| Air Date | Presenter | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 03/01/99 | Kate Cunningham | The Bronx as a Mecca for Irish Musical Champions |
| 03/02/99 | Jerry O'Sullivan | Uilleann Pipes |
| 03/03/99 | Mary Harnett | Boycott |
| 03/04/99 | Cathie Ryan | Maeve |
| 03/05/99 | Kate Cunningham | Eire Under |
| 03/06/99 | Jerry O'Sullivan | Turlough O'Carolan |
| 03/07/99 | Mary Harnett | Empire State Building |
| 03/08/99 | Cathie Ryan | Grace O'Malley |
| 03/09/99 | Meaghan O'Rourke | The Fairies' Revenge |
| 03/10/99 | Jerry O'Sullivan | The Tin Whistle |
| 03/11/99 | LuAnn O'Rourke | History of Irish Dance |
| 03/12/99 | Cathie Ryan | The Music of What Happens |
| 03/13/99 | Kate Cunningham | Brendan the Navigator |
| 03/14/99 | Jerry O'Sullivan | Michael Coleman |
| 03/15/99 | Mary Harnett | Lady Betty |
| 03/16/99 | Cathie Ryan | Sean nos style |
| 03/17/99 | Mary Harnett | Saint Patrick |
| 03/18/99 | Kate Cunningham | Newgrange |
| 03/19/99 | LuAnn O'Rourke | Dance Competition |
| 03/20/99 | Mary Harnett | The Celtic Tiger |
| 03/21/99 | Kate Cunningham | The Children of Lir |
| 03/22/99 | Brian Conway | Brehon Law |
| 03/23/99 | JoEllen Bosson | Saint Brigid |
| 03/24/99 | Brian Conway | Nobel Peace Prize |
| 03/25/99 | Jennifer Croke | James Joyce |
| 03/26/99 | Joanie Madden | Mick Moloney |
| 03/27/99 | LuAnn O'Rourke | Cuchullain |
| 03/28/99 | Kathleen Biggins | Maureen Glynn Connolly |
| 03/29/99 | Joanie Madden | Jack Coen |
| 03/30/99 | LuAnn O'Rourke | Ceili and Set Dancing |
| 03/31/99 | Kate Cunningham | March Madness |
| Visit the 2000 Irish Heritage series. |
| Air Date: March 1, 1999 | Topic: Bronx Mecca of Irish Musicians |
The recent Riverdance phenomenon has brought world-wide attention to the contributions of Irish Americans to the traditional music and dance scene. The show featured the homegrown talents of Chicagoan, Michael Flatley, and Long Island native Jean Butler. For those of us lucky enough to be in the WFUV listening area, however, we don't have to look any farther than the borough of the Bronx as a mecca of traditional Irish music.
Offering new New Yorkers a reminder of familiar things back home, music greats such as Jack Coen, Martin Mulvihill, Joe Madden, and Mike Rafferty also trained a new generation of musicians that we enjoy every weekend on WFUV's A Thousand Welcomes and Ceol na Gael.
One of Martin Mulvihill's most prominent students, a young Woodlawn girl claimed her first All-Ireland championship on the banjo at the age of nine. Later, Eileen Ivers earned many more All-Ireland titles on the fiddle. Joe Madden made arrangements for his daughter, a classmate of Eileen's at St. Barnabas, to take flute lessons with Jack Coen. On the twenty-fifth anniversary of her father's All-Ireland championship, Joanie Madden became an All-Ireland champion herself. Later, Mike Rafferty's daughter, Mary, brought her accordion along and joined a group that Joanie was forming. Cherish the Ladies was born and became the second generation of musical talent with a home base in New York.
Other New Yorkers who continue to make their mark on the Irish music and dance scene include Brian Conway, Jerry O'Sullivan, Donny Golden, and Cathie Ryan. Listening to WFUV is a great way to follow the careers of these gifted local talents.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 2, 1999 | Topic: Uilleann Pipes |
Scottish Highland or Irish War pipes conjure images of pipers on the march. Accompanied by drums, they sound loudly enough to draw crowds to parades just as they once enticed warriors of different clans to charge into battle. Musical relatives, the more peaceful uilleann pipes found their way to Ireland by way of the traveling people whose craftsmanship enabled a range of two full octaves.
Uilleann is the Irish word for "elbow." The bag on these pipes is placed under one elbow and filled by a bellows, which is pumped by the opposite elbow. In addition to the chanter, uilleann pipes also have drones and regulators. Unlike the Scottish pipes, uilleann pipes are played sitting down. They are quieter and more versatile making them a popular addition to any seisún.
Although some form of bagpipe was known in Europe as far back as the first century BC, this shepherd's instrument did not evolve into the Highland pipes that we know today until the 1400's. The uilleann pipes have only been around for the past three hundred years. After almost dying out, this instrument enjoyed a renaissance of its popularity in the 20th century, thanks to the master musicians of the time.
During my recording sessions, live performances, and guest spots on WFUV, I've also played whistles, war pipes, and small pipes; but, I continue to be drawn to the complexity and versatility of the uilleann pipes. This instrument enjoys expression in a variety of musical genres such as Celtic, Folk, Baroque, American old-time, blues, jazz, and even rock and roll. The appeal of the uilleann pipes to me is the opportunity they present to explore new musical directions while keeping the tradition alive.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 3, 1999 | Topic: Boycott |
The term "boycott" originates from the surname of Captain Charles Boycott. He was the land agent for Lord Erne of Lough Mask House in County Mayo. In 1880, he dismissed laborers over a dispute in wages. He granted no abatements of rent and obtained eviction notices against the tenants of the estate.
Instead of being a disaster for the people of the town, the tables were turned on Captain Boycott, himself. No one would serve the evictions for Boycott, and he could get no blacksmith to make his tools, no baker to bake his bread, or no laborer to harvest his crops. The postal service delivered only what was obviously a bill.
Fifty Orangemen, escorted by two thousand soldiers, came to Boycott's assistance to harvest his crops. They were all forced to walk fifteen miles in the rain because no one would provide them with transport. It is estimated that it cost the country £10 for every £1 worth of crop harvested.
There are many words in Irish that have made their way into the English language without the notoriety enjoyed by Captain Boycott. To learn more about the Irish language and customs, tune in to WFUV's Saturday morning show, Céad Míle Fáilte. You're sure to find a hundred thousand welcomes there!
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 4, 1999 | Topic: Maeve |
Featured in the Ulster cycle of mythology, Maeve, the legendary Queen of Connaught, is an anarchic goddess of war and fertility. She persists as the catalyst in the rivalry between Connaught and Ulster involving the great Ulster warriors Cuchulainn, Conall, and Laoire.
As a young girl, Maeve killed Clothru, one of her sisters who was pregnant at the time. However, the child, Furbaide, was saved. He eventually avenged his mother's death by killing Queen Maeve with a piece of cheese shot from his sling while she bathed in the waters of Lough Ree.
Maeve's determination is evident in the most well known story about her, "Tain Bo Cuailgne," or "The Cattle Raid of Cooley." She is jealous of the Ulster king's large bull because her herd of cattle is not to be outdone by his. She activates armies to march so she can take by force the bull she wants. The story recounts the battles between Maeve's warriors and Cuchulainn, a legend in his own right. Not only does the story have a fatal ending for Cuchulainn, but also for the bull!
Maeve is thought to be buried at Knocknarea, "the hill of the moon," in County Sligo. Local legend has it that if you bring a stone to the top of the mound and lay it on Maeve's grave, your troubles will lessen. However, it is very important not to remove anything from the mound for fear of Maeve's wrath.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Safe home.
| Air Date: March 5, 1999 | Topic: Eire Under |
Ireland is well known for its seafaring traditions, from its teeming rivers and sprawling seascapes to the famous garb of the fisherman knit sweater. But many people don't know the secret of Ireland underwater.
Throughout Europe, recreational scuba divers have long known Ireland to be an excellent dive destination with clear water and abundant sea life. With visibility up to 30 meters, reefs off every coastline, and wrecks sites that date back to Spanish Armada, each dive is a wonderful adventure. Eels, lobsters, squid, wrasses, rays, and seals can all be found. Whale migrations off the coast of Kerry include the basking shark, which can be up to 10meters in length. Schools of bottle nosed dolphins are a common sight.
During our last dive vacation in Ireland, we were thrilled to see small sharks on every dive; they are so common they are called dogfish. We were surprised by the somewhat tropical profusion of anemones and colorful sponges, as well as some of the fish. But the palm trees back on land are a testament to the strength of the Gulf Stream. Diving in Ireland is not for the feint of heart; the waters off the coast are quite stormy, and the currents and cold water temperatures all add to a challenging experience.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 6, 1999 | Topic: Turlough O'Carolan |
Born in 1670, Turlough O'Carolan is considered Ireland's first national composer. He was the son of a subsistence farmer who also worked as a blacksmith. The family lived in Roscommon and was in the service of the MacDermott Roe family. The lady of the house ensured young Turlough's education; but, in 1688, he was left blind by a case of smallpox. Mary MacDermott Roe arranged harp lessons for Turlough and, when he reached the age of 21, she gave him a horse and a guide so he could embark on a career as a traveling harpist and poet.
For 47 years, Turlough O'Carolan literally composed tunes, known as planxties, and played the harp for his supper. Over two hundred of his works survive today, an amazing testament to his talent since he could not read or write music.
Turlough's death in 1738 was an occasion of national sorrow. Ten harpists played at his four-day wake. The richness of O'Carolan's melodies lives on in Irish music today.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 7, 1999 | Topic: Empire State Building |
It is no surprise that New York City's history is rich in stories of the contributions made by Irish immigrants and subsequent generations of Irish Americans. What may be a surprise is that St. Patrick's Cathedral is not the only Fifth Avenue landmark that is a testament to the Irish.
The Empire State Building has a very special association with St. Patrick's Day. The very popular Irish American and then ex-governor of New York, Alfred E. Smith, was appointed president of Empire State, Incorporated when the huge skyscraper was still a dream. In tribute to his Irish ancestry, Al Smith asked the ironworkers, who were ready to set steel on March 8th, to delay the start until St. Patrick's Day. And so it was that construction of this most famous national and city landmark was launched on March 17, 1930.
Today, the Empire State Building's night illumination is a familiar part of the New York skyline. Every night the tower lights are turned off at midnight with the exception of New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and, of course, St. Patrick's Day. On these holidays, the tower remains lit until 3 am. Al Smith would be proud to know that the Empire State Building is bathed in a soft green glow every March 17th.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 8, 1999 | Topic: Grace O'Malley |
The province of Connaught, reputed to be the "wild west" of Ireland, contains the untamed shores that were home to the Pirate Queen, Granuaile, or Grace O'Malley, her anglicized name. The only daughter of chieftain Owen O'Malley, she was born in about 1530. Her clan ruled the western coast from Achill Island to Inishbofin. At 16, Grace married Donal O'Flaherty of the clan that ruled around Connemara. These times were characterized by ongoing feuding, raiding, plundering, pillage, and piracy.
After Donal's murder by the Joyces, Grace rallied her clan and established her own power base on Clare Island. From here, she sailed with her own fleet. By sail and oar, she attacked Spanish and Scottish vessels and seized their cargo. In 1577, Grace was captured and imprisoned. She was released on the condition that she renounce her piracy and lawlessness.
When Sir Richard Bingham began to enforce English rule in Ireland by violent suppression, Grace appealed directly to Queen Elizabeth I for protection. Elizabeth offered her the title of Countess. Grace responded by telling Elizabeth off and asserting that they were equal queens of two different nations. Despite their differences, Elizabeth granted the Pirate Queen the freedom to live the rest of her life in peace. Grace O'Malley died in about 1603.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 9, 1999 | Topic: The Fairies' Revenge |
While Eamon De Valera was in the United States garnering support for the soon to be proclaimed Irish Republic, his wife, Sinead, remained in Ireland with their children. To entertain her children in their father's absence, she began to write fairy tales that are original, yet steeped in tradition.
One of them, "The Fairies' Revenge," tells of a brother and sister, Conn and Nuala, who visit a Fáinne Sí, or fairy ring, near their home in the remote west of Ireland. Although Conn warns her not to step inside the fairy ring, Nuala does trespass within and picks some of the fairies' violets. She brings them home and places the flowers in her bedroom. When Nuala prepares to go to bed that evening, the flowers are gone and her bed is full of thorns. The fairies have their revenge on Nuala for she will never sleep in a bed again.
Conn overhears his parents' distressed discussion of the situation and learns that the fairies love music. He creeps out of the house after midnight and returns to the fairy ring where he hides behind a tree and watches the little people dance to the music of a fairy flute player. When the flute player gets tired, the fairies are disappointed because they want to continue. Conn steps out of his hiding place and begins to whistle for them.
The fairies are so touched by the generosity of Conn's talent that they offer to grant him a wish. He asks them to remove the spell on his sister Nuala. They agree that, if Conn can accomplish a series of difficult tasks, they will remove the spell if Conn keeps the whole matter a secret.
The next night Nuala's bed was soft and comfortable and through the room there was the fragrant perfume of violets. Conn kept his secret forever.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 10, 1999 | Topic: The Tin Whistle |
As a musician, one of my greatest pleasures is teaching others to make their own music. Although my favorite instrument is the uilleann pipes, the coordination required by this bagpipe's complexity can be daunting to the novice weekend musician. I often suggest that beginners start out with the tin whistle.
This popular instrument is also known as the Celtic flute or the penny whistle. It is inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to handle. The tin whistle is also pretty easy to learn and lends itself to Celtic and folk music.
The design of the present-day instrument can be traced back to China over five thousand years ago. This compact flute-like instrument made its way to central Europe around the eleventh century and was an ideal vehicle for the roaming Celtic bards.
The six holes of the tin whistle are covered by the fingers to change notes. The fingering is the same for the various octaves; only the blowing technique changes. In a relatively short time, most students of the instrument can play a soulful march or a lilting air.
The tin whistle is an instrument that everyone can enjoy.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 11, 1999 | Topic: History of Irish Dance |
Basic folk dances have existed in Ireland for centuries. It wasn't until the eighteenth century that step dancing began to evolve as the creation of the dance masters who traveled from village to village teaching their moves to those who could afford to pay for the lessons. Their intricate steps were derived from the simpler steps of the round and long dances.
These teachers designed dances that coordinated various steps and movements with battering, the foot percussion used to emphasize rhythm. Often the demonstrations given by the masters were performed on the top of a table in someone's home. Since space limitations were such an influential constraint on the style of the dance, one of the highest accolades that could be paid to a dancer was to say that he could "dance on the top of a plate."
Today there are four basic Irish step dances: the reel, the jig, the slip jig, and the hornpipe. Each dance school has its own versions of the steps contributing to the variations of the basic dance patterns.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 12, 1999 | Topic: The Music of What Happens |
There is an old folktale from the Fenian cycle of Irish mythology in which the legendary hero Fionn Mac Cumhall engages the members of the Fianna in a poetic discussion of music.
Fionn asks his son, Oisín, "What is the finest music in the world?" Oisín responds "The cuckoo calling from the highest tree in the hedge." "That is a good sound," said Fionn. "And you, Oscar, what do you think is the finest music?" Fionn queries his loyal warrior, Oscar. He answers "The best music to my ears is the ring of a spear on a shield." "That is a good sound," Fionn agrees.
The other champions told of their delights: the bugling of a stag across water; the baying of a tuneful pack heard in the distance; the song of a lark; the laughter of a happy girl; or the whisper of a moved one. "They are good sounds all," Fionn said.
"Tell us, Finn" one of them asked him, "what do you think?" "The music of what happens," said great Fionn, "that is the finest music in the world."
This legend inspired the title of my latest CD, The Music of What Happens. If Fionn Mac Cumhall could hear some of its tracks played right here on WFUV, I hope he would say, "That is a good sound."
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
. "Slan abhaile." Safe home.
| Air Date: March 13, 1999 | Topic: Brendan the Navigator |
St. Brendan was the Abbot of the monastery at Clonfert in County Galway during the sixth century. Legend has it that a very beautiful flower from the Island of Paradise, was seen by the twelve apostles of Ireland. Brendan was chosen by his fellow disciples to go in search of this Land of Promise. After his first unsuccessful attempt, he and some of his monks prayed and fasted for forty days before embarking on a voyage that led to the discovery of America 500 years before the Vikings and more than 900 years before Columbus got there. It is a fact of record at the National Archives of Madrid that Christopher Columbus sailed to Galway in 1492 to study the maps and records of Brendan.
The adventure of St. Brendan the Navigator was long regarded as just a fanciful tale until 1976 when author and explorer Tim Severin proved that the missionary and his monks could have successfully accomplished the trans-Atlantic crossing. Following descriptions from medieval manuscripts, Severin built a craft by stretching a tanned oxhide over an ash wood frame similar to the manner in which current day Irish curraghs are made. This hide was greased to protect it in salt water and the method used preserved the vessel's elasticity. Severin set sail with his friends via Iceland, Greenland, and Nova Scotia to the United States. This epic voyage proved beyond doubt that Irish monks could have been the first Europeans to set foot in America.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 14, 1999 | Topic: Michael Coleman |
Michael Coleman is often lauded as the greatest Irish fiddler of all time. He was born in Killavil, South Sligo in 1891. The Sligo style of fiddling, characteristic of that area, enjoyed tremendous popularity throughout Ireland and abroad. Michael Coleman only enhanced it with his own special touch and his artistic interpretation of the music.
In 1914, Coleman immigrated to the United States where he settled in New York. Here he gave fellow immigrants a taste of home and introduced traditional Irish music to a whole new audience. Even then, the music world was influenced by the role of emerging technology. Thanks to the newly developed gramophone, Michael Coleman's legacy was preserved for future generations.
He is remembered today on both sides of the Atlantic. An inscription at the Coleman Heritage Centre in Sligo reads: "To the memory of Michael Coleman, master of the fiddle and saviour of Irish traditional music…" Here in the WFUV listening area, the local chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoírí Eíreann, the Brotherhood of Irish Musicians, bears Michael Coleman's name.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 15, 1999 | Topic: Lady Betty |
For about thirty years, from 1780 to 1810, a woman held the position of executioner at the Roscommon Jail. Although Betty lived in poverty, she knew how to read and write. She taught those skills to her young son along with a strong, miserly emphasis on acquiring money to be successful. Betty had no friends and, when her son was old enough, he left her and immigrated to America to make his fortune.
Years later, on a dark rainy night, a bearded stranger, finely dressed, sought food and shelter at Betty's door. She took him in, but while he slept she decided to kill him and take his money. After the murder, she went through the stranger's papers and discovered that she had murdered her own son. She became horror stricken and hysterical and confessed her guilt in the streets of Roscommon. She was arrested, tried and condemned to death; but, Betty's story doesn't end here.
When she and several other death row convicts were taken to the Roscommon Jail for execution, they were told that the executioner was sick. The local sheriff refused to wield the hangman's noose himself. Betty bargained with him to spare her. In return, she would hang her fellow criminals. The sheriff agreed and Betty performed her ghoulish job with admirable skill. She was appointed Roscommon's hangwoman and awarded a yearly salary and her own room.
Lady Betty, as she became known, acquired a fearsome reputation due to the technique she developed to hang her victims and leave them swinging until dead. If this destruction weren't enough, she drew charcoal portraits of her victims on her walls and lived with this testament of death around her until she died.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 16, 1999 | Topic: Sean nos style |
Sean nós or old style singing is a style of unaccompanied singing in the Irish language. The three main styles of the sean nós are derived from the areas where Irish is still spoken as a community language - the Galetachts of Ulster, Munster, and Connacht. Each of these regions has its own singing style that's been handed down from generation to generation. A singer from the Connemara Gaeltacht will use ornamentation, variety of rhythm, and nasalization differently than a singer from the Waterford Gaeltacht; yet each sean nós singer brings his or her own personal style to their singing as well - using their voices with the flexibility and precision of an instrument to paint pictures with words and melody.
Sean O'Riada believed that a possible reason for the use of ornamentation is sean nós singing comes from the period when poet-singers existed in patronage. Their patrons would have been bored by the repetition of 15 stanzas all sung exactly the same way. So the sean nós singer became a master of improvising within the melody and through his art gave the song movement and life.
Through Irish history, the sean nós has provided more than entertainment for the Irish. It contains among its vast repertoire the religious songs of a people who were not allowed the luxury of public devotion, their work songs and songs of love, their humorous songs and the stories of local happenings and local tragedies. Here too were the songs of rebellion, the tributes to past heroes coupled with messages of hope. In these songs is the survival of the culture.
Thankfully, sean nós songs are still being handed down today and we hear many of them right here on WFUV.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Safe home.
| Air Date: March 17, 1999 | Topic: Saint Patrick |
St. Patrick was actually born in Scotland about 387 AD. His given name was Maewyn. At the age of 16, he was captured and sold into slavery by Irish marauders who raided his village. He spent the next six years held in captivity by a Druid high priest in the county of Antrim. Here, while he functioned as a shepherd, he learned the Celtic language and the pagan Druid customs.
After he escaped from his cruel master, Maewyn went to Gaul and studied at a monastery under St. Germain. Pope Celestine gave him the name Patrick and appointed him Bishop of Ireland. Although he was arrested several times by the Druids, Patrick's mission of conversion was very successful. Many legends have evolved about the thirty years he spent in Ireland. The most famous is the tale of how Patrick used a three-leafed shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity.
Patrick died on March 17th in 461 AD. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. The custom came to America in 1737, when the city of Boston celebrated the first St. Patrick's Day in this country.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 18, 1999 | Topic: Newgrange |
Around 3200 BC, during the late Stone Age, 200,000 tons of stone were erected in County Meath to form what is now considered the oldest tomb in the world. Proven older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids by radiocarbon dating, Brugh na Boinne, or Newgrange, is comprised of a mound and an encircling stone ring that covers 2 acres. According to legend, Newgrange was built by An Dagda Mor, "the great god," for himself and his sons. Entombed within this grave are 150 high kings of Tara.
Archaeologists believe that Newgrange is the most ancient structure on earth. The ancient Ogham lettering in the internal passageway is the oldest writing known to man. This tomb is also a notable feat of engineering, reflecting the agrarian fertility rite of the Tuatha De Danaan. The alignment of the roof box allows only the winter solstice sun to penetrate the passage. Reservations to observe this phenomenon on the shortest, "deadest" day of the year have been made for at least the next twelve years.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 19, 1999 | Topic: Dance Competition |
An Irish dance competition is known as a feis. These competitions take place throughout Ireland, the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. A regional competition, known as the Oireachtas, selects the best dancers to qualify for national competition and subsequently for world competition. The All World Championships are held annually in Ireland around Easter.
Each competing dance school has several different costumes depending on the level and age of its dancers. When a female dancer attains a certain competitive level, she may wear a solo dress as an indication of her expertise and proficiency. The solo dress is a work of art in velvet and satin adorned with embroidery of Celtic designs. Most solo dresses are made in Ireland and each can take up to four months to complete.
A commission in Ireland provides the rules and guidelines for teaching and dance competition. All teachers and adjudicators must pass rigorous testing to qualify for registration with the commission.
To learn more about taking lessons or attending a feis, stay tuned to WFUV's Ceol na nGael and A Thousand Welcomes for announcements of what's happening in our listening area.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 20, 1999 | Topic: The Celtic Tiger |
Ireland now has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, earning it the title of the Celtic Tiger. Recording some of the highest growth rates in the European Union, Ireland's Gross National Product is increasing at a rate of 7.5% annually. The country now shows a large balance of surplus payments and a current budget surplus. The Celtic Tiger now ranks eleventh, ahead of Japan and Britain, among the world's most competitive economies.
The basis of the Irish economy has fundamentally changed with the computer industry at the core of the Celtic Tiger. Nearly one third of all personal computers sold in Europe are now made in Ireland. Once a primarily agricultural nation, 21% of Ireland's exports are computer-related goods, exceeding food and live animals. Pharmaceuticals, telemarketing, and financial services also follow this pattern.
Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are considering cross-border initiatives to encourage the further investment of transnational corporations. Both governments contend that this would bring peace and prosperity for all the people of Ireland. Here's hoping the roar of the Celtic Tiger can accomplish that goal!
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 21, 1999 | Topic: The Children of Lir |
After their defeat by the Gaelic tribes, the Tuatha de Danaan chose a new king. Lir was offended that he was not their choice. To appease him, he was given one of the new king's foster daughters in marriage. Together he and Aobh, had two sets of twins: a boy and girl named Aodh and Fionnuala, and two boys, Fiachra and Conn. Aobh died giving birth to the boys. Lir was so heartbroken that the king gave him Aobh's sister, Aoife, to be his new wife.
Aoife became jealous of her stepchildren because of Lir's great affection for them. She brought them to a lake with the intention of killing them. She couldn't bring herself to do this. Instead, Aoiffe turned the children of Lir into swans for nine hundred years.
For the first three hundred years, the swans remained on the lake conversing with the gods by day and singing beautiful music at night. The second three hundred years were spent on the Sea of Moyle in cold and misery. Following this, they spent the next three hundred years enduring terrible conditions off the coast of Mayo.
Finally they were taken in by a missionary saint. The swans stayed with the kindly saint until their period of enchantment was ended by a bride who wanted them for a wedding present. They turned into three withered old men and an old woman. The saint then baptized them. The Children of Lir died happily and were buried together.
These tributes to our Irish heritage are broadcast daily on WFUV during the month of March, and have been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 22, 1999 | Topic: Brehon Law |
The ancient Irish lived by a system of laws that were promulgated every three years during a feis at the Hill of Tara, seat of the high kings of Ireland. The Brehons, or judges, were joined by knights of the king's guard, storytellers, bards, musicians, genealogists, poets, and Druid priests from all the various kingdoms of Ireland. It was here at Tara that Brehon law evolved, predating the Code of Hammurabi.
Brehon law includes civil, military, and criminal law. It regulated all levels of society from kings to slaves, enumerating their rights and privileges. It addressed the management of property, the relations of landlord and tenant, the fees of professional men, the relationships between spouses and between parents and children. Even the keeping of bees and the distribution of their honey were governed by Brehon Law. All sorts of murder and mayhem are explicitly detailed along with the corresponding punishments.
The hospitality for which the Irish are so well-known was actually legislated. The law states that "Whoever comes to your house, you must feed and care for him no questions asked" and "It is illegal to give someone food in which a dead weasel or mouse has been found."
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile" which means "goodbye, and a safe trip home."
| Air Date: March 23, 1999 | Topic: Saint Brigid |
Known as "the Prophetess of Christ," "the Queen of the South," and "the Mary of the Gael," Brigid is one of Ireland's most beloved saints. Legend tells us that, as St. Bride, she was patroness of the Knights of Chivalry. They began the custom of calling the girls that they married their brides. It was from the Knights of Chivalry that the word bride came into general usage in the English language.
It is a strange anomaly that this Christian saint is named for the pagan goddess of fire and song who was worshipped by the pagan poets. One possible explanation offered is that at Kildare, "Church of the Oak," named for a tree believed to have been sacred to the Druids, there was a pagan sanctuary with a perpetual ritual fire. This sanctuary was tended by vestal virgins whose high priestess was regarded as an incarnation and successively bore the name Brigid. The last Brigid of this succession accepted Catholicism and transformed the pagan sanctuary into a Christian shrine. The great oak at the site was rededicated under Christian auspices and Brigid's nuns tended the perpetual fire until the Reformation.
Brigid was known for her selfless works of charity. It was when she gave her father's best sword to a leper that she came to the attention of the King of Leinster who said "...her merit before God is greater than ours." It was he who gave Brigid the site for her convent at Kildare.
Brigid is also recognized as the patroness of Irish schoolmen, especially seminarians. Her feast day is February 1, the Christianized pagan festival of Imbolc, marking the beginning of spring.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 24, 1999 | Topic: Nobel Peace Prize |
For the second time in a little more than twenty years, Norway's Nobel prize committee has focused worldwide attention on Northern Ireland. John Hume, head of the Catholic Social Democratic and Labor Party, and David Trimble, leader of the Protestant Ulster Unionist Party, have won the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Nobel committee cited the two men for their efforts to end the national religious and social conflict that has characterized the troubles of Northern Ireland. The Good Friday Peace Accord called for politicians to form a multiparty administration for Northern Ireland and joint policy-making bodies with the Irish Republic. The Nobel committee previously sought to encourage the peace process in 1976. The prize went to Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan Maguire in recognition of their work in establishing reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Both politicians were humble in their acceptance of an honor they hoped was not premature. Trimble acknowledged: "It may seem strange that we receive the reward of a race run while the race is still not quite finished."
Let's hope the finish line represents a new start for all the people of Ireland as they strive for a lasting peace.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 25, 1999 | Topic: James Joyce |
When one thinks of Irish literary greats, James Joyce immediately comes to mind. Born in Dublin in 1882, Joyce was the oldest of a family of thirteen surviving children. He was educated by the Jesuits before he attended University College for four years. Here Joyce developed an appreciation of Ibsen, Blake, Dante, Aristotle, and Aquinas. At the same time, he became increasingly critical of the customs of every day Irish life.
He exiled himself, along with his adventurous lover, Nora Barnacle, to Italy where their two children were born. From 1904 to 1906, Joyce wrote an autobiographical novel, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, as well as a series of short stories called The Dubliners. It wasn't until 1922 that his most famous work, Ulysses, was published. It was initially regarded as a scandalous success and later acclaimed as the greatest novel ever written. Joyce's last work, Finnegan's Wake, was sixteen years in the writing.
Joyce's body of literature is characterized by deliberately symbolic details. Joyce challenges his readers to connect many tiny offhand hints to deduce important truths that are never plainly stated. This trait makes Joyce the consummate Irish writer.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 26, 1999 | Topic: Mick Moloney |
As an aspiring teenaged musician in Limerick, Mick Moloney was captivated by the sound of the Clancy Brothers. Inspired by their folk music, Mick started on the guitar and later switched to the tenor banjo. He taped traditional music seisúns in Clare and developed his own unique style by incorporating what he learned.
After joining the Dublin folk music scene when he was a student at University College, Mick toured with several groups. As a member of the Johnstons, he played his first American gig in front of twenty thousand people on the Boston Common.
Later, Mick Moloney immigrated to the United States. Influenced by Kenny Goldstein, Mick settled in the Philadelphia area and enrolled in the folklore program at the University of Pennsylvania. Through his academic connections, Mick was selected to work on the Smithsonian's 1976 Festival of American Folklife. As an outgrowth of this festival, he was able to organize an American tour of traditional Irish musicians known as the Green Fields of America. He also formed another Irish American group featuring young women who were a major force on the Irish American music scene. This brainchild became known as Cherish the Ladies.
Mick Moloney now has a Ph.D. in folklore under his belt; but, it is his effort in shaping Irish traditional music over the last thirty years that make this Limerick rake an ideal candidate for a National Heritage Fellowship.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 27, 1999 | Topic: Cuchullain |
Conor, the High King of Ireland, set out one day with his guard of the Red Branch to visit Cullen, the smith who fashioned their weapons. When all were inside his walls, Cullen closed the gate and turned out his watchdog, a very hungry wolfhound.
Setanta, the king's foster son, decided to join them when he finished his hurling game. Approaching Cullen's gate, the dog growled and made to lunge at the boy. To save himself, Setanta whacked a ball down the dog's throat with his hurling stick. Cullen was distraught over the loss of his animal so Setanta offered to secure a replacement. He said to the smith, "Until the young dog is ready to take the old dog's place, I'll be your hound."
The local Druid, personal high priest to the king, was very impressed by Setanta's acceptance of responsibility. He gave the boy a high honor by naming him, Hound of Cullen.
And that is how the legendary Irish hero, Cuchullain, got his name.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 28, 1999 | Topic: Maureen Glynn Connolly |
The untimely death of Maureen Glynn Connolly was a great loss to traditional Irish music. Maureen was more than just a good stepdancer or skillful tin whistle, accordion, and flute player. As head of the well-known Irish music school her father founded in Brooklyn, Maureen was also a great teacher.
Music critic, Earle Hitchner, observed that "Maureen embodied the principles she imparted: discipline, dedication, curiosity, respect, and fun…Her humility about her own considerable talent [was a reminder] that the best of teachers know their own learning is never finished…Maureen Glynn Connolly did not leave Irish traditional music where she found it. She made a precious gift of it to her students, forging a bond for life between themselves and the music, between themselves and their teacher."
This month, Comhaltas Ceolteoírí Eíreann, the Gathering of Irish Musicians, honors Maureen's memory by naming her to their Hall of Fame. As this tribute is bestowed, Maureen's students from both sides of the Atlantic will be performing as the Maureen Glynn Connolly Memorial Band. Through her students, she continues to keep the tradition alive.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 29, 1999 | Topic: Jack Coen |
Jack played in the New York Céilí band often heralded as the best ever formed this side of the Atlantic. He and Charlie also made the rounds with several tours of Green Fields of America. Of more significance to me, personally, was that Jack was a friend of my father's. It was through this friendship that I got to take flute lessons with Jack Coen. He was very generous with his talent and determined to fulfill a promise he made to fellow musician Paddy O'Brien. He would pass along what he knew to others here.
In 1991, the National Endowment of the Arts awarded Jack a National Heritage Fellowship. This award honors master traditional artists for artistic excellence, authenticity of style, and contributions to the well-being of the tradition they represent and to the cultural life of the nation. This year, Jack Coen is honored by his peers. Comhaltas Ceolteoírí Éireann, the Gathering of Irish Musicians, has named Jack Coen for induction into its Hall of Fame.
Thanks for keeping the tradition alive!
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 30, 1999 | Topic: Ceili and Set Dancing |
Many people enjoy céilí and set dancing. These dance forms have had a significant influence on American square dancing.
Céilí dancing, the older of the two traditional dance forms, may often be structured as a sword dance, a round dance, or a line dance. Round dancing was introduced to Ireland in the twelfth century by Norman invaders. Earlier in this century, the Gaelic League codified the modern céilí dance form and stressed the "hands at the sides" characteristic.
The Quadrilles danced at the French court in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are actually the precursors to Irish set dancing. Thought to have their origins in military maneuvers, these dances were brought to Ireland by the dancing masters. The resulting variations became very regionalized and associated with the homes and crossroads where they were performed. Although the Public Dance Hall Act of 1935 tried to suppress this cultural expression, set dancing survived best in those areas of Ireland that maintained their traditions.
Tune in to WFUV's Saturday morning show, A Thousand Welcomes, to learn about céilís and sets in our listening area.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV.
"Slan abhaile." Goodbye, and a safe trip home.
| Air Date: March 31, 1999 | Topic: March Madness |
Throughout the month of March the Irish American community of the tri state area has been celebrating Irish heritage. There have been parades and concerts, dinner dances, grand marshal installations, theatre events, and festivals. Many people involved with these activities know that March madness includes much more than the culmination of the college basketball season.
The most prominent of all of these events is the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade. Beginning as it did 238 years ago, it is the oldest and largest parade in our area. But in the weeks before and after that march up Fifth Avenue, you can also enjoy parades in Yonkers, Mahopac, Bergen County, Mount Kisco, Peekskill and Pearl River. Three years ago a new parade tradition started in Sleepy Hollow, two years ago in White Plains, and this year the first St. Patrick's Day parade was held in Throggs Neck, the Bronx.
For anyone interested in learning more about Irish heritage, classes are held in many different locations, including NYU's Ireland House, the Irish American Cultural Center, Tara Circle and many others. Schools of Irish dance can be found throughout the tri-state area. Special interest groups such as Comhaltas Ceoltori Eireann, which is dedicated to Irish traditional music, are thriving in the area. Drama and theatre groups such as the Irish Rep, the Thomas Davis Irish Players, and the Rockland Irish Arts Forum offer aspiring actors the opportunity to practice their craft. There are Irish music sessions every night of the week. And, of course, there are the 32 different county organizations that you see marching so proudly on St. Patrick's Day.
To hear the weekly community bulletin boards that list these many events for you, or to learn when these groups are meeting, tune in to WFUV on Saturday mornings for A Thousand Welcomes with Kathleen Biggins, or Ceol nGael on Sunday afternoons.
This tribute to our Irish heritage has been produced by Cunningham Consulting and 90.7 FM, celebrating 25 years of Ceol na nGael on WFUV. Slan abhaile, which means goodbye and a safe trip home.
Return to Table of Contents Visit the 2000 Irish Heritage series.