Harp Strings: Volume 46, Issue 4

Harp

The Official Newsletter of the Harp & Shamrock Society of Texas

StringsEstablished 1966

Volume 46 September 2012 Issue 4

www.harpandshamrock.org

From your President

Board members:Rob Holden, Elisa O’Brien, Tyler Tully, Joan Moody

Treasurer:JT NorrisSecretary :Dana Goodman2nd Vice president:Steve Mattick1st Vice president: Bob MeadePresident:Kevin Dowd

More photos an page 4&5.

Halfway to Saint Patrick’s Day Kevin emailed me yesterday and told me that he needed

a “farewell address” from me. As I began this letter, I thought about what I had accomplished and attempted to accom-plish as your president, when I realized how quickly the last two years have flown by.It has been an interest-ing two years, and as with any presidency, there were ups and downs. On the down-side, we said good bye to some members, and we may never have an-other street parade. On the upside, we have discovered new op-portunities for expand-

Election Meeting ResultsIt was great to see long-time members and con-stant volunteers Gloria Walsh and hubby Bob

Walsh as they pose in front of the Irish whiskey tasting area. Thanks again to Wild

Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Irish Whiskey.

The Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Hooley and Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread tasting contest will be held on Sep-tember 22, 2012 starting at 4 pm at the “ O’Beethoven Garden Pub”.

Start working on your family’s favorite Irish Stew recipe for the 3rd rematch of the Irish Stews. You must register to participate in the cook-off in advance. There is a $10 entrance fee and prizes will be awarded. A select team of judges will judge the stew using The Irish Stew Appre-ciation Society International, Inc. guidelines. For those interested in the Irish Soda Bread contest, similar guide-lines will be used. The application will be available on our website harpandshamrock.org and is available in this newsletter on page 7.

Like last year, you are invited to be a judge in the PEO-PLE’S CHOICE AWARD. For a $5 donation you will be given tasting bowls, spoons and a ballot form to complete for each Irish Stew and soda bread. So come on out for

Joan Moody, Tina Grau and President Terence Peak at the

Election meetingcontinued page 3continued page 3

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

PRESIDENTTerence Peak 210-829-3920VICE PRESIDENTKevin P. Dowd 210-845-44242nd VICE PRESIDENTBob Meade 210-946-7220TREASURERJ.T. Norris 210-621-3407SECRETARYDana Goodman 210-219-7356CHAPLAINFr. McNamara 210-635-8539

BOARD of DIRECTORSMelissa Schulz 210-445-2777Melinda Britten 210-699-8632Carolyn Dowd 210-896-1598Darryl Britten 210-215-9952Elissa O’Brien 210-348-6877Steve Mattick 210-212-7800Joan Moody 210-656-2666Erin O’Brien 210-348-6877John Smith 210-240-7736Brenda Tobey 210-523-0761Bill Merriman 210-259-3482Tyler Tully 210-688-0079Ryan Stone 210-849-1215IRISHMAN OF THE YEARDarryl Britten - 2012

EDITOR IN CHIEFKevin Patrick Dowd 210-845-4424

The Staff:Terry Peak

John McCarthyPat Peak

Carolyn DowdMelissa Schulz

Mariee Pilkington

©2012 Dowd Ranch Publishing

From the Laptop of Your EditorFirst I’d like to thank Bob Meade for his outstanding pouring abilities at the whiskey tasting during the Election Meeting. As Barry Fitzgerald says in “The Quiet Man”: “You have a fine steady hand.” Bob was instrumen-tal in making the whiskey tasting go off with out a hitch. It must be that good Air Force training. Or was it the Chi-town’s bravest reverence for the manna from the emerald isle? You’ll have to ask Bob? A big Thank You to Barbra and David Patrick also. Barb has the gift and turned the Whiskey tasting VIP section into a piano lounge. Great job decorating the tables. Did you all notice the election theme? Thanks also to Mary Jo Quinn for organizing the silent auction.All proceeds from both of these events went to our scholarship fund.Hopefully we’ll see everybody on the 22nd of September. Can you believe we started this Halfway celebration six years ago? Time surely flies when you’re having fun. We keep growing the Hooly and the crowd is growing with us. We are looking for Irish stew and Irish soda bread cooks. Appli-cation is on page 7. You can fill it out and send it in or just do it electroni-cally. Ah, the miracle that is the internet!On October 20th we’ll be manning our booth on Alamo Plaza for Found-ers Day. It is a great opportunity to let people know about the Irish in San Antonio. It starts around 9 a.m. Info:www.sanantoniofoundersday.org.October 26, 2012 will be the 47th Pleasanton Cowboy Homecom-ing. As a wee lad in the early 70’s My Uncle Patrick took me to my first

Homecoming. I was impressed by the herd of longhorns being led down Main Street, Pleas-anton. It used to be in August but to save lives they moved it to October. You can ask little Meredith Slimp with Inishfree Irish Danc-ers how bad it was dancing in the South Texas heat. The Kelly Singers will be entertaining the crowds along the route again this year. The Dowd Ranch will host a well deserved recep-tion after the parade. Please RSVP to me so we can order enough food. If anyone is going to New York there is a new musical to see. It is a little Irish number based

on the independent Irish film “Once.” It is a classic boy-meets-girl story, but with an Irish lilt and Dublin locals that made it unique. Now it is a broadway show and recently won eight Tony awards.Contact me and get more information on Facebook or our website.Your Irish lesson for today: Oibrithe Deonacha ag teastáil. Volunteers needed.

Go raibh maith agat.Thank You.

Kevin Patrick [email protected]

210-845-44242

SOCIETY OF TEXAS

HARP & SHAMROCK

Est. 1966


3

From Your President continued


ing the river parade with sponsorships and a stronger relationship with the Paseo del Rio Association.

In addition, our St. Patrick’s events (in particular the Hooley and Irish Stew cook-off) have been a huge success, the scholarship committee is more active and successful in fundraising and we continue to devote more hours to community service. This year has also brought some notoriety from the media and the citi-zens of San Antonio.

I am proud to say that I have had very little responsi-bility for the success of this organization, other than listening to your ideas and asking a member or some-one on the board to “make it happen”. Our success is due to the dedication, teamwork and passion of the board and our members. For this, I thank you. As I step down next month, I will have no regrets, but I will have great memories.

They say that time flies when you’re having fun. It also flies when you are the president.

Erin go BraughTerrence Peak

Halfway continued

Attention! Attention!Volunteer opportunities! OCT 13, Saturday, 7:45a.m. Days of Caring, Habitat for Humanity Home Build-ing Project, 311 Probandt, S.A. Volunteers and Par-ticipation Needed. Please call Melissa Schulz to Volunteer, 210-831-2072. Melissa is pictured below right at whiskey tast-ing piano bar with Derrick Cossey.

an afternoon of great food, fellowship and a little ‘friendly’ competition.

Donations are requested for Irish Soda Bread to be sold with the Irish Stew. If you would like your Soda bread to be entered into the tasting contest you must register in advance.

Thank you to all previous stew and Irish soda bread contest participants who have so generously helped to support the Society the past two years. We look forward to seeing you at this years tasting and hope to see some new folks too.

Please contact Carolyn Dowd if you are interested in volunteering at the Halfway Hooley. Volunteers are needed to help serve during the tasting, assist the official judges and staff the Irish store.

2012 Feis San AntonioThe Inishfree Booster Club would love to invite you all

to attend our 2012 “all day” feis & “all night”ceili:

Feis San Antonio Friday, October 5th & Saturday, Oct 6th

Sign up at: efeis.comIrish Idol Ceili Saturday, October 6th doors

open@7PMSan Antonio Airport Hilton

611 NW Loop 410 San Antonio TX 78216

This is the 13th annual San Antonio Feis and our 4th annual Irish Idol Ceili. We greatly appreciate your con-stant support of the Inishfree School of Irish Dance and hope to see your smiling faces at our ceili again this year. This year’s Irish Idol and Ceili promises even more entertainment and amazing raffle items.

For more feis information and tickets to the ceili:Contact:

Feis Chair: Stan Slimp [email protected] McKenna: Inishfree Booster VP and Irish

Idol Ceili Chair, home 210-930-7967, text/cell 210-364-9862

www.inishfreetx.com

4 www.harpandshamrock.org

Sue and Bob Branon were among our first customers.

Rob Holden, on right, made new friends. If someone recognizes

these folk please contact the editor.

Election and Whiskey Tasting

Sean and Cristine Hipp enjoyed the night out.

Bill Merriman enjoys his little taste of the emer-ald isles finest Wild Geese Irish Whiskey.

Joan Moody can barely contain her excitement as Bob Meade shows his bartending skills.

The McKenna Boys show off the colorfull rolls of Irish toilet paper

that they won in the silent raffle. Con-ley McKenna, left, Tully McKenna, right.Congratula-tions and use them

in good health. Anastasia and Steven McKenna enjoy the VIP whiskey tasting area.

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Election and Whiskey Tasting

Our intrepid whiskey tasting group shot. From left to right: Bob Meade, Tamara Carroll, Xing Tan Norris, Sean Hipp, Bartley Payne, Terry Peak, Dana Goodman, Kevin Dowd, Steve Mattick, Tina Grau, Bob Brannon, Rob Holden and Steven McKenna. Thanks to our friends at The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes Irish Whiskey!

Tom Ewing, left, leads the folks in song in the bar at Beethoveen after the Election meeting. It was one of the rare

times that John Donohue, at right, may he rest in peace, joined in with the Kelly Singers, Steve Mattick, Hal Carson

and Melinda Britten.

Summer McKenna is all smiles as she receives her scholarship check

from Melinda Britten.

6 www.harpandshamrock.org

In MemoriamNews From IrelandOlympic Irish Fever.Ireland has had its most successful Olympics in almost 60 years, as far as total medals won is con-cerned. The members of Team Ireland brought home five medals, including one gold, one silver and three bronzes. Hailing from Bray, County Wicklow, boxer Katie Taylor won Ireland’s only gold medal. Taylor, who was Ireland’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremo-ny, was an exciting athlete to watch. What made it even better was that this was the first Olympic games that allowed women to compete in the boxing ring. The other medal winners where: Silver, John Joe Nev-in (men’s bantamweight) and Bronze, Cian O’Connor (show jumping), Paddy Barnes (men’s light-flyweight boxing), Michael Conlan (men’s flyweight boxing).Not to be out done, Team Ireland’s Paralympics are starting to accumulate some medals. Athletes Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop, and swimmer Darragh McDonald have won gold medals for Ireland at the Paralympics Games in London.Officers hurt during N. Ireland riot over paradeSeptember 03, 2012Associated PressBELFAST, Northern Ireland – Police say 47 officers have been injured during overnight clashes with Prot-estant extremists angry over a Belfast parade by Irish republicans from the Catholic side of the community.Sunday night’s violence came as Irish republicans pa-raded near British Protestant districts of north Belfast. Police spent nine hours standing their ground against more than 100 rioters who threw bottles, bricks and fireworks at police lines until early Monday.

GAA Sports ReportAnd the crowd goes wild!!!

All that training in the Texas heat seems to have paid off for our local GAA boyos. They took

home the shield from the North American County Finals 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Left: Daniel White and Clive Davidson hold the trophy. Right: Sean holds it in the arm he didn’t injure. Please send your thoughts and prayers to injured player Sean Hipp. Hope you have a

speedy recovery. More fun pictures on the facebook page.

www.sanantoniogac.orgfacebook.com/SanAntonioGaelicAthleticClub

Betsy Elizabeth KobellPassed away peacefully July 5, 2012. Betsy was a force of nature and active member of the society in the past. Even though she couldn’t come out to our events she loved to read about them in our newslet-ter. If I ever thought I’d lose my Bronx accent, Betsy was proof that I won’t. You can take the girl out of the Bronx, but you can’t take the Bronx out of the girl. Betsy is survived by Joe, her husband of 63 years. She will be greatly missed.

John F. DonohueThat heavenly choir has gotten a new golden voice. John passed away July 17, 2012. John, ever the show-man, was captured on video just days before his pass-ing. He sang a German song first, then sang “Danny Boy.” There wasn’t a dry eye in the church when John sang himself out. John stepped up and made our first St. Patrick’s Day Hooley a complete success. John is survived by Shirley, his wife of 63 years. Rest in peace my friend.

Edmond McCarthyEdmond R. McCarthy died at his home in San Anto-nio on July 19, 2012. Born February 14, 1930, inBrooklyn. New York. Retiring, after 30 years, with the rank of Colonel USAF. After which Ed and his wife of 57 years, Marguerite “Sue” McCarthy, be-came full-time residents of San Antonio. May he rest in peace.

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You can email your entry and pay with paypal on our website or cut out this section and mail it in. Either way that is easiest for you. See ya at the cookoff!

Harp and Shamrock Society of Texas

6th Annual Half way to St. Patrick’s Day Hooley

September 22, 2012 ‘O’Beethoven Garden Pub’ Irish Stew & Soda Bread Appreciation Society International

Irish Stew And Irish Soda Bread Tasting Contest Rules:

1. Make your favorite family Irish stew or soda bread recipe. 2. Stew and bread must be turned in and ready for judging no later than 5 pm. 3. Stew should be brought in at least a 5 Qt. crockpot, roaster or chaving dish, hot and

ready to serve. 4. Two categories of judging, ‘Peoples Choice’ and Official “Blinded” judges for the Irish

stew. ‘Peoples Choice’ category for the Irish Soda Bread. Prizes will be awarded. 5. Email application to [email protected] or [email protected] by Sept. 14.

Pay registration through Paypal @ harpandshamrock.org

6. Have fun and earn the bragging rights to the best Irish stew or soda bread in Texas

CONTEST APPLICATION Deadline for entering Contest is September 14, 2012. All entries must be pre registered.

Name_______________________ Phone #_________________

Irish Stew $10_____ Irish Soda Bread $10 _____

For more information Harpandshamrock.org or

Email: [email protected]

Proceeds from this event support the St. Patrick’s Day River Parade in

San Antonio. Join us for St. Patrick’s Day River Parade, March 17, 2013

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

Cultural Civic Patriotic SocialEducational

Mark Your Calendar


September22, Saturday, 4:00 p.m.

6th Annual Halfway to St. Patrick’s DayIrish Hooley and Irish Stew/Irish Soda Bread

Tasting Contest

October6, Saturday, Inishfree Feis, page 3

13, Saturday, 7:45 a.m.Days of Caring, Habitat for Humanity

More info on page 320, Saturday, Founders Day

Alamo Plaza27, Saturday, 10 a.m. 47th Pleasanton Cowboy

Homecoming Parade More info page 2

Member participation needed for all these events!

Remember you can always use PayPal™for donations and dues!

Keeping It Green...Renew, Recycle, Reuse!©2012 Dowd Ranch Publishing

Thanks To Our Sponsors

[email protected]

And more Thanks to our sponsors:Lion & Rose Restaurant and Bar,

Red McCombs Toyota, Waxy O’Connor’s Irish Pub,Tommy Moloney’s, The Friendly Spot, Bike City

Harp Strings: Volume 46, Issue 4

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