[ note added 2010 by Michael Purcell ---- During one visit to Marie's home, I held an original copy of the "1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic" in one hand and her grandfather's Victoria Cross in the other, she was proud of both items and in a surreal way so was I . Many of the people ( i.e. Eamonn Ceannt, Cathal Burgha, May Gibney et al ) mentioned in the 1922 reports are "googleable" therefore I do not elaborate on their role or background (in other words I encourage you to do your own research ! ). Obituary submitted to Nationalist , December 1982. Veteran Republican, journalist and author, Marie Comerford, who died on Wednesday, December 15th, aged 92, at St. Nessan's, her Dublin home, was due to spend Christmas in Carlow. Esther Purcell, Kennedy Street, Marie's former Kilmainham prison-mate during the Civil War, received a letter from Marie accepting an invitation to stay at the Purcell home for Christmas. Ironically the letter arrived after the news of her death was broadcast on the Radio Eireann 9 a.m. news. Marie had recently presented a portrait of Kevin Barry and a wooden travel trunk ( with a secret compartment, used for hiding documents and a weapon ) which once belonged to Eamon Ceannt to Mrs Purcell, who in turn presented it to Carlow County Museum. Miss Comerford was born in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow, her mother Eva Esmonde was lady tennis champion of Ireland for three years, her father, James Comerford, a miller in Rathdrum, was a friend of Charles Stewart Parnell. Her grandfather, Thomas Esmonde, served in the Crimean War and was the first British officer to enter Sebastopol after the siege. Captain Esmonde was awarded the Victoria Cross and later became Deputy Chief Inspector of the Irish Royal Constabulary. Marie always laughingly claimed that the Esmondes were a "minor tier of the Anglo-Irish Catholic aristocracy". She became a Republican propagandist during the Anglo-Irish War, a position which she never quite relinquished. In 1918 she was sent to regulate the Cumann na mBan organisation in Carlow. During this period she was "on the run" and stayed in the home of the Snoddy family in Blackbog, Carlow. In 1920 she became private secretary to the historian Alice Stopford Green, and was appointed to the General Council of the White Cross. This work facilitated her in her other role as a trusted courier for Michael Collins in the Irish Republican Brotherhood. Marie was a regular visitor to Carlow during the Irish-Anglo War 1919-1921 , where she sheltered in Duckett's Grove, later she was in charge of a Cumann na mBan unit who looked after the upkeep of the Duckett mansion when it was occupied by the National Army before "the Split". Marie opposed the Treaty. At the outbreak of the Civil War she reported to the Four Courts garrison in Dublin, opened a first-aid station and riding her bicycle along the bullet-swept streets and quays kept communication open between the Four Courts and the IRA Headquarters where de Valera was stationed, he had re-enlisted as a private in the Third Battalion of The Irish Volunteers (called "Dev's Own"). She later joined the O'Connell Street garrison and was there when Cathal Brugha walked out the door of the Hammam Hotel, a revolver in each hand raised against the levelled rifles of the Free State troops, Brugha, rushed forward, firing, and fell amid a volley of shots. Marie rushed to his side and held a severed artery until medical attention arrived. Two days later he died. One time on a mission in Wexford she encountered the Free State Army, they shot at her on her motorbike, later she wrote, "shot through the hat, drove through and delivered the stuff". After the Civil War --or "Counter Revolution" as she insisted on calling it ---de Valera sent her to America, in November 1923, travelling under the name of " Edith Lewis", to raise funds. Life was hard for her on her return to Ireland as she refused to sign an oath of allegiance to King George, she was unable to work in the Civil service. For years she eked out an existence on a chicken farm in Wexford. She joined the staff of the Irish Press in 1935 where she edited the Woman's Page, six days a week for about 30 years. She ended formal ties with the Republican movement in 1941, in protest at the Stephen Hayes affair. Hayes, the then Chief of Staff, was forced to sign a "confession " admitting treachery. Marie always maintained Haye's innocence and regretted that his name had not been cleared. In 1969 she published her book "The First Dail" which today is indispensable to historians. Michael Purcell who attended Marie's funeral told "The Nationalist" in a statement: " Marie Comerford will undoubtedly be remembered as a woman with an unquenchable thirst for the cause of Irish freedom and as a chronicler of the important events of Ireland's struggle for independence. But there was another side of Marie's character that the general public was unaware of and that was her generosity and hospitality. I often visited her at her home in Sandyford, where she held court as the grand old lady of Irish Republicanism, and where she made her vast and valuable archive available for research. Her home was crammed with mementos of Ireland's troubled past. Marie engrossed her listeners with stories of stirring episodes that she had been involved in. Aided by her facility with words, her sometimes humorous observations and her meticulous attention to detail, students and researchers always left her company feeling they had gained an insight into the characters and events that formed our history. She could give personal pen pictures of the members of the First Dail. In old age her mature enthusiasm, energy and refusal to be daunted inspired many". Speaking of her recent presentations to Carlow, Mr. Purcell added , " I know that had she lived she would have donated many more items of historical interest to Carlow Museum, indeed she had agreed to meet myself and local photographer Rory Moran on a date in January 1983 to make another presentation". A prolific letter writer and alert to the end, an unfinished letter to The Irish Times in support of the H-Block hunger strike was found on her typewriter at the time of her death. One of last letters she had published in The Irish Times stated : The Churches have played a part in the despoliation of Ireland. I appeal to them to make amends to the Irish people , and to provide an example of Christian living, by giving up their wealth, and by joining together in unity. Marie was buried under a tree on a hillside, in a farmer's field, beside her lifelong republican friend, Father John F. Sweetman, O.S.B. overlooking Mount St. Benidict, outside Gorey. Cumann na mBan and Fianna Eireann provided a guard of honour. Fintan Vallelly played "Boolavogue" on the flute while Padraig O' Gallachoir recited Padraig Pearse's " Caoimne Bean an tShleibhe". Sinn Fein Northern Ireland Assembly member Danny Morrison delivering the oration, said that Marie Comerford was a rebel stretching from the days of Easter Week 1916 through the Tan War and Civil War to the struggles in Northern Ireland today to rid Ireland of British rule. Among those who attended were , Rita O' Hare, Daithi O' Conaill and Joe Cahill of Provisional Sinn Fein, and many Old IRA veterans. Among the wreaths was one from Mr. Charles J. Haughey, T.D. leader of Fianna Fail.

The Carlow Post 17th Dec, 1853 Sudden Death.--- A man named Edward Brennan, nicknamed the "Sticks" whose occupation was that of a cattle-dealer -- who had the character of being exceedingly penurious --- was found dead in his bed in his lodgings in Tullow Street, on Wednesday morning. Deceased had partaken the night previously of a small allowance of buttermilk and potatoes for his supper. Five ten-pound notes were found stitched in his trowsers, and he had £150 exclusive of this sum. He was in the habit of attending fairs in this and the adjoining counties, to which he almost invariably walk, notwithstanding lameness under which he suffered. We have heard that he possessed a considerable number of cattle.

Carlow Sentinel 1892. Mrs Julia Doyle, whose death occurred in Utica, U.S.A. was one of the oldest persons in the State. She would have been 104 years old had she lived until New Years Day. Mrs Doyle was born in the town of Carlow on the 1st day of January 1789. Her father's name was William Whelan. She was one of eight children. She well remembered the rebellion of 1798. One night her mother roused her out of bed and from the window she could see the whole town in flames. When she was 19 she married John Doyle and had 13 children, some of whom came to America. Well the years rolled on , her husband died, and when she was 59 years old she went to her daughter in America. She had three grand daughters and about twenty great-grandchildren in America. Her death was due entirely to old age and had not disease.

The Carlow Sentinel, October 1847. Sudden death of a soldier. One of the soldiers of the 3rd Buffs, quartered in this town, while dancing in a public house, belonging to a man named Parkes, in Coal-market, on Tuesday evening last, suddenly dropped on the floor, and on raising him it was found that life was extinct. The young man was about twenty four years of age, apparently strong and healthy, but had dissipated habits.

Day 2, Valentithe's Day Well this big cheesy day of romance had arrived and in keeeping with the tradition of our marriage of 23 years - we spent it apart! The original 32 County Pub Crawl was born 3 years ago, when as usual, my wife and my mother took off on a vacation during the February winter break - to warmer regions of the world. As we have always been on sepearte vacations during this period (me with the boys-her with my mom and daughter) we have our romantic Valentine's dinners before and after the break. Three years ago, I told the wife I would go off on a vacation during this period too. She asked how I would accomplish this and I told her I would meet folks fom all over without ever leaving new York! And so Sunday was quite a night and I had a long romantic evening with Arthur Guinness that would have made Bernardo O'Higgin's very proud.. As I have mentioned fitting in these late nights of touring with parental duties is a rough one- I woke up at Abuelita's about noon on Sunday having arrived home at 6:00 a.m. just on ime to give my son Alan his morning medication. We had a nice, lunch full of picante, to bring me back to life. Then I took the boys up to see "The Lightning Thief" which was based on a children's book series that my son Brian loves.. They enjoyed it greatly and then we went off for Mc Donald's. I brought back some burgers to Abuelo's house and hung out with the kids for a few hours. I gave them both their evening medications and they were off to bed. Brian falls asleep earlier these days as he is at about 34% kidney function and will probably need his transplant by year's end. If his mom matches and he is half as successful as Alan - then Alleluia!! So all of this being done I perpared my escape. Abuelo worries about everything- when he asked what I would be doing later that night I said I was not sure. While I was lying in bed with my son Brianwatching TV Abuelo came in - I pretended I was asleep and he threw another a blanket over us- here I am, 46 years ol and getting tucked- in!!! Well Abuelo went off to his bedroom so I kissed the boys good night, went to get changed . Whispering, I asked Abuelita for her keys,she knows this routine very well from over the many years-she laughed and said "ten cuidado".. And I was off. I walked down Kingsbridge Road to O'Brien's pub. I had a single Guinness as I was to meet my cousin from Ireland up in Riverdale in an hour and had time to kill. As it was early there were only about 5 folks in the bar,one of them was Latino but it was too early to start questioning folks and I guessed him to be a New York born Puerto Rican though I could be wrong- so I simply enjoyed my beer and thought out my next steps.. The barman, a nice fellow from somewhere in Ireland, was polite and kept a clean bar. I finished my drink and walked up Kingsbridge towards a really nice bar called the Montezuma Sports Bar and Restaurant. This is a really nice place and a cool hang out where I probably would have gotten a great number of the signatures a I needed..The wife and I hung out there a few times before we had the kids.. Now it being Valentine's Day the folks were just pouring out the doors waiting for a seat. By the accents they were overwhelmingly Dominican and a few were Puerto Rican. They were dressed to the nines and boy were these a lucky bunch of men!! The ladies could not complain either as the men were truly gentlemen-they were suited up and they all hadbought balloons or flowers for their dates. I decided to take a pass- there was no room in the midst of all this hungry crowd and "amor" for a wandering minstrel.. I continued walking and waved down a cab to 238th and Broadway- The driver was Dominican as are most of the drivers in the Bronx and upper Manhattan..Hard working, young and hungry this is a community that is on the move. But we'll get to that later, as my Dominican rendezvouz (for signature purposes anyway, because there would be several encounters) was set for EL REY DEL MANGU a favorite late night bar/restaurant of mine. The Punch Bowl... This is a very Irish bar that feels very comforatable and makes no pretension to be the Ritz. I always joke that "the lower the rent goes, the more at home I feel", well I was quite at home here...My cousin, is an Irish immigrant about 47 years of age. He has been here about 20 years. He works construction, loves a beer and a bit of craic and is simply a kindred soul. When my father died and I was sent to Ireland as a child, we bonded at a young age: milking cows, digging cabbages and potatoes, goingto the creamerycutting turf and hay, ,collecting eggs, etc.. I was blessed to have seen and lived the Irish farm life on his family farm in the west of Kerry as a young boy -a life that has long since disappeared. The farmer's way of life is something beautiful but much more pleasant to dream about than do day in and day out-hard work. I always try to meet up with him when I am up this way. He had to work the next day so agreed to meet me just for one or two. Before he arrived I overheard the two men sitting next to me talking in thick Irish accents. They were discussing what they like to cook at home and I had to surpress a laugh when one of the said "We'll now-I'll tell ya'-I get a few cuts of mayt -foyne shteaks and I trow dem on da Gyarge Farhman"!!! Now to anyone else, this may not seem funny but I found it beautiful poetry as someone who loves people, languages and accents.. I don't think old George Formen ever predicted a bunch of Irish immigrants would be singing his electric grill's praises in a pub in the Bronx!! GETTING CHILE IN WOODLAWN Anyway the cousin and I had our two pints and as he drove back home he dropped me off at the Rambling House up on Katonah Ave. I went in and the place was hopping.I had heard they they have music sessions on a Sunday night. A band was in full mode and the crowd was upbeat and happy. I asked the singer if it was alright to join in and he said "pull up a chair'.. I took my guitar to the bathroom to tune up as it was too noisy in the large bar with music blaring- to be able to do so. As I don't have the best ear for tuning up I use and electric tuner-but before doing so I usually strum the individual strings/notes of Guantanamera in G as it hits most of the strings and is an easy tuning test..As I strum this in the men's room guy walks in and says "You're gonna paly Guantanamera here"?! " I said "oh, you know it?" he said "yeah" and sang the fisrt line "Yo soy un hombre sincero". I asked if he was Cuban and he said" No I was born in Chile" .. Now I could not and never can miss the temptation to pull the skit form the Movie "Something About Mary" when I meet people from Chile.. I did it years ago with my brother's friend Carlos and it was so much fun I make it a habit.. I replied in a loud British accent "Oh no - you are not from Santiago, Chile-I am from Santiago Chile!!!", The poor guy replied sincerely "but really, I am from Santiago Chile" and I said "Oh really? Then where might I have seen your work? Do you know el Estadio Olimpico?" He caught the drift right away and started laughing and had the line straight from the movie " "no-but how about the school a few blocks away".. we both started laughing and he introduced himself as Marco .. I told him I was going to sit in with the band and would catch up with him later for a beer and he agreed as his girlfriend was waiting for him at the bar. So I ordered a pint and sat in with the band- they were really good- I have heard them played on WFUV and a few of the musicians mentioned by name there. .. they played a mix of diffrent music and it was nice of them to let me sit in but they had their own sound and were a bit hard to follow except when they were playing traditional music- which was what they closed out with and was a great deal of fun. They called it a night I finished my pint and walked out with another guy who had been sitting in. on the session. His name was Jack and he said he sat in with them qiite a bit. My Chilean amigo had disapperared into the crowd so I stood in front of the Rambling House looking up and down Katonah trying to decide which of the several pubs to hit next.. I settled on a smaller place across the avenue called "Celtic House"- and boy was that the right choice! Celtic House I walked in the door and as soon as I had walked 10 feet in, I heard a man wth a deep voice and an Irish accent say "A man with a guitar-will you be playing anything for us then"? two or three other young folks starting yelling "Yes", "alright, a bit of music.!" I ordered a Guinness and it was the last one I ordered all night-they just kept sending them. I asked them what kind of music they liked and they called out some names and among them was John Denver who is my own favorite- I played Annie's Song and they were all singing along..I sang my own composition, New York's damn Bravest and it was very well received.. we moved into Johnny Cash and Folsom Prison Blues which is always a winner.. The 40 Shades of Green and it went on for hours- we sang Dublin in the Rare Auld Times and every thing you could think of. The song of the night was "Limerick".. they asked me to play it 3 times. The man who questioned me turned out to be the owner and a nicer man I have never met. He said he was from County Meath and he wanted me to come back and play a gig at his bar saying we would "fill the place" .. As a musician, the greatest gift you can ever receive is to meet a group of people no matter how large or small that appreciate you and your music. When that happens and your instrument and your voice are working well and the beer and company are just right you get into a "zone" or practically a "high" that is just incomparable. This was a truly wonderful bunch who made me feel welcomed right away.After getting settled, I got the standard question "Are you from the neighborhood" ? Having answered "no" butthat I had family there and then assuring them I was simply a friend from Astoria there to share some music, I was welcomed in like family. They shared their stories, they generously sent me pints and compliments.. One fellow Gerry from Tipperary was a bit of a singer / songwriter himself-I lent him my guitar and he san some lovely songs. I was glad to get abreak in between sets of songs. They made my night and I got a great kick out of them all-at one point, Pat the owner, said "well now, put down the guitar Brian we are taking a short intermission- I will play the jukebox for 15 minutes" he spun some wild 70's disco and they all started dancing with moves I have not seen in decades.. It must be a routine or custom of the bar, The BeeGees "Stayin Alive" came on and a few other winners but they were all so happy! We went back to the sing alongs and they kept asking for more. I was having a ball until I realized it was 4:40 a.m. This may have been the Latin American Pub Crawl but Bernardo O"Higgins would ceratinly be proud-I met a Chilean and made a pilgrimage to Ireland to boot! I thanked them all and promised to return one night, maybe I can bring a friend or two to share the fun...I jumped in a cab and went straight to Santo Domingo.. El REY DEL MANGU Santo Domingo en Nueba Yor!!!! (If my spelling of the last word has you confused- see the movie) Located on the corner of Broadway and Dyckman Street in upper Manhattan/Inwood is El Rey Del Mangu.. This is simply a godsend. Whenever I go out in the Bronx or Yonkers I pay the extra 5 bucks to be brought here. It only costs 20 bucks to go from Woodlawn to this location. It is a 24 hour Dominican buffet. What an eclectic mix of Dominicanos. Taxi Drivers, night workers,couples returning from a late night out on the town dancing -and keep in mind it was Valentine's Day- and me. You can only imagine the atmosphere. Well where can you have an all you can eat meal for 12.99 at 5 in the morning. I ate mangu (the delicious Dominican version of mashed potatoes only it is made from plantains, a staple of the diet mixed in with red onions and a mix of spices), Mondongo -tripe soup, stewed goat, pernil (roast pork) and rice.. I spoke to sevral wonderful people and rather than just put one name I simply filled in the name of the Bar/Restaurant as you can come here and meet and have drink with fun loving, hard working Dominican brorhers and sisters 24-7. The Dominicans are an amazing people. They come from abject poverty but come here full of energy and have a great knack for business.They also know how to let their stress go free and enjoy life-It was abeautiful, elegant crowd that was in there and always seems to be on my pilgramages there in search of a life saving meal. I nevber saw the drunkenness, sloppinness nor fightingthat can take place in other communities at that hour. It is a fine place in the heart of a fine community. I thanked my hostess for what was truly an amazing meal and offered my praise and good luck to the DR!!! I got a cab back to Abuelita's and made it home just as the alarm sounded 6 a.m. I gave my son Alan his morning meds kissed both boys good night (good morning?)and drifted off to sleep. I woke up at noon and took everyone home-I owed the wife a Valentin'e dinner which we spent at Butera's and I recounted my outings.. we would spend the week off together and catch up on all that was needed. I had booked the boys' 4 doctors visits for Wednesday and Thursday and so would be home with the family until Friday night. It was a fine week-the results from all the Doctor's visits were positive, which left me in great spirits to set out on Friday night. I had been out only 2 nights and had done 13 countries with a long stopover in Shannon..... I was all set for Friday night to meet with my best friend and childhood buddy who was the best man at my wedding, Pedro Coto, who came from Ecuador at about 6 years of age. That would be country number 14 -and God, what a long, wonderful night full of beer and fun in New york City's beuatiful, thriving Latin American Community that turned out to be.. Stay tuned.... -----Original Message----- From: titrali@aol.com To: bdevale@schools.nyc.gov; peter@csa-nyc.org; pierre@csa-nyc.org; Pedro.Coto@am.jll.com; jphelan@synergyconstruction.net; abrea@att.net; ajacques@limerickleader.ie; AGD5Buks@aol.com; Blakejsdb@aol.com; Brendan.Conway@gartner.com; csmurphy@eircom.net; joseph.bonelli@citi.com; kconway32@comcast.net; HGONZALEZ@MAYERBROWNROWE.COM; gmeyer@us.ibm.com; MauiRose2@aol.com; JPMeyer1@hotmail.com; ChardCab98@aol.com; jdm@progressinc.org; JAgnell@schools.nyc.gov; Melvincoachm@aol.com; nial@cjbrowne.ie; damienbrowne1@gmail.com; millievbrowne1@gmail.com; johnlaura@eircom.net; MCullo9@aol.com; jgonzalez@nydailynews.com; titrali@aol.com; aireacha@scoilgaeilge.org; irish-american@rootsweb.com; magicdave@nyc.rr.com Sent: Thu, Feb 18, 2010 11:20 pm Subject: Brian De Vale's 3rd Annual "Latin-American" Pub Crawl Well Lads, It has been a year since the successful completion of last year's Brian De Vale's 2nd Annual 32 Counties in New York Pub Crawl! The mission: To have a drink and sing a a song with someone from every County in Ireland right here in New York within the course of one week! Last year the quest was completed in a record 4 days! At the conclusion of last year's crawl, while sitting and reflecting on all the folks I had met and the fun that was hadwhile doing so, I realized that I was sitting in a Mexican cantina. It was then and there that the thought for this year's tour was born: To met and have a drink with someone from every country in Latin America right here in New York! Well I loosened up the regulations a bit, being that not every inhabitant of the Latin bar/restaurant secene fancies him or herself to be the singer that most Irishmen seem to fancy themselves after a few belts.I also took into the account that some of the characters on this pilgramage were family or in businesses that ruled out alcohol so I cut THEM some slack and "drank their health" for them, after meeting them and geting an education. While I welcomed and, in fact, encouraged my newfound friends to share the songs, if the person felt more comfortable, they could tell me a story or interesting fact that they felt everyone should hear about their country or their experience(s) as a person from that country. The purpose of my wanderings has always been about meeting new friends and learning about them and their homelands over a drink and through the songs that tell their stories.They say "you can not understand a people until you can understand their music"; well add to this; "in vino veritas' and you have the makings of a real education-or at least a great time getting confused!!! I have endeavoured to make this year's mission a success while still fulfilling my many family obligations as well as my personal an professional committments. I welcome you along for the journey... PUERTO RICO EN EL BRONX In order to kick this tour off properly, it was important that I get the kids off to Abuelo and Abuelita's place up in the Bronx.. They would be in fine care with their grandparents,Ramon and Crucelina Rivera while Papi was off on his walkabout. I delivered the kids they ate and I sayt down "con los abuelos"... Ramon and Crucelina come from Vega Baja and Isabela, Puerto Rico, respectively. They come from the purest of "jibaro" stock: extremely poor Puerto Rican peasant farmers who tolied in the fields, picked fruit, chopped wood, mad charcoal, tended animals, fished and sold things along the roadside. The jibaros were an amzing people: they had nothing but their sweat, honesty and love to offer anyone;dirt poor but as decent as the day is long. They were a proud, noble people brought to New York like hundreds of thousands of others from the island during the US Governments "Operation Bootstrap". This vast Government-Business devised plan was a piece of social engineering that resulted in the upheaval of two societies. Puerto Rican families underwent huge, never before seen waves of emigration to he Mainland and US cities reaped both cheap labor. City landlords got a new set of poor tenants to take up residence in the decaying buildings of the Bronx, East Harlem and parts of Brooklyn which droves of GI returning from the war and their families were now abandoning to head out to the "suburbs". Sam Levitt and Robert Moses had made a new lifestyle possible with the development of higwhays and the newer homes that could be driven to by car. These same GI's weere also going back to college on the GI Bill and cheap labor would be needed to take their old jobs..Both Black Americans moving North from the American South to get away from segregation and in search of better job opportunities and Puerto Ricans fleeing abject poverty were often redlined into the same neighborhoods and eventually public housing projects. Abuelo was first recruited to come to the US by an American company with recruiters in PR, to come to work on a farm in Upstate New York during the laste 1940's. He was sent to pick fruit much like the migrant workers of today. He said the work was horrible and the conditions were awful, "we lived in unheated barracks and a man on a big white horse sat watching us and yelling orders, it was like slavery"..That said he felt he and his comrades had all been well accostomed to such misery and worse while working on the sugar cane plantations back home. He described that work as "hell". He sent every penny back home as he was the oldest of the family's children. When he went back to the island he was drafted into the US Army and sent to Korea.Once agin while on-duty he sent every penny home to his parents. It is intersting that Puerto Rican troops have served in every US War since the US invasion of the island in 1898 and most of these soldiers spoke little, if any English. An interesting fact to pass by the "English Only"' crowd. En route to Korea, after completing Basic Training in PR, his Unit was stationed for some additional training in the American South during segregation, Misissipi or Alabama, he could not recall. He told me a story that sounds almost impossible to conceive today but tells a long story about how far we as a nation and a people have come. Abuelo had an Army buddy in his unit who though serving in the Puerto Rican ranks was from St. Thomas US Virgin Islands. Now this fellow spoke English but also spoke Spanish and as St. Thomas lies closer to PR than to the US mainland I guess they figured he could serve with his fellow West Indians. Anyway, the two soldiers got a pass to travel off base and went for a sandwhich only to find out that the gentleman from St Thomas was "colored" and since he was black could not eat at the "white's only" restaurant. So the two GI's went to the other side of town where Abuelo was not allowed in. Now, Abuelo would be the last person to ever try to pass himself of as "white" and his very Indian features and "trigueno" skin would not allow it if he tried- but they understood that these poor balck folks trying to run their restaurant under the madness of segregation could not take a chance that they would be seen serving anyone who was not officially "colored".. The accomodation was made that they could "go around back" of the colored restaurant and be served take out food. And so they did. And thus, sat two US ARMY soldiers sitting on the curb of the street while preparing to go overseas to serve their country. My son Brian has a deep interest and love for Puerto Rico and talked about it all the time. Last year as a result of his passion we took a trip to Puerto Rico- a trip abuelo paid for to indulge the boys passion- to see the house abuelo's father built -by hand- with the money abuelo used to send home. It was funny to be sitting there speaking with his brother and nephew who live there today. All but one of Abuelo's siblings remained in PR and became professionals due to him always sending money home so they could stay in school- a luxury he himself never was able to enjoy. We also met one of his siters whose husband told similar stories of his time in the American South while in the Army, There was a recent documetary on PBS called the "Borincaneers" that tells the story of the trials and tribulations of one particular group of Puerto Ricans who served in heavy combat in Korea (this was NOT abuelo's unit) .. they talk about how Puerto Ricans have consitantly been among the highest casualties in major US conflicts and have a long history of service in protecting the U.S. Abuelo went on to serve in Korea.He came home to a depressed economy in PR and quicky emigrated to New York. He arrived with 28 dollars in his pocket and the coat on his back.He got a job a day after landing making chaisse- lounge chairs in a factory in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He eventiually landed a job through a paisano as a cleaner at the Plaza Hotel. He always arrived two hours before his official start time. He worked his way up to elevator operator, attended night school toearn English and get his GED and eventually landed the job he wanted : "bellman" at the same world famous Plaza Hotel. He worked there for 40 years. when he retired they gave him a small, decorative clock. He said without reservation: "My children's milk was paid for by the Plaza, my grandchildren's milk was paid for by the Plaza, my children's tuition was paid for by the Plaza. They don't owe me a dime." Abuelo went on to own the 2 family home he lives in today. He married Crucelina a few years after landing in NY and they have been married for over 50 years- a rarity in this day and age -and a tribute to Abuelita's patience, as aging "jibaro's" can be thick headed and tempermental. Crucelina worked all her years here and never missed an opportunity to provide coffee, a huge meal (and hand you a dollar or two to bet on a number) for any guest who showed up. This was old school. This is an example of the beauty of the Puerto Rican people and one more reason I say with pride : Ramon y Crucelina Rivera-may God Bless them y QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO"!!!! THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN SPAIN Having left the kids off and had a great conversation with the grandparents I headed of to Corona to meet my wife who was having dinner at a great Colombian restaurant called El Fogo Costena with two of her High School friends. The two ladies she was eating dinner with were part of what I call her "Dirty Girls Social Club". In case you did not read the book it is the story of five ladies of various Hispanic backgrounds who go to college together and how their lives unfold and the way their various Latin backgrounds influence their decisions/lifepaths..In the book they get together every Christmas for dinner, well into adulthood and call themselves by the tiltle of the book. Anyway, the wife and her three friends were each English Language Learners who attended High school here in NY together: The Mrs. was born in New York but moved to PR from 2nd-8th grades and returned to enter 9th grade after 7 years in PR's Spanish -speaking school system, Fina is from Spain and came here as a young girl, Ana moved here from Venezuela when she was 13 and missing in action was Marjorie Cepeda McNamara who came from Ecuador, also at about 13, but has since relocated to California. These are life-long friends who are always in touch with one another something that I think is a fantastic and if you are fortunate enough to have any you are truly blessed. Delfina (Fina) Sotelo is a gem. She is one of the most genuinely funny people one could ever meet. It is also obvious despite her constant joking about all things gallego that she is extemely proud of her Galician Roots. Fina is not simply "Spanish" she is a Gallega. Gallegos or Galicians as they may be called in English hail from the far Northwest corner of Spain just above Portugal. Many gallegos have told me that their language -NOT A DIALECT- is more closely related to Portuguese than Spanish. They are probably the strongest keepers of the original Celtic Spanish culture and traditions. In fact, it was telling that when I arrived she an ana were discussing where to get a good "gaitero" or bagpiper for her parents 50th wedding anniversary. The original inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula were the "celtiberos" or Iberian Celts. These tribes that arrived on the Iberian peninsula from western Asia over centuries of migration made their way to Ireland and eventually Scotland: bringing with them their language, culture,arts, music knowledge of metallurgy, weapons crafting etc. To this day the winners of international bagpiping competitions are often fro Spain-usually either galicia or neigboring Asturias. Spain was changed from its Celtic cuture by the many invasions that took place over the centuries:Visigoths Romans Moors etc.. However, the Moors never conquered the north and it was at the famous "Battle of Covadonga" that the Christian under El Cid-come on you remember Charleton Heston- began to reclaim the parts overrun by the Moors.. Well Galicia remained galicia -Spanish yes-but also something more.. FINA I ordered a nice Colombian beer called "Aguila" and Fina took off with a charge- She began by singing me a traditional Galician song called Olinas and then sang a more spicy one with words to the effect of "dime con quien bailaste y te dire quien..." "tell me who you danced with and I will tell you who you.." Fina tells of breaking her arm as a child in rural Galicia as a child and of her parents getting the veterinarian to set her arm which explains why she can bend it to a seemingly impossible angle .. She alaughs as she shows how she can bend it.. She tells a very funny story of the blackout back in the 1970's. Her parents were "poor rural farmers who had jobs lined up for the before they got of the plane and they each worked those jobs for 40 years until they retired" (Does this sound familiar? Is a common thread emerging already?) Anyway, as both her parents were always out working and her teenage brother was out with his friends she took pleasure in watching the 9:00 pm novela or spanish sopa opera.. She lived in one of theose buildings where if too many people turned on the Air Conditioning at once ad then someone turned on another major appliance-the power went out- because a fuse would blow.. So here is poor Fina -she turns on the air turns on the T.V and BOOM! the power went out. Now she figured she had done it and that someone would change a fuse and -presto-the lights would come back up. No such luck. after a few minutes she looked out the window and sw that the entire neghborhoods lightswere out-AND SHE THOUGHT SHE DID IT!!!! I remember walkig home down 37th street and seeing the DONT WALK sign on 34th ave begin bliking like mad and then seeing all the lights go out as I walked home pat the schoolyard with my childhood pal Johnny Caruso at 9:00pm..that night.. Little did I know that 4 blocks away Fina was worried that it ws all her doing. Fina is a gem- she is fun, proud and a fountain of information about the Spanish and Gallego cultures. Gracias VENEZUELA Ana Rodriguez Gonzalez is a classy, quiet but equally funny person. Ana was born in La Guaira, Venezuela. I asked Ana if she could think of a good song and she told me that though she was born in Venezuela and attended school there she never really felt very "Venezuelan". You see, Ana's parents like Fina's were born in Galicia and had emigrated to find better employment. But after school the girls were kept at home and were not out and about and at home they spoke Gallego and lived in that atmosphere more tha in the native Venezuelan fashion .It is also at the Celtic roots of the Gallegos: No matter how far they roam they all get misty eyed at the mention of their homeland or the sound of the "gaitas"and they all dream to some degree of returning to Galicia. They are a people spread broad and wide all over the globe especially in Latin American and the U.S. There was a song a few years back that made fun of them saying "Hay un Gallego en la Luna" (there is a Galician on the moon) poking fun at how they seem to be everywhere .I found this interesting as I know Americans who dont really think much of themselves as "Americans" but rather identify with the culture(s) of their parents. It was interesting to hear this perspective from someone from Venezuela. When she came to New York, Ana's family sent the kids like all good Gallegos in Astoria to El Circulo Espanol". I spent many a Saturday night during my teenage years in that locale as it was always a great place for Spanish music, dancing, culture AND BEER!!!! El Circulo is still in operation and was a great invention for families to teach the new generations the language, grammar, traditional dances and to set up prosepective couples for future weddings. Ana's Husband is Cuban- born but also of Gallego parents. Hey, give the people some credit-they keep it together and keep their culture alive-and are hard working and successful, driven folks. Now that is networking! Well, to humor my mission Ana mentioned that the big singer during her time in Venezuela was "El Puma" also known as "Jose Luis Rodriguuez", a former church singer with a very powerful voice who found there was more money to be made driving las muchachas wild doing a Latin Tom Jones act.. Alright so I fess up he had a couple of good songs and I owned a copy of the album,, Guilty as charged, "CULPABLE SOY YO"!! I finsished my beer and was off to the Andes. ES MI PERU I drove down Roosevelt Avenue in search of Signs representing the more obscure countries..Mexican Bars were everywhere here and would be hitting one later tonight. I spied a sign that said Peruvian Restaurant. I pulled over too park and the snow everywhere ceratainly added to the atmosphere. There were police everywhere which gave the area the feeling of the streotypical banmana republic- It felt like living in a police state. There were vans pulling over drivers and checking License/Registration, dozens on foot patrol- not welcoming as I was heading in for a beer. well the restaurant is called El Pollito Dorado and it is clean and neat and I ordered a beer called" Cristal"-it said "A beer from the Andes" on the label- and it was great. I asked the waitress if the owner was in and a nice young man named Junior came out and we spentten minutes talking about New York's Peruvian Community. He said theywere spread out unlike most Hispanic groups and kept in touch more through soccer leagues than bars and social clubs. He got a kick out of what I was trying to do and he recommeded I go the the Argentianian place a block up and I took his advice. Argentina La Cabana Restaurant is as crowded as it is small. from the street you can look in the window of the grill room. All kinds of fine cuts of meat are lais about la parrilla or grill.. I walked in only to bump into the last person on line who ws literally halfway out the door. A man pushed in behind me with his family behind him and yelled en espanol to the host "The famous Hugo told me no reservation was necessary".. Lots of luck he was told Hugo ws not in and even if he was there were no tables available- This was a VERY argentinian crowd but was also very Argentinainly crowded-so I asked the man behind me where he ws from when he said Argentina I shook his hand wished him well and headed off promising to have abeer at another locale for him as I had no interest in sitting in a crowded steakhoue as this was a PUB CRAWL!!! Uruguay As I pulled up to El Chivito D'Oro III I realized there were again police everywhere. This time it was to cordon off an area where a fire had just been put out. It was on 37th Avenue and 84th street. The fire had taken our 8 stores across the street. I pray nobody was injured. That said I could not helpaughing hen I saw on of the stores was called "ACME FURNITURE", I had never seen anything called ACME accept in Bugs Bunny /Road Runner Cartoons.. Anyway, the place was mobbed. I ordered a Uruguayan Beer called Pilsen and a nice Morcilla. I know Uruguay and Argentian share a border but it was apparent that they share something else :A LOVE OF MEAT!!! I will definitely be coming back to eat here with my wife as the grill looked GREAT. I shook hands and spoke with the manager" Martin" from Montevideo who was very kind and spoke to me for what time he could, but his place was very busyas even cops were coming in to eat and or get out of the cold. Martin invited me back and said he would talk to me at length.I thanked him for the beer and I will take him up on that offer. Colombia As luck would have it I was driving down 37th Ave and spied a neighborhood bar that I have not been in in many years. a dear childhood friend who was even in my wedding party used to bartend there to make extra money in between his gigs as a scout for Major League Baseball. As I have stated above having firends since childhood is a gift and a blessing- as this fellow's friendhip meant agreat deal to me I was quite hurt when for some reason or other he stopped returning my calls. It got back to me that he was upset that I did not attend his father's funeral. I was caught totally bewildered as nobody even called me to tell me his father had died. Anyway, being one who believes that there are few problems that cant be worked out over a few beers and conversation I pulled up and went inside to see if he was on duty. He was not. I decided to order a beer in honor of the gentleman from Argentina who I had met earlier in the evening-and I drank his health! I made few inqiries about my friend and found tha the had not been around for a few years. C'est a vie.. As I sat talking to another fellow a very loud woman stepped behind the bar making good natured fun of one of the patrons-in very heavily accented English. Iasked her where she was from and she said Colombia- another Coors Light please!!!! Her name was Mailyn Villariny and she was from Medellin Colombia. When I asked her if dhe sang she quickly said "no". So I expalined what I was about and she said that what everyone should know about Colombia is that "we "make the best perico and marijuana" and she began laughing hysterically..When I laughed but expalined that this was not the type of answer I wanted to share with the world she got serious and said "Gabriel garcia Marquez is a Nobel Prize winner for literature and I forget but let me call someone" . She made a call on hercell and went on to tell me that Colombians are proud of Fernando Botero, who is world class Sculptor . I offred to buy her a beer and she said she" could not because she is taking medication-but if you could give me the "plata" I would be very pleased-so she got the price of a pint I got a Colombian story and had my beer".. And I was off for Paraguay... Paraguay 9:00 p.m. So I arrived at the "I Love Paraguay" Restaurant on Greenpoint Ave.in Sunnyside just as the lights were going out. We lived in Sunnyside for a few very happy years after we got married it isstill a wonderful, clean neighborhood full of Koreans,Chinese, Indians, Irish, Hispanics of every denomonation and more recently Romanians and middle eastern folks. The door was unlocked and I walked in but the staff was already dressed with their coats on to go home. I gave a 30 second explanation of my mission and they were absolutely lovely. (What more could be expected from a bunch of Paraguayans set upon by my six foot two hundred pound bearded self with a guitar slung on my back asking about paraguatan beer and music at closing time?) They told me that their national Song or at least one they are very proud of is Recuerdo Ypayraii..If I have misspelled this it is due to my handwriting getting sloppier as the night wore on.. They also told me sadly thet there are no Paraguayan Beers sold that they are aware of in the States. I offered to take them next door to the BlackThorn Irish pub for a pint but they were obviously a family and looked beat- so instead I asked what I could buy to take home to my kids. She packed some lovely looking large stuffed cookies and she insisted I come back to have dinner there with my wife at a more reasonable hour- The kids loved the cookies and I will try to swing by as I often pass the place on my way back to Astoria.. The empanadas and a few other specialties look inviting -BUT THEY BETTER GET SOME KIND OF PARAGUAYAN BEER UP HERE-PRONTO!!!! I remind you this is a pub crawl, not a coffee clatch!!!! ASTORIA :SAMBA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD I turned onto 36th Avenue on the way to my mother's house to meet up with my brother Michael. 36th Avenue has really been revitalized. What used to be avery industrial area now is loaded with fancy restaurants and a nice etnic flare-Brasilian flags dot the landscape. I wandered into a bar that looked like my kind of place-El Quijote Bar. I t was dark, cozy, had a pool table with a couple of guys playing. It was a fine place and the music on the jukebox was a nice mix, other than it being a bit too loud for my taste. The barmaid came over and I explained my purpose-she thought it was cool and I could tell she was pleased that I had added Brasil even though it is not a Spanish- speakinhg country. Her name was Cristiani and she took out two Coors lights and we toasted "Saute" as they say in Portugusese, please forgive me if I murdered the spelling. She hails from Espiritu Santo in Brasil.She looked at my list and saw waht countries I was misssing ad pointed to a bunch of guys that were Mexican but I was saving that honor for a future stop later that night. She said if I stayed long enough she had several groups coming in that would fill out most of the sheet. I asked her if hse sand and she nodded no but told me "one thing everyone should know about Brasi,l is that they should stop destroying the rainforest in the Amazon". I was quite pleased with this answer as she was dressed in a leopard skin miniskirt. Most barmaids in Spanish beer joints look like they are dressed out of frederick's of Hollywod catalogues-not that i am complaining- real me like atractive women dressed provacatively- but her insightful answer was refreshing. Now the other barmaid that came on duty after I entered, I am told was from Colombia, she was dressed in an outfit that left nothing to the imagination so having already gotten a signature from Colombia I pushed no conversation. Then entered a fun looking couple. La Brasilenna told me the woman in the pair was Cuban. He wasa fun loving little guy who everyone called Chelsea because that was the hoetown football club from his home back in England . He liked the idea right away when I asked where his partner came from and asked her to sign the paper. She thought it was some kind of scam. I taold her what I was up to and we had a long conversation en espanol afterv which I aksed if she was cuban how come she had a Puerto rican accent-she replied that she was born in Havana but like many left as a child and was raised in PR. There is a large number of Cubans who went to Puerto Rico after Castro took over; Many went into banking, commerce and enjoyed great success there. I believe Puerto Rican singer Carlos Ponce is of Cuban parents. Spanish- born Cuban National Poet Jose Marti once famously wrote :Cuba y Puerto Rico son dos alas del mismo pajaro" Cuba and Puerto Rico are two wings of the same bird".. The relationship is old and goes back to colonial times. In The great Puerto Rican short story/play "La Cuarterona" one of the main characters was Cuban-showing even way back then how strong the cultural ties were that were being forged between the two islands. Anyway "Juanita agreed to let her little englishman sign her in and he wrote it as only an englishman could "Quanita"... We toasted : Viva Cuba Libre.. and I wished them a fine evening! COMO MEXICO NO HAY OTRO I stopped by my brother Michael's house but he was just getting showered so I told him to meet me up the block at TACOS MEXICO. Now I love this little hole in the wal and have been going there for yearsl. Most people come into the restaurant for the first class, authentic Mexican meals. I always head straight to the back room -to the bar. It is a clean truly Mexican setting. A place where tired Mexican folks can come to get a sense of home. Ranchera music blasts on the jukebox and Claudia the barmaid serves cold beer with a kind, Mexican grace. Now keeping in mind what I have said about the dress code for barmaids in many Latin bars- you wont find that here. Claudia has a family is there as a kind paisana for the men who spend long hors doing hard work and send most of their money home. I asked Claudia her hometown again for the reord and she signed for Guerrero Mexico. I asked her to sing but she laughed and said the best Mexican song is "Los Caminos de Guanajuato" by Jose Alfredo Jimenez.. I gave her a dollar and she played it. As I had been hitting may bars (dont worry-car was parked long ago-this is a PROFESSIONAL-RESPONSIBLE pub crawl we are on foot now!!) and I wanted to hit a few more, I was puzzled why the song took so long to come on. It turned out that a little fellow in the corner with avery very long goatee had put 5 bucks in the jukebox just befor Claudia so i got to hear him sing along with many a song as I had another beer or twountil she gave me the sign-her song was on. It wa a standard ranchera number , well sung and passionate. When it ended I thanked her for the service and the song-gave a viva Mexico and slipped out into the night. THE WILD GEESE I wouund up at cronin and Phelan's for a drink with my brother Mike. As i got to the pub tretired firefighter Mike Wren was out front having a smoke. We chatted and a large disturbed looking fellow came up smoking and started talking to us asking what year we graduated because he was back from the Navy and wanted to look up everyone from his old neighborhood. I slipped inside and dave the barman pulled me a pint of my standard Guinness on sight. The big man came in and ordered something as well and sat next to me and Mike Wren. After a minute he asked what kind of guitar was in my bag and what I played-I replied "Yamaha accoustic/electric and I play folk/ballads/country/Irish/Spanish/John Denver Johnny Cash" he said "nice I gotta go for a smoke".. he left and never returned. As he walked out Dave asked in his Cork accent "Brian do ya' know that fella" I said "no".. to which he replied ""Cause I just took the price of your pint out of his money"!!! I replied "Oh in that case yes-he is a friend".. My brother Mike showd up and we chatted for a bit..After a beer or two we walked up to Doyle's Corner. Doyle's Corner was hopping! karaoke was in full swing and I signed Mike and myself up to do a song each.. They must have had some list because after an hour and afew beers they still did not get to us and we decided to take the show on the road.. We would up at Lavelle's admiral's Lounge on 47th and Broadway. Pat the owner was away on vacation but his daughter Danielle made him proud-she ran the place like a pro! There was a guitar player and singer and they did a nice job and then Danielle threw on some saw doctors and I spun some Wolfetone's rebel songs.. A nice way to end the first night of the 32 County Pub Crawl's latin American Kick Off- cursing England to the words of James Connolly : God's Curse on you England, You cruel hearted monster, Your deeds they would shame all the devils in hell, There are no flowers blooming, but the shamrock is shining O'er the grave of James Connolly, the Irish Rebel!! 10 countries down in one night!!! 11 to go!!!! Tomorrow night: A SESSION in the Woodlawn Section of the Bronx and EL REY DEL MANGU on DYCKMAN STREET For dinner in the Dominican Republic!

I have added the following civil parishes to the tithe applotment indexes I have on the County Armagh section of my website: Montiaghs Civil Parish Newtownhamilton Civil Parish -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com

I have just uploaded the tithe applotments index for this civil parish on to the County Monagahan section of my website. This is a huge applotment with over 1200 names. Please read my transcription notes to see what problems I encountered. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com

Denis William Pack-Beresford married Annette Clayton-Browne in 1863 in Carlow, A Fenian Rising took place in 1867. I believe the event recorded below dates from circa 1868. It does appear that the "Catholic Elector's Son" took part in the "jigs and reels" and had a sup of the wines and whiskies on offer, which may account for his " bloodsheding and crutches throwing" rhetoric regarding the Fenagh tenantry if they should be called upon to fight for His Nibs . ( this calls to mind a comment made to me by my Uncle Tom regarding a well known I.R.A. leader " sure he would fight for Ireland to the last drop of everyone else's blood" ) Pictures of the Pack-Beresford / Browne-Clayton wedding in 1863 appear elsewhere on this Carlow site. "little Phil" was the family Irish Wolfhound. Undated handbill in the Pat Purcell Papers. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE BEST WAY TO " STAMP OUT" FENIANISM IN IRELAND ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ During the last seven centuries here in Ireland seldom has there been witnessed such a scene as that which presented itself in the laurel-wreathed halls of Fenagh House, as the clock struck twelve at night, to seal forever the fate of the old Fenian year, while upwards of thirty couples in full guise, dancing an Irish jig under the mistletoe, smiled "a happy new year" to each other, as well as to the true Irish lady to whose princely hospitality they were indebted for the night's amusement. Mrs Annette Carloine Clayton-Browne-Pack-Beresford , whose name is a household word amongst the peasantry for miles around the base of Mount Leinster, conceived the idea of giving a ball on the last night of the old year, not however , to the Ladies and Gentlemen of the county,but to the respectable farmer's sons and daughters in her own immediate neighbourhood, intermixed with a sprinkling of the villagers , and accordingly directed by Mr. Simpson, who stands at the head of her household staff to issue invitations to the number of about one hundred. About nine o'clock the party began to assemble and it did not break up until five in the morning. Never before did a happier party meet upon the plains of Leinster. Catholic and Protestant danced side by side, united in the closest bond of friendship; never before did such a party meet with such attention, courtesy, kindness, and hospitality in the halls of a resident gentleman -- ----in the Irish home of an Irish prince . The choicest wines, the oldest whiskies --every luxury was there in profusion. The supper was such as a party of princes might sit down to ; and Mr Simpson, Mrs White and Miss Hyland aided by Mr Palmer, Mr Hitchman, and all the rest of Captain Beresford's household staff spared no pains to make the party comfortable and happy. In fact the only grievance the sons and daughters of Captain Beresford's tenantry laboured under on the first day of the new year after giving the old year a decent send-off was having "stamped out" Fenianism" for ever in the County Carlow to the tune of a real Irish jig --the grievance they laboured under as they separated for their respective homes in the morning was the great difficulty they were placed in as to whether they are more indebted to the lady who spread such a costly banquet before them , or to the extraordinary kindness and attention they received during the night from all the members of her household staff. LETTER OF THANKS : From, " A CATHOLIC ELECTOR'S SON" THIS , SIR, I consider should be ever memorable in the annals of the County Carlow. I am not one of those who would wish to attach any importance to an isolated fact. But when I see in that happy group the grand result of Captain Beresford's labours for a number of years ; when I see all classes united in comfort and happiness around him, when I find the peasantry well-housed, well-fed and warmly clothed, his baths thrown open, his doors and windows neither bolted nor barred, while neither a red coat , nor a policeman come within sight -- and this at a time when the country was thought to be on the eve of an insurrection -- at a time when the gentry in other parts of Ireland were crying out for armies to defend them, afraid of their own shadows or rather of their guilty conscience within. When I see Captain and Mrs Beresford retiring to rest in their Irish home at Fenagh House after smiling upon their subjects and not even placing little Phil as a sentinel without to ward off the much dreaded Fenian host. I say sir, when I find all these circumstances united at such a time and in such a place, Captain Pack-Beresford has not laboured in vain. He has lived to reap the fruit of his labours . There is a gentleman who had confidence in the people; nor shall he ever find that confidence betrayed. Captain and Mrs Pack-Beresford have made themselves known to the people by their unremitting kindness and attention to them. The people will always know them. Not a man within miles round who would not shed the last drop of his life's blood in their defence in the event of a Fenian "rising" . They require none of the Queen's Life Guards to protect them, because they are enshrined in the hearts of the people. Even the old men and women would abandon their crutches to fight for them ; and so long as Mrs Beresford wishes to send the Captain into Parliament, so long he shall go there, and no man dare oppose him in the county Carlow. God Save Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen, and Mr and Mrs Pack-Beresford of Fenagh House, Carlow.

Well Lads, It has been a year since the successful completion of last year's Brian De Vale's 2nd Annual 32 Counties in New York Pub Crawl! The mission: To have a drink and sing a a song with someone from every County in Ireland right here in New York within the course of one week! Last year the quest was completed in a record 4 days! At the conclusion of last year's crawl, while sitting and reflecting on all the folks I had met and the fun that was hadwhile doing so, I realized that I was sitting in a Mexican cantina. It was then and there that the thought for this year's tour was born: To met and have a drink with someone from every country in Latin America right here in New York! Well I loosened up the regulations a bit, being that not every inhabitant of the Latin bar/restaurant secene fancies him or herself to be the singer that most Irishmen seem to fancy themselves after a few belts.I also took into the account that some of the characters on this pilgramage were family or in businesses that ruled out alcohol so I cut THEM some slack and "drank their health" for them, after meeting them and geting an education. While I welcomed and, in fact, encouraged my newfound friends to share the songs, if the person felt more comfortable, they could tell me a story or interesting fact that they felt everyone should hear about their country or their experience(s) as a person from that country. The purpose of my wanderings has always been about meeting new friends and learning about them and their homelands over a drink and through the songs that tell their stories.They say "you can not understand a people until you can understand their music"; well add to this; "in vino veritas' and you have the makings of a real education-or at least a great time getting confused!!! I have endeavoured to make this year's mission a success while still fulfilling my many family obligations as well as my personal an professional committments. I welcome you along for the journey... PUERTO RICO EN EL BRONX In order to kick this tour off properly, it was important that I get the kids off to Abuelo and Abuelita's place up in the Bronx.. They would be in fine care with their grandparents,Ramon and Crucelina Rivera while Papi was off on his walkabout. I delivered the kids they ate and I sayt down "con los abuelos"... Ramon and Crucelina come from Vega Baja and Isabela, Puerto Rico, respectively. They come from the purest of "jibaro" stock: extremely poor Puerto Rican peasant farmers who tolied in the fields, picked fruit, chopped wood, mad charcoal, tended animals, fished and sold things along the roadside. The jibaros were an amzing people: they had nothing but their sweat, honesty and love to offer anyone;dirt poor but as decent as the day is long. They were a proud, noble people brought to New York like hundreds of thousands of others from the island during the US Governments "Operation Bootstrap". This vast Government-Business devised plan was a piece of social engineering that resulted in the upheaval of two societies. Puerto Rican families underwent huge, never before seen waves of emigration to he Mainland and US cities reaped both cheap labor. City landlords got a new set of poor tenants to take up residence in the decaying buildings of the Bronx, East Harlem and parts of Brooklyn which droves of GI returning from the war and their families were now abandoning to head out to the "suburbs". Sam Levitt and Robert Moses had made a new lifestyle possible with the development of higwhays and the newer homes that could be driven to by car. These same GI's weere also going back to college on the GI Bill and cheap labor would be needed to take their old jobs..Both Black Americans moving North from the American South to get away from segregation and in search of better job opportunities and Puerto Ricans fleeing abject poverty were often redlined into the same neighborhoods and eventually public housing projects. Abuelo was first recruited to come to the US by an American company with recruiters in PR, to come to work on a farm in Upstate New York during the laste 1940's. He was sent to pick fruit much like the migrant workers of today. He said the work was horrible and the conditions were awful, "we lived in unheated barracks and a man on a big white horse sat watching us and yelling orders, it was like slavery"..That said he felt he and his comrades had all been well accostomed to such misery and worse while working on the sugar cane plantations back home. He described that work as "hell". He sent every penny back home as he was the oldest of the family's children. When he went back to the island he was drafted into the US Army and sent to Korea.Once agin while on-duty he sent every penny home to his parents. It is intersting that Puerto Rican troops have served in every US War since the US invasion of the island in 1898 and most of these soldiers spoke little, if any English. An interesting fact to pass by the "English Only"' crowd. En route to Korea, after completing Basic Training in PR, his Unit was stationed for some additional training in the American South during segregation, Misissipi or Alabama, he could not recall. He told me a story that sounds almost impossible to conceive today but tells a long story about how far we as a nation and a people have come. Abuelo had an Army buddy in his unit who though serving in the Puerto Rican ranks was from St. Thomas US Virgin Islands. Now this fellow spoke English but also spoke Spanish and as St. Thomas lies closer to PR than to the US mainland I guess they figured he could serve with his fellow West Indians. Anyway, the two soldiers got a pass to travel off base and went for a sandwhich only to find out that the gentleman from St Thomas was "colored" and since he was black could not eat at the "white's only" restaurant. So the two GI's went to the other side of town where Abuelo was not allowed in. Now, Abuelo would be the last person to ever try to pass himself of as "white" and his very Indian features and "trigueno" skin would not allow it if he tried- but they understood that these poor balck folks trying to run their restaurant under the madness of segregation could not take a chance that they would be seen serving anyone who was not officially "colored".. The accomodation was made that they could "go around back" of the colored restaurant and be served take out food. And so they did. And thus, sat two US ARMY soldiers sitting on the curb of the street while preparing to go overseas to serve their country. My son Brian has a deep interest and love for Puerto Rico and talked about it all the time. Last year as a result of his passion we took a trip to Puerto Rico- a trip abuelo paid for to indulge the boys passion- to see the house abuelo's father built -by hand- with the money abuelo used to send home. It was funny to be sitting there speaking with his brother and nephew who live there today. All but one of Abuelo's siblings remained in PR and became professionals due to him always sending money home so they could stay in school- a luxury he himself never was able to enjoy. We also met one of his siters whose husband told similar stories of his time in the American South while in the Army, There was a recent documetary on PBS called the "Borincaneers" that tells the story of the trials and tribulations of one particular group of Puerto Ricans who served in heavy combat in Korea (this was NOT abuelo's unit) .. they talk about how Puerto Ricans have consitantly been among the highest casualties in major US conflicts and have a long history of service in protecting the U.S. Abuelo went on to serve in Korea.He came home to a depressed economy in PR and quicky emigrated to New York. He arrived with 28 dollars in his pocket and the coat on his back.He got a job a day after landing making chaisse- lounge chairs in a factory in Bloomfield, New Jersey. He eventiually landed a job through a paisano as a cleaner at the Plaza Hotel. He always arrived two hours before his official start time. He worked his way up to elevator operator, attended night school toearn English and get his GED and eventually landed the job he wanted : "bellman" at the same world famous Plaza Hotel. He worked there for 40 years. when he retired they gave him a small, decorative clock. He said without reservation: "My children's milk was paid for by the Plaza, my grandchildren's milk was paid for by the Plaza, my children's tuition was paid for by the Plaza. They don't owe me a dime." Abuelo went on to own the 2 family home he lives in today. He married Crucelina a few years after landing in NY and they have been married for over 50 years- a rarity in this day and age -and a tribute to Abuelita's patience, as aging "jibaro's" can be thick headed and tempermental. Crucelina worked all her years here and never missed an opportunity to provide coffee, a huge meal (and hand you a dollar or two to bet on a number) for any guest who showed up. This was old school. This is an example of the beauty of the Puerto Rican people and one more reason I say with pride : Ramon y Crucelina Rivera-may God Bless them y QUE VIVA PUERTO RICO"!!!! THE LIGHTS GO OUT IN SPAIN Having left the kids off and had a great conversation with the grandparents I headed of to Corona to meet my wife who was having dinner at a great Colombian restaurant called El Fogo Costena with two of her High School friends. The two ladies she was eating dinner with were part of what I call her "Dirty Girls Social Club". In case you did not read the book it is the story of five ladies of various Hispanic backgrounds who go to college together and how their lives unfold and the way their various Latin backgrounds influence their decisions/lifepaths..In the book they get together every Christmas for dinner, well into adulthood and call themselves by the tiltle of the book. Anyway, the wife and her three friends were each English Language Learners who attended High school here in NY together: The Mrs. was born in New York but moved to PR from 2nd-8th grades and returned to enter 9th grade after 7 years in PR's Spanish -speaking school system, Fina is from Spain and came here as a young girl, Ana moved here from Venezuela when she was 13 and missing in action was Marjorie Cepeda McNamara who came from Ecuador, also at about 13, but has since relocated to California. These are life-long friends who are always in touch with one another something that I think is a fantastic and if you are fortunate enough to have any you are truly blessed. Delfina (Fina) Sotelo is a gem. She is one of the most genuinely funny people one could ever meet. It is also obvious despite her constant joking about all things gallego that she is extemely proud of her Galician Roots. Fina is not simply "Spanish" she is a Gallega. Gallegos or Galicians as they may be called in English hail from the far Northwest corner of Spain just above Portugal. Many gallegos have told me that their language -NOT A DIALECT- is more closely related to Portuguese than Spanish. They are probably the strongest keepers of the original Celtic Spanish culture and traditions. In fact, it was telling that when I arrived she an ana were discussing where to get a good "gaitero" or bagpiper for her parents 50th wedding anniversary. The original inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula were the "celtiberos" or Iberian Celts. These tribes that arrived on the Iberian peninsula from western Asia over centuries of migration made their way to Ireland and eventually Scotland: bringing with them their language, culture,arts, music knowledge of metallurgy, weapons crafting etc. To this day the winners of international bagpiping competitions are often fro Spain-usually either galicia or neigboring Asturias. Spain was changed from its Celtic cuture by the many invasions that took place over the centuries:Visigoths Romans Moors etc.. However, the Moors never conquered the north and it was at the famous "Battle of Covadonga" that the Christian under El Cid-come on you remember Charleton Heston- began to reclaim the parts overrun by the Moors.. Well Galicia remained galicia -Spanish yes-but also something more.. FINA I ordered a nice Colombian beer called "Aguila" and Fina took off with a charge- She began by singing me a traditional Galician song called Olinas and then sang a more spicy one with words to the effect of "dime con quien bailaste y te dire quien..." "tell me who you danced with and I will tell you who you.." Fina tells of breaking her arm as a child in rural Galicia as a child and of her parents getting the veterinarian to set her arm which explains why she can bend it to a seemingly impossible angle .. She alaughs as she shows how she can bend it.. She tells a very funny story of the blackout back in the 1970's. Her parents were "poor rural farmers who had jobs lined up for the before they got of the plane and they each worked those jobs for 40 years until they retired" (Does this sound familiar? Is a common thread emerging already?) Anyway, as both her parents were always out working and her teenage brother was out with his friends she took pleasure in watching the 9:00 pm novela or spanish sopa opera.. She lived in one of theose buildings where if too many people turned on the Air Conditioning at once ad then someone turned on another major appliance-the power went out- because a fuse would blow.. So here is poor Fina -she turns on the air turns on the T.V and BOOM! the power went out. Now she figured she had done it and that someone would change a fuse and -presto-the lights would come back up. No such luck. after a few minutes she looked out the window and sw that the entire neghborhoods lightswere out-AND SHE THOUGHT SHE DID IT!!!! I remember walkig home down 37th street and seeing the DONT WALK sign on 34th ave begin bliking like mad and then seeing all the lights go out as I walked home pat the schoolyard with my childhood pal Johnny Caruso at 9:00pm..that night.. Little did I know that 4 blocks away Fina was worried that it ws all her doing. Fina is a gem- she is fun, proud and a fountain of information about the Spanish and Gallego cultures. Gracias VENEZUELA Ana Rodriguez Gonzalez is a classy, quiet but equally funny person. Ana was born in La Guaira, Venezuela. I asked Ana if she could think of a good song and she told me that though she was born in Venezuela and attended school there she never really felt very "Venezuelan". You see, Ana's parents like Fina's were born in Galicia and had emigrated to find better employment. But after school the girls were kept at home and were not out and about and at home they spoke Gallego and lived in that atmosphere more tha in the native Venezuelan fashion .It is also at the Celtic roots of the Gallegos: No matter how far they roam they all get misty eyed at the mention of their homeland or the sound of the "gaitas"and they all dream to some degree of returning to Galicia. They are a people spread broad and wide all over the globe especially in Latin American and the U.S. There was a song a few years back that made fun of them saying "Hay un Gallego en la Luna" (there is a Galician on the moon) poking fun at how they seem to be everywhere .I found this interesting as I know Americans who dont really think much of themselves as "Americans" but rather identify with the culture(s) of their parents. It was interesting to hear this perspective from someone from Venezuela. When she came to New York, Ana's family sent the kids like all good Gallegos in Astoria to El Circulo Espanol". I spent many a Saturday night during my teenage years in that locale as it was always a great place for Spanish music, dancing, culture AND BEER!!!! El Circulo is still in operation and was a great invention for families to teach the new generations the language, grammar, traditional dances and to set up prosepective couples for future weddings. Ana's Husband is Cuban- born but also of Gallego parents. Hey, give the people some credit-they keep it together and keep their culture alive-and are hard working and successful, driven folks. Now that is networking! Well, to humor my mission Ana mentioned that the big singer during her time in Venezuela was "El Puma" also known as "Jose Luis Rodriguuez", a former church singer with a very powerful voice who found there was more money to be made driving las muchachas wild doing a Latin Tom Jones act.. Alright so I fess up he had a couple of good songs and I owned a copy of the album,, Guilty as charged, "CULPABLE SOY YO"!! I finsished my beer and was off to the Andes. ES MI PERU I drove down Roosevelt Avenue in search of Signs representing the more obscure countries..Mexican Bars were everywhere here and would be hitting one later tonight. I spied a sign that said Peruvian Restaurant. I pulled over too park and the snow everywhere ceratainly added to the atmosphere. There were police everywhere which gave the area the feeling of the streotypical banmana republic- It felt like living in a police state. There were vans pulling over drivers and checking License/Registration, dozens on foot patrol- not welcoming as I was heading in for a beer. well the restaurant is called El Pollito Dorado and it is clean and neat and I ordered a beer called" Cristal"-it said "A beer from the Andes" on the label- and it was great. I asked the waitress if the owner was in and a nice young man named Junior came out and we spentten minutes talking about New York's Peruvian Community. He said theywere spread out unlike most Hispanic groups and kept in touch more through soccer leagues than bars and social clubs. He got a kick out of what I was trying to do and he recommeded I go the the Argentianian place a block up and I took his advice. Argentina La Cabana Restaurant is as crowded as it is small. from the street you can look in the window of the grill room. All kinds of fine cuts of meat are lais about la parrilla or grill.. I walked in only to bump into the last person on line who ws literally halfway out the door. A man pushed in behind me with his family behind him and yelled en espanol to the host "The famous Hugo told me no reservation was necessary".. Lots of luck he was told Hugo ws not in and even if he was there were no tables available- This was a VERY argentinian crowd but was also very Argentinainly crowded-so I asked the man behind me where he ws from when he said Argentina I shook his hand wished him well and headed off promising to have abeer at another locale for him as I had no interest in sitting in a crowded steakhoue as this was a PUB CRAWL!!! Uruguay As I pulled up to El Chivito D'Oro III I realized there were again police everywhere. This time it was to cordon off an area where a fire had just been put out. It was on 37th Avenue and 84th street. The fire had taken our 8 stores across the street. I pray nobody was injured. That said I could not helpaughing hen I saw on of the stores was called "ACME FURNITURE", I had never seen anything called ACME accept in Bugs Bunny /Road Runner Cartoons.. Anyway, the place was mobbed. I ordered a Uruguayan Beer called Pilsen and a nice Morcilla. I know Uruguay and Argentian share a border but it was apparent that they share something else :A LOVE OF MEAT!!! I will definitely be coming back to eat here with my wife as the grill looked GREAT. I shook hands and spoke with the manager" Martin" from Montevideo who was very kind and spoke to me for what time he could, but his place was very busyas even cops were coming in to eat and or get out of the cold. Martin invited me back and said he would talk to me at length.I thanked him for the beer and I will take him up on that offer. Colombia As luck would have it I was driving down 37th Ave and spied a neighborhood bar that I have not been in in many years. a dear childhood friend who was even in my wedding party used to bartend there to make extra money in between his gigs as a scout for Major League Baseball. As I have stated above having firends since childhood is a gift and a blessing- as this fellow's friendhip meant agreat deal to me I was quite hurt when for some reason or other he stopped returning my calls. It got back to me that he was upset that I did not attend his father's funeral. I was caught totally bewildered as nobody even called me to tell me his father had died. Anyway, being one who believes that there are few problems that cant be worked out over a few beers and conversation I pulled up and went inside to see if he was on duty. He was not. I decided to order a beer in honor of the gentleman from Argentina who I had met earlier in the evening-and I drank his health! I made few inqiries about my friend and found tha the had not been around for a few years. C'est a vie.. As I sat talking to another fellow a very loud woman stepped behind the bar making good natured fun of one of the patrons-in very heavily accented English. Iasked her where she was from and she said Colombia- another Coors Light please!!!! Her name was Mailyn Villariny and she was from Medellin Colombia. When I asked her if dhe sang she quickly said "no". So I expalined what I was about and she said that what everyone should know about Colombia is that "we "make the best perico and marijuana" and she began laughing hysterically..When I laughed but expalined that this was not the type of answer I wanted to share with the world she got serious and said "Gabriel garcia Marquez is a Nobel Prize winner for literature and I forget but let me call someone" . She made a call on hercell and went on to tell me that Colombians are proud of Fernando Botero, who is world class Sculptor . I offred to buy her a beer and she said she" could not because she is taking medication-but if you could give me the "plata" I would be very pleased-so she got the price of a pint I got a Colombian story and had my beer".. And I was off for Paraguay... Paraguay 9:00 p.m. So I arrived at the "I Love Paraguay" Restaurant on Greenpoint Ave.in Sunnyside just as the lights were going out. We lived in Sunnyside for a few very happy years after we got married it isstill a wonderful, clean neighborhood full of Koreans,Chinese, Indians, Irish, Hispanics of every denomonation and more recently Romanians and middle eastern folks. The door was unlocked and I walked in but the staff was already dressed with their coats on to go home. I gave a 30 second explanation of my mission and they were absolutely lovely. (What more could be expected from a bunch of Paraguayans set upon by my six foot two hundred pound bearded self with a guitar slung on my back asking about paraguatan beer and music at closing time?) They told me that their national Song or at least one they are very proud of is Recuerdo Ypayraii..If I have misspelled this it is due to my handwriting getting sloppier as the night wore on.. They also told me sadly thet there are no Paraguayan Beers sold that they are aware of in the States. I offered to take them next door to the BlackThorn Irish pub for a pint but they were obviously a family and looked beat- so instead I asked what I could buy to take home to my kids. She packed some lovely looking large stuffed cookies and she insisted I come back to have dinner there with my wife at a more reasonable hour- The kids loved the cookies and I will try to swing by as I often pass the place on my way back to Astoria.. The empanadas and a few other specialties look inviting -BUT THEY BETTER GET SOME KIND OF PARAGUAYAN BEER UP HERE-PRONTO!!!! I remind you this is a pub crawl, not a coffee clatch!!!! ASTORIA :SAMBA CAPITAL OF THE WORLD I turned onto 36th Avenue on the way to my mother's house to meet up with my brother Michael. 36th Avenue has really been revitalized. What used to be avery industrial area now is loaded with fancy restaurants and a nice etnic flare-Brasilian flags dot the landscape. I wandered into a bar that looked like my kind of place-El Quijote Bar. I t was dark, cozy, had a pool table with a couple of guys playing. It was a fine place and the music on the jukebox was a nice mix, other than it being a bit too loud for my taste. The barmaid came over and I explained my purpose-she thought it was cool and I could tell she was pleased that I had added Brasil even though it is not a Spanish- speakinhg country. Her name was Cristiani and she took out two Coors lights and we toasted "Saute" as they say in Portugusese, please forgive me if I murdered the spelling. She hails from Espiritu Santo in Brasil.She looked at my list and saw waht countries I was misssing ad pointed to a bunch of guys that were Mexican but I was saving that honor for a future stop later that night. She said if I stayed long enough she had several groups coming in that would fill out most of the sheet. I asked her if hse sand and she nodded no but told me "one thing everyone should know about Brasi,l is that they should stop destroying the rainforest in the Amazon". I was quite pleased with this answer as she was dressed in a leopard skin miniskirt. Most barmaids in Spanish beer joints look like they are dressed out of frederick's of Hollywod catalogues-not that i am complaining- real me like atractive women dressed provacatively- but her insightful answer was refreshing. Now the other barmaid that came on duty after I entered, I am told was from Colombia, she was dressed in an outfit that left nothing to the imagination so having already gotten a signature from Colombia I pushed no conversation. Then entered a fun looking couple. La Brasilenna told me the woman in the pair was Cuban. He wasa fun loving little guy who everyone called Chelsea because that was the hoetown football club from his home back in England . He liked the idea right away when I asked where his partner came from and asked her to sign the paper. She thought it was some kind of scam. I taold her what I was up to and we had a long conversation en espanol afterv which I aksed if she was cuban how come she had a Puerto rican accent-she replied that she was born in Havana but like many left as a child and was raised in PR. There is a large number of Cubans who went to Puerto Rico after Castro took over; Many went into banking, commerce and enjoyed great success there. I believe Puerto Rican singer Carlos Ponce is of Cuban parents. Spanish- born Cuban National Poet Jose Marti once famously wrote :Cuba y Puerto Rico son dos alas del mismo pajaro" Cuba and Puerto Rico are two wings of the same bird".. The relationship is old and goes back to colonial times. In The great Puerto Rican short story/play "La Cuarterona" one of the main characters was Cuban-showing even way back then how strong the cultural ties were that were being forged between the two islands. Anyway "Juanita agreed to let her little englishman sign her in and he wrote it as only an englishman could "Quanita"... We toasted : Viva Cuba Libre.. and I wished them a fine evening! COMO MEXICO NO HAY OTRO I stopped by my brother Michael's house but he was just getting showered so I told him to meet me up the block at TACOS MEXICO. Now I love this little hole in the wal and have been going there for yearsl. Most people come into the restaurant for the first class, authentic Mexican meals. I always head straight to the back room -to the bar. It is a clean truly Mexican setting. A place where tired Mexican folks can come to get a sense of home. Ranchera music blasts on the jukebox and Claudia the barmaid serves cold beer with a kind, Mexican grace. Now keeping in mind what I have said about the dress code for barmaids in many Latin bars- you wont find that here. Claudia has a family is there as a kind paisana for the men who spend long hors doing hard work and send most of their money home. I asked Claudia her hometown again for the reord and she signed for Guerrero Mexico. I asked her to sing but she laughed and said the best Mexican song is "Los Caminos de Guanajuato" by Jose Alfredo Jimenez.. I gave her a dollar and she played it. As I had been hitting may bars (dont worry-car was parked long ago-this is a PROFESSIONAL-RESPONSIBLE pub crawl we are on foot now!!) and I wanted to hit a few more, I was puzzled why the song took so long to come on. It turned out that a little fellow in the corner with avery very long goatee had put 5 bucks in the jukebox just befor Claudia so i got to hear him sing along with many a song as I had another beer or twountil she gave me the sign-her song was on. It wa a standard ranchera number , well sung and passionate. When it ended I thanked her for the service and the song-gave a viva Mexico and slipped out into the night. THE WILD GEESE I wouund up at cronin and Phelan's for a drink with my brother Mike. As i got to the pub tretired firefighter Mike Wren was out front having a smoke. We chatted and a large disturbed looking fellow came up smoking and started talking to us asking what year we graduated because he was back from the Navy and wanted to look up everyone from his old neighborhood. I slipped inside and dave the barman pulled me a pint of my standard Guinness on sight. The big man came in and ordered something as well and sat next to me and Mike Wren. After a minute he asked what kind of guitar was in my bag and what I played-I replied "Yamaha accoustic/electric and I play folk/ballads/country/Irish/Spanish/John Denver Johnny Cash" he said "nice I gotta go for a smoke".. he left and never returned. As he walked out Dave asked in his Cork accent "Brian do ya' know that fella" I said "no".. to which he replied ""Cause I just took the price of your pint out of his money"!!! I replied "Oh in that case yes-he is a friend".. My brother Mike showd up and we chatted for a bit..After a beer or two we walked up to Doyle's Corner. Doyle's Corner was hopping! karaoke was in full swing and I signed Mike and myself up to do a song each.. They must have had some list because after an hour and afew beers they still did not get to us and we decided to take the show on the road.. We would up at Lavelle's admiral's Lounge on 47th and Broadway. Pat the owner was away on vacation but his daughter Danielle made him proud-she ran the place like a pro! There was a guitar player and singer and they did a nice job and then Danielle threw on some saw doctors and I spun some Wolfetone's rebel songs.. A nice way to end the first night of the 32 County Pub Crawl's latin American Kick Off- cursing England to the words of James Connolly : God's Curse on you England, You cruel hearted monster, Your deeds they would shame all the devils in hell, There are no flowers blooming, but the shamrock is shining O'er the grave of James Connolly, the Irish Rebel!! 10 countries down in one night!!! 11 to go!!!! Tomorrow night: A SESSION in the Woodlawn Section of the Bronx and EL REY DEL MANGU on DYCKMAN STREET For dinner in the Dominican Republic!

I have added the tithe applotment indexes for Monasteranenagh and Monagay Civil Parishes to the County Limerick section of my website. Please read my transcription notes to see what problems I encountered. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com

Hope this recipe will be helpful. Received it from a bed and breakfast house called Saraville located in the mountains of Wicklow. It was served daily and with every meal, it seemed. Very very good. Brown Soda Bread 20 oz coarse wholemeal flour (I think we would call it whole wheat flour) 12 oz Plain flour (white) 2 teaspoons bread soda pinch salt Handful wheat germ Handful of bran Pint buttermilk 1 egg Mix all dry ingredients together Add milk and egg. Knead gently. Bake in a hot oven approximately 3/4 hour This is how it was written for me, and I can say that it is delicious. Good baking! Marilyn ----- Original Message ----- From: "Pat Connors" <nymets11@pacbell.net> To: "ny irish" <ny-irish-l@rootsweb.com>; "IRISH-AMERICAN" <Irish-American-L@rootsweb.com>; <Can-Ontario-Irish-L@rootsweb.com>; <Irish-In-UK-L@rootsweb.com>; <New-England-Irish@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 10:32 AM Subject: [IRISH-AMER] Irish brown bread >I go through this every year when I try to replicate that great Irish > brown bread you get at restaurants in Ireland. It is not the > traditional soda bread but a loaf bread that is sliced and eaten with a > bit of Kerry Gold butter. If someone has a good recipe, please post it > to the list. I am sure I am not the only one who would use it. I'd > like to serve at my St Patrick's Day dinner. Again, it is cooked in a > loaf pan and not a round bread with the cross on top. > > Thanks in advance. > > -- > Pat Connors, Sacramento CA > http://www.connorsgenealogy.com > > > ====Irish American Mailing List===== > Add/check your surname to the Irish-American mailing list Surname Registry > at: http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/IrishAmerican/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > IRISH-AMERICAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

In accordance with the terms of the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty, all political political prisoners were to be released from British custody. With the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary and the Black and Tans confined to barracks the following scenes were witnessed throughout the Irish Free State. This report covers the home-coming of the Carlow Irish Republican Army volunters men. Six months later, during the Civil War, many of them would take up the gun again but this time against each other. Nationalist, January 1922. Release of Political Prisoners. Enthusiastic Scenes in Carlow. Scenes of great enthusiasm marked the home-coming of the released political prisioners in Carlow, and surrounding districts during the week. Before the arrival of the 8.20 train on Saturday night a large crowd gathered within the area of the Railway Station, and as the train arrived there was a tremendous cheering which was renewed again and again as the ex-political prisoners alighted on the platform. The immediate relatives and friends of the men were the first to extend a hearty welcome, and then the cheering of the vast crowd marked the public appreciation of the sacrifices and hardships which their fellow-townsmen had undergone for their country's freedom. The following released political prisoners arrived on Saturday night :- M. Condren, Brownes Hill ; John Cullen, Brownes Hill ; John Fitzgerald, Brownes Hill ; J. Williams, Staplestown Road ; Martin Byrne, Staplestown Road ; Thomas Sheen, Barrack Street ; Jas. Mooney, Pollerton Road ; Jos. Kenny, Pollerton Road ; ( these were arrested last March and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment ). Thomas Seeley, College Street (arrested November 1920 , sentenced to 18 months ) ; James Corcoran, Graiguecullen ; (arrested October 1920, sentenced to two years ) The above named were serving their terms in Exeter, Wandsworth, Pentonville and other English prisons. William McKenna, Granby Row, who was serving 10 years in Mountjoy, was arrested at Ballymurphy last April. Outside the Railway Station the crowd formed up in processional order, headed by the Carlow Fianna Pipers Band, next came the Carlow Company of Volunteers, Carlow Branch Cumann na mBan, Fianna Eireann (Carlow and Graiguecullen ); St. Fiacc's Band, Graiguecullen , Company Volunteers , Killeshin, Cumann na mBan, Killeshin, Michael Fay Sinn Fein Club, followed by an immense crowd of the general public. The torchlight procession passed along the Dublin Road, Dublin Street, and Tullow Street to the "The Shamrock" where a halt was called ; then back again through Tullow Street and Dublin Street to the Town Hall where Mr Seeley on behalf on himself and his fellow ex-prisoners, thanked the people for the hearty reception they had extended to them. Numerous houses in the town were illuminated, particularly in the streets through which the procession passed. Similar scenes were witnessed on Monday and Tuesday nights on the arrival of other ex-prisoners. The following arrived on Monday night ; James Foley, The Shamrock, T. Dowling, Graiguecullen, L.Shaw, Pollerton Road, Michael Leonard, Tullow Street, all arrested last March and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. They were incarcerated in Pentonville Gaol and were amongst those who visited Roger Casement's grave after their liberation. On Tuesday night Thomas and Michael Behan, Graiguecullen and Michael Ryan , Tullow Street arrived and were accorded a rousing reception. The procession marched through Dublin Road, Dublin Street, Tullow Street, and back again through Castle Street, Coal Market and Church Street to Behan's residence. Mr Quinn, Solicitor, Bagenalstown, in a short but eloquent address thanked the people for the warm welcome accorded to the Behans and Ryan, which he assured them , they greatly appreciated. Graiguecullen was brilliantly illuminated for the occasion, and bon-fires blazed in Coal Market and at the "Croppies Grave" . The brothers Behan and Michael Ryan were sentenced to 10 years in connection with the incident at Ballymurphy. A further demonstration took place on Thursday night , when Sean O'Neill , College Street, arrived home from Dartmoor Convict Prison. Mr O' Neill , who was arrested in November 1920, was tried by court-martial at Belfast for the alleged kidnapping of a railway signalman in Cavan. The huge procession headed by torch-bearers and accompanied by the Carlow Fianna Pipers and Graiguecullen Fife and Drum Band, Companies of Volunteers, Fianna Eireann and Cumann na mBan paraded the town to the ex-prisoner's residence. On arrival there Mr O'Neill thanked the people for their hearty welcome , in Irish and English.

Saw this online. Sounds like it might be the one you're looking for. http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000151.html<http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000151.html>

I go through this every year when I try to replicate that great Irish brown bread you get at restaurants in Ireland. It is not the traditional soda bread but a loaf bread that is sliced and eaten with a bit of Kerry Gold butter. If someone has a good recipe, please post it to the list. I am sure I am not the only one who would use it. I'd like to serve at my St Patrick's Day dinner. Again, it is cooked in a loaf pan and not a round bread with the cross on top. Thanks in advance. -- Pat Connors, Sacramento CA http://www.connorsgenealogy.com

Thank you for your technical analysis of the problem. Maybe I wasn't clear. How many more times do you need it sent? On Feb 12, 2010, at 8:09 PM, Michael P. Thompson wrote: > On Feb 9, 2010, at 11:45 AM, John Keating wrote: > >> Over the past year I've experienced problems using COMCAST >> to try to send Emails to Ireland and from the other end they >> experience >> obstructions in replying through COMCAST. >> Has anyone else experienced similar problems. >> Please respond. >> Jack keating > > > I wonder if the problem isn't on your end Jack. Your e-mail software > seems to have sent this message to the list three times. > > > -- > Doras Cúil Travel--Your one-stop travel source > Certified Destination Specialist for Ireland and Scotland > http://www.dorascuil.com > > > > > ====Irish American Mailing List===== > Add/check your surname to the Irish-American mailing list Surname > Registry at: http://www.connorsgenealogy.com/IrishAmerican/ > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IRISH-AMERICAN-request@rootsweb.com > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message

January 1922. After being confined to barracks for several months during the Truce, and now in January 1922 getting ready to depart from Ireland, the soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the Fifth Fusiliers, British Army, were invited to put on a farewell concert in Carlow's Deighton Hall. This advertisement informs us that the St. George's Minstrels recruited from within the battalion will preform at the forthcoming concert supported by the Fifth Fusiliers Brass Band. Heated discussions took place to decide if the soldiers could march, for the last time, in full military regalia from Carlow Barracks to the Deighton Hall on the day of the concert. Nationalist 1922 in the PPP. NOTICE. DEIGHTON MEMORIAL HALL at 8pm. Monday, January 30th 1922. ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE : by St. GEORGE'S MINSTRELS and the Band 1st Battalion Fifth Fusiliers. Owing to the great number of persons who were unable to obtain admission to the Evening Performance at the Deighton Memorial Hall on January 25th, it has been decided to hold an additional performance. Ticket holders for EVENING PERFORMANCE, Jan 25th , who were unable to obtain admission, will be admitted on production of Ticket. Tickets for additional Concert are now on same at Mr Craig's, Dublin Street, and Mr Rudock's Newsagent, Tullow Street. Admission by Ticket only.

This letter was published at a time when Ireland was in turmoil and heading rapidly towards civil war. Nationalist , Jan. 1922. Letter to the Editor, Nationalist and Leinster Times, Carlow. Dear Sir, Dancing at the moment seems to be "all the go " right over the country. Almost everyone , young , old, and middle-aged, have gone literally speaking , dancing mad ; and to take an illuminating example, one need only scan the weekly provincial papers to see announcement after announcement of Balls , Dances, wax polished floors and city Jazz Bands ; and in many parts they dance from dark to dawn , every night of the week in a different centre, and need never leave the parish to do so, that is, if the fancy takes you. Time was when no married folk and few middle-aged persons "took" to the dance floor. Of course allowances must be made for the man "who was no older than he felt" and the old maid who was as young as ( she thought ) she looked. Struggling hard to avoid being indexed amongst the "wall flower" variety. Nowadays all this is changed. Old grandfathers who might pass for Santa Clauses,baldy heads, and old maids, musty, and well seasoned from "the shelf" make their presence felt, and may be seen nightly enjoying themselves on the floor. No one can gainsay that dancing when properly carried out, is good and pleasant exercise and helps to keep the heart young, but when it comes to what occurred in Portlaoighise recently at a fancy dress ball there when the lights were all turned off at a certain time, and as part of the programme , one wonders what we are coming to. Surely no peace treaty , prisoners home coming , etc., can excuse such a proceeding as this in the capital of Laoighis and the sooner for the dignity and morality of Ireland such Vivian-like conduct is put an end to the better for all. It was surely bad enough to have drinking bars set up for the sale of intoxicants, etc., at such functions, but now to have "lights out " at a certain time in the middle of a fancy dress ball, with showers of confetti - - and let us hope, old boots --is certainly carrying such abuse beyond the limit of Christian endurance, and is a headline unworthy of the traditions of O'Moore's county. It is a sad state of affairs if on the eve of our deliverance from foreign bondage we are to be plunged straightaway into the heaten practices of Continental Atheists. A few weeks ago in London the moral press of England was shocked by a Russian ballet dance, got up by the nobility of London, at which the dancers were all attired -- well, as Adam and Eve were --and it seems we are on the road to such here in Ireland , if some one , or organisations of authority do not exert themselves to protect the youth of the country from such dances, as that provided for by the Continental people of Portlaoighise quite recently. -- (signed) GLANA. ( name and address with the editor , card enclosed. ) [ note added by Michael Purcell 2010. No way of knowing who this letter was from but I bet it was from some Parish Priest who, like the Carlow gentry of the period,seems to have his (or her) finger on the pulse of the Irish Nation in 1922 !. Portlaoighise is the old spelling for Portlaoise formerly Maryborough in the Queen's County now county Laois. ]

BRITISH EMPIRE PARAPHERNALIA FOR AUCTION. >From the Pat Purcell Papers. In January 1922 President Eamonn de Valera believed that the Anglo / Irish Treaty would be rejected by the Irish people, he thought it only a matter of time before hostilities would resume . He secretly ordered that the R.I.C. Stations and the British Army Barracks throughout Ireland should be penetrated and reconnaissance taken of the defences and weaknesses of the fortifications therein. On the 6th January 1922, May Gibney of Cumann na mBan delivered a dispatch from Cathal Brugha, the Irish Minister for Defence , to the Commander of the Carlow Brigade, I.R.A. conveying de Valera's instructions. In mid January, Robert Bell, Auctioneer, Carlow, was engaged by the British War Office to sell by public auction the contents of Carlow Military Barracks. A week later, acting on this information, the Carlow Brigade brought two I.R.A. men from Athy to carry out Dev's orders. The two volunteers, unknown to the auctioneer, duly presented themselves as the "auctioneer's agents" to the Duty Officer in the Carlow Barracks, he welcomed them and proceeded to give them a grand tour of the premises and out-houses. He then gave them the inventory, reproduced below, compiled by the British soldiers and invited the two men to carry out an inspection of the items listed. For the following few hours the IRA men strolled contentedly all over the Barracks, chatting with the soldiers and obtaining whatever information they could. They shared a drink with the Duty Officer before they left. The same day three I.R.A. men (Foley , Byrne and Delaney) from the Carlow Brigade travelled to Maryborough Military Barracks and Stores where they carried out the same mission. I do not have the auctioneers catalogue for the Carlow auction but I do have catalogues for the Kilkenny and Maryborough auctions. If you think the Carlow list is comprehensive then you should see the Maryborough list which includes ; -- belts , handkerchiefs, neckerchiefs, socks, shirts, jackets, waistcoats, boots, pillows and flags !. In February 1922 the following items were offered for sale by public auction in Carlow. Stock in Carlow Military Barracks for sale by Public Auction. OUTDOORS : in yard and sheds. Estimated 6 ton of barbed wire on reels; five ladders , 10 ff, 15ft. 25ft, 30ft, 45ft ; eight galvanized iron canisters ; piles of straw mattresses ; 4 felling axes ; 3 hatchets ; 4 mallets ; 4 crowbars ; 4 cross-cut saws ; chains and padlocks ; 4 hods ; 5 hoes ; two old spiked cannon pieces with metal wheels ; 34 cannonballs ; quantity of broken and rusted weapons, 5 bayonets, 24 lances, 20 rifles, numerous sword pieces, staffs. many piles of scrap iron ; 3 cwt. sack ouncil ; 5 earthenware gallon casks ; 6 rakes ; 4 varied size vices ; two horse carts ; 20 rolls of tent covering ; 23 cross bar bicycles ; 12 baskets ; quantity of tyres and tubes ; large copper vat ; a large variety of 58 sweeping brushes ; 25 shovels ; 5 picks ; barrack brazing; 20 hurricane lamps ; 80 barrack lamps ; chaff cutting machine ; a dozen vices ; 5 transportable sectional huts ; 3 galvanized transportable sheds ; metal sheeting ; 6 Iron houses for horses ; portable forge anvil ; 2 cutting lathe ; 3 work benches ; 80 fire bricks ; 20 hurricane lamps ; assorted Blacksmith tools ; 6 assorted size gates ; 2 hand anvils ; 2 large anvils ; 2 bellows ; large quantity of horse shoes, new and unused ; assorted lorry and car engine fittings ; assorted scaffolding ; carpenters bench ; 2 x 2 wheel fire hand cart box with reels of hoses ; 62 platform posts, high, medium and low ; 5 hand carts ; 5 x 4 pronged sprongs ; 8 assorted hammers ; metal piping ; large delivery of new covered timber ; 4 boxes of assorted nails and screws ; larger quantity of corrugated iron 6ft and 10ft ; quantity of expanded metal 8" x 4" ; 10 hand-held metal protection covers ; 50 assorted planks ; 4 hand sledges ; 6 tins of red and white paint ; 3 gallons of varnish ; 5 barrows ; 8 rolls of wire netting ; 10 x 30 gallon barrels ; slabs and approximately 500 new slates ; 3 anvils ; 4 sets of drain brushes ; 4 axes ; 4 x 30 gallon water tanks with taps ; 12 Iron field posts ; 3 pully blocks ; 4 sledge hammers ; various ropes ; 20 old fire grates ; 2 x 50 gallon watertanks ; 2 x 400 gallon water tanks ; 4 granite water troughs ; approximately 400 new bricks ; scantlings, all sizes ; 5 picks ; 3 rolls of canvas ; all kinds of piping ; 5 new stoves ; variety of 25 packed crates ;. barrel of kerosene ; 12 saddles and horse dressings ; 128 bicycles, 2 x 5 H.P. Triumph Cycles and Whitely side cars. The coal and turf shed were empty, the content with coalbuckets were distributed to families living in Barrack Street and Bribewell Lane. INDOORS: HALL : Upright Grand piano by Foster. 2 office desks ; 2 castor chairs with arms ; on shelf , account books , quantity of old maps and folders ; 2 jars of ink ; box of new pens ; I large locked safe by Saltburn, 1 smaller unlocked safe by Withers ; 3 Windsor chairs ; 2 leather covered high backed sofas ; 2 leather cover reclining sofas ; new pull porter machine ; one chest of books. one military travel desk with handles ; 3 small Philips fireproof safes ; one folding travel officers chair ; 5 folding field chairs ; assorted gas fittings ; 3 blackboards with easels ; box of coloured chalk; 8 outside lanterns ; 40 lockers ; 10 Officers chests of drawers ; over 200 chairs ; 80 small desks ; 12 copper coal scuttles ; mixture of several hundred bed linens and barrack sheets ; 4 lb candles ; 20 wall lamps ; 20 framed pictures ; 40 assorted picture frames ; Encyclopedia set 14 volumes ; boxes of assorted keys ; 4 large Axminster rugs ; 75 soldiers' boxes ; 4 small Axminister hearth rugs ; 20 fire fenders ; 10 bellow fire fans ; 4 leather covered mahogany arm chairs ; quantity of hair clippers ; 4 electric lamps ; 8 torches ; 10 soldiers boxes ; extensive mixture of carpenters' tools ; 20 fire buckets ; 5 fire extinguishers ; 8 canvas travel bags ; 5 Primus stoves ; 4 bags cement ; 6 assorted garden tubs ; 25 fire pokers ; 10 sets of handcuffs with no keys ; 2 collapsible bureaus ; 1 Grandfather clock by Gillespie ; 3 overmantel clocks ; MILITARY CANTEEN :. Upright piano by Foster ; 1 new pull porter machine ; 100 glasses ; 300 various forms of delph ; boxs of utensils ; 24 brass candlesticks ; 2 mahogany sideboards ; 150 tables ; numerous trestles many sizes ; bagatelle ; 2 Billard tables ; 2 small weighing machines ; 1 bottling syphon ; 1 corking machine ; assorted band brass instruments ; 8 mixed size drums with drumsticks ; 4 saddle drums with leather straps ; dozens of empty glass and earthenware bottles; 3 Perfection stoves ; 2 Slogan stoves ; 5 travelling stoves ; 4 pine coffins and mountings ; 24 mantels ; 4 card tables ; 4 Officers tables ; brass weights ; 15 ft long mahogany counter top ; 4 wash buckets. SLEEPING QUARTERS: . 10 japanned washstands ; 10 marbletop washstands ; 50 painted washstands ; 50 basins ; 24 hand mirrors ; 24 washing sinks ; 19 chests of drawers ; 15 reclining baths ; 50 sponge baths ; 50 sitz baths ; 4 8ft. enamel baths ; numerous bedsteads ; 80 straw mattrasses ; 10 wire and hair mattrasses ; large quantity of bolsters ; 80 wooden bed screens ; 3 bells ; 5 toilet mirrors ;10 towel rails ; 50 clothes-horses ; quantity of boots ; 20 bed warmers ; great mixture of several hundred bed linens and barrack sheets; 120 bedside wooden desks ; large quantity of wooden lockers ; box of assorted locks and keys ; 12 crates of reading and account books ; 3 bibles ; HOSPITAL: . 18 hospital beds , 100 tables, large office table, large 8 sided table , 8 stretchers ; pile of hospital sheets ; large quantity of towels ; 3 boxes of new handkerchiefs ; 12 serge gowns ; 20 slippers ; 50 odd waistcoats ; 1 box of new leather gloves ; box of assorted scissors ; 8 night chairs ; an enormous lot of provisions, box of condensed milk ; bags of flour, preserved meat ,tinned meat, sack of salt, tins of biscuits ; tea, sugar, dozens of jars, containers of medical supplies, pills, tonics, rubs, medicines.; medical implements; washing soda, 4 vats of disinfecting fluid ; washing powder , blue ; box of carbolic soap ; box of yellow soap ;tins of bandages, slings, patches. KITCHEN: . 2 butchers blocks ; butchers implements ; 4 chopping blocks ;1 large scoop ; 3 rolls of new linoleum ; 40 cooking implements ; 4 tea caddies ; 4 large frying pans ; 12 assorted cooking pots ; 2 large cooking pots ;large metal cooking range ; 4 strainers ; 20 scuttles ;large flour bin ; 8 copper coal buckets ; 3 oval pots ; 4 x 12 quart kettles ;2 iron cylinders ; measuring standards ; 4 skimmers ; 8 kitchen bins ; 4 colanders ; 4 graters ; weights from 1oz to 56 lbs ; 2 stillions ; 4 large enamelled stone sinks ; 8 ladles ; large centre table 12 ft x 5 ft. ; weighing scales and 8 weights ; Large hand decorated sign ~~ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE MILITARY CANTEEN ~~

On Feb 9, 2010, at 11:45 AM, John Keating wrote: > Over the past year I've experienced problems using COMCAST > to try to send Emails to Ireland and from the other end they > experience > obstructions in replying through COMCAST. > Has anyone else experienced similar problems. > Please respond. > Jack keating I wonder if the problem isn't on your end Jack. Your e-mail software seems to have sent this message to the list three times. -- Doras Cúil Travel--Your one-stop travel source Certified Destination Specialist for Ireland and Scotland http://www.dorascuil.com

I noticed that ancestry.com has a new census added. it is US Federal census 1880 schedules of defective, dependent and deliquent classes. I find it interesting that a large number of Irish are included in this census. Unfortunately, my person of interest was crossed out and DUPLICATE stamped over her name so I really can't read it. There are different classifications with varying degrees of information.