THE WELSH CORGI

The Welsh Corgi is a small herding dog from Wales. There are two distinct breeds recognized: the Pembroke Welsh Corgi (The Spitz type) and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi (The Teckle type), with the Pembroke being the more well known. Both breeds make ideal pets and companions. The most famous Welsh Corgis are probably those of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who keeps at least four Corgis.

The history of the Corgi, like that of most dog breeds, is difficult to trace and authenticate. While there is mention in an 11th century manuscript of a Welsh cattle dog, there is no evidence about whether this is the Corgi or an ancestor.

The Noble Society of Celts, is an hereditary society of persons with Celtic roots and

interests, who are of noble title and gentle birth, and who have come together in a search for, and celebration of, things Celtic.

Winter 2011-2012 Edition Part Two

Corgis are herding dogs and perform their duties by nipping at the heels; the dog’s low stature allows it to avoid being kicked in the process.

As herding dogs, Corgis work livestock differently than other breeds. Instead of gathering the cattle the way a Collie would, by running around the livestock, Corgis drive the herd forward by nipping at their heels and working them from behind in semicircles. If an animal should turn and charge, the Corgi seldom gives ground, and will bite charging animal’s nose, causing it to turn and rejoin the herd. Although they specialized in herding cattle, Corgis were also used to herd sheep and Welsh ponies.

Welsh folklore says the Corgi is the preferred mount of fairy warriors. There is also a folk legend that says Corgis were a gift from the woodland fairies, and that the breed’s markings were left on its coat by fairy harnesses and saddles.

THE PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI originated from the small, hardy, natural bob-tailed cattle dogs of the Pembrokeshire area in Wales. Their heritage endows them with all those valuable instincts of a working dog, a friend and helper of man possessing an independent spirit that originally enabled them to control the Welsh cattle without undue direction from their masters.

The Pembroke Corgi is believed to have been introduced to Wales by Flemish weavers about the year 1100 AD, though 920 AD is also a suggested date. Another possibility for this Corgi’s origin is breeding between Cardigan Corgis and the Swedish Vallhund, a spitz-type dog closely resembling the Pembroke and brought to Wales by Viking invaders.

Chosen as a pet by the British Royal Family in 1935, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi is now one of the best known breeds – particularly in British Commonwealth countries – being highly successful in both show and obedience rings world-wide, and extremely popular as a family pet.

The breed features pointed ears and is somewhat smaller in stature than the Cardigan Corgi. Considered a practical little dog, they are low-set, strong and sturdy with sufficient stamina to work a day on the farm, but they are friendly and out-going as well. The dog’s head is fox-like and the tail short, which can be accomplished through breeding or docking. Historically, the Pembroke Corgi was a breed with a natural bob-tail (a very short tail), and today, if the Pembroke Corgi has a tail at all, it is usually curly. Due to the advent of tail-docking in dogs, the bob-tail was not aggressively pursued, with breeders focusing instead on other characteristics, and the tail artificially shortened if need be. Given that some countries now ban docking, breeders are again attempting to select dogs with the genes for natural bob-tails. An ideal height of 10 to 12 inches (25.4 to 30.5 cm) and weight of 22 to 26 lbs (10 to 12 kg) makes them small enough to fit comfortably in the family car and live happily in the suburban back yard. His beautiful short coat requires only a quick brush to keep clean and shiny plus an occasional comb to keep the undercoat and skin in good condition.

The Pembroke comes in a wide range of colours including the eye catching tri-colour, a combination of black with tan and white markings. Traditional coat colours vary through all shades of red, fawn, sable and black with tan, usually have smart white markings on feet, legs, chest and foreface.

The first recorded date for Corgis appearing in the show-ring in Wales is 1925. The first show Corgis were straight off the farm and gained only moderate attention. Subsequent breeding efforts to improve upon the dog’s natural good looks were rewarded with increased popularity. For years the two breeds, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, were shown as two varieties of a single breed. Since the two Corgi breeds developed in the Welsh hill country, in areas only a few miles apart, there is evidence of crossbreeding between the two that accounts for the similarities.

The Pembroke is certainly a robust dog, his ample get-up-and-go will make him ready for any type of work or play; by nature cheerful and affectionate his natural intelligence makes him alert, and inquisitive, he thrives on attention, yet is content to take his well earned rest at his masters feet.

The CARDIGAN WELSH CORGI is one of the oldest breeds of dog in Britain and is generally acknowledged as being the original Corgi or small ‘dwarf ’ dog of Wales.

Since very ancient times they were used by Welsh farmers to herd cattle; herding the owner’s livestock to grazing areas and driving the neighbour’s cattle out of gardens and open pastures ... and, in early settlements, these dogs were prized family members, helping to hunt game and guard children, as well as being general purpose farm dogs, friends and companions in the lonely Crofters huts of the remote Welsh hillside country of Cardiganshire.

No official pedigree records exist of the original Cardigan Corgis and it was not until about 1930 that separate show registers for both Cardigan and Pembroke types were recognised by the English Kennel Club. Despite some interbreeding with their Pembroke cousins at the time, the Cardigan Corgi with their ancient lineage have dominantly retained their individual characteristics, particularly their steady sensible temperament and tractable nature, signified always by an expressive waving tail.

The Cardigan Corgi today, although never experiencing the impetus of Royal patronage, continues to maintain its popularity, particularly as an obedience dog and family pet.

Cardigan Corgis are the larger of the two breeds, standing about 12 inches (30 cm) high at the shoulder with head foxy in shape and appearance, they have pricked ears that are characteristically larger and more rounded than those of their Pembroke cousins.

The Cardigan Corgi is a double-coated dog. The outer coat is dense, slightly harsh in texture, and of medium length. The dog’s undercoat is short, soft, and thick. They come in an even more extensive variety of colours than the Pembroke. Though it is allowed more colours than the Pembroke, white should not predominate the coat. Their short to medium length coat can vary through all shades of red (from light tan to mahogany and sable), tri-colour with either brindle or tan points, plus in addition the exclusive Cardigan colours of brindle and blue merle.

Usually a heavier dog than the Pembroke Corgi, they are slightly longer in back with a tail that stretches out behind like a fox’s brush, of moderate length set in line with the body. With front feet that turn slightly outwards for balance, Cardigan Corgis are very agile and extremely strong for their size.

The Cardigan Corgi is sturdy, tough, mobile, alert, active, intelligent, steady, and neither shy nor aggressive. They have exceptionally sensitive hearing and make excellent watchdogs. Very adaptable, Cardigans are equally at home on a large property or in a smaller suburban backyard.

Both the Pembroke and the Cardigan Corgis are a long-lived breed (14 to 17 years is quite common).

THE MOST ANCIENT AND MOST NOBLE ORDER OF THE THISTLE

By Roger Carlton Sherman and Douglas Files

The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is a Scottish chivalric order symbolized by their national flower. It is the Scottish analogue to England’s Most Noble Order of the Garter, and a way to honor national figures.

Insignia of a Knight of the Order of the Thistle

History of the Order of the Thistle

The exact beginnings of the original Order of the Thistle are unknown today. What is known is that throughout history sovereigns – like all bosses – found it useful to grant honors for loyal service or gallantry in battle. This was particularly necessary after dynastic changes. Gifts of land and money gradually gave way to peerages and knighthoods. Kings also gave silver or gold chains to be worn around the neck as a sign of distinction and a badge of loyalty.

Kearsley’s Peerage (1802) states that the Order of the Thistle was “instituted in 787, restored in 1540, revived in 1687 and re-established in 1703”. The official website of the British monarchy notes that legend dates the founding of the Thistle to King Achaius’ 809 alliance with Charlemagne. Other experts claim Robert the Bruce founded the Order at the Battle of Bannockburn. One source recalls that James III (1488-1513) adopted the thistle as the royal plant badge. Yet others say the order was established by King James V around 1540 when King Henry VIII awarded him the Garter. He may have bestowed the “Order of the Burr or Thissel” on King Francis I of France. Other European monarchs had similarly honored James, who was embarrassed in 1687 that he had no way to reciprocate. This story has him limiting the Order to himself and 12 knights, based on Christ and his 12 apostles, although he only appointed eight of his staunchest political allies. In his letters patent, James VII stated that he was "reviving and restoring the Order of the Thistle to its full glory, lustre and magnificency". The order lapsed with James’ death two years later, as Protestant reformers opposed organizations based on the apostles. However, another source states that King James only nominated 8 knights, who were never confirmed, and it was Queen Anne who increased the number to 12 in 1703.

King James VII of Scotland (=King James II of England)

After the Pretenders were exiled, both Prince James and Bonnie Prince Charlie continued to appoint Knights of the Thistle. The Hanoverians who followed used the Order to reward Scottish nobles who supported their Protestant cause. Interest in the order revived sharply after King George IV wore the Thistle during his visit to Scotland in 1822. Five years later a statute raised the number of knights to 16, still the number of honorees today. It was not until 1987 that Parliament passed a law allowing the induction of ladies, and the same law allowed for extra knights to be created by special statutes.

Until the 18th century the Sovereign personally decided whom to honor. With the increasing importance of the parliament, however, Prime Ministers’ administrations became increasingly involved in the process of granting honors. Currently, the Government advises the Queen whom to honor, based on their public service work or outstanding contributions to Scottish national life. Whenever a vacancy occurs, the new honoree is announced on St. Andrew’s Day (November 30th).

St. Andrew, the Patron Saint of Scotland, doubles as Patron Saint of the Order. Each June or July the Queen lives at the Palace of Holyroodhouse for a week. During her visit a service is held for the Order of the Thistle, and any new knights or dames are installed.

The Queen invests Lord Cullen of Whitekirk as a Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle

Lord Robertson Knight of the Thistle entering St Giles Cathedral

Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex in Thistle robes

Thistle Robes

On formal occasions, such as coronations or the annual summer meeting, knights and ladies of the order wear an elaborate costume. This includes a forest green robe lined with white taffeta, tied with green and gold tassels. The star of the Order is worn on the left shoulder under a collar of gold thistles. A black velvet hat is worn, adorned by white osprey feathers, with a black heron or egret feather in the center. The St. Andrew, or badge-appendant, is suspended from the collar with a gold enameled depiction of the patron saint of Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth II sporting Thistle robes

At less formal times, only the silver St. Andrew saltire star will be worn on the left breast. Because the Order of the Thistle is the second highest chivalric order in the UK, members will wear that star above any others, save the Order of the Garter. On certain “collar days” declared by the Sovereign, members will wear the Order’s collar over their formal wear.

St Andrew with the saltire in the badge of the Order of the Thistle

When James VII created the Order in 1687 he specifically directed that the Abbey Church at the Palace of Holyroodhouse be converted into a chapel for the Order of the Thistle, perhaps taking his lead from the Chapel of St. George’s at Windsor Castle which serves similarly for the Order of the Garter. However, the chapel was soon destroyed by riots and it was not until 1911 that another one was appointed. In that year a chapel was added onto St. Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh. Each member of the Order is allotted a stall in the chapel above which is displayed his or her heraldic device. Each knight’s stall is surmounted by a helm with mantling and his crest. If he is a peer, the appropriate coronet is placed beneath the helm. Dames of the Order – other than the Sovereign – do not bear helms or crests, but only use a coronet. One exception is Lady Marion Fraser who had a helm and crest included in her grant of arms, and these are displayed in the chapel. Unlike other British orders the armorial banners of the knights are not hung in the chapel itself, but rather in an adjacent part of St. Giles High Kirk.

Swords, helms and crests of Knights of the Thistle above their stalls in the Thistle Chapel

Each stall bears the name and coat of arms of the knight, with his accession date on an enameled plate. Upon the death of a knight, the helm, crest and coronet are taken down but the enameled plates remain on the back of the stall. Thus, the chapel is decorated with a colorful record of all Knights of the Thistle since 1911. The entryway just outside the chapel doors lists the names of all knights prior to this date.

Stall plates of Knights of the Thistle

Banners of Knights of the Thistle, hanging in St. Giles High Kirk

Precedence

Knights and Ladies of the Thistle are assigned positions in the order of precedence ranking above all other knights except those of the Order of the Garter. They rank ahead of baronets. Wives, sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of Knights of the Thistle also feature in the precedence. Relatives of Ladies of the Thistle, however, get no special consideration. This is in keeping with the ancient rule that individuals gain precedence from their fathers or husbands but not from their mothers or wives. Accordingly, Knights of the Thistle are addressed as “Sir” and ladies as “Lady”. Wives of knights are also called “Lady” but husbands of dames receive no privilege.

Peers and princes generally do not use this nomenclature, employing instead their higher rank. Knights and ladies also append KT (Knight of the Thistle) or LT (Lady of the Thistle) to their names. When an individual has multiple honors, KT comes before all others except Bt (Baronet), VC (Victoria Cross), GC (George Cross), or KG (Knight of the Garter).

Heraldry

Knights of the Thistle may encircle their coats of arms with the circlet – a green circle bearing the order’s motto – and the collar of the order. The Royal Arms depict the collar and motto of the order only in Scotland. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland they show the circlet and motto of the Garter.

The royal arms encircled by the collar of the Order of the Thistle

(The order’s motto “Nemo me impune lacessit.” means “No one harms me with impunity.”)

Thistle insignia included heraldic achievement of John Murray,(1631-1703), 1st Marquess of Atholl

Knights and Ladies of the Thistle are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters, which are otherwise only granted to peers, Knights of the Garter and Knights and Dames Grand Cross of more junior orders of chivalry.

The Knights Founders of the Order of the Thistle (1687)

• James Drummond (1648- 1716), 4th Earl of Perth and 7th Lord Drummond (attainted in 1716), later 1st Duke of Perth, Lord Chancellor of Scotland 1684 to 1688

• George Gordon (1649-1716), 1st Duke of Gordon • John Murray (1631-1703), 1st Marquess of Atholl, 2nd Earl of Atholl, Keeper

of the Privy Seal of Scotland• James Douglas (1658-1712), 4th Duke of Hamilton, Marquess of Clydesdale,

Earl of Arran, later 1st Duke of Brandon. Premier Peer of Scotland and Keeper of the Palace of Holyroodhouse

• Kenneth Mackenzie (1661-1701), 4th Earl of Seaforth• John Drummond (1650-1715) 1st Earl of Melfort, and Baron Cleworth

(attainted in 1695). Later Duke of Melfort in France• George Douglas (1635-1692) 1st Earl of Dumbarton• Alexander Stuart (1634-1701) 5th Earl of Moray

Current members of the Order of the Thistle Queen Elizabeth II is the head of the Order, and her close family members the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales (as Duke of Rothesay) and the Princess Royal are “extra” members. The primary 16 Thistle knights are listed below. Three are Scottish earls, 1 is a viscount and 7 are barons. The most senior member is the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine who has belonged for nearly 30 years. The most junior members are Lord Patel and Lord Hope of Craighead, both of whom were inducted in 2009. The Lord Lyon King of Arms serves as Secretary of the Order.

• Sovereign: The Queen

• Knights and Ladies Companion:

1. The Earl of Elgin and Kincardine KT CD DL (1981)

2. The Earl of Airlie KT GCVO PC (1985)

3. The Viscount of Arbuthnott KT CBE DSC (1996)

4. The Earl of Crawford and Balcarres KT GCVO PC (1996)

5. Lady Marion Fraser LT (1996)

6. The Lord Macfarlane of Bearsden KT DL (1996)

7. The Lord Mackay of Clashfern KT PC (1997)

8. The Lord Wilson of Tillyorn KT GCMG (2000)

9. The Lord Sutherland of Houndwood KT (2002)

10. Sir Eric Anderson KT (2002)

11. The Lord Steel of Aikwood KT KBE PC (2004)

12. The Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT GCMG PC (2004)

13. The Lord Cullen of Whitekirk KT PC (2007)

14. Sir Garth Morrison KT CBE DL (2007)

15. The Lord Hope of Craighead KT PC (2009)

16. The Lord Patel KT (2009)

• Extra Knights and Ladies:

1. The Duke of Edinburgh KG KT OM GBE AC QSO PC (1952)

2. The Duke of Rothesay KG KT GCB OM AK QSO PC ADC (1977)

3. The Princess Royal LG LT GCVO QSO (2000)

• Officers: o Dean: Gilleasbuig Iain Macmillan CVO o Chancellor: The Earl of Airlie KT GCVO PC o Usher: Rear Admiral Christopher Hope Layman CB DSO LVO

(Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod) o King of Arms and Secretary: David Sellar, Lord Lyon King of Arms

EDWARD BINGHAM VC, OBEFirst World War Irish Naval Hero

Edward Barry Stewart Bingham was born on 26 July 1881 at Bangor in County Down, Ireland. ‘Eddie’ was a younger son of Baron Clanmorris – an Irish Lord from Newbrook, in County Mayo. He began his career with Britain’s Royal Navy in 1895.

At the beginning of the First World War (1914-1918), ‘Eddie’ was promoted to the rank of Commander and appointed as the Executive Officer of HMS Invincible, in which he saw action at the Battle of the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914.

HMS Invincible

The precursor to their Falklands victory was actually a British naval defeat on the 1st of November, in the South Atlantic – off the coast of central Chile near the city of Coronel. This engagement probably took place as a result of a series of misunderstandings – as neither the British navy, nor the Germans, expected to meet the other side in full force. Nonetheless, the British naval squadron understood their orders were to fight to the death, despite the odds being heavily against them.

Although the Germans had an easy victory at Coronel, destroying two British armoured cruisers for just three German sailors injured, the engagement also cost the Germans half their supply of ammunition – which it was impossible to replace in the South Atlantic, so far from Germany.

The British, shocked by their defeat, then sent a large naval task force to track down and destroy the German cruiser squadron responsible.

Meanwhile, Admiral Graf Maximilian von Spee commanding the German squadron of two armoured cruisers, SMS Scharnhorst and SMS Gneisenau, and three light cruisers, Nurnberg, Dresden and Leipzig attempted to raid the British supply base at Port Stanley on the Falkland Isles.

However, unbeknown to the Germans, a larger British squadron of two battle-cruisers, HMS Invincible and HMS Inflexible; three armoured cruisers, HMS Carnarvon, HMS Cornwall and HMS Kent; and two light cruisers, HMS Bristol and HMS Glasgow, had arrived in the port only the day before.

On the 8th of December 1914, visibility was at its maximum: the sea was placid with a gentle breeze from the north-west, the sun bright, the sky clear. The advance cruisers of the German naval squadron had been detected earlier on, and by 9am the British battle-cruisers and cruisers were in hot pursuit of the five German vessels – the Germans having taken flight in line abreast to the south-east.

All the German ships, except for the Dresden, were hunted down and sunk by the British.

British squadron pursuing the German cruisers, Falkland Islands 1914

HMS Invincible picking up German sailors from Gneisenau after the battle

‘Eddie’ Bingham was next to see naval action at the Battle of Jutland, which was the largest naval battle of the First World War – it was the only full-scale clash of battleships in that war, and the last major fleet action between battleships in any war. It was also, by certain criteria, the largest naval battle in history.

It was fought during the night and day of 31 May – 1 June 1916, in the North Sea near Jutland, the northward-pointing peninsular mainland of Denmark. The combatants were the Imperial German Navy’s ‘High Seas Fleet’ commanded by Vice-Admiral Reinhard Scheer and the British Royal Navy’s ‘Grand Fleet’ commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe.

The intention of the German fleet was to lure out, trap and destroy a portion of Britain’s ‘Grand Fleet’, as the Germans were insufficient in number to engage the entire British fleet at one time. This formed part of Germany’s larger strategy of breaking the British naval blockade of the North Sea and allowing German mercantile shipping to operate again.

The Royal Navy, on the other hand, was pursuing a strategy seeking to engage and destroy the German High Seas Fleet, or else keep the German force bottled up and away from Britain's own shipping lanes.

Britain’s ‘Grand Fleet’ steaming to engage Germans at Jutland 1916

The Germans' plan was to use Vice-Admiral Franz Hipper’s fast scouting group of five modern battle-cruisers to lure Vice-Admiral Sir Davis Beatty’s battle-cruiser squadrons through a U-Boat (submarine) picket line, and into the path of the main German heavy battleship fleet - and so destroy the British.

However the British had learned from signal intelligence intercepts that a major German fleet operation was likely, and so on 30 May British Admiral Jellicoe sailed with the ‘Grand Fleet’ to rendezvous with British Vice-Admiral Beatty’s battle-cruisers, passing over the intended locations of the German submarine picket lines before the U-boats had reached their positions.

On the afternoon of 31 May Vice-Admiral Beatty encountered Vice-Admiral Hipper's battle-cruiser force long before the Germans had intended or expected, which eliminated the German U-Boat trap, but in a running battle Vice-Admiral Hipper successfully drew the British vanguard into the path of the heavy battleships of the German ‘High Seas Fleet’. By the time Vice-Admiral Beatty turned towards the British main fleet he had lost two battle-cruisers sunk, along with his numerical advantage over Vice-Admiral Hipper. However the German ships in pursuit of Beatty’s battle-cruisers were drawn towards the main British fleet.

From 18:30 hrs, when the sun was lowering on the western horizon backlighting the German ships, until nightfall at about 20:30 hours, the two huge fleets — totaling 250 ships between them — were heavily engaged in battle.

Fourteen British and eleven German ships were sunk, with great loss of life.

After sunset, and throughout the night, Jellicoe maneuvered to cut the Germans off from their base in hopes of continuing the battle in the morning, but under cover of darkness Scheer crossed the wake of the British fleet and returned to home port in Germany.

Both sides claimed victory.

The British had lost more ships and many more sailors than the Germans, and the British press criticised the ‘Grand Fleet’ actions, but Scheer’s plan of destroying Beatty’s battle-cruiser squadrons had also failed. The Germans continued to pose a threat that required the British to keep their battleships concentrated in the North Sea, but they never again contested control of the high seas.

While making this attack Nestor and Nicator were under the concentrated heavy fire of the German fleet – and Nestor was subsequently sunk.

German Battle-Cruisers, Jutland 1916

During the Battle of Jutland off Denmark, ‘Eddie’ Bingham was in command of a destroyer flotilla. He led his flotilla into attack, first against German destroyers and then against the heavily gunned battle-cruisers of the German ‘High Seas Fleet’.

Once the enemy battle-cruiser squadron was sighted, ‘Eddy’ ordered his own destroyer, HMS Nestor, and the only other surviving destroyer of his division, HMS Nicator, to close to within 2,750 meters of the German battle fleet so that he could bring his torpedoes to bear.

HMS Nestor closes with the enemy to fire torpedoes

Torpedo fired !

German Battle-Cruiser firing broadsides, Jutland 1916

For his dogged bravery and determined leadership under fire at Jutland, ‘Eddie’ earned the Victoria Cross – one of the relatively few V.C.’s awarded for naval actions during the First World War.

After being sunk at Jutland, ‘Eddie’ was picked up by the Germans, and remained a prisoner of war until Germany’s surrender (the Armistice at 11am on 11 November 1918).

After the war, he continued his career with the Royal Navy, and retired as a Rear Admiral in 1932. He was also awarded a further decoration by the navy, in the grade of ‘Officer’ of the ‘Order of the British Empire’ (O.B.E.).

Insignia for an Officer of the Order of the British Empire

‘Eddie’ died in 1939, and is buried in the Golders Green cemetery in north-west London.

‘Eddie’ Bingham’s Victoria Cross was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1983 and was purchased by the North Down Borough Council for £18,000, having outbid a Canadian millionaire.

His Victoria Cross is now valued at in excess of £100,000 due to the rarity of naval VCs.

Eddie’s V.C. is on display at the North Down Heritage Centre, in Bangor, Northern Ireland.

Arms of Bingham

Irish Barons of Clanmorris

IRISH COMMODORE FINALLY HONOURED AT U.S NAVAL

ACADEMY

! With its bright Navy blue and its golden letters glinting in the sunlight, visitors to the Naval Academy might not realize a new archway over one of the most highly traversed entrances to the academy hasn't always been there.

Put in place near downtown Annapolis in January 2012, that archway is the start of a permanent memorial at the academy to the first commissioned officer of the Navy, Commodore John Barry.

It is truly unfortunate that so few remember this remarkable and courageous man, for during his lifetime, Barry gave so much to America, and at a time when she needed it most. The American Heritage dictionary doesn't even list his name. It has even been said that had it not been for John Barry, the American Revolution would have been lost. Dr. Benjamin Rush said in his eulogy at Barry's graveside, "He was born in Ireland, but America was the object of his devotion, and the theater of his usefulness."

Commodore John Barry was born in Tacumshane, County Wexford, Ireland, in the year 1745. He grew up with a great love for the sea, and while still a young man, he emigrated to the British colonies in America. By 1760, he was employed in a shipbuilding firm in Philadelphia and in 1766, at the age of 21, he went to sea as Captain of the ship, Barbados. The young Irishman seemed destined for a prosperous career in the colonies, but his integrity and sense of justice led him to risk all in a dangerous venture.

In 1775, years of smoldering unrest erupted in open rebellion as the American colonies openly declared their independence from the Crown. As England prepared to regain control of the situation, the colonies formed the Second Continental Congress to establish a military force, and defend their recently declared independence, but experienced men were hard to find. Captain John Barry, an early champion of the patriot cause, promptly volunteered his service. With nine years experience as a sea-going Captain, and five successful commands to his credit, the young Irishman was quite warmly welcomed, and given command of a ship under the authority of the Continental Congress.

On 7 December 1775, eight months after the first shots were fired at Lexington, Captain John Barry took the helm of a new 14-gun vessel aptly named, ‘Lexington’. He quickly trained a crew, and began the task of supplying and supporting Washington's ground forces.

On 7 April 1776, just four months after he had taken command, Captain Barry provided a necessary boost to the moral of the continental forces just as he would do so many times when it was needed most: he captured the British ship, ‘Edward’, and her cargo - the first American war prize.

On 6 June he was given command of the new cruiser, ‘Effingham’, and captured 2 more British ships. In spite of Barry's successes, the war was not going well for the Americans: Philadelphia was in the hands of the British; the British Navy had bottled up the Delaware River; General Benedict Arnold had betrayed West Point, and gone over to fight for the British; and Washington's troops were in dire need. A victory was essential to boost their sagging morale. Barry captured an armed British vessel when ammunition was scarce, and a supply ship when food was at a premium, then he came to Washington's aid when the leader was planning to cross the Delaware. He organized seamen and joined the land forces that crossed the river in boats supplied by Barry's friend, Patrick Colvin.

Barry was held in such high esteem that, after the Delaware crossing, and the subsequent victories at Trenton and Princeton, in which he served as an aide to Washington, England’s Lord Howe made a flattering offer to Barry to desert the patriot cause. "Not the value or command of the whole British fleet", Barry replied, "can lure me from the cause of my country which is liberty and freedom."

On 5 January 1778, while the Delaware was occupied by the British fleet, Barry organized the famous ‘Battle of the Kegs’, in which small kegs loaded with explosives were sent floating down the river at the British ships and fired upon, exploding them and throwing the British into a panic. In addition to commanding naval operations for the Continental Congress, Barry supervised the building of their ships. In command of one of those ships in 1781, when Washington was again in need, Barry captured four important British vessels. Washington personally thanked him for the boost it provided, and sent his fearless Captain back into the fray.

The Continental Frigate ‘Alliance’, commanded by Captain John Barry, captures the H.M.S. Atalanta & the HM Brig Trepassy

28 May 1781

During a confrontation on 28 May 1781, Barry was wounded and taken below. Subsequently, his First Officer informed him that the battle was going against them, and Barry ordered that he be carried back on deck. When the British demanded his surrender, Barry defiantly refused and sparked his crew to victory. The wounded Captain returned with yet another prize. The last sea battle of the American Revolution took place on 10 March 1783, as Barry was returning with a shipload of gold bullion from Havana, and was set upon by three British ships. The resourceful Captain engaged and destroyed one, and outdistanced the other two, returning with the precious cargo that was used to establish a National Bank for the new nation. Even after the war, this tireless seaman assisted America by transporting Virginia tobacco to Holland to repay America's war debts.

Far from the war at sea, Barry also assisted at the Federal Convention held in 1787 to adopt the new constitution. It seems that there were a minority who were opposed to the adoption and absented themselves from the convention, preventing a quorum from being formed. Barry organized a group called ‘The Compellers’, and physically forced enough of the seceding members back to form a quorum. The vote was taken, and the constitution was finally approved. People cheered and church bells rang as Barry scored another victory - this time over indifference.

In recognition of his vast experience and dedication, Washington demonstrated Barry's immense value to the new nation when, on 14 June 1794, he sent for the popular naval hero to form and train a class of midshipmen, who would then be commissioned as Ensigns, and form the nucleus of a new American Navy. Barry himself was named the ranking officer, and granted Commission No. 1.

Commodore John Barry had many firsts in his remarkable career, from being the first to fly the new American flag in battle to escorting America's famous ally, General Lafayette, back to France, but the first that he should always be remembered for is his position as ‘Father of the American Navy’.   He was commissioned a captain in 1797, the highest rank that existed in the new United States Navy.   He was the first commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, and he is recognized as the U.S. Navy's first flag officer.

'Commodore' as a title was used by the fledgling American navy for a few years at the start of the colonial rebellion, but dropped after 1777.   (And not revived officially until 1862 during the U.S. Civil War. It was then dropped again after the First World War, activated again for awhile, and now has been dropped again.)   It is interesting to note from the chapter ‘MR. ADAMS GOES TO WAR WITH FRANCE’, on page 413 of W. Clark’s 1938 book ‘GALLANT JOHN BARRY’, that Commodore Barry was given command of the first American naval squadron for offensive operations (in Caribbean waters, off the French West Indies).   At that time, John Barry flew his Commodore’s pennant from the American frigate United States, and also had command of the three other ships in his squadron.

The author, W. Clark, goes on to explain the U.S. Navy’s lapse from 1777 until 1862 of title of Commodore:   “In the well-nigh a century between these dates, the senior captain in command of two or more war vessels was recognized by the courtesy title of ‘Commodore’, and Barry bore it, from July 1798 to his death”.   John Barry’s title of Commodore was not by virtue of having received the U.S. Navy’s commission Number 1, but because of his battle-command of the U.S. Navy’s first squadron of warships.

Barry was born in Ireland in 1745, and died in Philadelphia in 1803.   Besides his command as Commodore of the U.S. Navy’s first wartime squadron, he also personally captained three ships during the American Revolution - Lexington, Raleigh and Alliance.   The British once offered Barry a fortune in British Pounds, and command of any frigate in the British Navy, if he would defect.   Barry refused.

The new memorial at the U.S. Naval Academy is a reminder of the contributions Irish Americans have had on the history of the U.S.A. despite a time in history when Irish Catholics were largely discriminated against.

USS Barry (DDG-52), guided missile destroyer, named after the "Father of the American Navy"

Commodore John Barry, Independence Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvannia

BAKED IRISH SALMON

There is no doubt that this is an expensive dish, but it will feed eight to ten people and makes a fine party piece.

1 fresh salmon (about 5 lb/ 2 kg) parsley

salt and pepper1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup dry cider1/2 pint/ 250 ml/ 1 cup double-cream

(serves eight to ten)

Clean and de-scale the salmon, cut off the head and tail and trim the fins.

Stuff the parsley into the gullet.

Butter some aluminium foil and form a loose envelope round the fish, sealing both ends but leaving the top open for the moment.

Dot the rest of the butter over the salmon, season and pour over the cider and the cream.

Now seal the foil along the top, leaving only a small vent.

Bake in the oven for one and a quarter hours at ‘gas mark 4’ (350°F or I80°C)

When ready, take from the oven, remove the skin and reduce the sauce by boiling, stirring all the time.

Serve with boiled new potatoes and fresh garden peas.

Fishing for ‘Wild Salmon’ – another ‘Red Letter Day’ in Ireland

BOOK REVIEWSAn Aran Keening

Author: McNeillie, Andrew

ISBN: 1 901866 63 7

'McNeillie's prose can be as pristine and effervescent as the sea's edge on a summer beach. Sometimes it is loaded with biblical and Shakespearean fragments like Aran's winter tides glinting with torn bits of seaweed. So there is no end to the making of books on Aran. Fortunately, good writing feeds its subject, rather than feeding off it and Aran is once again a larger place than it was.' - Tim Robinson, Irish Times

'An utterly absorbing book about being solitary and a little lonely in a solitary and lonely place, about being an outsider in a place that was itself an outsider. The sense of sadness permeates the book. It makes the observations on the place and the strange community which he encountered all the more beguiling.' - Harry McGee, Sunday Tribune

'McNeillie becomes a tragi-comic genius when recording the oddities of the few humans he encounters on the island. Never sentimental, always entertaining and exquisitely written, An Aran Keening draws you into its rigorous world with the twin embrace of tenderness and wit.' - Sunday Business Post

'McNeillie's writing is beautiful, the poetic style of this memoir and his philosophical musings on life make this a book to linger over.' - Irish Examiner

'An Aran Keening marks out and occupies its own territory, it caught me in its spell.' - Tom Paulin

'An Aran Keening effortlessly attracts the reader with its sharp self-assessment and rueful comedy, but above all with its intelligent and considered evocation of creatures and weather and a community living on the edge of the world.' - John Fuller

In November 1968, at the age of twenty-two, Andrew McNeillie left his job and his girlfriend in Wales and travelled to Inishmore. He was not a tourist: he stayed eleven months in Aran, living alone in a tiny house. An Aran Keening is a richly lyrical memoir of that time, a celebration of the island and its people, a lament for a way of life that was infused with a deep sadness then and that no longer exists.

Based closely on a contemporary journal and on letters home - which are quoted at length, and which show the author to have been an immensely gifted young writer - An Aran Keening tells of a time before electricity and landing strips, a time of true poverty for many. Island life was, in both mind and body, more stark and dramatic then than now; it stood closer to the candle- and horse-powered nineteenth century than to the digitized twenty-first. McNeillie fished and trapped for his food - his accounts of his methods are among the most dazzling passages in the book - and writes with great love, but without a trace of romanticism, about the natural world of Aran. With extraordinary sensitivity and subtlety, he recounts the awkward, sometimes fraught, but ultimately enriching interactions between the green outsider he was and the people of Inishmore, and the islanders' tragic internal struggles.

An Aran Keening commemorates both the immortality of youth, in all its courage, folly and quick tenderness of heart, and the passing of a world. It is a singular addition to the literature of Aran and, in this age of two-a-penny memoirs, one of the finest works in that genre to come out of these islands in recent decades.

An Irish Sporting Life

Author: Craigie, Eric

ISBN: 1 874675 40 6

'It is a long time since I have read a book of reminiscences as engaging' - Tony O'Riordan, The Irish Times

'Amusing, sometimes hilarious ... all the stories are told with great charm and humour' - Lord Forte, The Field

'Most informative, amusing and sometimes hilarious ... for pure joy the stories about the hare climbing the tree and the crab used as ferrets are hard to beat'- Robert McKeegan

An Irish Sporting Life combines the author's previous best-sellers Irish Sporting Sketches and Telling Tales. Part social history, part record of country life, this sparkling memoir warmly conveys the humour and sorrows, and above all, the unfailing celebration that has been Eric Craigie's lot as an industrialist, farmer, inventor and former Master of the Ward Union Hunt.

In this lovingly assembled scrapbook the author looks back across seventy years vividly recreating a fast-vanishing milieu - stag-hunting with the Ward Union, duck shooting on Wexford's sloblands, salmon-fishing on the Owenduff, Boyne and Blackwater rivers. With candour and wry humour he evokes the places and people of the Irish countryside; Count John McCormack, George V. Malcolmson, Queen Mary and Charles J. Haughey are among a memorable cast. Anecdote follows anecdote about fishing, coursing and shooting; about farming and fish farming; about hunting and horse-racing; about every aspect of his long life as a dairy businessman and farmer, bird-watcher and rugby player, and above all, as a man with enormous gusto for living.

Invented in Scotland

Author: Allan Burnett

ISBN: 9781841585666

In the home, on the road, in business, the classroom, sport, finance, medicine, farming, travel, crime and war, Scottish inventors have truly revolutionised the modern world. In this lavishly illustrated account, Allan Burnett examines the life and works of a host of remarkable individuals whose inventions propelled humanity out of fumbling darkness and into a brighter future, allowing us to work faster, build better, travel further and live longer. His account includes such luminaries as John Logie Baird, James Clerk Maxwell, Alexander Graham Bell, John Napier, Adam Smith, James Naismith, James Young Simpson, Thomas Telford, James Anderson, Allan Pinkerton and many more.

In a fascinating story, Allan Burnett reveals how these characters changed the world with a diverse range of inventions, varying from the electric clock, television, refrigerator and telephone to fizzy drinks, bicycles, encyclopaedias, computers, decimals points, anaesthesia, detective agencies, vaccines, and a myriad of other innovations. Invented in Scotland explains how great ideas and theories were turned into real practical innovations that revolutionised our everyday lives and the struggle of these remarkable people to create products, machines, systems and gadgets that infinitely broadened mankind’s horizons. The lives of Scotland’s inventors have been at turns awesome, shocking, sad and hilarious.

Their ambitions were achieved sometimes against huge odds and in circumstances of immense personal hardship. Often the competition in their field was fierce, even dangerous. Invented in Scotland brings these characters to life through informative and entertaining prose, taking readers on a thrilling journey of discovery.

Allan Burnett is a freelance writer and editor. He is the Deputy Magazine Editor for the Sunday Herald and is also the author of the successful And All That series of Scottish history for children.

To War With The Black Watch

Author: Gian Gaspare Napolitano

ISBN-10: 184341032X

ISBN-13: 978-1843410324

First published in an Italian-language anti- fascist newspaper in Switerland in 1944, this remarkable book tells the story of Lieutenant Pinto, appointed Italian liaison officer to the Scottish Black Watch. Based on the author's own experiences as a Black Watch liaison officer, "To War with the Black Watch" is a sharp, witty and moving insight into Scots-Italian relations in the latter part of the Second WorldWar.

Field of Bones: An Irish Division at Gallipoli

Author: Orr, Philip

ISBN: 1 84351 065 0

‘Masterly and moving … Philip Orr enhances his already high reputation as a military historian for not only illuminating and meticulous command of detail but for a sense of balance and a fair-mindedness too rare in work on the long-neglected history of Irish soldiers in the First World War. Field of Bones is an absorbing study to be pondered by all students of the folly, the foibles, and the fortitude of man.' - Professor Joe Lee

'In this marvellously resonant book, Philip Orr has recovered the history of one of Ireland's great forgotten battles ... Gallipoli was as important a First World War battle for Ireland as the Somme was for Ulster.' - Professor Keith Jeffery

During August and September 1915 almost three thousand young volunteer Irish soldiers died on the killing fields of Gallipoli on the Turkish Aegean. A division of Kitchener's Army, at Suvla Bay they fell to gunshot-wounds and shellfire, while thirst, sunstroke and dysentery reduced their chances of survival. Hundreds were burned alive in raging bush-fires. In post-war Ireland political revolution led to the removal of Gallipoli from memory. One popular ballad told the volunteers, 'you fought for the wrong country, you died for the wrong cause, when the greatest war was at home'. Here, in heart-breaking detail, built from letters, diaries and archival sources, is the story of the 10th Irish Division, many of whom still lie today in Suvla Bay's deserted field of bones.

Philip Orr, a former teacher and military historian, is author of the best-selling The Road to the Somme: Men of the Ulster Division Tell Their Story (Belfast 1987). He lives in Carrickfergus, County Antrim.