Ford Motor Company chief economist Ellen Hughes-Cromwick will speak at the Irish-American Business Chamber this week.
When the recession looked like it was going to kick the American auto industry to the curb, the Ford Motor Company emerged as the only one of the big three in a position to survive. Not only did it survive, it’s thriving. In April, Ford reported a net profit of $2.2 billion or 50 cents a share—its largest pretax profit in six years, and all due to higher sales, not a bailout.
You have a unique opportunity to find out how Ford did it on Wednesday when Ellen Hughes-Cromwick, the company’s chief economist and global director of strategy, speaks to the Irish American Business Chamber and Network at a lunch meeting at the Union League in Philadelphia. The event is open to non-members, but you’ll have to act fast to save a seat. Contact Alanna Barry McCloskey at abarry@iabcn.org.
This weekend will give you ample opportunity to flex your Irish. On Saturday, Bill and Karen Reid will roll out their fourth annual Phoenixille Celtic Street Fair. Those wonderful folks who bring you the Mid-Winter Scottish-Irish Festival and the new Brittingham’s summer Scottish-Irish Festival and more are stocking the 200 block of Bridge Street with the best in local Irish entertainment, including the always good Bogside Rogues, Charlie Zahm, Olier McElhone, Na’Bodach, Irish Thunder, and the New York Celtic Dancers. As always, there will be dozens of vendors and lots to eat and drink. Even without the festival, Phoenixville has a lot to offer, but with it, wow.
If you stay in Phoenixville for dinner, head over to Molly Maguire’s to hear the remarkable local group, Burning Bridget Cleary, performing starting at 6 p.m.
If your Irish ancestors came to America to work as servants in the homes of the wealthy, you will enjoy a talk by Margaret Lynch-Brennan, author of “The Irish Bridget,” the story of Irish immigrant servants from 1840 to 1930, at the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon.
On Saturday night, The Galway Society is holding its annual dinner dance at the Irish Center, with music provided by the Vince Gallagher Band.
On Thursday, Villanova University librarians Darren Poley and Michael Foight will speak at the Independence Seaport Museum about the digitization of the Commodore Barry papers, a joint project that brings together materials owned by Independence Seaport Museum and other family-related papers. Included are items that feature nautical related themes with content from Commodore John Barry (1745-1803), a Wexford native who lived and is buried in Philadelphia. The event includes a tour of the museum and its archives by Matt Herbison, director of the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library, Independence Seaport Museum. Light refreshments will be served.
And for all you Saw Doctors fans, your guys will be performing at The Note, an intimate venue in West Chester on Thursday night.
Friday is “choose your own Celtic treat” day. Here’s what’s going on:
AOH Division 3 is holding its annual golf outing and dinner at the Pine Crest Country Club in Lansdale, a fundraiser for AOH charities.
Two of our favorites, Matt and Shannon Heaton, are performing at Immanuel Episcopal Church in Wilmington, DE. (They’re heading back our way on May 26 for a special show at the Shanachie Pub and Restaurant.)
Michael Flately’s “Lord of the Dance” extravaganza starts its weekend run at the Merriam Theater on South Broad Street in Philadelphia. (We talked to one of the leads, Adam McSharry, who plays Don Dorcha, the dark lord.)
Seven Nations, the Celtic heavy metal rockers, will be playing at Brittingham’s in Lafayette Hill (kilts, bagpipes, and nonstop guitar riffs—trust me, it works).
Coming up: On May 22, there will be a musical benefit at the Irish Center to raise money for the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s annual traditional music festival (that happens in September), featuring Paddy O’Neill with traditional Northern Ireland tunes on wooden flute, traditional and original music by John Brennan on fiddle and guitar; John McGillian on accordian; Caitlyn Finley playing fiddle tunes from the late Andy McGann and others; and Paraic Keane uses his fiddle to show how musical virtuosity is genetic (his father, Sean, is with the Chieftains, and uncle, James Keane, is such an accomplished button accordian player he has an instrument named after him). An open session will follow the concert, so bring your instruments. Tickets are only $15.
On May 23, the Irish Center and the Irish Immigration Center of Greater Philadelphia will honor 11 “Inspirational Irish Women” at a cocktail reception which will also open an exhibit of portraits done by Pat Gallagher, the son of Irish immigrants who grew up on Philadelphia’s Main Line. Tickets to the event are $35 and include hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer. You can order tickets online or by calling 215-884-1936 or 215-779-1466. Proceeds from the event benefit the Irish Center and Project H.O.M.E., a charity founded by one of the honorees, Sister Mary Scullion.
The other honorees are Princess Grace of Monaco; Emily Riley, executive vice president of the Connelly Foundation; Sister Kathleen Marie Keenan, senior vice president of Mercy Health; Rosemarie Timoney, founder of the Timoney School of Irish Dance; Kathy Orr, CBS3 meterologist; Denise Sullivan Morrison, president of a major division of the Campbell’s Soup Company; Liz Kerr of LAOH Brigid McCrory Division 25; Siobhan Reardon, first woman president of the Free Library of Philadelphia; Rosabelle Gifford, first recipient of the Rose of Tralee Mary O’Connor Spirit Award for her courageous spirit; and Kathy McGee Burns, first woman president of the Donegal Association, president of the Delaware Valley Hall of Fame, and first vice president of the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association.
