O’Reilly’s Treasured Times
Greetings and Blessings to all,
It is lovely to be writing to you again. We hope this edition of the newsletter finds you happy, healthy, contended and enjoying a wonderful summer. And what a summer it has been -- hot, hazy, and definitely sunny! One of the many ways to have fun in the sun here in the Ottawa Valley is to enjoy a round of golf on any of the many beautiful golf courses in the area. While considering the interest regarding golfing in this area, it naturally led me to consider the interest for golfing in Ireland. So pour yourself a glass of iced tea, curl up in your favourite chair, and enjoy our wee tour of golfing in Ireland.
A Brief History
(as featured in The Encyclopedia of Ireland contributed by Dermot Gilleece)
The popular notion of golf’s origins in Ireland was described in the March 1933 issue of the magazine Inisfail. Lionel Hewson, the sport’s leading writer at that time, noted how Cu Chulainn was reputed to have hit a ball from one hole to another, 300 yards apart, with his trusty caman. However, Hewson acknowledged that the birth and early spread of the game in Ireland was attributed directly to the Scots. He wrote that ‘the Scots of Ulster began to play golf, the first club being what is now known as the Royal Belfast Golf Club, which dates from 1891.’
The first known reference to golf in Ireland is to be found in the ‘Montgomery Manuscripts’, which describes the activities of the first Viscount Montgomery, an early seventeenth-century Scottish planter in the Ards Peninsula, Co. Down. In Early Irish Golf (1988) William H. Gibson reported having discovered that the game was played on the Curragh, Co. Kildare, in 1852. He also established direct links between Scottish military regiments and the rapid spread of golf in Ireland during the second half of the nineteenth century.
Ireland played a significant role in the regularising of the sport. In 1891 the Golf Union in Ireland became the first such organization in the world; it was followed in 1893 by the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union, which filled a similarly pioneering role. The two bodies now control the golfing activities in almost 400 clubs throughout the country. Proper organization increased playing activities.
Golf in Ireland
Ireland is known as the "Mecca of Golf" in Europe. The nickname is fitting. Industry estimates conclude that golf has become the single biggest Irish sporting holiday attraction with 240,000 plus overseas golfing visitors annually. Some of the popular courses include: County Sligo Golf Club in Rosses Point, Enniscrone Golf Club in Enniscrone, Rosapenna Golf Club in Downings and Donegal Golf Club in Laghey.
Renowned throughout the world for the quality of its golf courses, Ireland is without equal as a golfing destination. Courses such as Ballybunion, Portmarnock and Royal County Down may be the first that roll off most tongues in terms of Irish golf but it is the depth of quality courses, both links and parkland, which makes Ireland different.
Ireland has established itself internationally as a major golf destination, particularly in recent years with the hosting of major competitions such as the American Express World Championships in 2002 and the Ryder Cup in 2006.
Ireland is best known for its wonderful links courses – and possesses almost 40% of the world’s genuine links. Some Irish links courses have been around for over a hundred years, while others are modern developments created to fit the landscape from which they are carved. Some are internationally renowned, while others – the ‘hidden gems’ – are waiting to be discovered.
But Ireland also has a range of parkland courses which offer a supreme test of skills. They are courses very much in tune with nature, yet designed to make the golfer use every club in the bag.
Irish golf has a special place in the heritage of the game, producing great players like Christy O’Connor Senior, Fred Daly, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley.
Did You Know?
- Ireland was voted international golfing destination in 2004.
- Ireland has over 400 golf courses including one third of the world's links courses.
- Some of golf’s legendary players have designed courses in Ireland – Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Severiano Ballesteros…
- Most of golf’s most famous players have competed in Ireland, including Tiger Woods who won the American Express Golf Championships there in 2002.
- Ireland also offers a wide range of short course golf courses – Par 3 courses, Pitch & Putt and 9-Hole courses.
- The outstanding early players were women -- May Hezlett and Rhona Adair of Ulster became known as the game’s girls, because of their success in the British women’s championship from 1899 to 1907.
- Ireland’s first outstanding male golfer was Michael Moran, who was born on North Bull Island, Dublin, in 1886 and died in 1918 in the First World War.
- Another milestone in Irish golf history was the establishment of the Irish Open professional championship at Portmarnock, Co. Dublin, in 1927. Though discontinued after the 1953 event, it was revived in 1975.
- Ireland played host to such international events as the British amateur championship (1949), Canada Cup (1960), and Walker Cup (1991), all at Portmarnock, and the Curtis Cup at Royal County Down in 1968 and at Killarney in 1996.
Treasured Recipe
Traditional Irish Breakfast -- for your early morning tee off time, try energizing yourself with the fixings of the traditional Irish breakfast.
Ingredients: 1 lb Irish bacon, 1 lb Irish pork sausages, 2 to 4 tomatoes, 1/2 lb white pudding, 1/2 lb black pudding, 1 dozen eggs, 1 lb mushrooms - optional. Serve with soda bread and/or toast. An Ulster Fry would also include fried potato bread or "fadge."
Method: Depending on how many golfers you’re having, enlist the aid of someone to set the table, fix the toast, and brew the coffee and tea. Meanwhile, follow the cooking instructions that come with the imported Irish bacon, sausages, white pudding and black pudding. When the meats are cooked, put them on an oven-proof serving platter and place in a slow oven to keep warm. Sauté the mushrooms and tomatoes and place them on the meat platter. Eggs are the last to be cooked and are usually made easy by fixing them sunny side up for everyone.
Treasured Irish Lessons
- Phrase: He won the golf competition yesterday. Irish: Bhí an bua aige sa chomórtas galf inné Pronunciation: vee on boo-ah egg-eh sa khum-ohr-thas golf in-yay
- Phrase: Will you be free to caddie for me tomorrow? Irish: An mbeidh tú saor giollaíocht a dhéanamh dom amárach? Pronunciation: on my thoo seer gih-ull-ee-ukth ah yay-nuv dhum ah-mawr-ahkh
- Phrase: I like to go to watch a big tournament. Irish: is breá liom dul ag breathnú ar ilchomórtas mór Pronunciation: iss brah li-um dhul egg brah-noo err ill-khum-ohr-thahs more
- Phrase: You are a very good golfer. Irish: tá údarás maith agat ar an ngalf* Pronunciation: thaw oo-dhah-raws my ah-guth err on ngolf. * (literally: you have 'authority' over the golf)
- Phrase: Have you ever thought of turning professional? Irish: ar smaoinigh tú riamh ar é a ghlacadh mar ghairm? Pronunciation: err smwee-nee thoo reev err ay ah ghlokh-ah mahr ghah-rim?
- Phrase: He lost the game on the (putting) green Irish: chaill sé an chluiche ar an bplásóg (amais) Pronunciation: khah-ill shay on khlikh-eh err on blaw-sohg (om-ish)
Treasured Quotes
- I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game: it's called an eraser. ~Arnold Palmer
- Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course - the distance between your ears. ~Bobby Jones
- Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart. ~Arthur Daley
- Golf is a lot of walking, broken up by disappointment and bad arithmetic. ~Author Unknown
- When I die, bury me on the golf course so my husband will visit. ~Author Unknown
- Golf is a game in which the ball lies poorly and the players well. ~Art Rosenbaum
- If you wish to hide your character, do not play golf. ~Percy Boomer
- My clubs are well used, but unfortunately not used well. ~Jack Burrell
A Bit O’ Wit
A visitor from a country just across the Atlantic was playing Enniscrone Links in County Sligo and one of the locals (Paddy), was his caddy for the day. The visitor was not doing too well, on this particular day he was hooking or slicing every shot, invariably accompanied with an expletive. At the end of the not too successful round, the visitor asked Paddy the shortest way to the sea. Paddy of course obliged and on reaching the sea the visitor promptly threw first his ball, then the club he was carrying, then his golf bag into the sea. As the bag made the final splash he turned to Paddy and said, "After that round I think I'll jump in and drown myself." Paddy thought for a moment and then said " I don't think that would work, Sir! " "Why not?" said the visitor. "If your golf is anything to go by, Sir, I don't think you'll be able to keep your head down long enough!"
March 2005 Trivia Answers
Congratulations to Kim Delaney of Ottawa for correctly answering March’s trivia questions. Kim won a St. Patrick’s fun hat for her efforts. Here are the answers.
1. Irish bars are called pubs because centuries ago groups of friends would gather in someone's living room or kitchen to chat and perhaps play some music and drink some home-brewed liquor. Word of the friendliest places spread, attracting more and more people, and the houses gradually became known as public houses, shortened to pubs.
2. If you stop at a pub in Ireland and ask for a pint, the bartender invariably bring you a Guinness.
3. Queen Elizabeth I of England once remarked that Irish whiskey was her only true Irish friend.
4. A "drop of diesel" is a name of a drink made by dropping a shot of Guinness into a full pint of Smithwick’s (Kilkenny’s in North America).
August 2005 Trivia Questions
Be the first to answer this month’s trivia questions and you will receive a Guinness Golf Package, retail value $24.95. Because this month’s prize is higher in retail value than usual, I am going to make you really work for it by adding two extra trivia questions. Email your answers to
oreillystreasures@bellnet.ca.
1. Who was the native of Portrush, Co. Antrim to become the only Irish winner of the British Open?
2. Who became Ireland’s leading woman player with eight national titles and a record nine successive Curtis Cup appearances?
3. What is the Ring of Kerry course based on, which ensures all year play?
4. In which capitol was Ireland’s first golf club founded?
5. Which course has the Druid’s Altar behind the 12th hole?
6. Which is the only course in Ireland to have hosted the Open Championships, in 1951?
The Seanchai’s Book Room
We are pleased to announce that The Seanchai's Book Room is now open. Seanchai is Irish for storyteller and is pronounced shawnakey. Drop by for a visit, browse through our collection of new and gently-used books and choose from the Seanchai's many titles (over 4,000). We look forward to seeing you and to showing you our newest expansion to the store.
Recent gently-used book arrivals include
Rules of the Wild by Francesca Marciano,
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith,
Mary Called Magdalene by Margaret George,
The Wizard’s Ward by Deborah Hale,
East of Eden by John Steinbeck,
The Queen’s Fool and
Wideacre by Phillippa Gregory,
I, Elizabeth by Rosalind Miles,
The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis,
Digital Fortress by Dan Brown, and
The Madman’s Tale by John Katzenbach.
For those of you interested in thinning out your book collections, we will purchase books from you at 10% of the cover price. We do, however, reserve the right to purchase books at our discretion. Books not accepted at this time are as follows: those in poor condition or disrepair, those we already have multiple copies of, books purchased through ‘book of the month clubs‘, and Harlequin romance novels. We will also be limiting the number of hard covers we accept. Please note: if it is incredibly busy in the store at the time you come in with your books, you are welcome to leave your books with us and we will contact you once we have had a chance to review your books.
Shamrock Summer Sale
In preparation for the arrival of our new fall lines, the leprechauns have been busy marking down selected items 25 to 50% off their regular price. Lines which have been marked down include the Celtic Blessings pottery line, The Cat and The Moon jewellery line, selected Nigel Hunt Jewellery pieces, children’s tartan clothing, Kerry Woollen Mills travel rugs, Celtic Design Collection rugs, selected novelty lines, and much more!
New Arrivals
PrivatMark -- heraldic coasters and key rings (finally!!) from Dublin, Ireland
Keltic Designs -- Celtic designed t-shirts in beautiful new colours, tote and messenger bags, note cards, journals and window prints
Celtic-Heraldic Jewellery -- wedding bands, shamrock and claddagh jewellery lines from Dublin
Century Irish Items -- Irish tee and ball shirts for both adults and children
Amscan -- First Communion and baptismal paper products
Augsburg Fortress -- Irish and religious giftware lines including the ever popular claddagh candle sconce
All That Glitters, Lotus Jewellery, Distinctive By Design and Pacific Rim Arts -- be sure to drop by and see our expanded sterling silver Celtic jewellery lines.
Until next time,
A Golfer's Blessing
May your drives be long and straight,
May your putts be short and true, and,
May there ever be a bit of green grass under every lie.
~by Fr. Brian Cavanaugh
And remember, mind yourself.
The Leprechauns of O’Reilly’s Treasures
Mark and Linda Kauffeldt
Ryan, Dylan and Liam Bradley
16 Pembroke St., P.O. Box 489
Cobden, Ontario K0J 1K0
Tel: 613-646-7157 Fax: 613-646-7187
Email: oreillystreasures@bellnet.ca Visit us at www.oreillystreasures.com
Store hours: Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Saturday, 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Sunday, 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.
