Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Éireann (Ottawa Branch)

Hope you had a terrific summer and that you are ready for all the great times that Ottawa Branch is planning. All of our regular activities will be resuming September 10th with the same great teachers we had last year – adult dance classes will be taught by Sheila Scott (céilí & set) and Caitlin Crockard (solo), Sheila will also be teaching 2 levels of Irish language and our music teachers, known locally as very accomplished musicians are: Greg T. Brown (fiddle, etc.), Martha Cooper (bodhran, flute & whistle) and Mary Muckle (harp).

We are very excited to be starting off the season with a Céilí & Set Dance Workshop with Maureen Mulvey-O’Leary at Blessed Sacrament Hall on September 15th from 1 – 4 p.m. Maureen’s classes are great fun and she is a fantastic teacher. Maureen will be at the Céilí the same evening to call the dances. Come to learn some dances in the afternoon, come back in the evening to dance to live music. We need to know h ow many dancers to expect, so please register in advance if you are interested in this Workshop. Send me an email if you would like to register. The cost is $12 for Comhaltas members, $15 for non-members.

Our first Céilí of the season takes place Saturday, September 15th at Blessed Sacrament Church Hall. Enjoy dancing or just listening to music by the Ottawa Céilí Band. We are looking forward to hearing a couple of songs from Ellen MacIsaac and Caitlin Crockard will perform a solo dance for us. Refreshments (tea, Irish bread and cheese) are included in the price of admission. Hope to see you there! Information: Pat, 819-778-2827.

Membership

Fees have gone up slightly with the most important change being that Family and Couple rates are now the same. Invoices are being sent out to current members (no more need to write out all that information each year!) and our old Membership forms have been updated for use as a NEW-MEMBER application only.

If you would like to join Comhaltas, ask me to send you the form.

Our new rates are as follows:

Senior (one adult) $30; Senior + Assoc. (2 adults at same address) $40, Family $40

Junior (under 18, combined with a Senior) $5, Student (Branch membership only, no Treoir) $10.

Note: Paid-up Members get a discount on Céilí admission and other Branch events. In addition, members may get a discount at the Irish Village and we are working at getting more such benefits for our members.

Ottawa Branch Weekly Classes and Events

Irish Language Classes:

Mondays at Blessed Sacrament Hall, 194 Fourth Ave., Ottawa

Beginner: 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.,
Intermediate: 7:00 -8:30 p.m.
For further information, call Sheila Scott: 613-562-5800, Ext. 2257.

Solo Dance Class for Adults:

Mondays at Blessed Sacrament Hall, 194 Fourth Ave., Ottawa., 7:30-9:00 p.m.

Taught by Caitlin Crockard – see her perform at the Sept. Céilí. Info: 613-241-5668.

Irish Set and Céilí Dance Classes for Adults Wednesdays, 7:00-9:30 p.m. upstairs at 1026 Baseline Rd. (just east of Merivale, at Farlane) in the same building as the Villa Marconi. No experience is needed and you don’t need to bring a partner. The first half-hour of each class is devoted to footwork. Information: 613-562-5800, Ext. 2257.

CCÉ Irish Music Lessons. Learn to play traditional Irish music. Whistle, flute, harp, bodhran, fiddle, more. Don’t want to buy an instrument until you try the lessons? We have some instruments to lend to new students. We also offer a subsidy for new students for their first 6 months of lessons. For more information, call Tony: 613-225-1757.

Celtic Music Session Rasputin’s, Bronson Ave., 2nd Mon. of each month. 613-720-2975.

Electronic Bulletin

Let us know if you would like to receive our regular Electronic Bulletin; it has received rave reviews! It is colourful with lots of extras that we can’t put into the paper version – photos, extra details about Irish events, links, etc. Don’t have high-speed Internet? You may opt to receive the “lite”version - text and links but no graphics or photos. Something like this present message. Contact me by: Email

Note: Members may receive both paper and electtronic versions if they wish.

Check out the website: Ottawa Branch

The international website is really amazing. It has everything you might want to know about Comhaltas and lots and lots of music and resources for musicians. Check it out at: http://comhaltas.ie/

Hope to see you at our first Céilí.

Pat

Patricia Cassidy, P.R.O.
CCÉ (Ottawa Branch)
819-778-2827