Every March since 2015, the Irish Real Life (IRL) festival invites Waterloo Region to experience what it truly means to be Irish. The week-long celebration leading up to St. Patrick’s Day embraces all aspects of the island’s rich culture, from music to film, theatre, cuisine, dance, comedy and literature.
Sue Nally, artistic director for the IRL, and her family had difficulty finding family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day events. A daughter of Irish immigrants from Dublin, Nally was acutely aware of how narrow and, at times, negative people’s perception of Irish culture is, especially in March.
She decided it was time for a change.
“I was very aware that there were people who, when they talk about Irish culture, they say they hate it because it’s wild and people are out of control,” Nally said.
“[It’s] hard to hear your culture reduced to one aspect of it. It just made us think it’s time to put on something if no one else is going to,” she said.
According to the 2021 census, there are 86,000 Irish-identifying residents in the region.
“They’re a group you don’t hear a lot from. They just kind of blend in and get on with their lives. They don’t stand out in any way,” Nally said.
In addition to the Emerald Isle’s culture, a multitude of diaspora communities are also represented throughout the week-long celebration.
“Last year we had Morgan Toney, an incredible Mi’kmaq fiddler from Cape Breton. This year, we’re doing a fiddle and step dancing night where we have different old Irish fiddling and old Irish steps, and then we also have Ottawa Valley and a Métis fiddler,” she said.
“There are places where all of these traditions have picked up from each other. There are some beautiful similarities, and you can also see some really cool differences based on their own cultures,” Nally said.
The inspiration to share the various sides of Ireland has connected people from across Canada and all over the globe, in part thanks to the pandemic, which saw the IRL Festival pivot last minute to online programming.
The shift to include virtual events also helped to increase their accessibility.
For example, their online harp class sees attendees from all over the world.
“The pandemic was interesting because it actually shed light that we need to make sure that we have options for people and that it’s accessible in many ways…The feeling of global connection with the diaspora was really important,” Nally said.
Another mission of the IRL Festival is to explore and deepen the connection between the Irish and other cultures. In 2019, local Indigenous leaders and representatives of the Irish community came together for a fundraising dinner for the Healing of the Seven Generations. Each spoke of the shared history between First Nations Peoples and Irish immigrants, the impact of being colonized nations.
“It was just such a beautiful coming together and learning about each other. Ever since then, we’ve been very cognizant that we make sure to celebrate and explore that relationship every year,” Nally said.
The Irish Real Life Festival is a welcoming space for everyone—the Irish, the Irish for a day, the Irish curious, and those who enjoy connecting with different members of their local community.
“It’s really important to explore other cultures. Everybody wants theirs to be respected and seen in a good light…We just want people to take the time and to look beyond the common representation and to know that they’re all welcome,” Nally said.
They host year-round events, including ceíli group dances, Samhain and the monthly Cairde & Craic. For more information, visit irishreallifekw.com.
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