People
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Irish Viral Sensation “Hallelujah” Priest Father Ray Kelly To Perform at Little Flower Charity Event
Are you one of the 91 million who got goosebumps watching the YouTube video of an Irish Catholic priest sing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” in a perfect tenor voice to a young couple whose wedding he just performed? That was Father Ray Kelly, a former missionary turned pastor of a parish in County Meath, who at 61 became an overnight viral sensation. Later, he went on to wow the usually scowling Simon Cowell on Britain’s Got Talent […] Read More
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Podcast: Interview with Merton Play Actress Kirsten Quinn
“Rendezvous in Bangkok … Who Killed Thomas Merton,” written by Sabina Clarke and Thom Nickels, premiered in 2021. It’s back, revised, for a performance at the Commodore Barry Arts & Cultural Center (the Irish Center) Sunday, Sept. 22. What follows is a transcript of an audio interview with Kirsten Quinn, who portrays Merton friend Joan Baez. She is also the casting director. Quinn is associated with several theater groups in the Philadelphia area, including, notably, […] Read More
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Love’s Labors Won: The Philadelphia Fleadh
Photo: Chrissy and CJ Mills, Fleadh organizers. Photographer: Tom Keenan The Philadelphia Fleadh—a one-day extravaganza of Celtic rock bands and trad muscians—has become so well known worldwide that organizer CJ Mills gets dozens of requests from international bands asking to perform. He always says no. Is this man crazy? Not really. He’s just a real hometown guy. “All of our bands are local,” says Mills who has played fiddle with several bands in the area. “They’re […] Read More
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A Tin Pan Alley Tribute To Dad
By Frank Keel March is the Month of the Irish and, of course, St. Patrick’s Day is the pinnacle of the celebration of our shared Irish heritage. It’s an especially joyous time here in Philadelphia, which for a long, long time boasted the largest Irish population per capita in the United States (Boo, Boston!) I have treasured St. Patrick’s Day my entire adult life but since my Dad, Frank Sr., passed in 2021, the day […] Read More
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Local Building Trades Union Helps Parents Find “Angel Eyes” to Keep Watch Over Their Preemies
By Frank KeelThe birth of a child is one of life’s most joyous experiences. But for the parents of prematurely born infants, the first few months of their frail child’s life can be an incredibly stressful time. In 2022, preterm births affected about one of every 10 infants born in America. The “preemie” phenomenon knows no geographic boundaries. Each year, in Ireland, for example, 4,500 babies are born too small, too soon and too sick. The […] Read More
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Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame Inductees 2023: The Conaghan Family
By Lori Lander Murphy When the Conaghans are welcomed into the Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame as 2023 inductees, it will be both as a family and as individuals who have devoted their lives to their Irish community. Sarah, Karen and Mary Conaghan consider themselves exceedingly fortunate to have grown up as the daughters of Tom and Mary Conaghan. They couldn’t help but be influenced by the parents’ who met at a dance hall […] Read More
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Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame Inductees 2023: Pat and Nancy Boyle
By Liz Kerr Pat and Nancy Boyle could very well win the title of most philanthropic couple in Philadelphia. Their generosity and dedication to those in need, particularly toward children, is unmatched. In their careers, Pat and Nancy have lived a life of service to others. Pat served as a member of the Philadelphia Police Department from 1966 to 2004, when he retired at the rank of Detective. Nancy dedicated her career to caring for […] Read More
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Commodore Barry Award Winner 2023: Pari Livermore
By Lori Lander Murphy The Commodore John Barry Arts & Cultural Center is far from the first organization to benefit from Pari Livermore’s generosity of spirit and commitment to fundraising, but the institution better known as the Irish Center may be the most appreciative. She, along with co-chair Kathy McGee Burns, organized last year’s wildly successful Top 100 Irish Women in Philadelphia event that raised much needed funds for the Center. To the many in […] Read More
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Delaware Valley Irish Hall of Fame Inductee 2023: Pete Hand
Pete Hand’s Irish heritage, like that of many Irish Americans, was always a bit of a mystery. “My family is from County Mayo on my father’s side, but I was never told how far back,” he says. “My aunt used to say that a Hand fought in every American war since the Civil War so it must have been very far back.” Mystery aside, there’s no doubt that his Irishness has always been a fixture […] Read More
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Emerald Pipers and Michael and Linda Bradley Draw Mayo Association Honors
It’s difficult—maybe impossible—to think of an event that the Philadelphia Emerald Society Pipe Band has not helped commemorate, mourn or celebrate. “They’re simply ubiquitous,” says Maureen Callahan of the Mayo Association of Philadelphia. “Every event you go to, they’re there. The band has provided the soundtrack of Irish culture in the Philadelphia area for decades. They’re part of so many events from one year to the next, and not just on St. Patrick’s Day. They’ve […] Read More