Deeply Depressed Colleen, asking about O'Neill (Lincoln, Spalding: 2009, insurance, how much)

[SCGranny]

I am looking for information about O'Neill's St Patrick's Day Celebration for this year. We are Verrrrrrrrrry Irish, and have heard a lot about what O'Neill has done in the past. But even the O'Neill Chamber only has last year's schedule of events posted! Can anyone tell me what is planned, if it will be held on the weekend before, when and where are the best places to go? Don't care much about green beer or hysteria, but would like to hear some bards and enjoy being around some kinfolk...

Thanks!

"Oh, Danny Boy, tha pipes are blowin..."

[tpabes]

Hopefully they will get updated information posted as it gets closer. I haven't been to the festival so couldn't tell you so much, but I wanted to share this article I found as I was searching for the info. It talks about Greeley and its Irish heritage.

JournalStar.com - Lincoln, Nebraska - News - Nebraska

[SCGranny]

Thanks, tpabes! That was a very interesting read.

I knew there were more Irish out here than in O'Neill, but most of the folks here are of German/Scandinavian descent. And I'm not looking for a drinkfest (had enough of THAT back in Savannah, GA; really really horrible unless you like sloppy drunks, cheap carnival garbage, and the overwhelming smell of urine in the streets) - I just like being around people who have the Irish soul, who know the words to the old songs, and who find simplicity and beauty in everyday life... Sounds like Greeley has a lot of it, too!

I did email the O'Neill Chamber and this is what they promptly sent me -

"Oh we hope you can come...it will be the weekend of March 20 & 21, 2009

On Friday night there will be a hypnotist, on Saturday the 21st, there will be a fun run, mulligan stew, grande parade, ball game and lots of other events being planned.......we will have the schedule up on the website soon."

[keltec]

For you SCGRANNY!!! ---

Reasons not to assault a Ranch Woman!



We ride 1500 pound horses and stare down an alley full of mad, snot
slinging cows that weigh over 800 pounds.

We've held down cows that outweigh you by four times. Don't try to
intimidate us. Most of our husbands stand a head and shoulders taller than
us and out-weigh us by 100 pounds and we aren't scared of them. Why should
we be frightened by someone who can't keep their pants up?

Every time we work cows, our husbands threaten us if we don't get out of
the gate. They threaten us if we don't stay in the gate. We are pretty
much not impressed by threats. Plus if you get much closer, we may give
you some threats of our own to consider and be able to back it up.

Don't wave that knife at me boy. I castrate. When we brand, we throw the
mountain oysters on the fire and eat them dirt and all. You probably don't
want to go there!!!

Don't threaten to steal my pickup. I work for a living so I have
insurance. The chances of you being able to drive a standard are next to
none and there is no spare. I've walked from the back side of the ranch. I
can walk from here.

You want my purse? Take it. It has little money in it because as I
mentioned I work for a living. You will find various receipts for feed and
vet supplies, some dried up gum and the notice for my next teeth cleaning.
The only drugs you will find in there is something that is either aspirin
or a calf scour pill but it's been in there so long I've forgotten which
one is which.

Don't threaten to hurt me. I may look old and fragile to you, but I can
ride horseback for 12 hours with nothing to eat or drink. I have been
kicked, bucked off, run over and mucked out. I've had worse things happen
to me in the pens than you have experienced in the little gang wars you've
been through, and still cooked supper for a crew.

You may whip me son but you'll be a tired and sore SOB in the morning and
yes I will remember your face because I am used to knowing which calf
belongs to which cow. I'll also remember which direction you went and what
you were wearing because I have tracked many a cow with less information
than you've given me.

You are not going to scare me with that little 'Saturday Night Special'
when I have a .38 in my boot. Don't think I won't shoot you! I've shot
several coyotes and numerous rattle snakes. I put down my horse when he
broke his leg and shot my pet dog when he killed a calf. Don't think I
won't consider you a rabid dog and go on my way


Winferd J. (Wink) Schram

[SCGranny]

ROFL!!!
That was GREAT, Keltec!!!! Love it love it love it!!!!!

[ehenningsen]

That was great keltic, I have seen women who can outdo men in many tasks... And in many aspects in life, I have found that it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog!

That said, I am 6'3" 235lbs male who is able to truly understand where the real strength is in people...

And the part about gangs.. Boy can I relate!

people who are in gangs could not stand up to anybody with any type of backbone if they don't have their friends to back them up..

I have seen how wimpy they are when I encounter them one on one, but seen how much more balsy they grow when they have their weapons and friends with them..

It is very obvious to me that people who join gangs are not joining them because they are strong individuals, but ones that do not believe they can take care of them-self...

[Dave1215]

Keltec... excellent...!! There is so much truth in there - each paragraph I thought of a different Aunt that I knew who grew up on "the ranch"... lots of memories and so much truth.

[keltec]

I have to admit this-- I was 17 before I could beat my aunt at arm wrestling. She stayed home and milked the cows, by hand, while we rode pasture. Guess which muscles were exercised on whom.

[mattpoulsen]

SCGranny,

I grew up in a small town roughly between Greeley and O' Neill. Yes, there are a lot of small towns in Nebraska that are VERY irish. In fact, another thoroughly Irish small town is Spalding. Its just north of Greeley about 12 miles.

That said, these towns are quite a bit smaller than O' Neill and O' Neill definitely puts on more of the larger scale celebration. I would add that there is a fair amount of hysteria to all of them!! Which is good and bad I suppose.

[SCGranny]

Aw, shoot, matt, I'm looking forward to the Nebraska definition of "hysteria"! LOL When you have seen folks travel 1000's of miles to go to the one in Savannah, GA, just to get drunk, fight, fall down, and p in the streets; somehow from what I've seen, I don't think that the Irish in NE could come anywhere close - thank gawd.