T HE FESTIVAL OF LUGHNASA Taken from: irishcultureandcustoms.com

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1 AOH Division 61 Joseph Patrick Schickling August Newsletter 4131 Rhawn Street, Philadelphia, PA Reach us via at or by phone Celebrating over 100 years of Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity! August 2004 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Birthdays 2 AOH/LAOH Luau BBQ Fall Basketball League 2 Notre Dame Football Club Celtic Football Club 3 This Month in History 4 Sponsors 5 Officers 6 Division Calendar AOH Monthly Meeting Fri., August 6th 8pm LAOH Monthly Meeting Wed., August 11th 7:30pm Home Association Mtg. Wed., August 18th 7:30pm If you do not sow in the spring you will not reap in the autumn. ~Irish Proverb 2 2 T HE FESTIVAL OF LUGHNASA Taken from: irishcultureandcustoms.com Traditionally, August marked the beginning of the Harvest season and it was a time of great celebration in rural Ireland. The season began on the first of the month with the festival of Lughnasa, the Irish word for August. Since it was impractical to take farm folk away from their work during the week, it was generally celebrated on the first or second weekend. The weather was usually fine and it was traditional for entire communities to gather at a chosen meeting place in the hills, by a river or lake, or perhaps at a holy well. Lughnasa was the most joyous of the Celtic festivals because farm folk could look forward to the fruits of all their hard work during the previous months. Lughnasa comes from the god Last month, fellow Hibernian, Mike Roman, approached us about writing a monthly column on the Celtic Football Club (soccer). Never heard of them? Maybe you should take a break from watching those first-place Phillies! The Celtic play in the Scottish Premier League (SPL) and won the League Championship as of craftsmanship and wisdom, Lugh. When Christianity came to Ireland and the other Celtic nations, the festival became known as Lammas or 'first loaf' and it was customary to bake a special loaf of bread from the first corn. Yet another welcome feature of the feast was fresh fruit. It was very common for rural folk to have currants or gooseberries in their gardens, and for those living in the hills, there was the delight of adding freshly picked and intensely flavored fraughans or wild blueberries to the menu. These were mashed with fresh cream and sugar and eaten with great relish. But, however delicious the feast was, it was not the main event. What everyone looked forward to was the traditional annual excursion to a favorite gathering place. The festivities began early in N EW SPORTS COLUMNIST... well as the Scottish Cup. They also play in the major European Tournaments. They have a rich history in the Irish community in Glasgow and are supported and admired by a worldwide audience who enjoy competitive soccer. Realizing the newsletter is harder to fill then an AA meeting on St. Patrick s Day, we leapt at the opportunity! Volume 11, Issue 7 the morning so the participants could 'make a day of it'; they set out on foot, on horseback or in carts, and made sure to bring plenty of food, drink as well as musical instruments. On arrival at the meeting place, festivities began in earnest. There'd be the young men engaged in tests of skill and strength as well as sport and games. The young girls picked wild flowers and made them into garlands or nosegays. And, of course, there were always the wild berries to be picked and savored on the spot or saved for dessert. Before and after the feast, there would be singing,... Please see FESTIVAL / Page 4 Please enjoy Mike s sports article on page 3 and we thank him for his willingness to participate in the newsletter and broadening our scope of Hibernian happenings.

2 Page 2 Breithlá Sona! Happy Birthday! Jack Agger Ken Brightcliffe Chris Brugler Justin Brugler Joe Callahan Ken Carr Robert Covely John Duffield Bill Fenerty Liam Heaney Richard Jefferson Shane Kelly Harry Kubis Bill Kuntz Joe Lister Robert McBride Bill McDonnell Dave McGee Michael Meyers Norm Millard Chuck Payne Patrick Shepherd Christian Spoerl Ed Sutter Gerard Winward Go maire tú an céad! May you live to be a hundred HELP NEEDED In addition to our prayers, the following items are needed by the St. Francis Inn. Please, bring donations to the club. Razors Deodorant Coffee Sweatened Iced Tea Mix Men s Underwear Feminine products AOH/LAOH DIVISION 61 LUAU BBQ Come on out and join us for the Division 61 Luau BBQ sponsored by the AOH and LAOH!!! Saturday, August 21, 2004 at AOH Division 61. The BBQ starts at 3pm and will continue all evening. It is only $8 for adults and $3 for kids ages Kids 4 Our basketball team is gearing up for this year s season and looking for any members who are interested in playing (Rumor: Denny Boylan is coming out of retirement for this season). All games will played at & under are free. There will also be a cash bar. F ALL BASKETBALL LEAGUE B Y : TIM CAWLEY B r i d e s b u r g Rec. There will be a "practice" in early September. The schedule will be posted at the club and in next month's newsletter. For info. contact Tim or tcawley33@aol.com. NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL CLUB B Y : DENNY BOYLAN For the sixth year in a row we will be running our Notre Dame Football Club. Last year we had 30 members and we'd like to have even more this year. The cost is still only $ and this includes food and domestic beer during all Notre Dame games and a shirt embroidered with our original Notre Dame Football club logo. This fee also includes our famous Pig Roast (Saturday, November 27-8:00PM) The first game is Saturday, September 4. If interested in joining please call Denny Boylan at or e- mail at boylan7@yahoo.com. Volume 11, Issue 7 We are looking for volunteers to bring salads, desserts, burger fixings, etc Please call or Mary at or steiger8875@aol.com if you would like to bring something. If you have any Hawaiian cloths, feel free to wear them!!! Beginner Irish Dance Classes Keep your heritage alive through music and dance. Learn traditional Irish step and ceili classes on Monday nights at AOH 61. Monday 5:00pm Children s classes 1st-8th grade 7:00pm Adult step ~ solo dance 8:00pm Adult ceili ~ group lessons $10.00 registration $5.00 per class Classes begin September 13th for more information please contact: Beth Timoney Pride of Erin School of Irish Dance BTimo@aol.com If you are interested Hall Rentals or for more information, please contact Jack Gill at or by at JGill@septa.org. Make sure to leave your name, phone #, and date and time you wish to rent the hall. Advanced notice is appreciated!

3 July Newsletter Page 3 I T WAS A GRAND OLD TEAM TO SEE! By: Mike Roman Celtic s North American Tour stopped in Philly on July 28. After two less-then-stellar performances against Chelsea and Liverpool, Celtic delivered Manchester United a 2-1 defeat in front of 55,000 spectators at the Linc. Although Man U supporters were clearly in attendance, Hoops jerseys and Irish flags dominated the stadium; and the Celtic Faithful were undoubtedly the most audible group especially in the section, where supporters sang for the full 90 minutes and then some. Things looked bleak for Celtic in the 3 rd minute when United s Chistopher Eagles sent Alan Thompson sprawling on the pitch after a reckless charge. Thompson was removed by stretcher and received 5 stitches under the right knee but is not expected to be out for and length of League play. The tide turned green 6 minutes later when Chris Sutton opened it for Celtic with a penalty kick. The kick resulted after another terrible United tackle, this time of Celtic Midfielder Stilian Petrov by John Spector. The lead held until Alan Smith headed in a corner kick from Eagles in the 35 th minute. Celtic sealed the win in the 72 nd minute when 20 yearold Craig Beattie flew by Roy Keene on the right side and threaded a shot between the legs of United Goaltender Tim Howard. Eight hours before kickoff, players Shaun Maloney, John Kennedy, and Bobby Petta were joined by Club Officials at a City Hall Rally organized by the Philadelphia Fado Celtic Supporters Club. Councilman Jack Kelly, with the Emerald Society Pipe and Drum Band playing, presented Celtic Chairman Brian Quinn with a City Council Resolution officially welcoming them to Philadelphia. Quinn was moved by the Honor and stated that Philadelphia has earned a special place in Celtic hearts. Scottish Premier League play begins for Celtic on August 8 as Motherwell travel to Celtic Park. Celtic then play away to Kilmarnock on August 14 th and Inverness CT on August 22 nd. The first Old Firm match of the season is on August 29 th with the Rangers at Celtic Park. In UEFA Champions League play, Celtic will enter the group stage in September. Just in time, Celtic have signed striker Henri Camara on a one-year loan from Wolverhampton. Camara said Although I have played and scored in [FIFA] World Cup matches for my country, the chance to represent Celtic in the Champions League will be the biggest footballing experience of my life." Hail! Hail! 12 TH ANNUAL HALFBALL TOURNAMENT Sponsored by: AOH Division Dues are now Due! Don t forget the dues for the upcoming year are now due. Please come ready to pay at this month s meeting. Dues are $45 for the year! Dues can also be mailed to: Joe Schickling 188 Hickory Hill Rd. Phila., PA Don t forget to visit our website: If you know of a good link or have an address you d like to add send the info to aohdiv61@aol.com If you would like to write something in the monthly newsletter (making our job easier) or if you just want to post an upcoming event send an to div61newsletter@comcast.net On Saturday, August 25th at 1pm there will be the 12th Annual Halfball Tournament on the front lawn of Cardinal Dougherty High School. The tourney is open to ANY- ONE wishing to play. Last year we had co-ed teams and grandfather/father/son teams... it's a really fun day for the family. The goal is to raise scholarship funds for the Patrick Kerr Scholarship Fund at Roman Catholic High School and the Cardinal Fund at Cardinal Dougherty High School. For $35 per person (we'll put you with a team) or bring your own four (4) man team. This includes: Adult Soda, Soda, Water, etc., food, T- shirt and a $ team prize for the winning team. This is a single game elimination (4 innings) tournament. Please contact Kevin McCoy A.S.A.P. to register at mccoycd1984@compuserv e.com or All registration money should be sent along with a list of team members, and a contact name and phone number to: Bob McCool 507 Carol Dr. Feasterville, Pa Good and Welfare May everyone have a happy and safe End of the Summer! Please remember to keep our troops and their families in our prayers

4 Page 4 This Month in Irish History: August 1 August Start of Lughnasa Festival, also the first day of Autumn in the Celtic calendar 1 August 1846 The Great Southern & Western Railway line between Dublin and Carlow opens 9 August 1850 Irish Tenant League is founded 9 August 1850 The first Vietnamese boat people arrive in Ireland 10 August 1316 Battle of Athenry. Irish rising in support of Edward Bruce of Scotland 12 August 1898 Irish Local Government Act sets up elective county and district councils 15 August 1803 Edmund Rice opens a school for poor boys in Waterford - precursor of the schools run by the Christian Brothers 21 August 1879 A Vision of the Virgin Mary is witnessed by 15 villagers in Knock, Co. Mayo 22 August 1998 The republican splinter group INLA calls for a total and unconditional ceasefire and says it has instructed all units to desist from the "armed struggle" 25 August 1986 Hurricane Charlie hits Ireland and the heaviest rain-fall over a 24 hour period is recorded inches at Kippure Mountain, Co. Wicklow 30 August 1911 The Chamber of Commerce calls for Ireland to adopt Greenwich Mean Time 25 minutes behind Irish Standard Time FESTIVAL Continued from Page1 dancing and story-telling, and as afternoon turned to dusk, bonfires would be lit and the merry-making would continue. Children engaged in games of Leap Frog and rounders which is a precursor to softball or baseball, the old ones gossiped and amused themselves watching the young folk, and all in all, it was a day of fun and merriment for every participant. Besides the gatherings of entire communities, there were other Lughnasa customs and traditions. This was a favorite time for "pattern days" which were when a favorite saint or patron saint was honored with a visit to their sacred well or shrine. Festivities began with devotions which consisted of "making the rounds." The faithful would walk around the shrine or well a certain number of times while reciting special prayers. If the pattern was held at a sacred well, part of the G OOD & WELFARE For those of you who may not be aware of the purpose of Good and Welfare, let me explain. It is a resource available to all division members who become aware of a happy or not so happy event involving a fellow division Hibernian. If you are unsure if a particular event falls under ritual included drinking the water or, if one had a sore or other affliction, washing that part of the body in the sacred stream. Many shrines and wells are famous for their cures of various ailments. In general, most pilgrims left a small token of their visit. After the devotions, the secular festivities begin. Superstitions, especially about the weather, also played a prominent role during Lughnasa. In Co. Limerick, for example, Knockfeerina Mountain was a weather portent over a wide area. If the peak looked blue and distant, a fine harvest was expected; if it appeared green and close at hand, the worst was feared. Also, it was widely believed that if floods occur in May, flooding could be expected during harvest time. In general, the many beliefs and traditions which heralded the season evolved from its supreme importance to the lives of the people and their survival. Thus, there were offerings of fruits and flowers on Good and Welfare, please ask. Inquiries and requests should be made to Art Hand III, who may be reached by either phone ( ) or (div61newsletter@comcast.net). Volume 11, Issue 7 Knockfeerina Mountain as well as the garlanding with flowers of the largest pillar stone - all to ensure plenty in the coming year, and all undoubtedly, remnants of rituals that go back way before Christianity. One August event, with its attendant rites and rituals has survived to the present day, and that's the Puck Fair in Killorglin, Co. Kerry. The fair is one of Ireland's oldest and longest celebrated and is held without fail on the10th,11th and 12th of August every year. What can be said about the old fairs is that August was one of the most favorite times to hold them. The biggest ones attracted kings and nobles, foreign merchants, musicians, entertainers and throngs of people, many of them looking to buy and sell livestock or hire themselves out for the coming year. One historical record states that at a major fair held in 1168, there was a traffic jam of horses and vehicles six miles long! Do you need something written in the newsletter but you re not sure what to do? Just the information to us at: Div61newsletter@comcast.net To ensure that the information makes it to the next newsletter, please send it at least a week in advance of the next meeting. Always forget? Just send us your address to receive a monthly reminder! Please do not park your car in the drive through lane of the bank or the rear parking lot through the gate. There is a possibility of your car getting towed. Please spread the word!

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6 AOH 61 Officers President: Bill Kuntz Vice-President: Joe Campbell Financial Secretary: Joe Schickling Treasurer: Jim Leonard Recording Secretary: Art Hand Chmn. Stndg. Comm.: Jay Costello Marshall: Jack Gill Sentinel: Ed Rodriguez Organizer: John Hagan Historian: Joe Beggin Steward: Tim Cawley Past President: Frank Schickling Trustees: Chris Mullen Mike McCrane P.J. Clerkin Chaplain: Rev James Lyons W ELCOME Because of last month s cancelled meeting, we have no new members to welcome. We hope all recently inducted members have enjoyed everything this organization has to offer so far and that we all continue to live in Friendship, Unity, and Christian Charity. Division 61 Club Hours: Sundays Noon 10pm Mondays 7pm Midnight Tuesdays 6pm Midnight Thursdays 6pm Midnight Fridays 6pm 2am Saturdays Noon 2am Come out and enjoy some good times!!! Ancient Order Of Hiberians P.O. Box Philadelphia, PA We re on the Web! Check us out at Div61.com