An Nuacht

The Newsletter of

The Order of the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh - Essex Division

A 501c(3) Non Profit Organization

November , 2024

Inside this Edition

• Presidents Message
• FSOS Golf Outing
• Essex Shillelaghs GAA Report
• Essex Shillelaghs Pipe Band Report
• Ancient Ireland: Oíche Shamhna
• History Roundtable
• Welcome New Members
• Good & Welfare
• Shillelaghs Out and About
• Shillelagh Uniforms
• Member Dues
• Join a Committee
• 2024 FSOS Calendar

Wednesday November 13, 2024 7:30PM Start!

Our November monthly meeting will be held on our regular 2nd Wednesday of the month.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Get ready to jingle and mingle at the Annual Shillelagh Christmas Party, happening at the fabulous Shillelagh Club on Friday, December 6 at 7 PM! This is the ultimate night of cheer, featuring an open bar and a mouthwatering buffet that’ll make your taste buds dance! We want to see you in your best (or fabulously ugliest) holiday sweater, so bring your A-game and let’s deck the halls with laughter and joy! The party is free to members in good standing (paid 2024) and your guest.

Shi-Ladies Launch Party October 19

Shi-Ladies Shine at Tullamore Dew Launch Party!

Congratulations to our incredible Shi-Ladies team and their coaches, Ciara O'Donoghue and Ronan Boyle, on a fantastic launch event on October 19! The evening was a celebration of our new partnership with Tullamore Dew, who will proudly sponsor the Shi-Ladies for the next two seasons.

The launch party at the Shillelagh Club was filled with supporters, friends, and family, all gathered to cheer on the team and admire the sleek new jerseys from O'Neill’s, emblazoned with the Tullamore Dew logo. The atmosphere was electric as the Shi-Ladies mingled with the crowd and shared stories about their experience this season. 

The night was made even more special with Tullamore Dew’s expert mixologist unveiling a signature cocktail in honor of the team, while local band Essex Junction kept the crowd energized with live music. 

Hats off to coaches Ciara and Ronan for their dedication and leadership. With their guidance and the support of Tullamore Dew, the Shi-Ladies are set for a thrilling season ahead. Here’s to more success on and off the field—go Shi-Ladies!

Editor's Note: Ancient Ireland is a new feature of AN NUACHT and hopes to bring to life the richness of Irish history with curated and authored articles by members. Submissions for publication here and at AncientIreland.com are encouraged, subject to Editorial staff approval.

Bram Stoker and the Irish Origins of Dracula

By Mike Palazzoto

Abraham (Bram) Stoker (1847 – 1912) was an Irish author, born on 8 November 1847 in Clontarf, Dublin and was educated at Trinity College from 1864-1870. In his young adult years, Stoker worked as a theater critic and wrote stories, commentaries, and quality reviews for The Dublin Evening Mail (an Irish newspaper). He had written several books, but his magnum opus is, arguably, the best known novel in English literature: Dracula, published in 1897. 

Where did Stoker get the idea for Dracula? A possible influence has been suggested as Stoker’s mother, Charlotte Blake. Charlotte had lived through the famine and told him tales of skeletal people walking through the countryside. She even spoke of people draining the blood from the bodies for food.

Another significant possible influence is the 6th century Legend of Abhartach, curated by Patrick Weston Joyce and laid out in Joyce's: The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places (1870). We note that Stoker, at that time, was auditor of the College Historical Society (the Hist), and also president of the University Philosophical Society (he remains the only student in Trinity's history to hold both positions). He must have known about Joyce's book.

Abhartach was an Irish chieftain who ruled an area near what is now Derry. Abhartach was said to be a powerful and evil magician, and the villagers wanted to be rid of him. So they enlisted the help of a nearby chieftain named Cathán, who slew Abhartach and buried him standing up. But Abhartach rose from the grave the next day and demanded blood from his subjects in order to sustain him. Cathán slew him again, but the magician again returned from the grave. Cathán then consulted a druid on how to kill Abhartach. The druid said it was impossible as Abhartach was now one of the neamh-mhairbh (undead) and a dearg-diúlaí (blood drinker). Though he could not be killed he could be restrained. Cathán was instructed to slay Abhartach with a yew sword, to bury him upside down, scatter thorns and ash twigs around the grave, then have a great stone placed on the grave. Cathán did so and the people were finally free of the monster.

In today's day and age, we can be confident that giving blood is less about the dark arts and more about sustaining real lives. Each pint donated contributes to three people in need of Platelets, Plasma, or Red Blood Cells. 

Author's Note: This piece was inspired by Seamus Brosnan who advised me that the name Dracula is similar to the Irish phrase "dreach-fhoula", which means "blood feud", and also "Droch Ola" which is Irish for "bad blood".

About the Writer

Mike Palazzotto has been a member of the FSOS since 2017, tracing his Irish roots to County Kerry. Mike has a background in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science with a passionate interest interests in prehistoric and ancient peoples, and their explorations & discoveries. 

THIS MONTH IN IRISH HISTORY

By Ollie Browne

November 1920 will go down as one of the darkest periods in Irish History. Four years following the 1916 rebellion, the war of independence was raging across Ireland. In January the British recruited unemployed ex-soldiers who had fought in WW1, some of those recruited were prisoners who received pardons. In spring of 1920 some 10,000 were sent to Ireland to crush the rambunctious rebels. The Irish christened this group "The Black and Tans" because of the irregular uniform they wore. A dark green tunic (which looked black) of the Royal Irish Constabulary (The Irish Police force of the day) and khaki combat pants.

The Black and Tans remit was to disrupt and destroy any opposition to British rule. They were given carte blanche to rape, murder, pillage and plunder without fear of redress. The Black and Tans were backed up by a division of Auxillaries (Auxies). These were army officers who had served in WW1 and numbered approximately 2,300. These two groups quickly built a reputation for indiscriminate murder, torture, looting and burning. They were feared all over the country.

One such brutal murder was that of 24 year old mother of three Eileen Quinn from Kiltarten, Co. Galway shot dead by Auxillaries as she nursed her three month old daughter in a chair outside her front door on November 1st. This tragedy is remembered in the WB Yeats poem "Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen"

There was much unrest in Munster, primarily Cork….The Rebel County! Many IRA members and their supporters had been murdered or imprisoned and the ruling authorities thought they had the upper hand. British prime minister David Lloyd George had said that the authorities had their foot on the throat of revolution in Ireland.

The month of November started bad for Irish Republicans. On November 1st,18 year old IRA volunteer and medical student Kevin Barry was hanged in Mountjoy jail in Dublin. March 20th, Lord Mayor of Cork Tomas Maccurtain was assassinated on his 36th birthday. The man who ordered the assassination, RIC inspector Oswald Swanzey was himself shot dead later, on the orders of Michael Collins. Tomas MacCurtain was succeeded by Terence MacSwiney as Lord Mayor. Some IRA prisoners went on hunger strike to protest British rule in Ireland, brutality and shocking prison conditions:

October 17th Michael Fitzgerald died on Hunger strike in Cork Gaol

October 25th Joe Murphy (Born in Lynn MA) died on hunger strike in Cork Gaol.

October 25th.Lord Mayor Of Cork Terence MacSwiney died on Hunger strike in Brixton prison London. 

At this time a unit of elite undercover British agents were operating in Dublin. Their prime focus was intelligence gathering, and identifying IRA operatives and their supporters. This unit numbered about 15 and was known as the "Cairo Gang" as they had been stationed in Cairo before being moved to Dublin. The IRA had their own intelligence gathering division headed up by the legendary West Cork native Michael Collins. Collins knew all about the Cairo Gang, he had his own network of spies and informers. Many of Collins team were maids working in the "Big Houses" dotted around Dublin. Many British agents were rooming in these houses.

In early November Collins had identified all the Cairo Gang and where they were rooming. He gave the order to have them all assassinated. The team of assassins were chosen and plans carefully drawn up. At 9am on Sunday morning November 21st around 15 front doors were knocked on at various locations around Dublin. When the smoke cleared 14 high ranking British intelligence agents lay dead, many more injured, some escaped. This act sent shock waves through the British establishment. All British military personnel rooming in private homes hurriedly sought refuge in Dublin Castle and other British military barracks. The British government and their military machine in Ireland were outraged and vowed swift revenge. 

On that same afternoon, a Gaelic football match between Dublin and Tipperary was scheduled to take place at Croke Park in Dublin. The gate money was to be given to families of jailed IRA prisoners. There was talk of postponing the match for fear of reprisals by Crown forces. Ultimately, the match went ahead as planned. Some 10,000 supporters were in attendance and the atmosphere was tense. Shortly after the match started the hum of armoured cars was heard approaching the stadium. Black and Tans, Auxillaries and RIC surrounded Croke park. One armored car actually drove onto the playing field. Shooting started, the crowd fled in panic, as did the players. By the time the shooting ended 14 civilians lay dead and 70 odd had been wounded. The dead included 10 and 11 year old boys Jerome O' Leary and William Robinson, a 26 year old woman Jane Boyle and Tipperary footballer Michael Hogan (24) after which the iconic Croke Park Hogan stand is named.

Later that same Sunday evening two IRA prisoners Dick McKee and Peader Clancy and Gaelic League member Conor Clune were tortured to death in Dublin castle. Sunday November 21st 1920 became known as Bloody Sunday. A week later on November 28th an IRA ambush of Auxillaries at Kilmichael Co. Cork left 17 Auxillaries dead. 

Is Mise le meas

De Brun.

Member Sean Sweeney passed away suddenly on Tuesday October 29th. Sean was previously drum major in our pipes & drums. A wake was held at the O' Boyle funeral home Bloomfield last Sunday October 3rd. Essex Shillelagh's provided an honor guard, in keeping with Shillelagh tradition. President Coughlin presented a bible in memory of our fallen brother to next of kin, fellow member Hughie Sweeney and his wife Patty. Funeral services took place at Sacred Heart Church Bloomfield yesterday October 4th. I extend a thank you to all who took part in the Honor Guard.

Ar dheis De a raibh a h'anam Dilis.

Congratulations to Member Steve Shaffer and his wife Michelle on the marriage of their daughter Anne Katherine to member Colin Kane.

Also congratulations to senior member Noel O' Keeffe and his wife Phylis on the marriage of their daughter Karen to Anthony Solimando.

Samantha Plotino Calhoun and her new born baby Aurora are doing well. Samantha after a six week break has resumed treatments for her breast cancer. 

Gerard Falzo is recovering nicely following stomach surgery in September.

A lookback at the Shillelaghs and Friends of Shillelaghs for the past month.....

Shillelaghs and Friends of the Shillelaghs were all out at the Shi-Ladies Launch Party, held at the club on October 19.