Festival of Saint Patrick
March 9 -17, 2008
Imagine a week of events that celebrate the history, culture, and spirit of Ireland and Irish people. Music, poetry, art, and history will all be highlighted in events across sims in both the West of Ireland and Belfast. Best of all, at the heart of the event is a worthy cause. All performers, artists, instructors, and staff will be donating their time this week in order to raise donations for Project Children (projectchildren.org), a charity that reaches out to the kids of Northern Ireland. This festival will also coincide with the opening of the brand new West of Ireland library, which will host a changing series of exhibits and information kiosks on Irish history, culture, art, and folklore.
Project Children
Project Children was started in 1975 as a way to bring Catholic and Protestant children from Northern Ireland together. At the time the organization was founded, Northern Ireland was strewn with political strife and violence. Denis Mulcahy and his brother Pat, originally from County Cork and then New York, took action and founded Project Children.
Each summer since its inception, Project Children has brought children that show promising futures to the United States to live with host families. These children get to know each other and see that there is little difference between them. They learn that they can live together even with their differences and not only that, but actually become friends.
So far Project Children has brought over 14,000 children from Northern Ireland to the United States for summer vacations with more than 600 children per year now participating. Donations help cover the cost of flights for these well deserving children. (www.projectchildren.org)
West of Ireland
The West of Ireland promotes Irish and Celtic culture within Second Life, while raising funds for Project Children and providing an entertaining environment for guests. These estates are owned by the South Texas Celtic Music Association and are collectively a recognised 501(c)3 nonprofit organisation with both the US government and Linden Labs. At the West of Ireland, we host concerts, DJ dances, theme parties, and other events as a means of raising donations for Project Children. (irelandsl.org)
Belfast
Second Life Belfast is a a co-operative set up to promote live music, art, and culture. This carefully crafted representation of Belfast explores numerous aspects of the the real city and aims to promote tourism and culture whilst at the same time creating an entertaining environment for residents of Second Life. Second Life Belfast has live events everyday and broadcast from venues in the real life Belfast including the Rotterdam bar, of which we have a recreation. We are part of the campaign to save the real life bar from demolition and also have a recreation of the famous Maritime club which is sadly now gone. Second Life Belfast is an exciting project with fresh ideas and a strong team of volunteer workers, and a real life local team, dedicated to promoting the diverse culture of this wonderful city.
Scheduled Events
http://www.irelandsl.org/festival-of-saint-patrick-2008/
http://www.nbmcmedia.com/stpats.html
Live music by artists including: ALVERIC, Brixton Canning, Mrbig Caprioni, Mel Cheeky, JeanChristophe Chevalier, Foxyflwr Cure, Nathaniel Eebus, Heath Elvenhjem, Noma Falta, Joachin Gustav, Andreus Gustofson, Nad Gough, Julian2914 Hifeng, Etherian Kamaboko, Max Kleene, Edward Lowell, Dann Numbers, Leslee McCarey, Dickson McBride, Grace McDunnough, Dan Octavia, Montavious Peccable, Aura Petrov, Mash Rhode, Shantu Selene, Djai Skjellerup, Slip Stringfellow, Micki Underwood, Tone Uriza, Louis Volare, Eliz Watanabe, Allister Westland.
Live concerts simulcast in sl and rl Belfast, Ireland in The Rotterdam Bar, Auntie Annie's, Kelly's Cellars and the main St Patrick's celebration in the Bank Street Marquee in Belfast City Centre
DJ's: Derric Foggarty, Tony Kuttlewascher, Conall McGinnis, Derry McMahon, Stiofain Rau, Nomad Rovio, Eigen Summers, Brangus Weir, Ixphi Zerbino
Storytelling: Scaipthe Flanagan, DaisyBlue Hefferman
Poetry: Nomad Rovio
Literary events: Cunningham Dokerty, Stolvano Barbosa
Genealogy: Jaylynn Sinatra
Comedy: Salamander Maroon
Saint Patrick prayer services (Interdenominational) at Cork Cathedral.
Irish Language Classes: Sian Deigh
Art Exhibitions featuring Frankie Quinn, Tim Weir, and John McCart