est. 2006 FEBRUARY 2019 • Volume 13 - Issue 2 An EEjit EDITOR’S CORNER AbroAd By CB Makem February 2019 Vol. 13 Issue 2 A Hallelujah Christmas? Founders Cliff Carlson & John O’Brien, Jr. od understands the weary. Two And said goodbye with a handshake Publisher John O’Brien Jr. Gdays after Christmas, I got a text and, “Keep the Faith.” Editor John O’Brien Jr. A Bit of a Reach from Brendan Gorman that George As I held my place in the Honor Design/Production Christine Hahn I think there’s one thing on which we historic city of just under 150,000, on Website Dunne had passed away. I was so sure Guard of former Saints Patrick’s & Jar- Rich Croft @VerticalLift can all agree, and that’s that the Ohio our way to a town an hour west called Columnists he was mistaken, George was only 52. lath’s players, and Georgie was carried Akron Irish Lisa O’Rourke Irish American News has been lacking Sebeș. Now Sebeș is the kind of place I have known George Dunne, Jr. for all out in the arms of his brothers, neph- An Eejit Abroad CB Makem a column on Transylvania for quite that when an immigration official asks of our lives. Born six months apart, I ews and family, I thought of George Sr. At Home Abroad Regina Costello some time. I blame it on the Sports how long you’re staying and you say “90 have memories of George Jr. and I, John waiting, sitting with legs stretched out Behind the Hedge John O’Brien, Jr. Department, but then again, you can days,” and he asks where you’re stay- Blowin’ In Susan Mangan Jr., climbing over penalty boxes at Win- and crossed, hands interlocked on his Cleveland Comhra Bob Carney pretty much always point the finger at ing, and you say “Sebeș,” he’ll repeat terhurst and kicking a Gaelic football stomach, waiting to meet Georgie at Cleveland Irish Francis McGarry them and most people would just agree the town name as if he’d just watched at Gunning, or just getting in trouble, The Gate. Jr. was going home, and wait- Columbus Irish Maureen Ginley and say, “Well, that’s no surprise.” a contestant on the Price is Right bid while watching our dads, George Sr. ing with a hug, and a few warm pats on Cooking Up a Hooley Katie Gagne When our editor asked me why I on the dishwasher over the second and Crossword Puzzle Linda Fulton Burke and John Sr. play broomball or Gaelic the back was dad … Fields of Glory Vincent Beach wanted to focus on Transylvania for always better showcase. football; I don’t think we had entered “Ahh Georgie, you came too early Illuminations J. Michael Finn my premiere column, I asked, “Wasn’t To make matters worse, Libby was grade school yet. John O’Brien, Jr. and George Dunne, Jr. Son. It’s good to see you.” Kids Craic Dottie Wenger Dracula set in that region of Romania?” flying on an American passport, and Madigan Muses Marilyn Madigan George got yelled at more often, or Safe Home my friend. Watch over Off Shelf/On This Day Terry Kenneally And he conceded the point. Then I I—following her directly—was on an maybe I left the hearing aid at home. I never doubted he was just a call us. For always George, you are just a further inquired, “And wasn’t it written Irish one. Now he’s looking at the pair A couple poses for a selfie on the Bridge of Lies, arguably Sibiu’s most photo- Out of the Mailbag John O’Brien, Jr. graphed feature. One of the legends states that if a merchant was caught cheating I remember how powerful George away. That loyalty manifested itself in Speak Irish Bob Carney by Bram Stoker?” To which he replied, of us, purportedly from two different thought away. his customers, he was thrown off the bridge. Sr. was, built like a mac truck, and his support of most everything Irish; TaraTrips Tara Quinn “It was.” countries staying three months in a Terry From Derry Terry Boyle Sara racing onto the field at Gunning, Aislinn, The IRA, Gaelic football, free- Nuair a stadann an ceol, stadann Toledo Irish Maury Collins And then I nimbly argued, “And town that, for all I knew, was Roma- old woman in Texas. tertainment, all seeming to want to get whacking a Chicago player over the dom for Ireland, music, his friends and an rinnce. When Irish Eyes Maury Collins wasn’t Bram Stoker an Irish-Ameri- nian for stay away: botulism capital of Then he ran across my notebook, home (the airport had been shuttered head with her purse repeatedly as he family, and luckily, me. (When the music stops, so does the Young & Irish Mary Kate Campbell can?” And he answered, “I’m pretty the world. As you can guess, it didn’t which was emblazoned with a Star Fleet for 40 minutes) and I got the feeling our stupidly tried to fight George Sr. Al- Fr. Pat called George a peacemaker dance) OhioIANews is published monthly (12 issues a year) sure he was just Irish.” And I concluded go well. insignia and the words “Captain’s Log.” supervisor friend pulled this kind of ways a losing proposition, for with the at the funeral. That got a chuckle. I on the first day of each month. Subscription is by first the discussion with, “Well that counts.” He called over a supervisor who He was even more interested in this stunt a lot. Dunne’s, loyalty trumps all, and taking suppose he was, later in life. But the in- John class mail. And so here we are. Ready to set proceeded to rummage through every tidbit than the Lone Star State corre- A neighbor in Sebeș later informed on one, was taking on a whole army. domitable spirit that fired through him 1 year $36, 2 years at $70, 3 years $100. things right. And no, I shan’t be men- nook and cranny of our luggage, taking spondence. “What’s this?” he asked, as me that that kind of behavior was not To subscribe go online at OhioIANews.com, or I remember George Sr. sitting in my in life, didn’t suffer fools or fake news. Email us at [email protected], or call us at tioning Bram Stoker again, so if that’s his sweet time as the airport was swiftly if he’d finally found the conspiratorial uncommon among some people with house in Medina, talking about life, George was the brother I never had, a 216.647.1144 or mail to address below. what you’re looking for, you’re out of closing all around us. “What’s this?” crown jewel. “It’s a … um … note- power, but he was the only overzealous and that laugh popping out after the friend who never wavered, and a con- OhioIANews is available for free at 275 locations in and luck. You see, the other half and I jetted the head cheese asked at one point. book.” “Pretty fancy notebook,” said authority we met in our travels. quick squint of the eyes, that were a stant staunch supporter, who refused to around Ohio, PA. NY. IN. MI. & KY. For information on the off for a three-month adventure to Ro- “That’s a letter from an 84-year-old he condescendingly, as if I should be The first agent, who was a very nice locations go to www.OhioIANews.com and click on the clue he was teasing. George Jr. shared be any less than that, ever. Ohio Distribution button. mania, and though I have plenty to say woman in Texas. I was going to write ashamed by my high fallutin’ galactic fellow, called us a cab—an awfully nice so many traits with his dad – but the He always greeted with me with, CONTACT: about Ireland and America, it creates a her back.” I jest not, he proceeded to novelty. I shrugged, and though I want- thing as we didn’t speak Romanian and loyalty is the one that I associate most. “Johnny, How the hell are ya?” Ohio Irish American News 216.647.1144 bit of suspense, doesn’t it, to save those read the letter from stem to stern, a re- ed to assure him I wasn’t really a Star the front of the airport had as much e-mail: [email protected] places for a later column. spectable feat, as it was exactly the kind Fleet captain, I held my tongue, because activity as a town at the end of a Clint or mail to: 14615 Triskett Rd Cleve OH 44111-3123 We flew into Sibiu, a beautiful and of letter you’d expect from an 84-year he didn’t seem like the kind of person Eastwood movie. Subscriptions: [email protected] who found anything funny unless We stayed the night in Sibiu, which On the Internet: www.OhioIANews.com www.facebook.com/ someone got hurt. was named Europe’s cultural capital in OhioIrishAmericanNews And then he hit upon my American 2007. The old town section, where the www.twitter.com/jobjr PUBLISHERS STATEMENT passport. Holy cow, I thought we were hotel was located, was named by Forbes “Follow me where I go, The opinions and statements expressed in this SAFE HOME going to be turned away, left to stew as Europe’s 8th most idyllic place to THE IRISH newspaper are entirely those of the authors, and do what I do and who not reflect in any way the opinions of OhioIANews.