News

Memorial Mass Honors St. Pat’s Parade Chaplain

New parade chaplains, from left, Father Kevin Gallagher, Bishop Joseph McFadden, and Father Chris Walsh.

New parade chaplains, from left, Father Kevin Gallagher, Bishop Joseph McFadden, and Father Chris Walsh.

The late Father Kevin Trautner, for 30 years the chaplain of Philadelphia’s St. Patrick’s Day Observance Association, was remembered at a memorial mass on Sunday, October 14, as a dedicated priest whose “smile was infectious and whose eyes would light up” when he talked to people, said Bishop Joseph McFadden.

“The last weekend I saw him he was so full of joy. He lived for the mass on St. Patrick’s Day,” said the bishop, who officiated at the special mass held in the ballroom at the Irish Center in Mt. Airy. Instead, in the ultimate irony, Father Trautner, 57, and pastor of St. Francis of Assisi parish in Norristown, was laid to rest on St. Patrick’s day last year. He died of a massive heart attack while jogging in Valley Forge Park just days after marching in the St. Patrick’s Day parade.

“We will miss his joy and happiness,” Bishop McFadden told the more than 60 people who gathered at the memorial service. “But we know that he is truly with us here today.”

And if he was, said parade director Michael Bradley, he was surely thrilled to see that he was replaced by not one chaplain, but three, including Bishop McFadden, who was named emeritus chaplain of the organization that runs what is the second oldest St. Patrick’s Day parade in the country, now more than 235 years old. “He would have loved the idea that he could only be replaced by two priests and a bishop,” Bradley joked with fondness.

Father Chris Walsh, chaplain and church history teacher at Archbishop Wood High School in Warminster, will be sharing parade chaplain duties with Father Kevin Gallagher, parochial vicar at St. Denis Church in Havertown. “Having two of us will make life easier for both of us,” said Father Walsh, who participated in the memorial mass along with Father Gallagher. “One of us will always be there for meetings.”

Philadelphia’s 2008 St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held on Sunday, March 8.

October 17, 2007 by
Music

Local Pipe Bands Win With Amazing Grace

Emerald celebrates.

Emerald celebrates.

It’s a fair bet that each pipe band preparing to compete Saturday at the Anne Arundel Scottish Highland Games had hoped—possibly even believed—it was truly ready.

By “ready,” I mean that each band had methodically selected three to five tunes up to a year before. Each had played the same three to five tunes over and over again, for hours at a time, week in and week out, until fingers could remember the notes even when the mind forgot them. They had incurred the ire of abandoned spouses. They had willingly submitted to the searing criticism of petulant pipe majors.

All this, for a contest measured in moments. A solid year of focused effort, sacrifice and commitment—all of it riding on one all-too-brief performance in the fading Southern Maryland sunshine. Win, place, show—or crash and burn.

Fortunately, for three Delaware-area bagpipe bands, it was a day of happy endings. The Ulster Scottish Pipe Band of Devon placed first in grade 3; the Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe Band racked up a first in grade 4; and the Cameron Highlanders Pipe Band of Lafayette Hill notched a second in grade 4. (Pipe bands are lumped into grades so that they’re more or less evenly matched with the bands against which they might compete. Grade 5 is entry-level; grades 4 and grade 3 are more advanced; and grades 2 and 1 are reserved for the scarily good pipe bands. Not surprisingly, there are lots and lots of grade 5 bands in the United States, but there are only a few grade 1 bands.)

For those whose interests do not include the trials of bagpipe band competition (what’s wrong with you, anyway?), there were lots of other activities to keep you occupied in a Celtic sort of way, including sheep dog trials, Highland athletics, haggis eating (thanks, I’ll pass), shortbread nibbling (I’m there), music, Scottish dancing and more.

The videos:

October 17, 2007 by
Music

Anúna’s Lush Harmonies Come to Annenberg

The superb Irish choral group Anúna.

The superb Irish choral group Anúna.

Picture long, flowing robes and long, flowing pre-Raphaelite hair. (Except for the guys.) Envision silken-voiced sopranos hitting notes so high, dogs two states away stop dead in their tracks and say, “Hey, what the heck was that?”

Yup. That’s Anúna.

Even though the group has been around 20 years—exactly the same age as its youngest member—it only just made its Philadelphia debut on Friday at Penn’s Annenberg Center.

It was not a full house (unfortunately), but director John McGlynn and his band of singers made the best of it.

Anúna is currently flacking a new CD and DVD, “Celtic Origins,” and PBS stations all over the country are promoting the heck out of that performance for fund-raising purposes. No complaints there. Anything that gets the local PBS programmers off the odious André Reieu can only be a good thing.

Anúna’s live performance turns out to as thrilling as what you see on the PBS special. It’s better, actually. In live performance, Anúna takes full advantage of the whole theatre. At the show’s beginning, voices come at the audience out of the dark from all directions, rising and falling, filling the hall with superb, complex harmonies. Eventually, after a bit of mystical meandering, all the singers do wind up on stage, and pretty much remain there for the duration of the show.

In Philadelphia, the group performed several cuts form the new CD and DVD, including “Greensleeves,” “Scarborough Fair” and “I Dreamt I Dwelt in Marble Halls,” the latter performed beautifully by the smoky alto Miriam Blennerhassett, the group’s choral mistress and a founding member of Anúna.

There were also some tunes from previous CDs, including the wonder “Winter Fire and Snow,” “Dúlamán,” “Riu Riu,” “Siuil A Ruin” and the haunting “Piè Jesu.”

Small though the audience was, it was hugely appreciative, rewarding the group with a standing ovation. Anúna returned the gesture with a blazing performance of the tongue-twisting “Fionnghuala.” (If you think saying it is hard, try singing it.) If you have no idea what “Fionnghuala” is or what it sounds like, head on over to our YouTube channel for a video I recorded (not a very good one, I’m afraid) during the group’s summer promotional tour at the Center City Borders.

And, if and when Anúna shows up in your neck of the woods again, catch this very polished and memorable act.

October 16, 2007 by
Genealogy

Your Chance To Meet a Family History “Star” This Month

Yes, she has two last names–and they’re both the same–but she’s earned them. Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak is one of the leading experts on genealogy and what’s being termed genetealogy–the use of DNA to further genealogical research–in the country. She’s the author of “Honoring Your Roots” and “Trace Your Roots with DNA.” And she’ll be the guest speaker at the 30th anniversary of the Delaware Genealogical Society on Sunday, October 22, at the Brandywine Country Club.

 For amateur ancestor hunters, Smolenyak has the star power of Brangelina.

Smolenyak of Haddonfield, NJ,  is the researcher who discovered that the woman who was thought to be the “little Annie Moore” of Ellis Island fame was actually not the right girl.  (Annie is the 15-year-old Cork native who was the first to pass through the new immigration center in 1892 and who is memorialized by two statues, one in Ireland and the other on Ellis Island.) The real Annie Moore, Smolenyak discovered, did not move to Texas as was thought; she never left New York, and died there after marrying a German immigrant and bearing 11 children.

The event costs $33 per person and you must make reservations by October 13. Go to www.delgensoc.org.

October 8, 2007 by
Music

Happy Harpers Head for the Hills

It's a full house on Saturday night.

It's a full house on Saturday night.

Who knew harpers needed an escape?

I mean, there they are, playing one of the most restful musical instruments on the planet (unless Harpo’s playing), and yet they need an escape? Why, your average Celtic harper could teach Perry Como to relax. (Yes, I know … given that the old crooner has been dead the past six years, it would be hard to be more relaxed.)

But I digress.

The point is, harpers from throughout the Delaware Valley (and probably beyond) are about to head to the Poconos for their 15th Annual Harpers Escape Weekend. It takes place Oct. 12-14 at The Country Place Retreat and Conference Center in White Haven.

It’s not actually an escape from anything other than the distractions of everyday life. It’s really more like a total-immersion retreat for people who love and play the Celtic harp, at all levels. In a series of small classes led by some of the world’s finest players and teachers, including Grainne Hambly, Bill Jackson, Kathy DeAngelo, Debbie Brewin-Wilson, and Sharon Knowles, harpers will get a chance to hone their skills—and just spend time with other people who are as passionate as they are about this lovely, ancient instrument.

DeAngelo and Brewin-Wilson hatched the idea.

“Debbie and I were sitting around playing harps one weekend in 1992 and trying to rehearse for a gig but we were constantly interrupted by various household events,” says Kathy. “We thought it would be a great idea to escape for a weekend where we’d only be playing harp. We figured if we could get a few other people to join us it would be a lot of fun. We initially convinced some of our students and some total strangers to trek down to Cape May.

“Little did I know that, when we did the first weekend in 1993 at a small B&B down in Cape May with nine other players, that it would turn into a regular tradition. The Harpers Escape was a pioneering event and the model for many other harp weekends.”
 
The Escape has had several venues over the years, including Spring Lake, N.J., and Ocean Grove, where until last year it was headquartered at the Manchester Inn. But the Escape keeps growing, so this year, the harpers head to the hills.

“We have more space this year and more teachers and hopefully we’ll get more people to come—but we’re still dedicated to having small classes,” says Kathy.
 
Almost 60 percent of the attendees are alumni, she adds. Pretty clearly, the experience resonates. “Our motto has been ‘harp till you drop,’ and we mean it,” Kathy says. “We try to get the ‘shy’ players to not feel so self-conscious about playing and just realize that they can have a good time playing. We have everybody from inexperienced players to really experienced players—all giving each other encouragement and taking joy in the instrument and the music. Everybody has something to contribute.”

October 5, 2007 by
News

Concert to Benefit Fallen Delco Firefighters

Delaware County firefighters have had their share of tragedy this year. In August, two young Parkside volunteers, Dan Brees, 20, Chase Frost , 21, were seriously injured in a townhouse fire at the Village of Green Tree. Brees suffered second and third degree burns and was released from the hospital; Frost remains in critical condition at Crozer Chester Medical Center.

Then, on September 26, 19-year-old Ridley Township resident Michael Reagan of the Sharon Hill Fire Company died as the result of injuries he sustained when part of a building collapsed and pinned him underneath. He was the first firefighter in the 101-year-old unit to die in the line of duty. A fireman’s funeral with full company honors is planned.

And this is where you come in.

This Sunday, the local Celtic band Blackthorn will headline a benefit for these fallen firefighters and their families from 2 to 8 PM at the Springfield Country Club, 400 West Sproul Road, Springfield. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at the door or by calling 610-723-1798.

September 27, 2007 by
Columns, How to Be Irish in Philly

How To Be Irish in Philly This Week

There were three major Irish fetes in September. And there’s another coming up this weekend in Trenton, NJ. If you still have a little jig in you, head over to the little burg on the Delaware for the AOH Monsignor Crean Division #1 Irish Music Festival.

On tap: a pipe band championship on Saturday night, followed by music by McQ and Na’Bodach. And there’s more on Sunday, including Oliver McElhone, Celtic Cross, Jamie and the Quietmen, AOH Division #1 Pipe Band, and the DeNogla School of Irish Dance.

If you’re south of Philly, check out the 14th annual New Castle County Irish Society Festival which starts at noon on Sunday, with the McAleer Dancers and Dublin-born entertainer Willie Lynch.

See our calendar for more information.

Come Thursday, Albannach will be in town. This drum-centric Scottish band will be performing at McCoole’s at the Red Lion Inn in Quakertown.

And Martin McDonagh’s blackest of black comedies, “The Lonesome West” has been held over through next week. We’ve seen it and it’s an absolute hoot (see Marianne MacDonald’s review on the home page). We highly recommend it. We’d highly recommend any play in which an actor named Luigi Sottile plays such a convincing Irish priest.

This Lantern Theater production, directed by David O’Connor, is playing at St. Stephen’s Theater at 10th and Ludlow, part of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. There’s a parking garage directly across the street (and parking is only $1 on Wednesday nights!).

September 27, 2007 by
News

U2’s Bono Receives Liberty Medal

U2 front man Bono, his arm around Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, as they accept the Liberty Medal.

U2 front man Bono, his arm around Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, as they accept the Liberty Medal.

If he were American, U2’s front man could have a shot at becoming the first one-named president of the United States. The speech he gave after receiving the prestigious Liberty Medal at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia Thursday night, September 27, almost made Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic convention oration sound inarticulate and lacking in patriotism.

“This is my country,” proclaimed the rocker, wearing his trademark sunglasses. Then he proceeded to rattle off everything good about America–from Ben Franklin to Bob Dylan, from teaching “the Irish their value” to the Declaration of Independance, the first few lines he read, then declared author Thomas Jefferson ” a great lyricist.”

“It’s a great opening riff,” he said, to laughter.

Bono (born Paul Hewson, of Dublin) was selected to receive the medal jointly with DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa), an organization he co-founded to help end AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa. The $100,000 prize will go directly into DATA’s coffers. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former finance minister of Nigera and vice president of the World Bank, accepted the award on behalf of DATA, on whose advisory board she sits.

The Irish singer joins a distinguished group of recipients, including former President George Bush, who placed the medal around his neck at Thursday night’s ceremony; former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter; South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and F. W. deKlerk; King Hussein and Shimon Peres; Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan; Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, and former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Among that group, even Bono expressed some surprise that the award was given to “an Irish punk rocker.”

But the awards committee had its reasons–and good ones.  While other artist-activists have raised funds for Africa with their music, Bono used his fame to take his message to the halls of power. He has lobbied US presidents, including the current one; congressional leaders, and heads of other G8 nations, first to convince them to forgive Africa’s debt (done) and to provide money to buy AIDS drugs for people in Africa who can’t afford them (done).

ONE, the organization he launched  in Philadelphia during Live 8 two years to “make poverty history,” has enrolled 2.4 million American activists in the fight against AIDS and conditions on the African continent. He and partner Bobby Shriver last year also launched Product (RED) to raise money from businesses to purchases AIDS drugs for Africans. Many of the audience on Thursday night were wearing “RED” t-shirts from the GAP, which donates part of the proceeds from the sale to the program. Only a year old, Product (RED) has already raised $45 million, $30 million of which has been distributed to AIDS programs in Ghana, Swaziland, and Rwanda.

Most important, said  Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, is that the singer and his group, DATA, don’t offer handouts. “They recognize the essential wish of Africans to help themselves. Africans want to support themselves. Africans do not want to be objects of pity or to be seen as victims,” she told the crowd.

 “We can’t fix every problem,” Bono said. “But the ones we can, we must.”

September 27, 2007 by