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Celtic Alabama News
Volume 2 Issue 8
The people are thus inclined: religious,
franke, amorous, irefull, sufferable of paines infinite, very
glorious, many sorcerers, excellent horsemen, delighted with warres,
great alms-givers, (sur)passing in hospitalitie...They are sharpe-witted,
lovers of learning, capable of any studie whereunto they bend
themselves, constant in travaile, adventurous, intractable, kinde-hearted,
secret in displeasure."
---Edmund Campion, Elizabethan Jesuit martyred in
Tyburn 1581, describing the Irish.
Castlebay Cafe' Now Open in
on Hwy 280 in Greystone
The Scottish-minded in Birmingham are in for a treat
when they visit the newly opened Castlebay Café in the Greystone
area. The specialty coffee shop and café is the creation of Don and
Sande Neil whose passion for things Scottish shines through every aspect
of their business. Don Neil, a descendant of the Clan MacNeil and active
member of the Celtic community, chose the Scottish theme for his shop
with his heritage in mind. The tables are covered with the MacNeil
tartan and the bookshelves are lined with Scottish books and heirlooms.
While Castlebay Café offers a wonderful selection of gourmet
coffee and tea, they also have a fantastic range of sandwiches and side
items. Even the menu pays tribute to Scotland, featuring specialty
sandwiches like The Highlander, St. Andrew’s Club, Edinburgh Stroller,
Inverness Veggie, Isle of Barra, Celtic Cordon Bleu and William Wallace.
Don and Sande have spent many months seeking out the very finest sources
for their products as well as experimenting with some of their own
special recipes. Sande Neil’s own Castlebay Chicken Salad is one of
their hottest items. The doors are open to a variety of functions and
they especially look forward to hosting Celtic gatherings in the future.
A Celtic music session is planned for August 10 at 5 p.m. Located on
Highway 280 East at Hugh Daniels Drive in the Greystone area,
Castlebay Café (205-437-3484) is open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Come by and see what everyone
is talking about. It’s a bit of Scotland in Alabama! Photos
of Castlebay Cafe'
Join us at
Killarney's in Birmingham for "Pub Night", Celtic Open Mike and more on
Wednesday
Night, August 14 from 7 P.M.
Come on down to Killarney's Irish Pub
and Restaurant for "Pub Night" - a gathering of Celts from the
Central Alabama area on the second Wednesday of every month.
Everyone is welcome to come by for dinner, pints, darts and pool, or
just some general Celtic-flavored socializing. Musicians are welcome to
share tunes, kilts are part of the dress code and Irish Dancing may
occur! Killarney's is family-friendly - so bring your friends and
family and join the Celtic company! Killarney's is in Eastwood Mall on
Crestwood Blvd. in Birmingham.
Photos from Pub
Night in July
Birmingham Music Club welcomes -
Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill
The Birmingham Music Club is bringing Martin
Hayes and Dennis Cahill to town as part of the World Music Series on
Saturday, October 5, 2002. Irish fiddle virtuoso Martin Hayes and
American guitarist Dennis Cahill have garnered international acclaim for
taking traditional Irish music to the very edge. Hayes, a six-time
All-Ireland fiddle champion is renowned for his slow building, fiery
performances of which Cahill provides the perfect harmonic and rhythmic
accompaniment. The Sydney Morning Herald says of Hayes, "He is
just so much better than anything you've seen before. He redefines your
concept of excellence and reveals levels of beauty and artistry that
previously hadn't existed in your frame of reference."
www.MartinHayes.com
www.DennisCahill.com . Ticket for the
show are $15 and $22 and are available at 205-975-2787. SPECIAL
NOTE: ACA has planned an Advanced Fiddle Workshop with
Martin Hayes for Saturday afternoon (October 5) in Birmingham. There
are only 12 spots available for the hour and a half session and the cost
is $25. For more details, contact
pgsmith@charter.net .
Sundilla Festival in Auburn
features Southwind and Henri's Notions This Weekend
The Sundilla Festival will feature
Alabama's own Celtic artists, Southwind and Henri's
Notions on Saturday, August 3 at Pebble Hill in Auburn. Weather
permitting, this show will take place on the lawn at Pebble Hill.
(Pebble Hill is the large white mansion on Debardeleben, across the
street from where Magnolia ends; it's about a half-block away from the
AUUF.) The music will start at 6:30, so pack a picnic basket, bring a
blanket, and watch the sun set and the stars come out to the lively
sounds of Henri's Notions and Southwind. Admission
is just $10, and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge.
There will be free coffee, tea, water and snacks and you can also
bring food/beverage of your choice along. There is an alternate site
in the event of rain. For more details, contact
csmith@acesag.auburn.edu
, 334-826-0102 or visit
www.sundilla.org .
Celtic Alabama News
now available through Electric Scotland
Electric Scotland is a web site bringing
Scots and Scots descendants together from around the world. You'll find
over 8,000 web pages of information on Scottish history and clans as
well as people and places of Scots descent. Electric Scotland also
features books on Scottish history, recipes for you to enjoy, Scots
language and stories in Real Audio to listen to, travel information on
Scotland and much more. Electric Scotland, in conjunction with
The Family Tree, has offered to post Celtic newsletters on the
Electric Scotland web site for free. You can find the Celtic
Alabama News and other newsletters at
www.ElectricScotland.com
by clicking on 'The Family Tree' and then clicking on 'Newsletters'.
Thanks Electric Scotland and Family Tree!
Spirits of the House coming
to Killarney's on August 3
Killarney's Irish Pub and Restaurant welcomes
Spirits of the House for a special performance on Saturday,
August 3. From driving reels to shimmering sean nos singing,
Spirits will get you up out of your seat and keep you coming back
for more. Released on compact disc in March 2001, The Holland
Handkerchief is the band's premiere recording. "The sounds of
Holland Handkerchief take you to that place in Ireland where there
is the utmost of glee and a melancholy unmatched by other cultures.
The group has a knack for presenting the mighty Celtic sound without
neglecting the delicate touch that the music demands." - The Planet
Weekly, April 4, 2001. Learn more at www.spiritshouse.bizland.com
Karl Drake School of Irish Dance
Workshop
The Drake School will offer an Irish
dance workshop, Saturday, Sept 7 from 12:00 to 3:00 at Time Step Studios
in Irondale. The cost is $30. Mr. Karl Drake (TCRG) and World Class
Champion Irish Dancer, was born and trained in Dublin, Ireland. He came
to the U.S. and established the Drake School of Irish Dance in Atlanta,
Georgia and South Florida in 1990, later adding schools in
Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Tennessee. Mr. Drake is a full time
professional teacher and travels regularly to all of his studios to
teach. The Drake School produced eight Southern Region Champion Dancers
in 2001 who went on to compete in the World Irish Dance Championships
held in Glasgow, Scotland in March of 2002. Mr. Drake also travels
extensively throughout North America and Europe doing performances and
choreography. Some of his past appearances include Carnegie Hall in
New York (with the Chieftains); the Capitol City Ballet; the 1996
Olympic Games; the Miami Orange Bowl Parade; as well as giving numerous
workshops and Master classes throughout North America and Europe. Mr.
Drake also performs each year for a five week period each Spring at
Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. For more details,
vonbart@bellsouth.net or
visit www.drakedance.com .
ACA Welcomes ScotPress/
Unicorn Limited to Alabama in 2003
One of America's best sources of Celtic
literature is moving its operations to Alabama in March of 2003. Unicorn
Limited and ScotPress Publishing proprietor, Dr. Renny
McLeod, has retired from academia after 31 years in Celtic, Viking and
Scottish history at West Virginia University and is now returning to
Alabama. MacLeod is a former graduate of Auburn University and will be
relocating to the Auburn area. He is very interested in improving both
the library and the courses at AU and to that end has moved almost 3,000
titles etc. to the Auburn University library with many of them in Celtic
Studies. Renny and Vicki are looking forward to being an active part of
Alabama's Celtic community. The Alabama Celtic Association is very
happy to welcome Renny and Vicki MacLeod to Alabama. You can visit
Unicorn Limited / Scotpress at
www.scotpress.com .
Celtic Author Billy Kennedy
coming to Gadsden, Alabama
Belfast author and journalist, Billy
Kennedy, will be offering a lecture for the Northeast Alabama
Genealogical Society at the Gadsden Public Library on October 15, 2002.
Mr. Kennedy has just released the seventh book of his highly popular
chronicles on the Scots-Irish diaspora, The Making of America:
How the Scots-Irish Shaped a Nation. Previous books include:
The Scots-Irish in the Hills of Tennessee, The Scots-Irish in the
Shenandoah Valley, The Scots-Irish in the Carolinas, The Scots-Irish in
Pennsylvania and Kentucky, Faith and Freedon - The Scots-Irish in
America and Heros of the Scots-Irish in America.
Copies of his books will be available at the lecture. For more
information on his appearance in Gadsden, contact Rosemary J. Hyatt
256-538-1122 or rhyatt@hiwaay.net
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Alabama Highland Games hosting the
2002 North-South Challenge Cup!
The North-South Challenge Cup, an
annual team competition between the best six amateur athletes in the
North and the best six athletes in the South, will take place at the
Alabama Highland Games in Montgomery on September 28, 2002. Each team
will be comprised of 5 men and 1 woman. The NSCC has been hosted
previously in New Orleans LA, Kalamazoo MI, Allentown PA and Jackson
LA. The winning team keeps a 'travelling cup' until the next year's
competition. The South Team is defending its title for the second year
in a row. It's a colorful and exciting event - one of the best
Scottish Athletic meets in the country. Lord Hugh Montgomerie will
be the Honored Guest at the AHG which takes place at the Shakespeare
Festival Grounds in Montgomery. Featured Celtic entertainers will be,
Jack Tamson's Bairns of
Scotland and Jennifer Roland of
Cape Breton. Both are critically acclaimed in Celtic music circles
and we look forward to seeing them perform at this event! The Alabama
Highland Games are the last weekend in September so mark you calendars
today! Details at
www.alabamahighlandgames.com .
The Band that made the movie
'Titanic' rock - Gaelic Storm is coming to Birmingham!
The Hoover Library Theatre kicks off its
2002-2003 season with two perfomances from the contemporary Celtic
quintet, Gaelic Storm. Gaelic Storm gained fame as
the "steerage band" in the movie Titanic. Their mix of
traditional Irish tunes, rousing Celtic dance music and rowdy pub songs
has brought down the house from Brooklyn to New Zealand. Gaelic
Storm will be perfoming at 8 p.m. on Friday, September 20 and Satuday
September 21. Tickets are $15 and may reserved by calling 205-444-7888.
Photo of
Gaelic Storm
The Full Moon Ensemble
Mull of KintyreTour - SOLD OUT in Record Time
One of Scotland's premiere music events,
The Mull of Kintrye Festival in Cambeltown sold out in a record 20
minutes leaving hundreds disappointed and organizers stunned. The
previous sales record was 6 hours. The Full Moon Ensemble of
Florence, Alabama are headlining the festival with Capercaille
of Scotland and Four Men and a Dog from Ireland. FME is the
first Celtic band from Alabama to tour there. FME will be in the British
Isles about 10 days. After a bit in Ireland they will also be going to
London to visit Mae McKenna for a couple of days, then work their way up
to Glasgow and down the Kintyre peninsula to Campbelltown for the
festival. "Years ago when we were looking for material for our second
CD, we had intentions of doing a tune we heard on an old Thistle and
Shamrock show -- the accent of the guy singing the song was so thick we
could not understand all the words --- but it sounded like "The Road to
Drumleavon" or something. We finally tracked down the band (Ossian) and
the singer and finally got the correct words and title, The Road
To Drumleman. We recorded our version of the song," explained
Scooter Muse of The Full Moon Ensemble. "The song was written by a man
named Willie Mitchell in the 1940's. Willie lived in Campbelltown, about
14 miles from Drumlemble. (Drumlemble is the town, ‘Drumleman’ is the
old way they pronounced the name. Mitchell had a good friend who lived
in Drumlemble and would quite frequently ride his bike over there to
visit. Willie was also a great poet and singer as was his whole family.
I eventually received some e-mail from Willie Mitchell's grandson who
had heard about us (FME) and our version of the song. One thing led to
another and the next thing I know is they want us over there for the
Festival so we are going. Its exciting for us," added Muse.
Photos of FME at
Grandfather Mountain
Shillelagh Law - EVERY Sunday
Night at Killarney's!
The famous foursome of Beau Goss, Jeremy
Burns, Beth Weatherall and Jason Bailey are the band that moves the
crowd at Killarney's Irish Pub every Sunday night. Shillelagh Law leads
the listeners through familiar favorites as well as tunes both
traditional and new every week. For the uninitiated - it can be
surprising to see members of the audience draw drums of every size from
hidden places and occassionally join in with the band. It's all part of
the experience. Shillelagh Law also definitely raises the best toasts
in town. Stop by Killarney's on a Sunday, claim a seat (and a pint)
and check out the Shillelagh Law experience. Details at 205-595-4088 .
Gerry
O'Beirne at "House Concerts" in Birmingham and Montgomery
Irish songwriter, guitarist and singer Gerry O’Beirne
was born in Ennis in County Clare and raised in the West of Ireland and
in Ghana in West Africa. Gerry is not only a self-taught master of the
six and twelve string guitar, he is also a renowned songwriter. He has
toured around the globe with several bands and artists including Patrick
Street, The Sharon Shannon Band, Midnight Well (which featured his
unique slide guitar playing), The Waterboys, Andy M. Stewart, Martin
Hayes, Kevin Burke and Andy Irvine. He has performed at the White House,
opened for the Grateful Dead, and played electric guitar with Marianne
Faithfull. Up close and unplugged is one of the best ways to enjoy
Celtic music. House Concerts offer a rare opportunity to connect with
an artist without the distractions in a larger venue. Seating for the
two Gerry O'Beirne performances will be intimate and limited so don't
delay getting your foot in the door!
In Montgomery - Gerry
O'Beirne will be appearing on Friday, October 25. Earlybird tickets are
$12 ($15 after August 12). Refreshments are included and CDs will be
available. For more details:
gorel@asf.net
In Birmingham
- Hosted by Webb and Mae Robertson, the Birmingham concert on Saturday,
October 26 will open its doors at 7:00 for the show which starts at
7:30. Desserts and coffee and tea will be available. Donations of $15
will hold a place for you and all proceeds go directly to the artist. If
you would like to reserve a seat for the show, you need to send an email
to
Mae@LyricPartners.com to get on the list. Once
seat availability is confirmed via email, you can send a check, payable
to Lyric Partners, to: Lyric Partners, PO Box 531165, Birmingham, AL
35253.
Celtic Alabama Announcements
Birmingham School of Celtic Arts Classes
begin with new schedule on August 13
Birmingham School of Celtic Arts (BSCA) is gearing
up to begin another year of dancing. BSCA will be offering classes on
Tuesday nights at the Childrens Dance Foundation in Homewood.
Beginners are from 5:30-6:30, Intermediate Soft Shoe and Beginning
Hard shoe are from 6:30-7:30 and Intermediate Soft and Hard Shoe are
from 7:30 to 9:00. Class size is VERY limited and most classes are
full. To register, call Mary at 979-9653 or email at
mdougherty@ms.soph.uab.edu.
Classes begin August 13th. BSCA's first performance will be in
Jackson Celtic Fest in Mississippi, September 6 & 7 2002.
BSOP welcomes New Pipe Major, Jim McRae
Jim McRae has been named acting Pipe Major for the
Birmingham Society of Piping. He brings many years of Piping
excellence and experience to the role. Jim
began piping in 1961 at the Carnegie
Institute of Technology (Carnegie-Mellon Univ.). In 1974, Jim was
co-founder of Invermich Gaelic Society Pipe Band in Chicago which
later became the University of Chicago Pipe Band. This band traveled
to Scotland for World Championships in 1987, 1990,1993,1996 and 1999.
In 1993 the band was awarded "Best Overseas in Grade 3." Jim has also
piped with the Oak (Shrine) Pipe Band (Indiana), Chicago Caledonian PB,
and the Atlanta Pipe Band. Jim has competed and won prizes at the
Grade 1 level. Jim also offers lessons to all levels of pipers as
well as piobaireachd. Jim and his wife Judy are Trussville residents.
For more details, contact jfmacr@aol.com
Tuscaloosa St. Andrew's Society hosting
Scottish Exhibit
St. Andrew's Society of Tuscaloosa is putting
together a library exhibit for Scottish Heritage month. The exhibit
will be on view at the Tuscaloosa Public Library on Jack Warner
Parkway (aka River Road) throughout the month of September. For
details, contact Serena Blount at
haygood0@yahoo.com .
Caledonian Society of Alabama - Fall
Picnic and Open House on Sept.7
The Caledonian Society of Alabama invites friends
who are interested in Scottish heritage and culture to join them at
Oak Mountain State Park for their annual Fall Picnic. Bring a covered
dish and dress comfortably. The gathering is from 10 a.m. until 2
p.m. at the White Oak Pavillion, Oak Mountain State Park. For more
details, call Angus MacQueen at
205-907-9281or macqueen@charter.net
.
Whistle and Flute Lessons -
Trent Bradford
Multi-talented Celtic musician, Trent
Bradford, will be offering private lessons for Whistle and Flute players
beginning August 1. Trent, who teaches music in the Birmingham School
system, is also a founding member of the Celtic band Hooley. For more
details about lessons, contact Trent Bradford at
reblpiper@aol.com or call
205-822-4997.
Mobile Scottish Society Meeting
on August 18
The Mobile Scottish Society will be meeting
at the Botanical Gardens at the Municipal Park at 7 p.m. on August 18,
2002. If you live in the Mobile area and are interested in exploring
your Scottish heritage or Scottish culture in general, please contact
Harriet at nihart709@aol.com for
more details about the Mobile Scottish Society.
FREE Bagpipe Lessons being offered in
Birmingham on Saturdays
Free bagpipe lessons are being offered by various
members of Heritage Pipes & Drums, including Ryan Morrison, Kathleen
Ryan and "Wee" John Douglas. Lessons available on a first come first
served basis from 9 A.M. to 10 A.M. at Reformed Heritage Presbyterian
Church, 1401 Montgomery Hwy in Vestavia. Heritage is also offering
free lessons for Scottish snare from John Kirkpatrick and for tenor
drum from Ryan and Sherry Morrison. Contact Ryan Morrison at home at
(205) 836-2306 or work at (205) 823-1988 or e-mail at
ampiobaire@aol.com. Also check
out the new HPD web site at
www.hpd-pipeband.org . Now's the
time to take up the Pipes!
Alabama has a unique and fascinating
connection with Welsh history! One of the oldest debates on the
European explorations of America center around Prince Madoc of
Wales. Madoc, an illegitimate son of King Owain of Gwyneth, is
recorded in Welsh histories as crossing the Atlantic before 1170 A.D
and returning with tales of sailing up the coast of an enormous land
to the West. Madoc then gathered a large group of settlers and ships
and with his brother, Riryd, set sail across the Atlantic to make a
new home in the ‘land to the west’. He and his ten ships were never
heard from again. Many scholars, historians and archealogists
believe that Prince Madoc of Wales ventured to Mobile Bay
and gradually migrated north along Southeastern waterways, mingling
with the Native American culture over the centuries. There is a
historical marker in Mobile that commerates this legend. The Welsh
page will explore this theory and legend that makes Alabama the
likely first settlement of Welsh in the New World.
Please share your Celtic Calendar
Items and Announcements with us!
The Celtic Alabama News
is always looking for news of, announcements for and photos of various
Celtic events around the state to share around through the CAN
and the web site. We depend on YOU to share photos and news with us.
IF YOU DON"T LET US KNOW - WE CAN"T LET EVERYONE ELSE KNOW - so send
your news today! ALSO - www.CelticAlabama.org
is now easier to view. We've reduced the file size on most of the photos
so they will load faster. Check out the
Celtic Alabama News Photo Gallery ! Also, be sure
to visit the NEW Photo Gallery Archives for 2001 and
2002.
How can I ensure Alabama's Celtic Legacy?
Become an ACA Patron!
ACA depends on the support of our friends in the
Celtic community for all of its operating expenses. Patrons make ACA
Possible! ACA Patrons receive four quarterly issues of the deluxe
version of Celtic Alabama News for as
well as the occasional preferred seating or ticket option. It's a great
way to show your Celtic Pride and ensure our cultural legacy in Alabama!
You can become a Patron of ACA today by sending a $25 check to:
Alabama Celtic Association, P.O. Box 724, Trussville AL 35173.
Please include your preferred mailing address. (For more details:
Click Here for ACA Patrons)
Celtic Alabama News Calendar
August 2,
2002 -
Henri's Notions -
Live Celtic Music
August 3,
2002 -
Southwind AND
Henri's Notions - Sundilla Summer Concert Series
August 3 -
Spirits of the House - Live at Killarney's
Where: Killarney's Irish Pub and Restaurant
Details: 7 p.m., 205-595-4088
August 4, 2002 - Shillelagh Law - Live
at Killarney's every Sunday night (August 11, 18 and 25)
Where: Killarney's Irish Pub Details: 205-595-4088
August 10,
2002 - Trent Bradford - Uillean Pipes and more
Where: Pepper Place Farmers Market
Details: 8 a.m. till 10 a.m.
August 14,
2002 - "Pub Night" at Killarney's Irish
Pub and Restaurant Join the
Celtic crowd every SECOND Wednesday at Killarney's for dinner, a
pint, darts, pool or the pleasure of Celtic company! Musicians are
honored guests, Kilts are allowed, toasts are common and Irish
Dancing can occur! All welcome - family friendly.
Where:
Killarney's Irish Pub and Restaurant in Eastwood Mall, Birmingham
Details:
pgsmith@charter.net
August 16 -
26, 2002 - The Full Moon Ensemble - with Capercaille and Old
Blind Dogs
Where: 10th Annual Mull of Kintyre
Festival, Cambelltown, Argyle Scotland
August 17,
2002 - Southwind - Benefit for the Birmingham Aids Outreach
Where: Killarney's Irish Pub and
Restaurant Details:
August 18,
2002 - Mobile Scottish Society Meeting
Where: Botanical Gardens, Municipal
Park, Mobile Details: Harriet at
nihart709@aol.com
September 6,
2002 -
Henri's Notions -
Live Celtic Music
September 6,
2002 - Hooley - Live at Killarney's
September 7, 2002 - Caledonian Society of Alabama
Fall Picnic
Where: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Covered Dish, White Oak Pavillion, Oak
Mountain State Park Details: 205-907-9281,
macqueen@charter.net
September 7, 2002 - Irish Dance workshop with Karl
Drake - Drake Irish Dance School
September 21, 2002 - Hooley - Live at Killarney's
September
12-22, 2002 -
Henri's Notions -
performing at Walnut Valley Festival
September
28, 2002 -
Alabama
Highland Games
Visit our ACA Calendar for more details and EVERYTHING ELSE that you
don't want to miss!
The on-line version of
Celtic Alabama News is a free service of the Alabama
Celtic Association. Help us grow the Celtic Community - Share this
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if noted.
Visit the Alabama
Celtic Association at
www.CelticAlabama.org or
www.CelticAlabama.net
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