Dose up on Irish pride  ENTERTAINMENT

THE Mother City will receive a generous good ol’ splash of Irish pride with visiting Irish performers in collaboration with young Dunoon-based Celtic dancers on St Patrick’s Day on Sunday.

The Dunoon kids’ dance teacher, Wendy Mays, the founder, owner and Irish dancing teacher at the Parklands-based DanceTrax Dance Studio, said the Irish-South African Association had been involved in making their lessons possible since 2013.

“Benefits for the Dunoon students include keeping these children busy and away from getting up to mischief on the streets, increased stature in their community, raised self-esteem, fitness, learning about a culture outside of their own, and the ability to mix with different dancers,” said Mays.

“I know how grateful the Irish dancing students from Dunoon are for the Irish South African Association’s ongoing support,” said Mays.

“We have two goals this year and are seeking further sponsors to make these dreams possible in the form of flights, accommodation, exam fees, competition entry fees, food and ground transport. The students attend eisteddfods and various other dance competitions and are keen to attend a dancing competition in KwaZulu-Natal during July, moving on to September’s national championships in Gauteng.”

Cape Town’s showcasing of St Patrick’s Day this year will comprise a fundraising demonstration of Irish music, song and dance at the iconic V&A Waterfront’s Amphitheatre.

Tickets for the lunch (President Hotel) cost R200 and for the concert (President Hotel) R300. The V&A Waterfront Amphitheatre concert is free. Tickets are available from Valerie Doherty via email: members@ ireland.co.za