As a three-time winner and the reigning champion of the National Freestyle Polka Dance Festival, held in Kohler, Wisconsin, I have always had an interest in traditional music and dance from around the globe. This is what led me to the Ceili held at the SJE School gym back in March.

This event is held every year and brings members of the St. John's community together for an evening of merriment with an extra bonus of raising a chunk of money for the school.

'Ceili' is an Uzbekistani word, which means: "Watch Out! The Czar's army is coming to burn our village down!" Marco Polo, while traveling back from China to his native land of Ireland, liked the sound of the word so much that he incorporated it into the Gaelic lexicon, where it, along with 5,432 other Irish words, means: "To indulge in libations, listen to music and dance." It is this meaning which Bangladeshi-born Seán Culkin and his faithful instructors latched onto to bring more than 100 people out to dance on a stormy March night and raised some $3100 on behalf of SJE.

As many of you know, up until two years ago, Seán's passion in life was playing Protestant hymns on the sitar. One day, while driving his 1961 Mini Cooper through Georgetown, he ran a red light and smashed into the car of the Irish ambassador. Seán immediately got out of his car to apologize and explain that he had been caught up in singing Rock of Ages and had not realized that the light had changed. The ambassador let loose a string of venomous poetry and at that moment Seán put down his sitar to dedicate his life to Irish dance.

With his wee little frame, wry shock of red hair and lilting Irish brogue, Seán led the Ceili throng through a number of old-time favorites, including "Cork County Hoedown," "He's Not Heavy, He's My Guinness Waltz," and the perennial crowd pleaser "We Don't Just Want Northern Ireland; We Want Scotland Too! - Boogie."

As the musicians played late into the evening, the revelers spilled out onto Woodland Drive and Luther Way where one of the Sisters could be overheard saying, "I haven't had this much fun since the convening of Vatican II." I think everyone who attended felt the same way.