February 2009

Irish/Basque Community Network (IBCON)
Spring 2009 Newsletter
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE IRISH CONSULATE (BILBAO)
and the Irish/Basque Association Cara
including report on Family Christmas Get-Together, Astrabudua, Bilbao 14th December, 2008
SUMMARY In this Spring edition of the Irish/Basque Community Network (IBCON) newsletter,
we report on the celebration of the 2008 Irish/Basque Family Christmas Get-Together, including
plenty of photos which convey the great fun that was had by all, young and old, on the day. We
also include some of the correspondence sent to us by members and report on some activities in
which we have participated recently (the Ronnie Drew In Memoriam Concert, First Friday GetTogethers, etc.). Importantly, we warmly invite all recipients of this newsletter to consider joining
the Irish/Basque Association CARA, which will celebrate its Annual General Meeting on Tuesday
3rd March, in the Sheraton Hotel, Bilbao. During this meeting, a new Executive Committee will be
voted in to oversee the successful evolution of the activities of CARA for a period of 2 years. Only
members of CARA are entitled to participate and vote, so you are warmly and enthusiastically
encouraged to join now before **20th Feburary 2009 ** to qualify to participate in the 2009 AGM.
Finally, we include news about ambitious projects which are underway and invite anyone who is
interested to join in. Please do feel free to send news, correspondence etc. for our next Newsletter
to caravasco@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you all in the Sheraton on 3rd March!
On 14th December last, the IBCON network celebrated its first
Family Christmas Get-Together in the Josu Murueta Cultural
Centre in Astrabudua. The seed of this project was provided by
Rocco Caira (also father of the CARA association) at the September
Fig. 1. The 2008 Christmas Key Get-Together of the Irish/Basque
Community Network. The protagonists of the evening were undoubtedly the younger ones, many of whom have made some new friends.
2008 Key Meal in which he suggested that we organize kidfocused entertainment, so that no-one had to stay behind at home
to look after the younger ones. And so it was! Thanks to a patient,
warm and generous gestation provided by Bríd Walsh
accompanied by some other volunteers, the seed quickly passed
through the critical embryonic and fetal stages of organization
and our Get-Together came to life as per schedule. There was a
fabulous turn out, 65 adults and 35 children, despite the miserable
weather; it was extremely cold with scattered showers and many
people from outside the Bilbao region, for example Burgos,
couldn’t make it due to the very heavy snow storms. Nevertheless,
all guests were welcomed by Asier Bilbao on the bag pipes (see
Fig. 2). It was more like being in the highlands in Scotland than in
the Astrabudua Cultural Centre. Asier's presence made an impact
and let the locality know than the Irish were in town, kontuz as they
say! By the way, congratulations to Asier who is (re)productive
with more than just his pipes, having this January fathered his first
son Aitzol. Zorionak!
The “Sala Azul” in the Josu Murueta Cultural Centre in
Astrabadua was the back drop for the event. The hall was very
spacious with a stage for the musicians (Fig. 3) and the puppet
show (Fig. 4). There was plenty of room for the catering, the tables
were placed along the wings of the stage so that people could eat
and drink comfortably without the hindrance of the columns etc.
There was no shortage of food: Spanish omelettes, pintxos of
various types, jamón, cheese, croquetas, red and rosé wines and
Correspondence or inquiries to: David J. Fogarty or Bríd Walsh. e-mail: CaraVasco@gmail.com Web of CARA association: http://www.caralagun.com/
Declaration of interest: The authors declare that they have no commercial interests in elaborating this document or in establishing the network.
Note: Any ideas contained within this Newsletter represent the opinions of its individual authors. Statements made on behalf of the Irish Basque Association
CARA will be made by unanimous resolution of its Board of Management (Junta Directiva).
Distributed Online: 2 February 2009.
Fig. 2. A warm welcome to the Josu Murueta Cultural Centre in Astrabudua. Provided by Asier
Bilbao, who kindly offered to set the festive atmosphere with his bagpipes. Thanks also to Mikel
Arrieta, Lord Mayor of Erandio who offered us this excellent venue for the get-together.
two kegs of Guinness were provided and heartily consumed (one
of which was generously sponsored by Mike Moulton of The
Wicklow Arms ). Soft drinks were also available. Some tea biscuits
or pastas were provided in case anyone still had some space for
more food.
Macrea did the honours of being the presenter and presented
the different acts, starting with the Musicians Arantxa Barcelona,
John Breen, Manu Falagan, Manu Iturregui, Felix Kortazar and
Mike Murphy; this was followed up by the puppeteers (involving
Joseph Callanan, David Henderson, Seamus Macquaid, Kieran
Mallone, Igoa, Edurne and others). John Kinnaird started to wrap
up the session with some solos (Fig. 6) and Mike Murphy joined in
with him for some duos bringing the event to a close. In between
the entertainment acts, a draw took place; there were plenty of spot
prizes, bottles of whiskey, wine, sets of beer glasses, watches,
Guinness publicity products and the star prize the Aer lingus Ticket
for two to Ireland! Towards the end of the evening, a lucky bag was
handed out to each child (Fig. 7), which satisfied and pacified the
little ones for a while to the cheer of their parents. A very sincere
thanks must be extended to all who took part in the entertainment
and organizational side of things. A lot of effort, work and time were
quietly and often anonymously put into making the evening a
pleasant, enjoyable and memorable one for all.
Looking to the future, we aim to organize an even better event
for next Christmas, with an even larger turnout. This event has
involved quite a steep learning curve for those of us who had
volunteered to participate actively, despite having little or no
experience in the organisation of such events, particularly where
kids are involved. We have taken notes in order to produce an even
better event next year and hopefully with more participation from
other volunteers especially from the organisation point of view
(many hands do make light work!). There
is always room for improvement and
definitely our aim is to make the hoolie
next year “a right auld hoolie”.
Contribution by Bríd W. and David F.
Fig. 3. Lively, animated entertainment courtesy of our best musicians. (Left) From left to right: Felix Kortazar (bodhrán), John Breen (guitar), Mike
Murphy, Manu Falagan, Arantxa Barcelona and, last but not least, Manu Iturregui. (Right) The kids were the main protagonists of the evening and
enjoyed relaxed and informal proximity to the musicians.
Fig. 4. The bilingual puppet show was the climax of the day for the
little ones. The show is currently being prepared for more extensive
broadcasting. Thanks to all involved, especially Kieran Mallone and David
Henderson for having volunteered to organize this entertainment.
Fig. 5 (Left and above). Spot the difference??
Striking similarities, homologies and analogies began to be percieved as the evening progressed.
Known to biologists as "The G(uinness) Effect"
Fig. 6 (Right). Johnnie Kinnard, beginning to
wrap up the evening. Johnnie successfully managed to rouse the house into a nostalgic and at times passionate singalong with familiar Irish
songs and some of his own jewel compositions. Johnnie, you deserve another kebab!
Fig. 7. Kids, young and old. Lucky bags filled with goodies were provided by "the Pied Piper" to the kids (photo courtesy of Pat Mulroy). Mum's and
Dad's wondered if they would get any! A senior member of the group (who will remain anonymous) was reported to have taken the law into his own
hands and to have snuck off with a bag for himself (orange arrow). Later reports confirmed that a grey-haired man had been seen on the Metro to
Bilbao happily stuffing himself with "gusanitos".
MEMORIES FROM THE CHRISTMAS GET TOGETHER
Fig. 8. A selection of scenes from the evening. Spot yourself? Old and young alike were entertained on the day and a pint or two of "liquid chipiron"
as Macrea has baptized it, was heartily consumed, thanks to a keg generously provided by Mike of "The Wicklow Arms".
CORRESPONDENCE CORNER
From David Henderson
I'd like us to consider sending a message of support in the
name of Cara to Kafeantzokia in view of the fact that it has
been tempoarily closed down. I' m sure they would appreciate
it. You can check it out on their webpage at
www.kafeantzokia.om or send the email to
elkartasuna@kafeantzokia.com.
Regarding the Korrika I'll keep you updated but in previous
years we (CARA) ran half a kilometre in Erandio (we shared
the kilometre with ESAIT and this year it`ll be going through
Astrubudua on 3rd April, a Friday afternoon/ early evening).
If anyone is interested in supporting this initiative, please
contact me at: madhen3@gmail.com
From Kieran Mallone
I'm out of the country at the moment so I shant be able to
meet you guys on this First Friday. The networking sounds
interesting though. I have an idea to start some proffesional
training sessions related to sales, presentations, design
and innovation and marketing so if there is anybody intested
then it would be good to hear from them. I currently work as
product and marketing manager for Fagor Automation. If
anyone is interested contact me at the following:
Mob: 61921008. e-mail: kieran.a.malone@gmail.com
From Dublin to Bilbao - Ronnie Drew In Memoriam
On 5th November last, a very enjoyable Ronnie Drew In Memoriam
concert entitled "From Dublin to Bilbao" was celebrated in the
Kafe Antzokia (Bilbao). Participants included Phelim Drew
(Ronnie's son), Benito Lertxundi and Antoni Breschi (Italy)
accompanied by his delightful daughter Consuelo Nerea on the
violin and bodhrán. The truly
plural atmosphere was
consolidated by the presence
of Gabin Dabiré (Burkina Faso)
who treated us to a magnificent
percussion performance. A
number of us were welcomed
backstage to participate in the
celebrations afterwards, which
ended around 03.00 h in lively
interchanges about everything
from politics to mathematics! A
warm thanks to José-Angel
Irigaray and Teo for their
welcoming us into the
celebration.
FAQ: What is IBCON and how does it differ from CARA?
The IBCON is an apolitical, non-denominational, plural,
heterogeneous, organic group of people, which is open to
anyone with an interest Irish/Basque themes. The network
began with 11 participants over a meal in a hotel on 3rd July
2008 and has a primarily social character, its fundamental
objectve being to bring together people interested in Irish/
Basque themes at four Key Meals during the year (Christmas,
Easter, Summer and Autumn). The Network (with currently
over 70 members) functions as a “think-tank”, providing a
welcoming, supporting and encouraging medium for the
exchange of ideas and initiatives of a social, cultural, political
and/or business nature. Projects of interest can be proposed
by anyone who is looking for support to get her/his project off
the ground. The IBCON Newsletter which is produced around
4 times a year informs about new initiatives and reports on
projects which have been celebrated, thus serving as a
medium to coalesce members of the Network. The IBCON
also informally meets for a pint on the First Friday of every
month, rotating its venue among a multitude of Irish/Basque
bars.
CARA, an officially registered association, is the legal,
institutional arm of IBCON which is organized with the objective
of addressing all the varied wants, needs and aspirations of
its members. The maximal governing body of CARA is its
General Assembly, celebrated once a year, in which all
CARA members have an equal vote. Formal membership is
open to anyone who is motivated to actively participate in
achieving the objectives of the Association
Fig. 9. First Friday enjoyment of a pint after a hard week. This was
our December First Friday where we got together in "The Wicklow Arms"
and were treated to sandwiches and sausage rolls on the house. From left
to right: Manu Falagan, Bríd Walsh, Éamon Roche, Alvaro Arrizabalaga
and John Kinnard.
FORTHCOMING ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF CARA
On 25th February 2009, at 20.00 h in the Sheraton Hotel,
Bilbao, the Executive Committee (Junta Directiva) of the Irish/
Basque Association CARA will be meeting to plan its forthcoming
Annual General Meeting (AGM or Asamblea General ). All present
members of the Junta Directiva are called to attend.
The CARA 2009 AGM will subsequently be celebrated on
Tuesday 3rd March in the same place, same time (Hotel Sheraton,
20.00 h) to elect its new Junta Direcitva and plan activities for the
next 2 years. All registered and paid members of CARA are invited
to attend and participate.
CARA PROJECT PROPOSAL
"A Peace Seed / Bake Hazi Bat / Una Semilla de Paz"
by Macrea Clarke
I would like to propose to the Irish
Department of Foriegn Affairs (supporting
emigrant services), the Basque Govt. and
ALL Basque town councils that they support
my initiative to present this Project throughout
the Basque territory as a trilingual cultural
offering to colleges, old peoples residences
and local theatre.
As an Irish peace loving father of two girls, I feel that making an
attempt to kickstart some sort of political accord is our duty to the
future. I live in Urretxu (Gipuzkoa) and after ten years here in the
heart of The Basque Country, I’ve experienced a range of feelings:
hope, hopelessness, disgust, euphoria and uncertainty. Feelings
felt during my intergration while learning a new language and
understanding a new culture. I must add that I have never felt fear!
The people here are very similar to the Celts; they are
trustworthy, stern, humble, hardworking, nobel and tolerant.
Euskadi is enchanting. Of course, you need to live here with them
to know this!
This presentation to be offered openly to every Basque town
big and small, consists in my relating an account of the real family
life situation in Creggan estate, Derry, Northern Ireland, during
the political turmoil and “the Troubles” using photography, music
and three languages. With wit and pithy, the stories relate to our
home, our street, it’s characters, my friends, our school life and
the unforgettable moments growing up among our 13 family
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF CARA MEMBERS
Extracts from CARA statutes
If you would like to offer yourself as a candidate for President,
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or Vocal, send us an e-mail
with your CV and a statement of motivation to:
caravasco@gmail.com. Please note that only members of CARA
can run for election to its Junta Directiva. More importantly, only
members of CARA can participate and vote in the AGM, so do join
now (a mere 20 Euro) and don't be left out! Remember, if you're
not in, you can't win.
To apply for CARA membership, please transfer 20 Euro
to the following bank account, indicating your surname and
name on the transfer, e.g. "Roche, Eamon". You should
send an e-mail stating that you have made the transfer to:
caravasco@gmail.com
Bank Account: 3035-0122-86-1220-0213-58
(Caja Laboral Popular)
Deadline for transfer: 20th February. Members who
apply after this date are not entitled to participate in the 2009
AGM.
Artículo 30. Toda persona asociada tiene derecho a:
* Conocer, en cualquier momento, la identidad de los/las demás miembros
de la Asociación, el estado de cuentas de ingresos y gastos, y el desarrollo
de la actividad de ésta.
* Ejercitar el derecho de voz y voto en las Asambleas Generales, pudiendo
conferir, a tal efecto, su representación a otros/as miembros.
* Participar, de acuerdo con los presentes Estatutos, en los órganos de
dirección de la Asociación, siendo elector/a y elegible para los mismos.
* Figurar en el fichero de Socios/as previsto en la legislación vigente, y
hacer uso del emblema de la Asociación, si lo hubiere.
* Poseer un ejemplar de los Estatutos y del Reglamento de Régimen
Interior si lo hubiere, y presentar solicitudes y quejas ante los órganos
directivos.
* Participar en los actos sociales colectivos, y disfrutar de los elementos
destinados a uso común de los/as socios/as (local social, bibliotecas, etc.)
en la forma que, en cada caso, disponga la Junta Directiva.
Artículo 31. Son deberes de los socios/as:
* Prestar su concurso activo para la consecución de los fines de la
Asociación.
* Contribuir al sostenimiento de los gastos con el pago de las cuotas que
establezca la Junta Directiva.
* Acatar y cumplir los presentes Estatutos, y los acuerdos válidamente
adoptados por los órganos rectores de la Asociación.
members. (parents included). The second half of the presentation
is about my time living inside this most complex and unique
European society with our new dual nationality family. This is quite
unusual in the village where we live. I felt personally compelled to
learn as quick as possible and now ten years down the road I find
myself on the verge of being trilingue !!
My intention with this project is to point out as an outsider living
within the community, how I percieve them, what makes me laugh
about the way they live, but perhaps the most important point
which cannot be overlooked is the existing potencial of a young
and well educated generation to create a future peace and
harmony without exclusión. I Intend to achieve this using humour
and laughter as the stepping stone to unity.
The Project is trilingual in an attempt to unify in one entity, i.e.
the Presentation, the sense of humour which bonds us as beings,
apart from the cultural and linguistic differences which exist
between us. Laughter is what unifies, without any shadow of a
doubt. Laughing is contageous! Our greatest natural quality. It’s
benefits are unquestionable to man! “Laughter”
They laugh at me, I laugh at them!
They laugh with me, I laugh with them!
Those who laugh together, laugh at each other!
Let’s laugh together, lets laugh forever!
This orative offering is an open ended analysis of Euskal Herria
and Ireland. An opportunity for the general public to understand
and question, if they feel the need to do so, thus opening up to
them the possiblity to take part and add to the orators accounts on
both topics.
I propose as an offshoot of the project a Basque/Irish Govt
financed, hour long documentary with editions in four languages
(Gaellic, Euskera, English and Spanish) without taboos offering
intercommunity opinion,highlighting the Basque sense of humour
with sketches and informing the viewer as to how life is, for ex-pats
living here! The Irish community here deserve the opportunity to
voice their support to achieve a more stable future.
While presenting the show in each locality, we record the
documentary talking to cross- community families who can tell us
about their lives and their thoughts about this country. With this
means to an end, I know we can get our message across!
We are a team of professionals with years of experience in our
fields. We will write, produce, direct and edit this documentary and
with the colaboration of various language experts and the Irish
Basque association CARA, the production of the four language
finished product should take a little over 12 months.
As a gesture of belief in ourselves, we should think about the
immediate future of soon to be teenage girls and boys and their
entire generation. As an association concerned about this issue,we
wish to offer this as a seed for a new social flower bed, and to see
if by uniting the people of the Basque Country, Ireland, Spain and
many others farther afield in laughter, we can nurture this and
socially, politically and conscientously help the flower grow,
prosper and continue.
Anyone interested in discussing or participating in this project
should contact Macrea at: daddytxo@euskalnet.net
Websites of General Interest
www.europeanirish.com
www.irishabroad.com
www.expatria.com
Call for Paddie’s Day initiatives
Anyone interested in participating in a St. Patrick's Day
initiative, such as a Fleadh Ceoil (Music Festival) or designing
a PubCrawl (offers open for volunteering venues) should
contact John Kinnard who has offered to coordinate
suggestions at: jollybeggars@hotmail.com
DATES TO REMEMBER
6th February (Friday)
FIRST FRIDAY at The ResidenceCafe, c/Barraincua s/n,
Bilbao. www.residencecafe.com All welcome for a welcome
end-of-week drink.
20th February (Friday)
Deadline for application for CARA membership.
25th February (Wednesday)
Meeting of Junta Directiva of CARA to plan the forthcoming
AGM. Hotel Sheraton, 20.00 h - 21.30 h.
3rd March (Tuesday) (20.00-22.00)
Annual General Meeting of CARA. All members are invited
to participate to plan activities of the Association.
3rd April (Friday)
Korrika passing through Astrabudua. Anyone interested in
supporting this project should mail David Henderson
(coordinator) at: madhen3@gmail.com
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DISTRIBUTE THIS NEWSLETTER
TO PEOPLE WHOM YOU THINK WOULD BE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING
IN ANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES
IF YOU WANT TO RECEIVE FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT IRISH/BASQUE ACTIVITIES,
OR ARE NOT ON THE IBCON MAILING LIST, SIMPLY SEND AN E-MAIL WITH YOUR
FULL CONTACT DETAILS (telephone, postal address, e-mail, web, etc.) TO:
CaraVasco@gmail.com
MORE MEMORIES FROM THE CHRISTMAS GET TOGETHER
A final word of thanks to the commercial sponsors of the Christmas Get-Together, including the Ayuntamiento de Erandio, Aer Lingus,
Bizkaia Energia and ESB International. We look forward to your continuing support and collaboration.
Anna and Aidan's take home message:
Come again next Christmas!
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