A busy weekend of Irish-ness lies ahead.
We’ll start Saturday, with an evening with Órfhlaith Begley at the Philadelphia Irish Center.
Órfhlaith Begley is a Sinn Féin politician, the first woman elected as West Tyrone MP, in May 2018.
Begley, who works in a general solicitor practice, is well-known for her passionate human rights advocacy and her longtime interest in politics.
The presentation starts at 7 p.m. You’ll find the Irish Center at 6815 Emlen Street in Philly’s Mount Airy neighborhood.
Round about the same time, you can help support an incredibly worthy cause, the Michael S. Monaghan Memorial Scholarship Concert. The event starts at 7 p.m. in the Sophia A. Friedman Auditorium at Archbishop Wood High School, 655 York Road, in Warminster, Bucks County.
Bill and Jim Monaghan, Celtic Pride, and many friends and special guests will gather to remember Michael Shamus Monaghan, who died in service in the U.S. Navy February 18, 1998. There will be a silent auction, and raffle items available. The entry fee is $15 for adults, $10 for children and seniors, with kids 4 and under free.
Proceeds benefit the Michael S Monaghan Scholarship Fund at Archbishop Wood High School. For details, email tickets@monaghanmusic.com, or call 215-357-3370.
Earlier in the day, starting at noon, there’s a sheep shearing event at Fox Chase Farm, 8500 Pine Road in Philadelphia. It’s $3 per person ages 3 and up. It’s $3 per person, ages 3 and up. Fun activities all day, with tunes by Celtic Connection.
On Sunday, you can join the annual Easter Commemoration at Holy Cross Cemetery at 626 Bally Road in Yeadon. This event—celebrating the 103rdanniversary of the Easter Rising—is always well attended, and it’s free. The ceremony honors the memory of Luke Dillon, Joe McGarrity and Danny Cahalane, and all those noble souls who dedicated their lives to Ireland.
Join the procession at 12:30 p.m. The commemoration starts at 1.
For information, call Pat at 215-724-3992 or Frances at 610-446-1831.
Afterward, you can join a social gathering at Briarcliff American Legion, 29 North Bartram Avenue, Glenolden, with live music, Irish buffet, and cash bar. $25 for adults, children under 12, $10. For information, call Bob at 610-996-2016.
Later in the week, on Friday, the Stanek Gallery, 242 N. 3rd Street in Philadelphia, hosts the opening reception for “Unforeseeable Thereness,” billed as “a celebration of the strong ties between Ireland and Philadelphia.”
The exhibition presents the work of nine accomplished artists, who create visual poetry in paint, sculpture, print and other media that reflect their personal connection to the landscape, light and people of Ireland. Artists include: Roger Chavez, Randall Exon, Hollis Heichemer, Alex Kanevsky, Cian McLoughlin, Helen O’Leary, Helen O’Toole, Ron Rumford and Donald Teskey.
This event is the result of many years of exchange, travel, admiration and collaboration inspired by the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland. It starts at 6 p.m. For more information: https://www.stanekgallery.com/unforeseeable.
That’s it for now. See you next week!
