SEATTLE IRISH NEWS By JOHN KEANE
 ONE OF THE TUG-A-WAR teams at Seattle's 2008 Irish community picnic. This year's picnic is July 19 at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore. |
IRISH PICNIC - Seattle's Irish community picnic is July 19, 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 and hot dogs and hamburgers will be provided for free, but bring your own libations and any other food you'd like.
The Seattle Gaels Hurling City League semi-finals start at noon and if you've never seen hurling, now's your chance to enjoy the fastest field game in the world.
There will also be games for young and old along with kids' 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 but it starts getting crowded after 2 PM!).
For more information, contact (206) 223-3608 or CandaceD@irishclub.org.
IRISH BASEBALL - Discounted admission tickets are still available to Irish Night at the Seattle Mariners, August 12, 7:10 PM, vs. the Chicago White Sox at Safeco Field, and you don't have to be Irish to buy them!
$20 view reserved seats are just $11, and $40 Field Level Seats are just $25, and each ticket includes an Irish Night Mariners baseball cap.
Irish step dancers and the Northwest Junior Pipe Band will perform beforehand in Center Field, and Irish Vice-Consul Barry O'Brien from San Francisco will throw out the ceremonial First Pitch.
It's going to be a great night and you shouldn't miss it! For tickets (while supplies last) and more information, visit www.mariners.com/IRISH or call (206) 223-3608.
 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN law student Helen Nolan, the 2009 Thomas Addis Emmet International Public Interest Law Fellow, who will spend the next two months working on public service law projects in Seattle. |
LAW FELLOW - This year's Thomas Addis Emmet International Public Interest Law Fellowship was awarded to University College Dublin (UCD) student Helen Nolan who has just arrived in Seattle to start a two-month internship at Seattle's public interest law nonprofit, the Appleseed Foundation.
Helen was born in Denmark where her father was an official with the World Health Organization and she has lived outside Ireland most of her life.
She has been a regular visitor to West Cork where both her parents were born, and has been attending UCD Law School for the past three years.
The Law Fellowship Program is jointly sponsored by the Free Legal Advice Centers in Dublin and the University of Washington School of Law, and is supported by Seattle's Irish Heritage Club and the Seattle Galway Sister City Association.
Each year since the Fellowship Program was established in 1997, a young Irish lawyer or law student is selected by a committee that includes a member of the Irish Supreme Court.
Assignments include working on public interest law test cases, policy research, and legislative proposals, under the supervision of experienced public interest lawyers. Reciprocally, in Ireland the free legal advice centers and other Irish public interest law non-profits host University of Washington law students for similar public interest law fellowships.
The scholarship exchange programs are named for two heroes of Ireland's United Irishmen rebellion in 1798, Thomas Addis Emmet and William Sampson.
When their struggle against England's domination failed in Ireland, they both came here to the U.S. where they became eminent lawyers and Emmet became Attorney General for New York City.
MEMORIAL SERVICE - Nora Joan Clark died recently in Shoreline aged 85. Born in London to an Irish mother, Joan was an accomplished harpist and author, and one of her books is The Story of the Irish Harp, Its History and Influence (www.irishharpbook.com). A Memorial program for Joan will be held July 26 at 2 PM at the Edmonds Conference Center, 201 4th Avenue North, Edmonds.
NEW OFFICERS - New Irish Heritage Club board members and officers were elected at the club's recent annual general meeting and the new club president is Nanci Spieker.
Charles Hadrann is the new club vice-president, while Ralph Kosche, John Keane and Frank Gill were re-elected as secretary, treasurer and membership secretary respectively.
Newly elected to the board of directors are Heather Murphy and Justin McMahon while Candace Dunne and Jay Rathbun were re-elected to three year terms.
Thanks a million to outgoing board members Áine McDonald and Mary Dunne for their service on the board over the past three years and, even though they're no longer board members, they have committed to continue being as involved as before.
Thanks also to Melissa Estelle for her contributions as president over the past two years and who will continue to serve on the board of directors.
 IN THE TURF CLUB on Irish Day at the Races (L-R): [Front] Mick McHugh (President, Seattle Galway Sister City Association), Murdock MacPherson (Director, Irish Day), Kerry Lynch (President, Spokane Limerick Sister City Association), and Lynn Ritter. [Back] Bob Larkin, Mike McQuaid (President, Friends of St. Patrick in Seattle), Shannon McQuaid, and Jack Geraghty (former Mayor of Spokane). |
 IRISH DAY Punters Rita Brennan from Co. Leitrim, Irish Day Director Murdock MacPherson, and Eavanne O'Donoghue from Dublin who was one of the very lucky winners on Irish Day at the Races at Emerald Downs on June 14. |
 AIDAN O'CALLAGHAN and P.J. O'Donnell at Irish Day at the Races at Emerald Downs on June 14. |
MISCELLANEOUS
GALWAY MAYOR - Councillor Declan McDonnell is the new Mayor of Seattle's Sister City of Galway. Declan previously visited Seattle as Galway mayor in 2000 and we hope to see him participating again in Irish Week in 2010.
CONCERTS/CÉILIS - For the latest information on all the Irish/Celtic events in the Seattle area, visit www.hoilands.com. Upcoming major shows include The Pogues in Seattle at the Showbox SoDo, October 10; Celtic Thunder at McCaw Hall, Seattle, November 11; and Gaelic Storm at Tacoma's Pantages Theater, January 22, 2010.
GAA TELECASTS - Watch Gaelic Football and Hurling games telecast live from Ireland at Fadó Irish Pub, 1st and Columbia, downtown Seattle, (206) 264-2700.
BOOK CLUB - The Irish Book Club meets monthly and new members are always welcome. For information, contact Judith at hudit@comcast.net.
SET DANCING - Irish Set Dance Lessons are held Sundays at 7 PM at Mick Kelly's Irish Pub and Restaurant, 435 SW 152nd Street, Burien. Lessons are $5 and beginners are very welcome - drop in anytime. Congratulations to Maeve O'Malley who recently received her U.S. citizenship.
IRISH RACE DAY - A large crowd attended Irish Day at Emerald Downs in Auburn on June 14 for the $50,000 Irish Day Handicap. Over $1.63 million was wagered and among the winners was Redmond's Eavanne O'Donoghue who is originally from Dublin.
Eavanne's name was drawn from all the Irish Day entries and she won a $200 win wager on the Irish Day Handicap. She placed her $200 to win bet on #1 Ladyledue which won the race by seven lengths. Congratulations, Eavanne!
SEATTLE GAELS - The Seattle Gaels Gaelic Football and Hurling Club is heading into the summer packed with games, events and fundraisers. All are set up to help get the club to Nationals on Labor Day weekend and most importantly win!
The Seattle Gaels Hurling City League has been going strong with some great hurling matches and is getting ready for the playoffs.
The semi-finals will be played at the Irish Community Picnic on July 19 at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore and the final will be played on July 26 at 1 PM at the Magnolia Playfield.
Be sure to come out and see some of the best hurling Seattle has ever had. The fifth annual Seattle Gaels auction fundraiser is also being arranged and will be the biggest yet!
Plans are still being set up for this late August event, so check the website - www.seattlegaels.com - for all the details.
GAELS GOLF - The Seattle Gaels hold their ninth annual golf tournament on August 2, over at West Seattle Golf Course. This fundraiser is always a blast for both the skilled and novice golfer.
With huge prizes and a great party at the Celtic Swell afterwards, it's always a fun time. To sign up, call (206) 940-1113, go to www.seattlegaels.com or email golf@seattlegaels.com.
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