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Harp

The Official Newsletter of the Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas

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Volume 42 December 2007 - January 2008 Issue 2

For the very first time in our Society’s history (unless someone knows differently) a contingent of Veterans marched in the San Antonio Veteran’s Day Parade. We were honoring our own time as veterans. We were also honoring our own Harp member Colonel Julie Hasdorff who is on active duty and has been for the past year. Colonel Hasdorff, with the Judge Advocate Judges Corps, served in Iraq and is presently in Ger-many. She hopes to be home soon for her daughter’s birthday this month. We all send a Texas-sized thank you and wish her well. Our veterans on that fine Saturday represented most of the services and our countries conflicts from Korea to the present. Bob Wehner was a submariner in the Navy and rode in the car with Bill Merriman and Sheila Carrola representing the Army.

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Sheila Carrola, Sean Faught and Bill Merriman ride in the back with Bob Wehner and Wayne Faught in the front seat as they pass in front of the beloved Alamo.

Harp Vets March

“Love Can Build a Bridge”

The Harp bridge builders were ably lead by Sean Faught as the directions were quickly discarded.”What do we do with all this stuff?”

The United Way of San Antonio’s Days of Caring program had some new help this year. The Harp and Shamrock Society had a group of volunteers come together to build a bridge in the meditation garden at Seton Home here in San Antonio. “There but for the grace of God go I,” an old Irish prayer my mother taught me.

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The bridge is ready to move into place. Sean’s crew included Steve, Darryl, Chris,Terry, Wayne, Kevin, Sean and Anton.

Merry ChristmasAnd

Happy New Year

HARP AND SHAMROCKSOCIETY OF TEXAS, INCP.O.Box 15306San Antonio, TX 78212

PRESIDENTAnton Hajek, III

VICE PRESIDENTRobert Meade

2nd VICE PRESIDENTJoan Moody

TREASURERWayne C. Faught

SECRETARYEileen Burke-Faught

CHAPLAINFr. Flanagan

BOARD of DIRECTORSDarryl BrittenTerence PeakBob WehnerPatrick ClarkeKed MullinsMarcia WeinerMary Jo QuinnTish VillegasKevin DowdGeorge TracyVictor VillegasBill Merriman Shirley Donohue

IRISHMAN OF THE YEARJoan Moody- 2007

Editor in ChiefKevin Patrick DowdStaff:Terry PeakGreg LewisJoan MoodyEileen Burke-FaughtCarolyn DowdJohn McCarthyErin O’Brien

©2007 Dowd Ranch Publishing

From the Laptop of Your Editor

Keeping It Green...Renew Recycle, Reuse!So let it be written, so let it be done.I’m happy to report that my space is limited due to all the ac-tion going on with our Society. I can only imagine Pat and Sean watching from above enjoying a pint of the good stuff and laugh-ing at us mere mortals as we scurry about the business of the society they started. All I can ask is that they toss down a bless-ing or two and maybe, once in a while, a nudge to keep us on the right path. If you want to receive this newsletter in your e-mail just drop me a line.

‘Siochan leat’ Peace be with you.Kevin Patrick [email protected]

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Calling All Members...

December22 Saturday, Noon-2:30 p.m. HEB Feast of SharingVolunteers Needed! Contact: Melissa Schulz 210-445-2777 or e-mail [email protected]

January04 Friday, 6-10 p.m. Irish Cultural Society Christmas Party Contact: Bob Slattery 497-639710 Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Board Meeting17 Thursday, 7:30 p.m. AOH Movie Night @ Alamo Drafthouse Cinema located @ Loop 410 near Marbach. Showing: Boondock Saints

February14 Thursday, 7:30 p.m. Board Meeting

March07 Friday, Shamrock Golf Scramble08 Saturday, St.Patrick’s Fun Run14-16 Fri-Sun, Alamo Irish Festival15, Saturday, 11 a.m. St. Patrick’s Day Parade16 Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day River Parade17 Monday, Alamo Wreath Laying

Irene and Frank Dowd, long time Harp members and the Editor at Cape May, NJ, US Coast Guard bootcamp. Circa 1980.

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Wayne Faught our driver is retired Air Force. Chris Schulz and Tom Carrola, both Army, and Chuck Meade, Air Force, carried the Harp and Shamrock banner. Due to illness James Dowd couldn’t be there to represent the Marines on their birthday. I was the lone representative for the Coast Guard (and yes it is a military service). In support of our veterans Pat Peak, Carolyn Dowd, Shannon Faught and Seán Faught came out to march. The Faught Family Bug was decked out in all the services flags and old glory thanks to Shannon. Next year I’m hoping we will need a trailer to carry all our members. This holiday season please remember all our brave men and women stationed all over the world.

Seasons Greetings!Merry Christmas to all. Thanks to Melissa Schulz and her committee for putting together a luncheon celebration at the Quarry golf course. We have the opportunity to join the other Irish groups at 12th night on January 4th. Carolyn Dowd has vol-unteered to take over St. Patrick’s Weekend Events. She is trying to get sponsorship for the parades to help reduce that expense. And we will be planning the St. Patrick’s Weekend events a bit farther in advance.We just had a delightful wine tasting once again at the Britten’s home. Our treasurer tells us that this event is less well attended and producing much less than just two years ago. Quite sad, as this is one time we all just hang out as a group, not segregated into tables, or working. The day was beautiful.A Christmas present to us: The first Bingo check has come in: $1,100.00. It covered a period of less than 60 days. While we all would like the check to be ten times bigger, remember that we do very little to earn this money.What ever you do have a safe and happy holiday. Remember to be thankful for our many blessings. We could live in a place where we had to fear for our safety from government or gangs, or have to scratch for basic living needs. We enjoy good water, reliable utilities and appliances. So much of the world can’t make that statement. Most of us live well, enjoy life and enjoy being Irish. Anton Hajek,III

Love...continued

“Love Can Build a Bridge” according to the Judd’s song, but anyone who was there that morning knows it takes a lot more, like sweat, hard work and even some blood. Chris Schulz got his finger between our new president Anton Hajek and two boards. Ouch! Luckily it was just a flesh wound. Both Anton and Darryl Britten had cordless screw guns to help move the work along. The bridge crew was rounded out with Wayne Faught, Steve Mattick, Terry Peak, Kevin Dowd and lead by Seán Faught. Also helping with the garden were Melissa Schulz, Leticia Mc-Donald, Shannon Faught and Carolyn Dowd who spent the morning planting. The Seton Home official-ly opened March 5, 1981 and has helped over 2000 homeless pregnant girls between the ages of 12-19. Spring of 2006 saw the opening of a new facility to give, as their brochure says “a hope and a future for teen moms and their babies.”

www.setonhomesa.org

. Colonel Julie Hasdorff in Camp Victory, Iraq ready to board a Blackhawk.

Vet’s Day ...continuedWords From Your President

A Little Wine, A little Song... Much thanks goes to Lucille Mitrane for her gener-ous donation of wine. We couldn’t do it with out her! Darryl and his beautiful wife Melinda Britten were gracious hosts and opened up their hearts as well as their home.This is one of the best ways to mingle with members and make some new friends. A thank you also goes out to Cecelia Fagan for her contribution of some wine for the day. Thanks to all who came out especially the new faces of Shannon Washburn and Donna Dickerson.An Irish Wiskey tasting fund raiser was discussed and may be in the works. I’ll keep you posted on the web.

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Ray Dustin, Carolyn Dowd, Joan Moody and Pat Peak enjoy the weather and the fun at Founders Day.

Bob Meade, Ray Dustin and Kevin Dowd had a good time at the Cowboy Ceilidh in the Blue Cactus Cafe to raise funds for the Highland Games.

Fr. Francis McHugh celebrated the 10th anniversary of his Ordi-nation at Our Lady of the Lake Chapel the 18th of October 2007. Pictured here with Eileen & Sean Faught and Margaret Burke.

The Kelly Singers Strike Again!The Irish took the stage at Beethoven Manorhaven for

the annual Octoberfest. When Irish Eyes are smiling sure you know they’re up

to something.

Member and seminarian Patrick Higgins (Co. Galway) was named acolyte and is in his 2nd year at Assumption seminary; once ordained he will be heading to Corpus Christi to serve under Bishop Carmody (Co. Kerry). Pictured here in March with visiting Irish dignitary Noel Dempsey.

If you or a fellow Harp member are doing something special please let me know so I can

get the word out. This is your newsletter tell me what you want.

[email protected]

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Michael and Brigid Greenberg, longtime members and supporters at the Half Way Golf outing. (From the Mea Culpa Department:The Greenbergs were omitted from the last newsletter due to a clerical error. That staff member has been dealt with. )

A little wine goes a long way! A great time was had by all. Wayne, Bob, MaryAnn, Shannon, Steve, Melinda, Kevin, John, Donna, Margaret, Darryl, Shirley, Bob and Helena all had a grand day of wine tasting.

Erin O’Brien as Miss San Antonio 2007 represented the Irish community of San Antonio at the National American Miss national pageant in Anaheim, Calif.

A great day for the Irish veterans!

At the annual Memorial service Patrick Clarke read some of the names of the Harp members who have “gone before us, not from us.”

Shannon Faught helps green the garden at the Seton Home during the

Days of Caring.

Have a Happy And Healthy Holiday Season!The Staff at Harp Strings

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Music by Joan Moody

Reviews

An Nollaig, An Irish ChristmasA new CD by Eileen Ivers

For those of us who love Irish traditional music and the exquisite fiddling of Eileen Ivers, her current CD An Nollaig transports one’s soul to heaven with its originality combining the original with the traditional. The traditional Irish Christmas hymns the “ Wex-ford Carol” as well as the haunting melody of “Don Oiche Ud i mBeithill” are absolutely fabulous when joined by the many musicians who collaborated in the endeavor. The classical Christmas hymns performed with an Irish twist are a feast for the ears. It is a rare joining of imagination and traditional subtlety. All I can say is bravo. An Nollaig, An Irish Christmas is pressed by Compass Records located in Nashville, Tennessee and the label number is Compass 4467.

http://www.eileenivers.com/Store/

Booksby Kevin Patrick Dowd

Farewell Forever By John Malone

“The oppressed Irish people celebrated the closest thing they had to a real national day, a celebration that had long been forbidden by their conquerors during the penal times.” St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 1842From Farewell Forever

Slán leat go brágh. Farewell forever. These words are what the Irish emigrants would say as they boarded the sailing ships bound for Amerikay. For the major-ity truer words were never spoken. They would never again see their precious homeland.

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John Malone has done a great job of telling his family history in a grand tale of hardship and sacrifice. It is a quick read but well worth the time you spend with John’s great grandfather in County Cavan. The deep love of Ireland that these poor folk brought with them has been instilled in the hearts of today’s generation.(Editors note: Farewell Forever is printed by Trafford Publishing that used 30% recycled fiber and the print shop runs on “green energy.”)

Redemption FallsBy Joseph O’Conner

“The real war will never get in the books.”Walt Whitman

A modern take on our darkest hour as a nation. The civil war almost tore our nation apart and the years of recovery are the setting for this amazing book. O’Conner has a very unique way of telling his tale and getting the reader immersed in the story. Photos, songs, letters, wanted posters, spy reports and memoirs weave a tale of this dark time of a nation rebuilding and recovering. And that recovery was a long process and always in doubt. The recovery of the cast of char-acters that populate Redemption Falls is also truly in doubt. They range from wise old war veterans to battle scarred children, from high society New York to the wild west. Our country was expanding and the oppor-tunities were there for the taking. But this wouldn’t be an epic if it did not have the love story and of course the twisted triangle. If you are ready to read a modern day masterpiece Redemption Falls is the book. (Editors note: O’Conner’s first book was Star Of The Sea, about the flight from famine in Ireland aboard sailing ships.)www.simonsays.com

News From IrelandIs nothing sacred? 450 kegs, roughly 40,000 pints, have been stolen from the Guinness brewery in Dub-lin. A thief drove a truck into the plant and attached a trailer of kegs and drove off. There were 180 Guin-ness, 180 Budweiser and 90 Carlsberg kegs with a price tag of $235,000. This is the largest heist in the 248-year history of Ireland’s oldest brewer.

Cardinal Sean Brady, Ireland’s newest Cardinal says he is optimistic that the Pope will be able to visit Ireland soon. He was speaking at Dublin Airport on his arrival back in Ireland following his elevation to the College of Cardinals last week. He will now travel to Armagh, where a homecoming mass will be held in his honor.

March Events Information(Because it is never too early to plan for Saint Patrick’s Day)

St. Patrick’s Day parade Saturday March 15, 2008!!!

New Step-Off Time 11 a.m.!!!The 40th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade will step off at its new time of 11 a.m. on Saturday morning March 15, 2008. This will let people get to the Alamo Irish Festival earlier to enjoy the entertainment at La Villita.

The theme of our parade this year is “ Keeping it Green- Recycle, Renew and Reuse.” We are inviting organizations and vendors who support and promote these initiatives to be part of our parade and festival this year.

At a time when the effects of global warming are no longer in doubt and all eyes are turning to this subject, The Harp and Shamrock Society will be doing its part to make our already green day even more so by promoting steps people can take now to protect our planet by Keeping It Green

If you know of any group or organization that might want to join us and be part of this very special event or if you are interested in volunteering please con-tact Darryl Britten 210-215-9952 or Carolyn Dowd 210-896-1598.

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Our very own Harp member Erin O’Brien represented the Irish community of San Antonio at the National American Miss national pageant in Anaheim, Calif. last November as Miss San Antonio 2007.

Erin (pictured above at 2007 Alamo Irish Festival) earned her title at the state level in July and 2007 was her second year in a row to represent San Antonio at the national level. Erin has won the right to attend nation-als every year since the first time she entered in 2003. She has won multiple awards, including state and national placements in Talent, Personality, Spirit and Portfolio, as well as in the 2006 national Queen’s Court and the 2007 national Top 10. Erin proudly represented the Irish at the national level for the past five years. This year she recognized her Irish heritage by introducing herself on-stage in Irish Gaelic. Congratulations Erin and continued success.

For further information check out the website at:http://missnationalamerica.com/nationalamerican/Welcome.html

Erin O’Brien Represents San Antonio

Golf Ball DropFor the first time there is talk of having a golf ball drop. The logistics have not been worked out. Rumor has it a certain Air Force retiree is looking into bor-rowing a C130 or just a Blackhawk or Chinook to help us out with delivery. Of course we might only be able to afford a tall guy on a taller ladder. But that all remains to be seen. The important thing is that our members step up and support his efforts at raising money for our March events. So any pilots out there looking for some flight time or any one with a spare helicopter please get in touch with us.

E-mail: [email protected] [email protected]

The Harp & Shamrock Society of TexasNewsletter EditorP.O. Box 15306San Antonio, TX 78212

www.harpandshamrock.orgEmail: [email protected]

The Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas

Cultural Civic Patriotic SocialEducational

Mark Your Calendar

www.harpandshamrock.org

Your Veterans On Their Day2007

Bob Wehner, Chuck Meade, Bill Merriman, Wayne Faught, Sheila Carrola, Kevin Dowd, Tom Carrola and Chris Schulz.

March(is right around the corner)

07 Friday, Shamrock Golf Scramble

08 Saturday, St.Patrick’s Fun Run

14-16 Fri-Sun, Alamo Irish Festival

15, Saturday, 11 a.m. St. Patrick’s Day Parade

16 Sunday, St. Patrick’s River Parade

17 Monday, Alamo Wreath Laying

Thank you for saving

your society a stamp and the planet a tree.

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