JULY/AUGUST 2006
www.celtic-connection.com
Page 33
SEATTLE IRISH NEWS
IRISH PICNIC - Seattle's Irish Community Picnic will be held on July 23, from noon to 6 PM, at St. Edward State Park in Kenmore (see www.parks.wa.gov for directions). All are welcome, especially families.
Admission is free - just bring your own food and drink, although there will be hot dogs and hamburgers provided for those who forget. There will be hurling and football for young and old, along with races, tug-o-war, sack races, water-balloon-toss, etc.
Our crowd gets bigger each year and we suggest getting there early to ensure a good parking spot (free parking). For more information, call Candace at (425) 745-1263, or e-mail: CandaceD@irishclub.org.
IMMIGRATION REFORM - The
U.S. House of Representatives leadership has announced a series of hearings before going to conference with the Senate on immigration reform, possibly in an attempt to delay action until after the November elections. Irish immigration support groups request continued calls to your DC Representatives to urge support for comprehensive immigration reform now rather than later. Visit www.irishlobbyusa.org.
CONDOLENCES - Valerie Dunne,
72, died June 24 in Seattle. Valerie was born in Dublin in 1934, and studied classical ballet at the National Ballet School in Dublin and also in Paris, France and London. She was a soloist for the National Ballet of Ireland and the Dublin Grand Opera Ballet.
She married Michael Dunne in 1957, and in 1964, with children Fiona and Darragh, moved to Seattle where their third child Roisin was born. In 1966, she opened the Valerie Dunne School of Ballet in Edmonds and also was an assistant professor at the University of Washington.
She taught ballet and Irish dance at the UW, and choreographed countless professional, community and high school ballet productions. Sincere sympathy to her husband, Michael, and her daughters, Fiona and Roisin. Her son Darragh preceded her in death.
CONDOLENCES - Nancy Hall
(nee Heffernan), 53, of Avoca, died June 9 in Dublin after a long battle with cancer. Nancy was a frequent Seattle visitor, most recently last
By JOHN KEANE
October, and will be dearly missed by her friends and relatives, both in Seattle and Ireland.
Ar dheis De go raibh a nanamacha -May their souls rest at God's right hand.
JOHN BRUTON - Ireland's former Taoiseach (Prime Minister) and current European Union Ambassador to the United States, John Bruton, recently spoke at Cascadia Community College in Bothell, and also addressed Seattle's World Affairs Council.
Bruton served as Ireland's Taoiseach from 1994-1997. During his time in office, the Irish economy grew at an annual average rate of 8.7 percent, peaking at 11.1 percent in 1997. Bruton was also deeply involved in the Northern Irish Peace Process leading to the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and presided over a successful Irish EU Presidency in 1996.
From Dunboyne, County Meath, he was first elected to the Irish Parliament (Dail Eireann) in 1969 at the age of 22 as a member of the Fine Gael Party, becoming Party Leader in 1990 and leading it into government in 1994. He resigned his seat in the Dail effective November 1, 2004 to take up an appointment as EU Head of Delegation in the United States.
While in Seattle, he also met with some members of Seattle's Irish community and expressed an interest in returning in the near future to meet with Seattle's Irish community.
NAACLT CONFERENCE - The
2006 North American Association for Celtic Language Teachers' annual conference was recently held in Edmonds. NAACLT is a nonprofit professional organization for Celtic language teachers and researchers and attendees at the 2006 conference included
IRISH IMMIGRANT SUPPORT
Irish Immigrants in Western Washington who need assistance of any kind, whether because of drug or
alcohol abuse, spousal abuse, work problems, family issues, visa problems, problems with the INS or the
Police, whatever - Free advice and referral assistance are available by calling
425-244-5147
or via email to iisg@irishclub.org. Complete confidentiality is promised.
Seattle Irish Immigration Support Group P.O. Box 75123, Seattle WA 98175 www.irish Seattle, com
participants from Ireland. Visit www.naaclt.org.
GAELS BOXER - Former Seattle Gaels footballer, TriciaTurton, was defeated by Mary Jo Sanders recently in Detroit in a WIBA Junior Middleweight title bout. The decision was unanimous but Trish showed lots of heart by hanging in there for the full 10 rounds.
MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS -Every Sunday at 1 PM, the Seattle Gaels hold youth clinics on Gaelic football and hurling at West Magnolia Playfield, 34th & West Barrett. For information, contact Liam Boyle at (206) 542-3781.
Sundays, live GAA Telecasts at Paddy Coyne's. For more information, contact claddcon@ comcast.net.
July 17-31, Seattle's Tir Na Nog Day Camp, aimed at four to eight year-olds. Call (206) 675-9750, or e-mail: celticroots_seatde@hotmail
November 8-13, Dublin's Gate Theatre performs Waiting for Godot
WITH JOHN BRUTON, former Irish Taoiseach and current EU Ambassadorto the U.S. are L-R, Kevin Gilna (EU Senior Outreach Advisor, from Longford), Mary Charles (Leitrim), Ambassador Bruton (Meath), John Keane (Westmeath), Melissa Estelle (from Seattle but studied in Derry), Fr. Bill Treacy (Laois), Camilla Barrett (Leitrim).
at Seattle's Moore Theatre. Visit Lectures presents Frank McCourt
www.gate-theatre.ie. at Benaroya Hall. Visit
tvt t, oi c a i q www.lectures.org.
November 31, Seattle Arts & °
'Gaelic Football is the Best Sport Ever'
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
SEATTLE - Marj Friedman had never heard of Gaelic football until she moved from Baltimore to Seatde four years ago. When she first moved to Seattle she started playing rugby since she had played that game in college. When she heard the girls at rugby practice talking about Gaelic football, she decided to check it out.
After seeing the game of Gaelic football, Marj was so taken that she joined the Seattle Gaels Women's Gaelic Football team.
"I think Gaelic football is the best sport ever," said Marj, "I like it because you get to run around a lot, whereas in rugby you don't always get the ball. Gaelic football involves elements of all these different sports, like there's some soccer, some basketball, and you can'tstand still with the ball, you get to kick and catch. It involves a little bit of everything.
MARJ FRIEDMAN
"A big part of Gaelic football is the social aspect, and that's a big part of the game for me. I like the camaraderie and most of my good friends that I hang-out with these days are from the Gaelic football team. We all go to the pub after practice and we also do other stuff together.
"One of the things, that I'm really excited about this year, is that we'll be going to San Francisco to compete. We'll get to play some really strong competition there.
"Another exciting event that we'll be going to is on the Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. This will be my third year to go there and it's really cool. A big Irish party, it's not like anything I've ever been to before."
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For more information about joining the Seattle Gaels Women's Gaelic football team, call (203) 500-3523, or e-mail: friedmarj@gmail.com.
■p in for a bite and a pint fore or after the Mariners leahawks games
njoy Summer on our Patio
w Brunch Menu
r signature dish oked Salmon Boxty
Anthony the Counselor
He's heard more confessions than the pope. Of course, he offers your redemption in a glass.
irish pub 6 restaurant
801 1st Avenue | Seattle ncr of 1st 6 Columbia ww.fadoirishpub.com 206.264.2700
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