St. Patrick's Day Round-Up

By CATHOLINE BUTLER

ED EMERMAN, owner of the Blarney Stone, with Mackenzie one of the servers.	PAUL ROBERTS, owner of Johnnie Fox's Irish Snug on Granville Street, all dressed up for St. Patrick's Day.
PHOTO: Brendan Flynn THE FABULOUS De Daanan Irish Dancers entertained at the St. Patrick's Day dinner and dance held at the Hellenic Community Centre by the Irish Heritage Society.
SOME HAPPY FACES at Doolin's Irish Pub on St. Patrick's Day.
ST. PAT'S at the new Dublin Crossing Pub in Langley was a full house. During the daytime, entertainment was provided by The Mad Celts.
MARK O'CALLAGHAN and Steve Done enjoying a pint on St. Patrick's Day at the Foggy Dew, Coquitlam.
JENNIFER, Erin, Marty, Shawn and Dave worked as servers at the Foggy Dew in Coquitlam on St. Patrick's Day.
GUESTS at the Celtic Heritage Society Dance are: (L-R) FRONT ROW: Steve and Al McCabe and Jay Foody. BACK ROW: Tom Richards.
Members of the executive of the Irish Heritage Society at their St. Patrick's Day event: (L-R) George McDonnell, Vice- President; Adrienne Sutherland, Secretary; Tony McCambly, President; and Gwen McCambly, Treasurer
FATHER Anthony Boniface, Marie Morris, Monsignor Pedro-Lopez Gallo, and John O'Flynn at the St. Patrick's Day morning Mass in Gaelic at St. Pius X Church in North Vancouver. Father Boniface was the celebrant.
	BRIAN HUNTER (L) owner of the Penny Lane Pub with John Coughlan on St. Patrick's Day.

VANCOUVER - St. Patrick's Day, March 17, dawned wet and damp in Vancouver. In the early hours, I joined a small gathering at St. Pius X Church in North Vancouver to attend a Catholic Mass in Gaelic.

This was celebrated by Irish-born Father Anthony Boniface, who is from St. Monica's Church in Richmond. The co-celebrant was with Monsignor Pedro-Lopez Gallo, who is the pastor at St. Pius X Parish.

Mary Rooney, Marie Morris and John O'Flynn are to be commended for organizing the Mass in the Irish language, along with members of the Catholic Women's League who provided a delicious buffet spread after the Mass, which was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

Also, after the Mass a collection was taken-up for the Celtic Society of Canada. This is the benevolent society that provides emergency assistance to families and individuals in our community on a short term basis. A sum of $400 was collected to benefit the society. Many thanks to all who generously donated to this worthy cause.

After attending the Mass, our editor Maura McCay and myself went touring and dropped into a few of the Irish establishments in and around Vancouver.

Our first stop was The Foggy Dew in Coquitlam and, although it was early in the day, eager patrons were already assembling to take part in the celebrations. Our next stop was The Blarney Stone in Gastown. By the time we arrived, the line-up at the door had started. Inside, the place was packed and the fabulous Killarney showband was going full blast with Irish songs, jigs and reels and the crowd couldn't have been happier.

Doolin's Irish Pub already had wall-to-wall people inside with a long line-up at the door. One unique feature that I remarked at Doolin's was the fiddle player outside who entertained those waiting in the line-up. It was a nice warm-up as they waited patiently to take part in the huge celebrations inside the pub.

It always amazes me at this time of year how the servers can weave their way through the crowds with a full tray of beverages high above their heads and spill nary a drop. I marveled at their dexterity at both Doolin's and The Blarney Stone which were both packed houses.

Johnny Fox's Irish Snug on Granville Street was also doing a brisk business. I had the opportunity to speak briefly with owner Paul Roberts when he stepped outside to get some fresh air. I just happened along at that very moment and snapped a photo of him wearing his St. Patrick's Day finery.

Our last stop was the Penny Lane Pub at 41st and Main Street where there was a good crowd but you could still move inside the pub. I spoke with owner Brian Hunter and John Coughlan of TransCold Distribution.

The Penny Lane is a neighbourhood pub and it is a tradition for many of the regulars to gather to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The Penny Lane is also one of the few pubs where you can get a pint of Murphy's on tap. We just had time to get back home in order to get ready to attend the Irish Heritage Society's dinner and dance show at the Hellenic Community Centre on Arbutus Street.

Many people remarked on the delicious dinner of corned beef and cabbage and chicken, along with roasted potatoes and various salads. Dinner was followed by pastries, tea and coffee.

Entertainment was provided by the popular Rogues 'n Tinkers band. Dublin-born actor Tom Byrne, recited the poem The Cremation of Sam McGee which was written by the late poet Robert Service.

Tom Byrne is also known as the "Official Bard of the Yukon." Each summer from June to September you can see and hear Tom at the Westmark Hotel in Dawson City, where he does a one and a half hour show on the life and times of Robert Service.

And, last but not least, the De Daanan Irish Dancers took to the floor and absolutely captivated the audience with their awe inspiring footwork in both soft and hard shoe. They will be heading to Scotland in April to compete in the Worlds and we wish them the very best of luck.

Many of you will know or have heard of the proposed new Irish Cultural Centre that the Irish Heritage Society are building in Langley. At the St. Patrick's dance there was a display with an architect's drawing of the proposed new Irish Centre in Langley.

Irish Heritage President Tony McCamley pointed out to me the various aspects of the centre. It will have a senior's assisted living building, a heritage hall that can accommodate weddings, banquets, meetings, concerts and various other types of functions.

There will also be a small pub and a field for Gaelic football and hurling. The centre will be run as a business. Basically, it will have all the amenities that people in the community have been talking about and wanting for years.

Tony and Gwen McCamley are the owners of New West Gypsum, a multi-national company that just continues to grow with offices in many parts of the world now. Tony was born in Ireland and has lived in Canada for the past 40 years. He has vowed that if it is one of the last things he does...an Irish Centre will be built in Langley!

The McCamley's are the owners of most of the property where the centre will be built and they are also largely financing the whole operation. It's a very impressive undertaking and Tony McCamley intends to have this facility ready by 2010 or sooner. Watch The Celtic Connection for more exciting details on the progress of the centre.

For membership in the Irish Heritage Society or information on up-coming events call: George McDonnell at (604) 270-2881, e-mail: crumlin@shaw.ca. Visit their website at: www.irishheritagesociety.ca.

TOM BYRNE (centre) sitting proudly with his two daughters (L-R) Brenda Story and Christine Ralfs on either side.

ENTERTAINING at the Irish Heritage St. Patrick's Dinner and Dance were the Rogues 'n Tinkers.

TOM BUTLER, Mike Rath and Tom O'Flynn at the reception held at St. Pius X in North Vancouver following the Mass in Gaelic on St. Patrick's Day.

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