Irish Asssociation of Manitoba

Efforts made to record the playing of Ireland’s Gaelic games of Hurling, Gaelic Football, Rounders and Handball in Canada, have been steadily taking shape over the last few months. The written form presently stands at 63 pages with over 23,000 words, with no pictures yet! Plans are in place to have this document published as either an online protected document and/or into a “book” form. I would welcome information/recollections/contacts from you or those who may have knowledge of the Gaelic Games, Leaders, Players, or Clubs that might relate to you. Provinces that are not well represented with historic material include Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Territories.

Your help by e-mail to joflynn@mulgrave.com  or fax (1 -604 -922 3328) would be very much appreciated. E-mails with photo submissions are welcome too.

Mailing address: John O’Flynn, 2330 Cypress Lane, West Vancouver, BC  V7S 3H9

John O’Flynn, Secretary of the Canadian Board, Gaelic Athletic Association

A local film maker named Christina Kirouac is putting together an abstract film that will be played at a dedication ceremony in Toronto this June. There is a new park being opened/dedicated on the lakeshore (at Bathurst) by the Ireland Park Foundation. This new park is being dedicated to all the Irish immigrants who came to Canada in 1847 on the coffin ships – fleeing the famine in Ireland. She has been commissioned to put together an abstract film that will be played at the dedication ceremony on the side of an old brewery building at the site. The image will be 50 x 30 feet in size – larger than a typical movie theatre screen.

Christina is looking for actors from the Tara Players to be included in some shots for the film. She will be at the Irish Association on Wednesday, October 18 at 8:00 PM to do the shoot. 

Anyone interested in participating should contact Shannon O’Brien and confirm your attendance. She is looking for 15-20 people so the more the merrier. The Irish Association will receive a special mention for their participation. This is purely a volunteer activity.

The single most important issue for The Irish Association now is the low membership numbers. In an effort to address this I am appealing to all members to invite someone new into the Club this year. If we all did this our membership would double.   The campaign to increase our membership will be an ongoing effort which includes the development of our website by Paul Clerkin to promote the Irish Club. Have you visited it lately? Do you recommend it to friends and acquaintances? The website has a monthly calender of events, event reviews and promotion and news. New members can download applications for membership from the website. I will be developing a membership table to promote The Club at events there and to travel to events like The Irish Festival, Folklorama etc. And our newsletter is getting an upgrade. Of course we need great events to promote.

Another busy season is starting. There will be the return of successful events involving our many talented groups. Tara Players Theatre Company has an exciting season ahead with changes and improvements. We look forward to the sold-out events of The Irish Myst Choir Christmas Carol Night and Cafe performances and  Toora Loora Lay Cabaret Nights. Monthly Pub nights will resume at the end of September. We are planning to have traditional Irish music and story-telling as well as Celtic pub bands and excellent pub grub and game tournaments. Also plan to attend and share with your friends, The New Years Eve Dinner and Dance, St. Patricks Gala and weekend celebrations at the Club, Noisy Auction, Easter Brunch,the Ponies, Pipes, and Pints fundraiser for our wonderful own Winnipeg Celtic Pipe Band, and Whiskey and Beer tasting events; plans are in the works to add a wine-tasting event as well.  

All events will be better promoted through all available media, our website and newsletter, and public posters. And I again encourage you, dear members to attend and promote these great events this year. Your Board of Directors will continue to work hard to make improvements at The Club. The members lounge is in transition and plans are in progress for other renovations. 

Please attend the Annual General Meeting Sunday, October 29th. at 2:00 P.M. to vote for your new President and to renew your membership.