This Week >> 3/19/2009
This week Let's Travel Radio visits Ireland, a land of poetry, tradition, fabled landscape and a torrid history. Joining us today is the Ambassador/Consul General of Ireland, Mr. Nial Burgess, Executive Director Aidan Connolly of the Irish Arts Center in New York, Publisher Patricia Harty of Irish America magazazine, Mr. Christopher Cahill, of the Irish-America Historical Socity and restaurateur Hugh O'Lunney. They'll tell us what's Irish and what isn't and what Ireland is giving the US and the world of "things Irish." You'll find out what there is to know of Ireland as a destination, and the legacy of its Irish wit, charm, and spirited personality.
Where we'll be exploring
IrelandIreland (Irish: Éire; Ulster Scots: Airlann) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. Politically, the state Ireland (described as the Republic of Ireland in cases of ambiguity) covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland (NI), part of the United Kingdom, covering the remainder in the north-east.
The population of the island is slightly over six million (2007), with 4.34 million in the Republic (1.7 million in Greater Dublin) and an estimated 1.75 million in Northern Ireland (0.6 million in Greater Belfast). This is a significant increase from a modern historical low in the 1960s, but still much lower than the peak population of over 8 million in the early 19th century, prior to the Irish potato famine.
The name Ireland derives from the name Ériu (in modern Irish, Éire) with the addition of the Germanic word land. Most other western European names for Ireland derive from the same source, such as French Irlande, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese Irlanda, German Irland and the Dutch Ierland.
Guests
Ambassador / Consuluate General of Ireland
Niall Burgess was appointed Consul General of Ireland at Ireland House in New York in May 2007. Ireland House is also home to the North American head offices of Enterprise Ireland, Tourism Ireland and the Industrial Development Authority. As Consul General, he carries a broad range of responsibilities including business, cultural and community relations and consular assistance in a ten state area which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North and South Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Prior to assuming this role, Niall Burgess was Director with responsibility for political affairs at the Anglo Irish Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs in the period leading up to the establishment of the Northern Ireland Executive in May last year. Since coming to New York he has sought support for the Irish economy on an all-island basis, also working closely with the Northern Ireland Bureau. He was born in Dublin and trained initially as an archaeologist. He is married to Marie Morgan and they have two children. He has previously served in Chicago, New York, Geneva (with the United Nations) and Brussels (with the European Union). He was private secretary to Foreign Minister, Dick Spring from 1993 to 1997. He has also served as Joint Director of the International Fund for Ireland which provides a range of reconciliation and job creation programmes in Northern Ireland and the border counties.
Irish Arts Center in New York
Aidan Connolly serves as a political director and advisor to Maureen White, the noted philanthropist and former National Finance Chair of the Democratic National Committee, and Steven Rattner, Managing Principal of Quadrangle Group, an investment firm. In March 2007, he was appointed as Acting Executive Director of the Irish Arts Center, a New York-based performing arts and cultural center.
From 2001-2007, Aidan served as Finance Director, Communications Director, and finally Chief of Staff to Deputy Senate Minority Leader Eric Schneiderman. During that period, he helped build a lean, effective political operation for the Senate Minority and re-brand the Democratic conference as agents of progressive change, helping to reduce the long-held Republican majority from seven seats to two. Before joining the State Senate effort, he served as a Senior Associate at the political consulting firm Straus/Baker, and worked in various capacities on the campaigns of Al Gore for President, Ed Rendell for Governor (PA), and for the Northern Ireland Women’s Initiative, a non-profit organization that trained women across sectarian lines to run for office in Northern Ireland.
Throughout his political career, Aidan has sustained his lifelong interest in the theatre as a producer, dedicating himself to the development and production of plays by new and emerging Irish playwrights. His credits include Macdara Vallely’s Peacefire (Edinburgh Fringe First Award, Amnesty International Freedom Award Shortlist, currently being made into a motion picture), Donal O’Kelly’s Catalpa and Bat the Father, Rabbit the Son (Chicago); and Ronan Noone’s The Lepers of Baile Baiste and The Blowin of Baile Gall (Irish Arts Center)
Ian Middleton is a freelance travel writer and photographer from the UK. He is the author of three travel narrative books and one travel guide to ancient Ireland, Mysterious World: Ireland. Ian has also written for several magazines, including Mysterious World, backpacker Ireland, Walking World Ireland, Take your car UK, the Slovenia Times newspaper and Ljubljana Life Magazine. Ian's photography has been published in several books and magazines, including Lonely Planet, Bradt Travel Guides, Mysterious World: Ireland, and Living Abroad Magazine.
Ian first discovered his passion for travel at the age of 26 when he quit his day job as an electronics technician and headed off on a 6-month trip around Australia. During his flight home he was already planning his next trip, a four month journey around Mexico. Since then he has travelled around the US, Canada, South America, New Zealand and much of Europe. From his first trip to Ireland in 1999, he discovered a real passion for this country ended up living and travelling there from 1999 to 2004, which resulted in his in-depth knowledge of the country and his most recent book, co-written with Douglas Elwell, Mysterious World: Ireland, a detailed look into Ireland’s ancient history, folklore and legends, coupled with a travel narrative and guide packed full of travel information.
Ian now lives in Slovenia with his soon-to-be wife, Nika.
Other Items
With over 80 million Irishmen (and women) world-wide, and only 4.2 million inhabiting Ireland, over 90% of the world’s Irish population lives elsewhere, including a whopping 34.7 million in the U.S. alone. So what exactly happens in the World-wide Irish communities come March 17th, St. Patrick's Day?
Tullamore Dew, the last Irish Whiskey actually owned and managed by an Irish company, tracked down the wildest, most unruly St. Paddy's Day celebrations world-wide. From Germany, to Norway, South Korea, to the good old USA, please find the results below.
TULLAMORE DEW® IRISH WHISKEY TRACKS ST. PATRICK'S DAY
The Official Whiskey of St. Paddy’s Day Reveals the Global Differences in How People Commemorate Ireland's Most Famous Saint
TULLAMORE, IRELAND (February 27, 2009) -- Americans have a way of putting their own stamp on holidays originating in other countries. This is certainly true of St. Patrick’s Day when rivers run green and people start dreaming of leprechauns, four-leaf clovers and all that blarney. But can the same be said for how the world at large celebrates this greenest of holidays? Working on the assumption that everyone is a bit Irish on March 17, Tullamore Dew®, the fastest growing and second-largest Irish whiskey brand globally, as well as the official whiskey of St. Patrick’s Day, has tracked the best-known Irish celebrations around the world. From Russia to Argentina, the Caribbean to Japan, a rollicking good time awaits.
According to Ireland’s Census Bureau, there are over 80 million Irishmen (and women) world-wide, yet only 4.2 million inhabit Ireland. This means over 90% of the world’s Irish population lives somewhere else, including 34.7 million in the U.S. alone. So it seems likely that St. Paddy’s Day can be found elsewhere, as well.
In Dublin, Ireland
Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival is the largest annual event in all of Ireland. The massive array of festivities include music, theatre, family carnivals, comedy street arts, visual arts, dance, a treasure hunt, symposium, and cavalcades of vintage cars. The festival spans 5 days and 4,000 performers, with 1.5 million spectators in attendance.
In Montserrat
The tiny island of Montserrat, known as "Emerald Island of the Caribbean" because it was founded by Irish refugees from the islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is the only place apart from the Republic of Ireland and the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador where St Patrick's Day is a public holiday. The holiday commemorates a failed slave uprising that occurred on March 17, 1798. Though the St. Patrick's Day revolt was aborted, the martyrdom of the rebels continues to serve as an inspiration to the island's people.
In Buenos Aires, Argentina
The weather in mid-March is comfortably warm in Argentina, and all-night parties are celebrated with dancing and drinking until seven or eight in the morning. Although those not wearing green are traditionally not mocked, most enthusiasts still adorn themselves in festive Irish clothing. In Buenos Aires, the main party is held on a downtown street, Reconquista, the home of many Celtic bars. In 2006, over 50,000 people gathered on this street and in the pubs nearby for the celebration.
In Florence, Italy
As St. Patrick's Day approaches, the city hosts 'Festa Irlandese' - ten full days of live music, food and drink. The event takes place in a huge tent and attracts thousands of visitors who avidly consume the Italian interpretation of Irish food and drink, including potato soup, cooked beef, smoked salmon, and other cross-cultural delicacies.
In Montreal, Canada
The longest-running St. Paddy’s Day parade in Canada occurs each year in Montreal, Québec. The tradition began in 1824, although St. Patrick's Day itself has been celebrated in Montreal as far back as 1759 by Irish soldiers in the Montreal Garrison following the British conquest of New France.
In Moscow, Russia
Since the inception of Moscow’s parade in 1992, each year the floats have become more numerous and sophisticated as have the wide range of international and Russian participants. The local Irish bars of Moscowcontribute their own floats and Muscovites proudly showoff homegrown Irish Wolfhounds, which are nearly as big as the floats themselves.
In Oslo, Norway
The Irish community in Oslo celebrates March 17 with a lively parade as nearly a thousand people join in the festivities. The parade navigates through shopping streets, past Oslo cathedral, on to Town Hall Square. Accompanying a pipe band is St Patrick, driven by a red-bearded chauffeur in a horse and cart, along with a host of other colorful Irish characters.
In Copenhagen, Denmark
The St. Patrick’s Day 3 Legged Charity Race started in Copenhagenin 2001. The race is organized by the Irish expat community and the Irish pub in the Danish capital where Tullamore Dew is the top-selling Irish whiskey. In 2008, despite a blizzard, the event raised 21,500 DKK (~2,900 euro).
In Munich, Germany
Munich is the only German city holding a St. Patrick's Day parade owing to the considerably large Irish community. The parade is organized by the German-Irish Society of Bavaria and has been held every year since 1996. Meanwhile it has evolved into the largest parade in continental Europe and features not only Irish/Scots/English, but also German clubs and societies. Following the 2 km-parade, which usually takes place the Sunday preceding March 17, is an open air party with live music and dance performances.
In Seoul, South Korea
In Seoul, members of the expatriate community congregate on Daehakro Street(Taehongno), and a small parade goes up and down the street. Parade members include local expat sports teams, the Irish Community, and several Korean marching bands. In 2007, the Marronier Parknear Daehakro was filled with partygoers sampling Irish stew and drinks.
In Tokyo, Japan
Organized by the Irish Network Japan (INJ), about 2,000 parade participants march down fashionable Omotesando Avenue, lined for the occasion by Irish and Japanese flags, and cheered on by as many as 7,000 spectators. The Japanese love a good party and there are a growing number of Irish pubs that send attractive young ladies to the parade for the sole purpose of recruiting revelers to visit.
In England
The largest Saint Patrick's Day parade in the UK is held in Birmingham over a two mile route through the city centre. The organizers describe it as the third biggest parade in the world after Dublin and New York. Manchester hosts a two week Irish festival in the weeks prior to St Patrick's Day, not surprising given that the city claims the largest Irish population in Great Britain outside of London.
In the United States
Parades are the big thing in the US. The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland, but in the United States, held in Boston in 1761. New York’s parade is the biggest and Hot Springs, Arkansas is the shortest. Green rivers flow in Chicago and San Antonio. What is thought of as the traditional meal of St. Patrick’s Day – Corned Beef and Cabbage – is actually a U.S. culinary phenomena, not typically served in Ireland at all. The folks in Ireland are much more likely to feast on Boiled Bacon and Cabbage on St. Paddy’s Day.
But one thing is for sure: No matter where you celebrate, from Germany, to Norway, to South Korea, to the good old USA– a legendary smooth shot of Tullamore Dew or an authentic Irish Coffee is certain to make the day complete. To wit, a final recipe suggestion:
Slainté & a very happy St. Patrick’s Day!
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