There was a cozy fire crackling in the fireplace, music coming from everywhere, dancing, a pipe band, step dancers, and Irish comfort food involving several different kinds of much-talked-about potatoes from the Irish Center kitchen and the Irish Coffee Shop in Upper Darby.
No wonder no one wanted to leave the Irish Center on Sunday for the third Annual “The Gathering.” Billed as a fundraiser, it was far more. “It was a good day, a happy one,” said organizer Frank Hollingsworth, who is on the board of the Commodore Barry Club, aka The Irish Center. “We’ve wanted to bring back the people who haven’t been to the Irish Center and those who haven’t been there. I spoke to and gave mini-tours to three families who had never been there. They came for the Irish breakfast and just stayed.”
Along with lots of other people. One draw was the musical McGroary family, brothers Raymond and Seamus, and their 17-year-old niece Leanne McGroary who played several sets of Irish, original, and pop music. The Vince Gallagher Band also played, which brought some brave dancers to the floor. The Center’s dining room was filled with arts and crafts projects and games–including Twister–and a face painter which kept the dozens of kids who attended entertained. Keeping the grown-ups entertained–three TVs showing The Eagles, and beer handy where they could drown their sports sorrows. (Does his name have to be Chip Kelly? He’s one of ours.)
You can see the fun in the faces of the people we ran into, shown below.
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