SEATTLE IRISH NEWS December 2008/January 2009
By JOHN KEANE
CONDOLENCES
· To the Harkin family on the sudden death on November 23 in Portland of Frances Harkin, 71. Frances married Ed Harkin in Dublin in 1960 and after "touring the world" looking for a place to call home, they settled in Seattle in 1964. Frances is survived by Ed, their children Marion, Michael, Kiera and David, and numerous relatives and friends around the Pacific Northwest and Ireland.
· To Mary Shriane of Seattle on the death on November 16 of her mother, Katie Keating, in Ballinabranna, Co. Carlow. Katie was a frequent visitor to Seattle over the years and made many friends here. She will be missed.
· To Nanci Spieker of Seattle on the recent death of her uncle, George McGuire, in North Carolina.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílis - May their faithful souls be at God's right hand
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SEATTLE'S Neil Ferron (R) with fellow Mitchell Scholarship Finalist Christina Faust at the Mitchell Scholarship reception at the Irish Embassy in Washington, DC, on November 20. |
MITCHELL SCHOLAR - Following two interviews conducted recently at the Irish Embassy in Washington, DC, Seattle's Neil Ferron, a post-graduate student at Seattle University, was selected from among 20 national finalists to be one of 12 Mitchell Scholars.
As a result, he will spend 2009-2010 studying playwriting at Trinity College Dublin with full tuition and housing covered, and extra stipends for living expenses and travel. Ferron is an award-winning poet, author, and playwright who graduated magna cum laude from Santa Clara University in 2005.
He is the founder and artistic director of 12th Avenue Drama, a small Seattle-based theater company. He also worked in Calcutta for six months in an orphanage run by the Missionaries of Charity, and his plays and writings attempt to balance grace with a social justice message.
The Mitchell Scholarship is named for former U.S. Senator George Mitchell who chaired the Northern Ireland peace negotiations.
Twelve Mitchell Scholars between the ages of 18 and 30 are chosen annually for one year of postgraduate study in any discipline offered by institutions of higher learning in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Open only to U.S. citizens, applicants are judged on three criteria: academic excellence, leadership, and a sustained commitment to service and community. For more information, visit www.us-irelandalliance.org.
IRISH DANCING - Ciara Ruggiero of the Comerford Irish Dancing School in Seattle took top honors in the Under Eight Girls Irish Dance Championship at the Western U.S. Oireachtas held recently in Phoenix.
Dancers from three Seattle schools competed at the Oireachtas, the Comerford, Scoil Rince Slieveloughane, and the Tara Academy, and six Seattle dancers won awards and qualified for the 2009 World Irish Dancing Championships in Philadelphia next April.
The six award-winners are: Julia Gats and Camille Gix of the Tara Academy; Kinsey Brimhall, Meeghan Dooley, Greta Gothard, and Willow Gothard from the Comerford School. In the Céili competitions, five Comerford teams and two Slieveloughane teams also received honors. Congratulations to all the dancers!
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NANCI SPIEKER of the Seattle Heritage Club with barman Joe Lynch at Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub and Monet Shirley. |
MARCH GENEALOGY CONFERENCE - Speakers from the Ulster Historical Foundation (www.ancestryireland.com) in Belfast, including Foundation Executive Director Fintan Mullen and the former Director of the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, Dr. Brian Trainor, will be in Seattle on March 9 for an all-day Genealogy Conference with illustrated lectures about Irish genealogical archives and genealogical research covering all of Ireland.
The details of the conference program, location and cost have not been finalized, but for tentative reservations, call (425) 290-7839. More information is also available at www.irishclub.org.
JANUARY CONCERT - A Traditional Irish music concert starring Leo MacNamara, Aurora Burd and friends will be held on January 16, 8-10 PM, at the Des Moines Community Center, 20827 Third Avenue South, southwest of Sea-Tac airport.
An unplugged/acoustic event with limited seating, expect a sellout. Tickets are $10 - contact Mari at (253) 854-7513 or visit www.hoilands.com.
IRISH WEEK 2009 - The dates for Irish Week 2009 in Seattle are set and the St. Patrick's Day parade will be held on March 14; the Irish Festival will run at the Seattle Center March 14, 15 and 17; while the St. Patrick's Day Dash will be March 15.
The major new event in 2009 is the all-day Irish Genealogy Conference on March 9. The full list and details for all the events of Irish Week 2009 are listed on the Irish Week website at www.irishweek.org.
SWEDISH AWARD - Former Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) John Bruton, the European Union's Ambassador to the U.S. who was Grand Marshal of Seattle's St. Patrick's Day parade last March, has received the highest honor Sweden can award to a foreigner. He was made a Commander Grand Cross of Sweden's Royal Order of the Polar Star for his service as a former president of the European Council and his work as EU ambassador.
MISCELLANEOUS
· For the latest information on all the Irish/Celtic events in the Seattle area, visit www.hoilands.com.
· Magical Strings celebrates 30 Years of Celtic Yuletide Concerts with 10 Christmas shows in cities between Portland and Mount Vernon. Visit www.magicalstrings.com for details.
· The 2009 Nollaig na mBan (Mother's Christmas) dinner at 6 PM on January 11 at Mick Kelly's in Burien is already sold-out. To get on the wait-list, contact CandaceD@irishclub.org or 425-745-1263.
· The eighth annual Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp is March 9-15 with classes in the fiddle, flute, concertina, bouzouki, guitar, sean-nós singing, mandolin, tinwhistle, ear training, and Irish ensemble. Visit www.fridayharborirish.com for details.
· As Gaeilge, the local conversational Irish-speaking group, meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 PM at Mosaic Coffee House in the Wallingford District. For information, contact james@banshee.com.
· Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub, which already has locations in Seattle and Tacoma, plans to open a new Paddy Coyne's at Bellevue's Lincoln Square.
GAA HISTORY PROJECT - In conjunction with the GAA in Ireland, Boston College has announced a project to collect oral GAA histories from anyone who has ever been involved in Gaelic football or hurling as a player or supporter, either in Ireland or abroad.
The collection can include documents, photographs and recordings relating to the social life of the GAA from 1884 to the present. Once completed, the project will create a series of books, websites, radio and television programs, as well as a searchable digital archive to be permanently housed in the GAA museum in Dublin. For information and a simple questionnaire, visit www.gaahistory.com or email info@gaahistory.com.
SEATTLE GAELS - Thanksgiving week means one thing for the Seattle Gaels, the Poc Fada Turkey Bowl! The Seattle Gaels hurling team held this annual tournament at the Lakewood Disc Golf Course on November 22, with hurlers hitting a sliothar towards the target rather than throwing a frisbee!
Brian Doolan took the honors this year, which was only fitting as he was the genius who organized the first Turkey Bowl three years ago. Twenty-four hurlers participated this year in what is turning into a great annual event.
By tradition, young as it is, the winner is awarded an ever-so-stylish purple jacket along with the Turkey Bowl trophy, both of which Brian will receive at the Seattle Gaels 2008 Annual Awards Banquet being held on January 10, at the Rock Salt Steak House on Lake Union.
A full dinner will be served, awards will be presented, and patrons will see a multimedia presentation on the year's highlights!
This annual event celebrates all the hard work and sacrifice that the hurlers and footballers put in during the season past, and everybody is invited. Dinner tickets are only $30. For all the details and more information, call (206) 234-2141 or visit www.seattlegaels.com/banquet.
FROM SEATTLE'S IRISH COMMUNITY - Beannachtaí na Nollag agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh go léir! Bí áthasach agus grámhar i do cheiliúradh! - The Blessings of Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of you! Celebrate with love and jo
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