One Last Winter Fest

Upon arriving in Canada, an Irish immigrant of the 18th and 19th century might have been given “a cow, basic implements and three bushels of seed” (source) to settle in their new home. Some had been promised about 200 acres of land per household if they brought their useful trades to British North America. Although Irish immigration into Canada dates back to 1536, a surge in migrants during the potato famine saw the arrival of many destitute Irish folk onto North America's shores. Many other perished in the “coffin ships” from Ireland, usually of a disease they called “ship fever,” which was the erroneous name given to typhus. For many of the immigrants, the situation did not improve upon arrival, as disease spread through the poor communities, causing a major health catastrophe between 1846-47 in which “doctors, nurses, priests and even the Mayor of Montreal died alongside the immigrants” (source).

Irish DNA is embedded in the Canadian cultural fabric. Their traditions continue to this day, and perhaps its highest and most extravagant expression is found in the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17. Prior to the pandemic CelticFest Vancouver was held at the art gallery plaza (šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ square). Once the pandemic hit, celebrations stopped and have finally resumed this year when the festivities returned to the plaza.

The plaza in an open space that hosts celebrations and demonstrations. Not a weekend goes by without some raucous going on there. It’s the place to hang out and chimp out.

You ain't nothing but an Irish wolfhound

For CelticFest, organizers set up several tents and vendors adding a cheerful tone to the hustle and bustle of activity going on. Prominent on the grounds was a large stage from which Irish melodies and remixes wafted through the air.

Local artisans with a Celtic flair

Meanwhile on the stage, musical celebrations were underway with dexterous and delightfully bouncy traditional Scottish-Celtic dances accompanied by silky smooth highland music. Led by a couple of the dancers, the audience participated in a basic demonstration of the physiological techniques of this traditional dance.

Then things really got swinging, and the dancers showed an impressive mastery of kinesthetic acrobatics.

What a brilliant display of culture through the ages. It's likely that some aspects of the dance itself have changed, but there is an essence that still remains in the energetic moves and colorful attires. At some point in Scotland's history, the British outlawed the wearing of kilts, and so the girls danced a traditional dance performed in defiance of that order. Ay! The freedom-loving spirit of defiance!

Top 'o the hat to ya!

An Irish band got on stage, and the celebration ramped up with the tipsy crowd gathered around it or across on the beer tent where you could really get in touch with the barley spirits that moisten the tongue.

Some revelers gathered around in a circle and danced with one foot up in the air, then the other, while on stage the band was really shaking things up- making the crowd sway and hop to the sound of the cheerful tunes.

Later, the celebrations were even flashier, but I missed them because I had another pot of gold to attend to at the end of a rainbow. 🍀

Resources

1. Canadian immigration history-
   the arrival of the Irish https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Canadian-immigration-history.html

2. Irish Canadians on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Canadians

3. St. Patrick's Day on Wikipedia

4. Why Did the Irish Come to Canada: https://emerald-heritage.com/blog/2018/why-did-the-irish-come-to-canada

Images by @litguru

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