Emeralds of Eire

An evening of music, dance, poetry and more!  

Featuring:

Tanis MacDonald

Tanis MacDonald (she/they) is the author of Straggle: Adventures in Walking While Female, Mobile: poems, The Daughter’s Way, and four other books. With Ariel Gordon, Tanis co-edited the special “Moving on Land” issue of The Goose (2023). Tanis serves as the General Editor of the Laurier Poetry Series, hosts the podcast Watershed Writers, and has twice been longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize. Tanis is a Professor in the Department of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, situated on traditional Haudenosaunee territory in the Grand River watershed.

Tara Mondou

Growing up, Tara fell in love with the stories she was told about her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. As the women she loved passed away, she knew she had to keep their memories alive for her own daughters, by putting pen to paper and writing their stories. In 2016, Tara Mondou published her first novel, “Little Girl in the Mirror, Cathy’s Story”.

In 2022, she published the companion novel, “Me and My Shadow, Tara’s Story”. Tara co-founded a writers’ support group called Cambridge Authors; was the 2018 recipient of the Bernice Adams Memorial Award for Communication/Literary Arts; volunteers as the Public Relations Director for Guitars for Kids Waterloo Region, and is the Chair of the Board at the Waterloo Regional Block Parent® Program.

Tara often travels back to Cape Breton where it all began. She is fascinated by her family history, and while walking the windy cliffs, finds inspiration to write her next book. 

Tara lives in the historic West Galt area of Cambridge, Ontario with her husband and their two daughters.

For more information on Tara and her stories, visit taramondou.com.

Frances Roberts Reilly

Frances Roberts Reilly has an international profile as a Romani writer, playwright, Storyteller, Poetry Wales poet and filmmaker. After making award-winning documentaries on human rights, she earned an Honours degree in English Literature at the University of Toronto.

Her books are Firebird Award winner, Parramisha: A Romani Poetry Collection (Cinnamon Press) and The Green Man (Stanza Series, TOPS). Her Romani poetry is now part of the Welsh government’s anti-racism and diversity curriculum taught in Welsh schools. Her essays are published in the Critical Romani Studies Journal by the Central European University, Budapest and Planet Welsh Internationalist, Wales.

Her plays are, Mad Gwen and Hecate’s Suppers performed at She Speaks, International Women’s Day. Flush Ink Productions (2019 & 2022); while Esmeralda Speaks is in production. She has performed as a storyteller of her family's Gypsy tales at the Aberystwyth International Storytelling Festival, the Guelph Guild of Storytellers and the Baden Storytellers Guild. She is producer of the podcast Watershed Writers on Midtown Radio KW. Frances is an LBTQ+ and BIPOC grandmother, living in Kitchener, Ontario.

Marjorie Hopkins

Marjorie Hopkins is an old-style Irish dancer, researcher, and arts educator. She is also the founder and artistic director of Kaleidoscope Irish Dance & Movement Studio. Marjorie began Irish dancing at the age of seven under Patrick O’Donnell, but it was under the supervision of Orfhlaith Ní Bhriain at the Irish World Academy that she first encountered old-style Irish dance, which has changed the trajectory of her dancing, teaching, and research. She specializes in historical steps and styles.

Myra O'Seasnain

Myra O'Seasnain began dancing under the tutelage of Mae, Paddy, and June Butler, pioneers of authentic Irish dance in North America. She became well-known for her strong, hard shoe rhythms competing and performing on Canadian and international stages. Myra has enjoyed teaching both competitive and recreational Irish dance for over 20 years, integrating the traditions of her Irish heritage with contemporary, innovative techniques.

Elysha Vorstenbosch

Elysha Vorstenbosch is a solo harp player, composer and improviser based out of Perth County. She explores the realms of songwriting, folk, contemporary classical, electronic, and world music. Elysha is a former student of Sharon Johnston and Mary Ross at the Huron Harp School. Elysha is currently finishing a Bachelor’s Degree in music at Wilfrid Laurier University where she studies harp with Sharlene Wallace. For 4 months in 2023, Elysha travelled on exchange to study music at the University of Limerick in Ireland. She continues to refine her harp playing and explore her musical style for songwriting, composing and improvising.

Karen MacLeod

Karen MacLeod has been a part of the IRL Festival since its inception, teaching Irish song classes. She is a conservatory-trained musician, with a love of music by and for the people.  Tonight she joins us with songs from her upcoming March 17th concert experience "Irish: Then/Now" -- a surprising program of ancient texts in modern compositions, and dramatic readings of poems by Padraig O Tuama.  With her for this showcase is flautist Bruce Gremo: together they are the duo "are".

Kathleen Sheehy

Kathleen Sheehy was a founding member and the former Artistic Director of Lost & Found Theatre in Kitchener.  She trained at the Arden Theatre Company and Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia.   From 1992-2004, Kathleen worked with Kitchener, Ontario’s Theatre&Company as an actor, stage manager, teacher and subscriber relations manager.  With both companies, she participated in the development and world premieres of six plays.  Of the more than 50 roles Kathleen has performed in the region, her favourites include Elsie in Falling: A Wake, Pearl in Pearl Gidley, Stacy in Some Assembly Required, Kim in Kimberly Akimbo, and Bubbie in Crossing Delancey.

Stayce Webber

Stayce is an ink and watercolour artist whose themes run toward the historic and mythological, influenced by a background in anthropology and an appreciation of the fantastic.  From AEcern, her studio in Kitchener, Ontario, KW Artists' Co-op, Stayce creates works of art that are small, jewel-like windows into other worlds.  She is also a loud librarian, mystified mother and wondering woman.

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This event is PWYC (pay-what-you-can) with a suggested minimum of $20.

All ages.

Bar and concession available.