What we’re about
The Irish in Europe Association (International) aisbl-
Address: IEAI
International Association Centre,
Rue Washington 40,
1050 Brussels,
Belgium.
The Irish in Europe Association (International) aisbl (IEAI) was established in Belgium in 2011 by Royal Decree. The main function is to help the world wide Irish Diaspora living and working in Europe and promote Irish culture,community building, micro integration and inter-state trade through a network of Chapters in Europe. It incorporates the organisational Committee of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade of the Nations & Regions in Brussels.
To achieve its objectives, each Chapter shall build community relations with the local social, cultural and political bodies in their areas. Membership is open to all nationalities living and working in all Chapter areas.
Its integration events include “Crossing Borders on the Terrace” , "Walkers & Talkers" “Crossing Borders on Fridays “and “Health is Wealth Seminars”,Shannon-Clare Trad Irish Sessions, Cork Jazz Festival Club of Brussels, Hibernian Social Club with business orientation. Tourist information Stands on Ireland and Belgium, Irish in Europe Memorial Lectures,Start Your Own Business, Business Mentoring and Seminars. Job Seekers advisory advice etc.For more information on Irish in Europe Cultural & Integration Events Contact:
info@irishineurope.org and or patricks.day.parade@gmail.com
The IEAI shall implement the "Help Ireland in Europe" programme which will assist in the promotion of Irish goods and services and interstate trade in co-operation with other nationalities in Europe.
IEAI seek the provision of an orderly, user-friendly, multi-lingual information on-line service on the operation and transparency of the European Union Internal Market, and the relevant taxation and administrative documents in each of the member states of the European Union.
IEAI seek to facilitate efficient working of the Internal Market by promoting provision of specific educational and training opportunities in all regions where unemployment rates are above the European Union average. These provisions would include multi-lingual training in innovation and entrepreneurship; job skills and language-training; start your own business, trade and business expansion scheme studies; and tax compliance studies.
The 2019 year theme of the Irish in Europe Association shall be:
´´ Irish Culture Supporting Democracy,Diversity & The Single Market ´´
Non-Profit International Association - Registered in Belgium - Enterprise Number 835467433
Brussels & Etterbeek Irish in Europe Chapter shall be the first Chapter of the Irish in Europe Association (International) AISBL to be established in Belgium. The main function of this Chapter is to promote Irish culture, community building and integration in the Brussels City and Etterbeek Communes. It will also assist in the organisation of the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade of the Nations & Regions. To achieve its objectives, the Chapter shall build community relations with the local social, cultural and political bodies in the Communes. The work of the Chapter shall be conducted in English, French and Dutch. Membership is open to all nationalities living and working in all areas of Brussels Capital Region. More Chapters will be established in other Communes at a later date. Please register your interest with Brussels & Etterbeek Irish in Europe Chapter: brussels.and.etterbeek.chapter@gmail.com.
La branche « Bruxelles & Etterbeek – Irlandais en Europe » sera la première section de l’association (internationale) AISBL des Irlandais en Europe à être établie en Belgique. La fonction principale de cette section est de promouvoir la culture irlandaise et l’intégration dans la ville de Bruxelles et la commune d’Etterbeek. Elle participera aussi à l'organisation de la journée de Saint Patrick de Bruxelles des nations et des régions.Pour atteindre ses objectifs, la section établira des relations communautaires avec les organes locaux sociaux, culturels et politiques de la commune. Les langues utilisées seront l’anglais, le français et le néerlandais. L’adhésion n’est ouverte à toute personne de toute nationalité vivant ou travaillant dans la région bruxelloise. D’autres sections seront ouvertes ultérieurement dans d’autres communes. Nous vous remercions de manifester votre intérêt sur le site Brussels & Etterbeek Irish in Europe Chapter: brussels.and.etterbeek.chapter@gmail.com.
De tak « Brussel & Etterbeek – Ieren in Europa» zal de eerste sectie van de (internationale) vereniging AISBL van Ieren in Europa zijn die in België gevestigd is.De belangrijkste functie van deze sectie is de promotie van de Ierse cultuur in de stad Brussel en de gemeente Etterbeek. Zijzal ookhelpen bijde organisatie vande dag "Saint Patrick's Day Parade of the Nations & Regions - Brussel"Om zijn doelstellingen te bereiken, zal de sectie communautaire relaties tot stand brengen met de sociale, locale en politieke organen van de gemeente.De gebruikte talen zijn Engels, Frans en Nederlands.Lidmaatschap is vrij voor alle nationaliteiten die leven of werken in de Brusselse regio.Andere secties zullen later opgericht worden in andere gemeenten. Indien interessen registreert U op Brussels & Etterbeek Irish in Europe Chapter: brussels.and.etterbeek.chapter@gmail.com.
Upcoming events (3)
See all- Francis Ledwidge / Hedd Wyn Commemorative Social EveningThe Meeting Point , Brussels 1000
Francis Ledwidge and Hedd Wyn, soldier poets were killed on the same day, 31st July 1917, both in their thirtieth year. The ‘Poet of the Blackbird’ and the ‘Poet of the Black Chair’ are buried in Artillery Wood Cemetery at Boesinge, Belgium.
We have a Commemorative Social Evening on the anniversary of two poets killed in action on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres.
The Social Evening is in honour of Welsh poet Hedd Wynn and Irish poet Francis Ledwidge
Everyone is welcome and in particular from the Irish, Welsh and Belgian Communities. Admission is free.
We will meet on the Terrace where guests can purchase drinks and or food. Poems will be read and stories will be shared .
Lance Corporal Francis Edward Ledwidge
1st Bn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
Death: 31 July 1917
Aged: 29
Son of Patrick and Anne Ledwidge, of Slane, Co. Meath. A prolific poet noted for his pastoral pieces about Ireland; his last poems made subtle reference to war.
Francis was born in August 1887, and was the eighth of nine children. He was forced to leave school when he was 13-years-old to work in a variety of jobs to support his family financially after the death of his father.
Described as an "erratic genius" by his schoolmaster Mr. Thomas Madden, the literary talents of Francis flourished from an early age. During his various jobs, he continued to write poetry and had many published in the local newspaper and Drogheda Independent. Many of these poems were taken to the newspaper office by Ellie Vaughey, the younger sister of his friend Paddy. Their relationship soon developed into love and Francis wrote numerous poems about her.
Francis acquired a patron in the form of a local aristocrat, Lord Dunsany, who ensured his poetry reached a wider audience and also facilitated his introduction to the Irish literary circle.
An Irish Nationalist, Francis nevertheless enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in October 1914, and fought in the Gallipoli campaign in April 1915. After the evacuation of British troops from the peninsular he went to Serbia where he was taken ill with rheumatism and an inflamed back from the cold weather. He returned to England for treatment and was fit enough to re-join his battalion in time for the Battle of Arras in April 1917.
In July 1917, he moved to Belgium in preparation for the Third Battle of Ypres. On 31 July, he and five of his comrades were repairing a road at Pilkem near the village of Boezinge northwest of Ypres, when a shell exploded among them, killing them all. They were buried by their comrades at the Carrefour de Rose crossroads.
The Ledwidge Memorial was erected at the Carrefour de Rose crossroads, marking the location where Francis died.
Private Ellis Humphrey Evans
15th Bn. Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Death: 31 July 1917
Aged: 30
Son of Evan and Mary Evans, of Trawsfynydd, Merioneth. One of the war poets, who wrote poetry under the name 'Hedd Wyn'.
Ellis was born on 13 January 1887, and was the first of 14 children. He began writing poems at the age of 11. He mastered the hardest form of Welsh poetry (the cynghanedd) at the age of 12, and continued to write after leaving school to work on the farm at the age of 14. By 19, he was a regular competitor. He took the first of the six poetry chairs he would win in competition in 1907 and was awarded his bardic name Hedd Wyn ('white peace') in 1910.
Ellis had no intention of fighting, but was conscripted into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in February 1917. He was allowed home for a few weeks that spring to help with the farm, but was in France by June 1917. On 31 July 1917, the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, he was hit by a piece of trench mortar shell near Langemark and died at a nearby aid post.
Soon after his departure on active service, he completed the poem Yr Arwr (The Hero), his entry for the 1917 National Elsteddfod, for which he was posthumously awarded the poetry chair.
His style, which was influenced by romantic poetry, was dominated by themes of nature and religion. He also wrote several war poems following the outbreak of war on the Western Front.
