Ireland and Old Lace, Dropkick Murphys Team Up for Charity

Ireland and Old Lace is collecting pairs of underwear in exchange for a chance to meet Irish punk band the Dropkick Murphys.

“Customers that bring new, packaged underwear to the shop for Stand Up For Kids Philadelphia, will receive an entry to win,” Ireland and Old Lace owner Kelly Coleman said in an announcement on Thursday night, Feb. 16.

Those donating will receive one entry for every pair donated, and there is no limit to the amount of donations. Ireland and Old Lace is looking adult and kid sized underwear, and will accept boxer shorts, briefs and ladies undergarments.

Coleman is accepting donations through March 5, and the drawing will be held March 6. The winner receives a pair of tickets to see the Dropkick Murphys and meet the band at the House of Blues in Atlantic City on March 9.

Face value for the tickets Coleman will be giving away has yet to be determined.

Stand Up For Kids is one of the beneficiaries of The Claddagh Fund, a charitable foundation started by Dropkick Murphy singer Ken Casey, according to Coleman.

The Claddagh Fund raises money for “the most underfunded non-profit organizations that support vulnerable populations in the community.

Stand Up For Kids was established in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth, according to its website. Its national headquarters is in Atlanta, Georgia, and is run almost entirely by volunteers.

Coleman first met the Dropkick Murphys at a concert in 2004, and they played at her store in 2008 following a performance at the House of Blues to benefit Make a Wish.

It hasn’t been possible for the band to return to the store since, but they have donated tickets to Coleman for giveaways in the past.

“They said people were making donations (for Stand Up For Kids), but they still needed underwear,” said Coleman, who was eager to help.

The Claddagh Fund started in Boston in 2009, and expanded into Philadelphia last year. So far, the Dropkick Murphys hosted a kickoff event at the Electric Factory last September, and a Rock-N-Bowl event in Philadelphia in November.

The band’s show at the House of Blues is among the stops on its St. Patrick’s Day 2012 tour.

For more information on the Dropkick Murphys and their St. Patrick’s Day tour, visit their website.

Ireland and Old Lace is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact the store at 609-404-4777, or visit their Facebook page.