Irish Seisiún Newsletter
This Week’s Session
We had a great time at the pub seisiún today. Lot’s of good cheer and fun tunes.
In attendance Caroline, Ian, Seamus, and Emer on fiddles; Ronan himself; Pat, Martin, Noreen, Grace, and Francie on accordions; Whistles and Flutes were Pauline, George, Jeanie, and Rosemarie; Jack and Tom on Bodhran; Randy on DADGAD Guitar and Bouzouki.
Tunes included Jimmy Ward’s set; Battering Ram, and Tell Her I Am; Mossy Banks and Mountain Top; Dusty Windowsills set; Maids of Mount Cisco, Golden Keyboard, and Wise Maid; Jolly Tinker; The Banshee, Maid Behind the Bar, and Sligo Maid; John Brennan’s set; Devanny’s Goat Reel set; Haunted House set; The Green Fields of Woodford set; The Old Bush set; Brosna Slide set; Polkas, Polkas, Polkas; Lucy Farr’s Barndance set; The Wandering Minstrel set; and many more I can’t recall.
We wish safe travels to those attending the North American Comhaltas convention in Orlando next weekend.
All the best,
Randy
Click on any image to enlarge.
Finnegan;s Calender
.……….
Click any of the above logos to go to that site
.
“That’s How I Spell Ireland”
Saturdays at 7 to 8 PM EST.
You can listen on 88.7FM or WRHU.org.
For a request please text me on 917 699-4768.Kevin and Joan Westley
Note: Show will be preempted whenever the NY Islanders have a Saturday game
Old Ireland
The Dartmouth Castle taking on passengers at Cappoquin County Waterford.
Photographer A.H. Poole. Circa early 1900s.
Travel in Ireland
WATCH:
Summer on the sunny "Irish Riviera" nearly 90 years ago
Northern Ireland’s most picturesque destinations as revealed by outdoor experts
Northern Ireland, you’re looking well! Make sure to bring your camera when visiting these photographic locales.
Northern Ireland’s most photogenic locations have been revealed in a new study by outdoor experts, with the Giant’s Causeway topping the list.
Looking at the number of social media posts on Instagram, reviews on TripAdvisor, and the number of photographs on Getty Images, GO Outdoors has revealed the most picturesque outdoor locations in the North.
“With social media continuing to inspire more of us to explore the outdoors, we wanted to look at Northern Ireland’s most picturesque destinations,” says Calum Jones, author and outdoor enthusiast at GO Outdoors.
“From mountain ranges to impressive loughs, these locations are perfect for everything from a scenic walk to a quick photo stop.
“We hope this inspires more people to get outside, explore what Northern Ireland has to offer and benefit from the endless mental benefits getting outdoors has to offer.”
Taking the crown as Northern Ireland’s most picturesque destination is The Giant’s Causeway with a near-perfect score of 9.78 out of 10.
The UNESCO World Heritage Site is famous for its unique natural rock formations, which create an otherworldly landscape that is hugely popular among tourists.
With 367,000 Instagram posts and over 2,000 photographs on Getty Images, it is clear just how frequently The Giant’s Causeway is photographed.
Following closely in second place, with a score of 9.75, are The Mourne Mountains.
The mountain range is home to Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland’s tallest peak, which tourists and locals love to photograph. With over 180,000 Instagram posts and 332 Getty Images, it is clear visitors feel inspired by the mountains, which has been the case for generations with C.S. Lewis is said to have drawn inspiration for Narnia from the stunning landscapes.
In third place are The Glens of Antrim, with a photogenic score of 9.35.
The Glens boast a diverse landscape, with visitors able to take in and photograph rolling hills, impressive valleys, scenic waterfalls, and stunning coastal views.
The rich variety of natural features offers countless photograph opportunities, with The Glens of Antrim amassing over 21,000 Instagram posts and more than 100 Getty Images.
Calum adds: “When heading out into nature, it’s best to be prepared for all conditions. A waterproof jacket, sturdy walking shoes and lightweight layers will help keep you comfortable so you can focus on enjoying your surroundings.
“Remember to respect the environment and local guidelines so that others can enjoy these natural beauty spots long after your visit.”
Northern Ireland’s most photogenic destinations:
1. The Giant’s Causeway
2. The Mourne Mountains
3. The Glens of Antrim
4. Lough Neagh
5. Rathlin Island
Irish Language
Submitted by our own Anita
.
Irish surnames become much easier to understand once you speak a little Irish
The ubiquitous O’ (as in O’Connor, O’Sullivan or O’Malley) comes from the word ó and means descendant of.
In Irish, Ó is used only by males and the female equivalent is Ní, which means daughter of.
Mac means son of while Nic means daughter of and Fitz (as in Fitzgerald, Fitzsimon and Fitzpatrick)
comes from the French fils, which also means son of.
You can blame the Normans for that one.
Some names also begin with De.
My maiden name is Butler or De Buitleir in irish!
Go raibh mile maith agat.
Anita
;
Have you ever wondered what something would sound like when spoken with an Irish accent?
I’m sure you’ve come across that problem before in your ancestry research.
With a website like Abair, now you can hear anything you want in an Irish accent!
Free Irish Classes
The classes are over zoom and are held at 12:00 eastern time the 1 st Sunday of every month.
It is basic conversational Irish and open to learners of all ages, especially beginners.
All are invited.
Hope to see you there!
slan go foill. Le dea ghui,
Anita
click here to register
This Week's Irish Recipe
Here’s how you can make homemade Guinness ice cream
Guinness has shared their recipe and video for how to make Guinness ice cream at home.
What could be more delightful than pairing Guinness’ notes of coffee and chocolate in delicious ice cream?!
An ice cream that’s made with Guinness? Well, now we’re drooling.
Our friends over at Guinness in Ireland have shared a recipe that merges two of life’s simplest pleasures – Guinness and ice cream – into one delectable treat.
Give it a try and let us know how you get on!
Homemade Guinness ice cream
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Cook: 45 minutes
- Yield: Four servings
Ingredients:
- 500ml double cream
- 500ml whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod
- 4 whole eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 500g caster sugar
- 1.2 liters of Guinness® West Indies Porter
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
Method:
- First, make a Guinness® West Indies Porter reduction by boiling and then simmering with the golden syrup until the texture thickens. In a separate pan, bring the cream, milk, and vanilla to the boil.
- Next, place the 4 whole eggs, 3 egg yolks, and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk.
- Allow the mixture to cool before adding to the eggs and sugar. Churn the mixture in an ice cream machine, only half filling the barrel as the mixture rises. Scoop out into a metal container and freeze immediately.
* Originally published in September 2019, updated July 2025.
Enjoy
Poem of the Week
"When All the Others Were Away at Mass"
by Seamus Heaney
In Memoriam M.K.H., 1911-1984
When all the others were away at Mass
I was all hers as we peeled potatoes.
Like solder weeping off the soldering iron:
Cold comforts set between us, things to share
Gleaming in a bucket of clean water.
And again let fall. Little pleasant splashes
From each other’s work would bring us to our senses.
So while the parish priest at her bedside
Went hammer and tongs at the prayers for the dying
And some were responding and some crying
I remembered her head bent towards my head,
Her breath in mine, our fluent dipping knives –
Seamus Heaney was born in Castledawson in Co Derry.
What better way to celebrate the famous Irish poet’s life than by revisiting his “When All The Others Were Away at Mass,” which was named Ireland’s best-loved poem of the past 100 years in RTÉ’s A Poem for Ireland poll in 2015.
The poem is taken from Heaney’s “Clearances III – In Memoriam M.K.H., 1911-1984” and recalls a morning shared between the young author and his mother, peeling potatoes.
Upon the award, Heaney’s son Mick said: “We are delighted and honored that my father’s sonnet ‘When All the Others Were Away at Mass’ has been voted by the public as the Poem For Ireland, particularly given the magnificent shortlist it was part of.”
He continued: “Dad was never happier than when reading or writing poetry, so for his work to be part of a project that shows the sweep of Irish poetry and underlines its crucial part in our culture is a wonderful tribute to his life and work, for which our family are truly grateful.”
Stories and Tales
Could this be the oldest known video of Ireland?
This Lumière Brothers’ 1897 footage of O’Connell Street in Dublin is believed to be the oldest known footage of Ireland.
This Lumière Brothers’ 1897 footage of O’Connell Street in Dublin, featured in “Ireland: Birth of a Nation,” is believed to be the oldest known footage of Ireland.
Footage included in Gerard McCarthy’s “Ireland: Birth of a Nation” is believed to be the oldest known video of Ireland.
Shot by the Lumière Brothers, Frenchmen credited with being the world’s first filmmakers, the 1897 footage shows Dublin’s O’Connell Street at the turn of the century.
The documentary on the 1916 Easter Rising includes rare footage of Pearse’s famous oration at the graveside of Irish republican Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, used at the time as a propaganda tool for Irish republicans, who were struggling to win support in advance of the Rising.
The 30-minute movie includes the famous conclusion to the oration when Pearse called the Irish nation to arms just eight months before the Easter Rising.
Watch: Oldest surviving footage of Dublin’s O’Connell Street:
* Originally published in October 2014. Updated in July 2025.
On This Day: Irish revolutionary Countess Constance Markievicz died in 1927
Trailblazing nationalist, suffragette, and first woman elected to the British Parliament, remembered for her fearless dedication to Irish freedom.
On this day in 1927, Countess Constance Markievicz—an iconic figure in Ireland’s struggle for independence—passed away in Dublin. A fighter in the 1916 Easter Rising and the first woman elected to Westminster, she reshaped Irish politics forever.
Countess Markievicz is a renowned Irish revolutionary figure known for her leadership in the Easter Rising and struggles for Irish freedom. Constance Georgine Gore-Booth was born in London, England, on February 4, 1868, and was raised on her family’s estate, Lissadell, in Co Sligo.
Before her revolutionary activities in helping the Irish Citizen Army, Markievicz was an advocate for the poor in Dublin as part of her political career.
In the 1916 Easter Rising, Markievicz became a fully-fledged officer in the Irish Citizen Army and fought in St. Stephen’s Green during the uprising, eventually surrendering and then being sentenced to death.
Because she was a woman, however, Markievicz was spared the death penalty and was given a life sentence. One year later, in 1917, the Countess was given amnesty and released from Ailsbury Gaol in England.
In 1918, Markievicz was elected as a member of Sinn Féin, but due to the abstentionist policy of her party in refusing to swear allegiance to the monarch, she never took her seat in parliament.
Countess Constance Markievicz, pictured here in May 1918 (Getty Images)
She was the first Irish woman to be elected to parliament and one of the first female politicians at the time, serving as the Minister of Labor between 1919 and 1922.
In 1926, she, along with fellow revolutionaries Éamon de Valera, Sean Lemass, Gerry Boland, and Frank Aiken, branched off from Sinn Féin to form another party, Fianna Fáil, after extensive talks.
After a month-long battle with the illness, she passed away in the early hours of the morning of July 15, 1927, leaving behind a legacy that Irish men and women can look back on with pride.
* Originally published in February 2019. Updated in July 2025.
|
5 Tune Friday
|
|
On this day: Douglas "Wrong Way" Corrigan
"accidentally" flies to Dublin instead of California
When a denied pilot took to the skies and landed in Dublin: The 1938 ‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan story
On July 17, 1938, Douglas Corrigan began his “wrong way” transatlantic flight from New York to Dublin instead of California.
Douglas “Wrong Way” Corrigan took off from an airfield in Brooklyn on July 17, 1938, with plans to land in California. Claiming he took a wrong turn, the Irish-American pilot landed in Dublin, Ireland the next day instead.
It has long been claimed that Corrigan flew the Atlantic on purpose because he had been denied permission to do so when the Charles Lindbergh flight aboard the Spirit of St. Louis, of 1927, was still considered a modern miracle.
Somehow, after a 28-hour flight at a little over 100 miles per hour, he landed at Baldonnel Aerodrome in Ireland, having been given up for lost.
At take-off at 5:15 the previous morning, he had 320 US gallons of gasoline and 16 US gallons of oil, Corrigan headed east from the 4,200-foot runway of Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn and kept going.
Douglas ‘Wrong Way’ Corrigan (Getty Images)
Corrigan claimed to have noticed his “error” after flying for about 26 hours. He landed at Baldonnel Aerodrome, County Dublin, on July 18, after a 28-hour, 13-minute flight. His provisions had been just two chocolate bars, two boxes of fig bars, and 25 US gallons of water.
Douglas Corrigan signing autographs in Dublin on July 20, 1938 (Getty Images)
As the journalist H. R. Knickerbocker reported after inspecting the plane: “As I looked over it at the Dublin airdrome I really marveled that anyone should have been rash enough even to go in the air with it, much less try to fly the Atlantic. He built it, or rebuilt it, practically as a boy would build a scooter out of a soapbox and a pair of old roller skates. It looked like it. The nose of the engine hood was a mass of patches soldered by Corrigan himself into a crazy-quilt design. The door behind which Corrigan crouched for twenty-eight hours was fastened together with a piece of baling wire. The reserve gasoline tanks put together by Corrigan left him so little room that he had to sit hunched forward with his knees cramped, and not enough window space to see the ground when landing.”
Corrigan was of Irish descent and was thus delighted to have reached the old sod. He returned home to a hero’s welcome including a ticker-tape parade in both New York and Chicago.
Having helped Lindbergh build his Spirit of St. Louis, he was deeply disappointed that his hero never acknowledged his feat. Hollywood did, however, with a movie the following year entitled “The Flying Irishman.”
There is still controversy over Corrigan’s intentions on that fateful day. The manager of Floyd Bennett Field, Kenneth P. Behr, said Corrigan asked him which runway to use, and Behr told him to use any runway as long as he did not fly east.
News From Ireland
Tuam Mother and Baby Home:
Full forensic excavation commences
The full forensic excavation of the site of the former Mother and Baby Institution in Tuam, Co Galway, commenced this morning.
The ground at the former Mother and Baby Home Institution in Tuam, Co Galway – where it is believed that 796 children were buried in a mass, unmarked grave – was broken to begin the full forensic excavation at 10:38 today, Monday, July 14.
The Office of the Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam (ODAIT) says the forensic excavation is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete.
Access to the entire site is now closed off to the public, and it is also concealed from view, with 24-hour security in place and 2.4-meter hoarding erected around the perimeter.
Dr. Niamh McCullagh, ODAIT’s Senior Forensic Consultant, is leading the forensic excavation alongside other Irish specialists and international experts from Colombia, Spain, the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US.
ODAIT says its multidisciplinary forensic approach to the complex challenge of the excavation is grounded in the expertise of forensic archaeologists, osteoarchaeologists, forensic anthropologists, together with experts in crime scene management, including evidence management and forensic photography.
A visit for families and survivors to view the site ahead of the commencement of the full excavation took place last Tuesday, organized by ODAIT.
About the Tuam Mother and Baby Home in Co Galway
The Tuam Mother and Baby Home was an institution for unmarried mothers and their children. Run by the Bon Secours Sisters, it operated from 1925 to 1961.
In 2014, local amateur historian Catherine Corless was researching the Tuam Home’s history when she discovered records showing that 796 children had died at the Home, but burial records could not be found, sparking suspicion of a mass grave at the site.
In January 2021, nearly six years after the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation was launched, the Final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes was published.
Including the Tuam Home, the Commission investigated 18 homes across Ireland, ultimately finding that “a total of about 9,000 children died in the institutions under investigation – about 15% of all the children who were in the institutions.”
The report later states: “There is no single explanation for the appalling level of infant mortality in Irish mother and baby homes.”
The report says that “a particular catalyst” for the formation of the investigative Commission “was the discovery by Catherine Corless of the possible burial arrangements for children who died in the Tuam Children’s Home.”
Following the publication of the report, the Irish Government offered a formal apology to victims, survivors, and their relatives.
In November 2021, the Irish Government published its Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions. Part of the plan was a commitment to “advance burials legislation to support the excavation, exhumation and, where possible, identification of remains, and their dignified reburial.”
In July 2022, the Institutional Burials Act became law, allowing exhumations to take place at former Mother and Baby Homes across Ireland. The Irish Government established ODAIT as part of the Act that October, and in May 2023, Daniel MacSweeney was tasked with overseeing the excavations of children’s remains at the site at Tuam.
Pre-excavation works at the site began on June 16, and a media day was hosted on July 7, when it was confirmed that international experts had joined Irish specialists to start the forensic excavation.
Mairead McGuinness nominated as
Fine Gael's candidate for Ireland's Presidential election
Mairead McGuinness was the only name put forward for the Fine Gael presidential candidate nominations, which closed on Tuesday afternoon.
Mairead McGuinness has been nominated as Fine Gael’s candidate for this year’s Irish presidential election, the party announced on Tuesday, July 15.
Fine Gael said that to be nominated, a candidate requires the nomination of at least 20 members of the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party, 25 Councillors, and five members of the Fine Gael Executive Council.
Co Louth native McGuinness, former Vice President of European Parliament and former EU Commissioner, was the only name put forward for the Fine Gael nominations, which closed on Tuesday afternoon.
“The Fine Gael party is pleased to confirm Mairead McGuinness has been nominated as our candidate for the Presidential election and will be ratified by the party in September,” Tánaiste and President of Fine Gael Simon Harris said on Tuesday.
“Mairead has secured the support of the parliamentary party and the wider Fine Gael organisation. I look forward to working with her over the coming months.
“Presidential elections are always an important point for the country. I believe Mairead possesses all the attributes to bring our nation together at this important time.”
“Opportunity and challenge”
In an email to her Fine Gael colleagues on Tuesday, McGuinness wrote: “My sincere thanks to the Party for my nomination to contest the Presidential Election.
“I am conscious of the opportunity and challenge ahead, given the very important constitutional role of the President, and the esteem in which the office is held by the people.
“Subject to my candidacy being ratified by the Party in early September, I very much look forward to setting out my vision for the Presidency.
“The campaign when it starts will be full-on.
“I do hope that you manage to get to enjoy some down time with family and friends before September.”
Other potential candidates
Meanwhile, Independent Galway West TD Catherine Connolly has declared her intention to run, and is expected to formally launch her campaign on Wednesday.
Connolly has won the backing of People Before Profit and the Social Democrats, and RTE News reports she will likely easily surpass the 20-nomination threshold of support from Oireachtas members which is required.
Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald, the head of her party, made headlines last week when she refused to rule herself out of the running. Similarly, last month, Sinn Féin’s Vice President, First Minister of Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill, also did not rule herself out.
Fianna Fáil, the largest party in the Dáil, has not yet clarified if it will run a candidate.
“We’ll make a decision on whether we’ll have a candidate or not in the early autumn,” Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers told RTE Radio One’s News at One on Tuesday.
“That’s a matter for our parliamentary party to discuss at that point.”
Micheál Martin, Ireland’s current Taoiseach and leader of Fianna Fáil, has been floated as a potential candidate, though Chambers said on Tuesday he feels that Martin would prefer to stay in his current role.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Mary Hanafin has also reportedly expressed her interest in the party’s nomination.
Elsewhere, Conor McGregor this week again called upon his supporters to vote for him, though it is unlikely he will clear any of the thresholds to land on the ballot.
Ireland’s 2025 Presidential election
Ireland’s presidential election must take place in the 60 days before the term of the current President, Michael D Higgins, ends on November 11 this year.
(If a President resigns, dies, or becomes incapacitated, an election must be held during the 60-day period that follows.)
To be eligible for election as President, a candidate must be an Irish citizen who is 35 or older.
Further, candidates must be nominated either by at least 20 members of the Oireachtas; at least four local authorities; or former or retiring Presidents can nominate themselves.
With President Higgins serving his second term, he is ineligible to run again.
Jokes
Paddy and the Password
Paddy walks into a computer shop and says,
“I need help setting a password.”
“Sure,” says the lad behind the counter.
Paddy goes, “I want it to be:
MickeyMinniePlutoHueyLouieDeweyDonaldGoofyCork.”
The lad stares. “That’s a bit long, isn’t it?”
Paddy grins. “He said it had to be 8 characters and a capital!”
Funnies From My Wife
Church Bloopers
Welcome to
Tír na mBláth
Tír na mBláth is one of hundreds of branches throughout the world of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ) pronounced “kol-tus kyol-tori air-in“, the largest group involved in the preservation of Irish music, dance and song.
Our board and membership is made up of Irish, Irish descendants, and all those who support, celebrate and take pride in the preservation of Irish culture.
We also aim to promote good will and citizenship.
Interested in belonging to Tír na mBláth? Feel free to download our membership form
Facebook page is at Tír na mBláth
Our meetings and several events are held at Tim Finnegan’s Irish Pub in Delray Beach Florida.
Well, that's it for this week.
Number of visitors to this website since Sept 2022