Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Ye know it’s the END, when they sing “Auld Lang Syne”. To many “Cups o’ Kindness” have crossed these lips, with far too many “guid-williw waughts” in-between. It’s time to say, “Goode Bye, So Long; ‘Don’t let the door hit ya in the …’ (ye know the rest)”. To the ol’ Thistle-Epistle, brought to you by ADOBE, with tartan on every page, gone; Tom MacMahon, President of the Society (for four years) gone. Yes, it’s all gone an end of an era; history. It’s the end of the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year. & The coming of the NEW 2015-2016 Fiscal Year! Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Contents 04/2014 thru 03/2015 The Governing Board of Directors This is the end, my friend … And what it means for you . . . . . . . . . . . Cover Story President Tom MacMahon Tom MacMahon’s, “President’s Message” His last message to the Troops . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3 Vice President of Events Paul McDonough Your Benefits & Your Board of Directors Changes are coming! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 Vice President of Publicity Lord Scott Robertson Hogmanay 2015 A review by our VP of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5 Secretary Jerri Campbell April 1st when the “King of Fools” is crowned Don’t be a member of his court; be a member of the SASSNM. Why your dues need to be paid . . . Page 8 Treasurer Amy Gorman Robbie Burns “Spirit of Scotland” 2015 This is what you missed on Jan 24, 2015. . . . . Page 9 Directors Douglas Cowan Bruce Green Tony McKenzie Jay Vandersloot Jacob Wilson The Mysterious Questionnaire The results of the questionnaire, as reported to you by our VP of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 11 The Celtic Movie Night is this February 20th A fine Family rated PG movie. What would you do, how far would you go; for a share in a large sum of money? See “Waking Ned Devine” . . . . . . . . Page 13 St Andrew Scottish Society of New Mexico Contact Information: Web Site: WWW.SASSNM.ORG Email: [email protected] General Phone Number: 505.908.9495 The IAS and the GAC coming Events With our Associate Memberships in hand, February is truly a party across Northern Europe. . . . . Page 14 Fairies do exist or they did Fairy coffins have been found . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 18 The information contained herein is for the benefit of our members. No part of this document may be used in any way without the written permission of the board of directors of the organization originating this information. Last page fit to print Membership Form LORD S COTT ROBERTSON Page 2 E DITOR Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Dear Readers There is an old and long forgotten Scottish Song, written by Sir Harry Lauder, a long ago Scottish comedian and performer, "Keep Right on to the End of the Road". Sir Harry wrote this song after learning that his only son, John had perished in the First World War. As I sit here writing this, my final address to my colleagues and members of the Saint Andrew Society of New Mexico, I have that tune and those words running through my mind. Although thankfully I do not suffer the sense of devastation and loss that Sir Harry felt, the words to this song hold special meaning to me after 4 years as your President: Keep right on to the end of the Road Tho' the way be long, let your heart be strong Keep right on to the end..... Tho’ you're tired and weary still journey on, Till you come to your happy abode..... Where all you love, you've been dreaming of Will be there, at the end of the road As I too reach the end of my road I can look back with pride and satisfaction at all the wonderful things we as a Society, have achieved. In every category, the Saint Andrew Society is better and more improved due, for the most part to the hard work of both my Boards and the Society members. I accept little personal acknowledgement for these achievements except to say that they happened during my tenure. Through thick and thin, over many a long and weary journey, I have arrived at the end of my road and am pleased to be able to state that the Saint Andrew Society of New Mexico is better off than ever before. If I attempted to thank everyone who has been instrumental in this great adventure and its result, I would fill all the pages of this Thistle Epistle. Suffice it to say that I owe all of you a personal debt of gratitude for the devotion, tolerance and belief in both my office as well as the Society for which we all have served. May the Heavens shine down upon you all and lead us forward to a bright new future for the Saint Andrew Society and thank you for these wonderful years of service. Sincerely, Your President, Tom MacMahon From 04/01/2011 through 03/31/2015 Page 3 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico You may ask, “What does a new Fiscal Year mean to me?” Our Mission Statement Since 1961, the St Andrew Society of New Mexico and its distinguished membership has provided charitable relief, academic sponsorship and the community identification for the natives of Scotland and their descendants. As one of the not-for-profit organizations in the State, the St. Andrew Scottish Society of New Mexico; aims to raise awareness of Scotland and Scottish culture by celebrating Scottish heritage and tradition through fund-raising and other social events; promoting good will, understanding and communication between the people of New Mexico and the people of Scottish heritage. This is accomplished through Events, all year long. The St Andrew Scottish Society of New Mexico (SASSNM) starts the New Year with a traditional "Hogmanay". Then comes the traditional Robbie Burns Dinner. During the dinner there will of course be the many traditional moments of entertainment. And through the year we have Celtic Movie Nights. Celtic Family Picnics. We also support the; "Rio Grande Valley Celtic Festival and Highland Games" held in the month of May, in Albuquerque. We also work closely with our "Celtic" neighbors; through the IAS (Irish American Society) and the Welsh Society. The SASSNM also has and supports "Genealogy 101", where you can learn of your Family and Clan History. We also publish the Bi-monthly “Thistle-Epistle”, the monthly “Sennachie” and bring to you the ever popular “CelticLife Magazine”; all on our new, easy to use web site with your own “Members” section. We also offer scholarships to people of New Mexico, in the Arts and culture of Scotland. The New Fiscal Year also brings us to the Annual General Meeting (the AGM). This year the AGM is being held at the German-American Club (GAC) at 4821Menaul Blvd, NE. The AGM is a meeting for the entire Membership. It is the meeting where your new Board Members are voted in. Continued on page 7 Page 4 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Hogmanay, Scottish celebration of New Year, was held at the Edelweiss Am Rio Grande German American Club on January 3, 2015 staring at 5 PM. Traditionally, this is held at someone’s home and takes place on New Year’s Eve. Circumstances being what they were, SASSNM opted for the GAC on the first Saturday in January. The event had all the traditional trappings and some extras. Doug Cowan got some of the musicians from the Thursday Night Celtic Session to attend and perform. Some, did I say? 16 Musicians showed up and actually started playing at 5 PM. Fantastic! Attendance was more than twice what was expected at about 60 persons, which included the musicians. At 6 PM (it’s 12 midnight somewhere.), the “First-footer” arrived in the form of Jacob Wilson, webmaster for the SASSNM. He had the traditional gifts; coal for the hearth, a new coin (penny) for good fortune, a fruitcake to not go hungry, and a bottle of Single Malt Scotch Whisky (and we all know what that is for!) Everyone broke for the pot-luck supper. Believe me, no one went hungry. It was a nice social time for everyone. Just a note, Bruce Green showed up with his family and gave us the news that he is now Cancer Free! GREAT NEWS for the New Year. The musicians decided to play again. Michele Buchanan led us in singing “Haste Ye Back” usually sung at Hogmanay, After another musical performance, Doug Cowan on the bagpipes led us in singin “Auld Lang Syne”. It was a good gathering and people who didn’t like fruitcake even took some home to put in their freezer as “good luck” for the coming year. HAPPY NEW YEAR -- Paul McDonough Page 5 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Page 6 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Benefits & Board Members Continued The AGM is where you can voice your opinions and help shape the Society for the next year. We encourage you to attend and take an interest in your Society. These are your Board Members at the end of this Fiscal Year: Governing Board of Directors for 2014 to 2015 Mr. Tom MacMahon Mr. Douglas Cowan President Director/Burns Night Chair/Facebook Chair Mr. Paul McDonough Mr. Bruce Green Vice President of All Events Director Lord Scott Robertson Mr. Tony McKenzie Vice President of Publicity/ Publication/Communication produces Thistle-Epistle/Sennachie Director Mrs. Amy Gorman Mr. Jay Vandersloot Treasurer Director/Membership Chair Ms. Brooke Fair Director/Facebook/Volunteer Chair Mrs. Jerri Campbell Mr. Jacob Wilson Secretary Director/Web Master/Facebook We will have one (1) vacancy for Director, in the next Fiscal Year; any takers? Page 7 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico On pages 4 & 7, we explained your Benefits and joining in the AGM, another Benefit of joining the SASSNM. Those Benefits can only happen if you help, by paying your dues. If you haven’t paid your dues for the 2014-2015 Fiscal Year; NOW is the time. Why lose the benefits, noted on page 4. Your access to the Members Section of the Web Site will end on June 1st; no event announcements or Thistle-Epistle & Sennachie. Just when the Celtic Community “Kicks Off the Celtic Season”; all information stops. If you paid your dues at the beginning of 2015, around the time we were collecting for Burns Night, don’t worry we got you covered. It’s those that haven’t paid, yet. We don’t want to lose you or see you leave. Go to our web site: www.sassnm.org; pay your Dues! Page 8 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns “Spirit of Scotland” 2015 The 55th Annual Robert Burns Dinner was held at the Sheraton Uptown in Albuquerque. This year’s theme was “ The Spirit of Scotland”. The goal was to have a gathering of the local talent in Albuquerque, which keeps alive the Scottish Spirit. The audience was treated to an event that was quite captivating. The Burns Dinner commenced with a procession led by Marshal Bruce Green and Andy Christopher of High Desert Pipes & Drums. Doug Cowan presented the President’s Address on behalf of President Tom MacMahon. Due to the magic of Skype, Tom has been able to complete his term as President of the Scottish Society. After this greeting, Rev. Bill Aber led the traditional Selkirk Grace and added a few meaningful thoughts to it. The entrance of the Haggis followed. The Marshal and piper Jim Douglas led the procession that included: High Desert Band students, Jim Zeman as scotch bearer, Carl McBride as sword bearer and Paul McDonough as haggis bearer and Kathy Wimmer as reciter of the Ode to the Haggis. Once the haggis was placed on a table, Kathy Wimmer proceeded with the Ode. It was well delivered with a touch of Scottish elegance and raucous emotion. All raised a glass to a “ toast tae th’ haggis” to conclude this ceremony. The traditional Immortal Memory to honor Robert Burns followed. Doug Cowan delivered it. Doug and Kathy acted as joint master of ceremonies for the evening. The dinner commenced with a very tasty meal with some Scottish accents. Board member, Amy Gorman, had put together an entertaining slide show that all watched on a very large projection screen. Action AV managed the sound and video for the event. Thanks to David Smith and his crew along with Tony McKenzie, owner; for their superb effort in making this event go smoothly. At the conclusion of dinner the traditional toasts followed. Scott Robertson, VP of Publicity, did the toast to the Office of the President. It included recognition of the debt we owe to the members of our Armed Forces. Doug Cowan delivered the toast to the Queen. Next were toasts to honored guests: Bard Jean “Sian” Rhoades and Professor Margaret Connell-Szasz. Jay Vandersloot and Paul McDonough, who are both on the Board of Directors, delivered these toasts. The Toast to the Lassies and Laddies concluded the traditional toasts. This year Bruce Green and Amy Gorman did these toasts and delivered them well, with some great humor. You had to be there! Entertainment commenced after desert. Kathy Wimmer delivered a very poetic “ To a Mouse”. Laura Landress then performed a medley of Scottish songs and accompanied herself on the Celtic harp. They were well sung and played; the audience gave both Kathy and Laura strong ovations of approval. Next came the Highland Dance Albuquerque, under the direction of Emma Trentman; did a sequence of five traditional highland dances. These young dancers put on a wonderful performance. Next the Enchantment Scottish Country Dancers performed traditional couple dances. Kenneth Armstrong directed this group and you can tell they’ve been at it for quite awhile. They brought a fiddler, guitarist, and drummer to accompany them with live music. Well done. After announcing the winners of the silent auction, 2 Celtic Coyotes and Kathy Wimmer performed as a trio. They played some traditional songs and then sang “ Caledonia”. The Fishback Studio of Dance then treated the guests to a contemporary performance. Kathie Fishback Anthony, owner, introduced the dance troop. They were under the direction of instructor Jacquie DeNee. Again the audience enjoyed their very creative take on a few of Burns’ songs. Continued on next page Page 9 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Burns Dinner The evening was coming to a conclusion. The High Desert Pipe & Drum Band performed a medley of tunes and was accompanied by Highland Dance Albuquerque on a few of them. The set concluded with Scotland the Brave. It was a great way to end the entertainment segment with a top-notch band. Flowers of the Forest concluded the evening as Rev. Bill Aber recognized the passing of member, John Montgomery; and friend, Michael Wolff, in 2014. Pipe Major Bill Horn played a beautiful rendition of Flowers of the Forest. After closing remarks, Lorraine McGinnis opened Auld Lang Syne on the pipes. Then everyone stood and joined hands as we were led in song by Laura Landress and Stephen Miller. The pipes then struck in to play the melody a few times. The Marshal then announced the end of the Robert Burns Dinner. Throughout the evening Carol Cowan managed the Silent Auction. Thanks to the generosity of donors and the people in attendance, it raised some much-appreciated funds for the St. Andrew Scottish Society of New Mexico. Finally thanks to Amy Gorman who decorated the dinner tables and gave them a nice Scottish touch. Janelle Campbell, Barbara Free, Jay Johnson, Brooke Fair and Ginger Delon assisted Amy in setting up the banquet room. Thanks to Scott Robertson and Jacob Wilson for their great work on the publicity end of this endeavor. Many others pitched in to make this event a success. Thanks to all! Sincerely, Doug Cowan Page 10 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns Dinner 2015 Photos page 1 of 5 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns Dinner 2015 Photos page 2 of 5 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns Dinner 2015 Photos page 3 of 5 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns Dinner 2015 Photos page 4 of 5 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico Robbie Burns Dinner 2015 Photos page 5 of 5 [Type text] Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico To find out what the guests of the 55 th Robbie Burns Dinner thought of the Event, certain people (randomly) were selected to fill out a questionnaire. I first wanted to know about how the guests felt about the Dinner and then the entertainment. Due to the diversity of the questionnaires’ responses; they will be gone over with a fine tooth comb by the Board. We want to thank you for your input, as some of the attendees just mumble their complaints and the Board never hears them. We also want to thank those that found the good in the Burns Dinner and entertainment. Thank you, both those with praises and those with concerns and suggestions. Our VP of Events, Paul McDonough, has done a review of the Burns Dinner, which echoes your praises, as well as your concerns. Thank you all, again. ~ Lord Scott Robertson REVIEW: BURNS NIGHT 2015 by Paul McDonough It was better than 2014, but there is always room for improvement. Here are my observations. First is the bar. Last year, they only had 1 bottle of Single Malt, which was gone before we sat down. This year we had a variety of Single Malts, which most people liked. And the selection of beers and ales was improved over last year. No one had to go to the lobby bar for brews. More of a Celtic bar than the “yuppie” one from last year. Second, we opened the hall so that everyone could find their seats. Last year, a lot of time was spent finding the reserved tables and an open seat. Then we asked for persons wanting to be in the entrance procession to line up in the hallway. This seemed to work better. Next is the meal and I will start with the service. There were 5 servers instead of 3 and most spoke English. They did a fine job serving & removing plates and keeping the beverages (hot coffee, hot tea, iced tea, & water) flowing. In past years, we have had canned Haggis and Haggis made from beef instead of mutton. This year we went back to traditional Haggis, which was supplied by SASSNM Past Presidents Don Baker and Pete McKenna. To say it was good is a vast understatement. For those who liked it, I passed out take-home ziplock baggies to them. Again, WELL DONE, Don & Pete. As far as I know, just about everyone enjoyed the salad and dessert. With the entre, we went with Angus Roast Beef ( Scottish ) and Salmon Croquettes ( Great Salmon fishing in Scotland ) . The reason for this was to vary the entre from past years of cottage pie, fish & chips, and bangers & mash. Suggestions for the entre for 2016 can be made at the Board Monthly Meetings. Just reminders, with roast beef, not all slices are cooked equally in the roast. Those who got a piece rarer than they liked…maybe exchange it with your neighbor? Continued on next page Page 11 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico The Mysterious Questionnaire Review This year, the vegetarian meal was what we were supposed to have in 2014. Last year, Fettuccini was served instead. Since “no news is good news”, I am concluding that this entre was acceptable. The veggies were supposed to be Red “New” potatoes with leeks and mashed Neeps. The supplier for the hotel, on Thursday, informed us that turnips were not available, so we went with the broccoli. Not our first choice. We gave everyone a chance to get to dessert before starting the entertainment and the toasts, so that all could get sociable with those at their table. This pushed the performances out further than was planned, with the last performers finishing at 10 PM instead of 9 PM as was planned. Regretfully, not everyone stayed until the end and missed part of a fine show. All the performers are to be commended for the entertainment they provided. Overall, 2015 was better than 2014, but, as with everything, there is always room for improvement. To paraphrase P. T. Barnum, “You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.”. So I ask for your help and participation NOW in planning BURNS NIGHT 2016 to make it even better. The invitation goes out to all to attend SASSNM Board of Directors meetings and, especially the Annual Meeting being held on March 29 th at the GAC. Your input and help is requested to have the SASSNM better reflect its membership. Page 12 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico 5301 Ponderosa Ave NE, Albuquerque RSVP Call Paul at: 505 294 - 8205 1. When best friends Jackie O'Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O'Sullivan (David Kelly) discover someone in their small Irish village has won the lottery, they immediately set off to see if the winner is in a sharing mood. Deducing that Ned Devine is the lucky man, O'Shea and O'Sullivan pay him a visit, only to find him dead from shock. Since Devine is the only one who can claim the prize, the townsfolk band together to convince the claim inspector that O'Sullivan is really Devine, and split the cash. Rated PG 1998 ‧ Independent film/Comedy ‧ 1h 31m Page 13 NEWS The Irish American Society (IAS) is a private club and as such cannot solicit, by advertising or otherwise, participation in its events and activities to the general public. The SASS is a sister society of the IAS and all SASS members and their bonafide guests are welcome at all IAS events. // The Edelweiss Am Rio Grande German-American Club (GAC) is a private club and as such cannot solicit, by advertising or otherwise, participation in its events and activities to the general public. The SASS is an associate club of the GAC and all SASS members and their bonafide guests are welcome at all GAC and IAS events. Page 14 Onion Marinated Strip Steak It’s party tIme at the gac don’t be die Couch kartoffel come down to 4821 menaul blvd, ne & partei The Edelweiss Am Rio Grande German-American Club (GAC) is a private club and as such cannot solicit, by advertising or otherwise, participation in its events and activities to the general public. The SASS is an associate club of the GAC and all SASS members and their bonafide guests are welcome at all GAC and IAS events. Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico St Patrick’s Day And The Page 16 Join us for a weekend of competition, entertainment and family fun! 3rd WEEKEND of MAY, 2015 27th A NNUA L Rio Grande Valley CELTIC FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES May 16 & 17, 2015 Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, NM A CELEBRATION OF CELTIC CULTURE from ancient tribes to the seven Celtic nations: Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany (France) & Galicia (Spain) Learn more at www.celtfestabq.org The RGVCF & HG is an all-volunteer 501c3 organization. Contact us at celtfestabq @ yahoo.com. Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico This wee bit of trivia was sent in by our own Peter McKenna, of Clan MacKenzie. Thank Ye, Pete. Thought you might be interested in this for the newsletter. You often hear about the old walrus-ivory chess pieces but not so much about these items, which are interesting. ~ Peter The Edinburgh Fairy Coffins In early July 1836, three boys searching for rabbits’ burrows near Edinburgh came upon some thin sheets of slate set into the side of a cliff. On removing them, they discovered the entrance to a little cave, where they found 17 tiny coffins containing miniature wooden figures. According to the Scotsman‘s account later that month, each of the coffins “contained a miniature figure of the human form cut out in wood, the faces in particular being pretty well executed. They were dressed from head to foot in cotton clothes, and decently laid out with a mimic representation of all the funereal trappings which usually form the last habiliments of the dead. The coffins are about three or four inches in length, regularly shaped, and cut out from a single piece of wood, with the exception of the lids, which are nailed down with wire sprigs or common brass pins. The lid and sides of each are profusely studded with ornaments, formed with small pieces of tin, and inserted in the wood with great care and regularity.” Some accounts say that the coffins had been laid in tiers, the lower appearing decayed and the topmost quite recent, but Edinburgh University historian Allen Simpson believes that all were placed in the niche after 1830, about five years before the boys discovered them. Who placed them there, and why, remain mysterious. Simpson suggests that they may be an attempt to provide a decent symbolic burial for the victims of murderers William Burke and William Hare, who had sold 17 corpses to local doctor Robert Knox in 1828 for use in anatomy lessons. But 12 of Burke and Hare’s victims were women, and the occupants of the fairy coffins are all dressed as men. So investigations continue. The eight surviving coffins and their tiny occupants are on display today at the National Museum of Scotland. Image: Wikimedia Commons Page 18 Thistle-Epistle Of The St Andrew Scottish Society New Mexico “March off” Last Thoughts ‘n’ Comments For this issue of The Thistle-Epistle The monthly Board Meetings have moved to the GAC at: 4821 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque. For the month of February, the meeting will be held on Tuesday the 24th of February, starting promptly at 6:30pm. Be sure to check for the Board Meeting Nights as they can change. Check the Web Site Calendar at: WWW.SASSNM.ORG If any Members would like digital copies of the pictures on the Face Book Page or from the Thistle Epistle Vol 2015 Sec 1of 6; please contact Lord Robertson at: [email protected]; with your Name, Email Address and Phone Number. The Society is changing for the better; we have new events in the future for those that wish to attend. So now is the time to renew your membership for the April 2015 thru the March 2016 Fiscal Year. Why would you want to lose touch with your Society and miss Gatherings with Pipers and Scottish food and treats? And the parties with our other associate Societies and Clubs; experiencing the traditions of the Emerald Isle thru the IrishAmerican Club? Or miss the call of majestic Alpines thru the GermanAmerican Club? Renew your Membership NOW! Last Page Fit To Print REVISED 4/2014
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