Conference tallis::celt

    With Paddy's day falling on a Tuesday this year our calender looks 
    like this:-
    
    Mon 16th March.................Work
    Tues17th March.................Off
    Wed 18th March................"Work".
    
    So I guess the big times will be at the preceding weekend and not 
    on the day itself.
    
    BTW pubs close early in the republic on this day (10.00pm) and it
    is strictly enforced. Presumably the legal cogniscenti think that
    the filthy unwashed horny-handed sons of toil cannot handle their
    brew on the national holiday.
    
    There was a time when pubs were closed ALL DAY on Paddy's day here
    in Ireland!! This killed it off as a festive holiday and it is only
    now recovering its past glory as a fun time event.
    
    Two years ago when I and a group of colleagues were assigned to the
    States on training we experienced a U.S style Paddy's day.
    Imagine the shock on our faces when we entered our newly adopted
    "local" and found all the locals dressed in green. We were the only
    ones not dressed in anything green, which was ironic. I had a fun time
    teaching the air of Irish songs to a group of Irish-Americans who
    had the song-books but no music to go with the words. It was then that
    I learned that " The Unicorn Song" is regarded as Irish when, in fact
    it is American.........
    
    If anyone is celebrating Paddy's day in Worcester, Mass. give my
    regards to Phil and the folks in the "Wexford House" on the corner
    of Route 9 (Belmont St.) and Plantation St.
    

    
    >    BTW pubs close early in the republic on this day (10.00pm) and it
    
         John, John, where've you been for the last few years. Paddy's day
         is regarded as a holy day like Sunday and that means 11.00pm
         closing. 10pm closing went out a few years ago.

    I was out of the country last year and the year before that so I guess
    I will have an unexpected treat this year.
    
    It's good to see  that common sense prevailed and 11.00 is the standard
    closing time throughout the week at this time of year anyway. The 10.00
    pm closing used to give a lot of people a nasty surprise in former
    days.
    
    Now if we could get rid of the disco and dance-hall owners society,
    the main proponents of our stupid licencing laws, maybe we could bring
    our closing hours more in line with Europe, say, 12 midnight or 1 am?.
    
    They, of course love the present arrangement because it allows them to
    charge an admission fee and extra money for the drinks at their
    premises.
    
    But, then again, that would take all the fun out of the after-hours
    pint........
    

    
     Hey...ten o'clock closing just means ya start an hour EARLIER.  8)
    
     'Course over here the bars close on the night of the 16th only long 
    enough for a good snicker about law enforcement, and open up before 
    anybody's even had time for a touch of coffee with their whiskey.
    
     It's a terrible situation indeed.  
       

    
    
    Let's have a Saint Patricks' Month Celt Party at the Ceili this Sunday. 
    
    
    
    
    keVin

    
     Ah Kivin, I'm game fer that, though keepin' an eye out fer that Topaz
    feller.  
    
     Mr Kaplan indeed.  
    
     Make the ceili somewhere west of Thule, Greenland this time, will ya?
    I've moved to the western woods (next state over is Ohio, I think) and 
    drive a teeny-weeny foreign car with rubberless pedals, a rusty chain 
    and tilted handlebars that runs on spit and sincere prayer.
    

    
    
    	Watertown ???	:-)

    
     Watertown.   Sounds suspicious.  Do I arrive there before...or after 
    I reach the Atlantic Ocean?
    
     Oh, THAT Watertown.  Fine.  Yer sure it's not a DRY town or nothin'?
    I'll be there.  
    
     And just what is this unfortunate ESTABLISHMENT that will be inflicted 
    with the likes of us?
    
     Do they KNOW we're comin'?  I can't imagine.
    

    
    
    Canadian American Hall
    202 Arlington Street
    Watertown Mass.
    
    
    Ceili starts around 3.30 and goes till 9.00
    
    Mighty fine music and the dancers aren't bad either   :-)
    
    
    keVin
    

    
    A few of us colleens are headed into Tower Records in Boston early
    Sunday afternoon if anyone is interested in joining us.
    I, being a brave soul, have volunteered to drive Jen into Boston.
    We're meeting at Bentley College in Waltham around 11:45.  After
    we spend all our money we will head over to Watertown.
    
    Julie
    
    Colleens = The Horgan sisters, Jen O'Rourke & MaryEllen Kelly(famous
    	       bodhr�n player).
    
    

    
    
    	I'm pretty sure that Paddy gets most of his "material" at Towers,
    	but he goes to the one in Lowell !!   :-)
    
    
    
    	keVin
    

    
    Hi folks,
    
    I just wanted to post a PUBLIC thank you to Kasey and Julie for being
    so kind (and brave) as to take me into Boston.
    
    Tower records was great & the Ceili was fun, too.
    
    Except....a certain someone didn't show up.
    
    And, KeVin was trying to get me drunk......
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    on straight....
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    ginger ale!
    
    
    
    /Jen
    

    Dia daoibh,
        if there is anyone in the Lucan area of Dublin on Friday the 13th I
    have organised a ceile in the Lucan Sarsfields GAA Club.Music by the
    Sheelin Ceile Band,plenty of music and dance.
       St.Patricks day eve (16th) I have it on good authority that there is
    a ceile in the Green Isle Hotel in Clondalkin. I'm not sure who is
    providing the music but the set dancing is being orchestrated by the
    infamous Connie Ryan, a master of dance who is also doing dance
    workshops in the Keadin Hotel in Newbridge Co.Kildare on Saturday and
    Sunday the 14/15th March.
        Its great to have a social calender ;-)
    
    slan agus beannacht
    Tom

    
    By the by,  I've FINALLY gotten back the pictures from the CELT
    Christmas Party.
    
    I'll have to bring them around to the Paddy's Day events!  
    
    George - the candy cane earring is quite becoming :^)
    
    /Jen
    

    
    
    	Oh NO !!!!!!!!!!!!
    

    
    	does kits know you're traveling without her, kevin???

    Some wonderful music on the radio today.  Made me want to not come to
    work just so I could listen to it.  At this time of year we are often
    reminded of where we've come from, though for some of us it has been
    many years since our people sailed away from Ireland's shores. 
    
    I am saddened that, for some, this is no more than a day for drinking
    green beer and wearing silly hats.  Would that we reflect on the hatred
    and discrimination that our own people struggled against for so many
    years and not be too quick to turn the same on others.
    

  Happy Evacuation Day. 

    
    	happy st. pat's day....
    	
    	i hope that the tolerance that ireland showed to their
    	homosexuals who paraded can be an example to us, here in 
    	the US.
    	
    	everyone has a right.

    
    
    	re -1,
    
    		...and I know what my one is for! And it wont be picking
    up green beer. I'll be sampling the the real black stuff!
     
    Happy St. Patricks day to one and all.
    
    Sean
    

    Yes, Happy St. Paddies to all.
    
    I managed to go to the parade in Southie with a crew of Irish
    set dancers.  I was somewhat annoyed at all the fuss about having
    the different groups marching.  So much for valueing differences.
    
    Anyhow, after the parade the group did set dancing at Senate President
    Bulger's house in front of Governor Weld, General Neal, and Morrey
    Safer (sp?) and Sixty Minutes.  I think Sixty Minutes was doing an
    special episode on Bulger.  The flying Horgan sisters will be featured.
    I'll I can say is Bulger throws one heck of a Irish party.
    
    I'll keep you posted on which Sunday to watch.
    
    /George

    
    	tonite on A&E...at 9:00 pm. the irish rover, van morrison
    	will be on with the chieftains, nancy griffth and a few
    	others.....a st. patty's day tribute...

    
    	Anyone wishing to continue St. Patrick's Day into next weekend will
    	be able to do so in Lawrence on Sunday, March 22.
    
    	There will be a Mass in honor of Saint Patrick at Saint Patrick's
    	Church, 118 So. Broadway (route 28), Lawrence, MA.   The Mass is
    	preceeded by a concert which begins at 9:30 A.M. (Mass starts at
    	10:00).
    
    	Instrumental music will be provided by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann.
    	I have it on good authority that Seamus Connelly will also be
    	playing.
    	Note:  Seamus was featured in last Thursday's Calendar magazine.
    
    	The Mass is usually followed by refreshments in the parish hall.
    	This is a chance to sample a variety of home-made Irish Soda bread.
    
    	By the time you finish your soda bread, it will be nearly time to
    	take a spot out on the sidewalk to watch Lawrence's annual St.
    	Patrick's Parade.  The Parade steps-off at 1:00 P.M.
                                                            

    
     Jaysus...there they go again...here it is after noon the next day and
    not a one of 'em outta bed.  Or haven't they arrived home yet?
    
     Disgraceful.
    

================================================================================
Note 374.71                        Mike Royko                           71 of 71
RAYBOK::WHITLOCK "Little dead rat critters."         77 lines  18-MAR-1992 14:35
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      -< All's fair in love and parades. >-


	It appears that a new tradition has been added to the traditional St.
Patrick's Day parades that are held in cities with large Irish-American
populations.
	Gay groups now demand the right to take part in the parades. The
people who run the parades are appalled, saying they want their kids to
see leprechauns, not smooching men, and they reject the application.
	They squabble, lawsuits are filed, and a judge finally orders the
parade leaders to make room for the gays.
	It happened first in New York, where the biggest parade is held, and
where they are back in court.
	And now it is going on in Boston, where a just judge said that
something called the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Parade
Committee should be able to strut down the street with the leprechauns
and politicians.
	However, he imposed restrictions on the gays. He said they can't
distribute condoms. This is believed to be the first time in the long
history of St. Patrick's Day parades that a no-condom rule was imposed.
Until now, it was assumed that everybody knew that passing out condoms
wasn't in keeping with the spirit of the event.
	The parade's organizers are unhappy with the ruling because they
believe that the Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Parade
Committee is simply a front for a demonstrative organization called
Queer Nation, which likes to make public scenes. And they say the gays
aren't really as interested in showing their ethnic pride as they are in
flaunting their sexual pride.
	Since I'm not Irish and don't take part in the festivities, I don't
care who marches in these parades. Especially in Chicago, where every
vote-starved politician, regardless of his ethnic background, tries to
get a spot in front, rather than behind the horses where they belong.
	But it seems to me that if the gay groups agree not to hand out
condoms to startled spectators, or to hug and kiss or wear pancake
makeup, as many do in their own gay pride parades, there is little harm
in their saying: ``I'm Irish and I'm also homosexual and I'm proud.''
	I'm not sure why they would want to make that statement, since it
doesn't seem relevant to anything. But then, I'm not sure why millions
of people do millions of strange things every day. I suppose Dr. I.M.
Kookie explained it best in his definitive study of human behavior, when
he wrote: ``People are really nuts.''
	Nor do I understand why gays single out the St. Patrick's Day parade.
While they aren't as big, parades are held by other ethnic groups and
fraternal orders, and on patriotic holidays. But I haven't heard of a
fuss being made because some group wants to march in the Rose Bowl
Parade and carry a sign saying: ``I love roses and I'm gay; is anyone
surprised?'' And there have been no reports of anyone showing up in the
big Macy's parade in New York on Thanksgiving Day and proclaiming: ``I'm
gay and I shop at Macy's.''
	I suspect that the parade leaders are right: The gay marchers are
more interested in advertising their gayness, and irritating devout
straights, than they are in showing their love for old sod.
	Other groups don't wave signs that say they are proud to be Irish and
heterosexual, or Irish and impotent, or Irish and subject to premature
ejaculation, or Irish and given to lurid dreams, or anything else
relating to their sexual preferences, or lack of same.
	I know, I know, there is more to it than sex, so gays can save
postage and the cost of a phone call. It is lifestyle. But other groups
don't flaunt their lifestyles, either. I've seen many a St. Patrick's
Day parade, and I haven't noticed signs saying: ``I'm a shy bachelor,
and I still live at home with me mum, and am proud of it.''
	However, it's also true that most of the politicians who march in
these parades are more interested in impressing voters than in honoring
a saint who would have chased them out with the snakes. And in Chicago,
most of the rowdies who come downtown for the parade are more interested
in seeing how much they can drink before collapsing in a puddle of
something green.
	The gays say this is a question of fairness, equal treatment. And
they're probably right.
	But if the gays really believe in fairness in parading, they should
extend the same privilege to those non-gays who might want to march in
their gay pride parade to make a social statement about their
lifestyles.
	And I'll believe they're sincere about fairness when I see a gay
parade in which someone holds a sign that says: ``I've been married to
the same woman for 32 years, so don't wink at me, Charlie.''
	
	(C) 1992 BY THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE
	DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

    
    
    This was my first St. Paddy's day in Ireland.  Went to the parade in
    Galway and to the pubs for the evening.  Great music and beer was on
    hand.  What a nice way to spend a Tuesday.  
    
    
    Gary

  	.......and how did you manage to get yourself a job
	so far from home Gary ??



	kits

    
    	Hi ya Kits...,
    
    	They needed mechanical and process design suuport for the NAC
    	product lines.  Here since Jan 27th.  Finish up in August.