Irish Massachusetts

Giant's Causeway Tourism Ireland 's Advertising Campaign kicks off in the USA today with this 30 second video airing on NBC, CBS and ABC, in the New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago markets. The ad airs around major entertainment shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show, Blue Bloods, the Late Late Show with James Corden and the Kennedy Center Awards. "Welcome to Ireland. It's not just something we say when you arrive. The warmth of an Irish welcome stays with you long after you leave. So come on over! We'll give you the inside track and let you into some little secrets that will take you back through history, bring our landscapes to life and make your evenings last longer. Welcome to Ireland!" Read more about Tourism Ireland here. Here are more stories about traveling to Ireland from New England .

Tourism Ireland  has a brand new video with Mark Hamill advising everyone to ‘escape the dark side along Earth’s  Wild Atlantic Way  - it's the perfect place to get away from it all’. The video is now live across all Tourism  Ireland  markets promoting  Ireland  around the globe. Filmed using  the trademark Star Wars screen-wipe transitions and sound effects which Star Wars fans around the globe will recognise, Tourism Ireland’s new promotional film features a number of beautiful holiday destinations along Ireland’s western seaboard.  See the YouTube Video here. Read more about filming Star Wars in Ireland .  See more stories about traveling to Ireland from Massachusetts and New England. 

A Christmas Celtic Sojourn  with Brian O’Donovan sparkles with masterful music, spellbinding stories and dazzling dancing. It evokes emotions of Christmas memories that stretch back generations. It inspires audiences throughout  New England  to embrace tradition, spirituality and community. The  Boston Irish Tourism Association  is a free pair of tickets for the Hanover Theatre show in Worcester on Monday, December 18, and for the Cutler Majestic Theatre show in Boston on Thursday, December 21, 2017. Enter to Win Tickets here  and follow the directions.  Or, you can  purchase tickets online  now to these or other shows, to ensure you get to see one of the magical shows this Christmas holiday. Read  profile of Brian O'Donovan  here. Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in New England by visiting  IrishMassachusetts.com .

Blackstone River Theatre's  10th annual Christmas Celebration  takes place on Sunday, December 10,  2017, with shows at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.  Tickets are $22 and can be purchased at the venue. The popular annual celebration features familiar and unfamiliar songs, high energy step dancing and clogging, ancient carols, spoken word, jokes and more – as musicians and dancers perform in varied combinations or join together on beautiful Christmas and winter-themed pieces.  "That's one of the nicest thing about this show," explains Russell Gusetti, BRT executive director. "We all get a chance to perform with each other in several different configurations, something audiences simply do not get to see at any other point in the year.” Here is a schedule of upcoming events at Blackstone River Theatre .  For year round details on cultural events in New England visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

The acclaimed Boston Holiday Pops season opens at Boston Symphony Hall on Tuesday, December 5, and runs from December 5 through December 31 with 40 evening and matinee performances. Maestro Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra are joined by the Tanglewood Festival Chorus , conducted by James Burton .  And Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus make an appearance at each performance. Lockhart, who is celebrating his 23 season as conductor, is carrying on a tradition that began in December 1973 by esteemed Conductor Arthur Fiedler.  Boston Symphony Hall itself is a big part of the Holiday Pops experience, specifically decorated to evoke all the magic and charm of the season.  Pops patrons sit at cabaret-style tables and order food and drink with family and friends. The orchestra also takes Holiday Pops on the road, with appearances at University of Connecticut in Storrs on December 2, Hanover Theatre in Worcester on December 8, Southern New Hampshire ...

Enjoy hundreds of cultural, culinary, historical and seasonal events at the 47th Annual Christmas in Newport celebration in Rhode Island this month. Tours of the great mansions, holiday caroling, children's activities, visits with Santa, concerts and dance recitals are available throughout December. Overseas visitors now have easy access to Newport thanks to the new Norwegian Air   flights operating out of T.F. Green Airport in nearby Providence.  These flights connect Rhode Island to European cities like Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast and Edinburgh. Read profile of Rhode Island's Irish community here. As part of the community spirit to make this a singular occasion each year, only clear bulbs illuminate the scenic harbor and wharves, the restored colonials of the Point and Historic Hill sections, and the Victorian splendor of Bellevue Avenue . For specific information, call the Christmas in Newport hot line at  (401) 849-6454, or email at  info@c...

Celtic Thunder, the popular Irish quintet featured on PBS, is performing its Symphony Tour at the Lynn Memorial Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, 2017.  Tickets to the show are $37-47 and available to purchase online   This is Celtic Thunder's 10th tour of the USA since it was launched in 2008. The five male soloists - Damian McGinty, Ryan Kelly, Emmet Cahill, Neil Byrne & Michael O’Dwyer - perform solo and ensemble numbers.  The "Symphony Tour" departs from the Thunder's traditional and critically-acclaimed large set productions to perform hit songs from its Legacy, Mythology, Voyage, The Show & It’s Entertainment Shows.  The band also performs songs from its chart-topping albums, Christmas & Classic Christmas and the newly released Celtic Thunder Inspirational  album.   Listen to samples from Celtic Thunder Inspirational .  See other shows at Lynn Auditorium, including The Tenors on Dece...

Boston's newest nightspot, City Winery is presenting the popular holiday show Christmas with the Celts at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, December 4, 2017.   Doors open at 6 p.m. You can purchase tickets online or at the venue, located at One Canal Street in Boston's North End. The show was developed by Nashville musician and Celtic music fan Ric Blair, and is currently airing on 222 PBS stations across America.  It combines classic Christmas melodies like "Little Drummer Boy" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas" with ancient Celtic melodies on traditional instruments like the fiddle, uilleann pipes, tin whistle and bodhran.  Read more about the band here. Read more about City Winery here. For year round details on Irish and Celtic cultural activities in Massachusetts and New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

The Burke Family with Mayor Rivera On November 4, the City of Lawrence unveiled a special street sign honoring the late David R. Burke (1940-2009), a civic and community leader in Lawrence as well as an nationally recognized leader in the Irish-American community. Mayor Dan Rivera joined Dave's family and friends for the dedication, near St. Patrick's Church  where Dave was a parishioner and across the street from where Dave ran a successful gift shop called Irish Jaunting Car for many years. Dave's wife Pat Burke and son Kevin spoke about Dave's love of Lawrence and his commitment to making the city a better place for everyone.  Bill Sullivan , president of AOH Division 8 and longtime friend and colleague of the Burkes, recalled Dave's influence on the national and world stage as a thoughtful and committed leader on the issue of Northern Ireland's peace process. Father Paul O'Brien , pastor of St. Patrick's, led the gathering in prayer, C...