One big check–but the Irish Center needs more.
The Irish Center’s fundraising campaign brought in more than $84,000 in the first year of its two-year project—almost the entire $100,000 goal. But it’s still going on, mainly in the form of fun. And this Sunday, you can have a blast by getting all kindergarten on a canvas at Painting with a Twist in Jenkintown. Ten dollars of every ticket ($45) will go to the ongoing campaign to keep the Irish Center open—and you go home with a pretty neat looking painting that you do with the help of onsite instructors. And we hear there’s wine too.
Speaking of painting: On Saturday, amble out to Prospect Park to Marty Magee’s, a pub on Lincoln Avenue, where Blackthorn and Galway Guild will be performing and the brand new mural depicting scenes from local Irish history will be dedicated. The mural was done by Eric Okdeh who has painted more than 80 murals in Philadelphia, many as part of the city’s internationally known Mural Arts Program (when Britain’s Prince Charles came to Philly, he said that the first thing he wanted to do was see all the murals). See our story.
Since John Byrne is back in town, you might find him at the ballad session at Fergie’s at 12th and Sansom on Sunday. It’s a lovely afternoon in a comfy bar, one of my favorites in the city.
On Wednesday, the sparkling and witty Gerry Timlin of Timlin and Kane will open up his series on Irish history, starting with the ancient Celts, at McCarthy’s White Stag Pub in Bethlehem. The series lasts six weeks, and you can find all the detiails on our calendar.
Coming up this month: The annual Mass to commemorate the 43rd anniversary Bloody Sunday, when 13 people were killed by British troops in Derry City. It will be held at The Irish Center on Sunday, January 25, at 3 PM. Father Edward Brady of St. Anne’s Parish will be the celebrant.
Also, the East Coast Celtic Supporters will be descending on Philly yet again at the end of the month for a three-day Celtic-thon at the Plough and the Stars in Philadelphia. And no, these aren’t fans of the Boston Celtics. They’re diehard supporters of the legendary Celtic Football Club of Glasgow, Scotland.
Both the Glenside Gaelic Club and the Delaware County Gaels are holding indoor leagues for Gaelic football and hurling for youth. Go to www.DelcoGaels.com for more information on their program, which starts February 21 at Maple Zone in Boothwyn, and www.GlensideGaelicClub.com for their program which kicks off on January 23 at YSC Sports in Hatboro. Both these organizations are keeping the love of Gaelic sports alive in the Delaware Valley.
Another organization that helps keep Irish culture alive is, well, us. And you can help us live and grow by buying all your St. Patrick’s Day merchandise from CelticClothing.com. You can see their ads on our page. If you click the ad and buy something using the code word PHILLY, we get 15% of the proceeds and you get a discount. We make a small amount of money from ad sales (the word “pitiful” gets mentioned now and again) that barely covers our expenses. We’d love to pay writers to write for us and photographers to photograph for us so we don’t have to try to be in six places at once. We’re not as young as we used to be. But hey, who is? Thanks!
