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St Patricks Day in Chennai, South India

3/17/2015

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This was my third St. Patrick's Day celebration in Chennai, South India. Thanks to the opening of the Hon Irish Consul in 2013, and a little networking in both Ireland and India, we have a small community in the city, who catch-up at least once a year around St. Patrick's Day. Small is under 10 people in a city of 8 million. There are a lot of people in India and very few of them are Irish. We maybe small in numbers, but we're big in spirit and proud to be Irish in India. Now the Indians and other foreigners are joining us in turning the place green once a year; a touch of Irish. 

St. Patricks, a well-respected school in the city, closes for the day and celebrates the feast of their founder. There are large shamrocks on the gates of the school, yet most people in Chennai have never heard of Ireland. However, this is changing. Ireland is playing cricket in the world cup, and cricket is like a religion here. With a population of 1.2 billion, where most people have a TV, there are a lot of people watching cricket. I've seen a family, who live on the side of the train tracks in steels huts, watching cricket on a TV sitting outside, with a fire going to cook. They may never know what a Guinness is, but they would have cheered on the green team in World Cup matches.  

Our next export to facilitate a good St. Patrick's Day is an Irish pub, with live music and some craic. In a rapidly developing urban India, the middle class want to enjoy a good night out. So why not an Irish pub in India? There is a chain of Irish Houses; the domestic terminal has one, and there is soon to be one in the international airport terminal and at a shopping mall in the city. For those in the city who love music, there is The Moon and Sixpence, a bar/restaurant which was shipped to Chennai and built in a hotel. This was where the party was last Saturday: bar staff in Green, drinks were Green, the music was loud, there was dancing and singing and the Irish numbered about 5 to 245 Indians, but we sang...oh we sang.

The following day, the Irish Hon Consul hosted a daytime brunch in a club called Dublin; what a buzz! There were about 250 Indians again and a few Paddies dotted among them. Guests wore from a touch to a lot of green, donned head boppers, flashing shamrock necklaces, and beads were presented on entry. Sr. Loreto (who celebrated her 70th year in Chennai last December) found a perch, popped her feet up, and mingled with those who came to chat. Otherwise she watched the passers by as they drank Champagne, Irish coffees and Whiskey. Safe to say, the Chennaites, who enjoy a dance and a party, partied like the Indians for an Irish festival.

http://thewildgeese.com/profiles/blogs/st-patricks-day-in-chennai-india

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The Moon and Sixpence - Irish Built Venue

3/7/2015

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A Myles O' Reilly Film - The Sound of a Country

3/7/2015

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Irish filmmaker and all-round decent sort Myles O’Reilly has just made his beautifully shot music documentary The Sound of a Country available online for free. Made without any inhibitions this stunning piece of film, set around Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill’s recent tour of India, sets out only to bring a story to those who wouldn’t otherwise be aware of it and as such, Myles wants to share it with those willing to watch it. We’re sure you’ll enjoy it.

http://state.ie/features/watch-myles-oreillys-the-sound-of-a-country-online
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Wright Bus - Relocation & Cross-Cultural Training

3/7/2015

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Wrightbus International’s Chennai facility is set to commence operations by April next year.
The North Ireland-based Wrightbus has partnered with Daimler India for manufacturing the bus body for its Bharat Benz range of buses.
Wrightbus will be doing exclusive bus body manufacturing at the plant for Daimler.
The bus body building facility in Chennai will be part of the new bus plant proposed by Daimler India Commercial Vehicle.
The Chennai plant is partly for the domestic market but mainly for exports to South East Asia.


http://www.projectstoday.com/News/Wrightbus-Internationals-Chennai-facility-to-be-operational-soon
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The Irish connection - The Hindu

3/7/2015

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http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/the-irish-connection/article6698859.ece

At a business cultural meet in Ireland, facilitator Aine Edwards, showing off her “pidgin Tamil”, was speedily connected with a South Indian businessman who then linked her to Brhaddhvani, Karaikudi Subramanian’s centre for music and research in Chennai. The loop was complete when sarod-player Mattu Noone introduced virtuoso musicians Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill, which propelled their India tour. At Bangalore, they spent time with L. Subramaniam. They are currently in Chennai, at a short residency at Brhaddhvani, performing at different venues over the week.
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Heady Irish Cream - The Hindu

3/7/2015

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http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/music/heady-irish-cream/article6724826.ece

While the city was resonating with Carnatic music, Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill – an Irish fiddler and an American guitarist - added a flavour of Irish folk music to the Margazhi festival with their scintillating musical odyssey.

The duo performed at various venues across Chennai as a part of their India tour. For the proud ambassadors of traditional Irish music, who dearly love Indian music, it was a chance to make the two worlds shake hands!

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Irish Blends - The Hindu

3/7/2015

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Photographer and cross-cultural projects manager Áine Edwards came to India on her first trip some 16 years ago, volunteering to help a cousin set up his software firm. And then, three years ago, Googling to find connections between India and Ireland, she found there were hardly any. Yet, she knew Indians were going to Ireland. “We have a lot of common history, but it seemed as if it was wafting away.” Fascinated with the idea of fostering cultural exchange and building ties, Áine, a photographer, brought painters Victor Richardson, Maeve Mcmanamon, Dorothee Roberts, Carol Booth and ceramicist Sara Roberts, together for Contrasts. This venture was supported by Culture Ireland and the Irish Embassy at New Delhi. Honorary Consul General of Ireland in Chennai, Rajeev Mecheri, optimistic for the two countries coming closer on this platform, said “Art and culture is fundamental to any society.”

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/events/irish-blends/article5648851.ece

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The Irish Times - Generation Emmigration

3/7/2015

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"I’ve taught scuba diving in the Maldives, worked in Australia and built schools in India, and now, as I set up a new business linking Ireland and India, I’ve no intention of settling down, says ÁINE EDWARDS

http://www.irishtimes.com/blogs/generationemigration/2012/03/09/exploring-the-world-one-country-at-a-time/


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Celebrating India's Irish connect - The Deccan Chronicle

3/7/2015

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Cork art proudly shown in India - Examiner

3/7/2015

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Opportunity India - Sunday Business Post

3/7/2015

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opportunity_india_supplement.pdf
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Ireland’s India initiatives are nascent, but there is growing enthusiasm to trade. The opportunities are virtually limitless and have the potential to energise the country’s ailing economy. However, Ireland needs to stand apart from the competition that includes most countries of the developed and developing world. Ireland’s shared history and long-standing friendship with India give it a definite advantage, and an enhanced economic partnership could be mutually rewarding, both economically and socially.
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Cork and Chennai are Very Similar - The Deccan Chronicle

3/7/2015

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http://www.corkchamber.ie/news/2013/07/22/Cork-and-Chennai-are-very-similar
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    Author

    Áine Edwards is founder of
    aine edwards consultancy.
    We facilitate business between clients in the UK/Ireland and India.

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