway, he awoke in a cold sweat and feltsomething telling him to jump off the balcony and that he grabbedonto the headboard of the bed and would not let go for fear for hislife. I believe him. But I still think he would have looked foolishon television in front of an American audience, laying in the dark,with a look half-crazed, fearfully holding onto the headboard ofhis bed, while his wife was next to him sound asleep. If his otherfriends ever got a hold of the tape it would be playing endlesslyat the local tavern.Do you believe in evil spirits? There is a documentary calledIn the Grip of Evil, which is the true story from which was basedthe novel and later movie The Exorcist. If you watch it, you willhear from some of the people actually involved in the exorcism,including a Jesuit priest who is very credible. In the documentary,the young boy had an aunt who played with a Ouija board with himand after she died the kid used the Ouija board possibly to try tocontact his lost aunt. The boy became possessed not by a demonbut Satan himself. The lesson to be learned from the story is donot go looking for evil spirits. There’s a story in the Book of Actsin which a group of Jews were trying to imitate the apostle Paul bytraveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. But one timewhen they tried it, the evil spirit replied: “I know Jesus, and I knowPaul, but who are you?” Then the man with the evil spirit leaped onthem, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence thatthey fled from the house, naked and battered. Acts 19:15-16.When I look for truth, I turn to the Holy Bible. The reasonthe Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. 1John 3:8. Jesus went around doing good and healing all who wereoppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:38. Jesusordered many demons to come out of their victims. But becausethe demons knew who he was, Jesus refused to allow the demonsto speak. Mark 1:34. Before Jesus cast more demons into a herd ofpigs, the demons screamed “Why are you interfering with us, Sonof God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointedtime?” Matthew 8:28-30. As the Book of James asks: Do you stillthink it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, evendemons believe this, and they tremble in terror. James 2:19.So are demons real? The same friend in the story above toldme once I had everything going for me, but then hesitated andsaid, “but you have a few demons.” That’s what true friends are for.Seriously. And before I knew what I know now, I told a Christian(the kind that practices Christianity, not the kind who jokes aboutit in bars) what my friend told me about my demons and that Idid not know if he meant it literally or figuratively. I was assured:“No, they are real! They are real!” You may not be able to see them,but you can certainly see the affect they can have on a person’slife. Even the apostle Paul warns: “For we are not fighting againstflesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities ofthe unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, andagainst evil spirits in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12.If and when I stay at Kinnitty Castle, I wont be bringing a OuijaBoard, but I will try to keep my Lord, Jesus Christ, in my heart.Then I will fear no evil.VacationGalena RentalsExperience the scenic beautyof Ireland in Galena, ILfor a vacation in Resort Homeswithout Resort Prices773-631-5253Toll free 866-GalenaRentalse-mailGalenaRentals@ameritech.netVisitwww.GalenaRentals.comIrish owned & operated

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 27An Immigrant’sMusingsFr. Michael LeonardUSCIS Releases ProjectedNaturalization ProcessingTimes For Local OfficesWashington—U.S. Citizenship and ImmigrationServices (USCIS) released today the projectedtimes for local offices to complete processingof applications for citizenship from individualswho filed during the summer of 2007.Last July, USCIS received 460,000 applicationsfor naturalization. That was three timesthe record for any previous month. For theyear, USCIS received 1.4 million naturalizationapplications, almost double the normalannual volume.USCIS is hiring and training hundreds ofadditional immigration officers to adjudicatethese cases. The agency is also conducting naturalizationinterviews on weekends, after normalbusiness hours and in additional locations.The processing times listed below provide asense of how quickly a case may be processedif there are no complicating factors. Still, somecases will take longer to complete for suchreasons as:· an applicant has been asked to submit additionalinformation and their case is pendinguntil they comply, or· an applicant fails the naturalization testand has 60 days to prepare before they areretested, or· The FBI name check is still in progress.Projected Local USCIS Office ProcessingTimes at end of September 2008OfficeAtlanta, GA 9.9New Orleans, LA 14.5Chicago, IL 8.6Phoenix, AZ 14.4MonthsGala DinnerSaturday night May 10th was truly an occasionof great celebration as well over 430 peoplegathered at Gaelic Park for the Chicago Irish ImmigrantSupport’s first Annual Gala. (See photosof the event in this issue of The Irish AmericanNews. And also our web-site www.ci-is.com)A large part of what made our celebrationsuch a memorable occasion was theawards ceremony.We had two categories in which peoplewere honored, the first being: Most outstandingcontribution to the community, with thenominees being, Mike Kenny, Pat Noonan, Dr.Steve Fox, Maureen O’Looney, Billy Lawless,Nancy Holly and Maureen Halpin.The winner from this group was Billy Lawlessknown to many as the owner of The IrishOak, Wrigleyville and The Gage, MichiganAve. Billy has been a tireless worker for ourundocumented brothers and sisters. Acceptinghis award he pledged to continue to do allin his power to bring about a comprehensivesolution to our immigration crises. Billy is anative of Galway and is alsoinvolved promoting links betweenChicago and the “Cityof the tribes.”The second category with:Joe Beagley, Gerry Kealy, PJO’Dea, Tommy Dolan, MaryRuane, Pat Hennessy andGerry Gerraty all been nominated for sportspersonality of the year.The winner of the sports category was JoeBegley, a native of Wicklow. Joe has had thehonor of holding many positions within theranks of the G.A.A. including Chairman ofthe Chicago area board as well as chair of theNorth American board. Joe was one of the firstindividuals to put “his shoulder to the wheel”in getting Gaelic Park up and running. He is atrue Gael and his dedication to the promotionof Gaelic games is matched by few. He was thechief leader in the developing of the Patriots,a club formed to promote the games amongAmerican born players.We once again congratulate the winners,both individuals who have and continue togive of their time and talents in the service ofothers. We hope and pray that in the words ofSt. Francis they will know in their lives that:“it is in giving that we receive.”Very sincere thanks to all who helped makeour first Gala Dinner such a great success. Wetruly appreciate all of the support we get fromour sponsors and donors. It is only with yourcontinued and unselfish support that we cancontinue to offer our services free of charge tothose who contact us.Encouraging WordsThe Buzzard, the Bat, and the BumblebeeIf you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feetsquare and entirely open at the top, the bird, inspite of his ability to fly, will be an absoluteprisoner. The reason is that a buzzard alwaysbegins a flight from the ground with a run often or twelve feet. Without space to run, as ishis habit, he will not even attempt to fly, butwill remain a prisoner for life in a small jailwith no top.The ordinary bat that flies around at night,a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannottake off from a level place. If it is placed onthe floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffleabout helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, untilit reaches some slight elevation from which itcan throw itself into the air. Then, at once, ittakes off like a flash.A Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumblerwill be there until it dies, unless it is takenout. It never sees the means of escape at thetop, but persists in trying to find some way outthrough the sides near the bottom. It will seeka way where none exists, until it completelydestroys itself.In many ways, there are lots of people likethe buzzard, the bat and the bee. They arestruggling about with all their problems andfrustrations, not realizing that the answer isright there above them.Should you have any comments, questions orsuggestions, please feel free to contact me @sliabhanoir@yahoo.com or 312-337-8448.Join the Gilhooly Travelin’ Shows!Come with us on the Jolly Bus fully escorted and entertained by Paddy &Kathleen Gilhooly. “Limited Seating” Book now (your seat awaits you!)Trip prices are based on per-person, double occupancy.Moline 2 Day/1 Night Isle of Capri Casino Hotel with $20rebate plus 4 hour paddlewheel Riverboat Cruise and LunchJuly 30 & 31 Country Classic Cruise, River Cruise July 31August 5 & 6 Dixieland Sounds Cruise, River Cruise.ONLY $235 per tripAugust 26thSept 7-8-9Sept 14-15October 1Nifty 50’s Show-Lexington House Banquet Hall,$27 reg, Seniors, $22 (see our Nifty 50’s ad in this paper).Mackinac Island, MI only $795 per person, dble occup.3 Day/2Night at Grand Hotel, the crown jewel of Mackinac.Springfield, IL Land of Lincoln only$235 per person double occupancy2 Day/1 Night stay at Abraham Lincoln Hotel.call for details.White Eagle Banquet Hall - Niles, IL (See details below)Oct 6-7-8 Frankenmuth, MI only $3953 Day/2 Night at the beautiful Bavarian Lodge InnNov 7-11Branson Christmas, MO. Only $825 per person dbl occup.5 Day/4 Night - Danny O’Donnell - Bobby Vinton - AndyWilliams plus much more. (see ad elsewhere in this paper)Feb 7-14 Western Carribean Cruise of Irish Stars Join Paddy &2009 Kathleen Gilhooly as they entertain you aboard the “New”MSC Orchestra Ship. Leaving from Fort Lauderdale, FLprices start at $849. To book call Pat 708-361-6067All trips include meals plusfree Dinner Show by the Gilhooly’s. . .OCTOBERFESTOctober 1 White EagleBanquet HallNiles, IL $30 reg,Seniors, $25.Lunch and ShowGo t a n Id e af o r aCl u b Tr i p?l e t’s ta l k !Kathleen and PatFor information, brochure, and / or reservationsCall Pat 708-361-6067email irmusic@comcast.netSend Checks to: Pat GilhoolyPO Box 2462 Orland Park, IL 60462

28 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Sporting LogSean Og. O CeallachainManagers of present day GAA teams areunder fierce pressure to capture titles or trophieswhich will sit on the sideboard when the year isover. Every time a manager puts a team on thefield he is expected to field a winning team, andif not, he is in trouble. The position is worseat inter-county level, where the demands aregreater on managers. The successful team officialis the one who coaches the best players andhe is rewarded every time his players compete against topopposition. Recently John Maughan stepped down from hismanager’s job with Roscommon footballers simply becausea section of the team followers began to abuse him from thesidelines and throw bottles at him. The reason? Roscommonwere losing matches because the players were not putting inthe effort. That was just one example. Another reason wassome players did not turn up for training for frivolous reasons.Roscommon had a disastrous League run which ended up withthe county being demoted to a lower division. To be fair toJohn Maughan, he took on a very onerous job. Some of theolder players decided to call it a day and a number of youngplayers were added to the panel. It takes time and patienceto groom a team for the hard grind of inter-county football.Obviously a number of Roscommon followers were lookingfor instant success and when that wasn’t forthcoming theylaid the blame on the manager.Berating a manager from the sideline is no way to treata team official who is only doing his best with the talent athis disposal. When Maughan decided to step down he didso with great regret and a number of the players vented theiranger at the small band of supporters who had made JohnMaughan’s job untenable. It saddens me to see a great coachsuch as John Maughan, forced out of the position he enjoyedby individuals who should have known better. The RoscommonCounty Board engaged former star Paul Earley as temporarymanager until a new coach is appointed. It is never easy tocome up with an official who will satisfy everyone. Let’s hopeRoscommon will succeed in their quest and quickly. StandbyPaul Earley whose older brother, Dermot, played for Roscommonfor 15 years and later as manager, paid a warm tributeto John Maughan and his co-selectors Eamon McManus andGerry Fitzmaurice,Banned Dublin statistician Ray Boyne will be free to attendas many games as he likes during the course of his 16 weekssuspension. The GAA Central Competition Controls Committee(CCCC) made that clear when confirming that Boyne,who head-butted Monaghan’s Tommy Freeman at the recentDublin-Monaghan NFL match at Parnell Park, had indicatedthat he would not be appealing the ban. The suspension meansthat Boyne cannot have any roles with the Dublin team.Henry Coyle after his TKO of Ben Aragon in3rd round on May 9, 20088th Annual Irish Immigration Golf OpenChicago Irish Immigrant Support (a non-profit organizationproviding much needed support to Irish immigrants in Chicagoand beyond) is hosting their 8th annual Golf tournament on June16th at St. Andrew’s Golf and Country Club, 3 N441 Route 59in West Chicago (1/4 mile N. of North Ave. on Route 59). Firsttee will be at 9am with dinner and prizes awarded at 6pm.The entry fee is $100 per person, proceeds of which willhelp keep the center’s doors open. This year’s outing promisesto be an exciting event. Prizes will be awarded for lowest gross,lowest net, nearest the pin and longest drive. There will be a$10,000.00 prize for a hole in one at a designated par 3.To help support or attend this event irishoverhere@sbcglobal.net or call Fr. Michael Leonard, Director (773-677-5341).

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 29Ireland A Names Team for CupThe Ireland ‘A’ squad will again take part in the BarclaysChurchill Cup tournament which this year will takeplace in Canada and the USA.The squad will be coached by IRFU High PerformanceManager Allen Clarke, and he has selected a squad witha blend of youth and considerable experience, with eightsenior-capped players included.The squad will be managed by John McKibbin andthey will play three games during the tournament, kickingoff against the USA on Wednesday, June 11.Ireland ‘A’ Tournament ScheduleWednesday, June 11, 2008:USA v. Ireland ‘A’at Richardson Stadium, KingstonSaturday, June 14, 2008:Ireland ‘A’ v. England Saxonsat Fletchers Fields, TorontoSaturday, June 21, 2008:Barclays Churchill Cup finals dayat Toyota Park, ChicagoTickets for finals are going fast.For tickets and full information for the tournament,including players names, visit www.barclayschurchillcuprugby.com.Southside Revival for MS SlugfestRegistration is now open for the 8th Annual MSSlugfest. This day long softball tournament takes placebeginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 9th at Mt. GreenwoodPark (3724 W. 111th St. in Chicago) and will raisefunds to help create a world free of multiple sclerosis.Sixty four teams from all over the city and suburbs willcompete to see who can raise the most money—andscore the most runs. Money raised at the tournament willbenefit the programs, services and research supportedby the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater IllinoisChapter.In addition to the action on the field, MS Slugfest featuresa Home Run Derby, special guests, kids activities,drinks and food from Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs. Playersand spectators alike are welcome to join the movementagainst MS by joining in on the fun at MS Slugfest.To register or for more information about forming ateam or volunteering visit www.msslugfest.com or call1-800-FIGHT MS. (1-800-344-4867).MS Slugfest is a signature event of Multiple Solutions,the junior board and auxiliary group of the National MultipleSclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter. www.multiple-solutions.org.Traditional Irish Pub & RestaurantFu l l Me n u-Irish Br e a k f a s t All Da y-Ev e r y d a y!Lu n c h 11- 4pm • Di n n e r 4-11pmLa t e n ig h t Chipper Me n u 11pm-1a mPl e n t y o f Pa r k in g in Ou r Lo t!3374 N Clark St Chicago(Clark & Roscoe) 773-248-3600www.johnnyohagans.comDaily 11am-2 am Saturday 9 am-3amSunday 9 am- 2 am•Call ForMUSIC SCHEDULE• Murphy’s Snug Bar downstairsavailable for Private PartiesIllinois Math & ScienceCurrach Team to IrelandThe Fourth Annual Irish International Currach Championships(IICC) will see Rob Gill and his IMSA rowers,who race their two 3-seater currachs on Fox River nearBatavia, attending the races in Ireland on August 9-10.Held on beautiful Carlingford Lough off the coastof Omeath, Co. Louth, the championships have beenorganized to coincide with the Omeath and Warren PointSummer Festivals. www.currach.orgIreland 2007/2008See Athlone & District Tourist Guidewebsite - www.acis.ieRESTAURANT/pubOWNERS:FERDYNAND & ANNA HEBALInvite you to enjoyThe RedApple Buffet!Czerwone JabtuszkoRESTAURANT & DELI’S3121-23 N. MILWAUKEE AVE.PH 773-588-5781FAX 773-588-39756474 N. MILWAUKEE AVE.PH 773-763-3407 FAX 773-763-3406Pr iv a t e Ro o m s Av a i l ab l e3511 N ClarkChicago773.935.6669Open 11 am to 2 amSat 11 am to 3 amLunch/DinnerIrish Brkfst all day!Voted BEST Irish Bar 2004 & 2005 citisearch.comWINNER! Best Comfort Food AwardAOL City Guide 2005 & 2006WINNER! Silver Platter Award 2004, ’05, ‘06 & ’07presented by Food Industry NewsZagot Guide Recommended 2004, ‘05, ‘06 & ‘07With or Without Great Buffet!New Sports Team - Windy City GaelsThe Windy City Gaels is a child-centered gaelic sportsorganization currently looking for children to join their newteam. All children of all heritages are welcome.Practices will initially take place at Taft High Schoolat Bryn Mawr and Nagle Ave. (just north of the Kennedy).Based on the location of interested players, additionalpractice fields will added. For more information call JerryKealy at 773-719-2847.McNamara’sFood & Drinks4328 W Irving Park Rd • ChicagoFull Service Dining,Outdoor Garden Area,and the only Wood Burning Grill inChicagoland!Available for Private PartiesIRISHBREAKFASTSAT & SUNtil 2pmLUNCH & DINNER SPECIALS DAILY!AUTHENTIC IRISH PUBServing Domestics and Importsand Guinness of Course!Mo n - Sa t 11 a m to 2 a mSu n d a y 10 a m to 2 a m(773) 725-1800 Bar(773) 736-1690 Fax“Chicago’s Best Kept Secret!”

30 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Piping It InJack BakerAh June! The month we dreamabout all winter and it’s finally herebringing some of the best festivalswith it. First a little news—somebad, some good.I regret to inform you of thepassing of a part of the communitythat has been with us for 35 years,Lonnie Robertson’s beard is history.As the result of a new job, his chinhas seen daylight for the first timein almost 4 decades. At the LakeCounty Sheriffs Department PipeBand Dance last month Lonniesailed in and nearly blinded us withthe glare off his newly shorn face.Quite a shock, I must say. Lonniewas playing Bass with Rich Mao’sThistle & Heather Pipe Band andall night long he glided by unrecognizedby folks that had knownhim for years. Personally, I thinkit makes him look younger, butcertainly no prettier.Rattle The BoardsWonderful news came just a dayago from Benny McCarthy. Bennyplays button box with a hot newband called “Rattle the Boards”.Their new CD The Parish Platformhasn’t been off the CD player in ourstore since we got it in. Anyway,Benny also plays with the supergroupDanu and he informs me thatthe recent rumor about their breakupis not true. While they won’t be touringas madly as in the past, they willbe on tour in 2009. Great news as faras I’m concerned, Danu is a groupyou want to see live and I want to seeagain. Meanwhile, check out “Rattlethe Boards”, traditional, fun, thekind of CD you play over and overand it never gets old. A tip of the oldbonnet to Bill Margeson for turningme on to this great band.MilwaukeeHighland GamesJune is a piping fan’s month in theMidwest with three of the best pipingcompetitions you can find thatwill, between them, draw out almostall of the great pipers in the area.First will be the MilwaukeeHighland Games and Scottish Festivalheld at Old Heidelberg Parkin Glendale, Wisconsin. Glendaleis immediately North of Milwaukeealong I-43. You exit at SilverSpring Drive (exit 78) and turn right.Another right at the first light willhave you going under I-43 to thegame sight which is on the Westside of the interstate. The gamesare held in a German beer gardenwhich is quite lovely. Food is greatand parking isn’t too bad (if youget there early). Good news is thatScottish food will again be suppliedby Highland Glen, makers ofthe best fish & chips on the circuit.There is always a lively pipe bandcompetition and a good selectionof vendors. A most relaxing festival,compact and comfortable, lotsof shade and places to sit and realtoilets, always a plus. Not a longdrive, takes us and hour and a halffrom Villa Park.Big Show in OakbrookThe big show comes on the 20th& 21st of June with the IllinoisSaint Andrew Society HighlandGames and Scottish Festival, a festthat’s really as big as its name. It’sheld in Oak Brook, Illinois at thepolo fields on 31st St. between YorkRd. and Rt. 83. The polo fields aresomething to see in themselves.Grass so green, trimmed and perfectlylevel, you’d think you werewalking on a pool table. It’s trulya beautiful site and the volunteersfrom the Saint Andrew Societywork like demons to assure thateverything is arranged properly.The show starts on Friday at 4pmand features one of the finest ceilidhsI’ve ever had the pleasure toparticipate in. The vendors will beopen for early shopping. There willbe food and drink available and Ihave to add a very fine selectionof food vendors. Bands performingthat evening will be Tartanic, agreat treat, Reilly, a total unknownfor me and therefore something tolook forward to and Searson, oneof my favorite bands from Canada,made up of Mike Searson and histhree daughters, lovely talentedmusicians who will have you updancing before you realize thatyou’ve left your chair. This is ahighlight of my season, getting tosee this band again. They are greatand not to be missed.On Saturday the day will startwith solo piping and drummingcompetitions, one of the largest andbest highland dance competitionsyou can find, athletic competitions,etc. etc. This festival has it all, it’shuge and everything is done as wellas can be. There’s music, food, lotsof stuff for the kids, whiskey tasting,a tremendous car show {I like thatpart}. Not to mention one of thelargest and finest pipe band competitions.You’ll get to see LonnieRobertson’s newly unveiled chin.There is so much to see and doat this games that you’ll want tocome early and plan on spendingthe day. We work a lot of Scottish& Irish festivals throughout the yearand this one is way up on the list forgiving you the most for your money.Come Friday for a wonderful ceilidhand to map out the place so you canplan your Saturday. I’ll be there inthe Vendor tent flogging my CDs socome on by and say HI.Ohio Scottish FestivalThe last chance in June to see& hear great pipe band competitionwill be on Saturday, 28 Juneat the Ohio Scottish Games heldin Wellington, Ohio at the LorainCounty Fairgrounds. This is a lovelyfairgrounds in a beautiful wee townthat has no motels. You have to stayway north of the town near the OhioTurnpike but it’s really worth it. Youcan check out their website at www.ohioscottishgames.com Yeah, we’llbe there too.While you’re marking your calendarfor festivals, don’t forget the23rd annual Irish American HeritageFestival on July 11, 12 and 13 at theIrish American Heritage Center inChicago at Knox & Wilson. This isone I wouldn’t miss, even if I wasn’tselling CDs.Come check out the new Libraryand see the work that Tom Boyleand his merry band have done inthe museum. You want somethingto be proud of? Here’s a place I’mproud of and proud to have been amember of for 22 years; join us andbe proud too.A wee bit of exciting news comesfrom my good friend Liz Moog, whoreports that The West SuburbanConcert Band plans several upcomingconcerts that will include anarrangement of “Amazing Grace”for bagpipes and concert band. Theguest pipers and band will also perform“The Glendaruel and AthollHighlanders”, as members of theThistle and Heather Highland Dancetroupe dance to these traditionaltunes. Enjoy an arrangement of theStars and Stripes Forever that addsbagpipes in the final strain!The concerts will be held at:7pm, Wednesday, June 18 inSpringdale Park (Wolf Rd. & 53rd St,Western Springs); 7pm, Wednesday,June 25, at the Scottish Home (2748Des Plaines Ave, North Riverside);7pm, Thursday, June 26 at the BritishHome (8700 31st St., Brookfield);and 7:30pm, Wednesday, July 2 atthe Memorial Park amphitheater(LaGrange Rd. between Oak andWoodlawn, LaGrange Park).The pipers will be Dave Johnston,of Chicalba Bagpiping Services,www.chicago-bagpiper.com, andMatt McKee and Mike Gribbon ofthe Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band,www.sykb.com. Information aboutthe Thistle and Heather HighlandDancers can be found at www.thistleandheather.net. The homepage of the West Suburban ConcertBand is www.thewscb.com, wheremore information can be foundabout the concerts.Travel will be expensive thisyear. Gas prices, airline ticket pricesshow no sign of retreating. So comeout to your local festivals. Supportthe groups that work to keep yourheritage alive. Teach the kids aboutPatrick Pearse and Michael Collins,Robert Burns and William Wallace.Learn about the clearances and thefamine, that’ll make high gas pricespale by comparison. Slainte.I thank all those good folks whohave called or stopped by the storeto comment on my ramblings, youare all too kind, except for that oneguy with the baseball bat, well that’sanother story. I can usually be foundat Rampant Lion Celtic Traders,47 S. Villa Avenue, Villa Park, IL60181 630-834-8108, you’re alwayswelcome.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 31A Word With Father BolandThe Voice of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of ChicagoReverend Michael M. BolandAdministrator, Prersident and CEO CatholicCharities of the Archdiocese of ChicagoJUNIOR BOARD: Bridge to the Future of Catholic Charities“Signs of Hope”using American money. JB accountantsIn April, I had the privilege of beingin Washington during the historic about budgeting, how to cash or writeand bankers taught the newcomersfirst visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the a check, and opened checking accountsUnited States, which was appropriatelytitled: “Christ Our Hope.”Junior Board Manager Michaelfor them on the spot.Everywhere he went, Pope Benedictproclaimed by his words and his has never turned down any of CatholicMcDonnell points out that the grouppresence that the good news of the Charities’ 160 programs that haveGospel “makes things happen and asked for assistance, concentratingis life-changing,” because “the one on those that have crucial needs andwho has hope lives differently; the do not receive funding from outsideone who hopes has been granted the sources. Although the JB membersgift of a new life.”are young graduates and professionalsThis month, as American families just starting their careers in business,celebrate Father’s Day, we remember medicine, law, etc., they’re never tooand honor those men who lived—and busy to grab a paintbrush on a Saturdaymorning to paint a childcaretaught us to live—the virtues of faith,hope and love in lives of service to center, or serve a hot meal to 130God, family and neighbor.homeless men and women at CatholicAt Catholic Charities, I see the Charities’ Tuesday Night Suppers.truth of the Holy Father’s words For instance, lawyers from theevery day in our volunteers and Junior Board volunteer once a monthstaff: “people of hope” who create with the Catholic Charities’ Legal Assistanceand Referral Center (LARC)new life for others by serving themin love. These “signs of hope” were to offer legal advice, referrals andeverywhere recently when Catholic occasional pro bono services to ourCharities’ Junior Board, consisting of Tuesday Evening Supper guests.250 energetic young adult volunteers Currently, the exciting new Liferangingin age from 21 to 45, declared Goals Initiative program for thethe month of May “Service Month.” recently homeless men and women inDuring just one May weekend, Catholic Charities’ “Streets-to-Home”these young men and women fromChicago and suburbs:• served a Sunday dinner to 40veterans in recovery at CatholicCharities’ Cooke’s Manor on theHines VA campus;• spent bi-weekly quality time sharingconversation with the elderly “seasonedcitizens” at our Ozanam Manoron Chicago’s Near Northwest side;• joined the multi-talented JB“Michaelangelo Corps” to paint ourCordi-Marian Child Center, (they alsodo landscaping at our child centers);• and set up and served food atCatholic Charities’ annual AdoptiveFamily Night celebration.• They also worked at 11 more CatholicCharities programs in May!In fact, in the first three monthsof this year, JB members worked theequivalent of 137 full-time days forCatholic Charities in dozens of ways,pitching in to package food for the hungryand homeless at our EmergencyAssistance Center at St. Vincent Centerdowntown; and holding workshops forrecent refugee families from Burmaand Africa to teach them the basics ofprogram is kickingoff under thedirection of DeborahSakelaris ofRodas Coaching,who is generouslydonating her trainingservices. EachJunior Board volunteermentor willmeet monthly for ahalf-hour to provide job readinesscoaching to two clients and their casemanagers. After the six-month jobpreparation process is completed, theformerly homeless individuals willbe ready to take their next steps toemployment and self-sufficiency.In addition, the JB Faith andSocial committees enable the volunteersto form networks to enrichand celebrate their faith, and to plansocial activities that raise funds fortheir works of charity.In a world that seems torn apart,the Junior Board is a beacon anda bridge of hope—to the future ofCatholic Charities’ and the Church’slay leadership and service to the poorin the Archdiocese of Chicago.In the last three years, 10 JuniorBoard members have been appointedby Cardinal Francis George, O.M.I.,Archbishop of Chicago, to the ranksof Catholic Charities’ Board of Advisors.Many others are active membersof the Division Advisory Boards thatoversee our programs for families,seniors, children, teens and the homelessand hungry—or support CatholicCharities’ Regional Board and fundraisersin the South, Southwest, West,North and Northwest suburbs.Our Junior Board is already amodel for other dioceses. With ourhelp, the Archdiocese of New Yorkhas just initiated its own Junior Board,and the Archdioceses of New Orleansand San Francisco are laying thegroundwork for their boards.The young men and women of theJunior Board are truly “signs of hope”in our world—following Christ’sexample and “creating new lives” forGod’s people in need.To them, and especially to allthe fathers and grandfathers, unclesand role models who constantlyshare “the gift of new life” in theirloving care for their families andtheir neighbors in need, I offer mycongratulations and thanks, and wishyou a “Happy Father’s Day!”To join or to learn more aboutCatholic Charities Junior Board,visit www.catholiccharities.net/juniorboard, or call MichaelMcDonnell at (312) 655-7768.LOTS FOR SALEWith Plans & PermitsTo Build Three UnitBuilding For $130,000Southeast AndSouthwest SidesCall Bud312-287-5813

32 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008Scottish Festival and Highland Games June 20-21Promoting Chicago's Scottish Tradition, Revelry and Culture ina Weekend Celebration for the Entire Family!Be Scottish for a day this summeras the Illinois Saint Andrew Society(ISAS) presents the 22nd AnnualScottish Festival & Highland Games,June 20-21, 2008 at the Oak BrookPolo Grounds in Oak Brook, Illinois.ISAS, Illinois’ oldest charity,is proud to once again present theirannual summer celebration witha dazzling array of events for thewhole family, including: a ChampionSupreme Pipe Band competition;Highland Dance competition; HeavyAthletics U.S. Championship; Youth5 v 5 Soccer Tournament; BritishCar Show; cultural exhibits; Scotchwhisky tastings and seminars; liveCeltic musical performances (bothtraditional and Celtic rock); Paradeof Tartans; Kilted Mile Run/Walk; Raffle; Children’s crafts andactivities; and a variety of attendeecontests such as the Shortbread,Knobbly Knees, Haggis Hurling andHaggis Eating. Attendees can alsoenjoy traditional Scottish cuisineand drink, including a Tea Tent andthe Celtic Marketplace, where avariety of unique Scottish and Celticmerchandise will be available forpurchase.The festival kicks off Friday,June 20 with exhibits and vendorsopen from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Fridayhighlights include: HighlandDance competition, Heavy AthleticsFriday Night Fling, crowningof the 2008 Heather Queen andCourt, new Whisky Live TastingTent featuring multiple whiskyvendors and Whisky Live SeminarTent featuring general and masterwhisky classes. From 6:00-10:00pm on the Celtic rock stage, therewill be a Ceilidh (pronouncedKay-Lee), a lively celebrationof traditional and contemporaryCeltic music, with musical artistsReilly, Searson and Tartanic.The festival continues Saturday,June 21 from 8:00 am - 10:00 pmand features: Piping and Drummingcompetitions, Heavy AthleticsU.S. Open Championship,Highland Dance competition, Falconry,Genealogy seminars, and avariety of interactive children’s activitiesincluding mini golf, craftsand carnival attractions. Eventattendee competitions include:British Car Show (pre-registration),a Haggis Hurling Contest forwomen only; a Knobbly KneesKilt Contest for men only, HaggisEating Contest and a ShortbreadContest. Celtic musical acts (Reilly,Searson and Tartanic) perform onthe Celtic Rock Stage throughoutthe day and into the evening Ceilidh.New attractions on Saturdaythis year include an early morningKilted Mile Run/Walk, Soccer 5v 5 Youth Tournament (team preregistration)and Dogs of Scotlandseminars showcasing a variety ofScottish dog breeds.The Oak Brook Polo Grounds arelocated on 31st Street, just West ofYork Road. For more information,event schedules, competition registrationforms or to purchase tickets,visit the Illinois Saint Andrew Societywebsiteat www.chicago-scots.org or call (708) 447-5092.

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 33June Events at the IAHC9th Annual Bloomsday CelebrationThe Irish American HeritageCenter will celebrate the lifeand works of James Joycewith its annual BloomsdayCelebration this June. OnJune 16, 1904, writer JamesJoyce met his wife, Nora Barnacleand immortalized thedate in his monumental epic,Ulysses. Modern Joyce aficionadoshave denoted June16th “Bloomsday”—a day setaside throughout the worldto honor the great manand his controversial andthought-provoking works.This June 16th, a Monday,the IAHC will present the 9thAnnual Rattlin’ of the Joistspresentation at 8pm withreadings, music and song, presented by notables from Chicago’s theatreand music community.Tickets are $10 and tickets can be purchased at the door.Irish Fest Seeks One Page PlaysThe IAHC seeks submissions for its 2nd Annual One-Page Play Festival.The contest is open to all and the top plays will be adjudicated duringthe Irish American Heritage Festival on July 12, 2008. The 23rd annualIrish Fest is July 11, 12 and 13 and includes 3 days of entertainment on5 stages.All submissions will be read by a panel of judges who will select thebest entries for an on-stage reading the weekend of June 21st at theIAHC. Following the reading, top plays will be selected for a performanceat Irish Fest. During the Fest, winners will be chosen and prizes will beawarded.Submitted plays should be original work, no longer than one page (8.5x 11, no less than 9 pt font) that are appropriate for a general audience.Preference will be given to entries with an Irish theme, but they may beon any topic of an author’s choosing. Entries can be comic or dramatic,in any style or genre. Monologues will be considered, but preference willbe given to plays with more than one character. If an author is willing toproduce the play and provide a cast, this should be stated in the entry.There is no fee to enter and the maximum number of entries permittedfrom an author is four. All entries must include a brief bio and contactinformation. Entries must be submitted via e-mail as an attachment inMicrosoft Word format to irishquill@aol.com, no later than May 31, 2008.Spring Art ExhibitThe Irish American Heritage Center is hosting a unique art exhibit thisspring. A Different Land: Irish Boglands runs through June 14. Exhibithours are Saturdays and Sundays 1 to 4 p.m.The aim of the exhibit is to increase international awareness of the beautyand uniqueness of Ireland’s bog landscapes. Bog landscapes are oneof Ireland’s defining features and are now attracting increased interestfrom the scientific and artistic communities. They are becoming a majorselling point to attract tourists into the country.The result is a collection of outstanding works from artists currently livingin County Kerry, Ireland. The exhibition is a testament to the beauty andmagic of this often hidden landscape.The Irish American Heritage Center •4626 N. Knox Avenue • (773) 282-7035 ext. 10

34 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008TheIrish RoverBy James McClureA Few is All We NeedNot far from the campus of theUniversity of Notre Dame shortlyafter the football team’s annual springintrasquad game, a team known forwearing different shades of blue andgreen is gathered at a banquet to reflecton the year past and look ahead to therough schedule for the year ahead.As always, they have a special brandof support that comes from traditionand a dedication to be the best. Andperhaps more than in the past there isan increased skepticism over whetherthey will “March on to Victory.” Winor lose, the stakes will be deadly, evenfor those on the sidelines.For these Fighting Irish at “WarriorNight” are not wearers of goldhelmets but camouflage ones, andbearers of the gold and scarlet flagof the United States Marines.At 23, Midshipman First ClassCasie Sweeney, United States MarineCorps Reserve, seems to be the longestof tooth and have the easiest of smilesamong the mostly younger college-agewomen and men who make up the MarineOption contingent of the Battalionof Midshipmen of the Naval ReserveOfficers Training Corps at Notre Dame,which has long prided itself as an alternativeprovider of officers to the Navyand Marine Corps beyond the serviceacademies and other officer programs.“I like to look after the younger Midshipmenand help them make their waythrough the NROTC program,” saysSweeney, whose maturity may be partof the reason she seems about the sameage as the two female Marine majorsthat flank her at the banquet table at theApril Warrior Night event.Sweeney has a quick and somewhatshy smile, made more evidentby the fact that she was at the tip ofthe sword of a sense of humor thatseems to permeate most Notre Damemidshipmen, as the brunette receivedcountless barbs from the student andofficer banquet speakers for being on“The Five Year Plan.”A Few Good WomenWomen have attended the universitysince the early 1970s, and have alwaysbeen among the highest achieverswith test scores well exceeding muchof their male counterparts. FemaleMarine Options are a relatively recentdevelopment and have to pass not onlythe rigid standards of the NROTCprogram (by one measure the nationalcompetition for limited scholarshipsvs. ample congressional appointmentsto the Naval Academy makes winninga scholarship harder), but also buckthe odds of beating out a large pool offemale applicants for Notre Dame.Sweeney, who sits in her battle camouflagewith shoulder slightly hunchedforward in combination with her shysmile, is no slouch academically itturns out—the fifth year was necessarynot to compensate for poorgrades but to accommodatethe huge course load of beinga dual degree student.After a final slew of finalsshe graduated May 17thwith degrees in Civil Engineeringand Studio Art.“I was fortunate to be talentedat Math and Scienceand it’s something I enjoydoing,” says Sweeney, whohas traveled a far longerroad to being a graduate ofNotre Dame and a SecondLieutenant in the MarineCorps. “The most I evertook in a semester was 22hours, but this final semesterwas pretty easy, just19.” A usual course load isbetween 12 and 15 hours.“Art is something I enjoydoing for fun.”Accomplished yet modest,Sweeney is aware thatthere is something specialabout her, a passion for serviceto country and others.“I know I’m put on Earthto serve, that’s part of being raisedin the Catholic Church, and I’msurprised that more of the women Igrew up with in California don’t feelthat calling.”Like many Marine Options Sweeneycame to the NROTC program (she wasa Navy Option at first) from a multidimensionalbackground. The 5 foot 11inch Californian lettered in high schoolas a power forward in basketball andin track and field as a shot putter anddiscus thrower, also finding time forparticipating in softball and a stint aspresident of her local Kiwanis Key Clubchapter. She also worked part-time inher teens as a waitress and volunteer.All in the Irish FamilyA High School junior in Oceanside,California near San Diego when theterrorists struck at the Pentagon andWorld Trade Center, Sweeney saysshe had already made up her mind toserve her country but wasn’t sure inwhat capacity. “My dad didn’t pushme to follow in his footsteps but Ialready knew before Sept. 11th that Iwanted to serve and was called to it.”Called to Notre Dame? Along withmany military moves as the daughterof a Marine “Let’s see… SouthBend, Quantico, California, Hawaii,California, Rhode Island, and thenCalifornia… that feels like homenow,” Sweeney recalls, life under theGolden Dome has always been specialfor her. “I was born in South Bendbecause my dad was the Marine OfficerInstructor at Notre Dame in themid 80s, and I’m not making this up…my first words as a baby were ‘GoldenMidshipman Casie Sweeney during OfficerCandidate School, 2007Dome,‘ she adds with an embarrassedgrin and a roll of her eyes.Her father, John L. Sweeney, Jr., retiredafter 30 years in 2005 as a MarineColonel, with service in the First GulfWar and as Casie waited for his returnfrom the initial 2003 campaign to driveSaddam Hussein and his sons frompower. As a midshipman she knew thefeelings of a dependent child waitingfor the safe return of a parent, andnow as a newly minted officer she willknow perhaps more than others theobligations and dangers to come.Like her father, Sweeney hopesto specialize as a combat engineer,a much needed military occupationin the reconstruction-under-fire thatexists in some parts of Afghanistanand Iraq. “A combat engineer buildsthings, reconstructs things and getsto blow things up,” explains Sweeney,whose final officer assignment willcome after 6 months of initial lieutenanttraining at The Basic Schoolin Quantico, Virginia, about an hoursouth of Washington, D.C.Honor, Courage,CommitmentAll Marines are trained as riflemenregardless of specialty. What was oncea matter of honor and tradition is nowa practical necessity in a world of terroristwarfare where the support unitsare as much in danger as those on thefront lines. That danger became evenmore painfully apparent in late 2006when 34-year old Major Megan Mc-Clung became the first female Marineofficer to die in the line of duty. Theveteran of two Iraq tours was a publicaffairs officer escortingjournalists when a roadsidebomb blew up thetruck she was riding inwhile in Ramadi, Iraq.“I know the dangers ofbeing killed that we allface and the possibility,unwanted as it is, thatwe may have to kill toprotect ourselves or others.But someone has toprotect the innocent andthe weak,” says Sweeneywith a seriousness thatcomes from a focusedlife. “That’s why I joined.That’s what I believe in.”She attributes part ofher zeal for serving othersto values learned as theyoungest in her family, a25 year old brother and allthe family were broughtup serving and caringfor her oldest sister, whohas cerebral palsy. “I’mpretty close to my family,”notes Sweeney who saysshe’d really like to get herfirst platoon near her parents who currentlyreside near the Marines’ CampPendleton. With roots that includegreat grandparents that emigrated fromIreland, Sweeney also has many cousinsand family members in Chicago. “Aftergraduation I’ll take a month or so ofleave to visit family in Chicago andthen spend the final weeks with my parentsin Oceanside before reporting toQuantico in June,” she said in the weekjust before receiving her Notre Damedegrees and military commission.Sweeney’s last trip to Quantico waslast summer where she is pictured heregraduating from the final pre-commissioningtest, a six week long endurancetest of leadership, military skill andphysical fitness. Known as “Bulldog,” itis shorter than standard Officer CandidateSchool training sessions, acknowledgingthat much of the training alreadytook place in the coursework, drills, fieldexercises and time spent in active dutytraining in previous years.For her and other marine midshipmenthe obstacles courses, enduranceruns, and tests of proficiency in theM-16 rifle were no less strenuousphysically or mentally than non-ROTC candidates. Bulldog trains,screens and evaluates candidates fortheir future role as officers in the fieldleading others. According to the MarineCorps Officer Candidate SchoolMission Statement: “The mission ofOfficer Candidates School is to educate,train, evaluate and screen officercandidates to ensure they possessthe moral, intellectual and physicalqualities for commissioning, and theleadership potential to serve successfullyas company grade officers in theOperating Forces.”“My only fear of OCS was notbeing able to finish physically due toinjury, but ultimately failure was notan option for me,” says Sweeney, whosays about halfway through the muggyVirginia summer she knew for certain“I was not going to fail, die or quit!”Fighting IrishTalent and DriveThe Marine responsible forSweeney and all other Marine midshipmenat Notre Dame is Tulanegraduate Major Ty Theriot, the MarineOfficer Instructor whose wife isa Major in the Marine Corps Reserve.“When I think of Casie Sweeney andher time here under the Golden Dometwo words come to mind—talentedand driven,” he says with the pridenow of a brother officer. “Successfullytackling two majors within a fiveyear period, Civil Engineering andArt—talent and drive says it all.”The same spirit drove her throughthe arduous educational demands atNotre Dame, but for this Fighting Irishwomanthat second major of Studio Artrepresented a different and more enduringSpirit. “I do painting, some mightcall it abstract, but what I try to depictis the innate beauty in nature and theworld around, us, evidence that for methere is a God that created it all.”While running around the roadsof Notre Dame in fatigues, combatboots and a Marines t-shirt that says“God, Country, Notre Dame” on theback, Sweeney and her Notre DameMarine shipmates prepared for afuture that she now faces head on,aware of the dangers down the roadand the promise… and honor… inserving to minimize them.Jim McClure is a graduate of theUniversity of Notre Dame and servedwith the United States Naval andMarine Corps Reserve as a MarineOption Midshipman from 1978 to 1981.IrishRoverJim@aol.com

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 37Irish DiasporaBy Charles BradyAn Irish Maverick on Margarita Island“Ah, the Tropics again!” Thewords of J.G. Ballard echo in myhead as I step off the aircraft and theheat hits me. This is not a dead heatbut an invigorating one. Boy, is itthat. It’s a heat that explodes primalmemories in the man who is steppingfrom the plane.Ballard, probably Britain’s greatestliving writer, spoke these wordsto his fellow writer Brian Aldiss ashe stepped from one life into anotherwhen returning to Shanghai, wherehe had spent his first fifteen years.He was there to try to recapture thememories that had led to him writinghis extraordinary 1984 novel“Empire of the Sun”. Yet his exclamationabout returning to the Tropicsrings no less true for the fact that Iam stepping onto Margarita Island,many years after Ballard’s return toAsia and thousands of miles fromthere. It is no different, for all ofthat. When film director John Boormansettled in County Wicklow, thegarden of Ireland, in the early ‘70s,he said: “When a man discovers anouter landscape that is perfectly atease with his inner landscape, thenhe knows he has come home.” That’show I feel here.Here I am, a continent away, completingthe last leg of a journey thathas taken me from Galway to Dublin,from there to Paris and on, finally toVenezuela. If you look at the map,Margarita Island seems almost tofloat off the coastline of Venezuela,serene and calm. Despite being officiallypart of the South Americancountry it has a real feel of theCaribbean about it. It also boasts itsown assembly and its own Governor.And—of course—as happens whereverone goes on this planet, there areIrish mavericks to be found.Conor Johnston is a good-lookingyoung guy of twenty-five who makesme, at twice his age, wonder whatthe Devil I’ve been doing with mylife. Boundless energy, a true likingfor his work and a real love of thiscountry that he finds himself workingin. Where did I go wrong?He comes from the County Galwaytown of Ballinasloe, born toparents who are both schoolteachers.He left school at the age of sixteen,which didn’t go down well with hisparents, although as far as I can seeit didn’t do him a bit of harm.“I began working with a publishingcompany”, Conor tells me.“They were advertising sales and itwasn’t long before I discovered Ihad an affinity with selling anythingthat I believed in my heart to be agood property. Then I had a luckybreak at twenty, when I found myselftaken up by an estate agent inStrokestown. He wanted an overseasproperty section within the businessand I was recruited to start it. As itturned out I was pretty successfuland suddenly I felt that I had reallyfound my niche.”This could all sound self-aggrandising.But I’m watching thisguy with the cynical eye of a hackwho has done this for ’way too longand all I can see is the enthusiasmand open-faced honesty of a hardworkingand ambitious man whogenuinely loves his work.Before we continue our chat, I aminvited to take a motor-launch ridethrough Margarita Island’s awesomelagoons. Initially reluctant as I wantto continue with my notes, it is notime at all before I am really glad tohave accepted. This is the high pointof my trip and once again it is almostimpossible to remove the hand of JGBallard from this experience. It islike a return to the steaming junglesand water-landscapes that he capturedso perfectly in “The DrownedWorld” and one can see why theSpanish who discovered Venezuelagave it that name, “little Venice”.Cruising through this drowned worldwe all become children once more.Even the bewildering canals thatreach out from these vast and primitivepools almost call the visitor tofollow where they flow.This almost spiritual landscape issomething that cannot be touched bythe government of any country andhere it is only fair to say that I havePRS Realtors10450 S. Western Avenue, ChicagoConveniently located in Beverly.to ask Conor about the country’sleader, Chavez. An ex -paratrooper,Hugo Chavez swept into power onthe back of a landslide victory inthe 1998 presidential election. Ican’t speak for the rest of Venezuela,(incidentally the fourth biggestoil-producing nation) but Margaritaseems a very relaxed and quiet island,with warm, friendly and physicallybeautiful people who make the visitorfeel that he or she has always beenhere. Back to Chavez and his, shallwe say, unorthodox form of government?I watch in amazement as thepetrol tank of a jeep is filled for theequivalent of one American dollar,as people pay 50 cents for a packageof cigarettes and yet have to see theessentials of this world like “TheSimpsons” being barred from its 11am slot on the grounds of corruptingthe family unit, while being replacedby “Baywatch”. Go figure.Still, it makes it good for the investorhere. As Conor goes on withhis story: “I eventually set up myown company in partnership withMichael Costello, an Irish builderbased in Turkey. There was formedCostello International Estates Ltd.We were developing small projectsin Turkey and Poland. Then, twelvemonths ago I sold my shareholdingback to the company as I was opposedto being too focussed on thesetwo markets. I was looking for mynext project when I was approachedby The Right Move Abroad.“I’ve enjoyed the travel side overthe past five years. I’ve been toMoscow where we were interestedin targeting the new oil wealth there.I’ve also been to Slovakia and particularlylike Italy, which I fell inlove with after a school trip there.I’ve been in Lebanon, which wasn’twork-related, although I must tellyou that I get back to Ireland andBallinasloe as often as I can manageit.” Ah, spoken like a true Irishman.Surrounded by lots of dusky SouthAmerican beauties but always with alittle grá for home. Hmmm…So here he is now, on an islandparadise that Columbus discoveredin 1498 (did that man ever sit still,by the way?) and with some mouthwateringproperties on hand: the773-233-4700Margaret CorbettMulti-Million Dollar ProducerNow Serving theEntire Chicagolandand Suburan Areas.latest of several developments is ElAgua Suites, with 52 apartments, aswell as double suites and 46 singlesuites. There’s a recreational areawith swimming pool, lobby bar,green areas and solarium and pricesstart from $79,688 (€50,656) Conor’senthusiasm can be quite infectious,but if you’re interested you canalways check it out at the numberbelow. It’s a duty free island withjust 0.5% sales tax and 2.5% buyingtax. Conor: “If capital growthand guaranteed rental income werenot enough to entice purchasingproperty, investors benefit from thevirtual absence of property relatedtaxes and costs.”For me, though, it’s down to thesheer beauty of the island and it’speople. And getting back home toIreland from the sun, sand and hospitalityI was puzzled at why Americansdon’t seem to be seeing this place,while their neighbours the Canadiansare the second-biggest investors. Asit happened, I ran into a Canadianfriend in my local several days laterand was telling him of my enchantmentwith the place. Interestingly, hesaid in that quiet way that the best ofCanadians have: “I think it may bebecause we approach South Americawith no preconceptions while theAmericans, with the best will in theworld, do have them”. Kind of interestingtake on things, I thought.If you’re interested, you can emailThe Right Move Abroad at sales@therightmoveabroad.ie or check outtheir website at www.therightmoveabroad.ie.

38 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS June 2008For The RepublicChris FogartyTHE 6-COUNTIES; BRITISH? Orare they Irish? Are counties Derry, Tyrone,Antrim, Armagh, Down, and Fermanaghparts of Britain or parts of Ireland? Areour relatives and friends who were bornin those counties Irish as they claimand as their ancestors have been åsinceprehistory, or are they British? This is aburning question, created by the GoodFriday Agreement (though it was a pointof contention). Island-wide, descendantsof the original inhabitants self-identify asIrish while the British invaders and theirdescendants self-identify as British (onlyin Occupied Ireland). In 1920 the Britishgov’t, while threatening “immediate andterrible war,” partitioned Ireland andclaimed temporary dominion over theabove-named counties. Ireland’s Constitutioncontradicts (or did contradict)Britain’s claim. Its Article 2 states; “Thenational territory consists of the wholeisland of Ireland, its islands and the territorialseas.” Article 3 states “Pendingthe re-integration of the national territory,and without prejudice to the right of theParliament and Government establishedby this Constitution to exercise jurisdictionover the whole of that territory, thelaws enacted by that Parliament shallhave the like area and extent of applicationas the laws of Saorstát Eireann andthe like extra-territorial effect.”CELEBRATE! – we are told. Celebratethe “peace” the Good FridayAgreement (GFA) has brought to Ireland!(What a lie! The lie benefits only Britainas the killing had peaked in 1973 andwas down to near zero years prior to that“agreement.”) The GFA text is 68 pagesof bafflegab, mutual contradictions andaspirational posturing with one-third pageof clarity. That one-third page demandedrescission of the said Articles 2 and 3.Thus, though Irish republicans had foughtthe Brits to a stand-still, Ireland’s gov’thanded Britain the Six Counties. Whatother nation, other than losers in war, hasever surrendered some twenty percentof its national territory and inhabitants?While we are told to celebrate, BritishM.P.s have actually been celebrating.Their celebrations continue, thoughless frequently, on Chicago TV at 8 p.m.every Sunday. BBC’s “Prime Minister’sQuestions” airs the previous Wednesday’sparliamentary session. Usually both partiesto an agreement can celebrate. Butwhat the Brits so triumphantly celebrateis their “defeat of IRA terrorism,” theincorporation of “Ulster” into Britain, andthe GFA-achieved, permanent Britishnessof “Ulster.” Their spooks and soldiers, immunizedperpetrators of war crimes, nowsell their criminal expertise internationally,including toour US gov’t inIraq, on the basisof their success inIreland.“TERROR-ISM,” what theBrits claim to have defeated, is their permanentpolicy in Ireland. They, not Irishrepublicans, are the terrorists. The murderof children is the very essence of terrorism;and of the 174 children murdered duringthe struggle’s recent phase, all but 20 weremurdered by Brits. See my www.terrorismireland.orgfor details. (Let’s rememberthat though each Irish murderer of thosetwenty is as fully terrorist as the Britswho murdered the 154; the difference inscale of terrorism is important.) We muststop acquiescing to Brit terrorism, andmust speak up when Irish republicans aresmeared as “terrorists.”“CHILD” It is edifying to know thatone definition of “child” in republicanGreece was; “a nonparticipant in theissues of one’s era.” It is tragic that somany Irish meet that definition of “child.”Moral weakness (“respectability”) keepstoo many Irish and even Irish-Americansfrom fulfilling their obligations to, respectively,free Ireland, and restore U.S.law. It is the obligation of Ireland’s peopleto assume stewardship of their nation(and its oil-and-gas resources). Similarly,Americans must end the Bush policy oftorture, etc.CELEBRATE WHAT? We knowthat the Brits are celebrating the GFA;the BBC has shown M.s of P. innumerabletimes claiming credit for “defeating IRAterrorism” and for locking the 6-Countiesinto Britain forever. Instead of banningthe summer-long, triumphalist marchesthrough Catholic neighborhoods, theBrit gov’t now markets them as touristdestinations for bible-belt Americans(evidently in the belief that they are KKK,and thus akin to Orangemen). Today theBrits, with all their monarchial, antirepublicanhatreds, again rule OccupiedIreland. When told to celebrate, one asks“celebrate what?”NO WAR CRIMES TRIALS. Whynot? Because, contrary to forty yearsof news reports, nearly all of the warcrimes were perpetrated by Brits, andas Helen McClafferty reminds me, theBritish gov’t recently announced that noBrit operative involved will face murdercharges, or any charges. Thus the knownBrit spook/army/RUC individuals whomurdered 33 and maimed 300 in the27May73 car bombings in Dublin andMonaghan are untouchable. Ditto theMI5/RUC/Chicago FBI operatives whoturned a republican property bombinginto the Omagh atrocity in which 28died. Others rendered untouchable bythe GFA are the Brit army murderersof Bloody Sunday (30 shot, most in theback, of whom 14 died), the bombers ofMcGurk’s pub (15 dead including childrenplaying outside) and other atrocitiestoo numerous to mention here. Similarlyuntouchable are the Brit murderers ofthe 154 children detailed in my www.terrorismireland.org. Why celebraterestoration of British rule-by-murder inOccupied Ireland?BRIT PERSECUTION of the OccupiedIrish is intensifying. But nowsome Brit hit-men are members of theAdams/McGuinness gang. The IRA’stop leadership, essentially all but Adams,have been exposed as MI5 operatives fordecades. Adams own deeds exposed him.At the 1989 Irish Northern Aid nationalconvention in Toledo, OH the Chicagoattendees discovered his treachery. Thefirst (in 1986) in America to spot Adamsas a traitor were New Yorkers includingMichael Flannery. They promptlyshunned INA and Adams and continuedas Friends of Irish Freedom.JUDICIAL CORRUPTION continuesunabated in Occupied Ireland. So doBrit assassinations of persons suspected ofpursuing democracy. The infamous (juryless)Diplock Courts still operate. There isno more justice available to the OccupiedIrish today than before. Midnight raidscontinue. Brit army helicopters swoopdown on Catholic schools at closing time,terrorizing the children and photographingthe parents there to meet them. Politicalarrests continue as usual.MEDIA CORRUPTION precludesdemocracy there. The news media, whichused to report some events albeit in twistedform, now cover up ALL such officialcrimes. Even political murders (all ofwhich are Brit on Irish) are thus renderedinvisible by those who insist that this is“peace.” News coverage of the railroadingof Michael McKevitt in Dublin in 2003comprised an all-time example of mediacorruption. See www.michaelmckevitt.com. The Brits are now “trying” McKevittand three others, civilly, for the Omaghatrocity (that was perpetrated by Britforces including FBI operatives).GERRY MCGEOUGH is a posterchild for the GFA and its consequences.He is an ex-IRA man; a published authorand exemplary human being, verypopular, especially among nuns whoknew him in the NY/NJ area and whostill pray for him. He was imprisonedfor years, in Germany, the US and inOccupied Ireland. To this day Mary andI remain inspired by McGeough’s virtueand eloquence in a letter he wrote to aNY Irish newspaper from his Germanprison cell nearly twenty years ago, callingfor unity until Ireland is free. Afterhis release from Long Kesh he earned ahistory degree from Dublin’s Trinity College,married, and became a secondaryschool history teacher in Dublin and thepublisher of a large circulation Catholicnewspaper, THE IRISH FAMILY. It is ameasure of the success of Britain’s BigLie (about “IRA terrorism”) that whensome of his students’ parents learned ofMcGeough’s IRA past, they had him fired.When his uncle died and left him the Co.Tyrone farm, Gerry moved to it with hiswife and family. He now publishes THEHIBERNIAN magazine. In the March,2007 Assembly Election Gerry ran as anIndependent Republican. As he exitedthe vote-counting center in Omagh duringthe count he was arrested in a majorRUC/PSNI operation. They interrogatedand charged him with the wounding of aBritish soldier during the 1981 HungerStrike. They allowed him to bond outonly after an intense legal struggle. Morethan a year later he and his family facecontinued persecution. Tough bail conditionsand intense surveillance restrict hismovements and terrorize his family. Heattends scheduled court hearings whereno evidence is ever brought against himin that 27-year-old case that was neveran issue until he ran for office. Since hisrelease each monthly hearing has resultedin a postponement. Thus, the Brit systemcontinues. The immunizers of mass murdertreat Gerry and his family as terrorists.See www.freegerry.comREMISSION TIME for Irish politicalprisoners has long been 50%(release upon serving half the sentence).Re-enforced by the GFA, the Brit gov’thas abolished such remissions for Irishprisoners. Why celebrate? The cream ofIreland are imprisoned and treated thuslyby the Brits who simultaneously legallyimmunize their own mass murderers ofthe Occupied Irish.WHY FUND CRIME? It is hard tobelieve, but true, that the NY Comptrollerhas pledged to place $150 million of pensionfunds into shares of corporations inOccupied Ireland. See the announcementof it elsewhere in this edition. Earlier NYcomptrollers had provided vital impetus tothe MacBride campaign for fair employmentin Northern Ireland by planning todefund companies whose N.I. branchesparticipated in the Brit policy of denial ofjobs to Catholics. (When, in 1973 after abloodily-suppressed but successful 5-yearcampaign for the vote in Occupied Ireland,the Brits responded to the threat posed byIrish voters by pressuring employers todeny jobs to Catholics to force them out ofthe country, thus off the voter rolls.) Irish-America responded with the MacBridecampaign throughout the State legislatures.It required that US corporations in whichState funds were invested not participatein that job-denial policy. Illinois was the10th or 11th US State to enact it. StateRep John McNamara led and advised. InChicago’s City Council our champ wasAlderman Tom Murphy. It later becameUS law. But now, due to the GFA, the verycompanies we once divested from are stilldenying jobs to Catholics but will soonbe invested in by the NY Comptroller’squestionable successor.THE BRITS WON; Irish-Americaproved a push-over. Irish-Americannewspapers and radio shows, underRepublic of IrelandBritIrish gov’t influence, purged theirmore patriotic reporters, banned truthtellersfrom their radio stations, andbegan pushing the Brit line. For example,mere weeks after the 1998 enactment ofthe GFA a Chicago Irish radio show announced“the longest-married couple inBritain.” A Kerry woman had married aman from Co. Tyrone where they livedthe rest of their long lives; thus becomingthe longest-married couple in BRIT-AIN (Tyrone is in Britain!!!). “Leaders”competed to claim “credit” for the GFA.Gerry Adams, the traitor, is their hero.Here is the monstrous “Ireland” theyhave created.How do you like the new shape ofofficial Ireland? Britain created it, abettedby the Adams/McGuinness gang, theIrish gov’t, and some who misrepresentedthemselves as Irish-America’s leaders.We all know the latter. Prior to promotingthe GFA some were (still are) molesfor MI5/FBI and, with others, impugnedcampaigners for the MacBride Principlesand for freedom for Joe Doherty andother issues.IRISHHOLOCAUST.ORG demolishesall “Irish Famine” books everwritten. It does so by revealing theabundant food that Brit reg’ts removedat gunpoint to Ireland’s ports for export.The site’s map names all 75 reg’ts and thespecific Irish district each was assignedto starve, so if you know your ancestors’homeplace(s) you can learn which Britreg’ts starved them. The site has existedfor about a decade. Previously we distributedit in pamphlet form starting in1995. I had discovered it was a genocideand not a famine in 1983 while doingother research at Britain’s Public RecordOffice. In 1995, when Ireland’s then-President Mary Robinson, on the 150thanniversary of its beginning, called it a“natural disaster,” I began refuting that lie.Bearing false witness about murder isevil, but covering up a genocide of morethan 5.25 millions is monstrous. Lastmonth irishholocaust.org was visited by2,300 in 44 countries and every US Stateexcept Mississippi. It will soon includeadditional data. Once that is done I willcomplete a fuller version, in book form.fogartyc@att.net or 312-664-7651

June 2008 IRISH AMERICAN NEWS 39FOX Chicago School ChallengeRaises Big Money for St. Baldrick’s FoundationFOX Chicago has helped raise $1,000,000 tobenefit the St. Baldrick’s foundation, announcedPatrick Mullen, the station’s Vice Presidentand General Manager. The funds raised by thestation’s efforts, led by anchor Patrick Elwood,will benefit cancer hospitals across the countryincluding eight in the Chicago area.In making the announcement, Mullen stated,“This is an enormous undertaking and we trulyappreciate Patrick’s hard work and dedication,as well as the support of staff members whoparticipated in the St. Baldrick’s Day events.”As part of the FOX Chicago’s involvement,Elwood challenged area students to participatein St. Baldrick’s Day activities. More than3,800 students from 44 schools answered thecall by agreeing to have students get pledgesand shave their heads to help raise money.Elwood added, “I’m so proud of all thestudents across the city that went bald for thisgreat cause. Our work together shows you’renever too young to make a difference.”St. Baldrick’s is the world’s largest volunteer-drivenfundraising event for childhoodcancer research. Thousands of volunteersshave their heads in solidarity of children withcancer, while requesting donations of supportfrom friends and family. This is the fourth yearthat FOX Chicago has been involved with theorganization.More information on The St. Baldrick’s Foundationcan be found at www.stbaldricks.org.New Website to Help ImmigrantsThe Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers(CIIC) has launched a new website designed toprovide a gateway to information about all theIrish Centers across the US and the services theyoffer. “The website is another part of the safety netthat Irish Centers offer to immigrants, it is a valuabletool that can assist people to find the information,advice or help that they need,” said SheilaGleeson, the Coalitions Executive Director.Founded in 1996, the Coalition of IrishImmigration Centers (CIIC) is a nationalumbrella organization of Irish Immigrantadvice centers throughout the United States.Member Centers provide direct services toimmigrants in the US including immigrationand visa advice and information.The revamped website is milestone in thegrowth of the Coalition, featuring many picturesfrom member centers across the US. The websitewas a collective effort that reflects the warmth ofthe welcome and the professionalism of the servicesprovided by each center. www.ciic-usa.org