Newsletter Issue 9 August 2006
........Mystery Fauna.........
Mystery Creature Competition:
The first person to identify the fantastic mystery creature, which visited Cape in large numbers this year, wins a donation to the canoe club; €10 donation for the name in English, €10 for the name in Irish.
The Irish Language on Cape Clear.
In my main job, as the host of the Youth Hostel on Cape, I meet many people from around the world and am often asked the same range of questions time and again. I have stock answers for stock questions but occasionally I do try to vary my answers. One favourite question is ‘do the people of Cape speak Irish?’ My answer is always the same ‘yes they do.’ I often qualify this statement by saying that there are a number of families who use Irish as their first language and many who speak English but also use the Irish on a daily basis. I know this for a fact because I often find my lack of fluent Irish a real drag when stuck between two fluent speakers bandying their Irish back and forth as if it was going out of fashion, sometimes without a thought to my lack of understanding – but it does help to strengthen my resolve to try harder to master the ancient language of my forebears.
I myself use Irish on a daily basis but in a very basic way. I use it to greet my guests and when answering the phone. I also try to use all the Irish I have when visiting the Oifig an Phost (post office), and the island co-op office, where Irish is the prime language.
I am even proud to say that I was insulted by an Irish speaking visitor in the summer. I don’t know what he said but I am sure that it was an insult. He had, as far as I could make out, one drink too many taken, and was fishing from the rocks in a bit if a dangerous way. When I asked him to stop he refused in English and then flung an Irish word at me – well it just had to be an insult didn’t it. If only I was quick enough to have flung back Pogh mahone but then I am never one to inflame a situation, so perhaps pogh maisce would have been more apt.
I am not promising that my grammar is correct in English let alone Irish, so please read it in the spirit of which it was written, and if you don’t like it you can kiss my arse, in a manner of speaking.
Am I allowed to say such things Chuck or should I tone it down for those of a nervous disposition? I can’t help it; I just pick up my pen and publish what I write.
Later this year we will be having Irish lessons on Cape when I hope to learn a few more insults of my own.
Interested in learning Irish? Click the links for information:
http://www.cleire.com/ http://www.oilean-chleire.ie/english/colleges.htm
Contents
Irish Language (Front Page)
Live the Dream on Cape (1)
Nowhere to Hide on Cape? (2)
Book and Art Review. (3)
New Island Brochures (4)
Nuts for Birds (5)
Weather on Cape (6)
Tidy Islands Group (7)
Gardening on Cape (8)
Calendar of Events
Development, Infrastructure, Jobs (10)
Entertainments
Song Lyrics (13)
Thank You (12)
Links to Cape Web Sites(13)
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Ray Darcy Show Monday 8th August.
Fair-play to the young people of Cape for sending the emails that persuaded Ray to bring his radio show to Cape in August.
Ok, it is true that Ray was a bit controversial at times but it was all done with finger-up-bum & tongue-in-cheek. So now it is payback time:
You might not be impressed by celebrity but you have got to admit that Ray is a gorgeous little bundle of fun. He arrived in the blazing sunshine when water was short (as is usual during the summer) and joked that his entourage were smelly as they couldn’t have a shower in the morning. We know two things: he was probably smelly before he arrived; and a lack of water and being smelly is a small price to pay to live in the Cape.
Ray became a wally for the day. Sorry that should be wallie, not wally – a wallie is the affectionate term given by Cape islanders to people who sit on the wall backing onto the beach. Ray sat on the wall and interviewed a number of islanders to give his listeners a flavour of the island and a grand job he did too. Michael-John proved that his memory is as good as ever when Ray asked him to name all of the people living on Cape. Our own beautiful Emir was introduced as the historic face of Bord Failte. Steve Wing was asked to identify a range of birds by a basic description, read by one of Ray’s assistants, and he got them all right – big show-off. Helen did a grand job spouting the history of the island. Naimh, aka Lifeboat Baby, regaled us with stories of her sudden birth during heavy storms and how Cecilia, her mother, had to be strapped in a chair to be lifted on to the lifeboat and whisked off to give birth on the mainland.
Davy Spillane sang some beautiful songs as Gaeilge and melted our hearts. http://www.davyspillane.com/
It was a great show and a great day for Cape – well done to everyone who took part.
Family Fun Day
Why are we always so lucky with the weather? A brilliant day with a good cause in mind; Aoife and Roisin raised €1360 for their trip to Costa Rica where they hope to work as volunteers helping to construct desperately needed buildings for a village community. Kevin (with the help of his various assistants) worked like a Trojan organising everything, especially the barbecues – thank you to Kevin (and his little helpers).
The day started with the barbecue and more sausages than you could shake a stick at and an enormous amount of burgers, all washed down with abundant drink – what more could you want? The little children had sack races, obstacle courses, three legged races and other games. The bigger people had a full scale football match, which went to penalties, and Kevin’s team won (but they were lucky). Kevin scored the winning penalty but it was Dermot’s two goals that made the difference between the teams.
Book and Art Review
There are plenty of books available using islands or island life as their theme, but none are better than the newly published book ‘ A Miscellany of Cape Clear Memories.’ This is a book to equal the books in the Blasket collection. It is a book graced by the finest of photographs by world famous photographer John Minihan. John’s sensitive studies of our friends and neighbours is a credit to him and us. These photographs will stand the test of time, as will the book. It is chock full of the memories of islanders whose recollections simply glisten with past wisdom in a beautifully evocative way. If you read only one book this year make it ‘Bíthrín na Smaointe,’ that’s the Irish title of the book and it has many passages in Irish, as well as English, and a fair smattering of poems and songs – a true delight.
To enquire after this book email:
European Volunteer Project
We are fortunate indeed that each year we have a number of excellent volunteers from the European Volunteer Project to help us here on the Cape. These volunteers add so much to our lives and are always greatly missed when they leave. If anyone from Cape would like to join the EVP and workin foreign climes then they should contact Brid Ni Griffa.
Welcome to Cape Clear.
Our newest volunteer from the European Volunteer Programme is Sonja.
Sonja has already made her presence felt by painting some wonderful designs around the windows of Tina Spree.
Adios to Angel and Aisheer.
Excellent commitment and work ethic but, more importantly, two of the finest people you could wish to meet. We are all sad to see you go but wish you well for the future. No doubt you will return one day and truly welcome you will be.
Grapes growing on Cape Clear.
We are blessed with a climate which allows grapes, small though they are, to grow outdoors. Yes it’s true and I ate a couple today just to prove it. In a couple of weeks they will probably be juicy and fat and ready for picking – here’s hoping.
A great site for checking the Irish weather: http://www.met.ie/forecasts/
A great site for checking the Irish weather and the tides: http://www.ireland.com/weather/tides.htm
Tidy Islands Group
The Tidy Island Group (TIG) reports that the Bring (recycling) Centre on the old pier is being brought up-to-date. A concrete base has now been laid and, in due course, the recycling centre will be enclosed behind fences and dressed with rambling roses and other flowers.
A big thank you goes to all members of the TIG as well as the overseas volunteers for the huge amount of work done to keep our island clean and tidy. Take a look at our beaches after a storm and you will see the amount of rubbish washed in. All of this flotsam & jetsam, as well as the rubbish left by holiday makers, is cleared by the TIG, with the help of Cork County Council facilities.
The results of the 2006 Tidy Towns competition have just been announced. This year Cape came a creditable 5th out of twenty towns and we have increased our marks from last year.
The Tidy Islands Group (TIG) Calls for New Members:
The TIG is a small group of volunteers who work to help make Cape look its best throughout the year. We are very keen to expand the group and would welcome new members with open arms. It is important to note that the group is quite informal and does what it can with limited resources, but we do have a bank account and we do work hard to gather funds to carry out our planned schedule of works. We also know that the amount of commitment given by individual members will vary subject to the time of year and personal workloads, so you don’t have to commit to doing huge amounts of work, just do whatever you feel comfortable with. Every extra person will make a difference and lighten the load on the rest of the group.
The current members of the group agree that we should make our plans available for all to see and comment upon. For this reason we have set up our own weblog to make it easy for all interested parties to view our past achievements, current work schedule, and future plans.
How to join the group:
Lifeboat Day 23rd July
A day full of ceoil & craic. The north harbour rang to the sound of happy people.
Canoe Club Trip
8. Gardening on the Island of The Grey Ox of The Ninth Wave.
Gardening tips with Old Mother Sinead:
Garlic:
If you have had trouble with garlic bulbing-up in the past, this is because our climate on the island is too mild. The trick is to put youR garlic bulbs in the fridge (not freezer) for two or three weeks before you plant them out. As long as your soil is free draining then plant out in September/October. Garlic planted at this time will be bigger and juicer than garlic planted in spring. Harvest in July next year.
9. Calendar of Future Evnts 2005
April 21st :
April 29th.
May 13th :
June 17th: .
- June 24th :
- July 3rd – 7th :
- October 28th – 30th:
Saturday, October 28 through Monday, October 30, 2006
MASTER STORYTELLER IN RESIDENCE: Carol Russell, England, trained at the Jamaica School of Drama. As actress, she’s worked in Theatre-In-Education, Repertory Theatres & National & Int’l touring companies. Her introduction to Storytelling began in Jamaica: she tells tall Jamaican tales, African Folktales, tales from around the world. Creating workshops for schools, universities, theatre companies & libraries using the techniques of storytelling as a spring board to creating theatre pieces, she’s also run workshops on storytelling techniques as part of SPREAD THE WORD. Part of Britain’s Black History Month celebrations, she’s been guest storyteller on BBC GLR. She also writes urban tales. Her first novel, REUNION, was short listed in the 1995 Saga Book prize. Her TV screenplay HOUSE OF USHER became part of the BBC’s Windrush series, STILL HERE. Carol’s performed at many international storytelling festivals, including Cape Clear and the Scottish International Storytelling Festival – and was BBC radio’s storyteller in residence for 3 years.
“USING OBJECTS TO TELL STORIES” WORKSHOP: This year, for our 13th annual workshop, Carol will teach us how to use objects to generate and tell stories. Since objects hold stories within them, the workshop will help us unlock the story in any object we select to bring to the workshop, so bring a few!
Open to all but limited to the first 17. A fun yet heuristic opportunity for aspiring storytellers, practicing storytellers, teachers of all levels & ages, librarians, social workers, politicians, actors, priests, publicans.
COST: €95 for course plus a non-refundable €15 registration fee (limited scholarship available); accommodation (room & full board) varies with place of residence. Self-catering facilities, hostel, B&B, camping. Lunches Sat. & Sun. are served at cost in The Bullig House (Euro 5.00 each) and a special
Questions? Contact Chuck or Nell Kruger, Glen West, Cape Clear Island, Co. Cork, Ireland, (028) 39157;
Email: ckstory@eircom.net
Website: http://indigo.ie/~ckstory/
Important Notice: Before Travelling, you must check to make sure that the event of your choice is happening on the quoted date. Not all events are shown and more will be added in the next issue of the Newsletter.
10. Development, Infrastructure, Jobs
(10a) Tourist Office & Craft Shop – North Harbour
The new building was opened in time for the summer and a grand improvement it is too. The new space is full of light and air and makes an ideal spot for the display of arts and crafts.
11. Entertainment
(11a) Cards
Every Saturday night at An Club.
(11b) Table Tennis Club
Every Tuesday and Friday at the Old Coastguard Station (An Oige).
8.00pm – 10.00pm. Younger children with parents on Friday.
(11c) Chess Club
Every Tuesday and Friday at the Old Coastguard Station (An Oige).
All are welcome 8pm – 10pm.
(11d) Choir
You don’t need to be a Pavarotti to join our choir!
But it would help if you were. It is true that we do have some beautiful voices in our choir but it also true that we have some voices (I’m thinking of myself in particular) that are less than melodious. The key (pardon the pun) is that you have the desire to sing and are ready to learn from the rest of the choir. We often sing in Irish (with plenty of songs in English too), and it is then that you hear the true beauty of the Irish language. It is not just hymns that we sing either, no, we try all types of music from Country to Traditional Irish. So, don’t wait to be invited, just turn up on the night and have some fun and learn some Irish for free. Check with Mary for time and date of the next meeting.
12. Poems by Island Visitors.
George Young is a man of many words. His speech is splattered with tricks of language and playful purple prose. He uses words to paint pictures in his everyday speech and not just in poems. This offering was plucked from the very air that we breathe when I challenged him to make a poem or eat his words. And while we listened to the magical songs of the garden birds, which fill our lives here, he looked out at the rusted, corrugated roofs, and the gorgeous green fields of Cape and, thinking of the wastelands of a wider world, was inspired to create the following little gem.
The Unseen Famine
Dark furrows of earth now stand,
Where once green Pastures lay,
Like joined sheets of corrugated steel
Dropped between Hedgerows,
Washed and rusted by the wind and rain,
Waiting for the young potato shoots
To poke their heads through the bolt holes
To the morning sky.
No more will Spiders cast their nets
In seas of green in the early morning mist.
All around the field the Sloe, Blackberry, and the Haw,
All droop their heads in decay,
Blackened by the farmer’s unseen chemical spray.
No sound can be heard now from the Sparrow, Finch, or Thrush.
Dead leaves now fill the burrows
Where once Badger and Rabbit used to graze and play.
As the evening fades, all is quiet,
Except for the droning of a tractor in the distance.
A hungry Fox scurries through the potato drills,
Wondering where his next meal will come from.
High up on a blackened branch
A wise old Owl sits silhouetted in the moonlight, surveying the silence.
A tiny Mouse below the wise old Owl, blinks, and thinks
‘But, to feed such a few, why kill a million.’
George Young.
13. Thank You to:
14. Links
Links to Cape Clear Web Sites
View back copies of the Newsletter and many pictures of Cape Clear.
Back Copies of the Newsletter on Line
Our island web site, with lots of links, pictures, places to stay on the island etc.
Cape Clear Island Website
Emara Community Portal, contains regular news about Cape Clear.
Emara Portal for Islands
Links to Articles in the newsletter
Click on the link to have a go at building our Solar System: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/space/playspace/games/jigsaw/jigsaw.shtml
Click the link to see maps of the constellations and to discover what else you can see in the night sky during the current month.
Maps of the Night Sky from the BBC
Click on the link below to be taken to the NASA website to find out when you can next see the ISS as it dashes across the sky.
Date & Time for ISS NASA
Also, try the link to a rather wonderful website designed for children and beginners:
Astronomy for Children
The usual web site for those interested in UFO’s
UFO Society Ireland
We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter. If we can add anything else to help improve your enjoyment then please let us know. Email the editor with your comments.
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