John Connell, Rest in Peace

Today I was terribly shocked and saddened by the news that John Connell, my colleague and friend at Lakeland Community College, has passed away after his struggle with cancer. John was also known as John McConnell, and emigrated from County Cavan, Ireland to the Akron/Greater Cleveland area some 20 years ago. At Lakeland, John taught math courses and staffed the Math Lab. I guess I met him some time in the past 5 years or so. John probably noticed all the poems and photos of Ireland on my office door--and introduced himself to me. We had great fun talking about Irish history, culture, and music over the years. One time I got to meet his dear wife Marlene at Lakeland. I think Marlene is Slovenian. Whatever she is, she's the most Irish Slovenian in the history of the world! She loves Irish culture and music as much or more than native-born Irish.

John was an accomplished buttonbox musician, and could also handle a guitar with great skill. Besides his skill with instruments, John was a tremendous singer, with a sweet, sweet voice. I heard him and his band, Akron-based "Fergie and the Bog Dogs" play many times (http://www.fergieandthebogdogs.com/).

Here is a link to John's obituary: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ohio/obituary.aspx?n=john-a-connell&pid=138316535

What a sad day for John's family and friends! Let the gates of Heaven open for John!

Slán Abhaile agus Beannachtái, John!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Lá Fhéile Pádraig Shona Duit! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here's how to pronounce the Irish: /LAW AY-luh PAWD-rick HUN-uh DIT/ which, word-for word, means "Day of-feast of-Patrick happy to-you," that is, "Happy St. Patrick's Day!"

Cleveland's St. Patrick's Day parade was observed by some 400,000 people on the most beautiful March 17th in Cleveland history, with uncharacteristic blue skies and temperature around 70 degrees. Alas, I was teaching during the parade. The evening of March 17th was spent at the East Side Irish-American Club in Euclid, Ohio, where we heard the band "Fergie and the Bog Dogs," with Johnie Ferguson, his son, and my friend John Connell (aka John Mac Connell), from County Cavan, Ireland. Johnny Mac has a very beautiful voice, and plays a fine button-box accordian as well as guitar. John teaches math and staffs the math lab where I also teach. John is married to Marlene, the most-Irish Slovenian on the face of the earth--"more Irish than the Irish! John has told me that my Fitzpatrick ancestors are probably from County Cavan. We haven't pinpointed that for sure. My Mother thought the Fitzpatrick's were from somewhere near Dublin. Of course, parts of County Cavan are not that far from Dublin!