St Brendan The Navigator Feast Day May 16th Ancient Order of Hibernians St Brendan the Navigator Division Mecklenburg County Division # 2 ISSUE #11 MONTHLY NEWSLETTER VOLUME# 4 November 2012 Our next business meeting is on Thursday, Nov. 8th at 7:30 PM
Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Denver, NC
2012 Officers
Chaplain Father Matthew Codd President Ray FitzGerald Vice President Shane Lis Secretary Tom Vaccaro Treasurer Chris O’Keefe Fin. Secretary Ron Haley Standing Committee Ted Leahy Marshall Brian Bourque Sentinel Scott Stephan Past President Joseph Dougherty
www.aohmeck2.org
Tús na heagna eagla an Tiarna Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.
President’s Report Brothers, We are now closing in on the end of 2012. November starts out with the joy of All Saints Day, immediately followed by our fond memories of the dearly departed on All Souls Day. Near the end of the month we celebrate the tradition of turkey and football on Thanksgiving Day. The change in the season reminds us the hustle and bustle in the following month. Many of us have roots or family members in the area of the country that was hard hit by Hurricane Sandy. I pray that your relatives and friends in the area were spared much hardship. The northeast is home to many divisions of Hibernians. Please remember all our Brothers and their families in your prayers.
We had a number of activities in September. At our last meeting two new members took the pledge of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. I’d like to welcome Larry Schilling and Walt Martin to our Division.
A group of our Brother Hibernians, along with a representative of the Sons of Erin Division attended the Room at the Inn’s annual fundraising banquet on Oct. 25th. Over 1,000 people were there. Room at the Inn, which was the recipient of one of our first contributions, serves as a safe haven and source of hope for pregnant mothers and their children. It was great to see Fr. Hoare and Fr. Miller, two of our former Chaplains who were in attendance.
On Saturday, Oct. 27th, Brothers Frank Fay, Dick Seymour and I, performed our Division’s semiannual commitment to clean Torrence Creek Stream. Since the County had reconstructed the stream and the banks, the chore wasn’t as treacherous as it was in the past (i.e., none of us fell in the stream). Since we perform this task twice a year, I encourage each of you to take a turn and help out. We are doing something for the community and environment.
Many of our members have signed up to attend a Christmas in Ireland concert at Davidson College on Nov. 27th, performed by the Irish group Danu. Prior to the concert we plan to have our monthly social at the Brickhouse Tavern Restaurant in Davidson. Even if you don’t plan on attending the concert, you can join us for the dinner. This will serve as our monthly social for November.
Don’t forget to do your civic duty and vote in the upcoming election. Aside from the TV and radio sound bites and political ads, most parishes are providing guidance on the Catholic Church’s issues to consider when in the voting booth. Keep in your prayers our Financial Secretary, Ron Haley, as he battles a kidney stone and Mike Daniels who is recovering from surgery involving the implantation of a defibrillator.
Our next meeting will be held at 7:30pm on Thursday, Nov. 8th at Holy Spirit Parish Activity Center, Room 1. At our recent meetings we began holding a 50-50 raffle and at the close of the meeting we had some snacks and refreshments.
Chris O’Keefe was the winner of last month’s meeting incentive award. The incentive is in the form of a drawing whereby the member whose name is pulled from a “hat” will win $25. If the winner is not present that month’s amount would be added to the $25 for the next month’s drawing.
Don’t forget the Division’s Blog on our website. St. Brendan the Navigator, pray for us. Ray FitzGerald
November Birthdays
Richard Seymour Jr. Son of Brother Dick November 1st Scott Fisher Division Brother November 4th Gina Vaccaro Daughter of Brother Tom November10th Joe Dougherty Division Brother November 10th Rob Ledbetter Division Brother November 11th Suzanne FitzGerald Daughter of Brother Ray November 13th Sarah Battle Daughter of Brother Tom November 14th Kierann Fisher Son of Brother Martin November 29th
November Anniversaries
Debbie & Ray Smith November 11th Jane & Charlie Swengros November 24th Kathleen & Ron Haley November 30th
October Stream Cleaning
Brothers Dick Seymour & Frank Fay President FitzGerald & Frank
Brothers Gene Mann, Ray FitzGerald, Joe Dougherty, Father Pat Hoare, Gene Shields and Ron Haley at the Room at the Inn banquet.
Irish America News USS Juneau and the Fighting Sullivans
13 November 2012 will be the 70th Anniversary of the sinking of USS Juneau CL-52
On 13 November 1942 at 1101, USS Juneau CL-52 (anti-aircraft light cruiser) commanded by Captain Lyman “Knute” Swenson, was torpedoed by Japanese Sub I-26, disintegrated in a violent explosion, and sank 25 miles off the coast of San Cristobal Island during the Battle of Guadalcanal. The Juneau, San Francisco, and Helena were severely damaged in the previous day’s battle, and were seeking the safe harbor of Espiritu Santo. The remaining damaged ships increased speed and made no attempt to attack the Japanese sub, or rescue any survivors, because nothing could be seen of the Juneau.
The Juneau had disappeared, but there were survivors. All were severely wounded from the explosion and they made their way to several doughnut rafts that had been blown free from the ship. Of the Juneau’s original crew of over 700 officers and men, only 100-140 were still alive. The Juneau survivors included George “Sully” Sullivan, a Gunner’s Mate from Waterloo, Iowa. George at 29 was the oldest of the five Sullivan Brothers (Frank [26], Joseph [23], Matt [22], and Albert [20]) whom perished on the USS Juneau. Albert Sullivan was the only brother that had married and had an infant son, Jimmy.
George and Frank had each completed a previous Navy enlistment in June 1941. On 7 December 1941 the five Sullivan Brothers listened to the news on the radio with their parents (Tom and Alleta) and sister (Genevieve), about the attack on Pearl Harbor. A few days later they learned that their close friend, Bill Ball, had died aboard the USS Arizona during the attack. The brothers discussed the matter and enlisted on 3 January 1942, making it a condition that they be assigned together. The Navy Department had originally rejected the “We Stick Together” stipulation but relented under the insistent demands of the brothers.
After completing a brief training at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, the Sullivans received orders on 15 February 1942 to the new light cruiser USS Juneau. This was the first time that five brothers served on the same warship. The Juneau experienced peaceful Atlantic duty until 22 August 1942, when it was directed to the Pacific campaign. During the Battle of Santa Cruz Island on 26 October, which pitted ships against aircraft, Juneau helped shoot down many Japanese aircraft attacking the carrier Hornet.
U.S. Marines had landed on Guadalcanal on 9 August and the fierce battle for the Solomon Islands was just beginning. Japan’s plan was to use Guadalcanal as a base to invade Australia. The unexpected invasion of Guadalcanal by our Marines caught Japan off guard and unprepared. They were building an airfield on Guadalcanal and the Japanese high command decided it was imperative that the island be retaken. Into this eventual inferno came the Juneau and five Sullivan brothers. The Juneau helped the task force bring 6,000 more troops to Guadalcanal on 12 November. The Japanese responded with air attacks. Rear Admiral Richmond Turner maneuvered the American ships to avoid the Japanese torpedoes. The Juneau and other screening ships anti-aircraft fire decimated the attacking enemy planes.
The Sullivan brothers aboard the Juneau The Sullivans knew they would soon see naval action. “Don’t worry about us,” wrote Joseph in a letter home. “We’ll be all right. We’re looking after each other.” Their letters always ended with “Keep your chin up and don’t worry.” On 1 November 1942, Tom and Aletta, mailed Christmas presents to their boys. The Juneau left New Caledonia for Guadalcanal on 8 November. At 0130 on 12 November, the American naval forces cruised along Guadalcanal. The American naval force lead by Admiral Daniel “Uncle Dan” Callaghan included the San Francisco, Portland, Helena, Atlanta, Juneau, and eight destroyers-Cushing, Laffey, Sterett, O’Bannon, Aaron Ward, Barton, Monssen, and Fletcher. No Japanese ships were observed, but the crews on our ships remained alert. From the North came the Japanese naval force with two battleships, a cruiser, and 11 destroyers. In the darkness the two forces moved directly toward each other, neither aware of the other. A few minutes later the battle described as “a barroom brawl with the lights out” commenced. Historian Jack Coggins described it this way. “It was perhaps the most vicious night action in history. Armored ships engaged at point-blank range, destroyers raked battleships with automatic weapons, and torpedoes streaked toward targets so close that the warheads had no time to arm.” In less than an hour the battle was over. Five American and three Japanese ships lay at the bottom of the ocean. Others limped away or drifted aimlessly. The Juneau slugged it out with the Japanese at close range and had taken a torpedo hit on the port side and listed severely, but survived the battle. The Juneau and five other ships had withdrawn from the battle area and were heading for repairs. Three torpedoes fired by the Japanese sub I-26 at the damaged San Francisco missed and hit the Juneau.
According to Lt. Cmdr. Bruce McCandless, who watched from the San Francisco, “The Juneau didn’t sink! She blew up with all the fury of an erupting volcano. There was a terrific thunderclap and a plume of white water that was blotted out by a huge brown hemisphere a thousand yards across. When the dark cloud lifted from the water a minute or so later, we could see nothing of the cruiser or the 700 men she carried.”
George called out for his brothers but there was no answer. Poor communication and questionable command decisions caused delays in sending help, or to look for survivors. The Juneau survivors were choking on oil and over two-thirds of them were severely wounded. By the second day, the wounded Juneau survivors had attracted sharks. One of the survivors, Allen Heyn, talked about how the sharks would grab a guy and there was nothing they could do to help. Heyn claims that George Sullivan survived until the fifth day, but was delirious and disappeared after dark. The last of the Sullivan boys had joined his brothers. By 19 November 10 survivors were finally rescued.
Tom and Aletta Sullivan did not learn of the Juneau sinking and loss of their boys until they heard a disturbing rumor. Another Waterloo sailor in the Pacific combat zone had sent his mother a letter that said, “Isn’t it too bad about the five Sullivan boys being lost in action.” The last letter received by Tom and Aletta Sullivan from the boys had been dated 8 November. On 12 January 1943, naval officers came to the Sullivan home with the news that their sons were missing. However, Juneau survivor, Lester Zook, who had returned to the States, wrote a letter to the parents. Zook wrote, “George (Sullivan) was a special friend of mine. He got off the ship but died on the life raft I was on. The other boys (brothers) went down with the ship and did not suffer….I don’t know whether this sort of letter helps or hurts you, but it’s the truth.”
Tactically, the Navy lost the Battle of Guadalcanal, because of the number of ships lost (Atlanta, Juneau, Barton, Cushing, Laffey, and Monssen). However, the Navy won the battle strategically, because they kept the Japanese (Vice Admiral Hiroaki Abe’s Raiding Group) big guns from bombarding the Marines on Guadalcanal and forcing them to retreat back to Japan. Many of the U.S. ships concentrated their fire on Vice Admiral Abe’s flagship, the battleship Hiei, and that may have given him a negative view on how the battle was going. Both Abe and Captain Nishida, skipper of the Hiei, had been wounded and the battleship was badly damaged and fire swept the topside. Abe signaled his fleet to return to Japan. Hiei didn’t get far in her damaged condition. American aircraft found her just north of Savo Island and blasted the battleship until it sank. Vice Admiral Abe and Captain Nishida lost much face from failing their mission and were “retired” (comparable to U.S. Navy Dishonorable Discharge) by a panel of Japanese Admirals.
USS The Sullivans DD-537 (Fletcher-class destroyer) was launched on 4 April 1943 (Christened by Alleta Sullivan) and named in honor of the five Sullivan Brothers. The ship was awarded Nine Battle Stars in WWII and Two Battle Stars in the Korean War. Today, USS The Sullivans DD-537 stands as a National Historic Memorial in the Buffalo NY Naval & Military Park. A new USS The Sullivans DDG-68 was launched on 12 August 1995 (Christened by Kelly Sullivan Loughren, granddaughter of Albert Sullivan).
Irish Myths
Lugus: The Many-Gifted Lord
Lugus, also called Lug, or Lugh, (Celtic: “Lynx,” or “Light”?), in ancient Celtic religion, one of the major gods. He is one of the deities whom Julius Caesar identified with the Roman god Mercury (Greek: Hermes). His cult was widespread throughout the early Celtic world, and his name occurs as an element in many continental European and British place- names, such as Lyon, Laon, Leiden, and Carlisle (formerly Luguvallium, “Strong in the God Lugus”).
According to Irish tradition, Lug Lámfota (“Lug of the Long Arm”) was the sole survivor of triplet brothers all having the same name. At least three dedications to Lugus in plural form, Lugoues, are known from the European continent, and the Celtic affinity for trinitarian forms would suggest that three gods were likewise envisaged in these dedications. Lug’s son, or rebirth, according to Irish belief, was the great Ulster hero, Cú Chulainn (“Culann’s Dog”).
In Wales, as Lleu Llaw Gyffes (“Lleu of the Dexterous Hand”), he was also believed to have had a strange birth. His mother was the virgin goddess Aranrhod (“Silver Wheel”). When her uncle, the great magician Math, tested her virginity by means of a wand of chastity, she at once gave birth to a boy child, who was instantly carried off by his uncle Gwydion and reared by him. Aranrhod then sought repeatedly to destroy her son, but she was always prevented by Gwydion’s powerful magic; she was forced to give her son a name and provide him with arms; finally, as his mother had denied him a wife, Gwydion created a woman for him from flowers.
Lug was also known in Irish tradition as Samildánach (“Skilled in All the Arts”). The variety of his attributes and the extent to which his calendar festival Lugnasad on August 1 was celebrated in Celtic lands indicate that he was one of the most powerful and impressive of all the ancient Celtic deities.
Division Calendar of Events for November
November 8th Business Meeting at Holy Spirit Parish Center at 7:30 PM
November 10th NC State Board Meeting @ St Mark’s in room 200 11:00 AM
November 27th Social at Brickhouse Pub in Davidson & Danu (Irish Music
concert) at Davidson College. Dinner @ 6:30 PM and concert at 8:00 PM A Bit of Irish History
The Norman Invasion of Ireland
Although an important piece of Irish history, the life of the Normans in Ireland was somewhat short lived (+200 years) in terms of occupation. In saying this, the Norman invasion of Ireland would lead to the English occupation on Irish soil for over 800 years, a reason why this era held importance in Ireland’s history.
The Normans brought many new things to Ireland such as Architecture, languages, such as English and French, and farming ideas just to name a few. As brilliant builders the Normans constructed many castles in Ireland to some of which still stand today, many other lay in ruin.
When did the Normans come to Ireland? 1 May 1169 marked the beginning of the Norman military invasion of Ireland headed by Diarmait Mac Murchada. Without long he had regained the King of Leinster seat and moved onto remove the High King of Ireland, Ruaidri Ua Conchobair. In this battle MacMurrough failed to remove O’Connor from the throne and requested that Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke come to Ireland and assist with his quest.
By 1170 the 2nd Earl of Pembroke (also known as Strongbow) arrived in Ireland with an almighty force of soldiers armed with the latest advanced weaponry found in Europe. With Strongbows unbeatable army it wasn’t long until the Normans had control of Dublin removing the Vikings that already settled in Ireland.
Normans Settle In Ireland Before long Strongbow married MacMurrough’s daughter, Aoife, and was soon King of Leinster. Other Norman soldiers started settling in Ireland taking to our culture & customs and marrying into Irish families. They even made alliances with clan chieftains helping to fight against other chieftains.
By now King Henry had become very unsettled on how their invasion had developed in what could only been seen as a very confusing state of affairs. Strongbow, A Norman, was now a King in Ireland, his army were becoming more Irish than the Irish, too many battles were taken place but yet England had seen no political or economical return for all their efforts.
To overcome the problem of the Normans fitting into the Irish way of life King Henry II decided to travel to Ireland, this was to be the first time an English King Invades Ireland but the invasion was more of an embarrsement for the English King as some Irish Kings refused to cooperate. Irish resistance was strong in the Northern part of the island so the Normans invaded Ulster but in doing so Irish Chieftains decided to call onto Scotland for help.
Galloglach’s, fierce Scottish fighters, came to Ireland’s call to help fight against the Normans. Edward Bruce also arrived who later became a High King of Ireland. Sadly King Edward was killed and his body cut into pieces and placed in towns across Ireland, a warning to the Irish.
No Second Troy by William Butler Yeats The Song Of The Old Mother by William Butler Yeats
Why should I blame her that she filled my days Remembering what she had, With misery, or that she would of late What eagle look still shows, Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways, While up from my heart's root Or hurled the little streets upon the great. So great a sweetness flows Had they but courage equal to desire? I shake from head to foot. What could have made her peaceful with a mind Being wakeful for her sake I rise in the dawn, and I kneel and That nobleness made simple as a fire, blow With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind Till the seed of the fire flicker and glow; That is not natural in an age like this, And then I must scrub and bake and sweep Being high and solitary and most stern? Till stars are beginning to blink and peep; Why, what could she have done, being what she is? And the young lie long and dream in their bed Was there another Troy for her to burn? Of the matching of ribbons for bosom and head, And their day goes over in idleness, Friends by William Butler Yeats And they sigh if the wind but lift a tress: While I must work because I am old, And the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold. Now must I these three praise -- Three women that have wrought What joy is in my days: One because no thought, Nor those unpassing cares, No, not in these fifteen Many-times-troubled years, Could ever come between Mind and delighted mind; And one because her hand Had strength that could unbind What none can understand, What none can have and thrive, Youth's dreamy load, till she So changed me that I live Labouring in ecstasy. And what of her that took All till my youth was gone With scarce a pitying look? How could I praise that one? When day begins to break I count my good and bad,
Carrying Turf at Donegal
, A family in a cart A illegal distillery, location unknown.
Current News from Ireland
Ireland’s High Court rejects claim of bias in Government's referendum campaign
The High Court has ruled that there is no bias in the Government's information campaign on the Children's Referendum. Delivering judgment, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns rejected an action brought by Mark McCrystal of Kilbarrack Road in Dublin. Mr McCrystal had claimed the information campaign was designed, intended and likely to promote a particular outcome in the upcoming referendum. He had asserted that over €1.1 million of public money was being used to sway a Yes vote. Mr Justice Kearns said he was satisfied that the campaign that was being run was neutral and balanced and that its primary aim was to inform voters. He rejected Mr McCrystal's claim that the Government's television and radio adverts encouraged a Yes vote, and described them as "particularly inoffensive". Mr McCrystal had sought an order preventing further distribution of the information booklets, but Mr Justice Kearns described this request as "practically pointless" given that 66% of the booklets had already been circulated.