Northwest Philadelphia's Irish communities are celebrating their heritage this year with Mick Moloney and his famous Irish music ensemble Green Fields of America, which will be performing at the Commodore Barry Arts & Cultural Center at 8 p.m., this Saturday - the night before the city’s 250th St. Patrick’s Day parade in Center City.
The concert promises to be a rousing performance. In addition to Moloney, the event will feature a veritable “who’s who” of Irish American talent, including Athena Tergis, Billy McComiskey, Brenda Castles, Liz Hanley and Niall O'Leary.
Music will include traditional and contemporary songs in Gaelic and English - love songs, funny songs, patriotic songs, songs of emigration and settlement, and Irish American songs from vaudeville - all accompanied by the urbane, informative witty commentary for which the group is well known.
Moloney, born in Limerick, Ireland, founded the group back in 1978 to celebrate Irish music, dancing and folklore. He was instrumental in the early career of Michael Flatley, now famous for the popular “Riverdance” performance of Irish step dancing. He has been involved in the production of over 60 albums, three nationally syndicated series on folk music, and appeared in the Academy Award-winning documentary film “Out of Ireland.” He is the recipient of numerous awards, including a 2014 Gradam Ceoil Award, Ireland’s equivalent of a Grammy Award.
Brenda Castles, who both sings and plays the concertina, has a solo career in addition to being a member of the group - and has a series of All Ireland Fleadh titles to her name. Originally from County Meath, she hails from a rich family tradition of music. In addition to performing, she teaches - both privately and at festivals such as the Catskills Irish Arts Week. She is currently based in Dublin and New York.
Brendan Dolan, on the piano, also plays the Irish flute and tin whistle. He has scored a number of films including “Baby Girl,” one of twelve features chosen for the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival. He has also created the sound design for clients such as MTV, VH1, AT&T and the Discovery Channel. He has a bachelor’s degree in music and jazz from SUNY New Paltz and also in classics from Brown University. He also earned a master’s from New York University in Irish and Irish American studies.
Liz Hanley grew up in Boston, where she learned the fiddle from her father, Andy Hanley. She studied classical violin and voice at New York University and graduated from NYU with a bachelor’s degree in music. Her repertoire spans multiple genres from traditional Irish and American to rock and classical. In addition to extensive touring throughout the U.S., she has performed with various groups around the globe, including in Europe and Southeast Asia.
Billy McComiskey, on accordion, is a world-renowned “box” player and composer who was taught by a master of the east Galway style of Irish traditional music named Sean McGlynn. He was born and raised in Brooklyn with a family steeped in Irish music and dance. He’s won gold and silver in the prestigious All-Ireland musical competitions in solo accordion and in duets with Brendan Mulvihill. After playing at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival during the U.S. Bicentennial, he moved to Baltimore and has helped build the now thriving Baltimore – DC Irish traditional music scene. He is a 2016 NEA National Heritage Fellow, and has performed at the White House and the Kennedy Center.
Dancer Niall O’Leary is a former All-Ireland and world champion from Dublin, Ireland, and a recipient of the 2021 Irish Echo’s “Community Champion” award. He performs regularly, and has his own company, the Niall O’Leary Irish Dance Troupe. He’s also known for his instructional video in Irish step dancing, “Cuts from the Kitchen,” and is an accomplished accordion, spoons, and bodhran player.
John Roberts, who sings and plays the concertina, has released dozens of songs, including the popular “Nowell Sing We Clear” and another called “Sea Fever.” He is considered one of the foremost concertina players in the world and has performed at various folk festivals including the Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival, the Newfoundland & Labrador Folk Festival, the San Francisco Sea Music Festival and in concert with Mick Moloney at Symphony Space and the Irish Arts Center.
Athena Tergis, on violin, started playing at four years old, eventually landing at Alasdair Fraser’s Scottish fiddling school, where she studied with venerable master fiddlers and won the junior national Scottish fiddling championship three years in a row. Born in San Francisco, she moved to Ireland when she was 18 years old to join the Sharon Shannon Band for their 1997 “Gael Force” TV series. She has starred in notable productions such as “Lord of the Dance” in Las Vegas, the Broadway production of “Riverdance,” and was a featured soloist with the Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra.
The Philadelphia Ceili Group, which is sponsoring the concert, is a group of volunteers who have been supporting traditional Irish arts and culture throughout the Delaware Valley since 1958. It hosts monthly ceili dances with live music, Irish music and singing sessions, and in September, it produces Philadelphia’s three-day Irish Traditional Dance & Music Festival.
For tickets or more information go to PhiladelphiaCeiliGroup.org.
