Ray Coleman with George Donaldson

George Donaldson may have been a Scot, but the Celtic Thunder lead singer, who died yesterday at the age of 46 of a massive heart attack, held a special place in the hearts of Philadelphia’s Irish community.

“He was a great man, down-to-earth, a good friend, great musician, was great craic to hang with,” said Raymond Coleman, a Tyrone-born musician now living in Philadelphia who often performed with Donaldson at the Plough and the Stars on Second Street.

Coleman recalled going out one night with Donaldson after their show. “And the great fella he was, we were out and didn’t get home till 4 in the morning. Jaclyn [Coleman’s wife] was pregnant and ready to pop, and we landed at my house and I didn’t have my key, so we banged on the door and Jaclyn came down and I was like, ‘George, you’re going through the door first, it’s your fault, you gotta take the blame and fair enough he did!”

It was also Donaldson who “got me in with those crazy Thunder Heads,” said Coleman, referring to Donaldson’s many fans, most of them female.

Like Maggie Costello of Philadelphia, who was part of the George Donaldson Street Team—a group that promotes concerts and events on a grassroots level—which now numbers about 1,200.

“George was a big bear of a man, his hugs were wonderful and given out to his fans and friends alike,” said Costello. “ He called his guy friends and costars in Celtic Thunder, “brother, , was loved by everyone who knew him. He was an extraordinary folksinger, song writer and history teacher to his fans. We learned more about Scottish history than if we took a college course, through his songs and stories. . .He wasn’t just a folksinger, he was our friend.”

One of his favorite books, she said, was “The Alchemist,” a novel about finding one’s own destiny. “He said it taught him it was never too late to follow your dream,” she said.

George Donaldson was one of nine children who grew up in Glasgow where he started his singing career in local pubs and clubs while working as a bus builder. In 2008, at the age of 39, he joined Celtic Thunder, a group introduced to Americans through many concert specials on PBS and which went on to gain international fame. But when he was home in Glasgow, in between tours, Donaldson still gigged at his local, Jinty’s, on Sunday night.

Margaret King met Donaldson in 2008 at WHYY in Philadelphia when he and his Celtic Thunder “brothers” were doing the first of many PBS specials and she was manning the phones along with others from the Cara School of Irish Dance in Delaware County. “They all got on the phones to talk to the people calling in and they were so nice to the dancers,” King recalled. She spent a little time talking to Donaldson during the breaks. “He was such a nice guy. He told me about his wife and daughter and how exciting it was to be starting this tour, which was their first.”

She even remembered some of the lyrics of the song he sang, called The Voyager. “Life is an ocean, love is a boat, In troubled waters, it keeps us afloat
When we started the voyage, there was just me and you. Now, gathered ’round us, we have our own crew.”

“You could tell it that he meant it when he sang that song, that he was thinking of his wife and daughter who were at home.”

Donaldson leaves a wife, Carolyn, and a 13-year-old daughter, Sarah.

The Plough and the Stars, where many Philadelphians and others came to hear the big Scot sing and play, issued this statement on its Facebook page:

“George was a longtime friend of the Plough and was loved by his loyal and devoted fans who traveled here from all over the USA and even as far as Australia, his concerts at the Plough were always sold out. He was a gentleman. Good humored, kind and thoughtful, when we had to reconfigure the whole restaurant for his concert he was always amused and very patient. His concerts were a lot of fun, we will remember the good times during and after. I was talking to him this past Tuesday he was looking forward to playing at the Plough on 17th July it is shocking and tragic. May he rest in peace.”

View more photos of George Donaldson in Philadelphia, courtesy of Maggie Costello, Raymond Coleman, and Margaret King.

Jim Murray, left, with Linda and Michael Bradley.

You gotta love a parade grand marshal who dons a gold yarmulke and tells irreverent stories of how, when asked to arrange former boss Leonard Tose’s funeral on a Sunday in April, responded, “The last Jewish guy buried on Easter got up and left.”

And you gotta love a parade grand marshal who dedicates his honor to his friend, the late Bishop Joseph McFadden, a former chaplain of the parade. And starts to choke up when talking about his father.

That’s Jim Murray, former general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles (when they were owned by Leonard Tose)who helped found the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provides a homelike atmosphere for the families of critically ill children near where their children are hospitalized.

He was the star of Thursday’s annual party at the studios of CBS3, which is in its 11th year of broadcasting the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which Murray will lead on March 16. Members of the St. Patrick’s Ring of Honor, including longtime parade host, meteorologist Kathy Orr, were also introduced at the event that featured music by members of the Boyce family (Blackthorn’s John and Michael Boyce, their brother Brian, and sister, Karen Boyce McCollum) and the McDade Cara Dancers.

We were there and took loads of photos.

It is totally time to rock this look.

This is the time of year when I wish teleporting technology was not just part of the fictional Star Trek universe, because my molecules would be scrambling and re-forming several times a day to get to all the great Irish events dueling for my attention. You too? Thought so.

Next weekend, there are at least four local parades, including the biggie, the Philadelphia St. Patrick’s Day Parade, on Sunday March 16. But the calendar is packed even before that. Let’s start with this Saturday:

At noon, the kick-off of the Running of the Micks and McPatty’s Fest, a giant pub crawl and festival that starts at Finnigan’s Wake on Spring Garden Street in Philly, heads up the Art Museum steps, a la Rocky, and ends at McFaddens for a par-tay, with lots of music going on everywhere. You can hear Jamison at Finnigan’s Wake at 3 PM, for example.

Other Saturday goings on: the Conshy Parade’s Grand Marshall Ball at the Norristown Zoo Banquet Hall; the wonderful duo, McDermott’s Handy (Dennis Gormley and Kathy DeAngelo, about to be inducted into the Comhaltas Hall of Fame) will be performing “The Ballads of Irishtown” at the Carslake Community in Bordentown, NJ; Paul Byrom, formerly of Celtic Thunder, at the World Café Live; the Broken Shillelaghs at Cap’s Bar and Restaurant in Gloucester City, NJ, and Galway Guild will be rocking out at Marty Magee’s in Prospect Park.

On Sunday, the second annual AOH Mass will be celebrated at St. Malachy Church, the jewel of North Philadelphia. At 3 PM, Irish singers Ciaran Nagle of The three Irish Tenors and Tara Novak will be performing at St. Francis Xavier Church in Philadelphia, with special guest, local singer Theresa Flanagan Murtagh; Bill Monaghan and Celtic Pride will be making their annual visit to the Sellersville Theater; you can join the other “RUNA-tics” as they cheer on RUNA, an award-winning band that blends Celtic trad with bluegrass, jazz, and other influences, at the Irish Center; and Karan Casey, formerly of Solas, will be appearing with her trio at Crossroads Music at Calvary Center for Culture and Community in Philadelphia.

If you happen to be in Carbon County, local band Galway Guild will be performing in the Carbon County St. Patrick’s Day parade.

On Monday, Celtic Crossroads brings a variety of influences, from bluegrass to gypsy to jazz, to an all-star spectacular at the Sellersville Theater.

Survive hump day with The Shantys who are appearing at AOH Div. 61 Clubhouse in northeast Philadelphia. The Brehon Law Society is also having its St. Patrick’s Day party at The Philopatrian on Walnut Street in Philadelphia. The John Bryne Band is performing.

On Thursday afternoon, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick will honor the Irish who played a role in the US Revolutionary War by laying a wreath at the plaque at Philadelphia’s City Hall that lists some of their names. Traditionally, the mayor reads a proclamation declaring March Irish month. The day is capped by a dinner and sashing ceremony for the parade grand marshal—this year, former Eagles General Manager Jim Murray—and members of the St. Patrick’s Ring of Honor.

On a serious note, there’s a free Tay-Sachs screening at Upper Merion High School in King of Prussia on Thursday afternoon. It’s part of a study by researchers at Albert Einstein Medical Center attempting the identify the number of carriers in the Irish community. A simple painless blood test can help the researchers determine whether Irish people should be routinely tested for the gene mutation that causes the fatal disease which affects babies.

On Thursday evening, AOH Notre Dame Division 1 throws one of the best parties going—their annual Irish coffee contest—at their Swedesburg digs. And yes, there are tastes all around.

Black 47, the iconic Celtic rockers from New York, are making a stop in Philadelphia on their ”Last Call” tour before the band dissolved. They’ll be at World Café Live on Thursday night.

On Friday. the Irish Society will hold its traditional toast to St. Patrick at noon at Finnigan’s Wake in Philadelphia. It’s also the kickoff of the fourth annual Newtown Irish Festival with Clancy’s Pistol (on Friday) and other performers such as Raymond Coleman, Tommy McHugh, and others up through St. Patrick’s Day. On Sundaynight, catch the Shantys at Schileen’s Pub in Westville, NJ.

Also on Friday night: The Women of Ireland, a show featuring the next generation of Ireland’s female performers, will take the state at Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, and at The Ardmore Music Hall, Enter the Haggis will perform.

It’s almost sold out, but there are a few tickets left for the John Byrne Band with No Irish Need Apply at World Cafe Live on Friday night.

If that’s not enough, Blackthorn will be rocking Kildare’s St. Patrick’s part in their Manayunk location on Friday night.

But wait, there’s more. The Shantys will be at Tir na Nog in Philadelphia, the Broken Shillelaghs at Dubh Linn Square Pub in Bordentown, along with Galway Guild.

And take a peek at our calendar for next week. Your little Irish head will spin. We don’t even have all the local band gigs on the calendar (we encourage the bands to add their gigs themselves, for which we reward them with a shout-out).

Beam me up, Paddy!