Band on the run
West Belfast's Eire Nua Flute band who are off to America for St
Patrick's Day are holding a pre-tour fundraiser in the Trinity Lodge
in Turf Lodge this Friday 19 February.
d according to Cara, one of the band's veterans, ``we have done a
lot of work to make this trip (from 12 to 19 March) happen and we are
really looking forward to it, especially as there are young people in
the band who may never get a chance like this again. It is the chance
of a lifetime''.
Cara said that the band wanted to thank the community in West Belfast
who donated so much and contributed to ballots and collection.
``Without their generosity we wouldn't have been able to go''.
The band will play at the St Patrick's Day parade in Cleveland, Ohio
and that night will perform at a function for the AOH in Cleveland
and will play in three other major cities, Detroit, Michigan and
Pittsburgh.
Speaking about the band Cara said, ``we have young ones as young as 14
in it and the band gives them as sense of community especially with
the pressure our communities have come through over the past years of
conflict. Over the last couple of months the members have shown a
great commitment to the trip spending hours and hours practising and
of course raising the money. We also raised money for new equipment
and uniforms, we had to look our best''.
Cara expressed the band's thanks to US politician Pat O'Malley from
Cleveland who has worked with them to organise the trip. Pat, a long
time supporter of Irish freedom, has been to Belfast on many
occasions and invited the band over. ``He has done so much for us and
we couldn't thank him enough,'' said Cara.
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