By Alexandra Paucescu
On April 11, members of the Diplomatic Spouses Association in The Hague were invited to join a special event at the Irish Ambassador’s residence, hosted by his lovely wife, Mrs. Kevin Doris Ejon.
Under the theme ‘Getting to know Ireland’ the event provided a comprehensive overview, including a presentation on Irish dance by a former World Dancing Champion based in New York, as well as discussions on Irish food and Irish tourism, followed by a tasteful luncheon.
Throughout the event, Mrs. Ejon’s dedication, natural openness and big friendly smile made the gathering truly extraordinary. As a journalist who worked for Norwegian broadcasting and the BBC, presented her own radio program at one point and have also worked in film and documentary industry, she certainly has the experience in dealing with such occasions.
‘Music, dance, poetry and conversation are in the Irish DNA. Irish dancing has been evolving and been popular for centuries. But in 1994 it went global. During the Eurovision song contest in Ireland in 1994 the interim act was called Riverdance. It lasted for 7 minutes and took the world by storm. The rest is history as is said! Irish dancing became a world phenomenon and today there are schools across the world. Irish dance plays a major role in promoting Ireland and indeed many millions have been introduced to Ireland through dance.’ (Kevin Doris Ejon)
Niall O’Leary, former World Irish Dancing Champion spoke on the history of dance and also performed some Irish dances for the enchanted audience. The former World Dancing Champion delivered an outstanding presentation on how Irish dance became famous worldwide, showcasing his extensive career in promoting dancing. Guests absolutely enjoyed his exclusive and energetic performance.
Laura Crowley, from the Irish Food Board, then discussed the private-public partnership promoting the quality of Ireland’s food exports to Europe. Guests savored wonderful fresh oysters, sampled various Irish products available in Dutch supermarkets and indulged in a delicious lunch made entirely from Irish products.
Next, Jackie Keogh, a representative from Tourism Ireland for over 20 years, delivered a fantastic presentation packed with numerous tips, convincing everyone that their next trip should be to Ireland.
Mrs. Ejon told us: ‘someone visiting Ireland should know that it is one of the friendliest countries in the world, also one of the most beautiful, full of cultural and historical opportunities. I love the people most. I was getting on the bus at Dublin Airport recently and the bus driver said to me “welcome home missus” and I thought “Yes this is a place I love”.’
It was a lovely event which for sure made us all curious and eager to put Ireland on our traveling list.
Thank you, Ireland and to our lovely host of the day!
