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A grand piano on a Tall Ship! I was in the riverside town New Ross in Co Wexford for the launch of the 2023 New Ross Piano Festival. The hook for this year's programme is the local connection to Canada and there is a special emphasis on the work of Rachmaninov on a significant anniversary.
The special guest was the Irish ambassador to Canada, Eamonn McKee. The ambassador spoke eloquently on the story of the Irish in Canada. McKee made the point that while the story of the Irish in America is well documented, the story of the Irish in Canada is relatively untouched. He whetted our appetites to know more about figures like Tadhg O Brennan, the first known Irishman in Canada, John Palliser a Dubliner who led a scientific exploration of the prairies and the waves of Irish influencers that shaped Canada's history. You can read more about this fascinating subject in this piece by McKee Fifty Irish Lives in Canada: It's Complicated and That's Great.
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| Ambassador to Canada Eamonn McKee |
There is much to tempt music lovers to the New Ross Piano Festival. Jazz fans are catered for with various events on Thursday. An event with words and music drawn from the music and writing of Rachmaninov is a novel feature on this year's programme. To round off the launch Collins sat at the piano and played a Chopin Ballade with his usual panache. Great music, eloquent words, wine and food and the rain held off. Hats off to the hard working committee who amazingly have kept this super festival going in for 17 years.
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