Vol 35 • No 08
$4.99
January 2023
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Ask the Designer Submission of the Year Nominees
Wolf Moon Mischief
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life is better Published monthly in St. John’s by Downhome Publishing Inc. 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 Tel: 709-726-5113 • Fax: 709-726-2135 • Toll Free: 1-888-588-6353 E-mail: mail@downhomelife.com Website: www.downhomelife.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Janice Stuckless Assistant Editor Nicola Ryan Editor Lila Young
Warehouse Operations Warehouse / Inventory Manager Carol Howell Warehouse Operator Josephine Collins Shipping/Receiving Clerk Jacinta Squires
Art and Production Art Director Vince Marsh Illustrator Mel D’Souza Illustrator Snowden Walters
Retail Operations Retail Floor Manager, St. John’s Jackie Rice Retail Floor Manager, Twillingate Donna Keefe Retail Sales Associates Crystal Rose, Jonathon
Advertising Sales Account Manager Barbara Young Account Manager Ashley O’Keefe Marketing Director Tiffany Brett Finance and Administration Accountant Marlena Grant Accountant Sandra Gosse
Organ, Erin McCarthy, Marissa Little, Kim Tucker, Heather Stuckless, Katrina Hynes, Destinee Rogers, Amy Young, Emily Snelgrove, Brandy Rideout, Alexandria Skinner, Emily Power, Ella Coggins, Colleen Giovannini
Subscriptions Customer Service Associate Cathy Blundon Customer Service Associate Lisa Tiller Founding Editor Ron Young
Operations Manager, Twillingate Nicole Mehaney Chief Executive Officer/Publisher Grant Young President & Associate Publisher Todd Goodyear General Manager/Assistant Publisher Tina Bromley
To subscribe, renew or change address use the contact information above. Subscriptions total inc. taxes, postage and handling: for residents in NL, NS, NB, PE $45.99; ON $45.19; QC, SK, MB, AB, BC, NU, NT, YT $41.99. US and International mailing price for a 1-year term is $49.99.
Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40062919 The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by the portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of the servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability beyond the amount of such advertisement. The Letters to the Editor section is open to all letter writers providing the letters are in good taste, not libelous, and can be verified as true, correct and written by the person signing the letter. Pen names and anonymous letters will not be published. The publisher reserves the right to edit, revise, classify, or reject any advertisement or letter. © Downhome Publishing Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
Printed in Canada Official onboard magazine of
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98 eat well
Contents
JANUARY 2023
40 Submission of the Year Meet the finalists and prepare to vote!
54 The Rubinator
40
time to vote!
This record-breaking champion can teach lessons in strength of spirit and the power of hard work. Dennis Flynn
58 Made for TV From contestant to co-star, Newfoundlander Kenny Brain has found fame on the small screen. Pam Pardy
98 Everyday Recipes Immune Boosting Foods
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Contents
JANUARY 2023
homefront 8 I Dare Say A note from the Editor 10 Letters From Our Readers Old Downhomers, Out with the Ode, and calendar correction
16 Downhome Tours Downhome readers explore the Bahamas
18 Why is That? Why do tailcoats
16 island life
have tails? Linda Browne
20 Life’s Funny Funny Medicine Vera Mullins
21 Say What? A contest that puts words in someone else’s mouth
22 Lil Charmers Fun in the Snow
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a tale of tails
24 Pets of the Month Best in Snow 26 Reviewed Denise Flint reviews Love Will Out: A Newfoundland Story by David Michael
28 What Odds Paul Warford has something to ink about.
30 Fresh Tracks Wendy Rose reviews Rachel Cousins’ latest album, AURA. 34 Adventures Outdoors Alex’s Happy Place Gord Follett
24 cool characters
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depart to history
features 50 A League of Her Own Pitcher Jaida Lee looks back on her historymaking year. Dillon Collins 64 The Irishness of Newfoundland Two Irishmen on how they found their second home on this side of the Atlantic. Kim Ploughman
explore 72 Where History Takes Flight
50 what a year! www.downhomelife.com
Inside the iconic Gander departures lounge Dennis Flynn
80 What’s In a Name Dale Jarvis 82 Travel Diary Going ’Round to Rencontre G. Tod Slone January 2023
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Contents
JANUARY 2023
90 mini makeover
home and cabin 88 Stuff We Love Games Night Nicola Ryan
90 Ask Marie Anything How do I bring this eclectic room together? Marie Bishop
94 Todd’s Table Chili When You’re Chilly Todd Goodyear 104 Down to Earth Think Outside the Plot Kim Thistle
88 game on!
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108 way back when
reminiscing 108 Flashbacks Classic photos of people and places. 110 This Month in Downhome History 112 Visions and Vignettes Adventures of two young scallywags in an imaginary outport of days gone by. Harold N. Walters
116 A Chance Worth Taking About the cover Stir fry is a simple, delicious way to add immune boosting foods to your diet. Find this recipe and more beginning on p. 98.
Cover Index Strongest Nan in NL • 54 Tour This Time Capsule • 72 Feed a Cold • 98 Ask the Designer • 90 Submission of the Year Nominees • 40 Wolf Moon Mischief • 112
How determined parents and a skilled surgeon beat the odds of early 20th-century medicine. Doris Collins and Mary (Collins) Walsh
124 Puzzles 136 Colouring Page 138 Classifieds 140 Mail Order 144 Photo Finish
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i dare say Really, though, where does the time go? As we begin another year, I find myself asking where did the last year go? And I know I’m not alone in this. It’s a regular topic of conversation among my peers. Turns out it’s a real phenomenon, even though it’s all in our minds. Objective time, measured in seconds, minutes and hours, does not change. But subjective time, how we perceive the passage of time, does. When we are younger, our brains are taking snapshots and notes of so many new things that it fills up time, making it seem long. As we age, we settle into routines and our brains aren’t cataloguing as much new information, so time just sort of slips by. Think about a day on vacation when you got up early, saw new sights, tried new things, met new people and had a jam-packed adventure. Now compare that to a day spent on the couch in front of the TV. Which day seems like two days, and which one was just lost? So can we slow time down by feeding our brains new information each day? I don’t know, but it’s worth giving it a try. For inspiration, I suggest looking at the reader submissions in Downhome (and check out the 2022 Submission of the Year finalists on p. 40). You folks are always at something – travelling to interesting places, exploring nature, introducing your kids to new adventures, learning new skills and creating beautiful things. May the coming year be blessed with novel experiences, memorable moments and time to enjoy it all. Thanks for reading,
Janice Stuckless, Editor-in-chief janice@downhomelife.com
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Submission Guidelines and Prize Rules
You could WIN $100! Every reader whose PHOTO, STORY, JOKE or POEM appears next to this yellow “from our readers” stamp in a current issue receives $10 and a chance at being drawn for the monthly prize: $100 for one photo submission and $100 for one written submission. Prizes are awarded in Downhome Dollars certificates, which can be spent like cash in our retail stores and online at shopDownhome.com.*
Submit Today! Send your photo, story, joke or poem to
Downhome, 43 James Lane, St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3 or submit online at: www.downhomelife.com *Only 1 prize per submitter per month. To receive their prize, submitters must provide with their submission COMPLETE contact information: full name, mailing address, phone number and email address (if you have one). Mailed submissions will only be returned to those who include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Downhome Inc. reserves the right to publish submissions in future print and/or electronic media campaigns. Downhome Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited material.
Hidden somewhere in this issue is Corky Sly Conner.
Can you find him? Look carefully at all the photographs and in the text of the stories. If you spot Corky, send us your name, address and phone number, along with a note telling us where he’s located. Your name will be entered in a draw and the winner will receive a coupon worth 25 Downhome Dollars redeemable at our store, or through our website.
Send your replies to: Corky Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL, A1E 3H3
mail@downhomelife.com www.downhomelife.com Deadline for replies is the 25th of each month.
Congratulations to Barbara Macfie of London, ON who found Corky on page 40 of the November issue!
*No Phone Calls Please. One entry per person
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homefront lil charmers
Fun in the
Snow Freeze the Day Eight-year-old Jesse makes a great catch while ice fishing in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Nicole Clannon Happy Valley-Goose Bay, NL
Cold Comfort
While the rest of the family sits around the fire, 11-yearold Clifford builds a winter survival camp. Jamie and Christine Murphy Westport, NL
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Winter Wonderland Victoria takes a break from snowshoeing up through the woods path in Mary’s Harbour. Annette Tatchell Mary’s Harbour, NL
Snow Much Fun!
Twins Lennon and Olivia pose with their impressive snow fort in Corner Brook, NL. Calvin Perry Oshawa, ON www.downhomelife.com
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homefront pets of the month
Best in Snow Double Dog Max and Molly are twice the fun to have at the cabin in Duley Lake, Labrador City. Alana Newhook Labrador City, NL
Something Blue Seymour, a six-year-old Russian blue kitty, is snow darn cute. Kayla Decker Labrador City, NL
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Moose on the Loose Moose thinks winter walkies are a real treat. Andrea Collins Fort McMurray, AB
Licence to Chill This beautiful boxer shows off her cool side. Cole Anstey Newville, NL
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life is better Winter sentinel at Cape Spear Connie Boland, Corner Brook, NL
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Submit your favourite photos of scenery, activities and icons that best illustrate the down-home lifestyle. We’re looking for a variety of colourful subjects – outports, wildlife, laundry lines, historic sites, seascapes, hilltop views, and so much more – and photos from all four seasons. This is your chance to get in on our most popular reader contest and try to woo the judges into choosing your photo for the 2024 Downhome Calendar. These calendars are seen by tens of thousands of subscribers and displayed all year long.
What are you waiting for? Submit today, using one of these ways:
by mail: Downhome Calendar Contest 43 James Lane St. John’s, NL A1E 3H3 online: www.downhomelife.com/calendar Must be original photos or high quality copies. Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi, files sizes of about 1MB. We can’t accept photocopies or photos that are blurry, too dark or washed out. Include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your photos returned.
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features
This record-breaking champion can teach lessons in strength of spirit and the power of hard work. BY DENNIS FLYNN
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AS THE NOVEMBER DUSK CLOSES IN, I stand on the front step of a home in Mount Pearl, NL, ring the doorbell and wait for the approach of an unlikely superhero of sorts, one who has the coolest nickname I’ve heard in a very long time: “The Rubinator.” When the door opens, I’m greeted not by a deadly serious cyborg from a fictional universe, but by a smiling woman in an official Team Canada jacket. Ruby Koritarov shuns my proffered hand in greeting and good-naturedly chides, “Don’t be silly. I want a hug!” I can tell this is going to be a fun chat already. Ruby is a young-at-heart 74-year-old grandmother who grew up in Conception Bay North. She is also a two-time world powerlifting champion. In October 2022, she won two World Masters titles at the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) Masters Classic & Equipped Powerlifting World Championships held in St. John’s. You’d think as an athlete in her 70s that this is the twilight of her career, but Ruby is just getting started. “Oh no, I only came to working out and powerlifting around 2017,” Ruby says. “I started going to Heavyweights Gym with my husband that year in order to take part in weight-loss programs, and they were successful for both of us. During that time, Tyler Kearney, one of the coaches, introduced me to deadlifting, squats and bench press, and I really enjoyed those exercises. I used to push 415 pounds on a sled in one particular exercise, and I would see all the young people in the gym and joked with the coach and told him my age, asking if I was the oldest one there. When he www.downhomelife.com
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heard that he said, ‘Good Lord, Ruby, I knew you were very strong, but I didn’t realize you were that old. Let me check on something.’” That led to another coach, Rob King, suggesting Ruby enter an upcoming competition in September 2017, where she’d be the oldest participant. “So I decided to really train for it and give it my best shot, and I won.” That first win was extra special
others who are in similar categories based on gender, age and your body weight class, so it is always a fair competition.” Who crowned her The Rubinator? She smiles. “The younger people in the gym and some of the coaches started calling me that since I am very upbeat and fun around the gym, but all business when I train for competition and do my lifts in contests.
for Ruby because she went from a broken ankle and crutches in February to “winning an event in a new sport by that September,” she says. Since then she’s competed at 15 powerlifting events, including three provincials, two nationals, the Commonwealths, and the Worlds in Master IV category. And now she’s a two-time world champion. “Powerlifting is a very welcoming and inclusive sport for people of all ages, abilities, shapes and sizes,” says Ruby. “You have to train hard and you must learn the correct ways to do the lifts, but you compete against
They meant it as a compliment and they tell me all the time I inspire them to do their best, which makes me very happy to hear. The way I look at it, and I always say to anyone starting off, if I can do this at my age, so can anyone. The main things are get good coaching, train safely, be smart and realistic about your goals, don’t get discouraged by a setback now and then – and above all, never give up.” “One thing about Ruby is that she always shows up and gives her best no matter what. She is a very hard worker and hard work pays off,” says
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Ruby says she’s set “eight provincial records, eight national records and 10 Commonwealth records during the last Worlds, and I amazed myself. I really hope to keep training and get back to the Worlds again in a year or two, and [I] have a goal to someday set a world record in at least one of my lifts. It is a hard task, but we all need something to keep shooting for at any age.”
Ruby holds side-by-side photos of herself with a broken ankle and of her first powerlifting competition win later that year. Dennis Flynn photo
coach King via email, adding, “Ruby is a two-time world champion because she is very coachable, shows up, works hard, takes constructive criticism and is always open to learning and improving. She also brings up all those around her, which makes her such an important part of our team. Ruby is one of the hardest working people I have ever coached, and I couldn’t be more proud of her!” “I never would have believed it when I started out that such a thing was even possible [being a world champion]. But I am not stopping there,” Ruby says. In her category, www.downhomelife.com
Dennis Flynn photo
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features
ON THE HGTV PROGRAM “Making It Home with
Kortney and Kenny,” you could say Kenny is the one who helps make it ’ome. The contractor from central Newfoundland and his co-star, Kortney Wilson, transform homes, and people’s lives, one glorious episode at a time. Kortney is an actress, singer and designer. She’s well-known to HGTV audiences for her earlier show “Masters of Flip,” which she co-hosted with her then husband Dave Wilson. She teamed up with Kenny in 2021. Meanwhile, Kenny’s popularity on the reality series “Big Brother Canada” in 2014 shone a bright spotlight on his East Coast good nature and sense of humour. Intelligent and handy, Kenny was a nobrainer pick to co-host with Kortney when she was ready to launch her new series for HGTV, “Making it Home.” When we sat down to chat with the pair via Zoom in the fall of 2022, Kenny talked of home and the spectacular summer he missed due to filming, and commented on the fact that calling his mom regularly is always the best way to keep up with the weather back home. 58
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happen when you’ve seen somebody Though Kenny obviously feels at on TV. I didn’t want somebody in the home – and at ease – with Kortney, background. I wanted somebody to too. The banter between the two be my partner.” that’s portrayed on “Making it Home Kenny turned out to be more than a with Kortney and Kenny” is genuine, business partner and co-host, he’s and that warmth shines through on turned into a true friend, she adds. “I the video call. Experiencing the ebbs and flows of their fun, yet tender, teasing is uplifting. These two are the real deal – displaying and sharing the good and the bad of a life spent in what can be the very hectic world of home renovations and reality TV. “We’re both emotional and so the two of us together on set, it can be like, ‘okay, we got to stop...,’” begins Kortney. “...Stop looking at me in the eyes. You’re going to make me cry,” adds Kenny. “Yeah, exactly,” finishes Kortney. As evident on the show, the two have huge hearts and are always raw and honest. When asked why she picked Kenny to be her co-star, Kortney admits it was – at least in part – because he didn’t seem all that much into her. “I don’t agree with everything she does... I don’t think Kortney Wilson and Kenny Brain you should pump people up if co-host “Making It Home with Kortney and Kenny” on HGTV you don’t feel that they need to be pumped up. And there’s asked him to be our flower man,” some things that I didn’t agree with Kortney says with a warm smile. [design-wise], and I think that’s why Flower man? Oh yes! Kortney is getwe work together so well,” Kenny ting married and Kenny will be right reflects. there with her. Kortney says she’s long appreciatOne particularly endearing aspect ed Kenny’s honesty. “I knew that I of the show – particularly for those needed somebody that was not from Newfoundland and Labrador – afraid of me in any way and wasn’t is when Kenny unintentionally intimidated, and that can sometimes 60
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speaks like he’s ‘ome. Kortney says, “It happens all the time. Like he’ll say something… we’ll be in an interview, when we chat between things that we’re doing... and he’ll say something and I’ll be like, ‘What is that?’” Kenny laughs. “Like when a picture was off, I’d be like, ‘Oh, yeah, it’s squish.’”
He adds, “Seeing how happy I am and how passionate I am about what I do, my parents are extremely proud of me. I mean, they call me regularly to ask about Kortney. They feel like they know Kortney and she’s a part of the family now, and especially since Dad has actually met her – he’s like, so in love with her.”
“Squish? What do you mean? Like it’s squish? I don’t know ‘squish’!” laughs Kortney, who grew up in Ontario. “I’m like, ‘It’s crooked. Squish,’” says Kenny, with a what-are-yagonna-do shrug. Among the show’s fans are (naturally) Kenny’s parents, and his dad is getting right into it. “Both of my parents are extremely proud,” Kenny says. “My dad’s actually going to be in this season. He comes to Nashville with me on his Harley... I won’t give away too much, but he’s going to be in the episode on his Harley.”
Any plans for the two to visit Newfoundland and Labrador? Not yet, Kenny says, but they’ve talked about it. “I want to bring her back because I know she would absolutely adore it, as anyone who visits does.” It’s on her bucket list, Kortney adds. She needs to have a Jiggs dinner and get Screeched-in, Kenny teases. “Oh my God, yes, we got to get her Screeched-in. She got to be an honorary Newfoundlander.”
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Season 3 of “Making It Home With Kortney and Kenny” is airing now on HGTV. January 2023
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life is better Dodge is ready for a walk along the Ashuanipi River Lorilea Edwards, Wabush, NL
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features
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is a long time to be separated, but when destiny insists, nothing can stop the forces that bind. Patrick Noel Daly knows all about those strong connections, especially as they relate to places and people, and the pull of reconnecting to his heritage – geographically, historically and culturally. Originally from the seaside town of Garryvoe in county Cork, Ireland, Patrick has made Newfoundland and Labrador his home for the past year. In some ways, it feels like he never left his native country. Not surprising, given that the Emerald Isle and The Rock go quite a ways back. Ancient and Recent Ties
It is theorised that 250 million years ago the islands of Newfoundland and Ireland both occupied the central portion of a supercontinent called Pangaea. This extraordinary landmass splintered, leaving the two separated by the modern Atlantic Ocean. Sometime in the past 500 or so years, that connection was reformed. Fishermen from ports such as Cork were lured to Newfoundland by the legendary cod fishery from 1675 to 1850. Those migratory workers, and later immigrants, brought not just their bloodlines to Newfoundland, but also their language, stories, music and traditions, which have endured to modern day, especially on the Southern and Cape Shores. The connectivity is so deep and intrinsic that Newfoundland has been nicknamed “the most Irish island in the world.” Indeed, it is the only Irish place outside of Ireland tagged with an Irish name: Newfoundland, in Irish/Gaelic, is Talamh an Eisc (Land of the Fish).
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Patrick follows a long line of Irish folks who drifted to the island. He explains that in July 2021, a weekend trip to the province changed his globetrotting trajectory. “For a reason which I could not understand back then, I immediately felt at home.” It began right at the airport. “The airport taxi driver said to me, ‘How’s it going b’y?’” It’s the exact same greeting they use back in Cork. While Patrick didn’t come for the fish, his background as an inventor, founder, investor, mentor and world traveller are all trailblazing characteristics of his hardy ancestors, including Saint Brendan, an Irish monk and seafarer who is thought to have crossed the Atlantic to Newfoundland in the 6th century – in a hide-sewn vessel. Patrick credits drive, tenacity and hard work for his own business successes; and these same traits forged the new world here in “the Land of the Fish.”
went out to get me some food and drink. That kindness and generosity is a stand-out trait,” he says. Similarly he was affected by his experience at the Caplin Inn in Calvert. “I was gobsmacked by the Irishness of the Newfoundland-born and raised owner, Kevin Walsh,
“Gobsmacked by the Irishness”
who is as proud of his Irish heritage as I’ve ever seen in all of my global travels,” Patrick says, adding the way and the accents of Southern Shore residents are virtually the same as folks born and raised in Ireland, particularly the Cork inflections. After living here for over a year, this Come From Away who stayed observes, “When I take what I have read, heard, seen and learned, I believe that there is
After landing in this Irish subculture, the familiarity and comfort continued to provide balm for Patrick’s soul. He recalls his first night’s stay at a B& B, still under COVID quarantine, where the owner offered to deliver him Mary Brown’s and beer. “I couldn’t believe the generosity of that lady. I had never met this woman before, yet she specifically 66
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very little difference, or distinction, between the place I was born and raised, and Newfoundland.” He’s also impressed with the work that societies here have been doing to encourage and foster the IrelandNewfoundland linkage. “The Benevolent Irish Society, for example, was founded over 200 years ago, and they have made significant charitable contributions, both at home and abroad over those years.”
Ireland native Patrick Noel Daly (left) was gobsmacked by the Irishness of Newfoundland and Labrador. One thing he noticed is the work ethic. “Sure, we party hard, sing, dance and tell stories until all hours, but even if the party goes on until late, we go to work and work hard. The work ethic is clear and bred in us… it’s a large part of the Irish gene.” A self-confessed storyteller and the 1999 Entrepreneur of the Year in Ireland, Patrick has published a book, Just Start Up: A Guide to Building Startups, sharing his entrepreneurial experience so others can sidestep the pitfalls he fell into over the past 20 years. He also plans to start entrepreneurship academies. It stems from one of his prime motivations, that more Irelanders and Newfoundlanders and Labradorians should be serving in leadership roles. “We have the smarts, we have the brains, so why not go up and take the lead? We can talk. We can articulate. We can write, so why don’t we lead?” he poses. www.downhomelife.com
Another thing his old and new homes have in common? Work ethic. “Sure, we party hard, sing, dance and tell stories until all hours, but even if the party goes on until late, we go to work and work hard. The work ethic is clear and bred in us… it’s a large part of the Irish gene.”
Mannion Collection – Tracing the Irish
Not surprisingly, Patrick was in the audience for a recent lecture on the Irish-Newfoundland genealogical connection held in Torbay, NL. It was a celebration of the Mannion Collection: Irish Immigration and Settlement in Newfoundland, 17501850. This unique archival information was collected over a span of 40 years on approximately 87,000 handwritten index cards by retired historical geographer, Dr. John Mannion, and his wife and research partner, Maura. The work traced Irish immigrants, including merchants, ships and sea captains, from the southeast of Ireland around Waterford city and a 30-kilometre radius. By 1800, Irish settlers had made up half of Newfoundland’s population. John is a native of Galway, Ireland, and one of Canada’s leading cultural geographers. In a recent phone call, he explains that even before coming to Newfoundland in 1969, as part of his work at the University of Toronto he traced Irish family history of first settlers to Newfoundland in places such as Logy Bay, Middle Cove and Outer Cove. After arriving at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, he engaged his students in gathering data on family trees, as a way for the university to connect with communities. January 2023
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Dr. John Mannion (right), and his wife Maura, have researched the history of Irish immigration in Newfoundland. Their work has been gathered to become the Mannion Collection, recently acquired by the Torbay History House and Museum. (above)
Torbay History House and Museum recently adopted the Mannions’ massive collection, as well as the digitized version of over 160,000 scanned images. John is quick to stress that “a big team” created the project through the decades, including students and dedicated typists. He also credits expert technical staff at the Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency, including Alton Hollett and Terry Quinlan, as well as Eamonn Murphy with the Ireland Newfoundland Connections (INC) and MUN advisor, Dr. Sean Cadigan, with superb work. “Torbay House has also been very supportive and we are very impressed with them,” he says. John admits that while he and Maura gathered the data, they never envisioned where, and how, it would all unfold. “We’re very, very lucky and pleased to have it present68
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ed, cited and read,” he says, noting that academic data can sometimes disappear in Robin Hood Bay. Calling it “a happy circumstance” for the collection to be online, digitalized and in circulation, John says he and his wife are “over the moon.” From many angles, the collection is quite significant, notes John. For one thing, there is “nothing quite like it for any other ethnic group in 19th-century English Canada,” he says, adding, “From a provincial historical and heritage side, this is perhaps the most notable event of the past year.” For the Town of Torbay, John points out that the preservation for future generations is a valuable asset, making the community a destination for cultural research and “genealogical tourism” between Ireland and Newfoundland. “It’s a 1-888-588-6353
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revolution,” he remarks, adding that “it is a free shortcut to one’s family history at the click of a mouse, anywhere in the world.” The Mannion project (with more than 450,000 names now searchable at Mannioncollection.ca) is indeed a testimony to innovation, where a lifelong scholarly labour of love has been transformed into a public good. In time, this work is envisioned to also serve genetic research related to the Irish-NL population, parlaying into medical benefits for both.
voyages in the 1750s, titled Waterford’s Maritime World: The Ledger of Walter Butler, 1750-1757. “To see, hear, read, and somewhat feel, the thoughts of those Irish people who initially started travelling as fishermen from Southern Ireland aboard the ships from the English West country was thought-provoking, to say the least,” says Patrick about the Mannion collection. As Patrick continues to embrace the kinship he has been blessed with since arriving, his wish is see more of the
“This is a great part of the world, and when it comes to having a good time, with good people, in a shared culture and heritage, both Ireland and Newfoundland are two places I enjoy to my core…” Patrick Noel Daly In addition to the event at Torbay House this past summer, the collection was also celebrated and launched by Newfoundland-Labrador Irish Connection’s (NLIC) sister board, INC, in Cork, Ireland on September 5. There, the Taoiseach of Ireland, Mayor of Cork, Patrick Mannion (the Mannions’ son), Eamonn Murphy, Alton Hollett and Torbay councillor Ralph Tapper (also of the NLIC) all spoke at the event. Canadian Ambassador Nancy Smyth also attended the Ireland event and acknowledged that “there is simply no denying that Newfoundland’s connection to Ireland is unrivalled within Canada.” The Ambassador also congratulated Dr. Mannion on his recently published book, chronicling a Waterford sea captain’s www.downhomelife.com
Irish diaspora and culture acknowledged and celebrated to strengthen his country’s connection to these shores. “This is a great part of the world, and when it comes to having a good time, with good people, in a shared culture and heritage, both Ireland and Newfoundland are two places I enjoy to my core,” he confesses. The two Irishmen’s experiences and ties to this province prove that not even volatile geological forces back 250 million years ago can obstruct the pull between Ireland and Newfoundland. Already bonded in geology and a wild and rugged landscape, the two have reunited through a shared intangible culture, with stories, songs, sayings, accents, humour and lifestyle – all well preserved by the salty Atlantic air. January 2023
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Available at NLC locations province wide
AukislandDPS.qxd_0609 index.qxd 11/24/22 11:57 AM Page 71
Three Sheets to the Wind Red Blueberry-Blackberry
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A blend of Newfoundland and Labrador blueberries and rhubarb creates a wine that is fun, delightful and well balanced. It is a great sipping wine and goes well with cheese and crackers. Semi-Sweet
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AUK ISLAND
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life is better Reflections in Quidi Vidi Alick Tsui, St. John’s, NL
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life is better Sunset in Glovertown Francine Embanks, Glovertown, NL
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2212_photo Finish_0609 Photo Finish 11/24/22 12:11 PM Page 144
photo finish
Gather ’Round
A warming boil-up is the welcome reward for a day’s work in the woods. Lori Browne Kelligrews, NL
Do you have an amazing or funny photo to share? Turn to page 9 to find out how to submit. 144
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