More than 55 people turned out for the first Satharn Na nGael (A Gaelic Saturday) held in Philadelphia by the Daltai na Gaeilge (Students of the Irish Language).
There were classes for beginners trying to learn a few phrases in the lilting tongue and literature sessions for advanced speakers.
The event drew many second- and third-generation Irish descendants who had heard older relatives speak Gaelic when they were young, as well as those who had no memories of the language.
During workshops, participants listened to an Irish harpist, sang lullabies in Gaelic, and learned the steps of ceili dancing.
"It is really about the culture and the love of the language," said Marcella Reis, an Upper Darby resident who helped organize the day.
Philadelphia, she said, is a natural spot to hold a Daltai event. According to the 2000 Census, more than 20 percent of residents in this eight-county region had Irish ancestors. And in Delaware County, 29 percent of residents claimed Irish heritage.
Delaware County, Reis said, has been dubbed "the 33d county of Ireland" because it has the highest percentage of residents with Irish surnames in this country.
"That wouldn't surprise me," said Joe Gallagher, a retired stockbroker from Havertown, who was one of the seven volunteers who taught Gaelic classes. "And probably Havertown has one of the greatest concentrations in Delaware County."
Ethel Brogan, who was born in Ulster and lives in New York state, founded Daltai in 1981 to help keep the Irish language and culture alive.
Liam Guidry, the secretary of the nonprofit organization, said Brogan had wanted to give residents on this side of the Atlantic the kind of Gaelic-immersion experiences she'd had during summers as a child.
