2011 Gung Haggis Dinner co-host Patrick Gallagher likes to call himself “Chirish.”

His father gave him Irish ancestry and his mother bestowed her Chinese ancestry.  He is a perfect co-host for Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year Dinner, along with fellow co-hosts Tetsuro Shigematsu, CBC Radio reporter Jenna Chow and founder Toddish McWong.

Peter's sister Margaret Gallagher has both co-hosted and performed at past Gung Haggis Fat Choy dinners.  At those events, Margaret would help us lead the singalong “When Asian Eyes Are Smiling,” then we would sing a round of “When Chirish Eyes Are Smiling” – just for Margaret.

Here is a picture of Peter Gallagher participating in a public
service announcement to help promote awareness for the needs of at-risk
youth.  Here’s more about it on the Trueblood website:

You've seen Patrick Gallagher on tv as Coach
Tanaka in Glee, and as Det. Joe Finn in Da Vinci's Inquest, also as
Atilla the Hun in Night at the Museum, Gary the bartender in Sideways
and as Awkward Davies in Master and Commander.  No longer on Glee, he has appeared on Trueblood as the vampire bartender named Chow.  He has also been recently seen on Hawaii 5-0 and Battlestar Gallactica.  Patrick is now a regular on the new Canadian show Endgame, on Showcase this spring, and also has a recurring role on Men of a Certain Age.

I've known Patrick for many years, we would bump into each other at theatre events and around town.  Patrick was a comedic great in the Marty Chan play, “Mom, Dad, I'm Living With a White Girl.”  He also performed in the touring production of Naomi's Road, a theatrical presentation of Joy Kogawa's children's novel, based on her Obasan.  A few years ago, I going for lunch on Robson with Joy Kogawa, and we bumped into Patrick.  While he had performed in Naomi's Road, he had never met the author.  I was pleased to be able to make the introductions.  And so… it is very very fitting that Patrick Gallagher is now a co-host for Gung Haggis Fat Choy, as we help to raise funds for Historic Joy Kogawa House, as well as Ricepaper Magazine and the Gung Haggis dragon boat team.

Patrick Gallagher on Urban Rush, Nov. 2, 2010
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