Stout Hearts Blarney Ball
We'll Keep a Pint Poured For You

It's not often that the featured beverage at a black-tie event is Guinness, nor is the sound of bagpipes or the sight of traditional Irish dancing de rigueur, but all of these were featured at the Blarney Ball on February 21 at the National Press Club. Festivities included whiskey tastings and dancing to the sounds of Celtic rock band O'Malley's March, whose front man is none other than Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley.

Proceeds benefited Project Children, an organization that brings Protestant and Catholic children ages 10 to 14 from Ireland to the U.S. for six weeks in the summer to live with American host families in over 60 communities. The children live in neighborhoods where the Protestant-Catholic struggle is at its worst. The Stout Hearts is a group of young Irish-American professionals from D.C. who raise money for charities, and are dedicated to strengthening bonds between Ireland and the U.S.

Ryan Siemers, Leane Mitchell, Sean Federowicz and Meg Borns	Irish dancers from the Maple School of Irish Dancing

John Dunford, Susan Silverstein, Roxie Lafever and Joel Hinzman

Robin Minouganian and Paul McDonough	Shannon Ratliff and Amanda Gordon

Photos by Sasan Afsoosi