St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, and you don't have to look far to find someone claiming to have a bit of Irish blood flowing through their veins. In British Columbia there are more than 675,000 smiling folks who can attribute their humour and spirit to ancestors from Ireland. In Victoria, the Irish represent about 21 per cent of the population.
Still, there’s truth in the old Irish adage that there are two kinds of people in the world – the Irish, and those who wish they were.
That sentiment is demonstrated every year on St. Patrick’s Day and this year will be no exception as a host of celebrations are planned in Victoria and across the Island.
One of the most notable of these celebrations will be held on Sunday, March 16 when the Greater Victoria Festival Society (GVFS) hosts a St. Patrick’s Day festival on Government Street between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
There’ll be vendors at the site, free cupcakes, crafts, bouncy castles for the kids and more fun than you can shake a shillelagh at.
And, of course, there’ll be music. The free stage will host Irish tunes by Daniel Lapp, the Silverwood Celtics, Black Angus, Hounds of Cuchulain and more.
“I love St. Patrick’s Day,” said Kelly Kurta, the executive director of the GVFS, “Irish music is a gift. The music is happy, and it reminds us that every day we wake up and get to choose how we face the world. Irish music tells you to do it with a smile.”
Still, it’s natural to wonder what it is about the Irish that makes the culture so special.
You could delve into history and point out that it’s a nation of pride and resilience. The Irish were never conquered by Rome, for example, even at the height of that empire. Rome didn’t even try.
Then there’s that independent streak of the Irish.
In his book, How the Irish Saved Civilization, author Thomas Cahill points out that throughout the dark ages, when the church was instructing its followers to destroy the classic writings of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle and others, Irish clerics chose instead to hide the works away, preserving them for future generations. You don’t tell an Irishman to do something stupid and expect them to listen.
And, yes, the Irish have faced more than their share of hardship, from famine to the atrocities of colonization to civil war, but it seems that no matter how tough things became, the Irish have faced adversity with humour and a spirit that remains an inspiration to the rest of the world.
“There’s something about the history of Ireland that is inspiring,” said Finn Letourneau, part of the group Clanna Morna. “We typically tell the stories of the songs before we play them, and people love that. They smile and dance and end up talking about those songs later.”
It’s an experience that Wolf Edwards, the front man for Hounds of Cuchulain, shares.
“The music is cool, with cultural roots and it’s a lot of fun,” said Edwards. “But it has a serious undertone as well. It’s all about cultural identity and that’s really relevant in Canada. We’re a colonial construction here, after all, and there is a real connection between the experience of the Irish and the First Nations people in Canada. The music reflects those challenges, but the sense of positive energy and attitude is never lost.”
Kim Cook, a member of the Irish group Cookeilidh, agrees.
“Ireland has had many troubles. They’ve gone through tough times, and they’ve dealt with it by getting together and expressing pride and joy,” said Cook. “There’s nothing quite like sitting in a pub and experiencing a ‘session’ of music by a bunch of folks who get together to sing and play songs that they all know and love. It’s infectious and you always find that it brings a smile to your face.”
All of that is true and will be on full display in Victoria in the coming days.
Here are a few options for St. Patrick’s Day.
Cookeilidh will be at the Six Mile Pub on March 17 while Clanna Morna will be playing at Irish Times in Victoria on March 16 before heading to Salt Spring Island for a St. Patrick’s Day party there.
Hounds of Cuchulain will be doing five shows in addition to their festival appearance. They’ll be at the St. Pat’s party at The Little Fernwood on March 15, The Bash at the Duncan Showroom on March 16, and they’ll be performing the Paddy Rolling Stone St’ Pat’s Pogues Tribue at the Langham Court Theatre on March 17.
For more information on the Government Street celebration, go to victoriasbestplaces.com/events-calendar/st-patricks-day-victoria/.
Oh, and by the way, we almost forgot to mention a few more reasons to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The Irish, after all, invented Guiness, the tin whistle and those incredible Irish dance moves. Enough said.
