Irish folk singer dies at 84

Irish singer, harpist and zitherist, Susan Reed, was a popular performer in nightclubs and on the radio in the years following World War II. On April 25, Reed died of natural causes at the San Simeon by the Sound nursing home in Greenport, N.Y.

Reed, 84, was popular in New York and toured the country performing in 107 concerts in a single year, earning her the title “America’s Concert Favorite.” Performance locations included Café Society, Blue Angel, Carnegie Hall, Town Hall in New York and the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.

Along with Reed’s performances, she also recorded several albums under Columbia Records and RCA Red Seal.

She was born in New York City on Jan. 11, 1926 and was raised in a family of performers – her father, Daniel Reed was a playwright, her grandfather, Clarence Bennett, was a theatrical producer and her mother, Isadora Bennett, was a Martha Graham producer.

Reed got her inspiration from Ireland’s Abbey Players, who spent time with Reed’s family on the group's trips to the United States.

12-year-old earns second at World Irish Dancing Championships

Irish dancer, Peter Dziak, placed second at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Scotland. He’s just 12-years-old.

The Villa Park, Illinois native began Irish dancing because his older siblings were also Irish dancers.

"I thought, why not dance to just try it out," Dziak told CBS in Chicago. "Once I did it, I just loved it from the very start. It's a really fun sport."

Dziak missed out on the first place award at the championships just by a few points. He also holds the title of Mid-America champion, national silver medalist and All-Ireland bronze medalist.

Dziak learned to dance at Chicago’s Trinity Academy of Irish dance.

Irish-American voted off American Idol

Last week on Fox’s hit television series American Idol, Irish-American Siobhan Magnus was voted off.

“I’m pretty happy with what I did. I’m proud that I challenged myself instead of taking the easy route. With what I was given, with the time allotted, I think I did the best I could each week, whether people loved it or hated,” Magnus told the Boston. “It was never dishonest to my character or who I am.”

Many were surprised to see Magnus depart the ninth season of American Idol, but she will return to the stage with some of the other “idols” this summer for the American Idol summer tour.