A Taste of Irish Culture this Sunday
By Katie McFadden
Rockaway St. Patrick’s Day may still be two months away, but you can get a taste of all things Irish this Sunday, January 5. From Irish dance to traditional music, activities for kids, and even a language lesson, you can find it all at Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann’s Traditional Irish Music and Dance Event.
Reminiscent of the myriad of Irish culture activities when Rockaway was the Irish Riviera, three local branches of Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann are aiming to reinvigorate interest in Irish culture with an event that samples several traditions. So, on Sunday, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus (333 Beach 90th Street), all who attend will get treated to an afternoon of Irish entertainment and fun. Tommy Mulvihill will emcee the event and play guitar and sing some tunes that others can sing along or waltz to, along with musicians Niall Mulligan, Ann Marie Acosta, Marie Reilly, Seamus MacConaonaigh, Cathy Hornberger, and many more. There will also be céilí and Irish set dance instruction for those who have always been curious about giving these traditional dances a try, plus performances for those who just want to take it in. There will be an “instrument petting zoo” where kids can get a close look at and feel of some traditional Irish instruments, such as the bagpipes, harp and accordion, or they can enjoy some arts and crafts.
There will even be a bit of an Irish language lesson, and a history lesson about Nollaig na mBan, Women’s Christmas, a day celebrated in Ireland on January 6, giving women a break from the holiday season, as men take on the chores, which explains the timing of this event. But don’t fret lads, this event is for everyone. All of this will be accompanied with a hot buffet brunch supplied by the Knights, a cash bar and raffles to help raise funds for the Killoran-Clancy-Whelan, Mulligan-Quinn and Üll Mór branches of Comhaltas, so they can send their young members off to dance and music competitions in Ireland.
This event is being spearheaded by those three New York-based branches, to fulfill the mission of the 50-year-old worldwide organization, Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann, that strives to promote traditional Irish music, dance, song and language across the world, from Europe to the U.S. to Canada and even Japan. Local resident Annmarie Acosta Williams, who serves as the chairperson for the mid-Atlantic region for Comhaltas, and provides Irish dance and music lessons locally, wanted to bring some of that nostalgic Irish feel back to Rockaway. “When I was a kid, growing up, there was always stuff like this in Rockaway. Every Sunday night, there was Irish music at the Irish Circle, and we’d go there and that’s where I first saw people getting up and dancing and singing Irish songs. I was also a member of the Gaelic League at St. Brendan’s and there used to be Irish language classes, and there used to be a céilí at St. Francis de Sales’ small hall and I was always at that every month,” Acosta Williams said. “It’s not like that anymore. All those functions don’t really happen, so we’re starting to bring the effort back where there might be families interested in learning about this organization. Of course, we have the parade and the Irish festival, but we’re trying to tailor this towards families and people of all ages who might want to give these things a try.”
Acosta Williams wants everyone, from kids to seniors, to come out and experience something for the first time or reminisce about the heyday of the Irish Riviera, or of Ireland. “This is open to everyone, all ages, men, women, seniors, kids. We want people to have experiences and feel 100% welcome to come and try these things,” she said. On why Acosta Williams feels it’s important for folks to hold on to Irish culture and traditions, she says, “I want all the kids to understand, and even the parents to remember, why people left Ireland and what they were seeking when they got here, and the first song I always teach is ‘When New York Was Irish.’ It has a big connection to Rockaway. Essentially, when the Irish came here, they were looking for a better life, stability, employment, but saying ‘I was ever so happy, but ever so sad.’ They had food on the table and money to send to their family back home, but in Rockaway and the Irish pubs, people would escape to what reminded them of home. After work, they’d come down to Rockaway on Mickey Carton Way, and there was always Irish music everywhere, and people made that connection back home. We need that connection back.”
Acosta Williams hopes that if Sunday’s taste of Irish culture event with music, singalongs, dancing and language is successful and drums up interest, the organization can continue to hold more events that are topic focused. “This is a come and see everything we offer, but our hope is people will become interested enough, where we can have an afternoon of just Irish language, or just singalongs or just céilí dancing. This is the first step and hopefully we can follow it up with enticing people to come to other events,” she said. “There will be food, music, dancing, history, something for the kids, and it’s no pressure, just a fun afternoon.”
Tickets for Sunday’s event are $35 for adults, and $15 for children ages 14 and younger. For tickets, head to: http://form.jotform.com/243497188299174 or contact RINCECEOL@aol.com or 917-692-1332 for more info.
