That was the Kansas City Irish Year that was
2006 - The year Irish KC launched, despite what the archives might suggest.
2006 - The year Eddie Delahunt opened a cafe that also hosts special gigs and parties.
2006 - The year Turlach Boylan founded the Kansas City School Of Irish Traditional Music.
This is a personal selection of some of the Irish stuff that defined 2006 in Kansas City for Irish KC:
January
• The Fuchsia Band from Cork proclaim 2006 as The Celtic Year of The Fuchsia
• Eolaí gan Fhéile, not yet born, parts company with the Irish Festival in Crown Center
February
• The Parade Committee choses An Irish Tribute to Walt Disney for its theme
• Claddagh Irish Pub is reported to be opening in Leawood, likely by the end of 2006. It doesn’t though.
March
• The first post appears on Irish KC
• Joe Miquelon joins The Elders
• O’Malley’s Irish Cream Ale comes to Kansas City
• Hoffenpurpenburger Day is a big, well, it’s big
• The Celtic Fringe is the biggest of the parade winners
• After a lot of hoo-ha about nothing, the KC Police Board was reluctant to recommend any change for the St Patrick’s Day parade for 2007, because there really weren’t very many problems with 2006
April
• One of those nights
• Tony’s Kansas City discovers Irish KC, and the word is vagina
• Eddie Delahunt announces he is opening a Cafe in KC
• The Commitments makes The Star’s List of musical moments
• Phelps took aim at Ireland
May
• Nelly Don begins its mammoth run at the Screenland
• Birth of The Hairdressers Guide to Information Technology
• The BBC checks out the Wizards
• Irish KC switches to full feeds. Oh the generosity.
• The Wind That Shakes The Barley wins at Cannes
• Governor Stumpy’s Celtic Block Party
• Shamrockin’ in Westport moves a block
• The Claddagh Irish Pub is now reported to be opening in the spring or summer of 2007
June
• Eddie Delahunt’s Cafe & opens
• WJ McBride’s West changes management
• The annual Bloomsday celebration returns to Crestwood
July
• Riverdance chooses Kansas City to end its run.
• The Elders release Racing The Tide
• KC Fringe Festival includes Irish drama and Irish music
August
• Kansas City School of Irish Traditional Music launches
• Luka Bloom didn’t appear in Kansas City
• Irish KC went on holiday, to Ireland of all places
September
• My highlight of the Kansas City Irish Festival was John Redmond
• O’Malley’s of Weston launch their Autumn Ale
• No interest again in KC for Ireland’s main sporting event?
• Big Plain House begins hosting Irish trad concerts
October
• Honorary Irishman of the 2006 Paddy’s Day parade passes
• Irish-owned Bistro Wine Bar place Swizzle opens
• Rain didn’t stop the Weston Irish Festival
• Halloween is not like it used to be
• The Pitch’s Best of Kansas City isn’t very Irish.
November
• Cathie Ryan charms the pants off Kansas City
• The Irish Museum & Cultural Center makes Union Station home
• O’Dowd’s Little Dublin on the Plaza is ten years old
• Greenwood BBQ & Triple P looks to book Irish music
• Some Irish-born people are leaving Kansas City for Ireland
December
• Strange goings on at WJ McBride’s in OP
• Irish Paintings by me are put on sale on Irish KC
• The Lucky Charms release their debut CD
• Eddie Delahunt begins new tradition of Irish New Year at Cafe &
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
