Rebel Celebration of Irish – Mexican music

MichaelKerin and Tinker Duffy, are both masters of traditional Irish music. They will help celebrate the role of the San Patricios, a battalion of Irish Immigrants who, in 1847, fought for Mexico against a ruthless invasion from the United States.

The duo, just back from a string of music festivals will happily play with harper, Andy Rigby, as well as Mexican and Cuban dancers, in Brian Hungerford’s production of “The War of Shame”. It has a selection of some of the most poignant Irish and Mexican music ever to come out of any conflict.

Michael has played with all forms of music making. He has played lead violin with orchestras, folk groups and spent three happy years touring the world with Slim Dusty. The pair make a powerful combination. Tinker will have you wanting to dance and cry at the same time.

The War of Shame will be presented in the St James Uniting Church Hall, Curtin.

Saturday 29 March at 6.30 for 7.00 pm. 

Mexican, Spanish and Irish supper will be available.

For further information contact: Brian on 6282 4747 (Mobile 0418 48 18 67)

Top Harper in “The War of Shame”

Andy Rigby is recognised as Australia’s most admired harper. He is a player with an international reputation covering music from Africa, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Spain and the music-loving republics of LatinAmerica.

In Typical Australian fashion, Andy started his adult life as an engineer working on projects through much of the Third World. But music was Andy’s obsessive hobby which gradually took him over.

For all that, his engineering training has not been wasted. He is now a much –in-demand builder of harps - of many sizes.

Andy will be performing in Curtin on Saturday 29 March with a theatrical production of the San Patricios, - a battalion of Irish “Boat People” who fought for Mexico against a ruthless invading army from the United States. The war was to annex half of Mexico and extend slavery. Despite such a black history, the events of 1847 produced some of the finest Irish and Mexican harp music. It is also a story that rings all the way to modern Australia.

Venue: St James Uniting Church Hall, Curtin. 6.30 for 7.00 pm.

For further information phone, Brian on 6282 4747 (Mobile: 0418 48 18 67)

THE WAR OF SHAME - USA - Ireland - Mexico

1846-47 was the epoch that changed half the world. It all started in Mexico.  In 1847, the brash-young United States of America invaded Mexico.

The invasion was to annex most of Mexico and enforce slavery from north California, Texas, Arizona, throughout the United States and as far a field as Cuba.

 

The area around New York was corrupt and disease ridden. The invasion had a flow-on to Australia. We had no “Border Protection”. A million starving Irish immigrants flooded into evil-smelling, rat-infested rental accommodation in New York.  The houses were owned by a small handful of US millionaires. So, the US war machine rounded up hoards of Irish immigrants and sent them to invade Mexico. But things went wrong. The Irish joined forces with Mexico.

Out of their fighting, many of the most famous Irish songs of rebellion were born.  Be prepared to laugh and cry throughout the evening. In a full program  of word and song, dedicated to the St Patrick’s Brigade (“San Patricios”); to the glory of Mexico and to Truth and Justice throughout the world.

Brian Hungerford and Marcos Cruz introduce Australia’s leading Irish and Latin American singers, musicians and dancers. Poetry and narration will be in English and Spanish.

Venue:  St James Uniting Church Hall, Curtin

When:  Saturday 29 March 2014.

Time:  6.30 for 7.00 pm

Entry:  $20

Plenty of authentic Irish, Curtinish, Mexican and Cuban, food and drinks available during the interval, as well as before and after the event – At gentle prices.

This is a one-off fundraising, organised by the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society, Canberra.

Information: phone Brian: 6282 4747 (brilu@grapevine.com. au)

CUBA AT THE CANBERRA MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL

Cuba’s participation in Canberra’s Multicultural Festival 2014 was a roaring success.  As in the past few years the Cuban stall was a popular spot for visitors to the festival.  Young and old, entire families stopped to check the material on offer in the stall and to ask questions, many questions!

 

I would like to visit Cuba, how can I travel to Cuba? What kind of visa do I need? What is the best route/airline to take? What’s life like in Cuba? Somebody told me that you have lots of doctors in Cuba, is that true?  Would I be looked after if I became sick whilst visiting your country?

Those are the type of questions curious people kept asking time and time again.  And which the Embassy personnel on duty and a group of volunteers from the Australian Cuba Friendship Society of Canberra were very pleased to answer.

But, without a doubt, the highlight, the big event, was the great RAFFLE. A couple of years ago Don Pedro, the current Cuban Ambassador, had the great idea of starting a “free raffle”.  All the people had to do to be in it was to write their name, a contact phone number and an email address on a piece of paper, put it in the draw box and be there when the raffle was held (this year it was at 2.30pm sharp).  The excitement and enthusiasm when the time came was palpable in the atmosphere.  Faces lit up with expectation at the prospect of a superb bottle of Cuban rum or a couple of equally fine bottles of Cuban beer or, for the quietly converted aficionado and connoisseur, a Cuban cigar.  A Montecristo perhaps!!!

Our hats go to the Cuban Embassy staff and, indeed one of them went to Celia, Don Pedro’s wife and a key staff member of the embassy, who did such a tremendous job calling the prizes and the winners names under near 40 degrees temperature, most of the time without a hat!  Sweat, not tears, run down her face but she stood there until the last price and lucky winners' names were called. 

Well done Cuba, well done the Cuban Embassy staff.

HLVS from your Australian friends