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Word Jumble & Trivia Quiz
Sculptures. See the Molly Malone Sculpture.
Students will automatically absorb Irish historical and cultural facts as they read the Liffey
Rivers Irish Dancer-Girl Detective series. For example, in The Mystery of the Winking
Judge, the ancient Irish Ogham stone writing language is used by Liffey as a design on her
first Irish dance solo dress with the "letters" (which are actually groups of lines) spelling her
last name: Rivers. But since Irish dance competition rules forbid the wearing of a dancer's
name (dancers wear numbers), Liffey knows that a judge would have to watch her dance
using a mirror since Ogham letters are written from right to left (sometimes from down to up
as well) and Liffey has her letter-lines arranged in a left to right sequence in the western
writing tradition. The code-like lesson of Ogham writing is typical of the manner in which the
student is casually instructed. (See Ogham letters on front cover of The Mystery of the
Winking Judge). In The Mystery of the Winking Judge, students will also be introduced to the
English Tudor queens through Liffey's eyes as she tours the National Portrait Gallery in
London where she discovers that "something is WRONG"with one of the portraits of Queen
Elizabeth I. Liffey then tours Ireland with her father unaware that they are being followed
by an international art theft agent and eventually solves the mystery while dancing in County
Sligo at a "feis" (pronounced 'fesh')or Irish dance competition.
former-latter: p. 1, neither-nor: p. 1, prow:
pp. 5, 128, nonchalant: p. 7, onyx: p. 27,
tort-torte: p. 23, docent: p. 31, Egyptologist: p.
34, credibility: p. 37, reprieve: p. 52,
formidable: p. 83, patronizingly: p. 89, sallow:
p. 102, anonymous: p. 131
p. 31, 'before she shredded her dignity once again'
p. 37, 'the stage would be going to Davy Jones'
locker' p. 75, 'Little Orphan Annie smile' p. 59
characters mentioned in the book and write
a brief paragraph about each of them
without doing any research. Search your
own memory bank!
Mary Poppins, Wee Willie Winkie,
Tarzan, Paddington Bear, Sherlock Holmes,
Batman, Little Orphan Annie, Children of
Lir
WHAT IS THIS????
** Why do you think Liffey fears her father's
history lectures? (eg: she feels trapped) Do you
prefer people lecturing to you or do you prefer to
watch dvds or television programs about subjects
that interest you?
** Michael Flatley p. 85, brought Irish dancing to
the whole world when he introduced Riverdance
in the 1990's. His dancing demonstrates that Irish
dancing is not just for girls. He more or less "owns"
it and is greatly respected. His legions of fans call
themselves "Flatheads."
**Do you think there is a stigma against boys
performing as ballet dancers, tap dancers, flamenco
or Irish dancers? (eg: peer pressure). Watch
Riverdance and then you decide!! Name some
other famous male dancers. (eg: Ballet-Rudolph
Nureyev and Mikhail Baryshnikov, Tap-Fred
Astaire and Savion, Flamenco-Israel Galvan)
** Do you have a favorite nursery rhyme? If so,
can you recite it now from memory? Liffey's is
Wee Willie Winkie.
Select the Scottish words:
WEE WILLIE WINKIE
By William Miller
1841
Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and doon stairs, in his nicht gown,
Tirlin' at the window, cryin' at the lock,
"Are the weans in their beds? --for it's noo ten
o'clock?"
TRADITIONAL IRISH DISH OR ASK
YOUR SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM TO
MAKE IT FOR A TRADITIONAL
IRISH NUTRITIOUS LUNCH:
COLCANNON
1 1/2 lbs potatoes 1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups milk 1 """""chopped parsley
6 scallions pepper and salt
1 1/2 cups boiled green cabbage
Boil potatoes and mash. (Instant might work
if not soupy.) Add boiling milk and scalded,
chopped scallions and beat until fluffy. Chop
cabbage and toss in melted butter. Add to
potatoes together with the parsley and fold
well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
A recipe which feeds 6-8
Liffey's father tells her about a famous poem
by the Nobel Prizewinner, County Sligo
poet, William Butler Yeats, called
By William Butler Yeats
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honeybee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a-glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnets's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear the water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand by the roadway, or on the pavement gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.
1892
What are 'wattles and linnets?"
