A vibrant cultural celebration, the event marks the beginning of a new year and is traditionally a big occasion in Sri Lanka, with people gathering together to celebrate, reflect and look forward.
This year’s event brought Sri Lankans from right across Ireland to Wexford for a day of traditional music, food, games and performances, all contributing to a wonderful atmosphere on the day.
“We did it last year as well,” said organiser and Sri Lankan Trimanna Ramesh Senvirante, who thanked all who supported the event including Dushi Disanayaka, Irosh Siriwardena and Amali, Mane and Rajeewa.
“I’m trying to bring the Sri Lankan people around the island to Wexford to celebrate this together. There are a couple of other events, one in Mullingar, one in Sligo, so people go wherever they can.”
Guest Cllr Catherine Walsh pictured with the dancers during the celebration of the Sri Lankan New Year at Hotel Curracloe on Friday. Pic: Jim Campbell
Mr Senvirante and his family have been here for 25 years. He is proudly an Irish citizen. His son was born in Wexford General Hospital, where he now works and his daughter is studying medicine.
There was a time when there was just a handful of Sri Lankan families living in the county. Now he estimates that there are 40 or 50.
“Sri Lanka is a big tourism country, but I moved away for better prospects and to give my family a better life,” having come to the country from the Middle East. “I had a hard life back home, we didn’t have things like a car or a washing machine, and we used a well at home.”
He remembers coming to Wexford a quarter of a century ago to work in a hotel and the fact that then, “there we no brown people.”
Recently he took his daughter back to his home country to visit the village where he grew up. Mr Senvirante wanted his children to grow up with an awareness of where their parents came from.
As he reflects on his time in Ireland and a warm afternoon bringing people together to celebrate their heritage, he says while the drastic difference in weather may be hard to manage, “Irish people are very easy to get on with.”