Céad míle fáilte romhat.
An Cumann is a non-profit association, incorporated under the laws of Nova Scotia since 1990. The main goal of the association is to foster throughout Nova Scotia knowledge and enjoyment of Irish and Irish-Nova Scotian culture and history.
An Cumann holds Irish Heritage Evenings in the fall, winter and spring and occasional workshops and special events throughout the year. Most regular activities take place in the Halifax metro area, but some special events occur elsewhere in the province.
At our events you can experience or learn about Irish music, the Irish language (Gaeilge), Irish literature and theatre, Irish history and current events, folklore, dance, sports and genealogy, among other things.
And there’s lots of great craic (fun)!
An Cumann’s constitution consists of its Memorandum of Association and By-Laws. An Cumann was incorporated under the Societies Act of Nova Scotia on October 1, 1990. The By-Laws were amended at the 1998 Annual General Meeting.
Annual General Meeting
The By-Laws require that the AGM be held within three months following October 31st each year, the fiscal year end.
Board of Directors
An Cumann’s membership elected officers and directors at large for 2021 are:
OFFICERS:
President – Ronan Holland
Past President – Elizabeth MacDonald
Secretary – Pat Curran
Treasurer – Cynthia O’Reilly
DIRECTORS AT LARGE:
Kelly Curran, Anne Emery, Dusty Keleher, Paul Lalonde, Elizabeth MacDonald, Fiona MacKenzie, Orla McCague, Pearse McCarron, Don Sullivan and Brian Walsh
Contact Information
P.O. Box 27153
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3H 4M8 CANADA
E-mail An Cumann
Irish Set Dancing
It wasn’t long after An Cumann began to hold céilís in 1991 that set dances entered the repertoire. The first set dance teachers in the area were Christopher and Jane Shipley, summer visitors to Nova Scotia from Baltimore, Maryland.
Following that introduction, An Cumann started adult Irish dance classes at the Chocolate Lake Communty Centre, where Kelly Curran taught a mixture of céilí dances and set dances.
In the fall of 1992, Kelly left for studies in Ireland and Elizabeth MacDonald became the teacher. Elizabeth was a veteran of the Toronto set dancing scene, with a background in Highland dancing and Scottish country dancing as well. Under her direction, set dancing gained a firm hold in the Halifax area. An Cumann hosted a number of dance workshop weekends with acclaimed teachers Elizabeth brought in from Toronto and Ireland.
Nova Scotia set dancing soon grew to the point that it needed its own organization, while still maintaining close ties with An Cumann and its céilís. Scaip na Cleití Dancers have thrived ever since. For further information on classes and other set dancing activities, please contact us.
Irish Language
From the beginning, An Cumann has acknowledged the important role of the Irish language (Gaeilge) in Irish culture. For over 20 years the late Vera Dutin, a native of Cork, taught Irish classes during Irish Heritage Evenings and on many other Thursdays. Some of Vera’s former students have carried on the tradition with Ciorcal Comhrá An Chumainnaa, which still meets every Thursday, but now under the guidance of young ICUF teachers from Saint Mary’s University’s Chair of Irish Studies.
Anyone interested in joining either the Thursday language group should e-mail us.
Traditional Irish Music
In every survey of our members’ interests, Irish music tops the list. An Cumann’s main contribution to this aspect of culture has been to provide countless opportunities for local and regional traditional Irish musicians to perform. An Cumann’s Céilí Band has played at all 19 of our St. Patrick’s Day Céilís, as well as at dozens of céilís held at other times of the year. We’ve had amazing evenings with Ronnie MacEachern’s “Off With Their Heads” and more recently with the all-women group, St. Brigid’s Céilí Band. Most of the shows at An Cumann’s winter concert series at The Music Room in Halifax have featured traditional music.
An Cumann also hosted traditional performances by Irish concertina master Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and by renowned 4-string guitar vocalist Seán Tyrell. From the song tradition, we’ve had great shows by local group Dicey Reilly and by Irish ex-pat Jimmy Sweeney and a memorable, almost legendary, concert by the late Tommy Makem, together with Kevin Evans and Brian Doherty, amidst fierce heat and fiercer mosquitos in Herring Cove.