Irish Massachusetts

Broadway in Boston is presenting Once , the Tony award-winning musical based on the Academy Award winning film, at the Boston Opera House , from January 7-19, 2014.   You can purchase tickets online , and also get group discount rates for ten tickets or more.  Winner of eight Tony Awards in 2012 including Best Musical, Once tells the enchanting tale of a Dublin street musician who's about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes a sudden interest in his haunting love songs. As the chemistry between them grows, his music soars to powerful new heights, but their unlikely connection turns out to be deeper and more complex than your everyday romance. Music and lyrics are by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova , with book by Enda Walsh .  T ony Award winner John Tiffany is director.  Stuart Ward and Dani de Waal play the two main characters in the play Once is a truly original Broadway experience, featuring an impr...

Boston's popular band, the Dropkick Murphys , are set to perform at the inauguration ceremonies of Martin J. Walsh when he becomes Mayor of Boston on January 6, 2014. The inauguration party takes place at 7:00 p.m. at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston's Back Bay.  Tickets to the show are $35 and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster . Other top performers include the Boston Pops Swing Orchestra, led by maestro Keith Lockhart ,  Blue Man Group, Ellis Hall, The Floor Lords, Zumix, Calypso Hurricane, Strictly Sinatra, Mark Morris and the Cat Tunes, Steve Sweeney, Lenny Clarke, and DJ Master Millions. Earlier that day, at the inauguration swearing in ceremonies at Boston College, Irish tenor Ronan Tynan is set to sing the national anthem.  Walsh is the city's 48th mayor, and a resident of Dorchester. Find out more about Boston's Irish history by visiting IrishHeritageTrail.com .

Paddy Keenan The Gaelic Roots Music and Dance program at Boston College has issued its winter schedule of music and dance concerts taking place from January through March 2014. Among the artists performing this semester are uilleann piper Paddy Keenan, Irish dancer Kieran Jordan, fiddler Sheila Falls and flutist Mark Roberts, and the band Mist Covered Mountains.   Created and directed by master fiddler Seamus Connolly , Gaelic Roots is a program of music and dance instruction at Boston College , as well as lectures, concerts and special events that focus on traditional music from Ireland as well as Scotland, Canada's Maritimes, and the American Appalichia.  You follow Gaelic Roots on Facebook . Find year round information on Irish cultural events in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com.

The Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, is welcoming the County Clare Hurling team that won the 2013 All Ireland Hurling Championships, on Wednesday, January 1, 2014 at 6:00 p.m.   The team with arrive with the McCarthy Cup. The Clare team won the All Ireland, beating County Cork in an exciting match held at Croke Park in Dublin last September.  It was Clare's first victory since 1997, according to RTE . The Burren event is a fundraiser to benefit the Clare Supporters Club of Boston. Named after the natural rock formations in County Clare, the Burren Pub is owned by Tommy McCarthy, whose family roots are in Clare, and his wife Louise Costello from Galway. Find more about Boston's Irish community at IrishBoston.org .

The John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester is presenting the Crabtree Puppet Theatre 's rendition of Mr. Punch's Christmas Carol on Friday, December 27, 2013 at 10:30 a.m.   Beautifully crafted puppets tell the story of a man who hated Christmas, until he saw the light. Here is a full schedule of upcoming Celebrate! events for children and families at the JFK Library. The Kennedy Library is the official presidential library of John F. Kennedy, the nation's 35th president.  Here is more information about the JFK Library & Museum .

The final concert of this year's Christmas Celtic Sojourn is taking place on Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in downtown Boston.  Tickets are still available at the venue. Now in its 11th year, Christmas Celtic Sojourn is hosted by WGBH radio personality Brian O'Donovan , and features some of the world's leading Celtic artists from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Canada and the United States. Find year round details on Irish cultural events in Massachusetts and New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Here is a book review of Rose Kennedy's Family Album in the current issue of Travel & Culture Guide issued by the Boston Irish Tourism Association : From the Fitzgerald Kennedy Private Collection, 1878-1946 Foreword by Caroline Kennedy Arranged and Edited by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation Hachette Books 368 pages / $45.00 / October 2013 Think of this exquisite coffee-table book literally as a family album, with photos, snippets from letters, humorous asides and personal reflections. But it’s a family album that chronicles one of America’s most famous families. The 300 plus photographs, overwhelmingly black & white, were lovingly saved and preserved by Rose, who in many ways kept the family narrative intact over so many decades. The book is chronological, starting with photos of her parents, John “Honey Fitz,” and Mary Hannon, and her husband Joe Kennedy’s parents, Patrick “PJ” Joseph and Mary Hickey. Then the nin...

Irish harpist Aine Minogue is performing a concert entitled "To Warm a Winter's Night" on Monday, December 23, 2013 at Passim's in Harvard Square .  The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the show are $20-$20 and can be purchased online or at the door.  Among the songs performed are Greensleeves, Noel Nouvelle, and a Gaelic version of Silent Night. Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and the New England states at IrishMassachusetts.com .

The annual raffle to win $30,000 in cash prizes takes place on Saturday, December 21, 2014 from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Irish Cultural Centre , located on Route 138 in Canton.  The raffle was postponed last Saturday, December 14 due to the weather. Tickets to the raffle are $100, and proceeds helps to provide year round programming at the Centre, New England's largest Irish facility. You can follow the ICC on Facebook .  Here is a profile of Mary McTigue , executive director of the Centre. Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Irish tenor Ronan Tynan is performing at the inauguration of Marty Walsh, Boston's new mayor ,  at the Conte Forum Arena on the Boston College campus on Monday, January 6, 2014. Tynan is one of Ireland's best known singers, and has performed at many national occasions, including the 9/11 ceremonies in New York, the funeral of Ronald Reagan, and the Inaugural Prayer Service at the National Cathedral. Mayor-elect Walsh's inauguration ceremony at BC will be the culmination of neighborhood and city-wide events taking place from Friday, January 3 through Monday, January 5, 2014.  Here is information on the pre-inaugural activities . On Monday evening, following his inauguration, Mayor Walsh is hosting an inaugural celebration at the John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center in Boston's Back Bay, starting at 7:00 p.m.   The Center is named for Mayor John B. Hynes, who held office briefly in 1947 and from 1950-1959.  Mayor Hynes was the last Dorches...

Today we pause to remember our good friend Larry Meehan , the energetic, personable and accomplished spokesman for greater Boston's travel and tourism industry.  He died a year ago this past weekend, on December 15, 2012. Our thoughts go to Larry's wife Melissa and sons David and Will, to his extended family, and to all his colleagues, friends and supporters in the tourism industry in Massachusetts and around the world. Larry worked for the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau for more than two decades and helped to brand Boston as one of America's favorite cities.  In his memory, the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism now presents annually the Larry D. Meehan Award to those who have made major contributions to the expansion and vitality of the state's tourism industry. All of us who knew Larry were inspired by his love of life and devotion to his family, as well as his gentle humor, talent and professionalism in all aspects of his...

Looking for last minute Christmas gifts?  The Boston Irish Tourism Association has four terrific books for sale online .  PayPal accepted. You must order by Wednesday, December 18, 2013 to receive delivery by Monday, December 23, 2013. All books shipped USPS priority mail. Rose Kennedy's Family Album $45 / Hard Cover / 368 pages In the Kennedy Kitchen $35 / Hard Cover / 220 pages Elegant Irish Dining Irish Boston: A Lively Look at Boston's Colorful Irish Past $18.95 / Paper Back / 198 pages Elegant Irish Dining $35 / Hard Cover / 292 pages Shipping and handling costs are included in the prices above. Contact irishmassachusetts@comcast.net for any questions or inquiries. 

  Kevin Doyle The 6th annual Christmas Celebration at Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI is taking place on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $20 and can be ordered by calling 401-725=9272 for reservations. This year's line-up features a splendid variety show of Celtic and folk bands, with plenty of singing, storytelling and dancing.  Among the artists performing are the Swamp Meadow Carolers , uilleann piper Torrin Ryan , Irish dance master  Kevin Doyle , and members of the Celtic band Pendragon . Here is a schedule of concerts at Blackstone River Theatre . Find year round details on Irish and Celtic cultural activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

The annual raffle to win $30,000 in cash prizes takes place this Saturday, December 14, 2014 from 6:00 to 11:00 p.m. at the Irish Cultural Centre , located on Route 138 in Canton.  Tickets to the raffle are $100, and proceeds helps to provide year round programming at the Centre, New England's largest Irish facility. You can follow the ICC on Facebook .  Here is a profile of Mary McTigue , executive director of the Centre. Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Northern Ireland’s Noble prize winner poet Seamus Heaney , who died in August, is well remembered in Massachusetts, where he spent considerable time, lecturing at Harvard University and giving poetry readings for students at schools like Boston College, Northeastern University, Bridgewater State and Stonehill College. On December 11, 2013 the Consulate General of Ireland holds a celebration at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.   Participants include fiddler SeamusConnolly , journalist Kevin Cullen , and academics Dr. Kelly Matthews and Dr. Catherine Shannon.   The event is free and open to the public. Then on April 13, 2014, Bridgewater State University holds a celebration on what would have been Heaney’s 75 th birthday.   Maureen Connelly, former Irish Echo columnist and English teacher at Bridgewater, has invited Dr. Sean O’Connell from UMass/Boston, journalist Kevin Cullen, writer Bill O’Donnell and others to parti...

The Gaelic Roots program at Boston College is presenting a Christmas concert featuring banjo player and academic scholar Mick Moloney and fiddler Athena Tergis on Tuesday, December 10, 2013, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The concert takes place at Walsh Hall on BC's campus, and is free and open to the public. Moloney is founder of the group, Green Fields of America, and is a respected scholar, composer and producer of Irish music.  He holds a Ph.D. in folklore from the University of Pennsylvania, and is author of the book, Far from the Shamrock Shore.  A native of San Francisco, Tergis played with the Sharon Shannon Band in Ireland and later was the lead fiddler on the show Riverdance.  She has also toured with the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra and with saxophonist Clarence Clemmons. Gaelic Roots is headed by fiddle master Seamus Connolly , a native of County Clare who have lived in the New England region since 1976.   Connolly recently received a National He...

    The Cathedral Basillica Notre-Dame in Quebec City is holding a Christmas concert on Saturday, December 8, 2013, at 8:00 p.m., featuring the famous Voltigeurs du Quebec , one of Canada's oldest and most renowned military bands. Captain Francois Dorion is the conductor. The concert, which is open to the public, is part of the Cathedral's 350th anniversary celebrations, marking the spiritual and cultural significance of the Cathedral in Quebec City since 1664. Read more about the history here. For information about visiting Quebec City and surrounding area, including hotel accommodations, transportation, and other activities, go to QuebecRegion.com.en .

( This interview with Keith Lockhart appears in the winter issue of Travel & Culture Guide , available for free at visitor centers and cultural venues throughout Massachusetts) Boston Pops conductor Keith Lockhart has led the world-famous Boston Pops Orchestra since 1995, the 20 th conductor to hold this hallowed position.   The season, the Holiday Pops series includes 46 shows, running from December 4-24, which includes seven matinees for children and also a special appearance by Broadway star Kristen Chenoweth on December 12. We caught up with the maestro in Phoenix, AZ, as he and the orchestra were starting a seven-city, three-state Southwest Tour that includes concerts in Tuscon, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Palm Desert, San Diego, Northridge and Costa Mesa. What do audiences outside Boston love most about the show? Touring with the Boston Pops is unlike touring with other orchestra groups: we have a nationwide constituency of people who bought every recording dati...

The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, hosted by Brian O'Donovan of WGBH, on Thursday, December 19, 2013 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in downtown Boston.   Enter the contest here . Alternatively, you can purchase tickets online to one of the performances taking place in Boston, Stockbridge, NH, and Worcester. Now in its 11th year, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn showcases some of the world's top traditional musicians from the Celtic countries, offering a traditional, reflective and joyous celebration of the Christmas season. This year's show features Seamus Egan and his band Solas, harpist Maeve Gilchrist, and singers Moira Smiley, Maureen McMullan and Lindsay O'Donovan.  The championship dance troupe from the Liam Harney Academy is also performing this year.  Here is a complete schedule of this year's A Christmas Celtic Sojourn . You can find year round details on Irish cultural activi...

Irish tradition music duo extraordinaire Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costelllo are releasing their new CD, Grace Bay , with a performance at their pub, the Burren, on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.  Radio show host Brian O'Donovan is master of ceremonies. Tickets are $24 and all proceeds benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition . Grace Bay is the first joint release of this dynamic husband-wife duo, and the album showcases the regional styles of West Clare and North Galway.  Find more about upcoming music at the Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville. For year round Irish cultural activities in greater Boston, visit IrishBoston.org For visitor information go to BostonUSA.com or MassVacation.com . 

The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to see Tomaseen Foley 's production of A Celtic Christmas at the Larcom Theatre in Beverly on Saturday, December 7,  2013 at 8:00 p.m. Enter the contest here . Or, you can purchase tickets online to the show, on Saturday, December 7, or Sunday, December 8, for just $39 per ticket. For a calendar of other Christmas shows in Massachusetts and New England in December, visit IrishBoston . Find year round details on Irish culture, gift shops, pubs and other activities at IrishMassachusetts.com .

Accordionist Brendan Brown and fiddler Maureen Brown are performing at the Burren Pub, front room, in Davis Square, Somerville, on Saturday, November 30, 2013 at 10:00 p.m. Here's a schedule of upcoming music at the Burren . Find year round Irish activities in greater Boston at IrishBoston.org .

The famed Irish traditional ensemble, Cherish the Ladies , is performing A Celtic Christmas Extravaganza at the Rogers Center for the Arts at Merrimack College on Friday, December 6, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets are nearly sold out, but you can purchase them by calling the box office at 978 837-5355. Or, take a chance to win a free pair of tickets through Boston Irish Tourism Association . Led by the great flutist Joanie Madden , Cherish the Ladies also includes fiddle great Grainne Murphy from Lowell, Massachusetts.  Here are bios of the band .  Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at the Rogers Center for the Arts . Find more Irish and Celtic performances by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com .

Irish traditional band Lunasa and singer Karen Casey are presenting a concert entitled Christmas from Ireland at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on Sunday, December 1, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $30 and you can purchase them online . Also, you can win a pair of tickets to the show through Boston Irish Tourism Association .  The winner is being picked on Friday, November 29. Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at Mechanics Hall . For year round Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and the New England states, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

(Boston) — The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) released its annual Travel & Culture Guide of Irish cultural activities in greater Boston and throughout New England.  The 28-page color magazine details upcoming holiday concerts and theater, plus selected Irish pubs, gift shops, cultural venues and hotels for visitors from out-of-town. The Guide is available for free at tourism centers across the state and at museums, hotels, Irish venues and cultural outlets. See distribution centers . This issue of Travel & Culture Guide includes a round up of Christmas and Celtic music concerts in December, plus a calendar of cultural activities through March 2014.  A story on local theater previews Once: The Musical , presented by Broadway In Boston this January, and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest , presented by Moonbox Productions through December.  Also in this issue is an interview with Boston Pops conductor Keith Loc...

Claudine Langille   Irish musicians Claudine Langille and Triona are performing in concert at the Irish Ceilidhe Club of Rhode Island in Cranston on Sunday, November 24, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets to the concert are $15 and can be purchased at the door. Here are directions to the club . A native of Connecticut with roots in Nova Scotia, Langille is a master on the mandolin and banjo, and a singer/songwriter.  She is equally adept in the music of Ireland, Scotland, Canada's Maritime and American Appalachia. Find more information on upcoming concerts at the Irish Ceilidhe Club .  You can find more information about Irish and Scottish cultural activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Comas , an all-star quartet of Irish traditional musicians, is performing at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are $15 and can be purchased at the theater. The band includes fiddler Aidan Burke, uilleann piper and flutist Isaac Alderson,  guitarist Philip Masure, and bodhran player Jackie Moran. Here is a schedule of upcoming events at Blackstone River Theatre .  Find year round details on Irish cultural activities throughout New England at IrishMassachusetts.com .

Oscar Wilde Moonbox Productions is presenting The Importance of Being Earnest, by Irish playwright O scar Wilde , at the Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theater in the South End from November 22 through December 14, 2013. Tickets are $30-$35 and can be purchased online .  The classic play, described as a comedy of manners, shows Wilde's wit and sarcasm at its best, as he lampoons the social fashions of 19th century Victorian England. Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away five pairs of tickets to the December 1 matinee.  Enter the contest here . For more information on Boston's Irish cultural scene year round, visit IrishBoston.org . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .

“We would like to live as we once lived.  But history will not permit it.” President Kennedy, November 22, 1963 Half a century later, we allow ourselves to be captured in time. To imagine earlier days that must have been better days. It was the time of our life, our nation’s life, when idealism trumped cynicism, when grace and beauty took their rightful place in how we saw ourselves, how the world saw us. Televisions were black and white, just like the battle between good and evil. New frontiers opened up, old prejudices broke down. We felt that anything was possible. The Boston accent, summers on the Cape, boats swaying in the bay, clam bakes and ocean waves. The beauty of youth. It all seemed endless. Fifty years later, we hold our memories gently and remain wistful of that time interrupted. Even now, we carry the promise of possibility in our hearts - from Boston Irish Tourism Association

Caroline Kennedy was sworn in as the US Ambassador to Japan on Tuesday, November 12, 2013 at the US State Department. At a reception later that evening at the Japanese Embassy in Washington, DC, US Secretary of State John Kerry gave welcoming remarks to those who gathered, saying that the appointment of Ambassador Kennedy to Japan is "a symbol of reconciliation, a symbol of possibilities, a symbol of people who know how to put the past behind them and look to the future and build a future together. That is, in today’s world, both remarkable and beautiful." Ambassador Kennedy made brief remarks at the reception. Kennedy is the honorary president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston.   Her most recent book, Rose Kennedy's Family Album , was published in October, 2013. For year round details on Boston's Irish cultural activities, visit IrishBoston.org .

The Boston Irish Pastoral Centre is holding its annual banquet at Florian Hall in Dorchester on Saturday, November 16, 2013, starting at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets to the banquet are $100 per person and can be purchased by calling 617 265-5300. Mary McAleese , former President of Ireland, is the special guest of honor at the event.  Music is being performed by Kevin Doherty & Friends , with dancing by the Brady Academy of Irish Dance. Formed in 1987, the Irish Pastoral Centre of Boston celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2012, assisting Irish immigrations in making a positive transition to living in the United States.  Read a recent story on the Centre in BITA's Travel & Culture Guide . Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Hanneke Cassel and Jeremy Kittel , both US National Scottish Fiddle champions, are performing along with Newfoundland guitarist Keith Murphy at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI on Saturday, November 9, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.  Tickets to the show are $15 in advance and $18 at the venue the day of the concert. The trio will perform an array of Scottish and Irish music as well as tunes from the Canadian Maritimes and Quebec. Here is an interview with Cassell, who graduated from the Berklee College of Music. Check out these upcoming events at Blackstone River Theatre . For year round details on Irish and Scottish cultural activities in New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan gave an incredible rendition of God Bless America today as Boston Red Sox players paused at the Boston Marathon finish line in Copley Square to remember victims of the marathon bombing in April.  Tynan was on the flatbed truck carrying the Dropkick Murphys , who played throughout the duck boat parade celebrating the team's 2013 World Champions victory in the world series.  A Red Sox blogger captured the performance here . Tynan is performing live at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium on Sunday afternoon, November 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. For more Irish concerts coming up in the Boston area, visit IrishBoston.org .

Ray Flynn , former mayor of Boston and ambassador to the Vatican, discussed this year's Boston mayoral contest with television host Jim Braude on NECN on Tuesday, October 29, 2013.  Here is a video of the conversation . Flynn referred to himself as a "social and economic justice Democrat" when discussing his political philosophy and the importance of jobs in Boston's neighborhoods.  He praised each of the candidates, Martin Walsh and John Connolly , and said both of them would make great mayors. Since retiring from politics, Flynn has been a regular contributor to the Boston Herald and the Irish Echo newspaper in New York and is a frequent commentator on television and radio.  For more about Boston's Irish heritage, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com .

A trio of great musicians - Open the Door for Three - is performing at the Backroom Series at the Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at 7:30 p.m..  You can purchase tickets online for $24.80 or buy them at the door. The band consists of fiddle player Liz Knowles , a former member of Cherish the Ladies and star of Riverdance; piper and whistle player Kieran O'Hare , who has appeared on Broadway and in motion pictures, and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2010; and multi-instrumentalist Pat Broaders , a Dublin-born musician who moved to Chicago and plays with the band Bohola. The Burren Backroom Series is hosted by Brian O'Donovan , host of Celtic Sojourn radio program heard weekly on WGBH. Read about Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello , owners of the Burren Pub and exemplary musicians themselves. Find year round details on Irish music and culture in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go...

Irish master chef Brendan Cronin is holding a cooking class at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.  Tickets are $25 for ICC members and $30 for non-members . Born and raised in Ireland, Chef Cronin is the author of  Cheffin: From Potatoes to Cavier .  It’s a lively, engaging story that begins on a small dairy farm and ends in the finest hotels and restaurants in the world.  He teaches hospitality management at Endicott College in Beverly, MA. At the cooking class, Chef Cronin will demonstrate recipes from his book, including Irish barley soup and Irish soda bread.  Here are upcoming events at the Irish Cultural Centre . Find year round details on Irish activities in Massachusetts and the New England states by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .

ArtsEmerson is staging Samuel Beckett 's masterpiece, Waiting for Godot, in Boston on the main stage of the Paramount Center from October 31 to November 10, 2013.  The play is performed by the Gare St Lazare Players Ireland , one of the world's premier interpreters of Beckett's work.  The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to see the show.  Enter the contest here .   You can also purchase tickets to the show online . Here is a schedule of ArtsEmerson's upcoming performances . Enter other contests to win tickets from Boston Irish Tourism Association. Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and the New England states by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan is performing in concert at the Lowell  Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.   The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to the show; you can enter the contest here .  Winners will be announced Friday, November 1, so please check back. Or, you can order tickets to see the show direct from the box office.  Tickets are $39-49 and can be purchased online or by calling (866) 722-8881l. Formerly a member of the Irish Tenors, Ronan has enjoyed an amazing solo career in recent years, from performing the national anthem at Boston Red Sox games to being the voice of solace at the 9/11 ceremonies in New York City.  He has enthralled music lovers around the world with his stunning voice, commanding stage presence, and the utter joy he brings to his performances.  Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. ...

  John Hutchinson Live boxing is coming to the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton on Saturday, October 26, 2013, starting at 2:00 p.m.  Among the fighters are two Donegal boxers, John Hutchinson from Buncrana and Michael McLaughlin from Carndonagh. Tickets to the event are $40 general admission and $100 for ringside seats.  To order tickets, or for more information, call 781-821-8295 or email info@irishculture.org The boxing match is put on by the  International Federation of Boxing and presented by Big Six Entertainment and Danny Kelly. Here are more events at the Irish Cultural Centre . For year round details on the Irish community in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

The United States Senate has confirmed the appointment of Caroline Kennedy  to become the next US Ambassador to Japan.  She won the unanimous endorsement Wednesday night, according to CBS News . Her confirmation hearing took place before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on September 19, 2013.  Here is a video of that hearing .  She promised to carry on the legacy of her father, President John F. Kennedy . Kennedy, who is the president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation , has recently completed a  book on her grandmother's historical photographs, entitled Rose Kennedy's Family Album . Visit the JFK Library for more information about President Kennedy and the Kennedy family. For year round details on Irish culture and history in Massachusetts visit IrishMassachusetts.com and IrishHeritageTrail.com .

The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a pair of free tickets to see Josh Groban perform live at the TD Garden on Monday, October 28, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.  Click here to enter the contest. The lucky winner will be notified on Friday, October 25. If you don't want to take a chance, you can order tickets online through Ticketmaster. Groban is a 30-year-old singer, born in California and now living in New York, who has become an internationally renowned, multi-platinum recording artist over the past 12 years. His first big hit was "You Raise Me Up,"  written by Irish songwriter Brendan Graham . For more concerts sponsored by the Boston Irish Tourism Association, visit BITA's Contest Page .  You can find year round details on cultural activities in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For tourist information, go to MassVacation.com or BostonUSA.com .

A Couple of Blaguards , written by Pulitzer Prize winner Frank McCourt and his brother Malachy McCourt, is showing at the Larcom Theatre in Beverly, Massachusetts on October 18-27, 2013.  Tickets to the show are $39 and can be purchased online or by calling 617 531-1257. The one hour and forty-five minute show is a showcase of Irish wit, song and storytelling that is set in Limerick, Ireland, where the McCourts grew up, and New York City, where they emigrated and settled.  Also, the Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away two free pairs of tickets to the October 27 show.  Enter to win the contest here . Located at 13 Wallis Street in downtown Beverly, the Larcom Theatre was built in 1912.  With a full vaudeville stage and seating for 450 patrons, the Larcom has an outstanding line up of shows this fall and winter, including Tomaseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas in December.  Here are directions to the Larcom Theatre .  For more de...

Singer/songwriter Sarah McQuaid is performing at the Burren Backroom Series on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.   Tickets to the show are $23 and can be purchased online or at the venue. Born in Spain and raised in Chicago, McQuaid lived in Ireland for many years and is now settled in rural England.  Her skill as a singer and guitarist is complemented by her original compositions and unique interpretations of traditional songs. The Burren Backroom Series is hosted by Brian O'Donovan , host of Celtic Sojourn radio program heard weekly on WGBH. Read about Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello , owners of the Burren Pub and exemplary musicians themselves.  Find year round details on Irish music and culture in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . For visitor information go to MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com . 

Top Irish traditional musicians and dancers from Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann are performing at the Waltham High School in Waltham, MA on Saturday, October 12, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.  The fourteen member troupe includes a number of champions on their respective instruments as well as top dancers and singers. The ten-city tour started in Dublin, Ireland and ends in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Here is a full schedule of the tour . This year's Boston concert has a special theme, Continuing the Tradition, in honor of the late Irish fiddler Larry Reynolds , who formed the Comhaltas branch in Boston in 1976 and had been a supporter of the Echoes of Erin tour for many years. For ticket information, call 617 481-5503 or 508 947-8688 or write to cceboston@verizon.net . Find year round information on Irish culture in Massachusetts and the New England states by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com.

Tin Can Hooley   The 3rd annual Irish Heritage Festival is taking place this Sunday at Florian Hall on Hallet Street in Dorchester.   The festival runs from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and is free to the public. A number of great Irish bands are performing at the festival, including singer Pauline Wells , the Silver Spears , Robbie O'Connell and Aoife Clancy , and Patrick Kennedy and Tin Can Hooley .  Here is a schedule of performances . Also, the award-winning Harney Academy of Irish Dance of Walpole and the Clifden Academy of Irish Dance of Milton are also performing. A variety of Irish products, including clothing, music and jewelry is available.  See vendor list . The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA) is on hand to provide genealogy and family history information.  At 4:00 p.m. the festival is presenting the first Irish Spirit Award in honor of the late Galway fiddler, Larry Reynolds . Any proceeds from the festival are being d...