Dennis Gormley did double duty–band member and Santa.
There were a couple of fake wrens on hats, but the annual Comhaltas Wren party on St. Stephen’s Day, December 26, was more about music, singing, dancing, and laughing than it was about marking the wren’s betrayal of St. Stephen, who was discovered by Roman soldiers thanks to a noisy bird and martyred. (Yes, there’s a story to it. In Ireland, crowds carrying a fake wren around on a pole, often dressed in straw costumes and masks, and collect money which is then given to charity.)
Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley led the evening’s cdili band, which included Kevin and Jimmy McGillian, young Irish music phenoms Haley Richardson, Alex Weir, Keegan Loesel, Dylan Richardson, and Alana Griffin, and a surprise guest, champion accordionist John Whelan who came to the Knights of Columbus Hall in Glenside from Connecticut for the craic (he not only played, he danced too).
See the photos below for a look at all the fun.
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