Irish Boston History & Heritage

The Bards of Boston, one of the most popular Irish bands in the New England region, perform at the Four Green Fields Irish Pub in downtown Boston on Saturday, October 29, 2011, starting at 9:00 p.m. For a full schedule of upcoming concerts and events at Four Green Fields, click here . For year round details on Irish cultural activities in Massachusetts and the New England states, visit IrishBoston.org .

The Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, is having its regular Local Artist Market on Saturday, October 29, 2011 from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Check it out on Facebook to get more details.  The Burren is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year as one of America's best Irish pubs, with traditional Irish music seven days a week.  It was started by musicians Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello . For year round information on Boston's Irish community, visit IrishBoston.org . For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com and BostonUSA.com .

Hanneke Cassel The wildly popular Christmas Celtic Sojourn concert, hosted by WGBH radio personality Brian O'Donovan , is back for its 9th season, and tickets are now on sale. The concert evokes an old-fashioned Christmas in rural Ireland in days gone by, with plenty of music, dancing, singing, storytelling and poetry throughout the evening. Among the performers this year:  Northern Irish singer Len Graham, uilleann piper Kieran O'Hare, Hanneke Cassell and Halali, and music director Seamus Egan. This year the concert has expanded to ten performances at five venues around New England, including: Hanover Theatre, Worcester, MA Friday, Dec. 9, 7:30pm Get tickets >> The Music Hall, Portsmouth, NH Saturday, Dec. 10, 3pm and 8pm Discounted tickets are only available via phone or in person: 603-436-2400; 28 Chestnut Street, Portsmouth, NH Zeiterion Theatre, New Bedford, MA Sunday, Dec. 11, 7pm Discounted tickets are only available via phone or in pers

Father Charlie Coe n, a master on the traditional Irish concertina and flute, is performing in concert at Boston College on Thursday, October 20, 2011 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.  The performance is part of the Gaelic Roots program at BC created by fiddle master Seamus Connolly , the Director of Irish Studies Music and Dance, and Sullivan in Residence Artist at the college. The concert takes place at 2101 Commonwealth Avenue in Brighton and is free to the public. Known as the musical priest, Father Coen was born into a musical family near Woodford, County Galway and emigrated to the United States as a young man and became a priest.  He has won numerous awards for his playing and is highly regarded as a true advocate and genuine exemplar of Irish traditional music.  For more information about the concert or about the Gaelic Roots program, contact Seamus Connolly at 617 552-0490 or connolsb@bc.edu . For year round information on Irish music, dance and culture in Massachusetts

Accordionist Mick McAuley and fiddler Winnie Horan are kicking off the new Burren Backroom Music Series at the Burren Pub in Davis Square, Somerville, Massachusetts on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to the show are $18 in advance ($20 at the door) and can be purchased online . The new series is being hosted by Brian O'Donovan , radio host of the popular show, Celtic Sojourn , heard on Saturday afternoons on WGBH . The duo - who perform with the Irish traditional ensemble Solas - has just released an album, Serenade , on Compass Records. The Burren Pub is one of the great places to hear traditional Irish music nightly in the greater Boston area.  It was started in 1996 by two musicians, Tommy McCarthy and Louise Costello . You can follow the Burren Facebook page for updated information. For year round details on Irish activities in Massachusetts and the New England region, visit IrishMassachusetts.com .

James M. Curley    Professor Charles Duffy, an expert on Boston Irish literature, is speaking at the Milton Public Library on Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.  The event is sponsored by the Eire Society of Boston . Duffy will talk about writer Edwin O'Connor , whose novel The Last Hurrah was a story about Boston Irish leader James Michael Curley, who dominated the city's political history for the first half of the 20th century.  Duffy's biography of O'Connor is called A Family of His Own , published by Catholic University Press. For reservations, call Barbara Fitzgerald at 617 698-8758.  In addition to the lecture, expect live Irish music and Irish bread and tea.  For more about the Erie Society, click here . For year round details on Irish cultural activities throughout Massachusetts and the New England states, visit IrishMassachusetts.com . For tourist information, visit MassVacation.com .

Devri with Pauline Wells Boston's 3rd annual Irish Heritage Festival in Adams Village, Dorchester is taking place on Sunday, October 9, 2011 from noon to 8:00 p.m.  The festival is free to the public and features all-day musical entertainment on three stages, as well as dancing exhibitions, cultural activities and vendors with Irish products.  For directions to the festival click here . Among the bands performing: Devri featuring Pauline Wells , Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann , Tin Can Hooley , the Mike Reynolds Band , and many more.  To see a complete schedule, click here . For year round Irish cultural activities in greater Boston, visit IrishBoston.org .