Portland Hibernian Society Annual Banquet
Volume One. Number Twenty Two. March 7, 2024
More than an email. Less than a newspaper. In your email box the first and third Thursday morning of every month. Published by The Portland Hibernian Society.
Everything you ever wanted in a Saint Patrick’s Day Gathering: Food. Live Music. Irish Dancers. A Poet. A Priest. A Raffle.
25th Annual Hibernian Saint Patrick's Day Banquet - Saturday, March 9 - Six P.M. Upstairs at Kells - 112 SW Second Ave.
It’s not too late to sign up - but the banquet’s almost totally booked. RSVP to: https://www.portlandhiberniansociety.org
MEET THE LEADER OF THE IRISH SENATE - NEXT WEDNESDAY MARCH 13
The Speaker of the Irish Senate, Jerry Buttimer, will make a quick visit to Portland to meet members of the Greater Portland Irish community at Kells on SW Second three days before Saint Patrick’s Day. Cathaoirleach Buttimer (Fine Gael) will be accompanied by Micheál Smith, Consul General of Ireland for the Western US. All are welcome to attend a question-and-answer session with Buttimer and Smith at 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 13 at Kells, 212 SW Second Ave. Expect Sen. Buttimer to field some questions about Ireland's use of "soft diplomacy" in international affairs these days.
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY IN PORTLAND
Kells - The Irish Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park starts Friday and includes all sorts of family and adult activities. Heavy on the music of course. Stop by the Portland Hibernian Society stand on Saturday. Ireland v. USA amateur youth boxing Friday night. Always a blast. There's plenty going on at the Kells on SW Second AND NW 21st as well
All Kells activities listed here.
TC O’Learys - Action actually kicks off (oops, wrong term) this Saturday morning (3.9) with a live broadcast of the Ireland v England rugby match. Since Tom O'Leary opened his "Litle Irish Pub" on NE Alberta, it's become THE eastside center of Irishness.
TC O'Leary's schedule listed here.
AICS - No Irish affinity organization in Oregon has been doing it better for longer than the All Ireland Cultural Society on Saint Patrick's Day.
What would Saint Patrick's Day be without a parade? (March 16) - There are several neighborhood parades around town next weekend. HI enjoys the one in Sellwood put on by the good folks at Saint Agatha's Parish.
Parade route, times and after party info here.
Different kind of parade - Don't think of it as a run, think of it as one long parade with people moving much faster than when they're marching. The wee ones love seeing the costumes some of the runners wear.
Shamrock Run - Where to watch if you're not running it.
Real Irish Music - We're fortunate in Portland to have as one of our own the legendary Irish fiddler Kevin Burke. He'll be performing with a "super group" at the Alberta Rose Theater on March 17. (A few doors down from TC O'Leary's.)
Tickets still available but they're going fast.
Shamrock Cruise (March 10) - Beginning in 1862 and for several years afterwards, Portland's Benevolent Hibernian Society offered a cruise on the Willamette to Vancouver, where the Saint Patrick's Day revellers enjoyed a swell picnic. The tradition lives! (Alas, no picnic, but food and drink and music on board.)
Willamette River voyage details.
CILLIAN MURPHY
Will he make Irish history at the Oscars on March 10? You'll love this feature with him that ran on 60 Minutes.
It’s hard to believe, but there’s never been a Best Actor or Best Actress Oscar won by someone born in Ireland. (Daniel Day Lewis has won Best Actor a phenomenal three times in three different decades, but he was born in London). That’s about to change, I believe. Murphy is the favourite to take home a 24-karat, gold-plated statue Sunday (3.10) for his portrayal of the Father of the Atomic Bomb.
Check out The Wind That Shakes The Barley if you haven’t already.
MOST POPULAR POLITICIAN IN IRELAND
Sure, we’ve seen our share of US polls telling us how many people like which politicians, but until seeing this story the HI didn’t know Michelle O’Neill of Sinn Fein in NI had surpassed the leaders you might expect to top the polls. Read how the Irish people polled ranked their politicians.
Read how the Irish people polled ranked their politicians.
AIRBNB IRELAND
Having rented rooms in Counties Donegal, Mayo and Galway on Airbnb, these numbers caught the HI eye.
There are 28,683 Airbnb rentals in Ireland. Of those, 10,000 are rooms and the rest are the entire house. Dublin’s got the most - with 6,590 rentals while County Kerry comes in second with 2,825. The latest rates: County Donegal rentals average 143 Euros ($156) a night and 800 Euros ($872) for the month. In County Kerry it’s 175 Euros ($191) a night and 1,000 Euros ($1090) a month. There's an effort to make Airbnb Ireland hosts register their units with the government.
THE BEST SELLING BEER IN BRITAIN?
You guessed it. Irish Times -"Guinness is having a moment. In fact, as of last year it is Britain’s most popular beer. One in nine pints sold across the country is a Guinness, in London the figure is one in six." Read more.
NOTHING COMPARES 2 WHO?
The estate of the late Sinead O'Connor has told the Trump campaign to knock it off with using her greatest hit to pump up the crowds at his rallies. She's the latest artist to say Cease and Desist.
SPEAKING OF OSCAR
TRIVIA - While an Irish-born actor has never won the Best Actor Oscar, Irish-American actors have won a boatload. Which actor won the Oscar for portraying Father Edward Flannagan and which for playing Father Chuck O’Malley?
Answer below
TRIVIA ANSWER - Spencer Tracey (Fr. Flannagan) and Bing Crosby (The fictional Fr. O'Malley)
QUOTE OF THE DAY - “People who drink beer are intelligent, caring conversationalists and enjoy good company.” Bob McMenamin - Mike and Brian’s Da.
The next meeting of the Portland Hibernian Society is set for Thursday, April 18 in Kells Restaurant at Six P.M.
