The jig is up at Irish-themed concert
St. Patrick’s Day came a little early for concert-goers on Sunday who came to hear the music of Ireland at Glendale High School.
About 500 attendees filled the school’s auditorium as performers from “Tony Kenny’s Ireland” entertained the crowd with traditional and contemporary Irish songs and dances.
Tony Kenny, who is known as one of Ireland’s foremost entertainers, introduced his troupe of singers, the Dublin City Dancers and a fiddler.
Sunday’s concert was one of several performances put on by Glendale Community Concerts.
“This guy is really famous, and that’s probably the draw,” said Joe Mandoky, board member of Glendale Community Concerts.
One of the audience’s favorites was a mother-and-son duo performance of the song, “I’m a Working Man, I Am.”
Kathy and Andreas Durkin performed the song, which is about an Irish miner. Kathy Durkin played the guitar and sang, and her son, Andreas, played the piano and keyboard and accompanied his mother with vocals.
During the intermission, patrons stopped to reflect on the first half of the show.
“I enjoyed the dancing, and they are all good,” said John Lyans, a La Cañada Flintridge resident. “It’s lively and a nice clean show.”
Lyans’ wife, Dorothy, also came to the show.
“It’s delightful,” she said. “There is beautiful dancing, and it’s really fun.”
Glendale resident Charlene Carnachan, who has a subscription for the Glendale Community Concerts shows, attended the concert with friends.
“I certainly encourage people to buy tickets because there is all kinds of concerts, and I think they’re wonderful,” Carnachan said.
The Dublin City Dancers were another crowd favorite. Young dancers dressed in colorful costumes performed as the fiddler played an Irish jig.
The audience clapped along to the lively music.
La Cañada Flintridge resident Bob Sommerville liked the dancing in particular. Sommerville, who is a singer himself, said the dances appealed to his taste.
“I like the Irish dancing and also Scottish dancing,” he said.