Morgan Hill
’s earliest resident from “back East,” Martin Murphy Sr., would
feel right at home March 19 when Molly’s Revenge fills the
Playhouse at the Community and Cultural Center with the lively
sounds and rhythms of the Ould Sod, otherwise known as Ireland.
Morgan Hill’s earliest resident from “back East,” Martin Murphy Sr., would feel right at home March 19 when Molly’s Revenge fills the Playhouse at the Community and Cultural Center with the lively sounds and rhythms of the Ould Sod, otherwise known as Ireland.
Murphy hailed from County Wexford and settled in the Morgan Hill area in 1845, sending his many sons and daughters out to colonize much of Northern California. Molly’s Revenge hails from Santa Cruz and travels about performing traditional – and then some – Celtic music.
Bob Brahaney of Gilroy, who books events for the Celtic Society of Monterey Bay, is eager for South Valley residents to extend their St. Patrick’s Day celebrating a few more days by hearing the four-piece Celtic band.
Starting out the evening with a plate of corned beef and cabbage at Rosy’s at the Beach isn’t a bad idea either, he said.
Rosy Bergin said the traditional corned beef dinner will be available “at a really low price,” not only on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, but also on March 19 to honor the musicians.
Rosy’s will be raffling off two tickets to the concert on Thursday, March 17, and will distribute half-price Guinness on March 19 to anyone with a hand stamp from the concert.
The band is composed of David Brewer on highland bagpipes, whistles and Irish Uilleann (the Celtic word for elbow), plus the bodhran (the goatskin drum responsible for those invigorating Irish rhythms).
John Weed plays fiddle, Stuart Mason, guitar and mandolin and Pete Haworth sings and plays bouzouki.
Bouzouki?
Brahaney explained that the instrument that sounds – and is – middle European was introduced to Irish music in the 1960s when a traveling Irishman came upon it and decided to enrich the already thriving instrumental repertoire of Celtic music.
The Morgan Hill Playhouse is small – fewer than 190 seats – but possesses a state-of-the-art sound system that Molly’s Revenge expects to push to the limit.
Tickets are $15 ($14 for members of the Celtic Society of Monterey Bay) and are available in downtown Morgan Hill at BookSmart, 778-6467, 17415 Monterey Road at W. 2nd St.; in Gilroy at California Music Co., 7565 Monterey St. or from Bob at 847-6982; e-mail him at ce*****@*ol.com/
Molly’s Revenge Concert: Saturday, March 19, 8pm, at the Morgan Hill Playhouse, 17000 Monterey Road at E. 5th St.
Rosy’s at the Beach, 17320 Monterey Road, 778-0551.
More details: ww.celticsociety.org or www.mollys-revenge.com/
