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2007 - 2008 Executive Members
Our AGM was a success and we were very glad to see some new faces at the meeting as well as new faces on the board! Here is our Board of Directors for 2007 - 2008:
President - Alice MacDougall
Past President - Mary Mackniak
Vice-President - Britt Hall
Secretary - Marie Matheson
Treasurer - Gail Kruger
Members at Large:
Keith Cunningham
Sarah Dodd
Vic Mackniak
Vic Mackniak
Shannon Quinn
Research your Irish Roots!
(Ottawa) Dec. 3, 2007 - Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is pleased to announce that its partner, the National Archives of Ireland (NAI), has launched the first phase of an online census research tool on life in Dublin in 1911.
LAC signed an agreement with the NAI in December 2005 and the two departments have been working to digitize the Irish Census returns for 1901 and 1911, making them accessible online through a database, free of charge. These records are searchable by typing a person's name. LAC's assistance included digitizing census microfilm reels, linking images to a database, and overseeing the creation of a nominal index.
Making these records accessible online will give genealogists and historians around the world the chance to explore the age, occupation, religion and marital status of individuals. It will also allow research on Irish society of the early 20th century. The National Archives of Ireland have provided vibrant historical essays on topics such as social life, transport, education and literature and photographs depicting life in Dublin in 1911.
Check out more information at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/ireland.
Do you have any Irish?
Ever wondered about learning the Irish language? Having been to Ireland to tour and diggin up my family tree it intrigued me as being a neat experience to get to know the place and people better. It turned out even better than I imagined.
On the plane over a couple of trips ago, I was reading a guidebook that mentioned an Irish school called Oideas Gael. At first, Tourist Information in Dublin was at a loss, but I went back with an article I?d tracked down and with that in hand they found it. I phoned the director Liam Cunningham (with a last name like that, how could I go wrong!). Liam said, Brilliant, come on out, the next classes start in two days. I told him, I only knew about ten words, so was definitely a beginner. He said, "No problem there are classes for everyone.". I told him that I didn't have a place to stay, he said, "No problem, we'll fix something up when you get here.". I told that I'd have to find out how to get there, he said, "No problem, catch the 2:00 McAfferty's bus on O'Connell St.". Before you knew it, within a day and a half of arrival in Ireland I was signed up and on my way.
Oidas Gael is located in Gleann Colm Chille in County Donegal. The 'Glen' is a quiet picturesque little village of some 200 locals, 3 pubs and a couple of churches. They have classes ranging from the Irishlanguage, to music, to hill walking, usually a week in length, normally running from June through until September. You can check then out on www.oideas-gael.com.
The Donegal gaeltecht speaks an Irish dialect that is closest to Celtic (Scottish). It uses somewhat different words and phrases that the Galway gaeltecht, for instance. The government has developed an official version that is somewhat a mix of the dialects. It?s not the easiest of language to learn, as it seems to have a tendency for unpronounced consonants. Us beginners joked that they must have a Ministry of Silly Consonants! How about testing your luck at pronouncing drochthaibhrimh?
Some basic phrases to start you off:
Needless to say I highly recommend the place, I have been back and intend to go again, it was great fun and I met some incredible friends. I?m getting better each time I go and, like me, before you know it you?ll be ordering a pint of Guinness in Irish. And if you ask nicely I might even tell you what 'pog mo thoin' means.
Submitted by Keith Cunningham
A few years ago, while I was an active Irish Ceili dancer with the Irish Club, I had never heard of Irish set dancing. That all changed when I went to Saskatoon for dance workshops put on by the Comhaltas group there, with Maureen Mulvey O’Leary. She had come from Toronto to teach both Ceili dancing, and this new (to me) form of group dances. The dances were fun, Maureen was a great teacher, and I had no idea where this would lead me.
Irish set dancing is lively social dancing, done in sets of four couples. The footwork is not fancy, and beginners can pick up the basics easily. Several years later, and after a few more workshops with Maureen, I found myself in Ottawa at the North American Comhaltas Convention, to experience three days of dancing, with Maureen teaching ceili dancing, and Patrick Murphy, from Ireland, teaching the set dancing. There were hundreds of people from all over, some of them very experienced set dancers, and it was a thrill to learn and dance with them.
This February I traveled to Winnipeg for another workshop with Maureen O’Leary. The Winnipeg branch of Comhaltas has a very active set dancing group, and I went there to learn more from Maureen. With a smaller group, and four sessions over the weekend, she was able to show us some of the footwork, called battering, that I had admired in Ottawa. I also felt that some of my basic skills had improved. You can participate and have great fun without this, but it is very satisfying for me to advance my knowledge. Maureen is amazing, for the number of these long dances she holds in her head, and the joy of dancing she imparts as she teaches them. The Winnipeg dancers gave me a very warm welcome, and I hope to return to dance more with them.
Now, the Irish Club has set dancing once a month in Regina, usually at O’Hanlon’s pub, on Scarth Street. It’s free, it’s fun, you can come once, or every time. Our last session for the season will be on Sunday, May 6th, at 3 p.m. We dance for about an hour and a quarter. The first 5 minutes will be basics for beginners. Then, away we go! It’s a dance form that is low impact, but high in good times. Anyone is warmly welcome to join us!
Marie Matheson
