Irish roots are strong for Delaware County family, as they bond over music and tradition

GLENOLDEN, Pa. - They say everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but for those with strong Irish roots, it’s about more than wearing the green. It’s about celebrating a proud heritage.

The sound of traditional Irish tunes fills the air at the Fainting Goat in Glenolden, Delaware County.

Irish musician John McGillian, states, "All traditional Irish music, so it’s fiddle dee. It’s all the fiddle dee you’ve heard before."

The McGillian and Boyce families hold their Wednesday night music session, but with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, young and old turned out to celebrate Irish culture.

Karen Boyce said it’s something they really embrace, "It’s sharing. Sharing music, sharing tunes and keeping the tradition alive."

Boyce’s 88-year-old dad, Barney and his sister, Mary McGillian, came to the states from Ireland in the mid 1950’s. Both made it a priority to instill their love of Irish music, song and dance in their families.

"Keeps the tradition going and also a means of communicating," Barney Boyce explained. "Seems everywhere you go, Everybody loves Irish music."

At 90-years-old, Mary McGillian still has it. She played the accordion as a little girl in Ireland, playing on the special night with her sons and other family members.

"Music is who you are and it’s very important," Mary said. "I love it, following in my dad’s footsteps."

Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are all following in her footsteps.

"I play as much as I can and I wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for my mom and dad," John McGillian said.

18-year-old Aidan Boyce says he appreciates the love of all things Irish, especially music passed down from generation to generation. "I play the piano. I get it from my dad. He was a big piano player. It means a lot to me. Music has been a part of my life ever since I was a little kid, watching my dad play. It’s just a huge part of our family."

Wednesday night’s music session is just the warm up for St. Patrick’s Day and the two families say it will be filled with song and dance, likely from sunup to sundown.