The Manchester Italian Association (founded in Ancoats
1888) spent a day at Portmeirion in Wales, This is where TVs, “The Prisoner”
was made a number of years ago, Patrick McGoohan, Number Six, a Big balloon and
that beautiful village built in the Italian architectural style.
Associations from Yorkshire also attended.
The visit opened at the main piazza with an address by officials of the Welsh
local Council, Alun Jones (Llanengan Community Chairman). Gwyn Jones (Llyn Tourism
Association), Councillor Wyn Williams and Robin Llewelyn (Managing Director of
Portmeirion Village), followed by speeches from prominent members of comites,
(the organisation for Italians living abroad), Alberto Betali (President Comites
Manchester) Marcello Cavalcaselle (Italian Consul Manchester) Bruno Cabrelli
(Consigliare Comites)
The weather was warm and sunny, the views
were fantastic and the sea looked as blue as Manchester City’s shirts as
we were taken by coach to the Italian Restaurant in Abersoch where it turned
into a spontaneous Fiesta, with singing, free pasta, wine as red as Manchester
United’s shirts, cappuccino and delicious ice cream. Mr Andrea Filippi
owner of the Ristorant’e at Abersoch. deserves a special thank you we couldn’t
top on the friendliness and generosity and it didn’t bother us one bit
that the coach was leaving two hours after it was scheduled to go.
The coach journey both going and returning
was enhanced by the golden tones of “Dino” on tape, of course everyone
joined in, some singing in Italian others in English, but it all worked out
Okay! The chief instigator for the Bi-lingual chorus being Margaret Rea (Schiavo)
along with other former residents of old Ancoats. It was a very enjoyable experience.
Tom Connor
