Aon Sceal?

The loss of six Philadelphia police officers over a two-year period—killed in the line of duty—profoundly affected Phoenixville photographer Brian Mengini, who specializes in dance photography (some of his clients include the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, the Royal Ballet, the Brandywine Ballet, and www.tutu.com). He has a cousin in law enforcement and one of his early Irish ancestors served on the Philly police force. So he decided to utilize his talent—and his connections in the world of ballet—to create a tribute to the fallen officers. “The Spirit of the Fallen”—a series of black and white photograph of dancers wearing angel wings—is the subject of an exhibit and gala opening on August 29 at the Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street, Philadelphia. All the dancers—from a variety of ballet companies in and around the Philadelphia area—volunteered their time. Money raised from the event will pay for the initial printing of a “Spirit of the Fallen” calendar, the proceeds from which will go to the Philadelphia Police Survivor’s Fund. If you’d like to be a sponsor, go to the event website. So far, Laine Walker Hughes, fiddler from Paddy’s Well, is signed up to perform at the August 29 event.

Dublin In the Rare New Time

If you trace your family roots back to Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty, you may be interested to know that there’s a movement afoot to add a Dublin Society to the six county societies (Cavan, Derry, Donegal, Galway, Mayo, and Tyrone) already in Philadelphia. Many of the Dubliners we know—including Siobhan Lyons of the Irish Immigration Center, singer-songwriter John Byrne, fiddler Paraic Keane, publican Fergus Carey (of Fergie’s Pub and others), and Ken Merriman, manager of Tir na Nog in Center City—are all fairly recent immigrants, so Philly may officially be welcoming the “new wave” of the Irish diaspora. No matter how far back you trace your Dublin roots (my great-great grandfather, Frederick Wiley, was a Dubliner), you can show up at the September 14 performance by the Young Dubliners (very clever, those Dubs) at World Café Live, featuring the John Byrne Band. Tickets to the performance are $20, but you insiders can get some cheaper from our local man from Dublin, John Byrne, by emailing him at info@johnbyrneband.com.

 

Good Luck to Philly’s Mary from Dungloe

 

Kiera McDonagh, Philly’s reigning Mary from Dungloe, left for Ireland this week to compete in the international pageant in Dungloe, County Donegal. There are 14 young women competing for the title and a week’s worth of activities, including a “bonny baby” show, a road race (Keira’s a runner so she may be competing, sans sash and tiara), raft racing on the lake, and, finally, the selection of the 2010 Mary from Dungloe at midnight, Sunday, August 1. It took Keira a long time to come up with an act for the talent portion of the competition (she’s a member of the Mairead Farrells Philadelphia ladies Gaelic football team, but she rejected showing her passing and blocking skills). She did tell us what she’s doing but it’s a secret. Just be assured, everyone will be thrilla-ed.

 

California, Here She Comes

 

Emily Weideman, recording secretary of the Donegal Association of Philadelphia and a member of the Inspirational Irish Women Awards committee, will be leaving the area on July 31. She accepted a job as Residence Life Coordinator, at San Jose State University in San Jose, California. Until recently, she held a similar job at Holy Family University in Philadelphia. Emily was the 2009 Mary from Dungloe and worked on this year’s Rose of Tralee event. Her departure leaves a gaping hole in several of the region’s most active Irish organizations.

 

Philly’s Own Future Paula Deen?

 

Coleen McCrea Katz, who helps organize the Donegal Association’s Mary from Dungloe competition every year, was herself in the spotlight (tiara and all) a couple of months ago. In fact, y’all, she was on stage, singing and dancing with Food Network star, Paula Deen. Coleen was one of nearly 6,000 women who entered The Real Women of Philadelphia cooking contest. The Philadelphia actually refers to the cream cheese—each dish has to contain at least two ounces of the Kraft product. While she didn’t win (though you can see her luscious recipes here), she and a group of 35 women decided to travel to Savannah to cheer on the 16 semi-finalists. She really couldn’t afford to go, she says, then “my darling hubby”—Larry Katz—told her to “cancel our 30th wedding anniversary getaway” so she could make the trip. (No wonder she’s held on to him for so long!) The women, most of whom met on the competition website, wore matching “Real Women of Philadelphia” t-shirts and performed a song-and-dance routine they’d developed on the stage of the Lucas Theater, with special guest dancer, Paula Deen herself. “I had the time of my life,” says Coleen.

Happy Fourth of July from Ireland

When “Carmel’s Crew” takes part in the Susan B. Komen 3-Day Walk for a Cure in October, they’ll be handing over donations from a very unusual fundraiser—a Fourth of July barbecue held by the family of Carmel Porter Bradley in her hometown of Raphoe, County Donegal. Bradley, who was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago, will be making the 60-mile walk herself, starting on October 15. Healthy now, she and her family—husband Louie, twin sons Shane and Conor and a daughter, Fiona– were in Ireland over the Independence Day holiday because Louie is the president of the Delco Gaels Gaelic Football Club, which was playing in an international Gaelic football competition. Her family and friends in Ireland raised more than $2,000 during this very American holiday celebration to support the walkers who call themselves “Carmel’s Crew.” Each participant must raise $2,300, so the fundraising isn’t done. You can help support Carmel’s Crew this Saturday at a karaoke beef-and-beer at Paddy Rooney’s in Havertown. Says friend and one of the Delco Gael’s team moms, Colleen Rafferty Boyce: Carmel “has just been such an inspiration really through all of it-so strong and positive and an absolute wonderful person all around.”

Update on Kingston Springs, Tennessee

A recent Irish Center benefit raised more than $2,000 for the people of Kingston Springs, TN, who lost their only elementary school in last spring’s flooding. The bulk of those donations came from a group of Philly Irish tourists who were stranded in the small town by those raging waters and were treated with such kindness by the people they encountered. (They offered immediate payback: The group, with its own musicians in tow, put together an impromptu ceili that had locals dancing and singing in the rain.) Tour leader, Marianne MacDonald, WTMR-800AM Sunday Irish radio host, has been in touch with the town manager of Kingston Springs. “She told me that they’re going to use the money to purchase school materials that were lost in the floods so we’d like to raise a bit more money,” she said. If you’d like to make a donation, contact Marianne at rinceseit@msn.com.

What’s Aon Sceal? It’s pronounced ay-n sh-kayl and it’s Irish for “what’s new” (or, technically, “any story”). It’s your chance to see your name in bold face print. Send your news to us at denise.foley@comcast.net.