Moran Mag

2014

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MORAN “DO”CUP AND CLAN REUNION

2014

ELCOME once again all Moran Cuppers and Moran Do'ers to the annual Moran Cup and Clan Reunion in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo, 2014. Best of shooting to all the golfers in the Cup, and best of craic to

all the revellers at the Do!

We gather in Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. It is 2014. A tradition, which began in the last century, continues. The roots of this Moran Clan run deep, its branches spread wide as is evident on the front cover. Linda Meehan, Mary Berney and their band of intrepid investigators have been busy! They are driving the inter-generational research into the family lineage and it makes for interesting reading in the 'Who Do You Think You Are' article herein (see page 7). Great work all.

The compilation of the first family directory, affectionately known as ‘The Moran Book’ served to ‘improve communication and perhaps understanding between peoples’. Its author would be pleased to see his labour bearing fruit. Séamus Healy take a bow! Assisted by his wife Ellen, his first cousin Paddy’s daughter Angela, and many Morans, Séamus produced the 2013 edition of the Morans of Lavallyroe Book Family Directory. At last year’s Do he presented it to the descendants of Pat and Ellen Moran.

So, from the Moran Mag production team, have a great Moran Cup and a great year. Many thanks to everyone who contributed stories, articles and photos for this year's mag. Keep 'em coming for next year. Please send your stories and photos at anytime of the year to moranmagazine@gmail.com.

Thanks and all the best.

Claire Maguire & Shay Moran

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Pat Moran Cup Winner:

Fionán Moran

Junior Moran Cup Winner:

David Donovan

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Moran Cup 2013

Oisín Anderson, Fionán Moran, Andrew Donovan and Brona Galvin.

David Donovan, eye on the ball, winner all the way!

Fionán teeing off on his way to a winning round at the 2013 Moran Cup

Pádraic Moran, Diarmaid Moran, David Donovan and Patrick Moran.

The Moran Do 2013

he annual get together took place on Saturday 3rd of August in Ballinrobe. A great turn out.

Perhaps more Morans who live abroad planned a trip home last year, spurred on by the Gathering tourism initiative, or just to see what the Do was like in the 21st century. All were welcomed.

Morans and more travelled from the usual haunts of Lavallyroe, Ballyhaunis, Ballindine, Claremorris, Dunmore, Galway, Kildare, Dublin and from farther flung places such as Co. Down, England and America.

There is a first time for everything and the Do was no different; cousins meeting for the first time in twenty or thirty years, others continuing conversations started the night before!

“Babes in arms” Katie McGauran (Dublin), Conor Love (USA) and PJ Moran (Lavallyroe) took it all in, sussed out the scene, listened to the talk from the golfers, and had a ball at the party. Watch out for their names on those Cups in years to come!

The Do was in full swing in the clubhouse when the Moran Mag arrived and everyone enjoyed reading the contents. Séamus Moran coordinated the Entertainment Slot and we enjoyed listening to songs spoken and sung, watched dances and applauded those who shared those talents with us on the night.

The Moran Cup was presented to Fionán Moran. The Junior Cup was presented to David Donovan.

The highlight of the evening was yet to come. Seamus Healy, home from Walla Walla, took the microphone and spoke of his joy in bringing back home copies of the 2013 Revised Edition of The Morans of Lavallyroe. The wonderful books were presented.

On behalf of the Moran family, we say Many Thanks to You, Mr James Patrick (Séamus) Healy for all your work. It is very much appreciated.

Moran Cup Golf Competition 2013

The golf competition teed off at one o’clock and Angela was on hand with Alan and Séamus to ensure that it went smoothly and the calm confidence that exudes all who play was captured on film.

Many gathered to see the golfers off and were back again in different attire to congratulate the winners Fionán Moran and David Donovan and applaud all the prizewinners.

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After Sunday mass, one of the parishioners walked up to the priest and asked, “Father, is it a sin to play golf on Sunday?”“My son,” said the priest, putting his hand on the man's shoulder, “I've seen you play golf. It's a sin any day.”

Séamus Healy and Ellen presenting the 'Morans of Lavallyroe' book

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Moran Do 2013 ... in Pictures

The Mur-raaaans from the UKTom, Nicola and the girls,

Lucy, Grace and Bella.

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Here's lookin' at you, kid! Conor Love and his mommy Ellen from the USA<<<

Allison and Darren Allison and Darren Allison and Darren from the UK enjoying

their first Moran Do!

Caroline, Breda and Trish peruse the Moran Mag

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34 Morans, 4 Generations, 30 Lucent in Tenebris T-shirts... where would you get it? Only at O'Connors, the morning after!

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Up Mayo! Katie, Sarah, Séamus, Michael, Declan

Gráinne, Tom and Event Manager Angela soaking up the rays.

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Cormac Delaney's World Cup

ur World Cup began in Cuiabá, a city in Western Brazil. We had nowhere to stay and I had no

tickets. So far so good. Myself and a couple of friends from Killarney had spent the guts of a week travelling by bus through Peru and Bolivia in order to arrive in time for the start of the Cup on the 12th of June.

The final day and a half of travel was spent on several buses full of Chileans. They happened to be playing Australia on the 13th in Cuiabá. After plenty of singing and drinking, and having no

accommodation, we decided to stay with the Chileans in their campsite. By far the best fans I encountered during the World Cup. Singing and chanting constantly. They had very little interest in sleeping.

I managed to get a ticket for the Australia game from a guy in the campsite. Chile won 3-1, but it was tight throughout with Chile only getting the third in injury time. The atmosphere was great at the game, but even more so in the main square afterwards.

My two friends flew home after the first week of the tournament. I moved onto Belo Horizonte, a city in Minas Gerais, about a seven hour drive from Rio de Janeiro. I stayed with a Brazilian family there for just over a week. I tried to get a ticket for the Argentina vs. Iran game, but the scalpers outside the stadium were looking for as much as $500 for the cheaper seats.

They had areas called fanfests set up in the host cities, which had huge screens to watch the matches. If you didn't have tickets they were a handy alternative. They were free to enter and from my experience more craic

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With Chile fans in CuiabáChile vs. Australia, June 13th 2014

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than inside the stadiums. At night in the Savassi area of the city the streets were jammed with people partying late into the night.

After Belo Horizonte I decided to go to Rio and stay there for the rest of the knockout phase. Nearly everyone I knew at the World Cup would be in Rio at some stage so I didn't want to miss any of them. I am still here (15th July). Again I am staying with a Brazilian family. Thankfully they speak English. A lot of people in Rio have decent English or Spanish. My Spanish is coming along slowly. However my Portuguese is essentially Spanish, but with a more confused look on my face.

Rio is incredible, but easily the most expensive place I've been in South America. Copacabana beach has been very lively throughout, and the street parties in Lapa have been the place to be at night. I've run into loads of Irish people here. The fanfest in Rio is on one end of the beach so there have been huge crowds in and around the whole area. They had an extra huge screen outside the fanfest on the beach which also attracted mountains of people.

The Argentinians have been out in force all World Cup. They easily have the most fans here outside of the Brazilians. Most of their songs and chants seem to be aimed at Brazil and vice versa. They took great pleasure in the Brazil vs Germany game. It was very surreal being here during it. The Brazilians were so deflated and ashamed. The only thing that has cheered them up somewhat is Argentina losing the final. That would have been the ultimate embarrassment. For the final, there were far more Brazilians with German flags on the beach than there were Germans.

Anyway there you go. I have to stop the rambling at some stage. I reckon I'll make my way back to Bolivia next week and start Spanish lessons somewhere. Sucre and Cochabamba are the two main spots for lessons apparently.

Adios Amigos!

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Pat & Ellen>> John A & Babe Moran>>Tony & Nonie Moran>> Mairead & Sean

Delaney>> Cormac DelaneyWorld Cup Final Day

Copacabana Beach Fanfest, RioGermany vs. Argentina, July 13th 2014

Cormac with a four-legged friend,Somewhere in South America

Who Do You Think You Are? (Stage Two)

Linda Meehan and Mary Berney

wo years have passed since Mary Berney wrote about her work on our family tree. Having spotted

the steam coming from her ears while she was attempting to find baptism and marriage records via the ludicrously overpriced rootsireland.ie website, I decided it was time to help the poor aul wan out. We joined forces and formed our own X-Men, with Breda Maguire as our human encyclopedia on the Morans, and Ann Meehan as the driver/tea-maker.

Step one: Church records. We took a spin to the church in Bekan to find the priest, who would hopefully give us access to the church's baptism and marriage records for the mid 19th century. What we learned? Call ahead. Wednesday was his golfing day! Drat.

Back into our tinted Nissan Qashqai and off to church number two in Ballyhaunis. No parish priest present

here either (starting to think it was the Catholic Church society outing in the golf club). But the Mrs Doyle of the parochial house was most helpful and showed us records of the baptism of Pat Moran and of the marriage to his wife Ellen Murphy. Finally getting somewhere!

Our last visit was to the church in Ballinlough, where the priest graciously showed us the baptism records of Pat Moran (of Moran Cup named fame) and all of his siblings, while patiently answering our repeated calls of 'what was that date again??', and Breda's numerous off-on-a-tangent chats about every Moran/Murphy/Hoctigan/Cunningham in the county of Mayo. We were delighted to verify the birthdays of the Moran siblings and I immediately started updating the Moran Family Tree online, which I had been working on previously, like the nerd that I am.

Since then, Mary and myself have been successful in filling in gaps on the rest of the tree, going back to the 1830's with the Finnegans and the 1810's with the Murphys.

We have stumbled upon sad stories, like that of Katie Finnegan's grandparents, Bridget Ruane & David Murphy, who actually died within three weeks of each other in 1898. We only found this out because we were getting their death certificates to verify that they had died in the same year.

As is the case with most Irish families, originality with naming their children, was limited. For instance, in five generations of the Moran line, there are TEN Patrick Morans!

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Murphy home in Ballinastockagh Helen, Ann and Mary

We also took a somewhat perverse pleasure in finally linking the Murphy and Moran family trees, to show that Jim Moran and Katie Finnegan were in fact second cousins (as illustrated in the graphic overleaf). For anyone of their descendants who wasn't aware of this, feel free to bring it up with your friends over a pint and enjoy their reaction!

Of course nothing brings a family tree alive better than a good story and the history of the people behind it. Last year, after the 'Do', a group of us were fortunate enough to be led on a tour around Ballinastockagh by Lavallyroe's resident expert, Johnny Moran. We were brought around the last remaining building on the Finnegan land, the high-barn, and also the remains of a ring fort, known locally as the 'Lios', meaning 'fairy fort'. We learned that some of our Finnegan ancestors, who were stillborn babies, were buried in the Lios. This was due to the Catholic Church and their horrific rule at the time that unbaptised babies were not allowed to be buried in consecrated ground. It

was lovely to visit these places and learn things about our family that aren't in any records.

Also, on this trip, we went on the hunt for the Murphy homestead. However, we made the mistake of not waiting for Johnny to show us and, like a scene from 'The Night of the Living Dead', ended up surrounding what we THOUGHT was the Murphy home, and proceeded to stare in the windows and wander around the garden. Mary, of course, was the only one with 'liathróidí' to approach the back door, and ended up having a talk with a strange old man, who definitely was not a Murphy, and was probably frightened out of his life by all the Dublin reg cars invading his space. A swift exit ensued and we soon came across the ruins of the actual Murphy home.

So, as those FF gombeens said, 'a lot done, more to do'. Next step is to try and find records of Pat Moran's grandmother's family, the Gallaghers, and fill in the blanks there. As I said above, I have published a fairly

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Johnny telling the Moran family about the Lios

Murphy home in MoatPatrick, Fergal, Colm, Mary, Shane

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detailed family tree online, and it has every descendant named in the updated 'Morans of Lavallyroe' book, distributed by Seamus Healy last year.

Lots of pictures, records and certificates are attached to the tree, so for those of you who would like to view it, just send me an email (lindameehan1@gmail.com).

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I think it's important to keep alive the trojan work that Ronan & Seamus have done to immortalise the Moran family, so keep all those pictures and mementos, and start recording all those ramblings that your aul' pair tell you about their life, and send them our way!

Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Ann & David Meehan>> Linda MeehanPat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Mary Berney

Murphy-Moran Family Tree

Murphy Family ConnectionHelen Sheehan

n a recent visit to Australia I took the advice of Frankie Kearns from Newbridge, to visit my second

cousin in Gosford, North Sydney - who is also her second cousin on the distaff side.

Keval, the lady in question, is the only daughter of Kevin Murphy, son of my mother's Uncle Pat. Frankie had been to Oz the previous year and saw a family resemblance to me, she thought. While I could see the family resemblance, I thought it was more to Mary and Breda.

Colm was on his first trip to Australia and we had spent some time in Perth with his son and family, where we also, as a matter of interest, visited Pat (Betty's brother) O'Boyle and Marcella and spent a very pleasant afternoon with them.

Our next stop was Sydney and there I made contact with Keval Murphy and arranged to visit her. Dermot took the day off work and he, his twin daughters, Colm and I went to Gosford. It was a two-hour drive on a very scenic route and Keval gave us a great Irish welcome even though she had only been to Ireland once in 2001. She wanted to know all about her Irish relatives and I sensed she would have liked to have had more contact with them. She tells me she's thinking of signing up for Irish lessons which a friend of her's saw advertised locally!

Keval's father had immigrated to South Africa as a young man where he met and married a South African lady

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OColm, Helen and Keval

Uncle Pat Murphy

and wife Bridget

Dermody

who is now 95 years old. Kevin passed away - I can't say when.....we talked a lot while the rest of the party took Colm off to introduce him to Australian wildlife! In the meantime Keval and I went for lunch and talked and talked - we certainly were similar in that way. The two hours flew by and before we knew it the lads were back and it was time to go.

Keval and I have kept in touch and we'll meet again in Oz or Ireland. We were both born in the same year, so we also have that in common!!

Tóg go bog é Keval!

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Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Helen Sheehan

MORANMORAN STORIES STORIES

They say gender skips a generation. Well, I suppose they don't really, but in the case of Jim and Katie's lineage, perhaps they should.

Look at the evidence. Albert and Nuala had three sons and one daughter. Their sons Alan and Donal produced seven granddaughters and only one grandson, while their only daughter Alma produced three grandsons!

Tom and Kay also produced three sons and only one daughter. They now have five granddaughters and no grandsons. What's going on?

But the gender-skipping prize must go to Helen and Eamonn Sheehan. They produced no daughters, but three fine, strong young boys, Brendan, Kevin and Dermot, who in turn have produced a total of NO grandsons, but SIX, count them, SIX granddaughters.

And there are the little darlings enjoying ice creams in Oz. Gorgeous!

Six granddaughters eating ice creams.L-R: Lauren, Ellie, Lucy, Alannah, Rosie, Aoife.

Girls and Boys!

Separated at birth ?? Mary Berney / Keval Murphy

The ‘Mourne County’ Morans

Donal Moran

have come under severe pressure in recent years to write a piece for the Moran Magazine.

Not from the usual suspects .... Claire, Angela or Seamus.

Not even from the matriarch of our branch of the Morans, Granny Nuala.

But from the youngest female member of our side of the clan, my youngest daughter Niamh Nuala Moran, aged 7.

The reason for her ire and frustration is the fact that her Dublin cousins, the ‘O’Neills’, had their picture in the 2012 Moran Magazine (in the excellent Linda Meehan ‘Why I’m Great’ article) and THEY’RE NOT EVEN MORANS, for feck sake! (I added the last bit for emphasis).

Mind you I had a similar reaction when their dad won the Moran Cup back in 2006. My reaction was not one of jealously or a dub-culchie thing, but because he runs like a girl.... anyhoooo.

As a result of Derek’s win, of all the ‘golfers’ on our side of the family I am now the only one never to have won the Holy Grail, the Moran Cup. Albert (my dad) won it in 1971 and 1977, Alan in 1989 and 1995, Nuala in 2003 and finally Derek in 2006! Now that Alma has joined the ‘golfers’ ranks it is only a matter of time before my humiliation is compounded. No offence Bert, but come on!

I have very fond memories of the Moran Cup as a young fella, aged 10 or 11, meeting up with all the cousins from Dublin, Kildare, Athlone, Ballinrobe and Cloonfad for the day.

I remember Bryan, Ian and myself teeing off on the first at the old racecourse course in Ballinrobe, a slight dog leg to the right with a tight enough fairway. I liked the old par three third hitting from the elevated tee surrounded by trees down onto the green. Personally things usually went downhill from there, and not just literally, as my concentration in the golf waned.

I remember messing about in the stand and the jockeys’ changing areas, the weighing scales, and the craic in the club house afterwards, the club oranges and the crisps.

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Albert and Nuala back in the day

This is Niamh

I remember Dad collecting the cup in 1979. I remember all the uncles and all the aunties and all the good weather.

As I got older I lost a bit of contact with golf but never lost the grá for the get together. My objective this year, come hell or high water, is to complete the 18 holes ........... obviously if Mayo aren’t playing on the day itself!

I headed north ‘for the blue skies of Ulster’ in 1988 at the youthful age of twenty to complete my college education, primarily because the distinguished institutions in the south had the good sense not to let me in.

There are many differences between the north and south.

The first and probably most obvious is that in the north we divide the calendar year into five and not the normal four seasons. We have winter, spring, summer and autumn in common with much of the modern world, but then we are blessed with a further special season called ‘The Marching Season’.

The Marching Season runs from May right through to the end of September. It is a time of dressing up, merriment and joy, when people celebrate on the streets together and exchange pleasantries and banter, often joined by lines of police land rovers.

The northern people are passionate about everything. There are no half measures, no ‘ach, it’ll be grand’. It’s 100% or nothing.

Football teams in the north know how to win the All Ireland.

We can weave the word ‘situation’ into

almost any conversation and in any context. (I say ‘we’ on the basis that I have lived longer in the north than I have anywhere else and have achieved a sufficient level of belligerence to consider myself a local).

When we say ‘what’ it usually isn’t a question that is seeking a verbal response.

It is a proven statistical fact that we say ‘never’, ’no’ and ‘right’ more than any other words in our Ulster/Scotch vocabulary and in fact more than any other people on earth; a planet that is in fact only 6,000 years old!

But my, aren’t the northern ladies beautiful! I know this because there are four in my house.

In keeping with the prevailing sense of aggression, my girls have a keen interest in Karate and Archery and a sport where you are given a stick and personal protective equipment (helmet, mouth guard, shin pads and a glove) at the tender age of five or six called Camogie. Uncle Tommy and the Clare cousins, on the Giblin side, would be proud.

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This is Grainne and Aisling

There is a significant difference between me and all my northern in-laws and neighbours that is oft times thrown randomly into conversations. They have actually seen their County football team win the Sam Maguire, twice in the lifetime of the younger ones, five times for some of the older ones.

I am not in any way bitter about this turn of events.

However, a conversation with a close friend could run along the lines of:

Donal: ‘Nice day’

Billy: ‘Aye tis alright, it was a day like that when we lifted the cup in ‘94’or...

Donal: ‘Hard luck, Tyrone were just that bit stronger’

Billy: ‘Away off with ya, ya freestate b******d, what the f**k would you know about it you’se never won nathin! That’s the situations, right! Now, what was that, tea or coffee?’

Unfortunately for my children, and because of my malignant influence by dragging them to matches all over the country, they are primarily Mayo supporters.

They are therefore doomed to a lifetime of disappointment and failure, forever supporting the underdog and never winning anything of note, which will ultimately lead to a life of despair and abject misery! But hey ho, Green and Red forever........ Go Mayo!

Every September when I am feeling a bit low after another All Ireland defeat I sometimes say to myself, “sure not to worry things could be worse, you could be from Kildare!”

Anyway back in May I got a commitment from the young cousins, Katie, Linda and Fergal, to introduce me to the delights of ‘Copper Face Jacks’ to help drown my sorrows at some stage in September this year, so you are all invited! I have been practicing my ‘Party Anthem’ moves for weeks, everyday I’m shuffling (shuffling bloody papers!).

Finally in recognition of the fact that I am never going to see the Sam Maguire up close and personal, I resorted to getting a dog for the girls that was aptly named Sam Maguire.

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The ‘Mourne Morans’.

This is our Sam

So that us, the ‘Mourne Morans’. We So that's us, the Mourne Morans. We are very normal family and have a happy and quiet life in a beautiful rural community. For all its peculiarities we love Co Down, it’s our home.

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Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Albert & Nuala Moran>> Donal Moran

Why don’t ya come and visit sometime (but not for too long though... just saying like)?

The Dublin Gamelan

In the summer of 2013, a complete gamelan orchestra was forged by the Sultan's artisans in Yogyakarta in Java, Indonesia, specially built for the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Irish composer Dr. Peter Moran has been appointed director of the new Dublin Gamelan. In his new role, in September 2013, Peter was flown to Java by the Indonesian Embassy of UK, to meet the instrument builder, and also members of the royal family who were presenting this orchestra to the people of Ireland.

The Dublin Gamelan will have its premiere performance in the National Concert Hall on Saturday 6th September at 3pm. On Sunday 7th, the Sultan of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, will preside over the gamelan's ritual 'naming ceremony'. This will be followed by a recital from the Yogyakarta Palace Musicians, and a performance of classical Javanese dance from his two daughters.

Dublin Gamelan RoomNational Concert Hall

Gamelan is a generic term for traditional musical ensembles of Indonesia. A gamelan orchestra is made up predominantly of percussive instruments. The most common instruments are metallophones played by mallets as well as a set of hand played drums called kendhang which register the beat. Other instruments include xylophones, bamboo flutes, bowed instruments called rebab, and even vocalists called sindhen.

East Meets Wesht!Peter Moran

usti Bendora Pangeran Horya Yudaningrat, or Gusti Yuda for short, is the Prince of

Yogyakarta, brother to the Sultan. He is also the director of the Yogyakarta Cultural Office. He works in a beautifully ornate building filled with the most exquisite artefacts of Javanese culture; hand-carved shadow puppets and dance masks, sculptures and figurines, and a full gamelan orchestra.

Gusti Yuda sits in a large office at the front of the building, from where he directs all the cultural affairs of the region. He is a quiet man, fairly easy going actually, who wears a nice suit to the office. Essentially, a senior civil servant kind of figure. So when I was led in to meet him, it didn't seem at all unusual to say hello, shake him firmly by the hand, and join him in his office. Until I looked around and realised that everyone else was bowing low to him as they came in behind me! I cringed. What's the Indonesian for faux pas?

(Okay, it was only a minor slip up. So long as I don't have to look up the Indonesian for “international incident”, I think we'll be okay...)

The main order of business for today was to visit instrument builder Pak Poniman in his gamelan workshop in Bantul, in the foothills outside the city. The bronze work was all finished now, and the newly-forged instruments gleamed in the light as we arrived to see them for the first time.

I sat down at the demung and played a few notes. I heard someone in the corner of the room playing the bonangs. I looked up, and it was Gusti Yuda. At first he was just tinkering around with a few short phrases, but then he started playing some proper traditional patterns. I had no idea he knew how to play gamelan. Soon he was in full swing and playing some fairly complex parts! I was hugely impressed. We quickly got stuck into a proper gamelan session, with Gusti Yuda now on the kendhang drums, myself on the demung, and Pak Yata from the Cultural Office on the gongs, all jamming away in Pak Poniman's workshop in the mountains of Bantul.

Mastering the Language

We always spoke English in our meetings at the Cultural Office. But after six weeks in Yogyakarta, my Indonesian had improved considerably. I had been performing with local gamelan musicians a couple of nights a week. And when my hosts weren't around, I could just be a regular tourist, without all the formalities and appointments. I was even able to visit the palace just to wander around.

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Trying out the new Dublin Gamelan with Prince Yudaningrat.

Watch the video clip at www.youtube.com/user/PeterMoranMusic

I would quietly watch the palace gamelan musicians perform their concerts for the public, and I would chat with the elderly attendants, who were certainly bemused to meet a tourist who could talk about their own music in their own language.

I also visited local artisans in their workshops to buy a few bits and pieces to decorate the new concert hall gamelan room back in Dublin. People were always so surprised to meet an Irishman who played gamelan that my shopping trips frequently turned into sing-songs, as the strangers I met were more than happy to belt out a few popular Javanese tunes together.

One of our last official appointments was to meet the palace musicians themselves and discuss their upcoming trip to Dublin. My hosts introduced me and we conducted our business all through English.

But as we were leaving, we passed the palace artisan's workshops.

The saleswoman called out.

“Selamat siang, Pak Peter!”“Selamat siang!” I replied. “Apa kabar?”“Baik-baik.”

My hosts were stunned. “You speak Indonesian now?”

Yeah, sure. Just as I was explaining how I had all this time to learn the language after meeting so many lovely local people, one of the old palace attendants passed us by.

“Selamat siang, Pak Peter!” he called.“Selamat siang!”

They couldn't believe it. “And you know the palace staff?!”

I explained again about my secret palace visits as a regular tourist and we laughed about it.

Before leaving, we made plans for the final formal meeting of the trip; exchanging gifts with Gusti Yuda and saying goodbye to the Cultural Office.

“Okay, you must have this meeting with Gusti Yuda in Indonesian,” they said. “He will be very happy!”

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Borobudur Temple Complex, Indonesia

Sunset at Borobudur

Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Tom & Kay Moran>> Peter Moran

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Junior Moran CupDavid Donovan, Age 16

Three years ago I won my first Junior Moran Cup. It was a memorable moment as it was my first time to win a golf tournament, but what made the moment most special was being able to play the tournament with family members.

As you know Ballinrobe golf club is a challenging and enjoyable course to play. From the nerve wrecking tee-off on the first tee box where everyone gathers to wish us good luck, to the green on the tenth hole that is surrounded by the “moat”, Ballinrobe Golf Course has something for everyone.

As I am now too old to compete in the Junior Moran Cup, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Seamus Healy for his kindness and generosity for sponsoring the competition while I was participating and would also like to encourage younger Morans to enter the Junior Moran Cup this year.

Jokes

Q. Why did Dad wear two pairs of trousers at the Moran Cup?

A. In case he got a hole-in-one!

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Q. Who is the biggest family in the world?

A. The Morans. Coz there's moran moran more every year!

Give Your Heart AwayLucy Moran

Age 10

n July 2013 I auditioned for the pantomime, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ at the Hexagon Theatre, Reading.

Famous magician's assistant Debbie McGee, Coronation Street's Ken Morley, EastEnders' Emma Barton, and CBBC's Tracy Beaker, Dani Harmer, were all in it!

As I walked into the Town Hall I was given a number. Number 50! Was this number going to be my lucky number? There were about 200 people auditioning. This is how the judges would tell us we had got into the pantomime, without using our names.

In the first part of the audition we had to learn a dance and perform it many times in front of the judges. This is how they would decide who would be

recalled for the next stage of the auditions, and they would be even closer to being in the pantomime! Really this was just the 50 people who the judge's liked best out of the 200. As the judge called out the number 50 I became ecstatic in the audience. (My number! I might be in the pantomime! Yey! Yippie!) That carried on until I got outside and calmed down.

My friend Emily got into the second part too! We were going to be in the Panto! Together! Well not exactly, there were still only 28 people allowed in the panto out of us 50, but I was confident. I was going to give my heart away and it was going to take me far.

And that was exactly what I did, I gave my heart away. After another two hours of dancing I managed to get down to the last 28 children! I couldn’t have been happier; there were no words to describe it! I was in the Panto! It was only a question of being a reserve or actually in the Panto now!!!!!! We were sorted into groups and then the news everyone wanted to know, was told. The group next to me was allocated reserves, everyone in my team jumped for joy, including me!

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Cast of Jack and the Beanstalk

Lucy with EastEnders' Emma Barton

The months after that seemed to last for ever and ever, till it got to November 11th, our first day of rehearsals. I woke up at 5am all ready to go. I got everything I needed and left the house at 9.00; due to get there at 10.00. It only took 30 minutes to get there but I didn't want to have any chance of being late.

I learnt all the dances and words within a day or two and, by the end of the month, I was ready for the stage. I even had some solo lines! We had dress, technical and every possible rehearsal you could have before we were properly ready for the massive Hexagon Theatre (1800 seats).

Though it was hard work being in the panto, it was fun too! I made loads of new friends and "Jack's brother", Britain's Got Talent's John Clegg, was extremely funny and kind!

It was interesting learning the protocol of theatre. For example we were advised to speak to the professional actors only when spoken to, and with some of them (Dani Harmer) that wasn't very often.

Our first show was the best ever! All my family came, grandparents; Kay and Tommy, Fran and Dave, Mum; Nicola, Dad; Tom, and sisters; Grace and Isabella-Mae. They all had an amazing time.

After the show we all went out for dinner and discussed the show. Mum said it was very surreal watching her child do exactly what she did when she was my age (I think she was more nervous than me!). As I listened to all my parents chat about how good it was I thought; "Wow! Giving my heart away did take me far!"

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Lucy with Panto 'Dame Trot' Paul Morse

Lucy with CBBC's Dani Harmer

Lovely Lucy with the lovely Debbie McGee!

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I auditioned for this year’s panto last week. Although my mum warned me many times that just because I got into the panto last year, it didn’t mean I would get in this year, I managed to prove her wrong!

The pantomime this year is Cinderella. Each team of babes is named after a character in the panto. My team is

‘Buttons’, who is played by Britain’s Got Talent’s John Clegg!

I can’t wait for the experience all over again.

Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Tom & Kay Moran>> Tom & Nicola

Moran>> Lucy Moran

'Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal’

Our sympathies to the Hart family on the death of Catherine (née Heurtz) on 16th February, to Mary Geary and family on the death of John on 26th February, to the Dillon family on the death of Maureen (née Tyrell) on 2nd April, and to all who mourn the passing of a family member, a neighbour or a friend.

New Arrivals

Welcome to the new additions to the Clan, who have arrived safely into this mad world. Good Luck to you all in your lives ahead. Enjoy the journey.Remember to smile every day!

Jim and Katie Moran's Family

Keela McGauran (born 7 November 2013 to Ann and Terry McGauran)Virginia (Ginny) Susan Leonard* (born 15 November 2013 to Becky and Billy Leonard, in Conshohocken, USA) (*Breda’s first great-grandchild!)

John A and Babe Moran's Family

Sonny Jay Kelly (born 12 November 2013 to Claire and Fergal Kelly)Eliza Geary (born 9 March to Amie and Dryden Geary)Sophia Moran (born 26 June 2014 to Sarah and PJ Moran)

Patrick and Mary Moran's Family

Fionn Kilbane (born 27 November 2013 to Kelly Moran and JP Kilbane)

Kit and Martin Healy's Family

Seán Scally (born 5th December 2013 to Áine and Paddy Scally) Helena Murphy (born 28th December 2013 to Laura and Christian Murphy)

Ginny Leonard giving the “peace sign”

Newbridge, Kinnegad, Moate, and my Mammy’s

Cousin MaureenClaire Maguire

he very mention of the towns above brings memories of bygone days. These memories usually

involve the words traffic - standstill – nightmare- delay - sweat- and… Summer! Living just outside Newbridge, we knew the back roads in and out of it and thus never had to endure any bumper to bumper moments therein. Kinnegad was a different matter entirely. As for Moate……

No journey to the West started without one of us Maguire girls asking our mother Breda ‘Are we stopping in Moate?’, and when she said ‘Yes’, it seemed like we would never get there! When the traffic was heavy, we deemed ourselves the luckiest people in the jam because we were not sitting in traffic in Moate, no, we were actually stopping, getting out and going to visit someone we knew.

Stopping in Moate meant a trip to Dillon’s (aka The Gift Shop), a free ice cream cone from lovely John in the shop, tea and sandwiches and cake on china in a sittingroom, which you accessed through a door behind the counter and down a flight of stairs- how cool!

There, Maureen, our Mammy’s cousin, extended the Céad Míle Fáilte to us all. A small woman with a big smile and a really hearty laugh, she greeted us with ‘Well, how are ye all?’ She and

my mother exchanged news about their families and on those visits we heard much about the lives of Noel, Marie, Triona and Seán Óg and also about her brother PJ and his wife Maureen and their family in Tinahely.

'We’d better go now', would be uttered by Mammy several times before we began our ascent to the shop (see, it’s a Moran Thing!). Cue John who made his way to the ice cream machine and gave us a cone! We left, giving thanks and assurances to say hello to the clan and to call again. Hey, with Maureen and John in your clan, who could not love Moate?

Maureen Dillon (née Tyrell) died on 2nd April 2014, predeceased by her husband John in 2012. We extend our sympathies to the Dillons and Tyrells and their extended families.

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Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Breda & Ronan Maguire>> Claire Maguire

About MomStephanie Hart

hether hosting a friend’s wedding for

three hundred people, chatting with Marie on the telephone, or sneaking Laura out of the hospital when we were too poor to pay,

our Mom was always just essentially Catherine – charming, kind, dazzling or angry, pouty, fuming mad – always herself, with an honesty that stays on in us. She is missed.

She weathered the electrical storm which saw fire ravage through our first family home on a hot day in August, countless slumber parties, broken chandeliers from indoor soccer games; she went to soccer, basketball and softball games yelling and smiling at the same time, inspiring the players ‘Get a bucket, Patte! Get a bucket!‘ . She endured our many mishaps growing up, turned vases into lamps, helped our lab Moose when Laura accidentally shut the door of her car on the tip of his tail, and made vain attempts to quit smoking her Ultra Lights!

Defying Hart logic, and advice and police instructions to stay at home on the day of Martin Luther’s assassination, in the midst of a state of emergency as riots flared, she crossed town in her emerald green Cadillac simply to make sure that Carrie made it home to be with her baby Arnette. The longest ten minutes of our Dad Bert’s life!

Her sense of humour in the face of tragedy imprinted on us all. She liked to read Danielle Steel, Belva Plains and the graphic Norman Mailers. She especially loved Erma Bombeck and recommended that we too read ’If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, what Am I Doing In The Pits?’. Erma was a kindred spirit: ’..he who laughs…lasts’ and ’Seize the moment’ and ‘Remember all those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart?’. Oh Erma, you were right up Mom’s alley of biting wit and naked truths.

She had wit, poise and charm and the obvious good taste to marry Bert Hart; they spent 53 years together. They both adored their grandchildren Christopher, Brian (‘Our little Bert’) and Austin. Bits and pieces of her spirit live on in each of us Catherine, Laura, Patte and me.

Both she and Bert have served their time down here – I see them squabbling about the trip up: “Where are the damn tickets? Grab my glasses. Did you bring the cooler?” Dad touches her cheek and says “Ready?” She smiles, “Let’s go.”

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Catherine Huertz

Catherine and Bert Hart

Pat & Ellen>> Nora & Albert Hart>> Catherine & Bert Hart>> Stephanie Hart

Oh To Be Free(lance)Patrick Moran

ecently my family sat around the dinner table, and wine and conversation flowed. Being the

group of people that we are – a university student, two young professionals, a recent retiree, and an aul' fella who's seen it all before – conversation eventually came around to how each of us are getting on with work, life, study etc. When it came around to me, I couldn't help but notice my brother's and sister's looks of smug satisfaction at the fact that I was working hard, really trying to make it in the commercial world. Not out of malice or anything like that; more like a little victory.

You see over the last few years, as some people do at this stage in their lives, I've grown quite dissatisfied with how most of us live. On the rare occasion that I share my ambitions with family and friends, they're not so much to do with rank or salary, cars or clothes or package holidays, but rather some element of my interpretation of the word freedom, which may yet be achievable in this day and age. Instead of further broadening my mind and acquiring the skills, the tools and the materials needed to be some sort of “self-sufficient” free man of the world however, I find myself, just like my siblings, worrying about paying rent and putting fuel in my car, and complaining about how much I'm being taxed and how those politicians are just as useless as the other crowd.

For the last year and a half or so, I have been working, on and off, in the

Irish film and television industry. I started in an equipment rental facility, and eventually began working as a trainee camera assistant. I say 'on and off' because I work in a freelance capacity. Almost no film or TV productions operate year-round. In fact most only run for a few weeks, so any notion of reliability or job security is out the window.

But I really really really like my job. The job description is pretty dull on paper, but suffice it to say I'm a small cog in the finely tuned machine that is a film crew. We all work together to keep the show on the road, because any delay in production costs money. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how much, but enough to make executive-types angry. Yet for me, this work environment gives me such a buzz. I genuinely couldn't imagine myself doing anything else for a career. We work ridiculous hours, in whatever the elements (and the special effects team) can throw at us,

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Under pressure at work, keeping €100,000+ worth of camera gear out of the lake!

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and our personal lives are put firmly aside when we're working. Eat. Sleep. Shoot. Repeat. But career-wise, I wouldn't do anything else. Go ahead, ask me. Nothing.

And so, as I explained to my family, I think I've found a happy compromise. I'm not there yet by any stretch, but the way things are going, in a few years I could make a comfortable living in six or nine months of working at something I truly enjoy, and have the remaining portion of the year to explore my ideas of freedom. And heck, if I find anything worth pursuing, it's never too late. As a man once said, “Hey! Don't worry, don't be afraid – ever – because this is just a ride... And we can change it any time we want”.

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Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Michael & Julie Moran>> Patrick Moran

Patrick with brother Fergal on a beach in Connemara

Cruisin’ on the BalticPatte Peterson sends her love and wishes to us on the occasion of the Annual Moran Do. By the sounds of things the Petersons have had quite a busy few months.

Patte set off early in May this year and joined son Dan, his wife Sue and her mother Dorothee Elowe on a cruise to the Baltic Sea. Travelling on the comfortable Eurodam ship, they saw St. Petersburg,

Sweden, Estonia, Berlin, Kiel, Helsinki and other points of interest.

They returned to Cincinnati in time for grandson John’s wedding ceremony on May 24th. Patte assures us they had a great party! So heartiest congrats from all the Morans to John Peterson and new Moran Clanner Lisa May.

Our Man in Hong KongMark Meehan

o, one of the first suggestions I got regarding this was to talk about how I’m adapting to the

heat. Given that my shirt was soaked through after about 10 minutes outside earlier (white shirt was a bad choice) I think it’s fair to say that I haven’t fully got there yet.

It’s just over two years that I’ve been in HK now. Not sure how much longer I’ll be here; I haven’t really given it that much consideration. Although I’m sure Ann Meehan will have a comment or two about that.

Anyway, I conducted an interview with myself to give you guys a flavour of HK.

What’s the first thing you noticed about Hong Kong?

I think one of the first things that people notice when they move here is that there are just so manypeople...

...everywhere.

It can be hard to move around in here through the volume of people. It’s not helped by the fact that they have absolutely zero spatial awareness so will always get into your way. It annoyed me at first, but now I just find it hilarious.

Anyway, the good thing about Hong Kong is that a five-minute journey can take you completely away from it all.

China and Hong Kong always seem quite traditional, have you noticed any of that?

The people out here have a whole host of traditions, and God help you if you miss one. At Chinese New Year

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Overlooking Hong Kong Bay

married couples must give red envelopes of money to non-married people (generally within their work and family). Could you imagine how expensive that would be for us?! Also, you can only give one note, and it must be brand new with a maximum of one fold in it (zero is preferable).

When you hand small items to people (money, business cards, etc.) you must pass and accept with two hands. If someone fills your tea while you’re having lunch, you must tap the table to indicate your gratitude (not supposed to say thanks).

Around lunar Halloween, you are supposed to burn a bunch of things outside your house that you think your ancestors would like in the afterlife.

There are tons more, and you could write the whole magazine on them alone, so let’s move on.

What’s the weather like?

As alluded to above, it gets quite hot here in the summer. From June to August, it pretty much never (including nighttime) drops below 30 degrees with a minimum of 70% humidity. You just give in to the idea that you’re gonna be a sweaty mess all the time.

The funniest thing is the weather forecasting though. Most days there will be a number of weather warnings, including very hot weather, thunderstorm, landslide, and typhoon. And they can all turn up in the same day. Hong Kong weather can change almost in the blink of an eye.

…and the food?

Anyone who has been in Hong Kong for any amount of time will know that everything here tastes so damn good. Most of the time I’m not 100% sure what I’m eating and maybe it’s best that I don’t know. But it is really hard not to gorge yourself on all the food that Hong Kong has to offer.

Haha, with all that nice food it must be tough to keep in shape, right?

It would be if you let it, but luckily there are no shortage of things you can do to keep fit. There are amazing number of hikes, fitness sessions and sports clubs you can join.

Football has been a big part of my life since I moved here. At the moment, I play for two teams with a healthy mix of every type of expat and local that Hong Kong has to offer. Luckily, most of the matches are during the winter so it is possible to survive them. Pretty much every match is on a 3g pitch, so it means we can at least have a good quality game. However, it does leave you open to some wonderful astro burns.

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Astro burns. Ouch!

My first year here, we had a pretty bad season. My Sunday team was relegated and my Saturday team lost the Champions League final. Both teams regrouped nicely this year though and the Sunday team got promoted, while the Saturday team won the Champions League, sparking a serious weekend of celebrating.

Saturday night – drinking out of the cup...

Sunday – drinking out of the cup on a boat...

Do you ever miss home?

Way to lower the mood!

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it sometimes. Definitely the August bank holiday weekend anyway. More than anything else, I’ve not actually had a chance to defend my trophy yet!

Luckily it’s not hard to keep in touch with people with Skype, Facebook, etc. On top of that, I get a lot of visitors here - probably a visit every two or

three months on average. So I get to see people and they bring me some home comforts. Fergal is moving up to Chengdu in September for a year, so I’m sure I’ll see quite a bit of him then.

Ok, I know you’re a busy man so we’ll start wrapping up now. Would you recommend Hong Kong to others?

Absolutely, without a hint of hesitation. The lifestyle here is amazing. There is a huge expat community and there is always something that you can be doing here.

Also, Hong Kong is such a great staging point for going to other countries in Asia. Ryanair-like prices for trips to Bangkok, Phuket, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Taipei, etc. so even if you’re only joy in life is travelling, HK is a great place to be.

And finally, if you could sum up your experiences in Hong Kong to date in one word, what would it be?

Sensational.

Thanks Mark, for taking the time to speak with us today and we look forward to seeing you again in the future.

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Pat & Ellen>> Jim & Katie Moran>> Ann & David Meehan>> Mark Meehan

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The Moran Do

A Ballad written by Claire Maguire [Tune: Grace (sung by Jim McCann)]

As we gather here in Ballinrobe in the county of Mayo‘Tis hard to believe a year has passed since we were here before.

Have a look around the room tonight, there are relations over there,And cousins once and twice removed, aunts and uncles everywhere.

This annual social gathering is called ‘The Moran Do’,Where we meet and have a bit of craic and sing a song or two.

We welcome all and stories tell and chat and have a supThe music lulls as one is called to lift The Moran Cup.

Oh Pat and Ellen Moran, we don’t think you had a clueThat centuries after you were wed that there would be a ‘Do’,

Mary-Ellen, Nora, Maggie, Delia, Anne, Pat, John A, Jim and KitYou brought into this world and surely thought that that was it.

But descendants of your family still meet up every yearTo golf, to sing, to have the craic, they come from far and near:

From many parts of Ireland and all over the worldIn the USA, Oz and UK, travel plans unfurl……

‘Twas back in the 1960s, that a plan was conjured upIn Tuam during the Galway Races, talk of golf and of a Cup.Dates on calendars were checked, handicappers had a goal

To have their name on the Pat Moran Cup, back home in old Mayo.Then the clan met up as they do still and ‘in the darkness shine’

As they’ve done for years in Lavallyroe, Claremorris and Ballindine,Played oft in Ballyhaunis, the golf comp’s now in Ballinrobe

And we’ll continue to meet as long as we can, while there are Morans on the go!

Galf, craic, ceol …… glac páirt!Golf, fun, music …... Take part!

Next Year’s Moran Do,the annual gathering of the

descendants of Pat and Ellen Moran will take place on

Saturday 1st August 2015.

Re: Moran Golf Competitions: For information regarding participation, email Angela at asaanderson@ntlworld.com

Material for the Mag 2015: Anyone with a story/photo/poem/ to share please email it to moranmagazine@gmail.com for inclusion in the Moran Mag 2015.

Material may be submitted at any time during the coming year, up to Friday 10th July! This information is for those who have come to realise that the jobs that take the longest time to complete are those that have not yet started. Why not send in a memory from this year’s Do….. or the highlight of the day/night in a line or two? (Keep the lowlights to yourself thanks very much!)

Lots to See and Do….

Did you know that Ballinrobe is situated in Ireland’s Lake District!

It is a thriving market town which hosts a Festival the weekend of the Do, so there’s always a great buzz about the place. The Bower walk is very popular in Ballinrobe itself as are the beautiful lakes.

Nearby in Claremorris, Clare and McMahon Park have been redeveloped and are beautiful free amenities.

Knock Shrine is near and open every day while the National Museum of Ireland’s Country Life Museum (and café) is situated in Castlebar and worth visiting. Open Tues- Sat (10-5) and Sunday (2-5). In addition to their many permanent collections, a current Temporary exhibition may be of interest to some: Preserving the Peace: An exhibition exploring policing in Ireland since the early 19th century.

The Claremorris Agricultural Show is held annually the day after the Do if you’re not too tired or heading to Ballybrit for the final day of racing at the festival.

Croagh Patrick awaits the willing and energetic, the Wild Atlantic Way is nearby…

Check out www.mayo-ireland.ie, www.ballinrobe.com and www.historicalballinrobe.com/.

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Míle Buíochas: To Angela for her project management of

the event this year and to the staff and management at

Ballinrobe Golf Club