Entertainment for the night will be provided by Matt O’Connor and members of the Springfield Kiltie Band, Maureen Ziskowski and the McDermott Academy of Irish Dance, and music by the Irish Folk Music Band with Brian Conway and Ben Lavelle
HOLYOKE – The Ancient Order of Hibernians of Hampden-Hampshire Counties is preparing for its seventh annual Daniel P. Curran Irish Night Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. at The Wherehouse?
The highest award will be given by the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians to the members who best live by the AOH motto of “Friendship, Unity, and True Christian Charity.” This year’s recipients are Paul O. Mengel, “Mr. Hibernian 2013,” of Longmeadow, and Judy Pratt, “Ms. Hibernian 2013,” of Holyoke.
Pipe Major Matt O'Connor, left, and Matt O'Connor, with the Springfield Kiltie Band will perform in Holyoke Feb. 23 as part of the Daniel P. Curran Irish Night.
The event will benefit the A.O.H. Maurice A. Donahue Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship, established in 1980, is named after the late state Senate President Maurice A. Donahue. More than $60,000 has been distributed since its inception.
Entertainment for the night will be provided by Matt O’Connor and members of the Springfield Kiltie Band, Maureen Ziskowski and the McDermott Academy of Irish Dance, and music by the Irish Folk Music Band with Brian Conway and Ben Lavelle.
A corned beef and cabbage dinner will be served.
Bagpipe Major Matt O’Connor and members of the Springfield Kiltie Band will begin the festivities. O’Connor relates that as a young child watching the Holyoke parade, his favorite part was seeing the different pipe and drum bands. “Listening to the crisp melody of the chanter, the rich tone of the drones, and the crack of the drums filled my soul with Celtic pride. I started as a student learning on a chanter, I then become a piper, and then became the pipe major for the Springfield Kiltie Band,” he said.
The McDermott Academy of Irish Dance was founded by its director, Maureen McDermott Ziskowski, in Holyoke in 1970. Over the years the school has expanded to include classes in the cities of Springfield, Westfield, and South Hadley. The goal of the school is to share Irish dance through fun, hard work and dedication. Many of the dancers compete locally, nationally and internationally. Ziskowski has always stressed the fact that that “we are family.” Because of this, many of her students return for adult classes or bring their own children to learn Irish dance at the academy.
Brian Conway and Ben Lavelle were born and raised in Holyoke – a city originally called Ireland Parish. As a tribute to the city, Brian and Ben call their musical duo Ireland Parish. Together they have set out to bring Irish traditional music and rowdy Irish pub music back into the mainstream of entertainment in Western Massachusetts.
“Performing great Irish tunes is a real thrill for us. When we look into a crowd and everyone is singing along with us, there is nothing quite like it,” Conway said.
To make reservations for the gala, call CMS Landscaping at (413) 533-3300 by Feb. 18.