EMMETT’S TO HOST IRISH FESTIVAL

A family afternoon social is on tap Sunday, April 13 at Emmett’s Castle, 285 Blue Hill Road, Pearl River, NY, to raise money for the new Irish cultural and heritage section of the Memorial Day Irish Festival May 24-25 in East Durham, NY. The Heritage Park brings more family oriented cultural events to the Festival, now in its 37th year.

Central to the April afternoon will be a performance of the Dreams of Fionn MacCool, written and directed by Donal Lehane and performed by families in the Pearl River area. Donal explains, “This is neighborhood theater, to teach children the Irish songs and legends and have fun.” Donal’s wife Jackie makes the costumes and the puppets. Their play was a big hit at the Festival last year and promises to be even more fun this year.

Also on April 13 will be live Irish music and poetry reading. “Everyone is invited to bring their singing voices and instruments and join in,” says Mike Boyle, organizer of the event.

The fundraiser starts at 2 p.m. at Emmett’s Castle. Donations at the door all go to the Family Park. Food and drink will be available for sale. There will be a variety of raffles including one in which the first prize is 2 nights at Gavin’s Irish Resort, 4 tickets to the Zoom Flume Water Park, 4 tickets to Bailiwick Ranch and Discovery Zoo, and 2 tickets for golf at Blackhead Mountain Country Club. Second prize is an engraved brick placed in the largest map of Ireland in the World; third prize two pieces of Galway Crystal.