Morning rain gave way to hints of sunshine, just like an Irish morning. So, I thought I'd take a chance and head out to the Irish Arts Center's Open House in Manhattan on Sunday, March 14. By the time I got into the city from Brooklyn, lashing rain, even more like Ireland, was pouring down as I walked briskly along West 51st Street to #553 in Clinton (Hell's Kitchen).
I found one of the few remaining seats in the first-floor auditorium and settled in to enjoy performances of Irish music by the IAC Ceili Band. Adult members of fiddle, tin whistle and step-dancing classes joined them. Three fiddlers played traditional music including the lovely Four Green Fields. It took me back to the Cork Folk Music Festival performances at An Spailpin in Cork City a few years ago.
The Ceili Band featured fiddles, tin whistle, banjo, and guitar. An elderly Irish woman played the keyboard with such intensity in her face. I wondered if she might have been playing all her life. She had too be at least 80. It was all about the music, a collection of musicians playing beautiful music with great joy and sharing that with the audience.
What a great way to get in the mood for St. Patrick's Day on Wednesday. I'll be sure to go back to the IAC soon.
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I have a Photograph in my possession of the Archbishop McHale FOIF Dancing Class Bronx New York City information inset in the photograph states the photograph was taken between 1918 1920, my grandfather Patrick McCabe was the Dancing Master of this group. My father Martin McCabe former Monaghan county Librarian and former National President of Comhaltas Ceoiltori Eireann he was in America in the 70s with a CCE Concert Tour; he published this photograph in Treoir looking for information about the younger members in the photograph? my father died in 1986.
ReplyDeleteHave you a copy of this photograph that you could send me and information about the history of this group the names of the people in the photograph?
My address is Mr Dermot McCabe 8 Roslea Road Clones Co Monaghan Ireland Phone 086 0534310. Thank you.