How to Be Irish in Philly

If you think that a typical Irish event involves music, dancing, singing, eating and drinking, you’d be right. And that’s a fair description of a “Wren Party,” a traditional Irish get-together that celebrates. . .well, maybe “celebrates” isn’t the right word to describe a tradition that once involved killing a bird and carrying its carcass from door to door, begging for handouts. Sounds too much like a holiday envisioned by Wes Craven, even though a saint was involved. Anyway, today it’s just a lot of singing and dancing and fun-having, and there’s one scheduled for December 26 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Glenside.

Not to your taste? How about checking out 2U, the U2 Tribute Band in concert at the Sellersville Theater? They’re not Bono Lite either. They out-edge The Edge (do his friends call him “The?”). 

And you still have time to pick out your costume for the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball at the Irish Center. It’s a great deal: For $50 a person, there’s an open bar, dinner, dancing to the music of Vince Gallagher and John Kelly, and, since you’ll be wearing a mask, you can make a fool of yourself and no one will be mocking you the next day. At least, not by name.

Kick up your Christmas heels on Friday, December 14, at the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s Christmas Ceili at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy. Prepare for an old-fashioned good time with live music, dancing, and a pot luck supper (bring a contribution–a big irishphiladelphia.com smooch to anyone who brings those great little meatballs in the grape jelly sauce). The festivities start at 8 PM.

Get ready for some serious toe-tapping if you head down on Friday night to Coatesville to hear The Hedge Band, four of Baltimore’s best Irish musicians (including Billy McComiskey, who shows up here fairly regularly). As usual, Frank Dalton has put together a great show of Irish traditional music at one of the nicest venues around. The show starts at 8 PM, but come down early and grab a light dinner at the Coatesville Cultural Society’s café.

On Saturday, take the kiddies to the Irish Immigration Center in Upper Darby to meet Santa, and shop for crafty items for those hard-to-buy-for folks on your list. There’ll be music (of course–this is an Irish event, after all), food, drink, and great raffle prizes.

Did we mention music? On Saturday night, the Philadelphia Ceili Group is presenting “Irish Christmas in America,” which promises to be a magical evening of music and dance with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh of Danú, and Téada’s Sean McElwain and Tristan Rosenstock on guitar and bodhran respectively, acclaimed harpist Gráinne Hambly and uilleann piper Tommy Martin, along with dancers Abbey Magill and Sienna Hickey. Though the weather outside is predicted to be frightful, expect the evening to be delightful. Enough to make the Grinch give back Christmas. It starts at 8:30 PM.

Still have some Christmas energy left? On Sunday, the Donegal and Mayo Associations will be holding their Christmas party at the Irish Center. You don’t have to be a member to attend (you don’t even have to be from Donegal or Mayo). The party starts with a Mass at 3 PM. At 4 PM, Santa arrives bringing toys for the kids (you’re invited to be Santa’s little helper: Bring a wrapped toy with your child’s name on it so Santa can do the honors). Christmas shopping alert: At the same time that Santa is keeping your kids busy, there will be a Home Interior Show in progress in the Barry Room. Proceeds from your gift purchases will benefit the Golden Jubilee events for the Commodore Barry Club (the Irish Center). For more info, call Michelle Higgins at 215-722-8987. And stay for dinner. It starts at 5 PM.

Our friends to the North (that would be Quakertown and the Lehigh Valley) might want to mark down December 21–that’s the date of the Christmas Dinner and Concert by Seamus Kennedy at McCoole’s. We haven’t heard him, but everyone tells us that Kennedy is a total hoot.

And on December 23 at the Old Dutch Parsonage in Somerville, NJ, enjoy an evening of seasonal songs and stories as Robert Mouland portrays Michael Keane, an actual Irish harper who came to the American colonies in 1754 with the Royal Governor of North Carolina. The setting is the Old Dutch Parsonage, a house museum built in 1751. The concert is in the parlor which is warmed by a large fireplace and lit by candlelight (oooooo). Mouland will perform on a unique array of period and antique instruments including the Irish harp, harpsichord, baroque fiddle (c.1760), baroque flute (c.1795), English guittar (c.1770) and union pipes. It starts at 7:30 PM and seating is limited. For more info call (908) 725-1015.

Post-Christmas, think about attending the annual Wren Party at the Knights of Columbus Hall on December 26. We went last year and had a great time. It’s an old Irish tradition–make it one of yours. No New Year’s Eve plans? Consider the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball at the Irish Center. Dance to the music of Vince Gallagher and John Kelly, enjoy dinner and drinks, and kiss your honey at midnight, all for $50 per person.

See our calendar for all the juicy details.

Forget the mall. Take your kids to see the Irish Santa this Saturday, December 8, at the National Guard Armory, Southampton Road and Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. Bring a donation of canned goods for the Hibernian Hunger Project or an unwrapped non-violent toy for the U.S . Marines Toys for Tots Campaign as part of Project St. Nicholas, an annual event that raises donations for these and other charities.

Santa is scheduled to appear from Noon to 2 PM. Stay on for the Irish Unity Festival later on in the day and hear some some of the best Irish musical groups in the area including The Bogside Rogues, Ballina, Birmingham Six, Tullamore Trio, The Shantys and more.

Moya Brennan of Clannad will be singing her heart out in Sellersville at the beautiful Sellersville Theater (where all the seats are great) on Saturday night. Read more about her here.

If you’re in Philly Sunday, consider heading to the Dark Horse Pub for the Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” dinner and reading. For about $50, you get a five-course dinner and drama. God bless us every one! If you’re going to be in Quakertown, McCoole’s is having its Christmas party followed by a Seven Nations concert. Hmmm, heavy metal bagpipes. Very Christmasy. But we love a band in kilts, so. . .

St. Mary of the Lakes in Medford, NJ, is holding its Christmas Concert on Sunday as well. It features tenor Ciaran Sheehan, who played the Phantom in “Phantom of the Opera.”

Planning ahead: There are two fabulous concerts coming up. First, The Hedge Band, featuring four of Maryland’s finest Irish musicians, including Billy McComiskey, whom many of you have enjoyed at the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s Irish Music Festival in September. They’ll be appearing on Friday, December 14, at the Coatesville Cultural Society–another venue where there’s nary a bad seat.

The following day, take the kids to see Irish Santa again at the Irish Immigration Center in Upper Darby. There’ll also be music, arts and crafts, drinks, and great raffle prizes. And save some energy for Irish Christmas in America, an amazing concert to be held later that evening at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy.

Check our calendar (our Christmas calendar and regular old everyday one) for all the details.

Liz Carroll and John Doyle

You’re in for a real treat on Saturday. Fiddler Liz Carroll (winner of the Senior All-Ireland championship at age 18), accompanied by ex-Solas guitarist John Doyle, will be appearing in concert at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue in Philadelphia. Carroll is known for her fiery, emotional performances so it could be quite an aerobic workout for you: Be prepared to be leaping to your feet more than once. The event is sponsored by Crossroads Concerts, a local organization dedicated to bringing diverse musical experiences to the region.

If you’re in the Lehigh Valley over the weekend, drop into Bethlehem, which gets its sparkle on during the holiday season (it’s not called “The Christmas City” for nothing). Local sean nos singer Terry Kane and her partner John Beatty will be performing at Christkindlmarkt at the corner of Spring and Main Streets. Christkindlmarkt is German for “place to buy really cool Christmas gifts” (not really), but this craft fair really is a great place to start your holiday shopping. And you get to hear one of the loveliest voices in the region to boot. We could listen to Terry sing forever.

Looking ahead: The Dark Horse Pub at 421 S 2nd St in Philadelphia is presenting Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” dinner and reading on December 4. For about $50 per person, you get a five-course meal and an entertaining evening with Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, and Mr. Scrooge. No, it’s not really Irish, but it’s from the same neighborhood and it sounds like craic to us.

If you’re in the First State, that same evening you can enjoy a concert by the Celtic quintet Grada, featuring Alan Doherty, lead soloist on “The Lord of the Rings” soundtrack. The group promises some special surprises for their Christmas show, including seasonally themed numbers and humorous audience interactions (something we find a little frightening, but to each his own). Some important insider info: This event is sponsored by Green Willow, which brings lots of great musical acts to the area. If you mention “Green Willow” when ordering tickets, you get a discount. And if you wear a festive hat (something else we find frightening) you may also win a prize.

Check out our special Irish Christmas calendar so you won’t miss any Celtic holiday events (and there are many!). And if you’re shopping, please patronize our sponsor, Celtic Clothing. The company is run by local Irish guy, Charlie Lord, of Chadds Ford, and he’s offering a discount to faithful readers of Irish Philadelphia. When you buy from Charlie, you support a local Irish business. And since Charlie gives us a cut, you support our wonderful calendar that keeps you Irish all year long. In fact, check it out for more details on this week’s events.

The Mid-Atlantic Oireachtas, a huge Irish dance competition, starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through the weekend at the Downtown Marriott in Philadelphia. Many local dance schools are competing and it’s worth poking your head in for a few hours. The music is great, the dancers are adorable, and you won’t be able to help jigging back to your car. 

But on Wednesday night, you can get your dose of Irish while doing a good deed. On Wednesday night, starting at 5, Paul Moore and Paddy’s Well will be performing at Finnigan’s Wake in Philly at a benefit for the Police Survivors Fund, which is raising money for the family of the late Officer Charles Cassidy. Finnigan’s is providing the buffet and beer, and your $10 cover charge will go directly into the fund.

While you’re downtown, keep an eye out for Irish Thunder. No, that’s not a weather report. The popular pipe and drum band from Montgomery County will be reprising it’s annual Thanksgiving eve pub crawl.

You didn’t really have to make those pies, now did you? Just buy ’em!

Try to imagine the ballad “Finnegan’s Wake” transformed into the Irish version of “Tony and Tina’s Wedding,” only in place of South Philly nuptials, there’s a funeral. Then you’ve pretty much got the gist of the show playing now through Thanksgiving weekend at The Showboat Casino in Atlantic City.

Better prepare your eulogies now. You may be called on to stand up and salute the dearly departed. Maybe even dance with him. It’s billed as interactive dinner theater, so the audience is part of the act.

And be prepared to hear some great music. “The Barley Boys” of Toms River, NJ, are providing the music. In fact, says their manager Carrie Auerbach, part of the play was rewritten to accommodate three original songs by the Boys’ Michael Babick, “I’m Sorry, Honey,” “Barley and Corn,” and “Maggie.” (The other Boys are Mike Kurman on bass. Dave Williamson on drums and Arty Artimiw on fiddle.)

“When they were looking for musicians, I sent the director some Barley Boys’ CDs and he loved the three songs so much he rewrote the story line around them,” explains Auerbach.

The show has been playing to packed houses just about every night, Auerbach says. “It’s absolute mayhem,” she laughs. ”People are doing eulogies, telling jokes, dancing with the dead body. It’s really fun.”

Show days and times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening from 7–9 PM and there’s a matinee on Sunday from 1:30 – 3:30. Tickets are $59.99 and are available online through www.harrahs.com.

It’s a busy weekend musically speaking. Singer-songwriter Francis Dunnery is performing Saturday for two shows at the Tin Angel in Philadelphia. The Waterboys are on the bill at the Keswick Theater in Glenside the same evening.

And Sunday is benefit day in the greater Philadelphia area. Starting at 12:30 PM at the Shanachie Pub and Restaurant in Ambler, an incredible group of musicians will gather to raise money for famed Irish balladeer Danny Doyle who has been laid up by serious illness since August. A fulltime musician, Doyle is having trouble meeting the bills, so his friend, Gerry Timlin, organized the benefit. Former Philly folklorist and musician Mick Moloney, Robbie O’Connell (who appeared at the Philadelphia Ceili Group’s Irish Music Festival in September), Timlin and Kane (Timlin is part-owner of The Shanachie), the Malones and others will be performing till after 5 PM. Donations of $20 are requested.

Mick Moloney will be cutting out early because he’s the headliner at the annual “Mick Moloney and Friends” benefit for St. Malachy’s Church and School in North Philadelphia. (Given the lineup at The Shanachie, we’ll be taking bets on who the “friends” will be this year–last year, famous Irish singer-songwriter and activist Tommy Sands tagged along with his old mate.) The event starts at 4 PM at the church, an inner city institution that was once the parish of many Irish immigrants and where poet-priest John McNamee has been pastor for many years.

Unfortunately, at the same time as the St. Malachy’s benefit, Blackthorn will be performing in Springfield, Delaware County, at the annual “Ceili for Kayleigh” to raise money for research into MMA, a rare inherited disease in which the body cannot metabolize protein. MMA can be fatal if not detected and treated. The event was founded and organized by a local couple, Marty and Kate Moran, whose daughter Kayleigh has the condition.

All worthy causes–and maybe worth burning up the gas to hit them all, carbon footprint be damned.

If you’re hankering to hear the lyrical lilt of an Irish accent, the next few weeks are the answer to your prayers.

On Tuesday, the Dublin-born singer Sinead O’Connor will be performing at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. We’ve heard reports from Boston, where she appeared with Damian Dempsey, that her show was a killer. “I saw her last night at Orpheum in Boston and it was awesome!” said our correspondent. “ She played lots of old songs, a few from new CD “Theology.” The crowd loved her.”

Now, here’s where we have to synchronize our calendars. (In fact, our calendar will actually tell your calendar where you have to be to hear the best Irish performers in the country. Give it a try!) November is shaping up to be a great month for the Irish.

On November 2, “Angela’s Ashes” author Frank McCourt is giving the keynote speech at Montgomery County Community College’s annual writers’ conference. We’ve heard him speak and he’s a hoot. Worth a trip even if you don’t want to be a writer. MC3 is on Route 202 and Morris Road in Blue Bell.

At the Tin Angel in Philly that night, you can hear the wonderful Francis Dunnery, who is technically British but with a name like Dunnery, you know it can’t be natural. Fabulous voice (Peter Gabriel-like), great songwriter, very funny guy. And we say that from experience.

On November 4, there are two annual Irish-themed benefits, unfortunately at the same time. Former Penn folklore professor Mick Moloney–who helped raise Irish culture in Philadelphia from the near-dead–will be performing with “friends,” yet unnamed, at his annual benefit for St. Malachy’s Church and School in North Philadelphia. Last year, one of his friends was legendary Irish songwriter and performer Tommy Sands. Expect a few tears and some Irish sentimentality this time. Father John McNamee, St. Malachy’s longtime pastor, will be retiring soon.

At the same time in Springfield, Delaware County, Blackthorn will be performing at the annual Ceili for Kayleigh, a fundraiser for research into MMA, a rare inherited disease in which the body cannot metabolize protein. MMA can be fatal if not detected and treated. The event was founded and organized by a local couple, Marty and Kate Moran, whose daughter Kayleigh has the condition.

Earlier the same day, Moloney, Robbie O’Connell, Timlin and Kane, The Malones and several other performers will be doing a benefit concert at the Shanachie Pub and Restaurant in Ambler for Irish balladeer Danny Doyle, who has recorded 35 albums and performed at Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, the National Concert Hall in Dublin. Surgery in August for a carotid blockage has left Doyle unable to perform, so friend Gerry Timlin, co-owner of the Shanachie, organized the benefit to help Doyle meet the bills. The event runs from 12:30 to 5 PM. Donation is $20.

You’ll have to be making another tough choice come Friday November 9. At the Sellersville Theater, all-Ireland fiddle champ Eileen Ivers and her group, Immigrant Soul, will be bringing down the house with their stew of international music. (One lucky Mickmail subscriber, Gerard Devine, will be going as our guest. Read his story.) And at the Irish Center, legendary singer-songwriter Derek Warfield–who blew away the crowds in Wildwood this year–and his group, the Sons of Erin Band, will take over the ballroom stage. No matter which you choose, you can expect to have a memorable evening.

See our calendar for details.

You have some diverse choices for the rest of this month, depending on where you’re going to be. This weekend, you can help Blackthorn raise some money for the Avalon String Band’s 2008 gear. Avalon will be strutting out with an Irish theme on New  Year’s Day, and those feathers and sequins can cost into the six figures. That will be happening Saturday at the Lagoon in Essington.

If you’re planning to be in Havertown on Saturday, the AOH Dennis Kelly Div. 1 is holding a beef-and-beer night to benefit AOH charities (one of them being The Hibernian Hunger Project, which was born right in Philadelphia). Oliver McElhone will be performing.

If you’re up in the Poconos, Pancho, Kevin and Jimmy will be providing the music for the ceili sponsored by the West End Irish American Association on Sunday.

Looking ahead a little, Irish Northern Aid is holding its annual testimonial dinner on Friday, October 26, at The Irish Center. Honorees this year include Kathy McGee Burns of the Philadelphia Donegal Association, Charlie Schlegel of I.N.A. and A.O.H., and Bob Grover of Clan na Gael. The Vince Gallagher Band will provide the music for dancing.

And on the day before Halloween, consider this scary thought: Sinead O’Connor will be in Glenside at the Keswick Theater for a concert. Pretty girl, lovely voice, but as unpredictable as Britney. Who knows what will happen? Anything interesting, let us know.

Check out our calendar for more information.

If you know of an Irish-flavored event coming up, let us know! We’ll put it on our calendar and maybe even crash it so you might see your picture on www.irishphiladelphia.com.  That’s the kind of people we are.