Great Island Fiddlers

The Great Island Fiddlers embarked on a cultural trip to Newfoundland last summer. They are currently fundraising as they will travel to Poland this summer, which will certainly not be the last of their trips abroad.

GREAT ISLAND FIDDLERS WOW NEWFOUNDLAND

Last August 5th, the Great Island Fiddlers departed for St. John's, Newfoundland. They had been fundraising all that year for the trip.

It all began one summer night almost exactly a year before, when the eight fiddlers were asked by Peggy Amison of the Sirius Arts Centre to share a concert with a fiddle group from Newfoundland. Overseen by teacher Ciaran Deloughry and accompanying pianist Susan O' Regan, the eight young fiddlers are Rachel Deloughry, Frances Kidney, Caoimh Kett, Louise Corry, Maria Corry, Orla Spriggs, Sinead O' Donovan and (myself) Conor Mahon. It was in this concert that the Canadian Celtic Fiddlers were joined by the Great Island Fiddlers. Afterward, the two groups mingled on the balcony of the Sirius chatting, exchanging email addresses and comparing Ireland to Newfoundland. They told us that Cobh was the place which most reminded them of home. In the following days the fiddlers having been woken from their summer hibernation played in the Park Road Center and it was after this performance that it was decided tha a return trip would happen.

So there we were a year later on our trip. Upon our first stepping into Canada, we were recieved with the kindest of welcomes at the airport by the Celtic Fiddlers. After the first day of settling into our University apartments we went to the renowned St. John's Folk Festival. It was a sight to behold - there were two stages, a line of workshops, almost a village of tents selling souveneirs, food and drink. After attending a workshop, we saw on stage our sister group the Celtic Fiddlers. Again as last time we had a chat backstage making plans for the coming days.  We played a gig in O' Reilly's Bar on the famous George Street with, of course, the Celtic Fiddlers. The bar was full to the brim for the whole night. There was a presentetion at the mayor's office which was followed by an open-air session on the streets of St. John's. VOCM FM, the Newfoundland radio station held an interview with us, as well as inviting us to play a host of tunes on air.

The warm welcome the Celtic Fiddlers had displayed at the start of our trip did nothing but grow as we became more entangled in friendship. They hosted us on several occassions and brought us sight seeing. At a local church our two groups played for a mass, and afterwards enjoyed a barbecue coutesy of Elaine Aylward, a mother and patron of the Celtic Fiddlers. There we ate, drank, sang and played our hearts out into the small hours of the morning.

Both groups performed again at Brigus Blueberry Festival playing up a large crowd in sweltering heat, which had kept up during the whole trip. That night we were hosted at another party this time thanks to Sheila Power, another mother and patron. Even at the airport we almost missed the plane because of both groups playing a mini concert in the waiting area drawing up a crowd, something we were getting used to. The seeds of more trips and events have been set for the future and through the internet the friendships are kept alive.

I would like to thank the Cork County Council Arts Officer,  Cobh Town Council, all the crowd at the Midleton Farmers' Market, Peggy Amison of the Sirius Arts Centre, Mary Kidney and Cobh Line Dancers, Mick Moroney, the Park Road Centre and especially Rosemary Corry and Bernadette Kett, who were like second mothers to us all during the trip. Not to forget Ciaran and Susan Deloughry who if not for them we wouldn't even be able to hold a fiddle the right way.

Conor Mahon, The Great Island Community News, September 16, 2004