Wasn't June 3 the best day ever? For those of you who were not able to participate in the visit and talk by Mary Pat Kelly, I will try to summarize the day for you.
The gathering began at Kate Herman's beautiful historic home. She graciously opened her home to the Celtic Women and their guests for a wine and cheese reception for Mary Pat Kelly, author of Galway Bay. Close to 25 of our members and guests were there for an intimate and elegant afternoon. Kate is an gracious and welcoming host and the serving of local special cheeses, wine, punch and candied grapes was perfection. This gave us a good chance to talk one on one with Mary Pat and was very special.
At 6PM, the second part of the gathering, open to the public, began at St. Patrick's Church in Adell. I left a bit early to meet Janet Mc Mullen from the Friends of St. Patrick and Kate and Beth Dippel from the Sheboygan County Historical Research Center to set up the church and be ready for the attendees. When I arrived, there was a couple in the parking lot already. I greeted them, Judy and Don Weber, and found that they were from Oshkosh and had heard about the talk from Mary Pat Kelly herself in a pub in Ireland three weeks before.
Our members brought excellent cookies , breads and bars for our refreshments along with tea and punch. We had close to 60 attendees. So it was a great success.
Actually it would have been a success anyway because Mary Pat Kelly, the author of Galway Bay, is a marvelous speaker. She told us of her search for her roots in Ireland with lots of stories of her leading up to the desire to do so and descriptions of the journey. The talk gave us such an insight and backdrop for the book. She graciously answered all questions and signed all books that were there.
She also left us 11 copies of the current issue of Irish America for us. She has an article in it about the tour she led to Ireland last month. I will give them to the first 11 people that contact. me. I also have four tote bags with the Galway Bay book cover imprinted on them. They are available for $5.00 if anyone wants one.
So that was the day. We all scattered for our homes at about 8PM full of knowledge, fun and almost but not talked out. You know how we Irish are with our gift of gab.
By the way, Book Heads has Galway Bay in stock.
Now on to the future. 1. Our next official meeting will be the event at the Sheboygan County Historical Society.
We have been invited to show our stuff at the July 17, 2010 Third Saturday "When Irish Eyes Were Smiling - A History of Irish Immigration." I met with Beth and Katie Dippel and Robert Harker, the director of the museum a week and a half ago. Beth, Katie and I are going to prepare a time line of a bit of Irish History concentrating on the immigration.
We, CWI Irish descendants, are being asked to bring the genealogy, pictures and stories of our Irish roots - those that settled in Sheboygan County specifically but the surrounding counties also as the "Holy Land" we all know stretches into Fond du Lac. We can request as many "family tables" as we want. The Museum will enlarge pictures to be put up as backdrop lining all the existing exhibits.
Beth and I also thought that it would be a really fun thing to have a table with Irish Brown Bread and Bram Brack with hot tea and the mixings, (sugar in the raw and cream) for the attendees to sample.
ALSO
The Reunion of the Clans is back on again. There will be no mass this year but the picnic with music and camaraderie will be there for all to enjoy.
August also brings Milwaukee Irishfest. I am planning on going on two days. Friday evening and Sunday. Cindy Matyi, a CWI member and marvelous artist, will be there with an Irish Art Exhibit. Usually, Gail Mc Aleese can arrange for us to march in the parade as a group on Sunday.
