Air Date: March 1, 2000                                 Topic: Irish Citizenship
Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Kate Cunningham President of Cunningham Consulting

After centuries of emigration and losing their children to foreign shores, the people of Ireland are now welcoming back their sons and daughters to a booming economy. The Celtic Tiger economy has one of the highest growth rates in the European Union. With the change from an agrarian to a technology-based economy, the Irish are now seeing an affluence level unprecedented in their country.

As Ireland welcomes home these emigrants, Irish Americans have learned of a way to strengthen their ties to Ireland through a system called Foreign Birth Registration. If either of your parents, or any of your grandparents, were born in Ireland, you are eligible for Irish citizenship. You will need proof of your claim through birth certificates and marriage certificates, but after providing documentation to the Consul General of Ireland, the certificate is granted. With a certificate of Foreign Birth Registration, you are eligible for an Irish passport, and you may travel through the European Union as an Irish citizen.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 2, 2000

Topic: Glendalough

Hello, my name is Mary Harnett and I'm the Vice President of Cunningham Consulting. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Nestled in a picturesque setting of Wicklow woods, lakes, and hills is the monastic site founded by St. Kevin in the sixth century. Known as Glendalough, it is characterized by a tall round tower, gateway arches, Celtic crosses and gravestones, and the remains of several churches. One of the smaller churches still stands, relatively in tact, built stone upon stone without the aid of any type of mortar.

One of the most endearing stories about St. Kevin at Glendalough is the legend of the doe rock. An orphaned infant was left in Kevin's charge, abandoned on the steps of his tiny church. Kevin took the baby in; but, he had no means of feeding the squalling, starving bundle until a doe stepped out of the woods, paused on a broad flat rock, and beckoned Kevin with her soft brown eyes. Kevin used the doe's milk to satisfy the baby's hunger. Each day Kevin met the doe at the rock and, thanks to their collaboration, the infant grew strong and healthy.

Visitors to Glendalough today can still see the doe rock. Even on dry, breezy days, a slight depression in the rock is always inexplicably filled with water. This is thought to be a sign that St. Kevin still watches over Glendalough.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 3, 2000

Topic: The Blasket Islands

Hello, my name is Kathleen Biggins and I'm the host of A Thousand Welcomes here on WFUV. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

The Blasket Islands are Ireland's westernmost extension into the Atlantic, Europe's stepping stones to America. Not much more than sandy outcroppings of rock with rugged shorelines, these small islands were called the Ferriter Islands in the thirteenth century. It was not until the sixteenth century that they became known as the Blaskets. Although the origin of the name is unknown, the islanders' way of life has been immortalized in world renowned Irish literary works such as Peig, Twenty Years a Growing, and The Islandman. This is no small accomplishment since the island population peaked in 1916 at 176 inhabitants.

The land was poor and sandy. Subsistence farming of small patches produced crops of potatoes, oats, rye, carrots, turnips, and onions. Livestock was limited to a few cows and some sheep due to poor grazing. Rabbits thrived on the mountain and the waters teemed with fish and lobster. What they couldn't produce for themselves, the islanders obtained from their mainland neighbors in the parish of Dunquin.

While the islanders were poor in material possessions, they shared the rich, centuries-old cultural traditions unique to their isolated community. Emigration, however, took its toll as the young people of the Blaskets left to join relatives already established in America. In 1953, the Irish government facilitated the evacuation of the remaining 22 inhabitants of the Blaskets.

On a clear day, these now uninhabited islands can be seen three miles west off the tip of the Dingle peninsula, a reminder of the resilient men and women who called them home.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 4, 2000

Topic: Saint Ciarán

Hello, my name is Jerry O'Sullivan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Although St. Patrick is usually credited with Christianizing Ireland, Saint Ciarán predates him and is often referred to as the first-born Irish saint. Unlike Patrick who was originally brought to Ireland against his will and spent a good part of his ministry in the north, Ciarán was born off the southern tip of Ireland on Clear Island.

Legends surrounding Saint Ciarán make him Ireland's counterpart to Italy's Saint Francis of Assisi. When a small bird was plucked from its nest by a hawk's sharp talons, Ciarán prayed for the little victim. The hawk dropped its injured prey at Ciarán's feet and the small bird recovered completely.

After his ordination as a bishop in Rome, Ciarán returned to the Slieve Bloom mountains of Ireland where he lived as a hermit among his beloved animals. Seven harpers who had been murdered by robbers later joined him. Restored to life by Ciarán, they became his brother monks.

In addition to the miracles attributed to him, Ciarán is also said to share St. Patrick's abilities to cast spells demonstrating the dominance of Christianity to the reigning pagan king.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 5, 2000

Topic: Lady Gregory

Hello, my name is Patricia Harty and I'm the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Irish America magazine. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Patricia Harty, Irish America magazine

Lady Isabella Augusta Gregory, the daughter of a wealthy Anglo-Irish family, was born in Coole near Galway. After the death of her husband, Sir William Gregory, in 1892, Lady Gregory played an important role in the Irish Literary Revival.

Her Irish was self-taught, learned by visiting the homes of local people speaking with them and collecting their tales and traditions. To record and preserve Irish folklore for future generations, Lady Gregory wrote poetry, short stories, and drama. She also translated the two chief cycles of Irish mythology into English.

Together with the poet, W.B. Yeats, she founded the Abbey Theatre in Dublin in 1904. In addition to being a mentor to Yeats himself, Lady Gregory championed playwrights as diverse as Sean O'Casey and J.M. Synge. Yeats acknowledged her literary contributions as a driving force when he accepted his Nobel Prize.

The tradition of influence on world literature that Lady Gregory established is still thriving at the Abbey today. On this side of the Atlantic, Irish drama is enjoyed on Broadway and continues to be promoted by Irish Theatre groups such as Macalla.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 6, 2000

Topic: The Bodhrán

Hello, my name is Cathie Ryan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Cathie Ryan with Mary Harnett of Cunningham Consulting

Known today as the “heartbeat of Irish music,” the bodhrán was originally used as a noisemaker in warfare. The Druids also used the bodhrán to summon the spirits during certain religious festivals.

This ancient drum is made by stretching a goatskin over a round wooden frame. It is played with the hand or with a double-headed stick known as a tipper or beater. The musician uses the lower end of the stick to play the basic rhythm and may add ornamentation with the upper end.

Although many traditionalists looked down on the instrument, Sean O Riada gained acceptance for the bodhrán by including it in his arrangements for the Chieftains in the 1960's. Today it is a common element, not only in traditional Irish music, but also in Celtic rock and contemporary folk music.

The bodhrán, a symbol of the ancient past, is also part of today's living tradition.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 7, 2000

Topic: Giants Causeway

Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

One of great natural wonders of the world, and certainly one of Ireland's favorite tourist attractions, is the Giants Causeway, near the northern tip of the island in County Antrim.

Cooling lava has solidified into tens of thousands of hexagonal columns rising up from the sea. Along a four-mile stretch of beach, there are over 40,000 such columns at the base of 400-foot high cliffs.

While scientists say this phenomenon was caused by ancient volcanic activity 60 million years ago, the legends of Ireland have another explanation. They tell us Giants Causeway is merely the footsteps of Ulster hero Finn MacCool, thought to have lived in the third century. Finn was a giant whose many exploits are detailed in the Fenian Cycle of mythology. One story tells how a giant came from Scotland to challenge him, so Finn's wife Oonagh built a huge cradle and dressed Finn as an infant. When the Scottish giant saw Finn in the cradle, he marveled at the size of the man who could father this incredible baby and knew that Finn would win the fight.

There is a rock formation on the Scottish island of Staffa similar to Giants Causeway, perhaps the footsteps of that Scottish giant.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 8, 2000

Topic: Book of Kells

Hello, my name is Brian Conway and I'm a three-time All Ireland champion fiddler. I organize a weekly seisiún of traditional Irish music at Dunne's Pub in White Plains. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Brian Conway All-Ireland Champion

In 563, St. Columba left Ireland and founded a monastery on the Scottish Island of Iona. When the Vikings raided the island in 802, some of its monks moved to Kells, one of the great centers of early Celtic Christianity in Ireland. Here the monks continued the Celtic tradition of creating richly colored illuminated manuscripts. They copied their sacred books by hand on vellum, a type of calfskin. Some of the dyes used were imported from as far away as the Middle East. The scribes who copied the texts also embellished their calligraphy with intricate interlacing spirals, as well as human figures and animals. One of these Latin texts of the Four Gospels has become known as The Book of Kells.

The Abbey of Kells was plundered at least seven times before the book was stolen in 1006. It was found three months later in a bog, without its golden jewel-encrusted cover. The book was returned to Kells, but in the 17th century it was moved to Trinity College in Dublin, where it is presently housed in the Library. Nearly twelve hundred years old, the book presently consists of 339 vellum pages. Two of the book's four volumes are usually on display.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 9, 2000

Topic: Strongbow

Hello, my name is Meaghan O'Rourke and I'm the host of Ceol na nGael, heard Sunday afternoons from noon until 4 here on 90.7 FM. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

During the Middle Ages, warring Irish kings of the various provinces often made foreign alliances to gain power. In 1168, The King of Leinster, Dermot Mac Murrough, appealed to the King of England, Henry II, for aid in his ongoing battle with Tiernan O'Rourke, King of Meath. Henry was too busy fighting in France to take an active part, but he lent Dermot his support. In Wales, the impoverished Earl of Pembroke, Richard de Clare, known as Strongbow, thought taking arms to help Dermot would gain him favor with King Henry and agreed to help Dermot.

Dermot promised Strongbow succession of his kingdom, and gave his daughter Aoife to Strongbow in marriage if he would fight and win for him. No one told Strongbow that Irish law said kings were elected, not appointed. Strongbow won Wexford, Waterford, and Dublin, and though he made Henry's conquest of Ireland possible, he never became a king.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 10, 2000

Topic: Donny Golden

Hello, my name is Joanie Madden and I'm the leader of the traditional Irish music and dance ensemble, Cherish the Ladies. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

At the ripe old age of seven, Donny Golden began taking dance lessons from master teacher Jerry Mulvihill. He later studied with the acclaimed Jimmy Erwin. By the age of sixteen, Donny became the first Irish American to win first place in the North American Irish Dance Championships, an honor he won more than once. He also won the title of Senior Men's Champion of North America and earned second and third places in the World Championships and the All-Ireland.

Donny has toured all over the world including regular guest appearances with Cherish the Ladies and the Chieftains. As much as we appreciate his talents, Mick Moloney said it best when he claimed Donny to be "simply the most important dancer and dance teacher in the history of Irish step dance in America." Indeed, he is credited with teaching Jean Butler and Michael Flatley.

In recognition of his contribution to the arts, President Bill Clinton presented Donny Golden with the prestigious National Heritage Fellowship Award in a special ceremony at the White House.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 11, 2000

Topic: The Burren

Hello, my name is Jim McGuire and I'm the President of the New York Irish Network. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Jim McGuire, New York Irish Network

Just south of Galway, adjacent to the untamed West Coast of Ireland, is a unique landscape known as the Burren of County Clare. The name comes from the Irish meaning “rocky place.” Features that give it the appearance of the lunar surface characterize the area. The rugged limestone terrain is in sharp contrast to the tall grass that edges the ocean.

Rocky outcroppings are covered with moss and dotted with flowers and fauna found nowhere else in the world. Few people live here since the land does not lend itself to farming or grazing. With underground rivers traversing layers of sedimentary rock, the Burren is home to many caves that have assumed a mystical quality.

The caves are thought to be the entries to the fairy world. Opening on tunnels that lead deep into the earth, these caves are both inviting and ominous. It has been said for centuries that the fairies have hidden treasures of gold buried deep beneath the surface of the Burren. No mortal man, brave enough to explore these caves, has been able to confirm or deny this.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 12, 2000

Topic: Roddy Doyle

Hello, my name is Cathie Ryan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Great Irish literary talents such as Joyce, O'Casey, and O'Flaherty are joined by one of their contemporary counterparts. Born in 1958, Roddy Doyle was educated by the Christian Brothers and later attended University College, Dublin. He subsequently taught English and Geography at a school in North Dublin. It was in this working-class setting where he drew the inspiration for his characters and their experiences.

Doyle's first three novels, collectively known as the Barrytown trilogy, are characterized by the use of vernacular dialogue as they chronicle the life and times of a local Dublin family. All three, The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van, have been made into movies.

Doyle was the recipient of the Booker Prize in 1993 and has had his novels translated into nineteen languages. He has also written two plays. He sees his role “to describe people as they really are.” One critic wrote, “In Doyle's world, the lives are tough, and the language is rough, but beauty and tenderness survive amid the bleakness.”

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 13, 2000

Topic: The Wild Geese

Hello, my name is Jerry O'Sullivan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Jerry O'Sullivan

The Vikings first settled Limerick, Ireland in the early 10th century but it was a town that was always under threat of foreign invasion. In 1651 Limerick was besieged by Cromwell for 12 months before finally succumbing. The siege of Limerick in 1690 made a hero of Patrick Sarsfield, first Earl of Lucan.

The treaty of Limerick in 1691 allowed them to leave alive, and Patrick Sarsfield and his Irish forces sailed for France. As they departed the city of Limerick and the shores of Ireland, overhead they watched a flock of wild geese flying southward over the River Shannon to their winter home. Like these migrating wild geese, the troops were strong and their desire to return to their native Limerick was great, and ever after The Wild Geese were symbolic of the Irishman's desire to return home.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 14, 2000

Topic: Hurling

Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

The game of hurling dates from pre-Christian times and was played by teams of warriors. The sport was so enticing that, in 1367, the Kilkenny Parliament tried to ban the game on the grounds that it encouraged a neglect of military service.

Hurling is a fast game played by two teams of fifteen. Players wield hurleys or long sticks similar to hockey sticks. They use these to strike or carry a leather ball which may be driven along the ground or over players' heads. The object is to strike the ball into the opposing team's goal. Monitoring the action during a game are a referee, four umpires, and two linesmen.

In modern times, the Cork team has earned the All-Ireland title many times. It is not unusual for a Munster final at Cork stadium to draw crowds of fifty thousand or more.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 15, 2000

Topic: Belleek Pottery

Hello, my name is Kate Grimes and I'm with the Irish Echo newspaper. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Kate Grimes, Irish Echo newspaper

When John Caldwell Bloomfield noticed the sparkle in the whitewash on the walls of his estate cottages, he decided to investigate further. He discovered that felspar and kaolin were plentifully available on his land. More interested in ceramics than in farming, Bloomfield established a pottery in 1857.

Belleek pottery soon became quite famous especially when Queen Victoria presented a Belleek tea service to the German royal family. Known for its delicate translucence and sheen, Belleek pottery continues to enjoy an international reputation as fine parian china.

Each piece is handcrafted and undergoes three firings. To become skilled enough to create an intricate Belleek basket may require up to five years of apprenticeship. It was the skill of Belleek pottery artisans and emigration that led to the establishment of an American company well known for its own decorative china. Lenox can trace its founding inspiration back to Bloomfield's farm in Belleek.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 16, 2000

Topic: Dingle

Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Dingle in the Irish language translates as Fortress of Hussey, the name of a Flemish family that came to the area in the 13th century. Members of that family are now long gone, but 1,200 inhabitants currently reside in Dingle. This small town is the cultural and commercial center for the entire Dingle peninsula and the heart of the Kerry Gaeltacht.

Fishing and farming have been joined by tourism as the major industries of the area. The filming of the movie, Ryan's Daughter, in 1969 showcased Dingle as a picturesque fishing port. Visitors to the area will not be disappointed. In addition to excellent restaurants, Dingle offers a wide variety of craft shops and art galleries.

Despite its small population, Dingle also boasts more than fifty pubs. These are the heart of Dingle's social life and the home of some of Ireland's finest traditional musicians. Irish is most often the language spoken, but a warm welcome is extended to everyone.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 17, 2000

Topic: The Chieftains

Hello, my name is Mary Harnett and I'm the Vice President of Cunningham Consulting. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

In 1963, an uilleann piper by the name of Paddy Moloney organized a group of fellow musicians to record a one-time album of traditional Irish music reflecting a new interpretative approach. The name of the album gave the group its name, and the Chieftains were born.

Incorporating instruments such as pipes, fiddle, tin whistle, bones, flute, bodhran, and harp, the group showcased Irish traditional music and later augmented their percussion with the sounds of step dancing. With the success of their score on the Oscar-winning movie, Barry Lyndon, members of the group were able to quit their day jobs and become full-time professional musicians. That was in 1975 when the Chieftains were named Melody Maker Group of the Year.

Since then, the Chieftains have been the first group to play on the Great Wall of China and in the rotunda of the US Capitol building. They have received the Canadian Genie Award and the American Grammy. The Chieftains celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary in 1988 and, a year later, the Irish government recognized their contributions to Irish culture by acclaiming the group as Ireland's Musical Ambassador.

Paddy Moloney has said, "Let the music speak for itself." You can here the music speak right here on WFUV's A Thousand Welcomes and Ceol na nGael.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 18, 2000

Topic: Flight of the Earls

Hello, my name is JoEllen King. I'm a musician and singer. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

JoEllen King, musician and singer

After the English defeated them in 1601 at the Battle of Kinsale, the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell decided to seek the support of Spain's King Phillip III. They set sail for Spain in September, 1607. The Earls were joined by their families and some of their followers as they embarked on an eighty-ton ship from the port of Rathmullan.

Driven off course, they landed in France instead of Spain. Eventually, they sought refuge at the papal court in Rome where both earls lived out their lives. This exodus came to be known as the Flight of the Earls.

Settlers from England and Scotland arrived in place of the earls and established new plantation towns in Ulster.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 19, 2000

Topic: Douglas Hyde

Hello, my name is Kate Grimes and I'm with the Irish Echo newspaper. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Born in 1860 at Castlerea, County Roscommon, Douglas Hyde was tutored at home and learned Irish from the local farmers. Later, he studied history and earned a law degree at Trinity College in Dublin.

In 1893, he joined his contemporary, the poet W.B. Yeats, in establishing The Gaelic League, a society aimed at preserving the Irish language and promoting its use. Although the League facilitated the growth of a national consciousness, Hyde did not embrace the politics soon associated with it.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 20, 2000

Topic: Van Morrison

Hello, my name is Frank McCaughey and I'm the host of Ceol na nGael, heard Sunday afternoons from noon until 4 here on 90.7 FM. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to a working class Protestant family, Van Morrison was an early paragon of the Skiffle sound nearly 40 years ago. Since the breakup of his band Them in 1967, he has been a most prolific musician, releasing an average of one album a year. The back-to-back release of Astral Weeks and Moondance in the early seventies established Van as a potent singer and songwriter, and his body of work gained him entry to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Often called blue-eyed soul, his music is a blend of rhythm & blues, jazz, rock & roll, Celtic folk, all melded into his own distinctive performance style. He has his own independent label, Exile Productions, where he completes his projects and releases them to Virgin Records for distribution, giving him the kind of control he needs. Though he sometimes allows years to slip by without performing in public and rarely grants interviews, he did agree to be the headliner at the first Guinness Fleadh in New York in 1997.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 21, 2000

Topic: Horse Country

Hello, my name is JoEllen King. I'm a musician and singer. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Ireland is known throughout the world for the quality of the horses it breeds. Of the more than 55,000 horses in Ireland today, about 15,000 of them are racehorses. In addition to these are the workhorses used for ploughing and carting. Crossed with thoroughbreds, the draught mare produces the Irish Sport Horse, a favorite at equestrian events.

The most special of the non-thoroughbreds is the Connemara pony, a sturdy, even-tempered little horse that feeds on the sea grasses of Connemara. These horses seem to thrive on the harsh terrain and, if they are bred outside Connemara, they lose their unique traits in two generations.

Irish thoroughbreds are very distinctive and some say that their strength is drawn from the limestone that is the bedrock of most of Ireland. The horses develop strong bones from the calcium-rich grass. Whatever the reason, their power and grace have been sought for the elite cavalries of Europe for centuries. Napoleon's horse Marengo was born and bred in Ireland.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 22, 2000

Topic: Wren Day

Hello, my name is Jerry O'Sullivan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

In pre-Christian Irish mythology, birds are seen as intermediaries between this life and the other world. One example is the raven, or Morrigan, who plays a prominent role in the life of the legendary Cuchullain.

Druids used the flight patterns of birds to foretell the future. The Irish word for wren is derived from the two Irish words meaning "Druid bird." The wren is a wily bird credited for outsmarting the eagle and blamed for betraying St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. For this reason, the Irish celebrate Wren Day on December 26, the feast day of St. Stephen.

The Wren, as the observance is known, almost died out in rural Ireland due to emigration and clerical disapproval. Participants dressed in rags and straw costumes, singing songs and begging a penny to bury the wren. The money collected went to finance a village-wide party and dance.

The custom has been revived today as a commemoration of cultural heritage reflecting the influences of the various local communities where it is held.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 23, 2000

Topic: Celtic Seasons

Hello, my name is Patricia Harty and I'm the editor of Irish America magazine. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

The Celtic calendar apparently took little account of the solar calendar. The new year began with Samhain on November 1st. This marked a time when barriers between mortal man and the spirits of the other world were down. Christians adopted and adapted this pagan observance to become what we now know as Halloween.

Imbolc followed on February 1st. It was originally a celebration of fertility associated with the lactation of ewes. Christians identified this date as the feast of St. Brigid. Her intercession was sought to facilitate healing.

Beltaine was observed on May 1st and was again a festival of fertility and of light. It was a traditional day for weddings. Lughnasa, on August 1st, paid homage to the god Lugh and was a celebration of the harvest and the proliferation of livestock.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 24, 2000

Topic: Daniel O'Connell

Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Daniel O'Connell, born in 1775, was a lawyer, a politician, and a statesman who was articulate and unrelenting in his criticism of the inequities of British rule. Because of laws discriminating against Catholics, his own father was shot dead because he would not give up his horse.

Throughout his life, O'Connell fought for civic freedom for Irish Catholics and achieved Catholic emancipation in 1829. He later became Ireland's first Catholic MP and was hailed as Ireland's Liberator.

Although he died at the height of the Great Famine in 1847, Daniel O'Connell is credited with sowing the seeds of nationalism that sustained the Irish through that terrible tragedy. A monument to the Liberator stands at the head of the street named for him in Dublin within view of the General Post Office, the site of the 1916 uprising.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

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Air Date: March 25, 2000

Topic: Brian Boru

Hello, my name is Cathie Ryan. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

From the earliest times, Ireland was divided into a number of small kingdoms, and there was no central army or national defense. Kings were elected, but from a narrowly defined group possessing royal blood. More influential kings received tribute from weaker ones, but wars were common, and the balance of power shifted constantly. Ireland had escaped invasion by the Roman legions, but it could not escape the Vikings, and the land was plundered constantly.

In 926, Brian, son of Kennedy, was born. He would go on to become the only High King who really held the whole island under his rule, and was the founder of the O'Brien clan. For years he battled the foreigners, but his victories won the peace and allowed him to retire to his royal palace Kincora for a time. He repaired the roads, erected churches, and established a system of education. But the foreigners returned. In 1014 Brian Boru won a decisive victory over the Norsemen at Clontarf, near Dublin, but here he was killed.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 26, 2000

Topic: Belfast Roses

Hello, my name is Mary Harnett and I'm the Vice President of Cunningham Consulting. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

If you were an avid gardener, you would enjoy a visit to the City of Belfast International Rose Garden. For the past century, Ulster has been home to two world famous breeders of hybrid roses, the Dickson and McGredy families. Belfast honored their accomplishments by establishing the International Rose Garden at Wilmont, a large landscaped park on the banks of the River Lagan.

With the support of the Rose Society of Northern Ireland, the Belfast City Council Parks Department maintains more than 20,000 roses over 11 acres. The best time to visit is during Belfast Rose Week in mid-July. This is also when the final judging concludes the rose competitions.

The McGredy family continues the tradition today in New Zealand while the Dicksons continue breeding such famous roses as the “Crimson Glory” and the “Innisfree” in Northern Ireland where they have been established since 1879.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has bee produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 27, 2000

Topic: Great Hunger Memorial

Hello, my name is Jim McGuire and I'm President of the New York Irish Network. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

From 1845 to 1851, 1.5 million Irish died of starvation even while adequate food supplies were exported to Great Britain. This forced approximately two million Irish to immigrate to the United States. Today, The Great Hunger Memorial Committee, while acknowledging that sad chapter in history, looks to the future.

Westchester County has designated an area of Macy Park to be the home of a memorial designed by Eamonn O Doherty, renowned for such landmark works as the Anna Livia on O'Connell Street in Dublin. O'Doherty, an award-winning painter and architect, has also designed two other sculptures commemorating the Great Famine.

Groundbreaking for the Westchester memorial is slated for later in the fall of 2000. At the edge of a new field of grass, up on a rise of land, the monument will look to the Saw Mill River, a tributary of the Hudson, which feeds into the Atlantic that carried many Irish immigrants to American shores.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 28, 2000

Topic: Morgan Llywelyn

Hello, my name is Mary Harnett and I'm the Vice President of Cunningham Consulting. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

An Irish citizen, the author Morgan Llywelyn was born in New York City of Irish and Welsh-Irish parents. She is best known for her work in historical fiction and for her retelling of the great Celtic myths. Mythological heroes such as Cuchullain and Finn McCool join historical figures such as Brian Boru and Granuaile coming to life in Llywelyn's masterful chronicles.

Her books have become popular throughout the world and have been reprinted in numerous languages, including Russian. Four Llywelyn novels are currently optioned for motion pictures.

Morgan Llywelyn is Chairperson of the Irish Writers' Union and is currently researching the second novel of her modern day trilogy on the Irish Rebellion. She discussed her first novel of this series, 1916, when Fordham University hosted her as a guest lecturer in 1998.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has bee produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 29, 2000

Topic: Irish in Argentina

Hello, my name is Brian Conway and I'm a three-time All Ireland champion fiddler. I organize a weekly seisiún of traditional Irish music at Dunne's Pub in White Plains. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

The Irish diaspora is often associated with the United States, Canada, and Australia. It may come as a surprise to know that more than half a million Argentine people can claim Irish ancestry. During the colonial years of the sixteenth century, many of the Irish immigrants were in the military or in civil administration. Others were active in business and professional capacities. Some may have been descendants of the Wild Geese.

Argentina's quest for independence from Spain began in 1810. The naval battle of Montevideo on March 17, 1815 was key in insuring this independence. Spearheaded by Admiral William Brown, a Mayo native who had founded the Argentine navy, the military encounter began to the strains of the band playing St. Patrick's Day in the Morning. This song is still one of the official songs of the Argentine navy.

In the late 1820's many Irish immigrated to Argentina because of the opportunities afforded by the wool and meat trades. Many came from Westmeath and Wexford and soon became prosperous sheep farmers by taking advantage of land ownership opportunities not available to them in Ireland.

Although each succeeding generation became better integrated with the rest of Argentine society, it is still possible to pick up a Westmeath accent from an Argentine citizen who has never been to Ireland.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 30, 2000

Topic: Fathers and Daughters

Hello, my name is Joanie Madden and I'm the leader of the traditional Irish music and dance ensemble, Cherish the Ladies. This is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Our musical past, our heritage, has always been the source for so much of the musical inspiration of Cherish the Ladies. While searching for repertoire, each member of the group has always reached back into her own musical memories, drawing from the great source of tunes from our fathers and grandparents. In the past, we have turned to my father, Joe Madden, and to Mike Rafferty, who both hail from East Galway, for their wonderful collection of reels and jigs; to Jim Coogan for polkas; to Bobby Clancy and the Clancy Brothers for songs; to Donna's son, Jesse Smith, for reels; and to Síobhan's Grandma Egan for barn dances. We brought these tunes and songs that have been in our individual families for years to the group, incorporating and molding them to create our own blend and unique sound.

It was a thrill to have many of our family members join us in celebrating our anniversary of a dozen years together as a band. On our latest album, At Home, they helped us showcase the musical tapestry that makes us what we are.

We also celebrate this passing of tradition from one generation to another in a PBS television special, Fathers to Daughters: A Tradition Cherished, to be aired this spring.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV on 90.7 FM.

"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.

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Air Date: March 31, 2000

Topic: Jeanie Johnston

Hello, my name is Kate Cunningham, and I'm the President of Cunningham Consulting in Croton-on-Hudson, and this is a celebration of Irish history and culture for Irish Heritage Month.

Successive failure of the potato crop in Ireland from 1845-1850 triggered a famine of calamitous proportions. Known as the Great Famine or the Great Hunger, it launched the emigration of millions of people from their beloved homeland. As they sailed to the United States and Canada, conditions on board were so horrendous they became known as coffin ships.

A notable exception was the Jeanie Johnston, a triple masted barque, 32 meters long and built of oak and pine. Launched from Tralee in County Kerry, the Jeanie Johnston displaced 700 tons and carried 200 passengers and crew. During 16 passages to New York, Baltimore, and Quebec, she never lost a passenger to disease or the sea, and her return trips to southwest Ireland brought much needed food supplies.

A replica of the Jeanie Johnston has been built by the people of Ireland, and will set sail in April for the US and Canada. She will be in Port Jefferson, LI, on June 24 and in New York harbor for Fourth of July 2000. If you would like to learn more about projects such as Jeanie Johnston, be sure to listen to WFUV's Irish Programs on Saturday mornings and Sunday afternoons, or visit our website for this entire series at www.cnghm.com.

This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and WFUV 90.7 FM. If you would like to see the entire series, visit our website, www.cnghm.com .

"Slan abhaile," which means goodbye and safe home.

Return to Table of Contents                      Visit the 1999 Irish Heritage Series.