Photo courtesy of Ann Marie Acosta
The Killoran-Clancy-Whelan and Mulligan-Quinn branches of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will bring an afternoon of Irish music, song, dance, and language back to Rockaway Beach next month.
The family- and community-focused event will take place Sunday, Jan. 4, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 333 Beach 90th St., in Rockaway Beach.
“When I grew up in Rockaway Beach, there was always an Irish vibe. That’s how I actually got exposed to all of it,” said Ann Marie Acosta, the chairperson of the Mid-Atlantic region of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. “That’s where I first saw Irish dancing and Irish music.”
Acosta was referring to the Irish Circle, formerly located at the corner of Beach 102nd Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard. The venue opened in 1940 and was an essential part of Rockaway’s Irish cultural life for nearly 75 years.
She said the upcoming event grew out of a desire to restore Irish cultural traditions to the Rockaway peninsula.
“Basically, we’re trying to just get a little bit more of that Irish culture back into Rockaway,” Acosta said. “With an intentional focus on making sure that everybody feels included and welcome,” regardless of their age or their experience level.
Photo courtesy of Ann Marie Acosta
She said Irish music and dance can feel intimidating for people who have never participated before, and the event is designed to remove that barrier.
“What we’re trying to do in Rockaway is make sure that all the people in the community — anybody who wants to come and experience this is invited to come,” she said.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is a worldwide, volunteer-run cultural organization dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional Irish music, song, dance and language through education, performance and community-based events.
Acosta has been a member of the organization since she was a teenager and has served as an officer for at least 15 years. She oversees 10 branches spanning from Florida to Rockland County.
The Rockaway event is being hosted in collaboration with the Mulligan-Quinn branch based at the Irish American Center in Mineola.
This will be the second year the event is being held in Rockaway.
“We did it for the first time last year,” Acosta said. “We were a little skeptical. We didn’t know what to expect, and it was really successful.”
She said the event sold out and drew a packed crowd interested in learning about, watching and participating in traditional Irish music and dance.
“It was amazing to see how well received it was,” she said.
Photo courtesy of Ann Marie Acosta
Last year’s program included music, dance and an introduction to the Irish tradition of Women’s Christmas—which is celebrated in Ireland on the Sunday after Christmas.
“In Ireland, Women’s Christmas is basically a day of rest for all the women who made Christmas possible,” Acosta said. “They get spoiled, and the daddies do the cooking and the kids do the cleaning.”
She said the timing of the event was intentional, offering families a chance to relax after the holidays and before school resumes.
The festivities planned for Jan. 4 are designed to appeal to all ages and will include arts and crafts, audience-participation dancing and opportunities to learn Irish language phrases.
“There were little kids there. There were senior citizens there,” Acosta said, reflecting on the success of last year’s event. “It worked out exactly as we had hoped.”
In addition to providing an afternoon of family entertainment, the event serves as a fundraiser to support young musicians in Comhaltas programs by helping offset competition entry fees and travel costs for children and teenagers participating in regional, national, and international events.
Tickets are $30 for adults through Dec. 25, $40 afterward, and $15 for children ages 14 and younger. Refreshments will be served and a cash bar will be available. For more information, contact Ann Marie Acosta at Rinceceol@aol.com or call 917-692-1332.