Comhaltas Perth SEÁN DOHERTY BRANCH
facebook.com/perthcomhaltas • perthcomhaltas@gmail.com
Lessons session every Monday at 7pm at the Irish Club of WA
40 YEARS IN PERTH, AUSTRALIA WHERE THE TRADITION OF IRISH MUSIC, DANCE, AND LANGUAGE IS ALIVE AND WELL. It was 1 December 1980 when the first Comhaltas Annual General Meeting took place at the Stirling Hall on Bradford Street in Mount Lawley, Perth, Western Australia. Among the attendees were the late Fr. PJ Kelly (RIP), Cecil Cathal (chairman) and his wife Trish (club secretary). Also in attendance were Ray Deely and Russel Johnsen (music officer). Ray Deely still regularly attends the Monday night Comhaltas classes and Perth Irish sessions. In 1982, Ormonde ‘Mór’ Waters acted in the role of treasurer with his son Ormonde ‘Óg’ as training officer. In 1984 Sean Doherty, then chairman, brought Comhaltas
46 | THE IRISH SCENE
to the Irish Club on Townshend Street in Subiaco. The year prior Comhaltas was located at Murdoch University. Since 1984, Comhaltas has established itself at the Irish Club of WA. Sean has been actively teaching Irish traditional music since 1984 to all ages and levels with weekly and monthly lessons and slow sessions which take place both at the Irish Club (every Monday night from 7pm) and The Victoria Park Centre for the Arts (the third Sunday of every month from 2pm to 4pm). Irish language classes also take place each Monday night in the upstairs meeting room of the Irish Club. The Irish language classes are run by Bridie Higgins and Máirtín Ó Dhubhlaigh. Comhaltas Perth Sean Doherty Branch has been the cornerstone for the promotion of Irish culture though music, song, dancing and language in Perth, Australia for over 40 years. Students from years gone by can still be seen performing at the regular Irish sessions and music events throughout Perth. Current members of Comhaltas who have been part of the club since its inception in Perth include traditional sean-nós singer Tommie Kearns and his wife Kathleen, Rita Fallon and Ray Deely.
