Arts and Entertainment
Some of the faces may change for Childsplay (shown here in 2012), including new singer Karan Casey but artistic director and namesake Bob Childs sees a lot of continuity in the group -- especially its core sound.
After a hiatus in 2015, the Boston-based... Read more
The show-stopping “I’ll Build A Stairway To Paradise.” Matthew Murphy photo
“An American in Paris” ranks as one of the most popular film musicals of all time. Starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, it tells the romantic tale of an American soldier, a... Read more
Conor Lovett in the Gare St Lazare Ireland production of “Here All Night.” Hugo Glendinning photoConor Lovett and Judy Hegarty Lovett share a great deal in life. Aside from being husband and wife, the talented duo are founders and co-artistic directors... Read more
“We didn’t want this to be a ‘themed’ record, but we felt ‘Copley Street’ would be a nod to the past generations of musicians,” says Joey Abarta, right, of the album he made with Nathan Gourley. Louise Bichan photo
Copley Street is a little longer than a... Read more
Tommy FlemingThe Norwood Theatre welcomes Irish tenor Tommy Fleming on Saturday, October 15th at 7:30pm. After 25 years honing his craft, Tommy is now taking his place at the forefront of popular music across the globe. The mere mention of a Tommy... Read more
By Sean Smith
Special to the BIR
Shannon Heaton: “I think it’s amazing that so many of us have come to Irish music in different ways. I’m eager to tuck into the backstory behind so many influential, innovative, important voices in the tradition. ” Andy... Read more
By R. J. Donovan
Special to the BIR
Ian-Lloyd Anderson, Lloyd Cooney and Liam Heslin in the Abbey Theatre production of Sean O’Casey’s “The Plough and the Stars,” playing the American Repertory Theater from September 24 to October 9. Ros Kavanagh photo
“... Read more
Sean McGibbon plays Cosmo Brown in the beloved musical “Singin’ in the Rain” at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly from August 16 - September 4.
By R.J. Donovan, Special to the BIR
Sean McGibbon is an unabashed lover of the Golden Age of Musicals. ... Read more
If you grew up in the County Tipperary town of Cloughjordan, like Boston-area resident Martin Butler did, you couldn’t help but know about Thomas MacDonagh.
Poet, playwright, educator, MacDonagh is a compelling figure in Irish history, a co-leader of the... Read more
Right on the heels of the release of their eagerly anticipated new album, Legacy, Volume Two, Celtic Thunder will kick off a 75 city tour of the US and Canada this summer. Known for their theatrical performances of traditional music, the five member... Read more
by Kiera Murray
BIR Correspondent
People join the Boston Irish dance scene for a variety of reasons, maybe to embrace their Irish heritage, learn about Irish culture, engage in challenging physical activity, or perform and compete all over the world. For... Read more
By SEAN SMITH
Special to the BIR
If you look at the combined resumes of fiddle-guitar duo Nollaig Casey and Arty McGlynn, it’s nearly impossible not to be impressed.
Casey has played violin with the RTE Symphony Orchestra and fiddled for two of Ireland’s... Read more
By SEAN SMITH
Special to the BIR
In addition to Summer BCMFest [see story below], here are some other Irish/Celtic-related music events taking place in Boston this month:
• The Burren Backroom series will present the legendary Sliabh Luachra duo of Matt... Read more
By R. J. DONOVAN
Special to the BIR
We face choices every day. Which flight to take, which job to accept, which person to date? You try to make an informed decision, but the question quietly lingers: What if you had chosen differently? How might your... Read more
By KIERA MURRAY
BIR Correspondent
The June sun was beginning to set over the Andover Bookstore courtyard casting a golden light on the evening. The fire pit crackled, and the tune “Cockles and Mussels” floated through the warm air as Andover resident and... Read more
Yes, yes, Kevin Crawford says he and his Lúnasa band mates are well aware that their 20th anniversary is coming up in the next year, and they will most assuredly do something to mark the milestone.
“We’ve only really just started putting out feelers,”... Read more
Broadway’s Ciarán Sheehan will be in town from June 9 to June 19 to kick off Reagle Music Theatre’s 48th summer season with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Carousel.” The classic musical tells the challenging love story of Julie Jordan, an innocent New... Read more
Currently on their 20th Anniversary North American tour, the cast of Riverdance has been performing nonstop for months. By the end, they will have performed in 75 cities, often in multiple shows per day.
Which leaves the question: What do the dancers do... Read more
It has gone by different names over the years, but the Irish Cultural Centre of New England’s annual festival – now known as Irish Fest Boston – is set to celebrate its silver anniversary on June 4 and 5 at the ICC campus in Canton with a line-up that... Read more
When the time came to work on their first recording, the members of New England Irish trio Fódhla literally had to meet each other halfway.
That’s how it is when one-third of your band lives in Greater Boston and the other two-thirds in Portland, Maine... Read more
