INTRODUCTION

The Celtic Connection is a tabloid size newspaper, with international distribution, published 10 times a year from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Submissions are welcome but will not be returned, so please keep a copy for yourself. Opinions expressed in the paper and on this site are not necessarily those of the publisher, but rather a reflection of voices in the community.

All correspondence must include a name, address, telephone number and email address when appropriate.

From the Publisher

click the headline to read the letter

> The Reward in Publishing Has Been Beyond Measure

> We Thank You All Most Sincerely from the Bottom of Our Hearts

> HURRICANE KATRINA: A Human Tragedy Beyond Measure

> Some of the Highlights of the Past Month

> The Real Heroes are the Volunteers Who Work to Make Events Happen

> A Reflection on St. Patrick's Day's: How Do We Want to Celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland?

The Reward in Publishing Has Been Beyond Measure

Dear Readers:

Both Catholine and myself would like to extend our warmest appreciation to everyone who called and wrote with such kind thoughts after our last issue. We are deeply grateful for your support.

It was an honour to accept the award in Toronto on behalf of The Celtic Connection newspaper which has become the voice of the Celtic community. This has been the vehicle which has brought together Celts throughout western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest for almost 15 years now.

I want to thank everyone who has dedicated their time and energy over the years to help keep this paper alive through some very challenging times. There have been some remarkable highs and devastating lows, but I can say with all honesty it has never been dull, and the rewards have been beyond measure.

It is important to acknowledge all the people who continue to make it possible to bring you this publication each month. Our writers and contributors pour their hearts and souls into their articles. Many work tirelessly within their own groups and organizations to help keep the culture alive. You all deserve an award.

Then, there are the drivers who distribute the paper each month. Through all kinds of weather and adversity (including Vancouver traffic), they are ready and willing, as soon as the paper is off the press, to start the delivery process. I am always amazed how quickly they can fan out across the city and the country to get the latest edition of The Celtic Connection into your hands.

There are also many who toil behind the scenes, slogging through production and working to deliver the issue. In particular, I would mention Colleen Carpenter, Christine Anderson-Burke, Sisa Kumar, and Christine Flynn, who are all only too familiar with the hard work and long hours it takes to get the paper out each month.

Finally, I would like to make special mention of all our subscribers and advertisers. It is only through their support that we can continue to deliver to you this monthly vessel of Celtic consciousness. I would urge all our readers to support our advertisers in any way possible, and let them know that you read about them here in the pages of The Celtic Connection.

Wishing You Many Blessings,
Maura

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We Thank You All Most Sincerely from the Bottom of Our Hearts

VANCOUVER - I couldn't believe my ears when out of the blue, Thomas Saras, the president of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, called in late August to tell us that The Celtic Connection had been chosen to receive an award. It would be presented at Queen’s Park in Toronto by the Honourable James Karl Bartleman, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario.

MAURA McCAY, the Editor-in-Chief of The Celtic Connection is shown here with the Honourable James Karl Bartleman (L), the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and the Honourable Dalton McGuinty, the Premier of Ontario, after receiving a special award at Queen's Park in Toronto.

Two things immediately went through my mind. First, I hoped the ceremony wouldn't be on our press deadline. Secondly, I was relieved that we didn't know we were even being considered for an award - it was a wonderful surprise. But what I kept thinking about was how very timely it was because The Celtic Connection will be celebrating 15 years in publishing in 2006.

The award ceremony was set for September 15 and as soon as we finished distributing the September issue, Maura and I packed our bags with excitement in anticipation of this momentous occasion. We were accompanied on the trip by my son, Pat McCay from Calgary, and we were so proud that he would be with us for the ceremony.

The award ceremonies took place in the Lieutenant Governor’s suite at Queen's Park which is part of the main legislative building of Ontario and close to the University of Toronto. It is in this historic old building that we gathered along with 400 other guests.

Pat and myself were ushered into a rich wood panelled room with two elaborate fireplaces, where we were entertained by a group of classical violinists. Meanwhile, Maura, along with 45 other honourees, were taken to the His Honour’s Quarters to receive the awards.

The awards were presented to outstanding members of the ethnic radio, television, newspaper, authors and other individuals who had contributed to their communities in an exemplary and outstanding manner.

Each of the guests waited quietly, anxiously, and with pride as the names of the award winners were called and a short biography on each recipient was read. Many of the guests felt emotional as the names of their mother, father, brother, sister or daughter was read out to receive the award.

The award presented to Maura McCay, our Editor-in-Chief, was for "Best Editorial and Visual Interpretation" and was in recognition of "the outstanding achievements, contributions, and community service by The Celtic Connection."

Pat and I were filled with great joy and pride at this prestigious award. Our publication was selected among 380 members of the NEPMCC across Canada for this award and was the only ethnic publication represented from British Columbia.

The dignitaries present read like the political who’s who of Ontario. They included, tThe Honourable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario; the Honourable Michael Colle, Minister of Culture and Immigration for Ontario; the Honourable Howard Hampton, MPP, Leader of the Ontario NDP; the Honourable Jim Karygiannis, MP, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation Canada.

Also present, was his Worship David Miller, Mayor of Toronto; the Honourable Tony Ruprecht, MPP; the Honourable Marily Churley, MPP, NDP; the Honourable Efthimios Efthimiades, Consul General of Greece to Toronto; and Thomas Saras, President of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada.

After the ceremony, hors d’oeuvres were served and we had an opportunity to meet some of the other award recipients and take photographs. While I was taking a picture of Maura with James Karl Bartleman and Dalton McGuinty, the Premier told us he was very proud of his Donegal roots and had in fact just returned with his family from a visit to Ireland.

When you receive an award like this, it is a time for reflection on how far you have come. We also know that we weren’t alone on that journey, and we gratefully acknowledge all the support that we receive from the Celtic communities of Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks to our wonderful volunteers who were there with us every step of the way and who have encouraged us in so many ways. Our faithful advertisers, our dedicated writers from Alberta to Seattle, our volunteers who distribute the papers in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Seattle, and our faithful readers can all take credit and pride in The Celtic Connection’s award. We would also like to acknowledge all those who called or sent e-mails congratulating us on this award, we are deeply touched by your response. We thank you all most sincerely from the bottom of our hearts.

Yours truly,
Catholine Butler

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HURRICANE KATRINA: A Human Tragedy Beyond Measure

By MAURA McCAY

As we approach our press deadline and as I write this column, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and all those areas devastated on the Gulf Coast of the United States by the ravages of Hurricane Katrina.

It is wrenching to witness the terrible suffering of so many people and feel so helpless and far away. Disaster of this magnitude is almost beyond comprehension. It is estimated that up to one million people are displaced from their homes and many will never return to the lives they had known before this storm.

The great city of New Orleans, famed for its culture and music now lies in ruins under meters of water. The fate of its inhabitants who have sought refuge in other states across the U.S. remains to be written. This is a human tragedy beyond measure.

Closer to home, as we continue to work on production for this issue, Catholine and myself are making plans to travel to Ontario and Quebec. The trip was precipitated by a telephone call from Thomas Saras, the president of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada.

He called to advise that The Celtic Connection was selected among 380 members of the Council to receive the “Best in Editorials and Information” award at the Ethnomedia Week 2005 celebrations. The award will be presented by the Honourable James Karl Bartleman, the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario on September 15 at Queen’s Park in Toronto.

This journey will be one of mixed emotions, as we leave from Toronto to attend a funeral for my grandmother, Gladys Gannon, who would have been 98 years old in November. Although it will be a sad occasion, my grandmother lived a long and rich life. Our final farewell will be held in memory of a woman who lived her life in devotion to her family. She was an inspiration to her children and grandchildren and our lives were blessed by her presence.

Her burial will be held in Martindale, Quebec, the ancestral home of my mother’s family who found refuge in those green hills during the Great Hunger in Ireland. Catholine and I are currently working on a long term project which we hope to develop into a book and it centres around that community.

It is an epic story of hope and survival in the face of desperation. It spans several generations and the central theme is the bond between people and their loved ones – one which extends beyond the grave.

This is a story very dear to our hearts and one which we both feel compelled to write as the history of this area becomes a distant memory. Some of our preliminary work giving background to this project can be found on our website under the section “Gatineau,” located at: www.celtic-connection.com.

In closing, I would urge all our readers to join the relief efforts to help the people of the devastated areas of the Gulf Coast. These people are our brothers and sisters and their hour of need is right now. Please give generously to an established legitimate charity such as the Red Cross, Catholic Charities, or the Salvation Army.

Wishing Blessings on You and All Your Loved Ones,

Maura

HURRICANE KATRINA RELIEF

You can help through these agencies:

THE CANADIAN RED CROSS

call: 1-800-418-1111 or visit: www.redcross.ca

AMERICAN RED CROSS

call: 1-800-435-7669 or visit: www.redcross.org

THE SALVATION ARMY

call: 1-800-725-2769 or visit: www.salvationarmy.org

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

call (800) 919-9338 or visit: www.catholiccharitiesusa.org.

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Some of the Highlights of the Past Month

Dear Readers:

This past month will be remembered by many Irish people with great fondness as they proudly welcomed the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese on her whirlwind tour of North America when she visited Philadelphia, Seattle and Vancouver.

In Vancouver, there was a tremendous buzz and energy level as the local Irish community gathered to meet the President at the Four Seasons Hotel on May 26. The ballroom was packed with over 400 guests decked out to dazzle as they gathered at a lavish reception to shake hands with the President.

Many people told me afterwards that they were moved to tears with her speech and I must say I was among those touched by her words. She truly emanates a strength and a sense of warmth and grace. Her words, while seemingly spoken off the cuff, seemed to speak directly to the heart of so many present that evening.

In this issue we have coverage of that event, along with a number of other appearances she made during the course of her North American itinerary. We also have a selection of photographs covering both her visits to Vancouver and Seattle. The Celtic Connection was also privileged to interview President McAleese during her visit to Vancouver. For that interview, and our coverage of the President's visit our FEATURES section.

The local sporting community was also thrilled this month by a visit by British soccer legend Jack Charlton. He was hosted by the Moray Nairn and Banff Association at the Scottish Cultural Centre on May 16.

Charlton has also been revered by Irish fans since helping the Republic of Ireland qualify for the World Cup in 1990 and 1994 and the European Championships in 1988. The Ireland Team and its fans became known as "Jackie's Army" with an almost fanatical following.

Those heady days of the 1990 World Cup will never be forgotten by many when every man woman and child wanted to head for Italy to cheer for Ireland. Olé, Olé, Olé. For coverage of Jack Charlton's Vancouver visit, turn to page XX.

Now, as we turn toward the month ahead, the British expatriate community prepares to say a fond farewell to James Rawlinson, the British Consul General who has faithfully protected and promoted British interests in Western Canada since his arrival here in October 2002.

Rawlinson has made numerous appearances at local events, including St. David’s Day celebrations presented by the Welsh Society and the annual BC Highland Games presented by the United Scottish Cultural Society. I also spotted his presence on the reviewing stand of the St. Patrick’s Day parade during the CeltFest festivities this past March. It was great to see him out and about to so many local events.

Sending very best wishes to James Rawlinson on his next posting and many thanks for his service to Western Canada during his posting in Vancouver. We wish him well.

We hope our readers enjoy this issue with the diversity of the Celtic community offered in these pages. After 14 years publishing The Celtic Connection, it continues to be a privilege for Catholine and myself to serve the communities of Western Canada and the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

With best wishes,
Maura

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The Real Heroes are the Volunteers Who Work to Make Events Happen

Dear Readers:

I would like to congratulate Lisburn Mayor Councillor Cecil Calvert of the Democratic Ulster Party (DUP) on a job well done. If his objective was to create as much mayhem as possible at what should have been a great day for the Irish on his recent visit to Seattle, he was immensely successful.

The Northern Ireland councillor accepted an invitation by the Irish Heritage Club to attend the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Seattle on March 12, and during his visit he showed complete disrespect for his hosts when he insisted on carrying a Union Jack as he marched at the head of the parade against the express wishes of parade organizers.

Last September, after Councillor Calvert has accepted an invitation to participate in the 2005 celebrations, he raised the issue of the Union flag being flown at the parade. He was told in writing by the organizing committee, "such actions would seriously hurt cross-community and cross-cultural interests in Seattle.

"They would do serious damage to Seattle's Irish community, which has successfully managed thus far to avoid the divisions other Irish communities in the U.S. have experienced because of the problems in Northern Ireland." The committee was led to believe he had agreed to abide by their wishes.

On the day following the parade all hell broke loose and The Seattle Times eager for a sensationalist story jumped all over the incident and made all kinds of wild allegations. One particularly contemptible piece of journalism was written by staff columnist Nicole Brodeur and published on March 15 under the headline, "Irish Eyes May Not be Smiling."

In this pathetically ill-informed article full of innuendo, she questioned whether a local Irish pub owner who has spent years building up his business and creating links with the community, was “promoting terrorist organizations” because he posted a notice of a an upcoming appearance by Sinn Fein representative Martin McGuinness at the Seattle Center.

After a huge public outcry, Brodeur wrote a mea culpa piece on March 22 under the headline “Hindsight Teaches Me a Lesson.” I would say a little like closing the barn door after the horses have bolted. It might be a good idea to get a little more information on Irish history before biting into this potentially bitter apple.

Another absolutely disgusting aspect of this whole nasty business was the intolerant reaction of some people at the parade who rose to the bait and began hurling abuse.

Particularly shameful was the disrespect shown toward the Reverend Barry Keating, the President of the Irish Heritage Club. A Presbyterian minister, Keating was forced to leave Belfast because of loyalist bigotry directed at him due to his friendship with Catholics. In the melée, this man who has done so much for the Irish in Seattle, was at the receiving end of sectarian abuse by a number of misguided individuals.

In the midst of all the uproar, the honourable mayor from Northern Ireland slipped out the side door and left town without as much as a fare thee well to his hosts. Is there any wonder why there is still no peace in Northern Ireland?

The shame of it all is that the Irish Heritage Club has made every effort to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the community and by and large has avoided the divisions created in other Irish communities due to political or religious differences.

Each year an inter-denominational mass is held for peace in Ireland. There is powerful symbolism of this annual gathering of Catholics and others on St. Patrick’s Day in a Protestant church to pray for peace in Ireland. The Archbishop of Seattle presided over this year’s event and Bishop Anthony Farquar from Belfast said the homily.

There have been numerous trade missions to Ireland from Seattle, along with tremendous efforts to encourage and strengthen ties of friendship and business between the Seattle area and the island of Ireland.

Over the years, the Irish Heritage Club has hosted visits from several Lisburn mayors, in addition to Irish ambassadors, Irish government ministers, elected officials and mayors from Galway, Sligo, and Derry. Last year the 2004 Mayor of Lisburn also marched in Seattle’s parade and none of these previous visitors has ever abused their hospitality.

The parade organizers recognize in hindsight that they may have been somewhat naive in their expectation of co-operation and that the original invitation to the 2005 Mayor of Lisburn was a regrettable mistake that won’t happen again.

It is particularly unfortunate for the good people of Lisburn that the impression left by their representative in Seattle is not one that would encourage business people to invest or tourists to visit their community. Whether or not his intention was to provoke a confrontation, Councillor Calvert’s visit has left a very bad taste with a lot of people.

It must also be a great disappointment to all those volunteers who worked so hard to put together Irish Week in Seattle to have such an ugly incident mar what should be a fun-filled cultural event for the whole family.

It is so easy to sit on the sidelines and criticize but there is no doubt that the real heroes here are the people who are the engine of the community. They work with the very best of intentions and put themselves out through hard work and dedication to make these events happen. You deserve a huge round of applause.

With best wishes,
Maura

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Letter from the Publisher

A Reflection on St. Patrick's Day's:
How Do We Want to Celebrate the Patron Saint of Ireland?

Dear Readers:

With preparations in full swing for St. Patrick's Day celebrations everywhere, I wish I could write about hooleys, green beer and leprechauns, but I cannot. I am too sad and angry about an insidious disease that continues to ravage our communities and steal our loved ones.

I was very saddened to recently learn of the passing of some people who were deeply loved by many in our community. Their lives were destroyed by a sickness that has affected so many of us – it is called alcoholism and it is a disease of shame and denial.

While ravaging the life of everyone in its path, it tells the alcoholic and all those who enable his or her behaviour, that it is not happening, that it can be controlled, that it won't happen again, and on and on and on....while we witness a slow death taking place before our very eyes.

In one case, one of the most talented Irish singers I have known died alone in a rooming house in Toronto. This was a woman who had friends everywhere she went. She was stunningly beautiful and she could charm the birds out of the trees.

She was the life of any party and when she took to the stage wearing her black shawl, she could hold the room in thrall. You wouldn't hear a pin drop as she captivated her audience with her lilting voice, singing old Irish ballads and laments as nobody else could.

How can it be that she died alone? A recluse and forgotten with not a soul to comfort her at the end. I had heard through the grapevine that alcohol had become her demon and she had been in and out of hospitals, but nothing could stop the relentless devastation.

Why does this pain and suffering have to go on with so many lives torn apart through a disease that can be treated. There is help and the first step is to admit that there is a problem. It doesn’t matter what your friends or neighbours might think of you.

I would suggest that if you think you have a problem, or suspect someone you love might have a problem, you probably do have a problem and it is no secret. The people who know you already know there is problem. There is no shame in surrender – you might be surprised at how many others also share your burden.

The second step is to recognize that you cannot do it alone. For awhile you might be able to manage the problem, but this is a band-aid it is not a solution. You might be able to control it on and off for years, but in the meantime the damage might be irreparable. And besides, if you are fighting to control a demon - which of you is really running the show?

Pick up the phone and call Alcoholics Anonymous today or if you have a loved one afflicted by this disease, call Al-Anon. There are millions of people all around the world whose lives have been transformed through the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

If AA is not your cup tea, there are alternatives. Talk to your doctor – a treatment centre might be your answer. As Khalil Gibran said in The Prophet, "there are many streams but they all flow into the same river." Whatever it takes, do it. Sobriety could save your life.

You hear people speaking about all kinds of disease such as cancer and diabetes, and the perils of smoking and heart disease, but how often do you hear of the perils of alcoholism? The party is over when lives are torn apart and marriages destroyed. It is an ugly disease and it creates domestic abuse, car accidents, violence and wasted lives – all for just another bloody drink.

It can stop today with you, with each and every one of us. It begins in our own homes and our own hearts. Pick up the phone and call someone today who can help you. It is time to confront addiction. Don’t turn your head and pretend that it's not happening....because it is.

Having said all this, I would like to wish all our readers a happy St. Patrick's Day. On March 17 let us reflect what it is that we are actually celebrating, and recognize that is not necessary to get completely intoxicated in order to acknowledge the Patron Saint of Ireland.

With love,
Maura

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