A pre-St. Patrick's Day treat is in store for Irish music fans as the Ivy Chord Coffeehouse in Reading welcomes Aoife Clancy and Robbie O'Connell on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 8 p.m. Aoife Clancy (pronounced “Eefa”) and her cousin Robbie O'Connell both come from the small town of Carrick-on-Suir, in Co Tipperary, Ireland, where their musical careers began at an early age. Aoife's father, Bobby Clancy of the legendary Clancy Brothers, placed a guitar in her hands at age ten, and by age fourteen she was playing with her father in nearby pubs. In 1995 Aoife joined the acclaimed group “Cherish the Ladies,” which is one of the most sought-after Irish American groups in history. For the past several years she has toured extensively doing no less than two hundred dates a year throughout the United States and Europe, occasionally performing with her cousin. Robbie (a nephew of the Clancy Brothers) is a formidable singer-songwriter himself, and has been called “a National Treasure . . . a man blessed with an enviable turn of phrase and a gift for melody bestowed on only the few,” by one of Ireland's top music magazine, Hot Press. Together they form an irresistible duo, sharing beautiful voices, luscious harmonies, and an endless wealth of Irish and American folk tunes. The Ivy Chord Coffeehouse is located at the UU Church of Reading, at the corner of Woburn Street and Summer Avenue. Tickets are $20 for general admission, or $17 for seniors or students, and can be purchased at the door or online in advance via the church's website at uureading.org. Click on the concert link for more information and to order tickets. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. and the concert starts at 8. Fresh home-made scones and hot beverages can be purchased before the concert; delicious desserts will be on sale at intermission. Need more information? Email ivychord@uureading.org, or phone 781-229-9394.
