"Thirty-third Annual Feis
United Irish Counties Association
of New York, Inc.
Feis Headquarters
326 West 48th Street, New York, NY 10036
Maureen Mulcahy, Executive Secretary
Phone: COlumbus 5-4226
April 1, 1965
Dear Competitor,
On Sunday, June 20, 1965, the Thirty-third Annual NewYork Irish Feis sponsored by the United Irish Counties Association f New York will be held on the Campus of Hunter College in the Bronx.
We were most happy to have you as a competitor in the 1964 Feis, and we extend to you a most cordial invitation to compete in this yer's Feis.
The enclosed syllabus lists 176 competitions embracing all phases of Irish Cultural activity and we would appreciate you bringing the Feis to the attention of your talented friends and encouraging them to compete. All are welcome irrespective of color, creed or national origin.
If you are attending school, please bring the Feis to the attention of your teacher or principal. We are sure they will be interested in the Scholarship Awards for literary or oratory competitions.
There is ONLY ONE ENTRY FEE OF ONE DOLLAR for each competitor regardless of the number of competitions in which that individual competes. The entry fee for CHOIRS and BANDS is FIVE DOLLARS PER CHOIR or BAND.
Further information may be obtained by contacting the United Irish Counties Feis Committee, 326 West 48th Street, NY, NY 10036.
We urge you to return your Entry Form as soon as possible. It must be in the hands of the Feis Committee before the CLOSING DATE - MAY 19th.
Cordially your,
John W Duffy
Feis Chairman
HUNTER COLLEGE IN THE BRONX is at Bedford Park Blvd. West and Jerome Avenue, Bronx, and is only a few blocks from Bedford Park Stations on the IND - D Line and IRT - Woodlawn Line, Plenty of free parking for those who come by car and children are admitted free.
SATURDAY, JULY 10TH is IRISH FEIS DAY at the NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR.
FEIS WILL BE HELD AT HUNTER COLLEGE IN THE BRONX, SUNDAY, JUNE 20th, 1965"
I didn't realize that there was an Irish Feis Day at the World's Fair! And I'm surprised that the Feis Committee offered scholarships for oratory and literary competitions.
"SYLLABUS
Thirty-third Annual
FEIS
sponsored by
United Irish Counties Association
of New York, Inc.
at
Hunter College
in
The Bronx
on
Sunday, June 20, 1965
Commencing At Noon
Honorary Chairman
Cornelius C Cremin
Irish Ambassador to the United Nations
President Chairman
Patrick J Redmond John W Duffy"
I'm not including the whole syllabus but the Foreword explains that "The Feis (pronounced FESH) is an Irish Cultural Festival depicting the traditional songs, music, dances, and other arts of ancient and modern Ireland ...
Historically, the Feis is an ancient Irish event; its origins in Ireland can be traced back to 1000 BC. The modern Feis still retains many of its ancient characteristics. One of these is the competitive feature. The 1965 Feis will have 176 competitions ...
In addition, winners at this Feis who win prizes in the senior Competitions for Singing, Music and Dancing events, provided such winners otherwise meet the requirements of the Feis Concert Audition Board, will be given an opportunity to perform at the Annual Feis Concert sponsored by the Feis Committee in November 1965 at Carnegie Recital Hall, New York City." Imagine! Carnegie Hall!
"Grade 9
Retreat Schedule 1965
April 12, 13, 14
Mass 9:00
Breakfast 9:30
Church 10:00
Rosary 10:05
Conferences 10:15
Spiritual Reading 10:45
Rosary (Church) 11:10
Conferences 11:15
Stations 11:45
Question Box 12:00
Rosary (Church) 12:30
Benediction 12:50"
It's a Catholic school so of course we had retreats periodically.
The High School also published a monthly newsletter.
I get a mention above for the Honor Roll - First Honors as a freshman.
On the right column there is an article about Christian Communalism. "Of all the dangers facing society today, Christian apathy poses the greatest threat - even more so than communism. Just by looking around us, we can see how God has so completely been put out of society. Some signs of life without God are the immoral movies, divorces, crime rate, literature and magazine ads that appear daily in our lives. As Christians, it is our duty to try to improve our own lives and those of our fellow human beings." The article goes on to say that lay people "mix daily with all types of people of all creeds" so by working in groups lay people can accomplish a great deal. We must start by improving our own lives - make decisions that are pleasing to God rather than ourselves - join groups within our Church and School like the CYO, Sodality, Legion of Mary - put a spark into discussion groups. "It takes a certain degree of heroism to be a true Christian in the world today. We will be criticized and talked about, but so was Christ. His ways are hard because they are the right ways." The article says that we must bring Christ into this world despite our apathy. "It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness." Reading this, I am thinking of the isolated world that we lived in at that time. I had never seen a black person; I knew there were Armenians and Greeks living in East Watertown but I don't think I knew any. The Nieburgs lived on the corner of Marshall and Spring Streets - they were Jewish - we knew them to say hello but didn't really know them. So I'm not sure why or how we were supposed "to bring the warmth of Christ" to others in this world, but that is what they were telling us.
Top left picture caption: "Retreat Master Paul W Seaver, OP of St Stephens, Dover talks with servers John Ursillo, Paul Madden and Kevin Casey at the close of the Holy Week Retreat for the high school."
So that explains what the above retreat was for - preparing for Easter. Interesting that the Retreat Master was a Dominican priest from another parish - maybe he was a friend of one of our nuns.
Patty and Mary Patricia in front of Wetherbees - this was either Easter Sunday, April 18 or the following Sunday.
We took a trip into Boston on the bus from Watertown to Harvard Square then the train probably to Park Street Station. Diane and me in Boston Common - note Diane has sox on - the rest of us have graduated to nylons. But I can't remember if we were wearing pantyhose or nylons with a garter belt or a girdle at this time - I did wear those stockings but not for long because pantyhose became so popular.
We passed by the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Street.
We visited the Granary Burying Ground on Tremont Street - this is Benjamin Franklin's family's burial site. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston but I think he is buried in Philadelphia.
John Hancock's gravestone - he was a wealthy Boston merchant, a revolutionary, a governor of Massachusetts and the first signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Various graves in the Granary Burying Ground which is Boston's 3rd oldest burial ground established in 1660.
We continued walking along Tremont Street to King's Chapel (above) which was popular with Loyalists prior to the Revolutionary War. William Dawes who, with Paul Revere, sounded the alert that the British were on the march to Lexington and Concord is buried in King's Chapel burying ground below.
The night before Patriots' Day, there is a re-enactment of the ride of Paul Revere, William Dawes and Samuel Prescott to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British were on the march to Lexington and Concord to seize arms and ammunition to prevent a rebellion. The riders leave from the Old North Church. I took my kids one April to see the riders arrive around 11 pm at Reverend Jonas Clarke House in Lexington - we were lining the road just before the Clarke House when the riders raced by.
William Dawes' grave.
Joanie and Mary Patricia in front of Faneuil Hall where protests by the Sons of Liberty against the Stamp Act, the Tea Act and other protests took place in pre-revolutionary Boston. The statue behind them is Samuel Adams - a cousin of John Adams and a great Revolutionary leader in Boston. He also has a beer named after him!
The cousins headed to Old South Meeting House - here is where the Sons of Liberty met to oppose a tea tax - when the Royal governor refused to remove the tax, hundreds of protesters left here later that night - some disguised as Native Americans - and headed to the harbor where they boarded ships and threw tea chests into the harbor waters. There is a great re-enactment of the Boston Tea Party every December - I've brought my kids to it - we sat in the church pews - listened to the Sons of Liberty protesting the tea tax then we all marched down to the Tea Party Ship and watched trunks of tea being thrown overboard. We loved it!
The old Massachusetts State House - the Boston Massacre happened outside here. There is a re-enactment of this every March. The Declaration of Independence was also first read to the citizens of Boston from the balcony of this Old State House - we went to hear it being read one July - I'm not sure if they still read it now.
Diane, Patty, me back in Boston Common.
Me in Boston Common
Joanie and Mary Patricia in a Photo Booth - likely taken the same day as the above photos.
"Lulea: 22/4 - 65
Hey Mary Ellen,
Thanks for your letter.
You asked me how I should say 'good by' in Swedish and I should say 'hej da' or 'adjo.'
My favorite actors are Ella Sjoblom, Jarl tulle and Max von Sydow.
Tomorrow my eldest sister become a student and we shall have a great festival. I think it will be great fun. I really hope that she can get along. Next year my other sister (Birgitta) perhaps can become a student.
Evry year it's a tip in Lulea where nearly evry people shall guess when a big (red) stone will go ...
"through the icn (on Lulea-river). And there is lot's of prices to the people who was guessing nearest. I guess it will went through 12/5. Perhaps you wonder why I told you this, it is so that we range that when that happen the spring is here.
On Monday starts the schools and we have had easter-holiday.
Do you like dogs? I do. We haven't any. but nearly all our neighbors have dogs. And I like to go out with them. My friend Eva sometimes works at a dog farm and sometimes I and my best-friend went with her to the dog farm.
Hej da
Ninni"
Christine, Jody and Jimmy in our backyard on Marshall Street - look at those faces! They bring back warm memories.
"1 Bankhead Street
Cohuna, Vic.,
1st May, 1965
Dear Mary Ellen,
Many thanks for your letter and the postcards. The coin I sent you in my last letter was called a three penny piece. Sorry to hear about your team losing their basketball game. Thanks for explaining the letter code to me, and it does clear up my problem.
Besides Tim Considine, my other favorite stars are Tony Dow, Jerry Mathers, Hugh O'Brien, Paul Carr and the late Alan Ladd. Merv Benton is my favorite singer (he recorded 'It's Love Baby and Come on and Get Me'). Do you have any other favorite stars besides David McCallum? I"m keeping my eyes open for pictures of him.
It seemed rather funny about you writing about spring fever because it's autumn here at the moment. In about a month's time it will officially be winter but at the moment it's still quite warm as I've been sun bathing nearly every day.
In one of your letters you asked me if Peyton Place was being shown here and I said it was only shown down in Melbourne. Well, it's finally being televised in the country. I think it's fantastic and there's nothing really immoral about it and I'm going to try and watch all the episodes.
Last week football started. The Northern District teams are Union, Cohuna, Leitchville, Gunbower, Pyramid Hill,
"Border, Kerang and Koondrook. My favorite team is Union and they won there first game. The Melbourne League teams are St Kilda, Caulton, Foodscray, Melbourne, South Melbourne, North Melbourne, Fitzroy, Collingwood, Geelong, Hawthorne, Richmond and Easendon. My favorite team is St Kilda and this year I'm following Carl Ditterich who is one of the star players. Each season I collect cutting and pictures of my favorite players and put them in my scrapbook. I do believe our Australian football is very different your American football.
In about a weeks time I'll be having a birthday party. I asked Mum if I could have one and she said that as long as I'm prepared to get everything organized and ready, I'll be able to have one. It will be a mixed party and I will be having a few friends up from Melbourne.
In about two weeks time we will be starting our May holidays and I'm not sure where I'll be going yet, but I think it will be either Bendigo or Melbourne. Just before the holidays our school will be holding its annual fair and the money raised provides our school with extra amenities. Our school raises one of the highest amounts in Victoria and last year we raised 9651-1- pounds.
On the subject of school I might as well tell you what happened last Thursday. Most of Form 4 and 5 were on the Gipplanel trip and about 45 stayed back at school. On Thursday (our sports day) 35 seniors stayed away and the teachers were disgusted with the example we set ...
"for the junior forms and they had a conference and all the 'works' with it. It was the first time I had missed school in two years and we had to have a good excuse for our absence but none of us did. On Monday we'll find out what's going to be done about it.
Next Thursday I will be going to the Deb Ball as most of my friends are going to be Debutantes but I can't make mine until next year as I'm not old enough.
I've got a lot more to write about but I can't as I'm almost out of paper so I'd better close now.
Mary
PS Say hello to your family for me.
PS I I have enclosed two postcards with this letter.
PS II As you will have noticed I varied the stamps on the envelope quite a bit, and I'll be doing it again.
PS III Excuse the writing and write soon."
In hindsight I'm surprised that Mary liked Jerry Mathers and Tony Dow from Leave It To Beaver - it seemed so kiddish - I'm sure it has to do with the American TV shows that they were able to see, but I loved High O'Brien in Wyatt Earp. And I remember Paul Carr in several TV shows.
Skipping school is universal I think - especially for seniors!
Lulea 11/5 - 65
Dear Mary Ellen,
Thanks for your letter.
Off first I'll tell you that you from now have to write my address like this: Ninni Elmdahl, Box 8, Lulea, Sweden. I haven't remove, we have only changed post address.
This afternoon I have been at the bath-house and looked at 'Logar Gala' I can't translate it into English but I am going to tell you a little about it. There were expert swimmers and they competed. They were also playing water-polo, and there were men who go on a slippery pole without fallen into the water and they were doing lots of other thinks.
Today we had a Swedish ???? (I can't male out the spelling) ...
"and I hope it had work out fine.
Our summer holidays start 2/6 (June 6) and ends 1/8 (August 1,) so we haven't lots of days left.
Now all snow is gone and we have +5 - +10 degrees warm, satisfied with a Celsius thermometer. What sort of thermometer have you in America?
Yesterday the boys in our class played a football game with the boys in another school, and the boys in my class were very good and won the game with 5-1.
Now I must end this letter my friend Brita is hurry on me!
Your Pen-Pal
Ninni Elmdahl
Hej PS Write soon!"
This was a Scout-a-Rama - Johnny belonged to the Boy Scouts. It's too bad that these pictures are so fuzzy - that is Christine and Jimmy with my father holding Jody.
Christine, Jody, Jimmy and my mother.
George Navin, Christine, Jimmy and George Navin - my cousin John/Jay also belonged to the Boys Scout and my uncle Paul Navin was the Scout Master. What's up with Jimmy's pants? Are they patched?
Pete Bythewood was a neighbor and friend of Johnny's.
Patty and Tommy Navin in front of St Pat's Church - Patty was a leader for Tommy's 1st Communion.
Debbie Bergen, Patty and Mary Beth Wallace. These were the days when you wouldn't enter a Church without covering your head. They have mantillas on their heads - they are smaller versions of the long lace mantillas that covered the head and shoulders. At least they aren't wearing Kleenex - which we all did at some point!
"National
Honor Society
SPHS (St Patrick High School)
Chapter
Induction"
"Star Spangled Banner ........................................................Students
Welcome........................................................................Kevin Casey
History and Organization of Honor Society...............Barbara Paletti- Mary Mahoney
Interpretation of Emblem...............Kathleen Maloney - Robert Cram- Donna Brady
...........................Illumination of Candles......................
James Cram Margery Connearney
Roll Call of Candidates .....................................................Kevin Casey
Pledge..................................................................................James Cram
Reception of Candidates........................................Sr Mary Roberts, OP
Honor Members' Welcome............................John Ursillo- Robert Cram
Response..........................................................................William Stoney
Remarks.................................................................Rt Rev M J Houlihan
O Most Holy Trinity.................................................................Students"
I was inducted into the National Honor Society when I was a freshman.
The top column in The Shamrock is about the Golden Jubilee for our pastor.
"Rt. Rev. Michael J Houlihan, pastor of St. Patrick's Parish will celebrate his fifty years in the priesthood on May 28, 1965.
The Parishioners of St Patrick's are planning several functions, spiritual and social, to honor Monsignor Houlihan's Golden Jubilee.
On May 28, 1965 Monsignor Houlihan will privately celebrate his Golden Jubilee in the Rectory with his curates and other clerical and personal friends.
The Parish, however, will honor Monsignor in its own way. Several programs have been arranged and on June 6, 1965 a Solemn High Mass of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at four o'clock. At six o'clock following the Solemn High Mass, a Testimonial Banquet at Watertown High will be held. The guest speaker at this Banquet will be the Most Rev. Jeremiah F Minihan, Auxiliary Bishop of Boston.
The parishioners plan to establish a Burse at St John's Seminary in his name. Monsignor has been forever mindful of the increased need of vocations and 'it is felt that a scholarship (which would provide financial assistance to future young men of St Patrick's Parish who select the priesthood as their life's work, will be a living tribute most dear to his heart.'
On May 28, 1915 Father Houliahn was ordained at St John's Seminary in Brighton. He served as Curate and later as Pastor in several Boston parishes.
Father Houlihan came to St Patrick's Parish in June, 1947 upon the death of Monsignor Daniel Riordan.
Father Houlihan's first years at St Patrick's were filled with many problems and a great deal of work. Just to mention a few of Father Houlihan's achievements, he improved the school system, provided better housing for the Dominican Sisters, and repaired and redecorated the Church.
In January 1959, Father Houlihan was raised to the hard earned rank of Monsignor."
Just below the article about Monsignor Houlihan's Jubilee is an article about a visit from Bishop Charles L Nelligan of St Anselm's, Ontario, Canada. He spoke to the student body about the Ecumenical Council convened by Pope John XXIII - 'on the spur of the moment. It was almost as if he had been inspired.' The Bishop went on to explain the 3 reasons that Pope John had in calling the Council - 'to bring the Church up to date, to eliminate obselete tradition, and to rephrase the language of the Church in modern times.' The Bishop also described how one Cardinal exceeded the 10 minute limit on speeches and the PA system was shut off on him! Pope Paul VI opened the 2nd session of the Council after Pope John died in June 1963. Pope Paul stated at the opening of the 2nd session that "he wanted to bring about a 'new awarenenss of the Church,' do away with unnecessary traditon, and develop better dialogue with other Christians and with the world.'
The Bishop received good reviews in The Shamrock newsletter for his humorous and entertaining presentation. He was also noted to be the uncle of my friends Alice Nelligan and Mary (Red Rover) Power as well as George Miller.
There was an article by John Ursillo, a Senior and the Editor-in-Chief of The Shamrock titled "Cue Ball" about the US involvement in Vietnam. He wrote "The Red Chinese "cue ball" for the breakup of Southeast Asia is Vietnam." He went on to write that Defense Secretary McNamara confirmed that North Vietnam's army was fighting in South Vietnam in battalion or even regimental strength. John writes that if the US loses the support of the war weary South Vietnamese - nothing can bring about a victory in Southeast Asia. He goes on to write that there must be an increased effort in the fight against the Communists ... "The United States has the power to crush Viet Gong guerrillas, North Vietnamese regulars, or Red Chinese 'volunteers,' just as it crushed Japan in the same areas of the world late in the Pacific war. The American fighter proved himself superior to the Japanese. He must now prove himself superior to the Vietnamese fighter who is inferior to his Japanese counterpart."
I remember seeing news reports on the TV re Vietnam around this time but it didn't seem too big a deal and it was far away. How naive I was. And reading this article now I shudder at the naivety of the author who had never seen combat and probably was not aware of the horrors of the fighting in the Pacific during WWII.
The top left hand article about the Sodalists Visiting Neighbors - the students in the Sodality of Our Lady, in keeping with the increasing Ecumenical Spirit, arranged meetings with the pastors of Watertown Churches and the Rabbi of Beth El Temple in Belmont (there was no Temple or Synagogue in Watertown.) I was shocked when I read "One student's comment on this particular conference was: 'Shocking - because much that we had previously believed about the Jews is not so.' What had we believed? I was always interested in Judaism - wasn't Jesus a Jew? - and other Christian Churches - I don't think I had any exposure to Islam or other religions - we lived in a cocoon. I did go to local Protestant Churches sometimes instead of going to Mass but that was in another year or two. I thought their services weren't so very different from the Catholic Mass - they had hymns, readings, sermons, Communion but with small pieces of bread instead of hosts. Everyone seemed very friendly and welcoming. What was the big deal? We were all praying to God.
At the bottom left there is an article on a safety program for pedestrians and drivers. The last sentence states "Police Chief Murray gave a brief message on the subject of civil rights, particularly as they pertain to Watertown today." What did that mean? The Civil Rights movement was underway - the evening news reported on Freedom Riders, sit -ins, the March on Washington. I was aware of discrimination in the south and thought the Freedom Riders very brave - but that was in the south - what did it have to do with Watertown? There were no blacks living here - at least I had never seen one.
"Rt Rev Ambrose Hennessy, DD celebrated his 50th year in the priesthood at St Theresa's Church, Watertown on Sunday, May 23. With him on this jubilant occasion were many of Watertown's town officials and leaders along with his beloved parishioners. Shown above, left to right, are Rt Rev Michael J Houlihan, pastor of St Patrick's Church, Watertown, and cousin of Msgr Hennessy who served as deacon; Msgr Hennessy; and the Rt Rev Joseph A Beatty of Weymouth, who served as sub-deacon."
"26th May, 1965
Dear Mary Ellen,
This is just a short note to tell you that I received your letter and will be answering it this weekend. Also I will be sending a parcel to you next week and it may arrive a little late. Sorry about the delay but I've been busy studying for the exams which will start shortly. I hope you have a Happy Birthday.
Mary"
"Per ipsum, et cum ipso, et in
ipso, et tibi Deo Patri omnipotenti,
in unite Spiritus Sancti,
omnis honor et gloria.
(Through him, and with him, and in him,
is to Thee, God the Father Almighty,
in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
all honor and glory.)
Remembrance
of the
Golden Jubilee
of my
Ordination to the
Holy Priesthood
Rt Rev Michael J Houlihan
Pastor,
St Patrick, Watertown
1913 May 28 1965
Buidheachas Le Dia"
(Thank God)
