Irish Cultural Center at The Cairde Connection Elms College “Keeping the Irish Arts Alive!” Volume 12 & Issue 2 November 2011 The Aran Islands come alive with dramatic recital e invite you to attend a dra- tempts, by choosing a number of pas- sound technician. The production W matic recital performed by sages to give the flavor of the book was adapted, devised and directed by Tegolin Knowland and Sean Coyne of and of the island life it documents. It’s Eamon Grennan, a Dubliner origi- Ireland on Wednesday, November 2 a life that remains immediate to us in nally, a poet and teacher who has at 7 p.m. in the Alumnae Library language that has kept its shine lived for over forty years in the Theater. The adaptation by Eamon through the century that has passed United States. Having received his Grennan magically brings Synge’s text since Synge’s early death in 1909. Ph.D. from Harvard University, he to life, enabling us, like Synge to hear Tegolin Knowland trained at Lon- taught for thirty years in the English the wild and wistful voices of the is- don’s Central School of Speech and department of Vassar College. Cur- landers, and, indeed, the island itself. Drama and the Drama Studio (Post rently he teaches in the graduate The event is free and open to the Graduate) where she received Hill- writing programs of Columbia Uni- public; we accept free will offerings. man Best Actress Award. She teaches versity and New York University. He Encouraged by W.B. Yeats, John M. drama in schools in North Conne- has published several books of po- Synge (b. 1871) visited the Aran Is- mara, as well as running Summer etry, as well as a book of literary lands on four occasions, each lasting a Camps in Art and Drama. She is a criticism. month, between 1898 and 1901. member of The Actors Equity Asso- The account of his time there, The ciation in Ireland. Sympathy Aran Islands was written in 1901, Sean Coyne has a passionate interest achieving lasting distinction as a re- in theatre. In addition to his role as We offer our sympathy to the fam- cord of a particular landscape, sea- performer, Sean also serves as pro- ily and friends of Sister Margaret scape, climate, and way of life. This duction/stage bookings manager, set/ James McGrath, long-time Elms fac- “dramatic recital for two voices” at- lighting/special effects designer and ulty member and Robert Crane, father of Sean Patrick Crane. Christmas with an Irish Touch focuses Member renewal on the language and children e ask you to watch your mail for our annual 2012 member or the second year in a row we Irish by Pádraic Déiseach and Tom W letter and renewal form which we will offer at our Christmas with Moriarty; our booklet will provide F will mail in the next several weeks. an Irish Touch celebration songs per- the English translation. Listed among our members are formed by Dan Kane and his young those who have renewed annually singers. At the entertainment we will serve since its founding in 1999 up to The celebration begins on December 3 refreshments. The event is free and those who have joined over the at 2 p.m. in Veritas Auditorium, open to the public. We will conduct years, as well as those who joined Berchmans Hall. Come join us for this a raffle and take free will offerings. for the first time in 2011. very special Christmas music program Berchmans Hall and Our Lady’s We thank all of you for your mem- featuring several of their children and Chapel are both handicapped acces- bership and particularly those people adult soloists. sible. who have anticipated the letter and At 4 p.m. we will have Liturgy in Our This event, begun in 1999, is our have already sent in dues for 2012. Lady’s Chapel with readings and the oldest and most continuous annual We have opportunities for members sung parts of the Mass in Irish. Father program. For the entertainment we to become more involved by joining Mark Stelzer will preside. Music will be have had guest artists, as well as one of our committees, especially provided by Our Lady, Mother of some of own local talent. For the our development group. If you have Hope folk group led by Kathleen Gil- liturgy we have welcomed area an interest and the skills, please con- hooly. The readings will be read in priests to preside. tact the center. Page 2 Labhair í agus mairfidh sí! Speak it and it will live! Celebration of two cultures coming together The Irish Cultural Center strives to “keep the Irish arts alive.” n September 29 about 70 peo- The Irish Cultural Center… O ple gathered for the opening of the photographic exhibit “To • Serves as a public forum for Love Two Countries.” One of the events, including lectures, musi- visitors wrote in the guest book, cal presentations, films and ex- “This is a wonderful celebration of hibits two cultures coming together.“ • Promotes ties between the Cen- Another commented on the fact ter and educational organizations that the faces tell so many stories. in Ireland, especially with the Eileen Sullivan, daughter of Tim and Blasket Cultural Center Kathleen Sullivan who are pictured, • Serves as an academic link with wrote, “Beautiful photographs of a project and its title. The first phase Irish American social organiza- wonderful generation of Irish Immi- included folks from New York, tions in Western New England. grants.” New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Another attendee called the opening second phase included Massachu- Director: a “happy” one. The subjects of the setts, Connecticut and Rhode Is- Judith Kappenman, SSJ, Chicopee photos who were able to attend, land, and these are the ones in- Board of Directors stood proudly before their image cluded in this exhibit. Officers: and delighted in finding photos One of the New York emigrants Chip Costello, E Longmeadow around the gallery in the Borgia Gal- interviewed when asked about the Fran Hennessey, Springfield lery of friends or emigrants who sadness of leaving her country said, came from the same county. “Yes, I am sad, but I have learned to Kevin Taugher, So Hadley Visitors exclaimed over the photos love two countries.” Thus the or- Mary Ellen Lowney, Chicopee and met friends to talk about old ganizers found the title. Rose Baker, W Springfield times. Tim Donoghue and Bill Each of the subjects of the photos Jean Brigham, Palmer Dempsey provided an Irish musical told their story, and their taped James Cannon, Holyoke background. interviews are being transcribed for Kate Daly, Westfield Irish Arts Center Director, Aidan future access at New York Univer- Connolly gave an overview of the sity, and eventually on the Internet. Kathleen Doe, Northampton Jerry Donovan, W Springfield William Dziura, Chicopee Dennis Egan, Longmeadow Christine Fay, Springfield Sheila Foley, W Springfield Avery Freniere, Springfield Kathryn Gallivan, So Hadley James Hoar, Holyoke Ann Lowe, Holyoke Kathleen Lynch, Chicopee Kellie Mayo, Enfield Kelly Moore, W Springfield Mary Ellen O’Brien, Springfield 291 Springfield Street Pictured above: Frank McAvin, Sr. Eleanor Dooley, Judy McAvin Chicopee, MA 01013 pose in front of his portrait; left: Aidan Connolly speaks of the ori- 265-2537 [email protected] gin of the project; right: Sr. Mary Magdalen poses with three of her www.irish-cairde.org former Cathedral High School students, Mary Ellen O’Brien, Tim Donoghue, Kathryn Groffman. Labhair í agus mairfidh sí! Speak it and it will live! Page 3 Who Do You Think You Are? Learning More About Our Irish Ancestors By Mary Ellen Lowney racing your Irish roots? Some than her own Irish roots. But she T key advice from an expert: Start spent summers in Castlegregory, at home. County Kerry at a family home, and Begin with yourself, map out your ended up a young scholar in Derry, parents, then your grandparents, and where she was drawn into genealogy all the way back to Ireland. Only then by chance after a colleague asked her should you make your trip back to to write an article on the topic for a the homeland. magazine. That was the advice from Christine Once that happened, she quickly saw years, the Irish people were among Kinealy, professor of history at the the connections between the study of the tallest and healthiest in the world. Caspersen Graduate School at Drew dates, times and events, and the sto- The population peaked at 8.5 million University, keynote speaker at our ries of the people who fill in the in 1845, and then something hap- annual breakfast. blanks. pened that drove millions to death Before an audience of about 100 at “You have that in-depth knowledge of and overseas flight. the Yankee Peddlar Inn in Holyoke, the people in your family, and they The Great Famine. It began in 1845 Kinealy gave solid advice to those can share this with you. They will give with the potato blight and lasted on looking for the details on Irish roots. you clues to your own ancestry,” she and off for six years. The British pro- Kinealy, who grew up in Liverpool, said. vided aid during the first year, but England, but whose roots are in Ire- Kinealy put the story of Irish geneal- after that it was cut drastically. Be- land, said the best place to start is ogy into context, drawing a map of tween 1 million and 1.5 million peo- with your relatives at home, and in the tragic history that lures so many ple died of hunger and the resulting person.