BNC PC38 - Special Section under 9,999 - First - Eganville Leader - Irish Edition

The Eganville Leader’s 8th Annual

IRISH EDITION March 6, 2019

Happy St. Patrick’s Day Leader Irish Edition a consistent winner Page 2

The late great Dermot Flynn Renfrew couple love Ireland Final standing ovation It’s their second home Page 9 Page 18 End of an era at Gavan’s Hotel Page 26

May your days be many & your troubles be few!

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Leader’s Irish edition has been a consistent winner

By Gerald Tracey Publisher

When the Leader published its first Irish edition in 2012 little did we expect that nine years later we would still be publishing a special edition paying tribute to the Irish, their homeland, their stories and the many other things that go along with the splendid March 17th celebrations.

And little did we expect each edition would capture an award in the annual Ontario Community Newspapers Association competitions. Since the beginning, each publication has earned either a first, second or third place award in the Special Edition category under 9,900 circulation.

Here is how our edition has placed over the years: 2012 - 2nd place 2013 - 1st place 2014 - 3rd place 2015 - 1st place 2016 - 2nd place 2017 - 1st place 2018 - nominated. Results announced in April.

The idea of producing an Irish edition all came about because of the first annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Douglas, the little hamlet 10 miles east of Eganville that is known Canada-wide as the Irish capital of Canada on March 17th, home of the leprechaun the rest of the year.

Through the hard work and commitment of Preston Cull, Bill McHale, Art Jamieson and Robert Enright, that first parade held on a beautiful Friday night in March, 2012 turned out to be such a success that the parade too continues to be as popular now as it was in its beginning.

Our first Irish editions contained stories and photos from our own travels as well as submissions by people from across the Valley who

have enjoyed their trips to Ireland, some just to visit and others to connect with their roots and meet for the first time distant relatives.

Since there are so many families of Irish descent in Renfrew County, coming up with ideas and stories is not the chore we thought it would be. It seems new story ideas pop up each year. And, of course, it’s always important to write about the coming celebrations that take place locally.

For a few years, Renfrew-area author and historian Carol Bennett McCuaig produced many stories for us from her extensive research over the years. She had done extensive research on the emigration of Irish families to the Ottawa Valley, so much so that during one of our trips to Ireland and specifically to a geneology group in Glynn, County Mayo in search of family history, the curator recommended her book The Kerry Chain, The Limerick Link as a possible source for information.

Sadly, Mrs. McCuaig passed away last February in her remote Admaston/Bromley Township farmhouse.

She had been working on stories for last year’s Irish edition, stories that never made it to print as she was found deceased before they were sent for publication.

We have a new contributor to this year’s edition. Leader columnist Johanna Zomers, who is currently in Spain, spent a week in Dublin in January before continuing her European tour and she has submitted several stories this year.

We feel this year’s Irish edition is every bit as interesting as our past issues and we invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy our 2019 publication.

We wish to express our thanks to everyone who took the time to share their stories and photos with us this year and we also express our gratitude to our advertisers. Without their support and participation in this edition it would not be possible to produce.

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A message from the ‘Mayor of Douglas!’

As Mayor of Admaston/Bromley Township, home of the Irish Capital of Canada -- Douglas -- it’s a privilege and a pleasure to welcome all to join us in Douglas for the annual blossoming of this incredibly vibrant community.

Celebration of St. Patrick’s Day in Douglas is an indelible part of the rich tapestry of the Ottawa Valley. While, of course, a celebration for those of Irish ancestry, particularly those of the Irish diaspora seeking refuge in the new world of the nineteenth century, it has become a touchstone for the mixed-up, marvellous culture of our Valley. No matter whether St. Patrick’s Day, Robbie Burns Day or Oktoberfest, you’ll find Irish, Polish, Scottish, German and French all speaking with an accent making them indistinguishable, sometimes indecipherable.

For many years Evelyn and Terry McHale, with the extended McHale clan in support, have been the gracious hosts at the Douglas Tavern. Our celebration has grown through the dedicated efforts of the Parade Committee: Preston Cull, Art Jamieson, Bill McHale and until this year Robert Enright. Besides the eagerly anticipated and always colourful parade, this year taking place Saturday, March 9th at 7 p.m., the week-long activities include breakfast at the Zion United Church Hall and fund raisers for both the Admaston/Bromley Public Library and Hospice Renfrew.

St. Patrick’s has also become a homecoming for those who no longer call the Valley home. Chances are faces not seen in years may be glimpsed in mid March in Douglas.

Whether you live here, you’ve roots here or you come for our incredible Valley hospitality, on behalf of the community I wish to extend C’eád Míle Fáilte -- a hundred thousand welcomes!

St. Patrick’s Soup & Sandwich Lunch Senior Needs Association Fairfields

Friday, March 15 -11:30 - 1:30 Music by Guy Jamieson & Friends

Admaston/Bromley Township Mayor Michael Donohue

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Dublin - The River Liffey runs through this beautiful city

By Johanna Zomers The lifeblood of Dublin is the ancient Abhaina na Life -- Anna Livia, now known as the River Liffey.

Born as a “mere bog stream” in the Wicklow Mountains, the river gathers strength as it meanders 130 km along the fertile plain before emptying into the Irish Sea at Dublin Bay. Ancient artifacts found along the quays attest to early raids

by Viking longboats that invaded Dublin Bay and found a pleasing site for an early settlement.

After the Vikings came the Normans, who ushered in over 800 years of English intervention. All left their mark on the fortunes of the river with a dark pool or “Dubh linn”. Another early name of the “town of the hurdled ford” growing along its banks was the Irish Baile Atha Cliath. Dublin it became.

By the early 13th century, under the auspices of King John, stone and wooden quays were erected along the banks to facilitate the loading and unloading of trading ships. The first recorded bridge was a timber frame bridge known as Dubhghalls Bridge upon which nine Viking Warriors were slaughtered while fleeing the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. It was followed through the centuries by numerous crossings, many of them flimsy affairs eventually swept away by frequent flooding. The development of the buildings and roadways along the banks settled the river flow and as of

last count 24 bridges, three of them for pedestrians only, cross the river.

Starting at the Docklands, now being resurrected as a commercial district, a walk upstream along the river toward the heart of Dublin is a trip through the multi-layered historical and cultural feast that is present day Dublin.

“It imparts an air of Paris,” said one early historian, citing the pleasing view of the quays and bridges which also figure large in the literary, musi-

cal and artistic history of Dublin. The famed author of Ulysses and The Dubliners set many of his stories along the quays and was honoured by the naming of the James Joyce bridge. The graceful profile of the Samuel Beckett Bridge inspired by an Irish harp rotating through the air, commemorates the avant-guarde playwright at another crossing.

The most picturesque of those is the graceful white iron span of the Ha’penny Bridge, built as a

toll bridge costing half a penny per crossing. It was constructed in 1816, by an enterprising ferry owner named James Walsh, who retired his creaky old boat, built the bridge and began charging pedestrians for a quick pedestrian crossing.

History and the colourful early citizens of Dublin are commemorated by landmarks such as the O’Connell Bridge named after Irish-American socialist, “The Liberator” Daniel O’Connell. The O’Connell Bridge

The Ha’penny Bridge was built as a toll bridge in Dublin in 1816. It connects commerce on both sides of the river.

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is reputed to be as wide as it is long, although it is indeed five feet less in width.

An unremarkable bridge, the Matthew Talbot Memorial Bridge immortalizes a somewhat remarkable man, Matt Talbot, who was “both a worker and a drunkard by the age of twelve”. Wearying of dissipation at the ripe old age of 16, he turned to God, gave up the bottle, fighting temptation with prayer, daily mass at 5 a.m and sleeping on a plank wearing heavy chains. A statue as well as the bridge bear testimony to his willpower.

Today, Matt Talbot would have met temptation at every step in the countless pubs and bars on either side of the river. He could also have sought consolation at the Blessed Sacrament Chapel set prominently along Bachelor’s Walk on the north side of the river or in the lively Temple Bar area. Indeed temptation of all sorts beckons in the narrow cobbled lanes or the broad cosmopolitan expanse of O’Connell Street...the lilt of music from doorways, the aroma of hearty Irish country fare featuring lamb and fresh fish, the tactile pleasures of warm hand-knitted sweaters and shawls in the artisan shops.

Or simply sit on the boardwalk by the river, taking in the panorama of life that is Dublin as it flows around you. For that moment you are part of history and part of the story that is the Abhaina na Life.

Popular entertainers will be back for DACA celebration The Dacre and Area Community Association (DACA) has a reputation of hosting one of the premier St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the Valley and this year will be no exception with the return of some very popular entertainers.

The Ryans from Pakenham, Louis Schreyer of Chapeau, and the Donohue/Enright family from Douglas are headlining the celebration on Saturday, March 16. These talented musicians and dancers will certainly get toes tapping, hands clapping and couples on the dance floor.

The Ryans are no strangers to St. Patrick’s celebrations in the Valley, performing all the Irish classics with their beautiful harmonies.

Louis Schreyer’s reputation as one of the country’s premier fiddle players has been

well-earned and the Donohue/Enright families are carrying on the proud history of their Leahy family ancestry in their performances.

All the performers have previously appeared at the DACA Centre and proved to be very popular with the large audience.

Doors open at 11 a.m. and the entertainment begins at 12:30. As always, the kitchen will be open with the hearty Irish stew available throughout the day.

The DACA celebration has a long history of being very family-oriented and quite often three or four generations of families will attend the festivities.

Admission for the day, which runs from 12:30 to 5:30, is $15 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under.

The DACA Centre will be a hotbed of Irish dancing and music on Saturday, March 16.

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Auctioneers Art Jamieson and Preston Cull could barely contain their excitement back on March 17, 2016 when the annual Douglas Tavern hockey jersey took a turn for the better and in the end, $18,000 was raised and donated to the Renfrew Victoria Hospital. Along with Mr. Jamieson and Mr. Cull, Cecie Keon-Whelan had the honour of joining in the fun by holding up the prized jersey made by Douglas native Annie (Bruce) Craig.

Annie Craig’s Irish jerseys raise money for charity

By R. Bruce McIntyre Although Annie Craig (nee Bruce) has called Carp home for close to 25 years, she has never lost sight of her Douglas roots.

At no time is that more evident than March 17 when the annual St. Patrick’s Day auction takes place inside the Douglas Tavern, when one of the most sought-after items is a one-of-kind hockey jersey carefully made by Mrs. Craig.

Born and raised in Douglas, the hamlet made famous by the annual nighttime St. Patrick’s parade and the standing room only Douglas Tavern celebrations on March 17, she has been the face behind the jersey that has raised thousands of dollars for local charities.

One of the most popular events anywhere every St. Patrick’s Day takes place on the tiny stage of the legendary tavern where such well known auctioneers like Preston Cull, Art Jamieson, John O’Neill and Gerald Walsh have managed to cajole even the most skeptical patron into making a bid for the jersey or the famous green hat worn by tavern owner Terry McHale during the festivities.

Mrs. Craig has been making the jerseys for about eight years, taking over the honours from another fellow ex-Douglas native.

“It was about eight years ago when Rick Barr had a company and he always made a sweatshirt for the occasion, but he left the business

and that is when I got involved,” she said. “Billy McHale (son of tavern owners Terry and Evelyn and one of the co-organizers of the annual parade) called me and asked if I would be interested in taking over since my company was already doing promotional items for the tavern.”

Mrs. Craig said each year her company, Gadar Promotions, located in Ottawa, tries to change up the make-up of the jersey in order to keep it fresh, but she admits the one constant is that green is the dominant colour.

“We do our best to mix it up every year,” she said. “Back in 2017 during Canada’s 150th anniversary, we incorporated the 150 theme and it was very popular and I was thrilled

Jerry Skebo of Renfrew and 2016 St. Patrick (Gerald Tracey) of Eganville are shown with Evelyn and Terry McHale, co-owners of the Douglas Tavern at the 2016 sweater auction. Mr. Tracey bid $9,000 for the jersey and Mr. Skebo, who was also bidding for it, matched the $9,000 with Renfrew Victoria Hospital receiving $18,000.

when I heard my old friends Jerry and Cindy Skebo bought it. Every year when I go to work after the auction, my workmates just shake their heads and can’t believe it when I tell them how much the jersey was sold for every year.”

In that case, the Skebos purchased the jersey for $5,250 with all proceeds donated to the Renfrew Victoria Hospital. Over the years, the jersey has certainly fetched a pretty penny. That same year Shawn Cahill of Cobden bid $2,100 for Mr. McHale’s green Irish hat with proceeds going to CHEO. Mr. Skebo, owner of Ottawa Valley Oxygen, also bid on the jersey in 2016, but lost out to Leader publisher Gerald Tracey. However, in the end RVH ended up the big winner. Mr. Skebo got caught up in a historic bidding war with Mr. Tracey who ended up buying the jersey for $9,000. Mr. Skebo offered to make the $9,000 payment to RVH in return for the jersey, but Mr. Tracey suggested he match his bid, doubling the value of the donation to $18,000 and they flip a coin to see who would take home the jersey.

But Mrs. McHale stepped into the picture and said because of the generosity of both bidders, she would arrange to have a second jersey made so each would have one to remember the historic day.

The money went to the hospital’s I Choose RVH $3.5 million campaign.

Legend says it was one of the few times auctioneer Preston Cull was momentarily speechless.

Although she has never personally been inside the Douglas Tavern for the actual auction on the 17th of March, Mrs. Craig has plenty of photos and video clips people have sent her and just like her colleagues, she is constantly amazed at the generosity shown by the patrons who make their way there every year.

“I come back home every year for the parade and it is so much fun

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meeting up with old friends and family,” she said. “It is like a giant homecoming party but believe it or not, I have only been inside the old tavern once on St. Patrick’s Day. Just a little too busy for me as it is always packed, but that is great for the people who love to celebrate the day.”

Although never there in person to see the hockey jersey auctioned off, Mrs. Craig understands the importance of the jersey and its impact on the week-long St. Patrick’s Day events in her home community.

“Douglas may be small in terms of the number of people who call it home, but I think the people of Douglas may have the biggest hearts anywhere and you see it every year when they start the auction.”

Douglas native Annie (Bruce) Craig has donated a St. Patrick’s Day jersey every year for the annual Douglas Tavern auction that has raised close to $100,000 for charities.

St. Patrick’s Parade is the highlight of Irish celebrations

By Terry Fleurie What began as a rather impromptu celebration that has grown to an internationally recognized event is marking its 8th anniversary on Saturday, March 9.

Plans are finalized for the 2019 edition of the very popular and large Douglas St. Patrick’s Parade which annually attracts over 3,000 visitors to the tiny hamlet on Highway 60 between Eganville and Renfrew, known as The Home of The Leprechauns.

Billy McHale, who along with Preston Cull and Art Jamieson make up the organizing committee for this years’ parade, said plans are going well and over 60 floats have pre-registered. The three volunteers, along with Robert Enright, who stepped aside this year due to work commitments, have been organizing the affair since its inception in 2012.

“The first year we had it, we really didn’t think it would grow to be what it has,” Mr. McHale said. “That was the year father (Terry McHale) was St. Patrick because we just said, ‘Let’s do a parade’.”

Mr. McHale said while the 2012 parade was the first formal one of its kind in Douglas, it was not actually the first St. Patrick’s Day parade held in the community.

“If you talk to my aunt

(Bev Egan) from British Columbia, there was a parade back in 2000, but it was just one with everybody who was waiting for the hotel to open, so they thought they’d have a parade,” he explained.

“And it was surprising how many people did a little walkaround.”

The first official parade was held on a rather balmy Friday night eight years ago and the committee has never looked back, based on the success of that first event.

Mr. McHale stressed the parade would not be possible without the tremendous support it receives from several organizations, most notably the Douglas Lions Club, which acts as the sponsor.

“The Lions Club was fully on board at that point when we first approached them, but no one expected it to be . . . we were thinking 30 or 40 floats and that first year, we had around 75 entries.”

And over the years, the participation has grown, and the parade was moved from its Friday night time slot to Saturday afternoon in 2017, in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary and then to Saturday evening beginning in 2018.

“Moving it to the Saturday has made it easier because everybody is not racing there after work. It seems there’s more camaraderie going on at the school grounds because

people have time to walk around and see the other entries.

“The people that are in the parade, don’t really see the parade, so now they have time to do that,” he added.

“We have food there, we’ve put washrooms there, so it’s worked well.”

There is also entertainment outside at both the school and the tavern, with all the musicians donating their time and talents.

Mr. McHale said the other agencies that assist are the Ministry of Transportation for the necessary road closures, the OPP for traffic control, the Douglas Fire Department, the County of Renfrew, Admaston/Bromley Township, the Renfrew County Catholic District School Board and St. Michael’s parish and the various media outlets.

“Without their co-operation each year, the parade would not be possible,” he remarked.

He also thanked Mr. Cull’s wife, Terri, who does a lot of the behind-the-scenes promotion of the event.

He said the real reason for the success though, is the people who participate.

“Everybody wants to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and our parade is world renowned.

It’s a community thing.

“They enter floats, they walk, they bring their trac-

One of the many entries in the 2017 parade was Walsh’s Livestock from nearby Osceola.

Douglas natives and siblings, Bev Egan, centre, Karen Mallory, left and Jean Dick, (seen over Bev’s right shoulder) prepare for their impromptu parade around Douglas in 2000. The first annual St. Patrick’s parade in the community was launched in 2012. tors. It’s great to see.”

He said the parade has two aspects to it. When it leaves the school grounds, there is generally still some daylight and as it winds its way back from the downtown core, many of the floats are illuminated with green lights.

He said the time change occurs later that evening, so there may not be a lot of daylight to start. The committee has tried to schedule the date of the parade to not conflict with other St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the neighbouring communities.

Selecting Special Guest Not An Easy Task Mr. McHale said every year the committee is tasked with selecting an Honourary St. Patrick and Honourary Parade Marshal who are introduced to the large crowd gathered at the school grounds prior to the parade starting.

“We select the person, but we pick the names from a list that is submitted to us,” he said of the process. “It’s a thank you from the community to the people who recognize what they have done over the years.”

“If you go back and look at the people who have been selected, you’ll go, ‘I know why they are there’,” he added.

“The names are people from a different generation.”

Mr. McHale said some individuals who have been asked have declined for various reasons, adding the candi-

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dates for both positions are not exclusively from the Douglas area.

“If you just did it from Douglas, it wouldn’t be much fun. We’ve had Eganville, Cobden, Douglas, so we’re spreading it around.

“We have great support from Pakenham and there’s a name that keeps rising from there, so you never know,” he added. “But you want someone who’s recognized.”

He said in some cases, the person selected has not been able to fill the role the day of the parade, so family members have stepped in to help out.

“It is a commitment for those people,” he said. “And it’s not just the person selected, it branches off to the entire family who help with the float, etc.”

Family Affair Mr. McHale said the fact the parade is very family oriented is one of its main attractions.

“Sometimes there’s three or four generations of a family on the float,” he said. “They put a great deal of work into the entries and they’re all represented on the entry.”

He said the parade serves as a sort of reunion for families and friends to reconnect, some coming from as far as B.C. or the east coast. He even knows of two sisters who have roots in the Osceola area who make the trip from Michigan each year.

“People plan their holidays

around it,” he said. “They mark it on their calendars each year because it’s such a good time.”

Friend Awed By Parade It has often been said the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland are not what they are here and Mr. McHale said that was confirmed last year by a business colleague of his who is a native of the Emerald Isle.

“We met a lad (Peter Hamilton) at the Sawtech show last year who was from Ireland and we invited him up for the parade. He rode the parade route with Robert (Enright) and I and his eyes were just like that (indicating a big space with his hands).”

“He never stopped filming so he could show his parents what they do in Canada,” he added.

He said the committee takes great satisfaction in seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of those involved and having the streets lined with spectators.

The committee has said that if the number of entries ever drops below 50, they will have to look at possibly discontinuing it, however, based on the results since its inception, Valley folk will be travelling to Douglas for many years to come.

The parade leaves St. Michael’s School at 7 p.m. The OPP close Highway 60 at Dillabough Road and Rice Line at 6:50.

Irish hospitality One of the common threads intertwined and

expressed in the stories by people who have visited Ireland is the friendliness and genuine hospitality of the Irish people and the more relaxed, laid-back lifestyle its people have embraced.

And perhaps that might be one of the biggest reasons why our little tiny part of the world known as the Ottawa Valley is also renowned for its hospitality. We hear it all the time, whether it is from people visiting the area in the summer months or first-time participants and guests attending the Bonnechere Cup snowmobile races.

Ireland is a special place and for those of us who have connected with the Emerald Isle all will agree that there is a special feeling that fills one’s body and enters the soul when you are there. It’s a bit like that magical feeling we experience and cherish around the Christmas season.

Ireland is a country of friendly people, a place where history abounds, where the food is excellent and the drink is equally as good.

An island in the North Atlantic, separated from Great Britain by the North Channel, the Irish Sea and St. George’s Channel, Ireland is the second largest island in the British Isles.

Politically, Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially named Ireland) which covers five-sixths of the island, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. About five million people live in the Republic of Ireland and another two million in the north.

The island’s geography comprises relatively lowlying mountains, surrounding central plains, with several navigable rivers extending inland. Its lush vegetation is a product of its mild but changeable climate which is free of extremes in temperature.

The Irish climate is influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and thus very moderate, and winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area, although summers are cooler than those in continental Europe. Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant.

There are three World Heritage Sites on the island: the Brú na Bóinne, Skellig Michael and the Giant’s Causeway.

Some of the most visited sites in Ireland include Bunratty Castle, the Rock of Cashel, the Cliffs of Moher, Holy Cross Abbey and Blarney Castle. Historically important monastic sites include Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, which are maintained as national monuments in the Republic of Ireland.

Dublin is the most heavily touristed region and home to several of the most popular attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse and Book of Kells. The west and south west, which includes the Lakes of Killarney and the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry and Connemara and the Aran Islands in County Galway, are also popular tourist destinations.

Ireland is one of the most picturesque places on the face of the map. If you have been there, you will agree. If not, you will have to take our word for it…that is, at least, until you go and find out for yourself.

Gone, but not forgotten This photo was taken at the celebrations at the DACA Centre near Dacre in 2008. In the forefront is Jim Miller of Lake Dore, now deceased, and his wife, Mary, to his right. In the background is his sister-inl-law, Shirley Watson, who died last December, and behind him to the right is Bert James of Douglas, also now deceased. Others in the background are Joyce and Jack O’Grady of Eganville and Alex McGrath of Killaloe.

Ireland -- The Land of My Dreams Those dreams came true in the year 2000 starting off the first morning meeting Ronan Tynan, one of Ireland’s greatest tenors who was in Dublin to attend the funeral of another of that country’s great tenors, Frank Patterson.

Thankfully, my vision was good enough to see the breath-taking scenery that greeted us every day of our visit. Colleen and Joe had done their homework, finding dozens of beautiful places we will remember as long as our memories keep working.

Having watched the July 12 Orange parade and seen the hatred against Catholics in the eyes of Ian Paisley, I had second thoughts about going. In 19 days, the only sign of turmoil that we saw was attending a country church that had a strong smell of smoke. The previous week someone had set it on fire, but a local fireman on his way to work was able to get help on time. The pastor, Father Charlie McGuire, prayed for the arsonist who knew not what he was doing. We learned from the host of one Bed and Breakfast that there is a tremendous difference between the two Queens of the same name. He told us that good Queen Bess hated every Catholic on planet earth and, in Ireland, the hatred was returned 10 fold. Our present Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip met with the Anglican and Catholic leaders several times, and because they were highly respected by both sides, did more to restore religious peace than anyone before or since. What I found really interesting, he was Catholic, his wife Anglican, they were married 22 years and attended each other’s church week about.

Our first day was spent in Dublin and we had our evening meal at O’Connor’s

Pub. I ordered Irish stew and asked the elderly waiter what was the main ingredient in the stew. With a real straight face he said it was supposed to be spring lamb, but the spring lamb was sometimes known to be 14 years old.

We celebrated my 71st birthday at a small restaurant along the Antrim coast.

The previous night someone had recommended this restaurant, telling us it was good people, good food and a good atmosphere, and they were absolutely right.

As the waitress brought out my favourite chocolate cake she started the happy birthday singing and all three tables chimed in. A few minutes later, two little guys from one of the tables made happy birthday cards out of serviettes and brought them to our table. My wife has stored them away in a secret place where she stores all treasures. These people were total strangers, but they made it the Ireland that a fellow would

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dream about.

As we delivered the rental car, the taxi driver who drove us back to the airport told us a story about the Queen Mother treating the Archbishop of Canterbury to a tour of the Royal stables. As horses often do when rising to their feet after lying down, one of them very noisily let off a little gas. As the Queen Mother apologized profusely, the kind Archbishop tried to calm her embarrassment by telling her “Relax Your Majesty, for all you know, I might have thought it was one of the horses”.

Not paying enough attention in geography class, I am not sure on which side of Ireland lays the Irish Sea. All I know for sure is that this story drifted across some body of water and it wasn’t the Bonnechere River. A London Bobby pulled over a speedster on the outskirts of the city whose name was Theodore Sexbrake. The speedster had his alibi ready within seconds. He was in a hurry to get to a certain hospital where his wife was having a baby. The Bobby let him go and then had second thoughts.

He drove to the hospital and asked at the desk if they had a Sexbrake in the hospital. Replied the nurse: “Sexbrake Mister? We’re damn lucky if we get a coffee break around here.”

I close with my Irish blessing.

‘May you arise on the morning of the 18th without having wet the bed, with your pot still under it, remembering exactly where all you were the night before, everybody you saw there, every word they said, every word you said, everything they did, everything you did and everything you forgot to do.’

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all the Irish and to the millions who are Irish on March 17th!

Final standing ovation for a great showman - Dermot Flynn

By Gerald Tracey

Publisher When Dermot Flynn of Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland passed away last September 1 his death saddened the hearts of several dear friends in the Ottawa Valley, especially that of his long-time friend, Harry Searson of Eganville.

It was during one of Mr. Searson’s frequent trips in the 1970s to the land of his ancestors, where several cousins still reside, that he struck up a friendship with Mr. Flynn, a friendship that endured right up to the time of his passing.

The Searsons (Harry’s wife, Mary passed away three years ago) were visiting in Killarney and were walking through the downtown area one night when Mr. Searson heard a powerful tenor voice coming from inside the Danny Mann Lounge.

An aficiando of music, especially Irish songs, and fiddling and dancing, he went inside and listened in awe as Dermot Flynn entertained locals and tourists with his beautiful and powerful voice.

Mr. Searson introduced himself to Mr. Flynn during a break and from that moment on the two struck up a friendship that endured for more than four decades.

During subsequent visits to Ireland the Searsons would meet up with the Flynns and the Flynns came to Canada on several occasions, staying with Harry and Mary in their home where their stay would involve musical nights in local homes, on the stage at the Douglas Tavern and in St. James Church prior to the Sunday morning masses.

Mr. Flynn was a talented vocalist and played in a band in Killarney and performed numerous times in Canada, the United States and Dubai. He made appearances at the White House, sang for astronaut John Glenn and performed for several movie stars.

But music was not his full time career. Mr. Flynn worked for Liebherr Container Cranes Ltd. in Killarney where the company manufactures ship-to-shore container cranes, rubber-tired and rail mounted stacker cranes and accessories. The Lieb-

herr plant in Ireland, which employs about 900 people, was founded in 1958 and was the first plant outside of Germany.

My wife, Wanda, and I met Dermot and Kathleen Flynn through the Searsons and were guests of kitchen parties in their Eganville home when Dermot would sing to a house filled with lovers of Irish music.

During one of their trips to Canada about 2008, we hosted a night where the Flynns and several other couples of Irish descent were our guests and our home was filled with his rich tenor voice. If memory serves me right, Dai Bassett, the Welsh entertainer, was living at nearby Lake Dore at the time and joined in the music, and a young T.J. O’Grady, a talented pianist and organist from Eganville, also provided entertainment and accompaniment.

We returned a year later to Ireland with three other couples and made Killarney our home base for two weeks.

We enjoyed visits with the Flynns and a memorable meal in one of Killarney’s many excellent restaurants on a Saturday night.

The following story was written in Killarney Today following Mr. Flynn’s passing. ****** “The late Dermot Flynn: a master showman and a great family man” The late great Dermot Flynn, a master showman and one of Killarney’s greatest singers and performers, received a final standing ovation in St. Mary’s Cathedral this Tuesday morning before he was laid to rest in Aghadoe Lawn Cemetery.

The popular dance band frontman passed away on Saturday after a long but remarkably brave battle with illness during which he adopted a very positive attitude.

His hugely distinctive voice – often compared to that of Joe Dolan – set him apart on the local, national and international stage and he was in big demand for weddings, socials and many other celebrations over several decades.

A native of Lisheenbawn, Currow, who lived at and reared his family in Ardshanavooley, Killarney, Dermot

Kathleen and Dermot Flynn are shown during a visit with several families from the Valley who were visiting Killarney in 2009.

recorded a hit record, Memories of Killarney, in 1970 and it was particularly popular with visitors who wanted a great souvenir of their holiday in the town.

Speaking just prior to the Requiem Mass in St. Mary’s Cathedral this morning, his daughter, Marie, said her dad was singing before he could walk and his vocal talent was first recognised by a primary school teacher who entered him in competitions all over Ireland which he won with ease.

Fr. Kieran O’Brien: Dermot’s popularity in evidence He spent 44 years working with Liebherr in Killarney where he was known for his rigid attention to detail and for ensuring everything was perfect.

Dermot began his career as a performer with The Radiant Showband, touring dance halls all over Ireland alongside his brother Ned, and he later became the resident performer in the Danny Mann in Killarney with his great pal, the late David Stone.

Marie recalled that her father performed numerous times in the United States, as well as in Canada and Dubai, and he sang in the White House as well as for astronaut John Glenn and many movie stars.

She recalled a special moment in Dermot’s life when he met Michael Jackson and watched a World Cup match with the pop superstar.

“My father said he would teach him a verse of Joe Dolan’s Good Looking Woman if Michael taught him the Moonwalk. That was Dermot, the showman,” Marie said.

She said he took an interest in every aspect of his family’s lives and supported them all unconditionally.

He was a people magnet, children were like Velcro to him and he adored his grandchildren.

Dermot Flynn was most pleased to receive maple syrup, a gift from Canadian friends Gerald and Wanda Tracey durnig their 2009 visit to Killarney.

The sky was always blue in Dermot’s world “He loved old westerns, black and white movies and documentaries but the sky was always blue in Dermot’s world,” she added.

Chief celebrant Fr. Kieran O’Brien, who was joined on the altar by Canon Tomás Ó Luanaigh, Fr. Paddy O’Donoghue and Fr. Jimmy O’Donnell from Tipperary – a friend of the Flynn family – said the late Dermot was a great entertainer who was never shy in using his talent as a musician and a singer.

“He was the life and soul of the party, at family gatherings, staff socials and weddings. How many couples around town could say that Dermot Flynn sang at their wedding?” Fr. O’Brien asked.

He said Dermot’s popularity was very much in evidence by the huge crowds that queued before the re-

moval on Monday night and by the packed cathedral for the Requiem Mass.

Fr. O’Brien, parish administrator in Killarney, said Dermot sang with the choir in the Church of the Resurrection for many years and he brought life to every liturgy.

Although Dermot was diagnosed with serious illness seven years ago, he was determined to keep doing the things he enjoyed doing for as long as he could.

Fr. O’Brien said he would be highly spoken about by so many people and his music will live on in their memories.

Dermot is survived by his wife, Kathleen, daughters Marie and Ann, sons Gerard, Alan and Kenneth, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, brother Ned, sister Mary-Bridget, and many other relatives and friends.

Dermot Flynn, right, is shown with Canadian visitors from the Valley following Sunday mass in his parish church, Church of the Resurrection in Killarney. From the left are Sharon Gallagher, Wanda Tracey, Sue Quade, Barbara Gallagher, Wayne Quade (deceased), Michael and Harold Gallagher.

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Exploring Dublin by bus or other means is easy

By Johanna Zomers One of the most pleasant aspects of Dublin is the city’s manageable size and the many readily-available options for sightseeing and exploring. If you’re exhausted from too many late evenings in Dublin’s lively pubs or too many miles on foot on the cobblestones, you can join one of Dublin’s fascinating bus tours and prepare to be entertained, informed and fascinated.

There’s the simple ‘hop on, hop off’ tours of Dublin on the double-deckers but you can also opt for a full narrative tour, such as the popular ‘Gravediggers Ghost Bus Tour’. If you’re feeling poorly after too many pints of Guinness or toasts of Tullamore Dew, and want to see people who look and feel even worse than you do, choose this excursion back in time to the Black Death. Your costumed guide, pale and beset with a deathly cough, has problems larger than you do after too much ‘craic’ (Gaelic for fun).

The gruesome details of the Scourge of the Plague come to life as the bus passes the ominous dark shadows of Christchurch Cathedral and Bully’s Acres, the thousand-year-old

graveyard, favourite haunt of grave robbers. Your harrowing evening ends well at the Gravediggers Pub with a ghostly tipple.

If history is your interest, opt for the ‘1916 Rise of the Rebels’ tour and step back to the Dublin of a hundred years ago as ordinary Irish citizens became revolutionaries and rebel fighters. Visit the sites of the Easter Rising and listen to leaders such as James Connolly and Padraig Pearse as they read out “The Proclamation of Independence” decreeing a free and equal Ireland for all. Meet the women who played key roles as they fought for the Emancipation of Ireland and a better future for Irish women.

Then there’s the renowned Irish craic! There’s a bus tour for that also! Climb aboard the theatre on wheels, The Comedy Bus, while some of Ireland’s professional comedians give you the funny side of Dublin’s streets and landmarks. You are even invited to bring your own beer!

Leave it to the Irish to turn Bingo into a full-out evening of mobile hilarity. Bingo dabber in one hand and drink in the

To the left is one of Dublin’s many double-decker buses shown beside the very efficient DART transit system.

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other, you’ll look for the ‘sights and frights’ of Dublin as the Bingo Bus tours the streets. Your caller is a comedian who’ll keep everyone roaring while waiting for the winning number or the elusive sighting of just the right Dublin image to fill that last corner of the card.

And don’t forget that Dublin’s sleek DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) train can whisk you along 53 km of city and coast for a mere 11 euro for an adult day ticket.

Walk the cliffs at Howth, visit Malahide Castle, have lunch at Blackrock food markets, stop at Clontarf to see the home of Dracula author Bram Stoker or visit Castle Dracula as you head for the beautiful sands on the coast at Portmarnock. It’s probably Dublin’s most affordable and best kept sightseeing secret!

No matter what your age, mobility or interests are, Dublin by bus or rail will keep you entertained!

The day the Egans came home from all around the world

By R. Bruce McIntyre On a sleepy July Friday afternoon in the Village of Eganville last year, a coach stopped on the main bridge over the Bonnechere River and suddenly, 60 people descended from the tour bus.

They were young and old, all of them wearing a green shirt and a broad smile, and for a brief few moments, the calm of the day was disrupted as they jostled for a spot under the mural of the man who founded the village back in the 1800s.

It was on that day when more than 60 descendants of the Irish Egan clan made their way to Eganville to visit the village which is named after John Egan, the 19th century entrepreneur who helped create a strong commercial base founded on lumber.

For the hearty group of travellers, who represented all parts of the world including Australia, Ireland, the United States and Canada, they were amazed at the beauty of the Bonnechere , and the friendliness of the residents.

Michael J.S. Egan, chief of the Egan clan who lives in Dublin, said the rally was very special for all those who visited the village.

“Since 1982, we have had rallies every two years and each Leap Year they have taken place in Ireland and at our last one we decided to come to Canada,” he said at the time. “This is just an incredible experience to actually see where John Egan ended up and where he started his business. Perhaps the most striking thing we noticed when we drove in was the mural of him on the wall overlooking the river. There was a real sense of pride when we saw it.”

Mr. Egan said the entire Canadian trip was very special because along with visiting Eganville, they made their

way to his original Aylmer (Quebec) home and spent a week in Ottawa. For many of the Egans, it was their first experience of celebrating Canada Day. The visitors gathered in the local Legion to hear two experts on Irish history tell them the story of John Egan.

However, one of the highlights of that special day was the introduction of a Chicago businesswoman who parlayed her heritage into a unique business venture that instilled the history of Ireland and one of its best known exports, Irish Whiskey.

Alison Egan, originally from Ireland, but who now

lives in Chicago, introduced the visitors to Egan’s Irish Whiskey.

“I am here today to introduce you to something very special, and that is Egan’s Irish Whiskey which my husband John and I founded as a tribute to our heritage,” she said. “Although I am not an Egan, I married into the clan and we launched this premium whiskey in honour of the Egans. Patrick Egan, a solicitor from Moate, is descended from very old Westmeath stock. He and his brother founded the company, but we decided in 2013 to relaunch the company and now it is available throughout

North America.”

After she told them many humorous anecdotes of trying to launch the company, Mrs. Egan invited visitors to join her on the bridge over the Bonnechere River with the mural of John Egan in the background for a special toast.

It was quite a sight to behold because anyone who is at all familiar with the intersection of Highways 41 and 60, knows full well it is one of the busiest intersections anywhere in the Ottawa Valley on a July Friday afternoon.

It is not uncommon to see vehicles backed up for hundreds of metres in all direc-

About 60 descendants of Eganville’s founder, John Egan, visited the village last July toasting the occasion with Egan’s Irish Whiskey.

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tions as “city folk” escape from Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto in order to seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of big city life in their cottage or campground on one of the many peaceful lakes or rivers of the Valley.

They are used to sitting in a lineup waiting for that traffic light to change.

But on this day, they were confused, and many laughed at the sight of 60 people scrambling to get on the bridge for a group photo as they raised a glass of whiskey that bears their forefather’s name.

Once the photo was taken, the Egans, of all shapes and sizes, hustled back on to the bus to continue their voyage of discovery of their ancestry.

For the pedestrians and commuters who bore witness to this event, they could only shake their heads wondering what all the fuss was about.

But for the 60 Egan descendants who took a moment to stop for that photo, it was a moment they will cherish for a lifetime and likely bring a smile to their faces when they think about their brief time in the village of John Egan, a village that has a special connection for all of them.

Dublin: city of pubs, poets and pints

By Johanna Zomers UNESCO recognizes Dublin as a City of Literature, a city with words at its heart, where bridges, statues, pubs and bookshops commemorate the literary greats, like James Joyce, W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, G.B. Shaw and Samuel Beckett.

But the Irish affinity for words is more than tributes to the great recognized writers, poets and playwrights. The words of ordinary people come to life in letters written through various historical periods in an exhibition at the elegant General Post Office. Words are everywhere, even poetry inscribed on the facade of a bar on Bachelor’s Walk!

The popular and long-standing Dublin Literary Pub Crawl gives you an in-depth tour of Dublin’s literary history with actors who recite lines from famous works in the favourite watering holes of the authors. The public houses are where writers sharpened their wits. It’s an intimate and light-hearted look at Dublin’s renowned pub culture through the lens of literature. Questions will be asked at the popular Tullamore Dew Quiz following the tour!

There’s also the Traditional Irish Story Telling Bus which takes you on a magical journey through Ireland’s rich mythological history. The two-hour trip visits the sites of epic battles, dangerous quests and magic spells. The old stories of the Tuatha de Danaan (the invisible ‘little people’) come to life, as does the story of the Battle of Clontarf where Ireland’s most famous king, Brian Boru, was killed. The tour ends back in Dublin at The Church Bar where Handel practiced “The Messiah” before the first public performance at the Great Music Hall in Fishamble St., Dublin.

The Dublin Writers Museum on Parnell Square N. provides a good overview of Irish literature and writers in a stunning Georgian building. An overview of the political and cultural implications of Irish history provides context for the lives of literary greats such as James Joyce.

Or perhaps you are in Dublin on the second Thursday of the month for a cozy informal evening with the Dublin Yarnspinners. Now in its fifteenth year, the club invites guest storytellers and welcomes emerging Yarnspinners to try out their tales. Every storyteller needs an appreciative audience.

No literary visit to Dublin would be complete without a visit to the Old Library at Trinity College which, at 200,000 books, is considered one of the world’s great research libraries. It also contains one of the few remaining original copies of the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic, read at the start of the Easter Rising. The world’s most famous medieval manuscript and Ireland’s greatest cultural treasure, the Book of Kells, is also on exhibition at the Old Library. The renowned 9th Century book is the richly illustrated manuscript of the Four Gospels of the New Testament.

After your literary adventures you can opt for a guided 2.5-hour pub crawl/walk through the traditional drink and music scene of Temple Bar. Your guides, who are professional musicians, lead you through the ancient cobbled alleys to the classic pubs and bars with stops to participate in storytelling and music. You’ll see why Irish pub culture remains a vibrant part of contemporary life, as well as of Dublin’s vibrant literary past.

A statue of the famous writer, James Joyce, on North Earl Street in Dublin.

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Feeling at home in Dublin’s Fair City

By Johanna Zomers I went to Ireland on a whim.

“Come From Away” was playing at the historic Abbey Theatre. And Air Lingus (the national Irish airline) had a January seat sale on!

It was the perfect place to see the Canadian play about Newfoundland’s role in hosting 7,000 “come from aways” during the tragic and frightening days after 9/11. The play is touching beyond words, full of Newfoundland humour and clever Newfoundland solutions to the situation at hand. The touring company brings the uncertainty and panic to life as passengers and crew of the grounded airliners try to deal with their interrupted lives, amidst the lack of certain news about loved ones in New York.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the scene of the frantic mother trying to get news of her son.

After seeing the play that brought me to Dublin, I set out to explore a city I had never seriously thought of visiting. It was ‘homely’... that Irish term that North America interprets as unlovely but which the Irish revere as bringing the best qualities of home. And home is important to the Irish!

Indeed, I did immediately feel at home on the streets of Dublin. And why not -after all, Irish masons and architects built our Ottawa

Valley towns and cities. The staid hotels with their ornate lobbies, the hole-in-the-wall shops. The long runs of threeand four-storey brownstones.

The names. Beresford House.

O’Neill’s shoes. Leather repair. An oily sewing machine.

I half expected to see Benny’s green eyeshade.

The faces. The white hair.

The whimsical sense of humour. The drink-fuelled flashes of temper that just as quickly turn to sentiment. The accent -- still detectable in the old timers of the Ottawa Valley.

The warmth and the curiosity.

You are not invisible in Dublin.

Heads turn when you enter a restaurant or a pub. Is it Mary’s boy... no, but it looks like him.

Like the Ottawa Valley, Dublin is always alert for connection.

It reminded me of Ottawa’s Bank St. or Elgin St. in the 70s and 80s. Not that it was behind the times: Grafton St. has its share of Zara, HMV and Top Shop. A sleek tram runs through the bustling heart of the city. Statuary and solid classical buildings abound.

The Bank of Ireland. Ulster Bank. The Grand Post Office (GPO – central in the 1916 Easter Rising) with its brass wickets and dark-polished wood. Distinguished signage that directs those on the dole or on social welfare to line up with their cheques at that specific wicket.

There are few dogs on the street in Dublin. It is acceptable to scold and sharply reprimand your child in public.

It is acceptable to kneel in a chapel and say a quick prayer.

There are good coffee bars everywhere in Dublin. Dubliners drink a lot of coffee (and tea), perhaps to counteract the ‘craic’ of the night before.

There is little of Paris or Barcelona’s high fashion on the streets of Dublin. There’s a prosaic sensibility of tweed, wool and scarves. Downtown Dublin is chock full of young international students studying at Trinity College Dublin (427 years old!), University College Dublin or one of the many other places of learning.

There are beatnik-type young men, skinny, black clad… poets probably… or musicians. Reddish-haired girls look impossibly wholesome and sexy at the same time.

Sleek business types, male and female, in tailored overcoats and impeccably shined boots with briefcases, hurry down O’Connell Street.

“Have yourself a good evening,” says the grey-haired lad a bit down on his luck as I leave the restaurant. He can’t stop himself -- how rude would it be to let someone exit into the grey dusk without a benign good wish.

Did I mention that I like Dublin?

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day May the sound of happy music, And the lilt of Irish laughter, fill your heart with gladness, that stays forever after.

Summers Bros. Ford

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Kate Windle writes a song in honour of the generations of Irish

By R. Bruce McIntyre Kate Windle is well known in Renfrew as a former municipal politician, a community volunteer who is always ready to lend a hand whenever asked, amateur film maker who has spent years documenting the rich culture and history of the Ottawa Valley, and now, she is the voice behind her first foray into Irish music as a way to celebrate the history of the people who trace their heritage back to Ireland.

Ms. Windle, affectionately known as Kate to friends, said the idea to pen a song in honour of the generations of Irish folk who came before her is something that just kind of came out of the blue, or in this case, out of the green.

“I have been working on a feature based on the filming I have been doing over the last several years and I sat down and wrote this song,” she said. “It just really kind of came to me and although it originally took me two hours, I have been tinkering with it since. The words came first, then the music to go along.”

Ms. Windle first began documenting the history of the Valley back in 1989 when she returned to Renfrew after being away for awhile in order to take care of her ailing mother. Out of that, she produced a short film, The Robin’s Nest, which was played at the O’Brien Theatre, and she is now working on a more comprehensive history of the area and, of course, the Irish component is a part of it.

“The Valley is much more than just a community where a lot of Irish people settled,” she said from inside her comfy barber shop. “We have so many different ethnic communities so close to each other and they all have a story. But for this, I drew on the religion and struggles of the early settlers and their descendants in the Douglas and Mount St. Patrick areas.”

She is currently working on another film, Growing Our Roots, which has been a work in progress for three years of videotaping the area, and this song will likely be part of it.

“My Irish grandmother was a Murphy from Admaston and that is where my Irish roots are from,” she said. “My grandpa Windle was born in Dacre and they somehow found their way to meet each other.

“The Wearing of the Green is a song that surely shows the Catholic in me, but it is not really about the religion, although it is there.

But it is more of a salute to the people who pull the Douglas parade together every year.

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Renfrew native Kate Windle, a longtime barber well known for her barber pole and love of music and film, penned a special Irish song in honour of the early Irish settlers in the Valley, their descendants and the longevity of Mount St. Patrick and the annual Douglas St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

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From Page 14 “It was a salute to the people of Mount St. Patrick who keep the belief alive in that small community. But honestly, more than anything, it was just fun to write because every year we celebrate the Irish heritage and it is so much fun and it really brings people together, no matter your background or religion. It speaks of fun and celebration and the people of the Valley.”

Ms. Windle plans to make a series of short films chronicling different religions and cultures, and her Irish film will highlight several activities.

She has aerial footage of the Douglas parade, footage of Dacre and the Douglas Tavern featuring fiddle players and highland step dancers and most of all, she has footage of everyday Valley residents celebrating the culture.

“When this song is in the film, it is my hope people take away something special from it,” she said. “Whether it is a memory of dance, or the parade, or laughing with friends at the Dacre Centre, or something personal, I want to bring a smile to people’s faces.”

And when asked how people can hear the song in advance of the movie, Ms. Windle smiled, picked up her guitar and said people are free to drop by for a haircut or a chat and she just might play a tune or two.

The Wearing of the Green There’s something really joyful, ‘bout the wearing of the green’ It seems there must be forty shades, with nothing in between Green shamrocks stand for trinity and this we know for sure St. Patrick taught three persons in one God, who still endures.

When we hear the name St. Patrick, we think of Ireland

But most in Renfrew County, think of a Douglas and a band He might have been fifth century, a patron saint and all But we think he’s a hero, through the centuries that call.

On St. Patrick’s Day of honour, we like to drink green beer And people come from miles around, to raise a glass and cheer The parties have been known to last for days and weeks on end In Irish style, we come to life and bend the ears of friends.

Each year, a very grand parade, rolls slowly through the streets The green lights can be seen for miles, from all the mountain peaks Irish tunes will warm the air and dancing feet will fly Folks will walk or drive the route and you won’t hear one cry.

There is a Mount Saint Patrick, that we love dearly too Where all St. Patrick’s pilgrims, still celebrate his truth They sing his praises far and wide, on radio and live stages The air is filled with laughter and it really is contagious.

I’m sure St. Patrick would have loved, ‘the wearing of the green’ It warms the final Winter days, as signs of Spring are seen, Saint Patrick was a man of faith, who filled the world with love And we can celebrate because he sends it from above.

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Eganville native launching his 17th tour with The Chieftains

By Terry Fleurie An Eganville native, who along with his older brother have parlayed their musical and dancing talents into successful careers, recently headed out for their 17th tour with the internationally known Irish band, The Chieftains.

Jon Pilatzke and older brother, Nathan, joined the legendary band in 2002 and Jon was back home recently where he and other family members were part of the Rock the Rocks bonspiel at the Eganville Curling Centre. Teams entered in the event had to perform a set that evening and Mr. Pilatzke shared his spectacular fiddle-playing.

Afterwards, he shared how being a member of the six-time Grammy award-winning Chieftains has opened other doors in his career, resulting in him being on the road 200 days last year.

Jon is the son of Wayne and Carla Pilatzke of Eganville and is based in Toronto. He and his brother joined The Chieftains in January 2002.

“They do a U.S. tour every mid-February to mid-March,” he said. “Ever year, we visit different cities and St. Patrick’s Day is going to be somewhere in Texas.

“Most other years, St. Patrick’s Day has either been in New York or in Toronto,” he added. “The Irish Americans make much more of a fuss about St. Patrick’s Day than the people in Ireland. In Ireland, it’s not that big of a deal, but the Irish Americans go crazy for it.”

There is a big parade in New York and the bars are full from morning to morning.

When in New York, the band typically performs at either Carnegie Hall or another venue called City Hall.

“It’s The Chieftains 57th year as a band and

Paddy Moloney (the founder) just turned 80 back in August,” he said of their longevity and popularity. “They’ve been together that long and they just walk out on stage and the people go nuts for them.”

The U.S. tour this year includes 15 cities in 13 different states, culminating with the St. Patrick’s show in Tyler, Texas on March 16.

In the beginning he thought he and his brother might be with the group for maybe a year or two, pointing out when they first joined, he was not playing the fiddle, but only step-dancing, like his brother.

“Now, I’m the main fiddle player with the band, so things have just kind of progressed and we’ve become part of the family around there,” he remarked. “So we’ve been very lucky.”

He explained later in his first year with the group, one of the two fiddle players was unable to perform due to an appendicitis attack, opening the door for him to show what he could do on the fiddle.

“They knew that I did play, but had never heard me, so they said if I knew any of the tunes I was free to sit in. By then, I had heard the show so many times, I pretty much knew all of it, so I’ve been sitting there ever since.

“First, as second fiddle player, then when the head fiddle player retired about 10 years ago, I moved over to his chair,” he added. “And we now have a second fiddler next to me.”

His association with the group not only opened the door professionally for him but personally as well as he met his future wife, Cara Butler, a second generation Irish gal from New York, through them.

“She was Irish dancing with them when we came on tour. It’s something we do as a career,

but I’ve got my brother next to me, I’ve got my wife next to me, and everybody in the show is kind of like family” .

Throughout their careers with The Chieftains, they have met and performed with numerous celebrities. They have danced with

The Chieftains for Queen Elizabeth II. On an album, Down The Old Plank Road, recorded in Nashville they worked with several country stars including Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Martina McBride and Vince Gill.

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Eganville native Jon Pilatzke delighted the audience at the Rock The Rocks bonspiel where he displayed his incredible talents on the fiddle. Shortly after the bonspiel, he was leaving on his 17th U.S. tour with the Irish band, The Chieftains.

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Jon Pilatzke learned to stepdance and play the fiddle here From Page 16 Busy With Other Ventures While The Chieftains have been reducing the number of concerts the past few years, he is kept busy with another internationally-known artist, Carlos Nunez of Spain and with the show he and Nathan founded known as The Step Crew.

“I’m touring now with Carlos, and that’s taking up a lot of my time and also, The Step Crew, we had our 10th anniversary in 2018, so we had a lot of dates.

“I’m spending at least 200 days a year on the road.”

His connection with Mr. Nunez originated through The Chieftains.

“He’s kind of a prodigy with The Chieftains, but he lives in Spain and has his own band there. He got to know Nathan and I through The Chieftains, so when he needed a fiddle player for one of his tours, he called me, and that worked out really well and I’ve been there ever since.

“He’s a pretty famous guy in Spain, but I never would have heard of him if it wasn’t for The Chieftains.”

Surprisingly, perhaps, he said a lot of Mr. Nunez’s band’s content is Celtic, explaining the northwest of Spain has a Celtic region called Galicia.

“And that’s where they originated from. So we do a lot of Irish Celtic, but we also do a lot of Spanish Celtic.

“There’s a huge difference, but I love it because it’s absolutely new and a foreign style to me, yet it still has that Celtic connection, so it’s not that out there. I can still recognize the instruments and the patterns in the music, but the way the tunes are put together is totally different.”

The majority of Mr. Nunez’s gigs are in

Spain but the band has visited different parts of South America, including stops in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.

“They go crazy for it,” he said of the performances in South America. “I’ve always wanted to get to that area of the world. The Chieftains have never gone there.

“I was really excited to go with Carlos, being a new area.”

He dances, sings and fiddles in his role with the group. Mr. Nunez plays a Spanish version of the bagpipe, called the “gaita”, and there is a guitar player and percussionist.

They have also performed in the U.S., Scotland and Ireland.

While the majority of his Step Crew shows are primarily in North America they have performed in Japan, Scotland and Switzerland.

Last year in honour of their 10th anniversary, they released a DVD and later this year Mr. Pilatzke will be releasing his first solo recording, a 10-track CD with each of The Chieftains performing on a separate track and another with Mr. Nunez.

“I think the name is going to be Amongst Friends and it’s going to be me playing with a bunch of friends I tour with.

“It’s been a long time coming. Every fiddle player I know has their own solo record. I’m the only guy without one so I just decided to

bear down and get one under my belt.”

He said he enjoyed bringing the Step Crew show to Pembroke a few years ago adding he and Nathan were very nervous about performing in front of family and friends at Festival Hall.

“Nathan and I were both shaking, we were nervous to play for the home town. Afterwards, we were overjoyed, but before we were kind of shaking in our boots with so much family and so many friends.

“But it was nice to show people what we were up to, especially when you don’t get home as much as you should.”

He said it was nice to perform at the curling rink recently since he and his brother performed there many years ago as part of The Dueling Dancers with sisters, April and Tawnya Verch.

“Every now and then Nathan and I get reminded of the places we performed: Marianhill, Miramichi, the Eagles Nest, Rankin Community Centre and the fiddle competition in Pembroke.”

He said never in his wildest dreams did he see himself making a lengthy career out of the skills he learned from Buster Brown (stepdance teacher) and Rob Dagenais (fiddle instructor).

“I thought maybe we’d continue it until we went to university and then education would take over and we’d end up getting jobs and maybe I’d teach fiddle or dance after that. But the way things transpired . . . and we both met our spouses in the music industry.”

Nathan’s partner, Yvonne Kane, is a fiddle Jon Pilatzke performed with dad, Wayne, on the spoons, and sister Paula Bashford, on key- player from Ireland who has released several board, at the Rock the Rocks bonspiel in Eganville. His uncle, Kevin, not seen, also provided recordings with her sister, Liz. Nathan and Yvonne live in Ireland. accompaniment.

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Renfrew couple considers Ireland their second home

By Bob Skerkowski Our first trip to Ireland, back in 2004, was in celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary and in search of my wife’s ancestral roots.

Who knew that would be a life-changing experience and we would make it our annual holiday ever since.

My wife Lori’s roots on the Hodgins side came from the Borrisokane, Cloughjordan area in County Tipperary. We went online and found the self-catering Courtyard Cottage in Borrisokane. We emailed the owners to book the cottage and when I asked about a deposit, the owner simple said, “not at all, ye pay when ye get here.”

This was our first introduction to the welcoming Irish people. They are the friendliest, warmest and most trusting people I have ever met. In fact, the essence of Ireland is the people and it is the great friends we have made there that keep us going back. The warm welcomes, the friendly smiles, the jovial atmosphere in the pubs and the waves of “are ye well” coming from complete strangers as you pass them in the street.

We flew into Shannon Airport and rented a car. When I enquired about driving on the left side of the road, the rental car agent simply said “we’d prefer it.” This was our first introduction to life in Ireland.

In Ireland you drive on the left which they will tell you is the “right” side to be driving on! So naturally, the steering wheel was on the right side of the car and I had to shift with my left hand. This took some getting used to and in fact, I had the cleanest windshield that week because the wipers and signal lights were reversed, so I turned the wipers on every time I signalled for a turn. You won’t find a

lot of traffic lights in Ireland, but the many roundabouts keep the traffic moving nicely.

We managed to find our way out of the airport and through Limerick enroute to our cottage. As we got closer to Borrisokane, the roads became narrower and narrower. There was no shoulder on the roads, just the road and lots of greenery covering the stone fences.

Because of this, I mastered the art of reversing as we met many tractors and transports on our travels which used up 75 per cent of the road allowance.

When we arrived at our cottage, we were greeted with a warm “welcome to Ireland” by the owner, Geraldine. She had a warm fire lit for us and she gave us a few good tips as we really had no agenda. We asked her which pub we should visit as there are 10 to 12 pubs in this village which is not much bigger than the village of Douglas.

Geraldine suggested the Green Bar as it was the pub frequented by older folks. It was our good fortune to be introduced to the proprietors, Mary Coonan and her son, Christopher.

Many a night we’ve spent sharing the “craic” at the Green Bar. The events start out catching up on the news of the day and then we move onto the acappella singing.Usually John Donnelly would start off with a rendition of “the Ivy” and then we’d all have our turn to belt out a tune.

We made a few friends in Borrisokane on our first trip and knew we would return and so we did in 2007. It was that year that we met some of our best friends to this day -- Eamon Slevin (the local historian) and his lovely wife, Peggy, John Donnelly (with a voice like Dean Martin) and his charming wife, Carrie, Brendan Hefferman, Anne and Darren Moore,

Mary Donnelly, Cathal and Sarah McIntyre, Sean Egan, Noel Gleeson, Norma and Dean, Derek Slevin and the list goes on.

In 2008, our daughter Katie got married, so Lori and I set the newlyweds off on their honeymoon to Borrisokane. I will never forget getting a call in the wee hours of the morning, their first night there from John Donnelly, who said, “Bob, Katie and Trevor are at my house. I’ve opened up both doors and they’re still here.” Of course, he was just joking, the

Irish way.

Lori and I, Katie and Trevor and now their two girls go over to Borrisokane at least once every year. People often ask us why we keep going back to Ireland and I tell them it’s because of the people. When people ask me what Ireland is like, I tell them it is really hard to describe. One must really experience it for themselves. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

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Katie Skerkowski, daughter of Bob and Lori Skerkowski of Renfrew, and her husband Trevor Brydges are shown at the entrance to Borrisokane.

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From Page 18 We have experienced much of what Ireland has to offer.

We’ve seen Donegal, Galway, Dublin, the Rock of Cashel, Cahir Castle, Bunratty Castle, and the Kylemore Abbey.

We’ve kissed the Blarney Stone, bet on the dogs at the Greyhound Races in Limerick, played a few rounds of

golf and viewed in amazement the 700 foot high Cliffs of Moher, drank Guinness at Ollie Hayes Pub in Moneygall (where Barak Obama visited a few years ago) and toured over to the Aran Islands. We’ve also travelled through some of the most picturesque little villages you would ever want to see. They

are very proud of the way their towns look and started a competition years ago called “the Tidytown Awards”. It instils pride in the locals to keep their little piece of Ireland as cute and quaint as can be so they have a chance to win this prestigious award.

On one of our roaming day trips, we found the original

This photo was taken in front of Joe Watty’s Pub on the Island of Inishmore. From left to right are: Dean Whitehead, Eamon Slevin, Peter Price, Nina Gould, Norma Slevin, Bob Skerkowski, Lori Skerkowski, John Donnelly and Carrie Donnelly.

Hodgins homestead not far from Cloughjordan, built in the 1700s, that is now owned by P.J. Quinlisk.

We also found Lori’s greatgreat-grandmother’s castle (originally called Stoney Castle but now known as Emil Castle), that is now owned by the Irish actor Patrick Bergin.

In fact, you never know who you might run into around Borrisokane. Martin Sheen’s mother was from there, so Martin, Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez have frequented the area in the past. Johnny Depp and Claudia Schiffer have been seen around, as well as guests of Pogue singer Shane MacGowan.

We have celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, weddings and more in Borrisokane.

Both of our granddaughters have Irish godparents and the youngest was baptized at Saint Peter and Paul Church in Borrisokane in 2013. And last year our two boys, Adam and Andy, our daughter, Katie, her husband, Trevor and our granddaughters, Sadie and Sophie, surprised Lori by showing up in Ireland to celebrate her 60th birthday.

We still can’t believe that Peggy was able to keep that secret! In fact, I think all of Borrisokane knew about

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their surprise visit except Lori and I. We are booked again for June this year and we will be celebrating my 65th birthday.

We are planning a big house party and our Irish friends will get to experience our Canadian way of celebrating.

No doubt it will be a great “craic”!

Every time we’re in Ireland it feels like home. We look forward to our trip “home” every year and often reminisce about past visits and the delicious (and slightly oversized) meals at our friend’s

houses. And it doesn’t matter how many people we bring over with us (we usually travel in packs of six to eight), everyone is welcome.

It’s impossible to repay the hospitality we have received over the years, but I guess we don’t have to since hospitality is meant for guests, visitors and strangers and we’re now family.

Ireland is a place where things happen at their own pace. You’ll need to slow down and tune into a different rhythm of life when you go and it’s totally worth it.

Lori and Bob Skerkowski stand in front of the Courtyard Cottage, Borrisokane, County Tipperary.

The friendly people of Ireland

By Cathie Corrigan Barry’s Bay In 2003, my husband, Bob, and I travelled with a couple of friends to Ireland, home of our ancestors.

Of course, we couldn’t go to the Old Country without a visit to Killaloe, County Clare, along the banks of the River Shannon. We arrived on a sunny May morning about 8:30 and parked our car near the bridge. No sooner had we stepped out of our car than a wee elderly well-dressed man, strolling down the street, spied us, knew we were “from away”,

and approached us with outstretched hand and a friendly greeting, “Welcome to Killaloe!”

While visiting an old church in the village, we came upon a plaque which explained the meaning of the name, Killaloe, originally Cill da Lua - Church of St. Lua. So much for the widely-circulated but incorrect definition of Church on a Hill!

Another evening, as we strolled along the main street of the small village of Annascaul, we came across a pub with the interesting name of Tom Crean’s South Pole Pub. See Page 21

This church group in Saintfield, Co. Down, had just finished having a luncheon for a bus load of tourists. They brought us down into the basement and treated us to tea and tray bakes - no charge. We sent them this picture once we returned to Canada. Not to be outdone, they sent us a Christmas card.

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From Page 20 Not a very Irish-sounding name but we were curious enough to go inside for a drink. It turned out that Tom Crean, who hailed from this village in County Kerry, had sailed with Sir Ernest Shakleton to the South Pole and back in the early 1900s.

Our server in the pub invited us to join the crowd in the room across the hall to watch some traditional folk dancing. That sounded like fun.

However, in Ireland, you do not just sit and watch. Oh, no!

Within minutes, we were actually pulled onto the floor to join in. Needless to say, not having a clue as to what we were doing, we caused a lot of chaos and confusion. And lots of laughter.

An unforgettable evening!

And yet, on another morning in Saintfield, County Down, in Northern Ireland, as Bob and I explored a graveyard next to the church, looking for some of my Irish ancestors, a man walking in the yard asked who we were looking for. Before we knew it, we were sitting in the church basement enjoying tea and tray bakes (aka cookies and squares in Canada), surrounded by a friendly group of parishioners who even got out the phone book and called up people with the surname we were looking for. We had protested that we had friends who were down the street and would not know where we were but that notion was dismissed with a simple, “that’s okay”.

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to this lovely, welcoming, country. But, the people of Ireland are the real treasures.

Tom Downes rushed over to welcome us to Killaloe, Co. Clare, when we arrived there early in the morning. For the picture, he is joined by Cathie Corrigan, Patsy Mongeon and Vern LaRue, all with Irish backgrounds.

From the famine ship To Killaloe, Letterkenny, Donegal, named for their departure places.

They carried their hunger and their crucified Lord and His Holy Mother’s rosary beads in worn suitcases filled with framed verses, sepia likenesses, gilted teacups, father’s medals on stiff ribbon, the dead baby’s fine curl.

Main street in Doolin, Co. Clare. In this area of Ireland, many people speak Gaelic. Note the quaint thatched roof with eyebrow windows.

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The bush overtook them.

Only tilted gravestones.

Lilacs, rhubarb, crumbled foundation stones marked their bleak beginnings on this stoney soil. -- Joanne Zomers

The green lights of Douglas create a glow in March

By R. Bruce McIntyre Every March there are traditions in the tiny hamlet of Douglas that bring a smile to the face.

Whether it is the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade that brings thousands of visitors who line the streets and celebrate the best nighttime parade in Canada or the weeklong charity events at the Douglas Tavern where money is raised for local non-profit groups through chili dinners, euchre games or trivia.

One tradition that has quietly been present is the green glow coming from the homes in and around the hamlet that light up the night sky and bring an even greater appreciation of the proud Irish culture that makes Douglas the place to be for St. Patrick’s Day. Admaston/Bromley township staff hang not only Canadian flags from the utility poles along Highway 60, but many also have Irish flags welcoming visitors and residents to the area.

Along with the historic Douglas Tavern that radiates a green glow along the main street, a number of residents have taken it upon themselves to decorate their homes with green lights.

When the annual parade started back in 2012, Carine Bruce and her family began the tradition of entering a float bearing their family name, and she was also the first to drape her home with over 1,000 green lights. It is hard to miss the Bruce residence that sits alone at the top of the hill behind the tavern, and it has been a mainstay of Douglas for years.

“It was something we decided to do from day one of the parade,” Mrs. Bruce said. “It really is a tribute to my Irish heritage and I just love to decorate for every occasion. Luckily, Evelyn (McHale) gets a lot of green lights for the tavern so I can get some from her, or I just head out to a hardware store and get them. It really is a family affair and we have been out there every year, rain or snow or wind, to make sure we are ready.”

Although the lights may be strung weeks prior to the parade, she does not flick the switch until March 1 to signify the countdown to the big day. It is a true family affair as her son, Allan, uses a boom truck from his business to decorate the top of the house while her

daughter-in-law, Tracey, and her grandchildren, Molly and Maiya, take care of the lower lights. Her daughter, Annie (Craig), also makes her way up from Carp to lend a hand as do other family members who are nearby.

“It is fun to watch people just show up out of the blue to take pictures of the home,

and many of them pose with our leprechauns out front and, in a way, it has also become a tradition to have total strangers come up and ask to take photos.”

Just up the street, Angela McHale has followed Mrs. Bruce’s lead and started decorating her home with green lights. While husband, Bill,

is busy as one of the three committee members that organizes the parade, she enlists the help of her children and friends to help fill the night sky with a green glow on the street that bears her married name.

“We started doing green lights prior to the parade a few years ago just because it

The Douglas Tavern, home of all things Irish in the month of March, is decorated both inside and out with a sea of green lights and memorabilia. Tavern owners Terry and Evelyn McHale are fortunate they have young grandchildren who lend a hand every year.

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was our way of getting into the St. Patrick’s spirit by decorating inside and out,” Mrs. McHale said. “While awaiting the arrival of family who come every year to celebrate with us and pulling out all our green clothes and getting ready for the two weeks long celebration has become a tradition.”

Along with the lights, the younger McHales also started the custom of placing Irish flags on the utility poles, and they have added Canada Day to the list of dates when the orange, white and green flags can be seen along the highway.

Of course, the Irish granddaddy of them all is the historic Douglas Tavern, which is owned by Mrs. McHale’s in-laws, Terry and Evelyn.

The tavern, which to this day, still has the classic “ladies and escorts” sign hanging over one of its entrances, and most often referred to as “The Diddley” is the home of all things Irish during St. Patrick’s week.

In the background of the long lineups that occur every St. Patrick’s Day are the green lights that are recognized around the world.

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The green lights of Douglas From Page 22 In this day and age of social media, the green lights of the tavern are on many Facebook accounts around the globe, and for family matriarch Evelyn McHale, she almost blushes and gives a roll of the eyes when told of its popularity.

“Gosh, we should be putting those lights up pretty soon,” she said a week before the parade that takes place on March 9 this year. “We have so many lights and decorations here that we kind of lose track sometimes. But we have so many people who come here and many of them look for the green lights as something familiar and for us, it is wonderful that people

take so much joy and fun from them.”

Both Evelyn and Terry McHale call on their grandchildren, including Kevin, Nick, Liam and Seamus, to help hang them high as they are much younger and more spry for such endeavours.

“The kids really should get the credit because Terry and I are getting up in our years and this is something a young person can do much easier than us,” she said.

It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, or whether you are Irish or some other heritage, there is no hiding the fact that when you travel along Highway 60 on a dark March evening, you will be brightened by the green glow of the lights of Douglas.

Angela McHale said the idea of decorating her house was to promote the annual parade.

Along with entering a family float each year in the parade, Cairine Bruce was one of the first residents in Douglas to decorate her home with green lights starting in 2012.

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The annual Leprechaun Trivia Night was held in Cobden Friday night, a fundraiser for the Cobden Fair and Cobden Agricultural Society. A total of 28 teams competed in the fun event. The winning team, Looks, Not Brains, was made up of, from the left, Miranda Mulligan, Nancy Agnew, Julie Campbell, Helen Francis, Dennis McGrath and Marjorie Moore. Most of the participants were attired in green, creating a sea of green throughout the Cobden Agricultural Hall. The event was organized and run by the Hamilton family.

Photo courtesy of William Enright

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Last call for St. Patrick’s Day at Gavan’s Hotel

By R. Bruce McIntyre The grand old lady of Quyon is not closing, but the legendary Gavan’s Hotel will be closing down a long and colourful tradition and that will be last call for the music, laughter and camaraderie of the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the hotel that has been a mainstay of the small Quebec community for over 70 years.

For the first time in the 36 years he has hosted the annual party at Gavan’s Hotel, current owner Nick Matechuk will be celebrating on March 17 as opposed to the Sunday prior to the big day.

“I want to go out on a high note and with a bang,” Mr.

Matechuk said. “We have had so many great parties over the years and we always had them on the Sunday before St. Patrick’s. We held it on that day because it was tough getting the best talent to come here on St. Patrick’s Day because they would always go to the city to make a bit more money so we held it on Sunday so they could be here. The hotel is not closing, but this will be our last St. Patrick’s Day so we are still open for business.”

Mr. Matechuk’s ownership of the tavern was not something he planned, or ever expected to last as long as it did. As a union member working for the railway in 1983, the Sault

Ste. Marie native was in the area during the height of the economic recession of that time. He said fellow employees were nervous about their future employment and there was a lot of infighting among them in order to save their jobs.

“I was 40 years old and thought there was no way I was going to be fighting and worrying about keeping my job until I was 65 so I was looking for something different,” he said. “My wife, Laurena (Robinson) was from Quyon and we had been to the tavern many times when Lennox (Gavan) owned it. I knew he was looking to retire and slow down so I said to myself,

Canadian fiddling champion Louis Schreyer will be one of the headline performers on stage for the final St. Patrick’s Day party at Gavan’s Hotel. Gail Gavan, daughter of original owner Lennox Gavan, has hosted the annual event for years and the day will no doubt be bittersweet for the singer who has entertained thousands over her 30-year career.

These two Irish clad lads are always found outside and inside the Quyon, Quebec landmark and will join hundreds of patrons for a day of singing, dancing and laughing on St. Patrick’s Day.

why not, and next thing you know I am the owner of the hotel.”

He said the early days definitely had ups and downs.

Ontario had restrictive laws for opening and closing hours for licensed establishments and that led to several patrons coming across the Ottawa River to have food and drink and many of those customers still come back today.

“We have regulars who have been coming back every March to join in the party, and what a party it is. The great thing is we have never had a problem, never had to hire security or bouncers and they are like family that come back home for a reunion.”

When the hotel opened in 1947, Lennox Gavan quickly gained a reputation as a gracious host and a man who accepted another man’s word with a handshake. Mr. Matechuk, who everyone just calls Nick, has followed in those footsteps when dealing with the thousands of people who have come through his front doors.

“I remember clear as a bell telling Lennox when I bought the hotel that there was no way I would be doing this for 36 years like he did, and wouldn’t you

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know it, here I am 36 years later just like he did…you just have to laugh.”

Laughter is something you will hear for several hours on March 17 in Quyon. With people lining up starting at 10:30 a.m.

and going straight through until after 1 o’clock in the morning the next day, Gavan’s Hotel will have more than 800 people laughing, dancing and singing all things Irish.

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Current owner of Gavan’s Hotel, Nick Matechuck said this year’s St. Patrick’s Day party will be held on March 17 for the very first, and last time as the annual event will come to an end this year.

Gavan’s calling it a day for Irish celebrations From Page 26 The hotel itself has a capacity of 200, but people stay for a bit and leave and the tables are never empty very long.

“We have people that come from all over the country every year and there is a group from Toronto that book some rooms upstairs for a few days so it just goes to show what St. Patrick’s Day means,” he said. “We had 11 rooms to rent in the hotel, but some are used for the bands now, but good luck trying to book one even six months in advance. People are loyal and they keep coming back.”

Although Gavan’s is known far and wide, the one thing that brings a big smile to Mr. Matechuk’s face is the 2017 induction into the Ottawa Valley Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Now that is something special,” he said. “We are the only hotel in the history of that Hall of Fame to be inducted and that sure says something. We are all so proud of that and so many talented musicians have played here, but none of them draw the crowds like Gail (Gavan) does. The whole Ottawa Valley loves Gail.”

Gail Gavan, daughter of the man

who bears the name on the front of the hotel, has hosted the yearly party for as far back as anyone can remember. It is a coming home party for her, and this year will be bittersweet.

“This is the last time Gail will be our hostess, and I know her dad is smiling down from Heaven and he sure is proud of his little girl,” he said. “Lennox was one of a kind and I have done my best to carry on that tradition.”

Among the musicians who will be at the last call for St. Patrick’s Day in Quyon are Louis Schreyer, Roddy McCann, The Young Leahy Family, Pauline Brown Dancers and many more. Also this year, well known MC Art Jamieson will be sharing the microphone with Ms. Gavan over the 12 hours of music Mr. Matechuk is not quite sure how he will feel at the end of the day.

“What will I do when it is all over?” he asked. “Probably pull up a chair, and smile and just thank the good Lord for my health, my family and all the friends I have made along the way.”

Gavan’s Hotel is located at 1157 Clarendon Street in Quyon and the music starts at 1:30 p.m.

A stepdancer shows his talents as he uses a row of tables for a dance floor at Gavan’s Hotel.

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Parade fans Depending on the weather, the annual St. Patrick’s Parade in Douglas can attract upwards of 2,000 people who line the streets from St. Michael’s School to the downtown area. The largest crowds congregate around the Douglas Tavern. Above, Margaret Sell and her mom, Karen of Eganville were dressed in their Irish accessories for one of the recent parades. This year’s event takes place this Saturday night, March 9 at 7 p.m. sharp. Anyone wishing to attend should arrive around 6:30 as Highway 60 through the community is closed at about 6:45.

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Dublin’s many ‘Talking Statues’

By Johanna Zomers

This statue is named Meeting Place, known in Dublin as Hags with the Bags, located near Ha’penny Bridge. It represents the ordinary women of Ireland.

From a mythical Celtic hero at the General Post Office (GPO) on O’Connell St. to Apples and Atoms at the School of Physics at Trinity College, Dublin’s statuary literally speaks to history.

Twelve of the city’s most iconic statues now tell a story, each excerpt written and narrated by well-known Irish authors and actors. The combination of drama and technology brings new life to familiar landmarks. Simply scan the smart code on the blue plaque nearby and your phone will ring and provide the narration.

Take the fierce Celtic mythological hero Cu Chulainn (‘the Hound of Culann’). Born the son of a warrior God and a mortal woman, the brave and handsome youth was eventually killed in battle with his enemy Lugaid.

The striking sculpture was chosen as the official memorial to the 1916 Easter Rising as it personified the dauntless courage and abiding constancy of the Irish people. The story of how the Cu Chulainn got his name is an enthralling tale.

In contrast, writer Oscar Wilde, known for his wit and flamboyance, adorned in semi-precious stones and surrounded by quotations from his writing, reclines on a rock in Merrion Square North.

Another controversial writer,

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James Joyce, leans on his walking stick on North Earl St. , close to the ‘Spire’, which is now Dublin’s most visible landmark. The script for Joyce’s statue was written by Roddy Doyle (The Commitments novel/movie) and the narration by popular Irish actor Gabriel Byrne. George Bernard Shaw, author of the play which became the film, My Fair Lady, stands outside the National Gallery of Ireland and explores the connection between Eliza Doolittle and the National Gallery.

Another Irish hero, often called the father of Irish republicanism, Wolfe Tone, is memorialized at St. Stephen’s Green. The leader of the 1798 Irish rebellion, Tone died at 35 years young in prison in Dublin’s Provost’s Prison.

There are also the heroes of Irish revolution, like James Connolly at Beresford Place, and the dramatic monument to the “Great Liberator” Daniel O’Connell located on, where else, O’Connell St. He is surrounded by an array of figures depicting elements of Irish society. Below these are four winged women representing Patriotism, Courage, Eloquence and Fidelity, the latter having her own story to tell. Sitting with her faithful hound, Fidelity watches over the people coming and going on O’Connell St. Also on O’Connell St. is the

people’s hero, six-foot tall “Big Jim” Larkin, who fought for a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Another ‘working girl’ and probably Dublin’s most photographed statue is ‘the tart with the cart’, namely Molly Malone on Suffolk St. Molly’s statue has a thing or two to say about Dublin life today.

On Liffey St. Lower, just across the Ha’penny Bridge, two lifelike seated women resting on a bench with their bags at their feet are also deep in conversation. The bronze sculpture titled “Meeting Place” is designed to reflect everyday city life. It is perhaps ironic and indicative of modern city life that, shortly after the installation, one of the heavy bronze shopping bags was stolen! Like many nicknamed Dublin statues, this one is known as ‘the hags with the bags’. The Anna Livia (‘floozie in the jacuzzi’) monument (dedicated to the River Liffey) was removed from O’Connell St. to Croppies Memorial Park some years ago to make way for the Spire.

While the talking statues are indeed worth visiting, keep your eyes open for the many other beautiful, inspiring or whimsical statues and sculptures situated all over the city... the Irish spirit immortalized in stone and bronze.

Temple Bar area of Dublin A visit to the Temple Bar area is a must if you are visiting Dublin. It is the home to numerous bars, night clubs, many fine restaurants and shops.

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Mount St. Patrick church marks 150 years

By Father Ryan Holly

Parish Priest Two brothers from Ballinvana, County Limerick, could never have imagined their combined impact as the builder of souls and churches in the new land far from home.

In January of 1867 (just months prior to Confederation) Father James MacCormac arrived as the new parish priest in Mount St. Patrick, two years after his ordination and arrival from Ireland.

Father James had the consolation of having his brother, Father John MacCormac, assist at the Mountain for a short period of time before Father John was appointed to the parish in Brudenell, where he would oversee the construction of Our Lady of the Angel’s Church and later the first church in Cormac, the tiny community name in his honour. It did not take long for the two MacCormac brothers to become legends in the land of their new home.

Father James MacCormac may have been youthful, but he wasted no time upon his arrival in Mount St. Patrick in initiating construction of a solid edifice, which stands today as the present church building. Records show that the present St. Patrick’s Church is most likely the third such church building in the history of the parish. Father James took it upon himself to make trips to lumber camps and to the United States to obtain the necessary funding for what would become a fieldstone church. Father MacCormac would learn that raising funds would not be the most serious challenge in his construction efforts.

With construction already underway the original contractor disappeared, taking with

him the architectural drawings and the funds collected for the project. Those tasked with continuing the construction faced the challenge of having to complete a building without the original plans. The most challenging architectural aspect of this difficult period was that construction of the spire without the original plans seemed unsurmountable. When all seemed most bleak, it was one of Father MacCormac’s own parishioners, Dan Culhane, who stepped forward and without any drawings, constructed a spire for the building.

Such was the resilience and determination that saw the project to completion.

The stone church was blessed by Archbishop Duhamel of Ottawa and the altar stone was consecrated as a gift by Bishop William Delaney, Bishop of Cork, Ireland. It would not be long before the stone church would need enlargement to accommodate a growing congregation and once again, the people adapted the building to meet the needs of the day.

The youthful zeal of Father James MacCormac was suddenly extinguished by his tragic drowning in Constant Creek at the age of 33.

He would die in the shadow of the church he so arduously laboured to construct, but it was the building up of souls that was his crowning achievement.

St. Patrick’s Church is locally renowned for the detailed frescos which adorn the ceilings of the interior. These were added as part of a major renovation and expansion undertaken in the 1930s by Father J.P. Harrington. The Eganville Leader of November 16, 1928 noted this endeavour by stating, “funds are wanted for improvements to the church, a stone edifice

now mellowing with age”.

This included the rebuilding of the stone, the addition of the spacious sacristy, the installation of a Cassavant pipe organ and the noted redecoration. Father Harrington undertook this renovation project with great ambition and vision.

Father Harrington contracted one of the most notable church artists in Canada to carry out the adornment of the church. Guido Nincheri was born in Italy, studied art in Florence and immigrated to Montreal in 1915 where he began his legendary career as a church artist and maker of stained glass in over 100 churches in Canada and Rhode Island, including the stained glass windows of St. Columbkille Cathedral in Pembroke. But it was Nincheri’s work in adorning the ceiling of St. Patrick’s church that Father Harrington was most concerned about. The renowned artist took up residence with a family in the parish while he carried out his work, and employed several young women from Mount St. Patrick to act as models for the angels that adorn the apse of the sanctuary. While most of Nincheri’s works are to be found in some of the country’s largest cathedrals and churches, Mount St. Patrick is among the fine examples of his style and work.

Bishop Ryan blessed the renovated church on June 3, 1930, but Father Harrington’s ambitious vision — like that of Father MacCormac — was not free from challenges.

While many fundraising efforts were taking place to pay for the project, the parish carried a substantial debt of $50,000. Father Harrington was now faced with the unsurmountable

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challenge of a crushing debt, but just as Dan Culhane came to the practical assistance of Father MacCormac, another loyal parishioner stepped forward in a time of crisis. Mrs. Ellen Donovan (nee Maloney) was from Mount Saint Patrick but moved with her husband, Patrick, to the Sudbury area where they were very successful in the mining industry. Never one to forget her roots, her generosity allowed for the alleviation of the debt. It was only when this debt was cleared that the solemn consecration of the church took place on September 15, 1938 by Bishop Charles Leo Nelligan. Again, in another parallel with the original builder of the church, Father Harrington did not live long after completing his project since he died on December 13, 1939.

The Church of St. Patrick sits nestled as a quiet gem in a corner of the Ottawa Valley and continues to be a spiritual home and refuge for residents and visitors alike. The worship of God has taken place within its walls for 150 years and before that in the Mountain chapels that preceded it. Known only to God are the countless souls who have prayed within its walls, and the graces they have received. It continues to stand as “an edifice that continues to mellow with age” as a visible sign of God’s presence in our midst.

Father MacCormac and his parishioners constructed a worthy building for the glory of God, one that continues to be a great hymn in stone.

(With grateful acknowledgement of the historical research on St. Patrick’s Church as done by Carol Bennett McCuaig, Reverend Joseph Legree and The Eganville Leader)

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