Irish Massachusetts

Once: The Musical , has been named Event of the Week by the Boston Irish Tourism Association .  The show is currently at the Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theatre at 265 Tremont Street in downtown Boston. Once runs through this Sunday, December 27, 2015, with eight shows schedule through the week. Tickets are available online , starting at $48.  For discounted group sales, call 617 532-1116. Student discounts are available for $25 when purchasing tickets two hours before the show. The charming story about a boy who meets a girl in Dublin, won eight Tony Awards when it played on Broadway.  The entire ensemble sings and plays their own instruments. Here is a schedule of upcoming shows at the City Performing Arts Center . For year round information on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

This Christmas, check out Tales from the Emerald Isle and Other Green Shores, a collection of twenty-one stories and writings that capture Irish and Irish-American literature. With stories by Irish writers like Liam O'Flaherty, William B. Yeats and Lady Gregory, to Irish-American writers like Finley Peter Dunne, Sarah Orne Jewett and Kate Doublas Wiggins, the collection offers a wide-ranging showcase of the Irish experience through literature. Published by Lyons Press in 2014, Tales from the Emerald Island is also available on Amazon , Barnes & Noble , Harvard Book Store , Porter Square Book Store , Wellesley Books and other fine establishments.

The final two shows of Brian O'Donovan's A Christmas Celtic Sojourn are taking place on Sunday, December 20, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in downtown Boston. Now in its 13th  year, the show features a world-class line-up of music, dance and storytelling that evokes a traditional Irish Christmas in rural Ireland. Order tickets online for the 1:00 p.m . show or the 5:00 p.m. show , or purchase tickets at the venue. Congratulations to the entire cast, crew and production team and to Brian and Lindsay O'Donovan for making A Christmas Celtic Sojourn a year tradition in New England. For year round details on Irish activities, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Newport, Rhode Island is a wonderful place to visit over the Christmas and New Year's seasons. Frequently cited as one of the most beautiful places in America , Newport is g raced by amazing seascapes, soaring mansions and cozy neighborhoods.  It's one of New England ’s most iconic cities, with a storied history, dynamic sporting legacies in tennis and sailing, and rich cultural and culinary traditions. Likewise, the cities and towns in Newport and Bristol counties are full of holiday cheer and amenities for the visitor. Winter is referred to as Newport ’s secret season, with a full slate of exciting ideas through the holiday season and into the New Year.  Christmas at the Newport Mansions (through January 3) is a remarkable tour of three of the city’s most luxurious mansions.  Newport’s Holidays by the Sea: Shop, Stay, Dine and Explore runs through December 31 and evokes the magic of the season, with tree lighting festivities, in-store promotio...

Seamus Connolly , champion fiddle player, composer and teacher, put together this melody of Christmas and Irish songs and performed it at Boston College recently with pianist Beth Sweeney, head of the Irish Music Center at the John J. Burns Library. Read more about An Irish Christmas song  here. Connolly, a native of County Clare, who has lived in New England since 1976, retired from Boston College this month, where he headed up the Gaelic Roots program and served as the Sullivan Artist-in-Residence. Here is a profile of Seamus Connolly  published in BITA's Travel & Culture Guide ..

Acclaimed Irish tenor John McDermott performs A Family Christmas concert at Mechanics Hall in Worcester at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 18, 2015.  The concert benefits the St. John's Food for the  Poor program , and is presented by Worcester's Frank Carroll. Tickets are $30-$40 and are available online or at the venue.  Also, the Boston Irish Tourism Association is raffling off a pair of free tickets to the show. Read a profile of John McDermott and his charitable causes here. Here is a calendar of upcoming events at Mechanics Hall . For more about the Irish community in Massachusetts, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Irish Imports, Ltd, Cambridge  Looking for a special Irish product this Christmas?  Here are some suggestions below. Irish Imports Ltd. Corporation 1737 Massachusetts Avenue , Cambridge , MA 02138 617 354-2511 | Phone orders: (800) 356-2511 irishimportsltd.com  |  A colorful collection of crafts, both traditional and contemporary, reflecting Ireland ’s legacy of artistry and style: Rugged handknits, cozy blankets and tweedy accessories from such renowned sources as Cleo Ltd., Kerry Woollen Mills, Studio Donegal and Kennedy’s of Ardara. Fine outerwear for men and women designed by Jimmy Hourihan, Henry White and Dublin outfitters Kevin and Howlin. Mohair throws and garments from Donegal Design and Cushendale Mills. An inviting complement of handblown glass, ceramics, jewelry, music, books, and tasteful trinkets from all over Ireland . Waterford Crystal Flagship Store 127-129 Newbury Street , Boston Tel: (617) 236- 0369 | Fax: (732) ...

Once: The Musical Looking for something fun and entertaining to do this weekend, December 12-13, 2015?  Check out these Irish shows in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Once: the Musical This Tony Awarding-winning show tells the story of two musicians in Dublin who find their redemption, and love, in the streets of Dublin.  Once is at the Shubert Theatre in downtown Boston,with two shows on Saturday and Sunday. A Christmas Celtic Sojourn Now in its 13 th year, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn is a masterpiece production with an alluring stage design, tightly choreographed dancing, robust music and a well-paced narrative.  Music director Seamus Egan and his band Solas are featured, along with singer Cathy Jordan, Scottish harpist Maeve Gilchrist, cellist Natalie Haas, the Nordic Fiddlers Bloc, and Beoga’s bodhran player Eamon Murray.   Two shows on Saturday and two shows on Sunday at the Emerson  Cultler Majestic Theatre in Boston.  Tomas...

Fiddler Kathleen Keane of Tomaseen Foley's A Celtic Christmas  ( Boston )  - Christmas music permeates Massachusetts , from the glorious strains of The Messiah to the happy chorus of Sleigh Ride. Celtic music hums across the landscape too, a testament to the state’s heavily-Irish population and the caliber of touring bands that put a Yuletide touch on traditional melodies. A fine example is the Cherish the Ladies Celtic ChristmasConcert taking place at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst on December 10.  Led by flutist Joanie Madden, the Ladies just released their 3 rd holiday album, Christmas in Ireland , which blends songs like Hark! The Herald’s Angel’s Sing with Joe Madden’s Hornpipe . Radio host Brian O’Donovan’s popular show, A Christmas CelticSojourn , now in its 13 th year, is a masterpiece production with an alluring stage design, tightly choreographed dancing, robust music and a well-paced narrative.  Music director...

The 2015 season of the Holiday Pops got underway this week,under the direction of maestro Keith Lockhart , who is celebrating his 20th anniversary as head of the Boston Pops Orchestra. Tickets are available online for dozens of concerts, including matinees, running from December 2 through December 31, 2015.   View the complete Holiday Pops schedule  online, or download the brochure here. Founded in 1885, the Boston Pops is one of the most celebrated orchestras in the world.   Read about its history . Here are other Christmas shows in Massachusetts this December . For more details, visit IrishBoston.org .

An all-star line-up of Irish music, led by singer Pauline Wells , is performing a special Home for Christmas concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 4, at Norwood Theatre in Norwood, to benefit the group, Cops for Kids with Cancer . Tickets are $27 general admission and $24 for seniors and students and can be purchased online or at the venue. The concert is presented by A Celtic Crossing. Wells, a lieutenant with the Cambridge Police Department, is joined by special guest Brian "Bugsy" Moran , traditional band Devri and multi-instrumentalist Paul Kenneally from the Noel Henry Band.   Radio personality Matt O'Donnell of WROL's Irish Hit Parade is the master of ceremonies. For year round details on Irish activities in Greater Boston, visit IrishBoston.org .

Acclaimed Irish traditional music ensemble Cherish the Ladies performs its Celtic Christmas concert at the Fine Arts Center , University of Massachusetts in Amherst, on Thursday, December 10, 2015. The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a free pair of tickets to the show.   Enter the contest here . You can also purchase tickets online here . Now in its third decade as one of the foremost Irish-American traditional music groups, Cherish the Ladies is led by flute and tin whistle maestro Joanie Madden. Find more about Irish culture in Massachusetts by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .