2014 Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada: Tamworth & Dún Laoghaire

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Once again this past June (27-29 June), the 2014 Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada (Gaeltacht Thuaisceart An Oileáin Úir) was held both in Tamworth and at the Days Inn and Conference Centre in Kingston (Dún Laoghaire), Ontario. This year the weather was sunny and hot, and the competitors had to seek refuge under the tents as the Saturday temperature was well over 30°C!

There were competitions held on the Saturday on the field location of Tamworth. The categories are as follows:

Speaking: Oration, Story Telling, Poetry Recitation, Pair Dialogue

Writing: Poetry, Prose, Learning Books and Aids

Singing: Sean Nós Singing, Singing in Irish (not Sean Nós), Individual, Choir, Lúibíní

Music: Harp, Uilleann Pipes, Céilí Bands

Dancing: Sean Nós, Set Dancing

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada, Celtic Choir.

Several CCE Ottawa members actively participated at the Oireachtas, in music, speaking, Sean Nós dancing, Singing, and Set Dancing.  

CCE Set Dancers

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada, Ottawa Céilí Band

CCE member Ellen MacIsaac’s Celtic Choir, took the first place (Gold medal) on the Choir competition, the Ottawa Céilí Band took the first price in their category. In the Sing in Styles other than Sean Nós, CCE members were quite successful, Ellen MacIsaac took the 1^st place (gold medal), Síle Scott, the 2nd place (Silver medal), and Oscar Mou was tied for the 3^rd place!  Shadyn Proctor took 2nd place on Sean Nós dancing, and the CCE Ottawa Set Dancers took the first place on Set Dancing for a second year running!

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada, Sean Nos, 2nd place

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Check the list of Winners in all categories: http://www.oireachtas.ca/pdfs/Buaiteoiri.Bearla.2014.pdf

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Congratulations to everyone who competed, regardless of the result!

Traditional Irish Music - Dancing

Last time we talked about music for singing. There are individual dances, such as Sean nós dancing,  which is a casual type of dance compared to the more formal, competition-oriented form of Irish solo (or stepdance). Sean nós is characterized by a “low to the ground” footwork, improvised steps, free movement of the arms, and an emphasis upon a "battering step" (which sounds out more loudly the accented beat of the music). Like in Sean nós  singing, spontaneous expression on the dance are very much valued. On occasion dancers will dance in turns, playing against each other. 

2013 Oireachtas Canada, Tamworth, Ontario.

Also, like in singing, there are regional differences in Sean nós dancing, and apparently it originated from the Connemara region.  Solo dancing now has been taken over by the solo step dancing style. According to Kieran Jordan, "They used to say, 'A good dancer could dance on a silver tray, and a really excellent dancer could dance on a sixpence.' Now, any modern Irish dancer would fill the whole stage. But, why compare the two? After all, says Patrick O'Dea, they are two entirely different dances – one, a traditional "old style" of step dancing, and the second, a newer and less traditional outgrowth or variation." http://www.celticcafe.com/archive/Dance/Articles/SeanNos_BostonIrishReporter.htm

The other type of dance music is for social dances, like set dancing. It is said that the spreading of social traditional dances was linked to military regiments. Regiments brought dances from other countries, and shared their own with other countries. The significance of these can still be seen in the names of some of the sets still danced in traditionally strong dancing areas, such as The Caledonian (after a Scottish regiment) and The Lancer (after the French De Lancier regiment). http://www.standingstones.com/cmaoitm.html

Social dances mainly utilize three groups of tunes: hornpipes (4/4 with swung eighth notes), jigs (double and single jigs are in 6/8 time; jigs come in various other forms for dancing – the slip jig and hop jig or single jig are commonly written in 9/8 time, the slide in 12/8), and reels (4/4).

It seems that the reel arrived in Ireland, from Scotland in the 1700-1800s, though it was know in Ireland before, but like the polka, waltzes and mazurkas, it became popular in the 1700s.  The jig was more popular than the reel in Ireland before the 1800s. The hornpipes are considered as a more recent arrival with some indications of England as a source.

Here you can see some of the basic Sean-nós steps. Also, here is John Joyce at the Oireachtas na Samhna 2012.

We hope you enjoy it! 

Irish (set, sean-nós, and solo) dancing and Irish language classes

Every September we resume our weekly groups of classes on Monday nights:

6:00-7:00 pm Beginner Irish

6:00-7:00 pm Advanced Beginner Irish

7:00-8:30 pm Intermediate Irish

7:00-8:30 pm Advanced Irish

6:30-8:00 pm Set Dancing / Sean-nós dancing

8:00-9:30 pm Solo Dancing

Monday night classes began on September 9 and run until December 16 and resume on January 6 2014 and run until May 26. 

All events are held at Blessed Sacrament Church, 194 Fourth Avenue, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 2L6 unless otherwise indicated.

More information on Irish language and Set Dancing / Sean-nós dancing: Sheila Scott

More information on Solo Dancing: Caitlin Crockard 

If you want to know more about Set Dancing, check these stories: http://ottawacomhaltas.blogspot.ca/2012/12/what-is-irish-set-dancing.html

http://ottawacomhaltas.blogspot.ca/2013/01/set-irish-dance-terms.html

Come and join us. We will love to see you there! 

Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada: Tamworth and Dún Laoghaire (Ontario) 2013

In case that you missed it, the last weekend of June (28-30 June) was the 2013 Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada as part of the Gaeltacht Thuaisceart An Oileáin Úir that was held both in Tamworth and at the Days Inn and Conference Centre in Kingston (Dún Laoghaire), Ontario. For detailed information check: http://www.oireachtas.ca/forbhreathnu-bea.shtml 

Tamworth. Photo courtesy C. Hamm

During the three-day event, the most exciting is the one held on the Saturday, at the Tamworth site. There is where all the competitions are held; competitions are grouped as follows: 

Speaking: Oration, Story Telling, Poetry Recitation, Pair Dialogue 

Writing: Poetry, Prose, Learning Books and Aids 

Singing: Sean Nós Singing, Singing in Irish (not Sean Nós), Individual, Choir, Lúibíní 

Music: Harp, Uilleann Pipes, Céilí Bands 

Dancing: Sean Nós, Set Dancing 

Several CCE Ottawa members actively participated at the Oireachtas, in music, speaking, Sean Nós dancing, Singing, and Set Dancing. At the end of a Saturday where the rain held off for the most part of the day (began to rain as the participants were heading off to the Banquet in Kingston!), the Ottawa group fared quite well. 

Ellen MacIsaac’s Celtic Choir, took the first place (Gold medal) on the Choir competition, the Ottawa Céilí Band took the first price in their category, Ellen MacIsaac took the 2nd place (Silver medal) in the Corn Mhic ConCharraige competition, the Sean Nós competition for those who have already won the open Sean Nós competition. Emilie Funston took 3rd place on Sean Nós dancing, Patrick Scott took the 1st Annual Bob Ely award for Poetry Recitation, and the CCE Ottawa Set Dancers took the first place on Set Dancing.

Ellen Singing and Medals. Photo courtesy of Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Pat Scott reciting. Photo courtesy C. Hamm

Pat Scott receiving the Bob Ely Award. Photo courtesy of Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Ottawa Céilí Band. Photo courtesy C. Hamm

CCE Ottawa Set Dancers. Photo courtesy C. Hamm

Two of our dancers, Emilie Funston and Melanie Courtemanche with their winning medals! Photo courtesy of Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada

Congratulations to everyone who competed, regardless of the result!

Echoes of Erin Canada 2012 Concert

Normally, the Echoes of Erin Concert only comes to Canada every other year, and their next tour will be in 2014. 

For those of you that were otherwise engaged and could not attend the past October 18, 2012 Echoes of Erin's Ottawa performance, you missed an extremely good concert. It was a sell out and those of us that had also attended the previous 2010 Echoes' concert, agreed that the 2012's group of performers were the best so far. The most talented group of musicians and dancers, the majority barely in their twenties with only one exception, kept the audience smiling, toes tapping, and hands clapping throughout the show. A standing ovation led to the encore. While the performers are young in age they played with a level of knowledge, sensitivity and skill usually afforded to much more experienced performers. Check the Ireland Comhaltas' page to see the full list of performers: http://comhaltas.ie/blog/post/2012_concert_tour_of_north_america 

Here are some clips that showcase the talent of the musicians:

•Jason McGuiness (fiddle): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_5_jason_mcguiness

•Bairbre Uí Theighneáin and Mícheál O’Shea (singing): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_9_bairbre_ui_theighneain_and_micheal_oshea

•Matthew Dean (flute and whistle): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_7_matthew_dean

•Caoimhe Kearns (lilting): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_6_caoimhe_kearns

•Christopher Maguire (accordion) and Aoife Ní Argáin (harp): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_8_christopher_maguire

•Mairéad Corridan (concertina): http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_372_2_mairead_corridan

After the concert, the performers mingled with those in the audience that remained and played their instruments with those concert-goers glad enough to bring their own. Tunes were exchanged and some trading of dance steps happened. Free tea, cheese, crackers and fruit were on hand up to 12:30 in the morning when the festivities finally came to an end.

Here are some of the thank you notes sent by the performers:

Hello,

Hope you are all recovered and well after all your hard work with organising the Tour etc. I know you put immense work into arranging the Concert Tour to Ottawa I just want to say a sincere thank you to you especially and all the committee etc., who worked along with you for all your wonderful work in making arrangements for the Tour. You really put on a fantastic reception for us and you had all preparations well in place so that everything went so smoothly on the night. We have been left with such fantastic, unforgettable memories of a beautiful place around Ottawa. 

Our Tour was a fantastic success ...Canada has set the bar very high now...which is tribute to all of you and the local committee for all your hard work. The group still talk about the audience response to them on the night of the concert and regard it as one of the best.

Can you say a big thank you to all the host families, and all the lovely people we met, on behalf of the entire group, their hospitality and care for all was greatly appreciated by all and still remembered fondly.

Thanks again
Eddie Murphy (Concert Tour Manager)

___________

A chairde,

This is just a few lines to express my gratitude for the wonderful welcome we received in Ottawa on our recent Echoes of Erin Tour of Canada. I have to congratulate you on a well organised concert and a lovely warm audience!! I was amazed and delighted at the number of people who were able to speak Irish fluently to me - I do believe that I never met as many Irish speakers at one concert in all our travels!!! I particularly liked your welcome notice at the door and believe that many branches around Ireland could take a leaf from your book!! Karen Tracey and I stayed with M. Maher and I can only say that I have never met such an inspirational person! She was kindness itself and looked after us like we were her own children - we really felt at home!

Le gach dea-mhéin,

Bairbre Uí Theighneáin (Singer)

___________

Hello,

I think I'm finally recovered from the Comhaltas tour now and back to the hard work in University.

I wanted to send you a quick e-mail to thank you for all your hospitality while I stayed with you in Ottawa. It was a wonderful experienced and very interesting talking to you about your own experiences of traditional music and the many musicians you have entertained in your home.

Thank you as well for the lovely CD's you gave me, they have found a nice spot in my iTunes and are played regularly on my iPod.

Best of luck for the future and I hope I'll be able to meet you again someday.

Micheál O'Shea (Singer, Sean-nós dancer)

To see pictures of the concert, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/pat4792/sets/72157631809632096 All Echoes of Erin 2012 pictures, courtesy of Pat Cassidy.

We are certainly eager to see the new crop of Echoes of Erin performers, when they come back to Canada in 2014!