Denise Foley

Expect a lot of exuberance at this year's Ceili Group festival.

Welcome to September! Dust off your shamrock deely bobbers, folks. You’re going to need them.

In a couple of weeks we’ll be halfway to St. Paddy’s Day and this is the month where we all start practicing because we have plenty—and I mean plenty—of opportunity. I don’t want to say there’s an Irish festival every week, because I think we’re skipping a week this year. But there are some weekends when there are two or three to make up for it.

[A brief pause to air a pet peeve: Now, seriously, folks, can we get some coordination here? Before you decide on a date for your event, check our calendar. It’s the only comprehensive Irish events calendar in the region and you’ll get more people at your fest if it’s not scheduled say, when most of the Irish people in Philly are in Wildwood destroying their livers or heading to a festival where, in addition to hearing great Irish music, they can see half naked men in kilts throwing telephone poles around. Now, back to our regularly scheduled column.]

First festival of the season award goes to Brittingham’s in Lafayette Hill where East of the Hebrides launched a nice, kid-friendly Irish fest last year in Brittingham’s parking lot. On Sunday, September 5, there’s great music from Paddy’s Well, Jamison, Oliver McElhone, Seamus McGroary, and Whiskey Folk; a beer garden (I’m having one of those next year); Irish dancers and bagpipers; and vendors and delicious food both inside and out (for those of you who’ve been to Ireland, Brittingham’s serves authentic toasties!).

The Saturday before, you can see the Samuel Beckett play, “First Love,” at the Suzanne Roberts Theater in Philadelphia. It stars Irish actor Conor Lovett in his 19th role in a Beckett play. And boy, is his sense of the absurd tired.

Then, come Thursday, gear yourself up for three days and nights of the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s annual festival of traditional Irish song and dance at the Irish Center in Philadelphia.

This year could be one of the best years ever: Remarkable fiddler Liz Carroll will be joining forces with Altan’s Daithi Sproule on stage on Saturday night., September 11. Irish Philadelphia will be there on Saturday afternoon with a table filled with fun for the kiddies, so stop by and see us. (And bring the kids: We have free Silly Bandz and tattoos.) There will be other vendors too, as well as food, drink, Irish dancing, and classes on everything from the Irish language, to making a St. Brigid’s Cross to genealogy (our own resident genealogist Lori Lander Murphy will be giving a talk on how to find your Irish ancestors).

But before that, you can see “The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy,” a much-heralded documentary on the life of this Irish music legend who died last year, on Wednesday night at the Irish Center. On Thursday night, the Singers Circle brings some of the best voices in the area to one place (and if you have a nice voice, come on down and add it!). And on Friday, kick up your heels for a ceili (set dance) featuring legendary Kevin McGillian (on accordian) and Friends along with a Fireside room concert featuring Galway’s finest, Gary Quinn on accordian and Anthony McGrath on guitar.

There are some other amazing musicians who will be performing and/or offering workshops, including Myron Bretholz (bodhran) from Baltimore; Dave Abe (fiddle) from Washington, DC; singers Karen Boyce McCollum and Michael Boyce of Blackthorn; guitarist John Brennan; Cara Frankowicz from New England, who will be teaching fiddle; Dave Hanson (bodhran); and Tim Hill, who, at 17, is an up-and-coming uillean piper.

Also on the bill: Tom Reing, director of the Inis Nua Theatre Company, will be offering an acting workshop for kids aged 8-14; Paraic Keane, from the well-known Keane family in Ireland (dad Sean was with The Chieftains, uncle James is a celebrated box player), will be performing; the Jameson Sisters (angelic voiced Terry Kane and the very funny harper, Ellen Tepper) will be performing and offering workshops in sean nos singing and harp; singer Marian Makins (she of the unbelievably beautiful voice); uillean piper Dan McHugh; flute player Paddy O’Neill; and the irrepressible Gerry Timlin, musician, publican (he’s co-owner of The Shanachie Pub in Ambler, which serves as the occasional home office of irishphiladelphia.com) and comic.

The Ceili Group’s festival will be overlapping on Saturday, Septmber 11, with the Green Lane Scottish-Irish Festival. Music will be provided by the Martin Family Band, the Hooligans, Burning Bridget Cleary, Tree, and Norsewind. There will be pipers of every strip, Highland and Irish dancers, great food, kids activities, and, of course, the big sea monster in the middle of the Green Lane reservoir.

The Young Dubliners are also coming to town on Saturday, September 11, playing the Sellersville Theatre with The Barley Boys and later, on September 14, with the John Byrne Band at the World Café Live in Philadelphia (an Irish Network-Philadelphia get-together and the informal founding of Philadelphia’s new Dublin Society).

Speaking of the Jameson Sisters, they’ll be playing on Friday, September 10, at the Meet The Artists night at Villanova University, where the works of a group of Irish artists in London, “The Quiet Men,” are on exhibit through October. The London Irish co-curator and painter Thomas Whelan will be speaking on the topic, “Who are the Quiet Men?” — referring to the artists who, like many Irish-Americans, have Irish roots but grew up or live in England.

On Saturday, September 11, The Gloucester County AOH will conduct a wreath-laying and short ceremony honoring Commodore John Barry, father of the U.S. Navy and Wexford-born American Revolutionary War patriot, at the monument at the Commodore Barry Bridge. A mass will follow at the AOH hall, with a free luncheon afterwards and music by The Broken Shillelaghs.

There’s more heading our way, so stay tuned!

They know there's plenty of craic coming up.

A bonus this week: Nearly a month’s worth of ways you can be Irish in Philly. The reason: We’re taking the week off. All of us. At the same time. We’re not going to be wired for a whole week. And there are some festivals coming up in September you need to plan for.

First, here’s what’s going on while we’re gone:

On Friday, August 20, works by a group of Irish artists living in London who call themselves will be on display at Villanova University Art Gallery. The exhibit will be there for several months.

The Irish Club of Delaware County will give it another try—its second annual picnic by the pool, featuring Round Tower and good eats at the Knights of Columbus De LaSalle Pool in Springfield on Saturday. The first date was a rainout.

On Sunday, “Go Irish: The Purgatory Diaries of Jason Miller,” a one-man play, is coming for a one-off at the Irish Center in Philadelphia. Actor Bob Hughes plays Miller, and actor who was Oscar-nominated for his role as Father Damien Karras in the 1973 movie, “The Exorcist.” and a screenwriter and playwright who was was winner of the Pulitzer Prize that same year, for “That Championship Season.” At the time of his death,Miller was in the midst of mounting a revival of Inherit the Wind at Scranton Public Theatre and writing a television script about his former father-in-law, comedian Jackie Gleason.

Jason Miller was passionate, talented, troubled and conflicted. He turned his back on Hollywood –it was not his style– to return to his native Scranton to care for his ailing mother and father. One of his Miller’s memorable roles was in the movie “Rudy” in which he played Notre Dame Head Football Coach Ara Parseghian. An avid Notre Dame fan, the greeting on Jason’s home phone was ‘Go Irish,” hence the name of the play.

Free movie night is back at the Irish Center on Thursdays through the end of summer. Kick back with a beer, a plate of Paul’s fabulous chicken fingers, and enjoy the show on the big screen in air-conditioned comfort.

Next Friday, August 27, The Celtic Tenors come to the Sellersville Theatre bringing their eclectic sound that has sold more than 1 million CDs worldwide.

Now this sounds yummy: On Saturday, August 28, the 8th annual Berks Celtic Oyster Fest takes place at St. Benedict’s Grove in Mohnton, PA. On stage will be RUNA, the Hooligans, Charlie Zahm, Trinity, John Whelan, Hamilton Celtic Pipe Band, and the Reid School of Highland Dance. There’s also an oyster-eating contest and a best men’s legs in kilts contest. Plus food and vendors and probably some oysters for public consumption.

But that’s just a taste of this particular weekend. Solas is appearing on Saturday night at Longwood Gardens. What a beautiful venue for this talented group.

And the Mairead Farrells Ladies Gaelic football club is holding a “Halloween in the Summer” costume party on Saturday night at Tir na NoG in Philadelphia to help raise funds for the team, which is going to be in great need of a trophy cabinet soon to hold all their well-earned honors. You go, girls!

And on Sunday, August 29, photographer Brian Mengini (you’ve seen his work on our pages) unveils his “Spirit of the Fallen” exhibit, photographs of dancers wearing wings who volunteered their time to honor Philadelphia’s slain police officers. Mengini is using the event, which features the Timoney Irish dancers and fiddler Laine Walker Hughes from Paddy’s Well and is being held at the Irish Center, to raise money to publish a calendar which he plans to sell to raise money for the Philadelphia Police Survivors Fund. Order your tickets here.

That takes us into September. For many people, it’s a bittersweet month. Summer fun is winding down and the kids are going back to school. But if you’re Irish, the fun is just starting. With September come festivals galore, starting with the second annual Brittingham’s Irish Festival in Lafayette Hill on September 5 featuring the ever-popular Paddy’s Well, Jamison, Oliver McElhone, Seamus McGroary, and Whiskey Folk, dozens of vendors, an outdoor beer garden, dancers, and plenty of activities for kids.

This is also a bang-up year for Irish and Scottish plays and on September 4, you can see actor Conor Lovett in Samuel Beckett’s one-man play, “First Love,” at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival of Irish Music and Dance (September 9-11) this year features Grammy-nominated fiddler Liz Carroll, about whom one critic wrote, “[she] conjures up a dizzying mixture of the sweetest tones, the fastest runs, and the most dazzling display of musicianship imaginable.” Joining her during the Saturday night concert will be Daithi Sproule of the acclaimed Donegal group, Altan, who frequently collaborates with Carroll. There will be music all day in the Fireside Room and dancing in the ballroom, Irish product vendors, kids’ activities, dance demonstrations, and classes in everything from genealogy to Irish singing and crafts.

But before that, see a showing of “The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy” on Wednesday night at the Irish Center to kick off this year’s festival, followed by Singers’ Circle on Thursday, featuring some of the area’s finest Irish singers.

The Green Lane Scottish Irish Festival is on tap for the same weekend. It will feature the Martin Family Band, the Hooligans, Burning Bridget Cleary, Tree, Norsewind, pipers, Highland and Irish dancers, great food, and that wonking big sea monster in the middle of the Green Lane reservoir.

The Young Dubliners are coming to town on Saturday, September 11, playing the Sellersville Theatre with The Barley Boys and later, on September 14, with the John Byrne Band at the World Café Live in Philadelphia (an Irish Network-Philadelphia get-together and the informal founding of Philadelphia’s new Dublin Society).

On September 18, try something a little different–the Gloucester City 2010 Shamrock Festival, which starts at noon in Proprietors’s Park on the Delaware waterfront. Gloucester City is a couple of minutes from Philadelphia over one bridge or another and is a lovely, often overlooked little city with a long Irish history (and plenty of Irish pubs). Jamison and the Broken Shillelaghs are only two of the bands scheduled to play, and there’s plenty of kid stuff to do, great food to eat, and a beer garden. Hey, maybe next year we’ll plant beer seeds in our garden!

The Cape May County AOH Div. 1 holds its annual Irish Weekend September 23-26 in N. Wildwood, the largest Irish festival on the east coast, which lasts for four days and covers N. Wildwood like gravy on Irish stew. It includes a boxing match, a ceili, 5 K run, 1 mile walk, a pipe band exhibition, and music galore, including Paddy’s Well, the Broken Shillelaghs, Bogside Rogues, Derek Warfield and the Young Wolfetones, the Sean Fleming Band, and many more. It’s wall-to-wall vendors, great food, and craic. We have the whole schedule up on our interactive calendar.

There’s craic galore at the Bethlehem Celtic Classic which is held the same weekend as Wildwood’s fest every year. But in Bethlehem you also get big guys tossing hammers and cabers, border collies doing their stuff, a haggis-eating contest, lots of dancing and singing by groups like Barleyjuice, John Doyle and Karan Casey, Timlin and Kane, Bua, McPeake, the Makem and Spain Brothers, Enter the Haggis, the Glengharry Boys, the Jameson Sisters, Burning Bridget Cleary, and more. You’ll find a link to the entire schedule on our calendar.

We’ll be back soon and update you on anything new. Enjoy the last of August! We know we will!

Barleyjuice will be having fun in Wildwood this weekend ... you can too!

Big goings-on at the shore this weekend: The inaugural Irish Summer Fest in Wildwood kicks off on Friday night with the critically acclaimed Celtic Crossroads show at the Wildwoods Convention Center, repeated on Saturday night.

This whole weekend you can see a wide variety of Celtic artists, from the popular Barleyjuice and Raining Hearts (the enormously talented daughters of Barleyjuice’s Kyf Brewer), Roger Drawdry and the Firestarters, Nae Breeks, an ensemble pipe and drum band, and Philly and Dublin’s own John Byrne Band, who’ve been tapped to play for former British PM Tony Blair when he receives the Liberty Medal in Philadelphia in September. It’s also your chance to hear Boxty, a duo made up of Miltown Malbay’s Fintan Malone and Kevin Brennan, formerly with Van Morrison.

There are also workshops in everything from tin whistle to bodhran, vendors, food, Irish dancers and story telling for the kids by Terry Harris, author of “The Loneliest Leprechaun” and Sean McCabe.

Part of the proceeds from the event will go to Access to Art, a local nonprofit that brings music, dance, and art to residents of Cape May County; The Forgotten Irish Fund, which aids Irish immigrants to Britain; and the Irish Way, a study abroad program for American students interested in learning about Irish history and culture.

This is the last weekend for Bethlehem’s Musikfest, where Barleyjuice (wow, they’re busy!), Enter the Haggis, and Blackwater will be on stage on Saturday.

On Sunday, the tone is serious. The Mayo Association of Philadelphia is holding its annual Out Lady of Knock Mass at the Irish Center in Philadelphia. This year there will be a special dedication of an Our Lady of Knock stature sculptured in Knock, County Mayo, before the Mass begins. A dinner follows after the Mass.

A basilica stands on the ground in Knock where, in 1979, five people said they saw an apparition of Our Lady, St. Joseph, and St, John the Baptist at a small parish church. Behind them was a lamb, the symbol of Christ, on an altar.

On Wednesday, August 18, you’re in for a treat—The High Kings will be doing two shows at Brittingham’s. The first may be sold out (call and check) but they’ve added a second, 10 PM show. If you’ve seen them on PBS, here’s your chance to see them up close and personal.

On Friday, Villanova opens an exhibit called “The Quiet Men,” paintings by a group of Irish artists working in London whose works reflect the “outsider” nature of being an Irishman in England. The Irish Times newspaper called it “powerful work,” and it will be on display through October 6. On September 10, there will be an artists’ reception and artist Brian Whelan will discuss the paintings.

Next Saturday, the Second Annual Irish Picnic sponsored by the Irish Club of Delaware County will take place at the Knights of Columbus de LaSalle Pool in Springfield, Delaware County. The event, which was rained out earlier in the summer, features the band, Round Tower, a DJ, food, and vendors.

Check out the calendar for all the details.