Irish Connections Canada Magazine

Spring 2015$5.00

Paint the Town GreenPage 60

50 Years of The Wolfe Tones Page 58

Stepping Out With a New CrewPage 46

Michaela hindS Four TiMe World iriSh

dance chaMpion

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY 2015 Diageo Canada Inc.

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Contributors: Michael Barry Matthew CotterJohn CraigMaurice FitzpatrickJennifer HoughJames KellyMichael O. NowlanShane ONeillTadhg PeavoyGerry RonanAisling N ShrnMary Thomson-GriersonProduction: Prism Studios Design Inc.Printer: McLarens Press Graphics

Letters to the editor:[email protected]

Manuscript submissions, news items, reviews, letters to the editor, photos and social notes are welcome, but may not necessarily be published. Please submit material via email. Views and opinions expressed in articles are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent those of the publication staff. We do not accept responsibility for the effectiveness of any advertisements it contains, nor does the publication of an advertisement constitute an endoresment of the products or services so advertised. The editor reserves the right to amend submissions for clarity and length. Writers guidelines available upon request.

www.irishconnected.com

Kieron DowlingCo-publisherkieron@irish

connected.com

Ellie ReynoldsCo-publisherellie@irish

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Filte Welcome to the Spring Edition

it was 25 years ago our journey started to canada! From Blessington - Baile coimin - the town of the blessing the largest town in West Wicklow. The gateway to the national park, an outdoor paradise of woods, mountains, rivers and lakes. Blessed by nature - but also a place of real historical significance. The very story of ireland is to be found in the stones and records of this part of the ancient province of leinster.

Boarding the last flight in 89 to call canada home! With all good intentions of staying here for just a couple of years we quickly felt at home. We arrived not knowing a soul or a sinner but when you are irish you are never alone. Braving the Winters, we realized early it was wise to become a Winter Warrior and enjoy all its splendor or find a room with a view which tantalized our taste buds with the comfort of home an irish Stew, ears dancing with the delight of music from home to meeting new friends who remain part of our family today!

This is what we all experience as new arrivals, new families carving your way and making memories. canada is a wonderful country with lots to offer, Toronto voted best city to live in, there are so many wonders and things to do here and its my opportunity to bring all the wonders of this land to you and share stories from home.

i have teamed up with Kieron as co-publisher and together we are thrilled to bring you a very exciting issue we are delighted to introduce some new features within the magazine that will be of interest to you as you flick each page we hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as we have enjoyed putting it together for you!

Money Matters - this is a section dedicated to helping you reach financial wealth. in this issue taxes & tax planning and how you can find savings on your tax return. next issue will focus on retirement, planning & investing.

Tr na ng (land of the young) very excited to introduce a family/childrens section catering to kids & tweens, packed with colouring contests, what to do with the kids on a snowday and much more. This issue we are featuring some fabulous authors from Brenna Briggs a former actress and documentary film director-producer-writer famous tween books The liffey rivers to Marguerite Tonery who attracted the attention of World Famous illustrator david T.Wenzel best known for his graphic novel adaptation of J.r.r. Tolkiens, The Hobbit and much more!

Travel Ireland We have teamed up with royal irish Tours and are excited to announce that we have our very own exceptional reporter & travel writer in ireland to showcase some of our favourite towns & cities as well as some hidden gems. ideas and tips for travelling the emerald isle! Tadhg peavoy is an irish journalist and broadcaster. he currently works for rT - irelands national multimedia organisation. Tadhg is a gaelic name that translates as poet and philosopher.

Cistn (Kitchen) each issue we will feature some favourites brought to you by chef laura she has toured with bands like duran duran and red hot chili peppers, created exciting meals for celebrities, catering elegant social and corporate events both large and small, inspired by the impact food has on living, on loving, and on life.

Feis in each issue we will update you on the world of irish dance. For the first time, canada will host the World irish dance championships. This year, Montreal will be the host city. Featured on the cover Michaela hinds, four time World champion winner. read what it takes to be an irish dancer.

enjoy the celebrations. until next issue..Sln go fill. ellie ICC

For advertising or subscriptions, contact Ellie Reynolds

[email protected]

Noreen ORinnEditor

[email protected]

IrIsh ConneCtIons Canada ~ sprIng 2015www.irishconnected.com 5

A Voice for the Irish in CanadaSpring 2015 - Volume 5

News9 News from Celtic studies

10 Irish Veterans who served in Overseas Armies to be Honored for First Time

12 The Ten Most Important and Fascinating Irish News stories of 2014

LIFesTyLe21 Things to do in Toronto for

March Break

23 Give yourself Permission - Dare to Live!

25 Tr na ng

TrAVeL26 Galway City

30 The Top Ten Places to Visit in Ireland

sPOrTs38 Toronto GAA Update

38 Toronto Hurling Club

41 rugby in Canada

eNTerTAINMeNT46 stepping Out with a New Crew

52 A Dancers Journey to the world Championships

61 Toronto Irish Players Celebrates 40 year Anniversary

FeATUres63 Belfast Home-Coming 2015

65 saint Patrick was Nobodys Fool

69 How Long Does It Take to Get From roscommon to Dublin?

IrIsh ConneCtIons Canada ~ sprIng 2015 www.irishconnected.com6

if youve never had the opportunity to attend one of our irish events and would like to know what all of the fuss is about you should come along, So mark your calendars my friends... invite yourself your family, your friends and everyone you know to join us at one or all of the most fabulous celebrations

Flag raising & Irish Person of the Year Luncheon - Sun, Mar 8th, 2015 - ipoY luncheon will be held on the 8th at 11am followed by the luncheon place: hilton hotel 145 richmond St. W. Time: 12.00 noon... following the raising of the Flag at city hall at 11.00 am. To reserve Tickets: contact anne-looney 416-621-2520

Ireland Fund Luncheon - Friday March 13, 2015, The largest St. patricks day luncheon in the World so why not be part of the craic - at the lunch this year we will be celebrating and honouring Jim Flaherty get your tickets now contact Jane noonan - 416-367-8311

Grand Marshal Reception - honouring police chief Bill Blair: Fri, Mar 13th, 2015

The 2015 grand Marshal reception & dance honouring Toronto chief of police, Bill Blair, will take place at casa loma, Toronto. The event begins at 8pm

on Friday, March 13th entertainment will be provided by hugo Straney as he recreates the cabaret night experience of ireland. Traditional irish dancers will also be performing.

St. Patricks Day Parade - Toronto. The parade will take place Sunday, March 15, 2015. it follows a route through downtown Toronto starting across from Varsity Stadium and finishing at nathan phillips Square. it will feature nearly 100 marching groups, floats and bands. More information - www.topatrick.com

The Wolfe Tones- St. Patricks Day - Tue, Mar 17th, 2015- The estonian house 958 Broadview avenue, Toronto. call alan at 416 402-3729 for information and tickets or email: [email protected] doors/bar open 6pM - Band on stage 7.30pM

The Montreal Parade - Sunday March 22nd - Visit Montreals parade one of the longest running parades in north america visit website for more details. www.montrealirishparade.com

The World Irish Dance Championships - March 29th april 5th 2015 palais de congres de Montreal First time held in canada ICC

I Dont Know About You, but We LOVE to Celebrate!!By Eleanor Reynolds Co Publisher


BUsINess

Ida 2014 Stats Show Overall Growth In Ireland

ida ireland, the countrys industrial development agency, has released its annual figures for 2014, announcing that 15,012 new jobs were created by ida ireland client companies. Taking into account job losses of 7,881 from ida client companies, there remained a very healthy increase of 7,131 jobs from client companies. The total employment in ireland of ida client companies now stands at a record high, just short of 175,000.

The ida is an irish government agency tasked with attracting foreign direct investment (Fdi) into ireland. For over 60 years the ida has worked across the globe to attract inward investment and job creation to ireland, becoming a key influencer on the development of the irish economy and of irelands reputation abroad.

investment in 2014 increased by 20% over 2013 with a number of big names setting up shop or continuing their investment in ireland. a number of these companies made headlines in ireland through job announcements, including amazon, linkedin, air BnB, and Bristol Myers Squibb.

in a statement released this week, irish Minister for Jobs, enterprise and innovation, richard Bruton said:

Foreign direct investment is a central part of our action plan for Jobs. Multinational companies account for almost 10% of the irish workforce and are of crucial strategic importance for the economyTodays results show that a record 7,131 extra jobs were added by multinational companies supported by ida in 2014. This means that 25,000 extra people are at work in these companies compared to 2011 with massive knock-on impact for the economy.

This growth in ida company jobs is paralleled by the continued recovery of the irish economy more generally. There was a 1.6% decrease in live register numbers from december 2013 to december 2014, from 12.2% to 10.6%. in terms of employment there was a total increase of 27,700 between fall 2013 and 2014.

according to a report on the Journal.ie, the biggest job increases were in dublin and the South West of the country, with most other regions not reaching their growth targets. The ida is now finalizing a five year plan to see them through the last phase of the horizon 2020 initiative. chief executive of the ida Martin Shanahan said: Based on the immediate ida pipeline, covering the first quarter of 2015, we are optimistic about the future flow of investment into ireland. in relation to the remainder of the year we are cautiously optimistic ireland is in a good position to win significant business across a range of sectors. ICCSource: Irish Central

IDA Ireland Saw 15,012 New Jobs CreatedBy James Kelly

Good news for Ireland as IDA reports net increase in jobs Photo by: ThinkStock/Getty Images


Go mbeanna Dia daoibh, a chairde. as this years ireland canada university Foundation Scholar ive had the privilege of working in St. Michaels college since September and it saddens me greatly to think that i only have two more months left teaching the irish language here on campus to such enthusiastic, inspiring students. T mo shaol ar rotha anseo my time is flying here.

last semester i organized a weekly Ciorcal Comhr (irish conversational circle) to help my students practice

their Gaeilge l a b h a r t h a (spoken irish) outside the c l a s s r o o m . on the 6th of october we helped break a world record by partaking in the longest irish conversa t ion ever had in the

world! We contributed an hours worth of non-stop irish to a 169-hour online conversation via google hangout.

The second highlight of semester one for me has to be Gaeilge 24 a challenge both irish students, and professors of the university bravely undertook to speak nothing but irish for a full day. Students proudly sported red t-shirts, explaining the challenge, as they went about their daily routine speaking a celtic tongue. This greatly helped raise awareness for the irish language on campus, and was a thoroughly enjoyable day for all participants!

The second semester has proven to be just as event filled as the first. The university of Torontos celtic Society hosted the well-attended celtic Studies annual Student lecture Series from the 16th-18th of January. Students from various universities across canada, and america, attended the incredibly successful celtic Studies weekend on campus. all the presentations given will be published in this years celtic Journal, Garm Lu, which is launching on the 31st of March at 7pm in the charbonnel lounge, elmsley hall. all are welcome guests to the occasion.

This semester i set up a weekly Ciorcal Canadh (irish Singing circle) so that i could teach the willing students of St. Michaels college irish songs. We will be dancing at Torontos St. patricks day parade, set to fall on Sunday the 15th of March this year. if youre at the parade make sure to cheer us on! on top of that we are preparing for a performance during Seachtain na Gaeilge UofT (uofTs irish Week), which will be held on campus this year from the 16th-20th of March.

Seachtain na Gaeilges guest speaker, aralt Mac giolla chainnigh, has been invited to give a talk, in carr hall 403 at 7pm on Thursday the 19th of March, on The irish language in canada. as aralt is the founder of Oireachtas Gaeilge Cheanada and the owner of the canadian Gaeltacht (irish speaking region), in Kingston, we are very much looking forward to his dissertation. doors open to all members of the public.

This semesters irish language evening classes for Torontonians are in carr hall 406, St. Michaels college, every Wednesday from 6:30-8pm (Beginners level) and every Thursday from 7-8:30pm (intermediate level). if youd like to learn your cpla focal (couple of irish words) you can contact me to register on [email protected] .

lastly, i would like to extend my thanks to the staff and students of the celtic School of St. Michaels college for treating me so kindly over the past few months. it has been an honor to work in such a friendly environment. T m faoi chomaoin mhr agaibh! (im very grateful to you). i know i will truly miss working here when i return home to ireland. ICC

News from Celtic StudiesBy Aisling N Shrn

News


News

cork, ireland, 28th January 2015: The millions of irish men and women, and their descendants, who have served in armed forces of other countries are to be honored for the first time by the Irish Veterans organization.

irish people and those of irish descent have served in every significant conflict for at least the last 1,000 years and many continue to serve in overseas armies today, according to irish Veterans. Sadly, their stories and contributions have largely gone unrecognized or ignored, and nowhere on the island of ireland is their input collectively acknowledged.

Irish Veterans is a registered not-for-profit founded by irish veterans including veterans of irish heritage - academics and veterans family members. it aims to unite and create a global community for all military veterans who identify as irish.

Irish Veterans is raising funds to establish a permanent memorial and research exhibition center in Kinsale, co cork, to commemorate those who served and tell their stories. They are actively seeking members to join them.

The first 5000 life members will be considered founding members, whose names will be engraved on a permanent plaque in the research exhibition center.

James Sikora, joint executive director of Irish Veterans, himself an irishman who served in the uS army, said: it is incredible that the service and sacrifice of so many thousands of irish people has gone unrecognized for so long. We need to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.

We are now enrolling our first 5,000 life members, so that our goal of building a permanent memorial to our comrades can be achieved in the next two years. This will be a veterans organization with a difference, as our members are part of a global group of people who strongly identify with serving in the military, and having irish roots. This is about connecting the irish veterans who are still amongst us, and honoring those who are not, he said.

among the Irish Veterans uS ambassadors is dan Murphy. dan is himself a combat-wounded Veteran of Vietnam and is the father of uS navy Seal lT Michael p. Murphy, Medal of honor, who was killed in action in afghanistan in 2005, and whose story was depicted in the film Lone Survivor.

We are delighted to support Irish Veterans in this worthwhile endeavor. in the navy Seal special operations community, our son Michael was known as the fiery irishman from new York and his irish heritage had a very large impact on his persona and strong character. i am very proud to be named an ambassador for this important organization and look forward to honoring my sons memory and the memory of other irish veterans by telling their story and commemorating them, said dan.

We are appealing to people across the world with irish connections to be part of this unique project as a way to connect with their peers and to honor those who have gone before them. This is Irish Veterans first fundraising drive, and all support is hugely important and greatly appreciated, added James Sikora.

Irish Veterans is currently funded entirely through membership fees and donations.

To join Irish Veterans or to donate, please go to www.irishveterans.org

Notes to editorall military veterans who are a) irish and served in

foreign armies or b) have served in the armed forces of their country and identify as irish are eligible to apply for membership of Irish Veterans.

in the case of deceased veterans, their families are welcome to join as friends of irish Veterans, as are all non-veterans who wish to support the cause.

Irish Veterans will also undertake historical research on the millions of irish people, and those of irish descent, who served in foreign military services through the ages to the present day, collating and archiving their stories to create a better understanding of their contribution and give veterans the recognition they have earned.

For more information, please contact:Joanne Mccarthy, Springboard pr and [email protected] 184 2582, 021 496 9000

Susie horgan, Springboard pr and [email protected] 271 8163, 021 496 9000 ICC

Irish Veterans Who Served in Overseas Armies to be Honored for First TimeIrish Veterans Organization Fundraising for A Memorial and Research Exhibition Center


News

it has been an amazing year news and entertainment wise in the irish american community and in ireland. here are my Top Ten most important and interesting irish news stories.

President Obamas immigration order

after decades of continued frustration on immigration issues obama finally moved the needle with an immigration order that will allow thousands of irish among others to stop living in fear in america.

The street protests over water charges in Ireland

after years of wondering why the irish seemed so accepting of massive economic hardship the worm finally tuned with massive demonstrations.

St. Patricks Day Parade announces a gay group can march

Many doubted the day would ever dawn but it did and the cardinal gave his imprimatur. at last the most divisive fight in the irish american community may be at an end.

The continued rise of Sinn Fein in the Irish Republic

despite numerous setbacks including the tragic Mairia

cahill case the party still ended up the year as the most popular one in ireland according to polls.

The return of Rory McIlroy after the break up with his fiance Caroline Wozniacki

Mcilroy seemed to become a new man and won two major championships in a most remarkable return.

Maureen OHaras Oscarafter decades of being ignored, despite the incredible

number of huge hits such as The Quiet Man, Maureen ohara was finally acknowledged by hollywood with an honorary oscar.

Nobel Prize in Medicine for John OKeefe

he is the South Bronx-born son of irish immigrants from cork who went to city college en route to becoming one of the best scientific minds in the world. oKeefe has been mapping the brains gpS system which could very well lead to a breakthrough in learning how alzheimers affects the brain and a possible cure.

The Ten Most Important and Fascinating Irish News Stories of 2014By Niall ODowd

Looking back at an amazing years news and entertainment wise in the Irish American community and in Ireland. Photo by: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Continued on page 13


News

Appointment of Irelands first Diaspora ministerirish leader enda

Kenny did the right thing by emigrants when he appointed irelands first diaspora minister and Jimmy deenihan took up the role.

Rise of Hozieran unknown

musician just 12 months ago, the W i c k l o w - b o r n performer is now bidding fair to be the best thing since

Van Morrison. letterman, Saturday night live etc both welcomed a new star.

Bill de Blasio seeking to ban horse carriagesputting 300

workers, including 50 irish, out of work in order to placate the animal rights lobby gave some insight into how new York Mayor Bill de Blasio works. This crass move could be his undoing however, as the city council may block it. ICCSource: Irish Central

gerry adams has admitted his Sinn Fin party would have to compromise on policy in order to take power after the next election.But he ruled out power-sharing with Fine gael or

Fianna Fil and said he hasnt given any thought to being taoiseach if Sinn Fin become the largest party in the dail (parliament), although he intends to be still its leader at the next election.

Sinn Fins popularity has been increasing over several months, but in the first poll of 2015 it received a mild setback when it dropped three points to have the support of 21 percent of the voters.

That gave Sinn Fin second largest popular support in the republic, with Fine gael, which gained two points in the red c poll, first at 26 percent.

Some voters were turned off Sinn Fin by a storm which followed Mairia cahills rape claims which were allegedly covered up by republicans.

The next election is likely to be in spring of next year.We want to be a party in government, adams said.he insisted talk of coalition partners was premature

and, from a personal viewpoint, he couldnt see Sinn

Fin being part of any Fine gael or Fianna Fil led government.

political observers reckon the only way Sinn Fin will lead a government is if independents, who did so well in the last election, can wrest a few more seats next time from the other parties in the dail.

if in power, adams promised to enforce a wealth tax and scrap water charges. he denied Sinn Fin plans to introduce a third rate of tax that would run every high-earners, including health consultants, out of ireland.

adams said, accusations that his party engaged in fantasy economics was a signal that the current government was on its way out.

it is a sign of a government that is on its last legs and whether it stumbles on to full term or not, none of us knows, but the government quite rightly fears the next election, he said. ICCSource: Irish Central

Gerry Adams Wont Compromise if he Wins Irish ElectionsBy Paddy Clancy

Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams. Photo by: Irish Voice

Continued from page 12. The Ten MosT IMporTanT and FascInaTIng IrIsh news sTorIes oF 2014


annas start in life was dire, her mother dying giving birth to her, a sickly woebegone child.From her earliest years she wanted to be close to mountainous dun na ri, clambering on its slopes, her father in attendance, guilt-ridden, cursed withblighted seed, haunted by annas twisted limbs, malfunctioning mind, her frightened eyes ever puzzled,

ever questioning- and hed no answers for her.older she grew, more bitter, more withdrawn too.object of laughter, sneering glances,her twisted form repelled all advances.She constantly brooded on her ugly shape,hating her so-called friends, their cruel jibes,constantly taunting her pitiful plight.

The dam broke in her twentieth year-she becamemore cunning, more wilful, more to fear.She approached old Frank-told him her need-to wander alone on barren dun na ri,by the empty fields where the rocks hold sway,where even sheep had sense enough to turn away.he agreed-huge blunder-it blew their world asunder.

of all the hired hands, Frank was closest to her.Quiet, sparse of words, a deep one, never knownto talk out of turn. This canny anna well knew.Yet twas Frank warned her father, for surelyhed a right to know. her father let her be.god knows shed little enough to spoil her.if roaming in the fields meant so much, why deprive her?

odd perhaps, but all things weighed, understood.Tis changed now-one evening homeward bound,earlier than was his due, Frank arrived at the rendezvous.Surprised, he heard strange sounds like animalcries coming from the boulder strewn field.Suddenly she appeared, dishevelled, weird,her mouth foam flecked, her eyes ablaze,

angered by his presence, avoiding his gaze.Frank stayed silent. She realized he knew.Winter intervened-annas goings and comingswere few and far between. church on Sundays,a jaunt to town on market day. little else.

The winds blew colder, marshalling legionsof low clouds, blacker than one would want,locked together in a vicious bid to block all light.Those grey upon grey threatening cloudsweighed heavy on all of them that year.everyone seemed moodier, more withdrawn.especially anna. even Sam, the seasonal man,never given to notice much, remarked howquiet, how withdrawn anna had become.

come spring, the cloud driven siege was lifted.Twas a victory of sorts, celebrated in small ways.a friendly nod, a warm response to nothing much.Frank watched her very closely-sure enoughthe strange, private smile was again to be seen.again she sought him out, shadowing his moves,winters sullen silences now forgotten.

When the planting was done, she made her play.expressing a wish to re-visit her lair,Frank had no choice but to take her there.Summer came, and her need greater grew,to escape to the hills of her childhood play,where hate could be purged in an animal way.Frank could now see she was slipping fast.

it was clear to him where his duty lay.he sought out annas father- told what he knew,hoping he would know what to do.her father in her shadow now steadfastly stalked,inventing tasks for each hour of the dayin a frantic effort to keep madness at bay.She rages at him now and then-he pretends

its all a joke, always careful not to provoke.Sometimes she laughs and it gives him hope.More often she stares with such an empty lookhis heart becomes terror struck. never knownto ever give up-hell fight this affliction untilhis dying day. anna, dear god, shes all he has.What more can he do-seek help? none to be had. ICC

Irish PoemAnnas PlightBy Gerry Ronan

IrIsh ConneCtIons Canada ~ sprIng 2015www.irishconnected.com 15HAHAHA.COM/TOMMY

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Irish Lamb StewIngredients 2 pounds lamb stew meat 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 large onions, quartered 1 tablespoon of minced garlic 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces 4 small potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 cup Guinness or you can use dry red wine 1 tablespoon of herb de Provence (recipe below) 1 1/2 cup (14-1/2 ounces) lamb stock or beef broth

( preferably low sodium) 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley

Recipe for Herb de Provence 1/4 cup dried thyme 1/4 cup dried majoram 1/4 cup of dried oregano 1/4 cup of dried rosemary 1/4 cup of dried lavender blossoms

Directions1. Season the meat with salt, pepper and herb de Provence thoroughly

using your hands to work it into the meat. In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and remaining oil to pan. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions are tender, stirring occasionally.

2. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes stirring to deglaze the pan. Pour pan juices into a bowl and set aside. Add the potatoes, carrots, broth, wine and bring to a boil.

3. In another pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the parsley, chives, thyme, and meat.

4. Remove from the heat. Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.

5. Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve with Soda bread or Molasses brown bread.

CIsTN

For nearly 2 decades laura has been pouring passion for fashion, entertainment and the culinary arts into her life and career she has worked as a

chef in restaurants, on movie sets, and high-end resorts and toured with bands like duran duran and red hot chili peppers, created exciting meals for celebrities, and

catered elegant social and corporate events both large and small, always been inspired by the impact food has on living, on loving, and on life.

Featuring ; lamb Stew & Soda Bread or if you wish try Molasses Brown Bread both delicious with this all time favourite enjoy your meal gaelic; taitneamh a bhaint as do chuid bile ICC

Food is the Bonding Element of PeopleFeaturing Chef Laura

Oatmeal Molasses Brown BreadIngredients (Makes 5 Loaves) 3 cups large flake oatmeal 1 cup of molasses 7 cups very hot water 2 cups of slightly warm water 1 cup oat bran 1cup natural bran 1/4 cup ground flax seed 5 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cups whole wheat flour 3 cups unbleached white flour 1 teaspoon salt 4 tablespoons soya flour 1 tablespoon dry active yeast 1 teaspoon honey (to feed the yeast)

Directions1. Into a large bowl add large flake oats, molasses and the 7

cups of hot very water. Stir until blended.2. Add oat bran, natural bran and flax seed.3. Stir again. The more you stir, the better the bread will be. 4. Add vegetable oil and whole wheat flour. Stir again.5. In a small bowl add 2 cups of slightly warm water, yeast and

honey. Allow time for the yeast to act. (Roughly 10 minutes)6. Add yeast mixture to large bowl and stir.7. Add the white flour and stir until you cant add any more.8. Dump contents onto a lightly floured surface and knead until

you can form a large ball.9. Return the ball to the bowl, which has been rinsed dried and

lightly greased. Cover with a clean cloth. Leave in bowl in a warm spot for 30 minutes to rise.

10. Divide ball into 5 equal parts. Flatten and roll into loaves.11. Place the loaves into greased pans and allow to rise (they

should double in size)12. Bake for 40 45 minutes in a 350 F oven.


News

The BBc is reporting that aer lingus will be taken over by international airlines group (iag), the parent company of British airways and iberia airlines.iag has made a third bid for irelands national

airline the BBc reports, which will value the company at $1.6 billion.

The aer lingus board discussed the offer on Friday and apparently agreed to the deal.

The ceo of iag is irish-born Willie Walsh, a former ceo of aer lingus.

The irish government owns 25 percent of aer lingus and if the board accepts the bid, the government will have to make a decision to pass irelands national airline out of irish control.

The other major owner is ryanair with 29 percent. Their own bid to take over a majority of aer lingus was rejected on lack of competition grounds.

a key element of the deal is aer lingus take-off and landing slots at heathrow airport, which are extremely valuable. each pair of slots is estimated to be worth $45 million dollars.

iag was created in 2009 after the merger of British airways and iberia. Fianna Fil transport spokesman Timmy dooley has already called on the irish government to block the sale, saying the landing slots were was being dramatically underestimated and a sale would be damaging for dublin, cork, and Shannon airports.

he claimed any sale of the airline could see its critical heathrow slots siphoned off, risking future connectivity and jobs at dublin, cork, and Shannon airports, he said.

The fear is that the new airline owners will ignore smaller markets in ireland.

a senior irish government source told the BBc: The issue of landing slots at heathrow airport is crucial for the irish government and was discussed at a parliamentary party meeting on Wednesday.

You have to have flights from dublin and cork into a major hub and the irish government would drive a hard bargain. ICCSource: Irish Central

Aer Lingus to be Taken Over by British Airways Parent Group says BBCBy James Carroll

Aer Lingus likely to be taken over by British Airways. Photo by: Wikimedia

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Torontonians are often accused of thinking that Toronto is the center of the universe. The citys lofty status may well have been confirmed this week. The Economist just published its study: The Safe cities index 2015, and ranks Toronto as the no.1 city to live in the world.

on reporting this news, cBc called it a chest thumping moment. and indeed, we should holler it from the treetops. out of the 50 cities tracked in the study, Toronto consistently came in near the top, gaining an overall average index rank of 17. This is impressive and we may well bask in our achievement.

Still, we should keep our shirts on, as studies are fickle things. They can be massaged to yield different results, according to who conducts them and how they are interpreted.

The Economist used a variety of indicators in their study: These indicators are split across four thematic categories: digital security; health security; infrastructure safety; and personal safety. every city in the index is scored across these four categories. and for Toronto to rank consistently high is no mean feat. Montreal can

also take a bow. The city secured second place with an average index rank of 23.

Toronto is a great city and Torontonians should be proud, as we are obviously doing many things right. Safe to say, we are not perfect and a little humility goes a long way. There is always room for improvement. ICC

Toronto the GreatRanked No. 1 City in the World

a recent excavation has uncovered a mysterious stone settlement, dating back to the 15th century, next to dunluce castle on the coast of northern ireland.

archaeologists stumbled upon the settlement while trying to uncover part of the lost 17th century town of dunluce near the castle, which once housed the powerful MacQuillan family, Yahoo! news reports.

This is a tremendously exciting historical development, Mark durkan, northern irelands environment minister, said in a statement. Traces of buildings were unearthed close to the cliffs upon which the castle was built. These buildings most likely formed a small settlement, just outside the original castle gate.

researchers used radiocarbon dating to determine that a fireplace inside a stone structure was used in the late 15th century, the same time the MacQuillans would

have lived in the castle.We are extremely lucky to make

this exciting discovery, durkan said. Very few 15th-century buildings, other than those built entirely from stone, have survived in ulster and normally there would be few traces, if any, for archaeologists to investigate.

up to now, we knew there was a substantial 17th century settlement in the fields around dunluce, he said. What we are now beginning to uncover are traces of earlier and extensive late medieval settlement activity, which are equally as

important as the remains of the 17th century dunluce Town. This provides an exciting new avenue of research to explore as part of our future investigations at dunluce. ICCSource: Irish Central

Irish Mystery Town from the 15th Century Discovered Next to Castle

Archaeologists have uncovered a mysterious 15th century settlement near Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland.

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Chamber UpdateMatthew Cotter, President, ICCCTO

looking back it was inevitable that 2014 would be a year of change for the chamber but as Benjamin Franklin famously

remarked when youre finished changing, youre finished. although often difficult to navigate at the outset, looking back at last years highlights which featured the visit of the Minister for Finance, Michael noonan, the third edition of the ireland canada Business Summit and our inaugural presidents dinner, we are reminded that change can indeed have a very positive impact.

as we get ready to embrace the year ahead we do so with optimism and enthusiasm, confident in the knowledge that the chamber continues to play a very important role in the irish community here in Toronto. This has been clearly evidenced by the positive response to our recently launched membership campaign. if you are reading this and either havent got a chance to renew or are interested in joining for the first time you can get full details on our website at www.icccto.com.

in addition to the membership drive, top of the agenda for the Board at this time of year is the events calendar. i always think it is dangerous to look too far beyond March and this year is no different. We are looking forward

to once again partnering with enterprise ireland on the annual St patricks day Breakfast and are delighted to be supporting the fifth edition of the Toronto irish Film Festival which runs from March 6th 8th at the TiFF Bell lightbox. This year however, one event holds particular significance for everyone associated with the chamber. at the annual luncheon on Sunday March 8th chamber past president eddie Brett will be the fully deserving recipient of the 2015 irish person of the Year award. eddies contribution to the community over the five decades since his arrival on these shores in 1964 cannot be overstated and we sincerely congratulate him on his achievement.

looking beyond March, we are very close to finalising the details of a high profile business breakfast in april featuring a very prominent irish business leader. We look forward to revealing more details on that event along with our plans for the remainder of the year over the coming weeks. 2015 is shaping up to be another great year and there is no doubt that the chamber continues to go from strength to strength.

in the near term we very much look forward to connecting with the broader community across the full spectrum of events over the coming weeks. ICC


LIFesTyLe

March Break is almost here. imagine an entire week with the kiddies. Yes, an entire week to fill. if you find yourself with no plans to escape somewhere warm with your brood, dont despair. There are plenty of activities to do in Toronto, so no need to panic or worry that by day two you will be pulling your hair out. The other good news is that a lot of these activities are free, which means you wont be stressing about your bank balance.

lets begin with the great outdoors. Blue Mountain resort is just a two-hour drive from downtown. You could hit the slopes for a day or the week, and for those who dont wish to spend their entire holiday on skis, there are scavenger hunts, fireworks, and hula hooping. check their website for family packages:

http://www.bluemountain.ca/marchbreak/

Simply, lace-up and go ice-skating. There are numerous rinks across the city. no skates? no worries! Some of the rinks rent skates for a small fee. The two most popular rinks are at nathan philip Square and harbourfront. You could make the outing extra special and plan to have a treat afterwards, such as a cookie and hot chocolate. Visit the city of Toronto website below for a complete list of rinks and amenities:

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgn extoid=a3cadada600f0410VgnVcM10000071d60f 89rcrd

if we still have snow (and in Toronto that is more likely than not!), you could go tobogganing. There is nothing as exhilarating as watching your little ones hurl themselves, face first, downhill, travelling at neck breaking speeds. Toronto.com lists 10 great spots from east, west, and north of the city.

http://www.toronto.com/articles/top-10-places-to-go-tobogganing-in-toronto/

perhaps it is time to get back to nature and have some quality time with the pigs and chickens. The riverdale Farm is just the spot for a rural outing in the city.

https://www.facebook.com/riverdaleFarmToronto

What child doesnt have a sweet tooth! Visit the Kortright centre for their Sugarbush Maple Syrup Festival. There are demonstrations and wagon rides, and plenty of pancakes and maple syrup. While it is not free, it is very reasonably priced at under $6 for children and

$9 for adults. it is one sweet deal.http://www.maplesyrupfest.com

okay, the kiddies are turning blue. Time to move indoors. The Toronto public library has a long tradition of hosting events for kids. depending on the branch, they have a variety of movies and shows, and great activities, like craft day and Superhero academy. dont limit yourself to your local branch. Be adventurous and check out libraries in other areas of the city.

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca

do you have a budding Monet or Frida? The art gallery of ontario might be just the place for your little artists. They can get creative at the March Break drop-in Family Fun. There are stamping and collaging, movies and storytelling. if you are a member, your visit is free and if not, there is family pricing.

http://www.ago.net/march-break-2015-drop-in-family-fun

chapter/indigo has a week of activities planned from story time to lego building. and, it is free of charge. no purchase necessary!

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/springbreak/

Who ever said it was bad to hang out at the mall? The Stars of Kids cBc are coming to a Mall near You! it runs from March 15 to 18 and for children of all ages:

http://toronto.canadiary.com/2011/03/stars-of-kids-cbc-at-your-mall.html

perhaps your little one is no longer little and positively bored with by all your efforts to entertain him or her. ontario Science centre to the rescue with Sci Fri. This unique event is tailored for teens 14 19. They can get a tattoo or play games, such as Battle of the Sexes. check with the Science centre for specific dates:

http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/springbreak/

after a full week of excitement, its time for the family to put their feet up. and, cineplex has the perfect Saturday morning treat with their Family Favourites, a selection of movies, such as Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Muppet Movie for just $2.99

There is nothing like seeing your favourite movie on the big screen. pass the popcorn.

http://www.cineplex.com/events/FamilyFavouritesICC

Things to do in Toronto for March Break Without Breaking the Bank!

iriSh connecTionS canada ~ Spring 2015 www.irishconnected.com22

Some happy news for the irish tourism industry this week as a top uS travel magazine has put ireland front and center on its latest cover. national geographic Traveler, an off-shoot of the famous national geographic, gives the cover and top story to ireland, with a piece entitled return to ireland, a Journey home. The gorgeous cover photo is of ross castle, Killarney in co. Kerry, taken by david Yoder. The article is written by andrew Mccarthy, an irish american tracing his roots back to the village of lacca West, Kerry.

The article is a lovely rumination on the benefits of finding out about your familys past and of embracing your roots. on his journey to find his irish relatives Mccarthy partakes in some wonderful activities, including climbing carrauntoohill, visiting local pubs and towns before the eventual reunion. This isnt the

first time ireland has been featured in national geographic Traveler, with an article entitled going home from 2013 and numerous articles and lists about touring ireland.

Many working in irish tourism will be hoping that such a positive endorsement from a top travel publication will lead to a continued growth of the industry. after resounding success of The gathering in 2013, ireland enjoyed another record year in 2014, with 7.6 million trips made to ireland last year. national geographic are not the only publication to applaud ireland, with dublin recently named as the

second best city in the world for americans to live. ICCSource: Irish Central

LIFesTyLe

The Irish tourist industry will be delighted with this endorsement from National Geographic Photo by: National Geographic Traveler

Ireland makes the cover of National Geographic TravelerBy James Kelly

iriSh connecTionS canada ~ Spring 2015www.irishconnected.com 23

dare to live! a brand new company launching this spring, offers a series of 3 and 5 day luxury retreat experiences in ireland for women who are in need of

change in their personal or professional life.inspired by feedback from women all around the

world, as well as their own personal experiences, the dare to live! team has created a selection of retreat escapes which are different to anything else currently available in ireland.

held in the stunning, secluded linden house on dromgarriff estate and the lake lodge on liss ard estate in West cork, the retreats cater for women from all walks of life who are seeking ways to achieve purposeful change and happiness in their lives by learning more about their outlook on positive change, self-discovery and empowerment.

dare to live! founder and owner, ceili Fitzgerald said The idea for dare to live! came about following a difficult time in my own life in 2013, after which i set out on my own journey of discovery to find out what i was most passionate about. Through dare to live! i will share my own experiences to help other women to discover ways to live the lives they love.

She continued if youre looking for some time out, in need of changes in your personal or professional life, or maybe you simply need some time to self-reflect, relax or make new friends, our escape experiences can help.

The residential retreats are limited to 12 people, and range from general empowerment escape experiences, to writing retreat escapes and amateur photographer

retreats and workshops that will see a guest author/ photographer in residence.

The dare to live! team will help participants access experiences that will help challenge them to discover their core desires and to achieve wellbeing in their own lives through a series of group sessions, personal time, and unique endeavours, set in luxury private accommodation at the stunning scenic locations, coupled with 5-star cuisine from the dare to live! in-house chef.

The first of the dare to live! 3 day retreats take place this March at linden house on dromgarriff estate in glengarriff, with special introductory rates available. airport pickup can be arranged for women travelling from north america.

For further information on retreat dates and prices for the coming year visit www.dare-tolive.com or email [email protected]. ICC

LIFesTyLe

Give Yourself Permission - Dare to Live!


i suppose income tax is the price we pay for the privilege of living and working in canada. according to a 2013 global ranking of income tax burden, canada is ranked several places higher than ireland. We must be very privileged. Fortunately, there are many tools available to reduce the amount of tax we have to pay over our lifetime.

Keep more of your money. The 3ds of tax planning.

When you prepare your tax return in the coming weeks look at it through your 3d glasses look for opportunities to:

Deduct a deduction is something that reduces the amount of your income that is subject to tax. common deductions are pension plan contributions, rrSp contributions, daycare, professional and union dues. The more deductions that you have, less of your income is taxed. With enough deductions you may even become eligible for some income-tested benefits like giS and ccTB.

Defer The idea here is to pay tax later. also, with a little planning you may pay this tax when your tax rate is lower. Then you get the added benefit of paying less tax. Many families use rrSps and reSps to defer tax, but other more complex investment strategies exist too.

Divide The goal here is to split income from someone in a high tax bracket to someone in a lower tax bracket, to pay less tax. There are lots of rules that apply, but common tools that families use are spousal rrSps, splitting cpp, pension splitting, and reSps.

The most effective way to spend less tax in your lifetime is to use all the 3ds together, and over time.

The new Family Tax CutThe federal government surprised us with the recent

announcement of the new Family Tax cut credit. it benefits couples with children under age 18 and comes into effect

on your 2014 tax return. it allows a higher income spouse to assign up to $50,000 from his or her tax return to the lower-income spouses return and claim up to $2,000 in tax savings.

The difference between the taxable incomes of each person determines the amount of the credit. The bigger the difference, the more tax savings you get.

The Universal Child Care Benefit or: How I learned to accumulate $43,000 for my childs education using only government benefits.

The government is increasing the uccB to $160 a month (up from $100) for each child under the age of six, and introducing a $60 a month benefit for children aged six through 17.

over a full year, parents will receive up to $1,920 for each child under age six and up to $720 for each child aged six to 17. This adds up to $20,160 per child over 18 years!

What can you do with that to maximize the benefit? You can direct it to a registered education Savings plan (reSp) to save for your childs education. not only will it attract 20% in grant from the government, it will grow tax deferred until it is time to spend it. also, the student (not you) pays any tax at a low rate, or often pays no tax at all. So you get to defer and divide tax, and collect free government grant too.

if we started when little aoife was born, and simply directed the uccB into an reSp it would attract $4,032 in grant. if your reSp investment averaged 5% over time, then this would grow to $43,000 by age 18.

That would be a handy sum of money for when aoife starts her post-secondary education, and it did not use any of your earned income.

lower income families may also qualify for an extra $2,000 benefit known as the canada learning Bond (clB) without having to put in any money into an reSp at all.

Use the tools.Keep more of your money by applying the 3ds and

take advantage of the many tools available to pay less tax. The earlier you start the better. ICC

Colin Barry is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) who works with families and small businesses to plan their finances and make the most of what they have. Visit www.colinbarry.ca for more information.

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Welcome to our new section for kids and teens. here we will have books, competitions, games, movies, and music that will interest and delight our younger audience. Tr na ng aspires to connect kids with their irish roots and culture, and always with an eye to what is fresh and exciting.

Oisn the Brave Robot IslandBy Derek Mulveen and Michelle Melville

Brave oisn goes on a journey with his friend orane the dragon. They sail through the dolmen of Time, travelling across many seas and meeting strange creatures. one such character is a little robot. oisn undertakes the quest to help the robot, find a golden key, and save robot island. other engaging characters are princess eire and peist the worm.

Throughout, the story is sprinkled with cupla focal, meaning a few words in the irish language. There is a little pictionary at the back of the book, which has a picture illustrating the irish word. This interactive part of the book is like going on another adventure, with parents and children discovering the meaning of these gaelic words. it adds an extra, enjoyable dimension to this delightful story.

Oisn the Brave is a brightly illustrated book and is aimed at 3 to 7 year olds. This is a second adventure for oisn. The first one is called oisn the Brave, Moon adventure and is available on amazon and eires Kids. http://www.eiresKids.com

Liffey Rivers and the Secret of the Mountain of the MoonBy Brenna Briggs

liffey rivers is a 13-year-old with a passion for irish dancing. her talents are not limited to dancing. liffey has an imaginative and inquiring mind, and a penchant for finding trouble and solving mysteries.

liffey has just competed in an irish dancing competition (feis) in ireland, when she experiences an extraordinary phenomenon directly above Queen Maeves cairn in county Sligo, ireland. The cairn is on the summit of Knocknarea, which translated means hill of the moon. in ancient times, people believed that the moon had an enormous effect on their lives. The history and mythology add yet another dimension to the mystery that awaits our dancing detective. always tenacious about getting to the bottom of things, liffey employs her powers of deduction, as she desperately searches on the mountain for a mysterious woman who wears a diamond M.

This is the third story in The liffey rivers irish dancer Mysteries. See also: Liffey Rivers and The Mystery of the Sparkling Solo Dress Crown and Liffey Rivers and the Mystery of the Winking Judge.

http://www.liffeyrivers.com/brennabriggs.html

Kapheus: Earth By Marguerite Tonery

When their great uncle davin comes for a visit, elisa and Jamie find that their lives will be forever changed. Their uncle tells them about Kapheus, the fantastical world of light. This strange and wondrous place takes hold over their imagination. Soon, elisa and Jamie find themselves on a quest to unlock the secret keys to their unconscious and to discover who they were born to be.

on their incredible journey, elisa and Jamie encounter a world replete with celtic mythology and strange woodland creatures, and meet dragons and elves. Their journey is an adventure filled with wonder and danger, as they seek to discover their destiny.

Tonery lives in galway. This is her first book. david T. Wenzel illustrates it. he is best known for his graphic adaptation of J.r.r. Tolkiens The Hobbit. Kapheus: Earth is aimed at 9 to 12 year olds and is available on amazon. ICC

KIDs LIFesTyLe

Tr na ng - Where the Young Hang Out


TrAVeL IreLAND

galway, a norman city on the banks of the river corrib, in the west of ireland, knows how to have a good time. due west of dublin, the city is reached in a couple of hours drive and entices many a dubliner out west to sample its superb atmosphere and nightlife.

named the city of the Tribes, as a result of it being run by 14 tribes of merchants families during its norman period, the Vikings never made a settlement there, which gives the city a unique feel of being a predominantly norman town, unlike the other metropolises on the island. architecturally, its a mix of this norman heritage and the modern architecture that has come to pass in more recent times.

however, it is far from isolationist, with a rich history of trading between France and Spain making the city a cultural melting pot, which has continued today, as visitors from all over the world are drawn there to sample its world famous hospitality.

Bars and Restaurants Galore in the City Centre

The heart of the city runs from eyre Square down William Street to Shop Street to high Street to Quay Street and ends at the Spanish arch, which is a section of the old city wall.

That group of streets is lined with bars, restaurants and coffee shops and one could write an article on those alone.

Where to stop off is a matter of

personal choice as the customers spill out onto the street if the weather is clement enough and mingle as one, with the watering holes serving as pit stops for refueling.

in terms of food, one of the best restaurants in town is ard Bia at nimmos. housed in an old docklands building, the location oozes character, and the food is superb, mixing local ingredients with a hipster touch. its not a huge establishment so make sure to book early.

From there, for a post-dinner drink, head back up the main thoroughfare of the city, see where is heaving and grab a pint. a few recommended establishments are The Front door, The Kings head and Tig coili.

The West Endits said by the locals that the previously mentioned

section is more tourist focused, and that the locals tend to drink across the bridge from the Spanish arch in the West end. although, ive always taken the approach that why not be a tourist when on holiday?

But if you do venture down to the West end, there is a fine selection of places to be merry. French brasserie, rouge, located on dominick Street lower is a fantastic establishment: think low-key French food, with a great wine list in an atmospheric and beautifully designed restaurant. add in a pianist tinkling the ivories and this is a great spot to start an evening, or even spend a whole night at.

if you manage to leave rouge, just a few minutes walk away are some excellent bars. Munroes on dominick Street upper is superb, with live bands upstairs and downstairs and an eclectic mix of tourists and locals. Just around the corner is risin dubh, which is another option to hear live music, and just next door is the Bierhaus, which serves a fantastic collection of craft beers and has a more chilled out atmosphere.

as you might have gathered from the above, galway city really is about the craic and banter and getting out in the evenings, meeting people, and sampling the best food and beverages the city has to offer.

Salthilla short drive

from the city is Salthill, which after a night of celebration is a fantastic place to recover your senses. grab a cab or drive down from galway proper and take a stroll along the promenade, which looks out across galway Bay, which even on a day of bad weather has a stunning vista.

When you get to the end of the beach theres a swimming spot at Blackrock, which has lifeguards and is the best place to go for a swim. The water of the atlantic this far north-east isnt for the faint hearted, but if you have the inclination then go for it.

after a quick dip in the ocean there are multitude of places to warm up and have a coffee and bite to eat. The Black cat comes highly recommended, with its modern interior and enticing menu, its a slice of modernism that is a very good addition to this little seaside town and a good place to kick back with some WiFi and watch the world go buy from a window seat.

Galway CityBy Tadhg Peavoy


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TrAVeL IreLAND

Shortest Walking Tour in the World at OConnors Pub

i touched on the norman history of the city earlier, but if you want to find out more about the town and its citizens history, then the best man to talk to is local historian Brian nolan.

as well as twice daily tours of galway city leaving from oconnells Bar at 1030am and midday daily, his 50foot tour around o c o n n o r s pub in Salthill is known as the worlds shortest walking tour and gives an insight into one

of the countrys most unique public houses. oconnors is third generation owned and has an assorted collection of antiques and bric-a-brac thats valued at several

million euro.Brian gives an insight into irish, galwegian and

oconnors history, in an informal and informative manner, while you sup on a creamy pint of guinness.

Gateway to the Westhaving soaked up galways hospitality, the likely

next stop on your itinerary is the west of the country and connemara, arguably the most beautiful part of the island.

From galway city, known as the gateway to the west, one is able to drive off into the heartland of connacht to view one of countless sights of natural beauty. connemara national park and its bog and mountain setting should be on most visitors lists.

For traditional music lovers, the music and craft store in roundstone affords the chance to buy a homemade bohran.

For my favourite view in the country, head out of clifden to take in the Sky road, which rises up before reaching a plateau where you can park and look down on the cottages and fields located on the edge of the atlantic coast, where islands neighbour the mainland for several kilometres.

Kylemore abbey, standing alone surrounded by forest and casting its reflection out on the lake before it, is one of the countrys most stunningly beautiful buildings, and a must on your to do list.

and the inagh Valley, with fields of rock and grass stretching out in rugged beauty on either side, is another location that leaves ones jaw dropped in appreciation if its stark beauty.

one thing is certain about a journey to ireland, that a trip to the island nation isnt complete without a visit to galway and the west.

useful links:ard Bia at nimmos: http://www.ardbia.com/rouge restaurant: http://rougegalway.com/Monroes live: http://www.monroes.ie/roisin dubh: http://www.roisindubh.net/Bierhaus: http://www.galwayswestend.com/index.

php/2010/09/bierhaus/Black cat, Salthill: https://www.facebook.com/pages/

Black-cat-Wine-Tapas-Jazz/131583216932097galway Walking Tours: http://www.galwaywalks.

com/#!walking-tours-galway-salthill/c18h9oconnors pub, Salthill: http://www.oconnorsbar.com/roundstone Music and crafts: http://www.bodhran.com/Kylemore abbey: http://www.kylemoreabbeytourism.ie/

For more information and great travel deals to ireland contact... royal irish Tours 1 866 907 8687 or royalirishtours.ca ICC

Continued from page 26. galway cITy

ALAN G. McCONNELL

B.A. (Hons.), M.A., LL.B. Barrister & Solicitor

Employment Law, Human Rights,

Workers' Compensation, Real Estate

Serving the Irish community since 1995

466 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario M5R 1W6 Tel. (416) 537-0108 x2 Fax (416) 537-1604

[email protected] *Practicing in association with Fink & Bornstein, Barristers & Solicitors


june 21ALL DATES, ACTS AND TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. TICKET PRICES SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE FEES.


There are several sites you just have to see when you travel to ireland - from the windswept cliffs of Moher to the rain-soaked aran islands. if ancient history is your thing, ireland has plenty of it: try newgrange or the hill of Tara in county Meath. For sheer unadulterated, natural, beauty try the giants causeway or the entire county of Kerry. But there is more to ireland than countryside and rocks, as any number of attractions in dublin, such as Trinity college and the guinness Storehouse in dublin, make clear.

To narrow the list down to 10 is quite a challenge. But it nevertheless reflects an array of tourist attractions from all corners of ireland, with something for everyone.

We compiled this list ourselves but were open to change! Whats your favorite place in ireland?

1. Boyne ValleyBr na Binne

(the Boyne palace) in county Meath contains some of the most important historic sites and monuments in ireland, and is a designated World heritage Site.

it features the massive megalithic ancient passage tombs - which are graves dating back to ancient times - of newgrange, Knowth and dowth. These tombs are older than both Stonehenge in england and the pyramids of giza in egypt.

newgrange, which was built about 5,000 years ago, is irelands most famous prehistoric site.

its especially famous for a spectacular event on dec. 21, also known as the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The tomb was built in such a way that on this day, it is illuminated by a narrow beam of sunlight which shines through a specially designed roof box. Those who have seen this say its an unforgettable experience.

nobody knows why the tomb was built in the way it was, or indeed how the stones were even transported to the site. But it does seem fairly certain that newgrange was built before the invention of the wheel.

The tomb itself was almost lost to history. it was sunk into the ground for over 4,000 years, only rediscovered in 1699 when workers carried away building stones for the landowner. as they removed the stones they discovered the entrance. But they left it undisturbed as they thought it was a cave. Then, in 1962, archaeologists began to investigate the sinking mound. newgrange was then excavated and restored to its former glory.

Today, access to newgrange, Knowth and dowth begins at a visitor center, from where you can take a guided tour of the site.

The hill of Tara is also in co. Meath. an archeological complex, it consists of a number of ancient monuments, including the Stone of destiny, the Fort of the Kings, and the Mound of the hostages. located on the river Boyne, it is said to be the actual seat of the high Kings of ireland.

nearby is the site of the Battle of The Boyne, one of the key dates in irish history, in which protestant William of orange defeated catholic James ii in 1690.

2. Ring of KerryFor many people

around the world, the ring of Kerry drive encapsulates their image of ireland: ancient monuments, romantic castles, spectacular gardens and colorful towns and villages. The stunning scenery, dramatic coastline, charming locales, and ancient archaeological treasures have been featured in postcards, film, poetry, and song.

here, the idealized view of ireland as a land of rural greenery and natural beauty springs to reality. Tourists come to Kerry to experience this rare dip into a lifestyle foreign in pace, philosophy, and spirit. each twist and turn

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The Top Ten Places to Visit in IrelandBy Jane Walsh


Inch Strand, County Kerry. Photo by: Getty Images/iStockphoto

At Newgrange, County Meath, the wall of the passage tomb decorated with a Celtic spiral.


on a drive around the ring of Kerry reveals new sights - windswept cliffs, breathtaking scenery, spectacular lakes, rich flora and fauna, green and yellow checkered hills, and unspoilt beaches.

There is evidence of the regions unique heritage and culture everywhere, in the place names, the standing stones, and the many archaeological sites. The 6th century beehive huts and ruined monastery on Skellig Michael are a uneSco World heritage Site. also worth checking out are the stone forts at caherciveen and castlecove, the neolithic stone circle in Kenmare, the 15th century Ballycarberry castle, the magnificent oconnell Memorial church, derrynane house and gardens or the pretty 19th century heritage town, Kenmare.

The ring of Kerry is also highly regarded for it culinary delights, such as the local cheeses, seafood and shellfish, lamb, and homemade breads. The town of Kenmare, in particular, has a number of very highly regarded restaurants. (it is thought to be the only town in ireland that has more restaurants than pubs.)

The area is a favorite among artists, writers, and sculptors, and there are a number of craft shops and galleries, such as cill rialaig showcasing their best works. its also ideal for activity holidays, such as walking and cycling routes, diving and angling, and adventures sports, to its array of championship golf courses - Waterville (an coiren), dooks, Kenmare, and Killorglin.

The coastal roads provide an ever-changing landscape around the iveragh peninsula, with snapshots of the famous offshore islands popping in and out of view around every corner.

3. The Cliffs of MoherThe most famous and breathtaking part of irelands

craggy west coastline is the cliffs of Moher area, which feature some of the most breathtaking views on the entire island.

The cliffs stretch for almost 5 miles and rise up to 702 feet over the waters of the atlantic ocean. The amazing view from the cliffs includes the aran islands, galway Bay, The Twelve pins, and the Maum Turk Mountains. The landscape and seascape of the cliffs of Moher have, for centuries, welcomed a multitude of visitors; close to 1 million people per year now travel to

this iconic location.But dont get the wrong impression just because many

people flock to the site, this in no way spoils the experience of being there; its easy to forget your surroundings and lose yourself in nature as you stand near the edge of the majestic cliffs.

4. Giants CausewayThe giants causeway, a coastal area of about 40,000

basalt columns near the town of Bushmills in county antrim, is one of the most popular tourist attractions in northern ireland.

Folklore tells us that an irish giant named Finn Maccool once lived in the area, and from across the sea he could see a Scottish giant, Benandonner, his rival, whom he had never met.

Finn challenged Benandonner to come to ireland to fight. Because no boat was big enough to carry the giant, Finn built a causeway of stones in the water so that Benandonner would be able to make it across.

When Finn realized the Scottish giant was far bigger than he had expected, he fled to the hills where his wife disguised him as a baby. This move foxed Bennadonner because he thought that if the child was that big, the father would be even bigger. Benandonner fled back to the Scotland, ripping up the causeway behind him, so that Finn wouldnt be able to follow him.

in truth, giants causeway was created by a volcanic eruption 60 million years ago an interesting fact, but the Finn Maccool myth is a bit more fun to believe.

no matter how it came to be, the causeway is one of the best places to walk through in the north.

5. Aran Islandsa trip to galway

would be incomplete without a visit to the aran islands, the collective name for the small islands, inishmr, inishmaan, and inisheer. The mystical, frozen-in-time islands are famous for their preservation of a rural existence largely unchanged, at least culturally, over the centuries. There may be some electricity there these days, but the ways of the past are

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carefully preserved among locals who make their living much the same way their ancestors did.

The residents of the islands are happy to accommodate guests, whether by raising a pint in friendship or unraveling the folklore of the enchanted isles.

elizabeth Zellinger, a Swiss citizen, moved to inishmr, the largest island of the three, in 1974 and grew to love it so much that in 1996 she founded celtic Spirit (www.irish-culture.ch), an organization that runs cultural vacation experiences on the island every summer. groups of eight to 14 people shuttle back and forth to classes and workshops held at the creig-an-chirn center in inishmr, overlooking the sea and the mountains of connemara. The program is a great way to explore and learn about this fascinating island group.

if youd rather explore inishmr on your own, rent a bike and make a loop around the entire island. on your one-day cycling tour, youll encounter ancient ruins, lots of livestock and even miniature houses for leprechauns (or are they for the tourists?).

6. Guinness Storehousea trip to dublins

most popular tourist attraction is pretty much compulsory for any self-respecting tourist in irelands capital. or, at the very least, it should be.

The guinness Storehouse tells the story of how guinness is made and how this famous drink came to be one of irelands best-known exports.

it is in an awesome building: its core is in the shape of a giant pint glass, and consists of seven floors. after walking around for about 45 minutes and being constantly told how wonderful guinness is, pretty soon the subliminal messages start to kick in.

Before you know it, you find yourself craving a pint of the black, delicious stuff like your life depended on it, even if you were previously not a fan. (it is, after all, an acquired taste.)

The top floor, which has the gravity Bar, is the most fun. There you get a complimentary pint of guinness. You also get the most spectacular view of dublin, which is worth the admission price alone.

7. Trinity College DublinTrinity college

is irelands most prestigious college - and although its rivals at university college dublin might dispute this, its probably the best university in ireland.

But one thing not up for argument is the magnificent setting of Trinity: many of its majestic buildings are hundreds of years old. (The college was founded by englands Queen elizabeth 1 in 1592.) architecturally at least, Trinity is way above its nearest rivals.

although the college is best known for the Book of Kells, its also worth going there to check out the long room of its old library. (apparently, this room was the inspiration for a room called the Jedi archives, in the movie, Star Wars episode ii: attack of the clones.)

it is also worth taking one of the guided tours around the college as nearly every building seems to have an interesting story. Many of the tour guides appear to be Trinity college drama school graduates: They always seem to add a little dramatic flair to their tours.

The best time of the year to visit this university is around the end of May, just after the students exams are over. Then the whole college comes to life.

a popular activity among its students is to sit out outside the pavilion Bar (known as The pav), while watching a game of cricket. Join them and bring a few beers, if you get the chance.

8. The BurrenThe Burren, which is formed by limestone karst plates

(in other words, its a great big rocky mass) is one of irelands most famous natural attractions.

The limestone terrain holds a special fascination for geologists and botanists for its Mediterranean and alpine plants.

described as a botanists paradise, the Burren has one of the most diverse and beautiful floras in ireland: 635 different plant species (including 22 of irelands 27 native orchids) have been recorded here.

The region also has a number of more rare and elusive




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species such as the carnivorous pine marten, the snake-like slow worm, and the rare lesser horseshoe bat, as well as over 100 breeding birds and almost all of irelands native butterfly species.

The diversity of species is due to a happy coincidence of natural and cultural factors. as well as the unique growing environment provided by the thick limestone and thin soil, low impact traditional farming practices such as the ancient practice of winter grazing contribute to the presence of this rich flora. The european union has designated most of the Burren as a Special area of conservation, a title reserved for the finest natural environments in europe.

9. St. Patricks CathedralSt. patricks cathedral, irelands largest church, is also

one of the biggest tourist attractions in dublin.in a well close to the cathedral, St patrick was believed

to have baptized converts from paganism to christianity. To commemorate his visit, a small wooden church was built on the site. later, in 1191, the present building was constructed, and St. patricks was raised to the status of a cathedral.

St patricks is also notable for being the first place where handels Messiah was performed, in 1742. another interesting fact: Jonathan Swift, the author of gullivers Travels, was the dean of the cathedral from 1713-45, is buried here.

While this cathedral is replete with history, St. patricks is not, however, a museum. its still very much a living building with services held every day of the year. There are also sung services six days a week. The choir sings two services every day during school terms - the only cathedral in ireland or Britain to do so.

10. Croke Parkcroke park is

the stadium where irelands two national sports, hurling and gaelic football, are played. it is also the headquarters of the gaelic athletic association (gaa), the sporting body responsible for these national games.

it is hard to belive that croke park is primarily designed for amateur sports - with a capacity of around 80,000, it is the fouth largest stadium in europe.

But its much more than merely a stadium: it has been described as the spiritual home of irish cultural nationalism. hurlers and gaelic footballers - and indeed their fans - speak of croke park as if it were sacred ground.

croker is something of a hidden secret for tourists. if you can get a tickets, the chances are that you will be one of the few tourists there. The best time to get tickets is usually around May at the start of the season. To go and see a game of either hurling or football at croke park is to sample a unique slice of irish life.

While youre there, visit the gaa museum and go on a tour of the grand stadium. ICC

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The canadian national exhibition Foundation (cneF) is pleased to announce the 2014 recipients of the Eamonn OLoghlin Scholarship: Tiffany Cho of Scarborough and Daniel Chanhee Seo of north York, ontario. a scholarship of $1,500 has been awarded to each of the two Toronto university students.

The annual scholarship was established in 2013 to honour the memory of eamonn ologhlin, the canadian national exhibition (cne)s director of Sponsorship and partnerships, who passed away after a short illness in January, 2013.

The scholarship was established to help post-secondary students, employed by the canadian national exhibition, to pursue their studies and also to honour the indomitable spirit of eamonn ologhlin, recognizing his passion for life, his love for canada, his dedication to youth, community involvement, and his great affection for the cne.

post-secondary students working at the cne this summer were eligible to apply for the scholarship. applicants were asked to submit a resume, proof of enrollment in a university, college, or trades program in the fall of 2014, two letters of recommendation, and a 500 to 700 word essay written on one of two topics: 1) The importance of community involvement

and/or Volunteering or 2) What You love about canada.

The Scholarship reviewing committee was comprised of: canadian national exhibition association (cnea) president Brian ashton, cnea Vice-presidents John Kiru and Jennifer Ward, two of eamonns colleagues at the fair: Sean higgins (cne director of casino compliance & operations) and Zis parras (cne director of programs), and the ologhlin Family.

Thirty applications were submitted for the 2014 Scholarship program. every day i meet people from Bank presidents to neighbours who tell me about their first job at the cne and what it means to them, cnea president Brian ashton said. The cne is proud of the jobs we provide for youth and the cne Foundations eamonn ologhlin Scholarship is our way of saying thank you to these exceptional individuals.

Tiffany cho, whose essay submission was entitled: Volunteering a New Perspective is currently working towards her Masters of Science in pharmacology and Toxicology at the university of Toronto. daniel chanhee Seo, who wrote an essay, entitled Why Bother Volunteering?, is pursuing an honours degree in Biomedical Science at York university.

Tiffany cho has been working the cne since 2006, first as an auditor and since august 2012 as a Financial analyst and Team lead. This was daniel chanhee Seos first summer at the cne, where he worked as a cleaning attendant.

eamonn ologhlin was larger than life with a personality to match, one that filled any room he walked in to. his generosity to his fellow countrymen and women knew no bounds, as he helped hundreds of young people land their first jobs in canada. Born in ennistymon, county clare, republic of ireland, eamonn studied at the university college cork before immigrating to canada in 1975. a successful businessman who enjoyed a long career at hallmark cards, at the canadian national exhibition and exhibition place, and in various entrepreneurial initiatives of his own design, eamonn was a leading force within the irish community in canada. he had been executive director of the ireland canada chamber of commerce since 1993, hosted a weekly radio show and published a national magazine, Irish Connections Canada. a long-time supporter of the gaelic athletic association, ireland Fund of canada, and comhaltas ceoltoiri eireann, eamonn was the interim president of the newly formed irish canadian immigration centre (now called the eamonn ologhlin irish canadian immigration centre).

The canadian national exhibition Foundation (cneF) is the registered charity affiliated the canadian national exhibition (cne) and its governing body, the canadian national exhibition association (cnea). although a separate and distinct entity, the cneF has a close relationship with the cnea.

The cne is canadas largest fair. each season it generates close to 5000 jobs for young people, and has an economic impact of $80 million on the province of ontario and $58.6 million on the greater Toronto area. ICC

2014 Eamonn OLoghlin Scholarship Recipients Announced

Daniel Chanhee SeoTiffany Cho

BOLD, ORIGINAL AND FULL OF CHARACTER.

PLEASE ENJOY RESPONSIBLY 2014 Diageo Canada Inc.

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