He is from Dublin, but his parents are from the countryside. He grew up listening to his mother sing traditional Irish airs and his house was always full of music – traditional, classical and folk. Unlike his mother, though, He doesn’t have a good singing voice.
When did you come to Poland for the first time and what were your first contacts with Poland? What are the lasting impressions from those first days in our country?
I first visited Poland in the summer of 1990, as a student, and travelled all around the country. It is wonderful to come back as ambassador twenty-five years later to see the transformation that has taken place since then.
How long have you worked in Poland?
I have been living in Poland just over two years and am enjoying getting to know Poland’s cities and countryside, learning Polish, and working to deepen the ties of friendship and cooperation between Ireland and Poland.
If you had to give one word, thing, place or symbol describing Poland in your opinion, what would it be?
There are so many things that capture Poland for me, but perhaps the music of Chopin, the lakes in Mazury and the shipyard gates in Gdansk.
What is your opinion of the incredible popularity of Irish music and dance around the world?
Ireland’s large diaspora of 70 million people brought our music and dance all over the world. This partly explains why Irish music and dance are so well known.
I think the popularity of Irish music and dance is down to the fact that they are very sociable and simply great fun. Anybody with an instrument can join in a traditional Irish music session – or ‘seisiún’ in Irish. Similarly, an evening of Irish dance – a ‘céilí’ – is open to all, even if you’re not familiar with the steps. These are not just performances – they are experiences that everybody can join in.
Were you aware before coming to Poland that the music from your country is so popular here? Were you aware that there are several music and dance groups performing Irish music at a very high level? Have you had a chance to get to know any of them?
It’s wonderful that Irish music and dance are so popular in Poland. I have seen many Irish music and dance groups perform here and have been very impressed at the quality. It’s remarkable how long some groups have been performing. Carrantuohill celebrate their thirtieth anniversary this year, and are still going strong!
How do you assess the presence of Irish culture in Poland? Is it visible or does it require more work and promotion? What has the Embassy done to support the promotion of Irish culture in Poland?
I think Ireland and its culture are well known in Poland. St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated all over the country. There are several well-known Irish music groups. Irish dancers from around Poland competed at an International Dancing Competition – a ‘feis’ – in Gdynia last year. The Irish language is taught at universities: in Lublin, Poznan and Szczecin. Our literature, film and theatre are popular, too. The Irish Culture Foundation has been active since 2003 in promoting Irish culture and in bringing Ireland to Polish schools.
The popularity of Irish culture in Poland is helped by the strong people-to-people ties between Ireland and Poland. Up to 150,000 Poles live in Ireland, where they are very welcome. The annual Polska Éire Festival celebrates the contribution of Polish people to Irish society and the strength of Irish-Polish friendship. Last year, the Festival brought Kayah and Irish folk group, Kíla, together in concert for the first time. This is a good example of how the Polish community in Ireland acts as a bridge between our two countries.
How can the Embassy help Irish musicians and concert organisers e.g. on St. Patrick’s Day? How can the Embassy help those recording CDs or writing about Ireland in the media and on the internet?
Every year, events take place across Poland to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day - Festiwal Świętego Patryka. Any musicians and concert organisers can add their event to the Festival programme by contacting the Embassy.
Of course, we are happy to promote Irish culture throughout the year. We organise and support events on Irish music, dance, film, literature, and lots more. Anybody interested in our activities can follow us on Twitter (@IrlEmbWarsaw) or on Facebook (@AmbasadaIrlandii). We would love to hear from anybody organising events related to Irish culture.
Have you been at Irish music concerts or festivals in Poland?
I have been to several Irish music concerts in Poland. One that I really enjoyed was ShamRock, a festival of contemporary Irish music in Warsaw in August organised by the Irish-Polish Chamber of Commerce. ShamRock brought three up-and-coming Irish acts to Warsaw – Saint Sister, Paddy Hanna and the Wood Burning Savages. They combined the very best traditional Irish music, beautiful song-writing and energetic rock. I recommend them!
Traditional Irish music is very popular all over the world and is the element of Irish culture that perhaps best promotes Irish culture. Unfortunately, Irish performers come very rarely to Poland. Do you or the Embassy have any ideas to encourage traditional performers like Beoga, Altan or the Chieftains to come to Poland more often?
I would like to see more Irish acts perform in Poland. The ShamRock music is a good example. We would be very happy to work with any Polish partners to help bring more Irish acts to Poland.
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations are approaching. Around the world they are associated with green beer, live music and dance, the lighting of different buildings in the colours of Ireland. How does the Embassy plan to be involved in these celebrations in Poland this year? Will you surprise us with something?
As well as organising Festiwal Świętego Patryka, the Embassy has arranged for the greening of several buildings and landmarks around Poland. They will join a large number of famous buildings and landmarks around the world turning green for St. Patrick’s Day. In 2016, we were delighted to ‘green’ buildings like Warsaw’s Palace of Culture and Science, Poznan’s Ratusz, Wrocław’s stadium, Gdańsk’s Golden Gate and Lublin’s Constitutional Court. This year, the greenings will happen in ten Polish cities. And we have some new landmark buildings lined up.
Have you participated in the famous parades in Dublin or New York?
I have enjoyed Dublin’s St. Patrick’s Day parade many times and I’ve also been to the parades in New York and Tokyo. The St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin is a fantastic occasion with all kinds of great events, including the world’s largest outdoor céilí, with traditional Irish music and dance. The great thing about St Patrick’s Day at home is that there are parades in towns and villages across the country. It’s very much a community thing.
Several events around St. Patrick’s Day are commercial in nature, taking advantage of the celebration. Does the commercialisation of St. Patrick’s Day harm the image of Irish culture or support it, promote it and assist it?
St. Patrick’s Day is a global celebration of Ireland’s culture, heritage, creativity and openness to the world, and I don’t think this will change.
What would you wish yourself and your fellow Irish on St. Patrick’s Day?
On St Patrick’s Day, everyone can join in the fun and be a little bit Irish. So to all our friends here in Poland, I wish you a very happy and enjoyable St. Patrick’s Day: Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh go léir!
Thank you very much.
