NACHS Newsletter

The Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society

March 2007

Celtic Triad ... Three things that won't have rest: a steep waterfall, an otter, and a devil out of hell.

NACHS March Meeting

We will be having our March 6th meeting for, hopefully, the last time at the McPherson center. The meeting starts at 6pm and everyone is welcome. Stay tuned to see if we will be back at the Adult Center for April.

Welcome former NAIF members

The Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society welcomes former Northern Arizona Irish Foundation members! Although NAIF has decided to close its doors, we are a sister organization have adopted all NAIF members. Our membership structure is set up differently however, so this is how it will work: Former NAIF members will be receiving the NACHS newsletter for all of 2007 as well as receive NACHS benefits. At the end of 2007everyone but life members will need to renew their membership in NACHS. Membership prices are similar, but there are choices between receiving a paper newsletter or an email newsletter. If you have questions about this change or anything else, please call Jude McKenzie at 928/556-3161.

Upcoming Events Listed in Chronological Order – See Details Below

March 2 – Chris Dean, Celtic Guitarist, Concert in Phoenix

March 3 – Contra Dance

March 4 – Celebration of St. David’s Day (Wales) & St. Piran’s Day (Cornwall)

March 7 – Realta Concert in Mesa

March 7 – Chris Dean, Celtic Guitarist, Concert in Mesa

March 10 – Cathy Ryan Concert

March 11 – Shenanigans

March 11 – Cathy Ryan Concert in Prescott

March 17 – Sedona St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Faire in Phoenix

March 18 – Contra Dance

March 24 – Irish Rovers Concert in Mesa

March 31 – Campe Verde Scottish Games

April 1 – Tartan Day Celebration

April 21 & 22 – Las Vegas Celtic Gathering and Highland Games

St. Patrick's Day Parade in Sedona

NACHS will participate once again in the Sedona St. Patrick's Day Parade! The parade is on March 17th, lining up at 9am and stepping off at 10am. We need as many folks as possible to strut our stuff and show that good old green Irish spirit. There will be a car for those who can't walk but because of limited space it will be on a first come/first serve basis. If you are interested in joining the parade, please contact Jude at 928/556-3161 for all the details.

St. David’s Day (March 1) and St. Piran’s Day (March 5) Celebration

In celebration of these two Celtic holidays, Welsh and Cornish respectively, NACHS is presenting a special, FREE presentation for everyone to enjoy:

What: Screening of the film “Saving Grace”. This comedy, set in Cornwall, is about Grace, who is a widow left with tremendous debt after her husband dies by falling from a plane. In an attempt to make money, she teams up with her former caretaker, who encourages her to use her gardening skills to make her fortune.

When: March 4 at 2:00 PM

Where: Charly’s at the Weatherford Hotel, 23 North Leroux Street

Traditional Welsh treats will be served, and everyone is welcome.

For more information, please contact Jude McKenzie, 928.556.3161

Cathy Ryan Band to perform in Flagstaff

On Saturday, March 10th, Flagstaff audiences will be delighted by the Cathie Ryan Band, performing at the Cline Library Auditorium at 8pm. You may have already heard Cathie Ryan’s honey-pure soprano as lead singer for Cherish the Ladies for eight years. She also performed in Flagstaff in 2005 with T’ada’s Irish Christmas in America and has held such acclaims as the ”Irish Female Vocalist of the Decade” by Irish American News; Billboard states “her performance is striking.”

Cathy, the daughter of Irish immigrants and raised in Detroit, is equally at home with the lilt of Gaelic sean nos (old style) and the Motown groove of her home city – “her own songs have a strength and charm rooted in the combination of these influences” states BBC Radio 2. Performing a mix of traditional material and Cathie’s own songs are Emerald Rae and Flynn Cohen on fiddle, guitar, bouzouki, and backing vocals. This should be a wonderful evening full of traditional and contemporary Irish music and songs. Enjoy beautiful music and songs that transport your spirit to Ireland when you listen? Come see this performance!

This concert is presented by Living Traditions Presentations and sponsored by NACHS. Tickets are $20. Members of NACHS, Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music, NAU Faculty & Staff, and seniors receive a $2 discount. Students and Children are only $10. Tickets are available at NAU Central Ticketing, Cedar Music, Jitters Coffee, and Ticketmaster.com. For more information, contact Kari Barton at 928/600-1365 or Kari@LivingTraditionsPresentations.com.

The Cathy Ryan Band will also perform in Prescott on Sunday, March 11th, 7pm, at the Prescott Free Methodist Church located on Willow Creek Road. Tickets for general seating are $20 in advance/$25 at door, and $30 for front row seating. Tickets for high school and college students are $15; tickets for young people under age 16 are $10. For more info, call Dave McNabb at 928/771-1218.

From the Irish Cultural Center

1106 North Central Avenue, Phoenix

REALTA COMING TO MESA

Former lead tenor of Riverdance, Brian Dunphy teams with the amazing Irish Divas, the Emerald Isle Orchestra and the dazzling Celtic violin troupe, The Fiddlin’ Colleens for an evening of folk tunes, classics and contemporary selections of music from Ireland. They will perform Wednesday, March 7, 3pm, at the Mesa Arts Center, Piper Theater, 1 E. Main St. , Mesa. Tickets are $35. For info, call 480/644-6500 or visit www.mesaartscenter.com

CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK'S DAY ALL OVER AGAIN WITH THE IRISH ROVERS

In a rollicking, rousing performance of good cheer, the Irish Rovers will have you singing and clapping along to their hit “The Unicorn” and more. As international ambassadors of Irish music, they have charmed and entertained people around the world and continue to delight audiences with their exciting stage shows.They will perform Saturday, March 24, 8 pm, at the Mesa Arts Center, Ikeda Theater, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. Tickets are $34/$27/$24. For info, call 480/644-6500 or visit www.mesaartscenter.com

THE IACI INTRODUCES THE IRISH WAY

Let me introduce you to the Irish Way, a program of the Irish American Cultural Institute. The Irish Way is a unique cultural experience for teenagers. It is a nationally recognized summer study abroad program that has educated over 3,500 American high school students since 1976. Every summer the Irish Way sends approximately 100 students to experience the “summer of a lifetime.”

The Irish Way is a four-week high school summer study abroad program. Students are introduced to Ireland*s history and traditions via structured classes and are given the opportunity to witness Ireland’s beauty by touring the country’s southeastern and western regions. Dates for this summer's program are July 2- July 26, 2007. Applications are now being accepted for the 2007 Irish Way. If you would like more information on the Irish Way, please call 973/605-1991 or visit www.iaci-usa.org .

Note from the ICC: As we celebrate the Irish Way's 31st Anniversary, we would like to reach out to as many people as possible and let them know about this fantastic opportunity. If you could please spread the word about the Irish Way, we would truly appreciate your help.

24th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Irish Faire

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Parade: 10:00 a.m. 3rd Street & Virginia south to Hance Park

Staging on 3rd street between Thomas and Virginia - De-staging at Hance Park and on East Morland Street

Faire: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Hance Park (West side of Central Avenue at Culver)

Featuring 2 Stages of Irish Music, Irish Step dancing, Bagpipers, Food & Beverages, Irish Crafts & Merchandise, Genealogy, Irish Clubs, Children’s Area, and The Irish Cultural Center!

Faire Admission $10.00 for Adults (12 & over), $1.00 for Kids 6 - 12 Kids under 6 FREE

Ride the FREE SHUTTLE BUS to the Faire! Round Trip From 2700 North Central Ave.

FREE PARKING FOR THE FAIRE: 2600, 2700 & 2800 N. Central Ave at the Parking Garage

Hours of Operation 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

For Further Information - Please Call (602) 280-9221

Wanted: Pipers and Drummers

Interested in learning to play bagpipes and belonging to a small local pipe band? Call us! All levels of skill welcome and lessons are free!

Jim Thomson 928-522-8797.

4th Annual Camp Verde Highland Games 2007

The date is set and the time is now, don’t miss your chance to be a part of something special. All are invited to attend and participate in all the fun and excitement that IS the 4th Annual Camp Verde Highland Games! The Games will be held March 31st at the Camp Verde Community Center - gates open at 10am and then the fun begins! Once here you will not be able to avoid the many activities that you’ll find. Enjoy Scottish food, Celtic folk music, Scottish athletics, re-enactments, pipe bands, & Scottish dancers. This year also includes a Highland Dance competition, solo piping competition, tearoom, TWO entertainment stages and more pipe bands than ever before!

The day is packed full of entertainment and tradition for your family and friends, so come make the 4th Annual Camp Verde Highland Games a tradition of your own. After all, when it’s all said and done, it’s a lot more then fun! Gates close at 5pm. Contact Dave McNabb at 928/771-1218 for more info.

Flagstaff Contra Dance

Come give the fun of Contra Dance a try! The Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music (FFOTM) sponsor a Contra the first Saturday of each month. The next dance is Sat, March 3, 7:30-11:00pm, at Ashurst Hall, NAU. Contra is beginner-friendly. Instruction is offered early in the evening and a caller guides you throughout. Music is provided by a live string band. You'll have so much fun the only risk is that your cheeks will hurt - from so much grinning! You don't need to come with a partner, and in fact are encouraged to switch partners throughout the evening.

There will be lines and squares, do-se-dos, swinging and more - all easy for kids from 8 to 80! Don't hesitate to give it a try if you've never been to a Contra Dance. If you've contra danced before now you'll know where and when it happens in Flagstaff. Call Kris or Michael Satterwhite (NACHS members) for information - 928/526-3020. Suggested donation: FFOTM members $5, non-members $6. All ages are welcome. This is a family-friendly event.

Second Contra Dance

Now we have a second chance to contra dance brought to you by Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music (FFOTM) at the Applesauce Teahouse on South San Francisco, Flagstaff, on Sunday, March 18th, 5:30-7:30pm. The teahouse provides a more intimate environment for a dance and offers delectable teas and food items. Be sure to patronize Applesauce after you pay your admission. We like to have friends with dance floors in Flagstaff! As always, the music and caller are live. Admission: $5 All ages are welcome - this is a family-friendly event.

Las Vegas Celtic Gathering and Highland Games

April 21-22, 2007 9AM-6PM

Bagpipe Bands, Scottish Heavy Athletics, Highland Dancing, Children*s Games,

Scottish Clans, Scottish and Irish Food, Scottish/Irish Shopping

Desert Skye Pipes and Drums/LA Scots

Wicked Tinkers/Stand Easy

Floyd Lamb State Park

US 95 North, off at Durango, go East, Follow the signs

Tickets-

General: 2 Day...$16 advance/$20 at the gate, 1 Day...$10

Senior/Military: 2 Day...$14 advance/$16 at the gate, 1 Day...$8

Child: -2 Day...$8 advance/$10 at the gate, 1 Day...$5

www.LasVegasCelticSociety.org or call 702/596-9995 for advance tickets and info.

Volunteers Needed Again!

There are several events coming up where we need volunteers to make a good showing.

First off is Shenanigan's in Flagstaff on March 11th - we need help setting up, decorating, and running activities.

For the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Sedona on March 17th, we need people to march in the parade, carry flags, and/or pass out festival flyers.

For the Verde Valley Highland Games in Camp Verde on March 31st, we need people to help at the educational outreach program tent.

For Tartan Day in Flagstaff on April 1st, we need people to help with activities and set-up. If you are interested in any of these opportunities, PLEASE call Jude at 928/556-3161!

Robert Burns Supper and Tea with Diana Gabaldon

Our two big February events were a BIG success!!! Attendance was great and we made a few bucks, too! In our continuing commitment to supply the Flagstaff Public Library with interesting Celtic materials, we have donated Diana Gabaldon's unabridged version of Outlander on CD. Don't all rush in at once to check it out - it may take a couple of weeks before it gets out on the shelf. We will continue to donate the rest of the Outlander series on CD in their unabridged form as time goes on. THANK YOU to everyone who attended these events. The food was great and the activity was fun! Your support really does make a difference - it enables us to supply the library with much needed materials AND it helps our scholarship program.

St. Patrick's Day Cocktail

3/4 oz. Bushmills Irish Whiskey

3/4 oz. green creme de menthe

3/4 oz. green Chartreuse

dash Angostura bitters

Stir well with cracked ice and strain into a 3 oz. cocktail glass.

A Wee Bit of Irish Humor

Father McGee walked into the church and spotted a man sitting cross-legged on the altar.

'My son,' said the holy man, 'what are you doing? Who are you?'

'I'm God,' said the stranger.

'Pardon?'

'I'm God,' he repeated. 'This is my house!'

Father McGee ran into the presbytery and, in total panic, rang the archbishop.

'Your reverence,' said he, 'I hate to trouble you, but there's a man sat on me altar who claims he's God. What'll he do?'

'Take no chances,' said the archbishop. 'Get back in the church and look busy!'

Celtic Music radio program on KJZA 89.5 FM

- Hosted by NACH's own David McNabb

- Live on Saturdays, 6-7 pm

- Broadcast repeated on Sundays, 1-2 pm

Directory of Celtic Arts

For Lessons:

Bagpipe, Prescott	Denise Robinson: 928.443.5191
Bagpipe and Drums, Flagstaff	Jim Thomson: 928.522.8797
Bodhran	Ron Barton: 928.774.7261
Fiddle	Kari Barton: 928.600.1365
Harp	Laurie Riley: 928.204.0013
Highland Dance	Jim Thomson: 928.522.8797
Irish Dance	Sharon Judd: 602.253.1978

For Performance and Music:

AZ Highlanders Pipe Band, or to hire bagpipers	Jim Thomson: 928.522.8797
Bagpiping in Cottonwood/Verde Valley area	Lloyd McCaffery: 928.634.3672
The Knockabouts	John McGregor: 928.863.0188
Celtic Harp	Laurie Riley: 928.204.0013
Wild Thyme	Sherri Bermeister: 928.636.1207

Note: It’s Time for Membership Renewal

Please go to the website, www.nachs.info. You can download, print, fill in the membership form, then mail it, along with your check, to NACHS, PO Box 187, Flagstaff, AZ 86002. Your support of the society is crucial to continuing our “preserving, promoting, and preserving” Celtic culture.

Following are flyers for various events:

Celtic Guitarist Christopher Dean
...Irish, Scottish, English, and American traditional and contemporary folk music
mixed with Celtic lore, history, stories, and humor.

Desert Shadows RV Resort

22623 N. Black Canyon Hwy.

Phoenix, AZ

March 2, 7:00 pm

Reservations/Ticket Information: 623-869-9224

Tickets: $4

Orangewood Shadows RV Resort
3165 E. University Dr.
Mesa, AZ

March 7, 7:00 pm
Reservations/Ticket Information: 480-832-1040
Tickets: $5

Desert Shadows and Orangewood Shadows RV Resorts invite you to an evening of Celtic and American folk music performed on fingerstyle and flatpick guitar by internationally recognized Celtic guitarist Christopher Dean.

Chris is not just a gifted exponent of Celtic music. He tells engaging and humorous stories, and weaves Celtic lore and history with his music - the familiar trinity of jigs and reels - haunting airs that take you far away to a land of the imagination - and laments that evoke past glory.

Starting a professional career in music in 1966, Chris has performed at concert venues with "The Rolling Stones", "The Rascals", "The Doors", and more recently with Alasdair Fraser, Men of Worth, The Wicked Tinkers, Brian Baynes, and Skyedance, to name a few.

All three of Chris' albums have been sold world wide, receiving radio play in Canada, U.S., Europe, and Australia. His tunes have also been released on three compilation albums in Italy, five in Japan, and one here in the U.S.

The Northern Arizona Celtic Heritage Society presents

Shenanigans

A fun celebration of all things IRISH!!!

Music by the KNOCKABOUTS!

Limerick Contest! Food! Dancing! Kids activities!

When?…March 11 from 2 to 5

Where?…Charly’s at the Weatherford Hotel, 23 N. Leroux, Flagstaff

How Much?…$5 for adults…kids FREE

Be IRISH for the day!!!

For more information contact Jude at 556-3161

April 1 at 2:00 PM

Charly’s in the Weatherford Hotel

23 North Leroux Street

Tartan Day

FREE ~ Bring the Whole Family!

Wear your Tartan • Haggis

Bonny Knees Contest • Silent Auction

… and Bagpipes!

SPONSORED BY THE NORTHERN ARIZONA CELTIC HERITAGE SOCIETY

For more Info: please call Jude: 556.3161

Las Vegas Celtic Gathering

and Highland Games

April 21-22, 2007 9:00AM-6:00PM

Floyd Lamb State Park

US 95 North, off at Durango, go East

Bagpipe Bands, Scottish Heavy Athletics, Highland Dancing, Children’s Games, Scottish Clans, Scottish and Irish Food, Scottish/Irish Shopping

Desert Skye Pipes and Drums/LA Scots

Wicked Tinkers/Stand Easy