A Trip to My Irish Roots
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Volume XXXVIII, No. 11 • January (Eanáir), 2013 A Recent Visit to My Irish Roots .........................................................................................................Patti Stotmeister is a descendant of Killanny parish: Coolremony, Coolreagh, Owen McMahon, thread manufacturer. Cornelius McMahon, her great-great Coolaha, Tullydrum, and Aghafad, among Since our daughters were both Irish step grandfather who, at the age of 20, others. (The Irish Times website also dancers, we like to think that Prof. emigrated to America in 1834 from includes information based upon this McMahon also taught this performance art Killanny Parish, straddling the border survey). By entering a surname you’re and that Owen made the thread for the between Counties Louth and Monaghan, shown the number such families for each dance dresses. Why not? near Carickmacross, Ireland. His father of the counties in Ireland.) Upon our return from Poland (where was Owen McMahon. This area is one of With my husband Dan I undertook an we found the Irish pub in Krakow, two strongholds of the McMahons, the Ireland-Poland-Ireland tour to visit these dontcha’ know,) it was time to visit my other being in County Clare. This much places (as well as the rural town lands near Irish roots town lands and meet any she knew before setting out for The Auld Poznan, Poland where my Winkowski McMahons thereabout. We arrived in Sod in September 2012 to visit the ancestors originate) and to spend some Carrickmacross (a very attractive market townlands of her Irish ancestors. days in Dublin and Krakow for some town in County Monaghan) a little over an I’ve been interested in my family historic city sites and enjoyment. hour after picking up our rental car, and genealogy for some years and have an Besides the museums, pubs, music and after dinner at the Fiddlers Elbow we on-line subscription to Ancestry.com to street life of Dublin, not to mention the drove out to our B&B, the Arradale aid me in my research. Nonetheless, it was Irish people themselves, a highlight Farmhouse, operated by Mrs. Christine at the Milwaukee Historical Society in included a visit to Glasnevin Cemetery, McMahon. Naturally. It is truly a bucolic 2011 where I obtained a copy of my great- the everlasting repose for many Irish setting amidst rolling green hills. And, grandfather’s emigration papers which patriots, rebels, soldiers, labor leaders, there are miniature shetland ponies and a stated exactly where he was from. I then politicians, literary figures, and Dublin couple of donkeys you can feed with left- discovered that the original Killanny residents since 1832. Daniel O’Connell overs from breakfast. parish church graveyard contains a has the largest monument. The next two At the Carrickmacross Workhouse, most prominent memorials are for Charles number of McMahons from the 19th Kevin Gartlin showed us all around the Stewart Parnell and Michael Collins. An century and that someone had posted all facility which houses a host of community interesting feature of many tombstones is the retrievable tombstone information services including community and the inclusion of the street address where there on-line. But, no Owen or other economic development, a kindergarten, the deceased had lived in Dublin. We’ve McMahon is reportedly buried there that I counseling and job training, etc. There is never seen this before anywhere. could prove was a direct ancestor or also an exhibit which shows and explains ancestor’s aunt, uncle or sibling. At the National Library/Archive we the Neolithic sites discovered nearby. The I did have the good fortune of being discovered that the 1823 Dublin Directory stone workhouse, a large building, has referred to Kevin Gartlan, Co-Director of listed a Hugh McMahon, Professor of been nicely restored outside based on its the Carrickmacross Workhouse, with Dancing, at 82 Stephens Green and an continued on page 5 whom I had email contact prior to my trip. Through him, I learned of the website JANUARY 3, 2013 • 7 P.M. www.osi.ie which includes mapping and documents whereby one can see the MILWAUKEE MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING locations and information on the tenants Irish Cultural and Heritage Center (2133 W. WIsconsin Avenue) from the 1847 survey of valuations. Thus, TTT I knew I would get to see the properties which contained McMahon tenancies dur- Light Snacks at 6:30 ing that period (including two Owen Please bring your favorite hors d’oeuvres to share! McMahons) within the townlands of Shamrock Club T Milwaukee Calendar of Events T Christmas Caroling For More Information visit http://shamrockclubwis.com .................................. JANUARY Well our Club went Christmas Caroling at local establishments on the lower east- 3 Shamrock Club Monthly Meeting; ICHC; 7 pm, Snacks at 6:30 pm side and downtown Milwaukee on Dec. 4 Celtic Women First Friday Lecture; 5:30-7 p.m.; José Lanters “The Irish 8th and had a good time. As some of the Travellers: Then and Now” establishments could not let us in due to 19 Wisconsin Winterfeis; Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport over capacity, it was great none the less at 20 Dairyland Feis; Crowne Plaza Milwaukee Airport Halliday's and County Clare. This was a 26 Monthly Set Dance; ICHC; Music by Ceol Caírde ; 7 pm fund raiser supporting a food bank and individual families in the Outreach FEBRUARY Ministries at St. John’s Cathedral for the 7 Shamrock Club monthly meeting; ICHC; 7 pm holiday season this year and we raised 16 Daithi Sproule and Laura McKenzie; ICHC; 7.30 pm $500!!!!! 22-24 12th Annual Midwinter Set Dance Weekend; Music by Maria Terres and Winners of the door prizes were; Friends, Capitol Ceili Band and Cosmic Otters 1. Celtic Christmas Tie-Lyle at County Clare 2. $25 O’D's Gift Card - Sue Dushek MARCH 3. $25 O’D's Gift Card - Mary Culver 1 John Doyle and Karan Casey; ICHC; 7.30 pm 4. Christmas Tree - Glenn Nowak 1 Irish Cultural and Heritage Center Ceili; Music by Myserk; 7.30 pm 5. Free night at County Clare - Patrick 1 Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance; Milwaukee Theatre; 7.30 pm Fitzgibbons & Jane Kennedy. 2 13th Annual Green Tie Event; Benefit for the Ward Irish Music Archives; Wisconsin Country Club (North), 6200 West Good Hope Road; 5.30 pm Please see me if for your prizes if you 7 Shamrock Club monthly meeting and 53rd Birthday Party; ICHC; 7 pm have not already received them. 9 47th Annual St Patrick Day Parade; Downtown Milwaukee; noon Next year, we will make a few adjust- 17 Gaelic Storm; Pabst Theatre; 8 pm ments with some changes of venue and 20 Makem and Spain Brothers; Sharon Lynne Wilson Centre, Brookfield; 7.30 pm starting earlier in the afternoon. Thanks 31 Easter Rising Mass; Irish Cultural and Heritage Center; 9:30 am to all who came and see you next year !!!!! ON GOING … Set dancing at the following: Set dancing Wednesdays, 7 P.M. at -Ken & Denis O’Donoghue’s T Craobh Curtin Conradh na Gaeilge meeting at O'Donoghue's Pub, 7 P.M., last Tuesday each month T Irish Emigration Library in ICHC open every Wednesday 2–8 P.M. T Irish Sing-a-long, Irish Fest Center, First Sundays, (through Celtic Women May) 7 P.M. T Irish Fest Song Circle, O'Donoghue's Pub, second and fourth Tues- day, 7 P.M. T Irish Music Sessions at the following: T Session at Ivanhoe’s, Racine, International 4 P.M. third Sundays T Session - O’Donoghue’s, Sundays 7 P.M.; Thursdays @ Paddy’s 7 P.M.; and The Pub in Oconomowoc, 7:30 P.M. Thursdays: Barry Dodd; T ..................................The CWI Book Club is announcing its County Clare Inn; 10 P.M. Fridays – áthas and Myserk; County Clare Inn; 6 P.M. T schedule for the first three months of Sundays: áthas; Brocach Milwaukee T T 2013. All meetings will begin at 1 pm at the ICHC and will include discussion, tea, and treats. New members and guests are always welcome to join us. Glenn’s Snow Plowing On January 15th we will discuss Patricia Monaghan's The Red-Haired Girl From the Bog. Hostess will be Sheila Glenn Nowak Isakson. Owner Gail McAleese will be hostess to the group discussing The Legend of the Celtic Stone, by Michael Phillips on February 19th. 414-466-8060 Home/Fax Tim Smit's The Lost Gardens of Heligan 414-940-9032 Mobile will be the topic for discussion on March [email protected] 19th. Maureen Garry will be hostess. - Rosemary Walsh [email protected] 2 Milwaukee Milwaukee President’s Message Membership News DISCOVER IRELAND ..................................Happy New Year! I am looking ..................................Well, I hope everyone enjoyed a WITH JOHN GLEESON forward to a new and exciting year. I wish wonderful Christmas and New Year’s. If Up!dfmfcsbuf!uif!zfbs!pg!Uif!Hbuifsjoh-!!Kpio!Hmfftpo all of you good health, happiness and you did not go, you certainly missed a xjmm!cf!mfbejoh!b!tqfdjbm!upvs!up!Jsfmboe!jo!3124/!Uijt success. wonderful time. xjmm!cf!Kpio(t!gjstu!upvs!gps!uif!dpnnvojuz!jo!tpnf. We had a delightful Christmas party. Please welcome our new member Jerry ujnf!boe!if!jt!mppljoh!gpsxbse!up!ubljoh!pme!boe It is always wonderful to share an evening Poborsky. At present, the Milwaukee ofx!gsjfoet!!up!gbwpsjuf!mboetdbqft!jo!ijt!obujwf!mboe Chapter as of December 6th has 351 mem- of joy and laughter with our Irish family boe!jouspevdjoh!uifn!up!ijt!nboz!bvme!tfhpujbt# and friends. Thanks to all who brought a berships with 145 families, 174 single, and 32 complimentary (libraries, busi- uifsf!..dibsnjoh!dibsbdufst!bmm" delicious dish to pass.