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Travel Retail’s Wild Geese: Denis Hourigan
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Monthly Archives: June 2013
Men of Action: Walking In The Air
At 1,500 ft above the Little Colorado River Gorge in northeastern Arizona, Nik Wallenda wowed the world. As a professional tightrope walker, Nik walked across 2-inch-think steel rope to cross the dry river bed on the Navajo Nation, near the Grand Canyon.
Nik Wallenda’s path across the Little Colorado River Gorge in Northeastern Arizona (Image from Lwp Kommunikaco via Flickr)
Nik battled ‘unpredictable’ winds of up to 30 mph, and had to steady the rope as he made his journey, which was broadcast by the Discovery Channel.
‘It took every bit of me to stay focused that entire time. My arms are aching like you wouldn’t believe
‘It was a dream to come true. This is what my family has done for 200 years, so its part of my legacy’
Nik is 7th generation aerial performer and last year he crossed Niagra Falls, earning him his 7th Guinness World Record. This is clearly in his blood. The Legend of The Wild Geese has taught us that courage is often on the path to achieving your dreams. It took him only 22 minutes to cross the river, displaying an unprecedented amount of courage.
Wild Geese Stories: Michelle Obama Flies ‘Home’
Barack Obama wasn’t the only one making an impact in Northern Ireland this week. The President flew into the country with his family and Michelle Obama has once again proved why the world sees her as an inspirational ambassador for the United States.
The First Lady roused the student audience just before the President’s address on Monday, telling the next generation they have the power to forge their destinies and ‘we expect great things from you’.
‘Standing here today, I have never felt more optimistic… we believe in each and every one of you, that is exactly why we are here’
In his speech on Monday, the President also reminisced about his visit to Ireland in 2011, where he discovered that his great-great-great grandfather came from Moneygall and moved to New York in 1850. ‘It was a magical visit,’ the President said in his speech, ‘but the only problem was it was far too short’.
So Michelle took advantage of the trip and flew with her two daughters across the boarder to Dublin. They met with university professors at Trinity College and explored the family’s Irish ancestry, discovering that one of the President’s ancestors, John Kearny, was Provost of Ireland’s most prestigious university in the eighteenth century. Another link in the Legend of The Wild Geese.
The visit was important as it marked the ongoing relationship between the US and Ireland. Provost of Trinity College Dr Patrick Prendergast said:
‘As a country, America has welcomed many of our graduates over the years where a large number of our alumni are living. Our graduates who play a critical role in shaping the knowledge of the economy are our diaspora’
After a private tour of the Wicklow mountains, Michelle attended a performance of the world famous Riverdance. She addressed the crowd, representing her family and the dreams of the original Wild Geese:
‘It’s good to be home. You are surrounded by such a beautiful country’
The family shared a lunch with U2′s Bono at Finnegan’s pub in Dalkey, outside of Dublin, before travelling back to Northern Ireland to meet the President.
Travel Retail’s Wild Geese: Tom Byrne
Men of Action: Obama Outlines ‘Future We Can Build Together’
Image from wikimedia
Barack Obama delivered a rousing speech this week, celebrating the progress made in the Northern Ireland Peace Process and outlining its implications for the rest of the world and the ‘future we can build together’.
The Good Friday Agreement was a monumental move towards peace for the country in 1998. It has served as inspiration for many nations across the world, including the USA.
The President enthused:
‘So many of the qualities that we Americans hold dear we imported from this land – perseverance, faith, an unbending belief that we make our own destiny, and an unshakable dream that if we work hard and live responsibly, something better lies just around the bend’
The President delivered his speech to groups of students, tomorrow’s leaders, who greeted his words with a thunderous applause. The Irish fortitude that we celebrate is clearly still alive today. The Wild Geese themselves persevered and believed that they could make their own destinies. Indeed they did.
From their example and Obama’s words, anything is possible.
The President ended with a reminder of the link between Northern Ireland and the USA.
‘You are the blueprint to follow, you are the proof of what is possible, because hope is contagious.
And you should know that so long as you are moving forward, America will always stand by you as you do’
New Cocktail Video: Flying High
Get your jiggers and bar spoons ready. Joe Gunner from the Portobello Star in London is back. He’ll guide you through our new cocktail recipe: FLYING HIGH. Show off your expertise to your dad this Father’s Day!
FLYING HIGH
A spiced old-fashioned style drink.
40mls The Wild Geese Rare Irish Whiskey
20mls Domaine De Canton
10mls Benedictine
4 drops orange & mandarin bitters
Stir all ingredients, strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with an orange twist.
Travel Retail’s Wild Geese: Thomas McCrave
Father’s Day Cocktail: Flying High
Fathers are heroes for more than one day. Treat him to a ‘Flying High’ this weekend!
FLYING HIGH
A spiced old-fashioned style drink.
40mls The Wild Geese Rare Irish Whiskey
20mls Domaine De Canton
10mls Benedictine
4 drops orange & mandarin bitters
Stir all ingredients, strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with an orange twist.
Travel Retail’s Wild Geese: George Horan
Men of Action: Soldiers of Fortune on the Beaches of Normandy
Image from DVIDSHUB, via Flickr Creative Commons
Today is the 69th anniversary of the D-Day Landings, one of the largest and most complex military operations of the modern age. Thousands of soldiers were involved in the operation. Whether they fell on the beaches or survived to tell their tales, each of them are heroes to be remembered.
Amongst the force stood soldiers from Ireland who recognised a cause to be fought and played a pivotal role in the landings. Like The Wild Geese these were soldiers who took flight and fought a cause far from home.
One of the soldiers was Sean Deegan, who was a part the amphibious landing.
‘I was a soldier of fortune, not a political soldier. When we got to Germany, we found out it was a worthwhile cause’
He joined the British RAF, but was trained in the use of a Harley Davidson on the battlefield, which he rode into battle on June 6th 1944.
‘Believe it or not, I had thought that all my dreams had come true when they trained me on a Harley Davidson. Then I find myself on one of these little landing crafts waiting to go in, and I’m thinking to myself “what have I done?”
‘It was horrendous, there’s no other way of describing it’
Deegan’s story is even more touching when he goes on to describe the bonds he made before the combat.
‘When there’s danger around you, you become very pally with people. It’s a different sort of friendship that you experience. I’ve never really experience that sort of friendship in civilian life’
We imagine this is the type of camaraderie original The Wild Geese shared in 1691, shoulder to shoulder.
Sean Deegan survived the war, although many of his friends did not, including two who travelled from Ireland Tim O’Neill and John O’Reilly. He became a Franciscan friar and chose the name Bother Columbanus. You can read more of his story here.
It’s important to remember their courage today. We raise a glass to them.