If it seems like time is flying even faster this year with Easter coming on the heels of St. Patrick's Day, then the close arrival of the celebration of Comhaltas' annual big weekend of Irish music and dance within the month of March means keeping Irish culture flying well beyond the 17th.

When the North American province convenes its annual business meeting known simply as the "Convention" once again in the greater New York area in Parsippany, New Jersey over the weekend of March 27-30, for hundreds of fanatic music and dance followers who will flood the Parsippany Hilton all weekend, it will be one of the biggest gatherings for traditional Irish music and dance on the North American calendar.

The weekends are customarily organized through local units of CCE around North America where 45 clubs are affiliated with Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, the cultural movement founded in 1951 in Ireland to preserve and promote traditional Irish music and the heritage that goes with it.

Over 2,000 people are expected to pass through this North Jersey cultural crossroads from Thursday to Sunday, including some special guests from Ireland and Britain. The director general of CCE, Senator Labhras O'Murchu will lead a Comhaltas delegation that will include President Jim Teevan (from Cavan) living in Britain and Seamus Brogan as a delegate from Britain.

They will be welcomed by the North American chair, Limerick Lady Helen Gannon, the inspirational leader of St. Louis Irish arts who has headed the organization since 2004 over here, and vice chair Anne McConnell from Canada.

One of the most popular attractions of the weekend are the daily ceili dances. The Parsippany convention in 2004 pioneered the rental of fabulous flooring from dance expert Bob Bahrs, who designed the well constructed timber platforms for large dance competitions around the country.

The set dancers love to glide on the smooth surface with just enough spring to keep them fresh through four ceilithe and nine hours of dance classes with Irish set dancing masters Padraig and Roisin McEneany and ceili dance teacher Maura Mulligan.

They will enjoy four great dancing bands with the Pete Kelly Ceili Band leading off on Thursday night, the Green Gates Ceili Band on Friday, the Pride of New York Ceili Band led by Joanie Madden for the Saturday evening gala ceili mhor, and the Pride of Moyvane closing it out on Sunday afternoon.

Saturday is a very busy day with over 20 classes in all the major instruments in the morning and afternoon which is open to registration on the day as well as in advance. There are some special guests like Kevin Crawford, Cillian Vallely, Brendan Mulvihill and Eileen Gannon from out of town to go along with one of the finest corps of local teachers recruited to help keep the tradition alive and flowing.

Later Saturday afternoon there will be a showcase of talented students in the open atrium area of the hotel representing various schools and teachers who are also readying their children for the upcoming New York fleadh in Pearl River (www.nyfleadh.com) on April 12 and 13.

Some 30 founders awards are to be presented at a cocktail reception prior to the gala banquet Saturday evening, along with lifetime achievement awards to CCE stalwarts Jack Whelan, Larry Reynolds, Jack Pendergast and Patricia Dugan awarded from Dublin.

The banquet entertainment will feature the "Bridge to the Future" theme of the weekend in recognizing the music tradition passing from generation to generation to generation, as well as the stirring oratory of O'Murchu so anticipated from year to year.

Considered the centerpiece of the weekend, this popular banquet and ceili are open to the general public. Tickets and tables can be ordered through Terry Rafferty at 201-288-4267.

CCE convention chairman Tom Vesey has been rallying the local CCE chapters in New York and New Jersey for two years to make this one of the most successful weekends in convention annals.

It is a massive undertaking for the volunteer grass roots organization, and the annual affair has garnered kudos throughout the Comhaltas movement for bringing people together to celebrate their heritage and that of Irish America and Irish Canada. For more information you can contact him at 973-977-8863 or find the complete details at the Convention website at www.cceconvention2008.org.