DESTINATION WORLD: IRELAND

FILM & pOETRY: Screenings at the National Park Visitor Center (All films Not Rated)
6:00-6:30 The making of THE BUSKER with filmmaker Stephen Croke & musician Katie “McD”

6:30-7:30 THE MUSICMAKERS Film, performance and Q&A with Séamus Connolly
The Musicmakers documents the revival of traditional Irish music through the experience of Irish-born fiddler Séamus Connolly, whose spirited music has inspired a new generation of traditional musicians.

7:30-8:30 Irish Poetry: Featuring Dave Robinson, Dublin-born poet Mairead Byrne, and Pulitzer Prize winner Franz Wright.

• DAVE ROBINSON is from Lowell, Massachusetts. He’s published poems, articles and book reviews in Poetry International, Entelechy International, Aegis, Surfer Magazine and The Surfer’s Journal. His poetry collection, Cape of Dogs, was a finalist for the Richard Snyder Memorial Publication Prize from the Ashland Poetry Press and two of his poems will appear this spring in Margie:  The American Journal of Poetry.
• MAIRÉAD BYRNE emigrated from Ireland in 1994 and became a citizen of the United States in January 2006.  Hercurrent publications include three chapbooks, An Educated Heart (Palm Press, 2005), Vivas (Wild Honey Press, 2005), and Kalends (Belladonna* 2005); a talk, Some Differences Between Poetry & Standupwww.ubu.com; and poems in 5AM, The Argotist Onlinehttp://www.argotistonline.co.uk/, Conduit, The Denver Quarterly, The Drunken Boat, Free Verse, MiPOesias, www.mipoesias.com, and Volt.  She teaches poetry at Rhode Island School of Design.
• FRANZ WRIGHT, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry in 2004, is the son of poet James Wright. Born in Vienna in 1953, Wright grew up in the Northwest, the Midwest, and northern California. His most recent books are Walking to Martha’s Vineyard and The Beforelife (Knopf). He has been the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts grants, a Whiting Fellowship, and the PEN/Voelcker Award for Poetry, among other honors. He lives in Waltham, Mass., with his wife, Elizabeth.

CULTURE Irish Exhibit at the Mogan Cultural Center
5:30 Slide Show

5:00-9:00 “Our Story: 175 Years in the life of St. Patrick Parish”—A photographic retrospective, and artifacts that make up the history of Lowell's oldest Roman Catholic Church and Lowell's Acre section of the city. Try some tea and scones, or soda bread!

FAMILY FUN: at the Pollard Memorial Library 5:30-8:00

5:30-6:00: The Heavey-Quinn Academy of Irish Dancing brings a performance of traditional Irish step dancing. Dancers will perform to the reel, jig, hornpipe, and Ceili.

6:00-6:30: Performance by Caera Aislingeach. Caera is a singer, harper, and writer, who is very passionate about the music, languages, and history of her Gaelic ancestors. She plays a clairseach, a brass-strung harp modeled after medieval harps from Ireland, and sings in all three Gaelic languages (Irish, Scottish, and Manx) as well as other languages.

6:30-8:00:  Family film: “Waking Ned Devine”  (Rated PG)

When word reaches two elderly best friends that someone in their tiny Irish village has won the national lottery, they go to great lengths to find the winner so they can share the wealth. When they discover the "lucky" winner, Ned Devine, they find he has died of shock upon discovering his win. Not wanting the money to go to waste, the village enters a pact to pretend Ned is still alive by having another man pose as him, and then to divide the money between them.

MUSIC AND DANCE :“Lowell Five Main Stage”
at the New England Quilt Museum 5-9 pm

5-5:30pm Mini Exhibit of Irish Chain Quilts, Live Introduction by Jennifer Gilbert:

NEQM Director, Jennifer Gilbert will give a mini talk about the significance of Irish Chain Quilts, their place in history, and their transformation into contemporary quilting. The mini exhibition includes Museum Permanent Collection Irish Chain Quilts and more modern examples by museum members and staff, Rhonda Galpern, Mary Clare Ryan and Joan Hanks.

6-7pm Patricia Quintin: Noted singer, Pat Quintin will perform acapella choral singing of Moore's Irish songs by Benjamin Britten. Quintin sings with acclaimed Boston choral group, Coro Allegro and others. She lives in Cambridge.

7-8pm   Drew O’Doherty: Drew O'DOHERTY is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born in New York City and raised all over the United States and Canada, he began writing music as a teenager. As a guitarist with other bands and as a solo performer, Drew has toured the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, and Japan. Drew's debut solo record, "STARTS" is expected soon.

8-9 pm  Jen Kearney and the Lost Onion: Soulful singer Jen Kearney is one of Lowell’s own great talents. One of the original Poor House artists, her melodic and introspective lyrics are a mainstay in the Merrimack Valley and throughout the Boston area. Critics have called her vocals “a religious experience.” Kearney has released recordings called Kearney Square, and Bravery. Her new album will surface later in 2006.

ART, CULTURE & FOOD AROUND TOWN:
The Old Court: Offering the most authentic Irish food in town-  “All Irish Specials” and live Irish music! The special menu for the evening includes baked salmon appetizer, corn beef and cabbage dinner, colcannon potatoes, Irish mixed grill, cottage pie, and roast leg of lamb.

Life Alive: Offering organic Irish potato leak soup.

Brew’d Awakening Coffeehaus: Screening Northern Irish short films throughout the evening!  Ask about Irish specials too…

Café Paradiso: Destination World: Ireland specials include Bailey’s cappuccino and Bailey’s martini’s.

The Worthen House Café: Offering a delicious Irish Corned beef dinner.

Cobblestones: Beer Tasting-Taste imported beers finishing with Guinness, six beers in all for $6.00.  Also offer a complimentary Irish soup special with any dinner ordered in the dining room.

The Dubliner: Offering Irish specials.

Mambo Grill: Experience the “40 Shade of Green” with a Green Mexican meal.

Friends Fabric Art:  Make your own Celtic Knot Creations at Friends Fabric Art!

Found: Offering 20% off anything for Destination World: Ireland.

Movie ratings will be indicated at each venue.  You must be 17 or older to be admitted to an R-rated film without a parent or guardian.

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