* ACADEMY OF IRISH & CELTIC STUDIES TERM 1 2012 STARTS JANUARY 9TH
* GEORGE O'BRIEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP STARTED
* SAVE THE DATE - FEBRUARY 26TH DIRECT FROM IRELAND GOITSE
* CELTICA! CHORALE AUDITIONS FOR SINGERS
* SECOND & THIRD FRIDAY CEILIS WITH SET DANCING ON THIRD FRIDAYS
* Calling all Friends of the Irish!
* FEIS IN THE DESERT JANUARY 13, 14, & 15 2012
* FEIS IN THE DESERT MUSIC COMPETITION
* SODA BREAD COMPETITION AT THE FEIS IN THE DESERT
* THE CELTIC CRAFTERS AT THE ICC
* ROBERT BURNS SUPPER SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2012
* DESERT SHAMROCK CONTEST FOR CELTIC YOUTH
* WANT TO WIN $1000.00?!
* IRISH FOUNDATION OF ARIZONA NEWS
* CHANDLER TULLAMORE DESERT FARE COOKBOOK ON SALE
* PHOENIX GAELS NEWS
* CONTRA DANCE MOVES TO FOURTH FRIDAY OF THE MONTH
* AT THE MIM
* ICLF BOARD MEETING MINUTES FROM OCTOBER 8TH
* ICC DOCENTS NEEDED BY GLENDA WALKER

The Academy of Irish & Celtic Studies begins its first term of 2012 on January 9th  The cost for music, dance and language classes is $125.00 for the 10 week term.  (Minimum 3 person class).  Private lessons are available in 30 or 60 minute time slots. Private classes may be adjusted to fit your schedule. The cost for private lessons is $20.00 per 30 minute class and $40.00 per 60 minute class. For further information, please call Pat McCrossan at (602) 254-6094.  Tuition is pro-rated for late start.
The 3rd Saturday of most months, we offer Ceili dance lessons. This is a 2 hour dance-intensive workshop, geared towards both beginning and advanced dancers of all ages. Cost is $16.00 for adults and $2.00 for children under 12.  Call Mary at 602-258-0109. RSVP requested.

Due to the generous contributions of musician Billy Brett, Celtica! member Kaeryn Lapsley, Irish language teacher Vicki Champion, Jim & Mary Ann O'Neill, Kathleen Sweeney and George's cousin Maureen Brown, we have established The George O'Brien Memorial Scholarship for music students in our Academy of Irish & Celtic Studies.  We sincerely thank the contributors.  If anyone would like to donate to this scholarship, or apply for the scholarship, please contact Pat McCrossan at 602-254-6094

On Sunday, February 26th, the Irish Cultural Center is pleased to present direct from Ireland Goitse in concert.  Concert will start at 6:00 pm and tickets are $20.00 Goitse (pronounced gwi-cha) is a five member Irish Trad band which specializes in their unique rythmic arrangements of well known tunes and own compositions. 
Goitse is a Donegal Irish word meaning ‘come here’.   The band finished a 2011 tour where they played at many of the Irish Festivals around the USA, including The Great American Irish Festival, The LaCrosse Irish Festival and the Milwaukee Irish Fest.
Modern Rhythms and Traditional Melodies are synthesized by this newly formed five piece band all of whom are students of Traditional Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.  The band, which is now entering its third year, was formed after Eoin Coughlan asked musicians to play for Telethon at Dolan’s, Limerick. The session produced exciting playing and an instant chemistry between the musicians and on that night Goitse was formed.
All five students are rooted firmly within the tradition and are well known and respected within Irish music circles. Their recently released CD includes many of their own compositions and owes its distinctive sound to the collaborative arrangements by all members

AUDITIONS!!!!! Celtica! Chorale auditions for singers.
Celtica! is a  16 - 20 voice musically experienced Chorale that is entirely devoted to the Music of the Celts.

Auditions will be held Tuesday, January 17, 2012.  Rehearsals will be held on Tuesday Evenings from 7:00 - 9:30 PM , beginning in early January.

Celtica! is in partnership with The Irish Cultural Center. Auditions and Rehearsals will be held on the Grounds of the Irish Cultural Center, located at 1106 North Central Avenue in Phoenix

For more information, please contact: Coleen at 480-577-9527

Celtica! will be under the Direction of Founder Coleen Van Slyke, and Accompanist Melody Perry.
We urge interested Singers to secure an audition time right away

The Center will be presenting Ceilis on the second and third Friday of the month. Enjoy Irish social dancing in a relaxed atmosphere with live music and dance lessons.  We will be learning set dancing at our third Friday Ceilis.  Dates for the 2012 Ceilis will be: January 13 & 20, February 10 & 17, March 9 & 16, April 13 & 20, May 11 & 18, June 8 & 15, July 13 & 20, August 10 & 17, September 14 & 21, October 12 & 19, November 9 & 16, December 14.  No Third Friday Ceili on December 21 due to the Winter Solstice Celebration.
Admission is $6.00 with children under 12 Free (2 with each paid admission) Ceilis start at 7:00 pm.  Ceili dance workshops at the Center are on the third Saturday of most months from 1:00-3:00 PM. These are two hour dance intensive for beginning and advanced dancers. Beginners will focus on basic footwork and simpler Ceili dances (Fairy Reel, Siege of Ennis, etc). Advanced dancers will learn more difficult figure dances (Cross Reel, Trip To The Cottage, etc). If you are an experienced Ceili go-er or if you have never danced before, this is the class for you! Make new friends and learn how to dazzle the spectators at the next ICC Ceili. Admission is $16.00 for adults and kids under 12 $2.00 RSVP required (602) 258-0109.

Stepping Stone Campaign to pave the way to the new ICLF Library

Nearly 200 stones will be sold to those interested in supporting the library with their own personally engraved pavers. The stones are available, for a limited time only, for just $500 each. To purchase a stone and make your mark on the library go to www.azirishlibrary.com and look under “ways to help.”  Or, download the attached form and return the form and payment to the address indicated on the form.  

The library was funded through private donations. Nearly $8 million is still needed. In addition to the stones, there are other naming opportunities available throughout the library. Construction of the Irish Cultural Center Library, the only one of its kind in the Western United States, began in February. When completed in 2012, the 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art library will feature more than 6,000 books including masterpieces by the great Irish writers.  For further information or to purchase an engraved stone contact Bridget Costello at 480-634-4001. 

The 22nd Annual Feis in the Desert, an international Irish Step-Dance Competition, will be held at the Historic Crowne Plaza San Marcos Golf Resort in Chandler, Arizona, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 13, 14 and 15, 2012. This annual event is free and open to the public, and is co-sponsored by the non-profit, Damhsa Irish Dance Company, and Chandler’s Bracken School of Irish Dance. Our Feis enjoys the partnership with the City of Chandler through their Special Events Grant, and has been designated an official Chandler Centennial Event for 2012.  Pronounced "fesh," our competition attracts dance competitors from all over the United States and Canada.

It’s the new year and time for the Feis in the Desert! If you’re a musician, come participate in our music competition, which this year includes both vocal and instrumental categories.  Requirements are simple: prepare one piece, between 2 and 4 minutes long, of Irish music.  We accept any genre, but prefer traditional.  You may sing a capella or with recorded accompaniment; we’ll have a keyboard, a CD player, and an iPod dock available.  Our adjudicator will be the well-known fiddler Sheila Maguire.  The high point winner for vocals receives the Mary Yolanda Dowling Memorial Trophy and the high point winner for instrumentals receives the Mary Boyle Trophy. 
The music competition will take place on Saturday, January 14, after the dancing is completed.  The entry fee is $5 per person, payable on the day of competition.  But please register ahead of time on our website, so we know how many people to plan for:  http://www.feisinthedesert.org/music.html.  If you have any questions, please contact Helene at fitdwebspinner@cox.net.  Come join us for some great music and fun!
Contact  Helene Ossipov  fitdwebspinner@cox.net  604 East Carter Drive  Tempe, AZ 85282  (480)208-4690

Irish Bread Baking Competition

Have a favorite Soda Bread recipe - maybe Grandmother O'Sullivan's yummy scone recipe? Our Irish Bread-Baking Competition is back by popular demand and is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC! Please bring your baking creations to the Feis (located in the San Marcos Grand Ballroom); entries will be accepted all day Saturday, Jan. 14, and until Sunday, Jan. 15, at 11:00 a.m. We have 3 categories: Soda Bread, Scones, and Other Irish Breads. Entries for the Soda and Other Breads will have a slice taken from the center, wrapped, and stored safely with the Entry Form for judging on Sunday. The rest of the loaf will be sold by the slice. A single Scone will be similarly packaged, with the remainder scones for sale. So please consider bringing another loaf or two, and a basketful of scones for our Bake Sale. Bring your breads and $5 Entry Fee to the Registration Table. An entry form may also be downloaded at www.feisinthedesert.org. Also, if you don't mind sharing the recipe, please type it up and we'll post on our website after the weekend. Chef's hats on? Please feel free to contact us with any questions at feisinthedesert.ellen@gmail.com or call (480) 600-8509.