Brandon welcomes St. Patrick’s Ceili & Party
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/03/2025 (234 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Residents embraced Irish culture over the weekend as the McConnell Irish Dancers hosted the city’s first-ever St. Patrick’s Ceili and Party at the Ukrainian National Hall.
The family-friendly celebration drew about 150 attendees and featured a showcase of Irish dance, live music by The Domicans, Ceili dancing, a 50/50 raffle and an array of snacks and beverages.
It is exciting to finally bring the event to Brandon, McConnell Irish Dance director Shayleen McConnell Finucan told the Sun on Sunday.
“We had hoped to do this five years ago before the pandemic, but unfortunately, we were slowed down,” Finucan said. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do because we’ve never had anything like this out here, and we have this incredible group of Irish dancers who want to promote Irish culture. This is the best day of the year to do it.”
The event paid homage to St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, known for bringing Christianity to the country and symbolically driving out the “snakes.” According to her, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of Irish heritage and a chance for everyone to feel a part of the culture.
The performances featured dancers from both Winnipeg and Brandon.
“Our Winnipeg group is a professional performance team of dancers who have travelled all around the world — to Ireland, Costa Rica, Peru, and Bulgaria. They are champion Irish dancers,” Finucan said. “Our Brandon team has been around for 14 years, and they include dancers ranging from three years old to adults in their 60s.”
The live music was provided by The Domicans, a band originally from Ireland that has since made Winnipeg their home. Their performance added an Irish touch to the evening, complementing the intricate footwork of the dancers.
Planning for the event involved ticket sales, venue booking, and co-ordinating performers. Despite the logistical challenges, Finucan described it as a “labour of love.” While she is based in Winnipeg, her connection to Brandon is strong, as local instructors who trained under her now lead Irish dance classes in the Wheat City.
McConnell Irish Dance is the oldest Irish dance school in Canada, founded in 1947 by Finucan’s grandparents, Sam and Sarah McConnell. The school’s legacy continues through three generations, with Finucan directing and choreographing today. “It’s a family business, and we originally established in Ballymena, in the north of Ireland, over 100 years ago,” she said.
The Brandon division of McConnell Irish Dance is led by instructor Gillian Black, who was trained by Finucan and has been involved in Irish dance for 14 years. Black, who started at the age of 12, expressed pride in seeing the next generation take up the art.
“It’s nice to see the growth,” Black said. “It’s fun to see the kids come from where I used to be, learning new things and getting excited about it.”
Though Brandon has seen Irish events in the past, this was the first St. Patrick’s celebration specifically organized by McConnell Irish Dance.
“We have, in the past, done an Irish event as part of the Irish Society on St. Patrick’s Day, but this is the first McConnell Irish Dance event for St. Patrick’s Day ever,” Black noted. “It’s exciting to see everyone come together.”
The event also served as a fundraiser for the McConnell Irish Dancers Students Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Irish culture. “All of the funds raised from this event go to support Irish culture,” Finucan said. “We do quite a bit of community service work, and all of our fundraising efforts go back to the community to help support and promote Irish and Celtic culture.”
The school began offering classes in Brandon 14 years ago in response to requests from residents with Irish cultural connections who enjoyed the group’s performances at the Irish Pavilion during the Brandon Multicultural Festival, what was then known as the Lt. Governor’s Winter Festival. The Brandon location, under the direction of CRN-certified instructor Finucan, has grown significantly. It now includes two local instructors in training for their Irish dance teacher certification.
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