麻豆社

Ed from Belfast tells how he met his wife Violet in Canada through the Ulster Accordion Band, Gordon and his family from Omagh take part in Toronto鈥檚 12th of July parade, and Glenn from East Belfast reveals his connection with Canada.

Ed Kenny has lived in Canada for over 60 years. Following the death of his father, Ed emigrated to Toronto, where he had a successful career in shipping. It鈥檚 where he met his wife, Violet, from Dungannon, and joined the Ulster Accordion Band, established by immigrants from Northern Ireland in the 1950s. Since then, the band has been a special part of their lives, a place where long-term friendships were made through music and endured through the decades.

Toronto once had the largest 12th of July parade outside of Belfast, due to the high number of immigrants from Northern Ireland. Today, while smaller in scale, the city still holds an annual parade attended by local bands.

Taking part in the 2025 parade are Gordon Spratt, his wife Sandra, and their two daughters, Louise and Claire, with the Blair Memorial Flute Band from Omagh. With the girls now at university, it鈥檚 a chance for Gordon and Sandra to enjoy some special family time on a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Back in Belfast, Glenn Millar is stepping out for a parade with his band, Pride of the Raven Flute Band. Though brought up in East Belfast, Glenn was born in Toronto, where his parents had emigrated in the 1970s. Following the break-up of their marriage, Glenn returned to Belfast as a boy with his mother, Isabel. Growing up in a new city at the height of the Troubles, Glenn found a sense of belonging by joining the band. An advocate for mental health awareness, Glenn sees the band community as a place where men can share their feelings in a supportive space.