Ask any family with Irish dancers what “march madness” means and they won’t mention basketball! To us it means dancing, dancing, shamrock shakes and more dancing! 51 weeks out of the year they dance competitively. But St. Patrick’s week, it’s all for fun. It’s a week filled with dancing from pub to pub, visiting church halls and country clubs, all while doing what they love best…bringing joy to others through their love of Irish dance.

Growing up in a large Irish/Italian family, one thing I know for sure is family and friends will always have your back. They are there to cheer you on, lift you up and help when it’s needed. Our little cape house was more often than not the place where everyone would gather around with their instruments, mom would cook up a vat of meatballs and trays of lasagna and eggplant. This was true whether it was a celebration of birth, achievement, or to celebrate the passing of one near and dear to us. Family and friends together, lifting each other up.

This piece was created as a thank you to dear friends who have supported my girls in reaching their goals over the years. Whether it’s trying to send 300 boxes of girl scout cookies to deployed troops, or buying raffle tickets to help send the girls to Worlds, they’ve said to me, “It’s all about the kids.” Cead Mile Failte is a traditional Gaelic greeting that means “A hundred thousand welcomes.” It is usually hung near the entry of the house to welcome guests. This was painted on reclaimed barn wood with acrylic. The traditional Celtic typeface in white, balances with the black Celtic knot work in the background.