* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. OKAY, [00:00:01] EVERYBODY, WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED. SO TODAY WE HAVE SHEILA NUNAN WITH US. SHE HAD EMAILED ME AND TOLD ME THAT SHE DOES THE SINGAL ALONG. SO I THOUGHT THAT SOUNDED REALLY FUN AND UM, SO I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. HOW'S EVERYBODY DOING TODAY? GOOD. GOOD. THAT WAS NOT VERY ENTHUSIASTIC. HOW'S EVERYONE DOING TODAY? GOOD. ALRIGHT, I THINK I KNOW WHICH TABLE ARE GONNA BE MY SINGERS ALREADY. SO I'LL TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MYSELF. MY NAME IS SHEILA NEWMAN. UH, I AM A MUSICIAN. I HAVE A LOCAL FOLK GROUP THAT I WORK WITH HERE IN THE RIVER TOWNS. BUT, UM, PRIOR TO MEETING MY HUSBAND AND GETTING MARRIED, I TRAVELED AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH AN IRISH VARIETY GROUP. UH, MY FATHER WAS A FAMOUS IRISH MUSICIAN. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HAS EVER HEARD OF HIM. HIS NAME WAS PATTY NEWAN. YEAH. UM, HAVE YOU'VE HEARD OF HIM? YEAH. YEAH. PATTY NEWAN. YEAH. SO IT'S FUNNY SOME PLACES, I MEAN, HE'S BEEN GONE A GOOD COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, BUT SOME PLACES I GO, EVERYBODY KNOWS HIM. SOME PLACES I GO, NO ONE'S EVER HEARD OF HIM, BUT, UM, IT IS HOW HE MADE HIS LIVING AND, UM, HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO SHARE THAT WITH ME. I'M JUST GONNA TRY AND FIX THIS MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT. ALRIGHT. HOW'S THE SODA BREAD? IS IT GOOD? GOOD. WHO MADE THE SODA BREAD? STEW LEONARDS. OH, IS IT ? ALRIGHT, SO, UM, AS A CHILD I SPENT MY SUMMERS IN, UH, GALWAY IN IRELAND. AND SO, UH, IT SEEMS APPROPRIATE TO START YOU OFF WITH A GALWAY LUM. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SING TO THIS ONE. OH, YEAH. OH, HERE TO GALWAY. OH YEAH, HE WAS FROM TOO. OH, OKAY. YEAH. ALRIGHT, SO I, UH, UH, YOU DO WHERE? WHERE THE ASHFORD CASTLE IS SORT OF OUT IN PANAMA. UH, THAT'S WHERE I SPENT MY SUMMERS. THAT'S WHERE MY FAMILY IS FROM. SO WHERE NOT TOO FAR REMOVED FROM EACH OTHER. THIS IS CALLED GO AWAY GIRL. I ASK YOU TODAY, NOT YOU AND, AND I, SO THANK YOU. ARE YOU READY TO SING? I'M SERIOUS. ALL RIGHT. UM, THIS ONE YOU ABSOLUTELY KNOW, I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE WORLD KNOWS THIS SONG. THIS IS KALES AND MUSCLES. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH IT? ALRIGHT, LET ME HEAR YOU THEN. [00:05:01] I'M SORRY, I'M HAVING SO MUCH DIFFICULTY WITH THIS MIC. ALRIGHT, SO YOU'RE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHORUS. ALRIGHT. THAT TAKES A LOT OF PRESSURE OFF YOU NOW IN DUBLIN FAIR CITY WHERE THE GIRLS ARE SO PRETTY. I FIRST SAID MY EYES ON SWEET MOLLY MAL ALONE, SHE WEANED WHEEL DOUBLE. HER STREETS BROUGHT AND CRYING COCKLES AND MUSCLES ALIVE. THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN A COUPLE AND MUSCLES. SHE WAS A FISH MONGER AND SURE IT WAS NO WONDER FOR. SO MOTHER AND FATHER BEFORE THE WHEEL THROUGH STREETS LES AND MUSCLES ALES, AND SHE DIED OF A FEVER AND NO ONE COULD SAVE HER. AND THAT WAS THE END OF SWEET MOLLY ALONE NOW GOES TO WHEEL THROUGH STREETS, SPR CRYING LES MUSCLES, CRYING MUSCLES. AND, AND NOW YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN. ARE YOU READY? ONE MORE TIME. NICE JOB. NICE JOB. OKAY, NOW I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF. ALL RIGHT, SO THE NEXT ONE THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR LIST IS CALLED UM, THE WILD ROVER. UM, AND ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE CLAPPING PART OF THE WILD ROVER? YOU ARE. OKAY, SO YOU'RE GONNA BE OUR LEADER, OUR CORAL LEADER TODAY, . SO I'M GONNA SING AND IT'S NO NAY NEVER. NO, NEVER NO. PLAY THE WILD ROVER. NO. NEVER NO MORE. YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE THAT? YEAH. OKAY, HERE WE GO. I THE SONG MYSELF. HOW DOES IT START? OH, I'M GONNA STEP A LITTLE BIT. SEEMS A LITTLE LOW FOR ME. GIMME ONE SEC. I'VE BEEN WILD AND I SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON WHISKEY AND BEER. Y'ALL GOT YOUR GUNESS HANDS, RIGHT? YEAH. AND NOW I'M RETURNING WITH GOLDEN GREAT STORE AND I NEVER PLAY WILD OVER. NO, AND IT'S NO. [00:10:06] WELL, YOU'RE DOING GREAT ON THE CLAPPING. IT'S THE SINGING. I'M WORRIED ABOUT COMBINE THE TWO. HERE WE GO. I WENT INTO THE NAIL HOUSE, I USED TO FREQUENT AND I TOLD THE LAND LADY MY MONEY WAS SPENT. SHE ASKED ME FOR CREDIT. I ANSWERED HER NAME. SUCH A I CAN HAVE ANY DAY AND IT'S NO, I TOOK FOR MY POCKET AND SOVEREIGN INSPIRATION AND HER EYES OPENED EYES WITH CLASSIC DELIGHT. SHE SAID I HAD WHISKEYS, WINES OF THE BEST AND THE WORDS THAT I SAID, THEY WERE ONLY BACK WHAT I AND THEM, THEIR PRODIGAL SOFT TIMES BEFORE. AND I NEVER, AND ALRIGHT. ALL RIGHT. PRETTY GOOD. PRETTY GOOD. AS I WAS GOING OLDER, THE CORGAN CAMPY MOUNTAINS. I'M MET WITH KEVIN MONEY. HE WAS COUNTING, I FIRST PRODUCED MY PISTOL, THEN PRODUCE MY RIB STAND AND DELIVER FOR YOU. MICHELLE RING. THAT WAS YOU. THAT WAS YOU MR. Q. SO WHEN I SAY MIA, YOU'RE GONNA SING RING. CAN I HEAR YOU? WACKO THE DADDY. O WACKO THE DADDY. WACKO THE DADDY. THERE'S WHISKEY IN THE JAR. ALL RIGHT, THESE LADIES OVER HERE, I'VE GOT IT GOING ON. ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO. LET'S TRY THAT ONE MORE TIME. AS I WAS GOING OVER THE CORK AND CARRY MOUNTAINS, I MET WITH CAPTAIN LL AND HIS MONEY. HE WAS COUNTING. I FIRST PRODUCED MY REPAIR, INTRODUCED MY P STANDS STAND AND DELIVERED FOR YOU. A GOLD MICHELLE, MY DADDY, MY CLOTHES DADDY IS WHISKEY IN THE JAR. I COUNTED MONEY AND MADE A PRETTY PENNY. I PUT IT IN MY POCKET AND I BROUGHT IT HOME TO JENNY. SHE SIGH AND SHE FLOOR THAT SHE NEVER TORAY ME. LET THE DEVIL CHECK THE FALL. I NEVER CAN BE DOG. BLACK DADDY, BLACK DADDY WHI THE JAR. GOOD JOB. I WENT INTO MY CHAMBER FOR TICKET, SLUMBER I SOME GOLDEN JEWELS AND FOR SURE IT WAS NO WONDER JENNY TOOK MY CHARGES AND SHE FILLED THEM UP WITH WATER. AND SHE SENT FOR CAPTAIN FARRELL TO BE READY FOR THE SLAUGHTER. MA, EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE I ROSE TO TROUBLE UP TO DAN FOOT. MAN. LIKEWISE, CAPTAIN FARROW FIRST [00:15:01] PRODUCED, THEN PRODUCED WATER. SO PRISONER OUTTA CAME RING. BLACK DADDY, BLACK PHONE. THE DADDY JOB. WELL IF I COULD FIND MY BROTHER, HE'S A SOLDIER IN THE ARMY. I COULD FIND HIM STATION VEHICLE. IF HE IS THERE, WE'LL GO ROAMING AROUND. KILL KIMMY. AND I KNOW HE'LL TREAT ME BETTER THAN MY POOR BLACK, BLACK DADDY IS WHISKEY IN THE JAR WITH MY BLACK WHI DOG. GOOD JOB. ALRIGHT, THIS IS A CLASSIC. I'M NOT GONNA MAKE YOU SING THIS ONE WITH ME. OH YEAH, WE'LL GET TO THAT ONE. THAT IS A CLASSIC TOO. I'M REALLY SORRY ABOUT THIS MICROPHONE. I BROKE IT ON THE WAY IN. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO TIGHTEN, BUT IT'S NOT WORKING VERY WELL. SO PLEASE FORGIVE THIS. UM, I JUST HAVE TO KEEP PULLING AWAY FROM ME. THAT MIGHT BETTER TRY NOT TO TOUCH. OKAY. THE FROM GLEN TO GLEN AND DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. THE SUMMER IS COLD. AND THE DYING MUST IN THE MIDDLE. AND I'LL BE HERE IN SUNSHINE. OH, DANNY. OH DANNY BOY, I LOVE YOU. SO, AND WHEN YOU COME AND ALL THE, YOU'LL COME AND FIND THE PLACE WHERE I'M AND, AND SAY AND, AND I SHALL WARMER SWEET. AND YOU'LL THAT YOU LOVE ME [00:20:04] AND I SHALL SLEEP IN PEACE UNTO YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'M SORRY. AS I SAID, I'M, I'M STILL GETTING OVER THIS CRAZY COUGH. SO SOMETIMES IT CREEPS INTO THE SINGING AND I APOLOGIZE. UM, UM, I ACTUALLY HAVE EVERYONE. OKAY, THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER DONE THIS. SO, UM, IT'S KIND OF GREAT TO HAVE A FULL ROOM LIKE THIS AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, . SO, UM, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, I LOVED AN IRISH SINGER. HER NAME WAS, UM, MARY BLACK. AND ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH MARY BLACK, SHE'S A GREAT, GREAT FOLK SINGER. BUT THIS IS A SONG THAT I KIND OF FELL IN LOVE. IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY IRISH, BUT UM, I GUESS IT'S WRITTEN BY AN IRISH WRITER. SO BY DEFAULT I HAVE BEEN WONDERING JUST WHAT I WOULD DO IF YOU WEREN'T SLEEPING HAD I NOT FOUND YOU? WELL, I'D BE OUTSIDE FINDING YOU. I'D BE WALKING DOWN THE AVENUE FINDING YOU. OH, I'M JUST SITTING BACK SEEING YOU, LOVING YOU. IF YOU'VE BEEN WONDERING, JUST DO, IF YOU WEREN'T SLEEPING, HAD I KNOCK ON YOU WHEN I BE OUTSIDE FINDING YOU, I'D BE WALKING DOWN THE AVENUE FINDING YOU. I'M JUST SITTING NEXT SYDNEY LOVING YOU. OH, WELL THE REASON WHY YOU NEVER SEEN ME RUNNING AROUND, BECAUSE I'M A HI CAN'T EVEN GET ME UP AND ON MY FEET WHEN I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF SOME BUSINESS ON THE STREET. I HAVE BEEN WALKING ON MY STREETS ALONE. I KEEP ON WALKING. I KEEP FROM GOING HOME. I COULDN'T QUITE CLEARLY BELIEVE YOU. NOW I CAN'T SEE. I BELIEVE IN YOU. OH, I'M JUST SITTING NEXT SITTING HERE. YOU, IF YOU'VE BEEN WONDERING, JUST IF YOU WERE SLEEPING, HAD I KNOCK ON YOU, I BE OUTSIDE. I'D BE WALKING DOWN THE AVENUE. OH, WELL THE REASON WHY YOU NEVER SEEN ME RUNNING AROUND FINGERS ON THE BOY COULDN'T DOWN. I CAN'T EVEN GET ME UP THERE ON MY FEET WHEN I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF SOME ON THE STREET. I KEEP ON WALKING, KEEP FROM GOING HOME. I KEEP ON WALKING TO KEEP ON BEING ALONE. NOW LEAVING. OH, I'M JUST SITTING YOU. OH, I'M SITTING LOVING YOU. OH, ALL RIGHT. BACK TO YOUR PAPERS. IT'S TIME TO SING. MM-HMM. UM, I, I WONDER IF TO PUT THIS, I MAY NOT HAVE PUT THIS ON THE LIST. IS THERE A SONG HOLMES MAYO ON THERE? YEAH, THERE IS. OKAY. SO YOU'RE GONNA SING THE CHORUS OF THAT WITH ME. OKAY. IN DOWN TOWN WHERE I FIRST SAW LIFE, WHERE THE OCEAN CRASHES AND THE DAY, AND BY NIGHT I TRAVEL FAR BUT LAND MY SEA FOR A JOURNEY BACK HOME. BE HEAVEN TO ME. HOME TO MAYO, HOME TO MAYO. SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR ME THERE. I KNOW IN THE FIRE HIS EYES WILL BE TO MY HEARTS IN COTTAGE. I'D LOVE TO GO BACK TO OLD IRELAND, TO THE GREEN FIELDS. SURELY THIS SUMMER, PLEASE GOD, I WILL GO [00:25:01] BACK TO MY HOME IN THE COUNTY. HOME, HOME MAYO, SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR ME THERE. I KNOW IN FIRE HER EYES WILL BE BRIGHT THROUGH MY HEARTS IN THE COTTAGE AND COUNTING, I'VE SEEN BORN CITIES AND BRIGHT STORIES AND THE GIRLS THAT SAW WILLFUL IN THE EYES THAT I LEAVE THEM ALL, NEVER HIS EYES LIKE THE STARS ARE CALLING ME HOME. HOME. MAY SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR ME THERE. GOD BLESS YOU. THE BACK TO MY HOME IN THE COUNTY MAYO. HOME TO MAYO, HOME TO MAYO. SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR ME THERE. I KNOW IN FIVE NIGHT HER EYES WILL BE BRIGHT THROUGH MY HEART'S IN A COTTAGE AND COUNTY MAY HOME TO MAYO. SOMEONE IS WAITING FOR ME THERE I KNOW IN THE FIRE LINE. AND EYES WILL BE MY HEARTS AND MY HEART COTTAGE AND SORRY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. IRISH EYES ARE SMILING. OKAY. Y'ALL KNOW THIS. DO YOU WE DO COURSE. WHEN, UH, I WISH I WERE SMILING. SURE. SCREAM AND LAUGHTER. YOU CAN HEAR WHEN HEART ARE HAPPY, ALL BRIGHT AND, AND STEAL YOUR HEART AWAY. MY VOICE TRULY NEEDS A BREAK. SO I'M GONNA HAVE YOU SING THIS YOURSELVES. DO YOU WANT IT TO BE A LITTLE FASTER OR ARE YOU OKAY WITH THIS? WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN I SHINE STEAL? WELL, THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD. I THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. LET'S RAISE THE ROOTS. COME ON. ARE WE IRISH? EVERYBODY'S OH, YOU WANT IT FASTER? OKAY, HERE WE GO. WHEN [00:30:04] LAUGHTER YOU CANING. WHEN, ALRIGHT, SO, UM, IN IRELAND THEY SPEAK, UH, GAELIC OR THE GALAGA. UM, THIS IS A SONG. UH, I JUST WANTED TO SPRINKLE A LITTLE GA AND FOR YOU, THE CHORUS IS IN, IN GAELIC. THE, UM, THE VERSES ARE IN ENGLISH, BUT THIS IS ABOUT, UM, THE, UH, THE GREAT FAMINE, THE POTATO FAMINE. AND, UM, HOW FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AFTER, UM, BASICALLY CHILDREN WERE FORCED TO LEAVE IRELAND TO GO AND MAKE THEIR LIVES HERE IN AMERICA. LUCKILY A LOT OF THEM STOPPED IN NEW YORK. AND WE HAVE THIS VIBRANT IRISH COMMUNITY HERE. BUT, UM, SO THEY, THE CHORUS OF THIS, UH, THE ENGLISH SAYS GOODBYE. GOD BLESS. UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN. LISTEN AND BE THINKING OF THE MUSIC THAT IS COMING FROM MY HEART. OKAY, THIS SONG IS DOWN THE MOON IS BLUE. I THINK THEY KNOW THAT I'M MISSING YOU. PUT DOWN YOUR HEAD, LET YOURSELF BE FREE. TAKE IN YOUR DEEPEST BREATH SINGING WITH ME. I SEE AN ISLAND YOU ON. I SEE CRY. YOU LOOK SO LOW AND THERE'S NO WISH I COULD HOLD YOU. I WISH YOU WERE HERE. RE CHRIST ABI. AND LOOK OUT YOU WINDOW. WHEN YOU'RE FEELING, YOU'LL LOOKING AT YOU. LAY DOWN YOUR HEAD. LET YOURSELF BE FREE. TAKE IN YOUR DEEPEST BREATH. SING WITH ME SLOWLY. [00:35:52] THANK YOU. SO I REALLY JUST HAVE, UM, SO SORRY ABOUT MY VOICE. I HAVE TWO MORE FOR YOU. UM, THIS NEXT SONG, UH, I USUALLY SING IT ACAPELLA. THIS IS A SONG THAT IS, UM, OFTEN SUNG AT FUNERALS IN IRELAND. UM, IT'S THE PARTING GLASS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HEARD IT. I WILL DO MY BEST IF I HAVE TO ABORT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT. , PLEASE FORGIVE ME. OH, THE MONEY. HE, AND ALL THE MONEY THAT I HAD FOR A, FOR A LONG GRACE TO MEMORY NOW I CAN RECALL IS SHOULD RISE AND YOU SHALL GOOD BE TO I HAD THAT ARE SORRY FOR MY AWAY. AND OF ALL THE SWEETHEARTS HAD WOULD WISH ME ONE MORE DAY TO STAY FOR ALL. NOW I CAN'T RECALL RISE AND YOU SHALL NOT BE. GOOD NIGHT. HAVE JOY BE WITH YOU. ALRIGHT? UM HMM. DID I COVER THAT WHOLE LIST? DID I GET ALL THE PHONE OR DID I MISS ON THAT? ALRIGHT, WE'LL FINISH UP WITH THAT ONE. BUT LET'S SEE. WE DID IT. I I I PRINTED BOTH IN THERE BY ACCIDENT. OH, I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. ALL RIGHT, LET'S SEE. I'M GOING TO DO ONE. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE ROOM WHO'S NOT IRISH AT ALL? YOU'RE NOT IRISH. ALL RIGHT, WELL THEN THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. HMM. SO FUNNY. SOMETIMES WHEN I'M SITTING UP HERE, I CANNOT REMEMBER THE FIRST LINE OF A SONG, BUT JUST LET IT ALMOST HEAVEN, LET ME MAKE THIS A LITTLE HIGHER. HOLD ON FOLKS. AT BEGINNING THERE, ALMOST HEAVEN. IS THAT A GOOD KEY FOR YOU? ALMOST HEAVEN. [00:40:01] WEST VIRGINIA, BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN. YOU KNOW THIS ONE, RIGHT? AH, COME ON, TAKE WITH ME NOW. ALMOST SEVEN WEST VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN LIFE IS THAN MOUNTAIN COUNTRY ROAD. HOME TO THE PLACE I BELONG. WEST VIRGINIA, HOME DOWN COUNTRY ROAD. ALL MY MEMORIES, LADIES. WATER, DARK AND DUSTY PAINTED ALL YOU DROP IN MY EYES, COUNTRY ME HOME TO THE PLACE I BELONG. ME HOME. DOWN COUNTRY ROAD. I HEAR VOICE. SHE CALLS ME RADIO OF HOME, FAR AWAY. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, I GET A FEELING THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HOME YESTERDAY. YESTERDAY. COUNTRY ROAD, HOME TO THE PLACE I BELONG. WEST VIRGINIA, HOME NOW COUNTRY ROAD. YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN BEAUTIFUL ROAD. TAKE ME HOME TO THE PLACE MAMA. TAKE ME HOME. DOWN COUNTRY ROAD. TAKE ME HOME. DOWN COUNTRY ROAD, TAKE ME HOME. DOWN COUNTRY ROAD. TAKE. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING AGAIN TODAY. I APPRECIATE BEING HERE. I'M VERY, VERY SORRY THAT MY VOICE IS NOT IN TOP FORM. I HOPE I GET TO DO IT AGAIN SOMETIMES SO THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY HEAR ME IN TALK FORM. , UM, SORRY. AMERICA. OH YEAH, WE'RE GONNA DO THAT. UM, I WANTED TO EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY I, UM, WHY I CHOSE TO PUT AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL IN HERE. UM, IT'S BECAUSE, UH, BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE, UH, DIRECTLY FROM IRELAND. UM, MY FATHER, AS I SAID, HE CAME HERE WHEN HE WAS 13-YEAR-OLD, 13 YEARS OLD, WHEN HIS MOM, UM, NEEDED TO, UM, SHE WAS AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, MY GRANDMOTHER. UM, AND, AND SHE WENT BACK TO IRELAND AS A CHILD. AND SHE MET A WONDERFUL MAN NAMED DENNIS NUNAN, WHO LIKE SO MANY OF, OF THE IRISH PEOPLE, UM, SUFFERED FROM ALCOHOLISM AND, UH, THE INABILITY TO SORT OF GET OVER THAT. AND SO SHE LEFT HIM, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU DIDN'T DO WAY BACK IN, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE EARLY 19, YOU KNOW, FORTIES, MID FORTIES. AND SHE CAME TO AMERICA WITH MY DAD. AND, UM, SHE WAS CLEANING HOMES FOR PEOPLE. AND MY FATHER WOULD GO TO SCHOOL. HE WAS MISERABLE. HE MISSED IRELAND SO MUCH. HE WAS ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE. AND, UM, SHE WOULD SNEAK HIM INTO THE HOUSES THAT SHE WAS CLEANING AFTER SCHOOL AND JUST TELL HIM TO, YOU KNOW, DO YOUR HOMEWORK, BE QUIET. HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. AND, UM, ONE DAY HE WAS IN THE BASEMENT OF SOMEONE'S HOUSE AND HE WAS JUMPING UP ONE STEP AND JUMPING DOWN, GOING UP TWO STEPS AND GOING DOWN, GOING UP THREE STEPS AND GOING DOWN JUST TO PASS THE TIME. AND UNFORTUNATELY, HE JUMPED A LITTLE TOO HIGH, HIT HIS HEAD AND FELL. UM, AND HE BASICALLY GAVE HIMSELF WHAT IS CALLED, UM, INDUCED EPILEPSY. BUT HE WAS ON THE BASEMENT FLOOR FOR A WHILE BEFORE MY GRANDMOTHER REALIZED THAT HE WAS EVEN UNWELL. UM, AND SO LUCKILY SHE FOUND HIM. SHE TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL, UM, AND SHE CAME CLEAN WITH ALL THE [00:45:01] PEOPLE THAT SHE, UM, CLEANED THE HOUSES FOR. AND SHE EXPLAINED THAT SHE WAS A SINGLE MOM AND HAD NO PLACE TO PUT HIM WHEN SCHOOL WAS OVER AND WITH IN MIND IF HE COULD STAY AT THE HOUSES. AND OF COURSE, THEY WERE ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND SAID, OF COURSE, THAT'S NO PROBLEM. AND SO WHAT SHE DID WAS SHE BROUGHT HIM AN ACCORDION SO THAT HE WOULD PLAY THE ACCORDION. AND IF THE ACCORDION STOPPED, THAT'S WHEN SHE KNEW HE WAS HAVING A SEIZURE OR HE NEEDED TO BE CARED FOR. NOW IT SOUNDS LIKE A TERRIBLE STORY, BUT MY FATHER FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT ACCORDION AND THAT BECAME HIS LIFE. AND WHEN HE WAS 16 YEARS OLD, HE WAS ASKED TO PLAY AT CITY CENTER IN NEW YORK ON SATURDAY NIGHTS FOR ALL THE IRISH IMMIGRANTS WHO WOULD COME. SO THE CITY CENTER WAS HUGE. IT WOULD HOLD THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. AND ANYBODY THAT WAS OFF THE BOAT, IRISH AND LIVING IN NEW YORK WOULD GO DOWN SATURDAY NIGHT TO CITY CENTER. THEY WOULD ALL, YOU KNOW, IF I TOLD YOU IT WAS SO MANY PEOPLE THAT I'D SAY, OH MY GOD, YOUR FATHER PLAYED AT MY PARENTS' WEDDING. AND I ALWAYS SAY, JEEPERS, IF I HAD A NICKEL FOR EVERY WEDDING THAT MY FATHER PLAYED AT, I'D BE LOADED. UM, SO ANYWAY, HE EVENTUALLY MET MY MOTHER THERE. UM, SHE CAME OUT HERE FROM GALWAY WHEN SHE WAS 16 YEARS OLD. AND, UM, THEY HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE THEY CREATED WHEN I WAS BORN, 1968. THEY CREATED THE COMPANY RICO IRISH RECORDS, WHICH FOR 30 YEARS WAS THE LARGEST IMPORTER OF CELTIC AND SCOTTISH MUSIC IN THE UNITED STATES. UM, SO THEY WERE EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. IT WASN'T UNTIL RIVERDANCE CAME OUT, WHICH WE WERE SO VERY PROUD OF, BUT WHEN RIVERDANCE CAME OUT, IT BECAME SO POPULAR THAT COMPANIES LIKE SONY AND RCA AND ALL OF THOSE STARTED BRINGING IRISH MUSIC INTO THERE. AND BASICALLY, UM, KIND OF THAT WAS THE END OF MY PARENTS' COMPANY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH SUCH HUGE, UH, RECORD COMPANIES. BUT, BUT FOR 30 YEARS THEY WERE, UM, SORT OF THE BIG WIGS IN CELTIC AND IRISH MUSIC. SO, UM, VERY, VERY PROUD OF THAT. BUT, UM, PROBABLY THE THING THAT I'M MOST GRATEFUL FOR FOR MY PARENTS IS THAT THEY LOVED IRELAND. AS I SAID, I SPENT ALL OF MY SUMMERS IN IRELAND. UM, WE ALWAYS CONSIDERED OURSELVES A LITTLE MORE IRISH THAN AMERICAN. UM, AND WE WERE INSULTED WHEN WE WENT BACK TO IRELAND AND WERE CALLED YANKS BECAUSE WE ALWAYS FELT THAT WE WERE REALLY, REALLY IRISH. UM, BUT THEY HAD SUCH GREAT RESPECT FOR AMERICA, WHAT IT GAVE TO THEM, WHAT IT ALLOWED THEM TO ACCOMPLISH. AND SO, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN EVER PLAY AT, UM, AN IRISH EVENT WITHOUT SINGING. GOD BLESS AMERICA. SO PLEASE SING IT WITH ME. OKAY. OH, SORRY. AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL. I'M GONNA DO, I'M SORRY NOT GOD BLESS AMERICA. EXCUSE ME. OH, BEAUTIFUL. FOUR, SPACIOUS THE FRUIT. THAT WAS PRETTY. SHOULD WE SAY IT ONE MORE TIME? BEAUTIFUL, SPACIOUS, FOREVER. WAVE, ALL AND FROM SEA TO THANK YOU FOR COMING TODAY. I TRULY APPRECIATE IT. MY NAME IS SHEILA NEWNAN. IF YOU LIKE TO LET ME KNOW IF YOU DIDN'T JUST GO ON HOME. BUT HAVE A HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ANNE FOR ALLOWING ME TO DO THIS TODAY. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.