New festival celebrates Pole position in Ireland
Dublin People 27 Feb 2015
POLISH and Irish communities will come together at the end of the month for a national festival that’ll coincide with the crucial upcoming Republic of Ireland v Poland Euro 2016 qualifier.
PolskaÃ?ire 2015 was launched in the Aviva Stadium by Minister of State for New Communities, Culture and Equality, Aodhán Ã? RÃordáin, with the help of some Polish youngsters from the Polish Weekend School on the Navan Road, Cabra.
The festival will feature a week-long programme of events including a SIPTU organised Polish Cultural Night in the
Liberty Hall Auditorium on March 26.
This festival is about celebrating the diversity that Polish people bring to Ireland,
? said Minister Ã? RÃordáin.
“With 150,000 Polish people now living here, Polish is now the second most widely spoken language on our island.
“I think it is important that we recognise the special role that the Polish community play here in Ireland and that is what this festival is about.
?
The community-driven festival has the support of the Departments of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Justice and Equality, the Polish Embassy, the FAI, Dublin City Council, Polish associations, sports clubs and cultural groups across the country.
Piotr Rakowski, Deputy Head of Mission of the Polish Embassy in Dublin said:
“The Polish Embassy in Dublin feels extremely enthusiastic about the upcoming Polish-Irish Festival, which is the biggest integration initiative in Ireland that we have been involved in.
“We are proud to be a part of it and we hope that the festival will take place every year.
?
SIPTU National Campaigns and Equality Organiser, Ethel Buckley, said SIPTU was proud to be playing a leading role in the PolskaÃ?ire festival.
“There are over 7,000 Polish SIPTU members and our particular role in the festival will focus on the workplace realities
Polish workers living and working in Ireland face every day,
? she said.
Barnaba Dorda, SIPTU Polish Network Member, said the union’s participation and recognition of Polish workers has been well received across the Polish community living and working in Ireland.
“SIPTU has organised for Polish food to be served and Polish folk music to be played at the Polish Cultural Night,
? she said.
“On the night we will have a special appearance from Supertonic Orchestra, speeches from Polish workers and leaders and an exhibition from the Polish Scouting Association of Ireland. It is very exciting.
?
SIPTU Polish Cultural Night is supported by Forum Polonia and will be broadcast live on Polish Community Radio PLK FM.
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