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www.celtic-connection.com
FEBRUARY 2009
A Very Unusual 50th Anniversary Celebration
VANCOUVER - Patrick Reid, the former Commissioner General of Expo 86, has led a fascinating and adventurous life. Over the past 60 years he has found himself in the midst of some of the most dramatic and historic events around the world, and 2008 was no exception.
On December 13, Patrick and his wife Alison celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary aboard the Oceania Cruises ship Nautica. On that date they were in the Maldive Islands. They had left Rome on November 18 and were to arrive at their final destination in Singapore on December 20.
It was a wonderful trip with visits to places like Pompei, Sicily, the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, Oman, Dubai, India, Thailand and Malaysia. Salalah and Muscat in Oman were surprising highlights with their perfect blend of tradition and thoughtful development.
However cruising can have its hazards these days. The couple's original itinerary included Myanmar (Burma), which had to be taken off because of the disaster there earlier in 2008.
Then, when they were already at sea, the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India meant the ship could no longer call at that port.
Then, as Nautica was passing through the Gulf of Aden the vessel was attacked by nautical pirates.
The waterway is part of the main Suez canal shipping route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea in the Indian Ocean with 21,000 ships crossing the Gulf annually.
Recently, it has become known by the nickname "Pirate Alley" due to the large amount of piracy in the area.
The Reids were having breakfast in the main dining room when all passengers were instructed to move away from windows and get down on the floor amidships.
They were advised that the ship was about to take evasive action
PATRICK AND ALISON REID spent their anniversary aboard the Oceania Cruises ship Nautica.
THE GULF OF ADEN off the coast of Somalia has become known by the nickname "Pirate Alley" due to the large amount of marine piracy in the area.
because of the approach of pirate boats.
The evasive action was straightforward enough. The ship picked up speed dramatically. Shots were fired at the ship as it left the pirates astern. When passengers were allowed to get up and look out, they could see the pirate boats receding in the distance.
Some passengers who had been elsewhere reported that they saw the faces of the pirates and heard the shooting.
What was extraordinary about the incident was that the pirates had been operating on choppy seas in mid-ocean, far from land. When the ship reached Singapore the ship staff and passengers found themselves, very temporarily, media celebrities.
The Reids were able to spend their last night in Singapore in the famous Raffles Hotel, where Patrick had lived when he headed the military police on Singapore Island over 60 years earlier.
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THE 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY of Phil and Norah Moore was celebrated in the chapel of Mt. St. Joseph's Hospital on December 27, 2008 with Father Vincent Hawkswell of St. Patrick's Church celebrating. (L-R) Thomas O'Flynn, Norah and Phil Moore, Fr. Hawkswell and Teresa O'Sullivan.
NATALIE AND STEPHEN McGinley are celebrating the birth of their first child, Ava Caitlyn McGinley born on November 3, 2008 at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver.
HAVING A BALL at the IWN Nollaig na mBan dinner and dance: (L-R) [Front]: Margaret Browne, Maureen Gerrard, Erin Coughlan and Helen Carton. [Back]: Bernie Todd, Philomena Bryce, Nia Parsonage, Jackie Parsonage, Sylvia Korteling and Marie Bruce.
IWN Supports Appreciation Night for Celtic Connection on February 14
By SIOBHAN AIRKY
VANCOUVER - The Irish Women's Network is co-ordinating a silent auction for the Sweetheart's Ball, an appreciation night for The Celtic Connection to be held on February 14 in St. Patrick's Hall at Twelfth and Main Street in Vancouver.
With an expected attendance of over 250 people from the Celtic diaspora around the Lower Mainland, the evening includes dinner, entertainment and dancing as well as the silent auction.
The event is in aid of The Celtic Connection newspaper, that great community newspaper that keeps the Celtic communities of Western Canada and across the border connected together and plays such a central role in keeping everyone informed of what's going on in the Celtic communities.
A group of volunteers are currently contacting potential sponsors for donations for the auction. Please consider contributing an item if you can.
Some items that have sold well at previous IWN fundraising auctions are gift baskets, wine, a service or holiday get-away, such as a cottage or condo, children's items, gourmet food items, gift certificates, electronic equipment, artwork and author-signed or special edition books.
All donations will be displayed prominently and will be fully acknowledged on the night, and in publicity for the Ball.
Please contact Deirdre O'Ruairc at (604) 538-6765 if you would like to donate to the auction.
JOE AND CHRISTINE BURKE are happy to announce that their daughter Megan West (nee McNulty) had a healthy eight pound two ounce baby boy on Christmas Day. His name is Fleetwood West (nicknamed Woody). They are happy to report that everyone has now comfortably moved into their new titles - parents, grandparents, great grandparents and even uncles. New uncles Jude, Frankie, and Stevie are shown above holding Woody.