t

Tír na mBláth

Irish Seisiún Newsletter

Thanks to our past editors - Mary Gallacher and Bill Padden

Editor Tommy Mac

................Today's date and new proverb 

Tá dúil ár n-anama sa cheol againn.'

(Music is our soul's desire.)

There have been over 17,000 views of this website

since September 2022

Welcome to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ)*

North American 2025 Convention

in Orlando, Florida

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (Irish pronunciation: “kol-tus kyol-tori air-in”; meaning"Society of the musicians of Ireland")

Book your hotel room for the event at special rates, available here on an exclusive basis.

Tell them Tommy Mac sent ya....

Good morning all,

Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving celebration last week.

The Link for hotel booking website is now open for April 2025 for those of you hoping to go. The resort fees and parking fees have been waived for our group.

The workshops are not quite finalized and I will send the link for booking those as soon as available. Please share with anyone you know would like to attend this great weekend of Irish culture, music and dance.

Events start with a ceili on Thursday evening, with workshops running over Friday, Saturday and Sunday, ceilis Friday and Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

I’m waiting on the official flyer that we can use to send out to the branch members and will forward that as soon as I have it.

https://book.passkey.com/event/50916887/owner/213/landing

Any questions or issues with the link, please let me know.

Kind regards Maureen

*Our own Tír na mBláth is one of hundreds of branches throughout the world of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ), the largest group involved in the preservation of Irish music, dance and song.

Sunday's Seisiún

for December 8, 2024

‘Tá dúil ár n-anama sa cheol againn.’

Music is our soul’s desire.

Thanks again to

Bob Murphy, Pat Quinn, Randy Powell, Art Jacoby, and Kevin Westley

for supplying photos and info about our sessiuns.

.......Good times - Good tunes

Tom,

We had a fine session today, with folks passing in and out all day, contributing with tunes, sets and songs. The table got moved around a few times until we got that right and it didn't matter anyway as people were jumping up and moving around like fleas all afternoon.

Fiddles were flying into the wrong cases and unnamed tunes were scattered like mud.

Despite the chaos, we knuckled down and had some ripping tunes and a pile of good songs to boot!

On fiddle were Anita, Pat, Art, Bob, Henry and Seamus. Randy on Bouzouki, Rosemarie and Bernie on whistles and flute, Tom and Sky on Bodhran, Brendan on Banjo and Pat on Accordion. Randy, Kevin and Brendan sang songs, thanks!

Some of the tunes were: Mist Covered Mountain, Boys of Ballymote / Humours of Glendart, Black Rogue, Rambling Pitchfork / Hare's Paw, Five Mile Chase / Harvest Home, Boys of Blue Hill, Off to California / Joe Cooley's Jig / Lilting Fisherman, Gallagher's Frolic / Kildare's Fancy Hornpipe, Honeysuckle Hornpipe / Camaronion, Donegal Reel, Miss Monaughan's / Old Copperplate, New Copperplate / John Brennen's, Knotted Cord, Tinker's Daughter / Molly Saint George (Air by Bernie, thanks!) Terry Teehan's, John Egan's, John Walsh's / Paddy's Return, Kilfenora, Kilfenora 2 / Milky Way, Crock of Gold, Green Mountain / New Broom, Lucy Farr's Barndance / Earl's Chair, Swinging on a Gate, Ships are Sailing / Jimmy Wards, Lark in the Morning, Connaughtman's Rambles / Apples in the Winter, Old Man Dillon / Planxty George Brabazon / Charlie Harris Polka, Finnish Polka, Jessica's / Old Bush, Drunken Landlady, Dukes of Leinster / Tripping up the Stairs, Off she Goes / Frank's Reel, Easy Club, Tommy Peoples jig / George White's, Bird in the Bush / among others. Enough reels for ye, Tommy?

Bob Murphy

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/

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............

Click any of the above logos to go to that site

.

"That’s How I Spell Ireland"

Saturdays at 7 to 8 PM EST.

You can listen on 88.7FM or WRHU.org.

For a request please text me on 917 699-4768.Kevin and Joan Westley

Note: Show will be preempted whenever the NY Islanders have a Saturday game

....

"The Port Jefferson Library will offer a multi-media program called Christmas Time in Ireland. It is a virtual presentation on Thursday December 19 at 7PM. It will include topics about the happiest time of the year in Ireland; such as, Why 25 December, Christmas in Killarney, Preparing for Christmas, Decorating with Holly & Ivy, Wren Day, Woman's Christmas and many more.

This program will be presented by Kevin Westley. He will sing or play songs for each topic by the artist that made the songs popular. There is no charge for this presentation. Kevin broadcasts That’s How I Spell Ireland, Saturdays at 7PM, on WRHU.ORG & 88.7 FM.

Here is the registration link for anyone interested that you want to share it with: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAocu2tqDwpGd0P6fjTxLvQD_c-HmNh0B9b#/registration

E-Mails Received

Fireny@aol.com

Old Ireland

Each week I will post a (new) OLD photo of what Ireland was like years ago. The photos are taken from a great website called Ireland in the Rare Auld Times. I highly recommend this site. You can sign up at https://www.facebook.com/groups/889110974518793/

If you have any photos of what things were like in old Ireland please send them in and include a story about it if appropriate.

Please don't send things from the above web site. I already have those.

Man and woman in front of home

Early 1900s

Ireland Travel

Note: Whenever clicking on a link you will be brought to another web-site. To return here you must click on the BACK arrow.

Grianan of Aileach,

County Donegal

FAVOURITE PLACES IN IRELAND

Grianán of Aileach, County Donegal.

(See it on a map here.)

The Grianán of Aileach is the ruin of an hilltop fort on the Greenan Mountain in Inishowen, County Donegal. When translated, its name means 'stony place of the sun', and the sunsets and sunrises here are certainly one of the most beautiful in the country!

You can read more about the fort here, or watch this video about it here.

Travel Quiz

Can you identify this site and it's location in Ireland?

Answer in next week's Newsletter

Last weeks Travel Quiz answer

Custom-House-

Dublin

Irish Language

"An té a dtéann cáil na mochéirí amach dó ní miste dó codladh go méanlae."

"He who gets a name for early rising can stay in bed until midday."

Click here to listen to it spoken

Free Irish Classes

The classes are over zoom and are held at 12:00 eastern time the 1 st Sunday of every month.

It is basic conversational Irish and open to learners of all ages, especially beginners.

All are invited either to participate privately or to meet at Tim Finnegans at 12:00 prior to the regular Sunday session.

Hope to see you there!

slan go foill. Le dea ghui,

Anita

click here to register

There's a chill in the air even here in Florida.

So here's a soup to warm you up...Tommy Mac

A comforting Irish potato and cheese soup recipe

This comforting Irish potato and cheese soup recipe will keep you cozy during these cold winter nights!

Chef Michael Gilligan @IrishCentral Jun 19, 2024

A delicious recipe for Irish potato lovers GETTY IMAGES

Potatoes and cheese in a warming Irish soup recipe? Talk about comfort food on these cold winter nights!

Indulge in the rich flavors of Ireland with our authentic Irish potato and cheese soup recipe, a comforting dish that blends creamy potatoes with savory cheese, creating a perfect meal for any occasion. This classic Irish soup is not only a delicious nod to traditional Irish cuisine but also a hearty and satisfying option for chilly evenings.

Whether you're looking to explore Irish culinary traditions or simply in search of a new favorite soup recipe, our easy-to-follow guide will ensure you create a bowl of warmth and goodness that your family and friends will love. Dive into the heart of Irish cooking and discover the perfect blend of flavors with our Irish potato and cheese soup recipe.

Irish potato and cheese soup recipe

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or minced

5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 cups chicken stock (can substitute vegetable stock)

1/4 tsp dried thyme

2 cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

2 tbsp crumbled bacon (optional)

Method:

Melt butter in a large pot.

Add onion and garlic. Sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add potatoes, chicken stock, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

Remove half of the potatoes and place in a food processor. Puree. Return to pot.

Add milk and heat thoroughly. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in cheese and cook gently until cheese melts.

Garnish with parsley flakes and/or bacon crumbles when serving.

*Originally published in June 2022. Updated in June 2024.

Enjoy

If you have a cherished family Irish recipie share it with us.

And if there's a story that goes with it.....even better! mail click here

Fireny@aol.com

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filíocht pronounced FILL-ee-uhkht meaning Poetry

I Have News for You –

A Ninth Century Irish Poem

I have news for you

The stag bells, winter snows, summer is gone.

Wind high and cold, the sun low, short its course

The sea running high.

Deep red the bracken, its shape is lost

The wild goose has raised its accustomed cry

Cold has seized the birds’ wings

Season of ice

This is my news.

— Anon.

I have a bundle of poems, songs, stories, folklore, and tunes that I pull out when winter comes. The ninth century Irish poem that begins: “I Have News for You” is the first I bring forth.

Stories and Tales

The Belfast doctor who kept Irish language diaries

at a Japanese PoW camp

Dr. Frank Murray sent messages to his sweetheart back in Ireland using the Irish language while he was being held in PoW camps in Japan during WWII.

Shane O'Brien @shamob96 Dec 01, 2024

Dr. Frank Murray wrote to his sweetheart Eileen O'Kane using the Irish language while in PoW camps in Japan Getty Images

Belfast native Dr. Frank Murray used his knowledge of the Irish language to send correspondence while serving time in Japanese prisoner of war camps during WWII.

Dr. Frank Murray, known to many as simply "The Belfast Doctor," was commissioned as an officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) in December 1939.

A nationalist, Murray had joined the British Army after the outbreak of the Second World War because he felt a Nazi invasion of Ireland was inevitable and wanted to do his bit.

A website maintained by his family says that Dr. Murray became a prisoner of war first at Changi camp on Singapore Island and then later in various POW camps in Hokkaido, Japan following the fall of Singapore in February 1942.

Prior to enlisting, Murray had spent time learning Irish in the Gaeltacht region of Co Donegal. It was there that he met his future wife Eileen O'Kane, who we would later write daily letters to while being held at the PoW camps, often detailing the horrors he and other PoWs experienced.

Dr. Murray's son Carl now tells BBC News that anyone found in possession of a diary in a Japanese prisoner camp was liable to severe punishments. Dr. Murray mitigated such risks by writing his letters as Gaeilge, knowing that the chances that Japanese soldiers would be able to translate his writings would be very slim.

Carl Murray said: "Sometimes he would write in English but disguising it using old Gaelic script.

"I remember when I did Irish at school there were textbooks that had the old script in it which meant there was that extra level that you had to translate from the script and then translate the Irish.

"And he would write about how the war was going but by doing so in Irish he knew that even if the Japanese found it, there was very little chance of them being able to translate that he was recounting events that were happening during the war."

Frank Murray didn't just spend his time in the camps writing letters, however. He served as a medical officer in a number of different camps and even became the senior officer commander in one prison.

Murray played a vital role in the camps, communicating with his Japanese captors about his men's fitness to perform hard labor. He spared many injured or sick Allied soldiers from grueling days of work and the BBC reports that this saved countless lives.

The doctor returned from the war a hero and was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in recognition of his brave service.

As for his secret diary written in Irish and kept away from the prying eyes of Japanese guards, Dr. Murray managed to deliver it in full to his sweetheart Eileen O'Kane and the couple married shortly after the war. The couple had five children together. Dr. Murray passed away in Co Down in 1993, and Eileen died in 2009 in England.

A website dedicated to Dr. Frank Murray - "The Belfast Doctor" - provides a selection of translated excerpts from the Irish man's diaries.

*Originally published in August 2020. Updated in 2024.

SHY MAN

by Pat Watson

Even though he was seven years her senior, Paddy had been admiring Mary from a distance for many years. Not that it did him any good because he lacked the courage to do anything about it.

Oh he had plenty of courage on the football field or handling livestock but with girls it was different. He often started out determined to carry through but always chickened out at the last minute. Whenever he practised a few sentences in front of the mirror they sounded great but he could never repeat the words when faced with Mary, her half smile, her feminine gait, her air of serenity, her gentleness just melted his heart and tied his tongue. With a mumbled hello his jellied legs always scuttled him away.

Now it was different, his Mother had died six long months ago last spring, the loneliness was unbearable. Mary was always on his mind and he would turn forty before Christmas.

He just had to kick himself into action. He thought of a plan. Mary lived with her brother Tom who played cards in the village every Tuesday night.

At that time the carbide lamp was the latest status symbol of dashing young men. It was a sophisticated piece of equipment. It had a bottom chamber for white carbide powder, a higher chamber with water that dripped on to the powder, forming a flammable gas, a jet protruding into the light chamber where the gas would be lit by a match and finally a little glass door to protect the flame.

There was a screw tap to accurately control the water flow as too little or too much yielded no gas. There was also a built-in pump to keep the gas pressed through the jet at the right speed to create a perfect blue flame. The mirror type reflector then threw the light onto the road ahead when the whole contraption was clipped on to the bicycle. In the event of power failure, it would be necessary to call to the nearest house for a light to reset the whole thing.

Now for the plan, he would call to Mary's house on Tuesday night to regulate his carbide lamp. He would call with the lamp in his hand, then even if his voice failed him, she would know what he wanted and she would invite him into the light. Then as he dazzled her with his dexterity, technical wizardry and ultra-modern equipment, speech would surely come.

She might even offer him tea. He would look at her, admire her, and just be beside her. She would smile at him - oh that smile! No, no, this was too good to be true. Something would go wrong. Don't be negative, what can go wrong? There will be only the two of us and after a while his courage would come.

He knocked at the door. Mary opened it. He held up the lamp.

'Paddy, you want to regulate your lamp? come into the light, Lorna's girls are here visiting. They came to say goodbye, Meg and Peg are for America tomorrow.'

The kitchen was full of big redhead girls, four of them, all late teens.

They were nieces, her older sister - Lorna had married Big Red Hanrahan from the mountain over twenty years ago. They had wild sons who emigrated but not before they had made a name for themselves fighting at football matches and dances. He hoped the girls would be more agreeable. They weren't.

'Did your little blue light go out?' Loud Laughter. 'Was it ever lit?' More laughter. 'Is your carbide dry?' 'No his pump is faulty' 'I think it's his little jet'

Hysterical laughter. They had certainly taken after their father, with a loud brash manner, roaring red hair, big noses and little beady eyes. Mary had disappeared.

He ran from the house, clasping his lamp, a broken man, distraught, humiliated, broken-hearted with the salt-tears of anger, frustration and failure burning his eyes, the coarse, squealing, mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

Talk about bold, bawdy, brazen lady-dogs, those were they. Nothing could go wrong, like always, nothing went right.

He had really blown all his chances with Mary now. He would never live it down. He would have to emigrate.

He would have to live his whole life without love or companionship, without Mary. The thought was unbearable. He was definitely a case for the foreign legion, without hope.

When he reached his bike, Mary was there. She left her hand on his and smiling said: 'Yes is my answer to your question.'

They needed no light after that.

Pat Watson 'Shy Man' is one of sixty lyrical yarns from 'Original Irish Stories' by Pat Watson, Creagh, Bealnamulla, Athlone, Ireland. First published in May 2006. Visit: https://goo.gl/59k3Ew or you can email the author here: pjwatson77@gmail.com

Slán for this week,

Mike

The Grianán Ailigh in County Donegal,

Ring Forts to Fairy Forts

Photos added by Tommy Mac

Céad Míle Fáilte - and welcome to your Letter from Ireland for this week. I hope that all of our friends in the USA are having a great Thanksgiving weekend! Here in Ireland, the Christmas celebrations feel like they are just around the corner. Visiting the town of Killarney earlier this week, we noticed that the streets are already decorated with lights and trees. On the drive back, we passed by one of my favourite castle ruins in Ireland - "Carrigaphooca" Castle - (right) which literally translates as "castle on the rock of the fairies". Now, that's a name to evoke a romantic setting!

So, today I thought we would go on a journey through time, looking at some of the Irish castles you may be familiar with - and sharing a little history along the way. I'm enjoying a cup of Lyons' Tea as I write, and I do hope you'll join me with whatever you fancy as today we go exploring the fascinating evolution of Irish castles. A while back, I received the following message from Mary in London:

"Mike, on my flight coming into Shannon Airport, I noticed peculiar circular shapes in the fields below. My seat neighbour was a local, and mentioned something about 'fairy forts.' Could you tell us more about these mysterious circles and if they relate to Ireland's castles?"

Let's now use Mary's question as the starting point for our journey through time - and explore the evolution of Irish defensive structures, from ancient ring forts to modern luxury castle hotels.

The View from Above: Ring Forts to Fairy Forts.

Those circular shapes that Mary spotted from her airplane window, are the remnants of our ancient ring forts, or "raths" as we call them in Ireland. These circular earthen structures date back to the Iron Age and Early Christian period (400-800 AD), when they were the first defensive homesteads of Ireland's wealthy farmers and minor kings. They were, essentially, the "castles" of their day - with high earth banks topped with wooden fences to protect the family's roundhouse and livestock in the event of an attack.

As these ring forts fell into disuse, they became known as "fairy forts" or "lios." Even today, many Irish farmers won't disturb these ancient circles, believing them to be dwelling places of the "good people" - or the fairy folk. It's this reluctance to interfere that has helped preserve thousands of these archaeological treasures across our landscape - including the ones Mary spotted on her descent into Shannon airport.

The Romantic Ruins at the Side of the Road.

Having landed in Shannon airport let's proceed to Dromoland Castle Hotel for the night (we spare no expense on these imaginary journeys!). As you drive from Shannon Airport, you will notice the stone ruins of a number of castles on either side of the road

The arrival of the Normans in 1169 brought a revolution to Irish defensive architecture. They introduced the motte-and-bailey castle - basically a wooden fortress on top of an earthen mound - but quickly realised that Irish weather demanded sturdier construction!

From the 13th to the 16th centuries, many stone castles (and tower-houses) began to appear across Ireland. These weren't the fairy-tale castles you might imagine - but practical, military structures built to control key territories. An example is Trim Castle in County Meath (left) - its massive stone walls and strategic position along the River Boyne show off its role as a Norman powerhouse in medieval Ireland.

Many of the castles you see were ruined on the arrival of Oliver Cromwell and his castle-levelling cannonballs in Ireland in the mid 1600s. The age of the castle as a defensive structure in Ireland was over. By the late 1600s those who had the means moved into more comfortable stone houses, leaving many castles to gradually fall into the romantic ruins that we see today.

Let's Stop for a Medieval Banquet.

Back on our drive from Shannon, we also pass Bunratty Castle (left) - a perfect example of a 15th-century tower house that's found a new lease of life in modern Ireland. Built in 1425 and restored to its medieval glory in the 1960s, Bunratty today gives visitors a genuine glimpse into castle life.

Its famous medieval banquets have been running since 1963, letting tourists feast in the Great Hall, just as the O'Brien and McNamara clan did centuries ago.

If those stone walls could talk, they'd tell tales of sieges, celebrations, and now, countless tourists enjoying medieval-style mead and entertainment!

The Ancestral Home of the High Kings of Ireland - Our Stop for the night.

And then we arrive at Dromoland Castle (right), our stop for the night - what a treat! While it may look medieval, it's actually a much younger castle, built in the early 1800s during the Gothic Revival period. The O'Brien family (descendants of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland) built this romantic "castle", when it became fashionable to live in mock-medieval splendour.

It was converted into a luxury hotel in the 1960s, and now Dromoland represents the final stop on the evolution of Irish castles - from defensive structures to symbols of romantic nobility, and finally to custodians of Irish heritage offering world-class hospitality. The original occupants of this castle might raise an eyebrow at the golf course and spa, but I'd like to think they'd appreciate how we've preserved these magnificent buildings for new generations to enjoy!

So there you have it - from ring forts (400-800 AD) to Norman castles (1169 onwards), from tower houses (1400s-1500s) to Victorian Gothic Revival castles (1800s), and finally to today's castle hotels, each era has left a mark on our landscape. Whether you are admiring fairy forts from above, exploring medieval ruins, or enjoying afternoon tea in a castle hotel, you're experiencing different chapters in Ireland's architectural story.

Thank you Mary for your question that started this enjoyable journey along a timeline of Irish Castle evolution. Over to the rest of our readers? Have you visited any Irish castles? Perhaps stayed in one? Do you have a favourite?

Slán for this week,

Mike.

As Christmas approaches

it's time to stop and realize what's most important.

This sent in by Ed McCarthy

click below to watch

15 irrational things that make every Irish mammy spiral

It goes without saying that we love our Irish mammies, but that doesn't mean they're perfect!

Saoirse Hammond @ Evoke.ie Nov 11, 2024

Mary Quinn, the iconic Irish mammy in "Derry Girls".

We have all experienced unwanted rants about the most outrageous things. From leaving the immersion on to standing in front of the microwave, Irish mammies really do have irrational fears.

Here are just 15 of the most basic things that make every Irish mammy spiral...

Wearing fake tan

Who convinced the Irish mammies that fake tan is bad for your health? Nothing like the feeling of a fresh tan being ruined by your mother saying: "I heard that seeps into your blood, can't be good for you."

Turning the light on in the car

"Turn the light off fast before it causes the car in front of us to lose sight and crash into us." As rational as this is, a crash is probably more likely to be caused by the full-beam headlights she doesn't know how to turn off... not that we'd dare suggest this to her!

A phone charging overnight

Every Irish mammy knows someone whose house burnt to ash thanks to an iPhone charger being plugged in overnight.

It's hard to differentiate what is the truth from what they've seen scrolling on Facebook Their business being "put on Facebook" Is it even possible for an Irish mammy to tell you a bit of gossip without them following it up with "don't go putting that on Facebook." Why would I put that on Facebook? Who even uses Facebook anymore?

Sitting on a wall outside

"You'll get a kidney infection from sitting there, get up!" We're pretty sure they learned this from the same medical school that taught them flat 7up cures everything.

Using the Lord's name in vain

Nothing will get you the belt of the wooden spoon faster than saying "Jesus Christ" or "Oh my God" in front of your Irish mammy. They stick up more for Jesus than they do their own children!

What the neighbors will think

The opinions of the neighbors seem to hold more value than gold to Irish mammies. You don't even like Teresa, why do you care if she sees me bringing the bins out in my pyjamas?!

Wearing your coat indoors

"Take off your coat or you won't feel the benefit of it when you go outside". It is honestly colder inside the house than it is outside, I think I'll be good.

Using the "good" room/plates/biscuits

Can someone please explain the logic behind the nicest room in the house only being used by guests who call once a year?! Why can't I eat a Viscount biscuit on a china plate when I'm feeling boujee?

Standing in front of the microwave

Who told Irish mammies that standing in front of the microwave will give you radiation poisoning? Do they really think that they would be in every household if they were that bad?

Leaving food on your plate

Nothing like feeling full during dinner but being forced to finish every last bite anyway. "What about the starving kids in Africa." Good old guilt trip!

Leaving the house with wet hair

This one might have a bit of science to back it up, but there is no reason for Irish mammies to get so wound up by it. "You'll catch your death," feels like a bit of an exaggeration when I go out with damp hair.

Leaving the immersion on

Asking for a friend, has anyone ever actually checked if leaving the immersion on does cause the electricity bill to skyrocket? It is a mortal sin in Ireland to have your immersion on for one second longer than it has to be, your Irish mammy will launch a full FBI investigation to find out who left it on.

Watching too much TV

"Your eyes will go square". Interesting theory, can you show me someone this has happened to? Ah, you heard it on Facebook... Wearing a mini skirt God forbid you go out dressed like your peers, your Irish mammy will faint. Going out in a mini skirt is as bad as going out naked to them! "You can't leave the house in that!"

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Five Tune Friday

Hi Thomas

Happy Five Tune Friday!

As we roll into December, the festive mood is starting to set in—there’s something about the crisp air and seeing the twinkling lights that just feels special. I’ve been so busy getting ready for the holidays, I almost forgot about this week’s Five Tune Friday!

But, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with a fresh mix of tunes to warm you up this season. divider The Burning Brakes - Jig We’re kicking things off with

"The Burning Brakes," a fantastic jig composed by the legendary Paddy O'Brien.

The version I'm sharing today is by Soomee Hana, talented musician playing the concertina in Korea – It’s great to see traditional Irish music reach every corner of the world. It's a lively tune that will definitely get your feet moving!

Sheet Music and ABCs

The Burning Brakes

The Plains of Boyle - Hornpipe

This week, I’m sharing a truly unique version of "The Plains of Boyle." It’s not every day you hear a hornpipe played on accordion and ukulele, but this pairing brings a fresh and playful energy to the tune. The rich, resonant tones of the accordion provide a solid foundation, while the ukulele adds a light, rhythmic charm. It’s a delightful twist on a traditional favourite, and a great reminder of how versatile Irish music can be!

Sheet Music and ABC

The Plains of Boyle

The One That Was Lost - Jig

Composed by the legendary Paddy O'Brien, "The One That Was Lost" is an evocative gem of a jig in the traditional Irish repertoire. It's a great one for the tune book! The version we’re sharing today is a treat—a beautifully nuanced performance on the concertina by Charles Monod. The lively rhythm and expressive phrasing showcase the instrument's range and the artistry of the player, making this tune a joy to listen to and a standout in any session.

Sheet Music and ABC

The One that Was Lost Jig on YouTube

The Mist Covered Mountains - Jig

"The Mist Covered Mountain" is a timeless Irish jig that evokes a sense of calm and nostalgia. This particular rendition is played on the mandola, giving it a deep, resonant tone that sets it apart from other versions. The player thoughtfully performs it twice: once at regular speed to showcase its lively flow, and again at a slower pace, making it a fantastic reference for learners who want to grasp the intricacies of this beautiful tune.

Sheet Music and ABC

The Mist Covered Mountain

The Chicago - Reel

To wrap up, we’ve got “The Chicago Reel,” also known as “The Portlaw Reel.” This lively tune is performed here by the phenomenal duo Fergal Scahill on fiddle and Jimmy Keane on piano accordion. Their collaboration brings an energetic and polished sound, blending the fiddle’s rich tones with the accordion’s driving rhythm. It’s a reel that will have your toes tapping and your spirits lifted—a perfect way to finish this week’s Five Tune Friday!

Sheet Music and ABC

The Chicago

I hope you enjoy this week’s selection. Let me know which tunes you liked the most or if you have any favorites to share. Have a great weekend!

Slán go fóill,

Paraic Paraic McNeela

McNeela Instruments

If you visit the store please let Paraic know you heard about it

from Tommy Mac and the Tír na mBláth. Tim Finnegan's Pub, Irish Seisiún Newsletter

Whenever clicking on a link you will be brought to another web-site. To return here you must click on the BACK arrow.

This Week in the History of the Irish:

December 1 through December 7

Posted by The Wild Geese

DOMHNAIGH -- On December 1, 1901, Fenian Thomas Clarke Luby died in New York. Luby was born in Dublin in 1821. He was the son of a Church of Ireland minister and graduate of Trinity College. His first political experience was in the Young Ireland movement. After the failed rising in 1848, he and James Fintan Lawlor attempted further agitation in Dublin, and he was arrested and imprisoned for a short time. In 1858, he helped James Stephens found the Irish Republican Brotherhood, writing the oath that members would later swear to secretly. In '63, Stephens sent Luby to the United States to raise money but he had little success. Back in Ireland, he became co-editor of The Irish People, a Fenian paper founded by Stephens. He was among many Fenians arrested in a preemptive strike by the British in '65; he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Luby was among the many Fenians released and deported in '71 (Devoy and Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa were also in this group). He traveled first to Belgium and then to America. In the United States. Luby joined Clan na Gael but opposed both Devoy's New Departure and the Land League. He was a supporter of Rossa's Skirmishing Fund, which ran the dynamite campaign against England. Luby worked as a journalist during his years in New York. He also published a book on the life of O'Connell and another on famous Irish figures from history. On December 1, 1901, the old revolutionary, who had been a Young Irelander, Fenian, and member of Clan na Gael, died in New York.

CÉADAOIN -- On December 4, 1887, Maria Winifred (Winnie) Carney, trade unionist and revolutionary, was born at Fisher's Hill, Bangor, Co. Down. Her father, Alfred, was a protestant, and her mother, Sarah (Cassidy) was a catholic. Winnie was reared as a catholic. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to Belfast, and her parents separated. Winnie went to Hughe's Commercial Academy and graduated as a shorthand typist. At this same time, she was becoming involved in the Gaelic League as well as the socialist and suffragist movements. In 1912 she became the secretary for the Irish Textile Workers Union in Belfast. Winnie met James Connolly as a result of her involvement with the 1913 lockout in Dublin. Winnie then became deeply involved in the republican movement. She was present at the founding of the Cumann na mBan in Dublin in 1914 and joined Connolly's Citizen Army, becoming his personal secretary. On the day of the Easter Rising, she was the only woman in the group that seized the GPO "with a typewriter in one hand and a Webley [revolver] in the other," it was said. Though other women arrived later, all of them except Winnie were evacuated before the final day. Patrick Pearse attempted to get her to leave, but she refused to leave Connolly's side. She stayed until the end, tending to Connolly and other wounded men. Following the surrender, she spent eight months interned in Mountjoy and Aylesbury prisons, finally being released in December. After her release, she was appointed president of the Cumann na mBan branch in Belfast and was imprisoned again for a short time in 1918. She ran for a seat in parliament that year but was easily defeated by the large unionist majority in her region. During the War of Independence, she was Belfast's secretary of the Irish Republican Prisoners' Dependents Fund. Winnie opposed the treaty and was again jailed for a time in 1922. Winifred continued to work for Socialist causes during her later life. She married a protestant socialist, George McBride, in 1928. In her mid-50s, perhaps affected by her time in various prisons, her health began to deteriorate. Winifred died on November 21, 1943, in Belfast and was buried in the Milltown cemetery. Though she is little known or remembered today, she was one of the unsung heroines of the republican movement and the Easter Rising.

Read more about Winnie Carney HERE.

AOINE -- In the early morning hours of December 6, 1921, representatives of the Irish government appointed by President Eamon de Valera and those negotiating for the Crown signed the Anglo-Irish Treaty, ending the Irish War of Independence against Great Britain.

(Right: Michael Collins signature (in Irish) on the Anglo-Irish Treaty. Immediately after he signed it, he commented to a member of the British negotiating team that he had just signed his own death warrant. He would die at the hands of his former comrades in the IRA within the coming year.)

It was then, and remains, one of the most debated moments in Irish history. The British negotiating team, led by Winston Churchill and Prime Minister Lloyd George, was composed of old masters at the game of politics. Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins led the Irish team; they were brave and intelligent, but had nowhere near the political acumen of the British side.De Valera, a shrewd, experienced politician, may have been the only man in all of Ireland who might have matched them, but he refused to join the negotiations. With less reluctance about forcing their political opponents to negotiate "with a gun to their heads" than they appear to have developed recently, the British gave the Irish an ultimatum on the evening of Dec. 5: Sign the treaty as is, or face military annihilation in three days. (See quote below.) The treaty Collins and Griffith had signed contained several clauses that de Valera and his supporters would reject. Chief among them was the treaty's partition of the country and its requirement that Irish officials must swear an oath of allegiance to the Crown. The cabinet split 4 to 3 in favor of the treaty, and in January, the full Dáil Eireann accepted the treaty 64-57. The stage was set for the brutal Irish Civil War, and the seeds of the tragic political mistake known as Northern Ireland were sown. Ever since, Irish historians have debated how events might have turned differently. Was Collins right to accept anything less than full Irish independence? Were the British bluffing? Did the world's -- especially America's -- revulsion at the atrocities of the Black and Tans make impossible the threat of Lloyd George's threatened siege of the Irish population? Would further resistance by the Irish have resulted in the dreamed-of 32-county republic, or might it have resulted in a continued 32-county colony? We will never know and will always wonder.

Read more about the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

SATHAIRN -- On December 7, 1768, William Bulkely, an officer in the Irish Brigade of France, was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary. In 1785, the young Bulkely went to France. His uncle, Richard Butler, who had been a colonel in the Irish Brigade, used his influence to retain a spot for William in Walsh's regiment.

(Left The executioner of King Louis XVI shows the head of the King of France to the crowd. The king -- and Tipperary native William Bulkely -- were only two of the thousands of victims of the French Revolution's "Reign of Terror."

William later married a well-to-do French widow. Like most of the Irish soldiers in France, Bulkely opposed the French Revolution and left the army when the republicans seized power. In 1793, he took part in the royalist insurrection, commanding the district of La Roche, near his wife's estate. He led an attack on the rebels at Les Sables, but the attack failed. Bulkely continued to fight for the royalist cause through 1793, and finally he and his wife were captured by the republicans and taken to Angers. While fighting the republicans, Bulkely's men had captured a number of prisoners, and many of the royalists -- including his wife -- had urged him to shoot them, but Bulkely refused. Now a captive, Bulkely would not be so lucky. He was quickly tried by a military tribunal and condemned to death. On January 2, 1794, 25-year-old William Bulkely suffered the same fate as a number of other former officers of the brigade that shed much blood in the service of France: he was taken to the guillotine and bled for France one last time, another victim of the Revolution's bloody "Reign of Terror." Read Encyclopedia.com story about The French Revolution's 'Reign of Terror.'

VOICES

'Here are the alternative letters which I have prepared, one enclosing the Articles of Agreement reached by His Majesty's Government and yourselves, the other saying that Sinn Fein representatives refuse the Oath of Allegiance and refuse to come within the Empire. If I send this letter, it is war - and war within three days. Which letter am I to send?' -- British Prime Minister Lloyd George to the Irish negotiating team on the evening of December 5, 1921

'Our Holy Mother Guillotine is busy at work. Within the last three days she has shaved 11 priests, a general and a man (William Bulkely) of splendid physique of 6 feet, whose head was too large for the guillotine; it is now in the sack.' -- The mayor of Angers, France, January 1794

News of Interest

When will Ireland form its new Government?

With the Irish General Election 2024 done and dusted, questions now turn to when Ireland will form its new Government.

Kerry O'Shea @kerry_oshea Dec 03, 2024

Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Taoiseach Simon Harris, pictured here in September 2024. RollingNews.ie

Ireland's Tánaiste Micheál Martin does not think the country will have a new Government in place before Christmas - while Taoiseach Simon Harris last week spoke about the impact President-elect Donald Trump could have on the timing.

Martin's party Fianna Fáil emerged with the most seats - 48 - of any party in the Irish General Election 2024.

However, despite winning the most seats, Fianna Fáil was still far off from claiming the 88 seats necessary to make a majority, meaning another coalition Government is likely in store for Ireland.

Discussions have begun amongst party leaders to see who can form a majority-winning coalition. The probability of a return to some sort of Fianna Fáil - Fine Gael coalition is high as together they have a combined 86 seats.

Both parties have vowed not to go into a coalition with Sinn Féin, who emerged as the second-largest party with 39 seats, beating Fine Gael's 38 seats.

Sinn Féin, meanwhile, said on Monday it had contacted leaders of the Social Democrats and the Labour Party and that it would be contacting other "progressives" during the week.

According to the PA, the Tánaiste said on Tuesday in Dublin that most of the work to form a coalition could be done by Christmas but “we have to focus on the issues."

“I don’t think we will have reached agreement by Christmas,” he said.

“But I’m sure that most people in the country want us to form a Government as quickly as we can.”

Martin also refused to say which ministerial portfolios his party will want to take, saying he wants to “respect the process." December 3, 2024:

Tánaiste Micheál Martin at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin. (RollingNews.ie)

The Trump impact

Last week, current Taoiseach Simon Harris, the leader of Fine Gael, touched upon the impact US President-elect Donald Trump will have on the timing of the formation of a new Government.

“My concern is this, Donald Trump becomes President of the United States in January," Harris told the Irish Mirror on November 28 before voters went to the polls on Friday for the Irish General Election 2024.

“I’d like if I had clarity that I was likely to be the Taoiseach. I’d like to be seeking an early meeting with President elect-Trump.

“I don't want to be waiting until someone's handing over shamrock in the White House next March. I want an early engagement with President-elect Trump before he even takes office, if possible.”

A few days earlier, the Taoiseach told Sky News that he was "preparing" Ireland for a possible "changed reality" regarding the economy when Trump begins his second presidency.

November 30, 2024: Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris arrives at the Shoreline count centre in Wicklow. (RollingNews.ie)

Meanwhile, a government official, speaking anonymously, told POLITICO on Tuesday that the choice of a “third leg to prop up the government stool” would add an edge to its Trump-era diplomacy.

“If we let the independents into government, we could have Cabinet ministers singing Trump’s praises,” the official said.

“If we get Labour on board, we could end up with Cabinet ministers calling him a fascist.

“We don’t really want either option. We want to keep our heads down as much as possible, and fight our corner as quietly and politely as possible, for the next four years - and just hope and pray our economy’s still going strong on the other side.”

Conor McGregor ‘strongly advised’

to take break away from Ireland

Fighter Conor McGregor is being ‘strongly advised’ to consider taking an extended break away from Ireland, sources have told Extra.ie.

Niamh Walsh @ Extra.ie Dec 05, 2024

November 22, 2024: Conor McGregor leaving Dublin's High Court. RollingNews.ie

Last month, Nikita Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a case at the High Court in Dublin.

Ms. Hand sought damages for assault, rape against McGregor and his friend James Lawrence. A jury found she had been assaulted by Mr. McGregor but not by Mr. Lawrence. The jury awarded damages of €248,603 against Mr. McGregor.

In the days following the civil action verdict, major retailers across the UK and Ireland stopped selling alcoholic drinks associated with McGregor.

Other endorsement deals, like ones with popular video games manufacturer, IO Interactive, were also quick to drop the MMA star after the defeat in court.

"Let’s be clear Conor isn’t exactly the type to run from a fight. But this is the fight of his life," said a source close to the fighter.

"The news cycle here is constant, whereas in somewhere like America it’s not really a big story and he can have space to retain and regroup," the person said.

"But — and here’s the big but — it’s doomed if he stays and damned if he goes. So that’s the tough choice he has to make. For his own sake and his family."

McGregor at the High Court.

The commercial backlash against McGregor has already seen a number of businesses cut ties with him in the wake of the court case.

The likes of Musgrave, Tesco, and the BWG Group quickly cut ties with him after the result of the court case.

In a statement, a spokesman for Musgrave said: "Musgrave can confirm these products are no longer available to our store network."

The network includes SuperValu, Centra, Daybreak and Mace.

It is understood that other retail outlets including Costcutter and Carry Out will also stop stocking products linked to Mr. McGregor.

Backlash

It’s not just in Ireland, the UK’s largest independent drinks retailer, LWC Drinks revealed that it ‘does not want to be associated’ with him.

In a statement released to MailOnline, it said that it will be joining the growing industry-wide shunning of Conor McGregor-affiliated drinks, including Proper Twelve Irish Whiskey and Forged stout.

Supplying over 15,000 UK businesses with their alcohol products, the announcement from LWC comes as the latest in a spate of recent blows to the Irish fighter’s commercial brand.

The decision to cease its sale of, and association with, both Proper 12 Irish Whiskey and Forged Irish Stout comes after McGregor lost his civil rape case against Nikita Hand in Irish court last month.

That the fallout has spread to other regions has come as a ‘massive blow’ to McGregor.

"It’s relentless. And the backlash isn’t showing any sign of leveling out. If anything it’s gathering pace," explained the source.

In a scathing statement shared with MailOnline, LWC drinks said that it does not want to be "associated" with the former two-division UFC champion and his stout product.

Fallout

The statement in full read: "In light of Friday’s civil court ruling against Conor McGregor, LWC, the UK’s largest independent drinks wholesaler has taken the necessary legal steps to terminate its agreement to distribute Forged Irish Stout.

"We are consulting with our customers to support them in the replacement of Forged draught taps.

LWC does not want to be associated with Conor McGregor or Forged Irish Stout." LWC decision to dump McGregor’s drinks brand came just days after UK food delivery severe Ocado and supermarket chains Tesco and Asda followed in Irish retailers’ decision to remove his brand and affiliated products from their shelves.

Additionally, the Irish branch of prominent pub chain JD Wetherspoon announced last week that they too would be removing Conor McGregor’s affiliated alcoholic beverages from their pubs in Ireland.

"This isn’t a fight he can win at this press moment. So at this stage, it’s best to keep the head down and get his head together and that simply isn’t an option in Ireland where it’s the biggest news story in a very small town. So getting out of dodge is really the best option, all things considered."

On Thursday (December 5) the High Court, will hold a hearing on legal costs for the civil case taken by Ms. Hand.

Conor McGregor in 2023. (Getty Images)

The case had been due to be heard on Thursday, November 28 but Mr. Justice Alexander Owens agreed to delay it by one week.

The losing side pays their own legal costs and those of the successful party. The court has the discretion to depart from this general rule if persuaded that the justice of the case requires this and there are special circumstances.

Former IRA member launches legal proceedings

against Disney over "Say Nothing" series

Marian Price continues to vehemently deny the claim in "Say Nothing" that she killed Jean McConville in 1972.

Kerry O'Shea @kerry_oshea Dec 04, 2024

"Say Nothing," the adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe's 2018 book, debuted on Hulu and Disney+ in November. FX Networks

Marian Price, a former member of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), has initiated formal legal proceedings by way of pre-action correspondence against Disney for their publication "Say Nothing," Phoenix Law announced on Wednesday, December 4.

The series "Say Nothing," which debuted on Hulu in the US and on Disney+ internationally on November 14, is an adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe's bestselling 2018 book of the same name. Belfast-based Phoenix Law said on Wednesday that the legal proceedings have been initiated as a result of Marian Price being depicted in the series as "the person to whom was responsible for murdering Ms. Jean McConville."

Peter Corrigan, Solicitor for Marian Price, said on Wednesday: “Given the context, it is difficult to envisage a more egregious allegation than the one to which has been levelled against our client.

"As someone who has been involved at every level of the related Boston College criminal proceedings, it is clear that the instant allegation is not based on a single iota of evidence.

"Such allegations published on an international scale are not only unjustified, but they are odious insofar as they seek to cause our client immeasurable harm in exchange for greater streaming success.

"Our client has now been forced to initiate legal proceedings to hold Disney to account for their actions.”

Radden Keefe said last month that he felt the portrayal of Marian Price in the new series, of which he was an executive producer, was "the most sympathetic version."

"I think it's very sympathetic to her," Radden Keefe said, according to Town & Country Magazine.

"I guarantee you, there will be people who are familiar with Marian Price and her history who watch the series and say, 'You're too compassionate to her. You give her too much of a fair shake here.'"

He continued: "I think there's a way of not condoning people who do things that you might find morally repugnant, but really trying hard to understand them. There's a kind of moral vanity in saying, 'oh, that's just an evil villain. I would never do such a thing. I could never find myself in a situation where I would be capable of doing such things.'

"I feel as though we look in a fairly clear-eyed way at the things that she did, but it's about as sympathetic a hearing as you could give."

In 2018, upon the publication of the book "Say Nothing," Marian Price similarly "vehemently denied" the claim that she killed Jean McConville.

In his book, Radden Keefe wrote how Ed Moloney, the director of the oral history Belfast Project at Boston College, gave him an unpublished transcript of one of two long interviews he conducted with Dolours Price, Marian's sister and also a former member of the IRA.

Radden Keefe wrote that the transcript he received featured one "key redaction" - the name of the third executioner at McConville's grave.

"His [Moloney's] rationale was simple," Keefe wrote, "[Dolours] Price and [Pat] McClure were dead, but this third person was still alive."

Keefe went on to write: "I spoke to one other person in whom Dolours had confided before she died in 2013. I asked whether she had ever mentioned Marian playing a role in the McConville killing. This person confirmed she had - that Dolours had said the execution of Jean McConville was 'something the sisters had done together.'"

In 2018, Corrigan said that his client Marian Price "vehemently denies any involvement in the murder of Jean McConville.

"She outright refutes any assertion to the contrary.

"We have now been instructed to review the publication in question, and the appropriate action will follow if necessary."

Jean McConville and the 'Disappeared' of The Troubles

Jean McConville, a widowed mother-of-ten, was abducted by masked men and women from her home in the Divis Flats in West Belfast in December 1972.

It was 1995 before McConville's death began to be formally investigated when a Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) team was established to review the cases of 'the disappeared,' including McConville.

In 1999, 27 years after McConville's disappearance and more than a year after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, the IRA admitted to killing McConville, claiming that they believed she was an informant.

McConville's body was found on a beach in Co Louth on August 26, 2003. The remains were tested and showed that McConville had been shot in the head.

The following year, a verdict of “unlawful killing” was delivered by Ronan Maguire BL, the Coroner for County Louth, following an Inquest which took place on April 5, 2004.

In July 2006, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland found no evidence that McConville was an informant. The Ombudsman also found that a complaint lodged by brothers James and Michael McConville that the RUC failed to investigate the abduction of their mother was substantiated.

Marian Price has never been formally charged with McConville's murder. In 2018, the Irish Times reported that Price "is understood to have never been questioned by police over the offence."

A Little Humor

The Golden Telephone

On holiday in Europe, Bert noticed a marble column in a church in Rome with a golden telephone on it. As a young priest passed by, Bert asked who the telephone was for. The priest told him it was a direct line to Heaven, and if he'd like to call, it would be a thousand dollars. Bert was amazed, but declined the offer.

Throughout Europe, Bert kept seeing the same golden telephone on a marble column. At each, he asked about it and the answer was always the same: a direct line to Heaven and he could call for a thousand dollars.

After Bert finished his tour in Ireland, he decided to attend Mass at a local village church. When he walked in the door he noticed the golden telephone, but underneath it there was a sign stating:

DIRECT LINE TO HEAVEN - 25 CENTS!

'Father,' he said, "I have been all over Europe and in all the great cathedrals I visited,

I've seen telephones exactly like this one but the price is always a thousand dollars.

Why is it that this one is only 25 cents?"

The priest smiled and said,

"Son, you're in Ireland, it's a local call!"

An Irish farmer was walking along the boundary between his and his neighbour's fields when he spotted his neighbour carrying 2 sheep in his arms.

'Tony', he called.

'Are you going to shear those sheep'.

'I am not', the neighbour replied,

'They're both for me'."

Church Bloopers

From my wife Donna

Only in Ireland

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Well, that's it for this week.

Slán go fóill

Slawn guh foh-ill!

Fireny@aol.com

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Sláinte, Tom Guldner (Tommy Mac)

Slán agus beannacht, (Good-bye and blessings)

The Parting Glass

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