![]() I WON'T GET INTO GREAT DETAIL HERE, BUT A FEW GENERAL FACTS WILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ORDER YOUR OWN: TERRITORY: IN THE MIDDLE AGES, THERE WERE TWO SEPTS (FAMILY GROUPS), THE LARGER ONE IN CONNACHT (OURS) DESCENDED FROM THE FIFTH CENTURY KING OF CONNACHT AND THE OTHER IN AND AROUND MUNSTER. AT AN EARLY DATE, BRANCHES SPREAD INTO MAYO, NORTH MUNSTER INTO KERRY AND DESCENDANTS ARE RECORDED IN MAYO AND BOTH DINGLE AND TRALEE. THE MUNSTER SEPT ORIGINATED IN CORK AND AGAIN DESCENDANTS ARE SHOWN TO HAVE COME FROM THE SIXTH CENTURY KING THERE. IN PRESENT TIME, THE SURNAME HAS SOME FIVE THOUSAND BEARERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, BEING PARTICULARLY WELL REPRESENTED IN CORK. MEANING: ORIGINALLY O'HARRACHTAIN, GRANDSON OF ARRACHTAN AND THAT OF CINEL mBEICE WAS O' HIONGARDAIL, GRANDSON OF IONGARDAL. THESE WERE ONCE ANGLICISED O'HARRAGHTAN AND O'HINGERDELL, BUT HARRINGTON IS FOUND AS EARLY AS THE 1570's , ADOPTED LARGELY IN IMITATION OF THE ENGLISH HARRINGTON'S WHO WERE GRANTED LAND IN IRELAND (AROUND WICKLOW) BY THE KING FOR SERVICES RENDERED (IN OTHER WORDS, MILITARY). ANCESTORS: THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF SEMI-FAMOUS OR LOCALLY FAMOUS NAMES, BUT NO SENSE GOING INTO ALL THAT NOW. SUFFICE IT TO SAY WE, JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER FAMILY HAD OUR GOOD ONES AND SOME BAD ONES, FROM SHOEMAKERS TO A FEW KNIGHTS, FAMERS AND MINERS AND SOLDIERS TO ABBOTS AND CIVIC LEADERS...INCLUDING THE ONE-TME MAYOR OF DUBLIN! ONE NOTE, SHANE (JOHN) O'HINGERDELL SON OF A TADHG (TODD, MY BROTHER) IS ON RECORD AS ADOPTING THE ALIAS JOHN HARRINGTON AS EARLY AS 1577 AND A ROBERT (UNCLE) OF ESSEX SETTLED IN IRELAND UNDER CROMWELL. I THINK WE'LL IGNORE THAT ONE... COAT OF ARMS: ON A BLACK FIELD, TRADITIONALLY THE HERALDIC COLOR OF WISDOM AND CONSTANCY, IS A WHITE FRET, GENERALLY AWARDED AS A MARK OF MILITARY DISTINCTION, HONOUR AND VIRTUE. SO, A BRIEF SYNOPSIS OF WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO LEARN ABOUT YOUR FAMILY NAME AND ANCESTORS WHEN YOU ORDER YOUR OWN COAT OF ARMS. THERE ARE PLENTY OF SOURCES ON LINE AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REFER YOU TO ONE IF INTERESTED. I GOT MINE DIRECTLY IN IRELAND SO I COULD MAKE SURE IT WAS WHAT I WANTED AND NEXT TRIP I'LL INCLUDE YOU IF THAT SUITS YOUR FANCY. EITHER WAY, YOU'LL ENJOY THE READING AND WHO KNOWS? MAYBE YOU'VE A CASTLE WAITING FOR YOU IN IRELAND!! (I DON'T.)
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WHO SAYS EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DEEP FRIED? WITH ALL THE ADVANCEMENTS IN COOKING AND FOOD PREP, THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS OUT THERE THAT STILL PROVIDE AN EXCELLENT DINING AND TASTE EXPERIENCE.
AT THE MONARCH, WE DON'T EVEN HAVE A DEEP FRYER IN THE PLACE! ALL OUR FISH, FRIES, ONION RINGS, ITEMS YOU WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO BE DEEP FRIED, ARE DONE IN OUR HOT AIR MACHINES. THINK A HOT CYCLONE! AIR SUPER HEATED TO 450+ DEGREES AND WRAPPED AT 30-40 MPH AROUND THE SIX SIDED TRAY HOLDER. RESULT: GOLDEN BROWN, HOT AND GREASE-FREE FOOD !! WHEN YOU DINE AT THE MONARCH, YOU CAN COUNT ON LESS CHOLESTEROL AND LOWER CALORIES JUST DUE TO THIS ONE FACTOR. AND WE GUARANTEE THE EXCELLENT TASTE OF YOUR SELECTION. OUR FAMILY RECIPES COME FROM GREAT GRAM ON DOWN AND YOU'LL ENJOY EVERY TIME TESTED BITE. WHO SAYS EVERYBODY HAS TO DO EVERYTHING THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE? ![]() SO, IS THAT DELICIOUS PLATE FULL OF TENDER CORNED BEEF, MASHED POTATOES, CARROTS AND BUTTER BOILED CABBAGE WHAT EVERYBODY IN IRELAND LOOKS FORWARD TO OR IS IT SOMETHING INVENTED OUT OF NECESSITY IN AMERICA? WELL, TO BE TRUTHFUL, WHILE NOW AVAILABLE IN ANY OF THE BIGGER TOURIST TOWNS IN IRELAND, THE CORNED BEEF PLATE CAME ABOUT IN AMERICA DURING THE GREAT HUNGER DIASPORA AND SUBSEQUENT EMIGRATION TO AMERICA. IN FACT, MEAT WAS A PRETTY SCARCE COMMODITY FOR THE IRISH PEASANT OF THE TIME, WITH BACON AND CABBAGE BEING THE MORE COMMON AND PREFERRED LUNCH. EVEN THE BACON IS DIFFERENT OVER THERE, AS IT COMES FROM THE BACK OF THE SOW, RATHER THAN THE BELLY AS IS COMMON OVER HERE. KIND OF LIKE OUR VERY THINLY SLICED HAM. BUT, BACK TO THE CORNED BEEF SAGA..... WHEN THE SURVIVORS OF THE COFFIN SHIPS FINALLY LANDED IN AMERICA, THE IRISH FOUND THEMSELVES WITH LITTLE EDUCATION, FEW SKILLS BEYOND HARD LABOR, VIRTUALLY PENNILESS AND NOT EXACTLY WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS. THE ONLY MEAT AVAILABLE AT A PRICE THOSE FEW PENNIES COULD AFFORD WAS THE "LEFTOVER" POOR CUT OF BRISKET. COMBINED WITH WHAT ROOT VEGETABLES THEY COULD RAISE, BUY OR OTHERWISE OBTAIN, IT WAS A STAPLE THAT COULD BE STRETCHED OUT TO KEEP BODY AND SOUL TOGETHER UNTIL REGULAR INCOME COULD BE FOUND....IF EVER. TODAY'S CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER IS MUCH MORE TENDER, SEASONED AND HAS ACHIEVED CULT STATUS FOR THE IRISH IN AMERICA. DELICIOUS AND JUICY, THE MONARCH'S PLATE IS A RECIPE HANDED DOWN BY GENERATIONS OF HARRINGTON WOMEN. COME, SIT AND EAT...ENJOY GREAT GRAMMA'S OLD-TIME AND "TRADITIONAL" RECIPE. ![]() IN CELTIC LORE, DRAGONS ARE EITHER LEGLESS AND BASICALLY OF THE WATER/ SEA OR THE MORE RECOGNIZABLE FOUR LEGGED VARIETY....THE KIND YOU SEE ON FLAGS, SHIELDS OR CRESTS. THINK KING ARTHUR AND HIS RED DRAGON EMBLEM. IF THEY HAVE WINGS AND MOST DO, THEY ARE BATLIKE AND CAN INCLUDE CLAWS OR OTHER APPENDAGES. ACCORDING TO THE LEGENDS, DRAGONS INHABITED A 'SECOND EARTH' AND WHERE THEIR PATHS OR LANDINGS COINCIDED WITH OUR EARTH, THERE WAS A HOLY OR MAGIC SPOT. AS PROTECTORS OF MAN, THESE SPOTS BECAME SPECIAL AREAS FOR COMMUNING WITH OR CREATING THE MAGIC, OR WORSHIPPING. AS WELLS WERE DEEP AND FAIRLY WIDE OPEN, THIS WAS A LOGICAL SPOT FOR THE MAGIC TO SEEP INTO OUR WORLD. HOW MANY PLACES DO YOU KNOW THAT HAS IT'S OWN DRAGON? WELL, WE DO AND HEGARTY HAS FOUND HER HOME HERE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, PERCHED ON OUR SIGN OVERLOOKING THE GREAT RIVER ROAD AND THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI. ALL WHO ENTER ARE CONSIDERED UNDER HER PROTECTION AND CAN RELAX AND ENJOY SAFETY AND COMFORT WHILE DINING OR ENJOYING A COLD ONE. HEGARTY WAS NAMED AFTER MY GREAT AUNT BETTY HAGGERTY, WHO UPON HER TRIP TO IRELAND WITH ME DISCOVERED HER LAST NAME WAS ACTUALLY O'HEGARTY AND SHE WAS FROM COUNTY MAYO. BUT, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY AND A GOOD ONE. HEGARTY HAS ACCEPTED HER NAME WITH EQUANIMITY AND SETTLED IN NICELY ON HER CHOSEN OVERLOOK. A WORD OF WARNING HOWEVER... NO DRAGON RESPONDS WELL TO HARASSMENT, CATCALLS OR OTHER FORMS OF DERISION. PLEASE REMEMBER......YOU ARE CRUNCHY AND TASTE SOMETHING LIKE CHICKEN TO ANY DRAGON. ![]() AT THE MONARCH, WE'RE PROUD TO SAY ALL OUR RECIPES COME FROM FAMILY...FROM GREAT GRAM RIGHT DOWN TO JOHN'S EXPERIENCE. TO MAKE THOSE WORK BEST, WE SHOP LOCALLY TO ASSURE QUALITY AND FRESHNESS...NEVER BUYING "OFF THE TRUCKS"... AND BRING IN ORIGINAL ADDITIONS FROM IRELAND WHEN WE CAN. SOOOOOO........ WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FOLKS AT BALLYMALOE FOODS, OUT OF LITTLE ISLAND, COUNTY CORK, IRELAND. RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE 30 BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE WORLD, THEIR KETCHUPS AND SAUCES ARE WORLD CLASS AS WELL! AS THE ONLY WISCONSIN DISTRIBUTOR FOR THEIR USA PRODUCT LINES, WE ARE INCORPORATING THEIR RECIPES INTO OURS (TRY OUR NEW PORKIE PIE WITH THEIR APPLE SAUCE...OMG DELICIOUS!) AND OFFERING THE BOTTLED PRODUCTS FOR SALE AT THE BAR. EVERYONE SAMPLING THE VARIOUS KETCHUPS (PLAIN, WITH CHILI OR WITH STOUT) OR SAUCES (CRANBERRY, MINT JELLY, APPLE, ORIGINAL TOMATO AND ORIGINAL WITH JALAPENO AND RED PEPPER) HAVE RAVED ABOUT THE QUALITY, THICKNESS AND TASTE AND BOUGHT MORE FOR HOME. WE'RE SURE YOU'LL ENJOY ALL THEIR TASTE SENSATIONS WITH OUR RECIPES AND YOURS AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY WE JOIN BALLYMALOE ON THAT WORLD LIST! The Monarch continues to evolve as Wisconsin's oldest operating pub. Just before the cold weather REALLY set in, John managed to get the main street entrance area repainted to mirror what you'll see in Ireland....every place/doorway painted a different color to highlight the business within. Of course, it would have been nice to get that done during the warm months, but that would have insulted his Irish approach to getting things done on a "schedule". The good news about that is, now we can watch it get finished THIS year....stay tuned, we think you'll like the final outcome!
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