MOHAWK VALLEY IRISH CULTURAL

Volume 13, Issue 4 EVENTS NEWSLETTER Apr 2016

“Hel-l-o-o-o-o Central New York!” Elders Headline “An Irish Night at the Stanley”

The boys – and lady -- are back! Area favorites and Great American Irish Festival perennials, the Elders, make a rare return to the area this weekend, bringing their high-energy Celtic roots show to the magnificent Stanley Theater, on Friday, April 8th; headlining “An Irish Night at the Stanley.” Kicking off the 7:30 concert will be Hair of the Dog from the Capitol District, and local favorites, the Blarney Rebel Band. Also appearing during the show will be dancers from the Butler-Sheehan Academy of Traditional and the Johnston School of Irish Dance.

The Elders – guitarist Steve Phillips, multi-instrumentalist Brent Hoad, bassist Norm Dahlor, fiddler Diana Ladio, drummer/mandolinist Kian Byrne and indefatigable front man, Ian Byrne – captured the hearts and ears of Central New York in their first GAIF appearance in 2007, and while their lineup has seen some changes since then, their infectious energy has, if anything, gotten stronger. Since forming in 1998, The Elders have set the American music scene on its ear, thanks to a skillful mix of amped-up roots rock, augmented with powerful vocals, blazing instrumentals and top-notch song writing. Their songs are mystical, comical, political and cultural and cover a variety of topics like poverty, civil war, family bonds, spirituality, love and friendship; recounting stories of people, places and events, real and imagined. The Elders have produced seven full-length studio CDs and three live CD/DVDs, and their latest album “Story Road” cements their position as a great band at the top of their game.

Originally formed as an acoustic trio in 1993, Hair Of The Dog has become one of the world’s foremost bands, releasing ten wildly popular CDs including their most recent, “Liam Left The Lights On Again.” The Dog was also mentioned in Billboard Magazine as one of Irish Music’s biggest sellers. Their song “One Sunday Morning” was featured on the 2003 Colleen Records compilation CD “Songs of Irish Freedom Vol. 3.” In 2005 they appeared on “One Child At a Time,” a charity compilation which also included U2, James Taylor, and Carly Simon. Hair Of The Dog has repeatedly been named “Best Band” by Upstate New York’s top regional newspapers and magazines.

The Blarney Rebel Band is group of musicians from the Celtic hotbed of Central New York performing all types of traditional Irish music, from rollicking pub songs to traditional folk fare, from rousing sea songs to moving ballads, from stirring rebel songs to hand-clapping and reels. It’s all on display by a group of talented musicians boasting virtuoso musicianship and perfectly blended harmonies. Their debut studio CD “Buy My Soul” has sold all over the world and throughout the United States and Canada. A cut from that CD, “Stand With Me Boys,” placed No. 1 in the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast Best of 2009 Listener’s Poll. BRB followed that effort in 2010 with “Beneath The Surface” and “Pursuit” in 2012. Their 4th CD, “Pile High the Pennywall,” is an ambitious collection of original material penned by all five band members; with “Darker Than the Mine” earning them a spot on the Irish and Celtic Music Podcast’s list of the top 20 Celtic Songs of 2015.

“Our area loves all things Irish and we’re happy to host three great Irish bands at the Stanley for one big night. We know there will be a big crowd,” said Jerry Kraus, executive director of The Stanley. Ticket prices range from $18 to $48 and are available at the Stanley Box Office (10 AM-3 PM, M-F), by calling (315) 724-4000, or by going on-line. For more information, call (315) 794-0695 or visit www.stanley.org.

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The 1916 “All changed, changed utterly/A terrible beauty is born”

We associate many things with Easter: bunnies, candy, spring, lilies, along with the obvious religious connotations. But rebellion? Well, you do if you’re Irish. For it was shortly after noon on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, that stood in front of the General Post Office on O’Connell Street (then Sackville Street) and read to the hushed crowd the Proclamation of the Republic containing the following words:

“We hereby proclaim the as a Sovereign Independent State, and we pledge our lives and the lives of our comrades-in-arms to the cause of its freedom, of its welfare, and its exaltation among the nations.” Thus was launched one of the most glorious failures in history, the 1916 Easter Rising. As April marks the 100th anniversary of this landmark event, you will no doubt be given many opportunities to learn about the Rising (including some local events presented later in this newsletter), so let’s start out with a short primer:

Led by schoolmaster Patrick Pearse, somewhere between 1200 and 1500 Irish Volunteers and 200 members of the Irish Citizen Army seized the General Post Office and other strategic positions throughout the capital and held out valiantly for five days against vastly superior forces, surrendering at the end but succeeding in spreading the Irish Republican concept to the general public, making a split from England not only possible, but inevitable.

Looking back on it now the rebellion was clearly doomed from the start. Much of the hopes of the leaders were pinned to two unlikely events, a major uprising by the Irish populace and assistance, arms and manpower from Germany. In addition, few of the rebels had military experience, and this proved to be costly at sites like St. Stephen’s Green, where the insurgents ill-advisedly dug trenches, despite being overlooked by high buildings, and were targeted and harassed by British sharpshooters. And finally, as is all too often the case in Irish history, disagreements among the various rebel factions reduced their forces to numbers far too few to successfully defend the positions they had taken.

Pearse issued orders in early April for three days of “parades and manoeuvres” by the Volunteers for Easter Sunday, knowing that they would understand what was meant by those orders. However, Irish Volunteer Chief of Staff Eoin MacNeill, who had been against the rising from the onset, issued a countermand to all Volunteers, canceling all actions for Sunday, when he learned that the ship carrying the promised weapons had been scuttled. This only succeeded in putting the rising off for a day, as the leaders went ahead with the rebellion, rescheduling it for Easter Monday, but it greatly reduced the number of Volunteers who turned out. The rebels had the advantage of the bank holiday, which meant many of the soldiers who ordinarily would have been guarding the key sites were off duty. As a result, the insurgents were able to occupy many off the positions they coveted with surprising ease.

The Volunteers’ Dublin division was organized into four battalions, although as a result of the countermanding order all of them saw a far smaller turnout than originally planned. The 1st battalion, numbering about 250 men, was to occupy areas to the northwest to guard against attack from the west, while the 2nd battalion comprising about 200 men gathered at St. Stephen’s Green with orders to take Jacob’s Biscuit Factory and other sites in the area before heading to the GPO. Éamon de Valera’s 130 men of the 3rd battalion were to take Boland’s Bakery and a number of surrounding buildings to cover the main road and railway from the harbor at Dún Laoghaire. The 4th battalion, numbering about 100 men, was to occupy the workhouse known as the South Dublin Union to the southwest and defend against attack from the Curragh. Various other smaller units were dispatched to other

Mohawk Valley Irish Cultural Events - 2 sites, while the remainder was to occupy the General Post Office. This was the headquarters battalion, and included five members of the Military Council, Pearse, , Thomas Clark, Seán Mac Dermott and Joseph Plunkett. The headquarters battalion, led by Connolly, charged the GPO, allowed the customers and staff to leave, and took a number of British soldiers prisoner. Two flags were hoisted on the flag poles on either end of the GPO roof: the tricolor and a green flag bearing the inscription “Irish Republic.” A short time later, Pearse read the Proclamation of the Republic outside the GPO

Despite being caught off guard, the British forces recovered quickly and began to exploit their tremendous advantage in manpower and firearms. A detachment of troops was sent to Sackville Street to investigate the situation at the GPO, troops were sent to relieve Dublin Castle and reinforcements were requested from nearby barracks and from England. As battles broke out throughout the various rebel-occupied sites during the week, the superior numbers and firepower of the British gradually took their toll on the Irish forces. City Hall was taken on Tuesday morning. The rebel position at St Stephen’s Green was made untenable after the British placed snipers and machine guns in the Shelbourne Hotel and surrounding buildings. Meanwhile, British field artillery pounded positions throughout the capital, reducing much of Dublin to rubble. On Wednesday the guns shelled Liberty Hall, and then began firing at rebel positions in O’Connell Street. Heavy fighting occurred at the rebel-held positions around the Grand Canal as British reinforcements advanced towards Dublin. While the Volunteers inflicted heavy losses on British troops trying to advance towards Dublin Castle, they were unable to stop the advance.

After days of shelling, the rebels at the GPO were forced to abandon their headquarters when fire caused by the shells spread throughout the building. They tunneled through the walls of the neighboring building and took up a new position, but on Saturday, April 29th, realizing that they could not break out of this position without further casualties, Pearse issued an order for all companies to surrender.

During the week of hostilities 500 people were killed and 2,500 wounded. Fifteen of the rebellion’s leaders were tried and executed. Connolly was so seriously injured he had to be tied to a chair to be shot. Plunkett, who was also seriously ill, married his long-time companion, Grace Gifford, in jail just hours before his execution. It is said that she heard the shots as she walked away from the prison.

We read all the time that the rebellion was unpopular with the themselves until after the leaders were executed, but we must at all times remember that history is written by the victors. Recent accounts are emerging that cast serious doubt as to that claim, and it is clear that many of the citizens of Dublin supported the rising. Even among those who did not, however, these executions caused widespread disgust and outrage and, after the harsh measures taken against the insurgents, the Sinn Féin separatist movement began to eclipse the Irish Parliamentary Party, heralding the end of British power in .

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“1916 – The Irish Revolution” Documentary

Now that you’ve had a broad-brush summary of the events, people and actions that changed Ireland forever, you’re no doubt hungry for more information on the Easter Rising. This being the 100th anniversary of the Rising, dozens of new books have cropped up to mark the occasion, and hundreds of commemorative events are planned throughout Ireland and the States (see below for such events in Utica and Syracuse). But without question, the most ambitious new project regarding the subject comes from the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame, and their highly-anticipated documentary, “1916 – The Irish Revolution.”

Narrated by Liam Neeson, this landmark documentary tells the dramatic story of the events that took place in Dublin during Easter Week 1916, when a small group of Irish rebels took on the might of the British Empire; for the first time, placing these events in their proper historical, political and cultural context as the precursor to an independent Irish state and the disintegration of colonial empires worldwide. The documentary – featuring a combination of rarely seen archival footage, new segments filmed on location worldwide, and interviews with leading international experts – also uncovers the untold story of the central role Irish Americans played in the lead-up to the rebellion. Although defeated militarily, the men and women of the Easter Rising would wring a moral victory from the jaws of defeat and inspire countless freedom struggles throughout the world. The full documentary is composed of three one-hour parts (it will also be made into an 80-minute feature film, also narrated by Liam Neeson). Those episodes are described as follows:

Episode One, “Awakening,” is crucial in setting up the context for the dramatic story of the events of Easter Week 1916. Here, viewers are introduced to the main characters and the main players of Easter Week on all sides and, through them, are made aware of the political and cultural currents playing out in Ireland, Europe, and the world; including the contested traditions of nationalism and unionism; the rise of organized labor; the changing role of women, and the influence of the .

Episode Two, “Insurrection,” examines the events of Easter Week 1916 on a day-to-day basis. Through the use of graphics and contributions from military historians, viewers are provided with both an insight into particular locations, such as the General Post Office, as well as a clear, overall view of the state of play in Dublin. They will also hear— via archival material that has been rarely seen or heard—from the voices of participants: rebels, British soldiers, and civilian witnesses. Viewers will experience as nearly as possible what it was like to be an eyewitness to these events.

Episode Three, “When Myth and History Rhyme,” deals with the surrender and subsequent executions of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion and the fundamental changes arising from these events. The aim is to have viewers experience the same emotional response as did the men and women of the time—which is accomplished through first-person narratives, descriptions of the executions, and the last statements of the leaders. Doing so allows viewers to understand the sea change that occurred in Ireland in the aftermath of the Rising. Finally, the legacy of the 1916 Irish Rebellion is analyzed and the question is explored how, still, it remains of significance to people worldwide.

“We aim in the series to present this pivotal historical event to a broad audience in an accessible manner that is both serious and informative but also highly visual and evocative,” says Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, the Chair of and Literature at the University of Notre Dame, who conceived of, wrote, and produced the documentary, as well as writing the companion book “The 1916 Irish Rebellion” (available at finer bookstores or on-line).

“The 1916 Irish Rising is not only an event with historical and current ramifications,” says Professor Nic Dhiarmada, “It is also a story of real men and women, people of flesh and blood who participated or witnessed epoch-making events, with many leaving first-hand accounts of their experiences. It is a story of heroism and of cowardice, of moral courage and of venality, of mercy and of cruelty, of victory and defeat. These very human stories are at the heart of history, and they provide a means of bringing serious historical issues to a broad audience in a way which deepens historical, cultural but also human understanding.”

Of course, as vivid as the documentary promises to be, there is nothing quite as stirringly emotional as standing on O’Connell Street in person. Even today, the pock-marked facade of the GPO and the bullet holes in “Winged Victory” at the base of the Daniel O’Connell Monument are somber reminders of the movement that fired up the spirit of a nation and changed the course of Irish history.

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Come Together: “Utica NY Area Irish Coalition” – Contributed by Sue Romero

Last winter, the leaders of five Utica-area Irish cultural organizations (The Ancient Order of Hibernians John C. Devereux Div #1, the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Our Lady of Knock Div #17, The NYS Corrections Emerald Society, Craobh Dugan and the Great American Irish Festival) joined forces mainly for the purpose of commemorating the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin. Our planning meetings have been fun and productive and have blossomed into a Facebook page and two events scheduled for April.

The first event is set for April 9, from 1-5 PM, at New Hartford High School’s auditorium (33 Rd, New Hartford). There we’ll view the new $3 million documentary titled “1916 The Irish Rebellion,” produced by the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies at the University of Notre Dame and narrated by Liam Neeson (see article above). Between each of the three one-hour segments, there will be a chance for discussion and refreshments. Admission is free, but donations will be gratefully accepted to cover the cost of the auditorium.

The second event takes place on April 30th, beginning with a mass at Our Lady of Lourdes in Utica at 4 PM. Then we’ll gather for cocktails at Hart’s Hill Inn (135 Clinton Street, Whitesboro) at 5:30, followed by a lovely dinner of turkey or beef. Craobh Dugan will play traditional Irish music, Deirdre McCarthy will show us sean nos dancing, the 1916 Proclamation will be read in Gaelic and in English, and seven local people will be honored with framed copies of the Proclamation for their service to the local Irish community. Tickets are $30 and include everything, even beer and wine. Note: Hart’s Hill Inn can hold about 175 people, and members of the five organizations are getting first crack at the tickets, at least up until April 9th. After that, tickets will go on sale to the general public. In any case, ticket sales will end on April 20th. Don’t get shut out!

If you can’t make both or either of the events, why not at least join (um, “like”) the Coalition, via their Facebook page. It’s open to all and boasts a steady stream of links to interesting photos, videos, music, and historical websites, as well as updates about the group’s events.

Thank you Sue for setting up the FB page and for the two articles you contributed to this issue. We at the MVICE complex are looking forward to seeing more of your work in the future. In fact, if we had a desk here at the complex, you could have it and set it up by a window, if we had a complex, and if it had a window. Would you settle for some paper clips and a 3-out-of-4 function calculator? Yeah, okay, we’re a little short of perks. That said, if you’re still interested, leave your information with our secretary, should we ever get one.

Syracuse AOH Plans Centenary Events

Syracuse Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Commodore John Barry Div #2 President Steve Leyden wrote to let us know that they also have plans to commemorate the Easter Rising, with a series of events. On Sunday, April 24th (the day in 1916 that the Rising began), the gathering will commence at 11:45 AM with a visit to St. Agnes Cemetery (2315 South Ave., Syracuse) for a wreath laying at “The Boy Mayor” James Kennedy McGuire’s gravesite, and reading of the Easter Proclamation (i.e., the Irish Declaration of Independence) by Judge Joe Fahey. James K. McGuire was Syracuse’s mayor from 1895 to 1902, and was an active supporter of the Rising through his involvement in Clan na Gael, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, and the Irish Republican Army. He was also instrumental in bringing Eamon De Valera to Syracuse in 1919 (De Valera – remember him from the article above? -- was the only commandant of the Easter rebellion who was not executed. Released from prison under amnesty in July 1917, he remained philosophically committed and active in Ireland’s political movements for an additional 56 years; at his retirement as Ireland’s President in 1973 at the age of 90, he was the oldest head of state in the world). Congressman Jim Walsh has also been invited to read the proclamation, and the Tom Dooley Choraleers will sing the anthem.

Following the gravesite ceremony, there will be a brunch at Kitty Hoynes Pub (301 W. Fayette St., Syracuse) from 1-5 PM. This event, which is open to family and friends, will include food, drinks and music; all for just $10 per person.

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Thousands Enjoy Utica’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Marchers, musicians, dancers and vehicles of all sizes were out in force on Saturday, March 12th, as Utica’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, led by Grand Marshal Chris McGrath, wended its way down Genesee Street, past tens of thousands of Irish and Irish-at-heart onlookers. The parade -- New York State’s third largest -- featured almost 200 units, all marching to the delight of kids of all ages. Parade Chair Judy Weeks wanted to be sure we thanked all the wonderful volunteers for helping things run so smoothly. Finally, as always, the job of selecting the winning units was difficult, but the parade judges announced the following winners:

Bag Pipes Marching Units Fire Departments 1: Mohawk Valley Frasers 1: Dogs of Ireland 1: Maynard Fire Department 2: Finger Lakes Pipe & Drums 2: Johnston School of Irish Dance 2: Verona Fire Department 3: Scotia Glenville Pipe Band 3: Notre Dame NJROTC 3: Clinton Fire Department Floats Vehicles 1: Utica Safe School 1: Sullivan Contracting, Inc. 2: Cornhill Neighborhood Assoc. 2: Butler Sheehan Academy of Dance with KROCK 3: Adirondack Scenic Railroad 3: Central NY Junior Roller Derby Band Other 1: Syracuse Scottish Pipe Band 1: Mohawk Valley Blues Society 2: Emerald City Scottish Pipe Band 2: Ziyara Shriners 3: The Island Band 3: Empire All Starz

From the Irish Kitchen (recipes suitable for clipping)

This month’s recipe – “Lamb Shanks Braised in Stout”- By Margaret Johnson This recipe is reminiscent of the way French cooks braise meat in red wine. Braising lamb shanks in stout works in much the same way to flavor and tenderize the meat.

INGREDIENTS:

6 lamb shanks 1 clove garlic, finely chopped Flour, for dredging Pinch of dried rosemary Salt and pepper, to taste Pinch of dried thyme 1/3 cup olive oil 1 cup Guinness Stout 12 small white onions, peeled 3/4 cup beef stock 3 large carrots, sliced 12 small potatoes, peeled 3 stalks celery, sliced

METHOD

Lightly moisten the lamb shanks with water. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper and dredge the meat in the mixture. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the lamb shanks and cook on all sides until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a Dutch oven or flame-proof casserole. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and thyme to the skillet and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring to scrape up the browned bits of the pan. Pour the vegetables and pan juices onto the lamb. Add the Guinness and stock, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the potatoes, correct seasonings, re-cover, and cook until meat is fork tender, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. To serve, place 1 lamb shank in the middle of six shallow soup bowls and spoon some vegetables and broth around. (If you find you can’t say “six shallow soup bowls,” you’ve probably added too much Guinness). Serves 6.

If you try this recipe, feel free to share your experience with all of us. As always, if you have a recipe you’d like to share, please contact Beth Loftis at [email protected].

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The Medium is the Message – by Sue Romero

It was the first day of the Easter Rising, April 24, 1916. Realizing the British had cut off all telephone and telegraph lines out of Dublin to prevent the insurgents from seeking outside help, Joseph Plunkett sent seven men from the General Post Office across the street to the Wireless School of Telegraphy which had been a British training center until it was closed at the start of World War I. The men found the equipment inside dismantled, but fortunately Fergus O’Kelly was with them. He had served with the Army Signal Corps and was able to repair a ship transmitter he found in the school. Another of the men, David Bourke, knew Morse code and by 5:30 PM on April 25 began sending a transmission at intervals over the course of 20 hours, hoping that someone would receive it. At that point in history messages had only been sent directly to receiving stations. This transmission is widely considered to be the first message to be broadcast as a radio signal.

It said, “Irish Republic declared in Dublin today. Irish troops have captured the city and are in full possession. Enemy cannot move in city. The whole country rising.” You can hear the actual transmission online.

The message was received by ships and relayed until it reached the international press. So the story was out, thanks to the ingenious efforts of Plunkett and his seven men.

Now in honor of the 100th anniversary of these historic events, two musical groups in Ireland have incorporated, with equal ingenuity, the Morse code transmission into music videos.

A Dublin-based duo called Contour, wrote Rebellion based on the Morse code transmission. In an interview with RTE Ten, Contour's Conan Wynne said, “We took the Morse code and got a tempo and pitch from it and put a song around its flow. Anna (Doran) then wrote lyrics that echoed the feeling of rising up and representing something you felt strongly about and then we added some 'visual syncopation' of footage from the event.”

Anna's great-grandfather fought in the Irish war of independence and she inherited his passion for justice. She said in the RTE interview, “I wanted to write lyrics that were not political but I do believe in social activism and standing up against injustices in society. So, I felt I could sing something from the heart that honours the fight for freedom and that was also relevant to me now.” You can see the video on YouTube here.

Eamonn Noone (pronounced noon) is a music producer based in Dublin and Galway. He brought together five musicians to record Rising. Featuring Catherine Madden on cello, Aimee Farrell Courtney on bodhran, Niamh Kenny on fiddle, and Colin Lyons on drums, this song samples a speech made by Sean Moylan who was a leader of the 2nd Brigade during the Irish War of Independence. Eamonn said what Moylan spoke of in this particular speech inspired him because he was “talking about solidarity, how a country came together through such difficult times to fight for a greater cause.” Eamonn went on to say, “What I wanted to do with this track was to try to pay tribute to the Rising in a positive way, focusing on the people of this country and not the war itself.”

The video sets a rhythmic editing of Moylan's speech to music which was also inspired by the Morse code transmission. The video is especially interesting and artistic with silhouettes of the musicians superimposed on photos of Irish history. You really have to see it to appreciate it.

Eamonn said, “The most difficult process of making this track was probably the mixing. Trying to clean up the old recordings so they would be clear enough to cut through the mix. Pushing the vocal to get it to a level that is standard in today’s quality without distorting it or creating any artifacts. Keeping a balance between the speech and the electronic sounds was challenging. We went at it in a new direction to the usual template of mixing for other tracks.” You can get a free copy of the track here.

It seems a beautiful tribute and a sign of the Rising leaders’ accomplishment that 100 years later their transmission in a time of war could be transformed into music in a time of peace.

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“1916” Book Review by Mark Sisti

In keeping with our MVICE issue commemorating the Dublin Insurrection, we’re going back a few years to look at Morgan Llewellyn’s 2010 historical novel titled, appropriately enough, “1916.” This intermingling of fiction and history is the first in what has become known as her “20th Century Series,” to be followed by “1921,” “1949,” “1972,” and “1999.” I’m not sure of the order. (Get it? That’s a joke! Because, you know, the titles tell you… never mind.)

The Easter Rising of 1916 has been called the most glorious failure in modern history. While the insurrection itself was a spectacular disaster, the brutal response to the revolt by the British became a turning point in the Irish battle for independence in the eyes of the world. Llewellyn takes all the different factors that led to, and resulted from, the insurrection and tries to portray them in a manner that makes sense out of an event that makes very little sense on its own; for the most part, she succeeds.

The book opens in 1912 as Ned Halloran and his parents travel from Ireland to America to attend the wedding of Ned's sister, Kathleen. Unfortunately, their voyage is aboard a ship making its maiden voyage: The Titanic. Spoiler alert – it sinks. Ned survives the disaster but his parents aren’t so lucky.

Upon Ned’s returns to Ireland, a local landlord, to make up for what young Ned has been through, offers to pay for him to further his education at a private school in Dublin, St. Enda’s, run by Padraig Pearse. The school is noted for its dedication to Irish culture, language and national pride.

St. Enda’s is a hotbed of progressive political thought, and during his time there Ned interacts with many historical figures of the time, including the principals of the Irish Rebellion – Joseph Mary Plunkett, Thomas Clark, James Connolly, Sean MacDermott, Thomas MacDonagh – and, fired by Pearse’s charisma and vision, becomes drawn into the Republican movement, eventually becoming a courier for the revolutionary factions. This literary device works to good effect, since it is natural that Ned, as a courier, would be in attendance at numerous events central to the built-up of the revolution, and seeing the characters that we’ve only known through history books through the eyes of the young and impressionable Ned helps to flesh them out.

Llewellyn does as good a job as possible trying to differentiate between the various insurgent sects, who can all too easily be seen as homogenous rebels. While sharing a goal of Irish independence, the different groups – the Sinn Fein (then standing for nonmilitary rebellion); John Connolly’s socialist Citizen Army; the Volunteer Corps – have different ideas of how to obtain that goal, and those differences ultimately play a major role in the failure of the insurrection.

After a lengthy build-up – some might say too lengthy – we at last come to the rebellion itself, as the rebels, led by their poet/commander-in-chief Padraig Pearse, capture assorted strategic sites in Dublin before the overwhelming superiority of British manpower and weaponry leads to the inevitable surrender.

This book does have a few major problems. One that is common to many historical novels – including this one – is that the author can’t assume the readers has knowledge of facts that are essential to an understanding of the story, so he or she needs to find a way to impart these facts. There are a few ways to do this, and Llewellyn picks the worst one: she allows characters to simply tell other characters what has happened. This leads to stilted, unnatural conversations and becomes very disruptive to the narrative. The result is that she’ll have one character start a conversation by saying something like, “Well, as you know, for years the British have…” and the other character responds, “Yes, but as you’re well aware, in 1798…” Come on, does anyone really talk like that? If one character knows already and the other is well aware, why are they even mentioning it?

There are also some subplots which, while they become important as the series continues, are not particularly well-handled and, frankly, are not particularly interesting, and drag the story down to the pace of a glacier.

But once the insurrection hits, the story takes off with a vengeance. Llewellyn perfectly portrays the heroism, the commitment and, most vividly, the chaos and confusion that existed in Dublin during the week of the insurrection. Particularly powerful are her depictions of the executions of the rebel leaders, including Joseph Plunkett, who married his fianceé Grace Gifford in jail hours before his execution, and Connolly, who had to be strapped to a chair to be shot because of wounds he had suffered. All in all, it’s a story that needs to be told, and it’s appropriate that it’s told by Llewellyn, the foremost Irish historical novelist.

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Craobh Dugan “Tune of the Month #1” – The Foggy Dew by Skip Mansur

This song was originally featured in the April 2010 Newsletter; we are reprinting it again this month in honor of the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising. We often play this tune at local seisiúns followed by The Rights of Man. The words of this song were composed by Canon Charles O Neill, who was parish priest of Kilcoo, County Down, . In 1919 he went to Dublin and attended a sitting of the first Dail Eireann (Irish Parliament). He was moved by the number of members whose names were answered during roll call by “faoi ghlas ag na Gaill” (locked up by the foreigners) and resolved to write a song in commemoration of the 1916 Easter Rising. The music belongs to an old love song, recorded in 1913 by John McCormack and the original manuscript of the words and music, in the possession of Kathleen Dallat of Ballycastle, names Carl Hardebeck as the arranger.

As down the glen one Easter morn to a city fair rode I There Armed lines of marching men in squadrons passed me by No pipe did hum, no battle drum did sound its loud tattoo But the Angelus Bell o'er the Liffey's swell rang out through the foggy dew

Right proudly high over Dublin Town they hung out the flag of war 'Twas better to die 'neath an Irish sky than at Suvla or Sud-El-Bar And from the plains of Royal Meath strong men came hurrying through While Britannia's Huns, with their long range guns sailed in through the foggy dew

Oh the night fell black, and the rifles' crack made perfidious Albion reel In the leaden rain, seven tongues of flame did shine o'er the lines of steel By each shining blade a prayer was said, that to Ireland her sons be true But when morning broke, still the war flag shook out its folds in the foggy dew

'Twas England bade our wild geese go, that "small nations might be free"; Their lonely graves are by Suvla's waves or the fringe of the great North Sea. Oh, had they died by Pearse's side or fought with Cathal Brugha* Their graves we'd keep where the Fenians sleep, 'neath the shroud of the foggy dew.

Oh the bravest fell, and the Requiem bell rang mournfully and clear For those who died that Eastertide in the spring time of the year And the world did gaze, in deep amaze, at those fearless men, but few, Who bore the fight that freedom's light might shine through the foggy dew

As back through the glen I rode again and my heart with grief was sore For I parted then with valiant men whom I never shall see more But to and fro in my dreams I go and I kneel and pray for you, For slavery fled, O glorious dead, when you fell in the foggy dew.

Here is a haunting version (and video) by Sinéad O'Connor & The Chieftains: FoggyDew.

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Craobh Dugan “Tune of the Month #2” – Tri-Colored Ribbon by Skip Mansur

As an Easter Rising bonus, here is a second tune for your enjoyment. The Tri-Colored Ribbon is a tune (and song) our local group Craobh Dugan sometimes plays in a waltz set after Green Glens of Antrim and Gentle Maiden. Most folks probably don’t realize this song is actually a love song that was written about the 1916 Easter Rising. As Wikipedia notes, the song “All Around my Hat” (Roud 567, Laws P31) is of nineteenth-century English origin. In Ireland, (who also wrote The Irish National Anthem Amhrán na bhFiann) adapted the song to the tune of The Green Willow to relate to a Republican lass whose lover who went to fight and has died in the Easter Rising, and who swears to wear the Irish tricolor (green, white and orange) around her hat in remembrance. The green represents ; the orange, Ireland’s Protestant minority and the Orange Order; the white, lasting peace between the two. Until the Easter Rising of 1916, the primary flag of Ireland was green with a harp in the center. After the Rising, it was adopted by the IRA during the Irish War of Independence (1919 – 1921), was a symbol of the from 1922 – 1937, and then, when the Irish constitution came into law later that year, it was confirmed as the official flag of Ireland by Article 7, which reads: “The national flag of Ireland is the tricolor of green, white and orange” (for more information, see story)

I had a true love, if ever a girl had one I had a true love, a brave lad was he One fine Easter morning, with his gallant comrades He started away for to set Ireland free.

Chorus: So all around me hat I wear a tricolour ribbon All around me hat untill death comes to me And if anybody's asking why do I wear it It's all for my own true love I never more will see.

He whispered goodbye love old Ireland is calling High over Dublin our tricolour flies In the streets of our city the foeman is calling The wee birds are whistling old Ireland arise

His bandolier around him his bright bayonet shining His short service rifle a beauty to see There was joy in his eyes though he left me repining And started away for to make Ireland free

In praying and waiting the dark days passed over The roar of the guns brought no message to me I prayed for old Ireland I prayed for my lover That he might be saved and old Ireland be free

The struggle was ended they brought me the story The last whispered message he sent on to me I was true to the land love I fought for her glory And gave up my life for to make Ireland free.

Tommy Byrne sings a version with that helped make the song famous: TriColored.

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RANDOM RAMBLINGS

“Nuacht as Craobh Dugan”---news from the Dugan Branch Chris Hoke writes: “Craobh Dugan now hosts 4 monthly sessions, so you could hear us every week if you wanted to (and who wouldn't??). The first Tuesday we play at Nail Creek Pub in Utica; the 3rd Tuesday we play at Stockdale’s in Oriskany. And on the 2nd and 4th Sundays, we jam at the relatively-new Woodland Hop Farm and Brewery in Marcy. Come out and give a listen...you will be glad you did… Our performances this month are: Apr 1 - Ceili Dance Class at Seton Center, 7 PM; Apr 5 - Open Session at Nail Creek Pub, 7:30 PM; Apr 8 - Ceili Dance Class at Seton Center, 7 PM; Apr 9 – “1916 The Irish Rebellion” screening at New Hartford High School, 1 PM; Apr 10 - Open Session at Woodland Brewery, 3 PM; Apr 15 - Ceili Dance Class at Seton Center, 7 PM; Apr 19 - Open Session at Stockdale’s, 7:30 PM; Apr 22 - Ceili Dance Class at Seton Center, 7 PM; Apr 24 - Open Session at Woodland Brewery, 3 PM; Apr 29 - Ceili Dance Class at Seton Center, 7 PM; Apr 30 - 1916 Commemoration Dinner/Dance, 4 PM Mass; 5:30 Dinner/Dance.”

Utica St. Patrick’s Day Parade Raffle Winners The lucky winners from this year’s Parade Raffle were announced at the on March 20th. They were: 1st Prize, Party for 20 in the 1888 Tavern, Jackie Stockbridge; 2nd Prize, Private Catered Dinner from A Moveable Feast by O’Connor’s, Bob Dicks; 3rd Prize, The Tailor & The Cook Restaurant $100 Certificate, Brett Roberts; 4th Prize, The Celtic Harp $100 Certificate, Andrea Seminiak; 5th Prize, Two tickets to “Irish Night at The Stanley,” Kathy DeAngelis; 6th Prize, Gerber’s 1933 Tavern $50 Certificate, Bob Vanderwal; 7th Prize, Four weekend passes to The Great American Irish Festival, Brad Nichols. Congratulations to all!

“Cheers and Echoes”: Enter the Haggis Comes to Pulaski For those of you who can’t wait until the Great American Irish Festival to see Enter the Haggis again, you do have an opportunity to see them fairly close to home this month. The boys will be bringing their 20th Anniversary retrospective “Cheers and Echoes Tour” to the Kallet Theater in Pulaski, NY, on Friday, Apr 8th at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $20.

Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen Food Drive The 2016 St. Patrick’s Day Parade had a record- breaking Food Drive for Mother Marianne’s West Side Kitchen. Collected were 3,509 food items, including several bags full from Notre Dame Elementary School. This marks a 450% improvement over last year’s totals! People loosened their wallets at a record clip as well, with over $1830 (and counting) donated this year; up over 90% from last year! A huge thank you goes out to Chris Hoke, Bernie Adorino of Adorino Construction, and all of Chris’ volunteers. Outstanding job, all!

Steubenstock VI On Saturday, April 16th, at 7 PM in the Steuben Town Hall at Steuben Corners, the First Presbyterian Church of Holland Patent will host “Steubenstock VI (Celebrating Six Years of Foolishness).” Admission is $8 with proceeds to benefit the Capital Fund of the First Presbyterian Church of Holland Patent, a landmark on the National Register of Historic Places. Featured performers include Alexis Loomis, Cincinnati Creek, Dan Evans & Pete Ruben, Donna (Mucks) & Mike (Woolheater), Rattlin’ Bog, Springhouse, The Beasleys, The Remnants, The Thumpwhackers, Too Many Allens and Wildflower. The evening will also be a tribute in memory Steubenstock founder, John Brett.

RIVERDANCE – The 20th Anniversary World Tour. Elmira’s Clemens Center (207 Clemens Center Parkway, Elmira) will be playing host to the international Irish dance phenomenon, Riverdance, direct from a sold-out run across Europe and Asia. Drawing on Irish traditions, the combined talents of the performers propel Irish dancing and music into the present day, capturing the imagination of audiences across all ages and cultures in an innovative and exciting blend of dance, music and song. Of all the performances to emerge from Ireland – in rock, music, theatre and film – nothing has carried the energy, the sensuality and the spectacle of Riverdance. There are three chances to catch the show, on April 26, 27 and 28, at 7:30 each night. Single tickets, ranging from $35.50 to 69.50, are available by calling (607)734-8191 or (800) 724-0159, or on-line.

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“Brave a Shave” In the Events Calendar that appears at the end of this newsletter, you’ll see on Sunday, April 10th, a rather cryptic reference to an event at Kitty Hoyne’s called “St. Baldrick’s Day Fundraiser.” No, it is not another St. Patrick’s Day party… it’s much more noble than that. What it is is one of hundreds of fundraisers organized by the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, whose mission is “…to raise awareness and funds to conquer kids’ cancer by shaving heads on St. Baldrick’s Day.” What started in 2000 as a friendly challenge between three Long Island men has grown into the world’s largest event for combatting childhood cancer. Since that first “dare,” St. Baldrick’s Day fundraisers around the world have raised over $200 million for cancer research. Kitty Hoynes – you can usually find then in the top ten of all St. Baldrick’s events worldwide – is well on their way to reaching their $400,000 goal for this year’s drive. To get involved in Kitty Hoyne’s fundraiser or for more information on this worthy cause, check out www.stbaldricks.org. If you can’t attend (or don’t want to get shaved), donations are welcomed.

Celtic Club Calendar Finally, here’s the Irish Musical and Cultural calendar for April:

Apr 3 Blarney Rebel Band Celtic Harp Utica 1 PM Free Donal O’Shaughnessy/Brian Apr 3 Coleman’s Syracuse 4-7 PM Free Hyland Apr 3 Syracuse Irish Session J. Ryan’s Pub Syracuse 4-7 PM Free Apr 5 Nail Creek Sessions Nail Creek Pub Utica 7:30 PM Free Apr 8 “Irish Night at the Stanley” Stanley Theatre Utica 7:30 PM $18-$48 Apr 8 Enter The Haggis Kallet Theater Pulaski, NY 7 PM $20 Apr 9 Traditional Irish Session Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 2-5 PM Free Apr 9 “1916 Irish Rebellion” screening New Hartford HS New Hartford 1-5 PM Free (donations) Apr 9 Causeway Giants Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 9 PM Free Apr 10 Blarney Rebel Band Coleman’s Irish Pub Syracuse 4-7 PM Free Apr 10 Traditional Irish Session Woodland Brewery Marcy 3-8 PM Free Apr 10 St. Baldrick’s Day Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 10:30 AM Donation Apr 15 Blarney Rebel Band Piggy Pat’s Washington Mills 6-9 PM Free Apr 16 Pat Kane Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 8:30 PM Free Apr 16 Steubenstock VI Steuben Town Hall Steuben, NY 7 PM $8 Apr 17 Donal O’Shaughnessy Celtic Harp Utica 1 PM Free Apr 17 Traditional Irish Session Irish Amer Ass'n Albany 2:30-6 PM Free Apr 17 Syracuse Irish Session J. Ryan’s Pub Syracuse 4-7 PM Free Apr 19 Traditional Irish Session Stockdale’s Oriskany 7:30 PM Free Apr 22 Donal O’Shaughnessy Piggy Pat’s Washington Mills 6-9 PM Free Apr 23 Traditional Irish Session Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 2-5 PM Free Apr 24 Blarney Rebel Band Celtic Harp Utica 1 PM Free Apr 24 Flyin’ Column Coleman’s Irish Pub Syracuse 4-7 PM Free Apr 24 Traditional Irish Session Woodland Brewery Marcy 3-8 PM Free Apr 24 Syracuse AOH Centenary Events See article Syracuse 11:45; brunch 1-5 $10 for brunch Apr 26-28 Riverdance Clemens Center Elmira 7:30 PM $35.50 to $69.50 Apr 30 Hair of the Dog The Parting Glass Saratoga Springs 8 PM $15 Easter Rising Commemoration Mass - 4 PM; Cocktails $30 (available Apr 30 Hart’s Hill Inn Whitesboro Dinner - 5:30; Dinner - 6:30 from Apr 9-20)

If you have anything you want to share with us, feel free to send it to us ([email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]), and we’ll be happy to include it. As always, while we try not to make mistakes with dates, times, places, p-un’ctu:a/tion, etc., we are seriously delusional. It always makes sense to call ahead to confirm some of these further-out trips. We hope to see you at one of the Centennial events!

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