By John O’Brien, Jr.
@Jobjr
We look and feel a little slim this month. Do you feel it too?
I am biased, and I think this is a great issue, looking mostly forward, but being self-aware enough to know how the past has affected us as a community and at iIrish. We have recipes that reward, and how to lose the weight they add; being organic and healthy and wise with reviews and resolutions, as well as poetry and performance, in English and in Irish.
Irish Heritage Month is not far in front of us, and the honorees feature only needs … your honorees! Send them on to us to be included in the St. Pat’s issue (1 Word document and 1 High-Res pic that you own). We will have the 2025 pins for sale – so let us know if you would like one.
Our next Speak Irish CLE 10-week class starts January 14th; our first was September 29th of 2014! Every step of the way, PJ McIntyre’s has been there in space and in other support. We are so fortunate to have such caretakers. What a fantastic journey and evolution it has been, with 20 to 40 students per 10-week session, three times a year, times 10 years in the books. How grateful we are to PJ’s, Pat, Doug, Katie, Patrick, Rosie and so many others; to the teachers and students who are dedicated to building and carrying on this effort to build an Irish speaking circle right here in Cleveland with such fun and impact on our wider community - much Grá (love) to you all.
Speaking of, so looking forward to the AOH History Tour in March; and leading a small group on a personal roots tour myself in June. Be very careful who you book with, to avoid ethical issues, lack of morals and not getting what you were promised.
I highly recommend Patricia Hollywood and Travel Connections; Pat and her son Mark have been handling booking for Cleveland Irish Festival for decades. They are also helping iIrish with our tours now, since we got so badly burned in June of 2023 with the last provider we worked with.
See the What’s the Craic? page 16 and 17, for great places to sing, dance and make merry, and the details too. There is so much more inside.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians Bluestone Division hold a monthly mass at a different Irish roots parish each month for most of the year. We honor past sacrifices, and provide scholarships for students who wish to learn in the future. It is followed by a panel talk about a connecting issue as we enjoy the topic, an Irish breakfast, and each other.
Last month’s Holy Name Parish mass was extra special. Francis McGarry speaks more on that in his Cleveland Irish column this month, but a short side of it (Francis DOES NOT do short) is that Holy Name Parish has the last surviving Hibernian window in Greater Cleveland.
We all gathered, learned, enjoyed and shared the great company of our Hibernian brothers and sisters. We welcome you to join us too. Give me a shout, email, text … and I can tell you more about the Men’s or the Women’s divisions, right here in Cleveland, and the more than 320 divisions across our beautiful U.S. of A.
Last and nowhere near least, iIrish has exceeded a milestone never envisioned when we started this 18 years ago this month. Happy Anniversary! We (All of us – readers, advertisers, staff and friends), by working together, have enabled us to donate more than $420,000 to local and national charities and organizations since our 2006 inception.
We couldn’t do it without you, and wouldn’t want to. We strive to stay sustainable in operations and activity; diversity of staff; share knowledge past and present; and help others to do the same. Thank you for loving us into impactful evolution, for everyone.
Read more of John’s Editor’s Corner, Click HERE
May is a month that we honor and remember. On May 1, May Day, or International Workers’ Day is celebrated around the world. Over the past 10 years, May 4 has been a celebration of Mayo-ness. This has become a Global celebration of Mayo. Please visit mayo.ie for more information.
Cinco de Mayo Day is celebrated by many, but do you know what
Certain foods can naturally activate pathways involved in appetite suppression. These
News on Ireland, Ireland’s Future, meetings and updates
iIrish is made in America. We have always been green and are proudly Irish, all year long.
Nuair a stadann an ceol, an damhsa déanann an amhlaidh
(When the music stops, so does the dance)
John
To read more of John’s columns, click HERE
*John is a Founder and the Publisher and Editor of iIrish; a Founder and Deputy Director of Cleveland Irish Cultural Festival for more than 35 years; an archivist, spokesman, emcee, Spoken Word presenter and author of five books, so far.
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