Kevin Chapman, left, with Jim Cavizel from "Person of Interest."
If you saw the Mark Wahlberg film, “The Fighter,” you know that “Irish” Micky Ward, is one tough boxer. The movie chronicles Ward’s comeback after a series of humiliating defeats led him to abandon what had been a promising boxing career (he once knocked Sugar Ray Leonard, a fight he lost on points).
On Monday, you can see what kind of bowler Micky Ward is. He’s one of the celebrities who will be trying to score for charity—in this case, The Claddagh Fund, a nonprofit founded by Ken Casey of the Boston Celtic punk group, The Dropkick Murphys. Casey will also be there, along with actor Kevin Chapman, co-star with Jim Cavizel of the hit CBS-TV series, “Person of Interest,” and some Philly stars, including Ian Laperriere, Jody Shelley, Matt Read, and Zac Rinaldo of the Flyers. Local comic Joe Conklin will also be on hand to provide laughs, if the amateur bowling isn’t enough.
The Claddagh Fund was founded in 2009 to help raise money for underfunded nonprofits in the Boston area. It raised more than half a million dollars in its first year, supporting a diverse group of organizations mainly serving children, veterans, and people in recovery, including the Dorchester Boys & Girls Club, The Franciscan Hospital for Children, and the Greater Lowell YMCA. Since then, they’ve gone international, donating to The Belvedere Youth Club in Dublin Ireland, Springboard Opportunities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the Hope for Haiti Children’s Center in Port Au Prince.
This year, Casey brought his charity to Philadelphia, where the Dropkick Murphys have a large fan base, and chose as its first beneficiary, Stand Up for Kids, a virtually unknown nonprofit organization staffed almost entirely by volunteers, that does outreach with homeless and street kids in the city.
In September, in announcing the expansion to Philadelphia, Casey told us that choosing the city was virtually a no-brainer. “It is just a natural fit,” he said. “There are so many similarities between the two towns. They both love their communities, families, and sports teams. Philadelphians are good hardworking people and have always been good to the Dropkick Murphys. We want to do what we can to give back to a community that has been so good to us.”
The First Annual Claddagh Fund Celebrity Rock ‘N Bowl event is Monday night, 5:30 PM to 11:30 PM at North Bowl, 909 North 2nd Street, in Philadelphia. It costs $50 to attend, which includes two drink tickets, viewing, plus having your picture taken with your favorite celeb. A Rock ‘N Bowl package is $150 per bowler or $800 per team of six, that gets you into the VIP cocktail event, a bowling shirt, and best of all, a chance to bowl with a celebrity.
For tickets or more information, contact Kate McCloud at 267-644-8095 or Kathleen.McCloud@claddaghfund.org.
