By Vicki Gilhula
Irish eyes were shining earlier this week when the Irish ambassador visited Sudbury.
Ray Bassett said this was the first visit of an Irish ambassador to the city. He was guest of the Sudbury Irish Arts Association (Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Sudbury).
“Better late than never,” he said at an afternoon tea held at Bryston’s in Copper Cliff Tuesday.
Mayor Brian Bigger was in attendance.
The ambassador’s visit commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising in Ireland. The revolt led to the establishment of the Irish Free State and later the Republic of Ireland. The leaders of the rebellion against the British government were executed.
Sudbury’s Irish group has organized several events, including a gala evening at the Sudbury Theatre Centre, an exhibition of Irish poet James Joyce at the main branch of the Sudbury library, and an Irish ceili dance this Friday at the Moose Lodge on Frood Road.
There are approximately 70 million people who have Irish roots living thoughtout the world. The population of the Republic of Ireland is 4.5 million, said the ambassador.
“We could not maintain Irish culture without support from the diaspora from around the world,” Bassett said.
Numerous events are being held to celebrate the anniversary of the Easter Rising in Canada this year.
He noted the Canada has always had a close relationship to Ireland.
Canadian ports were open to Irish escaping the Potato Famine of 1845-49 while American port city’s imposed restrictions on ships coming from Ireland.
During his stay in the city, Bassett visited the SNO lab and Science North. He met with members of the 2nd Battalion, Irish Regiment of Canada in Sudbury.
