Arts and Entertainment
A look at Irish/Celtic events in Greater Boston and elsewhere in Massachusetts during this month. All subject to change pending possible Covid-related developments.
•The rural roots of Irish traditional music, and its connection to the natural world, are... Read more
Téada, “Coiscéim Coiligh (As the Days Brighten)” • Almost as old as the 21st century, Téada has long been at the forefront of Ireland’s tradition-oriented bands, built around the vibrant, skillful triumvirate of fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, accordionist... Read more
By R. J. DonovanSpecial To Boston Irish
Enda Walsh knows a thing or two about creating a hit musical.
The multi award-winning Irish playwright and director previously spent time in Boston writing the stage adaptation of the musical “Once,” which went on... Read more
‘Riverdance’ at 27: It’s right for the times, still larger than life, but perhaps closer to us
Dancers parse message: ‘Unity’ … ‘A journey’ … ‘A love story, too’
Among the many millions of people who watched the original “Riverdance” – the... Read more
Summer BCMFest – the warm-weather version of the Boston Celtic Music Fest (BCMFest) – will return to its in-person on-stage format this year on July 3, with a slate of afternoon and evening performances at Club Passim in Harvard Square featuring some of... Read more
Above all, Boston-area Irish music-playing spouses Matt and Shannon Heaton are quite happy to be back performing in person.
After a handful of live events in 2021, the duo’s recent and upcoming schedule by comparison is fairly dotted with in-person gigs... Read more
“The Christmas Revels” has long been one of Boston’s most beloved holiday traditions. Historically, the production highlights a different culture and heritage each season. This year marks the show’s 52nd production. In an effort to be more inclusive, the... Read more
Trip, “A Drop for Neptune” • So, an Irishman, an Englishman, and a Manxwoman walk into the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – and wind up forming a band with three Scotsmen. Thus was born Trip some four years ago, whose debut album here (crowd-funded and... Read more
“Celtic Illusion,” will strut its stuff at The Shubert Theatre on Sat., May 7, fusing contemporary Irish dance with spectacular magic and grand illusion. First performed in 2011, the production is created and choreographed by its star, Anthony Street.
... Read more
Sláinte the band, expressing cheer and fellowship is where their music is at: Born in a Boston College dorm, the ‘club’ now takes its sound up and down Rte. 95
We’ve all heard the phrase at least a few times, usually said among friends and acquaintances... Read more
It’s like the sonic equivalent of a Ken Burns film: 192 tracks totaling 12-and-a-half hours that cover 5 decades of work, supplemented by liner notes and photos, and full of wonderful stories that support an overarching, broader narrative.
“Horse” was the... Read more
Dublin native Padraic Moyles is executive producer / director of “Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show.” Fans know him best for his dynamic work as the show’s former lead dancer, playing more than 5,000 performances internationally. He’s also course... Read more
All subject to change pending possible Covid-related developments
•Club Passim in Harvard Square this month will feature a pair of acts that blend Irish, Scottish, and other Celtic-related traditions with Americana sounds. First is the Boston-born... Read more
Eamon Flynn, “Anywhere But Home” • It’s not as if there haven’t been tributes to Dublin aplenty down through time, in art, music, literature, stage and screen, but this album certainly is one of the more personable and heartfelt ones in recent years.... Read more
You can’t tell the story of Irish music without Patrick J. “Patsy” Touhey (1865-1923), says Greater Boston uilleann piper Joey Abarta, nor can you tell the story of Irish music without the American chapter, in which Touhey figures quite prominently.
“His... Read more
Two years after the ill-fated 2020 “A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn” tour, which had the misfortune to coincide with the beginning of the Covid lockdowns, the show – presented in virtual format last year – is set for an in-person theatrical run.... Read more
By Martin McGovernBoston Irish Contributor
The last two years of my career in higher education coincided with the pandemic and during that period, reading for pleasure proved challenging if not impossible for me.Even with a good book to look forward to at... Read more
By R. J. DonovanSpecial to Boston Irish
Boston theaters were plunged into darkness and lay dormant during the pandemic. Happily, the joy of live performances has returned and the upcoming weeks and months – right up to the “Riverdance, 25th Anniversary... Read more
]Scottish trio Talisk plays with so much power and presence, it's sometimes hard to believe there are only three of them. Their tight, propulsive, and often downright raucous instrumental sets have their basis in, but are by no means confined to, the... Read more
A look at some upcoming Irish/Celtic events in the Boston/Eastern Massachusetts area (subject to change pending COVID-related developments)
Considering how barren the landscape has been for live, in-person events the last two years during St. Patrick’s... Read more
