Masthead

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 82: M na Bealtaine - Lnasa 1997
Opinions expressed are those of individual
authors. Mensa as a whole has no opinions.


A chairde,

No volunteer has stepped forward to do this issue (N€ire oraibh!), so at long last I am doing it myself. Those of you who have belonged to the SIG for a few years know that if possible we have the May-August issue done by one of the members. The SIG goes into period of relative quiescence during the summer months, as other things in my life gear up, but we make up for it with issue after issue from fall though spring.

Bobby Penaranda (P.O. Box 871, Prairie Grove, AR 72753-0871) says, "I'm writing you because I'm interested in Shamrocks and Leopardcans. Please send any information or merchandise with Shamrocks and Leopardcans. Any information would be grateful." If you have any spare Shamrocks or Leopardcans lying around, please send them on to this young fellow.

Have a beautiful rest-of-the-summer and autumn!

Comhalta Nua

Lisa J. Shea (80 Lincoln Rd., Sutton, MA 10590-3716) writes, "I run the Feudal Japan SIG, and have a great love for history. I've belonged to the SCA for quite a while, and my 'characters' were always medieval English or Irish, so I have quite a few outfits I've made and have wrtieen numerous articles on the cultures.

"Luckily for me, my boyfriend's mother has a cottage over in Millstreet, Co Cork, and is taking us over there at the end of May though beginning of June for the Famine Festival. They're having all sorts of artists perform - the Chieftains, U2, the Cranberries, Riverdance, ets. It should be great fun. I'm trying to contact SIGHT over there to get some 'real' tours (I hate touristy things) of the area. Any information you or your members could give me about what to see and where to go would be vastly appreciated!!"

I'm sorry, Lisa, that this issue didn't come out in time for any of the members to give you advice about your trip! I hope it was wonderful, and we would really enjoy reading anything you would like to write for us about it.

John F. Wiley (6101 East Ave., #12, Hodgkins, IL 60525, ph. 708-579-5973). Janine Fierbaugh (5720 Kendrick Dr., Galloway, OH 43119). Barbara Kellum (4177 Shoreline Dr., Apt. 201, Spring Park, MN 55384-9622). Elizabeth Rouda (821 Avalon Dr., Waterville, OH 43566).

Litreacha

Edward J. Toner (4818 Jason Place, Brick, NJ 08724) writes, "I read with great interest the Irish Israelism article by Brendan McGuinness. There is a book by Herbert W. Armstrong, The USA and England in Prophecy, that deals with this also, but more from the point of view of British Israel, which is an actual organization with thousands of members worldwide. As I pointed out in the last issue, Jesus was undoubtedly an Irishman, so the British Israelites are obviously just an envious lot of malcontents.

Another book deaing with this is Holy Blood, Holy Grail, which is considered blasphemous in many circles, but nevertheless the theories in it may be of interest in this matter.

McGuinness got me thinking about the actual appearance of Jesus Christ, Yeshua, the man. In addition to McGuinness's reference, I find in Solomon's Song of Songs (Canticles) 5:10, 'My lover is radiant and ruddy; He stands out among thousands.'

"Since Jesus Christ was from the House of David, and a Nazarene, it is not inconceivable to me that He was fair haired and possessed of a ruddy complexion, two characteristics of people who have blue eyes.

"The image of Jesus with long hair, however, is obviously deceiving. In 1 Corinthians 11:14, Paul says, "Does not nature itself teach you that for a man to wear his hair long is degrading?" Therefore, a blond, blue eyed Jesus with a ruddy complexion and a military style haircut is probably the correct image of the Messiah."

That depends, Ed, on how long St. Paul considered "long." Shoulder-length hair on a man seems long to us today, but in those days it was worn longer than it is now, except by the Romans. For a non-Roman to wear the short Roman style in the political climate of those times might have been downright dangerous!

My own belief is that by "long," Paul meant waist-length: the way it was worn by traditional Native Americans and - I have to say this - traditional Irish under the Gaelic Order (before the English took over). A clue is "Does not nature itself teach you..." Men's hair does not commonly grow as long naturally as women's, and I think Paul means they shouldn't let it grow beyond the usual natural length for men, lest they resemble women (an accusation made by one Elizabethan Englishman against the Irish of his time). Shoulder length, by these standards, would have been short.

As to the color of His hair, I can only say the evidence indicates that it might have been fair. Whatever its color on earth, though, the Bible leaves no doubt as to its color when He appeared to St. John after His ascension: "white like wool, as white as snow" (Rev. 1:14). I have never understood why this feature, so clearly attested to, has not been used in religious art to identify the Risen Christ.

Frances McColl Stewart (600 Jadeleaf Ave., Seat Pleasant, MD 20743) writes, "Just found some newsletter issues back to 1983, but have forgotten who needed copies of what. Just let me know - glad to make them.

"I will send you a photo of our family quilt project as soon as it's finished. (Dec.? Jan.?) We decide 1) theme, 2) base color, and 3) square size. Then we each make 20 squares and get together and trade. Each of us winds up with enough squares for our own quilt but each square made by someone different. We don't 'peek' - until we trade we have no idea what anyone else is doing. Usually turns out nice, but this one is a knock-out.

"Rules were 12°" x 12°" of unbleached muslin, 20 squares, Irish theme. Any color(s) OK, but somewhere on the square should be emerald green. We wound up with leprechauns and shamrocks, of course, but also Celtic crosses, claddagh designs, Irish crochet, cottages and hearths - it's gorgeous!"

think the issues Michael Greaney wanted were the first 10, starting in January 1978 and found when I looked for them that unfortunately I don't have them myself, so if no one else has, they are lost. If anyone has copies of these issues (mimeographed, with green ink trim), please let me know!

Damhsa

(Hard copy by Mildred McCloskey)
Not available in on line copy

(Hard copy by Michael Greaney)
Not available in on line copy