Pictured above are last year's Bob Carr Hibernian of the Year Winner Tim Trant (L) and Service Award Winner Brian Walsh (R)
REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS APRIL 2
Dear Members of Division #32,
It is that time of year that our attention turns to Lent and the celebration of Easter.Part of our Easter celebration always includes the AOH/LAOH Division 32 Communion Breakfast.This year’s event will held on April 15th.
The Communion Breakfast committee will be up and running in planning this year’s event. It will be held at Pittsburgh’s Grand Hall at the Priory with mass beginning at 10:30 AM.Following mass and breakfast, a short program will take place to honor our Service Awardees, our AOH Junior Division Scholarship winner, and the highlight of the day will be the awarding of the AOH and LAOH Hibernian of the Year awards.
The price for breakfast is $24.00 for adults (17 and older), $15.00 for guests in the (7 to 16) age range, and $9.00 for guests under 7 years of age.Tables of 10 are available as noted on your registration form below.All checks should be made payable to AOH Division 32 and mailed, along with payment, to:
Tom Welch 325 Battery Drive North McDonald, Pa.15057
All seats for this event for this event are on a paid “PRESALE ONLY” basis and no walk-ins will be accepted.Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.Please print and complete this post (registration form below) by April 2 and forward it with payment.
Yours in Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity,
Here is your Irish history lesson for this week. March 26 1787 - The Tumultuous Risings Act imposes penalties for rioting and for interference with the collection of tithes 1838 - William Edward Hartpole Lecky, historian and philosopher, is born in Blackrock, Co. Dublin 1854 - Harry Furniss, caricaturist, is born in Wexford 1856 - William Massey, New Zealand statesman and Prime Minister from 1912 to 1925 is born in Limavady, Co. Derry/Londonderry 1922 - An IRA anti-treaty army convention announces it will no longer accept the authority of Free State Minister for Defense Richard Mulcahy 1931 - Death of Tim Healy, former Home Rule politician and first Free State Governor-General 1999 - SDLP leader, John Hume reveals that he intends to donate all of his £280,000 Nobel Peace Prize money to charity and victims of violence in Northern Ireland 2000 - A German couple miraculously escape with their lives when the light plane they are flying crashes to the ground at Galway Airport 2001 - Violence erupts at a number of demonstrations against the ASTI teachers’ strike 2002 - Hillary Rodham Clinton makes her first official visit to Ireland as a US Senator. The trip is to promote trade between Dublin and New York state 2002 - The Farm and Speciality Food Market at St George's, Belfast Ireland's becomes the first group to win the top prize in the Ballygowan/Irish Food Writers' Guild Food Awards. March 27 1599 - Robert Devereux becomes Lieutenant-General of Ireland 1625 - Charles 1 becomes king of England, Scotland and Ireland 1650 - Kilkenny surrenders to Cromwell 1725 - The first number of Faulkner's Dublin Journal is published 1766 - First publication of The Vicar Of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith 1782 - A Whig administration comes to power in Britain 1839 - Birth in Glenavy, Co. Antrim, of John Ballance, Prime Minister of New Zealand. The eldest son of a tenant farmer, John is not interested in farming and goes to Belfast to stay with his uncle. At eighteen, he goes to Birmingham and earns a living in the ironmongery business. At twenty-four, he marries Fanny Taylor. Her poor health encourages the couple to leave for New Zealand in the hope that the better climate would help her. John establishes the Evening Herald, later called the Wanganui Herald. During the Maori Wars of the 1860s, his editorials in the Herald often challenge aspects of military policy relating to land disputes with the local Maori. His activities as a journalist lead quickly and easily to a career in politics. He enters Parliament in 1875 and make his reputation in the spheres of the economy and land use. He holds office as Colonial Treasurer (1878), as Minister of Lands, Native Affairs and Defence(1884-7) and as Liberal Premier (1891-3). He has good relations with the Maori people and solves many of the land problems they face. He is instrumental in giving women the vote making New Zealand the first country in the world to do so 1872 - Mary MacSwiney - Maire Nic Shuibhne - Irish patriot, is born. Educated in the Ursuline Convent, she later trains as a teacher at Cambridge University. She teaches in Cork where she becomes a founding member of the Munster Women's Franchise League and a member of the Gaelic League. In 1914, she helps found Cumann na mBan and becomes president of the Cork branch for which she is interned after the 1916 Rising. As a result of her imprisonment, MacSwiney loses her job as a teacher and in 1917 she and her sister Annie found St. Ita's School for girls in Cork City where all subjects are taught in Irish. In 1917, she joins Sinn Féin and in 1918 she is elected to the First Dáil for Cork. MacSwiney is Vice-President of Cumann na mBan when that organisation votes 419 to 63 against supporting the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. MacSwiney is appointed to the Cabinet of the Second Dáil in 1922 and is twice imprisoned during the Civil War, undergoing a twenty-one day hunger-strike in Mountjoy Gaol and a twenty-four day hunger-strike in Kilmainham Gaol 1999 - A major rail disaster is averted by the quick reactions of a train driver, when a 40ft articulated lorry ploughs through a bridge and falls onto the railway tracks below — straight into the path of an on-coming train. The train driver manages to stop the train — carrying an undisclosed number of passengers — just 200 yards from the crashed truck 2001 - Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble kicks off his election campaign outside his party headquarters in Belfast with a massive poster of himself 2001 - The cross border cull of thousands more sheep in the south Armagh north Louth areas, where Ireland’s only two cases of foot and mouth have occurred, gets underway 2002 - A copy of the Cork Examiner, a golf club, flowers and national media awards are among gifts presented at the funeral of one of Ireland's best known newsmen. More than 1,000 people pack the Church of the Immaculate Conception, The Lough, Cork, to pay their last respects to Fergie O'Callaghan, editor of the Cork Examiner for 18 years before his retirement in November 1994. March 28 1646 - Peace between the confederates and James Butler, the Marquis of Ormond and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, leads to a split within the confederation, i.e. between confederates and royalists 1719 - John Cairnes, son of David Cairnes, former MP for the city of Londonderry, is killed in a duel in Newcastle, England 1772 - An Act to repress Steelboy disturbances in five Ulster counties is passed 1820 - Sir William Howard Russell, war correspondent, is born in Tallaght, Co. Dublin 1874 - Joseph McGarrity, Irish patriot, is born in Carrickmore, Co. Tyrone 1879 - Terence MacSwiney, Irish patriot and Lord Mayor of Cork, is born 1881 - Birth of Martin Sheridan, "the world’s greatest athlete", in Bohola, Co. Mayo. Although largely unpublicised, Sheridan’s achievements in field athletics undoubtedly put him amongst the greats: in three successive Olympics he wins 5 gold medals, 3 silver and 1 bronze, and sets up 16 world records 1932 - Birth of Richard Burke, Fine Gael politician and EC Commissioner 1944 - Birth of Nell McCafferty, journalist and feminist, in Derry/Londonderry 1955 - John Alderdice, Alliance Party leader, is born in Ballymena 1957 - Death of Patrick "Jack" B. Yeats, Ireland's leading painter of the 20th century 1970 - Easter rising commemorations lead to rioting and the first fighting between the British army and Provisional IRA 2000 - Wildcat action by certain SIPTU rail workers in support of their National Bus and Rail Union colleagues quickly exacerbates the dispute; as the strike appears to worsen, commuters can expect another day of chaos in getting to work. On a lighter note, sales of bicycles in Dublin have soared 2001 - The Government expresses serious concern about another potential outbreak of suspected foot and mouth in Co Louth 2003 - A Dublin woman pays 8,500 euros for two tickets for Ireland’s Grand Slam showdown with England. With interest in the game at fever pitch, Ann Higgins secures her seats for one of the biggest games of the year during a charity auction on the Marian Finucane Show. March 29 1613 - A charter incorporates Derry as the city of Londonderry and creates the new county of Londonderry 1793 - Charlotte Brooke, author of Reliques of Ancient Irish Poetry, dies 1850 - The SS Royal Adelaide sinks in a storm with the loss of 200 lives 1859 - First publication of The Irish Times 1869 - James MacNeill, Governor-General of the Irish Free State from 1928 to 1932, in Glenarm, Co. Antrim(May have been March 27) 1873 - Peig Sayers, Blasket Island storyteller, is born in Dunquin, Co. Kerry 1898 - The Registration Act allows women and peers to vote in local government elections 1901 - James Stephens, Fenian leader, dies 1913 - Birth in Dublin of actor Niall MacGinnis 1924 - Charles Villiers Stanford, composer/writer, dies 1933 - Birth in Belfast of singer Ruby Murray. In the early part of 1955 Murray has five singles in the Top 20 at the same time, an extraordinary record that lasts until the emergence of Madonna in the 1980s. A few of Murray's many hits include 'Let Me Go Lover', 'Real Love', 'Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye' and 'You Are My First Love' 1998 - Provisional IRA chiefs meet to discuss their ceasefire which has been rocked by the defections of up to a dozen Provo volunteers who quit the organisation to join the hard-line Continuity IRA 1998 - A fresh debate on film censorship is set to erupt with the new edition of Lolita being submitted to the censor, Séamus Smith 1999 -The IRA agrees to identify the graves of nine of the 20 disappeared persons, murdered and buried in secret since 1970; but their leadership holds out on decommissioning 1999 - Fishing skippers sign contracts for 17 new ultra modern fishing vessels valued at almost £30 million under the Government's whitefish fleet renewal programme 2000 - A live grenade, dating back to either the First World War or the War of Independence, is found in a ditch just yards from the entrance gate to a secondary school in Cork. The Mills 36 grenade is rendered harmless in a controlled explosion by army bomb disposal experts from Collins Barracks 2001 - Members of Louth County Council bring in goats for burial after being shot by Irish Rangers in the Cooley Mountains to help contain the spread of foot and mouth disease.Photo Credit: Kieran Corrigan 2001 - Many major tourist attractions reopen to the public with the easing of restrictions due to the foot and mouth disease scare 2001 - A new survey, carried out by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that out of 22 Western countries, Ireland lies third behind the US and Poland for illiteracy rates 2002 - During a simple, poignant service in Dublin's Unitarian Church, 3,600 victims of the Northern Ireland conflict are remembered March 30 1493 - Kildare, who has been suspected of supporting Perkin Warbeck, is given a general pardon 1603 - After a long battle against English rule, Hugh O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone, submits to Lord Mountjoy at Mellifont. O'Neill is pardoned; the Treaty of Mellifont ends the Nine Years War 1798 - Privy Council proclaims Ireland in state of rebellion and imposes martial law 1824 - Thomas Devin Reilly, journalist and editor, is born in Co. Monaghan 1851 - A census shows the population of Ireland to be 6,552,385: it has declined by one-fifth since 1845. The number of Irish in England and Wales has increased by 79% in the past decade. Nearly a quarter of Liverpool is now 'Irish'. Over 18% of the people of Glasgow and Dundee are Irish-born - 6.7% of Scotland as a whole 1873 - Richard Church, of Co. Cork, soldier and "liberator of Greece," dies in Athens 1880 - Birth of playwright Sean O'Casey in Dublin 1896 - An Irishman wins an Olympic gold medal for the first time, when John Pius Boland triumphs in tennis 1920 - Jack White, journalist and author, is born in Cork 1922 - Craig-Collins Pact is signed in London. Irish Free State formally recognizes Northern Ireland government 1926 - Actor Ray McAnally is born in Buncrana Co. Donegal 1930 - David Staple becomes joint president of the Council of Churches for Britain & Ireland 1972 - The Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act comes into force decreeing direct rule from London. Brian Faulkner, prime minister of Northern Ireland, resigns 1979 - Airey Neave, shadow Northern Ireland Secretary and opposition Conservative spokesman on Northern Ireland, dies when a bomb explodes in his car as he is driving out of the House of Commons car park. Two groups, the Provisional IRA and the Irish National Liberation Army, claim responsibility 1998 - According to a major report published on this date, almost 9,000 jobs will be lost with the abolition of duty free next year; it also indicates that travel costs from Ireland to Britain will increase by £16·70 while travel into Ireland will increase £14·30 1998 - The chairman of the Northern peace talks, Senator George Mitchell, praises the commitment of the political parties as representatives continue negotiations into the night 1999 - Talks led by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to break the decommissioning logjam end in deadlock 2001 - Former Taoiseach Charles Haughey returns to his Kinsealy home after spending nearly two weeks in hospital 2001 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern visits Co, Louth to see at first hand the devastation wrought by the first outbreak of the disease in the Republic; he warns that tough restrictions will remain in place for months. The photo shows Mr. Ahern using the foot dip before meeting officials of the Department of Agriculture 2001 - Aer Lingus workers stage a one-day strike over pay at Dublin Airport. The 3,000 striking staff, members of the SIPTU trade union, are protesting against their rates of pay in comparison with other Aer Lingus workers 2003 - Thousands of anti-war protesters join a peace march through Dublin city centre, in the latest of a series of demonstrations calling for an end to the military action against Iraq. Irish public support for US foreign policy has dropped sharply since the days after the September 11 attacks, an opinion poll shows. Three out of four adults are unhappy with President George W Bush’s handling of the Iraq situation, according to the Milward Brown poll. March 31 1711 - Seven women from Island Magee, Co. Antrim are imprisoned and pilloried for 'bewitching' a woman named Mary Dunbar, who has experienced strange fits and visions 1790 - A quarrel between John Philpot Curran (MP for Kilbeggan) and Robert Hobart (MP for Portarlington) results in a duel in which Hobart allows Curran to fire and then refuses to return fire 1855: Charlotte Bronte, daughter of an Irish-born father (Patrick) and eldest of the Bronte sisters, dies during pregnancy 1859 - The independent Irish party splits and the Tenant League breaks up 1871 - Birth in Dublin of Arthur Griffith, founder of Sinn Féin and co-signatory of Anglo-Irish treaty 1896 - Women become qualified for election as poor law guardians (welfare administrators) under the Poor Law Guardians Act 1901 - A census on this date shows the population of Ireland to be 4,458,775; this is the last census to be taken on the basis of baronies 1903 - Jack Doyle, boxer and singer, is born in Cóbh, Co. Cork 1920 - British parliament accepts Irish "Home Rule"-law 1922 - Birth of actor Patrick MaGee in Co. Armagh 1926 - Jeremiah Newman, Bishop of Limerick and writer, is born in Dromcolliher, Co. Limerick 1952 - Birth of comedian Dermot Morgan in Dublin 1966 - Contingents from Welsh, Breton, Manx, Cornish and Scottish liberation movements march behind IRA at 50th anniversary of Easter Rising 1998 - At the Stormont peace, politicians fail to pass the first hurdle set for them by negotiations chairman Senator George Mitchell 1998 - According to a poll released on this date, almost four-fifths of people in the North will vote "yes" for compromise in a referendum if the political parties at Stormont agree to a deal 1998 - After a four-year hiatus, MTV returns to the screens of Irish Multichannel subscribers 1999 - Ireland is selected as the location for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games. It will be the first time the event has been staged outside the US.
April 1 1329 - From April onwards there are risings by the native Irish in various parts of Munster and Leinster, and reprisals against them. This will continue into 1330 1716 - The first Doggett Coat and Badge sculling race takes place on the Thames; one of the oldest sporting fixtures in the British sporting calendar, it is founded by Thomas Doggett, an Irish actor and theatre manager 1730 - Samuel Boyse, MP for Bannow, dies as a result of a duel at the age of 33 1776 - Irish-born Edward Hand is appointed a Brigadier General in the Continental Army 1839 - St. Clair Mulholland, Union Civil War General and Medal of Honor winner, is born in Lisburn, Co. Antrim 1848 - Augustus Saint-Gaudens, sculptor, is born in Dublin 1911 - The Titanic is launched in Belfast 1919 - DeValera is elected president of the first Dáil Éireann 1935 - Death of Francis Arthur Fahy from Kinvara, Co Galway, who wrote the ballad Galway Bay 1966 - Death of writer Brian O'Nolan, also known as Flann O'Brien and Myles na gCopaleen 1986 - US sub Nathaniel Green runs aground in the Irish Sea 1998 - The European Commission serves notice on the Government that Ireland faces prosecution in the European Court on charges of damaging the environment and failing to provide secure habitats for some of our most endangered bird species 1999 - One thousand people, the entire population of Belmullet in Co. Mayo, are evacuated from the town following a fire in a rubber factory 2000 - John Dennehy, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Science, makes academic history by being elected Chairman of the Education Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for a three year period. He is the first Irish person to be appointed to this position 2001 - One of Irish television’s most familiar faces, Brendan O’Reilly, passes away. The 71 year old former television and radio broadcaster and commentator had been ill for a number of months 2001 - The Department of Agriculture orders the slaughter of all the remaining 15,000 or so sheep in the Cooley Peninsula, Co. Louth 2002 - Loyalist thugs posing as Glasgow Celtic supporters are hunted by police after a series of attacks in flashpoint north Belfast. 2003 - Veteran actress Pat Leahy, 66, collapses on the set of Fair City Sources: Irish Culture and Customs, The Celtic League, Irish Abroad, The Wild Geese
Thanks to brothers Chris Cahillane and Ed Blank for passing along information about a great new Irish movie, The Wind that Shakes the Barley that many of us have been waiting for since it won the Palm d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival last May.
The movie opened in New York on March 16, pegged to St. Patrick's Day and will play its Pittsburgh engagement at Regent Square Theater starting April 20. Ed is looking into group rates for Irish organizations.
Check out the link undernesath our Photo Album on the right to view 43 pictures from Pittsburgh's St. Patrick's Day Parade and the Grand Prize Winners AOH 32.
Many thanks to Leo O'Donnell and Chris Cahillane for providing the photos.
More Parade photos will be uploaded to the Album later in the week as they're developed. Enjoy.
For the second year in a row, AOH 32 won first place honors as Best Overall Marching Unit in Pittsburgh's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday!
Congratulations everyone!
Check back later this week for pictures from the Parade! By the way, in case you missed them, here are a few articles related to the Parade which appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
March 19 1642 - Charles I's 'Adventurers' Act' offers confiscated Irish land in return for investment in the reconquest 1821 - Birth in Dublin of Sir Richard Francis Burton, adventurer, writer, swordsman, scholar and explorer 1824 - William Allingham, poet and diarist, is born in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal 1861 - Joseph MacRory, Catholic Primate of all Ireland and cardinal, is born in Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone 1920 - Tomás MacCurtain, Lord Mayor of Cork for Sinn Féin and inventor of the famous "Flying Column, is killed by Black & Tans disguised as policemen. The inquest into his death returns a verdict of wilful murder against the RIC, and indicts Lloyd George and the British government 1921 - Tom Barry and the West Cork Flying Column routs a superior force from the Essex Regiment at Crossbarry 1924 - Death of Charles Villiers Stanford, composer and author 1928 - Birth of actor Patrick McGoohan 1988 - Two British soldiers who drive into a Republican area of Belfast during a funeral procession, are seized and killed 1998 - The country's beef industry takes a further blow following strong indications from the Department of Agriculture that Co. Clare is to be included in the beef export ban to Russia 1998 - The Maze prison crisis deeps after the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) issues a death threat against warders.The terror gang warns it will specifically target prison officers working in H6 unit over allegations of mistreatment 2000 - The Irish and British governments begin an all out effort to build on the positive signal from Ulster Unionist Party leader, David Trimble, and rescue the endangered Northern Ireland peace process 2000 - As many as 250,000 people line the streets of Dublin to watch a spectacular fireworks display which caps off four days of celebration as the grand finale of St Patrick’s Festival 2000 - Thirty five bands from the United States, Japan, Northern Ireland and across the country take part in the Limerick International Marching Band Competition, Ireland's biggest band parade 2001 - Former Taoiseach Charles Haughey is in critical condition in a Dublin hospital after collapsing at his home 2001 - Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, announces that she is stepping down from her post, saying she thinks she can do more outside the "restraints" of the UN system Photo Credit: Laurent Gillieron, AP 2003 - Co. Clare takes top honours at the CIE National Awards of Excellence. In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast of St. Joseph. March 20 1761 - Robert Simms, a founder of the United Irishmen and proprietor of the Northern Star, is born 1780 - Miles Byrne, United Irishman and officer in Napoleon's Irish Legion, is born in Monaseed, Co. Wexford 1884 - Tomás MacCurtain, revolutionary and Lord Mayor of Cork is born in Ballyknockane, Co. Cork 1914 - After 60 cavalry officers at the Curragh resign their commissions - an incident known as 'the Curragh mutiny' - the War Secretary states that the army will not be used to coerce Ulster into Home Rule 1927 - Birth in Dublin Zoo of Cairbre, the lion used to introduce Metro-Goldwyn-Meyer films 1928 - William Sydney Callaghan, Methodist clergyman, is born in Dublin 1964 - Brendan Behan, writer/poet, dies at 41 in the Meath Hospital from complications caused by diabetes and alcohol 1971 - Brian Faulkner succeeds James Chichester-Clark as Prime Minister of Northern Ireland 1989 - Senior RUC men, Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Bob Buchanan, negotiating cross-border security co-operation in south Armagh, are ambushed and shot dead by the IRA 1993 - Two bombs explode in Warrington, Cheshire. A three-year old child is killed and more than 50 people are injured; another child dies of his injuries later. The IRA admits responsibility 2001 - Thousands of second level students across the country take to the picket lines to protest the nationwide strike by teachers 2003 - Hundreds of anti-war protesters gather outside the Dáil to protest the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. 2006 - Eczema gene identified in study led by Irish doctors. The findings are regarded as hugely significant as the first steps towards finding a cure. The study was led by Dr Alan Irvine, a consultant paediatric dermatologist at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin, Dublin, and Prof Irwin McLean, a geneticist at the University of Dundee in Scotland. Dr Irvine is from Enniskillen and Prof McLean is originally from Ballymoney, Co Antrim. March 21 1181 - John Cumin (or Comyn) is elected archbishop of Dublin and consecrated by the pope at Velletri on this date. He is the first Englishman to be appointed to an Irish see 1656 - Death of Bishop James Ussher. The Dublin-born cleric deduced from biblical studies the exact date of the Creation (October 23rd,4004 BCE), and the date of the end of the world: November 4, 1996. The Bishop had a cult following until then 1689 - Derry/Londonderry declares allegiance to William III 1763 - William James McNeven, physician, United Irishman and writer, is born in Aughrim, Co. Galway 1881 - The Peace Preservation Act, controlling possession and importation of arms, is enacted 1886 - Oscar Traynor, revolutionary, Fianna Fáil politician and Minister; football administrator, is born in Dublin 1970 - Dana (Rosemary Brown) wins the Eurovision Song Contest for Ireland with 'All Kinds of Everything' 1998 - Sonia O'Sullivan wins a gold medal in the World Cross-Country championships 2001 - Tests for foot-and-mouth disease are carried out on samples from sheep on a farm in Louth 2001 - Taoiseach Bertie Ahern strongly urges the release of the remaining Government funding to help complete the famine ship Jeanie Johnston 2001 - Hundreds of students gather outside Leinster House to protest the teacher's strike 2003 - The Government insists it is not a participant in the 50-member coalition of countries which the US says is providing support for the war on Iraq. The United States has published a list of 35 countries which make up its "coalition of the willing", but says another 15 members are providing back-up support and do not wish to be named. March 22 1686 - With the return of a Catholic monarchy - James II - payments to the Catholic hierarchy are authorized; Catholics are appointed to government positions; replacement of Protestant by Catholic soldiers intensifies 1768 - Melasina Trench, writer, is born in Dublin 1829 - Sir Richard Sankey, soldier and engineer, is born in Cashel, Co. Tipperary 1841 - The Irish Emigrant Society is founded in New York 1848 - Birth of artist Sarah Purser in Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin 1912 - Birth of actor Wilfrid Brambell in Dublin 1929 - Sixty-six horses run in Irish Grand National Sweepstakes; Alike wins the race 1979 - Two members of the IRA assassinate Sir Richard Sykes, British ambassador to the Netherlands, outside his residence at The Hague 1983 - Belfast-born and Dublin-educated Chaim Herzog is elected president of Israel. 1998 - Unionist leaders launch a fresh bid to have Republicans excluded permanently from peace negotiations 1998 - Sonia O'Sullivan wins her second gold medal at the World Cross-Country Championships 2000 - Over 2,000 student nurses walk out of hospital wards and lecture halls in a protest over tuition fees 2001 - The Government declares a national emergency in a bid to contain the country’s first foot and mouth outbreak in 60 years 2002 - At the Four Courts, the conviction of Paul Ward for the murder of Veronica Guerin, is quashed. March 23 1847 - Choctaw Indians collect money to donate to starving Irish Hunger victims 1889 - Robert Gibbings, illustrator and writer, is born in Cork 1893 - Birth in Dublin of Cedric Gibbons, designer of the coveted Oscar statuette and winner of eleven Academy Awards himself 1917 - Birth of singer Josef Locke (Joe McLaughlin) in Derry 1951 - On this date, Shannon Airport is the base for a rescue operation after a USAF C124 aircraft crashes into the sea - some wreckage is found 450 miles off the west coast, but all 53 people on board are lost 1971 - Chichester Clark resigns as Prime Minister and is replaced by Brian Faulkner 1976 - The EEC rejects the Irish government's application for derogation from its directive for equal pay to men and women 1998 - Ian Paisley lead his party back to the Northern Ireland peace talks for the first time in eight months — but only to protest at the re-entry of Sinn Féin following its suspension over IRA involvement in two murders 1998 - History is made in Galway when all vehicles are banned from the city's main thoroughfare, Shop Street, and its adjoining arteries. The streets are closed to traffic from 11am to 7.30pm as part of a pedestrianisation programme to tackle traffic problems in the city's narrow streets 1999 - Under the terms of the Good Friday peace agreement, IRA prisoners, Paul Kavanagh, Thomas Quigley and Gerard McDonnell are freed after a High Court judge rejects a legal challenge by British Home Secretary Jack Straw to keep them in jail 1999 - The British government signals its growing impatience with the decommissioning deadlock when it issues a legal challenge to the release of Brighton bomber Patrick Magee and three other IRA prisoners 2001 - Gardaí arrest 12 protesting students as thousands of secondary school pupils take to the streets all over the country demanding an end to the ASTI teachers strike 2001 - At the Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day Auction, the hottest collectable is Bono’s handmade Black Fly shades, which fetches £4,000 2002 - At high tide, thirty-nine whales are washed onto Aughcasla Strand, in the Dingle Peninsula. March 24 1603 - James VI of Scotland comes to the throne of England, as James I, following the death of Elizabeth I on this date 1796 - The Insurrection Act imposes curfews, arms searches, and the death penalty for oath-taking 1866 - Birth in Co. Cork of light-heavyweight boxing champion, Jack McAuliffe 1909 - Death in Dublin of John Millington Synge. The plays of Irish peasant life on which his fame rests are written in the last six years of his life. In 1904, Synge, Yeats and Lady Gregory found the famous Abbey Theatre. Two Synge comedies, The Well of the Saints (1905) and The Playboy of the Western World (1907), are presented by the Abbey players. The latter play creates a furor of resentment among Irish patriots stung by Synge's bitter humor. 1945 - Birth of actor Patrick Malahide; born Patrick G. Duggan, to Irish parents living in England 1953 - Queen Mary dies at 86 1958 - Dawson Stelfox, architect and mountaineer, is born in Belfast 1968 - An Aer Lingus plane, the St. Phelim, crashes into the sea near Tuskar Rock, Co. Wexford, with the loss of all 61 passengers and crew 1972 - Stormont parliament and government are suspended and direct rule from London is introduced; William Whitelaw becomes Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 1995 - For the first time in 25 years, Britain halts all routine army patrols in Belfast 1998 - The Prison Service in Northern Ireland confirms that five Loyalist Volunteer Force prisoners are now on hunger strike at the Maze jail to protest a security crackdown following the savage murder of loyalist remand prisoner David Keys 1999 - Anti-blood sports groups call on Minister Silé de Valera to refuse to renew a licence to the country's last remaining stag hunt 2000 - Dubliners face traffic chaos as the bus drivers’ dispute threatens to escalate into an all out strike 2002 - Twenty-one whales are rescued after stranding themselves on a Kerry beach; with the other whales forming a circle around her, rescuers are thrilled to observe one of the whales giving birth minutes after being pulled back out to safety 2003 - Veteran actor Peter O’Toole is awarded an honorary Oscar for a career which has spanned more than 40 years. March 25 1635 - A shower of hailstones, with stones as large as four inches in circumference, is reported in Castletown, Co. Offaly; a hen is killed and a woman is injured 1738 - Irish harpist and composer, Turlough O'Carolan, dies at Alderford House, the home of his patron Máire MacDermott Roe, in Ballyfarnan, Co. Roscommon 1735 - Birth of James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden and politician 1831 - Arthur Kavanagh, politician and progressive landlord, is born in Borris, Co. Carlow 1840 - Birth of Myles Keogh in Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow. Soldier in the US army, it is said by the Sioux that he is the last man killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn, where his horse is the only US survivor 1846 - Michael Davitt, known universally as "The Father of the Land League", is born in Straid, Co. Mayo 1847 - Pope Pius IX issues an encyclical called "On aid for Ireland" 2000 - David Trimble narrowly beats off a challenge to his leadership of the Ulster Unionist Party casting doubt on its unity and the future of the Northern Ireland peace process 1920 - The first 'Black and Tans' (auxiliary policemen) officially arrive in Ireland 1946 - To mark the centenary of Michael Davitt's birth, a major celebration is held in Straide, Co. Mayo, primarily at the request of a personal friend and executor of his will, Mr. Dennis O'Rourke of Dublin. An attendance of over 12,000 includes Eamonn De Valera, Hugh Delargy, M.P. as well as surviving members of the Davitt family, Dr. Robert Davitt and Miss Eileen Davitt. The occasion is covered live by the BBC 1963 - Captain Terence O'Neill becomes Northern Ireland Prime Minister after Lord Brookeborough resigns 1998 - New constitutional arrangements for Northern Ireland that include cross-border bodies with executive powers and a new Northern Ireland Assembly are revealed by the British and Irish Governments 2001 - More than 1,200 animals are slaughtered in counties Meath, Wexford, Carlow and Laois as a precautionary measure against foot and mouth disease 2001 - Ballymun, a northside suburb in Dublin, is transformed into the Bogside for the filming of Bloody Sunday, a movie which promises to piece together the controversial events of the 1972 parade. More than 2,000 locals take part in the scenes, including some of the original marchers from Derry 2002 - An international report ranks Ireland 28th in the top 30 healthiest countries - behind Slovenia, Malta, the Czech Republic and Portugal 2002 - At an international conference in Co. Antrim, Dr Andrew Cooper of the University of Ulster warns that Ireland is shrinking. Every year an estimated 750 acres of coastline is swallowed up by the sea and the situation is likely to get worse unless urgent action is taken 2003 - Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue launches the Value Menu Restaurant Guide which will offer meals at record low prices. Participating pubs, restaurants and hotels will give customers the choice of meals at fixed prices of €10, €20 and €30. In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast day of the Annunciation to Our Lady. Sources: Irish Culture and Customs, The Celtic League, Irish Abroad, The Wild Geese
Here is a good article from the March 10th issue of the Chicago Tribune outlining the power sharing process of the Good Friday Agreement vote - deadline is March 26th.
March 12 1295 - Richard de Burgh is released by the council in parliament at Kilkenny 1685 - George Berkeley, philosopher, physicist, mathematician, Dean of Derry and Bishop of Cloyne, is born in Dysart Castle, Co. Kilkenny. The university town of Berkeley in California is named in his honour 1689 - James II lands at Kinsale and proceeds to Dublin 1832 - Birth of Capt. Charles Boycott, despised English estate manager in Ireland, from whose name the word 'boycott' is taken 1873 - Gladstone's Irish University Bill is defeated 1875 - After being barred as an undischarged felon from taking his seat as elected MP for Tipperary, John Mitchel is re-elected on this date. He dies eight days later 1798 - Having been betrayed by Thomas Reynolds, the Leinster Directory of United Irishmen leaders is arrested 1860 - Michael O'Hickey, professor of Irish and Irish-language campaigner, is born in Carrickbeg, Co. Waterford 1930 - Pat Taaffe, jockey and trainer, is born in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin 1944 - Britain bans all travel to and from Ireland in an effort to prevent news of Allied preparations for the invasion of France reaching the Germans 1974 - Billy Fox, MP for Co. Monaghan, is assassinated 2000 - National Tree Week ends with a mass planting of 5,000 trees at Corkagh Park in Clondalkin 2001 - Department of Agriculture vets are investigating another suspected case of foot and mouth in the North. Tests are carried out on a sheep taken from a farm in Augher to an abattoir in Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, for slaughter. March 13 1784 - Reform Bill in Irish House of Commons 1791 - Thomas Paine's The Rights of Man (part 1) - a reply to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France and a major influence on Irish radicals - is published 1865 - Birth of Patrick Nally in Balla, Co Mayo. An athlete, he was a major inspiration in the founding the GAA in 1884 by Michael Cusack. The Nally stand in Croke Park is named after him 1922 - George Bernard Shaw's "Back to Methusaleh V" premieres in New York 1939 - At-Swim-Two-Birds, a highly experimental novel by Flann O'Brien, is published in London 1960 - Birth of Adam Clayton, bass player with U2 1973 - Birth of Ballybeg Prim, one of the greatest racing dogs of all time in Thurles, Co. Tipperary 1998 - Naval personnel question the crew of a British-registered flagship after a second day of intimidation of Irish trawlers off the South West coast 1999 - Over 250,000 people pack the streets around the River Liffey in Dublin to witness the largest fireworks display ever seen in Ireland The event marks the start of a five-day festival to mark St Patrick's Day as well as the official launch of the Millennium celebrations 2000 -A multi million pound seizure of drugs in Holland results in the arrest of John Cunningham, one of Ireland’s most prolific career criminals 2001 - The Irish food industry is dealt a hammer blow as the United States and Canada ban Irish food imports, worth over £100 million a year, because of the foot and mouth scare 2003 - Taoiseach Bertie gives his strongest indication yet that the US will be able to use Shannon Airport regardless of UN backing for war in Iraq. March 14 1705 - An English act permits direct export of Irish linen to American colonies 1732 - Birth of Sackville Hamilton, politician and civil servant 1738 - John Beresford, unionist politician, is born in Cork 1822 - Richard Boyle, civil engineer, is born in Dublin 1894 - William Earle "Moley" Molesworth, WWI Ace, is born 1902 - The Irish Association of Women Graduates and Candidate-Graduates, an organization open to those interested in promoting women's education, is launched 1962 - Eibhín Bean Uí Choisdeaíbh, Irish language folk song collector, dies 1973 - Liam Cosgrave is appointed president of Ireland 1985 - Schoolchildren claim to have seen a 'moving' statue in Asdee, Co. Kerry. Other reports come from Ballinspittle, Co. Cork. The faithful claim a miraculous event. Sceptics say it is an optical illusion 1984 - Gunmen shoot and wounded Sinn Féin president, Gerry Adams, in an attack in central Belfast. He is hit in the neck, shoulder and arm as several gunmen riddle his car with about 20 bullets. Three people travelling with Mr Adams are also wounded in the shooting No-one is seriously hurt and a fourth man escapes injury 1991 -The Birmingham Six - Paddy Joe Hill, Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny, Gerry Hunter, Billy Power and Johnny Walker - are released from jail after their convictions for the murder of 21 people in two pubs are quashed by the Court of Appeal 1998 - Former Defence and Marine Minister Hugh Coveney falls to his death from a headland near Roberts Cove, Co. Cork 2002 - Roundwood House, Mountrath, Co. Laois is the only Irish establishment to make the list of the world's top 50 restaurants published by Restaurant magazine. It places at 42.
March 15 1672 - The first declaration of indulgence suspending penal laws against Catholics and dissenters is issued by Charles II 1764 - Charles O'Conor, antiquary and historian, is born in Belanagare, Co. Roscommon 1773 - Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer is performed at Covent Garden Theatre, London 1774 - Isaac Weld, author, is born in Dublin 1813 - In the British House of Commons, Sir Eyre Coote (the younger), MP for Ballynakill and Maryborough, proposes the abolition of flogging in the army 1852 - Lady Isabella Augusta Gregory (née Persse), playwright, folklorist and co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, is born in Roxborough, Co. Galway 1904 - Birth of George Brent, actor, in Dublin 1878 - Sir Robert McCarrison, medical scientist and honorary physician to King George V from 1928 to 1935 is born in Portadown, Co. Armagh 1976 - The IRA is linked to a bomb that explodes on a London Underground train; the driver of the train, Julius Stephen, is shot dead while chasing a gunman who is believed to have detonated the bomb. Ten other people are injured 1993 - Kitty Linnane, leader of the Kilfenora Céili Band, dies 1998 - The US Ambassador to Ireland, Jean Kennedy Smith, confirms she will leave her post after US Independence Day celebrations in Dublin on July 4 1999 - A prominent Irish civil rights solicitor, Rosemary Nelson, is killed by a Loyalist car bomb in Lurgan, Co. Armagh 1999 - The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Jim McDaid, unveils plans to commemorate the Year 2000. Commencing on St. Patrick's Day, "The Party Starts Here," is the official title of a 21-month long series of events, which will link over 300 separate festivals 2000 - The censor lifts a ban on more than two thirds, or 400, of prohibited books following an appeal by the Labour Party. Only 187 books and about 270 magazines and newspapers now remain on the banned list 2001 - John Gilligan is found not guilty of the murder of Veronica Guerin; however, he is sentenced to 28 years in prison on drug-related crimes. The sentence is twice what most people expected and six years more than the previous longest sentence handed down for a drugs offence 2002 - Tesco's supermarket chain in Ireland announces that, unlike its British counterpart, it has no plans to start issuing the morning-after pill to Irish teenagers free of charge. March 16 1618 - Richard Archdekin, Jesuit, educator and missioner to Ireland, is born in Louvain 1640 - Charles I's second Irish parliament meets 1690 - French king Louis XIV sends troops to Ireland 1789 - Francis Rawdon Chesney, soldier and explorer, is born in Annalong, Co. Down 1815 - William Reeves, Church of Ireland bishop and antiquary, is born in Charleville, Co. Cork 1828 - Patrick Cleburne, American Civil War Confederate General, is born in Cobh, Co. Cork 1839 - John B. Yeats, painter and father of William Butler and Jack B. Yeats, is born in Tullylish, Co. Down 1865 - Irish-born Martin Murphy, one of the greatest pioneers of early California, dies 1955 - Singer Ruby Murray scores five simultaneous hits in the British charts 1959 - RTÉ interviews Ireland's first bangarda, Mary Brown from Roscommon 1960 - The P & O liner Canberra (45,000 tons) is launched in Belfast 1988 - At Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast, a gunman kills three mourners and injures at least 50 people attending a funeral for IRA members Mairead Farrell, Daniel McCann, and Sean Savage shot dead in Gibraltar 1991 - Members of Irish Gay & Lesbian Organization march in NYC parade 1995 - Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams meets President Bill Clinton for the first time 1998 - In Washington, at the American/Ireland Fund dinner, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern bluntly tells Northern political leaders to display the courage necessary to make far-reaching compromises over the next fortnight to rescue the peace process from the dangers of failure 1998 - Beef exports from Northern Ireland are to resume after a three-year ban stemming from the BSE crisis 2000 - Hundreds of sprigs of shamrock are airlifted from Ireland by the RAF to Irish regiments of the British Army around the world in accordance with a decree issued by Queen Victoria 100 years ago. It is exactly 100 years since the queen decrees that all Irish regiments of the British Army wear a shamrock in their head dress on St Patrick’s Day to commemorate the bravery of Irish troops during the Boer War 2000 - Northern Secretary, Peter Mandelson, announces that more troop withdrawals are likely over the coming months 2001 - President Bush, Sinn Fein's President Gerry Adams, center, and Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern, right, watch Irish dancers perform at the White House in Washington. Ahern meets with Bush and discusses the 1998 power-sharing deal that has brought a tenuous peace in Northern Ireland. Standing behind Bush is National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, left. 2001 - Kilmainham residents protest against a planned office development in the heart of an historic part of Dublin 2001 - Irish Defense Minister Michael Smith, center, waves the Irish flag as he celebrates St. Patrick's day with other Irish peacekeepers at Camp Shamrock near the southern village of Tibnine 2003 - More than 1,500 performers create a Mardi-Gras atmosphere on the streets of Limerick for the 33rd International Marching Band Parade and Competition. March 17 1777 - Patrick Brontë, originally Brunty; clergyman and father of Charlotte, Emily and Anne, is born in Ballynaskeagh, Co. Down 1800 - Charles James Patrick Mahon, high-ranking soldier in Russia, Turkey, South America and France; duellist; & politician, is born in Ennis, Co. Clare 1794 - Sir Thomas Maclear, astronomer, is born in Newtownstewart, Co. Tyrone 1820 - Patrick Edward Connor, Union General, is born in Co. Kerry 1852 - Patrick Sheehan, 'Canon Sheehan', priest and writer, is born in Mallow, Co. Cork 1853 - The Ossianic Society is founded to preserve and publish manuscripts of the Fionn cycle 1858 - James Stephens founds the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Dublin 1864 - Charlotte Milligan Fox, collector of folk music, is born in Omagh, Co. Tyrone 1877 - Michael O'Hanrahan, author and revolutionary, is born in New Ross, Co. Wexford 1889 - Harry Clarke, artist, known chiefly for stained-glass work, is born in Dublin 1899 - First issue of Gaelic League's An Claidheamh Soluis is published 1903 - St Patrick's Day becomes a bank holiday 1944 - Birth in Northern Ireland of Pat McCauley, rock drummer for Them 1951 -Scott Gorham, hard rock guitarist, is born 1964 - Joe Cooney, Galway hurler, is born near Loughrea 1976 - Birth in Dublin of Boyzone singer Stephen Gately 1997 - President Bill Clinton sharply increases the pressure on Northern political leaders to make concessions following a White House declaration that they will throw away a chance in a lifetime if they fail to settle an agreement by May 1998 - Frankie Curry, a top loyalist dissident, is gunned down by the UVF in revenge for the killing of human rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson 1999 - From Malin Head to Mizen Head, up to a million people turn out for St Patrick’s Day parades. 2001 - For the first time, Queen Elizabeth II sends a special St. Patrick's Day greeting to President Mary McAleese 2001 - Publicans in Westport, Co. Mayo call time on hen and stag parties. Bar owners in Westport, Co Mayo say the revellers are no longer welcome and will not be served in the town’s 44 pubs 2001 - Thousands of bargain hunters pack the RDS for the biggest ever Irish International Antiques and Fine Art Fair 2002 - In Dublin, an estimated 500,000 people line the parade route for the pinnacle of the €2.5 million St. Patrick's festival weekend 2003 - Two police officers and a paramedic are injured as sectarian fighting breaks out in flashpoint areas of Belfast 2003 - Snakes, sea monsters, Vikings and samba bands provide the sparkle in St Patrick’s Day celebrations around the country while the saint himself supplies the weather - warm and sunny in most areas. In the liturgical calendar, today is the feast day of St. Patrick, Ireland's patron saint. March 18 1736 - The Irish House of Commons condemns tithe of agistment on pasturage for dry and barren cattle 1800 - Harriet Smithson, actress and wife of the composer Hector Berlioz, is born in Ennis, Co. Clare 1801 - Ambrose O'Higgins, Viceroy of Peru, dies in Lima 1825 - In accordance with the Unlawful Societies Act, the Grand Orange Lodge advises its members that further meetings would be in violation of the law 1932 - The order outlawing the IRA is allowed to lapse 1949 - Birth in Belfast of Alex "Hurricane" Higgins, snooker player and two time world-champion 1952 - Pat Eddery, jockey, is born in Blackrock, Co. Dublin 1998 - The funeral of Hugh Coveney, politician and former Lord Mayor of Cork, takes place at St Michael's Church in Blackrock 1998 - Founder and executive director of the Chernobyl Children's Project charity, Adi Roche, is awarded the Frantsysk Skrayna Order by Belarus's envoy to Britain and Ireland, Uladzimir Shchasny. It is the country's highest honour and the first time it has been given to a foreigner 1999 - The funeral of murdered human rights lawyer, Rosemary Nelson, takes place at St. Peter's Church in Lurgan 2000 - The end of a 30 year ban fails to bring huge numbers of people out to see the controversial cult movie, A Clockwork Orange 2000 - Geneva-based financier and professional gambler, JP McManus jumps almost 20 places to 13th in The Sunday Times Irish rich list, with an estimated worth of more than £300 million.
In the old Celtic calendar, today is Sheelah's Day. In ancient Ireland, it was an annual festival to honor the fertility Goddess known as Sheela-na-gig. Naked Sheela-na-gig figures appeared in Irish churches constructed before the 16th century, but most were defaced or destroyed during the prudish Victorian age.
According to some sources, the origins of "drowning the shamrock" have also been traced to this date. In the eighteenth century, William Hone reported on the celebrations surrounding Sheelah, who has been variously identified as the wife, mother, or other relative of St. Patrick - noting that, the people of the day "are not so anxious to determine who 'Sheelah' was, as they are earnest in her celebration. All agree that her immortal memory is to be maintained by potations of whisky." At the end of the day, the faithful would then take their shamrocks and drop them into their respective glasses before downing the contents.
Since yours truly Mr. Blogger will be recovering from the St. Patrick's Day Button Party tomorrow and it's highly unlikely he will be blogging, I wanted to take a minute to close out the week and wish a Happy Birthday (his birthday is actually tomorrow) to the ageless, timeless and mindless AOH 32 brother Mickey Abbott - we wish him many more!
Years, upon years ago on a memorable March 10th our little Mickey came in to the world and his delivery doctor thought he was so ugly that he slapped his mother!
Seriously, Mickey is a good man, a good husband, a good father and a great AOH brother. And, most you might not have known this, but as you can see Mickey is world champion Irish pole vaulter too!
There has been a change in the Parade! AOH 32 has been moved up into the 1st Division. We are actually number 36 in the parade. We will be lining up on Centre Ave. (next to the Mellon Arena). The booklet listing all the entries in the parade is getting mailed today. There are 64 entries in the 1st Division, so I'd guess we'll be about halfway up the hill. The Junior Division will be right behind us.
Americans will spend an estimated $2.76 billion celebrating the St. Patrick's Day. This year, March 17 falls on a Saturday so restaurants and bars can expect bigger crowds.
Here is what Americans plan to do on this most Irish of days:
Spend on average $34.89 each, compared to last year's $27.94. By age: 18-24 year olds will spend $40.12; 25-34 year olds, $39.04; 35-44 year olds, $36.56.
On Tuesday, April 3rd the Junior Division will leave Bishop Canevin High School at 6:00 a.m. sharp and arrive at Antietam at 10:00 a.m, pick up their guide and walk the very same route of the Irish Brigade. They will have lunch at 3:00 p.m., leave Antietam and will arrive back at school between 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.Here are the details.
Bear O'Connell is hoping to make the trip depending on doctor's orders, but we still need 3-4 adult chaperones. If any member would like to go, help and have fun, please email me.
Pictured above are last year's Bob Carr Hibernian of the Year Winner Tim Trant (L) and Service Award Winner Brian Walsh (R)
Dear Members of Division #32,
It is that time of year that our attention turns to Lent and the celebration of Easter.Part of our Easter celebration always includes the AOH/LAOH Division 32 Communion Breakfast.This year’s event will held on April 15th.
The Communion Breakfast committee will be up and running in planning this year’s event. It will be held at Pittsburgh’s Grand Hall at the Priory with mass beginning at 10:30 AM.Following mass and breakfast, a short program will take place to honor our Service Awardees, our AOH Junior Division Scholarship winner, and the highlight of the day will be the awarding of the AOH and LAOH Hibernian of the Year awards.
The price for breakfast is $24.00 for adults (17 and older), $15.00 for guests in the (7 to 16) age range, and $9.00 for guests under 7 years of age.Tables of 10 are available as noted on your registration form below.All checks should be made payable to AOH Division 32 and mailed, along with payment, to:
Tom Welch 325 Battery Drive North McDonald, Pa.15057
All seats for this event for this event are on a paid “PRESALE ONLY” basis and no walk-ins will be accepted.Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.Please print and complete this post (registration form below) by April 12th and forward it with payment.
Yours in Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity,
Some people have asked me about the Wikipedia references I use for Irish stories, history etc., It is a great site full of useful information (see references and links below.)
However, I thought you would be most interested in the fact that Wikipedia references the AOH in Carnegie as well as our beloved Uke's!
Wikipedia (IPA: /ˌwiːkiːˈpiːdi.ə/ or /ˌwɪkiːˈpiːdi.ə/, name coined by Larry Sanger) is a multilingual, Web-based, free contentencyclopedia project. Wikipedia is written collaboratively by volunteers; its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the Web site. The name is a portmanteau of the words wiki (a type of collaborative website) and encyclopedia. Its primary servers are in Tampa, Florida, with additional servers in Amsterdam and Seoul.
Wikipedia was launched as the EnglishWikipedia on January 15, 2001, as a complement to Nupedia, an expert-written and now defunct encyclopedia. The project is now operated by the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit organization created by Jimmy Wales, and has over six million articles in 250 languages,[1] including 1.6 million in the English edition. Wikipedia has steadily risen in popularity since its inception[3] and currently ranks among the twelve most-visited websites worldwide.[4]
Wikipedia's reliability and accuracy have been questioned.[5] The site has also been criticised for its susceptibility to vandalism,[6] uneven quality, systemic bias and inconsistencies,[7] and for favouring consensus over credentials in its editorial process.[8] Wikipedia's content policies[9] and sub-projects set up by contributors seek to address these concerns.[10] Two scholarly studies have concluded that vandalism is generally short-lived[11] and that Wikipedia is roughly as accurate as other online encyclopedias.[12]
By Michael Seaver | Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor
DUBLIN, IRELAND - Shortly before 5:30 p.m. on Saturday the "unthinkable" will happen in Dublin's historic Croke Park stadium. Eighty-seven years after British troops fired into the crowd here and killed innocent Irish spectators, England's rugby team will sing God Save the Queen before a peaceful international match against their Irish opponents.
March 5 1389 - Thomas Mortimer is appointed justiciar 1716 - Martin Bladen, soldier, politician, civil servant, gambler and writer, is given leave in the British House of Commons to bring in a bill to continue the privilege of exporting Irish linen cloth to British plantations without the duty payable by exporters in England and Scotland. The bill eventually passes 1867 - Fenian Rising begins in Co. Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary 1911 - Birth in Portaferry, Co. Down of actor Joseph Tomelty 1998 - Dublin gangland criminal Georgie "the Penguin" Mitchell is arrested in Holland after a joint operation between Irish and Dutch police catch him red-handed stealing £4 million worth of computer parts 1998 - The remains of Dermot Morgan are received at St. Theresa's Church in his native Dublin. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Tanaiste Mary Harney are among the more than 1,000 mourners 1999 - As a precautionary measure, eighteen workers at the Warner-Lambert plant in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork are taken to hospital following a chemical spillage. They are found to be unharmed and are released 2000 - The Government closes the book on the millennium bug after spending £40m preparing for a potential disaster that doesn't happen 2001 - A total of 520 farms are under investigation because of fears of foot and mouth, Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh reveals 2001 - The shortlist for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is announced by Lord Mayor Maurice Ahern. Six novels are in contention for the world’s richest literary prize (worth IR£100,000) for a single work of fiction, among them Colm Tóibín’s The Blackwater Lightship 2003 - In Blarney, Co. Cork, pubs, restaurants and supermarkets enthusiastically embrace a no smoking day and the Blarney Stone restaurant in the town square takes the lead by slapping a permanent ban on smoking. In the ecumenical calendar, today is the feastday of St. Cieran March 6 1791 - John MacHale, Archbishop of Tuam; nationalist campaigner and writer, is born in Tirawley, Co. Mayo 1831 - Philip Sheridan, general on Federal side in American Civil War and Commander-in-Chief of the US army, is born in Killinkere, Co. Cavan 1861 - Patrick McCall, songwriter, is born in Dublin 1918 - Death of John Redmond, Chairman of the Irish Parliamentary Party 1921 - The Lord Mayor of Limerick, George Clancy, his predecessor, Michael O'Callaghan, and another prominent nationalist, Joseph O'Donoghue, are killed by policemen in Limerick during curfew hours 1924 - A 'mutiny' in the Free State army begins on this date: dissident officers demand the suspension of demobilization, and discussions on progress towards a republic. Following the 'unauthorized' arrest of dissidents, two Government ministers and three senior officers resign and conservative elements take control of Cumann na nGaedheal. The 'army mutiny' signals the end of the Irish Republican Brotherhood 1935 - Ronnie Delany, 1500 meter gold medallist in the 1956 Olympic Games, is born in Arklow, Co. Wicklow 1978 - Micheál Mac Liammóir, poet, actor and founder of the Gate Theatre, dies 1998 - The jobless trend continues downward and falls to its lowest numbers in seven years 1998 - Hundreds of Dubliners turn out to pay their last respects to Dermot Morgan as his funeral cortege makes its way to Glasnevin Crematorium 2000 - Flamboyant journalist Jonathan Philbin Bowman is found dead in his Dublin home. Gardaí are investigating the possibility that he may have fallen down the stairs 2000 - An Bord Pleanála upholds Clare County Council’s decision to refuse planning permissions to proposals by the Minister for the Arts and Heritage, Síle de Valera, to develop visitor facilities at Mullaghmore in the Burren National Park 2001 - The foot and mouth virus claims another Irish sporting casualty with the announcement that the world cross country championships is to be switched to Brussels, bringing with it some 1,000 runners from 80 countries who were due to converge on Dublin on March 24-25 2001 - Moves to provide nappies for Killarney’s famous jaunting car horses are dropped. Against the advice of the Town Manager, the local urban council bows to the wishes of local jarveys who strongly oppose proposals to include “equine sanitary apparatus” in the jarvey bylaws. March 7 1777 - Sir Philip Crampton, surgeon, is born in Dublin 1864 - Archbishop Paul Cullen issues a pastoral for St. Patrick's Day denouncing Fenianism 1920 - Éilis Dillon, novelist and children's writer, is born in Galway 1921 - Limerick Mayor George Clancy is shot and killed in his home by disguised members of the Black and Tans 1923 - Eight republican prisoners are executed by use of a mine at Ballyseedy, Co. Kerry 1936 - Freddie Gillen, amateur boxer, is born in Belfast 1988 - The IRA confirms that the three people shot dead by security forces in Gibraltar are members of an active service unit 1999 - A human chain is formed around the Central Bank in Dublin to highlight the campaign to cancel unpayable Third World debt for the millennium. Over 400 people take part in the ceremony organised by Trocaire, Jubilee 2000 and the One World Network of Students in Ireland. Similar events are held in as many as 50 other countries across the world. 2005 - Calling the story of the Irish in America "an important part of the history of our country," President George W. Bush proclaims March as Irish-American Heritage Month.
March 8 1574 - Captain William Martin lays siege to Grace O'Malley in Rockfleet castle 1594 - English expedition sets out from Galway to kill pirate queen, Grace O'Malley 1700 (?) - Year is uncertain, but it is on this date that Anne Bonny, née Cormac, pirate, is born in Co. Cork 1702 - William III dies when his horse stumbles on a molehill; Anne accedes to the throne of Britain and Ireland 1742 - William Crotty, outlaw of the Comeragh mountains, is tried in Waterford on this date and later hanged, drawn and quartered 1770 - Mary Anne McCracken, radical and philanthropist, is born in Belfast 1834 - General John O'Neill, Irish Fenian leader, is born 1854 - Birth in Co. Cork of Tom Horan, the greatest of the many top class Australian cricketers to be born in Ireland 1903 - Charles Gavan Duffy, Young Irelander, is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin 1909 - Francis MacManus, novelist, is born 1921 - Sir James Comyn, lawyer, is born in Dublin 1925 - Paddy Devlin, socialist politician, is born in Belfast 1942 - Mary MacSwiney, Irish patriot, dies 1959 - Aidan Quinn, film actor, is born in Chicago of Irish parents 1966 - Nelson's Pillar in Dublin is blown up 1973 - IRA car bombs explode outside the Old Bailey courthouse and Scotland Yard police headquarters in London, killing one and injuring 238 1998 - The Loyalist Volunteer Force pledges full backing for DUP leader Ian Paisley in his opposition to the Stormont talks process 1999 - Pressure on Sinn Féin and the IRA to make a start on decommissioning is stepped up as the Irish and British Governments sign four new treaties in Dublin providing for the implementation of the main elements of the Good Friday Agreement 2000 - Following a round of meetings in Belfast involving Foreign Minister Brian Cowen; Northern Secretary Peter Mandelson, and the principal pro Agreement parties, the two governments are to assess the situation before the St Patrick’s Day summit in the White House next week. All the parties are now looking towards President Clinton to broker a deal that will break the impasse in the peace process 2001 - Retired Archbishop of Tuam, the Most Rev Joseph Cunnane, dies after a long illness at the Bon Secours Hospital 2002 - Car owners are to benefit from new regulations which will oblige insurers to give two-week's notice of any cost changes when renewing policies. 2006 - 1916 Proclamation donated to National Museum An original copy of the Proclamation of Independence picked up in O’Connell Street in 1916 has been donated to the National Museum of Ireland. For more on this story, please click Irish Examiner.
March 9 1771 - Birth in Dublin of Thomas Reynolds, United Irishman whose information enables authorities to arrest Leinster Committee in 1798 1825 - The Catholic Association is dissolved in accordance with the Unlawful Societies Act 1914 - Prime Minister Asquith offers a compromise on Home Rule - electors in the North could vote to be excluded from an independent Ireland for six years 1932 - Éamon de Valera is elected President of the Executive Council of Ireland 1973 - The people of Northern Ireland vote overwhelmingly to remain within the United Kingdom. In a referendum on the future of the province, 591,280 people or 57% of the electorate vote to retain links with the UK. A boycott by the Roman Catholic population means only 6,463 vote in favour of a united Ireland 1982 - Charles Haughey becomes Taoiseach for the second time 1995 - Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh make a historic visit to Northern Ireland. For the first time, the Queen meets with the Roman Catholic Primate of all Ireland, Cardinal Cahal Daly, as well as his Anglican counterpart, Archbishop Robin Eames 1995 - U.S. President Bill Clinton approves a visa for Irish nationalist leader Gerry Adams to enter the United States 1998 - Justice Brian Walsh, judge on the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, dies suddenly of a stroke. On his appointment in December of 1961, Justice Walsh becomes one of the youngest Irish Supreme Court judges. He serves for 29 years - the longest by a member of the country's highest court 1999 - The European Parliament calls for the legalisation of abortion in Ireland. The opinion, passes in Strasbourg by 321 votes to 122; it carries no legislative weight but provokes a storm of political controversy 1999 - A record price for land in the South East is set in Waterford when leading city developer Noel Frisby pays £725,000 an acre for land being sold off for Telecom Eireann. March 10 1478 - John De La Pole, the Duke of Suffolk, is appointed lieutenant of Ireland for 20 years on this date, but does not take office 1653 - Sir Phelim O'Neill is executed by Parliament forces in Dublin, after refusing to state that Charles I authorized the 1641 rebellion 1810 - Birth in Belfast of Sir Samuel Ferguson, Celtic scholar and a poet best known for his rendering of Irish legends in English verse 1883 - Pádraig Ó Siochfhradha, writer under the pseudonym 'An Seabhac' and promoter of the Irish language is born in Dingle, Co. Kerry 1888 - Birth in Dublin of William Joseph Shields, aka Barry Fitzgerald, actor 1894 - Ireland collects its first ever Triple Crown, defeating Wales in Belfast 1932 - IRA prisoners in the Free State are released 1945 - Birth of Donal Lunny, the founder of Planxty, the Bothy Band, and Moving Hearts 1966 - Death of Frank O'Connor, poet and novelist 1971 - Fighting erupts between Official and Provisional IRA in Belfast 1998 - After five wildly inaccurate missiles are fired with little warning at a police station in Armagh city, police accuse republicans of attempting mass murder. 100 people — many pensioners — are forced to flee their homes. Fortunately, no-one is killed or injured 2000 - Harland and Wolff’s last hope of saving the Belfast shipyard appear doomed after it is confirmed that Cunard’s £433 million contract to build the Queen Mary 2 has gone to French rivals 2002 - Former Circuit of Ireland rally champion Frank Meagher is killed in a driving accident in Co. Tipperary, between Cloneen and Mullinahone 2003 - The National Aquatic Centre opens in Abbotstown, Dublin. The water-park with its eight different fun rides and attractions is one of the most hi-tech in Europe and the pool complex is one of the most advanced Olympic standard facilities in the world 2003 - Tobacco manufacturers Gallaher announces a range of increases which sees the cost of several popular brands rise to nearly €6 for a packet of 20 cigarettes. March 11 1605 - A proclamation declares all persons in the realm to be free, natural and immediate subjects of the king and not subjects of any lord or chief 1812 - Composer William Vincent Wallace, best known for his opera, Maritana, is born in Co. Waterford 1858 - Irish revolutionary Thomas James Clarke is born of Irish parents on the Isle of Wight 1880 - On the last day of his tour of the United States, Parnell launches the Irish National Land League of the USA 1926 - Eamon de Valera resigns as head of Sinn Féin 1929 - Erskine B. Childers, diplomat, is born in Dublin 1951 -Ian Paisley co-founds the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster 1953 - Birth in Ballinasloe, Co. Galway of Mary Harney, politician, leader of the Progressive Democrats and Tánaiste 1954 - Margaret (Gretta) Cousins, Irish women's rights activist, is born 1964 - Shane Richie, actor and game-show host, is born Shane Roche to Irish parents in London 1974 - Brothers Kenneth and Keith Littlejohn break out of Mountjoy Prison. Jailed in 1973 for a £67,000 heist at a Dublin bank - the biggest to date in Irish history - during their trial they claim they are M16 spies working for the British Government against the IRA 1995 - Gerry Adams arrives in New York 2000 - Emigrant Francis O’Neill, an American police chief who carried a Chicago gangster’s bullet to the grave is honoured at the weekend in his native West Cork where Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne unveils a life-sized memorial sculpture 2001 - Over 1,300 people pack the Cathedral of the Assumption to pay their last respects to the former Archbishop of Tuam, Most Reverend Joseph Cunnane, at his funeral Mass 2001 - Mr. Tony Luff, founder of the Galway Swan Rescue, coordinates a rescue operation involving dozens of volunteers in Galway city to save the lives of over 60 of the famous Claddagh swans after yet another oil slick surrounds the birds - just a fortnight after four are killed in a previous spill 2002 - Limerick-born Michael Collins, author of The Keepers of Truth, is named as one of seven writers competing for the prestigious International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2002, worth €100,000 2002 - Customs officers smash the biggest illegal oil laundering operation ever discovered in the State.The plant, near Dundalk, Co Louth, had the capacity to launder up to 300,000 litres of oil a week.
Pictured above are last year's Bob Carr Hibernian of the Year Winner Tim Trant (L) and Service Award Winner Brian Walsh (R) 
