Desert Shamrock Nov-Dec 2016 e-Magazine

November-December January – February 2015 2016~~Arizona’s Arizona’sOriginal OriginalIrish IrishNewspaper Newspaper~~Vol. Vol.26, 27,No. No.15

Tea All About

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scottsdale center for the performing arts

Holidays at the Center

Danú

Danú

Sister’s Christmas Catechism

A Christmas Gathering Saturday, Dec. 10

The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold Dec. 9–18

One of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today takes audiences on a winter wonderland trip to the Emerald Isle in this glorious celebration of the season.

Hilarious holiday fun with the best habit in town!

More Jolly ...

Live & Local Holidays

Santa’s Helpers Friday, Dec. 9

Scottsdale Philharmonic

Mariachi Sol de México® de José Hernández Presents

A Merry-Achi Christmas

Thursday, Dec. 15

Pete Pancrazi Quartet

Saturday, Dec. 17

Friday, Dec. 16

David Benoit

Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown with Special Guest Sara Gazarek

The Hot Sardines Holiday Stomp

Sunday, Dec. 18 Mesa Arts Center

Sunday, Dec. 18

David Britton Christmas Friday, Dec. 23

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts

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3

ALL ABOUT TEA FROM A CELTIC SLANT

A Perfect Cuppa Advice from Arizona Experts

BY ANN NIEMANN, EDITOR IN CHIEF

I

t all starts with the water. I agree with Patricia Prior, Chair of the Irish Cultural Center’s annual Fall Tea in Phoenix. Whether tap or filtered, specific to your locale, it will change the taste of any given tea. Use fresh each time, notes Cheryl Mortiz, because “water that has previously been boiled and then reheated has lost oxygen, which can make tea taste flat.”

In Phoenix, Arizona, I use fresh, cold, filtered water, bring it to a boil, let it rest a minute, and then pour into a china teapot. For me, one teabag (usually Thompson’s Family Teas “Punjana,” Belfast, see page 18) swirled for just a bit is just right for four cups. Consuming 4-8 cups a day, some are discrediting my tea credentials already because they consider it a rather weak brew.

Although argued that loose leaf teas will always be more flavorful, the convenience of teabags is usually preferred in the

States. For many tea enthusiasts, they love it much “darker” having steeped it longer and/or with more tea for potency. Curran Mulhotra recommends “filling a teapot with hot water to preheat the teapot.

Dump out the water and put about a teaspoon of loose tea per cup in the empty teapot. Refill the pot with more hot water.

Let the tea steep for about five to six minutes before pouring.” That’s dark!

“You don’t want to toss out the tea leaves after a single brew,” shares Kita Centella. Certain types of tea, such as Pu’erh or oolong, are traditionally steeped multiple times, reusing the leaves until all the goodness has been extracted. I am a re-steeper; my trick to avoiding a watery tea with subsequent brews is to not drain the teapot all the way. Leave about 1/3 of the original tea before adding more hot water.”

Here’s a great tip from Jo Gemmill who recommends, “Once in a while thoroughly clean your teapot to remove the tannin stains. Fill it up with very hot water; drop in a fizzy denture-cleaning

Celebrate with the Celtic Community SKELLIG MICHAEL ISLAND All Year.

tablet(!). Make sure you tip the pot to get the solution up the spout. Leave for an hour and then rinse.”

WHILE IN ROME, OR DUBLIN AS THE CASE MAY BE Americans consume a lot of iced tea, even those who would rarely if ever drink it hot.

In Ireland, one doesn’t need to order “hot” tea; that’s a given. My husband ordered iced tea one trip out of habit, which I proceeded to cancel with the waitress. But she insisted that an American had shown her how; she returned quite some time later with a batch he said was the best ever!

Must be the water and Irish tea!

I understand the cream content in Irish milk is much higher than in the States. That’s why “milk” is a standard option with tea. I once absentmindedly asked for “cream” wondering why it was taking at least 20 minutes before it dawned on me the faux paus. They had gone to a store to purchase cream. I tipped very well that night!

There’s so much that could be said but alas not enough space. Another time…

[See these and other Arizona experts on pages 16-17]

Enjoy life and blessings, and a good read!

COVER PHOTO: English Rose Tea Room Carefree, AZ

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS November/December 2016 ~ Arizona’s Original Irish Newspaper

ARTS

15 Join Kilt Run World Record Attempt! Glendale 21 Orkney, The Highlands, and North Coast,

10 Tradition 22 Book Review: Standish O’Grady’s Cuculain: A Critical Edition 23 Musings from the Mint 23 HUMOR: Tea Time, Test Time…and Me

Scotland Tour 30 Tucson Celtic Heritage EVENTS, Tucson 31 Ireland and the Potato FUNDRAISER, Phoenix 31 St. Andrews Dinner, Phoenix 32 Celebration of Christmas, Phoenix

BUSINESS 24 Irish Network Phx: Mary Kallemeyn, Director, Mary Kay Cosmetics

FEATURES Queen of Tarts, Dublin

HISTORY 8 The Irish, The Teabag, and the Empire 19 SCOTS: Raising a Bone China Cup to Scotland’s Tea Barons

CULTURE 3 Publisher’s Note: The Perfect Cuppa 12 Keltic Kitchen: Cranberry Orange Scones 13 Celtic Caterer: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Real Butter SCOTCH Glaze 16-17 Arizona Tea Rooms 18 Editor’s Choice: Tea in Dublin, Tralee, Belfast

EVENTS 2 CONCERT: Ireland’s Danú, Scottsdale 2 Sister’s Christmas Catechism, Scottsdale 4 I’m 1 in a Million! of Celtic Descent in Arizona FUNDRAISER 7 A Child’s Christmas in Wales, Phoenix 9 CONCERT: Irish Christmas in America, Phoenix 10-11 Irish Cultural Center & McClelland Library EVENTS 13 CONCERT: Ireland’s Rhythm of the Dance, Chandler 14 Southwest Tea, Chandler “Growing up Kelly” Colleen Beaman (dad and uncle: Fred and Gene Kelly)

SISTER CITIES 14 Arizona Sister Cities Annual Conference

TRAVEL 6 Left Lane Maureen, Part 16: Recommended Tea Rooms in Ireland 7 To a Tea 20 Scotland Bucket List: Culloden 21 Orkney Islands, Scotland

16

Arizona Tea Rooms

24

Irish Network PHX Profile

14

Southwest Tea

18 Editor’s Choice: Tea in Dublin, Tralee, Belfast

OUT & ABOUT 26 Currach Team Phoenix/ Seas of Love

DIRECTORIES 15 Celtic Pubs & Eateries 28-29 Organizations, Sister Cities, Dance, Clans

CALENDAR 30 Schedule of Events

Mary Kallemeyn Mary Kay Cosmetics

Celtic

TRAVEL PLANNER

Cliffs of Moher

PHOTO BY TIMOTHY H. MURPHY

NEXT ISSUE SNEAK PEEK

Chandler, AZ, Tullamore, Ireland Sister Cities WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Recommended Tea PART 16: Rooms in Ireland

DRIVING TIPS FROM LEFT LANE MAUREEN

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE MERRION HOTEL

“Art Tea” at The Merrion Hotel, Dublin

BY MAUREEN SULLIVAN CTC COUNTY CORK, IRELAND

A

s you drive through Ireland, you will find that the Irish do enjoy a pot of tea any time of the day. It is a perfect way to take a little time away from life’s hectic pace. It’s a tradition that the locals have come to treasure.

A great place for afternoon tea is The Shelbourne in Dublin’s fair city.

“Afternoon Tea” is in the Lord Mayor’s Lounge. The lounge got its name because after their inauguration, Dublin’s Lord Mayors would take a short stroll to The Shelbourne Dublin for tea. The Lord Mayor’s Lounge is an expression of elegance and style. Sipping tea, partaking of tiered trays of delicacies, looking out at St. Stephen’s Green, one can almost imagine life in early Georgian Dublin. There is a special afternoon tea for children in May through early September which is

truly delightful. Alice in Wonderland treats such as the “Pocket Watch” and “Queen of Hearts” are delicious and charming! www.shelbournedining.ie/ the-lord-mayors-lounge The Merrion Hotel’s “Drawing Room” is a gracious surrounding for afternoon “Art Tea” and is the most lavish afternoon tea in Dublin. Treat yourself to a slice of 19th or 20th century art served on fine china. The elegance of the Merrion’s amazing confections reflect the art works of J.B Yeats, William Scott, Louis Le Brocquy and others. The hotel is known for its outstanding art collection, which one can peruse in the Merrion Art Collection catalogue, as you enjoy gracious afternoon tea in the heart of Dublin. www.merrionhotel.com/drawingrooms_tea.php In Killarney, it’s the Killarney Park Hotel for a bit of time away from the busy pace of touring. The “Drawing Room” with its beautiful marble fireplace, deep

carpets and graceful furnishings create a perfect atmosphere to discover the perfectly baked scone, complete with cream and fresh fruit preserves. Enjoy the selection of freshly baked breads with an endless variety of flavors. Traditional tea is a treasure, but a sparkling glass of champagne is a delightful addition to a perfect occasion!

Outside Cork City, you can stop for afternoon tea at Hayfield Manor. Relax in the Orchids Room, famous for its relaxing classical piano music while enjoying afternoon tea. Their Patisserie has created dainty finger sandwiches to please the eye as well as the palate. The delicious assortment of pastries and cakes are followed with delectable chocolates.

As you finish your driving for the day, the best cup of tea is in an Irish kitchen, where herself puts the kettle on!

The incredible warmth of the Irish makes you feel welcome, as they always have time for strangers.

Well, I am finished with this article,

and I’m heading to the kitchen to put the water on for a good cup of Barry’s Irish tea from Mully’s Touch of Ireland, the gift shop in old town Scottsdale. I hear a knock at the door…there is always time for a cup of tea with a friend!

Enjoy Ireland!!

Maureen and John (“Jack”) are the owners of Sullivan’s Travels, Inc. Maureen has been a travel professional for 25 years, moving their business to Phoenix four years ago. www.sullivanstravels.com

Dublin Shelbourne’s Executive Chef, Gary Hughes, shares about Afternoon Tea

favorite tea:

Barry’s

Did you know...?

Jack’s parents were born in County Cork, Ireland, settling in Chicago in the 1920s.

Phone: 480-671-0207 • Cell: 847-481-9149 Fax: 480-617-5961 maureen@sullivanstravels.com • www.sullivanstravels.com Travel Europe, Mexico, Cruises & South Pacific

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• Scots invented the tearoom and marmalade • Phoenician sailors traded clotted cream for Cornish tin in 500 BC • Scone comes from the Gaelic sgonn, rhymes with gone • Welsh rabbit (rarebit) is a cheese dish www.teawithfriends.com

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

7

BY KRISTIE STEVENSON

T TO A TEA

Selection of Traybakes

IAIN LUNDY Freelance Journalist

he first time I had the opportunity to go to a tearoom, I knew exactly what to expect. We were at the Brighton Pavilion, the Royal Palace in England built for the Prince Regent. There should be fine white linen tablecloths on the tables. Exquisite silverware would be set off by napkins folded in some lovely pattern. An antique teapot would be brought to the table filled with steaming tea. Delicate cakes intricately decorated would be offered. My teacup and plate would have a gold rim.

Lovely.

To my surprise, we picked up our plastic tray, got in line, and peered at the menu board. Sandwiches, wraps, and paninis were the main items, followed by scones and biscuits (cookies). It was quite possible to get tea, along with coffee, soda pop, and bottles of water. We ordered, collected our food and found a table on the balcony outside. Within moments of sitting down we watched seagulls steal the scones from the table next to us. We were careful not to let them get ours. It was not the genteel tearoom of my imagination.

Throughout Ireland and the British Isles, you can find tearooms offering Afternoon Tea, which we would call “high” tea. They are lovely, classy and expensive. In Ireland, High Tea is what we would call supper. Most of the tearooms offer light meals and are perfect for lunch or a bit of something yummy. Almost every town, even though it might be too small to have a grocery store, has at least one tearoom. If you go to a historic house

or castle, there is a tearoom. If your go into a museum, you will find a tearoom.

For that matter go into some of the major stores, and you will find a tearoom.

I have my favorites near where we live in Banbridge, County Down. If you are on the way home from somewhere, you don’t go to a drive-through fast food place (there aren’t very many), but rather stop at a tearoom. Gilberry Fayre Tearoom is a good example. Along the road on the way to a large town, it is in a building which was once a country school. The main floor is a large L-shaped room with the serving area on part of the long side.

There is also seating upstairs and outside.

It has both sandwiches and hot food, but what is the best are the traybakes. For instance, “Fifteens” are cookie crumbs, cherries, and marshmallows mixed with sweetened condensed milk and rolled in coconut. Traybakes seem to be a specialty in Northern Ireland.

I love tearooms. They are the perfect place to get a bit of food on the way home from shopping or seeing the sights.

Nothing could be better for meeting with friends to talk and enjoy each other’s company. I don’t miss High Tea; I can get traybakes at the tearoom, which fits me to a “T.” Kristie Stevenson, a fourth generation Arizonan, traces her Celtic ancestry back to Ireland, Scotland and Wales. A CROFT member, she enjoys spinning, felting and quilting. She, with her husband, Chris, spends summer in their home in Banbridge, County Down, and winter in Glendale, Arizona.

• Writer, Author, Blogger, Proofreader, Copy Editor • Expert in all things Scottish • Scottish genealogy a specialty

iainlundy@lundyink.com 480-737-5090

www.lundyink.com

SeamusMcCaffreys.com

24th Annual

Maternal grandparents from Co. Kerry, paternal from Co. Clare

(602) 253-6081 SeamusMcCaffreys.com 18 West Monroe Phoenix, Arizona 85003

1 8 We s t M o n r o e P h o e n i x ,WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM Arizona 85003

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Gilberry Fayre Tearoom

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

HISTORY

The Irish, the Teabag,

and the Empire PHOTO BY ANDRÉ KARWATH AKA AKA

BY DR. SHARONAH FREDRICK

W

henever we put teabags in boiling water, waiting for the leaves to have an invigorating and/or relaxing effect upon us, we should remember the NY born Irish-American, Thomas Sullivan, (b. July 19, 1883). Mr. Sullivan, in 1908, anxious to maximize the selling power of small tea samples, sewed up the leaves in delicate muslin and silk pouches, and sent them out to potential buyers and customers in burgeoning Big Apple markets. Despite earlier attempts to store tea in tiny bags, including a failed 1904 Milwaukee patent, it was Mr. Sullivan, who first made tea available in the convenient little bags that fit our rapid modern-day lifestyle. Customers wrongly assumed that the entire bag should be tossed in the water, rather than taking out the leaves and straining them separately.

The result, with some modifications (tea bags were originally sealed with glue, leading to a fairly odd taste when boiled) is our contemporary manner of drinking tea.

The first Europeans who tasted tea

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were the Portuguese, during their voyages of the late 1400s and through the 1500s to Southern India. Tea itself had been harvested in China, spreading to the rest of Asia, at least three and a half thousand years earlier. How did it reach Ireland, becoming the staple of beloved tea houses (such as Dublin’s famous Bewley’s) in the 19th century and beyond?

That story, like most of the histories of modern-day likes and dislikes, has its roots in the Early Modern period (late 1400s through late 1700s).

Euphemistically termed a “Renaissance” by certain historians in Europe, the epoch was anything but that for Ireland, under British colonial rule and always threatened with French and Spanish invasions. The British East India Company had, in the early 17th century, begun to traffic in tea as they expanded on earlier Portuguese trade routes. As the British empire in the Americas emerged, and Spain’s New World dominance declined in the 18th century, English aristocrats on slave plantations in Jamaica and Barbados developed a taste for the loose-leaf drink.

Eventually it became so popular that the contraband traders of the Caribbean,

(Irish and English pirates) understood that tea had a value beyond gold or silver.

Once mined, silver and gold stripped the land barren. However, tea could be harvested, with proper care, year after year. Thus tea, and of course the spices that preserved food, were more prized for black market trade (i.e., Caribbean piracy) during the 17th and 18th centuries, than was any precious metal.

Irish and English indentured servants in the Americas would have tasted this contraband tea long before the leaf officially reached Ireland. As the East and West Indies came partially under British control in the late 17th and early 18th century, foodstuffs were traded, and sometimes commandeered, back and forth across the globe. Tea predominated in both legal and illicit maritime business.

Tea debuted in Erin in the early 1800s as a preferred luxury article for Protestant Anglo-Irish families in Belfast, and for Dublin’s nascent Catholic merchant class. It was reserved for lavish dinners. Tea was poured in crystal cups because it was believed that the clear rock best retained the leaf ’s flavor. Imported Chinese porcelain (courtesy of the British

East India Company) was used to heat the tea, as porcelain was thought to be the only material delicate enough to steep the tea-leaves without adulterating their taste.

Ireland currently consumes more tea than any other country, (including England!), except Turkey. The leaf, now no longer a restricted luxury item, has become a beloved mainstay of Irish daily consumption, and enjoyment.

Sharonah Fredrick, PhD, is Assistant Director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (ACMRS) at ASU. She has a PhD in Latin American Colonial Literature; MA in Renaissance History; and BA in Cultural Anthropology. She’s multi-lingual; attended Yeats Summer School and Merryman Literature Summer School in Ireland, as well as doing independent study in the Donegal Gaeltacht, and summer courses at Trinity College, Dublin.

favorite tea: Canadian Maple Tea, hands down. Tastes like maple sugar candy; stocks up on a million boxes of it every visit to Montreal.

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

9

9201 N. 29th Ave., #52, Phoenix

TIMFINNEGANS.COM

Irish Christmas in America at the MIM Music Theater Sun. & Mon., Dec. 4 & 5 | 7:00 p.m. | $35.50–$40.50 A family-friendly performance of Irish ballads, holiday classics, lively fiddle tunes, and thrilling Irish dancing.

MIM.org | 480.478.6000 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix

1 North 1st Street, Suite 102, PHOENIX THEKETTLEBLACKPUB.COM

Introduce your child

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Colorful illustrations Fact-filled sidenotes Describe what Irish dancers

do and wear and why

Highlights the value of things

A Child’s

Christmas inWales

besides winning medals, like teamwork, sportsmanship,

FUNDRAISER

and friendship

Sunday Dec. 4, 6pm

Softcover 24 pages $ 10.99

Welsh League of Arizona presents a reading with musical accompaniment of Dylan Thomas’ iconic work. Delightful family event!

Supports Student Exchanges between NAU and Cardiff University.

Irish Cultural Center, 1106 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix • Tickets $10 (tax deductible) CONTACTS: Maris at maristhom@aol.com, 480-895-9922; OR Kathleen at ktubbs09@cox.net, 480-893-9150

www.GhillieGirls.com

There are actually 2 types of tea bushes: Camellia Sinensis and Camellia Assamica. The different colors refer to when the tea is picked and how long it is left to oxidize, or ferment. Green is usually picked first while black tea is completely oxidized.

Teas of different levels of oxidation (L to R): green, yellow, oolong, and black

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ARTS

10

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Tradition

BY CAROLINE WOODIEL

E

Celebrate the HOLIDAYs Christmas at the Castle Saturday, December 3, 2016 6PM - 10PM

Annual Winter Solstice Wednesday, December 21, 2016 4PM to the wee hours

1106 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85004 602.258.0109 azirish.org for more info email us at info@azirish.org

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ach year the holiday season rolls around and tradition seems to be at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts. Year after year we find ourselves repeating the past in meaningful ways that differ by family, age, and cultural background. The way in which we make these meaningful connections varies based on each individual and the things that have stuck with them through the years.

For some, tradition is a way of connecting with the distant past. Tradition becomes a line transcending time and linking an individual with those they share a commonality with. People, that in any other case, time would prevent from ever coming together. For others, tradition brings a fond memory dear to one’s heart into the present. The smell of a mother’s bread or a familiar melody can flood in happy memories of childhood regardless of the original baker’s attendance or the origination of the tune.

Some see tradition as a cultural connection, a way in which a group of people all practice or act together as one. This unity spans across time, distance, and day to day factors that may separate participants in their everyday lives. Sometimes the meanings of these connections are temporarily lost, and a family may place a candle in their window at Christmas not knowing how or why they find themselves compelled to continue the tradition.

Then, the meaning is once again discovered, and a world of connection opens up.

All at once through the lighting of a single candle, they are aware that they are part of something larger than themselves.

Tradition is only as permanent as those who continue it. Just as some traditions can be lost, new traditions can be created. As you find yourself pondering your own traditions this holiday season, come and visit with us at the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library.

Our end of the year programming, such as our Christmas at the Castle, Winter Solstice Celebration, and the programming of our many affiliate organizations, can teach and engage you in traditions of your own ancestors’ past, or create new traditions that you and your family may wish to pass on. When we do these things, together we become a part of something larger than ourselves.

Caroline Woodiel is a hobby photographer, border collie enthusiast, and librarian with ancestors of both Irish and Scottish descent. She holds a Bachelor’s of History from the University of Colorado and a Master’s of Library and Information Science from the University of Arizona. Caroline is the Public Services Coordinator for the McClelland Irish Library in Phoenix.

favorite tea:

Masala Chai

The Irish Tea Ceremony November 19; December 17 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm Monthly on the third Saturday, until 20 May 2017 MUST PRE-REGISTER Love tea? Wouldn’t you love to make the perfect “cuppa” Irish tea? Then sign up for this class, taught by our lovely Loraine Dalton-Gist, born in Manchester, England; her dad is from Callan, County Kilkenny, Ireland! Learn some history, proper technique for tea, and enjoy a beautiful tea service with homemade Irish Soda Bread with your cup! Mmmm!

• The History of Tea • The important custom and significance of drinking tea in Ireland • The Etiquette surrounding Tea in Ireland • The difference between High Tea, Afternoon Tea, and Cream Tea • The Medicinal Properties of Tea • Common mistakes in brewing Tea • How to make a proper ‘cuppa’ Everyone will take home a memento of the day.

loraine’s favorite tea:

Lyons

First Friday at the ICC! Part of Phoenix Art Walk Fridays, November 4, December 2 6.30pm until late

The Great Hall, FREE Family-Friendly, Live Music, Art Show, Crafts, Cash Bar, Dinner available for purchase

Family Story Hour Saturdays, November 5, December 3 10:30am-Noon Book Discussion Group Saturdays, November 5, December 3 10:30am-12:30pm Legends of Celtic Exploration in the Ancient Americas: Saints, Princes, and Red-Haired Gods A lecture by Sharonah Fredrick Ph.D., Assistant Director, ACMRS Sunday, November 6, 7-9pm

THE ACADEMY OF IRISH AND CELTIC STUDIES

9-week Term 2 begins October 25, 2016 Term 3 begins January 9, 2017 Term 4 begins March 21, 2017 Group and private lessons available AND offer member-discounts Call for pricing and details 602-864-2357 or email academy@azirish.org

An Evening with Celebrated Poet John Deane Friday, November 11, 6-10pm Third Friday Ceili (Irish Social Dancing) Nov 18, Dec 16, 7pm until late

The Great Hall, Family-Friendly, Live Music, Cash Bar

Tickets: $6; under 12 FREE (2 with each paid admission)

Christmas at the Castle Saturday, December 3, 6-10pm Genealogy Workshop Saturday, December 10, 10:30am-1pm Annual Winter Solstice Wednesday, December 21, 4pm to late

“Irish Tea Ceremony” Third Saturday of each month Saturdays, Nov 19, Dec 17 1:30pm–3pm Norton Room, Reservations only!

Tickets: $22.50 Members, $25 Non-Members Bill Craig in Concert Sunday, November 20, 7-10pm

Term 2 Schedule: PRIVATE MUSIC CLASSES Tuesday to Saturday, available for all levels Bagpipes (Scottish Highland), Bodhrán, Fiddle, Flute, Harp, Tin Whistle, Voice, Cello, Choral Arts, Clarinet, Piano and Viola

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING - CLASSES WITH RENEE METCALF Tuesdays 6-7pm IRISH LANGUAGE Tuesdays: Novice 7-8pm Intermediate 8-9pm Wednesdays: Advanced 6-7pm Private lessons also available for all levels

IRISH STEP DANCE Wednesdays, Kids 5:306:30pm; Adults 6:45-7:45pm ART CLASS - CELTIC CULTURE & IDENTITY Wednesdays • 7-9pm Now through November 23

CULTURE

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Cranberry Orange Scones

BY KATIE CAUFIELD GINDER

D

ia daoibh a chaired! (Hello friends!)

An afternoon tea without scones would be sacrilegious. However, scones originated long before they ever lined an afternoon tea table. Dating back to the early 1500s, scones were a between-meals delicacy, and are first referenced in both Scottish and Dutch writing. While scones vary in shape and size, this quick-bread is typically prepared as round or triangular shapes and then brushed with cream or egg wash before baking. Additionally, it’s common to find scones with currants or sultanas (made from seedless grapes and sometimes called golden raisins) and served with clotted cream and preserves.

The recipe below is a twist on the popular dried fruit studded scone and

instead includes cranberries and orange.

If you prefer a more traditional flavor, feel free to use currants instead or exclude the fruit all together. Scones are a simple, easily adaptable biscuit that can be served for breakfast, tea, or dessert. Enjoy!

Katie Caufield Ginder lives in Gilbert with her husband and two sons. Her background is in higher education program management, instruction, and faculty recruitment. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, cooking, yoga, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and learning about her Irish heritage. Katie’s great, great paternal grandfather was from Galway and immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1860s.

favorite tea:

I love all teas but if I had to pick a favorite, I would say peppermint (usually Traders Joe’s).

Serves 6-8

and mix for a few seconds just until moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press together gently until it clings together in a ball. Pat out into a round about 1/2” thick and approx. 6-7” in diameter. Cut the round into 6 wedges, or use a 3” biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. Place on prepared pan approx. 1” apart.

Mix topping ingredients in small bowl. Brush scones with cream/buttermilk and sprinkle with topping.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool slightly before serving. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Ingredients: SCONES: 2 c. or 240 g. flour 1/4 c. or 50 g. sugar 1 T. baking powder 1/2 t. salt 2 t. orange zest 6 T. or 90 g. cold, unsalted butter cut in 1/2” or 13 mm pieces 1/2 c. or 75 g. dried cranberries 3/4 c. or 180 ml. heavy cream or buttermilk TOPPING 1 T. sugar 1 t. cinnamon 2 T. or 30 ml. cream or buttermilk

ICING DIRECTIONS: Mix powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl. After the scones have cooled, use a fork to drizzle frosting on top of the scones.

ICING: ½ c. or 50 g. confectioner’s sugar 2 T. or 30 ml. orange juice

Katie, Rex, and 2-year-old Ford welcomed Abraham Hyde Ginder, born March 1, 2016

Desert Fare Cookbook

On sale for $10 Pre-pay on our website at www.chandlerirish.org and cookbook will be mailed

Benefits Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Student Exchange Program

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

SCONE DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425ºF and place rack in center of the oven. Line a tray with parchment paper and set aside.

In a mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

Mix until combined.

Add butter and mix on medium-low speed just until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of small peas.

Scatter cranberries over dough. Pour in the cream/buttermilk

NOTES: I prefer using buttermilk in my scones.

You can make your own by adding 1 T. lemon juice or 1 T. white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Stir and let stand 10 minutes before using for baking purposes.

For the chocolate lovers out there, try substituting chocolate chips for the dried cranberries and then drizzle Nutella over the baked scones.

Paula Blessman Your Resource for Innovative Bakeware & Kitchen Accessories

(319) 560-7623 mobile bakingwithpaula@gmail.com www.mydemarleathome.com/ bakingwithpaula

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Chef McBride is an awardwinning chef and author of four Celtic cookbooks (Scotland, Ireland, Wales & Manx, and Celtic-style vegetarian), and has a line of traditional Celtic Seasoning mixes. You can get his books via his website www.celticcaterer.com or on his Facebook page “the Celtic Caterer & Chef Eric W. McBride, or on YouTube.

Step 1. Chop dates and add them to 1 ¼ cups of boiling water. Remove from heat and add in baking soda. Pot will become foamy as the baking soda mixes with dates. Set aside to cool.

Step 1. Melt butter, then add in sugar, Scotch, and vanilla and stir until smooth.

Step 2. Pour in cream slowly, stir continually until glaze becomes thick (this will depend on elevation). Do not overcook. Glaze will become thicker when removed from heat. Pour over pudding/ cake and enjoy.

Step 2. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.

Step 3. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, sugar, and vanilla.

Step 4. In the mixing bowl, add in half of date mix, half of dry mix and one egg and combine; repeat procedure.

Step 5. Pour batter into greased cake pan. Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes.

Allow 30 minutes to cool

CREED

S

o as many of you know who were able to attend this past summer’s Elizabeth Celtic Festival in Denver, Colorado, I now have a new food booth. Our goal is to really turn how you enjoy Celtic food at festivals upside-down. That is to say, we REALLY want you to enjoy the food.

For too many years I have heard so many people complain about the quality of the food available at the various Celtic festivals all across the front range and beyond.

In addition to my various Celtic Stuffed Spuds (Potato Jackets), we have several dessert items, and though many of you like the Guinness Chocolate Walnut cake, the dessert everyone was talking about is our Sticky Toffee Pudding.

To the British who seem to like to make sure everything is in its proper

place with the proper label, well there are some variations when it comes to calling things “pudding.” There is black or white pudding which refers to meat dishes, and then their habit to call any sweets after dinner a pudding. This is evident when one tries a Sticky Toffee Pudding only to find a very moist CAKE. So for those who have never tried it, here is one of the moistest cakes you will ever try, with a real Butter SCOTCH glaze.

BUTTER SCOTCH GLAZE: 1 ¼ cups (packed) brown sugar ½ cup heavy cream ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter ¼ cup Scotch (blended) ½ teaspoon vanilla extract walnut halves, optional garnish

PHOTO BY JES SICA

BY CHEF ERIC W. MCBRIDE

Serves 4-6 PUDDING/CAKE: ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour plus more for pan 1 ½ cups chopped pitted dates (about 6 ounces) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs

Sunday, February 12, 2017 · 3pm For complete season:

ChandlerCenter.org 480.782.2680 Full season listing

CULTURE

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Real Butter SCOTCH Glaze

13

ChandlerCenter.org

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

SISTER / TWINNED CITIES

14

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

ARIZONA SISTER CITIES

Annual Conference

BY ELLEN HARRINGTON

F

favorite tea:

Barry’s Ellen Harrington

ountain Hills Sister Cities hosted the Annual Arizona Sister Cities Conference on May 20-21, 2016.

The Friday night reception was a Desert Belle cruise on a moonlit Saguaro Lake. Saturday dawned bright, beginning with breakfast then on to guest speakers and break-out sessions on membership, fundraising and student exchange discussions.

Eleven Arizona cities represent 56 sister city relationships around the world! Currently six Arizona cities have Irish sister cities: Chandler-Tullamore, Gilbert-Newtonabbey, Phoenix-Ennis, Scottsdale-Killarney, Tempe-Carlow, and Tucson-Roscommon. Sierra Vista Sister Cities will host the 2017 AZSC Conference. For further information on Arizona Sister Cities, please contact Milt Laflen, 480-540-8895 or miltlaflen@ gmail.com. www.arizonasistercities.com

Ellen Harrington serves as the President of Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities, as Secretary for Arizona Sister Cities, and is a Board Member of the Irish Cultural and Learning Foundation. Her Irish heritage descends from the Stewarts of County Down, and a recently discovered link to County Cork. Her husband, Pat, is the grandson of Irish immigrants from Castletownbere, County Cork.

President, Chandler-Tullamore, Ireland Sister Cities

favorite tea:

Barry’s Mary Hill-Connor

Committee Chairperson Phoenix-Ennis, Ireland Sister Cities

Pictured on cruise: Chandler-Tullamore and Tempe Sister Cities members, from left: Dawn Odil, Sean and Patricia Prior, Ellen Harrington, Cara Czarnecki; on right side: Carol Schultz, Friend of AZSC, Lori and David Birdsell.

Chandler,AZ AZ- -Tullamore, Tullamore, Ireland Ireland Sister Chandler, Sister Cities Cities

Fifth Annual Southwest Fifth Annual Southwest Tea Tea Chandler-Tullamore

favorite tea: I’m a big tea drinker: 2 pots a day! I love my Irish Barry’s early then switch to Green; most days it’s decaf. I have a cupboard dedicated to lovely teas from family and friends. Jasmine has been this week’s indulgence. Leftover from the pot gets strained into iced tea or for cooking; plants like tea also.

Colleen Kelly Beaman, BFA, MEd, EdD

President, Tucson-Roscommon, Ireland Sister Cities

Chandler-Tullamore SiSTer CiTieS ellen harringTon

President, Board of trustees

Saturday,November November 2016 •• 11:00am 11:00am -- 1:00pm 1:00pm Saturday, 19,19, 2016 Chandler ChandlerCommunity CommunityCenter Center

chan.to.tull@gmail.com (480) 600-8509 P.O. Box 1474 Chandler, AZ 85244-1474

Sister Cities

Historic Downtown Chandler, 125East East Commonwealth Commonwealth Ave, Chandler 85225 Historic Downtown Chandler, 125 Ave, Chandler 85225

PRESENTS

www.chandlerirish.org

www.facebook.com/chandler.az.irish

2016 YOUNG ARTISTS & AUTHORS Bagpiper Opening • Luncheon INTERNATIONAL SHOWCASE RECEPTION Live Entertainment • Silent Auction & Baskets “Peace through People” Bagpiper Opening • Luncheon • Live Entertainment • Raffle Baskets Pricing: Online $18/Adult; $10/11 & Under; Membership, with code, $15 Walk-ins with No Reservations $20/Adult; $10/11 & Under

For Reservations Updates, pleaseKelly visit our website: www.chandlerirish.org Guestand Speaker: Colleen Beaman, “Growing Up Kelly”

Daughter of Choreographer Fred Kelly, Niece of Actor Gene Kelly, President Tucson-Roscommon Sister Cities

All proceeds to further our Mission of Education, Business & Cultural Exchanges.

Online $18/Adult; $10/11 & Under; Membership, with code, $15 Walk-ins with No Reservations $20/Adult; $10/11 & Under

MARY HILL-CONNOR

REALTOR® Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource 3850 East Baseline Road, Suite 119 Mesa, AZ 85206 Mobile: (602) 635-9760 Office: (480) 926-2727 Fax: (602) 357-1975 Email: maryhillconnor@hotmail.com

Emigrated from Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland in 1972

Reception: Friday, April 15

For Reservations and Updates, please visit our website: rd

Artwalk • 6:00 to 10:00pm 3 Friday www.chandlerirish.org All proceeds to further our Mission of Education, Business & Cultural Exchanges.

in Historic Downtown Chandler

"Nil aon hTintean mar do hTintean fein" (There is no hearth like your own hearth) Oh by the way...I'm never too busy for any of your referrals

www.dprrealty.com

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM • Exhibit will feature poetry, essays and artworks submitted by Chandler students for our 2016 Art and Author Showcase.

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Celtic Pubs & Eateries

If you're looking for some Craic, look no further!

Greater Phoenix The Dubliner Irish Pub & Restaurant 3841 E. Thunderbird Road, #111, Phoenix, AZ 85032 (east of AZ-51); 602-867-0984 www.dublinerpub.com Arizona’s original Irish pub and very first to serve Guinness on tap, Irish and American fare, games on big-screen TV, live music six nights a week.

Gallagher’s Sports Grill 7575 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85020 (16th Street & Morten); 602-997-0084 3220 E. Baseline, Phoenix, AZ 85042 (NE corner of 32nd St. & Baseline); 602-437-0981 34406 N. Black Mountain Parkway, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (Carefree Hwy. & 48th Street); 480-595-8800 751 E Union Hills Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85024 (7th & Union Hills); 602-867-3222 6750 W. Peoria, Peoria, AZ 85345 (north side of Peoria at 67th Avenue); 623-486-2118 www.gallaghersaz.com Discover a great tasting menu, HD sports, daily and late night specials, weekend breakfast, karaoke, trivia and OTB!

The Harp Irish Pub 1744 S. Val Vista Drive, Mesa, AZ 85204 (just south of US-60 in Dana Park Village Square) 480-507-7827 www.theharpaz.com An Irish pub from our interior to our menu. We offer a perfect blend of modern and comfort Irish/American food and drinks in an authentic atmosphere. Dueling pianos Fridays 9pm; live music Saturdays 8pm.

The Irish Wolfhound Restaurant & Pub 16811 N. Litchfield Road, Surprise, AZ 85374 (just south of Bell Road) 623-214-1004 www.irishwolfhoundpub.com Bringing a little piece of Ireland to the desert. Featured on PBS “Check, Please!” with award-winning Corned Beef & Cabbage and Guinness Battered Atlantic Cod.

The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub

O’Connor’s Pub 2601 W. Dunlap Avenue, #7, Phoenix, AZ 85021 (east of I-17) 602-997-7714 www.oconnorspub.com Where You’re A Stranger Only Once! For some good ol’ Irish hospitality in the Valley of the Sun, drop in the best Irish pub in Phoenix! See ad page 29

Rosie McCaffrey’s Irish Pub 906 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85014 (additional parking on 10th Street! 100 feet away!)

602-241-1916 Irish owned and operated pub in central Phoenix serving good food and drink, the traditional Irish way, showing all Celtic FC matches, daily specials. Sláinte!

Rúla Bula Irish Pub and Restaurant 401 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281 (between University and Rio Salado Parkway) 480-929-9500 www.rulabula.com Downtown Tempe, old world pub serving traditional and contemporary pub fare. Draft craft beer, premium whiskies and specialty cocktails.

Daily Happy Hour. Live Music weekends. See ad page 21

Séamus McCaffrey’s Irish Pub 18 W. Monroe Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003 (adjacent to historic Hotel San Carlos) 602-253-6081 www.seamusmccaffreys.com Downtown Phoenix’ Original Irish Pub & Restaurant. Est.-1991. Corned beef & cabbage, Irish stew, fish & chips, full menu, weekend brunch, AZ’s largest whiskey menu, 10 on tap, open late. See ad page 7

Tim Finnegan’s Irish Restaurant & Bar 9201 N. 29th Avenue, #52, Phoenix, AZ 85051 (west of I-17 and just north of Dunlap Ave.) 602-997-2323 www.timfinnegans.com Evokes images of the great old pubs of Ireland with blend of modern Ireland’s music, food, beverages. Featured on PBS “Check, Please!”

Arizona #404 | Chapter 2 of 3. See ad page 4

1 N. First Street, #201, Phoenix, AZ 85004 (between Washington and Adams) 602-651-1185 www.thekettleblackpub.com Late night restaurant, bar and grill. Jimmy Culleton and Tom Montgomery bring you another great gastrobpub menu and Irish atmosphere. Grand opening was packed! See ad page 4

New customers are looking for you!

Accepting Celtic listings for Phoenix area, Flagstaff, Prescott, Sedona, and Tucson.

2017 Kilt Run GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT A short “Irish K” (about a quarter mile)

March 17, 6pm

Your ENTRY Includes a kilt, finisher’s medal, cold beverage & admission to McFadden’s St. Patrick’s Party!

Proceeds to American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

$30; special $25 if before March 1.

The record is currently held by Perth, Ontario, Canada.We need almost 1,800 runners wearing kilts to bring the world record to Glendale, Arizona!

register at

www.irishrunaz.com WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

16

ArizonaTEA Rooms NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Chantilly Tea Room

owner:

Tamara Read, Certified Tea Specialist Irish and Scottish descent

5669 N. Oracle, Ste. 2201 Tucson, AZ 85704 520-622-3303 www.chantillytearoom.com Tuesdays and Thursdays Noon-4pm

favorites: A challenge to choose one! Darjeeling with one lump of sugar although currently enjoying a “matcha” (green tea leaves ground into a fine powder to capture more nutrients) phase.

The tea shop creates a place where history is readily available to see, the senses are filled with delight, you feel welcome to sit and sip your cup of tea, and relax. If you are wanting local information, they aim to give their best. For example, they’re located in the historic jail featured in the 1946 film “Desert Fury” starring Burt Lancaster and also in the 1967 film “Stay Away Joe” starring Elvis Presley.

There’s even a Secret Rose Garden to enjoy outdoors and a perfect cup of tea with homemade (just like grandma used to make) cupcakes in their magical garden. And if you look closely, you might catch a glimpse of a flower fairy!

Loose Leaf Tea Market 4773 N 20th Street Phoenix, AZ 85016 602-283-1210 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., #5 Phoenix, AZ 85048 480-759-0695 www.looseleafmarket.com Mon - Sat 10am-7pm Sundays 11am-5pm

1101 N. Main Street Cottonwood, AZ 86326 928-649-0056 www.wildrosetea.net Wed, Thurs, Sat Noon-6pm Sundays Noon-5pm

owner: Kita Centella, Herbalist

Great-Grandparents from Dublin and Cork and met in the U.S. She was from a family of 13; educated and came to be a tutor. He was a sulky racer (two-wheeled carriage pulled by a horse). favorites: Mornings – Coffee Quitter, blend of Pu’ehr along with roasted dandelion root, chaga, and ginkgo leaves.

Evenings – no caffeine, like herbal Stomach Soothing Tea

owner:

Christine Williams

favorite: Assam, a malty black tea that takes particularly well milk and sugar, after growing up in the Northwest a rainy-day must; Pu’ehr blended with Creme Brûlée black tea - absolutely amazing because of fermented properties does wonders for nausea but tastes like a cup of heaven due to browned sugar depths of Creme Brûlée

Retail store to purchase wide range of teas; sample teas every day, sample to try before purchase upon request. Use fresh, certified organic ingredients in the blends; important, because many tea brands have come under scrutiny for containing pesticide residues. Never use artificial flavorings to punch up the taste, only organic botanical ingredients. Made by hand in small batches to ensure fresh.

They provide a customized experience and education about the health benefits, based on what customers are looking for (for example, help sleep, relieve anxiety, support energy, or help get over the flu).

(tasty blend of chamomile, mint, and other herbs).

Located in one of the first buildings built in Tempe using fired red brick instead of adobe (1888), its’s listed on the Historic National Registry. Originally Tempe’s first bakery, the individual rooms used to host the teas are decorated with artifacts from the eleven Tempe Sister Cities located around the world, including Carlow, Ireland.

Everyone is a community volunteer from Bakers, tea-steepers, to servers. Most teas are created around a theme and are fundraisers.

The Nutcracker Children’s Tea is Sunday, November 20, partnering with the Southwest Ballet Youth Company. Costumes are encouraged. Tea is served from 1-3pm. This year’s Holiday Tea is Saturday December 10 from 1-3pm. Registration required.

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

Wild Rose Tea House

After 14 years as a tea room, Tamara now provides a cozy retail location with an online service to offer over 100 loose-leaf teas from traditional black blends to unique rare white teas, and even Irish Whiskey Cream; scone mixes, tea accessories, children’s basket tea sets, and other gift treasures.

The holidays bring gingerbread house decorating and Mrs. Claus story time. A book club she started many years ago is still getting together and occasionally come in to enjoy tea and scones.

For tea tastings or “cuppings,” Tamara shares the benefits and fun terms, such as “agony of the tea leaves” which refers to the unfolding of the tea leaves as they steep. She considers it more of a dance the leaves perform as they unfurl and release the flavors captured within them. Come visit to discover the joys of tea and enjoy a refreshing cup!

Hackett House

95 W. Fourth Street Tempe, AZ 85281 480-350-8181 www.hacketthouse.org Mon - Sat 11am-5pm Gift Shop and Tours

Cheryl Moritz, Professional Food Manager, and Lesa Emery are in charge of all the Teas favorite:

Black Current

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

English Rose

Tea Room & Gift Shop

201 Easy Street, #103 Carefree, AZ 85377 480-488-4812 www.carefreetea.com Mon - Sat 10am-5pm Sundays 11am-4pm Call for tea reservations

Located in a historic old hotel with a fireplace, wooden floors and antique furniture, indoor and outdoor seating. Curran and his brother hand-blend from organic stone ground spices, organic herbs, and fresh teas. Variety of loose leaf teas for sale and they taste each one. A quality tea will have a good looking leaf to it and it should be dry, but not too dry.

Recommends Chai and a peanut butter cookie—a delicious combination. Another great pair is a chocolate dipped shortbread cookie and a Dirty Chai. Tea tastings and educational presentations; come in and enjoy their generational East Indian recipes in a cup!

The Phoenician A Luxury Collection Resort

6000 E. Camelback Road Scottsdale, AZ 85251 480-423-2530 Reservations www.thephoenician.com/ lobby-tea-court Tues – Sunday, 2-3pm

Tea notes:

• Different kinds of tea prefer different temperatures. Black tea and Oolong tea like water that is as hot as possible, around 200 degrees. Because of Flagstaff’s altitude, it can be difficult to get the water hot enough for black tea; sometimes he adds a bit more tea to a pot. Green tea and white tea are best steeped with water that is 170 to 180 degrees. – Curran Mulhotra • One reason why many people put milk in their tea dates back when china tea cups were first manufactured. Milk was poured in the bottom of the cup to protect the delicate china. Lemon and milk shouldn’t be used in the same cup of tea because the lemon will curdle the milk. – Cheryl Moritz and Lesa Emery

“Women are like teabags; it’s not ‘til they are in hot water that you find out how strong they are.”

owner: Joanne “Jo” Gemmill

Emigrated from UK. DNA is 40% Irish.

Great-Great-Great Grandparents came from Ireland, moving to Scotland during the mid-1800s. favorite:

Assam...strong black tea with milk and no sugar

Curran’s Specialty

Chais & Teas

123 S. San Francisco Street, #5 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 650-315-6709 Facebook Tues – Sat 10:30am-5:30pm

Michelle Gonzalez, Director of Restaurants and Bars favorite: White berry tea is my favorite. It is a rare white tea that is deliciously paired with blueberries and cranberries.

Kimberly Ann’s Tea Room & Café

From scones and crumpets to cottage pie or a Ploughman’s lunch, Afternoon Tea, or just dessert. Over 50 loose leaf teas to choose from to find the perfect brew. Bring your best hat, or borrow one from a dress-up trunk full of vintage chapeaus and relish in the utterly civilized pleasure of taking time for tea. Authentically Victorian decor, special events, etiquette lessons, newsletter packed with tips and information.

Tea note:

Keep your tea in a metal tin or a dark glass jar and not in the packet you bought it in. Store out of direct sunlight or excessive heat and it will last for a long time.

owner: Curran Malhotra Irish descent favorite: Green Dragon Oolong

rran’s Pastries Cu Chais & Teas

The Phoenician’s Tea Court is located in the heart of its elegantly appointed lobby. The key attraction for our customers is the personalized service they receive from our associates, specifically from Wanda and Natalie, our longtime tea hostesses. Allen Cummings accompanies the experience by providing live piano music and has been a fixture at Afternoon Tea for more than 20 years! In the winter months, the lobby is transformed by holiday décor and the Afternoon Tea menu features several seasonal items. The Holiday Tea is November 25 – December 30, 2016.

7153 N. 59th Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 623-934-1106 www.kimberlyannstearoom.webs.com Mon - Sat 11am-4pm

The Spicery

in our 1895 Home

7141 N. 59th Avenue Glendale, AZ 85301 623-937-6534 www.1895spicery.com Mon - Sat 10:30am-1:30pm

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Jazz Bouquet Floral Shop and Tea Café

140 Coffee Pot Drive, Suite E-106 Sedona, AZ 86336 928-204-1091 www.jazzbouquetfloral.com

Scented Leaf

Tea House and Lounge Main Gate Square 943 E. University Blvd.

Tucson, AZ 85719 520-624-2930 www.thescentedleaf.com

- eleanor roosevelt

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Queen of Tarts

TWO Locations in Dublin 2, IRELAND Cows Lane, Dame Street +353 1 633 4681 Cork Hill, Dame Street +353 1 670 7499 www.queenoftarts.ie Mon-Fri 8am-7pm | Sat-Sun 9am - 7pm No reservations taken Closed Bank Holidays

All About Tea

My Personal Favorite!

owners: Regina (in photo) and Yvonne Fallon

PHOTOGRAPH BY CATHERINE KARNOW

BY ANN NIEMANN, EDITOR IN CHIEF

personal favorite:

has to be Barry’s... the true Irish dispute is between Barry’s and Lyons. You’ll always get Barry’s Tea at Queen of Tarts.

Queen of Tarts opened its doors for the first time in 1998. The Fallon sisters trained as pastry chefs in New York City, returning home to Ireland to establish and run their own café. Breakfast, lunch, weekend brunch, with a wonderful menu including signature savoury and sweet tarts, and decadent desserts.

Their passion is great food and cakes. so it’s important that everything is made fresh in the kitchen and served straight to counter. Customers feel at home and welcome with good friendly service as key.

They are considered in the top 10 UK & Ireland destinations for “afternoon tea” and cakes by blogger Hannah Sinclair with GoEuro.

Mary Anne’s Tearooms

17 Denny Street Tralee, Co. Kerry, IRELAND www.finneganshostel.ie/ mary-annes-tearooms +353 66 712 7610 Mon-Sat 9am-6pm [Dinner at Finnegan’s Restaurant & Wine Cellar- below street level; 5-10pm] owner:

Eileen Nolan

personal favorites: Lyons at home, occasionally with a drop of Jameson Irish Whiskey. Tearooms serve Bewley’s - everyone loves it!

Perfect place for a nice, relaxing bit to eat. Warm up by the open fire or just let their quirky, colourful rooms cheer you up. Mary Anne Hickey and her husband Bartholomew came from a farm in Crinne outside Castleisland. She had 10 children and 54 grandchildren of which Eileen is one. She loved baking and entertaining friends and family at her home and these tearooms are dedicated to her memory.

The menu caters to everyone with selection of teas, delicious homemade baking, beautiful gourmet sandwiches, award winning coffee cafe (Irish Independent) all-day breakfast, lunch, hot roast, delights such as Eggs Benedict, and so much more. The received the Georgina Campbell Award and McKennas’ Best Restaurants in Ireland.

Located across from Tralee Town Park, which honors the Roses of Tralee including Arizona’s Jacqueline McAndrew, Alexis Hodel, Danielle McBurnett Stringer, Jennifer Knatz, Lucy Artt Mulligan, Holly Nordquist Smith (in photo above with Eileen Nolan), Sarah Hines (2008-2014), and will be adding Mallory Melton and Ciara Archer (2015-2016).

Delightful 82 seconds

I

n Belfast a number of years ago, I discovered Punjana Original Blend teabags and have stocked up every trip since. Now available in some American stores, it can be purchased via mail order in the USA through both Teadog and Amazon.

Ross and David Thompson are the owners (cousins) and 3rd generation Thompson Tea Blenders. “We are a family-owned company who are passionate about tea,” they share, “and have been since our grandfather Robert first started blending over one hundred years ago.”

Their mission has always been to create the “Perfect Everyday Cuppa,” a tea that has superior taste and flavor while representing great value for the money. The Punjana Original Blend, alongside the Thompsons Irish Breakfast Blend, were both recently awarded an unprecedented 3 Gold Stars at the Guild of Fine Foods Awards in London—no other mainstream tea has ever come close to achieving this level of recognition.

Selecting teas from the finest tea gardens, and at a time when the tea bushes are producing their best growth, happens when sunshine and rainfall are in perfect harmony, and it is at this time that the tea leaves grow more slowly and produce a finer taste and flavor.

Thompson’s Family Teas source these tea leaves from world-renowned gardens in Assam and Kenya. These leaves are highly prized and command a higher price. These are the leaves which find their way into Punjana packs.

More recently, the Thompsons have introduced a Punjana “Specialty” tea range, including Earl Grey, Peppermint, Chamomile and Green Tea. As always, great care is taken to source these teas and herbs from the finest producers in the world, and from growers who share their ideals in treating workers fairly, and giving regard to proper wages, healthcare and education. [Source www.punjana.com] The tea package label explains my favorite so well: “A little about our Punjana Tea first blended in 1955 by my father, for my exceptionally fussy mother. It was her very own blend from the best Indian Tea Gardens and she loved it so much, she wanted to share it with everyone. She named it ‘Punjana’ to keep its Indian heritage. Today, Punjana is still only blended from the finest tea India has to offer. Mum would be so proud!”

I agree with mum!

Take a fascinating quick look at “Punjana Tea” on YouTube about how tea is grown and processed.

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THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Tea Barons

BY IAIN LUNDY

T

ea drinking is often thought of as a quintessentially English pastime. It conjures up images of quaint Home Counties tearooms, sipping from China cups on the lawn, silver tea pots, and scones with clotted cream and preserves.

Radio 3 in the UK used to broadcast an old that song that described the drinking of tea as a ‘very good English custom’ and exhorted people throughout the land to ‘set yourself free when the clock strikes three, everything stops for tea’.

But when tea production was in its infancy, the two most important pioneers were not English. They were Scots and they played a huge part in popularizing tea-drinking worldwide. One of them, Sir Thomas Lipton, whose name still lives on in tea circles, was the son of Irish parents and a product of one of the poorest parts of Glasgow.

Lipton was born in a tenement in the city’s Gorbals district. His parents had been smallholders in County Fermanagh who had fled to Scotland during the potato famine of 1845. From a young age, Lipton was determined to better himself.

He set sail for the United States and worked up and down the East coast, from a Virginia plantation to a New Jersey farm.

He returned to Glasgow and set up a grocery store.

Demand for tea was rising while the James Taylor cost was falling. The shrewd Scot saw an opportunity and exploited it to the full.

By the late 1800s his grocery empire had grown to hundreds of stores and Lipton’s tea had become one of the best-known brands on the market.

Lipton intentionally kept the price of the product low in his shops, so tea drinking, once the preserve of the wealthy, became affordable for all. He struck deals with fellow Scot, James Taylor, who had introduced tea production to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka.

Having had an early taste of America, Lipton became a successful businessman in the States, where his tea was famous.

He invested in the stockyards of Omaha, Nebraska and, as a keen sportsman, was a

Thomas Lipton

regular competitor in the America’s Cup transatlantic yacht races.

The tea trade enabled Thomas Lipton to rise from humble Glasgow beginnings to become one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his day. He fraternized with royalty, featured on the cover of Time magazine, and was knighted in 1901. The Lipton tea brand is still in existence today, having become a subsidiary of the Unilever brand.

Iain Lundy grew up in Ayrshire, Scotland, and has worked as a journalist since the 1970s.

He and his wife moved from Scotland to Arizona in March. His paternal grandfather came from Downpatrick, County Down, and moved to the west of Scotland as a young man.

In contrast to the flamboyant Thomas Lipton, fellow Scot James Taylor was a workaholic and an almost reclusive figure, but his impact on the tea industry was no less significant.

Taylor was only 16 when he left his home near the village of Auchenblae in Kincardineshire to work on a coffee plantation in Ceylon.

When the country’s coffee crop was devastated by disease, Taylor established a tea production facility on the Loolecondora estate, near the city of Kandy.

Thanks to Taylor, Ceylon tea became one of the most successful products in the world. He is known as the ‘Father of the Ceylon tea industry’. It is said he only ever took one holiday – to Assam in India to learn more about producing tea.

Ironically, when larger companies moved into the Ceylon market, Taylor, after having given his working life to the tea industry, was dismissed by his bosses at Loolecondera. He died a year later in his beloved Ceylon.

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SCOTS

Raising a Bone China Cup to Scotland’s

19

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITSCOTLAND.COM

SCOTS

20

Scotland Bucket List

Culloden Standing stones

BY BOB WALLACE

B Culloden Visitors Center

Grandmother is from Tiree, an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland

Grandmother is from Tiree, an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland

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attle of Culloden is one that, from the perspective of Bonnie Prince Charlie, the Highlanders and Monday morning quarterbacking, should never have taken place. More troops were on the side of the government than were available to the challengers; the landscape was better suited to the troops under the Duke of Cumberland. Yet face off and compete they did. Government troops overwhelmed the Highlanders in less than one hour.

What brought this scenario about?

In May of 1745, British troops were occupied on the Continent and defeated by the French, that providing an opportunity for Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, to take up the cause left behind

by Charlie’s father, the Old Pretender.

Sailing far to the northwest in Scotland, the prince came ashore at Glenfinnan, not too many miles outside of Fort William.

Planting his banner and proclaiming his intentions to retake Scotland, he was met by a most insignificant number of Scots. Of the relatively few who met him, most suggested he turn around and go back to France. Had he taken their advice, the world may well have been very different than we know it today. Instead, the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745 got under way.

Charlie made his way across the uplands of western Scotland, picking up additional support as he journeyed along, his entourage growing such that his troops required ever larger numbers of supplies to keep them going. To some, it surely appeared to be a rag tag band of some sort. To the government troops aware of their march, not much was expected of them as a military force. That was before Charlie and his supporters captured Edinburgh.

Following that victory, Charles and his troops were off to England, making it to Derby before his field commanders told him it would be better to turn back toward Scotland. In fact, they were then close enough to London that the king and some of the locals were considering departing for the south coast. One pub night meeting in Derby reversed those plans, Charles and his army returned to Scotland.

They made it back to Inverness, the capitol of the Highlands. There they waited for the government troops to make their appearance. That day came on April 16, 1746 at Drumossie Moor, today known as Culloden. It would be the last hand-to-hand battle fought anywhere in Britain, change the Highland lifestyle forever, and find many of the participants who survived leaving the Highlands forever. Today, the site is full of visitors learning about that last battle fought on British soil, features a visitor center just updated only a few years ago.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: British Battles: www.britishbattles. com/battle_of_culloden.htm National Trust for Scotland: www. nts.org.uk/Culloden/Home Undiscovered Scotland: www. undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/ inverness/culloden Bob Wallace is a Council member and past president of Clan Wallace Society. He and his wife, Lois, have traveled to Scotland many times. Since joining the Clan, Bob has become highly interested in Scotland’s First Wars of Scottish Independence, in particular the history associated with Sir William Wallace and King Robert I, the Bruce. Bob is Chief Research Assistant for Authentic Celtic Travels.

Lois’s travel business. They now reside in Phoenix.

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THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITSCOTLAND.COM

BY LOIS A. WALLACE

F

or those of us with a keen interest in Scotland, the Orkney Islands have long had an allure, a certain magnetism. That insight is a desire to experience this ancient environment.

Orkney, where the North Sea and Atlantic meet, is an archipelago of 70 islands which contain the densest concentration of archaeological sites in Great Britain.

Not on the normal tourist paths, with miles to drive from Scotland’s major cities, ferry crossings and small roads make it more difficult to access. But that is the point, isn’t it? If it was easy to get to everyone would be there. What would be so special about that?

Orkney today is much as it was in Neolithic times when Culture was flourishing. It is said that Orcadians are farmers with boats. With a climate tempered by the Gulf Stream and rich soil they produce lush summer crops. Current day Orkney has a thriving agriculture with a strong farm-to-table cuisine. Culture and music are an integral part of everyday life in Orkney, be it small pubs or larger venues.

High quality Arts and Crafts abound: painters, potters, furniture makers, jewelers, textile artists and sculptors. Both traditional and modern artists are inspired

by Orkney’s unique landscape and history.

Orkney is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its Neolithic sites. The 5,000-year-old Ness of Brodgar, discovered in 2002, is a complex of monumental buildings. It’s an ongoing archaeological site being

studied by the world’s foremost experts!

The standing Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and Maeshowe are but a few of the Neolithic sites to be seen.

Medieval history, Orkney, the time of the Vikings and then the Scots. Over the centuries Norse and Scots fought over that chain of islands. St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace and other buildings tell its history.

Orkney was also shaped in more modern time by both World Wars. The British fleet was headquartered at Scapa Flow, this showing the strategic importance of Orkney’s location. Kitchener’s Memorial, The Churchill Barriers, Ness Battery and of course the Italian chapel built by Italian prisoners of war are examples of war time influence.

There is much to see and do on the islands of Orkney. This is why I am incorporating 3 nights on Orkney on my custom tour summer of 2017. Check out my website or give a call for more information. See ad this page.

Lois Wallace is the owner of Authentic Celtic Travels, based in Phoenix, AZ. Not only is her heritage Scottish and Irish, she married into Clan Wallace. Her business focus is on all Celtic nations. She has extensive knowledge of Scotland, having traveled there numerous times individually and leading groups.

favorite tea:

C

by Lois A Wallace

b. 602-501-7423 c. 775-671-0148 8050 19th Ave #236 Phoenix AZ 85021

Lois's Biz card Aug 2015 FINAL.indd 1

SCOTS

Orkney Islands, Scotland

Earl Grey

C

by Lois A Wallace Presents

A CUSTOM TOUR OF SCOTLAND, ESCORTED

BY LOIS 8/24/15 2:04 PM AND BOB WALLACE

C and North Coast”

b. 602-501-7423 c. 775-671-0148 8050 “Orkney, 19th Ave #236the Phoenix AZ 85021 Highlands

History, Heritage and Archaeology July 28 – August 7, 2017 Lois's Biz card Aug 2015 FINAL.indd 1

C

8/24/15 2:04 PM

• Culloden Battle Field, Experience places HIGHLIGHTS Clava Cairns (in and sights beyond • 3 nights Kirkwall, Orkney “Outlander” book series) the ordinary on • Ness of Brodgar, • Overnight stay in a castle Neolithic sites this in-depth visit • Loch Ness and ride on the • Stones of Stenness, Caledonian Canal to the northern Italian Chapel That and much more most area of the mainland and the For full information contact Lois Wallace Orkney Islands. Lois@authenticceltictravels.com or 602-501-7423

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ARTS

22

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

ASU Professors Publish New Critical Edition in Irish Studies BOOK REVIEW BY DR. JOYCE EAST

K

Purchase Standish O’Grady’s Cuculain: A Critical Edition on Amazon

patrick’s favorite tea:

that’s easy…

Teavana® green tea (iced)

nown for publications in Irish Studies, Syracuse University Press now offers one with Arizona connections. Standish O’Grady’s Cuculain: A Critical Edition (Fall 2016) is edited by Gregory Castle and Patrick Bixby, professors at ASU. From introduction to supplements and index, this edition offers college instructors a valuable text, but it will be equally useful for anyone interested in learning more about Irish history, literature, and culture.

For many of us Standish O’Grady (1846 – 1928) may be only a name associated with the revival of interest in the Irish myths and epic tales in the nineteenth century. We may not know that his History of Ireland (3 vols, 1878 – 1881) inspired major literary figures, especially W.B. Yeats. His mission was one of renewal: “I desire to make this heroic period once again a portion of the imagination of the country, and its chief characters as familiar in the minds of our people as they once were” [p.

48].

In this new critical edition, Castle and Bixby strive to make O’Grady a familiar figure for contemporary readers. Castle’s introduction surveys the older schools of historiography and elaborates on O’Grady’s objections to them. O’Grady’s own introduction and episodes from the life of Cuculain serve as primary sources. Four scholarly essays analyze O’Grady’s treatment of historical resources and the influence of his History. Finally, as with any good critical edition, Castle and Bixby have provided glossary, bibliography for further reading, and biographical supplement.

The essays expand upon Castle’s introduction, enhancing understanding of O’Grady’s motives and influence. Renée Fox “argues that Standish O’Grady’s historical musing in History of Ireland, in particular, marks a turning point in nineteenth-century stories of Ireland, one where Irish history becomes a living, experiential

Flashback Shannon and Colleen Kelahan-Pierson at Disneyland

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phenomenon rather than a contained body of knowledge to be acquired” [p. 192].

Joseph Valente explores O’Grady’s treatment of bardic materials to emphasize the civilized manliness of Cuculain—in part, no doubt, as a response to negative Irish stereotypes popular in England at the time. Michael McAteer—with tantalizing glances at O’Grady’s influence on James Joyce—analyzes how honor, individuality, and nationhood are conflicted in the story of Cuculain.

And Patrick Bixby, co-editor, focuses on Sheppard’s statue of Cuculain, installed in the General Post Office in 1935, and considers the contested use of the hero as a Republican icon.

Standish O’Grady’s Cuculain provides source material and critical analyses for greater understanding about the borderland where history meets literature. It makes a case for the influence of historical narratives on later writers and events. Gregory Castle’s own assessment notes, not only the challenges in the History, but also its importance in Irish history, literature, and culture: “Like O’Grady’s contemporaries, we may find ourselves in disagreement with his claims or his aims, but what is undeniable is the extent to which his imaginative historiography resuscitated or revived what was most needful: a new attitude toward and responsibility to the Irish past” [p. 31].

The book is available in bookstores or go directly to Amazon with the QR code on this page.

Read Patrick Bixby’s article on the west of Ireland in the next edition of The Desert Shamrock.

Joyce East, Ph.D., retired from Marshall University Graduate College, Charleston, WV. She directed an interdisciplinary graduate program in Humanities and taught courses in drama, Shakespeare, and Irish Studies. She served on the WV Humanities Council and the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs board. Of Celtic ancestry herself, she volunteers at the McClelland Irish Library.

Heather, Holly, and David Nordquist at Tea in Carefree, AZ

He, “it”, is everywhere!

23

ARTS

Musings from

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

the Mint

BY OLAF THE COIN MINTER

I

t’s been busy in the Mint in Viking Dublin this summer. Olaf has struck thousands of silver pennies for King Sitric’s treasury and for the wealthiest of Dublin’s merchants. But it wasn’t always so; using coin money like these pennies was very new in Dublin in the year 997 AD. Until there were strong Kingdoms to issue reliable money, coins were very scarce and variable and most older Viking traders didn’t trust them.

So for hundreds of years the Viking traders used silver as the money for trading–but they insisted on weighing it.

Every trader had his scales and weights; and a bag or pouch of silver. This might be bar silver or ingots from mining—there was silver in Ireland; silver objects stolen on raids; silver jewellery; and foreign silver coins from England and from the Arab kingdoms, for instance. A price would be agreed in weight of silver, and weighed out by the purchaser, who would hack up the chunks of silver as required. So we call these collections of silver “Hack-Silver.”

Now the seller would weigh the silver again with his own scales and weights to

be sure he was not being cheated. Viking traders were very canny. For instance, if you wanted to sell walrus ivory, the tusks better still be attached to the walrus’ head to prove it was not just some cow bone.

This is how trade would have been carried on in Viking Dublin for close on 150 years. But as Sitric, the Viking King of Dublin, consolidated his power and Dublin increasingly became a wealthy trading city, he wanted his own coins to show his power and importance and to buy influence and warriors. So the King ordered coin-minting expertise to be brought from Anglo-Saxon England (we are not sure they actually came willingly). And the first coins, silver pennies, were minted in Dublin.

At that time, a penny was a substantial amount of money, equal to a laborer’s day wage. At first, only wealthy merchants and lords would handle money but gradually the pennies found their way into everyday life, where one penny was enough to buy maybe eight chickens at market, or gallons of ale in the pub.

You wouldn’t want to spend a whole day’s pay just on chickens (though the ale sounds tempting); so people needed smaller amounts of money for everyday

Tea Time, Test Time… and Me

BY CARMELITA LEE

I

had to take a series of death-defying life-critical tests that had the potential to make or break my career. See, the rules had changed back in America, and now I had to prove that I could write at the speed of sound and immortalize forever the words spoken in courtrooms across the land, even though I had about 30 years at this gig. My professional organization organized a testing facility for me at a local college. I studied hard, practiced my speed building, and tried hard to relax.

Arriving at the test site, there was another RPR candidate for the same exam. We chit-chatted as we waited on a crisp Saturday morning, wondering where our proctors were. Waiting outside

purchases; for bread, meat, cheese, firewood, and so on. And so they cut the pennies, in half; and in quarters; called halfpennies and farthings.

It was always possible to divide coins made of precious metal such as silver.

The Spanish silver dollar or peso de ocho (pieces of eight), so called because it was worth 8 reales, was the basis for the first U.S. currency and could be divided into half-dollars, quarter dollars and even into 1 real bits. So next time you get a quarter from your pocket or purse, you can think back to Olaf the Coin Minter and the pennies from Viking Dublin.

Olaf the Coin Minter is Chris Stevenson. Born in Edinburgh, he is a Living Historian specializing in the Irish Viking period. A member of CROFT, he enjoys weaving, copper work and coin minting. Chris spends summer in their home in Banbridge, County Down, with his wife Kristie, working at Dublinia (Dublin’s Viking museum); and they winter in Glendale, Arizona.

the doors of Bray Institute of Further Education, County Wicklow, Ireland, the chatter died down as we took refuge in our warmer cars to wait.

At last two women came in carrying bags and bags of something from the local shops. We didn’t know if these were our proctors, but clearly, they belonged to the college. One of them wielded a large ring of keys, which she used to open the double doors. The other beckoned us inside. The National Court Reporters Association has a strict policy that the test is given at 8 a.m. sharp…and it was after 8:30 by the time we went inside.

We were ushered to some chairs and told to sit while the two ladies began to set up a table, a lovely tablecloth and little cups and saucers. Out came some fresh flowers that were arranged in a vase.

Then there were cookies and tea cakes, dozens of them. Little jams and jellies. A Waterford bowl was filled with chocolates.

A tea kettle was plugged into an electric lead and began to bubble away, as a large jar with tea bags was fished from the last bag and placed ceremoniously in the middle of the table. One of the women stepped in front of the table to put everything “just so.”

I watched all this, becoming alarmed.

Where were our proctors? Were we in the wrong building? I laughed nervously. So did the other American.

“Pardon me,” I asked, already jangled beyond belief, “We’re supposed to take a test here this morning.”

“Ah, well, yes, and you will, but not until you’ve had a relaxing cuppa and some treats…”

She explained to us that the NCRA had sent them a letter, telling them how stressful this test generally was, and that they should do all they could to get us to relax…

We spent a good hour laughing and talking over our cuppa and cookies, proctors and candidates, served in proper china, with dainty little tea spoons, in the Irish tradition. Then they ushered us to our test.

I must have been relaxed enough. I past two of the three tests administered that day, to leave the last for another time.

favorite tea: Red bush – Rooibos (pronounced “roy-bose”) in Afrikaans means red bush; grown in South Africa.

Carmelita Lee How does a gal named Carmelita claim to be Irish? Scottish, even?

Granny Holland’s family hailed from Ennis, County Clare, and Grandpa Maxwell from the Borderlands, Scotland. Her husband’s mother was a Dowdall, and he had a Grandma O’Higgins...ye can’t be more Irish than that!

favorite tea:

the mildest and most lovely tea...PG Tips

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IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX

24

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Irish Network Phoenix

Mary Kallemeyn

BY JAN WHALEN

W

hen you meet Mary Kallemeyn, you’ll feel charmed by her bubbly personality, a visible sign of a woman who loves her life. Her joy as a Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics comes from believing that she’s changing the lives of women.

Mary loves her Irish heritage. Her grandmother, Anna Josephine Kerr, emigrated from Belfast to Indianapolis, Indiana in 1912. Ten-year-old Anna, her two sisters and mother purchased tickets on the Titanic in order to join their father in America. Fortunately, because their grandmother became ill, they were forced to give up their seats, and postpone their trip for four months.

Mary spent a happy childhood in Indiana, and loved listening to her grandmother’s stories of music, dancing and life in Ireland. In her teens, the whole family moved to Southern California and she says, “Thanks to my Grandmother Anna, I continued to love everything Irish within me.”

Her Irish luck was with her the day she met Greg Kallemeyn, just returning home from serving in Viet Nam. They married and then moved to Phoenix in 1972. They raised three children and are now celebrating forty-five years together.

Mary has an interesting work history.

She was a stenographer for the FBI in Los Angeles at the time of Kennedy’s assassination. While her children were growing up, she worked as a legal assistant in the Phoenix area. In order to earn extra income, she started her business with Mary Kay Cosmetics on a part-time basis, and eventually, she was able to leave the corporate world to focus on her new career opportunity.

Success continued, and she earned the use of six Mary Kay Career Cars.

While she enjoys this recognition, she told me, “What I really enjoy is meeting great people and feeling that I am helping other women be their best and feel beautiful.”

Mary is also proud to represent a company that has served women for over fifty years. “I love the fact that our company’s founder, Mary Kay Ash, has set the priorities of the company in this order: faith first, family second and then career.”

As an Independent Sales Director, Mary mentors women in building their own Mary Kay businesses through ongoing training meetings, events and encouragement. She says, “It’s a wonderful opportunity. Mary Kay’s commissions are

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one of the highest in any direct selling organization. Five million consultants represent Mary Kay worldwide, with over $4 billion in annual sales.”

Mary is also proud that the company offers guaranteed products with the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval and is endorsed by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

This assures customers of the highest quality products.

Yet her life is not all work. Last summer, she and her husband traveled to Ireland—a trip she describes as “magical.”

It began through her involvement in Irish Network Phoenix. Other members of the group raved about Jack and Maureen Sullivan’s travel agency. Fascinated with stories of visiting Ireland, Mary told herself that ‘someday’ she’d travel to Ireland too.

She recalls, “When I told Jack and Maureen about my desire to visit Ireland, they said, ‘Here’s what you do…’ and with their encouragement, Sullivan’s Travels put our dream trip together.”

She and her husband started in Dublin on their own self-tour. They traveled across the country and into the southern counties where they met up with her mother and other family members.

They traveled north to Belfast, and with the assistance of the Ulster Historical Foundation, they found St. Matthews Church and the neighborhood where Grandmother Anna and the Kerr family lived.

“It was quite emotional to find our roots and to see the places my grandmother used to tell me about. The country is so beautiful and there are friendly people everywhere. I want to return someday.”

Mary loves being part of the INPHX, representing Mary Kay as an independent business owner. If you are interested in experiencing Mary Kay products first hand, it’s always free, fun and fabulous!

Contact Mary at 602.978-0598 or marykay.com/mkallemeyn.

Jan M. Whalen, MASL, is an award winning author who creates books, workbooks and blogs about self-trust, confidence and telling your story. www.whalenvoices.com; jan@whalenvoices.com

mary’s favorite tea: English Breakfast

Mary and Greg at DunDrum House in County Armagh

Adult kids: Brian, Marina, and Bobby

Causeway in Northern Ireland

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

25

IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX

Maternal side “Murphy” came from County Cork and father’s side “Morrison” arrived from County Waterford

Grandmother Anna Kerr missed the Titanic because of family illness but emigrated later in 1912 from Belfast

Mary Kallemeyn

Independent Sr. Sales Director 602-978-0598 - Home 623-986-4708 - Cell mkallemeyn@cox.net www.marykay.com/mkallemeyn Discover What You Love TM Makeovers are always Fun, Free & Fabulous and you get a 10% discount when we meet!!

Mother is Mary Patricia Doyle of the Doyle clan from County Galway, Ireland

5628 E. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85018 Bus.: (480) 990-1900 Fax: (480) 481-9551 E-Mail: daveb@isugsw.com http://www.isugsw.com

Dave Binsfeld, CIC, ARM

Vice President

Irish Network Phoenix

Irish Network Phoenix is part of the national organization, IN USA, which celebrates Irish Culture and helps Irish and Irish-American professionals across the United States to connect with their peers and to develop relationships that will foster success in their business, economic and social ventures.

Join us today and be ‘in’ with the IN crowd!

Scan for more info…

623 565 9077 www.irishnetworkphoenix.com theboard@irishnetworkphoenix.com www. facebook.com/irishnetworkphoenix www.meetup.com/irishnetworkphoenix P.O. Box 7116, Phoenix, AZ, 85011 USA

Pu’erh teas (pronounced POO-air) are post-fermented, meaning the processing includes both fermentation and then prolonged storage, or “aging” for 15 years under high humidity. Known for their rich earthy flavor and medicinal qualities (like fighting off a cold).

INPHX ad for DS.indd 1

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CHOCOLATE COCONUT PU’ERH TEA PHOTO BY SCENTED LEAF TEA HOUSE, TUCSON

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

Currach Team Phoenix

OOT & ABOOT

OUT & ABOUT

26

Paul and Diane Ahern, Magie Brady, Kelsey Kelleher

BY KELSEY KELLEHER

S

tanding on the banks of the Lake Michigan inlet at Milwaukee Irish Fest last year watching the rowers speed by, I never could have imagined I would be there this past summer rowing with all my might for the small (but mighty) Currach Team Phoenix. Together with Magie Brady, a seasonal Phoenix resident who has dominated currach competitions in the U.S. and abroad, and a conglomeration of other strong, determined women from Milwaukee and Pittsburg, I rowed harder than I ever had before.

In the middle of each race, palms blistering and lungs burning, I asked myself why I had ever started rowing and swore I would never race again. As we sped down the lane, I would catch glimpses of bystanders enjoying their lunches, and children frozen where they were climbing on the shore’s boulders with mouths agape and eyes wide watching us row. A little red haired girl jumped up and down on the shore and pointed at me as she shouted to her parents. I spied our Currach Team Phoenix leaders, Paul and Diane Ahern, cheering from the stands as we sped towards the dock, giving every ounce of energy we had left.

By the time we pulled across the finish line and heard the horn blow after each race, I was sore and exhausted, but somehow reinvigorated and excited for

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the next heat. I entered into the races hoping to place once, but left with two memento cups! The Currach Team Phoenix earned fourth in the 2-woman race, third in the 3-woman race, and second in the 4-woman race. I look forward to future years when we will return to Milwaukee Irish Fest and someday earn a first place spot.

Interested in currach racing or recreational rowing?

The Currach program at the Irish Cultural Center is called ‘Currach Team Phoenix.’ Anyone interested in more info or to become supporters/members can contact Paul Ahern, President ICLF, at 623-572-5828 or paul@ azahern.com.

Kelsey is the Library/Genealogy/Systems Assistant and Membership Administrator at the Irish Cultural Center & McClelland Library. She is the President/2013 Young Ambassador for the Friends of St. Patrick Arizona Chapter and is a competitive Irish dancer. Her family hails from Cork, Kerry, and Derry. She enjoys reading a good book and sipping a hot cup of tea.

kelsey’s favorite tea: I absolutely LOVE Blue Butterfly Tea, made from a Blue Butterfly Pea flower from Thailand. It’s soft and herbal (and blue!) and a bit sweet!

Paddling, or Rowing as the case may be,

the Seas of Love

BY ANN NIEMANN

J

ulie Mackey and Joseph Dyer met at a Currach Team Phoenix rowing practice last year, a romance was sparked, and they married on Saturday, June 25, 2016.

Wedding photos were taken at Tempe Town Lake with one of the currachs by Julie’s daughter.

She shares, “We were just rowing team mates and I had no romantic inclinations. We were friends.

Neither one of us had any intention of joining rowing for any other reason than our Irish heritage and exercise. We both had our own paths and plans and were pretty much set on them.” From Joseph’s side, he planned to finish his nursing degree and return to New York when his son turned 18 this year. Ahhh, but the spark was ignited.

After dating some time, Julie showed an emerald ring she admired in a jewelry shop. Although Joseph later told her it had been sold to tease her, he had secretly been making payments. His plan was to propose at Julie’s St. Patrick’s Day race in Old Town Scottsdale. Pop the question just as the gun went off for the runners so she couldn’t answer until the run was finished. However, en route Julie brought up the topic of marriage and in the banter, Joseph pulled the ring out of the glovebox and proposed at the stoplight. He chuckles, “She was going crazy and said ‘yes’.”

Joseph grew up Irish Catholic in Long Island, New York loving boats so the currach rowing team is an enjoyable outlet. His grandfather, Michael, emigrated from County Kilkenny, Ireland in 1924.

Julie’s family originated in Scotland, moved to Ireland, and then to the U.S. She wore the Mackey tartan with her wedding dress.

Wishing you and your children the best in life as you paddle/ row together…!

100° day at Tempe Town Lake so it was lovely to be whisked away to a digital Irish locale

DIRECTORIES

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK IRISH CULTURAL CENTER & McCLELLAND LIBRARY Our mission is to provide a link between the people of Arizona and the people of Ireland and other Celtic cultures. The Irish Cultural Center serves as a central meeting place for cultural groups, affiliate groups and people looking to celebrate their Irish/Celtic heritage. The McClelland Library is a three-story building resembling a traditional 12th century Norman castle from the Emerald Isle. The Library houses 8,000 books from Irish authors, poets, and genealogical sources, a permanent exhibit on The Book of Kells, several reading rooms, and computer access to various disciplines of Irish and Celtic studies including genealogy. Their current exhibition is on the Historical Context and Cultural Legacy of the 1916 Easter Rising. The mission of The Academy of Irish & Celtic Studies is to spread the knowledge and wisdom of the Celtic nations through music, dance, art, literature and language. We do this by providing many musical and Arts programs, open to young and old alike. The Center is also available for private rentals, being a beautiful venue for all occasions! www.azirish.org, 602-258-0109

CENTER

Formed in the 1970s to bring together people of Irish heritage in Arizona, the group sponsors social events throughout the year.

Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7pm at the ICC. Contact: Anna O’Hara, President, 480-345-9517

IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX (IN PHX) Irish Network Phoenix is under the umbrella of the national IrishNetwork USA organization integrating the IrishNetworks that exist in various cities across the United States. It allows members of the networks to connectwith their peers and to develop relationships that will foster success in their business, economic, cultural andsports ventures. Come to a monthly breakfast or lunch to explore membership benefits.www.meetup.com/INPhoenix; www.facebook. com/IrishNetworkPhoenix; www.IrishNetworkPhoenix.com

JIM THOMSON U.S. SCHOOL OF PIPING & DRUMMING

ARIZONA COLLEEN PROGRAMS

ARIZONA

IRISH FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA

The Arizona Colleen and Rose of Tralee Selection, Arizona Irish Lass and Little Miss Shamrock programs select young ladies of Irish descent to participate as spokespersons at area events. Prize packages for each competition. The Colleen wins a trip to Ireland and $1,000 scholarship. For details, visit www.azcolleen.org or contact Erin Sweeney-Morgan, Chair, 602-373-7931, info@azcolleen.org.

This bagpipe and drum school is dedicated to excellence in bagpiping as well as camaraderie and fun. All levels of students are welcome! Instructors are brought from Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the U.S. Contact: Eric Poleski, Administrator, ericpoleski@cox.net, 702-270-8974 home, 702-340-8859 cell, 928-556-3161, www.nachs.info

ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT EMERALD SOCIETY (ALEES)

LOS SAN PATRICIOS DE ARIZONA (ST. PATRICK’S BATTALION)

ALEES was incorporated in 2004 to promote and celebrate accomplishments of Irish-Americans in law enforcement. Its members, families and friends support ALEES Foundation, a non-profit 501(c) (3) created in 2012 to provide financial assistance to the families of injured and fallen brothers and sisters in Arizona law enforcement. If interested in becoming a member or volunteering, contact us at azemeraldsociety.org.

THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY OF ARIZONA Our mission is to promote Scottish culture through art, education, and athletics. Each year we grant scholarships to aspiring and professional Highland athletes, musicians, dancers and/or any other individuals or organizations whose mission, project or program promotes Scottish heritage. We meet the 2nd Thursday of each month for drinks, entertainment and Scottish fun! Everyone welcome! ArizonaScots.com.

DAUGHTERS OF SCOTIA DESERT THISTLE LODGE #260 Formed in 2005 to promote Scottish heritage. Ladies of ancestry, married to a Scot or born in Scotland may join. We hold monthly meetings, tea socials, a teahouse at the AZ Highland Games and attend Scottish events. We support Highland dance competition and other charities. Contact: Bethany Tso at 602-770-7565 or clanwoman924@yahoo.com

FRIENDS OF SAINT PATRICK CENTRE – AZ CHAPTER The nonprofit organization was formed in 2011 to promote positive relationships between Arizona and Northern Ireland. Through education, cultural exchanges and charitable events, the Chapter nurtures St. Patrick’s legacy. Meetings held quarterly at the ICC. Contact: Kelsey.Kelleher@AZIrishLibrary.org, 602-301-1083.

GRAND CANYON CELTIC ARTS ACADEMY It offers classes in irish music, dance, and language to youth, teens, and adults July 10-14, 2017. Come learn something new or improve your current skills with Cassie and Maggie MacDonald from Halifax, Nova Scotia and Gordon Gower from Tucson. Classes in fiddle, whistle, guitar, bodhrán, Irish language, dance, and more! Contact: Kari Barton, 928-600-1365, kari@grandcanyoncelticarts.org

IRISH AMERICAN CLUB WEST VALLEY Our purpose is to bring together individual of Irish descent and others interested in Irish culture through our monthly socials. Everyone is welcome; it is part of our Irish hospitality. The Club meets monthly October through May for dinner and dancing at the Sun City Country Club. Dues are $10 per year. For information or a complementary newsletter, contact Maura McConnell, Secretary, 623-933-3698, hummel4fun@aol.com.

LET’S GET

SOCIAL WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

The organization honors the 150-year-old bond of friendship existing today between Mexico and Ireland. Los San Patricios de Arizona was founded by Wm. “Bill” Howard O'Brien; Hector Corona, El Teniente; and Ernie Patino, El Teniente. For information, please call 480-951-1152 or email whoco@cox.net.

NORTHERN ARIZONA CELTIC HERITAGE SOCIETY The nonprofit organization is dedicated to presenting, promoting, and preserving Celtic culture. Each year we host the Arizona Highland Celtic Festival (July 15-16, 2017), the Jim Thomson U.S. School of Piping & Drumming, and the Grand Canyon Celtic Arts Academy.

Contact Jude McKenzie, information@nachs.info, 928-556-3161, www.nachs.info.

PHOENIX ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE & FAIRE COMMITTEE Formed in 1983, the Committee has the responsibility for organizing the annual Phoenix St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Faire that follows, which are held on Saturday (the closest before or falling on March 17); and the Arizona Colleen Programs throughout the year. It is entirely volunteers and meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm at the ICC. Contact: Harry Sexton, President, 602-863-9198.

PHOENIX ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE It is one of the largest parades in Arizona! Celebrate being Irish with the entire Valley. Coming up Saturday, March 11, 2017, 10am; route is Third Street south from Sheridan to Moreland, FREE. Contact: John Corcoran, Chair, 623-939-1183, www.stpatricksdayphoenix.org.

PHOENIX ST. PATRICK’S DAY FAIRE Fun for the entire family, it showcases Irish music, step dancing, Irish and Celtic arts and crafts, plus traditional Irish foods and beverages.

Coming up Saturday, March 11, 2017, 10am-5pm at the Irish Cultural Center and Margaret Hance Park grounds. Contact: Mary Moriarty, Chair, 602-258-0109, www.stpatricksdayphoenix.org.

PRESCOTT AREA CELTICS SOCIETY (PACS) Our organization, a 501(c)(3), exists in order to promote cultural pride in Celtic heritage through education, scholarships, activities, special events and the annual Prescott Highland Games. It is a love of all things Celtic which drives our association. Dues are $10 for single and $15 per couple per year. For information, call Andy Hamilton 928-642-0020 or Jill Nelson 928-443-1422, regjill@q.com; P.O. Box 12912, Prescott, AZ 86304-2912; www.prescotthighlandgames.com.

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THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

Built in 1904 for two Irish brothers, Riordan Mansion is an architectural treasure offering a glimpse into the lives of Flagstaff’s early Irish settlers.

The “fairy ring” seen on the outdoor self-guided tour hints at the Irish tradition of providing fairies an outdoor dancing space, preventing mischief inside. For admission rates and hours call 928-779-4395.

SCOTTISH-AMERICAN MILITARY SOCIETY (SAMS), FLAGSTAFF Chartered on April 21, 1981 in North Carolina, membership is open to all Active Duty and Veterans of the USA and the British Commonwealth who are of Scot or Scot-Irish lineage. For more information, contact SAMS Flagstaff Post 2000, George G. Shoemaker, 928-607-1600, gduffer@suddenlink.net.

SCOTTISH-AMERICAN MILITARY SOCIETY (SAMS), PRESCOTT Membership is open to honorably discharged veterans or active duty or reserve military persons who have served or are serving with any branch of the United States or Commonwealth Armed Forces, of Scottish ancestry. We welcome your membership. Currently there are 39 Posts within the United States.

Contact: Reg Nelson, 928-443-1422; SAMS Prescott Post 1297, “The Arizona Highlanders,” P.O. Box 2245, Prescott, AZ 86302-2245; sams.commander.post1297@gmail.com.

WELSH LEAGUE OF ARIZONA Our mission is to promote Welsh language and culture with performing arts and literary events, classes, and participating in Celtic festivals and other community events. We endeavor to enhance relations between the U.S. and Wales by being a point of contact for visitors, businesses, and expatriates. We warmly welcome travelers, offering assistance and networking.

Contact: Mary Gilchrist marygilchristmg@gmail.com. www.welshleagueofarizona.org

CELTIC SISTER CITIES CHANDLER-TULLAMORE, IRELAND SISTER CITIES Ellen Harrington, President. P.O. Box 4174, Chandler, AZ 852444174 480-600-8509, chan.to.tull@gmail.com, www.chandlerirish.org

PHOENIX-ENNIS, IRELAND SISTER CITIES Mary Hill-Connor, Committee Chairperson 602-635-9760, mary.hillconnor@gmail.com www.phoenixsistercities.org

TUCSON-ROSCOMMON, IRELAND SISTER CITIES Colleen Kelly Beaman, Chair 520-743-7979, Ckbeaman@hotmail.com 1670 N Country Club, Tucson, AZ 85716; and Facebook

CELTIC DANCE SCHOOLS BRACKEN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE Classes in Chandler, 480-699-2455, www.brackenirishdance.com Thomas Bracken, ADCRG. | Alexis Hodel, TCRG thomas.bracken@brackenirishdance.com, alexis.hodel@brackenirishdance.com

MAGUIRE ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE Classes in Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, and Houston Info@maguireacademy.com (520) 319-0204. Darren Maguire, TCRG, ADCRG www.maguireacademy.com

MASCHINO SCHOOL OF HIGHLAND DANCE Kari Maschino, 480-242-7760, Kari@maschinodance.com Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria www.maschinodance.com

MICHAEL PATRICK GALLAGHER SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE

CLANS CLAN MACINNES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION Arizona Convenor: Steve McKinnis 11505 E. Calle Javelina, Tucson, AZ 85748 macinnes@macinnes.org • 520-290-1268 • www.macinnes.org

MPGirishdance@yahoo.com Michael Patrick, TCRG, ADCRG, Ann Paitel, TCRG www.mpgirishdance.com

NEW MEMBERS WELCOME!

Matt’s grandparents, James Joseph Cunningham and Delia McNicholas, each emigrated from Co. Mayo, Ireland, met and married in Chicago

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

DIRECTORIES

RIORDAN MANSION STATE HISTORIC PARK

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CALENDAR

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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 THE DESERT SHAMROCK

NOVEMBERDECEMBER 2016 [All events are in Arizona USA unless otherwise noted]

IRISH CULTURAL CENTER (ICC)/ MCCLELLAND LIBRARY

PUBLIC WALK-IN HOURS (TOURS, LIBRARY & GENEALOGY) Tuesday-Saturday • 10am–3pm Wednesday Evenings (Library only) • 3pm–6pm Frances McClelland Genealogy Centre available these hours; Open Other Hours for Scheduled Classes, Meetings & Events 1106 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix 85004 602-258-0109, www.azirish.org See ad page 11

REMEMBERING THE EASTER RISING: HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND CULTURAL LEGACY

Now through December An Interactive Museum EXHIBIT | McClelland Library Co-Sponsored by Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Consulate Office of San Francisco

FIRST FRIDAY CELTIC SINGING CIRCLE PART OF PHOENIX ART WALK

30TH ANNUAL TUCSON CELTIC FESTIVAL & SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES

November 4 -6 Rillito Raceway Park, 4502 N. First Avenue, Tucson Fun, family festival celebrating the culture and heritage of the Celtic nations with Highland Athletics, all day music, bagpipes, Scottish Clans, unique Celtic food and merchants, kids’ corner, Scottish and Irish dance, and much more. TucsonCelticFestival.org Tickets: Adults $16; Youth $6; Military & Seniors $10; Kids 5 and under FREE Contact/Info: Erin Haugen, Festival Manager, 520-909-7299, tucsoncelticfestival@hotmail.com

FAMILY STORY HOUR Saturday, November 5 • 10:30am–Noon Stories and crafts for the entire family Irish Cultural Center; FREE

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Saturday, Nov 5 • 10:30am–12:30 pm John M. Synge, “The Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea” Irish Cultural Center; FREE LEGENDS OF CELTIC EXPLORATION IN THE ANCIENT AMERICAS: SAINTS, PRINCES, & RED-HAIRED GODS Sunday, November 6 • 7–9pm A lecture by Dr. Sharonah Fredrick, Assistant Director, ACMRS Tickets: $10 at the Door

Fridays, Nov 4, Dec 2 • 6.30pm until late The Great Hall, FREE Family-Friendly, Live Music, Art Show, Crafts Cash Bar, Dinner available for purchase

Friday, November 11 • 6–10pm Irish Cultural Center, FREE

THIRD FRIDAY CEILI

IRELAND AND THE POTATO

(IRISH SOCIAL DANCING) Nov 18, Dec 16 • 7pm until late The Great Hall Tickets: $6; under 12 FREE (2 with each paid admission) Family-Friendly, Live Music, Cash Bar

“IRISH TEA CEREMONY” Third Saturday of each month Saturdays, Nov 19, Dec 17 • 1:30pm–3pm Norton Room, Advance Reservations only!

Tickets: $22.50 Members, $25 Non-Members

THE ACADEMY OF IRISH AND CELTIC STUDIES

9-week Term 2 begins October 25, 2016 [Term 3 begins January 9, 2017 • Term 4 begins March 21, 2017] Group and private lessons available AND offer member-discounts Call for pricing and details 602-864-2357 or email academy@ azirish.org TERM 2 SCHEDULE:

PRIVATE MUSIC CLASSES Tuesday - Saturday, available for all levels Bagpipes (Scottish Highland), Bodhrán, Fiddle, Flute, Harp, Tin Whistle, Voice, Cello, Choral Arts, Clarinet, Piano and Viola The Academy Practice Rooms

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING CLASSES WITH RENEE METCALF Tuesdays 6-7pm

IRISH LANGUAGE

Tuesdays: Novice 7-8pm, Intermediate 8-9pm Wednesdays: Advanced 6-7pm Private lessons also available for all levels The Norton Room

IRISH STEP DANCE GROUP LESSONS

Wednesdays, Kids 5:30-6:30pm; Adults 6:45-7:45pm The Great Hall

ART CLASS - CELTIC CULTURE & IDENTITY Wednesdays • 7-9pm • Norton Room October 26 Introduction, Celtic Art November 2 Symbols November 9 Family Heritage Accordion Book November 16 Who Am I? Collage November 23 Student’s choice

WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM

AN EVENING WITH POET JOHN DEANE

Sunday, November 13 • 1pm Friends of Saint Patrick Centre - Arizona Chapter Supports Young Ambassador program to N. Ireland ICC See ad page 31

WRITING WORKSHOP WITH JAN WHALEN

CHARACTER SAFARI: THE FIRST STEPS IN WRITING YOUR STORY Thursday, November 17 • 6–8pm Duck and Decanter, 1651 E. Camelback Road, Phx 85016 Registration: 623-466-5067 or jan@whalenvoices.com

5TH ANNUAL SOUTHWEST TEA Saturday, November 19 • 11am–1pm Presented by Chandler, AZ - Tullamore, Ireland Sister Cities Details and tickets: ChandlerIrish.org

See ad page 14

CEILI WORKSHOP (MUST PRE-REGISTER) Saturdays, Nov 19, Dec 17 • 1–3pm The Great Hall, Family-Friendly Cost: $16.00 each; $5 kids under 12 with adult

IRISH CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA Sun, Mon December 3, 4 • 7pm Produced by Oisín Mac Diarmada of the award-winning lrish group Téada MIM Music Theater 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix Tickets: $35.50-$40.50; www.mim.org

See ad page 9

CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES Sunday, December 4 • 6pm FUNDRAISER Welsh League of Arizona presents a reading with musical accompaniment of Dylan Thomas’ iconic work.

Supports Student Exchanges between Northern Arizona and Cardiff (S. Wales) Universities.

Irish Cultural Center; Tickets $10

See ad page 7

IRISH WHISKEY TASTING PARTY Thursday December 8 • 4-7pm Pastiche, 3025 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson 85719 Tucson-Roscommon, Ireland Sister Cities

SISTER’S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM THE MYSTERY OF THE MAGI’S GOLD December 9–18 Fri 8pm, Sat 2pm and 8pm, Sun 2pm 7380 East Second Street, Scottsdale ScottsdalePerformingArts.org

See ad page 2

GENEALOGY WORKSHOP Saturday, December 10 • 10:30am–1pm Irish Cultural Center Cost: $15 Members, $20 Non-Members

GERRY O’BEIRNE IN CONCERT

Saturday, Dec 10 • 7pm (door opens at 6:30pm) Trinity Presbyterian Church in Prescott Master 12-string guitarist, singer/songwriter from Co. Mayo Tickets at the door only: $20; $10 college students; FREE 18 yrs. and younger Info: 928-771-1218

DANÚ, A CHRISTMAS GATHERING Saturday, December 10 • 8pm 7380 East Second Street, Scottsdale ScottsdalePerformingArts.org

See ad page 2

ANNUAL WINTER SOLSTICE Wednesday, December 21 • 4pm to late Irish Cultural Center Tickets: $5 at the Door. Snacks available for purchase Dinner $10 (additional); reservations needed Family-Friendly, Live Music, Cash Bar

BILL CRAIG IN CONCERT Sunday, November 20 • 7-10pm Tickets: $15 Members, $17.50 Non-Members ICC, Live Music, Cash Bar

ON THE DRUIDS: A SERIES OF LECTURES Fourth Saturdays, Nov 26, Dec 24 • 1:30-3pm Norton Room, ICC Tickets: $15 Members, $17.50 Non-Members

FAMILY STORY HOUR Saturday, December 3 • 10:30am–Noon Stories and crafts for the entire family Irish Cultural Center; FREE

BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Saturday, December 3 • 10:30am–12:30 pm Roddy Doyle, “Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha” (Novel-1993) Irish Cultural Center; FREE

CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE Saturday, December 3 • 6pm–10pm Adult $10 each (includes 3 activity tickets) Ages 13-16 $5; (1 activity ticket) Additional activity tickets $1 each; used for meeting Santa; making a decoration, etc.

Family-Friendly, Live Music, Cash Bar Irish Cultural Center See ad page 10

SAVE THE DATE: RHYTHM OF THE DANCE Sunday, February 12 The National Dance Company of Ireland www.ChandlerCenter.org

See ad page 13

2017 ARIZONA CELTIC TEAS TBD Northern AZ Celtic Heritage Society with Outlander author Diana Gabaldon

April Daughters of Scotia September Irish Cultural Center November Chandler-Tullamore

Ireland Sister Cities

THE DESERT SHAMROCK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016

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Call A Place for Mom. Our Advisors are trusted, local experts who can help you understand your options. Since 2000, we’ve helped over one

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Ireland & the

potato ocNtoovebmebre2 r 143t h

– Joan Lunden

million families find senior living solutions that meet their unique needs.

A Benefit for our Young Ambassador Program

Sunday, November 13, 2016 The Great Hall at the Irish Cultural Center Doors open at 12:30 p.m. event starts at 1 p.m.

Tickets are $15 Supersized potato buffet Prizes

A Free Service for Families.

Call: (800) 818-2254 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service.

We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community.

We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.

Music Performances Presentation from Dr. Sharona Fredrick, Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Tickets can be bought at the door If you have any questions, email fosparizona@gmail.com

Thomas P. Murphy, CPA 21639 N. 12th AveNue, Suite 203 • PhoeNix, ArizoNA 85027 (623) 581-0375 • FAx (623) 581-9242 Grandfather Murphy born in County Westmeath and Grandmother in County Longford, Ireland

Grandparents: John O’Dowd emigrated 1929 to NY from Castlebaldwin, Co. Sligo and Ellen Greevy from Roscommon 1938.

Colleen O’Dowd Cutler Whether you are buying a new home or want to refinance your current home, call your neighborhood lender Colleen O’Dowd Cutler to get pre-approved.

.Irish

FHA, VA, Conventional and Reverse Mortgages

602-248-4200

1599 E. Orangewood Ave. #200 Phoenix, AZ 85020 MB092214 • NMLS# 1007154 • Colleen Cutler NMLS# 852437

St. Andrew’s Day Dinner & Dance Saturday December 3, 2016 Phoenix Country Club 2901 N 7th Street Phoenix, AZ 85014

Cocktails at 6:00 at 7:00 PM. The menu will feature epicureanfare fareAccompanied accompaniedbybycomplementary complementary vintages of wine Cocktails at PM 6:00Dinner PM Dinner at 7:00PM The menu will featureSt. St.Andrew’s Andrew’sinspired inspired epicurean vintages of wine

$75 per Tickets and additional www.arizonascots.com $75person. per person.

Tickets and additionalinformation information available available atatwww.arizonascots.com

Formal Attire – The Phoenix will be bedecorated decoratedforforChristmas Christmas – be festive!

Formal Attire The PhoenixCountry Country Club Club will – be festive!

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