NE St. Patrick s Day Celebrations. Northern Ireland Titanic Belfast

BOSTON IRISH TOURISM ASSOCIATION & TRAVEL Culture Guide SPRING 2012 Massachusetts / NE St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Northern Ireland Titanic Belf...
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BOSTON IRISH TOURISM ASSOCIATION

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TRAVEL Culture Guide SPRING 2012

Massachusetts / NE St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations Northern Ireland Titanic Belfast Guided Tours Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail Fenway Park The Irish Contribution

IrishBoston.org

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ABLE OF CONTENTS

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REDITS

Greetings From BITA Betsy Wall: MOTT Pat Moscaritolo: GBCVB

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In the News Áine Minogue – Celtic Lullabies Séamus Connolly – Music Scholar Rose Clancy – Fiddle Maker

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Culture Passing on Music Traditions

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BITA Cultural Groups & Venues

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JFK Library Welcomes Ireland’s Prime Minister

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Film and Theatre News

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Carrie Preston – Finding the Noh

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Irish Pastoral Centre Turns 25

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Celebrating in Southie 2012 St. Pat’s Parades

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Mass Cultural Calendar – March – June 2012

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Hospitality Pubs Round up BITA Pubs

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Omni Parker House Menu Flavors of Ireland by Margaret Johnson Cheffin by Brendan Cronin Travel & Tourism Travel News BITA Hotels Irish Heritage Trail Tours BITA Travel Shopping Books and Authors BITA Gift Shops Go Ireland The Titanic Experience Northern Ireland in 2012

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The Greening of Fenway Park

Publisher: Michael P. Quinlin Project Director: Colette M. Quinlin Graphic Designer: Diane Russell Printing: Paul Tangusso & staff, Universal Wilde Distribution: Paul Feeney Acknowledgments Specials thanks to our sponsors, advertisers and members for supporting the Boston Irish Tourism Association (BITA) since 2000. Thanks especially to those who helped with the issue, including: Orla Carey, Bernard McMullen, Betsy Wall, Lisa Simmons, Diane Roberts, Vicki Cimino, Bianca Hoffman, Pat Moscaritolo, Sue Cronin, Edee Snider, Larry Meehan, Stacy Shreffler, Kamilla Carmignani, Diane Dinunzio, David O’Donnell, Jim Rooney, Mac Daniel, Mia Tavan, William Sullivan, Lee Statham, Tom McNaught, Rachel Day, Melissa Farrington, Erica Kilduff, Jay Anderson, Bill Linehan, Elaine Cloherty, Tommy McCarthy, Paul Wilson, Phil Sweeney, Mairead McCann, John Fallon, Adam Roberts, Rebecca Curtis, Andrew Mather, James Marsh, Henry Ryan, Maureen Lanigan, Kimberly Taverna, Kate Burns, Siobhan Fanning, Dawn Morrissey, Peter Flynn, Colette O’Neill, Brian O’Donovan, Adam Klein, Mick Walsh, Jack Hart, Jennifer Jackson, Dave Ritchie, Andrea Ferreira, Beth Holmgren, Stephanie Janes, Brendan Cronin, Bill Biser, Bill Nowlin, Carrie Preston, Matthew Mulder, Tim Lowry, Margaret Johnson, Madelyn Frascella, Paddy Moloney, Matt Molloy, Patrick Kennedy, Lauren Pressman, Ann Sheehan, Natalie Tomaselli, Rebecca Curtis, Rosemary Clancy, Séamus Connolly, Annie Everson, Kathryn Farrington, Alicia Connors, Áine Minogue, Russell Gusetti, Colin Breen, Lindsey Ryan, Matt Ryan, Josephine Kals, Rachel Rokicki, Laurie Kenny, Beth Harper, Ben Tomek, Susan Weiler, Jennifer Fortin, Valerie Brown, Greg Benedetti, Nicole Przybylowski, Cate Burns, Kathleen Gagne, George Tocci and Sue Auclair.

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Merci Beaucoup, Devin. Image Credits Cover image courtesy of Celtic Woman and Live Nation; Celtic Woman: 1, 12; Riverdance: 1, 13; Tourism Ireland: 1, 20, 22, 23; Fenway Park, 1, 24; MOTT: 2, 19; Aine Minogue, Seamus Connolly, Rose Clancy: 3; Riverdance: 6, BAO Pavilion: 6; John F. Kennedy Library Foundation by Rick Friedman: 7; Carrie Preston: 9; Joe Byden, Holyoke Road Race: 11; Altan, Newport Restaurant Week: 12; Dervish: 12, 15; Celtic Sojourn, Ronan Tynan, Bernadette Peters: 13; Phil Sweeney, The Black Rose: 14; Four Green Fields: 15; Margaret Johnson, Brendan Cronin: 17; Boston Mural images by Charles Lamarre, Restaurant Week, Franklin Park Zoo: 18; Visitor Information Center, James Michael Curley statue: 20; Irish Imports: 21; Samuel Beckett: 23. The Boston Irish Tourism Association is a membership organization that promotes the state’s Irish culture and hospitality industry year round to the travel and visitors industry. BITA works to strengthen tourism ties between Massachusetts, Ireland, Canada and the other New England states.

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BOSTON IRISH TOURISM A S S O C I A T I O N

Boston Irish Tourism Association One Adams Street, Milton Village, MA 02186 617 696-9880 [email protected] IrishBoston.org

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REETINGS

“Massachusetts has so much to offer visitors who want to immerse themselves in the rich culture and heritage of ethnic communities across our state. “There’s a whole world of activities throughout the Commonwealth that celebrate Irish culture and heritage during St. Patrick’s Day season and through the spring. “We welcome you to take part and enjoy the vibrant cultural life of Massachusetts.” Betsy Wall Executive Director Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism “Boston’s Irish community offers a wonderful way to explore the city’s illustrious history and contemporary ambiance. Boston’s Irish Heritage Trail covers three centuries of Irish history, and Irish pubs are a big part of the city’s night life. Once you visit Boston, you’ll see why it is considered the Capital of Irish-America.” Patrick Moscaritolo President & CEO Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau

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ELCOME TO MASSACHUSETTS

Dear Friend,

2012 is shaping up to be a year of anniversaries and milestones. In Boston, we’re ready to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, which opened in April 1912 and remains one of the precious jewels of our nation’s sports heritage. It got us thinking of Fenway’s Irish connections, so on page 24 we compiled some Irish-American highlights of the park and the team we hope you enjoy. By tragic coincidence, the same week that Fenway was opening, the mighty Titanic ocean liner sank off the Maritimes coast on April 15, 1912, making everything else seem insignificant, even baseball! The Titanic was built in the famous Harland & Wolff Shipyards of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and city officials there have created a wonderful tribute to the Titanic that opens in April. Check out details of the multimedia exhibit and the many events taking place in Northern Ireland on page 22-23. We want to mention a couple of musical milestones too. The Chieftains, one of Ireland’s premier traditional music ensembles, formed in 1962! Half a century later, they’re making wonderful music, thanks to the indefatigable uilleann piper Paddy Moloney and his talented band, flutist Matt Molloy, fiddler Sean Keane and bodhran player and singer Kevin Conneff. They’re coming to Boston Symphony Hall on March 14, don’t miss them. And Riverdance, the internationally acclaimed Irish dance and music revue, seen by over 22 million people since it opened in 1996, is coming to an end in America. Producer Moya Doherty is taking the show on the road one more time to every American city it’s ever played in, and its Boston swan song is set for April 13-15 at the Boston Opera House. Many local dancers and musicians have toured with the show, so expect a bittersweet and emotional sendoff from Boston. The John F. Kennedy Library is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy presidency, with year round exhibits, lectures and family events that accentuate

the importance of public service and the accomplishments of JFK’s short term in office. The Huntington Theatre, one of Boston’s most prized theatre companies, celebrates its 30th anniversary season, and has a terrific line-up, including Luck of the Irish, which opens on March 31 and explores racial relations in Boston. On a personal note, we wish a bon voyage to Phil Sweeney, who recently retired from the Glynn Hospitality Group. Phil opened the Black Rose Pub near Faneuil Hall in 1976, and set a high standard for Irish pubs in the city that will be his legacy. You can find Phil at his family-run restaurant in Marblehead, Sweeney’s Retreat. If you look at this year’s line-up of cultural activities taking place here in Massachusetts, New England and Ireland, you’ll see the makings of many more anniversaries and milestones to come. If you’re visiting from out of state, we urge you to attend a concert or a play, check out our history and heritage sites, and enjoy our pubs, gift shops and cultural amenities that are on offer not just around St. Patrick’s Day, but all year round. Have a great spring. Sincerely, Michael & Colette Quinlin Boston Irish Tourism Association

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N THE NEWS

ÁINE MINOGUE: CELTIC LULLABIES

SÉAMUS CONNOLLY: SCHOLAR OF TUNES

Irish harpist and vocalist Áine Minogue has just released her latest album, Close Your Eyes, Love: Lullabies of the Celtic Lands. It includes ten tracks - five instrumentals and five songs sung in English, Gaelic and Welsh. Minogue is joined by co-producer Scott Petito on bass, keyboards and guitar and Grammy Award-wining cellist Eugene Friesen. Celtic music is enjoying a renaissance today, as listeners around the world gravitate toward beautiful melody lines and the primacy of the song itself, free of gimmicks and overkill. Of the power of the song in Celtic tradition, Minogue says, “Faith systems are always fascinating. Today, we believe medicine is the answer to falling asleep. Back then, they truly believed in the power of a melody to put you under. That’s a powerful thing, to have that kind of faith in music.” Born and raised in Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Minogue has charted an original musical course since moving to New England, producing twelve albums that delve into various aspects of Celtic spiritualism and ancient traditions. This St. Patrick’s Day, Minogue is performing at the Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Mass on Saturday, March 17. minogue.com celticmeditationmusic.com

Ten-time All Ireland fiddle champion Séamus Connolly is putting the finishing touches on what has become life’s work – a collection of 350 Irish tunes that help define traditional Irish music over half a century. Connolly, Sullivan Family Artist-inResidence at Boston College, began recording tunes of Irish masters like Julia Clifford as a young fiddler living in County Clare in the 1960s. He moved to Boston in the 1970s, and continued taping fiddlers like Larry Redican and Paddy Cronin, while also compiling hundreds of old 78s and tape cassettes, as he toured from the Maritimes down to Appalachia and out to the West Coast. Connolly just returned from Philadelphia, where he recorded ten hours of music on 10 CDs, featuring the original field recording alongside new versions of the same tune performed by Liz Carroll, Gerry O’Sullivan, Eileen Ivers, Kevin Burke and others. A book, tentatively called Music – My Life, will include transcriptions of the tunes, as well as Connolly’s own narrative about the tunes themselves, the early master musicians, and the course of Irish music in his lifetime. Essentially, Connolly has written a dissertation of Irish music that practitioners and academics alike will value for years to come. BC.edu/centers/irish/gaelicroots

ROSE CLANCY: FIDDLER OF CHATHAM

A few years ago, Irish fiddler Rosemary Clancy took an intensive three-year course in violin making at the prestigious Bennett School in Boston’s North End, and the results have been noteworthy. Her viola was chosen for the Craft in America Tour, and last year Clancy opened her own store, the Chatham Fiddle Company in Chatham, Cape Cod, to showcase her talents. The cozy shop at 875 Main Street carries a variety of stringed instruments for sale and rent, while offering music lessons in fiddle, mandolin and tenor banjo. The Chatham Fiddle Company also started up a house concert series, featuring some of New England’s finest traditional musicians like 5-string banjo master Ken Perlman and Cape Breton pianist Janine Randall, and talented young musicians like Armand Aromin, Joey Abarta and Lindsay Straw. The store also has wood carvings and bird houses by Clancy’s dad, Eugene Clancy, himself a noted guitarist and singer from the popular group, the Irish Ramblers, which came out of County Armagh, Northern Ireland in the 1960s. For details on upcoming events, music lessons, or purchasing an instrument, call 917 416-0139 or stop by the Chatham Fiddle Company. Chathamfiddlecompany.com 3

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ASSING ON TRADITION – THE ART OF IRISH MUSIC

Listening to Séamus Connolly play the fiddle, or Matt Molloy play the wooden flute, you find yourself fully in tune with the enduring traditions of folk music for which Ireland is famous. It’s a tradition passed along from parents to children or from teachers to students, over generations, then over centuries. Connolly is an All-Ireland fiddler from County Clare who is Sullivan Artist in Residence at Boston College, while Molloy is a flute virtuoso from County Roscommon who has toured with the world-famous Chieftains over the past three decades. Both musicians have mastered thousands of tunes, many of them ancient but timeless: concertos composed by 17th century blind harpist Turlough Carolan, or jigs and hornpipes composed by local farmers and school teachers who made up melodies that caught hold and became part of the tradition.

You’ll find this pure brand of traditional Irish music easily this St. Patrick’s Day season, with bands like Chieftains, Dervish, Altan, Runa, Seamus Begley & Oisin Mac Diarmada, and individual performers like Séamus Connolly, Colm O’Brien, Áine Minogue and Cathie Ryan. These musicians – and the instrumental and vocal traditions they represent – are just the kernel of a much broader category of music that falls under the catchall phrase Irish music. The broader category houses a whole line-up of ballad singers, rock n roll/ punk rock bands, country music crooners, Celtic music and world music on the one hand, to highly stylized vocal groups, solo Irish tenors and exuberant Broadway-type dance revues on the other. All of these musical styles are on display this St. Patrick’s Day in Massachusetts and the New England states. For a full schedule of these and other concerts, see pages 12-13.

Celebrity Series of Boston The

CHieftains 50th Anniversary Tour 2012: ‘VoiCe of AGeS’ Paddy Moloney &

The Chieftains with Special Guests

Don’t miss the fun as Paddy Moloney and his band return to Symphony Hall for a preSt. Patrick’s Day bash!

Wednesday, March 14, 8pm SYMPHONY HALL

www.celebrityseries.org or call CelebrityCharge at 617.482.6661

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2/16/12 2:00 PM

IRISH ON THE GRAND STAGE

Start with the big shows: Riverdance which captured the excitement and intricacy of Irish step dancing and adapted it to a Broadway-style stage extravaganza – is winding down after nearly two decades of non-stop performances around the world. It takes its final encore in Boston in April at Boston’s Opera House. Celtic Woman, which is a vocal off-shoot of Riverdance, showcases the gorgeous harmonies of Irish female singers, who sing a variety of Irish melodies mixed in with religious and contemporary songs. They play in Manchester, NH in March. Celtic Sojourn, created by Brian O’Donovan, popular radio host on WGBH, is a fully realized revue of music, song and dance that features Irish traditional music, singing and dancing alongside American musicians performing a hybrid of New England contra dance, bluegrass, Celtic and American roots music. The show comes to New Bedford and Cambridge in March.

ROCKING IRISH

No band personifies the merger of punk rock and Irish music like Boston’s own Dropkick Murphys, who play the House of Blues in March. The Saw Doctors, from Tuam, Galway has a devout following thanks to their pop melodies and covers of classics like Petula Clark’s Downtown. Locally, check out Irish rockers like Tin Can Hooly, the Great Whiskey Rebellion, and the Dockside Saints. THE IRISH TENOR

Ireland’s vocal tradition is highly advanced, with roots in Gaelic solo singing (sean nos) followed by the influence of Italian operatic traditions and classical music in the 18th century. The Irish tenor tradition reached a new level in the 20th century with John McCormack, and his legacy is aptly carried on today by singers like Ronan Tynan, the powerful singer from Kilkenny who resides in Massachusetts. He’s singing in Worcester, Quincy and Manchester NH this spring.

Wexford’s tenor Anthony Kearns, who performs with Tynan in the Irish Tenors but also enjoys a solo career, is singing at the JFK Library in March. A new group to emerge in the style of the Irish Tenors is The Priests, a trio from Northern Ireland who bring a spiritual vibrancy to their music. They play at the Wilbur in May.

Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem.

Ballad bands rely upon a vast repertoire of ballads – many of them going back to 18th century poet Thomas Moore – who salvaged many of Ireland’s ancient airs from near extinction by adding lyrics to them, thus ensuring their popularity. Dublin has a strong tradition of street ballads and BALLAD BANDS broadsides written in response to political, The Dublin City Ramblers, the Merry economic or social conditions at the time, Ploughboys and the Irish Rovers – whose and these songs are often re-worked to members were born and bred in Ireland address today’s issues. - keep the urban tradition of pub singing *** alive and well with a repertoire that is Massachusetts – and New England – is alternatively humorous, sentimental, fortunate to be on the main performance patriotic or whimsical. circuit when it comes to Irish music and dance, and the region has an abundance of Their local counterparts include popular home-grown talent too. So check out some favorites in local Irish pubs like the Jolly of this great Irish music over the St. Patrick’s Beggars, Sunday’s Well, Celtic Clan and the Day season, and remember, you can access it McTeggarts. The Makem & Spain Brothers, anytime throughout the year. based in New Hampshire, perform a unique irishboston.org strain of ballad singing perfected by the

PLAYING BOSTON FOR THE LAST TIME!

BOSTON OPERA HOUSE • APRIL 13-15 800-982-2787 • BroadwayInBoston.com Groups 15+: 617-482-8616 Riverdance.com 5

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ITA CULTURAL GROUPS

A Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan WGBH 89.7 FM One Guest Street Brighton, MA 02135 (617) 330-5400 wgbh.org/Celtic American Ireland Fund 211 Congress Street Boston MA 02110 (617) 574-0720 irlfunds.org

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Ancient Order of Hibernians 7 Derby Road Watertown, MA 02472 (617) 924-9765 massaoh.com Boston Irish Tourism Association One Adams Street Milton Village, MA 02187 (617) 696-9880 Irishboston.org irishheritagetrail.com

Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee PO Box 307 Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 (508) 362-PADY capecodstpatsparade.com

Gaelic Roots/Irish Music Boston College 300 Hammond Street Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617) 552-0490 bc.edu/centers/ irish/gaelicroots Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival Look Park 300 North Main Street Florence, MA 01062 (413) 862-8095 glasgowlands.org

Irish Pastoral Centre of Boston 15 Rita Road Dorchester, MA 02124 617 265-5300 IPCboston.org Irish Film Festival Boston 314 R. Clark Road Brookline, MA 02445 irishfilmfestival.com

ITA CULTURAL VENUES

Arts Emerson The World on Stage Emerson College 120 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 artsemerson.org

Broadway in Boston Boston Opera House 539 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111 (617) 880-2458 BroadwayinBoston.com

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Columbia Point Boston, MA 02125 (617) 514-1600 jfklibrary.org

Blackstone River Theatre & Summer Solstice Festival 549 Broad Street Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 725-9272 riverfolk.org

House of Blues 15 Lansdowne Street Boston, MA 02116 (888) 693-BLUE www.houseofblues.com

Lowell Summer Music Series Boarding House Park 40 French Street Lowell, MA 01853 (978) 970-5200 lowellsummermusic.org

Boston Pops Boston Symphony Orchestra Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, MA 02115 1-888-266-1200 bso.org 6

Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums 12 White Avenue Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 (617) 593-8152 bostonpolicegaeliccolumn. com

Huntington Theatre Company 264 Huntington Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 266-0800 huntingtontheatre.org

Mechanics Hall 321 Main Street Worcester, MA 01608 (508) 752-5608 mechanicshall.org

Rogers Center for the Arts Merrimack College 315 Turnpike Street North Andover, MA 01845 (978) 837-5355 merrimack.edu/community/ rogers Verizon Wireless Arena 555 Elm Street Manchester, MA 03101 1 800 745-3000 verizonwirelessareana.com

Wilbur Theatre 246 Tremont Street Boston MA 02116 1-800-745-3000 thewilbur.com Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre 19 Temple Street Worcester, MA 01604 (508) 792-3700 socialweb.ne

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RELAND’S PRIME MINISTER VISITS JFK LIBRARY Prime Minister Kenny was presented with a bust of President Kennedy from Stephen Kennedy Smith, son of former US

JOHN F. KENNEDY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Columbia Point, Boston, MA 02125 (617) 514-1600 | jfklibrary.org CURRENT SPECIAL EXHIBIT Photo by Rick Friedman/John F. Kennedy Library Foundation

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston welcomed Ireland’s An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, T.D. on Friday, February 17, 2012, for a luncheon before local business leaders and the Irish-American community. “It’s a great honor for me to stand here today in this building decorating one of the greatest heroes for both our countries - President John F Kennedy,” Prime Minister Kenny said. “He embodies the success story of the Irish in America and the great links between our two countries.”

In Her Voice: Jacqueline Kennedy, The White House Years Plus several permanent exhibits FORUMS

March 4 Authors André Dubus, Marianne Leone and Richard Russo. March 26 Marc Updegrove March 27 Irish Tenor Anthony Kearns April 1 PEN Hemingway Awards

Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith, and Joseph P. Kennedy III, grandson of Robert F. Kennedy. JFKlibrary.org April 26 Madeleine Albright May 15 Alan Brinkley on JFK June 7 David McCullough June 16 Remembering Sergent Shriver CELEBRATE!

March 17 Themselves

April 17 Crabgrass Puppet Theatre - haiku, hiphop & hotdogs! May 28 Alastair Moock American Roots Music

JFK and Fenway Park Fenway Park, home of the beloved Red Sox, is steeped in President Kennedy’s family history. In 1912, JFK’s grandfather, John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, Mayor of Boston, threw out the first pitch at the Boston Red Sox new ball park, Fenway Park, and again at the 1912 World Series game at Fenway. Then, in April 1946, a 28-year-old John Fitzgerald Kennedy was at Fenway Park and posed for a photo with Ted Williams, Hank Greenberg and rookie Eddie Pellagrini during a game against Detroit. In the days following that photo, Kennedy would make his debut into politics and announce his candidacy for the US Congress. And the rest is history. Join us in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Kennedy Presidency with a visit to the Museum at the JFK Presidential Library today. Columbia Point, Boston, Massachusetts H 617.514.1600 H www.JFKLibrary.org

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ILM AND THEATRE NEWS

Movie lovers and theatre patrons are in for a great spring 2012 season in the Boston area, thanks to a vibrant schedule of cultural activities coming to town. Let’s start with Irish Film Festival Boston, a celebration of Ireland’s film industry, which takes place on March 22-25, 2012 in Somerville and Cambridge. Now in its 13th year, the IFFB is a glowing reflection of Ireland’s resurgent film industry and a tribute to Irish creativity in film. Founder Peter Flynn, along with Dawn Morrissey, Siobhan Fanning and a regiment of great volunteers, select the very best films, documentaries and animation coming out of Ireland today. The Huntington Theatre is celebrating its 30th year as one of Boston’s great theatre

companies. This spring it presents Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, March 9- April 18, August Wilson’s enchanting play about the legendary blues singer of the 1920s. Luck of the Irish, a meditation on race relations in Boston by playwright Kirsten Greenidge. Later in the spring Huntington presents Noel Coward’s play, Private Lives, from May 25-June 24. ArtsEmerson: The World on Stage, is showcasing performances from around the world at two great venues, Paramount Theatre and Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston. Ameriville examines the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and runs at the Paramount March 13-18. The Anderson Project, a comic masterpiece by Robert

Lepage, runs March 24-April 1 at the Cutler Majestic. Broadway in Boston meanwhile, has a terrific line-up of Broadway hits playing at the Boston Opera House. Check out Les Miserables on March 13-April 1, followed by the final encore performance of Riverdance, which comes to town on April 13-15, ending an amazing show seen by over 22 million people since 1996. Later in the season, Beauty and the Beast runs from May 29June 3, followed by Mama Mia on June 1924, and Billy Elliot on July 24-August 19. irishfilmfestival.com huntingtontheatre.org artsemerson.org boston.broadway.com

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ARRIE PRESTON - FINDING THE NOH IN IRISH THEATRE

Carrie Preston, Assistant Professor at Boston University’s College of Arts & Sciences, is researching the connection between Japanese Noh Theatre and its influence on William Butler Yeats, a founder of Ireland’s National Theatre movement in the early 20th century. To better understand this intricate, ancient art form, Preston went to Tokyo, Japan to conduct research at Hosei University and studied dance with Noh performer Furukawa Mitsuru. We spoke to Professor Preston recently at Boston University. What was it about Noh theatre that initially captivated Yeats? Yeats was hoping to establish a theater that, like Noh, was free from the influence of the British theater, a “decolonized” theater. He was captivated by the seven centuries of Noh tradition and the idea of creating a theater for a small, aristocratic, art-loving audience. Noh’s strategies for staging extreme states of mind, possession, and hauntings by ghosts also appealed to him. Are there theatrical connections between Noh and Irish theatre after Yeats? Yeats’s interpretations of Noh, especially as conveyed in his famous Noh-inspired play At the Hawk’s Well (1916) did continue to influence the Irish theater. Beckett, among others, admired At the Hawk’s Well and the play contributed to Beckett’s minimalist aesthetics and focus on choreographed stage movement, especially evident in plays like Footfalls (1975). Can you contrast Noh with Irish step dancing? The basic posture and walk required by Noh movement is very different from Irish step dancing and every other western movement form with which I am familiar. The knees remain bent and the pelvis is tipped forward presenting the masked face most prominently to the audience. In the Noh step, called suriashi, literally sliding foot, the heel retains contact with the floor as it slides forward. Noh tempo is much slower than Irish step dancing, even the most lyrical soft shoe pieces. How is your book coming along? Learning to Kneel: Noh, Modernism, and the Pedagogies of Transnational Performance is still under development. I am working with a wonderful editor, and I hope to finish the book in the next year. BU.edu/english/people/faculty/carrie-j-preston 9

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RISH PASTORAL CENTRE–WELCOMING NEW IMMIGRANTS FOR 25 YEARS

The Centre helped new immigrants get acclimated to America, advising them on immigration and citizenship issues, jobs, health care and housing. They advocated for The loneliness and isolation of immigrants immigrant rights settling in a new country is a sorrowful tale and helped many individuals and families that spans centuries. Luckily for the Irish, along the way. And they made sure everyone there was a welcoming place in Boston over felt welcomed. the past 25 years - the Irish Pastoral Centre “Boston was blessed to have so many - that made the transition a littler easier. wonderful, hard working Irish immigrants When the IPC first opened its doors in come to our city in the 1980s and 1990s, 1987, thousands of young Irish were fleeing recalls Ray Flynn, former Mayor of Boston Ireland due to a faltering economy. Many of and US Ambassador to the Vatican. “They them came to Boston. felt right at home here and the Irish Pastoral Fr. Dan Finn and Sr. Veronica Dobson Center played a big role.” were the co-founders, and operated the IPC Practical help notwithstanding, the out of St. Mark’s Parish in Dorchester and St. Centre’s raison d’etre has been to provide Columbkille Parish in Brighton, then settling spiritual guidance to those who seek it. Staff in Quincy for nearly twenty years.

members provide marriage and pre-marriage counseling, addiction prevention programs, support groups for new mothers, and companionship for senior citizens living alone. Last September the Centre moved from Quincy to St. Brendan’s Parish in Dorchester. Chaplain Father John McCarthy and pastoral associate Sr. Marguerite Kelly work closely with Alicia Connors, the Centre’s new executive director, and the small staff, many of whom understand what it’s like to be a stranger in a strange land. As part of its 25th anniversary, the Irish Pastoral Centre is holding a series of special events this year to celebrate its important work and to make sure that no immigrant gets left out in the cold. A 501(c) 3 non profit organization, the Centre is also seeking donations to help keep its mission alive for future immigrants who may need a hand of friendship in their time of need. IPCboston.org

THURSDAY, MAY 17

Ronan Tynan “America’s Irish Tenor”

The Palace Theatre 80 Hanover Street, Manchester, NH 7:30 pm | 603-668-5588 | www.PalaceTheatre.org Presented by B & H Management Consultants, Inc. Valerie Brown & Mark Harford

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OW THEY CELEBRATE IN SOUTHIE

South Boston sure knows how to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day – the residents have been doing it faithfully since 1901, when the city’s first parade moved to the neighborhood from downtown Boston. Since then, there have always been twin reasons to hold the famous parade: first, to celebrate the neighborhood’s distinct Irish heritage, which dates to the early 1800s; and second, to commemorate Evacuation Day, March 17, 1776, when General John Sullivan’s colonial troops forced the British to flee Boston Harbor. This year, the parade is on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at 1:00 p.m., starting at lower Broadway and ending in Andrews Square. The event is free and open to the public and, depending on the weather, draws up to 700,000 spectators. The parade itself is merely the culmination of a whole season of local activities that showcase Southie’s unique community spirit and good will. The South Boston Citizens Association, Boys & Girls Club and others put together dozens of activities to help local

Saturday, March 10, 2012

youth groups and senior groups while raising needed funds to hold the parade. A highlight of the festivities is the annual St. Patrick’s Day Breakfast, hosted by Jack Hart, State Senator from South Boston. Senator Hart presides over a three-hour cabaret-style joke fest that features many of the state’s leading politicians and public officials, as well as national figures too. A few years ago Joe Biden dropped in and

2012 ST. PAT’S PARADES

Irish Heritage Month

7th annual Cape Cod St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Lawrence, Massachusetts March 2012

Grand Marshal: Team Hoyt – father & son team -Dick & Rick Hoyt. 11:00 am | Starts: School St. & Rte. 28. West Dennis

SATURDAY, MARCH 10

Two miles of family fun, plus 100+ marching bands, floats, antique cars, and more.

Cape Cod / 11:00 a.m.

This year’s theme: The Arts of Ireland

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

capecodstpatsparade.com facebook.com/capestpatsparade.com 508 362-PADY (7239)

SUNDAY, MARCH 11

Worcester / Noon Dublin, Ireland / Noon

(see page 12 for event details)

Sponsored By the Ancient Order of Hibernians Division 8 Division 8 LAOH and The Irish Foundation of Lawrence

Abington / 1:00 p.m. Boston / 1:00 p.m. Holyoke / 11:50 a.m. Scituate / 1:00 p.m. Quebec City / 1:30 p.m. SUNDAY, MARCH 25

Sponsored in part by Town of Yarmouth’s Tourism Revenue Preservation Fund.

Preserving and Fostering our Heritage and Culture Sona Feile Padraig ort

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

SATURDAY, MARCH 24

Lá Fhéile Pádraig

charmed the crowd with his old-school Irish jokes and stories. This year the legendary Irish ballad band, the Wolf Tones, perform at the breakfast, and some of the town’s best step dancers are also on display. The breakfast takes place at the majestic Boston Convention Center, headed by South Boston native, Jim Rooney. southbostonparade.org massconvention.com

Manchester, NH / Noon For more details visit: IrishMassachusetts.com/parades.php

Irish Heritage Month is supported in part by a grant from the Lawrence Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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MASSACHUSETTS CULTURAL EVENTS CALENDAR

DERVISH

ALTAN

CELTIC WOMAN

MARCH

March 10 Altan World Music/CRASHarts Somerville Theatre 55 Davis Sq., Somerville worldmusic.org

March 16 Celtic Woman “Believe” North American Tour Verizon Wireless Arena 555 Elm Street, Manchester, NH verizonwirelessarena.com

March 2 The Makem and Spain Brothers Rogers Center for the Arts Merrimack College 315 Turnpike Street, N. Andover merrimack.edu/community/rogers March 2 Dublin City Ramblers Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Rd., Rt. 2A, Shirley bullrunrestaurant.com

March 10 AOH Division 8 Presents 141st St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Claddagh Pub & Restaurant Lawrence massaoh.com

March 2-4 March Mandolin Festival Featuring Claudine Langille, Dave Surrette Concord Community School, NH mandolincafe.com

March 11 Rev. Sean McManus White Fund Lecture Heritage State Park One Jackson Street, Lawrence massaoh.com

March 3 Ronan Tynan Concert Mechanics Hall 321 Main Street, Worcester mechanicshall.org March 4-31 Irish Exhibit & Events Ancient Order of Hibernians Lawrence Heritage State Park One Jackson Street, Lawrence massaoh.com March 7 Dervish The Burren Pub 247 Elm Street, Davis Square, Somerville burren.com March 8-11 11th Kinsale, Ireland Festival of Fine Food in Newport Local Restaurants Newport, RI gonewport.com March 9 The Merry Ploughboys Mechanics Hall 321 Main Street, Worcester mechanicshall.org

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March 13-April 1 Les Miserables Boston Opera House 539 Washington Street, Boston boston.broadway.com March 13-19 Ameriville ArtsEmerson Paramount Mainstage 559 Washington Street, Boston artsemerson.org March 14 Paddy Moloney & The Chieftains Celebrity Series of Boston Boston Symphony Hall 301 Mass. Ave., Boston celebrityseries.org March 15 American Ireland Fund Boston Young Leaders St. Patrick’s Celebration Boston Harbor Hotel 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston irlfunds.org

March 17 Áine Minogue Tower Hill Botanic Gardens 11 French Drive Boylston towerhillbg.org March 17 A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan Zeiterion Theatre 684 Purchase Street, New Bedford zeiterion.org March 17 Charitable Irish Society 275th Anniversary Dinner Fairmont Copley Hotel St. James Street, Boston charitableirishsociety.org March 17 Joshua Tree, Johnny Come Latelies and Dave Foley The Burren Pub Davis Square, Somerville burren.com March 17 The Irish Rovers The Lynn Auditorium 3 City Hall Square, Lynn lynnauditorium.com March 17 The Dockside Saints and Great Whiskey Rebellion Four Green Fields Pub One Boston Place, Boston fourgreenfields.com

RESTAURANT WEEK

March 17 Tin Can Hooly The Common Ground 83 Harvard Street, Allston myspace.com/tincanhooley March 17 St. Patrick’s Day Party Bards and Jolly Beggars Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre 19 Temple Street, Worcester aohworcester.com March 18-23 & 25-30 Restaurant Week Boston Various Venues in Greater Boston Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau bostonusa.com/visit/restaurantweek March 18 Pendragon Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street Cumberland, RI riverfolk.org March 22-25 Irish Film Festival Boston Boston, Cambridge and Somerville Theatres irishfilmfestival.com March 23-April 1 Newport Restaurant Week Various restaurants and events in Newport, RI gonewportrestaurantweek.com March 23 Gordon Belsher and Richard Wood Worcester Hibernian Cultural Centre 19 Temple Street, Worcester aohworcester.com March 24 A St. Patrick’s Day Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan Sanders Theatre 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge ofa.fas.harvard.edu/cal

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MARCHOTELS TO JUNE 2012

CELTIC SOJOURN

RIVERDANCE

March 24 Runa Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI riverfolk.org

April 13-15 Riverdance – Final Tour! Broadway in Boston Boston Opera House 539 Washington Street, Boston broadwayinboston.com

March 24-April 1 The Anderson Project Performed by Yves Jacques ArtsEmerson Cutler Majestic Theatre 219 Tremont Street, Boston artsemerson.org

April 26-28 Boston College Arts Festival Seamus Connolly and students, faculty and staff Main Tent, O’Neill Plaza - Event Center, Chestnut Hill bc.edu/offices/artscouncil

March 24 The Clancy Tradition Rose and Gene Clancy and Mike Melanopy The Chatham Fiddle Company 875 Main Street Chatham, Cape Cod chathamfiddlecompany.com

MAY

March 25 Ireland in Song Celtic Melodies for Voice and Piano Lawrence Public Library Lawrence Street, Lawrence massaoh.com

May 2 Gaelic Roots Concert: Featuring Seamus Begley & Oisin MacDiarmada Walsh Hall Function Room 150 St. Thomas More Rd. on BC’s Chestnut Hill campus bc.edu/centers/irish/gaelicroots May 5 Ronan Tynan & Pauline Wells Milton’s 350th Anniversary Quincy Marriott Hotel 1000 Marriot Drive, Quincy milton350thanniversary.org

March 29 Gaelic Roots: Irish Dance & Ceili Séamus Connolly & Friends Gasson Hall Irish Room Boston College - Chestnut Hill bc.edu/centers/irish/gaelicroots

May 5 Cinco de Mayo Jose McIntyre’s Pub 160 Milk Street, Boston irishconnection.com

March 30-April 29 Luck of the Irish Huntington Theatre Company Calderwood Pavilion, South End huntingtontheatre.org

May 6 David Sedaris - Celebrity Series Boston Pops Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org

APRIL

April 12 Gaelic Roots: Irish Songs Featuring Cathie Ryan Walsh Hall Function Room 150 St. Thomas More Rd. on BC’s Chestnut Hill campus bc.edu/centers/irish/gaelicroots

May 6 Teada Blackstone River Theatre Diamond Hill Park, Rte. 114 Cumberland, RI riverfolk.org

RONAN TYNAN

BOSTON POPS, BERNADETTE PETERS

May 7 The Priests Wilbur Theatre 246 Tremont Street, Boston ticketmaster.com

May 29-June 3 Beauty and the Beast Boston Opera House 539Washington Street, Boston boston.broadway.com

May 9 Boston Pops Opening Night Bernadette Peters Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org

JUNE

May 14 Atwater-Donnelly & Friends Blackstone River Theatre 549 Broad Street, Cumberland, RI riverfolk.org

June 14, 15, 16 Boston Pops “Visions of America” Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org

May 17 Ronan Tynan “America’s Irish Tenor” The Palace Theatre 80 Hanover Street, Manchester, NH Presented by B & H Management Consultants, Inc. Valerie Brown & Mark Harford palacetheatre.org May 23, 24, 26 Boston Pops City of Champions Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org May 25-June 24 Private Lives by Noël Coward Huntington Theatre Company The Boston University Theatre 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston huntingtontheatre.org May 29-30 Boston Pops Steve Martin with The Steep Canyon Rangers An Evening of Bluegrass & Comedy Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org

June 1-2 Boston Pops Film Night with John Williams Boston Symphony Hall 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston bso.org

June 15 Glynn Hospitality Block Party Jose McIntyre’s Pub 160 Milk Street, Boston irishconnection.com June 16 Celebrate Bloomsday Guided tour of Irish HeritageTrail Downtown Boston irishheritagetrail.com June 17 Summer Solstice Festival Blackstone River Theatre Diamond Hill Park, Rte. 114 Cumberland, RI riverfolk.org June 12-24 Mama Mia! Boston Opera House 539 Washington Street, Boston boston.broadway.com June 23 Bonnie Raitt Bank of America Pavilion 290 Northern Avenue, South Boston livenation.com

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RISH PUB NEWS a portrait of himself in gratitude for his illustrious career. Phil will be working at his family restaurant in Marblehead, Sweeney’s Retreat, and dabbling in town politics, his other avocation. Thanks for all the great memories Phil!

SWEENEY - GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Congratulations to Phil Sweeney, who recently retired from the Glynn Hospitality Group after a distinguished career as a restaurateur, raconteur, computer whiz and marketing guru. Sweeney co-founded the famous Black Rose Pub in downtown Boston in 1976, and lovingly created a fresh new brand for Irish pubs in Boston by hosting live Irish music seven nights a week, hosting art exhibits and literary readings, and offering fresh, tasty, affordable pub food. The Glynn family presented Sweeney with

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Dropkick Murphys and Black 47 have made the annual tradition an event to remember, and this year’s band - Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians – will definitely make it memorable.

sweeneysretreat.com BLACK ROSE – THE MARCH 17 TRADITIONS CONTINUES

Speaking of the Rose, Afterwards, Sunday’s Well performs downstairs all day and Celtic Clan takes over its now famous tradition of opening the doors at 8:00 a.m. on March 17 for breakfast the second floor in the evening. The Black Rose recently celebrated its 35th and a pint continues. Bands like the

ITA PUBS

Black Rose 160 State Street Boston, MA 02109 (617) 742-2286 blackroseboston.com

Clerys Bistro & Bar 113 Dartmouth Street Boston, MA 02109 (617) 262-9874 clerysboston.com

Dillon’s 955 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02115 (617) 421-1818 dillonsboston.com

Glynn Hospitality Group 83 Central Street Boston, MA 02109 (617) 451-7400 glynnhospitalitygroup.com

The Last Hurrah 60 School Street Boston, MA 02108 (617) 227-8600 omnihotels.com

Brownstone 111 Dartmouth Street Boston, MA 02116 (617) 867-4142 brownstoneboston.com

Coogan’s 173 Milk Street Boston, MA 02109 (617) 451-7415 coogansboston.com

Four Green Fields One Boston Place, Boston, MA 02108 (617) 367-IRISH fourgreenfields.com

Hurricane O’Reilly’s 150 Canal Street Boston, MA 02114 (617) 722-0161 hurricaneoreillysboston.com

Purple Shamrock One Union Street Boston, MA 02108 (617) 227-2060 purpleshamrockboston.com

The Burren 247 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144 (617) 776-6896 burren.com

Cuffs at Back Bay Hotel 350 Stuart Street Boston, MA 02116 (617) 266-7200 doylecollection.com

Freeport Tavern 780 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125 (617) 282-7700 freeporttavern.com

Jose McIntyre’s 160 Milk Street Boston, MA 02109 (617) 451-9460 josemcintyresboston.com

Skellig 240 Moody Street Waltham, MA 02453 (781) 647 0679 theskellig.com

anniversary as one of America’s most popular Irish pubs. Congratulations to the Glynn Family and devoted staff. blackroseboston.com

Breen is giving Chef Rocha creative license to craft a unique fusion of classic Irish fare and contemporary cuisine. Four Green Fields also built a larger stage to accommodate the line-up of Irish musicians performing several nights a week, says general manager Matt Ryan. The giant television screen on site, said to be one of Boston’s largest, is still a gathering point for watching Boston’s sports teams in action. boston.fourgreenfields.com

BURREN PUB – GREAT MUSIC, ALL THE TIME

The caliber of great traditional music never stops at the Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, thanks to the watchful ears of owners Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello, fine musicians themselves. On March 7, Dervish, one of Ireland’s best traditional ensembles, plays two shows in the Back Room, part of a regular series hosted by Brian O’Donovan, popular host of WGBH’s Celtic Sojourn. Then on March 17, expect music from morning to night, with a traditional music session in the front room and U2 cover band Joshua Tree, Johnnie Come Latelies and Dave Foley in the Back Room. burren.com

247ElmSt.DavisSquare,Somerville (617)776-6896 www.burren.com

FOUR GREEN FIELDS – NEW STAGE, NEW CHEF, SAME BIG SCREEN

Four Green Fields has hired Chef Tony Rocha to take charge of its dining room. The Portugal native has made a name for himself as executive chef at several Boston area restaurants, including Gala Ristorante and Giuseppe’s Kitchen. Owner Colin

240MoodySt,Waltham (781)647-0679 www.burren.com

909ElmSt,Manchester,NH (603)625-0246 www.theshaskeen.com

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OTELS March 16 & 17

St. Patrick’s Day Lunch & Dinner Parker’s Restaurant Omni Parker House 60 School Street, Boston 617-725-1600 | omniparkerhouse.com Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Boston’s historic Parker’s Restaurant where guests will enjoy classic Irish cuisine. Potato-Leek Soup V Corned Beef & Cabbage with Horseradish Cream Guinness Braised Irish Lamb Stew Served with Irish Soda Bread and Parker House Rolls V Bread and Butter Pudding with Bailey’s Anglaise

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Boston’s Legendary Irish Pub & Restaurant

11 a.m. - 2 a.m. 16

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Breakfast Sat. & Sun. from 8 am to noon • Live Irish Music 7 nights a week

Draught Guinness • Lunch & Dinner • Choice aged beef & Angus steaks

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OOKS AND AUTHORS

Celebrating Grand Places & Glorious Food One of Europe’s fastest growing food destinations receives fresh attention in the pages of a new Irish cookbook. Author Margaret Johnson explores more than 70 authentic recipes in her new cookbook Flavors of Ireland.

Price: $19.99 Buy now Amazon.com Bn.com

427 Wade Hampton Blvd., Greenville SC 29609 : : www.ambassador-international.com Phone: 864.235.2434 : : Fax: 864.235.2491 : : Toll-Free: 1.800.209.8570

MARGARET JOHNSON SHARING THE FLAVORS OF IRELAND No one knows Ireland’s rich culinary traditions quite like Margaret Johnson. Born and raised in Newburyport, Massachusetts – her grandparents were from Kerry, Cork and Dublin - she started visiting Ireland in 1986 and wrote her first cook book, Ireland: Grand Places, Glorious Food, in 1993. The success of that book set Johnson on a successful career as an author, lecturer, travel writer and undisputed expert on Ireland’s changing culinary scene over the past twenty years. With the release of her seventh Irish cookbook, Flavors of Ireland, Margaret continues to unearth the distinctive culinary traditions of Ireland, while also adding a colorful narrative along the way that is part history, part travelogue and part food lover. Published by Ambassador International, Flavors of Ireland includes 70 wonderful traditional recipes and new Irish cuisine that rely on the country’s bountiful harvest of vegetables and fruits, succulent meats and fish, famed dairy produce and fields of barley, wheat and rye. Margaret is also leading a 13-day escorted tour of the Flavors of Ireland in May and October 2012, in concert with Quinlan Tours of Connecticut. For more information contact: [email protected]. margaretmjohnson.com/about.htm ambassador-international.com

BRENDAN CRONIN MASTER CHEF NOW AN AUTHOR Irish Master Chef Brendan Cronin has published his first book, Cheffin: From Potatoes to Cavier. It’s a lively, engaging story that begins on a small dairy farm and ends in the finest hotels and restaurants in the world. Cronin, who teaches hospitality management at Endicott College in Beverly, is the only Irish chef to ever attain the prestigious Swiss Culinary title of Chef de Cuisine Diplomé. Chef Cronin provides behind-the-scenes stories about what it takes to become a professional chef in this competitive environment, which took him to some of the world’s finest five-star hotels and dining rooms in Europe, Africa and the Far East. The book includes many of Cronin’s own recipes, presented with that same perfection and care that marks Chef Cronin’s illustrious career. Amazon.com 17

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RAVEL NEWS

ARTISTS ON THE BIG SCREEN AT BOSTON CONVENTION CENTER

Local artists are on display – big time – thanks to Art on the Marquee, a new program created by Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and Boston Cyberarts. The project commissions public media art for display on the 80 foot tall multiscreen LED marquee outside the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in South Boston. Part of MCCA’s longstanding neighborhood arts program, Art on the Marquee is the first program of its kind in the USA to integrate art alongside commercial and information content. “Pushing the marquee content in new and unexplored directions will please our guests while helping establish this program as one of the most creative and iconic in the country,” said James E. Rooney, executive director of MCCA. The six Massachusetts artists featured initially include Nell Breyer, Dennis Miller, John Slepian, Kawandeep Virdee, Jeffu Warmouth and Ellen Wetmore. artonthemarquee.com/ massconvention.com/home.html 18

RESTAURANT WEEK BOSTON

Just in time for spring! Check out this year’s Restaurant Week Boston, a celebration of fine dining at affordable prices at over 200 restaurants participating in greater Boston. This year it runs from March 18-23 and March 25-30, 2012. Created by Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau and American Express, Restaurant Week Boston offers a two-course lunch for $15.12; $20.12 three-course meal and three-course dinner for $33.12 (not including beverage, tax and tip). The program has steadily expanded and now includes restaurants in the suburbs north, west and south of Boston, according to Pat Moscaritolo, head of the GBCVB. Each year Restaurant Week Boston donates proceeds from the event to charity. This year’s designated charity is Melmark New England, a private, not-for-profit, community-based organization dedicated to serving children with autism spectrum disorders. Bon Appetit! bostonusa.com/restaurant-week

MARKING MILESTONES IN MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) has compiled a cool list of anniversaries taking place across the Bay State in 2012: Highlights include: Fenway Park opened on April 20, 1912, before 24,000 spectators. The Red Sox won! See page 24 for more details. Mayor John F. Fitzgerald and 10,000 school children, officially opened Franklin Park Zoo on October 3, 1912. In the War of 1812, Boston’s USS Constitution played a key role in the naval battles, and earned the nickname Old Ironsides. The Titanic, built in Belfast, hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank on April 15, 1912. The Titanic Museum in Springfield is commemorating the voyage on April 22, 2012. The Town of Milton, home of Boston Irish Tourism Association, is celebrating its 350th anniversary in 2012. massvacation.com/anniversaries.php

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ITA HOTELS

Back Bay Hotel 350 Stuart Street Boston MA 02116 (617) 266-7200 doylecollection.com/backbay Black Point Inn Migis Hotels 510 Black Point Road Prout’s Neck Scarborough, ME 04074 blackpointinn.com migishotelgroup.com

Boston Omni Parker House 60 School Street Boston, MA 02108 (617) 227-8600 omnihotels.com Comfort Inn Boston & Ramada Boston 800-900 Morrissey Blvd Boston, MA 02122 (617) 287-9200 (617) 287-9100 bostonhotel.com

Courtyard by MarriottSouth Boston 63 R Boston St. Boston, MA 02125 (617) 436-8200 marriott.com/hotels/travel/ bossocourtyard-boston-southboston Doubletree Club Hotel Boston Bayside 240 Mt. Vernon Street Boston, MA 02125 (617) 822-3600 bostonbaysideclub. doubletree.com

Doubletree Hotel Downtown Boston 821 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111 (617) 956-7900 doubletree1.hilton.com

Migis Lodge (on Sebago Lake) - Migis Hotels PO Box 40 South Casco, Maine 04077 migis.com migishotelgroup.com

Inn at Ocean’s Edge Migis Hotels 400 Commercial Street Portland, Maine 04101 innatoceansedge.com | migishotelgroup.com

Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel 606 Congress Street Boston, MA 02110 (617) 338-4111 renaissanceboston.com Seaport Hotel & Seaport World Trade Center 200 Seaport Boulevard Boston, MA 02210 (617) 385-4000 seaportboston.com

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UIDED WALKING TOURS OF THE BOSTON IRISH HERITAGE TRAIL

Wednesday, March 14 through Sunday, March 18, 2012 12: 30 p.m. $15 per adult, $8 for children 6-12 Discount for group tours available To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day the Boston Irish Tourism Association is offering guided walking tours of the city’s Irish Heritage Trail. The tour begins at the Visitor Information Center on Boston Common.

The 75 minute walk led by an experienced tour guide takes you on 300 fascinating years of Boston’s unique Irish history and heritage. You’ll discover the Irish role in the Revolutionary War, learn about the 19th century Famine generation and the Irish part in the Civil War. And you’ll discover famous and infamous politicians - from Curley and White to Collins and the Kennedys - who put their indelible stamp on the history of the city and the nation. You’ll find out why Boston is considered the Capital of Irish America. Purchase tickets at the Visitor Information Center on Boston Common on the day of the tour, or call 617 696-9880. For more information about the guided tours in March and later in the spring, visit IrishHeritageTrail.com or contact [email protected]

Irish

Visitors Center on Boston Common

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HeritageTrail

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BOSTON IRISH TOURISM A S S O C I A T I O N

ITA TRAVEL

MASSACHUSETTS Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Two Copley Place, Suite 105 Boston, MA 02116 1-888-SEE BOSTON bostonusa.com Massachusetts Convention Center Authority 415 Summer Street Boston, MA 02210 (617) 954-2000 massconvention.com

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Mayor James M. Curley

Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism 10 Park Plaza, Suite 4510 Boston, MA 02116 1-800-227-MASS massvacation.com

IRELAND Inroads Ireland Tours 2918 Stevens Street Madison WI 53705 1-888-220-7711 inroadsireland.com

NEW HAMPSHIRE New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism 172 Pembroke Road Concord, NH 03302 1-800-FUN-IN-NH visitnh.gov

Isle Inn Tours 1023 Queen Street Alexandria, VA 22314 1-800-237-9376 isleinntours.com

Tourism Ireland 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 1-800-223-6470 discoverireland.com/us

CANADA Québec City Tourism 399, rue Saint-Joseph Est, Québec, QC G1K 8E2 Canada (418) 641-6290 1-877-783-1608 quebecregion.com

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OOKS AND AUTHORS

ROGUES AND REDEEMERS

THE O’BRIENS JFK IN IRELAND

Four Days that Changed a President Ryan Tubridy Irish journalist Ryan Tubridy tells the fascinating story of President Kennedy’s famous trip to Ireland in June 1963, which transformed both the president and the Irish people. The book is beautifully designed and printed, which is an extra bonus as a keepsake item. It’s available at the JFK Library gift shop in Boston. Lyons Press / November 2011 / $27.50

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A Novel Peter Behrens Canadian author Peter Behrens has written an epic tale of a sprawling Irish family in 20th century America that starts in Quebec and ends in California. Along the way family ambition, betrayal, madness and violence are all examined by beautiful prose and great insight. Publishers Weekly called The O’Briens a work of ‘rough beauty.’ Pantheon Books / March 2012 / $25.95

THE EMERALD DIAMOND

How the Irish Transformed America’s Greatest Pastime Charley Rosen Veteran sports writer and author Charley Rosen has pulled together a light-hearted, anecdotal narrative of how IrishAmerican baseball players shaped the early days of baseball. Some of the best players and most outlandish characters have local connections, like Mike King Kelly, the game’s first superstar, and Connie Mack (Cornelius McGilllicuddy), born in East Brookfield, MA. Harper Colllins / February 2012 / $25.99

When Politics was King in Irish Boston Gerard O’Neill The veteran Boston Globe reporter traces the domination of Irish-Americans in 20th century Boston politics. O’Neill’s scope goes from John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, the first Irish-American mayor elected in 1906 to Ray Flynn, Boston mayor from 1984-93. Titans like James M. Curley, Kevin White and Bill Bulger are also covered, alongside a fascinating cast of minor characters who tried but never made it to the big stage. Crown Publishing Group / March 2012 / $26

ITA SHOPS

Butcher Shop Market and Mrs. Murphy’s Kitchen 782 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02124 (617) 288-5100 butchershopmarket.com Irish Imports Ltd. Corporation 1737 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 354-2511 1-800-356-2511 irishimportsltd.com

Phillips Candy House 818 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02122 (617) 282-2090 South Shore Plaza Braintree, MA 02184 (781) 356-3800 1- 800-722-0905 phillipschocolate.com

Waterford Wedgwood Wrentham Village 1 Premium Outlet Blvd Wrentham, MA 02093 (508) 384-7503 [email protected] Wexford House Irish Imports 9 Crescent Street West Boylston (Worcester) MA 01583 1-800-807-6677

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ORTHERN IRELAND’S YEAR IS 2012

It seems like everywhere you turn Northern Ireland is being praised as the place to be in 2012! Why the buzz? Well, let’s start with centuries of fascinating history and heritage, breath-taking scenery, rich cultural traditions and state-of-the art hospitality, and you’ll find plenty of good reasons to visit Northern Ireland. But the big news in 2012 is the activities surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Titanic taking place in Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital city. Fodor’s Travel Intelligence named Belfast as one of the 21 places to go in the world in 2012, just to experience the Titanic activities. Tourism leaders, public officials and the city’s business community have spent several years preparing for this occasion, and visitors will be pleasantly surprised by what they’ll see. The central gathering place is Titanic Quarter, a 185 acre re-development of the Harland & Wolff shipyard where the 22

Titanic was originally built. Today it houses brand new apartments, restaurants, shops and outdoor spaces for concerts and other activities. The centerpiece of the Quarter is its

signature building, called Titanic Belfast. It has nine galleries of interactive exhibition space, and state-of-the-art multimedia shows featuring a dark ride, underwater exploration theatre, recreations of the ship’s decks and cabins. Plus, there is conference and

banquet space for up to 1,000 people. The building officially opens on March 31, 2012, kicking off a season of activities such as the Titanic Creative Arts Festival taking places around the city through April 15, and culminating in the Requiem for the Lost Souls of The Titanic at St. Ann’s Cathedral in Belfast. In April, award-winning playwright Owen McCafferty debuts his new play, “Titanic: Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner’s Inquiry 1912,” at the Metropolitan Arts Theatre. It’s a gripping, dramatic show that recounts the bravery, loss, terror and human frailty that were witnessed in the ship’s final hours. While you’re in Belfast, don’t forget to get hold of the free app, GoToBelfast, for details on things to do and places to see, while taking advantage of the current deals and offers at local restaurants, hotels and museums. You can find it on iTunes. Discoverireland.com

DERRY – CULTURAL CAPITAL On the other side of Northern Ireland, Derry City is reveling in its designation as the United Kingdom’s Cultural Capital in 2013, in recognition of the city’s amazing cultural traditions stretching back centuries. As a build-up to 2013, there are hundreds of activities taking place through 2012. For example, The Cultural Olympiad in London has confirmed that a series of events are being staged in Derry-Londonderry around the theme Peace One Day. Artists like Deborah Warner, Jude Law and Jeremy Gilley are participating. And in July, Derry is participating in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, with a showcase festival at the end of the 40,000 mile race. Cityofculture2013.com/ Derrycity.gov.uk/Clipper/Welcome

TOURS TO IRELAND TOURISM IRELAND 345 Park Avenue New York, NY 10154 1 800 223-6470 DiscoverIreland.com/us INROADS IRELAND 2918 Stevens Street Madison, WI 53705 1-888-220-7711 InroadsIreland.com

Go South May 21 - May 28 June 11 - 18 June 25 - July 2 July 16 - 23 Sep. 3 - 10 Sep. 24 - Oct. 1

Go North July 23 - 30 Sep. 17 - 24

Go West July 9 - 16 Sep. 10 - 17 ISLE INN TOURS 1023 Queen Street Alexandria, VA 22314 1-800-237-9376 Independent, Luxury, Escorted, Activity, River Cruising & Group Travel Navy vs. Notre Dame Travel Packages Fully escorted tours include premium game tickets to the Emerald Isle Classic in Dublin September 1, 2012. Pub Tour of Ireland From Coast to Capital May through November departures. Highlights of Ireland Tour June through November departures.

SAMUEL BECKETT FESTIVAL TO LAUNCH IN ENNISKILLEN, FERMANAGH

For theatre lovers everywhere, make your way to the first annual Enniskillen International Beckett Festival, a tribute to Ireland’s great 20th century writer and Nobel prize winner Samuel Beckett, who spent his formative years attending Porta Royal School there. The festival runs from August 2327, 2012 and presents some of Beckett’s most famous work, featuring well-known artists like director and actor Robert Wilson, vocalist Ian Bostridge, filmmaker Atom Egoyan, and writers Edna O’Brien and John Banville. happy-days-enniskillen.com

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HE GREENING OF FENWAY PARK

FENWAY PARK – A TOUCH OF GREEN

Fenway Park - it’s as American as applepie and, well, baseball. The “lyrical little bandbox of a ballpark,” as local writer John Updike described it, is a national treasure, one of the few remaining ballparks to survive a century of wear and tear, heart ache and exultation. Fenway has a distinctive Irish tint over the past century too. Here are some Irish connections to this green masterpiece.

for an end to British rule in Ireland. Massachusetts Governor David I. Walsh introduced Dev. • On May 28, 1922, Irish patriots Countess Constance Markievicz and Kathleen Barry spoke before 6,000 people. • On June 11, 1934, 40,000 faithful turned out for an open-air mass in celebration of William Cardinal O’Connell’s Golden Jubilee. The Cavan All-Stars Football Team attended.

OTHER PERSONALITIES

• Mayor James Michael Curley took Irish rebel Dan Breen to a Red Sox - Braves game on September 23, 1931. • Television personality Ed Sullivan was master of ceremonies at Mayor John Hynes’ Charity Field Day on June 23, 1958. • Robert Kennedy attended a Memorial Game on April 17, 1964 in honor of his brother, President John F. Kennedy. • Many Irish-Americans have sung the National Anthem at Fenway including police BUILDERS AND GROUNDSKEEPERS IRISH HURLING AND FOOTBALL officers Dan Clark and Pauline Wells, and • Charles E. Logue, from Derry, Northern • On September 4, 1916, the Galway Men’s Irish-born tenor Ronan Tynan. Ireland, was the contractor selected to build Association enjoyed a day of hurling matches • The Dropkick Murphys have performed at Fenway Park, breaking ground on September and track and field events. Fenway numerous times, singing Tessie and 25, 1911. James E. McLaughlin, born in • The Kerry Gaelic Football team played a Shippin Up to Boston. Nova Scotia to Irish immigrant parents, was Boston team at Fenway on May 30, 1927. the architect. • On June 6, 1937, the Mayo All-Ireland • Groundskeeper Jerome Kelley took the Football Champions beat a Massachusetts infield sod from the old Huntington Ave IRISH AMERICAN team 17 to 8. Lt. Governor John Kelly ball park at the end of the 1911 season and RED SOX MANAGERS placed the diamond in Fenway so it would be threw in the ball to start the game. Jimmy Collins 1901-06 • On November 7, 1954 Cork’s All Ireland ready for opening day. Deacon McGuire 1907-08 Hurling Team beat a Boston team 37 to 28, then a week later Mayo’s Gaelic Football Patsy Donovan 1910-11 OPENING DAY, 1912 team beat a local team 13 to 6. Globe Bill “Rough” Carrigan 1913-16 • On April 20, 1912, the Boston Red Sox reporter John Ahearn described hurling as a played the New York Highlanders, later Jack Barry 1917 named the Yankees. 24,000 people attended. “combination of field hockey, lacrosse and Hugh Duffy 1921-22 The game went to extra innings and the Sox mayhem.” Bill Carrigan 1927-29 won 7-6. BOXING AND WRESTLING Shano Collins 1932 • Mayor John “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, • On June 26, 1928, Irish Billy Murphy lost grandfather of John F. Kennedy, threw Marty McManus 1932-33 a close match against Portuguese champion out the first ball to start the game, and a Joe Cronin 1935-47 Al Mello before 12,000 boxing fans. contingent of Royal Rooters fans, led by Joe McCarthy 1948-50 Michael “Nuf Ced” McGreevey, boisterously • On June 12, 1932, Eddie “Kid” Sullivan, “the perpetual motion machine from Steve O’Neill 1950-51 cheered the team on. Walpole,” fought Tony Acquaro of Lynn. • Thomas “Bucky” O’Brien was the starting Pinky Higgins 1960-62 • On July 29, 1937, two heavyweights, Al pitcher. Tommy Connolly was the umpire John McNamara 1985-88 behind the plate. Legendary baseball writer McCoy and Jack McCarthy battled before Joe Morgan 1988-91 10,000 people. Tim Murnane covered the story for the Kevin Kennedy 1995-96 • Danno O’Mahoney from Cork wrestled Globe. Jimmy the Greek Londos on June 27, 1935 Jimy Williams 1997-2001 POLITICAL RALLIES before 30,000 people. O’Mahoney prevailed, Joe Kerrigan 2001 then met his match on July 20, 1937, losing • On June 29, 1919, Eamon deValera, Grady Little 2002-03 to fellow Irishman Steve Casey. President of the fledgling Irish Republic, addressed 60,000 people at Fenway, calling 24

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DOWNTOWN BOSTON & BACK BAY 1. Rose Kennedy Garden 2. Kevin White Statue 3. James Michael Curley Statues 4. Boston City Hall 5. Boston Irish Famine Memorial 6. Old Granary Burying Grounds 7. Colonel Shaw Memorial 8. Massachusetts State House 9. Soldiers & Sailors Memorial 10. Commodore John Barry Memorial 11. Boston Massacre Memorial

12. Central Burying Grounds 13. Colonel Thomas Cass Statue 14. David I. Walsh Statue 15. Maurice Tobin Statue 16. Patrick Collins Memorial 17. John S. Copley Statue 18. Boston Public Library 19. John Boyle O’Reilly Memorial 20. Fenway Park

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Created by Boston Irish Tourism Association. IrishHeritageTrail.com

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Titanic Belfast. Opening April 2012.

TITANIC BELFAST – AMAZING, AUTHENTIC, BUT THIS TIME ON DRY LAND. Forget Hollywood. Northern Ireland is the place to be. Because if you really want to understand the Titanic, you need to visit Belfast. It’s where the legendary ship was built. And where this new building stands in homage. Its breathtaking dimensions echo the ship’s bow. And inside, the state-of-the-art exhibits make you think you’re part of the maiden voyage. Don’t panic. You aren’t.

For more information and great travel deals, visit discoverireland.com