2010 CANADA DAY PICNIC
Sunday, June 27th at 12.30 pm
Malahide Castle's Walled Garden

ALL ARE WELCOME at this Rain-or-Shine Event (there's a glass garden house for shelter if it rains). Please tell your friends who would like to come but are not on the ICS mailing list. It's a great opportunity for singles, couples and families to mix and mingle and join Ambassador and Mrs Binns in celebrating Canada's birthday.

Attendees bring their own Picnic lunch. (a picnic blanket is also a good idea)
ICS provides Tim Hortons Goodies for Dessert and prizes for games.

Admission includes a FREE draw ticket for a Canadiana gift basket (Tim's coffee, 2 bottles of wine, Canadiana coffee mugs and more) and other prize draws.

Admission:
15 euro for non-members - 10 euro for ICS Members - NO CHARGE for under 18s.

The ICS membership year begins with the annual Canada Day Picnic and runs until the day before the next Canada Day picnic. Those joining OR renewing their ICS membership for 2010-2011 at the Picnic will receive a 5 euro discount on the membership fee as well as the above-noted discounted ICS member picnic admission fee. The annual ICS Membership fee is 40 euro for 2 adults living in the same household (35 with the Member picnic discount); 25 euro for a single adult (20 with the Member picnic discount); and 15 euro for fulltime students 18 and over (10 with the Member picnic discount.)

Program

OTHER DETAILS
 
Parking and Toilets. There are lots of both. The parking lot closest to the picnic site is shown on the accompanying map. 
 
DART Access: The Malahide DART station is close to the Castle Park, an easy 10-15 minute stroll from the station, partly along a forested lane, to the Castle and picnic site. (Turn right as you exit onto the street from the station.)

OTHER SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
 
The Canadian and Irish flags will fly from the Castle turrrets in honour of Canada Day (a great backdrop for a souvenir photo of the day).
 
This is especially fitting since the Castle was the home for 800 years (from 1185) of the Talbot family, a son of which, Thomas Talbot, was a chief aide to Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, John Graves Simcoe. Thomas was awarded a large land grant near London, Ontario and was responsible for the early development of much of southwestern Ontario. St Thomas, Ontario is named for him (though he was hardly a saint!). There is also a town there named Talbotville and a township named Malahide and numerous towns and cities in the area have a Talbot Street. An important highway in the area is known as the Talbot Road and there is a tourist route called the Talbot Trail.
 
Other Canadian connections in the Castle courtyard
 
The Fry Model Railway: is one of the world’s largest miniature railways (a working railway covering some 2,500 sq. feet), this unique collection of handmade models of Irish trains and other modes of transport from the beginnings of their use to modern times, is a treat for ‘children of all ages’. Dominating the museum room one passes through to enter the ‘train room’ is a massive model of a Canadian Pacific engine.

Tara’s Palace: another treat for 'children of all ages', this priceless collection (insured for some 2 million euro) boasts a 22-room Dolls House inspired by three great Georgian mansions of 18th century Ireland. The quality and detail of its miniature furniture and fittings are as much an attraction for adults as for children. Canada’s Tara’s Palace connection is the limited edition Mountie doll, presented to the exhibit’s doll collection by the Irish Canadian Society at its 2004 Canada Day picnic.  All proceeds from the nominal Tara’s palace entrance fee go to children’s charities.