Bringing you the finest performers
from around the world
Concerts are held in the spring and fall at the Gaelic-American Club, 74 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT. Doors open half hour before the show. We now offer advance online ticket purchases for $22.00, or $25.00 cash at the door.
Our Fall 2024 Concert Series
Saturday, November 16, 7:30 pm ~ The Pride of New York ~ Featuring Joanie Madden, Billy McComiskey, Brian Conway, and Brendan Dolan (annual Gregg and Clare Burnett memorial concert)
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The Irish-American super group The Pride of New York comprises some of the best-known players on this side of the Atlantic. Collectively they have won four All-Ireland championship awards, recorded multiple solo albums, and logged countless miles touring across the United States and abroad. “If you like your music straight up traditional and you think of sections of Brooklyn and the Bronx as westernmost Irish counties, then you will truly enjoy Pride of New York.” — hearthmusic.com
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Joanie Madden (flute, whistle) is considered one of the greatest musicians and personalities in the history of Irish music in America. She is a recipient of the distinguished National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts, the highest award bestowed on a traditional artist, and is considered a national living treasure for her musical contributions to the cultural fabric of America.
Throughout her musical career, Joanie has amassed a plethora of awards and citations, including All-Ireland championships. She is a successful recording artist in Irish traditional music, having sold over 500,000 solo albums. She is in constant demand as a studio musician and has performed on over 180 albums with luminary artists, performed and helped arrange three Grammy Award–winning albums, and provided soundtracks for several films and TV specials. Joanie’s involvement on the “Celtic Twilight” series of CD’s led to two platinum albums that sold over 1,000,000 copies. She has toured with the Eagles’ Don Henley and was a featured soloist on the final Lord of the Rings soundtrack. Since its inception in 1985, Joanie has been the leader and driving force behind the all-female Irish music and dance troupe, Cherish The Ladies, now in its 34th year. She is a consummate musician and revered figure in Irish music today.
Brendan Dolan is a multi-instrumentalist (proficient on flute, tin whistle, and piano) and has been a mainstay of the traditional music scene for decades. He is featured on numerous recordings and has been active in the past playing Klezmer music with Itzak Perlman at Yale University. Brendan tours the country on his time off from teaching workshops and maintains a school of music in New York City. He has written music scores for MTV and The Discovery Channel.
Billy McComiskey is an accomplished teacher, composer, and All-Ireland champion accordionist. Now living in Baltimore, he has performed with elite artists around the world and has played an integral role in building the now-thriving Baltimore-DC Irish traditional music scene. Billy is a master teacher at the Maryland Traditions apprenticeship program. He won The Irish Echo’s Album of the Year in 2008 and was their 2011 Traditional Artist of the Year. Billy has been invited to play at the White House and Kennedy Center and in 2016 he received a National Heritage Fellowship Award, the national’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts.
Brian Conway, a three-time All-Ireland champion, is a master of Sligo-style fiddling. He has toured North America and Europe and is a much sought-after instructor and performer. Brian has been called one of the best fiddlers of his generation and has taught two generations of All-Ireland champions. He was named Traditional Artist of the Year in 2008 by The Irish Echo and has numerous recordings to his credit.
Recent Events
Saturday, October 12, 3:00 pm ~ Shannon Heaton ~ The Art of Irish Music: Trad Tunes and the Stories Behind Them
Boston-based Shannon Heaton sings and plays tunes on the Irish flute. For this special presentation, she’ll share some of her favorites and give an insider tour of the music. Learn how Shannon plays and hears traditional music, consider expressive elements in Irish music, and hear about some of the settings and players who have shaped the tradition. Whether you know hundreds of tunes or are new to Irish music, there’s always more to explore in the art of Irish music!
After the hour-long program, Shannon will lead a session. All are very welcome to participate (not just for flute players!)
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Shannon Heaton has performed and taught on four continents. She is an Artist Fellow of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, was twice named Live Ireland’s Female Artist of the Year, and is half of acclaimed duo with guitarist Matt Heaton.
In her solo shows, Shannon shares tunes, songs, and stories, taking listeners on a tour of places and people who keep Irish music alive. She is passionate about making traditional music fun and accessible to a wide range of listeners, which she enjoys onstage and with her culture podcast Irish Music Stories.
A wildly creative teacher, Shannon has created free resources for musicians, including her long-running “Tune of the Month” video/podcast series. During the early days of the pandemic, she and Matt Heaton started the Virtual Guided Session with participants from over 50 countries. She co-founded Boston’s Celtic music fest and served on its board for 15 years, creating performance and mentoring opportunities for hundreds of traditional musicians and dancers; taught for Boston’s CCE Irish Music School for a decade; and her original music has been recorded by the Battlefield Band, Tricolor, Childsplay, Allie Robertson, and many others.
Shannon is a world class American performer with Irish roots and universal appeal.
“A superlative Irish flute and tin whistle player .. who can sing the birds out of the trees.” -Boston Irish Reporter
"Her stories and joy fill the stage like a backup band! " - Holly Foy
"A beautiful tapestry of tunes, stories and songs that draws you in and holds you close." - Tom Voiles
“A confident and accomplished player with beautiful tone” - FolkWorld
Sunday, October 6, 3:00 pm ~ Caitlin Warbelow and Chris Ranney
An All-Ireland winner and New England Fiddle Contest champion, Caitlin Warbelow’s versatility and expertise lies not only in music and Broadway performances, but also as a faculty member and director of a number of retreats and festivals in the across the United States. As a pianist, Chris Ranney’s wide range of stylistic influences are apparent in his accompaniment, bringing a fresh take to traditional tunes and modern compositions alike. (Irish Echo)
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Caitlin Warbelow is the co-founder of Tune Supply, a beloved online traditional music platform launched during to keep trad musicians working during the pandemic. She serves on the faculty at Manhattan’s Irish Arts Center and is the artistic coordinator for the Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival’s Celtic program. Caitlin holds honors from the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts and the National Suzuki Conference and is a regular faculty member at the Swannanoa Gathering, the Arcadia Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, the O’Flaherty Irish Music Retreat, the Gulf Coast Cruinniu, and the Far North Fiddle Festival, among others. An All-Ireland winner and New England Fiddle Champion, Caitlin also maintains a large private teaching studio online and in Manhattan.
Caitlin served as the violinist/fiddler in the original Broadway cast of the Tony Award-winning and Grammy Award-nominated musical, Come From Away, which was the 40th longest-running musical in Broadway history and the longest running musical featuring a fiddler before it closed in late 2022. When not on Broadway, Caitlin performs and tours as a solo artist and with numerous ensembles, including Grammy Award-nominated Cherish the Ladies, Riverdance’s Heartbeat of Home, Sting’s Broadway musical The Last Ship," and bands The Alt, The Green Fields of America (Mick Moloney), Michael Londra and the Celtic Fire, Trinity Dance Company, and the Cathie Ryan Band, among many others. She founded the new trad ensemble Warbelow Range with Kyle Sanna, Alan Murray, and Dan Lowery and co-produced their first self-titled album. Her live album of Irish trad in Manhattan pubs, Manhattan Island Sessions, was nominated for an Independent Music Award.
Originally from Washington State, Chris Ranney now resides in New York and most recently served as the Associate Conductor of the hit Broadway musical Come From Away. Chris can frequently be seen in concert with Tony nominee Jenn Colella as her music director and pianist. During the pandemic, Chris launched the critically acclaimed online traditional music platform Tune Supply along with partner Caitlin Warbelow. He also works as a musical director for readings, workshops, and recording sessions around New York, and plays the traditional Irish button accordion. Chris has worked extensively at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and Village Theatre as a musical director, conductor, and pianist.
Saturday, September 21, 7:30 pm ~ Éillís Kennedy and Peter Blanchette
Éillís Kennedy is a singer and songwriter steeped in the culture and rich heritage of Dingle, Kerry. Her fluency in Irish is integral to her performance. Her skill with lyrics and music are demonstrated in both stunning original songs and mesmerizing adaptations of the old tradition. Éillís is also a consummate story teller.
Guitarist, composer, arranger, and conductor Peter Blanchette is known around the world as the inventor of the 11-string archguitar. His extraordinary repertoire of internationally acclaimed arrangements and compositions spans from the medieval, renaissance, and baroque music to World Music, New Music, and his own original pieces.
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Éilís Kennedy has toured the world, performing in many acclaimed venues, including Carnegie Hall, and is a sought-after teacher of Irish traditional song. Her most recent recording So Ends This Day, featuring award-winning original songs, was an RTE Folk Awards Best Folk Album nominee. She was a major part of Béal Tuinne with Shaun Davey, Seamus Begley, and Rita Connolly in a Song Cycle based on her father’s poetry, with music composed by Shaun Davey.
“Her finely tuned ears are matched by an equally poised pen.”
“A singer whose vocals need neither searchlight nor scaffolding to bore holes into the soul.“ ~ Siobhan Long, The Irish Times
So Ends This Day is "tender and probing, meticulous in its excavation of the maritime escapades of 19th century whalers, incarcerated Fenians, and Arctic explorers, this latest collection from west Kerry musician Éilís Kennedy marks her out as a songwriter, as well as a singer of deep humanity.” ~ Irish Times
In recent years, Peter Blanchette has become interested in new forms of accompaniment to Irish traditional music, using techniques from 17th and 18th century lutenists, collaborating with acclaimed singer Éilís Kennedy and violist Niamh Varian-Barry. He has performed on hundreds of recordings, film and television scores, public radio (A Prarie Home Companion, Thistle and Shamrock, Performance Today, All Things Consdered) in the United States, Canada, Europe and across Asia, on his own 17 archguitar albums for the Dorian label and his own imprint, Archguitar Music.
Our Spring 2024 Concert Series
Saturday, March 9, 2024 ~ Breaking Trad (Dónal Murphy, David Doocey, Mike Gavin)
Fusing Irish music with a fresh and modern twist, Breaking Trad delivers a knock-out combination of high-octane, powerhouse tunes and exquisite vocals.
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Dónal Murphy (accordion), from Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, is a winner of numerous All-Ireland titles on both button accordion and melodeon. David Doocey (fiddle) from Foxford, Co. Mayo, is a winner of multiple awards including the All-Ireland Senior Fiddle competition and the coveted Fiddler of Oriel trophy. Mike Galvin (guitar/vocals) has vast experience working in a wide range of musical styles, from rock and roll to Irish traditional. Together and individually, these musicians have toured extensively around the world, performing at major festivals and music venues as well as touring with some of the biggest names in various music genres, including Four Men And A Dog, De Dannan, Michael Flatley (dance), Sean Keane, Tim O'Brien, Alison Krauss, and Gráda. Their music has been described as dazzling, unorthodox and unique, and high octane.
Saturday, April 13, 2024 ~ James Keane and Michelle Bergin
James Keane is a composer, storyteller, and masterful musician. As one of Ireland’s finest performers, Keane has evolved the standards of accordion playing around world. He will be joined by Michelle Bergin, member of the new group The Reel Housewives of Irish Traditional Music.
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A seminal album, With Friends Like These, featured the best musicians of the Irish tradition performing his tunes, including Liam O’Flynn, Tommy Peoples, Kevin Conneff, and Paddy Glackin. The album was recorded in Liam Clancy’s solar-powered studio, in recognition of Keane’s long friendship going back to the time when they worked in the folk revival of the storied Sixties. Keane has recorded eight highly acclaimed studio albums and appeared on many classic records. The New York Times review of a concert at Carnegie Hall wrote “James Keane, the accordionist, swung through reels with such exciting drive that he nearly lifted the audience out of their seats.” More recently, Keane has been presenting multimedia lectures, recordings of which are available at the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress. His talks are filled with his renowned humor, expertise, and memories of the tradition that come from a life between Ireland and New York, where he has lived and performed for many decades.
Michelle Bergin was a student of the late Maureen Glynn, who will forever be her favorite Irish music accompanist. In her earlier years, Michelle toured North America as a fiddler in Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance, and also worked as a musician for Irish dance competitions throughout the United States, Canada, Ireland, and England. Michelle operates a music school that was founded 20 years ago by philanthropist Martin O'Grady, who donated a house to arts education in the Woodlawn section of the Bronx. She directs the young students of the Martin O'Grady grupai ceoil (musical group) in his honor. Michelle co-hosts the Sunday session with fiddler Lindsey Ceitinn at An Beal Bocht in Riverdale. She is a member of the new group The Reel Housewives of Irish Traditional Music. Michelle is currently pursuing a dual Masters degree in applied music and music education. In November, Michelle accompanied James and Paraic Keane at NYC Tradfest in a musical tribute to the late Sean Keane of the Chieftans. She is delighted to be back playing with James here In Connecticut.
Saturday, May 18, 2024 ~ The East Coasters (Madeline Dierauf, Richard Osban, Calum Bell
The East Coasters are a group of young Irish musicians from the east coast of the United States whose sound and arrangements are a rich blend of the music in their local communities. Their innovative approach to the music combines syncopation and creative harmonies with a deep respect for the tradition.
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Madeline Dierauf is from western North Carolina and began playing traditional Irish music under the tutelage of Asheville’s Beanie O’Dell, before quickly becoming immersed in Atlanta’s traditional Irish music scene. Her music has taken her to many stages, from Wilkesboro's Merlefest to IrishFest Atlanta and the Atlanta St. Patrick's Day Parade. Her sensitive and thoughtful approach to the tunes and harmonies is a cornerstone of the band’s unique sound.
Richard Osban is a driving, dynamic guitarist based in Baltimore, Maryland. He cut his teeth on Irish music while living in Europe, and toured internationally with several Irish and Scottish music projects before returning to the U.S. He has performed on festival stages and has been an instructor at many teaching festivals, both in Europe and the U.S. His deliberate approach to harmony reinforces and underpins the band’s groove.
Calum Bell is a multi-instrumentalist who has been performing on New England stages since the age of seven, when he started touring with the Bell Family Band. He can be found today playing six nights a week at venues in and around his native Boston. He brings a mastery far beyond his years to the Irish fiddle and flute, and regularly tours with international Irish music and dance shows in the U.S. and Europe.
The Shamrock Traditional Irish Music Society and Gaelic-American Club take pride in bringing renowned musicians from across the United States, Ireland, and around the world to perform for audiences in our area. Your donation supports traditional Irish music and our ongoing concert series.
