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Hello AmeriCeltic Reader,

• On Friday, September 26th, at 5:30 PM, the Black Irish Band performs at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, in Jamestown, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, September 26th, at 7:30 PM, the spectacular A Taste of Ireland music and dance show continues their West Coast tour at the Luther Burbank Center, in Santa Rosa, CA, with shows in 14 more West Coast cities before moving on the the rest of th U.S. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, September 27th, at 7:00 PM fiddling twins Honey Bee will pair Folk and Rock at the Ugly Mug Cafe in Soquel, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, September 27th, at 8:00 PM, the Doc Sawyers, a Saw Doctors Tribute Band, will bring their music to the Fiddler’s Green Pub in Millbrae, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, September 27th, and every Saturday at 4:00 PM, United Irish Cultural Center hosts their regular Irish session. Also, on Wednesday, October 8th @ 7:30 PM, it’s John Doyle in Concert, and on Saturday, October 11th @ 2:00 PM, author Eric Gray discussing his book, Backyards to Ballparks and Bases to Bleachers. All at their large facility in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• New! On September 28th at 12:00 PM, the Irish Literary and Historical Society will host Dr. Erin Costello Wecker presenting a talk on Kate Kennedy, live via Zoom from the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Sunday, September 28th, 2025 at 12:30 PM, there will be a Concert at The Freight in Berkeley, CA, celebrating the 75th Birthday of notable Irish folksinger Shay Black, to benefit his longtime charity Family Paths. (See Below)
• On Sunday, September 28th, at 2:00 PM, Suzuki Cady and Jimmy Murphy perform at San Anselmo Street Fair at Horse & Plow Winery, in Sebastopol, CA, followed by several more gigs in the north Bay area during September. (See Below)
• On Sunday, September 28th, at 6:00 PM, legendary musicians Four Shillings Short continue their fall series of concerts at Granite Falls Library, in Granite Falls, WA followed by more Fall concerts around the West Coast. (See Below)
• New! On Friday, October 3rd, at 7:30 PM, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas perform a concert at University Presbyterian Church, Fresno, CA, followed by shows in San Diego, Santa Monica, Sebastopol, Santa Cruz, Pacific Grove, Little River, and Grass Valley, CA over the following 3 weeks. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, October 4th, and Sunday October 5th at 9:00 AM, it’s the McMinnville Scottish Festival with all your favorite Scottish Games, Wicked Tinkers, Katie Jane Band, Jimi Sexton, AML Trio and much more at the Yamhill County Fairgrounds, in McMinnville, OR. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, October 4th, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, the Ben Lomond Village Alliance presents Ben Lomond Scottish Day at Ben Lomond County Park in Ben Lomond, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, October 4th, at 6:00 PM, the Katie Jane Band performs at the Dullahan Irish Pub, in Lake Oswego, OR. (See Below)

• On Fridays, from 5:00 PM on, Pub Scouts, plays great tunes at Duffy’s Tavern in Chico, CA. (See Below)
• On the 1st Saturday of each month, at 6:00 PM, the San Francisco in-person Chantey Sing is held at the Maritime Museum in San Francisco, CA, and then on the 2nd or 3rd Saturday of the month, at 11:00 AM, the San Francisco Virtual Chantey Sing happens Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Sundays, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM, there is a Turf in the Bog performance at Yosemite Wine Tails in Oakhurst, CA. (See Below)
• On the first Sunday every month, at 9:00 AM Pacific, Dr. Ronan Connolly offers a Lets Learn Irish free workshop on Irish Language, free of charges and available everywhere Online via Zoom. They also offer a free, on demand starter course of three short videos. (See Below)
• On Sundays, from 8:00 UK time / 12:00 PM Pacific, it’s the Loch Down Folk Club, timed so our friends from the US and Canada can join in, Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On first Sundays of the month, at 1:00 PM Pacific Time, the Cross Keys band, Cormac Gannon, Stacy Samuels, Neil O’Neill, sing out at the Way Station Smokehouse & Beer Garden in Fairfax, CA. (See Below)
• On the last Sunday of each month, join Alexandra Annen for a Irish traditional instrumental music session at Sayla Music Academy in Lodi, CA. (See Below)
• On First Sundays, Grass Valley based Three Times Through plays at Grass Valley Brewing Company in Grass Valley, CA, plus several other weekend dates around the Gold Country of California. (See Below)
• On the first Sunday of the month, from 11 AM – 1 PM Pacific / 2 PM – 4 PM Eastern time, Lynn Noel hosts the Mermaid’s Tavern Ballad sing-around, online via Zoom from her home studio. (See Below)
• Phoenix Folk Ltd. was established in 2009 by Maurice Condie, Adam Holden & Marina Dodgson to promote participation and performance in folk and acoustic music, song and dance across the North East of England, and since the COVID lockdowns, they have expanded into the online world. Currently, they host three weekly online events on Zoom, happening at 8:00 PM UK / 12:00 PM Pacific on Monday’s, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On First Mondays, at 12:00 PM Pacific, the Clé (Left) Club of Dublin, Ireland meets for a Zoom session devoted to traditional music, verse and song Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 12:00 – 2:00 PM Pacific Time, Mark Wallis & Alix Sandra Huntley-Speirs host the Moosehead Traditional Irish Music Session, a participatory online Irish instrumental music event, timed so our friends from Ireland and the UK and join in. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 3:00 – 6:00 PM Pacific Time, Irish born Maureen McNally hosts the Ag Teacht Le Chéile Irish Session, a participatory online Irish music event timed so our friends from Ireland and the UK can join in. Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 6:00 – 7:15 PM at her home in Sebastopol, CA, Suzuki Cady gives Irish Music Classses for All Instruments. (See Below)
• On Mondays, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM, the Celtic Arts Center offers beginner level Irish classes online via Zoom and a full evening of Celtic in-person music and dance at the Mayflower Club in North Hollywood, CA. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, from 12:00 – 2:00 PM Pacific Time, Tony Becker, hosts the Trans-Atlantic Session, an online traditional music event, featuring a mix of instrumental and vocal performances, timed so participants from Ireland and the UK can join in. Later on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM Pacific, Tony hosts the Pacific Evening Session. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, John Whelan conducts his free Play Along Sessions: Tune Learning at 2:30 PM Pacific and Taking Time at 4:00 PM both Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• Every Wednesday, at 8:00 PM Los Angeles based Stepwise, a young traditional band born of the COVID Pandemic by founders Liam Lewis and Olivia Breidenthal, performs at Griffins of Kinsale in South Pasadena, CA. (See Below)
• The Philo-Celtic Society offers four full quarters of multiple free classes focused on learning the Irish Language, and some quarters include classes in Irish Song. Fall Quarter 2024 classes began in mid-September and run through December, and include a Children’s Reading Class. All are accessible to everyone everywhere, Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• On Wednesdays, at at 8 – 9:30 PM Eastern / 5 – 6:30 PM Pacific, and again on Thursdays at 8 – 9:30 PM Pacific / 11 – 12:30 AM Eastern, Autumn Rhodes teaches Irish Session Repertoire for All Instruments online via Zoom from San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On 1st Thursdays, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM Pacific Time, and also on 3rd Thursdays, from 12:00 – 2:00 PM Pacific Time, multi-instrumentalist Michael Eskin hosts the The Ould Sod Virtual Irish Sessions, the best and most popular participatory online Irish traditional music event. (See Below)
• On 1st Thursdays at 8:00 PM, and other Thursdays at 8:30 PM, Irish Dance – San Francisco Bay Area organizes Irish set dancing at the Plough and Stars Irish Pub in San Francisco, CA. They also sponsor dances at 7:30 PM on 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at Ireland’s 32 Pub in San Francisco, CA as well as set dancing lessons there on the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7:30 PM. (See Below)
• On Thursdays, at 6:00 PM Pacific Time, One Eyed Reilly plays at The Delta King Bar & Grill in Sacramento, CA, and can be heard at several other venues in the Sacramento Valley. (See Below)
• On third Thursdays, at 6:00 PM, Phillip Taylor leads a Irish/Scottish tune learning session at the Strum Shop in Roseville, CA. (See Below)

• Co-Founder Cecilia Fábos-Becker’s e-book Ancestry & DNA: Beyond the basics, is available for download now! (See Below)
• On Fridays from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, (Pacific time) as well as Mondays from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, Tuesdays – Thursdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Online or In-Person, Oakhurst, CA born Cedar Dobson is offering lessons in all types of Irish whistles from Gandharva Loka World Music Store in Central Dublin, Ireland. Cedar is also gathering donations on gofundme to produce physical CDs of her new album, Decade. Click here to make a donation. (See Below)
• Sláinte Pub continues to provide a proper Irish Pub experience at Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. (See Below)
• Now in their 3rd year, Willow on the Green, operated by friend of the family Alex Sinclair and located on 9th Avenue in San Francisco, CA, is especially convenient to Golden Gate Park, and caters to the park revelers, offering a unique array of ready to eat culinary delights. (See Below)
• Well known Flying Scot and all round traditional musician David Brewer has launched his online music lessons, accessible to anyone, anywhere Online via Zoom. (See Below)
• The Starry Plough is now open everyday, with all the events it’s many long term customers had before the pandemic, in Berkeley, CA. (See Below)
• Music and Dance have returned to the cherished San Francisco, CA Celtic cultural institution, The Plough and the Stars, now open from Wednesday through Sunday, 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM. (See Below)
• The Chieftain Irish Pub & Restaurant, the local Irish Pub bringing the culture of Ireland to downtown San Francisco at 5th and Howard. (See Below)
• Multi-genre violin teacher (especially Irish Traditional Music) and performer Darcy Noonan is available for gigs and lessons. (See Below)
• Sport your Celtic heritage! AmeriCeltic offers a colorful array of items, each emblazoned with the AmeriCeltic logo. (See Below)
• The Celtic Tea Shoppe, in San Jose is your source for Celtic and Celtic inspired carry-out fresh baked foods, confections and rare teas. (See Below)
• With an extensive selection of instruments and instructional material from around the world, Lark In The Morning in Berkeley, CA is open for in person and online sales and lessons. (See Below)
• Publican Stan Gamble has re-opened The Duke of Edinburgh Pub & Restaurant, offering full service 7 days a week from 4pm to late. (See Below)

Scan our feature articles below, or as always, you can click here to check the full listings on our website.

The Black Irish Band

The Black Irish Band is Patrick Michael Karnahan, banjo, melodeon, octave mandolin, trumpet, guitar, concertina, french horn, vocals, and Steve Straus, bass, vocals, Michael Mullen, fiddle and vocals and James Dean Nelson, banjo, guitar, vocals.

The Black Irish Band presents the songs of the working people from the 19th Century to the present. A large complement of Maritime, Railroad, Celtic, Italian, American and original music that brings to life the adventures of the people who built the world on which we now live. Listen to the stories, sing along, and take a musical trip through history with the Black Irish Band.

Patrick Michael Karnahan and Richard Restivo met on the set of Back to the Future III in 1989. Both Patrick and Rick were in the ‘Hill Valley Brass Band,’, while future bandmate Steve McArthur was given a speaking role as festival man #1. During filming breaks, Patrick and Rick began to formulate the idea for a traditional folk group that would cross cultural and musical boundaries… an acoustic folk band with no limits! At the first band meeting, the name Black Irish was chosen. The strong vocals and up-tempo instrumentals breathe new life into old songs and present original material with a distinctive flair. The original songs of Patrick Michael Karnahan have received considerable airplay on various folk-rock and public radio stations.

More information, downloads and videos can be found on their website: http://blackirish.com.

Here’s a link to their many music videos

The Black Irish Band website

The Black Irish Band Official Facebook Page

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Four Shillings Short

Four Shillings Short is rooted in Celtic and American folk, inspired by Indian Raga and Ethnic idioms; a diverse and inventive Traditional Music Experience.

The husband/wife duo of Aodh Og O’Tuama from Cork, Ireland and Christy Martin from California, have been performing together since 1995. They tour in the US and Ireland, are independent folk-artists with 12 recordings, perform 150 concerts a year and live as the Troubadours of old traveling from town to town performing at music festivals, theatres & performing arts centers, folk & historic societies, libraries, museums and schools.

A multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Christy Martin was born into a musical family. She began playing the sitar at the age of 16 and took up folk music in the ’80s. Christy has been playing hammered dulcimer since 1993 and plays mandolin, mountain dulcimer, banjo, ukulele, bowed psaltery, and more. She was formerly in a band called Your Mother Should Know.

Aodg Og O’Tuama is a vocalist and plays tin whistles, doumbek, spoons, gemshorn, bowed psaltery, recorders, crumhorn, Native American Flutes, and many others. Born in Cork, Ireland, Aodh Óg (pronounced, ayog) studied Medieval and Renaissance music in college. He received a music fellowship to study at Stanford University in 1984. Played in a group called Drivelling Druids before forming the group Four Shillings Short.

https://4shillingsshort.com

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After premiering Off-Broadway last season, A Taste of Ireland-The Irish Music & Dance Sensation will tour across the USA in 2025, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a Celtic production for this generation.

Performed by former World Irish dance champions, and featuring dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, ‘A Taste of Ireland’ transports the audience through the story of Ireland’s tumultuous history delivered with a pint of Irish wit. Watch world-class performers blend melodic folk mash-ups, live jaw-dropping acapella tap battles, revamped classic songs, and heartwarming story telling, merging cultural traditions, modern flair, and craic galore.

Check out their promotional video: https://youtu.be/v3RyDG74UQQ

With over one hundred and fifty 5-star Facebook reviews, ‘A Taste of Ireland’ is exactly what it promises: a taste of everything you love about Ireland with a generous helping of more! ‘A Taste of Ireland’ is a show with 100% live singing and dancing that bridges the gap between storytelling, modern Irish dance, tap and contemporary dance to tell a historic story, live on stage.

With a strictly limited USA run, see ‘A Taste of Ireland’ as the show kicks of this fall on the West Coast before it takes off around the globe once again.

‘Witness the birth of a nation told through rhythm and beat, with the cry of the Vikings as they were brought to defeat, the rise and fall of the rebellion, this show tells the tale. Trapped as the Irish were, watch them dance from the jail. For the nation fought free from Dundalk to Tralee, they sing and they dance through the night full of glee. For Ireland, there was not a nation quite like her, hold on to your seat, feel Ireland’s passion and fire.’

Check out all their shows at https://www.atasteofirelandshow.com/

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HoneyBee is a duo of twin sister musicians, Deby Benton Grosjean and Pamela Benton, on twin fiddles, who Cross-Pollinate the Sweetness of Folk with the Subtle Sting of Rock.

Born on Christmas day, Deby and Pamela have played a lifetime of musical experiences. They’ve studied formally in classical and spread their wings exploring many music genres. HoneyBee creates their own original sound melding acoustic and electric, a Celtic fusion. Their concert includes both known Americana and Celtic repertoire and original music. They perform to sold out halls in Idaho where Pamela lives, notably at The JACC, Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center especially when they perform in a quintet band for their popular concert, Celtic Winter Celebration. They perform in California where Deby lives, at KVMR Celtic Festival as a trio plus, intimate house concerts. HoneyBee is a combination of their names, Pamela meaning ‘honey’ and Deby meaning ‘bee’.

At the Ugly Mug, Honey Bee will perform instrumentals and songs with the grooves of percussionist Kevin DiNoto.

Kevin DiNoto is a versatile percussionist (drumset, hand percussion, steelpans) based in Santa Cruz. He currently performs and tours with acclaimed North African band AZA, and with a variety of musicians around the Bay Area.

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Doc Sawyers

Doc Sawyers: A Saw Doctors Tribute Band, bring the music of one of Ireland’s most beloved bands from the late 1980s, the Saw Doctors, known for their heartfelt lyrics and infectious melodies. The Saw Doctors music is eminiscent of The Eagles in its harmonies and cross-generational appeal, they remain a favorite until today.

The Saw Doctors Tribute Band is a collaboration between Kevin Roche and Mark Burke. Kevin is a talented and well-known musician in the Bay Area, with a history of playing in bands like The Irish Connection and Celtic Scandal, and Mark has been deeply involved in San Francisco’s Irish community for decades.

The Saw Doctors Tribute Band is:
• Sean McGlamery — Lead Vocals & Guitar
• Kevin Roche — Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Accordion
• Brian Smith — Drums & Percussion (replacing Andy Heller for the Sept. 27 show)
• Neil Kassner — Keyboards & Vocals
• Sean Silverman — Bass & Vocals

Come join us for a night of beloved classics and fan favorites as Doc Sawyers—a tribute to The Saw Doctors—light up Fiddler’s Green. Expect sing-along anthems, lively folk-rock energy, and all the warmth and spirit that made The Saw Doctors legendary.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to their music, you’ll be tapping your feet, raising your voice, and making memories. Grab a drink, gather your friends, and let’s celebrate the sounds of Ireland and beyond!

Fans who sign up at DocSawyersBand.com will receive a Spotify playlist of Saw Doctors songs the band plans to perform, allowing them to help shape the setlist. For updates, follow the band online at http://www.DocSawyersBand.com or @DocSawyersBand on Facebook or Instagram.

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Every Saturday, from 4:00 – 7:00 PM, there are free Irish Traditional Music Fast Sessions in the UICC’s Emerald Pub. Email Cormac Gannon for details.
On the First Saturday of every month, there are free, Irish Traditional Music Slow Sessions in the UICC’s Members’s Room.
Email Matt Moore for details.

Youth Music Classes are ongoing at UICC-SF. On Mondays, drumming classes at 5:00 PM, on Wednesdays for fiddle at 7:00 PM and on Thursdays at 7:00 PM for tin whistle and bag pipe classes. They are gauging interest in button accordion classes, and organizing a youth ceili band. These music classes are offered in partnership with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Cooley Keegan Branch, and scholarships are available to defray the cost of tuition. For info., email class instructor Dan Cotter terrimaverick@yahoo.com or call him at 650-784-9347, or email organizer Liam Reidy lreidy@irishcentersf.org or call him at 415-860-1854.

The United Irish Cultural Center of San Francisco (UICC-SF) operates a large event facility serving the Irish and other Cultural communities, in the Sunset District near the San Francisco Zoo. Thanks to our hard working small staff and dozens of volunteers, the UICC Wawona Gates Outdoor Dining has operated a bustling outdoor dining space under a 1,800 square foot open-sided canopy since January 2021, and offers indoor events in their St. Francis Room as well as their spacious Saint Patrick’s Room!

UICC website
UICC Facebook Page

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Erin Costello Wecker

The ILHS is very pleased to present a talk, on Sunday, September 28th, 12:00 PM noon Pacific Time on Zoom, by historian Dr. Erin Costello Wecker, entitled Searching for Kate Kennedy: ‘Raking the Ashes’, Natural Disasters, and Archival Research in post-1906 San Francisco.

In 1849, as an Gorta Mór ravaged Ireland, Kate Kennedy (b.1827- d.1890) embarked for America. While Kennedy’s immigration pattern was typical, the life she created once established in San Francisco was truly remarkable. Credited with transforming women’s and workers’ rights, Kennedy successfully argued before the California Supreme Court for equal pay for equal work and to establish protection from arbitrary demotion/dismissal. Despite these landmark achievements, Kennedy’s legacy remains largely unexamined—until now.

Drawing on original, archival research, this lecture will contribute to the recovery of women’s rhetorical voices and explore the peculiar absence of public memory surrounding Kennedy. Of import, in 1906, when a massive earthquake rocked San Francisco, the disaster also triggered fires that reduced 80% of the city to rubble. While the urban infrastructure was eventually resurrected, most of the city’s records were incinerated—taking with them the stories of many nineteenth-century San Franciscans. Born from this wreckage is the phrase ‘raking the ashes,’ which underscores the complex process of sourcing materials in the wake of natural disasters. I will highlight some of the extraordinary obstacles inherent within this kind of research and share some of the avant-garde and innovatory methods I employed to successfully rake the ashes and unearth a fuller portrait of Kennedy’s legacy.

Dr. Erin Costello Wecker is an Associate Professor of English & Irish Studies at the University of Montana. Her research focuses on the interdisciplinary nexus between the fields of Rhetoric and Composition, Irish Studies, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Dr. Costello Wecker has secured grants to support her research from: the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), The Humanities Institute at the University of Montana, and the Friends of Irish Studies in the West. She is currently co-editing a special edition issue of Peitho, the peer-reviewed journal of the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition. Dr. Costello Wecker is the founder and co-chair of the Kate Kennedy Remembrance Coalition in collaboration with Micheál Smith, Ireland’s Consul General in the Western United States and Elizabeth Creely, Cultural Officer, Consulate General of Ireland, San Francisco.

Dr. Costello Wecker’s work has been published in:
• Studi irlandesi. A Journal of Irish Studies
• Ireland, Irish America, and Work
• Women’s Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal
• WPA Writing Program Administration
• Misogyny in American Culture: Causes, Trends, Solutions

Her current book project focuses on the life of legendary activist Kate Kennedy.

Zoom link here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85717045073

Please support the ILHS by becoming a member or donating today. Visit our website http://ilhssf.org/home/membership to renew via PayPal today or send a check for $30 for individuals and couples to Treasurer PJ O’Donnell at 1725 Shattuck Ave., #203, Berkeley, CA 94709.

If you have suggestions or future speakers or presentations, please do not hesitate to suggest them by emailing secretary@ILHSsf.org

The Irish Literary and Historical Society of the San Francisco Bay Area is a community of scholars and lovers of knowledge in appreciation of the best in Irish and Irish American history and literature. We present a broad range of fascinating speakers from the heights of contemporary literature and academia as well as some of the finest lay scholars in the field. We have supported and celebrated Irish studies for more than 70 years in the great City of San Francisco.

For more information in the Irish Literary and Historical Society, check the website: http://ilhssf.org or email to: tonybucher@gmail.com, or phone: 415-350-6025.

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Shay Black

This is a Benefit Concert for Family Paths

Born into a song-filled Dublin household, Shay Black started warbling from his perambulator outside the family grocery in Charlemont Street and never really stopped. As a teen, he gathered songs like treasures, scooping them up from parties, public houses and song clubs, and brought them home, encouraging his younger siblings Michael, Mary, Martin, and Frances to sing harmony. Shay is still a song catcher who loves to share his song harvest to this day.

This matinee concert brings it all together in a benefit event for Shay’s beloved family support agency Family Paths, from which he is retiring. It also celebrates the 30th Anniversary of the Starry Plough Irish music session that he founded in 1995. And it’s his 75th birthday.

What to expect? A myriad of performers, singers, musicians, tunesmiths and dancers who will be turning up to entertain the throng, with plenty of opportunity to join in the fun and the songs that bring us together. It will be a joy-filled afternoon.

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Do you fancy going to the Folk Club?

Join Maria Hawthorne Boyle and her world-wide group of singing friends using Zoom, and you can give us a song or a tune from the comfort of your own home or just listen in. UK based Loch Down folk club is hosted by Maria Hawthorne Boyle every Sunday evening.

Topic: Loch Down Folk Club
Join Zoom Meeting
https://link.americeltic.net/lochdown

To find out more contact:
Maria Hawthorne Boyle: lochdownfolk@gmail.com or mariaboylegalway@gmail.com

Join Alexandra Annen as she leads a free community class in Irish traditional instrumental music. No experience is required to join us on the last Sunday of each month. Bring an Irish instrument.

Website: https://www.saylamusicacademy.com

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Three Times Through

Three Times Through is Gale Peach, Jeff Peach, Greg Mirken and Margie Mirken. We are a colorful funky kinda Celtic string quartet. We re-imagine and blend traditional and modern tunes and songs with hammered dulcimer, bodhran, concertina, mandolin, bouzouki, banjo, fiddle and guitar. The emphasis is on eclectic Celtic music; spirited instrumentals, engaging vocals and haunting melodies.

People stop, stare, and ask us, ‘What is that instrument?’ Whether you’re a devoted fan of Celtic music or simply curious to experience its enchanting allure, Three Times Through invites you to join them for an unforgettable musical experience.

People often don’t realize they love Celtic music until they hear it, and the mashups are only adding to the popularity. Our a cappella vocals transport you to the North Sea, the Caribbean, or to a remote village pub in County Clare

Watch a video of the Band here: https://youtu.be/ZUq7MxtpUfM

For more on the band, check their website, www.threetimesthrough.com, Three Times Through Facebook page, Three Times Through YouTube Channel or email Jeff Peach at jwpeach@gmail.com

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The Mermaid’s Tavern

The Mermaid’s Tavern is the moniker Lynn Noel gave the online folk sings she began when the COVID pandemic began and as of October, 2023, Lynn still hosts a monthly Ballad sing on the first Sunday of each month, online via Zoom.

The time slot for these sessions is a bit inconvenient for those in South Asia, (11:30 PM – 1:30 AM in New Delhi), and in Australasia, (4 – 6 AM Monday morning in Sydney), but for participants in the rest of the English speaking parts of the world it is daytime or evening on Sunday: 11 AM – 1 PM in the Pacific Time Zone / 2 PM – 4 PM Eastern / 7 PM – 9 PM in Ireland and the UK.

David Kidman is a regular participant from Yorkshire, UK. David says,

The sessions are well steered, with no idle chat – and yet there’s always time for a cordial welcome. The host’s respect for the participants goes hand-in-voice with the sense of mutual trust that this engenders. Singers therefore experience a feeling of being valued, not least for adding value to the shared experience.

Lynn has undertaken a significantly larger role in the ‘new online music community’. Lynn Noel says,

We connect and coach participatory audiences, session leaders, and performers pivoting to digital to create and cultivate online community.

For details and links, check out The Mermaid’s Tavern website, and then check out the rosters to see who joins us and what we sing, and join the mailing list for links to more online sessions.

Tips and patrons keep us on the air and releasing new music on Bandcamp, so thanks for your donations toward studio services.

More details on Lynn Noel’s personal website

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Established in 2009, Phoenix Folk exists to promote performance and participation in folk music, song and dance. We offer regular folk sessions, events and ensemble opportunities, both in the North East of England and online. Additionally, we provide a range of resources aimed at helping people to engage with folk music as both participant and listener. We put participation at the centre of all that we do, and aim to provide a comfortable space where musicians of all levels of ability can experience the joy of making music with others, extend their repertoire, challenge themselves and be inspired.

On Mondays, Maurice & Marina host a Play Along tune session leading mostly Irish Traditional Music tunes at a steady pace.

On Tuesdays, Maurice & Marina host a ‘Folk Singaround’, featuring mostly (but not exclusively) folk and traditional tunes and songs from the British Isles and North America. This regularly includes acappella and self accompanied songs, tunes, poems and readings from many attendees.

On Thursdays, Maurice & Marina host another ‘Play Along’ tune session, leading lots of Celtic tunes at full speed. They have a particular interest in Northumbrian music and see their online presence as a great opportunity to share local tunes with musicians from outside the region/outside the UK.

Phoenix Folk Website: https://phoenixfolk.co.uk

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Dublin’s Clé (Left) Club has in person traditional music and song sessions at the Liberty Hall Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, but on the first Monday of each month, at 8:00 PM, their Séamas Sheils hosts an Online music and song session on the Zoom platform, called Clé Abhaile (Left Home).

At these Clé Abhaile monthly Zoom meetings, the host for the evening, usually Séamas Sheils, seeks contributions in song, music or verse from the attendees, and generally gets enough to fill a couple of hours with pleasant performances.

The Zoom code needed to join the meeting changes for each month, so one must send an email to Seamus at info@cleabhaile.com, a day or so ahead, asking to be added to his email list, and he will send you a reply with the Zoom code for that month.

The Clé Club is devoted to traditional music and song, and currently meets in person at historic Liberty Hall, Dublin at 7:30 PM (Doors from 7:00 PM) on the third Wednesday of the month (except July and August). If you are in Dublin, drop in!

Clé Abhaile Online Session email: info@cleabhaile.com
Clé Club email: mailto:cleclub@gmail.com
Clé Club Webpage: https://cleclub.org/home/

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The Moosehead Session

Welcome to the ONLINE ZOOM Moosehead Traditional Irish Music Session! Hosted by Mark Wallis & Alix Sandra Huntley-Speirs.

All are welcome to attend to play, and/or listen and enjoy! This is a traditional Irish tune instrument session only, Read More …

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89155330559?pwd=NHF4aTU0TSsxd01aUVdNbXhoODRGQT09
Meeting ID: 891 5533 0559
Passcode: tunes

Please also join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trad.irish.music.session

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Welcome to the Ag Teacht Le Chéile Irish Session! Hosted by native Irish singer Maureen McNally, this Traditional Irish Tune and Song Session meets every Monday at 11 PM Ireland/UK | 6 PM Eastern | 3 PM Pacific, online via Zoom.

All are welcome to attend to play, sing, and/or listen and enjoy!

Join Zoom Meeting
https://link.americeltic.net/atlc

Long time participant Cornelius (Connie) McEleney passed on in early 2023, but we still have his playlist, with lyrics and recordings of Connie singing 33 of his Irish songs to learn ourselves. Cornelius McEleney Collection.

Please email questions to: maureenmcnally6@gmail.com

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Suzuki Cady

Irish fiddle player, singer, and teacher Suzuki Cady brings a dynamic mix of acoustic Irish and American folk music to San Francisco Bay Area venues, and now she is teaching others to learn the same!

Suzuki has room for 2 more folks to join her current session at $30/week. A new 6-week Session Starts February 24 ~ $150

Suzuki says:
Discover the hypnotic melodies, pulsing rhythms, and worldwide customs of traditional Irish music! Classes are held at a private home in Sebastopol, California (address provided upon signup). *We have room for a couple more folks to join the current class session at a $30/week rate.

Learn to play captivating tunes and build your repertoire! Have fun and build a musical community in the process. We will focus on learning tunes by ear, which is part of the folk tradition. Please bring a recording device to class.

Website: https://www.suzukicady.com/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/suzuki.cady
Classes Webpage: https://www.suzukicady.com/irish-music-class-for-all-instruments
Email Suzuki: suzukicady@gmail.com
Call Suzuki: 415-302-9658

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Every Monday night the Celtic Arts Center offers a free introductory Irish language workshop online via Zoom for complete beginners that starts at 7PM and Traditional Celtic music jam session in the Lounge – Musicians and singers are welcome!

Check out the full details on their website here: Online Beginners Irish Language Class Mondays, 7–8PM. This beginners level emphasises on pronunciation, lower level grammar and basic conversation practice. Classes are FREE for first-timers and Celtic Arts Center members. The current term began on Monday, February. 5th, 2024, but they are still accepting new students. Email James Murphy at language@celticartscenter.com with any questions.

In addition, CAC hosts many in-person events at the Mayflower Club, 11110 Victory Blvd., in North Hollywood, CA. On Monday, October 28th, at 7:00 PM Celtic Arts Center, presents Samhain 2024, A Celtic New Year Celebration and Hallowe’en Party at The Mayflower Club! Check out the details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/907760217385097. They also host a half-dozen more annual Festivals, starting with Saint Patrick’s Day, and continuing through the Celtic Year. Check out the venue website here: https://mayflowerclub.com

Weekly, on Mondays, they host several social events, beginning at 7PM with an in-person Irish Traditional Music Learners session where musicians can learn and practice traditional Celtic tunes. At 8PM there is a free Irish céilí dance workshop for both beginner and intermediate level students. All that is followed by the Center’s famous traditional music seisiún where singers and musicians from all across the L.A. area gather to play and share their love for the music of the Celts. There is no admission fee for performers or audience members and everyone is welcome to participate or just listen and watch. You may also hear the recitation of a Celtic-themed poem or even a joke told in Irish! The Center has seen many of its young members, traditional Celtic musicians and performers grow into accomplished performers who successfully tour and compete both in the U.S. and internationally.

Check out the Celtic Arts Center Website

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The Trans-Atlantic Session on Zoom

Tony Becker of San Jose, California hosts this Trans-Atlantic Session for all interested parties on Wednesdays, at 7:00 PM Ireland and UK time, 3:00 PM Eastern or 12:00 PM Pacific in the USA.

Later that same evening, from 11:00 PM Eastern or 7:00 PM Pacific Time, Tony hosts the Pacific Evening Session, timed to for participants on the West Coast of the US and across the Pacific Ocean.

Both are a participatory online music events via Zoom.

Click here to Join the Zoom Meeting!

Each of these two sessions is open for a couple of hours to all who play or sing traditional music and with the obvious limitations of Zoom in that only one musician can play at a time but we go round the ‘room’ and take it in turns – no pressure though and the baton can be passed if you just want to listen.

On a good day we have a variety of tunes with instruments from pipes to melodeon, banjo to fiddle and an equal number of songs, with some from other cultures and languages like Irish or Scottish Gaelic! The participants are very friendly and we welcome everyone – it can be a good way to pick up any of the above! The only criterion is we try to have some of the offerings in Celtic traditional genre(s).

Please come along if you can!

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John Whelan

Seven-time All-Ireland Button Accordion Champion John Whelan is one of the world’s best living Irish button accordion players. John was raised in the vibrant London Irish music scene of the 1970s, and learned his craft from such legends as Lucy Farr, Roger Sherlock, Paddy Taylor, Mick O Connor and his teacher Brendan Mulkaire. Along with his All-Ireland Championships, he was twice awarded musician of the year from the Irish Music Association. He has over 15 CDs and has performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. John’s music has been featured on such TV shows as ‘Sex in the City,’ ‘History’s Mysteries’ and ‘History Detective.’ John performs with the John Whelan Band and has also teamed up with his old pal Brian Conway forming the group Gailfean, which also features Máirtin De Cógáin and Don Penzien have released their first new CD. For over a decade, John has performed ‘Monday’s with John’ every Monday evening on his Facebook Profile.

Every Wednesday, live on Zoom, John hosts two free, play along style events: a ‘Tune Learning’ workshop, and after a break a ‘Taking Time’ slow session, both of which regularly draw attendees from around the world (see box for times).

This is also a great opportunity for learning new tunes, as everybody except the session leader (John) will be muted while they play. Unlike an in-person session, you can noodle along to your heart’s content, and nobody will ever know unless you tell them.

Check them out here: http://johnwhelanmusic.com/slow-session. We send out a tune list and Zoom link for them on the same mornings. Email John at whelanbx1@me.com to get on the list or for more details.

Get more details on John’s Facebook Page or John’s Website

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Stepwise

Traditional Celtic folk duo Stepwise, Liam Lewis (mandolin, guitar, fiddle, voice) and Olivia Breidenthal (fiddle and voice) performs a mixture of traditional Irish songs with tight vocal harmonies and traditional Irish tune sets. Olivia is a practitioner of the Galway fiddle style with influences including Kevin Burke, the Kane Sisters, and Liz Carroll.

In 2022 they completed a new album of original music, Stepwise.

Click to watch a video of Stepwise performing Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still: https://youtu.be/geC8snZoqqM

Seeking a safe and socially distant place to meetup and play tunes, Stepwise was created very organically in the park; purely because it was too much fun to play so many good tunes together and not share it with an audience.

Together, Olivia and Liam’s instrumental arrangements feature intricate twin fiddles or groovy rhythm guitar fit for a traditional Ceili or the discerning ears of an Irish-enthusiast audience.

Check their Website.
Check their YouTube Channel.
Check their Facebook Page.
Email Stepwise: stepwisemusic@gmail.com

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The Philo-Celtic Society

The Philo-Celtic Society offers four full quarters of multiple free classes focused on learning the Irish Language, and some quarters include classes in Irish Song. Fall Quarter 2024 classes began in mid-September and run through December, and include a Children’s Reading Class. All are accessible to everyone everywhere, Online via Zoom

With so many different classes running at once, the school is organized using an online Group membership method. Unlike in-person classes, there is a separate Group.io webpage for each particular Class. The use of separate Groups.io webpages for administration functions avoids having the teachers directly collect and email reminders to every student. Join the particular Group.io ‘Group’, then ‘sign in’ to that particular webpage, and you are registered to attend that class.

To attend class, students simply point their browser at the Class webpage, and then open the Zoom link posted there. Since the meetings are video recorded, they remain accessible on Groups.io along with class materials, and if a student misses a class, they can always review these posts and ‘catch up’.

Here is a document that will guide you, step-by-step, through the registration process on Groups.io: Getting Started Guide (PDF)

The Basic Level ‘Starting to Learn’ class in the Irish language happens on Fridays. ‘Starting to Learn’, taught by Jerry Kelly, is suitable for Absolute Beginners — This is where you start. https://groups.io/g/philo-startingtolearn.

Spring Quarter classes begin the first week of February. Check on the many other Irish language classes available on their Groups.io Messages webpage here: https://groups.io/g/philo-celtic-society/messages. Follow the links and sign into your class(es), and spread the word !!!

Current classes are also summarized on the Philo-Celtic Society Main Groups.io webpage: https://groups.io/g/philo-celtic-society

Check the Philo-Celtic Society Website: https://www.philo-celtic.com

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Autumn Rhodes

Autumn Rhodes was raised in a rural Indiana household full of Irish music. At the age of 12, Autumn got a tin whistle for a birthday present and a year later was performing professionally

Shortly after, Autumn progressed to the flute and concertina and learned from master players such as Laurence Nugent, Kevin Henry, and John Williams. Autumn is equally renowned as a singer in the Sean-nós style of Irish tradition.

Autumn plays wooden flute, tin whistle, uilleann pipes, and concertina in several bands, including Buncrana, Soltre, Bardic Apostles, Slaggy Maggie, Meitheal, Mira, Na Cailini, and a few others, in styles including traditional Irish, jazz, classical, Breton, folk, and Bulgarian/Romanian music.

Autumn says:
Join us for a weekly drop-in Irish tune learning class for all instruments. The only requirements are for you to have an instrument that can play in D, a little bit of experience playing Irish music, and an internet connection.

I have more than 20 years of experience teaching students of all levels. Join my class for all instruments and learn classic session tunes along with technique, ornamentation, and phrasing. We will be mostly learning by ear, but I’ll provide sheet music and recordings.

On my website, https://sites.google.com/view/irishtuneclass,
I’ll be posting tunes, sheet music, recordings, history, and other resources. It’s a work in progress at the moment, but you can e-mail me with questions: autumn@cei.li (yes, it’s a real email address). Stay tuned (pun 100% intended).

$15-20 suggested donation (but nobody turned away) via PayPal, paypal.me/concertinachick or @Autumn-Rhodes on Venmo, or CashApp $ConcertinaChick, Apple Pay, or other.

Website: https://sites.google.com/view/irishtuneclass
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/irishtuneclass
Email Autumn: autumn@cei.li

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The Ould Sod Virtual Irish Traditional Session

On two Thursdays each month, multi-instrumentalist Michael Eskin hosts an The Ould Sod Virtual Session.

These are easily best and most popular online sessions in the western hemisphere. The music is 95% Irish traditional instrumental dance tunes with an occasional song, and the participation level is massive!

The Zoom meeting detailed information is posted on Michael’s website:

Get the Zoom Link

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Our friend Phillip Taylor is hosting an Irish/Scottish Instrumental Tund learning session at the Strum Shop in Roseville, CA. We are a group of Irish/Scottish instrument learners supporting one another’s musical growth and knowledge of Celtic tunes. Advanced musicians should be aware and bring their patience as well as their instruments. Newer musicians are welcome, but we are not instructors…

Phil says:
It’s a learning session, meaning we have a stable list that changes slowly to allow people to practice between sessions. It is slower than a normal session, and we hand out written music and may practice the same song more than once at different speeds. You can contact me at phillipetaylor@yahoo.com

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Break Through your Ancestry Brick Walls!

A printable e-book
by Cecilia Fábos-Becker

Ancestry & DNA

Family History Research: Beyond the Basics

There are many good basic manuals, both in print and online, that can help you get started researching your ancestors and finding lost cousins, but in over fifty years of research into our own Scots-Irish, Irish, Scottish and Welsh ancestry, I’ve learned what works well and what doesn’t, as well as many useful sources and links.

Now, I have written a book, Ancestry & DNA – Beyond the Basics, to help you, and all Americans find their origins. My book will be especially useful to especially Celtic Americans doing family history research, and it is available for immediate download!

Author Celia Fábos-Becker

My Book includes:

• Introduction to Family History Documents
• What are REAL Primary Sources?
• America’s Dark Age (1783 to 1850)
• Finding Family Records with online services
• Introduction to Family History DNA
• Using DNA Tests to help Find Family History
• How autosomal, MtDNA, or Y-DNA tests can help
• DNA Testing Company Reviews
• Loads of Examples

Download Ancestry & DNA – Beyond the Basics here:

Get Ancestry & DNA: Beyond the basics NOW!

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The Plough and Stars

Wednesday — Sunday 4 to 12 PM

The Plough and Stars Irish Pub, 116 Clement Street at 2nd Avenue, San Francisco, CA

Tune Session

Sundays, 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Various hosts and players

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Set Dancing

Thursdays, 8:00-10:30 PM

Dancing Details: Irish Dance Meetup Group

The Plough and Stars Irish Pub, is known around the world for hosting incredible Irish music and pulling beautiful pints of Guinness since 1975. Since then, it has evolved to host live music every night of the week, except Monday, including all genres of music; Bluegrass, Country, Rock, Zydeco, acoustic Americana, and of course, Irish Traditional.

Over the years The Plough and the Stars in San Francisco has hosted many well-known musicians from Ireland and around the globe, but the COVID pandemic and related public health restrictions put a stop to all that for over a year. The resulting business losses threatened to put The Plough out of business permanently, but a sustained community crowdfunding effort helped keep it going, and now it appears to have emerged intact.

Sean Heaney says:
Music and Dance at the Plough are back. See the boxes for the latest details or check our website or just drop by for a pint!

Check for the latest updates:
The Plough and Stars Website
The Plough and Stars Facebook Page

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The Chieftain Irish Pub & Restaurant

Open 7 days a week
Monday – Thursday 3:00 PM til close
Friday – Sunday 12:00 PM til close

The Chieftain, 198 5th St, San Francisco, CA

Debbie and Mark Nagle

We Are Open!

The Chieftain Irish Pub & Restaurant, is a bustling SoMa spot with delicious food offerings to choose from. Large beer selection, wine menu and cocktail list to feast from.

This local Irish Pub brings the culture of Ireland to San Francisco, offering a full bar, Happy Hour specials, and a full Irish restaurant menu, including favorites like Fish And Chips and our signature Spicy Potato Bites which go with any style of sport, music or fun.

Says Publican, Mark Nagle:

Good health to you all and look forward to seeing you back at The Chieftain soon! — Mark Nagle

The Chieftain hosts live performers every Friday and Saturday, often featuring new musical talents, and Live Irish Music on Sundays from 6:30 PM.

For the latest happenings, check the Chieftain facebook Page, or call 415-615-0916, or email Mark Nagle at mark@thechieftain.com or check www.thechieftain.com.

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Cedar Dobson

Irish Tin Whistle Services
New Album Coming soon: Decade
One on One Lessons:
Fridays: 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Mondays: 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Tu,We,Th: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
(Pacific Time)
Online via Zoom or In-Person

Gandharva Loka World Music Store, 62 South Great Georges St., Dublin, Ireland

Cedar Dobson

Cedar Dobson, 24, is a multi-credentialed visual artist, photographer, videographer, musician and composer specializing in traditional Irish and Scottish music. Cedar plays the Tin Whistle, Irish Flute, Bodhrán, Mandolin, Uilleann Pipes, and Guitar.

For a nominal fee, Cedar will record your tune, or compose a new one exclusively for you, as a birthday gift to a friend or loved one.

On Friday, November 15th, 2025, Cedar released her 3rd Album, A Whistle Wonderland – Christmas Melodies in a Celtic Style, on BandCamp. Check her Facebook Page for links and updates https://www.facebook.com/CedarDobsonMusic

Videos:

Whistle Demo

Cradling Arms of Croaghan/Back to Belfast

Two Jigs and Two Reels with John Doyle

Cedar says:
I’m so excited to be currently creating my fourth album, and my first Irish traditional/contemporary trad solo album, Decade! This project is a heartfelt journey through the most influential tunes of my ten-year whistle-playing career. Every donation will directly support the brilliant musicians who bring this album to life and fund the production of physical copies. Join me in celebrating this beautiful genre and the incredible talent behind it! Click here to make a donation Thank you so much for your support! – Cedar

Lessons:

Cedar offers private, affordable and enjoyable tin whistle lessons! Lessons, either in-person or via Zoom, are taught from the studio at Gandharva Loka World Music Store in Central Dublin, Ireland. Lessons are available at Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced levels, as well as Low Whistle and Percussive and Improvisation style lessons.

Your first lesson is a free trial. If the student would like to continue lessons, they can book four or eight of them (one a week for four/eight weeks) for an affordable set price. The lessons are 45 minutes long and the student will be given notes and resources from the lessons.

Contact Cedar at cedardobsonmusic@gmail.com
Message Cedar on Facebook
Hire Cedar on Fiver

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Sláinte Pub

Fridays 12 PM – 12 AM
Saturdays: 11 AM – 12 AM
Sundays: 11 AM – 10 PM
Tues, Wed, & Thurs: 3 PM – 10 PM
Pacific Time

Sláinte Pub, 131 Broadway, Oakland, CA

Sundays: Buncrana

Buncrana at Sláinte
Susan Spurlock, Tedd Colt, Darcy Noonan, Hector Bragado,
Michael Stack, Patricia Ross, Tim Hill, and Autumn Rhodes.

After opening in April 2017, Sláinte Pub in Oakland featured some of the finest local food, drink, and regional singers and musicians, in live, acoustic performance and quickly became the hot new place for Irish hospitality, culture and music in the East Bay.

Contact them at (510) 823-2644
@slainteoakland
Website: https://slainteoakland.com.
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/slainteoak

Email: cheers@slainteoakland.com

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Willow on the Green

1327B 9th Ave., San Francisco, CA

Open 7 days a week

Weekdays 11:00-7:00
Weekends 10:00-7:00

Willow on the Green

Friend of the Family Alex Sinclair, has now operated his Celtic business Willow on the Green, for a more than a year.

The shop is on the not-so-quiet 9th Avenue, which is directly in front of the main entrance to Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA.

Alex says:
We cater to the ‘Day in the Park’ crowd, offering all manner of Scottish, Welsh, English and Irish goodies, one might like to have for a Picnic In The Park, including cheese, chutney, clotted cream, cuppa, kippers, and many other delectable wares that don’t begin with a ‘c’. With a bit of prior notice, Celtic musicians and buskers are welcome to our store front on 9th Avenue, just a stones throw from the main entrance to Golden Gate Park.

Perusing Goodies

Willow on the Green is dedicated to British and Californian fine foods, cheeses, meats, provisions, and products. Located in the heart of the Inner Sunset District, San Francisco, just a stone’s throw from the entrance to Golden Gate Park.

Facebook Page: Willow on the Green
Phone: (415) 259-1811
Email: indulge@willowonthegreen.com

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David Brewer Music Lessons

Online via Zoom!

David Brewer Music Lessons

Celtic music recording artist and multi-instrumentalist David Brewer is Fired up on teaching music over Zoom—Anytime, from Anywhere!

David is offering relaxed and fun, yet informative and in-depth lessons on any or all of these topics:

• Penny-whistle
• Bodhran
• Scottish Bagpipes
• Uilleann pipes
• Tune-writing & composition
• Music theory
• Accent City & phrasing
• Performance techniques
• Guided recording project consulting
• And more!

For more information, to schedule a lesson on Zoom, or to find out more about David’s upcoming tutorial series launching on Patreon later this summer, please email: davidbrewerbooking@gmail.com

David Brewer is a member of the Scottish folk band, The Fire, and has performed around the world with Molly’s Revenge, The Chieftains, and The Old Blind Dogs.

For more about David Brewer, visit: www.davidbrewermusic.com

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The Starry Plough

3101 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA

Everyday, 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM

Events

Sunday: Irish music sessions
5:30-7:00 PM Moderate-Pace
7:30-10:30 PM The Starry Session
Monday: 7:00 PM – 11:00 PM Irish Ceili Dancing
Tuesday: 7:30 PM Open Mic Night
Wednesday: 8:00 PM The Berkeley Poetry Slam
Thursday: 8:00 PM Trivia with Miss Jenna
Friday/Saturday: See our Schedule!

Manager Shahin Naima reopened The fabled Starry Plough on Sunday, April 3rd, 2022. We are now open 7 days a week with all of the Plough’s treasured events returning, from Irish dancing to open mic nights (except Funk Night, for now).

We Are Back! We are so happy to be back and look forward to serving you all for many years to come. To keep our community space thriving we have partnered with our fiscal sponsorship, Haven of Hope, to begin accepting donations from our loyal patrons and members of The Starry Plough community. This provides the opportunity to contribute to the cost of the expenses that go into making our famous community events so special. Please consider donating through thehavenofhope.org/donate to keep the Starry Plough in our amazing community for the future generations of Berkeley.’ — Starry Plough manager Shahin Naima

The pub was open for Saint Patrick’s day with a ‘scratch band’ of staff to serve the traditional corned beef and cabbage, and songs, tunes and dancing filled this treasured Arts institution one again, as explained in this Detailed Article by Madeline Wells of SFGATE.

Website: www.thestarryplough.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/StarryPlough

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Darcy Noonan

Darcy Noonan is an accomplished violinist based in the Bay Area. Following her heart, she has studied and performed a variety of musical genres including classical, ragtime, mariachi, Greek, and (closest to her heart) Irish traditional music. In fact practically the second after graduating from High School she was off to Ireland to study with her idols for a few years.

Darcy has played with numberous bands and orchestras, including The Black Brothers, Eamonn Flynn, Jammy Dodgers, Violins of Hope, Noonan, Howard, and Straw, The Get Happy String Band, Disciples of Markos, Tipsy House and Mariachi Femenil Orgullo Mexicano.

Darcy is now back in the Bay Area, and Darcy is accepting students as an expert fiddler and Suzuki certified teacher with years of experience performing and teaching.

If you are interested in booking Darcy for a gig or for violin lessons, send her an email at darcynoonanviolin@gmail.com or visit her website at darcynoonanviolin.com

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AmeriCeltic Logo Items

→ AmeriCeltic Logo Gifts! ←

Shirt, Hat, Mug, Apron

3 FULLY EMBROIDERED – MADE IN USA

Celebrate your rich AmeriCeltic history and heritage in style and class and support AmeriCeltic by sporting a shirt, hat, mug, apron or patch, all except the mug, embroidered in full color with the AmeriCeltic logo! And don’t forget to give one to yourself!

Click Here for the full line-up of AmeriCeltic Logo items.

The AmeriCeltic logo, styled like a coat of arms, commemorates your MIXED, Scots, Irish, Welsh Celtic American heritage! Wales, Scotland, Ireland and the thirteen colonies of mostly Scots, Scots-Irish, Irish and Welsh who joined with many others from many other countries, and together fought tyranny to assert our Independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain.

Click for more information about the AmeriCeltic Logo design

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The Celtic Tea Shoppe offers a great selection of Celtic and Celtic inspired foods, including:
• Meat Pies
• Sausage Rolls
• Liquor Cakes
• Irish Soda Bread
• Salted Caramels
• Gift Boxes
• Premium Loose-leaf Teas

Everything is handmade at our shoppe in San José, CA and curbside pickup service and shipping are available.

To check The Celtic Tea Shoppe Facebook Page, Click Here!

Call us directly at 408-267-7090 or check our website www.celticteashoppe.com for all our other baked goods and confections. To order, contact Kristen Scott with a call to 408-267-7090, or an email to sales@artisancandies

Brigadoon

Important Announcement: Going forward in 2023, we are looking to give scholarships to young dancers in local Scottish and Irish dance schools, and would love to have your help. Dance is very near and dear to Dean and Kristen’s hearts, and they want to help those dancers who show much promise and talent, but who have less resources and thus barriers to success compared to others who do.

If you are interested in participating, please let us know and how much you would like to give toward this scholarship. We are currently looking at a candidate for whom we’d like to raise $1000 – to help them with their dance studies, whether it be shoes, costumes, lessons, travel funds, etc. If you are interested in contributing, please let us know ASAP. We must stress that this is not a charity organization we are contributing to, but it is a fundraiser to help local dancers in need. Cheers!

(photo is of Dean Scott in a Los Angeles professional company of Brigadoon, 1984)

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Lark in the Morning has been a folk musician’s favorite since 1974 and has an amazing selection of musical instruments and instructional material from around the world.

Eric says:
“Our Berkeley location, 1001 Camelia Street, Berkeley, CA, is open for online lessons and instrument sales Tuesday – Saturday from 12:00 – 6:00 PM!”

Thorn Land and Eric Azumi

Call us at 707-964-5569
Shop online at https://larkinthemorning.com
Check out our Facebook Page www.facebook.com/LarkInAM.

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Duke of Edinburgh Pub & Restaurant Across from Apple Park

The Duke of Edinburgh Pub & Restaurant

Open 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM every day of the year

10801 N. Wolfe Road, Cupertino, CA

Many of you have heard the rumors about the The Duke of Edinburgh Pub & Restaurant.

The Duke is, and will remain, THE only Authentic, (and we do mean AUTHENTIC!), British Pub in the Bay Area, located across the street from Apple Headquarters on Wolfe Road in Cupertino.

The atmosphere at the ‘The Duke‘, is the same as you would find in any pub in the British Isles, full of friendly patrons who come in to socialize, play darts, have a pint or two, and eat a meal. If you are looking for a comfortable elegance, pints of beer and authentic food, in an authentic English Pub, there is no a better choice in the Bay Area. The Duke offers a large number of beers on draft and by the bottle. Almost anything English, Scottish or Irish is available. Murphy’s Irish Stout brewed in Cork, Ireland and Scotch Eggs is always a good choice.

The servers are excellent and very knowledgeable about the beer and food menu. The menu is expansive and worth exploring. The dark pubsy feel with old regulars in their respective, but not crowded corners around lunch hour in Cupertino, is a great boon.

You can’t find more ‘authentic’ atmosphere, because the entire building was built in jolly old England, then disassembled, shipped and reassembled on site in Cupertino. With the red velvet seating and wall paper and ornate, dim lighting, you are transported to London as soon as you enter the etched glass door.

More info. on The Duke Facebook Page, website www.theduke.com or call 408-446-3853.

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Wanna help, comment or get published?

We publish articles or comments that relate to our Mission (see below), to our thousands of Celtic concordant readers. If you have one, email us: Tony and Celia Becker, americeltic@gmail.com

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Click to display the combined AmeriCeltic Calendar, covering the Northern California Coast and Bay Area, and the Celtic Events Calendar, from Chuck Jamison, covering the Central Valley.
To submit an event for listing in our Calendars, email your Celtic event info., including Who, What, Where, Why & Description to us.
Coastal Celtic events – Email AmeriCeltic. Central Valley events – Email Chuck Jamison.
Click Here to use the online form.
We love videos! Include a link to an online video, and you will likely get featured in this weekly newsletter!

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AmeriCeltic Mission

AmeriCeltic is a user supported, non-profit service organization. Our Mission is to restore awareness, celebrate and preserve the culture and history of Celtic Americans by promoting live Celtic music, festivals, history & ancestry as well as report and comment on related current events. To help fund our efforts, click here or click on the Donate Button on our AmeriCeltic Website www.americeltic.net.

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