Proud of his Irish heritage, Mayor Neil Perry was nobly led into Merrimack Golf Course’s Equinox Room – decorated in bright green – by bagpiper Ed Johnson, and welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd.
Perry’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration was full of supportive friends and family loudly celebrating with lots of Irish dancing and singing and a wee bit o’ shenanigans!
Irishman Colie Ryan served as Master of Ceremonies. He was accompanied by Frank Curran in an array of Irish songs while Sean Buckley of “Beyond the Pale” played guitar.
A St. Patrick’s celebration is not complete without Irish step-dancers. Youngsters from the Christine Morrison Academy of Celtic Dance in Windham, N.H. – dressed in tradition Irish garb, with bouncing curls atop their heads – delighted the audience with several dances.
The Master of Roasts John Molori did not hold back on his banter, skewering City Council Chairman Joel Faretra, state Rep. Ryan Hamiliton and, of course, the mayor himself.
Just a few of his jabs were tame enough to repeat here:
*“Joel Faretra is now the chair of the City Council. Joel is a unique looking guy. With that bald head and bushy beard, he looks like Don King doing a handstand.”
*“State Representative Ryan Hamilton still lives at home with his parents. I mean, come on. We let this guy make laws and he doesn’t even make his own bed!”
“Mayor Neil Perry spoke to a math class at the CGS the other day. They learned addition by counting his illnesses.”
Guests dined on a traditional Irish meal of corned beef and cabbage.
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- Longtime friends (from left) Kathy Sheehy, Lynne Riel and Darcy Kattar enjoyed time together during the event.
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- Irish step-dancers Kaileigh Rynne and Annie Peterson stopped for a photo with Mayor Perry after their performance.
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- Busty DiNoto (second from left), who recently turned 90 years young, was presented a gift basket for his birthday. Here he is with friends (from left) Paul Pierce, Colie Ryan and Bob Sheehan.
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- Master of Ceremonies Colie Ryan belted out Irish songs with Frank Curran, accompanied on the guitar by Sean Buckley.
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- Everybody’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, including (front, from left) Senior Center Activities Director Jennier Loiselle, Linda Bongiorno, Yolanda Bourassa, Barbara El; (back row) Senior Center Executive Director Ashley Shaheen, Community Health Department’s Jazmine Nunez, Methuen Public Health Nurse Karen Ferullo, state Rep. Ryan Hamilton, Health and Human Service Director Kelly Townsend and Recreation Director Steve Angelo. MethuenLife photos by Nancy Reardon
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- Irish step-dancers from the Christine Morrison Academy of Celtic Dance in Windham, N.H., entertained the crowd.
