#patrick louth

[blinkbones]

I read all three hundred pages of that and it was interesting at times, and confusing at other times, and quite boring for the rest LOL. I vastly lacked key knowledge about history and historical geography that were needed to be able to follow what a good chunk of it was about. But still -- learned a handful of things.

And, most of all. I read this as peripheral work for a skyrim fanfiction i've been brewing in the back for a while. And I did get a handful of topics I want to look into more deeply (Iceland's no-kings-here customs! Viking sacred law! Fate as duty! that time some Romans got so lost in a spooky forest the general killed himself! POETRY!)

I can't recommend this book lmao. It's not beginner-friendly. And for experts, it's probably too superficial. So um. Idk. If you're intermediary in vikings & germanic civilisation, maybe. But I did get something out of it so I'm happy I read it anyway :) I'll probably get something more recent, with more pictures, and that focuses on culture more, when I can.

[crystaltowercrafts]

www.crystaltowercrafts.com

[colinodonoghue]

lovedrogheda: There are so many exciting things taking place this St. Patrick’s Weekend in Drogheda! ☘️🥳 The festivities get underway from 7pm on Friday 15th March, with an opening ceremony on The Riverside beside Scotch Hall Shopping Centre, followed by a dazzling Love Drogheda fireworks display! 🎆 Our guest of honour Colin O’Donoghue will be on hand to set them off, so this is definitely a night you don’t want to miss! Make sure you support local businesses while you’re down the town as well. The St. Patrick’s Festival is brought to you by @wogan_build_centre_showrooms, Love Drogheda, Louth County Council, @shshoppingcentre, K Allen Events and @cocacola #LoveDrogheda#StPatricksFestival#StPatricksDay

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in Irish History | 20 August:

535 – Death of Mochta of Louth; he was a disciple of St. Patrick. Also known as Maucteus, he was, like Patrick, a native of Britain. The Annals of Ulster date his death to 535, which points to him being considerably younger than Patrick, who had died in 493. He is known to have written at least one letter, apparently in Latin, the beginning of which is quoted in his obituary. However neither this…

[irishgolfadventure]

In the Beginning

Welcome to Greg & Kim’s Irish Golf Adventure! If you’re reading this, you have successfully entered one of the longest url’s on the web, irishgolfadventure.tumblr.com!! I’m writing this one week prior to our departure on Sunday April 30th. We are busy preparing for our trip which will take us first to Boston and then on to Dublin, Ireland. We will be flying overnight so we’ll arrive at 8:30a on Monday May 1st. 

I’m not really sure how many will be following our trip, I’m assuming our family will be checking in quite often and a few of our friends who are avid golfers or just curious travelers! I’ll be trying to post text and pictures every day and possibly a few videos too. I think Kim is a little anxious about how smoothly things will go since I have planned and booked the entire trip. She knows how detailed of a person I am...not... so we’ll see if I was able to rise to the occasion and surprise her with a flawlessly planned and executed 30 days! Probably just jinxed myself with that last comment!

Our trip starts and ends in Dublin. And for 29 days we will be traversing Ireland by driving mostly along the coast. We will be heading north out of Dublin and traveling counter clockwise around the entire country. That sounds like a lot of driving but Ireland is really only about the same land mass size as Indiana. Just configured quite a bit differently. And with roadways that are much narrower and winding than what you would find in Indiana which makes driving times much longer to cover distances than normal in the U.S.

Here is a summarized version of our golf agenda. I’ll leave accommodations and non golf info for the daily blogs.

May 2 - Royal County Down -  Ireland Rank #1 World Ranking #1

May 3 - Ardglass Golf Club - Recommended by my new best friend, Tom Coyne, the author of A Golf Course Named Ireland.

May 4 - Portstewart Golf Club - Rank #21

May 5 - Royal Portrush - Rank #5  World Ranking #8

May 7 - Rosapenna - Old Tom Morris - Rank #32

May 8 - Rosapenna - St. Patrick’s - Rank #3

May 9 - Rosapenna - Sandy Hills - Rank #12

May 11 - Enniscrone - Rank #15

May 12 - Carne - Rank #14

May 13 - Strandhills Rank - Rank #39

May 14 - County Sligo Golf Club (Rosses Point) - Rank #8 World Ranking #91

May 15 - Doonbeg - Trump International - Rank #9

May 17 - Lahinch - Rank #3 World Ranking #31

May 18 - Tralee - Rank #16

May 19 - Ballybunion (Old Course) - Rank #2 World Ranking #17

May 21 - Hogs Head - Rank #40

May 23 - Old Head - Rank#17 World Ranking #68

May 25 - Island Course - Rank #7

May 26 - County Louth - Rank #10

May 28 - Portmarneck - Rank #4 World Ranking #40

Twenty rounds in tweny nine days. Hope my back holds up! We have caddies for all of our rounds so that will help. If the average round of golf is a 5-6 mile walk, looks like I’m going to put somewhere between 100 - 120 miles on these 69 year old legs in the month of May. Let’s hope it’s not as John Feinstein’s book is titled, A Good Walk Spoiled!!

Look forward to writing all about this trip as we go and hope you will enjoy reading it. My next blog post will be May 1st. Please feel free to comment and send the blog post url to anyone who might be interested in tagging along!! gb

[sunmarketing]

Belfast, Northern Ireland

In this episode, the FAQ is: Using QR Codes. Are they safe?

  Today’s Destination is: Belfast, Northern Ireland

Today’s Misstep: My leaky water bottle was in the overhead bin on the airplane.

  Travel Advice: Secondhand stores in Belfast are good deals.

  FAQ: Using QR Codes. Are they safe?

  Answer: When you open a QR code, pay attention to the context and the brand because it could contain a virus or even worse. Be careful when accessing websites on your desktop, laptop, tablet, watch, or phone. Preview the destination before you go there.

   A QR code from a reputable source is more likely to be safe. It is best to proceed cautiously if you find a QR code in an unsolicited email or on a random website. Criminals have placed stickers over legitimate QR codes in public places like bus stops.

  Today’s destination: Belfast, Northern Ireland

  https://visitbelfast.com/

  The best part of Belfast, in Northern Ireland, is outside the city and exploring the countryside if possible. See the Giants Causeway, a national treasure of 40,000 hexagonal basalt stone columns that are 40 feet tall along the coast. These were formed 50-60 million years ago.

  For perspective, there are 70 million people in the UK and 2 million people in No Ireland. The UK left the Left EU, but there is still a Land border with Ireland. The overall goal is one nation across the island. It’s been mostly peaceful since the 198 Belfast Peace Agreement on Good Friday.

  The forecast usually calls for rain, so bring your gear.

I booked a tour that included many of the Game of Thrones locations, and I have never seen the films, so I was not very impressed. However, I'm told that scenic, narrow roads and unusual serpentine beech trees made this series memorable. It’s an atmospheric tree tunnel and a little bit spooky; on my tour, with Patrick as a guide, we made many stops for castles, caves from 400 million years ago, Bushmills’s Whiskey factory, churches, and pubs.

Castle at Carrick Fergis 

https://discovernorthernireland.com/things-to-do/carrickfergus-castle-p674971

  I have relatives from Northern Ireland’s Counties Leitrim and Louth, and my grandparents used to vacation along the Antrim coast and Glens National Landscape, a legacy of the Ice Age. I felt a tug of my ancestors here as I walked around a few graveyards in the countryside.

I enjoyed Queen’s University, the Botanic Gardens, the Ulster Museum, and Saturday Food and Craft Markets in the city. The Troubles Museum at Queen’s University was really good. Its full name is the Museum of the Troubles and Peace. It’s worth your visit, and it’s free.

  http://museumofthetroubles.org/

You can read about the conflicts between the English and the Irish. I heard about them growing up, as my grandfather was born in Ireland. I can have dual citizenship, which is very common among the locals here.

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulster_Museum

On my next trip to Belfast, I will visit the following:

Titanic museum 

Black Taxi Cab Political Murals Tour

The Crown Pub

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/the-crown-bar/visiting-the-crown-bar

  Sandy Row: What is it? It’s part of the turbulent history of Belfast.

  https://belfastmedia.com/the-turbulent-19th-century-history-of-belfast-s-sandy-ro

  Maybe by then, I will have watched Game of Thrones.

  https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/northern-ireland/giants-causeway

  If you need special accessibility help, you can find wheelchair-accessible tours in the show notes.

https://www.getyourguide.com/belfast-l442/wheelchair-accessible-tc239/

  What else is there in Belfast? Fairies

https://www.wildernessireland.com/blog/irish-folklore-fairies/

Today’s Misstep: I had a leaky water bottle in the plane's overhead compartment.

  Tighten the seal on the water container. Mine leaked. I was on a plane and put the container in the overhead compartment. It leaked through my water container into another passenger's luggage on the flight. I was embarrassed to say anything but hoped nothing was ruined. Sorry about that.

  Today’s Travel Advice- Secondhand shops in Belfast have good deals.

    Connect with Dr. Travelbest

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In the news

  Check out this Dr Travelbest episode!

[goalhofer]

2024 olympics Great Britain roster

Archery

Conor Hall (Belfast)

Tom Hall (London)

Alex Wise (Newcastle Upon Tyne)

Megan Havers (Markfield)

Penny Healey (Telford)

Bryony Pitman (Shoreham-By-Sea)

Athletics

Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff)

Louie Hinchliffe (Crosspool)

Zharnel Hughes (The Valley, Anguilla)

Charlie Dobson (Colchester)

Matthew Hudson-Smith (Wolverhampton)

Max Burgin (Halifax)

Elliot Giles (Birmingham)

Ben Pattison (Frimley)

Neil Gourley (Glasgow)

Josh Kerr (Edinburgh)

George Mills (Harrogate)

Sam Atkin (Grimsby)

Patrick Dever (Preston)

Tade Ojora (London)

Alastair Chalmers (Guernsey, Channel Islands)

Richard Kilty (Middlesborough)

Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (London)

Lewis Davey (Grantham)

Toby Harries (Brighton)

Alex Haydock-Wilson (London)

Sam Reardon (Beckenham)

Emile Cairess (Saltaire)

Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton)

Philip Sesemann (Bromley)

Callum Wilkinson (Moulton)

Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Harrogate)

Scott Lincoln (Northallerton)

Lawrence Okoye (London)

Nick Percy (Glasgow)

Dina Asher-Smith (London)

Imani-Lara Lansiquot (London)

Daryll Neita (London)

Bianca Williams (London)

Amber Anning (Hove)

Laviai Nielsen (London)

Lina Nielsen (London)

Victoria Ohuruogu (London)

Phoebe Gill (St. Albans)

Keely Hodgkinson (Atherton)

Jemma Reekie (Beith)

Georgia Bell (London)

Laura Muir (Milnathort)

Revée Walcott-Nolan (Luton)

Megan Keith (Inverness)

Eilish McColgan (Dundee)

Cynthia Sember (Ypsilanti, Michigan)

Jessie Knight (Epsom)

Lizzie Bird (St. Albans)

Aimee Pratt (Stockport)

Desirèe Henry (London)

Amy Hunt (Nottingham)

Yemi John (London)

Hannah Kelly (Bury)

Jodie Williams (Welwyn Garden City)

Nicole Yeargin (Bowie, Maryland)

Clara Evans (Hereford)

Rose Harvey (London)

Calli Yauger-Thackeray (Flagstaff, Arizona)

Morgan Lake (Reading)

Holly Bradshaw (Preston)

Molly Caudery (Truro)

Katharina Johnson-Thompson (Liverpool)

Jade O'Dowda (Oxford)

Badminton

Ben Lane (Milton Keynes)

Sean Vendy (Milton Keynes)

Kirsty Gilmour (Glasgow)

Boxing

Lewis Richardson (Colchester)

Patrick Brown (Sale)

Delicious Orie (Wolverhampton)

Charley Davison (Lowestoft)

Rosie Eccles (Newport)

Chantelle Reid (Allenton)

Canoeing

Adam Burgess (Stoke-On-Trent)

Joe Clarke (Stoke-On-Trent)

Mallory Franklin (Windsor)

Kimberley Woods (Rugby)

Climbing

Hamish McArthur (York)

Toby Roberts (Elstead)

Erin McNeice (Rodmersham)

Molly Thompson-Smith (London)

Cycling

Tom Pidcock (Leeds)

Josh Tarling (Aberaeron)

Stephen Williams (Aberysthwyth)

Fred Wright (Manchester)

Jack Carlin (Paisley)

Ed Lowe (Stamford)

William Turnbull (Morpeth)

Joe Truman (Petersfield)

Dan Bigham (Newcastle-Under-Lyme)

Ethan Hayter (London)

Ethan Vernon (Bedford)

Oli Wood (Wakefield)

Charlie Tanfield (Great Ayton)

Mark Stewart (Dundee)

Charlie Aldridge (Crieff)

Kieran Reilly (Newcastle Upon Tyne)

Kye Whyte (London)

Ross Cullen (Preston)

Lizzie Deignan (Otley)

Pfeiffer Georgi (Castle Combe)

Anna Henderson (Edlesborough)

Anna Morris (Cardiff)

Sophie Capewell (Lichfield)

Emma Finucane (Carmarthen)

Katy Marchant (Manchester)

Lowri Thomas (Abergavenny)

Elinor Barker (Cardiff)

Neah Evans (Langbank)

Josie Knight (Dingle, Ireland)

Jess Roberts (Carmarthen)

Ella MacLean-Howell (Llantrisant)

Evie Richards (Malvern)

Charlotte Worthington (Chorlton-Cum-Hardy)

Beth Shriever (Braintree)

Emily Hutt (London)

Diving

Jack Laugher (Ripon)

Jordan Houldon (Sheffield)

Noah Williams (London)

Kyle Kothari (London)

Anthony Harding (Ashton-Under-Lyne)

Tom Daley (Plymouth)

Yasmin Harper (Sheffield)

Grace Reid (Edinburgh)

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix (London)

Lois Toulson (Cleckheaton)

Scarlett Mew-Jensen (London)

Equestrian

Carl Hester (Sark, Channel Islands)

Tom McEwen (London)

Scott Brash (Peebles)

Harry Charles (Alton)

Ben Maher (London)

Lottie Fry (Den Hout, The Netherlands)

Becky Moody (Gunthwaite)

Ros Canter (Louth)

Laura Collett (Royal Leamington Spa)

Field hockey

Tim Nurse (London)

Nick Park (Reading)

Jack Waller (London)

David Ames (Cookstown)

Jacob Draper (Cwmbran)

Zachary Wallace (Kingston-Upon-Thames)

Rupert Shipperley (London)

Sam Ward (Leicester)

James Albery (Cambridge)

Phil Roper (Chester)

David Goodfield (Shrewsbury)

Ollie Payne (Totnes)

Liam Sanford (Wegberg, Germany)

Lee Morton (Glasgow)

Thomas Sorsby (Sheffield)

Conor Williamson (London)

Will Calnan (London)

Gareth Furlong (London)

Laura Unsworth (Sutton Coldfield)

Anna Toman (Derby)

Hannah French (Ipswich)

Sarah Jones (Cardiff)

Amy Costello (Edinburgh)

Sarah Robertson (Melrose)

Charlotte Watson (Dundee)

Tessa Howard (Durham)

Isabelle Petter (Loughborough)

Giselle Ansley (Brixham)

Hollie Pearne-Webb (Duffield)

Fiona Crackles (Kirkby Lonsdale)

Sophie Hamilton (Bruton)

Lily Owsley (Bristol)

Flora Peel (Cheltenham)

Miriam Pritchard (Loughborough)

Golf

Matt Fitzpatrick (Sheffield)

Tommy Fleetwood (Dubai, U.A.E.)

Charley Hull (Kettering)

Georgia Hall (Bournemouth)

Gymnastics

Joe Fraser (Birmingham)

Harry Hepworth (Leeds)

Jake Jarman (Peterborough)

Luke Whitehouse (Halifax)

Max Whitlock (Hemel Hempstead)

Zak Perzamanos (Liverpool)

Becky Downie (Nottingham)

Ruby Evans (Cardiff)

Georgia-Mae Fenton (Gravesend)

Alice Kinsella (Sutton Coldfield)

Abi Martin (Paignton)

Bryony Page (Sheffield)

Isabelle Songhurst (Poole)

Judo

Chelsie Giles (Coventry)

Lele Naire (Weston-Super-Mare)

Lucy Renshall (St. Helens)

Katie-Jemima Yeats-Brown (Pembury)

Emma Reid (Royston)

Pentathlon

Charlie Brown (Kidderminster)

Joe Choong (London)

Kerenza Bryson (Plymouth)

Kate French (Chapmanslade)

Rowing

James Robson (Oundle)

Ollie Wynne-Griffith (Guildford)

Tom George (Cheltenham)

Oli Wilkes (Matlock)

David Ambler (London)

Matt Aldridge (Christchurch)

Freddie Davidson (London)

Tom Barras (Staines-Upon-Thames)

Callum Dixon (London)

Matt Haywood (Burton Upon Trent)

Graeme Thomas (Burton)

Sholto Carnegie (Oxford)

Rory Gibbs (Street)

Morgan Bolding (Weybridge)

Jacob Dawson (Portsmouth)

Charlie Elwes (Radley)

Tom Digby (Henley-On-Thames)

James Rudkin (Northampton)

Tom Ford (Holmes Chapel)

Harry Brightmore (Chester)

Henry Fieldman (Barnes)

Liv Bates (Nottingham)

Chloe Brew (Plymouth)

Rebecca Edwards (Aughnacloy)

Becky Wilde (Taunton)

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (London)

Emily Craig (Pembury)

Imogen Grant (Cambridge)

Helen Backshall (Truro)

Esme Booth (Stratford-Apon-Avon)

Samantha Redgrave (Frinton)

Rebecca Shorten (Belfast)

Lauren Henry (Lutterworth)

Hannah Scott (Coleraine)

Lola Anderson (London)

Georgina Brayshaw (Leeds)

Heidi Long (London)

Rowan McKellar (Glasgow)

Holly Dunford (Tadworth)

Emily Ford (Holmes Chapel)

Lauren Irwin (Peterlee)

Eve Stewart (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

Harriet Taylor (Chertsey)

Annie Campbell-Orde (Wells)

Lucy Glover (Warrington)

Rugby

Abi Burton (Wakefield)

Kayleigh Powell (Llantrisant)

Amy Wilson-Hardy (Poole)

Ellie Boatman (Camberley)

Ellie KIldunne (Keighley)

Emma Uren (London)

Grace Crompton (Epsom)

Heather Cowell (Isleworth)

Isla Norman-Bell (Gillingham)

Jade Shekells (Hartpury)

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers (St. Davids)

Lauren Torley (Flackwell Heath)

Lisa Thomson (Hawick)

Megan Jones (Cardiff)

Sailing

Connor Bainbridge (Halifax)

James Peters (Tunbridge Wells)

Fynn Sterritt (Inverness)

Sam Sills (Launceston)

Micky Beckett (Solva)

Chris Grube (Chester)

John Grimson (Leicester)

Emma Wilson (Christchurch)

Ellie Aldridge (Parkstone)

Hannah Snellgrove (Lymington)

Freya Black (Redhill)

Saskia Tidey (Dublin, Ireland)

Vita Heathcote (Southampton)

Anna Burnet (London)

Shooting

Mike Bargeron (Bromley)

Matthew Coward-Holley (Chelmsford)

Nathan Hales (Chatham)

Seonaid McIntosh (Edinburgh)

Lucy Hall (York)

Amber Rutter (Windsor)

Skateboarding

Andy Macdonald (Newton, Massachusetts)

Sky Brown (Takanabe, Japan)

Lola Tambling (Saltash)

Swimming

Ben Proud (London)

Alex Cahoon (Fairford)

Matt Richards (Droitwich Spa)

Jacob Whittle (Alfreton)

Duncan Scott (Glasgow)

Kieran Bird (Street)

Daniel Jervis (Resolven)

Oliver Morgan (Bishops Castle)

Jonathon Marshall (Southend-On-Sea)

Luke Greenbank (Crewe)

Adam Peaty (Uttoxeter)

James Wilby (Glasgow)

Jimmy Guy (Timperley)

Tom Dean (Maidenhead)

Max Litchfield (Chesterfield)

Joe Litchfield (Chesterfield)

Jack McMillan (Belfast)

Hector Pardoe (Wrexham)

Toby Robinson (Wolverhampton)

Kate Shortman (Clifton)

Isabelle Thorpe (Clifton)

Anna Hopkin (Chorley)

Kathleen Dawson (Kirkcaldy)

Medi Harris (Porthmadog)

Honey Osrin (Portsmouth)

Katie Shanahan (Glasgow)

Angharad Evans (Cambridge)

Keanna Macinnes (Edinburgh)

Laura Stephens (London)

Abbie Wood (Buxton)

Freya Colbert (Grantham)

Eva Okaro (Sevenoaks)

Lucy Hope (Melrose)

Freya Anderson (Birkenhead)

Leah Crisp (Wakefield)

Table tennis

Liam Pitchford (Chesterfield)

Anna Hursey (Tianjin, China)

Taekwondo

Bradly Sinden (Doncaster)

Caden Cunningham (Huddersfield)

Jade Jones (Bodelwyddan)

Rebecca McGowan (Dumbarton)

Tennis

Jack Draper (London)

Dan Evans (Dubai, U.A.E.)

Joe Salisbury (London)

Neal Skupski (Liverpool)

Sir Andy Murray (Leatherhead)

Katie Boulter (Woodhouse Eaves)

Heather Watson (St. Peter Port, Channel Islands)

Triathlon

Sam Dickinson (York)

Alex Yee (London)

Beth Potter (Bearsden)

Georgia Taylor-Brown (Leeds)

Kate Waugh (Newcastle Upon Tyne)

Weightlifting

Emily Campbell (Bulwell)

[silvestromedia]

Saint of the day August 19

ST. MAGNUS, MARTYR IN LATIUM-https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_of_Anagni#:~:text=Magnus%20fled%20to%20Rome%20to,near%20Fabrateria%20Vetus%2C%20in%20Latium.

St. Andrew the Tribune, The "Great Martyr," and the leader of converts in the Roman army, his men faced a battle with a Persian host. Calling upon Christ for aid, the Romans were victorious. Andrew and some of his troops became Christians as a result and were discharged from military service. they were arrested by the military governor and executed in the Taurus Mountains of Cilicia. .Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Stratelates#:~:text=Andrew%20Stratelates%2C%20also%20known%20as,Orthodox%20Church%20on%2019%20August.

Bl. Peter Zuniga, Roman Catholic Priest and Martyr of Japan. A Spaniard from Seville, he grew up in Mexico, where his father was the sixth Viceroy of the Spanish colony. Upon his return to Spain, he joined the Augustinians, and, after ordination, he requested to be sent to Japan and the missions there. Going first to the Philippines in 1610, he was later assigned to Japan, arriving there in 1620. Two years later, he was arrested and, with Blesseds Louis Flores, Joachim, Firayama, and the captain and crew which had transported them, was put to death. The crew was beheaded while the others were burned alive. Feastday Aug. 19 https://www.augustinian.org/saints-1/september-28

Bl. Bartholomew Monfiore, Bl. James Denshi, Bl. Paul Sanchiki, Roman Catholics and martyrs of Japan. Japanese crew members of Blessed Joachim Firayama's ship. Arrested for his Christian faith, he was beheaded at Nagasaki. Feastday Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan

Bl. John Foyamon, Roman Catholic Martyr of Japan. A scribe on the ship carrying Blessed Peter Zufliga, he was beheaded at Nagasaki with Blesseds John Yano and John Nangata. Feastday Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan Bl. Thomas Koyanangi, Roman Catholic Japanese martyr. Arrested as a passenger on the ship of Blessed Joachim Firayama-Diz, he was beheaded at Nagasaki, Feastday Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan

Bl. Michael Diaz, A martyr of Japan. He was a Spanish merchant on board the Japanese ship carrying Blessed Joachim Firayama. Michael and others were arrested by Protestant Europeans who turned them over to the Japanese authorities. Everyone on the ship was martyred at Nagasaki. Aug. 19 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/205_Martyrs_of_Japan

St. Mochta, 535 A.D. Bishop of Ireland. He was born in Britain but was brought to Ireland as a child. There he became a disciple of St. Patrick. During a visit to Rome, Mochta was made a bishop by Pope St. Leo I. He founded Louth Monastery with twelve companions and was probably consecrated by St. Patrick. He died at the age of ninety, the last known disciple of St. Patrick. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochta

St. Sebald, 770 A.D. Patron Saint of Nuremberg. Hermit, missionary, and a patron saint of Nuremberg. Most likely an Anglo-Saxon from England, he arrived on the Continent and became a hermit near Vicenza, Italy, and then participated in the missionary enterprise of the times, assisting in the work. of St. Willibald in the Reichswald. Many miracles were attributed to him, including turning icicles into firewood. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebaldus

St. Credan, 780 A.D. A Benedictine abbot of Evesham, England, in the reign of King Offa of Mercia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Credan

ST. JOHN EUDES, PRIEST, FOUNDER OF THE EUDISTS, https://www.catholicapostolatecenterfeastdays.org/feast-days-and-solemnities/st-john-eudes#:~:text=Jesus%20and%20Mary-,St.,and%20the%20Blessed%20Virgin%20Mary.

ST. SIXTUS III, POPE, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Sixtus_III

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Why do so many US presidents like to say ‘I’m Irish’ 🍀

Almost every US President since John F Kennedy claims to come from Irish ancestry - and it's not just the White House. Some 45 million Americans claim Irish heritage, 10 times more than the population in Ireland.

Since John F. Kennedy, every president apart from Gerald Ford has claimed some Irish ancestry, he says, although in Bill Clinton's case, there was not any evidence of a connection. There's not a huge love of Irish tradition, with the possible exception of JFK, Ronald Reagan, and Joe Biden not a huge love of Irish culture, with the possible exception of JFK, Reagan Bill Clinton, and Joe Biden but there's a huge love for Catholic votes and particularly Irish Catholic votes and the power of the Irish-American lobby, past and present, and how any US politician worth their salt knows how important it is to woo them.

Almost every town in Ireland is connected to Americans. Any trip to Ireland is a dive into their own story–discovering their Irish roots. Although Catholicism has long been one of the largest U.S. religious groups, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden are the only Catholic faith.

JFK was 100% Irish on both sides of his family, and first Catholic president. The relatives on his father’s side came from County Wexford. On his mother’s side, Kennedy was a Fitzgerald. JFK’s grandfather, Honey Fitz, was a congressman and a colorful, popular mayor of Boston. Traditional Irish family ties, religion, and bold personalities were all part of Kennedy’s personal culture. His wife, Jackie, was Irish on her mother’s side.

Richard Nixon - Both sides of his family hail from County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Although a Quaker, Nixon’s wife, Thelma ‘Pat’ Ryan, was from an Irish-Catholic immigrant family.

Ronald Reagan in Tipperary in 1984. Republican’s great-grandfather was a farmer in Ballyporeen, County Tipperary, until he moved to London where he met his Irish refugee wife. Then they moved to Illinois. He enjoyed his visits to Ireland. His easy charm and wit were 100% Irish in character.

Bill Clinton - Although historian's have been unable to locate documentary evidence of Clinton's ancestors leaving Ireland, he considers himself a very proud Irish American. He contributed greatly to the Northern Ireland peace process. His motivation for which seemed to be out of more than just diplomatic duty according. He visited the North in 1995 and gave a rousing speech in favour of peace. During negotiations of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, he encouraged all parties involved to reach a resolution via several telephone calls. On his visit to Ireland in 2013, Clinton received a hero’s welcome. The golf course in Ballybunnion still erected an nice statute of Bill Clinton.

His mother’s ancestry was mostly English but several of his maternal ancestors came from Moneygall, County Offally. Moneygall is on the road between Dublin and Tipperary, and the town cheered Barack on during his election bid. It must be said, some of the village residents first thought that his last name was O’Bama.

It was really when Barack Obama's visit to his ancestral family home in Moneygall, County Offaly historians were encouraged to take a closer look at the 22 American presidents with roots in Ireland.

Last but not least, Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States a proud Irish-American, has strong Irish roots with family from his mother and father’s side still living in Carlingford, Co Louth, and Ballina in Co Mayo. The Blewitts of County Mayo and Finnegans from County Louth emigrated to the United States around the mid-19th century. At 18 years of age, Biden's great-great grandfather Patrick Blewitt left Irish shores for the US. His great great grandparents Owen and Jean Finnegan also left their home in County Louth around the same time.

Indeed 10 of his 16 great-great-grandparents were Irish-born, all forced to emigrate during the Irish famine.

Joe Biden with Micheál Martin, Tánaiste of Ireland, in County Louth; President John F Kennedy meeting the mayor of Limerick on his visit to Ireland in 1963.Credit: AP

Biden’s trip comes 60 years after John F. Kennedy’s visit. In a visit to Northern Ireland lasting just 18 hours, where a Brexit row has paralysed politics for nearly a year, the US president promised that his country would be a “partner for peace” in a region that marked the end of the “Troubles” conflict 25 years ago this week.

In Belfast on Wednesday, he celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement that ended three decades of conflict and he hailed the UK and EU’s new Brexit deal, the Windsor framework, as key to investment. Biden then spent three days in Ireland, visiting regions his ancestors emigrated from.

Joe Biden takes a selfie outside a pub during his visit to Dundalk © Reuters

The gaffe-prone president did drop a clanger in the Windsor, suggesting that his distant cousin and former rugby star Rob Kearney had trounced “the Black and Tans” — the British police in Ireland’s war of independence. The White House corrected his remarks to “the All Blacks”, the nickname of the New Zealand rugby team Kearney had played against.

… and going the other way…

Eamon De Valera

Ireland’s 3rd President. 1959-1973, who had been Taoiseach or President of Ireland 🇮🇪

A founder of the political party, Fianna F��il, he’s credited with introducing the first Irish Constitution in 1937. He served two-terms in office and it’s widely believed that his American roots are why he wasn’t sentenced to death for his part in the Easter Rising in 1916. Ireland’s third president was born in Manhattan, New York.

#USpresidents #JohnF.Kennedy #RichardNixon #RonaldReagan #BillClinton #BarackObama #JoeBiden #Ireland #Irish

[urbanhermit]

St Brigid of Ireland/Kildare (c 453-523) Virgin, Abbess, Apostle of Charity, and foundress of several Monasteries of Nuns, including that of Kildare in Ireland, which was famous and was greatly revered – born in 453 at Faughart, County Louth, Ireland and died on 1 February 523 at Kildare, Ireland of natural causes. Next to the glorious St Patrick, St Brigid, whom we may consider his spiritual daughter in Christ, has ever been held in singular veneration in Ireland. Historians say we know a lot more about St Brigid than we have facts, a polite way of saying that legends swirl about Ireland’s most celebrated woman. But even legends may have cores of truth. And some miracle stories are not legends at all but true accounts of God’s interventions. Blessing of St Brigid’s Crosses Father of all creation and Lord of Light, You have given us life and entrusted Your creation to us, to use it and to care for it. We ask You to bless these crosses made of green rushes in memory of holy Brigid, who used the cross to recall and to teach Your Son’s life, death and resurrection. May these crosses be a sign of our sharing in the Paschal Mystery of your Son and a sign of Your protection of our lives, our land and its creatures, through Brigid’s intercession, during the coming year and always. We ask this through Christ our Lord. The crosses are sprinkled with holy water: May the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit be on these crosses and on the places where they hang and on everyone who looks at them. Amen https://www.instagram.com/p/CoGvyJUN58m/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[fiagai-cnuasaitheoir]

Pagan Well Worship in Ireland

Well worship has pagan origins but is a living tradition in modern Ireland. Often still practiced by the older catholic generation.

“During the nineteenth century the people of a locality visited the holy wells on feast days.  They requested a cure of a particular saint of the well, then when these were granted, they decorated a nearby bush with a rag in thanksgiving.  They walked round the well a certain number of times as they prayed on the Patten day.  These Patten days occurred usually on the last Sunday in July called Garland Sunday or on the 15th August.  Both dates corresponded with the Festival of Crom Dubh or Lunasa. {‘A Step Back In Time with James Reddiough’ October 14, 2017 a history)”

“These are the many locations of the water source that serves it, an ancient & sizable tree, a Hazel tree plus often a standing stone or a link.  Rituals known as ‘patterns’ generally included a prescribed clockwise walk around to site.  A common ritual was to tie a scrap of cloth, known as a clootie to the branches of the Holy Tree for bathing / washing or drinking from the Holy Well”

Holy Well rituals tended to date from pre – Christian times.  They served as a form of natural religion in which a well was held to be sacred.  They vary greatly in appearance: some simply decorated with rounded river stones.  Whilst others were highly ornate adorned with holy statues, medals, pictures, rosary beads, flowers, or candles.  They were famous for their healing properties.  In some areas, rags, handkerchiefs, or clothes were tied to tress above or around the well.  It was a belief that as the rag disintegrated the illness or disease would leave the person.  A red coloured cloth was believed to resist the powerful evil spirits.

The Well of the White Cow, Tara Hill, Co. Meath

Our Lady’s Well, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Ogulla Holy Well Tulsk, Co. Roscommon

St. Colmán’s Well, Oughtmama, Co. Clare

Tobernalt Holy Well Co. Sligo

Ballintuber Holy Well, Co. Mayo

Holy Wells in Ireland (https://irelandsholywells.blogspot.com/) [assessed 13th April 2020]

Images of Ireland’s Holy Wells are available at this site: http://megalithomania.com/

This site has images of several holy wells: https://www.duchas.ie/

This site has a history of Holy Wells plus several images: http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/

This link provides a Map of Holy Well sites: https://sacredsites.com/europe/ireland/index.html

Further information of Irish Holy Wells may be read in the following publication: ‘The Festival of Lughnasa’ Mac Neill 2008 Four Courts Press: https://www.fourcourtspress.ie/books/folklore-commission/the-festival-of-lughnasa/

Information available at this link of ‘The Penal Laws 1691 -1760’ Wall Maureen 1976 Dublin Historical Society: http://dublinohiohistory.org/

In the Journal ‘Bealoideas’ is an article ‘The Holy Hills of Donegal’ by Ó ‘Muirgheasa Enri 1936 Folklore Society of Ireland. It may be read free online at this link: áhttps://www.jstor.org/stable/20521936?seq=1

This Publication ‘The Holy Wells of Ireland’ 1981 Dr. Logan Patrick, Colin Smythe Ltd is reviewed on this site: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Wells-Ireland-Patrick-Logan/dp/0861400461

This Publication is listed on this site. ‘The Holy Wells of Ireland: containing an authentic account of those various places of pilgrimage and penance which are still annually visited by thousands of the Roman Catholic peasantry, with a minute description of the patterns and stations held in various districts of Ireland’ 1836 Hardy Philip Dixon 1836 Hardy, and Walker.

Holy Wells Places of Pilgrimage (https://irish-memories.com/history/holy-wells-places-pilgrimage-step-back-time-james-reddiough/)  [assessed 13th April 2020]

[duine-aiteach]

Notable* LGBT+ Irish people:

*notable may be a stretch for some of the people on the list but if they are in the public eye I included them. Most of the RTÉ employees and journalists were taken from Wikipedia's list of Irish LGBT people.

Please keep in mind that for a lot of these people, especially those who lived and died long ago, it is impossible to truly know if they were LGBT+ or what modern term they would have felt most comfortable with. I have simply used my judgement from the information available when assigning modern terms to them.

Inclusion of a person here does not inherently mean I agree with their views and actions, it just means they are Irish and LGBT.

Living:

John Boyne - novelist; Dublin; gay

Francis Brennan - hotelier; Dublin; asexual

Stephen Byrne - RTÉ2 presenter; Dublin; gay

Jonathan Rachel Clynch - RTÉ presenter; genderfluid

Brendan Courtney - RTÉ presenter; Dublin; gay

Rory Cowan - actor; Dublin; gay

Lydia Foy - transgender activist, dentist; Kildare; trans woman, wlw

Ursula Halligan - TV presenter; Dublin; lesbian

Garry Hynes - playwright; Roscommon; lesbian

Adiba Jaigirdar - novelist; Dublin; queer

Brian Jennings - RTÉ Radio; gay, partner to Michael Dwyer before his death

Breda Larkin - comedian; Galway; lesbian

Fr Bernárd Lynch - Catholic priest who supported many during the AIDS crisis & first Catholic priest to enter a civil partnership; Clare; gay

Una Mullally - journalist; Dublin; lesbian

Graham Norton - TV presenter; Cork; gay

Eilish O’Carroll - actress and comedian; Dublin; lesbian

Rory O’Neill/Panti Bliss - drag queen; Mayo; gay 

Shuhada' Sadaqat/Sinéad O’Connor - singer; Dublin; fluid sexuality

Andrew Scott - actor; Dublin; gay

Steven Sharpe - musician; Tipperary; gay

Fiona Shaw - actress; Cork; lesbian 

Judith Storm - trans activist; Dublin; transvestite, wlw

Colm Tóibín - writer; Wexford; gay

Leo Varadkar - politician (TD for Fine Gael, Taoiseach and Tánaiste); Dublin; gay

Tonie Walsh - activist, founder of GCN and the Irish Queer Archive; Dublin; gay

Dead:

Anne Bonny - pirate; bisexual, partner to Calico Jack Rackham and probably partner to Mary Read; Cork; 1697-? Possible dates include 1733 and 1782. She disappeared after not being hanged in 1721.

Dr James Barry - British army surgeon; trans man, possibly mlm; Cork; 1789-1865

Edward De Lacy Evans - made the news when he was found out to be born a woman; trans man; 1830-1901

Albert D. J. Cashier - American Civil War soldier; trans man; Louth; 1843-1915

Oscar Wilde - poet and playwright; gay; Dublin; 1854-1900

Roger Casement - diplomat and nationalist; gay; Dublin; 1864-1916

Louie Bennett - suffragist and writer; lesbian, partner to Helen Chenevix; Dublin; 1870-1956

Eva Gore-Booth - poet and suffragette; lesbian; Sligo; 1870-1926

Kathleen Lynn - Sinn Féin politician, activist and medical doctor; lesbian, partner to Madeleine ffrench-Mullen; Mayo; 1874-1955

Eileen Gray - architect and artist; bisexual; Wexford; 1878-1976

Madeleine ffrench-Mullen - revolutionary and activist; lesbian, partner to Kathleen Lynn; Dublin; 1880-1944

Elizabeth O'Farrell - nurse and revolutionary; lesbian, partner to Sheila Grenan; Dublin; 1883-1957

Julia/Sheila Grenan - revolutionary and suffragette; lesbian, partner to Elizabeth O'Farrell; Dublin; 1884-1972

Nora O'Keeffe - revolutionary and feminist; lesbian, partner to Margaret Skinnider; Tipperary; 1885-1961

Helen Chenevix - suffragist; lesbian, partner to Louie Bennett; Dublin; 1886-1963

Margaret Skinnider - revolutionary and feminist; lesbian,partner to Nora O'Keeffe; 1892-1971

Francis Bacon - artist; gay; Dublin; 1909-1992

Patrick Hennessy - artist; mlm; Cork; 1915-1980

Gerard Dillon - artist; mlm; Belfast; 1916-1971

Patrick Scott - artist; gay; Cork; 1921-2014

Marie Conmee - actress and activist; lesbian; Sligo; 1933-1994

Nuala O'Faolain - writer; sapphic, partner to Nell McCafferty; Dublin; 1940-2008

Nell McCafferty - writer; Derry; lesbian, partner to Nuala O'Faolain; 1944-2024

Jim Hutton - hairdresser, long term partner of Freddie Mercury; mlm; Carlow; 1949-2010

Michael Dwyer - film critic; gay, partner to Brian Jennings; Kerry; 1951-2010

Lyra McKee - journalist; lesbian; Belfast; 1990-2019

[pamphletstoinspire]

The Woman Who Helped Forge Irish Catholicism - St. Brigid - Feast Day - February 1st

Strength, Grit and Faith

Saint Brigid, known as ‘Mary of the Gael,’ is one of Ireland’s most beloved saints. Along with Saint Patrick and Saint Columba, she is a patron saint of the Emerald Isle. Her influence was as essential as St. Patrick’s in the spread of Catholicism among the Irish, and her story is equally remarkable. Her strength, grit, and faith helped forge the character of Irish Catholicism.

Brigid was born in 451 at Faughart near Dundalk, Louth, Ireland to a pagan father and a Christian mother. Her father, Dubhthach, was a pagan chieftain of Leinster. Brigid’s mother, Brocca, was a Christian slave in her father’s court. St. Patrick eventually baptized the entire family, though the family faced many difficult obstacles along the way.

Brigid’s mother, Brocca, was a Christian slave in her father’s court. St. Patrick eventually baptized the entire family.

Throughout her life, Brigid’s munificent nature led her to provide extraordinary aide to the poor. However, when she was a girl, many of the goods Brigid gave away belonged to her father, and Dubhthach did not appreciate his daughter’s magnanimity. When he protested, the young girl explained, ”Christ dwells in every creature.” In frustration, Dubtach even attempted to sell Brigid to the king of Leinster. While they bargained, she gave a treasured sword of her father‘s to a leper. Dubtach was furious, but Brigid explained she had given the sword to God through the leper, because of its great value. Then the king, a Christian, intervened saying, “Her merit before God is greater than ours.” After this incident, the chieftain gave his daughter her freedom.

From a very early age, Brigid expressed an interest in religious life. Despite her father’s wish for her to marry, and the excellent offers she received, Brigid never waivered in her desire to become a bride of Christ.

In frustration, Dubtach even attempted to sell Brigid to the king of Leinster. While they bargained, she gave a treasured sword of her father‘s to a leper. Dubtach was furious.

St. Mel and St. Patrick hear St. Brigid profess her vows Brigid first began to prepare for her vocation with St. Macaille at Croghan. Brigid eventually professed her full vows in the presence St. Mel of Armagh, who, according to legend, conferred abbatial authority on her. St. Patrick himself, whose preaching so influenced Brigid as a child, heard her final vows upon entering the convent. After Brigid professed her final vows, she resided at the foot of Croghan Hill for a brief period with a small group of fellow sisters. About the year 468, Brigid followed St. Mel to Meath.

St. Brigid founds the double monastery at Kildare In 470 Brigid founded and became abbess of the double monastery at Kildare. Kildare was the first convent in Ireland and became renowned as a center of spirituality and learning. This center gave rise to the Cathedral city of Kildare.

Brigid also founded a school of art at Kildare. The illuminated manuscripts produced there became famous, particularly the Book of Kildare, which was arguably the finest of all illuminated Irish manuscripts before its disappearance three centuries ago. Brigid’s religious life was rooted in prayer, but also involved substantial manual labor including cloth making, dairy farming, and sheep raising.

Kildare was unique as the only known Irish double monastery. It included a separately housed men’s community, led by the bishop Saint Conleth. Brigrid became an avid traveler, journeying across Ireland founding numerous additional religious communities.

Brigid founded the double monastery at Kildare,  the first convent in Ireland renowned as a center of spirituality and learning — eventually becoming the great Cathedral city of Kildare.

Many miracles are attributed to Brigid Brigid was one of the most remarkable women of her times. There are many legendary, incredible, and amazing miracles attributed to her. Brigid was particularly renowned for her generosity, her healing, and her feeding the poor.

According to one of many such tales, as a child Brigid gave away her mother’s store of butter. It was then replenished as an answer to Brigid’s prayers. Similar narratives about Brigid’s miraculous deeds were told throughout her life. While there are many legends surrounding Brigid, there is no doubt that her extraordinary spirituality, and her boundless charity and compassion for those in distress was real.

Brigid dies and is buried with St. Columba and St. Patrick Brigid passed into eternal life on February 1, 525 at Kildare. She is buried at Downpatrick with St. Columba and St. Patrick, with whom she is patron of Ireland.

Saint Brigid’s feast day is February 1. Her determination, energy, and abounding faith helped form the rich Catholic heritage that is still integral to Irish identity today.

by Meghan Ferrara

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in Irish History | 20 August:

#OTD in Irish History | 20 August:

535 – Death of Mochta of Louth; he was a disciple of St. Patrick. Also known as Maucteus, he was, like Patrick, a native of Britain. The Annals of Ulster date his death to 535, which points to him being considerably younger than Patrick, who had died in 493. He is known to have written at least one letter, apparently in Latin, the beginning of which is quoted in his obituary. However neither this…

[colin-therightstuff]

Colin O’Donoghue only had THREE days to perfect Oklahoma accent for The Right Stuff

After taking the world by storm with his amazing portrayal of Captain Hook on ABC’s Once Upon A Time, Colin O’Donoghue is returning to the small screen in Disney’s new space series The Right Stuff.

The Louth native plays Oklahoma astronaut Gordon Cooper and while his fellow castmates had plenty of time to research and prepare for the role, he revealed to EVOKE that he wasn’t so lucky.

In fact, he had less than a week’s notice before he started shooting!

Colin told us: ‘I actually came on to the show, I think it was maybe three or four days before we started [shooting]. I’d read the book, so basically all I had to go on was what was in the book and on the script.

‘So going into who Gordo was, was sort of all in the pages of the pilot script. And luckily it was an amazing script and I was able to kind of unlock something there. But, yeah, I sort of didn’t have a huge amount of time to research at all. But hopefully I’m doing Gordo a good service… hopefully.’

Colin is joined in the cast by the likes of Suits star Patrick J Adams, Jake McDorman from the Limitless series, One Tree Hill’s James Lafferty and Mad Men’s Aaron Staton and many more who portray the Mercury 7 — the first astronauts of NASA — and the team who made them the American heroes they are today.

While there’s always pressure on actors to bring any hero to life, Colin had the added pressure of being the only non-North American of the bunch.

However, he didn’t let that get to him and his main concern was that his Oklahoma accent was Okay.

He said: ‘Weirdly, I think, having such a short length of time leading into it, I kind of actually benefitted from it because I didn’t have time to panic about it. It was so, “Okay, I’m gonna get thrown in at the deep end,” and you just sort of do it. You have to kinda just get on with things.

‘I was just so excited to get to be a part of something that I felt was really incredible and get to play a real-life, sort of, American hero.

‘My main thing was I just hoped that the accent was gonna be Okay and that was the main issue was just making sure that that was fine.

‘But I think for me personally, if you begin to think about all that stuff and get really precious about worrying about representing somebody in a specific way, then it can be quite detrimental to your performance.

‘So I think the best thing to do is try and just get it out of the way and just get on and say the lines that are on the page.’

Being Irish, Colin was familiar with the tale of the Mercury 7, having seen the original film of the same name and having read the book, but he wasn’t aware of the fandom that already existed for them and their story.

It wasn’t until he and some members of The Right Stuff cast were invited to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing that it hit him how iconic the men are.

‘Four of us managed to go to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing and we were sort of sitting at the front and they were talking about all the astronauts who were there in the audience and then they said, “And we got the cast of The Right Stuff,” and we had to kinda do a wave like that. I suddenly went, “Ohh, Okay, Okay,”‘ he chuckled.

The Right Stuff is produced by Appian Way — the production company co-owned by Leonardo DiCaprio — and is the TV adaptation of the book of the same name by Tom Wolfe.

The series will show how the Mercury 7 came to be when a bunch of US fighter pilots are recruited to test experimental aircraft and rockets to become the first astronauts.

The series starts on Disney+ on October 9.

[distilled-prose]

A TALE OF TWO O’HARES

March 29, 2017 By Mike McCormack

Here are two stories and both are absolutely true – and worth reading!  The first began on 5 September 1893 when a son was born in St. Louis, MO to Irish-American parents Patrick Joseph and Cecilia Malloy O’Hare. Then named him Edward and he grew up to be a successful lawyer. He married Selma Louth who gave him three children: Edward (1914), Patricia (1919) and Marilyn (1924).  In 1927, Edward moved to Chicago in hope of finding a better life. At the time, Al Capone virtually owned the city and was involved in everything from bootleg booze to prostitution. Capone needed a good lawyer and Eddie fit the bill. Nicknamed ‘Easy Eddie’, he was very good at legal maneuvering and keeping Big Al out of jail.  O’Hare and Capone began collaborating in business and to show his appreciation, Capone paid him well and Eddie got special dividends, like a fenced-in mansion in luxurious Holly Hills with live-in help and all the conveniences of the day.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the crime that went on around him.  He did have one soft spot, however, and that was his son who he loved dearly.  Eddie saw to it that his son had everything he needed from the best clothes to a good education. And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was. Yet, with all his wealth, there were two things he couldn’t give him – a good name and good example. One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. To rectify wrongs he had done, he decided to go to the authorities and tell the truth about ‘Scarface’ Al Capone, clean up his family name and offer his son some semblance of integrity. He decided to secretly become an informant for the IRS and it was with his help that the government convicted and imprisoned Capone for income tax evasion. IRS agent Frank J. Wilson called Eddie one of the best undercover men I have ever known.  Eddie testified against Capone, knowing that he was putting himself in harm’s way. In 1939, a week before Capone was released from Alcatraz; O’Hare was driving home in his black 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr coupe. At the intersection of Ogden and Rockwell, two shotgun-wielding gunmen in a dark sedan drove alongside and fired a volley into his car. O’Hare was killed instantly.  He died knowing that he had given his son the greatest gift he could offer – integrity – at the greatest price he could pay. Among his final effects, Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a religious medallion and a poem that read:

‘The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still.’

The second O’Hare story occurred years later during World War II – a war that produced many heroes. One such was Lieutenant Commander Butch O’Hare. Heart-to-heart talks with his father, who was fascinated with flying and had even hitched a ride in Charles Lindbergh’s mail plane, inspired Butch to become a Navy pilot. A friend of his father’s, Congressman John J. Cochran, had appointed Butch to the U.S. Naval Academy. He became a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier Lexington in the South Pacific. On 20 February, 1942, his squadron was sent on a mission. Once airborne, his saw that his crew chief had forgotten to top off his tank. Without enough fuel to complete the mission and return, his flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back. On his return he saw something that turned his blood cold – a squadron of Japanese ‘Betty’ bombers speeding toward the American fleet.

The American fighters were gone on a sortie and the fleet was all but defenseless. Butch couldn’t reach his squadron and bring them back in time, nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from their course. Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese bombers with wing-mounted 50 caliber’s blazing, attacking one surprised enemy plane after another.  He wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until his ammunition was finally spent.  Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dove at the bombers, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many of them as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.  Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction trying to flee this ‘crazy’ American pilot. Deeply relieved, Butch O’Hare and his tattered Grumman F-4F Wildcat fighter limped back to the carrier. Upon reporting in, he related the events surrounding his return. The film from the gun-mounted camera on his plane verified the tale. It showed the extent of his daring attempt to protect the fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft and damaged another.  For his heroism Butch O’Hare became the Navy’s first Ace of WWII and the first Naval Aviator to be awarded the Medal of Honor by Congress.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. After the war, on April 19, 1947, Col. Robert McCormick, publisher of the Chicago Tribune, proposed that Chicago’s new airport be named for the naval hero, who had often visited his father in their city. On September 17, 1949, O’Hare Airport was dedicated to Edward H. “Butch” O’Hare.  So, the next time you find yourself at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, give some thought to visiting Butch’s memorial displaying a Grumman F-4F, a statue of Butch and his Medal of Honor. It’s exhibited in the west end of Terminal 2 behind the security checkpoint.

Now, what do these two O’Hares have in common?  Butch was ‘Easy Eddie’s’ son!