Irish Massachusetts

Irish singer Mary Black returns to Boston with a concert at the Berklee Performance Center on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 8:00 p.m.   The concert is presented by World Music/CRASHarts . The Boston Irish Tourism Association has a pair of tickets to give away for this show.   Enter the contest here . You can also purchase tickets directly to the show. Regarded as one of Ireland's best interpretive singers, Mary Black brings a wealth of understanding to Irish traditional music, while also exploring the new compositions of her generation.  Read more about Mary here. You can find year round details on Irish cultural activities  in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

(l-r) Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, Minister Paschal  Donohoe,  and Alison Metcalfe, head of Tourism Ireland in North America (Photo by Sandi Allen)  Paschal Donohoe , TD for Dublin Central and Ireland ’s Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, was in Massachusetts last weekend to participate in the launch of iFest, a three-day Irish festival that debuted in Boston at the Seaport World Trade Center . Also there to promote the marketing initiative, Jump Into Ireland  and the successful 2014 initiative, the  Wild Atlantic Way , Mr. Donohoe met with over 200 Irish tour operators, travel agents, representatives from Boston's key media outlets and Irish-American organizations at the Boston Harbor Hotel , bringing along with him the newly published report that the number of US visitors to Ireland increased by 18% in the first eight months of 2014.  Furthermore, Donohoe told the Boston audiences, “In 2013 alone, one million...

Ray Flynn , former U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican and Mayor of Boston, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend , former Lt. Governor of Maryland, were two of the guest speakers at a three-day conference held at the University of Massachusetts/Lowell this week, entitled " Irish in Massachusetts: Historical Significance, Lasting Legacy . " Alana Melanson of t he Lowell Sun wrote a good summary of the panel discussion with Flynn and Townsend, along with David Bartley , former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and President of Holyoke Community College. Marty Meehan , Chancellor of UMass/Lowell and former U.S. Congressman, moderated the discussion. Other speakers at the conference included writers Aine Greaney , Ronan Noone, and Michael Patrick McDonald . The conference concluded on Saturday with a tour of St. Patrick's Cemetery, led by Lowell historian David McKean . Find year round information on the Irish in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachu...

Here is video  of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh addressing Belfast City Council in Northern Ireland on Thursday, September 25, 2014. Mayor Walsh was welcomed to the Council Chambers by Belfast Lord Mayor Nicola Mallen , and after his address, he hear responses from the respective political parties, including Deputy Lord Mayor Marie Hendron, and a number of city councilors , including Mairtin O Muilleoir, Brian Kennedy, Bernie Kelly, Jim Rodgers and John Kyle. In May, 2014, Belfast and Boston officially became entwined as Sister Cities, with officials from both cities promising to work together to create new collaborations in business, tourism, and cultural exchange. Find more about Boston's Irish community by visiting IrishBoston.org .

Congratulations to Boston Irish-American business leader  Jim Brett , who is being inducted into the Special Olympics of Massachusetts Hall of Fame. Jim is being honored for his tireless work to improve the lives of people living with intellectual disabilities.  He'll receive the inaugural annual John "Jack" Brett Champion's Award, named for his brother Jack, who inspired friends and family to advocate for communities of acceptance and inclusion for all. A lifelong resident of Dorchester, Jim is President and CEO of the New England Council , and has received many awards throughout his distinguished career. When he was named to the "Top 100 Business Leaders" by Irish America Magazine in 2006, Jim attributed his success to his family, saying,  "I credit my success in business and politics to the great values that were instilled in me by my mother and continue to be reinforced by my wife, Pattie, and family who inspire me."  Find out mor...

Two outstanding fiddlers from Cape Breton - Troy MacGillivray and Andrea Beaton - are performing together at the Chatham Fiddle Company in Chatham, Cape Cod, on Saturday,September 27,2014 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the concert are $20 and can be reserved by calling 508 348-1885. The concert is part of an ongoing series of small, intimate performances at the Chatham Fiddle Company, run by fiddler and instrument maker Rose Clancy and her father, multi-instrumentalist Eugene Clancy.  Read this profile on the Clancy family . Find year-round information on Irish activities in Massachusetts and the region by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Alisha Savage, a four-year-old girl from Cork City being treated at  Dana Farber Cancer Institute  in Boston for a rare brain tumor, is going to  Walt Disney World Resort  in Orlando , FL ,and her supporters are throwing her a party at Logan International Airport on Friday, September 26, 2014. Alisha's trip marks the 7,000th wish granted by Make A Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island . The trip is sponsored by American Airlines and the Something mAAgic Foundation's mAAgicSM  flight. Well-wishes are invited to join Alisha and her family at Logan Airport; here are details .  Last May, Boston's Irish community held a fundraiser for Alisha at Florian Hall in Dorchester, raising needed funds for her care.  Have a great trip Alisha!

This season's Gaelic Roots  Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series at Boston College kicks off with a performance by Don Roy , often referred to as the "dean of Franco-American fiddling in Maine " and his wife Cindy Roy , an accomplished pianist and step-dancer, on Thursday, September 25, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. They'll be performing at the Theology & Ministry Library Auditorium, accessible via the Brighton Campus gate at 2117 Commonwealth Avenue in Brighton. The concert is free and open to the public. The Roys started and operate the Maine Fiddle Camp in Montville , ME, a program that provides traditional instruction to all levels of musicians each summer. The Gaelic Roots Music, Song, Dance, Workshop, and Lecture Series is sponsored by Center for Irish Programs , in collaboration with the University Libraries and the Alumni Association of Boston College. The series is hosted by Sullivan Artist-in-Residence Séamus Connolly .  You...

Celtic music duo Natalie Haas and Alasdair Fraser are performing in concert at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI on Sunday, September 21, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are $26 and can be purchased at the venue. Haas, from California, and Fraser, from Scotland, have been performing around the world for over a decade, and have released several albums. Here is a full schedule of upcoming concerts at Blackstone River Theatre. Find year round information on Irish and Celtic activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

The final day of the 36th annual NH Highland Games & Festival takes place on Loon Mountain in New Hampshire on Sunday, September 21, 2014, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Among the activities today: New England Scottish Harp Open Competition; Pipe Band Melody Challenge; dance competitions; and athletic contests throughout the afternoon. Featured performers include: Brendan Carey Block, the Brigadoons, Fellwater, and Albanach. Here is a full schedule for Sunday . Find more information about visiting New Hampshire at  http://www.visitnh.gov / For year round details on Celtic activities in all of New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

  Video  courtesy Eugene Hogan Boston Mayor Marty Walsh returned to Ireland this week on an eleven-day mission, where he will visit his parents' homeland in Connemara, County Galway, and strengthen trade and tourism between the City of Boston and Ireland / Northern Ireland. Walsh’s parents both emigrated from Connemara, Galway to Boston in the 1950s.  John Walsh came from Callowfeenish in Carna in 1959, while his mother Mary O'Malley, who hails from Ros Cide in Rosmuc, arrived in 1959, according to Walsh's profile in Irish America Magazine . In addition to his stay in Galway, Walsh is slated to visit Donegal, Derry, Belfast and Dublin, where he will meet with business leaders, government officials and community groups. Walsh is the 12th Boston mayor of Irish heritage . For more about Boston's Irish heritage, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com .  For year round cultural activities visit IrishBoston.org .

Boston's award-winning chef  Barbara Lynch  is serving as the Food Ambassador for the upcoming iFest , a celebration of Irish cuisine, culture, sports and entertainment.  It takes place at Boston Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center on September 26-28, 2014. Chef Lynch is being joined at the festival  by a prominent list of culinary greats , including top Irish  chefs Darina Allen, Kevin Dundon and Cathal Armstrong, as well as great American chefs like Maura Kilpatrick and Anna Sortun. Here is a video of Chef Lynch's recent trip to Ireland . A native of South Boston, Chef Lynch is one of the most celebrated chefs in Boston, and America.  Winner of numerous awards, including the James Beard Award, she is author of the book, Stir: Mixing it up in the Italian Tradition.  Find more about Boston's year round Irish traditions at IrishBoston.org . For visitor information, go to BostonUSA.com and MassVacation.com .

The New England Tenors are in concert at the Rogers Center for the Arts at Merrimack College in North Andover on Sunday, October 4, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. The Boston Irish Tourism Association is raffling off three pairs of tickets to see the show.   Enter the contest here , and then check back on October 3 when the winners are announced. Or, you can purchase tickets directly online ; prices are $22 general admission and $20 for seniors and students. There is a reason this talented trio  of professional singers  - Jeffrey Hartman, Damien Corcoran, and John Middleton-Cox - are so popular throughout the region: their music ranges from opera and classical to Irish songs and popular hits, and their presentation and delivery is beautiful. Check out the upcoming schedule of events at the Rogers Center for the Arts this season. You can find year round information on Irish cultural activities by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com

Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to see Irish supergroup Solas in concert at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square, Somerville this Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 8:00 p.m.   Enter the contest here - the winner is being announced on Thursday, September 18! The concert is being presented by World Music/CRASHarts . You can also purchase tickets to the show online or at the venue the night of the concert. The band is presenting Shamrock City, a multimedia show that explores Butte, Montana in the 19th century, a booming mining town settled overwhelmingly by Irish immgrants seeking their fortune. Here are details of the show . Check out more World Music/CRASHarts concerts in greater Boston coming up this season. For year round details on Irish cultural activities in greater Boston, visit IrishBoston.org . For visitor information, check out BostonUSA.com and MassVacation.com .

Damian McGinty , the young singing star from Derry, Northern Ireland who performed with Celtic Thunder , is returning to New England in October as part of a national tour with  Ethan Bortnick . They will be performing in Hartford, CT on October 5, followed by two shows in Providence, RI on October 12, 2014. Find details here. McGinty was part of the original Celtic Thunder ensemble for several years, and left the band in 2012 when he won a coveted spot on the television show Glee .  Since then he has embarked on a solo career that has taken him around the world.  In 2013 McGinty was Cultural Ambassador for his home city of Derry, Northern Ireland . Find year round details on Celtic and Irish cultural activities at IrishMassachusetts.com .

Two rising traditional stars from Nova Scotia, sisters Cassie and Maggie MacDonald , are opening the new fall season at the Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the venue. Also appearing is the Brendan Carey Block , the U.S. National Junior Scottish Fiddle Champion, and his band. Now entering its 15th year, Blackstone River Theatre has become an integral part of New England's Celtic music scene, hosting both acclaimed artists and young musicians ready to make their mark. Here is a full schedule of the fall/winter season at Blackstone . You can find year round details on Irish and Celtic cultural activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Therese Murray , president of the Massachusetts State Senate , announced today the expansion of the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland .   Read details here .  The Letterkenny Institute of Technology , located in Donegal, and the Clinical TransitionalResearch and Innovation Centre (C-TRIC) in Derry will house the new incubator space.   President Murray, who has led successful trade missions that resulted in this partnership, said, “This exciting collaboration will offer assistance to Massachusetts-based companies looking to break into the European market while also attracting European companies that want to launch clinical trials in Massachusetts.” M2D2 was formed in 2008 at UMass Lowell and UMass Worcester to accelerate the development and launch of new medical device companies.  It provides business development counseling, engineering and prototype development suppor...

Irish traditional music duo Niamh Dunne and Sean Graham are performing at the  Hibernian Cultural Centre in Worcester on Sunday, September 14, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.  The concert is presented by the Centre and by Coolbawn Road Productions. Tickets to the concert are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.   Information and Tickets:  Bud Sargent (508) 868-7552 or Helen Foley (508) 208-3814.  They'll be performing in the Fiddler's Green room.  Dunne and Graham are members of the traditional ensemble Beoga , which the Wall Street Journal described as "the best new traditional band to emerge from Ireland in this century."  Here is a schedule of upcoming events at the Hibernian Cultural Centre , which is located at 19 Temple Street in Worcester.   Here are directions . Find year round information on Irish cultural activities in the region by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . 

The annual Canal Diggers 5km road race in Worcester takes place on Saturday, September 6, 2014 at 11 a.m. Funds from the race benefit the Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre , a unique gathering spot in Central Massachusetts for the region's large Irish-American community.  The venue is run by the Ancient Order of Hibernians , Division 36, men 's and ladies  chapters. Here are directions to the Centre . Find year-round information on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . 

Boston Irish Tourism Association has named iFest Event of the Month in September, 2014.  The three-day festival at the World Trade Center in Boston's Seaport District takes place September 26-28, 2014 and features a weekend of Irish culture, music and dance, culinary displays, lectures and exhibits. Among the performers: Riverdance; Paddy Moloney, leader of the world-famous Chieftains; Boston master chef Barbara Lynch; fashion designer Louise Kennedy; and genealogist John Grenham. Plus, Tourism Ireland is showcasing some of Ireland's best travel and hospitality opportunities, including hotels, golf courses, historical sites and retail venues. Here is a full schedule of iFest activities . You can find year round details on the Irish community in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .   Read the current issue of BITA's Travel & Culture Guide online .

Friends and family, fellow musicians and admirers, and members of the Boston chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann  are organizing a musical tribute to the late Larry Reynolds in his home town of Ballinasloe, County Galway, to take place from September 12-14, 2014. The tribute features a series of concerts, sessions and workshops designed to honor the important contributions Reynolds made to traditional Irish  music both in Ireland and in New England. A number of great musicians are set to participate, including many with Boston connections, such as Tommy McCarthy & Louise Costello , Colm & Kelly Gannon , and members of Larry's family, including his wife Phyllis, and son, accordionist Larry Reynolds, Jr., and others. Other performers include Joe Burke, Matt Keane, Johnny O'Halloran, Don Stiffe, John Wynne, Frank Kelly, Patsy Hanley, John McEvoy, Bobby Kilkenny, Frank Hession and others.  Here is   a full schedule and line-up of musicians. Larr...