EuropeanIrish.com News Stories

Dimanche 11 mars, tournoi initiation à Broons (22)
Samedi 24 mars, tournoi initiation à Guingamp (22)
Samedi 19 mai, tournoi initiation à Acigné (35)
Samedi 26 mai, tournoi initiation à Angers (49)
Samedi 23 juin, tournoi initiation à Bordeaux (33)
Fin août, Beach Gaelic à Ploudalmezeau (29)
Samedi 29 septembre, tournoi initiation à Merdrignac
Samedi 10 novembre, soirée organisée par la F.A.M. à la salle des fêtes de Merdrignac.

Irish-Gaelic Night / Oíche na Gaeilge

Wednesday, the 7th of March 2007, 8 p.m., Frankfurt Art Bar,
Ziegelhuettenweg 32, Frankfurt, Germany

1-hr crashcourse in the Irish language for beginners (from 8 to 9 p.m.)
Club Gaeilge Frankfurt, Europe’s oldest Irish language social (from 8
p.m.)
traditional Irish music session (from 9 p.m.)

- Admission free -
http://www.digrm.de

David, less than 100 M from home, sat on Germany’s Swillims’ shoulder as he rounded the final turn. Then he struck for the tape, passing Swillims in the final 50M, crossed the line, clinching GOLD for David Gillick and Ireland- his second 400M European Indoor Gold medal and a New National Record.

It’s Celebration time for Irish Athletics in Birmingham. A medal at a Major Championships used to be rare for Ireland (before Sonia O’Sullivan) - and Now - what’s rare is wonderful.

Thankfully we have the likes of David Gillick, Alistair Cragg, Derval O’Rourke, Gillian O’Sullivan, Charlotte & Rebecca O’Carroll (recent European Junior Clubs Cross Country Champions - gold and silver).

Not being able to precede Gillick’s achievement with a repeat of the last European Indoor Championships, Alistair Cragg held 6th place into the final lap of 5000m, and when the pace picked up for that final lap, and the front runners kicked for home, while Cragg was able to keep with their pace, he was not able to gain back the couple of metres on them, and finished the final lap in the same 6th position as he had started that lap. He will feel disappointed, as the pace of the entire race was slower and well inside his capabilities, so much so that at the end, he still seemed to have plenty energy left.

As AthleticsIreland.ie put it “Alistair Cragg went in what had to be the hottest race of the day with European 5000m champion and European cross country champion both present in the race which traveled at a pedestrian pace and turned out to be a 400m burn up where 7 men with 200m to go all had a shout of winning in the end up Cragg couldn’t match the pace of the others and faded to 6th position in 8.03.70.”

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=1187

Read about Paul Hession in the 60M Semi-Final becoming Ireland’s 1st ever European Championship Sprint Finalist.

Read also about Anna Boyle, Gareth Turnball, James Nolan, Liam Reale, Thomas Chamney and David McCarthy.

Tomorrow we will see Marie Cullen in the women’s 3000m final, James Nolan in the 1500m final and Paul Hession in the 60m final.

Last weekend, Clare Scanlon, originally from Donegal, competed in the World Speed Skating Championships in Canada.

Representing The Netherlands, her home for the past 12 years, Clare Scanlon not only became the first competitor for Ireland in this event, but having already captured the Dutch National 1500M title a month earlier, went on to win Silver at these World Championship Games in Calgary, Canada.

We congratulate you and salute a hero amongst the Irish in Europe.
###

Clare Scanlon’s history - from Finn Valley Athletics Club

November 2006 article on the club’s website:
- Donegal woman for World Speed Skating Championships
 Donegal woman, Clare Scanlon, has been selected to take part in the World
 Speed Skating Championships Seniors in Canada in February 2007. This is the
 first time ever that an Irish woman has qualified for this event.
 
 Clare Scanlon from Crossroads, Killygordon has been living in Holland for
 ten years now and has been skating since she arrived there. She qualified
 after winning the 1500m title at the National Speed Skating Championships
 for seniors in Breda earlier this year.
 
 Speed Skating is the most popular national sport in Holland. The
 competitions take part in indoor 400m ice tracks. Each race consists of two
 competitors, one in each lane.
 
 The fastest racer out of all the heats wins the race.
 
 A speed skater can reach up to 55kmph on the track. The sport is all about
 technical skill and bringing your power onto the ice. It is a sport that
 needs many of years training to accomplish its fine technique. It is
 amazing how someone from Ireland that has never had any acquaintance with
 the sport has accomplished so much in a short period of time.
 
 The response that Clare has had from her home is overwhelming. She has been
 interviewed in all the National and local papers to name just a few, The
 Sun, The Star, The Independent, Irish Press and has numerous radio
 interviews including the RTE Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy show and in the BBC radio
 Foyle.
 
 Because Clare is from Ireland she would love to have some Irish Companies
 as her sponsors. This would be a great opportunity for Irish companies to
 have their name connected with this historical event of the first Irish
 woman ever to enter for the World Championships and she has a very good
 chance to take a medal back home with her. The press will be following her
 accomplishments. Clare needs all the help she can get to make her way to
 Canada a successful one. Sponsorship will be needed for high tech suits and
 skates for the best result and of course the flights and accommodation
 while staying in Calgary.
 
 The company’s brand name can be situated on different parts of the speed
 skating suites, the track suites, pets and sport bags.
 
 If your company is interested in sponsorship then you can contact details at  Finn Valley Athletics Club

PHENOMENAL IRISH DANCE & MUSIC SPECTACLE -GAELFORCE DANCE

27^TH FEBRUARY – 21^st MARCH 2007

Described by connoisseurs as “The Ferrari of Irish Dance”, the show returns by public demand for those who didn’t manage to get tickets for the last sell out tour in spring 2006. The 2007 tour will stage 22 performances in 14 cities across Poland, including four public performances at the Sala Kongresowa in Warsaw and two performances each in Łódź, Kraków, Toruń and Szczecin. A special St Patricks Day party is planned for the performance on 17^th March in Gdansk. (See below for full tour itenrary).

Part of the show’s appeal is that it is no ordinary dance performance, it is a musical, a play and a ballet all rolled into one. The show is a story of two brothers and their love for one woman – passion, jealousy, tragedy and triumph presented as a dance and music spectacle . The music is played by a live orchestra and takes fully from Irish tradition, but also borrows from African rhythms, jazz, classical and pop.

While the appeal of Irish dance has grown internationally in recent years, the colour and energy of GAELFORCE DANCE has hit a particular chord with Polish audiences and the show oozes with world class from head to toe. The cast and production team for the Poland 2007 tour is studded with genuine international stars of the stage from choreographer Richard Griffin and composer/musician Colm O’Foghlú to the four internationally celebrated lead dancers Johnathan Tweedie from South Africa, Kristyn Fontanella (USA), Bil Ben Ari (Israel) and Jordan Osbourne (Scotland), supported by a cast of 30 dancers (see ANNEX 3 for artist biogs). In full flight they are simply breathtaking.

The show offers a rare chance to experience the West End stage show atmosphere and see world class performers in a world class stage production. Perhaps the most well known star of the show is singer Peter Corry, dubbed “Master of the Musicals” for his appearances in many West End hit shows including three years in the formidable role of Inspector Javert in Schonberg and Boubil’s London West End stage hit Les Miserables, for which he is best known

For Polish audiences however there will also be another strong interest factor. Elżbieta (Ella) Haluk, the show’s Musical Director and lead violinist, born in Rzeszow. For 7 years she’s been the violinist in Gaelforce Dance. In April 2001 she was made Musical Director of the show. She provided the string arrangement for various new pieces for the show.

Ella Haluk, music director and lead violinist of Gaelforce Dance said:

“I am delighted to be returning to my home country with this wonderful show so soon after this year’s sell out tour.

“Irish dance is full of energy and highly visual, but the show is so much more than that with international stars like Peter Corry, and the audiences in Poland loved it!”

Tickets are expected to sell out quickly and will make an ideal present for any lover of dance or stage musicals. The full tour itinerary and booking details are available www.gaelforce-dance.pl, tickets can be bought in Empik, Traffic and Media Markt stores as well as online on www.ticketpro.pl and www.ebilet.pl.

Gaelforce Dance Tour Itinerary

27.02 Warszawa Sala Kongresowa 19.00
28.02 Warszawa Sala Kongresowa 19.00
01.03 Warszawa Sala Kongresowa 19.00
02.03 Warszawa Sala Kongresowa 19.00
03.03 Lublin Hala Globus 19.00
05.03 Łódź Teatr Wielki 19.00
06.03 Łódź Teatr Wielki 19.00
07.03 Kraków Hala Wisła 19.00
08.03 Kraków Hala Wisła 19.00
09.03 Wrocław Hala Ludowa 19.00
10.03 Opole Hala Okrąglak 19.00
11.03 Częstochowa Filharmonia 16.00 i 19.00
13.03 Poznań Hala Arena 19.00
14.03 Bydgoszcz Hala Luczniczka 19.00
15.03 Szczecin Hala MTS 19.00
16.03 Szczecin Hala MTS 19.00
17.03 Gdańsk Hala Olivia 19.00
18.03 Toruń Aula UMK 16.00 i 19.00
20.03 Katowice Spodek 19.00
21.03 Kielce Wielofunkcyjna Hala Sportowa 19.00

The Cherbourg British Irish Film Festival (14th-20th March 2007) aims to act as a springboard for new directors and we achieve that by holding a feature competition (16th-18th) during our festival week.

The selection of six British or Irish films are judged by a panel of professionals (directors, actors, writers etc) and the winning film receives a monetary prize plus help to have their film distributed in France.

This year we are pleased to annonce the presence of Brenda Blethyn as co president and jury member as well as Thaddeus O’Sullivan and Bob Quinn among other well known faces in the French, Irish and British film industry. In addition this year we are welcoming the Irish Film Institute (Alice Black) to present the Carte Blanche and two silent films (Guests of the Nation and Irish Destiny) as our programming is centred around the theme of Ireland in Close Up (see website www.festivalcherbourg.com ) giving one of the richest selection of films in the history of the festival.

Association Travelling
British Irish Film Festival
14th - 20th March 2007
15 passage Digard
50100 CHERBOURG-OCTEVILLE