Seattle Irish News Update
By JOHN KEANE
2005 IRISH WEEK
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GRAND MARSHAL ROB MCKENNA with his young son, Honorary Grand Marshal Mazie McFarland, and Congressman Jim McDermott, on the St. Patrick's Day Parade Reviewing Stand.
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Seattle's St. Patrick's Day celebrations keep getting bigger, and this year, well over 30,000 participated in Seattle's Irish Week celebrations. The St. Patrick's Day parade was the largest ever with over 1,600 marchers walking the mile long route.
The largest marching group in the parade was the 250-member Golden Regiment Band from Sonora, California, which traveled 900 miles each way in six buses with 100 boosters and parents just to participate in Seattle's parade. They were excellent performers and delighted the huge crowd, although the 150-member Shorecrest Highlander Marching Band from Shorecrest High School also wowed those watching.
With the sun shining brilliantly, the spirit was festive among the 40 different marching groups and those thousands that packed the sidewalks to watch. The only sour note was the Mayor of Lisburn's insistence on carrying a Union flag in the parade.
Most people however, weren't even aware of any controversy and the three television stations that covered the parade didn't even mention or show the Union flag. Following the parade, there was a packed Center House at the Seattle Center for the Irish Week Festival that attracted 10-15,000 people over the two days to watch Irish dancing and films, listen to Irish music, attend workshops, children's contests and activities, etc.
Then on St. Patrick's Day, Plymouth Congregational Church was packed for an inspiring homily by Belfast's Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Farquhar, at a Mass concelebrated by Seattle Archbishop Alex Brunett and 12 priests of Seattle's Archdiocese. Bishop Farquhar said he was impressed that Seattle's Irish Week celebration emphasized the spiritual dimension of St. Patrick rather than just the revelry of being Irish.
CHARITABLE DONATIONS
During Irish Week, thousands of dollars were raised for charity with the largest amount going to the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation from the almost 13,000 runners who ran in the St. Patrick's Day Dash. Another $40,000 was raised for other charitable causes at the Mass for Peace, the Friends of St. Patrick banquet and at the Matt Talbot Center dinner. It was a great week to be Irish in Seattle and congratulations to all those involved in organizing it. Míle Buíochas! – a thousand thanks!
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| JUDGES MICK MCHUGH, Kate Kiely, Áine McDonald, Carol Dooley, Maureen Keane, Alana Malone, and Don Tremblay examine the entries during the Irish Soda Bread Contest. |
SODA BREAD WINNERS
The winners of Seattle's Irish soda bread contest last month were: BROWN: First: Waterford Irish crystal to Mary Shriane; Second: Belleek china to Scott Bray; Third: Gift certificate to Betty Jo Kane. WHITE: First: Waterford Irish crystal to Scott Bray ; Second: Belleek china to Fionna Shriane Travis; Third: Gift certificate to Jodi Hamrick. GLORIFIED: First: Waterford Irish Crystal to Suzanne Eviston; Second: Belleek china to Sophia Basa; Third: Gift certificate to Jodi Hamrick. Entrants came from as far away as Portland, Oregon, Vancouver, B.C., and Eastern Washington. Congratulations to Suzanne Green for a great job organizing everything.
SEATTLE GAELIC FOOTBALL AND HURLING
The Seattle Gaels are back practicing Gaelic football and hurling for the coming season and beginning players are always welcome. To get involved or for more information, call Rebecca Fox at (206) 498-2762, Rob Mullin at (206) 353-8460, e-mail SeattleGaels@irishclub.org, or visit www.seattlegaels.org.
COACHING CLINICS
The GAA's North American County Board (NACB) has again organized three GAA Coaching Clinics in Boston, Chicago and San Francisco, to teach people how to coach Gaelic football, hurling and camogie, and also to teach refereeing skills. People from the Pacific Northwest – from Vancouver, Seattle and Portland – are attending the San Francisco clinic on April 8-10.
MATT TALBOT SPEAKER
UW Coach Tyrone Willingham is the Keynote speaker at the annual business breakfast at 7 AM on May 13, at the Matt Talbot Center, 2313 Third Avenue, Seattle. For information, call (206) 256-9865 or e-mail breakfast@matttalbotcenter.org.
SISTER-CITY RECEPTION
Friends and supporters of the Seattle Galway Sister City Association are invited to attend the ninth annual Seattle Sister Cities reception honoring Seattle's Sister City Associations. The reception is on April 27 at Seattle's new City Hall, 600 - 4th Avenue, in the Bertha Landes Room from 5:30-7:30 PM. Tickets are $15 each and available by calling (425) 290-7839 or SeattleGalway@irishclub.org. Seattle's sister city relationship with Galway, Ireland, was formally approved by both city councils 19 years ago in 1986.
IRISH DANCE CLASSES
Scoil Rince Slieveloughane now has Irish dancing classes in Kent and Bremerton. For more information, visit www.srsirishdance.com, or contact Patti Martig at (360) 754-4579 or pmartig@msn.com. For a listing of all Irish dancing schools in the Seattle area, visit www.irishclub.org/resource.htm.
IRISH MUSIC
Martin Hayes And Dennis Cahill at the Tractor Tavern, April 13 – visit www.martinhayes.com.
Singer Daniel O'Donnell at Seattle's Paramount Theater on June 6. Tickets are available at the Paramount Box Office or at Ticketmaster.
The Chieftains at The Paramount Theatre on July 17th. Tickets are available at the Paramount Box Office or at Ticketmaster.
IRISH CAMP
The third Annual Tír na nÓg Day Camp will be held at the Seattle Center July 18-July 22, 9 AM-12:30 PM daily. Divided by age groups, youths aged 4-8 will be introduced to Irish culture through céili dancing, language, folklore and crafts. For more detailed information, call (206) 856-5535 or e-mail celticroots_seattle@hotmail.com.
IRISH LANGUAGE
The Irish Language School in Kirkland starts basic Irish conversation classes on Wednesday nights at 7 PM from April 13 to June 15, and also classes on Saturday mornings at 9 AM from April 16 to June 25. The courses of 10 classes are for students who have had minimal exposure to the Irish language. For information, contact Aidan Maher at (425) 823-1553 or thepaycock@juno.com.
IRISH BOOK CLUB
The next meeting is scheduled for April 14 and members will be discussing Paddy Clark Ha Ha Ha by Roddy Doyle. The meeting will be at the home of Joan Flanagan. For more information, call (206) 363-6275.
MONTANA FESTIVAL
An Rí Rá Montana Irish Festival is slated for August 13-14 in Butte, Montana. This year's headliner acts are Solas, Searson and An Dóchas, plus many outstanding regional bands. The festival features a golf tournament, a sanctioned five kilometer run, workshops in music, Irish history, Irish language, genealogy, and dance. It is sponsored by the Montana Gaelic Cultural Society and more information is available at www.mgcsonline.org.
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