Big week ahead of us, starting tonight with the (virtual) Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival.
Let’s jump right into it:
Friday, September 11-Saturday, September 12
We mentioned this last week (see our story), but because of the pandemic, the Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival—normally held at the Irish Center in Mount Airy—just wasn’t in the cards. In person, that is. But the Ceili Group has come up with a thoroughly creative way to celebrate the festival on the web. It’s well worth checking out. They’ve put a ton of work into their plans, and it shows.
First of all, tonight … celebrate a Rambling House with host Hollis Payer. There’s also a dance workshop. The dance workshop is led by the great Kieran Jordan at 6 p.m. The Rambling House kicks in at 7. Learn more here, and they’ll send you the link.
Here’s who’s going to be at the Rambling House: The wonderful Mary Courtney (video below), Kathy DeAngelo and Dennis Gormley, piper Tim Hill and Autumn Rhodes, Rob Curto, Patch and Bob Glennan, Gabriel Donohue and Marian Makins, Donie Carroll, and many more.
Saturday is jam-packed with workshops, including singing with Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan, genealogy with our own Lori Lander Murphy, dance with Shannon Dunne, flute with Kevin Crawford of Lunasa … and we could go on. This is a truly fabulous lineup of some of the best in the world. Full details here.
Speaking of world-class, Saturday wraps up with a huge concert, featuring fiddler par excellence Kevin Burke, Riverdance fiddler Haley Richardson, Mick Moloney with Billy McComiskey, and Athena Tergis, and once again … we could go on. You don’t want to miss the show, which starts at 6 p.m. All details here.
This is one super-important way to support musicians and other performers at a time when they could really use it. So if you possibly can, by all means do.
Saturday, September 12
Starting at 11 a.m., celebrate Commodore Barry Day at the foot of the Commodore Barry Bridge in Bridgeport, N.J., with free parking next to the Delaware River Port Authority Administration Building. Social distancing and masks required. There will be a ceremony culminating in a wreath-laying.
Later in the day, starting at 6 p.m., Jamison Celtic Rock shows up at Tom n’ Jerry’s, 1006 MacDade Boulevard in Ridley.
Also, at 7 p.m., No Irish Need Apply plays at Cannstatter’s Beer Garden
9130 Academy Road in Northeast Philly.
Tuesday, September 15
The Commodore Barry Arts and Cultural Center, 6815 Emlen Street in the city’s Mount Airy neighborhood, hosts a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Really important to give during these times. So if anyone asks you, “What do they want, blood?” … the answer is absolutely yes.
Thursday, September 17
Check out a virtual Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, hosted by the Irish American Business Chamber and Network. It’s actually the beginning of a new series: “Explore the Emerald Isle: Dream Now, Travel Soon.” The first installment showcases a virtual tour of EPIC—Ireland’s Emigration Museum in Dublin—and it will be guided by David Cleary, EPIC head of sales. There will also be time for small group networking. It starts at 12 noon. All the details can be found here.
And that’s it. (That’s plenty.)
See you next time. Be safe!
