The Banjo Burke Festival

(If you are looking for the post on the 2011 Banjo Burke Festival, click here)

I am taking a break from relating the Northern Ireland meetings here, which probably makes sense anyway, as Ireland is a large country, the Irish culture is dispersed across the world, so there is a lot with which to keep up.

I attended the Catskill Irish Arts Week last week. Once I was there, I realized I could interview people who are involved in the Irish arts. I also realized there are other events which are coming up which many might enjoy attending. And these events are a great way to join in the Irish culture!

One of these events is the Banjo Burke Festival on Columbus Day Weekend, October 8-11, 2010. This event is unique in that it will be held entirely in public houses around East Durham. Sessions with musicians cooperatively making music are a feature of the Catskill Irish Arts Week, too, but the Banjo Burke Festival will be hold even its workshops, ceili sets, and concerts in the pubs.

The musicians committed to appearing are:

Brian Conway
Grainne Hambly
John Nolan
Seamus Connolly
Aine Meenaghan
Rose Conway Flanagan
Pat Kane
The Jameson Sisters
Damien Connolly
Margie Mulvihill
John Reynolds
Felix Dolan
Dylan Foley
Hearts Content
Lawson

Concerts on Saturday are from 1:30 to 4:30 PM and 7:00 to 9:30 PM. The workshops, continuous music, sessions, house concerts, ceili sets, and a breakfast are all fit in around those.

More information can be found at http://www.joebanjoburke.org/ , by emailing Bridget at bridget@joebanjoburke.org , or by calling Bridget at 607-225-9928.

Andy McGann Festival

Did you ever wish you could go to an event which is wonderful which everyone mainly hears about by word of mouth?

Well, here one comes: "Psssssssssssst, do ye wanna hear wonderful Irish traditional music by some of the best from Ireland and the United States?

Then wend your way on down the road to East Durham and attend the Andy McGann Festival on Saturday, July 17th from noon to 7 p.m. at the Quill Festival Grounds."

I am exaggerating a bit, there are articles about it on the web and maybe in the newspapers in that area. Still, for the quality of who will be playing and what you will hear, you'll be hard pressed to find a better value.

Why does this Festival keep happening every year? The Andy McGann Festival is the culmination of an entire week of instruction and celebration on Irish traditional music and arts known as Irish Arts Week. Since all these great musicians are there for the week, they get together and appear on stage at the end producing hours and hours of wonderful entertainment. Besides the music, there is story telling mixed in, all of which is true!

The grounds are set up with two pavilions so if you wonder what's happening in the other one, just wonder a few steps over and see. There are street fair type foods and Irish CDs, art, clothing, and jewelery for sale. Of course, Irish brews are available.

So come on down the road to meet the friendly people and hear wonderful, lively music!