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Hello AmeriCeltic Reader,
• On Friday, March 14th, 1:00 PM, the The Irish Film Festival Los Angeles with a 3 day showing of dozens of Irish Films at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, 6:00 PM, Suzuki Cady and Jimmy Murphy begin a four city series of St. Patrick’s Day events in San Rafael, CA followed by shows in Tiburon, Novato, & Petaluma, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 7:00 PM, the scintillating St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland show continues their multi-city tour of California at the UICC in San Francisco, CA, with with two more shows in Vacaville and Arroyo Grande, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 7:00 PM, the United Irish Cultural Center hosts the St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland stage show. Then, on Saturday, March 15th, at 2:00 PM, they host the Post St. Patrick’s Day Parade Party, and on Sunday, March 16th, at 12:00 PM, the Green Fest Block Party. All of these events are in-person at their large facility in San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 7:00 PM, Celtic Rock Band Tempest performs at oodhouse Blending & Brewing, in
• On Friday, March 14th, at 7:30 PM, the Irish band Goitse performs at Montalvo Arts Center, in Saratoga, CA. Then, on Sunday, March 16th and Monday, March 17th, the La Jolla Music Society presents four shows from Irish band Goitse at their music hall in La Jolla, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 8:00 PM, the new Michael and The Muses band debuts at The Bistro in Hayward, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 8:00 PM, Irish comic David Nihill‘s Shelf Help show tour continues at Aladdin Theater, in Portland, OR. The tour includes a dozen more shows on the West Coast. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, March 15th, at 8:00 AM, it’s the Annual San José Shamrock Run, starting at Five Points, 169 W Santa Clara St, in San José, CA. (See Below)
• On Friday, March 14th, at 8:00 PM, the Katie Jane Band continues their St. Paddy’s shows at the O’Looney’s Irish Pub, in Gig Harbor, WA, followed by 7 more shows around the Portland, OR area. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, 8:30 AM to 5 PM its Murphys Irish Day, with a Parade, vendors and entertainment, including The Black Irish Band with Michael Mullen, in downtown Murphys, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, at 10:00 AM, the United Irish Societies of San Francisco will host the 174th annual San Francisco Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in downtown San Francisco. (See Below)
• Saturday, March 15th, at 10:00 AM through Sunday, March 16th, its the The City of Dublin’s 41st Annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! at the Civic Center in Dublin CA. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, March 15th, at 12:00, the Black Irish Band plays Murphys Irish Day, in Murphys, CA, and later the same day, at 6:00 PM, The Rock of Twain Harte, in Twain Harte, CA. Then, on Saint Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17th, at 4:00 PM, they play for Campo Di Bocce, in Los Gatos, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, March 15th, at 4:00 PM, the South Bay Yacht Club is hosting their annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Party, at their clubhouse in the Alviso Neighborhood, of San Jose, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, at 4:45 PM, Erica and Friends will perform at Cheese Board Collective, Berkeley, CA. Then, on Sunday, March 30th, at 2:00 PM, at Riggers Loft in Richmond, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, at 5:00 PM, Irish band Sixpenny performs at Sausalito Yacht Club, Sausalito, CA in lovely Sausalito, CA, followed by an appearance on Sunday, March 16th Sunday, March 16th at the Dublin, CA festival and Monday, March 17th, at 5:30 PM at Main Street Brewery in Pleasanton, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, 5:00 PM, the Charmas Celtic Band of Santa Cruz is back for couple of Saint Patrick’s shows, first at Kelly Brewing Company in Morgan Hill, CA, and second gig on Monday, March 17th, 6:30 PM, at Murry’s Irish Pub, in San Leandro, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Friday, March 14th, at 6:00 PM, Celtic All-Star Grateful Dead Jam Band Wake the Dead, a ‘Lite’ lineup show at Norm’s Place in Danville, CA, followed on Friday, March 15th, at 8:00 PM, the full lineup at The Felton Music Hall, in Felton, CA, and an appearance on Saturday, March 22nd, at 7:30 PM as part of the Lark Traditional Arts Fundraiser at Ashkenaz Music Hall, Berkeley, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, at 7:00 PM The Black Brothers Band continue their annual Saint Patrick’s Day tour with a house concdert in San Carlos, CA, followed by two more shows in Berkeley and San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• On Saturday, March 15th, at 7:30 PM, The Gasmen entertain at Studio Fourth Street, in San Rafael, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Saturday March 15th, at 9:00 PM The Hooks Jesse Newmark and Culann’s Hounds team up to bring you a rockin’ Saint Patrick’s show in Fairfax, CA. Then, on Sunday, March 16th, at 1:30 PM, the Hooks perform at the UICC Green Fest in San Francisco, CA (See Below)
• New! On Saturday, March 15th, at 9:00 PM, Celtic Rockers Culann’s Hounds, will give it up again at the Peri’s in Fairfax, CA, followed by shows in Oakland, and San Francisco, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Sunday, March 16th @ 4:00 PM, the Portland Spirit embarks for a cruise on the Willamette river – the 8th Annual Shamrock Cruise from Caruthers Street in Portland, OR. (See Below)
• On Sunday, March 16th, at 4:00 PM, Evan, Tyler and proud papa John Weed continue their inaugural tour, with a concert at St Mary’s by the Sea, in Pacific Grove, CA , and followed by shows in Fremont and Auburn, CA. (See Below)
• On Sunday, March 16th, at 4:00 PM, Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter will continue their Spring tour with a Square dance with their Old-Time Trio, Monroe, OR followed by four more shows in OR through March. (See Details)
• On Sunday, March 17th, at 11:30 AM, the female duo Celtic Moon, performs at Jack’s Brewing Company in Fremont, CA, and a show at 6:00 PM at Caper’s Eat and Drink, in Campbell, CA, and a show on Sunday, March 23rd, at 10:00 AM at Foothills Congregational Church, Los Altos, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Monday, March 17th, at 4:00 PM, the All-Ireland Cultural Society of Oregon hosts their annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration at Aquinas Hall, in Portland, OR. (See Below)
• New! On Monday, March 17th, at 6:00 PM the Cooking with Turf and Gavin Bruce band plays at the Ripon Taphouse in Ripon, CA. (See Below)
• On Monday, March 17th, at 7:30 PM, Irish Trad Band Téada, from Sligo, Ireland, will perform at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, CA. (See Below)
• New! On Monday, March 17th at 7:30 PM, Colin Urwin & Kenny Somerville hold forth with Stories and Songs at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA. (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 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)
• New! On Mondays, from 7:00 – 8:00 PM, the Celtic Arts Center offers beginner level Irish classes online via Zoom. On Monday, March 17th, the evening will feature a Traditional Celtic music jam session in the Lounge and the Annual Limerick Contest! where you’ll read aloud your most original and humorous entries, as well as 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, multi-instrumentalist Michael Eskin hosts The Ould Sod Virtual Irish Session, 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)
• New! On Sunday, March 16th, 10:00 AM Sláinte Pub will be hosting their annual Sláinte Irish Pub Block Party 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.
Sunday, March 16th, 7:00 PM
The Irish Film Festival Los Angeles returns for an exciting three-day celebration of Irish cinema at the Laemmle Monica Film Center, showcasing a dynamic selection of feature films, documentaries, and short films from both established and emerging Irish talent.
This year’s program highlights the creativity and diversity of Irish filmmaking, featuring eight feature films, including critically acclaimed works and bold new projects from rising filmmakers. The lineup shines a spotlight on a range of voices within the industry, including three female directors, award-winning documentaries, gripping dramas, auteur-driven films, and two Irish-language features.
Alongside the feature film program, the festival presents four curated short film screenings, featuring 24 short films that reflect the innovation and storytelling excellence of Irish filmmakers. These selections include eight female directors and ten female writers, three Irish-language shorts, animations, two experimental films, and a variety of short documentaries. The festival also proudly showcases several directorial and feature debuts, reinforcing its commitment to supporting emerging talent.
A Full Festival Pass, Day Passes, and Individual Screening Tickets Available Here
Contact Us: info@ciacla.com
San Rafael Elks Lodge, San Rafael, CA. Details
New Wild Hog at St. Hilary’s Tarantino Hall, Tiburon, CA. Details
Finnegan’s Marin, Novato, CA. Details
Petaluma Women’s Club, Petaluma, CA. Details
Jimmy Murphy & Suzuki Cady specialize in traditional and popular folk songs and instrumentals on acoustic guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo.
Suzuki Cady plays the fiddle, tenor guitar, tenor banjo, and bodhrán (Irish frame drum). With an abiding love of traditional Irish music, she cut her teeth playing at pubs and private sessions throughout the Bay Area, Ireland, and beyond. Suzuki plays in Irish band New Wild Hog, teaches Irish music, and composes original tunes.
Jimmy Murphy sings and plays guitar, mandolin, and banjo. He’s a member of New Wild Hog and other musical collaborations. With over two decades of experience in the Irish music scene in California, he developed a knack for bringing high-energy rhythms and a calming meditative feel to each performance. Jimmy has appeared in venues from the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles to temples in Japan.
Check out Jimmy Murphy’s Website
with The Kennelly School of Irish Dance
United Irish Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA. Details
with Rohan Murphy Irish Dance Academy
Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, Vacaville, CA. Details
with Firedance – Irish Dance 805
Clark Center for the Performing Arts, Arroyo Grande, CA. Details
Experience a rollicking night of music and dance that carries on the Irish traditions of celebrating family and community. Be transported back to the Emerald Isle for a wild evening of fiddles, bodhrán, pipes, song and dance that will have you leaving the theatre with a jig in your step!
The featured performers are the legendary star of Riverdance, Ryan McCaffrey (known as the Legend), alongside another Riverdance veteran, Courtney D’Angelo, and two beguiling newcomers Aubrey Stagnaro and Layla Giles.
— Ryan McCaffrey whose fast paced steps had me transfixed, whether he was dancing to music or without, his snappy footwork sizzled across the stage …
— A perfect event for the entire family …
Experience the best of Ireland as the explosive sound of bodhrán, fiddles, uilleann pipes, guitar and dancing feet roar through the theatre. This treat for the whole family features multi-instrumentalists from the Kerry Traditional Band, as well as singers and dancers in an unforgettable Irish night … Be ready to leave the theatre with a jig in your step!
Sing your heart out with the band on some great Irish songs including: The Wild Rover, Ireland’s Call, Raglan Road, Leaving of Limerick and Black Velvet Band. Our special guests: the Kennelly School of Irish Dance!
Sing your heart out with the band on some great Irish songs including: The Wild Rover, Ireland’s Call, Raglan Road, Leaving of Limerick and Black Velvet Band.
Watch the video:: St Patrick’s Day in Ireland
For more St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland videos, Click Here.
St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland delivers a night of rip-roaring music song and dance…
You’ll leave the theatre with a jig in your step! Irish to the core….not to be missed! A Great Irish Night!
A great celebration of Ireland and its rich culture!
— Irish News and Entertainment
More information on our Website: https://www.kerryirishproductions.com
More information on Facebook
Stage Show
Emerald Pub
45th Ave. from Sloat to Wawona
Wednesdays 7:00 PM: Fiddle/Whistle
Thursdays 7:00 PM: Bag Pipes
Friday, March 14th, at 7:00 PM, St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland Stage Show, (See Full Details Below)
Saturday, March 15th, at 2:00 PM, It’s the Annual Post St. Patrick’s Day Parade Party. Join us at the UICC’s annual Corned Beef and Cabbage meal, featuring San Francisco’s own Robert’s Corned Beef, and know you are coming to the biggest, best, post-parade
Join us at the annual Corned Beef and Cabbage meal, featuring San Francisco’s own Robert’s Corned Beef, and know you are coming to the biggest, best, post-parade St. Patrick’s Day party in San Francisco!
There will be live bands, Irish Dancing, and the Irish Pipers in three locations (two indoors, one outdoors) throughout our facility. Additional food items such as the popular corned beef sliders and grilled cheese and hot dogs for the kids as well plus plenty of Irish treats and sweets at our Irish Shoppe (2-6 PM), which will also have fresh soda and brown bread.
The Dowling Library will be open from 2-5 PM, so check out the latest titles and offerings—and bring the kids for stickers and coloring sheets!
Entertainment Schedule (3 stages):
2-4 PM Turf in the Bog – Trad – Wawona Gates
2-4 PM Sean and Pat O’Donnell – Trad – Emerald Pub
3-5 PM Michael O’Malley DJ – Irish – St. Patrick’s Room
4-6 PM Ben Wise and Shane Reidy – Trad – Emerald Pub
4-6:30 PM Turf in the Bog – Trad – Wawona Gates
5-5:30 PM Murphy Irish Dancers – St. Patrick’s Room
5:30-6 PM Boyle Irish Dancers – St. Patrick’s Room
6-6:30 PM Whelan Irish Dancers – St. Patrick’s Room
6-8 PM Kavanaugh Brothers – Trad – Emerald Pub
7 PM – Michael O’Malley DJ – Irish – St. Patrick’s Room
8-10 PM Mike Keane and The Harps – Trad – Emerald Pub
Plus a special appearance by the San Francisco Irish Pipers
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.
On Sunday, March 16th, from 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM it’s the Green Fest Block party, presented jointly by The United Irish Cultural Center, Java Beach at the Zoo, United Irish Societies, and Cooley Keegan Comhaltas. Green Fest is a family friendly St. Patrick’s Day celebration and a cherished Sunset tradition! The block of 45th Ave in front of the Irish Center between Sloat and Wawona is closed off to traffic and filled with booths and stages, where guests will enjoy food/beverage, entertainment, Irish dancers, live music, pipers, vendors, children’s activities, and more.
Enjoy browsing vendors including Orla Daly and Irish Castle Gifts; Marie Mallon and Treasure Ireland; Theresa Mallon and Roisin Rince; Jill Rosenberg Ceramics; Gerry Kelleher and Sonas Fashion; and other community organizations.
Food options include Shepherd’s pies (veg available); grilled cheeses and hot dogs, and Carlos Mora Taco Truck later in the afternoon. Get your sweets and treats from Ireland and fresh soda bread from the UICC Irish Shoppe (noon- 5 PM).
For the kids there will be a bounce house as well as face painting available.
The Dowling Library will be open from noon-5 PM, so check out the latest titles and offerings—and bring the kids for stickers and coloring sheets!
Family friendly; no cover charge. You must show proof of age 21+ to purchase alcohol.
Entertainment Schedule:
12-1:30 PM UICC Playlist Irish – 45th Avenue
1-3 PM Pigs in the Rigging Trad – Emerald Pub (inside)
1:30-5 PM The Hooks Celtic Rock with Celine Byrne – 45th Avenue
2 PM Whelan Irish Dancers – 45th Avenue
2:30 PM Murphy Irish Dancers – 45th Avenue
3 PM Boyle Irish Dancers – 45th Avenue
3-5 PM Ivor Collins Trad – Emerald Pub
Plus a special appearance by the San Francisco Irish Pipers
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!
Woodhouse Blending & Brewing
Santa Cruz, CA. Details
Firehouse Theater, Pleasanton, CA. Details
With the Shiloh Irish Dancers!
Healdsburg Plaza, Healdsburg, CA. Details
Lief’s Annual Birthday Bash!
Sutter Creek Theater, Sutter Creek, CA. Details
Full Circle Brewing, Fresno, CA. Details
The Starry Plough, Berkeley, CA. Details
Soper Reese Theatre, Lakeport, CA. Details
clockwise from top left: Ian Butler, Lief Sorbye, Jon Berger
Adolfo Lazo, and Rob Wullenjohn
Since forming in 1988, Tempest has delivered a globally-renowned hybrid of high-energy Folk Rock, fusing Irish reels, Scottish ballads, Norwegian influences and other world music elements. The last 30-plus years have seen the San Francisco Bay Area-based act release eighteen critically acclaimed albums and play more than 2,500 gigs.
The current line-up of the band features all the original members, performing a variety of selections from the band’s extensive repertoire, sparking with vitality and energy.
Hailing from Oslo, Norway, founder and lead singer/electric mandolinist, Lief Sorbye, is recognized as a driving force in the modern folk-rock movement. Lief started Tempest after years of touring and recording on the folk circuit.
Lief is joined by Bay Area native Rob Wullenjohn on guitar and San Diego’s Ian Butler on bass. Rob and Ian rejoined the band after performing an impromptu reunion concert in Berkeley, California, that rekindled the original spirit of Tempest.
Vermont born fiddler Jon Berger first joined the band in 1993. Jon is now back, bringing his passion for Celtic and British Isles traditional music.
Audience favorite, Cuban-born drummer Adolfo Lazo, thickens the band’s sound with inventive rhythms, and rock-steady drumming. After more than three decades Adolfo has never missed a Tempest gig!
Tempest is regularly featured at prestigious festivals such as The Philadelphia Folk Festival, and has also appeared at Denmark’s Skagen Festival, Britain’s Cropredy Festival and The Winnipeg Folk Festival in Canada. The band is a mainstay at countless American Celtic festivals, as well.
While signed to Progressive Rock label Magna Carta records Tempest released a number of critically acclaimed albums over the years. However their latest album “Going Home’ was produced on their own independent label, and it’s one of their best to date!
In honor of their 35th Anniversary, they released Tempest Through the Ages the video! This exciting two-hour movie documents our first 20 years together as a band. (It was previously released as a Bonus Disc on the Prime Cuts Compilation in 2008, but has been out of print for many years.) It features Tempest archival material; performed live on stage, TV, and in rehearsal. It includes 30 songs with interviews and rare photos. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/V7iYkAwzNEA
Subscribe to their YouTube Channel and get more videos like this! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh4JqYpFfiN97uXq1XW45Fg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TempestCelticRock
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Sorbye
Artist sites and sounds: www.tempestmusic.com.
Montalvo Arts Center, Saratoga, CA. Details
La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, CA. Details
La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, CA. Details
La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, CA. Details
La Jolla Music Society, La Jolla, CA. Details
The white-hot award-winning Irish quintet, Goitse (pronounced “Go-wit-cha”) brings a vibrant mix of Irish classic jigs and tunes with their own original compositions for an irrepressible Irish musical experience that opens your mind and moves your feet.
The popular and multi-award-winning quintet Goitse was forged in the white-hot creative crucible of Limerick’s Irish World Academy. Named Live Ireland’s “Traditional Group of the Year” and Chicago Irish American News’ “Group of the Year,” as well as winning the prestigious “Freiburger International Leiter 2016” award in Germany, Goitse have become a leader of the new generation of traditional Irish ensembles.
Goitse has released six critically acclaimed recordings and maintains a year-round touring schedule that includes performances throughout Ireland, UK, Germany, France and the United States. Their distinctive sound lies in the quality of their own compositions interspersed with age-old traditional tunes which make each performance unique. Laying the foundations for the music are World and All-Ireland Bodhrán champion Colm Phelan and Conal O’Kane, who is fast making a name for himself as one of the finest guitarists of his generation. The gripping rhythm section sets a powerful drive for the music while the sweet, charismatic voice of Áine McGeeney draws audiences into a song the way few performers can. Multi-instrumentalist Alan Reid features mainly on banjo and bouzouki, drawing from an extensive knowledge of archival collections of Irish music which enriches the band’s repertoire. Tadhg O’Meachair is an All-Ireland piano champion, and is known for his distinctively intricate bass work on accordion.
Video, Goitse Live at Celtic Connections
Together, the quintet Goitse makes what Irish Music Magazine calls Music that’s brimming with energy and creative zeal.
Fiddler Michael Mullen has joined forces with Alison Kline and Lynda MacNeil of Gaelic Muses to craft a new Celtic ensemble that is elegant, fun, and passionate all at once. We are all very excited about it. Celtic songs, songs that they didn’t know they were Celtic, and lots of jigs and reels. You should check out Michael and The Muses.
Michael Mullen says:
MATM are: myself doing fiddle, frets, and vocals, Alison on whistles and recorders of every size, and Lynda on keys, harp and powerhouse vocals. The music is generally Celtic “plus”: trad songs, various cover songs (Loreena McKennitt, Blackmores Night, Mary Black, Steve Earle, etc), and plenty of rigs and jeels. People finally get to see me play an evening full of alot of fiddle tunes, for the first time in forever. Lol. I’m very much looking forward to that show. We have been working very hard, arranging songs, rehearsing and hearsing our parts (on with the show this is it!), and otherwise prepping for The Show. If you want more information, I’ll be doing some of the usual Facebook stuff soon that will be all about that.
Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR. Details
Neptune Theatre, Seattle, WA. Details
The Magnolia, El Cajon, CA. Details
(NOT a Shelf Help show)
Hollywood Improv, Los Angeles, CA. Details
Comedy+Magic Club Hermosa Beach, CA. Details
SLO Brew Rock, San Luis Obispo, CA. Details
Golden State Theatre, Monterey, CA. Details
Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA. Details
The Raven Theatre, Healdsburg, CA. Details
The Center For The Arts, Grass Valley, CA. Details
Leaving Dublin, Ireland where he was born and raised until the age of 22, Dave Nihill got drunk on travel and never quite hit sobriety of it. He has lived and worked in twelve countries and visited over seventy. His shows draw on his wide travels, cultural observations, attempts at language study, (occasional) international drinking session(s) and being a mildly confused immigrant.
You can watch excerpts of David’s previous comedy shows online on his YouTube channel at this link: David Nihill videos. I (Tony Becker) personally enjoyed this one: Under The Banner of Ireland: Morgan Bullock’s Story
This winter, David’s Shelf Help show is going on tour, with many shows on the West Coast (see box). If you want to see David in person, you’ld better act quickly, because these shows are mostly sold out.
From Dublin, Ireland, David is the winner of the prestigious annual San Francisco Comedy Competition, (previous finalists include Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and Dana Carvey) and runner up in the Moth’s largest US Grandslam storytelling competition. Also a bestselling writer, David recorded his debut special for Dry Bar Comedy in 2019 and has been featured on TED.com, Sirius XM, Just For Laughs,The Irish Independent, Inc, NPR, and the Huffington Post among others. A festival favourite, David’s videos have also gone viral many times over with over 400 million views and a social following of over 1.5 million people.
A Superb night out. Highly Recommended – Scenestr
One of Netflix is a Joke Fest’s Funniest Shows – LA Times
Check out David Nihill website: https://davidnihill.com
Join us on Saturday, March 15th, 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM, for the Annual San Jose Shamrock Run + Leprechaun Kids Run and San Pedro Square Street Party!.
If you haven’t registered for the San Jose Shamrock Run, what are you waiting for?!
Get a shirt & medal to commemorate the day. You don’t want to miss the post-race party, with music, irish dancing, some brews, good people, and cheer at O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub and Five Points. Show your bib after the race and get one free Guinness!
Location: In front of the Shamrock Run Start Line, ( on Santa Clara St. between San Pedro and Almaden.)
Questions? Email info@runlocalevents.com
O’Looney’s Irish Pub, Gig Harbor, WA. Details
St. Agatha Church, Sellwood, OR. Details
Dullahan Irish Pub, Lake Oswego, OR. Details
Blackberry Hall with the Celtic Light Orchestra, Troutdale, OR . Details
Dullahan Irish Pub, Lake Oswego, OR. Details
Shamrock Cruise, Portland, OR. Details
Kennedy School with the Celtic Light Orchestra, Troutdale, OR . Details
The Dalles Library, Dalles, OR. Details
The Katie Jane Band is a high-energy Celtic fiddle band from Portland, OR. Known as ‘Portland’s hottest fiddler,’ Katie Jane’s dynamic performance features virtuosic, high-speed fiddling, her contagious smile, and unstoppable dancing feet. The Katie Jane Band performs traditional and original fiddle music spanning Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, and the USA. Their music takes listeners on a joyful journey through the folklore of Celtic music, and their engaging storytelling relates the audience to the sweetness of everyday human experience.
The Katie Jane Band shares their dynamic stage performance at Celtic festivals, Scottish Highland Games, and theaters up and down the West Coast. Some notable performances include performing at the Pleasanton Scottish Gathering, headlining the Celtic Fantasy Faire in Portland, OR, headlining the Douglas County Scottish Highland Games, performing the live music for Artist Repertory Theater’s production of the Scottish play, ‘The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,’ and producing their own multi-media productions with the Celtic Light Orchestra.
Learn More about the Katie Jane Band:
www.katiejaneband.com
www.facebook.com/katiejaneband
www.instagram.com/katiejaneband
8:30 AM to 5 PM
A Celebration of the Irish! Free Admission – Rain or Shine Event
One of the premiere annual events in the Mother Lode is Murphys Irish Day. On the third Saturday in March, thousands gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys to honor its Celtic heritage and to celebrate as only the Irish can.
The day begins with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 AM. At 11 AM the swirl of bagpipes heralds a parade of marching bands, classic cars, horses, community organizations, novelty entries, and some of the finest children in the land. The picturesque Main Street is filled with booths offering hand crafted items, original art, photographs, tasty food, wine, and other beverages, and throughout the day, there is continuous entertainment featuring singers, dancers, musicians, and jugglers. And some lucky raffle ticket buyer will win an exciting trip for two to Ireland.
Stage Entertainment features the Black Irish Band with Michael Mullen.
Sponsored by the Murphys Business Association, Murphys Irish Day is a fundraiser for many community projects and non-profit organizations. For more information, contact us at info@visitmurphys.com, or https://visitmurphys.com or check the Facebook event.
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join us on Saturday, March 15th, at 11:30 AM for the 174th Annual San Francisco Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, hosted by the United Irish Societies.
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade celebrates and showcases our Irish community, Irish culture and character in all its forms and is one of the city’s most popular annual events. Featured groups from throughout the Bay Area’s Irish community including schools, youth organizations, labor unions, cultural groups, as well as the San Francisco Police and Fire Departments will march down Market Street.
Get ready for San Francisco’s biggest Irish celebration! Join the United Irish Societies of San Francisco for the 2025 San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a cherished tradition that brings the community together to honor Irish heritage and the immigrant experience.
Overview:
• Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025
• Route: Starts at 2nd & Market Street and ends at City Hall
• Parade Kickoff: 11:30 AM
• Please note: There will be no post-parade festival at Civic Center Plaza in 2025.
• This year’s theme: ‘The Immigrant’s Story’
This year, we celebrate the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of immigrants who have shaped San Francisco and beyond.
Parade Highlights:
• Grand Marshal: Mark Gorman leads the way!
• Honorees: Jerry Cassidy, Marie Gavney, and Sr. Edith Hurley, RSM
• A dazzling procession of floats, marching bands, Irish dancers, and cultural groups from around the world!
• A special tribute to the pivotal role of Irish immigrants in San Francisco’s early history.
• A celebration of immigrant resilience through music, dance, and visual art!
Don’t miss this vibrant display of heritage, unity, and community! Line Market Street with family and friends, wave your Irish flags, and celebrate the spirit of St. Patrick”s Day in San Francisco!
Immediately after the Parade, from 2:00 PM on, UISSF will host a block party at the United Irish Cultural Center, at 45th Avenue and Sloat, San Francisco, CA. The Block Party will have live music, Irish food and Beverages, dancing and cultural and business exhibits for the entire family to enjoy. It will also provide an opportunity to learn more about our Irish history and culture.
For more information:
St. San Francisco Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Facebook Page
United Irish Societies of San Francisco Website
Dublin, California offers a free, memorable and authentic Irish experience from with Three Stages of Irish Music and Dance, Food & Drink! Over 250 Booths! Carnival Rides! St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Shamrock 5K Fun Run and Walk!
Festivities begin on Saturday, March 15, at 9:30 AM with the 41st Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Organized by the Dublin Rotary Club, the parade will kick off at Dublin Boulevard and Amador Plaza Road, traveling east on Dublin Boulevard, north on Village Parkway, and west on Amador Valley Boulevard, ending near the Dublin Senior Center.
Entertainment at the festival includes three stages, featuring a wide variety of music, from high energy Celtic rock to traditional Irish Pub music to iconic bagpipes. Bands include Wicked Tinkers, BlackEyed Dempseys, Hounds of Belfast, Stout Rebellion, Golden Bough, Bob Gausman, Margaret and Kristoph, Peter Daldry, Cali Celtic, One Eyed Reilly, Sixpenny, and Extended Roots. Bagpipers will perform throughout the festival grounds.
Here is the 35th Festival’s promotional video Dublin CA St. Paddy’s Festival.
The Black Irish Band is Patrick Michael Karnahan, banjo, melodeon, octave mandolin, trumpet, guitar, concertina, french horn, vocals, and Steve Straus, bass, vocals, along with Michael Mullen, fiddle, vocals and James Dean Nelson, banjo, guitar, vocals.
Formed in 1989 in the historic Gold Rush Town of Sonora, CA, The Black Irish Band presents the songs of the working people from the 19th Century to the present. A large compliment 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.
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
Greene Academy Irish Dancers
The Celtic Harmony Band
Saturday, March 15th, 4 PM – 9 PM
Green Academy of Irish Dance
South Bay Yacht Club, 1491 Hope Street, in the Alviso Neighborhood of San Jose, is hosting a Saint Patrick’s Day Dinner Party!
Seats are limited! Buy your tickets today!
Invite some friends and spread the word!
Dinner:
• Adults 18+ $25
• Hotdogs FREE for Kids
• Home-made Guiness Stew
• Corned Beef & Cabbage
• All the Fixings
Entertainment:
• Celtic Harmony Band
• Greene Academy Irish Dancers
Located just off Highway 237 at Gold Street/First Street exits.
Click Here to Get Tickets!. AmeriCeltic Readers can use the discount code dmchb and say they are guests of host Dean McCully
SBYC event website: https://southbayyachtclub.org/events
For more info. email sbyc.alviso@gmail.com
Erica and Friends is a Berkeley based folk and traditional band lead by Erica Hockett that you really should hear if you get the chance, for example, at their concerts around Berkeley!
Erica Hockett has a voice of breathtaking beauty that brings to mind the likes of Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention) and Dolores O’Riordan (The Cranberries). Accompanied by a fine ensemble of multi-instrumentalists, they share a repertoire from England, Scotland and Ireland, including narrative ballads of love, lust, murder and more!
Erica and Friends are, Erica Hockett, Vocals/Bodhrán, Anne Goess, Violin/Vocals/Tin Whistle, Chris Hammond, Guitar/Vocals, Charlie Hancock, Accordion/Keyboards, Jason Courtney, Bouzouki, Thomas Lindemuth, Vocals, Winds, Percussion.
Their debut album, Hillside Avenue (2018), received wide acclaim, and is widely available on all the main music platforms. Their next album is expected later this year.
Awesome group of performers, who guarantee a good time with superb vocal and instrumental talent across thhe board. Each show is a little different, and I am always blown away by their performances. – Sean Lawlor
For Erica Hockett and Friends videos, just Click Here!
For more on Erica and Friends, check their Website, or Facebook Page
For even more music, check their Soundcloud site, or
their Reverbnation site!
Sausalito Yacht Club, Sausalito, CA. Details
Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, Dublin, CA. Details
Main Street Brewery, Pleasanton, CA. Details
Fiddle-forward band Sixpenny brings its infectious music to several Saint Patrick’s Day venues, playing reels, jigs and all manner of traditional Celtic tunes.
Members include Jean Olds (fiddle), Ken Passeri (fiddle, guitar), Nancy McGhee (acoustic bass, cello), Larry Milder (guitar, mandolin), and Lauren Nourse (flute, penny whistle).
For more information, check their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/sixpennyirishband, or email sixpenny@larrymilder.com or call Ken Passeri at 650-224-4653.
Kelly Brewing Company, Morgan Hill, CA. Details
Murry’s Irish Pub, San Leandro, CA. Details
• Stepdancing 5-6 PM
• Bagpiping by Elise 6:30 PM
• Charmas Trio Band 7:00 PM
Working Bay Area Celtic band Charmas, performs a lively mixture of Celtic pub songs, ballads, ceili music, sea chanteys, and Celtic rock, with a little bagpiping thrown into the mix.
Charmas is based in Santa Cruz, and has played many times at UICC-SF prior to the pandemic and remodel, including once on St. Patrick’s Day. They perform both Irish and Scottish music, as well as mixed-genre music with a Celtic influence, and have recorded two albums – one of sea music and one of original/traditional Celtic music. As a ‘working’ Irish band, they perform mostly for private events, playing the popular songs people want to hear for wakes, weddings, birthday parties etc, for most, this is a rare opportunity to hear them.
Charmas Trio features Aaron Clegg on lead vocals/flute, Elise MacGregor Ferrell on fiddle/bagpipes, and Phil Johnston on lead vocals/guitar.
Charmas features Aaron Clegg on lead vocals/flute, Elise MacGregor Ferrell on fiddle/bagpipes, and Phil Johnston on lead vocals/guitar, Dave Clarke on drums and Mick O’Broain on bass/vocals.
Charmas Duo features Aaron Clegg on lead vocals/flute and Phil Johnston on lead vocals/guitar.
Charmas 2018 11-track album, Stark Raving Celtic, is still available, featuring original Celtic music and performances by 20 past and present members of Charmas as well as notable guest performers!
Full Details at https://charmasband.com, or email Elise MacGregor Ferrell at eliseelise@aol.com.
(Wake the Dead Lite five piece lineup)
Norm’s Place, Danville, CA. Details
The Felton Music Hall, Felton, CA. Details
Ashkenaz Music Hall, Berkeley, CA. Details
Wake the Dead is (left to right) Kevin Carr, Cindy Browne (bass), Danny Carnahan (vocals, fiddle, octave mandolin), Sylvia Herold (vocals, guitar), Paul Kotapish (vocals, mandolin), Brian Rice (exotic percussion) and Fiddler extraordinaire Valerie Rose (framed).
Wake The Dead, the World’s Only Celtic All-Star Party Band, is a hot sextet combining Irish jigs and reels with the songs of the Grateful Dead and other ’60s iconic bands, delivering them with unique power and joy. Soaring vocal harmonies and daring instrumentals fuel Wake the Dead’s singular groove engine, delighting Celtoids and Deadheads alike.
Since the spring, Wake the Dead has grown by one member to include our dear friend and hot fiddler and singer, Valerie Rose. Even better, Kevin Carr is back from the repair shop for both the Oregon Celtic Fest and The Freight and will be fiddling and piping up a storm, trading licks with Valerie and creating new sonic wonders.
After 25 years of touring, Wake The Dead has grown to embrace the entire Summer of Love—the Airplane, the Youngbloods, Buffalo Springfield, and even the Beatles now joyful parts of the mix. Local fans are guaranteed many brand-new surprises. Their sound is unique, their energy extraordinary — a rare collision of worlds that leaves everybody dancing & grinning.
Wake The Dead, was first known for weaving jigs and reels into the songs of the Grateful Dead, and so impressed the Dead themselves enough for them to release the début Wake the Dead CD on Grateful Dead/Arista Records. This hot Bay Area acoustic sextet now Celtifies the entire Summer of Love including the Airplane, Youngbloods, Buffalo Springfield and even the Beatles, and after twenty years of rocking acoustic joy and is still going strong.
Click Here for the Studio-Produced Videos of Wake the Dead!
Wake The Dead Website
Wake The Dead Facebook Page.
House Concert, San Carlos, CA. Details
Freight & Salvage, Berkeley, CA. Details
House Concert, San Francisco, CA. Details
Shay & Michael Black are singing siblings from Ireland’s foremost family of song, The Black Family, which also includes their sisters Mary & Frances, & brother, Martin. Hailed in the Irish Echo as ‘one of the most impressive groups of Irish singers to be found anywhere; exquisite, exhilarating and nothing short of thrilling’ they raise their sibling rivalry to revelry, The Blacks adroitly accompany themselves on banjo, cittern & guitar.
Black Brothers Band line-up is Shay Black, guitar and vocals, Michael Black, banjo, cittern and vocals, Eamonn Flynn, keyboards, Felim Egan, accordion and Darcy Noonan on fiddle.
At their concerts one can expect to hear Irish traditional ballads, Dublin street songs, music hall ditties, contemporary folk compositions, rollicking reels & joyful jigs, all interspersed with comic stories, jokes & humorous childhood anecdotes that invariably have audiences smiling broadly & joining in on the choruses. Shay and Michael are close harmony singers, with a special fondness for songs that includes their audience in chorus, and many of the songs are narratives with stories.
Click to see Black Brothers Band videos
The 2020 Black Brothers Band album, named Glackanacker for the townland on Rathlin Island where the Blacks have a house, is available now on their website and will be available at this show.
Click to Hear the Bonus Track from Glackanacker: Roller Bowler
More on their Website: Black-Brothers.com
The Gas Men play Irish Traditional music (jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas) and perform a wide variety of songs. From Alaska to Argentina, the band have enjoyed playing music and entertaining audiences since the early ninties.
The Gasmen are Vincy Keehan, mandolin, guitar, vocals, Kenny Somerville, banjo, guitar, vocals, Cormac Gannon, bodhran, vocals, and Kyle Alden, guitar / mandolin / fiddle / vocal.
For more Gasmen info, call Cormac Gannon at 415-637-5079 or check their: Facebook Page.
with Jesse Newmark and Culann’s Hounds
Peri’s, 29 Broadway, Fairfax, CA. Details
with Celine Byrne, United Irish Cultural Center
San Francisco, CA. Details
The Hooks are a Celtic-inspired band from the Emerald Isle that will leave you spellbound. Blending traditional Irish folk music with rock and roll, they’ve created a unique and infectious sound that’s taking the world by storm. The band formed in Ireland by the Mulligan brothers. They were soon joined in San Francisco by drummer Colin Delaney and bassist Mark Nichoson. Their sound is driven by the Mulligan brothers powerful vocals, Delaney’s driving beats, and Nichoson’s smooth bass riffs. Together, they create a dynamic and energetic sound that is sure to get you moving. After their recent tour of New Zealand and release of their new single ‘The Golden Gate,’ the band are ecstatic about finishing and putting out the new album. With their soulful melodies, explosive energy, and deep love for their heritage, The Hooks are a band that you won’t want to miss. So pour yourself a pint of the black stuff, sit back, and get ready to be swept away by the magic of Ireland’s finest export. – thehooksmusic.com
Culann’s Hounds have been playing shows for over two decades. Starting their run in a small Irish bar in the inner Sunset of San Francisco called The Blackthorn Tavern in 1999, their steady rise has been a credit to their love of the music and ability to consistently deliver hard driving quality shows with a strong dose of rebel attitude, humor, and a few drops of whiskey. 5 albums later they have multiple national and international tours under their belt in addition to headlining festivals and large music venues. The thread that has held the band together is the same one that has drawn the members back to their roots: love of traditional Irish music.
Culann’s Hounds are rocking their third decade of performance and we hope to see you all at one of our shows. Let’s have a pint, some tunes and a good time. – sfhounds.com
Peri’s, Fairfax, CA. Details
Slainte Irish Pub, Oakland, CA. Details
The Temple Bar, San Francisco, CA. Details
Plough and Stars, San Francisco, CA. Details
Fierce like their namesake, Cu Chulainn, Culann’s Hounds have built a reputation for stage shows filled with high-energy and a ruthless dedication to rocking their audiences. Folk melodies, sensibilities, and stories permeate their music with origins in Ireland, France and early America. This mash-up of tradition and energy is at once thought provoking, accessible and infectious. The Hounds original material is a mirror of their lives, tales of distant lands, love, elation and loss.
Steve Gardner brings his virtuosic violin style uncut. With seeming effortlessness he plays Irish traditional music, Cajun, country and rock pairing with the accordion at breakneck speed. Steve also grabs the guitar and sings his irreverent brand of classic and original songs.
Mike Kelleher sings from the gut, giving his own songs and those of centuries past a particular urgency. A key to The Hounds’ tireless rhythm, Mike’s guitar playing cuts to the core of song, strongly framing the vocals and the traditional melodies.
Longtime Bassist Dan Duffin and Bodhran player Scott Marshall complete the lineup.
When The Hounds play, they take more than just the stage. They take control and make you love them. Give in to screamingly high energy, dance with wild abandon, and connect to music of the people made on real instruments in front of your eyes.
More Details on the Facebook Page or the Hounds Website.
Welcome aboard the Portland Spirit for the 8th Annual Shamrock Cruise– for a cruise on the Willamette river and three continuous hours of music and dance of Ireland for all communities and ages on all decks.
Boarding at Caruthers Street with free and secured parking. 4 – 7 PM.
Each deck has live entertainment of Irish music from DREOS and The Katie Jane Band and Irish dance, from the Rowan Fae Irish Dance Company Troupe! There is a bistro, no-host, food on one level and full bars on all levels for your pleasure to purchase.
Organizer: 8th Annual Shamrock Cruise
Artists: Dreos, The Katie Jane Band, Rowan Fae Irish Dance Company Troupe
Community Comments:
• This is our new family tradition!
• A floating St. Patrick’s Day that we loved! Truly the best family event in Portland.
• Our family hopes this will go on every year. So much fun and the views of our river are great!
St Mary’s by the Sea, Pacific Grove, CA. Details
Niles Main Street Association Shamrock Shindig
Veterans Memorial Hall, Fremont, CA. Details
Private Home, Auburn, CA. Details
Join the Weeds in celebrating St. Patrick’s month with Party For Paddy. This West Coast up and coming ensemble is prepared to take you on a musical journey which begins and ends in ancient Ireland. While rooted in the Irish tradition, our trip will ‘cross the pond’ into the United States where these three accomplished instrumentalists will explore folk seasonings from Appalachian mountain hollers to occasional hints of modern jazz. The performance will also weave in cutting edge modern Celtic compositions from the trio.
Hailing from Carmel, California, the Weeds consist of fiddler John Weed (Molly’s Revenge/New String Project) and sons, Tyler Weed (Mandolin, Irish tenor banjo, guitar) and Evan Weed (Celtic harp, piano, melodica). Watch the folk process unfold as John enjoys a musical conversation with two of the next generation’s rising stars. Hearing sophisticated arrangements of driving Irish jigs, reels, and slower heartfelt selections, you’ll leave uplifted, knowing the future is in good hands as Weeds Trio raises your spirits, honoring this tradition with a vital, new voice.
Carmel Highland Set
Evan’s Crazy 7/8 Tune original from Evan
John Weed, fiddler for Molly’s Revenge and New World String Project, has spent the last 30 years immersed in various fiddle styles. With an affinity for folk traditions, John’s exploration has emphasized Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Old-Time fiddle. While he holds a bachelor’s degree of music from CSU Chico, the musical education that charted his path began through a long series of Irish sessions. There, he learned the nuance of aural passing of melodies and the tradition of conversing in a deeply musical manner. John’s passion for the vital expressiveness of the session lead to performing across the United States and internationally. In addition to being a full time performer and instructor, John is currently on faculty at Palenke Arts, a multicultural arts organization in Seaside, California.
Tyler Weed was raised in a musical family. His journey began on guitar which quickly led to earning money backing his father on fiddle. He then discovered flat-picking melodies while also developing a passion for jazz. This allowed him to be equally comfortable playing in the old-world fiddle styles as well as using swing-accompaniment on Irish melodies. World Strides Heritage Festival presented Tyler with first-place Maestro Solo Guitar award in Anaheim, Ca. 2022. Heavily influenced by Bay Area mandolin great Marla Fibish, Tyler developed nuanced traditional Irish tunes on mandolin — picking patterns for the different dance tunes, tone projection, and styling, which continues in his playing today. Tyler represented the next generation of mandolin players at his performance at 2023 San FranciscoInstrumental Festival of Mandolins. He has since journeyed into the world of tenor banjo. His banjo style can be characterized by ornate, percussive triplet stylings with a driving, yet hypnotic groove.
Evan Weed is the youngest in the Weeds musical clan. Like Tyler, Evan grew up on the road, accompanying his father’s touring bands to festivals, performing arts centers, house concerts, and many fiddle camps. During the pandemic, Evan completely immersed himself in a world of practice on piano, Celtic harp, jazz drumming, and Latin percussion. In addition to playing harp and melodica in John Weed’s Celtic Teen Band ‘The McMonarchs’, Evan worked tirelessly on piano. Evan won a position in the nationally ranked SFJazz High School All Star Big Band, becoming only the third eighth grader in four decades to be selected. Evan was later presented SFJazz Education Award spring 2024, voted on by his peers and directors for superior dedication, attitude, and musicianship. Evan’s original composition, ‘Ask The Professor’, was recently featured in the SFJazz winter concert after Evan arranged and orchestrated for the 19 piece big-band. Evan recently became a 2025 National Young Arts Winner in the categories of composition and jazz piano.
Aryeh Frankfurter
Square dance with our Old-Time Trio, Monroe, OR. Details
Old-Time trio @ Sky High Brewery, Corvallis, OR. Details
Bandon Library, Bandon, OR. Details
Florence Unitarian Church, Florence, OR. Details
House Concert, Grants Pass, OR. Details
Lisa Lynne & Aryeh Frankfurter perform with two Celtic harps, the rare Swedish Nyckelharpa, Ukrainian Bandura, Cittern and more. The audience will hear music hailing from Celtic and Nordic Traditions as well as heartwarming original compositions. The multi-instrumental duo will present a unique blend of music and tales from their adventures as modern day troubadours.
Here is a video of some excerpts from their recent live shows: https://youtu.be/NvJdFA0ktsw
Lisa Lynne is a multi-instrumentalist and performer who has gained worldwide recognition for her original music featuring her Celtic Harp. She is widely acclaimed for composing memorable and heartwarming melodies on the Windham Hill/Sony music labels that have repeatedly placed in the Top 10 & Top 20 on the Billboard New age music charts. Lisa tours year round performing at large US festivals and performing art centers. Her work in Therapeutic music has gained recognition from NBC, CNN, Fox News Atlanta and numerous newspaper and magazine articles including Wall Street Journal. Lisa’s music is heard throughout the award winning PBS special ‘Alone in the Wilderness,’ amongst many other soundtracks for commercial television and independent films. She performs regularly as a solo artist, with Aryeh Frankfurter, Patrick Ball and the Windham Hill tours. She was recently named one of the 50 most inspiring women by Los Angeles Magazine. http://www.LisaLynne.com
Aryeh Frankfurter is a renowned Celtic harper and multi- instrumentalist who went from virtuosic progressive rock violin to intricate Swedish folk and Celtic Music. He began with Classical violin at the age of three, and studied music throughout his life. He has 17 albums to his credit, works on film and television scores as composer and arranger, and continues to teach himself to play a variety of instruments, most recently the rarely seen Swedish Nyckelharpa. He earned his masters in philosophy as he was becoming one of the most successful street performers in the US. He is a full time musician and producer whose uncommon approach to the Celtic harp and folk harp repertoire, his critically acclaimed albums have earned him high regard as an artist of extraordinary talents and abilities. www.Lionharp.com
Check out Lisa’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LisaLynne
Check their calendar at: https://lionharp.com/calendar
For more information, please contact: Lisa Lynne 541-972-3068 Lisa@LisaLynne.com.
Jack’s Brewing Company, Fremont, CA. Details
Caper’s Eat and Drink, Campbell, CA. Details
Foothills Congregational Church, Los Altos, CA. Details
Please join Lynda and Verlene as they continue to enchant you on their new musical duo band, Celtic Moon in Downtown Willow Glen in San Jose, CA.
You can expect to be enchanted, by all the vocal melodies, and harmonies, inspired, by the original songs and unique folk instrumentation, mesmerized, by the double harp tunes, energized, by the blend of traditional tunes and genres like jazz, blues, country, movie themes, and world folk music, and entertained, by the multi-instrumental skills, sing-a-longs, and special guest artist appearances.
Celtic Moon is:
Lynda MacNeil: keyboard, harp, guitar, vocals
Verlene Schermer: fiddle, nyckelharpa, mandolin, concertina, harp, vocals
Verlene and Lynda hope that you can join us indoors as we explore Celtic music through the lens of many genres. A typical recent playlist included John Coltrane, Taylor Swift, Emmy Lou Harris, Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, Dr. Who, Verlene Schermer, Zelda, and Lynda MacNeil. We will play double harps, guitar, nickelharpa, melodica, fiddle, keys, and tenor banjo, and we will sing melodies and harmonies, recite poetry, and limericks.
To watch the Celtic Moon videos, Click Here.
Check out:
The Celtic Moon Website
Monday, March 17th, 4:00 PM, All-Ireland Cultural Society of Oregon (AICS) 84th Annual St Patrick’s Day Celebration, with pipers, drums, dancers, dancing, food, drink, music, and a family area at the Annual event of the All-Ireland Cultural Society’s celebration.
This a Family Friendly event, with Face painting, a musical petting zoo, hot and cold food, tea and coffee, beer and wine!
For more information:
Email Samuel Keator sam.keator@frontier.com
Check https://www.facebook.com/events/2303113850063804
Get early bird tickets at https://www.tickettomato.com/event/9199/
The Cooking with Turf and Gavin Bruce band is Ken Vande Kieft, Steve Kenworthy and Gavin Bruce. On Saint Patrick’s Day they’ll be at the Ripon Taphouse in Ripon, CA.
They are known for playing traditional ballads, Singing solo and ensemble, and playing tunes for Concerts, weddings, parties, Ceilidh and Contra Dance players.
Here is a video of the band playing a set of jigs and reels: https://youtu.be/xIgZq7ci06c
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/people/Cooking-With-Turf/100063608171332/
Samantha Harvey
One of the preeminent Celtic bands on the world circuit, Téada, led by fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada, has performed extensively world-wide as headliners at many major festivals earning a reputation as one of the best – if not the best – Irish Trad bands playing today! We are very fortunate to have them perform for us here on the West Coast!
A graduate in Music Education from Trinity College Dublin/RIAM, Oisín Mac Diarmada began playing fiddle at a young age in Co. Clare, subsequently moving to Co. Sligo and developing a deep interest in the playing style of the North Connacht region. Oisín is also a regular solo performer, appearing as guest soloist with the Southern Georgia Symphony Orchestra in 2007 and maintaining a busy schedule of teaching activity throughout the world. Oisín was appointed Director of SCT, the Traditional Irish Music Examination System administered by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, during 2012.
Paul Finn from Co. Laois is one of the finest button accordion players in Ireland. Known for a pulsating and rhythmic performance style, his playing featured prominently in major international touring dance productions, as well as in the indigenous session scene in Ireland, prior to his joining Téada in 2003. He is a member also of the All-Ireland winning Innisfree Céilí Band and is a popular teacher at workshops including Irish Music Gathering in Tocane, France.
Samantha Harvey is an award-winning step dancer, pianist and accordionist. She has performed throughout the world. Samantha performed in RTÉ’s Centenary 2016, broadcast live from the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin and with both Omaha & Nashville Symphonies in A Celtic Journey.
From the Waterford Gaeltacht, Caoimhín Ó Fearghail started on the tin-whistle at age eight, and quickly progressed to the uilleann pipes under the tutelage of David Power. In 2014, he joined the group Caladh Nua and has toured extensively with them and also worked with Danú, Piper’s Union, and Skipper’s Alley. Caoimhín was the 2012 recipient of the TG4 Young Musician of the Year award (Gradam Ceoil TG4), and was recently chosen as 2021 Best Folk Instrumentalist at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards.
All-Ireland winning multi-instrumentalist Patrick Doocey is one of the most in demand accompanists on the Irish music scene today. Born in Massachusetts and having lived in Foxford, County Mayo, Patrick now resides in New York City. His exciting style on both nylon and steel string guitar have brought him all over Europe, Asia, America and Africa and performed with artists such as Sharon Shannon, Lunasa, Sean Keane, Liz Carroll & Mary Chapin Carpenter.
A traditional band with a truly worldwide reach, Téada has appeared as a frequent headliner at major music festivals throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Africa, Russia, Israel and Australia. Highlights include a 30,000-capacity stadium concert in Brittany, along with performances at Rainforest World Music Festival & Penang World Music Festival in Malaysia, Edmonton Folk Festival in Canada, Harare International Festival of the Arts in Zimbabwe and World Music Festival Taiwan. In 2014 the band performed to 40,000 people during an extensive 7-week tour of Japan / Taiwan.
Spring 2022 brought the release of Téada’s sixth album on the Gael Linn label, featuring the brilliant vocals of Séamus Begley along with the band’s customary re-energising of rare tunes from the tradition. Video clip here: Téada – Ar Mhuin na Muice / Cairo Barry / Garranmore / Hunter Billy’s.
‘There’s a rich sense of continuity in the sets and of boundless energy bereft of egotism in the playing.‘ Siobhán Long, The Irish Times (4-star Review)
‘At the cutting edge of the next generation of Irish musicians … with a fierce familiarity with the old ways.‘ Irish Music Magazine
Check out their performance for live TV in Ireland Click Here
More on the Téada website: http://teada.com
Monday, March 17th 7:30 PM
Join us for an unforgettable evening with a legendary storyteller and singer, Colin Urwin, over from Ireland just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.
Colin Urwin, from the spectacular north coast of Ireland, is a modern-day seanchaí. He is a folk singer, songwriter, oral storyteller, workshop facilitator, recording artist, and author of several collections of folktales. He weaves old folk songs and original rhyming monologues into his shows and tells hauntingly beautiful traditional tales in his rich and authentic voice. With over forty years of performance experience, he works with museums, schools, libraries, and other community groups. He also appears on festival stages all over the world.
Kenny Somerville, a musician and storyteller from Co Fermanagh, will appear with Colin. He is a member of the well-known Bay Area group the Gas Men and plays tunes and songs from the Irish and American traditions on banjo and mandolin
You’ve arrived at the spot for VIRTUAL tickets to the recording of this fabulous show. If you want to attend the show live and in person (at Ashkenaz in Berkeley, CA), please click HERE and scroll to the March 17th listing.
Don’t miss this evening of Irish stories and songs from two of Ireland’s most celebrated sons. This show is being produced by The Storytelling Association of California and Six Feet Apart Productions.
The Pub Scouts, an Irish band, plays every Friday (30+ years) at Duffy’s Tavern, Chico, from 5pm-8pm.
A Chico Tradition for over 30 years – Great Tunes – Good Friends – Cocktails and Pints
Aquatic Park bleachers east of the Maritime Museum building
3rd Saturdays 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM Online via Zoom
The San Francisco Chantey Sing is a beloved Bay Area musical tradition. Chanteys are the work songs of seafaring, dock labor, fishing and rowing, are one of the most compelling ways to celebrate our maritime heritage. International and multi-cultural in scope, they tell stories of life in long-ago History, but resonate today with tales of bravery, fear, international port of call, and of longing for a better life.
Now in its 41st year, Park volunteer and retired Park Ranger Peter Kasin continues as emcee for 2 monthly sings taking the role of chantey Empresario, introducing singers and setting up the songs, and you can join either in person or from your own home via online connections, to help bring joy, calm the nerves, and help us get through these trying times!
Peter Kasin says,
Ahoy –
In-person chantey sings have returned to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park every first Saturday, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, in the Aquatic Park bleachers east of the Maritime Museum building, 900 Beach Street, foot of Polk.RESERVATIONS: To reserve, please email me here peterkasin5@gmail.com. Your last name with the number in your party will be on the reservation list held inside the museum entrance by a volunteer.
We will also continue the monthly virtual chantey sing online. Virtual Singing participants, who have signed up for performing slots in advance, will share their favorite songs, either accompanying themselves on traditional instruments, or a cappella.
If not leading a song, no registration necessary. givebutter.com/ChanteySing activates at 11:00 AM on 3rd Saturdays, where lead singers will be in the “Hollywood squares” (gallery view) and you can sing along from home!
Visit https://maritime.org/events-home/chantey-sing for complete details, including links to an online signup sheet, instructions for lead singers, and some suggested virtual backgrounds (just in case your bunk isn’t completely ship-shape). You’ll need a good internet connection, and should be prepared to have fun!
Donations to the Association will be accepted during the event, which will be used to buy virtual technologies to broadcast more events from the Park.
For more details, check this Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/SanFranciscoMaritimeNHP
The San Francisco Chantey Sings became a park program in 1981, led by it’s founding Park Ranger Dave Nettell from 1981 to 1989 aboard the Schooner C.A. Thayer and the square-rigged ship Balclutha. Over the years, the sings popularity, led by Park Rangers, required them to be held in a larger venue, and, up until Covid, were held aboard the historic ferry Eureka, garnering 100 to 200 people monthly.
If you’d like to learn more about this fascinating folk music tradition, the Park Maritime Research Center’s Chantey Pathfinder has links to books, music and scholarly journal articles at https://go.nps.gov/chanteyinfo. San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park includes a fleet of historic ships, Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and the Aquatic Park Historic District. Visit the Park online at http://www.nps.gov/safr
Eric Owens is an Irish flute player.
Eric Owens Says:
Every Sunday I play jigs and reels solo or with friends for 4 hours in the large room in the Yosemite Wine Tails wine bar. I’m joined by a bodhran player approx 25% of the time, but I also play with other friends as well as all across California under the name Turf in the Bog to include my musician friends from around the state.
Many such gigs have a completely different lineup, with some regulars as well depending on the location and venue. Last year we played the Kern County Scottish games, Oakhurst Harvest Festival, Tradfest West, Rock the Gates, Fairfax Irish Music Festival and many more events.
Some of these events can be viewed at my YouTube channel (see below).
On Saturdays, I attend the session at the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco. All levels are welcome and audience is welcome as well.
Eric Owens woden.eric@gmail.com
YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@ericowensflute
First Sundays Online Workshop
The 1st Sunday online Free Workshop lasts one hour and is suitable for those who are new to Irish, as well as for those who are currently studying the language! Click Here to Register for the Zoom Link. After the Free Workshop, Attendees are welcome to stay on afterwards to ask questions and learn about the online Irish language community.
Registration closes one hour before the workshop begins, so do it now to be ready for the next first Sunday.
Unable to attend? No problem! Check out our Free On Demand Starter Class with Quinton Beck. Quinton will take you through your first steps in the Irish language with three short videos. Register here to access the videos.
Let’s Learn Irish is an online Irish community, providing daily classes, conversation sessions and workshops for learners throughout the world. First established by Dr. Ronan Connolly in Washington DC in 2009, the Let’s Learn Irish story of ‘the online Gaeltacht’ has resonated with a global online audience. Let’s Learn Irish is now the largest provider of online Irish courses and comhrá sessions for learners.
The Let’s Learn Irish online community was developed at University of Galway, Ireland to support Irish learners throughout the world.
They provide daily online classes, comhrá sessions and community workshops, and weekly courses for all levels. Learners from all over the USA and further afield attend these classes, and since all sessions are video recorded, many more learners follow along in their own time and/or timezone each week. If you want to attend one of our Cúrsaí, but are unable to attend the live sessions, then you can still join us by following our video recordings! Use coupon ‘VideoOnly’ at the checkout for a 25% discount.
The upsurge in interest in the language, and the success of the Oscar-nominated ‘An Cailín Ciúin‘, marks a watershed moment. On their website, there are links to learner profiles, articles and news from their community. Their Press page provides further insights into their story and online activities.
Links:
YouTube Videos: https://www.youtube.com/letslearnirish
Courses: LetsLearnIrish.com/cursai
Press: LetsLearnIrish.com/press/
Articles: LetsLearnIrish.com/ailt/
Learner Profiles: LetsLearnIrish.com/member-profiles/
About: LetsLearnIrish.com/about
Contact Info: LetsLearnIrish.com/contact/
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go partner dancing in Ireland? Well, set dance events have been happening in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than 30 years, and more recently, Irish Dance – San Francisco Bay Area has been continuing that tradition.
Set dancing is the social form of folk dancing. It is NOT the performance style dancing you may have seen on ‘Riverdance’, rather, set dancing is very beginner friendly, but engaging enough to appeal to experienced dancers. So whether you are an experienced dancer looking to try something new, or an absolute beginner who wants to give dancing a try, set dancing may be for you.
If you would like to see what set dancing looks like, here are a few example videos:
• Dance: Polca an Ri – Clare Lancers
• Dance: Clare Meserks – Sona Sól
Set dancing may look complicated if you have never done it before, but it is fun and the moves and patterns become easy to do with a bit of instruction. Irish Dance – San Francisco Bay Area offers set dancing lessons on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at the Ireland’s 32 pub in San Francisco. Lessons are taught by Michael Murphy and Michael Riemer and are typically attended by 10-20 other dancers.
No prior dance experience of any kind is necessary. You don’t need to bring a partner – there will always be one available – but feel free to take one (or more!) along. You can wear any clothes and shoes that you’re comfortable dancing and sweating in, as dancing can be quite a workout. Removable layers are suggested, and flat shoes are recommended over heels.
Admission is only $10 per person.
If you are not yet a set dancer but are curious, their ‘Meetup’ group is the easiest way to get started: https://www.meetup.com/irishdance. If you are already a dancer, you too should join the Meetup group to get updates on upcoming events and stay in touch with other dancers.
Thank you for supporting over three decades of Irish dancing in the Bay Area!
The Delta King in Sacramento, CA
Every Thursday, at 6:00 PM with few exceptions
Father Paddy’s in Woodland, CA
All 3rd Saturdays with few exceptions
One Eyed Reilly is a genre-bending Celtic/Americana rock band from Sacramento that blends dynamic originals with Celtic rock, Americana, and energetic, innovative versions of Irish and Scottish trad. One Eyed Reilly’s original songs draw on musical influences from Irish folk to Celtic punk with occasional unexpected nuggets ranging from the likes of Bob Dylan, John Prine, Tom Waits, Wilco or the Old Crow Medicine Show. This musical mash-up forms the perfect beer-and-whiskey drenched milieu for a good time night out at the Pub.
For a One Eyed Reilly sample video, Tipperary Blood, Click Here.
More on One Eyed Reilly on their website.
One Eyed Reilly is:
• Rick Meagher, lead vocals/acoustic guitar
• Geith St John Fraser, fiddle; harmony vocals
• Aaron Hendel, bass & electric guitars
• Tim Kurteff-Schatz, drums/percussion
8:00 PM in Ireland/UK
3:00 PM Eastern
12:00 PM Pacific
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
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The Cross Keys are a Folk Explosion, with Cormac Gannon, Stacy Samuels, Neil O’Neill.
Cormac says:
Looking forward to playing with my comrades!
Here is a sample video featuring Stacy Samuels: https://youtu.be/8wKMcbIzKzs
Located in beautiful Fairfax, in the heart of Marin County, the Way Station has risen from the site of a former gas station into a family-friendly beer garden and smokehouse. The Way Station team prides itself on super friendly customer-focused service.
Check waystationmarin.com or The Facebook Page or call (415) 300-3099.
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
Check their website, www.threetimesthrough.com for more dates.
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
11 AM – 1 PM Pacific Time
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
12:00 PM Pacific / 3:00 PM Eastern / 8:00 PM UK
Play Along with Irish Tunes at a steady pace
Join the Meeting Passcode: 245476
Song and Tune Round Robin
11:30 AM Pacific / 2:30 PM Eastern / 7:30 PM UK
Join the Meeting Passcode: 715687
12:00 PM Pacific / 3:00 PM Eastern / 8:00 PM UK
Play Along with Irish Tunes at Full Speed
Join the Meeting Passcode: 245476
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
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
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
January 6th – February 17th and beyond
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
Monday Social Events
Every Monday night the Celtic Arts Center offers a free introductory Irish language workshop online via Zoom for complete beginners that starts at 7PM.
On Monday, March 17th, 7:00 PM, Celtic Arts Center’s Grand Music Session & Limerick Contest in person. The evening will feature …
• Traditional Celtic music jam session in the Lounge – Musicians and singers are welcome!
• Annual Limerick Contest! – You’ll read aloud your most original and humorous entries! RSVP to Tom at freepacifica@gmail.com
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
3:00 – 5:00 PM Eastern
8:00 – 10:00 PM GMT
10:00 – 1:00 AM Eastern
11:00 – 1:00 PM Tokyo Thurs.
Tony Becker
americeltic@gmail.com (email)
M 408 600-8783 (text)
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!
with John Whelan
2:30 PM Pacific: Tune Learning
4:00 PM Pacific: Taking Time
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 876 5743 3368
Passcode: 696642
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
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
In 1872, teacher and school principal Mícheál Ó Lócháin started The Philo-Celtic Society in Brooklyn, NY, to establish a worldwide renaissance of the Irish language.
There were and are other organizations and people dedicated to other areas of Gaelic culture, such as dance and music, and we have great respect for them and we praise their work on behalf of those arts. At other periods of our history, we tried to be active in various other aspects of our culture besides the Irish language, all things for all people, until the Irish language wasn’t important at all to most of our membership. In that way, we forgot our original purpose of supporting the Irish language and the organization was on the brink of going out of existence.
However, Mícheál Ó Lócháin’s vision was still remembered, especially as the name, ‘Philo-Celtic’ literally means ‘lover of the Celtic language’, and since December of 2004, The Philo-Celtic Society has re-focused it’s activities on teaching the Irish language. Our activities went on-line, conducting classes in the Irish Language around the world using emails and through, at first on the Yahoo Groups platform, and later in Groups.io. By Fall of 2020, all our classes are offered as video classes on Zoom, making them accessible to students throughout the world.
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
• Wednesdays at 8 – 9:30 PM Eastern / 5 – 6:30 PM Pacific (Early for East Coast)
• Thursdays at 8 – 9:30 PM Pacific / 11 – 12:30 AM Eastern (Late for West Coast)
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
The Ould Sod Virtual Irish Traditional Session on Zoom
When COVID restrictions began in March, 2020, many weekly gatherings shifted to meeting online via the Zoom platform. With restrictions in California easing a bit, some are reducing or ending their Zoom musical meetings, but Michael Eskin says his, and since he has hosted over a hundred of these accessible performances so far, I believe him!
Michael Eskin says:
With other Zoom sessions either closing down or changing to once-a-month format, and a few in person sessions restarting, I wanted to remind everyone that I’ll continue to host The Ould Sod Virtual Session on Zoom every first Thursday evening for as long as there are enough players each time, and we’ve generally been between 20 and 30 players on the past few first Thursdays.Players: Please join us and let other players know about our weekly Zoom event!
Punters: You are welcome to attend and listen, but please also and let others know about our weekly event!
More information at: http://michaeleskin.com/session
Learn Instrumental Tunes
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
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
Break Through your Ancestry Brick Walls!
by Cecilia Fábos-Becker
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
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
Monday – Thursday 3:00 PM til close
Friday – Sunday 12:00 PM til close
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.
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
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
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
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
Saturdays: 11 AM – 12 AM
Sundays: 11 AM – 10 PM
Tues, Wed, & Thurs: 3 PM – 10 PM
Pacific Time
Buncrana at Sláinte
Susan Spurlock, Tedd Colt, Darcy Noonan, Hector Bragado,
Michael Stack, Patricia Ross, Tim Hill, and Autumn Rhodes.
On Sunday, March 16th, 10:00 AM Sláinte Pub will be hosting their annual Sláinte Irish Pub Block Party, Featuring Traditional Irish Fare, Irish Beers & Cocktails, a lively Atmosphere, and Live Music, from 11 AM The Strand, 1 PM Culann’s Hounds, 2 PM Amelia Hogan, 3 PM Feisty Fingers, 4 PM Mc Bride Irish Dancers, Mike DeSchmidt, 5 PM Diablo Fugitives
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.
https://www.facebook.com/slainteoak
https://slainteoakland.com
Contact them at (510) 823-2644 @slainteoakland or check the website https://slainteoakland.com.
Weekends 10:00-7:00
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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)
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.
 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.
For details, Watch the official Video!
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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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.
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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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