The Bobby Sands mural in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
In 1981, a small group of Irish prisoners in Long Kesh (Maze) Prison in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, began a hunger strike to press the British government to recognize them for what they considered themselves—political prisoners protesting a foreign occupier, not criminals. Most were members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
By the time the strike ended a few months later, 10 men were dead, including Bobby Sands, 27, who had been elected a member of parliament (MP) for Fermanagh and South Tyrone a month before his death by starvation.
There have already been marches and other 30th anniversary commemorations in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the US, and around the world. In Philadelphia on Sunday, the Irish community will gather for a special Mass at the Irish Memorial at Penns Landing. Breakfast will follow at The Plough and the Stars. Cost: $25.
Also on Sunday, St. Malachy Parish and School will be holding its Jubilee Mass and reception at the church in North Philadelphia that was founded in 1850 by Irish immigrants and the Sisters of Mercy, an Irish order.
This is also the weekend of Hungerstock, featuring rocker-writer Patty Smyth and our own John Byrne Band, all taking place in Camden. Proceeds go to local food banks.
On Sunday night, the Tartan Terrors will be at the Sellersville Theater for those who love their bagpipes and dancing and don’t mind that it’s Scottish.
Speaking of the broad definition of Celtic, on Tuesday, the Paul McKenna Band and the Celtic group, Comas, who mix Irish, Scottish, and Breton with a little Belgian thrown in there, will be performing at The Grand Opera House in Wilmington.
Speaking of John Byrne (we did, way up there), he’s launching a new Irish session at The Blind Pig in Northern Liberties on Tuesday night. Members of his band will be there to keep the tunes flowing at this great pub where John is a co-owner and bartender.
Speaking of The Blind Pig (gee, this is getting repetitive), Irish Network-Philadelphia is hold its latest networking happy hour there on Thursday evening. Food is yummy, so head on down to meet your peeps.
Thursday is a busy night. Orla Fallon, late of Celtic Women, is on stage at the Musikfest Café at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem. Tenor Ronan Tynan is performing at the Patriots Theater at the Trenton War Memorial in Trenton, NJ. And County Down singer-songwriter Fil Campbell is performing at The Shanachie Pub and Restaurant in Ambler.
A heads up for next weekend: the amazing Celtic harpers William Jackson and Grainne Hambly will be performing at West Chester University on Sunday night. There are also harp workshops in the afternoon, so throw your instrument in the back of the car (carefully) and head on down (register first!). There’s a session afterwards at Kildare’s, West Chester.
Galway Guild (they promise Irish rock and rebel songs) will be at Marty Magees in Glenolden.
And Saturday also marks the final Ancient Order of Hibernians National President’s dinner for Philadelphia’s Seamus Boyle, who has helmed this organization for the last few years. There’s a Mass at 4 PM and dinner at 7 at the Radisson Hotel in Trevose.
