We are based at 146 Hoddle St, Abbotsford VIC 3067 at St Philip’s Anglican Church Hall next to Collingwood Town Hall, a short 5 minute walk from Collingwood railway station.
We meet every Wednesday night 7:30pm – 10:00pm except for a Christmas break which will be advertised.
Irish Set dancing classes run every week with Marie Brouder or Matt Harriage. Everyone (even people with two left feet) welcome.
Joan Mundy’s music sessions run 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.
Not so fast sessions with Eamon Spillane run 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.
Eileen Walsh is in charge of the kitchen – we have great suppers
Music classes are also organised for different instruments and music classes are organised for children.
When there is a 5th Wednesday in a month, that night is a night where we have a sing song as well as our usual dancing and music.
Anyone is welcome to come and see what we’re all about.
Come and dance or play some tunes or just listen and join us for supper afterwards.
Cost $10 (no charge for children) and this includes a really good supper as well.
Our Comhaltas Band, and our set dancers have performed at many Festivals, including:
- The National Folk Festival Canberra (Easter 2016 shown above)
- National Celtic Festival, Portarlington (June)
- Frances Folk Festival.in South Australia (February)
- Maldon Festival (October)
- Lake School, Koroit (January)
- The WindJam Festival (Tasmania)
Over the years, Comhaltas has presented cultural displays at many events all over Melbourne, including having a Float at the St Patrick’s Day Parade for many years.
Comhaltas has a display stand at the Melbourne Irish Festival every year in Edinburgh Gardens and the dancers and musicians perform. This event is attended by approx 10,000 people
https://www.melbourneirishfestival.com.au/
Comhaltas Annual Functions:
Each year we celebrate St Patrick’s night on 17th March, usually in St Philip’s Hall. When 17th March falls on a weekend night, we usually get a bigger crowd so we hire Collingwood or Fitzroy Town Hall. Our night is a real Family night. Children are welcomed and catered for and Grandparents can celebrate with their grandchildren
We celebrate Lughnasa Festival in August with a Bacon and Cabbage night. This has proved very popular as everybody enjoys some home cooked traditional food, including great desserts.
Halloween is celebrated at the end of October.
We end the year with Christmas Dinner, usually the traditional turkey and ham, mid December. This has always been very popular and you need to be quick to book as it is always a sell out.
In between times, we organize Family Sunday afternoons in different suburbs to link up with young families – in 2015 and 2016 we were in St Kilda and in Fitzroy and Elsternwick. We organize children’s entertainment such as Face painting, Irish Language fun activities and of course music and dance.
Apart from these 4 functions,and the Family afternoons, there is always somebody visiting from overseas who might like us to organize a function.
For example, in April 2017, Vincent Jordan, a past president of Birmingham Comhaltas will be visiting and there will be a set dance ceili on Sunday afternoon, followed by a session.