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Showing posts from 2018

New Year's Eve Celebration at the Irish Cultural Centre Featuring Erin's Melody

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The Irish Cultural Centre is featuring Margaret Dalton and Erin's Melody at the ICC's New Year's Eve Celebration starting at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 31, 2018.   A full dinner buffet is being served, followed by a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $60 per person.  To make a reservation call 781 821-8291. Here is a schedule of upcoming events at the ICC in January 2019.

Boston Pops New Year's Eve Concert with Seth MacFarlane

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Writer, producer, comedian and singer Seth MacFarlane is the special guest with conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops at the annual New Year Eve concert at Boston Symphony Hall,  starting  at 10 p.m.. on Monday, December 31,2018.  Doors open at 8:30 p.m. for dancing and music from the Winiker Band. Tickets are $55 - $180 and can be purchased online  or by calling 888 266-1200.  This concert was named " Event of the Week " by the Boston Irish Tourism Association.  Here are upcoming performances by the Boston Pops Orchestra this winter .  

Ciaran Nagel & Tara Novak w/ Ishna present “A Celtic Christmas” at Irish Cultural Centre on December 23

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Ciaran Nagle (vocals) and Tara Novak (vocals, violin/fiddle) with their band, Ishna, present A Celtic Christmas at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, Massachusetts at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, December 23, 2018.  Tickets are available online here, or by calling 781 821-8291. Joining the music and dance is a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. A full Irish breakfast is available prior to the concert.  Find more information about the Irish Cultural Centre , a year round facility on 46 acres just 10 miles from Boston.  

Irish Singing Star Chloe Agnew Performs at Irish Cultural Centre in Canton on Sunday, December 16

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Irish vocal star  Chloe Agnew , formerly of Celtic Woman fame, is performing a Christmas concert at the Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, MA on Sunday, December 16, 2018, beginning at 4:30 p.m..  She'll be joined by Irish tenor Dermot Kiernan and local special guests. Tickets are $35 to $50, and ICC members pay $30.   To purchase tickets to the show, click here.   Earlier in the day, join the ICC for a special Children’s Mass & Nativity Pageant, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Here are more  events at the Irish Cultural Centre , a year-round facility that promotes Irish culture, music, athletics, and education. For year round details on Irish activities in New England, visit  IrishMassachusetts.com .

Win Tix to A Christmas Celtic Sojourn in Worcester & Boston

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The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away free pairs of tickets to this year's A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, on Tuesday, December 18 at Hanover Hall in Worcester, and on Friday, December 21 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston.   To win, enter the contest here . Now in its 16th year, A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, hosted by WGBH radio host Brian O'Donovan, presents a magical reminiscence of Christmas in Ireland, full of music, song, dance and poetry.  In addition to Worcester and Boston, the show is also traveling to Rockport, New Bedford and Providence.  You can also order tickets online to A Christmas Celtic Sojourn . For year round details on Irish culture in New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Boston Holiday Pops - Something for Everyone

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The annual Boston Holiday Pops season at acoustically-renowned Boston Symphony Hall is a cultural treasure cherished by New Englanders. The 2018 season runs from December 6 through December 31 and includes 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 makes an appearance at each performance. Lockhart , who is celebrating his 24th 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. Among the shows this year are eight special matinees, which feature a short program without intermission, family-friendly music, a children’s sing-along and post-concert

Irish Tenors Perform in Lynn on December 9

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The world-renowned Irish Tenors perform a Christmas holiday concert at the Lynn Auditorium in Massachusetts at 7 p.m. on Sunday, December 9, 2018. Purchase tickets online here . Over the past two decades, the Irish Tenors’ Holiday Celebration Concert has become a beloved family tradition, bringing together children, parents and grandparents into one audience to hear the beautiful music of Ireland and the glorious Christmas music that marks this holiday. As honorary ambassadors of Ireland and its legendary music, the Irish Tenors tap into the Christmas spirit and their Irish heritage in a way that thrills audiences around the world. Find out more about the Lynn Auditorium here. For more details on Irish activities in Massachusetts and New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

Tourism Ireland Launches "Fill Your Heart with Ireland" Campaign in 2019

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Tourism Minister Shane Ross; Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland; and Joan O'Shaughnessy, Chairman of Tourism Ireland, at the Dublin launch of Tourism Ireland's 2019 marketing plans. Tourism Ireland is launching an ambitious new marketing campaign in 2019 entitled 'Fill Your Heart with Ireland ,' targeting 20 markets around the globe, including the United States .  The campaign includes TV, cinema, print, outdoor and online ads, as well as content for social platforms. The campaign will feature less visited attractions and locations and aims to attract visitors all year round. Sustainability is the watchword for Tourism Ireland , heading into 2019 and beyond. The organization will place a greater focus on driving growth to less visited attractions and locations, as well as on driving business in the off-peak and shoulder seasons.  The campaign was unveiled to tourism leaders in Dublin and Belfast last week.  Watch the Irish Tourism Industry C

Holiday Concerts in New England in December, from Pops to Celtic

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Boston Irish Tourism Association has compiled a schedule of top concerts taking place in greater Boston and throughout New England this holiday season.  See the list here . Concerts range from the Boston Pops' Holiday Pops season, which beings December 6 through the entire month, and features Conductor Keith Lockhart and the famous Pops Orchestra, along with special guests such as writer and comedian Seth MacFarlane. Other highlights include the world-renowned Vienna Boys Choir, the Massachusetts Symphony Orchestra, and Dance Prism performing the Nutcracker Suite. A number of Irish and Celtic concerts are featured, ranging from the Irish Tenors, Lunasa and Chloe Agnew to A Christmas Celtic Sojourn, Christmas with the Celts and A Celtic Christmas Celebration with Cherish the Ladies. Local Irish artists such as Aine Minogue, Rose Clancy, Robbie O'Donnell, Ishna, led by Ciaran Nagle and Tara Novak and Erin's Melody, led by Margaret Dalton. For children, don'

Christmas Markets in Ireland Welcome the Holiday Season in December

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From Dublin to Derry, Ireland is renowned for its Christmas markets each holiday season, with fine food and libations, gifts, holiday carolers and other festivities to usher in the Christmas season. Read BITA's roundup of six great Christmas markets to check out in Ireland in the coming weeks, plus a couple of other Yuletide traditions the Irish enjoy year year.  For more information about visiting Ireland, go to Ireland.com . For cultural activities in greater Boston and the New England region, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . 

Win Tix to See Top Celtic Christmas Shows in Massachusetts

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The Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away free pairs of tickets to see three premier Celtic Christmas shows in December.  Go to the BITA contest page here , or click on the individual links below. Friday, December 7 Christmas with the Celts The Cabot, Beverly, MA December 8 The Irish Tenors  Lynn Auditorium, Lynn, MA December 18 A Christmas Celtic Sojourn Hanover Theatre Worcester, MA December 21 A Christmas Celtic Sojourn Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre Boston, MA Here is a schedule of all Christmas concerts in December 2018 . 

Tourism Ireland Launches 'Call of the Wild' Campaign

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A new social media campaign has been launched to help push the Wild Atlantic Way , as part of a joint initiative between the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland. Local people on the Atlantic Way were recently asked to share images and videos of their hidden gems, and the submissions form part of the new Call of the Wild Campaign. In total, over 4,000 images and videos, from landscapes to food, were shared during the two week campaign using #MyWildAtlanticWay. A selection of entries will now feature in a suite of videos that will be shared domestically and internationally via social media channels. Everyone who got involved had a chance to win a two night getaway along the Wild Atlantic Way, and the overall winner was  Genevieve Callander  from Galway. The campaign, which predominantly targets international holidaymakers, will showcase the west coast and is expected to be viewed by over one million targeted social media users. To

New Travel & Culture magazine features Christmas Music in New England & Travel to Ireland

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( BOSTON ) -- The Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) has released its winter issue of  Travel & Culture , a free magazine that promotes the New England region’s Irish community as well as mainstream cultural events for visitors. Holiday concerts are featured in this issue, with stories on Boston Pops Conductor Keith Lockhart and the Holiday Pops season, and a round-up of Celtic Christmas shows .  Additionally, St. Patrick’s Day activities are included, from parades and concerts to cultural events. The “ Ireland ” section has stories on Irish Christmas markets throughout the country and information on Temple Bar TradFest 2019 with a special interview with organizer Kieran Hanrahan . Other stories include a profile of Irish Cultural Centre 's Dave Barrett as he is honored for his public service to Irish culture and history. There is also travel news on Boston's legendary tourism chief Pat Moscaritolo and Chamber of Commerce chief Jim Rooney's aw

New Film, Black '47, Screens at the Irish Cultural Centre on November 11

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The Irish Cultural Centre of New England has a special screening of the new film, Black '47 at 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 11, 2018. Admission is $10 and tickets can be purchased at the venue. Prior to the film screening is a corned beef and cabbage dinner at 3 p.m., with entertainment by Jinty McGrath. Released in 2018, Black '47 is set in Ireland during the Irish Famine of the 1840s.  The plot involves an Irish Ranger who has been fighting for the British Army abroad.  When her returns,  he learns that his mother has died of starvation and that his brother was hanged by the sheriff.  He goes on a path of revenge. Find more events at the Irish Cultural Centre coming into the Christmas season. For year round details on Irish activities in Massachusetts visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin Discusses Leadership at the JFK Library in Boston on November 7

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The John F. Kennedy President Library & Museum presents Pulitzer Prize-winning historian   Doris Kearns Goodwin  to speak about her book, Leadership in Turbulent Times , from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on November 7, 2018.  The event is free, but registration is required .  Goodwin's book explores the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Lyndon B. Johnson.   Robin Young , co-host of WBUR's  Here and Now,  moderates the conversation.  Read about Goodwin here. Turbulent Times is published by Simon & Schuster . Here is a schedule of upcoming events and activities at the JFK Library .  Find year round cultural activities in greater Boston by visiting IrishBoston.org . 

Sephira - Irish Violin Duo - live at the Irish Cultural Centre on Saturday, November 3

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The Irish Cultural Centre in Canton, MA is presenting the Irish violin duo, Sephira , on Saturday, November 3.  Tickets are $25 general admission and $20 for ICC members. For further details or to reserve tickets call the ICC office at 781 821-8291. Comprised of sisters Joyce and Helen O'Leary, Sephira  has appeared  with Andrea Bocellli, Kanye West, Michael Buble and Enya. They toured for two years with the singing sensations, Celtic Thunder, and appeared extensively on PBS television in the US. Here is a schedule of upcoming events at the Irish Cultural Centre this season. For year round details on Irish activities in New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Blackstone River Theatre Presents Hanneke Cassel, Mike Block & Keith Murphy on November 3

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The Hanneke Cassel Band is performing at Blackstone River Theatre in Cumberland, RI at 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 3, 2018.  Tickets are $18 in advance, or $22 at the venue the day of the concert.  Featuring National Scottish Fiddle Champion Hanneke Cassel , the band also includes  Mike Block  on cello and guitarist/vocalist  Keith Murphy . They are part of the thriving acoustic music scene in greater Boston and throughout New England.  Here is a calendar of upcoming events at Blackstone River Theatre.  Find year round details on Irish and cultural activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com . 

Irish Cultural Centre presents Mother & Baby Film on October 26

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The Irish Cultural Centre of New England is presenting the film, Mother & Baby at 8 p.m. on Friday, October 26, 2019. The 19 minute documentary focuses on the Tuam Mother & Baby Home in Galway.  The film is produced by Ishka Films and funded by the Irish Film Board. Written and directed by Mia Mullarkey, Mother & Baby has won several awards, including: Best Short Documentary - Cork International Film Festival Best Irish Short Film - Dublin International Film Festival Discovery Award - Dublin International Film Festival Here is a calendar of upcoming events at the Irish Cultural Centre , located on Route 138 in Canton, Massachusetts. For year round information on Irish activities in New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Brendan Griffin,Ireland's Minister of Tourism & Sports, Describes Why Ireland is a Hot Visitor Destination in 2019

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Minister Brenda Griffin and Alan Fine Brendan Griffin , Ireland's Minister of Transport, Tourism & Sports , describes Ireland as a hot travel destination going into the 2019 tourism season, thanks to the island's many historical, cultural, sports and hospitality amenities. "We're heading this year to over two million visitors from North America to Ireland; a couple of years ago we dreamt of one million," Griffin told journalist Alan Fine of Inside Travel Report . "We feel like we have an excellent product," he said, "but also, it's never been easier to get there. We have 21 gateway cities from the U.S. and Canada directly to Ireland, and I think that is a huge part of the success story." Minister Griffin also touches upon Ireland's UNESCO sites , the Titanic Museum and hotels in Belfast, distilleries and micro-breweries throughout Ireland, golf tourism. See the video here : See Part Two of the interview

ArtsEmerson Presents "Measure for Measure" Directed by Declan Donnellan, October 24-28

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ArtsEmerson in Boston is presenting Shakespeare's famous play, Measure for Measure , at Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre on October 24-28, 2018.  Directed by legendary Declan Donnellan , this is a unique collaboration between Moscow's Pushkin DramaTheatre and London's Cheek by Jowl Theatre . The son of Irish parents living in England, Donnellan is co-founder of Cheek by Jowl Theatre. Boston Irish Tourism Association is giving away a pair of tickets to the show.  Enter the contest here .  You can also reserve your tickets online to make sure you see one of the highlights of Boston's fall theater season. Here is a schedule of upcoming ArtsEmerson performances . For year round information on cultural events in greater Boston, visit IrishBoston.org .

Blackstone River Theatre Presents Tony McManus & Julia Toaspern in Concert on October 20

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Tony McManus & Julia Toaspern are performing at the BlackstoneRiver Theatre in Cumberland , RI on Saturday, October 20, 2019.   Tickets to the show are $16 in advance and $20 at the venue, and can be reserved by calling 401-725-9272. Recognized throughout the world as the leading guitarist in Celtic music, McManus has been named among Guitar Player Magazine’s 50 Best Acoustic Guitarists of all time.  Joining him is Julia Toaspern, a multi-talented musician from Berlin who combines classical training on violin and voice with a wide interest in genres such as jazz, baroque and traditional music. Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at Blackstone River Theatre.   Find year round details on Irish cultural activities in New England by visiting IrishMassachusetts.com .

Boston Comhaltas Annual Meeting on October 14

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The annual grand meeting  Boston's Reynolds-Hanafin-Cooley chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann takes place at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 14, 2018 at the Canadian-American Club in Watertown, MA. Officers for the branch officers of will be selected at the event, followed by Irish music and Irish step dancing.  Read the Boston Comhaltas' October newsletter .  Here is a calendar of upcoming activities .  Find year round information on Irish activities in New England at IrishMassachusetts.com .

Irish Cultural Centre in Canton Offering Courses in Music, Dance, Language and History this Fall

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The Irish Cultural Centre of New England has an exciting academy of educational courses this fall and winter at its 46 acre campus in Canton, Massachusetts. Among the  courses being offered: . Irish language classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced, every Wednesday through November 16 . Irish history class on Sinn Fein and the Irish War of Independence every Thursday through November 1 . Bodhran (drum) instruction Friday evenings, beginning February 23, 2019 . Set dancing for adults, every Monday night throughout the year . Fiddle, Accordion and Tin Whistle classes beginning October 21. Find out more about the Irish Cultural Centre here. For year round details on Irish activities throughout New England, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

Blackstone River Theatre Presents Bohemian Quartet on October 13

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Blackstone River Theatre is presenting the acclaimed Rhode Island-based  Bohemian Quartet at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 13, 2018.  Tickets to the show are $16 in advance and $18 at the door.  Featuring violin, viola, cello, and bass, the Quartet specializes in music of the "Romani" or "Gypsy" tradition, along with related Eastern European folk styles. The group was formed in 2005.   The name was borrowed from the original Bohemian Quartet (also known as the Czech Quartet after 1918), a string quartet of international repute that was founded in 1891 and disbanded in 1934. Both groups share a passion for the deep-rooted authenticity of the Romani tradition, as well as the ability to play that historic repertoire with extraordinary joie de vivre.  The Quartet's third CD project "For You" was released at Blackstone River Theatre last year.  Here is a schedule of upcoming concerts at Blackstone River Theatre this fall and  winter.  For year ro

Rory Kennedy Discusses film about NASA at the JFK Library on October 9

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The  John F. Kennedy President Library  presents Academy Award nominated filmmaker Rory Kennedy to discuss her new film,  Above & Beyond: NASA's Journey to Tomorrow . The event, part of the JFK Forum series, takes place on Tuesday, October 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. and is open to the public.   Register here . The discussion moderator is Meghna Chakrabarti, host of NPR and WBUR's  On Point.  The event is presented in conjunction with the 2018  GlobeDocs Film Festival  and  HUBweek . Here is a schedule of  upcoming Forum events  this fall at JFK Library. Find year round information on cultural, literary and educational activities in greater Boston by visiting  IrishBoston.org .

Celtic Thunder & Hamnet are named "Events of the Week" by Boston Tourism Group

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The  Boston Irish Tourism Association  (BITA) has named two concerts as Events of the Week in Boston: Friday, September 28 Celtic Thunder Shubert Theatre Boston Friday - Sunday, September 28-30 Hamnet  ( runs through October 7 ) Emerson Paramount Theatre Boston "The fall season in greater Boston and indeed New England is rich in cultural performance, as typified  by these two entertaining shows, Hamnet and Celtic Thunder," said Colette Quinlin of BITA.  "Visitors and locals alike can enjoy these and other great shows coming up in the coming months." Here is a calendar of October and November cultural events promoted by BITA.