Danbury Irish Cultural Center Plans Scaled-Down St. Patrick’s Day Plus 2 Fundraisers

DANBURY, CT—Almost a year since their last St. Patrick’s Day Parade and events were canceled due to COVID-19, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center​ (GDICC) has opened at limited capacity and is ramping back up with a smaller-scale, safety-conscious St. Patrick’s Day. This year’s normally month-long “most wonderful time of the year” for the Hibernians, will be held online via Facebook live stream and in-person with a limited number in attandance.​

In partnership with the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation (GDICF), the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center (GDICC) Board has planned an in-person and a live-stream St. Patrick’s Day with curbside pick-up and live music with limited attendance due to Covid safety regulations.  ​

In addition to the 2020 and 2021 parade cancellations, last year’s Danbury Irish Festival cancellation, and the nixing of this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Ball all due to COVID, the Foundation and Fundraising Committee has come up with two unique fundraising activities to bring the spirit of the Emerald Isle from their hearts to your homes. 

The first of these is the Irish Breakfast Basket​ fundraiser. For just $40, the Irish Breakfast Basket (bag) includes one pound each of fresh, top-quality bacon, sausage, pudding, brown bread, and a selection of yummy products from the fine folks at Kerrygold USA. Order online here.​ The order deadline is March 8, 2021.  Order pickup is curbside at the GDICC, 6 Lake Ave. Danbury​ on Saturday, March 13 between 12 – 5 p.m. 

The second fundraiser is “You’ve Been SHAMROCKED​!” which is a fun way to decorate your front lawn or surprise your friends. For only $20, you can deck your lawn or nominate a health care worker, teacher, school employee, a local hero, and shamrock them as your way to say “THANK YOU” for their selfless service during Covid!​

Each lawn decorating package includes 1 lawn sign, 7 lucky shamrocks, 3 balloons* (colors of the Irish flag), ribbon, a “pot” of GOLD in the form of gold-foil-wrapped chocolates, and a poem. Order now through 3/17 (or until they sell out). Order online here​ or complete an order form at the GDICC – ask the bartender for a form. Checks for $20 are payable to “GDICF. Order pickup is curbside at the GDICC, 6 Lake Ave. Danbury​, ​on Saturday, March 5, and Sunday, March 6 between 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. 

Both fundraisers benefit the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. For more information, email DanburyIrish@gmail.com.

On St.Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, March 17th, corned beef will be available for take-out and curbside pick-up. Plans are still being finalized for in-person St. Patrick’s Day celebrations at the club. For the most up-to-date information, check the GDICC’s Facebook page​.​​​

Photo credit: Sean MacEntee via Flickr Creative Commons

Magic, Music & Culture in Store at This Year’s Danbury Irish Festival

DANBURY, CT —​ The 2019 Danbury Irish Festival is bigger and better than ever at its new location, 65 Sand Pit Rd., Danbury.

Dancers from Bethel’s Doherty-Petri School of Irish Dance will perform at the indoor/outdoor event which takes place rain or shine. The festival features three local Irish dance schools, Irish vendors, cultural activities, children’s entertainment, Irish food and refreshments and nonstop musical entertainment all weekend long.

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The festival takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 20, 21 and 22, 2019 and is presented by the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation, the Men’s and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center, committee members, and volunteers.

This year’s festival is dedicated to its founder, Gerry Curran, who passed away in July of 2019. Curran, the former President of the Danbury Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, co-founded the Irish Festival with the help of Sharon Higgins, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians president, as a fundraiser to build the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center which is now located at 6 Lake Ave. in Danbury. The first Irish Festival was held at Rogers Park in 1995 then moved to the Ives Center for many years before finding its new home on the grounds of the Danbury Portuguese Cultural Center.

Live music will perform on the main stage inside and festival goers can peruse authentic, traditional Irish jewelry and apparel from close to a dozen vendors. The Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians prepare delicious baked goods in the hospitality tent, and there is Irish food and drinks available for purchase as well.  Shop in the Irish Village and get your holiday shopping done early! Peruse gifts, jewelry, Irish instruments, and other authentic, unique gift ideas from the Irish vendors who will sell their wares. ​

Outside, the cultural tent showcases a broad range of Irish heritage and gives festival-goers an up-close experience of Irish traditional music, Gaelic language, history, dance, genealogy, film, theater, and literature through live performances, displays, lectures, and workshops. All weekend long there will be displays on Women of the Easter Rising, Book of Kells, Irish crochet, Irish language and classes, Irish family histories, genealogy, Irish blessings, Irish literature, history of the potato famine, Irish traditional music history and classes and much more.​

Also outside under the Cultural Tent will be the Children’s Tent which is open from 12-6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and includes a wide variety of entertainment and activities for children and their families. The Children’s Tent headline entertainer is Danny Diamond who will do balloon twisting on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 3-4 p.m. and a magic show from 1 – 2 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.  Miss Angie from PopRox Productions will be face painting Saturday and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. each day and there will be arts, crafts, games and more for children of all ages to enjoy.

The Greater Danbury Irish Festival will be held at 65 Sand Pit Road, Danbury, on the beautiful grounds of the Portuguese Cultural Center. Click here for more information.

INSIDE: Entertainment on the Main Stage:

Friday, Sept. 20, 2019:

• 6:30 p.m. GDIF All-stars
• 7:45 p.m. Mighty Ploughboys​

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019:

• 12:00 – Traveling Danburys
• 1:00 – Thorne Academy of Irish Dance
• 1:45 – Steve O’Tree and Friends
• 2:45 -Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance
• 3:30 – Highland Rovers
• 4:15 – Tipperary Knights
• 5:15 -Madz and the Ladz
• 6:15 -Morrighan’s Flight
• 7:30 – Highland Rovers
• 8:45 – Tipperary Knights​

Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019:

• 12:00 – Doherty Petri School of Irish Dance
• 12:45 – Uncle Bill Whiskey and Friends
• 1:45 – Celtic Cross Pipe and Drum
• 2:30 – SHILELAGH LAW
• 3:45 – Cunningham Brothers
• 5:00 – GDIF All-Stars​

OUTSIDE: Cultural Tent Entertainment Schedule & Children’s Tent:​

Friday, Sept. 20, 2019

• Displays on: Celtic Art, Book of Kells, Irish Crochet, Irish Language and Classes, Irish Family Histories, Genealogy, Irish Blessings, Irish Dance, Irish Literature, Irish Traditional Music History, World Meeting of Families in Ireland, Classes, and more

Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019

• 12:00-1:00 PM: Music & Games with Miss Wendy
• 1:00 – 6:00 PM: Face Painting with Miss Angie from PopRox Productions
• 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Uilleann Piper – Chris Finnegan, Irish Speaker
• 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Cultural Exhibit
• 3:00-4:00 PM: The Magic of Danny Diamond balloon twisting
• 4:15 – 5:15 PM: Tipperary Knights ​
• 5:15 – 6:00 PM: Cultural Entertainment

Sunday Outside – Cultural/Kid’s Tent

• 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Children’s Magic Show with The Magic of Danny Diamond​
• 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Children’s Sing-a-long & Games
• 3:00 – 5:00 PM: Harp Performance – Regina Delaney
• 5:00 – 6:00 PM: Andrew Carey Music

Children’s Activities

• Bubble Zone
• Chalk Zone
• Face Painting
• Leprechaun Bean Bag Toss
• Carnival Games
• Make & Shake a Shamrock
• Thumbprint Rainbows
• Scavenger Hunt
• Kid’s Crafts & and MORE!

Raffle Tickets:

• Tickets are $5 each
• First Prize is $2,000
• Second Prize is $1,000
• Third Prize $500
• Email Colleen O’Rourke at corourke2@aol.com for raffle tickets

For more information, click here, email DanburyIrish@gmail.com, call the club at 203-739-0010 or call Publicity Chair Wendy Mitchell at 203-501-7424.

Experience the Sights & Sounds of the Emerald Isle at the 2018 Danbury Irish Festival

 

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DANBURY, CT — The 2018 Danbury Irish Festival is bigger and better than ever in 2018 at a brand new location, 65 Sand Pit Rd., Danbury. It will be an indoor/outdoor event that will take place rain or shine! With live Irish music all weekend long, Irish dance, cultural activities, Irish food and beer and a children’s area with non-stop entertainment, it’s sure to be a weekend jam-packed with fun for all ages!

The festival takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Sept. 21, 22 and 23, 2018 and is presented by the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Foundation, the Men’s and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center, committee members, and volunteers.

The brainchild of Gerry Curran, former President of the Danbury Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, the Irish Festival began in 1995 at Rogers Park in Danbury with the help of Sharon Higgins. Twenty-one years ago, Curran had the dream to bring an Irish music and culture festival to Danbury to raise money to benefit the Irish Club. The festival offers Irish food, fellowship, and fun for people of all ages.

John Feeney, an Irish Gaelic language instructor, heads up the cultural tent which showcases a broad range of Irish heritage and gives festival-goers an up-close experience of Irish traditional music, Gaelic language, history, dance, genealogy, film, theater, and literature through live performances, displays, lectures, and workshops.

Wendy Mitchell heads up the Children’s Tent and has organized a wide variety entertainment and activities for children. The Children’s Tent headline entertainer is Danny Diamond who will present a magic show at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22 followed by balloon twisting. The Magic of Danny Diamond magic is sponsored by Gold Sponsor Wooster School, a co-ed day school located on Miry Brook Road by the Danbury Airport. Balloon twisting is sponsored by Silver Sponsor Pour Me Cafe & Wine Bar, a new food, coffee and wine hot spot located in the heart of Danbury on Main Street.

The Children’s Tent is sponsored by Gold Sponsor Wooster School, Silver Sponsor Pour Me Cafe & Wine Bar, Bronze Sponsors Peterson Chiropractic and Poprox Productions, who will be face painting and Festival Friends Ridgefield Playhouse, Service Unlimited, Danbury Palace Theater, Absolute Limousine, Eddie’s Pizza & Pasta, Arbonne by Nicole Coleman, Charmio’s, Groovy Brew Organic Body Scrubs, and Lucy Super 7 Studios.

Shop in the Irish Village and get your holiday shopping done early! Peruse gifts, jewelry, Irish instruments, and other authentic, unique gift ideas from the Irish vendors who will sell their wares.

All weekend long there will be displays on Women of the Easter Rising, Book of Kells, Irish crochet, Irish language and classes, Irish family histories, genealogy, Irish blessings, Irish literature, history of the potato famine, Irish traditional music history and classes and much more.

The Greater Danbury Irish Festival will be held at 65 Sand Pit Road, Danbury, on the beautiful grounds of the Portuguese Cultural Center. This year’s festival is sponsored by Gold Sponsors Clancy Relocation & Logistics, McKenney Mechanical HVAC/R Solutions; Silver Sponsors Union Savings Bank, Savings Bank of Danbury, McCollam Insurance Agency, Senator Michael McLachlan, and Westchester Modular Homes; Bronze Sponsors Pembroke Pumping, Mulvaney Mechanical,  Ashurst Academy of Irish Dance, Belardinelli Services, LLC, Councilman Phil Curran & Maggie Curran, Law Offices of Lawrence M. Riefberg, LLC, South Street Self Storage, Hull Funeral Home, Earthmovers and Levine Automotive.

Click here for more information.

Entertainment on the Main Stage (inside):

Friday, Sept. 21, 2018:

• Ceili Dancing on the Main Stage
• Green Gates (in the Cultural Tent) 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.
  

Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018:

• The Traveling Danburys 12:15 – 1:15 p.m.
• Steve O’Tree and Friends – 1:30-2:30 p.m.
• Thorne Academy of Irish Dance – 2:45 – 3:30 p.m.
• Keltic Kick – 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
• Cunningham Brothers – 4:45 – 5:45 p.m.
• Ashurst Irish Dance 5:45 – 6:30 p.m.
• Celtic Cross Pipe & Drums – 6:30 – 7:15 p.m.
• Highland Rovers – 7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
• Humble Hooligans– 8:45 – 10:00 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018:

• Ringrose & Freeman – 12:00 – 1:15 p.m
• Doherty-Petri School of  Irish Dance – 1:30 – 2:15 p.m.
• Jeff Conlon – 2:30 – 3:45 p.m.
• Doherty-Petri School of  Irish Dance – 3:45 – 4:30 p.m.
• Tiperrary Knights – 4:45 – 6:00 p.m.

Cultural Tent Entertainment Schedule (outside):

~ Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 ~

• 5:30 – 6:30 PM: Céilí Set Dancing Workshop – Brian Reynolds (inside, on the main stage)
• 7:00 – 10.00 PM: Céilí (Irish Social Dancing) – Green Gates Céilí Band (inside, on the main stage)

~ Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 ~

• 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Uilleann Piper – Chris Finnegan, Irish Speaker
• 2:00 – 3:00 PM: Owen McDonnell – Presentation on McDonnell family history
• 3:00 – 4:00 PM: Harp Performance – Regina Delaney
• 4:00 – 5:00 PM: Harp Workshop – Regina Delaney, learn to play the harp
• 7:00 – 10:00 PM: Irish Traditional Music Seisiún  – Nora Hanley starts with a performance and then rolls into an open seisiún

~ Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 ~

• 1:00 – 2:00 PM: Traditional Irish Music (guitar & flute, voice) – Chicks-n-Sync
• 2:00 –  3:00 PM: Traditional Irish Music (fiddle, tin whistle, flute) – Fiddleuisce GDICC musicians
• 3:00 – 3:30 PM: Traditional Irish Singalong – Fiddleuisce and John Feeney
• 3:30 – 4:30 PM: Harp Performance – Regina Delaney
• 4:30 – 5:30 PM: Traditional Irish Music (Irish lute, guitar, voice) – Aindriú Ó’Ciardha
• Several Historical Figures from Irish History will be roaming the festival grounds – Liz Popiel.
• Displays on: Celtic Art, Book of Kells, Irish Crochet, Irish Language and Classes, Irish Family Histories, Genealogy, Irish Blessings, Irish Dance, Irish Literature, Irish Traditional Music History, World Meeting of Families in Ireland 2018 and Classes, and more.

Children’s Tent Schedule (outside):

~ SATURDAY, SEPT. 22, 2018, 12-6pm ~

• Face Painting with Miss Angie from PopRox Productions, 12-6pm
• Shriner’s Clowns: Saturday, Sept. 22, 11am-2pm
• Costume Parade led by Celtic Cross bagpiper, Saturday, Sept, 22, 1:30pm
• The Magic of Danny Diamond, Saturday, Sept. 22, 2-3pm

~ SUNDAY, SEPT. 23, 2018, 12-6pm ~

• Face Painting with Miss Angie of PopRox Productions 
• Bubble Zone
• Kid’s Karaoke
• Kid’s Crafts
• Carnival Games
• Treasure Hunt
• Make & Shake a Shamrock
• Thumbprint Rainbows
• Irish Village
• Kid’s Crafts & and MORE!

Raffle Tickets:

• Tickets are $5 each
• First Prize is $2,000
• Second Prize is $1,000
• Third Prize $500
• Call Sharon O’Rourke at 203-470-7570 for tickets

For more information, click here, email danburyirishfest@gmail.com or call the club at 203-501-7424.

Photo by Wendy Ann Mitchell