May the luck of the Irish be with ya

0

Beginning as a religious holiday where Lenten prohibitions were waived and people feasted, drank, and danced, St. Patrick’s Day has been celebrated for more than a thousand years on the anniversary of the death of Ireland’s patron saint.

Legend tells us that St. Patrick was kidnapped at age 16 and taken to Ireland as a slave, laboring for six years before escaping to his home in England, where he became a priest, then returning to bring Christianity to the Irish people. The first-recorded event honoring Saint Patrick in the United States occurred on March 17, 1762, when Irish soldiers serving in the English military celebrated their Irish roots by marching in a parade through New York City; St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in this country have grown and flourished ever since.

The holiday has evolved into a world-wide celebration of Irish culture, with Irish food and Irish music, as well as dancing, drinking, and a whole lot of green.

Darke County Center for the Arts annually celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with a festive fundraiser, “Irish Wave.” This year’s party is on Friday, March 13 at Montage Cafe; the fun begins at 6:30 p.m.

The proceeds benefit DCCA’s programming including Arts In Education which presents excellent performing artists to students in all grades in every local public school at no charge to the students, as well as DCCA’s Family Theatre Series which offers high quality theatrical productions at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall at the very, very low ticket price of $5 each, a huge savings over the same shows at other venues in the region. So by celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with DCCA, you are also contributing to culturally enriching and sometimes life-changing opportunities for youngsters and their families in our community.

“Irish Wave” will feature Irish music provided by Sons O’Blarney, a talented trio which blends traditional Celtic tunes with contemporary favorites to provide good old Irish fun wherever they appear. Montage proprietors Aaron and Michele Cox will serve up a grand array of Irish-themed foods; a variety of beers chosen to complement the menu will be available along with other beverages. And everyone in attendance will receive a commemorative “Irish Wave 2020” pint glass to take home as a reminder of the great time you had. Tickets to “Irish Wave,” a funfilled celebration for a good cause, cost $40 and are available at Montage Cafe as well as at the DCCA office on the third floor of Greenville Public Library.

Another major feature of “Irish Wave” is the “Off to the Isle” raffle where one lucky person will be selected to win a trip for two to the Emerald Isle. Raffle tickets are available now at a cost of $100 each; only 75 tickets will be sold, so your chances of experiencing an authentic Irish adventure are quite good. And if you are not the lucky winner of the Irish vacation customized for you by Brendan Vacations, your donation to DCCA assists the organization’s culturally enriching programming which greatly benefits the entire community, so it’s still a winning proposition for all concerned. Contact DCCA at 937-547-0908 to get your raffle tickets now before they are all gone!

And may the luck of the Irish be with ya.

https://www.dailyadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/web1_delkcolumnPRINT-2-43.jpg

By Marilyn Delk

Contributing Columnist

Marilyn Delk is a director of the Darke County Center for the Arts and can be reached at [email protected]. Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.

No posts to display