You may know Mark Doherty from his standup, or his stint as Father Alan on the popular British series, “Father Ted,” about a group of off-kilter Irish priests, or from his acclaimed film, “A Film With Me In It” in which he starred with Irish funny man Dylan Moran. You can get to know his genius and wit this weekend as the Inis Nua Theater Company presents, “Trad,” Doherty’s award-winning play, Sunday night at 8 at the Irish Center.
How can you go wrong with a story whose characters are both over 100—a farmer and his son who have set off looking for the son’s offspring (who is 70 if he’s a day), conceived in a rare—possibly first and only–moment of passion? The play explores the culture shock of two rural denizens who encounter 21st century Ireland on the road. And since Doherty is a comic, you can expect laughs along with the biting commentary.
But let’s back up a moment. On Saturday night, settle back for a wonderful “evening of Irish music, dancing and storytelling” with the Martin Family Band and the Hooley Irish dancers at the Bucks County Community College Library Auditorium. There’s also a post-concert reception featuring fresh-baked Irish breads (we can smell them now!).
The Irish Club of Delaware County is holding its monthly meeting at the Irish Immigration Center in Upper Darby at 2 PM on Sunday. This relatively new group celebrates Irish culture and heritage, so this is your chance to join up.
And talk about your embarrassment of riches. The Scottish pipe and drum group (if you’ve never seen them, don’t be imagining any band you’ve ever seen in a parade), Albannach, will be appearing at Brittingham’s in Lafayette Hill on Sunday at 7:30 PM. They’re a unique act with a huge following. They put the barbarian back in pipe-and-drum music–where it belongs.
On Monday, join other members of the Irish community at an immigration reform rally at Philadelphia’s City Hall. Representatives from the Irish Immigration Center will be there. Executive Director Siobhan Lyons asks that you wear green as a reminder that some of the nation’s undocumented workers have Irish accents, a fact often lost in the national discussion on immigration reform.
Don’t forget that there are now ballroom/ceili dance classes at the Irish Center on Thursday nights. The county balls are coming up (Cavan’s is next Friday night!), and so are the holidays. And at $10 a lesson, it’s way cheaper than the gym. Did you know that you could burn 204 calories just by doing the foxtrot or cha cha? That’s the calorie equivalent of nearly three glasses of wine (which you can have at the Irish Center bar afterwards because, calorically speaking, you paid for them). Irish dancing earns you 306 calories which gets you almost 4 glasses of wine (not recommended if you have to drive home, but you can eat a Snickers bar and then some).
“Happy Days,” by Samuel Beckett is still running at the Lantern Theatre Company in Philadelphia. It’s Beckett’s most cheerful play (written, it’s said, because his wife suggested he lighten up a little), although truth be told a play about a wife who is buried up to her waist in soil and has a gun in her purse, but still manages to look good is not necessarily anyone’s idea of a laugh riot. What can I say, it’s Beckett and he’s Irish. You know it will be good.
Check out our calendar. Lots of fun stuff coming. And a reminder to support your local Irish pubs, restaurants, gift shops, and organizations. These are tough times and many of your brothers and sisters are struggling. Let’s keep the Irish community strong and vital! Hope to see you out and about.
