We’re publishing early this week on the theory that a lot of us are still recovering from Turkey Day. I don’t know about you, but a long nap might be in order. Opening emails might be the last thing you do on Friday.
Besides, there’s a lot going on, and for some of it, the sooner you hear about it, the better.
So here we go. Take a deep breath.
This coming week, there’s a lot to be thankful for—including some night-before-Thanksgiving Irish activities sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
One quick reminder: Sunday night, the 18th, starting at 5 p.m., we’re celebrating the contributions of four of our favorite peeps at the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame Dinner, at the Commodore Barry Arts & Cultural Center (the Irish Center), 6815 Emlen Street in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia. Honored will be irishphiladelphia.com founding editor Denise Foley, Pearse Kerr and Sister Frances Kirk, SSJ. Receiving the Commodore John Barry Award will be Sister James Anne Feerick, IHM. Details here.
Now … on to the Thanksgiving week festivities.
On Thanksgiving Eve, you’ll have a lot of choices:
Your weekend starts out with a full day of Irish dance. If you’ve never taken in the Intercollegiate Irish Dance Festival at Villanova, now’s your chance to see some of the best college-level Irish dance teams strut their stuff. Saturday marks the sixth festival hosted by Villanova’s dance team. We’ve gone, spent the day, gotten the T-shirt. It’s incredibly fun to see how creative the competitors can be. This year, there will be 10 teams.
The festival takes place in the Jake Nevin Field House, 800 East Lancaster Avenue on the ‘Nova campus in Radnor. The competition starts at 9:30 a.m., with a Grand Irish Show starting at 4:30 p.m. Tickets available in advance for $10 on VUTix, and $12 at the door. Kids and student admission, $5.
On Sunday, two big events.
It’s baaaaaaaaaaack!
This week, highlights include a delish Sunday dinner, music, and a fund-raiser. Here’s what’s up.
As always, you can find lots more, including traditional Irish sessions, on our Irish events calendar, here: http://irishinphilly.com/calendar
If you have an Irish-related event in the Greater Philadelphia/Delaware Valley area, you can also submit your event here: http://irishinphilly.com/submit
Your event will appear both on our calendar and the Irish Immigration Center of Philadelphia’s website.
Don’t let a little chance of rain spook you. Hey, what does Hurricane Schwartz know? Tomorrow is a great day to head out to Cherokee Day Camp and Festival Grounds in Bensalem for the Philadelphia Fleadh. There’s fabulous music on five stages from Jamison, No Irish Need Apply, The John Byrne Band, the Bogside Rogues, the Shantys, the Paul Moore Band, the Kilmaine Saints and more. There’s a feis open to all dance schools, a ceili sponsored by Comhaltas, and loads of kids’ activities and kids under 12 get in free! It’s a great family outing.
The group Glengesh is at the Dubliner on the Delaware on Saturday night. They were asked to sing the National Anthem at Irish Heritage Night at the Phillies a couple of weeks ago.
Tomorrow morning at 4:15, a group of runners and walkers will brave the rain, the chill, and the dark to do a 5K course, all to raise money for an Irish organization that helps those who are considering suicide.
The “Darkness Into Light” 5K will be duplicated around the world, from Canada to Ireland to Australia, anywhere Ireland’s diaspora live. It’s a major fundraiser for Pieta House, which offers free counseling for those in the depths of despair. Pieta House opened its first North American branch last August in New York. Local supporters hope to open a Pieta House in the Philadelphia area. Read more about it here.
The event start at Lloyd Hall on Kelly Drive, along the Schuykill River, and will end on the Art Museum steps at the head of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Latecomers are welcome.
A wee bit of a light week as we welcome the flowers of May.
The 35th anniversary of the death of Irish Hunger Striker Bobby Sands will be commemorated on Thursday at Tir na nOg , 1324 Hamilton Avenue in Trenton. No details on what’s going to be happening, but it starts at 8 PM. There’s sure to be music.
Also on Thursday, the duo, Slainte, will be playing at Con Murphy’s Pub on the Parkway in Philadelphia.
The John Byrne Band will be performing in concert on Friday at the parish house at Christ Church Riverton in Riverton, NJ.
This Sunday, April 24, Irish organizations from all over the region will converge on Philadelphia to mark the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising, the lost battle that ultimately won Ireland its independence from British rule.
It starts with a flag-raising at The Irish Memorial at Front and Chestnut Streets at 10 AM followed by a procession to Independence Hall at 5th and Market Streets where the Proclamation—Ireland’s “Declaration of Independence”–will be read out loud.
There will be food available after the ceremonies at The Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street in Philadelphia. Several bands will be playing.