Club studies all things Irish

The Republican

Sunday, February 12, 2006

By ANGELA CARBONE acarbone@repub.com

WEST SPRINGFIELD - Ceili (pronounced kay-lee) is a social gathering marked by Irish music and dancing.

     At West Springfield High School, the Ceili Crew is a group of students who meet to learn about Irish culture and heritage, work on various projects and raise money for charitable organizations. Some Crew members also go on a trip to Ireland.   There's no need to be Irish to be a member. In fact, the president of the Ceili Crew, Nicole Chase, 17, is Italian and English.   "There was some controversy when I was elected," Chase said. "They were joking."

     Ceili Vice President Ashley M. Ziemba, 17, has a grandfather who is Irish, but she didn't join because of him. "I just needed to get involved," she said. "I like doing all the different fund-raisers.... It's fun doing different activities with the club. You get to meet people and hang out with your friends."

     Activities include showing Irish movies, holding bake sales, Christmas caroling, meeting an Irish artist whose works were on display at the Irish Cultural Center at Elms College, selling bracelets to benefit the Children's Miracle Network, and marching in the Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade. This year the group has also been asked to march in the New Haven parade.

     Kelly Ann Moore and Katie S. Blazejowski are teachers at the school and co-advisers. Moore said everything in Ceili has some kind of Irish connection. Part of its mission statement says: "to foster an appreciation of the Irish culture and promote social and educational links within Massachusetts and Ireland."

     As an example, Moore said she had contacted someone in the Irish Consulate in Boston to see if the Crew could connect with Irish people who have recently immigrated. Instead, the Ceili Crew has been invited to a luncheon at the Irish Consulate, where they will hear about Irish history.

     An annual Ceili project is making a quilt to raffle for the scholarship fund. Students pick out, cut and pin the fabric and sew the outside of the quilt. Michelle Fredette, whose daughter graduated last year, did the actual quilting.

     The quilt will be raffled off at the second annual Irish Fry at the Tatham Social Club on March 4. The winner of the scholarship also will be named at that time, Blazejowski said.