This Sunday, April 24, Irish organizations from all over the region will converge on Philadelphia to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, the lost battle that ultimately won Ireland its independence from British rule.
It starts with a flag-raising at The Irish Memorial at Front and Chestnut Streets at 10 AM followed by a procession to Independence Hall at 5th and Market Streets where the Proclamation—Ireland’s “Declaration of Independence”–will be read out loud.
There will be food available after the ceremonies at The Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street in Philadelphia. Several bands will be playing.
Also this weekend, there are two fundraisers on Saturday. The first, to benefit Michael Concannon’s Irish Hours radio show, will be held at Monaghan’s Pub in Essington. Raymond McGroary, Round Tower, and the McDade Cara dancers will be on hand.
Blackthorn will be providing the music for the Saturday evening fundraiser for Shamrock Reins, a Bucks County organization providing equine therapy for veterans and first responders.
Mary Courtney will be doing a solo concert on Saturday night at The Dubliner on the Delaware. She was a hit at this year’s Philadelphia Ceili Group music fest.
If you’re at the Jersey Shore for the Cummins School of Irish Dance’s Feis at the Beach, head over to the Anglesea Pub in North Wildwood to hear the Shanty’s on Saturday night.
Jamison will be at PJ Whelihan’s Maple Shade, NJ, location on Saturday night.
Coming up: on May 7, the first Pieta House Darkness into Light 5k in Philadelphia to support this Irish organization that does outreach to people considering suicide or self-harming. It opened its first North American branch last year in New York’s Irish Center. A study released this week found that suicide rates are on the upswing, particularly among women and young girls. Register at their website. www.pietahouse.org
On May 6, the Irish Center is holding a Designer Bag Bingo to raise money for the center.
And on Sunday, May 8, treat your mother to dinner at the Irish Center at the annual Mother’s Day Dinner sponsored by the Tyrone Society.
Tickets are on sale for the 2016 Philadelphia Fleadh, to be heldon the grounds of the Cherokee Day Camp in Bensalem. The entertainment includes Jamison, the Shantys, the John Byrne Band, Celtic Connection, the Paul Moore Band, No Irish Need Apply, the Bogside Rogues, the Kilmaine Saints, Raymond Coleman, alex Weir and Mikey McComiskey, the Birmingham Six, Killen Clark, Wet of Galway, and Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley with The Next Generation, the group of young trad musicians they teach and mentor. There will also be a Feis, a ceili, and plenty of vendors.
More information, including ticket links, on many of these events are on our calendar.
