MOHAWK VALLEY IRISH CULTURAL

Volume 15, Issue 5 EVENTS NEWSLETTER May 2018

Irish Festival Season Kicks Off in East Durham

On May 26-27, the 2018 Celtic festival season unofficially gets under way, as the quaint little town of East Durham hosts its 41st annual “East Durham Irish Festival.” Billed as the “…longest running Irish festival in the U.S…,” the East Durham Irish Festival carries on its outstanding tradition of bringing in the finest music, food, children’s entertainment and family fun, at the Michael J. Quill Cultural and Sports Centre Headquarters, on 2119 Route 145 (off Thruway exit 21). This year’s festival features the Andy Cooney Band, Shilelagh Law, Derek Warfield and the Young WolfeTones, Whistlin’ Donkeys, MacLean Avenue Band, Kilishandra, Narrowbacks, bagpipers, dancers and more. Admission per day is $20 at the gate, and two-day passes are available for $30. Children under 16 are free, as is parking. For further information, call 1-800-434-FEST, or check out their web site.

Blessed Beltane to You and Yours – liberally borrowed – w-what!? Stolen!? Potato-potahto --from several web sites.

Beltane (also known as Bealtaine or Bealltainn), is an ancient Gaelic holiday celebrated around May 1. The word Beltane means “Fire in the sky.” Beltane, and its counterpart Samhain (see MVICE, Oct 2005 for more on Samhain), divide the year into its two primary seasons: winter (Dark Part) and summer (Light Part). As Samhain is about honoring Death, Beltane, its counterpart, is about honoring Life. It is the time when the sun is fully released from his bondage of winter and able to rule over summer and life once again.

Beltane, like Samhain, is a time of “no time” when the veils between the two worlds are at their thinnest; when the two worlds intermingle and unite and the magic abounds! It is the time when the Faeries return from their winter respite, carefree and full of faery mischief and faery delight. On the night before Beltane, folks would place rowan branches at their windows and doors for protection; as many otherworldly occurrences could transpire during this time of “no time.” Traditionally, the youngest member of the family would be sent out to gather primroses on the eve before Beltane and throw the flowers at the door of the home for protection. Then his older brothers would lock him out of the house. Haha! Just kidding; that wasn’t on the web site.

Somewhat less mythical, Beltane marks the midpoint in the Sun’s progress between the vernal equinox and summer solstice, which is traditionally considered to be May 1st. Traditionally, Beltane festivities marked the beginning of the pastoral summer season when the herds of livestock were driven out to summer pastures and mountain grazing lands. These festivities began days before May 1st, or “May Day,” when villagers traveled into the woods to gather the nine sacred woods needed to build the Beltane bonfires. The tradition of “May Boughing” or “May Birching” involved young men fastening garlands of greens and flowers on the windows and doors of their prospective ladyloves before the fires are lit Beltane night.

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Caffè Lena Presents Séan McCann

Caffè Lena, recognized as the oldest continuously operating coffeehouse in the United States, is hosting Great Big Sea founding member, Séan McCann, on May 31, 2018.

Séan’s approach to the traditional folk songs of Newfoundland and Labrador brought him international fame as a founding member of the renowned band Great Big Sea. After selling millions of albums, landing hit songs, and making record breaking tours around the world, Séan decided that, after 20 years, the time had come to start over. His new solo music reflects his ongoing journey toward peace, love, and contentment. His recent release, You Know I Love You, is a happy collection of acoustic songs. Between the intimacy of his music and his personal charisma, Sean’s concerts create genuine human connection. Tickets for the 7 PM show are $20; $18 for members and $10 for students/children.

Rockin’ Road Leads to Syracuse

What do you get when you combine the mastery of Irish dancers with the passion of rock music? You get “Rockin’ Road to Dublin,” a new and exhilarating show like you’ve never seen before.

Rockin’ Road to Dublin is the new sensation changing the Irish Dance world. A mix of style and mastery, RR2D’s performance is a medley of fun vibes, highly original choreography, and technical mastery. Choreographer and lead male dancer Scott Doherty (Riverdance and Lord of the Dance) has teamed up with veteran Celtic rocker Chris Smith (formerly with GAIF veterans American Rogues) to produce this fusion of music, movement, and culture. It’s a breathtaking display of classic Irish tunes, jigs and reels, accented by rock riffs, contemporary costumes, and a dynamic light show.

On May 2, RR2D roars into the OnCenter’s Mulroy Civic Center Theaters for a very special 7 PM performance. Tickets range from $25 to $52, and are available on-line. Make plans today to see the show that Irish Dance Magazine calls “A fabulous mix of charisma and personality. WORLD-CLASS.”

Win a Trip for Two to Ireland!

The Great American Irish Festival is pleased to announce its first ever “Ireland Trip” raffle. That’s right, a one- week trip to the Emerald Isle – including airfare, hotels and coach transportation – could be yours, for a mere investment of $20.

The raffle, which will benefit the Great American Irish Festival and the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley, promises a week of sightseeing, shopping and guided tours, covering the length and breadth of the island. Conveyance and tours will be facilitated by Go Ahead Tours.

In this 7-day/6-night trip, you’ll experience the sights and sounds of Galway, the splendor of County Claire’s awe-inspiring Cliffs of Moher and the Burren, the quaint town of Cobh, Blarney Castle, and places, old and new, in the beautiful city of Dublin. The trip is scheduled for Oct 14-21, but there may be flexibility based on availability.

Only 1000 tickets will be sold for this golden opportunity to experience the landscape, history and culture of one of the most beautiful places on the planet. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Sheila Knapp at [email protected]. The drawing will be held at the Great American Irish Festival, at 10 PM on July 28th, 2018.

The Great American Irish Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.

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Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley Update

Well, it’s been a few months since we presented an update on the Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley (ICCMV), and a lot has happened in those few months. We plan to continue this series over the next few months, which we hope will culminate in a lead article called “Irish Cultural Center Is Open for Business!”

The Building – Progress and Plans

The ICCMV’s business model is a combination of non-profit and for-profit entities. The Center’s downstairs portion is designed for-profit and will include an authentic Irish pub that’s being built in Ireland and shipped over, due to arrive in late May or early June. Center officials and engineers met with representatives of the Ireland build team on April 29-30 to compare notes and construction specs, and both factions left satisfied. The final coats of paint have been applied to the event center, which will be capable of accommodating 250-300, or can be trisected to support multiple events at once. A local caterer, A Moveable Feast, will be moving in and setting up shop.

The second-floor, non-profit space will feature an Irish museum showcasing local and revolving exhibits from other Irish cultural centers, as well as office space, meeting and reflection rooms, and a performance area for reading, poetry and music, as well as rooms/infrastructure for conducting genealogical searches and other research of local Irish interest. There will also be an outdoor courtyard with a fireplace, and parking for about 150 vehicles.

“The Five Points Tavern”

The pub will be called “The Five Points Tavern,” hearkening back to the famed “Five Points” section in NYC, while also paying tribute to the fact that the pub – situated on the same spot once occupied by the original St. Patrick’s Church -- also sits on a five-street intersection. Capable of accommodating 100 patrons, it will be decorated with classic Irish fabrics, tiles and fixtures, and will also feature a traditional Irish “snug.”

“Building the future, Uncovering the Past”

Beginning on April 16th, the structure most recently known as “Al’s Auction House” was razed, both for safety reasons and to make way for a proposed parking area. As construction teams began to remove the rubble, foreman John Sullivan made an interesting discovery: a time capsule…or what was left of it. Believed to be the same time capsule that was the subject of a frantic search by German Lutheran School historians just days before the building’s demolition, it unfortunately had never been adequately sealed to protect its contents, and all that remains are some shreds of documents marking the dedication of the building as a school hall for the Zion Lutheran Church on Sept. 12, 1880.

Museum/Collections Display

The Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley has been chartered by the NYS Department of Education as a “Historical Society with Collections.” Over the past couple months, a small Museum team has been meeting to discuss the whats, wheres and hows involved in setting up a museum/historical society with collections. The museum, once completed, will feature a combination of permanent exhibits (documents, period pieces, dioramas, artwork, etc.) and temporary, rotating exhibits. While it’s far too premature to predict when the Center’s 2nd floor museum will be fully functional, there are plans to start small, bringing in traveling exhibits from the famed Ward Musical Archives for extended periods at the upstairs viewing area, beginning with “The Irish in Rock/Traditional Music,” tentatively scheduled to arrive in early July. Want to get involved in helping the team identify and locate various artifacts? Stay tuned for “calls for collections” in the near future.

What’s next?

While no firm date has been given for a grand opening – other than it will be in July -- there are activities planned for the July time frame, including the Irish Breakfast on Sunday, July 29th, hosted by the Great American Irish Festival. Officials are also lining up a series of presentations to begin in July, including “The Irish and the Erie,” “Pop Up Gaeltacht,” “Irish Songs: Their History & Meanings,” and musical workshops of every stripe. Be sure to check back here next month for our “Irish Cultural Center of the Mohawk Valley Update.”

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“Our Revenge Will Be The Laughter Of Our Children” – by Mark Sisti

Saturday, May 5, is the 37th anniversary of the date Bobby Sands died following his hunger strike. While we here at the Mohawk Valley Irish Cultural Events Newsletter try to avoid the pitfalls of political issues, occasionally there are events so significant and so universal in their application that they should not be forgotten. We believe this is one of them.

BOBBY SANDS was born in 1954 in Rathcoole, a predominantly loyalist district of north Belfast. His family moved several times due to constant intimidation of Catholics by loyalists. On leaving school, he became an apprentice coach- builder, until he was forced out at gunpoint, again by loyalist intimidators. His early experiences led him inexorably to the Irish republican movement and he joined the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1972.

Although often smeared as a “convicted IRA terrorist,” his only conviction was in fact for possession of a revolver, a crime for which he received fourteen years. In 1976 he was arrested with four others who were in a car containing a handgun. Charged in connection with an earlier bombing, he was held on remand for eleven months until his trial in September 1977. There was no evidence to link Bobby or the others with him to the bombing, and those and other serious charges against him were dismissed, but he was convicted of possession of firearms and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment.

Like much of the Bobby Sands story, the goals of the hunger strike are often misunderstood today. There were no outrageous requests made, no insistence on total British withdrawal from Ireland, no demands that prisoners be freed. In retrospect, the actual demands made by the hunger strikers were remarkably innocuous and reasonable, and it is mind-boggling today to realize that the authorities refused to even consider them.

In March of 1976, an announcement had been made that republican prisoners would be stripped of their “special category” status and would from that point on be treated like ordinary prisoners. This set off a series of protests by republicans seeking to regain their previous status of political prisoners and not be subject to ordinary prison regulations. This was not an effort to lessen their hardship (although there is little dispute that the Irish Republican prisoners were treated abysmally) but was rather an answer to the British plan to paint those involved in the Irish fight for freedom as criminals in the eyes of the world. The hunger strike was the final desperate stage of these efforts against “criminalization.” The five specific demands over which the republicans were striking included:

1. The Right not to wear a prison uniform; 2. The Right not to do prison work; (they were willing to maintain their own portion of the prison grounds) 3. The Right of free association with other prisoners; 4. The Right to organize their own educational and recreational facilities; 5. The Right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week

Bobby Sands began refusing food on March 1, 1981 and was followed by other prisoners at staggered intervals for maximum effect. The hunger strike received little publicity at first. Then came the turning point. Following the death of Frank Maguire, an independent nationalist MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone, Bobby Sands was put up for election. Other nationalist candidates withdrew, giving Sands a clear run against the Unionist candidate, Harry West. Bobby Sands was duly elected by 30,492 votes to 29,046, on a massive turnout of 86.8%. Sands was by now forty days into his hunger strike. Many feel this election was highly significant in that it prompted the republican movement to move towards politics, and indirectly paved the way for the Good Friday Agreement and the success of Sinn Féin many years later.

Attempts to end the hunger strike, including a personal intervention from the Pope, proved fruitless. The British government, led by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, refused to accede to or even consider the demands. Spending his last few days on a water bed to protect his fragile bones, Bobby Sands died in the early hours of the morning, on May 5 1981, after 66 days on his hunger strike, soon to be followed by nine other prisoners who died as a result of the hunger strike. Bobby Sands was 27 years old. The announcement of his death prompted several days of riots in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland. Over 100,000 people lined the route of his funeral.

While the hunger strike did not accomplish its immediate goals, it was a seminal event in modern Irish history, galvanizing nationalist politics and thrusting Sinn Féin to the forefront as a serious political force.

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There’s a Gaelic Storm Brewing!

On Wednesday, June 6th, the genre-bending Gaelic Storm makes their first-ever Utica appearance, with a very special 7:30 PM show at the historic Stanley Theatre. With a career that began as a pub band, through their appearance as a Third Class party band (“third class” is a location, not a rating!) and now to the present, they’ve topped the Billboard World Chart five times and regularly headline the largest Irish Festivals across the country.

This show, co-sponsored by the Stanley Theatre and the Great American Irish Festival, supports their latest CD, “Go Climb a Tree,” which features Patrick Murphy and Steve Twigger at their song-writing best, gluing all the tracks together with the spark and spirit of a band that’s spent over 20 years on the road.

Tickets for the show are $20, $30 and $40, and are available in person at the box office, or by calling (315) 724- 4000, or by going on-line.

7th Annual Finger Lakes Celtic Games and Festival

The Finger Lakes Celtic Society, Inc. presents their 7th annual Games and Festival, on Saturday, May 19th, 2018, in Shortsville NY. This family-friendly event features bagpipers, highland heavy games, dance, a gathering of clans and historical societies, Celtic music, demonstrations, artisans, food and merchandise vendors, things for the kids, and so much more; all packed into a one day handicap accessible event. Tickets for the day, available here, are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and children.

From the Irish Kitchen (recipes suitable for clipping)

This month’s recipe… “Blueberry Bread Pudding” - by Margaret Johnson This delicious treat boasts out-of-this-world flavor and eye appeal. You just may want to skip the main course and go straight to dessert.

Ingredients:

5 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sugar 8 croissants, cut into 2-inch pieces 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 cups blueberries

Method:

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Preheat the oven to 375° F (really? Did we really need the “F”? Listen, if you’ve got an oven that can heat to 375° Celsius, you don’t have a kitchen, you have a blast furnace. But I digress; better jump out of these parentheses). Spread the croissants out on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Arrange half the croissants in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with half the blueberries. Repeat with remaining croissants and blueberries. Pour the custard over the croissants and let soak for 30 minutes.

Place the dish in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes (of course, your futuristic oven probably also has settings for femtoseconds and epochs), or until the pudding is set and the top is golden. Remove the baking dish from the water and let cool on a wire rack. Serves 6 to 8.

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

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“So Much Owed” -- Book Review by Mark Sisti I blame it on Aunt Shirley

OK, maybe I should explain. My godmother Shirley mentioned one time that she really loved the books of Maeve Binchy. Because of my respect for Shirley’s intelligence, I once tried to read a Binchy book.

I hated it. Threw it across the room, in fact. But when I saw the books of Jean Grainger being compared to Maeve Binchy I gave her “So Much Owed” –2016 Authors Choice Best Historical Fiction Award winner – a try. So, that’s how I ended up reading something I rarely delve into, historical family saga fiction. It’s still not my genre of choice, but I didn’t throw it across the room. If you enjoy this style, you are sure to like this one.

Dr. Richard Buckley returns home to Dunderrig, Ireland after serving in France during World War I, weary of the horrors of war. Returning with him is Solange, the widow of his best friend. (In a pact between the two friends, it was agreed that if one fell, the remaining friend would take care of the other’s wife.)

They arrive at Dunderrig just as Richard’s wife Edith is about to give birth. Edith – an Irish nationalist from Dublin – is cold and distant and bitter at Richard for serving in the British Army. In truth, she’s bored with life in the rural community, and the birth of twins only causes her to withdraw even more. Solange takes over care of the twins, James and Juliet, and when Edith abandons the family and returns to Dublin, Solange becomes their nanny and second mother.

The years pass and the twins grow into young adults, Juliet a bold and spirited young lady and James more reserved and artistic. Their future is a minor bone of contention: Richard wants James to follow the family tradition and go into medicine, an occupation for which he is wholly unsuited; Richard also disapproves of Juliet’s desire to become a doctor, and would like her to settle down and marry a local boy.

So far, the book is a fairly standard tale of a family keeping things together in a trying time – the clouds of World War II are on the horizon – but at this point, the story takes some turns which entail a serious suspension of disbelief.

James gets a note from Edith trying to reconnect with him (she and Juliet were never close.) The twins meet her in Dublin, where she has married a German national, despite never having been officially divorced from Richard. James does, in fact, become closer to his mother and, in fact, enters into a relationship with her husband’s niece. But is all as it seems? (Of course it isn’t; why would I have asked otherwise?)

For her part, Juliet is sent to stay with an elderly relative, partly to escape from the scandal of having (with Richard’s blessing) left her intended groom at the altar. A chance meeting there leads to the revelation to certain factions that she speaks French flawlessly, a benefit of having been raised by Solange. As a result she is recruited by British Intelligence and trained to be a spy. After intense training she is sent to France where she first serves as a courier and then, after attracting the attentions of a high-ranking Nazi officer, infiltrates the upper echelon of the Nazis. (I warned you about the suspension of disbelief.)

As mentioned, if this genre is your cup of tea, you will enjoy this well-written and well-researched book. Parts of it are too slow and drawn-out, and others are treated too dismissively, but the characters are likeable, if a bit clichéd. Think of it as the literary equivalent of a Lifetime Channel movie. There is also a bit of a disjointed feel to it, as if it were actually two stories the author tried to meld into one, but the theme of the sacrifices people are willing to make for their family is a consistent thread throughout.

The book does examine some aspects of Irish history that are often overlooked, chiefly Ireland’s role in both World Wars. The Irish who joined the British Army in World War I were largely derided by their countrymen for joining the army of an invading country instead of staying home and fighting for independence – remember, the Dublin insurrection took place in 1916. In World War II, the Irish, under Eamon DeValera, earned criticism for strictly maintaining neutrality, and republicans actually colluded with the Germans in exchange for a promise of a unified Ireland after the war. Unfortunately, the treatment of these subjects is cursory and superficial, used more as a plot device than a serious exploration. But I suspect people who read this type of book read them as much for the romance and the story as they do for the history, and in that respect it won’t disappoint.

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RANDOM RAMBLINGS

“Nuacht as Craobh Dugan” ---news from the Dugan Branch Chris Hoke writes: “The Irish and the Erie” CDs are available for purchase at all Craobh Dugan gigs as well as on-line through our website, www.uticairish.org. Cost for paid branch members is $10; general cost is $15. Download cards are also available for $10. Whether or not you have a CD, you can read a lot about the Irish contribution to the building of the Erie Canal on our website--there is a lot of interesting information there! Check it out....Performances this month include: May 1 - Nail Creek Pub Session, 7:30 PM; May 4 - Ceili Dance Class, Seton Center, 7 PM; May 11 - Ceili Dance Class, Seton Center, 7 PM ; May 15 – Stockdale’s session, 7:30 PM; May 18 - Ceili Dance Class, Seton Center, 7 PM ; May 25 - Ceili Dance Class, Seton Center, 7 PM.”

“Irish and the Erie” On the heels of several well-received performances, musicians from Craobh Dugan will be presenting their “Irish and the Erie” program on Saturday, May 5th, at the Cazenovia Public Library, at 1 PM. The musicians -- Mike Hoke (fiddle and vocals), Bill Fahy (mandolin, banjo and vocals), Skip Mansur (bouzouki and vocals), Ed Campbell (fiddle, guitar and vocals), Mike Carroll (flute, whistle, concertina and vocals) and Sue Romero (bodhrán and vocals) -- have also recorded a CD of the program.

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

May 1 Nail Creek Sessions Nail Creek Pub Utica 7:30 PM Free May 2 Rockin’ Road to Dublin OnCenter Syracuse 7 PM $25-$52 May 4 Lewington-Downie Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 8 PM Free May 5 “Irish and the Erie” – Craobh Dugan Cazenovia Library Cazenovia 1-2 PM Free May 5 Get Up Jack Wolf Hollow Brewing Glenville 8 PM $12 May 6 Traditional Irish Breakfast Sheri’s Eastside Diner Utica 7 AM-2 PM $10.95 May 12 Traditional Irish Session Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 2-5 PM Free May 12 Blarney Rebel Band John Devereux Tavern Utica 7 PM Free May 12 Hair of the Dog The Parting Glass Saratoga Springs 8 PM $13 May 15 Traditional Irish Session Stockdale’s Oriskany 7:30 PM Free May 18 Blarney Rebel Band Piggy Pat’s Washington Mills 6-9 PM Free May 19 Syracuse Irish Session Funk’n Waffles Syracuse 2-5 Free May 19 Finger Lakes Games/Festival Festival Grounds Shortsville, NY 9:30 - 8 PM $10-$12 May 19 Forthlin Road The Parting Glass Saratoga Springs 8 PM $5 May 20 Traditional Irish Session Irish Amer Ass’n Albany 2:30-6 PM Free May 20 Flying Column Coleman’s Irish Pub Syracuse 4-7 PM Free May 26 Traditional Irish Session Kitty Hoynes Pub Syracuse 2-5 PM Free Michael J. Quill East Durham 10 AM-10 PM Sat $20/day; $30 May 26-27 East Durham Irish Festival Cultural and Sports 11:30-10 PM Sun weekend Centre (mass at 10 AM) May 31 The McKrells The Parting Glass Saratoga Springs 8 PM $10 May 31 Séan McCann Caffe Lena Saratoga Springs 7 PM $10-$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 strive for accuracy, we often miss the mark or the al or the beth. It always makes sense to call ahead for some of these further-out events. Don’t forget, Mother’s Day is on May 13th, so do something nice for yours. Also, as we celebrate Memorial Day on May 28th, please remember those who have died in service to our country.

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