Arts and Entertainment
Few bands go looking for the metaphorical crossroads, but once they encounter it, there’s no turning back. So was the case last year with Annalivia, the Greater Boston-based group that since its beginnings five years ago has drawn plaudits for its... Read more
For Boston-area Irish musician Shannon Heaton, invention was the necessity of motherhood. In the first weeks after her son Nigel was born two years ago, Heaton – like many a new parent – often found herself up at all hours for feeding, changing, and... Read more
The life and times of Brendan Behan, one of Ireland’s most colorful writers, are in the spotlight this month in “A Broth of a Boy.” The one-man show, starring Danny Venezia, is being presented from Sept. 25 to Oct. 7 at The Arsenal Center for the Arts in... Read more
Tommy Fleming, whose powerful, passionate interpretations of songs old and new, traditional and contemporary, have made him one of Ireland’s most popular vocalists, will perform two shows next month at Peabody City Hall.
Fleming will give concerts on Sept... Read more
Matthew Murphy appears as Oscar Wilde's attorney this month at the Boston Ctr for the ArtsMatthew Murphy wears a lot of hats in life. By day, he’s General Manager of Old Town Trolley Tours of Boston. After hours, he’s a trained singer and actor. Either... Read more
The Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Hanafin-Cooley branch of Boston will hold a special ceili on Sun., Aug. 5, to benefit local musicians who are competing in the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil later this month. Boston Comhaltas musicians will play at the ceili,... Read more
It’s late in the afternoon of a mid-June day, and downtown Boston is positively basking in gorgeous, sun-dazzled weather – except for a metaphorical dark cloud over the Four Green Fields pub.
Only a little while ago, Spain completed its demolition of... Read more
The Boston/Eastern Massachusetts Irish community had every reason to take satisfaction from this year’s Mid Atlantic Fleadh competition, which was held May 18-20 in New Jersey.
It wasn’t just the fact that so many did so well – area entrants qualified in... Read more
By R. J. Donovan
Special to The BIR
Actress-singer Kathy St. George knows a little something about legends. As readers of the Reporter will recall, she is a descendant of the folks who owned historic Tyrone House in Galway. She can also trace her roots... Read more
Traditional music from Ireland, as well as France, Canada, and a few other places, will be the order of the evening on July 7 when Donegal accordionist Dermot Byrne and French harpist Floriane Blancke perform at Worcester’s Hibernian Cultural Centre.... Read more
By Sean Smith
Special to the BIR
It sounds like the kind of moment only the imagination of a singer-songwriter—like, say, Bob Bradshaw—might cook up, only it really happened.
The quick lead-in: Irish native moves to the US at the tail end of the 1980s,... Read more
By R. J. Donovan
Special to The BIR
Boston theater audiences love Mary Callanan. Period. From her performances at SpeakEasy Stage, New Rep and Lyric to the hot night spots in Provincetown, she’s known for her razor-sharp way with a funny line as well as... Read more
Boston Irish Festival begins Friday at ICCNE, Canton
Gaelic Storm, the irrepressible Celtic folk-rock quintet, headlines this year’s Boston Irish Festival, set for this weekend, June 8-10 at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England in Canton. Other... Read more
Riverdance in farewell visit to Boston- Don't miss it!
In 1996, Bill Clinton was president, William Weld was governor of Massachusetts, the old Boston Garden was still standing, the Red Sox were still in search of their first world championship since 1918... Read more
The international sensation known as "Riverdance" has played in 40 countries across 4 continents in more than 350 venues to a worldwide audience surpassing 22 million people. That's astounding when you consider that the two-hour celebration of Irish... Read more
There are the recording projects that try a musician’s soul: long, exhausting hours in the studio spent doing take after take of the same track; fretting about various post-production details; squabbling with accompanists about this or that artistic... Read more
Reagle Music Theatre’s popular revue “A Little Bit of Ireland” returns on March 17 and 18 for its 14th season. The show is a colorful celebration of Irish music, dancing, and light-hearted comedy based on what Reagle’s Producing Artistic Director and... Read more
The Greater Boston area resounds with Irish and other Celtic music all year round, of course, but March seems to be a particularly active period – perhaps because of a certain holiday that falls on the 17th. Here’s a look at some of the events taking... Read more
It seems like yesterday that Moya Doherty and I sat down in the chill winter of 1993 in a small café on Dublin’s Baggot Street to discuss the germ of an idea that was to become Riverdance. Little did we dream that by 2012, this small germ would have... Read more
Brian Conway makes no bones about it: He understands that his particular tutelage in the Irish music tradition was a profoundly rare thing, and he feels very fortunate as a result.
“I think that, in my upbringing, I definitely got the music pure,” says... Read more
