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The Shamrock Dublin Gazette- Issue #09
Kennedy High School, La Palma, California 90623
 
Friday, February 13, 2004    
Countdown to Departure: 27 Days
 
Current Email Subscribers: 102
 
Current Temperatures & Time 5:00am Here & 1:00pm There
Dublin: 46 Degrees-Cloudy-Wind at 4 mph-Humidity 100% 
Limerick: 50 Degrees-Cloudy-Wind at 3 mph-Humidity 100% 
London: 48 Degrees-Overcast-Wind at 5 mph-Humidity 81% 
 
Henri Soucy, Editor 
http://www.kennedyband.org
 
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IN THIS ISSUE
 
(1) A Word from Henri
(2) One of Europe's Loveliest Cities 
(3) Tower of London - The Traitor's Gate
(4) The Highest Observation Wheel in the World
(5) Send a Dublin Valentines E-Card
(6) Schedule of Events
(7) Fund-Raising Review
(8) Frequently Asked Questions
(9) Show me the Money
 
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A WORD FROM HENRI:
 
We're waiting for the final trip cost for triples, doubles
and singles from Norman Travel International. The exchange
rates have been bouncing back and forth over the past
few of weeks. Luckily I priced the trip in mid January
at a mid range exchange rate and not at the worse case
scenario. Pricing at the worse case scenario would have
added an additional $50. Which I didn't view as fair to
you. 
 
As you read on in this newsletter you'll see there's a
lot of activity from meetings to band practices in our
final 26 days leading up to the departure. In horse racing
terminology, we're heading down the stretch drive to the
finish line. I'm doing my best to make sure we finish in 1st 
place. 
 
I should have the detailed itinerary by Monday. I will
have it ready for distribution at our "All Hands" meeting
on March 1st. 
 
I'm still making minor adjustments for the assignments of
students to chaperones. It will be officially released
after the Chaperone Only meeting on Monday, February 23rd.
At that time a parent can talk to the chaperone if they
feel a need. Otherwise all chaperones will be at the "All
Hands" meeting on Monday, March 1st. You can pull them
aside at that time if you wish. 
 
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ONE OF EUROPE'S LOVELIEST CITIES:
 
Dublin is one of Europe's loveliest capital cities, with
proud old Georgian buildings (a style that harks back to
the early 1700s to mid-1800s, during the reign of Kings
George I to IV). 
 
Little remains of medieval Dublin, but it's easy to trace
its outline and see how the modern city has grown around
it. 
 
After the Georgian buildings began to appear in the 18th 
century, the Victorian age arrived in the mid-1800s,
leaving traces in the railway stations, banks, pubs,
markets and hospitals. 
 
Some of the best examples of the Georgian architecture you
will see on the trip is the doorways whose fanlights are
embellished with ornate wrought-iron decorations, cast-iron
foot scrapers, doorway lamps, knockers and railings.
 
The Dublin Bus services all parts of the city and outlying
areas. They have an electric train suburban service called
the Dublin Area Rapid Transit (DART). The service is fast,
silent and convenient, since departures are every five
minutes during peak hours. Take at least one taxi ride as
Dublin taxi drivers are the most knowledgeable and
entertaining in the world. They cannot be hailed from the
street, but may be summoned by telephone, and they operate
from stands at bus and railway stations. 
 
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TOWER OF LONDON - THE TRAITOR'S GATE:
 
Get ready for more spooky stores............ 
 
The Traitor's Gate was the Watergate entrance for prisoners
condemned after trial at Westminster. It dates from 1240
when Henry III enlarged the fortress by building extra
defence works. There is a story that when the work was
nearing completion on St. George's day 1240 there was a
great storm that resulted in the foundation's being
undermined and this resulted in the gate collapsing. When
the circumstances were repeated identically a year later an
inquiry revealed that a priest claimed to have seen the
ghost of Sir Thomas Becket striking the walls with a
crucifix. He said that the ghost was proclaiming that the
new building was not for the common good but "for the
injury and prejudice of the Londoners, my brethren". Since
it was the King's grandfather who had caused the death of
the saint he felt it was wise to include a small oratory in
the tower of the new building dedicating it to Sir Thomas
Becket. Even so its rooms have always had a reputation of
being haunted. Doors open and close without reason, the
figure of a monk in a brown robe has been seen. Ghostly
footsteps including the distinctive slap of monastic
sandals are sometimes heard. 
 
My recommendation is to make sure if you visit the Tower of
London, that it's during the day. I wouldn't be caught dead
as the sun set's within those walls. 
 
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THE HIGHEST OBSERVATION WHEEL IN THE WORLD:
 
As well as being one of the most visually striking
structures in the world - the British Airways London Eye
offers you a new perspective on a great city. It is the
highest observation wheel in the world. 
 
London's famous streets, churches, palaces and monuments
spread out below in a panoramic scene grown up from Roman
times - and, on a clear day - views that stretch 25 miles
to Windsor Castle. The Eye takes you on a gradual, 30
minute, 360 degree rotation that will give you the kind of
panoramic views usually only accessible by helicopter or
aeroplane. For Londoners and visitors alike, it really is
the best way to see London and it's many celebrated
landmarks. 
 
Expect to spend approximately the following: 
 
Adults 11.50 Pounds Sterling or $21 US Dollars
Children (Under 16) 6 Pounds Sterling or $11 US Dollars
Senior (60 & Over) 10.50 Pounds Sterling or $19 US Dollars 
 
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SEND A DUBLIN VALENTINES E-CARD:
 
To mark Saint Valentines Day, we've put together some very 
special Valentines Day E-cards for you to send to the one 
you love. There are 6 cards to choose from and they're all 
free! So go on, take a minute to show you care, visit our 
e-cards page:
 
http://www.visitdublin.com/postcards/
 
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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
 
MANDATORY BAND PRACTICES<=>
 
Tuesday, February 17th (7pm-9pm)
Tuesday, February 24th (7pm-9pm)
Tuesday, March 2nd (7pm-9pm)
 
A Special Open session on Monday, March 8th (7pm-9pm). The
band will be performing all of the songs to be played in
Ireland. All families are invited to come and listen to
the globetrotting Shamrock Regiment Ireland Band strut
their stuff. 
 
 
MANDATORY ADULTS OVER 21 MEETING<=>
 
By the time you will have received this newsletter, I will
have called all adults on the telephone. This Boy Scouts
of America mandatory youth protection meeting from 
7pm-8:30pm in the Band Room Monday, February 16th is
critical for us to receive our National Rider Policy for
this trip so we are under the $1M Umbrella Insurance Policy
we have in the USA. This insurance policy is needed for the
band to march in the St. Patricks Day Parade. Only groups
providing proof of insurance will be allowed in the parade. 
 
This requirement for the adults over 21. I only learned
about it a couple weeks ago. Rather than sending adults to
Costa Mesa at their headquarters, I convinced the Boy
Scouts of America to send a trainer to the school for
this one night. Please do not miss it. 
 
 
MANDATORY CHAPERONE ONLY MEETING<=>
 
On Monday, February 23rd from 7pm-9pm there will be a
mandatory chaperone meeting. This meeting time will be
for the chaperones to meet each other and we'll go over
their group and individual responsibilities. We'll review
each day's itinerary in complete detail. It will be a time
for the chaperones to ask any questions that they may have. 
 
 
FINAL "ALL HANDS" MEETING<=>
 
On Monday, March 1st 7pm-9pm we will have the final "All
Hands" meeting for everybody going on the trip. We'll be
going over the entire itinerary. The chaperones will be
introduced. The foreign currency will be distributed for
the parents that asked us to procure the Euros and Pound
Sterling on their behalf through Bank of America. This will
be your best opportunity to ask questions. 
 
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FUND-RAISING REVIEW:
 
Since mid January, 113 individual donations have come
in from your sending out the letters to your family,
friends and professionals. The grand total donated is
$10,185. I've processed donations from $5 all that way up
to $2,200. That's right one check for $2,200. You just
never know. 
 
Keep sending out those letters. This money can be used for
your travel expenses. 
 
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
 
(Q1) What time will we have to be at the airport? What time
will the airplane take off? Will the school bus take us to 
the airport or will our parents have to take us? If our
parents cannot take us and we have to go on a school bus, 
then can our parents meet us there to bid us goodbye?
 
(A1) We'll be discussing this at the "All Hands" Meeting on
March 1st. But to let you know we will have Anaheim 
District buses coming to the school parking lot on
Thursday, March 11th to transport everybody to the airport.
They will also be there when you return on March 20th at
LAX to pick everybody up and bring you back to the Kennedy
parking lot. At a minimum we'll arrive at the airport no
later than 3 hours prior to the flight. Which is 2:45pm. 
So we'd leave the school no later than 1:45pm to be safe. 
Since tags for British Midlands or Aer Lingus have to be 
affixed to all luggage, instruments, etc. we'll probably 
ask people to be at the school by 12:00pm. A final decision 
has not been made yet. 
 
Normally questions will be answered in the weekly 
newsletter. If the questions require an immediate response,
I'll send out a special email. 
 
mailto:henri.soucy@ngc.com?subject=questions
 
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SHOW ME THE MONEY:
 
$100 US Dollars = $53 Pound Sterling (Great Britain)
$100 US Dollars = $78 Euro (Ireland) 
Rate valid as of: 02/13/2004 
 
Currency conversions are based on Yahoo and CNN Currency
Conversion data. 
 
Friday, February 20th is the deadline to turn in your US
Dollars for conversion to Euros and Pound Sterling. You can
always go down the Bank of America branch yourself. But I
can't guarantee that the rate you will get will be the
same. Our advantage is in the volume of US Dollars to be
exchanged. 
 
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Thank You For Your Readership!
 
 Henri Soucy, Editor
 12903 Belcher Street
 Norwalk, CA 90650-3329 
 Telephone: 310-332-3239
 Pager: 310-232-4458  
 http://www.kennedyband.org
 Email Address: henri.soucy@ngc.com
 
 Bob Anthony, Kennedy Band Director
 Telephone: 714-220-4119
 
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