A Chairde go leir (to all Friends)

A Chairde go leir (to all Friends)

The Irish South African Association exists to facilitate social contact for Irish people, people of Irish descent and anyone who has any interest whatsoever in the Irish & in Ireland. All are welcome to join the Association & to attend our many functions held throughout the year( approximately monthly from March to November). Our "Flagship Event" is of course our Annual St Patrick's Night Dinner & Dance held on Mar 17th each year.

The 2009 St Patrick's Dinner & Dance took place at the Pigalle Restaurant, Somerset Road, Cape Town. 350 people ate, drank & danced the night away in what can only be describes as truly opulent surroundings......... From start to finish the event certainly had the "Wow" Factor...... The venue itself is truly amazing & really lived up to expectation on the night. We enjoyed a wonderful display of Irish Dancing from the Dance Trax studio; a 5 Star meal by Pigalle & Music from 2 Bands - Thistle Do & Shenanigans...... everything was truly wonderful & the event was deemed a huge success by all present. Once again the event was attended by H.E. The Ambassador of Ireland, Mr Colin Wrafter & his lovely wife Aisling de Burca. The only downside to the whole evening was that the event was heavily oversubscribed & we sadly had to turn away over 50 would-be guests.

As this year’s event was deemed such a success by both our own Committee & by all our guests we have decided to return to Pigalle for our 2010 St Patrick’s Celebrations. We are delighted to tell you that only one week after our 2009 celebrations, our 2010 celebration is in the advanced planning stage. Once again we promise all our guests a “night to remember” at Pigalle. More details will be announced closer to the event as they become available - please check into www.ireland.co.za to keep up to date.

As we were so heavily oversubscribed for our 2009 Function & as we sadly had to turn away so many people, many of them our own members we have decided that tickets will go on sale earlier next year.

All ISAA Members & all 2009 guests will be notified accordingly in Mid January 2010. You will than have the opportunity to purchase your tickets before any advertisements go in the public press. Again I urge you to keep checking in to http://www.ireland.co.za/

The Committee of the Irish South African Association Association is elected annually at an Annual General Meeting held in November. The Committee then elects the office bearers (Chairperson, Vice Chairperson & Treasurer) at the first Committee Meeting following the AGM. As well as running the Association on a day to day basis the Committee also co-ordinates & runs all the functions held throughout the year.

Help from our Members is both welcome & encouraged....... after all many hands make light work. If you would like to become more involved in the work side of the Association please let us know......it is not all work by the way - we do have a lot of fun along the way & we also forge new friendships.

The Irish South African Association is fully supported by our Ambassador Mr Colin Wrafter, his charming wife Aisling de Burca & the entire Embassy staff both in Pretoria & Cape Town. We also receive positive support and encouragement from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin, Ireland. Despite their already busy lives, both the Ambassador and/or his wife do their best to attend as many of our functions as they possibly can. As Association we are very grateful for all this support. Since its inception the ISAA was based in Cape Town & all our functions took place in or around the Mother City.

As we had a number of members as well as a lot of very keen interest from the Gauteng area a Chapter of the ISAA was launched there on Nov 20th 2008. This Chapter will work in exactly the same way as the Cape Town Chapter has worked since its inception in 2001. There will be lunches, brunches, pub nights etc as well as an annual St Patrick’s Day Function. All information pertaining to all functions whether in Johannesburg or Cape Town will be posted on this website so wherever you live in South Africa, please check in regularly to http://www.ireland.co.za/ for updates. Later in 2009 we are hoping to launch a Durban Chapter of the ISAA – discussions are ongoing as I write.

Should you have any questions or queries regarding the Association please do not hesitate to contact us. You can email us or you can phone us on 021-713-0154. Please leave a message if this phone is unattended when you call and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Slan go foil,

Marguerite Winton - President - Irish South African Association