You'll be dancing too.
The Chicago supergroup, BUA, called by Irish Music Magazine “the essence of a superb band,” will headline the Saturday night concert at the thirty-fifth Annual Philadelphia Ceili Group Irish Music and Dance Festival, scheduled for September 10-12 at the Irish Center in Philadelphia.
Also on tap: noted County Armagh singer Len Graham; Pairaic Keane, a brilliant fiddler from Dublin and son of Chieftain’s fiddler Sean Keane; and Brian O’hairt, of St. Louis, who was the first American and youngest person to take first place in the All-Ireland Fleadh ballad singing competition, senior division.
But if there’s a theme fort his year’s festival, it’s that Philly has plenty of local talent. Sharing a stage with the out-of-towners will be Cruinn, a local trad band featuring RosaleenMcGill, Augie Fairchild and Tom O’Malley, and six-year-old Haley Richardson, the local fiddler who won first place at the Mid-Atlantic Fleadh Cheoil in Pearl River, NY, and will be traveling to Tullamore, County Offaly, this year to match her skills with other under-12s at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann, the all-Ireland music festival.
The festival kicks off on Thursday with Tim Biritton and Friends in Concert. Britton, who now lives in Fairfield, Iowa, is a virtuoso on the Irish uillean pipes (and a noted maker of same) who grew up in the Philadelphia area and was a fixture, with his musical family, on the Philly folk and Irish scene. He has performed with the likes of Eileen Ivers, Mick Moloney, Robbie O’Connell, and Bela Fleck.
On Friday, a set/ceili dance is scheduled at 8 PM in the ballroom with the local and popular McGillian Band. In the Fireside Room, A Night of Irish Song will be hosted by local singer and Ceili Group member Courtney Malley and feature Len Graham; Brian O’hAirt; the Jameson Sisters (local singer Terry Kane and harper Ellen Tepper), Matt Ward, and others. After the event, there will be a session to which all musicians and singers are invited.
After the concert on Saturday night there will be a traditional “House Party” in the Fireside Room honoring the late Frank Malley, a local musician, singer, and longtime CeiliGroup member and festival director, who died recently. His daughter, Courtney Malley, will perform, as well as other singers, musicians, and story tellers. And, since it’s a House Party, there will also be dancing and it won’t break up until the wee hours, if at all.
There will be food, the bar is open, and there will be vendors and workshops, some by festival performers. This is one of our favorite events of the year–don’t miss it.
For more information on thefestival or to purchase advance tickets, go to the Ceili Group website or emailphillyceiligroup@gmail.org.
