Irish Immigration Center head Siobhan Lyons, center,with 2009 Rose of Tralee, Jocelyn McGillian, introduced Irish culture to Norwegian Consul Erik Torp.
Philadelphia International House beat the St. Paddy’s Day rush with its February Culture and Cuisine Program: It brought Irish and Irish Americans together with diners from all over the world to sample Irish cuisine on Wednesday night at Tir na nOg Bar and Grill at 16th and Arch Street.
Ireland’s Vice Consul Alan Farrelly, Irish Immigration Center Executive Director Siobhan Lyons, and Rose of Tralee Centre Managing Director Sarah Conaghan spoke and the 2009 Rose, Jocelyn McGillian, a mezzo soprano, sang, but the evening was about food, drink and conversation.
Lyons made sure there was someone Irish at every table to chat and answer questions, but the conversations rambled like an Irish country road—the mark of a good party. The event was sold out, but twenty more people showed up “causing no end of problems in the kitchen,” said Lyons. But it was just a matter of throwing a few more hangar steaks and salmon filets in the oven and pulling up a few more chairs.
