The Shadow
CLIFTON FORGE – In response to many requests, The Historic Masonic Theatre is presenting a March 11 Progressive Dinner and Irish Music Concert featuring restaurants located in the historic Clifton Forge downtown district.
The Irish theme defines the dinner with entertainment featuring the highly acknowledged Irish music duo, Patrick O’Flaherty and Mary Dailey.
Patrick O’Flaherty, a talented multi-instrumentalist, be-gan playing the harmonica as a young boy in Connemara.
Raised in Galway’s Gaeltacht on the rugged west coast of Ireland, Patrick is part of a select group of people whose native language is Gaelic. He grew up in Ardmore, Co. Galway, and spent much of his boyhood on Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands off the coast of Galway.
Today, he is acknowledged as one of the truly fine practitioners of Irish mandolin and harmonica. He is also a highly respected player of the button accordion and banjo.
Patrick is one of the few composers today writing original songs in Gaelic. His professional music career has spanned nearly three decades. Throughout his musical career, Patrick has received many awards and distinctions recognizing his talent, dedication and importance to the Irish music scene, and the fostering of Irish culture.
Mary Dailey sings the folksongs of the mountains and loves their connection to her Irish roots. Mary sings traditional ballads in addition to her own music.
She plays lap dulcimer, guitar, autoharp, fiddle and bodhran and has played with many Irish musicians at numerous live jam sessions and concerts.
She has toured and performed in the mid-Atlantic region of the country, at outdoor festivals and historic events in addition to Kennedy Center’s atrium. Her recorded music has aired on National Public Radio.
This will be O’Flaherty and Dailey’s third time to play for the Masonic Theatre.
The Progressive Dinner begins at 6 p.m. at Jack Mason’s Tavern for appetizers and just a wee bit of Irish music with O’Flaherty and Dailey.
The next stop is Vic’s Family Restaurant for salad and then onto Heirlooms for a choice of three Irish entrees.
Guests will then cross the street to the Clifton Forge School of the Arts for dessert by Club Car and coffee by Old Forge Coffee Company and a full concert of Irish music, Irish instruments and Irish musicians – O’Flaherty and Dailey.
All proceeds from the evening’s ticket sales will go toward renovation of The Historic Masonic Theatre.
“We are extremely fortunate to host O’Flaherty and Daily once again at our ‘Fiddlin’ For the Masonic Progressive Dinner and Concert’,” said John Hillert, president of the Masonic Theatre Preservation Foundation. “Their traditional music is loved and appreciated in our area and they are the very best at representing Irish music and folksong and getting the audience to clap their hands and stomp their feet.
“We are also grateful to area restaurants and the Clifton Forge School of the Arts for partnering with us for this very special event,” Hillert added.
Tickets are on sale at Alleghany Chamber Office, The Shoe Box & Sports Center, Heirlooms, Club Car, Old Forge Coffee Company and Milk House Market in Warm Springs.
Tickets for the March 11 Progressive Dinner and Concert, beginning at 6 p.m. at Jack Mason’s, are $50. A limited number of tickets for the March 11 concert, dessert and coffee at 8 p.m. at the Clifton Forge School of the Arts are $20.
For more information visit www.historicmasonictheatre.com.
