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In 2022 we welcomed back the community to participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade after a two-year COVID-induced hiatus. We also had some serious challenges with the parade route after the major flooding in February. Thankfully it all came together bringing much-needed cheer to the city.

Last year we said Thank you to frontline workers, with the parade’s theme recognising the magnificent contribution they have made and continue to make. This year we celebrate 200 years of Irish Queenslanders. It was 1823 when John Finnegan, one of four men who set off on a timber-getting mission from Sydney, got blown off course during a storm and became one of the first Europeans to live in the area and discover the Brisbane River. We celebrate the significant contribution Irish Queenslanders have made to Queensland over the years. Please read P16-17 for more information about this year’s parade theme. 

It is indeed a year of milestones, with the QIA marking the 125th Anniversary of its founding on 23 March 1898. On Friday, March 3rd the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrain Schrinner is hosting a Civic Reception with the launch of “A Hundred Thousand Welcomes: a History of the Queensland Irish Association”.
I congratulate them on achieving such a significant milestone. I also congratulate the Australian Irish Dancing Association for celebrating 50 years and for keeping Irish dancing alive in Queensland. 

Various committees and organisations have organised this year’s festival events. The festival could not proceed without the dedication of all the volunteers who donate their time and expertise throughout the year-long planning process. We also recognise the support of Traffic Engineering Australia, Queensland Police Service, the SES, Brisbane City Council and a very special thank you to Cllr. Vicky Howard; a long-time supporter and advocate for the Irish community here in Brisbane. 

Many thanks to the parade and festival sponsors, Brisbane City Council, Queensland State Government, Dept. of Foreign Affairs & Trade (Irish Govt.), The Star Entertainment Group, Irish Murphy’s – Brisbane CBD, Gilhooleys Irish Pub & Restaurant, St. Joseph’s College – Gregory Terrace, St. Patrick’s College – Shorncliffe and the program advertisers, all play a vital and much-appreciated role.

Lastly, I would like to thank members of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee. They have worked tirelessly to make this year’s festival a great celebration of Irish culture and Queenlsand’s Irish community.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh,

Gavin Roche

Uachtarán/President

St. Patrick’s Day Parade Association Inc.

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Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig ar Ghaeil is cairde Gael I Gcumann Lansdún. Guím gach rath agus séan ar gach éinne atá ag ceiliúradh na Féile i mbliana.

As we face into Saint Patrick’s Day, it is tempting to feel that things are back to normal after the fierce disruption of COVID.  And in many ways we are, and part of that normality is the running of the Brisbane Irish Festival, which this year is celebrating 200 years of Irish Queenslanders.  

In doing so, I hope that everyone has a great time; that you can connect with your Irish community in Brissy and that you also connect with Ireland itself.

2023 is an important year for Ireland. In a neat symmetry, it marks 100 years since the new Irish state joined the League of Nations; 50 years since we joined the European Union (né EEC) and 25 years of the Good Friday Agreement. That national characteristic of looking outwards and looking to make things better through cooperation and negotiation is the underlying theme for the global celebration of St. Patrick’s Day this year, summarised as “100 years of Ireland in the World.

Australia is one of our oldest partners and closest friends and our relations with Queensland contributes enormously to that. This affinity and mutual affection is built on the massive contribution that Irish people have made to the building of this country and the tremendous opportunities that Australia has offered Ireland over centuries.  This is recognised by the Irish government who have agreed that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mr. Simon Coveney, T.D should visit Australia to join the St. Patrick’s Day events across the country and he will visit Brisbane on 16 March as part of his programme. 

While it is always good to look back, we should also look ahead. And coming down the tracks pretty soon is a soccer world cup in Australia, with Irish participation. I’m not claiming bragging rights (maybe just a little) but as far as I can recall, the first women’s international soccer match I attended was as far back as 1986 against Northern Ireland. Played in Belfast, the entire squad, management and supporters were accommodated in a single coach. And having regard to the times that were in it, the security presence in the ground outnumbered the total number of spectators present.  

We have come a long way since then. 

We now have the prospect of Ireland playing in a World Cup and in front of a global TV audience.  Given our connections with Queensland, it is no surprise that the squad will be based in Brisbane and I am sure they will make a very positive impact locally.   Let’s support our team and let’s use their presence in Australia to show Australia what the Ireland of 2023 is really like. 

Here in Australia, all of Team Ireland will do what we can to support our continued progress and development on whatever pitch we play. I wish to acknowledge my colleagues from Enterprise Ireland; IDA Ireland; Tourism Ireland; our Consulate General in Sydney, and our Honorary Consulate in Perth as well as the embassy team in Canberra for their continued focus on delivery, for their enthusiasm and for their service to the Irish community here in Australia. 

I also wish to offer my thanks to the committee of the Festival, whose immense voluntary work ensures this festival happens each year and that Ireland is reflected so positively to everyone in Brisbane. 

As we make our way forward through conditions that are not yet fully normal, I am confident that the future for Ireland in Australia remains bright and that we will continue to go from strength to strength together.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh, is nár laga sibh.

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The past year has been very positive in many ways, IASAQ has grown substantially and we’re proud of the fact that we now have three staff members. I would like to welcome Fionnuala, Cáit and Jennifer to the team. If you see them over the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, please say hi and get to know them. Our IASAQ staff are our frontline workers; their knowledge, passion and dedication to the Irish community is exemplary and we’re lucky to have them. I would like to extend a sincere ‘thank you’ for their continued hard work, efforts, and the good humour they bring to IASAQ. 

One of the highlights of this year was the opening of the international borders and seeing people being able to return home after a great length away. We loved watching people’s reunion videos as they touched down at Irish airports and reunited with their families! Our organisation continued to rise to the challenges that the Irish emigrant community in Queensland experience. Domestic violence, housing insecurity, informational needs, isolation, and mental health issues were the main challenges people faced. Many of our clients experience multiple challenges simultaneously and are therefore in need of a variety of supports. 

We are grateful to every single person who has approached us for support or assistance this year. It’s not easy being on the other side of the world from your family and friends, but that’s where we aim to step in. We thank everyone who has partaken in our programs; our Seniors Group, or the JALOS (just a little older) as we call them, our Mother’s Group, and our weekly Knit n’ Knatter Group.

IASAQ presents inclusive, meaningful events that celebrates what it means to be an Irish immigrant in Australia today. Our Charity Ball continues to grow in popularity, and this year we have moved the event to a bigger venue. Our Charity Golf Day, St. Brigid’s Day event and cinema nights have also been well received, and we’re looking forward to those events again. 

The IASAQ Board is focused on growth, development and good governance. Being on the board of IASAQ is a great honour and responsibility. It’s a demonstration of your commitment to your community. Everyone on the Board is a volunteer, and they put the work in as they know how important IASAQ is to our community. I would like to take this time to thank our current and past board members; Johnny, Martina, Michelle, Paudie, Tony, Eoin, Brendan, Gerard, Michael, Mary, Kieran and Liam for the incalculable amount of work they do. I would like to also thank the wider Irish community for their support and to all our dedicated volunteers and members. Whether you’ve been a client, attended one of our programs or events, or even engaged with us on social media, you’ve made an positive impact within our organisation. 

It’s the people that make IASAQ special; our members, our staff, our volunteers, the Board, and most importantly the people we assist and the community that supports us. It’s about coming together as individuals, working in collaboration and upholding the values that this organisation stands for. Those being respect, compassion and a belief that all people should be giving support when they’re at their most vulnerable. 

Personally, it has been a beautifully rewarding experience being President of IASAQ this year. I take immense pride in my role here, and I’m grateful to lead an organisation that has such standing, meaning and value. We are vital to the Irish Australian community and I’m so incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved recently. IASAQ wishes you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day – enjoy the celebrations and take care!

Nicola Holly
Uachtarán/President

Irish Australian Support
Association of Queensland

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We’ll be kicking off at the Brisbane Irish Festival Charity Ball on Saturday 5th March at Victoria Park Golf Club for the Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland. It is always an honour and a pleasure to play our music at IASAQ events. We are very lucky to have such a brilliant organisation supporting the Queensland Irish community.

Then we’re on late on Thursday 17th March at Finn McCool’s, Fortitude Valley. As our debut gig at this fine venue, this will be a baptism of fire for us – we’re guessing it’ll be a lively gig in the valley for St. Patrick’s night!

Our last concert is the headline slot at St. Patrick’s Festival at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday 19th March. We’ve got special things planned for this performance. It’s a huge event and we’re looking forward to seeing you there! 

Once we recover from all of that, we’ll have our sights firmly set on our next tour which is to return to France, England and Ireland for all of August 2022 with our new album Éirelocked. This is a mostly instrumental album of our favourite trad tunes, mixed with some new original material and always with a contemporary Sásta twist! We spent most of 2021 rehearsing and arranging the music, recording it at Airlock Studios, Brisbane with Ian Haug (Powderfinger) and then having the final tracks mixed and mastered in County Mayo, Ireland by the wonderful Stephen Doherty (Gráda). We’re very proud of the result.

First stop on the tour, we’ll be playing the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany, France. Then we’ll have a hometown gig for each band member: a Mayo gig for Rocky, a Laois and London gig for me and a show in Downpatrick for Kevin. Fred will have his hometown gig in October when we return to Australia and play Tablelands Folk Festival, Cairns in October.

We have vinyl records (fierce trendy) and CDs (old school) available at our gigs and on our website. Check them out and let us know what you think!

Thank you so much to the wonderful Brisbane Irish community for supporting Sásta for over a decade!

Have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day celebration wherever you are!

Look after each other. Ní neart go cur le chéile.

Mick Hughes

Sásta

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