The Dublin Irish Festival celebrates 30 years

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Dublin Life

In Dublin, everyone is Irish. Even if they’re not.

If someone were dropped into the middle of Dublin during the first weekend of August, that person might suspect he or she was in Cork on a holiday. The Irish folk music and authentic Irish souvenirs and food might trick a person into believing that he or she was in some other Dublin.

On Aug. 4-6, that tradition will continue for the 30th year here in Dublin, Ohio. More than 100,000 people dressed in kilts, sporting shamrocks and drenched in green will converge on the City, perhaps for their first – or perhaps for their 30th – Dublin Irish Festival.

Organizers want to showcase that first experience with a new campaign called #MyFirstDIF. This year, as you walk Coffman Park, think back to your first Irish Festival; what did it look like?

2016

Jennifer Bruyere and her family, who live in West Salem, have always been interested in learning about their Irish heritage.

They visit Cleveland every year for St. Patrick’s Day, and last summer, Bruyere and her husband decided to bring their daughter, Maggie. Bruyere came to her first Irish Festival in 2016 and was blown away.

As soon as they walked onto the Irish Festival grounds, the family was greeted by the sounds of a traditional pipe and drum band, which Bruyere says was “amazing.” For Maggie, who loves music and dancing, the day couldn’t have gotten off to a better start.

Because Maggie has special needs, the Bruyeres needed to find shady and private spots to take care of Maggie, as well as figure out a way to navigate the crowds and paths in a wheelchair. As it turns out, the Irish Festival made it easy.

“When she would get upset, we’d park behind (vendor areas) and spread out a blanket and have a picnic, and let her lay out,” says Bruyere. “It was really nice.”

2012

Jena Kish first experienced the Irish Festival in 2012, and calls it “the beginning of the rest of my life.”

A Dublin resident since fourth grade, Kish had never gone to the Irish Festival, and didn’t realize what she was missing. In 2012, Kish’s sister dragged her out of bed and brought Kish to the festival, largely against Kish’s will.

Her night could have gone worse. Through her sister, Kish was introduced to a man named Kasey at the festival.

“Suddenly, this random good-looking guy appeared, ready to join our party,” Kish recalls.

Two years later, Kish would marry him in a very Irish wedding at St. Brigid of Kildare

Church.

“For our wedding shower, my sister ended up getting us tickets to the upcoming festival and all this swag – drink tokens and Irish necklaces and stickers for e

veryone,” Kish says. “She had Irish proverbs sitting out. It was very cool; she’d gotten Guinness chocolate cake, and tied it all in together.”

Naturally, going to the Irish Festival has become a tradition for Kish and her husband, and one day, they hope to visit Ireland.

“If we had the opportunity, we would love to visit Ireland,” Kish says. “What a great thing for us to do. Between the two of us meeting, it’s one of those lifelong dreams.”

2007

If you’ve been to the Irish Festival in the last few years, you may have seen Keith Robinson.

The redheaded, kilt-wearing, longtime Irish Festival volunteer mans the grill each year, preparing burgers, sausages and brats for attendees. At first glance, one might assume that Robinson is a born-and-raised Dubliner. One would be wrong.

Robinson’s first Irish Festival was in 2007, when he lived in North Carolina. Upon hearing that one of his favorite bands, Gaelic Storm, would be performing at the Irish Festival around the same time that he would be attending his father’s Aug. 4 birt

hday party in Cincinnati, Robinson rounded up his wife and two sons and headed straight for Dublin.

“We were overwhelmed by the immensity of it, and the different types of food,” says Robinson.

The stars aligned, and six months later, Robinson was offered a job in Columbus. The whole Robinson family has made the Irish Festival a tradition, and now volunteers every year. In 2015, the Robinson family was selected as the Irish Festival’s volunteer family of the year. Robinson says it’s the festival’s culture that keeps his family coming back each year.

“The fact that everybody that puts together and organizes the event works with the volunteers – it’s busy, it’s crazy, it’s hectic,” says Robinson. “It makes it worthwhile coming back. That welcoming atmosphere and those personalities are a big part of the reason why you don’t hesitate: ‘It’s that time of year again, let’s sign up for our slots.’”

1999

Hilliard resident Jennifer Humphrey and her husband, Steve, like the Kish family, have a marriage tied to the Irish Festival.

Humphrey and her husband attended the Irish Festival for their third date, and the couple’s first kiss was sparked as they left the festival.

The Humphreys got married in 2003, and made the Irish Festival an annual tradition. They even purchased their wedding rings at the Irish Festival.

“Everyone knows the first weekend in August, if you want to see us, you have to come to the Irish Festival,” Humphrey says.

Humphrey’s maiden name is Nash, and with a professional genealogist for an aunt, Humphrey was always interested in her Irish roots.

“We love everything about Irish music because it spreads over the whole diaspora,” she says. “It makes it real when you start looking into the history behind the songs and the oral tradition and how history repeats itself.”

About six years ago, the Humphreys added up the amount of money they were spending on food, drinks and ticket prices at the Irish Festival over the approximately 20 hours spent at the Irish Festival each year, and joined the Emerald Club. Now, seeing their Irish Festival family each year keeps them involved.

“It’s sort of become this family away from the Festival,” says Humphrey. “You run into people in random places. That definitely keeps us coming back.”

1988

When it comes to being with the Irish Festival since the start, you can’t get any closer than Kitty Munger.

Munger, with an organization called Dublin Irish Celebration, aimed to bring more Irish culture to Dublin. What better way to draw crowds than to pair an Irish festival in Dublin with the annual Irish dance competition, Columbus Feis?

“We have hundreds of Irish step dancers coming to town, they bring their families and stay overnight,” says Munger. “It was like a built-in audience. And it just grew from there.”

“Grew” is probably a less accurate word than “flourished.” By Munger’s estimate, the Irish Festival hosted a few hundred people its first year. Now, more than 100,000 people from all over the world flock to Dublin each year for the largest three-day Irish Festival on the planet.

Munger is also this year’s festival honorary chair. She is still on the marketing and promotions committee, as well as the 30th anniversary committee, but has spent much of her time this year working as honorary chair.

“It’s a real honor that the former chairs would think of me and to recognize me this way,” says Munger. “It’s really cool.”

After that first Irish Festival, Munger says she never imagined that it would become what it is today.

“When I think about how far we’ve come, and all these people who have had their hands on it and all of their blood, sweat and tears that go into it, it’s just wonderful,” she says. “I couldn’t be more proud to be part of this organization.”

30 Years of Irish

Each year, Dublin Irish Festival organizers pride themselves on offering new attractions, entertainment and vendors to the Irish Festival. This year is no different.

In addition to a changing music line-up, the festival grounds change each year to increase accessibility and convenience for ticketholders. To cut down on time spent in line and away from the fun, organizers will be hosting token presale events, an idea that was utilized in the 2016 event as well. However, shortened waiting times and a tweaked map aren’t the only things to look forward to.

Paver stones can be bought this year to create the new Dublin Irish Festival Dedication Walkway on the south field of the Irish Festival. The walkway will be permanent, and made up of stones of various sizes. The stones can be purchased, and those who purchase the stones can add a message or a name. The pathway will be in proximity of a beautiful and permanent new Irish art installation, which will be unveiled at the festival. Those who purchase a stone on www.dublinirishfestival.org by early June will be able to have it in place by the time of the Irish Festival.

The new attraction that will perhaps bring the biggest draw? The Irish Festival will host the NHL Centennial Tour. The tour will include the NHL’s interactive museum truck, videos and memorabilia. And that includes the Stanley Cup.

“The Blue Jackets have been a sponsor, but this is the NHL,” says Mary Jo DiSalvo, event administrator for the City of Dublin. “Being that the Blue Jackets had such a phenomenal season, we’re going to have a great deal of space devoted to hockey memorabilia.”

Amanda DePerro is an assistant editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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