Come to the Wren Party!
Legend has it that it was the chattering of a wren who gave away St. Stephen’s hiding place in a bush, leading to his murder and martyrdom. Fast forward several centuries to the Emerald Isle, where the...
View ArticleDowningtown Dancer Catches Celtic Fire
When Michael Londra and the Celtic Fire light up the stage at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia on March 16, the singing sensation will have with him some world-class talent,...
View ArticleA Little Bit of Ireland on the Waterfront
People have been celebrating their Irish heritage by taking in The Philadelphia Irish Festival at Penns Landing for more than 20 years. That translates to thousands of Irish or those who just want to...
View ArticleRemembering Eugene O’Donnell
The world of Irish music and dance is mourning the passing of the supremely gifted fiddler Eugene O’Donnell. News of his death came Friday, June 28, from his longtime musical partner,...
View ArticleBig Finish: The 2019 Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival
The 2019 Philadelphia Ceili Group Irish Traditional Music & Dance Festival is over, but what a packed, fun-filled festival it was. We showed you the Thursday night singers night last week, but that...
View ArticleYou Think Your Kids Can Dance? Bring Them to the Kids’ Ceili!
Many were introduced to the Philadelphia Ceili Group and its festival through dance. One of those was Marian McGill McFeeters. Over time, though, she says, the number of dancers drawn to the Ceili...
View ArticleA Dream Come True for Riverdance Lead Anna Mai Fitzpatrick
You might say Anna Mai Fitzpatrick’s role as a lead dancer in the U.S. touring company of Riverdance was preordained. When Anna Mai was 3, her mother Sharon saw Riverdance on television in one of the...
View ArticleSoul Sisters, With a History of Accomplishment
Regan Sweeney and Olivia Lisowski finish each other’s sentences. They’re a font of shared experiences, with a deep love of Irish dance, music and culture. And one more thing: family. “Our families are...
View ArticleKeeping the Tradition Alive: The (Virtual) Ceili Group Festival
Devotees of traditional Irish music and culture look forward to the Philadelphia Ceili Group Festival every year. It’s an exhaustive three-day affair, with concerts by world-class musicians, workshops,...
View ArticleCummins Dancers Host a Pop-Up Show in Jenkintown
With musical help from the Derry Brigade, the Cummins School of Irish Dance took to the Jenkintown Town Square on Sunday. We were there, and it was just such a joy, after a year, to be out and about...
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