Comhaltas Luxembourg, ICL Celebrate St Patrick's Day

Several St Patrick’s Day festivities took place recently in Luxembourg, including a “Céilí”, an Irish Embassy lunchtime reception and a black-tie Gala Dinner.

On Saturday 15 March 2025, a narrow win by the Irish rugby team, against Italy in Rome, set the mood for the Irish in Luxembourg to kick off a weekend of celebration, in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, St Patrick.

The Luxembourg branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann held an uplifting and energetic Céilí Mór (big dance) for adults, at the cultural centre in Luxembourg-Cessange, on Saturday evening. Approximately 160 people danced the night away, under the guidance and enthusiastic encouragement of Comhaltas dance instructor, Claire Fitzpatrick. Both Irish and non-Irish took to the floor, some for the first time and others to revisit the steps of reels and jigs, learnt in school many moons ago.

The evening began with the “Bonfire Dance”, a circle dance traditionally associated with dancing around a bonfire on St John’s Eve, that set the lively pace of all the dances that followed. The “Walls of Limerick”, where a set of two couples faced another two, got the heart pumping and the legs moving. The “French Jig” drew many laughs from both participants and spectators as dancers came to terms with the steps and quick changes of both partners and direction. Despite initial fears, the 80 dancers on the floor quickly learnt the steps and were praised by Claire who said she had never seen such a large group master the dance so quickly.

Breaks between each dance gave the chance to catch one’s breath and sample some of Ireland’s famous Guinness stout and Tayto potato crisps - a firm favourite in the Emerald Isle.

Music from Comhaltas Luxembourg musicians, Joe O’Toole (flute), Cailín O’Shea (flute), Liam Ó Laoide (banjo), Edel Hurley (flute), Thomas Ricatte (fiddle) and Guy Blitgen (bodhrán and spoons), accompanied each dance.

The lively “Circassian Circle”, the “Bridge of Athlone” and Irish favourite the “Siege of Ennis” followed, before Claire advised dancers they could choose their preferred dance of the night to perform once more. It came as no surprise that the “French Jig” won the vote and the hall filled quickly with energetic souls eager to participate. The last dance of the night was “Shoe the Donkey”, which again drew many laughs and eager participants.

The evening ended with some tunes from the musicians, to which those who still had life remaining in their legs waltzed happily. Ireland’s national anthem, “Amhrán na bhFiann”, sung beautifully by Aifric Ní Fhloinn, brought a wonderful evening of fun and entertainment (or “craic” as the Irish would describe it) to a close.

On Sunday 16 March 2025, Ireland’s Ambassador to Luxembourg, Jean McDonald, Deputy Head of Mission at the Irish Embassy, Caoimhe McCarthy, and Chargé d’Affaires of the British Embassy, Daniel Sheijk, attended the St Patrick’s Day Mass in Église St Pie X in Luxembourg-Belair. The 320-plus congregation of the English-speaking Catholic Community in Luxembourg who were present at the Mass heard Fr Michael Cusack speak of the importance of peace within all communities throughout the world.

On St Patrick’s Day itself, Monday 17 March 2025, the Irish Embassy held a lunchtime reception at Cercle Cité in Luxembourg-Ville. This was followed, on Monday evening, by the Irish Club of Luxembourg’s (ICL) Gala Dinner in Hotel Le Royal in Luxembourg-Ville.

The club, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, welcomed 120 guests to the Black Tie event which began with a cocktail reception and followed by a three course meal.

Both the Irish and Luxembourg anthems were sung, prior to ICL committee member Fiona Cuskelly welcoming all those present, including guests of honour, Ambassador Jean McDonald and Caoimhe McCarthy.

ICL President, Maria Kelly, thanked all ICL committee members for organising the event and paid tribute to the Irish community in Luxembourg, as well as Comhaltas Luxembourg and the evening’s band, Alizeti. She also announced that commemorations for ICL’s 40th anniversary will take place on Saturday 18 October 2025 at the Abbaye de Neumünster in Luxembourg-Grund. Further details will be announced in due course.

Ambassador McDonald spoke of her delight at the collaboration between the Irish Embassy and ICL and of the contribution ICL and the Irish community make to Luxembourg society. She thanked all ICL committee members on this special 40th anniversary year for the club.

In between courses, Comhaltas Luxembourg gave an explanation and demonstration of different types of Irish dance, wonderfully performed by Bridget Pruzin and Trysken Van Crombrugge. They were later joined on the floor for a dance demonstration performed by Irish Dance instructor, Claire Fitzpatrick, and Priest of the International English-speaking Catholic Community in Luxembourg, Fr Michael Cusack.

The seven members of Irish/Celtic music band, Alizeti, entertained the guests with their lively music, which kept the dance floor full until close to midnight. Alizeti band members perform on a voluntary basis, with all proceeds from their performances going directly to support the Ilula Orphan Program in Tanzania. All proceeds from the ICL gala, including funds raised during the tombola, also went to Ilula.

HOM

(Céilí in Luxembourg-Cessange; photo credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu)