| Seeking Hyde
UWM Celts Memorialize Irish Presidential Visit
By Mario Raspanti
 On
Saturday, Feb. 25, the UWM Center for Celtic Studies hosted its fourth
annual Sean-Nos Milwaukee celebration. This year, the gathering remembered
Dr. Douglas Hyde’s visit to Milwaukee in 1906. The noted Irish poltician
addressed a full house at the Pabst Theater, highlighting what was then
an Irish revival of language and culture.
Hyde, the first president of Ireland, was one of the founders of the
Gaelic League, Conradh na Gaeilge. He also helped form the Oireachtas,
the first Irish cultural festival. To commemorate his historic visit, to
Milwaukee, a plaque unveiling and the initial Hyde Memorial Lecture, given
by Professor Joseph Watson of the University College-Dublin, was held at
the venerable Pabst.
The weekend-long event began with a Friday night concert at the university’s
Hefter Center, 3271 N. Lake Dr. The concert featured award-winning performers
from Ireland and the U.S., including Mairin Ui Cheidi, Aine Meenaghan,
Marcus Mac Conghail, Virginia Stevens Blankenhorn, Brian Hart, Sile Shigley,
Meaiti Jo Sheamuis, James Flanagan, Nora Grealish, Jimmy Crowley, Seosaimhin
Nic Rabhartaigh, Julie Henigan, Treasa Ui Cathain and the group Navan.
The five men and five women each took turns briefly discussing the songs,
before letting the songs tell the stories. James Flanagan served as master
of the ceremonies. Flanagan, originally from Ballyvourney, a small town
in Co. Cork,now lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, well within earshot
of Hurricane Katrina’s howling winds.
The following day, Mairin Ui Cheidi and Marcus Mac Conghail conducted
workshops on Irish song, while Joseph Watson led a workshop on Scots-Gaelic
for beginners.
"One of the nicest things was that there were three major dialects regions
from Ireland. And there was someone from each region, which is very rare.
To have people from the three regions in the same room in America is a
pretty serious accomplishment," Flanagan chuckled calmly over a pre-noon
sandwich at the Hefter Center, before heading to the ceremonies at Pabst
Theater.
The plaque unveiling was followed by a short play, Na Tri Mhuicin
(Three
Little Pigs) presented by Paisti Milwauki (Milwaukee Kids), and
Pro. Joseph Watson’s speech, "The Irish Language: A Key to Understanding."
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett; Archbishop Timothy Dolan; Irish Consul General
Charles Sheehan; Deirdre O’Gara, director of the Douglas Hyde Interpretative
Center and representative of the Roscommon Council Ireland; John Maher,
executive director of the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center; and Roger
Walsh, president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians were among attending.
Watson hails from Belfast and has long studied Irish and Celtic
language and culture. He is in the process gathering, researching,
and publishing linguistic and folklore findings in both Ireland and Canada.
Watson is currently the Foundation Chair of Modern Irish Language and Literature
Studies at the University College-Dublin (UCD), a position Douglas Hyde
once held. In addition to being a professor, he has served as dean of the
Celtic faculty there and is also known as a writer, storyteller, and broadcaster.
In his speech, he discussed how the Irish language has persevered despite
much of it being out of fashion. In doing so, he echoed many of the sentiments
that Hyde put forth in his speech a century ago, including the notion that
language should be a part of the cultural and intellectual makeup of every
person.
"He was Mister Irish, if you will. He was so active in so many areas,
a
remarkable man," Watson said. "The focus turned to politics and force
of arms and he refused to turn. Hyde thought it was time to open the Irish
heritage to everyone...that everyone could have access to if they wanted.
Every Irish person should be as proud to know their heritage as a Jewish
person does Hebrew," he added.
Virginia Stevens, one of the performers from the Friday night concert,
mentioned that she had no Irish or Celtic ancestry. Born in California
and educated in the United States, Stevens, however, has studied sean
nos for 30 years. She also published a book on Irish song, Irish
Song-Craft and Metrical Practice Since 1600.
"I don’t like to use the term sean nos. It is really a traditional
form. It is
not necessarily a version or a take. When I sing or perform it, I hope
that
people will be reminded of their grandfathers, their grandmothers,"
Stevens explained.
As a student and professor, she came across Scottish Gaelic and later
Irish-Gaelic, both of which spurred her interest in languages. Stevens
lived in Ireland from 1975 to 1988 and taught English as a second language
at the university level. She visited UW-Milwaukee in 2004 to lecture on
the roots of modern sean nos, going back to the 17th century.
"Many people from Ireland don’t even know how to speak Gaelic. And (yet)
many people not from Ireland have a great interest and understanding in
the language and culture," she said.
Listening to Mairin Ui Cheidi recall how she learned and understood
sean
nos, it was clear how important the language and what it would mean
to lose it.
"Right now, Ireland is prospering. Sadly, with prosperity, there is
always some loss," Cheidi emphasized. "It would be a disservice to lose
this, the culture and these songs."
The language and the songs were passed down to Cheidi acoustically.
None of what she learned and appreciates was written, but rather shared
via stories and songs. Cheidi was born and grew up in Lettermore. Co. Galway,
moving to Boston in 1986 where there remains a large Gaelic-speaking popultion.
She speaks Gaelic at home with her family.
Much of Cheidi’s time is spent speaking or doing things closely related
to the Gaelic language and culture. In addition to teaching elementary
school, she also teaches Irish-Gaelic. On Saturdays, Cheidi’hosts an all
Irish-Gaelic Boston radio program on WNTM 1550 AM. The program includes
music and talk in Irish-Gaelic.
On this weekend, there was no shortage of Irish-Gaelic being spoken,
stories and song being shared, and friendships being celebrated. After
a busy day of workshops and a few hours at the Pabst Theater, program participants
reconvened for drinks and supper at the County Clare Inn, 1234 N. Astor
St.
After eating, those still hanging around ventured around the corner
to the Knickerbocker on the Lake hotel where many of the guests were staying.
A crowd gathered into the Juneau Room to share fine Irish whiskey. Most
share a song, a poem or a tune. It was a quiet, warming conclusion to an
on-going celebration.
 
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