Irish Asssociation of Manitoba

Yes, it’s that time of year again – the day that everyone wants to be Irish or hang out with the Irish. And guess what? Once again the Irish Club is the OFFICIAL HOME OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN WINNIPEG. Come down for the all day music and dance. Sample the food. Sample the Guinness. Wear your green – lots of green. And silly hats. There is a small cover charge between 5pm and 10pm for non-members.

Lineup:

11:00-11:30am – Ecumenical Service – Joseph Campbell & Ralph Baxter

12:00-2:00 – Comhaltas Winnipeg’s “Flatland Ceili Band” with 3- 4 McConnell Irish Dancers and McDonnell School of Irish Dance.

12:15 – Raising of Ceremonial Pint with Premier Greg Selinger, Shannon O’Brien,

2:15-3:15- Larry McLelland ( 2- 20 min sets with 15-20 min break)

3:30-4:30 – Kate Ferris
Singer/songwriter/storyteller Kate Ferris has appeared at Folk Festivals, Children’s Festivals, and Community Concerts from B.C. to Newfoundland. She has appeared for the last couple of years at the Irish Club on Patrick’s Day.( 2×20 min sets with 15-20 min break)

4:45-5:15 – Rinn
Rinn is a traditional Celtic quartet from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Combing the talents of flute and whistle player Kevin Naughten, flautist Kaitlin Alexander, guitarist Mitchell Sebastian, and Bodhran player Tom Naughten, these musicians play an assortment of Irish jigs and reels ( 20 min set)

5:30-5:40 – Erin St. Pipe Band (10 minute sets)
6:00-6:30 – Rinn ( 20 min set)
6:45-7:15 – Al Smith (20 min set)

7:30-8:00 – McDonnell School of Irish Dance
The McDonnell School of Irish Dance performs throughout the year at concerts and festivals in Canada and the United States. They strive to promote Irish Culture through the beauty of dance. They perform traditional Irish stepdancing, ceili, and modern Irish choreography. They also compete across North America and have won numerous medals and trophies for their solo and group performances. (20 min – unconfirmed)

8:00-8:10 – Erin St. Pipe Band (10 minute set)

8:30-close – Ard Ri and McConnell Irish Dancers (20 min sets with dancers and band in same set – 20 – 30 min breaks in between)
The McConnell School of Dance was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada in 1947 by Sam and Sarah McConnell. The school one of the longest established Irish dance schools in North Amercia. McConnell School of Dance, under the direction of Shayleen McConnell Finucan, teaches Irish Dance to all ages of children and adults in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

9:30-9:40 – Erin St. Pipe Band (10 minute set)

Admission Charges

Noon until 5 p.m.
All admission free of charge

5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Members : free of charge
Non-member:
• children under 12 free
• teens $5
• adults $10

10 p.m. until close
All admission free of charge

Due to incredible demand, an additional “Nunsense” show has been added for Saturday, March 20 at 2:00 pm. A matinee “show only” with tickets at $15.00.

This hilarious off-Broadway musical will be directed by well known Manitoba director Muriel Hogue and produced by Dale Laird. Enjoy the Little Sisters of Hoboken as they display their divine talents in a zany benefit revue. In an effort to raise money for their fallen Sisters – unfortunate victims of a convent cooking accident – Mother Superior and her order of eccentric and endearing nuns show the lighter side of being Catholic. With riotous dance numbers, show stopping songs and side-splitting wit, you’ll swear (pardon me sister) Nunsense was heaven sent.

Don’t be disappointed; get your tickets early due to the popularity of this show.

Dates: March 19, 20, 25, 26, 27
Ticket Options: Dinner Theatre ($45); Light Dinner/Show ($23); Show Only ($15)
Tickets: Call 774 -TARA (8272)

Special Jameson Presentation at the Club tomorrow night (Friday 5th) at 8pm. A Jameson rep will be on hand to talk about their product line and pour some Irish. Come down!

Fundraising Benefit To Beat Cancer For Brian Richardson , Sunday, 28 February 2010 – Time: 18:45 – 22:00 The West End Cultural Centre – Tickets $25 (plus applicable taxes and surcharges) available at: The West End Cultural Centre Box Office and the Winnipeg Folk Festival Music Store.

Brian Richardson is a theatre practitioner: actor, playwright, poet, storyteller, folk musician, creator of ethno-fusion theatre, and longtime director for Green Kids Inc Theatre. Brian has enjoyed a wonderful career and has a wide range of performance experience. He is an invaluable member of different arts communities around the world. Brian dedicates much of his time to Museum Theatre, as well as numerous non-profit and charitable organizations. Brian has warmed the hearts of all who know him. His life has truly been a lifetime of giving. It’s fitting that a community of folks who care to see Brian comforted in his time of need will come together in true Vaudevillian fashion to raise funds and share in a tender, variety-show celebration!

Hello IAM Members,
On behalf of the Winnipeg Press Club’s Board of Directors and membership, we wish you all the best in 2010. We appreciate very much the hospitality you have given us, along with the opportunity to call your fine facilities “home” during our re-growth.

December 2009 marked the 150th anniversary of journalism in Manitoba, and (thanks in part to the generosity of the Irish Association) 2012 will mark the 125th anniversary of the Winnipeg Press Club – the oldest media club in Canada!

Hopefully over the next few months we will all get to know each other. Currently we don’t have much on the horizon in the way of Winnipeg Press Club events. However, with the exception of our board or general meetings, IAM members are welcome to participate in any future WPC events. We have a monthly newsletter called the “Mossback”, and – this is quite a coincidence – moss is green, our newsletter is full of green, and green is the main colour in our WPC logo. So you see, we already fit right in with the green of the Irish! The only “green” we seem to be short of is the financial kind, but we’re working on that….

If any of you would like to receive our monthly newsletters by email in PDF format, please send your request to me at winnipegpressclub@mts.net. And if you’re curious about the history and purpose of our club, we also have a brochure available in PDF format.

I look forward to meeting many of you in the near future. Cheers!
Wendy Hart
VP – Admin & Communications Winnipeg Press Clubemail: winnipegpressclub@mts.net