By: Jeff Meade

Mary Carron and Barney and Carmel Boyce.

The grande dame of Philadelphia Irish culture is turning 50 this year. Unlike the rest of us, the Philadelphia Irish Center/Commodore Barry Club seems to be improving with age. What better way to kick off the yearlong celebration than with a posh black-tie New Year’s Eve bash.

(Dick Clark, eat your heart out.)

The revelers, many of them in costumes and elaborate masks, gathered in the lavishly decorated ballroom and danced until the wee hours to the music of Vince Gallagher’s very talented band. Contemporary, country, traditional Irish … these guys do it all.

Commodore Barry himself made an appearance. (He was tending bar.)

We dropped in just before midnight to catch some of the action.

Here are the pictures.

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