January March-April – February 20172015 ~ Arizona’s ~ Arizona’s Original Original IrishIrish Newspaper Newspaper ~ Vol. ~ Vol. 28, No. 26, 2 No. 1
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CELTIC EVENTS!
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verywhere you turn, there are Irish, Scottish, and Welsh happenings all over the State, especially in March and April. Singles, families with children, retirees, and every conceivable demographic can enjoy the lively music, stirring dance, food and drink, shopping, cultural education, parades, athletic prowess, genealogy sleuthing… and did I mention food? Be a part of history! Take part in the Kilt Run Guinness World Record Attempt on Friday, March 17 in Glendale at 6pm. Ron Hoon (part Irish) from Fox 10-TV is emceeing. Participants of all ages must be wearing a kilt to be in the official count. Entry is $30 each after March 1 but save some green by using “Shamrock” discount for $5 off! Fee includes kilt,
finisher’s medal, cold beverage, and ticket to McFadden’s after party. Proceeds benefit American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Great cause and hey, it is ONLY A QUARTER MILE run/walk. Strollers welcome. Register at www.irishrunaz.com. With 800,000 of Irish descent in Arizona, 150,000 Scots, and 50,000 Welsh, we bring a layer of fun and really… sheer joy to a myriad of experiences to be shared with everyone. For all the wannabe-Celts, join in and take part!
Enjoy life and blessings, and a good read! Ann Niemann, Editor in Chief and Publisher
Celebrate with the Celtic Community All Year.
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eLtiC! Irish, Scottish, and Welsh
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Courtesy of The Trinity Irish Dancers with studios in IL and WI. www.trinityirishdance.com
ARIZONA’S ORIGINAL IRISH NEWSPAPER
Serving the Celtic Community 2320 E. Baseline Rd., #148-623 Phoenix, AZ 85042 • (602) 568-3455 Visit www.DesertShamrock.com • E-mail: info@desertshamrock.com Owner & Editor in Chief • Ann Niemann Publisher • Niemann Publishing, Inc. Art Direction, Design & Layout • Erin Loukili, Jaclyn Threadgill Masthead Design • Elaine’s Design Emporium
Publisher – Julie O’Mahar (2003 - 2013) Editor - Kathleen Wood (2003 - 2008) Publisher - Maureen O’Mahar (1996 - 2002) Founding Publisher - Robert E. Graham (1987 - 1996)
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THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
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TABLE OF
CONTENTS March/April 2017 ~ Arizona’s Original Irish Newspaper
10 Partners Across the Pond: Ulster Historical Foundation and McClelland Library 22 AZ Premier by Sonoran Desert Chorale 31 Book Review: Between Daylight and Hell: Scots who Left a Stain on American History
BUSINESS 8 Phx Parade Grand Marshal: Behind the wheel with AAA’s CEO, Mike Tully 24 Irish Network PHX: Dave Binsfeld, SW General Insurance
CULTURE 3 Publisher’s Note: Arizona packed with Celtic Events! 14 Here comes the Bride, the Pipes are Calling 16 SCOTS: Family Ties in Tartans, What is a Scottish Clan? 26 Witchcraft or Healing? Natural Medicine in the West of Ireland 26 Plants Used for Medicine by The Ancient Celts 30 Keltic Kitchen: Celtic Punch with a Punch 30 Celtic Caterer: Breaking the Ice – Preparing Frozen Salmon with Celtic Honey-Mustard Marinade
EVENTS 2 Pot of Gold Music Festival, Chandler 3, 7 Kilt Run on St. Patrick’s – Guinness World Record Attempt! Glendale 4 AZ Renaissance Festival, Gold Canyon 7 Kiss Me I’m Irish Run/Walk, Glendale 7 CONCERT: Altan, Phoenix 7 MIM: Cherish the Ladies, Phoenix 7 Come Home with Me to Ireland Tour 7 Golden Rule Awards with Emcee Pat McMahon, Mesa 11, 34 Irish Cultural Center & McClelland Library EVENTS, Phoenix 15 53rd Annual Scottish Highland Games, Phoenix 17 Celtic Music & Microbrew Festival, Phoenix 23 Whisky Tasting at Riordan Mansion, Flagstaff 23 AZ Premier by Sonoran Desert Chorale, Mesa and Scottsdale 13, 23, 27 Irish Pub EVENTS 29 Women’s Retreat in Scotland Trip 33 Scottsdale Art Auction – Irish Famine works 34 Tracing your Irish & Scots-Irish Ancestors SEMINAR, Phx 34 Irish Cultural Center’s St. Patrick’s Day, Phoenix
34 CONCERT: Goitse, Prescott 34 San Diego St. Patrick’s Parade 35 CONCERT: Moloney & Tergis, Phoenix 35 Annual 1916 Easter Rising Commemoration, Phoenix
FEATURES
35 Teen Summer Camps in Ireland 35 Get-a-Ways to Ireland, hosted by ChandlerTullamore Sister Cities 35 Tucson St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival BACK Phoenix St. Patrick’s Parade & Irish Faire
HISTORY 6 Irish Tales from Arizona Territory: Irish, Scots, and Welsh Arrive
6 Arizona: Did you know?
SISTER CITIES 21 Alamos Jazz Day Festival Trip 21 Phoenix Mayor’s Int’l. Gala 21 2017 Young Artists & Authors Showcase,
LOTS of EVENTS throughout this edition!
Chandler
21 Tucson-Roscommon Mayors’ Luncheon
TRAVEL 12 Left Lane Maureen, Part 18: Tracing the Footsteps of St. Patrick and Followers
20 SCOTS: Scotland Bucket List – Caledonian Canal 28 Always Galway, but especially in July
OUT & ABOUT 18-19 Photo Galleries
DIRECTORIES
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Here comes the Bride… the Pipes are Calling
13 Celtic Pubs and Eateries 32-33 Organizations, Sister Cities, Dance, Musicians, Clans PHOTO COURTESY INVERNESSHIGHLANDGAMES.COM
ARTS
CALENDAR 34-35 Schedule of Events NEXT ISSUE
SNEAK PEEK Arizona’s Celtic Leaders
A Quick Look Behind the Curtain
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53rd Annual Scottish Highland Games, Phoenix WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
HISTORY
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ARIZONA:
Did you know?
45. Spanish Franciscan friar Marcos de Niza was the first European to explore Arizona. He entered the area in 1539 in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold.
Arizona Territory musicians in Globe
Irish Tales from Arizona Territory
Irish, Scots, and Welsh Arrive I
t’s that time of year for the Celts in Arizona to celebrate their heritage. We have always been a friendly group, even in the days of the Arizona Territory. In 1881 the Tombstone Epitaph noted “The Irish are the least clannish of the foreigners and mix indiscriminately with other peoples.” When Spain’s Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led an expedition through Arizona in 1540 in search of riches, he was joined by Scottish adventurer Tam Blake. He is the first Scot in the New World of whom we have written records. The first recorded Irishman in Arizona was Hugo O’Conor, serving as a Colonel in the Army of New Spain. In August, 1775, O’Conor signed a document on behalf of the King of Spain establishing the presidio of Tucson. The riches of silver and copper drew adventurers from around the world to Arizona Territory. Many Irishmen came to seek their fortunes prospecting and working in the mines in Bisbee, Jerome, and Globe. The Brophy Brothers from County Kilkenny prospered as merchants, bankers, and mining men in Bisbee. The Scots were not to be left out. Robert Rae from Glasgow and Alexander
WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
Thompson from Edinburgh worked as accountants and auditors for several mining companies. Samuel Hughes from Wales came to Arizona suffering from consumption. The dry desert air of Tucson restored his health and he established the first bank in that city. Don’t overlook the Irish Sisters of Mercy who provided health care to the Territory and established St. Joseph’s Hospital. St. Patrick’s Day by early settlers As we honor Irish music and dance at the 2017 Phoenix St. Patrick’s Parade and Faire, we remember the past celebrations in Territorial days. The Irish in Territorial Arizona didn’t behave like the Irish who came to places like New York, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco. Life was rough in Apacheria and the pioneers looked after themselves and their friends. With the small population of the Territory, everyone joined in the celebrations offered. St. Patrick’s Day Balls were held in many cities around Arizona. The Silver Belt described the 1887 ball hosted by the Globe Athletic Club. The hall was “decorated with Irish and American colors and presented a handsome appearance.” In 1889, The Silver Belt hoped “the sons and daughters of the ‘old sod’ will cause St.
47. The Lost Dutchman, Jacob Waltz—who is alleged to be the owner of the yet-undiscovered Lost Dutchman Gold Mine in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains— was actually a German.
Patrick’s natal day to be well remembered by the citizens of Globe.” The Bisbee Daily Review in 1903 wrote of the shamrock plant “Where ever the sun this day kisses the lands, in every nation encircling the globe, there will be found some of Erin’s grand sons… who tenderly press to their heart the little emblem which will remind them of St. Patrick.” Join the Celts as we celebrate March with St. Patrick and be sure to enjoy the Scottish Highland Games!
48. Billy the Kid (of Irish descent) killed his first man, Windy Cahill, in Bonita, Arizona. 49. Famous labor leader and activist Cesar Chavez was born in Yuma.
[PHOTO: Denis Murphy (seated 2nd from left) from County Limerick is the only player identified. He is my great-great uncle. He told his niece (my great-grandmother) that he would send for her if he did good; and he did! Denis’ great-grandson has that fiddle and had it completely restored.] Janice Ryan Bryson descended from Irish Pioneers who arrived in the Arizona Territory in the 1880s. She is co-founder of the Irish Arizona Project and co-author of the book Irish Arizona. Janice was named an Arizona Culture Keeper for her research on the Irish in our state and is a recipient of the 2015 Anam Cara Award.
50. Arizona’s official state colors are blue and gold. Read more fun and fascinating facts about Arizona NEXT edition. PHOTO BY GARY M. JOHNSON
BY JANICE RYAN BRYSON
46. The geographic center of Arizona is 55 miles southeast of Prescott near the community of Mayer.
Of Irish descent and Arizona’s Official State Historian, Marshall Trimble has been called the “Will Rogers of Arizona.” He’s a “cowboy philosopher,” educator, lecturer, author, folk singer and stage performer, and appears frequently on radio and television. He created and taught Arizona history at Scottsdale Community College for forty years where he was also Director of Southwest Studies.
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THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
IRELAND
CELTIC CONCERTS AT MIM
Wicklow, Dublin, Westport, Galway, Cork, & Killarney with Rev. Dr. John Cunningham
ALTAN
Come home with me to Ireland.
Sunday, March 19 | 4 & 7 p.m. This traditional Irish band is “the hottest group in the Celtic realm these days.”—Boston Globe
An unforgettable adventure awaits you Legendary Beauty on our escorted, leisurely-paced tour Stories, Music & Song of the Emerald Isle. Sacred & Historical Sites Unmatched Hospitality
CHERISH THE LADIES Saturday, April 29 | 7 p.m. “A leading group in the Irish traditional world. . . . It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do.”—Boston Globe
June 19 – July 2, 2017 $4295 per person includes air travel from Phoenix, deluxe coach, 12 nights in 4-star hotels, most meals, and admission to all venues.
john.cunningham.1@asu.edu (480) 988-1935
Tickets and lineup at MIM.org 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ
Your Emcee • Pat McMahon Thursday, April 6, 2017
Mesa Convention Center, Bldg. C / 201 N. Center St., Mesa, AZ Faith Fair, Silent Auction - 5:30 pm • Dinner, Program - 6:30 pm Details and tickets available at www.AZifm.org / or call 602.261.6705 Sponsored by the Arizona Interfaith Movement - (501)(c)(3)
K
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C O L D A N D
I’M IRI SH fieldworksevents.com 480-609-3978
B E E R
Service to Veterans Golden Rule Honoree
C O L D
• Gabriel’s Angels - Humanitarian Golden Rule Honoree • • The MANA House (Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force) •
8K 4K 1K
H A L F M A R AT H O N
kiss-me-i-am-irish
2017 Kilt Run GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT A short “Irish K” (about a quarter mile)
March 17, 6pm
A N D
• Arrupe Project - Youth Golden Rule Honoree •
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Character in Sports Golden Rule Honoree
S S I
U
ME
• Mr. Brian Mueller - Darl Anderson Golden Rule Honoree • • Meadolark Lemon (posthumously) •
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ENTH AN N
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2017 Golden Rule Honorees
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V SE
M U S I C
Honoring those who are living the Golden Rule
www.DesertShamrock.com is a proud partner!
M U S I C
Awards Banquet
Saturday March 18th 7:00am Start
L I V E
GoldenRule
A R I Z O N A L I V E
2017 Annual
B E E R
G L E N D A L E
@irishrunaz
irishrunaz
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
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Phoenix St. Patrick’s Parade Grand Marshal Behind the wheel with AAA’s CEO, Mike Tully
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ichael B. Tully joined AAA Arizona in 1998 as the Chief Financial Officer. He currently serves as the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mike is this year’s Grand Marshal, leading the St. Patrick’s Parade in downtown Phoenix on March 11. Irish Roots Mike’s mother and father were both born in New Yok to Irish immigrants. His great grandfather, John Tully grew up in the village of Garredmond, just outside Claremorris, Ireland and married Mary Foy. Mary was born in County Mayo. John was born in County Galway. They had 12 children with some migrating to England and some to the United States. Two died in Ireland. The village they grew up in had four houses: the
Mike has led the tremendous growth of AAA Arizona over the last 17 years Tullys, the Foys, and two occupied by the Prendergasts. His mother’s mother and father were also from Ireland, Grace Wall and James Powers. “Being of Irish decent has always been a source of pride for me, so being asked to be Grand Marshal of the Phoenix’s St. Patrick’s Parade and Faire was a tremendous honor,” said Tully. “I’m extremely proud to be a part of this year’s event.” WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
Corporate Success Under his leadership, AAA’s equity growth has exceeded 800% and has been driven by consistent double digit revenue growth. Market awareness and brand strength for the company and its related products have continued to grow and improve and the company continues to be recognized as one of the strongest within the AAA Association in terms of business development efforts and business results. Mike serves on the AAA Accreditation Commission, AAA Public Affairs Committee, AAA Life Insurance Company Board, and the AAA Traffic Safety Foundation Board. Mike is also the Chairman of Club Software Solutions, a wholly owned AAA technology firm. Mike’s strong strategic focus has lead to the rapid expansion of its membership, automotive, financial, insurance, and travel service operations. He helped develop and implement AAA’s automotive buying service and AAA owned auto repair business and was a key driver in the establishment of a holding company with AAA Northern California, which has now expanded to a 22-state region. Mike is the President and CEO for AAA Arizona and is a member of the leadership team for the holding company. Background Prior to joining AAA, Mr. Tully owned an export finance company that arranged structured trade finance transactions for exporters throughout the United States and previously held CFO positions at both Fairchild Data Corporation and PJH Brands, Inc. Mike started his career at Digital Equipment Corporation where he received Digital’s Financial Excellence Award. Mike earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Finance in 1987, and a Masters in Business
Administration in 1991 both from Arizona State University, and an Advanced Management degree from Harvard Business School. Mike also holds a CPA certification. His “Give-Back” to Arizona Mike is a lifetime member of the Fiesta Bowl Committee. He also serves on the Boards of the Valley of the Sun United Way, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy Advisory Board, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, and the Arizona State University Center for Services Leadership. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, YPO Scottsdale Chapter Co-Chairman, Greater Phoenix Leadership and the President’s Club for ASU. He is a past Chairman of the Board for Make-AWish Foundation of Arizona and past Board Member for the Boys and Girls Club of America, Greater Phoenix Economic Council, OpenTech Alliance, and served on the Finance Advisory Board for Arizona State University and was the past Vice Chairman for Financial Executives International. AAA When asked about AAA membership, Mike shared, “With our legendary roadside assistance, AAA helps members get back on the road when their vehicles break down, and we also offer member discounts on insurance, vacation planning, and auto repair, plus discounts at thousands of retailers.” Mr. Tully’s experienced leadership and enthusiasm as the company’s key spokesperson have all indicators on: he’s steady behind the wheel and steering AAA into continued success. Mike will be in a convertible for the dignitaries but also keep an eye out for the AAA flatbed tow truck in the Parade!
Irish Network Phoenix supports the Phoenix Dream Center as its selected charity. Join its members in being part of the solution to meet the needs of our City. THE PHOENIX DREAM CENTER • A volunteer driven, nonprofit organization, currently serving over 40,000 people each month.
How can you give? Call to make arrangements at 602.346.8778. BABY ITEMS
• Aids the homeless, low-income, at risk youth, and struggling individuals and families by providing resources, opportunities and supportive services to help them realize their dream of living a self-sufficient life. • Each week conducts 110 Street and Nursing Home Outreaches to people in need.
Diapers, New Baby Clothes, Toys, and Blankets
OFFICE SUPPLIES Package of: Paper, Folders, Pens, or Pencils
HYGIENE SUPPLIES Unopened Feminine products, Deodorant, Toilet Paper, Paper Towels, Soap, Shampoo
FINANCIAL DONATION VOLUNTEER
• Food, clothing, and a message of Hope and God’s Love are shared. Supported by over 180 churches. •
Provides housing to over 300 people each night, and includes a Christianbased Life Recovery Program, A Program for Young Women out of Sex Trafficking including Crisis Pregnancy, An Affordable Housing Program, and A Foster Care Age-Out Program.
• Birthed in Phoenix, there are now over 280 Dream Centers worldwide including Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Watch for Irish Network Phoenix AND the Phoenix Dream Center in the
Phoenix St. Patrick’s Parade on Saturday, March 11! Bring a donation to be picked up along the parade route and receive
$1 off admission to the St. Patrick’s Faire! Donations can also be brought to the Faire’s BRIDGE GATE entrance– only THIS one–just past/under Central Ave. bridge in Margaret Hance Park and receive $1 off Faire admission. One coupon per person.
IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX is part of the national organization Irish Network USA, which celebrates Irish culture and supports Irish and Irish-Americans to connect with peers and to foster success in their business and careers; provide educational forums; as well as develop friendships through social events.
CULTURE
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Partners Across the Pond
the Ulster Historical Foundation and the McClelland Library
BY CAROLINE WOODIEL
O
ne of the best sources for discovering your family’s Irish ancestry can be found in the Corn Exchange building in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the new home to the Ulster Historical Foundation. The Foundation, a non-profit educational research and publishing agency, has been working to broaden access to historical documents and records for Irish and Scots-Irish genealogy since its founding, originally as a part of PRONI, in 1956. Through common interests, missions, and passion, the McClelland Library has partnered with the Ulster Historical Foundation and its former Director Dr. Brian Trainor for two exciting projects in 2017. Genealogy Workshop by Belfast presenters On Friday, March 3 and Saturday, March 4, the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library are going to be the first stop on a United States genealogical tour by the Ulster Historical Foundation. Executive Director Fintan Mullan and Research Officer Gillian Hunt will be filling two full days with lectures on topics like Getting the Most out of Griffith’s Valuation, Census Substitutes and Other Important Sources for the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries, and Tracing Farming Families in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries in addition to a limited number of personal consultations in Irish genealogy. Registration for the two-day seminar and information on consultations can be found online at www.azirish.org. New collection of documents donated This spring the McClelland Library is elated to announce the generous gift of the personal library of Dr. Brian
Trainor, the former Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation and the driving force behind the amazing collections of PRONI, or the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Dr. Trainor was a lecturer at Queen’s University in Belfast before becoming an archivist at PRONI. From 1970 to 1987 he was the director of PRONI and director and research director of the Ulster Historical Foundation. The personal collection of Brian Trainor spans genealogy, history, and political science. The records and documentation include information canvassing the entire island of Ireland, unlimited by political boundaries or eras of governing. “Brian Trainor is one of the biggest names in Irish Genealogy,” explains McClelland Library Genealogist Cindy Patricki. “His generous donation to our library will provide people who are looking for their Irish ancestors with some with some very unique resources from Ireland.” “It is such an honor to receive this incredible collection of books and various materials,” affirmed Chas Moore, Executive Director of the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library. “The McClelland Library will be the only institution outside of Ireland to house some of these valuable source records.” McClelland, Moore and Patricki recently visited Dr. Trainor at his home in South Belfast to accept the donation and to attend the 60th Anniversary of the UHF where McClelland received a honorary lifetime membership and special recognition for his work in family history and genealogy research. For more information Tracing your Irish and Scots-Irish Ancestors: a Two-Day Seminar; the estimated availability and status of processing of the Brian Trainor Collection; or more information on the McClelland Library, please visit: www.azirish.org.
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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.
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Dr. Brian Trainor and Norman McClelland at Brian Trainor’s house in Ireland, December 2016 Norman McClelland and UHF Research Director William Roulston Cindy Patricki, Genealogist; Chas Moore, Executive Director; Norman McClelland, ICLF Treasurer and Library Board CoChair; Phil Giltner, Library Board in Ireland, December, 2016
SALEM, NH 603-898-5130 FAX 603-898-5113
PHOENIX 602-944-5400 FAX 602-944-3154
MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVES P.O. Box 1768 Salem, NH 03079
JOE LEWIS
10611 N. 11th St. Phoenix, AZ 85020 jhlreps@aol.com
Electrical, Mechanical, Plastics, Metals, and Contract Mfg. Joe Lewis Cell 617-510-9260 Joe Jr. 603-365-1301 WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
celebrate march Irish Heritage Month
at the Irish Cultural Center and McClelland LIbrary
03/03/17 and 03/04/17 Ulster Historical Foundation Genealogy Seminar 03/11/17 Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire 03/17/17 St. Patrick’s Day at the ICC 03/21/17 and 03/22/17 Mick Moloney & Athena Tergis 2 Day Residency AND COMING IN APRIL: 04/15/17 1916 Easter Rising Commemoration find out more on our website at
azirish.org
to ona z i r A fle From and Raf N Irel SO
KET OW C I T EN SAL rish.org azi
See the calendar and directory in this issue for more information about us.
Regular Hours
1106 North Central Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Fall/Winter/Spring: 10AM – 3PM Tues – Sat (Tours, Library & Genealogy)
602.258.0109
3PM – 6PM Wed Evening (Library & Genealogy only)
azirish.org
for more info email us at info@azirish.org The Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library are divisions of the Irish Cultural & Learning Foundation and are owned and maintained by the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
TRAVEL
DRIVING TIPS FROM LEFT LANE MAUREEN
St. Kevin’s Kitchen in Glendalough, a community of St. Patrick’s Followers BY MAUREEN SULLIVAN, CTC CORK, IRELAND
F
ifteen centuries ago, a teenager named Patrick came to Ireland. He was captured by Irish pirate raiders in Britain, but escaped six years later. He then became a priest and later a bishop, returning to Ireland to bring the Christian faith to the Irish. Today, reminders of the work of Ireland’s patron saint can be seen throughout the island. Saint Patrick was born as early as 375 A.D in Scotland and came to Ireland in 432 A.D. and died in 461 A.D. Christianity was the state religion of the Roman Empire, but the advent of Christianity did not overwhelm Gaelic Ireland. The Irish church was monastic rather than episcopal. So, the monasteries became centers of learning, scholarship and discipline. Some of the sites to follow were created by followers of Saint Patrick, as well as himself. Tracing the footsteps of St. Patrick starts south of Westport, County Mayo. Ireland’s holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, is where Saint Patrick in 441 A.D. spent 40 days on the mountain fasting and praying for the Irish. Croagh Patrick had been in fact, the site of pagan worship since 3000 B.C. Patrick was very wise in that he tried not to offend the religious practices of pagans in Ireland, but absorbed many of their sacred places and practices into Irish Christianity. In County Meath there is the Hill of Slane. This is where in 433 A.D.,
St. Patrick, Hill of Tara
PART 18:
Tracing the Footsteps of Saint Patrick and Followers
one year after his arrival in Ireland, St. Patrick is said to have lit the Easter fire as a challenge to Laoghaire, a pagan king of Ireland. Such a fire was in direct contravention of a decree issued by the king. It is said that the occasion heralded the advent of Christianity over paganism. Also, in County Meath is the Hill of Tara. Tara was the political and spiritual center of Celtic Ireland and seat of the High Kings until the 11th century. Legend says that it was here that St. Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock to illustrate the principle of the Holy Trinity to the Irish. Clonmacnoise Monastery is in County Offaly in the Midlands. It was founded in 545 A.D. The monastery lays at a crossroads of medieval routes linking all parts of Ireland. Its piety and scholarship became famous all over Europe. Many of its monks and scholars were those educators who traveled to Europe and brought many countries out of the Dark Ages. Numerous kings of Tara and Connaught are buried here. Clonmacnoise finally fell to the English in 1552 A.D. It is one of my favorite sites in Ireland. I can almost feel the presence of the men and women who thrived here, despite being attacked twelve times over a thousand years. Saint Patrick’s grave site is reputed to be in Downpatrick, County Down, and is the site of a worn 10th century high cross. St. Patrick founded a church in County Armagh, and in County Down in 455 A.D. His desire to bring Christianity to Ireland led to numerous journeys around
the island countryside. The Rock of Cashel is in County Tipperary. This may well be where Patrick met with King Aenghus, who ruled the Munster region during the saint’s lifetime. St. Patrick routinely met with Irish kings as he traveled. This contact ensured his ability to continue traveling and teaching. Aenghus accepted Patrick’s invitation to convert to Christianity and agreed to be baptized. According to legend, Patrick accidentally pierced the king’s foot with his staff. The king bore the injury with a royal stiff upper lip, mistakenly assuming it was part of the baptismal ritual! For 400 years, the Rock of Cashel rivaled Tara as a power center. It is one of the places where the high kings were crowned and its site as a fortress can be seen from miles away. It is well worth a stop. To complete your driving journey following the footsteps of Saint Patrick, visit communities that the followers of Saint Patrick built: Monasterboice and Glendalough. Many great monks have studied on the Aran Islands and the Dingle Peninsula, both rich in early Christian remains. Ireland’s most beloved woman saint is Saint Brigid of Kildare. She too left her mark and legacy all over Ireland, but that’s another story. 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
Jack’s parents were born in County Cork, Ireland, settling in Chicago in the 1920s.
Thomas P. Murphy, CPA Phone: 480-671-0207 • Cell: 847-481-9149 Phone: 480-671-0207 • Cell: 847-481-9149 480-617-5961 Fax:Fax: 480-617-5961 • www.sullivanstravels.com maureen@sullivanstravels.com • www.sullivanstravels.com maureen@sullivanstravels.com Europe, Mexico, Cruises & South Pacific TravelTravel Europe, Mexico, Cruises & South Pacific
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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
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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 Indoor/Outdoor St. Patrick’s Day Celebration food booths, giveaways, live music (Spirited Lads, Kilted Spirited, Cheek Tones, Faded Jeans & Trip Wire). 10am-5pm $5 Cover, 5pm-1am $10 Cover. Cash only. See ad page 27
The Kettle Black Kitchen & Pub 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 27
Mountain View Pub 7033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ 85331 (west of crossroads: Tom Darlington & Cave Creek) 480-575-7782; (480)-5757PUB Facebook: Mountain View Pub - Cave Creek Just opened January 14! Extensive lines of Irish whiskey and beers. Irish influenced pub fare. Amazing mountain views experienced from our indoor/outdoor bar and patio!
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!
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 27
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 27
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 27
New customers are looking for you! Accepting Celtic listings in Arizona.
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Here Comes
the Bride… the Pipes are Calling BY MICHAEL MCCLANATHAN
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o all of you out there that are engaged and ready to set the date...Congratulations!! You are about to embark on a wonderful journey together filled with love and happiness, and I can think of no better place to start than honoring your heritage by incorporating some Celtic touches like kilts, handfasting, or hiring a piper to perform the music at the ceremony. Speaking of hiring a piper…hold on, here it comes...that would be me! I played my first wedding at 14 years of age, and that was over 50 years ago and have done over 1,000 weddings since. A question that is frequently asked (other than the obvious...What’s under…), is “How do bagpipes fit into a wedding ceremony?” Bagpipe Music Selections Wedding ceremonies have a format that is intrinsic to all, with the couple adding or subtracting a few things to make it wholly theirs. I usually play the music for the whole ceremony, starting with a prelude in the beginning, then when everyone’s ready, going into the processional music to bring everyone down the aisle. When the bride appears, I stop and ask everyone to rise and play something she’s picked out to bring her down the aisle. The vows follow, then I switch to a smaller set of pipes that are about the volume of a violin to play a musical tribute while they are lighting the unity candle, doing the handfasting, or having communion. I then switch back to the big pipes for a great celebration of sound as they make the happy march back up the aisle as husband and wife to the cheers and clapping of friends and family.
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I can play a wide range of tunes from the traditional “Canon in D” and “The Bridal Chorus” to some Celtic Airs like “The Irish Wedding Song” and “Come to The Hills.” Kilt Formalwear Another service I provide for weddings (or any formal occasion), is the rental of a complete kilt outfit. This is not something from a costume shop, but the real deal, consisting of a kilt made of 100% wool, a Prince Charlie or Argyle jacket, a dress sporran, socks, flashes, sgian dhu, and ghillie brogues. It’s really impressive to see all the groomsmen dressed in matching kilts! I have even had some grooms rent one and take it to Ireland to get married. In fact, I was at a castle in Ireland a few years ago when a wedding party showed up dressed in kilts. It was the first time they had worn kilts, so as you can imagine, they were a bit askew, kilts on backwards, etc. So I helped them get sorted so they looked proper for the day and they were very grateful. You can get a kilt in the Irish National tartan, or any one of the 32 county tartans. You can find more info and music samples on my website: www.thebagpiper.com Kilt Rental and Celtic wedding gifts on www.kiltrentalusa.com and www.claymoreimports.com. Michael McClanathan has devoted 55 years of study to the Great Highland Bagpipes and the Cauld Wind Pipes and is a “Lifetime Member” of the College of Piping in Glasgow. He is the Honor Guard Piper for the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department and has played every night at sunset at the Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale for 14 years.
Bow Tie
Prince Charlie Jacket & Vest Tuxedo Shirt
16 oz Tartan Kilt Fur Sporran
Sgian Dubh
Kilt Hose
Ghillie Brogue Shoes Flashes
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by Lois A Wallace
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b. 602-501-7423 c. 775-671-0148 8050 19thAve Ave#236 #236Phoenix PhoenixAZ AZ85021 85021 8050 N 19th
Scottish Made Kilts
by Lois A Wallace
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Rent • Sell New • Used
Do you dream of walking in the footsteps of your ancestors?
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Lois's Biz card Aug 2015 FINAL.indd 1
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www.KiltRentalUSA.com info@kiltrentalusa.com 15821 N. 79th St. Suite 2 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 1-877-KILT-SHOP • 480-460-0907
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Listen to music samples at www.thebagpiper.com 8/24/15 2:04 PM
Kilt rentals available for your special event at KiltRentalUSA.com 602-549-4394 • 480-460-0907 www.thebagpiper.com
Grandmother is from Tiree, an island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Matt’s grandparents, James Joseph Cunningham and Delia McNicholas, each emigrated from Co. Mayo, Ireland, met and married in Chicago
The 53rd Annual
Presented by Kilt Lifter™ Scottish-Style Ale
Phoenix Scottish Games
March 4-5 | Steele Indian School Park | Buy Tickets at ArizonaScots.com WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Family Ties
PHOTOS BY JOYCE JONES, MEMBER, CLAN WALLACE SOCIETY
SCOTS
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in Tartans What Is a Scottish Clan? BY LOIS A. WALLACE
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often get that question when I explain to people that in my business I specialize in travel to Scotland. They may have seen Clans portrayed in movies, like Rob Roy, Braveheart or the Outlander STARZ-TV series. But what really is a Scottish Clan? And why is it important today? In North America, we are a land of immigrants, unless of course you are of Native American blood, or, as Canadians call them, First Nation. Most of us trace our heritage back to other nations. Those of us who can trace our ancestry to Scotland, be it centuries ago or mere decades, I feel have a distinct advantage: The Scottish Clan System. Time for a definition. According to Wikipedia, “A Scottish Clan (from Gaelic clann meaning “Children”) is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity. In modern times have an official structure recognized by the court of the Lord Lyon who regulates heraldry and coats of arms.” The first part of that definition to many of us is the most important. In our modern fluid society of shrinking families. We search for meaning and understanding of who we are by studying who came before us. It is that sense of kinship and shared identity that a clan provides. Some people were lucky enough to have close family who instilled a sense of Scottish heritage in the younger generation. Many of these are carrying on the tradition involving their children in Scottish Clans and Culture. Others like my husband, Bob, knew Wallace was a Scottish name but little else. So how did we get so involved and immersed in all things Scottish. Twentytwo years ago we attended Scottish Games in Angels Camp, CA. There, we found the Wallace tent, were greeted and educated in all things Wallace by a dear older couple, Jan and Dick Wallace from Marysville, CA. We were hooked, as members of the Clan and the Society, we now had an extended
family all over the world. Dick has passed but Jan is still a dear friend. We recently attended the 50th Anniversary gathering of Clan Wallace Society in Salado, Texas. Our Chief, Andrew Wallace, came from Scotland to join in the celebration. This was his first official visit as Chief and a Chief of a Games. Here is what he had to say about that experience: Roots, and a sense of belonging, are an important part of the human condition but there can be few, if any, countries which have the power that Scotland has to excite the imagination and inspire such loyalty to the mother country. Here in Scotland we live with our history on a daily basis and, needless to say, treat it rather casually. On my recent visit to the Highland Gathering in Salado, Texas, I was overwhelmed by the passion, enthusiasm and loyalty to Scotland exhibited by so many different people from so many walks of life. It certainly has made me think about things that I have probably taken too much for granted. Scotland should consider itself very lucky indeed to have such enthusiastic ambassadors in so many parts of the world. Andrew R. Wallace of that Ilk, 36th Chief of the Name and Family So if you really want to know what a Clan is, come to a Highland Games event, find the clan tent area and experience. You will be welcome!
50th Anniversary Gathering of Clan Wallace Society held in Salado, Texas
Wallace tartan, published Vestiarium Scoticum Chief Andrew Wallace from Scotland
[See page 15 for this year’s Phoenix Scottish Highland Games on March 4-5] Tartan photo By Celtus (Own work) [CC BY 2.5 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5)], via Wikimedia Commons
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.
Mount Everest
was named after Welshman Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. www.1stcontact.com
St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, but he isn’t Irish. Interactive museum at The Saint Patrick Centre in Downpatrick, Northern Ireland
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He was born in Britain, around 385AD. His parents Calpurnius and Conchessa were Roman citizens living in either Scotland or Wales, according to different versions of his story.
As a boy of 14 he was captured and taken to Ireland where he spent six years in slavery herding sheep. He returned to Ireland in his 30s as a missionary among the Celtic pagans.
www.telegraph.co.uk
FEATURING FOUR PEAKS
FRIENDS OF CELTS PRESENTS THE
KILT LIFTER
FIRST ANNUAL
www.arizonacelticmusicandmicrobrewfestival.com
THE BACKYARD AT ARIZONA STATE FAIRGROUNDS • SATURDAY & SUNDAY, MARCH 11 & 12, 2017 • 10am-6pm EACH DAY 1826 WEST MCDOWELL ROAD AND 17TH AVENUE, PHOENIX, AZ 85007 Adults: $12.00* Seniors, Students & Military: $10.00 Two-Day Pass: $18.00 Children 10 and Under: FREE CHARITIES: *$2.00 from each full priced $12.00 Adult admission ticket sold will be donated. No other promotional discounts will apply. Saturday, March 11 will be donated to Aunt Rita’s Foundation, dedicated to the elimination of, and suffering from, HIV and AIDS. Sunday, March 12 will be donated to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, one of the largest children’s hospitals in the country, which has been providing hope, healing and the best healthcare for children since 1983. Sheepherding Demos
The Brazen Heads
The Knockabouts
Traveler
Rusty O’FlaTTery, The World’s Tallest Leprechaun
The Rusty Bawls Show, Juggler/Comedian
The Whiskey Rats
Maguire Academy of Irish Dance
3 STAGES: The Brazen Heads • The Whiskey Rats • The Knockabouts • Traveler • Cinnamon Twist • Tramor • Iain Walinck • The Rusty Bawls Show • Maschino School of Highland Dance • Maguire Academy of Irish Dance • Sister Anne’s Sacred Sacred Heart Trinity Irish Step Dancers • and More!
FEATURES: Phoenix Pipe Band • Southwest Skye Pipes & Drums • Rusty O’FlaTTery, The World’s Tallest Leprechaun • Sheepherding Demos, Bring your dogs for Instinct Testing by Molly Wisecarver of Double M Stockdogs to test your dog’s ability to herd sheep; evaluation fee: $25 • Sword Fighting Demos • Authentic Celtic Food & Marketplace Vendors • Kilt Contest each day
e x po sit ion &
Shopping
INFO: FOR TICKETS CALL:
800-514-3849, Option 2 FESTIVAL DETAILS and tickets online: www.arizonacelticmusic andmicrobrewfestival.com
AZPubGuy @stevemoyerpr
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MICROBREWS
Includes Innis & Gunn Brewery and Belhaven Brewery microbrews imported from Scotland Flight Cards for $15 each will be available, while they last, to taste eight, fourounce samples of your choice!!
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OOT & ABOOT
OUT & ABOUT
MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
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2 1. Tim Murphy’s Photography trunk show at DMBs at DC Ranch, Nov. 2016 2. Anthony O’Gara, Exec Chair of Ireland’s Rose of Tralee Int’l. Festival, and his wife Oonagh in Phoenix for wedding of Arizona-born 2013 Int’l. Rose Haley O’Sullivan (Texas), Oct. 2016 3. Adrienne Leavy, founder of Reading Ireland 4. Authors featured at the Phoenix-Ennis Book Festival 5. Book Festival hosted by Phoenix-Ennis Sister Cities Committee 6. CM Novess III at the Tucson Celtic Festival
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My Irish journey began with letters written from Northern Ireland in the 1800s to my Irish Great Grandmother, Ellen Giffin, in America. She was raised on one of three plantations that her father and grandfather had managed as factor for Lord Templeton of The Castle Upton. Details of our family led to Templepatrick, N. Ireland, tromping through rain soaked cemeteries and crumbling headstones. There were many surprises and frustrations during my journey but the brass ring was in Templepatrick, just waiting for me to grab it. ___________________________ Charlotte “Charlie” Buckles moved to Arizona in 1999 from Washington state and was hired as Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist for General Southwest Insurance Agency in 2002. This brother owned agency has earned a reputation of honesty, competency and caring for their clients. See page 22 to read about one of the brothers, Dave Binsfeld.
OOT & ABOOT
RGB Bar and Grill in Belfast 1. Irish Network Phoenix members and Fox-10TV’s Ron Hoon (part Irish!) tour the Phoenix Dream Center including on-site medical clinic with Exec Director Brian Steele (also part Irish). See page 9 for ways to help and receive $1 off Phx Faire admission March 11. 2. Organizer/Sponsor John Flanagan (2nd from right) of Flanagan’s Celtic Corner with Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfe Tones from Ireland at Tucson concert 3. Darryl Toupkin, founder of Kiss Me I’m Irish Run/Walk, with Ron Hoon who will be emceeing the Kilt Run Guinness World Record Attempt. See details on page 7 4. Tucson concert winners of Desert Shamrock’s Giveaway: Clint and Kathy Watters of Apache Junction AND Kathleen O’Hagan from Congress, AZ 5. Cox and the Leprechaun at Waste Management’s Phoenix Open. Watch for him at the Phx St. Pat’s Parade & Faire March 11 AND the Kiss Me I’m Irish events March 17-18!
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OUT & ABOUT
ANCESTRAL ADVENTURE
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
PHOTOS COURTESY OF VISITSCOTLAND.COM
SCOTS
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Scotland Bucket List:
Caledonian Canal BY BOB WALLACE
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asily discernible on a map of the Highlands of Scotland is the Great Glen. Running from northeast to southwest, the Glen defines a line between the Grampian Mountains to the southeast, the Northwest Highlands to the northwest. Four lochs line the Glen. From just below Inverness, Lochs Dochfour, Ness (a small channel separates the two), Oich, and Lochy. Ideas for building a cross-country canal through the Glen date to as early as 1773 when James Watt—the
same James Watt who improved the early steam engine—surveyed the area. Thirty years later, the government passed an Act authorizing its construction. Running some 60 miles from Inverness to Corpach near Fort William, the canal incorporates the four lochs, 29 locks to raise and lower vessels passing through, and four aqueducts to carry the canal over depressions in the landscape. At the southwest end, Neptune’s Staircase utilizes eight locks (of the 29) to raise vessels coming in from Loch Linnhe. Civil engineer Thomas Telford was tasked with surveying, designing and
Chandler-Tullamore SiSTer CiTieS ellen harringTon
President, Board of trustees
re
chan.to.tull@gmail.com (480) 600-8509 P.O. Box 1474 Chandler, AZ 85244-1474
www.chandlerirish.org
www.facebook.com/chandler.az.irish
& AUTHORS ASE RECEPTION
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building the canal with assistance from William Jessop. Planning called for seven years of construction at a cost of £474,000 (today’s exchange of over $585,000); funding to come from the government. Both time and funding were shortsighted. Opening of the canal came finally in 1822 at a cost of £910,000 ($1,203,800). One reason for building the canal was to shorten the distance for passengers and cargo from Glasgow destined for Inverness. Rather than make what could often be a treacherous trip past Cape Wrath at the far north of Scotland and through the Pentland Firth between Orkney and
Scotland in sailing vessels, the canal offered a substantially shorter and more serene trip. Understand that ships of that period were still using sails for power; steel-hulled ships with steam power were in the near future. Railways finally made their way to Fort William, Fort Augustus and Inverness, but that didn’t slow the canal traffic as rail schedules were set to make connections with the boats plying the waterway. Queen Victoria made a voyage along the canal in 1873; publicity following her visit increasing visitors to the area significantly. A destination for tourists had been put together. Tourists are still to be found utilizing one or another part of the Caledonian Canal. Small leisure craft to “hotel barges” and the occasional cruise yacht still make their trips along the waters in the summer months. Not every boater will be looking for Nessie, but they can learn much about the history of this beautiful countryside. Further information is available here: Hotel Barges: www.caledonian-discovery.co.uk Boat rentals: www.leboat.com/ vacations/destinations/scotland/cruises Luxury yacht: www.lordoftheglens.co.uk 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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UPCOMING EVENTS — PLEASE CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES!
2017 ARIZONA COLLEEN AND ROSE EVENT CHANDLER’S LAUREN KOLL IS AN APPLICANT!
Saturday, Feb. 25, www.azcolleen.org for Tickets/Info
WINE & DESIGN EVENING - SHAMROCK FUSED GLASS DECOR Burst of Butterflies, Downtown Chander, March TBA
AN IRISH EVENING - FOOD, ENTERTAINMENT, PROGRAM April TBA
INVITAT ION
You are invited to join Date: April 27, 2017 You areStanton invited to join Mayor Greg Stanton Mayor Greg Where: Downtown Phoenix Phoenix Sister Cities for Sheraton an amazing evening and and Phoenix SisterofCities for an international cuisine and Reception entertainment Time: 6:00-7:00 p.m. amazing evening of from around the world. Dinner 7:00-9:00 p.m. international cuisine $150 per ticket; Date: Thursday,Cost: April 7, 2016 and entertainment ............................................................. $1,500 per table from around the world. Where:
Sheraton Grand Phoenix Valley of the Sun Ballroom 340www.phoenixsistercities.org N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 To register: ............................................................. or call 602-534-3751 Time: Reception 6:00-7:00 p.m. Seating is Limited. RSVP Dinner 7:00-9:00 p.m.by March 24 ............................................................. Cost: $130 per; $1,300 for sponsored table of ten ............................................................. To register: www.phoenixsistercities.org or call 602-534-3751 SAVE DATE! SeatingTHE is Limited. RSVP by March 18th ............................................................. Attire: Business or traditional international .............................................................
2017 YOUNG ARTISTS & AUTHORS SHOWCASE Reception: Friday, April 21 from 5:30 to 7:00pm Chandler ArtWalk in Historic Downtown Chandler Hosting is made possible by a grant from Special Events Sponsorship Funding & the Chandler Cultural Foundation. GET-A-WAY TO TULLAMORE, IRELAND & BEYOND! Aug & Sept Trip Opportunities - Choose from 2 Itineraries See our website for Information Forms MEMBERSHIP BRUNCH Sat. Sept. 9, 10am-Noon, Chandler ARIZONA SISTER CITIES ANNUAL CONFERENCE Fri/Sat, Oct. 6-7 — Sierra Vista, AZ
6TH ANNUAL SOUTHWEST TEA Sat., Nov. 4 — Tumbleweed Center, Chandler
www.chandlerirish.org
Annual Alamos International Jazz Day Festival Annual Mayor’s Luncheon Annual Mayor’s Mayor’s Luncheon Friday, March 10 Luncheon 11:30am –Friday, 1:30pm March 10 Scottsdale-Killarney, Ireland Sister Cities
Win an international experience!
Drawing tickets now available online at www.phoenixsistercities.org or on site at the Gala.
11:30am – 1:30pm Entertainment & Silent Friday, March 11 Auction Prizes:Entertainment $3000 + 2 round& tripSilent airfare Auction 11:30am –cash 1:30pm
tickets to any of our sister cities; $2,500 cash; or custom made jewelry .............................................................
3025 N. Campbell Ave.
3025 N.rate The Sheraton is3025 offering aN. discounted self-parking of $5 Campbell Ave.Campbell and valet-parking rate of $10.
Ave.
T ITLE S PONSORS Members ............................................$30 Members ............................................$30 Lunch for Members ......................$25 Non-Members ....................................$35 Lunch for Non-Members ..............$30 Non-Members ....................................$35 RSVP: ColleenBeaman Beaman: 520.743.7979 RSVP: Colleen 520-743-7979
RSVP: Colleen Beaman: 520.743.7979
P RESIDENTIAL S PONSORS
Mail checks to: Mary Foote: Hope to see youLou there!
AFoote: MBASSADOR S PONSOR Mail checks 6061 to: Mary Lou E. Calle Ojos Verde, Tucson, AZ 85750 6061 E. Calle Ojos Verde, Tucson, AZ 85750
April 6-10; 4 nights, 5 days Trip open to Members and Non-Members! William “Doc” Jones and his team will bring jazz in the style of New Orleans to Alamos and what they love with Mexican music. The three-day event is designed to provide a cultural bridge between the border of Arizona with Alamos, Sonora, Mexico.
The free program will integrate the musical groups of New Orleans, Arizona, and Sonora. In addition to the celebration of music, the second approach will focus mainly on offering three educational workshops for local participants.
Mount Everest FOR PRICING AND MORE DETAILS:
Call Kathy George, President, Sir at 480-326-6666 was named after Welshman George
www.scottsdalesistercities.com Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. www.1stcontact.com
It is believed that St. Patrick died on March 17 in 461AD.
It is a national holiday in Ireland, and on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, which was founded by Irish refugees. It is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland. www.telegraph.co.uk WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
SISTER / TWINNED CITIES
Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities
ARTS
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Arizona Premiere! Composer Ben Allaway Performs with Chorale in his Heaven and Earth: Mass on the Celtic Journey
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he Sonoran Desert Chorale presents A Celtic Journey— stories of the Celtic peoples of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and their heritage in America, told in music and narration. Composer Ben Allaway, an Irish American, tells stories of seven generations of Allaways as well as other families’ stories, creating a transatlantic epic tale of lives and loves lived in the Isles and of loved ones leaving the old country for a new life in America. In over 70 commissions, Ben Allaway’s dramatic and often interactive music challenges artists and audiences alike to examine afresh both their inner gifts and outer resources, and how they can share of themselves with the world in a positive way, whether on the relational level (social, cultural, spiritual) or even more actively in the work for peace and justice for all in the global community. Jeff Harris, director of the Chorale, has announced that Allaway will join the Chorale in performance and sing the tenor solo in Hosanna: Up the Rockies—a portion of the work that portrays the travels of the composer’s great-great-grandfather, William Allaway I. The Chorale is also joined by Trotters Wake, the Valley’s own Irish Band, that describes itself as “having more fun playing Irish music than should be legal!” as well as additional instrumentalists playing Celtic harp, pennywhistle, percussion, and organ. Presenting the narration for this premiere event is Liz Warren,
noted Valley storyteller. Liz is director of the South Mountain Community College Storytelling Institute and a founder of the Arizona Storytellers Project. Celtic immigrants brought a great spirituality with them and their faith sustained them through many difficulties. Composer Allaway chose to use the text of the Latin Mass, because those passages address every up and down of the human condition, and to weave his stories with it, seeking to honor both in a very special way. It is a unique method of storytelling featuring both the sung and spoken word. Sonoran Desert Chorale Concert Tour Abroad SDC was founded in 1994 and is led by Music Director Jeff Harris. Share their upcoming schedule with friends and family abroad as they perform in Ireland and the UK. Ireland June 7, 10, 12 Galway Cathedral, Galway; Cathedral Church of St. Canice, Kilkenny; Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin Scotland, June 14-17 St. Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh; Chapel Royal, Stirling Castle, Stirling; Iona Chapel, Isle of Iona; Glasgow Cathedral, Glasgow
“
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, experience Heaven and Earth: Mass on the Celtic Journey, a rousing musical experience of life and love and faith
” Chorale’s Celtic Roots Run Deep Amanda Bailey’s maternal great-great grandfather William Herd Bowman emigrated from Kircaldy, Fireshire, Scotland at 18 months old on Ship Olympus to New Orleans in 1850. Her father’s side includes Jennie Hughes from Cardiff, Wales, leaving at age 2 in 1870; and Eliza Corbett Dromara, County Down, Ireland around age 20 in the 1840s; both families settled in New York. Liesl Bloom ancestor date to Tighearnmhas Masius, High King of Ireland (b. 1640 BC). His descendant King Eugene V Eochaidh II married Queen Spondana ingen Aingtech, Princess of the Picts in the 7th century AD. Their grandson Eochaid IV was known as “The Poisonous” King of Scotland for the war he waged on the Picts over his father’s death.
For more information or to schedule an appearance, contact Laura Schairer at 480797-3111. SonoranDesertChorale.org
Christian Comm’s 7th great-grandfather Lord Robert Douglas came from Scotland; and Mary Callahan from Ireland who settled in Kentucky. Other ancestors came from Ireland including Counties Antrim, Down, and Armagh; and Benjamin McVay from Scotland. John Brazelton (French heritage but born in PRESENTS Wales) married Mary Crawford (Irish), whom he met on board the ship en route to America. Third great-grandparents THE ARIZONA PREMIERE Henry Phillips and Elizabeth Jenkins came Ben Allaway’s from Wales.
Jennifer Daley’s maternal side traces heaven & earth back to Matilda, daughter of Malcolm, of Scotland. Her paternal mass on the celtic King journey
great-grandmother, Carolyn Clarke, was born in the village of Glencree in County Voices, fiddle, celtic harp drum, pennywhistle,Wicklow, organIreland. Her family came to the in 1889 when she was about nine Trotters wake irishU.S. band years old. narration - liz warren
guest performance by the composer
Lynn Garrison Kough’s paternal family Join the Chorale for stories of the Celtic peoples of Ireland,line Scotland, includes Abigail Fortner (Scottish married William Garrison (Irish and Wales and their heritage in America, told in music anddescent), narration. descent), about 1770. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017 SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2017 7:30 pm 3:00 PM
First United Methodist Church 15 E. First Avenue Mesa, AZ 85210
WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church 6300 E. Bell Road Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Brother and sister, Scott McEwen and Ann McEwen Kelley, and Scott’s daughter Heather McEwen Goldman are all members in the Chorale. Their first family emigre was Robert McEwen, originally a resident of Dumfries, Scotland. A “Covenanter” because he was a Presbyterian who would not join the Church of England, he was eventually banished, traveling aboard the Henry and Francis to arrive on the New Jersey coast in December 1685. Mother and daughter, Micki Oliphant and Amelia Alston’s maternal 3rd great grandfather, Allen Stuart Adamson, was born in Scotland, coming to America in 1853. Other ancestors also hailed from Scotland, including Robert Murdock who was one of the first settlers in New England. Their paternal side’s Thomas David Evans and Priscilla Merriman, both born in Wales, came to America in 1856. Linda Pfohl’s great-great-great grandparents immigrated to Virginia from Cork, Ireland sometime before 1859. Other family includes Irish born Michael Russell and Nancy Murphy. Bill Snow’s great-great-grandfather Andrew Brodie was born in Forfarshire, Scotland in 1817 and came to America in 1841 to New York. His great-great-grandmother Margaret Jones Brodie was born in Lampeter, Wales in 1830, leaving for America about 11 years old. Carol Stout’s maternal Scottish ancestor John Dunnbrack married Catherine MacDougall whose roots go back to Dugall, son of Somerled, Lord of the Isles, and the founding of Clan MacDougall where now stands the town of Oban. There he built Dunollie Castle in the 12th century. John and his father, James, came to the U.S. in the mid-1700s.
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THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
ARIZONA’S ORIGINAL
St. Patrick’s Day
PRESENTS
March 17th, 2017
THE ARIZONA PREMIERE
Irish Step Dancers Bag Pipers Irish Fiddlers Duo
Ben Allaway’s
heaven & earth mass on the celtic journey Voices, fiddle, celtic harp drum, pennywhistle, organ Trotters wake irish band narration - liz warren guest performance by the composer
Join the Chorale for stories of the Celtic peoples of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and their heritage in America, told in music and narration. SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017 7:30 pm
First United Methodist Church 15 E. First Avenue Mesa, AZ 85210
SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2017 3:00 PM
La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church 6300 E. Bell Road Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Purchase tickets early - by phone or online 480-305-4538 SonoranDesertChorale.org info@SonoranDesertChorale.org $18 Adults; $15 Seniors (62+) / Students / Groups 10+ At the door - $20 Adults; $18 Seniors, Students, Groups
6646 East Superstition Springs Blvd., Mesa (US 60 & Superstition)
480-396-9933 www.RTOSullivans.com
NO
COVER!
DUELING PIANOS FROM
7PM-11PM
MONSTER DRAFTS GREEN BEERS
AUTHENTIC IRISH CUISINE
Corned Beef & Cabbage • Shepherd’s Pie • Ruebens • Fish & Chips • & Much More!
Cool off in Prescott at the 13th Annual
EXCLUSIVE AND RARE OPPORTUNITY
WHISKY TASTING
at Tim Riordan’s Table Friday, Saturday, March 17 & 18 4:30 • 5:30 • 6:30 each day
Artwork by Russ Miller
MayCool 13 & off 14 at Lake, inWatson Prescott at9-5 thedaily
TICKET PRICES Nationally known Wicked 12th Annual HighlandAdults Games one-day pass Tinkers at the Main Stage $15; two-day pass $20 Mayplus 14pipe & 15 at Watson bands, Highland Lake, 9-5 daily Senior/Military/ dancing, heavy athletics, Students one-day pass $10; two-day pass $15 Whiskyknown tastings and more! Nationally Wicked Tinkers and California Celts Children 5 and a family and dog plus We pipeare bands, Highland dancing, heavy athletics, under FREE friendly event. Tickets sold 10 orfriendly more tastings and more! We are a familyGroups andofdog $10 each at the Tickets door orsold online. event. at the door or online.
www.PrescottAreaCelticSociety.com www.prescottareacelticsociety.com
•
Presented by Ray Pearson, single malt Scotch expert, Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador (retired)
•
Guests served four whiskies (1/2 ounce each) along with a variety of hors d’oeuvres selected to pair nicely.
•
Prices vary from $100 - $150 depending on rarity of the whisky
What an opportunity to experience life in Tim Riordan’s home. Not since the family lived in the home has there been an event at Tim’s table. Save your seat now!
Price includes a ticket to tour Riordan Mansion at your convenience on a later date.
Partnered with Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society
Riordan Mansion State Historic Park, 409 W. Riordan Road, Flagstaff For tickets and information: 928-779-4395
Mount Everest
was named after Welshman Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. www.1stcontact.com
Many claim the shamrock represents faith, hope, and love, or any number of other things but it was actually used by Patrick to teach the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and how three things, the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit could be separate entities, yet one in the same. Obviously, the pagan rulers of Ireland found Patrick to be convincing because they understood and converted to Christianity. WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Irish Network Phoenix
Dave Binsfeld, General Southwest Insurance Agency BY JAN WHALEN
W
hen Dave Binsfeld was a boy, he and his friends grabbed their weapons and imagined they were dragon-slaying knights. Those childhood games foreshadowed Dave’s current role as owner of General Southwest Insurance Agency, protecting his clients from the modern-day dragons they face in the real world. Dave’s ancestors on his mother’s side came from County Galway, Ireland. His mother, Mary Patricia Doyle, was born in Milwaukee. Her grandfather, Joe Doyle, was a steam engine railroad engineer for the Milwaukee railroad. In 1974, the family moved to the Arcadia neighborhood of Phoenix, and Dave has lived within a ten-mile radius ever since. Yet he feels a strong connection to his Irish roots. A family trip to Ireland captured his attention and set a trajectory of global awareness and advocacy. After that life-changing trip, Dave couldn’t stop talking about Knappogue Castle, the beauty of County Clare and the thrill of kissing the Blarney Stone. Remembering those days, he says, “My classmates came to expect that all my school projects would be about Ireland. They called me Mr. Green-teeth.” It’s no surprise that as an adult, he became the president of ERIN, an Irish networking group, predecessor of Irish Network Phoenix. Dave’s first position in the insurance industry was working as a janitor for his dad, founder of General Southwest Insurance Agency. After graduating from Gerard Catholic High School, he secured his insurance license and began working part-time in the area of personal auto and homeowner insurance. He says, “As you can imagine, I looked pretty young, but I loved helping people. I loved this work.” Upon graduating from Arizona State University with a degree in Business Administration/Finance, Dave worked at the agency full time. He and his brothers, John and Joe, now own the agency. His personal life remains a priority as he and his wife, Lisa, share the adventures of raising their children: Christopher 18, Allison 16, and Lucas 12. Thirty-two years after beginning his
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career, Dave still loves going to work every day, excited to offer risk-management advice and insurance coverage. Clients come from many industries: medicine, biotechnology, non-profits—almost any industry you can name. In 1996, Dave won the Agent of the Year award from the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of Greater Phoenix. His secret of success? “I listen to my clients. I find out what they do, how they make their money, and what risks they face. I want to understand the potential catastrophes that could negatively impact their business and ability to feed their family.” Sounds like knight work to me. He tells about his true ‘paycheck’ from clients, “I enjoy this so much, I don’t feel like I’m even working. I enjoy being part of the team they rely on for the success of their enterprise.” Recently, Dave helped a young couple with life insurance. Not a huge account, yet he says, “They just had a baby and it’s gratifying to provide protection for this new family.” Dave also gives back to the community by working with youth. He is an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America, the local schools, and has mentored six at-risk teens through the New Pathways program. “Mentoring is one of the most gratifying things I’ve done. These young men entrust their life to you. It’s quite a responsibility to be that person they can trust.” Currently, Dave serves on the advisory board for the Global Chamber of Commerce and is active in Irish Network Phoenix. He is always looking for new ways to fight dragons and protect those in his circle of influence. His optimism is contagious. “I believe we get to choose our attitude and I choose to be excited. I’m this graying 50-year-old guy who’s been at this forever, not a kid fresh out of college. This will be a great decade.” 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
Binsfeld family at Luxembourg Gardens in Paris
Dave’s maternal grandparents, Joe Doyle from Co. Galway
THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
25
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. FHA, VA, Conventional and Reverse Mortgages
602-248-4200
Maternal side “Murphy” came from County Cork and father’s side “Morrison” arrived from County Waterford
1599 E. Orangewood Ave. #200 Phoenix, AZ 85020 MB092214 • NMLS# 1007154 • Colleen Cutler NMLS# 852437
Mother is Mary Patricia Doyle of the Doyle clan from County Galway, Ireland
Mary Kallemeyn
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
Independent Sr. Sales Director 602-978-0598 - Home 623-986-4708 - Cell mkallemeyn@cox.net www.marykay.com/mkallemeyn
Grandmother Anna Kerr missed the Titanic because of family illness but emigrated later in 1912 from Belfast
Discover What You Love TM Makeovers are always Fun, Free & Fabulous and you get a 10% discount when we meet!!
facebook.com/irishnetworkphoenix meetup.com/irishnetworkphoenix
Mount Everest
was named after Welshman Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. www.1stcontact.com
Have you experienced the breath-taking reality of a hundred pipers skirling in uplifting unison? This isn’t an image from Scotland’s cultural past: it happens every August at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and on Glasgow Green. www.scotland.org PHOTO BY MC2 PATRICK GRIECO
WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
IRISH NETWORK PHOENIX
Grandparents: John O’Dowd emigrated 1929 to NY from Castlebaldwin, Co. Sligo and Ellen Greevy from Roscommon 1938.
CULTURE
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Witchcraft or Healing? Natural Medicine in the West of Ireland BY DR. SHARONAH FREDRICK, PHD
F
or many centuries, women and men who engaged in natural healing and herbal medicine in the West of Ireland, were classified as “witches.” That classification arose from lack of knowledge regarding their practices, as well as ignorance of the connection between these healers and their local communities. During the late Middle Ages (1300-1500), when Ireland was under French-Speaking Norman control, local Celtic healing arts were, though viewed with suspicion, often adopted by the Norman overlords. But the Early Modern Period marked a more severe period of persecution of natural healing arts, beginning in the 16th century (that time called a “Renaissance”, though such a term cannot be applied to Ireland or the New World, both subjugated by colonial exploitation). The area of today’s County Kerry and County Clare evoked the most suspicion. In Kerry, so-called “water-burials” were common, and these challenged the basis of standard Christian burial practice. But the Kerry villagers who practiced these death rites were, and are, devout
Catholics. From their perspective, the “water-burials” assured the health of the community. The poor, it should be remembered, did not always have the money for a funeral, which even in the most economic version, could be very costly. And the lack of proper funerals could spread disease…and a fertile place for plague to propagate. In water-burials, the body returned to the natural elements, and arable land was left for the living to farm. There were stories of “underwater churches” in the Kerry area: fishermen and fishermen’s wives alike told tales of the beautiful spires that could be seen from below, rising almost to the surface of the water, but disappearing when any living mortal attempted to penetrate their depths. This may be a climatic phenomenon: geologists have mapped the receding, eroding, coastlines of both Ireland and the British Isles from the end of Britain’s Roman Occupation, in the fifth century, to the end of the 19th century. The vanishing coastline is a well-documented natural occurrence, and may be at the root of older Celtic myths, such as the appearing/ disappearing Isle of St. Brendan, or the Isle of Avalon, itself believed to be unreachable following the demise of the legendary Welsh chieftain, Arthur.
West Country Irish healers removed warts through “magic arts” and drew “magical circles” throughout the Ring of Kerry. To this day, the tiny rings of toadstools that flourish after rains are referred to as “fairy rings,” and represent the remains of the previous night’s supernatural revels. The “witches’” fairy story was a life-saving technique. Before mass literacy, the majority could not read medical warnings. Food was harvested in the fields, and mushrooms grew plentifully. By designating poisonous toadstools as forbidden objects due to their faerie-connection, local healers were saving the lives of their fellow villagers. The conception of “fairyland” enabled local storytellers to counsel their friends to steer clear of underground caverns and other dangerous rock formations… places where a person could fall, become lost, and die of hunger and isolation. Biddy Early, the Clare “witch” born at the end of 18th century, was better known, and loved, by her neighbors with the term “fairy doctor.” That concept, originating in the 16th-17th centuries, spoke of the healers as people who mediated between human and faerie worlds, saving human lives in the process. It was a far cry from the vilified image of the woman flying through the air on a broom. When Biddy used her broom, it was to sweep away weeds that would harm the well-being of fellow-villagers. Before her death, she asked that the bottle and water which accompanied her on all her cures, be thrust into a local lake lest it fall into the hands of anyone who wished to harm her patients. Healer, and not witch, is the appropriate term for these “fairy-doctors” of County Kerry and County Clare.
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.
Plants Used for Medicine by The Ancient Celts BY GARY L. MORRIS
Dandelion - (Caisearbhán)
In April throughout Ireland beautiful fields of Dandelion can be seen growing in abundance. The ancient Celts celebrated February 1st as a festival to the White Goddess, whom Christianity later adopted and renamed St. Brigid, and one of her symbols was the Dandelion. The Celts would have used dandelion to treat fever such as malaria and jaundice as dandelion root stimulates the liver. This is supported by the 12th century medical text The Physicians of Myddfai and folk medicine records from County Meath in Ireland. They may also have made Dandelion coffee from its roots, which they did in Counties Cork and Kerry during the Emergency years of WWII, and which is common among naturalists today.
WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
Nettle - (Neanntóg)
What causes the stinging sensation of the Nettle is the penetration of our skin by the many needle-like hairs that cover the plant. This causes our immune system to releases histamine, a chemical found in some of the body’s cells. The Nettle is significant among herbs used by the Celts in that it was probably one of the most widely used due to its ability to prevent hemorrhaging and stop bleeding from wounds. They would have used it to treat the wounds their warriors received in battle and also to help reduce excessive menstruation in the women.
Burdock
Considered an invasive weed by many gardeners, Burdock was held in high esteem by the Celts who used it as a medicine and a food, its roots being cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw. Unlike the gardeners of today, the Celts considered nothing as a weed and understood that every plant had its values and served a purpose. Burdock has been found to be an excellent detoxifying herb due to its ability to stimulate the body to eliminate toxins.
Source - https://healdove.com/alternative-medicine/Healing-Herbs-of-the-Ancient-Celts
THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
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9201 N. 29th Ave., #52, Phoenix
TIMFINNEGANS.COM
1 North 1st Street, Suite 102, PHOENIX THEKETTLEBLACKPUB.COM
Indoor/Outdoor St. Patrick’s Day Celebration FOOD BOOTHS GIVEAWAYS LIVE MUSIC Spirited Lads, Kilted Spirited, Cheek Tones, Faded Jeans & Trip Wire 10am-5pm $5 Cover 5pm-1am $10 Cover CASH ONLY
16811 N. Litchfield Road, Surprise, AZ 85374 (Just south of Bell Road)
623-214-1004 | irishwolfhoundpub.com
GIVEAWAYS!
Email your name, address, and phone to
info@desertshamrock.com
#1 Win ONE of six pairs* of tickets to CELTIC MUSIC & MICROBREW FESTIVAL
March 11 or 12 at 10am-6pm at Arizona State Fairgrounds in Phoenix! [*3 pairs given each day] Put “Microbrew” in subject line by March 9. See ad on page 17.
#2 Win ONE of three pairs of tickets to POT OF GOLD MUSIC FESTIVAL
March 17 or 18 in Chandler! Gates open at 11am; bands noon to midnight. Put “Gold” in subject line by March 15. See ad on page 2.
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
TRAVEL
28
Always Galway,
but especially in July
BY PATRICK BIXBY, PHD
Q
uaint, bustling, friendly, colorful, lively, artsy: these words appear often in descriptions of Galway, Ireland’s third largest city and the center of activity on the island’s western seaboard. Although the city possesses relatively little in the way of landmarks and museums, it has become a popular tourist destination owing to its general ambience, its pervasive charm. Visitors can stroll through cobbled medieval streets, past enchanting waterways, crowded pubs, sundry shops, and a robust population of buskers and other street performers. In recent years, Galway has also developed a thriving culinary scene, with everything from bars serving up old standbys such as fish and chips and seafood chowder to street vendors peddling gourmet donuts and spicy curries to Michelin-starred restaurants preparing innovative Continental and global-fusion dishes. The flattering words used to describe Galway are never truer than in July, when the cultural life of the city revives each year. Early in the month, the city hosts the Galway Film Fleadh, an international cinematic exposition that was recently voted one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” for its eclectic mix of foreign and domestic productions. Attracting an increasingly global audience since its founding in 1989, the festival features screenings, conferences, master classes, and a range of networking events for film industry hopefuls. But the highlight of the cultural calendar is undoubtedly the Galway International Arts Festival, which follows directly on the film festival and stretches for two weeks across the middle of July, making the city a summer destination for aficionados of many varieties. During this period, Galway becomes a veritable circus of cultural activity, with theatrical performances, visual arts exhibitions, and assorted concerts, as well as enough street performances and outdoor spectacles to make the head spin.
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There is hardly time, however, for the visitor to recover before Galway Race Week begins on the last Monday of July. For the next seven days, horse-racing fans from around Ireland descend on the city to enjoy the competition, admire the fashions, and generally live it up, though no day is bigger than Ladies’ Day, when the wardrobes and especially the hats–those hats!–are on full display. If all this activity gets to be a bit much, there are a plenty of nearby destinations for the visitor to escape to: the stunning landscapes and picturesque seaside villages of the Connemara peninsula, the rugged beauty of the Aran Islands, and the sublime grandeur of the Cliffs of Moher are all within easy reach. Summer Abroad Program There are also many opportunities to combine a visit to Galway with a more academic introduction to Irish culture. The University Studies Abroad Consortium, for instance, offers a five-week, six-credit hour summer school program for American college students, who can stay at the National University of Ireland, Galway and study Irish literature, theater, language, history, music, and related topics in the middle of it all. The USAC Galway summer program is open to students from any U.S. college or university who want to earn at least three and up to six credit hours. The application deadline for 2017 is May 1, though spaces fill up fast. We spend a week in Dublin and five in Galway from mid-June to the end of July. Here’s a link to the program’s webpage: http://usac.unr.edu/study-abroadprograms/ireland/galway. Patrick Bixby is Associate Professor of English and Director of Graduate Studies in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences at Arizona State University, as well as Resident Director of the USAC Galway Summer Program. He has family roots in Costelloe on the Carraroe road, not far from Galway.
THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
29
The Awakened
Feminine
Retreat in Scotland
EMBRACE. EXPLORE. ENERGIZE
SEP. 29OCT. 5TH
2017 You, and eleven inspired women embark on an empowering journey to ancient Celtic lands in mystical Scotland. Adventure to treasured Scottish sites, tour majestic castles and explore off the beaten path. Highlights: Doune Castle (Castle Leoch in Outlander, Winterfell in Game of Thrones), Edinburgh, Stirling Castle, Loch Katrine and more.
INCLUDES: • 6 nights at Lendrick Lodge • Airport Transportation • Three daily meals • Workshops, meditation, movement • Excursions • Follow-up coaching session with Lisa ($200 value)
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MADSTONE PRODUCTIONS
Cost: $3298 / $3097 (cash price) $200 off with ad
www.theawakenedfeminineretreat.pagedemo.co Lisa Angelini: LisaAngeliniLPC@gmail.com 602-330-6378
Mount Everest as seen from a Drukair airlines flight. The aircraft is in Bhutan, south of the mountains facing north. PHOTO BY SHRIMPO1967
MESAARTSCENTER.COM | BOX OFFICE: 480.644.6500 | ONE E. MAIN ST. MESA, AZ 85201
Mount Everest
was named after Welshman Sir George Everest from Gwernvale, Breconshire. www.1stcontact.com WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
CULTURE
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
Celtic Punch with a Punch BY KATIE CAUFIELD GINDER
D
ia daoibh a chaired! (Hello friends!) Are you looking for a unique libation to serve at your next Celtic celebration? Look no further because my Celtic Punch is sure to delight even the most finicky drinkers. This adult beverage combines two Irish favorites – hard cider and whisky. Sliced oranges and lemons provide a refreshing twist and help take the edge off the whisky. The recipe below produces one large drink, but it can easily be increased to serve a crowd. Enjoy! Serves 1 INGREDIENTS: 1 bottle hard cider (Magners or Strongbow are good options) 1 oz. or 30 ml Irish whisky 1 orange 1 lemon Ice cubes DIRECTIONS: Add several ice cubes into a tall glass. Pour whisky and cider into the glass. Slice lemon and orange in half. Cut three lemon slices and three orange slices and add to whisky cider mixture. Squeeze some juice from remaining orange and lemon halves into glass. Stir and ensure whisky and cider are well mixed. NOTES: You can experiment with the type of fruit in this punch. Sliced limes, strawberries, and apples are good additions as well.
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.
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CELTIC CATERER
Breaking the Ice Preparing Frozen Salmon with Celtic Honey-Mustard Marinade BY CHEF ERIC W. MCBRIDE
W
ith the New Year upon us, many are trying to change their diet, eat healthier, and Salmon, is a logical choice. But for many of us, fresh fish is not always possible. And one of the biggest problems comes in how to cook salmon after it has been frozen. Though freezing fish is something that has only been around the Celtic lands for just the past century, in that time they have used several tricks. Some of the original thoughts were to smoke the salmon either before freezing the fish or immediately afterwards. As time, marched on, other styles were used to make the fish have a better flavor. The problem with freezing a Salmon or any piece of meat, is that you are essentially drying out the meat. Even if you thaw out the fish slowly over a couple of hours in a bowl of cool water, you still will have residual effects that can alter the flavor to something less desirable. How to compensate this stale flavor is our primary goal. Salmon does not have as much fat as other fish like herring does. You need to marinate the fish to add back in the fat or oil along with flavoring that will cover any possible freezer burn taint. A simple recipe for this would be equal parts of Honey and Butter with a couple tablespoons of whisky with some herb (for example, sage). The butter allows a fat or oil to be reintroduced, while the whisky allows the alcohol the ability to penetrate deep into the pores of the fish. Honey is the old fashioned and original way of adding a sugar base to the marinade for a better flavor. Other variations of this can be made with the use of three simple ingredients: a) vinegar or alcohol/ wine, mixed with b) a sugar base, honey/ brown sugar, and c) a fat like butter or oil. In the western coast of Scotland and Northern Ireland, where the Norse influence was more prominent, the combination of a Honey Mustard blend with whisky or mead was very common. In any case, the fish needs to be marinated for a few hours or overnight for best results. I have even cold smoked salmon with a marinade like this for a truly outstanding flavor. Tasting salmon cooked like this, you would never know it had ever been frozen! 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.
A TRUE CELTIC HONEY MUSTARD SALMON 3-4 6 oz. Salmon steaks
MARINADE 2 oz. honey 2 oz. butter, melted 2 Tbs. mustard powder 1 tsp. whisky or white wine 1 garlic clove, crushed ½ tsp. sage Step 1. On a stovetop, in medium pan, whisk all ingredients of the Marinade together over a low heat. Allow to cool, and place in a plastic bag. Step 2. Add Salmon steaks to bag, make sure salmon is completely covered on top side or interior cut of the fish. Allow to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Step 3. Grill or bake fish on baking pan at 350°F for 15-20 minutes depending on altitude. Fish needs to be between 110°F to 125°F for a perfect medium rare cook. Do not let anyone else tell you differently. The PERFECT temperature to cook Salmon is Medium Rare. This is preached from every culinary school in the world. Medium is the farthest you should ever cook any Salmon (135°F). If you cook Salmon for longer, you will dry the fish out, defeating the whole act of the marination. My apologies, but well done, cooked Salmon will leave you basically something that would be better put in a dish for your cat.
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Between Daylight and Hell: Scots who Left a Stain on an American History Author Iain Lundy shares about his new book
T
here are certain things Scots enjoy doing. They like to sing, dance, and party. They like to drink. They will most certainly put you to rights if you ever fancy an argument. But if there is one trait that marks out Scots worldwide, it is their love of boasting. Not about themselves as individuals, but about what a fine wee country they were born in and, most importantly, the positive impact Scottish expats have had on every corner of the world. The Good Scots bask in the glow of having had two of their countrymen sign the U.S. Declaration of Independence; of John Muir, the man behind the founding of the U.S. National Park system; of Alexander Graham Bell, who invented the telephone after settling in Boston. Aye, and Andrew Little was the finest sheep farmer in Idaho. The Bad It’s a case of “Here’s Tae Us; Wha’s Like Us?” And maybe a wee dram to toast them. But there is another side to the coin. Not every export from Auld Scotia was a shining beacon. Some were absolute rogues, undesirable immigrants. You rarely hear Scots bragging about these people. So, a few years ago, I set out to put matters straight, to discover the unvarnished and unpalatable truth about my fellow countrymen who came to the USA and disgraced themselves. It was something of a revelation. The research took me years but it was worth it–there were some real bad guys out there.
The result has been the publication of my book, Between Daylight and Hell: Scots who Left a Stain on an American History. A crook as one of the President’s righthand men; a serial killer; a heartless land-grabber; a soccer player who started a riot during a game; a general who was so drunk he opened fire on troops on his own side; and a member of a religious militia unit who helped massacre a wagon train of farmsteaders. Forget Muir and Bell–these depraved, blundering, and downright evil characters have made for a fascinating insight into the lesser-known Scots who the nation would rather not talk about. They have been let off the hook in the sense that history has largely forgotten their ‘crimes.’ This book, I hope, will expose them for what they really were. My interest in American expat Scots was piqued by frequent trips that revealed how many things they had discovered, built, or founded. It was further ignited by the discovery of a man called Adam Stephen, a son of the Aberdeenshire countryside who sailed for colonial Virginia and became one of George Washington’s most trusted generals. Stephen, however, had a fondness for booze, and it brought his military career to an undignified end at the Battle of Germantown during the Revolutionary War. He was said to have been ‘incapably drunk’ when he stumbled on to the battlefield, spotted what he thought was an enemy unit, and ordered his men to fire. Unfortunately for Stephen, these were men fighting on the same side. The upshot was that the battle was lost, Stephen was court-martialed, then kicked out of the army in disgrace. His story set me on a quest for more of the same. I uncovered all sorts of scoundrels, chancers, murderers, charlatans, and incompetents. And it took me all over the U.S., from the colonial lands of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts to the Pacific coast of California, the Mormon state of Utah, and the Deep South of Mississippi and Louisiana. They are all included in Between Daylight and Hell. The book was published by Whittles Publishing in Scotland, and is available in the U.S. at Ingram, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and others. Testimonial A fascinating read! Sometimes a bit grisly in recounting the exploits of 17 men of Scottish origin in America, the details compel one to read faster, faster to finish each chapter and better understand the circumstances and some of the “whys” behind the deeds that made them infamous. Author Iain Lundy, a Scotsman himself, is now a resident of Arizona and we’re delighted he’s a regular columnist for The Desert Shamrock. With the historical account of Between Daylight and Hell, I urge you to read on! –Ann Niemann, Editor in Chief
IAIN LUNDY Freelance Journalist
• Writer, Author, Blogger, Proofreader, Copy Editor
iainlundy@lundyink.com 480-737-5090
www.lundyink.com
David Jack, from Perthshire, followed the Californian God Rush and settled in the city of Monterey. A man with a head for figures, he became city treasurer, then proceeded to evict rancheros and other landowners from their properties, using devious means. A group of squatters demanded compensation by telling him that if he didn’t pay, they would ‘suspend his animation between daylight and hell.’ Hence the book’s title. William Stewart was said to have been the most bloodthirsty of the participants at a shocking event in American history known as the Mountain Meadows Massacre. A Mormon militia unit in southern Utah attacked a wagon train and wiped out more than 120 men, women and children. Stewart was said to have cut the throats of young girls as they pled for mercy. John Mackie, from Glasgow, had been thrown out of the U.S. Army after shooting a man in a barroom brawl. In southern Arizona, he befriended Billy the Kid and taught the young outlaw the art of horse thieving. The pair were locked up in Fort Grant but the Kid escaped–happy to have learned a few important lessons from his Scottish friend. Thomas Cream, from Glasgow, was a qualified doctor who became a backstreet abortionist in Chicago’s red light district, He also embarked on a life as a serial killer. Several of his patients were found dead, and he poisoned the husband of his lover before being jailed. He was later released and headed for London where he poisoned another five women. He was eventually hanged. Iain Lundy grew up in Ayrshire, Scotland, and has worked as a journalist since the 1970s. He and his wife moved to Arizona in 2015. His paternal grandfather came from Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland; and moved to the west of Scotland as a young man.
If you love Irish music, you’ll love...
Paintings of Irish Songs
• Expert in all things Scottish • Scottish genealogy a specialty
and the Ugly… More Scottish Fiends
Maternal grandparents from Co. Kerry, paternal from Co. Clare
...from “Danny Boy” to “The Rose of Tralee,” see them all on the Internet galleries at
www.dowlingjim.com Hope you enjoy the visit. God Bless!
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MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
DIRECTORIES
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NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! 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
ARIZONA COLLEEN PROGRAMS
ARIZONA
CENTER
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 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
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.
LOS SAN PATRICIOS DE ARIZONA (ST. PATRICK’S BATTALION)
ARIZONA LAW ENFORCEMENT EMERALD SOCIETY (ALEES)
NORTHERN ARIZONA CELTIC HERITAGE SOCIETY
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 Dates: July 10-14, 2017 at Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy. It offers classes for Youth and Adults in: fiddle, whistle, dance, guitar, and more! Scholarships Available through Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society. Contact: Kari@GrandCanyonCelticArts.org, 928600-1365. www.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.
IRISH FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA 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
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.
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.
RIORDAN MANSION STATE HISTORIC PARK 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.
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CHANDLER-TULLAMORE, IRELAND SISTER CITIES
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.
Ellen Harrington, President. P.O. Box 1474, Chandler, AZ 85244-1474, 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 ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE AND FESTIVAL
SCOTTSDALE-KILLARNEY, IRELAND SISTER CITIES
Celebrating our 30th year!! The parade starts at 11am in downtown Tucson and the festival takes place at Armory Park from 10am-6pm. This year the festivities will actually be on St. Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, 2017. Serving Guinness and Harp!! Great food, Irish music and dancing, a Kids’ corner, face painting and much more!! Established 1987. www.tucsonstpatricksday.com
Kathy George, President, 480-326-6666, kathygeorge9@gmail.com www.scottsdalesistercities.com; 480 945-0384 (Main Office)
TUCSON-ROSCOMMON, IRELAND SISTER CITIES Colleen Kelly Beaman, Chair 520-743-7979, Ckbeaman@hotmail.com 1670 N Country Club, Tucson, AZ 85716; and Facebook
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 DANCE SCHOOLS BRACKEN SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE Classes in Chandler, 480-699-2455, www.brackenirishdance.com Thomas Bracken, ADCRG. | Kieran Noe, TCRG thomas.bracken@brackenirishdance.com, Kieran.Noe@Brackenirishdance.com
MAGUIRE ACADEMY OF IRISH DANCE
CLANS
Classes in Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, and Houston Info@maguireacademy.com (520) 319-0204. Darren Maguire, TCRG, ADCRG www.maguireacademy.com
CLAN MACINNES INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION Arizona Convenor: Steve McKinnis 11505 E. Calle Javelina, Tucson, AZ 85748 macinnes@macinnes.org • 520-290-1268 • www.macinnes.org
MASCHINO SCHOOL OF HIGHLAND DANCE Kari Maschino, 480-242-7760, Kari@maschinodance.com Gilbert, Tempe, Peoria www.maschinodance.com
CLAN MACCALLUM-MALCOLM SOCIETY, N.A. Arizona Convenor: Ashleen O’Gaea Ashleen@Comcast.net w/MacCallum in subject line www.Clan-MacCallum-Malcolm.org
MICHAEL PATRICK GALLAGHER SCHOOL OF IRISH DANCE MPGirishdance@yahoo.com Michael Patrick, TCRG, ADCRG, Ann Paitel, TCRG www.mpgirishdance.com
MUSICIANS KILLARNEY FAIR Women’s quartet singing melodic, lively Celtic favorites in multiple harmonies. Metro Phoenix. Mckell Keeney, 480-223-7217, mckell11@gmail.com www.facebook.com/killarneyfair, www.KillarneyFair.com
The IrIsh MeMorIal Sculpture and drawing StudieS from the monument in philadelphia by america’S greateSt living Sculptor
glenna goodacre 100 workS offered for Sale at auction including the life-Size iriSh madonna
over
april 6, 2017 • 5:30 p.m. preview reception at 4:00 p.m. color catalogue available $40
SCOTTSDALE ART AUCTION 7176 MAIN STREET • SCOTTSDALE ARIZONA 85251 • 480 945-0225
www.GlennaGoodacreAuction.com
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DIRECTORIES
CELTIC SISTER CITIES
SCOTTISH-AMERICAN MILITARY SOCIETY (SAMS), PRESCOTT
CALENDAR
34
MARCH/APRIL 2017 THE DESERT SHAMROCK
MARCH-APRIL 2017 [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 Closed all major holidays 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 June 30 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 Fridays, March 3, April 7, May 5 • 6:30pm until late The Great Hall, FREE Family-Friendly, Live Music, Art Show, Crafts Cash Bar, Dinner available for purchase
IRISH STEP DANCE CLASSES
34TH ANNUAL PHOENIX ST. PATRICK’S PARADE
Kids, Wednesdays 5:30pm–6:30pm Adults, Wednesdays 6:45pm–7:45pm Irish Cultural Center, The Great Hall
Saturday, March 11 • 10am FREE “Salute to Irish Music and Dance” 3rd Street from Virginia to McDowell, Phoenix www.stpatricksdayphoenix.org, See ad on BACK
29TH ANNUAL AZ RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL AND ARTISAN MARKETPLACE Saturdays, Sundays Now through Apr 2 • 10am–6pm RenFestInfo.com; See ad page 4
TRACING YOUR IRISH AND SCOTS-IRISH ANCESTORS TWO-DAY SEMINAR - GUEST SPEAKERS Fri. & Sat., March 3 & 4 • 9am–5pm Learn about the most useful types of Irish records for family research and where to find them, including land records, wills, census substitutes, church records, and more! Irish Cultural Center; Members: $40, Non-Members: $45
See story page 10
SONORAN DESERT CHORALE Heaven & Earth: Mass on a Celtic Journey Fri., March 3 • 7:30pm; Sat., March 4 • 3pm Special guests: Trotters Wake (Irish band); Liz Warren (storyteller); Ben Allaway, Composer TWO locations; See story page 23
THIRD FRIDAY IRISH CEILI (IRISH SOCIAL DANCING) March 17, April 21, May 19 • 7pm until late The Great Hall, Beginners’ Lesson 6:30pm Tickets: $6; under 12 FREE (2 with each paid admission) Family-Friendly, Live Music, Cash Bar
PHOENIX ST. PATRICK’S IRISH FAIRE Saturday, March 11 • 10am–5pm Margaret Hance Park & Irish Cultural Center Tickets: $10.00; Kids12 & under FREE; Senior (55 & over) and Military $8.00 FREE parking with Faire ticket at 1850 N. Central garage www.stpatricksdayphoenix.org, See ad on BACK
TAKE A FREE TOUR OF THE MCCLELLAND LIBRARY Phoenix St. Patrick’s Irish Faire Saturday, March 11 • 10am–5pm Tours run every hour and reservations made outside the front doors. Irish Cultural Center
EXPERIENCE IRELAND Sat. & Sun., March 11-12 • 9am–5pm Sixth annual celebration of Irish music and culture. Enjoy live music, crafts, Irish dancing, storytelling, and more! MIM.org, See ad page 7
CELTIC MUSIC & MICROBREW FESTIVAL Sat. & Sun., March 11-12 • 10am–6pm Music, dance, food, marketplace, sheepherding demos, kilt contest, and more! The Backyard, Arizona State Fairgrounds www.arizonacelticmusicandmicrobrewfestival.com
See ad page 17 IRISH CULTURAL CENTER’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY Friday, March 17 • 10am–10pm Traditional festivities and storytime! Contact/Info: 602-258-0109; www.azirish.org
“IRISH TEA CEREMONY” Third Saturday of each month Feb 18, March 18, April 15, May 20 1:30pm–3pm • Advance Reservations Only Tickets: $22.50 Members, $25 Non-Members
TUCSON ST. PATRICK’S PARADE & FESTIVAL
CEILI WORKSHOP
FAMILY STORY HOUR
Friday, March 17 • 11am Downtown FREE Festival at Armory Park, Tucson • 10am–6pm www.tucsonstpatricksday.com, See ad page 35
Saturdays, (None in March), April 15, May 20 1pm–3pm • Advance Reservations Only Irish Cultural Center, The Great Hall Cost: $16.00 each; kids under 12, $5.00 w/adult)
Saturday, March 4 • 10:30am–Noon Stories and crafts for the entire family Irish Cultural Center - Castle Keep; FREE
KILT RUN ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY! GUINNESS WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT
ON THE DRUIDS: A SERIES OF LECTURES Fourth Saturday of each month Saturdays, February 25, March 25, April 22, May 27 1:30pm–3pm • Irish Cultural Center, Norton Room Tickets: $15 Members, $17.50 Non-Members
THE ACADEMY OF IRISH AND CELTIC STUDIES
Term 3, Jan 10 – Mar 11; Term 4, Mar 21 – May 20 9-week Terms: Group and private lessons available AND offer member-discounts See the “Academy Classes” section on our new website. Call Elaine for pricing and details 602-864-2357 or email academy@azirish.org
PRIVATE MUSIC CLASSES Tuesday - Saturday, available for all levels Bagpipes (Scottish Highland), Bodhrán, Fiddle, Flute, Celtic Harp, Tin Whistle, Voice, Cello, Choral Arts, Clarinet, Piano and Viola The Academy Practice Rooms
IRISH LANGUAGE CLASSES Novice, Tuesdays 6:30pm–7:30pm Intermediate, Tuesdays 7:30pm–8:30pm Structured Irish Language, Wednesdays 5pm–6pm Private lessons also available for all levels
WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
Saturday & Sunday, March 4 & 5 • Gates open 9am Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix www.arizonascots.org, See ad page 15
Friday, March 17 • 6pm • It’s ONLY a Quarter Mile Run/Walk! Benefits American Cancer Society Relay for Life Fee: $25 includes kilt, medal, beverage, and McFadden’s After-Party Glendale, AZ, www.IrishRunAZ.com, See ad page 7
GOITSE
WHISKY TASTING AT TIM RIORDAN’S TABLE
Tuesday, March 7 • 7pm, Door opens at 6:30pm Direct from Ireland: Contagiously Energetic Irish Music Trinity Presbyterian Church, Prescott Tickets: $25, College Students $10; Under 19 FREE Info: 928-771-1218
Exclusive and Rare Opportunity March 17 & 18 at 4:30 • 5:30 • 6:30 Prices vary from $100 - $150 depending on rarity of the whisky Riordan Mansion State Historic Park • Flagstaff 928-779-4395 for tickets and info
53RD ANNUAL SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES
ANNUAL MAYORS’ LUNCHEON Friday, March 10 • 11:30am Tucson-Roscommon, Ireland Sister Cities Pastiche, 3025 N Campbell Ave., Tucson 85719 Info: 520-743-7979. See ad page 21
37TH ANNUAL SAN DIEGO ST. PATRICK’S PARADE AND FESTIVAL Saturday, March 11, 2017 • 9am–6pm FREE Balboa Park, 6th & Laurel, San Diego, CA Irish Congress of Southern California /Sponsored by Guinness Parade starts 10:30am at 5th and Laurel Festival with Beer Garden and 3 stages of entertainment www.stpatsparade.org
See ad page 23
KISS ME I’M IRISH RUN/WALK Saturday, March 18 • Race starts 7:17am 1k, 4k, 8k, Half-Marathon Portion benefits Prostate On-Site Project Westgate Entertainment District, Glendale www.IrishRunAZ.com, See ad page 7
POT OF GOLD MUSIC FESTIVAL Friday & Saturday, March 17 & 18 Gates open 11 am; Noon–Midnight Daily Rawhide, Chandler, AZ www.potofgoldaz.com, See ad page 2
ALTAN - IN CONCERT Sunday, March 19 • 4pm & 7pm From County Donegal, Ireland MIM.org, See ad page 7
THE DESERT SHAMROCK MARCH/APRIL 2017
Tues, March 21 and Wed, March 22 ICC, www.azirish.org, 602-258-0109
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Saturday, March 25 • 10:30am–12:30 pm Nora Webster (novel 2014) by Colm Tóibín Irish Cultural Center - Norton Room; FREE
THE IRISH MEMORIAL SCOTTSDALE ART AUCTION
SAVE THE DATE:
Tuesday, April 6 • 5:30pm; Preview 4pm Over 100 works for sale at auction Part of proceeds benefit ICC/Library
FAMILY STORY HOUR
See ad page 33
Saturday, May 6 • 10:30am–noon Irish Cultural Center- Castle Keep; FREE
ANNUAL 1916 EASTER RISING COMMEMORATION
PRESCOTT HIGHLAND GAMES
Saturday, April 15 • 10am–1pm FREE Irish Cultural Center, The Great Hall Family-Friendly, Live Music and Presentation, Cash Bar www.azirish.org, 602-258-0109
See ad page 23
2017 YOUNG ARTISTS & AUTHORS SHOWCASE
CELTIC WOMAN
Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Friday, April 21 • 5:30pm–7pm RECEPTION Chandler ArtWalk in Historic Downtown Chandler
See ad page 29
Sat., Sun., May 13 & 14 • 9am–5pm Daily Watson Lake, Prescott www.prescottareacelticsociety.com
See ad page 21
ANNUAL BLOOMIN’ BEERFEST
MAYOR’S INTERNATIONAL GALA FAMILY STORY HOUR Saturday, April 1 • 10:30am–Noon Stories and crafts for the entire family Irish Cultural Center - Castle Keep; FREE
ALAMOS INT’L. JAZZ DAY FESTIVAL Scottsdale-Killarney Sister Cities April 6-10 TRIP • Everyone Welcome Alamos, Sonora, Mexico
See ad page 21
GOLDEN RULE AWARDS BANQUET Thursday, April 6 • 5:30pm Emcee Pat McMahon, Mesa Convention Center AZifm.org, See ad page 7
Tuesday, May 23 • 7:30pm Mesa Center for the Arts
Saturday, June 10 • 7pm–11:30pm Irish Cultural Center & McClelland Library
Phoenix-Ennis Sister Cities Thursday, April 27 • 6m RSVP by March 24, See ad page 21
FLAGSTAFF ARTS AND LEADERSHIP ACADEMY July 10-14 • www.grandcanyoncelticarts.org Classes for Youth and Adults in fiddle, whistle, dance, guitar, and more! Scholarships Available through Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society
BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP Saturday, April 29 • 10:30am–12:30 pm “Long Time, No See” (novel – 2011) by Dermot Healy Irish Cultural Center; FREE
TEEN SUMMER CAMPS IN IRELAND June 10-24; July 3-17 • Ages 13-16 Generation Ireland/ The Irish Education Academy 5-Star Fully Supervised; Escorted Flights JFK-Dublin-JFK “Four Friends” - “Siblings” - “Cousins” Discounts available generationirelanddonegal@gmail.com
COME HOME TO IRELAND WITH ME Escorted Tour with Rev. Dr. John Cunningham June 19 - July 2 • Sign up ASAP! See ad page 7
GET-A-WAYS TO IRELAND Chandler-Tullamore Sister Cities Aug & Sept - Choose from 2 Itineraries Information Forms at www.chandlerirish.org
WOMEN’S RETREAT IN SCOTLAND Sept. 29 - Oct. 5 • Sign up ASAP! See ad page 29
Friday March 17, 2017 THIRTY YEAR ANNIVERSARY Festival
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Armory Park
Parade
11:00 a.m. Downtown Tucson
Theme:
“Get Your Irish On” Celebrating our Irish Roots
Grand Marshal: Robin McArdle
www.tucsonstpatricksday.com WWW.DESERTSHAMROCK.COM
CALENDAR
MICK MOLONEY AND ATHENA TERGIS
35
Salute to Ir ish M usic &
34th Annual Phoenix
Da nc
e
St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Faire
Parade Irish Faire
Begins 10am on 3rd Street & Sheridan; goes south to McDowell
Grand Marshal Mike Tully, President & CEO, AAA Arizona
Marching Bands Irish Dancers Government Dignitaries Police & Fire Vehicles 2017 Arizona Colleen & her Court Bagpipers Floats
10am to 5pm at the Irish Cultural Center & Margaret Hance Park Admission $10 Senior (55+) & Military $8 ATMs AVAILABLE 3 Stages of Irish Music and Dancers Kids Area Food and Beverages Crafters 1916 Commemorative Exhibit at the McClelland Library
Chance: Win a Trip To Ireland Irish Cultural & Learning Foundation
Irish Person of the Year:
Pat Sweeney
FREE PARKING & SHUTTLE TO FAIRE at 1850 N Central Ave (West side of Central & Palm Ln)
or take the light rail to Roosevelt
Saturday March 11 StPatricksDayPhoenix.org Info: 602-280-9221