Monthly Archives: March 2014

“On A River in Ireland” makes D.C. premiere

My wife and I attended the Washington, D.C. premiere of “On A River In Ireland,” which was among the showings on the last day of the 22nd annual Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capitol. The film, directed by John Murray and narrated by Colin Stafford-Johnson, was released last year under the title “The Secret Life of the Shannon.”

There’s some really incredible wildlife cinematography in this 60-minute film, including slow-motion footage of water bats, red squirrels and several specials of birds. Irish America posted several short videos from the film, including the mesmerizing murmuration of starlings at twilight.

One of the most poignant scenes of the film, not in the link above, are the lonely call of a male corncrake. The once-common species has suffered drastic population declines and is threatened with global extinction.

Stafford-Johnson makes several references to the impact that rapid development in Ireland is having on the Shannon. Other than himself paddling a canoe, the only glimpse of human touch on the river are silhouettes of ancient ruins along its banks, including Clonmacnoise in County Offaly.

The film is not a headwaters-to-mouth journey on the river, but rather a more season- and species-focused exploration. Nevertheless, I was disappointed that the film ignores the Shannon Estuary west of Limerick. This is clearly the more industrialized, seaport portion of the river, but an area that still has a vital role in the natural world as fresh water mingles with salt water.

The area also is personally special to me, since my ancestors are from the north Kerry townlands within view of where the Shannon meets the Atlantic Ocean, one of my favorite parts of Ireland.

River Shannon by Therea M. Quirk.

River Shannon by Theresa M. Quirk.

Early 19th century agrarian violence and the Irish hedge schools

The Irish Story has a great post exploring links between one of the early 19th century agrarian secret societies and the Irish hedge school.

The period of the 1820s was a tumultuous time for the Irish nation as it struggled to search for an identity within the Union and, with difficulty, sought to adapt to change in an age of radical thought and religious fervour. The notion of the overarching power of the hedge schoolmaster on Irish Catholic agrarian society is one example, found in both contemporary works and recent scholarship, of an attempt to understand the complex political, religious and economic effects on the mentality of Irish society which culminated in the Rockite movement of 1821 to 1824.

Here are links to three contemporary works cited in the piece:

Researches in the South of Ireland, Thomas Crofton Croker, 1824.

Memoirs of Captain Rock: The Celebrated Irish Chieftain, with some Accounts of his Ancestors. Thomas Moore, 1824

‘The Hedge School,’ from Traits and Stories of Irish Peasantry, William Carleton, 1830

Irish hedge school. From The Irish Story.

Irish hedge school.                 From The Irish Story.

Honoring senior religious in Ireland and the U.S.

I admit a bias here. Two of my aunts took vows to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill, Pa. Their Irish immigrant parents encouraged them to enter the religious life. Both became teachers. They also contributed to other church-related ministry. One is dead now; the other retired, though she still tries to help around the convent.

In an opinion piece for The Irish Times, Fr. Tony Byrne suggests the positive contributions to society made by senior religious have been overshadowed by the scandalous atrocities of the minority of religious. He continues:

The witness of their commitment to a life of prayer and service is seldom recognized or appreciated in contemporary Irish society. Yet it is important to remember senior religious who have given and those who continue to give tremendous service to the poor and needy.

In other words, there’s more to the story of the Irish religious than the notorious Magdalene laundries and pedophile priests.

Here’s more about helping elderly nuns and priests in the U.S. from the Washington, D.C.-based Support our Aging Religious.

Image from homethoughtsfromabroad626 blog.

Irish nuns gathering turf. Image from homethoughtsfromabroad626 blog.

Last word on gays in St. Patrick’s parades

Irish Central founder Niall O’Dowd gets the last word on this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade season, and whether gays can march under banners proclaiming their sexual orientation.

There are many good and decent people who cherish and honor the act of marching in the parade, O’Dowd writes. “It is extremely disheartening to see them tarred in any way with the fallout from the LGBT issue.”

He continues:

If you stand and watch the parade for even a short time that is what comes across, the sheer joy and exuberance and pride of those taking part. The issue of gays marching is lost on most of them, from a Catholic high school band from Texas, to Catholic university alums, to a business organization like the IBO.

The parade is their definitive statement of their identity, their time to celebrate their history and heritage.

Back in the 19th century when the Know Nothings were shooting and killing Catholics, marching in such parades was a dangerous business for fear of being identified and attacked. Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral came under direct attack by the Know Nothings in 1836 and was saved by AOH defenders.

The times have changed for sure, but some would hang a scarlet letter over all who take part in the parade today even though they have absolutely nothing to do with the machinations of the parade committee. Instead they are merely honoring their forefathers and the battles they won that allowed us to enjoy the status of the Irish in America today.

That’s is why the parade will endure, despite the poor leadership, because it is deep in the bones of our people.

NYT’s Egan blasts Paul Ryan’s “Irish Amnesia”

New York Times columnist Timothy Egan accuses Republican Congressman Paul Ryan, who loves touting his Irish heritage, of missing the historical, political and moral lessons of Ireland’s Great Hunger.

There is no comparison, of course, between the de facto genocide that resulted from British policy, and conservative criticism of modern American poverty programs. But you can’t help noticing the deep historic irony that finds a Tea Party favorite and descendant of famine Irish using the same language that English Tories used to justify indifference to an epic tragedy.

Here’s the link to the full column.

43rd St. Patrick’s Parade in Washington, D.C.

Six weeks after arriving in Washington, D.C., my wife and I were happy to attend the city’s 43rd annual St. Patrick’s Parade. It is not the oldest or the largest such parade in the U.S., but it takes place in the national capital, where political and cultural ties with Dublin and the rest of Ireland are kept strong throughout the year.

Rev. Monsignor Salvatore A. Criscuollo, pastor of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in downtown D.C., was the grand marshal. Cecelia Farley, originally of County Wexford and a member of several Irish American groups, was honored as “Gael of the Year.”

Here are a few photos from my iPhone. Click on image to enlarge.

Man and dog dance a gig. Potomac Valley Irish Wolfhound Club.

Man and dog dance a gig. Potomac Valley Irish Wolfhound Club.

Cead Mille Failte, Irish American Club.

Cead Mille Failte, Irish American Club.

The 32 counties

The 32 counties

The McAuliffe Family of Kerry.

The McAuliffe Family of Kerry.

 

 

 

 

Kenny meets Obama at White House

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and President Barack Obama have completed the annual St. Patrick’s holiday meeting at the White House.

Obama said he was “disappointed” that all-party talks in Northern Ireland failed to reach agreement at the end of last year. Kenny said the two leaders privately addressed immigration reform and the situation in Ukraine.

Here’s the full transcript of their public remarks.

Kenny and Obama. White House photo.

Kenny and Obama.                                                                          White House photo.

No pot of gold for D.C. Irish American Museum

I’d rather write a story saying the proposed Irish American Museum of Washington D.C.  has millions of dollars in the bank, title to a piece of prime real estate and will break ground (or open!) for St. Patrick’s Day.

That’s not the case, as I report in this story for the Washington Business Journal.

Willie’s story featured in History Ireland

A short piece about my grandfather’s life and death has been published in the Personal History section of History Ireland. The section “aims to capture the individual histories of Irish people both in Ireland and around the world. It is hoped to build an extensive database reflecting Irish lives, giving them a chance to be heard, remembered and to add their voice to the historical record.”

My piece about Willie Diggin is titled “An Odd Coincidence.”

William Diggin

Willie Diggin, about 1920.

I’m grateful to Nick Maxwell of Wordwell Books for shepherding the piece. Disclosure: I subscribe to History Ireland, which offers excellent online, print and podcast presentations about — yes — Irish history.

This latest piece adds to the body of work I’ve published about my grandfather, including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and a 12-day series on this blog titled “Willie’s Emigration Centennial.”

My genealogy and history research related to his life has culminated in a book, “His Last Trip: An Irish American Story,” which was published in December. I am happy to report the book has been accepted for the archives of the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum and the Heinz History Center. I am waiting to hear from additional libraries and archives.

Contact me via the blog if you are interested in obtaining a copy.

Solas Nua prepares for Irish Book Day in D.C.

Forget the parades and over emphasis on tipping pints, a Washington, D.C. organization called Solas Nua (new light, in Irish) brings something more meaningful to St. Patrick’s Day: contemporary Irish arts.

Since 2005 group volunteers have dedicated most of their March 17 to handing out free copies of Irish literature and poetry. The “Irish Book Day” event is a “celebration of the richness of Irish culture.”

WTS Front

This year, Solas Nua is introducing a new collection of short stories and poetry by Ireland’s best contemporary writers. What’s the Story? includes work by Mary Costello, Kevin Barry, Elaine Feeney and others in the 139-page book.

Solas Nua volunteers will give away thousands of copies of the book at Metro stops including Dupont Circle, Gallery Place/Chinatown, Judiciary Square and Columbia Heights during morning and evening rush hours. Other locations will be tweeted throughout the day by @SolasNuacht. Readers are invited to share their responses using #whatsthestory on Twitter and Facebook.

The organization also has two film screenings coming up in its Irish Popcorn! series: Anam An Amhráin (Soul of the Song) on March 15 and The Irish Pub on March 31.

Visit the Solas Nua website for more details about these and other film, theater, literature and music events during the year. Consider volunteering your time or making a donation. You’ll enjoy the parades and pints even more if you help.