Ireland - Comhaltas Archive

TREOIRBill McEvoy (President of North American CCf.)and John Pendergast (North AmericanSecretary) in jovial mood at Toronto 'soutstanding ConventionCeol na mban: Ena O'Brien, Minister Mary Coughlan and Anne McConnell (Canadian Chairperson)3 am Ena O'Brien, Mike Rafferty, FelixDolan, and flutist Pat O'Gorman, aformer member of Rare Air andcurrent member of Windbags, wereamong the musicians playing for theceilLOutside the main ballroom, sessionssurfaced everywhere: two inside thelobby pub, one right outside it, threeothers elsewhere on the lobby floor,and two in the downstairs hallwayleading to Sean Gorman's Pub, whichhad yet another one percolatinginside. Hospitality suites higher in thehotel had their own musicmaking,while other musicians traded tuneson stairs and sills, in corners andempty meeting rooms.PQdraig Mac Suibhne receiving a presentationfrom He/en Gannon (St Louis) watched by StanO'Donohue (Chairman of Convention 200 I)The pulse of all this playing continuedon into Sunday, when RTE's "CeilfHouse" arranged for different bandsand musicians to record on tape inSean Gorman's Pub. Inishowenperformed as eight set dancersmoved in a tight figure on the pubfloor. They were followed by banjoistJoe Molloy and pianist Julie Schryerpaired together, then by buttonaccordionist Patty Furlong, pianistFelix Dolan, and fiddler Denis Liddy,who gave rousing renditions of "Den isMurphy's Polkas" and "Boys ofMalin/Boyne Hunt".Toronto's Langan-Gorman Branch (oneof 44 CCE branches in North Americaalone) and its convention committeeof Stan O'Donohoe, EamonnO'Loghlin, and others made this"Musical Odyssey" memorable for all.By the time I boarded my plane forNew York late Sunday afternoon, I felta little like Alice in Wonderland, exceptthe rabbit hole I had tumbled into waslined with Irish music and dance forthree days and two nights. It was oneof the happiest falls I ever made.Next year's North Americanconvention for CCE shifts to St. Louisfrom April 4-6. (Go to www.slia.orgfor details).What can you expect?Well, it is the "Show Me" state, andthe convention's theme is "The Spiritof St. Louis". Remember whatLindbergh did in a plane of thesame name?Ceol beirte ag an gComhdhOilThe author of this article Earle Hitchner withNorth American Chairman Frank KennedyThe inimitable Henry Gerraghty (Galway) andex-TorontoLarry Reynolds, Mick O'Connor, Brian Prior,Anne McConnell and Paul Keating20