Wow, I can post youtube to the blog. (Screaming Orphans above)

Let's get right to it, great weekend. Friday night I saw The Screaming Orphans at the Glass with friends. I have heard them on cd before but that's nothing like a live show, they were brilliant. The band is made up of four sisters from Bundoran, Co. Donegal. As much as they tried to say how much fun their hometown was Emmet summed it up by saying "it's like the New Jersey of Ireland". Two of the sisters don't say a word and the other two don't shut up. Even if they didn't sing a note the show would be great just to listen to their stories. If you missed them At the Glass or at I2K in September, you still have another chance. They will be playing at the Albany Irish Cultural Center on Nov. 6.

Saturday I started to put together a photo slide show for the Saratoga Hibernians. Ten years of events over 2500 photos. I ended up using 400 photos and it runs about 30 minutes. Took me longer to put it to music. Sure anybody could just play music while the slide show is playing, I just wanted the songs to match up a bit. I had to work my itunes in ways i never had before . making some songs shorter and trying to make 12 tracks into one long track. for a first time attempt I think I did pretty good. I sent it out to about ten guys who go to most of the events and asked them to view it and send me more photos that they think should be part of it.

Sunday the Saratoga Hibernians made their yearly appearance at the National Park and Battlefield. This was the 233 anniversary of the battle of Saratoga. The victory at Saratoga is considered the turning point of the American Revolution. The battle of Saratoga has been called the most important battle of the last 1000 years in world history. The victory secured essential foreign support and recognition of the patriot's cause. At one point of the battle, Timothy Murphy, a son of Irish immigrants, shot himself into history. Murphy, serving under General Daniel Morgan, was ordered to take out British General Simon Fraser. Murphy climbed a tree, settled in with his double barreled rifle and shot Fraser from a distance of 300 yards. Fraser fell from his mount and died the next day. With his next round, Murphy shot and killed Sir Frances Clarke, aide-de-camp to General Burgoyne. Seeing the two Generals fall, the British troops started to panic and retreat, thus ending this skirmish of the battle. The US Army list Murphy as the first know sniper used by the Army. In 1913, the Saratoga Hibernians erected a monument to Murphy and all the soldiers of Irish decent. The monument is between stops four and five of the tour. Please come and join us next October for our wreath laying ceremony.

So all in all it was a very social and creative weekend.