Irish Village honours local heritage

Fiddle player Todd Porter plays at the Irish Village held at G.L. Heritage Brewing Co.

Irish for the Day.

That is what it said on fiddle player Todd Porter’s shirt Saturday afternoon as he performed during the G.L. Heritage Brewing Co. hosted Irish Village.

Part of the Multicultural Council of Windsor-Essex Carrousel of Nations, it was the second straight weekend of record attendance at the Howard Ave. venue in Amherstburg.

According to Jen Desjardins-Grondin, co-owner of G.L. Heritage, hosting the Irish Village has a very significant meeting for the local brewery.

“Last year was the 175^th year of Irish heritage on this property and we wanted to do something to honour that heritage,” she said.

It’s been 30 years since Carrousel of Nations had an Irish Village and it was an opportunity to show what the county has to offer. Downtown Amherstburg hosted the Brazilian Village last weekend.

Thomas Waldron came from Ireland and he was the first to settle the property. Desjardins-Grondin said that in honour of him, the brewery offered up Tom’s Irish Ale.

“This isn’t a typical St. Patrick’s Day celebration. This is to recognize the Irish culture,” she said.

G.L. Heritage Brewing Co. partnered with Samantha Buhler of the Hub Catering Company who offered up corn beef sliders, dill-pickle mashed potatoes and colcannons potatoes which according to Desjardins-Grondin is the ultimate comfort food.

It is the second straight year that G.L. Heritage Brewing Co. hosted the Irish Village and she said that they had to apply for it and were accepted.

“It was the first time that we brought a village to Amherstburg and it’s a huge sense of pride.”

While Porter played, there was no shortage of those who wanted to get up and do their best Irish gig. It was also a chance to show off the brewery’s new large pavilion.

The next few months will be very busy at the brewery as they are hosting fundraisers for Autism services, Bryerswood, Hospice and what Desjardins-Grondin calls Silly Olympics in September.

Irish Village honours local heritage

By Fred Groves