Tipperary community spirit shines at second annual family fun day event

Clonmel Together were delighted to welcome all who came to their second annual community, culture and family fun day in CTI Hall last Saturday, on 28 March.

Mayor Pat English opened the event, which featured live music and dance from a variety of local performers, food from different cultures and fun for all ages.

Members of the Filipino, Pakistani, Ukrainian and Palestinian communities shared music, food and even face painting.

READ NEXT: Drama group will perform a Marina Carr play at a number of Tipperary venues

Performers took the stage throughout the day, beginning with the Culbert-Keane family of Cill Chais Comhaltas.

Paul Culbert and Jessica Keane were joined by their children Donnchadh (7), Saileog (9) and Doireann (11), family friend Letti Allen (11) and Jessica's father Martin.

The kids stayed on stage afterwards to join the other young dancers of the Ryan-Cummins Academy for a set of Irish dancing.

READ NEXT: CHA-CHING! Lucky Tipperary man wins big in local Split the Pot draw

The ladies of the Filipino-Irish Community of Tipperary reprised the fabulous song and dance that made them such a highlight of this year’s St Patrick's Day Parade, while local performers Ken Horne, Rós Stafford and Niamh Healy formed an impromptu folk supergroup.

Pianist Marina Moskalyk and cellist Mykhailo Korduban, accompanied by Maryna Korduban, played classical music before joining the Ukrainian Community Choir (Clonmel), directed by Moskalyk, with Nataliia Lada as accompanist.

Clonmel's own E.J. Mae closed out the show with a mix of covers and original songs, including her track "As Time Goes By", inspired by the classic film Casablanca.

As well as the onstage entertainment, magician Paul Phelan enchanted families with sleight of hand and illusion throughout the day.

Alongside the craic, ceol and cultúr were stalls from Tidy Towns, Citizens Information, Clonmel Repair Café, and other local groups and services.

The committee would like to thank all the volunteers who made the day possible and all the attendees who made it worthwhile, as well as Tipperary Volunteer Centre and the Local Authority Integration Team, who provided both funding and volunteers for the event.

Special thanks to CTI principal John McCarthy for the use of the hall and caretaker Ger Burke for all his assistance.