Springtown camp meets
Aras an Uachtarain

Here are some photographs and some video footage of our meeting with the president, Mary Mc Aleese and her husband Martin. I was honored to meet her as a member of the 40th anniversary1968 civil rights commemoration committee and of course on behalf of the people of Springtown Camp.I was accompanied by my daughter Denise and we had a brilliant day. We were in the company of the men and women who shaped and continue to shape the society in which we live.The great civil rights leaders of our time.I am privileged to have been a member of the committee and to hear at first hand the stories and recollections of the brave women and men who were driving the civil rights movement forward.
As we posed for our photograph with the president she quietly asked me how Sadie Campbell was and asked me to pass on her and martins best wishes
As a member of the committee i took the opportunity to tell the Springtown Camp story and was amazed to discover that Springtown camp and all that it represented inspired some of our own great civil rights leaders. Having listened to them I have come to understand more fully the role that Springtown Camp and its people have played.As president Mary mc Aleese said to me"Springtown camp has a unique history"

Click here to view photographs>>

Video Clips below:

First Part of President McAleese's Speech

Part 2 of Mary McAleese's Speech featuring Speech by "Denis Haughey"
and Music from "Shades"

"Shades " singing for Civil Rights leaders Including "We shall Over Come"

Shades was founded in 1988 at an orientation program for first year students at Yale. We were founded to sing music of the African-American tradition, particularly R&B, gospel, jazz, pop, and traditional music. All of the members are not African-Americans, although the majority are. We very much draw on the diversity of our members. We have and have had Hispanic, Asian, Southeast Asian, Jewish, African and Caucasian members in addition to the African-American members in our group. A more detailed history of our group can be found here>>.