The remarkable Chieftains, now marking their 50th year of bringing traditional Irish music to venues around the world with an extensive tour of Europe and North America, will be performing for the 24th time in Boston when they gather at Symphony Hall on Wed., March 14, for an 8 p.m. show entitled, “Voice of Ages” with Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains and Special Guests [one of whom is former member Seán Keane].
The ensemble was formed in 1962 by Paddy Moloney, who brought together folk musicians such as fiddler Martin Fay, flautist Michael Tubridy, tin whistle virtuoso Seán Potts and bodhrán player David Fallon. Potts and Tubridy left in 1978 and were replaced by Kevin Conneff and Matt Molloy, who remain in the band today. The Chieftains are recognized for bringing traditional Irish music to the world’s attention, and were officially named Ireland’s Musical Ambassadors, as they have become the standard bearers of the Irish folk music tradition. They have been nominated for a total of 18 Grammy Awards, and are six-time winners. The group has also won an Emmy and a Genie award.
To celebrate their golden anniversary, the Chieftains last week released a new CD, “Voice of Ages,” (Hear/Concord). Produced by Paddy Moloney and T. Bone Burnett, it features the group teaming with, among others, stars from the worlds of indie-rock (Bon Iver, The Decemberists, The Low Anthem), country and Americana (The Civil Wars, Pistol Annies, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Punch Brothers), Irish and Scottish folk (Imelda May, Lisa Hannigan, Paolo Nutini).
After the Symphony Hall show, the group will head to New York and a St. Patrick’s Day date at Carnegie Hall.
Celebrity Series of Boston, which first welcomed The Chieftains to the city in 1981, is presenting this month’s performance, entitled, “Voice of Ages” with Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains and Special Guests [one of whom is former member Seán Keane]. The sponsor is Tufts Health Plan, with 89.7 WGBH as media partner.
Tickets are $75, $65, $57 and $47,and are available online at celebrityseries.org, by calling CelebrityCharge at 617-482-6661 Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or at the Symphony Hall box office, 301 Massachusetts Ave.
Larry Cunningham
shows are cancelled
The Larry Cunningham performances scheduled for March 16-18 at Concannon’s in Norwood, the Irish Social Club in West Roxbury, and Florian Hall in Dorchester, respectively, have been put off due to the artist’s health.
Pat McDonough, the show’s promoter and producer, in wishing Larry Cunningham a quick recovery, says he “will be putting on a show, with a new date and a different artist.
Jordan performs in Celtic Sojourn shows
Dorchester’s own Kieran Jordan will perform in the seventh annual A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn concert. The show which will be staged at the Zeiterion Theater in New Bedford on Saturday, March 17 and at Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre in Cambridge on Saturday, March 24. Hosted by WGBH radio host Brian O’Donovan, the show will introduce audiences to a wide range of new and familiar Celtic singers, musicians, and dancers.
Kieran is an Irish dance performer, choreographer and instructor who lives in Lower Mills. She has more than 25 years of dance experience and is the longtime Dance Director for A Christmas Celtic Sojourn. Joined on stage by Jackie O’Riley and Kristen Kelly, she will bring variety and percussive spice to the gatherings.
Tickets and information for both shows are available at wgbh.org/celtic

Division 8 AOH to cite 3 at St. Patrick’s Day fete
The Rev. James T. O’Reilly OSA Division 8 Ancient Order of Hibernians will be honoring former Massachusetts State Sen. Sue Tucker as the winner of its Hon. John E. Fenton Citizenship Award at its St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Dance on March 10. Sen. Tucker served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1982 to 1992 and the Senate from 1999 to 2010. A native of Michigan, she now resides in Andover.
Edward F. Curran has been selected as the recipient of the Richard Cardinal Cushing Award. A native of Lawrence, Mr. Curran worked for the city of Lawrence for many years and also served as the Veteran’s Agent for the city of Methuen. He has been very active in serving veterans of all wars, but in particular those who served during the Vietnam War. This award is presented annually to an Irish Catholic who resides in the Greater Lawrence area, and is named after the great Irish Catholic prelate who served the archdiocese of Boston for nearly 50 years.
Lawrence resident Timothy J. Doherty, a member of Division 8 for more than 20 years, has been named Division 8’s 2012 Irishman of the Year. This award, established in 1964, is the highest honor that the Division can bestow on a member. A native of Everett, he has lived in Lawrence for over 25 years.
The banquet and dance will be held at the Lawrence Firefighters Association Relief’s In, One Market Street, South Lawrence. It will feature a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner with dancing to the Jolly Tinkers from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information and purchase of tickets, contact Robert Gauthier at 978-686-2786.

Make that ‘Mayor’ Gormley
West Roxbury funeral director Richie Gormley, right, is receiving congratulations from his friends after being selected as “Mayor of West Roxbury. The designation, an honorary title, was bestowed last month after an online vote conducted by Patch.com, an internet site .
In the informal, unscientific polling, Gormley received 33 percent of the tally. The website had asked respondents to say “Who is the unofficial Mayor of West Roxbury.” Some nine persons were in the running, with longtime West Roxbury activist Mary Mulvey Jacobsen second with 32 percent.
Gormley, who also is president of the Co. Roscommon association and a longtime supporter of the Irish Social Club, says he plans a celebratory event at the club late this month. “I’m looking forward to inviting everybody to my inauguration on March 30,” he told the Patch outlet.

Mary McTigue is named New director for ICC
The Irish Cultural Centre has a new director, Mary McTigue, and she has set as her goal expanding the organization’s reach in the regional Irish community. McTigue has headed non-profit groups for the past 20 years, the last 10 of which she spent as executive director of the Boston Adult Education Center. During her tenure, the program grew to have some 30,000 students a year attend classes there. She concentrated on expanding program offerings, increasing marketing efforts, and diversifying the school’s approach to adult education.
Says McTigue, who grew up in Holyoke, attended Boston College, and now lives in Lexington, “The ICC has a unique mix of programming, facilities and members who all come together and also great sports events, so we’re lucky to have all of that here.”
Her time at the ICC has just begun, but the new director wants to expand the cultural center’s offerings and reach out to new audiences via things like additional partnerships with other Irish organizations in the greater Boston area and throughout New England. She also hopes to increase use of the center for functions and take advantage of the approximately 50 acres of property on ICC’s Canton campus. – MEENA RAMAKRISHNAN