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Coordinator: Shirley Starke Route 2, Box 230 Valley City, ND 58072 701 - 845 - 2382 |
Newsletter of the Irish Special Interest Group of American Mensa Uimhir 77: Marta/Aibrean 1996 Opinions expressed are those of individual authors. Mensa as a whole has no opinions. |
A chairde,
I received a notice recently from SIGs officer Andrew York, that the Irish SIG wouldn't be listed in the fall Bulletin because I hadn't turned in the semi-annual questionnaire. I remember filling out the questionnaire last spring, and don't know what happened. But have no doubt about it: this SIG is alive and well, even if I am a little behind on the newsletters.Tom Thomassen will be guest editor for the summer issue, which will come out in the fall. I'll put out the usual September/October issue in November and the November/December issue in December (as I've been doing for years because summer is such a busy season), and we will be back on schedule.
Doirse Dochais ("Doors of Hope") is still putting out an interesting, free newsletter, even though they are no longer publishing The Nation. The latest issue contained articles about Irish language schools and about projects for peace and reconciliation in the North of Ireland, including a holiday camp for Catholic and Protestant children. The newsletter is available from Doors of Hope, PO Box 485, Ho Ho Kus, NJ 07463.
William McCarthy (5 Paul X. Tivnan Dr., West Boylston, MA 01583) sent us a list of 101 Irish books, in English and Irish, available from Schoenhof's Foreign Books, 76A Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA 02138. The list includes a good many hard-to-find books on ancient Irish literature, and it would be well worth sending for a copy.
We've received a letter from Jeff Shannon, an Irish American author and mental health professional who is writing a book about "the emotional importance for Irish Americans of making a return trip to Ireland at least once in a lifetime." Jeff writes, "I believe that visiting Ireland, for Irish Americans, is not a 'vacation' but rather a major life cycle event."
Jeff has asked us for a $200 grant, which of course we can't give him (our dues just barely pay newsletter costs), but I'm sure he would be grateful for anything you would want to tell him about your experiences related to his topic. His address is 2116 Acton #3, Berkeley, CA 94702, phone (510)-848-8869.
We have also received information about a "Petition for Peace" in Northern Ireland, which is being circulated this summer in the United States. To learn more about what you can do to circulate or help organize it, please contact Greg Crossey (412-429-1713; fax 412-429-6412).
COMHALTAI NUA
John E. Hennessy (701 Montana, #525, El Paso, TX 79902-5305) writes, ""The reason I would like to join the SIG is to contact someone on the Emerald Isle who knows how i can get my hands on items which bear my family coat of arms: things such as cups, dinner plates, blazer patches, etc. I would also like to track down my roots to find out if there had ever been any relationship between the Hennessy (O'Hennessey, Henchy) family and the O'Connors."I suspect relationship because of the similarity between the coat of arms shields.
"Are there any texts available which deal with basic Gaelic? If I can handle ancient Egyptian, I ought to be able to handle Gaelic.
"Thank you for your attention and for taking care of the SIG."
There are quite a few Gaelic courses available. You can get a list - and the courses themselves - from the Irish Bookship, 580 Broadway, Room 1103, New York, NY 10012. The Irish Bookship also carries an excellent book by our SIG's own Seosamh McCloskey about reading materials that are available in Irish.
I've seen catalogues with Irish coat of arms items, but don't have an address available at the moment. If anyone else can help John with this, would you please write to him? Go raibh mile maith agat!
Diane O. Cantor, Farmington Hills, MI
Martha G. Moore, San Mateo, CA
Thomas McKenna, Selden, NY
Gary & Peggy McNelly, Glen Carbon, IL
LITREACHA
Pat Stevens (110 N. Catherine Rd., La Grange, IL 60525) writes, "About the continental Celts -- I suggest starting with The Celts in the Time-Life Emergence of Man series. It might no longer be in print, but it should be in libraries. And Smithsonian magazine had a good article two or three years ago, and National Geographic a bit longer ago than that. Then, for something a bit more scholarly, there is a book by T.G.E. Powell that is very good."As for myself, I'm always drawn to all things Celtic, and I can't even quite figure out why..."
Patrick Swords (425 Newbridge Rd., #40, East Meadow, NY 11554) writes, "Working for the Nassau County Comptroller's office is not always so rewarding. However, the office was mentioned in Irish America magazine in their list of prominent Irish Americans that included Peter King, now in Congress, formerly County Comptroller. Although I disagree with some of his positions on issues, he is a strong advocate for Ireland and is well remembered by some of my co-workers.
"I'm trying to use grandparents born in Ireland as a basis for Irish citizenship, but am having difficulty with documentation."
Mildred McCloskey (1500 E. 12th St., Sioux Falls, SD 57103-2208) writes, "Herewith another jig.
"South Dakota Mensa had its nominating meeting in March. Three members attended. now I'm LocSec - unless some other member wants it! I'm meditating on how to use my power - could I insist on attendance at dancing class? Don't I wish!"
DAMHSA
Irish Country Dancing, by Mildred McCloskey................................Part 3(Text not available for on line copy)
(Michael Greaney's article : Norman Invasion, Part IIII not available for on line copy)