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Dance, Music

A Look Back at the 2012 Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival

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Constance the Butterfly

From singers’ night last Thursday to Saturday’s smashing finale, a concert by the legendary Dé Danann, the 2012 Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival was far and away one of the most popular and best attended ever.

Probably the best sign of success was the Saturday Dé Danann show, with opener, the uillean piper Paddy Keenan accompanied by Dé Danann bouzouki player Alec Finn. The Irish Center ballroom was as packed as it’s ever been, with a lot of late-arriving concert-goers going chairless. They didn’t seem to mind. Dé Danann, with the luminescent singer Eleanor Shanley belting out tunes, was incredibly sharp for a band that was formed at about the time the Pleistocene era was ending. OK, maybe not that long ago, but there sure was a lot of gray hair up onstage.

Earlier in the day, festival-goers had their choice of things to do, from face-painting with the kids to dancing lessons to musical workshops with the likes of Dé Danann iconic bodhran player Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh.

Sean Tyrrell’s one-man show, “Who Killed James Joyce,” was likewise well attended on Friday night.

We were there for most of it, and we have the pictures to prove it.

Check them out:

Dance, Music, News, People

Having a Blast at Brittingham’s

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Whoo--hoo! I'm having a good time!

There were three–count them–three lovely Irish pageant winners at the fourth annual Brittingham’s Irish Fest in Lafayette Hill on Sunday, September 2. There were also hundreds of happy folks who braved a spritzing of rain to attend the parking lot-sized festival that kicks off festival month in the region.

There was music–Jamison, the Paul Moore Band, and No Irish Need Apply (which features 2012 International Mary from Dungloe, Meghan Davis)–as well as vendors and some kick-butt barbecue. And dancing? There’s always dancing at this event, by those who know what they’re doing and those who don’t. It’s always a happy time.

If you don’t believe us or that adorable baby to the right, check out our pictures.

Dance, Music

Dazzling Lineup for the Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival

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Courtney Malley, with a portrait of her late father Frank

There’s been a lot of water under the bridge since Dé Danann last graced the stage at the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s annual festival. Twenty-five years and a few personnel changes, to be exact.

But have no doubt that the version of Dé Danann that takes to the Philadelphia Irish Center stage Saturday night, September 8, at the Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival is the genuine article. Founding members Alec Finn and Johnny “Ringo” McDonagh will be joined by past members Brian McGrath, Derek Hickey, Eleanor Shanley, and Mick Conneely.

Anne McNiff, secretary of the Philadelphia Ceili Group, expects an amazing night of music from the band, and from the opener, acclaimed uilleann piper Paddy Keenan, as well.

McNiff says Dé Danann’s appearance culminates the Ceili Group’s year-long series featuring music from the west of Ireland. “The band originally came from the Galway area, and that’s where they currently list themselves as being from,” McNiff says. “Also we wanted to pick a band that would be a grand finale for the music series. We thought the band would be popular, attracting Ceili Group members as well as others. Many people are familiar with the name Dé Danann, and revivals are all the rage right now.”

This particular revival won’t represent a radical departure from the sound the band is known for, says McNiff.

“At the core, they certainly have a sound that they’re known for. It’s the way the band plays with each other that makes them great.”

So that takes care of the festival finale, but there’s a whole lot of Irish music, dance and culture on the agenda in the days leading up to the Saturday night concert.

Thursday night (September 6) is singers night, dedicated to vocal music, and dedicated to the memory of the late Ceili Group leading light Frank Malley, who dearly loved songs. Look for performances by Rosaleen McGill, Matt Ward, Marian Makins, and others. The night is hosted by Gabriel Donohue.

Friday night (September 7), you’ll be able to dance to the music of the McGillians & Friends, or you can grab a chair in the cozy Fireside Room to take in a brilliant little one-man show, “Who Killed James Joyce,” by troubadour Sean Tyrrell. McNiff is looking forward to that performance.

“We have had Sean Tyrrell before. He is famous for these one-man shows. This is his latest, and he’ll be presenting not only works from Joyce, but other Irish poets as well. While it’s not a theatre piece, it has theatrical aspects to it. Sean’s shows very much incorporate the spoken word as much as the music. We really wanted to present something different in the Fireside Room, which is a smaller, more intimate venue. It’s more of a pub-like experience.”

Earlier in the day Saturday features a wide range of workshops, from Irish singing to the irish language. There will also be live music throughout the day, kiddie activities, vendors, and of course delicious food and drink.

You can find out more about the festival by visiting the Ceili Group website.

Dance, News, People

Cummins Dancers Bring Home the Medals

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Some of the Cummins' School medalists.

Maggie Priole, 10, from Glenside, was ranked first in north America for her age in the treble jig round, earning two perfect 100’s from 2 of the three judges at the North American Irish Dance Championship, held July 3-7, in Chicago. Maggie, who is a student at the Cummins School in Philadelphia, placed fourth overall in North America . She attends 3 three-hour classes a week, plus 2-3 private lessons a week, and has a private strength-training session geared towards Irish dancers each week, proving that winning takes work. Congrats, Maggie!

Maggie Priole of Glenside who ranked first in North America in the treble jig.

Other Cummins School dancers also came back with medals. Mairin McDonnell age 10 from Jenkintown came in 25th. Mairin also competed in February at the all Ireland champs in Dublin. Ellie Lynch, 9, from Oreland was franked in 35th place. Katie Donnelly, 16 from, Manayunk came in 56th place. This is the first year Katie qualified for North American competition. She also received a medal at the All Ireland’s in February.

The Cummins School is located at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy.

Editors’ note: How did your dancers do? Email us with the information at denise.foley@comcast.net and we’ll let everyone know. Pictures welcome!

July 12, 2012 by Denise Foley

Dance

The Last Dance

Caterina Coyne

Can it really be so? Will the toe-tapping spectacle that is Riverdance never again play in a Philadelphia theatre?

True. And Philadelphia isn’t alone. When the lights go out at the Wolftrap Center outside Washington, D.C., the North American show’s last stop, on June 17, Riverdance will never again tour the United States.

For Caterina Coyne, the female lead dancer of the show’s Shannon company which will perform Friday through Sunday at the Merriam Theatre, curtain call on that final Wolftrap show is likely to be a bittersweet moment.

“I’ve been doing Riverdance for eight years, five of them in North America,” says the London-born Coyne, who moved with her family to Galway when she was a small child. “I suppose I spend so much time over here, I see North America as being as much my home as Ireland. It’ll be very sad not to be touring here anymore. United States audiences are probably the best anywhere. They love the show, and they are really vocal about it. You can see how much they enjoy it. Throughout the rest of the world, they are more reserved.”

This final North American tour began in Dallas in February. The troupe sets a grueling pace, performing eight shows a week, on average. (They get Mondays off.)

Coyne, 29, has been dancing since age 4, dancing competitively and racking up prizes as she went along. When Riverdance first made a big splash, back in February of 1995, she was still in high school. Coyne loved Irish dance as it was, but Riverdance was another thing entirely.

“I suppose you can say that before Riverdance, the pinnacle of Irish dancing was to be world champion, or top 10 in the world. But then Riverdance came about, and the show gave Irish dancers an opportunity to become professionals. It’s done a lot for Irish dancing.

“I loved dancing. It’s my first love, really. I remember watching it (the show), and seeing the line of dancers. I just wanted to be in that show, and thats all I wanted to do.”

After Coyne left school, she had an opportunity to audition for the show. It wasn’t long before she got the news: she was in. “I waited for a position to open for me, and then, I got the call. I was over the moon. I’ve been touring ever since.”

You can see Riverdance as it passed through Philly for the last time. For details, visit the box office website.

May 4, 2012 by Jeff Meade

Dance, Music, News

2012 Mid-Winter Scottish & Irish Festival

Neil Anderson of Rathkeltair

No high winds, no snow, no ice … late March proved to be a bright, sunny way to celebrate Scottish and Irish heritage. (The festival has been held in February in past years.) The bands played, the dancers danced, the vendors vended.

And of course, there was plenty of Celtic-tinged food and drink for all. (We love the MacDougall Irish Victory Cakes.)

Festival-goers also experienced an entirely new, lighter and brighter layout at the Scanticon Conference Center in Valley Forge, soon to be the Valley Forge Convention Center Casino.

All told, a great way to close out St. Patrick’s month.

We dropped by on Sunday and put together a packed little photo essay. Hope it gives you a feeling for the weekend.

March 30, 2012 by Jeff Meade

Dance, News

Dancing for God

A happy moment during rehearsal

In a school auditorium in Springfield, Delaware County, nine women in simple black Irish dance outfits clasp hands together as their slipper-clad feet lightly skip across the floor. You can see the intense concentration in their faces as they rehearse traditional dances like “Shoe the Donkey” and “Bridge of Athlone.” Led by their instructor Kathleen Madigan, they count aloud:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7

1-2-3

Learning traditional Irish dance can be a test for anybody. For Madigan’s “ladies,” as she fondly calls them, developing all the fancy footwork and consigning it to muscle memory is an especially daunting task. They’re the Rainbow Irish Step Dancers, an enthusiastic troupe of developmentally challenged women from Divine Providence Village, a cottage-style community operated by Catholic Social Services. This Sunday will mark their debut in the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade. You’ll recognize them by the pretty rainbow sash they proudly wear across their backs.

The idea for the Rainbow Dancers began over a year ago at a Christmas show at Divine Providence, which Madigan, a former nutritionist at the facility and a student at the Irish Stars Parker School of Irish Dance in Hellertown, attended. When the chorus began to sing “Jingle Bell

Rock,” Madigan recalls, “all the ladies got up and started dancing like crazy. Well, when you think about it, ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ actually fits a light jig. It was then that I realized: They could do this.”

Starting last February, Madigan started running an every-other-Saturday Irish dance class, and every resident of the village who wants to can come and dance. And that’s all it was ever going to be—an opportunity for a couple dozen residents to socialize and have fun. But after a month or two, Madigan realized that there was a core group who could, with coaching, perform publicly.

“These ladies really stood out. They were just so happy when they danced, I thought we could teach them, and they could help each other learn steps. A little over a year later, and we’re still going strong.”

Madigan herself has only been dancing for four years, having started at age 50, so coaching the Divine Providence dancers is a way to bolster her own skills. But more than that, seeing her dancers’ excitement and knowing how hard they have to work, gives her joy.

“Kathy in our group is almost totally blind,” she says. “Eleanor holds her hand so she can dance. Diane is in a brace. There are a lot of physical and mental obstacles to overcome so they can do this, but it gives them a sense of belonging to a team. They know they are the Irish dancers. They just feel special.”

Unlike other dancers, Madigan adds, the Rainbow ladies dance simply for the love it. And it shows. They possess a childlike purity of purpose. “They don’t face competition,” Madigan says. “They don’t have to come in first. They’re just there for each other. And they’ll readily tell you that they dance for God.”

March 9, 2012 by Jeff Meade

Dance, News, People, Sports

They DID Dance Like Stars

It had everything you could have wanted from a star-studded evening worthy of the Red Carpet: Talented performers, beautiful costumes, and even a wardrobe malfunction.

Don’t expect anything titillating. It was only Pat Bourke’s Elvis wig that came off during his final dance number with Carmel Donaghy who, in her white halter top and peroxide-blond Marilyn wig, did a more than fair impression of the ‘50s bombshell.

Delco Gaels coach Pat Bourke as Elvis with partner, Carmel "Marilyn Monroe" Donaghy

By any measure, the Delaware County Gaels Gaelic sports organization’s “Dancing Like a Star” fundraiser last Friday at Springfield Country Club was a rousing success. With more than 700 people in attendance at $40 a person and votes for the eight dancing couples costing $1 a pop, it appeared to be the mother of all fundraisers, sure to spawn a few copycats in the coming months.

The 16 volunteer dancers started practicing in January—some five days a week—and it showed. There were a few stumbles, one or two feet got stomped, and there was the wig incident, but the evening showcased grit, determination, and some real talent.

We were there, had a ball, and took lots of photos so you can be there virtually yourself.

March 1, 2012 by Denise Foley