Editor’s Corner: SummerFlew
By John O’Brien, Jr. @Jobjr
In another younger day I could dream the time away
In the universe inside my room
And the world was really mine from June ‘til September
And if it wasn’t really so I was lucky not to know
And I was lucky not to wonder why
Because the summer time is all that I remember
– Summerfly, by Maura O’Connell
What a magnificent, crazy, heartbreaking summer for iIrish and our community.
We lost legends, lost innocence, and lost ground. To have lived at all, the strongest hearts are still a patchwork of sewn and pasted pieces that are the fabric of our foundation. Sewing is such an undervalued skill. We have cried at too many funerals to not dance at the weddings.
Celebration! for columnists Terry Boyle’s new book, This Will Be; CB Shanahan’s new book, The Bolivian Incident, and Marilyn Madigan taking the reigns as National President of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians in America.
Kansas City Irish Fest; Speak Irish Cleveland new ten-week session starts September 6th; Pittsburgh Irish Festival, at a brand new, fascinating location; Michigan Irish Music Fest; Bluestone AOH annual Picnic; The Mayo Ball; The Friel Sisters @Music Box; and Terry McHale’s new book, Always the Horizon launch and talk at the West Side Irish American Club are just a few. Can we attend them all? Sounds like a challenge is being made …
See the What’s the Craic?, Taking the Fields of Glory, and the Annual Festival Focus pages within for all craic. This is the last month of the Festival Focus series for the year – I hope you have gotten a good dose of the return to festifying, but September offers one last opportunity. There is so much going on worthy of your support and attendance, and so much more, with the details, is inside.
In our leadup to the magnificent Mayo Ball, we inadvertently omitted Bridie Conway in our list of founding members of the society. Bridie has been a huge supporter of all the good things Irish in our community, and relentless in supporting iIrish; we are so blessed to have her in our corner, and so sorry for the omission!
iIrish is made in America with Irish roots. 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
