Something for everyone at An Irish Gathering

KILLALOE – The rosary on the clothesline couldn’t stop the rain from falling during Saturday’s An Irish Gathering festivities.

Regardless, people of all ages took shelter wherever they could in Station Park to enjoy the festivities on August 17.

The seventh-annual event started on the 15th, with a presentation by the Opeongo Readers’ Theatre at the Lions’ Hall, followed by a pub and trivia night at the Killaloe Curling Club.

Friday kicked off with a graveyard tour at St. Andrew’s graveyard, where people could learn about the rich history of the area. The Friendship Club hosted an Irish tea, and the community was treated to a special show by the Stone Fence Theatre.

Saturday, floats gathered at Killaloe Public School and made their way down Queen Street for the annual parade. Emcee Art Jamieson hosted the spectacle, entertaining the audience who came to watch the show.

Inside Afelskie Shoes was the cultural centre, where brother and sister duo Gerard Green and Pat Green were found perusing the material on sight. The two are originally from Renfrew, but have a rich connection to the area. Their father was born in Old Killaloe, and the Greens would visit the area as children.

Today, Gerard and Pat Green are the last remaining siblings of eight children. This was the Green’s first time to the Irish Gathering, and the duo plan to create a family board to add to the other family history boards at the cultural centre created by Shirley Mask-Connolly.

Pick up a copy of the August 21 Valley Gazette for the complete story, or  subscribe online.



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