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Muff woman gets home for Chinese
New Year
06.02.08
by Simon McGeady, Inishowen Independent
SPRING Festival; it’s the biggest celebration in the
Chinese calendar, one that sees millions of people
from all over the world go home to be with their
loved ones.
Last week, Muff Chinese woman Vivian Mackey and her
husband Raymond made the long journey from Inishowen
to a village outside the central Chinese city of
Xi’an to ring in the Year of the Rat next Sunday
night.
It’s the first time since coming to Ireland that
Vivian, a former Inishowen Community Radio
presenter, has made it home for this national
holiday. |
“It’s a special time of
year for Chinese people. It the biggest holiday of
the year, a bit like Christmas for people in
Ireland. I go home once a year, but this is the
first time I’ve been back for the Spring Festival
since I came over to Ireland.”
On Chinese New Year’s Eve it’s traditional for
natives of that country to get together with their
families and make dumplings. A coin is hidden in one
of the dumplings and whoever bites into it is
blessed with good fortune for the following year. |
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“Because the quality of
life is rising in China many people go out to huge
banquets that cost between €60 euro to €6000 per
head. This year our family are going to a banquet,
but the main reason is my grandmother getting old
and we don’t want to worry about her having to
cook,” added Vivian.
Many Irish people living in China join in the
celebrations. One such expat is Moville man Derek
Doherty, who moved to Beijing in 2002.
“In China it's not just the night of New Year's Eve
that they celebrate. There are different
celebrations over a two-week period, with fireworks
every night.
There'll be lots of food, some karaoke and then
around midnight lots of fireworks. It's all about
having bigger and better fireworks than your
neighbour. The fireworks are to scare away evil
spirits.
"Lots of toasts are made, mostly wishing each other
great fortune in the New Year. Chinese New Year's
eve is the equivalent of our Christmas and so it's
very important to be with your family. Travelling at
this time of year is crazy because there is about a
half a billion people on the move; millions of
people clearing out of the big cities back to the
countryside.”
The 32 year old, who works at the Swedish embassy,
estimates there are about 150 Irish nationals living
in the city. People born in the Year of the Rat are
said to be charming, passionate, charismatic,
practical and hardworking.
“If you were born in the Year of the Rat, then this
year could be either very good for you or very bad.
To protect yourself from bad luck, wear lots of red
things. Red socks are very popular this time of
year,” Doherty said. |
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