The event saw Jim Beattie, a musician originally from Ireland, guide people through a virtual tour of the country through a slideshow of hundreds of photographs.

The tour was accompanied by Irish songs performed live by Beattie himself.

“I used to go and just sing Irish songs, but I found that if I show pictures, the people find it a bit more meaningful if they can see the scenery and see what’s going on,” Beattie said.

Beattie took people through a digital tour of the . . .

country’s cities and notable landmarks, including a visit to the Jameson Distillery in Dublin and the Cliffs of Moher. His tour also included historical information about the locations, with some humorous commentary thrown in here and there.

“The Cliffs of Moher: They’re straight up out of the Atlantic Ocean for 700 feet. And there’s a little walkway right around the top of the cliff. And they do advise you not to go there on a windy day, it’d be a long way down,” Beattie said as the crowd laughed.

Once the tour was concluded, attendees were treated to an authentic Irish lunch, which featured an Irish stew with bread, and a variety of pies for dessert.

Much of the food was donated by people attending the event, and the meat for the stew was purchased locally from Starborn farms.

“It’s wonderful for the community,” said Jeannie Judd, a member of the Anglican Young Women’s Association (AYWA) and a volunteer at the event. “All the pies are donated, all the vegetables are donated. Even the bread is donated. It takes a lot to make stew.”

Jane Hayes, one of the organizers for the event, was happy to see so many people attend. “People are anxious to get out again after the last couple of years. We’re really pleased with the turnout,” Hayes said. “Nowadays people have changed their attitude about going out.”

Hayes explains this is the third virtual tour the AYWA has organized over the last five years with one in 2019 and 2020, visiting both Scotland and Ireland.

Proceeds from the event will be collected by the AYWA and donated to the Shawville Anglican Church at the end of the year.

The event saw the community come together for the tour, with pies and ingredients donated by people attending the event. Above, Jeannie Judd.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!