On Friday night April 17, there will be a special concert at the New York Irish Center in Long Island City featuring Cormac Breatnach and Mike Considine.  Breatnach is visiting from Ireland, and the Dublin native is a well known whiz on the tin and low whistles with a vast recording and performing resume that even includes a Broadway appearance in a Vanessa Williams show back in 2004 and a host of other great Irish traditional music artists.
 
Joining him is Mike Considine, resident in New York City since July. He has London, Galway and New Zealand roots as he developed as a bouzouki, guitar and bodhran accompaniment style that is sought after for its rhythm and syncopation. 

The concert begins at 8 p.m. at 10-40 Jackson Avenue. Call 718-482-0909 or visit www.nyirish.org. Some special guests are anticipated as well . . .

Dancers in the Northern New Jersey/ Rockland County area will be delighted to welcome Ceol Na Croi Ceili Band with Linda Hickman, John Dolan, Keith Sammut and Brendan Fahey as the monthly choice for the Pearl River ceili also on Friday, April 17 at 8 p.m.  It takes place at the Clarkstown Reformed Church, 107 Strawtown Road in West Nyack. Call 845-358-4320 . . .

On Saturday evening, April 18 up in White Plains an Irish house party will be hosted by the Michael Coleman Branch of CCE and the Folk Arts Program of Arts Westchester at their headquarters at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue.  The downtown center will begin with a ceili lesson at 7 p.m. taught by Denise and Frank Holt, stalwart dance promoters in the New York scene. Ceili will ensue at 8 p.m. with music by fiddler Brian Conway, accordion player John Whelan and Brendan Dolan on keyboards.  Call 914-428-4220 or visit www.artswestchester.org .

After recovering for a few hours, overnight hoofers can finish off the weekend at the Michael Rafferty CCE ceili on Sunday, April 19 that begins with a dance lesson at 3 p.m. with Bridie and Jon Dal Pizzol.  Ceili takes place from 4-8 p.m. to the music of Eileen Goodman, John and Gerry Kennedy and friends at the VFW Hall at 239 Leonia Avenue in Bogota, New Jersey. Visit www.raffertycce.com.