In the Company of Great Leaders
I hope your summer has kicked off in grande style. The Cleveland GAA Annual Memorial 7’s tournament was held May 15-16 and was a huge success. What a fantastic job by ClevelandGAA Chairman (and iIrish Taking the Fields of Glory columnist) Vince Beach and his army.
Two fields ran continuously, on time, and with great competition as men’s and ladies’ teams from across the Midwest division and from Toronto faced off. Then everyone shared in winner’s celebrations in the pavilion at Cleveland GAA’s beautiful home field at the West Side Irish American Club.
This year’s tournament was in memorial to long-time player and champion, George Dunne, Sr. You can read about George in last month’s issue, or online at https://iirish.us/taking-the-fields-ofglory-oh-the-summer-sports-timeis-coming/ Hundreds of hours have been put into the fields in the last few years by the Beach army, resodding, removing loads of gravel, seeding, fertilizing and on and on. This is the finest field I have ever seen in my 40+ years affiliated with Cleveland GAA. To see a Men’s football, women’s football, hurling, camogie and youth teams compete (and earn championships) under the ClevelandGAA banner is something never seen previously to the army working their magic under Vince’s tireless and visionary guidance. He and they put in a huge load of hours for the benefit of us all. We are so fortunate to have him and them among us.
Community Heroes
Vince and Madigan Muses columnist Marilyn Madigan were honored as Irish Community Heroes by the Irish Echo. I often tout how we have such an amazing team, what we call in Irish Meitheal (pron. Mee Hawl). It means people working together as a team for the greater good. Their accomplishments may not always get a plaque, or even get noticed, but they do make all of our lives so much richer.
Unfortunately, we did lose two Irish community legends – 14-year iIrish columnist Linda Fulton Burke and good friend and constant supporter Jack Kilroy both went home to God. May they rest in peace and watch over us always. Our love to their loved ones.
Besides sponsoring the Cleveland GAA, we also sponsor the annual Ohio Rose of Tralee. The big day for selecting the next Ohio Rose is June 9th. All of the candidates are featured inside, on pages 24 & 25. Who do you think will be our next Ohio Rose? Don’t forget to pray hard and eat well; a great opportunity to do so is at the annual Pioneer Mass and Luncheon at St. Pat’s Bridge that June 9th morning. Call John Lackey for tickets 440.331.0048 to reserve your spot.
You have heard us talk highly about Columbus Judge Michael Mentel’s new book, The 1981 Hunger Strike. It is highly recommended. Wellwritten, meticulously researched, and especially illuminating, It explains new information available for the first time, in the recently released British Government papers from that time.
I learned so much and connected so many events from throughout the Irish journey to what happened much, much later, through reading Mike’s book.
I thought so much of it that I want you to hear about it too. Not from me, but from Mike himself.
He will be speaking on the book at the West Side Irish American Club on Sunday June 23rd, at 2:00p.m. The WSIA is at 8559 Jennings Road, Olmsted Twp 44138, off the 480 & Stearns Road exit. Entry is free, and Mike will bring books to sign for you as well. I hope you will join us.
Hard to believe, but we wrapped up our 11th year sponsoring Speak Irish Cleveland classes with the generous support of our partner, P.J. McIntyre’s. More than 30 students worked hard, studied hard and yes, even played hard, with a load of great stories and laughter, guest speakers and even a sing along or two in Irish.
We have video’s and much more info on the class on our iIrish.us website. The next set of ten classes start September 10th; join our community of learners, who are also volunteers, helping at other events, and getting together for concerts and such ~ we enjoy each other’s company, and we would enjoy yours too. Registration is required, so reach out to me with any questions or to sign up. There is so much more inside.
iIrish is made in America. We have always been green and are proudly Irish, all year long.
…
Nuair a stapann an ceol, an damhsa déanann an amhlaidh (When the music stops, so does the dance) John
Spring 25 Tournament Game Winners
The Spring 25 Tournament was a great success. 60 players competed to get their name on the trophy. We needed a playoff to determine the partners for the final table.
Mike Hennigan and Vince Gallagher finished in fourth place, after being defeated in a one game playoff by John and Pat Hayes. The Hayes brothers then dueled it out with the other finalists, Ed Campell and his partner Mike Lavelle, and Chris Campbell and Marty Joe Kilbane. The Champions are Chris Campbell & Marty Joe Kilbane!
A special thanks to Kevin McDonough and his brigade for serving (as usual) an absolutely fabulous dinner. Much appreciation to the volunteers who make it all run smoothly: Kathleen Mangan, Kathleen Sheehan, Christine O’Donnell, Mary Ellen Grealis and Kathy Petit.
Watch this space for news of the next tournament, and a new class to learn how to play 25. If you are interested in playing in the next tournament, we will be holding classes in the summer
A Garden of Their Own
Non-Profit Formed to Build Scottish Cultural Garden
By Barry Conway
In 1896, John D. Rockefeller donated the land that forms the Cleveland Cultural Gardens today. The Cultural Gardens began in 1916, with the establishment of the William Shakespeare Garden by Leo Weidenthal, who later conceived of the idea to establish more gardens honoring the artists and cultural icons of the immigrant communities who had come to call Cleveland home.
His idea led to the founding of the Cleveland Garden League in the mid-1920s.
The gardens, then and now, are sponsored and developed by the individual ethnic communities after which they’re named. They work in conjunction with the Cleveland Cultural Garden Federation (CCGF).
The Cleveland Garden League was re-named CCGF in 1952, and the city began to bring their cultural “homes” to life. The Irish Garden, for example, was dedicated in 1939, and was built with support of the Federal Government’s Works Progress Administration, as part of FDR’s New Deal. The first Scottish designated garden area was on the west side of Liberty Blvd, later to be renamed Martin Luther King Blvd, across from where the Irish Garden now stands. The exact date of the placement isn’t known.
While the area was so designated, the Scots were unable to organize or raise money to build a garden at that time. So, there it stood, for decades, a dedicated garden area with no garden, flag or sign.
In 1991, an effort led by wellknown bagpiper John Karrick, Bob Crawford and others, to raise the money necessary to build a Scottish Garden by forming the Scottish Cultural Garden Foundation was attempted. However, this effort, like previous efforts, failed to gain enough support to build a garden.
With the Scots unable to raise the money necessary to build a garden, and other ethnic groups wanting to be represented, pressure was mounting to give the designated Scottish Garden area to another country. A compromise was reached – the Scots gave up their original area and were given an area on the east side of East Blvd, taking an approximate one-acre portion of the British Garden.
The British Garden is considered to be the first garden, as it includes the Shakespeare Garden of 1916, and pre-dates the formation of the Cleveland Garden League.
With a compromise reached and an acre of land to be developed, Bob Crawford, with his wife Sheila, have again embarked on a journey to generate interest to build a Scottish Garden, but this time, sought to make sure he had more support from the broader Scottish community.
Bob reached out to the three largest Scottish cultural organizations in northeast Ohio, The Scottish American Cultural Society of Ohio, the Scottish Heritage Association of Northeast Ohio and the Scottish American Association, to secure their support by offering each a seat on the new board and asking for a small donation to register the Scottish Garden with the CCGF All organizations agreed and the Scottish Cultural Garden Society, LLC. was formed, in April, 2022. The purpose of this new organization is “The development and maintenance of a garden within the City of Cleveland that commemorates and preserves the cultural, philosophical, and intellectual achievements of Scotland for the enrichment of all our citizens.”
Bob and Sheila have assembled a steering committee, which includes Bruce Greig, Clark Langmack, Bill Kennedy, David McLaughlin, and Alex Murray. The group is working with James McKnight, who is an experienced landscape architect.
Together they have developed a multi-phased project which, when finished, will be sure to “wow” any visitor. The garden will include Highland Rock Garden with stone, heather and thistle; Tartan Plaza, which will include pavers laid in tartan design; Recognition Walkway, with busts of historic figures; Highland Piper Sculpture; Scotch Pine Grove; a cairn; and a putting green.
Phase 1 of the project can’t begin until $25,000 is raised so, they need our support!
To spread the word about their project, The Scottish Garden Society will again exhibit at the Ohio Scottish Games & Celtic Festival June 21-22 at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in the Clan area. For more information, go to www. ohioscottishgames.com.
The Scottish Cultural Garden Society will be hosting a fundraiser/ meet & greet before and after the Skerryvore concert at Cain Park on Aug 6th. For tickets/ more information see www.scottishculturalgarden.org.
