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www.IMDAwww.IMDAwww.IMDAwww.IMDA----MN.orgMN.orgMN.orgMN.org

Irish Music &

Dance Association 31th Year, Issue No. 12

December

2013

Nolliag

The mission of the Irish Music and Dance Association is to support and promote Irish music, dance, and other cultural

traditions to insure their continuation.

Celtic Christmas Gift Giving Celtic Christmas Gift Giving Celtic Christmas Gift Giving Celtic Christmas Gift Giving – the IMDA Waythe IMDA Waythe IMDA Waythe IMDA Way!!!!

Thinking about Christmas gift ideas for those special folks on your gift list? Here are some especially Irish ideas: IMDA Gift Membership – for that friend who is always asking you where to go to hear Irish music. IMDA’s “Hooley in the Heartland” Double CD – a wonderful collection of music from our own local talent. (Available at IMDA’s Christmas Céili and on the IMDA website.) Classes at the Center for Irish Music – for that friend who used to love playing in the school band, but hasn’t taken time to play for years. Or for a young person who loves Irish music and would love to learn to play. (Contact the Center for Irish Music for schedules and fees.)

Irish music recordings and videos – great selection at Irish on Grand, Homestead Pickin’ Parlor in Richfield and Hobgoblin Music in Red Wing. And the Minnesota Irish Musician’s Weekend and Young Irish Musician’s Weekend recordings from the Center for Irish Music. Irish books – wonderful selection at Irish on Grand. Or one of the books reviewed by Sherry Ladig in the IMDA newsletter over the last year (you can check out old newsletters on the IMDA website.) Irish and Celtic apparel and other gifts – Celtique Creations, T. R Hawkinson Jewelry, Irish on Grand, Patty’s Pottery, and the St. Patrick’s Guild.

Addresses and website information for all of the above are on Resources tab on the IMDA website – www.IMDA-MN.org.

Nollaig Shona DaoibhNollaig Shona DaoibhNollaig Shona DaoibhNollaig Shona Daoibh ---- A good Christmas to you!

Inside this issue:

Tune of the Month 2

Gaelic Corner 3

IMDA Grant Winner 4

December Calendar 10-11

Northwoods Songs 12

Ceili Corner 18

Smidirini 19

Annual IMDA Membership Meeting Saturday, December 7, 2013

Dubliner Pub, 1 p.m.

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�une of �he on�h by Amy Shaw

When I heard this tune twice in the space of a week, I took it as a sign that I should use it in this month’s column. Fiddler Ingrid Jans, an IMDA Educational Grant recipient, played it when she performed at the IMDA event honoring Tom Dahill on November 16th. A few days later, I heard it played by fiddler John McEvoy and piper Gay McKeon on the podcast of Trip to the Cottage, a traditional music program on Radio Kerry hosted by Danny O’Mahony.

The Hairy Chested Frog was composed by Bobby Casey (1926-2000), the great West Clare fiddler. Born near Miltown Malbay, Bobby spent most of his life in London. Many Irish immigrated there to find work during the post-World War II building boom, and the place was teeming with musicians. Bobby played with pipers Willie Clancy and Tommy McCarthy (and with just about everybody who was anybody). Bobby is featured on just a few recordings -- the 1968 classic Paddy in the Smoke being one of them -- and as far as I know he never recorded this tune commercially. However, he played it during the 1999 Willie Clancy Summer School, and the Irish Traditional Music Archive had the foresight to preserve the recording. Even better, you can listen to it on their website! Please do that, since Bobby’s lonesome, wild sound can’t be fully captured in any transcription.

I encourage you to check out Danny O’Mahony’s Trip to the Cottage, too. You can find podcasts going back several months at www.radiokerry.ie. I appreciate his selection of music, his thoughtful announcing, and the commercial-free broadcast.

Usual disclaimers: Any transcription errors are my own. The notation here is not meant to be a substitute for listening. It is simply an aid to learning the tune.

The IMDA Board is:

President: Lisa Conway Vice President: Jan Casey Treasurer: Mark Malone Secretary: Juli Acton Board Members: John Concannon Paul McCluskey Joan Portel Kathie Luby Editor: John Burns

IMDA Board Mee�ngs are open to the membership.

The Board meets regularly on the First Tuesday of each

month at 6:30 pm at the Dubliner Pub in St. Paul. Members are

encouraged to verify the �me and loca�on shortly before, as

mee�ng �mes and loca�ons can change.

Contact Information Write to: Irish Music and Dance Association

236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

Call: 612-990-3122 E-mail: [email protected]

Newsletter Submissions We welcome our readers to submit articles of interest, news, and notices of events to be published in the newsletter. The deadline is the 20th of the preceding month. Send to: [email protected]

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Ireland being a largely rural society, at least until recently, the Irish language is littered with expressions involving animals of various kinds. Sheep and goats and horses and chickens show up regularly in proverbs. Some of the expressions map to English ones, as in the concept of a "black sheep". As many of us were no doubt reminded in family gatherings over Thanksgiving, Bíonn caora dhubh ar an tréad is gile, that is, "There's always a black sheep in even the whitest flock." And just acting like your black sheep is a white sheep, for the sake of the holidays, rarely fools anyone. After all, Cuir síoda ar ghabhar ach is gabhar fós é, meaning, "Put silk on a goat and you still have a goat." The fundamental nature of beings doesn't change, which is why Ní dhéanfadh an saol capall ráis d'asal ("The world cannot make a racehorse out of a donkey"). Sometimes it is little things about another person that bother us (does your spouse squeeze the toothpaste in the middle of the tube?). But any burden, however light, whether mental or physical, becomes heavier the longer it is borne. The Irish are so aware of that progression that they use two animals to express it! They say, Is trom cearc i bhfad, "Even a hen is heavy if carried far", but they also say, Caora mhór an t-uan i bhfad, meaning "The lamb becomes the big sheep if carried long." Whatever our burden, we're always wishing something was different about our situation, and we sometimes imagine that everyone else's situation is better. After all, "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." In Irish, one way of expressing the same idea is, Bíonn adharca móra ar bha i bhfad ó bhaile, "The cows that are far from home have longer horns." Not that it is obvious what the virtue of long horns might be. After all, Tá bainne bó na leathadhairce chomh maith le bainne bó ar bith, "The milk of the one-horned cow is as good as the milk of any other." And that's certainly a good point, that quality is more important than quality. I particularly like the way that point is made in the Irish proverb, Is fearr greim de choinín ná dhá ghreim de chat. I certainly agree that "One bite of a rabbit (as a meal) is better than two bites

of a cat!" Cats figure quite prominently in the proverbial lore in Irish, sometimes with delicious twists. We all know, in English, that "When the cats away, the mice will stray." But when the cat's "away from home" in Irish,

the mice not only stray, they dance! (Nuair a fhágann na cait an baile, bíonn na luchóga ag rince.) By the way, we're heading into end of year the holidays, which means even more exposure to those relatives of yours. Just remember not

to explode with exasperation with that annoying sibling or in-law, as you may find that the younger members of the family gathering learn some things (and some language) that you'd rather not share with them, if you thought about it. As they say, Tá cluasa fada ar mhuca beaga: "Little pigs have long ears." Gaeltacht Minnesota is holding our 33rd annual Christmas Dinner on Monday, December 16. This is a time when we welcome all our friends, family, and supporters in celebration of another year's diligent work at figuring out this intriguing language. Reservations and pre-paid meal orders are required, and must be received by December 9. You can go to www.gaelminn.org to download a reservation form, and to find out more details about the menu and timing of the evening's activities. We're truly grateful for all the moral support we get from various quarters, and this Dinner has been a continuous tradition from the very first year in which Denis Clarke taught the initial small band of enthusiasts their first words of Irish. Join us! Bainne circe in adharc mhuice agus cleite cait á shuaitheadh "Hen's milk in a pig's horn, stirred with a cat's feather" (used to indicate that what someone is talking about is sheer fantasy, impossible). -- Will

�he �aelic �orner By Will Kenny

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Uilleann Piper to Become Reed Maker

By Jan Casey

Uilleann piper Ryan Behnke of Hastings, Minnesota, is using his IMDA Educational Grant for the purchase of an uilleann pipe reed making kit, so he can learn to make the reeds used in this truly Irish instrument. Ryan’s grant is special in that he is the first applicant to receive a second IMDA Educational Grant. Ryan received an IMDA Educational Grant in 2011 to study Highland Great Pipes at the Balmoral School of Piping.

Ryan is an active member of the Twin Cities Irish music community, studying uilleann pipes, sitting in on sessions, performing at Celtic Music Open Mic Nights, playing with the band “Trout in the Milk” in coffee shops and cafes, and sitting in with his friends “the Herringbone Badgers,” as well as continuing to play and complete with the Macalester College Pipe Band.

Ryan especially enjoys playing uilleann pipes – he’s been playing for nearly four years – and wants to continue to learn as much as he can about playing. He calls it a rare and beautiful instrument, and feels fortunate to be part of the blossoming community of pipers here in the Twin Cities. And Ryan appreciates the encouragement that he has received from other pipers. He would like to be able to help create the reliable reeds that the instrument requires, since good reed makers are even rarer than uilleann pipers.

The kit that Ryan has in mind includes specific instruments for measurement and for working the cane, brass and copper into a form that creates the beautiful sounds of the instruments. Having the tools will enable Ryan to continue his study of the instrument and he hopes to share his new skills with others.

The Irish Music and Dance Association is delighted to help a dedicated musician expand his knowledge of the uilleann

pipes.

Jan Casey coordinates the IMDA’s Educational Grant Program. Applications for the program are available

on the IMDA website - http://www.irishmusicanddanceassociation.org/educationalgrantprogram.html.

Application deadline for 2014 is April 15.

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IMDA Annual Membership Meeting Dec. 7, 2013 at 1:00 pm at the Dubliner Pub

IMDA members are cordially invited to attend this important meeting. In addition to a review of the highlights of 2013, the meeting will include election of board members and officers. Board members serve for a two-year term. The following board members’ terms expire in 2013. All are standing for election to new, two-year terms: Lisa Conway: IMDA President since 2004, Board Member since 2001. Lisa also partners with other organizations in her spare time to promote Irish arts and culture. Always looking for new relationships with other Irish organizations, Lisa is currently work-ing with Irish Fair of Minnesota, on behalf of IMDA, to host the Irish Got Talent and Best Legs in a Kilt contests. She was chosen "2013 Distinguished Irishwoman" by the St. Paul St. Pat's Association. Lisa was formerly a member of the Mooncoin Céili Danc-ers and a ballroom dance instructor. She lives in the northwest metro with her daughter Clare and dogs Brian and Fergal, and is a Project Manager for a graphics communications company. Jan Casey: IMDA Vice President, IMDA Secretary 2007 to 2013, Board Member since 2005. Jan serves on the Entertainment Committee for our Landmark events, and co-chaired the planning for "IMDA Honors Ann Heymann" (2009) and "IMDA Honors Paddy O'Brien" (2010). Jan helped to define the IMDA Educational Grant Program, now in its eighth year, and coordinates the application process. Jan also manages IMDA's Decade of Dance Award program. Jan contributes regularly to the IMDA newsletter and IMDA's Facebook page. Jan and her husband Mike are both retired and live in St. Paul. You'll often find them at an Irish music concert, céilí or play. Jan has one grown son, Brian. Kathie Luby: IMDA Board Member joined the IMDA Board in 2013 and began her involvement with the Twin Cities Irish com-munity in the mid-eighties by joining the Irish language class directed by Dennis Clarke that evolved to become Gaeltacht Minne-sota. She continues to study Irish Gaelic with Gaeltacht Minnesota. She played several roles with Na Fianna Irish Theater for the fifteen years of its production of Irish plays. These roles included those of actor, stage manager, treasurer, secretary and chairman of the board of directors. Currently, Kathie sings in Irish and English with her five friends in the Giggin' Síles, performing at vari-ous Irish events in the Twin Cities throughout any given year. She is very happy to be working with the IMDA board of directors to serve the active and vibrant Minnesota Irish community that includes musicians, dancers, and all those who appreciate Irish culture. Mark T. Malone: IMDA Treasurer since 2003, Board Member since 2001. Mark has been a Business Management Consultant for over 15 years, providing a wide variety of services to many businesses in multiple industries. He has been a Certified Public Accountant since 1987, becoming inactively licensed in 2003. Mark’s experience, although wide ranging, has been focused in recent years on computer systems implementation, business pro-cess engineering, regulatory compliance, and acting as interim CFO/Comptroller. Mark also served as Treasurer and a Board Member of Fáilte Minnesota (both since 2003), as well as the Treasurer and Board Member (since 2003) of the Irish Fair of Minnesota. In addition to these elections, Juli Acton is standing for election as IMDA Secretary. The Board looks forward to hearing from members - we’re al-ways interested in your ideas for IMDA’s future. See you at the Dubliner! Then stick around for the dancing!

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Celebrate the Season at The Celtic JunctionCelebrate the Season at The Celtic JunctionCelebrate the Season at The Celtic JunctionCelebrate the Season at The Celtic Junction

The Beggar Boys: A Celtic Nativity

The Beggar Boys kick off their 2013 Celtic Christmas tour with their first appearance at the Celtic Junction in St. Paul on December 6th. Experience the richness of the unique blend of traditional and original songs and tunes as The Beggar Boys retell the Christmas Story - a perfect way to brighten your holiday season. The powerful and beautiful vocals of guest singer Kerri Joy blend with uilleann pipes, fiddles, whistle, and guitar to create the Beggar Boys' signature blend of traditional songs and tunes and powerful originals, called "lush and revealing" by the Boston Globe. The Celtic Junction is located at 836 Prior Ave North, Saint Paul, 55104. Music starts at 7pm with a special opening set by the McNally Smith world vocal ensemble. $15 at the door. Advance tickets available at thecelticjunction.com or by calling 612-874-8892.

Nollaig Shona: A Celtic Christmas

A holiday feast of music, song, dance and stories await as three of the top names in Irish and Cape Breton traditional music present Nollaig Shona, a Celtic Christmas concert December 8th. Nuala Kennedy (originally from Ireland), Andrea Beaton of Cape Breton, and Troy MacGillivray from Nova Scotia will share the joy, laughter, and relaxed atmosphere of neighbors gathered around the fire at a holiday “house session" in Ireland or “kitchen party" on Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island. They perform at The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave North, Saint Paul, 55104. Music starts at 7pm. $15 at the door. Advance tickets available at thecelticjunction.com or by calling 612-874-8892 .

Yulefest VI: A Charity Fundraiser featuring Barra, The Hi-Bs and The Eddies

In support of the Emergency Foodshelf Network, three favorite local Celtic bands host a special Yule celebration concert on December 14th. Barra is one of Minnesota's longest-playing traditional Irish bands and a perpetual favorite at ceilis. The Hi-Bs, Kate and Jode Dowling, are dazzling, dynamic instrumentalists who are long-time stalwarts of the local Irish music scene and not-to-be missed performers. The Eddies are a high energy vocal group who can not only sing the rafters down with rousing sea shanties, but will surprise you with a variety of songs of work, love and death sung in three and a half part harmony. Event takes place at The Celtic Junction, 836 Prior Ave North, Saint Paul, 55104. Music begins at 7pm, admission is $15. Visit thecelticjunction.com for more information.

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Keegan’s Pub Hosts Seventh

Annual

‘Women’s Christmas’ Jan. 5

On Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, Christmas celebrations will be over for most of the Twin Cities. But not at Keegan’s Pub, Minneapolis. On that day, Keegan’s will host one last holiday bash exclusively for women to celebrate the Irish tradition of “Women’s Christmas.” The seventh annual Women’s Christmas at Keegan’s will take place noon to 4 p.m. on January 5. Prize drawings for women and special food offerings will be featured, and local Celtic band Locklin Road will perform from 1 to 4 p.m. Keegan’s Pub started the celebration in 2008 after learning from Locklin Road that Women’s Christmas is a popular event in Ireland—particularly in Cork. On Women’s Christmas—celebrated on the feast of the Epiphany, the traditional end of Christmas season (aka the twelfth day of Christmas)—the custom is for Irish women to take the day off, and for men to take on the household duties. Women fill the pubs, and go out and celebrate with their girlfriends. Gifts are given to women. “We heard of the tradition and loved the idea, thinking it would be the perfect thing to do at Keegan’s,” said Terry Keegan, publican. “The event is designed to give women a day off, to be together and have fun after the frantic holiday season.” In keeping with the tradition of Women’s Christmas (also known as Little Christmas or Little Women’s Christmas), women are encouraged to bring small gifts to the pub Jan. 5, to exchange with their friends. Keegan’s will also have prize drawings. “Our first six Women’s Christmas events were wildly successful,” said Keegan. “The pub gets packed, filled with groups of women having the time of their lives. It’s a memorable day at the pub.” Keegan’s full menu will be offered. Following the Women’s Christmas event on Jan. 5, a traditional Irish Session will begin at 6 p.m. For more information, contact Keegan’s Pub, (612) 252-0880 or go to www.keeganspub.com. For more information about Locklin Road, go to www.locklinroad.com.

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IMDA Community Calendar December 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 Noon: Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 2pm Jennifer Licko’s Celtic Christmas Concert Glencoe City Center, Glencoe 4pm Learners Irish Session 6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 7pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin Lighthouse Theater, Albert Lea 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 8pm Pub Quiz Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

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3 5:30pm Irish Hour Merlins Pub 7:30pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls St. Dominic’s Trio Nye’s, Mpls

4 7pm Traditional Irish Session Rueb ‘n’ Stein, Northfield 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 7:30pm Irish Social Dance 9:30pm Music Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 9:30pm Traditional Irish Session Morrissey’s Irish Pub, Mpls

5 6:30pm Pub Quiz 8pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 8pm Hounds of Finn Monte Carlo, Red Wing 9:30pm Scottie Devlin $ Shane Akers Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

6 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin St Stephen Lutheran Church, Bloomington 7:30pm The Darkest Midnight, A Celtic Nativity The Celtic Junction, St. Paul 7:30pm Kathie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas College of St. Scholastica, Duluth 8pm Celtic Session Merlins Rest, Mpls 9:30pm Irish Brigade Kieran’s Pub, Mpls

7 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin St Stephen Lutheran Church, Bloomington 9pm Todd Menton Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 9:30pm Irish Brigade Kieran’s Pub, Mpls

8 Noon: Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 2pm A Green Fire Christmas Univ of St. Thomas, St. Paul 3pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin Lakeville Area Arts Center, Lakeville 4pm Learners Irish Session 6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 7pm Shona Nollaig, A Celtic Christmas The Celtic Junction, St. Paul 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 8pm Pub Quiz Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

9 7:30pm 2nd Monday Shanty Sing Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

10 5:30pm Irish Hour Merlins Pub 7:30pm Irish Set Dancing Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 7:30pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls St. Dominic’s Trio Nye’s, Mpls

11 7pm Traditional Irish Session Rueb ‘n’ Stein, Northfield 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 7:30pm Irish Social Dance 9:30pm Todd Menton Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 9:30pm Traditional Irish Session Morrissey’s Irish Pub, Mpls

12 1:30pm and 7pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin Paramount Theater, St. Cloud 6:30pm Pub Quiz 8pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 7:30pm An Evening w/ Cherish the Ladies Cedar Cultural Ctr, Mpls 9:30pm Scottie Devlin $ Shane Akers Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

13 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin State Theatre, Zumbrota 8pm Celtic Session Merlins Rest, Mpls 9:30pm Irish Brigade Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

14 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 7pm Yulefest VI: Charity Fundraiser The Celtic Junction, St. Paul 7pm IMDA Christmas Ceili The Celtic Junction, St. Paul 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin STMA High School, St. Michael 9:30pm Irish Brigade Pub 112, Stillwater 9:30pm Paddywagon Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

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15 Noon: Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 1pm Locklin Road Cannon River Winery, Cannon Falls 4pm Willow Brae in Concert Hazel Park United Church, St. Paul 4pm Learners Irish Session 6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 2pm Third Sunday Pub Sing 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 7pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin St. Michael Lutheran, St. Paul 8pm Pub Quiz Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

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17 5:30pm Irish Hour Merlins Pub 7:30pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 9:30pm Irish Brigade Dubliner Pub, St. Paul St. Dominic’s Trio Nye’s, Mpls

18 7pm Traditional Irish Session Rueb ‘n’ Stein, Northfield 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 7:30pm Irish Social Dance 9:30pm Live Music Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 7:30pm Pub Quiz Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 9:30pm Traditional Irish Session Morrissey’s Irish Pub, Mpls

19 6:30pm Pub Quiz 8pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 8pm The Pogues Tribute by the Wild Colonial Bhoys Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 9:30pm Scottie Devlin $ Shane Akers Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

20 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin The General Store, Marine on the St. Croix 7:30pm Lehto & Wright RiverBend Underground, Red Wing 9pm Todd Menton Dubliner Pub, St. Paul 8pm Celtic Session Merlins Rest, Mpls 9:30pm Wild Colonial Bhoys Kieran’s Pub, Mpls

21 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin The General Store, Marine on the St. Croix 7:30pm A Hearthside Holiday Hooley The Celtic Junction, St. Paul 9:30pm Wild Colonial Bhoys Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 9:30pm Belfast Cowboys Whiskey Junction, Mpls 9:30pm Irish Brigade Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

22 Noon: Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 1pm Curtis & Loretta The Landing, Shakopee 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin The General Store, Marine on the St. Croix 4pm Learners Irish Session 6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 8pm Pub Quiz Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

23 7pm 4th Monday Pub Singing Merlins Rest, Mpls 7:30pm Simple Gifts w/ Billy McLaughlin The General Store, Marine on the St. Croix

24 9pm The Tim Malloys Amsterdam Bar, St. Paul

25 Nollaig Shona Daoibh Nollaig Shona Daoibh Nollaig Shona Daoibh Nollaig Shona Daoibh

- A good Christmas to you!

26 6:30pm Pub Quiz 8pm Pub Quiz Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 9pm Irish Brigade Half Time Rec, St. Paul 9:30pm Scottie Devlin & Shane Akers Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

27 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 8pm Celtic Session Merlins Rest, Mpls 9:30pm St. Dominic’s Trio Kieran’s Pub, Mpls

28 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata 9:30pm Irish Brigade Pub 112, Stillwater 9:30pm St. Dominic’s Trio Kieran’s Pub, Mpls

29 Noon: Traditional Session Kieran’s Pub, Mpls 3pm Traditional Singers Club W A Frost, St. Paul 4pm Learners Irish Session 6pm Advanced Irish Music Session Keegan’s Pub, Mpls 7:30pm Pub Quiz Merlins Rest, Mpls 8pm Pub Quiz 9:30pm Irish Brigade Dubliner Pub, St. Paul

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1 3:30pm Mike Wallace for Happy Hour McCormick’s Pub, Wayzata

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Northwoods Songs: Irish Songs from Lumberjacks and Great Lakes Sailors By Brian Miller

Northwoods Songs features a new song each month pulled from my research into old songs collected in the pine woods region that stretches from New Brunswick west through northern Minnesota. In the 1800s, a vibrant culture of singing and song-making developed in lumber camp bunkhouses and on Great Lakes ships. The repertoire and singing style were greatly influenced by Irish folk repertoire and Irish singing styles. Many singers in the region had Irish background themselves. Each installment of Northwoods Songs is also published online at www.evergreentrad.com/northwoods-songs. As of December 2013, I will also videotape myself singing the song of the month. My hope is that others will learn some of these songs and make them their own as I have. Links to song videos will be posted along with the online version. -Brian Miller

BANKS OF THE NILE

Hark! hark! the drums are beating, my love, I must away, I hear the bugle calling, I can no longer stay;

We are ordered out from Portsmouth for many a long mile, To *[join the British army] on the banks of the Nile.

Oh, Willie dear, don’t leave me here behind to weep and mourn,

So I may curse and rue the day that ever I was born, For the parting from my sweetheart is like parting from my life,

So stay at home, dear Willie, and I will be your wife.

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The Queen she calls for men, love, and I, for one, must go, The Queen she calls for men, love, I dare not answer No;

We must away to face the foe while cannons roar the while, To fight with Briton’s heroes on the banks of the Nile.

Then I’ll cut off my yellow hair and go along with you,

I will put on men’s clothing and go see Egypt, too; I will cherish and protect you through hardship and through toil,

And we’ll comfort one another on the Banks of the Nile.

Your waist it is too slender, love, your fingers are too small, I am afraid you would not answer when on you I would call,

Your delicate constitution would last but a short while, Among those sandy deserts on the Banks of the Nile.

Oh, cursed be the cruel war and the hour it first begun,

For it has robbed old Ireland of many a noble son; It robs us of our sweethearts, protectors of the soil,

And their bodies feed the wild fowls on the Banks of the Nile.

But soon the war will be over and we’ll all be coming home, Unto our wives and sweethearts we left behind to mourn;

We will kiss them and embrace them with their little winning smile, And we never will return again to the Banks of the Nile.

Once again this month we have a song I transcribed from a 1924 recording of Minnesota-based singer Michael Cassius Dean (with the full text taken from Dean’s 1922 songster The Flying Cloud). Versions of “The Banks of the Nile” have been collected all over the English-speaking world. The scenario of the girl pledging to dress as a man to follow her love to war (or sea) will be well-known to anyone familiar with traditional folk song. As for the historical context, there were several British campaigns in Egypt (and Sudan which is also bisected by the Nile) throughout the 1800s culminating in Britain’s takeover of Egypt in 1882. This song likely dates from early to mid 1800s. Of course, two centuries later, western governments are still sending soldiers to that part of the world and the “cruel war” is far from over. *Some versions of “The Banks of the Nile” mention the dark skin of the Eqyptian/Sudanese adversaries in the fourth line of the first stanza. Dean’s version does so in a rather offensive way so I opted to borrow a variant fourth line from other versions. SPECIAL NOTE: Starting this month, I will be videotaping myself singing the Northwoods Songs song of the month and posting it on Youtube. You can find this month’s video by visiting the online home of Northwoods Songs (http://www.evergreentrad.com/northwoods-songs) and clicking on the December 2013 entry. I am excited to add this new dimension to the column!

You can read Northwoods Songs online at www.evergreentrad.com/northwoods-songs

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An LeabhragánAn LeabhragánAn LeabhragánAn Leabhragán (The Bookcase)

Instructions For a Heat Wave by Maggie O' Farrell

publisher Alfred A. Knopf 2013 This intriguing novel is set during the real-life crisis of the 1976 British Isles summer heat wave. After setting out to buy a newspaper, retired banker and devoted family man Robert O'Riordan disappears one oppressively hot summer morning from his London flat. His three grown children, far-flung over the globe, converge on their parents' home to help their mother discover where he might have gone and what has happened to him. Robert has cleaned out their bank account and apparently left no trace, but there are clues which lead the family to Ireland. The mystery unwinds with a long, long story of hidden history, family skeletons in multiple closets, deception and untold heartbreak, all of which begin and end in Connemara. There is a peculiarly Irish way of suppressing What Must Not Be Told, and what the consequences of that action do to a forty-year marriage and family. Worthy of a Jane Austen novel, the unveiling of painful secrets, no matter how difficult to hear, may be the beginning of a chance to set matters right in the O'Riordan family. Each grown child carries his or her own secrets and disappointments, and all three are at a crossroads in their own relationships with significant others. In some strange way, this family crisis brings out the latent abilities and love needed to solve the puzzle that is the O'Riordan family. The perfect daughter, the dutiful son, the odd-duck youngest kid: all need each other when the masks crumble and the defenses fail. At the heart of the book: who are we anyway, as a spouse, a sibling, a son or daughter, a parent? What does a family owe each other? The pages of this book turn quickly; one can't look away until the very last page. Sherry Ladig, frequent contributor to this column, is a Saint Paul-based Irish traditional musician and former reviewer for the Hungry Mind Bookstore's newsletter, Fodder. Sherry welcomes suggestions for books of Irish interest to review---or write a review yourself. She maybe reached at [email protected]. Happy early winter reading!

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Irish Music &

Dance Association

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Irish Music &

Dance Association

Celebrate the Holiday Season with Simple Gifts

SimpleGifts with Billy McLaughlin began their concert season November 29th with shows around the region through December 23rd. Once again Laura MacKenzie is a member of this extraordinary ensemble! This year's tour celebrates the new CD, beautifully titled, 'WinterGrace". The remaining shows around the Minnesota region are in Albert Lea, Bloomington, Lakeville, St. Cloud, Zumbrota, St. Michael, St. Paul, and West Salem (in Wisconsin), ending with several evenings at the Marine-on-St-Croix Town Hall (one of which has already sold out!) Visit the Simple Gifts website soon for ticket information! About Simple Gifts: "As long-time fans will tell you, SimpleGifts makes musical magic by bringing a modern flair to traditional Christmas carols and hymns. Staying close to the heart of Christmas by avoiding commercial and pop holiday repertoire has become the trademark of this award winning six-piece ensemble."

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Irish Music &

Dance Association

�eili �orner By Bhloscaidh O’Keane

Come dancing! That's why the lovely musicians play the lovely music! In addition to the FREE ceili dancing every single Wednesday, 7 to 9 PM, at the Dubliner Pub, here is the schedule for the next few weeks: 11th Annual Clementine Ceili - Dubliner Pub - Saturday, December 7, 2 to 5 PM. Music and dancing and citrus fruit. Suggested donation - $3 Set Dancing - Dubliner Pub - Tuesday, December 10, 7:30 to 10 PM. Music by members of the Twin Cities Ceili Band and friends. Suggested donation - $5 IMDA Christmas Ceili - Celtic Junction - Saturday December 14, 7 to 10 PM. Music by the Twin Cities Ceili Band, dances called and taught by Mike Whalen. NOTE: this dance will take the place of the usual Third Saturday dance at the Celtic Junction. NO Set Dancing at the Dubliner Pub on December 24.

Check www.lomamor.org for all up-to-date Irish folk dancing information.

The Center for Irish Music

Come check us out at

The Celtic JunctionThe Celtic JunctionThe Celtic JunctionThe Celtic Junction 836 Prior Avenue, St Paul MN

Please check the website for information on

our full range of instruction in traditional Irish music, language , culture and fun.

For class schedule and other information call or email

651-815-0083 [email protected]

Or visit our website

www.centerforirishmusic.org

Dedicated to Handing Down the Tradition

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Irish Music &

Dance Association

Smidirini*

By Copper Shannon

(*Irish for ‘Bits and Pieces’)

♣ Comhghairdeas le (Congratulations to) and best wishes to Kim Keeler (Mooncoin Céilí Dancers) and Tom Juenemann (Twin Cities Céilí Band) on the birth of their son! May strong arms hold him, caring hearts tend him, and may love await him at every step.

♣ Irish Eats at the Half Time Rec! Plans are under way for a new venture, “Paddy Shack at the Rec” that will provide new menu offerings of Irish-style pub food: hearty stews, bangers and mash, fish and chips and maybe some colcannon. The folks from the popular Smack Shack are teaming up with our friends at the Half Time Rec, and hope to have everything in place before St. Patrick’s Day!

IMDA Membership

Demonstrate your support of live Irish music, dance and cultural activities by becoming a member of the Irish Music and Dance Association. Become a supporting member by making a financial contribution, a corporate sponsor or a newsletter (only) member. All IMDA members receive the newsletter by e-mail.

Name: Today’’’’s Date:

Address:

Where did you hear about us?

Membership Type (circle one)

Supporting Corporate Newsletter Support Level _______

Interests (circle all that apply)

Music Dance Theatre Gaelic Volunteer

E-mail Address: Phone Number:

Your monthly newsletter is delivered electronically via e-mail. Please advise us at [email protected] if your e-mail address changes .

Supporting members who contribute at least $35 annually may receive their newsletter by U S Mail. ___ Request US Mail

Revised 11/2013

Tear out the above form and send it with a check made out to “IMDA” to: The IMDA Membership Coordinator c/o Jan Casey 400 Macalester St. St. Paul, MN 55105

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Irish Music &

Dance Association

Postmaster: Time/Dated Material

236 Norfolk Ave NW Elk River, MN 55330

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