An ice hockey team composed of Latvians from Ireland and the homeland have won a St. Patrick’s holiday tournament in Dundalk.

Players from the Ireland-based Latvian Hawks and the Latvia-based Vitrum combined to take the March 15-16 tournament, said Kristaps Otisons, media coordinator for the Latvian Hawks.

On the first day of competition, the Vitrum-Latvian Hawks team won 11-2 against the Dublin Rams. In a second game, the Dundalk Bulls beat the Latvia-based Agni team 6-3.

On the second day, Agni won a consolation game 6-1 against the Dublin Rams. In the final, the Vitrum-Latvian Hawks squad won 3-2 in overtime against the Dundalk Bulls.

Both Vitrum and Agni play in the Beaster Baltic Hockey League in Latvia.

The Latvian Hawks, composed largely of recent immigrants from Latvia, play in the Irish Ice Hockey League. The Dundalk Bulls, after smashing the Latvian Hawks 26-4, earlier in March won the league championship against the Flyers Ice Hockey Club.

Latvian President Valdis Zatlers, on a working visit to Germany, will participate with other Baltic leaders in opening the “Essentia Baltica 2008” program March 15 in Berlin, the president’s press office has announced.

The program highlights Baltic culture in recognition of Latvia’s, Estonia’s and Lithuania’s declarations of independence 90 years ago, as well as Germany’s ties to the region. The program is scheduled to run through November and will include exhibits and performances in several German cities.

The opening ceremony is to include a performance in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall by the Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra led by violinist Gidon Kremer. Also at the opening will be Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Estonian Parliament President Ene Ergma.

During May, a reciprocal program, “O, Vācija!,” will showcase German culture in Latvia.

Besides the cultural program, Zatlers is scheduled March 16 to meet with German parliament representatives involved in cooperation with the Baltics, former German ambassador in Latvia Hagen Graf Lambsdorff and other political leaders.

An online travel auction begins March 18 to raise funds for a family shelter for women and children in the Latgale region of Latvia, the U.S.-based Kids First Fund has announced.

The eBay auction will be available at KidsFirstAuction.com. The auction is expected to include about 100 travel-related offers from more than 30 airline, hotel and car rental companies. Offers include destinations in Europe, Russia, South America, the Middle East, Canada, the Caribbean and the United States, according to Jay Sorensen, president of Kids First.

This is the fifth year Kids First has run the auction.

Proceeds from the 2008 auction will help in the construction at Rugāji, Latvia, of a residential shelter for abused children and their mothers. The USD 1.4 million building will be supported by the Kids First, the Latvian Children’s Fund and the German Christian Children’s Fund.

Kids First was founded in 1999. Its headquarters is in Milwaukee, Wis.