Two Pretty Darn Good Harpers Coming to Town

The details:

Gráinne Hambly and William Jackson

Sunday, March 26, at 7 p.m.

Ritz Theatre, Oaklyn, N.J.

The event is sponsored by the Delaware Valley chapter of Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann, in partnership with You Gotta Have Harp Productions, Ballyhugh Irish Imports and the Virginia Harp Center.

I'm a big fan of Gráinne in particular. An immensely gifted performer. We play her CD Golden Lights and Green Shadows all the time. We heard her play in Doylestown a while back. The venue wasn't great ... but she was.

It's part of a three-concert traditional music series this spring at the Ritz Theatre.

Also on tap:

• Sunday, April 30, Clairseach, with Ann and Charlie Heymann
• Sunday, May 14, the Delaware Valley Celtic Harp Orchestra, led by Kathy DeAngelo

Countdown to St. Patrick's Day Irish Night

St. John Of God Community Services
1145 Delsea Drive
Westville Grove, NJ 08096

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of St. John Of God Community Services in the United States

Friday, Feb. 17, 7-10 p.m.

Featuring:

• Blarney
• McDermott's Handy
• Mweelrea
• The Shanagolden Dancers
• Irish Dancers of Dansations School of Dance
• MC Tommy Moffit

Admission is $5; children under 12, free.

Refreshments provided.

For information: (856) 256-9118 or (856) 848-4700

www.irishphiladelphia.com is Up and Running

• Session lists complete with driving directions
• Stories
• Profiles of local Irish notables such as Gerry Timlin
• Photo essays
• Podcasts

... and I could go on.

www.irishphiladelphia.com has been a kind of dream of mine for years. Now it's a reality--a massive site loaded with valuable information aboutIrish and Celtic music, culture and community.

It's been months in the planning, and now it's here. It's truly a labor of love. Maybe it'll make enough money to pay my hosting fees ... maybe not. Either way, it's a portal to everything Irish in Philadelphia and the Greater Delaware Valley.

The blog will continue, a kind of reporter's notebook to the Web site's more polished presence.

Check it out, and let me know what you think.

Thanks.

Jeff