| Subj: |
Irish Culture and Customs Newsletter - 12/7/02 |
| Date: |
12/7/02 4:25:02 PM Eastern Standard Time |
From:
bnhaggerty@cinci.rr.com
To: cngaeilge@aol.com
|
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com
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Welcome to the Irish Culture & Customs newsletter which is published
every Saturday and sent out to nearly 600 readers all over the world. You
are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for it- God Bless you!
However, should you decide to unsubscribe, instructions are at the end -
but we do hope you'll stay.
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Greetings & Blessings to All,
It's official - Christmas has come to the Haggerty household! Last night,
we switched on the electric candles in each window and they will remain on
all through each night until January 6th. It's a special gift to our
neighbors, friends - and our utility company! The candles are just
the beginning of the decorating frenzy that occurs each year - two trees,
a half dozen wreaths, garland-wrapped bannister, and so on. But, the
reward of seeing the house take on that extra-special yule-tide warmth
makes all of the effort worth-while.
Speaking of warmth - outside, it most certainly isnt! We had our first
major snowstorm a couple of days ago - about four inches of the white
stuff, which - as with the Autumn leaves - Russ adamantly refuses to
remove. "God put it there, God can take it away." Well,
he's right; while we woke up to the mercury in the teens, the temperature
is supposed to climb into the balmy forties and the snow should all be
melted by tomorrow. Our neighbors to the south, especially in the
Carolinas, were a lot harder hit with an ice storm which caused severe
damage. For any of our subscribers who live in those areas, we surely hope
and pray you are okay.
Enough talk about the weather! Welcome back to all of you. We hope this
newsletter finds you healthy, happy and not too holiday-stressed! We'd
also like to welcome several new subscribers; we hope you enjoy this first
edition of your newsletter and we encourage you to forward it to your
family and friends. Bridget still has her heart set on a 1,000 members by
December 31st. If each reader found just one new subscriber, we'd easily
surpass that mark! In any event, we cherish each and every one of you, no
matter whether our numbers go up, or down.
Because of all the preparations for yesterdays "lighting
ceremony" - as in washing about thirty windows - we didn't do as much
on the website as we'd hoped. Take that back - Bridget didn't do as much.
Russ, on the other hand, spent a great deal of time reworking the poetry
section. It turns out to be one of our most-read pages, so he is making
every effort to flesh it out; the goal is to take every poem on the Irish
Times' top one hundred list and reprint it - along with a bio of the poet.
While many of the poems are familiar to us, quite a few aren't - so, it's
been a real pleasure to "discover" the not so well known Irish
bards and their works.
Russ has also been busy looking at the stats we can now access with our
new host. What is truly fascinating are the number of visitors from
different countries. As might be expected, the USA leads the way, followed
by Gt. Britain, Ireland, Canada and Australia. But, in addition, we
also had visitors from Singapore, Estonia, Russia, Switzerland, Rumania,
Czechoslovakia, Israel, and many others - even one that appeared to come
from the UN!
By the way, if the previous couple of paragraphs made it sound like
Bridget washed all the windows - she didn't. Enough of the blather, on
with the update.
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To learn more, please click here: http://www.apieceofireland.com/index.php?id=1083
==================================================================
IN THIS ISSUE:
A Bit of The Wit
Joke of The Week
Did You Know?
Quotes & Quips
Know Your Irish Writers?
New This Week
The Week Ahead
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A BIT O' THE WIT
We don't want to be like the leader in the French Revolution who said
"There go my people, I must find out where they are going so I can
lead them." John F. Kennedy
__________________________________________________________
OUR FAVORITE JOKE OF THE WEEK
The elderly priest, speaking to the younger priest, said, "It was a
good idea to replace the first four pews with plush bucket theatre seats.
It worked. The front of the chapel fills first." The young priest
nodded and the old priest continued, "And you told me a little more
beat to the music would bring young people back to Sunday Mass, so I
supported you when you brought that rock'n roll gospel choir. We are
packed to the balcony." Thank you Father," answered the young
priest. "I am pleased you are open to the new ideas of youth."
"Well," said the elderly priest. "I'm afraid you've gone
too far with the drive-through confessional." "But Father,"
protested the young priest "My confessions have nearly doubled since
I began that!" "I know son," replied the older priest.
"But that flashing neon sign, "Toot 'n Tell or Go to Hell,"
can't stay on the chapel roof!
__________________________________________________________
DID YOU KNOW...
1. Irish pubs are closed on Christmas day?
2. The ancient Celts believed mistletoe possessed miraculous healing
powers and held the soul of the host tree?
3. Victor Herbert, who composed Babes in Toyland, was born in Dublin?
__________________________________________________________
QUIPS, QUOTES & PROVERBS
Dá fheabhas é an t-ól is é an tart a dheireadh
Good as drink is, it ends in thirst. Irish Proverb
__________________________________________________________
KNOW YOUR IRISH WRITERS?
The answers to last week's quiz:
1. Connemara Blues by John O'Donohue
2. No Earthly Estate by Tom Stack
3. Traditional Cures and Gifted People by Phil Cronin
A drum-roll, please, for our literary sleuths:
Janet Lyons
kudos to Bridget and Russ for this great site:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com (Thank you, Janet!)
Jolene Ehret
Favorite websites:
http://www.austincelts.org Official website for the Austin (Texas) Celtic
Association
Or http://www.rambles.net Absolutely fantastic on-line magazine (a
cultural arts magazine). Hosted by a most talented young man Tom Knapp
Hartson Dowd
An enjoyable website for Irish Greeting Cards is http://www.fiddlediddle.com
Helen Dowd
Visit my website at: http://occupytillicome.online-ministries.com/
Judy Skapik
http://www.ireland-information.com/irishjokes.htm
This week's quiz: Who wrote...
1. The History of Kylemore Castle and Abbey
2. Turlough
3. The Renvyle Letters
Hint: Check out the best-sellers in Kenny's Bookshop, Galway - on the
web at: http://www.kennys.ie
Send us the correct answers to two out of three and here are your rewards:
1. If you have a web site, send us your URL plus a short description and
we'll publish it in the next newsletter. If you don't have a web site,
please nominate a favorite.
2. Receive a correct entry into the current "So You Think You're
Irish" trivia contest. (In fairness to those of you who go to the
trouble of actually finding the answers to the trivia contest, you'll get
a bonus entry!) Also, please remember that we list the winners in the
order of entries received.
__________________________________________________________
NEW OR REPUBLISHED FROM OUR INDEX THIS PAST WEEK:
1. St. Columcille of Iona. It's not actually republished but since today
is the great Saint's feastday, here is a link to an article we wrote about
him.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ASaints/Columcille.html
2. A Christmas Childhood by Patrick Kavanagh
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/Home.html
3. Poetry Index; several favorites from the Irish Times top one
hundred poems have been added to our poetry library. You'll see them as
hot links to the poem and in some cases, a short bio of the poet
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Poetry/2Index.html
4. A new story for children - Little Red Bird by our resident
story-teller, Grainne Rowland
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/1Kids/1Home.html
5. New Book in the Library: To School Through the Fields, by Alice Taylor;
one of Bridget's all-time favorites - especially the last chapter which is
all about Christmas.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Libr/Home.html
6. New Video in the Library: A Galway Christmas filmed at St. Nicholas
Cathedral.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/Libr/Home.html
7. Circle of Prayer: Our 3rd Novena in the current cycle continues
through December 11 and a new one begins next Thursday. If you would like
to join us in prayer or meditation, please click:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/CirclePrayer.html
8. New Trivia Contest for December posted. All entries must be in by
midnight EST on December 31st. The winner of November's contest is Dallas
Franklin of the USA. Congratulations - your book is in the mail.
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/TriviaContest.html
9. Shop Ireland - we revamped the page to give it a holiday theme. There's
still time to receive shipments from Ireland, but keep in mind that
December 16 is the last day for Fed X and express mail orders. Have fun
browsing!
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/ShopEire.html
NEXT WEEK, GOD WILLING:
If you're wondering what happened to the article on Jonathan Swift, Irish
musical instruments and so on, Bridget made the editorial decision to
shelve material that isn't related to the holidays until after the new
year. Instead, we're concentrating on bringing you new and republished
seasonal pieces - after all, 'tis only once a year.
Along the same lines, the new Irish lesson will focus on Christmas words
and phrases and, as always, each day we'll update the news and history,
post a new blessing on Sunday and a new quote on Wednesday. The Irish
Kitchen has been somewhat neglected of late - our fault, not Hartson's,
who has faithfully supplied us with a slew of holiday recipes. We'll be
posting several to make up for our negligence! As for submissions, we do
welcome them and we have several under review. If you have something you'd
like to send us, please read our submission guidelines first:
http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/SubmissionGuide.html
So, that's about it for another week, except to say we hope our readers
who celebrate the festival of lights enjoyed a happy Channukah. On a more
somber note, there are many of us who are old enough to remember what
happened on this date in 1941. We hope you'll take a moment to say a
special prayer for the families of all those who lost loved ones on 'The
Day of Infamy"- and also that you will include in your prayers a
petition for peaceful resolutions to the conflicts we are now facing.
In the meantime, in the midst of all the hubbub and hassle in the run up
to what Russ calls the "silly season", why not take a moment to
put your feet up and savor the real meaning of it all? A few minutes here
and there of total relaxation and thinking good thoughts just might help
negate getting mauled at the mall.
Until next Saturday, may you and those you hold dear enjoy a week filled
with God's abundant blessings and may He enfold you and protect you in the
mantle of His eternal love. And, as they say in Ireland, mind yourself.
All the best,
Bridget & Russ
Go mba seacht bhfearr a bheas tú bliain ó inniu!
May you be seven times better a year from today!
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Please help us to keep this newsletter free by visiting the following
affiliate:
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including a lovely silver-plated snowflake ornament comprised of Celtic
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any others in the Celtic Attic, please mention the referral code ic46 in
the comments section of the ordering form - we will receive a small
commission - thank you! http://www.celticattic.com/treasures/christmas_specials.htm
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