BOSTON, Oct. 10, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The trees are dressed in glorious colors to provide a special welcome to fall visitors to Berkshire County in Western Massachusetts. But, according to world renowned travel expert and syndicated radio travel show host rated one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Travel, Stephanie Abrams, "This year the trees have put on their best display as a special welcome for 75 guests coming to visit from County Mayo, Ireland who are coming here because I asked them to dance here! This is the largest group of Irish visitors ever to come to Berkshire County!"
Abrams met Sheila Moffatt, founder of the dancing school, at a two-day commemorative event on the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, memorializing the fourteen people from Mayo's Addergoole Parish who sailed on the fateful journey 100 years ago. "I invited Sheila to bring her dancers to perform in Berkshire County! It's amazing we met at all at midnight in this little town overcrowded with 3000 visitors for the event that included Ireland's Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, who was among the dignitaries!"Abrams states.
While the Irish group raised funds to cover costs for air transportation, Abrams says, "I formed a wonderful committee of local movers-and-shakers made up of leaders of the Berkshire Irish American Club, the Pittsfield Irish Sister City Committee, and other local leaders to raise funds to cover costs of transportation from Boston to the Berkshire Crowne Plaza Hotel and hosting the dancers as our guests. The group's matinee performance of 'An Emigrant's Farewell' at 2:30pm on October 21st at Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, MA features many of the schools award-winning dancers. Riverdance-style dancing, traditional Irish instruments and staging that recreates an Irish cottage where friends and relatives came to "wake" those leaving, as they were not expected to be seen again after they sailed to America, round out the performance which opens with a local musical group, Blueberry Buckle."
Tickets for the performance are available online at Shakespeare.org. Abrams hastens to add that ticket sales alone couldn't possibly cover the expenses related to this Irish cultural exchange. "We couldn't create this event without the generous support of Shakespeare & Co. who worked with us in the most wonderful spirit of community friendship and cooperation; Stockbridge's Red Lion Inn which is hosting the after-performance reception, and the generous support of Berkshire County's Greylock Federal Credit Union, Blantyre Relais & Chateaux Resort, Berkshire Bank, and Toole Insurance Company. The lasting gifts are the bonds of friendship that will undoubtedly result and the potential of visits from our county to Ireland and revisits from those who will come back to this beautiful region. Our local sponsors have our eternal gratitude! "Abrams concludes.