"Summertime, and the livin' is easy" - George Gershwin

It's not over yet, but the kids are having a great summer. They spend the mornings at camp, and the afternoons playing with friends, or we go to the beach or to a park. Every night they fall into bed exhausted. They are real little kids now. This is the best age! But I think that every year.

"They breed like rabbits and multiply like vermin." Ian Paisley on Catholics in 1969

Reverend Ian Paisley in 1969

Yikes! Yesterday was July 12, a day in which some British Loyalists in Northern Ireland celebrate William of Orange's victory over Catholic King James II at the "Battle of the Boyne" in 1690. William, King James' nephew and son-in-law was a Protestant and his victory ensured his place as King William III of England, Scotland and Ireland and restored Protestantism to the throne. His wife Mary, was Catholic King James' daughter (of College of William and Mary fame).

Today, the Orange Order commemorates this day every year with parades and celebrations around Northern Ireland and Scotland. Named for William of Orange and founded in 1795, it seems that this organization and its lodges of members was created in order to protect protestants. Incidentally, the Irish flag is Green, representing the 26 counties, Orange, representing the 6 Northern counties with white in the middle representing peace. It is based on the French flag- early revolutionaries such as Theobald Wolfe Tone (a protestant) and Robert Emmet visited France to learn about how they planned their revolution.

July 12th Parade Banner

The Grand Orange Lodge says:

"In 1795, following the culmination of attacks on Protestants in County Armagh at the Battle of the Diamond, in which Protestants routed those who had attacked them and attempted to burn properties, it was decided to form an organisation which would protect Protestants."

http://www.grandorangelodge.co.uk/

The ILOI says:

"An Orange Association was formed in England in 1688 to assist the Prince of Orange in defence of the Protestant Religion and the Liberties of England. The Orange Order, as we know it, was formed by the victorious Protestants after the Battle of the Diamond in 1795.

Its aims were to defend Protestantism, Protestant property and the Constitution."

http://www.iloi.org/

Earlier this year, Tom and I watched a documentary on BBC about the Orangewomen, the Women of the Orange order. They have their own meetings, hierarchy and lodges- and are able to march in the parades only if invited by the men.

I found a posting on politics.ie from someone who also saw the same documentary:

"I watched the excellent documentary on BBC NI on Monday evening about the Women's Orange Order in the north.
Still alive and thriving today, their rule book forbids mixed marriages.
Most of the members were 50+, with one exception. A pretty lady whose parents are members of their respective Lodges and so too is she.
I thought I was watching a documentary about the FreeMasons in Dublin with all the pomp and ceremony performed at one stage!!
But I came away thinking how sad that these people oppose Catholics marrying Protestants, given they admitted to mixing well with their neighbours.
I thought we had moved on since the Good Friday Agreement but clearly not when it comes to this bigoted view across the north.
When asked if they would support a rule change relating to mixed marriages, those interviewed gave a definitive 'no'.
Obviously, they are still living back in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s.
Times have moved on.
The young lady interviewed joked that if she ever decided to marry a Catholic she would have to change her partner's religious beliefs and he would agree to bring up their children as Protestants.
Very sad. Because she could just meet a Catholic she is compatible with and likes. And she wouldn't be allowed marry him because of some silly, historically, bigoted rule."

Mural in Belfast

This year, chaos ensued once again as some republicans rioted and threw petrol bombs injuring police. Although it has been 13 years since the Good Friday Agreement, there are still some people who are very angry that Ireland is divided. Fewer still are so angry that they think that violence is way to go. But I am fascinated by those who celebrate on July 12th. It seems so archaic and irrelevant. It appears that people get caught up in the hierarchy and surround themselves with similar small minded people. Let's face it, there is more than one way to express anger.

"A landscape fossilized, / Its stone-wall patternings / Repeated before our eyes / In the stone walls of Mayo." -- Seamus Heaney

The beautiful West Coast

Another opportunity for driving practice. Big improvements were made.

The Swan boats at Westport House

New York & Dublin friends- and we found them in Westport!

We have to find a playground on all trips

"Can we play that game where you whack the balls?"

Ferry around Killary Fjord

Dolphins followed us almost the whole way!

Instructions for pilgrims

We climbed as far as the Statue of St. Patrick- maybe when they are a little older we will go all the way up to the top

Murrisk Abbey- founded in the 15th Century by Pope Callistus, who I had not heard of before today.

The famine monument near Croagh Patrick. Notice the skeletons.

After our quick trip to Galway in the dead of winter, we promised ourselves that we would come back to the area when the sun sets later than 4:30! This time we based ourselves out of Westport, Mayo. Westport is a cute little Irish town, and the Hotel had a great pool which all of us love when we go away.

The first day we went to Westport House, an old estate that has small amusement park and swan boats, and a little train. It was a great day and coincidentally, we ran into our Irish New York friends who happened to be on a getaway to the west as well.

The second day was very wet, and so we drove down to Leenane and took a cruise around Ireland's only Fjord. It was perfect for a rainy day. The boys loved it and there were Dolphins that followed us the whole way!

We also went up to Croagh Patrick. Also called "the Reek" Croagh Patrick is the mountain that St. Patrick is said to have climbed barefoot in the 5th Century. It is told that he stayed up there and fasted for 40 days and at the end of the fast he threw a silver bell down the side of the mountain killing Corra the she-demon and banishing all the snakes from Ireland. Each year about 20,000 pilgrims clim Croagh Patrick on the third Sunday in July. Many climb barefoot and some have died. We decided not to go all the way up. This year.

We had little issue on the last night, the T man may have had his second migraine. But he is doing great now. My favorite part of these getaways is that we get to spend all the days together away from regular life. It was a great trip.

A different language is a different vision of life. ~Federico Fellini

This weekend, we went to see "Translations" at the Abbey Theatre. I really enjoy seeing plays written by Irish playwrights.

"Translations" was written by Brian Friel, and the first production was in Derry in 1980. It takes place in a small village in Donegal called Baile Beag and really captures the colonial relationship between Ireland and England. Set in 1833, post Act of Union, post failed rebellion, and post growing sense that the English language was the path to modernization.

The story illustrates how, through an land ordinance survey, the Irish names of towns and villages were renamed to reflect a more anglican influence. Even though the new names made sense to no one. The whole play asks the question: "How important is a language to it's people?"

Since moving to Ireland, I have seen that public road signs are in both Irish and English. Not all Irish people speak fluent Irish, but many do. It is a required subject in schools. Some will go to Irish language schools, or summer camps, or have lived with an Irish speaking family in Galway to work on their Irish. I understand that if you take your leaving certificate (the Irish SAT's) in Irish you get extra points. The police have to speak irish, and it seems that most politicians do as well.

Towards the end of the 19th Century and the early 20th, there was a big push to revive the Irish language, Gaelic sports, Irish music and literature in order to reclaim Ireland. These ideas were very unifying and helped fuel the rising in 1916. The IRB and the Irish Volunteers communicated and recruited through these Irish interests. Irish is still the national language of Ireland, though there has been talk of dropping it as a required course, and accepting non Irish-speaking Gardai.

Ireland would be a different place if the Irish language had not been so diluted. The play's characters represent some of the emotions that were present at the time. The teacher who felt that the English had taken enough from the Irish and that they had to hold on to their language, the girl who wanted to be modern and leave the small village and who saw English as a way out. Both are very sympathetic.

The theme was relevant in 1833 and it is relevant today. The Irish tell these stories like no one else could. And I love to hear them.

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” - Plato

Playing outside the Dromoland Castle

Learning about how people lived "a long long time ago"

Thatched Cottage

Discovering that the water used to be pumped from a well

Ready to Ride

Ricky & Silverado take the boys out

Last weekend was a great weekend away with the boys. Weekends away with just the four of us is one of my favorite things. We spend a few whole days together, discovering new things in a new place.

The highlight of this trip was the pony ride. The kids have been on horses once before with a quick trip up and down a field. The smiles on their faces told me that e should try this again soon. This stable that we found in Clare was amazing. It was clean, the man and his young son were excellent and we were the only ones there. They gave the boys a half hour lesson about how to treat the horses, what the equipment was called and how to turn around in the saddle. The boys were thrilled! And so were we.

"Nothing happens until it happens first"- Colum McCann

Ireland Fund Gala Dinner 2011

With my new friend Emer

Chatting with Colm McCann

Last Friday night we attended the Ireland Fund Gala Dinner at the Dromoland Castle in Limerick. The Ireland Fund is a global organization that raises money on behalf of Irish Charities. In learning more about their work I am once again struck by the force of Ireland. The Irish diaspora (and its supporters) is so strong, and the people so passionate and connected that I can't imagine any other country that would compare.

The President of Ireland, Mary McAleese was honored at the event. She has been president for 14 years, and was preceded by Mary Robinson. I have often heard them referred to as "the Marys". President McAleese is very popular and has been an amazing ambassador for Ireland. It was wonderful to see her and hear her address. We didn't get to meet her, but we did sit at the table next to her!

Also at our table was a very nice couple, Emer & Basil. Emer and I had a quick laugh on our way from the cocktail to the dinner, and coincidentally were seated right next to each other. I liked her straight away- and hey live very close to us. Basil actually climbed Mt. Everest recently to raise money for the Ireland Funds- Amazing!

Finally, there was a very pleasant surprise. Colum McCann, author of the very critically acclaimed and award-winning Let the Great World Spin, accepted the Ireland Fund's Literary Award at the dinner. I have read and loved Let the Great World Spin, as well as his short stories. In fact, I mentioned him in this blog on February 28, 2010. And here is another strange coincidence: I happened to be in the middle of another book by Colum McCann at the time of the dinner. This Side of Brightness- I totally recommend it! I did get to meet Colm and chat with him a little. He is Irish but lives in New York. What a nice, down to earth guy.

"Easy reading is damn hard writing." ~Nathaniel Hawthorne

Dalkey Book Festival June 17-19, 2011

Niamh Sharkey reading her books to the kids

Margaret E. Ward interviews Ryan Tubridy

Margaret conducted a fantastic interview!

Tom with the Heineken Cup

Me (pretending not to notice the Heineken Cup)

This weekend was the 2nd annual Dalkey Book Festival. The festival was born when David McWilliams (economist, author, and broadcaster) attended a Dalkey Business Group meeting. In an effort to come up with ideas to boost local business, he thought of using one of the most valuable local resources- writers!

We attended last year, and it was great. This year, however, I discovered that my friend from High School was interviewing Ryan Tubridy about his book on JFK. Margaret is a Garden City girl who has lived in the Dublin area for many years. She is a journalist, has written 2 books and hosts the Newstalk radio show in the mornings. Ryan Tubridy hosts the Late Late Show here, and has his own Radio Show on RTE. His book chronicles JFK's last visit to Ireland.

Margaret is often a guest on Ryan's radio show and they have an excellent Rapport. The interview was interesting and funny, and I was so impressed and proud of her! Oh, and we got to meet Ryan too.

After an afternoon at Finnegan's and dinner with Margaret and her kids, we went to see my friend Tim Pat Coogan talk about his interview with Brian O'Nolan (aka Flann O'Brien). There were so many events that I would love to have attended, if only it lasted a week! Roddy Doyle, Maeve Binchy, Conor McPherson, and Neil Jordan were among those who participated. If my readers are thinking of visiting, this would be a good thing to try and catch!

It was a wonderful day, and at the end we came across the Heineken Cup. Leinster, the Rugby Team from the province that we live in recently won the trophy. We had to take photos of that!