Irish Cultural Festival at Gateway Playhouse

An Irish Cultural Festival brings a celebration of Irish dance, song, and storytelling to the Gateway Playhouse on Saturday, June 16. A dance performance by the Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance takes place from 4 to 5 pm, and a concert by songstress Mary Courtney and champion storyteller Marianne McShane follows at 7 pm. Tickets, which include admission to all performances that day, are $35 and $30, depending upon the seat selected. A wine and beer bar featuring local products will be available for an additional charge to patrons 21 years of age and older.

“There’s no need to wait for Saint Patrick’s Day to celebrate the wonderful culture of Ireland,” said Kelly Briggs of KCKB Productions, the producers of the event. “From the delightful performance of the award-winning Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance, to the enchanting voice of Mary Courtney, to the engaging tales of renowned storyteller Marianne McShane, the Irish Cultural Festival offers a full day of entertainment.”

Performers from the Emerald Isle Academy of Irish Dance take the stage at 4 pm. A participating member of An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha, the dance academy performs and competes locally, nationally, and internationally. In both 2016 and 2017, they received the Maureen McDade McGrory Award as an “Outstanding Children’s Irish Dance Group Exemplifying the Spirit of Irish Culture through Traditional Dance” in the Philadelphia Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

After the dance performance, there will be an extended intermission. Dinner is not included in the ticket price, but audience members are welcome to enjoy one of the area’s restaurants.

At 7 pm, the Irish Festival continues with the songs of Mary Courtney and the storytelling of Marianne McShane. Born into a musical family in the parish of Castlegregory, Mary Courtney performs as a soloist as well as a member of the Irish Band Morning Star. Courtney has appeared in Hal Prince and the Irish Repertory Company’s production of Grandchild of Kings and Frank McCourt’s The Irish and How They Got That Way. Jamie O’Brien of the monthly newspaper Irish Edition calls her powerful vocals “direct, allowing the beauty of the melodies and the emotion of the lyrics to come through…Frankly, she has a voice that is difficult to ignore.” Irish Music Magazine called Courtney’s most recent recording, Freedom’s Pioneers, “a worthy showcase for the breadth of her talent as a singer and musician.”

Storytelling champion Marianne McShane has been a featured performer at festivals on both sides of the Atlantic. Born and raised in County Down, on the shores of Belfast Lough, McShane grew up telling the traditional tales and legends of ancient Ireland. Her talent for transporting listeners to another world of spells and enchantment earned McShane the title of Mid-Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil Champion.

A portion of the proceeds from the Irish Cultural Festival will benefit the Billy Briggs Memorial Scholarship, which sends students between the ages of 15 and 17 to Ireland to learn about their heritage. Named in honor of “Irish Billy” Briggs, owner of the Tir na nOg Irish pub and a founding member of the Trenton Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, the scholarship program is designed to educate students in Irish language and culture through a three-week program held each summer at the Colaiste Gael Linn Irish Cultural College in County Donegal.

Tickets for the Irish Cultural Festival can be purchased at the Gateway Playhouse website, www.gatewaybythebay.org, in person at the Gateway Playhouse, 738 Bay Avenue in Somers Point, or by phone at (609) 653-0553. The Gateway Playhouse Box Office hours are 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, Wednesday through Friday.