Your 2015 Executive Committee:

President

Paul Malone

705-721-7624

Vice President

Ken Donovan

705-739-8536

Treasurer

Margaret Curran

705-424-3066

Secretary

Jane Downie

705-835-0406

Events Co-Ordinator

Michael Flaherty

705-481-1629

Membership

Rita Bettam

705-722-3644

Founder

Renee Hall

705-431-1087

"Just before the death of flowers,

And before they are buried in snow,

There comes a festival season

When nature is all aglow."

- Author Unknown

Page 1: Executive Info & Index

Page 2: Ireland 2016

Page 3: President's Letter &

Computer Tip

Page 4: Samhain

Page 5: Upcoming Events & Other

Events of Interest

Page 6: Easter, 1916 by WB Yeats &

Halloween Decorations

Page 7: Laughter The Best

Medicine

Page 8: From the Bookshelf

Page 9: Movie Reviews

Page 10: Membership Application,

Radio Show Information, & Upcoming Events Cut

& Upcoming Events Cut Out

NO members of the Royal family will be invited to attend

Ireland's Easter Rising centenary commemorations.

The government has announced that the events to mark the 1916 Easter Rising Centenary will be "Irish Only", meaning

that the British Royal family will not attend the celebrations next year.

The Easter Rising was a Republican rebellion which lasted from Monday 24 April (Easter Monday) to 30 April 1916. The

aim was to end British rule in Ireland and to establish an independent Ireland as a republic. Despite its military failure, the

Easter Rising is seen by many as being a significant stepping-stone in the eventual creation of the Irish Republic.

There are several articles on the internet that you can read for more information:

http://www.irishcentral.com/news/No-British-Royals-invited-to-1916-commemorations.html

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-33692029

http://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/it-is-right-that-british-royals-won-t-be-at-1916-events-1.2096970

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/irish-government-to-support-1916-commemorations-in-britain

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/british-royal-family-not-invited-to-irelands-easter-rising-centenary-commemorations

The Irish government today revealed an ambitious program of events "IRELAND 2016"

which will take place across the globe to mark next year’s centenary of the Easter Rising.

An excerpt from an article By Fiona Audley on June 29, 2015

Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC and Buenos Aires will all host events on the

international schedule, while the London offering will feature a collection of Irish

classical musicians and singers at a concert at Wigmore Hall next April.

In the US, Irish arts festivals, GAA tournaments and historic memorials will take on

the centenary theme over the course of the year, according to the Ireland 2016 Global

and Diaspora Program which was revealed in Dublin today.

“From Washington to Tokyo, and from Paris to Buenos Aires, an exciting range of historical, cultural and arts events will

take place over the coming year to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising of 1916,” Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie

Flanagan said today, ahead of the launch of the program at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland this evening.

“I would like to invite Ireland’s global family and friends to come together to remember the events of a century ago,

reflect on what we have achieved and what we need to continue to strive for and to look forward to the next 100 years,” he

added.

Ireland's Arts Minister Heather Humphries stated: “The arts are at the very centre of Ireland 2016”.

In Canada: A new operatic version of James Joyce’s The Dead, produced by The Performance Corporation, will be presented at arts

festivals taking place across Canada in 2016.

To learn more, go to the following:

http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/ireland-announces-global-programme-for-1916-centenary-events

LETTER FROM PRESIDENT: PAUL MALONE

Computer Tips

Tips for Staying Safe on Social Networks

By News Canada

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can be a great way to stay in touch, share photos and broadcast what's

on your mind. Unfortunately they're also a great way for cyber criminals to find out information about you. The federal

government has provided some tips for safer social networking. These can be found on www.GetCyberSafe.ca

• Check out the privacy and security settings and use them to control who sees what. If someone you don't know tries to

“friend” you, ignore it. There's no way to be sure they are who they say they are.

• Before you post pictures, think about whether they give away too much information about you. For example, does that

shot show your street name or license plate in the background? Avoid geotagging photos. Most smartphones and many

digital cameras automatically attach the exact location where a photo was taken, which can give away your address or let

criminals know that you're on vacation, making your home a target for break-in.

• Don't mention things like going away on vacation, big purchases or events that include your address in your status

updates.

• Never include banking information – not even the name of your bank.

STRESSED spelled backwards = DESSERTS

Warm summer greetings to all Club members. This has been a most gorgeous day in August. Warm, sunny and a gentle breeze. I tried boxing it up for all to enjoy in February. Now that we are half way through summer our thoughts turn to autumn. Early in November we will have our Annual General Meeting (AGM). I ask all of you to consider how you can help maintain our club for many years to come by participating as a member of the executive committee, offering to assist at our club functions or by simply providing your input into social events and outings. The current committee wants to hear from you. We are open to all ideas. Before autumn sets in we do have some summer events planned, so check your newsletter thoroughly. Also remember our website and Facebook as well. We want you to be informed. I am looking forward to seeing all of you at our annual corn roast at Dave and Jane Downie's Sunday September 06th. Remember to bring your chair and something to share. See you there. Paul

Look forward to seeing you at the next outing.

Paul

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Samhain is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the

"darker half" of the year.

It is celebrated from sunset on 31 October to sunset on 1 November, or about halfway between the autumn equinox and

the winter solstice. Historically, it was widely observed throughout Ireland, and later the Isle of Man and Scotland. It is

one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals, along with Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh.

Samhain is mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and is known to have pre-Christian roots. Many

important events in Irish mythology happen or begin on Samhain. It was the time when cattle were brought

back down from the summer pastures and when livestock were slaughtered for the winter. As at Beltane,

special bonfires were lit. These were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers and there were rituals

involving them.

Samhain (like Beltane) was seen as a liminal time, when the spirits or fairies (the Aos Sí) could more

easily come into our world. Most scholars see the Aos Sí as remnants of the pagan gods and nature

spirits. It was believed that the Aos Sí needed to be propitiated to ensure that the people and their

livestock survived the winter. Offerings of food and drink were left for them. The souls of the dead

were also thought to revisit their homes. Feasts were had, at which the souls of dead kin were

beckoned to attend and a place set at the table for them.

Mumming and guising were part of the festival, and involved people going door-to-door

in costume (or in disguise) , often reciting verses in exchange for food. The costumes

may have been a way of imitating, or disguising oneself from, the Aos Sí.

Divination rituals were also a big part of the festival and often involved nuts and apples.

In the late 19th century, Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer suggested that it was the "Celtic New Year", and this view

has been repeated by some other scholars. Historians have used the name 'Samhain' to refer to Gaelic 'Halloween' customs

up until the 19th century.

Annual Corn Roast:

Date: Sunday September 6th, 2015 at 2:00 pm.

Place: The Downie residence in Hillsdale.

Mass at St. Paul's Cathedral in Toronto:

Date: The last Sunday in October - If there are enough members interested we may get a bus.

AGM (Annual General Meeting):

Date: Early November TBA.

Christmas Party:

TBD

The 12th Annual Beach Celtic Festival

Dates: September 12 to September 13, 2015 from 9 am - 7 pm.

Location: Kew Gardens, Toronto, ON.

Info: beachceltic@sympatico or Sandy Graham 416-686-9231

Free Admission, Free Music, Free Fun, Vendors!

Culture Days in Barrie

Date: September 25 to September 27, 2015

Location: Barrie, ON. Info: www.barrie.ca/CultureDays

Discover the world of artists, creators, curators, and designers at work in their community and enjoy free, hands-on, interactive

activities throughout the community in unexpected places. Culture Days in Orillia

Dates: September 25 to September 27, 2015

Location: Orillia, ON

Culture Days is one of the largest ever public participation campaigns undertaken by the arts and cultural community across

Canada. In its 6th year, the event invites the public to experience the breadth and depth of arts and culture within their community

by immersing themselves in the creative process.

South Simcoe Railway

Regular excursions begin Victoria Day weekend and run through to the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Location: South Simcoe Railway Heritage Corp., P.O. Box 186, Tottenham, ON.

Tel: (905) 936-5815 Web: www.southsimcoerailway.ca

Enjoy an exciting journey through the scenic Beeton Creek Valley aboard a historic vintage locomotive. Travel in restored 1920's

open-window coaches over the rails of a century-old branch line that once connected Hamilton with Barrie and Collingwood. The

one-hour trip is highlighted by the Conductor's friendly & informative commentary. Visit the website for a complete schedule.

The South Simcoe Theatre Location: 1 Hamilton St., Cookstown, ON.

Tel: (704) 458-4432, Web: www.southsimcoetheatre.com

South Simcoe Theatre is dedicated to staging professional-quality productions. Each year, we present a program of contemporary as

well as traditional theatre works.

Summer Theatre: The Affections Of May Times: Tues. - Wed: 2:00 pm ■ Wed. July 01: 6:30 pm ■ Thurs: 2:00 & 7:30 pm ■ Fri: 7:30 pm.

Location: Theatre Orillia, OCC Theatre, Colborne Street East, Orillia, ON. Phone: 705-242-8011.

A hilarious story about May Henning, a bed & breakfast owner in the quirky town of Grogan's Cove, trying to get her life in order

after her husband deserts her for the big city! Written by Norm Foster.

Getaway Packages, Senior, Student & Season Voucher rates available.

Easter, 1916 by WB Yeats

I have met them at close of day

Coming with vivid faces

From counter or desk among grey

Eighteenth-century houses.

I have passed with a nod of the head

Or polite meaningless words,

Or have lingered awhile and said

Polite meaningless words,

And thought before I had done

Of a mocking tale or a gibe

To please a companion

Around the fire at the club,

Being certain that they and I

But lived where motley is worn:

All changed, changed utterly:

A terrible beauty is born.

That woman’s days were spent

In ignorant good-will,

Her nights in argument

Until her voice grew shrill.

What voice more sweet than hers

When, young and beautiful,

She rode to harriers?

This man had kept a school

And rode our wingèd horse;

This other his helper and friend

Was coming into his force;

He might have won fame in the end,

So sensitive his nature seemed,

So daring and sweet his thought.

This other man I had dreamed

A drunken, vainglorious lout.

He had done most bitter wrong

To some who are near my heart,

Yet I number him in the song;

He, too, has resigned his part

In the casual comedy;

He, too, has been changed in his turn,

Transformed utterly:

A terrible beauty is born.

Hearts with one purpose alone

Through summer and winter seem

Enchanted to a stone

To trouble the living stream.

The horse that comes from the road,

The rider, the birds that range

From cloud to tumbling cloud,

Minute by minute they change;

A shadow of cloud on the stream

Changes minute by minute;

A horse-hoof slides on the brim,

And a horse plashes within it;

The long-legged moor-hens dive,

And hens to moor-cocks call;

Minute to minute they live;

The stone’s in the midst of all.

Too long a sacrifice

Can make a stone of the heart.

O when may it suffice?

That is Heaven’s part, our part

To murmur name upon name,

As a mother names her child

When sleep at last has come

On limbs that had run wild.

What is it but nightfall?

No, no, not night but death;

Was it needless death after all?

For England may keep faith

For all that is done and said.

We know their dream; enough

To know they dreamed and are dead;

And what if excess of love

Bewildered them till they died?

I write it out in a verse --

MacDonagh and MacBride

And Connolly and Pearse

Now and in time to be,

Wherever green is worn,

Are changed, changed utterly:

A terrible beauty is born.

Easy Halloween Decorations:

Two elderly ladies met for the first

time since school. One asked the other,

“You were always so organized in

school, did you manage to live a well-

planned life?”

“Oh yes,” said her friend. “My first

marriage was to a millionaire; my

second to an actor, my third to a

preacher; and now I’m married to an

undertaker.”

Her friend asked, “What do those

marriages have to do with a well-

planned life?”

“One for the money, two for the show.

Three to get ready and four to go.”

Murphy was selling his house, and put

the matter in an agent's hands. The

agent wrote up a sales blurb for the

house that made wonderful reading.

After Murphy read it, he turned to the

agent and asked, "Have I got all you

say there?"

The agent said, "Certainly ye have ...

Why do you ask?"

Murphy replied, "Cancel the sale...it's

too good to part with."

Paddy asked Casey for the hand of his

daughter in wedlock.

'And can you support a family?' asked

Casey.

'I think so,' replied Murphy.

'Well. There's six of us, you know,'

said the future father-in-law.

“My memory is gone Mildred, so I

changed my password to “Incorrect.”

That way when I log in with the wrong

password, the computer will tell me…

“Your password is incorrect.”

Holy Humour

A pastor, known for his lengthy

sermons, noticed a man get up and

leave during the middle of the sermon.

The man returned just before the

conclusion of the Mass. Afterwards the

pastor asked the man where he had

gone. "I went to get a haircut." was the

reply. "But," said the pastor, "why

didn't you do that before Mass?"

"Because," the gentleman said, "I didn't

need one then."

“Sugar why don’t you sit down by the

table and we’ll start supper.” Said

Dorothy to her Husband of 50 years.

“Sure thing,” said her husband settling

himself down.

“Now darling, would you like the soup

first or the salad?” Questioned Dorothy.

“Umm I guess I’ll take the soup.” He

responded.

After a whole meal of one endearing

term after another, their guest Bob

couldn’t contain his curiosity any

longer. Bob snuck into the kitchen and

asked, “Dorothy do you always talk to

your husband like that?”

“Bob, I’ll be honest with you,”

Dorothy replied. “It’s been five years

now, I just can’t remember his name,

and I am just too embarrassed to ask

him!”

An Irishman has an abiding sense

of tragedy which sustains him

through temporary periods of joy.

Practical joke on his

ex-girlfriend

The soldier serving in Hong Kong

was annoyed and upset when his

girl wrote breaking off their

engagement and asking for her

photograph back.

He went out and collected from his

friends all the unwanted

photographs of women that he

could find, bundled them all

together and sent them back with a

note saying, "I regret to inform you

that I cannot remember which one

is you -- please keep your photo

and return the others."

Senior Lingo

Senior citizens have taken to

texting with gusto. They even have

their own vocabulary:

BFF: Best Friend Fainted

BYOT: Bring Your Own Teeth

CBM: Covered by Medicare

FWB: Friend with Beta-blockers

LMDO: Laughing My Dentures

Out

GGPBL: Gotta Go, Pacemaker

Battery Low!

All reviews are from www.goodreads.com

By: Mary Pat Kelly

It's 1903. Nora Kelly, twenty-four, is

talented, outspoken, progressive, and

climbing the ladder of opportunity, until

she falls for an attractive but dangerous

man who sends her running back to the

Old World her family had fled. Nora

takes on Paris, mixing with couturiers,

artists, and "les femmes Americaines" of the Left Bank

such as Gertrude Stein and Sylvia Beach. But when she

stumbles into the centuries-old Collège des Irlandais, a

good-looking scholar, an unconventional priest, and

Ireland's revolutionary women challenge Nora to honor her

Irish blood and join the struggle to free Ireland.

Author Mary Pat Kelly weaves historical characters such as

Maud Gonne, William Butler Yeats, Countess Markievicz,

Michael Collins, and Eamon de Valera, as well as Gabrielle

Chanel, Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, and Nora Barnicle,

into Of Irish Blood, a vivid and compelling story inspired

by the life of her great-aunt.

Hardcover, 512 pages

Published February 3rd 2015 by Forge Books

ISBN: 0765329131 (ISBN13: 9780765329134)

By: Bradley Somer (Goodreads

Author)

A goldfish named Ian is falling from

the 27th-floor balcony on which his

fishbowl sits. He's longed for

adventure, so when the opportunity

arises, he escapes from his bowl, clears

the balcony railing and finds himself

airborne. Plummeting toward the street below, Ian

witnesses the lives of the Seville on Roxy residents.

There's the handsome grad student, his girlfriend, and his

mistress; the construction worker who feels trapped by a

secret; the building's super who feels invisible and alone;

the pregnant woman on bed rest who craves a forbidden

ice cream sandwich; the shut-in for whom dirty talk, and

quiche, are a way of life; and home-schooled Herman, a

boy who thinks he can travel through time. Though they

share time and space, they have something even more

important in common: each faces a decision that will

affect the course of their lives. Within the walls of the

Seville are stories of love, new life, and death, of facing

the ugly truth of who one has been and the beautiful truth

of who one can become.

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 4th 2015 by St. Martin's Press

ISBN: 1250057809 (ISBN13: 9781250057808)

By: Nuala O'Connor

Nuala O’Connor’s enchanting American

debut novel, Miss Emily, re-imagines the

private life of Emily Dickinson, one of

America’s most beloved poets, through

her own voice and through the eyes of

her family’s Irish maid.

Eighteen-year-old Ada Concannon has just been hired by

the respected but eccentric Dickinson family of Amherst,

Massachusetts. Despite their difference in age and the

upstairs-downstairs divide, Ada strikes up a deep friendship

with Miss Emily, the gifted elder daughter living a

spinster’s life at home.

Paperback, 256 pages

Published July 14th 2015 by Penguin Books

ISBN: 014312675X (ISBN13: 9780143126751)

By: A.J. Rich (Goodreads Author)

Morgan's life seems to be settled - she

is completing her thesis on victim

psychology and newly engaged to

Bennett, a man more possessive than

those she has dated in the past, but also

more chivalrous and passionate.

But she returns from class one day to

find Bennett savagely killed, and her dogs - a Great

Pyrenees, and two pit bulls she was fostering - circling

the body, covered in blood. Everything she holds dear in

life is taken away from her in an instant.

Hardcover, 288 pages

Published July 7th 2015 by Scribner

ISBN: 1476774587 (ISBN13: 9781476774589)

All reviews are from www.comingsoon.net/movies

Everest

Release date: September 18, 2015 (IMAX

3D; 3D/2D theaters: Sept. 25)

Director: Baltasar Kormakur

Starring: Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John

Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly,

Sam Worthington, Keira Knightley,

Emily Watson, Jake Gyllenhaal

Genre: Adventure

Official website: Everestmovie.com

Plot Summary:

Inspired by the incredible events surrounding a treacherous

attempt to reach the summit of the world's highest

mountain, "Everest" documents the awe-inspiring journey

of two different expeditions challenged beyond their limits

by one of the fiercest snowstorms ever encountered by

mankind. Their mettle tested by the harshest of elements

found on the planet, the climbers will face nearly

impossible obstacles as a lifelong obsession becomes a

breathtaking struggle for survival.

The Martian

Release date: October 2, 2015 (3D/2D

theaters)

Director: Ridley Scott

Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica

Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels,

Michael Pena, Kate Mara, Sean Bean,

Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel

Ejiofor

Genre: Action, Adventure

Official website: TheMartianmovie.com

Plot Summary:

During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark

Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left

behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds

himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With

only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity,

wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth

that he is alive. Millions of miles away, NASA and a

team of international scientists work tirelessly to bring

“the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently

plot a daring, if not impossible, rescue mission. As these

stories of incredible bravery unfold, the world comes

together to root for Watney’s safe return. Based on a

best-selling novel.

Bridge of Spies

Release date: October 16, 2015

Director: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Alan Alda, Tom Hanks, Amy

Ryan, Mark Rylance, Sebastian Koch

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Plot Summary:

A dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of a series of

historic events, “Bridge of Spies” tells the story of James

Donovan (Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself

thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends

him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a

captured American U-2 pilot. Screenwriters Matt Charman

and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen have woven this remarkable

experience in Donovan’s life into a story inspired by true

events that captures the essence of a man who risked

everything and vividly brings his personal journey to life.

Masterminds

Release date: October 9, 2015

Director: Jared Hess

Starring: Owen Wilson, Zach

Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Ken

Marino, Jason Sudeikis

Genre: Comedy, Action

Official website:

http://mastermindsmovie.tumblr.com

Plot Summary:

Based on true events - David Ghantt discovers the true

meaning of adventure far beyond his wildest dreams. He

is an uncomplicated man stuck in a monotonous life. Day

in and day out he drives an armored vehicle, transporting

millions of other people’s money with no escape in sight.

The only glimmer of excitement is his flirtatious work

crush Kelly Campbell who soon lures him into the

scheme of a lifetime.

Along with a group of half-brained criminals led by

Steve Chambers and an absurdly faulted heist plan,

David manages the impossible and makes off with $17

million in cash…only problem is he foolishly hands the

money over to this wild group of double crossers and has

been set up to take the fall.

The Irish Claddagh Club

Membership Application

First Name:

Address:

City: Province:

Postal Code: Phone Number:

Email:

Birthday and or Anniversary:

Membership Fee is still only $15.00 per Adult. Please make Cheque out to: The Irish Claddagh Club

Mail to: The Irish Claddagh Club

c/o Rita Bettam 290 Hurst Drive, Apt. 108, Barrie, ON L4N 0Z3

Cut on Dotted Line and put on refrigerator

Upcoming Events

Annual Corn Roast:

Date: Sunday September 6th, 2015 at 2:00 pm.

Place: The Downie residence in Hillsdale.

Mass at St. Paul's Cathedral in Toronto:

Date: The last Sunday in October - If there are enough members

interested we may get a bus.

AGM (Annual General Meeting):

Date: Early November TBA.

Christmas Party:

TBD

If you have an idea for an event or know of an

event that the club might like to be involved in,

please contact the Events Co-ordinator Michael

Flaherty at 705-481-1629