|
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!
| |
A Chairde, Dear Friends,
We hope you enjoy this bumper edition of the Embassy of Ireland cultural and community newsletter. I am very much looking forward to my first St. Patrick's Day as Ambassador of Ireland to the United States. Since taking up duty six months ago, I have been struck every day by the strength of the bonds that exist between the United States and Ireland, bonds which are especially highlighted and reinforced during the St. Patrick's Day period.
The events below provide a great opportunity for Irish people and friends of Ireland to come together to celebrate our cultural heritage and our national day. I hope you enjoy the spraoi (fun) of the season, and I look forward to celebrating St. Patrick's Day with you.
Le gach dea-ghuí,
Anne Anderson
Ambassador
|
|
Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns in concert
| |
On Saturday, March 1, Anthony Kearns will perform at an evening of fine music benefitting Military Charities at Salamander Resort and Spa. The reception will be from 6-8 p.m. with the performance by Anthony Kearns beginning at 6:45. A VIP Reception will follow at 8 p.m. For more information, click here.
|
|
Irish Social Dance at Blenheim Civil War Interpretive Center
| |
On Sunday, March 2nd, at 3-6pm, there will be an Irish social dance in celebration of St. Patrick's Month. The Blenheim Civil War Interpretive Center is at 3610 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030. Music will be provided by Shepherd's Pie Ceili Band.
Beginners are welcome and instruction will be provided. The program will include your favorite Irish polkas, reels and mazurkas. There is a $10 charge, while children under 12 are free and class members will be charged $8. Attendants are encouraged to bring a snack to share if you wish. For more information contact Hugh Conway at ceiliset@yahoo.com or 703-273-6869.
|
|
Discover The Chieftains - SixTime Grammy Award Winning Group
| |
Officially named Ireland's Musical Ambassadors, The Chieftains travel the world to share their take on traditional Irish music. On Sunday 2 March at 7p.m., The Chieftains will be performing at the Lyric Opera House in Baltimore, Maryland. On Sunday 16 March and Monday 17 March, they will be performing at George Mason University and the Ferguson Center respectively. For more information, click here.
|
|
IN-DC Speaker Series presents
A Perspective on the Irish Economy in 2014 with Donal Donovan and Simon Carswell
| |
| |
On Monday, March 3rd, the Irish Network DC will host an evening with Dr. Donal Donovan, formally of the IMF, in conversation with Simon Carswell, US correspondent for the Irish Times. Dr Donovan will give his unique perspective on the Irish Economy post bailout and discuss his new book - The Fall of the Celtic Tiger: Ireland and the Euro Debt Crisis. The event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row, 2100 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC. To register and learn more, please click here.
|
Sean nós Dancing with Shannon Dunne
| |
Tuesday, March 4th at 7pm Shannon Dune will be performing old style dance at the Catholic University of America. The location is Great Room A, Pryzbola Center. For more information, click here.
|
|
A Discussion with John Banville
| |
Booker Prize-winning Irish novelist and screenwriter John Banville will be appearing at George Washington University on Wednesday, March 5, at 7.30pm in the Marvin Center Amphitheater. He writes crime novels under the name of Benjamin Black. Banville's most recent novel as Black - due out 4 March - is The Black-Eyed Blonde, a commissioned revival of Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe. Banville will be interviewed on stage by Molly McCloskey, the current writer-in-residence at George Washington University.
The Marvin Center is located at 800 21st St, NW at the George Washington University. The Amphitheater is on the 3rd floor of the Marvin Center. Admission is free. First come, first seated.
|
|
The Blue Ridge Irish Music School Presents:
An Open Session for All Levels in Traditional Irish Music
| |
On Thursday March 6, from 7 to 9 pm, an open session led by BRIMS instructor Brock Napierkowski will be held at Cville Coffee. Cville Coffee can be found at 1301 Harris St. Charlottesville, VA. The session will be as follows: Slower/Beginners - 7pm, and then Intermediate-Advanced: Faster - 8 pm. All are welcome to attend for the entire evening, and listeners are also very welcome! For more information, click here.
|
|
Celtic Nights Performance
| |
Direct from Ireland, this thrilling ensemble intertwines beautiful ballads and striking choreography to form a vivid link with Celtic heritage. Their amazing story is told through soaring music paired with exhilarating traditional dance in a spectacle that has brought audiences to their feet around the world. They will be performing at the Music Center at Strathmore on Friday, March 7 at 8 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
|
|
St. Patrick's Day 8K & Lil' Leprechaun Leap
| |
Feeling a little luck o' the Irish? Wear your green, lace up your running shoes and join us for the biggest St Patrick's Day race in town! Grab your family and friends and register to run the 26th Annual St Patrick's Day 8K and Lil Leprechaun Leap on March 9, 2014, in the heart of Washington, DC! The 8k will begin at 9 a.m. after the Leprechaun Leap at 8:30 a.m. The race will start and finish on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, between 12th and 13th Streets. For more information, click here.
To discover additional St. Patrick's Day races in the area, click here.
|
Irish Heritage Event with Free Irish Breakfast, Irish Dance Lessons, and Irish Music
| |
Prepare for St. Patrick's Day with an Irish Heritage event held downstairs at the Auld Shebeen in Fairfax, Virginia, on Sunday March 9th from Noon till 2:30pm. This will include a free Irish Breakfast with eggs, sausage, bacon, black/white pudding, and the works. Come get ready for Saint Patrick's and learn how to dance the haymaker's jig, listen to Irish musicians and live bagpipe music. This event is hosted by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Attendee donations for various Irish causes including Project Children and Project Children Interns as well as the Children's Project Northern Ireland, will be gratefully accepted but are not required. For more information about the Auld Shebeen, please visit their website here. |
|
The Hamilton Presents Sharon Corr of The Corrs
| |
Sharon Corr, Grammy Nominee/Brit Award Winner, singer/songwriter and violinist, hugely successful both as a member of legendary Irish group The Corrs and now as a solo artist, is coming to The Hamilton on Monday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. Her recent solo album, "Dream of You" is a collection of beautifully crafted, melodic pop gems, a remarkable debut that demands to be listened to in full. Today Sharon is the face of OXFAM Ireland and is one of the coaches on hugely successful talent show "The Voice of Ireland" which gives her a unique opportunity to share her experience with chosen contestants. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
|
Irish Popcorn!
 | | The Irish Pub Official Trailer |
 | | Extract from Anam an Amhrain |
| |
Irish Popcorn! is a FREE contemporary Irish film series, presented by Solas Nua, Washington DC's contemporary Irish arts group, with screenings at 7pm on the last Monday of every month. This month's screening will be on Monday 31 March and will take place at Busboys and Poets on 14th and V. This month's film is The Irish Pub. There will also be a special screening of Anam An Amhráin, 11 short animated interpretations of old Irish songs. It will be on Saturday, March 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., at the Mount Pleasant Library. For more information and updates, check out Irish Popcorn!'s Facebook page here.
|
|
| |
For the past number of years, Solas Nua, Washington's Irish Contemporary Arts Group, have celebrated St. Patrick's Day by distributing books by Irish authors, free of charge, on the streets of the Nation's Capital. This year Solas Nua has embarked on an exciting new project with Stinging Fly literary magazine to create a book of our very own.
What's the Story? is a collection of short stories and poems from emerging Irish authors, such as Mary Costello, Elaine Feeney, and Kevin Barry (to name a few). Solas Nua will be handing out 8,000 FREE copies of What's the Story? at Metro stops around the city, including Dupont Circle, Judiciary Square, Gallery Place Chinatown, and Columbia Heights stations, on Monday, March 17th from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more, click here.
|
|
Music from The Sean Fleming Band
| | |
The Sean Fleming Band will be performing on March 21 and 22 at Flanagans Harp and Fiddle, in Bethesda, Maryland. Tickets cost $5. For more information, check out their page here.
|
"Tale of Tongs" Screening at Catholic University
| |
Catholic University of America will host a screening on Monday, March 24th of the "Tale of Tongs", a film sponsored by the Environmental Film Festival of DC. The film is a documentary by Judith Hallet, and examines the construction of an architectural installation in remembrance of the great Irish Diaspora on the island of Inishturk off the west coast of Ireland during the summer of 2013. The School of Architecture and Planning will host a reception at the Crough Center for Architectural Studiesbefore the screening with cookies, coffee and tea at 6:30 p.m. The screening will occur at 7:00 PM followed by a short question and answer period.
|
Emerald Irish Club St. Patrick's Day Ceili
| |
The St. Patrick's Day Ceili presented by the Emerald Irish Club will be taking place from 7-11 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 at American Legion Post 183 Hall, 2301 Putty Hill Ave., Parkville.
For more information, go to emeraldisleclub.com.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 
| |
The Washington DC St. Patrick's Parade
The St. Patrick's Parade Committee of Washington, D.C. is hard at work planning the 2014 parade. Get ready for one of the best celebrations in the district!
The Parade will be held on Sunday, March 16, 2014 at 12:00 Noon, and will proceed down Constitution Avenue from 7th to 17th Streets, N.W., in our Nation's Capital. The parade route is easily accessible from the Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial and Smithsonian metro stations. The grandstands are located between 15th and 16th streets next to the judges reviewing stand. They are a great way to watch the parade - each group is introduced as they approach and you get to see them at their best, performing for the judges. The grandstands provide a comfortable, elevated, vantage point with nearby restroom facilities. To purchase Grandstand tickets, click here!
Volunteers are always welcome - email chair@dcstpatsparade.com for information on volunteer opportunities and our meeting schedule.
Fundraisers will include live music, dancing and live auctions. To find a fundraiser near you, click here. For more info, visit dcstpatsparade.com.
Alexandria St. Patrick's Day Parade
Alexandria, VA, celebrates Saint Patrick's Day on Saturday, March 1st, with a day of family fun events, including a classic car show, a dog show and a Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Federal, state, and local elected officials; the Irish Ambassador; military commanders; and other local celebrities will participate in the Alexandria parade. Local scouts, marines and high school bands will also be represented. The parade starts at Alfred and King Streets and runs along King turning east on Lee Street ending at Cameron Street from 12:30-2:30. For more information, click here.
Gaithersburg St. Patrick's Day Parade
The City of Gaithersburg, MD, in partnership with the Harp and Shamrock Society, hosts a Saint Patrick's Day Parade featuring a pipe band, marching band, music, animals and more. The Grand Marshals and Emcees for this year's parade are Tommy McFly, Kelly Collis and Jen Richer of 94.7 Fresh FM's "The Tommy Show." The parade will take place on Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m. to noon, beginning at the Washingtonian Center. For more information, click here.
Manassas St. Patrick's Day Parade
The City of Manassas, VA celebrates St. Patrick's Day each year with a community parade featuring Irish dance groups, the Northern Virginia Firefighters Emerald Society Pipe and Drum, Washington Scottish Pipe and Drum, Fairfax County Sheriff's Coalition Pipe and Drum, the Marine Corps Color Guard and other area groups and organizations. The parade will be on Saturday, March 15 starting at 11 a.m. The parade begins at the intersection of Quarry Rd. and Prescott Ave. and proceeds south to Center Street, continuing on Center Street ending at West Street. The parade reviewing stand is located at the end of the parade route at West and Center Sts. For more information click here.
The Baltimore St. Patrick Parade and the Shamrock 5K Race
Baltimore's St. Patrick Parade is truly the jewel in Maryland's emerald crown. For more than 50 years, thousands of spectators from the region have crowded the streets and sidewalks of downtown Baltimore and the famous Inner Harbor to watch thousands more march and celebrate Irish culture, music, song, and dance.
The Shamrock 5K takes place immediately before the Baltimore St. Patrick Parade on Sunday, March 16. The race begins at 1:15 p.m. at Charles and Franklin Streets, and the parade begins at 2 at the Washington Monument, proceeds down Charles Street and continues to Pratt Street and Market Place. For more information , visit irishparade.net.
|
|
Let'sLearnIrish.com Presents Upcoming Spring Courses
| |
|
Let'sLearnIrish.com presents courses for Advanced students for this upcoming spring. Courses begin on Thursday March 6 respectively. Tá an cúrsa seo dírithe ar dhaoine atá roinnt ama caite acu ag foghlaim na teangan. In addition, on Sunday April 13th, from 10-5 will be the one day introductory intensive. Register by March 14th for the early bird rate. To register and learn more about both of these programs, click here.
|
|
The Washington Post Café Concert Series Presents: Og Ceol
| |
Irish musicians Jamie Sandel and Malinda Reese join guitarist Oran Sandel for lively sets of traditional and contemporary tunes on March 3. The performance is free and all are welcome. It will take place at the Atlas' Kogod Lobby from 5-7 p.m. For more information, click here. |
|
Caitlín and Ciarán Live!
| |
|
Caitlín Nic Gabhann and Ciarán O Maonaigh are two of the finest instrumentalists on the Irish traditional scene. Individually they are stunning but together they bring a freshness and excitement to the music that is uniquely their own. See them live on Tuesday, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Baltimore Concert House, MD and on Wednesday 5 March Merrifield House, VA. For tickets and more information, click here.
|
|
The Wolfe Tones Final US Tour 50 Years
| |
Irish Folk Legends, The Wolfe Tones, come to Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle in Bethesda, Maryland, on Tuesday, March 4. For more information about the show, please call the venue. For more information about The Wolfe Tones, check out their website here. |
|
Artisphere Arlington Presents Alan Kelly Gang
|
|
The Artisphere of Arlington presents the Alan Kelly Gang, an accredited piano accordion group. On Wednesday, March 5 at 8 p.m. they will mark their area debut with a performance at the Dome Theatre. For more information and to purchase tickets, please check out the Artisphere website here. |
|
Celtic Crossroads Comes to the DMV Area!
| |
Critically acclaimed as 'the most exhilarating and authentic show to come from Ireland in decades - not to be missed', Celtic Crossroads is an explosion of youthful energy and dazzling musicianship. Celtic Crossroads abounds with fusions of traditional Irish music, bluegrass, gypsy and jazz whilst pulsating with the rhythms of exciting Irish dance percussion. They will performing at the Ramshead Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland on Sunday, March 9 at 8 p.m. For more information click here.
|
|
Paul Byrom at The Barns at Wolf Trap
| |
The Barns at Wolf Trap is excited to host Paul Byrom for a night of music on Wednesday, March 12th at 8 p.m . Paul Byrom is a "suave tenor of Celtic Thunder fame who performs romantic crossover pop including Irish ballads and Broadway favorites." For more information about the event, click here.
|
The Barns at Wolf Trap Present Solas
| | |
Don't miss this opportunity to see popular Irish folk band Solas at The Barns at Wolf Trap on Thursday, March 13 and Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m. "One of the world's finest Celtic-folk ensembles" (The Washington Post) presents a diverse repertoire of topical songs and treasured Irish classics like "The Wind that Shakes the Barley." For tickets and more info, click here.
|
|
| |
DeMatha Catholic High School will hold its annual Celtic Night on Sat., March 15 from 6-10pm in the school's new Alumni Lounge in the Convocation Center off of Route One. Plenty of food, beverage, music, and a few readings as well. There is no charge but suggested nominal donations for entry, food, and beverage. Pat Garvey will provide the music. Contact Tom Ponton at 240-764-2222 or tponton@dematha.org to make a reservation.
|
Performance of
The Importance of Being Earnest
| |
The Shakespeare Theater Company presents a production of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at the Lansburgh Theater from 1 to 16 March. For more information, click here.
|
SCENA Theatre presents
The Cure at Troy
| |
SCENA Theatre presents a St. Patrick's Day staging of The Cure at Troy by Seamus Heaney. Directed by Robert McNamara, the show will take place at the Warehouse Theatre in Washington, DC, on Monday, March 17th, at 7:30 p.m. For more information and tickets, click here.
|
|
|  |
Skylark has just released it's newest CD, and will host a CD Release Concert on Sunday, March 22 at the Limerick Pub in Wheaton, MD. The price of admission includes a dinner at 6:00 p.m. and the concert at 7pm. For tickets please click here. For more information about the CD Launch, click here. |
|
IN-DC Monthly Social
| |
Irish Network DC will hold their March social on Thursday, 27 March from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at James Hoban's Bar and Restaurant. For more information, click here
|
|
DC Environmental Film Festival features
On a river in Ireland
| |
Award winning documentary On A River in Ireland will be screened on Sunday, March 30th at 2:30 pm at the National Museum of Natural History as part of the 2014 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital. This screening will be free and open to the public. For more information please click here.
|
Guest Speaker David Ben-Merre at Catholic University
| | |
David Ben-Merre, Associate Professor at SUNY - Buffalo State will deliver his talk on James Joyce and Albert Einstein is entitled, "James Joyce and Modern Science; or, the 'chance ridiculisation of the whoo-whoo and where's hairs theorics of Winestain'". It will take place on Wednesday, March 26th at 6 PM in Pryzbyla, Great Room A.
For more information, click here.
|
|
|
Nothing is more Irish than an informal music "session" in the local pub. For details of the sessions taking place in the DMV area, please click here. |
|
We want your feedback!
We hope you enjoy our newsletter. We aim to highlight Irish cultural and community events taking place in the DC, Virginia and Maryland area. If you would like us to advertise your event, or if have any comments on the newsletter, please contact us at washingtonembassy@dfa.ie.
For information about Irish cultural and community events elsewhere in the country, please contact our consulates in New York, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta and San Francisco.
Finally, follow us on twitter @IrelandEmbUSA for all the latest news from Ireland.
|
|
|
