Videos

Video: Sean McMenamin, From Mayo to Here

Sean McMenamin

If you’re part of the Irish community in Philadelphia, you know Sean McMenamin from, well, everywhere. For over 50 years, he has been one of the most recognizable and beloved forces of nature in the community; somehow the man from Kildangan, County Mayo, manages to be both a behind-the-scenes presence at the same time that he is leading the charge.

And he will, quite literally, be at the head of the parade when he leads the 2019 Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 10, as this year’s Grand Marshal. It is particularly fitting that he does so the year the theme is “St. Patrick, Unite Us,” because this is a man who has been uniting people his entire life.

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January 31, 2019 by
How to Be Irish in Philly

How to Be Irish in Philly This Week

Sure, it’s cold. Hey, it’s January. But that’s no excuse not to get out and get Irish.

Here’s how to get your week started on a roll.

The Notre Dame Ladies Football Club is sponsoring a bowling night Saturday, starting at 5 p.m. at MacDade Bowl, 2105 MacDade Boulevard in Holmes, Delaware County. Admission fee is $20 per person and, just in case you don’t have bowling shoes, bowling shoe rental is included. It’s BYOB, and there will be raffles.

On a more serious note, on Sunday, the Derry Society of Philadelphia hosts a Bloody Sunday commemorative Mass at the Philadelphia Irish Center/Commodore John Barry Arts & Cultural Center. The Mass commemorates the 47thanniversary of Bloody Sunday, and begins at 3 p.m. The Irish Center is at 6815 Emlen Street in the city’s Mount Airy neighborhood. (Right across from the Carpenter SEPTA station.) Refreshments to follow in the Fireside Room.

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January 25, 2019 by
News

Foróige: Raising the Next Generation of Leaders

Every Tuesday night at 7 p.m., a group of teenagers, 12 to 18 years old, meet at the Irish Immigration Center of Greater Philadelphia office in Upper Darby. There’s fun, of course—they’re teenagers—but they also have a serious mission: carving out a better future for themselves and for their community.

It’s the Foróige Youth Group, a local chapter of Ireland’s biggest and most successful youth development leadership program.

The Immigration Center chapter of Foróige (pronounced fo-ROY-guh) has about 30 members. It’s the first in the United States.

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January 25, 2019 by
Audio

Podcast: The Ins and Outs of DNA Testing

irishphiladelphia.com’s genealogy maven Lori Lander Murphy returns with another installment of Who’s Your Granny (with occasional editorial comment from her dog Daisy).

DNA testing is becoming more popular. There are many DNA testing services, and all employ different methods. Consequently, they may render different results. Some of them are more strongly focused on finding your family history, and some aren’t.

If you’re a genealogy beginner, what do you need to know?

Lori explains.

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January 24, 2019 by
Food & Drink

Soup’s On: Add Guinness!

Onion soup is a surefire hit on anyone’s winter menu. Instead of using only yellow onions, this soup uses three — yellow, red, and shallots—adds Guinness to flavor the broth, and tops it with hearty, thick-cut croutons with melted blue cheese—Cashel Blue preferred! You can make the croutons ahead of time and store in an airtight container.

GUINNESS ONION SOUP WITH BLUE CHEESE CROUTONS

SERVES 8 

Ingredients

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons. unsalted butter
  • 3 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
  • 2 large red onions, peeled and sliced
  • 4 shallots, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 3 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup Guinness
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste

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January 24, 2019 by
How to Be Irish in Philly

How to Be Irish in Philly This Week

There’s a lot of music on tap for this week, along with a fund-raiser and what promises to be one fun bowling night.

First off, for those of you who make last-minute plans, two opportunities for music tonight.

At Dubliner on the Delaware, 34 North Main Street in New Hope, catch the always entertaining Gerry Timlin’s show, starting at 7:30.

Also tonight … Jamison Celtic Rock at Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 39, 7229 Tulip Street in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia. The show starts at 9 p.m. and runs through the wee hours. It’s open to the public, and there’s no cover.

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January 18, 2019 by
News

AOH/LAOH Keeps Coast Guard Members Afloat During Shutdown

About 43,000 Coast Guard service members and employees nationwide continue to work during the government shutdown, including about 200 at the Coast Guard station in South Philadelphia on Columbus Boulevard.

Members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians/Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians are banding together to provide the local Coast Guard members with the essentials they need to keep providing for themselves and their families until the shutdown ends.

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January 18, 2019 by
Food & Drink

Behind the Bar: Michael Higgins, Tir na nÓg Philadelphia

It’s not too surprising that Michael Higgins is a bartender at one of Philadelphia’s favorite Irish pubs.

“My family owned a pub in Galway for probably seven years,” he says, “and the first time I poured a pint of any kind was the night we opened. That’s how I was thrust into the pub world, and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

After the pub sold, he moved to the United States. He’s been at Tir na nÓg for 10 years.

We caught up with him recently and asked him a few questions about his life behind the bar.

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January 14, 2019 by