1916 Centenary Commemorations in Canada's National Capital

http://www.gaeilge.ca/1916---b%C3%A9arla.php

A Celebration of the Irish Republic, Irish Language and the Irish Canadian Identity

2016 marks the 100th year since the declaration of an Irish Republic in 1916. The Uprising, of which the Declaration was a part, had enormous implications in Ireland, Canada, and worldwide. In Canada, it made public an Irish Canadian identity which supported political independence for the ancestral homeland; the Self Determination for Ireland League of Canada boasted a membership of 300,000. It also represented the high-water mark for the Orange Order in Canada, which numbered 200,000 at the time.

With respect to local politics, the Uprising and the subsequent achievement of independence raised hopes for increased Canadian autonomy. Canadians were becoming bitterly aware, during the First World War, that Dominion Status in an Empire did not equate to international sovereignty.


The leadership of the 1916 Uprising was largely drawn from the Gaelic League, which saw the Irish (Gaelic) language as Ireland's greatest heritage, and the key to Irish emancipation. For this reason, the lectures will be given in Irish (Gaelic), with simultaneous translation. The lectures will be followed by a commemorative service in Irish (Gaelic) and a singing workshop in the traditional style (Sean Nós) in Irish (Gaelic).

WHAT: 1916 Centenary Commemorative Conference

• Reception, Friday 19 February, evening (at the Irish Ambassador's Residence, 291 Park Road, Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa)
• Commemorative Lectures (Saturday, 20 February, 10:00AM to 3:00PM)
• Commemorative Service (Saturday, 20 February, 3:00AM to 3:30PM)

WHEN: 19 and 20 February 2016

WHERE: Ottawa, Ontario: University of Ottawa

LANGUAGE: Irish, with simultaneous translation

COST: $60, Full Package. Click here for pricing of Individual Activities.

DETAILS: Click here

REGISTRATION: Click here

CONTACT: kenny-h@rmc.ca 

Later on Saturday 20 February, you can join us (Comhaltas Ottawa) at our monthly ceili starting at 7:00PM in the basement Hall of the Blessed Sacrament Church, 194 Fourth Avenue (with percy St.) in the Glebe in Ottawa. 

Seán Ó Sé - An Irish Legend

Seán Ó Sé

"Seán Ó Sé: Saol Caite le hAmhráin agus Scéalta / A Life in Song and Story"

A new film by Matthew Allen, aired on Irish television channel TG4 on New Year’s Day 2016. It will be available streaming worldwide for free through the month of January. To access the film, click: TG4-SeanOSe (access only available until 10 February 2016).

Seán Ó Sé’s long and illustrious career has touched all bases in the Irish music business spanning from his work in the 1960s in concert, radio, and recording with Seán Ó Riada and Ceoltóirí Chualann across to his many decades of musical performance and story telling in genres as diverse as variety concerts, céilí band, and cabaret. Seán’s musical life is explored within the contexts of his deep attachment to the Irish language, West Cork and Beara, and his passion for his career in teaching and education administration in Cork City. The film features live performances and interviews with longtime associates from the worlds of music and education.

Produced with the support of the UCC School of Music and Theatre, the Cork Film Centre, and Wheaton College, Massachusetts, USA. Contact: mallen@wheatoncollege.edu.

Matthew Allen 


Here is a very good article on the life of Seán Ó Sé:  Seán Ó Sé, the legend - The Irish Times 

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

Comhaltas 2015 Canada East Region AGM

2015 Comhaltas Canada East Region AGM

On Saturday 7 November 2015, the Harp of Tara CCE Kingston Branch, very graciously hosted the 2015 Regional AGM. There were several workshops on Saturday morning and a meet and greet event on Friday night.

Outgoing Regional Executive: Pat, Anne, Genevieve and Phyllis

The branches present at the meeting were Kingston, Ottawa, Hamilton, Toronto, and Sudbury; Montreal and Saint John sent their regrets. Ottawa was represented by our Chair S. Scott, Vice-chair C. Hamm, M. Maher, B. Guglich, P. Cassidy, T. Forsythe, P. Avendano.

Some of the topics discussed were the branches proyected planning to celebrate Ireland's 1916 events (Easter Rising). This include presentations about the importance of the Irish language in the 1916 uprising via a collaboration between the University of Ottawa and the Irish Embassy.

There was the election of the new Regional Executive, where three long-serving officers were stepping down: Anne McConnell-Strong (President), Phyllis Gorman (Treasurer), and Patrick McGuire (Secretary). B. Guglich was asked to perform the duties of the Election's officer.

CCE Ottawa Branch's Bridget was the Elections Officer

Pat received tokens of appreciation from all Eastern Branches

Phyllis received tokens of appreciation from all Eastern Branches

Pat, Anne and Phyllis, the retiring members of the executive

The new officers are:

Ena O'Brien (TO) - Chairperson || Cathaoirleach
Maureen Mulvey O'Leary (TO) - Vice-Chairperson || Leascathaoirleach
Crystal McCollom (SB) - Secretary || Rúnaí
Sara Van Hamme (HA) - Treasurer || Cisteoir
Ann Gorman-McKinney (HA) - Public Relations Officer || Oifigeach Caidrimh Phoiblí
Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh (OT)- Irish Officer || Treoraí na Gaeilge
Genevieve Robinson (TO) - Youth Officer || Oifigeach na nÓg
Bridgit Ripley (SB) - Auditor || Reachtaire
Craig Hamm (OT) - Auditor || Reachtaire
Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh (OT) - Delegate to Province || Ionadaí
Steafan Hannigan (KG) - Delegate to Province || Ionadaí

Outgoing members and the 2015 Executive: Pat, Ena, Anne, Genevieve, Phyllis, Sarah

Pat Cassidy

Our own esteemed former Ottawa Branch Membership Officer (Pat Cassidy) was asked to take the role of Regional Membership Officer (Oifigeach Ballraíocht), a role that before was under the duties of the Regional Treasurer, since the incoming Treasurer is not familiar with the complex calculation of membership dues. Pat graciously accepted.

Toni and Maureen

Also the East Regions nominations for the Provincial Council members were selected. The Provincial Council members will be elected at the CCE Provincial Convention in St. Louis (Missouri) between 31 March to 6 April 2016.

A motion was passed (prior to the AGM) to request to CCE Ireland to change the dates for the 2016 Echoes of Erin tour to Canada can be moved, due to the problem of scheduling concert venues (and audiences) during the Canadian Thanskgiving, as it has been experienced in the past years. We are waiting for a response from Dublin.

There were services awards given to long-term members: Jack Hickman and Elmer Strong.

Jack Hickman

Elmer Strong

The next tentative date for the Regional AGM is for 22 October 2016 in Sudbury.

Soccer in Munster: A Social History, 1877-1937 -- Book Review

http://www.corkuniversitypress.com/Soccer-in-Munster-p/9781782051268.htm

Soccer in Munster: A Social History, 1877-1937 

by 

David Toms

This book charts soccer's development  in Munster from its earliest days as a game played by an elite few to a game of the everyman. Along the way, it explores the ups and downs pf the sport as it was played amid war, revolution and class conflict. David Toms guides us through soccer's journey in Munster from a field in Mallow in the 1870s to the glamour and excitement of cup finals in front of crowds of thousands by the end of the 1930s. Along the way we encounter the emergence of modern sporting culture where sport is as much entertainment as exercise.

Publication Year: Hardback May 2015
Pages: 256
Size: 234 x 156

ISBN: 9781782051268

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This book review appeared in Stylus: Trade, Academic, and Professional Books - Fall 2015, book catalogue. For more information about, and to place an order of "Soccer in Munster: A Social History, 1877-1937,” please check Stylus/Cork University Press website.

PS: Currently Ottawa has a professional soccer club, Ottawa Fury Football Club. The captain of the club is an Irishman, Richie Ryan from County Tipperary, one of the defenceman is another Irishman, Colin Falvey from County Cork. Ottawa Fury, in their 2nd year of existence clinched the Fall Championship Trophy in late October 2015.

The Irish Hand: Scribes and their Manuscripts from the Earliest Times -- Book Review

http://www.corkuniversitypress.com/Irish-Hand-p/9781782050926.htm

The Irish Hand: Scribes and their Manuscripts from the Earliest Times

by 

Timothy O'Neill

This is a revised and expanded edition of what has long been regarded as the standard work on Irish Manuscripts. The new book incorporates high quality digital images of the works of Irish scribes through the centuries. The extraordinary stories of the survival of these volumes provide a commentary on the cultural history of Ireland, its language, scholars and scribes.


Timothy demonstrates in this beautifully produced book that Irish writing is a living art; the fine ancient script has, to this day, a continuing tradition- Irish Arts Review


The Irish Hand is arranged in two parts. Part One presents survey of the manuscript tradition, followed by essays on thirty-one of the great books of Ireland. The context, contents, and history of each manuscript are given, accompanied by a full-page illustration.


Part Two surveys the work of the scribes from a practical perspective, examining script and lettering in detail. Extracts are given from fifty-two manuscripts, transliterated and translated, with a commentary on the penwork. The Irish Hand covers 1,500 years of Irish script and letter design from the sixth to the twenty-first century


Timothy O'Neill, widely acknowledged to be the finest calligrapher in Ireland, is also a scholarly authority on the manuscript tradition and the author of Merchants and Mariners in Medieval Ireland (1987). He was the Burns Scholar at Boston College in 1995 and currently serves on the council of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland. His artworks include the Roscrea Missal (1981), the Ó Fiaich Gospel Book, Maynooth (1995), Celtic-style tailfins for British Airways (1997), stamps for An Post in 2009 and a facsimile of the Faddan More Psalter in 2011.

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This book review appeared in Stylus: Trade, Academic, and Professional Books - Fall 2014, book catalogue. For more information about, and to place an order of "The Irish Hand: Scribes and their Manuscripts from the Earliest Times,” please check Stylus/Cork University Press website.

A student's reflection on the Arnprior Irish language immersion weekend

 

 

I remember when I first came to the Arnprior immersion weekend someone said "you'd be surprised at how much Irish you learn in just one weekend." 

Five years of tenses, genders, cases, and mutations (these are sexier than their English name suggest) later, it was sometimes difficult to keep this in mind. Two days could not possibly matter when faced with the immense task that is mastering a language. But in fact, every language weekend is like an overdue recharge. Two days without cooking. Two days soaking in fresh autumn air. Two days with friends. Two days hearing as much Irish as you desire. 

Galilee Mission Centre, Arnprior

 

 

Cheap mé gurb fhéidir liom é sin a scríobh as Gaeilge go léir, ach faraor tá mé fós níos compórdaigh dul i muinín an Bhéarla. Tá mé sásta, sin ráite, chun mo chuid Gaeilge a fheabhsú. Ní hé an deireadh seachtaine seo ach ceann do na seansanna atá ag an phobal na Gaeilge ar fud an domhan taisteál nó daoine suimiúla a chasadh. 

The events here use not only language classes to immerse learners, there is also music, dance, and games. Talking about grammar (no matter however necessary at times) will definitely earn prompt and loud 'boo's from the crowd. Not knowing Irish or not knowing "enough" Irish is not considered an original sin because all of us have been there. 

The organising committee puts many tireless hours of work into every such event so we learners can worry about nothing but to learn (with, perhaps, the exception of what to perform as a party piece). 

In fact, Arnprior is just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the federal capital for everyone who has wondered what it would feel like to take part in an immersion environment. Keep an eye out for next year's brochure!

Submitted by O. Mou