Celtic New Year

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship and never in want.

I will be leaving for Ireland on Jan 14th to attend a Celtic Gift Show in Dublin. This is a huge show with over 650 vendors. If there’s a special piece of jewelry or anything you’d like me to look for, let me know before I leave and I’d be happy to see what I can do! Happy New Year! Slainte,
Linda Keady

This month I’m offering one of our best sellers in stained glass pieces. It’s a 12 inch round Celtic Knot in gold and teal. This is real stained glass, not painted glass or plastic.
Let those Celtic Rays shine!!

Two new brooches are also featured this month, one is the Wolfbane and the other is the Scottish Luckenbooth.

And for the children we have two delightful books that each holds a special treasure.

"Finn & The Celtic Cross" is the legend of the brave young Finn, who saved his master, Lord Fergus, from the wicked leprechaun, Nagganeen. Enclosed in the book is a Celtic Cross pendant.

"A Claddagh Ring for Nuala" is the legend of the Claddagh ring and the romantic adventure story of the love between Nuala and Richard. Enclosed in the book is a Claddagh ring.

Check out our monthly features on the Celtic Rainbow Gifts web page.
http://www.celticrainbowgifts.com You may have to hit the refresh button to include this month’s specials.

Ireland-Presidency of the European Union
The New Year of 2004 will be a historic year for Ireland. Ireland will hold the Presidency of the European Union Council of Ministers from Jan 1st to June 30th 2004. Every six months a different member state takes over the EU presidency. Ireland last held the presidency in 1996. During Ireland’s presidency this year, 10 new member states will be formally welcomed as members of the EU. Currently there are fifteen EU member states, the ten new states to be added in May: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The combined population of the 25 member states will be about 450 million citizens. For six months Ireland will be the face of the European Union and will act on behalf of the European Union.
The Presidency commands an International focus on Ireland which provides them the opportunities to share their experiences culturally, socially and politically.

Robert Burns Day

Robbie Burns Day is a Scottish holiday honoring their best-loved bard, Robert Burns who was born on January 25th, 1759 in Alloway, Scotland. Robert was the oldest of seven children born to a poor farmer and his wife. After his mother introduced him to Scottish folk songs, legends and proverbs, he began writing touching poems and songs. His first book of poems was published in 1788. His most famous song, "Auld Lang Syne" is sung around the world at mid-night on New Year’s Eve.
For over 200 years, his birthday is celebrated world wide with Burns Suppers. The highlight of the supper includes the playing of bagpipes and the dish of choice, the haggis. Robbie Burns was fond of haggis and wrote the poem To a Haggis which is recited by the male head of the family before serving the meal. See recipe & poem below.

Recipe for Haggis

Ingredients

1 sheep's bag and pluck (heart, liver, windpipe & lungs)
1/4 lb. suet
4 medium sized onions (blanched)
1/2 lb. pinhead oatmeal
2-4 level tablespoons salt
1 level teaspoonful black pepper
1 level teaspoonful powdered herbs

How to prepare this mouth watering dish:
1. Wash the bag in cold water, scrape and clean it well. Leave it overnight in cold water.
2. Wash the pluck and put in a pan of boiling water and boil for 1 hour. Leave the windpipe hanging out. Place a small bowl under the windpipe to catch any drips.
3. Place the cooked pluck in a bowl, cover with the fluid it was boiled in and leave overnight.
4. The next day cut off the windpipe. Grate the liver and chop the heart, suet and onions.
5. Toast the oatmeal, but make sure the color doesn't change. Add the oatmeal, salt, pepper, herbs and just over half a liter of liquid in which the pluck was boiled.
6. Mix well. Fill the bag more than half full of the mixture, then sew it up and prick it.
7. Place in boiling water; simmer for 3 hours, pricking occasionally to keep from bursting.
The bag may be cut into several pieces to make smaller haggis; cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Enjoy your meal and don't forget to read a poem by Robbie Burns!

To A Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the pudding-race!
Aboon them a' yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o'a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin was help to mend a mill
In time o'need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin', rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit! hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi' perfect sconner,
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckles as wither'd rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit;
Thro' blody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned,
Like taps o' trissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer
Gie her a haggis!

Celtic Rainbow Gifts
Linda Keady-owner
PO Box 447
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-3860
linda@celticrainbowgifts.com
http://www.celticrainbowgifts.com