A Few Historical Highlights
of the Irish in Vancouver
By JOHN O'FLYNN
VANCOUVER - In the late 1940s and onwards, the City of Vancouver had the Vancouver and District Irish Society to look towards for many Irish cultural events that were organized by recent Irish immigrants. The Club invited all Irish people and those of Irish descent to join their ranks of a truly representative Irish Society. A non-sectarian organization, it had as its aims to promote Irish culture and establish an Irish Centre in Vancouver.
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| A PHOTOGRAPH of guests at the April 25, 1951, banquet at the Hotel Georgia in honour of His Excellency Sean Murphy the Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to Canada. |
The following are some of the Vancouver Irish Society who were active as members and executives: Mike McCarthy; Ed O'Reilly; John J. Grant and Ida Grant; Patrick J. Herbert; Thomas O'Reilly; Patrick Dunne; Movana McNaughton; F.B.J. (Mike) Whelan; Ann Butler (nee McNaughton); Hugh McIlvenna; Ed Butler; Seamus Egan; Erin O'Daly; Pat Dineen; Rev. T. Reidy; John Boal; Jean Kowey; Bill Meaney (uncle to actor Colum Meaney); Pat Warren; and Sue Hennessey.
Some pre-war Vancouver Irish immigrants who pre-dated the Society but who were well-known in the community were Jim Brennan; Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Phelan; Art O'Neil; Paddy White; and the Clark and Kelly families.
A monthly publication called The Harp made its ways into many a home and one purpose of the Society that I found most noteworthy was "to establish and operate, when feasible, a membership sickness and death benefit fund."
In the 1950s the Society met on the first Thursday of each month at the Cambrian Hall at 17th and Main Street. Later, meetings were held at the Stry Hall at 125 East 8th Street in Vancouver, where membership dues in 1961 were $3 per year.
On April 25, 1951, a banquet was given in honour of His Excellency Sean Murphy the Republic of Ireland Ambassador to Canada at the Hotel Georgia.
Dr. R. J. Hanna and the Irish Society produced a March 19, 1957 souvenir programme of their St. Patrick's Day Concert at the Georgia Auditorium. Dr. Hanna's father was a native of Ballynahinch, County Down and the good doctor wanted a top-notch Irish performance.
He used the assistance of Walter J. Hall and Eric Sanderson to produce the concert along with music conductors Ricky Hyslop and Sherwood Robson.
What a job they did! Limerick Tenor Thomas O'Brien (The original "Singing Cop" from New York), M.C. Joey Rardin, Dublin Actor Milo O'Shea, Irish dancer Madeline O'Reilly from Belfast and Canadian singer Yvonne O'Sullivan.
Interestingly enough, the concert had a magician called Dr. Giovanni who was of world renown and the Vancouver Irish Fusiliers had their Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel S.D. "Stu" Hunter, C.D. in attendance. It is clear that there was active support of the Irish Fusiliers of Canada (Vancouver Regiment) by the Society in their literature.
Written greetings from T. J. Kiernan, Ambassador of Ireland to Canada and the Mayor of Vancouver, F.J. Hume front the programme, along with an advertisement by Frank J. Kearney of the Kearney Funeral Directors.
President Johnny Grant's message has a very touching tribute to the Irish pioneers: "Thanks are due to the loyalty and efforts of the Irish Society which down through the years has kept alive that spirit of Gaelic culture for which our Island Home has been rightly called The Island of Saints and Scholars, and it is on their loyalty that we depend to perpetuate our glorious Irish traditions."
Another page item in the souvenir programme was a map of Ireland with the names of Vancouver families pointing towards their county of birth. Some names of note are Mr. and Mrs. O'Toole of Galway, Mrs. E. Comey of Meath, the McNaughtons of Antrim and Mr. I. Foley of Limerick.
In September 1957, newly arrived Monica Dunne was asked to dance the hornpipe at the St. Patrick's Day Concert in 1958. She received much encouragement from Father Tom Reidy to begin an Irish dancing school and, because of his support, teaching took place at her home and then at the schools of St. Francis De Sales, St. Andrews and St. Patrick's.
A 1959 St. Patrick's Day celebration at the Thunderbird Room at 2655 Main Street had the O'Toole, Grant, Butler and Dunne children with the Monica Dunne School of Traditional Step dancing.
Moreover the Erin O'Daly Academy of Irish Traditional Dancing had the Kowey, Belanger, Meaney and Coll children dancing. Soprano Sue Hennessy and Tenor Frank McPhail graced the programme along with the Little Flower Academy Singers and the Vancouver Post Office Musical Group.
Erin O'Daly, in 1962 hired the newly arrived Violet Moore to assist in teaching at her school. The following year saw Violet begin her own school and the rest is history with the Moore School being a mainstay for well over 40 years.
On March 10, 1961, a "Variety Concert and Films of Ireland," presentation by the Society occurred at the John Oliver High School Auditorium (41st and Fraser). Some singers to note were tenors Tom Gilligan and Bill Miller, baritone John Henderson, soprano Donna Charpentier and accordionist Seamus Coubrough.
Films shown that evening included: March of a Nation; Ireland at Home; Galway; Return to Kerry; Killarney; Ireland in Spring; Dublin - Ireland's Capital. St. Patrick's Day festivities were held at the Thunderbird Room once again.
Two group flights were arranged by the Society to Ireland in 1963 with Irish International Airlines (Aer Lingus).
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| THE IRISH SOCIETY of Vancouver arranged two charter flights to Ireland in 1963 with Irish International Airlines (Aer Lingus). |
At the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on February 12, 1967 over 2,200 people saw the Feis Eireann Singers and Dancers of Ireland fill the stage. The legendary tenor Frank Patterson was in attendance along with harpist-soloist Eithne Dunne. The St. Patrick's Day dinner and dance was held at the Hotel Georgia that year.
The souvenir programme refers to two local schools of Irish dance - Colleen Kennedy and Violet Moore. The Irish Society was instrumental in sponsoring Irish dance. In 1965, the first B.C. Open Irish Dancing Championships were held for British Columbia residents and in 1966, the first Feis Rinnce (dance festival) was held.
In 1967, it was open to all Canadian and U.S. Irish dancers for July 1 and 2 in North Vancouver. It was billed as an "Open Irish Dancing Competitions for all ages including the Western Canada Championships"
The 1966/67 financial statement of the Society shows a few interesting lines with $30 spent on a teenage dance and $8 on a rental of a projector. The January 1, 1966 balance of $190.48 ballooned to $2,320.27 by May 30, 1967 with the success of the Feis Eireann.
The early 1970s saw a general winding down of organized activities by the Society. Sponsorship and promotion of Irish dance at St. Edmunds in North Vancouver continued with Vi Moore's School of Irish Dance first Feis in 1970 to 1972.
One of the final acts of the Society was the closing of its bank account in 2000 of about $3,800 and the funds going to the new St. Patrick's Church at 12th and Main Street. The intent of the donation was to honour the lives of the Irish priests who served at the parish. Some of those priests who served the Irish Society of Vancouver - Fathers Blackburn, Carrigan, Teague, Reidy and Kenny.
Sidebar:
The following are some of the Vancouver Irish Society who were active as members and executives: Bill Meaney (Uncle to actor Colum Meaney), Pat Warren, Sue Hennessey, Ida Grant, Anne Butler (McNaughton).
Presidents - Mike McCarthy; Ed O'Reilly; (Kilkenny) John J. Grant; (Sligo) Patrick J. Herbert.
Vice-Presidents - Thomas O'Reilly; Patrick Dunne.
Secretaries - Movana McNaughton; F.B.J. (Mike) Whelan.
Treasurers - Ann McNaughton; Hugh McIlvenna; Ed Butler; Seamus Egan; Erin O'Daly; Pat Dineen; Rev. T. Reidy; John Boal; Jean Kowey.
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