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THE CELTIC CONNECTION » DECE'"^ER 1995/JANUARY 1996
Celebrate the Season with Vancouver's Longest Chugging Tradition!
Runs Friday, December 8th through Monday, January 1st, 1996
S pm -9 pm weekdays 2 pm -9 pm weekends
Bring the Entire Family and Enjoy Magnificent Displays and a Magical Train Ride in Vancouver's First Park
lNTI-KT.MNMI-NT $ I.IIOIRS* RJSKHRS Rlil;RI:SI IMl-NTS AVAIl.Aiy.J-
Adults $2.15 Youths $1 .so
children a seniors $1.00 families $4.30 train ft farmyard $8.00 for families -(2 adults of the same household ft their children 18 years a under)
Phone 257-8531 for further information
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Special Christmas Cracker Ticket Special for Park Board Family Events
the $15 Combo Family Ticket and sec theChristmas Train \ Farmyard plus the Ymil Wn Botanical Garden's "Festival ot Lights"
Karen O'Connor Coulter Barrister & Solicitor
IMMIGRATION LAW
FAMILY LAW MEDIATION
800 -1200 Burrard Street Vancouver, B.C. V6Z 2C7 Telephone: (604) 685-2880 Fax: (604) 681-1576
A Gifted Fiddler
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER — Ashley Mac-Issac is a lean, mean, music machine who plays a wicked Cape Breton fiddle. Dressed in army fatigues and Doc Martens, he unpretentiously appeared centre stage at the Rage, Plaza of Nations, with a "Hi, how are you today" (This is also the name of his latest release).
Ashley is 20 years old and I had to keep reminding myself of this as I listened and watched him play. For an hour and 40 minutes, Ashley captivated the crowd (unusual for a fiddle player), backed by a bagpipe player, drums, guitar ana keyboard.
With horsehair and rosin flying and bows and fiddles being replaced repeatedly, his music ranges from Irish and Scots traditional tunes to a rendition of the Bee Gees Staying Alive. All the while he's playing, Ashley is bouncing around the stage, stepdancing intricate dance steps and weaving back and forth from one foot to the other, never missing a beat.
I can see why Ashley wears Doc Martens. There's no doubt that he's shaking the foundations of traditional fiddle purists — heightened by high tech smoke, purple lights and laser beams to boot. As I watched the green laser lights, I wondered if there were tartan laser lights and ones with Celtic designs to enhance his show even more.
Ashley is very proud of his background and in a day and age when most people are trying to get many privacy in their lives, Ashley is inviting everyone back to his home in Cape Breton and giving explicit directions how to get there.
Coming from an Irish background, I smiled as I heard him speaking about fairies braiding horses' manes at night. I'd heard this from my father years ago when I was growing up on a farm in Western Quebec. Ashley said the best way to learn how to play the fiddle was from a Cape Breton fairy and with that, he dedicated the fiddle tune The King of the Fairies to all the fairies at the Rage.
Watching the pace and control that Ashley has over his fiddle and the knowledge far beyond his years, I believe his talents must have a gift from the outer world. Keep snaking those foundations Ashley, the wee ones are holding up the pillars.
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Be Sure to Visit O'Shea's For that Very Special Christmas Gift
• deidre mcguire handknit sweaters in cotton & silk
• brian tucker tweed designs
• claddah wedding bands
fc anniversary rings
• celtic jewellery
• belleek china
• irish heritage cottages
• duiske glassware
• avoca handlooms
Warm Irish Hospitality and knowledgeable staff await you at O'Shea's Scotia Centre — Calgary West Edmonton Mall
Ph (403) 266-4334 • Fax (403) 266-1103
Ph (403) 444-1654
SHEILA RYAN & SARSFIELD
Now booking for March B.C. & Alberta Tour Call (604) 389-0012
For information on Sheila's new CD, which will be in stores by late January, or to order her current CD Down by the Glenside, produced by Will Millar of the Rovers
Call A&B Records 1-800-663-1596
******************* ^XSWITH SANTA
Children 8-12 are $5.95
KIDS!! FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!
Learn tricks at sunday, dec. 24, ii:3qam-3:oopm Gary Savard's
Photos with Santa!.
School of Magic
Starring the Larry Munroe Jazz Quartet Fabulous all-you-can-eat Buffet Brunch Seniors $9.95, Adults $15.95
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 683-4436
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PROUDLY PRESENTS
SUN.. DECEMBER 31.1995
Rock 'n Roll in the Irish tradition!
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!
FOR DETAILS & ADVANCE TICKETS CALL
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683-4436
The Unicorn*
FOR A 24 HOUR UNICORN UPDATE CALL: 4
AN IRISH ROVERS RESTAURANT
a slapshot away from gm place!
770 Pacific Blvd. South, Vancouver, B.C.
TALKING
YELLOW PACES
299-9000 [4[4L3|6„
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