Cardinal’s cast offs in Armagh, Northern Ireland

Armagh in Northern Ireland is similar to Italy in that it is built on hills.  Filled with Georgian stone  houses, it has the largest Cathedral in all of Ireland.

St. Patrick’s is the main cathedral or Ecclesiastical capital of  Ireland.  All the cardinals are ordained there and eventually all are buried on the grounds.  Their vibrant red hats hang in the cathedral until they disintegrate

The tiny town of 12,000 is packed with history.  Jonathan Swift spent time there so there is a small Gulliver’s museum and the local library has the first edition of Gulliver’s Travels

After Armagh, as our driver and guide, Ken recited Irish poetry, we headed to Omagh to the Ulster American Folk Art Park.  Stay tuned for photos

The beauty of Belfast

I began my recent journey in Northern Ireland in Belfast.  What a delightful surprise the whole city was.  I didn’t realize I had so many preconceived ideas about Belfast. Thinking it was a dismal industrial city, the high end restaurants ,independently owned cafes, fabulous  hotels, shops, bustling pubs and buzzing nightlife all changed my mind within minutes of arriving. At the harbor, a beautiful statue greets all visitors, and no one seems to know her actual name, but the locals have dubbed her:  The Dolly with the Brolly, The Thing with the Ring, The Nula with the Hoola and the Doll with the Ball

When I travel, I always enjoy wandering through local markets , because you get a real feel for the place.  St. George’s  Saturday market in Belfast was bustling with people and packed with goodies to take home

Locally made chocolate, towers of mouth-watering cupcakes all tempting treats for the taste buds on the spot

 

It was a wonderful opportunity to pick up locally woven sweaters, beautifully hand-knit booties (yes, I grabbed some for my soon to be grand-daughter) and local linen , which isn’t produced much anymore.  

One innovative young etsy entrepreneur was selling tea towels and tee-shirts screened with local scenes in compelling colors

Another stand stood out for its photographs, and one for its color-coordinated make up bags, and travel bags.  Chock a block with goodies, a few  ended up in my suitcase  

Stacks of local baked breads as appealing as any I’ve seen were perfectly paired beside stands bursting with chutneys, jams and jellies

www. belfastcity.gov.uk/stgeorgesmarket/sundaymarket.asp

Family history in Ireland – Tom Cruise and I are on the same page

 

I am headed to Ireland soon to look further for my roots, visit my great grandfather’s farm, apparently Tom Cruise has been on the same page but he got to his roots first.  

Oblivion’ star Tom Cruise discovered his amazing family history of knights, rebels and

heroes on a visit to Dublin, Ireland….hey, I’m going to Dublin too!

 Hollywood actor and producer Tom Cruise today discovered that the truth of his Irish family history is more amazing than fiction. His Irish ancestors have been identified as knights, rebels and heroes in a family history that stretches back an incredible 800 years.

Tom Cruise stopped off in Dublin, Ireland, on the European leg of his tour to promote the Universal Pictures film ‘Oblivion’. Set on a spectacular future Earth that has evolved beyond recognition, the film tells the story of one man’s confrontation of the past, leading him on a journey to redemption and discovery as he battles to save mankind, played by Tom Cruise.

I am working with a geneologist too, but I imagine Tom got his results faster.  Aptly, in real life, Cruise went on his own journey of discovery to deepen his knowledge of his Irish ancestry, which stretches back over 800 years. Research commissioned by Tourism Ireland for Cruise’s visit, and completed by genealogy researchers Eneclann, has unveiled the amazing history of a family that contained knights in the 12^th Century, rebels in the 17^th Century and a hero, Patrick Russell-Cruise, who reinstated tenants on his lands in the 19^th Century following their eviction against his wishes by an unscrupulous land-agent. Tom Cruise is a fifth generation direct descendant of Patrick Russell-Cruise.

Today, prior to the Red carpet premiere of ‘Oblivion’ in Dublin, Cruise was presented with a Certificate of Irish Heritage by Ireland’s Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Eamon Gilmore, in Dublin. The Certificate is an official recognition by the Irish government of those that are proud of their Irish ancestry and heritage.

Upon receipt of his Certificate of Irish Heritage Cruise said: “It’s a great honour for me and for my whole family – I can’t wait to bring it back to them and enlighten them on their history.”  Cruise continued “I’m very proud to be Irish. There’s a pride in America of being Irish. I can’t wait to come back and I want to visit the land of my ancestors and the castle that they had.”

As this is the year of The Gathering Ireland 2013, with a programme of over 300 clan gatherings and local history talks taking place throughout the year, Tourism Ireland has christened 2013 Ireland’s “Family History Year”. Tourism Ireland is encouraging those with Irish connections throughout the world to follow in Cruise’s footsteps and to visit in 2013 to learn more about their heritage and explore the places their ancestors came from.

 

• The Gathering Ireland 2013 is Ireland’s biggest ever tourism initiative, consisting of a year-long programme of festivals, events and gatherings in every party of the country. It is a yearlong celebration of all things Irish – its people, its unique culture, heritage and rich history. It is about the people of Ireland throwing open their arms and inviting anyone who feels a connection to Ireland to come and visit in 2013. Over 3,500 events of every shape and size are being organised by local people throughout 2013 across the island. There will be clan reunions, food festivals, arts and music festivals, a Redhead Convention, a left-handed Gathering and even a Riverdance Gathering.  More details at www.thegatheringireland.com

 Certificate of Irish Heritage The Certificate of Irish Heritage provides official recognition of Irish descent. Anyone with an Irish ancestor, born outside Ireland is eligible. www.heritagecertificate.com.  I looked at this online and they are beautiful – include your ancestors names, birth dates, and cost 40 pounds.

Tom Cruise’s Irish roots can be traced back 840 years to the arrival of Strongbow in Ireland.  Tom was christened Thomas Cruise Mapother IV and the story of his Irish ancestors – the Cruises, the Russells and the Mapothers – is one of knights, rebels and heros.

The knights in Tom’s family were among the first wave of Anglo-Normans to invade Ireland between 1169 and 1176. In 1176 Augustino de Cruce, one of Strongbow’s knights, acted as a legal witness to a grant by Strongbow (Richard de Clare, earl of Pembroke) of lands in Dublin. The Cruise family established themselves in Ireland, and held lands in Dublin and Meath including Naul in north county Dublin (which included the townland of ‘Hollywood’) and the civil parish of Cruicetown in County Meath to which the family gave their name. Like other “old English” families, they continued in the Catholic faith even after the Reformation.  In 1641 the Cruise family of the Naul took up arms in defence of the King but they lost out to the English Parliamentary army under Oliver Cromwell and forfeited their lands in north county Dublin. In 1686, after the Restoration, they were restored to the lands of Cruicetown in county Meath but their status and their land base was much reduced.

The rebellious streak in Tom’s family was also evident amongst the Russell family who were also “old English” settlers, visible in the records from the 1200s.  Their main seat was Seatown, situated in present day Malahide in north county Dublin.  In the 15th, 16th and early 17th centuries the Russell family lived in Seatown Castle, fragments of which survive today as part of a modern dwelling.  It is highly probable that the Russells engaged in cross-channel trade as the family had amassed significant wealth by the early 1600s and in 1627 they completed a substantial new residence, Drynam House.   Like the Cruises, the Russells held fast to their Catholicism and took up arms in the 1641 Rebellion.  They consequently lost their lands at Seatown but retained Drynam House and 421 acres surrounding it and it passed by descent in the family until it was sold in the 1920s.

In 1766 the marriage of Bridget Russell “only child and heir at law of Robert Russell of Drynam” to Andrew Cruise united these two families and the children of all subsequent generations adopted the double-surname ‘Russell-Cruise’.

Tom’s family history also contains wonderful stories of heroism.  Patrick Russell Cruise was born ca. 1799 in Drynam and in 1825 he married Teresa Johnson in county Meath.  The young couple determined that their future was in the United States of America and they settled in Haverstraw, New York.  As a younger son, Patrick Russell Cruise had not inherited the family ancestral seat of Drynam House however he had inherited a half share in approximately 500 acres of land in county Westmeath, comprising the townlands of Paristown and Dardistown. The tenants’ leases on these lands were due to expire in 1843. Patrick had promised the sitting tenants that he would ensure they had a preference in renewal “because he felt he was bound in honour and conscience to look to the tenants in possession” but his Dublin-based land-agent John Smith evicted the tenants regardless. When news of the evictions reached Patrick Russell-Cruise in America he set sail for Ireland and personally restored his former tenants to the lands. As a vote of thanks, a public dinner was given in his honour in the town of Clonmellon in November 1844.   Patrick Russell Cruise died in Dublin in March 1849 without returning to America and he was buried in Donabate in north Dublin.

How Tom came to be known as Tom Cruise Maphother is a story of family tragedy.  Tom’s great-great-grandmother Mary Pauline Russell-Cruise was the youngest known child of Patrick Russell-Cruise, born ca. 1832 in New Jersey.  Mary Pauline married Dillon Henry Mapother, the second son of Henry Mapother Esq. of Annadale Lodge, county Dublin, in September 1858 in the RC Cathedral in Detroit.   The Mapother family originated in Dorset in England but were in Ireland by 1588 when Richard Mapother was the Sheriff of Roscommon.  By the early 1600s the Mapothers established their main residence in Kilteevan in county Roscommon where descendants remained down to the early 20th Century.  Dillon Henry Mapother held a degree in civil engineering and had immigrated to New York in 1850 before settling in Louisville Kentucky where he established a successful printing business. However Dillon Henry died between 1873 and 1875 and Mary Pauline remarried to Thomas O’Mara in 1876.  There was only one known child of this second marriage: Thomas O’Mara Jr. born 29th December 1876.  Sadly Thomas O’Mara Sr. also died sometime before 1900 and Thomas O’Mara Jr. assumed the combined maiden name of his mother and the surname of his half-brother’s, becoming Thomas Cruise Mapother.  This man was the great-grandfather of the actor Tom Cruise who was born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV.

Treasure hunting Queen Street West, Toronto

Toronto’s size and traffic are legendary, so the key to navigating the 140 plus neighbourhoods is knowing where the gems are.  On a recent trip   I discovered the treasure hunting possibilities in the eclectic area of  Queen Street West.

We have just purchased a cottage which wasn’t a planned purchase , so there is no budget for furniture, so it made sense to check out upscale junk shops to find a few bargains.  It is a testament to human ingenuity that the flotsam and jetsam that used to belong to someone else can be creatively recycled, repurposed, and reused.

First we went in search of fabulous fabric to recycle some old wing chairs of our own that needed prettying up before they found their way to the new cottage.  We had been told that the only game in town for fabric was the Designer Fabric Outlet, in the heart of Parkdale, 1360 Queen Street West.  We were lucky enough to park right in front and tried to focus on exactly what we were looking for without getting distracted by the overwhelming amount of scrumptious fabrics.  I headed straight to the  linens, and chose a lovely Oatmeal Irish linen for the wing chairs – check that off the list.  I also picked up some blue and white ticking for accent cushions, and strayed a bit from the list to pick up another  coordinating fabric to keep the ticking company in a contrasting , yet coordinating fabric.  So much fun.  I could have stayed hours.   I also picked up pillow forms for all the pillows because the prices were phenomenal, and the customer service was top notch.

After exhausting our list, we were in need of refueling before heading on to the antique strip, so ambled down the street to  Brown Sugar for tea and pastries.  1374 Queen Street West, 416-516-7771

We then headed to the Antique Centre, 1605 Queen Street West, and managed to park on a side street, then spent several hours looking at everything you could imagine would be available.  We didn’t buy anything, but got lots of ideas.

The area has the combination of old and new worlds that we find so exciting…..plus, it’s easily walk able and provides a sense of this bustling city’s great charm, history and style.

photos:  Jeff Thomason

blown budget already :  Melody Wren

The 60 (Plus) Coolest People in Food & Drink

What makes somebody cool? Who knows? You either are or you’re not…..

 

The Daily Meal’s 60 Coolest People in Food & Drink. From New York City’s April Bloomfield and the Bay Area’s Cindy Pawlcyn, to Michelle Obama and…George Clooney? Yes. They have all earned a spot on this year’s list (below).

A little more about the list…

The point of singling out cool folks in these areas, to us, is that men and women who are genuinely cool tend to be the true innovators in their fields, precisely because, by definition, they aren’t overly concerned with what their colleagues are doing or what the critics or those who tweet and Yelp might think. They make their own rules, and in so doing lead us into new territory.

 This is a lot different from the types of lists you’ve probably seen from The Daily Meal in the past, primarily because it’s not ranked. There are no degrees of cool – you either are or you’re not. For that reason, these “cool people” are listed alphabetically. There will surely be some folks out there who think they’re cool and wonder why they’re not on our list. And there’s a simple answer to that one: If you say you’re cool, you’re definitely not.The people we’ve chosen for our list express their cool factor in various ways.

We write regularly about all the most interesting, accomplished, and innovative figures in food and drink — the most powerful people in food and the best chefs in America and internationally and, heck, even the nation’s top event planners. Now, though, it’s time for our annual salute to the coolest people in the gastronomic universe.

Of course, you can be cool and powerful, cool and interesting. You can certainly be cool and innovative. In fact, part of the point of our singling out cool folks in these areas is that men and women who are genuinely cool tend to be the true originals, the true creators — precisely because, being cool, they aren’t overly concerned with what their colleagues are doing or how the critics judge them or what all those Yappers, er, Yelpers might think. Cool people just do what they do, usually really well, and in so doing, lead us into new territory.

The tricky thing about compiling a list like this, of course, is that defining cool is more difficult than defining powerful, interesting, and the like. Cool is elusive, subjective, ephemeral. I mean, what is cool, anyway?

cSlideshow: The Coolest People in Food for 2013 Slideshow

Well, it’s an aesthetic, a way of behaving, an attitude; it has to do with self-confidence, self-assurance, aplomb, imperturbability, a sense of perspective. Cool people are true to themselves, and don’t serve the masters of fad or fashion. Hipsters aren’t cool. Cool is the opposite of trendy, the antithesis of “hot.” If you think you’re cool, you might very well not be. If you say you’re cool, you’re definitely not.

The people we’ve chosen for our list express their cool factor in various ways. It might simply be a matter of how they approach their chosen métier or how they deal with critics and/or customers. It might be shaded by the way they dress or act or decorate their bodies (are tattoos cool? only cool ones) — though this isn’t enough in itself to make them cool. It might have something to do with outside interests, whether it’s playing a mean blues harp (like Norman Van Aken) or giving up playtime to do some good in the world (like José Andrés, John Besh, and Ann Cooper, among others). It might be none of the above. 

Read the rest of the article here:

http://www.thedailymeal.com/The-60-Plus-Coolest-People-in-Food-and-Drink

 

 

 

 

Eloquence of the Eye

Reblogged from Steve McCurry's Blog:

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The soul has an interpreter - often an unconscious but still a faithful interpreter - in the eye.
- Charlotte Bronte

The eyes have one language everywhere.
- Proverb

 

The eye is the jewel of the body.
- Henry David Thoreau

Almost nothing need be said when you have eyes.
 - Tarjei Vesaas, Norwegian Poet

The eye through which I see God is the same eye through which God sees me;

Read more… 298 more words

The Gathering in Ireland – new video is an internet smash

I can’t wait to go to Ireland in April to do a search for my own roots.  This year with Ireland promoting all of us to do the same, there are massive amounts of special events.  Tourism Ireland has just come out with a fabulous video that has become an internet smash.  So, you better book your flight soon…..I think they will fill up fast!

 ‘We’ve Saved you a Seat’ is clocking up over 580,000 views on YouTube since its launch.  

The video, starring Irish comedian Andrew Maxwell, is a cheeky and humorous introduction to The Gathering by the film’s ‘hero’ Maxwell as he highlights various Gathering events – including the Redhead Convention, the Left-handed Festival, the Town of 1,000 Beards and the Messiah Gathering. It’s punchy and fast and full of humour (including Andrew Maxwell donning a Michael Flatley wig as he ‘Riverdances’ through Dublin’s famous cobbled streets in Temple Bar!) with Maxwell ably assisted by a supporting cast of hundreds all inviting the world to ‘be part of it’.  Watch it here.

Tourism Ireland is asking people to share this video with their friends on Facebook and YouTube in order to help us encourage the world to come home to Ireland for The Gathering celebrations.

The Gathering is Ireland’s biggest ever tourism initiative, consisting of a year-long programme of over 3,000 festivals, events and gatherings in all corners of country.   Young or old there is a Gathering for everyone to enjoy with forthcoming highlights including:

·         The Riverdance Festival, seven days of foot tapping fun from the world renowned Riverdance troop – including an attempt to break the world record at the longest Riverdance performance along the banks of Dublin’s River Liffey!

·         25 international sports tournaments with teams from Canada, the USA, UK and Europe competing.

·         The unforgettable Redhead Convention, the Left-Handed Festival and Bog Snorkeling Championships!

·         Choral Gatherings including The Messiah Gathering, Cork Choral Gathering and the inaugural Limerick Sings event.

·         Arts, music and food festivals up and down the country from Kilkenny, to Waterford, to the isle of Inisboffin.

·         Members of the tribes of Galway living in North America are invited to compete in an Oyster eating competition at next year’s Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival.

·         A special jazz Gathering at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival with over 1,000 music students from around the world in Ireland for a weekend of free jazz education.

·         Plus much, much more!

Watch the video here:

http://youtu.be/Km7_q9eBqjw

Share the video you’re your friends on Facebook using the app:

https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverIrelandCA/app_119802228181251

For further information about The Gathering visit:

www.ireland.com and www.thegatheringireland.com

Come and join me in Ireland…..you know you want to!