How to be Irish in Philly this Week

Welcome back to another episode of “As the Philly Irish World Turns.”

It’s a busy week, with plenty to do, see and listen to. Of course, compared to March, it’s the calm before the storm. We’ll touch on that a bit later on.

For now, here’s what’s happening this week.

Friday, February 21, 2020

Just a reminder that one of the best and coolest events of the Irish Philly calendar is happening tonight. The Delco Gaels present season 9 of “Dancing Like a Star” at Springfield Country Club, 400 West Sproul Road, Springfield Delco. Sixteen dancers are competing. It all starts at 7:30 p.m.

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Plenty of tunes and two big fund-raisers to get you into the Irish spirit this week.

Let’s get right down to it.

Saturday, February 15.

For all you Survivor fans, here’s your opportunity to meet and greet the show’s Janet Carbin at The Hearth, 1901 Darby Road in Havertown. (We’ve been to The Hearth. You must go.) Janet is a local. You can join her for breakfast from 9 to 11 a.m. She’ll sign autographs and share her experiences on this long-running show. Reserve your table by calling 484-454-3176.

Sunday, February 16

Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 87 hosts its annual fundraiser at the hall at St. George, Venango and Edgemont in Port Richmond, starting at 2 p.m. The Shantys and the Natterjacks will be on hand to provide the music.

Cost of admission is $35, which includes live entertainment, kielbasa, roast beef, meatballs, salad and dessert.

BYO beer and booze.

Soft drinks will be available, and domestic can beer for $1.

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Call it the calm before the St. Patrick’s Day storm. We can see from our calendar that March is shaping up to be incredibly nuts. Sooooo much going on.

In the meantime, here’s what’s on tap for this week. It doesn’t compare to March, but what’s on is still plenty fun.

Sunday, February 9

We’ll start with a tasty Chili Cookoff at Hanrahan’s Irish Pub, 690 Burmont Road in Drexel Hill. Yum. It’s Hanrahan’s first event of this sort. Want to claim bragging rights for the best chili? Signups start at 1 p.m., and the contest kicks off at 2. There’s no fee to enter. There will be a 50/50, and the prizes for the winners are pretty great. First prize is a 32-inch flat screen TV. Second gets a $50 gift card, and third place earns a $25 gift card.

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It’s a relatively short week—but the weekend in particular is pretty crowded with great goings-on.

Here we go.

Saturday, February 1

It’s time for Irish Rebel Saturday with the 2nd Street Plough Bhoys at Marty Magee’s, 1110 Lincoln Avenue in Prospect Park. Shaun, Matt and Joe will perform an all-rebel set for the Bhoys, our local Celtic Supporters Club, and it all starts at 4 p.m.

Also Saturday, Poor Man’s Gambit plays at Rigby Mansion, 523 East Church Lane in Philadelphia. It’s all tunes and food—bring your fave dish to share for the potluck. There’s a $20 suggested donation. The show starts at 6 p.m.

Later on, the John Byrne Band is in concert at the new Kelly Center for Music, Arts, and Community, 4 East Eagle Road in Havertown. The show starts at 7:30. Tickets are 15 bucks.

Finally, there’s a beef and beer Team Orange Fundraiser for Delco Gaels/Dancing Like a Star at Paddy Rooney’s Pub, 449 West Chester Pike, in Havertown. It starts at 8 p.m. Music by Shaun Durnin.

Tuesday, February 4

There’s ceili dancing—it’s billed as “stress-free,” always a good thing—at Annunciation Church, Brookline Boulevard and Wexford Road in Havertown. The foot-stomping starts at 7 p.m.

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This is going to be a busy week, with a particularly busy weekend.

Let’s jump right into it.

Friday, January 24

A quick look at tonight’s schedule: The Shantys will appear at the Black Taxi, 25th and Aspen Streets in the city’s Fairmount neighborhood, starting at 7:30 p.m. Tunes and pints!

Saturday, January 25

It’s Burns Night at Plough & the Stars, 2^nd Street between Market and Chestnut in Old City. Poet Robert Burns was Scottish, not Irish, but he was a Celt, and that’s close enough—and the Plough is nothing if not Irish, of course. The festivities start 6 p.m. There’ll be pipers on hand to play tunes, Highland dancers, and an opportunity or two to sample a wee dram. And best of all (maybe not, though—it’s an acquired taste) haggis!

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Big doings in Irish Philly land this week.

We’ll just launch right into things, first a little out of sequence.

Tuesday, January 21-Sunday, January 26

The 25^th anniversary show of Riverdance will be at the Merriam, 250 South Broad Street, this week, featuring Anna Mai Fitzpatrick in a lead dance role and once local (Pittsgrove, N.J.) phenom Haley Richardson on fiddle. Some changes are in store for the show but at heart it’s going to be that same incredible Riverdance you’ve loved all along—lots of high stepping and incredible music. If you’ve never seen Riverdance before—hard to believe you haven’t—by all means, make time in your schedule.

The best way to buy tickets is through the Commodore John Barry Arts & Cultural Center (the Irish Center). The center gets $1 for every ticket sold using the code IRISH. A very worthy cause.

Now back into sequence …

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Do you feel lucky? This could be your week, with two opportunities to place your bets and win some money.

Here’s what’s on.

Friday, January 10

It’s Delco Gaels Night at the Races at JD McGillicuddy’s, 8919 West Chester Pike in Upper Darby. The event benefits the Gaels’ Feile team heading to Ireland this summer. They’re off and running at 7 p.m. and it costs $30 to get in. Horse and race sponsorship opportunities are available.

Contact Jim McCormick 484-433-1472 or Christin Harvey 610-547-0062.

Saturday, January 11

Check out Poker Night, sponsored by Kevin Barry Gaelic Football Club, at Con Murphy’s Irish Pub, 1700 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City. It all starts at 8 p.m. and costs $100 to enter. Good luck!

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It’s a light week, but there’s always a reason to get your Irish Philly on, even if it’s just to visit your favorite Irish watering hole. Maybe especially.

Here’s what’s on:

Friday, January 3

Tonight is the First Friday Music Session at Philly’s great Irish Center, 6815 Emlen Street at Carpenter in Mount Airy.

The session starts at 8 and ends at 10.

If you’ve never gone to a session, it’s a great opportunity to listen to Irish traditional music—or if you play an Irish musical instrument, to sit in and play along with the rest of the crowd. And what better place than at the Irish Center?

Friday, January 10

It’s Delco Gaels Night at the Races! You can join in the fun at JD McGillicuddy’s, 8919 West Chester Pike in Upper Darby. The event benefits the Gaels’ Feile team heading to Ireland this summer. It starts at 7 p.m. and costs $30 to get in. Horse and race sponsorship opportunities are available.

Contact: Jim McCormick 484-433-1472 or Christin Harvey 610-547-0062.

Looking ahead, Riverdance is coming back to Philadelphia January 21-26. You can purchase tickets and help the Irish Center at the same time. Here are the details.

For more events of a regularly scheduled nature, we recommend you visit our calendar. Want to learn how to ceili dance? Looking for more traditional Irish music sessions? Want to know when to catch the latest Irish radio show? It’s all there.

That’s it for this week. See you next time.