The local Irish spirit is alive and well and it is about to get a whole lot stronger.

The Irish South African Association (ISAA) is hosting the KZN chapter’s first-ever coastal meeting in Umhlanga on Saturday, September 20.

The association is inviting all those with Irish heritage, connections or simply a love for Irish culture to join the celebration from 10.15am at St Michael’s Church Hall.

Ballito’s Veronica O’Dwyer, the Irish-born secretary of the ISAA, said attendees can look forward to a morning of engaging conversation, cultural connection and a captivating historical talk.

“I often meet people who talk to me about their Irish forebears or how at home they felt on their marvelous holidays in Ireland,” said Veronica, who has lived here for more than 30 years.

The ISAA holds most of its meetings in Westville but since Veronica joined the committee, she has called for change.

“I have pushed for our events to be brought closer to the North Coast for years,” she said.

The highlight of the ISAA calendar is its St Patrick’s Day event, but recent gatherings have also featured talks on Irish ancestry, visits from Irish rugby players and world-class Irish dance exhibitions.

This month’s meeting will be headlined by Professor Donal McCracken, a Durban-based historian originally from Ireland.

According to Dr Julian Buckels, president of the KZN chapter, McCracken will deliver a lively and fascinating talk on a peculiar aspect of Irish history.

“The professor told me how he was looking through the Dublin archives and stumbled across police files dating back nearly 200 years that revealed Victorian Ireland was a global hotspot for threatening letters,” said Buckels.

These letters were often signed by shadowy figures like “Captain Moonlight” or “Rory of the Hills” and were used to scare recipients, generally in rural areas. The story is bound to be peppered with plenty of interesting anecdotes.

“Everyone is welcome, whether you are Irish or just enjoy spending time with the Irish,” added Veronica.

RSVPs are essential: email secretary.dbn@ireland.co.za or call 083 551 3755.

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