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www.celtic-connection.com
NOVEMBER 2008
SEATTLE IRISH NEWS
CONDOLENCES
To the family of Ann Williams Bush who died recently in Seattle. Ann was a long-time advocate and fundraiser for the Glencree Reconciliation Center in Co. Wicklow.
To Kay Johnston who works for Microsoft in Bellevue, on the recent death of her father, Tony McCann, in Killathurley, Co. Mayo.
To Michael Gleason on the recent death of his 56-year-old brother Patrick in Enumclaw.
Ardheis De go raibh a n-anamacha -May their faithful souls rest at the right hand of God.
ACCOMMODATION -Ayoung Irish woman from Newry, Co. Down, is moving to Seattle in Decemberand will be working downtown. If you have a room available to rent, contact CharleneMcAteer@irishclub.org.
DOCUMENTARY FILM/MEETING-60
minutes of the historical documentary film Mise Eire (I Am Ireland) will be shown at 6 PM on November 16, at Assumption Church Hall, 6201 33rd Avenue NE, Seattle
The film features archive material of the 1916 Easter Rising, including footage of the Rebellion's leaders, Clarke, Pearse, Connolly, de Valera and Collins.
Commentary is in Gaelic with subtitles in English. An Irish Heritage Club general membership and Irish Week meeting follow at 7 PM along with a social hour including light hors d'oeuvres.
Members and potential members are very welcome and admission is free. For information, call (206) 427-3027 ore-mail: info@irishclub.org.
DAIDi na NOLLAG - Seattle's Irish Community Children's Christmas Party with Daidi na Nollag (Father Christmas), is 1-4 PM December 7, Maplewood Church Hall, 19523 84th Avenue West (on 196th Street), Edmonds.
Everyone is invited to meet Daidi na Nollag who arrives in his green robes at2PM.
Please register children (names and ages) by calling Aine McDonald at (206) 734-2633 or e-mail: AineM@irishclub.org.
MOTHER'S CHRISTMAS - Only a few spots remain for the 2009 Nollaig na mBan (or Mother's Christmas) dinner on January 11 at Mick Kelly's Irish Pub and Restaurant, 435 SW152nd Street, Burien. Cocktails 5 PM, dinner6 PM. For reservations, etc., contact CandaceD@irishclub.org or (425) 745-1263.
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT - Irish President Mary McAleese will visit Portland on December 13 to unveil an Irish Famine Memorial at Portland's Mount Calvary Cemetery and to greet Portland's Irish community ata community reception.
The last time an Irish president visited Portland was on November 14,1919 when Eamon de Valera, President of the Provisional Government of the Irish Republic, was raising money to fund the Irish War of Independence.
Two days earlier on November 12, 1919, de Valera had addressed a crowd of "at least 6,000" in Seattle, according to a report in the Catholic Northwest Progress.
VISA ISSUES - Seattle's Irish Immigrant
Support Group (www.irish seattle.com) notes that increasing numbers of Irish people are being deported for immigration violations, with 58 Irish people expelled so far this year.
Also, the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery is now accepting online applications through December 1.
Applications are free and can only be made on the official DV Lottery website at www.dvlottery.state.gov.
CHEAP FLIGHTS-When Irish budget airline Ryanair announced that it plans to sell transatlantic flights for just $12.70 each way, Irish Seattleites started hoping that Seattle might be one of the carrier's U.S. stops.
Even though passengers would pay airport taxes on top of the $12.70 fares, there would a huge demand for the cheap tickets.
Industry sources claim the flights are more likely to go from Dublin and Stansted airports to New York, Florida, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston.
BASKETBALLSTAR-Kristen O'Neill, the basketball-player daughter of Seattle Police Guild head Rich O'Neill, is in Ireland at present, hoping to take a spot on Ireland's National Women's Basketball team.
A native of Edmonds, O'Neill starred at Meadowdale High School and later at the UW where she was a three-year captain. She made a strong bid for a starting spot on the Seattle Storm's roster during training camp this year, but was a late cut.
After staying with the team as a practice player, she was signed to a seven-day contract on July 1. We wish her well with her plans to play with Irish National Team.
AS GAEILGE - The local conversational Irish-speaking group meets on the firstand third Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 PM at Mosaic Coffee House in the Wallingford District. For information, contact: james@banshee.com.
SCOTTISH GAELIC - Scottish Gaelic beginners start classes in November. For details, contact:
seumasgagne@slighe.com, or visit www.slighe.com/z2g.
IRISH CULTURE - An Irish Language and Culture Day will be held November 15 at St. Andrew's School, Helena, Montana, with Irish language, culture, and dance instruction for both kids and adults! For details, visit www.irish montana.com.
IRISH RAFFLE-Winatripfortwoto
Ireland and help support the Irish Studies Program at the University of Montana!
The St. Patrick's Day raffle first prize also includes a 10-day car rental and $1,500 spending money, with other prizes also. $5 per ticket or $25 for six. Visit www.irishmontana.com, or e-mail: pat@byrnerealty.net.
CONCERTS/CEILIS- Forthe latest information on all the Irish/Celtic events in the Seattle area, visit www.hoilands.com.
DES MOINES - On November 15, an Irish Hooley (Ceili music and dance) will be held at the Des Moines Community Center, 20827 Third Avenue South, southwest of the airport.
Doors open at 5 PM for the potluck supper, jam session, dancing and more. No experience required, but do bring your beverage of choice. Suggested donation: $5or$10family. For information, contact: mjhoiland@yahoo.com.
YULETIDE CONCERTS - Magical Strings, joined by the Raney Irish Dancers, Scottish fiddle band The McKassons, juggler virtuoso Thomas Arthur, vocalists Mark and Colleen Raney, and more, celebrates 30 years of Celtic Yuletide concerts.
Shows in Shoreline, Spokane, Kent, Friday Harbor, Bellevue, Mount Vernon, Olympia, Portland, Tacoma and Seattle. For all the details, visit: www.magicalstrings.com.
MUSIC CAMP - The eighth Friday Harbor Irish Music Camp, March 9-15, 2009 in Friday Harbor, with classes in the fiddle, flute, concertina, bouzouki, guitar, sean-nos singing, mandolin, tinwhistle, ear training, and Irish ensemble. For details, visit: www.fridayharborirish.com.
MUSICIANS/BANDS - The Irish Heritage Club hosts a listing of Seattle-area Irish musicians www.irish club.org/resource.htm#7 that probably could be updated!
If you have an Irish-themed band or group that you'd like to have added to the list, or if you'd like to correct information already there, please e-mail: resource@irishclub.org.
TOM QUINLAN, R.I.P.
The Puget Sound area's Irish community recently lost one of its most prominent members with the sudden death of Tom Quinlan in Tacoma.
Tom came from Tipperary to Seattle in 1956 at the age of 19 and has been heavily involved in the area's Irish community ever since.
Whether it was in Gig Harbor where he lived with his wife Mary Kay, or in Tacoma or Seattle, Tom could always be counted on to be actively involved in Irish events and activities.
He was active in everything from Irish football and hurling, to Irish dancing, to entertaining visitors from Ireland around St. Patrick's Day, to leading the singing and telling yarns at Irish dances and parties.
A player with Seattle in the 1960s, Tom helped organize the Evergreen Irish Gaelic Football team in Tacoma in 1980, and was also involved in the Seattle Galway Sister City Association.
In recent years, he got involved in thoroughbred horseracing and ran two horses this season at Emerald Downs, one called Tipperary Dream and the other Holystack, named forthe village of Holystack, Co. Tipperary, where Tom was born in 1937.
In 1995, he and Mary Kay were Honorary Grand Marshals of Seattle's St. Patrick's Day Parade, and just this past September they led a group on a
THE LATE Tom Quinlan with his wife Mary Kay at a Friends of St. Patrick Dinner in 2006. A larger than life personality in Seattle's Irish community, Tom passed away suddenly on October 31.
THE LATE Tom Quinlan sang at a St. Patrick's Day party in 1958, shortly after he arrived in Seattle from Co. Tipperary.
trip to Ireland that included a sister city visit to Galway.
Tom will be sorely missed but his memory will be a blessing to all who knew and loved him.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Kay and the rest of the Quinlan family.
Ar dheis De go raibh a an am dilis -May his faithful soul be at the right hand of God.
CONGRATULATIONS
To Tom and Margaret Hartnett of Bremerton recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Tom came to the Seattle area from Co. Limerick in 1951 and earned his Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree at Seattle University before serving in the U.S. Army in Japan.
In May 1958, he met Margaret Ward whose parents were from Co. Donegal, and she and Tom married in Seattle laterthatsame year on October 25,1958.
Tom worked for the Army Corps of Engineers and Naval Facilities Engineering Command which tookthe family all around the U.S. as well as a stint in Spain.
They finally returned to Bremerton where they have lived since 1983. They have five grown children (Noreen, Brian, Sheila, Colleen, and Francine) and seven grandchildren (Rachel, Julie, Neil, Jared, Jacob, Rebecca, and Aaron).
TOM AND MARGARET HARTNETT who celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary in October.
TOM AND MARGARET Hartnett on their wedding day, October25, 1958.
FINIAN ROWLAND and P.J. O'Donnell at Seattle's Mass of Remembrance.