SEATTLE IRISH NEWS
JULY/AUGUST 2006
By JOHN KEANE
IRISH PICNIC - Seattle's Irish Community Picnic will be held on July 23, from noon to 6 PM, at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore (see www.parks.wa.gov for directions). All are welcome, especially families.
Admission is free - just bring your own food and drink, although there will be hot dogs and hamburgers provided for those who forget. There will be hurling and football for young and old, along with races, tug-o-war, sack races, water-balloon-toss, etc.
Our crowd gets bigger each year and we suggest getting there early to ensure a good parking spot (free parking). For more information, call Candace at (425) 745-1263, or e-mail: CandaceD@irishclub.org.
IMMIGRATION REFORM - The U.S. House of Representatives leadership has announced a series of hearings before going to conference with the Senate on immigration reform, possibly in an attempt to delay action until after the November elections. Irish immigration support groups request continued calls to your DC Representatives to urge support for comprehensive immigration reform now rather than later. Visit www.irishlobbyusa.org.
CONDOLENCES - Valerie Dunne, 72, died June 24 in Seattle. Valerie was born in Dublin in 1934, and studied classical ballet at the National Ballet School in Dublin and also in Paris, France and London. She was a soloist for the National Ballet of Ireland and the Dublin Grand Opera Ballet.
She married Michael Dunne in 1957, and in 1964, with children Fiona and Darragh, moved to Seattle where their third child Roisin was born. In 1966, she opened the Valerie Dunne School of Ballet in Edmonds and also was an assistant professor at the University of Washington.
She taught ballet and Irish dance at the UW, and choreographed countless professional, community and high school ballet productions. Sincere sympathy to her husband, Michael, and her daughters, Fiona and Roisin. Her son Darragh preceded her in death.
Nancy Hall (nee Heffernan), 53, of Avoca, died June 9 in Dublin after a long battle with cancer. Nancy was a frequent Seattle visitor, most recently last October, and will be dearly missed by her friends and relatives, both in Seattle and Ireland.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a nanamacha - May their souls rest at God's right hand.
JOHN BRUTON - Ireland's former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and current European Union Ambassador to the United States, John Bruton, recently spoke at Cascadia Community College in Bothell, and also addressed Seattle's World Affairs Council.
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JOHN BRUTON, the former Irish Taoiseach and current EU Ambassador to the U.S. is shown here with (L-R), Kevin Gilna (EU Senior Outreach Advisor, from Longford), Mary Charles (Leitrim), Ambassador Bruton (Meath), John Keane (Westmeath), Melissa Estelle (from Seattle but studied in Derry), Fr. Bill Treacy (Laois), Camilla Barrett (Leitrim).
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Bruton served as Ireland's Taoiseach from 1994-1997. During his time in office, the Irish economy grew at an annual average rate of 8.7 percent, peaking at 11.1 percent in 1997. Bruton was also deeply involved in the Northern Irish Peace Process leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and presided over a successful Irish EU Presidency in 1996.
From Dunboyne, County Meath, he was first elected to the Irish Parliament (Dáil Éireann) in 1969 at the age of 22 as a member of the Fine Gael Party, becoming Party Leader in 1990 and leading it into government in 1994. He resigned his seat in the Dáil effective November 1, 2004 to take up appointment as EU Head of Delegation in the United States.
While in Seattle, he also met with some members of Seattle's Irish community and expressed an interest in returning in the near future to meet with Seattle's Irish community.
NAACLT CONFERENCE - The 2006 North American Association for Celtic Language Teachers' annual conference was recently held in Edmonds. NAACLT is a non-profit professional organization for Celtic language teachers and researchers and attendees at the 2006 conference included participants from Ireland. Visit www.naaclt.org.
GAELS BOXER - Former Seattle Gaels footballer, Tricia Turton, was defeated by Mary Jo Sanders recently in Detroit in a WIBA Junior Middleweight title bout. The decision was unanimous but Trish showed lots of heart by hanging in there for the full 10 rounds.
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS - Every Sunday at 1 PM, the Seattle Gaels hold youth clinics on Gaelic football and hurling at West Magnolia Playfield, 34th & West Barrett. For information, contact Liam Boyle at (206) 542-3781.
Sundays, live GAA Telecasts at Paddy Coynes. For more information, contact claddcon@comcast.net.
July 17-21, Seattle's Tír Na Nóg Day Camp, aimed at four to eight year-olds. Call (206) 675-9750, or e-mail: celticroots_seattle@hotmail.com.
November 8-12, Dublin's Gate Theatre performs Waiting for Godot at Seattle's Moore Theatre. Visit www.gate-theatre.ie.
November 21, Seattle Arts & Lectures presents Frank McCourt at Benaroya Hall. Visit www.lectures.org.
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