Special Projects
Órla's 2010 Birthday project: "Distant Shore-lines"
Last year Órla made me promise no big birthday gifts. Reluctantly, I agreed...and I didn't even cross my fingers! However, I put my thinking cap on, because we just have to celebrate Órla's birthday in some fashion. Then it came to me... there is one gift that Órla always needs: more fans! So, I have a challenge for you all:
- Purchase any one of Órla's CDs or download a song (all CDs are available on the Discography page)
- Gift that CD or song to someone who has not heard it before
- Write down the person's reaction (or ask the person to write it down themselves)
- Place this reaction in a birthday card for Órla
The hope is that Órla will gain new fans, and she will get all sorts of warm-fuzzies reading "lines" describing how her music touches others. New fans get to experience the wonder of Órla's talent. It's a win-win!
Of course, this is by no means mandatory. We encourage anyone and everyone to send in a birthday card, irregardless of your participation in the Distant Shore-lines Project.
Please have your cards to us by 1st August 2010. Mail them to:
Susan Zaleski
P. O. Box 1353
West Chester, PA 19380
USA
Please email Kelli if you have any questions. Last year we collected over 40 cards...can we top that this year??
Irish Music Awards Presentation
Órla won every category she was nominated in! The awards were presented to her prior to her concert on March 14, 2010 in Owings Mills, MD. She won the following awards:*Top Solo Performer in Concert
*Best Female Vocalist
*Tommy Makem Award
*Top Harpist
Those of us at Órla's Garden wish to congratulate Órla on this unprecedented number of awards!
To view the presentation click here.
Irish Music Awards Update
The voting is complete! Órla was nominated in four categories. The award winners will be announced on January 27, 2010. The ceremony will take place at O'Malley's Pub in Weston, Missouri beginning at 7:00 pm CST. Those interested in watching the ceremony streaming live on the internet should click here: Irish Music Awards. Follow the instructions on that link on the day of the award ceremony to watch it live. Good luck, Órla!!
Holiday Project 2009-Wrap Up
The gifts have arrived! The members of the Órla's Garden mailing list gave Órla and her husband a few gifts for Christmas. The gifts were:
an engraved wooden pen set for her husband
a natural Fairy Stone, or staurolite, necklace
and a real rose, preserved in lacquer and tipped in 24-karat gold.
We also collected 42 cards for her
During our trip to hear Órla perform on December 14, 2009, Zee and I presented Órla with two of the gifts.
Here she is receiving John's gift. I was explaining to her that we knew that no fan could ever approach the support she receives from her husband. We appreciate him too!
She is receiving the Fairy Stone necklace here. The white paper she is holding is an explanation of the legend that goes with the necklace.
To say Órla appreciated all of these gifts is putting it mildly! She has asked me to pass the following message on to you:
Hello Dearest Friends,
It's a very snowy and wintry Ireland as I write at the moment.We're experiencing the coldest weather here for 50 years. It really looks like a scene from a Christmas card outside.
Thank-you all so much for your wonderful cards,greetings and gifts for Christmas. You have no idea just how much your good wishes meant to me.I was totally blown away by the great trouble that people went to in choosing cards with such beautiful verses and also in taking the time to write me such lovely notes.John and I sat down and read each and every card and each one touched our hearts in a very special way. The beautiful rose is here in the kitchen and I love my necklace. John adores his pen.It had it's first outing at the races in Leopardstown,Dublin over the holidays.He was very chuffed with it !!
Thanks also to everyone who went to such trouble to come to my shows over the past two months.It was truly a joy to meet you all !The story of my chocolate addiction is out as I was thrilled by all the chocolate that people brought along ! It's not good for the old waist -line though and for the New Year I'm trying to kick the habit (without much success as yet, I hasten to add !!!)
Your support and good wishes have really buoyed me along over the past few months and I feel truly blessed by you all. Thank-you .
I wish you all a wonderful New Year ,filled with happiness and blessings in abundance.
Grá agus sonas,
Orlagh xxx
Irish Music Awards
Órla has been nominated under four categories for an Irish Music Award from the US-based Irish Music Association! Voting will be open to IMA members when announced (likely between December 2nd and December 7th). Voting will be opened to the general public on December 7, 2009. Members of our mailing list are gearing up now to vote! Voting will take place on the IMA Forum.
Holiday Project 2009
The holiday season is fast approaching, and it is time to begin our 2009 Holiday Project!
We are collecting Holiday Greetings for Órla. We'd like to send Órla actual holiday cards, as many as we can get...a great big box of them would be fantastic!
*Feel free to send as many as you wish, each appropriate card we receive will be forwarded to her.
*Keep the cards reasonably sized...no poster sized cards, please.
*Please time things so your cards are in our hands by December 1, 2009.
*If you live outside of the United States and wish to participate, email Kelli and we can work something out.
Mail your holiday cards to:
