The celebration of St. Patrick's Day outside of Ireland is a clear indication of the Irish influence throughout the world. In the United States many cities and towns recognize March 17th with parades and parties to mark the holiday of Ireland's patron saint. Ireland has made a significant contribution to literature and the arts. Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and W.B. Yeats are amongst Ireland's most famous sons. More modern day writers include Roddy Doyle, Edna O'Brien and William Trevor. Irish musicians and filmmakers also abound.  Many of these Irish-themed books, films and CDs can be found in the library's Special Collection.

Books: Fiction

• Patrick: Son of Ireland by Stephen R.

March is the month for all things Irish, and it kicks off on Friday, March 5 when the Village Theater First Friday series presents Celtic rockers Bill Grogan's Goat in concert at 8:00PM. This high-energy, home-grown 5-piece band takes traditional Celtic and folk tunes and adds its own rock & roll fuel to the mix for a musical mash-up that puts a new spin on Irish folk music. Tickets are available online or at the door, or contact the Village Theater at (734) 394-5300.

Watching and listenting to guitar master Robin Bullock might temp the average guitarist to put his or her instrument down, forever!  The challenge is to take at least one element of Bullock's exceptional performances on guitar and citern and apply it to one's own style or repertoire.  While the Mel Bay Guitar Masters Live series is oriented to musicians, this video should  also be of interest to enthusiasts of Celtic  and World Music.

Defining "Celtic music," contemporary or not, can be an exercise in frustration. Even among the experts, reaching consensus isn't easy. To many people, Celtic music might be described as "I don't know how to define it, but I know it when I hear it." The focus of this Special Collection is the style and feel of music often associated with Ireland and Scotland, plus Wales, the Maritime provinces of Canada, along with parts of Spain, France and even England.

Are you are planning a ceilidh for St Patrick's Day? It is never to early to put together a playlist.