JUNE 2009
www.celtic-connection.com
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B.C. singer misses Scottish gigs after detention at Gatwick
EDINBURGH - Immigration officers treated a Canadian singer "like a terrorist" because she did not have the correct paperwork to travel and perform in Edinburgh, it has been claimed.
Allison Crowe, an up-and-coming roots and soul singer, who has performed several times in the UK, was detained at Gatwick for 11 hours, questioned, fingerprinted and then deported.
She was told she would never perform in Europe again once her passport had been stamped by the UK Border Authority as "barred from entry."
The singer's manager Adrian du Plessis said she and her colleagues were seized as soon as they arrived in London Gatwick Alport at 10 AM on May 19 and were held until 8:30 PM before being released without their passports with orders to return for deportation on May 22.
He said she was told by one immigration officer that she would struggle to ever work in Europe again once she had been rejected from the UK.
'Allison has worked very hard since she was 15 building up her career and Europe is one of her biggest bases so she was devastated," he said.
The group were targeted because they failed to obtain a Certificate of Sponsorship from the venues they were playing in, a little-known visa requirement brought in last November to combat illegal immigration and terrorism.
ALLISON CROWE who is based on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, was deported from Britain after it was claimed she did not have the correct paperwork to work in the UK.
Despite warnings they might never be able to perform again in Europe after having their passports stamped "barred from entry" in the UK, they were welcomed with no problems upon arrival in Germany.
The new legislation is opposed by leading figures of the art world including sculptor Antony Gormley, the head of the National Portrait Gallery and of the National Theatre, who along with 5,000 others, have signed a petition calling the Government to review it amid fears it could restrict artistic freedom.
It was also blamed for the decision by celebrated Iranian director Abbas Karostami pulling out of his debut production at English National Opera earlier in May.
Both The Halo in London's Battersea, and the LOT in Edinburgh, where Crowe was due to play say they knew nothing about the new legislation and that other previous overseas artists who have performed for them since the legislation took effect had experienced no problems.
The incident has been raised in the Scottish Parliament by Nationalist MSP Rob Gibson with a motion that has gained cross-party support.
With major festivals like the Edinburgh Fringe reliant on overseas talent, there are fears that the bureaucracy and heavy-handed tactics by immigration officials will scare off overseas performers.
Rose McKiernan: Working to Help Southern Sudanese
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER - Rose McKernan of Calgary was the winner of the 2008 Celtic Connection Person of Thenar Award
Rose received the award in recognition for her dedicated and voluntary efforts to raise funds to build a village in Southern Sudan.
Cork born McKiernan emigrated to Calgary in 1982, along with her husband Peter and two daughters, Maeve and Orla.
Rose has always been involved in volunteer work. For almost 20 years she has worked to help new Canadian immigrants find work, accommodations, and clothing, and also to overcome their language difficulties.
Over two years ago, McKiernan undertook her biggest volunteer project to date. She is spearheading a fundraising project to help build a school and a hospital, and to dig a well to provide fresh drinking water for the people in a village in Southern Sudan. The name other organization is the Southern Sudan Children's Literacy Foundation.
To date Rose has raised well over 840,000 for the project. The school has been built and the hospital will be next. Separate funds were raised to buy goats for the villagers but rebels came into the village and killed the goats.
DON MCAULEY of the Calgary Irish Cultural Society presented The Celtic Connection award to a surprised Rose McKiernan.
McKiernan runs a day care facility in her home and the children and their parents have run garage and bake sales to raise funds. The Calgary Irish Cultural Society has also helped with a fund raiser at the Irish centre along with individual donations.
The leprechauns must have been at work here because since last May we have attempted to present this award to Rose.
She was finally cornered this past May at a pub night at the Irish
Centre where vice-president Don McAuley made the presentation on behalf of The Celtic Connection to a surprised and amazingly unsuspecting Rose McKernan.
Congratulations Rose, we wish to commend your dedication and unselfish efforts to help the less fortunate people in Southern Sudan.
If anyone would like to learn more or help support the Southern Sudan Children's Literacy Foundation, call Rose at (403) 247-4732.
VANCOUVER FOLK USIC FESTIVAL
JULY17«18M9 2009
Jericho Beach Park
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MIDNIGHT JUNE 14
Featuring over 60 artists from 14 countries including: Bellowhead • Dick Gaughan • James Keelaghan Tony McManus • The Paperboys • Steven Pag'e The Proclaimers • Mavis Staples Justin Adams & Juldeh Camara Bop Ensemble • Jonathan Edwards Vishten AND MANY MORE!
TICKETS: 604.602.9798
www. thefestival. be. c a
413 Dunsmuii Street
Little Folks
[12 +under] Free!
Ticket Outlets: Banyen Books and Sound • Little Sister's Bookstore Hlghllfe Records • Neptoon Records • Zulu Records
MISSION FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL
JULY 24-26 2009
PHASER RIVER HERITAGE PARK, MISSION, BC
FEATURING:
Eiver [Faroe Islands] The Outside Track [sct/irl/can] • Stimmhorn [Switzerland] Tom Paxton [us] • Connie Kaldor [qc] • Kevin Fox [on] LesTireux d'Roches [qc] * Colin Linden [on] The Breakmen [bc] • Ken Whiteley [on] • Tim Williams [ab] Michael Jerome Browne [qc] • Headwater [bc]... and more!
Tickets:
www.missionfolkmusicfestival.ca 604-826-5937 | 1-866-494-FOLK (3655)