The Pemberville Mental Culture Club met at the Pemberville Library on March 12, with Karen Schultz acting as hostess. Vice President Rebecca Krukemyer opened the meeting at 7 p.m. The minutes of the January meeting were accepted as read.
Penny Truman volunteered to fill the vacancy on the Spring Fling committee. A memorial gift to the library in memory of Jane Kohlenberg was discussed. Officers will talk to the library staff about suggestions.
Karen Creps reported that the scholarship committee has received 15 applictions. It was decided to give three scholarships this year.
Seventeen members and one guest answered the roll call telling how they celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Marti Zeek then presented a program on the history of Irish music. She noted that in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a religious celebration. In America the holiday has become much more secular.
St. Patrick was born in the Roman Colony of Britain around 387 AD. He was not especially religious when growing up. As a youth he was kidnapped to Ireland and became a Christian while imprisoned there. Eventually he escaped to Britain, became a priest and later returned to Ireland to convert people to Christianity.
Many Irish came to America in the 1700s seeking religious and political freedom. Many of them settled in the Boston area, bringing their songs and instruments, which included the boron (a drum), tin whistle, accordion, harmonica, and others. Boston held its first St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1787. Later, in the 1840s, immigrants would come to escape the potato famine in Ireland, which was caused by mold. The potato crop was destroyed because of the lack of diversity in potatoes planted by the Irish.
During the Civil War many Irish joined the Union Army to show their support for America. Irish music was quite popular during the time period. Irish musicians were known to improvise so that music and lyrics were seldom the same twice.
In the 1920s and through the mid 1940s Irish music declined in popularity. Eventually it would return. Paddy’s Night Out is a group that was popular in Bowling Green several years ago. They also performed in Toledo, Dayton, and Dublin, Ohio. Touring groups such as Riverdance which have been seen on television have also helped to revive the interest in Irish music and dance.
The lub enjoyed hearing Irish songs played by Zeek, including: Potatoes, A Nation Once Again, and God Save Ireland.
After the program Karen Schultz served Irish themed snacks.
