VOL. 19 NUMBER FOUR

August 2000

Classes offered

DARIEN, IL: The Carmelite Spiritual Center here will offer an eight-week course in Irish American History from Oct. 2-Nov. 20. The Monday evening course will run from 7-9 p.m. at the Center. Entitled "From Poor House to White House," the course will examine the history of the Irish in the U.S., and their great struggle to rise from being a despised immigrant group to become one of the most successful and best educated ethnic groups in the U.S.

Rev. Kevin O'Neill Shanley, a noted Irish historian and journalist, will conduct the course. In addition to history studies in the U.S. and Canada, he attended the International Summer School in Irish Studies at University College Dublin. He has published extensively in the field of Irish Studies, and is the son of Irish Immigrants to the U.S.

The Carmelite Spititual Center is located on the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) at Cass Avenue in Darien, Illinois. For information, or a free brochure, write: 8433 Bailey Rd., Darien, IL 60561-5305; or call: (630) 969-4141.

Society Picnic

Members Only Summer Picnic will again be held in the "rear garden" of the Plunk estate. Ron & Marge kindly offer their back yard for our enjoyment on Sunday, August 13, 2000, Noon to 7 p.m.

The Society provides the main course, chips, and drinks for all ages. Please call Coley O'Connell to see what you can bring. Also bring your fishing poles and your swimwear! There is a pond for our fishing contest, and a pool for swimmers. Join us for a day of real fun and friendship! Located on S. Chicago St. just West of Route 66 Speedway.

RSVP REQUIRED; Please call Coley O'Connell @ (815) 521-0466.

Where has the summer gone? There are a few items I'd like to address which are in our near future. Upcoming events for you to enjoy are the Annual Picnic held on Sunday, August 13th at the Plunk Estate and the Golf outing.

This year's picnic should be at least as much fun as last year's and would be better if you came out to enjoy the day with us. There will be fishing contests, canoe racing, bean bags, general conversations with good friends and other members, free food and beer for all members. If you've never done one of these, come on out an mingle! It's great fun. The rugby team will be putting on a display of their game around noon.

Directions to the picnic are simple: Take the Chicago Street South ramp off of interstate 80 and head south toward the race track (maybe 3 to 5 miles). You'll see the race track on the left. Just before the racetrack you'll see Allied Landscaping on the right (2 large buildings). Just past the second building take the road to the right and proceed through the double gates and go to the rear of the building. Off to the right from the rear of the lot you should see people (us).

Golf Outing

The golf outing is on September 10th at the Broken Arrow Golf Course. Get your foursome together and call Kevin Hegarty at 485-5707 or Tim Brophy at 722-3400. This is another good day even for the non-golfer since the best ball is played for score in the foursome. You may want to start thinking about becoming more active in our organization by becoming an officer for the next year. Elections are held at the November meeting and I invite anyone so inclined to please let your desire be know to the present officers so we can include your name on the next ballot. Give it some thought. Hope to see you at the upcoming events.

Step Dancing

Ashley Maloney, daughter of Mike & Sue competed in the Illinois StateFeis and Chicago Feis this past June. She won a 3rd place in the Jig and a 2nd in the Hornpipe at Gaelic Park and a 2nd in the Reel and 3rd in the slip jig at the Illinois State Feis. She competes at the novice level. Ashley is busy preparing for 2 upcoming feiseanna (Gaelic plural of Feis). Through her hard work and efforts she has been placed on an 8-hand Céilí dance team for the Oireachtas which will be held in St. Louis over Thanksgiving. Ashley represents the World Academy of Irish Dance.

Contact Us

Your letters, photos and other contributions are welcome.

Please send to: 1800 Mason Ave.,

Joliet, IL 60435

or e-mail to: TMB777@aol.com

Home phone: (815) 744-1144

Work phone: (815) 722-3400

Rugby Club Update

The Shamrocks are currently gearing up for their league play which takes place every Fall. The Shamrocks hope to improve upon their record from previous seasons and make this Fall a season to remember. "We have seen a lot of our guys get some badly neededexperience under their belts." reports team president Coley O'Connell. This Fall should be a good test of how far the team has progressed.

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The Shamrocks recently wrapped up their summer "7's" season with an appearance at the Milwaukee lakefront "7's" in Wisconsin. Summer "7's" is an version of rugby with only seven men on the field instead of the customary 15 for regulation play. "A lot of our younger guys like the summer stuff, and it helps some of our older guys stay in shape." reported team captain Michael Burke.

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This past month at the prestigious Lakefront Seven's rugby tournament in Milwaukee people everywhere packed the sidelines to watch the Shamrocks play. Against the best teams in the country, the questions being asked by spectators were not "Who are the Shamrocks?" but instead "Who is that guy ?" The Manhattan Shamrocks made a name for themselves in the tournament, but Manhattan native Nick Forsythe made a name for himself as a player. "You rarely see people make plays like Nick can at our level" stated

Dave John-Harris, head coach of the Manhattan Shamrocks, "Especially at such a young age, Nick has a bright future in rugby if he sticks with the sport." Nick Forsythe, a St. Joe's and more recently a Providence Catholic graduate started his rugby career playing for Lockport Township's intramural rugby team. After playing for the Porter's squad this year. Nick decided to stay in shape over the summer by playing for a men's club team, the Shamrocks. "I wasn't sure about playing with a men's club team, but I went to one of their games and most of the guys were only a year or two older than me" said Nick, "I'm glad I decided to play with them, it's so much more fun than playing high school ball." Nick will be attending Bradley University this fall. "I'm going to play for a men's club up in Peoria while I am at school, but whenever I'm at home I'm going to play with the Shamrocks." When asked about the possibility of being selected to the US U-21 National Team he replied "I don't know, I still have a lot to learn about the sport but when the next tryout comes along I think I'm going to give it a shot."

For a chance to see Nick play his final game this spring for the Shamrocks, come check him out in the Manhattan Shamrocks pre-season scrimmage August 15th at Manhattan Park. The match will be played at 11:00 a.m. between the Shamrocks' "Young'uns" and the Shamrocks' "Old Boys".

The Shamrock Collegiate Cup September 3rd The Manhattan Shamrocks will be hosting the First Annual Collegiate Cup. There will be men's sides as well as women's sides competing in this year's cup. Two collegiate clubs from IRFU will square off against two teams from CARFU in a battle of rival LAU's (Local Area Unions). There will also be an exhibition match between the Shamrocks and another CARFU Division III club. Details regarding after match festivities will be available at the pitch. If you have any questions about the event contact tournament coordinator Ben Williams at (815) 386-8774.

--Tim Daly

Irish-American Society of County Will

Shamrocks Rugby Football Club

H 815-729-4544. Shamrfc@hotmail.com

Irish Way Update

Erin Malloy, the IASCW 1994 Irish Way Scholarship Winner, graduated from Illinois State University on May 13, 2000. A special education teacher with majors in deaf and hard-of-hearing, Malloy, 23, has accepted a position with the Dupage County Co-Op to teach middle school children in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Ms. Malloy honed her skills in the Joliet Grade School district teaching 4th and 5th graders at Thomas Jefferson school for nine weeks. She also spent nine weeks student teaching 7th and 8th graders in a Riverside, California residential school.

Erin, a 1995 graduate of Joliet West High School, is the daughter of Mike (IASCW Treasurer) & Alice Malloy of Shorewood, Illinois; grand-daughter of Jane Malloy, past IASCW Historian; and niece of Daniel J. Malloy, IASCW Past President.

Golf Outing

The world-famous Shillelagh Open, widely recognized as the best golf outing in the County, shall be held Sunday, September 10th at Broken Arrow Golf Course in Lockport, Illinois. First played on May 23, 1982, the Shillelagh Open is the longest running event in our history.

The Open has been held at Joliet's Wedgewood and Inwood courses in the past. This new course will include lots of new games at various holes! Volunteers are welcome to help host our players and help run the new challenges on the course. Dinner at the course will mean a shorter day for all!

Members and guests are invited to register a foursome by completing the form above or by calling Kevin Hegarty for reservations. Tee times are limited so act fast. Friends and non-golfers are welcome for dinner. Hole sponsors and volunteers are needed. For information please call Kevin at W(815) 724-3735, or H(815) 485-5707.

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