Showcasing our culture and heritage

THE Consulate General of Ireland recently announced that this year’s Irish Culture and Heritage Day will take place at the Grange Cricket Club in Stockbridge on Saturday September 27.

The event, hosted by the Consulate General of Ireland, Scotland GAA, and Conradh na Gaeilge Glasgow, which works to promote the Irish language in Scotland, will take place from 12.30pm to 5.30pm and is free to attend.

The Irish Culture and Heritage Day invites Irish people and those interested in Ireland to celebrate Irish culture, music, language, dance, and sport. The event brings together a number of key consulate partners who will input specific elements of the programme.

Support

Supporting the Irish Consulate’s efforts on the day will be: Scotland GAA and local Edinburgh club Dunedin Connollys, Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú, the Little Ireland Arts Collective, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Siamsoir—the Irish Dance Village. Other members of the Irish community will be showcasing their skills and talents on the day through genealogy workshops, poetry performances, music taster sessions and Storytelling workshops for children.

Director of Siamsoir—the premiere award-winning performance Irish dance troupe, whose experienced team of dancers and choreographers have been enhancing events since 2005—Jennifer Hogan-Roxburgh expressed her delight at taking part in the event once again.

“This event is a beautiful celebration of Irish culture in Edinburgh,” Jennifer said. “We have enjoyed performing and dancing over the years that this event has been running.

“We are so proud to take part in such a culturally rich and fun day for the whole family that we come back year after year. We particularly enjoy hosting the children’s ceili and helping new people fall in love with Irish dance.”

The Little Ireland Arts Collective (LIAC), which exists to celebrate Irish culture and heritage in Edinburgh and the east coast of Scotland, meets monthly ‘as Gaeilge’ in the Ciorcal Comhrá, a vibrant and welcoming gathering that is ‘ag ceartlár an phobail’ at the heart of the community. It runs a range of events and workshops annually in Edinburgh, particularly leading up to St Patrick’s Day in March. LIAC also participates in a variety of music, language and literature gatherings in Edinburgh, the east coast and online.

Déirdre Ní Mhathúna of LIAC is also greatly looking forward to this year’s event as she told The Irish Voice: “The Little Ireland Arts Collective (LIAC) looks forward to another fabulous day of community, ceol and craic on September 27. Along with The Irish Consulate team, our great friends in Edinburgh Comhaltas and of course our own arts, culture and language activists we are getting ready for a day filled with fun, laughter, tunes, songs and so much more. Come find us in the main building. Fáilte isteach!”

The event will serve as a superb example of the many strong links that exist between Ireland and Scotland and will build upon other initiatives such as the first civic St Patrick’s Day parade in Glasgow, the Coatbridge St Patrick’s Day Festival and culture days hosted by GAA clubs earlier this year in Clydebank and Edinburgh.

Participants will be able to choose from a number of activities across different spaces at the Grange venue and the consulate is looking forward to seeing young and old trying their hand at tin whistle playing or practising their cúpla focail. In this way, the Culture and Heritage Day will provide an important showcase for the Irish cultural opportunities available on a year-round basis through GAA clubs, Irish dance schools and Irish cultural organisations.

Celebration

“The Consulate General of Ireland is delighted to host the sixth Edinburgh Irish Culture and Heritage Day, an annual celebration for the Irish community in Scotland,” Consul General of Ireland in Scotland, Jerry O’Donovan, said. “We welcome the various strands of the Irish community from Edinburgh and across Scotland, and anyone with an interest in Irish culture.

“The event will have something for everyone. So, whether you want to enjoy a traditional Irish music session or experience Irish dancing and sport, the day will be enjoyable for all the family. The consulate staff, my family and I look forward to meeting many members of the Irish community and friends of Ireland on September 27.”

The consulate wished to place on record that the event could not take place without the financial support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and its Strategic Diaspora Fund, while adding that it is also incredibly appreciative of the support from GAA Scotland and Conradh na Gaeilge Glasgow to the event. It would also like to acknowledge the very generous sponsorship received from the ESB, Ireland’s semistate energy company which has significant projects here in Scotland.