Ladies AOH

Division 5, “Mary of the Gael”

Division Happenings
Volume 1, Issue 4, Division 5, Orange County, NY, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians June 2009

President A Message from the President...

Gail Edmonds Greetings to all,
Editor
As we approach the onset of summer and all of the fun events coming with that, I
Gail Cane would like to thank everyone for their support and enthusiasm over the past few
months. We could not have done this without YOU. We will have our regular meeting
on June 18, then an unofficial gathering on July 24 – details will be posted on the
June Events website (hopefully soon) and you can sign up at the June meeting to make any
donations. The Renegades game on June 21 should be a great day for families and
friends to get to know each other a little better. We have a guest artist coming on
June 18 – LAOH
June 23, and a mass to celebrate Our Lady of Knock on August 21 at the National
Meeting (special Shrine at Mount Carmel. Please try to attend these events.
night); 8 pm
In preparation for our artist, Patrick Gallagher's arrival, I would like to share a piece
June 21 – LAOH that he wrote with you. I thought it was a wonderful story, and it did inspire me
Division 5 when we were thinking of forming our Division 5:
Hudson Valleny
Renegades Game “A long time ago, in places now called Ireland, Scotland & Wales, there lived
a people rich in tradition & in art reaching back to the dawn of time. In
June 23 – Guest Artist centuries before Christ, these tribes were assimilated into the celtic sphere
Patrick Gallagher of influence. Great tales of heroes & princesses, kings & queens, giants &
dragons illustrate a philosophy unique in all the world.
Upcoming Events
The advent of Christianity gave this celtic culture the power & inspiration to
7/24– Informal create works of art such as the world had never seen before. Carvings in
Meeting stone, metalwork & pieces of fabulous hand-crafted bibles, such as the “Book
(details to follow) of Kells”, survive and remind us. During many centuries of wars, conquests
& famines, the survivors of this lost civilization were cast out all over the
August 21 – Our Lady globe, never forgetting, always keeping the flame lit, no matter how small or
of Knock Celebration desperate life became. The time of troubles is now drawing to a close.

August 28 A new generation of celtic people, an international society, is reviving the

LAOH Div. 5 ancient, almost forgotten, goodness & light that makes everyone of celtic
Meeting heritage a proud participant in the rebirth of our civilization.”

(Printed with permission from Patrick Gallagher.)

Ongoing Events
I invite you all to become part of this rebirth and join LAOH Division 5 in promoting our
Irish Set Dancing Catholic faith and Irish heritage and culture. The time is now to invite a worthy candidate to
Lessons every join Division 5 and share in our rebirth. Let us live in our motto of Friendship, Unity &
Monday, 7-9 pm, Div. Christian Charity until we meet again.
1 AOH Hall
Yours in our motto,
Traditional Irish
Music Seisiuns Gail Edmonds, President
(will resume in the fall Division 5, Mary of the Gael
Volume 1, Issue 4, Division 5, Orange County, NY, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians
LAOH DIVISION 5
MEMBER NEWS
~ Heartfelt condolences to
Peggy Walsh; her husband,
Bill, an original member of
Division 1, passed away in
June. Her son is Division
1 member, Matt Walsh.
Our prayers are with Peggy
and her family. May Bill’s
soul rest in peace with our
Heavenly Father.
~ Congratulations - to
Meaghan Sheehan,
daughter of member Lisa,
who will be graduating
from Warwick HS on June
27th and heading to SUNY
Plattsburgh in the fall
~ Congratulations to Jenna
Walsh, daughter of member
Eileen, who received the
Sacrament of First Holy
Communion on May 9.
~ Congratulations - to
member, Ellen Horan and
husband James, on the
celebration of their 50th
wedding anniversary. As
the story is told, “ On a cold
Sunday afternoon,
February 14, 1937, two new
fathers carried their first
born into St. Luke's Church
in the Bronx. One father,
William Keating carried his
daughter Ellen and the
other, Thomas Horan,
carried his son James.
There, surrounded by
family and friends, Ellen
and Jim were baptized.
Twenty-two years later on
June 13, 1959, a proud
father escorted his
daughter Ellen down the
aisle of St. Luke's Church
where she became the bride
of the young groom James
Horan.”
Page 2
HUDSON VALLEY RENEGADES
LAOH DIV. 5 FUNDRAISER
Celebrate Father’s Day with the Ladies AOH at Dutchess
Stadium for the Hudson Valley Renegades Game on Sunday,
June 21, 1:05 pm game time; $15/ticket includes hot dog, soda
and Renegades cap. Go to www.gadesgroups.com, enter our
group name: LAOH
If you would like to join our pre-game tailgate party, we will
be leaving TGI Fridays in Woodbury at 11 am, so we can all
park together. Please plan on bringing your own food and
beverages for your family.
NEW MEMBERS DON’T FORGET
YOUR FOOD
In May we welcomed new PANTRY
member DONATION WHEN
Virginia Creavy YOU COME TO
THE MEETING ON
New members are welcome! If THURS. , JUNE 18
you know a worthy candidate,
please contact Gail Edmonds at
gailedmonds.frontiernet.net. for
information on membership.
SAVE THE DATE
August 21
“Feast of Our Lady of
Irish Ceili/Set Dancing
Knock”
Lessons on
on Mondays,
Hosted by Division 5
LAOH
7-9 pm, Div. 1 AOH
9:00 am Holy Mass Hall. Please contact
Gail Cane at
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel
Middletown, NY canelog@optonline.net
Irish Breakfast immediately for further information.
following procession
$15/adults; $5/children 6-12
For info Contact Gail Edmonds THIS COUPON
gailedmonds@frontiernet.net ENTITLES ONE FREE
Send checks payable to LAOH DANCE LESSON.
Div. 5 to Ann Curtin
27 Virginia Ave., Monroe, NY
10950
Volume 1, Issue 4, Division 5, Orange County, NY, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Page 3

A Moment in Irish History…

Mrs. Christian “Kit” Welsh

By: Patty Ryan

Christian “Kit” Welsh (nee Cavenaugh) was born in Dublin in 1667, to a wealthy family.
Kit’s father spared no expense with having her educated, but Kit would rather be in the fields
with the men or breaking-in new horses. She referred to herself as a “masculine girl”. When
Kit got older her father wanted to marry her off to a gentleman, but Kit needed more than
sewing and husbandry. Her Aunt, who owned a Public House in Dublin and needed some help,
she requested Kit come to work for her. It was here that Kit met her soon-to-be husband,
Richard Welsh.
Richard and Kit worked side by side for four years before they noticed each other. But
when they did, they were married with one week of courting. They had two baby boys in two
years and Kit was pregnant with her third when Richard went out one day to pay for some
services for the Public House. He met a friend and they went to a local tavern. At the tavern
Richard got very drunk. Richard was not seen again. Kit searched for Richard for one year.
During that time she lost her second born son, and was losing the business at the Public House.
One day a letter came address to her from Richard; “Dear Christian, I got drunk with a friend
and woke-up three days later on a ship, enlisted in the army and bound for another country.
Love, Richard”. No cell phones in those days! Kit had to go find her beloved husband. She
took her two children to her Mother’s, cut her hair, dressed as man and joined the army. Three
days later after landing she was fighting on a battlefield for King Williams’ army. She always
felt shame for fighting for Englands’ cause, but they were the quickest army to enlist with.
Kit was wounded in battle three different times and each time she had hoped the surgeon
would not discover her secret. The first time she took a musket-ball to the ankle. The second
time you could say it was friendly-fire because a fellow soldier wanted her plate of food and as
she jumped up to get her pistol he cut off her pinky finger. Kit had gotten so mad she used the
butt of her gun to bludgeon his eye out.
Finally in 1704, after twelve years of battles, Kit found her husband---in the arms of
another woman. After the shock and sadness had subsided, Kit asked to see him. She told her
fellow officers that the man was her long, lost brother. They met at the local tavern in a
private room where she confronted Richard about suddenly being gone; making her give-up her
children, fight for her life and worst of all not trying to write to her. He of course professed his
long devotion for her and said he was sorry, but Kit wasn’t buying it. She said that she wanted
to continue living and fighting as a man and that he had better keep her secret because she
could make “an even dangerous enemy”. Richard kept her secret until Kit got hurt for the
third time in a battle. A canon ball fell from the top of a church steeple and struck her on the
back of the head. While in the hospital the doctor’s discovered that she had breasts, “female
breasts.” Kit was not ridiculed by her fellow soldiers or commanders but treated with respect.
Richard and Kit were remarried and had another child. Kit remained on the battlefield
fighting alongside Richard. One day while she was taking care of the baby, Richard was very
late for dinner. She went out to find him. He was in the local tavern and how was he with, the
other woman. Kit became so enraged. Kit reached for her sword and cut the woman’s nose off.
This is one woman you didn’t mess with.
Kit Welsh fought with Richard in battle until he died. After that Kit retired to Chelsea,
England, to nurse her battle wounds. Upon her death, Christian “Kit”Welsh was buried with
full military honour on July 7, 1739.