Newsletter September 2014 - The Irish Claddagh Club Website

Newsletter September 2014
Your 2014
Executive
Committee:
A Hundred Thousand Welcomes!
Page 1: Executive Info; Index &
Radio Show Information
President
Paul Malone
705-721-7624
Vice President
Ken Donovan
705-739-8536
Treasurer
Margaret Curran
705-424-3066
Secretary
Jane Downie
705-835-0406
Events Co-Ordinator
Angie Chisholm
705-456-1595
Membership
Rita Bettam
705-722-3644
Founder
Renee Hall
705-431-1087
Page 2: Looking for your Irish
Roots?
Page 3: The Irish Variety Show
& Computer Tip
Page 4: Proverbs in Irish
Language & Membership
Renewal
Page 5: Upcoming Events & Other
Events of Interest
Page 6: Past Events, Celtic
Symbols & Halloween
Page 7: Laughter The Best
Medicine
Page 8: Book Review
Page 9: Movie Review
Page 10: Membership Application
& Upcoming Events Cut
Out
Picking fresh corn: Corn is one of the few
produce items that converts sugar to starch as it
ages. That's why corn always tastes best right
after it's picked. The newer varieties of corn,
Super Sweet and Summer Sweet, retain their
sugar much longer and take some of the
guesswork out of picking sweet ears. Be sure to
select corn with full ears (mature), fresh green
husks and silks free from break-down or decay.
Peel back the husk and observe the kernels which
should be even, full and plump.
Anyone looking for their Irish Roots!
An article by: John Grenham on Mon, Aug 11, 2014 for The
Irish Times
Free downloads from the (other) National Archives.
The National Archives (the one at Kew in London) has a very irritating name. Which nation? It’s not
Britain, since Scotland is excluded; it’s not the UK, since Northern Ireland is excluded; it’s not England,
since Wales is included.
Post-colonial nit-picking aside, TNA is a wonderful and much under-appreciated resource for Irish
research. Apart from British Army records, now largely available online on FindMyPast.co.uk and
ancestry.co.uk, huge quantities of the records produced by imperial administrators in Ireland found their
way back to London. For someone used to working with Irish records in Ireland, TNA’s vast, denselypopulated archive series, many spanning multiple centuries, are simply stunning, like visiting a cathedral
after a life spent in a cave.
The biggest problem has always been that the Archives is in London. Improving access is a longstanding priority and over the past decade, the online catalogue (discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk ) has
become an extraordinary research tool in its own right, summarising in miniature many of the originals.
After using it for years, I only recently discovered another generous feature, the “digital microfilm”
service. TNA has digitised thousands of microfilms and is making them downloadable for free.
They are elephantine PDF files, slow to arrive and searchable only by hand, just like the microfilms
themselves. But you don’t have to trek to Kew to see them. Among the records relevant to Ireland are
Admiralty and Coast Guard records from 1816, the printed annual Army Lists, detailing every officer in
the army from 1754, and the General Register Office Indexes to Foreign Returns of Births, Marriages and
Deaths 1627-1917.
It has to be said that the site (deliberately?) makes them awkward to get at. Start from the full list (see
bit.ly/1ns5sUx ) and just keep burrowing.
Whatever its flaws, this is genuine public service.
[email protected]
irishtimes.com/ancestor
St. Joan of Arc High School
460 Mapleton Ave., Barrie
Computer Tips
Cut (or Copy) and Paste - Keyboard Shortcuts
Cut and Paste are used to move text from one place to another. In this way you can easily edit text in a document or move
text into a completely different document in a different program. This could be a sentence or paragraph in a Word
document, it could be something in an e-mail you are typing, or it could be some numbers in a program for doing
calculations. Most programs allow you to use Cut and Paste keyboard shortcuts, which are simpler and faster than using
the tool bar or pull-down menus.
To Cut and Paste text using keyboard shortcuts:
1. With the flashing text cursor, highlight the text you want to cut.
2. Press the ‘Ctrl’ key (or ‘Command’ key for Mac) and ‘X’ key at the same time. This will cut the text and store it in the
computer’s memory until you cut or copy something else.
3. Put the text cursor where you want to paste what you just cut.
4. Press the ‘Ctrl’ key (or ‘Command’ key for Mac) and ‘V’ key at the same time. This will paste the text you cut (which
the computer remembered) in its new location.
To Copy and Paste:
Use Copy and Paste when you want to place text from one location into another, without deleting it from the source
you’re copying it from.
Follow the instructions for Cut and Paste above, but instead of pressing the ‘Ctrl’ key (or ‘Command’ key for Mac) and
‘X’ key, press ‘Ctrl’ and ‘C'.
The Paste shortcut remains the same as above.
Be aware that the computer will only remember the last item that you cut or copied, so be sure to place that text
before you cut or copy more.
Proverbs in the Irish language
Many Irish sayings or "seanfhocail" are used in the English vernacular, yet have very particular meanings in
Irish. For example:
Níl aon thinteán mar do thinteán féin - There's no place like home, or for a more literal translation, Theres no
fireside like your own fireside.
Tús maith leath na hoibre - A Good Begining is half the work.
Is fear an tsláinte ná an táinte - Health is better than wealth.
Aithníonn ciaróg, ciaróg eile - It takes one to know one, or as the more literal translation goes, One beetle
recognises another.
Ní neart go cur le chéile - Many hands make light work.
Hummingbirds live an average of 5
years. They are hatched from eggs that
are so small that a penny would cover
three of them. Hummingbirds are
usually hatched in pairs in nests that
average 1.5 inches in diameter.
The word cheap comes from Cheapside, a
market in London. The Old English word
was ceap (pronounced "Keep"), which
meant "to sell or barter". Because Cheapside
was a major market where people went to
barter for low prices, the word gradually
took on a new pronunciation, and meaning.
France's Eiffel Tower grows by more than six inches in summer due to the expansion of the iron on hot days.
Membership Fees
If you haven't renewed your club membership please fill out the club application on the last page
and mail it with your cheque (made out to: The Irish Claddagh Club)to our new Treasurer:
The Irish Claddagh Club
C/O Maggie Curran
80 Cecil Street
Angus, ON
L0M 1B3
P.S. - having everyone's e-mail address would be a great help to the club. We could e-mail event
reminders and for those with internet access we could send a link to the newsletter online which would
save the club the cost of printing and mailing it to you. Your privacy is important to us so your e-mail will
only be used for club purposes. Contact Rita Bettam (705-722-3644) to add your e-mail address.
St. Jacob's bus trip - September 20th. Cost is $30.00 per person, lunch at maggie mae's is extra. Call Angie
@ 705-456-1595 for ticket information.
AGM - TBA
44th Annual Fall Barrie Automotive Flea Market
Date: Thursday, September 04, 2014 - Sunday, September 07, 2014
Location: Burl's Creek Family Event Park, Oro-Medonte, ON
Canada's finest Automotive Flea Market offers over 2500 vending spaces and 1000 camping sites. $25 in advance, $30 at the Door.
The Mudmen are playing on September 5 at The Huron Club at CFB Borden, Borden, Ontario see www.mudmen.ca/tour.htm
Innisfil Celtic Festival
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2014 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: Innisfil Beach Park, 4716 20th Sideroad, Innisfil, ON
A Festival to Celebrate our Celtic Heritage including: Pipes and Drums Parade, Bands, Irish and Highland Dancers, Sheep Herding
Demonstrations, Scotland vs Ireland Soccer Match, Highland Heavyweight Competition, Medieval Knights, Celtic Craft and Food
Vendors, The Clans, Local Heritage Groups, Inter School Tug o War, Children's Area and lots more. [email protected]
Barrie International Comedy Festival
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2014 - Sunday, September 21, 2014
Location: Barrie, ON
Presented by Talk Is Free Theatre, September 17–21, 2014. Shows are at both the Mady Centre and Georgian Theatre; please double
check venue and times when purchasing tickets. http://www.barrie.ca/Culture/Theatres/Pages/BarrieInternationalComedyFestival.aspx
Barrie Fall Fishing Festival
Date: Friday, September 26, 2014 - Sunday, October 05, 2014
Location: Barrie's Waterfront, Kempenfelt Bay, Barrie, ON
Daily cash prizes will be awarded for up to 100-tagged perch. Over $50,000 in prizes.
Phone number: (705)720-7132
Culture Days
Date: Friday, September 26, 2014 - Sunday, September 28, 2014
Location: Orillia, ON
Come experience, enjoy and engage with our culture. Many free culture related activities for the entire family.
17th Annual Barrie Film Festival
Date: Friday, October 17, 2014 - Sunday, October 26, 2014
Location: Uptown Theatre, Barrie, ON
Extraordinary films and from around the world, guest speakers, parties, short film competition.
Christmas, Past and Present
Date: December 04 & 05, 2014 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Location: Simcoe County Museum, 1151 Hwy 26, Minesing, ON
Christmas, Past and Present is a great way to enjoy and embrace the Christmas spirit. Festive music, crafts, food and
refreshments, lantern lit pathways and Heritage Buildings welcome visitors as they explore Simcoe County’s festive
past. Guests can take a horse drawn carriage ride in the brisk winter night. Guests can buy tickets to vote on and win a miniature
Christmas tree, and there are lots of draw prizes to buy tickets for as well. Regular Museum admission rates apply: Museum Members
and preschoolers are free, adult $6, senior/student $5, child $4. The Simcoe County Paramedic Services will be on site for their annual
Toy Drive. Visitors are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy for the cause. For more information on this event, please contact
the Simcoe County Museum at (705) 728-3721.
The Meaning of Celtic Symbols
Ladies Valentine Tea at Campbell's - Feb 12
St. Patrick's Dinner & Dance - March 15
British Isles Show - Apr 11
Swiss Chalet Lunch - May 21 at 11:30
(Mapleview Location)
Niagara on the Lake Bus Trip - June 7
Hot Stacks Breakfast - Once a month.
Fact: Halloween was derived from an Irish festival.
If you like the holiday of Halloween, you may know that
it originated from Pagan tradition, but you may not
realize that it was the Irish who started it all. The Celtics
saw it as a time when our world and the spirit world were
most connected to each other, and it was called Samhain.
Of course when the Christians took over the holiday, they
called it “All Hallows’ Eve”, and then later changed the
name to “All Saints Day”. Halloween is one of the most
stubborn Holidays, however, in that no matter what
Christian influence has been exerted, much of the
practices of the day are still very much of pagan origin
and not just on the surface. Halloween is still known as
the day when the spirit world crosses over into our realm,
and is practiced as such by many.
Triskelion:
A Greek term meaning "threelegged," and thus this sign looks very
much like three legs running. The
Celtic symbol meaning here is
appropriate because this symbol
stands for competition and man's
progress.
Triquetra:
Latin meaning "three-cornered." It's a
holy symbol, and it's meanings are
many. It varies in its aspects of spirit,
nature, being-ness, and of the cosmos.
Triple Spiral:
Represents the drawing of the three
powers of maiden, mother and crone.
It is a sign of female power and
especially power through transition
and growth.
Three Rays (Arwen):
The first and third rays in this symbol
represent male and female energy
(respectively). The middle ray
represents the balance of both
energies.
Single Spiral:
Represents ethereal energy radiating
out (or inward depending on your
perspective) Also symbolizes growth,
birth and expansion of consciousness.
Five-fold:
This pattern also represents balance.
The four outer circles symbolize the
four elements: earth, fire, water, air.
The middle circle unites all the
elements with a goal to reach balance
between all four elements or energies.
Threefold:
See Triple spiral. The center of this
symbol represents the "hub"
signifying unity of the three powers.
Double Spiral:
A sign of balance and also
representative of the equinoxes.
Crosses:
Represent the bridge or the passage
between heaven and earth. The circle
in the ringed cross signifies infinity
and eternal spiritual love.
Wife: "How would you describe
me?"
Husband: "ABCDEFGHIJK."
Wife: "What does that mean?"
Husband: "Adorable, beautiful,
cute, delightful, elegant,
fashionable, gorgeous, and hot."
Wife: "Aw, thank you, but what
about IJK?"
Husband: "I'm just kidding!"
Wedding Anniversary
A couple goes out to dinner to
celebrate their 50th wedding
anniversary. On the way home,
she notices a tear in his eye and
asks if he's getting sentimental
because they're celebrating 50
wonderful years together. He
replies, "No, I was thinking
about the time before we got
married. Your father threatened
me with a shotgun and said he'd
have me thrown in jail for 50
years if I didn't marry you.
Tomorrow I would've been a
free man!"
I have a question
A father and son went fishing
one day. While they were out in
the boat, the boy suddenly
became curious about the world
around him. He asked his father,
"How does this boat float?
Light travels faster than sound.
This is why some people appear
bright until they speak.
There was an Irishman, an Englishman and
Claudia Schiffer sitting together in a carriage
in a train going through Tasmania. Suddenly
the train went through a tunnel and as it was
an old style train there were no lights in the
carriages and it went completely dark.
The father replied, "Don't rightly
know son." A little later, the boy
looked at his father and asked,
"How do fish breath
underwater?"
Then there was this kissing noise and the
sound of a really loud slap. When the train
came out of the tunnel, Claudia Schiffer and
the Irishman were sitting as if nothing had
happened and the Englishman had his hand
against his face as he had been slapped there.
Once again the father replied,
"Don't rightly know son." A little
later the boy asked his father,
"Why is the sky blue?"
The Englishman was thinking: "The Irish
fella must have kissed Claudia Schiffer and
she missed him and slapped me instead."
Again, the father replied. "Don't
rightly know son." Finally, the
boy asked his father, "Dad, do
you mind me asking you all of
these questions?"
The father replied, "Of course
not, you don't ask questions, you
never learn nothin'."
Just changed my Facebook
name to ‘No one' so when I see
stupid posts I can click like and
it will say ‘No one likes this'.
Traveling on the train
"Young man," said the judge,
looking sternly at the
defendant. "It's alcohol and
alcohol alone that's responsible
for your present sorry state!"
"I'm glad to hear you say that,"
replied Murphy, with a sigh of
relief. "Everybody else says it's
all my fault!"
Claudia Schiffer was thinking: "The English
fella must have tried to kiss me and actually
kissed the Irishman and got slapped for it."
The Irishman was thinking: "This is great!
The next time the train goes through a tunnel
I'll make another kissing noise and slap that
English idiot again."
Never iron a four leaf clover. You don't
want to press your luck.
Title: The Visitors
Author: Patrick O’Keeffe
James Dwyer is a Munster-man who has emigrated
from Ireland to make a home for himself in the
sleepy college town of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Kevin Lyons was a troublesome schoolmate who
now also lives in the US. Yet where James has not
just put the past behind him but eschewed it
entirely in favour of a new life, Kevin is
determined to reconnect with their childhood.
Which would be fine except that he needs James’s
help do so.
Their conflict, spanning decades and continents, is
carefully unspooled by Patrick O’Keeffe in a novel
which explores not just the emigration of people
but also the exportation of local grudges and
parochial bad blood.
Excerpt from an article by Val Nolan in the Irish
Examiner Sunday, August 10, 2014.
Title: The Hundred-Year House
Author: Rebecca Makkai
The novel's unique
structure and its vibrant
characters make for active,
exciting reading.
Questions raised in one
section are answered in
others, creating a reading
experience that might have
you flipping back and
forth through the pages.
The Hundred-Year House
is a puzzle, a plunge into a
world of fascinating
characters, and an examination of human
relationships. It is not to be missed.
(Reviewed by Sarah Sacha Dollacker).
New thriller by Maeve Binchy to be published two years
after her death. Excerpt from an article by John Spain
Published 08/08/2014
It's a thriller called 'Sister Caravaggio', a breathless crime
caper about nuns and a priceless stolen painting.
It is co-written by a number of authors. Early on it
was decided that who wrote each part of the book would
be kept secret. With each of the seven sections written by a
different author, the reader is left guessing which section
was written by Maeve.
Mr. Cunningham edited the book but Maeve was
heavily involved, often on a weekly basis. The story which
eventually emerged is filled with mystery and murder. The
Caravaggio painting which hangs in Doon Abbey in
Kildare attracts visitors from afar and is the main source of
income for the nuns. One night, however, the painting
disappears. The Sister Superior is unwilling to co-operate
with the gardai as this would compromise the abbey's
silent-order ethos. But Alice Dunwoody, a novitiate who
heard strange sounds on the night of the theft, persuades
Sister Superior to allow her to investigate, with the help of
the abbey's computer-savvy librarian, Sister Mary
Magdalene. As the nuns try to track down the painting, the
list of possible suspects - and the body count - multiplies.
The seven writers who authored the book are
novelists Maeve, Peter Cunningham, Éilís Ní Dhuibhne,
Mary O'Donnell and Peter Sheridan, with playwright Neil
Donnelly and crime writer Cormac Millar.
The book, which is being published by Liberties
Press, will be launched at the Royal Irish Academy on
September 3.
It may have snuck up on you unawares, or you may have been taking note of it as the year
progressed, but 2014 has been an unbelievable six months (so far) for Irish cinema.
Let's start off with the biggie: Calvary, a film which divided audiences,
but managed to get a rare five-star review from us. The pitch black
humour mixed with the psychology of modern Irish guilt made for one of
the all-time greatest Irish movies.
Then, of course, there was Frank. The fantastic cast, headed by Michael
Fassbender, was a standout Irish film in a year full of standout Irish films,
solely because it was so profoundly unique in its story and in its
storytelling.
Run & Jump was probably the best Irish film that nobody went to see this
year, even though it starred Will Forte giving a fantastically reigned in
performance, but the film was stolen wholesale by Maxine Peake's
heartbreaking, screen-scorching turn as the wife of a brain-damaged husband.
Irish documentaries were also on form this year. There was the lovely Hill Street dealing with the
burgeoning Irish skateboarding scene, and finally, Living In A Coded Land, an experimental cinematic
essay on the history of Irish colonialism.
Slapstick comedy The Stag mixed The Hangover-esque laughs with genuine emotional pathos, it wasn't
the funniest film of the year but it still felt like something we hadn't seen Ireland try to make before. Same
goes for sci-fi horrors like The Last Days On Mars and Collider, the former an all-star cast and a
relatively big budget, the latter filmed on a shoestring but full of big ideas, and both entering relatively
new terrain for Irish film-makers.
A Sneak peak at some upcoming Irish films:
Love Eternal is one part beautiful love story, one part haunting psychodrama, and will end up
on many end of year Best Of lists.
Patrick's Day, a beautiful, aching drama featuring a leading performance from Moe Dunford
that should do for him what What Richard Did for Jack Reynor.
Rough Rider, A cycling documentary focusing this time on Irish journalist Paul Kimmage, as he
attempts to dismantle the drug misuse within the Tour De France.
Glassland – also receiving its Irish premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh – features Jack Reynor,
Toni Collette, Will Poulter and Michael Smiley, from the director of the critically acclaimed
Pilgrim Hill, and deals with addiction and the criminal underworld within Ireland.
Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie, which is genuinely in with a shot of being the biggest Irish box
office hit of all time.
Story by Rory Cashin Tuesday 24th June 2014
The Irish Claddagh Club
Membership Application
First Name:
Address:
City:
Province:
Postal Code:
Phone Number:
Email:
Birthday and or Anniversary:
Membership Fee is still only $15.00 per Adult. Please make Cheque out to: The Irish Claddagh Club
Mail to: The Irish Claddagh Club c/o Maggie Curran 80 Cecil Street, Angus, ON L0M 1B3
Cut on Dotted Line and put on refrigerator
Upcoming Events
If you have an idea for an event or know of
an event that the club might like to be
involved in, please contact a member of
the executive committee.

Innisfil Celtic Festival: Saturday, September 13, 2014 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM at Innisfil Beach Park,
4716 20th Sideroad, Innisfil, ON. A Festival to Celebrate our Celtic Heritage including: Pipes and
Drums Parade, Bands, Irish and Highland Dancers, Sheep Herding Demonstrations, Scotland vs Ireland
Soccer Match, Highland Heavyweight Competition, Medieval Knights, Celtic Craft and Food Vendors,
The Clans, Local Heritage Groups, Inter School Tug o War, Children's Area and lots more.
[email protected]

Although we will not be having a booth here this year, it is a great event.

Bus Trip - St. Jacob's Saturday September 20. Cost $30. Call Angie @ 705-456-1595 for more info.

AGM - coming soon. TBA