The Roses
Yet another festival this weekend, this one Scottish (but hey, a Celt’s a Celt). The Celtic Fling and Highland Games goes on in Manheim, in Lancaster County, on Saturday with music, dancing, craftsmen and big, beefy athletes who toss things that look like telephone poles into the air to see who can heft them the farthest. Trust us, this is way fun.
Closer to home, you can watch a group of smart, talented, lovely young women compete for the coveted Mid-Atlantic Rose of Tralee crown. There are four Philly entries (good luck, girls!) plus young women from up and down the eastern seaboard vying for the chance to compete for the international title in Ireland. It all takes place at the Irish Center on Saturday night. The bargain price of $35 per tickets gets you dinner, dancing, and a chance to play along (come on, we know you pick the winners when you’re watching Miss Universe at home!).
AOH Black Jack Kehoe Division is holding its annual Night of Irish Music at the Briarcliffe American Legion Hall in Glenolden on Saturday night. The Shantys and other local groups are on the bill, and there’s food and drink as well.
Then, can you take another festival? Sure you can! On Sunday, Bristol Borough holds its annual Celtic Day on the waterfront, featuring the Irish American String Band, bagpiper Ian Ferrick, McHugh and Company, Paddy’s Well and the Fitzpatrick School of Irish Dance. BYO lawn chair, but there’ll be food and goodies to buy and entertainment for the kids.
Other than the sessions just about every night of the week, it’s a bit slow, probably because of the July 4 weekend coming up. We’ll peek a little ahead because there’s some fine stuff coming up, including a free concert with Barleyjuice in Galloway, NJ, on July 3.
Later in July, the incredible Don Stiffe, a singer-songwriter from County Galway, is coming to the Irish Center. You won’t believe this voice! You’ll probably be hearing it on Marianne MacDonald’s “Come West Along the Road” radio show on Sundays at noon on WTMR 800AM since she’s bringing this enormously talented musician to the area. Writing about Stiffe’s first release, “Start of a Dream,” Sean Laffey of Irish Music magazine said “the album is in the premier league… style, taste, pace and final execution are flawless and his choice of songs is inspired … a class act, with a class album.”
Later in the summer, the fiddle-playing Kane sisters, Liz and Yvonne, from Connemara, will be on stage at the Irish Center for a Philadelphia Ceili Group concert.
