Russian/Irish U2ers

[whiteflag]

Guess what everyone? Looks like I really belong on this thread after all.

Just found out that I am really and truly IRISH!!!!!!

Our family has always thought that several branches of my mom's family could be of Irish descent but I finally found proof for one of them at least. My great great great great grandmother's maiden name was Shannon

I just had to share this...with everyone I know

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There is but one flag...

[This message has been edited by whiteflag (edited 09-03-2000).]

 

[Aine]

Congratulations,Whiteflag !
And I'm glad I've guessed right.
You should study your family tree carefully
:what if you also have a drop of Russian blood in you ? That would be an incredible
mixture !

 

[whiteflag]

Well have I got news for you! In addition to definitely being Irish from at least one branch of my mom's family I am practically half Ukrainian from my dad's family. We have a drop of Polish from that side as well.

No Russia, but close.

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There is but one flag...

[This message has been edited by whiteflag (edited 09-04-2000).]

 

[Aine]

REALLY ??! FANTASTIC!!!
Why didn't you say before ?

 

[Mermaid]

hi guys
My credentials for contributing to this topic are as follows (not that I need an excuse, of course, but anyway):

1) I myself am mostly Irish, very many people in New Zealand have Irish blood since so many Irish people emigrated to NZ in the 19th century. I was interested to hear about applying for an Irish passport, that's what I intend to do (my grandfather was born in Ireland, county Kerry - I *think*).

2) I am also interested in Russia. I am studying history at university and I've done a bit on Russia, mostly 20th century history. I have been following the recent stories in the news about Russia with great interest, also disbelief and sadness.

3) I work in a CD shop that has quite a big range of Celtic music, possibly the best selection in NZ. I own a few CDs, mostly pretty mainstream compilations like 'Celtic Dreams' and 'Common Ground'. was it you Brian who was recommending 'Common Ground' to people? I can never resist getting up to dance when the Cavan potholes song comes on, my sister and I dance wildly and joyously around the living room (yep, we must be Irish, the music's in the blood).

Oh and we also have a LOT of Russian music...We played one CD called 'basso profundo', the deepest male voices I've ever heard, singing religious chants. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up - it was other-worldly, mesmerising, chilling.

4) I am currently doing a history research project on a street in my city (Wellington, capital of NZ). This involves studying the buildings, so I am learning lots about architectural styles like Free Classical and Art Deco. quite fascinating!

Anyway:
I just read through this entire thread in one sitting - it took a while! It's absolutely fascinating, I regret having ignored it for so long.
Aine - I've been waiting to hear how you got so interested by, and knowlegeable about, Ireland. Now I'm just *dying* to know...Please please put me out of my misery!!!

I regret I dont speak either Gaelic or Russian (I know a few words only of Russian. WOuld you believe they've closed the Russian department of my university??? very bad) But I know Italian, French and Maori, native language of NZ.
'ka kite ano' (goodbye in Maori)
Mermaid

------------------
No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me...

 

[MrBTH]

Congratulations Whiteflag on your newfound Irish/almost Russian status. You are starting to fit the profile on this topic perfectly!!

Anyhow, I am now back in wonderful (!) Dundee after my excursions in Ireland. Unfortunately things were a little bit boring at home. I left my cashcard in Dundee by mistake and had no money to go anywhere or do anything. I live in a small town and all my friends have moved on to places like Belfast and London, so I was rather pissed off that I could't go and see them...

BUT! I did make it down to Enniscorthy Co. Wexford (after a kind loan from my Dad!) for Fleadh Ceol Na hEireann 2000... basically the final round of that singing competition I was in earlier on this year. Except its not just a singing competition. There are competitions for all fields of Traditional music as well as general partying, impromptou seisiuns on the streets and in all of the pubs and generally many thousands of people all celebrating Irish Culture and having a good time...
Enniscorthy is a beautiful little town, about 9,000pop but over the course of the weekend 150,000 people visited the festival. So you can get some idea of just how huge it is! The atmosphere does be fantastic and I had a great time. I, of course, spent much of my time in the pub (Ha!) that was the main spot for singing. I recorded 8 minidiscs full of songs and there are some great ones that I'm going to have to have a go at myself.

Apart from that there was a wonderful band playing called Dervish, who I think you would like, Aine. They are part of the current crop of Trad bands who are really pushing forward, adding new sounds and textures to the music. I think that that's what is so appealing about Irish traditional music... the fact that it is being constantly added to, developed and promoted, whereas the traditions of other countries tend to be regarded as museum pieces... fixed and unchangeable.

The thing that really heartened me about the fleadh this year was the fact that 5,000 of the competitors in the competitions were under 21. It is so incredibly popular with young people that it's future is guaranteed. I would also reccomend that area of the world to anyone for a visit. It wouldn't be the most scenic part of Ireland, but I have never met people who were as friendly and helpful as a whole as the people of Enniscorthy. Perhaps it was all for show just because the Fleadh was in town, but it seemed genuine to me! The area is also steeped in history, being the centre of the United Irishmen rebellion of 1798. There is a very poignant memorial and visitors centre in the town that explains what it was all about... Basically it was people of all religions "Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter" who united under the banner of "The United Irishmen" to fight the British. Unfortunately the ruthless Oliver Cromwell was despatched to quell the uprising. And although the united Irishmen put up a good fight they were eventually beaten, and Ireland was sentenced to years of opression as a result...

Sorry about the history lesson folks but it was very interesting even for me to find out the history of my own country!

And as for all things U2... Beautiful Day is some of the best music I have heard in a long long time!! And even the unthinkable has happened. People I know who have previously dismissed U2 as being "over the hill" etc.. have had to concede that Beautiful Day is very good... It just makes everyone feel happy for some strange reason!

Well I'm listening to it now (for the 400th time!) and I'm feeling very very happy!!! So I'll go and wash some dishes before the happiness wears off!!

Bye!
BRIAN

 

[MrBTH]

Oh, and I forgot to add my welcoming embrace for Mermaid! Glad you could join us here in this (most interesting

) corner of the Feedback Forum!!! BTW, common ground is a great album, put together by a guy called Donal Lunny... possibly the most important figure in Irish traditional music this past 25 years. He has a new Best Of... album out here in Britain. I don't know if it is available anywhere else but if you can get it I heartily recommend it. It's on "Grapevine" records and it's called "Journey: The Best Of Donal Lunny"...
I think even people with no interest in Traditional Music would love this album....

 

[Aine]

So many events in such a short period!
I'm so pressed for time at the moment,but I
can't help replying.
Welcome Mermaid!I'm very impressed by your epic and glad you joined this thread.But you
won't guess what impressed me even more:just yesterday I was looking through the Lemonade Stand and came across your post where you mentioned your essay about the witchcraft trials.It really stuck in my mind 'cos my best uni friend has been studying exactly the same for a long time,so when your post appeared here my first reaction was:"This is Fate..."
And you're of course welcome to join this great lot on their trip to St.Petersburg when they make it at last.
Brian,you're back!It's breath-taking what you
said,and thank you for the compliment to this
thread.

Slan!

 

[Aine]

BRIAN,where are your answers to my questions
from 08.24.2000 ??!!
Shame on you,you are the only expert!

 

[Mermaid]

Thanks for the welcome, guys. I might have a look for that CD at work, Brian. And very interesting about the witchtrials coincidence, Aine - is your friend studying trials in Europe, Russia/Scandinavia, or England? My essay is just on Essex, the county in England where they had the most trials, it was known as the 'witch county'!

Today I read an account of one particular trial, which sums up the tragedy of the witch hunts - an old, ugly woman went into a pub, where she was repeatedly harassed and insulted by a drunk man until finally she cursed at him. Then when he was leaving the pub he felt sick, and accused the woman of bewitching him. She was tried and hanged soon after...

I was interested in your description of your trip Brian, but one thing caught my attention - as one who has spent *far* too much time immersed in the past! I know that Oliver Cromwell brutally put down at least one Irish rebellion. But he was around in the 1640s, so it must have been someone else in 1798...Sorry to be picky, but I'm a pedant by nature I'm afraid!
dasvidanya
(sorry about the spelling, I've only ever heard Russian said, not written - at least, not written in the Western alphabet!)

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No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me...

 

[popsadie]

cool....BTH, I emailed you a long time ago, but I accidentally lost your response. I will be studying in Dundee this yr as an exchange student..so I found it very cool to read you guys discussing life in Scotland and the UK. Radiohead on Sept 28.....i arrrive in London on the 26th...hmm....

 

[MrBTH]

Sorry Mermaid! I got a bit confused there regarding Cromwell! I was thinking of his crushing of Wexford town in 1649-50 which was also covered in the background of the story of the United Irishmen! Thanks for being "picky" and putting me right!

And hello again popsadie! I'm in Dundee right now and if you have any questions at all feel free to mail me...

bthagan@excite.co.uk

Maybe I'll see you in Dundee in October if not sooner (I think there are still tickets for Radiohead on Thursday 28th in Glasgow!!)

 

[zoomerang II]

hello again to everybody in the coolest thread on the internet.

Even funnier, next week I am going to Essex, (a place called Purleigh - anyone heard of it?) so I will have to look out for all those witches (and I thought they were called essex girls).

Mazz - Edinburgh nightclub - are you referring to Espionage? I went there for three nights in a row the last weekend of the fringe. We all mainly hung around Pravda, of course the Russian themed bar....some dodgy charaters in there though (not russian, but scottish). I have to say bagpipers in the city 100m apart from each other doesn't work for me though, but the festival was great.

I am very sad today as I have just found out if I am to accept the irish citizenship I always thought I was allowed, I must revoke being an Australian. Why can't I be both????
I felt like telling the australian high commission officer "may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your nether regions", but I decided not to (probably wise as well!).
i don't know what NZ rules are on that one mermaid?

Brian - you are back in Dundee, so I don't suppose I will catch you in Dungannon.

Hope everyone is well

 

[Alisaura]

Wow, I disappear for 3 days and all this happens! Yay! Welcome Mermaid and anyone else who joined up...

Can't say I've contributed much but I read it at least. *G*
I had a think about my own excuses for being in this thread (besides the rather dodgy Cornwall thing)... My dad went all over the world when he was a carefree bachelor (ie: 40 or 50 years ago) and he saw a lot of what was then the USSR... he has tonnes of slides of Moscow and St. Petersburg (how long ago was it Leningrad?), the Kremlin and all that stuff... we used to have slide shows all the time but me and my brother being little then and very easily bored, we haven't had one in ages cos it's an automatic reaction to flee screaming when dad even mentions the slides.

I think I might give him a heart attack next time I'm home and ask to see them, cos I want to see it all again.
My dad also apparently developed his life-long hatred of cucumbers while in Russia... he claims they were all he had to eat morning noon and night and can't bear the sight of one even now.

My best friend is also really into Russian history and literature... I think she read Tolstoy at some point... heavy stuff she told me!
Ummm... I think I had something for the Irish thing too, but bugger me if it hasn't dribbled straight out of my brain. Darn.
Oh yeah... witchcraft trials are interesting... I'm sort-of reading a book with bits of medieval history in it... but it's a bit before the witch trials time, I think the latest it goes is the 15th century.
Oliver Cromwell... anyone know the Monty Python song? *G*
I need to investigate my family history I think... I also need to have a lot of long conversations with both parents, specially dad since he's seen so much of the world. When my aunt died a couple of years ago (at the very respectable age of 83) I learned at the service all sorts of amazing things that I never even knew about her... she hitch-hiked all over New Zealand once (amazing for a single woman at that time), she worked in a munitions factory during WWII, all these things I could have heard from her, and I never even thought to ask... sigh. Well it won't happen again if I can help it. (my dad started a family late in his life so his side of the family's a lot older than mum's).
Sorry to blather on like this but I'm just zonked... and still most of the forum is ahead of me, 3 days of posts awaiting my perusal... *L*
So who knows, I might have a drop of Irish in me after all...

 

[Mermaid]

yes, I too have been away for a few days, and I'm just beginning here! daunting task...
I've heard of Purleigh, but not in connection with witches - it gets a mention in a Monty Python sketch about climbing Mt Kilimanjaro (sp?). My intimate knowledge of Monty Python should answer the question about the Oliver Cromwell song - I have it on CD. It's even funnier because I've studied Cromwell, so I 'get' it.

I'll have to check the Irish citizenship thing, too. I dont know whether I want to give up NZ citizenship, but maybe I could be technically Irish while I'm travelling and then revert to being a Kiwi when I get home!!!

see y'all later
Mermaid

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No man is my enemy
My own hands imprison me
Love rescue me...

 

[whiteflag]

I understand, Mermaid. If I could call myself a "Kiwi" I wouldn't want to change it either

How cool is that? The best I can manage is "Yankee". Nope, not as cool as "Kiwi"

I would also like Irish or European citizenship but only if I could keep my American citizenship. I like knowing that the "Big Dog" is looking out for me even if I have to call myself a Yank for it to be that way. That high-tech and obscenely expensive armed force is good for one thing, evacuating Americans efficiently if ever things get hairy in my travels.

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There is but one flag...

 

[Aine]

Whiteflag,really,NOTHING compares to Boxing Bono !!!
I heard that the Irish people often say not
"Yankee" but "Yank",is that true and which
one do you like better,Whiteflag ?
And you must learn to sing Ukranian traditional songs because they are lovely.

Mermaid,are you still into witchcraft and did you find anything so exciting as to put
it into practice ? (I'm kidding actually and
I hope there're no Great Inquisitors among the members of this thread !)
My friend's work is based mainly on Russian material,partly Finnish.
And I,too,love "Kiwi" and I always wondered
where it came from,is it because of the nice
bird or something else ?

Do svidanya,or ka kite ano,or slan !

 

[whiteflag]

Hey! Does anyone check this post anymore besides me?????

Where did everyone go?

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There is but one flag...

And please support Amnesty International's Campaign Against Torture by clicking here stoptorture.com

 

[whiteflag]

To answer your question Aine, I like being called a Yank. Sounds tougher. Its got more attitude

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There is but one flag...

And please support Amnesty International's Campaign Against Torture by clicking here stoptorture.com

 

[Aine]

These are really good news,Whiteflag,my congratulations as I'm sure you've already
stepped on the green grass of the Blessed
country.Wish you the best of luck !

 

[Alisaura]

I was wondering that myself, whiteflag...

I got my dad to dust off his slides from his trip to the USSR waaaaay back in 1969... he traveled from the eastern end (next to Japan), right across on the Siberian railway (except he had to fly a bit of it around a lake where troops were gathering cos of a border dispute with China or something) to Moscow and then Leningrad/St. Petersburg... there are some truly awesome buildings there! So that's where the people's money went... Stalin's wedding cakes, some of them are called, I think...

And everything was so CLEAN... no litter anywhere to be seen! Not like the public places here (in Australia)...
Guess where I want to go now...

 

[Aine]

Ireland,I'm hopelessly in love with you !

 

[MrBTH]

It would seem that we have let this great thread die on us!! How could this happen??!!
Well, I guess we're all busy and doing other things...
To be honest I'm nearly exhausted by just reading all the posts that the rest of the forum gets now, must be getting old! Oh for the days when you could read everything in five minutes and have time to write reams of stuff... Well, not really actually. I still love this place! It's so vibrant now with so many characters and so much happening that you need to check in about 5 times a day just to keep in touch. How did we get so big???
At the moment I'm still studying in Dundee, working way too hard for my liking! I'm doing Architecture and it is so time consuming and exhausting that I hardly have time for anything else... Now I'm on holiday here at home in lovely Dungannon, but it'll soon be back to the grind!
So how are all the old folks???! Whiteflag and Aine and Zoomerang II and Alisaura and Mazz and I think Mermaid even popped in once!! I hope you are all well and have had a great christmas.
I havn't really been around since ATYCLB came out so I don't even know what your opinions on it are... I love it so much that I am having difficulty in listening to anything else at the moment! But there is one album out at the moment that I really like which Aine might be interested in! It's called "The Diamond Mountain Sessions" and it's by "Sharon Shannon and Friends". It is so good, a real variety of stuff from straight ahead irish Trad to Cajun to Galician to Blues... Such a variety! It'd be worth seeking out!
I hope you are all coming to Slane this year because it will be the Concert to end all concerts, you can guarantee it!!! Hopefully I'll be living in Dublin at the time so you may even have a place to stay! By the way, Whiteflag... are you still in Dublin or when did you return home? It's just I was over for a few days around Halloween and I was just thinking that you could have been anywhere. I might even have seen you! Oh well. There'll be other times I suppose!
So, hopefully this will mark the resurrection of this old topic and I can't wait to hear from you all!
Slan go foill!
BRIAN

 

[whiteflag]

I can't believe it. This thread lives again and MrBTH is back! Great to hear from you again, Brian. And to think if it hadn't been for AM asking me to check Discotheque (she is sitting here beside me) I would never have known of your reply. I stopped checking awhile ago.

Yes, I'm still in Dublin and every time I think that this city is just too exasperating to live in anymore something happens to make me fall in love with it even more

Two days ago I was walking thru a heavy snow through nearly deserted streets in the area around O'Connell Bridge and I don't think I have ever been so in love with a city

The bridges, the river, the snow...it was so beautiful.

I'll be checking back here soon so if anyone else should pop in, by all means post away!

 

[Aine]

Dear Brian and Whiteflag,
Thanks for reviving this thread.
When you happen to look through Interference
and suddenly find out the lovely people're
back in here - well,what can I say? -"it feels like it's a Beautiful Day".
See you next millennium

- and you're always welcome in Russia!
Peace!

AINE

 

[MrBTH]

Well it sure is good to hear from you guys!
Whiteflag, you are right about Dublin. It really does my head in sometimes, it's so busy now, people can be so rude and ignorant, beer costs way too much

, and yet I still love it to bits. I remember once I went to Dublin with a few friends. I dragged them around every architectural site in the city, ranting and raving about my opinions on this and that and what should be done and what shouldn't. They still make fun of me for that! But it is a place you can get passionate about, not only architecturally, but in general...
And I know what you mean about the snow too. I think the conditions I'm experienceing up here in Northern Ireland are a bit more like what Aine would be used to in St. Petersburg. We have been snowed in, engulfed in freezing fog and generally been made to feel VERY cold! Today we managed to make it to my Grandmother's house. She lives right out in the countryside, where some roads are still impassable. I went for a walk around the roads without seeing a single car. The snow was crunching underfoot and I was taking some pictures of the beautiful sights I was seeing. Huge icicles the likes of which I have never seen, the canal almost totally frozen over, with boats caught in the ice, and the sheer beauty of "a world in white". I had never seen conditions like this in my whole life, although it had, apparently, been just as bad back in 1982, when I was just two years old.
I'm going to Belfast tomorrow (if I make it through the forecast blizzards!), to a party at my friends house to see in the new year. It's strange being at home this year because I constantly seem to be running into old friends. I am terrible at keeping in touch with people, never calling or writing (asyou well know) and I feel so bad about it all the time. I am making it my resolution this year to keep in touch with ALL of my friends. To stop using the old (though still valid!) excuse of being so busy that I have time for nothing else. And also to get back into contact with true friends that I feel I have let fall by the wayside this past few months. I have been too busy trying to make new friends in Dundee since my old ones have all scattered. I was forced, by illness, to drop back a year on my course and I have had, in effect, a new beginning. A pretty successful one too. I love my new flatmates - I have been very lucky in that respect - and the new class I have entered have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. But I feel so bad about losing touch with just about everyone from the last few years... I must take action or I could lose them forever.

Sorry folks for blathering on. Sometimes it helps me to just write out my feelings and it helps to clear them up for me. Looks like you are the unwitting victims this time! However, it goes for you too. I'm sorry that I just disappeared for so long. I'm sorry for not replying to e-mails and greetings... I can't just keep taking other people for granted.

So I resolve that all this is going to change. That and the resolution to lose the (at least!) two stone weight I have put on through eating my mother's cooking over Christmas!

HAVE A HAPPY AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR (since I won't be around tomorrow)
BRIAN

 

[zoomerang II]

hi guys..sorry it took me another year to get in touch!

It's really great to read this again - it just puts a grin on my face and I don't know why. Anyway, I will fill you in on my dross at some point as for now I am enjoying the winter wonderland that is england. I am more than keen for a slane hook up at some point though.

I hope you all had a lovely christmas - and that we may meet in 2001 over a pint of Guiness, or kvas (well, maybe not) or at one of the concerts. Perhaps all three?

happy new year, michael

 

[mazz]

Happy New Year to you been a while since I last popped in but how are you all Hope you are all looking forward to the up comming tour. I heard they would play at Slane Castle in Aug any idea how far from Dublin it is. I am going to Dublin In Feb I hope to check it out then but if anyone knows it would help
love to you all Mazz

 

[MrBTH]

Hi Mazz and Michael!
Slane is about 30 miles from Dublin and is along the main Dublin to Derry road, the N2. It's actually in a really beautiful area with lots of Prehistoric monuments quite nearby like Newgrange, which is much older than the pyramids... So I'd say it would be pretty easy to catch the Derry bus from Dublin one morning, get out in Slane, do a bit of exploring then catch one of the return buses later in the day. Or if you are driving it will be no trouble at all.
The thought of seeing U2 in Slane in August has me jumping with excitement already. This will be the ultimate concert this year, if not ever, and I really hope that you can all be there to experience it! Start saving NOW!
I'm heading back to Dundee early tomorrow morning so I'd better start packing!
Bye!
BRIAN

 

[Aine]

Dia daoibh to you all!So what's new?What's
going on in here?Whiteflag,R U still in Dublin?what do you think about coming to Slane in August

? Mazz,are you still a
teacher?And where is Mermaid?what a pity she's dissapeared.
Brian,you must admit

you exaggerated a bit saying you had put on "two stones"!Anyway,you
definitely need a lot of energy to create your designs in the snowy

Dundee.Hope you're not freezing!Have you heard about Tullamore Dew(not whisky but a band) and if you have what's it like?
Michael,I've got some problem with e-mail but
nothing serious,will be fixed in a couple of days...so you'd better check Interference, just to know!
Has any of you listened to Sinead O'Connor's
"Faith And Courage"?I nearly forgot about her in the last few years ,however a friend gave me this CD as a Christmas gift and I have to say that I love it more and more each day,it is really,really good.
Finally,I'm eager to hear how you all saw the
New Year in ???

Bye!
AINE