THE CELTIC CONNECTION » APRIL 1994
Page 7
Roll up the Rug —-Celebrate Irish Culture
Photo: Ellen Saenger
JIM CORBIN of County Monaghan works on the railway — one of the portraits from "Thousands are Sailing"
By NORA READY and ERIN MULLAN
VANCOUVER — They are your neighbours, your workmates, your aunties, yourself. They are the Irish exiles who find themselves living here on this wet coast.
For some, leaving was without choice. For others, adventure or the chance of work beckoned and away they went. From Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Donegal, they have landed on these shores.
The Irish, however far from home, always carry with them something of the island — a way
of subverting the English language into something thoroughly Irish, a passion for music, a thirst for the "craic."
This year's Mayworks festival of working people and the arts features two events with an Irish accent. On May 7, the WISE Club plays host to a celebration of Irish culture, featuring traditional music and Irish dancing, songs and stories from home.
That same evening will feature the opening of "Thousands are Sailing," a photo/interview exhibit which profiles the Irish im-
migrant community in the Lower Mainland.
The exhibit is a set of portraits that uses photographs and oral history to convey the experiences of a cross-section of Irish immigrants. Feast your eyes on the races of the Irish who work on the railroads, schools, building sites and for the unions.
The memories that these immigrants carry of their homeland are integral to who they are. Violet remembers how the streets streamed with kids kicking soccer balls and racing about on foot and bikes. Kevin remembers the helicopters overhead whirring and droning, day and night. Paul remembers the great jazz at the Maritime Club.
Now, across the water, it is to our good fortune that they bring their lovely, infectious music and culture with them. AsthePogues sang, "Where e'er we go, we celebrate the land that makes us refugees."
Celebrate we will during this festival. Seattle-based band Clon-tarf, will treat us to traditional music and song with bodhran, flute, fiddles, and guitar. Violet Moore will set the place on its ear with her renowned dancers.
Danny Burns and other local musicians will sing and play a few tunes, tell stories and generally enliven the proceedings. Not surprisingly, the evening will end with bit of a sesfun.
Strike the harp and get back with the auld ones, even if your auld ones are Swedish or Salish. Roll up the rug because we're going to have a nooley, and you're invited. Cead mile failte one and all!
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The opening of "Thousands are Sailing" is from 6 to 8 PM at the WISE Club, at 1882 Adanac, corner of Victoria Drive. Tickets are $8 and $10, depending whether or not you're working. For more information, call Erin at (604) 254-1954 or the Mayworks office at (604) 874-2907.
Creating a Network for Irish-Canadian Business
By COLM PLACE
VANCOUVER — To enhance links in the Irish community, as well as building links between the Irish and Canadian business communities, a Vancouver Chapter of the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce is in the process of being established. It is hoped that this attempt to foster closer relationships will receive support from a broad cross-section of the Irish community.
Chapters serving Montreal and Toronto have been in existence since 1991 and 1993, respectively. Despite the short life of the Toronto Chapter, approximately 125 individuals have already become members, partaking in a number of interesting activities and events.
The primary purpose of the organization is to offer a network whereby members can pursue business, professional and social interests, as well as organizing events geared to the Irish-Canadian business community.
Supporting this goal are such items as a quarterly national newsletter and the forthcoming premier edition of the Green Pages Business and Service Directory.
The directory has a planned distribution of 20,000 copies. Hundreds of Irish-Canadian businesses have already been contacted and the response to this initiative to "let your green fingers do the walking" has been very encouraging.
This innovative endeavour is sure to produce long term benefits for the Irish community, being a constant reference source for the products and services-available within the community.
A number of individuals in Vancouver are committed to working towards the formation of a strong, vibrant chapter here. For this to happen, what is needed now is for other interested individuals to come forward with expressions of support and intent.
Anyone wanting to become part of this enterprise, or needing more information, please call, Colm Place at (604) 689-0842 Fax (604) 689-0846) or John O'Beirne at (604) 683-3800.
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FIVE CORNERS THEATRE PRESENTS
C2&v\ve.rscd\oY\s on a •H o meco m i v\g
A Compelling Irish Bar Room Comedy by Tom Murphy
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