News

Smurfit-Stone Irish Cultural Center offers something for everyone

July 14, 2007

The Smurfit-Stone Irish Cultural Center will offer something for anyone attending the 2007 Great American Irish Festival who may be interested in any aspect of Irish culture, including language workshops, dance instruction, open sessions and a number of presentations on a wide variety of subjects during both festival days.
The workshops include instruction in the Irish language where attendees will learn phrases to sprinkle into their conversation on their trip to Ireland. Find out the meaning of your name, or get help pronouncing the place from which your great grandfather emigrated. Those who enjoy dancing can learn an Irish ceili (social) dance. Instruction will be given each day for several of the more popular dances.
For those who play a traditional Irish instrument – or some not so traditional – the Syracuse Session Group will host an open session on Saturday. Interested musicians of all skill levels are invited to join the group and play along with familiar songs and perhaps learn a new song or two.
The Cultural Center is also hosting several music demonstration workshops on various instruments featuring top festival performers.
Fixed exhibits will include, among others, Great American Irish Festival Commemorates the Famine Year 1847; Rome Genealogy Club; Utica Curling Club; Dog Breeds of Ireland; Willow Basket Weaving with Jean Gage; and Celtic harpist Mary Margaret Krudonis.
A full schedule will be posted at the festival, but the bottom line is, whenever you choose visit the Smurfit-Stone Irish Cultural Center, something interesting will be going on.