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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2017)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, March 8, 2017 Gothard Sisters return to Heppner’s St. Patrick’s event The Gothard Sisters will be taking the stage at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church parish hall for Hep- pner’s 35 th annual St. Pat- rick’s Day celebration on Saturday, March 18. Their performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. and admission is free due to funding by Morrow County Recreation District, so everyone is in- vited to come out and enjoy the evening of Celtic/Irish musical entertainment. The Gothard Sisters are a dynamic group of three sisters whose impressive ar- ray of talents have set them apart as “one of the most refreshing and compelling acts in Celtic music today.” The sisters’ unpredictable and theatrical flair brings a youthful splash to the time- honored tradition of Celtic folk music, bridging the gap between modern pop and folk-rock with a sunny, op- timistic style that has been described as “beautifully- arranged, melodic-minded Celtic folk-pop.” Hitting the streets of their hometown of Ed- The Gothard sisters will return to perform two times during this year’s Wee Bit O’ Ireland Celebration in Heppner. -Con- tributed photo monds, WA in 2006, The Gothard Sisters first began playing together as a vio- lin trio busking for tips at the local farmer’s market, working their way onto stages at local fairs and fes- tivals. Audiences responded with enthusiasm, and more than 1,000 performances later the band recently per- formed at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., have completed several national concert tours of the United States, regularly perform as guest entertainers on Dis- ney Cruise Line in Europe and South America, and are well-known musicians on the national Celtic festival circuit. In December 2016 the Gothard Sisters charted on Billboard’s World Mu- sic Chart with their latest Christmas album, Falling Snow, alongside notable Irish music phenomena Celtic Woman and Celtic GRAND MARSHALS -Continued from PAGE ONE Mike Kenny worked at various jobs before fil- ing for homestead rights in Sand Hallow. In 1884 he married Mary Doherty and they moved into a small house on the homestead. From a meager beginning, their ranching operation expanded with the purchase of livestock and property, as well as the addition of their children—John, Sarah (Farley), Roseanne (Healy), Joseph and Cecelia (Buck- num). They also had three sons who died at an early age. Life was difficult in the early days of Morrow County and, in June of 1911, Mike and Mary had an especially hair-raising experience. They had been in Heppner and were return- ing to their ranch by buggy and team. As they ascended Matlock Hill, an electri- cal storm arose. Lightning struck the buggy and team, instantly killing one of the horses. The buggy whip was hit, as well as the leath- er around the metal eyelets of Mike’s shoe. The couple walked Espresso the rest Specials of the way home, a distance of four or five miles. Mike and Mary’s oldest son, John, worked for his Mike and Mary Kenny with six of their children—John, Jo- seph, James, Sarah (Farley), Roseanne (Healy) and Cecelia (Bucknum). -Contributed photo parents until he got married. John’s wife, Bridget Mol- lahan, was born in Ireland. She left her homeland at the age of 16 to come to America. She worked for a time in New Haven, CT before traveling to Oregon to join her brother James. It was there that she met her future husband, John Kenny. The couple was married June 23, 1913 at St. Mary’s catholic church in Pendleton. After their marriage they purchased land from John’s parents and moved to Sand Hollow. It was on that ranch that they spent more than 50 years ranch- Bistro and Menu ing raising their seven children—Edward, Mat- Friday Breakfast 7am-10am thew, Ilene, Emmett, James, Patricia and William. Matt, Emmett, James and Billy all Saturday Breakfast 7am-10am Lunch/Dinner Special 11:30am-5:30pm Espresso Specials Bistro Menu St. Patrick’s Day Schedule Friday Breakfast 7am-10am Friday- Saturday, March 17 th -18 th 7:00am – 6:00pm Saturday Breakfast 7am-10am Large Selection of St. Patrick’s Day Items Custom Apparel Stop in and check out the Beautiful array of flowers and plants available at Gifts Decorations Balloons Lunch/Dinner Special 11:30am-5:30pm Grab your St. Patrick’s Day Schedule St. Patrick’s Day Gear Sweatshirts Let us add a personal touch to your St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! T-shirts Hats (customization available) Espresso Specials Bistro Menu Friday Breakfast T-shirts 7am-10am Hats Condon for over 50 years! Espresso Specials St. Patrick’s Day Gear Heppner, Bistro Serving Menu Lexington, Ione & Sweatshirts (customization available) Potato Hash & Eggs $6.50 St. Patrick’s Day Schedule St. Patrick’s Day Schedule more times at the Coffee Hour after it outgrew the showroom and moved to the Heppner Elks Club. Billy worked for his parents for several years be- fore he took over the opera- tion of the ranch. All of his children spent time working on the farm, especially dur- ing harvest. His son-in-law, Ed Fisher, also helped dur- ing harvest. He was there in 1996 when the combine caught fire. Billy was able to drive it to rocky ground and keep the fire contained. The combine was a total loss but he felt fortunate the fire did not spread. A good neighbor, Jerry Dougherty, finished harvesting the rest of the wheat. The government had started a conservation pro- gram a few years before the combine fire occurred. Billy decided it would be a good time to quit farming and participate in that program. He continued the cattle operation with the help of his son Joe. Joe and his wife Linda lived on the ranch and Joe worked for Devin Oil. His boss, Dick Devin, was very good about letting Joe help his dad before coming in to work at the fuel plant. Joe took over the ranch operation in 2009. Billy continued to go to the ranch very frequently until his health failed. He died Sept. 15, 2014. Joe and Linda continue to live on the ranch in Sand Hollow, which has been in the family for more than a century. The Great Green Pa- rade will travel down Main Street in Heppner begin- ning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18. Everyone is invited to come out for the festivities and say hello to the Kenny family. Heppner woman meets boxing legend On Feb. 25, Theresa Crawford of Heppner got to meet Mike Tyson at the Field of Dreams Sports Shop in Las Vegas, NV. “It was a great experience,” Crawford said. “He was very friendly and soft-spoken.” -Contributed photo Chamber lunch meeting Due to the Wee Bit O’ Ireland Celebration next weekend, there will be no chamber lunch meeting March 16. The next lunch meeting of the Heppner Chamber of Commerce will be an all entities report on Thursday, April 6, at noon in Heppner City Hall conference room. Cost of lunch is $10. Chamber lunch attendees are asked to RSVP at 541-676-5536 no later than the Tuesday before to guarantee a lunch. Grange reading fair a success Parents and children browse tables with special Dr. Seuss- themed activities at the Lexington Grange March 4. The Lexington Grange held the reading fair, which featured crafts, snacks, face painting and more, in honor of Dr. Seuss’s birthday and Read Across America Day on March 2. The event was a success with more than 46 books donated and two family pool passes raffled off. Approximately 55 children participated. The Heppner Junior High leadership team was on the job to help set up, run two stations and clean up after the event. The new books collected will be donated to the local library, and the used books will go to the Free Little Library in the park. -Photo by Andrea Di Salvo Arts and crafts sale planned for St. Pat’s Morrow County Cre- ative Arts and Crafts will be at Les Schwab with a va- riety of hand-crafted items during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration March 17-18. Hours on Friday, March 17, will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday, March 18, mem- bers will be there from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phyllis Piper will have Raggedy Ann dolls and dish towels. Dennis Wall will bring handcrafted sterling silver, precious metal clay and copper jewelry, and lathe- turned wooden and acrylic pens. Dave Williams has wood items, jewelry and leather. Carmen Williams will be on hand with crocheted towels, blankets, and other crocheted materials, includ- ing pillows. Babette Wall will have cotton aprons and pot hold- ers, as well as wool felt pin cushions. Don and Joann Shan- non will be there with cro- cheted items, plaques, wood work, décor and craft items. Dottie Hunnicutt has adult and children’s aprons, coasters, magnet pothold- ers, cast-iron handle pot- holders, recipe bag holders, baby blankets, baby bibs and burp cloths, and more. Roberta Jones will have jewelry. Everyone is encour- aged to stop and see these local artists and crafters on St. Pat’s weekend. KUMA Coffee Hour, Ceili promise foot-stomping fun A special lineup has Friday Breakfast 7am-10am been scheduled for the KUMA Coffee Hour and Lucky Charms Mocha Lunch/Dinner Special 11:30am-5:30pm Ceili for this year’s St. Serving Heppner, Patrick’s event on March Pinch Me a Latte Lexington, Ione & Corned Beef & Cabbage $9.50 18. Both programs will be Condon for over 50 years! held upstairs at the Elks Sassy Leprechaun Saturday Breakfast 7am-10am Saturday Breakfast 7am-10am Lodge as in the past. The KUMA Coffee Hour, sched- Leaping Leprechaun Homemade Biscuits & Gravy uled from 10-11:30 a.m. Half order $4.50 Full $8.00 Redbull Saturday, will be led by Tom Melton with jokes and Lunch/Dinner Special 11:30am-5:30pm Lunch/Dinner Special 11:30am-5:30pm Pot O’ Gold Frappe stories shared by Rep. Greg Walden, Dom Monahan Baked Potato Bar $8.50 and Heppner’s own Father Gerry Condon. The Irish Singers will 217 North Main St., Heppner • Phone 676-9158 • Floral 676-9426 be there to entertain the Shamrock Mocha Grab your served in the United States Military. They were proud to be Americans but they were also very proud of their Irish heritage. After graduating from high school, Billy attended Gonzaga University and Eastern Oregon College. The Korean War was going on at that time, and he was drafted into the U.S. Army. After serving two years in the infantry, he returned home to help his parents on the ranch. On Oct. 17, 1950 he married Marjorie Mahoney in Baker City, OR. The couple made their home in Heppner, where they raised their family. Their children are Joseph Patrick, Kath- leen Marie (Guy), James Edward, William Emmett, Karen Rose, John Matthew and Thomas Michael. An- other son, Dennis William, died in infancy. Billy was gifted with a beautiful Irish tenor voice. Throughout his life he sang at countless weddings and funerals and many com- munity events. He was of- ten accompanied by Carly Drake. When Jim Farley convinced the KUMA radio station to have its Coffee Hour broadcast from his automobile showroom in Heppner, Billy sang at that very first Coffee Hour, held 35 years ago. He sang many Thunder. When sisters Greta Go- thard, Willow Gothard and Solana Gothard fuse their musical talents together, the result is an irresistible mix of spritely violin and fiddle tones, pure sibling vocal harmonies, mandolin and pennywhistle accents, all supported by the powerful and exuberant rhythms of the Irish bodhran, African djembe, and acoustic gui- tar—creating what Irish Central calls “an earthiness that gives the songs a lively, approachable, down-home sound.” After 10 years of play- ing together and a lifetime of getting to know one an- other, the Gothard Sisters’ collaborative process and eclectic style has evolved into a jubilant live perfor- mance, full of entertaining sibling-banter, Irish step- dancing, foot-stomping tunes, lyrical melodies, storytelling, and a genu- ine lightness of heart that leaves audiences feeling refreshed and inspired. - THREE crowd with the usual Irish songs, and everyone will get to hear from this year’s grand marshals, the Kenny family. Of course, Joe Lind- say will be singing and will bring another Irishman or two to join him. The Irish Brogue Con- test will give the audience a chance to tell the best “blar- ney” stories for a chance to win some gold coins. The Ceili will run from 2-4 p.m. The Irish Singers, Joe Lindsay and the Irish- men, and the Gothard Sis- ters will sing a few songs to The KUMA Coffee Hour and the Ceili will again bring good music and lots of blarney to the St. Patrick’s celebration in Heppner. -File Photo get everyone warmed up for Saturday evening. Two but- ton winners will be drawn, one at the Ceili and one at the evening entertainment at the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church parish hall—one more reason to come grab a seat, clap your hands, stomp your feet and get a good laugh in with some Irish music and entertainment.
