St Brendan The Navigator Feast Day May 16th Ancient Order of Hibernians
St Brendan the Navigator Division Mecklenburg County Division # 2
ISSUE #3 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER VOLUME# 5
March 2013 Our next business meeting is on Thursday, March 14th at 7:30 PM
St Mark’s Parish Center, Room 200
2013 Officers
Chaplain Father Matthew Codd President Ray FitzGerald Vice President Dave Foley Secretary Tom Vaccaro Treasurer Chris O’Keefe Fin. Secretary Ron Haley Standing Committee Pat Phelan Marshall Brian Bourque Sentinel Frank Fay Past President Joseph Dougherty
www.aohmeck2.org
"Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh" A good word never broke a tooth
President’s Message Brothers, We are now entering our busiest month, the month of the Irish. It’s time to be doubly proud of our heritage. If you haven’t been able to participate in or volunteer to help at our events or activities in the past, this is the perfect time to make that extra effort. There is much to be done and we can’t leave it up to a handful of members to do it all. Keep alert to our e-mails, website and information in this Newsletter to see how you can help.
As we approach St. Patrick’s Day, be alert to stores, kiosks, vendors promoting or selling merchandise that defames or disparages the Irish heritage. Typical are t-shirts depicting the Irish as drunkards and the like. Don’t hesitate to complain either in person or in writing to the vendor that you find this offensive and politely ask them to discontinue displaying selling them. There is an interesting column by the National AOH Anti-Defamation Chairman on this subject in the January-February edition of the Hibernian Digest. If I can be of help, let me know.
Our big day will be Saturday, March 9th. We start out with an 8am St. Patrick’s Mass at Old St. Joseph’s Church in Mt. Holly (2139 Mountain Island Highway -NC 273- at the intersection of Sandy Ford Rd.). The Mass will be celebrated by Division Member and County Board AOH Chaplain, Fr. Joshua Voitus. We will be joined by our Brother Hibernians from Charlotte and the Ladies AOH Ladies of the Lough Division. Before the Mass we have a blessing of the grave of the church’s founder, Fr. Cronin. Be aware that there are no restroom facilities at the church. St. Joseph’s is the oldest standing Catholic Church in North Carolina and is an historical site. Since the parish is inactive, the St. Patrick’s Mass is one of the two or three Masses celebrated there throughout the year.
Later that evening we will be hosting our Third Annual Hibernian Dinner & Show celebrating St. Patrick. We have great entertainment lined up and, like last year, there will be a ceili. We need a strong turnout from our members, their families and friends to ensure the success of the event. In the event that your wife can’t make it to the dinner, consider buying a ticket and try to join us anyway. We always need help during the night selling raffle tickets, 50-50 tickets, taking pictures, etc. as well as help with the clean-up.
On Saturday March 16th, we’ll join other Hibernians from the Carolinas marching in the annual Charlotte St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Brothers should wear khaki slacks and green shirts (Division shirts would be preferable, long or short sleeve). Families are invited and encouraged to march with our group. The parade route is probably less than a mile, so you won’t be too winded. After the march visit the Charlotte Goes Green Street Festival. Stop by the Sons of Erin AOH Division’s booth, where they sell the best corn beef sandwiches around. We will not be marching in the Mooresville St. Patrick’s Day Parade since, unfortunately, it conflicts with our Hibernian Dinner.
If you haven’t already done so, don’t forget your 2013 dues payment ($35) and to purchase your tickets for our outing to the Charlotte Knights baseball game on April 27th. Ticket includes a reserved seat, fireworks after the game and dinner in the Brewhouse restaurant at the stadium.
Don’t forget to check out our Division website, where you will find information on the upcoming State AOH Convention and Major Degree Ceremony.
At our last meeting we welcomed a new member, Bill Murphy. At our February social at Taco Mac’s we had decent turnout, along with two recruits. Congratulations to Jason & Erica (who did all the work) Atkins on the birth of their newborn son, Chase. The winner of February’s $25 meeting incentive award was Scott Fisher. Since Scott wasn’t there, the pot will be $50 at our March meeting, which will be at St. Mark on March 14th at 7:30pm in the Msgr. Kerin Parish Center, Room 200. Out monthly social for March (including spouses and guests) will be at the Woodshed Restaurant in Stanly (http://www.woodshedsteakhouse.com/ ) on Thursday, March 28th at 6:30pm.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that we are now in the season of Lent. Try to increase you spirituality during this period. Your parish bulletin will provide you with opportunities.
‘Tis a great month to be Irish!
St. Patrick, pray for us. St. Brendan the Navigator, pray for us.
March Birthdays
Patrick Phelan Division Brother March 1st Heather Seymour Daughter of Brother Dick March 4th Father Josh Voitus Division Brother March 5th Leanne Vaccaro Wife of Brother Tom March 6th Jack Leahy Son of Brother Ted March12th Deacon Bob Murphy Division Brother March 12th Frank Fay Division Brother March 16th Andrew Vaccaro Son of Brother Tom March 19th Dan O’Brian Son of Brother Bob March 22nd Patty Leahy Daughter of Brother Ted March 24th Chris O’Keefe Division Brother March 31st
March Anniversaries Vicky & Mike Daniels March 4th Kristi-Anne & Shawn Gilmore March 18th
Irish America News President Obama officially launches Irish- American Heritage Month, 2013
Presidential Proclamation -- Irish-American Heritage Month, 2013
IRISH-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2013
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
For more than two centuries, America has been made and remade by striving, hopeful immigrants looking for a chance to pursue their dreams. Millions among them were born in Ireland, separated from our shores but united by their belief in a better day. This month, we celebrate the Irish-American journey, and we reflect on the ways a nation so small has inspired so much in another.
Generations of Irish left the land of their forebears to cast their fortunes with a young Republic. Escaping the blight of famine or the burden of circumstance, many found hardship even here. They endured prejudice and stinging ridicule. But through it all, these new citizens never gave up on one of our oldest ideas: that anyone from anywhere can write the next great chapter in the American story. So they raised families and built communities, earned a living and sent their kids to school. In time, what it meant to be Irish helped define what it means to be American. And as they did their part to make this country stronger, Irish Americans shared in its success, retaining the best of their heritage and passing it down to their children.
That familiar story has been lived and cherished by Americans from all backgrounds, and it reaffirms our identity as a Nation of immigrants from all around the world. So as we celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month, let us retell those stories of sweat and striving. And as two nations united by people and principle, may America and Ireland always continue to move forward together in common purpose.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States do hereby proclaim March 2013 as Irish-American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA
Irish Folklore
Kathleen Ni Houlihan
Caitlín Ní Uallacháin, literally, "Kathleen, daughter of Houlihan") is a mythical symbol and emblem of Irish nationalism found in literature and art, sometimes representing Ireland as a personified woman. The figure of Kathleen Ni Houlihan has also been invoked in nationalist Irish politics. Kathleen Ni Houlihan is sometimes spelled as Cathleen Ni Houlihan, and the figure is also sometimes referred to as the Sean-Bhean Bhocht (pron. Shan Van Vukt), the Poor Old Woman, and similar appellations. Kathleen Ni Houlihan is generally depicted as an old woman who needs the help of young Irish men willing to fight and die to free Ireland from colonial rule, usually resulting in the young men becoming martyrs for this cause. In the days before the Anglo-Irish War, the "colonial" power was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. After the Anglo-Irish War, Kathleen Ni Houlihan was a figure more associated with the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland, especially during the Troubles.
As a literary figure, Kathleen Ni Houlihan was perhaps most famously used by William Butler Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory in their play Cathleen Ní Houlihan. Other authors that have used Kathleen Ni Houlihan in some way include Seán O'Casey (especially in The Shadow of the Gunman) and James Joyce who introduces characters named Kathleen and Mr Holohan in his story "A Mother" (in Dubliners) to illustrate the ideological shallowness of an Irish revival festival.
Kathleen Ni Houlihan is generally portrayed as an old woman without a home. Frequently it is hinted that this is because she has been dispossessed of her home which comprised a farmhouse and "four green fields" (symbolising the four provinces of Ireland). In Yeats and Gregory's Cathleen Ní Houlihan (1902), she arrives at an Irish family's home as they are making preparations for the marriage of their oldest son. In Yeats and Gregory's play, Kathleen Ni Houlihan tells the family her sad tale, interspersed with songs about famous Irish heroes that had given their life for her. She ultimately lures the young groom away to join in the failed Irish Rebellion of 1798 against the British during the French Revolutionary Wars. After the groom makes his decision and leaves, one character notes that the old woman has become a beautiful young woman with the walk of a queen. Yeats and Gregory's treatment of Kathleen Ni Houlihan is fairly typical of this myth. The groom's choice — and eventual death in the failed rebellion — rejuvenates Kathleen Ni Houlihan to some degree.
Richard Kearney (1988, p. 218) suggests that the Kathleen Ni Houlihan myth represents the view that the blood sacrifice of heroes is needed to free and redeem Ireland. At the same time, these heroic sacrificial martyrs are rewarded by being "remembered for ever" (Kearney, p. 218). This nationalist sacrificial mythology can be tied to pagan concepts of "seasonal rejuvenation" and the sacrificial aspects of Christianity in the Crucifixion and tradition of martyrdom (Kearney, p. 220). This use of sacrificial martyrdom can also be seen in various hunger strike used by Irish Republican Army prisoners in the 1980s and other periods (Kearney, ch. 11). The figure of Kathleen Ni Houlihan has appeared in several folk songs and poems. Ethna Carbery's "The Passing of the Gael" (1906), which was a sentimental treatment of the Irish diaspora during the 19th century (partly because of the Irish Potato Famine), suggested that Irish emigrants longed for their homeland. Carbery refers to Kathleen Ni Houlihan by name as the personification of Ireland that the emigrants miss. Seán O'Casey's The Shadow of the Gunman (1923) quotes the last line of Carbery's "The Passing of the Gael," as the character Seumas Shields complains about various aspects of Irish culture. O'Casey's treatment of the myth is generally viewed as ironic or sardonic. Irish poet Seamus Heaney has suggested that the character of Sarah in Brian Friel's Translations (1980) can be seen as a Kathleen Ni Houlihan-like figure desperately trying to regain her voice and identity. See Tommy Makem's Celtic/folk song, "Four Green Fields." In James Joyce's Dubliners the selection "A Mother" contains the character Kathleen whose mother "determined to take advantage of her daughter's name" during the Celtic Revival.
Division Calendar of Events for March 2013 March 9th Mass at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Mt Holly, NC at 8:00 AM
March 9th Hibernian Dinner & Show, at St Mark’s at 6:30 PM
March 14th Business Meeting at St Mark’s at 7:30 PM
March 16th Charlotte St Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival
March 17th St Patrick’s Day
March 28th Social at the Woodshed Steak House in Stanley, NC at 6:30 PM
Things to do in March in and Around Charlotte
March 5th Dropkick Murphys at The Fillmore Charlotte 8:00 pm
March 12th Irish Heritage Night at Bobcat Arena 7:00 PM vs Boston Celtics
March 17th St Patrick’s Day on Main, Rock Hill, SC 4:30 to 9:30 PM
A Bit of Irish History
The Normans In Ireland 1156 Rory O’Connor, son of Turlough O'Connor, succeeded to high king of Ireland. 1161 King Dermot’s brother-in-law, Lawrence O'Tool or Lorcán Ó Tuathail, was appointed archbishop. The Dubliners themselves had killed Dermot’s father and preferred O’Connor to MacMurrough. O’Connor joined forces with Tiernan O’Rourke and MacMurrough was dethroned. The English had occasionally considered invading Ireland. Canterbury may have raised the subject after losing metropolitan rights over the see of Dublin in 1152. The Pope invested Henry II with the right to rule Ireland, but Henry’s grip on England was still insecure. 1166 Rory O’Connor had himself inaugurated king at Dublin. However, Dublin was suited to act as capital to Leinster, ruled by Dermot MacMurrough. MacMurrough approached Henry for help. Henry authorised his subjects to aid him. MacMurrough promised his Cambro-Norman supporters land and his daughter in marriage. 1169 – The Cambro-Normans re-conquered all Leinster. Henry II withdrew consent when he saw how 71 successful his invasion was, but Strongbow (earl of Pembroke) made himself lord of Leinster. 1170 (May 1st) A small party of Normans, Strongbow's soldiers, landed at Baginbun at the invitation of Dermot MacMurrough. They built a vast rampart that survives today. At the time the Irish fought with slings and stones, while the Normans had knights, archers and other technology. Strongbow captured Dublin, married MacMurrough’s daughter and ultimately became king of Leinster. Henry II then arrived to subdue Strongbow, which soon meant conquering the Irish as well. The Norman adventurers who followed Strongbow into Ireland formed alliances with some chieftains in order to attack others, building great castles. They spread all over Ireland apart from western and central Ulster. Their allegiance to Henry was only nominal and they eventually intermarried with the Irish, adopting their ways, laws and language. They English kings tried to stop this assimilation. 1171 (17th Oct). Henry II went over to stifle this new Norman kingdom. Strongbow submitted and was allowed to keep Leinster as a fief. Henry reserved Dublin for himself and received submission from various Irish kings. Becket had just been murdered, so Henry couldn’t press his papal grant at once. 1171/2 A great national synod of the Irish church was convened, intended to bring the Irish church into step with the English. After Henry was reconciled with the new pope, the Irish prelates inundated the pope with letters commending Henry. The Irish kings and bishops hoped for Henry’s protection against Strongbow; they saw it as exchanging the rule of O’Connor for a more prestigious king. 1175 By now Strongbow and Hugh de Lacy – a follower of Henry’s – had subdued their vast territories. The Treaty of Windsor was signed between Rory O’Connor and Henry II. Rory was recognised as high-king of Ireland outside Leinster, Meath and Waterford, but these kings had to pay tribute to Henry, and he had to force Irishmen fleeing the conquered areas to return. 1176 Rebellions took place against both O’Connor and the English. Strongbow died, transferring Leinster to Henry. By then he had a greater financial stake in the conquest. 1177 John de Courcy exceeded instructions by conquering Ulaid (Ulster). Henry gave his rights as Lord of Ireland to his son, John. Cork and Limerick were granted away, although Limerick’s new owners failed to wrest any land from O’Brien. 1183 O’Connor retired to an abbey; Henry petitioned the pope to crown John king of Ireland. However, the Irish were growing disenchanted with Plantagenet lordship. Even Gerald of Wales thought the English were breaking their original agreement. 1185 Prince John mocked Irish chieftains who greeted him in Waterford, and after that there were no more submissions. The Prince was suspicious of men like De Lacy. He handed out smaller grants to a greater number of tenants-in-chief, resulting in important Anglo-Irish dynasties being founded. Some English lords expanded their territory by marrying Irish aristocrats. They also fought amongst themselves. 1186 De Lacy was assassinated, and Meath passed to administrators. The English strategy was gradually changing to colonisation. A European population explosion had begun, meaning land in Ireland was tempting. Many private individuals were involved in colonisation. Fortified castles and mottes were built. New towns were founded and tenants imported. These Anglo-Norman towns were laid out in a grid pattern. 1200 By now, new citizens were immigrating from England, Wales, France and Flanders. All incomers were regarded as free, but the native Irish tenantry, ‘betaghs’, were serfs. Only one Irish family was assimilated into the colony’s feudal aristocracy; the rest were confined to uncolonised districts. The English language began to take root, while Norman French became the upper class literary language. Architecture changed with churches built in Early English Gothic style, using English stone. The east changed from a subsistence to a market economy. 1200s Irish bardic poets viewed themselves as part of the European cultural community, but the French and English didn’t see them as such. Gerald of Wales argued that the marcher lords of Ireland were part of this culture, but the native Irish were not. In the eleventh century most clergy still supported marriage, concubinage, hereditary office- holding etc. This lent credibility to colonial legislation against Irish clergy. Franciscan and Dominican friars were responsible for more preaching and pastoral work. Popular opinion was more strongly against the invasion than that of the chieftains, and prophecies circulated against the Normans. Bands of mercenaries fought for both the Irish kings and English barons, swapping sides for money. Scottish warriors (gallowglass) began to come over. Within the Gaelic territories, power began to centre on every minor chief who could command a war-band. Elsewhere in Europe, there was a trend towards mercenary armies. In Ireland, they were allowed to take their own wages from husbandsmen, dissipating the agricultural surplus. 1210 King John intervened to take back lands from his nobles, and twenty Irish kings did homage to him. He expanded his King’s Council in Ireland, which evolved into parliamentary sessions. 1216 King John was succeeded by his young son Henry III. 1217 First Treasurer of Ireland promoted. The government in England issued an order that no Irishman should be promoted to high ecclesiastical office. Henry de Londres, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Justice of Ireland, convened a synod at which canonical singing was discussed. 1226 Until the mid thirteenth century, the provincial Irish kings co-operated with the English and so retained their lands. However, these were not given security of succession; Connacht was declared forfeit in this year, resulting in a nine year war. 1248 King’s Bench in Dublin instituted (today contained within the Four Courts). The liberties were gradually phased out and an elaborate system of government came in. Administrators from the English church were brought in. There was a campaign to ensure that all dioceses under royal control had Anglo-Norman bishops. 1254 Edward I was granted lordship of Ireland. He used the country to provision his campaigns in Scotland, France and Wales. Edward II was to continue this policy. Local rule by Irish chieftains was cheaper. 1260 Brian O'Neill, who declared himself king of Ireland, was killed in battle by colonists. There was a series of revolts which has been seen as the beginning of a Gaelic recovery, but the colony was still expanding. Soon Irish kings had to co-operate with the barons themselves. 1277 First salaried barons of the exchequer. A separate royal seal for Ireland was made under Henry III. King John had also instituted sheriffs, shires, county courts and itinerant justices. Late 13th Those settlers in the east expanded into the west. English peasantry were not introduced to the C west; the tenants were almost all Irish, governed by native rulers who answered to the English.
These photos were taken by an American photographer, Branson DeCou (1892-1941) between 1932 and 1935. The photos were taken in black & white and then colored in by the artist.
Creamery, County Kerry Nolan’s Pub, Tralee, County Kerry Newcastle West, County Limerick
Bringing the hay home, Co Dublin Delivering kegs of Guinness, Dublin Feeding the hens, Co. Donegal
The Claddagh, Galway city Clothes drying,The Claddagh, Galway city Inside a Claddagh cottage
Current News from Ireland
Taoiseach: Pay cuts 'absolutely fair'; Frontline group call them 'grossly unfair'
Cutting the public sector pay bill by a billion euro is absolutely fair, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said. As opposition to the deal intensifies with at least nine unions or associations refusing support, Mr Kenny said securing agreement would be another big step to economic recovery. “In the context of the additional €3bn in spending cuts required by 2015, this contribution from payroll is absolutely fair,” he said. “Implementing these savings by agreement with public service staff would be another big step on the road to economic recovery, and would send out a signal to the world that the Irish people are determined to fix our economic problems and restore the country to prosperity and full employment.” The Taoiseach urged support at a conference of chief executives in Dublin organised by the business lobby group Ibec. Mr Kenny said the €1bn pay cuts are fair as the public sector wage bill accounts for 35% of total public spending. He made his call as the Civil and Public Service Union, the largest union in the public sector, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland and the Irish Federation of University Teachers became the latest to voice opposition. Senior figures in Impact, one of the lead negotiating unions in the pay talks, meet later today to discuss their response to the deal. Elsewhere, a group set up to represent angered gardaí, nurses, paramedics and firefighters, among others working in frontline services, meets today in Croke Park to discuss a strategy to fight the pay deal. The 24/7 Frontline Services Alliance claimed the agreement is “grossly unfair, and inequitable, and seek to take money from low and middle income public servants who have no more to give”.