It’s President Paddy at local Comhaltas branch
WEXFORD Credit Union joined 68,800 Credit Unions to Celebrate International Credit Union Day (ICU Day).
To celebrate the day, Wexford Credit Union provided cupcakes and hot beverages for their members, cooked up by Jenny’s Cupcakes and Coffee Express.
Two car winners were picked on the day, John O’Neill, from Barntown and Benjy Wilson, from Wexford town. This year’s theme for ICU Day was ‘Dreams Thrive Here’, which was chosen to reflect how credit unions serve as catalysts to make different choices and career paths a reality.
As a celebration Any member of Wexford Credit Union who has taken a new loan or topped up on an existing loan from October 1 until the closing date of Saturday, December 16, will be entered into a draw to win €1.000. The winner will be announced on Friday, December 22. The AGM of the increasingly-popular Loch Garman branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann recently bestowed the title of President on traditional singer and longtime Comhaltas stalwart Paddy Berry.
The members took the mo- mentous decision of creating the new honorary position to acknowledge the many years Paddy has devoted to keeping the traditional arts to the fore in Wexford.
Paddy has been involved with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann for 60 years and has seen the organisation rise and dip over the decades in Wexford.
Two years ago he re-lit the Craobh Loch Garman fuse when he called a meeting at The Talbot Hotel and a bid to host the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Wexford underpins that success in a relatively short period of time.
Over the past two years, the branch has gone from strength to strength with very healthy membership numbers, especially among younger musicians, and a year round calendar of events.
Paddy is presently working hard on a bid to bring Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Wexford town. He said he was delighted to accept the honour of becoming the branch’s first President.
In his Chairman’s address, Matt Murphy expressed his delight at the progress made by the branch in both developing and consolidating.
Matt expressed his delight at the fact that the number of younger musicians and dancers in Craobh Loch Garman continues to grow.
Music and dance classes in the greater Wexford area are thriving with Ceoltóirí Munna and Shelmalier & Crossabeg Music School leading the way.
He said that with the busy summer schedule of music sessions, concerts and competitions behind it, the branch had time to draw breath and get ready for an even busier year in 2018. It also allows the committee to devote its energies to preparing a successful bid to bring Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to Wexford.
The decision to bid for Fleadh is a sign of the optimism and ambition embodied in the branch.
The Fleadh, the flagship event in the Comhaltas calendar, is the biggest Irish music festival in the World. Should Wexford be successful with its bid - 2020 is the target year the county can look forward to a frenetic year of preparation and a jam-packed week of entertainment during which up to 450,000 people will visit the area.
The meeting saw most of the outgoing officers returned with Pat Collins joining the top table as Honorary Secretary.
Craobh Loch Garman is now accepting new members. Membership of the branch comes with membership of CCÉ. Details at www.wexfordcomhaltas.ie.