Recognition - Ottawa Ceili Band

Alf and Elizabeth 

On Saturday 17 March 2017 at our St. Patrick's Day event, we recognized and celebrated the leads of our céilí band, Alf Warnock and Elizabeth Scarlett.

The chair of Ottawa Irish Arts presented to Alf and Elizabeth this appreciation award on behalf of Ottawa Irish Arts for more than 20 years service and dedication to the traditional music community.

Alf Warnock and Elizabeth Scarlett have been involved in local traditional music since at least the 1980s when there was a traditional session at Rasputin’s.  By about 1997 Alf and Elizabeth ran the Rasputin’s session until Rasputin’s was destroyed by fire in 2008. By Elizabeth’s estimate, they played one or two sessions a week from 1984 to 2008.

Elizabeth taught fiddle at the Ottawa Folklore Centre in the 1990s, and had started some Celtic groups that formed the roots of what later became some of the local slow jams. 

Alf and Elizabeth have also been involved in the Ottawa Fiddle Club, and probably any other fiddle group that’s come and gone.

Alf, juggling his schedule, continues to play traditional Irish music with us, while also performing in local jazz ensembles.

For as long as I’ve been involved with this branch of Comhaltas, Alf and Elizabeth have ably and consistently served as leaders of the Comhaltas (now Ottawa Irish Arts) ceili band, more than 10 years, and they rarely, and I mean rarely, miss a gig.

Thank you Alf and Elizabeth!
Go raibh míle maith agat!

C. Hamm
Ottawa Irish Arts, Chairperson || Cathaoirleach 

Chair's Corner - Notes from the Ottawa Irish Arts (CCE Ottawa) Chair, September 2017

Over the summer we were slightly more busy than usual. On June 16, myself, the Irish Officer (D. Doyle), the PRO (Oscar), the Social Media Officer (Pat), and guests Mary Muckle (harp), Pat Marshall (harp), Tim Robinson (pipes) spent the day (and lead up days, preparing) at the Ottawa Irish Arts booth at the "Ireland Welcomes the World" day at the Landsdowne park Horticulture building, which was also Bloomsday! The booth was prepared with instruments, Troir samples, Danny’s book on the Irish language in Canada, cds and sheet music for sale, the trifold, and up to date pamphlets. 

There was a lot of interest in the harps, the language, and interest in our events. The estimate was about 4000-5000 people came through over about 12 hours. It was clearly the best public outreach the Irish community has had in many years, that was not on St. Patrick’s, which tends to get more attention for partying. It was very successful and I hope that the outreach is noticed at our events.

On August 2nd there was a spectacular concert at St Brigid’s Centre, Kildare Room, with Pierre Schryer, Dermot Byrne, and Adam Dobres. Special guests included several locals and the Shryer brothers, who had not played on stage together for many years. It was well attended by about 100 people. It was a fundraiser for Pierre’s brother Dan, whose house was destroyed by fire earlier in the summer. The Old Sod Society provided most of the advertising, and got many people to come. It was billed as a joint Old Sod and Ottawa Irish Arts effort, and we got recognition for that. 

OIA was also invited to the exhibit opening in the Byward market hosted by the NCC and the Irish Embassy, "The Irish Diaspora in Canada: A History." It was also Liz Keogh’s last event as the 2nd Secretary of the Embassy. We bid her and Niall a fond farewell. Her new posting is in Limerick. We also met the incoming 2nd Secretary. at this event, Laura Finlay.

I attended the Irish ambassador's residence reception for the 2017 Eastern Regional GAA Championship participants, where I met the incoming ICUF Scholar, Sheila Concannon (we had said farewell to the previous scholar Kate Jordan earlier in the summer at a reception held by Margaret Moriarty).

Sadly, Branch member, Laurie Kelly, wife of Pat Kelly, died suddenly while visiting Ireland with Pat on Aug 30 at age 75. Patricia Avendano and I attended the funeral reception, and left a card on behalf of the branch. The branch made a donation to the St. Patrick’s Home of Ottawa Foundation.


Respectfully || Le meas,

Craig Hamm 
Chair || Cathaoirleach

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann - 2016 Canada East Region Music Hall of Fame Honours

In Sudbury, on 22 October 2016, our past Ottawa Branch Chairperson (Síle Scot) was introduced into the CCÉ Canada East Region Music Hall of Fame Honours.

Sheila (Síle) Anne Scott

Courtesy of Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Síle was born in 1960 in Ottawa to Deidre (née Mulrennan) and Pádraig Scott. Her childhood home was a major hub of all aspects of Irish Culture.

She began Irish dancing with Peggy Kendellen when she was in primary school. By the time she had completed high school, she was already teaching. She established a dance in school in Brockville in 198, and began teaching with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Ottawa in the same year. Her dance teams have taken first place in Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada four times since 2011, and have given many performances at other events.

As head instructor for the Ottawa Comhaltas Branch, she was also responsible for calling monthly céilís, and acting as "Bean an Tí" (headmistress). In addition to céilí and set dancing, she also reached sean-nós dancing and placed first int he open event at the Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada  in 2012. Other Oireachtas awards include 2nd place in Irish language singing (style other than sean-nós -old style) in 2014, and 2nd place in poetry recitation in 2015.

She was a founding executive member of Cumann na Gaeltachta (2002) along with her husband Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh and others of the North American Gaeltacht (Gaeltacht Thuaisceart on Oileáin Úir, 2007) and Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada (2011).

Síle has been an inspirational Comhaltas figure in Canada, and in the Irish language and cultural community, for more than 20 years. Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her generosity, patience, and genuine interest in people, are immediately in evidence. Her leadership, Intelligence, vision, skills, and talents are legend.

It is with great pride that we induct Síle Scot in the Comhaltas Music Hall of Fame.

Ena O'Brien

Chairperson

Canada East Regional Board

Donal Kavanagh

by Jerome Quinn    

Donald (Don) Kavanagh

January 7, 1928 - December 25, 2016

It is with great sadness that we reported that Don died on 25 December. See his full obituary here.

Don, a native of Dublin, grew up with traditional Irish music, he was a well-known musician renown for his slow airs, hornpipes, and waltzes played on his trusty harmonicas (an Hohner Chrometta and Chinese Lark chromatics, but more as solo-tuned diatonics than as true chromatics), but he always kept the ornamentation to a minimum.

He arrived in Canada in 1954, and along with other Irish-born musicians founded CCÉ Ottawa Branch in 1975. In 2002 he was introduced to the CCÉ Canada East Region Music Hall of Fame.

The best way to remember his music legacy is by the memories people have of Don’s life and their experiences of meeting him:

Sheila Scott, former CCÉ Ottawa Chairperson || Cathaoirleach:

It is with great sadness that CCÉ Ottawa announced the death of one of the leading Ottawa branch's founding members. Don Kavanagh passed away on 25 December 2016. A gifted musician and story-teller, he gave so much of his time and energy to the promotion and continuation of Irish traditional music in the Greater Ottawa and Outaouais regions.

The hornpipes he played were legendary, but with any reel, jig and slides, he had your toes tapping as well. They will be having some great ceilis in heaven these days. You were the best Don! Glad you are reunited with your darling Celie!

James Stephen (local musician):
I remember first meeting Don in the mid 1980's when I was playing an outdoor gig in Aylmer with Nathan Curry and John Wood. While I had been playing violin for a long time at that point, I was relatively new to playing Irish traditional music. Nathan got Don up to play a couple of tunes on stage with us, and I remember thinking that this was something I'd never heard before, harmonica playing this kind of music. What I remember the most was the depth of feeling in his playing and the nimbleness of his ornamentation and the overall energy that came out of this spry little man.

I guess I was a bit intimidated, realizing that I knew next to nothing compared to this guy. But when I talked with him after the show he completely put me at my ease with his hallmark social ease and welcoming, almost conspiratorial manner. Here was a man that loved music and being with fellow musicians and he was entirely supportive of my efforts, as inadequate as I felt they were. I asked him about the pieces he had played. Not only was he more than willing to tell me about them (in great detail and with great humour), but he generously offered to record them for me; which he did on a cassette player and I went to his house and collected the cassette days later. From then on, at varying intervals he would call me up and discuss not only Irish music and new developments therein, but also history and politics and people that he had known, who were legion in number. It seemed as if he remembered everyone he had ever met and all the salient details of their lives and their challenges, victories and failures. He was a very empathetic person and I often told him he should write down he impressions of the world. I hope he did. I have still some of the cassettes Don gave me with a full set of liner notes and credits written by him in tiny handwriting that I would struggle to make out without a magnifying glass. He made sure that I also was informed about the social milieu from which these Irish tunes arose, and gave me books to read on Irish history which he felt was important to understand to give the music a context to be placed in.

Recent Irish history was nothing academic for Don, as the Irish Civil War was not long over at the time of his birth, and which had ripped his family apart; uncles and cousins finding themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. His identity was formed by his upbringing in Dublin, but his family mostly all moved away from there to far flung parts of the world, some spending most of their lives on the African continent, helping the least fortunate people there, work that Don wholeheartedly supported.

Dublin in the Great Depression and World War II must have been a hard place for most people, with much poverty and great suffering, and Don was very attuned to this all his life, and was angered by social injustice wherever he detected it. Don had many stories about different jobs he had had, but my favourite ones were from his "Sweety Man" era. He delivered candy to stores across the length and breadth of Ireland as young man, maybe as a 19 or 20 year-old, and discovered the beauty of his country outside of Dublin. I often heard Don talking to visiting Irish musicians about where they were from and more often than not, he could describe the town they came from and local landmarks. What a memory!

Frank Cassidy, Nathan Curry and myself decided that Don's music should be recorded back in the 1990's. Don had already had triple bypass surgery and survived cancer, and he had issues with angina that he was worried would end his ability to play and possibly to live. Happily for everyone, Don far outlived his own predicted life expectancy, but at the time we didn't want to take any chances. So, we gathered a team of local friends and musicians and proceeded to record Don over a year's time, and were able to capture some sense of his musical identity, which was so unique. Harmonica players in Irish traditional music are as rare as a hen's teeth as they say. It gave us all a lot of satisfaction to be able to give back to Don some of what he had given to us, and I know Don was very pleased and proud of is achievement, and I think the CD allowed him to have a wider recognition outside of the Ottawa/Gatineau area. We all were happy and proud to see Don welcomed by the Goodrich Celtic Festival and honoured with their Tradition Bearer Award in 2004. This was a great opportunity for Don to meet players from Ireland such as Peter Horan, and from Newfoundland such as Frank Maher, Jean Hewson and Christina Smith, who all were to become great friends of Don's and warmed to him immediately, which gave him a great deal of pleasure in their friendship. It was to all a mutual love in that was beautiful to see.

Driving the candy truck was a perfect metaphor for this man who everyone was always happy to see and who brought a lot of sweetness into this world wherever he went. I will truly miss him but am forever inspired by his example.

Some years ago Jerome Quinn interviewed Don in downtown Ottawa, hear Don's words here: https://youtu.be/TfNmAxtwK3Q 

Frank Cassidy (local musician):
In the early 1950s , Don Kavanagh decided to emigrate from his native Dublin to Toronto, Canada. Upon his ship’s arrival in Halifax harbour the party was going strong so Don decided to travel on to the next port of call which was New York. He then travelled back to Canada and his original destination of Toronto. This attitude epitomized Don’s approach to life, life is an adventure, enjoy the party as long as you can. 

Don learned his first Irish traditional tunes on the harmonica from his father Michael who was a fiddle player. His early musical influences, in the late 40s and early 50s came from listening to traditional music on Radio Eireann. One of his favorites was the Austin Stack Ceili Band from Dublin. He was also a big fan of Jimmy Shand’s traditional Scottish dance music.

I first met Don in 1989 in Ottawa at an open air concert outside the National Art Gallery. I was immediately at ease with his conversation and his company, he was like a long lost brother. We discussed the status of Irish traditional music in the city, which at that time included a Comhaltas branch, very well attended weekly sessions and a number of groups playing celtic music, many of which had been either founded or influenced by Don.

For Eileen and I, visiting Don and Cecilia in Aylmer, Quebec was like a mini trip to Ireland. Celie would have prepared her famous Irish soda bread and our chat would include wide ranging discussions of current events, politics, music and many of Don’s stories about his life’s adventures. Don was a great student of Irish history, he enjoyed Irish poetry and himself and Eileen would swap lines from Yeats. The week before he died she read him one of his favorites, Lake Isle of Innisfree.

Don had a great regard for his fellow man especially those less fortunate than himself. He raised money for his church, St. Vincent De Paul and many other worthy causes. Each year Don devoted his considerable energy to raising funds for the Kisumba Foundation in Uganda where his brother Brian lived and worked for over fifty years. I had the privilege of working with Don on two fund raising events for the Steven Lewis Foundation. He was tireless in his support of this type of endeavour.

In 1998 Don recorded Don Kavanagh a Dubliner & his Harmonica. The CD beautifully showcases Don’s mastery of the harmonica. Don’s great love of Irish traditional music found expression in the way he played his instrument. The slow tunes were played with great reverence and the fast ones with twinkling eyes and a joy that inspired others to join in the celebration.

We were the very best of friends until Christmas Day 2016 when he slipped away forever into the slow air to join his Irish sweetheart, Cecilia.

“Fairies, come take me out of this dull world, for I would ride with you upon the wind, 

Run on the top of the dishevelled tide, and dance upon the mountain like a flame.” 

W.B. Yeats, The Land of Heart’s Desire.

Video of Don's Playing, by Frank Cassidy: https://www.facebook.com/tinairhead/videos/vb.100002054290766/1180162392062226/?type=3

Photos by Sue Kavanagh, Frank Cassidy

By Sue Kavanagh

By Frank Cassidy

This was the last time Don performed in public, at the farewell event for Dr. Ray Bassett, outgoing ambassador of Ireland, summer of 2016. 

By Frank Cassidy

God speed Don! You will be missed by all who ever met you.

Chair's Corner - February 2016

February 2016

Dear members and friends of the Comhaltas Ottawa Branch,

I am writing to you about our exciting Trivia Night (4 February), and to share concerns on the financial status of the branch.

Trivia Night

We have organized an Irish Trivia Night, as a fundraiser, that was held Thursday, 4 February, at Patty Boland’s in the Byward Market, 101 Clarence St., starting at 7PM. It was only $10 per person to enter, and teams of up to 4 were allowed. It was a great time and a fun way to test your knowledge of Irish history, geography, music, dance, literature and sport.  

Finances - background

Trivia nights are a necessary fundraiser for us because over the last several years the chipping away of revenues due to a decrease in attendance at monthly activities, and increases in costs, are taking their toll on the branch. While the situation is not yet dire, it is nonetheless serious and of concern to Executive. If you wish to understand the financial strain in more detail, read on.

Costs: In 2013 rental fees at Blessed Sacrament increased from $100 to $150 per use. This translates to monthly costs ranging from $400 to as much as $900. Yet, less than 20% of the money taken in for Irish language and dance instructions fees is kept as Branch revenues. In 2013, our financial obligation to the Provincial level of Comhaltas increased. Within the last year our Treasurer, Gord McFee, undertook an analysis of the fees which the branch sends to the Region for further distribution up the chain. We were rudely reminded that approximately 80% of the membership fee is sent from the branch. This means our branch exports, approximately, the rather significant sum of $1,500 to the higher levels of CCE, annually. It is understood that these contributions are used to mainly publish and distribute the Treoir magazine (3 issues per year, now, and it is now available online), and to send delegates to Provincial meetings, and meetings in Ireland. A lively discussion on this very topic took place at the recent Canadian Eastern Region Comhaltas AGM held in Kingston. A motion was passed, asking the Provincial executive to precisely describe what these large branch contributions are used for. We hope to have an answer by the time of the Convention (St. Louis, March 31 - April 3).


Revenues: Over the past several years our revenues have fallen off. Branch membership has slowly dwindled, lowering income from memberships. Sometimes people simply forget to renew. If you know former CCE members, why not ask if they are still members, and encourage them to join. Commensurately, céilí attendance has dwindled, though a steady number of people still attend (30-40) each month, many are non-members, and many are students ($5 entry). The cash bar at céilís just breaks even. It is good that people are not using the bar for over indulgence, yet while we continue to provide this service to céilí guests, it generates no revenue to speak of.


We live in a busy world with many demands on people’s personal time. Numbers attending Monday night set dance classes have tended to be low, while numbers attending Irish language classes have tended to be higher. Nonetheless, holding classes incur a weekly rental cost, plus instructor fees.

For some years, the March St. Patrick’s Céilí provided good returns on tickets sold at the door and at the bar, but despite these events being resounding successes and a lot of fun, numbers have fallen off. Attendance peaked at over 150 three years ago, but we barely had 100 last year. At that level, a catered céilí is not profitable, and we are reluctant to raise ticket prices.


Way Forward

All of these costs, fees, and decreases of income have exerted pressure on the Executive to look seriously at the future of the branch and its activities. We are fundamentally a volunteer run organization which is paramount to survival. The number and frequency of events will be looked at, adjustments to payments and honoraria are necessary, and scaling back the traditionally large March céilí is now under serious consideration. Your thoughts and suggestions will be actively sought by telephone or email in order to engage you in the future of our branch and its activities. If you wish to discuss any of this with me, please email Acting Chair. We might even go for a tea, coffee, or a pint?

Chairperson Change

Our elected Chairperson, Sheila Scott, has been off work on sick leave since Thanksgiving. She has been unable to call céilís, teach dance classes, or attend meetings on a regular basis. For this reason, with Sheila’s blessing, my position has changed to Acting Chair, formerly Vice Chair. It is uncertain when she will be able to return to her normal duties. Please keep our dear friend, Sheila, in your daily thoughts.


Respectfully,

Craig Hamm

Acting Chair | Cathaoirleach Sealadach

Irish Trivia Night Fundraiser - Tráth na gCeist

Tráth na gCeist  Fundraiser

When: Thursday 4 February 2016 at 7PM

Where: Patty Boland's Pub in the Byward Market, 101 Clarence St.

Cost: $10 per person, and teams of up to 4 people are allowed (teams are not required)

Join fellow Ireland and Irish enthusiasts this Thursday night for an evening of fun questions and answers on the people, places, music, and history of Ireland. The event is a fundraiser for the Ottawa Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann (English translation is "Gathering of the Musicians of Ireland"). There will be prizes available. A wide variety of topics have been chose, so everybody should have a chance at a few points over the night.

Bring a friend!

We hope to see you there!

Chair’s Corner: Notes from the CCÉ Ottawa Chair, November 2015

A very heartfelt thank you to the members of the executive who have stepped in to the activities that I normally do (due to current health problems).

Thank you to all of the members of the executive who attended the Regional AGM in Kingston: C. Hamm, P. Avendano, and branch members M. Maher, T. Forsythe, B. Guglich, and P. Cassidy.  We have a new Regional Executive, see the previous blog post. 

The next Regional Meting will be in Sudbury in 2016. The dates are October 22nd, the 4th Saturday of the month. Also CCÉ Ottawa Branch member P. Cassidy will take the responsibilities of the regional membership and work with the new Treasurer to ensure a smooth transition.

Jack Hickman and Elmer Strong were given Service Awards by the Kingston Branch.

The outgoing Regional Chair is looking for venues to host the Echoes of Erin concert for next fall (2016). She has asked that the concert tour begin in mid-September so that the tour will not coincide with Canadian Thanksgiving. She is still waiting for an answer.

Ann Gorman McKinney, PRO for the Region, produced a great document highlighting the achievements and hard work of A. McConnell – Strong, P. Gorman and P.McGuire as all they stepped down from the Regional Board this year.

All branches were strongly encouraged to make use of social media to advertise and promote our branch events. If we would like to submit articles for Treoir, please submit them to the Chair (Ena O’Brien).

I have been in told that the dance classes with Danny Doyle are going very well.

We also purchased 20 copies of Gaeilge gan Stró (10 beginner and 10 low intermediate). They should arrive shortly; so that the students who need a copy can get one.

The branch wished to express its condolences to the following members:

• B. Guglich on the sudden passing of her sister
• C. McFee on the sudden passing of her brother.

 Respectfully submitted, Cathaoirleach

Chair’s Corner: Notes from the CCÉ Ottawa Chair, August-September 2015

A very heartfelt thank you also to all of our branch members who volunteered in many ways in the preparing of the site of the Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada, which we did not use because of rain, setting up the hotel venue, printing certificates, directing  people and answering their questions. CCÉ members from the Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton and Sudbury branches attended and competed in the event this year.

Also a huge thank you again to the Ottawa CCÉ dancers who came out for twice weekly practiced for the set dancing competition. It paid off again in another gold medal performance!  Dancers were C. McFee, P. Avendano, D. Clement, A. Mayrand, S. Proctor, L. Hay, C. Bowers and S. Scott. Kudos also to CCÉ members A. Mayrand, M.  Comerton for participating in the signing competitions.

Several Ottawa CCÉ members attended the Irish language immersion weekend at the Gaeltacht, August 10th to 16th. These were Deirdre Dooley, Jim Downey, Helen Finn, Bridget Guglich, Margaret Moriarty, Joan O’Donoghue, Oscar Mou, Sheila Scott, Patrick Scott, Seimh Willoughby. Bridget and Sheila also taught during the week. Many thanks for your active participation in the classes, workshops and evening activities!

The Chair has been in touch with the ICUF scholar who will be with us this year. Her name is Kate Jordan.  She is from Cork also.  She is happy to teach for us this year.

The chair also have been in touch with the English Intensive Program directors and teachers, some of whom were at the May ceili. Hopefully we will have more students in attendance next fall.

Preparations are underway for the Irish language Immersion weekend in Arnprior run by Caint ‘is Comhrá. I attended a planning meeting in late July where we discussed the schedule, publicity, and fees. The weekend will be held at Galilee House in Arnprior on the last weekend of September, Friday 25th to Sunday 27th. 

Kate Jordan, the ICUF from Cork has arrived. Feedback from the students is that she is very good. Thank you also to Bridget Guglich, Joan O Donoghue and Barry Cronin for teaching the Beginner, High Advanced and Advanced classes respectively.

The Chair have met Austin Comerton and other representatives of other Irish cultural groups here in Ottawa re his Fund raising project based on the card game 25, as a way to help save the Irish card game. Present were the Gaels, the Rose of Tralee, the IWN the Irish Society and CCÉ.  We will be meeting on the 25th of each of the following months Nov, Jan, Feb, March, April and possibly May. Austin is looking for a spot like the Residence for us to run this. 

https://youtu.be/8P-aK5yMfw4 

S. Scott has been working with Joan O Donoghue, Toni Forsythe and Bridget Guglich on the organising of the Irish language Immersion weekend in Arnprior run by Caint ‘is Comhrá. The weekend will be held at Galilee House in Arnprior on the last weekend of September, Friday 25th to Sunday 27th.  Kate Jordan (ICUF Ottawa) and the ICUF scholar from Montreal, Siobhan O Maoilaigh will be teaching.

Also the Ottawa CCÉ Branch will hold its AGM on Wednesday, October 7 at 18:30 - 20:30 at the Sunnyside branch of the Ottawa Public Library (that's 1049 Bank St in Old Ottawa South, and there's free parking available, or it's also accessible via bus routes #1 or #7). We hope you can join us to elect a new executive, and get an update on what we're up to. If you are interested in running for any of the Executive positions, please contact M. Maher. Remember you must have your membership up to date (expires on 30 September) to be able to vote and to run for office.

Respectfully submitted, Cathaoirleach

Chair’s Corner: Notes from the CCÉ Ottawa Chair, April 2015

Congratulations to all the members that collaborated to make the St. Patrick’s Day March Dinner and Céilí a success. The meal was, according to reports, delicious. The whole evening went off very well. The Blakeys ended up enjoying being on the dance floor, close to the dancers. It was a long day for everyone. Thank you to all who came out to help with the set up and those were able to stay for the ‘take down.’ Bravo everyone!!!


The Chair represented CCÉ Ottawa at the induction of Eithne Dunbar into the Brockville Performing Arts Hall of Fame, on Thursday, March 26th . As many of you know, Eithne has been an energetic promoter of Irish music, language and culture in the region, initiating the Irish Cultural Society in 1996. That organization hosts ceilis, concerts and other cultural events. She has come to teach Irish for us during our Lá Gaeilge events run with Caint ‘is Comhrá. Eithne has made 2 CDs of songs in the Irish language, the only singer outside of Ireland to have done so. Profits from Eithne's CD's go to the Canadian Gaeltacht, devoted to the teaching and preservation of the Irish language and culture outside of Ireland. Eithne was featured recently at one of our ceilis, where she sang and sold some of her CDs.


The Chair also taught Irish classes at the Irish language weekend in Kingston, April 10-12. I also helped call the Saturday evening ceili by calling all the ceili dances. Stephen called the 2 sets dances. I also taught with Julie a sean nós workshop on the Sunday.


We prepared a page of memories for the family of Dorine Best. She had been involved for years in the running of the Irish language weekends in Arnprior, most recently as a member of Caint ‘is Comhrá. She also attended out Irish language classes and ceilis at Blessed Sacrament. Dorine died of cancer. A celebration of her life was held on Saturday, April 11, the same day that many of us were at the Irish language weekend in Kingston.

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/ottawacitizen/obituary.aspx?pid=174489177

  

Respectfully submitted, Cathaoirleach

Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann 2015 Spring Tulip Ball

The Ottawa Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, once again have the pleaseure to invite you to attend the  

2015 Spring Tulip Ball

Unfortunately the event had to be cancelled.

The Spring Tulip Ball, besides being a fundraiser for CCÉ Youth, is a terrific opportunity for young people and formerly young people to get together, dress up (attire is semiformal to formal) and celebrate the arrival of Spring, tulips and just being alive. 

The beautiful residence of the Irish Ambassador to Canada is a perfect setting for this elegant and enjoyable evening, and we appreciate his making it available. 

 

Soft drinks and water will be available at the bar. Finger foods will also be available.

The award-winning Ottawa Comhaltas Band will provide the music and there will be dancing for those that are interested.

Come and join us for a good Craic, Ceol & Damhsa!

Chair's Corner: Notes from the CCÉ Ottawa Chair, March 2015

I will start by congratulating the CCÉ adult dancers and their energetic choreographer Caitlin for their breathtakingly creative choreography (especially the piece named “Recess”) and performance at the February céilí. Bravo!!!

Oscar Mou and I participated in the International Day at Ottawa University main campus on March 5^th. I taught two dances, “The walls of Limerick”, and a modified version of the “Rince Mór". Oscar was very helpful as a demo partner and rover.

The Ottawa Chair will be travelling to the CCÉ Hamilton branch for a Saturday 7 March event filled with language classes, dance workshop and céilí.

Respectfully submitted, Cathaoirleach

St. Patrick's Dinner and Céilí - 14 March 2015 - Family-friendly event

We Invite you

When: Saturday, March 14th, 2014. Céilí from 08:00PM to 11:30PM


Where: Blessed Sacrament Church, 194 Fourth Avenue, Ottawa Ontario K1S 2L5.

Tickets: $35, Please note that NO tickets will be sold at the door! Deadline for ticket purchase was 11 March. 

This is an authentic Irish, family-friendly (no green beer) event!

Last year's dinner and dance were a sellout and a HUGE success. In fact, last couple of years, we had to turn people away at the door. It will sell out this year, so you should get your tickets as soon as possible.

This year our dinner will be catered by the award-winning Bobby's Table chefs. The three-course dinner will include vegetarian, and gluten-free options! 

After a first-class, three course complete dinner, beverages available for purchase, there will be an Irish dance (Céilí), with the dances called. No experience or partner is required, and it is loads of fun and helps work the dinner off.

The excellent Comhaltas Céilí Band will provide the music and Sheila Scott will call the dances. At the intermission, Irish dancers from the Trillium Academy will be performing.

There will be a raffle, a 50-50 draw, and a multitude of crafts and items for sale, by Blakeney Designs from Kingston.

At around 10:30 PM, there will be tea and snacks.

A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

Come, join us  and have a good craic!

Ceol, damhsa, craic!