10th Annual Feile Cheoil Competition - 24 March 2018, Toronto

Canadian Eastern Regional Board

CCE

presents the

10th Annual Feile Cheoil Competition

St. Joseph's Parish Hall

65 Curzon Street

Toronto, M4M 3B3

(one block west of Leslie St., north of Queen St.)

Saturday, March 24, 2018
Commencing at 9:30 am

(Note: Adult competitions begin at approx. 1 pm)

Eligibility: This competition is open to all amateur performers. Our aim is to encourage people of all
ages to participate in the rich culture of traditional music, song and dance.

Closing date for entries: March 20, 2018

Please send in your entry forms as early as possible to assist with the organization of the event.

Coordinator: Ena O’Brien
enaobrien47@gmail.com

Entry Secretary: Heather Corby
hmckay43@hotmail.com

Ottawa Contact: Craig Hamm ballyfingers@gmail.com
To obtain detailed pdf entry form explaining all categories etc.  There is a category for nearly everything: set dancing, fiddle, accordion, piano, concertina, concert flute, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, harp, banjo, mandolin, bodhran, ceili bandm music group, solo traditional singing, duets, trios and quartets.

January 2018 Céili Dance List and Schedule

Ottawa Irish Arts 

Elaíona Gaelacha Ottabha

Céili Dance List and Schedule, 20 January 2018

(Remember, you do not need to know how to dance nor need to have a dancing partner. Everyone is welcome!)

Click on a dance title for videos to see how it is danced.

7:00 - 7:30PM      Workshop
                               Join us for the first half hour of the evening for a short 
                               tutorial on steps, holds, and terminology that will have you 
                               dancing your way through the evening with confidence.

7:30 - 8:00PM       Gay Gordon (March)

                             Leaba Shíoda (Set Dance)
                                  Figure 1: Show Each Lady
                                  Figure 2: High Gates
                                  Figure 3: Little Christmas Tree

8:00 - 8:30PM       Entertainment and 1st Intermission
                             Scottish Country Dancers (RSCDS Ottawa)
                             Scottish country dancing consists of reels, jigs, hornpipes,      
                             minuets, and uniquely Scottish strathspeys. The Ottawa    
                             branch was founded in 1966, and some of its dancers will be 
                             joining us in the evening to demonstrate a few dances.

8:30 - 9:30PM       Siege of Ennis (Jig)
                        
                             Leaba Shíoda (Set Dance)
                                  Figure 4: Show Each Man
                                  Figure 5: Diagonals
                                  Figure 6: Body and Change
                           
                             Haymaker's Jig (Jig)

9:30 - 10:00         2nd Intermission 
                             Join us for a cup of tea and freshly baked Irish Soda bread. 
                             There will be a 50/50 Draw.

10:00 - 10:30PM  Aiofe's Three Step (March)

                            Clare Lancers (Set Dance)
                            Each figure starts with a two-handed lead around, 
                            turning the lady under to swing.
                            Each figure ends with a full around-the-house.
                                  Figure 1: Square the House
                                  Figure 2: House and Turn the Lady
                                  Figure 3: Big Wheels and Big Christmas Tree
                                  Figure 4: Small Wheels and Small Christmas Tree
                                  Figure 5: Long Chain and Line Ups

Note: As the final dance of the evening, the Clare Lancers will not be called. Given that this dance is not called and that all figures will, as it is traditional, be danced consecutively, more experienced dancers will be invited to form a set and show off their steps, but as always, all dancers are welcome to the floor.


Here are some helpful dance guidelines:Irish Set (and Ceili) Dance Etiquette
Check our dance page for more information on the dances called at our céilis.

Pre-registration for Irish-language classes | Réamhchlárú do ranganna Gaeilge

Irish Language Classes for Children

Ottawa Irish Arts is glad to say the Ottawa Catholic School Board has their pre-registration ready for Irish-language classes. (Gaelic message follows)

Tá áthas orm a rá go bhfuil an réamhchlárú réidh ag an Bord Scoile Caitliceach do ranganna Gaeilge.

The Ottawa Catholic School Board is asking parents who have children aged K-8 interested in Irish-language classes to submit pre-registrations. Classes may start as early as January 2018!

The proposed time is Saturday mornings, and the proposed location is Mother Theresa School in Barrhaven. The location may still change based on information collected in the pre-registration, so please submit the form even if you would prefer a different location.

As well, there is no obligation yet to commit every Saturday morning by submitting the pre-registration form as the main goal of pre-registration is to gauge interest.

Please spread the links below and the flyer from the Board attached to anyone with school-aged children as we need around 20 students approximately the same age to open a class.

If the Board get enough pre-registration submissions, the classes will be free for any student from kindergarten to grade 8 in Ontario (no matter if enrolled in the Catholic board, public board, French school, home-school or private school). Québec residents will have to pay $160 per semester.

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Tá an Bord ag lorg réamh-chláraithe ar dhaoine a bhfuil suim a gcuid páistí idir aois naíscoile go dtí an 8ú ghrád sa bhunscoil a chlárú i ranganna Gaeilge. D'fhéadadh tús a chur ar ranganna chomh luath le Mí Eanáir 2018!

Tá rún ag an Bhord na ranganna a chur i bhfeidhm maidin Dé Sathairn sa Scoil Mother Theresa in Barrhaven. Seans go n-athróidh láthair na ranganna de réir an eolais atá le bailiú, mar sin, ar mhiste libh an réamhchlárú a chur isteach cé nach mbeadh an áit mholta foirfe oiriúnach daoibh.

Níl aon ghá daoibh go fóill an Satharn a chomaid saor i ndiaidh réamhchláraithe a chur isteach mar an príomh-aidhm ar an réamhchlárú ná suim an phobail a mheas.

Scaip na nascanna agus an bileog ón Bhord (Béarla) ceangailte seo thíos le bhur dtoil d'éinne le páistí ar aois scoile, toisc go bhfuil timpeall le 20 scolaire de dhíth orainn chun aon rang a thosnú.

Má tá go leor cláraithe curtha isteach chuig an Bhord, beidh na ranganna saor in aisce do scolaire ar bith in Ontario (is cuma má tá siad sa Bhord Caitliceach, poiblí, na Fraincise, nó i scoil bhaile nó phriobháideach). Caithfidh scolaire a chónaíonn in Québec $160 a íoc ar sheimeastar.


***
Nascanna | Links:

Réamh-chlárú (Béarla) | Pre-registration: https:// docs.google.com/forms/d/e/ 1FAIpQLScZbRD1jPbF5041gsMyn3s8 NsiWaDhNudsPp7Qw0pp2CT1jfg/ viewform

Tuilleadh eolais ar Chlár na dTeangacha Idirnaisiúnta (Béarla) | More information on the International Languages Program: http://conted.ocsb.ca/childrens-programs/elementary-il

Beannachtaí,

Xavier-Oscar Mou
Oifigeach caidrimh phoiblí | Public Relations Officer
Ealaíona Gaelacha Ottabha | Ottawa Irish Arts
Ottawacomhaltas.com 

The Trial of the Orange Order

The Thomas D'Arcy McGee Foundation with New Point Players (Ireland) and Limelight Group (Ottawa) Presented a new play by Anthony Russell. 

The Trial of the Orange Order

The Trial of The Orange Order in the Court of History is an historical and political fantasy, a drama that seeks to, as objectively as possible, examine the role of the Orange Order in the formation of modern Ireland and, to a lesser extent, Canada. The charge is treason; defined as the crime of betraying one’s country. 

 

The premise is that Lord Craigavon, James Craig (1871 – 1940), the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland is called from the grave to answer, in the Court of History, the charge that the Orange Order committed treason against Britain and Ireland. The prosecutor is John Mitchel (1815 – 1875), an unrepentant physical force republican from both Young Ireland and the Fenians.  Lord Edward Carson (1854 – 1935) who led the unionist opposition to Irish Home Rule defends the Orange Order against the charge of treason. Both Lawyers have returned from the grave for the occasion, to exchange ideas, 'facts', and prejudice with with and passion.

 

Thomas D’Arcy McGee (1825 – 1868), a former Irish rebel who became a founding father of the Canadian Confederation is called as a witness, for the defence - as is the murdered Mrs. Elizabeth Crozier, from farming stock in Ulster.

All of the ghosts are aware of what has happened in both Ireland and Canada since they entered the grave.

 

This play offers a superbly engaging dimension to the play, in which it sees the audience debate the issues in the play as jurors in the jury room! This facilitates a participate role for the audience enabling them to deliberate on the issues as presented by prosecution and defence, as well as voting on the final outcome, just like in a real trial. Therefore the ending may be different in each performance!!

This play follows on from the Trial of P. H. Pearse in the Court of History which entertained and engaged audiences on both sides of the Atlantic as it examined the use of the gun in Irish politics.

Cast and Crew

John Mitchell - Donal O'Hanlon

Lord Edward Carson - Sean Treanor

Sir James Craig, Lord Craigavon - Pat Mooney

Thomas D'Arcy McGee - Gerry O'Connor 

Mrs. Crozier - Diane Russell

The Court Clerck - Damien Fannon (Ottawa)

The Judge - Jammes Leal (Ottawa)

Playwright - Anthony Russell

Director Donal O'Hanlon

Musical Director - Gerry O'Connor

Project Coordination - Tommy Fegan

The drama was commissioned for the Thomas D'Arcy McGee Summer School in Carlingford, August 2017.

In Ottawa the play was performed at the St. Brigid's Centre for the Arts.

2017 Canadian East Region Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Music Hall of Fame

Robert (Bob) Francis MacDiarmid 

(Harp of Tara Branch, Kingston)

Last October  14, 2017 in Ottawa was the Canadian East Region AGM. Many members of the CCE branches across the East Region of Canada came to Ottawa for the meeting. As is usual, at the AGM, a person is introduced to the region's Music Hall of Fame. This year the honour was bestowed on Bob MacDiarmid.  The actual text of his induction to the Hall follows.

It is with great pleasure that the region is inducting Robert (Bob) Francis MacDiarmid into our Music Hall of Fame.

Bob was born in Ottawa in 1953. His father was of Irish heritage. Bob left home at an early age to seek his fortune in the world. He worked at various jobs across Canada as a longshoreman, construction worker and IT specialist.

In Edmonton he met Angeles (Angela) Garcia, a medical resident. They would marry and begin their lives together, living in Edmonton and Spain before settling in Toronto and beginning a family, raising two sons, Allan and Victor.

It was in Toronto where Bob's interest in all things Irish took hold. He began attending sessions, learning to play the fiddle and attending set dancing classes with Maureen Mulvey-O'Leary.

In 1995 Bob and Angela moved to Kingston where Angela set up a medical practice and began teaching medicine at Queen's University.

Bob became a stay home dad looking after their large home and grounds and carrying out a lot of renovations to it.

https://www.harpoftara.com

In Kingston Bob became active in the Comhaltas Branch serving as chair at one time and the PRO where he still serves the branch.

Bob Initiated the slow session in Kingston 20 years ago and still runs a very active weekly slow session. Having been hooked on set dancing in Toronto, Bob and Angela also started set dancing in the back porch of their home, were we still dance from fall till summer.

In 2004 Bob hosted our first house concert in their living room with Maeve Donnelly performing to a group of about 50 people.

Since then there have been over 50 house concerts in Kingston, all but one in Bob and Angela's house. He organizes the concerts, usually with workshops, and most times billets the performers, all with no charge.  Kingston has seen the likes of Blackie O'Connell, Draoícht, Diorama, Paddy Keenan, Patrick Ourceau, Jackie Daly, Gerry O'Connor, and many others play in a small intimate venue and it would not have happened without Bob and Angela. Bob has also hosted an annual weekend workshop with Patrick Ourceau and Ivan Gough.

Perhaps his biggest undertaking has been the production of the Kingston Irish Slow Session Tune Book. This is a very carefully researched and well-presented two volume set of tune books including historical notes, background material and the tunes themselves. It is a world class project and Bob completed virtually everything himself and has made it available for download at no cost.

Bob has been instrumental in keeping the Irish Music scene alive in Kingston for over 20 years with the slow sessions, house concerts and the tune books. He is an active and key member of the Harp of Tara branch despite that his wife Angela is  now suffering from a severe, debilitating, incurable illness.

No one is more deserving of induction into the Music Hall of Fame than Bob and it will be nice for Angela to see this take place.

Congratulations Bob on an honour well deserved and welcome to the Music Hall of Fame.

https://goo.gl/images/JgLfKH

2017 Arnprior Irish Weekend

Arnprior 2017

Arnprior: faoi dheireadh, tháinig an chéad imeacht sa bhliain (scoile) sa “chamchuairt” na Gaeilge anseo i gCeanada.
Bien qu’on a hâte aussi de visiter la Gaeltacht (le Gaeltacht? selon les règles canadiens ce serait masculin parce que Gaeltacht termine avec une consonne, mais d’après l’Hexagone, tous les emprunts sont masculins, il me semble) pour l’Oireachtas et la semaine d’immersion pendant l'été. En outre, Kingston tiendra leur propre fin de semaine en mois d'avril, soit le premier fin de semaine d'immersion irlandaise planifié au Canada. Aux États il y aurait quelques uns avec daltai.org et des autre associations ainsi.

This year’s Arnprior experience probably stood out most for its strong youth representation with great support from the ICUF scholars from the University of Ottawa and Concordia University. By the way, the University of Ottawa Celtic Studies Program (whose students have recently relaunched the Celtic Studies Club wiith a GAA session and a pub night with more to come) as well as from Montréal’s Comhrá group (see links below). All in attendance highly appreciated the supportive atmosphere that the members of the Irish community fostered to allow learners and fluent speakers to practice their Irish.

An mhéad sin spraoi ag daoine ag an chéilí mór.

Bígí linn an bhliain seo chugainn! 

Don’t miss out next year! Rumour has it Toni and Dara have an even more outrageous skit planned. Next year's dates are: 28-30 September. We will have even more workshops, singing, music, good meals, and Gaeilge (of course)! We are also aiming to get a Facebook event page up for next year's Deireadh Seachtaine so you can share that with your Gaelic friends from all over the world (keep in contact with us to get news of any changes and other Irish-language weekends).

University of Ottawa Celtic Club: https://www.facebook.com/groups/291359350637/
Comhrá Montréal: https://www.comhra.org/ws/

Text from: Le-monde-de-Ciaran.tumblr.com 

Chair's Report - Annual General Meeting 5 Oct 2017

Chair’s Report on Branch Activities for the period

Sept 2016 – Sept 2017

Administrative Summary

1. The Branch-year for activities commenced in September 2016. 
2. The Branch AGM was held 6 October 2016. C. Hamm was elected to Chair, changing from Acting Chair. All previous members of the executive were returned with the addition of Danny Doyle (Irish officer) and Beckie Ewald (Youth officer). 
3. Carol Ann Bowers and Oscar Mou attended the Eastern Canada CCE Regional AGM in Sudbury in October. We agreed to host the 2017 Regional AGM in Ottawa. 
4. The Executive met every month, save for Dec, June, July and August. 
5. On March 29 the branch changed its public-facing name to Ottawa Irish Arts. This was done to improve outreach to non-Irish in the community. The branch’s legal name did not change. All feedback has been very positive. 
6. A member survey was undertaken, asking members to indicate their opinion as to whether the Ottawa Branch should remain in CCE. The response rate was about 50%, and the poll was split about 50/50, and the matter was dropped. 
7. Oscar Mou (Public Relations officer) published a monthly newsletter each month, including summer months. Dedication and diligence! 
8. Patricia continues to maintain our large website which requires frequent updating throughout the year, and continues to provide content to the Branch blog, and manage the Twitter account (@ottawacce) which is growing in followers. Our thanks to G. McFee who continues to donate funds, covering the cost of the domain hosting.

Summary of Branch Events

1. Monthly ceilis (Except December and May). The January to March ceilis were enthusiastically attended by many young people, making up for a slow autumn ceili season. We are indebted to the band (lead by Elizabeth Scarlett) and all callers (Carol Ann Bowers, Caitlin Crockard, Danny Doyle, in no particular order). Lisa Wright, and Oscar Mou, often work the bar and Oscar typically does the 50/50 draw. Carol Ann Bowers also arranged entertainment portions of the ceilis on several occasions. The table arrangement was altered to a U-shape, opening up the dance floor along the hall’s length, dispensing with the two-section model. 
2. Monday night instruction in language (4 levels) and dance (set and step) were reasonably well attended. We are very appreciative of our teachers for sharing their time, skills, and for their dedication. 
3. The March dinner-dance (12 March) was enthusiastically attended by 130 paid entrants, which we believe is a record over the past 3 or 4 years. We are indebted to long time, dedicated, member, Toni Forsythe who arranges for the main dish to be prepared. The Ambassador’s wife and children attended the ceili and had a grand time. (While the Ambassador was invited in December, it is understood his calendar is fully booked in March with state duties.) 
4. Patricia attended, for the Branch, the Rose of Tralee Selection the day after the ceili. There was no Ottawa Rose this year.
5. On March 14, master fiddler Matt Cranitch and legendary accordion player Jackie Daly wowed the audience at a Branch sponsored concert (Culture Ireland sponsor travel and accommodations). 
6. As is the custom members of the Branch executive attended the Irish Ambassador's St Patrick’s Day reception, held at the official residence. It was the inaugural occasion for the new ambassador, His Excellency Jim Kelly. 
7. In late March, PA and CH attended the entire Irish Film Festival Ottawa, and co-sponsored, with the Irish Society, and Caint as Comhrá  a film in the Irish language (DANCE EMERGENCY/Damhsa na hEigeandala, Dir. Deirdre Mulrooney). 
8. Oscar Mou organized two Irish Trivia nights, held at Paddy Bolands Pub, and also produced a Branch wall calendar, sold at minimal profit, as an outreach mechanism. A limited supply of 50 were made and sold out quickly. No small amount of effort by Oscar to pull all this off. 
9. Over the summer we were slightly more busy than usual. On June 16 (Bloomsday), myself, P.Avendano, Danny Doyle, Oscar Mou, 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. 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 St. Patrick’s. 
10. On August 2nd there was a spectacular concert at St Brigid’s Centre, Kildare Room, with Pierre Schryer, Dermot Byrne, and Adom Dobres. Special guests included several locals and the Schryer brothers. It was billed as a joint Old Sod and Comhaltas effort, and we got recognition for that (I helped arrangements with St. Brigid’s Centre for the hall, Patricia staffed the cd sales, which were vigorous). 
11. Patricia and C.Hamm attended the exhibit opening, in the Byward market hosted by the NCC and the Irish embassy, "The Irish Diaspora in Canada: A History." We met the incoming 2nd Secretary at this event, Laura Finlay. 
12. Patricia and C.Hamm attended the Welcome Reception at the ambassador’s Residence for the 2017 Eastern Regional GAA Championship participants. We 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). 

Instruments

Most of CCE Ottawa's instruments continue to be used by members, and the branch over the past year acquired new members interested in learning these instruments. The harps are the most popular, but there is always somebody interested in the uilleann pipes, they are usually on loan. It is worth noting that from past loans, one student has purchased their own uilleann pipes, and one has purchased their own harp for continued study.

While we are due some criticism for lack of a Branch session, it has been difficult to find a leader, and let it not be said that we are not contributing to the furtherance of Irish traditional music through our activities, as highlighted herein.


Votes of Sympathy

Branch member, Laurie Kelly, wife of Pat Kelly, died suddenly while visiting Ireland with Pat on Aug 30. Patricia and I attended the funeral reception, and left a card on behalf of the branch.

Carol Ann Bowers, on the death of her father. 

Bridget Guglich for the death of her husband.

Respectfully submitted,

C. Hamm

Chairperson || Cathaoirleach