Accordion master Billy McComiskey will be appearing on Saturday at the Irish Center.
If you missed Mick Moloney’s concert at St. Malachy Church last week (make a vow now to never miss it again—it’s one of the best), you have a chance to hear him again on Saturday, November 12, at the Irish Center.
Moloney, with accordian player Billy McComiskey and violinist Athena Tergis, will be presenting a program that brings to life the various musical styles of western Ireland. It’s part of a series sponsored by the Philadelphia Ceili Group called “Irish Traditional Music: Influences from the West of Ireland” that will run through September 2012.
The concerts starts at 8, but Moloney, who has a PhD in folklore from Penn, will give a talk on the West of Ireland starting at 3 PM at the Irish Center. If your family came from Clare, Galway, Sligo, Mayo, Kerry, or anywhere along that stunning coastline, or if you just love music and history, you’ll want to hear this.
There’s a bucketload of other Celtic events happening this week. Let’s take them day by day, shall we?
Saturday
The Port Richmond AOH/LAOH Div. 87 has been holding an annual ball for as long—if not longer—than many of the county societies, and their 113th is on Saturday night at Romano Caterers in Philadelphia. That’s the night they honor their Hibernian man of the year (Pat Dever) and LAOH Woman of the Year (Debbie Scott). Also being feted: Patty Pat Kozlowski (Slainte Award), Steve Nolan (Putso Award), and Betty Sands (Granuaile Award).
Jamison Celtic Rock is Celtic rocking at Brittingham’s Irish Pub in Lafayette Hill; the John Byrne Band will be taking the stage at Sketch Club Players in Woodbury, NJ; and “Woman and Scarecrow,” the Marina Carr play, continues at Villanova University (through Nov. 20).
Sunday
Three stalwarts of the Irish community—Kathleen Murtagh, Tom Farrelly, and John Donovan—will be installed in the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame at a dinner at The Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street, Philadelphia.
Paul Byrom, formerly of the supergroup Celtic Thunder, will be appearing at 8 PM at World Café Live in Philadelphia.
Villanova University is screening the Irish film, “Hunger,” the story of Bobby Sands who led a hunger strike at a Northern Irish prison in the 1980s.
Thursday
The Irish American Genealogical Society can help you track down your Irish ancestors, and they provide this help regularly at the Irish Immigration Center. A genealogist is on duty from 11 AM to 12:30 PM.
The Irish Anti-Defamation Federation holds its regular meeting at the Irish Center at 7:30 PM.
Coming soon: On Thanksgiving weekend: The Mid-Atlantic Oireachtas (Irish dance competition) at the Philadelphia Downtown Marriot and The Donegal Ball and the Mary from Dungloe Pageant.
Check out our calendar for other events, too. You know there’s an Irish music session every day or night in the Philadelphia area. You can hear some fine Irish music with no cover charge, though it’s likely the venue makes that up in the beer you’ll drink. It’s a lovely, relaxed time that will remind you of being in Ireland (and if you’ve never been to Ireland, this is what it’s like, minus the scenic vistas and sheep).
