irishphiladelphia.com

Celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns in Mt. Laurel, NJ, this week. Catch Blackthorn on Saturday, enjoy some beef and beer with AOH Div. 87, dance to the beat of Luke Jardel, and get ready for a house party next weekend with some primo trad musicians. And much, much more!

The John Byrne Band will be in Berwyn at a new venue, there’s a beer fest in Burlington, and there are four Irish plays to choose from this week from Friel, Walsh, and McDonagh, plus “Riverdance” is making its last appearance in Philly. Controversial priest Roy Bourgeois will also be in town to screen a documentary on women’s ordination. Enjoy!

Rugby, an Irish festival on the Delaware and another in Mont Clare, Blackthorn, Jamison, a little Dracula, and John Byrne in Ardmore–it’s shaping up to be a great week to be Irish.

Cappella Caeciliana, Northern Ireland’s premier liturgical choir, will give two free performances in the region April 27 and 28. You may have heard of the choir’s breakout group, The Priests. We talk to a longtime choir member about their “joyful noise.”