Nova Scotia Promoting in Milwaukee

NOTE: A fact sheet about Nova Scotia's Irish heritage follows the release.

Nova Scotia tourism and culture representatives are at the Milwaukee Irish Fest again this year to promote Nova Scotia as a great place to visit and experience Celtic music and culture.

Nova Scotia was a major attraction at last year's festival and received rave reviews from the 130,000 people in attendance. Known as the largest Irish festival in the world, the Milwaukee Irish Fest takes place this year from today, Aug. 16 to Sunday, Aug. 19.

"It's incredible to see the impact the province's Celtic music has on festival goers and the powerful impression Nova Scotia makes in their hearts and minds," said Len Goucher, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Heritage. "We're very excited to be returning to the Irish Fest and promoting Nova Scotia again this year."

A Nova Scotia booth, staffed by four visitor information centre staff from across the province, will be the focal point of the promotion. Visitors will be able to pick up everything they need to plan a trip to Nova Scotia, including a CD version of the Doers and Dreamers Guide and information on festivals and events, outdoor adventures, cultural activities, golf and dining. Staff will also promote the new direct flight operating between nearby Chicago and Halifax.

With performances by the Barra MacNeils and Evans and Doherty at this year's Irish Fest, there will also be a special emphasis on the province's Celtic music and crafts at the Nova Scotia booth. Staff will hand out business cards that allow free downloading of Celtic music from the Nova Scotia tourism website, novascotia.com, and particular attention will be given to events like the Celtic Colours International Festival. Brightly coloured foam lobsters will also be given away to visually reinforce Nova Scotia's presence at the festival.

The promotion in Milwaukee is part of the 2007 tourism plan that includes an increased focus on cultural tourism and new markets that have nearby direct air access to Nova Scotia. It complements similar promotions held earlier in the year in Ottawa and Boston.

NOTE: The following is a fact sheet about Nova Scotia's Irish history.

• In the 1660s, when Nova Scotia was Acadia, there were Irish living among the Acadians. It is a good possibility that these early Irish were fisherman who first settled in Newfoundland and later found their way to Cape Breton. Families bearing the name Kavanaugh, Burke and Kennedy are known to have had connections with Acadian families in Cape Breton.

• In 1752, there were 262 persons in Halifax with Irish names.

• In 1756, it was noted that the common dialect spoken at Halifax was "Wild Irish", a term used to describe Irish Gaelic.

• In 1760, about 300 Irish from Northern Ireland settled along the Minas Basin.

• The largest single influx of Irish to the region was during potato famine from 1845 to 1849. More than one million people left Ireland for North America, with 20,000 settling in New Brunswick and at least that many in Nova Scotia.

• Until the middle of the 19th century, most Irish migrated to Nova Scotia from South Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Waterford, West Wexford and Cork Counties in Ireland.

• Pictou was a major immigration port for the Irish, as was Sydney. People from Ireland also settled in Arichat and Liverpool. Places such as Sydney, Sydney Mines and New Waterford saw a mixing of the "Mcs" and the "Macs" as many Irish settled in those areas, some later moving on to other areas of Nova Scotia such as Springhill, Joggins and River Hebert. This was largely to work underground in the coal mines.

• The corner of George and Lower Water streets in Halifax is marked with an iron Celtic Cross and is known as St. Patrick's Green.

• The Irish Language is taught as a university course at Saint Mary's University. This is part of the D'Arcy McGee Chair of Irish Studies.