Irish Repertory Theatre
For those who spend time with musicians, you know that they are usually the first responders when it comes to donating their time and talents for any kind of a benefit. It’s no surprise that many are willing to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy and other causes.

Coming up on Monday night at the Irish Repertory Theatre in Chelsea is a major benefit organized on behalf of the Mercy Centre (mercycentre.org) in Bangkok founded by Father Joe Maier who rescues innocent children from the street culture and sex trade neighborhoods and provides safe homes and education for them.

Donie Carroll has organized Monday night, November 19 to bring the feel of a real Irish session to the Irish Rep stage, and he has enlisted local musicians Mick Moloney, Martin O’Connell, Ivan Goff, Caitlin Warbelow, Gabriel Donahue, Dan Neely, Marie Reilly, Martin Daly, Victor Cuneen, Mairtin de Cogain, Johnny Jackpot and Cathy Maguire and sean nos dancer Megan Downes. 

A reception begins at 7 p.m. with the session kicking off at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased through Carroll at 917-723-7488 or email toducksyc@earthlink.net.  Part of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to www.graybeards.com, a unique organization of professionals and trades people devoted working in the Rockaway to fix up homes destroyed by the storm. 

Checks can be made payable as tax deductions to either the Mercy Centre or Graybeards and handed over that night or mailed to Carroll, 41-31 49th Street, Sunnyside, New York, 11104.

Down the road on Saturday, December 1, a massive benefit called the Sandy Seisuin that is more of a Celtic music concert series to help the Irish communities of New York devastated by the storm will take place at Connolly’s Klub45 (121 West 45th Street off Times Square).

Doors will open at 5 p.m. for the third floor music space which will feature GIRSA, Lost Tribes of Donegal, Broken Banjo Strings, Celtic Cross, Mickey Finns, Jameson’s Revenge, deejay Joe C and emcees Sean Ruane and Mike Farragher of the Irish Voice.

Donation at the door will be $20, and raffles like the music and pints will flow all night to help our brethren who lost so much in the Rockaways and elsewhere.  Visit Facebook.com/TheSandySeisuin for more information.